The Sun.
London, England, 1859-06-24 00:00:00

CORRUP T PRACTICES AT OUR CITY ELECTIONS.

The T. own-Clerk reported that, after considerable
diseusF.ion, the committee had agreed to the follow-
in petition
:
To, the Hon. the Commons of Great Britain and Ireland
in Parliament assembled :
The humble Petition of the Mayor, Aldermen, and Citi-
zens of the City of Norwich in Council assembled,
Sheweth—That it is generally and confidently asserted
that at the last election. of members of Parliament for this
city extensive and systematic bribery was practised.
That this practice is not only demoralising to the cor-
rupted electors, but subversive of the constitution, and tends
to degrade the Parliament in the estimation of the country
and of foreign nations.
That the measures hitherto taken to expose and punish
bribery have been inadequate, inasmuch as none but the
actual parties to the corrupt transactions have been dealt
with, whilst those who were the moving cause and instiga-
tion of the evil and who provide the means of corruption,
have been permitted to escape.
That it is rumoured that a fund was raised in London

prior to the last general election for election purposes, to
which it is asserte that influential personages largely sub-
scribed, and that a considerable subscription from that fund
was sent clown to this city for the purpose of being used at
the late general election.
That it is further rumoured that a considerable sum of
money was subscribed by persons in Norwich for the same
purpose.
That your petitioners are desirous that a thorough inquiry
and investigation should take place before a committee of
your hon. house, or before a royal commission, into the al-
leged bribery and corruption practised at the last election for
this city, and particularly into the sources from which the
money so corruptly expended was derived; and your peti-
tioners pray that such Inquiry and investigation may be
full, searching, and impartial.
That it is further alleged that at former elections for
this city bribery has been extensively practised, and your
petitioners refer it to the wisdom of your hon. house to de-
termine whether those elections should be included or not
in the inquiry and investigation now prayed for.
And your petitioners pray that a committee of your hon.
house may be appointed forthwith, or that such other means
may be adopted as to your hon. house may seem meet and
proper to expose, punish, counteract, and prevent the prac-
tice of bribery at elections.
Mr. TILLETT then rose and said—Mr. Mayor, I
rise for the purpose of moving that the petition ap-
proved by the committee be adopted by this Coun-
cil. It may be necessary perhaps to remind you,
particularly as many gentlemen are here now who
were not here on a former occasion, that the pre-
cise position of this question is as follows :—At a
previous meeting this Council resolved to petition
Parliament, and it was then referred to a committee
to draw up a petition, and to recommend to what
extent the petition should go. The duty of the
Council to petition for a full, searching, and impar-
tial inquiry into the corrupt practices at elections
of this city is not a point to be discussed. It has
already been settled that a petition shall be pre-
sented, and the only question therefore now is—
which materially narrows the line of discussion—
whether this petition which has just been read
shall go up, or what other petition shall go—whe-
ther any clauses in it appear to be objectionable to
any member of the Council—or whether it can in
any way be amended. That, as it appears to me,
is the simple question before the Council. Now
sir, since I brought this subject forward on a for-
mer occasion, matters have arisen which tend mate-
rially to strengthen the arguments I then adduced.
I may be allowed to state that on the committee
some members did object to these proceedings, on
the ground that no evidence had been brought be-
fore either the Council or the committee to prove
that bribery had been practised. Since the Coun-
cil meeting, and since the meeting of this com-
mittee, facts have transpired of great importance
with regard to the issue now before us, for a peti-
tion has been presented to the House of Commons
signed by no fewer than six members of this Coun-
cil, praying for an inquiry into the bribery sad to
have taken place at the last election. On some
ground of informality that petition was necessarily
withdrawn, but a second has since been presented,
signed by other gentlenien, some also of whom are
members of this Council. So that in fact no fewer
than eight members of the Council have signed a
petition to Parliament alleging that bribery was
committed at the last election for the city. I may
also be able to give the information to gentlemen
not yet acquainted with it, that another petition
also has been, or will be, presented by certain indi-
viduals, some of whom, too, are members of this
Council, alleging that bribery took place on the
other side at the same time, so that in reality there
will be, or probably are by this time, at least two
petitions before the House of Commons. [Mr.
Gedge—l beg your plrdon, Mr. Tillett—three.]
(Laughter.) The gentleman on the other side is one
of the best friends I have, and I only regret that
such unkind expressions should have been used with
regard to him, as that of " excessive zeal," but for
my own part I have no reason in the world to com-
plain of him. (Renewed laughter.) He informs us
that three petitions have been presented, which so
far strengthens my position that I think you will
agree that it is no longer a matter to be questioned
that there are allegations of bribery, and that as
far as rumour is concerned gross and notorious
bribery was committed. (Hear, hear, and cheers.)
These charges of bribery, moreover, do not arise
from one side only, but mutually from each
side against the other. These petitions, it is
fairly presumed, are petitions for a party object,
petitions instituted not so much out of a deep and
genuine abhorrence of bribery in itself, as out of a
deep and genuine abhorrence of being defeated, and
being party petitions they are very likely to be dis-
posed of from party motives. But I think, sir, that
this Council, as a public body, is called upon to step
in between these party contentions, and to assume
a public position. I think that we are bound to say
that this question of bribery is too serious, and the
consequences which it involves too extensive, to be
a matter of compromise or arrangement on grounds

of party expediency. (Cheers-.) The question
must be laid before Parliament as a public grie-

vance, and the inquiry must be sought for on public
grounds and for the public advantage. Of these
petitions, the only one of which I have a copy is
the amended one which was presented on the 17th
inst. It alleges that the sitting members, by gifts,
promises, and other gross and notorious acts of
bribery, induced electors to abstain from voting for
Sir Samuel Bignold end Mr. Lushington, and to
vote for Lord Bury and Mr. Schneider, by which
means their election was secured. That allega-
tion, sir,is sii,..,ned by several of our mo4t respectable
citizens, and we hate a right to presume that they
believe that everyone of them is pravable in law and
in fact. I have not, as I nave already said, a copy of
the petition which I believe has been sent up by the
gentlemen of opposite politics but we may fairly pre-
sume that it contains allegations not less strong as to'
the practices on the other side. There will therefore
be these two petitions at least, and the third, of
which I know nothing except that it has been men-
tioned by the gentlemen on the other side. (Laugh-
ter.) It is the duty of this Council, then, to raise this
question out of the low, I may almost say discredit-
able arena, of mere party contention, and make it a
true judicial inquiry—calling on Parliament, at the
instigation and request of all parties, to send down a
commission, or by other means to make such an in-
quiry as shall prove beyond all question what are the
facts with regard to the last election. (Applause.)
Now, sir, this petition comes precisely within the
terms of the resolution adopted at the previous
meeting of the Council. It prays for a full, search-
ing, and impartial inquiry. If any gentleman can
suggest words which will make it more full, more
searching, and more impartial, I can say on behalf
of myself that I will readily accept the suggestion,
and I believe that the majority of the committee, if
not all of them, will do the same. I believe, how-
ever, that it will be found utterly impossible to
strengthen the petition in this respect, and that no
one reading the petition would be able to tell from
the wording of it from which side of this room it
had emanated. (Cheers.) The first allegation is,
"That it is generally and confidently asserted that
at the last election for members of Parliament for
this city. extensive and systematic bribery was
practised." It is not said here—and on that point
I conceded to a gentleman on the other side—that
it is notorious even, or put forth as an acknowledged
fact, that there was bribery, but simply that it is
generally and confidently asserted, which I appre-
hend no one can question. (Hear, hear.) Excep-
tion was taken to the words " extensive and syste-
matic," but no words less expressive than these
would represent the state of things which is be-
lieved to have existed. Ido not stand up here to
say that there was bribery merely in some isolated
cases, or that it was committed in a few instances
in the heat and excitement of the contest; but I
ask for this inquiry on the ground that the bribery
was systematically, extensively, and deliberately
planned and carried out. The next clause is, " That
this practice is not only demoralising to the cor-
rupted electors, but subversive of the constitution,
and tends to degrade the Parliament in the estima-
tion of the country and of foreign nations." I hold
it to be a serious question in regard to the influence
of this country on foreign nations, that this prac-
tice of bribery should be brought to an end as
soon as possible, and that all who have any influence
sir,promoteis a
almost rigidthe
should show they are preEpanrgeldantdo,
and searching inquiry.
only country in the world which is blessed with a
constitutional government. (Hear, hear.) We are
continually hearing of disturbances and revolutions
to the 9ppression of
in all parts of the world, owing