The Sun.
London, England, 1840-01-18 00:00:00

E P

ENTA
M ING

TION 0
HAM.

F BIR-

(FROM A CORAESPOkMENT.
BIR kM, Friday Evening.

The writ for the election of a repres.nitative for this bo-
rough, to fill the vacancy occasioned by thse retirement of Mr.
Attwood, arrived in Birmingham to day'.
It is addressed to
the " high and Low Bailiffs," as Returning' Officers, the dis-
-I.uted validity of the Charter of IncorporatioLs being supposed
to be the reason why it was not addressed to the' Mayor, the le-
lagity of whose return in the present state of ou"Corporation
might be a matter of dispute. The reformed ini`erest of the
town still continues divided, no active movement ha,.•ing been ,
yet made by the Tory party. Should no Conserya,'ive be
brought ions aid, Mr. aluntz cannot in good faith proceeii to a
poll, as he has declared in his address that his only object in
coining forward is to keep out a Tory candidate. The el. ction,
however, will in all probability take place before the c10,,e of
the ensuing week, and solve some curious riddles in Wt.ig
as well as Tory tactics. Mr. sturge's friends have
been actively engaged in canvassing the borough, and,
so far as they have proceeded, they have no reason to
complain of their success—indeed, the suffrages of the Whig
and Radical electors, so far as they have been ascertained, ap-
pear to be pretty equally balanced, although each party claims
a preponderance of votes, but the feeling amongst the large
body of non-electors, a most influential class in Birmingham. is
nnerally expressed in favour of Mr. Sturge. That Mr. Muntz
has been brought forward in the present contest against his
better feelings, no one acquainted with him can doubt for a
moment, and those who know him feel equally certain that his
influence in the House of Commons will be limited to his per-
sonal vote whorl his engagements permit his attendance there.
He has ceased too,. for some years past, to be a resident in Bir-
mingham, and cannot feel that interest in the trade and manu-
factures of the town that he would do if living amongst us.
That he should come forward on the present occasion is a
matter of surprise and regret to many ; but the cause
may be fairly traced to the influence exercised over him
by many of the leading Whigs, whose hostility . Mr.
Sturge has incarre I by his open and manly denunciation of
the establishment of a Government police-force in Birming-
ham, being convinced that such a measure is a violation
of the principles of the Reform Act, and part of a system
of centralization sought to be established throughout the
country. Events will, I fear, prove the soundness of Mr.
Sturge's views upon this measure, but in the mean time it has
been made a handle for exciting against him the opposition of
the Whigs and Whig Radicals, with whom Mr. Mentz has
identified himself in the present contest. Should this Gentle-
man withdraw from the field, as he is negatively pledged to do,
in the event of no Tory candidate offering, Mr. Sturge will
prove a really valuable and useful Member in the Hons..
All who know Mr. Sturge, and who have watched the part
he has taken in public life, must feel convinced that
no paltry feelings of personal ambition influence him in
coming forward on this occasion, the leading object of his
life being the good of his country, and the amelioration of the
condition of his fellow-countrymen and fellow-creatures of
every clime and country. It having been stated in the Bir-
mingham Journal that Mr. Sturge formed part of a deputa-
tion to the Magistrates, to induce them to shut up the beer-
shops at an earlier hour, this large class of voters, the retail
brewers, had passed a resolution at their Committee, that Mr.
Sturge was inimical to their interests; but it having been
since ascertained that the statement was totally unfounded, they
met this evening, and passed a counter-resolution, which is to
be published ; and it may now be fairly anticipated that this
class of electors will generally support his return.
The Committee of Mr. Muntz had calculated upon deriving
considerable advantage from the prejudice excited in the minds
of this section of the Radical voters ; and finding their support
thus suddenly knocked from under them, feel inclined to recon-
sider their position before advancing any further. Some of
Mr. Muntz's Committee have, I am well informed, been solici-
tous of making overtures to the Committee of Mr. Sturge,
but the very cavalier manner in which the proposals of Mr.
Sturge's Committee, as noticed in a former communication,
were treated, makes them fearful that " measure for measure"
may be administered. The nomination approaches ; and should
no Tory be brought forward, Mr. Sturge, as a matter of
course, will be returned, as, on his own showing, Mr. Muntz
will not be required. If Mr. Sturge do not exhibit more con-
sideration for the cause he has so deeply at heart, and which he
has so long and zealously advocated, than Mr. Muntz, and con-
sent to make sacrifices which none but a great man can make,
and a Tory come forward, he will inevitably be returned.