The Sun.
London, England, 1846-01-22 00:00:00

LETTERS.

(No. 1.) Arnewood House, Dec. 21, 1845.
Dear Sir,—Before I answer the contents of your letter of
the 18th instant, dated from Brighton, and received this
morning, I wish to know whether, from the heading " Pri-
vate," it is your desire that I should not communicate your
letters to the other gentlemen of Lymington and its neigh-
who Consorvative interest which 'has hi-
therto returned the two members for the borough. Acting
as I now am with that party, I should not feel justified in
entering into a correspondence with you, unless you allow
me to show that correspondence to the heads of the Conser-
vative party here. With this understanding I shall be ready
to place before you the real feeling of the party as regards
the return of two Conservative Members for Lymington.—
I am, &c. &c., F. R. WEST.
W. A. Mackinnon, Esq.

(No. 2.) December 23, 1845.
Dear Sir,—ln answer to yours of the 21st instant, I beg to
say that, as I have only mentioned the business to a few
influential gentlemen, and as the old Ministry are again in
office, and no probability exists of a dissolution till after the
session of 1847, it may be as well to let the matter drop for
the present, as far as my letter to you is concerned.
As no chance exists of a dissolution, at present, I will beg
leave to tell you that which I have been desirous of doing
ever since 1841, had the opportunity been offered of per-
sonally doing so ; that is, if any expression ever fell from me
that would give you any annoyance, I much regret it ; and
that I have always entertained towards you that sentiment
of respect which is entertained by all who have your ac-
quaintance.—Yours, &c. &c, W. A. MACKINNON.
I write this in a hurry, just leaving town, and wishing to
answer by return of post.

(No. 3.) Arnewood House, Dec. 25, 1845.
Dear Sir,—l have to acknowledge the receipt of your
letter of the 23d instant. As I find you have written
to others in the neighbourhood to the same purport
as your letter to me of the 18th instant, I can no
longer consider its contents of a private nature. The
Conservative interest in Lymington is strong enough to re-
turn two Members, provided those who compose that interest
are united. I think it but fair to inform you that there is
not that unanimity at present which is so desirable ; Mr,
Stewart's seat is perfectly secure, but I candidly tell you
that yours is not generally so considered ; indeed I think you
must be in some measure aware of this, for you cannot but
romember that several of those who voted for you at the
last election did so for the cause, and not with much hearti-
ness for you ; without a hearty and good feeling for the can-
didate, as well as zeal for the cause, the chances will be
great for an adversary. This danger several anticipate if
you again come forward, and I decidedly tell you that such
is my feeling, and I think it most desirable that another
Conservative candidate should be invited.
Nar
d, O:lftgroihe t
friends
d t o
represent
oc consider n
o s
uidr
In justice both to yourself and the Conservative party hero,
you
eLpr
yaNrvniteyilnl
igta theotno policywinn,.c nwe
wohfor.auagrragl iiena comingmyoelu for-
vward, may be, I know not; but this I do know thatto some
the e
of the heads of our party know that your return in 1841 was
gained with some difficulty.—Yours, &e.,
W. A. Mackinnon, Esq,

E. E. WEST.

* Mentioned in Mr. M.'s letter of the 18th of December.

(No. 4.)
Dear Sir,—Your letter of the 25th instant has reached me ;
in my reply to you, I will exercise the same candour and
freedom in expressing myself, as you have used towards me,
and do so I trust in a proper and becoming manner. You
are pleased to say, that unanimity in our party is desirable,
and in this sentiment I cordially agree : in the next sen-
tence, however, you add, " that you think another Conser-
vative candidate should be invited." Surely to start three
Conservative candidates in the field cannot be the way to
preserve unanimity!
Afterwards you state that so far back as 1841, there was at
first some disunion in our party. This may be correct, but
by whom was that disunion fomented? At that period, I
believe, you attempted to bring another candidate forward ;
I have been informod by a gallant officer, a particular friend
of mind, Col. Pringle Taylor, that you called upon him,
offered him the seat for the borough, and urged him to come
forward. Surely that was not the way to keep up unani-
mity, to stir up an opposition in the same party, and to
bring Conservatives against each ether. What would be
thought of me, if I had a pique against Mr. Compton, and
was to call upon any gentleman in the county, and urge him
to oppose the sitting member, and then write to Mr. Comp•
ton—tell him there was a want of unanimity amongst his
friends—and that he had better not come forward, and to act
in this manner without stating any objection whatever to
his political conduct !! You have, I think, been in the
House, and are aware that the Government will not support
any one in opposition to a Conservative Member who is true
to his colours ; no Conservative would act against Mr.
c,:i.mton if he offered himself. Such opposition would only
we .k the party, and create that disunion you deprecate.
Aftecn.rds you say "you know not who the persons in the
town, urged me to stand again, may be." I beg
in answer to i.;:ure..you, that they are amongst the most
wi.:4;
gentlemen and persons in the town
:he Walhampton influence included;
leading and inflom._lal
and its neighbourhood,
and that, under such .‘l,l•3ll?tees, I shall certainly offer myself
again. Taking these eiretliastances into consideration, I beg
to submit to you, that the p:ngon who injures the Conserva-
tive interest would be that m." 11 who (by whatever motives
he might be actuated I cannot pre011(1 to say) was to endea-
vourgs
to start another Candidate, hav,'tte no fault to find with
the the political conduct of the present Met.r;
I will only add, that, I trust and hope, .‘ki' feelin
Som of an-
noyance at the correspondence that took pia-ce e years
ago between you and me, ate entirely obliterat;Rd from your
mind and memory, as they are from mine, that I NlO this in
perfect good humour, and repeat that I shall regret if glly
act of mine had, at any time, given you cause of offe..lo.
Yours, &c., &c., W. A. MACKINNON.
Bentinch House, Brighton, Tuesday (30th).

(No. 5.) Manor House, Lyndhurst, Jan. 1,1846.
Dear Sir,—Your letter of the 30th instant I received this
morning. I hasten to reply to part of your letter in which
you state that Col. Pringle Taylor informed you that I had
offered the seat for the borough of Lymington to him. I beg
leave to say that no offer of such a nature was made by me,
but negociations were carried on with Col. Taylor for the in-
troduction of another gentleman, a friend of his. Whatever
I have done, or may do, as relates to the political interests of
Lymington, or its neighbourhood, must be in conjunction
with others.—l am, yours, &c., &c., F. R. WEST.
W. A Mackinnon, Esq.

GRAY'S INN, JAN. 21.—Samuel Joyce, Exq., was
this day called to the degree of Barrister-at-law by
the Hon. Society of Gray's Inn.