Star.
London, England, 1826-12-05 00:00:00

ATHLONE PETITION.

The SPEAKER called the attention of the House ti
the Petition which had been presented, complaining of
an undue election fur the borough of Athlone, and
hick then lay upon their table, and had been ordered
to be taken into consideration as an Election Petition.
Doubts had arisen in his mind as to whether it could
properly be so considered, and he requested the'assist-
once of the House in deciding that question. According
to the Act of Parliament persons could only be entitled
to present an Election Petition who bad been Candidates at such
Election, or who claimed a right of voting. In this ease the claim
to vote was not stated in express terms, and it remained for the
House to consider whether any of the words of the Petition could
be fairly taken to imply such a claim. If there were any words
which amounted to this claim, then the Petition might remain on
the table, and be taken into consideration pursuant to the order.
The Petition having been read by the Clerk,
Mr. W. W.YNN aid, that by the provisions of the
Grenville Act, as at first passed, no other persons than
candidates and voters were permitted to petition against
a return. An Act was subsequently pssed, enablinga
any person whatever to present an election petition.
This was found to be productive of great inconvenience,
and the law was again altered, and the right had been
from that period to the present time, limited, as it was',
originally. The House would in all cases be disposed
to give a liberal interpretation to Petitions, so as if
possible not to exclude them, because the decision of the
House was not final, the Committee having the power
to stop further proceedings, if it found that the Peti-
tioners were not properly entitled. He remembered a
case in which the power had been exercised, after the
Committee had advanced considerably in the investi-
gad in. The House would on the other hand reflect,
that if the parties were not entitled to permit them to
proceed further, it would be inflicting punishment upon
them, as it would lead them into the useless expense of
bringing agentsond witnesses from Ireland. It did not appear to
him that in the terms of this Petition there was any thing to imply
that the Petitioners claimed a right to vote. limy merely com-
,platned that ail the Burgeon bad not been present at the election,

Mr. GOULBURN said, that there was another Peti-
tion before the House, from eight oist of elrven of the
present Petitioners. That Petition stated, that they would be en-
titled to vote, but for an act of the Legislature, of which they prayed
the repeal.
Mr. W. WYNN said, that as he understood some of
the parties weronow in town, and might probably will
to take some step, he vinehl, instead of moving now that the older
be dkcharged, content hirn*elf with giving notice of a motion to
that effect for to.morrow.

Mr. HERMES brought in the Ten liillions Exchequer Bills
Bill, which WAS read a first time, and ordered to be read a second
tithe to•tnorrow.

WS alga brought in a Bill for the transfer of Five
Millions to the service of the year 18‘27.—itcati a first dine, and
urtiered to be read a second time to-morrow.