The Sun.
London, England, 1853-06-01 00:00:00

DURHAM ELECTION PETITION.

On the order of the day for the adjourned debate on
the motion for a select committee,
Lord GALWAY thought the committee ought now to
be appointed to inquire into the circumstances of the with-
drawal of the petition.
Lord PALMERSTON said that the debate had been ad-
journed till after the motion of thehon. member for Surrey,
which stood on the paper, had been disposed of. As that
motion had been postponed till Tuesday he begged to
move that the present debate be adjourned to that day.
After a few words from Sir J. TROLLOPE,
Mr. DISRAELI said that it did not follow that the
motion of the hon. member for Surrey would be agreed to,
and thought the better course would be to appoint a select
committee to inquire into the circumstances of this case.
Sir J. TROLLOPE said if the house went into inquiry
it would be necessary to go beyond the agents, and inquire
who were, the parties who instructed them.
Mr. BENTINCK said that it was matter of notoriety
that the agent had not acted on his own suggestion. , He
was credibly informed that the suggestion of the country
petition came from the Attorney-General. (Laughter, and
cries of "Name.") His informant was Mr. Trotter, a
medical man of Stockton. He thought they were entitled
to ask for inquiry.
Mr. ATHERTON said that what the hon. member had
referred to was unfounded gossip. He had certainly
spoken to the Attorney-General on the subject as a private
friend, and he knew not how the matter had escaped.
The hon. member then explained the circumstances con-
nested with the petitions and the course which he had
pursued.
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL protested against private
conversations being made the ground of public charges.
He did not shun investigation, but it was possible that the
one petition, as well as the other, had ulterior objects.
Mr. DISRAELI said a grievance had been admitted,
and a remedy ought to be applied. A fictitious petition
had been presented by a person who was notorious as a
dealer in such petitions. He hoped the house would
come to a decision at once on the question.
The house divided—
For the adjournment of the debate BO
Against it

Majority against adjourning the debate 9
On the question that the select committed be appointed,
Viscount PALMERSTON thought it rested with those
who made the motion to state the reasons why this case
required a special committee. In his opinion it would come
more properly under the general motion of the hon. member
for Surrey.
Mr. DISRAELI repeated his statement that the peti-
tion was a flagrant tampering with the privileges of the
house, and ought to be inquired into.
Mr. ELLIOT moved the adjournment of the house.
Sir J. SHELLEY said that perhaps the best course
would be for the house to consent to the appointment of
the select committee. The case, in his opinion, would
prove a trumpery one.
Mr. S. HERBERT said that the Government had no wish
to throw any obstacle in the way of the appointment of a
committee; but ho agreed with the noble lord that the
case was one which should come under the general inquiry
of which notice had been given.
Mr. BUTT thought the ct se involved a gross breach of
the privileges of the house, and should vote for inquiry.
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL said that all seemed de-
sirous of inquiry. (Hear.) The only question was as to
the time. The day after to-morrow the committee would
proceed to try the petition against the return of the noble
lord opposite (Lord A. Vane), and ho thought that this in-
quiry should be postponed till after that committee had
made a report.
Mr. BENTINCK said, if the house would agree to give
the committee, he would agree not to press its nomination
till after the decision of the committee in the case of the
noble lord (Lord Vane).
Lord PALMERSTON consented, and suggested that the
motion for the adjournment of the house should be with-
drawn.

The motion for the adjournment of the house having been
withdrawn, the motion for the select committee of inquiry
into the case of the Durham election petition was agreed to.
The other orders were disposed of, and the bolls° ad-
journed at half-past two o'clock.