The Sun.
London, England, 1838-04-10 00:00:00

SHAFTESBURY ELECTION.

(From the Votes and Proceedings of the House of Commons.)
Previous question, " That that question be now put," put,
and negatived. Main question, " That J. S. Poulter, Esq.,
be now called in," put, and agreed to. Mr. Poulter called in
accordingly, and the passages complained of were read. Mr.
Poulter beard ; and then he was directed to withdraw.
Motion made, and question proposed—" That the expres-
sions in the said letter, containing a charge of corruption
against members of a Committee of this House in the dis-
charge of their judicial duties, are a false and scandalous im-
putation on the honour and conduct of Members of this House."
Debate arising; motion made, and question proposed—
" That the debate be adjourned till this day month." Motion,
by leave, withdrawn. Original question, by leave, withdrawn.
Mr. Poulter again called in ; and Mr. Speaker, by direc-
tion of the House, addressed him as follows :

" Mr. Poulter, I have been commanded by the House to
put to you a question out of the statement which you have
already made at the bar. Before Ido so, I think I shall best
discharge my duty to the House, and I think I shall equally
discharge my duty to you, by stating to you what I conceive
to be the sense of the House with respect to the present state
of this proceeding. The complaint is not that you have urged
that the decision of the Committee was in your opinion erro-
neous—they make no complaint of that, they desire no re-
traction of that opinion, they consider that you are at liberty
to express that opinion so long as you shall entertain it ; but
the complaint which they do make is, that in stating your opi-
nion that the judgment of the Committee has been erroneous,
you have applied to the members of the Committe expressions
of a harsh nature—l use the gentlest expressions—l wish the
question to be considered calmly and temperately by yourself
and every body concerned—you have used harsh expressions,
and you have used expressions which you, as a person who
have been long a Member of this House, must know very well
you in your place in Parliament could not have applied to any
Member of this House; therefore, looking at what you have
said, I conceive there is every reason to hope that you will
see, as I think the House sees, that there is a distinction, and
broad distinction, between retracting that which implies
your own opinion that the decision of the Committee has been
erroneous, and retracting those expressions tihich impute
directly to the Members who composed the majority of that
Committee' which is, after all, a conclusion of which no po-
sitive proof could in any way be produced, it could only have
been an inference which you yourself drew, because you took
a strong view of the erroneous nature of the judgment ; and
under those circumstances I am desired to put to you this ques-
tion, whether or no you are now disposed to retract these ex-
pressions in which you charge the members of the Committee
with personal corruption in the votes they gave, and the con-
duct they pursued in the Committee, and also those expres-
sions in which you allege that your seat has been as com-
pletely filched from you, as ever a purse was stolen from a per-
sun on the common highway ?'"
Whereupon Mr. Poulter

" Mr. Speaker, I must continue to assert that my seat in
this House has been taken from me by political motives. I
do not mean to ascribe to the members of this Committee any
corruption in the sense of pecuniary, or base corruption of that
kind ; but I must say, that I shall ever regard my seat as hav-
ing been taken from me from political causes, and not from
causes founded in justice."
And then he was directed to withdraw.

Motion made, and question proposed—" That the expres-
sions in the said letter, containing a charge of corruption
against members of a Committee of this House, in the dis-
charge of their judicial duties, are a false and scandalous im-
putation on the honour and conduct of Members of this House."
Debate ' arising • motion made, and question proposed—" That
the debate be ° adjourned till this day month." Motion, by
leave, withdrawn.

Question again proposed. Amendment proposed, ,to leave
out from the word " That" to the end of the question,in or-
der to add the words " the Order of the Day for the third
reading of the Slavery Abolition Act Amendment Bill be now
reed," instead thereof. Question put—" That the words pro-
posed to be left out stand part of the question." The House
divided—. Ayes, 124 ; Noes, 120. Question again proposed ;
debate a- icing ; question put—." That the debate be adjourned
till this day week." The House divided—Ayes, 121 ; Noes,
117. Debate adjourned till Monday next.
Minutes of Evidence (presented 6th April) to be printed.