The Sun.
London, England, 1815-02-16 00:00:00

SOUTHWARK ELECTION--(Earth Dav)

Yesterday, several of the Members of the Cnin7
mittee for conducting the Election on the part Of
Mr. Jones Burdett applied to the High Bailiff in
his. rivate room, tb know if the farmed votes of
St. George's parish would be received, if brought
up to poll.
Sir WATKLN LEWES informed them, that a-c*-
cording to the usage of the Borough, and former
decisions on the subject, he could hot allow to be
"polled. . _

Some time. afterwards, a Mr.WooD, N't ith se-
veral of the before-mentioned Committee, had an
interview with the High Bailiff, in which Mr.
Wood stated, that the Committee finding the
state of the poll to be so muchagainst•themoVere
desirous to withdraw. from the contest, at the close
of the poll this day. But, before they did so,
they must request to be satisfied 'on one point,
which was " the appearance of a military force
in the Borough durimg the Election.'' It it could
be fairly shewn to them that such force was not
brought there for the purpose of overawing the
Electors, they would not persevere any further.
If not, they must protest against the measure, and
would proceed, disagreeable.-as it would be to
them, against such overbearing interests as they
found they had to contend- with.
• The. HIGH BAILivF (Sir W. LEwEs) informed
them, that ,as soon as the day of cleetion was
fixed, he bath received direCtions from the Secre-
tary of State to take the proper measures (as the
Returning Officer) far the removal of the military
in and near the Borough : that proper measures
had been adopted, and the military removed : that
the military force which had accidentally niade its
appearance there, was a small part'of the'l.3th
regiment of infantry, that had been, a few da,i7s
before landed on the coast front Spainovbere they
had received a route to watch to certain village,s
in the nekrihbourhood of London, (such route bav-
ing been made out and sent to 'the plaCe Of therr
intended. landing) previous to its being known
that any election fur tile Borough. would be ne-
cessary : that as soon as it was known at the Se-
cretary of State's Office, all possible means Were
used to alter their route ; but this 'detachment
.had, notwithstanding, arrived in the Borough,
perfectly unconscious of any election being on toot
there, and this morning they had been paraded
and marched off to a proper distance from town.

Mr. WOOD replied, that when they were assured
of this on further enquiry, they would withdraw-
their protest.
Mr. HITCHCOCK, a Member of the Committee,
then started a question—" Whether, in point of
law, the military having appeared eve❑ in sight of
the Hustings, and several Electors having been
overawed and deterred from giving their Votes,
this circumstance did not invalidate and set aside
the whole Election ?"

Ml'. PARKINS; the legal'adviser of Mr. Barclay,
said he could immediately satisfy tie High Bailiff,
and the Committee also, on this point. He .then
read to them several clauses of the Act of Bth
Geo. H. which was passed expiessl!i to regulate
this point ; by which he spewed that such acci-
dental appearance of the military was decHred not
to affect the election. He also quoted two deci-
sions which had taken place before the House of
Commons, one in 1741, and the other it 1746,
both which were expressly in point ; and the
ground of those decisions was, that as there are
two persons who are responsible to the parties
who are candidates, via. the Secretary of State,
and the returning Officer, the"proceedings of the
F:lection should not be vitiated by-any inadvert-
ence or neglect of duty' in them, respecting the
railitatl% •
These points being settled, it was then asked,bY
the Committee, whether, by withdrawiug theut
selves front the contest, the Poll could be•closed
to night ?

The HIGH BAILIFF was of opinion it could not,
if there had been two Candidates ,present, their
mutual agreement ‘‘'nuld be sufficient x but in the
case of a certain number of Llecturs nominating a
person as a Candidate who is not'present to give.
his consent, it could only be done legally by pro,-.
clathation.

It was therefore agreed, that Mr. Burdett'i
Committee should withdraw front the Hustings,
with their poll clerks and books, at the close.
of the poll, and declare to the electors
they would too longer continue the contest ; and
that to-morrow-morning, after a certain time, •the
final close of the poll should take place by procla-
mation, and Mr. Barclay be declared in due form
duly elected.
At four o'clock the poll closed, and in about
half an hour, the • numbers having been summed
.up, there appeared to be,

Fur Cliurles parclay, Esq... 1,633
For Mr. Burdett

Mr. BARcLAir begged the Electors ro accept his
warmest thanks for the great honour they Ica't
done him in their strenuous exertions in his fa-
vour from 'the commencement of the poll, but
particularly for those of this day, which bail placed.
him so high a.l to induce his opponents to with-
dravfr from the inetfeetual struggle in which they
had beau ehgavd.
„ .