The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1841-07-09 00:00:00

SOUTH LANCASHIRE ELECTION.

On Wednesday the election for the southern division of
Lancashire took place at Newton, when Lord Francis Eger-
ton and Mr. Wilbraham were returned without opposition.
Notwithstanding the confident boascings of the supporters of
Mr. Townley that that gentleman was sure of being elected,
they very prudently sent, on Tuesday, an official letter to the
conservative committee, announcing that their candidate had
withdrawn from the poll. Notwithstanding the unfavourable
state of the weather, Newton presented a very animating ap-
pearance. About ten o'clock the conservative candidates
arrived at the hustings in carriages, drawn by four horses,
and accompanied by an immense number of their ardent
supporters, and preceded by bands of music, with a large
quantity of banners, exhibiting appropriate mottos and de-
vices. Soon after ten o'clock, the usual formalities having
been gone through, the High-sheriff called on any elector
who had a candidate to nominate to come forward and pro-
pose him.
Sir JOHN GERARD then, amidst loud cheers and in a very
animated strain, proposed Lord Francis Egerton as a fit
and proper person to represent the southern division of the
county in parliament, which was seconded by Sir Thomas
Brancker.

J. I. BLACKBURE, Esq., M.P., proposed, and Mr. En-
twistle seconded the Hon. Bootle Wilbraham.
No other candidate being proposed,
Lord FRANCIS EGERTON, then presented himself to the
multitude, and the cheering was renewed and continued for
a considerable length of time. When silence had been in
some degree restored, he proceeded in nearly the following
terms, but, owing to the distance at which we stood from his
lordship, several of the sentences were very imperfectly
heard. fle said, that although he was not altogether a young
member of parliament, yet that of late years it had been so
little his habit to be returned to the House of Commons
without a severe struggle for the honour, that on the present
occasion he assured the electors he felt more difficulty than
he had experienced on former occasions—that he scarcely
knew how to behave himself, how to thank them, or how in
general to conduct himself. (Hear, and laughter.) The
present was the third occasion upon which he had come for-
ward either to request or to thank them for their given suf-
frages. When he had come forward originally, almost a
stranger to the county, and subsequently, when he had been
a second time returned to parliament, he was warned in every
instance that his attempt was a vain one. He was told that
public opinion in the county was against him, and that there
was no room for a conservative amid the wedged masses of
whiggery which existed. He had not, however, shrunk
from this warning. He well knew that no personal interests
of his own could weigh in sach a contest, and that no adven-
titious circumstances of rank or wealth could be any recem-
rnendation in the eyes of the independent achievers of their
own fortunes in Liverpool and Manchester; yet he had been
tempted by those whom he thought he could trust, that a
triumph, without the use of bribery, but a triumph of
opinion, was to be won in the county, and he thought, for
the sake of the country at large, that such a triumph was worth
contending for and winning. (Hear.) And with the support
of the electors of the hustings, and the joint assistance of his
late and present colleague, they together had given a complete
confutation to those who doubted of their success, by the
Arabic numerals of the poll. (Great cheering.) Though a
similar triumph had crowned their exertions on the present
occasion, he had been again warned of the result. He had
been told that he had won before in consequence of various
accidents having occurred, but that now the circumstances
were altered. In the first place, he had been told that a
gentleman, a friend and respected neighbour of his own, who
on the last occasion had given him his arm from the Legh
Arms up to that the place of execution, (hear, and laughter)
—that his respected friend, Mr. Trafford, refused him his
support on the present occasion. Now he (Lord Francis)
thought it right to observe, before he proceeded further, that
if he thought his return for the county depended on the sup-
port of any single arm, however influential that arm might
be, he never would have put his fortunes to the hazard of an
election. (Hear, hear.) But, as he was saying, Mr. Traf-
ford's arm bad been freely given before ; he knew not in what
he had offended; and be knew as little why it should have
been withdrawn. But although he was ignorant in these
respects, he had the satisfaction of knowing that it was not
to any personal conduct he was to attribute the loss, and
that nothing had occurred on his part to diminish the friendly
relationship which had existed betwen him and the gentle-
man in question. Sorry, indeed, should he (Lord Francis)
be, if from the excitement of election strife, or from any
quarter with which he might be connected, occasions for
differences should arise of so serious a nature as to cause
sudden changes of opinion. He would not say more on this
subject, except to take that opportunity of returning his
thanks to his noble friend, Sir John Gerard, for his kind
assistance on that occasion, and to state, unworthy as he
was to be the object of such services, that in doing him the
honour to propose him to the notice of the electors, he had
given the most complete, dignified, and contemptuous reply
he could to accusations which it would be almost degradation
to him--(vehement applause)—which, he repeated, it would
be almost degradation to him to notice in detail, knowing, as
he did, the quarter from which they bad emanated. (Loud
cries of "hear," and cheers.) He (Lord Francis) would not
touch further on what he conceived to be a disgusting
rtopic.a
(Hear, hear.) The address he had published, had been
long time before the electors. It contained the substance of
his opinions on the questions of leading interest which had
'
been forced on their attention by her raejesty s ministers.
Other questions, however, remained behind. The questions,
for instance, of the general accordance or disagreement of
the electors with the constitutiosn of the present ministry was
to the mode or line of
con-
duct the government had one. Another question was,
pursued by remaining in office, id
pressing the subjects of corn
timber,firsatnpdlascueg,arifonthtehme atten-
tioneetini
of the county
If they
nd'n the
could give him their indulgenceg
permitted him, 9
SO far as (to listen to some explanation of the general
principles
he bad avowed in his address, his gratitude
for their attention and gratifying reception of him
would be greatly increased. (Hear, hear.) The question
of sugar was one upon which he bad given his opinion at
more length in parliament than it would be convenient for
him to do on that occasion. The subject had been discussed
for six nights in the house, and though it appeared to him

!nt, upon the ground that the change
s to the shipbuilders, but he doubted that
follow. He did not say whether he was
this subject, but there were political
asent day who were satisfied to sacrifice
cantile) at the expense of another ; but
Id come when they lost sight of the
.cantile navy, they might rely upon it
roy that navy which was their protection
ar. (Cheers.) If they were to look,

men, but to foreign ports
would say that if such a

they would never see the

mighty power engaged

t present

he prayed that

ust observe that he had a son of his
1, who had spent his first powder
Hear, hear, and cheers.) He now
)f corn. In 1828, when Lord John
t the conclusions he advocated at
siduity, and yet ventured not to

.
e was now acting, he (Lord
as not to be imputed to him

rity in his own convictions, if he
.hich were held by

the of

nti-corn law League, who talked to the pub--
)af, and carried them away in the struggle
was well known that Lord Melbourne
r, that it would be madness to establish a
hear, and cheers.) To judge from recent
nt it would appear to him (Lord Francis)
ipeakers knew not where to end—(laugh-
v not where to begin. Who had he to
noble lord, who, like himself, advocated
,geared desirous of steering a course be-
;lr was it Mr. Grote, who was hi the habit
)lie that he had the highest value for the
? Or was it those who looked on the de-
asement of that landed aristocracy as a

h was to result from the measures

destruction and abasement
) thought

y or total repeal would make little
to contend with those who thought
would throw millions out of employ-
mle a cheap loaf, probably without
7ith ? (Hear, hear.) If-he
'stet., he would not say that

n would contain even samples of

minister of the crown, who, upon

) make a fixed proposi-
Russell was, therefore,
F. (Hear, hear.) Lord
n, and so was he (Lord
whose protection was
one for free discussion, which
:e to the best of his ability, and
.) The common sense of the

sue was

instance with himself. The objec-
hat no minister could propose it or

pect of maintaining it.
t an honest question in

i.it was proposed. There xvere some
; had no doubt, who might have, pre-
-3f steam-packets across the Atlantic,
erica in what were called liners. Now,
)t those vessels, on leaving the Mersey,
ite amount of fixed sail, and said that,
'," such was the:amount of sail he in-
Lie struck soundings at Newfoundland,
while they were sailing down channel
breeze, loud complaints would be made
en they only observed the top-gallant
t when it came on toblow, what would
then, if the captain persevered, there
hoard. The sailors would immedi-
out orders, and they would have lacked
wn cabin. (Laughter and cheers, with
is Lord John's place.") He fancied,
he result. (Hear, hear.) If the day
perfectly intolerable, the first squall
le sails to ribbons, and then it was a
her Lord John was a man to be locked
(Great laughter.) Ile thought Lord
is bosom those whom he now repudi-
have seen his plan of protection blown
ainsail was blown from the yard-arm
came Zn. Those were the opinions of
i the working of the fixed duty, and,
his preference for a moderate scale:
Le president of the board of trade had
ivide against this failure, and take 7s.
enthe fixed duty would disappear; and
bserved, in reply, that then all the ob-
ated scale would follow, and the gam-
.

v complaints were made

These ob-
ltleman, who declared that
easily by having orders from
other words, meant guns ready to fire

is head above water. (Hear, and
)rders from council were very good

had orders from council for fain

eat laughter.) They were good in case
difficulty. He would submit to them in
government he distrusted, but he thought
ines to be used under such circumstances
se had alluded ; and, therefore, he could
the inconveniences that would result from
ar, hear.) Holding as he did these views,
ly dear to the electors that he had noth-
fall back on the much-vilified graduated
He had been called a monopolist for his
t graduated scale ; but he would remark,
scale might be tried, he doubted, in the
he times, which certainly had not been
the line of conduct pursued by her ma-
iat it could be so graduated as to give
irties. 'He had no hope of being able to
ss in this respect. But he had listened
language in the House of Commons on
ge perfectly applicable to questions con-
Institutional liberties, and language which
3e himself on other occasions—the words
and "No surrender." (Hear, hear, and
e did not say that the present scale was
human legislation, and there were no
imercial tariff which ought not to be sub-
evision ; on the contrary, to any opera-
was willing to give his humble abilities,
to continual and incompetent tampering
. (Cheers.) He wished their cornmer-
rnitted, not into the bands of a govern-
h its own waning existence, but to be
of a vigorous and able government who
nce of the people, and who had the
mise any measure they deemed expe-
ith some reasonable prospect of being
affect. (Renewed cheers.) If any of
en addressing were tempted to submit
n, they would doubtless object to be
ho they thought was subject to para-
Khose hand was shaking with delirium
I laughter)—but they would call in a
I vigorous, and have a surgeon who
11 his powers and abilities—such
Bickersteths, and others of
tar.) Still if they heard that
finer had only in the last year
Lion was of such a sort that he shrunk
hear)—and that it would be mad-
hear, and laughter)—if he, only a year
much ill-blood and a suspen-
particles of the body—and that
he (Lori Francis) thought, under
their confidence would be consider-
could rather endure any extremity
t. (Hear, hear,) If the descri p-
illied with the composition of the
knew not whether they could name a
)pinion they would rather resign them.
). He was almost ashamed to detain
of this nature—(hear, hear) ; but it
ose who attempted the subversion of
rp opposed to the practical part of our
)re this accusation in a simple man-
' hid in his pocket of Sir Robert
It was therein proved by Sir
the present corn-laws had not
lerable advance, in ton years.

I. (H

Ito *lx

pract

nding increase in our imports;
by the number of vessels built
and the vessels employed in
ncis) did not say that the pre-
was inconsistent with general
iercial prosperity, and stagna-
•eat doubts that these results

What was the principle

ti .:tuation in the price of corn.
wl ether lesser fluctuation existed
mum lities. It had been remarked,
wool hid been reduced to the nominal
pound, that in the ten or twelve years
ztuation in the price had exceeded 100
twice as much as any fluctuaiion in the
he last ten years. He conceived, there-
er of doubt that the fluctuation of prices
ie operation of the corn-laws, and that
1 be remedied by the alteration of the
;ed. (Hear.) Then another question
agnation of trade was to be attributed
re corn-laws ? In 1836 he believed it
e. In 1838 and 1839 it might have been
; but he believed that, from the state
tern, and the operation of joint-stock
a considerable portion of the distress
y sprung. (Hear, hear.) It was not
ell on the effects of the system in ques-
d the facts thus briefly in order to show
stice of that argument which attributed
the operation of the com-laws. (Hear,
d at present that there was no fear of
n foreigners, in case the proposed 'flea-
°Prtainly such an apprehension might
one who had frightened
one which had tfrightened
'd Lord Melbourne, con-
be at present, (II ear,

; but it was

that it was an idle fear,
) interruption of social relations ;
!irnotions might be of humanity,

themselves to depend on 'a

any government, despotic, con-
iSe. tie was told that this was
pended on others for important

nent—on America, for instance,
He was sorry for it. He wished
'rom any to America—not

prejudice against her—notfjOrn;;;;anrof
her—but because, if they w
would have to deal with motivesre .
or
depend on
toand impulses
t under the cotitroul of abilityr
govern-
oquenee.
I lie wish them to trust to the despotic
;gulated the social transactions other
bear.) He had hitherto applied.sc"u".
proposed by
to
reason to
asures which had been her Ma_
a
.s. He knew not that he had any
espect to the general policy of the present go-
eir constitution as a cabinet, that the opinions
ency had undergone had sentuch chah inFme ;
to give
but if
' tha rghh
t county, wic
Ler Majesty's ministers, had changed, all he
that he had not changed. (Cheers, and
:her have we.") He bad left them on the
lends to the institutions they loved—friends
ions in church and state—opponents. of the
sad since been made an open question ; he
ie believed, not disinclined to a surplus in the
,r, hear.) And with respect to the present
revenue, he had heard with astonishment a
an at Wigan say that he looked upon that de-