Star.
London, England, 1828-03-11 00:00:00

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else. I therefore tell you, it is the p 1 of this House that you
shall be discharged from custody. after the payment of your fees."
Jonathan Fox was then ordered to withdraw, and the reprimand
Of the &m (r
ega to be entered on the Journals che House.
Colonel DAVIES, on moving the second reading of the Cities
And Boroughs Polls' Bill, said, that if the Bill were allowed, to go to
a Committee, it was his intention to move for the cancelling of
several clauses and the introduction of new ones.
Mr. BARING and Sir M. W.. RIDLEY expressed it m
their opinion, that the best way would be to introduce a new 11111
altogether.
The Bill was then, read a second time, and committed for Friday
'nett.
Mr. M. A. TAYLOR gave notice, that be would on the deth of
April submit a motion relative to the actual state of the Court of
Chancery.
On the motion of Mr. R. GORDON; the Pauper Lunatic BM
-was read a second time, and ordered to be committed for Monday
out. •
On the motion of Mr. R. GORDON, the Lunatic Regulation
DM was read a second time, and ordered to be committed for Mon-
day next.
Mr. BANKES presented a Petition from the Trustees bf the
British Museum, respectirtg a grant of money. .
On the motion of the CHAN CR LLOR of ripe F.KCHAVER„
the Report of the Committee on Ways and Means was received,
the Resolutions were agreed to, and a Bt fonaded open them was
ordered to be brought in.
East RITTORD nisrumsesswomorr arm
Mr. TENNISON moved the Order of the. Day' &idle 'House
resolving itself iota a Committee on the East Hafted Disfranchise-
ment Bill.
On the question being put.
Mr. D. W. HARVEY reminded-the Misuse. that hi
•had•ststed his intention on Friday of examinee Mr.
-Crompton with respect to the inquiry now goutgitu
relative to the borrhiph -of East Retitled. :"Before •fie
stated his reasons, linfteiver, for the mbirott with 'Which
he should conclhde, he thought it tight toirtforrrs Vie
Hs•use, that he had written to Mr. Cromfitott Onftidai,
Ito ask whether he would attend in his place, oewhether
be would rather wait for an order of the Bduse? Kr.
'Crompton its his answer had stated his intention of at-
Wading on Monday; but •in a subsequent note Wad
pleaded a severe cold as an excuse for not attendini
before Thursday or Friday hest, to whiCh period fie re-
quested that the business might be postponed. It was
Isis intention to move that Mr. Crompton should be or-
dered to attend on Friday, for the more he read and
considered the evidence, the more certain was he that
the testimony of the Hon. Member was of importanee
to the case. The object of the present inquiry was to
punish the borough by blotting it from the political map
of the country. The House did riot meanie proceed
upon any general principle of ParliamentarY reform, bilt• F 1
to investigate closely and punish severely, MI casts. of
palpable malfaisanee. They were not bound by the rigid
rules of law, but the Hon. Gentleman who had brought
forward the question had endeavoured to establish 'a
ease of continued practice against the borough, selecting
the different periods of 1812 and 1818 for that purpose.
In his examination of the witness who had just been
discharged, be had asked how the 2,8001. which was
lodged in the Retford Bank had been disposed of? T.
ivitnets had at fist pretended total ignorande, but 'oa
being pressed and admonished by the Chsirtoiri;* hid'
said there was an impression on his 'SsOild..that. tlse
balance had been given to be (Attributed asnoug the
electors; but he would ask, was that esfidenli opus
which they could convict the. borough?. The witness
had further said, that he believed he could speak poii-
tively on the subject, if he had a riaper in his possession
which Mr. Crompton could give him. Was 'not this a• '
material chasm in the evidence? And how 'could it be
so well filled up as by 'questioning Mr. Crompton on
the subject ? It was' the duty of the House to obtain
-the best evidence it could get. He was sure it would
not be necessary for him to quote the journals of the
House, in order to show that it was consistent with its
practice to call upon its Members to give evidence.-1-
He had no personal motive in making this motion ; but
he would say that they would deal harshly with' the
borough, if they proceeded to extinguish its political
right's upon such evidence as was now before theme:—
The Honourable Member concluded by moving, that
ea Samuel•Crompton, Esq. do on Friday next attend the
'Committee of the whole House, to whom the East Ret-
ford Disfranchisement Bill has been referred?
Mr. Alderman WAITHM AN said, that whether Mr.
Crompton was examined or not, the House ought to
protect its own character. He did not think the evi-
dence of Mr. Crompton necessary. He thought that
part of the case satisfactorily made out. But, after
what had passed, if Mr. Crompton was not called upon
An attend, the world at large would say that the House
was more sparing of the feelings of its own Members
than it was of those of &hers. For that reason he
(thought that Mr. Crompton ought to be called upon to
give evidence.
' r.G. BANKES would not then enter into the general
question, but • he would avail himself of that opportunity
of making a few observations upon some of the evi-
dence. He agreed with the Hon. Member for Colchester.
that the evidence was imperfect. He (Mr. B.) found it
both imperfect and incorrect. The evidence of Mr.
Hannan), and of Mr. Piggot, was unsatisfactory and
contradictory ; and he should move that other witnesses
should attend for the purpose of being examined. It
was at matter of great importance to learn the numher
of persons implicated, as that would affect the case is ht n
the' House came to the question of the degree of punisl
ment. But there was one person whose evidence would
be•of the utmost importance. He considered Mr. Fol-
jambe's appearance necessary to prove by' whom the
1,2001. had been supplied. That sum was espehded in
ordinary election expenses, but it wou•d be desirable to
know from Mr. Foljambe whether the.e was any further
pecuniary support from the same quarter. It was his
intention, therefore, to move that he should be sum-
moned. He wished also to have an opportunity of ex-
amining Mr. Hannam and Mr. Figgot aga'n.
Mt. SYKES said, it was the intention of Mr. Cromp-
ton to have attended that night in his place, but he was
very seriously indisposed with a cold. He had in his
nd the certificate of a Medical Gentleman, stating
that Mr. Crompton could .not attend without great in-
convenience. He saw him lattly, and he could assure
the House that his Hon. Friend was not in a fit state to
appear abroad. He, however, begged him (Mr. Sykes)
to assure the House that it was not his intention or de-
sire to avoid any examination to which the House narght
please to subject him, being ready to repose his hor.our
aced security in their hands. His Hon. Friend, however,
doubted whether it was competent to the House to put
any questions which might have a tendency to criminate
himself. He (Mt. Sykes) did not doubt the competency
of the House to call upon one of its Members to attend
in hii place and be examined. • The House, however,
would well' consider before they pat questions which
might be attended with the most baiter legal come-