The Sun.
London, England, 1833-05-10 00:00:00

STAFFORD BRIBERY.

The following is the report of the Lords' Select Com-
mittee appointed to inquire into the allegations of the
preamble of the Bill entitled, "An Act to indemnity
Persons who have teen guilty of Bribery in the Election
of Burgesses to serve in Parliament fur the Borough of
Stafford," and to teport to the House:—

Ordered to report,
That the Committee have met, and have examined
several witnesses in proof of the allegations of the preamble
of the said Bill, upon whose evidence it is clearly esta-
blished, that not only at the last election, but that et pre-
vious elections, for a long period of years, the electors of
Stafford have been in the habit of selling their votes for
money, in the most open and undisguised manner; the
Committee therefore have no he.itation in reporting that
the first allegation, vie., that '6 there i• reason to believe
that there has been the most notorious, long-continued,
and general bribery and corruption in the election of bur-
gesses to serve in Parliament for• the borough of Staf-
ford, and that such bribery and corruption are likely
to continue and be practised in future, unless some means
are taken to prevent the same," is true beyond the pos-
sibility
of a doubt.
With respect to the second allegation, viz., that " a pe-
tition against such practices has been presented to the
Commons' House of Parliarn-nt," the Committee have not
been able to discover that any petition complaining of
general practices of bribery has been presented to the
House of Commons. They are not aware that any other
petition touching the borough of Stafford has been pre-
sented, except one presented on the 4th of February, 1833,
and subsequently withdrawn, and the other on the 18th
of the same mouth, of which the last only complains of
bribery at the last election, but does not refer to such
practices on former occasions.
The Committee have examined several witnesses in
order to ascertain whether the said corrupt practices crn
be proved by persons not themselves implicated ; and they
are of opinion that it may be necessary to examine persons
implicated in bribery; and that in such cases such persons
as are examined and give evidence to any Committee of
the House of Commons, or at the bar of either House of
Parliament, and shall give evidence to the satisfaction of
the chairman of such Committee, or of the Speaker of the
House of Commons, or the Lord Chancellor or Speaker
of the House of Lords, ought to he indemnified, with the
exception of the candidates at the last election and their
agents, and such other persons as have had actions for
bribery already brought ag tinst them.
The second reading of the Bill is fixed for this evening.

The intended French performances at the
Queen's Theatre, are again pos•poned from to-night until
next Monday night, in consequence of the continued in-
disposition, from sore throat, of M. LAFONT-
-.

We understand that the worthy Chairman of
the Board of Stamps and the Secretary, are both laid up
with violent colds caught (ruin riding in a damp and dirty
hackney coach, the windows of which had not a single
whole pane of glass. If the principal of the office which
licenses these carriages, suffers thus ivitbout complaining,
what chance have the public i❑ general of obtaining better
accommodation' _ _

The contemplated review of the household
troops, in honour of the Dukes of ORLEANS and BRUNS-
WICK, is deferred, we understand, until the week after
next, when their new clothing will he ready. It is stated
that bearskin caps are to be substituted for the helmets
heretofore worn by the Guards.
WEST WORCESTERSHIRE ELECTION.—

Wednesday last being the day appointed for the nomina-
tion of a Member in the room of the Hon. Mr. FOLEY
(now Lord FOLEY), the friends of the two candidates
(Messrs. PAKINGTON and WINNINGTos) were in motion
early in the morning. The hustings were erected in a
field at the back of the Talbot Inn, and by half-past nine
not less than 4,000 persons were on the spot. Mr. PA-
KINGTON, the Conservative candidate, was beaten at the
list election for the eastern division, and he is now, in
company with his lady, on the billows of the Atlantic,
with the intention of taking a summer's tour in North
America. Captain WINNINGTON, the Government or
Whig candidate, is the hiroth?r of Sir THOMAS Wirt-
NINGTON, the Member for Bewdley. At half-past ten
o'clock, the usual formalities being gone through, Sir
CHRI,TOTHER Satin' came forward to propose Captain
WINNINGToN. He was received with immense applause.
Roar. BERKELEY, Esq., of Spetchley-park, seconded the
nomination. JOHN WILLIA)ts, Esq., came forward, but
for some time lie could not obtuin a hearing. He did not
propose Mr. PAKINGTorr on the ground of his being op-
posed to the Reform Bill, or on the ground of his being a
high Tory—(Laughter and cheers)—for be considered
that Mr. PAICINGTON would give every assistance to the
working of the Bili.—(No, no.) He proposed Mr. PA-
KINGTON as a fit and proper person to represent the
western division of Worcestershire.—(Hisses, intermin-
gled with cheers.) T. CLuzzow BROCK, Esq., s canded
the nomination. Notice was then given that the polling
would commence at nine o'clock on Monday morning next.