The Sun.
London, England, 1848-02-16 00:00:00

KINSALE.

The Select Committee nominated upon the Kinsale
election petition of Hr. Watson, Q.C., complaining of
the return of Mr. Guiness for that borough assembled
for the first time this morning, in Committee-room
No. 26; Mr. Bouveric in the chair.

Mr. Sergeant Wranghara and Mr. Manesty appeared
for the petitioners; and Mr. Andrews, Q.C., with whom
was Mr. Merewether, for the sitting Member.
The Committee having passed the usual preliminary
reso►.utions,

Mr. Sergeant WnisscrtAsi opened the case for the
petitioners. lie said he appeared on behalf of the peti-
tioner, Mr. Watson, the Queen's Counsel, who was one
of the candidates at the recent election for the borough
of Kinsale, complaining of the election and return of the
sitting Member upon several distinct grounds. The
Petition might be divided into two sections; one of
them complaining of the election, and praying that
it should be declared void on the score of
certain corrupt practices alleged to have been committed
by the sitting Member and his agents. The other sec-
tion of the petitio❑ claimed the seat for Mr. Watson, on
the ground that the majority declared in favour of the
sitting Member was a colourable one. It was his inten-
tion, however, in the first instance to direct the atten-
tion of the Committee to the first part of the petition;
and he might state in the outset that the nomination
took place on the 4th of August last, and the poll on
the 6th of the same month. The numbers declared by
the returning officer were 103 for the sitting Member,
and S 6 for Mr. Watson, giving the sitting Member a
majority of 17, which it was contended was secured by
bribery and corruption. The bribery was comprised in
the payment of rates and debts, for which serious
voters were liable; and the evidence would show that the
sitting Member, upon entering the borough, brought
with him 4,000/. to be spent in liquidating those rates
and debts. Another description of bribery which the
petitioner complained of was that of treating, and the
Committee would find that upon the night before the
poll a large body of the electors were collected, and
lodged at the house of a publican named Lysr, who bad
received a general order from the sitting Member to
well ply them with drink of all sorts, and then get them
shaved, washed, and dressed, so that they might appear
decently at the poll. The evidence would also disclose
the fact that, in some instances, as much as 1001. had
been paid for a vote, and 50L to voters who had pro-
mised to support the opposite party, in consideration of
flu it absenting themselves on the polling day. If he
substantiated these statements by evidence, the Cain
mittee could, of course, have no difficulty in unseating
the returned Member, and therefore, without detaining
them further, he would at once go into the proofs.

THE SOUP ESTABLISBMENT IN LEICESTER-SQUARE
AND HAM-YARD,—Yesterday his Royal Highness Prince
Albert, accompanied by the lion. Colonel C. B. Phipps,
paid a visit to the Poor Man's Guardian Society, in
Leicester-square. His Royal Highness was received by
the secretary (Mr. C. Cuchrane) and other gentlemen
connected w►th the place ; and utter a stay of a short
time, proceeded to Ham• yard, Windmill-street, where
he was shown the soup kitchen and the room in which
the poor are supplied with soup. A great many ladies
and gentlemen were present, and a great number of
poor persons were collected at the door of the kitchen,
who saluted his Royal Highness with loud cheers. The
Prince asked many questions, and appeared fully satisfied
with the explanations given him. He entered his name
in the visitors' book, and retired shot tly before one
o'clock. The establishment, according to the statement
of the numbers of poor relieved, has been of great ser-
vice, and is deserving of general patronage and support.
THE BISHOP or MANCHESTER.—The stipend of
the Bishop of Manchester is the subject of a❑ Order in
Council published in last night's Gazette. It directs
and authorises the Ecclesiastical Commissioners to pay
4,2001. a year to the Bishop of Manchester out of the
funds of the Commission; and in the event of such
funds being insufficient, it directs, in aid of such
funds, the payment by the Archbishop of Canterbury
and the Bishop of London of 1,0001. each per annum,
and by the Bishop of Durham of a sum not exceeding
5001. per annum; the money so contributed from the
richer sees to go in aid of the fund of the Commission
or the endowment of the new offle of Manchester.