The Sun.
London, England, 1850-04-01 00:00:00

TOTNES ELECTION.

(FRoM A CORRESPONDENT.)
TOTNES, SATURDAY EvEmso.--The Right Hon.
Lord Seymour, Chief Commissioner of Woods and
Forests, has this day been re-elected for the borough
of Totnes without opposition, nearly all the different
sections of politicians in the borough having volun-
teered their support to his Lordship. On 'Wednesday
evening last the Conservatives held a meeting at the
Seven Stars llotel, when it was unanimously resolved
that the support of that party should be given to Lord
Seymour, in the event of a contest from the extreme
Radical party, from which circumstance it may be in-
ferred that Protectionist principles are not in the
ascendancy here.
Shortly lifter eleven o'clock a procession of about
200 of the most influential electors of Totnes and
Bridgetown (preceded by the excellent brass band),
started from the Seymour Hotel for the hustings,
which were erected on the Plains; when, the usual
pre.itninaries havio4 been gone through,
The Mayon (William Bowden, Esq.) briefly ad-
dressed the meeting, to the effect that in pursuance of
a precept which had just been read, a burgess was to
be elected to serve in Parliament for this borough,
and he hoped that a fair and impartial hearing would
be given to every elector and candidate who might
that day address them.

Thr(e cheers having been given for the Mayor,
G. S. CART, Esq., of Follaton, then stood forward to
propose Lord Seymour. He said—Mr. Mayor and
Brother Electors,—Often as it has been my pleasing
task to propose a candidate for your suffrages in the
person of the Noble Lord who is again desirous of
receiving your support, I have never felt so* much
pleasure as on the present occasion, because his Lord-
ship has been very lately appointed to an office in the
Government of the greatest honour and responsibility
—the more honourable to him from its having been con-
ferred without any solicitation on his part. The office
of Chief Commissioner of IVoods and Forests is one of
so much importance that he would not have been ap-
pointed to it was he not entitled to the entire con-
fidence of the Government; it was an office for which
his great talents well qualified him. Gentlemen, you
have hitherto nobly done your duty, and Lord Sey-
mour has well repaid you for the confidence you have
so often and so long reposed in him. I will not
further trespass on your time, but assure you, gen-
tlemen, I feel it a high honour to propose for re-elec-
tion the Right Hon. Lord Seymour.—(Cheers.)
E. LUSCOMDE, Esq., (Alderman), seconded the
nomination.

The MAYOR, having twice asked if any elector had
another candidate to propose, after a short pause de-
clared Edward Adolphus Seymour, commonly called
Lard Seymour, duly elected to serve as a burgess in
Parliament for the borough of Totnes.—(Cheers.)
Lord SEYMOUR then came forward to thank the
electors, and was received with great cheering. He
said—l fear many now present are much disappointed,
for, from the placard that has been issued, they
might have been led to expect a novelty that day
in the shape of a candidate on " true Reform"
principles. What those principles are I do not
know. But if true reform means universal suffrage,
I at once tell you that I am not in favour of it.
Look at France, and see how universal suffrage has
worked there. Has she benefited by the violent re-
volutionary changes which have been brought to pass?
or, may I not with truth say, her position and
the trade of her country has been much injured
thereby. But the novelty that was promised has not
been produced here to-day ; I can only imagine,
therefore, that the " true Reform" candidate is to
be kept in the dark until next year, when, as they
all probably knew, they were to have a great exhibi-
tion of works of art, &c., the produce of all nations,
and no doubt that extraordinary candidate would
then excite the envy of the world.—(Great laughter.)
France would see what England could produce in the
shape of an universal suffrage member, whilst he
would be the laughing-stock of Italy, and even Ame-
rica wouid not be able to recognise England's pat-
tern member. All the world would laugh at us for
departing from our old established constitution, which
has justly been fur ages the pride and envy of the
civilized world.—(Hear.) I strongly suspect,
however, that the party who has issued that placard,
is not so anxious for the five points of the charter
as for the fees he would receive as an election agent,
and all he wanted was opposition.—(Laughter.)
tleinen, I will not vote for change merely for change
sake. I consider that the House of Commons should be
composed of men of merit and of some position in
the country, and by such men alone ought great
changes in our constitution to be effected.—(Hear,
hear.) But, gentlemen, let me tell you, the present
Government and the Parliament are unfettered to
any system, and I am firmly persuaded, if the country
should declare for an extension of the suffrage, the
Government would be willing to propose a whole-
some measure of further reform, and grant such
timely concessions as, whilst the franchise would be
possessed by a larger number of the people, would
tend at the same time to preserve and strengthen the
institutions of the country.—(Loud cheers.) Gen-
tlemen, having fully explained to you my views on
other political subjects at the meeting of electors at
the Guildhall a few days since, I think I need not
now further detain you. Bat if any elector still
wishes explanation on any subject, I am quite ready
to ans ever any questions whatsoever. And this I will
say—if there are complaints to be made of my con-
duct as your representative, it would be far more
manly to appear here face to face to-day than to
write letters of abuse to the provincial papers. The
Noble Lord cordially thanked the electors, and con-
cluded amidst loud cheers.

On the motion of Lord SEYMOUR a vote of thanks
was given to the Mayor, and the proceedings (which
wero throughout of the most orderly description)
terminated.

INCREASE OF SHIPS AT SHIELD!, Though the
first quarter of the year has not yet expired, no less than 46
vessels have been added to the port of Shields since New
Year's Day, niaking'an increase of nearly 13,000 tons to the
previous tonnage of that young port, a considerable part of
which are new vessels, and other ships that have recently
been purchased by the townspeople, the remainder consisting
of vessels that have been transferred from the port of New-
castle. Should this immense accession of t,nnage to the
port continue in a corresponding ratiu to that of the hut
twelve months, the people of Shields will soon he able to
raise their customs establishment to a second-class port.
Sunderland Herald.

ATTJ3MPTED MURDER AND ROBBERY.—A few
evenings since, a daring attempt at highway robbery and
murder was perpetrated in the neighbourhood cf Tetsworth.
Mr. Little, tea-itzaler, was travelling en business in that lo-
cality in a one-horse Chaise, and about eight o'cicck at night
he was attacked by two fellows, one of whom seized his
horse's head, and the other attempted to pull him out of his
vehiee. Mr. Little, at the same instant, struck his horse a
blow with the whip, which caused it to spring forward
with a force which knocked down the man in front. The
fellow behind Mr. Little then tired at him, but fortti-
nately without doing him any injury, and he succeeded in
making his escape from these unpleasant "brethren of the
road."

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