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of engaging manners —( loud laughter)—decoy gentlemen who walk the streets at undue hours , into some lonely situation , and while engaged , as my gallant friend has said , in conversation with them , find means to subtract some valuable property from the person of their companion . Thereupon therc ' issue upon him some mule confederates , one of whom , claiming the lady for his wife , begins to reproach the unsuspecting gentleman — ( laughter ) — for having interfered with his connubial right 3 . ( Laughter . ) While the discussion is going on , the lady escapes with the booty , and the gentleman is happy if he escapes without any material personal injury . This lady was accused of being the principal party in a transaction of that kind .
She was arrested by the police , and was violently rescued by some of those confederates . She was afterwards again arrested and broug ht to trial , and the magistrate , finding that this practice was growing of -universal occurrence , thought it was a fit case to visit with transportation , and he stated that he would transport her for seven years . Thereupon the lady , as has been stated , got into a towering rage , and was very violent in the court , and with great difficulty was kept in the dock liy three policemen . The magistrate was under the apprehension that there might of her
be an attempt made again to rescue her by some confederates then , in court , and resolved to increase the punishment from seven years to ten years , and to have ten years provisionally recorded . The magistrate informs me that he acted so for the purpose of deterring other persons from similar violent conduct in the court ; but it is his intention to exercise the power the law gives him of altering the sentence during the continuance of the session , and it is his intention that the final sentence shall be seven years , to which this lady was originally sentenced .
MR . ROBERT OWEN . Lord Brou&ham presented a petition from Mr . Robert Owen , praying the House to grant a committee to inquire into his system of education . Whatever notion might be entertained of some of Mr . Owen's opinions , no one could doubt his services to the education of the working classes . He was , indeed , a most worthy man , whose services to this country and to mankind at larg-e had been very valuable , in one respect at all events , for he must be regarded as the author of infant schools . Mr . Robert Owen was no mere theorist ,
as many persons might imagine , for his establishment at New Lanark , after payiug interest at the rate of five per cent , on the capital invested , bad yielded a net profit of 12 , 000 Z . a year , or a total of 335 , O 00 Z . to be divided among the contributors .
ELECTORAL IMPURITY EXEMPLIFIED . Great bave been the doings of Parliament this week , in respect to the cleansing of itself from the filth of corruption . The House of Commons has resolved on issuing a commission of inquiry into one borough , and to issue new writs in the case of two others . On the motion of Mr . Keii Seymer , the writ for Canterbury is
suspended , and a commission of inquiry will be issued , similar to that sitting at , St . AVban ' s last year . In the debate on the question , Mr . Hume and Mr . Duncombe doubted the honesty of the House in their loudly professed intention of putting down bribery . Both asked f > r a now Keibrm Bill , including the ballot , as an effectual remedy . No opposition being made , the motion for an address to the Queen for an inquiry was carried ; Lord John Russell putting his shoulder to the wheel .
But writs have been issued to Blackburn and IJridgenorfcli . Jn both cases , Sir John Shklley moved for n select committee to inquire into the state of each of these boroughs ; on the ground that the scope of an election committee was special , and elicited special facts suflicient to unseat a member only . Great was tin ; opposition to the first motion , in the Blackburn case , not only from the Tories , but from Mr . Bou VJiiuu , who has pretensions to Liberalism . Although Lord . John Uukhki . i , ottered lo support Sir John Shelley , yet he withdrew his motion , in the teeth of warm hostility .
The same course was followed in the case oi the Bridgenorth writ ,. But , although Mr . CoitoiCN advanced sonic strong statements , to show that Bridgenorth was a pocket , borough , in the hands of the Whit mores , . Sir John , having yielded in this casu of Ulnckburn , now found himself without , Government , ( support . Sir Jamkh Graham distinctly said , that having issued the writ , to one , it , would 1 m ; unjust , to refine I , he othor . On a division , Sir John lost , his motion by 18 J . to 50 . IfirDDKHHi'uaj ) .- Mr . Wam'ouc appeared ut the bar with the report , of the Iliuldcrsfield Election Committee , which he read as follows : — " That Mr . Mt airfield wan , by liia agenln , guilty of bribery ut tlio hint election for I ho Borough oi" Jluddcru" That , il , wus proved to tho committed that , William Uadioi-cl , a publican , David DoIihoii , a publican , and Joseph Senior , a publican , with micli of them bribed by colourable piiyinoiitH , in their ImIIh for hint election , of the iliwuiunlH tiik ' mi oil" from their pr « vioun billH for tho hint election but , one . " Tlmt JoBopli llalliwell wdH bribed by obtaining for his nophuw , an a condition for his voto , throe twenty-four gallon eaaku of ale , u portion of which hia nephew gave away
" That it was not proved to the committee that either the bribery , or the treating above alluded to , was committed with the knowledge of the sitting member . " That the committee think it right to submit to the consideration of the House that the system of treating above alluded to , which appears to have prevailed for some time in the borough of Huddersfield , must have the effect of exercising an influence over the minds of the voters as corrupting and debasing as direct bribery . " ( Cheers . ) Cirencester . —Mr . Lascelles brought up the report of the Cirencester Election Committee , which declared the Hon . Ashley George John Ponsonby duly elected as member for that borough . ,
among the electors on the day after the election , and the remainder of which ho sold at a profit . " That the treating throughout the borough during last election was general , systematic , and extravagant in its character . " That between sixty and seventy public-houses were opened at last election by agents of the sitting member ; that refreshments were provided apparently without limit , and paid for without inquiry ; that the expense incurred on that account alone amounted to upwards of 1000 Z . ; and that , so far as these cases were separately examined into , it appeared that the only persons who were furnished with orders to provide such refreshments were , with one exceptionregistered electors .
Norwich . — Further evidence was taken this week , and as the exposure continued it grew in completeness . Colonel Dickson was cross-examined by Mr . Brown on Monday , but beyond a personal squabble between the two honourable gentlemen , nothing was elicited contradictory to the Colonel ' s previous statements . Mr . Collins , an articled clerk to Mr . Beckwith of Norwich , corroborated the account given by Mr . Kitton of the interview he had with Mr . Brown . Here is his story : —
He was present in Mr . Brown ' s office when he and Colonel Forester went over the cases , and expressed themselves satisfied with them , calling them " good , " " capital , " " first-rate , " " excellent , " &c . The last interview he had with . Mr . Brown was shortly after the withdrawal of the petitions . Mr . Brown , Mr . Kitton , and himself were the only persons present . Mr . Brown said to Mr . Kitton , " Ah , my dear fellow , I know what you are come about . I thought I had a general authority to act as I pleased . I have " done what I thought best for the good of the party . " Mr . Duncombe : " For the good of the party , " you are sure these were the words used ?—Mr . Collins : Yes . Mr . Kitton told him he had no right to withdraw the petitions without his consent , and that he did not know what the
people of Norwich would eay to him about it . Mr . Brown said he was sorry for what had happened , and that it was only an error of judgment . He added , " I will write a letter in exculpation , or , if you wish it , I will myself go down to Norwich and explain the matter . You know , my dear fellow , I am behind the scenes , and my instructions were to get rid of Dickson . ( A laugh . ) Of course you do not expect me to tell you all , but I am very much behind the scenes . " [ Mr . Brown has solemnly denied that he ever used these words . ] Mr . Duncombe : What did you understand by that PMr . Collins : That he had instructions from the people who employed him to throw over Colonel Dickson . Mr . Duncombe : Who were they P—Mr . Collins : I don't
know . Mr . Duncombe : To whom did you understand him to refor ? Mr . Collins : The Carlton Club . It was utterly impossible to conduct an election in Norwich without bribery . ( A laugh . ) . Mr . Duncombo : You don't seem to attach much importance to the agreement ontored into by the candidates ? Mr . Collins : I don't . These things are often done ; and T don't suuoose any person ia simple enough to place much
value upon them . ( Laughter . ) I may mention hero that Mr . Brown told me one day ho had just been over at Coppock ' n , that Coppock ' s list was nearly exhausted , and that ho bad thrown him in Stoke-upon-Trent . Brown said , " Tho only important petition Coppock lias is that of Youghal , and tho only important one T have is Norwich . Now , I think it would be an immense advantage to the party if we could set off the Norwich petition a ainnt the Youghal one . We have got a good man at Youghal , where we have the purao and influence of tho Duke of DevoriNhiro iigainst iih . "
Colonel Forester was called by Mr . Brown . He also (• onfirnicd much of Mr . Kiltou ' s story , but tried to exculpate himself mid 'Brown . Mr . Brown : You have not interfered in any way with t . he Norwich petitions , either in tho prosecution or the withdrawal of them P--Colonel Forenter : No , I have not . Mr . Brown : Han Mr . Mackenzie done ho P- —Colonel Forester : J do not believe he has—not to my knowledge . Mr Brown : Vrotn your knowledge of mo , do you think I am a pornon likely to " hcII" or throw anyhpdy ovorPColonel Forester : Not so far as I know you . Mr . Brown : llavo you ever heard or observed anything about hio that would fead you to think I would do ho?—flnlntiel Forester : Nover . .
Mr . Brown : llnvo you had any conversation with Lord 'Itunelugh as to what , " be is reported to bave said about mo P—Colonel Fonwfor .- I inef , him last night at dinner , and told him what , Oolonel . Diokson said before the committee on Friday . II in answer wan , that Colonel Diokson bad no authority whatever to mention his narno in the committee-room , and that he had acted highly improperly . Mr . Brown : Did Lord Rnnelagh say anything about the accuracy of tho Rtatomont imputed to him P—Colonel I ' orcBter : No , ho did not eay whether it waa true or not .
Mr . Duncombe : He did nofe deny having made the statement?—Colonel Forester : He neither denied nor confirmed it . In reply to questions from Colonel Dickson , witness uaid he never instructed Brown to withdraw the petitions ; he never , to the best of his recollection , either said or wrote that Brown had got into a tremendous scrape ; but if Cor lonel Dickson would assert on his honour that he bad seen such a statement in his handwriting , he would not accuse him of saying what ; was not true , whatever his opinion might be of the propriety of disclosing matters contained in a private letter . The squabble was renewed the next day between these gentlemen about the letters on the elections , which Colonel Dickson held to be public , and Colonel
Forester private letters . In the course of cross-examination Colonel Forester said—Mr . Brown is not a member of the Carlton , and I therefore could not take him into the club , but into one of tho rooms kept for strangers . That room is no more private for me than for any other member . Mr . Duncombe : Was it not then devoted to electioneering purposes?—Colonel Forester : No . I am not aware that Mr . Brown was there while I was away . I kept a box there with papers . Colonel Dickson having said that he had been treated discourteously by Mr . Home Secretary Walpole , he was called by Mr . Drummond to explain , and he gave this interesting account of himself : —¦
Colonel Dickson : I don't wish to produce Lord Douro a letter , but when I asked for an interview with Mr . Walpole , after six weeks' canvass and great exertions in the cause , that exalted individual refused , to see me . I held on the appointment of Civil Commissioner at the Cape , and came home with the view of effecting an exchange for some office in this country . Mr . Gladstone , who was then Colonial Minister , thought my case a hard one , and spoke of an inspectorship of factories -which was then vacant . The Administration , however , resigned , and Sir J . Graham gave the appointment to a relative of his own . lord Grey then came into power , and not only refused me additional leave or an exchange , but directed the Governor of the Cape , if I was not back by a certain date , to fill up my appointment . As I could not possibly return in time ht illtreated bEarl
this was done . I thougI was - y Grey in not giving me a few weeks' leave , especially after hia previous high encomiums on me , and I laid my case before Lord Derby , who was then out of office . He wrote to say that he thought my treatment " very sharp practice , " and when his Administration came in I thought I should have something for the appointment -which I had been done out of . I applied for an inspectorship of factories which fell vacant . Lord Douro said I had been very ill-used , and wrote me letters , in which he stated that he had seen Mr . Walpole and convinced him that the Government ought to grve me something . I was told that the chairmanship of the Commission of Sewers was kept open for me . ( Laughter . ) Yet when I had loat my election , Mr . Walpole behaved very uncourteously in refusing to see me at the Home-office .
Mr . Drummond : Had you any views of this kind in wishing to come into Parliament?—Col . Dickson : I felt grateful to Lord Derby for the view he had taken of my treatment by Lord Grey , and I wrote to his brother-inlaw and said that I could afford to spend a few hundred pounds as a candidate in his interest . I thought my claims of 21 years' services , with high testimonials wherever I had been , entitled me to consideration . I would have been very grateful for some small appointment , and all have their motives for going into Parliament , I suppose . ( Much laughter . ) At length Mr . Brown was brought up and examined . He described himself as acting gratuitously , and not
professionally for Colonel Forester , in superintending the elections for his party . Mr . Duncombe elicited that the Derby Government had made Brown Secretary to the India Board ; that he had not solicited Mr . Herries for the place ; but that ho supposed that Mr . Forbes Mackenzie , Lord Salisbury , and Mr . Talbot , Lord Derby ' s Secretary , to whom he had applied , got it for him . As to the ( flection petition in question he had never thought it would be prosecuted . He was , besides , quite satisfied Colonel Dickson would have no chance of being returned should a vacancy occur . Mr . Duncombo . —Did you think thcro was any prospect of a vacancy occurring P
Mr . Brown . —I bave not a doubt that any member of this honourable House might bo unseated on petition ; and J . am quito amazed when I wo a petition fail . ( Much laughter . ) Mr . Duncnmbo . —How Mien , thinking tho case for tho petition a good one , were you for puiringP Mr . Brown . —I will answer that question in this way : —J hnd several interviews with Mr . Coppock boforo tho meeting of Parliament , aH Micro was a long list of petitions on both sides , for tho purpose of ascertaining which woro going on and which were not . The basis on which wo communicated was this : that where petitions woro
ponding against members—as , for instance , in tho case of Bridgonorth—and from the ntaUi of parties on either flido we could not expect a change in tho event of a vacancy—it wuh u waste of money to push such petitions . Believing , an 1 did fully , that , there wun no earthly object in proaocuting the Norwich petition , I would have boon ttrnonjr the first , to havo advised Colonel Dickson not to spend his money in ho fruitless a con tost . 1 havo observed that ; « 4 towns increuno in nizo , ho they do in Radicalism also , and their CoiiBorvativo strength declines . It is eo m ZVorwion , and I havo no limitation in stating that when a popular eanditttto like Lord Douro , long connected with tho conbtituoncy was beaten by 600 or 700 votca , no Conservative
Untitled Article
ms THJE LEADER . [ Satprpa * ,
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Citation
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Leader (1850-1860), March 19, 1853, page 268, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1978/page/4/
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