POSTSCRIPT.
SATURDAY NIGHT.
The Dublin EleetionCommittee came to a resolution to-day, in the usual form, by which Mr. O'Cosivest. was unseated, while Messrs. WEST and HAMILTON were declared to be duly elected Members for Dublin. Neither the petition nor opposition to it were frivolous or vexatious in the opinion of the Committee. It was evident yesterday, that the scrutiny was drawing to a conclu- sion; as Mr. AUSTIN confessed that his objections were exhausted, and only about ten objections remained of the three or four hundred originally brought forward by the petitioners. This proves how very dote the contest was. Upon the meeting of the Committee this morn- ing, there was a good deal of conversation between Mr. JOHN MAX- WELL, (the Chairman,) Mr. G. F. YOUNG. Mr. RUNDLE, and the coon- eel, relative to the rumoured intention of the petitioners to protract the inquiry so as to render void the election of Mr. O'Cossmo. for Kilkenny. All parties disclaimed any such intention. Mu'. IlAttaisoN, counsel for WEsT and IlAanurox, thought proper to animadvert on Mr. O'CONNELL'S (Tortilla in retaining his seat after having stated to the Kilkenny constituency, in an address dated the 7th instant, that he should have lost it before that address could reach them. Mr. JOY said, that Mr. O'CoNs:Ei.r, acted in this matter without consulting his lawyers ; and Mr. :roux MaxwEr.r. observed, that he did not consider Mr. O'CONNELL'S conduct blameable. also expressed his sense of the delicacy of Mr. O'CONNELL'S behaviour in absenting himself from the Committee-room during the proceedings. A vote of the sitting Member was then struck off; and Mr. AUSTIN declining to press the charge of general bribery against the petitioners, the Committee withdrew ; and in about an hour announced the decision by which Mr. O'CONNELL loses his seat for Dublin.
We shall look with some impatience for the publication of the minutes of evidence, and the various decisions of the Committee ; and shall content ourselves now with remarking, that if all those decisions are justifiable, proved bribery does not invalidate an election flu. a Member or Parliament, but nonpayment of a tax, which cannot be collected by law, is sufficient to deprive hundreds of the elective franchise, under the Reform Act.
Previous page
