Papurau Newydd Cymru

Chwiliwch 15 miliwn o erthyglau papurau newydd Cymru

Cuddio Rhestr Erthyglau

9 erthygl ar y dudalen hon

PRESENTATION OF A GOLD WATCH.

BOROUGH PETTY SESSIONS.

BOARD OF HEALTH MEETING.

BRECON BOROUGH ELECTION.

Newyddion
Dyfynnu
Rhannu

BRECON BOROUGH ELECTION. On Tuesday last, in accordance with the writ issued for the purpose of electing a Member of Parliament for this ancient Borough, a large and respectable number of electors assembled at the Town Hall. Among those present were the fol- lowing :—George Cansick, Esq., Mayor, occupied the chair, T. Lowth, Esq., D. Hughes, Esq., J. W. Marian, Esq., M. Jones, Esq., E. Jones, Esq., S. B. Evans, Esq., Rev. J. D. Williams, Rev. J. Davies, Rev. W. Williams, Adjutant Hughes, Messrs. Joseph Bass, H. C. Rich, P. Bright, T. Trew, J. Davies, J. Prothero, P. Edwards, R. T. Evans, &c., &c., &c. The meeting being opened by proclamation, The Mayor said that he was sorry to inform them that their only candidate was too ill to attend the meeting. Six years ago his fellow electors of the town of Llywell and Borough of Brecon had the opportunity of recording their votes in the same manner. He did not wish to occupy the time of those present unnecessarily they all knew the character of their representative, Col. Watkins, quite as well as he could tell them. Dr. Prestwood Lucas then rose and addressed the meeting:— In obedience to the proclamation of their gracious and beloved Queen which they had just heard they were then to proceed to the exercise of one of the most important privileges of a free people,—to choose one of themselves to represent them, their wishes and their interests in the Commons House of Parliament. It had never been his habit to take a prominent part in their public meetings, and if he then departed from his usual, and to himself more congenial line of conduct, it was only because he had been asked to do so by some of his fellow townsmen in so kind and flattering a manner, that it might have implied a want of proper feeling and of due respect to those who came to him had he re- fused to comply with their wish. It might also perhaps have been fairly urged against him, that a man who, when duly called upon to do so, refused to take his share in the public business of the place in which he lived, was neglecting a very clear duty, and forfeited his claim to be regarded as a good citizen. If for a moment he felt inclined to avoid that duty, it was not most assuredly, that lie was ashamed of his political creed, or afraid of avowing it. He had held and cherished liberal principles among his deepest and most settled con- victions, from the earliest period at which his mind became capable of taking an intelligent interest in politics. In all that he had ever read of Ancient or Modern History he had found that nations had risen to the highest pitch of grandeur and power whose political institutions had been such as to give scope to the fullest and freest growth and development of all national convictions, of all national aspirations, and to the freest expression of every national want. And on the other hand, where all this had been crushed and trodden down by the sheer force of arbitrary power,—where it has been attempted to establish systems of un- changeable social and political conditions,-there the nation had become degenerate in spirit, cramped in intellect, impoverished in all the elements of material prosperity, in all that could constitute a great and happy people. For a good and wise political system—one that, truly adapted to the wants and conditions of a people, could never be, like crystallised matter, unchangeable in form and incapable of improvement; it must bear within it a principle of life, of growth, and of progress, which was to expand and flourish through future generations. Nor was the possibility of such a poli- tical system a mere dream of the imagination; for making due allowance for the necessary imperfec- tion of all humanfcontrivamces, the ideal had been realised; it actually existed in the spirit of the laws and institutions of our own country, and was, as he steadfastly believed, most expressively set forth, in what, for want of a more definite form of speech, they called liberal principles. He trusted that what they were to do that day might be accepted as a declara- tion of their earnest attachment to those principles and of their resolution to maintain them. When they looked back over only the brief period of the exist- ence of the late Parliament, how much prosperity, re- sulting from the working of those principles, had they not to acknowledge? So much, indeed, that it might become a great snare to them, leading them to an overweening and impious presumption, if chey failed to recognise and give glory to that Great Being who alone was the primarysource of all theirnatioxiil hap- piness and power. They could not but rejoice and be thankful for the wonderful prosperity of the nation under the government of the gifted statesmen by whom its affairs were administered. It would be only repeating what had already been presented to the country by others in so many different forms, if lie were to detail the beneficial results of the measures which had marked the career of their liberal government; how they had been kept at peace in circumstances most perilous and difficult; how the fetters which encumbered trade, and so tar obstructed the free course of the national pros- perity, had been struck off one after another-and what a marvellous developement of their commerce had been the happy consequence; how their taxation had been lessened by millions, whilst the yet unim- paired elasticity of their national resources had sufficed to keep up the revenue at its required level. In truth, it seemed to him that if the wis- dom and excellence of an administration might be fairly tested by the success of its measures, the present one might boldly challenge comparison with any that had gone before it, and justly claim the cordial and grateful approval of the nation. It was with such convictions that he then stood be- fore them to claim the support of their suffrages, when he proposed as their Representative in the new Parliament, Colonel Lloyd Vaughan Watkins. He had served them in Parliament long and faithfully, with one short interval he be- lieved ever since 1832. His free and indepen- dent votes had always been given as the great majority of them would have wished them to be, in support of liberal measures and liberal adminis- trations. He (Dr. Lucas) used the words free and in- dependent votes advisedly: lor they hadalwavs sent him (Col. Watkins) to Parliament, not as their dele- gate shackled with pledges; but with all freedom of judgment and of action as their Representative. Such he conceived to be the true relation which according to the spirit of the British Constitution, ought to exist between a Member of Parliament and his constituents. His (Col. Watkins's) constant and exemplary attention to his parliamentary duties had been attested by the appearance of his name in the lists of every important division in the House of Commons. Whoever might be absent, our member was always at his post. With the unvarying con- sistency of Col. Watkins's political career they had every reason to be satisfied and they would then only stamp it anew with their approval when they re- elected him to be the Member in Parliament for this ancient Borough. Mr. Jones, chemist, then rose and addressed the meeting:— Mr. Mayor and Brother Burgesses)-- Ile felt much obliged to Mr. Alderman WilliaMS) Chairman" of Col. Watkins's Committee, for the most kind letters he had sent him to Aberystwith, stating it was unanimously resolved that he should be appointed to second the Colonel's nomination, accompanied with an urgent request that he should be present and accept at the hands of his brother tradesmen the mark of their confidence and approval of his consistent and straightforward conduct for so many years. This request he had acceeded to with the most grateful feelings for the unexpected compli- ment and honour conferred on him by his friends, and returned home last evening to be present at that election. At past contested elections they had seen the electors assembled in two opposite and hostile divisions, but they had now to rejoice at the unity that prevailed among them. Onlookmgaiound this meeting he had a vivid recollectio elec- tion of 1832, and could picture to himself, a host of countenances which then were no more. Alth ough that generation had nearly all disappeared, another had risen up in their stead. Provided the mantle of those brave Independents and noble men should descend upon their-sons, this Borough would always be secure from a Conservative innovation. He much regretted with Dr. Lucas that the Colonel was too un- well to be present. He (Mr. Jones) was one of the oldest of his friends who voted for him in the year 1832. In all his decisions at elections ever since, in the Borough or County, there or elsewhere, he had acted in accordance with the dictates of his judg- ment and conscience. Provided the same course were adopted by every elector there would be no doubtful voters, no neuters, and no necessity what- ever for the Ballot. He rejoiced to find so much zeal and unanimity among Col. Watkins's friends in taking upon themselves the entire care, burden, and expense of his return. Mr. Alderman Wil- liams, their excellent Chairman, deserved all praise. He had been for many years the recognized head of the Liberal party-their guide, counsellor, and adviser. Previous to his seconding the nomi- nation of Col. Watkins, he begged to state that his personal good-will to the inhabitants of Brecon, his endeavours to promote the political, agricultural, and general interests of their town, and his prompt and kind personal attention to the wishes of his constituents have endeared him to all classes, to each political party, and to religionists of every denomi- nation. He might also add, that Col. Watkins is now a thoroughly experienced and veteran politician, and had been the representative of that Borough for upwards of thirty years, greatly to the benefit of the town of Brecon, where he had in years gone by, spent scores of thousands of pounds, and "had he still a fountain of wealth, he would still diffuse it in profusion among them. He has always given his steady support to the many important measures that, during the eventful period since the passing of the Reform Bill of 1832, had conduced to the wealth, greatness, freedom, and prosperity of this happy country. His attention to the > duties he undertook had been unwearied, his attendance in the House of Commons most praiseworthy; indeed, there are few names so rarely absent from the division list of the House as the gallant Colonel's. Should he in the course of many years hence, arising from advanced age, with its attendant m- firmities, relinquish his political career, give up his stewardship, he trusted he would do so with most joyous feelings, arising from an inward conscious- ness, on a retrospective view of the same, that he had acted with fidelity to his own conscience, with fidelity to the best interests of his constituents, and with fidelity to the welfare of the nation at large. Such a course would ensure to himself the well-earned and the deserved plaudits of all whom he so faithfully served. With heartfelt pleasure he then seconded the nomination of Col. Lloyd Vaughan Watkins:as, most worthy to be their future representative in the Common's House of Parlia- ment. The Mayor then said that it had been most ably proposed and seconded that Colonel Lloyd Vaughan Watkins should be the Representative for the Borough of Brecon, it became his duty to enquire if anyone present had any one else to propose ? (Loud cries of No, no," and Nobody else.") Then it afforded him much pleasure to inform the meeting that Colonel Lloyd Vanghan Watkins was duly elected their Representative in Parlia- ment for the next term. (Great and prolonged cheers.) He would ask if there was any gentleman present that wished to address the meeting, to come forward at once. (Cries of Mr. Louth.") Mr. Louth said that it would be unnecessary for him to occupy their time. He had the pleasure of being connected with the family of Col. Watkins, a better disposed gentleman never lived. He had seen in the newspapers that the electors of the Borough of Brecon intended re-electing Colonel Watkins, free of expense or trouble (hear hear). He viewed it as an act that would reflect credit on the electors of the Borough of Brecon so long as it would be a Borough, a beautiful act of kindness, a most gracious act, an act expressive of olden times, which stood out in one of the brightest colours, and which would be remembered by the country at large, for which he returned them his most sincere and heartfelt thanks. He would therefore propose a vote of thanks to the Chairman, which was seconded by Mr. Joseph. The Chairman acknowleged the compliment and the meeting dispersed in peace.

ORDINATION AT NARBERTH.

Family Notices

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