The Sun.
London, England, 1859-05-02 00:00:00

EVESHAM kLBCTION.

The election for this borough presented rather
unusual features, in the contrast between the out-
ward demonstrations by electors as well as by the
general population of the whole town, and the
results of the poll. The interest had been evenly
divided between the Conservatives, represented by
Sir Henry Willoughby, and the Liberals, repre-
sented by Mr. Holland, a gentleman of considerable
property in • the neighbourhood and an improving
landlord, but of no distinction
.in the House of
Commons. It was understood that he looked to a
seat for the county, and he had excited displeasure
by his almost avowed intention to vote for the dis-
franchisement of the borough if it should be pro
posed by the Whig Government, as it was in Lord
John Russell's bill ; displeasure had been excited
also'on some private question. Under these cir-
cumstances a number of the Liberal party, as.
an independent body, applied to Mr. Chad-
wick, whose doctrine of inquiry before legislation
was in accordance with the interests and the senti-
ments of the town. That gentleman sent a draft
address to give explicit information as to his gene-
ral political principles, more especially as to the
writing up of political patronage, by a general
application of the principle of open competition ;
measures for the improvement of the physical con-
dition of the population, an educational extension
of the franchise, army and administrative reform.
This address was not to be issued, so as to raise
the supposition that he intended to stand without
his previous consent, which was to depend on pre-
vious inquiries as to the extent of support he would
receive. It was, however, issued, and was highly
popular, especially amongst the class of market
gardeners, who form a large proportion of the
electors, and amongst whom Mr. Chadwick's views
for the social and economical improvement of the
working classes, and their education and the main-
tenance of their wages, and the advancement of
their condition met with zealous responses. It
having been understood that he had withdrawn
an unusually large requisition for this small borough
was forwarded to him on Wednesday. On Thursday
he complied, by coming to attend a crowded town
meeting, where, after a long exposition of his views
on administrative and political reform, a resolution,
supported by some popular inhabitants, pledging
the meeting, which, comprised, as was stated, a
majority of the electors, was carried enthusiastically.
In the streets Mr. Chadwick was attended, at night
on his canvass, by crowds who cheered his progress,
and the excitement in his favour was greater than
had ever been known in late times. On the ncmi•
nation day, in a crowded hail, which might hold the
whole of the electors, he spoke at great length,
and as compared with Mr. Holland, the show of
hands was three to one in his favour. T►he mani-
festations by the crowds attending the polling
booths were also in the same spirit, and his popu-
larity was at the highest. On the other side, it was
stated, that every " screw" had been turned to the
utmost. An agent of one of the chief owners of
the market garden lands of an opposite party was
in attendance at the entrance at the chief polling
booths to see how the tenants voted. The result of
the poll excited not a little surprise, and it is
alleged, from not one-third of the votes promised
having been given, that the ease is one for the ballot..
The return' was as follows :

Willoughby
Holland
Chadwick
After the numbers had been proclaimed, Sir H.
Willoughby, in returning thanks, said that instead
of that borough being disfranchised he really
regretted that it had not a third seat, in which the
knowledge and ability of the candidate lowest on
the poll might have found a place for the service of
the country.
Mr. HOLLAND, the second of the old members
re-elected, in returning thanks expressed his regret
that Mr. Chadwick had not inquired duly into the
real sense of the constituency, which was expressed
not by the show of hands by non-electors, but by
the poll, before he subjected the members and the
town to a contested election.
Mr. CHADWICK, in reply, said he must upon the
facts question whether the poll in this case was
the expression of the real sense of the electors.
No one would less willingly subject others to the
annoyance of an election, or encounter it, than
himself, and he had only appeared at the eleventh
hour upon repeated solicitations, and a requisition
made after a full and authentic exposition of his
views more numerously signed than any which had
ever been sent out of the town before. At a large
open meeting of the electors he had given a more
extended exposition of his principles, and au unani-
mous resolution was passed to use every exertion in
his behalf to ensure his return. At the nomination
in the crowded Town-hall the show of hands was
immensely in his favour, and he made particular in-
quiries as to whether the meeting was really com-
posed of electors, when he was assured that probably
not more than a third were non•electors. The can-
vass, too, was in accordance with the show of hands,
manifesting the same dissent from'Mr. Holland's
views, and the same displeasure that had been
evinced towards him at that very meeting, and
giving a majority against him. Undoubtedly
the contrast between these open and spon-
taneous manifestations by show of hands, which
Faye him (Mr. Chadwick) an unusually large ma-
jority, and the poll, which gave him the unusu-
ally small minority of one-third of the other can-
didates, was very striking, as was the fact that
little more than one-third of the electors who had,
upon a full exposition of his views, urged him (Mr.
Chadwick) to come forward on their promises of
support had voted for him. There were large moral
as well as political imposture manifestations on
whichsoever side the real truth lay. For himself,
he proposed to have suspended in a public place
the names of the requisitionists who promised their
votes to induce him to become a candidate, and had
then deserted him. (Cheers.) After the meeting an
application was made to Mr. Chadwick for the
names upon the requisition from a number of gen-
tlemen, who felt that such a case of deceit ought to
be investigated with a view to proceedings to re-
deem the credit of the borough, and the application
was assented to.

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