Caminnerm Erescermx.—This election, which commenced on Thurs- day, seems likely,

for a week to come, to engross not a little of the public attention. It is, in fact, a contest between the old and new systems ; and though of very little consequence in the eyes of reasonaldemen—(for if, under the present system, the people were sure of a fair hearing, what need would there be of a Reform ? and if they be not sure of a fair hear- ing, how can any one appeal to the decision of the Dorsetshire, or to the anticipated decision of the Cambridgeshire freeholders for proof of their sentiments ?)—still it is to be expected that a great deal will be made of it by the Anti-Reform party, if they happen to be successful. And as they can always calculate, in every hundred they address, that for one who thinks, there are ninety-nine who allow their neighbours to think for them, we are not certain that, even among the Reformers also, or at least among the timid and unresolved part of them, it may not have a considerable weight. Dorsetshire has been confidently appealed to in proof of the reaction which has taken place ; and, so far as concerns the present holders of the franchise, with perfect propriety. Cut off every suspected vote that was given to Lord Ashley,—give the return to Mr. Ponsonby,—still it is impossible not to see, that many hundreds of the freeholders who would not vote against the Bill, or who voted for it six months ago, have changed their opinions—that those who were passive have become active, and those who were friendly have become hostile. If in Cambridgeshire a similar result should obtain—if the Reform can- didate be thrown out there also, for one who boldly declares himself an enemy to Reform, it will undoubtedly be contended by the Anti- Reformers and the bit-by-bit Reformers, that, were a similar oppor- tunity of contest to be now afforded them in every county which in the last election changed its members, a similar result would follow. As we have said, this is no argument whatever against Reform ; butt we must admit it to be an argument against those—of which number we ourselves are—who have all along pointed to the majority of the House of Commons as a sure indication of the feelings of the country. We sincerely hope, therefore, that in Cambridge in particular, and among the Reformers of the kingdom at large, no stone will be left un- turned to secure, in a constitutional way, the return of a Reform mem- ber for that county. That this will be no easy task, will be best under- stood from a short description of the parties and their supporters, as well as of the causes which led in the late election to the triumph of Reform principles.

The county of Cambridge, previous to 1800, was little else than a close borough in the hands of its great landholders; as indeed a very great number of the counties of England were, and still are. At that period, the members in undisputed possession—Mr. Yorke and Mr. J. W. Adeane—were nominated by the Earl of Hardwicke and the Duke of Rutland, as they had been for may years before. In 1802, an at- tempt was made by the popular party, which was rising into existence, to disturb the two great landholders in their security, by the nomination of Mr. Brand, in opposition to Lord C. S. Manners, the Rutland candi- date: but Mr. Brand was defeated by a large majority; the numbers being for Lord Charles 1,941, and for Mr. Yorke 1,435, while Mr. Brand had only 759. The popular interest would in all probability have re- Mined in the same state of weakness-up to this time, had not the Hard-

the

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man of an :2'2(7 ]richly

rs.dth-tit within a rd on this nova- ,e' hie ft .r .ee, which, though • I' :t sever,, t,ti,1 protracted con-

test, could not, with any prat e -•i tuned to °prose, single-handed, such a feree of le •acy that Tory party will

bring to bear tepee teg- le•Seee eelidate. The Anti-Refoen ceteedete the out of the late Sir Joseph Yorke. Mr. Yorke is a mere naval officer. IIis whole Parliamentary ex- perience is limited to tile few months during which lie Iris repre- sented the borough of Reigate, which was left vacant by the death of his father. We need not, however, say that Captain Yerke's

capahilities are the last thing whielt his lordly supporters wankl dream of investigating; his vote will swell the minority against Reform. as (SI:eat:ally as if he had Ilningliam's eloquence and Put :ham's learning. Not only has Captain Yorke the support of the I wo predomi- nating families izi the county, but lie has the liectutiary assistance of the whole band of Borough:net:eters, who are wen awere of the importance of the contest, and have combined heart and hand to insure its success. Their subscriptions are said to be liberal, and their :rents numerous:nal skilful. They rely much on their power and their purse, and not a little on their superior tactics.

Of the tactics we make little account. Frivolous objections to voters, with a view to May, IS a sword that any one can wield ; and if the Re- formers do not at mace show that in such petty warfare they ran equal their opponents, they are fools and children. Let them announce at once that for every gooil voter which the Anti-Refornu•rs shall attempt to hang up before the Assessor, they will hang up one as good ; and this paltry trickery will be at once put down. We would, in such a case, send a voter to the Assessor for the colour of his small-clothes, sooner than be beaten in a race where no one can come in first but by the per- mission of his opponent. But the influence and the purse are solid affairs, which are not so easily conquered. Can we oppose to either the enthusiasm of the Reforming freeholders ? It may do a great dead—it may induce them to use their tongues ; but we fear that it is not in the nature of English enthusiasm to make any man use Iris legs. The most remote nook of the " isle" is not forty miles from the county town; but were it only four, we could have no hope that any freeholder wotild be guilty of the extravagance of walking to the poll. Vehicles must be procured, and to procure veltieles money must he raised. The subscription in the county is not inconsiderable, but it is quite inadequate to the wants of the occasion. It therefore behoves the Reformers at large, of England, Scotland, and Ireland, to conic forward at once, and heartily, in behalf of this contest of principle. If the Reformers of London only were to subscribe but half-a-crown apiece, the sum thus collected would, we be- lieve, be amply sufficient to do all that is required. We are assured that there are at the least 80.000 in the metropolis to whom such a stun would lie not the slightest sacrifice, and who would freely give it if they were directly applied to. The only way of applying is—not by meetings and speeches, but by going from door to door and asking. One man for every fifty houses would be sufficient to do this, and a couple of hours on Monday forenoon would he ample time for an appeal to the patriotism of each of the fifty occupants. By Monday evening, every street in London might lie visited, and the collections transmitted to the worthy bankers, Grote and Prescott, who have proffered their services to take charge of the subscriptions. And with 10,0001., in addition to what has been already subscribed, we would back Mr. Townley against all the Yorkes and Manners in England. was made to return a secouil sei-dtsent Poe tie': of Mr..Adeane ; whose father succeeitel ttzir sat for several Parliaments on tile i. .1 !:.' flit, because the Ilardwirke votes t- didate. In 1830, Lord Ilardwi•'.•. he was returned ; adie by the

turn was without .,t••• -

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haying ;me land - or of its -- Hiding ality the' ,• • • • two greet derived its !,,,•

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stilted the cause u. ele by l.c.'s did not attend regultely, than in rise would tittle:1 t al VoLf2 ance, risking tile strenethen He et. Anti-reformers possess. The i• •

as it vets elite to the rie • all the

put down '!' That respeetal,le v , and

few miles of Cambridge. te -- .

sion free of expense. 1 ts'le• • •

respectable, is not tie

wicke family so far forgotten the craft of their ancestry* as to forsake their alliance with the house of Mall nerS, and to unite themselves with

the people. The consequence of this linloi; • •'!ism was the return of

Lord F. Osborne in 11110, and his contint,- -• I representation up

to the period of his resignation the 'hie r • In Ilene an attempt in the person Peyton in 1799, and

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rowed the fag-end of one of Sir Charles Wetherell's speeches for the occasion. The nomination was seconded by Sir Charles Wale. Captain

Yorke addressed the meeting at considerable length. Ile denied that he Lad any party connexion with the Duke of Rutland, though the Duke had promised to support him in the contest for the county. The Captain professed himself a friend to economy, and he was ready to dis- franchise any borough when it was proved guilty! He spoke of Reigate as possessing 217 voters,—though it possesses but 217 houses, only 78 of which are above 101. per annum ; and described its elections as free,— though the last contest was so far back as 1722! Ile added, that it contained nearly 3,000 inhabitants,—the actual number being 1,328 ! lie described the 50/. tenant-at-will clause,—a clause which, it is now evident, was foisted into the Bill merely to give the Anti-Reformers an ad eaptandum topic on which to insist in their addresses to the agricultu- rists. He went on to say that the Bill would place the entire elective power in the hands of the lower ranks of the people ; and read a quo- tation from one of Hunt's speeches, to prove that the Bill was a mere delusion, for giving all the power in the kingdom to the Whigs.

Lord Russell proposed Mr. Townley; and the nomination was se- conded by Mr. Childers. Mr. Townley shortly addressed the meeting. He professed himself a steady friend to the Bill, but said he would give a pledge to no man living ; a saving which some fools cheered,—as if any man of sense or honesty could be degraded by pledging himself to the performance of what he thought right. But Whigs will be Whigs to the end of the chapter.

At the close of the nomination, a vote of thanks to Lord F. Osborne was passed, after a feeble effort of Mr. Professor Prime to stop it. The Rev. Dr. Lamb addressed the freeholders at some length, and in the course of his speech severely blamed the vote of the Bishops.

The polling began at three o'clock, and finished at half-past four; when the numbers were declared—for Townley, 147 ; for Yorke, 141.

The poll at the close of the second day (Friday) stood thus—Town- ley, 1,081 ; Yorke, 855 ; majority for the Reform candidate, 226. 'Mr. Townley addressed the meeting, and congratulated them on the promising aspect of the contest. Captain Yorke also spoke on the same subject. Be ridiculed, of course, the triumphant tone in which the ad- vance of his opponent was treated. He severely commented on the speech of Dr. Lamb of the former day. Mr. Adeane afterwards addressed the meeting in favour of Mr. Townley's pretensions. In the course of the day, Lord John Russell appeared on the hustings, and gave his vote for Mr. Townley : his Lordship was very loudly cheered. The day, contrary to what we experienced in London, was extremely fine; and the weather seems to have operated favourably both on the losing and the winning party—the most perfect good humour prevailed. Among the on Bits, is one which gives to the Earl of Hardwicke—the .Lord Lieutenant of Cambridgeshire, and uncle and patron of the Anti- Reform Captain—the merit, such as it is, of having subscribed 10,0004 towards the expenses of the contest.

LIVERPOOL Eeecrmer.—The polling commenced at ten o'clock on Fri- day morning. The freemen pressed to the poll, which was taken on the new system of polling in booths. The same disparity in numbers conti- nued during the first four hours of the poll; and at three o'clock, the noble Lord, having shot rapidly a-head of his opponent, Mr. Thorneley declined the contest. The numbers at the final close of the poll, stood thus—

For Lord Sandon 1,519 For Mr. Thorneley 270 Majority for Lord Sandon 849

On Saturday, the noble Lord was chaired through the principal streets of the town.

An opinion pronounced by Lord Brougham on the excellent qualifica- tions of Lord Sandoz' [to oppose the Bill ?] was greatly dwelt on by the noble candidate's advocates, and did him good service. Viscount Sandon will go as far as his father Lord Harrowby,—that is, he will go as far as he is compelled ; which, after all, is perhaps as much as can be said for any of them, Earl Grey excepted.

PEMBROKESHIRE.—" The polling, on Saturday, the ninth day, was extremely dull, owing to the unfavourable state of the weather. Sir J. Owen gained 28 a-head on this day's poll. The numbers, on the gross poll, were these—Owen, 1.531; Greville, 1,423. In the even- ing, Mr. Greville resigned the contest as hopeless. The Reform party," says a correspondent of the Times, " are by no means discouraged at the result of this election, but are determined to enter the field of fight at a Reformed election, which the Lord knows the country requires quite as much as a Reformed Parliament. Under the present system, it is the squirearchy and the clergy who are represented in Tory counties, and not the body of the people."

Taelsrocx.—In consequence of the retiring of Lord Russell, eldest son of the Marquis of Tavistock, from the representation of Tavistock, a fresh election took place on Tuesday ; the new candidate was Colonel Russell, eldest son of Lord William Russell, and nephew of the Duke of Bedford. Lord Russell retired on account of ill health.

DROGHEDA. The honest uncompromising Thomas Wallace was on Thursday unanimously chosen member for Drogheda.—Dublin Free- inan'S Journal.