The Sun.
London, England, 1857-03-31 00:00:00

THE GENERAL _ELECTION.

YORKSHIRE (WEST RIDING).
The Election of two knights of the shire to serve the
West Riding in Parliament took place at Wakefield
yesterday in the presence of 4,000 or 5,000 people.
The High Sheriff was in attendance, and the usual
formalities having been disposed of,
The lion. E. LASCELLES nominated Mr. E. Denison
as a fit and proper person to represent the county in
Parliament ; Mr. J. RAND, of Bradford, seconded the
nomination.

Sir W. M. MILNER nominated Lord Goderich, the
nomination being seconded by Mr. F. CARBUTT, of
Leeds.

There being no other candidates the nIGH SHERIFF
declared Mr. Denison and Lord Goderich to be duly
elected.

Mr. DENISON then came forward, and thanked the
electors and non-electors for the honour they had con-
ferred upon him for the fourth time. He alluded to his
conduct in the late Parliament, observing that he had
always acted independently, and should continue to do
so. He would not bind himself to support Lord Pal-
merston, Lord J. Russell, Lord Derby, Mr. Disraeli, or
any other Minister further than he believed that the
measures they brought forward were for the interests of
the country. He vindicated the course Lord Palmerston
took in reference to Mr. Cobden's motion, and his sub•
sequent appeal to the country, observing that he be-
lieved that if the vote had to be taken now by the same
Parliament it would be reversed. As to taxation, he ex-
pressed himself in favour of reducing the taxes on ar-
ticles of domestic consumption, as far as the Chancellor
of the Exchequer could afford and the efficiency of the
naval and military services would allow. He should not
object to Parliamentary reform in accordance with the
principles of the constitution, but would not pledge him-
self to support any measure until he knew what it was.
He said he was opposed to the ballot, and expressed
himself in favour of an extension of the present system
of educational grants.
Lord GODERIOH, on presenting himself, was warmly
cheered. He declared himself a warm adherent to those
great progressive principles which had ever been held by
the Liberal party, and was therefore favourable to an ex
sion of Parliamentary reform both in the counties and
the boroughs. He should also support carrying out the
great principles of free trade and a reduction of taxation
so far as was compatible with national safety. As to
Lord Palmerston, he had always given that nobleman
his support, except when his lordship went into the
lobby with the Tories on Mr. Locke King's motion and
on Mr. Cobden's motion, believing that to have sup-
ported the Government on the last question would have
been to support a most dangerous precedent. That
support which he bad given Lord Palmerston in the
past he should continue to give him in future. He sup-
ported Lord Palmerston's foreign policy generally, and
said that he desired that England should be inclined to
peaoe, but always prepared for war. He declared him-
self in favour of the ballot, and for the removal of all
remnants of laws which prevented Dissenters from being
placed on an equality with Churchmen.
The proceedings terminated with a vote of thanks to
the Sheriff.