The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1839-09-10 00:00:00

REPRESENTATION OF MANCHESTER.

In our last publication we stated that, up to seven o'clock
on the Thursday evening, there was every probability that,
when all the returns were made, Sir George Murray would
be at the head of the poll by 100 at least. We obtained this
information from the best authcrity, and regret that the re-
sult proved otherwise. During the day, and until late in
the afternoon, but more especially from the commencement
of the poll to about two o'clock, Sir George maintained the
head of the poll by a considerable majority; but, after then,
the whigs gained an accession to their forces, and, as it ap-
pears, stole a march on the right hon. candidate, for the
numbers were announced by the boroughreeve at eleven
o'clock on Friday morning as follows
For Mr. Greg 3096
Sir George Murray
Colonel Perronet Thompson
Majority over Murray
At the time the information was sent to Liverpool,
some few of the returns of those districts calculated most
upon by the conservative party had not been received, and
hence arose the mistake by the official gentleman from whom
we received our information.
The second polling commenced on Friday morning, at
eight o'clock. The polling places were the same as those
used on the previous day ; and, in order to induce the elec-
tors to vote a second time, the walls were placarded in every
direction. The contest was carried on with great spirit till
four o'clock, when the polling finally closed. When the
returns were made, the conservatives announced that they
were in a minority of 208, but the whigs asserted that their
majority was 240. Both parties, however, were in error ;
for the numbers, as stated by the mayor at the Manor Court-
house on Saturday morning, were—
For Sir teorge Murray
Mr. Greg
leaving a majority of 265 against the conservative candidate.
There appears to have been great bungling in making up the
returns by both committees.
Notwithstanding, however, that our hopes and the hopes
of the conservatives of the kingdom have not been fully
realised, the result of the present contest cannot be looked
upon otherwise than as a most signal and triumphant victory
on the part of the conservatives of Manchester, who have
on this occasion polled nearly 1,000 more votes than at the
last election. By way of comparison we subjoin the num-
bers at former elections for Manchester :-
1834.

Thomson
Philips.
Braidley

3315
3163
2535

Largest majority over Braidley....
1837.

Thomson
Philips..
Gladstone..
se
Largest majority over Gladstone.... 1877
1839.
(Boroughreeve's precept.)

4158
3750
2281

Greg
Murray ....
Thompson .

Greg...
Murray

Majority over Murray..
1839.
(Mayor's precept.)

Majority..
The last figures are from the returns of Sir Geo. Murray
committee.
The failure of the election is to be atributed to a want o
proper arrangement and organization of the conservatives
The whig machinery was put in motion, and worked by a skit
ful electioneering agent, sent expressly by government to au.
perintend the operations. There was no lack of spirit or
energy on the part of the conservatives—they did their duty
manfully and nobly; but the committees were not formed, as
they ought to have been, by efficient and well-disciplined
electioneering officers, and hence so much was not accom-
plished, as otherwise would have been. The ground, how-
ever, has been made secure, and come another election, when-
ever it may, the triumph of the conservative cause is certain.
Whether or not Mr. Greg, being absent at the nomination,
can be legally returned, will, of course, be a subject for fu.
tare inquiry.
At six o'clock on Friday, Sir George Murray addressed the
electors from the Royal Hotel. Sir George, on his apppear-
ance, was received with the enthusiastic applause by a very
numerous assembly. He complimented the electors and the
inhabitants generally on their conduct during the contest
which had just terminated, and which would redound to their
honour. He was not there to cause any unncessary trouble,
nor to promote anything but peace and harmony, and good
will amongst them. (Applause.) He was gratified to find
that he had polled more votes than had ever been polled be-
fore in the same cause, and he thought that that was a suffi-
cient justification for him to offer himself before them as a
candidate for their suffrages, and it was also sufficient to jus-
tify those who first induced him to come to Manchester with
that intention. He had also, on two occasions,—in the nomi-
nation which took place before the boroughreeve, and also in
that which took place before the mayor—he had, on both
those occasions, received the show of hands in his favour.
(Hear, hear, and cheers.) A show of hands was expected to
be an indication of popular opinion, and that popular opinion
had been expressed in his favour; and if the vote of the
electors would not sanction popular opinion, he would go
away with the grateful recollection of the forest of hands of
the industrious men of Manchester whicji were raised in his
favour. The law imposed upon the electors the duty of
choosing- their own representatives ;—to their decision he
would bow with satisfaction, and would exhort those who
heard him to do the same ; but when he bowed to that de-
cision, he could always boast that the decision and the hearts
of the multitude were in his favour. Should it be his fortune
to become their representative—and the question was yet to
be decided by men practised in legal knowledge, of business
habits, and intimately acquainted with such matters, they
would find him acting on every occasion in the manner in
which, from the addresses he had delivered to them, they
would expect to find him acting. If he should have the
honour to go to parliament—he might have that honour still
—his course would be what he had stated to them. Those
particular contests ought not to he contests for the interests
and advantages of any one individual, or of any one party in
a state, but they were contests instituted for the preservation
of liberty and the interests of the country. (Hear, hear.)
Wherever they found a man qualified to advocate those in-
terests with success, then they would do well to take that
man, and make him their representative. (Hear.) He
thanked them for the kind manner in which they had listened
to him, and 'for the kind attention which had always been
granted to him since his arrival in Manchester, and which
had created an impression on his mind never to be erased.
He would now take his leave of them, and wish them good
night, expressing his anxious and ardent desire for the pros-
perity of the trade of Manchester. (Cheers, which were
repeated frequently.

On Saturday morning, at a meeting of the conservative
committee, Sir George Murray attended and read the follow-
ing address, with was received with loud cheers by the gen-
tlemen assembled :
" TO THE ELECTORS OF THE TOWN OF MANCHESTER.
" Gentlemen,—The result of the contest which has just
terminated for the representation of the borough of 1\ lan-
chester has not afforded to me the gratification of being placed
at the head of the poll, but it has been such as to show
clearly, however, by the near balance of opposite interests,
that my acceptance, at a moment's notice, of the invitation
with which I was honoured, was neither a rash nor a pre-
sumptuous step.
" The number of votes recorded in my favour on both e!ec-
tion days, has been greater than the number recorded at any
former election for Manchester for any candidates professing
similar opinions ; and the majority obtained on both days by
the opposite party has fallen very far short of the majorities
which they have had to boast of in all previous contests.
Such has been the result at the poll ; and you all know, gen-
tlemen, what the result of the appeal to a show of hands
made from the hustings on two different nomination days,
and before two different returning officers. These are strong
indications of the bias which public opinion is gradually
taking in this important, populous, and intelligent commu-
nity. They are sure indications that the people of this coun-
try have too much discernment to be long imposed upon by
even the most artful delusions, and are too firm in their at-
tachment to the principles of justice to suffer their minds
to be long warped by unfounded prejudices, or misled by
calumnies which partisanship may have at any time induced
interested men to propogate against their opponents.
" The most marked characteristic of the people of England
has long been candour on the part of every man in expressing
his own opinions, and fairness in judging of the opinions o(
others. This honourable national characteristic has never
been more conspicuously shewn than during the recent con-
test, and the impression of esteem for the people of Man-
chester which it has made in my mind will never be effaced.
" It is a most pleasing part of my duty to offer my warm-
est acknowledgements to those gentlemen who paid me the
high compliment in my absence, and without any solicitation
on my part, of putting me forward as a candidate on the
present occasion. Their exertions in the cause to which
they are attached, and their curtesy to the champion they
had chosen, have surpassed my most sanguine anticipations.
" To those of the electors of ;Manchester who have given
me their unhesitating support on the ground of our profes-
sing similar political opinions, I return my cordial thanks.
A bond of union, formed not upon expediency merely, but
upon principles, cannot fail to be lasting.
"To those electors also, who, although not professing a
general concurrence with me in political sentiments, have yet
deemed it conducive to the public interests to record their
votes in my favour on the present occasion, I owe my sin-
cere thanks, and my acknowledgment of the independence
they have shown by setting public interests before the feel-
ings of party.
" I trust, gentlemen, that I have given no just cause of
offence to any one during the contest in which we have been
engaged. I regard every such contest in the light of an op-
portunity afforded to a free people for the expression of pub-
lic opinion, and to make it the foundation of any lasting dif-
ferences upon any narrower grounds than those of public
principle, would be to mistake its object.
" I have the honour to be, gentlemen, your faithful and
obedient servant, " GEORGE MURRAY.
" Manchester, September 6, 1839."

ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS.—In consequence of the un-
favoifrable state of the weather last evening, the Grand
Gala at these delightful gardens has been postponed until
Wednesday (to-morrow) evening, when we trust the spirited
proprietor will be amply rewarded for his persevering zeal in
catering for the public amusement.
LIVERPOOL WELSH BRANCH BIBLE SOCIETY.—The an-
nual meeting of the above society was held at the music-hall,
Bold-street, on Friday evening last, the Rev. Robert Davies,
M. A., Minister of St. David's Church, the president of the
society, in the chair. The chairman opened the meeting by
expressing the delight and gratification it always afforded him
to meet his fellow-countrymen on every occasion that could
contlibute to their temporal and spiritual advantage, but on
no occasion, did he feel more delight than when he met them
to further the objects of the British and Foreign Bible So-
ciety ; a society which maybesaid to have emanated from the
Principality of Wales and brought into existence throughthe
instrumentality of the late Rev. Thomas Charles ; a society
established by the Providence of God to meet the efforts of
infidels and papists of the present day ; a society found, in
an especial manner, to promote the glory of God and the eter-
nal interests of the human race. Mr. David Lewis, one of
the secretaries, read the report, which conveyed a most in-
teresting account of the labours of this branch, both in the
distribution of the scriptures among the Welsh residents in
this town, and in the contributions obtained in support of the
institution. The subscriptions for the past year amounted
to £323 Os. Bd., being £79 13s. 5/ more than the proceeding
year ; making in the whole, since the establishment of the
society which has now existed five years, the sum of £1033
3s. Od. The sum of X 286 was remitted to the parent society,
as a free contribution for the past year. The Rev. Thomas
Phillips, one of the agents of the parent society, furnished
the meeting with most interesting and exciting details of the
operations of the society at home and abroad; reciting a va-
riety of delightful anecdotes illustrative of the benefits ac-
cruing to the family of man from the efforts of this excellent
and flourishing institution. The meeting was addressed by
the Rev. Messrs. John Hughes. Daniel Jones, John Jones,
Owen Jones, Joseph 'Williams, and others. The meeting
was protracted to a late hur. The spacious room was
densely crowded by a respectable and most attentive audi-
ence, who separated with expressions of delight and satis-
faction with the proceedings of the evening.
EMPLOYMENT OF TIME.—The Chancellor Aguessau wrote
a work on jurisprudence, in five volumes, in a quarter of an
hour each day his wife kept him waiting for dinner.