Colonel Daviesrose for leave to bring in a Bill, "for regulating the Mode of taking the Polls in Cities and Boroughs in England." In bringing forward this motion, he was, he said, the organ of a committee appointed to inquire into the abuses which it was proposed by the bill to remedy. The object of the bill was to extend the facilities of voting at present enjoyed by electors; and the mode in which it was proposed to do so, was by increasing the number of places at which polls were taken, and by limiting the duration of those elections. At present every election presented a scene of licentiousness and riot; the contest was always a source of immense expense; and by the stagnation of business, and the interruption of all affairs of trade, the loss was greatly increased. He anticipated no opposition, and should at present confine himself to his motion for leave to bring in the bill.
§ Mr. Robinsonsaid, he was disposed to 600 agree with his hon. colleague, that some measure was necessary to correct the evils of the present system of polling; but, at the same time he thought that great caution should be observed not to abridge the rights of those who possessed the elective franchise.
Lord Lowtherthought it necessary to have a number of booths and polling places in large towns, to avoid the access to the hustings being blocked up by the adverse parties. He should look with jealousy to the progress of the bill, as it appeared to him not to afford sufficient time for bringing up voters from London to distant places.
Mr. Batleywas of opinion, that all the evils complained of under the present system, arose from the too long duration of the time of polling. In the borough which he represented, the election was generally, concluded in one day, and the number of voters polled on the last occasion was one thousand five hundred, including three hundred out-voters.
§ Mr. W. Smithsaid, that the existing inconveniences were allowed on all hands. By shortening the period, and lessening the expenses of elections, the House would, he was convinced, be enlarging; and not restraining the elective franchise.
§ Mr. Fylerdisapproved of increasing the number of polling booths. He disliked to see electors shut up in different pens like so many sheep. He thought they ought rather to assemble in a body, and express their feelings in a united voice.
Mr. Baringsaid, that six days, the term proposed in the bill for the duration of the poll, appeared to him insufficient. He thought, likewise, that if the object was, to curtail expense, the having a number of polling places was not the way to effect it; seeing that the candidates would be obliged to have counsel at each place.
Mr. Secretary Peelsuggested to the hon. mover, that the best argument he could bring in aid of his bill would be some instances of the benefit which had resulted from the abridgment of the poll in particular places. In Norwich, he believed, the duration of the poll had been considerably shortened. He threw out this suggestion, seeing that one practical instance would have greater weight than innumerable arguments à priori.
The Attorney-Generalsaid, that the 601 shortening of the duration of the poll would either deprive out-voters of their franchise, or compel candidates to bring them up numerically and bodily, at an enormous expense.
§ Leave was given to bring in the bill.