The Sun.
London, England, 1838-06-02 00:00:00

ELECTION COMMITTEES
YESTERDAY.

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(From our Second Edition of last night.)
WESTMEATH.
Tim arguments of Counsel were not concluded till a quarter past four.

MAIDSTONE.
The Committee met this afternoon at two o'clock, Sir J. C. Hobhouse
in the chair.
Mr. Austin and Mr. Cockburn appeared for the petitioners; Mr. The-
siger, Mr. Talbot, and Mr. Warren, for the sitting Member.
Mr. AUSTIN said this was a petition against the return of Mr. Fector,
fur the borough of Maidstone. The total amount of the constituency was
1,600, onesthird of whom were the old freemen, the residue consisting
ofpersons who derived a right to vote under the Reform ACt. Mr. Lewis
and Mr. D'lsraeli were returned at the last general election. Mr. Lewis
died in March last, whereby the present vacancy was created. On Tues-
day, the 27th March, the election took place, and Mr. Fector was re-
turned in opposition to Mr. Robarts, and against that return the petition
was now presented. The petition contained char.ges of bribery and treat-
ing, and, he would call the attention of the Committee precisely to the
issues contained in the petition. The first charge was that Mr. Fector
by himself, his agents, managers, and friends, was guilty of bribery and
treating. There was also another allegation, which was a very important
one, that notorious and extensive bribery existed at the late election,
and that the return of the present sitting Member was procured by
means of bribery and treating. The Tory party at Maidstone was called the
Purple party, and the business of that party for some years had been
conducted by a standing Association or Committee, whose meetings
were held at a room over the Corn-Exchange. Amongst the indivi-
duals composing that Committee were Mr. IViekham, the managing
clerk of the brewery; Mr. Potts, wine-merchant; Mr. Pike, auctio-
neer ; Mr. Frankley, Mr. Day, Mr. Randall, and Mr. Hollings-
worth. There were several others whose names would appear in
the course of the enquiry, but which it was unnecessary for him
at present to mention. The news of the late Member's death reached
Maidstone on the 15th March, and immediately afterwards a
meeting was held at which Mr. Randall, head-clerk to Messrs.
Mercer, bankers, and Mr. Hollingsworth, were deputed to pro-
ceed to London in search of a candidate. They were so expeditious
in their movements, that they returned to Maidstone about twelve
o'clock the same night with Mr. Fector, who took up his quarters at the
Bell Inn. The next morning the canvass commenced, and continued
until the 26th before any opponent appeared, and during that time a con-
stant correspondence was kept up between the Committee and Mr. Fector.
There were many persons who had voted at the general election for Mr.
D'lsraeli under strong inducements, but the promises made to them had
not been fulfilled. These persons, when pressed to vote for Mr. Fector,
deslined doing so, until the old scores had been wiped ofl, and in these
cases money was ',aid. There was no doubt of this being bribery, as
distinctly as if the money had been given fresh for the immediate
vote, for these persons would not have voted for Mr. Fector if they had
not received the money. On the 26th the nomination took place, when
Mr. Robarts Was proposed, and there was such a strong expression
of feeling in his favour, that it was quite clear sonic strong means must
he taken to counteract that feeling, or he would become the sitting
Member. The polling day was the 27th. The polling began at 8 o'clock,
and at 9 arr. notiarts was 78 a-head. This was an awful and serious wattling
deserving of the attention of the Committee, and of Mr. lector. Some
of these gentlemen, accordingly, saw Mr. lector at the Bell Inn, and it
was resolved that they should go to work. They did go to work—votes
were. bought in all directions—the work was, accomplished, the state of
the poll altered, and about one lock such had been the effect of these
operations, that Mr. Fector was his ahead. He should be able to
show the Committee a series of cases in which 101. to 151. had been
given to voters to poll, and as to treating that was carried on most ex-
tensively, for public houses were opened throughout the town, and at
the Castle Inn on the morning of the election from thirty.eight to forty
voters were congregated; and in addition to the treating which they re-
ceived, he was instructed that 101. per vote were paid to all those
persons. He would now but in the vote books, and to-morrow morning
proceed with the evidence to prove the facts which had been stated.
Mr. Prrus, the Mayor of Maidstone, at the last election, stated that at
the close of the poll he received the poll books from the different booths
and afterwards handed them to the Town Clerk.

Mr. Smyth, the Town Cleik of Maidstone, produced the poll-books.
The Committeeadjournecl until eleven o'clock Saturday morning.

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF LORDS, JUNE 1.
The LORD CHANCELLOR took his seat on the Woolsack at the usual
hour.

IRISH NATIONAL EDUCATION.
The Bishop of DERBY presented petitions against the national sys-
em of education in Ireland. Several private Bills were brought up from
the Commons.

NEGRO SLAVERY.
Lord BROUHAM presented petitions against Negro slavery, from
Carlisle, Belfast, Brecknock, Leith, Perth, Doncaster, Southampton, and
a variety of p!aces in Devon, Cumberland, Bedford,Cambridge (Isle of Ely),
Aberdeenshire, Brecon, Lancashire, Northumberland, Somersetshire,
Stirlingshire. Herefordshire, Dumbartonshire, Rutlandshire, Pembroke-
shire, Hampshire, Montgomeryshire. Among the names of places which
we heard were—Edinburgh, Carrickfergus, Stockport, Newcastle upon.
Tyne, Sheffield, Caermarthen, Devonport, Lanark, Weymouth, Ayles-
bury, Bridgnorth, Cupar, Woodbridge (Suffolk), Merthyr Tidvil,
Paisley, and Scarborough. From the time occupied by the Noble
and Learned Lord in the presentation of these petitions, they must have
at least amounted to 200.
SCOTCH CHURCH—ADDITIONAL ENDOWMENTS.

The NOBLE and LEARNED LORD proceeded to present a great Mll-
ber of petitions against any Additional Endowments to the Church
of Scotland ; among other places, from Ayr, Dunbar, Cupar,
Leicester, Newcastle-on Tync, Annan, Wigton, Perth, Berwick,
Lanark, South Shields, and Hexham.

IRISH POOR. LAW.
His Lordship also presented a petition from Cork against the Irish
Poor Law Bill.
The Duke of WELLINGTON laid upon the table the amendments
he intended to move in this Bill.
NATIONAL EDUCATION.

Lord BROUGHAM, in presenting a petition from Liver-
pool, signed by upwards of 6,000 persons, in favour of a truly
national system of education, said he wonld as soon as possible
after the recess bring in his Bill upon this important subject.
BIRMINGHAM CORPORATION.

The Earl of RIPON, in presenting a petition signed by '2OO persons,
who were inhabitant householders and rate-payers in the town of Bir-
mingham, against the grant of a charter of incorporation to that place,
considered it a question of considerable importance, because of course
this case turned upon the same points which would generally arise upon
every application to the Privy Council for a charter. He apprehended
it to be clear that the Act only intended that the charter should be
granted in those cases where the application came from a majority of the
inhabitant householders who were rated. Now, it appeared that the
present petition, which had been presented to the Privy Council,
praying for a corporation, had not been siE fled by one-tenth of the in-
habitants, and of them who did sign a great number were not rate-
payers. Commissioners had properly enough been sent down to inquire
into the facts of the case, and though they had made a report, and re-
peated applications had been made by the gentlemen who had signed the
present petition, and at whose instigation the Commission had been ap.
pointed, to be allowed to see that report, he understood that application
had not been complied with. He thought that the petitioners had just
right to complain of such conduct.
The petition was then read.

The Marquis of LANSDOWNE thought that any petition express.
ing the opinion of the inhabitants, even though not pate-payers, of the
town from which it came, ought to be treated with deference upon any
question relating to that town—(Bear, hear)—but at the same time, he
readily admitted that the ultimate conclusion of the Privy Council as to
such an application as the present should be governed by the majority of
the inhabitant householders, who were rate-payers. But there was
another matter which ought to be taken into consideration, and he should
be wrong to recommend her Majesty to grant a corporation in any in-
stance without first referring not only to the majority of rate-payers, but
also to the amount of assessment. But when it was extremely difficult
to discover on which side the preponderance lay, as in the case of Bir-
mingham, from the conflicting statements that were made, it was im-
possible for the Privy Council to enter into the investigation here with.
out enormous expense and delay ; and he had, therefore, thought it ex-
pedient to send persons, properly instructed, to examine into the verifi-
cation of the facts stated. In the detision of those Commissioners he
had perfect confidence; they had furnished a detailed report, and
upon the recommendations therein contained, the Privy Council had pro.
seeded to act.

After a few words from Lord Wharncliffe, Lord Lyndhurst, the
Marquis of Lansdowne, Lord Brougham, and Lord llolland, the peti-
tion was received.

Lord BROUGHAM had two questions to put to the Noble Lord at
the head of the Colonial department. He grieved to see that two per-
sons in Canada—Lount and Matthews—had suffered the extreme pe-
nalty of the law. The first question lie had to ask was, whether the
Government had any knowledge of the conviction of the offenders be-
fore the execution of the sentence, or whether there was any previous
communication with the Government on the subject? The other ques-
tion was, whether these individuals had been tried by the new laws
passed by the Assembly or by the ordinary laws?
Lord GLENELG said that the knowledge of the conviction of these
individuals was received a few days before the day on which the sentence
was to be carried into execution. This, be thought, was a satisfactory
answer to the first. question of the Noble and Learned Lord. With re-
spect to the second question, he could say that Lount and Matthews had
been tried and convicted under the ordinary laws.
The Bishop of EXETER presented several petitions in favour of the
abolition of slavery.
THE DISTURBANCES IN KENT.

The Earl of WINCHILSEA was desirous of asking the Noble
Viscount whether he had received any official communication respecting
the release of the unfortunate man who bad created so much disturbance
in the county of Kent ? This individual had before been convicted of
the gross offence of perjury, and had been placed in a lunatic asylum,
from which he bad since been released. The question he had to ask
was, whether any communication had been received from the magistracy
or gentry of the county for the release of this parson ? The magistrates,
he (the Earl of Winchilsea) believed were all of opinidn that it was ex-
tremely dangerous to set such a person free.
Viscount MELBOURNE stated that the lunatic in question had been
sentenced to an imprisonment of two or three years for perjury. He
waylnCll7 i.rtno wac gout to a lunatic asylum
but, afterwards, was ordered to be released by the Secretary of State, on
an understanding having been entered into by his family that they would
take care to restrain him from those eccentricities in which he had so
long indulged. He was quite sure that his Noble Friend would be
anxious to lay on the table of the House a statement of the grounds on
which he acted in the case in question.
TITHES IN IRELAND.
Lord CARBERY presented a petition, signed by the grand jury of
the county of Cork, praying for the settlement of the Irish Tithe ques-
tion. The Noble Lord presented similar petitions from several places
in the same county.
The Bishop of DERRY was understood to concur in the prayer of the
petitions, and to express a desire for a well-considered settlement of the
question.

CUSTODY OF INFANTS' BILL.
Lord LYNDHURST gave notice that on the 16th instant he would
move the second reading of the Custody of Infants' Bill.
The Earl of FINGAL presented a petition from Shrule, in Ireland,
for the abolition of negro slavery.
IMPRISONMENT FOR DEBT BILL.
The LORD CHANCELLOR moved that this Bill should be com-
mitted pro forma.

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The Earl of WICKLOW wished to know why the provisions of this
Bill were not extended to Ireland.
The LORD CHANCELLOR felt that it would be desirable to do so,
but this could not be done in the same Bill.
The Bill was then committee pro forma, and the House resumed.
The House then adjourned to Thursday next.

HOUSE OF COMMONS, MAY 31.
The SPEAKER took the Chair shortly before Four o'clock.
i‘ from the Court of Queen's Bench, presented
r
certain Fre°tNuLLAQsNofuE' writs of trial.

Mr. BRAMSTON brought up the Report of the Committee on tt e
Great Warley (Essex) Inclosure Bill.
Colonel RUSHBROOKE brought up the Report of the Committee on
the Gazeley (Suffolk) Inclosure Bill, which was ordered to be en.
gros F ed.
EASTERN COUNTIES RAILWAY AMENDMENT BILL.:
Mr. C. G. ROUND moved the second reading ot‘the Eastern Counties
Railway Amendment Bill.
No Members rising to oppose,
Mr. ROUND XOSC again, so observed that the disiutes bete et en the