The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1841-07-02 00:00:00

THE CONTEST.

The poll opened at eight o'clock on Wednesday mei-fling,
and the voting for both parties immediately commenced with
uncommon spirit and fervour, as will be seen by the numbers
recorded in the first of the hourly returns subjoined. Lord.
Sandon and Mr. Cresswell took the lead from the very com-
mencement, with such indications of superior strength as
must have tended greatly to damp the hopes of the reformers.
The morning was bright and beautiful, so that both parties
had the invigorating influence of a fine day for their oper-
ations. Such was the determination of both parties to
secure a good start, that numbers of the electors were wait-
ing at many of the booths even before they were opened,
anxious to record their suffrages for the candidates whose
cause they espoused. The voters who thus came forward.
were chiefly of the respectable middle classes, who are usually
the first to swell the numbers of the poll at all elections.
During the early part of the day the town presented air
appearance of bustle without any extreme display of excite-
ment. All men seemed busy, all active, and all intent upon.
the business of the hour. The number of polling places open
separated the masses, and kept the multitude in a state of
dispersion. Though the crowds manifested the most intense
curiosity, there was, during the morning, but little shouting,
and not any considerable display of the boisterous enthusiasm
which was wont to attend electioneering operations. The
measures taken by Mr. Whitty, our active head constable,
were admirably calculated to prevent disturbance, or, should
it arise, to check it speedily. Large bodies of policemen.
paraded those districts of the town where it was conceived.
disturbance might possibly occur, and troops of mounted,
officers moved about the town in various directions. Mes-
sengers on horseback were placed at proper stations to carry
immediate intelligence of any movements calculated to beget
a breach of the peace, while the officers were so stationed,
that they could be immediately concentrated to any one point.
Meanwhile, Mr. Whitty rode from one part of the town to
the other, exercising an active superintendence and control
over the whole force. _ _ _

A number of the police force were mounted, and carried
their sabres or cutlasses, for the purpose bf dispersing any
threatening assemblages. They were from twenty to thirty
in number, and were of great service throughout the day in
the streets in various parts of the town, clearing off mis-
chievous assemblages. Bodies of them were frequently
headed by Mr. Whitty, the chief constable, also mounted,
who, as well as his superintendents in that and ii the force
on foot, took the most active and effectual means to disperse
the riots wherever they showed themselves. In pursuing a
mob in South John-street, and sharply turning the corner of
a street, Mr. Whitty's horse, amid also that ridden by Mr.
Superintendent Keenan, (who had also been most serviceable
during the two days,) came down almost simultaneously,
throwing their riders. Mr. Whitty, though shaken by the
fall, almost instantly regained his saddle. Mr. Keenan was
less fortunate. He had one of his big toes broken by the
horse falling upon him, and was carried to the Infirmary,
where it was found necessary instantly to resort to aniputa-
tion of the inured toe. We are glad too hear that he is doing
well.
During the day, various, but not serious, affrays took
place in the central part of the town, south of Dale-street.
In the northern part of the town, Mr. Superintendent
Brown was in command of the mounted police force. All
was pretty quiet until about one o'clock. At half-past one
disturbances broke out in Standish-street and Great Cross-
hall-street, the crowds being of a promiscuous character as
regarded parties, and comprising many mischievous boys and
women, many of the latter of whom were extremely violent,
tearing the red ribbons even from respectable females in the
streets. Vrom that hour to the clase of the poll, the police
kept scouring the streets in every direction. The feeling
exhibited towards the body was, we regret to say, exceedingly
discreditable. They were assailed almost continuously with
stones, brick-bats, and other missiles. At the top of Dale-
street, and in the neighbourhood of Manchester-street, the
mobs were very rough all the afternoon. A little before six
o'clock they became (chiefly Irish) still more outrageous in
Fontenoy-street, Great Crosshall-street, and other streets in
that locality, throwing at the police almost continued volleys
of stones and brick-bats. A considerable number of them
were apprehended, and were yesterday brought up before the
police magistrate, as will be found by our police intelligence.
Two of the police force were severely hurt in that quarter.
One of them was dreadfully cut in the head and face, and
Mr. Brown had seven stones thrown at him, six of which
took effect, but without inflicting much injury. A number
of the parties have been committed for trial at the sessions.
IR the south end of the town, comparative tranquillity
reigned until after the poll closed. The arrangements made
for the preservation of the peace in that quarter where the
ship-carpenters mostly res!de, and are so generally assailed
by the low Irish were most judicious. Large bodies of police
were stationed near the several polling places, and a corps of
reserve, both horse and foot, in Great George's-place, in
readiness for any emergency. St. James's-street, Nelson-
street, the neighbourhood of St. James's Church and Park-
road (including three polling booths), were much crowded
throughout the day, but good humour generally prevailed.
Mr. Maxwell superintended the reserve body of police. Mr.
Whitty, mounted, was frequently in this as in other districts,
and showed throughout almost a power of übiquity in direct-
ing his men, to act with energy and temper,—though we
must say with little thanks from the working classes.
In the afternoon the bustle increased and the crowds began
to exhibit grater demonstrations of enthusiasm than had been
visible in the early part of the day. Bands of music, with
processions 'of the friends of Lord Sandon and Mr. Cresswell,
passed through the streets, cheering and giving audible de-
monstrations of the triumph with which they witnessed the
successful efforts made in behalf of their faourite candidates.
Those newspaper offices and shops in Castle-street, Lord-
street, and elsewhere, at which the hourly announcements of
the poll were exhibited, were surrounded by crowds of people
eager to ascertain the news. Each statement showed an
increase in the majorities of Lord Sandon and Mr. Cresswell,
but still the polling on both sides continued with unabated
spirit, and the canvassers and others plied their occupations
with increased zeal and unremitted exertions.