The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1841-11-02 00:00:00

EXCHANGE WARD

This being the only ward which the conservatives have
lost, out of the fourteen that they contested, deserves some
few remarks relative to the cause to which the loss may be
attributed. The great number of what the liberal party de-
signate the " protectors," that are placed upon the municipal
register in this ward, residing principally in the low streets
that run from Tithebarn-street to Dale-street, and who to a
man were expected to vote for the liberal candidate, made
the conservatives from the first not once sanguine in their
expectations of winning this ward. They, however, though
this and other causes militated seriously against them, were
not going to let the liberal candidate walk quietly over the
course without a severe struggle, and, consequently, con-
tested the ward well from the opening to the close of the
poll. From the commencement of the polling, Mr. Holmes
always kept slightly ahead of his opponent, his majority va-
rying from ten to thirty. From half-past two o'clock until
four, there was an immense number of votes recorded, in-
deed at times so rapidly, that the poll clerks had some diffi-
culty in taking correctly down the names ; on several occa-
sions the voting was so rapid, that they had frequently to ask
the number of names of the parties whose votes had just
been recorded.
Erom two o'clock until four, Mr. Holmes maintained, with
little variation, a majority of 22 to 28. At three o'clock it
recome pretty evident that Mr. Holmes would, without some
extraordinary exertions on the part of the conservatives, be
the sitting councillor.
Our reporter, who was in the Sessions House some time
previous to the close of the poll, gives a graphic description
of the style of dress and manners of many of the protectors
who recorded their votes in favour of the liberal candidate ;
many of them being so meanly and poorly clad, that parties
who there witnessed their polling, frequently made audible
observations, in wonder at such parties being able to get
upon the register.
About half after three o'clock, Mr. Ridgway, the conser-
vative candidate, voted for himself, and was shortly after-
wards followed by Mr. Holmes, who, in like manner, voted
for himself. About this time, we observed Joshua Edwards,
Esq., the conservative candidate for St. Paul's Ward, came
up to record his vote for Mr. Ridgway. Mr. Edwards being
a duplicate vote in St. Paul's and Exchange Wards, it was a
pretty sure criterion that all went well in St. Paul's.
At the final close of the poll Mr. Holmes was in a majority
of 21 votes, as nearly as can be ascertained. After the result
of the poll being announced, a feeble cheer was raised by
some few parties in the Sessions-house, to which the Con-
servatives present made no objection, feeling certain that the
Exchange ward was the only one in which they would have
that gratification. There was a great crowd in the street at
the close, but all parties quietly dispersed, after hearing an
election harrangue out of the windows of the Liberal coin-
inittee-room, by a drunken man, who was only prevented
falling through, by a female, (we suppose his wife) who held
him by the skirts of his coat.