Joshua Wilkinson
Gilbert Shaw
Thomas Shaw
Joseph Owen
James Darby.
March 23rd, 1857.
The Political ball had now been set rolling by both parties in this unnatural contest, but men in Dudley had learnt the old adage—“that misfortune makes men acquainted with strange bedfellows,” therefore they had accepted their dubious lot at all hazards, and it soon became evident that Mr. Sheridan was the idol of the Non-Electors, whose potent influence was brought to bear with great persistence upon the thousand Electors. Mr. Sheridan was found to be free and pleasant and spoke well on the platform; he was admirably schooled in political knowledge, and he knew how to please the wives as well as the voters. Meetings by both Candidates were held almost hourly, for there was no time to lose, and the screw that was put on at head-quarters was both unmanly and ungenerous, causing a large number of former Conservative voters to declare their intention to support Mr. Sheridan, the Independent Candidate. However, before the Nomination day arrived, (March 28th) Mr. Sandars had found out that his cards had been seen by his opponents and that he was playing a losing game, calculated to damage his aspirations at some more acceptable Borough, he therefore issued the following address, which promoted H. B. Sheridan, Esq., to the distinguished position of being elected the Independent Member for the Nominee Borough of Dudley.
TO THE ELECTORS OF DUDLEY.
Gentlemen,
The aspect of this Election has assumed a character of a purely personal nature, in which Politics are entirely forgotten.