The Sun.
London, England, 1835-05-06 00:00:00

DONCASTER.-.MONDAY.

The Tories in the West Riding of Yorkshire have been
straining every nerve for the last fortnight in opposing
Lord Morpeth. On Saturday last, according to appoint-
ment, Mr. Wortley visited Doncaster. The most active
preparations had been going forward for some time, more
particularly amongst the agricultural interest in this district,
to render his entrance as imposing as possible ; and nothing
short of a spectacle equal in splendour to that of a Roman
triumph was anticipated : indeed it was evidently their in-
tention to operate as much as possible on the minds of the
country people, by making a show of their strength on the
market dad•. Not content with drawing the Tory covers
in the immediate neighbourhood, they had recourse to those
even of Lincolnshire and Nottingham to swell out the train.
The cavalcade was ordered to assemble at the Toll Bar, on
the York Road, about one mile north of Doncaster, to
escort the candidate into the town, and when got together,
amounted to upwards of two hundred horsemen, presenting
a motley group of farmers, landlords and their servants,
parsons, lawyers, down even to their very clerks, and at
least one-third of the group did not possess a vote. The
utmost excitement prevailed in the town, and the whole
line of streets through which the procession had to pass,
presented (in spite of the rain, which continued to fall) one
dense mass of people, above whom the Orange flags of
Lord Morpeth fluttered from almost every window. It
appears that on entering the town, some of the escort party
of the Blues, in their zeal for the cause in which they had
embarked, tore down one of the Orange flags. This was
the signal for immediate hostilities, and the immense crowd
assembled in the streets commenced pelting them with
mud, which, from the state of the weather, was most
abundant ; and upon the horsemen reaching the centre of
the town, many of them " bore their muddy honours so
thick upon them," as scarcely to be recognised by their most
intimate acquaintance. This sort of attack was continued
upon them, mingled with hisses and groans " both long and
loud," until- they reached the Horse Fair, where it was in-
tended Mr. Wortley should address the electors. The
candidate having mounted the platform with his friends,
a vehicle with four horses, which contained a band of mu-
sicians (from whom, by the bye, not one single note ever
escaped), drew up, directly in front of the hustings, beyond
which the horsemen formed in a sort of half-circh,..thus
cutting off all communication with the immense nurn'ir of
people on foot. Some altercation having ensued beta !en
a part of the crowd and the horsemen, who seemed deter- •
mined to--keep the ground, and also to keep back the
people, who now began to show a disposition to be
peaceable and quiet ; but on observing this, and upon
Mr. Wortley attempting to speak, the hootings and
yellings completely drowned all attempts to obtain a hearing,
and mud and sticks flew around the hustings " thick as
leaves in Vallambrosa." A scene of confusion ensued, which
baffles description ; all that passed was mere dumb show,
as not one word of his speech reached any one, save the re-
porters and those immediately behind him on the hustings ;
in fact, it appeared from their own arrangement they never
intended it should ; and, in truth, from a printed report of
it, which has since been circulated, the crowd have nothing
left to regret in the loss of his eloquence : for a more tame
piece of sophistry never escaped from the lips of a Tory.
The candidate escaped from the platform unobserved by
the crowd, and took refuge in a neighbouring house, while
his valiant followers on horseback made the best of their
way to their respective inns, amid the execrations of the
whole multitude. Had it not been for the timely inter-
ference of Captain Elmsall, of the Woodlands (whose con-
duct merits the highest praise), it is not easy to foresee
what consequences might have ensued from Mr. Wortley's
visit to Doncaster ; as it is, some serious injuries have been
sustained by both parties, but the conduct of the Tories in
thus introducing him into the town, with a mounted escort
en a market-day, when they well knew the state of public
feeling towards him, is highly reprehensible—and not the
less so is their conduct in persisting to occupy the front of
the hustings on horseback, and which has (and not without
reason) been the subject of much comment. After this
market specimen of public opinion towards the Tory party,
in a district upon which they have all along calculated as
being their strong hold, they will hardly be so blind as to
think of a contest. The cause of Lord Morpeth stands as
well as the most anxious of his friends could wish ; and if it
does come to a trial of strength (which is doubtful) he will
certainly be returned by an overwhelming majority.