The Sun.
London, England, 1853-03-05 00:00:00

ELECTION COMMITTEES—March 4.

COUNTY OF WATERFORD.
(Continued from our First Edition of yesterday.)

In this case, the committee having decided not to al-
low the petitioners to offer objections to the votes of
electors who, between the time of their being placed on
the register and voting, had ceased to occupy the tene-
ment in respect of which they had voted, the petitioners
withdraw their petition ; and the committee passed the
usual resolution, declaring John Esmond, Esq., duly
elected.

CHATHAM.
Mr. Sergeant Kinglake concluded his address at 4
o'clock, and the committee adjourned until to-morrow.

PUBLIC PETITIONS.—A return has just been printed,
by order of the house, which gives a comparative state-
ment of the number of petitions presented in periods of
five years at the end of the last century, the commence-
ment of the present, and during the last 25 years.
It appears that in the five years ending 1788-9, the
average number was only 176 ; in the five years
ending 1804-5, it had scarcely risen, being only 205
in the same number of years ending 1815 the average
rose to 899; in the five years preceding the Reform Bill,
the agitation on that question and on Catholic Eman-
cipation caused a large increase, and the average rose to
4,656; since which period the return shows the great
and increasing extent to which the right of petition is
exercised by the people of this country, stating that in
the five years ending 1837 the average was 7,436; in the
five years ending 1842 the average was 14,014; in the
five years ending 1847 it rose to the enormous number
of 16,397 ; since which there has been a fall to 12,449,
attributable to the cessation of political agitation; and
to the increased prosperity and contentment of the
people. The total number of petitions presented in
20 years last past is 251,488 • printed, 24,624; signa-
tures, 64,907,735. There is also a statement that the
committee carefully supervise the signatures, and atten-
tively compare such petitions, to avoid printing copies of
the same, as was constantly the case under the old system,
when petitions were printed upon motion in the house,
and when nearly half the number of- petitions presented
were printed. It is obvious, if that practice had con-
tinued, the sums paid for printing would have enormously
increased; whereas, owing to reductions in charges and
general, economical arrangement, the expense has, in pro-
portion to the number of petitions presented, greatly di-
mished. In 1852, the average number of petitions being
4,656, the average expense incurred for printing was
1,1621. 15s. lid. • in 1852, the average number ofpetitions
being 12,449, the average expense incurred for printing
was 1,463/. The committee have about 70 meetings an-
nually, which must be a great tax upon the time and pa-
tience of the members composing it, who deserve the thanks
of the public accordingly. Thanks are also due to Mr.
Thornely, the chairman of the committee, who has exer-
cised for several years an active and untiring superin- 1
tendence over its proceedings, and whose courteous atten-
tion to the inquiries and wishes of members with respect
to petitions presented by them, will be generally ac-
knowledged,