Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1840-1842, 1842-07-21
BRIBERY IN the ENGLISH soRoUGHs.

II wv " AsNN
" :ch, for Southampton, and Cor Newcastle in STAFF
fordshirc, obtained their seats through bribery
They are. therefore,, unsealed. though they are MOI
themselves directly charged with having bribed.-
The reason that so many more places than usua
have been reported in this wav 10 not because the
bribery has been much moro h,grsnt than usual
but II Is IN consequence OF a new law, which al
lows the election committees 10 unseat for bribery
although tho members peiitionei against have moi
been proved to have knowingly participated there
in. The scandalous custom OF paying the mos,
distinguished vasabonds and villains in p%arliamea'
tsry boroushs for their votes, has long and exten
sivaly prevailed, though IL has very much increas
ed since :hc passing OF the "teiorm" act, in conse-
quence Of sweeping away that commanding infu
encc which was above bribery. though subject to
other influences which were not exactly in harmo
ny with popular representation.
Besides the places actually reported as having
been prevailed upon by bribery, aud won by COR
ruption, several election petition, are rumoured TO
have been arranged, or compromised, in order TO
avoid a similar report to the house. These are
Leeds, Harwieh, Nottingham, Falmouth, and
Reading. With regard 10 these latter, Mr. Roe.
buck, one Of the members Of Bath, has made n
great stir. MIR Roebuek Is q man OF quick mind.
irritable temperament, eager volubilIty Of speech
familiar with the use of strong expressions, aud
seli'eonhden; to an amazing degree. As TO his APP
pesrance, he is small and mean-lookrng. When he
gets up TO speak or 10 scold, he reminds one OF q
cock-sparrow which has lost most OF its feathers
and some Of its flesh in the moultins season. With
thtotics 100 loISc LOT MS management, anu trOOscrs
too short for his legs, (tboosh they are By no means
long,) he bounces and strains, and says some str'k-
Ing things with great earnestness, but never leaves
the impression that there is anything like capabili.
y IN HIM. II was said that he aspired to be the
Brougham Of tho "relormedr house, but he has
neither the imaginative elevation Of Brousham, nor
the happy e~locution, nor tho impressive uslineSs
and flashing eye, nor the iron frame tina, could dis
penso with sleep, nor the Numbering cataract OF
passion, which swept oil before il, save those who
II had dISciDtlnfl thar minds info tha Il ahifnal fricfdt.
~ Of disdain. Yet MIR Roebuek, though not a
brougham, Is by no means an ordinary person
lie Is active, vehement, and, rs il seems to me-, sin.
eere. His extraordinary sel-conhdence is not mere
stupid conceit OF his own abilities. lie really
thinks he sees what is right, and is vehemcntly
earnest to have his own way, because he thinks Il
IS the way OF truth and justice. He has not the
dull, pig.headed devotedness TO his own views
which distinguishes MIR Hume, nor that admiration
Tor himself Tor the adoption OF sons scientific theory
in opposition TO the ordinary conclusions o9 com.
mon sense, which may be observed in so many
Wings. Mr. Roebuek has evidently within him a
strong detestaiion Of what he considers to be mere
humbus; and though he is rash 10 the last degree.
and full OF mistakes, he is real SO far as he goes.
Going along the streets, he hears this rumour
about the compromising Of various election petit
tons. he takes FIRE at the notion OF SO much mi
guilty being hushed up, and down he comes to the
house TO give notice, that he will ask questions OF
the various members concerned, as to whether such
compromises have been really made. The next
day he IS permitted TO ask these questions:-some
answer him, and some do nos, but he is permitted
TO 60 on. He talks OF being able 10 show grounds
Tor the belief of the house, thct gross bribery has
been committed, and that corrupt compromises have
been made, but after all, he can show nothing but
the exisiencs OF a general rumour. At last the
house consents 10 appoint a COMMITTEES OF inquiry
into the matter, grounded upon the statement OF the
honourable member himself, that he had heard and
believed that such and such corrupt COMPROMISES
had taken place. Never was there q more rash
proceeding, or one more calculated to break down,
and by Its rubbish obstruet the way 10 that reform
OF the practice of borough elections which is really
so much wanted. 1t is hard 10 say what could
have induced the leading men at either side Of the
house 10 give way 10 this stfaase eXp!oi, Of MIR
Roebuek. No one supposes that he has sleadiness,
or Judgment, or knowledge, or weight of any kind,
TO enable him TO conduct the inquiry 10 n reason =
able end. Nor can i; be seen what useful purpo,s
IS TO DO answered. IL is not pretended that any
particular punishment or exposure of any OF ia.
individuals concerned in the late compromises is
even contemplated. AL that is wanted is an ex-
posureo Of the system. But the badness Of the sys.
TEN is now sufficiently notorious. The low viilany
the beasly gluttony and brutal drunkenness
the base, corrupt sale Of votes short, the sys.
tenn by which. at every general election, hundreds
OF thousands OF pounds are transferred from the
pockets OF candidates 10 the bassst set OF people in
all England, not by any means excluding the low
attorneys, aud the expert agents who manage all
this rascaliiy,-this is notorious, and legislation
OuShb u oe ClIeCIeu against "; Dbl tee way 10 such
legislation IS not through Mr. Roebuckis committee.
MIR Tom D~uncombe, whose Character has been
noticed IN the preceding articles, gave 4 striking
Illustration Of it IN reference TO this matter. by a
proposal which could have no other meaning Than a
practical sheer. He moved that no one should ali
upon the m Of inquiry appointed on the
motion Of MIR Roebuck, without first having made
. solemn declaration that he had never been guilty
men', eIIner ny mus-n Dr 1hssig a seat in parlia-
never sanctioned the payment Of airy sums of mo-
hey LOT election expenses, beyond the lesal expen
ses. MIR Duncombe dmitie1 that he eould t,ka
no such test, as his had spent four thousand hounds
al Poniefraci; and, putting together various occa.
ilons, had lett as much as thirty thousand pounds In
members go, up TO tell tales Of the extraordinary
expenses they had been put TO, and n petition was
presented from a notorious radical reformsr. and
purity ol election" man, named Henry waTburton,
owning the quantity OF money lac had paid for his
elections. At all this the house laughed. but Mr.
Roebuck treated Mr. D~1nconbe's motion with Inc
Indignation which its apparent purpose m.rited:-
when there were ten distinct cases before the
house, and parties desirous TO prove them, were
they TO turn round and say that the whole state Of
the representation was 80 bad that they would
make 10 inquiry7 they might 10 very well 10
gam a laugh in that house, aud 10 acquire a char,
aeter Tor righteousness, but /, would not 20 ont IN
Inc country a matter conducive 10 his own honour
or credit IL would 60 forth That the house was
INDUCING itsell. in sneers, and jeers, and Laughter.
a. the immortality which prevailed"
MIR Duneombe presently re!oried upon MIR Roc
buck with reference, II is supposed, to what he
said Of The author n the chariisl petition-that he
(hr D~uncombe) was not one OF hes, who made
attacks upon Others in their absence, and then
shrlnk from the Consequences Of such attacks.-
Thereupon MIR Roebuck rose 10 order, and de-
manded that II he was alluded 10, the when and
how should be stated. The Speaker then intimn
ted that Mr. Dnncombe was on, Of order, bat MIR
Duncombs said he wss not, and repeated his pre-
vious insult 10 Mr. Roebuek. Sir f.. Knatchbul
demonstrated agains. such attacks rs unworthy of
the house. Mr. D~uneombe, with that cool con,emut
OF veraeity which il sometimes considered iocular.
sad he w5s not making any attack, and the house
laughed at the cool eKiravagsnce OF the uniruth-
Afterwards he was permitted 10 say, in nllusion 10
the confessions which had been made by himself
and others:
81 DO think that these confessions oC-bumsn
irailly, u you wIll-(laughter)-a far better than
that sell conceil which sometimes leads soma peo.
pie into other professions Of superior degrees OF
virtue which only they themselves can discern
(aughter.)
This s%parfng between the patriots of Bath and
Finsbury IS worth noticing for The sike Of the mu.
tual exposure, and Of Observing the tone Of levity
which the house exhibited upon the occasion. IL i
a Illuminating thing thot such a set Of people should
70 governing this country, ~ they, in effect, do
The House Of commons Is the only authoritative
assembly IN England where any sort Of folly or L.
norance may be talked, without seeming 10 30 ntal
unusual or Inappropriate. This ia an evil which Il
gaining ground. Leading one almost 10 suppose that
honorable members nTe anxious 20 give another
practical proof Of The justice Of Chancellor Oxen.
siIern's remark "Qamipla 5eisnfia gu5analur
Randi nh Macon Cof,g,-Tbe fru.,.,, NJ ,h;s