Star.
London, England, 1820-03-16 00:00:00

WESTMINSTER ELECTION,.

SIXTH DAY. , :
The polling proceeded very slowly to-day. At four
o'clock the crovid•was excessively great, probably in
expectation of Sir Francis.Burdett's last address to
the Electors during the present, Election. The only
remarkable exhibition we observed was, the device
exhibited from the opposite boeths just as the candi-
detesmade their appearance. A real lamb's head,
with a real rat in his mouth, was stuck upon the
head of a pole. From the rat's tail hung a cock's
comb. On the lamb's head was placed a lawyer'S'
wig, surmounted with a fool's cap. A board placed
immediately belew the head, was inscribed in front :
" Behold the ratting lamb, wit!l a cock's , comb' at
his tail." On the other side the inscription was—
" If silly lamb's will go a ratting,
• 'Tit fit they get this sort of h.-Acing."
The state of the pen was received wiilillated and
repeated cheers.
Sir FAA MIS . ilv an Err - - - -
Jam; Cam rioannoss, F-sq. - - -
lionc.strable Gephos LAsto. - - -
Sir FRANCIS BURDETT was received with cheers
and acclamations. The state of the poll this day,
as they saw, continued quite satisfactory to all par-
ties. It was quite satisfactory, no doubt, to M.
Lamb, who this day continued obtaining that pro-
perky to which he was entitled, and which he had
obtained during the contest—(Great laughter aad
'applause).—Every day he would be more and more
depressed on the poll, and more and More elated by
those hopes, those buoyant hopes, which he Lad
entertained yesterday, and which he would have
equally good ground for entertaining to the conclu-
sion of the contest (Much laughter).—A great many
of their friends were so persuaded of the correctness
of the opinion that thee would he triumphant, that
'they did not think it necessary for theta to make any
effort, or to put themselves to any trouble. This
was the reason that more had not been polled to-day,
as he had been told by the canvassers; but when he
considered the numbers already polled, and when
he considered that their friends had regularly kept
at the head of the poll, and that no advantage had
even for a day been gained against them—unless
something very unexpected should happen, he had
no reason to believe that there would be a very heavy
day's polling again during this Election. Yesterday
he had mentioned the story of the hare and the tor-
: toise. Mr. Lamb had said, that according to the
fable the tortoise had won. He was right according
to the fable. But they resembled the hare in speed,
not in supineness. They would not sleep, and give
the tortoise time to pass them—(Load applause):—
If some slight turn should by accident be given to
the poll, of which he entertained no apprehension—
but if, according to the idea of the honeSt friend
whom he had met, Mr. Lamb should get one a-head,
that would produce an exertion which would afford
another day's heavy polling. At present, they had
only to continue as they were. It was not on one
day's poll that they were successful, but regularly ;
every day's poll . was well filled. Mr. Lamb had
polled better than he (Sir Franck) had expected, but
still his best hope wee despair. It was unpossilrie
for any but Mr. Lamb to feel any hope in his Fiala-
tion—(Clicers). But the Electors would continue
their exertions. ' The contest concerned them much
more than any individual who stood before theni
there as a Candidate—(Applause).—With respect to
the great question of the poWer assumed by the
House of Commons to commit to prison without
trial, Mr. Lamb had told them, that the road to
fame with them was, through the gates of a prison.
In bad and arbitrary times, persecution was always
the road to honour and distinction--( Very great ap-
plause).—lt was no bad argument in favour of an in-
dividual in such times, that he had suffered in a pub.
lic cause—(Applause).—Mr. Lamb might, if he
thought it necessary, mention this subject, and lay
stress upon it ; but the individual in question had
' never intended to mention, and never meant to lay
stress upon it. But that individual knew they bole
it in mind, and the sympathy of enlightened and in-
dependent men, was a great consolation in times
when undeserved inflictions were suffered in the pub.
lic cause—(Great applause).—Mr. Lamb had said,
and unsaid, that Mr. Hobhouse ought to have been
committed to prison--(Laughter).--Mr. Lamb
thought, what no other man could think, the House
of Commons the Temple of Virtue—(A laugh).— But
if it Were even the Temple of Discretion, it would not
have used arbitrary and violent means to redress its
own wrongs, if it had really received any wrongs
(Applause).—Mr. Lamb had said, that there was no
doubt, had Mr. Hobhouse expressed a wish to be
brought up to the bar of the I louse, his wish would
have been granted. This was not to the purpose ;
whet they contended was, that he, that no English-
man, can be committed—least of all by the' Iguse of
Commons, who ought to protect the People's rights,
upon a charge without evidence, without inquiry
into its nature and merits,' and without trial of its
troth or falsehood—(Loud cheers).—That was one
great important principle which they were main,-
taining at this Election, and against one who thought
the power ought to be exercised, but with mercy.—
Suca a power could not be exercised with mercy—
(Appluuse).—As if despotism could consist with
mercy. It- was impossible to conceive despotism but '
as a gross and outrageous wrong to the individual
who suffered under it—(App Buse).—Mr. Laalb bad
said, that Mr. Hobhouse's iiiends had a iSlied 'rather
to send him to Nemigate, than to have hi,n prose,
cuted by the Attorney-General. He confessed that '
he would rather sefier imprisonment lions the House
of Commons, than in coasequence of a verdlt ob-
tained on the prosecution of the AttorcepGeiteral ;
because, when he was imprisoned by the usurpaticn
of the House of Commons, all their power ceased
when the House broke up, and he was released with-
out giving thanks to them. If one had a verdict again: t
him .at the prosecution cf the Attorney-General, •

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