The Sun.
London, England, 1831-05-12 00:00:00

LEICESTER ELECTION.

At a dinner of freeholders and farmers, friends of Mr.
Otway Cave, at the Stag and Pheasant, Leicester, on Fri-
day, May 6, Colonel DE LACY EVANS, M.P. for Rye,
rose anti said—.

Gentlemen,—l thank you most heartily for the ho-
nour you do me in drinking my health as the friend of
Mr. Otway Cave. Unknown to you as I am, it is of
course, to that conjunction of my humble name with his,
that the reception you have given the-toast is to be attri-
buted. That friendship is to me a source of pride and
happiness. I will tell you whence it originates. I owe
it, gentlemen, to the belief of Mr. Otway Cave that I
entertain just sentiments in regard to your rights and
liberties. Gentlemen, since it is my duty thus to offer
you my thanks, I shall arid, if you will give me leave, an
observation or two on the occurrences of this day upon
the hustings. Although a long-premeditated, and (in
part, at least), a most unbecoming speech was made
by one of the candidates, still, the real posi-
tion in which that person stood, is as yet unex-
plained. The facts are these :—lmmediately previous
to the election of last year, Mr. Paget and some Of his
friends and relations wrote to Mr. Otway Cave to say, that
if the latter would consent to be nominated for the county,
they would make a secret and rapid canvass, and hoped by
taking the enemy by surprise, to succeed in placing him
in the situation of your representative. T. support tile
project, they required him to come immediately to the
neighbourhood of Leicester, accompanied by Sir Francis
Burdett, and any other influential friends whose attend-
ance could be secured. On the arrival of Mr. Cave, Mr.
Paget and his relatives proposed that Mr. Paget should be
himself nominated With Mr. Cave. Though this was un-
expected, Mr. Cave consented. On the following day,
however.. a totally new project was submitted,—and that
was, that Mr. Paget shocld be the soli candidate—and that
Mr. Otway Cave and Sir Francis Burdett should come to
the hustings and support him. Sir Francis Burdett saw
at once through this manoeuvre, and declined hiving any
thing further to do with the persons who figured in it.
Mr. Cave, however, though equally aware of the trick prac-
tised on him, went with his characteristic generosity to the
hustings.and spoke and voted for Mr. Paget, as did his te-
nants. All this while Mr. Paget protested his unwillingne.s
to come forward, and his readiness to resign on the next
occasion, if Mr. Cave or any other country gentleman
should present himself as a candidate. His asseverations
of abstinence from a wish to sit in Parliament were, I be-
lieve, made to many persons,,both in public and private,
and his anxious desire that some country gentleman of
more fitting station should take 'his place as candidate.
And undoubtedly, a provincial banker, with perhaps no
more landed property than a few hundred acres, was not
very likely to be chosen to represent the agricultural inte-
rest. All these clatters, however, have undergone a rapid
alteration by the vast change in the public mind of this
kingdom, and the astonishing progress of the Reform
question. Notwithstanding the disclaimers of ambition
so reiterated by Mr. Paget, and his professed preference
for private life, it appears he continued canvassing and
soliciting pledges of personal support from the free-
holders throughout the county with an unwearied solici-
tuileind diligence. It was, however. still invariably pro-
tested that no personal motives actuated these efforts,—that
be was infinitely more anxious that Mr. Otway Cave or
Mr. Phillips should represent the county than himself : that
his sole object, in short, was the emancipation of the
county. At length Mr. Keck declined coming for-
ward. This occurred same days back. On that occasion
Mr. Otway Cave solicited Mr. Phillips to offer himself ass
a candidate, and I believe the request was mutual. Mr,
Phillips yielded to the requisition sent to him. About
twenty four hours ago another vacancy occurred : this
was the resignation of Lord Robert Manners. It was
then that Sir Francis Burdett suggested that his friend
Mr. Cave should offer himself to the county, and pro-
posed to nominate him ; not doubting that Mr. Paget, the
county being thus emancipated, would avail himself of the
opportunity of Oving way to these two gentlemen, in ful-
Itilment of his professed intentions. On coming to Leicester
this morning, it was found that Mr. Paget had evinced no
such disposition. A contest between three Reformers was to
be deprecated. In order to prevent it, and settle the matter
amicably, so that one of the three should retire, it was
agreed by Mr. Phillips, Mr. Otway Cave, and their mu-
tual friends, that Sir Francis Burdett, as the person of
most consequence and station present, should wait on Mr.
Paget, to ask him, whether, if he had made these decla-
rations of willingness to retire, it was his intention to ful-
fil them. Mr. Paget denied positively ever baying given
any intimation of a desire to give place to a country gen-
tleman. It was then determined that Mr. Cave should
withdraw, and that Sir Francis should merely declare for
him their support of the two remaining reforming candidates,
.—since a contestcould have no useful result to the public ser-
vice. What was our surpri.e, then, to hear the gratuitous
mis-statements and gross, offensive, and unprovoked per-
sonalities indulged in by Mr. Paget, towards a person so
distinguished, so amiable, so infinitely his superior in all
respects as is Sir Francis Btudett. The bad taste, bad
feeling, and bad sense of this conduct I need not point out
to you. It was felt by every one present. It was my in.;
tention to have laid this simple statement before the as-
sembled freeholders around the busting-, and to have
called on Mr. Paget to repair the error he had
committed by apologizing to the meeting. By my
situation I had a right to address a meeting con-
vened for a political purpose. But Mr. Paget and
his friends shrunk from meeting this unvarnished state-
ment. They availed themselves of a paltry technical ob-
jection to prevent my
would
series
heard, Is it possible, I ask,
stronger(ohsvegirena being
proof that they were conscious
their proceedings did not admit of being examined, that a
ithie l, advocates,aj of
a
free discussion,csmvicted of which o
hictfi theybrea professbreach
offaith,
for a
of intrigues unparalleled even in the annals of electioneer-
ing tiickety ! And now, Gentlemen, let us contrast
moment the individuals who were opposed to each other
in these discussions. Oa the one side was Mr. Paget,
a man totally unknown beyond the precincts of this place,
boasting
,
boasting at every second sentence of his courage, (e
saw
sacrifices in the public cause, Sm. On the other w
a man covered with civic honours--the champion of Re-
form—during I may say thirty or forty years--a man of
high station, and still higher distinctioe, submitting with
modest forbearance to the rude attack made on him, and not
saying one word about his own services . or title to consi-
deration.—The pecuniary sacrifices of Mr. Paget amount,
1 believe, to 801.—those of Mr. Otway Cave to 13,0001.
—thole of Sir Francis to above 100,0001.1 know of

no personal risks or hazards which Mr. Paget has in.
eurred. I must confess that be appears to me to plan
-he part of a hero after the battle is won, rather that.
.luring the conflict. Mr. Cave, •by his spirited advocao
of the public rights, has more than once hazarded the pe
nalties of the law,—Sir Francis has not hazarded, bit.
incurred them. What has Mr. Paget done, besides hi•
local declamations, for the public? The only consecutive
thour I am aware of that he has gone through, con-
sists in a small and unknown pamphlet, published sm.
vearm ago, in favour of his own one-pound notes. An.
I recommend you now to have a vigilant eye on his pro-
teedings, lest iris conduct in Parliament should be direct&
to the same object. As for my friend Mr. Otway Cave,
I need scarcely tell you that he did more for the'popula•
cause and for popular rights in one Session of Parliament
than Mr. Paget has achieved in his whole life. Gentle
men, Mr. Paget has promised, by the interposition of lit
prodigious talents, to put roast beef and plum pudding or
the tables of the poor, and to banish all manner of distres
from the land. If he do but a fraction of what he so
iberally promises, I for one shall wish him to continue
is your representative ; but if not, I have no doubt that
his conduct of to-day will effectually prevent his obtaining
sny future support from the electors Of Leicestershire
Gentlemen, I again thank you for the kind manner in
which you have been pleased to receive me ; I congrate-
!ate you on the glorious prospects which open to th
country ; I heartily admire the patriotic spirit of Leices
tershire ; and I regret that the pleasure of this victory
should have been clouded by the deportment alluded to, oit
the part of one of your successful candidates.

CARNARVON, MAY 10.

(FROM A CORRESPONDENT.)

Things are more calm in town this day, and the polling
goes on slowly. The books of the four contributory bo-
roughs being under the immediate controul of the sup-
porters of Mr. Gore, Sir Charles's friends are obliged to
procesd in the most cautious manner. A curious fact has
transpired, exp'aining the great irritation which was ma-
nifested by Mr. Gore on the subject of the disfranchise
inent of Crekieth. Crekieth was incorporated by Edw. 1.,
the Constable of the Castle under the charter being Mayor
ex-officio, before whom the Bailiffs and burgesses were to
be sworn, consequently that the Mayor was an integral
portion I,f the Corporation. About three years ago Mr.
Gore, whose property the borough chiefly is, had entered
on the book between, it is supposed, 300 and 400 names
as burgesses, so as to command the nomination of Mem-
bers. It now, however, - has turned out that there has
been no Constable of the Castle since EAward IL, conse-
quently that the Corporation from the decease of that per-
son has become extinct. Cirnarvon returned Members
first in the 27th of Henry VIII., and in the 85th of the
same reign other ancient boroughs were admitted to par-
ticipate in the election. Crekieth being, for want of a
Mayor, defunct, could not come in under that denomina-
tion, nor are the burgesses mentioned in any of the re-
turns. The assessor would not go into any facts beyond
six years, and there the matter at present rests. There
was a contest between Lord Newborough and Colonel
Wynne some great many years ago, when the Crekieth
burgesses appear on the poll-book as admitted de bene
ease; but there being a majority, their right was no fur-
ther inquired into. So much for the independence of
Crekieth, and the injustice ok not allowing it to contri-
bute to the election of Nlembers.

Fir Charles Paget
Mr. Gore 174

CORNWALL ELECTION.

(FROM A CORRESPONDENT.)

CORNWALL, MAY 9.

From the time of the Prorogation to this moment all
has been bustle and preparation for the grand combat be-
tween the contending parties. The friends of Sir R. R.
Vyvyan and Lord Valletort have exerted themselves to the
utmost. They fight in defence of a rotten systems. The
county town, Lostwithiel, has presented a very animating
scene every day since the nomination last Thursday. This
day numbers of the freeholders have been brought into the
town from various parts of the county. The friends of
t! e rotten borough system have been distributing ribands,
&c. to those they themselves have designated " the mob—
the scum," &c., being, like drowning men, eager to
catch at a straw, glad even of the apparent assistance of '
that part of the population they so much despise and, at
this time, dread. Vehicles of the most opposite character
have been employed. The body of a hearse was dis-
mounted from its sable wheels and frame-work, and a
boat mounted in its place, which being filled with several
of the -friends of Sir Richard and Lord Valletort, drove
into the town late in the evening. In proceeding towards
their head-quarters the frame-work broke down, but we
are happy to say none of the mourners received any in-
jury—but it was considered a bad omen for their linking
cause.

May 10, Eight A. 31.

This morning the pouring into the town commenced
at a very early hour from all the roads leading into it—
from Liskeard, Bodmin, St. Austell, and Fewey. The place
is filling fast. The borough contains a population of about
1,600, hut to-day there will be many thousands here.
Every bed and every stall bas long been engaged for the
friends of the respective candidates. Both parties ex-
press great confidence of success. it is generally sup-
posed that the borough candidates have been deceived by
the reports from their canvassers ; however, a short time
will show. The street leading from the Talbot Inn bas
on the right side a raised mound or terrace along its entire
length, on which spot the booths are erected. There are
nine hundreds in this county, to each of which one booth
for polling is appropriated; the Sheriff's booth is large
enough to contain Irons 100 to 120 persons, and there
are two others for the different persons employed in
taking the account of the polled freeholders. Opposite
the booths, over a large courtlage belonging to the King's
Arms, is a range of seats.

Seven in the Evening.

It is impossible to describe the appearance of the d
ferent processions of freeholders, which continued to enter
the town from various parts of the county during the
whole day. Soon after ten o'clock the Sheriff, Mr.
Tremayne, a most able and impartial man, opened the
business, and Sir R. R. Vyvyan and Lord Valletort were
proposed and seconded, but very little of what was said
could be heard. Mr. J. C. Rashleigh and Mr. Agar
Roberts moved and seconded the nomination of Mr.
Pendarves, and the Rev. Mr. Walker and Mr. Boller,
M.P. for Exeter, moved and seconded that 'of Sir C.
Lemon.
Mr. Buller's speech was excellent, as were those of
Messrs. Rashleigh and Walker.
The Sheriff, on a 'hew of hands, declared the majority
Ito
be in favour of Mr. Pendarves and. Sir C. Lemon, in
fact, the show of bands was immense in their favour. It
is supposed that upwards of 10,000 people were in the
town, The pull closed for the day at six o'clock, and the
result is as follows :—.
. Pendarves
Lemon -
Vyvyan
Valletort - - -
There can be no reasonable doubt of the victory being
complete on the side of Retinal.


SOLI AMICUS.

SIIIPPING INTELLIGENCE-(THIS DAY,

FROM LLOYD'S.

LIVERPOOL, MAY 10.—Arrived the African, from
Genoa ; and the Rapid, Matthews, from Bayonne. Off
port, the John, Heves, from Bengal ; and the Reliance,
from Paraiba.

DUBLIN, MAY 9.—Arrived the Aldbro, Dignum, from
St. Michael's.

BELFAST, MAY 9.—Arrived the Liverpool packet, Rose-
well, from Messina.
GLOUCESTER, MAT 11.—The Juno, Barker, from
Leghorn, which was aground at Beachey on the 30th ult.,
is come into dock to discharge the remainder of her cargo
and repair.
HeLL, MAY 9.—Arrived the Helen, Upham, from
Cadiz; the Thorpe, Hartley, from P,llau.

Arrived at Leghorn, the Traveller, Fish, from Liver-
pool ; the Ann, Williams, from Bristol ; the Cessnouk,
Thompson ; and Union, Alexander, from Ayr.

Strange stories are abroad as to the sale of
services at the election for the city of Edinburgh. Two
persons are named as having received round sums; and
the daughter of one of them, when asked by some civic
functionaries of a humble class, whether her father had
received 5001., is said to have answered " No; he only
received 3901." Scotsman.

WINDSOR CASTLE.—The Court Journal
of Saturday next, which will comprise anextra half-sheet,
or twenty-four columns of additional matter in order to
afford room for the account of her MAJESTY'S Drawing-
room, &c., will likewise furnish a full and minute descrip-
tion of the new Stite and private apartments at Windsor
Castle,
mind un Original Memoir of the celebrated PAGA-
NINI, whose arrival in London is hourly expected. Pub-
lished for H. COLBUILN, by WM. THOMAS, 19, Cathe-
rine-street, Strand,
Send supplied by all Booksellers and
Newsmen.

NEW PARLIANItNT.

MEMBERS RETURNED.
‘NGOZSEA—EarI of Uxbridge.
rlostmEt —E. Coote,.E4q.
URIIAM—W. Russell, Esq..; Sir IL Williamson, Bart.
:JEN ONSIIIRE—Lord John Russell • 'Kilo*.
Ebrington.
:)I.:INGARVON (BOROUGH)--Hon J. Kilo*.
..:SSRX—C. C. Western, Esq.; Hon. W. I'. L. P. Wellesley.
"LINTSHIRE—E. M. L. Alostyn, Esq.
%IADDINGTONSIIIRE—.. T . Balfour, Esq.
..ENT—T. L. Hodges, Esq. ; Rider, Esq.
.. H.DARE—Sir W. Host, Bart. ; It. M. O'Farrell, Esq.
'ILKENNI"—Lord Duncannon ; Earl of Ossory.
.ANCASIIIRE—Lord Stanley; B. Heywood, Esq.
%IERIONETIISIIIRE.—Sir R. W. Vaughan, Bart.
)XFORD (couNri)—Mr. Harcourt; Major WeyYand.
IENFREWSHIRE—Sir M. S. Stewart, Bart.
•LIGO (BOROUGH)—J. Wynne, Esq.
WESTMEATH—G. Rochfort, Esq.; W. Chapman, Esq.