POSTSCRIPT.
SATURDAY MOUT.
Another section of the Bribery and Compromise question came -be- fore the House of Commons last night—the case altar. Warburton and the compromise at Bridport. Mr. CHARLES BoLLEE drew attention to Mr. Warburton's petition ; which imputed to Mr. Mitchell that bribery had been carried on for his profit, while he had left Mr. Warburton ex- posed to the consequences ; and to Mr. Cochrane, that he had made an arrangement on the faith of which Mr. Warburton agreed to vacate his seat, and had left it unfulfilled. Mr. Buller mentioned that fifty-one actions for penalties on account of bribery had been brought against Mr. Mitchell by his agent, Mr. Flight ; and that in an action for libel against the Western Times newspaper, Mr. Flight enumerated seventy- four persons who had been bribed on behalf of his employer. Mr. Buller moved a resolution, that inquiry be made as to the alleged com- promise and bribery.
Mr. COCHRANE made a long and elaborate statement, impugning Mr. Warbut ton's accuracy. His countercharges were of this nature— Mr. Warburton first sought the negotiation with Mr. Cochrane to secure Mr. Mitchell's retirement ; promising to accept the Chiltern Hundreds—re- tracting, as he had a public character of purity to support "—and then pro- mising again. It was ultimately agreed that Mr. Warburton should accept the Chiltern Hundreds, but that the petition on Mr. Cochrane's behalf should be carried on against Mr. Mitchell, so as to secure his seat for Mr. Warburton ; the latter leaving Mr. Cochrane one day with the remark, as be shook hands," It is your object to get Mr. Mitchell out of the way ; as in future we shall have our seats one and one : it will be a snug borough for both of us." It was also agreed that there should be no opposition to Mr. Cochrane: but there was, and Mr. Warburton tried to obviate it ; at the ssme time asking Mr. Cochrane, in a letter, to strengthen his (Mr. War- burton's) influence for that purpose, " by stating, that throughout the whole negotiation I have been actuated by honourable feelings, and by a desire to save my friends and the borough from disgrace." Mr. Warburton afterwards gave him leave to withdraw the petition ; but a second arrangement was made that Mr. Cochrane should be furnished with documentary evidence against the other; for mouths that evidence was not furnished ; and when it was forth- coming, it was under protest against use being made of it. Mr. Warburton requested the question of expense to be left for an "open question "; but Mr. Cochrane had borne it all. Mr. Mitchell persisting in retaining his seat, the petition against his return was withdrawn, not to expose the borough to dis- franchisement and disgrace ; and Mr. Warburton himself adjured his friends not to call public attention to the matter, lest Bridport should be ranked with Shoreham, Evesham, and Stafford, "as the most notorious in the annals of borough venality and corruption," and lest it should run a risk of' disfranchise- ment.
Mr. Cochrane admitted that inquiry was needed where bribery and compromise were proved; but asked which was most to blame, he who took advantage of the imperfect state of the law, or the imperfect state of the law itself, which enabled advantage to be taken ?
Mr. MirostELL made another statement, flatly contradicting many of Mr. Warburton's allegations,—as that he had ever warned Mr. Mitchell that he would have a narrow majority of four ; that he himself ever had any intention of carrying the election by bribery ; or that he had ever been a party to the compromise which Mr. Warburton endea- voured to effect. The reason he had withdrawn the petition against Mr. Cochrane was, because it complained of the return in June, but Mr. Cochrane had gone to a new election in September ; a fatal flaw. The actions mentioned by Mr. Buller had been instituted merely to frighten him ; but without effect.
Sir Timms WILDE, as Mr. Warburton's friend, vindicated his gene- ral correctness ; remarking, that he was the first to submit his allega- tions to the test of inquiry, which he found to be due to his own cha- racter. The second arrangement to which Mr. Cochrane alluded had been made, not with Mr. Warburton, but with a gentleman in the Com- mittee of Mr. Hounsell, the new candidate, and altogether without Mr. Warburton s knowledge ; and in a letter to Mr. Warburton from Mr. Cochrane's party, ten days after the second arrangement, the previous arrangement was spoken of as still subsisting. Sir Thomas renewed the charge against Mr. Cochrane of not having fulfilled his pledges ; and against Mr. Mitchell, of having availed himself of the support of Mr. Warburton's friends, on the understanding that the seat of the latter was at all events to be secure ; and then practising corruption to such an extent as to render his colleague's seat untenalle.
Sir ROBERT PEEL, Lord JOHN RI:WWI, and Lord STANLEY agreed that a ease had been made out for inquiry ; and Mr. Buller's motion was agreed to, by 156 to 37. The debate on a second motion, to refer the case to Mr. Roebuck's Committee, was adjourned till Wednesday next.
Mr. W. 0. STANLEY is to call the attention of the House to the Southampton Election Committee's Report on Monday ; till which day the motion for a writ is postponed.
The House occupied the earlier part of the evening with the Tariff; reaching the schedule of the Timber-duties. Unsuccessful attempts w ere made, by Mr. LYALL, to postpone the operation of the duties on train-oil and blubber to the 5th July 1844 instead of 1842, and on spermaceti-oil and whale-fins to the 5th July 1845, instead of 1843; and by Mr. HAWES to procure the reconsideration of Government for the proposal to measure deals by the cubic contents of the load. Sir HoweaD DOUGLAS gave notice of an amendment to retain a higher rate of duty on foreign timber ; on which Sir ROBERT PEEL empha- tically declared that be should steadily pursue his own proposition.
Sir ANDREW LEITH HAY gave notice of a motion for an address to the Crown to furnish copies of the General Assembly's Minutes; Sir JAMES GRAHAM repeating his assurance, that the Government inten- tions as to any measure on the Scottish Church should be stated before the second reading of Mr. Campbell's bill, on the 15th of June.
In conversation with Mr. Hiram who will move for a copy of the Queen's Letter on Monday, Sir ROBERT PEEL took occasion to re- commend to the public the general subscription : the smallest contribu- tions would tend to diminish the distress which prevails.
In the House of Peers, Lord WHAB.NCLIFFE stated that no fears are entertained as to any general outbreak in Tipperary, where there is an ample police and military force. The conduct of some landlords, ex- ceptions to their class, had been, be admitted, inexcusable. Lord Cettrinria. laid on the table a bill for transferring appeals from ihe Ecclesiastical Courts in Ireland to the House of Lords ; and it was read a first time.
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