The Sun.
London, England, 1846-07-11 00:00:00

rbtrbf Nbition

TOWER. HAMLETS ELECTION.
(THIS DAY.)
RETURN OF THE HON. COLONEL FOX.
The election of a Member to represent this metro-
politan borough in Parliament, consequent on the resig-
nation of Colonel Fox, who has accepted the office, under
Lord J. Russell's Government, of Surveyor-General of the
Board of Ordnance, took plack to-day at Stepney-green,
at one o'clock. These being no opposition to the Gallant
Colonel, who offered himself for re-election, the affair was
as dull as anyt'Aing of the kind could well be. At the hour
of the proce,edings commencing there were not more than
three hiendred persons present, and at any time there
were TAOt more than five hundred. The only circum-
stan,ce that denoted the ordinary character of an electio,
was the promise of a contest at the forthcoming genera.
election, as apparent by the following hand-bill which
was plentifully distributed about:—
" The requisitions to L. Heyworth and G. Thompson,
Esqs., to become candidates to represent this borough in
Parliament have already received the signatures of several
hundreds of electors, but as the existence of the
present Parliament must of necessity be of ver\
short duration, it is not considered advisable to con-
test the borough on this occasion. The prospect of a general
election must therefore be borne in mind, and if the electors
desire to have for their representatives men who are
advocates of liberal principles, they must unite in a cordial
invitation to such men as Messrs. Heyworth and Thomp-
son, whose free-trade principles are not paralysed by the
repeal of the corn-laws ; whose love of religious liberty will
not permit them to support any State endowments of reli-
gion ; acid whose sense of political justice is not limited by
the. Reform Bill, but includes the enfranchisement of all." -
The hustings and other arrangements for conducting
the business of the nomination were of the most meagre
and incomplete character—the former being made up of
three old waggons, placed lengthwise, and covered with
a piece of tarpaulin, which, when crowded with the
members of the Gallant Colonel's committee, groaned
and creaked in no ordinary manner. As far as it re-
garded the press, accommosation there was none—
the whole of the gentlemen respresenting the
metropolitan journals being crowded together and forced
to stand in a narrow space in front of the platform.
With some difficulty, and after a remonstrance on the
part of the reporters, a small rickety table, sufficient
for two to write on, with a couple of chairs, were pro-
cured from a neighbouring public-house, and duly
placed in front of the platform, for the accommodation
of about twenty-fo►,ir gentlemen of the " fourth estate."
Amongst those present, connected with the Liberal
interest of the, borough, we recognised the following
gentlemen:—G. Otfor, Esq., Martineau, Esq., Sir
E. N. Buxton, Mr. Salomons, Mr. Hammack, Mr. Oven-
den, Mr. Bewley, Mr. Atkins, Dr. Snow, Mr. Wire,
Messrs.W. and J. Wright, Mr. J. Tanner, Mr. J. Stokes,
Dr. Zenkins, &c., &c.
'&he Returning Officer (Henry Child, Esq.) read the
'precept for the election, and the usual oaths being ad-
ministered, and the Act against bribery and corruption.
read, said that it was his duty. as returning officer, t(
remind them of the importance of the work they were
now called upon to perform, not only pith regari,
fa themselves, but to the whole constituency of that im
portant borough, as well as to the nation at large.—
(Hear.) He trusted that they would treat any person
who should present himself before them as a candidate
that day respectfully, and with attention. He would
just mention one circumstance, before concluding, to sho.i
the necessity for dischmreing carefully the important trus,
reposed in them as elector 4.—( tear.) The consti-
tuency of that borough consisted of 18;000 individuals,
and he found by the returns, that at the time o
the passing of the Reform Act there were but
9,800 electors in their borough, showing an in
crease of nearly double since that period.—(Cheers.)
It was now his duty to request that they would at once
proceed to the business of the meeting—that was the
election of a Member for the seat vacated by their late
:Member, Colonel Fox, in consequence of his having
accepted the office of Surveyor-General of her Majesty's
Ordnance.