§ MR. WALPOLEappeared at the bar, and brought up the Report of the Huddersfield Election Committee, which he read as follows:—
§
That the Committee had determined—
That William Rookes Crompton Stansfield, esquire, is not duly elected a Burgess to serve in this present Parliament for the Borough of Huddersfield.
That the last Election for the said Borough of Huddersfield is a void Election.
That the Committee had agreed to the following Resolutions:—
That the said William Rookes Crompton Stansfield was, by his agents, guilty of bribery and treating at the last Election for the said Borough.
That treating throughout the said Borough during the last Election was general, systematic, and extravagant in its character:—That between sixty and seventy public-houses at the least were opened by the agents of the sitting Member:— That refreshments were provided apparently without limit, and paid for without inquiry:—That the expenses incurred on that account alone amounted to upwards of 1,000l.:—That, as far as these cases were separately examined into, it appeared that the only persons who were furnished with orders to provide such refreshments were, with one exception, registered Electors.
That it was not proved to the Committee that either the bribery or treating above adverted to were committed with the knowledge and consent of the said William Rookes Compton Stansfield.
That the Committee think it right to submit to the consideration of the House, that a system of treating like that which appears to have prevailed for some time in the Borough of Huddersfield must have the effect of exercising an influence over the minds of voters as corrupting and debasing as direct bribery.
§ Report to lie on the table.