EAST WORCESTERSHIRE ELECTION.

February 22nd, 1859. This was considered to be the most severe contest, for a single seat, which had ever taken place in this division of the county. There had not been a contest at all during the last 22 years in this division; and it had become a matter of doubtful speculation as to which party, Tory or Liberal, could carry the day. The Tories had from almost time immemorial held possession of Worcestershire, both East and West, and it required a stout heart and a willing hand to engage in this political strife. The new coming Reform Bill was selected as the battle ground for the Liberals, and the Tories stuck to their old traditions, and relied upon their usual coercion, and their alleged doings for the county in the past. So far as Dudley was concerned, we had to fight under manifold and peculiar conditions, for the “head and front” of the old Tory party had but recently forsaken their old love and “gone over into the camp of the rabble herd,” to help the Radicals in the two last Borough Elections to defeat the hated and intolerable territorial influence; so that the county electors in Dudley, both Liberals and Tories, were all sailing in the same boat against the Tory county influence. Men had to decide upon voting for the pocket or the conscience; and singular indeed was this mixed medley of Tories, Liberals, Conservatives, old Whigs, hot-heated Radicals, and seditious Chartists, hurrying with bated breath to the same Poll. There was much satisfaction felt on this occasion that we had two highly respectable gentlemen as our candidates; the Honourable F. H. W. G. Calthorpe coming forward as the Liberal candidate, whilst the Tory interest was endorsed by the candidature of Mr. John Slaney Pakington, son of Sir John Pakington, a Worcestershire man. The freeholders in Dudley were placed on the horns of a dilemma, by the fact that the Tory, or Badger party as it was called, on this occasion adhered to the traditions of their party, although at two recent Borough elections they had renounced their political opinions, and joined hand and glove with Mr. Sheridan, and the Radicals and Chartists.

The Liberals, the Whigs, and the Liberal Conservatives, energetically espoused the cause of Mr. Calthorpe, and were successful, with the county, in placing him at the head of the poll by a majority of 321 votes.

As to the fitness and mental qualifications of the two candidates, there could not be one moment’s doubt of the superiority of the Liberal candidate’s claims upon the electors, for Mr. Calthorpe was a clear-headed business man, whereas Mr. Pakington was a young, docile gentleman, little acquainted with the rough usages of political life, and was feared to be a mere passive instrument in the hands of an unscrupulous political faction; and what made matters worse for his success, was his utter inability to talk and deliver himself of the political opinions he was credited to possess.

On February 22nd, 1859, this election came off, with the following results at all the polling places:—

CALTHORPE.PAKINGTON.
Dudley343176
Stourbridge553244
Halesowen326131
Kings Norton329289
Bromsgrove248228
Droitwich163220
Evesham118251
Pershore137310
Shipton67114
————
22841963
————
Majority for Mr. Calthorpe, Liberal, 321.

This was considered a great victory against the then Tory Government and the Lygon interest, which had always ruled this division of the county.

There was more political fun, chaffing, and coat turning on this occasion than had ever occurred in this Borough since the excitable days of the first Reform Bill, and the plentiful crop of political squibs plainly shewed that both parties were made sensibly alive to the importance of the contest. We had the straightforward Saxon practice of open voting in those days, so that it was well-known to what political opinion a voter gave his allegiance.

TO THE ELECTORS OF THE EASTERN DIVISION OF WORCESTERSHIRE.

Gentlemen,

After so severe and protracted a contest, allow me to congratulate you on the great and glorious triumph you have obtained for the Liberal cause.

The victory is yours. I am the representative of it. I feel deeply the proud position in which you have placed me, and I hope to prove my gratitude by a zealous attention to your interests and by a faithful service in that cause which you have sent me to the House of Commons to maintain.

I would fain hope that many of those who have in this contest been opposed to me, will on future occasions be numbered among my friends, and I trust that now the battle is over, all unpleasant feeling may cease.

Gentlemen,

I remain, with heartfelt thanks,

Your obedient Servant,

FREDERICK H. W. G. CALTHORPE.

Central Committee Rooms, Stourbridge, February 23rd, 1859.

The vote on the New Reform Bill having caused a dissolution, the following addresses were issued:—

TO THE ELECTORS OF THE EASTERN DIVISION OF THE COUNTY OF WORCESTER.

Gentlemen,

Six weeks have not elapsed since you did me the honour to elect me as one of your Representatives. Grateful for the favour conferred, I am again a Candidate for your suffrages.

The Government has announced a dissolution on the question of Reform, and in my opinion they were quite right, first, in accepting the vote of Thursday, March 31st, as a vote of want of confidence, and secondly, in referring the question of Reform to the Constituencies and to public opinion at large.

I feel confident the result will be a good and durable measure of Reform, calculated to satisfy those classes who are as yet unrepresented, and to allay those feelings of discontent excited by the feeble, unjust, and insufficient Reform Bill recently introduced by the Government.

During the brief period I have been your Representative, I have neglected no opportunity of recording my vote in favour of the principles you sent me to Parliament to maintain, and which I shall ever feel it my duty to support.

I have, I believe invariably agreed with my colleague, and I trust that all those who intend to record their votes in my favour, will extend to him the same support and influence.

I hope that I have proved attentive to your interests, and have shewn every courtesy to those of my constituents who have done me the honour to correspond with me.

I am, Gentlemen,

Your faithful and obedient Servant,

FREDERICK H. W. G. CALTHORPE.

33, Grosvenor Square, London, April 7th, 1859.

TO THE ELECTORS OF THE EASTERN DIVISION OF THE COUNTY OF WORCESTER.

Gentlemen,

A dissolution of Parliament having been announced, I beg to declare my intention of offering myself as a Candidate for the honour of being one of your representatives for the fourth time.

I trust that you have found me acting consistently with the principles of civil and religious liberty, which I have always professed, and I hope that my earnest endeavours to be attentive to your interests may have met with your approval.

I am well aware of the great inconvenience, and interruption to business, caused by frequent dissolutions of Parliament, and I would gladly have supported any moderate measure of progressive Reform, brought forward by Lord Derby’s Government, rather than have incurred such a result, could I have done so without depriving a number of my Constituents of their ancient right of voting, which the bill introduced would have unjustly taken from them.

On referring to the Division Lists, I am happy to see that my Colleague, and I, have on all occasions supported the same measures, so that the votes of your Members are no longer neutralised by being given in opposition to each other; under these circumstances, may I venture to hope that all those who do me the honour of supporting me, and to whom I may have been longer known, will kindly extend the same to my friend, Mr. Calthorpe.

I have the honour to remain, Gentlemen,

Your faithful and obliged Servant,

J. H. HODGETTS FOLEY.

Prestwood, April, 1859.

The Ratepayers are respectfully requested to attend early to-morrow (Friday) and record their Votes for Mr. MAURICE.

DUDLEY VESTRY CLERKSHIP.

Close of the first day’s Poll:—

For Mr. Maurice135
For Mr. Brooke73
For Mr. Dingley39
For Mr. Coulton17

Majority for Mr. Maurice over the highest Candidate, 62.

Majority for Mr. Maurice over ALL the 3 Candidates, 7.

April 15th, 1859.

March, 1859. The new Reform Bill, introduced by the Conservative Government,—Earl Derby’s—was discussed for eight nights in the House of Commons, and defeated by a large majority, which caused the Tories to dissolve Parliament, and appeal to the electors.

Singular Winter. March 29th, 1859. A heavy fall of snow took place this day and night, it being the first snow we had had during all the winter, 1858-9.

TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE CHARLES STANLEY MONCK, VISCOUNT MONCK.

My Lord,

We, the undersigned, Electors of the Borough of Dudley, respectfully invite your Lordship to become a Candidate for the Representation of the Borough, at the next vacancy, and pledge ourselves to use every legitimate means to secure your return.

We have the honour to be,

My Lord,

Your Lordship’s obedient Servants,

George Stevenson

Hy. P. Skidmore

A. B. Cochrane

Edwd. Bowen

Robert Houghton

J. E. Swindell

Thomas Morris

J. H. Smith

John Williscroft

Thomas Stevenson

J. F. Watkins

Chas. Russell

John Finch

John Whitehouse

James Cartwright

C. F. G. Clark

Chas. E. Swindell

Frank Evers

W. H. Brooke

Fras. Sanders

John Cochrane

Sam. C. Davison, B.A.

Thomas Oakes

Edward Wood

W. C. Wood

Geo. Thompson

Solomon Woodall

Danl. Jordan

Thomas Roberts

Henry Cartwright

Joseph Russell

Samuel Golding

David Round

William Cooper

Saml. Woodall

Solomon Higgs

David Pearson

James Griffiths

William Coley

Jos. Griffiths

Jos. Willetts

Abner Smith

Matthew Troman

James Smart

Joseph Brownhill

William Stagg

Benjn. Horton

Charles Hill

John Dawson

Thomas Sheppard

Henry Wood

David Lloyd

John Meese

Joseph Pitt

John Smithyman

Henry Skidmore

James Miles

Joseph Rowley

Charles Stamps

Charles Nicholls

Robert Matthews

Ferdinando Rollason

John Dutton Phillips

Joseph Hingley

John Hingley

Thomas Round

&c., &c.

March 30th, 1859.