Lord Cliveinformed the House, that the Committee appointed to try the merits of the Barn-staple Election, had determined, "That sir Manasseh Masseh Lopes, bart., is not duly elected a burgess to serve in this present parliament for the said borough: that Francis Molineux Ommanney, esq. is duly elected a burgess to serve in this present parliament for the said borough: that the last election for the said borough, so far as relates to the said sir Manasseh Masseh Lopes is void: that the said petition did not appear to the committee to be frivolous or vexatious: that the opposition to the said petition did not appear to the committee to be frivolous or vexatious."
Lord Clivealso informed the House, that the Committee had come to the following Resolutions:
1. "That it appears to this committee, that sir Manasseh Masseh Lopes, bart. was, by his agents, guilty of bribery and treating at the last election for the borough of Barnstaple, and is thereby incapacitated to serve in parliament at such election. 2. That it appears, by evidence before this committee, that such a general system of corruption was practised at the last election for the said borough of Barn-staple, as to render it incumbent on the committee to submit the same to the most serious consideration of the House, in order that such proceedings may be instituted thereon as the House in its wisdom may think proper to adopt."
The said report, and the minutes of the proceedings of the Committee were ordered to lie on the table; and, on the motion of the noble lord, it was agreed "That Mr. Speaker do not issue his warrant to the clerk of the Crown to make out a new writ for the electing of a burgess to serve in the present parliament for the borough of Barnstaple, in the room of sir Manasseh Masseh Lopes, bart. whose election has been determined to be void, till Tuesday, 16th March."