Star.
London, England, 1812-02-01 00:00:00

pos, R 17 _s7ll

PARLIAMENT:ART PROCEEDINGS.

HOWIE OF COMMONS.—JAN. SI.
01. THORNTON obtained leave to bring in a Bill for ex_
the powers of the Act for erecting a Bridge over the
floes, near Vauxhall.
Aow Writ was ordered for the town of Derby, in the room
JA,Hcas. William Cavi mli-h, deceased.
'it. Ric/WAN presented a Report from thei Cornnaissioners
acted to enquire into the ouncesof the House of Commons.
wed to lie on the table
on the motion of Mr. KENRICK, leave was given to bring in
IP
...W
make a provision for the Oaks in Chancery, after a cer-
.g WM
0, osservi..e.
5 MELLISH presented a petitition from several Licensed
. praying that they might be allowed to give evidence
the Police Cotrunittee, of certa n grievances under which
life
,1„, labottr.—R , (eyed to the Committee on ate Police.
—inntl kOLKSIONB.rest-nted a petition from certain per-
oggoued in the Jails of Winch, stet, praying for relief, by an
isombf the lair Act for the relief of Insolvent Debtors.
• The Insolvent Debtors and the I.ords' ACt Amendment Bills
prod a second time, and committed for Monday.
nie twee Regent'. Lxpences kid; after a few ot serrations
kas Sir T.. 1 URTON, AV ent through a Committee, the Report
&ids was ordered to be received on Monday.
ut M. A. TAYLOR gave notice, that on Friday, Fcbreary
itheiroutd move the rev.val of the Committee appointed ha
soot to enquire into the delays of Cases in Chancery, and of
Appals in the House of Lords.
Os the third reading of the King's Household Officers Bill, Mr.
ONNETT proposed a new clause which was rejected, and the
IA outfit's read a third time and passed.
BANKRUPT MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT. ,
Mr. LOCKHART rose to call the attention of
the House to the consideration of this question,
whether any, and what Members of that Honour-
able House had a right to sit and vote there, after
.after they had been regularly declared bankrupts ?
lathe time of Edward I. a proclamation had been 4
issued, directing Sheriffs not to return persons who
were bankrupts as Members of Parliament. That
proclamation, however, had not been properly atten-
ded to, and therefore that did not go to disqualify per-
sons so situated from sitting in Parliament. The dis-
qualification, if any existed on that ground in law,
arose from the circumstance of the parties so situated,
rot retaining that qualification which Was required
bylaw to sic and vote in that H ruse. Now he con-
ceiied that the law not only required that a Member
of Parliament should have that qualification at the
time of hit election, but that he should retain it so 1
hag IS he retained his seat. It would be but a moc-
kery if the law required such a qualification in the
first instance, and afterwards dispensed with it, so
that a person could be invested with it for' one day,
and though he lost it for ever on the next, continue a
Member of that House. He did not presume to say
that an inquisitorial power should be given to look
into the qualification of a Member at any time, but
he thought it might be right, when it was notorious
that such qualification had been publicly taken away
by the operation of the laws that a Member should
no longer retain his seat. Such a regulation, how.
cm, he did not say daddies emended to the whol•
House of Commons. The Scbts Members, and the
eldest sons of Earls, he moved as exceptions. The
Hon. Member thentcited various statutes on the sub-
ject of the qualifications of Members of Parliament,
and tonrluded his speech by moving—" That a
Committee be appointed to inquire if any and what
persons being Members of this House, and becoming
bankrupts, are capable of sitting and• voting therein?"
Sir C. PRICE seconded the motion.

The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER
observed, it was clear, from the Hon. Gentleman's
own argument, th .t at present the House could not
come to a resolu:ion that bankrupts were excluded
from sitting there by any existing law. If it could
at all be contended that a bankrupt was by law in-
capablE of sitting there, it was only by an inference
that his qualification was affected by his bankruptcy,
bat 41, as persons had seats in that House, who had
»oqutlificatiortby property, their qualifications could
notbe affected by bankruptcy, and therefore by law
it could not be maintained that bankrupts were ex-
cluded from Parliament. It was another question,
whether or not there might be reason for m.tking a
law to etclude bankrupts from sitting there ; but as
the kw at present stood, they c?uld not by any
means be excluded. A Member of Parliament might
become a bankrupt after the close of a Session of Par-
Lwow, and might get his certificate signed by the
tractile next Session commenced, and gala new pro-
perty to qualify him to hold his seat, and w as he then
to be dispossessed of it on such grounds ? In cases rif
fiiud, any one could move the expulsion of a Mem-
(mthat ground. A Member of that House might
lose his property atter one Session, and ret, by the
death of his father or relation, or by some other cir-
earostance, he might by the next Session be a richer
taw than he had ever been before. A person might
he a bankrupt, without being insolvent, and insolvent
without being a bankrupt ; so that the mere circum-
'Awe of his being made a bankrupt was not of itself
to disqualify a man from holding a seat in
114 •He ohjected to the motion before the
Heise, which was for appointing a Committee to in-
'quire if any, and what persons were capable of sit-
ting and voting there after being made bankrupts,
or in Other words (he was sure his Honourable Friend
would know he meant nothing disrespectful) the
motion was for the appointment of a Committee to
lid an Act of Parliament. This he thought unne-
4ttsarPs as he could not see that this House could
tatl!rtan any doubt of wlrat the law was on that sub-
ject.
•If any doubt existed, it might be proper to
!Point a Committee to search the Journals ; but, on
e present occasion, he cculd see no necessity to
"Point the Committee proposed. Whether or not
lit alight be expedient to bring in a Bill to alter the
4,4w.s was quite another question, on which at present
acp.adno disposition t pronounce an opinion.
l'Ir• A. BARING opposed the motion as being ill
bared.
Sir C. PRICE spoke in favJur of appointing a
-romittee.
Sir F. BURDETT thought some inquiry of the
Lure proposed extremely desirable at the present
47. B tLy wtre to permit Members to it in tiat