The Sun.
London, England, 1827-03-16 00:00:00

CORPORATION OF LEICESTER.

Mr. SYKES, in rising to MOW.; fora Select Com-
mittee, to take into consideration the conduct of the Corporation
of Leicester at, and previous to, the late general election, said that
be was influenced by no hostility to the Corporation, but merely
wished to bring the circumstances before the House on Constitu-
tional grounds. He charged the Corporation of Leicester with
an undue exercise of power, in making honorary freemen of the
borough; and also with misapplication of the public money. He
further charged the Corporation with instituting a compulsory
mode of obliging the candidates to take the polls in a way

favourable to some and unfavourable to others. He complained
of the illegality of this proceeding. The Honourable Member
went into a detail of the Constitution of the Corporation,
which, he said, consisted of a number of Aldermen, Bailiffs, and
Common Councilmen. The right of voting at elections was
vested in the inhabitants paying taxes. The Corporation had the
power of making freemen, which was exercised to a great extent,
and in a most undue manner at the late election. This had the
effect of reducing the town of Leicester to the state of a rotten
borough. On former occasions, one of the Members of this
borough was returned by the Corporation, and one by the inhabi-
tants. The voters amounted to 5,000. In the year 1822, the
Corporation resolved to draw the whole' power into their own
grasp, which they endeavoured to effect by the increase of the
freemen. He did not mean to prove this from argument, for he
had, from under their own hands, documents to prove the creation
of a number of honorary freemen. At the conclusion of the year
18722, when a General Election was expected, the Corporation of
Leicester had offered the freedom of the borough to no less than
2,000 persons. He held in his hand a paper containing a copy of
a letter to gentlemen, soliciting them to become freemen of the
borough. The letter was to this effect:—
Sir,— I have the pleasure to acquaint you, that the Corpora-
tion of Leicester have unanimously elected you an honorary free-
man of the borough. They are anxious to increase the number
of freemen by an additional number of gentlemen ; and they trust
you will do them the favour of accepting the freedom of the bo-
rough, with their concurrence. The Corporation will defray all
the fees and charges, amounting to 21. 3s.—a sacrifice to which,
in support of the cause, they willingly submit."
This was a most unwarrantable and fraudulent application of
the public money. There were no less than 104 clergymen and
other persons influenced by the nobility—there were some of the
nobility inrolled in the list of freemen. There were SO3 persons
who took the freedom of the borough on this mode of application.
At the last election, two gentlemen set up for the representation
of the borough—Mr. Evans and Mr. Otway Cave. The Corpo-
ration having 800 voters at command, in addition to the 5,000,
determined to look out for somebody else. The expenses of the
contest were, by this means, greatly increased ; and to those who
carried the election, the expense amounted to 50,0001. Having
adopted this determination, the Corporation found it necessary to
transmit a circular letter to their friends to the following effect :
" Sir, I ant directed by the gentlemen of the Corporation to
take the liberty of representing to you the present state of affairs in
the Borough of Leicester at the approaching election. Sir C.
Hastings comes forward on the interest of the Corporation—the
True Blue interest. He is the avowed enemy to what is called
Catholic Emancipation, but what we call Popish ascendancy. He
is opposed by Mr. W. Evans, who stands on the low and radical
interests--a friend to Reform and Catholic Emancipation. The
other candidate is Mr. Otway Cave, whose family is staunch Blue.
He says he has not made up his mind with respect to Catholic
Emancipation, but in other respects he professes to be Blue ;
though an admirer of the old light, in preference to the new, he is
more Blue than otherwise." He read these papers to show the
House the unconstitutional means to which the Corporation had
resorted. They borrowed money from individuals, members of
the Corporation, who were repaid out of the funds of the Corpo-
ration. He complained of the means taken by the Corporation
for taking the polls, which was favourable to one candidate and
not to the other. Whatever manner of taking the polls was
agreed to, it should be open equally for the voters of all the
candidates, and not tied down to any particular moment--
A Bailiff waited on Mr. Evans to show him the plan of taking
the polls, which was by pens, the way which the Corporation had
adopted. Two pens in succession were taken for Sir C. Hastings,
and the other candidate, of persons who voted for both, while one
only was taken for Mr. Evans. By this means forty persons
voted for Sir C. Hastings, while twenty only voted for Mr.
Evans. The House would perceive that this was most unfair as
regarded Mr. Evans, for it tended to damp the popular feeling
towards the latter gentleman, in consequence of the great majo-
rity of his opponents. Mr. Denman was put in nomination for
the representation of the borough, and when a pen was demanded
it was refused, in consequence of not being set up at the begin-
ning. He thought it right that some Parliamentary notice
should be taken of these transactions. The petitioners could not
obtain any redress in a Court of Equity, for there the proceedings
were immortal—and the Chancellor was immortal! It was
much the same in a Court of Law. There was no relief to be
obtained but by means of the House, (The Honourable Mem-
ber cited a passage from Smollet, the purport of which we
did not hear.) He should move,—" That a Select Com-
mittee be appointed to take into consideration the allega-
tions of the petition of the Freemen of the Borough of Lei-
cester, and report thereon to the House." He hoped that
by these means some measures would be adopted to pre-
vent the gross and scandalous practice of manufacturing- votes.—
T 6• .matter had been partially considered, and had given "rise to
the Durham Act. The preamble of that Act stated, that
whereas great abuses had been committed in making freemen of
corporations, and to prevent such practices for the future, be it
enacted," &c. This case came precisely within the purview of
that Act. The Act was passed for the purpose of preventing the
mischief of making freemen of corporations in order to influence
the election cf Members to serve in Parliament. It had been
treated as a matter of perfect indifference by this corporation in
what county of England they made their honorary freemen ; for
they were brought from considerable distances to vote at the elec-
tion. The expence would not fall far short of 50,000/. Under
these circumstance he thought he had made out a case well enti-
tled to the attention of the House.

Mr. WYNN came to the consideration of this ques-
tion with a mind perfectly unbiassed, not having heard one word
of the circumstances, except what he had read in the petition,
therefore not knowing how far they were denied ; but he must say
he was not at all inclined to adopt the course proposed by the
Hon. Member. Assuming every fact in the petition to be cor-
rectly stated, nothing illegal had. been done. There could be no
doubt that if the refusal to admit Mr. Denman because he had
been proposed on the third day had been persisted in, that would
have been a good ground to call on a Committee to set aside the
election. If any thing at all illegal had been done, it would be a
sufficient ground for a petition for a Committee, or for an applica-
tion to the Court of King's Bench against the Corporation, for
having abused their powers. What were the allegations? It was
stated that the right of election was in the Aldermen, Common
Council, and freemen ; the freemen to he elected by the Corpora-
tion. The Corporation exercised the power which they legally
bad. Whether they exercised it to a greater or less extent there
could be no offence. If Gentlemen thought this power had been
exercised to an inconvenient degree, and that the number of voters
was objectionable, a Bill might be brought in to limit the number
ier the future ; but there could be no doubt that, at present,
ft was the exercise of a legal power.—(Hear, hear, hear.)—
He was yet to learn what objection there could be to any Corpo-
ration sending round the kingdom for electors, who agreed with
them in their opinions. But the gravamen of the complaint was,
" That Members of the Corporation had actually paid, or engaged
to pay, divers sums for various expences attending the election,
and it was well known they had borrowed the money on the bonds
of the Aldermen and the other leading Members of the Corpora-
tion." This was the only part distinctly charged. Was it to be
said that the elective body had not a right to defray the expences
of the candidates? In the very city of Westminster, where they
now were, it had been held out as the perfection of purity of elec-
tion that the candidate had been brought in free of expence ; so
entirely, that a deputation had been sent to him to repay him the
sum of two shillings, which he had paid on signing Ids name
at the table pf the House. There were great panegyrics upon
this in all the newepapere, as being the perfection of purity of
election. It was somewhat hard that the Aldermen of Leicester
should be considered as criminal in doing that which was
highly meritorious in the citizens of Westminster. The allegation
wet on. Who, as the petitioners believe, are to be indemnified
ant of the funds belonging to the Corporation." Was the mere
belief of the petitiopeTs to be a ground for the House instituting
an enquiry ? The next thin; was, the 4circular, specifying the
different shades of blue worn as colours by the parties, and
begging the freemen to give their support to a particular party.
Would the Honourable Member show why tile Corporation were
not at full liberty to testify their wish in favour of any candidate
Who agreed in opinion with them? Admitting every syllable of
the petition to be true, he did not see that any relief could be
granted. As to the Durham Apt, that was passed to prevent
freemen being made merely for the purpose of voting. If there
was any irregularity as to the mode of making the voterr, that
might be a ground of a special proceeding against tile returning
officer ; but as the
matter was now brought forward, there was
not tire slightest gronna for entertaining it.
Sir CHARLES HASTINGS said there was not
a more honourable or more independent body of men than the
Corporation of Leicester.—(Hear.) He contended that sufficient
grounds had not been stated to support the motion.
Mr. CAVE defended the course which had been
pursued by his friends at the election, and bore testimony to the
anxiety of the assessors to perform their duty with impartiality.
Mr. PEEL said th 4 this was a case which he trusted
the House would meet with its signal reprobation, for that other-
wise they would be preparing the way to supersede altogether the
provisions of the Grenville Act. He thought that it would be
extremely undignified in the House to enter into an inquiry con-
cerning the local politics of borough electors, and that it was a

very unsuitable occupation of their time to be employed in pe-
rusing the letters, the statements, and the poetry, which the heat
of a contest might give birth to. What was it to them whether
one candidate rejoiced in the colour of indigo, or another made
choice of sky-blue ? Let the Corporation encourage the advocate
of what politics they pleased—they were at liberty to do so.
What, indeed, could be thought of a case, one of whose gravamina
it was that, forsooth, Sir Charles Hastings was brought in pro-
cession to the Town Hall ? And then the Hon. Gentleman re-
ferred to Smollett's History, and, after confessing that no prece-
dent for such a case could be found in the annals of Parliament,
then he cited something, but whether it was from Peregrine
Pickle, or from Roderick Randrom, he really could not tell.—
(A laugh.)—He trusted that the House would make a stand
against such an attempt as this, and would reject it by a great
majority.
Sir F. BURDETT, when he saw Gentlemen
endeavouring, by the most strange perversions of what was
stated, by the most palpable misrepresentation, and such as they
must know themselves to be unfounded, to embarrass a case,
was then convinced that such stratagems were the last resource
of those who felt that there was something in the accusations

they attempted to answer, which they felt they could not ex-
plain. He could not conceal his surprise, that the Right Hon.
Gentleman should so far lay aside his usual candour, as to sub-
stitute the novels of'Peregrine Pickle and Roderick Random, for
the work which had been really referred to. His Hon. Friend
had quoted the authority of an historian of some credit, and of
credit in this instance only inasmuch as he had rested on the
Journals of that House. And wherefore it was that his Hon.
Friend should have been ridiculed for doing so, merely because
the same historian had written two novels, it was difficult to say :
he, for one, could only declare that he could not forbear to smile
at those persons who could mistake such a perversion for wit.—
(Hear, hear.)—The case of his Hon. Friend was, that the Cor-
poration had misapplied their funds to election purposes. Th•
Grenville Act could not reach that—it was a fit and proper case
for the investigation of the House.
Mr. V. FITZGERALD defended the course pur-
sued by his Right Hon. Friend..
Lord MILTON was of opinion that the case de-
manded investigation. _ _ _

Mr. LEIGH KECK bore testimony to the high
respectability and integrity of the Corporation, particularly in their
distribution of the charity funds.
Mr. S. RICE spoke in favour of the motion.

Mr. GOUEBURN opposed the motion, consi-
dering that no case had been made out to go to a Committee.

Lord RANCLIFFE supported the motion.
Mr. H..GURNEY spoke from under the gallery,
n a low tone of voice ; but he was understood to support the

motion.

Sir F. BURDETT (in reply to Mr. Goulburn)
was about to read an extract from the petition—but

The SPEAKER called the Hon. Baronet to order,
reminding him that he had already addressed the House.
Lord HOWICK (Sir F. Burdett having handed
the petition to him) then read the extract, which charged the
borrowing of money, &c., for the purposes of the election, the
parties " to be indemnified out of the funds to be supplied by the
Corporation."—(Hear, hear.)
Mr. C. PALLMER supported the motion.
Mr. SYKES replied, observing that he could well
understand the reason of the resistance of the Hon. and Right
Hon. Gentlemen opposite ; they feared that, if inquiry were al-
lowed here, it might proceed further.
The gallery was then cleared for a division ; when the num-
bers were—

For the motion, 68—Against it, 91---Majority against it, 24
The announcement of the large minority was received with
cheering.
SOCIETY FOR THE REFUGE OF THE DESTITUTE.
Upon our return to the gallery, we found
Mr. Alderman WAITHMAN upon his legs, ob-
serving upon the management of the funds of the Society for the
Refuge of the Destitute. He admitted that the objects of this
Society were most laudable, and it was, therefore, the more to be
regretted that that economy had not been observed in the adminis-
tration of their funds which might have taken play. It appeared
by the returns whieh he (Mr. Alderman Waithman) held in his
hand, that the expenditure of the Society was from between 10
to 12,000/. a lear ; whereas there were only 60 inmates of the
establishment. A grant of 5,0001. a-year was made by Parlia-
ment towards the support of this Society, and it was desirable to
know how that large sum was expended. He therefore moved
for Returns of the Receipt and Expenditure of the Society for the
Refuge of the Destitute for the last seven Years—the greatest
Number of Males and Females in the Establishment—and the
Number of both Sexes, which had been received and discharged
within that time. The Worthy Alderman meant no imputation
upon the Directors or the Subscribers of this institution ; but
the establishment was too large, and had very much degenerated.
Mr. FOWELL BUXTON saw no objection to
the production of those papers. If the Hon. Alderman's state-
ment was correct, the expenditure of this establishment was on
the most extravagant scale.
Mr. Alderman WAITHMAN assured the Hon.
Member that his statement was borne out by the documents.
Mr. Secretary PEEL said the principle upon which
this establishment was founded was entitled to respect, but he was
afraid there was some reason to apprehend that its funds had not
been managed as economically as they otherwise might. It was
proposed to reduce the grant for this year from 5,0001. to 4,0001.
He was himself very friendly to the principle, but he should feel
his duty to look sharply after the application of its funds. He
was clearly of opinion that the government of it was too ex-
pensive.
Mr. Alderman ATKINS thought that calling for
the accounts was an imputation upon the conduct of the Directors,
who were unimpeachable.
Mr. W. SMITH thought the public were entitled
to see the accounts of every public institution.
Mr. HUME doubted, from the example of public
charitable establishments in Ireland, the policy of supporting such
institutions by votes of public money. Such grants were sure to
be abused.
Mr. Alderman WAITHMAN, in reply, referred
to the accounts in his hands, by which it appeared that the ex-
pence of this establishment, for three years, had been 10,000/.,
and last year it was 18,0001. ; but in that was included a sum of
2,500/. laid out in the purchase of some building ground.
Mr. PEEL suggested that the notice should be
worded so as to call for a return of the greatest number of inmates
of the establishment, at any one given time, within the sphere of
the notice, and with this alteration the notice was agreed to.
THE CORN LAWS.

The Committee on the Corn Acts was postponed to Monday.
The other Orders of the Day were then dispoNed of.
Adjourned at Half-past Eleven.

PARLIAMENTARY PROCEEDINGS•

HOUSE OF COMMONS.
ORDERS OF TIIE DAY FOR THIS DAY.
1. Scots Creditors Bill—Second reading.
2. Copyhold Estates Bill—Committee.
3. New South Wales Act—Committee thereupon.
4. Duke and Duchess of Clarence Annuity Bill—Committee.
5. Canada Clergy Reserves Bill—Second reading.
6. Marine Officers Widows Pensions Bill—Committee.
7. Supply—Committee.
8, Ways and Means—Committee.
9. Ounce Thread Bill—Committee.
10. Public Works (Ireland) Bill—Committee.
Constabulary
; viz. the
nytMAecnt , offo for the
11. Annual Duties Bill—Second reading.
NOTICES OF MOTIONS FOR THIS DAY.
Waterford
Memorial of the
1. Mr. Villiers Stuart—Papers connected with the A
re-
sidentc eDistricttStipendiary,aot efoKfmheaeti
omMagistrates Magistrate,as, t
the
ihnaedp
apply
utfhoner7Caoonfnds
County against, that Appointment,
2. Mr. Banker—British Museum Estimates Committee of Supply).
3 :Mr. Alexander Dawson—Petitionfrom the Roman Catholics of the
County of Lowth, in favour of the Roman Catholic Claims.
4. Mr. Herries—Annual Indemnity Bill.

NOTICES GIVEN YESTERDAY.
Tuesday, March 20.
Sir John Newport—To bring under view of the House the state of the
law for rebuilding and repairing Churches in Ireland.
Tuesday, April 10.
Lord Nugent—A Return of the persons qualified :to vote for Coun-
ties, Cities, and Boroughs, respactivaly, in England and Wales ; dis-
tinguishing resident and non-resident, together with the different
rights in respect of which they vote.
Tuesday, May 8.
Mr. Maurice Fitz Gerald—Motion recommending that the House of
Commons shall take such coarse as may be best calculated to realise
the policy in which the Union of Great Britain and Ireland was re-
commended to the Legislatures of both countries.

IRON TRADE.—In the Iron Trade an expectation
is held of a reduction in the prices of bars, &c. at quarter-day
next. We consider this to be probable, the demand for home con-
sumption, having fallen off considerably for some time past. The
prices of manufactured iron remain as last week. Bars still at
p/. per ton ; but pig iron-, we are informed, is something lower ;
the purchasers and sellers are alike shy of each other, in a similar
manner with the bears and bulls of the Stock Exchange, the for-
ma', in both cases urging a descent; and the latter a rise,—Bir-
mingham Chronicle.