The Express.
London, England, 1849-10-31 00:00:00

OUR REPRESENTATIVE SYSTEM

BEWDLEY AND STOURPORT—(cOWritat ED).
The C mmittee to try them petitions was struck on
the 3rd March, 1848. It consisted of Mr. Wrightson
(chairman), Lord Castlaugh, Mr. Tatt in Egerton,
lair Thomas Birch, *ad Mr. Mutt. The very first
ease proud was a cue of such flagitious bribery, that
the Committee upset Mr. Ireland's return upon it in-
stantly. This cue, as it was narrated to the Commit
tee, appears to combine all the worst features of the
worst electioneering practices—bribery and treating,
hocussicg and cooping; all practised, too, with the
authority and cognisance of respectable men. The
case therefore seems worthy of analysis.
Edward Price, a higgler, residing at StoarbriOge, was
milled epos by two eaten named Cooke and Carter, and
'maraud for Ireland. A six o'clock in the sortin they
plied him with " rum and cider." Ile had lost horse, and
they told him " if he would vets for Ireland, he should have
a bons and cart." This was in the present* of the voter's
wilt. to whom they at the i saw time gave 10e. and • shil-
ling's worth of ram. On the Saturday eight following the
an was walking alg the rad, when he was overtaken by
afly, In which was Career and a Mr. Banks, ono of Mr. Ire.
bud's legal agents. They get out of the fly end shook
heads with him. Banks said to the voter " had heard that
he had last • hone ; he would give him a good horse if he
would vote for Ireland, and stick tree." It
was then agreed that on the Monday morning •
fly should be sent to fetch Price to Bewdley.
Cooke and Carter came in it, and the voter and
his wife retuned with them. On the road they had
first " two glasses of brandy and some bread sad better."
then, at Kidderminster, "two glasses mire." They passed
through Bewdley, and by • bock way through the mods up
to Carter's house. Here the mac and has wife wen kept
until the night beide the election. Sara after their arrival
Mn. Pries informed Cooke that "she warded • dress."
The nest day (Tuesday) " • dress for my mistress, emu stuff
to make caps of, two blue bandketchiefe, sad a bottle or two
of braady," were seat up from Bewdley. On the Wednesday,
Price says, " I was genies rather uneasy, and I told Carter
I wanted to know if I was to have enything for my
vote aetterdiag to peorshe." " Carter said he would
go down to the Chore, in Bewdley, and see Mr.
Banks, and send him up to me." Afterwards Pries " told
old Carter that if he did not see Mr. Banks or somebody that
day, he would not stop, but would leave end go to Bewdhy."
Old Carter then went out, and In about as hour and a half
returned, and sail be had nee Mr. Banks, who would he up
in the evening. Aceordinaly, is the inning, Mr. Banks
came. He and Pries went into a little parlour,and closed
the doer. He first asked no what I would ike for my
vote, and I said I wanted 201. He said that was too much.
Then lie asked me what was the lowest I would take. I
told him I would not take any less than 161 , whether I gave
a vote or not. He told me I should have 161., and that in a
quarter of an hour after I had polled I should receive the
money."
The neat dry, Tbersday, was the say of nomination. On
the evening of that day, Price, being tidgetty, said he would
go down to Bewdley to be shaved. Old Carter aeonspanied
him, and oa the way they met one of the Cooks. Cook and
Carter then insisted that Pries should go to the Committee-
room at the George. They went there. There was a Igoe
riper as the door, " Mr. Ireland's Committelcroom." A
Mr. Niclulas, an attorney, was there, and some young gen
tlemen writing. Mr. Nicholas asked Pries Uhe lad
come to vote for Ireland, and on his answering in the affirm-
ative he gen him a breakfast ticket. He then told him he
mast step is a little rum by there all night until next
morning. " I told him I warded to go to bs shaved. He
said I must not go to be shaved, he would sends barber to
me." Afterwards Price was shown late the little roomorlsere
time were • number of other voters : " old Thomason, from
Park-end ; Davis, of the Blisegate ; old Dolly, from Lye-
head ; Oilson ; a man named halos, out of Lax-lane ; old
Hossernas • ; Feuer • and a man aimed Combas, in
Chugs of Lite room, who kept the door locked sad the key
is his pocket!" [Here it will be seen were enough
m voters oped vote to turn the election.] Price irmaained in the
nom until the out morning. He steed to go out, lent they
would not let him. He then asked for something to eat.
" Coombe took and brought me a home of beef that was not
deny, and I would not bays it." " I asked for ale and he
brought me, 1 called it, small beer. Upon this I Llus to
be riotous. I would not stop. I said I would go
out. I had got matey in my pocket. I would go
and bay something to eat." Cooaabs said if I
would step he would go and bring up Mr. Banks.
Mr. Buts came about 12 o'closit. "He told me
that I was to make myself happy, that he would find me
mowiethiag to eat, and panty to drink." Shortly 'Mr,
L byes
g/ saise beef, bread and cheese, and spirits," were
up by Beaks, and " he remained there, I &Mull think,
a OM* of hours, drinkirg, singing, sad amokiag." " Some
of them were getting pretty pariash." They did not pto
bed. Tho flrst thing the next morning they went and
washed ; then into the breakfast too a, where there was •
very large party. After breakfast they went to the poll,
where Prue and, the cr hers voted for Mr. Ireland; after the
poll back to the " big large breakfast room, when there was
more to drink."
So much for the promise of bribery, now for its
realisation :

In the wane of tke morning, says Pries, " I wet standing
at the gateway of the George, when Mr. Banks came by and
tapped me on the shoulder and told use to go along with
him. We went into the room where we had been stopping
all night. There was no ohs there. " Ile pulled out Cis
puns and gave me three artf. notes, and thanked me very
kindly fur givieg my vote to Mr. Ireland." " After having
had some more to drink I went and fetched my wife to re-
turn to Stourbridge. At the Green Dragon at Kiddermin-
ster I changed one of the notes. I went and bought some
clothes for my two little lads, and after that I 1)+130 a
horse in Kidderminster Fair for 7J. 65." The boric se pur-
chased died within a month.
This man, in cross-examinsioo, was asked—
Had you ever voted at as election before ?—No.
Then you had n sold your vote before ?—No.
That was the tint opportunity you bad i—That was the
first vote that ever I had.
And you thought you would make the moat of it?—Well,
I should have been wror.g it I did not.
Then you feel that yon would have done wrong if you hod
not made the most of it ?—Money was tempting : I etas
rather low in ciresanstances.
But you told us, this instate, that you thought you would
have been wrong ;rpm had sot made the most of your vote ?
—Money is tempting to poor persons sew want it.
But you said this instant time )ou woui I have thought
yourself wrong if you had not made the most of your vote ?
—That is not the meaning of what I said.
Explain what fou meant—What I mesa is, a parson
being low in circumstances, money is tempting Jr:, him to
maks the best of his cote.
Can there be any doubt that this men spoke from
the sincerity of his heart?
Afterwards, as Price deposes, he was invited as
one of Mr. Ireland's " independent constituents " to
dine with him at Bewdley. He went. " Mr. Backs
was there ; he made several speeches. Ido not
think he sang. I did not notice. I think he was
Mayor of Bewdley at the lime."
Price's evidence was fully corroborated in every
particular by his wife ;by the landlord of the inn at
Stourbrid2e, and by his wife ; by his (Price's) land-
lord, to whom be paid one of the Si. notes for rent ;
by the clothes dealer at Kidderminster, of whom he
purchased tile clothes for his children ; and by the
farmer of whom he bought the horse at Kiddermin-
ster fair. This mass of evidence was complete
and ancontradicted, and the Committee at once
decided upon it " that Thomas James Ireland, Esq.,
was not duly elected, and that, by his agents, he
was guilty of bribery and of treating, for the purpose
of unduly influencing the electors at the last election
for the borough of Bewdley."
It then became the turn of the Tories to make
out their case against Sir Thomas Winnington. They
alleged that the election on his part bad been just as
profligately conducted as it was noon the other aide.
'The first case they attempted to prove was a case of
personal bribery against Sir Thomas Winnington.
Benjamin as t Thomas Draper, father and sou, were
Webers at Bewdley, not apparently in a large way of
business. They had voted for Sir Thomas Winnmgton in
1841. but
. sedwequently, it mess, they took asses nee
Biz Themes had paid them no respect." Thames Draper
semplaised that in 1841 " had bees up three nights, and
sever had his clothes off, voters ready for the poll,—
end Sir Thomas Winninroa lid not even so mesh as call
spas him afterwards." He said " he should tell dir Thomas
so when be called upon him to solicit his vote, and that be
rosily shield not vote kr Ida."
Asesedtsigty when file Theme ealled epos the DraPefo hl
the MOM of hie maven be we very oddly rushed.
"Themes Draper told him that he did set seem to lucre his
ehey before, bat that he haw kite sow." Sir Thomas said
ewe what had occurred " wee aelotewiegly to hiss, that he
was my am, and that it should sot be the cans again, and
be sesetedloallege it to hiesteward, aeloslingly to himself,
that they led not ”id Draper ray ri
About a week ar this, some emetiL
wit:keew the Drapers
sidled cm them to maven them for Ireland. " Thomas
Draper said he really soakd sot tell what to do—that he had
1.110i•011 so many let ere--that he leads letter from Lady
Wilmington Woolf, the meet lady.liae, politest letter he
had ever read in all his life; he really lad never read such •
letter; that be had had se msay_ letters Irma different people
inviting him, ea the poet of Sir Thomas to vote, that he
really could not tell whet to de."
• day or two before the poll he was again called on.
The ace then mid " that he had had a letter from Sir
Thomas Winniagtoa, sad that Bir Thomas hod promised
him he should serve flteadford Court with meat for the
nest twelve teosthe, sad likewise lifiaterdyee, if be would
vele he him." He said " I really moot refuse these
11111" Theo the old ma, Diejeada Draper, chimed ia.
▪ Then ham* it I etch a thing," laid he, 'lke am
pi* with mist for the ant twelve Nemeth& Leek at the
twat it will tidies" said he, " sad we sever did wee filkede
hod Court before, and we have set as order ben lileemb
dyne this lag." Thou Mewed," said he, " MINI
Mhos *me Skimp."
This wee the ceps Kant Sir Thome Wisahtgles.
(re N Centiowd.)