The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1844-05-28 00:00:00

SOUTH LANCASHIRE ELECTION.

FIRST DAY'S POLLING.

The struggle, big with the fate of the league and their
candidate, was commenced yesterday morning in good
earnest by both parties. The polling-bootbs had been
erected upon some vacant ground at the bottom of the
New Uarmarket, facing up to the Railway Station ; and
long before the hour of nine o'clock, a strong muster of
voters and canvasserswas in attendance. Mr. Entwisle's
party had their committee.rooms in a temporary erection
near the back of the Fish-market, from which several
splendid banners were displayed throughout the day ; and
Mr. Brown's party had secured the Railway Inn ina mediately
opposite, in Lime-street, from which a flag or two, in-
scribed with the usual free trade clap-traps, were hung
out. Farther than this, no attempt at effect was made by
either of the candidates —nothing to remind an old inha-
bitant of Liverpool of the way in which elections were
conducted of old in this locality ; and a stranger might
certainly have passed through the town, avoiding the im-
mediate neighbourhood of the polling-booths and com-
mittee-rooms, without being aware that so important a
matter as a county election was in progress.
From the commencement of the day it was evident that
the friends of Mr. Brown had made up their minds to
put forth all their strength in bringing up their men early ;
and accordingly, at the close of the first hour, they took
the lead, the return for the Liverpool district, at ten
o'clock, shewing—
For Mr. Entwisle .. B3

For Mr. Brown

. 126

Majority for the latter 43
The following is a statement of the hourly polling for
this district :-
10. 11. 12. 1. 2. 3. 4.
Entwisle .... 83 436 555 605 710 793 863
Brown . . 126 565 771 827 919 997 1083
The total number of electors polled being thus 1946.
As may be seen from a tabular statement subjoined, the
total number who polled in this district, last election,
were about 2,600.
Considerable interest was displayed during the day, in
the neighbourhood of the polling, to learn the result of
the hourly returns made, and at four o'clock the Hay-
market was densly crowded, in anticipation. perhaps, of the
appearance of one or both of the candidates, or a speech
from some of their supporters. In this, however, they
were not gratified; and shortly the multitude dispersed.
The following is the state of the poll in the various
districts at four o'clock.

Mr. Entwisle's Committee. Mr. Brown's Committee.

E. B. E. B.
Newton
Ashton
Bolton
Bury . 419 439
Manchester .. .. 1,357 .. 1,464 .. .
Oldham 216 325
Rochdale .. .. .. 364 .. 550
Liverpool ...... 863 .. 3,083
Ormskirk 695 353
Wigan

6,062 .. 5,579 .. 5,900 .. 5,559
According to Mr. Entwisle's Committee the Conserva-
tive candidate was therefore, last night, in a majority of
483, whilst Mr. Brown's Committte give him a majority
of 341. It will be seen that we give the number of votes
for. Mr. Entwisle at Ashton, at 363, which we have from
our Manchester correspondent, whilst Mr. Brown's
committee here, as well as Mr. Entwisle's, only allow
him 263. This probably creates the disparity of a hun-
dred votes in the different returns ; and we suspect that
our correspondent's is the correct version, from the prox-
imity of Ashton to Manchester, and the late hour (8 p.m.)
at which our despatch was sent off..
Although the majority on the first day's polling is thus
nearly five hundred, the league is not yet beaten. Let
us, therefore, earnestly entreat of the unpolled conserva-
tive electors to lose no t►me in recording their votes—to
throw away no chance of victory in this contest, upon the
issue of which the eyes of all England are fixed, and in
which are involved questions deeply and vitally affecting
their interests, and the interests of their country herself.
A narrow majority here is not such a victory as we ought
to be, or can be, satisfied with. The blow must be de-
cisive to be effectual ; and it can be made thus decisive,
if conservatism will put forth its strength.
To the poll then, and by an overwhelming ma-
jority for Entwisle, shew to the Anti - Corn -Law
League and the world, that South Lancashire is
not the county over which a selfish and factions associa-
tion can exercise its insolent dictation !

It will be interesting to recal the final state of the poll
at the last contested election in 1837, at the respective
polling-places which we subjoin.
SOUTH LANCASHIRE ELECTION, AUG. 1837.