Mr. Thomas M'Combie then proposed, and Mr. J. P. Fawkner seconded, the "Nomination of Earl Grey, Her Majesty's Principal Secretary of State for the Colonies, as a fit and proper person to represent the City of Melbourne in the Legislative Council of New South Wales." There were many friends of Mr. Robinson present, but they had the tact and good taste to withdraw him from the now inevitable contest. A show of hands was asked for, and announced to be most unmistakably in favour of Grey. Foster was not in attendance, and for some time it was hoped a poll would not be demanded; but six electors were found for the purpose, and it was appointed for the following day. The half-dozen citizen-electors who thus nailed their colours to the Fosterian mast were Messrs. Henry Moor, James Hunter Ross, A. F. Mollison, John Duerdin, Frederick G. Dalgety, and Dr. Thomas Black, or three attorneys, one squatter, one merchant, and one physician. A vote of thanks was, on the motion of Mr. W. Kerr, passed to Mr. J. P. Robinson, the late member; and no one ever deserved it more. The gathering then separated with loud cheers for "Grey" and "Non-election," and a round of hissing for the Foster followers.
As an evidence of the prevailing apathy it may be mentioned that, out of a constituency of 935, only 397 votes were recorded, viz.:—For Earl Grey 295, Foster 102; majority 193. On the 27th the official declaration was made, when the Right Honourable Earl Grey was declared duly elected. A protest, setting forth various technical objections to the return, was presented, which the Returning Officer promised to transmit with the writ to Sydney.
Mr. M'Combie returned thanks for the high honour conferred on his nominee, and so ended the queerest election episode that ever occurred in the colony.
The Greyites, elated with what they had done, considered it advisable to get up a public demonstration, and an influential meeting was held at the Mechanics' Institution on the 31st July. The Mayor was in the chair, and in addition to a resolution vindicating the action taken at the election, a memorial to Earl Grey was adopted, setting out in detail the reasons which led up to his Lordship's return. This document was in fact an elaborate statement of the case for Port Phillip. It was from the pen of Mr. Edward Curr, and characterized by all that gentleman's clearness of diction, calm logical reasoning, and fulness of information. It was ordered to be transmitted through the usual official channel, accompanied by a letter to the Governor of New South Wales, asking His Excellency to reserve the revenues of Port Phillip in the Province, pending a reference to the Secretary of State.
Nomination of "Noble Lords."
Geelong was ever watching Melbourne with a jealous eye, and whenever a chance offered, the Geelongites were only too glad to have a slap at the capital. Whatever public step was taken in Melbourne, some local counter demonstration was made there. Geelong, therefore, would not permit the "Non-election movement" in the district, and accordingly a public meeting was held there on the 2nd August, 1848, to remonstrate against such "high-handed doings." Mr. Charles Sladen was Chairman, and resolutions were unanimously passed protesting against the disfranchisement of the District, and memorializing the Governor to issue a new writ, in which Geelong should be notified as the chief polling place. The Executive in due time complied, and the newspapers entered on an excited typographical warfare; the Argus, Patriot, and Gazette, going in strongly for "Non-election," the Herald, Geelong Advertiser, and other Western journals going as strongly the other way. Meanwhile a public meeting of "Non-electionists" was held in Melbourne, whereat it was proposed that in order not to embarrass the Government, five British Peers or members of the English Cabinet should be nominated; and the reason for so doing was that unless "some sort of members" were elected for the District, there were strong doubts as to whether the Legislature of New South Wales would be legally constituted. After some discussion the proposition was agreed to, and the notabilities selected as candidates were the Duke of Wellington, Lord Brougham, Lord J. Russell, Lord Palmerston, and Sir Robert Peel. Furthermore, a delegation, consisting of Captain Cole, and Messrs. J. S. Johnston, and J. P. Fawkner, was commissioned to proceed to Geelong and effect the necessary nominations. A contra meeting was convened at Geelong, where it was determined that there should be a bona-fide election, and a committee was named to select five suitable candidates. The nomination under the second or new writ came off at Geelong on the 21st September, when the "pro-electionists" put forward the following candidates,
