The Sun.
London, England, 1848-03-24 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, FRIDAY EVENING, MARC II 24, 1846.

Average A ruing
Pease's Old Bank, hull, the Hull Old Bank and
Beverley Bank, Hull—Pease and Co 45,267
Penzance Bank, Penzance—Batten and Co 9,634
2eterborough Bank and Oundle Bank, Peter-
borough—M' ears. Yorke . 7,962
Peterborough Bank, Peterborough—Simpson,
White, and Simpson 9,776
Pembrokeshire Bank, Haverfordwest—j. and
W. Walters
Penzance Union Bank, Falmouth Bank, and
Truro Bank. Penzance—Rackets, Enthoven
and Co
Reading Bank, Reading—imnonas and Co 25,430
Reading Bank, Reading—Stephens,Blandy, and
Co 22,567
Richmond Bank, Richmond—Stapleton and Co 4,270
Ringwood and Poole Bank, and Town and
County of Poole Bank, Ringwood—Ledgard
and Sons
Rochdale Bank, Rochdale—Clement, Royds,
and Co 3,358
Rochester, Chatham, and Strood Bank, Roches-
ter—Day and Nicholson 7,885
Royston Bank, Royston—Fordham and Sons 13,980
Rugby Bank, Rugby—Butlin and Son 14,214
Rye Bank, Rye—Curteis, Pomfret, and Co 13,158
Reigate and Darking Bank, and Reigate, Croy-
don, and Darking Bank, Reigate—Nash and
Co 10,298
Ross 61d Bank, Herefordshire, Ross—Pritchard
and Allaway
Saffron Walden and North Essex Bank, Saffron
Walden—Messrs. Gibson
Salop Bank, Shrewsbury—Burton, Lloyd, and
Co. .
Scarborough Old Bank, Scarborough—Woodall
and Co 22 202
Shrewsbury Old Bank, and Shrewsbury and
Ludlow Bank, Shrewsbury—Rocke, Eytons,

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.
ROUSE OF LORDS, March 23.

Mr. HASTIE presented a petition from Paisley
praying for an amendment in the Scotch poor-law.
Col..nel MUIR presented a petition in favour of
the repeal of the duty upon legacies for charitable
purposes, on the ground that the enforcement of such
duties was contrary to the beneficent intentions of
the donors.

The LORD CHANCELLOR took his seat on the
Woolsack at Five o'clock.

ADMINISTRATION OF OATHS (CHAN-
CERY) BILL.

On the motion of the LORD CHANCELLOR,
his Bill passed through Committee.
PETITIONS.

Mr. EWART presented a petition against any in-
crease in the naval or military establishments of the
country; also, a petition from the town and corpora-
tion of the city of Limerick, praying the House to
abolish the puni-hment of death.
An Ho's. MEMBER presented a petition, signed by a
number of the out pensioners cif Chelsea Hospital,
complaining that five per cent. of their pensions had
been withheld front them for several years, and that it
was only during the present year that they had been
paid in full ; they prayed the House to appoint an
early (lay for the payment of the arrears due to them.
The Hon. Member moved that the petition be
referred to the Select Committee on the army and
navy estimates.—Motion agreed to.
Mr. COLVILE presented a petition from Derby
against the Bill for establishing diplomatic relations
between this country and the Court of Rome.
Mr. H. BAIL LIE presented a petition from Roman
Catholics resident in Inverness in favour of the Roman
Catholic Relief Bill.

The Earl of B ARROWBY presented several
petitions in favour of the Health of Towns Bill.
The Archbishop of YORK presented a petition
from some place in the county of Chester, against
Jewish emancipation.
CRIMINAL LAW.

Lord CAMPBELL laid upon the table a Bill for
the amendment of the criminal law. One of the ob-
jects of the Bill was to enable the coroner to admit
parties charged with manslaughter to bail in cases in
which he may deem it proper to do so. Many
cases had arisen in which persons committed by
the coroner had suffered a longer period of imprisonment
previous to trial than the imprisonment to which they
would have been con3emned by a judge, had they
been tried and convicted immediately after the com-
mission of the offence.

The Duke of RICHMOND highly approved of
the Bill, as he considered that imprisonment previous
to trial was in many cases most demoralising to the
persons imprisoned.
LEGACY DUTY ON CHARITIES.
The Bishop of LONDON presented several peti-
tions praying for a repeal of the legacy duties on
monies left to charities.

Mr. P. SCROPE presented a petition from Bal-
lyna, praying the Government to afford some employ-
ment for the poor of their union on the waste lands in
the neighbourhood, in order to relieve the inhabitants
from the great burden of their support.
Mr. C. BRUCE presented a petition from various
distillers of Elgin, in Scotland, praying for an altera-
tion in the Excise laws, with respect to the transmis-
sion of spirituous liquors from Scotland into this
country.
Mr. HUME presented a petition from Ledbury, in
the county of Hereford, against any increase in the
army and navy; also petitions in favour of an equali-
zation of the legacy duties and income-tax.
Mr. C. BRUCE rose for the purpose of requesting
that the petition he had just presented from Elgin on
the subject of the Excise laws might receive the
fullest attention of the Committee on Public Peti-
tions, and he trusted that they would consider it of
sufficient importance to have it printed in extenso
with the other petitions.
Mr. THORNELY said that no doubt the petition
would receive due consideration from the Committee.
RECLAMATION OF WASTELANDS (IRELAND)
Mr. F. FRENCH gave notice that be would, upon
an early day, move for leave to bring in a Bill pro-
viding for the reclamation of the wast lands of Ire-
land.

The Bishop of OXFORD presented several peti-
tions with a similar prayer.
The Marquis of LANSDOWNE considered the
petitions were well worthy the attention of the House,
but it was impossible for him to say what his col-
leagues might say on the subject. Any measure of
the sort must originate in another House, and the
w present time as exceedingly unfavourable for bring-
ing forward such a proposition. The temper of the
other House of Parliament seemed to point rather to
the extension of the legacy duty to property at pre-
sent exempt than to the exemption of property at
present liable to it.
ODD FELLOWS.

and Co
27,713
Sittingbourne and Milton Bank, Sittingbourne
—Vallance and Son 2,552
Southampton Tenn and County Bank, South- _ _ _

. _
ampton—Maddignn and Son
Southwell Bank, Southwell—Wylde and Co.
St. Alban's Bank. St. Alban's—J. S. Story 993
Salisbury Bank, Salisbury—Messrs. Brodie —
Shaftesbury Bank, Shaftesbury— Brodie and
King —
Southampton and Hampshire Bank, Southamp-
ton—Atherly and Fall
_ .

Stone Bank, Stone—W. Moore 5,434
Stourbridge Bank, Stourbridge —Rufford,
Wragg, and Co .. .
Stafford Old Bank, Stafford—Stevenson and Co 12,025
Stamford and Rutland Bank, Stamford—Eaton,
Cayley, and Co. .„ 24,261
Stourbridge Old Bank, Stourbridge—Bate and
Robins
Shrewsbury and Welshpool Bank, Shrewsbury
—Beck, Downward, and Co.
St. Alban's and Herta Bank, St. Alban's—Gib-

Lord BEAUMONT asked if the Government in-
tended to intrcduce any measure to legalise the
societies of Odd Fellows ?

The Marquis of LANSDOWNE believed that
these societies were in general composed of persons
exceedingly respectable and well disposed, but still
there were circumstances connected with their con.
stitutien which took them out of the category
of friendly societies; and he believed that it would
be better to give them relief, by extending the
Friendly Societies' Act, rather than by the intro-
duction of any special enactment legalising
these societies, and a Bill for that purpose
had been introduced into the other House, if not by
her Majesty's Government, certainly without their
disapproval, and it would be more convenient to in-
troduce a clause into that Bill legalising these socie-
ties. The Government would give their best atten-
tion to the framing of some measure for the
removal of this grievance, if it could be removed
consistently with justice to the parties themselves.
Lord BEAUMONT believed that the Bill alluded
to was Mr. Feargus O'Connor's Bill, legalising his
land scheme. He was sorry to see so respectable a
body as the Odd Fellows confounded with the
Chartists, and he thought there would be difficulties
thrown in the way of the other Bill which would
not be thrown in the way of a Bill simply
legalising the society of Odd Fellows. lie was, how-
ever, gratified with the course the Government had
pursued, and he trusted that if the other Bill should
be rejected some measure would be introduced by
the Government legalising the societies of Odd
Fellows.

son and Stuart
Taunton Bank, Taunton—Messrs. Badcock 17,441
Tavistock Bank, Tavistock—Gill, Rundle, and
Co
Thornbury Bank, Thornbury—Rolph, Yates, and
Parslow
Tiverton and Devonshire Bank, Tiverton—Duns-
ford and Barne 6,171
Thrapston and Kettering Bank, Northampton-
shire, Thrapston—Yorke and Eland 9,790
Tring Bank and Chesham Bank, Tring—But-
cher and Son
Towcester Old Bank, Towcester—J. and S
Percival
Union Bank, Cornwall, Helston—Vivian and
Co. 7,730
Uxbridge Old Bank, Uxbridge—Hull, Smith,

and (50.
Wallingford Bank, Wallingford—Wells and Co 6,240
Warwick and Warwickshire Bank, Warwick—
Kelynge, Greenway, and Co. 23,925
Wellington Somerset Bank, Wellington—Fox,
Brothers
West Riding Bank, Wakefield, and Pontefract
Bank, Wakefield—Leatham, Tew, and Co.
Whitby Old Bank, Whitby—Simpson, Chap-
man, and Co 13,600
Winchester, Alresford, and Alton Bank, Win-
chester—Bulpett and Co.
Winchester and Hampshire Bank, Winchester
—Wickham and Co 3,334
Weymouth Old Bank and Dorchester Bank,
Weymouth—Elliott and Pearso
Wirkesworth and Ashbourne Derbyshire Bank,
. _ _ .

The Duke of RICHMOND would have preferred
seeing those petitions referred to a Select Committee,
in order to inquire into the manner in which these
societies are constituted.

Lord CAMPBELL presented a petition from a
lodge of Odd Fellows, praying to have their society
legalised.
TOLL-HOUSES (SCOTLAND).
The Duke of RICHMOND presented a petition
against the licensing toll-houses in Scotland for the
sale of spirituous liquors.
PENINSULAR MEDALS

Wirkesworth—Arkwright and Co.
Wisbech and Lincolnshire Bank, Wisbech—
Gurney and Co.
Wiveliscombe Bank, Wiveliscombe—P. and W
Hancock
Wolverhampton Bank, Wolverhampton—Good-
ricke and Holyoake.
Worcester Bank, Worcester—Farley, Lavender,
and Co. 8,994
Worcester Old Bank and Tewkesbury Old Bank,
Worcester—Berwick, Lechmere, and Co 70,816
Worcestershire Bank, Kidderminster—Farley
and Turner
Walsall Old Bank, Walsall—CharlesFoster and
Sons
Warminster and Wiltshire Bank, Warminster—
Everett and Co.
Wrexham Bank, Wrexham—S. Kenrick 1,280
Wolverhampton Bank, Wolverhampton—
Messrs. Fryer
Yarmouth and Suffolk Bank, and Halesworth
and Suffolk Bank, Yarmouth—Gurney,
Birkbeck, and Co.
Yarmouth, Norfolk, and Suffolk Bank, Great
Yarmouth—Sir E. K. Lacon, Bart., and Co 10,388
Yeovil Old Bank, Yeovil—E. and J. Batten
York Bank. York—Swann. Clough. and Co 38,649

The Duke of RICHMOND gave notice that he
should, on a future occasion, ask when the Peninsular
medals would be distributed.
NEW BISHOPS.

Lord STANLEY, in reference to the Bill which
had passed last session, authorising the formation of
new bishoprics, said that he believed the understand-
ing between the Government and the heads of the
Church was, that four new bishops should be zip-
' pointed, and it was so stated in the preamble of the
Bill, as it was originally introduced into
their Lordships' House, although those words
had been struck out in the House of Com-
mons, the Prime Minister having at the same time
pledged himself to appoint three new bishops in
addition to the Bishop of Manchester, so soon as
they should have funds for the endowment of
those new sees. By the recent decease of
the Archbishops of York and Canterbury a great
addition had been made to the fund, and he
asked, therefore, if the Government adhered to that
agreement, and if they intended to proceed to the ap-
pointment of the new bishops without delay.
The Marquis of LANSDOWNE said that the
Government still adhered to the agreement alluded
to by the Noble Lord, and whenever the means
appeared to be sufficient for the purpose, it would be
for her Majesty to determine what new bishop
should he appointed. The Noble Lord well
knew that there were several Bishops whose in-
cornea were lower than the sums fixed by
the Ecclesiastical Commission, and certainly they
had a claim to have their incomes raised to the ave-
rage before any new bishops should be appointed.
The Bishop of SALISBURY was sure it would be
highly gratifying to the members of the Church to
know that her Majesty's Government still adhered to
he agreement which they had entered into with the
heads of the Church for the appointment of new
bishops, and thought it desirable that as little delay
as possible should take place in their appointment.
After a few words from the Earl of DEVON,
which were inaudible in the gallery,
Lord MONTE AGLE deprecated the idea of in-
creasing the number of bishops. The feeling of the
people, who were as much members of the Church as
the clergy, was opposed to it. He hoped the condition
of the working clergy would not be lost sight of;
and that the increased fund would be applied as
might be thought best for the interests of the Church
as a body, without reference to any separate claims
of the episcopacy.--('fear, hear.)
The Bishop of OXFORD regretted the tone of
the Noble Lord's speech, which was so totally dif-
ferent from that of the Noble Marquis (Lansdowne).
It was no discovery that the laity were part of the
Church ; on the contrary, he admitted that they
were the most important part of her, and the bishops,
priests, and deacons were her ministers. There
was no jealousy on the part of the episcopal bench
with regard to the working clergy, whose condition
they wished to see improved ; and the question was
merely whether the interests and proper government
of the Church did not require an additional number
of bi,hops.—(Hear, hear.) He rejoiced to find that
the Government adhered to their determination of
last year.—(Hear, hear.)
Lord LYTTELTON said the feeling among the
laity of the English Church was, that the number
of prelates was greatly
_inadequate ; he thought
an amalgamation of the two funds would be desirable.
Lord REDESD ALE said if the two funds were
put together it would be almost impossible that
an addition to the episcopacy could take place. If
there was now 6,0001. in hand, as appeared to be
admitted, why was it not at once applied to the
creation of a new Bishopric ?
The Earl.of HARR° WBY confirmed the statement
of his Noble Friend Lord Lyttelton, that the feeling
of the laity as well as the clergy was generally in
favour of an extension of episcopacy.
The Marquis of LANSDOWNE said he fully
accepted the explanation given by the Bishop of Ox-
ford, as to the proper application of the funds, that
was, that in carrying out an extension of the episcopal
staff they should be applied in such places, or in such
ways, as should tend most to the interests of the
Church. But he never had given any pledge that
the whole of the funds should be applied only to
episcopal purposes, if it should appear that the in-
terests of the Church would be promoted by a dif-
ferent application. Under all circumstances it would
be the true interests of the Church that would be
considered.

JOINT-STOCK BANKS.
Bank of Westmoreland, Kendal
Barnsley Banking Company, Barnsley
Bradford Banking Company, Bradford 43,206
Bilston District Banking Company, Wolver-
hampton
Bank of Whitehaven, Whitehaven
Bradford Commercial Banking Company, Brad-
ford ...
Burton, Uttxceter, and Staffordshire Union
Banking Company, Burton-upon-Trent
Chesterfield and North Derbyshire Banking
Company, Chesterfield
Cumberland Union Banking Company, Work-
ington . ... 28,805
Cheltenham and Gloucestershire Banking Com-
pany, Cheltenham
Coventry and Warwickshire Banking Company,
Coventry
Coventry Union Banking Company, Coventry 12,311
County of Gloucester Banking Company, Chel-
tenham
Carlisle and Cumberland Banking Company
Carlisle
Carlisle City and District Bank, Carlisle 18,412
Dudley and West Bromwich Banking Company,
Dudley
Derby and Derbyshire Banking Company, Derby 18,764
Darlington District Joint-Stock Banking Com-
pany, Darlington 16,480
East of England Bank, Norwich
Gloucestershire Banking Company, Gloucester 120,030
Halifax Joint-Stock Bank, Halifax
Huddersfield Banking Company, Huddersfield 30,632
Hull Banking Company, Hull
Halifax Commercial Banking Company, Ha-
lifax
Halifax and Huddersfield Union Banking Com-
pany, Halifax
Helston Banking Company, Helston 1,571
Herefordshire Banking Company, Hereford
Knaresborough and Claro Banking Company,
Knaresborough
Kingsbridge Joint-Stock Bank, Kingsbridge 15,699
3,764
Lancaster Banking Company, Lancaster . 64,166
Leeds Banking Company, Leeds
Leicestershire Banking Company, Leicester
Lincoln and Lindsey Banking Company, Lincoln 43,819
Leamington Priors and Warwickshire Banking
Company, Leamington Priors
Ludlow and Tenbury Bank, Ludlow 7,989
Moore and Robinson's Nottinghamshire Bank-
ing Company, Nottingham 22,281
Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Banking 10,886
Company, Nottingham
Newcastle, Shields, and Sunderland Union Joint-
Stock Banking Company, Newcastle 14,510
National Provincial Bank of England, Birming-
ham, Head-office, 112, Bishopsgate-street,
London
North Wilts Banking Company, Melksham 41,555
Northamptonshire Union Bank, Northampton 63,571
Northamptonshire Banking Company, North-
ampton
North and South Wales Bank, Liverpool 13,115
Pares's Leic2stt rshire Banking Company, Lei-
cester
Saddleworth Banking Company, Saddleworth... 1,727
Sheffield Banking Company, Sheffield 34,950
Stamford, Spalding, and Boston Banking Com-
pany, Stamford
Stuckey's Banking Company, Bristol Somerset-
shire Bank, and Someraetshire Bank, Lang-
port
Shropshire Banking Company, Shiffnall ...
Stourbridge and Kidderminster Banking Corn
pany, Stourbridge .., 49,281
Sheffield and Hallumshire Banking Company,
Sheffield .... ....
Sheffield and Rotherham Joint-Stock Banking
Company, Sheik id 53,571
Swaledale and Wensleydale Banking Company,
Richmond ... .
Storey and Thomas's Banking Company,
Shaftesbury
Sheffield and Retferd Bank, Sheffield ...
Wolverhampton mid Staffordshire Banking Com-
pany, Wolverhampton 29,556
Wakefield and Barnsley Union Bank, Wakefield 11,825
Whitehaven Joint -Stock Banking Company,
Whitehaven
Warwick and Le..niii_gton Banking Company,
Warwick
West of Englan.' and South Wales Distriet
Bank.l3ristol
Wilts and Dorset Banking Company, Salisbury 54,166
West Riding Union Banking Company, Hud-
dersfield
Whitchurch and Ellesmere Banking Company,
Whitehurch
Worcester City and County Banking Company,
Worcester..... ,•••., 4,231
York Union Banking Company, York 69,595
York City and County Banking Company, York 83,309
Yorkshire Banking Company, Leeds
P. DEANS, Registrar of Bank Returns.
Stamps and Taus, March 17, 1848.

The Bishop of OXFORD should object to such a
managing of the two funds as to make it impossible,
under any circumstances, to add to the efficiency of
the episcopate.
Their Lordships adjourned at ten
.minutes to
Seven.

HOUSE OF COMMONS, Mach 23.
The SPEAKER took the Chair at the usual hour.
LEEDS, DEWSBURY, AND MANCHESTER
(OSSETI BRANCH) RAILWAY BILL.
Oa the motion of Mr. BECKETT, this Bill was
withdrawn.

Mr. DUNCAN presented a petition from Dundee,
praying the house to reduce the amount of legacy
duty payable on charitable bequests.
Mr. W. J. FOX presented two petitions from
members of an Odd Fellows' Society, praying that
the laws relating to the government of friendly
societies might be extended to them.
Alderman COPELAND presented a petition pray-
ing for an alteration in the Small Debts Act.
The Earl of ARUNDEL and SURREY pre•
sented several petitions in favour of the Roman Ca-
thoiie Relief Bill.

authorising inquiries into these matters, notwith
standing any decision having been come to upon the
subject by the Committees, for the purpose o► ascer
taining to what extent this evil had been carried on.
He thought that it would have been better to have
suspended the issue of all the writs for those places
in which the Members had been unseated until the
whole of the Election Committees had concluded
their labours, and that then a general Committee
shculd be appointed to inquire into the whole subject,
and suggest some modifications of the existing law
on the subject. He had understood that some of
the Committees had come to decisijns which,
if generally acted upon, would lead to the unseating
of nearly every Member in the House—(Hear, hear)
—and that the most pure and honourable acts on the
part of candidates might be construed into illegal
acts, and be considered sufficient to cause them to
lise their seats.—(Rear, hear.) He would suggest,
therefore, that the Hon. Member should withdraw his
motion, and allow the issue of this writ to stand over
until the close of the labours of the Election Com-
mittees.

Mr. MACKENZIE thought that the proposition
of the Hon. Member for Montrose was a most mon-
strous piece of injustice, as it would hang up the issuing
of the writ for this and all other places for an in-
definite period. He could not agree in the remarks
which had been made with respect to the constituency
of Harwich, that it was getting worse than formerly;
on the contrary, he thought that there were visible
many signs of improvement. He should, therefore,
most certainly press his motion.
Sir B. HALL could not concur in the opinion that
any great improvement had taken place in the
borough with respect to the conduct of the elec-
tors, or with reference to the parties who went
down as candidates for that borough. There was
a change in the system, but there was no
improvement. It appeared that a new system of
corruption had sprung up latterly at Harwich. It
was found impossible, in consequence of the exposure
which Mr. Roebuck's Committee had made of that
system, to obtain money in a direct manner for the
purposes of bribery, and hence this new plan
had been resorted to. If the House would
turn to page 91 of the evidence laid before
the House, they would see from the evidence
of Mr. Cottingham, the agent for the management of
the property of Mr. Attwood, what kind of cor
ruption was now adopted. Mr. Cottingham was
asked, in the Committee, what conditions he was
in the habit of imposing upon tenants taking
the houses of Mr. Attwood ? His answer was,
that all those persons who rented the houses
of Mr. Attwood were given to understand
that their votes would be required to be given in
favour of Mr. Attwood ; and he afterwards stated that
one or more persons had been, in consequence of their
not voting for Mr. Attwood, turned out of their
houses ; and it was very easy for this to be carried
into effect, as the tenants were most, if
not all of them, he believed, yearly tenants.
That had been the practice pursued at Harwich, be-
cause it had been found impossible to go on with the
direct system of bribery, and he therefore thought it
was the duty of the House to cause an inquiry to be
instituted into the matter. Many of these boroughs
were becoming notorious for their corruption, and if
some steps were not taken to put a stop to
the evil, not only would the House fall into disrepute,
but demands would be made upon them from out of
doors for a new Reform Act and new schedules. He
found that there were three boroughs in the country
where the number of constituents wore severally 107,
145, and 182, while there were 25 boroughs where
the electors did not number in each case
more than those of Harwich. Surely it
was time that something should be done to remedy
this state of things.—(ilear, hear.)
Mr. B. COCHRANE said he had looked into
some of the reports of the Committees, and he cer-
tainly agreed with the Hon. Member for Montrose,
that in one or two instances the decisions were
monstrously inconsistent and unjust. He therefore
hoped the suggestion of the Hon. Member for the
appointment of a Committee woull be adopted.
Mr. HENLEY said they were wandering from
the question before the House. That question was,
that a new writ be issued for the borough of Har-
wich, and he confessed he had heard nothing to in-
duce him to think that there was any reason why the
writ should not be issued.—(Hear, hear.)
Sir DE LACY EVANS certainly agreed with
the Hon. Member for Montrose, that some of the
Committees in coming to their decisions had been
actuated by exceedingly delicate motives, and
the consequence was that several Honourable
Members had been severely dealt with. He
thought that as no special report had been made
by the Committee, it would be unfair to the borough
to refuse to issue the writ.

Dr. BOWRING considered that a sufficient case
had been made out for inquiry. He thought the
House had quite enough before it to suspend the
issuing of the writ, and to put the matter in a train
of inquiry. He trusted, therefore, the House would
reject the issuing of the writ.
Mr. ELLIOT supported the issuing of the writ.
The Committee had found one case of bribery, and
one case only, and that not having been brought
home to Mr. Attwood, he thought he could not with-
-11 hold his vote for the issuing of the writ.
Mr. ELLICE said they must look somewhat to
the character of the electors. The fact elicited in
the course of their inquiry that Mr. Attwood had
purchased a great deal of property in the borough
since the previous election, when he was unseated on
precisely the same grounds as on the recent occa-
sion, invested the matter with a great deal of
suspicion ; and if the House consented to the issuing
of the writ without inquiry, people out of doors
would think the House was returning to the prac-
tices that prevailed before the passing of the
Reform Bill.—(Hear.) Mr. Attwood admitted that
he spent 10,0001. at the previous election. The
notorious fact was still before the public,
that the property purchased by Mr. Attwood
was for the purpose of creating votes. He
remembered some time ago being blamed by an
Honourable Member because he cited the notoriety
the borough of Stafford had obtained with respect to
bribery (he hoped it had much improved
since) as a ground for suspending the issuing
of the writ, but a Committee of the House of Lords
subsequently reported that it had been proved
to their satisfaction that the most notorious
and profligate bribery had not only existed
at the last, but at the previous elections. Never-
theless the writ was issued. When a case of this
kind occurred, the House was bound to insti-
tute an inquiry before the writ was issued. He
confessed he entertained considerable doubt as to
the most advisable course to adopt. He thought it
would be well for the Government to take the
matter into their consideration—(Hear)—as it was not
merely this borough that was `concerned, but the
general system that prevailed.—(Hear.)
Mr. S. WORTLEY thought it would not be dis-
respectful to the House, as be filled the
office of the Chairman of the Committee, to say
a few words with respect to the evidence
adduced before it. Some Hon. Members seemed to be of
opinion that the House wished to screen Members so
acting, and that they were not alive to the enormity
of their conduct. Now, after what had taken
place this session, he thought this an unhappy
moment to make such an objection, as there
never was a time when the House had shown
more jealousy in regard to those matters
than the present, and a desire expressed to proceed
against persons guilty of bribery under the Act
which originated with the Noble Lord at the head
of the Government.—(Hear.) Why, Committees this
session had acted rigidly in the spirit of that Act,
and some Members entertained the opinion that they
acted with too much rigour.—(Loud cheers.)
It might not, perhaps, become him to speak of the
Committee over which he presided; he might
simply say it did its duty and no more.
He did not think that, acting upon the principle which
had guided the decision of the Committee, there
would be found ten members who had been
returned at contested elections who would
be able to keep their seats.—(Hear, hear.)
With respect to the Harwich election, it had been
said that several of the electors had signed a" round
robin" for the purpose of " drawing the purse-
strings" of Mr. Attwood; but that fact was de-
posed to only by one witness, with respect
to whom—and he believed he was express.
ing the general opinion of the Committee—
had this statement rested solely upon the evidence
of that witness, he certainly should not
have acted upon it. He certainly thought that
with respect to Harwsi h a marked improvement
had taken place, aria every precaution ap-
peared to have been taken to prevent bribery
at the late election. Some persons had thought
that the Committee had not availed themselves suf-
ficiently of the powers given to them by Lord Rus-
sell's Act, but it was because there was nothing before
the Committee to excite anything like suspicion of
the existence of general corruption, that they did not
think proper to carry out the full powers of the Act.
He did not think that such a case had been made out as
to induce the House to suspend the issuing of the writ.
The Earl of ARUNDEL and SURREY said that
it appeared to him that there had been in this case,
either gross harshness, or the most corrupt
bribery, he did not know which. He
thought that a Committee ought to be appointed to
inquire into the circumstances of the case. But, in
the mean time, he did not think that there existed
any sufficiently constitutional reasons for withholding
the issue of the writ.
Lord CASTLEREAGH said it was too bad,
after a Committee, who had had great responsibilities
thrown upon its shoulders, had reported according to
the evidence brought before them, they should be
subjected to attacks in that House. It the Com-
mittee had decided numnarily, it was the duty