ELECTION COMMITTEES.
The labours of the St. Alban's Election Committee have terminated somewhat abruptly. The inquiry was continued for ten days, from Sa- turday week till Wednesday last. The evidence for the petition was encountered by constant objections from the counsel for the sitting Member, Lord Listowel; repeated discussions took place upon those objections ; and in the majority of cases they were sustained by the Committee. In this way a great deal of the evidence concerning Dr. Webster, who is charged with having committed acts of bribery as Lord Listowel's agent, was stopped as soon as its nature was indicated ; because the fact of the agency had not been proved. Evidence was given by Adams and others, to show that he had received money from Dr. Webster for his vote ; that he had handed the money to the Mayor in Lord Listowel's presence ; and that the money had been returned to Dr. Webster. When Adams delivered the money, the Reverend James Brogden, who stood near Lord Listowel, repeated three or four times, " Here is purity of election and freedom of conscience I " Lord Lis- towel turned round and poked at him, made no answer, but looked con- fused, with a quivering lip, and then turned away his head. A person named Robert Stebbing, deposed to his having been paid 12/. by Dr. Webster, to keep out of the way. This witness, however, owed the Doctor a grudge, for having, as he supposed, neglected him when ill. At Tuesday's sitting of the Committee, one of the witnesses was asked what Lord Grimston, who was the bearer of Adams's bribe when it was re- turned to Dr. Webster, said to the latter upon meeting him afterwards ? 'this question was added to the long list of those which had been objected to ; and the Committee decided that Lord Grimston himself should be sailed to answer it. On Wednesday, Mr. Hildyard, the counsel for the petition, said that the rules of evidence laid down by the Committee being so totally at variance with his own, he had determined to proceed no further with the case. The Committee, it is said, seemed surprised at this announcement ; and on being pressed by Mr. Austin, Lord Lis- towers counsel, .for ".the resolutions which were usually adopted in such cases," they adjourned till the next day. On Thursday, the Chair- man did deliver the. " usual" resolution, declaring that Lord Listowel bad been duly elected, and that neither the petition nor the opposition to it was frivolous or vexatious.
The Walsall Election Committee have also finished their task. The evidence produced during this week did not differ in effect, from that of last week. Kilner, the landlord of the New Inn, was examined at con- siderable length as to the treating which took place in his house. He said that he did not look to Mr. Gladstone, or to any one on his part, for payment of his bill, which amounted to 1501.; but he was quite easy about it, as he expected that some of his friends in Walsall would prevent his being a loser. On Tuesday, the Committee passed a reso- lution, that Mr. John Neilson Gladstone was duly elected a burgess to serve in the present Parliament for the borough of Walsall ; that neither the petition nor the opposition to it was frivolous or vexatious ; that it appeared to the Committee that a system of considerable treating prevailed in Walsall before and during the late election ; but that the evidence did not enable the Committee to connect the treating with the sitting Member or his agents.
When the Canterbury Election Committee assembled on Wednesday, Mr. Austin, the counsel for the petition, said that, after considering the evidence and consulting the sitting Member, it had been determined not to prosecute the petition. Mr. Sergeant Wrangham, counsel for the sitting Member, deprecated any resolutions injuriously affecting the petitioner. The Committee at once resolved, that Mr. Smythe is duly elected, and that the petition is neither frivolous nor vexatious.
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