5 DECEMBER 1868, Page 2

The necessary rules for the trial of Election Petitions have

been issued, and appear intended to assimilate the proceedings as nearly as possible to those usual in a civil snit, the only proviso worthy of special note being the demand for stringent security as to costs. No difficulties of form are to hinder investigation, and the trial is to pioceed from day to day till it is finished, and not linger on as election petitions have been wont to do. The Norwich petition will, it is said, be the first case heard, and will probably enable lawyers to decide on the efficiency of the proce- dure. Let the idea once enter agents' heads that a trial for bribery is as disagreeable as a trial for perjury, and we shall hear little more of it.