The Sun.
London, England, 1835-06-27 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF LORDS, JUNE 26.
Their Lordships did not meet this evening.

HOUSE OF COMMONS, JuNE 26.

The SPEAKER took the Chair at half-past three o'clock. et
'On the motion of Mr. OSWALD, the Ayr Harbour Im-
provement Bill was read a third time and passed.
The Truro Improvement Bill was read a third time and
p..ssed, on the molion of Mr. TOOKE.
The Canterbury and Whitstable Railway Bill was read a
third time and passed. on the motion of Mr. lIODGES.
Mr. H. FL E ETW OOD presented a petition from Preston,
s' ;ned by 2,300 men, and 1,000 women, against drunkenness,
• A complaining of members of that House introducing in-
toxicating liquors at their joyous festivals.—( Cheers. )
BRIBERY AT ELECTIONS.
Mr. GROTE presented a petition, signed by 1,350 per-
• ns of Great Yarmouth, praying for the Ballot, in conse-
clence of the scenes of drunkenness and riot which were seen
et the last election, and stating that the corrupt voters who
r lye their votes for the sitting Members had been rewarded
with two guineas a piece.—(Hear.)
Mr. H. B. BARING said, with regard to the charges of
t'ae petitioners, he had only to make this answer—" You should
Lot make these charges slightly or inconsiderately. If you
rake them advisedly, yon ought to bring your proofs, and es-
t tblish your case as an act of duty to your country and to the
I louse of Commons. But if you fail to make use of the
L.gal remedy, and reserve to yourselves the opportunity
of making these insinuations and ex parte statements, you
snake yourselves liable to one of these two conclusions—either
that you make these charges without having aay testimony
upon which you can rely sufficiently to warrant your taking
them before a Committee, or if you brought them before a
Committee, you fear that yourselves might be implicated
is similar transactions—(Cries of Hear, hear)---so that your
object is not so much the purity of election, but to suit your
own party purposes." Such would be the answer that he
would make to those electors who had forwarded such insinua-
tions to the House. He believed that he had the greater por-
tion of the electors in his favour, and a majority of them holding
( pinions coincident with his own. Undoubtedly a great excite-
r .ent prevailed during the election, and scenes occurred which
i i calmer moments all must deplore ; but he was not aware
that the excitement was more on one side than on the other,
and be must do his opponents the justice to say, that they had
behaved to him with exceeding politeness, for which he
thanked them. But he rather thought that the object of this
petition was not to discontinue, but to prolong the
party spirit which prevailed, and he would ask if the
result of the election had been different, would such a
petition have been presented? With regard to the Ballot,
his conscientious opinion was that it would not remedy the
evil complained of.
Mr. RIGBY WA SON observed that the allegations were
of too serious a nature to be disposed of by a mere denial. The
petitioners stated that, since the fourteen days expired, and,
uithin a short time after the expiration, two guineas
bad been paid as bead-money. Surely the Hon. Member
might have informed the House whether such a payment had
been made or not. Surely the House ought to know whether
such an allegation was well or ill founded, and the Honourable
Member was perfectly aware that after the 14 days no petition
could be presented under the Bribery Act against his election;
still the facts were serious, and he (Mr. W.) had heard them
three weeks ago.
Mr. H. B. BARING stated before that he should only make
this answer, but he wss ready to meet any charge that might
be brought before a Committee ; but he was not bound to hear
opposite statements.—( Hear, hear.)
Mr RIGBY WA SON hoped the Hon. Member for the
city of London would move for a Select Committee.—( Hear. )
Mr. H. F. BARING said some lion. Members appeared
to be very anxious to have Committees, and (with some
warmth) as he had had no charge made him in the regular
form, he considered himself virtually acquitted. (Cheers
from the Opposition.)
Sir J. WR OTTE SLEY reminded the Hon. Member,
that one reason why the charge had not been made in
the regular form was because the given period (fourteen days)
allowed by Act of Parliament had expired, and another
reason was the enormous expense attending election petitions.
( Hear, hear.) He trusted that the allegations would be con-
tradicted if not true ; but he was bound to state that he had
beard from several quarters on which he could place reliance,
that within three weeks after the election, two guineas head-
money was paid in Great Yarmouth, and from whence that
money came he would leave others to conjecture.—( Hear,
hear.) There was a Bill before the House now respecting
the town and county he represented, and he hoped the House
would deal equal justice to all. •
Mr. RUTHVEN believed that there was very good reason
for people not running the risk of petitioning for Election
Committees.—(A laugh.) In this case there was a direct.
specific charge made, and he thought that in the present situa-
tion of parties, it was necessary that there should be some
enquiry.—( Hear, hear.) There were many reports from
Committees with reference to bribery. Were the people
to be deluded by the mere printing of these reports, and
were no steps to be taken ? If this borough were sold for two
guineas per head, he did not think it was a bit better
than Stafford. They ought all to be treated alike.—(Hear,
hear.) If the Hon. Member who brought this petition in
thought there was reason for moving for a Select Com-
mittee—he thought that was the fairest way to proceed,
and would relieve the people of Yarmouth from such charges
if they were not well founded.—( Hear, hear.) Tho
Hon. Member opposite (Mr. Baring) was certainly not
bound to answer the charges of this petition—it was
for him to take what course he thought proper—it must
be left to his own impulse. A Select Committee would do
something which could not be done here, and he trusted that
in this case the lion. Member who bad presented this petition
would move for a Select Committee.
Mr. JERVIS thought with the Hon. Member for Dublin,
that the best plan would be to refer the petition to a Select
Committee, not with any view of involving them in difficulties,
but because he thought it a matter of extreme importance.
Mr. GROTE could assure the House that he would be
the last person to bring forward any charges reflecting on
the Hon. Gentleman or his friends, if the legal tribunal were
easy of approach.—( Hear, hear.) It was not because they
were unable to prove the charges, but because they were
in want of. the necessary funds. The petition was numerously
and respectably signed, and was presented simply with a view
to vindicate the purity of election. The only reason why he
bad any objection to move that this matter be referred to a
Select Commitee was, that he was personally overcharged
with committee business ; that it would be impossible for him
to attend to it. But if any other Gentleman should think lit
to originate the motion, it should receive his most cordial
support.
Mr. K. TYNTE did not think that it would be sufficient to
lay the petition on the table, and he therefore moved that it be
printed.
Mr. WASON seconded the motion.
Mr. H. B. BARING moved that the signatures to the pe-
tition be printed with it.
Sir J. WROTTE SL EY thought that the proper course
would be to move that the petition do lie upon the table, and
then if any Han. Member moved that it be printed, they would
have an opportunity of discussing it.
The petition was accordingly laid on the table, and
Mr. C. K. TYNTE again moved that it be printed.
Sir JOHN WROTTESLEY—It was perfectly competent
to the Hon. Member to move the printing of this petition, and
the opinion of the House might be taken upon it then. He
objected, however, to the signatures being printed with it, as
lie did not see why they•should be appended to this petition
more than to any other.
Mr. BARING—If the petition went forth without the sig-
natures, there might be an impression that it was the petition
of the greatest number of the respectable inhabitants of Yar-
mouth.
Mr. POTTER—Whatever might be the station in life of
the petitioners, they had a right to petition that House, and
• a right to require that House should institute an inquiry into
the alleged bribery. He was astonished to hear the Hon.
Member propose to ascertain whether they were respectable
or not.--( Hear, hear.)
Mr. BARING said the respectable inhabitants of Yarmouth,
because the petition might contain the signatures of persons
who were not inhabitants, and of boys and children.
Mr. JERVIS and Mr. GROTE thought the petition ought to
be printed.
Mr. BORT HWIC K opposed it, unless the signatures were
attached.
Mr. BAINE S thought the main question was whether or
not there had been corruption. if two guineas had been
there was no doubt that corruption had been exercised.
According to the statements in the petition, two gui'rets had
been paid by a child at the house of an active p•-.cti;an. He
should give his support to the petition being r.einted, in order
that it might be taken into serious consideration.
An HON. MEMBER rose to order. The question was, whe-
ther the petition should be presented with the names attached
to it.

Mr. BAINES thought that the Hen. Member had risen
rather irregularly to order.
An HON. ,MEMBER.-I deny that.—(Cries of " Order.")
The SPEAKER said that there could be no doubt that the
Ilouse had the power to order the petition to be printed, but
care ought to he taken that it was such a petition as called for
the adoption of that course. If any Hon. Member would give
notice of a motion that it was, his intention to bring the subject
of the petition under the consideration of the House on any
particular day, the whole circumstances connected with the
petition would be known, and the question whether the petition
with its signatures should be printed, could be determined
upon.

Mr. WA SON said that he would bring the subject of the
Petition under the consideration of the house on Tuesday next.
Mr. TYNTE said, that if the petition bad been against him
be should have been the first to move that it should be printed.
Colonel PE RCE VA I. thought it was most uncourteottc; of
the House to deny any Hon. Member the satisfaction of having
these names printed, more especially when a charge was
brought against him. The Hon. Member for Leeds had said
that there were many disreputable persons in Great Yarmouth.
Mr. BAINES explained. What be had said was, that if
aay voter had received two guineas for his vote, he was not re-
spectable, and if any Hon. Member had sanctioned that pay-
ment, he was not worthy of a seat in that House.—( Hear.)
• Colonel PE EWE VAL thought the Hon. Member had
pronounced a judgment which was any thing but fair—(No,
no)--but he had been, perhaps, mistaken. Another Hon. Merl.
ber had said that the Carlton Club had furni,hed funds for carry-
ing on elections ; but there were probably other Clubs to which
the charge might be just as well applied. He (Colonei Per-
ceval) lipped that the gentry of the country would always ex-
hibit a spirit in supporting sound constitutional principles in a
pecuniary way, whenever any vexatious opposition was got up