Welsh Journals

from voting, as he had promised to do, because I have confidence in them. You will also be so good as to tell the Tenants of my Father who voted for Mr. Pryse after promising to be neuter, like David Davies of Cafan; or like the others, stating that they would vote for Mr. Harford, and afterwards coming up and voting for Mr. Pryse, that they must pay up the arrears of rent which they may owe, by next Saturday; and forthwith put their premises into proper repair, as I cannot depend upon their word, and will not trust them in anything. And give my thanks to Michael Evans, and the two men of Pwllyrheyrne, who were neuters; and to David Davies of Adpar who voted for Mr. Pryse; and to John Jenkins, John Morris, and Henry Davies, and accept the same for yourself, as voters for Mr. Harford, for not deceiving me with false statements. If there are any others whose names have at this moment escaped me, who have voted exactly as they told me they would vote, thank them for me whether they are neuters, or voted for either Mr. Harford or Mr. Pryse, because they are men that I feel I may place confidence in. As for those that have gone from their word, you may tell them, that unless they repent of their insincerity, and behave in future as trusty and independent men, they must not look upon me as their friend. Yours very truly Edw. Cr. Lloyd Hall. For the next twenty years this question of 'free voting' became of paramount importance and finally disappeared only after the passing of the Ballot Act.13 Some of the landowners who were against the secret ballot argued that a tenant's vote cast at his direction was merely an obligation of tenancy, and that there was nothing morally wrong in this. The Pryses of Gogerddan, however, gave every possible support and a practical lead to the movement to free every tenant farmer from the liabilities of such a dubious obligation. The election songs of this period hail them for their radical sympathies, and such Welsh papers as Baner ac Amserau Cymru1* are profuse in both their news and editorial columns of the prominent part played by Sir Pryse Pryse in the election of 1868, which culminated in so many evictions as to warrant a Parliamentary inquiry. The election accounts of the last century make interesting reading today, and for this reason a list of selected items paid during the 1849 contest is printed as an appendix, as are also two of the many election songs sung in praise of the Pryses. The following summary of bills paid during the 1852 election makes interesting comparison with the election expenses of a candidate in the previous century. 1 The cost, itemised in the full account, and separately given for Aberystwyth, Cardigan, Lampeter, Adpar, and Aberaeron, is here inclusive for the five polling centres: s. d. Publicans 733 8 8 Ribbons 190 0 7 Voters' travelling expenses 181 11 2