The Express.
London, England, 1853-05-18 00:00:00

CORK.

The first witness called yesterday was
Mr. Gore Jones, stipendiary magistrate, who stated that
he was sent down by the Lord Lieutenant to the last Cork
election. On his arrival at Cork be had an interview with Mr.
Flemish, the high sheriff (who was examined oa Monday),
who told him there were 200 police. Witness said that
would never he enough to keep the peace of Cork. He then
had an interview with General Maunsell, the commanding
officer of the district. He also saw Colonel Chatterton,
and told him he was ready to receive any suggestions he bad
to make as to the preservation of the peace. He found the
police had been allocated to the different booths, and wit-
ness got one troop of cavalry to assist him in keeping the
peace. On the Sunday (the day before the polling day),
witness saw some placcyds up about the Stockport riots,
and he said to Mr. Walker they ought to be taken
down. On the morning of the polling day witness was
about the city as early as six o'clock. At that time every-
thing was perfectly quiet. At eight o'clock he met the
cavalry at Lloyd's Hotel, where be had ordered them to be.
Mr. Beamish, the high sheriff, came there shortly after.
Mr. Fitsimon came there soon afterwards, and said he bad
an information of some persons been beaten. He also said
there was not the slightest chance of Colonel Chatterton's
success; that the suburban voters who had come in had
changed, and would vote for the other party the (sitting
members). He said nothing about the voters being kid-
napped. Witness's own private feelings were quite in favour
of Colonel Chatterton. Lord Derby had given him his
situation, and he was altogether in favour of that party,
but still be was impartial in respect to the election. It
is :quite incorrect, as sworn by Mr. Fit:loom, that
he could not be got to move towards where there was
said to be rioting for three quarters of an hour; on
the contrary, he went at once, and went round the
different booths. The polling was going on. There
was no obstruction or rioting then. He returned to the
Court-house. Up to 12 o'clock he heard of no complaint.
The first thing he heard of was, that Mr. Hadnett, a police-
inspector, had been struck. Witness saw Mr. Hadnett, and
asked him if he would require any more force, and the lat-
ter said he would not, that matters were getting on again
very well. He is not aware that he received anything that
could be called complaint,. He received eight or nine ap-
plications for protection for voters. Witness was moving
about the city on horseback all day. He saw no such thing
as a crowd of 3,000 men armed with bludgeons, nor any-
thing to attract his attention beyond larfe crowds of people,
the women having green boughs in thew hands.
Mr. James—Well, you know at Westminster elections it
is usual for the voters to have laurel. Mr. Hume, I believe,
invented that custom—but not, of course, for economy.
(Laughter.)
Witness continued—There was a strong feeling mani-
fested against the military ; and it was the first time he
ever saw such a feeling towards them in Ireland—as gene-
rally en such occasions they were cheered. Stones were
thrown at than, and witness himself was struck by &stone ;
but it is utterly false, as sworn by Mr. Fitximen, that he
ran away. 'I be crowd was very large, but four-fifths of
them, were females from 12 years of age upwards, and no
man of unman humanity would think of bringing the
military to act against them. There was great excitement
against Captain White in George-street, and witness rescued
him, with the aid of the military, from a mob. It was at
that time that witness wustruck with a stone, and some of
kiateeth were hoicked out.

---
Cross-examined by Mr. Serjeant Kinglake—He conceived
that, from the placards up about the city about the Stock-
port riots and the Processions Act, there would be very
likely to be strong feelings excited, and perhaps rioting,
and that was the reason why he suggested to General
Maunsell to have the military ready. Witness never said,
on any occasion, that no man could go with safety to vote
for Colonel Chatterton, or any such words. There was
hardly a soldier that was not struck with a stone, because
*ere was occasional stone-throwing all day. There were
se police struck. On all occasions when there was stone-
throwing, he cleared the streets, or at least the part where
the stone-throwing was. Witness did not see any one
injured but himself. He saw several people struck,
I but not injured. No such thing °enured as a
mounted policeman coming to witness and telling
him that houses were being attacked. He saw voters
chalked on the back as they came from the poll. He did
not consider that a dangerous thing, for this reason—that
both parties did it. He saw no rush made towards the
voters who were going to vote for Colonel Chatterton. He
attributes the exasperation against the military on this oc-
casion to have arisen from the ill-feeling created by the
Stockport riots. That was quite a peculiar feature in this
election, for the military are great favourites in Ireland.
He saw more steady conduct than the military exhi-
bited that day. He thinks it would not be safe for a voter
of Colonel Chatterton's to go through the crowd without
protection.
Ile-examined by Mr. James—Witness was not specially
asked to escort a single voter to the poll—a thing that
never occurred to him before at an Irish election.
By the Committee—There Was more disturbance of a
dangerous kind at the Cork election of 1811 than at the lost
election.
i 1 Sir W. Hackett said he was Mayor of Cork at the last
I election. Q* the morning of the polling day DSc, Fitaimon

Itold him there was rioting a: Barrack-stres t Market, sod he
rode up thole at onto. Ile round policemen there, and he
aelted if ..ny row hid been going on, sail the police said there
had been no riuting—that i':::, veling we; going on quietly.
When Mr. Firaiman told him there was rioting going on he
seemed very excited. Ile afterwards Viai!CLl the other
polling pisees, and he found everything going on quietly.
He made inquiries of the polling-clerks and the police, and
they said there was no obstruction of any sort—that all
was going on quietly. Witness was over the whole city,
and
few people with sticks. Most decidedly he would
not consider Captain White a fit person to be
entrusted with the command of the troops, be
wee so exciteable. He saw no neglect on the part of any of
the magistrates or of Mr. Gore Jones. Witness was on
horseback from ten o'clock in the morning ti:: two o'clock,
about the city, and again for the remainder of the day, after
an interval of half au hour or so, and he caw no stone-
throwing at all. He saw no improper conduct on the part
of the priests. Witness is a catholic himself, and he voted
for Fagan and Murphy.
Cross examined by Mr. Serjeant Kinglake—He saw no
stone-throwing, but was told by Mr. Gore Jones and Cap-
tain White that they had been pelted. No policeman came
to him and told him that houses were being attacked. If
Lieut. Greylock said there were houses attacked, and not a
owniendpoawneloe
fftg
la rahs
so
broken
er,o
kh
ee
n saidii awwhiantdioswno t
It i
ou eu.
rg
cHde
tshaew n
peopleoly
to go home. Witness saw no bitterness exhibited towards
the military. He saw placards about Cork a week hemre
the election, but ho did not read them. Ile did not consi-
der it his duty to read them or take them down, because he
knew it was the custom to put forward inflammatory pla-
cards at general elections by both parties. Ile heard those
placards called upon the people to have revenge for Sink-
port by voting for Murphy and Fagan.
Re-examined by Mr. James—Witness did not himself see
a single stone thrown during the entire election. He saw
...

sorav'thrswn in the evening-after the polling was over,
Mr. D. F. Ma'way ezamined—Witness said he is a solici-
tor in Cork, and coroner for that city. He was deputy-
sheriff for one of the booths at the election. From his posi-
tion in the booth he was enabled to see all over the market-
place, and up to eleven o'clock there was no obstruction or
rioting of any kind. About that hour a voter named Watts
came into the booth, and appeared very much frightened
from something that occurred outside. Witness made the
man sit down by him, and told him not to be afraid. After-
wards Mr. French told the man, if he liked to go home, he
would send an escort of police or military with him. The
man declined this, and sumo time afterwards he said he
would vote. Witness, from what bad occurred before, asked
him three times if he was going to vote of his own free will.
Watts said he was, and be voted for Fagan and Murphy.
Witness acted as coroner on the death of u person named
Desmond. (The widow of that person swore before the
committee that her husband died from' the injuries he re-
ceived during the election.] The witness said the evidence
at the inquest was that the man died from the effects of a
kick in the groin inflicted by herself. Eleven of the iury
were for finding a verdict to that effect, and one of them
was for an open verdict ; and there was no verdict, as the
jury could not agree.
Mr. It. Morrow, a solicitor of Cork, said that part of Mr.
Fitzimon's evidence, that he took part in assisting his
brother, the under sheriff, in erecting booths and advising
the sheriff, was untrue. Witness took no part whatever in
respect of the booths. The election was practically over by
eleven o'clock, there was such a large mojority for the sit-
ting members.
The committee then adjourned to this meßipik

SIR J. WALMSLEY, M.P. AND R. GARDNER,
ESQ., M.P., AT LEICESTER.

On Tuesday, according to previous arrangement,
a grand reception by the liberal constituency of Sir .i.
Walmsley and Mr. Gardner, in celebration of the defeat of
the late factious petition against their return, took place at
Leicester. The seven wards into which the town is divided
assembled in the market place, each with a band of music,
and splendidly blazoned flags, bearing various devices. An
immense concourse of people was speedily assembled, and
considerable interest and excitement was created by the
presence of M. Kossuth, who was a spectator of the event
from the window of Mr. Archer.
Soon after twelve o'clock the members arrived and took
their places in a very elegant and chastely adorned
triumphal car prepared for the occasion. A platform in
front of the market-house was occupied by the principal
supporters of Sir J. Walmsley and Mr. Gardner. Dr.
Noble, one of the nominators of Sir J. Walmsley at the
election, in the name of the ladies, presented the members
with en elegant flag, inscribed with the apposite motto,
"Purity of Election." Appropriate speeches in acknow-
ledgment were made by tho ruenrWrs, and after some
little delay a long and imposing procession started, and
proceeded through the principal streets, occupying in its
progress full three hours. Everywhere the two hon.
members met with the most marked and gratifying proof of
the esteem and confidence of the constituency.
Dr. Nonts, at the close of the demonstration, congratu-
lated the meeting en the victory that had been achieved
over corruption and temptation, by the poor men who had
been attempted to be cajoled into giving evidence to unseat
the members. lie also congratulated them on their escape
from the spy system ; and aftsr some humorous allusions to
one of the witnesses on the petition, Jehu Joshua Sampson
Ludlam, and a few words devoted to the illustrious fo-
reigner who had recently been subject to the un-English
system of espionage, proceeded to introduce Sir Jo,hus.
Walmsley, who was received with loud and prolonged

..
applause.
Sir Joanna WaLtiaLnY said, it had been well said thot
"out of the fulness of the heart the mouth speaketh," but
the vast assemblage of gladdened faces he saw around him,
and the enthusiastic reception which he had met with at
the hands of his constituents, deprived !Ifni of words to ex-
press. as he desired, his deep sense of their kindness; and
he would content himself with saying, that he would endea-
vour to deserve sod retain their good opinion. (Hear,
hear.) It would naturally be expected that he should offer
some comments on the proceedings of those who had
hitherto acted as the opponents of the liberal party, but he
believed he should best consult the dignity of his own
position—(applause)—best accord with the wishes of
his friends, and best promote the interests of the borough,
by abstaining, on this joyous occasion, from ern), remark
of a personal or of an annoying character ; it was neither
his duty nor his inclination to pursue a fallen foe—(hear)—
but as far as possible to forgive and to forget, and, notwith-
standing the words of the poet that
Forgiveness to the injored dotb belong,
He weer forgives who cloth commit the wrong.
(applause)—be hoped and trusted for a different result, if
not for his own sake, for the cause they had at heart.
Whatever devious course might have been pursued by some,
whatever annoyance bad been entailed on the liberal party
by endeavouring to impugn the purity and integrity of the
borough ; or whatever reproaches had fallen to his own lot
for the conduct be had pursued, had all been amply and
abundantly repaid by the generous and affectionate support
he bad received from the whole liberal party. (Hear, hear.)
He felt that he was no longer the representative of a part
only, but of the whole constituency—a constituency of
whom any man might be proud, and whose interests it was
his anxious desire to unite and to advance, irrespective of
creed or party. (Applause.) Leicester might now claim a
position amongst the purestot the pure—(hear, hear)—her
honour had been vindicated ; her integrity established.
The first amongst the boroughs in political patriotism—
(applause) she would henceforth be an example of a
self-regenerated, pare, and independent constituency—
(hear, hear)—and there was no portion of the people that
deserved greater praise for the efforts they had made than
they who had emancipated themselves from the demon-
lisiag influences of corruption. (Applause.) It was
scarcely to be expected that party real would be
absorbed in a desire to promote the general good,
but he hoped that, henceforth, scurrility and, misrepresen-
tation would cease, and that their members might receive
such measure of support as would enable them to fulfil the
important duties they had undertaken with credit to them-
selves and usefulness to the borough. (Hear, hear.) Be-
fore he left this subject, he hoped for ever, it was fitting
he should once more refer to the unmerited aspersions and
false representations which party seal bad cast upon his po-
litical opinions ; and he again emphatically declared that he
advocated no speculative theories, no dangerous innovations,
no unconstitutional dogmas, but that he steadily and perse-
veringly pursued the principles laid down by those en-
lightened legislators who taught that it was essential
to the contentment and prosperity of the people
that they who bore the burdens of the state should
have a voice in the election of their representatives. (Hear.)
Such was the basis of his political creed, and he believed he
was sustained in those opinions by the great body of his
countrymen. (Applause.) At no pesiod of the history of
the nation was it more important that the people should
make known their wishes on the great question of parlia-
mentary reform. A powerful and talented administration
had announced their intention to undertake the task, and
he for one did not doubt their sincerity. (Hear.) But all
knew, from sad experience, that it would require the
united and persevering efforts of the entire liberal party. to
carry to a successful issue any great or comprehensive
measure of electoral reform. (Hear, hear.) Perhaps the
present was not a fitting occasion to refer to this ques-
tion, but he was sure he should be pardoned for saying
that in his opinion no measure of parliamentary reform
was likely to meet the reasonable requirements of the
country, which did not equalise the borough and county
franchise. (Hear, hear.) Abolish purely nomination
boroughs. (Hear, hear.) Reduce the number of members
in small andj unimportant constituencies (Bear, hear )
Give to the great unenfranchisetl towns one member each.
(Applause.) Adjust and increase the number of county
members in proportion to their property and population,
and crown all with the protection of the ballot. (" Hear,
hear," and applause.) Such a measure, if accompanied by
a cheap and simple county court made of disfranchising IX
proved guilty of corruption, whether giver or receiver,
would remove many of the evils by which our electoral sys-
tem is disgraced, and give to the people that control, in the
management of their own affairs, which is essential to good,
cheap, and responsible government. (Hear, hear.) He
made these remarks because the time was at hand when it
would be necessary to act ; and he trusted his constituents
would bo amongst the foremost in their efforts to emancipate
their fellow-men from political degradation.
Mr. GARDNER and Mr. Serjeant WThaioni also addressed
' the meeting, which dispersed after giving three cheers for
X. Kossuth.

PORTUGAL. When the Brazilian mail-packet
Severn put in to the Tagus, on the 12th, the funeral of the
late Princess of ilraganza was being celebrated with all
Possible batman five-minute guns being fired from the
shipping and fort throughout the whole day ; all the Stops
°toted, and the population 'brad and la the Wadies.

1.-;<7r