The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1810-06-21 00:00:00

BRIBERY BILL

Mr. W Wtraa said, that, in rising to make hie
present motion, be wished for the approbation of
the House. It was a subject to which Gentl-inea
should turn their atteotion, if they were intent spun
vindicatiug the chsrecter of the House. 11,. con..
ctived that what was proved at the bar. last session.
should occasion the utmost exertions of the House
in the defence of • its reputation. He would call
its atteotion to the election of Members to
serve m Parliament. He thought that elections
should Ire attended with as little expenses. possible ;
such a system as at present existed was subversive
of the morals of the House. Every man who was
assured that the practiceof bribery was ciirr:td on
upon th.we occasions, should concur in the work
of terminating such an evil, and at the same time
putting an end to the clamours proceeding frets. so
pernicious MI error. The House had mitred suffi-
ciently *hewn its abhorreoce of bnlr-iy, and
proved their aversion by the punishment an-
nexed to the offence; but he conceived that
the punishment might be too severe; and that
its severity defeated the object sought in the de-
tection or the crime. There was one part of the
Act respecting bribery, which. lie wished should be
corrected. The detector of any person guilty of
this crime was .pardoned all his own previous fe-
rmi, however great and vanon• they might have
been. lie wished to repeal that clause, and to
substitute in the place of it, that the informer
should he portioned (or any crime of the same
ns-
ture with that he- had detected, si.ul from lions
other. This was the true principle of British
Law, and comonaut to all parts of the Constitution.
In many cases, lie observed, bribery in small
Borough/I. where corruption was very general, could
not be brought before the House, •iid to remedy
this, he would propose some change in the time
hunted fur Winging complaints. at ;.er the commis-
sion of the Act of Bribery. lle took tins oppor-
tunity of giving notice, that he would also propose
several other subjects for discussion, and tiring in
Bills accordingly. lie would wish to make an al-
teration to the mode and time of coovejieg writs.
The existing practice was faulty, es by hating the
election fixed lu diem parts of a county where
the interest of particular tandidates lay, he pes•
cured an advantage in the election. He also wish.
eJ to shorten the duration of pulls. At present, •
Borough with fee voters satght be kept as tong open
as cite county of York, which was productive
of great expense sod inconvenience to crnevhdateo.
tie would certainly wish to proportion the time to
the number of electi.rs„ and to have a greater
nu:nber of vo*.es within the hours to ksrp the
poll open, than as the law now .:ood. Another
ihcoi.venienee he would be desirous of obviate
ing, was this:—At present persons preerutinig
frisolous petitioue. were found liable in the ea,.
penile., but no penalty was attached to those who
brought fueoard these !silicosis, and
,put the titers,
to great tepees,. w.thnut vim; the sPngth at pro.
securing them. To rense:ty this, he should pro.
vise to subject them to till Costs, in the same man-
ner as if they had prosecuted, and their petition
had been vond Ir:soloist. Lastly, as it was fon vd
that mars) Boroughs were so totally corspi, that
1.0 E7ectaus were found to petition &garnet bribery,
he pr.liosed, that the right of ketitowing on ibis