at a time when the parliamentary representation carmarthenshire was largely dependent on informal agreements between prominent local landowners to avoid contested elections much emphasis was placed upon appealing to a broad range of what was regarded as 'moderate' opinion. jones's address to the electors when seeking re-election in 1857 reflects this as he declared that "i shall, if re-elected, be prepared to give my independent, but not indiscriminate, support to any government which shall bring forward measures that may appear to me likely to promote the common welfare." nominating jones at carmarthen shortly after, w.r.h. powell of maesgwynne declared that "they no longer saw the red and blue flags unfurled, which to his mind was an evidence that party feeling was dying out in the country".