he Cauntra.

The numbers at the close of the election for South Staffordshire were officially declared by the Sheriff, at Lichfield, on Friday they were—for Goodricke, 1773; Anson, 1559; majority, .2.14.

It was determined, contrary to the advice of many sensible supporters of Sir Francis, that he should be chaired ; and after the poll was de- clared, he took his seat in a handsome chair, preceded by a numerous band, and attended by a gay procession. But the populace considered the chairing of the Tory candidate as a gratuitous insult, and pelted lint unmercifully with rotten eggs. The band soon fled in all direc- tions; Sir Francis was "regularly spilt" out of his chair on the heads of his supporters ; and all were glad to take refuge in an inn, and com- fort themselves with a dinner, wine, and flaming Tory harangues.

On Saturday, Colonel Thorn arrived at Wolverhampton, on a com- mission from the Horse-guards, to inquire into the conduct of the mili-

tary during the affray. He was assisted by Sir G. Teesdale, and other gentlemen. From the Morning Herald we glean the most material parts of the account of the proceedings. Scarcely any new fact was elicited by the Colonel ; who evidently was not indisposed to make out the best case he could for the soldiers. He joined the committee of investiga- tion at Colonel Anson's hotel.

Mr. Roefe, the Dissenting Minister who was mentioned last week as being active in taking depositions, offered to assist the Colonel as much as possible in making the inquiry. Colonel Thorn said, the statements were so very contradictory, that lie had some difficulty: If the soldiers had in auy instance misconducted themselves, why had not complaints been made to their commanding officers, when punish- ment, if merited, would follow?

A gentleman in the room said, it was almost impossible to identify the soldiers. Ile had himself seen four of them firing, one down each street, at the same time, and when there was no mob at all in the streets. lie had often seen military in the town before, but never knew an instance in which troops had thus been allowed to gallop about the town in small parties of two, three, or four, attack- ing every one they met, and without an officer of any kind at their head. Colonel Thorn said, that he had ascertained that one of the troopers horses had been killed by a sharp instrument ; and Sir George Teesdale remarked, that one of the bullets, which was stated to have been fired at the door of a man's house by a soldier, was too large to come out of a carbine. Colonel Thorn desired that a carbine should be sent for, in order to ascertain the fact.

The carbine was soon after brought into the room, and the bullet appeared to fit it. It would not go into the barrel ; but that appeared to be owing to the extension of its circumference by being flattened by whatever it struck against after passing through the door. Sir O. Teesdale expressed a belief that it was not a carbine-bullet ; but Colonel Thorn appeared to be doubtful. The bullet was left in the care of Colonel Thorn.

A gentleman spoke most warmly in condemnation of the conduct of the Jai.. tory in firing so soon upon the people. Sir C. Teesdale said, that he understood the soldiers had been, many of them, struck by stones, and it was just as bad to be killed by a stone as by a bullet.

Were they to stand to be thus thrown at after the Riot Act had been read, and

they had been ordered to clear the streets? Ile should say not ; if lw were to be thus struck, he would shoot the person who di,! it. If they were to suffix in that way, they would be no better than a set of old women, and they might have had the scenes of Bristol enacted over again.

In reply to an observation by a gentleman present, Colonel Than remarked, that Mr. Clare, who had read the Riot Act, was a supporter of Colonel Anson.

Several gentlemen here asserted that the Reverend Mr. Clare was notoriously a Conservative; that he was always a supporter of that party, and had voted for

the Tory e nolidates for the borough. They also stated other instances of his Conservative politics; and said it was well known that he bad voted for Co- lond Anson because he was under very deep obligations to Lord Ilathertou. flaring received sonic directions from Mr. Rode, Colonel Thorn proceeded to the house of Ann Deacon ; who stated, that two shots were fired by a soldier at her door, one within a second after the other. Colonel Thorn said, that was inipos:ihle, as runic of the soldiers had more than one firelock ; and the man could not have reloaded in so short a tune. Ile afterwards spoke of this wo- man's evidence as being unworthy of credit on this account.

A fter some further inquiries, the Colonel returned to the Commit- tee-room.

A gentleman here stated to Colonel Thorn, that, having a little boy from home, and being uneasy respecting him, he went out to seek him, and took one of his sons with him. They went up the street, which was very quiet. There were some women in it. On getting near the top, he saw four soldiers gallop to the head of the street. Each of them turned a different way, and discharged their pistols down different streets. One fired towards himself. Anxious as he was fur his little child, he got more so for his own safety under such circum- stances, and returned. Ile put it to Colonel Thorn, if such conduct was proper when the streets were perfectly quiet?

Enough has been quoted from the report of this investigation to prove the an im us with which it was conducted by the military gentle- men, and the necessity of that further inquiry which Ministers have been persuaded to institute.