The Sun.
London, England, 1848-12-12 00:00:00

N 9 DECEMBER 12, 1848.

WEST RIDING ELECTION.
THE NOMINATION AT WAKEFIELD.
Yesterday the nomination of candidates for the re-
presentation of the west Riding of Yorkshire, in, plebe
of Lord Viscount Morpeth, now Earl of Carlisle, took
place at Wakefield.
A very spacious hustings had been erected on the east
side of the Court-house, within the Court-house-yatd,
the bulk of the auditory standing outside the railings;
and, as if in remembrance of the fatal events of the no
mination of July, 1837, occasioned by the collision of
parties, a strong wooden railing had been erected from
the Court-house railings to the Music Saloon, separat-
ing Wood-street from the vacant space in front of the
'Tammy-hall, on the right of the hustings. The morning
was remarkably fine and mild, considering the hazy
the erless weather of the preceding week; and the at-
tendance was consequently larger than it might other-
wise have been. At one time there could not have been
fewer than 20,000 persons present. Mr. Denison and
his friends arrived ou the hustings shortly before eleven
o'clock, taking np their position on the right of tee
Sheriff's compartment; and Sir Culling Eardley's friends
stapding on the left. The Hon. Baronet was absent
from continued indisposition. In the absence of the
High Sheriff, Yarburgh Greame, Esq., who was attend-
ing the Judges at the County Assizes, the proceedings
of the Court were conducted by William Gray, Esq., of
York, the Under-Sheriff.
Mr. UNDER-SHRRIFF said that the High Sheriff,
having received the writ for the election on the 30th Nov.,
had fixed this the earliest day for that purpose; and it
unfortunately happened that this was the first day of
the winter assize. He was therefore charged to express
the High Sheriff's regret at his unavoidable absence;
and in his absence the duty of conducting the proceed-
ing's of the election devolved upon him. He then read
the writ at length. The other formalities usual on the
occasion were then proceeded with. Whilst the Bribery
Act was being read by Benjamin Dixon, Esq., a deputy
Sheriff,-Mr. Kydd; the Chartist, arrived, followed by a
number of friends, wearing white favours, and preceded
by some musicians and two green boards, inscribed,
" Hands up for Kydd."
J: HAMERTON, Esq., of Helifield Peel, near Skipton,
stood forward to propose Sir Culling Eardley Eardley,
Bart., as a fit and proper person to represent the West
Riding in Parliament. He felt that a more than ordi-
nary responsibility attached to his doing so, because of
Sir Culling's unavoidable absence from illness. He had
seen him in bed, and he was unable to be present. They
had lost, as they had heard, their valued friend, Lord
Morpeth, but he had only been raised to the Upper
House, where they would, doubtless, have the benefit of
his valuable services. He appeared before them as a
Reformer; and he trusted that none of them would
countenance the continuance of heavy expenditure and
increased debt. By the alteration in the currency
many had been ruined, and the Act of 1844 had worked
great injustice to many. He referred to the pillar at
Athens, and likened the people of England to the ca-
pital of the column. At a county meeting held atYork,
after the trial of Queen Caroline, Lord. Milton declared
that the House of Commons did not represent the
people; and from that time he dated the measures which
led to the passing of the Reform Bill. But, though it
was admirable as far as it went, it did not give all that
was requisite; and they must be content to get a little at
a time. They had obtained some advantages by their
exertions, and they alone were not the parties benefited
thereby. Amongst other measures they had achieved
was the repeal of the corn-law; and though there were,
some who said that it would now be madness to re-enact
that law, there were some who were mad enough to op-
pose its repeal. The capital of the column had been ex-
amined, and there was still a canker in it. That was
bribery and corruption; and he believed that could only
be cured by the ballot. He would not enter into the
question of the suffrage: give him the ballot, and he
believed all others would follow of course, He objected
to the continuance of capital punishments, and alluded
to several cases of the conviction of innocent persons.
He sincerely wished success to the• pillar of England,
and wished it to be preserved, but at less expense to
the nation.—(Hear, hear.) He concluded by recom-
mending Sir Culling Eardley as a fit successor to Lord
Morpeth.—(Cheers.)
FRANCIS Cienrerr, Esq., of Leeds, seconded the no-
mination. On standing forward he was met with a cry
of "No chapel." He said that with that cry the secret
was out. A monopoly of churches was wanted; but they
were met there to put down all monopolies.—(Cheers.)
He regretted the absence of Sir Culling Eardley, and
also the absence of many gentlemen who had usually
taken their place on that side of the hustings. lied
they changed their colours or their principles?—(No.
no.) It' it were the case that they remained unchanged
in their attachment to liberal principles—and he hoped
to prove that •it was the case—he called upon all those
who had gone backward on that occasion, to forget minor
matters, and to juin with them in returning. Sir Culling
Eardley. If they did, not do that they would disgrace
themselves for ever. Before he set before them the
I, claims of Sir Cu!lFng Eardley, he wished to state that
his supporters had been anxious to pay all yoroper re.
spect to the landed gentry of the Riding, and they bad
thought it right to offer to then, the nomination of-a 're-
presentative. That offer was made, and they knew
what use had been made of it. The grounds on which
that proposal was made were accepted by the Norman?
ton meeting, Lnrd Milton, Mr. Geurge Fitzwilliatn, Mr.
Crompton Stansfield, Mr. Wm. Milner, M.P., and others
assembled. But when Mr. Charles Fitzwilliam's ad-
dress appeared it wholly overlooked the Normanton
resolution. And did those gentlemen take any steps in
consequence No, they were as quiescent as if they
were about to betray the Riding and to bow to Lord Fitz-
william'e influence. But Mr. Charles Fitzwilliam had
eventually given way to the opinion of the electors, and
had retired. The consequence was that a meeting of
delegates held at Normanton felt the necessity of bring-
ing out a candidate immediately ; but not having been
treated respectfully before, they had not gone to the
landed gentry again, but had themselves resolved to
bring Sir Culling Eardley before the electors. The only
difference between the present proceeding and those of
former days was, that at other times there had been a
tacit understanding as to what was expected,of the can-
didate ; but on this occasion it had been -reduced to
writing in the Normanton resolutions.—(Hear, hear.)
All the points involved therein were of importance,
some more and some less, but he thought the course
they had taken was the right one. If it were to be a
question between the land and the towns, be it so ;
they would meet them at the poll on that issue.—
(Hear, bear, and disapprobation.) There were
two leading objections to Sir Culling—that he was a
bigot and an alien. As to the charge of bigotry, he
thought ho had sufficiently rebutted that during his
canvass. They had no right to ask him whether be was
a churchman or a chapelman, but they should be satis-
fied that he was the friend-of civil and religious liberty.
As to his being an alien, had they returned to the times
of the Heptarchy? Was Mr. Cobden an alien? or was
Mr. Brougham an alien? He regretted to say that Sir
Culling was not present, but he must say that therewas
no man more earnest and zealous in the support of the
admirable principles which they had put forward on this
occasion, and which might almost be summed up in four
words—free-trade, economical reform, an extension of
the suffrage, and-opposition to all further endowments,
whether to the chapel or to the church.—(Hear and dis-
sent.) He enlarged upon the mode in which Sir Cul-
ling Eardley would support theeevarious points of public
policy, especially with regard to the suffrage. Though
he would first go for the extension of the municipal suf-
frage to the Parliamentary franchise, he would not ob-
ject, if it were shown to be safe, to go on for household
sufirage, coupled with the ballot. With regard to Church
endowments, he considered it a species of persecution to
take money from a man in the shape of taxes to be aps
plied in the propagation of a religion which he believed
to be erroneous. Upon this principle Sir Culling
Eardley would oppose all further endowments whatever.
On all grounds he strongly recommended him to their
support; and he was ready to answer all questions that
might be required—(Cheers.) In what he had said he
had no wish to offer a word of disrespect to Sir Cul-
ling's honourable opponent. He was a gentleman of the
highest respectability, who had in past times served the
Riding well.; but the present was not a question of men
but of principles. • He therefore hoped for their support
to Sir Culling.—(Loud applause.)
The Hon. EDWIN LASORLLES, M.P. was cheered on
presenting himself to propose EdmuniDenison, Esq., as
a fit and proper man to represent the West Riding. This
was not the first time that he had had that honour. He
had done so in 1841, when he was triumphantly re-
turned with his friend Mr. Wortley; and he bad no
doubt that if now returned he would serve them faith-
fully again. He need not stand there to pronounce any
eulogium of Mr. Denison's character; they knew him
well, and he appealed to the testimonies which had been
borne to his services at the election of 1847. He was a
man well acquainted with .the interests of the Riding,
agricultural, ehuel t
haditr al ,much pleasure manufacturing,nand g
again
n,rp
proposingm erei al; ahn
idmt.heHree-
fwished them to understand the real battle-ground on this,
occasion. Those who had *taken the field against them
wouldwent forbe thethe dfiirssstolsuttep in
ion'oFaCmhuoidre;hwailndd
democracy.—
(Cheers (Cheers and groans.) It was plausibly put forward
that
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to do
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He
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othfatthethHeyonm.ußsatrboeneotpsvphosoewd.as
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ehethlpe
second election at which the candidate opposed to them
had not appeared ou the hustings. At the last election
a gentleman was unexpectedly opposed to his friend Mr.
Denison; and he was prepared to take the responsibility
of what was done on that occasion; for he felt that he
could not advise his Hon. Friend to go to a poll with
35,000 votes, and cnly two days for a canvass. At pre-
sent they met on equal ground in that respect. Sir Cul-
ling Eardley, in his address, had stated that he was
thankful for the Reform Bill; and he believed that he
WAS so thankful from his experience at Pontefract. It
would be remembered with respect to that measure that
the first Reform Bill was lost b 1 a majority of one vote
in favour of General Gascoyne a motion not to reduce
the number of representatives. That one vete was Sir
Ctilliug Eardley's; and in his speech he said he ob-
jected to the first Reform Bill because it was based
too much upon population and too little upon property.
J. RAND, E 9., of Bradford, seconded the nomination

, .
of Mr. Denison. He said that when the vacatcy they
were now to fill up first occurred, a party at Leeds, who
had assumed to themselves a•power• of direction in the
matter of the representation.which would not be sub-
mitted to by the !ended gentry, had met and agreed that
it nes proper that the• landed gentry' should name the
candidate. That resolve was sheer hypocrisy, as the re-
sult had proved. Mr.. Cherie& Fit zwilliaru had shown a
high degree of moral ceursgein refusing to recognise the
resolution with which that offer was accompanied; but
because he had refused' to submit to a`tlegree• of dictation
to which no gentleman ought to be expt cted to submit,
they had been obliged to Igo a second time into another
county to find a candidate. These proceedings had led
to a counter-movement. IA large and influential meeting
was held at Leeds, which had resolved upon calling out
Mr. Denison, and that determination had been confirmed
by a still larger meeting of influential Conservatives
and Whigs; and having been so called out Mr. Denson
would be returned. Hel had enlisted in his support,
from the manner in which he had performed his duty,
the wise and the good of all parties. He cheerfully
seconded his nomination, from a decided conviction that
he possessed all-the attributes of a good representative.
Iu electing Mr. Denison they would secure the services
of a than who would take care to preserve unimpaired
our glorious constitution, whether assailed by au open or
a secret foe, and would take care to see that the educe-
..ion of the country was not left so much unattended to
as it had been. Knowing the grave and serious import.
ance of the question, he would take care that out of some
portion of the taxes contributed by the people, aid was
rendered to educate their sons. 'The interests of the
Conservatives and Conservative-Whigs could be safely
entrusted to him, and in their hands he could safely:leave
him, for he felt assured that before Friday next the in-
terests of Yorkshire would be secured by the triumphant
return of Mr..Denison.—(Cheers and groans.)
Mr. ISAAC IRONSIDES, of Sheffield, then stood forward
for the purpose of nominating Samuel Kydd—(Laugh-
ter)---ass a fit and proper parson to represent the Riding
in Parliament. The last time they met here Lord Moss-
path had informed them that the election of st,represen-
tative for the Riding was one of the most important
works they could be. engaged in.. Since then they had
seen great changes abroad—thrones had tottered 'and
empires had fallen. The cause was, that the people must
live. Yet what had the Government of England done ?
Literally nothing, except in spending the taxes raised
from the people in inveigling the leaders of the people;
and then pouncing upon them to deprive them of their
liberty.—(Groans.) When Mr. Fitawilliam was invited
to stand, he (Mr. Ironsides) had promised to come here
and propose another candidate. Since then Mr. C. Fit z-
William had retired, rind they had now two candidates
before them. Mr. Denison, when questioned at Sheffield,
had said he could alter nothing.
Mr. DENISON—I never said so.
Mr. IRONSIDES—Not in direct terms, certainly; but
when he asked him if he could propose any measure for
the permanent remunerative employment of the people,
he answered, " I don't know."—(Cries of " Do you ?")
He (Mr.lronsides) was not on his trial, but he would
try to do so. If those who ought to do so had no
plan for removing the distresses of the people, why did
they present themselves before the people? Ireland had
been said to be the great difficulty to many Ministers.
To remove that he would restore the nationality of Ire•
land, and then those who came here to seek labour
would remain in Ireland. He would restore the nation.
ality of Scotland; would prune down the expenses of
royalty; would restore the property of the Church to
its original purpose ; would disband the army ; and
would reduce the navy to something like due proportion.
He would abolish the cursed game-laws, and would have
boards established in every district to provide for the
profitable employment of the people. He would restore
to every man the right whioh he had under Magna
Charta, and of which they had been deprived; he would
give to every man who contributed taxes the right to
rote. These were a few of the things he would do.
His friend Carlyle, in his " Past and Future," said,
" this which they call the organisation of labour, is, if
well understood, the question of the whole future, for
all who are well prepared to govern men—the impera-
tive pressing question being, how to deal with the active
labour of the million." The man he had proposed would
explain that.—(Cheers.)
Mr. H. BROOL, of Huddersfield, seconded the nomi-
nation of Mr. Kydd.
Joni( BRIGHT, Eses, M.P., then presented himself
amidst loud cheers and some interruption. He said he
had been requested to read to the meeting a brief ad-
dress which had been forwarded for their information
from Sir Ctilling Eardley. He regretted; -and they
would all regret, that any candidate should •be pre-
vented by illness from being present.. He therefore
asked for silence whilst he read that paper, which be
would pot ask for any observations cf his own.' Sir'
Culling regretted his absence. His medical adviser told
him that he could not be permitted to be present ;
and, if present, he could not have, spoken. He wished
them to make the contest rine of principle, and not a
source of acrimony. He had been the subject of many
calumnies respecting which he had felt indignant; this
address would be his protest against the attacks hich
fled been made upon him. To that portion of the press
which had slandered him he owed no apology. The assas-
sin behind a leading article, was as bad As the assassin be-
hind a kedge.—(Shame; no.) The'clountry required the
ballot, and the abolition of small constituencies; there
should be larger districts—he would not say equal dis-
tricts; yet he thought there were some that might be
edVantageously divided, if they would not kill their can-
didatrs. He did not see why there should be a different
qualification for Members in Englend and Scotland; and
if a mart could afford to live in London as a Member,_he
must have a stake in the country; and the man who had
a little stake could be as honest as a min who had a
large stake, lie was for an extension of the suffrage,
and though he would not be crotchety, he would prefer
household suffrage to standing still; yet he thought that
household suffrage would be too much as a first step.
He was for a revision of the national expenditure, and
for doing justice to all. Why were the payers of rates
in towns to elect those who imposed the rates, and not
the payers of rates in counties? Ile would advocate the
repeal of the game-laws, which led to great demoralise--
tion.—(Hear, hear.) Upon Church endowment they
Must either pay all or pay none; and he as a
.citizen
would say " let us pay none."—(Loud cheers.) With
his Catholic fellow: countrymen he would not cope on
the hustings, but would meet them on the platform.
And he would not be satisfied till either he had convinced
Lord Arundel or Lord Arundel had convinced him. In
conclusion, if they were pleased to elect him as their re-
presentative— ("-We will ")-- he would represent all
classes. His opponents had never known from him that
they had been so.- If he had never possessed the freedom
of' Yorkshire, he knew no better means of acqUiring it
than by the 'votes of the electors; and if so honoured he
would endeavour to prove himself a faithful gnardianssf
their local interests.—(Loud cheers.) In continuation
Mr. -Bright essayed to speak.
After some interruption and cries of " Spoke spoke."
The SHERIFF interposed, and said that upon the pre-
cedent of the last election, when no objection was made,
he thought Mr. Bright had a right to proceed.-7(cries
of " No, no; he has read his candidate's address.")'
Mr. BRIGHT attempted to proceed, but in vain.
The Hon. E. LASCELLES asked Mr. Bright what was
the decision of; the Sheriff on the question of right, and
being informed by Mr. Bright, Mr. Lascelles waved hit
hand apparently in deference to it.
Mr. BRIGHT made several ineffectual attempts to pro-
ceed.

The UNDER-SHERD!, explained that he had had a
communication from Sir Culling Eardley to the effect
that Mr. Bright would read an address from him as his
representative.

Mr. BRIGHT, however, could scarcely make himself
heard to the reporters immediately in front of him, and
not at all by those two or three paces from him. He was
understoed to any he was sure that the respectable portion
of the opposition would not object to hear hies. No man
favourable to discussion would make the outcries some
were doing. Re had nothing to say against the per-
sonal qualitioetions of their opponent. He
had met '
him on many occasions, he had spoken to him in the
House of Commons, and he was free to say that he
had never heard anything of his private character that
he could not approve of. Sir Culling Eardley was not,
it was true, a native of the county; but if ho were
elected for the Riding, he would be as much a York-
shireman as any man present. In the course of the
canvass a body of men with whom he had long acted
had been much assailed, though both candidates offered
t i
themselves as free-traders. He wished to ask Mr. De-
nson one question, which he might answer when he
spoke.—(lnterruption continued.) He wanted to ask
Mr. Denison if he, being a free-trader, has changed
his views, or if ho adheres to the sentiments he ex-
pressed on the hustings last year. No man can now
restore the corn-laws, but if they were not now re-
pealed would Mr. Denison now repeal them? Mr. De-
nison and his friends had opposed repeal of *Tes
and Corporation Acts, opposed the reform of corpora-
tions,o and the repeal of the Corn Bill, yet
they now come forward to ask to be the makers of
the laws. Sir Culling Eardley had been attacked on
the question of endowments ; but compare the two
candidates. Mr. Denison would not give up the pro-
perty of the Church ; but if he would not endow others
he should give up altogether. Sir Culling had de-
clared that what he asked for his own sect he would
give to all others. There vas a project to endow the
Roman Catholic priesthood rather than to redress the
wrongs of their people; but 'Sir Culling Eardley was for
redressing those wrongs, and not for withdrawing the
Catholic priesthood from the care of their flocks. In
return for the interruptions he had received, he thought
it would be the best return they could make to hear Mr.
Denison dispassionately. In conclusion, he had merely
to tall them that many hundred'West Riding electors
would come from Lancashire to help them. They had
the sympathy of the whole Liberal party, and it they
succeeded, as they believed they would, it would be long
remembered that the lovers of freedom in the West
Riding prevailed over the lovers of oppression. The
newspapers would tell the world what a small minority
were afraid to hear; but when the show was taken, they
would see how the majority were inclined. He begged of
them not to relax; but to renew their exertions in favour
of their candidate till the election was over. Yorkshire
was Yorkshire still; truth was truth still; and they were
strong enough in the Riding to uphold the faith which
they
.had inherited from their forefathers. With the

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