Lord Broughamsaid, that as several reports had been made as connected with the general notice which he had given last Session, he would now put off his notice till Monday next, when he would certainly bring it forward. At the same time, he must state that he had looked in vain in the proceedings of the other House for a compliance with, or an indication of a compliance with, an important provision of the Bribery Act which their Lordships had passed in the last Session of Parliament. He had looked in vain for a compliance with the provisions of the act in the proceedings of several committees which had reported on the subject of bribery. They had reported against the sitting Members in certain cases, and they had been un- 1251 seated on the ground of having been returned by bribery. A clause in the act directed, in respect to these committees,
And also that they shall report whether or not it shall have been proved that such bribery shall have been committed with the knowledge and consent of the sitting Member or candidate,It might be that the report on this point did not appear on the votes, but he thought it was indispensably necessary that it should so appear. This clause had been retained in the bill by their Lordships, and a most important clause it was. It enacted, that election committees should receive evidence of the whole matter of the allegation of bribery, without the necessity of previously proving agency; nay, more, it directed that the committee should report separately and distinctly on the facts of bribery. This involved more than a general charge of bribery.Their Lordships adjourned till Monday.