The ATTORNEY GENERALmoved the Second Reading of the Cheshire Returning Officer Bill, and in doing so begged to explain that Chester was a county palatine in itself, and that consequently until the passing of the Act 1 William IV., cap. 70, the writs were always directed to the Chamberlain of the County Palatine of Chester, as the Queen's writ did not run in the county. The 1st William IV., c. 70, abolished the practice; but, nevertheless, since then all the writs for the county had continued to be directed to the Chamberlain, and had been consequently perhaps irregularly issued, and all the hon. Members returned by the various constituencies had been elected under writs issued by that officer. As the practice could prevail no longer, it was necessary to pass the short Act which he had introduced on the preceding evening, under which, for the future, the writs would be directed to the sheriff of the county, or the sheriff of the county of the city of Chester, and former elections would be declared valid. He trusted that the House would allow the Bill to be read a second time, committed, and engrossed, and to be read a third time that evening, or as soon as possible after being engrossed, in order that it might be made law before next Saturday, when the writ issued for the city of Chester should be returned.
§ Bill read a second time, and passed through all the other stages.