The Express.
London, England, 1853-02-24 00:00:00

CONTROVERTED ELECTION CONINUTTEES.

CHATHAM.
Yesterday the members of this committee re-as-
sembled—Mr. Bramsten in the chair.
Joseph Greathead, druggist,of Chatham, depnn.d that he
gave his vote fur Sir Frederica Smith. Durine the elee-
tMn he applied to Sir Frederick for a Post otti,e appoint-
ment, as letter-carrier, for his son, who is a teilor Applied
also to Sir Frederick fur promotion for his yO,Iht;OT sou in
the navy. In both cases this had been dole- to wit-
ness's satisfaction, and believed he had to thank Sir Frede-
rick for it.
George B. Locke, an elector of Chatham, wet canvassed
by Sir F. Smith early at the election, and promised him his
vote. Asked Sir Frederick for a Dockyard appointment for
Lis brother, and Sir Frederick procured the it Lkylard ap-
pointment for him within threw weeks. Went on the poll
day to vote for Sir Frederick, but returned win out siting,
as the officials threatened to adininister to hien .be hribery
oath. Chat was at 8 o'clock in the morning, and at 1
o'clock on the same day Sir Frederick, in company with
Mr. Wells, jun., called at witness's house, an ask, d him
why he did not vote. Witness replied he wit. afraid he
should take • false oath if he took the bribery ..nth on its
beiug offered. Sir Frederick then s.id, '• ; yell promised
me your vote before you milieu me for anything ;" and Sir
Frederick told wituese to go :end vote. WAuees ...lid, "Can
I go there clear, without taking a false mete ?" and Sir
Frederick said, " Yes, you can go and take you: oath clear;
you did nut promise tne your vote on condition, but you
merely asked men favour afterwards." That nit, distinction
made all the difference. (Laughter.)
John Sibett, a ropecnaker, examined—Sir Frederick
Smith canvassed witneu on the first day of his Vonva.A, and
witness said he had sin ady pion/heed his so.- to Sir J.
Stirling. Sir Frederick then said to witness, "It eve ry one
was as candid as you, 1 should know b :or what I am
doing." Colgate, the hairdresser, then met witness
about a weee after, and said it would b better for
witness to vote for S:r Frederick, as lie was a
ropemeker, and out of employ, and as there was
the dockyard open, or something to that effect. Witness
said he was not eligible for a dockyard append:milt in con-
sequeutm of hes having mare children than the regulations
allowed, viz., three children. (Laughter.) Colgate said
the. might be easily get ever, a.. he knew the ease of a man
who had got a situatioe with inc children. (Laughter.)
Colgate urged whines to see Sir Frederick, which he did,
and at the interview Sir Fred, rick shook hand, with wit-
nee, and gave him his card, Sir Frederick say e:8 that" his
earliest friends should be earliest thought of." (Laughter.)
A fortnight after witness saw Colgate again, sad told him
the application fur witness had been made, but that the
Captain Superiutendent or the Dockyard would not allow
the appointment, and thathe could not allow any use to go
there, except as a hired min' but that if witness liked to
go as a hired man, he should have one of the tint vacan-
cies. Witness, however, did not accept this, 34 it wig
not good enough. Witnees did not vote at tlie election be-
cause he saw the blue bills posted up with a " Caution
against bribery," and begin to think fur the first time he
had been doing something wrong.
Richard Gilding, a voter, was canvassed by Sir Frederick
five or six weeks before the election. Found Sir Frederick
in his mother's house one day, after re:turbo:it :loin work.
Sir Frederick asked him what he was in the duekearl, and
witness told him a labourer, but not on the establishment.
Sir Frederick said, "it shall be altered, or that he would
alter It." Witness's wages at the time were 12s. a week.
Sir Frederick asked him if he would like a me stengership
at ISt. a week, and witness seid " Yes, either in Chatham
or Portsmouth Dockyards." Witness voted far Sir Frede-
rick, but never heard anything about the meisfugersleip,
and was still a labourer. lie would have tided for Sir
Frederick even if he had not promised him the situation.
On the application of counsel for the peteioners, the
committee ordered the production of certain correspond-
ence, alleged to have passed between Sir F. Smith and any
officer (including the. Secretary of the Admirals)), between
the months of March and December last, releiive to the
appointment of the voter Pitts, and other matters, and then
adjourned to this day at 11 o'clock.

CLITHEROE.
The committee in the Clitheroe case again sat
yesterday morning, when the following er,u,a_e was
adduced:

George Hargraves, a draper of Clitheroe, wu called to
establish agency.
Thomas Hartley, clogmaker, living seven miles from Cli-
theroe, said on the Saturday before the election or was sent
for by Dewhuret end Bullock to come to ti.' Weaver's
Arms. They wanted him to hire a band, for which ho was
to get 101. Bullock gave him 9 paper about n, out lie gave
it back to him afterwards. Witness paid the band, but had
not been paid himself.
Win. Haworth said he was the leader of the band. He
said that after the election he saw some of the committee—
Dcwhunt, Wllynahur, Carmichael, Bullock, and, he be-
lieved, Burroughs and Johnstone, about payment. Dew-
hurst wanted to know who had hired them (the band), and
he produced the note. One of them got hold of it, and
was going away with it; but witness said if he did not
have it, he would not get his money. Another person
afterwards got the note, and went away with it, while he
(witness) was talking about the money. Witness said ha
was engaged fur 101., and Ihwhurat said that could not
be—that (no one had hired them. He offered witness 51.,
but he would not take it. They consulted together, mid
subsequently Burroughs borrowed 121. from the landlady
of the Brownlow Arms, and paid them. A man who
took him into the Brownlow Arms said they were the com-
mittee.

Robert Whittam said he is a Lancashire farmer, and
canvassed for Wilson. This witness, in cross-examination,
stated that he received a letter from A•pinall'a party, in
which the writer said he had to provide 300 lighting men to
do the "rough work" at the election, and asking the wit-
ness to provide some, adding that the best fighting men and
poachers would be preferred. Witness did not do so, but
nave the letter to a person, who handed it over to the
Mayor.
By the Chairman—There have been great " bludgeon "
fights at Clitheroc at the elections. At the last contested
election there had been pers ins going about the town so
armed on both sides.

James Ainsworth, shoemaker at Clitheroe, said he is
stepfather to John Pullman. Kept the Craven Heifer
which was near the Primrose works, and was always used
by Wilson's party. Oa the nomination day a good many
people in Thompson's employ were there—there were
perhaps two thousand people altogether drinking there
that day. That was going on several days before the
election. lie believed Burroughs ordered the bill
for all this to be made out. Witness was sent
with the bill to the Brownlow Arms. He saw Bacot
there. He went to see Wilson—Bacon was writing, and
there were papers on the table. He had no reason for
' going to him. He left the bill with Bacon. He was the
same person who had Riven orders at Pullman's on the
election day. He gave him the bill because the door wag
open, and be saw Bacon writing there. He had no other
reason. Witness told him he bad brought Pullman's bill,
and asked him whether Mr. Wilson was in the house.
Bacon replied he was, but he was engaged, and he might
leave the bill withshim, which he (witness) did. It was in
consequence of directions from Pullman that he asked for
Mr. Wilson. Most of the two thousand men were colliers,
and some bad bludgeons. A great many were factory ope-
ratives. Perhaps one hundred had walkingsticks and such
like. The bill was over 1301. Witness would hive gives
the bill to anybody in the room, not a stranger, but to
anybody who had given orders to Pullman. Ile should not
have given it to one of Aspinall's supporters, hut in that
room he only expected to find Wilson's friends. The bill
was run up in two or three days.
John Pullman, the landlord spoken to by the last wit-
ness, said Mr. Wilson came to him in company with H.
Thompson, and canvassed hint for his vote, and be voted
for him. About a fortnight after the interview he began to
supply meat and drink. He told Mr. Wilson he would eon-
eider about his vote, but did not promise. The last witness
(Ainsworth) made out the bill, which he believed amounted
to 1371. Witness never told him to take it to Mr. Wilson,
but to Bacon, who worked at Metiers. Thompson's, at the
Primrose Works. Bacon was book-keeper there. Bacon
had been at his house attending to the election, but gave no
orders. When the Speaker's warrant came for him (witness)
he looked for the copy albs bill, but it was lost. He will
swear to the names on the copy now produced being
the same as were on the one that was let. From the fun
ther evidence of this witness it appeared that the bill eon-
gated of animate varying from 201. to 301., put down to the
score of different labouring men in Thompson's employment
for drink, &.. The bill was made out hy the last witness
to deliver to Bacon.

James Ainsworth was re-called, and stated that the bill
spoken of was made out to Mr. Wilson, and he was not told
by the last witness to deliver it to Bacon.
Thomas Bother'sll, landlord of the Wheatsbeef, at Cli-
theme, gave evidence of a similar bill being run up at his
house for 821. 14s. Be said he delivered the bill to Beam
because he asked for it. He (witness) had no idea who
would pay the bill.
The committee then adjourned to 11 o'clock to-morrow
(this) morning.

I

enema wee W. 10s., sad be gate bee 101., siyiag see was
to give hies lbs., but she sever saw biai sia:s to so sk to
bbw. Ile never asked bet foe it, sad she 'veer offoirei to
pay him the Itts. heat the eleetios of 1847 down to Vie
Mae Mr. Batt. paid Mr, she saver applied (or the savant
01 the old bill.

Crww-elassined by Mir. Alexander—Doti not know whst
bee lisebaad seay have dam about applying for t'te amount
ei the bilL Had se drew when Mr. Batts paid her toe
M., se she would betre Mama liar 10e. Pat the money
and tea bee braillemil when be ease boss from the
George Willmme semeimed by Mr. Haskine—Witsess is
meat for the Aldealtam Mate, and canvassed the witness
1111.0 a is company wiM Mr. Cadogaa. Meseta said be
would not promise t►em. sad went away into his stable,
when WitAtal harmed Me. %tams told him he'd oblige
him very mew► if be maid eels for Mr. Cadogan. Mama
replied there was alit of 101. due to him since the prestos
election by Whitmire sad Pigot, and if that mossy was
paid to him he'd sots ter Whitmore and l'igot ; if it was
not paid, be would vote he Mr. Cadogan.
Crum•enemined by Mr. Alexander—Went twice to
Miaann's. Mr. Cadogan and Mr. Iliekhonee were with him
the tint um.•, the second timo he went by himself. Didn't
gee Mason then, but saw his wife.
By Sir H. Vl'illoughby—is nut a voter of llridgnorth. Ilis
instructions were to accompany Mr. Cad gin and show
him every attention. Lord Granville instructed him to
do so.
Sir H. Willoughby—Bo yr a mean to say you were di-
rected by Lord Granville to interfere in the Bridgaorth
election ?
Waner—No; I was told to accompany Mr. Cadogan.
Sir U. Willoughby—On what grounds did you interfere
la the election ?
Witnea—Because Mr. Cadogan was a guest at Aldenham

---
By Mr. Locke King—The real owner of the estate of Al-
denhamis Sir John Acton, not Lord Granville. . .

Mr. Hawkins, on the part of we petitioners, having
Summed up the evidence,
Mr. Whatelty replied on the part of Mr. Whitmore, and
Mr. Alexander was proceeding to reply on behalf of Sir
l'igot, when, it being past four o'clock,
The Chairman said, as Mr. Alexander's speech would
occupy a considerable time, he thought it better they
should adjourn.
The committee then adjourned to 11 o'clock this morning.