The Sun.
London, England, 1845-02-26 00:00:00

TO E. BECKETT DENISON, ESQ., M.P. FOR TILE WEST
RIDING OF YORKSHIRE.
Harrogate, Feb. 17, 1845.
ir regret that any individual professing Conservative
1 principles should so far forget himself as to undertake to defeat
the second reading of a Bill in the House of Commons. The assertions
made by you, on moving an amendment to a motion for the second
reading of the Harrogate and Knaresborough Railway Bill, were dis-
graceful, being either wilful misrepresentations, or showing you were
ignorant of the nature and character of the Bill in question. I am
inclined to think it was the latter, as I find you have been reported
to have stated similar assertions at a meeting of the inhabitants of
Doncaster, on the 17th January last. I feel it a duty I owe to myself,
as wellies t. my late colleagues, who were the principal promoters of
the proposed Railway from Bolton Percy to near Knaresborough, to
defend our conduct by stating the truth, and to contradict the asser-
tions made by you.
Yen are made to say that Mr. Hudson, or the York and North
Midland Company, were the promoters of the intended line from
Bolton Percy (not Burton Salmon) to Knaresborough.
That the length of the lino was 14 miles.
That the dissentient landowners was •••• • • • • I 1 miles
Theassents ................ ••••••• • • • • • • • 11 o
The neuters •• • •

14 miles

Now, Sir, for the facts :
The length of the intended line was 15 miles and 69 chains.
The dissentient landowners •• • ..... 8 miles and 46 chains.
The assents .•. • • • ...... • •
Neuters and no answers • • ... ..... 2 miles 74'10 chains.

15 miles 69 chains.
The number of landowners on the line 56.
The dissentients • ..... ••••• • • • • • .... 14
The assents and neuters ............ 42

I most positively deny that Mr. Hudson or the York and North
Midland Company had anything whatever to do with the intended
line. Mr. Hudson gave us no assistance until the second reading
of the Bill. No doubt the intended line would have been very bene-
ficial to the York and North Midland Company, but it would be much
more to their interest as a Company to make it themselves, and they
thought we should not be able to raise the money, such was
the feeling at that time of the public against railways ; but we did
succeed, in a most honourable way, in obtaining the capital re-
quired, and Mr. Hudson, finding we had succeeded, did, on the
second reading of the Bill, render us some assistance ; and
although the trick of getting up a case against us, Hill of
misrepresentations, and given to the Members on entering the
House, and the misrepresentations made 'by you and others, the
Bill passed the second reading, and had it not been for the in-
fluence of a certain individual, there is no doubt we should have
passed the Committee, and got our Bill. I regret that an individual
with such a kind and amiable domestic character, though a mighty
hunter, should so far disregard the interests of his tenantry, and the
tenants of others, as to exert his influence to deprive them of the be-
nefits of railway communication. There are few, very few, agricul-
tural districts of more importance ; besides, on this short line of
sixteen miles, we have three market towns, and two fashionable
watering places,—say, Tadcaster, Wetherby, and Knaresborough, and
Harrogate and Thorp-Arch, and an extent of country further west,
which would derive considerable benefit, merely because it was said to
interfere with the hunting field.
No wonder your friends should express to you their surprise, after
the second reading of the Bill, that such a measure should have been
brought forward, of course supposing your statement to be correct,
but I think they will now be more guarded how they express any
opinion upon your statements. When the Committee reported to
the House that the preamble of the Bill was not proven to their sails-
fitetion, I was advised by a friend to get some Member of the House
to move for the printing of the evidence given to the Committee. I
regret I did not do so, as it might have prevented you from repeating
the mis-statements.
I hope I shall not have occasion to recur again to this subject, and
would recommend you, as, it Conservative, to make yourself better
acquainted with subjects before you engage to either support or op-
pose them.—l am, Sir, your obedient servant, and one of your
electors, S. WILKINSON,
Late Hon. Secretary to the Harrogate and linareeborough Railway.