The Sun.
London, England, 1859-04-28 00:00:00

SOUTHWARK.

As the day of nomination approaches the exer-
tions of the candidates increase. The canvassing
is proceeding with an indefatigability -which would
lead to the impression that neither of the three
competitors feels perfect confidence that he is not
the one who will be left behind in the race. Sir C.
Napier's friends assert that he will head the poll
by a far larger majority than he did at the general
election in 1857 ; and Mr. Locke's committee insist
that their promises up to the present time exceed
the total number of voters polled by Sir Charles on
that occasion ; while Mr. A. Pellatt's friends are
equally certain that if he is not at the top he
will be very far removed from the bottom of
the poll on Saturday. Meetings continue to be
held nightly in all parts of the borough, each can-
didate performing a sort of itinerant pilgrimage, and
addressing his friends, or those whom he would
wish to be such, now at Blackfriars ; in an hour or
so after perhaps in Horsleydown ; and within the
space of a third hour, probably in the far distant
locality of Bermondsey or Rotherhithe.
Last night Sir C. Napier held three such meet-
ings; Mr. Locke three, and Mr. A. Pellatt two;
but on behalf of the last-named gentleman there
was a sort of supplemental meeting of journeymen
coopers, held at the Ship and Camel, Dockhead, at
which the services which Mr. Pellatt was enabled
while in Parliament to render them by causing. the
withdrawal of the clause from an act for regulating
merchant shipping which
.proposed that no ship
should carry other than iron water tanks, were
discussed, and a resoluion come to undertaking to
return the favour by uniting in his support at the
present election.
At Mr. Locke's principal meeting, which was held
outside the China Hall Tavern, Deptford Lower-
road, the honourable candidate addressed a very
crowded andienc3, a considerable proportion of
which escorted him to the place appointed in a torch-
light procession, headed by a band of music, He
called attention to the enormous sums subscribed
by the Tory party—Lord Derby, £20,000 ; the
Duke of Buccleuch, he knew not how much; the
newly created peers, as it was generally under-
stood, £lO,OOO each ; and the Carlton Club, an
amount that was almost fabulous. All this money
was to be employed in corrupting electors, or by
putting the Liberal candidates to unnecessary ex-
penses to influence the elections. There was an
instance in the proceedings of that day. The
nomination for Marylebone took place, and it was
supposed up to the last moment that Sir Benjamin
Hall and Mr. Edwin James were not to be opposed.
But at the hustings up rose two younc, gentlemen
and proposed Lord Stanley. Well, Lord Stanle:
was nominated and a poll was demanded, the only
result of which would be to put the Liberal can-
didates to a most unnecessary expense. But that
was part of the system. (Hear, hear.) There was
every probability that in a few days war would be
waging in Europe. He hoped we should not en-
gage in that war except for the interests of Eng-
land. (Hear, hear.) Russia, it appeared, had now
interfered; and when we saw these despotic
governments engaging in the dispute, it was clear
that the object of the war could not be that in
which we sympathised—the freedom of Italy ; and
he trusted, therefore, that this country would ob-
serve a policy of strict neutrality. After referring
to his general votes in the House of Commons on
public questions, he said. he had refused to put his
name to the back of the Watermen's Bill, which
had come down from the Lords to the Commons,
because it proposed to take away the rights of many
of his constituents without giving them compensa-
tion ; and he held that the watermen, if their means
of employment were interfered with, were as much
entitled to compensation as the proctors in Doctors'-
commons.

An ELECTOR—How about the combination law ?

Mr. LOCKE—The Combination of Workmen law
had been passed, and the effect of it was to declare
the law to be what several of the judges had held
it to be. In reply to other questions, be said that
he considered the Coalwhippers' Bill out to be re-
enacted. He was in favour of opening the British
Museum and the Crystal Palace on Sundays, but
not during the hours of divine service.
On the motion of Dr. M'MunDocll, the following
resolution was unanimously passed :—" That we,
the electors of Rotherhithe, true to the principles
of reform, recognise in Mr. John Locke the able
exponent of our views and the stanch advocate of
our local interests, and we pledge ourselves in the
intervening time before the election to exert our•
selves to increase his majority and place him tri-
umphantly at the head of the poll."