HL Deb 21 April 1853 vol 126 cc145-6
The EARL of ABERDEEN

, in moving that their Lordships concur with the Commons in the Address to Her Majesty for a Commission to inquire into the alleged existence of corrupt practices in the election of Members of Parliament for the borough of Kingston-upon-Hull, said, he should not feel it necessary to enter into any minute examination of the evidence taken before the late Committee of the other House appointed to try the return at the last election. It was sufficient that that evidence showed that bribery of a most extensive description had prevailed in that borough at the late and previous elections; and upon consideration of that fact, he thought their Lordships had no other course open them but to join in the address to the Crown.

Moved—"To fill up the blank in the Address of the Commons to Her Majesty with (' Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and')"

LORD ST. LEONARDS

agreed with the noble Earl, that here the case was made out; but he must say a word on what had fallen from a noble Earl on a former occasion, as it had led to some misapprehension out of doors. It had been said that it was not necessary to look into the evidence in such cases as this. Now, he wished it to go abroad that, in his opinion, every Peer was bound to make himself master of the evidence taken before the Committee, in order to see how far it substantiated the words used in the Act of Parliament.

LORD CAMPBELL

concurred in the view of his noble and learned Friend. If the Committee had not reported in the words of the Act of Parliament, they could not supply the deficiency; for they could not of their own authority say that the evidence had established extensive bribery; and without a declaration of that kind they had no right to address the Crown. In the present case there was no question at all, and their Lordships could join in this address to the Crown.

On Question, agreed to.

Then it was moved, to leave out the words ("William Forsyth") and insert ("John Deedes"). The same was agreed to. Then the said Address, as amended, was agreed to: and a message sent to the Commons to return the said Address.