The Sun.
London, England, 1826-06-24 00:00:00

PRESTON, Juwr 22

The folloising is the copy of the protest which Captain Barrie
fuesented to the Mayor yesterday, and on which the Mayor ad-
journed the Court ;
" To Nicholas Critnahaw, Esq., Mayor, and Joseph Bray, just.,
and William Nictiolson,Eoq., Bailiffs of the Borough of Pries-
t-on, in the County of Lancaster.
• "In consequence of the violence and force which have been
employed by the adherents of Mr. Wood and Mr. Cohbett, and by
the employment,of which my voters have , been,. and are now,
violently assaulted, and prevented from sonaing up to give their
votes, I do hereby solemnly protest against your further proceed-
ing to take the votes of the Electors, until peace and freedom of
election be restored, and my voters be permitted to have free ac-
cess to the hustings, in order to give their votes.
'
(Signed) Itoexax
" Wednesday, 21st June, 1826, quarter before one o'clock."
We had no speeches from the candidates yesterday evening.—
The agitation excited by the early adjournment of the Court yea-
terday has considerably subsided. The military have not yet ar-
rived ;• it is hoped that their presence will-not be necessary for the
maintenance of order and tranquillity. Cobbett's.and Wood's
friends again assembled this morning round the doer to Cobbett'e
tally box in great numbers, and quite excluded the voters of their
opponent. When the Court was opened, the 'Woodites rushed on
the hustings, and filled Wood's and Cobbett'e tally-box,
The MAYOR---Well, now, I hope all is right, all quiet and
peaceable; if so, proceed to the poll.
One of Captain Barrie's agents rose, and handed to the Mayor k
paper containing a protest. The following is a copy
#4 To Nicholas Grimshavr, Esq. Mayor.

" That my appearance on the hustings this day, an the ten-
dering of votes in my behalf may not be deemed an aconiesomee
in the proceedings which have occurred, and against whi:l I have
already protested, I do now renew my protest against the inter-
ruption of freedom of *teeth 71, which has taken place, fro►n vio-
lence, and menace, and intimidation, and do hereby declare that I
reserve to myself full right to represent the same to the Commons
House of Parliament, and to pursue all such means as I may be
advised to adopt, in order to avoid and set aside the electio6 now
going on. " ftoitr. Ilanask."
" Thursday, June 22, 1826."
The Mayor having declared the proceeding very remittable, the
polling then cionmenced ; and Cohbett's men giving their second
votes to Mr. Wood, the latter, of course, is polling two, and some-
times three votes to one of Captain Barrie'e.
In the course of the morning some respectable friends of Captain
Barrie applied at Cobbett's door for entrance to the hustings, and
declared their intention, if admitted into Cobbett's tally-box', to
give a vote for him.' They were caked to whim they would give
their second—to Wood? No They were instantly repelled, and
menaced with violence, if they should dire to approach that door
again.
Captain Barrie having learned the fact, stated it' to the Mayor,
and complained again that the freedom of election was violateil by
the obstructions' thrown in the way of hit votes.
• A legal gentleman, in behalf of Mr. Cobbett (the only. pea le-
s/tan on Cobbett's side) retorted the charge of obstruction on Capt.
Barrie and the Mayor, and stated that Mr. Cobbett had more voters
than could he polled in ten days, if they were allowed to come to
the poll book through all the avenues. The object *ought by the
introduction of the military was nothing hut delay.
The Afsiroa—Pin such thing.
Cobbett's Agent--Tf Captain Berrie wants that Mr. Cobbett's
box should be open to the Captain's voters, why not, on the sane
principle, throw open the boxes of the other Candidates to Alr.
Cobbett's voters ? Air. Cobbett's voters have sought admission
into Mr. Stanley's box, and have been shut out—why then should
Mr. Cobbett's box alone be open ?
Captain COLQUIT—Becauw Mr. Cobbett himself declared that
it should be open to all electors without distinction.
Cobbett's A.gent—Thess barriers are the real obstruction. I
protest against them—they ought to he removed.
MAYOR—I had nothing to' do with the erection of them. The
management of them was agreed on by all the Cendidetes—and I
will not alter them till all the Candidates agree to the alteration.
Captain BARRIZ—My voters came up to Mr. Cobbett's door
for the purpose of voting; they were driven off. I claim protec-
tsction for them, front you, Sir (to the Mayor.)
The MAYOA—If I were to interfere to obtain a free admission
for voters at one door, I must obtain it for them at all the doom
—if ! were to throw open one, I must throw open all the avenues.—

(Applause. )—Common justice would compel me—but let us try
to go on with the polling quietly.—(To the constable) give free
access to the electors from all quarters, right and left.
Mr. STANLEY—I understood, Sir, at the opening of the elec-
tion, that you approved the arrangement of giving separate avenues
to the voters of each Candidate.

The polling then commenced, and proceeded with tolerable re-
gularity till half-put eleven o'clock. At that hour one of Captain
Barrie's seta of voters marched from his tally-room towards the
door of their tally-box. They were preceded by . music and a
standard representing an anchor. The crowd who stood to
guard Cobbett's door, took a liking to the handsome standard—
set up a yell—abandoned their own door..—and rushed at the Cap-
tain's anchor and voters. The Blues, unarmed and few, took to
their heels, headed by the fiying standard. The Greens pursued
them, overtook them, and proceeded to knock them down with
their short thick bludgeons. Cobbett's ruffians, in their eager-
ness for mischief, obstructed each other. The majority of the
Captain's voter* escaped into his door; among the rest, the
standard-bearer, who Appeared so anxious to avoid the disgrace of
losing his colours, and the slight collateral inconvenience of getting a
broken head, that lie was the tiret to dart into cover—
foremost eveti in the retreat. The Cobbetitei and Woodites then
returned to Cobbett's door, after three cheers, and resumed their
watch and ward. A party of them, in their ferocious exultation,
had the audacity to rush into the court-yard where the hustings
stand, and to brandish their weapons in front of the polling booth,
within view of the Mayor. The Mayor ordered the Constables
to go and seize them. The Constables looked at their ferocious
appearance and thick staves, and then looked at the Mayor, and
then remained just were they were—absolutely awed by the
savage appearance of the mob.
Captain BA Kali stated that the civil power was overawed--
that his voters were prevented by force from coming to the poll,
and demanded the presence of the military for them.
Mr. STANLICY made the same request, in his own name and
that of Mr. Wood.
The Mairoa declared that the civil powq was not sufficient to
preserve the peace. The freedom of election had been violated
by the violence of an armed mob—an organised moh..—a mob
authorised by one of the Candidates.—(Supposed to be Mr. Cob-
bett.)—He regretted the conduct of this day's snob as an inhabi-
tant of Preston. Ile had done every thing its his power to pre-
serve the peace, and to give justice to every party. He appealed
to the gentlemen around him, whether he bad not ?_(°' You
have, you have. ")
—He had not interfered for any party ; Ise bad
shunned communication with any of them : he had mussed to re-
vide in his own hoose, in order to avoid it. The civil power had
been overawed in its own tight. lie hail received a requisition
from three of the Candidates to call in the military. They were
within call. If the people would not maintain the peace, he
should suspend the polling, and adjourn the Court until he had
such a force as could correct the irregularities of the authorised

mob of rioters.
Svarrixs, expressed his disapprobation of the conduct of
the voters.
Mr. 'Woos disclaimed all connexion with them.
captain jd a Rai a contended that there was no freedom ,if election
whilst his voters were repulsed from the hustings by violence.
Au Elector..--Ves, there is freedom of election.
Th. Maros—Freedom of election and broken heads I—That'e
Am odd sort of freedom.
Reel followed ocKtfusion, altercation, interruption, criminitior

and recrimination. Several minute. pawl before order could b.
restored. The polling then proceeded. Several men carotid
with blood have passed by ; the fruity of Cobbitt's mob's attack on
the standard.

ilar.r-eata. Two.
Mr. Stanley has just presented to the Mayor a requisition sigma
by several electo►s, calling on him to keep the poll open till eight
o'clock this evening, in order to make up for the loss of time caused
by the early adjournment of yesterday.
The Mayor declares his willingness to commence the polling at
the usual hour every morning, for the remaining days, and to sr-
tend it to seven o'clock instead of five.

Mr. Wood consents to the extension of the time, every even-
ing hut this.
Captain Barrie roady to met, to ally regulation made by the
Mayo!...

obbet cc as sent for—he will neither MOM nor dissent, but
levee the Mayor to act according to law., and accuses the Mayor
of partiality.
IMA YOR-I assure you that I shall consult you neither on law
nor good manners. As all the candidates have not agreed, I CU-
nut accede to the requisition. Go on with the polling.
A person attempted to make a speech from Cobbett's hutting,
in the course of the confusion.

The Mayor( instantly interrupted him—You are a stranger';
fou eke not an elector, nor even an inbithitint of Preston.
blow who you are ; T have observed your disorderly conduct fca
several days ; you lava no right to come on these hustings. You
are a clergyman; your conduct is disgraceful to your protistion,
and the cause you support. You have disgraced yourself and
your friends; you shall not say another wont. Silence.
The person appeared overwhelmed by this animated address,
and took no further pert in the proceedings. lie is, or has been,
a Roman Catholic.

FOUR O'CLOCK.

Mr. Stanley Las conducted 'himself through the day in a man-
ner the must manly, judicious, and honourable. 'Wood Ilse acted
with all the calculating caution of his profession—the law. Cap-
tain Barrie has been straight-forward, blunt, plain-speaking, and
not indignant; while Cobbett's severe sarcasm, and furious pm.
sions, have been represented to the life by the bludgeons and blows
of lua ruffian rabble.

Cabbett has sold his banners, staftMen, band, committee, jetty,
shuns, and mob, to Wood. lie is as furious as a baited bull. He
has not been yet allowed to unmunle the rage which he feels at
yesterday's adjournment. We shall have him tearing away in all
his glory this evening on theymmtings.
Men's mouths are full of nothing but vows and conflicts—watt
and rumours of wars. The women's tongues are so many lis its;
lists of the killed and wounded. No elcetors in England have 44
more of the lieges slain and mairnicl, in imagination, then this
Royal Borough of Preston. We have certainly had some brutal
rutliattiami and obeli have more of it ; but I expect that at the dust
close of the poll on Monday nest, we shall be Able to eat all we shall
have killed. The Catholies (the lower orders) have commenced
taking the 'rest Oath to-day. The respectable Boman Catholics
have cautiously abstained from any interference with the election.
They are not friends of Cobbett ; Mr. Stanley appear' to be their
particular favourite.

Thursday Evening, June /22, Half-put Nur (Nth Day).
Day's Poll. Gross Poll. Dayta Pot Gross Poll,
Stanley 297 1707 Barrie 185 985
Wood 105 111 x Cobbett 95 ' 747