The Sun.
London, England, 1859-12-22 00:00:00

READING.

DECEMBER 21.
This ancient borough was unexpectedly startled
from its propriety this morning by a. series of
placards announcing that Mr. Ralph 13tnson, not-
withstanding his retirement, would. once more
come forward and contest the seat rendered vacant
by the elevation of Sir H. Keating to the bench.
This fact was for the first time made public at a
meeting held the previous evening at the Great
Western Hotel, when the chairman, Mr. H. J.
Simonds, addressed the electors in the following
clever but somewhat novel style :—He said—l am
pleased to see you here to-night, inasmuch as I
can at last tell you that a definite course of act-
ing has been decided on. I had, I believed, on a
previous occasion, satisfactorily assured you of
your own venality, and left you with the com-
fortable reflection that you were in the eyes of the
world but a very sorry lot. Seriously, gentlemen,
I was perfectly staggered with the reception I met
met with from various gentlemen, who all treated
Readinr, as second to Glocester or Wakefield,
stated:plainly that it was a mere matter of pounds,
shillings, and pence; that they had. no intention of
bidding at the auction, and that Sir F. Goldsmidt
was at liberty to purchase you together with the
rest of his estates. (Laughter.) It was in vain
that I contradicted these statements. The quiet
smile and expressive shrug were my only response,
and the more earnest the denial the blander the
smile. (Laughter.) 0 ! those quaint old city par-
lours I have made myself acquainted with the last
week. Picture to yourselves the staid and respec-
table city merchant, sitting in his armchair and
rubbing up his small stock of schoolboy Latin, bow-
ing me out as I spoke of purity with a creclat
Teichru
s, while the twin Cheeryble in the opposition
armchair, envious of the fraternal Latin, retorted
on,him with a—

" Quodcunquo ostendis mihi sic incredulous odi."
(Applause.) It is useless to disguise the fact, the
world at large think that this people require a golden
calf, and they think also that no one has a better
right, both hereditary and acquired, than our hon-
ourable opponent. (Cheers.) Now, gentlemen, I
have long learnt that the worst weapon you could
forge in an armoury was abuse of your opponent,
and I therefore beg to express my opinion publicly,
that Sir F. Goldsmidt, despite his immense wealth,
will not condescend to these means, or fight this
battle other than as becomes a gentleman. (Cheers.)
It is true, my friend the late Mayor made some
mysterious allusions the other evening; for my own
part, I decline to play the part of pot and kettle. I
shall ignore the existence of the Reform Club, and
treat my respected friend's remarks this cold wea-
ther as we would the scratehings of a little idle boy
on a pane of frozen glass, mild let them expire with
the breath that gave them existence. (Cheers.) So
much for the past, and now for the future. We have
determined that this unjust slur shall no longer remain
on the fair fame of our town; but as far as the Conser-
vative party are concerned, this ugly charge of cor-
ruption shall exist but as the slough of a last year's
reptile. .(Applause.) We have determined, in a
word, to return Mr. Benson—(vehement cheering,
which lasted some minutes)—without a farthing of
expense to that gentleman--(loud cheers)—and
will show the world that it is possible to fight a
Reading election on a matter of principle, and that
we are net to be bought like so many sheep at a
cattle-market. (Cheers.) Mr. Simonds then went
into various details, and the meeting, after being
addressed by several other gentlemen, broke up
with three cheers for Mr. Benson.