The Statesman.
London, England, 1818-03-03 00:00:00

• ,
poets of certain kits 'Meth* Co kis+ itteb to
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tiers sees given to bill* le ilia
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be!
theugl.t Might yet be minie to It. For irieffiniet, to
7ltte clause reipectiog 400"viitits,isi thro 4Fee itia
willin'gtoodd,! that liedeted ietimhiped,
oilhoegh e,et decided, *prevh,ete tw'itettAider the
iteaeOtli hob e'ef polling, should lie dttaltajt
as ;sett of the poll.
Sr C. MOWS Obsorlid, that the • ifteserft
13111 tie Returning °Meer could appoirft hi inlay
Constables as be thought neeissary. Ths.. Ctrs
power that might be evict for a peiticatar ieffeince;
and it seelned desirable that sisch power Obeid il6t
be given so as to serve a political vie*.
Mr. ALLAN objected to the provisions 'of the
Bill, and moved that it be reed a third dine that day
six months.
Mr. MARRYAT said, the there the Bill *abet*
sidered, the more it Would be foetid objectionable.
All the amendments which it bad undergone would
not satisfy his mind. The part of It Which related
to the duration of the poll might do well enough fist
County Elections, where there were itllioo voters ;
but was unsuitable to Boroughs with a smell Mashie
of inters. 11;513111 would have the effect of bring!
log all 11l non-resident voters np on the 'first day
the Election. It was not usual to holfig op Hi*
non-resident voters till it was knee n that Bute
would be a contest. Ile objected to the tra ossferrenee
of any part of the Election expences to their
eontlti-
.tuenls. Upon this principle, why not transfer tile
whole; cud then, as in America and nine,, vote
neat, that they should be paid for their Beset He
thought cockades contributed to the support of 'st
useful manufactory. The distor'bsores it Elections
were not paused by the cockade in the hat, but the
liquor in the head,. He should vote for the Amend-
n ent.
Mr. PROTIIEROE objected to the douse of the
respecttog cockades; be wished the Bill to ISO
to committed, as he sppreved of some parts of it;
be should otherwise vute the itimeodinrut.
Sir W. BURROUGHS•thooght the clause which
pet an sod to the poll at the conclusion of second
day, if 400 voters had not polled, was objectionably.
A candidate might object to hit Idverseries votes,
and thus pot en aid to the Mettsee eagle; ; tqr
there was pot, on the sepposhioe that every eels
was objected to, more than 83 seconds allowed le
determine on each. The clause ton which altterh._
pesselty of 1001. to any one who gave away a cockade,
would give rise to vexatious prosecutions.
, Mr. 11AMMERSLEY thought this a selfish Bill
on the part of the House of Commons, and he wall
sorry to see so little disposition to object to it. The
inconvenience that had been alleged as the reason for
this Act was, that the Member for Devonshire hid
been obliged to stand four days before Ms consti-
Assents, by the opposition of • person who had but
few votes. Ile did not think this a hardship to be
complained of by a Gentlemen who thereby became
the Representative of a populous county for seven
years. The longer the Ilonooreble Member stood
before his constituents the better for himself, and for
then.}--(A taugh.)—He thought this Hill tended by
diminishing espouce to introdeceinto the House per-
sons of less sleight and respectsitility than would
otherwise be elected. 11a should .vote for the Amend-
Mr. WILBERFORCtio
obsprifd, tpat lo bit
opinion the clause respecting the prohibition, Oft
cockades would not sower the initiation for which at
was proposed. The interest of a candidate "se het
a feather in the balance when compared with trio
general interest; and was only entitled to con'
sideration when ideatieed with that of the nation at
large.
Mr. DOUGLAS submitted that this was not the
proper time fur such materiel altemiteiti of the Elec-
tion Laws. As we are now on the ewe of a General
Election, ho thought it would be most advisable ro
refer the consideration of the subject for a year or two.
Sir JAMES GRAHAM, after a teic observations
on different clauses of the Bill, concluded by giving
it his support.
Mr. LOCKHART said, that the restriction on
the use of cockades was highly expedient and neces-
sary ; they led to acts the most profligate and dan-
gerous: unless sea:mimed, they would always prove
a ready engine of bribery. o.or Election Laws
were in • teurse of amendment 'for 200 years, yet
they weft still attended with a great decal of riot,
confusion, and espence. lie was rather doubtful as
to the general tendency of the Gill iu question.
General THORNTON expressed a hope that the
Bill would not proceed any further.
-. ANi EMBER, hose name we coni.3 not learn, oh.
riveted to the Bill.
. Mr. PETER. MOORE observed, that the effect
of some of the restrictions proposed .by this Bill
would be to disfranchise one-third part of his consti-
tuents. The restriction on the use of cockades with
to his opinion, highly inexpedient, as it tended to dis-
esserage an extensive branch of maucfactore. This
slew of the subject had excited a smile in the House;
.Mt it was e matter of serious importance to many thou-
,eseds of industrious individuals who derived their
.support from the manufacture in question. If the
Bill were amended, so as to do sway eith these ob.
jections..he,eitoold feel it his duty to support it.
Mr. WYNN replied. He thought it the duty of
the /Loose to beep a vigilant eye CHI the.. lila, relating
to Elections, especially to make.EliTtions io resift,
free, amid In prevent candidates (foto ;ries( tesssit
- the opposition of adversaries, who had not the least
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