The “Haddiscoe Swamp” had caused a great difficulty on the East Suffolk line, which was consequently still not open for traffic.
William Howlett, “Red” bill-poster, and Robert Crisp, “Blue” bill-poster, had been before the Magistrates owing to a dispute arising out of the election placards.
April 30th.—Both parties had been holding nightly meetings of a “convivial character.” On Wednesday some 300 to 400 persons had paraded the town shouting “Down with Lacon and Stracey,” and had broken the windows of the Red Committee rooms in the Market-place.
took place on the Hall Plain; the platform, in the centre of which was reserved a place for the Mayor and the Candidates and friends, being on the Crown and Anchor “leads.” The Blues were to the left of the Mayor and the Reds to his right; and in front of the house there was at the time proceedings commenced an assemblage numbering 4,000 or 5,000, including a number of females. The Liberals were the first to arrive on the “leads,” and on Mr. Watkin showing himself to the crowd, he was loudly cheered, a compliment which the candidate duly acknowledged. Shortly afterwards the approach of the Conservative party was indicated by the deep groans of the crowd, who manifested some indications of hostility: but on its being discovered that the Conservative cavalcade was headed by a party of very pugilistic-looking persons, decorated with red ribbon, the threatening attitude of the crowd was somewhat modified, and the two Baronets, with their friends, were allowed to ascend to the “leads” unmolested. When the two parties had taken their places on the balcony, the Liberals proposed three cheers, which were given by the great majority, accompanied by the groans of the minority. A number of “beery” individuals struggled to the front, and were a source of annoyance to the speakers throughout. A few minutes before three o’clock the Mayor arrived in state, preceded by his sergeants-at-mace, and accompanied in his carriage by Mr. C. J. Palmer, who acted as his solicitor for the occasion. When his Worship appeared in the balcony the Blues, for some reason, commenced hissing him, much to the disgust of several of the leading gentlemen of the Liberal party, who protested against such unseemly proceedings. We may state, before attempting to report the numerous speeches that were delivered, that during the whole of the proceedings—more especially when it was the turn of the Conservatives to speak—the crowd was exceedingly disorderly, and by their loud shouting and groaning rendered most of the speakers inaudable to persons a few yards distant from them. The Mayor was grossly insulted at the commencement, and as the proceedings progressed several fights were got up, and the interference of the police was frequently required. Anything more unreasonable and unreasoning than the majority of the crowd it would be impossible to conceive, and when the nomination closed there did not seem to be any person in the balcony opposed to the opinion of the Mayor—that the “whole thing was a farce.” One side of the question was not heard at all, and the majority shouted without knowing what about. This was singularly illustrated during the speech of Mr. Watkin, when that gentleman took upon himself the functions of the returning-officer, by calling upon the crowd for a show of hands, which, singularly enough, was against him. Mr. Watkin said, “All those that don’t want me to go to the poll, hold up their hands.” A forest of hands was exhibited to the great amusement of the Conservatives, who cheered the result. Mr. Watkin then told his friends that they were mistaken, and having explained the mistake to them, assuring them that they were too intelligent to vote him down, he took another show of hands, which was in his favour. We shall be excused for commenting upon the proceedings here; but the disorder and noise was so great that, as most of the speakers could not be heard, we are necessitated to do it, in order to make our report intelligible. From the beginning to the end “noise” had it in numbers; but in fighting the honour seemed to be with the Reds, who exhibited considerable proficiency in the pugilistic art. The crowd, which was very closely packed, was divided into two sections, the Blue and the Red, the former having about ten to one of the latter. At times both sections were very ill-behaved, but their misconduct was kindly overlooked by the whole of the speakers except Mr.