The Sun.
London, England, 1842-07-29 00:00:00

Til Jtil, SUN', LON DON,
_FIII4),t

Mr- RUSSELL would unquestionably do so if the Hon
Member dewed it. He proceeded to object to the constitution
of the Committee and the manner in vt hich the inquiry was
conducted ; it was secret, was not sworn, nor could swear
others, and was totally irresponsible. The lion. Member for
Bath made himself their accuser, and the House had consti-
tuted him their judge. lie allowed that he and the Members
of the Committee had showed the utmost personal urbanity, but
he believed it proceeded as much from policy as disposition.
He would ask, not effensively, how many of the constituency
of the country were entitled to cast the first stone ?—( Hear,
hear.) It was notorious not only that thousands, but hundreds
of thousands, had been spent in contests for counties.—( Hear
hear.) Ai as it not a fact that Roman Catholic families had
become rich, because the law had prevented them from spend-
ing their wealth in contested elections? .Were not the large
constituencies, such as Bath, bribed by the promise of their in-
tended representatives ? He did not mean from these observa-
tions to say that bribery was a crime the House could not
touch; he meant no such thing.. Let them improve the law,
but let them not select a few private individuals and weesate
their vengeance upon them. He was as anxious As thy man
to suppress bribery, bast he was not prepared to break through
one great princiele fur the purpose ef establishing another.
He was prepared to legislate with the Noble Lord the Mem-
ber for Tiverton, but net the inverted maxim of the Hon.
Member for Bath, that they should bribe in order to punish.
—( Hear, hear.) He believed for these evils there was a sote
remedy. Let them surrenfer a privilege they could not exer-
cise with satisfaction to themselves or justice to others ; let
them give to the Judges of the land the exercise of the ordinary
law. —( Hear, hear.) If they would adopt these measures
they would ensure the confidence of the people of England.
Major BERESFORt) said, that the object of the Hon. and
Learned Member in moving for the Committee, and in drawing
up the Report, might be said to be to make the country dis.
contented with the representative system, and to endeavour to
bring the House into disrespect. He would not attempt any
further to discever what were the motives of the Hon. and
Learned. Gentleman, but he would state what, as far as he
(Major Beresford) was concerned, were the real facts of
the case. The Hon. and Learned Member in relation to him
(Major Beresford) had got up and talked abeut, slander, and
said that he (Major B.) had alleded to what had passed on a
former occasion when he (Mr. Roebuck) had put questions to
different Members. On that occasion, ha (Major Beresford)
had said that the Hon. Member had no right to ask him se&
a question. The Hon. and Learned Member had accused him
of slander. Now, if the Hon. Member would procure him a
Committee armed with the same stringent powers as the Com-
mittee he had procured for himself, he (Major Beresford) would
undertake to prove every accusation he had made.—(Cheers. )
The first day the Hon. and Learned Member had brought for-
ward his accusation, he had accused him (Major B.) of a cor-
rupt compromise of bribery and of treating Now, he
would call upon the Hon. and Learned Member to point
out what portion of the evidence he relied on to bring that
charge home to him. He denied that he had had anythieg
to do with bribery and treating, and he denied that he had hert
anything to do with a corrupt compromise. The only votespro-
mine he had engaged in was this :—HeeertOinly did engage to
retire rather than that his colleague should he forced to de so,
in the event of one of them being obliged to resign his scar,
because his colleague had been at all the expense of the elec-
tion, and he felt, that if one must go, it ought to be the per-
son who had not paid.—(Opposition cheers.) He repeated, he
was utterly innocent of bribery in' any way, and, if he had
chosen to defend his seat, he could have done so with suc-
cess, for he felt that he was innocent of bribery, corruption,
anti treating. He would just call the attention of the House to
certain parts of the Report and evidence. At page 4of the
Report it was stated that a compromise had been entered
into between the agents of the parties concerned, with the
consent of the principals. He denied that any compromise
had been entered into between his agent and the agent of
Sir Denis Le Merchant. He had never entered into any
negotiation with the agent of Sir Denis Le Merchant.
He had written a letter to Mr. Attwood, which he had given
to Mr. Currie, as Mr. Attwood's agent, stating that if one
was to retire he (Major Beresford) would be that one. He
denied that he gave that to Mr. Currie as his ( Major Beres •
ferd's) agent. In the evidence of Mr. J. Parkes, p. 24, it
would appear as if Mr. Currie was his agent; but Mr. Currie
was not his agent, and, as a proof, he would state that while
the Committee required Mr. Currie to bring up the names of
the persons who had been bribed, which were stated in his
brief, he refused to give them up without the consent of his
principal, but having got the consent of Mr. Attwood, he gave
up the names without consulting him (Major Beresford),
which was a proof that Mr. Currie did not consider himself its
his (Major Ileresford's) agent. He, therefore, trus'ed. the
House would consider that allegation as unsupported by
'evidence. He denied that he had been any party to a compro-
' nifie, except by that letter to Mr. Attwood. He had given up
'Aitteet because he had not the means of defending it, and because
44' felt that, in honour to his colleague, he was bound to res
cligWeather than suffer his colleague's seat to be perilleds Hn
'itra'i not ashamed to confess that he was not a wealthy man,
and could not afford to defend his seat, but if he could have at-
-fOrded' it he had no doubt he could have done so euccessfully;
for he felt that he was innocent himself, and he kaew that
the petitioners had not come before the Committee with
clean hand-. They had asked for the seats. If they had
'asked for 'a void election he should have felt secure of his re-
election, for be should have felt perfectly secure, as he felt now,
in again going before the electors of Harwich, The Hon. and
Gallant Member then commented upon that part of the evidence
relating to the late Mr. Cox, who was said to be's medium
throughwhich bribes were conveyed. He (Major Ireresford)
knew that Mr. Ctex was incapable of such conduct, and if he
knew that such evidence was to be adduced before the Com-
mittee, he -would have taken means to contradict it. The
CoMmittee had, by their Report, cast a brand into the breast
of a young and interesting female, and who was about to be-
come a widowed mother. The evidence showed that only
about 80 individuals had been bribed ; but if even so many
were bribed, that was not a large portion of a constituency
consisting of 182.--(Much laughter.) The Hun. Member
then referred to Question 205, page 18, of the evidence relating
to an answer giver by Mr. Parkes, to the effect that lie knew a
person' who was offered 5001. for his vote in 1837. The only
person to whom he could refer was Mi. Rumnacles, who gave
his casting vote in favour of Mr. Herries and Captain
Ellis. Mr. Rumnacles held a situation in the Board
of Customs, and, fearing that he would be brotseht
into trouble if he gave his vote, lie hesitated for
some time, but towards four o'clock, being a person of Con-
servative principles, he at length gave his vote. He voted for
Mr. Herries, in order to conciliate strong assistance, in case
his voting brought him into any trouble ; and f:tr Mr. Ellis, in
order that the expense and trouble of a petition might be avoided.
The Hon. Gentleman then read a letter from :sir. Rumnaelets,
denying that he was ever offered any money. It had beets the
talk of every Club in London, that the Committee of the
other candidate had been bought for Mr. Attenod and himself;
and this had not been denied by those who knew it to be false.
He begged to state that the Committee of his adversaries voted
for his adversaries. The avoids " veni, vidi, vici " had also
been applied to him. he reply to that he begged to state that
he was in constant communication with 182 of the electors foe
fourteen days. He trusted that the House would excuse him
for having detained them so long with his own private affairs,
and that they would come to the conclusion that as all was
not gold that glittered, so all was not corrupt that was calum-
niated.—( Hear. hear. )
Captain FITZROY wished to correct one or two misstates
ments in the Report. He would particularly call the attention
of the House to the item relating to the agreement that all
actions and indictments for bribery on both sides should 'be
.withdrawn. Any one who read that agreement would
imagine that it , was from fear of personal con-
sequences that he consented to the compromise. Now
in page 1140 he stated to the Committee that the only
arrangement entered into was that Mr. Harford gave up, and
after that all cross actions for bribery should cease. Mr.
Briggs, the lawyer for the ()Hosing party, when questioned
with respect to the indictments and cress actions being
dropped, stated that that was not the haste of the agreement.
There were two cases of actions for bribery. In one of those
cases lie caught the party in the act of paying the bribe. The
instant he discovered it, the opposite party got up a sheikh
action against him,• to prevent him from being peostclited by
I
those_ who had caught him in the fatts le thought it
rather hard, under these circumstances, that that should. 'ne
stet; dto be part of the agreement Now, he -.dust say he
thought it rather strange that the Committee. had „Rim, eb.
amined his agent in London, nor his
gent in the conduct of
the petition. They had call_, !11.r. Clark, who was a partner''..
in the same firm as his
agent, but they appeared to have sttr-
'diously avoided railing the agent himself. He theught It
would have
I.,een only fair to have examined his agent in Lewes,
and hie agent in carrying on the petition, to see whether his
s:4tements were . horse Ott. As to the statements whirls
had been made with 'respect to the coretitution of the clubs,
the hardship In that respect a.iose from the manner its
, which the investigation had been conducted, namely, with
chased doors. With respect to treating, he begged to state
that he had received a letter from Lewes that morning, stating
that there had been no hot suppers since the time of the
Reform Bill.
Mr. ESCOTT said he had been opposed to the mode of
conducting the inquiry, but the House having sanctioned it he
did not think he would be justified on. that account in voting
against the two first resolutions. He thought the evidence in
every case, except that of his Hon. Friend (Captain Fitzroy)
was perfectly satisfactory; he did not think there was
any proof that his Honourable Friend had been cognisant
of corrupt practices ; on the contrary he thought he came free
from the inquiry. The other cases were totally different, and
it appeared to him that the gravest part of the charge was that
such compromises went to turn over a constituency to parties
whom they did not elect to represent them, and this trifled
with the rights of the electors of England. He would, now
state why he could not vote for the first resolutipp. He could
not dig so because he believed it would be a virtuaTdisfranchise-
ment of those towns, and because there was no proof
that the majority of the electors had accepted bribes.
He could not understand how, with a view to public liberty,
the Hon. and Learned Gentleman could now propose to dis-
franchise the electors of those towns, without having proved the
majority of, them guilty. And even if the majority were proved
guilty, ashy punish the whole of the electors? The Compro-
mise Election Committee had entered upon its duties with a
view to further legislation ; bse; the evidence brought before it
had not been made use of for that purpose. Under all those
circumstances he thought it inexpedieet to withheld the fran-
chise front those towns. Ile would vote for the two first reso-
lutions, because he thought the proceedings they referred to
ought not to pass without censure.
Mr. PLUM RIDGE asked whether he ought to be included
among those subjected to the censure of the House, when, ac-
cording to the Report of the Committee, the arrangements
which were condemned in his case were made without his
knowledge. If the Right Hon. Baronet, at the head of the
Government, were in his glace, he could ask him whether,
after the Report of the Committee, he (Mr. Plureridge) /eight
to apply for the Chiltern Hundreds, and thereby carry out the
compromise.

Mr: 13LL:CkSTONE could not, as there wag sires, a trii.
bunal in the House as an Election Caii‘mioe, 'consent to the .•
being,. a. Violation of
the lr et`t~ 3f th sittojiie,t.and of the ,of that HOuse.
the ctt. MeMber for HartiviCh had stated, that he was not a
pan of natach wraith, and that it nluuld be impossible for him,
sit 'case of a petition against his return, to defend his seat oil
riceoirni o ttib extraordinary expeuse which his doing so would
entail on him. He (Mr. Blackstone) could not, therefore,
agree to the last resolution.
Mr. LASCELLES, who was thoroughly inaruiible from the
low tone in which he spoke, was understood Ski that the reso-
lutions had 'been'agreed to on the intharity of the Chairman
anti net of the Comitsittte generally. The Committee hail
been appointed to investigate certain charges, without its being
intended that any eliminatory proceedings should be taken
-against individual parties. He bore testimony to the impartiality
wills which the Chairman bad conducted the investigation and
drawn up the Report.
Lord CHELSEA, who was also very indistinctly heard,
complained of eerta:n parties being selected in this matter for
the purpose of their being held up to public contumely. If any
Hon. illevnbee had complained of the prevalence of such prae-
, tinee as it Was now sought to condemn, and had called on any
uthr,r lion, Members to a.'.d him in carrying a measure to pre-
, vent the continuance of those practices, he was sure nn Hon.
Gentleman wool refuse so to do. In the present ease, he
must say that notoriety might be- bread and tntit to the Hon.
and Learned Member for BAN liut sVatt poison to him (Lord
Chelsea).
Mr. WARD said that general allegations on bribery might
be repeated, uspe ad nauseam, in that House without any one
proceeding to a legislative remedy in consequene-, if it had
not been for the moral courage of his Hum Friend the Mem-
ber for Bath coming forward as he had: He never linen; of
any person having such a ta•ii to petform Who had acquitted
himself with the concurrent ilivourable testimony of all, as the
Hon. Goodman had. He asked now what was to be done
with the Report? Could anything be more indispersible than
the proposal of his Hon. Friend? Corrupt practices heel taken
place, and was the House to pronounce tos opinion Upon them?
If the Right lion. Baronet rare here, he believed his opinion
would serve to guide ether Members bn this occasion; and,
indeed, from what had fallen from him list night, ho eapetted
he would do so in the right direction. He trusted her Ma•
jesty's Government would stippOrt the resolutions ; and whether
ther they did so rd hot, If the House did not wish to destroy
the whole preliminary proceedings which had taken place, it
Would support the resolutions of his Hon. Friend. If the
House did not pronounce some opinion, its elndeMnation of
such practices in future, he did not :re What Was the use o the
inquiry at all. If the writ for Nottingham were issued to-
morrow without taking steps in the cash,, it Were better the in..
c+uiry never had taken place.(flCar, heel`.) supported
the iftquity front the beginning, and he was now prepared to
sttiVert the, resohn tont , at the necessary compliment of that in-
quiry.; And if the House would not go with him, be thought
they -were only evincing another instance of that hypocrisy
with which they were charged.—( Hears later.)
Mr. HA WES' said he mold not •Stittpiart the f•Foltitirms of
the lion. and Learned Member for bath. The object of the
inquiry was to by bei'ore the House th facts of the cases which
had fait referred to the Committee, and not for the purpose of
expres4ing what leeislative enactments ought to be passed with
regard to them.—( Hear, hear.) He confessed that, as a Morn.
her of the Committee, he did not think hit could travel out of
the order of the Howe; under which the Committee was ap-
, pointed. o—k, Hear, hear.) He thought the value of the Report
erittaisted in bringing to light, upon authentic evidence, facts
tVbirth existed before upon mere surmise, and which furnished
grounds for legislation. • The second resolution was one which
he found it difficult to support, but, when he came to the third
resolution, he had no doubt at all as to the course he should
pursue. He considered that the Committee which brought
those facts to light, was in the natured a preliminary Com-
and that to take further steps, a judicial inquiry ought
to be instituted. He, therefore, differed from his lion. Friend
the Member for littb, in thinking that legislative measures
ought to be founded upon and proceed from the Committee which
sat merely to investigate certain cases which hadheen referred to
it, though he agreed with him in the general substance of his
resoltitiOns. He admired the energy and courage
With which his Hon. Friend pursued his inquiry, and what
was, he believed, a singular fact, there was not a single dif-
ference between any Member of the Committee.—(Hear,
hear.) - The only point in which he differed from him was the
one he had elated.
Mr. AGLIONBY said that if the resolutions which had
been commented upon by the Hon. Member for Lambeth,
were much stronger than they were he Would vote for them.
—( Hear, hear.) An ifigitiry had been instituted by that
House into corttin compromises which bad taken place, and
the liepoft of the Committee who made that inquiry was now
Wore them. He had carefully read the evidence over, and he
did not see how the Hon. Member for Lambeth, who had been
a member of the Committee and agreed to the Report, could
oppose the resolutions of the Hon. Memba- for Bath.
Mr. HAWES—The Hon. Member did not understand
what he ( Mr. Hawes) had said. He agreed with the resolu-
tions, but as a member of the Committee he could oat support
them. . . .

Mr. AGLIONBY confessed he did not see the distinction
of the Hon. Member for Lambeth, But the real question was,
would the Hon. Member vote for the resolutions?—( Hear,
hear.) The evidenee showed that the system which had been
pursued was is disgrace to the Howe of Commons. With re-
gard to those who, might say, were convicted by the evidence
given before the Committee, he thought the resolutions ex-
tremely mild, and he hoped that would induce the House to
adopt them. If any Hon. Member moved' stronger resolu-
.tions he would support him with all his heart.—( Hear. )
The SOLICITOR-GENERAL said be quite agreed with
his Hon. and Learned Friend as to the nature of the com-
promises which had been made. But that was not the question
they had then to discuss. The Hon. Member for Lambeth
and the Hors. Gentleman behind him, who were members of
the Committee, could not shut their eyes to the fret that the
Committee was not one of a judicial character, but was con-
ducted by evidence given. in a manner altogether at variance
with the usual course.—(Hear. hear.) What was the purpose
and.object of the inquiry, and upon what grounds did Mem-
bers on both sides consent to the inquiry at &I? The Hon.
and Learned Gentleman then referred to the 'orounds upon
which the lion, and Learned Maribor for Bath 'obtained the
Committee of Inquiry, and said, that althbugh it as clear
from the evidence that compromises had taken place, and
could not be denied to hive taken plate, for the purpose of
preventing invet.tigistiottHeir, hear )=the lion. bald Learned
Member for Bath 'could hot thereupon the inquiry
not being of t jedicial character; and net granted
for that purpose—ground his present resolutions.—( Hear. )
He was reluctant to vote that anything was a breach of the
privileges of the house without fotanwing it up by punishnsent.
He thought the adoption of such t course as had been proposed
would be a farce, but in his Opinion it was perfectly clear that
no inch thing could be done by the House. Thcre had been
no legislative tne•AStites adopted since the Report; it was true,
there had been •k measure brought forward by the Noble Lord
the Member for: the City of London, but that was founded,
not upon the Report, but upon the fiat stated by the Hon.
Member for • Bath. —( Hear, hear.) The Hill now before the
House, it must be rentembered, was retrogpetttve, dray in its
operation, and the resolutions therefore, Which the Hon.
Member ought to have proposUlti the House, Supposing there
h.( been no meas Sire ri'cposed, was, that what had been dis-
closed Sheered the adoption of a system that was calculated to
prevent the investigation into charges of bribery, Mid It. Was
therefore the duty of the House to adopt sortie legislative remedy
on the subject. To such a resolution he should hate beets
prepared to assent. Such, in his opiniert, Was the proper course
to have pursued, and not to call upon the House to pronounce
all the compromises that had taken place to be criminal.—
As to the last resolution, calling upon the House to issue no
writ, he wished to ask the Hon. Member if he Was prepared
to introduce any other measure than the one brought forward
by the Noble Lord the alcfnber for the City of London ? be-
cause if he was not, was it just to keen vacant twelve Seats in the
House of Commons.—(Hear ) He (the Solicitor.
General) doubted the right of 'the House of Commons to adopt
any saeh course, it Was but one branch of the Legislatures and
Unleas the other branch assisted, he believed it Would be
dangerous for the House of Commits Id §itspetiel the issuing of
a writ, unless it was intended to foetid upon that tesperision
• some legislative iteatures Ele belieted if the reSollitiens
of his Hon, and Learned Viiend the Member for Bath were
adopted, they would afford a precedent which might be taken
advantage of in Worse times for evil purposes. He trusted,
therefore, the House would not countenance the Ksio!iitioles of
his Learned Friend, as they were ttlta4 linnetessary, and, if
they were persevered in he thotlld stove the previous questiOn.
Sir R. INGLIS oisieCted tie the resolittiont altogether, and
would have been mutts better pleaSesi With Eta Hon. and
Learned Friend Are SokicitnizGearal if he had met them with
a direct negative, The lion. Member seemed to have forgotten
that Elrctloh Committees were trials of a private fight, hot
condoeted by a public prosecute!. be they hict no right
to say that a person withdraWing a petition for hi& priVate ad-
vantage was guilty of a pkiblit Wrong. He took the three
resolutions together oh account Of itt gral'et'eoiii,Nrantle. The
Solicitor,Generai had skated his objections to the third resolu-
tion so toecibly that perhaps he ought to be satisfied
with ft. He had stated that when the House met again they
would be as far from any legisla.tive.pristettia'elii that Would
content the Hon. Member tie coWs . What slid he fancy to be
" purity of election?" lie believed it consisted of Universal
Suffrage and Vdtil, by ballot:—( Hear, hear.) Thy., he hoped,
was a purity of election that *otild Wives- bt` rtaiised in that
House. laelierhig that. the pl•actice mentioned in the second
resonation Was net Sustained either as violation of the liberty
of the pebple, or the rules of the House, it, would be Most un-
advisable as a precedent to give what had been termed a ty-
rant rusjority the power of deciding What places ehmild or Should
not exercise the It'alichite..He,ShOtild elieetitt4 ihb hiti•
tion of the Holt:. Ateltb'et• tar Bath 410.1 a (street neeative.
Alt ,titTNIB ile ede?, roe course taken by the Hon. Mem-
hey rot Bath; Clio had acted strictly according to the instruct.
basis given to the Committee by the House. The Hod: Men-l-
-b:I. for the University of Oxford seetaed to liatt forgotten that
fact. He had not underfitbuil the Stiliciter-General to make
any motten.
The SPEAKER. said he believed the' MO. and Learned
tientleman said he should move the til-eVioits tplestion, if the
Ron. Member fot Beth did not Withdraw his motion.
the Sdlsi6lloll-GENERAL then moved the previous
AllettiOn.
Mr. FLUME said he was sorry that the Hon. and. Learned
Gentleman should have put the Reuse in that situation, since
he had admitted the prattled pfoneedeel against. All that
was proposed to be done by his on. Friend was to put an end
to practices that deregated from the honour and dignity of the.
House. Wou d it be denied that such Braes Ices tended to produce
duce that effect? Then Why refuse to condemn them? The
ftrottimetiptiasn
siOnfg thane Sopoilni ciiotnor -nGpaenrietrhael aasntdo
itprevent
tilithjettasectoonfth
ct.cibueyrasgnement to bribery; And
refuse? On that Of the: legal
oaopffinpcese.a.
rhr
oa what
haaue trhAodiri
ari
tie
eye
st
tw u
y
senloverntitettt Ile Gould they recon-
cile the openly
stated opinion of the Right Hon. Baronet the
Member for l'amworth tith this motion? The Member fur
the University of Oxford said he was at a less,to know how
these practices could be celled h vidlation Of the liberties of the
people. Whys everything
that interfered with the free and fair
excrete of the franchise by the people was a violation of their
rights and liberties ; and they were equally a breach of the pri-
vileges of this House, since these compromises were for the ex-
press purpose of preventing justice being dent, And would it
not tend to bring the House into contempt to let them pals un-
punished? Such language on the part of the Solicitor-Ge-
neral was a direct encouragement to their continuance. It
would appear to the public a complete farce if, after all
the trouble that had been taken, it should turnout to have pro-
duced evil instead of good. They would neither pass censure
upon them, nor provide a punishment for them for the future,
and he apprehended the Government was about to support tile
declaration. Then, he supposed, since they were not to re-
ceive the censure of ,the Government, they were to receive its
praise and sanction. That seemed to him the alternative. They
might at least concur with the third resolution ; if they. issued
the writs under the present declaration, it would only
be issuing them for a renewal of the bribery. Ile
thought the House ought to agree to the resolutions.
Ile believed that, under the present constituencies, there might
be purity of election ; but he thought it would be much better
secured by Universal Suffrage and Vote by Ballot. However,
be would supportcthe i resolutions.w o u
would
•Air. T. N
not occupy the Froase many
moments. But he wished to ask the Right Hon. Gentleman,
the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether it was his intention
to grant the Chiltern HOndreds to those Members who had
agreed
cni
forto3aginlyies that
11;:d expnied?
Stewardship, in pursuance of the
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said that
no application had been made to him as yet. When applies,
corr opt

tines should lienneeedentrwried- be -tinurentergh-for-hinr to -say
What eriewerlits ihould give to _thbett,who atie them. -
Capte 1)1,1; el RID p E... begged
the Exchequer whether he Would give him the Stewardship, in
order to carry out the compromise to which he was an innocent
tarty? —( Laughter. ) tet-asit the Chencellor of
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said he
would give the answer when the application was wade.
Captain PLUMRIDGE—I make the application now.—
(Great laughter, and cries of " Order.")
Mu.'COCHRANE etrentienele denied that any charges
against him or his agents had been made out. He had refused
to give evidence before the Committee upon principle, and not
from any fear of inquiry,
Sir ROBERT PEEL said that in the course Khich he had
pursued in res ect to the inquiry he saw no reason in the
slightest degree to regret it. He believed that the irquiry and
the development ofthe facts would lead to the dneontinuance
of the practices .which hurl been exposed.—( Hear, hear.) He
thought that the Hoe. Member for Bath had been hardly
dealt with.--(liear. ) The Report of the Committee was not
the Hon. Member's Report, but that of the eight gentlemen
whit. the House had appointed to carry on the inquiry with
him,—( /Tear, hear.) He could not, however, agree with
the mutations prepesed by the Honourable and Learned
itlvisiber, for he thought that it otitis under a distinct on-
derstalitlirte that they were to be ind4riiniged. lloncuraVe
:Members came before the Committee, and gave that
evidence of which the frankness was acknowledged in strong
and Learned Member for Bath applied for a legislative
terms by the Ccimmittis e Hear, hear. ) If the Hon.
measure to prevent such compromises in future he
%%mild vote for it. Bin he did not think right to pass a res:-
lutien Of censure tteon these gentleteen. As to the stiseen-
s.on of the issue. of the writs for particular boroughs, he thought
that it was right to sus} tend the issue of 8 writ when it was in-
tended to disfranchise a borough, or to institute an inquiry with
a view to disfranchisement. But he could not consent to a
suspension Of writs for an indefinite period until some law
sh sold have been enaeted for the more effectual suppression of
bribery. In other words, it was saving that, suppose on that
subject some future conflict should hike place bet Neer' the
Bettsee at Lords anti Cortithotig, they would declare by this rem-
la.i in that, these boroughs should ferfeit their right ofreturning
Members to Parliament until the Houses of Lords and Commons
should consent to some 8.11 which, in the opinion of the House,
should have the eff ct of preventing the commission of bribery.
Therefore he could not support the r, solution calling upon the
House to consent to a suspension of the writs in these cases.
hadeeken that cOut',6 which he considered Most consistent with
Throughout the whole of these proceedings he (Sir R. Peel)
jiirtice. lie feared he should gait! little apoiohitiert for the
course he had pursued ; but throughout he had adopted the
course %%hie% he had consieered most consistent eche justice ;
and those lion. Gentlemen who had acted with him had been
actuated by the same motives. He hail supported the Hon.
and Learned Gentleman iii his motion,for inquiry for those rea-
sons; hilt hie the same reasons he could not support the resolu-
Hans ; at the him time he wiinld declare his intention of sup-
porting any Bill which would hare the effect of discouraging
and preventing these compromises for the future.
Mr. VERNON SMITH protested against the doctrine at•
tempted to be inculcated, that every person was bound, in
ordee to those his detestation of bribery, to vote in favour of
any resolutions that might be proposed against in The Com-
mittee had done all that had been expected from it ; it had
brought to light facts for the purpose of future legislation—
true, it had not carried out the speech made by the Hon.
Member when he moved for it; but the grounds on which it
had been ultimately granted, were very different from the
grounds on which it had been first moved for. He denied that
all compromises were illegal—he questioned if they were
breaches of privilege—and he was not prepared to say that
they were in every case improper. One fact had been brought
prominently forward, in the evidence taken before the Commit-
tee, and that was the expense attending the prosecution and
the defence of election petitions. In the Nottingham case, it
appeared the expense would not be less than 20,0001. Under
such circumstances, he was not prepared to say that a per-
son did wrong who, rather than incur such an immense
expense, consented to enter into an arrangement. It was
an evil, he admitted, but it was an evil that had arisen
from the mode of trying election petitions. He objected to
the second resolu'ion on the same grounds. With regard to
the third resolution, he had more doubt than with regard to
the others. The resolutions ought tohave applied equally to Bel-
fast end Southampton. He objected to keeping the writs sus-
pended an indefinite time, but he doubted whether the writs
ought to be issued pending legislative proceedings for the pre-
, vention of bribery. He should vote against the resolutions ;
but if any Hon. Member would in each individual case move
the :us ensign of the writ until the Bribery at Elections Bill
should have ',wed, he (Mr. V. Smith) would support such a
motion.
Mr, AGLIONBY rose amidst cries of " Spoke, spoke,"
which rendered him at first inaudible.
'rho SPEAKER said the Hon. Member had spoken to the
original question, since which an amendment had been moved
to which the Hon. Member had aright to speak.
Mr. AGLIONBY said this debate would not be without its
results. A tree had been planted which would bring forth
good fruit. The Right Hon. Baronet had assisted at the
planting ; lie was sorry that the Right Hon. Gentleman had
refused to assist in culling the fruit. It had been said that they
bad on this subject been engaged in acting a farce, and this
was the second act of the farce. If the Solicitor-General had
been disposed to adopt a straightforward course, he would
have taken the sense of the House on the resolutions seriatim,
instead of attempting to give them the go-bye, by moving the
previoas qu-stion. The moving the previous question was, in
fact, admitting that the propositions contained in the resolu-
tions were undeniable, but that it was inexpedient to entertain
them at the present moment. There was nothing in the first
resolution froai which any one could dissent, and yet they were
about to give the go-bye to that resolution. He warned the
House to beware lest by their own set they should do more to
bring themselves into contempt and disrespect, than anything
could bring them that might be said at public meetings, of which
they entertained such horror.
Mr. SHARMAN CRAWFORD would vote against the
previous queStion, as he was not for throwing overboard all the
rem utions. Ile approved of the first and second resolutions,
but he was opposed to the third, because, as the parties before
the Corninittea were not punished, bethoughtit wrong to punish
the electoral bodies lay thus indirectly disfranchising them.
Mrs TOINER alluded to the disreputable character giten of
so:ne of the witnesses in the Penryn case, and contended that
it would be unjust to disfranchise a borough on the testimony of
such witnesses. He supported the amendment.
Mr, Rosnt.TCK rose, but was for a considerable time inau-
dible, owing to the extremely low tone of voice in which he
spoke. He said the Hon. Member for Reading had chosen to
speak in a way be (Mr. Roebuck) thought he would, upon
cooler le tlection, be rather sorry for. It was certainly in a
very pompous phraseology, and not bearing upon the matter in
question. He would not reply to his exclamation concerning
the principles of the Constitution or of the administration of
the law In England. He took upon himself to attack him (Mr.
Roebuek), but he would not answer it. The Hon. Member
for Harwich's objection was, that he was not a party to the
compromise: Now there was nothing like coming to the book.
Mr. Currie was asked, " You were treating of two principals,
Mr. Attwood and Major Beresford? Yes." " Had you any
previous cemmunication ? Yes; a letter from Major
Beresford,"
Itiajor iitutsVOrtp--that letter Was addressed to Mr.
Atwood, and not to the Agents
Mr. ROEBUCK—The Hon. Membet fns t Leiaes's objection
was, respecting Certain actions. The question was, " You
were concerned in certain arrangements respecting actions
pending ?—tes." Now this was the class of objections to
these practices. Now he would answer to ell those sort of declara-
tions about English principle, that these facts had been detailed
voluntarily by the parties themselves, before that Committee.
He could ndt understand ha* the Rothe eutald doubt that these
compromises had been entered had, when the parties themselves
had stated that they had engaged in them. Major Beresford
was asked, " Yon ItOt.ctititetned hi the arrangement to give
up all. actions pending?--Yes; but I do riot lino* that I was
donttilt6d:" ,So that the Hon. Member sectioned it.
Major BERESPOR D--1 beg emit pardon. I did not
knoW that I should have contented if I had, been consulted.
Mr: ROEBUCK—Was that the way ni which the Hon.
Gentlgmati *mild object? He (Mr. Roebuck) had stated that
compromises had been etiternd into toethe Hon. Gentleman to
escape bribery, and these were the objectioni. now earner
to time teal and Orions question, and he would of
once state hoti far he agreed with the Right
Honourable, pironet. _.perfectly agreed with him
in sly ince eliat the arrangements of this Committee *ere made
td did sib. tither into the gistem than td inculpate individuals.
He (Mr. Roebuck) Went fiirthei; and Saki? that if be
conceived that the resolutions which he owl pfepoted
had the overt of ineulpeting Individuals, they Would not have
been prlitiosed by him. He helieiYed they did not go further
than was suggested by the Right Hon. Ilitrotiet himself. The
Right Hdit. Berlina Wished him to propose a legislative Inca-.
stire; brit ithite lieidg a leglslatiee measure then before the
House, lie did not do it. He ensiled alt additional Safeguard:
He could not cOnteice that there was anything more essential
than this second safegtiard: Wheti he brottght in those reso-
ae be had aiiittni sit an early period of the afternoon, his
object was to guard against a system, and not to inculpate indi-
viduals. The House said it Would det nd such thing. The
Hirsh legialati4d safeguard; and ell the speakers on
that side th 6 question said that there itae a Bill before the
floti,e. He Wished them net to issue certain writs until that
Bill was passed. He *anted to know where was the danger of
that proceeding-. If they got Chet edditionel safeguard, they
might frame a Bill; and no harm to the eon.
stit armies: He Would lease the resolutions such
as lid bid prepared tlierii ,te nee muse: He asked,
then, if these compromises did not tend iS !three that
House in the estimation of the people, they would despise their
influence and their power? 'I he flop. Member for Oxford
had alluded tit Universal Suffrage and Vote by Ballot. This
was one Of the belt erguniente in their favour.—(Hear, hear.)
But they on the opposite side were thoroughly imb
tied with the
vire of their position. They were 50 thoroughly mixed up
with all these bad practices by which they Were elected, that
they went; ashatited to declare against them, and so they acted
one with inothets
Major BERESFORD rose to - explain. He bad yet to
learns that being in conversation with a man constituted him
his agent. Mrs Currie did not, as he had stated before in his
(Majdt Beeesford's) evidence, act as his agent, although the
Hon.' Member for }'lath wished to impugn his statement. The
..C.ornmittee examined Mr. Currie, and he said he would not
give certain evidente unless he had the consent of his employer.
Mr. Attwood was sent foie and lelr • Attwoee was willing for
him so to do, and he (Major Beresford) was never asked at all.
The House then divided, when there appeared--
For the res.olutions ..........................47
Against them ...... ........................ 13'3
Majority against therm— ............ --89
Oil otir fettirti td the gallery we found
Mr. HUME, who said, then the Government will sanction
all those abominations ; and I wish to know whether they will
grant td those lien. Members connected with those corrupt
cases the Chiltern Hundreds, to enable them eo resume them ?
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER.. 11the Hon.
Gember makes that application_ pan his own behalf, I shall be
most happ., to grant it.—
, (Laud 1
_tighter.)
Mr. HUME understood, then, from that answer, that they
would giant those Lon. Mernb?rs the request, as what they
would grant to bin they bad no right to ref use to any one.-
-d that, after all
(Laughter.) He understoo
berme the trouble they had
t ht
' had in bringing those practicesh2 Majesty's Govern-
ment did' not think them wort j. unishrt, or worthy to
be inquired Into. He supposed, therefore, that her Majesty's
Government. had no objection to grant those Hon. Members
the Chiltern Hundreds to enable them to carry on those cor-
rupt practices.
ut on the resolution that i
de-
The questionquestionwasquestion had b t was
een carried.
tided that the original
Mr. ROEBUCK said he rose to move the third resolution.
by the writ for Nottingham He wanted to know w had been sus-
Gentlemen
I I The Right lion. had laid down the rule
peni es .should be
ashy the writ suspended, namely, that while
just now
to
certain
going
on with respect
there was anhad inq
not
,
terminated, and vet the practices,
that inquiryßight Hon. ry
Ba-
ronet had sanctioned thewithholding of •the -writ fur Not-
tingheni, and he wanted to know how he could get over the
difficulty of withholding the writ ?
resolution .was then negatived without a

SLAVE-TRADE.
Captain PECHELL rose to call the attention of the House
to the operation of the Act 2 and 3 Victoria, cap. 73, for
the suppression of the slave-trade. ir
—e said that by re-
ducing the bounty upon the capture of slave ships, the
Government had not only done an injustice to the parties
engaged in the laborious service of witching for elevens,

Mr. HUME moved for a return " of the number of days on
which the Home or Commons sat in this Session of Parliament,
stating the total htunFe: of hcur3 occupied in the sittings 01
the House, and the rterage time, and also distinguishing the
iiiirnt:er of nights on which the House tat, and the number of
ilcur e after miehight (es printed in Parliamerittry paper, No.
254 of session 134." 113 stated that he should bring forward
a motion cn the subject n-xt session.—A.rced to.