The Cambridge Election Committee assembled on Saturday ; Sir Charles

Lemon in the chair. Mr. Austin, Mr. Cockburn, and Mr. Talbot, appeared for the petitioner, Mr. Gibson ; Mr. Sergeant Wrang- ham and Mr. Biggs Andrews, for the sitting Member, Mr. Sutton. Mr. Austin stated the case of the petitioners. They contended that Mr. Sutton's election was void, although he had a majority on the poll of 100 votes, (the numbers being 716 for Sutton and 616 for Gibson,) in consequence of acts of bribery committed previously to the election. Notices had been served upon about three hundred voters that Mr. Sutton had disqualified himself, by bribery, front sitting in Parliament ; but still these men had polled for Mr. Sutton and given him the ma- jority.

The first material witness called for the petitioners was Samuel Long, upon whose evidence much reliance had been placed ; lint it will be seen that this man was not to be depended upon. He said that he was a harness-maker in Cambridge ; had been employed much in elections there ; was held to bail on a charge of bribery in March last ; and had since made certain disclosures to Mr. Cannon, the agent of the peti- tioners, at an hotel in Craven Saect. As a specimen of the witness's " fencing " and ceol assurance, sr:: make the following extract from the report of his examination- ' He told Mr. Cannon, that li met Esher and Mitchell in Mr. Sutton's pH- vote room at the Eagle, and that he had been in daily communication with Fisher upon the subjeet of the election. Ile also told hun that several voters in the district of Barnwell were to be purchased, and that Fisher and Mitchell told him he should be furnished with money to " try ;" that Fisher said to Mitchell, in the presence of Mr. Sutton, " ell, you may as well give him the money ;" and that he received forty sovereigns for the pur.pose of bribing.

" Upon your solemn oath, was not that statement true r"—" It was not, for I never saw Mitchell and Fisher together at the Eagle. I believe I made two statements to Mr. Cannon, and as frequently besides as he asked me to do so." He told Mr. Cannon that he had given a person named George Smith a sum of nine sovereigns for his vote. " Now, upon your oath, are not these nine sovereigns a part of the forty which you bad received froni Fisher and Mitchell ?"—" No, they were not, for I never received the forty sovereigns you speak of."

[The witness was here shown a piece of paper, which was one of those that were taken from him when he was arrested ; and in answer to a question whe- ther the handwriting aims his or not, replied that it AVUS lint, nor could he re- member how he came by it. At the time or his arrest he had several papers with the names of voters upon them, but those he had torn up.] " Now, Mr. Low*', I will ask you again, upon your solemn oath, did you, or did you not, give the nine pounds to Mr. Smith?"—" I am not bound to answer that question."

" Upon %hat ground do you refuse to answer it ?"—

Mr. Biggs Andrews objected to the question; and a lengthened discussion arose between the learned counsel upon the legal effect of the witness having first pleaded guilty to the offence of bribery, for which he was still liable to be put upon his trial, and afterwards re trading that plea and pleading Not Guilty. The result was, that the witness was recalled, and told by the Chairman that he was not bound to answer any questiun which might tend to criminate himself.

Examination continued—" Do you decline answering the question about the nine pounds and Smith because it would criminate you ?"—" I decline answer- ing that question ?"

You must answer it one way or the other."—" Well, then, it might have that effect."

" I must have a positive answer, yes or no."—" Then I don't know whether it would or not, but it might."

The Chairman—" You must either answer the original question, or declare positivsly that to do so would criminate you."

" Why might your answer tend to criminate you ?"—" I do not choose to answer that question."

Witness was ordered to withdraw ; and a lengthened discussion ensued between the learned counsel as to the effect the answer would have upon his approaehing trial. The Chairman said it was the wish of the Committee that the witness should oot be pressed to give an answer which in his own judgment would have a ten- dency to criminete

" How much naoney, Mr. Long, tu/it you have had about you when you were apprehended? "—" Between sixteen and seventeen pounds.';

" Now tell me, where did von get that money ? "—Witness, (after a very long; pause,) " I got it at different places a part of it from the Messrs. Swan, but I cannot tell how much."

Long's cross-examinatiou occupied the whole of Monday and a great part of Tuesday. Ile said that the indictment against him for bribery was withdrawn on the understanding that he 'War to make important disclosures to Mr. Cannon, who had him up in London for some time with another person named Scott. Long and Scott lived in London at Mr. Cannon's expense—at any rate he paid their bills : and very well pleased these two fellows were with their London life, and occasional trips into the country. On the day the prosecution was withdrawn. Cannon, Cooper, (Cannon's managing clerk) Long, and Scott, dined together at the Craven Arms- " I paid no bill at the Craven Arms. After dinner it was proposed that I should go to the Great Western Railway station. Messrs. Can non and Coopee accompanied me, and then told me to go to Windsor. They paid the fare, sog told me to keep out of the way, so that I might not be ibund, Beets we with me to Windsor. Mr. Cannon, I believe, paid the fare himself, and he gave Scott money for our expenses. I only staid at Windsor one day. situ; I came back to London, Scott came with me, as we had determined to spend it day or two in town in'the way we pleased. Whilst we were in Ldndon, Scott paid all the expenses. We staid in London until the Friday, mid then went by the railroad to Basingstoke. When at Basingstoke, our funds were es. haustcd, and Scott sent a letter to Messrs. Cannon and Cooper for more money, Mr. Cannon came down to see us; when he gave Scott two sovereigns, and pm. posed that we should directly leave Basingstoke with him. Mr. Cannon tu,, reefed UN to go in a post-chaise across the country to Reading, a distance of sixteen miles, and then take the railroad to London. I do not remember that Mr. Cannon told me the reason of going round by Reading."

Mr. Austin said—" To throw the opposite party off the scent." Long resumed his story-

" After I arrived in London, Scott and myself went to the Exch Coffeehouse, where beds were provided. On that day I went to Mr. Par and had an interview with hint. I had never seen Mr. Parkes before. Oa the same evening, Mr. Cannon, Scott, and myself, went to the theatre : Mr. Cale non paid for admission. I slept at the Exchequer Coffehouse. The next morning, Mr. Cannon, Scott, and myself, and Mr. Parkes, breakfasted to. gether ; on which occasion Mr. Parkes served me with the Speaker's warrant, and gave me two sovereigns. Mr. Cannon gave Scott 10/. ; and then we re- turned to Basingstoke, and staid there several days. We then left that place and went to Southampton ; from thence we proceeded to the Isle of Wight; we then returned to Southampton ; and from thence we proceeded to Ports- mouth. Mr. Cannon was not with us on this tour. Scott and myself always travelled in the names Mr. Cannon gave us of Leicester and Shaw. When we arrived at Portsmouth, the money Ivas getting short, and Scott sent A letter for a remittance. Mr. Cannon and Mr. Cooper both met us at Ports- mouth. We all 'lined together, and Cannon gave Scott 5/. or 61. He also directed us again to return to Basingstoke, and said we should meet some one there. We did as lie directed ; and yesterday week Mr. Cannon met us at Basingstoke. He stopped there that day, and then we left with Mr. Cannon, and Caine to London. * * * Mr. Cannon told me, that during the time I was away lie would piw my wife twenty-five shillings per week tor her main- tenance. I saw Mr. Bigg at the Butt-tn-Tun, Fleet Street. I -understood lie was Mr. Sutton's agent; but I do not know myself whether he is or not. The statement I made to Mr. Cannon was an invention of my own, in order to get rid of the prosecution against me. It was a falsehood. I made the false statement as often as Mr. Cannon requested inc to do so. I did not make that false statement to many persons. I told Mr. Bigg of it the same night. He did not tell me I had done a scandalous thing, and ought to tell Mr. Cannon the truth. I told Mr. Bigg that I was going to leave Loudon. He did not say go or not go. I did not tell Mr. William Swann before I left Cambridge that I intended to cheat Mr. Cannon with a false statement. I went to Mr. Bigg for advice, but he refused to give it inc. He said the case is your own, act as you please. I considered at the time I was cheating Mr. Cannon by making false stetements. Duriny the five weeks that I 1MS living at the ex- pense of' Mr. (Amnon, I let Mr. Bigg know from time to tints what transpired. I informed him that Scott and myself were travelling under fictitions names. Mr. Bigg addressed one in the name of Leicester."

Members of the Committee put questions to him—

Mr. Plumptre—" Vi'llen you made the false statement, did you then intend to repeat it before a Committee of the House of Commons?" Witness—" Most certainly not ; and I therefore made the story the most improbable I could think of." Mr. Plumptre—" What was your motive for making such a false statement?"

Witness—" Because I knew it would not he believed here. It was to mis- lead the agents of Mr. Gibson." Mr. Plumptre—" Did you not expect sonic remuneration for making the statement?"

Witness—" Yes, I did ; but my principal reason was to get rid of the pro- secution against inc." Mr. Divett—" Did you think yourself justified in making a false and un- founded statement to Mr. Cannon and Mr. Cooper ? "

Witness—" I considered myself quite as much justified in giving a false account as they were in asking me to do so."

By Mr. Prothero—" Mr. Cannon asked me to state what occurred at the last election ; and I gave him such an account as I knew he would like. He must have wished it had been true."

Mr. Cannon stated the circumstances which brought hint into contact with Long-

" On the 2d March, I met a person named Scott. He told me that he was authorized by Long to make a statement. I made no communication to Long before he made one to me. I believe Scat is an accountant, but I did not know him before the lute election. Scott told me that Long considered he was very badly treated by the Tory party ; that they had entirely ileglected him since he was apprehended on a charge of bribery. That Mr. lisince had pos- sessed himself of the 16/. 10s. which he bad. Scott also told me, Long Ida afraid that his health would not allow him to bear any lengthened imprison- ment, and that he was instructed by Long to negotiate with witness in re- ference to his giving his evidence lsfiwe a Committee of the House of Commons upon the subject of the petition presented against the return of-Mr. Manners Sutton. In consequence of this, he arranged with Scott to bring Long up to London to the Craven Hotel. Long and Scott arrived there. They had tee, &e. ; and the next day Long made a statement about the bribery practised by the Tories. It was subsequently arranged that Long and Scott should leave town. They were to get to Slough, from Slough to Weybridge, and from thence to the Southampton Railway, and to on to Basingstoke. Long spoke of his wife and family; and I said I should allow them twenty .five shillings a week during his absence. I also gave six pounds to Scott, as lie and Long were going away ; and I arranged that they should be suppli,il with money as they required it. I afterwards saw Long at Basingstoke. Long Caine up to town, and made a second statement to Mr. Parkes. The statement now handed in was that made by Long before Mr. Parkes. It was drawn out by me, and afterwards read over to Long by Mr. Parkes. The former said it was all right."

When cross-examined, Mr. Cannon admitted that he intended to surprise Mr. Sutton's party by putting Long in the witness-box-

" My object in sending Scott with Long, was to prevent him having any communication with the other party. If the scheme had succeeded, Mr. Sut- ton's agents and counsel must have been taken by surprise wheel Long was brought before the Committee. Wherever I met Scott and Long, I always paid the expenses. We frequently dined together; and on these occasions I asked Long to make statements. I am not in the habit of asisociating with

set

Long at Cambridge. I should not have treated him in the manner I have done if 1 had not expected to get evidence from him in support of this petition." Mr. Fisher, banker, who proposed Mr. Sutton, was an unwilling witness against that gentleman. He stated that considerable sums on account of the election had been paid through his bank— The election -accounts were sent to Mr. Twiss; some were paid through witness's bank. Mr. Sutton had no account there during the election. About I,I26/. was paid on checks for election-expenses. The greater part of the money was subscribed;. and Mr. Sutton gave a check for 4001. on his bankers fa London. Out of this amount IBMs of 470/. and 300/. were disbursed for various expenses by Mr. Moses Brown and Mr. Bishop, both retired tradesmen. Witness was not consulted about the expenses.