In 1794 J. Smyth, Esq. vacated his seat by accepting the office of one of the lords of the Treasury, and was reelected without opposition from any quarter. The general election in 1796 brought forward Lord Gallway. The long connection of his Lordship's family with the borough, the liberality of the family to the inhabitants, as well as his Lordship's property, gave him a considerable interest, and Col. Sotheron judged it most prudent to decline offering himself as a candidate. In consequence of this his Lordship and the Hon. J. Smyth were returned, May S0th, without opposition. At the general election 1802, Lord Gallway declined, and R. Benyon, Esq. offered on his interest. The Hon. J. Smyth stood again. After these gentlemen had commenced their canvas W. Wrightson, Esq. offered himself as a candidate. He was supported by several neighbouring gentlemen; but finding when he had finished his canvas that he should not succeed, he declined previous to the poll commencing. The two other candidates were of course returned. At the general election in 1806, R. P. Milnes, Esq., supported by Lord Gallway's interest, offered himself, together with the Hon. J. Smyth. No opposition was at first expected. From a concurrence of circumstances, a third candidate at length came forward, the son of the ancient and noble family of Saville. His Lordship's connection with the volunteer corps rendered him a formidable opponent. Although he had the disadvantage of commencing his can vas after the other two gentlemen had nearly finished theirs, yet he met with considerable support; and the assurance his Lordship received from such as had previously promised their votes, rendered it certain what would have been the result, had he offered himself earlier. The contest chiefly lay between his Lordship and the Hon. J. Smyth. After a warm and violent contest, and carried on till his Lordship had not a man to poll, the old member, together with R. P. Milnes, Esq. was returned. The number of votes stood as follows, Lord Pollington 324, R. P. Milnes, Esq. 484, Hon. J. Smyth 371, At the general election in 1807, the same candidates again offered for the borough. Flattered by the reception he had before met with, Lord Pollington again came forward; and becoming the popular candidate, nearly received a vote from every one of the electors. The contest being between the two late members, as might be expected, was arduous and sufficiently violent. The two parties were nearly equal in strength; the one being supported in general by the tenantry of Lord Gallway, and the interest which his own respectable family, residing near the town, naturally creates; the other by the attachment of old friends, and the important services he had rendered to the borough. Every art, usual on such occasions, was tried by each party to turn the popular mind, and bring the struggle to a successful conclusion. At last the poll commenced, and during the first day the two parties kept so near to each other, that there was only a difference of one vote at the conclusion. The next day the battle was equally well fought; and when the poll closed, R. P. Milnes was only nine a head of his opponent. He and Viscount Pollington were returned. Thus terminated the arduous struggle; and the Hon. J. Smyth, who by his persevering exertions had secured to the inhabitants their rights, after having been in parliament twentythree years as their representative, found himself the unsuccessful candidate. This event did not arise from want of attachment in his friends, but from circumstances which no prudence could avoid, nor any influence counteract. In the course of twenty years a new race had sprung up; many strangers had come to reside in the borough; and it is natural to suppose that these would not feel all the respect for the old rerepresentative which his tried friends might wish. In short these being wholly indifferent to past transactions, were ready to give their votes as their connections, prejudices, or expectations might influence. The friends of this gentleman have testified the highest respect for his past services; and so long as fair freedom is esteemed the Engishman's birth-right, so long as the elective franchise, shall be deemed a privilege; so long will the name of Smyth be associated with freedom in the borough of Pontefract. The following is a list of the Members returned for Pontefract. 16th JAMES 1. 1620, George Skillet,-Edmunds Sands, Jun. 21st JAMES I. 1624, Sir Tho. Wentworth, Sir John Jackson. 1st CHARLES I. 1625, Sir John Jackson,-Sir Rich. Beaumont, 1st CHARLES I. 26, Sir John Jackson, Francis Foljambe. 3rd CHARLES 1. 29, Sir John Jackson, Sir John Ramsden. 15th CHARLES 1. 40, Sir John Ramsden, Sr. G. Wentworth, 16th CHARLES 1. 41, Sir George Wentworth, (Wolley)-Sir G. Wentworth, (of Wentworth House,) 46, Henry Arthington,-William White. 11th CHARLES II. 58, John Lord Lambert,-John Hewley 60, Sir Geo. Saville,-William Lowther, 61, Sir John Dawney-William Lowther, 78, Sir John Dawney,-Sir Patientius Ward, 81, Sir John Dawney,-Sir Patientius Ward, 85, Lord Downe, Sir Thomas Yarborough, 88, Lord Downe, Sir Thomas Yarborough, .90, Sir John Bland, Henry Downe, 95, Sir William Lowther,-Robert Moncton, 98, John Bright, Sir John Bland, 1701, William Lowther,-Sir John Bland, 14, Hugh Bethel,-Sir Willlam Lowther, 22, John Lowther, Sir William Lowther,, 27, John Lowther, Sir William Lowther, 34, Lord Gallway, Sir William Lowther, - The above list is taken from Willis's Notitia Parlia mentaria. 1741, Lord Gallway,-George Pitt, 74, Sir John Goodrick,-C. Mellish, 84, J. Smyth,-Colonel Sotheron, 90, J. Smyth,-Colonel Sotheron, 96, J. Smyth,-Lord Gallway. 1802, J. Smyth,---R. Benyon, 6, J. Smyth,---R. P. Milnes, RELIGIOUS SECTS. Within this town there are the ususal and prevailing denominations of professing christians, ---Catholics, Dissenters, Wesleyan Methodists, and a society of friends, commonly called Quakers. Catholics Several ancient famlies, respectable for their property in this neighbourhood, maintained an unshaken attachment to the catholic cause, tho' exposed to all the rigour of the penal statutes; and when the lenient and tolerent spirit of the age, outrun that of the law, the Catholics emerged from their obscurity, and assembled to worship according to their own modes and opinions. They ventured publicly to address the Virgin * From the restoration the list is taken from Wentworth; and the remainder from the journals. |