The Sun.
London, England, 1840-05-13 00:00:00

EVI4INING EDITION.

consequence would be the general Treed or co-ruption
fieroughoct the boroughs of the kingdom if the delinquencies
of the borough of Ludlow were passed over. He knew no-
thing of: any panics in that bar ash, and be simply
grounded his vote on the tendency of example )old oat to
other boroughs if the delinquencies of Ludlow were passed
ower t be should, therefore, move the adjournment of the
debate till Thursday.
Ur. C. WOOD could not help expressing a hope that
the wince pursued last night would not be again renewed.
The request which had been in the first instance made
that the motion should be postponed until his Noble Friend
the Secretary for the Co`.onies could attend in his place,
appeared to him not an unreasonable one to have been
paatle from that side of the House, and he thought it ought
to have boa readily granted by the other. He had in
oonsegtseuoe voted for that motion ; but when in a full
House that which bad been asked, and could only have
been asked as a meter of courtesy to the Noble Lord, bad
pawl refused, be thought that was a virtual decision that
Vie writ ought to issue, and such being his opinion, he
could not thick that the course adopted last night was sue
av Each ought to have been pursued.--( Hear, 'sear, hear.)
483 a precedent it was most dangerous. It was a privi-
Lege that was most valuable in tne hands of a minority,
but which might be endangered by its exercise on improper
poossions t it was a privilege so valuable that he would be
afraid to risk it ley Its abuse.--( Hear, hear.) What his
Hon. Friend, the Secretary for the Treasury, asked was,
that the Noble Lord might have an opportunity of stating
his views upon the general question, and of proposing
Mute general measure as to bribery and treating; but be
ißti not understand that the Noble Lord intended, when
he did take part in the debate, to oppose the issuing of
the writ for the borough of Ludlow. As to the state-
ment of the Hon. Member for Cockermouth, it was true
'that he, as a Member of the Committee, had stated his
opinion, that there was a sail for further inquiry, but such did
cot appear to have been the opinion of the Committee it.
self. _-.(Hear, hear.) Not only had they made no report
whatever of the kind, but the very statement the Hon.
Gentleman himself had made was that the Committee had
(bought proper to stop any further inquiry on the part of
elausel upon the strongest portion of the case. The
Committee carried the inquisy beyond the point affecting
the seat of the sitting Member, beyond the point affecting
the qualideation of the petitioner, and they carried it to
the point of treating and bribery ; but they thought proper to
stop that inquiry, and it appeared to him that he was bound
to presume they stopped that inquiry thinking there was no
wan for extending it further.—( No, no, and cheers front
the Tcriee.) That was the only inference he could draw
from their conduct.—( Hear, hear.) But, after all, the
self awn° question Has decided last night—the self-same
motion was made by the Hon. Member for Cockermouth,
and a Maj.oriay decided against it.—( Hear, hear.) He
should like to know to what extent these motions were to
13e made and repeated. Such a course did net tend much
to the honour of the House. The strong presumption
'
always was in favour of the issuing of the writ, ar,d he
did riot thir( that on this occasion any case had been made
out for refuting it.—( Hear, hear.)
Mr. HUME did not think that anything would shed
more disgrace over the proceedings of the Huse, than
proceedings which would preclude all inquiry into allege-
alone of gross bribery. He was quite surprised at the
speech of his Hon. Friend, for he had attempted to draw
conclusions contrary to every other man en that side of the
House._(Cheers.) Ho said if the Noble Lord (Lord
John Russell) had intended to bring in any measure to
ad': et the representation of the borough of Ludlow, he
would have supported the motion for delay—then why did
cot he wait tilt the Noble Lord produced his measure, and
see whether it might not be such a one as would put a stop
to those proceedings, which, if alldwed to go on, must
sep the foundations of the whole representation of the
country?—(Cheers.) Although his Hon. Friend, aye,
even although the whole of the Treasury Bench, went with
the gactioman opposite, that did not bind him, or those
who thocight with him, that that was a most important
qacation—( Hear, hear)—one calling for the interposition
of a minority in the very highest degree. The Report
upon which they were to act was one made by the tiret
Committee under the new system introduced by the Bill
of the Right Hon. Member for Ternwortli, who, upon the
introduction of the sill, said—" I want to get a Com-
mittee who will report to the House fairly and
impartially upon such matters as come before
them." The Committee, in the present case, had reported
upon those cases of bribery which had came before them,
and be had no doubt they had done so fairly and with im-
partiaiity. In the same speech the Right Hon. Baronet
said be wanted to constitute a tribunal into which party
feeliags should not enter. New he would like to know
whether there ever was a proceeding in the House into
which party spirit had so 'erectly entered as into the one
then under discussion. With else exception of the Han.
rtletnber for Halifax, not one Member on the Liberal side
had joined the Right lion. Gentleman opposite. It was
evident, therefore, that this was a party struggle.
( Laughter and cheer; front the Opposition.) It had been
part)' question by the 'Gentlemen opposite.—
(Cheers.) They had been summoned here for a party
purpose.—(Cheers and laughter from the Opposition.)
Is was a trial of party.—( Renewed ironical cheers.)
'Fee Liberal party wished to make it a question of justice.
—( Ironical cheers from the same quarter.) They wished
to pet as sail to a system of abase which had been proved to
azist in Ludlow, and which, if permitted to prevail, would
uiia destroy an honest rpr;:sentation of the people.—
( Hear, hear.) The Committee had only pursued the in-
*.iyify so far as was necessary to disqualify one candidate,
wild another—(Cri4s of " Question" from the Opposition,
&hi" Go on" n-om the Ministerialists.) if such practices
were to be alloted to go unpunished, the repre,,ewati,,,, of
the people would become a nullity, and the Members of
that Llerse would be returned by the wealthier classes
diann,—( Cries of " Hear, hear," and " Question.")
Mir. WA L if said if tb' Hon. Geadsmee wished to
ide, he thought they b
drev ad better discuss the euettioa than
walking iu and out of the lobby. The }fon. Gem 1e-
t.)16; below hire (Mr. C. Wood) said that the course of the
rminerity was a dangerous one. He (Mr. ViTakley) ad-
tetwed ttiat it was a course which ought not to be adopted,
ewer; in extreme case s.—(Cncers.) It was a course
fraught with danger, he admitted, and one which he had
entered upon with the greatest possible reluctance —( Crict
of " Oh.") Nothing hut the most urgent necessity would
induced him to take part in these proceedings.—
(Pmetewed cries of "Oh.") :lon. Gentlemen might ex-
claim " Oh," and be as rude as they liked, but it would
not niter hie ceuduct or weaken hit convictions. It spa
peered to him that it was a still more dangerous practice
which they were desirous of preventing. Were they not
desirous of putting e stop to the disgraceful conduct that
had prevailed at the last Ludlow election? Was it not
equally dangerous to permit the voters to- he bribed, tied
both the bribers and the voters to go unpunished? Ile
thought the observations of the Hon. Gentlemen below
him rather suspicious, and he apprehended that his next
movement would he to the other side of the Haire.
(Laughter, cries of " Oh, r,b," and " Question.') It
rotas a very dangerous move from the Treasury Beech to
the seat below the gangway.—( Hear, hear, and cries of
" Question.") It appeared to him that the refusal of the
Noble Lurd (Darlington) to postpone his motion was
most ungracious. it he (Mr. W.) had done so, he knew
what would he said of him ; and, it should be recollected,
that the Noble. Lori, the Secretaty for the Colonies, was
'store away from c'aoice, but compulsion. He begged to
remind tho Heuas of the part which that Noble Lord took
when the evidence ou the Ludlow Election was laid upon
'the table. He (Mr. W.) moved that the writ be suspend-
ed till the Ist June, when the Noble Lord rose and said
riot he was sure no lion. Member on the other side the
Vouto would Move the writ without dun notice_( Cries of
" Divide.") The present discussion would show the peo-
ple of England who were anxious to support bribery ana
worwaption.—( Cheers.) There was no use its the Mem-
bers next week making eloquent speeches regarding trans-
actions at elections in Ireland. Every body would know
that these arguments were founded it: the grossest hypocrisy
-a-that these arguments ware not to prevent, but to sup-
port bribery whenever it could be practised.
Lord CASTLE EAG Ii rase to order. It was
Tette unparliamentary to attribute motives to Honourable
Vembers.
The SPZAK ER said that the course pursued by the
Theta Member wits uedoubtedly irregular, and he trusted
that he would have no hesitation in retracting the exprce
done of which be had made use.

Mr. WA KL El' said his meaning was, that Hon. Mem-
bers practised differently from what they professed, and
their conduct led to the practices to which he had referred.
The SPEAKER said, the Hon. Member in saying
that they practised bribery, was maiiirg use of an accusa-
tion of a much more serious character.
Mr. WAKL E Y only meairt to say that they sup-
ported those who practised bribery—( Loud cheering.)
The bribed parties at Ludlow would have no objection—,.
in fact, they wished nothing better than that the election
mould be declared void, in order that they might have an
opportunity of again selling themselves to the best bidder.
e thought that gentlemen opposite ought to look to the
effect which the publication of the evidence, and of their
(resent cowrie, would have upon their oNn constituencies
vit the tient election. They would be told, " Oh, d
Goaded the people of Lucilow, and some of them' you. e-
ig3llmek 250./, for their votes. Now see how
moderate
wg ans--stwe you eau% refuse us 2W. or 301. a p
(Great laughter.) It was proved by the evidence brought.
14 the Conservatives for the purpose of unseating Mr. 7ki-
-60444 that Mr. Coppock gave a voter of the name of Cook
xoka ix! sow they (the Opposition) were anxious to dive
Cook another 301. Ale had no wish to expete Mr. Cop-
tea, who was one of his Constituents in the borough -of
itlnsbury, but it was necessary to state these facts to show
stbat sort were the voters of Ludlow, whom the Gentlemen
tzsite were so zealous to protect. For his part he did not
so ow& desire to deprive the other side of the honour of
reprvoenting that borough, for he should not like to see
two Members on the same side with himself from so cor-
rept and rascally a place.—(Cries of " Question.") He
was speaking to the question. When he read the evidence
expected that the Right Hon. Baronet, who had brought
ix the Act for regulating Election Committees, would have
thought it his duty to propose come measure. But of what
me was the Right Hon. Boronet's Bill if such practices as
vevailed at Ludlow were not only allowed to cjntinue,
Saul were encouraged.--( Oh, oh; divide.) Some people
'aid that the Ballot would cure all these things. Cer-
tainly it would not. When they showed him a corrupt
borough—they showed him a place where the Ballot
ought not to be allowed.—( Hear, hear.) The Ballot was
a protection to the honest voter—but nothing could be
more unjust than to glve it to the voters of Ludlow.
(Clean from the Opposition.) They wereht such rogues.
*at pot oculd not let in too much upon them.—
eLong continued cheeringE. )ilig,lnaagneonthtigie:llpart of the evi-
dence by found that Mr.
whom,a3nektinpoon7
the Conservative party laid great reliance, Acknowledged
*at es *pet of Lord Clive's pointed out to
people who were to be bribed, and amongst thorn lagem the
a the MUSE of Spade, who had refused 250/. at the lesten
erdetiaa; and that ho (Mr. Ellis) remarked thereupon,
time money could win the election that time, it must
by Near, hear). There was also abundant evidence
of treating and feasting. On the morning of the election,
the votes were marched to the poll like soldiers, but not
quite SO needy. Such was the place in which it was said
there was no general corruption. They who supported the
motion for a now writ uuder such circumstances incur a

fearful responsibility, and set an example which would be
dargerous to;the coentrv. and he would resist them all I
eight. He asked the Noble Lord, who were the most
worthy of his respect or commiseration? The Noble Lord
who was absent under such distressing circumstances—or
the corrupt and rascally electors of Ludlow ?—(Ch .ers.)
Lord CAiTLEREAGH said that his object in calling
the Hon. Mesalxir to order was not to defend the orrupt
voters, but to call him back to the question before the
House, which had no conaection with Lord Stanley's Re-
gistration Bill.
Lord MORPETLI said—l merely rise to state
what eourso it is my intention to take, and what
vote I mean to give. I think that this debate
ought to be adjourned at least for the short period to
Thursday next. I think the request modest and reason-
able, and that it ought to be acceded to. I think, at all
events, there is so much misconduct proved on the part of
the electors of Ludlow, as to make the demand for this
delay not at all preposterous. With regard also to the
understanding as to the notice which was expected to be
given—l do sot mean to say that this has been a direct
breech of contract, but I Wait, at all events, that the vir.
teal understanding has not been fulfilled, when notice was
oily given on Friday of the intention to move for a new
writ on the Monday, the Noble Lord who had requested
notice to be given
Mr, 110 R SMA notice.—(Cheers.)
Lord id ORPETH—WeII, Sir, the Noble Lord who
had requested due notice to bo given not being in his place,
but in retirement—(Cheers)—and it not being possible for
him to be in his place on the Monday—(Cheers)—under
these circumstances, I think now, as I thought last night,
that the debate ought to be postponed; and on that ques-
tion being submitted to me, I feel myself bound to give my
vote in the affirmative—(Cheers)—there being even per.
haps Ices objection lo the postponement to-night than there
was last night, as only two days, instead of three, would
intervene.—( Laughter, arid cries of " Oh, oh," from the
Oppoeition.) And as to the threatened obstruction of the
public business, it is true that last night the Go-
vernment had public Lusiness which tvas ob.
structed.—( Hear.) And now I leave it to Gentlemen
opposite to settle their accounts with the Hon. Member
for Essex, who has a motion on the opium question. If
they think proper to obstruct that motion, it is a consum-
mation which I am certain I cannot avert, but I shall en-
deavour to recencile myself to it.—(Hear, hear, and
laughter.) As to the motion for adjournment, I will sup-
port that vote, but, at the same time, I feel called upon to
add my testimony as to the mischievous tendency of carry-
ing on debates by adjournments.—(Tory cheers.) And
after I have given my vote on the question of adjournment
to Thursday—if I do not succeed in that, I, for one,
should not feel myself at liberty to back any further mo-
tion to the same effect.—(Tory cheers.) I shall give it
no support ; but as long as I think it possible that the
attempt may be attended with effect I shall oppose such
motions..—(Cheers.) At the same time, I think that the
postponement to Thursday ought to be agreed to. It is
a reasonable and moderate request, and, in fairness and
decency, it ought not to be refused.
The House then divided. The numbers were—
For the adjournment
Against it I SS
Majority

On the re-admission of strangers to the gallery, we
found

Mr. HAWES meting an amendment, to the effect that
the House do now adjourn. He would not, he said, at
that time move the adjournment to a particular night, as
it would be competent to him to make that motion at a
later period of the evening.--( Laughter.) He thought
the adjournment ought to be until Thursday—first, on ac-
count of the absence of the Noble Lord the Secretary of
the Colonies; and, secondly, because some measure ought
to be taken respecting the bribery that had been proved,
before a writ should issue. There was a third reason for
the postponement, that the country ought to knaw
what course tie House would take when bribery and
treating bad been proved against a candidate, for, as far
as the debate had gone, the pahlie were practically told
that bribery and corruption might be practised to any ex-
tent, and that the House considered bribery by the candi-
date as unworthy of notice.—(Cries of " No, no.")
The Hon. Member then read extracts from the evidence
of Sarah Merrick, to show that bribery nniveraally pre-
vailed in the borough of Ludlow during the late election.
The borough had also been disgraced by drunkenness and
debauchery. He thought, therefore, :they were justified
in asking for the suspension of the writ, with a view to
have some inquiry instituted respecting the corruption that
existed in the borough, and to devise some measure for
remedying it.
Strangers were then ordered to withdraw, but no division
took place ; end on our return to the gallery we found
Sir R. PEEL advising the House to acquiesce ie en
adjournment till to-morrow, with a■ understanding that no
public business shoald be proceeded with until Thursday.
Mr. HUME agreed that it would be better to adopt that
course than to persevere in the contest.
Lord MO RPETH hoped there would be no objection
to fixing the droppe orders of yesterday fur some day
subsequent to to-morrow.—( Cries of " No, no.")
Sir J. GR A HAM said that only one of two questions
could be put, either " that the House do now adjourn," or
" that the debate be now adjourned."
The question was then put "that the House do now ad-
journ," which was agreed to.
Adjourned at Ten minutes past Seven o'Clock.