24 MARCH 1838, Page 10

The Election Committees now sitting are the Shaftesbury, Dublin, and

Hull.

The decisions of the Shaftesbury Committee have been hostile to the sitting Member, Mr. Poulter; who, last night, was ten votes be- low his competitor, Captain Matthew.

In the Dublin Committee, the scrutiny of votes is keenly pursued, and with various success ; the expense of the ploceedings being enor- mous. The petitioners' counsel experted to strike off many votes for non-payment of the Paving-tax ; but some decisions of the Committee appear to have sorprised them ; and yesterday an adjournment took place, to give both parties time to arrange the course of future pro- ceedings.

The Hull Committee have decided that Mr. Wilberforce's qualifica- tion is bad ; and u scrutiny of the Tory votes has put Mr. Hutt at the head of the poll. Sir Walter James is still ahead of Mr. Wood; and the petitioners are employed in cutting down his majority. There is considerable uncertainty as to the final decision of the Committee; but it is difficult at present to say why Mr. flutt, at any rate, should not be declared the sitting Member, and avoid a new election. An attempt, we believe, wl,s made to effect u compromise, by allowing Mr. Hutt to replace Mr. Wilberforce, and Sir Walter James to retain his seat ; but it failed.