The Sun.
London, England, 1831-02-19 00:00:00

BOROUGH OF EVESHAM.

The Marquis of CHANDOS, after the decision of list
night, begged to move for leave to bring in a Bill to dis-
franchise Evesham, and transfer the franchise to Binning-
ham.—(Hettr.)--It was his intention to move that the
Bill bo read a first time to-night, and a second time on
Monday the 28th, when he proposed to examine witnesses
at the bar.—Leave given.
The LORD ADVOCATE presented petitions from
Perth, Ross, Roxburgh, and a great many other places in
Scotland, praying for Parliamentary Reform ; and also a
number of other petitions for a repeal of the assessed taxes
and the abolition of slavery.
A new writ was ordered for the borough of Whitchurch,
in the room of the Hon. R. Townsend, now Lord Sidney.
The Marquis of CHANDOS brought up his Bill for
disfranchising the borough of Evesham, and transferring
the elective franchise to Birmingham.—Read a first time.
The NOBLE MARQUIS then moved for a return of the
number of persons entitled to vote in that borough since
1818, describing their respective residences.—Ordered.
He then moved that the Bill be read a second time on
Monday the 28th, on which day witnesses be ordered to
attend at the bar.
Mr. HUME asked the Noble Lord whether it would
not be better to postpone it for a longer period, as the
great question of Reform was to come on on Tuesday.
The Marquis of CHANDOS could not consent to
postpone the second reading on account of any measure
of Reform that might be brought forward by his Majesty's
Government.
Mr. KENNEDY and Mr. O'CONNELL asked the Noble
Lord to postpone the second reading to a Liter day.
Mr. LITTLETON hoped the Noble Lord would consent.,
There could he no doubt that the question of Reform
would occupy the undivided attention of that House for at
least one week.—(Hear.)
Sir G. CLERK thought every individual Member of
that House would feel called on to express his opinion on
the measure of Reform about to be introduced, but still he
did not think that the discussion could last a week. He
did not see any reason for the Noble Marquis postponing
the second reading.
Mr. J. WOOD trusted the attendance of witnesses
would at all events be dispensed with until the Sth of
March.

Air. G. BANKES wished the second reading to be per.
severed in.

Lord MORPETH was not aware of the extent of
Reform anticipated by Ministers, but be had no douLt
B rmingham would have representatives, if Evesham was
not to be one of the disfranchised boroughs. It would be
better, therefore, to postpone tie second reading.
Mr. STURGES BOURNE spoke a few words in
favour of the postponement. _ _ _

Mr. HUNT ;aid it would be an aet of gro,s
injustice to disfranchise Evesham for corruption such as
that alleged against it, when it was known that three out of
every four boroughs were equally if not more corrupt.
He hoped the measure would be postponed till after the
Ist of March.

Mr. S. RICE did not rise for the purpose of throwing
any difficulties in the way of the Noble Marquis, but on
the score of economy he would press upon bias to post-
pone it. The expense of an inquiry into the forgery of
signatures to the Carrickfergus petition had already cost
the country 1,263/.
After a few words from Mr. BRISCOE,

General GASCOIGNE said the Noble Lord opposite
stated that no dOubt Birmingham would have repres-nta-
tives, but there had been nothing said about disfranchising
Evesham. He therefore saw no reason for postponing the
measure.

Mr. STANLEY spoke at length in favour of postpone-
ment, by reason of economy.

Sir CHARLES WETHERELL said if the subject
were to be taken up by the present Parliament, he (Sir
Charles Wetherell) could not see with what propriety it
could be postponed, as the House would bear in mind that
the First Lord of the Admiralty had declared that if the Re-
form Bill was not carried Ministers would dissolve
Parliament.—(Loud cries of "hear, hear," and "no, no.")
He would repeat that he did say so, and therefore how
could a Bill for disfranchising any borough be brought
in when Parliament was dissolved. His autho-
rity that Parliament would certainly be dissolved
was that of the First Lord of the Admiralty, and he (Sir
C. Wetherell) thought that the Right Honourable
Gentleman knew more on the subject than the
Hon. Members for Middlesex or Preston.—(A laugh.)
Yes, he knew more, too, than the Right Hon. Secretary
for Ireland, who was not a Member of the Cabinet, but
who, by-the-bye, was fully deserving of it for the praise-
worthy and prompt manner in which he had conducted
the late prosecutions in Ireland.—(Hear, hear.) He
hoped the Noble Marquis would not give way to the taunts
and sneers of the other side of the Houw, but persevere
in bringing forward his motion.
Fir J. GRAHAM said he took shame to himself for net
having been in his seat sooner. As he had been absent,
however, at the commencement of the discussion, he
hoped he might be excused from arguine, the question ;
since his arrival, be had heard something about those very
frequent and fruitful topics—economy and Reform, but
would not touch upon them. He thought, however, he
might venture to reply to the appeal made to him by the
Hon. and Learned Member (Sir C. Wetherell) ; for, as
that Hon. Member was in the habit of heaping word upon
word, and matter upon matter, and principle upon
principle, although he had not heard the beginning
of his speech, yet, having heard the end, he might
calculate he heard it all.—(Laughter.)—The Hon. and
Learned Member declared that he (Sir J. Graham) said,
in terms as plain as the discretion of Parliament would
admit, that if the Reform Bill should fail, Parliament
would of necessity be immediately dissolved. Now, the
fact was, that he, in terms as guarded as words could be,
only glanced at the probability of such an event. If the
contemplated measure of Reform should fail, it was pro-
bable (and in no higher degree of assertion had he put it
before) Parliament would be dissolved. This was what
Gn
vheardo
mfuernntterwlyaa pledgedstatell, to bring
forward and this he didor thenard ameasure repeat.
o Thef
real, efficient, and substantial Reforni.—(Hear, bear)--

and for one, he could declare that measure would not
have had his support, if it were of the same illusory
character as the measare then under discussion. But
he could assure the House his Noble Friend's mea-
sure would neither be idle nor worthless ; but, on the
contrary, searching and decisive ;--in short, it would
not be of the Evesham character.—(Hear, hear,
hear. )—ln considering this question he had never been
induced to overlook the fact, that he teas accountable to
his constituents and never would he support any plan of
Parliamentary Reform, which he could not vindicate on
the hustings in the face of his constituents ; and he begged
to remind and give warning to Hon. Members, that in
like manner whenever they might give their concurrence
and support to any measure of Reform, they would owe
an account to their constituents of that support and that
concurrence.—(Hear, hear.)
Colonel DAVIS undoubtedly considered the great ques-
tion of Reform or no Reform of very essential importance
to be discussed as early as possible. If a dissolution of
Parliament, however, took place, undoubtedly it would
take place before the Noble Marquis (Chandos) could bring
in his Bill. He knew Evesham to be one of the most corrupt
boroughs; and if his Majesty's Ministers did not mean to
disfranchise that borough, and give the franchise to some
other place, he hoped the Noble Marquis would persevere
in his Bill, and in doing so he should have his support.
Mr. CAMPBELL regarded the present discussion as a
skirmish taking place before the general battle of the I at of
March commenced; and he thought the event of that
battle would very much depend upon the fate of the pre-
sent skirmish. He had the highest opinion of the Noble Mar-
quis, but he could not divest himself of the persuasion that
this was nothing but a mere manceuvre on the part of the
Noble Marquis. —(Cries of " No, no.") It appeared like it
to the Hon. Member, and if the motion were to be carried
for the summonses to be issued for the 28th of February,
his firm opinion was that the measure of Reform would
be lost to all intents and purposes if the second reading of
the till was to take place then.
The SPEAKER observed that the House had previ-
ously decided that the Evesham Disfranchising Bill should be
read a second time on the 28th of February, and the
simple question now was, whether the witnesses should be
ordered to attend on that day six weeks.
Mr. CAMPBELL said a few words inaudibly.
Colonel TRENCH thought nothing could excuse the
Hon. and Learned Gentleman opposite in attributing ma-
nceuvre to the Noble Marquis, except his being absent when
the present discussion began. He was desirous of asking
the Hon. Member for Preston a question. The Hon. Mem-
ber for Preston had said that Evesham would not be
afraid of inquiry, because there were many other places as
bad as that. How could this be consistent with any thing
like sound sense ? Was the Hon. Member prepared to
assert that one ro,.;ue when detected was not to be pro-
secuted, because it might not be in his power to lay hold
of the rest of the gang ?
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER was
surprised at the length of this discussion, and that the
wish should be so perseveringly persisted in to have the wit-
nesses summoned for the 28th. It appeared to him
to be unnecessary to call up witnesses for the day before
the discussion of a measure which, whatever might be its
result, would be sure to take more than one day.
It appeared to him to be altogether unnecessary, and
evidently useless, to enter into an examination which
must last several days, just on the day previous
to entering upon the discussion of a measure of the utmost
importance to the whole of the country from one end of
it to the other.—(Loud cheers.)—The Noble Lord
opposite would hardly wish for the question of Reform
to be put off. Tice House had decided that the Bill
should be read a second time on the 28th of February,
it was now moved that the witnesses should be summoned
for that day ; but he (the Chancellor of the Exchequer) was
decidedly of opinion that the examination ought not to be
began till the Bth of March, and then ample time would be
given for the discussion of the Reform measure, without
having it broken in upon. There was, however, a diffi-
culty, but he should propose to get rid of that difficulty
in this way, namely, that he (Lord Althorp) should
support the amendment of his Hon. Friend the Member
for Preston to summon the witnesses for the Bth March,
and move the discharge of the order for reading the
Bill a second time from the 28th February to the Bth of
March.—(Hear.)
Mr. ROSS was very glad to find that Honourable
Members had had this opportunity of explaining. In
his opinion there could be no reason whatever for
postponing the summoning of the witnesses from the
28th instant. A more unsatisfactory reason for such
a proposition could not have been assigned than the
Noble Chancellor of the Exchequer had given. There were
but six witnesses to be examined, and he could see no
reason why that examination should not be commenced
on the 28th.
Sir GEORGE WARRENDER thought it would be
highly improper to postpone the measure of Reform, or to

allow any thing to interfere with its discussion. The
Honourable Member who had just sat down was
not to buoy himself up with the idea that
there would be only six witnesses to be examined.—
(Hear.)—lf the case against Evesham was made out,
whenever it should come on for discussion, he, for one,
should certainly vote for the disfranchisement, and for the
transfer of that franchise to a larger town.
Lord PALMERSTON thought his Noble Friend's
(the Chancellor of the Exchequer's) proposition ought
to be adopted ; and, as had 'already been observed, the
House was not to he de!uded into a supposition that
there were only six witnesses to be examined. Perhaps
six might be considered sufficient for one aide of the ques-
tion, but then who could say there might not be six times
six brought forward on the other side.
Mr. DUNCOMBE could not allow the Honourable
and Learned Gentleman opposite to say there was any
manoeuvre in the present effort, without throwing back that
imputation with the utmost indignation. The present
question was altogether unconnected with the measure of
Reform, and as to any threat on the part of any Hon.
Member to dissolve Parliament, and for the Government
to throw itself upon the country should the Government
not be able to carry its great measure of Refom, such threats
were not new. Other Ministers had been heard to use
the same language. It was undoubtedly in the breast of
his Majesty to dissolve his Parliament if he should think
fit, but it was always better to abstain from any such
threats. It was undoubtedly of the greatest im-
portance to have the disfranchisement of Evesham gone
into without delay ; but he would ask his Noble
Friend to reconsider the subject, and then to say
whether it would not be better for the justice of the
case that he should not press his motion, but rather
fall in with the Noble Chancellor of the Exalt, quer's

proposition. _ _
The House was ordered to be cleared amidst cries of
_ -

'• Question, question, question." When we got into the
gallery again we found the House had not divided, but
that it was agreed that the witnesses should he ordered to
be summoned for the Bth of March.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER moved the Order
of the Day for the House going into a Committee on the
Canada Acts.