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Chapter V.

Elections.

The Oxfordshire election of 1754, in which Wenman and Dashwood were, if not supporters of Prince Charles Edward Stuart, certainly extreme high churchmen and high Tories, and Turner and Parker, represented the Hanoverian party, caused the greatest excitement in the county. After a long and bitter struggle, Wenman and Dashwood were returned, but ultimately the House of Commons declared they were not entitled to the seats, and Parker and Turner were declared to be duly elected. The whole of the Souldern voters plumped for the Tories. Three out-voters supported the Liberals. The following are the names of these Souldern electors—William Bates, Robert Bignell, Thomas Bignell, James Gibbs, Drope Gough, John Hill, William Hill, Edward Hyett, John Jeffs, John Robbins, John Russell (rector), Ferdinando Southam, John Westcar, Thomas Westcar. The out-voters are as follows―John Austin (Oxford), ― Gould (London), John Lord and Samuel Trotman (clerk) voted (Butler's Marsh) for Dashwood and Turner.

At the election of 1826 the candidates were Mr. Ashurst, Mr. Fane and Mr. Stratton. The first-named gentlemen were Tories after Lord Eldon's own heart. Mr. Stratton, though agreeing with them on most points, was considered (particularly by the clergy) as a dangerous man, being in favor of negro enancipation, and an advocate for the introduction of steam as a means of locomotion and cultivation. The Souldern electors pulled as follows—For Ashurst and Fane: Thomas Barrett, Thomas Bates, John Boddington, — Cartwright, IHenry Essery, John Merry, William Minn, John Risley, Shuckburgh Risley, Richard Scott, Richard Smith and George Sweatman. For Stratton: John Bates, John Boddington, George Fathers, Robert Rogers, and William Rogers.

1830. The candidates at this election were Sir George Dashwood, Mr. Fane, and Lord Norreys. All the voters plumped for Dashwood and Fane. Their names are as follows — Thomas Barrett, John Bates, John Blizzard, John Boddington, Samson Boddington, John Bonner, John Clifford, George Fathers, John Hill, Seth Hughes, George Marsh, John Merry, William Minn, Samuel Neal, John Risley, Shuckburgh Risley, Thomas Rogers, Richard Smith and Richard Sweatman.

1837. The candidates were Mr. Harcourt and Lord Norreys (Whigs), Lord Parker (Tory), and Mr. Stonor (Roman Catholic). It is sufficient to say that four Souldern electors plumped for Harcourt; seven for Norreys, Harcourt and Parker; others split between Harcourt and Norreys, while there were four plumpers and two split votes for Stonor. Recent elections have been too near our own time to be of any interest.