The Sun.
London, England, 1848-11-16 00:00:00

WEST RIDING ELECTION.
(From the Scotsman.)
The approaching election for the West Riding;;
does not promise to prove a great victory or advan-
tage to the Liberal party. It is likely, indeed, that a
nominal Liberal will be returned, but more by the-
forbearance and half-friendliness of the Tories than by
the support or even assent of the Liberals. Such a
result, it is very obvious, is a misfortune not only for •
the moment, but one whose effects are likely to endure
and extend.
The parties to blame in the matter are not, as
would be most readily inferred, the intolerant and
impracticable portion of the ultra-Liberals, but a
section of the Whig aristocracy or aristocratic Whigs.
It seems to us, with no disposition to favour what we
may call the Leeds school of Voluntaries, that they
have acted in the matter with unwonted moderation
and judgment, along with the bulk of the Liberal
party of the district, and that all the intolerance
and presumption have on this occasion come from
another quarter. When the Earl of Carlisle's
death vacated the seat held by Lord Mor-
peth, a general feeling was held, and formally
expressed, on the part of the mercantile or middle-
class portion of the constituency, to the effect that, as
they were efficiently represented by Mr. Cobden,
they would leave to the aristocratic or landed section
of the Liberals the choice of the candidate for the
other seat. Considering that it was by the exertions
and expendi'ure of the middle-classes alone that the
majority of 1,000 against Lords Morpeth and Milton
in 1841 has not only been overcome, but a Liberal
majority obtained, overwhelming when not disunited,
this offer must be considered as most courteous and
even generous. The conditions with which it was
accompanied were also the least exacting that could
reasonably have been expected or offered. They
were, that the candidate should bold opinions in
favour of free trade, of economy, and of " a gradual
and safe extension of the suffrage," and against " any
further endowment of religion by the State."
Looking at the fact that a large proportion of
the West Riding constituency notoriously hold
what are called ultra- Liberal opinions, it seems
impossible to deny the moderation of these conditions.
Indeed, considering, that some of the West Riding
leaders and organs, little more than a year ago, so-
lemnly declared they could not support even Lord
Morpeth and Mr. Cobden, such a complete restora-
tion to political sanity is little less than miraculous,
and should have been thankfully received and
handsomely acknowledged. Some sort of declara-
tion was also thrown out, to the effect that the Re-
formers would accept, or„, even prefer, a " a member
of the house of Wentworth"—a Fitzwilliam. This
was another proof of the rational and generous
spirit in which the middle-class Reformers ap-
proached the question ; for the unhappy letter
written by Lord Fitzwilliam last year, denouncing
Mr. Cobden as candidate for the West Riding, and
offering support to a Tory Protectionist, gave
them, as regards that particular quarter, just cause
of offence and distrust. It is greatly to the credit
of their good spirit and good sense, that
they should have agreed to forget that un-
lucky piece of spleen, and to remember only
that " the house of Wentworth" rendered able, and
faithful, and courageous service to the good cause in
days when friends were few. For all this moderation
and generosity, the other party in the arrangement
made a most ungracious and unworthy return. First,
they named as their candidate Mr. Charles Fitz.
william, a lad of twenty-two ! This in itself was a
serious mistake and offence. In days when, in addi-
tion to sound political opinions, so much of know-
ledge and talent is required in Members of Parlia-
ment for the conducting of practical or miner matters,
it was very much too bad to thrust forward a young
gentleman scarcely out of his legal infancy, and who
had given no evidence of any qualification for public
life, as a fitting representative for a constituency of
36,000, having much and complicated business to
transact in the Legislature. Even this, however,
the rr.iddle•class Reformers agreed to overlook ;
and, at a meeting of delegates, it was resolved that
Mr. C. Fitzwilliam was a fit and proper person, if he
assented to the four conditions above stated. On re-
ceiving this resolution, Mr. C. Fitzwilliam first
publicly announced himself as a candidate ; but,
worse than strange to tell, in accepting the invitation
of the meeting of delegates he made not the slightest
mention of the conditions by which it was accompa-
nied. The dissatisfaction with this omission felt by
those wishing to be his supporters, was immediately
communicated to him ; aud, about a fortnight after-
wards, a second address was extorted from him.—
and does not much mend his position. lie is
sound on free trade ; but what he says on " eco-
nomy," and on " safe and gradual extension of
the franchise," amounts to nothing ; and what he
says on " farther endowments," is in substance a
declaration that he would endow the Irish Catholic
clergy from Irish funds. This is not the sort of
Liberal candidate for the largest constituency in
Britain. We do not blame Mr. C. Fitzwilliam for
being a young man, or for having, or not having,
certain political opinions ; but those who, under the
circumstances we have described, brought him for-
ward as a candidate for such a constituency, have
place :l him and them elves in a false position. It
may be, indeed, that Lord Fitzwilliam, and others of
his section, do not agree with the delegates on all the
four points insisted on, but nevertheless, their plain
duty was to bring forward a candidate who does. The
proportion of the Liberal electors of the West Riding
whose opinions go beyond the four conditions is, it
miy fairly be assumed, greater than that whose
opinions fall short of them. The compromise the
majority offered was reasonable; the minority did
not concede an inch, but brought forward a can-
didate wha seems one of the most extreme of
their own sect—barely distinguishable indeed from a
Tory. This was a grievous error and injustice, and
is likely to have bitter fruits. The delegates have
resolved, at a meeting held at Wakefield on Friday,
not to support Mr. Fitzwilliam. It follows either
that Mr. Fitzwilliam will be elected by grace of the
Tories, or that a second Liberal candidate will be
brought forward, and the Tory slip in between the
two. It can scarcely be sufficiently regretted that
the moderation and good spirit of the urban or mid-
dle class electors, as a body, and the repentance and
amendment of their most fanatical section, should, in
such a constituency, and at a time when moderation
and good spirit little need discouragement, have been
encountered, on the part of the Whig aristocracy, by
conduct which cannot be described otherwise than as
supercilious trifling and obstinacy.

SPORTING INTELLIGENCE.
MALTON RACES.—TUESDAY.
The Members' Plate of 251., added to a Sweepstakes of
5 sovs. each. Heats, one mile and a half: (5 Subs.)
Mr. Pedley's Lamb's-wool, 3 yrs, Bst ... 4 3 1 1
Mr. Hesseltine's Fitzwilliam, 5 yrs, 9st 21b 5 1 2 2
Mr. Pe art's Ennui, 5 yrs, 9st 71b... ... 1 4 3dr
Mr. Peck's Sally Maggs, 4 yrs, Bst 71b ... 3 2 dr
Mr. Allan's Jewess, 3 yrs, 7st 71b ... 2 5 dr
The Two Yrs Old Stakes of 5 sot's. each, and 10
added, T.Y.C. (3 Subs.), were won by Mr. Ewbank's
Swift, 7st 101 b (Longstaff), beating Mysticle and The
Duchess.

The Amateur Stakes were won by Psalmsinger, beat-
ing Ennui.

ROYAL ARS LIN AL, IV OOLWICII, Nov. 15.—The
trial of the large guns supplied to the Board of Ord-
! nance, which has been carried on during the last 18'
months for the purpose of ascertaining the best descrip-
tion of gun, and the best metal supplied by contractors,,
bas just been concluded, and Colonel Dundas, C. 8., and
Mr. Monk deserve great credit for the excellence or
their models. The former 32 pounder gun, of 50 cwt.,
is now reduced on Colonel Dundas's principal of con-
struction to 25 cwt., effecting a saving oflk tons on each
gun of that calibre—the average price of the metal being
from 101. to 121. per ton. There is also a saving of six-
pounds of powder on each charge, the former charges
being 101 b., and the new pattern being found equally.
efficient with a charge o' 41b. The guns cast at the
Low Moor Foundry, in Yorkshire, have been found to
stand the heaviest charges when fired, and will conse-
quenly receive the largest orders. The expense of the
trials has been considerable, but the saving which will
ultimately be effected, and the knowledge that no den-
ger is now to be apprehended from the bursting of guns
when placed on board of ships or mounted for service in
garrisons, must give confidence in working them. A
trial has also been made of a wrought iron 9-pounder
gun, submitted by Mr. Morgan, of Bristol, but it has
been found inapplicable to the service, in consequence
of the great recoil breaking the cap squares or coverings
of the trunions.

DEATH OF A DISTINGUISH= OFFICER.—We re-
gret to find that the venerable Lieutenant• Governor of
Chelsea Hospital, has sustained a heavy bereavement by
the demise of his son, Major Anson, of the 18th Benga 1
Native Infantry, who expired at the Lieutenant-Gover-
nor's residence, at the hospital, on Sunday last, after a
short illness, which arose, it is stated, from a disease of
the liver. The gallant officer accompanied a sick brother
home from the East, and he had scarcely witnessed his
restoration to health, when he was seized with a fatal
illness. Mr. Anson was, of course, a member of the
noble house of which the Earl of Lichfield is the head.
lie served for many years in India, and particularly dis..
tinguiblied himself during the campaign in the Punjaub.
He was at the battles of Moodkee, Ferozeshah, and So-
braln, as Assistant-Adjutant-Genet al in General Gil-,
bert's division.

AN OBVIOUS INFERENCE.—An lowa stump orator,
wishing to describe his opponent as a soulless man, said,
" I have heard some persons hold the opinion, that just
at the precise moment after one human being dies
another is born, and the soul enters and animates the
new-born babe. Now I have made particular and ex-
tensive inquiries concerning my opponent ihur, and I find
that for some hours before he drew breath nobody died.
Fellow citiz-ns, I leave you to draw the inference!"
CONSECRATION OF THE MANCHESTER GENERAL
CEBIETERY.—On Monday last that part of the above
cemetery, which has not hitherto been used, was conse-
crated for the benefit of members of the Established
Church, who may wish to use the same. The morni.sg
being exceedingly fine, several hundreds of the people
were present to witness the ceremony, which was per.
formed by the Lord Bishop of Manchester,