Star.
London, England, 1826-06-15 00:00:00

CANTERBURY ELECTION.

We hare already announced the result of the Canter-
bury Election in the return of S. R. Lushington, Esq.
and Lord Clifton ; the proceedings are given at great
length in the Kentish Gazette. We abridge from that
Journal. The election commenced on Friday, at the
Guildhall, Canterbury, when
Mr. JOHN DEA NE PARKER nominated S. R. Lushing-
ton, Esq. Alluding to the dissolution of the late Par-
liament, he said, its long duration was a strong and con-
vincing proof that the measures of Government have
been supported and approved by the Representative
Body, otherwise his Mljesty must have changed his
Ministers, or exercised his royal prerogative by an
earlier dissolution. As a corroboration of the general
approval of the conduct of the Government, there has
scarcely been throughout the kingdom during the whole
period of the last Parliament, a meeting of Electors to
instruct their Representatives; and as a further con-
firmation I may with truth assert, that in the canvass
of my Hon. Friend (Mr. Lushington) in this city, many
Freemen who were hitherto accustomed to censure the
conduct of his Majesty's Ministers could not now with-
hold from them the meed of applause.
These circumstances render the task which I have
undertaken infiaitely more pleasing, and lead me to ex•
pect your cordial concurrence in what I shall have the
honour to propose. It will be unnecessary for me,
therefore, to enter into any statement of the political
conduct of my Hon. Fiend ; but I consider it due to
him to observe, that if suavity of manners, and a gen-
tlemanly demeanour; if a high sense of religion, and the
practice of morality ; if integrity of conduct and long
experience in the duties and form of Parliament—if
these claim your respect, I am sure they are possessed
by him in an eminent degree; and I therefore nominate
Stephen Rumbold Lushington, Esq. as a proper person
to represent you in Parliament.
Mr. BALDOCK seconded the nomination ; obArving,
that he joined in all th:rt shad been said in favour of
Mr. Lushington, than n how, he considered no indivi-
dual more highly qualified to fill the situation of their
Representative in Parliament, to which he could not
have a better claim, than that upright aria hononrable
public conduct which had uniformly marked his poli-
tical life.

Mr. BRENT proposed Lord Clifton, whose patliamen•
tary conduct, he said, they had every reason to be
satisfied with, his Lordship having uniformly shewn
himself the 1., lend and advocate of their interests, of
the interests of the country, of liberty, and of useful
reforms.

Mr. Alderman H. COOPIR seconded the nomination.
He said Lord Clifton, upon all occasions, had shewn
himself the zealous friend and warm advocate of area•
sures bf retrenchm:nt and reform, of propositions in
favour of liberty, and the real welfare of the country.

Mr. Alderman 0. Fames, in a very few words, proposed-the
lien. Richard Watson, as a friend of liberty, every way deserving
the support of the freemen of Canterbury.
Mr. Fowt.sa briefly seconded this nomination.
Mr. LUSHINGTOY—" My first duty this day is to
return my grateful thanks to my Hon. F: lends, who have
in such kind and partial terms recommended me to your
choice.

" Having dischsrge4 this duty to them, I have now
to perform that which I owe to you. To you, Brother
Freemen, I am indebted for whatever inclination I have
for'political pursuits. Your encouragement it was that,
in 1807, first drew me from private life, and induced
me to appear in this Hall. I then pledged myself
sedulously to attend to your local interests, and to
support those measures of Government which, in my
judgment, should be considered most conducive to the
general interests of tLe country. To the professions
which I then made to you I have stedfastly adhered,
and I defy the most critical or fastidious of my oppo-
nents to produce a single instance of departure from
them. An affectionate attachment to the King's per-
son—a firm and open support of the Government as
long as they deserved it, by upholding the Constitution
in Church and State, were the pledges I then gave. Ir
is because I feel that in fulfilling these promises. I have
acted in unison with your own feelings, that I venture
again to court a continuance of your confidence.
" you have, however, a right to expect from me
some account of the measures in which I have concurred
as your Representative since I last addressed you. The
period which has elapsed has been one of peculiar inte-
rest. After a duration of more than six years, Parlia-
tnent has closed its labours; and 1 have no hesitation
in affirming that the result of those labours, upon the
character of the Parliament and the Government, is to
place them higher in the confidence of the country than
at any former period. To have belonged to such a
Parliament and such a Government, I shall always feel
as a distinguished honour, and, as the source of that
himour, I bend with the deepest gratitude to you.
" The principles upon which the Government has
acted, and the policy it has pursued in respect to Fo-
reign States, have been hailed by the warm and cordial
concurrence of the people, as most conducive to their
interests and most satisfactory to their feelings ; and
hence arises that high station which this kingdom holds
amongst the nations of the world. Upon a review of
our domestic policy, I should be prepared to shew, in
behalf of the Parliament and the Government, the same
claims to your good opinion.
" From year to year the public expenditure has been
reduced, as far as was consistent with the due mainte-
nance of the safety and honour of the country, and-this
reduction will still be carried on in the same spit it.—
The public burthens have been in like manner dimi-
nished, and in the course of the last six years no less
than twelve millions of taxes have been taken off. Some
of the most important branches of the national industry
have been relieved from heavy burdens, and the laws
for the Trial by Jury, and the whole of our commers
cial code, have received very important amendments.
With the instances which I have thus briefly detailed
of the measures of the late Parliament, I repeat, that I
deem it an honour to have belonged to it, and to the
Government with whom those measures originated.—
I have new no new professions to make to you : I ad-
here to all my former declarations of principle, and if
you should think fit again to confide to me the same
high trust, I shall act upon them, and faithfully endea-
vour to promote the general prosperity of the country,
and the particular welfare of Canterbury and its citizens."
Lord CLIP rim, in returning thanks to those by whom
he had been proposed and supported, observed? that
.when he was first proposed for the choice of his brother
freemen, he declined giving any pledge as to his future
conduct, considering he ought to go into Parliament, ii
at all, tree and unshackled, and at liberty to act to the
best of his judgment, according to his own view of what
w .1 most conducive to the interests of the country. He
had be, n in that way first chosen by them as their Re-
presentative, and he • now confidently appealed to hi
Parliamentary conduct, as a testimony in his favour,

to entitle him again to be plated in that honourai,
situation.

The polling then commenced, and was continued ;ti
evening ; it, was resumed the next day, and went cl
with great briskness for Mr. Lushington, and wit► ,
con.iderable number for Lf•rd Clifton, but few. for
Watson. At half past three o'clock the Poll was firm IT
closed, when the Sheriff came forwsrd and antro❑ncrj
the numbers as follows :
For Mr. Lushington 66
Lord Clifton . 433
Mr. Watson . • 107
lie then declared Stephen Rutabold Lushington, Esq. and L.
Clifton, to be duly elected.

Mr. LUSHINGTON returned thanks, observing, e:pt
he considered it the highest honour that could be
ferred upon an English Commoner, to be returned al
the Representative in Parliament of the Aletropcliti%l
City of Canterbury. He had before observed, tht
from the promises he had obtained, he was confident('
success, and the result had amply justified his Con.i.
dence ; if there was one thing more than another fl
which the citizens of Canterbury deserved the hiczhit
praise, it was that they were true to their word, d!'d
faithful to their promises. He thanked them for al:,
further mark of their satisfaction with his conduct, in
again so honourably returning him to that stabon
which he had so often filled; and looking to that tet-
timony of approbation of his conduct, which they 11,d
thus so decidedly shown, he should with the same con.
fidence ask it again at their hands whenever circum.
stances called for it. He would not now detain them,
having another ceremony to go through, but he %odd
only say, that he should invariably observe the saint
line of public conduct which had merited their appro.
bation, and that he should watch over the local interests
of the city of Canterbury with the utmost attentio
and kindness.

After the applause which followed this speech had subsided,
Lord CLIFTON addressed the freemen, thanking them
for hi; return, and promising to pursue that course of
conduct, in unison with the principles of freedom which
had ensured him their approbation.
The ancient and accustomed ceremony of chairing then toot
place, and was performed in grand style, in the principal streets of
the City. _ _

The number of freemen voted was 1058, the greatest number
ever polled in so short a time, owing to the excellent arrangPmet:s
of the Sheriff. The following is a summary of the different votes :
Single Votes—Mr. Lushington, s76—Lurd Clifton, 309—Hon.
IL Watson, 25.

Crou VOtes—Lushington and Clifton, 60—Lushington ar4
Watson, 25—Clifton and Watson, 59.