The Sun.
London, England, 1838-03-03 00:00:00

TAUNTON.

At a meeting of the Committee this morning, evidence was gone
Into to show what constitutes a " potwaller" in the borough of Taun-
ton ; there being a difference of opinion on the subject, between the
Contending parties ; the counsel for the sitting Member stating, in ad-
dition to his other qualifications, that a potwaller must have the means
of cooking his own diet—the petitioners counsel that he must have
aetualiy done so.
After the arguments of counsel had been concluded, the roam was
cleared. On our readmission the Chairman announced that the
Committee had rejected both the statements which had been put in by
Counsel, and agreed to a resolution which was to the following effect :
" A potwaller in Taunton had an undoubted right to vote, if he hal
but received parochial relief within twelve months; and the Committee
considered a potwaller to be a householder or lodger having the control
over his room, and a legal right to a fire at which he could boil his pot,
and fluidic must have exercised that right within six months previous
to the election."

NEWCASTLE-UNDER.LYNE.
The Committee met this morning at Eleven o'clock.
Samuel Plant, a shoemaker, living at Newcastle, and a freeman of
the borough, examined The witness stated that on Thursday, the day
of the nomination, he went to the Castle Hotel with two friends, about
nine o'clock at night. He saw Mr. Mason and Mr. Miller go into a
room. He went to the room, which was a little open. We (Gallimore,
Walls, and myself) heard Mr. Miller say he could not think why lie had
beenso ill treated on his canvass, being upbraided with what had
~
'eon left unpaid at the last election. Mr. Miller then asked Ma-
'°n what he had done with the nine hundred pounds which he
had given him to carry on the election. Mr. Mason said he
(Mr. Miller) must buy seven score freemen, which would cost him 7001.
Mr. Miller said he would not lose his election for want of money, but
he was sorry he had coalesced with De Horsey. We then went into the
room. Mr. Miller threw himself on the bed, and Mr. Mason moved to
V out of the room. I voted for Miller and De Horsey. lam a free_
man. The polling is alphabetical. Any person who does not
answer when Isis letter is voting, must go down to the bottom of the
list. It was known when the polling came to the letter P who would
t 'yin, and I voted on the winning side, because the custom always has
been, in Newcastle, to give a sovereign or two to each of the voters
ailer the election. That has been done at all elections I can remember,
LY the successful candidates.
Mr. TALBOT, for the sitting Member, objected to evidence of general
eorrnwon being given, which might affect the interests of his client.
After some discussion,
Mr, cocitunaN said he would put the question more directly.
Witness--I received a sovereign front Ralph Mason and another after
the election. I saw other voters receive one. George Cliff, Thomas
Welsh, George Cliff the younger, my father John Plant, and other, free-
men, received one sovereign each. They all voted on the winning side;
Cross-examined—l mentioned what took place at the Castle Inn, the
551112 night, at the Globe, to several persons. It was at a meeting of
Ladnall's friends I mentioned it. I told it to Mr. Badnall yester-
`lay. I don't know the place I am living at in London.
Several friends are living in the same house with me. I saw Gallimore
there, who told me that he had been examined, and had told the truth.
When I told the story to Mr. Badnall, Gallimore and Wall were pre-
I was examined at the Stafford Assizes about a robbery of a
Y°l.l.lg man named Twigg. I was examined on behalf of the prisoners
t° Prove an alibi.
Mr. CO;KUURN objected to such a line of examination, unless it could
,
followed up by proof that the witness had been convicted of perjury.
Witness—On my oath I was not reprimanded by the Judge for the
evidence I gave on that trial. I have been accused of felony,
but it was wrongfully. They accused me of taking a sage_
tree out of a garden. I never toucl,ed it. I never paid any
4ioney to get rid of the charge. Mr. Miller did not come out of the front
'clout, but came up stairs, when he went into the bed room. 1 sup.
Posed he came up stairs, but I did not see him. The night I heard the
"neetsation was the Saturday before the polling. I left the Castle Inn
before ten o'clock. I asked Mr. Lester that night for money, but he
!rave me none. I swear none of us said we would go against the party
if they did not find us money. There were some people about the front
tooln door, but I don't know how many. I heard Mr. Lester say he
could not give maney, because he was an agent. I don't know whether
Air. Miller heard him or not. At six o'clock on the morning of the
P°ll, Mr. Wm. Mason said, " Sam, if you vote for Miller aad Dc Hor-
'sys I will give you 41," I replied, " I won't take your word for it."
Tit ',MUER submitted that the statement of the witness could no
be received, inasmuch as no proof of agency had yet been given.

QUEEN'S COUNTY.

CLOSE OF THE INQUIRY.

At the sitting of the Committee this morning,
AusTrN, counsel for the petitioners, said after the decision of
titre Committee yesterday, by which they had refused to open the re-
Rtsi!'ry, his client (the Hon. Mr. Vesey) considered the result as place('
in such jeopardy, that he did not feel warranted in incurring the heavy
expense which would be attendant upon a protracted investigation. He
Would therefore withdraw from the investigation.
The Committee then came to the resolution that the sitting Member
(Mr. Fitzpatrick) was duly elected to serve in the present Parliament
and that neither the petition nor the opposition thereto were frivolou,
br vexatious.

YOUGH A LL.
At the sitting of the Committee, this morning, Mr. AUSTIN, for the
2itting Member, applied that the vote of Mr. Pierce Power should be
struck off the petitioner's poll, on the ground that since the voter's name
" Put upon the register of freemen, he ceased to be a resident of the
si crough, or within seven miles of the borough, of Youghal for more
than twelve months before the election.
Mr. Samuel Smith, of Cappaquin; in the county of Cork, stated, that
more than twelve months before the last election, Mr. Power, in conse-
renee of family differences, came to reside with him, intending at first
nIY to stop for a few weeks, but afterwards took up his residence per-
t„, ently in witness's family, and paid for his board, &c. Cappaquin is
twelve miles from Youghal.
The vote was struck off; whereby the sitting Member was placed in
411.4Jority of one.
The petitioner's Counsel then resumed their objections, and succeeded
°striking off the vote of Edmund Colbert from the sitting l'vlemler's
1) 11. which again placed the parties on a level.