The Express.
London, England, 1849-11-02 00:00:00

OUR REPRESENTATIVE SYSTEM

BEWDLBY AND STOURFORT.—(oows.unze).
The Committee thought there was nothing in
the cop made spinet Sir Thomas Wineington, and
that it did sot require an answer. There were other
allegatione of personal bribery against Sir Tomas,
but they appro. to have been all abandoned. Against
his agents, however, there were more substantial ac-
cusations They resolved themselves mainly into
allegations et sending people out of the way. There
was one as in which balf-sekizen voters were sent
a week's tour in Warwicluthire and Staffordshire, to
see Leamington, pay an Aressologicel visit to
Warwick Castle, afterwards to inspect the iron works
war Wolverhampton, and then to return in their .so-
risge to Bewdley just ia time to poll for Winaingidil.
These voters, however, all deposed that they wait of
their own free will, sad to keep out of the way of Mr.
Irelind's mob. So this charge did not come toss*.
The next was an allegation in which Sir Theses
Wineington's principal agent was personally im-
plicate&
A man named Bennett, by fade a curvier, end by profes-
sion • proems server, at Stem/poet, swore, that au evening
previous to the election, he wet Invited to eall es Mr. Elefie,
whom be saw in a Rime room blade ea empty house. Mr.
Blois 'eked him if he could go to Sturbridu (10 miles off),
and mill upon • geatlantan named Mimi', who M
High Bailiff of the Comity Court, eliedrman of the
Board M Guardiaas, sad a staunch supporter of
the liberals in Waresstseshire. Bennett mesented to go,
and he swore that when he got to Sturbridge Mr. Akroyd
palled out hie puree sad gave hint five sovereigns. He then
told him that he suet p to Loaden—that • man armed
Perkins, kis under-bailiff, would drive him over to Birming-
ham, and see him off by the railway, and that when he got
to Leaden he was to go to the Paetaia Tavern, is Primes-
street, Ciakied.strest, when he would meet a person who had
604 For hiss. Bennett ales swore that Mr. Akroyd pro-
mised, ea his raters, to appoint him his ender-bailiff fee the
Stourport division of the crest, court district.
This ens was evidently considered by Counsel the sty' eget t
that had been made out against the party, and proportionate
effects were made to rebut it. Mr. Akroyd wee bought up
to Loudon. He swore that the whole story about the 601.
was false: that Bennett was a man who bad been far • long
time bothering him for the place of under.bailiff: that pre-
vious to the election, he same to hire at fiteurbeidv, and
told him that ha was as elector of &carport, that he was
desirous to vile for Sir Themes Winningtos, but that he
owed • large amount for rat, sad that he leered if he re-
mained at stature' be should to obliged to vote for Mr.
Ireland. Upon hearing this, Mr. Akroyd swore that "in
order that he should not be compelled by his neeessiu
eitcumetances, to vote against his eonseienes," he advarr.ed
him 61 to go to London, end at his own request noon-
mended tam to the landlord of the Phenix Tavera.
In addition to this, Mr. Blgie swore that the allegations of
Bennett relative to what pissed in the private rout were
false ; that Bunion bad told ha he was fearful of being
coerced by his landlord to vote for Mr. Ireland; and that,
suspecting he was driving at a bribe, he would say nothing
to him ; that Beone.t tiara asked him if he knew Mr. Ak•
royd, end mentioned that he had applied to that gentleman
for a situation in the County Court, whereupon Mr. Blois
said that he could sav nothing about ea appointment during
the election.
The weight of evidence upon this matter was
clearly against Bennett, andb is probable that the
Committee, ooseidering the case generally, so far as
it had gone, would have seated Sir 1 homes Winning-
ton, had not a circumstance occurred at this point of
the proceedings which destroyed all hope, and which
was certainly about as singular as any occurrence
upon the records of our Committees on Elections.
There had been some evidence given of an exten-
sive system of treating in Bewdley and Stourport,
both on the occasion of this contest and in 1841.
Nothing definite, however, had bees established :
indeed, the charge of treating, as a part of Mr.
Ireland's case, may up to this p, int almost be said to
have failed of proof. But it so happened that, in the
crone-examination of Mr. Elgie, the opposing counsel
asked a question concerning certain bills for wines
end spite, which had been stated to have been sent
in to the liberal agent. Mr. Elgie appeared extremely
anxious to explain about this, and in doing so re-
ferred to a bundle of pipers which he had in a bag
beside him. In some way or another, the cross-exa-
mining lawyer got scent that this bundle contained
nothing more nor less than the bills from public houses
at which there had been treating daring the election!
One by one, be made the unhappy solicitor for Sir
Thomas Winnington produce every bill in his pee-
seseion. The accounts at the Cock and rye, the Ring
o' Bells, the Labour in Vain, the Severn Prow, and at
all the rest of the thirty public houses open in the
Wiunington interest at Be wd ley and Stourport,were, to
the horror and dismay of Sir Thomas sad his counsel,
Lad before the committee in their virgin integrity ! Mr.
Serjeant Wrangham's hair stood on end, and lifted his
wig three itches off his forehead. It was to no pur-
pose suggested that these " refreshments" were only
supplied "to Sir Tbomu Winningtou's tenants, to
the band and flag men, the men employed to watch,
and to the mob in the streets." In four minutes the
work of fourteen days had been undone! The Com-
mittee derided, unanimously,
That Sir Thomas Wiaellidtoe, Bert., was, by Ms agents,
guilty of treating, by 'OW meat, drink, sod entertainment
to the voters after the teats of the writ.
That it has been proved, that a practise prevailed at the
last election, as well as in 1841, of carrying away sad
treatise elect re.
I That, in consequence of this system. very lane holies of
Ism were stapler/id on both sides for the alleged protection
iof the voters, and that almost every public.house end
baukesse in the borough was kept open during the elu-
des, end drink Moen away to a lento extent.
Seek was the result of the Bewdley petition : the
sitting member unseated, the unsuccessful candidate
disqualified! Both richly merited their fate. And
no doubt they were !rarely punished. The costs
of the election and petition are said to have amounted
early to 12,0001. Heavy biller remain unpaid on
both sides to this hour, and are the subject of great
bitterness in Bewdley.
The representation being voided under the report
of the Committee, the con iitneney bad to lock out for
a new member. The liberals brought forward as a
candidate the Hon. Spencer Lyttelton, a brother of
Lord Lyttelton, whose family anciently exercised in-
fluence in Bewdley. The tories chose Viscount Man-
deville, eldest son of the Duke of Manchester, who
had unsuccessfully contested Westminster on tip
National Club interest at the general election. Two
worse candidates could scarcely have been seeds&
Neither of them had two words to say for himself,
se, except on mere miserable party cassitterations,
was there spin to choose between them.
This election took place in April, 1848. It was
conducted decently, foe the town had had a lesson.
The result, however, was scarcely doubtful from the
first. Mr. Roberts, who had observed neutrality in
favour of Sir Thomas Winaitigtoe, brought his fifteen
voters to the poll in favour of Lord Mandeville. The
noble lord was accordingly returned, the numbers
being for Mandeville 171, for Lyttelton 188. This
poll shows how uselessly the monies of Sir Thomas
Winnington and Mr. Inland had been squandered.
Lord Mandeville has no hold whatever on the
town, and will probably never again come forward.
Mr. Ireland, too, must have had enough of it. In
the event of another election the twin no doubt will
bring forward a cendidate, bat who he will be is not
at present even mates he iposeation.
With regard to Sir Thom Winsington's future
prespeoteuerythint dependieupeshtmeelf. If he would
only condesoend to makiblesolf knownto the town and
friendly with its people, be would walk over the erne
at Bewdley, as- his father did before him. No
sae has a word to say against him. Both as
a landlord, and as a friend to the poor, his merits
are universally acknowledged. But in any other
capacity he is almost entirely unknown. What
can a man expect who puts himself in such a posi-
tionss this with those whose suffrages he is obliged
to sett? Nothing bat open hostility, or such re-
mises as those administered by the worthy butcher
who was the object of Lady Winnington's
dour`
There are two things to be recorded very mesh is
Sir Thomas Winaington's honour in Gonne:ice with
the electorate of Bewdley. He may have cajoled
them, as in the beef and mutton ease, but be hes
never bees alleged to have threatened them. That is
one feet greatly in his favour. Ths other is, that
lug the:greater part at the land round about, heirs::
made faggot votes, as he might have dare, to swamp
the real -electorate. There are plenty of means of doing
this, if Sir Thomas was so minded. Kidderminster is
within seven mile", and 101. holdings might be
carved oat of the Forest of Bewdley and Sir
Thomas's other lands within the borough, suf-
ficient almost to qualify every liberal in that
well.pspulated town. It is thoroughly understood
that had Lord Ward obtained the lease fres tae'
Woods and Forests hewould have made voters e
to swamp the free electors of Bewdley out re
forest land alone.
What is to be done with Bewdley? The redden%
whom we have already noticed ass superior body, be?'
ing among them many wealthy individuals of good