The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1833-03-05 00:00:00

LIVERPOOL PETITION.

We take leave to call the attention of our readers to the
speech of Lord Sandon on the presentation of the disfranchise-
ment petition, which we publish at length.
HOUSE OF CONMONS, V4ll. 21.
Lord Viscount SANDON.—I do not rise upon this occasion
for the purpose of entering into a full iliscussion of the matter
contained in this petition, as a more proper occasion will offer
itself, whenever my honourable friend shall bring forward the
motion which he intends to found upon it. I will only say,
that, in the first place, the honourable gentleman must himself
admit that three elections have passed over unimpeached, since ,
that on which he founded his original measure of disfranchise-
ment. And what, sir, I would ask, are the circumstances con-
nected with this petition? I cannot, indeed, help observing,
that there are some strange peculiarities attaching to it. I
would first. remark, that the petitioAers in this case are disap-
pointed parties,—parties who, having thought it worth their
while to collect large sums of money for the purpose of esta-
Wishing a ease against the late election, have shrunk from
doing that which was done upon a former occasion, when simi-
lar charges were brought forward against the freemen of that
borough—have shrunk from submitting their charges to the in-
vestigation of a tribunal—the only fit tribunal—one in which
the judges are sworn, and the witnesses are sworn,—and, from
a sense of the weakness of their cause, have preferred submit-
ting it to this house, sitting not in its judicial but in its politi-
cal capacity, wherein neither judges nor witnesses are acting
under the sanction of an oath. I say that these accusers of the
freemen of Liverpool have shrunk from that which was the only
proper course; and that the very same parties, who originally
introduced corruption into that place, who have since wheedled,
and coaxed, and praised them, as long as any hopes remained
that the freemen would become their tools, are now the parties
who come forward to pray for their disfranchisement. Surely,
if they had felt their case was strong, they would have laid it
before the ordinary tribunal, an Election Committee. Sure I
am there was no want of political hostility to myself, nor of de-
sire to seat my opponent, which could induce them to neglect
that course. The only circumstance to which I can attribute
the course which they have pursued, is the total, the absolute
want of proof of the allegations set forth. I ueed not, I believe,
assert my own freedom from any share in such practices, for I
do not believe that I have been ever supposed to be connected
with them; but from the solemn assurances of men of honour
and respectability, who must have known the fact, I feel an
equal conviction that there has been no corruption whatever on
the part of my committee. lam confident, not only with re-
gard to myself, but with regard to my committee, that they nei-
ther committed, 'nor connived at, bribery or treating at the last
election. so numerous a body I cannot pretend to say, that
some indisMeet friend may not have given a glass of ale, but
that either bribery or treating was either committed or con-
nived at by my committee, I feel the greatest confidence in de-
nying. The petitioners state, that they hail meant to consider
the Reform Bill as a sort of quietus for the past, if it had not
failed in effecting its purpose—the purifying the elective body.
I no not mean to deny that upon one occasion, there was great
and notorious bribery ; it would be impossible to deny it; an
Election Committee conducted the investigation, and their ver-
dict confirmed and substantiated the charge • But Ido deny
that since that notorious case there has been bribery at any
subsequent election,—l say that three elections have taken
place since that notorious case, and those three elections have
gone by unimpeached.
Au honourable MEMBER.—Hear ! _ _

Lord Viscount SANDON.—I say again—unimpeached; be
cause against two, not even a rumour has been raised; and
against a third, vague rumours only, which cannot be held to
be sufficient proof of guilt, in the absence of any satisfactory
evidence of the charge. But these parties say, that if the Re-
fiorm Bill had done its work, they would not have prosecuted
this affair. If they dare not attempt to prove corruption, what
do they mean by the Reform Bill not doing its work, but this,
that Alas " not worked" favourably to them ? that it has not,
as they expected, secured the predominance of a certain party
n the place ? If, indeed, the Bill had so "worked," I believe
his petition would never have been heard of But they shrink
from attempting to establish their case in the ordinary, the only
proper way ; they shrink from resting their case on the evidence,
which they could bring forward as to the last election—they
dreaded, I doubt not, lest their petition, under such circum-
stances should have been voted frivolous and vexatious; but
they take advantage of the effect of former proceedings on the
character of the freemen, of the effect of the broad and general
allegations they. have been so long circulating as to the conduct
of the last election, and trust to these circumstances for a suc-
cess, which a stinted investigation would never have secured
them. I shall on this occasion_say nothing further, as a future
opportunity will be afforded for entering more at large into the
subject. 1 only wish at this momeut to enter my protest against
the-abject etttre-petitieners, awl.the allegations the have ad-
vanced. -
Mr. WASON.—The noble lord began his observations by de-
precating a discussion upon this subject, at the present mo-
ment ; and he immediately followed up this remark, by making
a series of assertions, which I have no doubt he believed to be
true ; but which I, in my place, declare I believe to be wholly
destitute of foundation. The noble lord appears not to have
read the allegations contained in the petition ,• for he has not
once adverted to the fact complained of—namely, that the may-
ors of the town of Liverpool have, for many years, been elected
through bribery and corruption.
Lord Viscount SANDON.—Not of late years.
Mr. WASON.—Why, I certainly must say, that, of late years,
the money has been wanting wherewith to bribe and corrupt
the electors of the chief magistrate.
Lord Viscount SANDON.—Oh ! oh !
Mr. WAsoN.—I hear the noble lord's exclamation of "Oh,
oh," but I will tell him, that at the very last election, (which
was contested in 1827, between Mr. Potter and Mr. Robinson,)
the office of chief magistrate of the second town in England,
cost the successful candidate nearly £BOOO. Will the house, I ask,
suffer the seat of justice to be thus purchased by bribery and
corruption—and to be made the means of corrupting the free-
men and lower classes of the people of Liverpool ? Will the
house receive the assertions of the noble lord in opposition to
the allegation of 3000 inhabitants of Liverpool,—who state that
their chief magistrate is elected through bribery and corrup-
tion? I say, that the noble lord is not warranted in observing
that the petitioners have shrunk from doing that which is right;
and I think it better, at once, to state what is the fact, and what
it is that has given rise to the noble lord's animadversions upon
the petitioners. Sir, they are politically opposed to the noble
lord, who states, that they. have "shrunk" from prosecuting
their charge under the provisions of the Grenville Act, for fear
of their petition being, by a committee of this house, voted
frivolous and vexatious. I know there ale many hon. gentle-
men near me, who have sat upon committees on election peti-
tions, and I would only ask them how many petitions have
been voted "frivolous and vexatious ?" I believe that there
have not been more than four or five such cases since the
passing of the act.
Lord Viscount SANDON.—There was one case last year.
Mr. WASON.—The noble lord says there was one case last
year. Be it so: that is one of the number I have named.
Now, although they are opposed to the noble lord, these peti-
tioners have that sense of justice which induces them to forbear
from entering into an inquiry as to the validity of the noble
lord's scat in this house. But, sir, the fourteen days prescribed
by law are elapsed (for it would have been inconvenient for the
noble lord to have made such impptations had only twelve days
passed over.) The noble lord is not nice about casting impu-
tations upon those very respectable persons who have signed
the petition. I say, however, the noble lord is not justified in
the course which he has pursued; and that his vituperation of
the petitioners comes with a bad grace from him. I maintain
that, upon the occasion of the last election, a drunken freeman
was carried on the coach-box of the noble lord's carriage, the
noh!e-lord himself being inside ; and that at the polling booth,
the deputy of the returning officer refused to take the votes of
many of the freemen, because they were in such a beastly state
of intoxication. The candidate who was opposed to the noble
lord polled 600 votes ahead of him on the first day; and I will
ask how will the noble lord account for the circumstance of his
having been returned, ultimately, by a majority of 145? Will
he say that the old freemen did not hold back till the last day,
with a view to snake their votes so much the more valuable?
I du most cordially support the prayer of this petition; and I
have thought it my duty to make these observations in justice
to the petitieners, who pray only for an inquiry. I feel con-
fident that, with the exception of the noble lord, thew will not
' be found two gentlemen in this house, who would wish to re-
fose a fair inquiry into the allegations of this petition.
Mr. T. GI,ADSTONE.—AS I am aware that the assertions
Made by a successful candidate, as to the purity of his sup-
porters, are always received with due caution by this house;
and happy to have it in my power to bear testimony to the truth
of what has been stated by my noble friend. I happen to be in
possession of the whole amount of the expenses incurred at the
last election of the noble lord; and I feel-confident that if the
statement were submitted to this house, not one of its members
would leave it without being satisfied that, after defraying the
legal expenses, nothing could be left for corrupt practices. I
tini fax from impugning the respectability of the individuals who
have signed the petition now offered to the house; but I do
think it most unfair that, after they have slunk away from their
first intention of attacking the scat of the noble 101, they should

bring such allegations against him and his supporter
contained in this petition. Thejhon. member who hi
down complains of the noble lord, because his coast'
perhaps, not quite so sober as those of the seat
represents. We have heard a great deal of the ei
to be produced upon the old constituency of Livt
Reform Bill—that cure for all our grievances. No
are the facts ? I can state on the authority of a hi,
officer, that at the recent election, more than om
old freemen registered as householders, and fully
might have so registered. So much for the effects o)
form Bill. There is another important consideration
with the prayer of this petition,—that is the injustice I
be inflicted upon the hundreds of persons admitted to
doin since the notorious election of November, 1830.
protest against the unfairness of the whole of this
and particularly against the manner in which the
contained in the petition are made to bear upon the n 4
Mr. WARBURTON.—If I understand this matter co,
attempt is made by the petitioners to unseat the no,
What the petition more particularly refers to is, the
practices which prevail in regard to the election of
opal officers of the town of Liverpool. The hpn.
who spoke last, states solemnly that no undue prat.
place during the last election at Liverpool for members
in Parliament,—either on the part of the noble lord, or
who mipported that noble lord. Now, I would ask, hi
possible,—in case where two great parties are opposed
other,—that any individual can make a positive assertion
what may or may not have been done by either party,
circumstances of this description. Why, sir, an arde
porter of either candidate may, without the knowledge
other human being, himself tender a bribe to an elector
not, then, a very fit inquiry for this house to make, as to
individual voters may not have induced others to vote
side or the other? I really feel that it is our basin"
that an inquiry be instituted into the allegations set
this petition.
Lord Viscount SANDON.—In answer to the obs
the hon. member for Bridport, I will only state that
who is acquainted with Liverpool can have any doubt
erroneous nature of the statements that have been made
subject.

BENETT.—I beg to assure the noble lord, that
servations that I have addressed to the house, I had 00
tion to refer to him.

The petition was then ordered to lie on the table.

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