§ COLONEL NAGHTENasked Mr. Attorney General, Whether it is a constitutional proceeding on the part of a Lord Lieutenant to canvass the Electors in the interests of one of the Candidates at an Election for the county of which he is Lord Lieutenant; and, whether such conduct is not an infringement of the privileges of this House?
THE ATTORNEY GENERALSir, there is a Resolution of the House which relates to the Question of the hon. and gallant Member. I will read that part of it which bears on this matter. It runs thus—
That it is a high infringement of the liberties and privileges of the Commons of the United Kingdom for (inter alios) any Lord Lieutenant or Governor of any county to avail himself of any authority derived from his commission to influence the election of any member to serve for the Commons in Parliament.If, therefore, a Lord Lieutenant avails himself of the authority derived from his commission to influence an election, he is guilty of an unconstitutional act and a breach of Privilege of the House of Commons. I cannot say, however, a Lord Lieutenant, by merely canvassing at an election, would be doing that which is unconstitutional or be infringing the Privileges of the House, for I must remind the hon. and gallant Member that there are several Lords 855 Lieutenant who are Members of the House. They have doubtless canvassed at their own elections, but I have never heard that it was considered that by doing so they had committed a breach of Privilege.