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

ELECTION COMMITTEES.

(Continuel from our First Edition of yesterday.)
NEWCASTLE-UNDEM,YME ELECTION.

The Committee met yesterday at two o'clock, Lord EBRINO-
TON in the Chair.

The petition of Richard Badnall, of Cotton Hall, Stafford-
shire, the unsuccessful candidate at the last election, was read.
It alleged threats and intimidation on the part of the sitting
Member, William Henry Miller, and prayed that his election
might be declared void.
Counsel for the petitioner, Messrs. Austin, Colburne, and
Palmer ; and fur the sitting Member, Messrs. Thessiger,
Wordsworth, and Talbot.
Mr. COLBURNE, in the absence of Mr. Austin, stated the'
case. The questions the Committee would have to decide
were bribery and treating merely, and he apprehended that
they would have a clear case to establish before the Com-
mittee. The election took place on the 23d of July last, and
there were three candidates, for whom the numbers were as
follow at the close of the poll :—For Mr. De Horsey, 667 ;
for Mr. Miller, 633 ; and for Mr. Badnall, the petitioner, 292.
Theobject of the petitioner was to unseat Mr. Miller, leaving the
election of Mr. De Horsey untouched. He would be able, he
trusted, to prove that not only were acts of bribery com-
mitted by the agents of Mr. Miller, but by Mr. Miller him-
self. If these facts were proved, there could be no doubt
that the sitting member must be unseated. The Committee
might be perhaps called upon to report specially upon the
corrupt state of the representation of Newcastle, for although

it might not all be proved in connexion with the sitting member,
he would be able to show that bribery to a vast amount was
carried on during the last election. It was rather a singular
fact, that Mr. Badnall polled a majority of IN. house-
holders at the last election ; but the freemen (among
whom bribery so extensively prevailed) were brought to
bear against him, and outvoted him. There was an alle-
gation in the petition, that a number of fraudulent votes
had been given to the sitting Member at the last election,
and the petitioner claimed to be seated in his place. The
majority for the sitting Member was however so large, al-
though obtained in the way he had stated, that the petitioner
would not undertake the great expense of striking oil' these
fictitious votes, and he had therefore decided not to go into
the scrutiny of votes. That part of the petition would there-
fore be abandoned, and they would confine themselves to the
charges of bribery and treating.
Mr. WARD, the returning officer, was then called in and
examined. He knew Mr. Mason, an extensive tradesman of
Newcastle. He took an active part at the election on behalf
of the sitting Member, Mr. Miller. There were three or four
booths, for which be believed deputies were appointed.
The poll-books were delivered to the Town Clerk.
The books were brought to the poll clerks from the
different booths to the Town Hall. After the numbers
had been declared, the books were given to the town-clerk,
and I have not seen them since. Mr. Miller was in the
habit of taking an active part at former elections. Mr. Mil-
ler called upon mea'at the last election. Ho was accompanied
by some person, but I don't recollect who it was.
By Mr. PHILLIPS.—I saw no act of Mr. Mason that led me
to think he was an agent of Mr. Miller.
_ _

By the CIIAIRMAN.-Mr. Mason was certainly an active
friend of Mr. Miller.
. Thomas Fenton—l:am town clerk of the borough of New-
castle. I received from the Returning Officer the poll-books
after the election. They are in the same state, and have been
in my custody ever since. One copy of the poll-books has
been taken to be printed.