The Sun.
London, England, 1847-02-04 00:00:00

MIDDLESEX ELECTION.
Yesterday being appointed for the election of a Membea
for the county of Middlesex, in the room of the late George
Byng, Esq., who had represented the county for upwards of
half a century, a considerable degree of excitement pre-
vailed in the "lengthy town" of Brentford and its neigh-
bourhood. Old banners, which had figured in the eventful
days of the Reform, agitation, again flaunted in the breeze,
and groups of eleetois and non-electors, the one partyequally
interested with the other, disported themselves with favours
of buff and blue (the old Whig colours). The better-clips
farmers of the district bestrode horses which, judging from
their spirit, had erewh ile figured in the ranks of theyeomanry,
while numerous carriages, containing the aristocracy of the
country, followed the open chariot in which Lard
Robert Grosvenor, with the Chairman of his Committee
and other friends were seated. Some short time before his
Lordship arrived at " the Butts" (the name reminds one of
a former day, when the peasantry of England had their fre-
quent and appointed holidays), Lady Grosvenor and family
drove up to the hustings, and were accommodated with
places, whence they could see and hear everything that
passed. Among the more distinguished personages present,
we observed the Hon. Philip Pleydell Bouverie • Sir Edward
North Buxton, Bart.; Samuel Charles Whitbread, Esq.
(chairman of the committee); the Hon. Frederic Bvng ; Sir
Walter Stirling; Sir William Clay, M.P.; Sir be Lacy
Evans, M.P.; Mr. Armstrong; Mr. Rotcla ; Mr. Riches, of
Uxbridge; Mr. Sherburn, &c. &c.
Although the day was by no means favourable to out-door
exhibitions, the enthusiasm of the electors had so far over-
come their repugnance to a wetting, that not less
than five hundred were assembled in the open
space (the Butts) behind the Three Pigeons Tavern.
These were backed up by the banners already alluded to, on
which were inscribed certsin weighty and not to be contro-
verted apothegms, such as "The Queen and the People,"
" A fair day's wages for a fair day's work," " Liberty and
Free Trade," &c. Several associations exhibited their pecu-
liar standards, among whom the Brentford Reform Associa-
tion figured pre-eminently.
The Sheriffs of London and Middlesex, Messrs. Challis and
Kennard, with the Under-Sheriffs, Messrs. Baylis and Bur-
chell, appeared at the front of the hustings, while the sum-
moning officer of the district read the proclamation.
The candidate then retired, and the usual oaths were ad-
ministered to him.

On his return to the hustings,
Mr. BAYLIS, the Under-Sheriff, read the writ of election
and the oaths against bribery and corruption.
Mr. Sheriff CHALLIS then came forward and said—Gentle-
men, we have now introduced to your notice, with the usual
legal forms, the important business which has brought us
together: It is impossible 'f ,r us to be assembled on any
matter more connected with the interests and happiness of a
people who are guided by wisdom and experience, than on
the present occasion.—(Cheers.) It is impossible for us to
attach too much importance to the opportunity now given
of electing our representative, and in the proportion that we
seek integrity and propriety of principle in the man we
elect so shall our interests be cared for and attended to—
(cheers)—by expecting and exacting the same honour, the
same industry, the same integrity, from him.—(Cheers.) I
feel that on such an occasion it would ill become me, in the
character of your presiding officer, to detain you with any ob-
servations of my own. lam anxious that we should proceed
to business, and that while you moderate any feeling of your
own—that while you express your approbation or distils-
prahation—that you should at the same time give all parties
a fair hearing, so as to do justice to alt parties who may be
anxious to make any observations to you. We should not
be doing our duty to ourselves. we should-not be honouring
the memory of our late lamented representative
—Mr. Byug—who, with so much honour to himself
and advantage to his constituents for half a century, spoke
our sentiments in Parliament. When we recollect that
during the time he represented this county almost every
question of pressing moment, and of gravest importance,
occupied the Legislature—when we recollect that when our
late representative held a seat in that Home it
was difficult for any man to hold by the test of con-
scientiousness, through which he had been elected.—
( Hear, hear.) The public, after examining the career of such
a man, might exclaim with justice, that he was " the pilot
that weathered the storm."—(Cheers.) And now we should
see that the person whom we elect should preserve these
principles in their utmost rectitude.—(Cheers.) In conclu-
sion, we must always, however, admit thus much, that
however we may differ from the politics of the Noble
Candidate, in no measure which involved the be-
nefit of the country has he ever been the last
to lend the sanction of his name or influence.
—(Cheers.) My duty now is merely to call upon any
c ahnedi disa tvke,,aartnhdyi t :as
succeed your late representative.—(Cheers.)
fgoern tyl
ae
am, a igi e herent
l e tat
eon propose,ta consider neveheatsh ear
The Hon. E. P. BOUVERIE then came forward to propose
Lord Robert Grosvenor. He said,—Friends and brother
electors of this county—gentlemen, the proposal I am about
to submit to you, the name of a gentlemen to represent
you in Parliament, is so likely to be received with general and
unanimous approbation that I don't consider it necessary to
detain you at any length. The gentleman who has preceeded
me, and who has presided over this meeting, has brought
under your consideration the importance of the object of
your meeting on this occasion, and he has also alluded to
your choosing a fit and proper successor to the gentlemen
who had formerly represented this county, and who had
some fourteen or fifteen times been adopted as your
representative. During the whole course of Mr. Byng's
political life he had proved himself the friend of civil and
religious liberty, and be thought that the duty of the
Government was to legislate for the welfare of the people.
If this principle actuates us, then are we bound to find
another person who entertains these views. and who will
endeavour to carry them out in the Parliament of the
country.—(Hear, bear.) The whole political life of the
Noble Lord will prove that he is pre-eminently that
person.—(Cheers.) For twenty years he has shown himself
the friend of civil and religious liberty, he has shown himself
the friend of the civil and the practical reforms which have
agitated the country—(Cheers)—and he has been found
always enlisted on the side of the people.—(Cheers.) I
entirely agree with the sentiments of the Noble Lord from
the many years experience of his past life, and I have now,
therefore, no hesitation in recommending him to your
choice—(Cheers)—as your representative.—(Continued
cheering.) But I cannot close without in some degree re-
ferring to a correspondence which has been extensively cir-
culated within these few days. I may refer to the Noble
Lord's truly noble conduct, to his straightforward answer
to the insidious question. The person who has written that
letter is a particular friend of mine, but I repudiate all
the sentiments contained in it.—(Loud cheers.) The
Noble Lord, I repeat, has answered that letter in a
straightforward manner, and we may conclude from thence
that his is the very sort of honesty we want in our represen-
tative.—(Cheers.) I do not know that it is necessary for me
to enter further into this subject, but I think that it is rather
unfair to ask a question on any subject without at the same
time reciting the contingencies which might materially affect
it. If you choose the man the rectitude of whose political
life you acknowledge, then I think you will do well, and you
ought to leave it to him to carry out his principles in the
way most consonant to his own feelings. The man you re-
quire is Lord Robert Grosvenor, and it is with great pleasure
that I propose him as a fit person to represent you in Par-
liament.—(Cheers.)
Sir E. N. BUXTON said—l have a great deal of pleasure in
seconding the nomination of Lord Robert Grosvenor as a
fit person to represent you in Parliament. I cannot, however,
address the electors of this great county without expressing
my feeling respecting your late representative. lam sure
that no one was acquainted with his character and virtues.
who entertained not the highest respect for Mr Byng, and 1
am convinced that no man whatever could throughout such
I a lengthened political life—a life extending over 55 years—
have preserved such a cordial feeling with his constituents,
unless he had been actuated by the highest,
the best, and purest motives. (Loud
.-1 on )
You ars aware that during this period questions of
vita t
3 • ou
portance to the world were di cussed—(Cheers)
Fheer.s.
bu
arc also aware, that whatever might be the inducements to
honourable
overlook your interests, you had an honest and
gentleman to see to your interests. I feel that we are met
this day on a solemn occasion. If we consider the state of
cions that
man to Parliament without being cons
erform
we have a great and solemn duty Bto
's death I
this country and of Ireland, we cannot send a
and I confess that when I beard of Mr. Byng
thought place—(Hear,
county io find another man to supply - and to the coon-
bear)—with equal satisfaction to yourselves
find a man better
try. Ido think, however, that you cannot
representative than the
thought it would be a difficult matter for the eTegctors of this
qualified to fill the place of your late
ur suffrages.—
Noble Lord who now offers himself to
a man who
1 of the poor.—(Cheers.) We know him
to
inimical to
will not sanction any measure which he !
ed cheering.)
the people or their constitution.—(Contit
of Lord Ro-
(Cheers. ) We know Lord Robert Grosvenoynrotboebe the friend
Although I do not concur in every senthimate
; therefore,
better qualified to represent us; d
thew li op
rheasde
na nt y
session h er
and
the nomination
with great pleasure that I
raee:ent us in Parliament.
itt/17,e is no man
Ro-
bert Grosvenor, still I am of opinion that
of Lord tiobert Grosvenor to rep
eo rciand do so, and no per-
candidate to propose to co
crteo take the show of hands. A
son responding, proceed
The sheritlshaving requefstedra:.ar
heldein favour of the proposed candi •
forest of hands was up
against it. The sheriff declared Lord
date, and only two
dul - elected as a member to serve in
Robert Grosvenor to be ,y
t for the county o
Parliament
of Parliament. Middlesex,Per s
ionn
GROSVENOR then came forward, and
Lord. ROBERT
was received in the most enthusiastic manner. When silence
was somewhat restored, the Noble Lord said, Mr. Sheriff and
the
of county of Middsex Imut b g
gentlemen, electors t kindlef ' h S e-,
to thank you most or tue kind and
in the first place,
warm reception which you have been pleased to accord to me
casiots.
I am happy also that, notwith-
upon the present oc
bleness of the day,youhav 11
standing the unfavoura e a preserved
good humour.—(Cheers.) (A voice—lf they
such perfect
I will keep them in one.)
are not in good humour
duet • h that I cannot
nt singing a with gentleman in the
propose at present singing it is not the first
crowd.—(Cheers.) hustings. (A • time that
d upon the voic.:—lt won't be
I have appeared
not. 13tit, gentlemen, this is the f t •
the last.) I hope
honour of appearing before irs time
that I have ever had the you in a
and, pentlemen, when I think of
public character, the e —Meer hear)
mag-
nitude_and of the constituent
Yfor whiCh I am —and of the vast
importance of that county
I thank th t now a candiate--
(A voice—A Member)"- g
a gentleman for has cor-
hat I am nearly overwhelmed with a
Sense of my own insufficiency.—(A
andiii e-.- Keep your spirits
up.) Gentlemen, lam but a
and simple man, having
oratorical talents, I
no pretence to . must therefore en-
deavour
your kind and
to obtain indulgent attention
during the address which it will now be my dut to
y
s ) Gentlemen, nothing, make to you.—(Cheer •
to h
you, would have induced rae t ave ob
ontruded myself upon
your notice upon the presen occasi, had 1
not been
assured that I was called upon to do so by the whole •
lamented Mr. united
strength of the late lamer Byng's supporters, and the
assurance conveyed to inc by my Hon. Friend behind me,
Mr. Charles Whitbread, the chairman of the committee of
which he was the originator and supporter—than whom no
person could be more capable of appreciating the sentiments
and feelings of the electors of Middlesex—nothing less han
than
those appearances would have induced me to sever that
con-
nexion with my attached friends—the city of
Chester—
(Cheers)—who, during a period of more than twentyyears
have honoured me with such unwavering kindness, and such
implicit confidence—nothing less than the assurance that
you would give me the same kindly co-operation and assist-
ance in the performance of the arduous duties
upon me, would have induced me to undertake the serious
duties attaching to the representation of the, county of Mtd-
dlesex.—(A voice, " You are worthy ee it.
ceed to say another word about myself; 3., ')
Before I pro-
to discharge a duty I owe, and also too must permit me
feelings, by saying something with referenceeotnsult my own
re-
spected friend, Mr. Byng, the late Member for othtenylate
Middlesex, whose memory is countyu o
so justly dear to
(Cheers.) Ido not know how, in a few words, I cans bitterlt
sum up my feelings than by using the words of the friends
of that lamented gentleman, who would inscribe this proud
opitaph upon his tomb, " That, having for
upwards of fifty
years represented not merely the rural and suburban
portions of the county which I have the ho-