§
House informed, that the Committee had determined,—
That John Fleming, esquire, is not duly elected a Burgess to serve in this present Parliament for the Borough of Devonport.
That William Ferrand, esquire, is not duly elected a Burgess to serve in this present Parliament for the Borough of Devonport.
That the last Election for the Borough of Devonport is a void Election.
And the said Determinations were ordered to be entered in the Journals of this House.
House further informed, That the Committee had agreed to the following Resolutions:—
That John Fleming, esquire, was, by his Agents, guilty of bribery at the last Election for the Borough of Devonport.
That William Ferrand, esquire, was, by his Agents, guilty of bribery at the last Election for the Borough of Devonport.
That it was proved that Frederick Harris' Thomas Down, William Cragg, and others, to the number of seventy-one, were bribed by payments of ten shillings each after the Election; but that such bribery was committed without the knowledge or consent, and against the strict injunctions of the sitting Members.
That the several sums often shillings, by which the above-named Electors are reported to have been bribed, were given to them on account of having voted for the sitting Members in compensation for the time alleged to have been lost by attendance at the Election.
That it was further proved that the authorities in the Devonport Dockyard allowed half a day to all Voters in the yard for the purpose of recording their vote, and paid wages for such half day, irrespective of any work done by such Voters.
That the Committee desires to record its opinion that the payments above referred to of ten shillings to each Voter have been customary at former Elections for the Borough of Devonport.
That, beyond this, there is no reason to believe that corrupt practices extensively prevailed at the last Election for the Borough of Devonport.
§ Report to lie upon the Table.