The Express.
London, England, 1848-11-29 00:00:00

scarcely say "No" to the dab and the party. A variety
of load people were pressed to stand, but one and all
declined. At length the tories found a candidate in
tee Davin of a Mr. Rena Hampden, brother of the
celebrated Dr., then living at a small place in Little
Harlow, weir;; he had rented for a couple of years or
so from Sir George Nugent. Mr. Rena Hampden
was a man of milts ambition and of a little
popularity. He was t descendent of the great
Hampden, but as some one said, the eagle of those
days had degenerated into t " wren." Having
started him it was neecoerssssatrryy that the Williamson, for
theirown sakes,ahould bring 'min. Their party fought
for him like tigers. To the Clayton. the contest was
one of life or death. They fought with equal violence.
All the bad passions that had slumbered for a dozen
years were again aroused within the borough: all the
old family feuds and animosities were re-excited, and
with the display of the old " blue " and "copper "
flags there came forth again the " undistinguishable
throng " of bitter recollections, lung subdued yet
fondly cherished to be now revived in all their pris-
tine rancour. The result of this frightful contest was
the return of Sir William Clayton by one vote; the
numbers being, for Williams, 233 ; Clayton, 170 ;
Hampden, 160. The cost on both sloes was excessive.
The last voters were said to have held out for
sums which, in so poor a town as Marlow, are
equal to a year's income. Of course a return, under
suckcircumstances, could not stand without an in-
quiry. A petition was presented on the part of Mr.
Hampden, praying for • Committee on the ground
both of bribery and disqualification on the part of
voters. A scrutiny was opened, which lasted from
the 16th of March to the 11th of April 1812. The
facts disclosed on both sides showed a most extraor-
dinary system of vote-making to have been prevalent
in the borough. One of the voters struck off was a
man named Redmond, Mr. Williams'. own butler,
who had qualified for a cottage at Temple-mills, let to
him for the express purpose, as Mr. Williams
himself told the committee, of enateing him
to vote. Another voter wanted to qualify
for a pear tree ! Hie house and land were
admittedly insufficient, but he was asserted to have a
pear-tree in hie garden which produced fruit equal in
value to the golden apples in the gardens of the Hes-
perides. The qualifications of several other voters
were no better, and faggot-votes were struck off on
both sides. At length a vote was objected to, the evi-
dence respecting which compromised very honourable
names. A lady of high rank, daughter of Sir William
Clayton, was summoned to attend. Dr. Locock ap-
peared for her, and assured the committee that in her
" interesting situation" attendance would be impossible.
The facts of the case strongly savoured of bribery, and
the circumstances attending it were altogether un-
pleasant. One person was committed to the custody
of the Sergeant-at-Arms, and after five days, during
every one of which the exposure became hotter, the
committee struck off the vote from the sitting mem-
ber'. poll. At this stage of the proceedings Sir
William Clayton thought it prudent to give way,
and Mr. hampden obtained the seat. Dearly, however,
wan it purchased. The expenses of the petition are
estimated at not less than 4,000!. to each member.
A subscription had been opened at Marlow to pay
Mr. Hampden's costs, and many of the tory gentle-
men put down their names for various sums. Only
one of them paid! Mr. Hampden sat through the
parliament; he spoke once or twice, but mcde no im-
pression, and, what was worse, got no appointment.
When the conservative split came, he sided with Sir
Robert Peel in opposition to Mr. Williams, who went
with the protectionists. Mr. Hampden " suffered
martyrdom from both sides," without any chance of
leaving the reputation of his great progenitor. Of
course when the dissolution came there was no hope
of re-election on the Williams interest at Marlow; so,
Mr. Hampden retired to his estates at Barbadoes,
where it is understood he still resides—and is likely
to reside.

The election of 1847 was not a bit leas corrupt than
that of 1841. The account of that must be reserved
for another day.

IRELAND.

DUBLIN, Nov. 28,

The arrival of Lord Clarendon is rumoured for
Thursday next, when it is stated the appointment to
the vacant bishopric will be announced. The selec-
tion of an Englishman as master of the Royal School
of Armagh, and the unpopularity of the appointment,
would incline one to hope that discontent be not
stimulated among. the clergy of the establishment by
a second nomination of that nature. The income of
the see is 4,4631. 3s. 01d., of which over 3,0001. arises
from fines—of course this payment will be irregular.
The loss to Ireland arising from the failure of the
potato, and its consequential results, is cslimated at
4004,0001. . . .

It is said that the lords of the Treasury have re-
fused to allow the office of crier in the Court of
Exchequer, vacant by the promo•ion of Mr. Reilly,
u well as that of clerk of the crown in the Court of
Queen's Bench, vacant by the death of Mr. Bourne,
to be tilled up. Coveniment is said to have decided
on the adoption of this course, in order to carry out
a system of retrenchment in the public expenditure.