§ The Speaker informed the House, that the messenger dispatched to arrest sir W. Manners, and another person of the name of Jervis, had gone down to the country to execute the warrant, but failed in his endeavours. The Speaker then suggested the propriety of having the messenger examined at the bar.
§ The messenger, Mr. Wright, informed the House, that he set off at one on Thursday morning, and arrived at Buckminster by half past four yesterday afternoon; that he went to the house of sir W. Manners, and was informed that he was not at home, and had left Buckminster the preceding evening at six; that it was not known whither he was gone, nor when he would return; the servant said, he was steward 292 to sir W. Manners, and he wrote the substance of his answer on the back of Mr. Speaker's warrant: that he afterwards inquired for Rd. Armston Jervis at his lodgings, and was informed that he had not slept there for two nights; that he delivered the orders for the attendance on Monday of Mr. H. Manners and W. Atterto the steward, who promised to convey the orders to them if he could.
Sir Robert Heronsaid, the House would recollect the report received on Wednesday last from the chairman of the Grantham election committee. In that report evidence was disclosed, satisfactorily showing that notice had been duly served on the individuals who refused to give their attendance. The notes of the short-hand writer had been read, and fully bore out the evidence so disclosed. He thought, therefore, that the subsequent conduct of the individuals alluded to could be regarded in no other light than as a gross violation and contempt of the authority of that House, and as an obstruction to the discharge of those duties which the House had imposed on its committee. As such, however averse he might generally be to measures of rigour, he thought that in furtherance of justice, and to provide against future obstructions of the same kind, the House was bound to animadvert severely upon it. He should therefore now move, "1. That it appears to this House, that sir W. Manners, bart. has absconded, in order to avoid being taken into custody, pursuant to an order of this House.—2. That an humble address be presented to his majesty, that he will be graciously pleased immediately to issue his Royal Proclamation, with such reward as his majesty shall think proper, for discovering, apprehending, and detaining the said sir William Manners."—Similar resolutions with regard to Mr. Jervis were put and carried.