The Sun.
London, England, 1842-06-02 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, THURSDAY trENINCT, JUNE 2, 1842.

LITERARY AND SCIENTIFIC.

Henry Sumner Maine, scholar of Pembroke Cong.'', has this
year won the Chancellor's medal for the best Cambridge poem
on " The birth of the Prince of Wales," and also the Camden
medal, subject " Caesar ad hubiconem constitit."
SPORTING. _ _

The forthcoming races, and the days on which they fall, are
as follows :—Ascot, June 7 ; Hampton, June 15 ; Cheltenham,
June 29; Newmarket, July 5; t•outhampton, July 19; Good-
wood, July 26 ; Brighton, August 3 ; Egham, August 23.
The Marylebone Club played the first game at Lord's this
season, against the Clapton Club, yesterday. The latter went
in first, and obtained 240 runs. The former left off play at
their 36th score.

To-day the Marylebone Club contend with the Undergra-
duates of the University of Oxford.

COtTIVI7-FASIIXONAZLE.

Lady Braybrook had a juvenile ball, on Tuesday, at the
family mansion, in New Burlington-street.
Lord Abinger gave a ball, on Tuesday, at his residence, in
Spring-gardens.
The Lord Chancellor had a dinner party yesterday, in
George-street, Hanover-square.
Earl Fitzwilliam left town, on Tuesday last, for Paris.
Earl Grosvenor gives a grand dinner, on Saturday next, to
the Duke of Wellington, and a large party.
The Earl of Beauchamp left town, on Tuesday, for Madres-
field Court.

The Earl of Wicklow gave a dinner party yesterday to
the Saxon Minister, &c.

TISCZLLANEOUS.
The weekly promenades in the gardens of the Royal Botanic
Society commenced yesterday with a very fashionable meeting
of company.
By a decision of the Court of Session, delivered on Thursday,
the infant children of the late Earl of Cardross, son of the
Earl of Buchan, are to be taken from the mother and delivered
to the interim custody of the Noble Earl, their grandrather.
This is the suit which gave rise to the late extraordinary scene
at Lambeth.

So soon as the Seine shall have become shallow, from the
progress of the season, says the Moniteur Parisien, the bed of
it, between the Pent d'Austerlitz and the Pont de Grenelle,
will be explored by means of a newly-invented diving-bell, as
it is supposed that valuable property was thrown in there during
the revolutions.

MONEY and COMMERCIAL NEWS.
CITY, QUARTER TO THREE.
Consols have been steady to-day, without much business, at
915 ex div. for the opening. Three per Cents. Reduced, 913
f ; Three-and-a-Half per • Cents. Reduced, 1005 1; ditto
New, 1015 1005 ; Bank Stock, 1671; India Stock, 2505
250 ; Exchequer Bills Old, 43 ; Advertised, 36 38 premium.
Foreign Securities have been firm. Dutch Two-and-a-
Half per Cents. 525 a 5 ; the Five per Cents. New, 995
985 99 ; Portuguese, 37 365 ; Three per Cents., 215 ; Spa-
nish, 225. The quotation of Mexican is 365 a 5.
In the Share 'Market, Cheltenham and Great Western, 315 ;
Eastern Counties New, 4/. 16s. Bd. ; Edinburgh and Glasgow,
515 ; Great Western, 89 ; New Shares, 62 ; Brighton, 355 5;
Blackwell, 115; Greenwich,6 ; and South-Eastern and Dover
New, 65 5.
The foreign arrivals to-day are from Sydney and the Cape
of Good Hope, but of intermediate date. The former gave
information relative to the question for fixing the boundary of
the northern districts, and until it was defined, the land sales
had been suspended in consequence of orders from home. This
proceeding had at the time excited great fears lest the com-
mercial interests of the districts might not be materially af-
fected, and although it is supposed that such has been the case,
yet local circumstances had happened to open fresh channels for
enterprise, and interwoven many important and increasing in-
,
terests into the sonial economy of the district.
Among the first of importance, it is considered that the com-
pletion of the route from the great wool countries of Liverpool
Plains, Beardy Plains, and New England, to the head of the
navigation of the Hastings, should be planned. By this Port Mac-
quarie, which already possesses so many natural andartificial ca-
pabilities, will, it is considered, be at once placed in a position
to demand all the advantages of a free port. This progressive
feature had been followed by the partial opening of the trade
with the settlements on the M'Leay and Clarence rivers, from
which much was augured for the advancement of the North
Eastern coast, and had already called into operation a large trade
with Sydney. A steam vessel, which are now largely used in the
coasting trade, had again navigated the Clarence to sixty miles
from the mouth, and it was reported "that the result of her
trip entirely confirmed all the hopes that had been entertained
as to the capabilities of this noble stream, which promised to
become a most important feature in the progress of internal
communication."
PRICES OF SHARES THIS DAY AT ONE.
RAILWAYS. Paid. Per Share.
Cheltenlian and Great Western. 80
Eastern Counties
Ditto New ..... .....2/. 6s. Bd.
Edinburgh and Glasgow
Great Western
Ditto New
Ditto Fifths
London an Brighton ...... .. 50
London and Greenwich
South Eastern and Dever.. 5O ..... .
Ditto Scrip 5 ...... 615 ... to
PRICES OF IRISH STOCKS, DUBLIN, MAY 31.
3 per Cent. Consols
Three and Half Stock 99. Grand Canal 5t0ck.........
Ditto Reduced ...... Ditto Debs. 6 per cent... 83
Ditto New 1830....,..,. 995 Ditto 4 per cent
35 per Cent. Debs.
LVERPOOL COTTON MARKET, JUNE I.—A fair amount of
business, extending to 4,500 Bales, was done at previous rates,
although the market was not brisk ; 500 only were taken on
speculation.
LIVERPOOL SHARE MARKET, JUNE I.—There was a bet-
ter inquiry, and the sales were more extensive to-day, consist-
ing of Eastern Counties, New, 4171. 10s. ; Edinburgh and
Glasgow, 52 ; Grand Junction, New, 25 ; Great Western,
895; Halves, 62; Liverpool and Manchester Halves, 845 ;
London and South Western, 63 ; Midland Counties, 715 ;
South Eastern, New, 65.
MANCHESTER STOCK EXCHANGE, JUNE I.—The Market
continues much iu the same inanimate state. There is, how-
ever, more inquiry for Bank Stock. Business has been done
in London and Birmingham, Quarters, 365 ; Manchester and
Birmingham, 27 ; Bank of Manchester, 45.
CLOSING PRICES.
BRITISH FUNDS,
Bank Stock 1675 India Stoat 250 pm
3 per Cent. Red.
3 per Cent. Cons 925 Ditto Old Annuities ...
35 per Cent. Red 1005 Ditto New Annuities...
New 35 per Cent... lOl5 Ex. Bills, 1,000/....2d. 43 pm
New 5 per Cent —. Ditto 5001...... 41 pm-
Long Annuities to expire Ditto Small ...... 41 pm
Jan. 1860 ...... 125 Bank Stock for Acct....
Oct. 1859
Jan. 1800 Consols for Opg. 915
FOREIGN FUNDS.
Austrian, 5 per cent. ... Portuguese, 5 per cent.
Belgian, 5 per cent — Ditto, New Ditto 375
Brazilian Bonds... Prussian, 5 per cent
Buenos Ayres6 per cent. [Russian, 5 per cent —
Chilian, 6 per cent BB Ditto, Metallic ...... .
Colombian, 6 per cent — 'Spanish, .5 per cent. 225
Ditto, 1824 — Ditto, Deferred.... . 105
Danish, 3 per cent —t French, 5 per cent. —f. —e.
Greek, 1825, 5 per cent — Exchange —f —c.
Mexican, 5 per cent 365 French, 3 per cent. —f. —c.
Ditto, 6 per cent. 1837 Dutch, 25 per cent. 525
Peruvian, 1825, 6 per ct. 19 Ditto, 5 per cent.
SHA RES.
Cheltenham and Crest Western (80 paid)... 315
Eastern Counties Railway (23 paid) .... 95
Ditto New Shares ( paid)
Edinburgh and Glasgow (50 paid) ... 52
Ditto New Shares ( 8 paid....
Great Western Railway (65 paid)
Ditto New Shares (50 paid) 62
Ditto Fifth (4 paid)
London and Brighton (50 paid)
Ditto Loan Notes (75 paid)
London and Blackwell ( paid) ll5
London and Birmingham (90) ...... 178,5
Ditto New Shares ( 2 paid) ........... 305
London and Greenwichßailway (12/ 15s 4d pd) 6
London and South Western (43/ 15s Odpd) 63i
South Eastern and Dover (50 paid).,,...,,,,..
Ditto Scrip. ( 5 paid)
York and North Midland (50 paid) ...... 925

LLLOONpYoND,
STANDGATE CREEK, JUNE I.—Arrd. Colburne, Phillips,
JUNE NES2H. Wind this N
Gday—at(THlS DAY.)
Noon, N.W.
Constantinople.
SHEERNESS, JUNE I.—Sid. Waterloo, Sydney.
DEAL, JUNE I.—Wind S.W., moderate.—Arrd. Foam,
Grey, China; Ann, Monden, Trinidad. Arrd. from the River,
Integrity, for Sierra Leone.
BRISTOL, MAY 31. —Arrd. Ann, Champion, Leghorn.
PORTSMOUTH, JUNE I.—Wind S. S. W.— Arrd. Ellen-
borough, London, for Madras; Toronto, London, for New York.
SOUTHAMPTON, JUNE I.—Sld. Clyde, steamer, Barbadoes.
PLYMOUTH, JUNE I.l—Wind variable.— Sailed the Aigle
(steamer), Marseilles. Arrd. off—Calista, Blanchard, Boston
tor Rotterdam ; Montrose, Danse, St. John's ; Win. Bro-
derick, Hindmarsh, Sydney, New South Wales; Catherina,
Sandiman, Torre Vecchia, for the Baltic.;
FALMOUTH, MAY 31.—Wind S. S. W. to S., moderate—Arrd.
Perronet, Mitchel, Port-au-Prince. Arrd. off Sumatra.
Duncan, Ceylon, sailed Feb. 6, from the Cape March 21, and
St. Helena, April 5.
LIVERPOOL, JUNE I.—Wind S.W., moderate.—Arrd. Ca-
rolina, Crawford, Mobile ;!Sesostris, M'Kenzie, New York,
with loss of mizen-mast and main-topmast; Gondola, War-
wick, Leghorn ; St. Mary's, Whiteside, Jamaica, left April 30.
CORK, MAY 30.—Arrd. William Pitt, Pernambuco, Monte
Video ; Lady Falkland, Baker, St. Johns, New Brunswick ;
Albun, London for Quebec. Sid. Endymion, Quebec,
LONDONDERRY, MA,Y 27.—.51d. Ann, Quebec.
MACAO, (China. )—Arrd. previous to 25th January, Park-
field, Whiteside, and to sail 26th January for London.

LAW INTELLIGENCE.
HOUSE OF LORDS.-(THIS DAY.)
Tue House sat to-day to hear appeals. The Peers present
were—the Lord Chancellor, Lord Brougham, Lord Cotten-
ham, and Lord Campbell.

CHARTER V. TREVELYAN.
Sir THOMAS WiLnir resumed his reply in this appeal, but
had not concluded when our Evening Edition went to press.
The case has already occupied ten days in argument.

ROLLS' COURT.-(THIS DAY).
His Lordship the MASTER of the ROLLS was occupied the
whole morning with motions of no interest.

VICE-CHANCERY-(THIS DAY.)
The VICE-CHANCELLOR of ENGLAND took motions to-
day, none of which warranted a report.
(Before Vice-Chancellor I{NlGwr BRUCE. )
His HONOUR, after disposing of the motions brought before
him, proceeded to hear causes.
(Before Vice• Chancellor WIGRAM.)
HALL V. LAVER.
_

The further argun-.ents in this part.-heard case occupied his
HONOUR the greater portion of the day.

QUEEN'S BENCH.-(THIS DAY.)

THE QUEEN V. LONG.-.BRIBERY AT CAMBRIDGE.
The defendant in this case, Samuel Long, had been convict-
ed at the last Cambridge Assizes, of giving a bribe of lid. to a
voter of that borough, to induce him to vote for Mr. Manners
Sutton at the election for a Member to serve in Parliament
for that borough in the year 1839, when Mr. Manners Sutton
and Mr. Milner Gibson wore the candidates.
- -

The defendant was brought up for judgment this morning.
The defendant's affidavit in mitigation of punishment was put
in and read, in which the defendant stated, that for the last
three years he had had a prosecution hanging over his
head on account of this offence, which prosecution
had been abandoned, and that subsequently a prose-
cution for the same offence had been instituted by the
Attorney-General, so that he had been prosecuted twice for
the same offence. The affidavit likewise stated that the de-
fendant was suffering from illness, and that his health would be
seriously injured by a long imprisonment.
Mr. B. ANDREVVES having addressed the Court in mitiga-
tion, and the ATTORNEY..GENERAL having been heard in ag-
gravation of the prisoner's offence,
Mr. Justice PATTESON proceeded to pass the judgment of
the Court on the defendant, which was.-that he should be im-
prisoned in her Majesty's gaol of Cambridge for nine calendar
months, and that in the meantime he should be committed to
the custody of the Marshal.
The defendant was then removed in custody.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE,

MARLBOROUGH-STREET.
(THIS DAY.)
EARLY DEPRAVITY.—EIiza Sned, a good-looking girl,
who, although only 15 years of age, was far advanned in preg-
nancy, was placed at the bar, charged with robbing her late
employer, Mrs. Haynes, of No. 15, New Bond-street, milliner,
&c., of a quantity of valuable artificial flowers, lace, satinet,
&c. I•'rom the statement of the prosecutrix, it appeared that
the prisoner hal been employed a few days in her
establishment as an assistant, but was discharged
about three weeks since. During the whole time
she lived there, valuable articles were daily missed, but
although all the assistants in their turns had been questioned,
no clue as to who was the thief had been discovered, until the
previous afternoon, when from information she had received,
she caused the prisoner to be taken into custody by
Inspector Plume of the C division, in whose presence
she immediately confessed that she had began plunder-
ing her mistress the very day she entered her ser-
vice, and indeed only about an hour afterwards. She
also admitted that the stolen property was concealed at her
mother's house, and on Inspector Plume proceeding there, ac-
companied by the prisoner, she took from different boxes,
drawers, &c. articles of various descriptions, to the amount
of about 401., which Mr. Haynes identified to be the property
he had missed.

The prisoner, who wept bitterly, confessed she had stolen
the different articles, and was committed to Newgate for trial.

UNION-HALL.-(THIS DAY.)
SMUGGLING.—Pierre Lavalette, a Frenchman, was charged
with smuggling.
A policeman stated that he met the defendant in Tooley-
street, and seeing that he looked very bulky about the body he
stopped him, and on searching him found that he had seven
bladders of French brandy concealed underneath his clothes.
The Solicitor to the Customs stated that the bladders. con-
tained two gallons, that it was purchased in France at ss. a
gallon, and sold here at 325. a gallon. He added that smuggling
was carried on to a considerable extent by the crews of the
small French coasting-vessels.
The defendant said that he arrived on the previous day from
Gravelines, and that he was taking the brandy to a friend.
He was fined 100!., and in defaultof payment was committed.

ELECTION COMMITTEE.
(THIS DAY.)
BELFAST.

The Committee met at the usual hour, Mr. Hayter in
the Chair.
Mr. TALBOT said, that with regard to the objection to
the petition, which he alluded to yesterday, he came to
the conclusion the proper time for snaking the objection
was when they came to prove the title of the petitioner.
Mr. AUSTEN said he 'never heard of such a course
being adopted before. It was sufficient that the House
of Commons referred the petition to the Committee.
Mr. TALBOT referred to Mr. Rogers's book in support
of his objection. The right of the petitioner to present
the petition was the foundation of the superstructure his
Learned Friend was to build.
The CHAIRMAN said the best course to adopt would be
to have the petition read first, and then to make the ob-
jection.
Mr. AUSTEN did not see the utility of the objection.
They well knew what his Learned Friend was at. But
here there were three petitions ; and in the present case
it was unimportant whether Lord Innishowen had a
right to present or not, because there was also a petition
from Mr. Mac and Mr. 0., who had a right to be heard.
The CHAIRMAN thought it would be useless to bring
under the consideration of the Committee what would
be immaterial.
Mr. TALBOT only wanted not to be prejudiced, if a
necessity existed of raising the question at a future
stage.
The three petitions were then entered as read.
Mr. AusTEN—I tender myself as appearing in all of
the petitions.
The CHAIRMAN having stated that the Committee
came to the usual resolution that Counsel were not to
go into matter not alluded to in the opening statement,
Mr. AUSTEN said the petition in the present case
was one which embraced a variety of matters, the prin-
cipal of which he would detail to the Committee as
briefly as was consistent with his duty in opening the
case. The matters which he would have first to sub-
mit to the Committee were of a very novel character, and
he thought of a very important character also ; and he
was perfectly satisfied the moment they were stated to
the Committee, they would be of opinion, if capable of
being substantiated by proof, that it was impossible to
maintain this election. The petition prayed to have
the election avoided. There was no scrutiny. The
prayer was the same in the three petitions. He would
be able in a short time to lay before the Commit-
tee the proceedings which were decisive of the petition.
The election for Belfast took place on the Gth of July
last, and continued from Tuesday to Saturday. It was
unfortunately the case in Ireland, that the polling con-
tinued there for five days, and at the close of the last
day the numbers stood thus-
- Tennent 927
Johnson 913 -
Belfast B2l
Muss 792
leaving a majority of over a hundred for the sitting
Members. The numbers in this case were lin-
portant. The grounds for avoiding this election had, he
believed, never before been brought under the considera-
tion of a Committee, except in the year 1835, upon the
petition against the return for the county of Carlow, a
case which unfortunately was not reported, though one
of the most important petitions that ever came from Ire-
land. The grounds of avoiding the election were the
insufficiency of booths for taking the poll, the illegality
of the appointment of deputies to preside at the booths,
and an improper system of delay and obstruction in the
booths in taking the poll. It was difficult to con-
ceive any thing in an Irish election which
could be more prejudi:ial to the proper holding of such
elections than the existence of these impediments. No
Englishman coidd be aware of the nature of these ins-
pediments, because at English elections they did not
exist. The number of registered electors at the last
election amounted to 4,060, and the Chairman was quite
aware of what he meant by registered electors; viz. all
persons who made affidavit of registry, and who obtained
certificates, and whose names were entered upon a
book for the use of the Returning Officer, which
was ordinarily, though improperly, called a regis-
try-book, and not at all like what in England
was called a registry bock. Provision had to be made
for those 4,060 voters, and for this purpose seven booths
were opened. Upon referring to the 51st section of the
Irish Reform Act the Committee would see what the
state of the law was, with regard to the appointment of
booths at elections. That section required that where
the number of electors exceeded 600 that he should ap-
point two or more polling places, and where there were
more than 600 electors, whose names commenced with
the same letter of the alphabet, those names were not to
be divided, but the officer was to provide as many new
places for polling as might be necessary, and to
ht be neces-
igof the Act of
saapriys.i n
The many additionalodferhuatti e
section
Parliament, when looked upon as a whole, was that
where the number of voters exceeded 600, the returning-
officer was compelled to provide as many booths as would
enable them to be polled. out. But the section required
that no letter was to be subdivided ; for instance, the
names commencing with letter A were nit to be sub-
divided, but were to poll in Booth No. 1. There
should be a booth for every 600, and they
should be so distributed that all persons whose
names began with a particular letter should be
able to poll in the booth, in which no other person
polled, in order that there should be no difficult).
in ascertaining their booth, as that A and B should not
poll in one booth, and A and Cin another. But if any
one letter on this registry comprised. snore than 600
names,
it was competent to the returning officer to sub-
divide. The returning officer's interpretation was, that
more booths might be given, provided there happened
to be no single name which should comprise more than 600.
But this was preposterous,because the greater pole ion oldie
Celtic names began with the letter 0, and a still greater
number with the letter M. In the election for the City
of Dublin there were 1,500 whose names began with the
letter M, and it would be absurd to suppose that the

same accommodation should only be given to those which

were given to 600. Seven booths were given to Belfast.
Booth No. 1 included the letters A. C. E., comprising
500 voters. No. 2 included B. and I)., comprising 531
voters. No. 5., F. G. I. N., comprising 521 voters.
No. 4, IT. K. 0., 510 voters; No. 6, L. P. Q. R. T., com-
prising .535 voters; No. 7, S. Y. and other letters, com.

prising 336 voters. But in No. 5, containing letter M,
the number of votes was 892, and this improper allot-
ment of the booth was the cause of the loss of the elec-
tion to Lord Belfast and Mr. Ross. Not only were ad-
ditional polling booths refused to be appointed for letter
M, but it was constructed like the other booths. At
the election, therefore, booth No. 1, being; constructed to
accommodate 538 voters, it was impossible that in letter
M, where only the same accommodation was afforded,
the number of electors commencing with that letter,
could have voted. The booths not having been sufficient
for the purpose, a protest was made to the Returning-
officer, but all further accommodation was refused ; but,
not satisfied with this arrangement of the booths, these
circumstances took place with regard to the appointment
of the deputies. Of the seven deputies who were
appointed to take the poll, four were minors,
a thing which he believed never occurred at any elec-
tion before. When they recollected the important duty
of these officers, that they had the control of the mode
of taking the poll ; that they had to afford free access to
it ; that they had to keep order, and had a power of
committing, by virtue of the Act of Parliament, per-
sons who interfered with them in taking the names ;
that they had to adminster the bribery and qnalifica-
tion oaths at the poll, which a minor was incompetent
to do, it would at once be seen how improper it was
to appoint such persons. The system pursued by the
other party for the purpose of defeating the election of
Lord Belfast and Mr. Ross was this—the voting took
place by what they call tallies of five, and such was the
aptitude for intimidation at Irish elections, that it was
always found convenient to come to a compromise with
your enemy, and to agree that one party was to
strike one blow, and the other party was to strike
another.—(Laughter.) Lots were drawn who was
to have the first tally, and three minutes were
allowed to bring up the tallies in succession, and when
one party brought up his tally of five, the other was to
succeed, and so on. Now the mode of obstruction given
to the electors in the interest of the Liberal candidates
was this, they determined to obstruct the polling of the
tallies in letter M, which was the patriotic booth.-
-(Laughter.) That was the patriotic letter in the
Irish alphabet, containing the Murphy's, Molone's, M'Car-
thy's, and Mahoney's, and M'Swiney's, who repre-
sented the purest patriotism of the Irish people.
Every paltry I and J and X found plenty of room to vote
in their miserable booths, but in letter M, where the
great strength of the Liberal party lay, it became impor-
tant to throw obstruction in the way of the voters. A
Mr. Malone, who was a mere boy, was the deputy in this
booth. Mr. Bernie was the Conservative inspector, and
Mr. Garratt the inspector for Lord Belfast and Mr.
Ross. It was important to the Liberal candidates
to bring up their tallies to the poll as quickly
as possible, and as soon as the first name
in the tally was called, Mr. Birnie required to in-
spect the certificate or affidavit of the voter, which he
inspected with the greatest possible leisure, in order
that there should be no mistake ; and, after pondering
on it a sufficient time, he required to see the registry-
book, in order to ascertain if the registry-book and the
certificate tallied. This gave cause of additional delay
to Mr. Birnie, who could not be satisfied of the identity
of the person. Great deliberation, therefore, was required
before the certificate could be admitted as evidence of the
voter's right to poll. After the lapse of a sufficient
number of minutes, the vote was objected to, and the
objecting paper was taken up by Mr. Birnie, and filled
with the greatest deliberation. This paper, containing
some frivolous objections, was sent to the assessor, who
had to decide upon the objection, and in every instance
the objection was sent back, with an order to admit the
voter, whereupon the bribery oath was put to him, which
had to be tendered by Mr. Birnie and before Mr. Malone,
and this was also done with the greatest deliberation. The
bribery oath having been taken, the qualification oath
was next tendered, which the Act permitted to be put to
every elector, but not where the object was to cause
delay. This oath was also read with great deliberation,
and when it was taken the electors name was taken down
also with deliberation. The inspector, seeing everything
was complete, and that after all the elector was permitted
to vote, he was then allowed to declare for which
of the two candidates he voted, and this practice was
continued from Tuesday to the close of the poll on
Saturday. Some persons came up to vote who were
so respectable, that Mr. Birnie had not the courage to
put the bribery oath to them, but in these cases he stipu-
lated with Mr. Garratt, that he should be allowed a
lapse of three minutes as a compensation. This Mr.
Garratt could not help, because if he did not consent,
Mr. Birnie would put the bribery oath, and snore time
would be, wasted than by the concession of three minutes.
If the deputy returning officers were competent to do
their duty, these things would not have been permitted,
and no such (delay could have taken place if a sufficient
number of booths had been given. There was no case
during the whole of the polling in which Mr. Birnie did
not avail himself of the three minutes, allowed to bring
up his tables, and also of the three minutes which he
was allowed, instead of putting the bribery oath; the
consequence was, that from 40 to 45 minutes were
consumed in polling a tally of five on the Liberal side.
But how did the opposite party proceed ? When Mr.
Birnie brought up his tally, Mr. Garratt, the Inspector
for the Liberals, upon hearing the names of the parties,
took no objection, and interposed no delay, except when
theie were real grounds for doing so, and the conse-
quence was that the Tory tally was polled in eight mi-
nutes, while it took from forty to forty-five on the
Liberal side to poll theirs. It would hardly be believed
that while in the City of London twelve thousand voters
could be polled between eight and four o'clock, that in
booth, letter M, not more than eighty persons were
polled during the election for Belfast. To be sure they
were uncommonly well polled—well certified, well afli-
davitted, and well sworn. In the other polling-booths,
though the same system was pursued, but not to such an
extent, they succeded in polling more than 100. Not a
single moment was lost by the Liberal agents in bring-
ing up the tallies, who were pressing on to vote against
the obstructions that were offered to them. The conse-
quence of these obstructions was, that out of the 893
persons entitled to poll, at the close of the fifth day
more than 400 remained unpolled, because they could
not get access to their booth. So that, although the
majority for the sitting Members .was more than 100,
the majority of those who remained unpolled in letter
M, would have given a majority the other way of from
200 to 300, or 400 ; the moment that booth M was
closed 100 persons whose names commenced with that
letter besieged the booth, and 40 of the more indignant
and patriotic amongst them were determined to do all
they could, and tendered their votes, but all to no pur-
pose, so that 100 persons who were ready to vote,
and 400 others who were upon the registry,
' were not able to poll in their booths during the election,
while in the other booths the whole number were
polled out. He said before that this conduct was
protested against during the election, and the other
party were warned that an election so carried would
never stand before an inquiry of the House of Commons,
and the consequence was that a formal protest was en-
tered against the election, particularly as regarded the
obstruction in booth M, and there was nu doubt that if
this conduct was illegal the election must be a void one.
It is no answer to say that the parties have the power
to put the bribery and the qualification oaths ; the abuse
of the best things is always the worst, and nothing is
ever so bad as the abuse of a legal technicality. This
point had been formerly considered on the petition
against the Carlow election, and that election was set
aside precisely on the same ground. In that case the
abuse consisted in putting the oath only ; they had not
come to the refinement of a marked deliberation in read-
ing the affidavits and certificates, and making friVolous
objections to the votes. There, as here, there were 400
voters who were left unpolled at the end of the election,
and who might have turned the majority, and as he
had before told them that election was set aside. It was
utterly impossible for :his Learned Friends to contend
that conduct of this sort must not vitiate the election,
because all that prevented the poll being taken neces-
sarily had that effect. When it appeared plainly from
the documents that would be produced, that there were
nearly 900 persons whose names began with the letter
M, who were entitled to vote, and that at the close of
the election there were 400 of that number who were
left unpolled, and that in consequence of the construc-
tion of the booth, and the artifices resorted to, only
eighty voters could be admitted to be polled per
diem, it was impossible that the election could stand.
It was to this part of the case he should now address him-
self, and its the first instance he should prove beyond
question, by the production of documents, and of two or
three witnesses, the points be had stated, and then he
apprehended he should be entitled to the decision of the
Committee. He should begin by putting in the poll-
books ; he should then prove all those illegal abuses of
the provisions of the Reform Act, and then call on the
Committee to declare that the two gentlemen returned
for the town of Belfast, had not been duly elected. The
Learned Gentleman then called
Mr. Solomon Mulhouse, Clerk of the Peace for the
county of Antrim, who put in the poll-books of the last
election for Belfast, stated that they were the same he
had received from the Sovereign of Belfast, the return-
ing officer,' and that they were in exactly the same state
as when be received them.

Mr. Thomas Verner, the Sovereign of Belfast, and
the returning officer, was called, and deposed that the
affidavit put in with the poll-books by the last witness
was in his (Mr. Verner's) hand-writing.
Mr. AUSTEN was proceeding to put othor questions to
the witness, when

Mr. TALBOT interrupted him. He said the poll had
been proved, beyond any, possibility of questioning it.
He had paid great attention to the case as stated in the
address of his Learned Friend, and he had conferred
upon. it with the gentleman by whom he was instructed.
The result of that conference was, that he was disposed
to make an admission which might save his Learned
Friend and the Committee much trouble. The two pe-
titions were transcripts of each other, and each of the
two contained two allegations ; one to the effect that a
gross and extensive system of personation had been car-
ried on at t his election, at the procurement and contrivance •
of the sitting Members ; the other allegation was still
more important ; it stated that the sitting Members had
by themselves, their agents, and managers, been guilty of
gross bribeiy, treating. and corruption at the election
tin• the said borough. They all knew how election pe-
titions were formed in the first instance ; there was
generally very little time to draw them up in at first,
and it had been found convenient, as a mere matter of ,

precaution, to insert every possible charge that could be
made, without regard to the proof that could be adduced
with regard to them. How it had been in this

case he did not know ; but this _
he did
know, that his clients came there to defend

themselves only against those two charges of persona-
tion and bribery, because they felt that they reflected
severely on their honour and position ; they were aware
that it was impossible to bring those charges to anything
like a proof, before any tribunal whatever. 13ut his
Learned Friend had not alluded to those charges in his
opening. and he, therefore, concluded that his Learned
Friend did nut find that the evidence furnished was such

as entitled him to support those charges beil;;;the Com..