The Sun.
London, England, 1841-02-02 00:00:00

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The following statement, by Dr. Bowring's Election
Committee, has been circulated among the electors of
the Kirkcaldy Burghs, in vindication of their pro-
ceedings:--
The friends of Dr. Bowring feel the necessity of
making the public acquainted with the facts connected
with the late Election, as the justification of their pro-
ceedings.
The Burghs had long been under the patronage of
the Raith family.
The Rolls were sadly neglected, and the state of
parties not easily ascertainable.
Mr. Bethune came forward, was coldly received,
and withdrew.
Colonel Ferguson, nephew of the late Member,
and son of the proprietor of .Raith, was the next candidate.
Several public meetings of the electors were held,
but at no one could a resolution in Colonel Ferguson's
favour be obtained from the majority.
A largo body of electors, desirous that a commercial
community should be represented by a man of commer-
cial knowledge, applied to Dr. Bowring. He, how-
ever, for some time allowed Colonel Ferguson uncon-
tested possession of the field, and delayed visiting
Kirkcaldy until the expression of opinion was more dis-
tinct, declaring that he would only respond to the sen-
timents of the majority. He arrived, and on his arrival
large public meetings were held, at every one of which
resolutions declaring him to be the fittest person to re-
present the Burghs, were passed by very great ma-
jorities.

PRICE sd.

The Committee offered to submit the question of the
comperative merits of the two candidates, either to
public meetings of the whole male adult population, or
to a ballot of the electors—Colonel Fergusonhaving
declared himself friendly to both secret voting and
largely extended suffrage. The offers were refused,
and refused in uncourteous terms. A canvass tool:
place, and, after a careful scrutiny, it appeared to Dr.
Bowring's Committee that :they had obtained in his
favour a number of pledges equal to those given to
Colonel Ferguson. Many of the voters had declared
they would take no part in the election ; and of the
remainder, who were few, there was every reason to
believe a fair jroportion would have gone to the poll in
favour of Dr. Bowring.
On the day of nomination, the show of hands in Dr.
Bowring's'favour was at least '2O to 1.
Dr. Bowring's Committee estimated, after a searching
analysis, that 168 voters were pledged to support him.
On the day of election, the friends of Colonel Fer-
guson obtained first possession of the polling•place ; an
a considerable majority appeared in his favour in the
early part of the morning. Whether from discoarage-
ment, or other causes, more than thirty of Dr. Bow-
ring's pledged voters did not proceed to the poll ; some
of his professed supporters voted for his competitor ;
many who had declared themselves neutral, and had
promised not to vote, augmented the majority of Col.
Ferguson ; and the final state of the poll left Colonel
Ferguson in possession of 218, and Dr. Bowring of 141
voters ; the number on the rolls being 503 in all. The
above statements can be substantiated by documentary
evidence : and the Committee of Dr. Bowring owe it
to the cause of Reform, as to that of truth and justice,
to give them publicity. Their reward has not been in
a successful race, but in an honourable one—ono in
which no influence has been exercised but the influence
of mind and of morality—and which had no other object
than to return to Parliament the moat efficient and ex-
perienced representative.

By order of the Committee,
(Signed) ALEX. REID, Chairman.
Kirkcaldy, Jan. 27, 1841.—Scotsman.

WALSALL.

SATURDAY AFTERNOON.—An address from the
Anti-Corn-law Association of Burnley was received
this morning. The Mayor and Magistrates have taken
the precaution of swearing in a number of special
constables.

Richard Fryer, Esq., late M.P. for the borough of
Wolverhampton, has published the following address :
"To my honest and worthy Workmen at Pelsall
Colliery and Ironworks.
"My GOOD FRIENDS,-It has been, during my
life, my great political object to obtain full and con-
stant employment for every man in Great Britain, who
is able and willing to work ; and, as a reward for his
industry, the utmost benefit and advantage he is enti-
tled to obtain in food, clothing, fuel, dwelling-place, and
every other comfort of life.

"The tax upon food is a foul offence to God and
man. I will show you the operation of the wicked
and unchristian Corn-law. I can at this present mo-
ment purchase at Liverpool, the best sweat American
flour at 78. 4d. per bushel ; this flour is superior to any
you purchase by 6d. per bushel. The flour which is
now selling in the shops in this neighbourhood, is at the
rate of 103. per bushel ; the present duty on a bushel
of foreign flour is 4s. 7d. I could take the iron which
I manufacture to Liverpool, and exchange it for that
American flour, provided there was no Corn-law. Other
manufacturers may do the same, so that we might have
an increased and increasing trade with the American
farmer, and you would have plenty of food and the
necessaries of life, and, moreover, a constant and regu-
lar demand for your labour, without those violent and
su }den fluctuations in prices and the rate of Wages,
which have so frequently happened, and which are so
destructive and deleterious to the interests mid happi-
ness of both masters and men.
" There are two gentlemen who offer themselves as
candidates to represent ‘Valsall in Parliasnent, Ono
of these gentlemen, Mr. Gladstone, is a friend to, and
supporter of the Corn-lan's—alias the Bread-tax, and
which law I have pointed out to you truly as the most
grievous oppression under which the poor honest work-
man can labour. This law was made by an oligarchy
of landowners, for the sole purpose of raising the rent
of their land by enhancing the price of corn. It has
attained its unholy purpose ; and those who mach; this
law, if it is continued, will perish by it. The other
gentleman, Mr. Smith, comes forward as a repealer of
this unjust law. He is the friend of truth and justice!
" If any of you have votrs for Walsall, or if your
fathers or brothers have votes, let all of you think seri-
ously to which of these two men you should give your
votes.—May God Almighty direct you in the right
way. " I remain your friend,

" RWHARD FRYER.
" Wolverhampton, Jan. 30, 1841."

LOSS OF THE BRIG LUCY.

A letter received at Lloyd's from the British C,sul
at Scilly, dated 31st December, 1840, states that the
above vessel was totally lost, 9th December last, on the
East-end of the Dila de Sal (one of the Cape do Vent
islands). The crew all got safely on shore without
saving any of their clothe, and they in conse-
quence were in much distress for want of them. She
was bound from Liverpool to 'Valparaiso. This is an-
other vessel in which the \Vallaces are said to have
effected insurances upon goods that have never been
shipped on board, and for which proceedings have beeta
take❑ against them by Mr. Bodkin at the Mansioa-
house, in the case of the Dryad.