The Statesman.
London, England, 1823-12-08 00:00:00

TENTH AND LAST DAY.

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LINCOLN, SATURDAY, Dec. 6.—The election terminated
this day. contrary, we believe, tot the expectations of all
parties. It was known yesterday, and the day before
that the Ingilby party were determined entirely to relax
their exertions. and leave to their opponents the oars of
keeping the poll open. FTOMI the declaration of the Blues,
it wee tlttioglit that they s.ould be able to do so for at,
least two or three days beret.. and by many it was
believed that they would go on to the end of the fifteen days.
No doubt they would have continued, if the freeboWers
whose support they were promised had the means of
coming op. The Blues, however, kept their word. They
continued to poll as long as they had a voter !eft. Early
this morning. some 20 or 30 of their welters went to the
Castle Yard, accompanied by the band, the sags and batmen
of the party. Soon after some voters in the Purple interest
came up, and voted for Sir W. Ingilby. The numbers on
both stiles were soon polled ; the poll clerks were goiter.
unemployed. and from the appearances in the neighbour.
hood of the Castle, as well as in the streets " below Hill,"
it did not seem likely that their leisure would be mucus in-
terrupted for the remainder of the day. This was commu-
nicated to the thigh Sheriff, and be, after waiting some
time. and no other voter appearieg, ordered Isis officer to
make the first proclamation for the final close of the
poll. It was about II o'clock. After the lapse
of a quarter of an hour, no voter presented him•
self, and the second proclamation was made. Amother
quarter of an boar and the contest mast end.
In the interim intelligence of what was passing in the
Castle Yard was conveyed to the Thorold committee.
They immediately sent up a few freeholders. They polled.
and the proclamations were to commence again. The
friends of Sir John Thorold wished to gain time, as they
expected some voters from Stamford. At length the
Stamford voters arrived to the number of eight of ten,,
who it was said were only a sort of advance guard to a
much more numerous body which were to arrive on
Monday. if the poll continued open. The men of Stair.
ford presented themselves at the booths; bnt bees a
difficulty arose. They were objected to on the ground
that there was no sufficient evidence of their having ;slid
the land-tax (the duplicates of the land-lie aseessiatent
for that district not having been produced.) The matter
war carried before the High Sheriff and his assessor, and
there the objection was argued by Mr. Talking, (of
Newark,) the legal adviser of Sir William logilhy. He
contended that the act required that the best evidence of
the payment of land-tax which cord.' be produced should
be given ' • bat that parole evidence in this instance.was not
the best, because the friends of Sir John Thorold bad had,
sufficient time to get copies of the duplicates of the assess-
asset fur Stamford; and if they bad neglected it, they
must take the consequence.
After some observations in reply, by a gentleman who
stated himself to he the professional agent of the Thoreld
Committee, the High Sheriff (by his assessor) decided,
that the objection was valid, and that the votes could not
be received.
Colonel JouNeoN, who came in during the discossioo,'l
stated. that.this decision would have the effect of disfranch-
ising for the present the whole of the voters in the Steal.,
ford division, of whom there were at least 90 ready coconut
op and vote fur Sir Jobu Thorold. Though lie did out
mean to dispute the decision of the High Sheriff, he
could not but think the objection rather hard, as it rested
merely on technical form. There could be no doubt but
that the land-tax was paid, though the regular official
documents could not at present he produced.
Mr. TALLENTS said that lie would not take advantage of
mere technical form, if the same thing had not been done
on the ether side. A similar objection was taken a week
back to voters front Grimsby, who had come up for Sir W.
Ingilby, and was decided against him. The coneequesue
was, that they were put to the expense of sending down
for the officer of that district with the necessary documents.;
The friends of Sir John Thorold had an opportunity of
seeding, if not for the originals, at least for copies, which
would answer as well. hey omitted to procure them,
and the fault and its coesettencea must be their own ; but;
waving all We, he would not press the objection. did he not
ikoow that an object was sought to protract the pull. He
would now say, that if the gentlemen on the other side
would consent to bring up all the voters they had in readi-
nese, and after they were polled suffer the proclamations to
gt in the usual way, so as that nothing should be unne-
cessarily done to protract it beyond that day, he would ad-
mit the Stamford votes.
•

Colossi JOHNSON said. be bad not intended to protraet
is poll neseessaarily, intt when be found such so sbjes-