The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1833-03-19 00:00:00

THE VESTRY CONTEST.

HOBHOUSE V. BOURNE.
The time for the reception of the votes for or against the adop-
tion of Sir J. C. Hobhouse's act, expired at four o'clock on
Saturday, but we understand several days will elapse before the
numbers can be known, as every vote-papeK must be examined
and compared with the Rate-books, to ascertain whether the
party has been rated one whole year, and has paid all the rates,
taxes, and assessments due previous to the laid within the pre-
ceding six months.
This ordeal is new in parish voting, as the former act required
only the Poor-rates to be 'paid, but we are informed that this
requires the watch, &c., rates, and paving and sewerage rates,
to be also paid; so that in this particular the new act is much
more' restrictive, and will materially abridge the votes of the
mobocracy
We were not prepared for the disappointment of not ascer-
taining the state of the poll; we were, however, in degree com-
pensated, by the opportunity it gave our reporter, of seeing the
closing scene. The foot-walk in Chapel-street was taken pos-
session of by gangs of persons apparently artisans *in the
" building line," scouts, canvassers, and vote collectors, who
stopped every likely person to ask them (including of course the
lathes,) to sign a vote-paper for Mr. Hobhouse, "to reduce the
taxes," and when they had caught such a gudgeon, he was im-
mediately surrounded, the crown of a friendly hat from one, or
the broad back of another, served as a writing desk, another was
inkbottle holder, and a third with something in the shape of a
pen, filled in the blank; but then came the posing difficulty, as
to the voter signing his name, "save the mark!' but this was
overcome by another friendly fist, and the precious paper pass-
ed on from hand to hand, till it reached the interior.
On ascending the stairs, another similar phalanx was to be
passed through, and after the gauntlet had thus been run, and
the summit attained, there stood a more select few, among whom
Dr.-Collins, and Mr. Robert Ellis (the Leviathan of the Blue
Bell). the principal agitators, stood conspicuous, the latter act-
ing as major domo, or whipper-in, of the party, snatching pa-
pers from some, and carrying them in, or hastening the speed
of those who were going in. Sometimes he came out of the,
vote-room with papers in his hand, apparently as a corps de re-
serve, for the purpose of again obtaining admission, some of
these,he gave to others to carry in; at last the clock struck four
—the outer door was closed—the whipper-in hastened into the
vote-room, with the last paper, followed by the Doctor, and they
came out seemingly in ukhty rage, their eyes in a fine frenzy
rolling, that they alone, tne elite of the clique, were not allow-
ed to remain, although we understand all the Gentlemen not of-
ticially engaged, had purposely left the room. The notes of the
colloquy that passed between these two important personages at
the head of the stairs, we shall reserve as "elegant extracts,"
for a future occasion.
We probably should not have noticed this business, if many
of our friends had not complained of the nuisance experienced
at their houses Irma the scouts, canvassers, and vote collectors,
sober. orotherwise, who, if the master was not in, would fain seo
the mistress' or daughter, to persuade them to have the papei
signed, "to reduce the taxes," or, "to do away the assessed
taxes," though in most cases the respectable inmates rejected
the papers, as they would these of the quack doctor.
he exercise of free opinion was of course not allowable in
these cases, as, instead of a blank being left for the voter to
fill in for, or against, as described in the act, the word for was
printed in the paper, and no doubt many votes were thus entrap-
ped.
Contemptible as our opinion is of Sir J. C. Hobhouse as a
legislator, we will not do him the injustice to suppose he was
ware that, by this act, he was encouraging such extensive and
collusive fraud as might destroy the privileges and Property of
the most respectable people without their knowledge. This, if the
construction of the act, acted upon in Liverpool on this occa-
sion, be correct, can be accomplished, as the vote of any rate-
payer may be registered without his appearing in person, it be-
ing competent to any other person to deliver any Lumber of pa-
pers.purporting to be the votes of the persons therein, named,
who may have no opportunity of knowing their names have been
so made use of, until after the decision has been made upon the
question, which they would most strenuously have opposed.
We are aware the act imposes a penalty upon the conviction of
any person who forges or falsifies any voting paper; but we
would ask how such conviction can be made when boys, porters,
or any individuals, are allowed (as asserted by our repot ter) to
deliver any number of such papers into the vote-room, and im-
mediately to retire without being compellable to answer any
questions ?
We have the highest opinion of the honour and integrity of
our Vestry-clerk, and entertaining also a similar opinion of his
vigilance, we can hardlypersuade ourselves to doubt that he has
fully ascertained that he is justifiable in admitting a construc-
tion, which appears to us so dangerous, that being not "learned
in ie law," we cannot bring ourselves to believe can be sup-
ported. We have felt it our imperative duty to attract his at-
tention to this most important part of the case; and we have the
fullest confidence, that, if admissible, both he and the'Cistirch-
wardens will use their best endeavours to detect the frauds which
may be committed under the destructive principle of Sir J. C.
Hobhouse's bill.

Ga3rttr.

FRIDAY, MARCH 15th, 18..

PARTNERSHIPS DISSOLVED.
Edwards, Minion, and Co., Salford, Lancashire, patent glass and
emery-cloth-manufacturers.—A. and J. Tweedale, Rochdale, Lanca-
shire, flannel-manufacturers.—l. and I. James, Helston, Cornwall,
hatters.—D. Ritchie and G. Thorne, Aldennanbury, brass-founders.
—J. Fellows and J. Crosby. Nottingham, silk-merchants.—Townsend,
Hardwick, and Ford, High Holborn, haberdashers.—T. Clarke and
J. Wyatt, Digbeth, Warwickshire, cabinet-makers.-141. and W.
Westmacott, Bloekley and Blockley-park-farm, Worcestershire,
silk-throwsters.—Cooper and Sicly, Norwich, and Northwalsham.
Norfolk, attornies-at-law.—J. Ellis and A. Mathison, Prince's-street,
Hanover-square, tailors.—W. and J. Lyddon, Carey-streat, Lincoln's-
inn, solicitors.—Em]yn and Jnfraito,n,.ly_ew Windsor: