The Sun.
London, England, 1831-03-26 00:00:00

LIVERPOOL.

The Committee met again this day at eleven o'clock,
when the examination of witnesses was proceeded with.
John Buckley, examined—l am a journeyman black-
smith, living at Deptford, and a freeman of Liverpool. I
was, taken down to Liverpool at the last election, and voted
for Mr. Ewart. All my expences up and down were paid.
I was well treated with eating and drinking, and after I
had polled I received fifteen sovereigns.
John Brierley examined—l was taken down to Liver-
pool a few days before the election. I met a gentleman
named Cottingham at the Woolpack in Cornhill ; he told
me that 1 should be well rewarded if I would vote for Mr.
Ewart. I said, very well, then, I will.—(Laughter.)
Mr. AnAms—What was the reward ? Witness—
Twenty pounds, your Honour. Independent of this, my
coach hire and all expences were paid. I went to the
King's Arms at Liverpool.
Mr. ADAMS-What did you get there? Witness—
two cups of coffee and a hit of toast.—(A laugh.)
Mr. POLLOCK—That chews the moderation of Mr.
Ewart's Committee.—(A laugh.)
Witness continued—The coach was actually filled with
London voters. I lodged the first night at the King's
Arms. I afterwards lodged with my friends. I voted
in a tally with a man named Hollingsworth. After we
had polled, we went back to the King's Arms, and re-
ceived the money. My expences were paid back to Lon-
don. I get about 30s. a-week wages.
Mr. ADAMS-How long was you away from your busi-
ness ? 'Witness—One week, your Honour.
Mr. ADAMS-After paying all expences, how much did
you clear? Witness—Nineteen sovereigns and a-half.
Mr. Abams—A good week's work.—(Laughter.)
John Hollingsworth—I am a rope-maker, living at
Ratcliffe. lam a freeman of Liverpool, and voted at the
last election for Mr. Ewart. I remained at Liverpool a
fortnight.

Mr: ADAMS—Did you receive any money?
Witness—Not until 1 polled. I then received 221. Before
I left London, I received 11. to pay my expences down. The
coach-hire was paid for use ; I paid my own expences to
Liverpool, and back to London. When I got home I had
about 101. left. 111 y wages are about 30s. a•week.
By Mr. Serjeant SPANRIE—I went down to the elec-
tion in 1812, at the time of the contest between Mr. Can-
ning and Mr. Brougham. I voted for Mr. Brougham ;
all my expences on that occasion were paid.
Mr. Serjeant SPANKIE—You scent on the usual terms?
—Witness—Exactly so, and I always vote in the popular
interest.—(A laugh.)

Re-examined by Mr. Serjeant MEREWETHER—On
the occasion of your voting for Mr. Brougham, did you
receive 201. besides your expences ?—Witness—Upon my
word, I think that I got more, your Honour.—(Laughter.)
John Critch examined—l am a cooper at the West
India Docks. I went down to the late election
at Liverpool. Before going down, I met a gentleman
at the Woolpack. There used to be sometimes as many
as fifty Liverpool freemen at the Woolpack. We always
had eating and drinking ; I never paid any thing for it.
I had money given me for my expences. I was also pro-
mised that I should be satisfied tor my loss of time. This
promise was made in London before I started. This pro-
mise was made generally to between forty and fifty of us.
I was paid 12/. at Liverpool. My regular wages are
275. a week.

Mr. Annus—How much did you get by your journey
to Liverpool?

Witness—A sovereign or two ; perhaps 4/. or 5/.
By the Committee-1 only received 131., besides eating
and drinking, and my expences.
CHAIRMAN-Did any one receive any far you ?
Witness—l did not see any one, and I did not come
here to think whether they did or not. The witness
was strongly pressed by the Chairman for a direst
answer to the question, but it was impossible to extract
one. He admitted that his wife had been with the Com-
mittee, but he did not know whether she received any
money ; she certainly might have done so.
CHAIRMAN-Will you swear that your wife has not
told you since you came back that she got some money?
Witness—Am I obliged to answer that question ?
CHAIRMAN—Indeed you are. •
Witness—l cannot recollect that she has.
The fear of Newgate could not extract a direct answer,
and the witness was told to leave the bar.

Henry Pennington examined-1 am-a
Greenwich pen-
sioner, and a freeman of Liverpu3!. I voted at the last
election for Mr. Ewart. After I had voted I went to the
King's Arms and way paid 101. My expenses were all
paid, but Ido not know by whom.
Mr. Sergeant AIERENVETHER—Do you have tea at the
Hospital ?

Witness—We have victuals provided for us, but if we
are not there to a moment it is taken away.—(Laughter.)
By Mr. POLLOCK--I was made a freeman in 1790. 1

voted for Mr. Brougham i❑ 1812.
Mr. POLLOCK—Did you pay your own expenses in
1812 ? Witness—No, to be sure I did not.—(Laughter.)
Mr. ADAMS—I have a great number of other witnesses
to the same effect, but I will only put one more into the
box, and then close this tedious inquiry.
James Leggatt examined—l am a shoemaker, living in
London-wall. I voted at the last election for Liverpool,
for Mr• Ewart. I was paid 101. and all my expenses.
Edward Bond examined—l bave examined the poll-
book, for the purpose of ascertaining how many out-voters
polled at the last election for Mr. Ewart, and I find the

o al number to be 337 ; of this number 32 resi le in
01'1.n, 63 in Manchester, 10 at Salford, ni 22 at Bat-
rington.
This closed the evidence in support of the petition.

Mr. ADAMS then addressed the Committee. He began
by stating that he would occupy as little time as possible,
for the time that had already been spent was not owing to
the great variety of witnesses, or of the matter, but ori-
ginated in the difficulty of obtaining answers. The case
was a plain one and a short one, for it was the largest and
most systematic arrangement for carrying on bribery and
corruption that ever came under his notice, and, perhaps,
the most important ever brought before a Committee.
The arrangements were most disgraceful, and no one
could hear or read the proceedings that took place
at Liverpool—the second commercial town in the
kingdom, without the greatest regret. In suet a town it
was most lamentable that representatives should be re-
turned by bribery and corruption. He had dearly found
such a case that the Committee must unseat Mr. Ewart;
and he should submit that such scenes of bribery and con-
' ruption were carried on that the Committee would feel it
their dtlty, in order to check such disgraceful proceeding•
in future, to award some punishment to the guilty parties.
He had to establish, first, treating ; ,secondly, bribery ;
and thirdly, that Mr. Ewart was connected with it.
Th,se were his three propositions.
At the conclusion of the Learned Counsel's speech, the
Committee Jjourned until eleven o'clock to-morrow.