THE CARLTON CONSPIRACY.
From a source upon which reliance may be placed we learn that the old electioneering agencies at the Carlton Club are restored to their pristine vigour and activity. Last week the political committee sat daily, though it has become necessary to conceal Its movements from some the members suspected of disaffection to the old-fashioned practices. On one day recently this committee is stated to have sat for several hours considering certain bases of negotiation, which were the conditions of the payment of a large amount of Carlton funds into a common treasury, to meet a handsome gift of secret service money from the Government, the whole to be directed by Carlton agency to promote the return of Derbyite candidates. Our informant writes that ‟the golden crop thus stored at the old Tory club-house will be scattered broad-cast on the boroughs, the counties being considered safe, and you are likely to see some of the fruits in your district.”
The guarantee fund thus derived from the Carlton and the taxation of the people amounts, it is believed, to about £43,000 in all; of this a noble and chivalrous earl has, it is said, contributed £1,000. At the meeting in question, ‟a list of gentlemen willing to contest various seats was submitted by the whipper-in of the pack from Petersfield, who made a ?? of the amounts the various gentlemen were willing ?? to obtain a seat. The honourable gentleman was ??ed as first lord of this electioneering treasury.”
We have little doubt that the Newcastle Conservatives, through their travelling agent, have been put in communication with this conspiracy against the purity of election. The result is known.