28 JANUARY 1865, Page 3

A somewhat extraordinary charge was brought before the Mayor of

Nottingham the other day. At a recent dinner Sir R. Clifton had charged Mr. Pilbeam Cox with offering to secure his (Sir It. Clifton's) election for 500/. Sir Robert said he could prove it, and offered to bet 500/. on the result. Mr. Cox, he said, had waited upon Mr. Acland asking for 5001. for his services from Sir Robert at the election, which Sir Robert declined, intimating that if Mr. Cox could sell himself to one man he would sell himself for a higher price to another. Mr. Cox challenged investigation, and did not ask for damages, but the Mayor dismissed the case as quite out of his jurisdiction. Sir Robert was no doubt in the wrong, but dinner squabbles should certainly not be made the ground of legal pro- ceedings.