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COLONEL FRENCH moved:
That Mr. Speaker do issue his warrant to the Clerk of the Crown in Ireland to make out a new Writ for the electing a knight of the shire to serve in the present Parliament for the county of Mayo, in the room of George Henry Moore, Esq., whose election has been determined to be void.
COLONEL NORTHsaid, he rose to oppose the Motion on the ground that the Committee that tried the petition, and of which he was a Member, thought that the writ should not be issued until the 386 result of the trial ordered by the House with reference to the last election was known. The inquiry lasted nearly five weeks, and during its progress circumstances of such a nature were made known to the Committee as to induce them to recommend the House to suspend the issue of the writ until the trial of those priests, against whom a prosecution had been commenced in pursuance of a Resolution of the House, and the result of which trial would shortly be known. He therefore begged to move that the issue of the writ be suspended until then.
§ COLONEL FRENCHsaid, he would remind the House that when this question was brought before them last Session they resolved that the writ should be suspended during that Session; and he called upon the noble Lord at the head of the Government to put a stop to the attempt of the hon. and gallant Gentleman to overrule the privileges of the electors of Mayo.
§ VISCOUNT PALMERSTONWhen this question was last brought before the House I certainly concurred in the opinion of those who thought that the writ should not issue, and that it be suspended until a certain prosecution was terminated, believing at that time that that prosecution would take place in the course of the autumn, and that before Parliament met again the House would be in a condition to order the issue of the writ. It is perfectly unnecessary to explain the reason why that result has not taken place. The prosecution is still postponed, and I confess, under these circumstances, it appears to me doubtful whether it is right and proper that we should continue to oppose the issue of the writ. I am bound to say that the objection which was urged against its issue last Session is no longer tenable, and as far as I am concerned, I have no objection whatever to urge against the Motion of the hon. Member for Eos-common.
§ Motion agreed to.