“THE ELECTION.”
The greatest activity prevails on both sides, and as the decisive day
approaches, the feelings of partizanship are becoming greatly
intensified. The printers have had a lively time of it, and turn out
a great quantity of matter, an opinion appearing to be prevalent that
quality is a secondary consideration. During the last few days,
songs, parodies upon songs, speeches, and gross personal abuse have
been issued by the supporters of Mr. Watkin, (for it must be admitted
that Mr. Young holds himself aloof from this scurrility) with the
object, we suppose, of doing that gentleman some good. In our
opinion they will have a contrary effect, as we have heard many
respectable Liberal electors express themselves disgusted with such
unnecessary vulgarity. It may be very true, that in addressing the
people, it is necessary to call a spade a spade, but it cannot be at
all requisite that the minds of the people should be attempted to be
influenced by strong specimens of the Billingsgate vocabulary. Where
wit is lacking, silence is preferable to blackguardism. On the
Conservative side there has also been a fair number of coloured bills
and printed addresses issued; but the writers in this interest have
abstained from attempting to be funny. In printed abuse, however,
they endeavour to rival their opponents. Betting, if that may be
considered a piece of electioneering business, is decidedly in favour
of the Conservative candidates. Each party attributes motives of the
most improper kind to the other, and it will be seen that Mr. Watkin
fears that his opponents may indulge in “corruption.” On the other
hand, Sir E. Lacon says voters had told him they dare not support
him, as they should be inclined to do, in consequence of persons on
the Liberal side having put the “screw” upon them. Tradesmen
generally will be glad when the contest is over, as it is daily
creating much personal animosity.
The “Athelstan” had been launched; she was of 500 tons burden, and was to
take out Bishop Hills’ effects to British Columbia.
The “Haddiscoe Swamp” had caused a great difficulty on the East Suffolk
line, which was consequently still not open for traffic.
William Howlett, “Red” bill-poster, and Robert Crisp, “Blue” bill-poster,
had been before the Magistrates owing to a dispute arising out of the
election placards.
April 30th.—Both parties had been holding nightly meetings of a
“convivial character.” On Wednesday some 300 to 400 persons had paraded
the town shouting “Down with Lacon and Stracey,” and had broken the
windows of the Red Committee rooms in the Market-place.
“THE NOMINATION”
took place on the Hall Plain; the platform, in the centre of which
was reserved a place for the Mayor and the Candidates and friends,
being on the Crown and Anchor “leads.” The Blues were to the left of
the Mayor and the Reds to his right; and in front of the house there
was at the time proceedings commenced an assemblage numbering 4,000
or 5,000, including a number of females. The Liberals were the first
to arrive on the “leads,” and on Mr. Watkin showing himself to the
crowd, he was loudly cheered, a compliment which the candidate duly
acknowledged. Shortly afterwards the approach of the Conservative
party was indicated by the deep groans of the crowd, who manifested
some indications of hostility: but on its being discovered that the
Conservative cavalcade was headed by a party of very
pugilistic-looking persons, decorated with red ribbon, the
threatening attitude of the crowd was somewhat modified, and the two
Baronets, with their friends, were allowed to ascend to the “leads”
unmolested. When the two parties had taken their places on the
balcony, the Liberals proposed three cheers, which were given by the
great majority, accompanied by the groans of the minority. A number
of “beery” individuals struggled to the front, and were a source of
annoyance to the speakers throughout. A few minutes before three
o’clock the Mayor arrived in state, preceded by his
sergeants-at-mace, and accompanied in his carriage by Mr. C. J.
Palmer, who acted as his solicitor for the occasion. When his
Worship appeared in the balcony the Blues, for some reason, commenced
hissing him, much to the disgust of several of the leading gentlemen
of the Liberal party, who protested against such unseemly
proceedings. We may state, before attempting to report the numerous
speeches that were delivered, that during the whole of the
proceedings—more especially when it was the turn of the Conservatives
to speak—the crowd was exceedingly disorderly, and by their loud
shouting and groaning rendered most of the speakers inaudable to
persons a few yards distant from them. The Mayor was grossly
insulted at the commencement, and as the proceedings progressed
several fights were got up, and the interference of the police was
frequently required. Anything more unreasonable and unreasoning than
the majority of the crowd it would be impossible to conceive, and
when the nomination closed there did not seem to be any person in the
balcony opposed to the opinion of the Mayor—that the “whole thing was
a farce.” One side of the question was not heard at all, and the
majority shouted without knowing what about. This was singularly
illustrated during the speech of Mr. Watkin, when that gentleman took
upon himself the functions of the returning-officer, by calling upon
the crowd for a show of hands, which, singularly enough, was against
him. Mr. Watkin said, “All those that don’t want me to go to the
poll, hold up their hands.” A forest of hands was exhibited to the
great amusement of the Conservatives, who cheered the result. Mr.
Watkin then told his friends that they were mistaken, and having
explained the mistake to them, assuring them that they were too
intelligent to vote him down, he took another show of hands, which
was in his favour. We shall be excused for commenting upon the
proceedings here; but the disorder and noise was so great that, as
most of the speakers could not be heard, we are necessitated to do
it, in order to make our report intelligible. From the beginning to
the end “noise” had it in numbers; but in fighting the honour seemed
to be with the Reds, who exhibited considerable proficiency in the
pugilistic art. The crowd, which was very closely packed, was
divided into two sections, the Blue and the Red, the former having
about ten to one of the latter. At times both sections were very
ill-behaved, but their misconduct was kindly overlooked by the whole
of the speakers except Mr. Watkin, who took the liberty of
designating the minority of the “people” as “scoundrels” and
“ruffians.” These polite designations appeared likely to stir up the
ill-blood of the people, inasmuch as four or five fights immediately
commenced, in one of which an unfortunate fellow sustained a severe
fracture of the proboscis, and it was not until the Mayor had, to use
a significant local word, “checked” Mr. Watkin, and warned him
against the violent nature of his harangue, that comparative order
was restored. The fights in question are deserving of notice. One
began between a female, whose bonnet was trimmed with yellow ribbon,
and a stout man in a blue guernsey. Gallant Reds and Blues rushed
into the affray, doubtless with the object of protecting the woman,
and there was every probability of a general set-to. The Mayor,
however, directed the police to interfere, and the contest was
suppressed, with apparently no worse results than the infliction of a
few disagreeable blows on the frontispieces of the combatants. The
other fights were of less importance; but altogether this display of
pugnacity had the effect of causing the outside portion of the crowd
to run away from what they considered to be danger. Other fights, as
will be seen from the report, also occurred. One feature in the
general noise was much remarked by the gentlemen on the balcony, and
as it was amusing we notice it. A half drunken beachman or
fisherman, just so far gone as to be witty, but who was unmistakeably
a Blue, planted himself in front of the balcony, and by his
extraordinary shouting succeeded in making himself heard above the
surrounding tumult. There was some natural humour about this fellow,
and the way in which he shouted excited the laughter of the Mayor and
both parties on the balcony. The man shouted until the veins grew
large in his forehead; he jumped and screamed—he laughed and waved
his hat, and others laughed with him—indeed, for a time all laughed
with him; he was in a state of ecstacy or violent enthusiasm. It was
difficult for a time to make out what the man meant, but at length he
was understood, and his fun was appreciated. Sir E. Lacon wears a
full moustache, and so does Sir H. Stracey, and those hirsute
ornaments were the objects of this excited individual’s enthusiasm.
He laughed and shouted—his voice being heard above the murmur of the
crowd,—for fully an hour,—“The beard! the beard! will nobody shave
him? A shave! a shave! Fetch a barber! fetch a barber!—(Loud
laughter.)—A clean shave! A shilling for a razor! a razor! a razor!
O Lord, a clean shave,” &c. Ultimately the man climbed to the top of
a post, and threw his hat into the face of a railway porter; the
porter ran to him and struck him in the mouth two or three times,
with a force that evidently astonished him, and as his scream then
became somewhat distressing, he was ignominiously removed to the
outside of the crowd. Many other noticeable incidents occurred,
which will be found mentioned in our report. But there is one
circumstance which did not altogether develop itself at the meeting,
that we feel compelled to notice. Society, from experience, knows
that the prude is the loudest and severest advocate of virtue; but,
as Josephus has remarked, “Every man will think of this as it seemeth
good unto him.” We have noticed the Gorleston voters, we have
recorded the boastings and professions on both sides, and we have
ventilated rumours which have been so far well founded. The incident
we are about to mention we can vouch for; it is possible, should
circumstances necessitate it, of being proved. On the Wednesday
evening, mob law, intimidation, corruption, “the screw,” and all the
worst elements of electioneering were resorted to; and we regret to
say that the parties who most publicly exhibited themselves as
disorderlies were persons whom we won’t classify, but who cried out,
“Down with Lacon and Stracey” and “Three cheers for Watkin.”
“THE TIN CANISTER.”
A report had been “current that a mysterious old gentleman had arrived
from somewhere with a tin canister full of sovereigns, and from the way
in which he was dressed it was generally supposed that he was either a
Russian or a Shrewsbury man come for the purpose of bribery. “Said
person,” as the Yankees say, was seen in the rear of the balcony at the
Crown and Anchor, defying anybody to penetrate the secret of his
identity, but occasionally winking and ejaculating, with an occasionally
eructory sound, the words, “All right—in for Watkin.” This strange
gentleman departed in the evening, minus, it is said, the canister. We
will now pass over the irregularities of the story, and give you the
words of our informant, whose high standing and character place him
beyond suspicion:—“I had attended the Yarmouth nomination, and took my
railway seat, at 8.40 p.m. for Norwich. There were two or three
gentlemen in the first-class compartment in which I had placed myself;
and one gentleman was a peculiar sort of mysterious individual. After
eyeing the party well, the gentleman gravely said, “Both sides are
buying, I’m afraid, at Yarmouth.” One of the party doubted the
assertion, but the ancient traveller smiled and said, “No, no.” Further
explanations took place, until at length our interesting fellow-traveller
volunteered this remark, after a feeler from one of the party, “You know
I came down from Manchester yesterday, to see my particular friend W—.
Deuced clever fellow—one of the best railway men in the country. He did
wonders for the Manchester and Lincolnshire line, and if we get him in we
shall expect him to be one of the best railway men we have.” One of the
party asked, “Are you a Yarmouth voter, sir?” Old Traveller: “No, but I
wished to see my friend W— on very particular business, and so I just
came down to Yarmouth to see how his election was getting on _as well_,
and to add my mite of influence.” This, perhaps, will account for the
story of the tin canister. The rest we shall leave to the report.”
Mr. J. Cherry proposed, and Mr. R. Dumbleton seconded Sir E. H. K. Lacon.
Mr. R. Hammond proposed, and Mr. J. Owles seconded Mr. Watkin.
Mr. E. H. L. Preston proposed, and Mr. S. C. Marsh seconded Sir H. J.
Stracey,
And Mr. J. W. Shelly proposed and Mr. P. Pullyn seconded Mr. Young.
The show of hands was in favour of Messrs. Watkin and Young, whereupon a
poll was demanded for Sir E. H. K. Lacon and Sir H. J. Stracey.