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

LEEDS, DEC. 10.

The nomination of the candidates to represent this borough
in Parliament, took place this day, in the spacious area of the
Coloured Cioth-hall. The gates were opened at a quarter-past
9 o'clock, when a tremendous rush took place, but the parties
continued to arrive until 10 o'clock, when the area was nearly
filled. There were nearly one hundred flags, most of which
had inscriptions, indicative of the party to which they were
attached, but there were two of a most atrocious description,
and which went far beyond the license taken in election con-
tests. The one represented the mills of Messrs. Marshall, in
Water-lane, lighted up, the ground being covered with snow,
and a number of children were represented as wading through
the snow half-starved. Underneath was inscribed, "5 o'clock
in the morning," and the whole was headed in large letters,
" A Scene in Water-lane." The other was a large figure of a
skeleton, inscribed, " Mr. Macaulay's Bill." The contest be-
tween different parties, as they came in to take an advantageous
position, presented a very exciting scene, but for some time
these struggles were conducted with good temper. At five
minutes past 10 o'clock, the Mayor took the chair, and opened
the business of the meeting.
Mr. Alderman HALL proposed Mr. Sadler as a fit person to
represent the borough of Leeds.
W. BECKETT, Esq., seconded the nomination.
Mr. T. BENYON proposed John Marshall, jun., Esq.
Mr. J. MUSGRAVE seconded this nomination.

JOHN MARSHALL, Esq., the late Member for the county
of York, presented himself amidst great cheering. Before he
could proceed, however, some of Mr. Sadler's friends, in charge
of his flags, pushed violently and almost opposite the vene-
rable gentleman with the disgusting flag we have before alluded
to, under the title of " A Scene in Water-lane, at 5 o'clock in
the morning." This direct insult on Mr. Marshall, whose mill
was here attempted to be pictured, caused great excitement
amongst the immense mass of liberals, and tremendous cries of
" Down wiih it" issued from amongst them. A rush was made
towards it, and after a great struggle it was pulled down, and
the loug poles to which it was attached were broken in pieces.
The picture, however, was again hoisted, and ostentatiously
displayed in front of another banner, and Mr. Sadler's party
iriadearush
uponatab it, whichanneroft was placed hePoliticalUnion, with the figure
of Britannia quietly
against the
wall, as were all the orange flags, while those of the blue party
were displayed in the middle of the yard, in spite of the Mayor's
commands to have them placed also against the wall ; and after
another fierce contest the banner was torn to pieces and its
poles broken up. Another orange flag shared the same fate.
During these struggles the scene became quite alarming;
many desperadoes among Mr. Sadler's party pulled out
thick staves, which had been concealed about them, and
struck right and left in the most brutal manner. The
opposite party, who were totally unarmed, were naturally
indignant at such conduct, and returned with their fists blow
for blow. A tremendous onset was, however, made by a great
many of the fellows armed with bludgeons, who struck every
man on the orange side, who attempted to resist them, with

E '

hightfut vleietto,o. Many persons were tiotowit down and
trampled upon, and a few received dreadful cuts on the head
and face. We noticed one fellow, who had in both his
hands the whole of one of the fiag.poles, and the manner in
which he used it caused a shudder of horror in all the by.
standers and lookers-on. The bludgeons of the blues were
now brought into full employment, and exercised on the per-
sons of their unarmed opponents with savage ferocity. Many
of the respectable friends of Messrs. Marshall and Macaulay
advised their party to retire, and though they had occupied
two-thirds of the yard immediately before this disgraceful
outrage, they obeyed the advice, and after about a quarter of an
hour scarcely a single one of them was to be seen in the
yard. On finding their opponents give way, the blackguards
on Mr. Sadler's side poured a shower of large stones among
them, and for a short while their brutality appeared to have
completely triumphed. Nine persons were seriously injured
and taken to the infirmary, one man being in a very deplorable
condition indeed. We are glad to learn, however, that he is
now thought to be out of danger. While these outrageous
proceedings were going on below, many gentlemen of the
liberal party were remonstrating with the opponents on
the hustings, who, instead of putting an end, or attempt-
ing to put an end, to the shameful attacks of their
partisans, if they did not encourage, certainly did not do
anything like what they could have done to repress
them. In fact, it was quite obvious that the miscreants
with the bludgeons would never have been possessed of
them, or used them as they did, unless they had had some
orders from persons in authority. After the desperadoes
had for a short while enjoyed their triumph, the liberal party
began to rally, and returned in great force; meanwhile a great
number of special constables had been ordered by the Mayor
to station themselves in a direct line from the middle of the
hustings to the other side of the yard, and they divided the
returning friends of Messrs. Marshall and Macaulay from the
frenzied mob of Mr. Sadler's supporters. The former con.
tinned to pour in in vast numbers, and during the two next
speeches had obtained at least as great a preponderance in
numbers over their opponents as before the riot. The diffe-
rence in respectability of the' appearance between the two par-
ties in the yard was most striking.
JOHN MARSHALL, sen., Esq., again presented him-
self, and was received with cheers by the Orange party. He
proposed to the electors as a fit and proper person to represent
the borough of Leeds, his honourable and excellent friend
Thomas Babington Macaulay, Esq.—(Loud cheers from the
Orange party.)
Mr. RA WSON seconded the nomination.

Mr. SADLER then came forward amidst tremendous hoot_
lags from the great majority of the meeting, and uproarious
applause from his supporters. As far as we could hear him,
he said he had been called forward by a numerous requisition,
as well as by thousands of the poorer classes. He should
have felt it a privilege to have explained to them his sentiments
on that occasion,—the principles of that policy which he had
long felt it an honour to hold. They were the principles of
justice and mercy, and of protection to honest labour and
industry. In respect of that which pressed so much on the
community—taxation, he wished for a system which should
press as little as possible upon the poor. He should desire to
do away with the pensions and the sinecures of those who fed
on the public.--(Here Mr. Sadler, with his usual generosity,
pointed towards Mr. Macaulay.) He would do away with
useless places and pensions, which increased upon us. When
those reductions should have taken place, he should endeavour
to remove the remaining burdens from the shoulders of the
poor, and place them on those of the rich. The assessed taxes,
which constituted a great portion of the severest imposts on
the poorer classes, he would endeavour to remove, and find a
substitute for them in the pockets of the rich. The foreign
policy to which he was favourable might be described in three
words—" peace and non-intervention." His reason for wish-
ing to be returned to Parliament was, to promote the relief of
the agricultural poor, and of the overlaboured manufacturers.
—(Cheers and hisses.) To consult the feelings and interests
of the operatives, whether in protecting the remains of the
poor from the knife of the anatomist, or in any other way,
would be his anxious wish. He supported the Truck Bill,
though the political economists were against him.
Mr. JOHN MARSHALL, jun., now presented himself,
and was received with vehement cheering by his own party,
but by the most persevering hisses and groans from his op-
ponents. When he attempted to speak, hundreds of whistles
were heard from the hired bludgeon-men and their comrades.
The Blue band struck up and advanced almost into the centre
of the meeting, no efforts seeming to be made by the Tories on
the hustings to put a stop to the annoyance. At this period
the area was filled to overflowing, except at the Blue end,
where a large space was vacant. The great majority of the
assembly were desirous of hearing, but the hired hludgeon-
men of the Tories set at defiance every attempt of Mr. Mar-
shall to be heard. After a few words, which even to those
near Mr. Marshall were inaudible, he made his bow.
Mr. MACAULAY then took off his hat, and was received
with tremendous cheering. He merely said—Gentlemen, it
is so perfectly clear that I cannot this day obtain a hearing,
that I think it the course most advisable and most convenient
to you to allow you instantly to proceed to declare your opi-
nions. Mr. Macaulay then made his bow amidst repeated
applause.

It was here intimated to the Mayor, that as there was no
possibility of obtaining a hearing for Messrs. Marshall and
Macaulay, the band of Mr. Sadler's friends playing away with
very great vehemence, and the Blues yelling constantly in the
most discordant manner, those gentlemen would not delay the
proceedings, but desired his Worship to proceed to the true cri.
terion of popular favour, the show of bands.

The MAYOR accordingly ordered the mace-bearer to ele-
vate a board, on which the meeting was requested to hold up
both hands for Mr. Sadler.

At this time the blues, who had previously been pretty com-
pact, occupying about a third of the yard, in large numbers
spread themselves over a vacant space behind them, to make
as great a show as possible, and, except in that particular part
of the area in which their main body was, not a single hand was
held up in favour of Mr. Sadler. A great majority appeared
for Mr. Marshall and Mr. Macaulay.
The MAYOR accordingly declared that the choice of the
electors had fallen on those gentlemen.
A poll was then demanded on behalf of Mr. Sadler.

The MAYOR—A poll being demanded, I appoint it to be
taken on Wednesday morning, at 9 o'clock, to be continued on
Thursday, at 10 o'clock; and I adjourn the Court to Friday,
at 10 o'clock in the forenoon, in this place, when I shall de.
clare the state of the poll and make the return.