The Sun.
London, England, 1859-09-29 00:00:00

THE -RIFLE CORPS MOVEMENT.

when

NOTTINGITAM.—At a special meeting of the Not-
tingham Town Council, on Monday, a motion was
brought on by Mr. Parsons to the effect that the
council ;provide a proper site for the Nottingham
Robin Hood Rifle Corps for practice. Mr. Parsons
said that a piece of ground belonging to the Cop-
pice Farm (corporation property) had been approved
by. Captain Hobbs, the Government inspector, and
he (Mr. Parsons) should move that it be let to them
at a nominal annual rent. The piece of ground
comprised about five acres, and would cost between
£6OO and £7OO to bring it into a fit state for the
corps. Several members of the hallobjected to the
grant of the land on the ground that it would be
unjust to the ratepayes and would in their opinion
cause dissatisfaction in the town. After a short
but spirited debate it was decided that the land
should be let to the corps at a small annual rent.
Mr. Parsons then proposed that a grant of £3OO
should be made by the corporation towards defray-
ing the expences of fitting the ground up. A sum
of about £7OO would be required, but the corps
would make up the deficiency, and he thought it
was onli right that they should be assisted by the
town. The motion being put was carried by 21 to
12, and the decision was received with great
applause.
SO.TTIIPORT.—In this town a very promising
corps has been raised, which now numbers nearly
GO members. The extensive sands on the seashore
form the practice ground, which has been inspected
and favourably reported upon by Capt. Hobbs. A
very neat uniform (dark gray with scarlet facings)
has been adapted, and when on drill the members
present a very soldierly appearance. The corps is
under the instruction of Sergeant Inman, late of the
33d Regiment, and the progress the members have
made in their duties is .highly. satisfactory. The
subscription raised for the equipment of the corps
is now about £330. Mr. J. H. Wrigley, Deputy-
Lieutenant of the county of Lancaster, headed the
list with a donation of £lOO, and other gentlemen
in the town have given liberal sums. The members
have taken the oath of allegiance, and when their
nuinber reaches 60 they will nominate their officers.
KING's LYNN.—The officers selected by the
ing.'s Lynn Rifle Company have been approved
by the Lord• Lieutenant, and have received their
commissions. The company has been declared the
fifth in the Norfolk corps, and is to consist, like the
others, of a captain, lieutenant, and ensign, and 100
of all ranks. The effective strength of the company
is at present 71, and the members are to meet for
drill on Mondays and Saturdays. A commencement
was made last week. The borough members have
Each given £2O towards the expenses of the, com-
pany..
EDINBURGIL—On Tuesday evening the admini-
stration of the oath of allegiance to the rifle volun-

teers was commenced in tie library of the High
School. .Bailie -Blackadde.f - attended to represent
the magistracy of the bur gh. About three hundred
members of the Bankers' Company and two Artizans'
Companies came forward , and the oath being read
by Mr. Morham, Cleric of Lieutenancy, was taken
separately by
company, and sub-scribed to by
every
o,_ • memlder. A number of members being un-
-; to appear, will be sworn in during the week,
before the termination of which it is expected that
every Edinburgh volunteer will have taken the
oath to serve his Queen and. country.

GLOUCESTER ELECTION COM-

MISSION

THIRD DA Y.
The inquiry was resumed yesterday morning,

George Webb was the first witness examined.
He was partner with Mr. Gilbert, the parliamentary
agent and accountant, his portion of the business
being the accounts. Understanding that Sir Wm.
Hay ter wanted some one to go to Gloucester on
election business he recommended Thompson as a

person who had been engaged with Mr. Gilbert in
elections. He had also been engaged with Mr. Cop-
pock. Had formerly been a member of the London
corporation, and was highly respectable. Sir W.
Hayter accepted his services, and. gave witness a
note addressed to Mr John Hutt, to give to Thomp-
son. A trustworthy person was wanted, who could
take care of the voters and keep the returns and
accounts. Mr. Gilbert was at Wakefield at this time.

Told Thompson there was a person wanted at Glou-
cester, and he was to take the letter to where it
was addressed, and make his own arrangements.
Thompson afterwards told him he was engaged to go
to Gloucester, and was to have £5OO to take with
him to pay the expenses of the Liberal candidate,
He did not hear from Thompson that the money
was to be employed for illegal purposes. It was
arranged before Thompson left London that he
should take the name of Thornton. Did not think
that circumstance involVed any secrecy in the ap-
plication of the money. Thompson telegraphed
from Gloucester for Clarke, but witness telegraphed.
back " Gone to France." Thompson then tele-
graphed, " I want a repetition of my medicine, and
if got, send Clarke with it." Took this in two ways
—that he.might be ill and wanted Clarke, and that
he wanted money, and witness was determined to
have nothing to do with sending him money. The
witness spoke to other telegrams received from
Thompson when at Gloucester. The initial " P."
meant Patch, a person in Mr. Gilbert's employ.
Received one telegram from him on the nomina-
tion day—" Nomination over—ours—one o'clock—

safe 192, ready anywhere—answer." Understood
from this 192 was the majority, that the election
was over, and that he was ready to go anywhere
else. Met Thompson afterwards in London, when
he told witness that he had had occasion to borrow
money, but did not say how much, nor from whom
he borrowed it. Did not know where he was now.
Had seen him since he had been summoned, and ad-
vised him to attend this inquiry, and tell all he
knew, and that then no harm would come to him.
The witness went on to say that he knew Clarke,
who had told him that he had not received the £25
which had been promised him. Witness men-
tioned it to Thompson, who suid he would see him
paid. Had been to Sir W. Hay ter's once or twice
on other business. Sir William wanted persons to
watch on the other side. Had received LlO himself
from Thompson, who told him he had received
money to go to Gloucester. Had not the slightest
suspicion that the money was to be spent in bri-
bery. Did not think it was too much for the legal
expenses. Would not obey the Speaker's warrant
to give evidence before the Parliamentary com-
mittee because he considered Thompson would at-
tend. Went to Ramsgate, and if he was denied there
by his servant or wife it was without his authority.
Thompson said he had arranged with Mr. Moffatt
_ .

that he was to have £lOO for his fee. Saw Thomp-
son a fortnight ago, but not on Friday last. Had
advised him to come to Gloucester, and had no idea
why he did not. He said, however, that he should
not come ; he would take his own course.
Mr. Parkes was recalled, and said he believed
the witness Webb was the person to whom he de-
livered the envelope, but he only saw him for a
moment. Mr. Webb did not at any time come to
him for more money for the Gloucester election.
Richard Kingdon, clerk in the office of Mr. G

bert, proved the payment of £25 to Clarke lass
June, but declared that he did not know who gave
him the money. Had never seen him before. The
money was brought to him at night. It certainly
was not Thompson who brought it ; he knew
Thompson well.
Miss Wall, barmaid at the Gloucester Hotel,
proved that she wrote for Thornton during the elec-
tion a telegram—" I want a repetition of my medi-
cine," &c. Thornton (Thompson is his real name,
but he had taken the name of Thornton at Glouces-
ter) said he was unwell, and could not write.
Thornton and Brettles (Clarke) were staying at the
hotel three or four days. Mr. Wilton was the only
gentleman who visited there except one, when a
gentleman in a white hat came. (Portrait pro-
duced.) That was-not his likeness. Brettles had
been at Gloucester since the election—about the
time of the parliamentary committee.
Mr. Wilton was next examinued, and added to his
evil once given on Monday that the Reform Club
was established on a similar basis to that of a Con-
servative Club which had been in existence some
years. There -vas a rule in the Conservative Club simi-
lar to thatofthe Reform Club, that a profession of poli-
tical principle must be made by every member. The
Conservative rule ran thus—" Every person admitted
to this society shall be of sound Conservative prin•
ciples and of good character and morals." The Con-
servative Club rules were certified, like those of the
Reform Club, by Mr. Tidd Pratt, and many of the
Reform Club rules were taken from those of the
Conservative Club. He then amended his evidence
of Monday as to the sums which were paid and re-
ceived by him. He had on the day of the poll re-
ceived an additional £5O from Mr. P. Chandler, of
Gloucester, and instead of £lO given to Mr. all
had paid him £l3 10s. Also paid £l2 to a Mr.
Gardiner, which was expended partly in bribing
electors. An additional sum of £33 was also paid to
a publican named Ortin for bribery and treating.
Mr. Wilton then said that he wished to make a
statement as to the reason which had induced him
to take an active part in political matters in Glou-
cester, and which had certainly interfered with his
-professional prospects, and he might say with his
success in life. When the petition was presented,
in 1857, against Sir R. Carden's return, it was-con-
ducted by his uncle, and on it failing he was re-
proached on all sides for supporting a frivolous and
vexatious petition. In order, therefore, to vindicate
his uncle, ho (Mr. Wilton) had got up evidence of
the bribery, and laid it before his uncle, and sub-
sequently it was laid before Sir M. Berkeley, but
they all declined to prosecute the parties, who had
sworn that they had not bribed, and against whom
he had got up evidence. One of the parties against
whom he (the witness) alleged bribery was Mr.
Alderman Whitom, and Mr. Wilton undertook to
lay before the commissioners hereafter evidence of
bribery committed in 1857. Re then recapitulated
the circumstances which he considered had justi-
fied him in bringing forward a second Liberal
candidate, chiefly from the fact of an increase. of
Liberals do the register since 1857. A fortnight
before the election, however, he found that pro-
mises, if not actual gifts, were being made to the
electors on the other side—promises of money, of
employment, and of endeavours to get furloughs
for voters' sons. Every conceivable means of cor-
ruption was being used, and it was the common talk
that tie cad Tory tactics were to be renewed. He
could divulge particular ca,ses of bribery, but thought
at present it was better not to mention names. The
reason why they had stipulated with their candi-
date-that he should advocate the ballot was because
they believe with Mr. Coppock,.that it was the
only cure for bribery. He did not believe there
had been a pure election-for Gloucester since the
Reform Biil, except on the occasion when Mr.
Price was re-elected without opposition on his ac-
cepting a Government contract. He believed there
was in Gloucegter a majority of 150 conscientious
Liberals on the registrar, but at the same time he
believed there was a much larger number of venal
votes, wh se assistance it was necessary in a small
proportion to secure to obtain a liberal majority.
If the Conservatives were to buy up all the venal
voters, the Liberals could not obtain a majority.
He had formed this opinion after a careful analysis
of the register. He came to the conclusion after
this analysis that, setting apart the corrupt portion
of the -voters, there was a majority. of 150 Liberals.
'Pic corrupt voters were to be found among both
classes. Some voters (out voters) had declared in
the last fortnight that they would never vote if not
paid for it, and that they never had. When he ap-
plied to Mr. Price for money for election expenses
he told him that the money was wanting to pay the
mesSengers. He did not think it necessary to tell
him that all the money was not wanted to pay
messengers. Thompson told him that Clark had
:•cen Mr. Trail in Gloucester, and the remark was
made that lie was come to distribute the £2,000
allotted to Gloucester by the Conservative party.
Clarke was reading the newspaper at the Wellington
Hotel, whenhe saw a gentleman enter and stand
oppc Site the piei glass, and he then saw the reflec-
tion of Mr. Trail's 'features. Mr. Wilton next
enumerated the different payments which he had
made to various parties for bribery, treating, &c.
The sum total amounted to £944 4s. 6d. A good
deal of it was spent in treating when on canvass.
He himself knew of no direct bribery,and had never
given away any money himself. He would give all
the information he could, and did not wish to skirk

the strictest exposure. Mr. Wilton, being Pressed
by the commissioners to mention the names of
the voters who had been bribed, respectfully de-
clined doing so. He had heard £5,000 and
£lO,OOO mentioned:as having been spent in the elec-
tion, but he knew nothing of his own knowledge. He
believed that in Mr. Monk's majority about 34
votes were obtained by illegal influences.
Mr. Innell, agent in the oil trade, and lately
sheriff of the city of Gloucester, said he was the
president of the Gloucester Reform Club, and
mainly corroborated Mr. Wilton's evidence as to
what transpired at the London Reform Club in the
interview with Mr. Moffat and Mr. Monk. He
also said he had canvassed with Mr. Monk four-
fifths of the electors, and although some held back,
he considered the canvass highly favourable to the
Liberal party. There were extensive rumours of
bribery on the other side. He never gave or pro-
mised a bribe. He denied the truth of the evidence
given by Jeffs on the Parliamentary committee.
Never bribed Jeffs directly or indirectly.
Mr. Smith, solicitor, was also examined, but
added nothing new. He denied all knowledge of
1, bribery.
An adjournment here took place.