31 JANUARY 1874, Page 3

Mr. Justice Grove gave judgment on Monday in the Taunton

Election petition case, declaring Sir Henry James guiltless for himself and his agents, and the borough free from corruption of a •kind so extensive as to void the election, or necessitate a special report to the House of Commons on its condition. Mr. Justice Grove thought that a certain part of the constituency bad showed itself not only corrupt, but exultant in its own corrup- tion, but he held that in these cases no agency whatever had been proved. Sir Henry James must have paid a very heavy vicarious penalty indeed for the sins and enjoyments of some of his constituents. The cost of the defence cannot but have been very heavy.