The Press.
London, England, 1854-07-15 00:00:00

COUNT PAHLEN.

Earl GRANVILLE on Thursday entered into some
explanations touching the civilities he had shown to
a Russian subject, Count Pahlen, who was now in
London, and whom he had been accused of having
introduced into English society, and one of the
London clubs. The count, he said, was well known
for his high character, his accomplishments, and his
partiality for this country, and arrived here, not from
Russia, nor from the Continent, but from Madeira;
and not on any diplomatic mission, but for the pur-
pose of arranging some pecuniary affairs, and of
taking leave of his triends before finally separating
from them. Count Pahlen was the intimate friend
of his (Lord Granville's) late father, of the Duke of
Wellington, of Lord Grey, and of many other distin-
guished men. On his arrival he invited him to his
house, and signed the printed form at the Traveller-',
on the receipt of which it was usual to admit
foreigners. He entirely denied that it was not justi-
fiable according to the law of nations for an English-
man to treat with civility and kindness the subjects
of a foreign power, even when we were at war with
that power ; and contended that such conduct was
much more likely to strengthen than to weaken our
hands in the conduct of hostilities. He did not be-
live that such conduct was illegal or unpatriotic; on
the contrary, he thought it was just one of those
mitigations in the old barbarous rights of war which
modern civilisation had introduced.

The Earl of Malmesbury, the Marquis of Lans-
downe, Lord Strangford, Lord Brougham, the Earl
of Carlisle, Lord Campbell, and the Earl of Elles-
mere all spoke highly of the eminent character of
Count Pahlen, from long personal knowledge, and
testified their approbation of the courtesy shown to
a stranger so universally respected by Lord Gran-
ville.
The Earl of ABERDEEN assured the house that
Count Pahlen had not been entrusted with any
secret mission to himself, adding that, until the affairs
became bruited about, be was not even aware of his
Mama) in London.

THE PRESS. '

BRIBERY AT ELECTIONS.

Three bills introduced for the purpose of restrain-
ing bribery and corruption and undue influence at
elections were laid before the House of Commons at
au early period of the session by Lord John Russell,
Sir F. Kelly, and Mr. Walpole. After undergoing
much discussion, all the bills were passed through
the second reading, and then referred to a select
committee for the consideration and rectification of
their details. From this committee a single bill
came back, of which Lord John Russell has taken
charge, and on Monday the noble lord reintroduced
the measure to the House of Commons when it
appeared in a state of ripeness for committal.
The house having accordingly resolved itself into
committee, Lord JOHN briefly stated that the bill
came again before them after having undergone
mature deliberation and received many amendments
at the hands of the select committee, who had added
to it several clauses from the hills proposed by Sir
F. Kelly and Mr. Walpole. New clauses had also
been introduced with respect to election officers. All
these provisions were of much importance, and he
hoped they would be adopted. The noble lord
further stated that he did not intend to proceed
further with the Controverted Elections Bill this
session.

The house proceeded to consider the clauses of
the measure. A variety of verbal amendments were
adopted, and several changes of much importance
proposed and discussed during a miscellaneous
debate of several hours' duration. Some of these
amendments were pressed to a division, the promoters
of the bill obtaining the support of large majorities.
Much time was expended in selecting and adjusting
the terms by which " bribery, " treating," " agency,"
and " undue influence," were to be defined for the
purposes of the act.

On the 2nd clause, defining active bribery, i.e., in the
candidates or their agents, and enacting that every person
who shall, directly or indirectly, by himself, or by any
other person on his behalf, give, lend, offer, promise, &c.,
money or valuable consideration for a vote, shall be deemed
guilty of bribery,

Mr. AomoNsx moved to insert after " person " the
word " authorised; " but the motion was negatived
by 141 to 110.

On the next clause, defining bribery in the recipients,
and which enacted that every voter who shall, directly or
indirectly, ask for, receive, agree, or contract for, any
money or valuable consideration, for voting or refraining
from voting, shall be deemed guilty of bribery,
Lord J. RUSSELL consented to omit the wcrds
" ask for."

Lord R. GROSVZNOR gave notice that at a future
stage he should move an amendment to this clause
rendering it illegal fur any candidate to pay the
expense of conveyance of voters to the polling-
places.
Clause 4, which defined the offence of " treating,"
furnished ground for a prolonged discussion.
•

Mr. B. DENISON asked whether under this clause it
would be illegal to issue refreshment tickets to voters who
had come from a distance after an election. .

The ATTORNEY•GENERAL replied in the affirmative. His
answer led to many remarks upon the hardship to which
it might lead in respect to county voters on the one hand,
and the necessity for putting down this, the most easy and
convenient form of bribery, on the other.
Sir J. PLXINOTON moved the omission of these words
from the clause, "in order to be elected, or for being
elected," contending that their effect would be to render
any gentleman who gave a private dinner in his own house
to his own agents liable to a penalty of 501., at the instance
of any person who chose to sue for it, though he had no
corrupt purpose whatever.
After a lengthened conversation, the Attorney-General
consented to an alteration to the effect that this sort of
treating must be given corruptly; and on this change
Sir J. Pakington withdrew his motion, and the clause was
passed.
The sth clause related to "undue influence."
Mr. MALINS insisted upon the necessity of providing
against denunciations by Roman Catholic priests
from the altar, and moved that the words " temporal
or spiritual " should be inserted in it, with a view to
guard against such practices.
The committee thereupon divided For the
motion 26, against 125: majority 99. The motion
was consequently lost.
Mr. V. SMITH afterwards moved that any vote
given under circumstances of undue influence should
be utterly void.
Lord J. RussErs. could not assent to the addition;
and the committee having divided the amendment
was negatived by a majority of 132 to 63-69.

Clause 10 (one of the new clauses), which declared that
a person being an elector, acting as counsel, attorney,
or in any other capacity, for any candidate, for the purposes
of any election, should not be entitled to any reward for
personal services rendered to such candidate in any such
capacity, and any elector taking such illegal payment
should be incapacitated from voting at such election, was
opposed by Mr. E. Denison, Mr. H. T. Liddell, and Mr.
Athertim.
Lord J. RUSSELL thought the clause, as it stood,
was impracticable, and proposed to substitute another
clause hereafter. The clause was accordingly with•
drawn.

653

On clause 14, which states that any court before which
prosecution should be ordered for any offence against the
act might order payment of costs and expenses to the pro-
secution, . _

Mr. HENLEY asked what fund was to pay the costs
of such prosecutions—the Consolidated Fund or the
county rates'
Lord J. itussELT. said they would be paid out of the
Consolidated Fund.

The clause was agreed to.
The further progress of the measure was then
suspended until last (Friday) night.

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