The state of the Poll at its close shows a result unfavourable
to my desire to represent you in Parliament, and my opponent
has been returned as your Member.
It therefore only remains for me, in the same spirit of good
feeling and good humour in which I have endeavoured to carry on
the contest, to return my sincere and heartfelt thanks to those
amongst you who have honoured me with their support at the Poll.
I deem it, however, only an act of justice to myself and my
Committee to state that, had the promises of support which were
made to me in the course of my Canvass been fulfilled, I should
now be your Member.
Into the causes which have led to the failure of these
engagements, I do not mean now to enter; but I consider it
an unwarrantable act wantonly to involve a Constituency in
the turmoil of a Contest, and I therefore desire to leave
upon record the fact that my Committee had good grounds for
expecting a different result of the Poll.
I now take leave of you, I cannot say without some feelings of
disappointment, but with none of irritation or annoyance.
To the gentlemen of my Committee who have laboured so
assiduously in my cause, I beg to tender my most grateful
acknowledgments, and to the whole Constituency my thanks for
the courtesy and kindness with which I have been treated since
I came amongst you.
I have the honour to be, Gentlemen,
Your obedient Servant,
MONCK.
_Committee Rooms, Bush Inn, April 29th, 1859._
October 28th, 1859, Mr. Theophilus Tinsley was elected Mayor, and Mr.
C. F. G. Clark, High Bailiff, of the Borough of Dudley for the ensuing
year.