The Express.
London, England, 1853-04-18 00:00:00

ELECTION EXPOSURES.
ItYE.

This committee met on Saturday at 11 o'clock,
aad rt bunted the eCiall.lati4lll

Mr. Jeremiah Smith, which hotel denim! the entire sit-
ting The greater portion of Mr. Smith's ~deneir pos-
sessed little public Limns!, A. it WAS directed to the expla-
nation of a number of pecuniary transactions with voters of
the borough of Rye. l'pon these he was int. rengated by
cottesel, as they were eat. red iu his books, U., object u.ing
to show that, by an agonised evident. of Lams to in edy
electors, Mr. Smith had eurrupte.d the conic, itueney. That
loans were made by him to voters iu a great 'awl CARS was
clearly established, but tho motives and circumstances
which ieduced him to do so were not always so clearly
brought out, and the witness suczeeded in c notecting same
with ereliaary business transarions, which d.. 1 rued them of
much value tor the purposes of the inquiry. Ti.e .liewing
arc among the more suspicious cases prat I'. Clark,
a printer and elector, owed him 2331.5., and [or ten
years they hod had no settlement of accounts, though
Clark in tho interval had supplied him with goods,
the last entry in the books of wanes. was in ide in pencil,
in 1551, and was for t. n years rent, there having
been no entry daring the whole of that interval. Clark
voted for Mackinnon. Witness would nut swear that a
tenant of Isis, named Croskie, and a voter, LA paid him
any rent for seven or eight years. Mr. }lsar Clink, a
ini.ler and elect,r, appeared in the books with en entry,
in pencil, of 5161., dited Feoruary 23, WI, Nolan him,
and no snail. Some of the items in this account con-
sisted of condiersblc accumuhtions of interest. Tho
advances, witness straw, had been made fur building
houses, he supplying bricks, of which he was a manufac-
turer. T. Edward., a baba. and elector, app. areal in the
books as owing witness 71. &1., without security. Joseph
Hannah, a voter, had been hut in May, 1811, 31'., and ne
interest had ever been charged tluseon the ground of the
loan belay that Le was in • knives. Witness had weer
canvassed him, but had pressed him t 3 pay by letter several
times. Anthony Gentler, a tailor, appeared to the books,
6/ a recent settlement, rts indebted t. witness a balance of
8,1. Jenner supplied him with clothes, but for eight yea
hi
had never tent n his bill.

Sir J. Pakington sharply interrogated the 111:11C AI on this
ease, setting him whet his motive con!d be ter allowing
accounts to rim so king •.s t:nce 1846 ?
Witness aa:d that he had prettied for the accrue!, but
that it Lad ei.ly been delivered within the la.t. week or two,
when Jenner bad sent lum eight year.' bil:s and a 101.
cheque.
He then was examined as to the case of Gearee Jarrett, a
baker, and, lila, all the rest, an elector, web owl d him
331. 10-. 44., uncovered by any security, aed with w"mm
he had no other dealings ; the money, he said, hal been ad-
vanced because the man was in difficulties and wanted to
repair his oven. The name of Thomas Clarke opening on
the books as having made one advance of 21. to Jarrett, the
witness was closely questioned as to who this 1 home
Clarke was. He stated that Clarke was now dead, that he
had tot employed him regularly, but from time to time,
paying him for what he did. His business was to keep ac-
counts and call en people, to act, in short, Hs election agent,
and he commenced doing' so in 1832, and witness charged
what he paid him to the Curteis' family.
Sir J. Pakington, who reprimanded the witness several
times for the manner in whi,de he gave his evidence, here
took up the examination, antl elicited that Clarke had been
in his employ from 12 to 15 yearn.
Witness denied that Clarke was employed with reference
to the advances made to voters.

Sir J. rakingtou—What were his duties?
Witness—lie moved about from post to pillar to see
what was doing. I can't specify what work he performed ;
but I should thiak he canvassed voters. Whatever money
he wanted he came to me tor it, and he generally received
Lis orders Item me.

Sir J. Pakington—What did he do besides canvassing ?
Witness-1 can't tell you, but he was on the move some-
where. I dare say he attended the public.hou'es. I have
paid several bills at public-houses incurred by him. George
Thomas was employed in the mune capacity.
The Lord Advoesiti.—llid he tell you that any party was
in want of money?
Witness—lf he did, my books would show it. It it: pos-
sible he might, but he did not do so irsquently. 1 cm-
pleyid him to bring me itin.rmation mato tht voters.
The Lord-Advocate—DM you not make application
to Major Curteis for the paymcut of loans made by you to
voters

Witness—Yes. When the Curteis' family first wished
me to take port in the borough elections in 1832, I
strongly objected, but was pressed so much that at last I
consented to do so. They tried to canvass, but were not
able to do so ; and Mej st Curteis came to me and said : " I
must win," and asked rue how voters were to be obtained.
I told hint that there was but one way, and he gi.ve me posi-
tive orders to advance loans, which were to :ie kept ditto et,
however, from his father's accounts, and to he settled alter
his dealt. Too or three of the names with reference to
which I have been exawined had loans made to th.m in this
menus e.
In answer to question.; pot by counsel, 'dint after
some fencing, admitted tee preparation of two zahs,:ar
statements, setting forth the moneys advanced by him to
voters in the borough. One list comprised advance, t t the
amount of 1,8811., and the other to the anio.int of 6,0004.
Witness assured the committee that he had never been

by Major Curteis a chilling for the advance,' of 1,b311. Re
had made further advances between 1832 and 1834, to the
amount of about 6,0001., but, when ho prcssed fur a settle-
ment, Moja. Curteis repudiated, and the cyst, -m was dis-
continued. 11c had recovered a large portion of the loans
from the parties themst byes ; but nut a shilling from the
Curteis' family. He thought none of the ailvatie,.s of 1832
were outstandmg in 1862, and he had made no political
leans since Major Curteis repudiated.
Sir John Pskingtun—How do yon reconcile with that
statement the advances of 8,00.01.

WitnesF—That is part of the system carried on previ..us
to 1537, but, of count', five ur six years elapsed Leta!, I
could get my money in.
The extract of S. Inte's Inter to Major Curteis, proposing
a compromise of 1,0tt?., w.ts hero read to the witness, who

. .
admitted that he had authori,ed it.
Sir John Pakington—How do you account for tit, loans
which it is proved ycu have made to voters in 1311 without
any security ?
Witness—l made these loans without any reference
to political considerations, and I have a vast number of
names similarly appearing in my books that were not voters
at all.
Sir J. Pakington—You say that you made loans to the
amount of 1,931/. at the election of 1832, mud to the amount
of 5,000/. from that period, until Major Curteis repudiated.
Can you give the committee any approximation to the list
of pergolas to whom you lent this 611111 in round numbers of
7,000/.?
Witness—No ; I cannot.
The examination was auspended at this point by the ad-
journment of the committee.