Star.
London, England, 1825-03-11 00:00:00

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own pecuniary interest was involves', an rererence
again made to the Chair, who declared, " that
conceived there was a material difference be-
en an eventual loan, such as that from taxes, in
ch a man suffered in common with the whole cons-
lily, and a question affecting his immediate pecu.
7 interests." Some short time afterwards, on a Bill
tive to the Grand Junction Canal, a Member
not vote, on the foregoing principle. The next
tedent was that of the Bank Note Bill, in July,
1. The Honourable Member fix& Appleby, then for
tford, objected to the votes of the Bank Proprietors,
whom forty-five were Members of the House, on the
and of their, being interested. Upon which Mr.
nning, who was then Chairman, rose and obser.ved,
Ve may or may not be interested in the Bill. It is
brought in at our instigation, but is solely a mea-
eof the Government forrthe benefit of the country."
d the Speaker, on being referred to, stated. " that •
k the Statutes of the House for the last two hundred
rs it appeared persons were disqualified from voting
questions in which they had a pecuniary interest, it
s not on questibns in which they were affected in
amen with the rest of the community." The ques-
t was then put, and the challenges negatived with.
a division. He should now mention one or two
es, which he conceived to be explanatory of the law
Parliament upon the present subject. In 1623, art
t was passed for reversing and makirg void a Decree
Chancery against the Masters and FelloWs of Mag.
en College, Cambridge. In its progress, it was
ved that Sir William Heald, then a Member and
ester of Magdalen College, should not vote, and it
s decided that after .he was heard he shibultt with-
tw, which clearly shewed that although an individual
gill speak, he could not vote on a question in which
was directly interested. Another case was that of a
1 introduced for the improvement of Free Trade. Oa
second reading,April 28,1621 An objection was made
ainst, all the Members of Corporations holding seats
the House, and having, as Members of Corporations
ssessed of monopolies, separate and distinct interests
posed to free trade. The decision of the House was,
.ty should proceed to vote, but that every Member
!sent should before doing so speak, and make his
otestation he was not interested as a Member of the
Impany against the Bill. All he (Mr. Hume) wished
wever, was, that Members should consult the honour
I dignity of the House by giving upon all questions a fair and
partial vote. With that observation he should beg leave before
set down to state, that beat first endeavoured to frame his re- 4
utions as nearly as possible in the words of the Speaker of the
use, at the period of the Royalty Loan, namely, that no Mem-
: should vote where he had an interest which might confer a
:uniary benefit, or diminish a pecuniary loss. But be mu-
sed he found dificUlties in that course not to be surmounted,
I he should therefore move—
That no Member shall vote for or against any question in
itch he has a direct petuniary interest."
Mr. LITTLETON was as anxious as the Honourable
entleman who had just sat down, to render the pro-
edings of that House in all respects perfectly above
spicion; and, two years ago, he had introduced a
easure in some degree relating to the subject now
der consideration. - He found, however, the difficul-
m he had to contend with so great, that he abandoned
afterwards. In the House itself he must say that he
ought everything unobjectionable ; for if there were
'embers interested on either side, their power to do •
ischief wait lost in the mass of those who were sc-
aled by no personal motives. Up stairs it certainly,
as often otherwise ;. for there the Committees might
rntain few but those immediately concerned. It was
reniedi the latter evil that he had introduced the -
ill to which he bad already alluded. He doubted at
e same time if anything would be gained by adopting
ty fixed rule for judging of the disinterestedness of
Lembers. At present the House knew who were the
krties interested ; and attached no more value to their
sinions than they deserved—(Near, hear, hear). Let
le practice be altered, and then they 'would have
lembers.subscribing to undertakings in the names of
leir attornies or friends, and suppotting those under-
'kings in Parliament---(Hear, hear.)—while no one
.new the teal state of the ca.e. It was known to be