The Express. — London, England, 1853-02-23 00:00:00

Zia erPreM TO CORKESPON MINT& ...NM SOW et " TIM Exprom." mogaims •Imo moMPire .." N ua..yipolotiaMil miry Temlay ?fifty mod. is si o . or rt. .nommlaimMd Exprms.*Leays. m isime pow 111. Someriminst, ly Two Vaimig ita my el IMMitimh MOH NAVIN AT LONDON BRIDGE. Ins Dair—M4flal. 21.1. a. oiww .....s ges isa Si. TML Umosio. Si. 31.. ,ONDO.V, WEDNESDAY. FEBRUARY 23. "fns elicicace already taken before the Commit tccs me* panelled to inquire into returns obtained by bribery and treating at the last general elec. tI ue su ffi ciently acCuuuts for the anxiety evinced tolettie th at maturity of cases by way of com mie. fibree privileged classes who have success- Cy contrived to baffle the intention of the Reform Bill and to recover their ascendancy ia the existing np T auten are naturally alarmed at the idea of full and complete expa-ure ; and the professional !etches who live and time° by the system participate in the apprehen.ions of those who employ them, be ing that if the truth or anything approaching to it litre fully made known, the sense of public shame and indignation would speedily become irresistible ; and suv heflicientchanges would be wrung from &reluctant Legislature as would put an end to the profits of their unclean calling. Five cases only have as yet cu sped from the smothering process of clandesUns compromise. ise Those who have opportunities of ob- Kr ving closely what is going on find little difficulty in assigning peculiar and specific reasons why , each of these cases should have been brought to light ; very different in their nature from any considerations of s public or general kind, and referable chiefly to local or personal squabbles and interests which are hardly worth examination or remembrance. But it is an ominous fact, that in every instance that hes yet been subjected to public scrutiny a few hours in quiry have sufficed to render the defence of the IMMO impugned confessedly hopeless, and in two UM where the committees have terminated their inquirAse not only have the sitting members been declared guilty of bribery by their agents, but a state of thinp Lw been disclosed implying such wide-spread de moralisation and prevalent illegality as to call for formal recommendations to the House in the report of the committees that Commissions should issue, in order that the writs should be stayed. This has been done in the case of Lancaster and in that of Canterbury, neither of them small or indigent con stituencies, but both sufficiently notorious for old habits of corruption. In the former it was proved that while some voters were bribed with five pounds. others sold their suffiegmeeo low as one pound a head. Yet, notwithstanding the wretched cheapness of the raw material of corruption, it is ge nerally understood that the completion of the precese involved a very considerable outlay of capital. There appears to have bees little excitement and no enthu siasm on either aide. It is said to have been a mere Mal of strength between rival purses, as the results of the Communion which is called for will probably show. How, then, was the money spent in hundreds and in thousands P A gra duated system of agency has long subsisted at Lan cuter, and in the working of this costly machinery of canvassing, crimping, and coercion, the greater portion of the candidate's money has usually gone. What now will happen ? By the suspension of the writ the town will be virtually disfranchised for the remainder of the present session, that is to soy, three-fourths of the constituency, who bare done no wrong will be denuded of their consti tutional rights, while legal investigation takes place into the misdeeds of the remainder. Yet such is the wretched and ridiculous condition of the law, that nobody can point out what better at the present moment can be done. Never was anything so tho roughly preposterous. The great majority of the constituency who were not to be bought because they valued aright the ir _ political franchises, are to be stripped of these franchises for months in order that inqiusition may be made into all the details of corruption in which some eespie of hundred of their townsmen have bins engaged. To talk of punishing these latter by suspending their representative privileges wail be something like drivelling. 11*ff lave gives eallisient proof of their worm than isiesse ea the abject. Detected sad Elstanehised, ate a minority ought assuredly to he. Bet a more slurry or bungling contrivance it is impesible to sosceive, than that which Weeds atenthe only chance of either detection or The acme, as we have already ob arid. et as ailed= titles being _ever brought to a hirft h mesa sit the issue et that ins be, .m a esabination of medusa and trial, whisk it would take a alma of ear spas, to esesserits Then come the sutra _gesies amnesia& with the adoptions by the two Home of Podiums* of an address to the Crown, peva_ that a comminics of Inquiry =as fallow the delays asemearily math as hsty, ad that which mast sews iher the report of the Cesusheica is made, idle as Act of Disfranchisement I. peeing hillthee* lea Homes Is it act plain that a very spades of remedkbeccose needful P One taehem the obvious of punishing the lama he the few, and exempt from the and of private caprice to ell shish the passed system is =posed to. Above illese l it dmirable that the offence itself should Ulan at of dm dieritios and control of condi dim er this eget*, ass limed in the category of Zahaishmeasse and made indictable - aad ia a aimilar manna. The present law cl what ere called qui ism motions for penal ties is utterly . inoguritive sad oboists, and Fatally speak ing neither the g t vmg nor the ==mi is as asses le by law. once ia seven unished by a thealthe el the Hones Canneyears p ons—it nominally is list the mode of remedy is a burlesque, and its =a a means of &grim' others from the per the crime it positively a hie. elm At Coartary the expeallitnre resorted to am mom kola sad indartiminate than at Linem an. • A math Wier modes at the electoral body LiPtitie have been inhaled with the taint that ll opeineg over all car large towns. It will ad de le wq tint the male emission of the trieshiss WI sass to estigetithe evil. At Cantettesq. Mee the Bohm 1114 the Wein= pries of a veto siikdheenty was thenchnlied, lei minhnsapies sassiones to as wad. We are he hea wing seals that es me await eying the entaniss of the franchise. it as a we do urge it for the rese liall essp is s= l ay ti sae atesion with the ml with lose -Mistral sal ammairy siethed of ILe We = s c h il l be m well es its mask dia lled is a bras lie of 6tbatloa between veses de .the and them who assept hike, In Gold every ether sines known to the law, the Abilities is ashaessiudged between indium! to wise end ampiemesse in it. And the penalties 'A IWA and wisely adapted to the dithrent GPM d In oar present &pastel sole as 11 1 0112 ,_ saltiect, then is all the easel= genii ler d ir tala of culpability and dimities of assai markein= never intruded to be into According to the bitter of the , a silt manias may be keel* is as d the soparbe ands at Weetadastee iley sae who hes be s z us Ted in corrupt at ° WW I & Agsint as ant and cautious eindi fete, this is too vs and hazardous an under bids,/ for any respedmide private cation; and, if alhapted by a common blamer, it is dill hoe likely h sesseeL But the besomen Wore ass. if/Gliss, whale so pea= szponsive a weapon G,_ _shied against some &waken freeman or !solvent shopkeeper in a country town. How the plaintiff to find his account in permeation of such a snit against such defendants, ally nothing of the penalties which the law hypo ._ . 4441 4 suggests as a motive, and which in the swam we have named he an never hope to Te ener! The costs which he must necessarily . incur fan in themselves an insuperable barrier in the Gff. Hence the absolute futility of the law as it stands, and hence, as it seems to us, the demon strable and demonstrative necessity for placing it on a wholly different footing. Reduce bribery to the disgraceful level of larceny, and punish it accordingly by whomsoever committed, and there *ill then be tome hope of putting a check upon the 'Nem FRANCE. , TVIIIDAT EVin xe . This morning's Motsiteur PAßlS announces that, hi e Ma jesty the Emperor has received the reply o f h er g n : Ma tannic Majesty Queen Victoria to t• - ne Em — acrar ; letter, announcing his atiarra ; L i aiaa--' similar ' answer from his Majesty King M a ß elgium. The Debuts has an article by '.° in support of the liberty of tt ' Le. .. 1) of id. John Lemoisne pres, in which Mr. Disraeli and Mr. Cobden a- The article of the Pie At toughly handled. ~.r.,_„,,atcrda_ he e l jte, which I noticed the day ...". .1 I I .e Napoleon 111. an officer of artillery." liPPev.. to-ley, word for word, in the leading zoltun'Als of the Constitidsonnet, not as an I avowed erre ,. , ct f rom the Pays, but in the form of an original le eding article. T he article in the Pays bore the to -day "Angier," that in th e (*onside gionnel is signed " lienain." Now, this fact disriroes a flagrant breach of the law committed de lilif:ratelv in scornful defiance of all decency by one or both' of the journals enjoying more than any others the immediate protection of the government. The law of 1831, imposing upon journals the obligation of signing political articles enacted expressly that the signature should be that of the true author, and heavy penalties are awarded against any person signing an article not of his own compo sition. The studied contempt of law, which is one of the most striking characteristics of the present go vernment has already manifested itself frequently in the unsigned political articles continually published in the non-official part of the Monitcur, but nothing so inexcusable as the present open and apparent breach of the statute bed hitherto invited public reproba tion. The affair has excited much remark. It is of course not to be supposed that either M. Angier or M. Deanin is the author of the utile. It was, ac cording to all reasonable probability, composed at the Tuileries, and sent to the government journals with orders to find " men of straw" to sign it. Apropos of disregard for law, it is, to say the least, exceedingly doubtful whether the Emperor has not exceeded his powers in raising the pay of the sub ofScers of the army and navy without concurrence of the Corps Legislatif. But assuming it to be clear that he has overstepped the limits of his own constitution the Corps Legislatif is helpless. They have no ini tiative, and any member who should so much as call attention to the subject would be instantly put to sentence by M. Billault. The only body in the state that can notice any illegal act of the Executive is the Senate—a collection of the most subservient men that could be found in France to accept a salary, wear a livery, and assume airs of importance while doing nothing. A Case journal, the Pilots du Calvados, has re ceived a waning for having "in allusion to theevent which had called forth from all France, and the de partment of Calvados in particular, manifestations of respectful homage and sympathy for the Emperor and Empress, made use of language as inaccurate as improper, and thereby insulting public opinion." The E mperor and Empress paid a private visit to to the Gymnase yesterday evening. This theatre is competing with the Odeon for the honour of chang ing its name to that of Theatre de l'imperatrice. The theatrical prize of 3,000 fr., founded by M. Leon Faucher, has been awarded to two new plays of last year, one_ produced at the Odeon, and the other at the Gait.. The successful piece of the Odeon is " Les Families," by M. Ernest Serret ; and that of the Gaits is " La Mendiante," by MM. Anicet Bourgeois and Michel Masson. The committee was of opinon that no work had been produced at the Francais of sufficient merit to deserve the prize they were em powered to award to that theatre. There has been again much fluctuation in the prices of the various national securities to-day; the opesiog of the market was considered strong, but towards three o'clock some indications of a desire to realise caused the Three per Cents. to fall, until they closed 10 centimes below the rates of yesterday, being last called 80f. 550. The Four-and-a-Half per Cents. were called for cash, higher even than for the account, 105 f. 83e. Bank Stock was reported ef. higher, leaving off at 2,810 f., with a better demand for foreign investment. Railway shares are nearly at a stand still, the late improvement having ap parently been quite satisfactory, both to holders sad those desirous to invest. There has been some degree of disquietude; nothing of alarm, but an uneasy feeling is openly expressed as regards the affairs of Austria and Turkey. PARIS, MONDAY BVIIMMIRI. An announcement that the Russian Minister of Marine, accompanied by Count Nesselrode's son, has left Petersburg for Constantinople on a secret mission, has been much canvassed. Many people, bearing in mind the prey of Count Leiningen in Constanti nople, to the belief that Russia and Austria are acting there with a common purpose. The Bourn to-day, after opening very well, was towards the close by a vague rumour of a ' despatch to the effect that a joint note bad been add:treed to England by several of the Easking foe the expulsion of the political re- The report met with very little credit, but . weakness of the funds during the last hour was attributed to it. These was a soiree at the Tuileries last night, for the perc i pe risi : i fireesetieg ashes of the Senate, , and Maned of State, and their Ldfis to the Immo. A large number of official periwigs, attended, bat the reception was over in a very short Maw ITALY. PIEDMONT. the Parlaw& cl Turin, of the 18th, t that =Loinr =ilitehairceibteen buy atteVa an to get up :=lllthere to emend that but did not I Tbe Twocenparuhave wadi several invests. A bill for the establishment of an electric telegraph between La Elpda, Corsica, Sardinia, and Turin was wramted to Chamber of Deputies at Turin on the 17th. AiaTrie letter, in the fiedifpntienot of Brume* mi ram teemed that 111. Charles Lab and K. Gustave slsetsdhall have 1.11 Tories, whether they had bees k y lli r ßr a i si t s • object et thek visit is to 'disk Ibithe essweedes el the Prow ditedletaa Railway. The part et the Rae bees Tashi to Sees is desimbegeseded to . = RIO& y; It is, thesellsee. Ileatiel4p *et the has we is achy Ja deite:Vim amber? le poise ea the Nies ' The ha Noel Meal fly is Raw sell,* gaped ea subject eir vanes" le whisk Pie &IMMO blokes§ eagerly tau pert AUSTRIAN ITALY. The Yams - Fase — itepailiabei - ;this . following Fo amides from the miMry =lntendant of LOCA. lardy t His I. imi R. s Apin i ke s ge2 laseje a moMF emea abodes le is a the 12th ilmet h r ...mad essel to MS I. isksaaesifeary Gemener-Ourieel. Oemel liabbily, Abseiled, that abeehmlibethe Mewl sap peonies of the moilembe of Poly& GM Asses. sred =relies of their preperip. orelt minim Mims of . live of wins Wissige, the liembeen mom of Winieftio, M three to the capuchin emme of Lugano, were, ea the night of the Illst of Nova= foreibl mile te mu ewe Amager lq mks el the lies of WM. without lIN ll= a r perdue betel premed's I mi. dm to of Switmelemil be not i p y the satiri= " retired by he I. mei R. Apse- be WI Sap and *4 OmPlfr intim elm eel& eat b eatiefestery. use memo pm- Meek of sad eresimip oememisetell le the F doe sa 4tememneut of AwiteideM. vim. the eapaiden of all dibble Amalie. in Lombardy, dra le pat dab imeilfate easeaden. la et el whisk, die latter malt vials thereamptirp three dam if a they be boded peopeleem e or ned of 24 been if *of be win Air die the proem aotiilealbe. ME' them ; sad they are warned that, in me elsibebedia 7 they will be taken to the ma dam by has; sad thee if be sob found in those pro vinces, Isbell be us to trial by court-martial. Imp. and Royal General of Artillery, Mil 16. Cover Femme 010141. The g address has been presented by a deputation of Milanese citizens to Lieutenant Mar shal Gyulai • Kg it Plolosaarl•08110=1.—Ia premeds. ouresims before year we believe that we the sea timents of the of the population et when we repel the oneggze i = ime mlielpellim. either or Wheel. kOr whisk mama on the mein eithe AIL Fetzessp i the duel ty of ash send male klub. boss provel by the mivandly peeped be haviour of the population. That party Midi, from • &boo. _ pop emmbe and arms time, is a party to Me the moieties ever was, and ever will be, • etrereger• - w• we the more eminced of the truth of whet we mina, from the goverment itself having, in its Ira preehmetion and is the ankles of its official paper, sebeewlaslipml that what bad happened was, as indeed it is, the work of a few miscreants who do sot on Ei — vßtss, _WEDNESDAY any account represent the nitrous. While we therefore repel all complicity in what has occurred, we thask your Excellency for the moderation displayed by the troops in to difficult mission of restoring order, which has no Wain been disturbed daring the last week. FoundiAg, therefore, our argument* upon the feet that the population took no part lathe lat . unhappy occurrences, so that ore.er was promptly yes eared, we pray your Excellency to be pleased to repre sent the precise state of things to his F.xoellency the Field- Marshal Count Redetzky, and to H., I, and R. Aport. Ma- Jett), and recommended the eiresat'an or suspension of the rigorous measure , 'Wilily Put in:o execution or threatened for the future. May it please, your excellency thus to re store tranquillity to the mivAds of peaceable citizen.. Such is the prayer we trust may be favourably received, knowing, as we do, your exoelleacy's high. minded and generous sentiments. With the profoundest respect, de. Thu municipal council paid in on the 16th 40,000 florins, and every sumee&iig Wednesday 30,000 flo- rins, until further orders. It is believed that this state of things may be prolonged till Easter. New troops have arrived in the city. With a letter from nerne of the 17th, we reveir‘ General Singer's proclamation published at Como: it is even sharper than at first reported. Besides the agents of' the government, every inhabitant is to render implicit obedience to the injunctions of com manders of posts; and not only disobedience, but in difference in obedience, will be followed by heavy penalties. At the close of his proclamation the general again says: "I look to the inhabitants not only for a blind obedience to my orders, but also for active concurrence, Sc." The correspondent sending this, remarks that the terms of this notification have led to the belief that something has happened in the neighbourhood of Como more than the public has yet heard of. In the Vienna Wanderer of the 16th we reed : "A deputation of citizens of Milan had the inten tion of coming hither to present en address expres sive of devotedness to his Imperial Majesty. Inqui ries had been made as to the day on which it would please his Majesty to receive the deputation. The reply was that his Majesty could receive no deputa tion so long as investigations and prosecutions con nected with the Milan affair remained unfinished." Among the persons arrested at Milan, there were a number of women and young people not more then 15 years of age. Some of them were helping to make a barricade, others were distributing wine and brandy to the revolters. On the 17th all the gates of Milan remained closed, domiciliary visits and arrests were continued. mituARY 23, 1853. of the Parke veldt the 'Asides s( end above all, they do not want the preeemunvite of each a sovereign as the Emperor of Austria; who, contrary to many sworn treaties guaranteed almost by every European power, has broken his pledges, and destroyed the last remains of liberty of confident.° and self-administration among the protestant, of Hungary. That whosoever draws a parallel between the condition of the Christian subjects of that Christian Emperor and the condition of the Christian subjects of the Turkish Sultan, in the provinces bordering upon Austrian territory, in Moldavia and Wallachia, will be compelled to de cide in favour of the latter. That in Serbia the Turkish religion is restricted to the fortresses garri soned by 'Parks. That in Bosnia the rajahs, having! revolted and been vanquished, receive in return equal civil and polkical rights. In Montenegro the Turkish government has never exercised, and does not seek to effect, the slightest interference with say religious 'or administrative matter; as also in Wallachia, Moldavia, and Serbia; and as to the re cognition t.f the independence of Montenegro, the Porte has but to remind the Emperor of the relations of Austria to Hungary and Italy." I give you these news with reserve, though I have them from good sources ; and every man may judge them u exact, considering the character of Mehemet Ali. Public opinion is very anxious to know what attitude England will take. Lord Strat ford will soon return. GERMANY. A Belgian newspaper publishes three letters from Vienna purporting to have been written a few hours after the attempt upon the Emperor's life. We give the subjoined statements, leaving the responsibility of them to the Independence Beige. The attack on the Emperor took place on Friday between noon and 1 o'clock. His Majesty, who had been walking on the bastion, had halted for a moment near the Karinthian gate to observe the exercises of some soldiers who were below. The assassin approached the Emperor from behind with a table knife, and rushing at him, dealt him • blow between the head and shoal dens. Thanks to the hulan uniform which the Emperor wore and to his mantean, the wound was' not at all serious. The man who was arrested on the spot is named Ladishis Libeny. He is 22 years of age, and a native of Stuklwerseenberg, in Hungary. He says that ho was formerly the hussar servant of Count Nicolas Estorhazy. He has been in Vienna one-and-twenty months, working as a tailor. At the examination which took place this afternoon, he stated that he had no accomplices ; that he formed the design of striking a blow at the Emperor as long ago as 1850, "in order to let people see what a Hunga rian could do for his ?zips, oppressed by gendarmes and police. For these eight days I have walked up and down the bastions to catch the Emperor. How ever, I did not wish to kill, but only to wound him. I fear nothing." When led off to prison, he cried incessantly, "Viva Kossuth." The news did not reach the Bourse before the hour of closing. The official Vienna Gazette announced on the 18th that the long protracted negociations which had been carried on with several German states, concerning customs affairs, had been brought to a satisfactory conclusion, and that the delegates were preparing to leave Vienna for their respective homes. With still greater satisfaction, the official writer was able to announce that the negociatious carried on by Baron Bruck, at Berlin, had resulted in the conclusion of a treaty of commerce. A Vienna letter of the 17th states, that since the recent events at Milan have re-awakened the Austrian government to a sense of its danger, it has been resolved to recall into activity • number of officers capable of effective service at present on the retired list. At the same time the plan is again revived of making Vienna an immense military arsenal, and the chief point of all military operations. On Saturday, as the news from Vienna was fresh in mans' minds, a report was current in Berlin that the King of Prussia had been attacked. The rumour had its origin in the arrest at Charlottenburg of a journeyman tanner, who was found, without:proper papers, hanging about the approaches of the palace, as it proved, to present a request to the King. Two pistols were found on him, neither of which, however, was loaded, and Investigation showed that he had never betrayed any political tendencies. SWITZERLAND. The Zurich Gazette reports from Berne, on the 19th, that the Austrian government had commnui cited a memorandum on the grievances for which she ' cbmands redress. In the text of General GHtday's proclamation, expelling 3,000 Ticinese from Lombardy, this mea sure is justified by the previous " ' legal suppres sion of the seminaries of Palleggio and Amami, and the sequestration of their goods, and farther, by the expulsion of eight Lombard monks. Far these sera of the cantonal authorities, the Swiss oomlltherstioa has refused to give any satisfaction to Austria. Hence," &c. Here follows the decree. This hypocritical pretence of retaliation may pass at Milan, bat in Switzerland, and wherever there is a free press, it is well known that for each the eight Austrian monks expelled by the Minim, the government of Lom bardy had erbitrarßy expelled a score of Swiss from its territory. The seminaries spoken of were only suppressed after a long struggle, which their directors maintained with the law of the land, and not until they had invoked the aid of a foreign power. SWEDEN. The 9th instant was observed at Stockholm as a day of rejoicing for the recovery of the Bing. Ban quets were g►ven by the ministers and cavil and military chiefs, and in the evening there was a gene ral illumination. TURKEY AND MONTENEGRO. Co!awn:Norm Fla. 5. General Lsiningen, from Austria, arrived hue bn Sunday, Jan. 13th, to settle the differences between Austria and the Porte. This arrival was so um. expected, that Colonel Roes despatched the sense night the English government steamer to Malts. Though very great secrecy is observed about General Leiningen's mission, still I have information from good sources that the following are his principal de mands upon the Porte : The supremacy or protectorate over all the Christian population in the provinces bordering upon Austrian territory. The cession of sovereignty over certain tracts of land near the "Boca de Cattaro," belonging by right, and possessed de trade by Turkey, in virtue of treaties stipulated with Austria. The recognition of the independence of Montenegro. To back these demands 15,000 Austrian troops are put in march towards Ragusa. General Leiningen demanded peremptorily a reply in three days. Me hemet Ali Pacha answered- 0 That he does not want any delay, and can give at once his answer thus: that io respect to any territorial question or sovereignty the Porte will not yield one hair's breadth. That the Christian subjects of his Imperial Majesty the Sultan do not want any foreign protec tor, as they are not oppressed, and enjoy the most perfect autonomy in the administration of their reli gious matters, without any interference on the put TURKEY. Admiral Prince NfenschilrolE the Russian Minister of Marine, has left St. Petersburg for Constantinople on a mission, the object of which is not known. He is accompanied by M. Demetri de Nesselrode, son of Count de Nesselrode, Chancellor of the Empire. THE UNITED STATES . ARRIVAL OF THE AFRICA. LIVERPOOL. WZDNISDAY MOR:111m0 This morning, at 2 o'clock, the British ann North American royal mail steamship, Africa, Captain Harrison, commander, arrived in our river, from New York direct, whi ch port she left on the Bth instant, with thirty passengers, and about 200,000 dollars in specie, on freight. At the time the Africa sailed business was good, stock slightly depressed, though money matters in New York were reported tolerably easy. The Cass and Moaroe resolutions were brought forward in the Senate on tho 7th instant, and post poned until the 14th. A Message was received in Congress from the President, transmitting a report relative to the nego tiations with England on the reciprocity and fisheries questions. The terms of tho treaty are, that, except, mg Newfoundland, American and Colonial fishermen are to enjoy the same privileges in the markets of both countries. The Canada Trade Bill bad been reported, but will not be presented to the consideration of Congress in the present session. By accounts from Mexico we learn that Mata moru had pronounced in favour of the revolutionists and defeated the government troops. The Mexican Congress gives President Cevealos extraordinary powers which had been demanded by Arista and refused. _ The cotton market was inactive at New York, and although price were fully maintained no actual de cline can be reported. This was consequent on the con tinued large receipts ; the excess being now 490,000 bales, and the market closes with a declining ten dency. The following are the quotations:—New Orleans and Mobile mid. fair to fair, 110. to 121 c. per lb.; Uplands ditto, 10Ic. to Mc. Exchange on London was quoted at ton to 110, the market was Arm with moderate sales ; on Paris, 12 ; Hamburg, 361 to 36t ; Bremen, 80 to 801. Cbe Court. OF THE BATH. The Queen held an Investiture of the Meet Honourable Order of the Bath at three o'clock yesterday afternoon, at Buckingham Palace. The Knights Grand Clolll of the Order having been robed in their mantles by bitten. Bunter and Bde, and wearing their collars, passed from the Garter Room through the Picture Gallery into the Green Drawing Room, where tkey were called over by Bath King of Arms, when the following answered :—Visoniat Stratford de Ra dcliffe, the Earl of Clarendon, Lieut.-General Sir James Law Lushington, Lieut.-General Sir Willo u ghby Cotton, General Sir Howard Douglas, Bart., Lient,General Sir George Pollock, General Lo rd Viscount Hardinge, the Hal of Ellenborough, Major-General Sir Henr y : ll: s ome Smith, Bart., Lieut.-General Lord Raglan, the ht Hon. Sir George Grey, Bart, General Sir Pere Maitland, Lieut.-General Sir A lexander Woodford. ettife•Wor th7•s47ii prams ;Wring their mantles, Dhabi, lea, wan :—Wal!ar Aston Blount. Go t ; emu F. Orevilla BK., Bath King of Anna ; but Mitt= Woods, Sag. (Lancaster Herald). Gentlamaa_ Usher. _ _ 11•7744«ftliore the erbium satin made and the °oiler of the Kith; Prince Albert, Great Master of the Order, aim were the mends mad miler. Her Majesty and His Royal Memos were mailasted by the Lerd Chamber lain and the Leal Steward into the Thrateweam, and the gasail by hed:i mp li ia a chair of saes, Vie Mai alas Gard ef the Sovaap, were summoned to re gil elaroswrosen atteaded by the - Messi of the Order. The Knialate sad Mem baring embroil and taken Omit usual the Right Hes.Besey Rishard Charles Lard Cowley, her 's Amberesior Erioaradlaary and Minis ter to the l a Ntthe French, was Mtn dated between gamma Sir Maitlandsad amoral Sir Almelo W the two Junior Knights alma gpmeat, 'resoled by lath Lig of Arms and WK. sal wee eladustel to her Mejesty. et Order end the Qum, Miles& by o invest Eir: h et nobs Mal with the kl a b il lmil sad fracCi s e% Knighr grand ' Croon (Civil Divides) if the oe4er, and having delivered to him the Star, his Waft bad the hamar of kiriog her Majesty', hawload *ha retired from the presence of lititere = Esq., was intcoduad between Ma t of Azt lli er li Z the Gestieman tr e hm of . the had the beam ofkaighthesd seaerned t upon him by the glom, eadwes shaverde 'Tale* by bar Majesty, ailed the Gratllestee of the Order, with the insignia of a Ili at Cosemodes of the Bah (Oivil Division). lievitemant-Genoml Charles Misietd, of the East India Compare of wee band:seed in like manner. received the bge at of Wealwad has the Qum, sad wee W hew liejray (=Mai es beim) with the Insignia Cessianew (lllEbey. Division). Be Wawa Wihes, Eng., was sonduested with similar osameay to the Sovereign, and, kneellas, bad the honour of knighthood conferred apes hies, and was invested as a Knight Commaader (Civil Division) • The Investiture of the seem liacourable Order being eoneloded, r t:K e itlite Greed Crow, by her Majesty's raaOrder, were mailed over sad, with the Olken of er, from the prese6 et the Somalia with the nasal morasses. The Court was 'Minded by the MMus of lien Reba ; the Countess of Dant, Lady is. Waillags the Lord Steward; the Iced Climberlaia ; the Matra /the Rona; the Captain of the Massa et Ms Ousel ; the Marquis of G.C.8., Geld_ Si* la ; the Tamperer :f a lse Household ; the iiirarrabordeW; the of the lionsekeiti Lad Iftierrama, 0 .0.1 7 : 1 = 1 : Waiting ; Lewd asap stem, Lord is Waiting to Prime Albert ; Biz Edmund Bowater Weent in Waiting ; Cassel Wylde, OMNI fa Wattles N Prince Albert; Cased Bouvet* aver Risk in Waiting; Sir George Lee, Lieut enant of the balm of the Guard; Colonel Colville, Field Officer in Waiting i a Lord Alfred Paget (Clerk Xembel), &parry in W ; Lieut.-Colonel the Ron. Alameda Gordon, Miserly Waiting to Prince Albert; Capella Phibbe, Emu is W ; mad Mims. Henry Farquharson and George assignYssgisem, Pages of amour in The Hon. Corps of Gentlemen at Arms was en duty during the investiture, in the 'Throne Ram, under the command of the Bight Hon. the Captain. The lieutenant (Sir James Tyler). the standard bearer (Major Harmar), and Mr. Joseph Skip Lloyd, clerk of the cheque end adju tant, The rub-ollieers, Lient.-Coionel Nevin sad Major Cooke, were also present. Iter Majesty's body guard of the Yeomen of the Guard were on duty in the palace, as natal. A guard of homer of the Foot Guards, with the bead of the regiment, wee on duty during the ceremony, in the quadrengle of the palm.. The Queen and Prince Albert, attended by lord Alfred Paget end the Lieut.-Colonel the Hon. A. Gordon, visited the Duchess of Kent, yesterday afternoon, at her re sidence, Clarems-house, St. James's. The royal dinner circle at Buckingham Palace, lest evens ing, is:hided the Princes. Adelaide of Hobenlohe, the Doke of Newcastle, the Belgian Minister and Madame Van de Weyer, Lady Fanny Howard, Viscount Drumlanrig, the Hos. M . Alezander Gordon, Lord and Lady Wocishome, and Lord Cowley, G.C.B. The band of the Grenadier Guards attended during dinner in the palace, sod played an following pieces : Overture, Dome Blanche Romeone eon Coro, " Weiss Oxman)" Lehner. . Bolero, " Del Res' Bouquet. Quartet, " Der Wild Schulze" Fantasia A deputation from Match and Bradford, on the sub ject of the soap duties, bad an interview with the Chancellor of the Exchequer yesterday, at his official resident, in Downing -street. The deputation consisted of Mr. Alder man Neild, Mr. Edmund Potter, Mr. Salim Schwabe, Mr. Titus Salt, Mr. B. C. Lister, and Mr. Williams Walker. The deputation were accompanied by Mr. Milner Gibson, M.P., Mr. Bright, M.P., Mr. Cobden, Mr. Milligan, M.P., and Mr. Wickham, M.P. A deputation from the Burslem Local Board of Health tad au interview yesterday with the General Board of Health, at their offict, Whitehall. The deputation consisted of Mr. John Maddock (Chairman of the Local Board), Mr. Jame Vernon (a member of that board), Mr. Ralph Hales, surveyor, and Mr. Joseph Lowndes, clerk to the Burslem Local Board. The deputation were introduced by Mr. Rieardo, M.P., and th e R on. F . L emon Gower, M.P. The Duke of Montrose had an interview with Viscount Palmerston yesterday. Mr. F. 0. Martin bad also an inter with the noble viscount, at the Home-offiee. Mr. E. Wodehouse, M.P., and Mr. Lally bad interviews yesterday with thil Duke of Newcastle, at the Colonial office. A deputation from the Clitheroe Local Board of Health had au interview with the General Board of Health yester day at their office Whitehall. The deputation, which con sisted of Mr. Edward Thomsen, the Mayor of Clitheroe, and Mr. Edward Hodgon, were introduced by Mr. Mathew Wilson, M.P. Mr. Cann. Hawkins, President of the College of Surgeons, and Mr. James Luke, had an interview with Viscount Palmerston yesterday at the Home.office. Tne Finance Committee of the Royal Commission for the Exhibition of 1831 had a meeting yesterday at the Privy Council-office, Whitehall. Present—Earl Granville (chair. man), Lord Overstonc, Sir Alexander Spearman, Bart., Sir William Cubitt, Mr. Baring, M.P., Mr. Coulson, Q.C., Mr. Gibson, and Mr. Edgar Buwring (secretary).—Captain Owen, ILE., attended. (PROM LAST NIGHT'S GAZITTIL) BUCKINGHAM PALACE, FEB. 21.---Her Majesty having been pleased to appoint the Right Hon. George Wil liam Frederick, Earl of Clarendon, K. 0., to be one of her Majesty's principal Se cre t ar i es o f State, his lordship was this day, by her Majesty's command, sworn one of her Ma jesty's principal Secretaries of State accordingly. BUCKINGHAM PALACE, FEB. 21. Her Majesty having been pleased, by letters patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain. to constitute the Itigh•4;_mt. Staple too, Viscount Combermere, G.C.8., Coostaoir or her Ma jesty's Tower of London, an d also Lord Lieutenant of the Tower Hamlets, his lordship this day in council took the oaths appointed to be taken, instead of the oaths of allegi ance and supremacy as Constable of the said Tower, and as Lord Lieutenant of the said Tower Hamlets, and likewise the oath of Constable of the Tower of London. BUCKINGHAM PALACE, FEB. 21.—Her Majesty in council was this day pleased to appoint Wyndham William Lewii, of Llanthetty Hall, Esq., to be Sheriff of the county of Brecon. And her Majesty was pleased to make the following amendments on the roll :—Oloueestershire— John Raymond Duke:, Esq., made John Raymond Ray mond Barker, Eq. Wiltshire—Franeis Leyborne Popham, of Littlecot, Esq., made Francis Leyborne Popham, of Chilton, Seq. - - LORD CHAMBERLAIN'S OFFICE, FELL 17.—Notice is hereby given, that his Royal Highness Prince Albert will, by the desire of her Majesty, hold levees at St. Janies`s-Palace, on behalf of her :—W Majesty, on the following days, at two o'clock Wednesday, 2nd March next ; Wed nesday, 9th March next. It is her Majesty's pleasure that presentations to his Royal Highness at these levees shall be considered equivalent to presentations to the Queen. Ad dressee to the Queen may either be forwarded to her Ma jesty through the Secretary of State for the Dome Depart ment, or may he reserved until her Majesty shall hold a I levee. FOREIGN-OFFICE, FEB. 11.—The Queen has been graciously pleased to appoint John Green, Esq., now her Majesty's Consul at the Pirteus, to be her Majesty's Consul at Alexandria. FOREIGN -OFFICE, FEB. 18.—The Queen has bees phrased to approve of Don Placido de Jose y Hevia as Con sul at Malta, and of Doa Joaquin Gonzalez as Vice-Consul at Gibraltar, for her Majesty the Queen of Spain; also been pleased to approve of Mr. Nathaniel Solomon as Con sul at St. Helena for the Free Hanseatic cityof Hanaborgh DOWNING-STREET, FEB. 21.—The Queen has beet graciously pleased to give orders for the appointment of Lord Cowley, K.C.8., her Majesty's Ambassado r Extraor dinary and Plenipotentiary to his Majesty the Emperor of the French, to be an Ordinary Member of the Civil Division of the First Class, or Knights Grand Cross of the most Honourable Order of the Bath. NEW DEPUTY-LIEUTENANTS. HIREPOILDSHIRIL John Murray Aynsley, Esq., Thomu William Booker, Esq., William Bridgman, Esq., Bonham Caldwell, Esq., Elias Chadwick, Esq., James Cheese, Esq., William Tre velyan Kevill Davies, Thomas Dunne, junior, Esq., Ed ward Griffiths, BK.. Captain Thomas Heywood, Esq. Ed mund Hininson. Bag., James King King, Esq., William Money Kyrie, Esq., Captain Augustus William Henry Meynek, Esq., Robert Baskerville Rickards Myno n , E sq ., Reynolds Peyton, Esq., Captain Kingemill Manley Power, and Henry Lee Warner, junior, Esq. THE BALLOT.—MEETING IN THE CITY. A preliminary meeting was 'held yesterday at the London Tavern, the object being the o rgan isation of • society for th ei purpose of diffusing information on the subject of The Ballot, and generally of influencing public opinion in favour of that mode of voting. Several members of parliament and other influential reformers were present. The chair was taken by Mr. H. BZILLICLRY, M.P. for Bristol, who explained the object of the meeting to be the formation of a society to carry out the great measure of vote by ballot. Their object was simply to disseminate truth, and to inform the minds of the various classes in the kingdom on the subject of the ballot a subject respecting which a great deal of dust was just now being thrown in the eyes of the people. (Hear, hear.) Existing legislation might be sufficient to wants:act bribery and corruption, but it was impossible to legislate against intimidation. (Hear, hear.) For instance the landlord could intimidate his tenant and the customer his tradesman, without stating anyrseson. and thus the mischief would be dew without the possibility of obtaining a remedy. The exisseessof this intimidation wis acknowledged and &ahead la impost terms by Lord John Russell and Sir James Graham. mid them*** the only thing they bad m samidae was the remedy, whisk remedy was. bah %MM. the bast and nedelog hit the ballot. (Ghosts) Their Alma thew we not rivalry to aay other reform eseociatke. net shstswation to say ether plan of reform, but simply the fathoms& of the ballot, without which all other ragman would be emu. partitively useless. (Hear, hear.) The shims& asegadod with a warm complbseat to Mr. Grate, the !Mhos MI the movement. Cftwvoin mond the lint resolution, the purport of which was that the provelesee at bribery and corruption at tandem rendered the Merlin of the ballot impsenvely issessenty. bb *An. the recant die dowse set thb abed= semmillese shedd dissipate all dolt se to the espedimey of the batlet. (Beer, bear.) Mr. W. EL Hon LAII•TON, M.P., esesedsti the Nadu dos pembing ble Miasmas support is 'leftmost to the ballot *wows it should be brought byhis cal ler Carrion unanimously. ask. unanimously. Lord D. &rum moved the nut neoletion, declaring that no extension of the franchise weld be effectual with out the ballot. He had grealAdmemeM Noinipt that resolution, because it embodied ble own egiaiew, and he was quite sure It would soon be theopinia albs general Mr. Punur, M.P., seconded the resolution. Carried unanimously. Mr. H. Bactiluilt proposed a resolution disdaining any rivalry with other reform samciations, and promised his, warm assistants in Authoring the cause of the ballot, which 26 years' expellees taught him was as necessary in the City of London as In any other constituency. (Hear, hear.) ' Mr. Piaui= Baoww seconded the resolution, which was also unsabenely carried. Mr. Joni! litmus (Swansea), president of the South Wales Reform Association, proposed a resolution appoint ing en executive committee, arid bore testimony to the ex sot to which intimidation was serried en by the landlords hi his district. Mr. W. J. HALL seconded the resolution, declaring that 46 years' experience election matters convinced him of the necessity of the ballot. Carried unanimously. Kr. Taos. PROEM proposed a resolution inauguratisi a subscription, and mentioning the gratifying fact that d esist Sir Charles Ekes had sent a cheque for 301. (Cheers.) Mr. Lyon seconded the resolution. - to. tr r . " T i okaixs M'Cussacsg, proposed • Tote at thanks to the chairman, which was earned by acclamation, and the meeting separated. THE Loss o THZ QUEEN VICTORIA STEAMER.— Government has resolved on inquiring for public purposes into the circumstances attending the lees of the Queen Vic toria steamer ; and accordingly Captain Walker has visited Dublin, by directions of the Board of Trade, to hold an in vestigation for that purpose. The inquest on the bodies of the two women and two children that have been picked up from the wreck was resumed at Kingstown on Monday, and the deepest interest appeared to be excited by the pro ceedings. Several witnesses were examined, and ultimately the proceedings were adjourned until the following day. ATTEMPTED SUICIDE AT THE TRAFALGAR HOTEL.— Yesterday morning the head porter at the Trafalgar Hotel, Spring-gardens, made so determined an attempt to destroy himself that not the slightest hopes are entertained of his recovery. At half-past eight o'clock the housemaid, on going into the smoking-room, for the purpose of putting it in order, discovered the unfortunate man lying on a sofa in a pool of blood, and a gash in his throat extending from ear to ear. On the floor, close to the sofa, she found a venison carving knife covered with blood. The unhappy man being removed to Charing•cross Hospital, Mr. Adkin was promptly in attendance, but there is not the slightest probability of his recovery. It is stated that a pecuniary deficiency led to the commission of the rash act. I LEEDS Tows HALL.—The Town Council of Leeds on Monday agreed to increase the outlay in the new Town Hall by 4,0001., which will make the total cost, with the bad, nearly 49,0001. ' CONTROVERTED ELECTION CONISIITTEES. ---- CHATHAM. Yesterday this committee, consisting of Mr. Bram sten, Mr. Alderman Thompson, Mr. Heywood, Mr. New degate, and Mr. A. Pe!lett, again met. Emu Driver's examination was continued. His father introduced him to Sir Frederick Smith, at the Sun, and told Sir Frederick be wanted a permanent berth for him In the Docky Club, and Sir F. Smith ea'd, "Well, he shall have it." Sir Frederick gave him a note to Mr. Kitten, of Portsmouth Dockyard. Cross-examined—Wm not his father's eldest son Esau. (Laughter.) When he went down to Portsmouth, he thought it was for a permanency, but the employment he was put to was fixing roasting-jacks up chimneys and stop ping up rats' holes. (Laughter.) A clerk to the contractor of the Ordnance, Kirtm, paid him. Dud the common bricklayer work. Did not get back to Chatham for a week or two. John Driver, examined by Mr. Setjeant Kinglake, Q.C. —As a voter of Chatham, recollected being canvassed by Sir Frederick Smith, and Cffigote, the barber, to whom he said he had promised, and was going to vote for Sir Frderick Smith Oa one occasion witneu saw Sir Fre derick coming down Rood-lane with some gentlemen, and he went half way across the road to him, and said " Sir Frederick, I have a vote, and will give it you." Sir Frederick in reply said witness could see him at the Sun, where on his coming Sir Frederick took him into a little side room. Witness said, " Sir Frederick, 1 have a favour to ask you for my sen—to get him into any of her Majesty's dockyards in England as a bricklayer." Sir Frederick said, "It shall be attended to." This was some time before the election. Went to Sir Frederick again to the Sun. with his son, Esau, for whom he wanted the wanted the place, and saw Sir Frederick in a room upstairs, with the two Wells. Ilia son was asked, would he like to go to Portsmouth, and witness said, anywhere in her Majesty's dockyards, or the establish ments in England." Sir Frederick said "at any time he wished to go, he was to come to him, and he would give him a letter." His son, on coming back from the Sun, showed witness a letter, and went w ith it d own to P orta! Ports mouth. Witness went to the poll on the polling days, in tending to vote for Sir Frederick; but, on his getting to the poll, Mr. Buchanan, who was on the " blue" side, wanted to put witness on his oath ; but witness said he would not take the bribery oath, because he had asked Sir Frederick for • favour. He did not vote at all. By the Committee—Did not °tense whether the bribery oath was put to other voters ; nor did he hear of any ru mour that it was necessary to put it to him. George Buchanan examined—Was assessor in booth 2 to Sir J. Stirling. Was there when Driver came, and he (witness) requested the returning officer, or his solicitor, to administer the b r ib er y oat h to D r i ver. Driver said' he could not take it, and turned away and did not vote. Cross-examined—Was clerk to the guardians of the poor of Chatham, and clerk to Mr. Prell, a solicitor. Took an active part on the " blue" side. There were about 300 or 400 voters in the dockyard at Chatham. The constitu tion of the dockyard was as follows :—There are many shipwrights, joiners, carpenters, blacksmith, metal mill wrights, end sailmakers, working in the dockyard ; also, some few hundreds of labourers, but they were not all voters. Others were officers of the dockyard, policemen, and those in the gun-walks under the Ordnance ; also, the respective dull', and some officers of the army and navy. There is also a ropiegroend, where very many mechanics were employed under their officers; all these were the subject of government appointments, and there was consequently • constant succe'sion of vacan cies end appointments. A manifesto, called " A Caution against Bribery," was issued by the Stirling party before the election, stating that the bribery oath would be administered to every one of the electors, that any one offer ing or giving offices or employment to any voter or friend, would, unaer the new act of parliament, be liable to a penalty of 1,0001., and the voter to a penalty of 3001. It was also stated, that the candidates would be fully exa mined, and that though Sir Frederick Smith might escape punishment, the voter would be sent to gaol, and that if the Secretary of the Admiralty took a part in the transac tion, he would have to be examined. Witness's duty was to get up the evidence for this committee, from those who had been bribed by appointments or by promises to:appoint ments. Believed these were nearly 70 or 80 broken pro mises of voters of various classes, some being artisans in her Majesty's dockyard, who had promised to Tire for Sir J. Stirling, and who voted for Sir Frederick Smith. This fact was notorious at the time of the election. There was one of Sir J. Stirling's committee, • medical man, who broke his promise a week before the day of pol ling ; and there was another person on the committee who also broke his promise. He spoke of these broken promises from the canvass books only. Several voters in the dock yard voted for Sir J. Stirling, who bail more of the votes of the rank and file than of the officers. Many officers who resided in the dockyard had been struck off by the re vising barrister. When Lord Enfield was a candidate the Chatham, he stated, in his address to the electors—" It has always been my anxious wish to prJmote, as far as in my power, your individual interests. (Laughter.) I have however, often had to lament my ignorance of th e t ec h n i ca l minutiae of the dockyard system, upon a practical knowledge of which the comfort and advancement of so many depend." (Laughter.) By the Committee—There were 1,300 or 1,400 voters on the register, and between 300 and 400 of these were in the dockyard. Witness never at previous elections saw such an amount of government influence brought to bear upon the electors, and believed there wee some intimidation. Some 600 voters voted for Sir F. Smith, and he considered there were 400 of that number under government influence. There had been no contest of any consequence for Chatham since 1835. Did not know of any one being discharged for refus ing to vote for the government candidate, but knew of a man who voted against her Majesty's government, and who remained many years without any promotion. The name of the individual was Charles Beveridge, a shipwright. Stephen Mount, examined by Mr. James, Q.C.—War a labouring man, and resided on the Brook, at Chatham. At the last election he had no vote. I knew Henry Bradshaw, who kept a lodging-house on the Brook. Saw Sir Frederick canvassing, and he spoke to witness and Bradshaw en one occasion, a fortnight before the election. Sir Frederick came up to Breel6aw, and asked him for his vote. Bradshaw said he did not know about that, and then Sir Frederick said, " Why net; is there anything I can do for you ?" Brad shaw said, " Yes ; I want to get into Greenwich College." Sir Frederick said, " What pension do you have i to which Bradshaw replied, " 151. a year." Sir Frederick answered, "It is not enough for losing an arm (Bradshaw having lest an arm in the dockyard), but if you'll give theme ycoohiregve.o,t,e," Sir Sir Frederick, prederieksaidto "I'll ß g h e s t w. y , o , u u mto Haves you not a son in the yard I" to which Bradshaw replied, " Tee ;" and Sir Frderick said, "If you promise me your vote I will do what I can foe him and you too;" and Bradshaw said, " give you my vote." Sir Frede rick Smith took his hand out of his pocket and shook hands with Bradshaw, and as Bradshaw was withdrawing his hand, he seemed to have either a sovereign or a half one in his hand. Bradshaw said " Thank you." Three or four days after the election Sir Frederick wanted to see Brad shaw, who left witness and went up to the Sun about the middle of the day. When he tome out, he said " he cannot get me into the hospital," but showed witness throe 10101Vigns he had in his hand, which, said Bradshaw, was better than a kick on the backaide.—(Luoter.) Thomas Beveridge, house agent, Cha tha m, examined— Remembered being at the York Tavern, at Chatham, at a public of the blue interest. Henry Bradshaw was the :, made a statement that he was going to vete for Admiral Stirling a week or ten days prior to the &dim. _ _ Cron-e zamined—Was one of the petitioners, but did not prosecute the petition. Thought the election was not con ducted fairly. Had not been sailed on to pay any money, and supposed he should, not be. He had no notion who we to be the pa aster of the petition. By the Committee—Thought that government influenee had bees Mill used at the last election than at any other. Chatham had always had a candidate who designated him ' self- he government candidate, and the government candi date had always suoseeded. Witness enumerated various elections at which thie had been the case. The Officers to different establishments had inguenoe over thevotere. --- Could not say what proportion of those who held allow under government voted for the government candidate, but there was a line majority. William 3M gate, shipwright, and voter in the deck yard—Promised Admiral Stirliw, who canvassed him for his vote. Stigand, his inspector at the dockyard, tam* 20 or 30 times to witness, who told him he had promised Sir T. Stirling, upon which the inspector said, " You'll be sorry for it. His inspector, who canvassed many other voters in the dockya rd, then tried it on another day and said, " You've got a widowed mother and you would like to do all you could for her. Would you late to get her into the colour loft of the dockyard " where the women are regularly employed in making gags for the navy. Witness said he would not alter his opinion if Sir Frederick could do it. "If you like to do it,' said the inspector, "there will be a meeting at the San to night, and I will introduce you to Sir:Frederick." Did not think the Dockyard officers wished people to alter their political opinions, and could not recollect any ease of non promotion where the party had not voted according to the canvass of the :party in the dockyard. It was not cus tomary for the inspectors' to exercise any influence over the voters, but still they did do it. (Laughter.) Did not think any officers above the inspectors took any interest in politics. It was only weak-minded men in the dockyard who were coerced into voting contrary to their wishes. They ought to vote as they liked, but many of theta were easily led away. Had never heard a case in which a voter suffered for not voting according to the wishes of the authorities. Adjourned to eleven o'clock this day. BLACKBURN. The committee re-Assembled yesterday morning. The first witness called wu George Gorton, examined by Mr. E. James, Q.C.—Tkin witness caused much merriment by the oddity of his man ner, shaking hie head very solemnly when a question was pat to him, and occasionally railing his voice to a stentorian pitch, and waving his hands and arms about like the sails of a windmill when giving his answers. The witness said—At the time of the last election be was landlord of the Water loo Inn, at Blackburn. Saw Joseph Jobson abeut • week before the election. They wanted to know what he'd charge for a committee-room in his house. Witness said 61., and they said it was low enough. Jobson then went away, and came back accompanied by one of the young Messrs. Eccles, and they took the room at 51. M r . Eccles addressed the people from that room two or three days afterwards, but no committee sat there at all after he had done so, "not to do any business.' On the morning of the nomination day i