Mr. Wynncalled the attention of the House to the conduct of Alexander Lambe, a witness examined in the case of Grampound, with which the House had recently been occupied. This witness had not only contumaciously refused to answer several; questions put to him, but had also taken upon him to destroy a material document respecting the late election, after his first examination. It would be necessary for the House to adopt some measure to prevent the recurrence of acts of this nature; otherwise, at every step of an examination, a witness would feel himself at full liberty to destroy any document, however material to the investigation. The hon. gentleman concluded with moving, "That Alexander Lambe, esq., since his first examination before a Committee of the whole House, to whom it was referred to consider of the extracts of indictments against sir M. M. Lopez and others, for bribery at the late election for Grampound, having destroyed a material document relative thereto, has been guilty of wilful suppression of evidence, and a high contempt of the authority of this House."
§ After a short conversation, the motion was agreed to, and Mr. Lambe was ordered to be taken into the custody of the Serjeant at arms.