The Sun.
London, England, 1807-02-27 00:00:00

WESTMINSTER ELECTION.

Lord FOLKSTONE, amidst the universal silence
and attention of the House; in expectation of the
Petition which he was known to have to bring for-
ward on the subje& of the Westminster EleSlion,
presented a Petition relative to some Road.—[This
disappointment produced a convulsion of laughter,
which could not be quieted -for some minutes.]—
This Petition being disposed of,
Lord FOLKSTONE said, he held in his hand a
Petition, which called for thd particular attention of
the House, inasmuch as it related tba.hreach of- the
Standing Order which had been made to prevent all
tampering with the witnesses summoned `to giV6 evi-
dence before the House,, or any blitSCounnittees.
He first Moved that the Standing Order be read.
(The Standing Order, declaring such tampering to
be a High Crime and Misdentkaalor,.and a High
Breech of the Privileges of the House, against which
the House would preCeed with the utmost severity,
was read by the Clerk at the table).-e-Lord Folk-
stone, in continuation, stated, that 'the Petition he
hl'ld in his hand charged Mr. Sheridan with tam-
pering in that improper manner, by himself and
his agents, with witnesses summoned by .Mr. Paull
to give evidence before the future Committee on the
Petition now pending before the House relating to
the Westminster Ele&ion. Mr. Paull, the Peti-
tioner, threw himself upon. the House for such pro-
ceedingsas in its justice towards' him, and in its re-
gard to its own dignity, it should think fit to adopt ; and
prayed to be heard at the Bar by-himself and .Coun-
Eel, and witnesses to prove the fad. The Petition
was brought and read at the table in the usual man-
ner. It complained of the undue interference of
Mr. Sheridan -in tampering, by himself and his
agents, with divers persons summoned, on the part
of Mr. Paull, to- give evidence before the Com-
mittee of the House of Comatons which shOuld be
appointed to try the merits of his Petition, claiming
to be duly eleded for Westminster in preference to
Mr. Sheridan. Mr. Sheridan was particularly
charged with having endeavoured to corrupt and de-
ter one Thomas Drake from giving an unbiassed
evidence, or any evidence, before the said Com-
mittee. A conversation was adverted to, in which
this Drake stated to Mr. Sheridan, that he was un-
der-some apprehension as to the possibility of evading
(he summons served, on him, and the mischief that
may betitll hint in consequence. Mr. Sheridan
ensTvered—" Leave that. to rte--I will get- you a
place abroad--I will provide for your father also—,
you shall have money enough, only keep out of the.
way;"—Mr. Sheridan was further charged with
havingr by himself, offered money to this Drake, for
the purpose of g,etiing possession of a letter in the
hands of one Emanuel Harris, 'and ordered to be,
produced befure
.the Commi;tee in evidence.--Mr.
bi;eridan was further charged with'havinor, •by his
agents, Henry Burgess, JamessWallace, ellexander
Johnstone, and Frederick Homan, tampered with
several other persons, in order to induce them. to
keep out of the way of giving their testithony—
stating to them, that the delay ofthe Order for. the
consineration of Mr. Paull's Petit:on to the 14th of
Aftril, was intended to afford time to give them the
opportunity of absconding, and that they had ab-
sconded. The Petition prayed such relief as the
House in its justice should think proper, and de-
fired to be heard by himself, Counsel, and Wit-
nesses, at the Bar, to represent his case, and sub-,
stantiate the fads.—The Motion that the Petition•
should lie on the table was seconded by Mr.
ihuatoasT, and • was agreed to without -any dis-

et:tssion. . .
Mr. SHERIDAN supposed, that a Petition so
gravely written, and so gravely presented, would be
followed up with some specific Motion. -He would
reserve his sentiments on the Petition till that Mo-
tion should be made.
Lord FOLKSTONE gave notice, that to-morrow be
should submit a Motion on this subject.
Mr. WILBRIIFORCE observed, that another im-
portant-business was fixed for to-morrow.
The SPEAKER thought it right to state, that matters.
of privilege superseded all other business.
Lord ,Howtott thought, that in respeet, of the
priority the House always allowed and affixed to
matters of privilege, a charge of Breach of Privilege
of so grave and important a nature .ought not to be
.ciihmis,ed without instituting some proceeding upon

it this very night.
Lord FOLKSTONE, so far as respeaed himself,
_ _

was not unprepared to address the House on the
slbjeCt of the Petition this night :, but regarding.
it as the settled praaice.of the House, that-no
tion that was likely to cleite discuss al should he
brought forward w,; hoot previous 11-)tice.; and un-
dermanding that this pradice was more necessary
in proportion as the matter under consideration was
more important, he had nor. come prepared with
any, specific Motion, nor was he instrucled as to what
Motion be should make. He hoped the House

would accept this excuse, cud allow time to give no-
tice for to-morrow.

Mr. SHERIDia allowed the Noble Lord had •
done no more than his duty in bringing forward the
Petition which had been put into his hands, and in
making the statement which had been put into his
mouth. The accusations contained in the Petition
were of the same cast as many others p-referred
against him during the course of the West ininster
Election. If he were merely to consult the opera-
tion of his own feelings, he might be disposed to
speak of such charges in terms of resentment and
indignation rather too strong to be uttered. in that
House. All he shoUld say now was, that be wished
all the matters charged to be inquired into as soon
as possible, by evidence upon oath. It was per-
haps hardly decent for him to say plainly what lie
thought of the charges contained in the Petition.
But every one who knew him was, be was sure,
already convinced that the whole was a 'mass of
rank falsehood. All the Witnesses to be brought
forward against him were suborned, and he wish.
ed to enter into _the proof for the purpose of
shewing that.
Lord HO WICK thought it wrong that the
House should separate without- taking some -pro-
ceeding upon a Petition of this nature. He re-
gretted that notice had not been given of the in-
tention to- present ,the Petition, as then the House
would be ready to proceed at once. He • should
move now to refer the Petition to a Committee. of
Privileges, .and the time when that Committee,
should sit may -be fixed. He thought it right,
however, to state here, that one thing prayed in
the Petition was wholly, inconsistent with the usage
of the House and with all propriety, he meant
the bearing of Couhsel on the matter in which the
House wa4 to judge of its own Privileges: When
the fads were ascertained, the House would do what
became it.

Lord FOLKSTONE had never before.: heard'
of the introduaioty of a, motion by previous notice.
Lord Folkstone repeated that he was not now pre-
pared to offer any tnctiOn. It would be nugatory
to call witnesses now, as none were in attendance.
If there were any proceeding now, it would stifle
the investigation at its birth.'

Lord 1101 PICK understood that the Petition
having been laid on the table, 'it was contrary to
order that any other motion should be made' that
night. But he wished that no misunderstanding
should go abroad. The' Noble Lord said, that to
proceed now would be nugatory, and. that it would
stifle the investigation in its birth.- He' Ni7i ified the'
matter to be brought to proof at the Bar as 'much
as the Noble Lord, and when he expressed, :an opi-
nion 'of the propriety of referring it dire my to the
Committee of Privileges, be did not mean that Com-
mittee should sit now, but that it should beiiXed for
as early a day as possible. '• a View to the fullest
investigation. As th--., Eurne business 'fixedkr
to-morrow, which coofti not conveniently be de-
ferred, he thought it'. might be best to understand
that the. House should go into the Committee of
Priyiiieges on Monday.

After some further conversation, LOrd FOLK-
STONE agreed to bring forward his motion on Mon-
day, and notice was entered to that circa.
In answer to a, question from Mr. 4.13,vm, who
stated that this w;ls a question of a Breach of Pri-
vilege of the highest order, and wished to 'know
what proceeding the Noble Lord meant to insti-
tute—Lord' FOLKSTONE said, he 'had intended to
move that Counsel be heard : but as he was told
that was irregulilr, he should inquire from thpSe
who were more experienced than he, whether it
was. His objea generally was, that. witnesses
should be examined at the Bar in support Qf the
fads: • .