§ Sir R. Simeonpresented a petition from the Isle of Wight, relating to the manufacture of fictitious votes in that island. This evil was one of growing importance, and called for the immediate attention of the House, as, unless a stop was put to the practice of manufacturing votes for party purposes, the legitimate electors would be deprived of the rights which had lately been conferred upon them. If the system 161 of which the petitioners complained was not against the letter of the law, it was at least against its spirit, and contrary to the constitutional rights of the electors. The petitioners threw themselves for protection on that House, and he (Sir R. Simeon) hoped they would not deny them the protection which they claimed. The hon. Baronet concluded by moving that the petition be read.
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Petition read as follows:—
That your Petitioner, William Butt, objected to the names of several persons inserted in the Lists of Voters for the County of the Isle of Wight, at the late registration in 1836, and that both your petitioners attended the Revising Barristers' Court for the purpose of supporting such objections.
That at the sitting of the Court, it was proved, principally by the evidence of John Fleming, Esquire, Member of your honourable House for the south division of the county of Hants, and of James Parsons, steward of the said John Fleming, that the said John Fleming had given to each of the above-named persons, who neither reside in the Isle of Wight, nor have any connexion with that county, a freehold interest for life, to the amount of ten pounds a-year, and upwards, in land and houses in the Isle of Wight, for the sole purpose of conferring votes, and without having received any valuable consideration for such gift, as was openly admitted by the said John Fleming.
That it further appeared in evidence, that the said John Fleming had also made many other votes by gifts of forty shilling freeholds, and that, in making votes, he had given away property worth about 250l. a-year.
That it also appeared, by the evidence of the said James Parsons, that nearly all the deeds creating these different votes, were and had been from the execution thereof in the possession of him the said steward of the said John Fleming.
That such a practice must necessarily lead to a general system of manufacturing votes, and open the door to wholesale bribery and corruption.
Your petitioners, therefore, humbly suggest to your honourable House, that, in order in some measure to prevent the mischief threatened by this practice, residence should be made necessary to a county, as it already is to a borough qualification.
Your petitioners humbly pray your honourable House to take such measures as to your wisdom shall seem meet, for preventing the growth of an evil which, if not checked, will speedily destroy the honesty and independence of the county constituency.
§ Mr. Flemingsaid, that he was perfectly ready to afford every explanation, and perfectly willing to submit to any investi- 162 gation, should a Committee be appointed to inquire into the grounds of complaint brought forward by the petitioners. He, however, would protest against the authority of that House, or against the authority of any other assembly, or of any individual, to question his right to dispose of his property as he pleased. He would refer the House to the revising barristers, whose court, he conceived, was the proper tribunal for investigating such complaints. If hon. Members would refer to the evidence taken before the revising barristers, they would find that it had been proved to the satisfaction of the court, and to the satisfaction also of the petitioners, that the transactions now complained of were bonâ fide conveyances of property. The property was totally alienated from him, and totally removed from his control, and he could not think that the petitioners had acted wisely or justly in adopting the course they had done. Having stated the facts of the case, and expressed his readiness to meet any investigation which the House might institute, he would not trespass longer on the time of the House.
§ Petition to be printed.