PROCEEDINGS AT THE CONTESTED ELECTION FOR THE CITY OF CHICHESTER, &c. &c. ABOUT three or four months previous to the contested Election, of which the proceedings are to be hereafter detailed, it was generally reported and believed in the City of Chichester, that W. S. Poyntz, Esq., the fellow representative with Lord John George Lennox of this city, would, after the dissolution of the then existing Parliament, decline his seat in any future one. The natural consequence of this report was, that the Electors of the City began to direct their attention to the choice of another "fit and proper person (to employ the technical phrase now in general use) to represent them in Parliament." The precarious state of health of his late Majesty, and the no very distant period at which a dissolution of Parliament, by the efflux of time, would naturally take place, rendered the consideration of this subject the more urgent. Where, however, the wishes of many were to be consulted, on the choice of a single person, it was not to be expected that perfect unanimity should prevail; and the contests which had so powerfully excited the minds of the electors for some years past, appeared likely to be at least equalled by that which it B was anticipated would occur, so soon as the Electors were again called upon to return their two Members to Parliament. The following hand-bill appeared about this time : GENERAL ELECTION. To the Free, Unbought, and Independent Electors of the City of Chichester. FRIENDS, It is probable that no long time will elapse ere you are again called on to exercise your elective franchise. Electors refrain from making promises of support. One if not Two Gentlemen of unimpeachable character, independent minds, great talent, and FRIENDS TO A REFORM IN PARLIAMENT, the only remedy for suppressing the exorbitant system of plunder now carried on, intend to offer themselves to your notice, and request your support and interest, as Candidates to represent this City in Parliament. Keep yourselves therefore free from the trammels with which it is wished to inthral you. May 18, 1830. Your Well-wisher, AN ELECTOR. It was generally understood that C. S. Cullen, Esq., (who had been engaged at the two preceding elections; in the first as counsel for Sir Godfrey Webster, and in the second had volunteered his services as agent for the electors of the city, in what was usually termed the Radical interest), would offer himself, whenever an opportunity occured, as candidate for their suffrages. But it was as generally understood that whether Mr. Poyntz retired or not, he would be sure to encounter a strenuous opposition in his endeavours to be returned as a Member for the City. The following address of Mr. Cullen, soon set at rest all doubt on the subject. To the Electors of the City of Chichester. GENTLEMEN, I am informed that you already begin to take an interest in knowing who are likely to present themselves to you as Candidates for the honour of representing you in Parliament, whenever a dissolution shall take place, Those among you who have hitherto entertained charitable and kind opinions of my motives, and my capacity to serve them, need no new assurance from me of my determination to redeem the pledges I have often given them, of my intention to offer myself for their choice: but I think, that even those who have not entertained the same favourable disposition to me are entitled to the respect, which now induces me to communicate to them my resolution to request their support also. My opinions on two of the subjects most important, not only to the country but to every county and city in it, namely, Parliamentary Reform, and Law Reform, are well known to you. With regard to the first---I approve of the most extensive plans that have been proposed in Parliament. I am resolved also to give my support to any efficient plan of a less extensive nature, and I think my approbation of the most extensive ones chiefly important to you, as guarantee of the sincerity, earnestness, and efficiency with which I shall labour to promote and procure for you, such a Reform as may reconcile the greatest number of parties and persons out of the House of Commons to unite in its support. I shall especially endeavour, if you'return me to Parliament, to procure the enactment of such laws regarding Elections as will promote sobriety, quiet, freedom, and honesty ; and tend to make good order and patriotism predominate over riot, selfishness, meanness, perjury, bribery, and other vices, which now too often deform the history of all Election Contests, and degrade also the characters of most Members and their Constituents. With regard to Law Reform, it is necessary to observe, that it is a subject requiring not only great labour but great boldness; for there are multitudes of prejudices and multitudes of interests to overcome, before we can expect to accomplish such reforms as may render the administration of justice cheap and speedy, and carry it home to all men's homes or neighbourhood. The misery produced by the present dilatory forms of law, and the ruin produced by the innumerable and enormous expences of law, form some of those subjects of indignation and mourning among all wise and good men, which are undeniably to be imputed to the want of a full, fair, and free representation of the people in Parliament. They are the sources of much vexation and affliction to the rich; of absolute destruction and outlawry to the poor. I shall have to appear before you under new circumstances, and I shall deem it my duty to contribute, even as a Candidate, and still more as your Member, as far as I can, to promote that concord among all, which may well exist without any sacrifice of individual opinions, or of the independence of any, and to lead the way or to follow others in any designs for the improvement and prosperity of the City. There are so many modes of contributing to those objects, which present themselves strongly to my mind, that I feel persuaded, that I should be enabled, if returned as your Representative in Parliament, to render so much service to the City, and should exert myself with so much earnestness to promote the general interests of the Inhabitants, that I should, at a subsequent Election, receive the support of all parties in the City. If it should be my fortune to become the Representative of Chichester, I shall have Constituents of whom I shall have reason to be proud, and of whose honour I may boast in other places. And they, too, if they confer such honour upon me, shall have a Member of whom they shall not need to be ashamed; for I will deceive no man, truckle to none, nor even flatter any for their Votes. I will, however, visit every Elector. First to afford to those to whom I am unknown, the opportunity of such conversation with me as may enable them to satisfy their own minds in the vote they will have to give; and Secondly, that I may avail myself of the occasion to make the acquaintance of many Inhabitants of the City, without whose acquaintance and society it will be impossible for me efficiently to exert myself in Parliament, for the promotion of all those objects, in which I am persuaded I should have the sanction of the private sympathy and concurrence of all those persons, who are willing to make the means of attaining our common object the subject of friendly discussion and conversation. I know not if the rumour be true, that Mr. Poyntz intends to retire from the representation of your City; but if it be true none of the parties in the City, who are in the slightest degree desirous of Reform of Parliament or efficient Reforms of the Law, can any longer have any disposition to withhold their Votes from me; nor am I likely to have any Reformer as a competitor for your suffrages, for I feel confident, that any sincere and earnest Reformer would refuse to throw the slightest obstacle in the way of the return by you of a person who has so long fought the battle of Reform in your City, has obtained the good wishes and interest of so great a number of you, and who is entitled to flatter himself that he has won your confidence and received your encouragement, not only by numberless pledges and proofs of his devotion, but also by sacrifices of professional benefit, to the amount of which he must still add by continuing to devote himself to your service. If, therefore, the rumour to which I have alluded be true, I shall, I feel confident, have the distinguished honour of proving to you in Parliament, how earnestly and actively I shall be Your very faithful and obedient Servant, Derby Street, London, C. SINCLAIR CULLEN. It soon appeared that the speculations of those who were most interested in the selection of Mr. Cullen's opponents, had |