The Sun.
London, England, 1819-02-04 00:00:00

WESTMINSTER HUSTINGS BILL

?4Tr• BENNET snored that this Bill be read a third time.
Sir FRANCIS Bum).Err opposed the Bill. It appeared
to hiss perfectly unnecessary. The Othee of High Bailiff for
Westminster was one of the first importance, as he posses3e4
the functionc of Sheriff, by the power of returning Members
of Parliament. Formerly it was a❑ office of great emolument
also; and it the present officer had paid a large sum fur the
appointment, it was no reason why candidates for that city
should he burthened with an enormous and vexatious exoence
for the hustings. In the year Hit I, a Committee had bee❑
appointed to inquire into the nature and income of the office;
but that Committee stoned to have been stultified in their

proceedings, as they had nut come to any satisfactory reso-
lution. It was then, however, recommended, that further
inquiry should be instituted. But nothing had been dune.—
For many reasons he olijected to the present Bill. 'File case
of the High Bailin' had not been properly made out. Because
it had been found that the present High Bailiff bad proved
himself a loser by his bargain, was the House to consent to
his being remunerated? Whatever might be advanced to
the contrary, he could not believe that any man would be so
foolish or su absurd as to give the Dean mist Chapter of West-
minster four thousand pounds for two hundred a-year ? If
that nentleman had made an improvident bargain, it was nut
for the House to wake hint compensation for his disappoint-
ment. Let Gina state his grievance to the Dean and Chapter
of Westminster. Let. him [ltalie application to that
opulent Establishment ; Hwy were very capable of a-
rca:ling him redress. He was surprised, under any cir-
cumstances, that the High Bailiff should come to that House,
and demand remoneratioo for his losses. The House was
no party to his improvident bargain with the Dean and Chap-
ter; he had therefore no claim upon its justice or liberality.
He !lured that those who reported ths.t the High Bailiff's in-
come had not for several years exceeded tv.o hundred pounds
per annum were hilly satisfied that he deserved some cuturen-
sation. He hoped that they were also frilly satisfied that the
present establishment of the High Bailiff could (tot suffer some
necessary retrenchment. It greater economy had been ob-
served, the income might have been conside, ably inure than
what. had been stated. If he were obliged to pay tool a tea r
to the Dean and Chapter, and to employ a Itcputy, &c. at
great expence, the income must of course fit pruportionaidy
ditninished. ell.loviing fur the propriety of such a statement,

; the income might appear iusulteier.t. T., the Ist-irate, and
even public character of the present fligh Bailiff be had no-
thing to say hut its his favour. Nu Gentleman had ever ex-
ercised his high authority with greater propriety, or given
more general satisfaction than Mr. Bowling. But he could
never consent that the Public, far lesi,the
,Poor's Rates,
should be hurthened for the High Bailitrs disappointments-.
His charges appeared enormous, If not of an extortionat-
ing nature. He himself had refused to pay the whole of
the demands made upon him as a Candidate. The con-
, sequence was a bearing before the late Chief Justice of
the King's Bench, who decided that the Candidate ought
jto pay the exist-Ilea- of the battings ; but that sum was
moderate, even trilling, in comparison with what had been
demanded by the Hugh Bailiff himself. But why a Can-
didate for 'Westminster should be obliged to defray
the expellee of the hustings he could nut conceive.—
Why should a Candidate for Westminster he imposed
upon more than a candidate for any other pluce? The en-
actment of the present Bill might be easily evaded. It was
not only unnecessary, but imperfect in its form as an Act of
Parliament, although presented to the House by the qualify-
ing recommendation of a temporary measure. At all events
he hoped the Hon. Mover would consent to the postponement
of the third reading till this day fortnight. He concluded by
moving, as an amendment, that the Bill he read a second time
this day fortnight.
sir ROBERT WILSON rose to..second the amendment of
the Hon. Baronet, and be did so on the principle that it was
against the spirit of,the Constitution to throw such an ex-
pense on Candidates. One of the qualifications required of
a Candidate for the representation of Westminster, was the
possession of a landed estate worth 304 a-year, and it ap-
' peared that the expence of the hustings was pool. or 10001.
Therefore, a Candidate possessed of an estate exacqy of the
value required for his qualification, would, by this 'bill, he
compelled to mortgage his estate to the amount of its whole
rents for three years at least. On this account he must op-
pose the Bill.
Mt. LAWSON thought the difficulty in this case was, that
the House, if they agreed to the amendment and rejected the
Bill, would throw the whole expence on the High Bailiff,
which might be thought unjustifiable ; while on the other
hand, if they passed the Bill, by imposing a great expence on
candidates, they would contravene the principles of the Con-
stitution. The expence of the hustings ought not to,fall vn
the Dean and Chapter, but on the inhabitants of Westmin-
ster, who were the party really benefited.
Mr. BENNET
.replied.--The situation of the High Bailiff
was very hard. The questiOn was short and simoie—ought
the High Bailiff to beat the expence of erecting the hustings
fur the election of a Candidate fur Westminster ? The whole
sum was only 9004.;which was to be divided among the Can-
didates.

Mr. HARVEY (a Cole-liester). the object of the Bill
was to sane the High Bailiff of Westminster from the ex-
pence, ,of an approaching election. To do this would be, in
fact,_,to put that Officer in a situation better,,than any other'
Returning Meer it any CoUnty or Borough in the kingikun.
There was this difference; too,itsthe ca7,e of the High Bailiff,
that he executed the datlei as a matter;of.hoice, whereas tho
officers in other parts of the kingdom .executed the same
duties-by couspuhtion. It had appeared evidence that the
High 'Bailiff had purchased his office for d Irirge soils, and that
one of his inducements to the purchase Wi's the emoluments
arising from returning Memb,rs at Elections. He'rierefore.,
cordially agreed with the motion of the Hon. Baronet.
Mr. HUME thought the .High Bailiff was in the-,situation
of a man who hail made a had bargain. But if he found hit
purchase a bad 'one, he 'might throw, up the office wheg he
pleased. He would therefore vote for the Amendment.,
The House then divided—
For the Bill B2
For the Arnendment
Majority —g2
The Bill was then read a third time and passed.
The Cutlery Trade Bill was read a sicond time, and ordered
to be committed on Monday, and to be printed.