Page:Lady Anne Granard 3.pdf/274

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272
LADY ANNE GRANARD.

religious part of the community, who did not sell, and made it matter of conscience how they should give their votes, therefore attended closely to every word spoken on either side, in order to support that party who appeared the most upright person. The mayor and the greater part of the corporation belonged to this class, and several had promised Glentworth purely because they considered his opponent too young a man for so serious an office as that of representing their reformed but still ancient borough.

Thousands now stood around that palladium of British liberty, the hustings, where, in the first place, Mr. Longueville was put in nomination and duly seconded by a noble friend. The same ceremony took place with Mr. Glentworth, who was seconded by Sir Henry Scriven; after which the mayor, who presided with great propriety and impartiality, called for the show of hands, and, the voters being very numerous, and all anxious to come within ken, an universal movement took place, a rocking of the billows, for a few moments actually alarming.

To one hand the greens far outnumbered the blues; but, on the whole, they did not appear to