The Express.
London, England, 1867-01-05 00:00:00

LANCASTER ELECTION COMMISSIos.

LANOASTIE, FIUDAT.
Mr. T. J. Baratowe and Mr. K. M. Newt.m, two
of the commissioners appointed to inquire into the ei lattice
of bribery and corruption at the last and the pracedic4
elections for the borough of Lancaster, resumed their it,
vest*ation in the Shire-hall this morning. it will be
recollected that the inquiry was opened in August lust, and
that, after sitting uninterruptedly for five weeks, the
commissioners adjourned without fixing a date for the
resumption of the investigation. We belies a that
the examinatiom of the witnesses already called
so clearly established the existence of bribery .mni
corruption of the most open and unblualtik
character that the commissioners have detenuithel
to examine every voter in order to ascertain the exact
number by whom bribes were taken. At the kit ektica
the constituency numbered about 1,400, au
exceptionally large number of freemen. Of these, 1,4111
recorded their votes, and it has already been a.scrticea
that close upon 800 were bribed by sums varying from st,
to 20!. The first witness called this morning was,
Richard Atkinson, • labourer, who said he rotol at
the last election for Fenwick and Schneider, and received
101. for doing so.
Robert Ball, • coachman, voted for Lawrence, aul es
oeived 12/.

John Ball, a farmer, said he farmed 50 or 60 acres of
land which belonged to himself. At the last election be
voted for Fenwick and Schneider, and received luf. for
" expenses.
Barro" w a draper and commercial traveller, of
Lancaster, stated that he interested himself at the last
election on behalf of Mr. Schneider, and received a inui of
501. for the purposes of the election. On the day of the
election he visited one of the public-houses in the town,
and found a number of voters who were trying to get
away. He gave IW. to one of them to vote for Lawrence
and Schneider, but after receiving the money the voter
ran away. Witness had promised a man named Hoskins,
who was in the employ of Mr. Schneider, that if Mr. law.
refute were at the bead of the poll and sure of his seat, be
(witness) would spend 50/. in buying votes for Schneider,
so that he might be second man.
Mr. Thomas Johnson, solicitor, was next examined. He
said—l voted at the last election for Fenwick and
Schneider, but beyond voting I took no active part in the
contest. At the single-handed contest between Mr. Fen-
wick and Mr. Saunders in 186411 acted as agent for Mr.
Fenwick. Up to that time I had refused a retaim,r for
the liberals for more than 20 years, and I regret that I was
induced to accept it then. I have no personal knowledge
of money having been spent for illegal purposes in the
election in 1864, but I have reason to believe that a good
deal more was spent than passed through my hands.
The Chief Commissioner—What was the amount of the
legal expenses?—They were returned for Mr. Fenwick
' alone at somewhat more than 900/. I received 1,0001. for
the purposes of the election, and at the close of the poll
I had a balance of about 551. left in my hands. When
my book was closed I asked Kr. Fenwick what I was to do
with it. He told me to pay it over to Mr. Henry
Welch. I did so, and when I received an intimation
that I should be required to give evidence here, I told
Mr. Welch that I should mention the fact of having paid
the 551. to him. He then told me that if I added a couple
of cyphers to those figures it would about represent the
sum which passed through his hands. The payment of
551. was made several weeks after the election, and I dis-
liked the transaction so much that it confirmed me in my
resolution never to accept a retainer again I received
twenty guineas for my own services, but I felt that it wan
impossible for me to apply it to my own use. I therefore
gave ten guineas to the teetotal society towards paying
off their debt, and distributed the rest among the public
institutions of the town. At the last election I spent the
day with some friends ten miles from Lancaster.
The Chief Commissioner—You seem to have voted, how.
ever?—Yes, at eight o'clock in the morning.
Robert Baxter, farmer, of Middleton, maid the rent of
his farm was 180/. a year. He voted for Lawrence, and
received 101. from a stranger for doing so.
Thomas Baxter, publican, and formerly farm bailiff to
Mr. S. Bolden, secretary to the Lancaster and Carlisle
Railway Company—At the election in 1864 be voted far
Mr. Saunders, the conservative candidate, but at the last
election he voted for the liberals—Fenwick and Schneider.

The Chief Commissioner—What induced you to do so,—
Mr. Bolden would not allow me to vote for Mr. Lawrence.
Did not Mr. Bolden propose or second the nomination
of one of the candidates!—Yes, I believe he nononatul
Mr. Schneider.

John Bond, landlord of the Three Mariners, voted for
Lawrence, and received 3/. for the use of his house, 11/.
for refreshments, and IW. for his services during the elec.
tion. Edward Bradshaw and William Briscoe vuted for
' Fenwick and Schneider, and received $l. each ; Eriscos
also received 71. from the other side; John Brown, a
plumber, got SI. from the liberals; Thos. Butcher, tailor,
$4; Richard Butcher, 54 ; George Cie:mason, plumber, re-
ceived 51 from MrWelch, and expended about 40W. foe
the purposes of the election. The rest he returned to Mr.
Welch about two days after the election. Thomas Her-
mess voted for Lawrence and received 101.
The next witnesses were three farmers named Cotters,
who reside a few miles from Lancaster, and vote as free-
men. The first, Adam Cottam, of Heaton, pays 1304 a
year for his farm, and received 104 for voting for Law.
recce; John Cottem pays 13$/. a year, and received 101. ;
and Thomas Gotten, of Overton, who, besides paying a
rental of 7.361. a year, farms land of his own, received 104
from Mr. Haddocks, of Liverpool, and 104 from Mr.
Denson. The last witness said that Denson knew he had
received 101. from Haddocks before he paid the second
10/., and it was not unlikely that be toll Denson after.
want that he would not vote at all unless he got a third
101. AU the Cottanis voted for Lawrence.

--.iaseph (,Ywalcill, farmer, of Overton,
pays 3 year
for his farm, and received 12f. for voting for Lawvenca..
Some evidence of a similar character was being taken
when our parcel was despatched.

CO.YFESSION-DR. PUSEY ON ALAERIAGE.

Dr. Pusey has forwarded to the Times the fol-
lowing statement :

TO THE EDITOR OF THE TIMES.

" Sir,—' S. G. o.' mike me in your columns, Did he, as
• minister of our church, dissuade her (the young Lay
about whom he wrote to you) from it (from choosing a life
of celibacy) V I answer, first, such a choice was never irre-
vocably made. Secondly, I know of no duty in any
' minister of our church' to dissuade from it. The mar-
riage service of our church speaks of the celibate life se
' a gift 'of God. Art. mil., in vindicating the freedom
of the clergy, as of all other Christian people. 'to marry;
speaks of it as lawful to marry as they shall judge the
same to serve better to godliness.' This implies, by the
form of the terms, that any might think like St. Paul
(1 Cur. ix. 5) though they were free, it served better to
godliness in them to remain unmarrried. The whole
church, from the first, has so understood our Lord (St.
Matt., xi:. 12) and St. Paul (1 Cor., ix. 5) who. when he
says, ' The unmarried woman careth for the things of the
Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit;
but she that is married careth for the things of the world,
how she may please her husband,' enunciates a principle
founded upon human nature. Ido not see, then, upon
what princile I could be bound,' as • minister of oar
church,' to dissuade any person front choosing a stale of
life which our Lord pronounces acceptable to Himself, if
chosen for His sake, which St. Paul speaks of as one
which is comely, that 'ye may attend upon the Lord
without distraction,' and which our church, in conformity
to the whole church, .peals of as • ' gift' from (sods
In regard to the case itself, I will only add that the lady
gave this evidence that her choice was from God ; that
she never for a moment varied in it ; that she remained
single because it was her own free, deliberate, sleep choice,
uninfluenced by me : that she lived and die,l happy in her
choice; that her own fooling.; on the subject were mot
fanatic,' but the deep, simple feelings of one who bad
taken our Lord at His word ; that her ' original incline-
tion was never made an obligation, but that she died un-
tr.arried,believing,witha depth of feeling which no human
being could infuse, that it was the state to which it had
pleased God to call her.'
" Her history I well remembered, as of a soul deer to
God. I had only forgotten the fact of the two years' vow,
because it had no influence upon her life.
" For the rest, I roust leave the subject to her
my friendship with whom was never in the least nits!,
rupted, and who in • kind letter has written to we that
he is much grieved that his daughter's history :la, (witlisat
any reference to him) been made a matter of ',Wile
discussion by those who forwarded the information to
' S. G. o.' "

NATIONAL REFORM UNION. The Padiharn
branch of the union held a public meeting, on Nv. an,
evening, in the Oddrellowe'diall, the Rev. G. H.
in the chair. The meeting was a crowded and • lith*.!.
siastic one. The chairman condemned :dr. s
speeches, and said he considered inch a tio.'e eu
went as that adopted by Mr. Lowe would Lot retard,
but help forward reform. The working men were eons
scions of their own worth, and would prove still further
their fitness for the exerebe of political power, if it wrru
nexesary. He exhorted the meeting to be united and ile.•
termined, in order that a comprehensive reform 11101100
might be secured. The first resolution, inclieling .01 r‘•
tension of the suffrage to everyone rated or liable t..
rated to the relief of the poor, an equitable redistnhation
of seats according to population and property, the pr..!,..c•
tion of the ballot, and shorter parliaments, wa.. tOO% ed b 1
Mr. B. Waddington, seconded by Mr. T. Giimshas. of
Bolton, and carried unanimously. Mr. Hudson, of Pro-
ton, proposed that the thanks of the meeting should he
given to Earl Russell, Mr. Gladstone, 31. P., Mr. John
Bright, M.P., Mr. J. S. Mill, M.P., and those liberal
hers who supported the measure introduced by the 140
liberal government. Mr. Marie Price, who attended from
the central executive, seconded the resolution in an able
speech, whenlb it was carried amidst great enthusi.va_.
Mr. B. Piling and others addressed the meeting, which
closed with thanks being passed to the chairman and to
Mr. Price.

THE CONSERVATIVE LAND SOCIETY. —The ex,r
cutive committee have nominated Mr. C. .1. sd.yn,
9.c.. standing counsel, in place of Vise-Chancellor M.6l;,'N
ho had tilled that position since the formation of the
society, in lti:J2.