Wednesday Morning. force a passage into Mr. Cobbett's In consequence of the decided tally-box; but they were contented advantage, which the splitting of with merely making a show of Mr. Cobbett's tallies in favour of their intentions, and withdrew. Mr. Wood, has given, and is The Greens, suspecting that foul likely to secure to the latter, a de-play would be resorted to, were termination was formed, by Cap-on the alert. They soon received tain Barrie's friends last night, an intimation that their adversaand a regular plan was organised, ries had been able to penetrate for the purpose of filling Mr. Cob- into the hustings, no doubt by bett's tally-box this morning with clandestine means-instantly the a party of the Blues. Accord Greens forced themselves into the ingly, about two hours before the building, declaring their resoluopening of the Court, a detach-tion to die to a man, or get posment of the Barrie-ites were seen approaching the door which leads to Mr. Cobbett's box. But they session of the box. The latter, it should be observed, had amongst them a number of constables, armed with green and white staves, and being, of course, warmly in pre-occupied by the more active and zealous Greens, who showed their interest. They mounted the themselves in too determined an barriers, threw themselves upon attitude to allow their opponents the Blues, who had possession of to hope that a contest would bring the box, and getting amongst them the slightest advantage. The them, succeeded in very nearly Blues despairingly retired. Short-ejecting the whole of them. By ly after, a party with the same this time the Mayor and officers colours, but armed with constables' arrived. His worship seeing a staves, made its appearance before struggle going on, ordered the the door, evidently with the same front of the hustings to be cleared. object as their predecessors, to His directions were instantly The obeyed. The men retired on all Mr. Cobbett's tally box. sides, ready, as soon as the Mayor different párties mounting bargave the signal for opening the riers, breaking down bars, dashed bars, to rush to the box. But at each other-staves were seen scarcely had the place been striking each other-with the tu cleared, when Mr. Burchell, an multuous roaring of those strugagent of Captain Barrie's, and Deputy Town Clerk, avowedly in violation of the directions of the Mayor, and the fair play which 'he wished to see take place, de gling in front-the shouts of ap probation and encouragement from one side, the expressions of rage and disappointment from another. The bustings presented, alto gether, such a scene of alarming scended to the front, and lifting up the bar prematurely, exclaimed to confusion, as it is impossible to the Blues, "Now, my lads, in describe. The Greens had rewith you." The friends of the other candidates declared this to be a scandalous trick. course to an expedient for multiplying their constables on the spot. They broke or cut across Mr. BURCHELL said, he was their staves, and thus, in five mi→ not ashamed to do it. The MAYOR.-That is not right. when one party has recourse to tagem. nutes, doubled their constables. With these they laid about them, and made a fierce effort to regain the box. The Mayor cried out to the constables to do their duty. This An ELECTOR. And he is Clerk will make void the election. of the Peace too. Scarcely had the signal been given by Mr. Burchell to his own Captain BARRIE.-Is it fair that I should have two tallies against me? If I have fair play, I make men, when a tremendous rush, a proposition that will be satisface from all sides took place towards tory to all parties. The MAYOR.-When I came An Elector who had got up on + the hustings, was about to address the Mayor. The MAYOR.-Get down, Sir, I don't want any addressing; I have had enough of it. Dr. CROMPTON, addressing himself to Mr. Hall, a Barrister, said, he was astonished how a man of his character could countenance snch proceedings: (then turning to the Mayor)" Will you not, Mr. Mayor, say something to here this morning, I ordered that The MAYOR.-I have nothing to say to him. Dr. CROMPTON.-What? nothing to say to him. Dr. CROMPTON.-What nothing to say to him, after you saw him lift the bar? Mr. BURCHELL.-Is it fair to use this stratagem, when you have recourse to force? The MAYOR-It is wrong, but the Court is not open yet: God knows how we shall get on. Something like order being now restored, for the Greens had got full possession of the disputed box, the Court was opened by the pose of advancing to the hastings, Crier.. to exercise his right of election, It should be observed, that when he was refused admittance, during the whole of this disorder, and he submitted that this was a; Mr. Wood remained attentively violation of the freedom of elec perusing a law book, as if he tion, and instant steps should be was an indifferent person to every taken to remove all illegal re straint. Here several persons in Mr. Cobbett's booth, as well as in Mr.. Wood's, stated that if those gen thing that was going on. The polling then proceeded, and every moment, the superiority of Mr. Wood over his opponent was becoming more decisive; and Cap-tlemen presented themselves at tain Barrie and his party mani- Mr. Stanley's or Captain Barrie's, fested their displeasure in some box, they would readily find advery intemperate remarks by fre-mittance. quent complaints and remon- The MAYOR.-All I can do is, strances. At length that candi- what I have been doing, to request date put in a formal protest against that the constables will do their. the poll proceeding, when it was duty. well known that there were two tallies actually for his opponent for every one of his. Half past One. Mr. P. HORROCKS, accompanied by two friends, appeared in the area in front of the hustings, and, addressing the Mayor in an audi ble voice, stated that he had presented himself at the door of Mr. Cobbett's tally-box, for the pur Chief Constable.-It is impossible for us to do our duty. The MAYOR.-Then we must have other force. Unless that door (pointing to the door of Mr. Cobbett's booth,) is directly opened, we must send for military force. Captain BARRIE.-It is Mr. Wood's mob that is doing this. Mr. WooD and his friends dis avowed having any thing to do suspended. The greatest confu with the mob, and requested that that imputation would not be repeated. α sion reigned throughout the place, recriminations passed mutually between the friends of the contend Captain BARRIE.-Well then, ing parties, and the tumult in front mob. of the hustings made it altogether: a scene of unexampled disorder. In the midst of the uproar, the Mayor said in a loud voice, I have The town bailiff and the Mayor's bailiff were observed to go round to the door of Mr. Cobbett's booth, for the purpose of attempting to had so many addresses made to effect an entrance for Mr. Hor-me, and the confusion is so great, rocks.::. Mr. FITZ-SIMONS got up in Mr. Cobbett's booth, and said, that it was very well understood, that each candidate should have his booth and his tally box, and that the voters in the interest of each that it is impossible for us to know what we are doing. I must, therefore, adjourn the Court till_to-, morrow morning, by which time a force will be provided, quite sufficient to maintain the King's peace. The poll then closed, and the Crier adjourned the Court amidst probation from the area in front of the hustings. should have access to that only, which was appropriated to the candidate of his choice. Why the most discordant yells of disap-. should that compact be violated? But if all the other doors were not as freely opened as the Mayor now wished that Mr. Cobbett's should be, then he would hold 1 this interference of the Mayor to be partial and unwarrantable. During all this time, or for the greater part of it, the polling was Mr. Wood's friends look upon the proceedings of this day, as the prelude to complete victory. The military are expected in town every hour. |