Star.
London, England, 1819-02-27 00:00:00

WWI. adopted by the Hesse on forgoer emir at a
Align kind, to induce the House to make further
inquiry, before a new Writ was issued in this case, of

rn be agreed to. But before
hicotildmenturs to form'en opinion on this case, he
should wish to hear from the Chair, whether the
House had ever suspended the issuing of the Writ
unless where the Special Report of the Committee
expressly recommended it ?
The SPEAKER.—Being called upon by the Noble
Lord, to state, whether it had been usual for the
House to suspend the issuing a new writ in such a
case, except when there was a special report by the
Committee ; he must say that it was clear, unless
where there was a special report, the House had not
delayed issuing the writ. But that did not resolve
the difficulty in the present case, for here there was
a Special Report. If it were clear from the Report
that no part of it charged the bribery against the
Borough at large, but only against a few individuals,
that could not be considered as giving any opinion
of the Committee as to. the conduct of the Borough
in general ; and he was not prepared to say that in
such a case the House had ever delayed to issue the
writ. At the same time the House could not expect
that he should be able to state off-hand whether there
were any precedent to that effect—(hear, hear). The
Noble Lord had very perspicuously stated the coreect
principle, that the great object of the House was to
complete its representation as soon as Possible. It
was now for the House to decide whether this Report
stated sufficient grounds to induce the House to sus-,
pend the writ. He was sorry that it had not been
possible for him to examine the precedent on the
question—(hear, hear). The first case which must
occur to every one was that of Helstore But that
was a clear case, as the Special Report went to the
suspension of the Writ--(hear, hear).
Lord CASTLEREAGH thought, that after what
had fallen from the Chair, it would be desirable to
postpone the debate, that there might be time to
consider the subject. He moved that the Debate be
adjourned till Monday.
Mr. WYNNE said, there were various cases appli-
cable to the present question, such as those of Shaftes-
bury, Aylesbury, and Stockport. But in all the cases
in which the Writ had been suspended, it had been
on the motion of the Chairman and the suggestien of
the Committee, that the bribery. had been general.
At the same time, evenwhen the Report of the Com-
mittee did not suggest the measure, he was fir from
thinking that the House might nut be inclined to
adopt it on the statement made to them by individual
Members of the Committee. He could conceive
many cases in which there might be evidence of such
corrupt practices in a Borough as would induce the
House to legislate for the future elections in it, with-
out going the whole length of diseinchisement.—
The proposal of the Noble Lord to adjourn the de-
bate, seemed to him the best. For it was to be con-
sidered that suspending the Writ was the greatest
stretch of power that could be exerted by the House,
and ought therefore to be looked upon with great
jealousy. He agreed that to withdraw the Elective fran-
chise from those who grossly abused it, was the most
,useful and efficient species of reform—(hear, hear).--
h had produced the best effects in the various cases
in which it had been done—(hear, hear.)
Sir JOHN NEWPORT said, that this was the se-
cond instance of bribery in the same Borough.
Mr. P. MOORE said, he understood that in this
case so great had been the corruption, that neither
party had ventured to tender the bribery oath.
Where the elective franchise was abused in Boroughs
the House had seen the advantage of extending it to
the Hundred ; for if there must be bribery, at least
that would have the good effect of checking it, by
obliging those who had recourse to it to make it
more general:—(teud letup:ker.)
Mr. HOULDSWORTH said, the Committee had
not pronounced any opinion that there had been bri-
bery on the part of the Petitioner.
Mr. HARVEY said, nothing had appeared before
the Committee as to the Candidates having ref used
to tender the bribery oath. Nor was there any thing
of bribery proved against any but a few individuals;
otherwise, if any thing had come out incidentally,
they would have laid hold of it, to guide them in
framing their Report.
After a few words from Mr. P. Moons, Mr. Ho-
WARD, Admiral SOUTHERN, and Mr. S. BOURNE,
The SPEAKER said, that if any Honourable
Member entertained an opinion, that on all occasions
where the Committee had made a Special Report,
the Writ had been delayed, it was a mistake. The
Writ had never bete delayed but in cases where
there was supposed to be sufficient reason for dis-
franchising the Borough.
The Motion for adjourning the Debate was then
'agreed to.
Mr. WYNNE suggested, that whatever might be
the decision of the House on Monday, it would be
equally necessary to have the minutes produced. He
therefore moved that they be laid before the Houise.
—Agreed to. •

lIR BACH bP

GRADY.

Mr. C. HUTCHINSON assumed the House, it
was with infinite pain that he presented himself to
their notice. • He felt he had undesiaken a most dif-
ficult "task, and .he had to throw himself on the in-
dulgence of the House, and to pray that he might
receive from all parties, if there were more than one
party in that House, both protection and assistance.
His situation was difficult, not because he was en-
om
,4s cng:dvei,nthaawrot
ft ng chiasur,ftelbut.beenceeause hmeiwghast
not s are-he
able to protect an injured sudividual, and support the
gnity of the House. He begged leave to remind
the House, that the decisions the propriety of which
he meant to question, was come to ,on Wednesday,
when theti was a thin House, and *hen some Mem-
bers, ' - decision they,