§ The Parliamentary Elections Act, 1868.
§ The Parliamentary Elections and Corrupt Practices Act, 1879.
§ The Parliamentary Elections and Corrupt Practices Act, 1880.
§ To the Right Honourable
§ The Speaker of the House of Commons.
§ We, the Eight Honourable Sir Robert Lush, knight, and the Honourable Sir Henry Manisty, knight, Judges of the High Court of Justice, and two of the Judges for the time being for the trial of Election Petitions in England, do hereby, in pursuance of the said Acts, certify that upon the 21st, 22nd, 23rd, 24th, and 25th days of June 1880, we duly held a Court at the Guildhall, in the Borough of Plymouth, in the County of Devon, for the trial of, and did try, the Election Petition for the said Borough between Isaac Latimer and Francis Barratt, Petitioners; and Edward Bates, Respondent.
§ And, in further pursuance of the said Acts, We certify and report that at the conclusion of the said trial, We determined that the said Edward Bates, being the Member whose Election and Return were complained of in the said Petition, was not duly elected or returned, and that his Election and Return were and are wholly null and void on the ground of bribery by his Agent, and we do hereby certify in writing such our determination to you.
§ And whereas charges were made of corrupt practices having been committed at the said Election, we, in further pursuance of the said Acts, report as follows:—
§ That no corrupt practice was proved to have been committed by or with the knowledge or consent of any Candidate at such Election.
§ That there is no reason to believe that corrupt practices have extensively prevailed at the Election for the Borough of Plymouth to which the said Petition relates.
§ Dated this 25th day of June 1880.
§ ROBT. LUSH.
§ H. MANISTY.
§ And the said Certificates and Reports were ordered to be entered in the Journals of this House.