§ MR. GLYNmoved—
That Mr. Speaker do issue his Warrant to the Clerk of the Crown to make out a new Writ for the electing of a Citizen to serve in this present Parliament for the City of Norwich, in the room of Jacob Henry Tillett, esquire, whose Election has been determined to be void.
§ MR. D. DALRYMPLErose for the purpose of making a very brief explanation in consequence of what occurred in this House last Session, when he took some pains to remove from the list of persons reported as being guilty of corruption a voter named Ray. He now confessed he was entirely taken in, and had he known that Ray was guilty of the shabby bribery now proved against him he certainly would not have said a word in his behalf. He thought, however, it was a grave defect in our election law that such men as Lacy and Ray should, in consequence of the lapse of time, be beyond the reach of the punishment which was inflicted on another briber who was most justly undergoing his punishment for the same offence at the same election. Lapse of time did not protect a Member, and he thought the same rule ought to be extended to all persons reported to the House as being guilty of bribery. He believed Ray was rightly taken out of the Schedule, as he was put into it for being concerned in the show of hands, and Mr. Justice Keating in his Report made no allusion to that subject.
§ MR. C. S. READwished to know whether Her Majesty's Government intended to bring in a Bill for the disfranchisement of those Norwich voters who were reported by Mr. Justice Keating to have been guilty of bribery at the last election, and whether such persons would be entitled to record their votes at the next election?
§
Motion agreed to.
Ordered, That Mr. Speaker do issue his Warrant to the Clerk of the Crown to make out a new Writ for the electing of a Citizen to serve in this present Parliament for the City of Norwich, in the room of Jacob Henry Tillett, esquire, whose Election has been determined to be void.—(Mr. Glyn.)