Mr. Putland had said, but it did nothing of the sort; and Mr. Winter must have been wanting his usual acumen not to have seen that it told more in favour of those gentlemen's statements than against them, which were to the effect that in those deeds where St. Leonards was not written, the words were "In St. Mary Magdalen, in the borough of Hastings" the very words produced by Mr. Vidler in a triumphant tone to prove his case. There was no denying that the territory was in the borough of Hastings, and the committee appointed by the inhabitants had honourably consented to "Borough of Hastings" being placed immediately under St. Leonards. It was the town of Hastings that the Council intended the word Hastings to represent, and it was that, together with the abolition of the St. Leonards post-office, which the inhabitants and visitors were determined not to consent to]. Mr. Vidler continued his speech, and said, Hastings did not like to be cut down by little St. Leonards. It was the name of Hastings that was to be adored. Might he put up Hastings on his own house? Yes! replied Mr. Putland. "Then I will. We will have it Hastings, and it shall' be Hastings"
Ald. Ross, in the course of his reply, said he thought Mr. Putland had never come out with so much thunder, but it was a good job there was no thunder-bolt with it. Nothing, however that had been said affected the question. The Council did not with to take away the St. Leonards post-office [Oh, Oh!], but why should St. Leonards come and take away the best part of Hastings, where the late Mr. Burton and his ladies would not visit? The Mayor said that Mr. Burton had denied this last assertion. Ald. Ross believed what he had said was correct. He knew as much about St. Leonards as most people. He put the first brush of paint on St. Leonards [In a residence of 23 years at Hastings and 60 at St. Leonards, the first 18 of which latter the present writer had passed when Mr. Ross was speaking, the said writer was in the best possible position to prove that the Burton family not only visited Hastings, but also made purchases there, of which their own tradesmen sometimes complained]. After some desultory discussion by Messrs. Ross and Putland, and the Clerk's expression of doubt as to whether the expenses of the Mayor, Ald. Ross and Ald. Hayles as a deputation to the Postmaster-General could be legally paid by the town out of the public fund, Mr. Ross's motion was carried by 10 to 4. The Hall was nearly filled with people from both wards, who frequently gave vent to their feelings with cheers, hisses and laughter.
The further consideration of this highly-wrought dispute will be found in chapters LIX and LX. for the year 1858. More details have been given of the affair than of any other subject (not omitting even the -
