The Sun.
London, England, 1857-09-05 00:00:00

TAVISTOCK ELECTION.

THE NOMINATION, AND FALL OF THE
HUSTINGS.
Thursday being the day fixed for the nomination, at
the appointed hour the candidates and their friends pro-
ceeded to the open space in front of the Town-hall. Here
two separate erections had been constructed. One was
for the candidates and theiesupporters ; the other, which.
was destined we believe for the accommodation of the
ladies, was nearly untenanted, owing to the unfavourable
state of the weather. Tue rain was pouring down in
torrents, and to this cause might be attribute;, the scanty

numbers in front of the hustings.
After the usual preliminaries had been gone through
by the Port-reeve, who is here the returning officer,
Mr. Gal proposed, and Mr. May seconded, the nomi•
nation of Mr. Arthur Russell ; and Mr. Nichols pro-
posed, and Dr. Sleeman seconded, the nomination of
Mr. Edward Miall.
Mr. RUSSELL begged that his motives might not be
misunderstood in presenting himself as a candidate for
the borough of Tavistock. He was an untried man, and
ti principlessi d er awbhl ei c sht ahne dpi
agfas
ss sae
pd roe.o iiHt 1
ce i
awna,sa on pd ptorsaend.
bad nothing to entitle him to the notice of the electors
exceptby
s iman
at the e
of
c o
scendent abilities as an orator. He (Nlr. Russell) was
connected with a large landed proprietor, and this bad
been urged as an objection to his return, tut it was an
()Ejection over which he had no control. When he
heard of the vacancy he thought there could be no
offence in his offering himself to their notice. Let them
look to the principles which had ever met the approba-
tion of this constituency. But it had bsin urged that
he was too young for a seat in Parliament. He was of
opinion that if a man had no knowledge at twenty-five,
it was doubtful if he would ever attain to years of dis•
cretion. He had been for five years private secretary
to Lord John Russell, and he considered that this was
a good ing. Thankinem for the promi of
supporttrain which he bad receivegd,th he left the result inses their
hands.
Mr. MIALL, wbo wss received with three rounds of
'd it was the old practice of the constitution
applause, sal
feat whoever had the show of bands at the nomination
• led to a seat in the legislature. If that were
was entitled
in force this day, he bad not the slightsst doubt that he
should be the object of their choice, and if all the in-
habitants of Tavistock should be gathered together, and
their decision should be freely taken, there could be
little doubt as to what that decision would be. The law,
however, bad provided another tribunal, and by its
award they were bound to abide. He thought, at the
fame time, that the wishes of the non-electors should
not be without their influence in deciding the fate of the
present contest. And he had to congratulate them on
one feature of this contest, that it was not a contest of
opponents in principle ; and whatever might be the re-
sult, the liberal patty would not be a loser. It was not
so much an opposition as a competition. It was a con-
test to decide whether the electors were indeed free to
exercise their own judgment, or whether they were to
be fettered, by a little " party agreement," from using
their judgment between candidate and candidate, He
i considered that his catnpetitor had been too apologetic.
fur Tavistock to
I It was no disadvantage to a candidate f
be connected with the house of Russell. [At this stage
gs with a
of the the proceedings down came the hustin
mendous crash, and candidates and supporters were pre-
cipitated to the ground. It is perfectly miraculous how
they escaped ; but, except one man and two boy', who
were below the hustings, and are now lying in a dan-
gerous state, we have not beard of any serious injury.]
Mr. Miall added a few words more from the other
platform, and .
The POSTREEVE proceeded to take the show of handP,
which be declared in- favour of Mr. Miall. A poll was
demanded.
It will be seen that although Mr. Miall was not Eno-
mssfui, he fought a good fight

CLOSE OF THE POLL.
Russell ........................... 164
Mia 11................................................. 10
Majority ........................... --44