Delivered on the Hustings, on Monday Dec. 10th, 1832, being the day of Nomination of a Candidate for that New Borough.
On MONDAY last the election for this borough commenced. The candidates are Sir HORACE St. PAUL, a high Tory, and Sir JOHN CAMPBELL, the Solicitor-General. A great proportion of the houses in the town were decorated with laurel, and exhibited the colours of the Solicitor-General; and on Monday morning public enthusiasm was wound up to a great pitch in favour of Sir John. The hustings were erected immediately in front of the Town hall, and at 9 o’clock Sir John Campbell, accompanied by his committee and numerous other friends, made his appearance, amidst the loud cheering of the populace. Sir H. St. Paul shortly afterwards arrived from the Hotel, and was greeted with mixed sounds of approbation and displeasure. The latter, however, greatly predominated. The applause appeared to proceed from, perhaps, some 200 special constables and the more immediate friends of the hon. baronet. The necessary oaths having been administered to Mr. Cornelius Cartwright, the Returning Officer, and other formalities gone through,
Mr. Cartwright expressed a hope that the electors would discharge the duty imposed upon them with temper and moderation; and, by doing unto others as they should wish to be done by, display a truly Christian spirit. If they did this, whatever might be the issue of the contest, they would secure the reward of an approving conscience, and though then divided, the town would again subside into a state of peace and happiness. (Hear, hear.)
Mr. Dixon, on rising to nominate Sir Horace St. Paul, congratulated the electors of Dudley on their being now qualified to return members to the representative branch of the Legislature, and he hoped, for the credit of the town, they would send that man who, from knowledge, connexion, and political principles, would prove their most faithful representative. He was about to propose as a candidate for their suffrages, a gentleman who had large property in the neighbourhood, and who was in every way a fit and proper person to return as their representative to Parliament. He begged to nominate Sir Horace St. Paul. (Great hooting, with slight cheers, and cries of “No tripe.” Sir Horace, we believe, nightly treats the supporters with tripe suppers.)
Mr. Salisbury had great pleasure in seconding the nomination of Sir Horace St. Paul, as a gentleman, from his well known honour and high integrity, well qualified to represent the borough of Dudley in Parliament. (Groans.)
Mr. Twamley, who was received with loud cheering said, however inadequate he might be to perform the task he had undertaken, he solicited their attention while he offered a few words on the glorious, happy, and momentous occasion on which they were then assembled. (Cheers.) He had to introduce to their notice a gentleman as a candidate for their suffrages, who had long been before the public, a gentleman of great talent and commanding eloquence, and who was competent to do every good to the country which it was possible for any individual man to do. (Cheers.) It gave him, Mr. Twamley, supreme felicity and pleasure to propose Sir John Campbell, as the representative of the borough of Dudley in Parliament. (Loud cheers.)
H. Braidley, Esq. then presented himself to second the nomination of the Solicitor-General, when he was vehemently opposed by the friends of Sir Horace St. Paul, on the ground that he was not properly entered in the register. It appeared that by mistake his Christian name was stated on the register to be John instead of Henry. Being thus disqualified as a voter, it was contended that he had no right to take part in the election proceedings. The point was argued at length before the returning officer, by Mr. Whitcomb the barrister, on behalf of Sir J. Campbell, and by Mr. Hildyard, on behalf of Sir Horace St. Paul. Mr. Whitcomb contended that the act had provided for any misnomer and wrong description, and that it was merely necessary when such a mistake occurred that the party claiming a vote should swear at the time of election that he was the person described “as A B” in the registration. The returning officer, after receiving a protest from the friends of Sir Horace, allowed Mr. Braidley to proceed.
Mr. Braidley, again presented himself, and was again assailed by the interruptions of the Paulites and the cheers of his friends. Having at length obtained a hearing, he began by observing the glorious cause having triumphed, he then came forward to second the nomination of Sir John Campbell. (Loud cheers.) Who was his opponent? Sir Horace St. Paul,—a Tory, who during the 20 years he had had a seat in Parliament, had on all occasions given his silent vote in favour of all the wasteful and extravagant expenditure incurred by successive Tory Governments. (Groans.) Within the last few months, as far as the scope of his abilities would permit, he had done all in his power to destroy the elective franchise, which the people panted for, and which they now enjoyed; and yet had now the daring assurance to ask the electors of Dudley to exercise their new privileges in his favour, and return him as their representative. (Groans and hisses directed at Sir Horace.) The time was now arrived when the electors must honestly perform their duty to themselves, to their children, and to posterity. Let them throng early and eagerly to the poll, and the triumph of Sir John Campbell, whose nomination he seconded, was secure. (Loud cheers.)
Sir H. St. Paul was received with loud cheers by his friends, and the most uproarious disapprobation by his opponents. It then became his duty to address the electors of Dudley, and would preface what he was about to say, that he should not offer any observations of a personal nature as regarded his hon. and learned opponent. He bore no enmity to the learned gentleman nor to any of his supporters; and he hoped the contest would be conducted, and if possible concluded, in perfect good humour on both sides. The political principles he had hitherto entertained he still adhered to, and should ever continue to maintain them. (Loud disapprobation.) He had held those principles when they were in good report, and now, when they were for a short time out of favour, he should not cowardly abandon them. (Groans, with applause from the Paulites.) His principles had ever been those of practical economy, and it was upon these principles he acted when he opposed the present Ministry in the grant of 5,500,000l. to pay the Russian Dutch loan. (Cries of “Oh, oh.”) He recollected, and they would all bear in mind, that this sum came out of the pockets of the industrious labourers. (Cheers from the Paulites.) Again he had opposed the sum of 800,000l. guaranteed to the new King of Greece. What, he would ask, were all the trifling savings effected by the present Government compared with those enormous items of expenditure? Upon the same principle, when Parliament assembled, and he was returned as their representative, of which he had not the slightest doubt, when His Majesty’s servants came down to the house—a most disgraceful war—(immense uproar, shouts from the Paulites, and groans from their opponents,)—he claimed fair play—he said a most disgraceful war, for it could lead to no good, but at the same time occasion great depression and ruin to the English trade. Many who now heard him already felt its disastrous effects. If the trade of the manufacturer by this war—this damnable war—(great uproar,) They must excuse him, he could not but speak strongly because he felt strongly. He could not but think of the sufferings of the inhabitants of Antwerp, forced to leave shelter and property, subject to the peril of foreign and intestine war. He was, however, about to state, that if in England, the merchant and manufacturer suffered from this disgraceful war, the sufferings of the artisans and the industrious working classes must be much greater. Formerly, the man who opposed the Government was deemed an independent man. He who now opposed the present Administration might, he hoped, claim the same character. (Laughter.) Before he concluded, he might be allowed to allude to one other circumstance. Englishmen had hitherto been considered as being particular lovers, and particularly proud, of their country. They were always proud of the flag under which they had fought and conquered—a flag respected throughout the whole habitable globe,—he alluded to the old English union jack, which, by the bye, was their English tricolour. Why, then, should an Englishman borrow the colours of the French? (alluding to many tricolour flags waving from the windows of the houses in the opposite street.) It was bad enough to think what had occurred within a few weeks under that flag, without being publicly insulted by its exhibition in the streets of an English town. Formerly, the English navy knew nothing of a French ship in her ports except at the tow of an English ship; but recently, to the disgrace of the British Government, her fleet had been placed under the command of a French admiral, in fact, under the auspices of the French flag. It was for wars like these their pockets were drained, and the national character humbled. The Government and its supporters might talk of economy,—but while they merely talked of economy they practised extravagance. Under the British flag their heroes had fought, and conquered, and had died,—and God forbid that Englishmen should ever be ashamed of it. The hon. candidate retired amidst most conflicting demonstrations of opinion.
Sir John Campbell presented himself amidst the most deafening cheers, which lasted some minutes. He was proud to present himself before the electors of Dudley, and solicit their suffrages as their member in the first reformed Parliament. (Cheers.) It had been said by his enemies that he was only supported by the rabble. Let them look at the rabble that stood around him. (Cheers.) First, he was proposed by a venerated inhabitant of the town, than whom a more respectable individual did not exist in the world. He alluded to his friend Mr. Twamley, who for half a century had lived respected and beloved in the town, and who was now enjoying an ample fortune as the reward of his industry and integrity. (Cheers.) The next of the rabble (laughter) by which he was surrounded was his friend Mr. Braidley, against whom a strong effort had been made by a quibble (and it was only from such quibbles that any doubt could be entertained of his, Sir J. Campbell’s, success) to deprive him of the power of taking any part in their proceedings. Through the impartiality of the returning officer that attempt had failed, and he (Sir J. Campbell) had been honoured with the support of Mr. Braidley. Another of his rabble was his friend Mr. Foster, (cheers) a gentleman at the very head of the most important manufacturing concerns in the district, and who employed more men than all the rest of Sir Horace St. Paul’s friends put together. (Loud cheers.) Indeed, he believed he had the good opinion and suffrages of the vast majority of the respectable inhabitants of the borough of Dudley. The individual who now presented himself to them was no stranger; they had known him, and he them, for a long course of years, accustomed as he had been to practise among them in that profession to which his studies had been chiefly devoted. In the course of his practice in that profession he had been called to defend his friend Mr. Cooke, whom he saw near, who was prosecuted, or rather persecuted, by the Tories of Dudley, for doing that only which he thought it his duty to do, (cheers) and through his instrumentality he might assert he escaped unmerited punishment. He (Sir J. Campbell) was not, however, alone known to them by his professional practice, but also as a public man. He Would defy any man to produce, during the time he had the honour of a seat in two successive Parliaments to find a single sentiment or a single vote he ever gave against the rights and liberties of his country. His friend, Mr. Foster, one of the rabble (laughter) had sat side by side—many a weary hour they had spent within the walls of the House of Commons. They invariably supported the interests of the people. (Cheers). But where was Sir Horace St. Paul? He would take care to say not one word discourteous of the hon. baronet, but as a public man he had a right to comment on his political conduct. Never then, when the ayes or the noes went, were his friend Mr. Foster, and himself, to be found in company with Sir Horace St. Paul. His hon. opponent was always against the bill, and anything but the bill. He (Sir J. Campbell) had been much amused with an expression of Mr. Dixon on moving the nomination of his opponent. The gentleman set out by congratulating the electors of Dudley on the obtainment of the elective franchise. Now this struck him as singular, for having anticipated such dreadful consequences from the bill, instead of terms of congratulation he should have expected terms of condolence. (Laughter and cheers). Mr. Dixon ought to have commenced—“Electors of Dudley, I condole with you on this melancholy occasion,” and instead of the brilliant colours now exhibited by his opponents they ought to have been habited in mourning and crape. They who thought the constitution had been overturned ought not to make it a subject of congratulation, but of condolence. In the language of defeated men they ought to say “We are beaten, but we will do all in our power to restore Old Sarum and Gatton, and the rest of the rotten boroughs, and perpetuate every abuse, both in church and state.” Sir John, after indulging in a strain of happy ridicule, said if Dudley, at the present time, returned an acknowledged Tory, the town would be for ever memorable in the annals of infamy, for he believed that there was not one new borough in either England, Scotland, or Wales, except Dudley, where an Anti-reformer had dared to show his face. In some of the old boroughs, where corruption in a degree existed, Anti-reformers had presented themselves as candidates; but he believed Dudley was the only new borough in which a candidate professing such principles had offered himself. He could not believe that the electors of Dudley would stain themselves and posterity with such unspeakable discredit (Cheers). It could not be, for he knew that, with few exceptions, it was with the electors of Dudley “Campbell and Reform.” (Loud cheers). If they were ashamed of the franchise which had been conferred upon them, they would return Sir Horace St. Paul. (Cheers). He (Sir Horace St. Paul) had told them, as a honourable man, that he entertained the same principles that he had always professed; that he was the advocate of again enslaving and enthralling them under the mastery of those under whom they already smarted. Sir Horace was for the old state of things, although he claimed their suffrages under the new bill. He (Sir Horace St. Paul), to be consistent, would say, reform being bad, the sooner we revert to the old state the better. He would support a bill to disfranchise Dudley, and support another to enfranchise Old Sarum. (Cheers). The repeal of the Reform Bill was considerably too desperate a measure ever to be expected, and the object of the Tories was therefore directed to the destruction of its objects, and if possible to render it a mere dead letter. It would indeed be a dead letter if the constituency of England returned anti-reformers—men who had exerted all their power to prevent reform in the church, the law, and the state. The Reform Bill would prove no good to the country unless they returned to Parliament, which the King’s writ had just issued to assemble, men prepared to carry out into beneficial effect ulterior measures, which its framers and supporters contemplated, when by their efforts it became the law of the land. (Cheers.) The learned gentleman went on to state, that when he first offered himself for the representation of Dudley, he was induced to do so by a highly respectable body of requisitionists, and that, although since that time he had been requested to stand for other boroughs, both in England and Scotland, where it was supposed he would be returned with less difficulty, he had declined doing so, because every day brought with it fresh reasons for his rejoicing in his original determination to stand for that borough. After once pledging himself to the electors of Dudley, he should have considered himself the basest of mankind had he deserted them. (“Why don’t you go to Stafford?”) Some gentleman called out Stafford. He could only say, that he had no doubt if he had gone to Stafford, he should have been returned, as well as other places, with little trouble. He had already contested that borough with a gentleman whom he saw standing near him, and one of his present opponents (Mr. Hawkes), although that gentleman then went to Stafford under the colours of reform, and he (Sir J. Campbell) had in both cases defeated him. (Cheers). He repeated he had no doubt that he should have been returned for Stafford without difficulty, but he considered he should be more honoured in being returned as the first member for the virgin borough of Dudley. (Loud cheers). The resolution he had formed he had no doubt would be crowned with a glorious victory. (Cheers). The learned gentleman was about to enter into certain charges of intimidation he had to prefer against a supporter of Sir Horace St. Paul, but first wished to be informed by the returning officer whether, if he mentioned the name of a person, the accused would be allowed to reply.