The Sun.
London, England, 1858-10-23 00:00:00

ELECTION INTELLIGENCE.

REIGATE.
The nomination of candidates for the vacancy-in
the representation of this borough, caused by the
appointment of the late member, Si 11. C. Raw-
linson, to a seat in the Indian Council, took place
yesterday at the Town-hall. The proceedings,
upon the whole, were unexpectedly quiet, the ab-
sence of flags and music (save that supplied by wan-
dering minstrels employed to shout forth the poli-
tical parodies peculiar to a contested election)
greatly diminishing the excitement that WaS wont
to prevail on such occasions. In consequence of
the uproarious proceedings at the meeting of the
previous evening, when Mr. E. James's intended
explanation was summarily disposed of, the autho-
rities deemed it prudent to take measures to pre-
vent any breach of the peace, and, accordingly,
swore in a number of special constables, in addition
to procuring the services of a body of the county
police. Fortunately, there was no necessity for
any interference on the part of either of these
bodies. At 11 o'clock'the Town-hall was opened,
and was speedily filled by a numerous and noisy,
but good-humoured crowd, who, beyond occasion-
ally drowning the voice of the speaker of the
moment by their expressions of approval or dis-
satisfaction, conducted themselves in a most or-
derly manner. ' -
Mr. T. MARTIN, the venerable bailiff of the
borough, having opened the proceedings with the
usual formalities,Mr. G. G. RICIIARDSON proposed the Hon.
Major Monson as a fitting person to fill the vacancy
in the representation of the borough. (Cheers and
hisses.)
Mr. J. SEARLE seconded the nomination.
Mr. T. NORTH then proposed Mr. W. A. Wilkin-
son, whose name he believed would be most accept-
able to the electors of the borough. (Cheers and
hisses.)
Mr. J. ArTED seconded the nomination.

Mr. MONSON then rose to address the meeting.
He said that during the many weeks the contest
had lasted he had endeavoured to act with courtesy
to all, and he trusted -that he should pursue the.
same course unto the end. (Hear, hear.) He had
been unsuccessful upon a former occasion because
many of his friends had already pledged them-
selves to Sir IL Rawlinson ; but they had pro-
mised to support him (Mr. Monson) upon a
future occasion. That occasion had now arrrived,
and he was receiving that support ; but he was
taunted, as Sir H. Rawlinson had been, on account
of the fact that some gentlemen who were Conser-
vatives gave him their assistance in preference to
his hon. opponent. • Their late representative had
been transferred from the House of Commons
to the Council of India,• and in passing
.he (Mr.
Monson) could not avoid expressing his satisfaction
at finding that Lord Stanley had not confined him-
self to one side of the house, nor even to the House
of Commons itself, in selecting the members of the
Council for India, but ,had gone beyond the limits
of that assembly in order to procure men who by
their knowledge and experience were best qualifie
to watch over the interests.of , oar Indian empire.
(Cheers.) One of the principal measures of next
session must be one for the abolition of church-
rates. • (Cheers) He thought• it was quite 'Shock-
inn- to Witness the church-rate contests, and to find
the clergyman at variance with his parishioners in
consequence. - He therefore was desirous of a just
settlement of that question by the total abolition of
church-rates, that Dissenters might both directly
and indirectly be exempted from them. (Cheers.)
Upon that subject he might observe that Mr. C. Gilpin
M.P., had imputed to his father, Lord Monson, that
he had supported church-rates in the House of Lords,
whereas the exact contrary was the fact. He
thought the hon. member ought to have ascer-
tained the facts before making such a statement.
The next session must also produce a Reform Bill,
and his (Mr. Monson's) opinion upon that subject
was that there were great masses of people in this
country who were entitled to - the franchise.
(Cheers.) It was not for him to shadow fort!' the
coming Bill, which even the Ministers themselves
could not tell, but Mr. Henley said it would please
all parties, in which case, of course, all would be
contented. (Laughter.) But it would be useless
to extend the franchise- without protecting the
voter in its exercise, and therefore he was favour-
able to the ballot—(cheers)—and would pledge
himself, if returned, to supp,rt that measure at-
every stage. He was opposed to opening places of
public amusement on Sundays. (Cheers and groans,
and a cry, "What about Sunday canvassing ?")
He did not desire to trench upon the enjoyments of
the people, but if once the line was broken through he
believed the opening of theatres and shops on Sun-
days would follow. (Cheers and hisses.) After dis-
claiming any connexion with Mr. E. James as a
candidate. Mr. Monson thanked the meeting for
his reception, and declaring his conviction that he
should be returned by a large majority, sat down
amid the cheers of his partisans and the groans of
his opponents.
Mr. WILKINSON then appeared, and was greeted
with similar expressions of feeling. He said they
had . met there that day to perform what some
called a trust, but which he regarded a right, or
what should be a right, of everyman who was com-
petent to Vote for a, member to represent him in
Parliament. (Cheers.) As long, however, as large
numbers of the people were excluded from the
franchise he agreed that those who possessed the
power of voting were invested with a trust on
behalf of the non-electors, and to that extent it
was a trust, and not a right. (Cheers.) That was
a state of things which he was glad to find his
hon. opponent concurred with him in thinking
ought to be altered. (Cheers.) As the question
was now a matter of personal choice between two
candidates, he must point out to the electors the
distinctions which he believed there were between
himself and his opponent. That gentleman was,
no doubt, an honourable and talented gentleman,
but he was young and inexperienced. (Cheers .and
hisses.) He (Mr. Wilkinson) was no longer young,
and probably in 10 years' time Mr. Monson might
be the fittest man of the two, but in the meantime
there was work to be done at once, and for that
work he claimed to be the fittest man. (Cheers,
and cries of " No !") He was disposed to give a
vote to every man who was fit to exercise it.
(Cheers.) In order to secure the independence of
every voter in the exercise of the franchise he
would grant him the protection of the ballot.
(Cheers.) It was satisfactory to find that hislion,
opponent held the same views upon that point, but
it certainly would have been a great advantage if
those views had been declared at an earlier period.
(Cheers.) That gentleman had held no public
meetings, and therefore he had not given the
electors any opportunity of ascertaining what his
real opinions were. (Cheers.) '.Chen, again, as to
church-rates, he was glad to find his opponent, who,
in his address, only desired a " just settlement" of that
question, was now prepared to support their
immediate and unconditional abolition (Mr. Mon-
son assented). That declaration was_ gratifying to
Liberals, but how could the Tory friends of Mr.
Monson support a gentleman who advocate dt.o t 1
and immediate repeal of church rates? (Cheers,an3d.
a cry, " Because he is the best of the two.") It
must be because he was the least liberal of the
two. (Cheers.) It had been urged against him (Mr.
Wilkinson) that he had been rejected by his for-
mer constituency, but the same election that dis-
placed him unseated also Bright, Cobden, Card Well,
M. Gibson, Sir W. Clay, and other men of greater
abilities and standing than himself. lie did not
perceive how that fact made him less eligible on the
present occasion. (Cheers.) He had been five years
in Parliament, and had never given a vote but upon
the suggestion of his honest and sincere convic-
tions. (Cheers.) He thought his opponent was in-
consistent in charging him in 1852-with displacing
Mr. D'Eyncourt, and in 1857 with being .rejected
by the same constituency.
i .; If it wcs the constitu-
ency WhO rejected hiM n 1857, it was also the
constituency who rejected Mr. D'Eyncourt in 1852.
(Cheers.) In conclusion, Mr. Wilkinson admitted

GUILDFORD,
The nomination took place at the Town-hall,
yesterday, at 11 o'clock ; the Mayor presided.
The hall was densely crowded, and there were a
number of elegantly dressed ladies present.
The Town-clerk, the returning officer in the
absence of the Serjeant-at-Mace, read the writ,
calling upon the electors to choose a member to
seconded the
John serve m the Commons house of Parliament in the
room of the late member, Mr. It. D. Mangles, who
had accepted office under the Indian Council.
Mr.
nomination.rh
I.nIIIcAoRosKHEA,u, of St.
Onslov, and
Mr.

Mr. SAMUEL litYpoN proposed Mr. Evelyn, and
Mr. T. T. FREAKES seconded the nomination.

Mr. ONSLOW then came forward amid loud
cheers. He said he was a Liberal from his earliest
days, and he should remain so. (Cheers.) He was
for an extension of the franchise, but with protec-
tion to the voter. - (Cheers.) When foreigners
required reform they had a revolution. When
they required reform in England they met, agitated,
and by their glorious constitution they got what
they required. He would repeat, he WaS for the
extension of the franchise, but not without the
vote by ballot. Ile asked it for the poor man. In
his opinion they would never have a proper repre-
sentation until they had the vote by ballot. (Cheers
and uproar.)
Mr. EVELYN then came forward amid uproar.
He did not wish to detain them long. (Cries of
" Onslow for ever !") He regretted there had been
a vacancy in the borough, and he did not see why
the duties of a Member of the Indian Council
should be incompatible with being a mernbcr of
Parliament. A good deal had been said about the
.Ballot. He had before gone into that subject at
the Public-hall, and he hoped he had converted
them all. (Great confusion..) He thought the
present Government was better than the last.
(" Hear, hear," and cheers.) With reference to
their foreign policy he thought they. had upheld
the honour of the country. (Hear, hear.) He was
opposed to Lord Palmerston's policy, and thought
the Minister was answerable to the people. He
should like to know how far Mr. Onslow meant to go.
(A voice—" To Parliament.") 200 years ago the
House of Commons said the House of Lords was
of no ilk- and ought to be abolished. Would Mr.
.Onslow vote for that ? (Tremendous uproar.) The
electors who voted for the candidate on the other
side thought they Would be voting for an " exten-
sion," but he would say it would be an " extinction"
of their rights. If he was returned it would be by
the working men. (Great uproar.) In conclusion,
he begged to thank them for the hearing they had
given him.