Star.
London, England, 1803-04-21 00:00:00

Laws Bill, and the Report wu ordered to be received to- the Walftrates of wilful wrong, but of a negli•
morrow. ce which amounted to an ad of criminality in
A Committee was appointed to prepare an Mimes of the . .
Allowance to Serjeant-Major and Adjutants of the Militia, opinion
whenembodi d
would not depend too much on mere opinion,and a
cHf, .
NOTTINGHAM ELICTION. flatement not fairly proved to the Houfe by fuch
Mr. Howe ss Btowor moved the Order of the evidence that would place the conduit of the Ma-
Day for taking into confideration the Report of gißrates beyond the poffihility of doubt, before the
the Committee appointed to try the merits of the Houfe could lend itfelf to the fupport of the prefent
Nottingham Eleetion. He then moved that the firft Bill. If the Magittrates had aced as the Hon.
Refolutiop fhouldberead. Itwas read accordingly: Gentleman has Rated, he, for one, would fay they
Refolved, that it appears to this Committee, that John Allen deferved the moll fevere endure; but from what
being the Returning officer at the 101 l lleetion for tee Town
and County of thc Town of Nottingham, acted contrary to his he knew of thofe Magiftrates, and the minutes now
duty in opening a Poll, and proceeding to take the votes of lying on the table, he was fore they did not merit
El:Elors for the period of about an hour, and until forty-four this attack ;he was fatisfied a minute inveftigation
Elector bad pollcd,there being, during the whole of that time, of their condua would render them the objects of
no third Candidate.
approbation, not cenfure, and inftead of receiving
Mr. H. Bsowxv moved that its confideration
thould be poliponed, which was agreed to. the caftigation of Parliament, they would receive
the thanksof the Houfe for their impartial conduit I
The fecond Refolution was then read as follows:
at the late Eledion. He had authority for what
Refolved. That it appears to this Committee, that afterdbe
hot day of the laid Median, the freedom of the Election was he was going to Rate, that the Magiftrates made
grofaly violated by diiturbances and riots, accompanied with every endeavour to fubdue the riot; he had no
perfonal intimidation and violence, pradifed and continued doubt bui,,that they had made every endeavour to
during the ha futdcouent days of polling. keep the • public peace, and fupport the freedom
Mr. H. Beowea moved that the Houfe fhould of eleetion. But he would Alt the Houfe whether
agree with the faid Refolution—which was alto' riots were not the common attendants on elections,
agreed to. and where was the member who had not witneffed•
The third Refolution was read and agreed to, confulion arid riot, at either his own election, or
as the above : that of his friend ? Notwithflanding the Magi.
Relayed. That it appears to this Committee, that the Peti-
tioner, Daniel Parker Coke, Efq. after fuliaining feveral infults Orates have ufed their utmoft vigilance to keep
neace et their efforts have in general proved in-
and Coffering pet-focal violence, was obliged, from the jult ap- •
prelactiGon of hazard to his life, to leave the place, and could cum The Magißrates in the prefent cafe had
not venture to return • and that a large number of Eledors in given the police officers the necefary inftrudions
his uncreit were deterred from czereifing their fraachifc at fto do their heft endeavours to keep the peace, and
voting.
the fourth Refolution being read as follows : give their legal and impartial fupport to the eon-
On
Refotved, That it appears to this Committee, that John Da- tolling Candidates. It was true, as had been &-
Woo the Mayor, and Jofeph Oldknow, and Thomas Old- raved by fome Gentlemen conneEted with the
know, two of the Aldermen of the laid Town and County of EleCtion, that the Magiftrates had not called out
the Town of Nottingham, took no'effeitual means to preferve the Militia for the fafety of the public peace—
the freedom of Met-thin, or reltore it when fo violated, or to
punifh the offenders. Such an aft on their part would have been con-
Mr. H. !Stows! moved that the Haute fhould trary to law : it WAS a thing unknown in the Eng-
agree to the Refolutioso Wit Conflitution, and if the Mogittrates had corn-
Mr. Fox faid, before the fandion of the Honk mitred fuch an outrage on Law and propriety, it
was given to this Refolution, he mull be permitted would have been very indecent. lie was ready to
to observe, that it did not appear from the evidence allow that the Committee might have fome ground
adduced before the Committee, that any blame of complaint, yet the Mogiftrates could not fairly
could be attached to the Magiftrates. Nothing be accufed of improper condud.
had yet been laid fufficiently ftrong to convince the Mr. BOND laid, he fhould not follow the left
Houle that the hiagiftrates had been guilty of Gentleman through all his remarks on the conduit
wilful mifcondue, and he was Cure, from a minute of the Magilkates at prefent ; laht at a future pe-
invelligation of the fubjea, that the Houfe would nod, when thl fubjea is again difcutTed, he thould
be fatisfied with the condue of thofe Gentlemen declare his opinion as to their conduct at the late
Eled ion for Nottingham. It was beyond all doubt,
whole names are mentioned in the Refoletion.
The queltion was then put, and the Refolution that a fhameful riot was fuffered to ezift, and if'
Was agreed to. the power delegated by the Crown to Magiftrates
was not made tale of, for the protettion of the pub-
l'he fifth Refolution being read as follows :
lie peace, and the fecurity of a free Elation, but
Refolved,That it appears to this Committee, by an Entry in
the Corpozation Baok of the 'town and County of the Town was rendered inefficient by the neglect of thofe to
soffit* Ingham, that at a Common Han, held on Thurfday the whom it was given, he thought it highly necelTary
Bth day of Januar"). WC pan (atter rccitin the Petitions refer- to adopt fome meafure for the future fafety of the
red to this Committee), it was Refolvc..l, that this Corpora- •
Pubhc Peace and the Freedom of Eleition. The
Lion will defray all fuch legal cape:wee a. base already been
or toot hereafter be, incurred by them the laid John Davi-, Hon. Gentleman then gave an account of the
fon, Joteph Oldknow, Thomas Oldknow, and Juba Altm, or dreadful difturbance that was fuffered to coat,
either of them, or George Coldltam, under their direetion, in without the leaft attempt, on the pare of the Ma.
preparing for, or making, their defence; and that the Cham-
cutrates, to remove it. He laid, among a nuns.
beriaios for the time being be hereby authorized and diretled, -
trent time to line, to adva: cc Mr. Coldhani all and every foch her of aft' of wickednefs praCtifed oathat occafion,
funs and fume of money as may be neceffary for this purpofe." there was one carried into execution, with a cant
Mr. HAWKINS 13SOWNE laid, as this Refolution word as a fignal to a certain Party to know thofe
had no immediate conneCtion with the Bill, he perfons who were obnoxious to them in the eke.
moved that it and the other Refolutions fhould be don. This cant phrafe was called o Punch," and
1 poftponed ; which the Houle agreed to. He alto as foon as a perfon was called, or marked out as
obferved that he fhould take an early opportunity a Punch, his garden, or fome part of his property
to move for leave to bring in a Bill for the better was dellroyed ; there was alio another dreadful
regulation of Elections at Nottingham. evil, which has long exitled, and which he has
The Suess* informed the don. Gentleman every reaion to believe is carried on at Kefent by
that it would be agreeable to the cuftom of the a let of men who have felf.conftituted themselves
Houk, to move for leave at that time. into a mock Tribunal, for the purpofe of trTing
Mr. H. tows then faid, ch.r having had the thofe perfons who have been inimical to the tote
honour to be Chairman of the Nottingham Com- lefts of this wretched let of unlawful judges- Se.
mitteo it became his duty to addrefs the Houfe Yeral perfons have been tried by this mock 'Warn-
!on a lui:jct: which in his mind was of confiderabk bly, and ducked for a fuppofed offence ; this calls
importance to the inhabitants of the town and loudly tor fome regulation. He therefore thought
i county of Nottingham ; and in offering the prefent it was high time to take fome method to fupport
meafure to the confideration of the Ifoufe, for the the peace of the Inhabitants, and the Freedom of
better regulation of Eledions for that • county, he, Elation.
did not mean to accufe any particular let of men- Mr. Fozfaid, be had alluded to former riots at
with illegal condudk, yet lie thought die number- Nottingham, not for the purpofe of proving that
lefs evils which attended the iaa eleCtion at Not. the prefent mediae was not necelfary, but to them
tingham, called loudly for the lei i.ois inre !ligation that if the Magiftrates upon former ixcafions could
of earliament, and their immediate inter:erence, prevent riots, which were hoßile to interells which
to prevent fimilar riots from attending any election they were fuppofed to fupport, there was no ground
for Nottingham. The fcenes ui wickednets prac- to fupprife them criminal, becaufe they had not
tiled during the late eleCtion excee.lel all &Scrip- prevented them upon the prefent occation.
tioa. It was imp:Orbit to give a picture too highly Mr. F faid, that if it was true that the
coloured of the riots and ccr.fulion which accom- Magiftrates had not the means of preventing thofe
panics! that el.:Cion : it was therefore necefery a riots, it was the lirongeft reafon that could be for
Wong meafure thould be adopted, fir the protect- the prefent meafure' which would in a great de-
tion of Electors, and the f: cedom of elettion. The wee remove the evil, by uniting the powers of the
Bill he intended to propofe would not go to dif- Magifirstes of the County with thofe of the town
franchife any body of perfons : it washy no means off' Nottingham. It therefore followed, that the
oppreflive, yet he could not but obferve that if the more the -Houfe was convinced that there were no
Magiftrates had been more attendie to the duties criminal motives in the Magiflrates ofNottingham,
of their office, and had made an endeavour to have the greater mull be the obvious neceffity of the
kept the populace from that outrage they fuffered ptefent meafure.
them to indulge in, there would have been no oc. Leave was given to bring in the Bill.
cafion for the prefent Bill ; but the Magiftrates Mr. H. &OMNI then moved, 44 That no new
exhibited no inclinatiow to keep the public peace, Writ ()toad lime for the town of Nottingham till
on the contrary, they evinced a peke negligence this day three weeks." He laid, if the Houfe ap-
of every duty belonging to their office. fhe Bill proved of the Bill be hoped they would permit it
he fhould thbasit to the wifdom of' Parliament, to pars as foon as poifible, in order that the ifuing
would authorife a concurrent jurifdiflicrn, by which of the Writ might not be notteceffarily delayed:
means the freedom of elation would be preferved. He hoped the Houk would permit the Bill vo be
He therefore begged leave to move for leave to brought in and read a firft time this day; he (tumid
bring in a Bill for more effectually fecuring the then move that it be printed; he fhould then pro-
peace of the town and county of Nottingham. pole to poftpone the fecond reading for a w--k, to
Mr. Pi seat POINT faid, fence he had the honour give an opportunity to throe whore interetts were
to be a Member of that Houfe, he did not recoiled concerned to examine the Bill. After that he hoped
any cafe that called more loudly for the interfe- the Bill would be fuffered to proceed-in the other
renee of the Legiflature, than the fubjea under Rages day by day.—The Motion was agreed to.
difetillion. He was in the town during the elation, Mr. H. Baowse brought up the Bill ref:eeling
and it was inspoffible to defcribe the teen of con- the Magiftrocy of the City of Nottingham, which
fufion and riot which daily interrupted the bufinefs was read a firft time. He then moved that it
of the Eleitioo, and whiEh he could venture. to &fluid be read a fecond time on Wednefday next.
fay, was owing to the negligence of the Mcgiftrates; Mr. Fox faid, he did not mean to oppole the
he did not mean to fay, that they pofitively gave Motion, but, confidering the diftance of Notting-
their fanetion to the wickednefs that pervaded every ham, iere would perhaps hardly be time for the
corner of the town—but lie seat fino, they might Corporation to oppofe it. He, however, wifhed,
have prevented much of the difturbonce which took that as little delay as poffible muld take place in
place on the occafion. He thought the Bill moved the iffiiing of the Writ, becaufe there were molt
for by the Hon. Gentleman, would be highly fer- ' fcandolous praftices going on in that Town, incon.
viceable to the County of Nottingham. I fiftent with the freedom of Eleltion, and with the
Mr. Fox laid, he mull crprcfs his furprife that Refolutions of that Houfe. He alluded to the in-
,Co notch fh mid have been laid ogling the Mai- terference of Peers, and men of wealth, with re•
fixates of Nottingham, by thofe Gentlemen who gard to the Eleition. He wifbed, therefore, that
heel jut told do: Houfe, that they could not acctub any Goldman who was fo unfortunate as to be-