The Sun.
London, England, 1835-04-07 00:00:00

THE SliN, LONDON, TtESDAN, APRIL 7, 1835.

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF LORDS, APRIL 6.

In the absence_ of the LORD CHANCELLOR, the Earl of
SHAFTESBURY took his seat on the Woolsack.

The Turnpike Road Bill was read a third time.
The Roads Act Bill was reported from the House of Com-
mons, and read a first time.
The Duke of GORDON presented a number of petitions
from Scotland, in favour of the Established Church.

Laid on the table.
Lord MELVILLE presented several petitions on the same
subject, and with a similar prayer, from Lanarkshire, Argyle,
Ayr, and Kilmarnock.
The Duke of RICHMOND presented a petition contain-
ing a prayer of a contrary nature. The petitioners prayed
that such measures should be adopted by their Lordships, as
would ensure the poor sufficient Church accommodation.

Vote by Ballot, which he moved should be referred to the
Intimidation Committee. The Hon. Member then presented
a petition from Frederick Jones, of Gloucester, respecting
Weights. and Measures.
Sir R. VYVYAN thought that there ought to be something
special in any petition referred to a Select Committee.
Mr. ROEBUCK said, however much the former petition
might have failed in having nothing special in its nature, he
now held in his hand one which he had deferred to the last,
in order to give the Hon. Member an opportunity of making
any observation on it he thought proper. The present peti-
tion was a special petition, complaining of great corruption
with respect to certain burgesses called Freemen of the City
of Bristol. There had lately been established in that city a
society called the Conservative Mechanics' Society, in which
roast beef and other good food were served out to the Mem-
bers, in order, as he supposed, to conserve the mechanics. He
moved that this petition be most particularly referred to the
Select Committee.

Sir R. VYVYAN could only say, that if what had been said
was correct, he was perfectly ignorant of it. The Associa-
tion to which the Hon. Gentleman had alluded was formed in
the year 1831, immediately after the riots of Bristol, and he
could assure the House there was not the slightest shadow of
ground that any bribery existed in the city of Bristol, during
the late election. There was not the least attempt to influence
the electors ; and he was perfectly willing it should be referred
to the Select Committee.

Colonel EVANS observed, that Bristol was not singular
on this question, as there was at present a society under for-
mation in the city of Westminster, in which many Noblemen
and Gentlemen had enrolled themselves, for the purpose of
sending a Member to Parliament, as if Westminster had
never been represented before, and in which they bound
themselves to subscribe annually to secure the object they had
in view.

Mr H. BULWER thought it did not comport with the
dignity of the House to enter into discussions of this nature.
If the Peers of the realm took so determined a course, the
facts were before the public, and it was for the public to deal
with them.

Mr. FE CTOR beggdd leave to tell those Hon. Members
who complained so much of bribery and corruption, that if in-
timidation and violence, which were practised in such consi-
derable profusion, were adopted less by Members on the other
side of the House, he had little doubt as to which party would
be the gainers. He did not think it was right that so great a
loss should accrue to the public, on the presenting petitions of
this kind, by making long speeches.—( Hear, hear.) He
could not conceive what Bristol had to do with Westminster.
An Hon. MEMBER would like to know from Hon. Mem-
bers who complained so much of the system of bribery, and
which they said was practised to so great an extent, what they
thought of those dinners which were given for the purpose of
Reform ?

Mr, ROEBUCK would say, in answer to the observations of
the Hon. Member opposite, that if bribery and corruption had
been practised on his ( Mr. R's) side of the House. it would
certainly have been petitioned against. But at the dinners he
had before alluded to, persons were invited without paying, on
the sole condition of professing Conservative principles. It
had been said that discussions of that kind were improperly
taking up the time of the House ; but he would ask whether
anything could be more important than to preserve the purity
of the elective franchise, and whether it was not the duty of the
House to do all in their power to expose and punish bribery
and corruption ?