The sheriff, having read aloud the names of the candidates, put them in the order of their nomination, and after taking the show of hands on each, declared that it was in favor of Sir William Russell and Jacob Henry Tillett, Esq.
Sir S. Bignold then demanded a poll on behalf of Sir H. J. Stracey, and the proceedings terminated with a vote of thanks to the sheriff for presiding, moved by Mr. J. G. Johnson, and seconded by Mr. J. J. Colman.
The departure of the candidates from the Hall was witnessed by some two thousand persons, who warmly greeted their respective favorites. A very large crowd followed Mr. J. J. Colman and Mr. Donald Steward to the Liberal head-quarters—the Royal Hotel—cheering most enthusiastically for the Liberal candidates.
The polling took place on the next day, and the following shows the state of the poll as issued at intervals by the Conservatives, from which it will be seen that, though Mr. Tillett was at the bottom at four o’clock, they themselves show him to have had a majority of forty-seven votes, even so late as half-past three, and that the Tory poll was increased in the last half-hour by no fewer than 561!
9 O’CLOCK. | 9.30 O’CLOCK. | |||
Stracey (C.) | 804 | Stracey | 1249 | |
Russell (L.) | 775 | Russell | 1233 | |
Tillett (L.) | 797 | Tillett | 1225 | |
10 O’CLOCK. | 10.30 O’CLOCK. | |||
Stracey | 1624 | Stracey | 1981 | |
Russell | 1686 | Russell | 2125 | |
Tillett | 1656 | Tillett | 2071 | |
11 O’CLOCK. | 11.30 O’CLOCK. | |||
Stracey | 2364 | Stracey | 2601 | |
Russell | 2628 | Russell | 2892 | |
Tillett | 2569 | Tillett | 2816 | |
12.30 O’CLOCK. | ||||
Stracey | 2787 | Stracey | 2965 | |
Russell | 3057 | Russell | 3165 | |
Tillett | 2974 | Tillett | 3084 | |
1 O’CLOCK. | 1.30 O’CLOCK. | |||
Stracey | 3116 | Stracey | 3239 | |
Russell | 3326 | Russell | 3430 | |
Tillett | 3217 | Tillett | 3327 | |
2 O’CLOCK. | 2.30 O’CLOCK. | |||
Stracey | 3383 | Stracey | 3578 | |
Russell | 3550 | Russell | 3744 | |
Tillett | 3443 | Tillett | 3637 | |
3 O’CLOCK. | 3.30 O’CLOCK. | |||
Stracey | 3760 | Stracey | 3960 | |
Russell | 3930 | Russell | 4203 | |
Tillett | 3812 | Tillett | 4007 | |
4 O’CLOCK. | ||||
Stracey | 4521 | |||
Russell | 4509 | |||
Tillett | 4364 | |||
The following are the numbers polled in each ward:
| Russell. | Tillett. | Stracey. | |
| First Ward | 273 | 260 | 507 |
| Second Ward | 284 | 242 | 281 |
| Third Ward | 1269 | 1249 | 1163 |
| Fourth Ward | 140 | 118 | 207 |
| Fifth Ward | 314 | 281 | 450 |
| Sixth Ward | 855 | 883 | 665 |
| Seventh Ward | 886 | 864 | 879 |
| Eighth Ward | 488 | 467 | 369 |
| 4509 | 4364 | 4521 |
The result of the polling was of course a terrible disappointment to the Liberal candidates, and especially to Mr. Tillett’s friends, who had reckoned upon his return as certain. They had not, however, anticipated the corrupt means which were adopted to secure the return of Sir Henry Stracey. As soon, however, as the contest was at an end, Mr. Tillett resolved to petition against the hon. baronet’s return, and the trial took place in the Shirehall, before Mr. Baron Martin, on Friday, Saturday, and Monday, the 15th, 16th, and 18th of January, and ended in Sir Henry Stracey’s election being declared void on the ground of bribery by his agents.
The appeal to the country was made, it will be remembered, on Mr. Gladstone’s declared policy of dis-establishing the Irish church, and the result of the general election showed so decided a majority in Mr. Gladstone’s favor, that before the new House of Commons assembled, Mr. Disraeli resigned, and Mr. Gladstone assumed the reins of government. The House met for the swearing in of members on the 10th of December; and adjourned to February 16th, 1869, for the despatch of business.