ELECTION AMENITIES.

Westport Times, Volume III, Issue 463, 9 February 1869, Page 3

ELECTION AMENITIES.

Mr Bernal Osborne, at Nottingham, spoke of his defeat as very few others would have done. He said at the hustings when the poll was declared against him : I acknowledge the poinilarity of your present senior member, Sir Robert. He is, in fact, the real working men's candidate in Nottingham. I also acknowledge the high standing and the local connections, together with the advantageous association of his name with the Robin Hoods which Colonel Wright may claim, and I say that in him ycu have a good mau. I don't know that if he had other principles that you could have a better man. I don't like his principles, but be has something about him I do like—l like his wife.' Amid the laughter and cheers of the crowd, Mr Osborne took the hand of Mrs Wright and pressed it to his lips gallantly. He then proceeded : ' From the moment when I saw two of the handsomest, two of the best, two of the most winning women in Great Britain enter into this contest, in the shape of Lady Clifton and Mrs Wright, I wrote to my wife and said, 'lt is all (J P with me.'' Mr Osborne added : ' Gentlemen we hear something of bribery at elections. I accuse you Mrs Wright of having won people by the witchery of your smile; I accuse you, Lady Clifton, of having made your husband what he is by your winning ways and your charitable hand. Though beaten, I am not disgraced. I have been defeated by two women whom I could not find the equals of.'

A disagreement arose between Mr Labouchere and Lord Enfield, Liberal candidates for Middlesex, and for pei*sonal reasons they refused to coalesce. Mr Labouchere entertained a meeting of electors at Brentford with an account of an interview he had had on the previous day. A controversy astotheexpensesaud control of the electioneering arrangements terminated with the following interchange of compliments : ' Don't be afraid,' said Mr Labouchere, ' that I shall throw the responsibility of the election upon you. If I lose my seat I shall not cry over spilt milk. I am rather fond of going to Italy at this time of the year, and I shall go there.' Whereupon Lord Enfield said, ' After what has passed to-day, I don't believe jou; I believe that you will throw it in my teeth.' Labouchere, however, was quite equal to the occasion, and replied, 'I think your conduct has been the conduct of a sneak. Good morning.'