The Express.
London, England, 1868-02-21 00:00:00

CORRUPT PRACTICES AT ELECTIONS.

THE GOVERNMENT BILL.

The government bill for amending the laws
relating to election petitions, and providing more effectually
for the prevention of corrupt practices at parliamentary
elections, was issued this morning. The bill, which (out-
side of 66 clauses, provides that a court, to be called the
Court of Elections, shall be established, for the purpose of
carrying into effect the provisions of the act, and shall con-
sist of three election judges, who shall be appointed by
letters patent. This court shall, for all the purpoets of
of the act, have the powers of one of the superior courts
of law at Westminster ; and it shall hold its sittings at a
place provided by the commissioners of the Treasury, and
at such times as may be appointed by the Lord
Chancellor. The persona entitled to present petitions
are, as according to the present law, voters ; persons claim-
ing to have had • right to be returned; and persons
alleging themselves to have been candidates. Security
for the payment of all expenses that may be-
become payable by the petitioner to witnesses, or to the
member whose return is complained of, must bo made at
the time of the presentation of the petition, or within
three days afterwards. Each petition is to be tried by one
of the judges, without a jury, and it shall, when practica-
ble, be tried in the order in which it stands on the list
At the conclusion of the trial the judge shall determine
whether the member whose return is complained of is
duly elected; or if not, whether any and what other per-
son has been duly returned, or whether the election is void;
and his determination, certified to the Speaker, shall be

final. The judge shall also report whether any corrupt
practice has or has not been proved to have been com-
mitted with the knowledge and consent of the candidate ;
and report also the names of all persons proved to have
been guilty of these practices ; and whether they have ex-
tensively prevailed ►t the election to which the petition
relates. The House of Commons shall carry oat the re-
port, which shall be equivalent to the report of an election
committee, and may be dealt with in the same meaner.
Thin act also provides that the Court of Elections shall
have jurisdiction over appeals from revising banisters.
The court may also, from time to time, revoke and alter
general rules and orders (referred to in the sot as the
" rules of the court ") for the effectual execution of the
act. The judge will have power to summon any per-
son as a witness, and to allow any reasonable
expenses that may be incurred. Petitions may be with-
drawn and *then substituted, bat not without leave of
the court upon special application ; but all costs incidental
to the presentation of the petition, and to the proceedings
consequent thereon (with the exception of such costa as
are otherwise provided for) shall be defrayed by the par-
ties to the petition in such a manner as the court may
direct. When it is found that bribery has been committed
with the knowledge and consent of a candi-
date, the election in to be declared void,
and the candidate rendered ineligible to sit
in the House of Commons for seven years to come. The
election is also to be void if a candidate personally
employs any person as an agent whom he knows to have
been guilty of corrupt practices. It is also provided th►t
any person who is not a candidate, but who has been
found guilty of billowy, shall not be eligible to sit in Par-
liament for seven years, and, whether candidate or not, he
shall, during the same period of sena years, neither have
a vote nor hold any municipal or judicial office, nor be
appointed or sot as a justice of the peace. The bill, if
passed, will come into operation at the next dissolution of
parliament, but will not apply to Scotland or Ireland. It
is endorsed by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Mr.
G►thorne Hardy, and Sir Stafford Northcote.