Star.
London, England, 1831-09-06 00:00:00

ROTHIAT STEAMER.

Colonel SIBTHORPE hoped the Secretary at War would
take steps to prevent steam-vessels advertising themselves
us War-office packets, which was the cue with the ltothsay
' steamer, and caused her having so many passengers.
Sir H. PARNELL said the contract entered into with
Government allowed the owners of these packets to call them
his Majesty's War-office Stearn-packets.
Col. SI BTHORPE gave notice that to-morrow he thoukl
move for the appointment of a Committee to inquire into the
frequent calamities attending steam-boat navigation.
Mr. HUNT presented a petition from the industrious in-
habitants of the 3letropolis, against prosecutions for selling
cheap publications; and gave notice that to-morrow he would
move an address to his Majesty. for the release of all Crown
debtors, and a grant of 24,000 L for the release of prisoners
confined for small debut allover the kingdom, on occasion of
his Majesty's Coronation.

T EJ 11-1108 T

Mr. Alderman WOOD said, he not at present
press his bill for the regulation of the speed of steam-boats
on the Thames; and moved, that it be read a second time
this day six months. Agreed to.—The hon. alderman gave
notice, that he should move for a select committee to inquire
into the subject of the speed of steam-boats in the Thames.

LIVERPOOL ELECTION.
Mr. VERNON, in moving for a writ for the election of
a member (or Liverpeol, said he was surprised that any ob.
jection should be made to the motion by reformers, at a time
that a motion for a general reform was in progress through
the house. The hon. member for Wiltshire might vote for
the present question, and afterwa,tls, If he thought it
necessary, bring the corruption of Liverpool under the
! consideration of the house. The hon. member for Liver.
pool had suited that he felt the representation of that great
town, without a colleague, was a burthen too heavy to be
borne without injury to his constituents. Corruption did
nut for the Srst time take place in last November ;
the elections of Mr. Roscoe, Alr. Canning, and Mr. Bus.
Meson, were also tainted. He did not use this argument for
the continuance of corruption ; but as Reform was certain,
he thought it was not necessary to deprive Liverpool of one
of its representatives. There will be 14,400 101. house-
holders in Liverpool, after the peering of the Reform Bill;
, after which addition to the electors there could be no appre.
pingo:a of corruption. The Hon. Gentleman concluded by
moving that the Speaker do issue his writ for the election of,
I a representative for the borough of Liverpool.

Mr. BRNETT said he war most anxious not to delay
the great question of reform, but he felt compelled to bring
forward his motion for the punishment and purification of
the constituency of Liverpool, which was proved, by the eel.
deuce given before the election committee, to be so exten-
sively corrupted, as to make it inconsistent with the character
of the hum to allow ft again to return members in its pre.
sent state. The hon. member here read extracts f,otn the
evidence to prove that the freemen were brought from the bus.
flop to the pay-mom, where it was certified that they had
voted, and they were all paid-1n the early part of the election
51. each, but towards the close the 51. was raised to 401. a
vote. One witness proved that he paid between 50001. and
60001. for 200 out-voters. The evidence proved that the
briberywas practised throughout the whole election, from the
first day to the last, and that it was geaeraL There were
persons behind the curtain who supplied the money for this
extensive corruption. It might be asked what Induced per..
sons to give such large sums of money to bring in some
eminent public man for Liverpool—the answer, he believed,
was, that there was very extensive patronage in Liverpool.
(Hear.) He wished to take away the franchise from those
elector% not as • punishment to them, but to take away
from the corruptionists behind the curtain the tools with '
which they worked. He believed that by examining three
or four witnesses at the bar, he should be able to prove that
between three and four thousand persons had been bribed,
which would be sufficient to deprive them of the elective
franchise, which, even after the reform bill should pass,
they might use to influence the return for Liverpool. The
hon. gentleman said he should move three resolutions as an
amendment to the motion for issuing the writ, to the effect
that the house egrecd In the report of the Liverpool Election
Committee, that gross corruption had been practised at the
election for I.iv.rpool ; and that leave be given to bring in
3 bill for the exrcetion of the evil.

The SPEAKER put .he question on the first resolution}
Mr. HUME said ne should support the original motion
for issuing the writ, because he thought the town of Liver-
pool should not be left without both its representatives du.
ring the present most important proceeding ; and that the
reform before the House would effectually prevent the repe.
iition of the offence ; and that going into an inquiry now
would greatly delay the Reform Bill.
Lord MORPI-.TH said as a member of the Liverpool
election Committtee he must concur in what was said of the
extent of the scandalous corruption that was charged against
Liverpool. The great question was the prevention of the
recurrence of the evil; and that be thought would be ef-
fected by the Reform Bill. He, therefore, should vote for
the issuing of the writ that Liverpool might no longer re-
main without two representatives.
Mr. WASON supported the amendment. He thought it
necessary to the honour of the House that the corrupt electors
of Liverpool should be disfranchised.
Mr. LABOUCHERE thought it would not be difficult
to prove at the bar that the majority of the electors hed been
guilty of corruption, but he could not in the present state of
;he business of the House consent to postpone the issuing of
the writ.

Mr. CROKER supported the amendment. Issuing the
writ would perpetuate to the corrupt electors of Liverpool
the power of returning the members. He could not under-
stand hawany real reformer could persuade himself that he
was not giving a bounty to corruption by issuing the writ.
He should be glad to hear the noble lord opposite state his
opinion.
Lord ALTHORP said, lie had on the former occasion
voted for issuing the writ, not for the purpose of smelling
corruption, but because he felt it would lead to long delay
and great inconvenience if the writ should be suspended.
The house might just as well punish the corrupt electors
after the writ was issued as before ; but the house having
resolved to suspend the writ, it would now be inconsistent
to issue it ; and he thought he was more bound by the deci-
sion of the house than by his own opinion, and should vote fur
the amendment against issuing the writ.
Mr. VERNON replied.
idr. HUNT said that he considered it nothing was done
to mark the sense of the House relating to the bribery
and corruption that had prevailed at Liverpool, that it
would be gross injustice to those boroughs which had been
disfranchised by the Bill.
After some conversation the gallery was cleared for the
purpose of division, and the numbers were—
Ayes

Majority ... ... 41
By which majority it was determined that the writ should
issue.
Mr. HUME said be was so anxious for the Reform Bill
passing that If he had any certainty that the exclusive bill
for Liverpool had been gut up for the purpose of delay, he
would oppose it.
Lord .1. RUSSELL spoke on the same side with the
hon. member for Middlesex.