Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1847-09-10
From the LiJerdtor.
Election of Geo. Thompson

This event, Of which we expressed our con-
hdent hope in the last Liberator, is announ-
ced by the Cambria, as having taken place,
attended with the most triumphant and prat-
tying circumstances. The borough r. the
Tower Hamlets, for which Mr.. Thompson
offered himself, is one of the largest constit-
uencies in England, and has been represent
ed uniformly by men Of liberal politics. 1t
is described by the London Patriot, as 'the
stronghold of popular independence and
Non-COntOrmity.' The political and reli-
glous a~tflnities of Mr.. Thompson would di-
rect MN to such a constituency as this, and
the constituency has shown itself worthy of
lhe character here given to it by the irium-
Phant manner in which they have elected him
their representative.
The old members were in the field when
Mr.. Thompson appeared to dispute it with
them. These were Sir William Clay, a
Wing of Radical propensities, and General
Fox, Surveyor General of the Ordnance, and
a son-in-law of the King. Notwithstanding
the weight which these gentlemen must have
had from their social position, and their pos
session of the borough, Mr.. Thompson led
his successful competitor, Sir William Clay,
by more than three thousand votes, and his
unsuccessful one, General Fox, by nearly
four thousand five hundred I! Such an in
stance is almost unparalleled (if not quite)
in the history of English elections. 1t ia to
be accounted for by the number of planners
that were polled for Mr.. Thompson by
which technically we understand votes Civ
en- for only one candidate where two or more
are 10 be elected-thus increasing the relative
vote of that candidate.
The friends Of the old candidates had pla-
carded the neighborhood with the insulting
question, who is George Thompson -
His reply to this t%aunting inquiry, in his
speech at the polls, was a proud and noble
one: Ask Sir Edward North Buxton (the
son of the successor of Wilberforce,) ask
DR.. Lushington, ask Richard Golden, ask
the negroes of the West Indies, ask the
bond-slaves of America, ask the friends OF
India, who | am 2 The electors, however,
showed most emphatically that they knew
who he was, without going any farther for
Information.
The political opinions announced by Mr.,
Thompson were certainly radical enough
Hesshould vote for the Largest Free Trade,
and for the Abolition of every Monopoly, ma.
tlonal and local for universal suffrage, vote
by ballot and short P~arliaments; for the alb
oliIion of capital punishments and of f1ogglng
IN the army ; and against all endowments
and religious establishments. This election
was carried without any of the INSCRIPTIONS
means often used at elections. Not a single
paid agent was employed. Not the least re-
markable circumstance attending this con-
test says the London Post, SIS the fact, that
Mr.. Thompson, who is a teetollar, refused TO
have his Committee-rooms in public houses,
and the publicans, with a few exceptions,
avenged themselves by voting against him.
1t is curious to see the Boston papers, the
Daily Advertiser among the rest, copying
the accounts of Mr.. Thompson's brilliant
victory, without a word of comment to indi-
cate that the man whose character twelve
years ago they blackened, and whose course
they denounced, until his life would have
been taken in the streets of Boston, had he
not privately escaped, is the same whom this
large and liberal metropolitan constituency
has delighted TO honor! If it be true, as Ho-
race says, that a change Of climate has no eE-
feet on a mans character, it certainly has a
great one on his reputation.
We shall try and copy the Election procee-
dings at the Tower Hamlets soon, though
they have no p%artiular bearing on the A. S.
cause. But any thing relating to the career
of one so identified with the movement, as
Mr.. Thompson, must needs be interesting &c
those who know him only by report, as wei.
as to his troops of friends. They will also
he curious to those unacquainted with the
mode of conducting Elections in England, al
a specimen of new variety of life.