The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1852-11-02 00:00:00

VAUXHALL WARD

The candidates for this ward were Francis Shand, Esq.,
merchant, of Liverpool and Mr. Moss, of Oxton. The
latter,who acted as chairman to Dr. Bradley's committee,
at the previous election, and had since been elected as one
of the Select Vestry, feeling no doubt hisambition somewhat
excited but not satisfied, announced himself as a candi-
date for municipal honours some five or six weeks since.
By the dint of perseverance—by a plausibly written requi-
sition—issued on the pretext that no other candidate
would be brought forward, and consequently numerously
signed, the chance of an opponent seemed at first some-
what hopeless; but no sooner did Mr. Shand announce
his intention to contest the ward than there was a grow-
ing feeling in his favour, and scores lamented having been
" duped" into promising, under the false assertion, that
44 no candidate but Mr. Moss would appear." The ward
however turned out far better than was anticipated, and

there is little doubt that had Mr. Shand been announced
a few days earlier, his success would have been without
doubt. Although those to whom the ward was entrusted
worked most assiduously, there appeared to be some little
want of the presence of influence, and there, cannot be a
doubt that had the duplicate voters from the previously
secured wards been brought to bear in this, Mr. Shand
would to-day be a member of the council. We think it
right to observe that no disturbance of any kind occurred,
and that when the opposing parties met " they met and
parted like gentlemen." The contest was marked by
perseverance and good humour. The poll was ushered in
by a " shout from a body in favour of Mr. Moss." For the
first two hours it seemed that a " walk over" was expected,
and sundry bets were made that the majority at eleven
o'clock would be increased hourly to the close of the poll.
At that hour Mr. Moss led the van by 33 votes, but as
the following table will show, the majority gained was gra-
dually reduced •
Hours

Votes for Shand. Votes for Moss. Majority
34..
42. 77.. ••. .... 33
76 lO4. ...... . 28
96 . l2l .
.. 112.. .. 125. ...
114.
123..

One vote was personated for Mr. Moss, which reduced
the majority to 17 votes.
At the close of the poll, the result was received by cheers
from the assembled group ; to whom Dr. Bradley, who
had beenactively engaged, announced theintention of " his
friend" to address the electors from their committee room;
but as the gathering was of that motley kind which did
not appear to suit the more refined taste of the "elected,"
Mr. Moss made his speech " short and sweet." He pro-
mised to deliver (in three years) a faithful account of his
stewardship. He congratulated the voters on the large (?)
majority by which he had been returned ; lauding highly
the standing, character, and conduct of his opponent;
condemned the actions, placards, and all other et ceteras
of the members of Mr. Shand's committee, and even the
"hired" (?) canvassers did not escape his wrath. He
consigned them to ignominy, and with them (" there the
shoe pinched") all those who signed his requisition and
voted against him. Sundry cheers followed ; and after
Dr. Bradley had an audience with the assemblage, the
meeting separated, not apparently exactly satisfied.