§ Mr. Roebucksaid, that, in giving his notice of a Motion to place on the Standing Orders a distinct Resolution, condemnatory of the interference of the Treasury in the return of Members of that 989 House, he had not had the slightest intention of casting any imputation on his Majesty's Ministers. Such a thing never entered his head. He should be sorry to rest the general propriety of such a Standing Order on any particular case. The general principle was a correct one, and ought to be recognized, without any case whatever; and were he to bring forward any case, and fail in establishing it, still the general principle would remain untouched. By passing the Reform Bill, the Legislature had shown their determination to put an end to nomination boroughs; and had intimated with sufficient distinctness that no one should thenceforward be allowed to make a nomination borough. He repeated, that he had no intention of throwing a slur upon anybody by his proposition. At the same time he honestly and ingenuously confessed that he had an object in view; but that object was totally different from that which had been imputed to him. The Standing Orders were found to be useless, because of their form. What he wished, was, to give greater strength to them; and that while they spoke of the interference of Peers in elections, they should not be silent on the interference of Ministers. He wished to turn the attention of the House by that means to getting rid of a very possible abuse, and to impress upon them that the only means of doing so was to establish the Vote by Ballot. That was his object, and he had no intention of casting any imputations on his Majesty's Ministers. It had been his intention to move—"That it is highly criminal in any Minister or Ministers, or others, servants under the Crown of Great Britain and Ireland, directly or indirectly to use the powers of office in the election of Representatives to serve in Parliament; and an attempt at such influence will at all times be resented by this House, as aimed at its own honour, dignity, and independence, as an infringement of the dearest rights of every subject throughout the empire, and tending to sap the basis of this free and happy Constitution." If, however, the Motion should be considered unnecessary, he would agree, having thus expressed his opinion on the subject, to withdraw it at once, having thus, he hoped, set himself right with the noble Lord.
§ Lord Althorpcomplimented the hon. Gentleman on his candour. The objection which he (Lord Althorp) had to place on the Orders of the House, for the first time, a Resolution such as that proposed by the hon. Member was, that it 990 would give rise to the supposition that something extraordinary had occurred to induce the House to take such a step. He did not think the hon. Gentleman would at all strengthen his position by passing any specific Resolution. The liability of the Government did not depend on any Resolution. No Resolution or Order of that House could justify them in any interference, and they certainly were not justified in interfering, whether any Order existed against it or not. He remembered several cases since he was in Parliament, when Ministers were attacked on this point, and on one occasion they deemed it advisable to bring in a Bill of Indemnity, although no Resolution was on the books of the House against such practices. He certainly could have no objection to the hon. Member withdrawing his Resolution.
§ Motion withdrawn.