come to any criminating resolutions. In order, however, to express this opinion more clearly in the present case, he would rather wish that instead of a vote for passing to the other orders of the day, a resolution should be substituted, declaring that the house saw no reason for a criminating resolution. When therefore the question before them should be disposed of, he should submit to the house the following resolution. "That it is the duty of this house to maintain a jealous guard over the purity and independence of parliament; but that this house duly weighing the evidence before it, and all the circumstances of the case, and considering that the intention referred to in that evi dence was never carried into ef fect, this house does not think it necessary to come to a criminating resolution on the same." On a division of the house there appeared for the original motion 167; against it 216. After this Mr. C. Wynne proposed that there should be added to Mr. Canning's resolution words to this effect, "That the house was confirmed in its opinion that it was unneces sary to proceed farther in the case from the openness which the noble lord had displayed, and the regret he had expressed for his conduct." This motion was negatived without a division. The house adjourned about three o'clock on Wednesday morning. CHAP CHAP. IX. Charges of Corrupt Practices in influencing the returns of Members to Parliament against Mr. Perceval and Lord Castlereagh, by Mr. Madocks.-Motion of Mr. Madocks on this Subject.-An Amendment proposed by Lord Milton.-Another by Mr. Davy Giddy.-The avowed Object of Mr. Madocks's Motion, a Reform in Parliament.-Both Amendments negatived.-As well as the original Motion by Mr. Madocks.-Plan and Motion of a Reform of Parliament by Mr. Curwen. -Long Debate on the Bill proposed by Mr. Curwen, with Modifications so great as, in the Opinion of some Members, to reverse its original Tendency and Object, entertained by the House-and passed.A Plan for Parliamentary Reform proposed by Sir Francis Burdett. -His Motion for taking this Plan into its future Consideration negatrved. Mr. Whitbread's Motion for limiting the Number of Persons holding Seats in the House of Commons, together with Places, Pensions, Sinecures, and Places under the Crown-After a Debate, negatived.—Mr. Wardle's Plan for Public Economy-and Motion for the production of Papers for the purpose of justifying his Statement on the Subject. After many Observations or Strictures on those Statements, this Motion agreed to.-Attention of the House of Commons directed to the Improvement of both the Criminal and Civil Law of the Country-Motions respecting the former by Sir Samuel Romilly.— Agreed to.-Scotch Judicature Bill.-Relief afforded, and intended to be extended farther to the Poor Clergy.-Speech from the Throne.Close of the Session of Parliament. the House of Commons. for the remainder of this session, was the great question of parliamentary reform. On the 5th of May, Mr. Madocks rose to bring forward the motion of which he had given repeated notice, relating to corrupt practices of the treasury, with respect to the return of members of parliament. The charges he had to bring forward were against two of his majesty's ministers. One was against the right hon. Spencer Perceval, for having, through the agency of the hon. Wellesley Pole, been guilty of sorrupt practices respecting the count Castlereagh, for similar practices. He concluded a short speech with moving, that these charges be heard at the bar on Tuesday next. The Chancellor of the Exchequer said, that throughout the whole of his acquaintance with the proceedings of that house, he had never known an instance when an accusation was brought forward against a member, without the substance of it being previously communicated to him; or that he was not allowed, through the common courtesy of the house, to be heard in his own defence. The honourable member, however, however, was the best judge of the course he meant to pursue; and nothing remained for him but to make his bow and retire from the house. Sir John Anstruther said, that the form of proceeding proposed by Mr. Madocks was one of the strangest he had ever heard. What information had been given as the ground for calling on the house to adopt so solemn a proceeding as a hearing at their bar? What charges had the honourable gentleman specified against Mr. Spencer Perceval or lord Castlereagh? Was it ever heard that a member was to be set down as one under accusation, and consequently obliged to quit the house, without the slightest information being laid before the house in support of the accusation? If every member against whom indefinite and vague charges of this kind might be brought forward must withdraw, as a matter of course, the honourable member might soon have the house to himself.-Mr. Madocks said he was willing to adopt any mode of proceeding the house should recommend. Mr. Canning was clearly of opinion that the house ought not to agree to the withdrawing of the motion, (without intending any personal disrespect to the honourable mover) but to mark its disapprobation in so decided a manner as not to render itself liable to the recurrence of such a proceeding. Mr. Whitbread asked if any man could arraign the conduct of his honourable friend who had made the motion, and venture to say that there was not corruption in the election of members of parliament? Corrupt conduct was imputed to Mr. Spencer Perceval and lord Castlereagh; the responsibility was on the mover, and let the house decide fairly. He thought his noble friend might stand on the question of form, and take the sense of the house. It might have been more prudent to consult the opinion of the chair as to the proper mode of proceeding; but, the motion being made, he thought the principle of the right to make it ought not to be yielded. This was an attack, not on all public men, as had been alleged, but on their corrupt practices; and if this attack should be repelled on the question now, he hoped it would be brought on again almost im mediately. Some reasons in support of Mr. Madocks's motion were stated also by Mr. Biddulph; but it was negatived, without a division. House of Commons, May 11. Mr. Madocks rose, and moved that the resolution of that house, passed in the year 1799, be now read, which was done. The resolution stated in substance that it was 66 'highly criminal for any minister or ministers, or any other servant of the crown in Great Britain, directly or indirectly, to make use of the power of his of fice in order to influence the election of members of parliament; and that an attempt to exercise that influence was an attack upon the dignity, the honour, and the independence of parlia ment; an infringement of the rights and liberties of the people; and an attempt to sap the basis of our free and happy constitution." The resolution of the 25th of April last, just stated in our last chapter, chapter, stating that it was the duty of that house to maintain a jealous guard over the purity and independence of parliament, was also read. Mr. Madocks then rose, and enumerated various cases in which the influence of the treasury had been exerted, in returning members to that house -"But, (said Mr. Madocks) having enumerated these cases, which, in my opinion, ought to be submitted to a committee to examine, sift, and regulate, I come now, sir, to a case of what I consider as aggravated in the extreme, and one that calls for an immeliate investigation at your bar. It is to this case that, for the present, I propose to call the particular attention of the house, and to conclude with a motion for hearing evidence at the bar in support of the statement I am ully prepared to prove." The ase was this. In the last general lection, Mr. Quintin Dick purhased a seat in that house for he borough of Cashell, through he negociation of lord Castleeagh to Mr. Henry Wellesley, as he agent of the treasury. That, in a recent occasion of great imortance, (the inquiry into the onduct of the duke of York) ord Castlereagh intimated to that entleman the necessity of his ither voting with the governaent, or resigning his seat in that Iouse. That Mr. Dick, sooner han vote against principle and onscience, made choice of the atter alternative. To this transction Mr. Madocks charged the hancellor of the Exchequer (Mr. 'erceval) as being privy, and aving connived at it. This he ould engage to prove, by wit nesses at the bar, if the house would give him leave to call them; than which they could not take a more direct method to remedy the abuses of the representative system of such places as Hastings Rye, Cambridge, Queensborough, and many other places. The Chancellor of the Exchequer considered this not merely as a criminatory charge against an individual, for alleged mal-practices, (in which case he would have no doubt that the house would readily entertain it). But he did not look upon the present charge in that light: the honourable gentleman had intimated in the opening of his charges, that there was still behind them a mass of other matter; which had been sufficiently illustrated in his detailed statements respecting the boroughs of Hastings, Rye, Cambridge, and Queensborough. It was not so much the vindication of the injured honour of the house that appeared to be the object, as that more general one of following up the system of what was denominated a certain system." This, it seemed, was to be a first step towards general reform.-Whether, at such a time, it would be wise to warrant such charges as merely introductory to the agitation of the great question of reform, he left it to the house to determine. For the present, he declined putting in the plea he could conscientiously put in, until that house should have come to a determination on the propriety of entertaining the charge or not; protesting, at the same time, against the slightest inference of his guilt, from his deferring such a plea a plea till after that decision.After this, making his obeisance to the speaker, he retired; so also did lord Castlereagh, after stating that what he felt on the present occasion was in perfect consonance with that of his right honourable friend who had just left the house. Mr, Madocks moved that "the matter of his charge against the right honourable Spencer Perceval and lord viscount Castlereagh be heard at the bar of the house." Mr. Whitbread and sir Francis Burdett both rose to second the motion. A long debate ensued: one party contended for the necessity of parliamentary reform; another for at least the correction of public abuses, and the propriety, whatever might be the result, of investigation; another insisted on the blessings we derive from the present order of things, the danger to be apprehended from innovations, and, at all adventures, whatever might be thought of the expediency of a parliamentary reform, the present was not a time for the discussion of that subject. Besides, it was observed by Mr. Cartwright, who opposed the motion, that there was a bill now before the house, respecting the subject of Mr. Madocks's charges, the sale and disposal of seats in parliament, and that whatever might be its fate, it would undoubtedly receive a cool and impartial consideration. Whatever restrictions and regulations respecting that subject might be determined on in future, it was inconsistent with justice and equity to act upon them retrospectively. Lord Milton, though not a friend to the project of parliamentary reform, to the success of which did not see any tendency in the present motion, was yet impressed with the necessity of correcting public abuses, and none, he sa called more imperatively for cer rection than palpable interferences of the king's ministers in obtain the return of members to that house. The present ministry, s lordship observed, were not aw more criminal than all former ministrations had been, Thee, however, ought to cease, and prospective remedy should have his support. With a view to that ject, he moved, as an amendment "That in place of the words 'a the bar,' the said charge be re ferred to a select committee." Davy Giddy moved an ment to the motion, for exclud that part of the charge relig to Mr. Perceval and Mr. We lesley, and retaining only th which related to lord Castlereag Mr. Canning reminded the ho that the main and sole object the present motion and its ab tors was, as avowed both by Madocks and lord Folkstone, reform in parliament. They already advanced two steps; had but one more to take, whe was to relieve his majesty's nisters from all attendance in p liament. They meant first to public men of all the influence character, well knowing that wi out such a shield they must pr defenceless and impotent; next to take every thing that liberal from the ambition for pla and reduce public men to that d graded standard to which sucham tion as the present must level the Mr. Hutchinson said, that whe posterity should learn that Ho |