§ MR. DIVETTbrought up the Report of the Select Committee on the petition relating to the election for the borough of Lancaster. The Report stated that Robert Baynes Armstrong was not duly elected; that the last election was a void election; and that the Committee had come to a resolution declaring that the said Robert Baynes Armstrong was by his agents guilty of bribery, and that certain electors had been proved to have received bribes. He would beg to move that the minutes of evidence should be laid on the table of the House. He thought it right the House should fully consider those minutes; and he would now give notice, that to-morrow he should move that no new writ should issue for the borough of Lancaster till ten days' previous notice had been given.
§ LORD ROBERT GROSVENORbrought up the Report of the Select Committee on the petition against the return for the borough of Tavistock. The Report stated that Samuel Carter, not being duly qualified according to the provisions of the Act of Parliament, was not duly elected, and that Robert J. Phillimore was duly elected.
§ MR. KER SEYMERbrought up the Report of the Select Committee on the Canterbury borough election petition. The Report stated that Henry Plumptre Gipps and the Hon. Henry Butler Johnstone were not duly elected at the last election to serve as burgesses in the present Parliament for the borough of Canterbury; that the last election was a void election, and that the Committee had come to the resolution declaring that the said Henry Plumptre Gipps and Henry Butler Johnstone were, by their agents, guilty of bribery at the last election; that several electors had been proved to have received bribes varying from 4l. to 10s., but that the Committee were not prepared to report that such acts of bribery were committed with the consent of the said Henry Plumptre Gipps and Henry Butler Johnstone; 348 but the Committee reported, that it appeared the elections at Canterbury had been for some time carried on by means of bribery and corruption. He would take that opportunity of giving notice, that as soon as the evidence should be in the hands of hon. Members, he should move a humble Address to Her Majesty that a Commission be appointed to inquire into the practices at the elections for the borough of Canterbury.
§ MR. T. DUNCOMBEsaid, he thought, after the Report which the House had heard, that no new writ ought to be issued for the borough of Canterbury pending the inquiry proposed to be instituted. He should, therefore, move that the writ be suspended.
§ MR. SPEAKERsaid, the hon. Member must give notice of his Motion.
§ MR. KER SEYMERsaid, he would now give notice, as he had intended originally to do, that to-morrow he should move that the issuing of the writ for the borough of Canterbury be suspended.