The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1835-03-24 00:00:00

Imprrial Vatliarant.

HOUSE OF CO MMONS.—WEDNESDA Y.
(Concluded from the LIVEIfPoOL STANDARD of Friday.)
IMPatsox MEN T FOR DEBT BILL.

This bill, on the motion of Sir John Campbell, was, after a
shoit debate, read a sectm.l time and referred tto a select coin-
mittee.

COURT OF SKSSION BILL (SCOTLAND.)
The lord Advocate moved the second rearlitw of this
The bill was read a second titne cud referred to a select cont.
inittee.

IMPItrSONMENTPOR bEitT BILL (scoil.Argo.)
This bill was read a second time, and, nu the trwtion of the
Lord Advocate was referred to the same committee as the court
of session bill.

INTIMIDATION AT ELECTIoNS.

Poruree, in moving for leave W 'mug in a bill to pro-
tect the free exercise of the political franchise, said he was
awate that a committee had been appointed on the subject of
bribery and corruption, and also of intimidation at 'elections,
vet, nevertheless, he should wish to bring in his bill, but w -o:t1
suspend its progress until he saw what the committee would do.
The legislature having conferred the 'elective franchise on a.
large portion of the community, was bound to protect them in
its exercise. It was well known that many men could not ex--.
ercise this rig,ht without great risk. The evil of intimidation
lay chiefly with the.agents of candidates, who, behind the backs
of their principals, used threats of loss of custom and patronage,
so as to prevent many from giving a conscientious vote. The
great object of his bill was to prevent this species of intimida-
tion. This was not a new principle. The confession of a pri-
soner was not held to he good against him if given under any
threat or promise, and though this was carried sometimes to an
absurd extent,
yet the principle was a good one. The act of 5
Geo. IV., cap.9s, gave a power to artisans to concert and com-
bine as to their wages; but they were prevented from using in-
timidation. 'Now, his object was to give to
.ju lges a discretion-
ary power to punish any attempts at intimidation, and to have.
Ate punishment increased for the second offence, and that it
should be followed by the loss of the right of voting. He also.
proposed that there should be an oath, which might be admiuis-
tered to the voter at the desire of the candidate or any two elec-
tors, as to whether any threat or intimidation had been held out
to him. Unless some measure of this kind were adopted it
would be inipssible to guard against intimidation. Be the
mode of voting as secret as they might wish, still the wanly
feelings of Eoglishmen could not he prevented from avowing
the party for whom they intended to vote, and with such avowals
they ought to be protected in the exercise of their franchise.
One great object of his bill would be to give full force to the ex-
ercise of moral influence, and to put a stop to every thing which
would destroy that moral influence. fie would now move for
leave to bring in a hill to protect the free exercise of the politi-
cal franchise-1n England and Wales.
Leave waS given to soiogin the
WEIGHTS AND 31EASIIRES.
On the motion of Lord Ebriugton, idler a short conversation
between Mr. Wallace, Captain Pechell, Mr. Angerstein, Sir T.
Freemantle, and Sir G. Clerk, a select committee was appoint-
ed' to examine into. the provisions of the act of last session for
establishing uniformity of weights and measures, and to con-
sider of such amendments in that act as may be calculated to
carry its-objects more fully and sati4tetorilv into effect.
Mr. SHAW LEFEVRE obtained leave to brill, in a bill for the
amendment and consolidation of the laws relating to the high-
ways in. England and Wales.