The Sun.
London, England, 1832-12-18 00:00:00

GENERAL ELECTION

HERTFORD COUNTY, DEC. 17.
NOMINATION OF CANDIDATRS.

This preliminary of an election took place to-day. At
about 11 o'clock Lord Grimston, the son of the Lord-
Lieutenant of the county, with a retinue of about 700,
multiplied by those in his interest, and stated at 1,500,
presented himself in the field.
CHARLES PHELIPS, Esq., of Brigeen requested to read
a letter he had received from the High Sheriff of the
county, Plumer Ward, Esq. The substance was to com.
municate his total inability to attend in propria persona,
on account of an attack of the English cholera, and ap-
pointing Mr. Phelips his deputy, at the same time autho-
rizing him to appoint persons to take the poll.
The oaths having been administered to the Sheriff's
Deputy and the Under Sheriff, the Bribery Act was read.

After a silence of two or three minutes, the candidates
were proposed in the following order:—First, Sir John
Sebright; second, N. Calvert, Esq.; third, Lord Grim-
ston ; and lastly, Rowland Alston, Esq , the two last be-
ing the new candidates—the latter in the Rrform interest.
A show of bands was then taken, and declared in favour
of Lord Grimston, Sir J. Sebright, and Mr. Calvert.

A poll was demanded on behalf of Mr. Alston, who
spoke very confden►ly of his success.
It must be confessed the show was most decidedly in
favour of Lord firimston, whose friends speak exultingly
of his success.

HERTFORD.
(From the Beets Mercury.)
The election for this borough terminated on Wednesday.
Immediately after Mr. Currie had announced his retire-
ment, in July last, the Conservatives seemed determined
to gain the representation into their own hands, and an-
nounced two candidates—Lord Ing strie and Lord Mahon.
From that time their efforts have been unceasing. They
have neglected no opportunity, by threats and intimida-
tions, of every possible kind, to gain over to their side
those persons whom they thought weak enough to be in-
fluenced by such means, and (with shame be it spoken)
with others they availed themselves of that universal in-
strument of corruption—gold. Never in the annals of
electioneering, was this vile system more unblushingly re-
sorted to ; and, to the eternal disgrace of several trades
men of Hertford, hitherto considered respectable, it in-
duced them to break promises made to Mr. Duncombe,
which, from every tie of gratitude and honour, they were
bound to have adhered to. Not the least remarkable fact
connected with the unhappy result of the election, was the
interference of nearly the whole of the neighbouring gentry
;n favour of the Conservative candidates, whilst a most
extraordinary apathy has all along been exhibited by those
gentlemen, who call themselves Whigs.
On Tuesday, the sth instant, the canvass began, and
proceeded with tolerable fairness on both sides throughout
the day. The Reform party took a hasty dinner about 5
o'clock, and at 6 proceeded to canvass in various direc-
tions, in the hope of meeting some of the men who were
from home during the thiy. Mr. Duncombe and Mr.
Gripper, went to Butchery-green, the quarter where
many of the poorest voters reside. They were almost
utiattended, not above four being with them; and bad
scarcely begun their business when they were attacked by
about 20 persons, first by every species of abuse, and
then by such violence of pushing them about, and ulti-
mately blows, that they were put to flight, driven from
OOP place of temporary shelter to another, till at length
they reached the Duncombe Arms, where they were shut
up for an hour before they were enabled to return home,
owing to the increased number of the Conservative mob.
During the progress of the alarm and disturbance incident
upon this event, a bugle was sounded at the Old Cross,
and a body of about 30 men rushed out of one of Lord
logestrie's houses there situate, and ran towards the scene
of tumult, others joining them in their progress till at last
the Duncombe Arms was surrounded by from 150 to
200 persons. Previous to this day it was observed, that a
number of men of a bad description, including gipsies and
fighting-men, had come into the town; indeed, a party of
these were encamped in a field in the occupation of the
Mayor, whether by his permission or not we are unable
to state, although the men are known to have declared that
they were not on'y by permission, but by order of pereons
taking an active part in the election—that they were well
paid fur going out into the town to fight for Ingestrie and
Mahon, and had also plenty of the best to eat and drink.
On Wednesday a considerable accession to the strength
of their parties, was observed, which continued to increase
daily. They were particularly alert in the evenings ; and
;t was impossible for the Reformers to canvass after dark.
The body of men alluded to assembled by sound of bugle
whenever an attempt to canvass was made, and headed
and encouraged by many persons in the town, wearing In-
gestrie and Mahon's colours, drove the Reformers to their
homes. The town remained in this state till the morning
of nomination, effectually held in possession by these
ruffians, who mustered by bugle several times a-day, and
making show of their force every afternoon, paraded the
town, attended by their band. At this stage of the pro-
ceedings Mr. Duncombe, seeing Mr. Carter and some of
the constitutional authorities in the waggons, which had
iseen placed for the purpose of the nomination, called on
Mr. Carter to take measures to put an end to such a dis-
graceful scene. The following pretty dialogue ensued :
Mr. CASTER—It is your fault.
DUNCOMBE—How so, Sir? I never hired bludgeon
men, or itinerant vagabonds.
Mr. Cawrza—Then if you did not employ them, you
introduced the system.
Mr. Dusicomax—Yon lie !
Mr. CAATEIL-..-I lie, Sir, what do you mean by that?
You shall answer for that in another place.
Mr. DuNcoNtatc—Come along, Sir, as soon as you like.
Mr. Carter remained silent, and thus the affair ter-

ininaTed.
After a few dozens of persons on each side had had their
heeds broken, just sufficient quiet was observed for the
business of the nomination to be proceeded in, but not suffi-
eient to enable us to catch one connected servence of the
speeches made on the occasion. We can only therefore ob-
serve that the candidates were severally proposed :
Mr. Duncombe, by Mr. Thomas Gripper ; seconded
by Mr. W. Pollard.
Lord Ingestrie, by Mr. Carter ; seconded by Mr. Ayres.
Lord Mahon, by Mr. Edward Lawrence; seconded by
Mr. Norwood.
Spalding, by Mr. Muggeridge; seconded by Mr.
Rew.
The nomination being over, the Ware men quietly re-
turned home, but not so the lawless description of force
by whorls they had been opposed. Their numbers were
increased (nun Hatfield aad the surrounding country, as far
li
as Barnet. Hatfield-park and the farms in the vicinity
were stripped of the labourers, who were hurried over in
waggons, carts, and post-chaises. They kept pouring in
all night. The Welwyn Band, which had returned home
the night before, were at a sLiort distance, awaiting the
Ware men to &taut them into the town. They were al-
lowed
to proceed quietly until the head of their column
nearly arrived at the fire-office,—the rear hod reached
within a few yards of the Bank ;--they were thus as it
were in a defile. At this moment their enemies closed upon
the rear,—the scene of the previous day was renewed
with dri-adful violence, and a sanguinary rionflict ensued.
Fresh reinforcements continued to arrive frona Hatfield
and that quarter during the day, and the Reformers, fed.
ing themselves entirety unprotectod, appeared to give
themselves up to despair. It was with difficulty they
could be persuaded to leave their homes ; and bribery,
corruption, and intimidation being now at its height,
after a long and successful previous application, the reaolt
which might have been expected took place—lngestrie
and Mahon were at the head of the poll. The Conserva- •
tives, intoxicated with their success no less than with the
wine, liquors, and beer with which they were abundantly
supplied, marched about the town, threatening destmz.
Lion to individuals who were obr.oxious to them, and
cruelly ill-using and beetling every Reformer they met.
They next proceeded to the Ram lon, the landlord
of
which, Mr. Devonshire, is a Reformer. Here a scene of
violence ensued which almost beggars description. A
mob of 400 or .500 persons, principally arrozd under pre-
tence of seeking a person whom they declared they in-
tended to murder, commenced a violent attack upon toe
house. The doors and windows were sroz.shed to atoms ;
and when the ruffians had gained admission, they destroyed
every article of furniture, drunk and spilt all the spirits,
forced open the till and stole the money, and soundly boat
the persons they found there: The next object of their

,liabolical malice and revenge was the unfortunate landlord,
Mr. Devonshire, who was ill in bed. With the
most horrible o ,ths, they called far his blood. "Up
stairs "—" murder the old vagabond," and similar
expressions were conveyed to the sick man's room.
His wife and female servants were screaming " Murder ;"
and on going to the windows to appeal for mercy, were
assailed with a shower of stones. Finding their lives at the
point of being sacrificed, a person in the hou.e fired a
pistol, loaded with dust shot, among the assailants. This,
and the opportune arrival of Mr. Colbeck, whose exertions
to restore peace, at great personal risk, confer the greatest
credit on him, happily proved successful ; and a numerous
body of constables coming up at the same time, the blood-
thirsty vagabonds were dispersed. The town, as may be
supposed, was in the greatest possible excitement during
the night, and the general fear was, that with such ele-
ments of mischief within it, the probability was that it
would be set fire to, for the purposes of plunder. On the
following day, shortly after 4• o'clock, the poll finally
closed. Thus terminated one of the most disgraceful elec-
tions ever witnessed in this or any other borough. The
Conservatives have, for a brief season, what they call
triumphed.