The Sun.
London, England, 1852-02-17 00:00:00

• sure his election; and thin was tin course which he took.-..
(Laughter.) He had since found himself to have been sadly
deceived in various respects. For instance, there were
electors who lied questioned him and cross-questianed him
for half an hour together, and when the electors so 4ileS: ion-
jug him bad gone away as his supporters, Le had ir.agined
that he had done iz all by his arguments— (Laushter)—
whereas it had transpired in evidence that these parties had
been corrupted, and had merely interrogated him and argued
w:th him in order to keep him in the dark as to their proceeds
ings.—(Great hughter.) There was one particular consi-
deration which had not made him a free agent, though he
might have had strong suspicions that something im-
proper was going on—(Laughter)—that he was in the field
and occupying a place which would otherwise have been oc-
cupied by another individual belonging to his party, to the
Liberal party—(Laughter)—and he was told he was respon-
sible for the principles on which he went down, that was to
say, Liberal principles—(Laughter)-end be could not,
therefore, back out, even had he been so disposed --
(Laughter.) He might mention that when he spoke of going
down to St. Albans on the piincialcs of "a party," he was
not alluding to the Government, for the report that he had
gone down as the Government candidate had no foundation
in fact, and it was right that he should take that opportunity
of contradicting it. He fully exonerated the Government
from any participation whatever in the transaction, and in
feet, it was the Government that had been pursuing him
from the period of the election to the present time. More-
over, it was they who were bringing in a Bill to disfranchise
the borough and from that and every other circumstance,
he exonerated them from having any participation whatever
in his election.—(Laughter.) lie had nothing further to say
respecting himself in this matter, but with regard to the
borough, he felt in a rather responsible and delicate posi-
tion—first, as the representative of the borough, and,
secondly, as having a case to defend for which it
the case,
oughtc ase,
to was impossible to offer a defence.—(Renewed laughter.)
Bthuet
onlystill,
coarse
et ,
whichbeing
h hee
he p
et hrsouueg hvbelte thatto
point out the injustice of carrying to such an extreme
a measure with reference to one single borough, when it bad
been proved before the Commission at St. Albans that the
same system generally prevailed in a great many other bo-
roughs throughout the kingdom. The object of the Com-
mission had been to investigate the system of corruption
and to take means of putting an end to it, and he must say
that the Act of Parliament which had been passed for that
purpose was the most sensible and efficacious mess -Mai
had ever been passed in reference to bribery and mess
ption
—(Hear)—and ho believed that if a similar Act were ap-
plied to every other borough in the kingdom, it would do
more towards putting an end to those practices than any-
thing that had ever been done.—(Hear, hear.) Ile must
say, however, if that House, instead of taking that general,
fair, and consistent course, were to be content web
making St. Albans the scapegoat, and grafting upon it
the sins of every Member of that House, upon the suppo-
sition that by exterminating that one borough the House
would be left perfectly pure, that such a course wmild be
not only a delusion, but an injustice.—(Hear, hear.) A
few days ago he had gone over the House of Correction—
(Loud laughter) - and he saw there 150 prisoners. He
knew at the same time that there were about 40,000 outside
as bad as those who were in, but rather more cunning.
Now, if these 40,0J0 were to hold a meeting, and to pass a
resolution that, for the sake of making themselves stand well
with the public, they should hang those 150 who happened
to be in the prison, then, he conceived, that those 40,000
would be taking a course similar to that which the House
was taking in disfranchising St. Albans, and leaving all the
other boroughs of the kingdom as they were.—(Laughter
and cheers.) He considered that under these circumstances,
as representative of the borough, and being sure that unless
he advocated its cause, other people would not, it was quite
proper that he should come forward and oppose the proposed
Bill to the best, of his ability, and he put it to the con-
sciences of other Honourable Members who knew what
elections were better than he, whether it were right to
single out St. Albans in this manner? He was told that
the extravagance which he had indulged in was such as
ought to have left no doubt upon his mind of the nature of
the transactions that were going on. He begged to say that
at the time of the election he was not aware of the amount
that was being expended, and even if he had, comparing it
with the amounts which he constantly heard spoken of,
there was nothing extraordinary in it. He had heard it
said, " Here is an lion. Member who has paid 60,000/. for his
election," and " Here is another who paid 50,0001.," and
another he had himself heard state that his election bad cost
him 40,0001., while they all knew that elections costing from
5,0001. to 10,0001. were as plentiful as blackberries. Now,
he had had the excitement of an election, the luxury of a
petition, and the further indulgence of a commission, and the
sum total of his expenses had not exceeded 4,300/.—(Cheers
and laughter.) Under these circumstances, he thought it
was unfair to charge him with any extraordinary extrava-
gance; and Hon. Members who knew what elections were
ought to know better than to be so exceedingly severe on
St. Albans.—(Laughter.) It was true that the system did
appear to be exceedingly corrupt when every detail was
made clear, but how would it be, if the same principles were
applied to cases where 60,000/. had been expended?—(Hear,
hear.) He was not desirous of making any personal remarks,
but he thought it only fair, having been singled out in this
way, in consequence of the inexperience of himself and the
imprudence of those who had conducted his election (which
constituted the chief distinction between himself and
others), that he should represent the circumstances of
the case, and do all he could to place it in a fair position.
It certainly appeared remarkably corrupt for a person to
pay a sum of money for his election, but they found others
who, instead of paying a sum down, spread it over seven
years, and at the end of that time walked over the course
and entered the House perfect patterns of purity. What
difference, he asked, was there in principle between these
two cases ?—(Hear, hear.) If an agent at an election
treated an elector with a mutton chop and a glass of ale,
he was liable to a penalty, and the Member might be un-
seated; but if a Member of Parliament, during the period
of the Exhibition, for example, issued cards to all the
electors, inviting them to his mansion in town to enjoy
his hospitality, even though it were in anticipation of an
election, that was perfect purity and perfect hospitality.—
(Hear, hear.) lie might mention many other cases where
the principles were precisely the same, although they differed
in appearance. (Ilear, hear.)
Colonel SIBTHORP had been charged with corruption
because he had exercised Christian charity towards a
Christian people. Ile had been charged with giving away
coals. Ile had done so, and he would do it again.—( Hear,
hear.) :tut what was the situation of the Government?
He talked el Greenwich. Had the Government had nothing
to do with that election ?—(Hear, hear.) Would the Noble
Lord say that lie iced not sanctioned many acts which
amounted to bribery, and that he had not unduly influenced
boroughs and counties—aye, and a city, toe? The fact was,
that the Government found fault with humble individuals
for acts of charity, and if they would not vote for the Noble
Lord's party they soon got a broad hint that they were not
wanted.—(A laugh.)
Mr. ANSTEY said there were two Members of that
House who were connected ;with that borough, the fate of
which was to be decided by the Bill. One of them, the
junior Member, had been head at considerable length.
and he thought it only just that the senior Member, far
more experienced in the affairs of e. he borough, should also
favour the House with a statement. He believed there
were other boroughs in a predicament similar to that of St.
Albans, and thought that all might be provided for by a
general Bill.
Mr. REPTON, in answer to a very ge.neral call from both
the House, said that the House ;laving, during the
sides of
last session, appointed a commission to inquire into the cir-
cumstances or St.
connected with the last electioa f Albans,
and that commission having made its report, he felt that no
was open to him but to bow to that report.—(Hear.)
course
thought the report perfectly just, and that the Commis-
sioners had come to a fair and, proper concluoion.—(Hear.)
the matter, he had only to say
that regarded his own share in , y
candidate for the second time to re-
presentthat in 1847 he became a
evernt, and determined to resist
byy means la his power. 14e
bribery and corruption
tr
nl
ressed by
declined it even when s ?eel) his agent. Ha went
to the poll, and felt convinced on the day of polling that bri-
bery was being used in his behalf. The Commissioners put
err and he answered frankly that he be-
lieved bribery heel been practised.—(Hear, hear.) Ten days
after the election bills were brought to him, and ells legal
adviser told him not to pay them, but believing OA he was
bound to pay them in honour, he discharged them immedi-
ately, and then declared publicly and privately that he would
not again become a candidate for St. Albans.—(Hear, hear-)
He had been called upon by the House for ' a statement • he
had now made it, and he had nothing further t 'th
at
on say, but
on the word of a gentleman he had t d s ate the truth.
Mr. G. THOMPSON said that it
sure Mr. Coppock so severely, whileas hardly fair to cen-
others who had been engaged in precisely
they left out many
As a member of the Reform Club,rcisely similar practices.
and knowing a great
number of its members, he (Mr. Thompson) could say that a
very large proportion of those
with Mr..
nectedCoppock, and knew nothing of his proceed-
ines.—(Hear, beer.) To the majority of the members of the
club, the revelati ensof the St. Albans Commission were en-
tirely new, but admitting
believed there war
other associations not very f
countenanced notshort he had
very dissimilar practices. In
been told that it w. es not a very unusual thing for the gen-
tleman
who had been namedito confer with a gentleman
holding a similar e sasition to himself in the association to
which he had alluded.—(Hear, hear.) It appeared that
such a system had pr trailed ever since the passing of the
last Reform Bill, and .had been found absolutely necessary.
What he was anxious to see was suck a measure originated
as should for the future avoid all necessity for
,such instru-
mentality.—(Hear, heerr.)
Leave was then givele to introduce the Bill.
Ma. COPPOCK.
On the question that the Bill be brought in by Sir G.
GREY and the ATTORNE Y..tiENERAL,
Mr. ROEBUCK said Jae wished to say a few words upon
were
this, for the Government effected by it. As:ear as they
had evidence upon the subject, this Mr. Coppock was in the
immediate confidence of the Government—(Loud cheers,
from the Opposition.) lle was informed that the Noble
rd C. Hamil ton\ who hadput a question
Lord opposite (Go s,
to him, had not intended to imply that he (Mr. Roebuck)
was at all implicated with Mr. Coppock, or that Mr. CA:P;
pock had dared to interfere with him, but merely th
was a ea
connected with a club of which Mr. Coppock also was
member; and upon that he asked,— "Have you, who are a'
was made
purist, done anything, after the declaration that
by Mr. Coppock, to get rid of him as a member of the Re-
form that
Club?" His answer to that quesuonthe Reform
in social life he was a member
of
twine a-year ;
Club. He went there once or perhaPs
ein e, or of anything
but, of the internal working of that --- a chop_ at the
connected with it, beyond taking
be asked Hon. Gen-
table, he knew nothing; and
tlemen present whet her the appeale knew nothing of what which had been made
to him was a fair one?
11 put Mr. Cnock to
went on there ; but he was nowg oin her. Coppock opsaid that
the test, and the Go‘rernnient also.
d Mr. Edwards said that there
he was employed by s omebo ys
Government employment to be given
was an insinuation of a
1r Coppock to be there (pointing to
to his son. He wanted 11 •
loud cheers from th 0
e pposieion).
the bar of the House, at nidst
ieisfaction of examining Mr. Copptck.
He had not had the sea _
H taiould like to have that satisfaction if
--(Hear, hear.)
wouldrant it, for he did not believe in the purity
the House (Renewed cheers from the Oennsiticia.)
of the Government.—(Were that they
were working a sham, aneellifft they
He believed et. Albans. a sort of scapegoat to be sent into
were making
to take off the sins of the Administration. He
the wilderness .
the _
know if House would support him in bring-
wented to
ock to that bar, in order that they might have
i„g mr. CoPP
different so . .
rt of revelation from that which had been eh-
a the Commissioners, capital as that was—(llear)--•
cited by
but still they might reap some advantage from it. lie wished
the House to support him in that amendment, and he felt
sure the Government would not oppose it—(lronical cheers)
—beeause, if they did, it might be insinuated that theykneve
themselves to be guilty—(Cheers)—and he was sure that
they would not allow such an insinuation to pass-( Hear )
He wished to brie:lg Mr. Coppock to the bar, in order
to learn from him what his communications with the Go-
vernment were, and who it was that told him that he had
the power to dispense the favours of Government. Mr.
Coppock would no doubt be able to enlighten them upon
those points. Hon. Members were at present in the dark on
the subject. Would they allow the House to go into Corn-
mittee upon gala Bill in the dark?--(Heae, hear.) Would