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

SOMERSET.—henrsTra, .1i NN

The polling I. going on very languidly with all the Candidates.
Sir Thomas Lethbridge did not appear in the Court-house, not
in the town, during the day, nor was his son, who accompanied
him through the former: part of the contest to the hustings each
day, to be seen. Mr. Dickinson was at his post, and was in con-
stant conversation With some one or other of his humble friends
during the seven hours of polling. • Mr. Hunt was in and out of
the Court-house and the polling booths very frequently ; some-
times inquiring into the qualifications, of the voters for the other
Candidates, and sometimes giving directions to those who have
undertaken to bring up his troops, as to the future operation&
with respect to the grand effort be has promised to make at the
latter end of next week. At five o'clock the poll clerks exhibited
their books to the High Sheriff, who stated the numbers polled
that day were*
Dickinson, 252 ; Lethbridge, VO9 ; pant, 57.
And that the aggregate polling Was—
Dickinson, 104; Lethbridge, 1,083 ; Hunt, g 96.
Mr. Dscittisox said, he was extremely unwilling to break
through the established rule of leaving it to the poll to exhibit the
grateful feelings of the candidates for the favour of the freeholders.
He was as little disposed as any man could he to return thank*
for the sake of speaking ; he was in the habit of letting the poll
speak for itself; but there was something eo extraordinary in the
occurrences of this contest, that he could not help addressing tho
worthy freeholders who had gathered together to chew their rat-
pect for him.....(Cheers.)—He felt truly grateful for the honour
they had done htm that day.
Mr. Huns--With your permission, Mr. Iligh Sheriff, ask
Mr. Dickinson a question, before I thank my freeholders. You
(to Mr. Dickinson) said yesterday, Sir, that you were in posses-
sion of some particulars of my private history, which particulars
you threatened you would use upon whatever occasion you thought
it expedient. Now I call upon you to mention all those particu.
lets publicly, and not keep them to yourself until my back is
turned.—(Cheers and hisses. )--I am prepared to answer any
charge, whatever it may be, this moment; and I shall expect you
will have more candour than to depend upon newspaper para.
graphs for your proof. I shall expect you will prove what you
may assert, and you may rely upon an immediate answer.
Mr. Dims/sox—Mr. thigh Sheriff, I did say that I was in
possession of some information relative to the-public and pril
vete character of Mr. hunt; and I said ales that I should re-
serve that information for any occasion On which might be ate
tacked as I had been attacked at Bridgewater. I think I may say
that I am in possession of the whole history of that gentlemen's
public and private character; but I wish him roost distinctly to
understand, that I shall, in using those documents, exercise my
own discretion.--(Cheers and hisses.)-1 shall use them whet*
and when I please, without being itiflueneed by hint. At the
same time, I distinctly deny that I contemplated charging him
behind his back.---(Cheers.)
Mr. fluter—Freeholders, and Ladies you do us the honour of
coining amongst us ! I ant heartily sorry that our friend, Mr.
Dickinson ha* nothing better to cicim.no more useful labour to
occupy him—than to pry into the private transactions of any
mtiro—(Cheers and groans. )--I very much regret that helm. not
been so much occupied ire attending to your business, or his own,
as to render it inconvenient for him to employ himself in the un,
worthy occupation of listening to the dirty tales of those cm-
tures who surround him,—(Lood applause and hisses.)—Of
all the character* ,in the world, the only one that is worse
than the tale-bearer is the man who listene to tales.—
(Cheers and toinukt.)—l lament to see a man who holds a
high situation in this county, employ himself in so dis-
graceful a manner. I dare him to produce any thing aping
me. He knows say history, he says. Ile may know it—it has
been long before the publio,-1 have written it myselt(Laugh.
tie, applause, and hissed).---To he sure I may have given it
little colouring.—(Loud laughter).--But, Gentlemen, .1 wrote it
under circumstances which may be alluded to for my splogy.
hail the honour of being confined in the gaol of 'bill county tot
two years and six months, and the worthy county Magistrates, of
whom Mr. Dickinson Ie one, did me the additional honour of
aggravating the sentence,'liy giving me 41) days! solitary confine.
ul"t*—("l'd cheers, end cries of That's an old story."),—lt
is an old story,' I shall never forget it, -nor shall the worthy Ms'
gistrates.ofthiS county ever boot it; and Mr. Dickinson was
Wellhead when they aggravated my phyaical afflictioos.
they did AKA succeed in their object, which WAN to brgak
spirit ; for, although 1 sake(' bodily infirmity/1 needs'
had lees
pain 'of'tstinl rloart i noel during that sollas+yaosolinemrnt.-.-.-
( Loud cheers)._...b again dare Mr. I)ickittj'"n to brin forward bus
us hear what be has raked up in his tt-i-,e,ptatale search after pri•
or sit down with the im-
vate frailties. Let him do this et, t
mho :4r the fabricator of the history
potation 411'" that hir.
and hissing intermixed).
of which he speattg.,-.1,1M14 ;I'' t M trek'
.I..ll::ooWdithhitmhesel-eifeileipatiomn;uthni,itpivpillf.lol:4tar
iti:arL, and ilniesonnomerort_ti,.

twits the threat,
A Futruntzwit.,—." You exiled for it, Hunt—you dog. you

coned for it."
Mr. ILvtir....l celled, for the chaps, not for the thro4t—...

(Cbeers and tumulif.)—l am ready to hear what he has to say.
Here I am, and here I shall be with: you, gentlemen, for a fort-
night—(Loud laughter and discordant noises.)--1 am glad to per-
ceive that the effect of this information upon you is different from
that which it produced upon Sir Thomas Lethbridge, whose lip
quivered the moment it broke upon his ear—(Tumult, and cries
of "he is absent!")-1 know he is, although 'it is his duty to be,
here. It is not respectful in him to show "the white feather,"
and run away—(Loud laughter, applause and hiesei.)---I told Sir
Thomas Lethbridge that I owed him and his brother Magistratee
something.which I would pay off to them some day or other, for
meintheir'inclness to the gnol.—(Laughter.)—And I assure
them, that but for, that kind consideration of theirs, it is more
than probable I would not be a candidate for this County, which
1 hope, with -the blessing of God, to represent in the ensuing
Parliament.7--(l2oars of laughter.)—Aye, the day of reckoning
is come. 'Sir Thomas appealed to my humanity last night for not
continuing thepoll; but 1 hope my ears may be cut off and nailed to
the gatei of that prison in Which I was incarcerated so long, if ever I
move from this place while the law allows me to remain here. (Laugh-
ter, cheers, and hisses.),--The freeholders are allowed fifteen days
every seven years to express their opinions. There is not a free-
holder in the county who shall not have the opportunity, and I
only regret that they have not 10 days, the limit of my solitary
imprisonment, to give vent to those opinions and feelings—(Loud
cheers and hisses; the former greatly predominant.)—Sir Thomas
told you that I was giving the people trouble. I certainly give.
trouble to the Sheriff and his assistants; but I am sure they do
not regret their attention to duties which they perform so much
to their own honour.,—(Loud cheers.)—l shall give them no
on
necessary trouble. As for all the rest of the county, they may
go about their business if they please-,-they need not trouble
'themselves, if they did 'not like it, in coming to the poll.---
(Laughter.)--I think it will be a difficult thing for my worthy
antagonist, the Baronet, to gather together his scattered forces,
and 1 m glad that Mr. Dickinson is satisfied with his 287 votes,
although the number is not a third of what he polled at the last
election.
Mr. S'iticitv.r —Aye, but then be bad to contend with a gen-
tleman.
Mr. Hon, said, there had been no more than 1,300 votes
polled between the Whig and the. Tory.
A Faitzuotnag—Why do you not poll the rest Yourself?

- - _
Mr. HUNT said, because he hail not the power of exercising
ens atom of unjust influence over the freeholders-236 honest
men bad done him the honour of coming up for him. He felt
greatly flattered by their votes, and he flattered himself that in
the middle of next week his party would wear a different face.
His freeholders knew that they had fifteen days to come up, and'
there was not one of them who thought he would he capable of
rimninz.—,(Laurhter. cheers, and hisses.)—At all events,
„,, rtel w,m1,1 0,1 on until he

,-0;oo tiro, weruseives, ilti had s,!en some
who admitted that they had been deluded, and expressed their
regret at having been deceived.---(Cbeers and hisses, and loud
cries of " Hunt for ever ! he'll teach you all to mind what you're
about.").—He (Mr. S.) was sorry to see Mr. Dickinson where
be sat—that place should be left to the honest freeholders, who
would show the strength of hit clainis by coming up in multi-
tudes. It was ditgraCeftil for him to attend where such a Candi-
date wo to be seen.---(Cries of " Hunt for ever!" and groans
and cheers.)---" The man," said Mr. 'Stuckey, " has abilities, I
`admit ; but the idea of his representing this county—good God !
how could such it thing enter his head ? What ! this county ?
lam annulled to think of it. He might creep into Parliament
for a rotten borough, but to represent this great county—good
God ! it it the greatest absurdity. )"
Mr. try it, howeVer, my jockey.7—(Loutl laughter.)
Mr. S'rucltrr—The longer you go on the further you'll be be-
, hind. Every man will bring disgrace upon himself who votes for

you.
Mr. Hu re—" One word," Arr. Sheriff, "My friend, Mr.
Stuckey, says he is sabarned. Look at him. 'Why he has no
more shame in his countenance than one of his own coal barges.—
(Loud laughter.)—What an orator he is too ! The Lord bless us!
Why he first tells the freeholders that there is no.necpsiity for any
further exertions, and then he says to, them, ' dd all you can.'
Now if they did not do something extraordinary very soon, Sir
Thomas would be in a queer way. It is expected that I shall be
driven nut of the county.; thst I shall never show my head in it
again.---(Cries of " No, you never shall," and " Hunt for ever.")
—Very well ; I assure you, most solemnly, that if by any chance
should not, upon thin oceaKinn ',tweed, an:event I by no means
anticipate-4aughter,)-1 shall main the experiment until 1 do."
—(Cheers and violent .disapprobation.)
Air. STUCKEY gave three cheers for the two old Metilbers, and
three cheers for the Sheriff. •
Mr. WAARF,N, the solicitor, gave three cheers fur Mr. Stuckey,
and three {roans for Mr. Hunt.
The Court Olen adjotuned.
The moment ;gr. Hunt went outside, he addressed the crowd,
and proposed three groans for Mr. Warren and the rest of the
Attorneys. The groans were loud and long.