The Sun.
London, England, 1858-08-21 00:00:00

REIGATE.

The resignation of Sir Henry Rawlinson, who has ac-
cepted an appointment to the India Board, renders vacant
the representation of the borough of Reigate. There are
three candidates in the field—viz., the Hon. J. W. Monson,
who is a Whig, and who, from his connection with the family
of Lord Monson, at Gatton, possesses some local influence;
Mr. W. A. Wilkinson, formerly member for Lambeth; and
Mr. Edwin James. The last-named gentleman addressed
the electors in the Town-hall, on Thursday evening, and
obtained en exceedingly flattering reception.
Mr. J. H. Apted, a local resident, having been voted to
the chair,
Mr. EDWIN JAMES, who was received with hearty ap-
plause, came forward to address a crowded and highly re-
spectable meeting. After some introductory remarks, in
which he reminded the neeeeing of the days when the
representatien of the borough was a mere sham, and its
members were returned as the nominees of Lord Somers,
he edverted to the period when, under the political system
of former days, Lord Monson, having purchased the estate
at Gat ton, returned its member 8, and when, if he remem-
bered rightly, there were three electors, each of whom paid
£l,OOO a-year for his privilege. Going on to criticise the
address of his opponent, the Hon. J. W. Monson, Mr. James
expressed himself in favour of the unconditional abolition of
church rates, the extension of the suffrage to Lo house-
holders, and the adoption of the ballot. Ever since he had
had the power to reason and to think his sincere con-
viction had been that the Government of this country must
he based upon social and political progress. He was in
favour of a very large extension of the suffrage, because he
believed that tie people, by education,: by thought, and by
Intelligence, were entitled to it, and therefore he would sup-
[sort most willingly the principle adopted in the Reform
Bill of Lord J. Russell, and which principle he held
to be a just one—namely, the extension of the fran-
chise to £5 householders. (Cheers.) At the same time
he believed that without the ballot an extension
of the franchise would be a curse instead of a bless-
ing. It was all very well to say that the ballot was un-
English—that there was something extremely disagreeable
and un-English in a secret system of voting; and so there
was. But there was something much more tin-English in a
system of intimidation—there was something much more
disagreeable in my Lord or my Lady Somebody driving up
to the door of an elector and saying, " If you vote for Mr.
Edwin James or Mr. Anybody Else, you shan't have our
custom." (Laughter and cheers.) The ballot was no party
question, for he believed that neither Tory nor Liberal
would gain votes by it ; it was a mere matter of
arrangement to vote fairly on both sides. Advocating the
spread of education among the people, be hoped to see the
difficulties removed which at present exist as to secular
and religious education. He was an advocate for a
thorough referra in the law, though perhaps the electors
did not like lawyers, and would be inclined to say,
" It is of no use for you to come here; you are a lawyer."
Now, he did not think that there had been a bad
specimen of lawyers in the House of Commons ; and when
tie mentioned the names of Roebuck, Brougham, Denman,
Erskine, he must say he belonged to a profession which
could not be accused of sacrificing the people for their own
gain. (Hear, hear.) He could assure them that there was
not a more sincere law reformer, who wished to carry out
the principle teat a man may obtain his rights without
neceseatily involving his ruin, than her Majesty's present
Attorney-General. He (Mr. James) had bad the honour of
working with him, and bad seen him neglecting a lucrative
practice for the purpose of codifying the law. The candi-
d ate went on to declare his entire adhesion to the principles
of civil and religious liberty, and congratulated the electors
on the recent admission of Baron Rothschild to Parliament.
He did not mean to say that they had to thank the Go-
vernment for it. They had conceded rather than car-
ried the measure. To the present Lord Chancellor it
must have been a very bitter pill to swallow, after he
had so repeatedly told us that Parliament would he un-
christianised by the admission of Jews. The candidate then
remarked on the political conduct of Lord Palmerston
during his recent administration, who, he said, had obtained
a Parliament with a triumphant majority in his favour, but
elected on no settled principles. He had, perhaps, the
largest majority that ever sat behind a Minister on the
Treasury benches; but the last session had brought about
the entire annihilation of his power, and had thus taught
a great political lesson. Lord Palmerston, from the pin-
nacle of his power, assamed a 'one of arrogance towards
members cf the House of Commons of which many of
them loudly complained. He made certain appointments
which shocked the moral feelings and sense of decency of a
very large portion of the people of this country ; and when
at length certain menaces came from France Lord Pal-
tnetston did not resist them as he ought to have done;
and the stern and independent tense of the people re-
belled against any truckling to the dictation cf a foreign
'inner. (Loud cheers.) Oferring to the conduct of the
p esent Government, the con lidate attributed the main-
tenance of power by Lord Derby to a feeling among the
independent Liberals that they would not be bandied
about from 1.0/el John Russell to Lord Palmerston, and
from Lord Palmerston lack again, and he believed the
independent Liberals would continue to support him
so long as he passed liberal measures. He believed that
as long as Lord Stanley and Mr. Disraeli were members
of the Cabinet the Government would not oppose liberal
measures, but lie confessed he should not be surprised if
before long there was a split. After a few further re-
marks of a general character, the candidate concluded
amid loud eieering ; and a resolntion pledging the meet-
ing to support him at the ensuing election was carried
with but one dissentient.

COUNTRY MARKETS.

LIVERPOOL CORN-AuG. 20.

Our market this morning was well attended, and a fair amount
of business was transacted in wheat for consumption, and to hold
over, at an advance of fully id per bushel over the currencies of
last market day. The town and neighbouring dealers bought more
freely of flour, paying extreme prices. Indian corn finds a daily
retail demand at late rates. Oats and oa,mcal neglected, but not
cheaper. Egyptian beans declined 6d per qr. All other articles
Here unchanged.