The Sun.
London, England, 1856-11-27 00:00:00

PRESENTATION OF SOUTHAMPTON,

SOUTHAMPTON, WEDNESDAY EVENING.
There is little new to communicate to•day, public
attention being everywhere occupied with the great
meeting held last night in the Riding•school and its re•
sults, which were telegraphed to the limes, and pub-
lished this morning. Mr. Weguelin, who first addressed
the meeting, set forth his claims as a commercial man to
the representation of an important commercial constitu-
ency like Southampton, and explained the leading points
of his political creed as exhibited in his address to the
electors, which we printed on Monday. Mr. James
followed, confining himself chiefly to the cry got up
against the lawyers, and to an examination of the valu-
able services rendered by that class of men to the
liberties of the country. The uproar throughout the
meeting was of the most turbulent character, and the
result has only added fuel to the flames, instead of allay-
ing them.

Bills have been issued to-day, one set announcing the
adoption of the resolution in favour of Mr. James, and
the other declaring the contrary, and the majority to
have fallen on Mr. Weguelin. The partisans on each
side vehemently uphold their respective views, and the
feeling is more violent and bitter than ever.
Mr. James has published another address to-day, in
which be says :
" A majority of the Liberal electors of your borough, by
a resolution passed at a large public meeting held last
evening, having declared me the most fit and proper per-
son to represent you in Parliament, I hasten to return my
thanks for the honour conferred upon me.
" I have already explained to you my political prin-
ciples, and beg to assure you that I shall seek every oppor-
tttnity of personal interview with each elector:'
After the meeting at the Riding-school broke up last
night a large number of Mr. James's supporters met at
the Royal Hotel, and formed themselves into an active
canvassing committee, with Mr. Alderman Dusautoy as
chairman, and Mr. Alderman Blatch, as deputy-chair-
man. Committee-rooms have been opened at the Royal
York Hotel (wla:'.l has been for some time unoccupied),
and the exhibition outside of large placards announcing
the fact gives token of the contest having commenced
in earnest.
A large and influential assemblage of Mr. Weguelin's
supporters was also held today at the Star Hotel, to
make the necessary arrangements for the coming
struggle. Mr. Alderman Coles, we believe, acts as
chairman of Mr. Weguelin's committee.
Everything betokens the adventof a severe fight, and,
unless some arrangement can be happily arrived at to
heal the split in the Liberal ranks, the town will be
plunged for the next three months into the turmoils of
one of the most painful and bitter political struggles that
have ever been known in Southampton.
Mr. William Lankester, the iron-founder, and one
of the principal tradesmen in the town, has been ap.
pointed chairman of Mr. Weguelin's committee, and
Mr. Alderman Tucker has been appointed deputy-chair-
man. Mr. Weguelin's committee rooms are directly
opposite those of Sir Edward Butler; Mr. James's
committee-rooms are at the Royal York Hotel.
There is every reason to believe that before the elec-
tion comes on, one of the liberal candidates will retire to
enable the liberals to fight the conservative candidate
with their full force.