But "Anti-Humbug", and "Anti-Prejudice", together with Anticompulsory Vaccinationists were not the only Antis who were prominent at the same time; there was, in fact, an unusual amount of Anti-ism prevalent throughout the borough, some of it even reaching to a compound condition. There were Anti Anti-Sabbatarians, and these also sent petitions to Parliament, against the proposed anti-Sabbath measure of Sir J. Walmsley. Most of the parishes sent one each, and one for St. Mary's parish which was lying at the News office, in George street, received 202 signatures, classified as follows:-
| Clergymen and Dissenting Ministers | - - - - | 8 |
| Medical practitioners | - - - - | 5 |
| Gentlemen | - - - - | 28 |
| Brewers | - - - - | 3 |
| Tradesmen | - - - - | 63 |
| Mechanics, flymen and others | - - - - | 92 |
| Schoolmasters | - - - - | 3 |
| 202 |
The petition to the Commons was sent to P. F. Robertson, who promised to support its prayer, and the one to the Lords was sent to the Earl of Shaftesbury.
Municipal Matters
The election of Town Councillors for the West Ward resulted, contrary to general expectation in the return of Messrs. Eldridge and Tree, the out-going Councillor, Mr. Peerless, being in a minority with 120 votes, whilst Mr. Eldridge obtained 190, and Mr. Tree, 15. To prevent Mr. Eldridge's candidate for the Council in the West-Ward, as well as Mr. Harvey's in the East Ward, the dominant power of the H. I. P. S. made those two gentlemen assessors; but at the Council meeting on the 7th of November, the Clerk reported that Messrs. Eldridge and Harvey had each paid the fine of £25 to relinquish the office of Assessor, and had been elected to the Council. Thus, for once, the H. I. P. S. had overreached themselves, the onlooked-for payment of fines having thwarted their intentions. The result of the West-Ward election being to lose Mr. Peerless his seat, the St. Leonards Gazette endeavoured to show "How to Get Out of the Council".As the expiration of your term of office approaches, announce by means of placards and circulars, your intention of again soliciting the suffrages of the burgesses. Prevail on your colleague - that is, the gentleman who retires from office with you - not to allow himself to be nominated for re-election. This done, there will be an open field for a new-adventurer, with whom let there be a tacit understanding, or, - still better, - a verbal agreement not to oppose each other. But, above all things, be sure that your provisional colleague be not of that political party with whom and for whom you have done duty, as this is essential to the succes of your scheme. The party alluded to will, of course, elect the new candidate
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