HC Deb 21 March 1804 vol 1 cc954-5
Mr. W. Dundas

stated to the House, that he held in his hand a petition, which was deserving the attention of the House. The petition was from William Huskisson, Esq. who had been returned by the returning officer for the borough of Liskeard, as duly elected at the last election, but who. on coming to town to take his seat, found that the under sheriff of the county of Cornwall had transmitted to the clerk of the crown the return, but accompanied with a piece of parchment, purporting to be another return of T. Sheridan, Esq. for the same borough, but which parchment was neither signed nor sealed with the arms of the borough by the returning officer. The petitioner, therefore, appealed to the justice of the House, trusting, that as but one legal return had been made, he should not be prevented from taking his seat until after the decision of a Committee. Having stated thus much, Mr. Dundas wished to abide the sense of the House as to the course he should adopt.

The Speaker

informed the hon. member, that, if the petition complained of an undue return in the usual way, it might be presented as a matter of course; but being such as the hon. member had stated, it could not be brought up without first putting the question on it.

Mr. Pitt

observed, that, according to the facts, if they were truly stated, it appeared that only one valid return had been made by the sheriff, the course for the House therefore to adopt, would be to order the deputy clerk of the Crown to attend at the bar with the last return, in order to ascertain the truth of the facts. If it should appear that only one instrument bad the seal and signature of the returning officer, then unquestionably but one valid return had been made.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer

said, that feeling, as every member of the Parliament did, a strong jealousy on every question relating to elections, if any evidence was to be taken, or. witnesses examined, he had no hesitation in saying, that the petition should go to a committee.

The petition was then ordered to lie on the table, and the deputy clerk of the Crown was ordered to attend to-morrow with the last return for the borough of Liskeard.