Star.
London, England, 1830-08-12 00:00:00

7,3
.. it I

... IWO;
.. 1072

LEIGH PEERAG E.—A gentleman, John Leigh, 11. y.
of Bolton-le-Moors, in the County of binca,ter, is pre-
paring to claim this peerage, and the immense estates
belonging to the same, we hear, with every prospect of
tuccess. It is understood that he is in possession of the
most substantial proof of a regular descent from the lion.
Christopher Leigh, who resided in Lancashire, during the
lifetime of his first wife, and whose family is the only one
now extant, wherein will be found the legitimate descend-
ants in the male line from Thomas, the first Lord Leigh,
of Stoneleigh Abbey, knighted by James I. created a Ba-
ron by Charles I. when at Stoneleigh, by patent, dated at
Oxford, July 1, 1643. The case is preparing to be put
into a shape to institute proceedings in law for the reco-
very of the long dormant honours and possessions hitherto
enjoyed by Chandos Leigh, Esq. the present occupier of
Stoneleigh Abbey, near Coventry, in the County of
Warwick.
MOST EXTRAORDIN ART EL EcroN .—We are fa-
voured by a highly respectable gentleman—an eye witness
to the scene—with the following unprecedented facts.
relating to the election of the members for the borough of
Beralston, Devonshire. Our friend writes us thus :
" No return has yet been made fur this borough, which
Is the supposed property of the Earl of BEVERLE v. The
circumstances attending the election, which took place
on Saturday the 31st of July, are singular. The
DEPUTY PORT REEVE attended at the usual place of
election, accompanied by Mr. BLACK ETT, one of the
candidates ; and read the precept aloud. Ile then pro-
ceeded to nominate Lord LOVA IN r, and Mr. BLACK ETT,
as the two Members to be returned, when an elector, re-
sident in the borough, proposed Mr. WI, BORN and Mr.
TODD.—the names of these gentlemen being inscribed on
cards, and handed to the returning officer. The
motion made by the first elector was duly se-
conded by another resident elector--the two king the
w trots. of the constituents present at the election—nei-
ther Lord LOV AIN E nor Mr. Bt.acerrr having, as I am
informed, a single vote. The officer looked—se may na-
turally be supposed—confounded, and shelved some hesi-
tation in proceeding in the only true course, which it
was evident he ought to pursue. The two e:ectora
then demanded a poll ; but there being nobody to come
to the poll, their request was magnanimously refused ;
and the returning officer then read aloud the already en-
dorsed return of Lord Levant': and Mr BLACK mi., as
the members elelted without opposition ! The two elec-
tors menaced the returning officer with the penalties of
his false return ; whereupon Mr. BLA K ETT pronounced
his determination to fight it out to the last. Since this
scene unparrallelled in the annals of burgage tenures—
no return at all has been made, although here cannot
be the least shadow of a doubt that Mr. WYPORN
and Mr. TODD are the representatives of the borough of
Beralston. It is now supposed that the owner of the
borough will impeach the regularity of the iieminution of
his own returning officer, and so the election will be de-
clared void. In the meantime, the Loan of the MANOR
may create as manyfictitious voters as he thinks fit ; and
so secure the election of his own nominees, unless the
borough be disfranchised." Thus far writes our friend ;
and we can add, from our own personal knowledge, that
one of the gentlemen elected, so unexpectedly to himself.
was never at Beralston in the whole course of his life ;
nay, more, he never knew that there was such an inde-
pendent borough on the face of the known earth. He
was as ignorant of the locality and existence of the re-
turning borough, as was Baron ily m Bot.n.r of Turnlinm
Green. The history of the Beralston election merits the
most extensive publicity, as a splendid specimen of the rot-
ten-borough system. With respect to the parties, we may
add that we have not the slightest knowledge of Me.
TODD : we happen accidentally to know that Mk. WY-
BORN was quietly sitting in his chambers in Lincoln's
Inn, unconscious of the high honour conferred upon him
by the electors of Beralston. The ousted NI R. BLACK ET
was present during the whole affair. Who he is, or
what he is, we do not know ; but we know that Lord
Lov AIN E is the son of the Earl Of BEVERLEY, who is
uncle to the Duke of NORTH UMBERLA ND. Of the
returning officer, the public will hear more in due time ;
and no doubt, the two electors will have a prominent part
to enact in the future dramatic performances, touching
this extraordinary election. Asa matfer of coarse, MR.
WY BORN and M it.Toun will muintain their rights to the
last. Since writing the above, au obeerve that Lord
LOV AIN F. and Mr. BLACK ETT are returned Members, as
on the 9th instant. How this is accomplished, we
know not.