The Sun.
London, England, 1857-03-28 00:00:00

SHEFFIELD.

The nomination took place yesterday in the Corn
Exchange, in the presence of an assemblage of upwards
of 20,000 people. Mr. J. W. P. Smith, the Mayor,
presided.
Mr. W. FISHER proposed, and Mr. R. LEADER, jun.,
seconded Mr. J. A. Roebuck.
Alderman H. E. HOOLE proposed, and Mr. G. WOS-
TENHOLM (the Master Cutler), seconded the nomination
of Mr.. George Hadfield.
Mr. W. F. DixoN proposed, and Mr. E. Vfcians
secouded, Mr. Wm. Overend, Q.C.
M.r. ROEBUCK was received with loud and protracted
the ering. He said—l am quite sure that every man
here will give me a fair hearing, and I hope you will give
ev,prybody else a fair bearing. (Cheers.) Well, then,
the real business of this day will be your show of hands.
iy speech I can make cannot reach one.tenth part of
tl.e people I see before me. Therefore it would only be

I wasting my time and yours by attempting to address
P you. Gentlemen, I have not kept ray opinion hidden
1
under a bushel ; you know what they are, and you do
not wait until to-day to have them explained. (Hear.)

Bat I think you will allow me to state, which I will do
very shortly, the true nature of this contest. It is not
ut on the Canton question you have to decide. (Cheers.)
I'll tell you what you have to decide. You have to
decide between myself and my honourable friend,
Mr. Hadfield, on one side, representing advance
in government, and my honourable and learned
friend on my right—(cheers and hooting)—who is op-
posed to that. (Cheers.) That is the real distinction
between us. It is not whether Mr. Hadfield and I have
given one wrong vote—not a wrong vote in my opinion
—but it is, are you to be fairly and faithfully represented
in the coming House of Parliament ? (" We'd soon
settle it if we could.") I have no doubt if the suffrage
were in the hands of the persons I now see before me,
the show of hands would determine what you would do.
But you know, gentlemen, that the suffrage is restricted
—it joie a few hands at present. ("But we are too
many for him, though.") But still lam confident that
even with these few hands we shall be successful. And
I will tell you why. The few hands in which the suf-
frage is are Englishmen. (Cheers.) They will not dis-
card and forget honest and long service—they will not
put aside tried men for an untried man. I have nothing
to say against my learned friend—for friend I shall call
him, and in social life such I consider him ; but I and
he, each forming our opinions, have come to an honest
conclusion—he takes one side in politics, I take another.
(Cheers.) I meet him fairly. Hear him, give him
every liberty, and, when you have done so, decide be-
tween as. (Cheers.) He is a gentleman--I hope I am.
(Cheers.) Treat him fairly as you treat me, and—fairly
beat him. (Loud cheers and laughter.) This I take to
be the proper way to maintain our contest. Into it no
personal rancour ought to enter. No allusion of a per-
sonal description ought to be indulged in. (Applause.)
Political opinions are fair game. A public man—and be
is now a public man—you have a right also to discuss all
principles. (Cheers.) You have a right also to discuss
the opinions of his friends ; and I say to my hon. and
learned friend that I believe him to be what he was in
1852. He was then a Conservative—l believe him to
be so now. (Cheers.) I see him surrounded by the
same friends—(Mr. Overend—" And by many of youri
also")—but then, mind you, Lord Derby was in power.
I have lived to see great changes, and in no people
greater changes than in the party to which my hon.
and learned friend belongs. ("It's wheel about and turn
about with 'em.") (Laughter.) I think that is very near
an accurate statement. When I first entered political
lite I found them rabid against Catholic emancipation,
vehement against Parliamentary reform ; I found them
crying their lungs to pieces in favour of the corn laws
and against free trade. I have seen all these things car-
ried in spite of them; and now there are other things
that we desire, which they in their hearts object to, and
we will carry them in spite of them again. We think that
we have not yet attained to anything like ' perfection.
Ours is an onward course ; change has no terror for us.
We do not stick in the ancient ways because they are
ancient (Hear, hear, and cheers) We are not Con-
servative, but Liberal. And depend upon it, if you send
my learned friend to Parliament, that, though he may be
a Palmerstonian on one question, he will be a CoLserva-
tive on all else. (Cheers.) Now, I say that before him.
I know what I say is true ; and what I believe true I
will say before him as I would say it behind his back.
(Cheers.) We can afford to be honest opponents. I
know the character of my learned friend. I believe him
to be a thoroughly honest gentleman—(great cheering
from the Conservatives)—very much mistaken in his
political views. (Cheers and laughter.) And depend
upon it, that if be can persuade you to vote for and
send him to Parliament, you would be very much mis-
taken too. (Cheers.) Now, gentlemen, I will not occupy
your time, for you are in an uncomfortable position.
—(" Go on ")—but I appeal to my past life. Have I
ever deceived the people of England ? (" No," and
cheers.) I have ever been a friend of freedom—(cheers)
—religious and civil. I have aided every great change
and improvement that has taken place since I have been
in public life, and every one of them that party (pointing
to the Conservatives) has opposed. (Cheers ) To that
party I am opposed now, and I believe I shall be to my
dying day. (Cheers.) Gentlemen, I throw myself with
confidence again upon the people of Sheffield. I appeal
to my life past in the service of my country, and I ask
you to re-elect me. (Cheers.)
Mr. HADFIELD briefly addressed the electors.
Mr. OVEREND next addressed the electors.
On the show of hands being taken there was an over-
whelming majority in favour of Messrs. Roebuck and
Hadfield, and a poll was demanded fur Mr. Overend.