Star.
London, England, 1819-02-25 00:00:00

"7-

of an annuity of 11300 a-year to Mr. Smith's prede-
cessor. He added at the'same time, that this annuity
was to -be. payable on condition, not only that Mr.
Grady should give him his vote at the County Elec-
tions, but should also procure'hith the votes of one
hundred freeholders. Mr. Carew Smith was repre-
sented to have observed, that it was not his business
to offer advice on such a &abject ; but that the offer
appeared to hint to be inadmissible and illegal. The
reply of the Honourable Member was, that he did
not see the matter in that light; that he though/
himself entitled to an equivalent for his patronage;
and that he was resolved to have a quid pro goo. At
a subsequent interview, and in the presence of Mr.
Gould, the Honourable Member's legal adviser, the
subject was resumed, and Mr..Carew Smith, after
✓eferring to what had already passed, made a minute
of the conversation, which he gave to the Honourable
Member, who returned it the next day, with an ap-
arobation of its correctness, except as to three or four
words, which'the House would see were not of mar-
tial importance. The Honourable Member expressed
Ibis isillin ness to sign it, but was dissuaded from
doing, tukethjection from Mr. Gould, that the
i's contents ti
*the paper might be constructed into a
breach_ of parliamentary privilege. Mr. Gould
added, that it wigs likewiserunnecessary, as he would
be ready at any thus to testify to the validity of the
trolls:l4ton, He would now read that part of the
minute which authorizCd Mr. Carew Smith,. who had
therefore committed no breach of honour by disclos-
ing. private conversation,. to transmit the offer to the
peotioner. It was in substance, that the Honourable
limber would dismiss Mr. C. Smith from the office,
if he did not punctually pay the £2OO a-year to Mr.
Grady ; and that the Honourable.. Member expected
Mr. Grady, as long as he contiiffed in the receipt of
t, to remain politically connected with lihn, but that
he should be at liberty, on-relinquishing it, to sopa.
rate his political interest likewise. Mx. Carew Smith
remarked, that he should immediately transmit the
minute to Mr. Grady, at Limerick, but advise him
not to accept the offer without previously consulting
his father. As soon as the petitioner received it, con-
sidering the offer in the light of a gross offence against
the laws and privileges of Parliament, he deter-
mined to being it under the cognizance of the House,
and a legal notice was level on Mr. Carew
Smith, for the production of the original minute.
As the subject began to tause considerable agiaation
in Limerick, Mr. Daniel Gabbit, the Law Agent of
the Honourable Member', repaired to him, and de-
scribed the indiscretion into which he had fallen.
The result was, that on the 9th of October Mr. Gab.
bit brought another note to the petitioner, which he
delivered in the presence of a person named Manson,
and which was couched in the following word's
4, Mr. Grady may vote as he pleases ; and If-he should
vote against me, I shall not deprive him of his an.
nuity.' The petitioner returned no answer at that
time; but understanding that if be suffered the mat.
tit 10 Imes without further observatien, he would
himself lat guilty of collusion, and implicated in all
the penalties of the original transaction, notice was
given on the 15th of October to the Honourable
Member that the subject would be' brought before
Parliament. Some subsequent correspondence took
place, but no change of the petitioner's intention was
produced. These were, the facts and-circumstances
of the case into which the petitioner called upon the
House to inquire, in order not only to vindicate its
own honour, but to secure the elective franchise from
those corrupt practices with which it had been in.
vaded—(Hear, hear I)
The Petition was then broaght up and read.
Mr. WILLIAM WINDHAM QUIN then rose—.
'He believed that few personl who had had the ho. '
near of sitting in that House so long, had offered
themselves so seldom to its notice as himself; and he
was sure that he never did so without great pain acid
embarrassment—(Hear, hear.) But he should not
speak the truth if he did not say that he had looked
forward with the most anxious impatience to that
moment when he should rise in his place and ro•ci e
that this was a charge as ungrounded and maliz.• 'it
as had ever been palmed on public society, or a. • d
at the happiness and peace of one of its members; •
i Hear, hear, hear.). He would scornfully say, tha.
that charge did not speak•the language of truth; anci
if the House would indulge him with a hearing, he
would give a true statement of the facts—(Chrering.)
It had been stated in the Petition, and' airly stated,
that this transaction had no reference whatever tothe
last election. In the exercise of his undo od ~,b' at.
he certainly had removed the Clerk of 1... e Pe4Ca
from his office ; and he had done so because he thought
another gentleman had stronger claims, and was bet.
ter calculated for the situation (Hear, hear.) It was
evident that he could have no political end to serve
by this arrangement, for both the parties had uni-
formly supported him tLoud cheering.) if the Peti-
tioner had been long a public servant, and had dis.
charged in person the duties .of a laborious profes-
sion, the case would have been different; but although
he had held the office for fifteen years, he was at
present but twenty-thtee years of age, and conic.
Tamely must have been appointed to the office at the
age of eight years (Hear, hear !) All the duties of
the office had been performed during that time by a
deputy, with the assistance of an underling clerk.
He did not conceal his opinion, that the office ought
to be discharged in person, and he had taken care to
appoint one 'who should discharge it in person....
(Hear, hear!) He had said that the Petitioner had
always supported him, and therefore he could have
no interest in dismissing him from the situation.
When the Petitioner was told that he was to be re-
moved, he appeared to be much affected by the in.
formation, and said, with great emotion, that he and
his family would be ruined_be even threatened to
blow out his own brains. It was proposed some time
after this, by persons who took an Interest in the Fe.
' titioner, that some provision should be made for him
1 out of the emoluments of the office. This had not
: occurred to himself sat Canal and *ben it was pro,