The Sun.
London, England, 1859-09-15 00:00:00

ELECTION INTELLIGENCE.

SOUTH SHROPSHIRE.
Yesterday the vacancy in this division, occasioned
by the death of the Hon. Robert Windsor Clive,

was filled by the election of Sir Baldwin Leighton,
who was returned unopposed. The proceedings

took place at Church Sireiton.
The usual preliminaries having been observed,
The HIGH SHERIFF (Mr. C. 0. C. Pemberton)
called upon any one who had. a candidate to pro-
pose to do so.
Mr. R. BURTON, of Lougner, proposed Sir B.
Leighton as a fit and proper person to represent
the Southern Division of Salop in Parliament.
(Loud cheers.)
Sir C. ROUSE BROUGHTON said he seconded the
nomination of Sir Baldwin in the full belief that,
in the words of the address he had issued to the

electors, he was " a thorough Conservative." Some
little doubt having been expressed upon that point
by certain electors in his (Sir Charles's) hearing, he
felt it to be his duty to lay some stress upon it, be-
cause he knew that no other than a Conservative

would fitly represent the views of the constituency
in Parliament. (Applause.) It was satisfactory to
think that Sir B tldwin was a thorough Conserva-
tive, for they all highly valued those public exer-
tions of his extending over many years, and which
had resulted td the great advantage of the county.
He was sure it was the earnest wish of all that Sir

Baldwin Leighton should prove as good a member
of Parliament as the one he had succeeded. The

electors would send him to Parliament unpledged

and unshackled, hoping that he would use his best
exertions to serve his country in the difficult pro
blems of domestic as well as foreign policy, which
the unsettled state of our representative system at
home and the complicated state of European poli-
tics demanded. Judging by Sir Baldwin's antece-
dents, if they were any criterion for the future, he
could not but congratulate the electors on the choice
they were about to make. (Great cheering.)
No other candidate being proposed, the HIGH
SHERIFF declared Sir Baldwin Leighton duly
elected. The new member, then, amid great cheer-
ing, was i▪
nvested with the sword and cocked hat.
Sir BALDWIN LEIGHTON, in returning thanks for
the honour done him, expressed his warm obliga-
tions to hi▪ s proposer and seconder for the kind terms
in which they had spoken of him. With regard to
what Sir Charles Rouse Broughton had said about
his being sent to Parliament unfettered, he certainly
pledged himself to do the best in his power to pro-
mote the interests of those who sent him to Parlia-
ment. It was desirable that his opinions on two or
three matters of policy should be known. In the
first place, there was a good deal of anxiety as to
the intentions of our neighbours across the Channel
with regard to this country. Many people thought
that the French would like to return the visit which
our soldiers paid to Paris some years ago. He con-
sidered it was most desirable that the defences of
this country should be placed in as efficient a state
as possible, and he thought our fleet should be so
powerful as to prevent any attempt at invasion tak-
ing place. (Great cheering.) But, if ever the enemy
succeeded in landing here, his forces should be able
to penetrate but a short distance. To use a phrase
perhaps more common than classical, we ought to
" put our trust in Providence, and keep our powder
dry." (Cheers.) He would now allude to Parlia-
mentary Reform—a subject which had caused the
defeat of more Ministries than one, and which be-
fore it was finally settled would probably cause the
defeat of others. Almost every person had a differ-
ent opinion with regard to reform. For his part he
thought that agricultural districts should return
agricultural members, and that manufacturing
towns should return those who more especially re-
presented those interests. He thought, for instance,
that he would but imperfectly represent Birming-
ham, and he also thought a Birmingham man would
inadequately represent Shropshire. An advertise-
ment had appeared in the newspapers inquiring if
he would support the ballot. It struck him that the
advocates of the ballot ought to go further, and see
if members of Parliament ought not to vote in the
House of Commons by ballot. The " screw," as
it was called, might sometimes be put on elec-
tors, but did not constituencies sometimes insist
upon their representatives voting a certain way,
very much against their consciences If the bal-
lot were established in the House of Commons, it
might happen that many who now openly voted in
such a way
.as enabled them to keep their places,
might vote in a different manner. He very much
regretted that coercion was ever used with electors;
for himself he could sincerely say that it -would
never make any difference in his conduct to a ten-
ant whether that tenant voted for or against his
wishes. Sir Baldwin having
g
electors for the confidence they ahaain thanked
dplace dinte
him,h
proposed a vote of thanks to the High Sheriff for
his conduct that day.
This was seconded by Mr. BURTON, carried, and
duly acknowledged.