The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1841-07-20 00:00:00

SOUTH CHESHIRE ELECTION

DECLARATION OF THE RETURN,

'ROM OUR OWN REPORTER.)

The official declaration of the election of Sir Philip Egerton
and Mr. Tollemache, as the representatives of South Che-
shire, was made In the Castle of Chester, on Friday last, at
twelve o'clock. Soine apprehensions were felt lest the pub-
lic peace should be violated, but arrangements were made,
in the disposition of the police and the military, to prevent a
recurrence of the riotous scenes which took place on the
day of polling

Mr. Wilbraham's committe

the presence of that gentleman might excite 'his friends to
outrages against the other side, caused the following placard
to be extensively posted throughout the city :
"Mr. Wilbraham's committee beg to lay before his friends
the following copy of a letter addressed by him to the chair-
man of Mr. Tollemache's committee :

Delamere House, July 15, 1841

" SIR,—It was my full determination to appear upon the
hustings at Chester to-morrow, to hear the announcement of
the state of the poll, and to take leave of the electors ; but
fearing from the report of several gentlemen of my committee
that my appearance might possibly renew the violent scene
which took place on Saturday, and might prevent the new
representative from being heard by his constituents, I shall,
though most reluctantly, abstain from presenting myself.
" ' Nothing could have given ree greater satisfaction than
to have seized this opportunity of addressing my numerous
friends and supporters, and of thanking them for their kind
assistance during the late contest ; but it would ill become
me to take any step which might disturb the peace of the city,
or which might prevent the irritation which is the natural re-
sult of such a contest from gradually and quietly subsiding.—
I have the honour to be, your most obedient servant,

GEORGE WILBRAHAM

le chairman of

Mr. Tollemache's committee, Chester." '
This judicious measure succeeded admirably, for during the
whole day, we believe, not a single instance of disorder oc-
curred.

Exactly at twelve o'clock, Mr. Edwd. Proctor, the Under
Sheriff, and Mr. Hostage, his agent, entered the Shire-hall.
The place was almost crowded. Before the proceedings
commenced, three hearty cheers were given for the Queen,
for Sir Philip Egerton and Mr. Tollemache, for Sir Robert
Peel and Lord Stanley ; followed by unequivocal groans for
Lord Melbourne and Mr. O'Connell. Order having been

The UNDER SHERIFF said—Electors of South Cheshire,
I am now ready to declare to you the state of the poll, which
has taken place for this division of the county. The num-

For Sir Philip Egerton, Baronet....
For John Tollemache, Esq
For George Wilbraham, Esq.
(Great cheering.) I now declare that Sir Philip Egerton,
Baronet, and John Toilemache, Esquire, are duly elected to
serve in parliament as knights of the shire for this division
of the county. (Renewed

eneering.)
e honourable members were then girt with swords, and

le return signed ; after whict

Sir PHILIP EGERTON presented himself amidst enthusiastic
cheering to address the electors. He said—Brother Elec-
tors ! Before I approach the pleasing duty of endeavouring
to return yon my thanks for the honour you have this day
conferred upon me, I shall feel it necessary to allude shortly
to an accusation which has been brought against me, not
casually and incidentally, but repeatedly and deliberately,
and which is calculated, and I believe intended, to injure me
in the eyes of the electors of South Cheshire. (Hear, hear.)
The accusation was made not only upon the hustings here,
but also upon the hustings at Knutsford, and it is this—that
in a speech I delivered at a public dinner at Congleton, this
year, I presumed to dictate to the electors of South Cheshire
who should be their representative along with myself.
(Hear, and cities of " No.") I think a very short and cur-
sory view of the circumstances under which Mr. Tollemache
was first brought forward for this division will be enough to
refute this accusation. (Hear, hear.) I find in Mr. Tolle-
mache's first address to the electors, which was consequent
upon a requisition presented to him signed by an enormous
number of the most respectable electors in this county, an
answer to the accusation. In reply to that requisition he
put forward an address which was signed on the 23d Novem-
ber, 1839. (Hear, hear.) Now, if I had proposed Mr.
Tollemache to the electors as a fit and proper person to se-
lect for their suffrages=if 1 had anything to do with getting
up the requisition, or signed it, or in any way interfered in
the, proceedings, I allow some grounds might have existed
for the accusation ; but the first allusion made by me to that
circumstance was at the Congleton dinner, on the 14th April,
1841, and the requisition having been presented and accepted
in 1839 I think is a sufficient refutation of the charge.
(Hear.) I certainly did take the liberty of congratulating
the electors of Congleton upon the choice they had made of
of a candidate in case of a dissolution, and I presume to take
the same liberty now, and congratulate you upon having se-
lected Mr. Tollemache as your representative. (Great
cheers.) Another accusation was also brought against me—
not perhaps an accusation—but Mr. Davenport was pleased
to allude in terms extremely sarcastic to my talents. It is a
matter of very little consequence to me what estimation Mr.
Davenport may entertain of my talents. I tell Mr. Daven-
port this,. that I have a very high opinion of his talents, and
that, if I possessed talents equal to his, I would endeavour
to turn them to a better purpose than writing scurrilous
letters in newspapers and making personal attacks upon
the hustings. (Hear, hear, and cheers.) It is now my
pleasing duty to thank you for the reiterated mark of kindness
which you have conferred upon me this day. I have had
the great honour to serve you in the character of your repre-
sentative in the House of Commons for seven years. (Hear,
hear.) That period of time has been marked by great poli-
tical events ; but that is not all. In addressing my consti-
tuents I may also allude to the private business which has
characterised that period, and which has been so extraordi-
nary as to cause au entire revolution in the natural commu-
nications of the country. Those persons who have had to
attend committees of the House of Commons upon contested
railway bills can form some estimate of the time and trouble
which it is necessary to give to questions of that sort. There
are no questions which affect more materially the interests of
constituencies ; and they are questions which demand the
strictest and closest attention of members. (Hear, hear.)
I have endeavoured, to the best of my power, to yield to
those great subjects all the attention and consideration in my
Power, and I am happy to find that the line of conduct which
I have pursued with regard to those great internal commu-
nications, has been such as to meet your •approbation.
(Cheers.) Upon all questions of political importance, the
loadstone which has guided me in my course, has been the
interests of my constituents ; and it is most grgifying for me
to find that at each succeeding election I am returned as
your representative, by an increasing number of votes, num-
.bering upon this occasion no less than 3110. (Great cheers.)
I esteem the honour of -being your representative, as one of
the greatest that can possibly be conferred by his fellow-
men upon a fellow-creature ; and at the same time that I feel
the weight and dignity of my position, I also trust I am fully
alive to its responsibilities. (Hear.) In again taking my
seat as your representative, I shall be governed by those politi-
cal sentiments which have hitherto guided my actions ; and
I shall consider upon all subjects that the welfare of those
_

whose representative I am in the House of Commons, is the
paramount object for me to bold in view. (Loud cheers.)
Gentlemen, I think it is unnecessary for me to detain you
longer upon the present occasion. I can assure you I shall
yield my best attention to any business that may be entrusted
to me, and I hope and trust that when next you may have an
opportunity of recording your suffrages, you may find I am
not less worthy to receive them than I was upon this occa-
sion. (Great cheering, during which the hon. baronet re-
sumed his seat.)

Mr. TOLLEMACHE then came forward, and was received
with enthusiastic and long-continued cheering. He said—
Gentlemen and Brother Electors ! The present unprincipled
and degraded administration have been put upon their trial
before the electors of South Cheshire ; and notwithstanding
the powerful influences that have united the ultra-radicals in
their support—notwithstanding the gross misrepresentations
that have been circulated respecting me to injure me, and to
create a prejudice against me in the opinion of the electors—
and notwithstanding the unfair and unprincipled manner in
which party tyrants have stirred up the worst passions of the
population in towns to intimidate voters and deter them
from conscientiously recording their votes, and by which the
life of one of my most respectable tenants has been sacri-
ficed in the streets of Nantwich—(hear, hear, hear,)—l say,
notwithstanding all these unprincipled proceedings, the elec-
tors of South Cheshire have done their duty. (Great cheer-
ing.) By the triumph of constitutional principles they have
returned a verdict of guilty against the present ministers,—
(hear, hear,)—and the sentence of banishment from office,
I believe, for life, will soon be carried into effect against them,
as a just reward for that political misconduct which has
brought upon them such political disgrace and contempt.
(Great cheers.) As regards Mr. Wilbraham, it is impossible
for any individual to entertain, in private, feelings of higher
respect than I do towards that gentleman ; and much as he
may regret that the cause he upheld has lost so honest a
supporter, still, as far as private feelings are concerned,
he has no reason to feel hurt at the result of this elec-
tion, because this important contest has riot been between
Mr. Wilbraham and myself as individuals, but between most
important and vital questions and principles—questions of
principle which I firmly believe involve the welfare of every
class of the country, and the very existence of those glorious
institutions which every Englishman ought to hold.most dear.
(Hear.) Should the reports that are current prove correct,
and Mr. Wilbraham be elevated to a rank above that of a
commoner, there is no one to whom his elevation will give
greater satisfaction and pleasure than myself; but should he
for the present retire to the enjoyments of private life, he will
retire as a private individual respected for his virtues and ad-
mired for his talents and accomplishments by men of all par-
ties, and of all principles in the country. (Cheers.) As re-
gards myself it is impossible for me sufficiently to express to

. _ ,
you how grateful I feel to those friends who, by their disin-
terested support, have placed me in the most honourable but
nevertheless most responsible situation of being one of the
representatives of this great county. (Cheers.) The inter-
ests of all my constituents, whether they have been my op-
ponents or my supporters—for I feel myself the representative
of all—will have my most earnest care and attention
cheers) ; and those great Protestant constitutional principles
which have obtained for me your zealous, determined, and
triumphant support I shall maintain and uphold to the ut-
most of my power, and to the best of my ability. (Cheers.)
Gentlemen, the pledge which I made to you in 1839, I have
now redeemed. I have given you an opportunity to record
your votes against the present government and their pro.
ceedings, and you certainly have done your duty nobly by
the decision you have come to. (Cheers.) In doing this, I
have felt I have done a duty which I owed to the electors of
this county, and they have certainly discharged the duty
which they owed to their country. (Cheers.) I will detain
you no longer, but conclude with again thanking you for
your support and esteem. (Tremendous applause.)
Mr. EDWIN CORBETT having been called upon by the
meeting, then stepped forward, and was received with re-
peated rounds of applause. He said he certainly felt most
grateful for the unexpected compliment paid to himself, and
he could only attribute it to the cause he had espoused, at the
request of a large body of the electors, on a late occasion.
It was his intention to address a few words to the meeting,
but he did not expect it would be upon that subject. (Hear,
hear.) As chairman of the central committee, he certainly
was in the secret of what they had a right to expect, for he
had taken some pains to ascertain the real state of the returns.
The returns were most satisfactory, as he bad stated, but the
majority should have been much larger than it was. (Hear,
hear.) Sir Philip Egerton had congratulated the meeting
upon having obtained upon the poll 3110 votes. He (Mr.
Corbett) could only say, and he spoke with confidence, that
had the polls been kept open as the law required they should
have been, for certainly they were not legally closed—he said,
had the polls been kept open till Wednesday at four o'clock,
as the law required, he had no hesitation in saying, that five
hundred more votes at the very least would have been enrolled
for Sir Philip Egerton and Mr. Tollemache. (Cheers.)
However sanguine parties might be in a contest of this de-
scription, it generally turned out that they over rated what
they expected, yet had this gone on there would have been
polled for the two conservative candidates upwards of one-
halt of those electors who had a right to vote, without making
any deductions whatever for those parties who were prevented
ley various causes from coming to the poll. (Cheers.)
however sanguine he was, he had been anxious to ascertain
this with
assurance and certainty,' and he could now tell the
electors of this county that the majority would have exceeded
s
his most sanguinevainl expectations ; and that if any persons
should ever
candidates, attempt to contest this division with two
conservative
he would only tell them, and he
could predict it with
more conspicuous than certainty, that their fate would be still
rWilbraham's.
(Loud cheers.)
Sir PHILIP EGERTON Said,
0t pleasing duty still remained
for him to perform, and he could assure the electors that he
proceeded to it with the greatestpleasure and satisfaction.