I have received several communications to the effect that a Mr.
Locock is, or has been, by himself and his agents, canvassing
you with a view to displace me in the event of a dissolution
of Parliament. Now I beg to say that, if this be true, the
circumstance of a man soliciting your suffrages behind my back,
without any notice to me or my supporters, without publishing
any address to the Electors, or in a word, without adopting
any of the usual proceedings of fair play, is a sufficient
indication of your would-be representative. On first hearing
this intelligence, I gave no attention whatever to the
circumstance, feeling convinced that men who know so well how
to stand up like Englishmen in a fair political fight, were
not likely to listen to the whisperings of a person who thus
stealthily presented himself to their notice.
I can no longer, however, remain silent, when I find that these
persons are circulating statements with reference to me and my
intentions, which are utterly false and unfounded. One of these
statements is to the effect that I have announced (of course
confidentially) that it is not my intention to offer myself
again for the representation of Dudley. This I need hardly tell
you is a wicked invention of the stealthy candidate or his
agent. I therefore hasten to place you on your guard against,
what our friend Louis Napoleon would call "false intelligence,"
for you may be assured that it is in your hands alone I shall
place my resignation, in the same open and straightforward
manner in which I trust I have always met you, when the time
for such a proceeding arrives.
Should the present crisis terminate in a dissolution I shall
lose no time in committing my political interests to the
care of those friends to whom I am indebted for the honor
of representing your Borough, and whose confidence I am not
conscious of having in any way either betrayed or forfeited.
I have the honour to be, Gentlemen, yours faithfully,
H. B. SHERIDAN.
_House of Commons, May 15th, 1858._