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explain to him that it was out of his power the rev. gentleman, whose petition was to return; that all hope of his being re- the ground-work of the present motion, stored to health, sufficiently for any such was, of all the petitioners whose cases he a purpose, was out of the question; and had had to consider, the most unfortunate he felt it his duty to recommend him to in failing to produce any reasoning. or resign his office. He said to him, that he any substantial allegations, calculated to was well aware that while he was in Eng- obtain the respect or attention of the land, the bishop's commissary was in the House. The noble lord had admitted that discharge of the episcopal functions, and there was no ground on which he could that, therefore, his absence from the colo- found his motion, except the assertions of ny for a time was not material; but that the reverend petitioner; and he had asthere were some duties which a bishop serted the other night, that he was precould alone perform, such, for example, as pared to rest his case exclusively on that Confirmation, and that consequently the petition. His noble friend on the other long-continued absence of the diocesan side the House had fully shown, that the from the colony, from any reason whatever rev. gentleman had displayed no small was inconvenient, and that he thought it measure of the temper in which he was essential that such an inconvenience should always disposed to treat all persons and be removed. Dr. Stunzer replied, that he | all things which did not suit his feelings. was perfectly ready to resign, but that he Wherever the rev. gentleman went, he had sunk his private fortune, and had no- seemed determined to get into hot water thing whatever to live upon. In conse- with somebody;

He would, however, quence of this, applications were made to wish to make the House believe that he the governments of New Brunswick and of was one of the most mild and inoffensive Nova Scotia : out of their funds the first of human beings, and that he was always province consented to grant to Dr. Stunzer the victim of some malignant or cunning an allowance of 3501. per annum; whilst conspiracy wherever he went. He had Nova Scotia granted 2501., and upon his re- read the petition over, and he must concommendation, the Society added 2001. per fess, that it appeared to him to contain annum more. Many noble lords might pos- a good deal of that figure of rhetoric, , sibly think these sums extravagant; but for which was usually known by the designahis part, he was not of that opinion. It must tion of rigmarole; and that no part of it be recollected, that he had had no power, was of a nature to require any great deno right, no authority, to require Dr. gree of attention. But he had in his posStunzer's resignation; and if he had pos- session a curious specimen of the temper sessed such powers, he had no hesitation in which this rev. gentleman was disposed in saying that he would not have exercised to express himself when his views were them without taking care to provide for thwarted, or when his feelings were under the individual. He confessed that he was excitement. What he would read to the not one of those who possessed that iron House was a specimen of his style of sense of duty to put to any man the alter- epistolary correspondence with those who natives of going out to Halifax to die, or had the misfortune not to please him; and to stay at home and starve. Whatever when the House had heard it, their lordimpropriety there might have been in the ships would not be surprised at the pertransaction, the Society for the Propagation petual hot water into which the rev. genof the Gospel was wholly and intirely inno- tleman seemed plunged. In 1826, this cent of it: the blame, if any blame did exist, rev. gentleman had taken it into his head rested exclusively on him. The petitioner to address a letter to the bishop of Nova was a gentleman who, unfortunately, from Scotia, upon a subject which had nothing an exasperated state of mind, could not be whatever to do with the Society for the relied upon; and there was no ground-Propagation of the Gospel, as the bishop's work laid to induce the House to institute income was not derived from any grant to the examination which was required. He the Society by the public. He tells the should, therefore, oppose the motion. bishop, that the public will judge him to

Lord Goderich said, it would be unne- be a man who was so crafty, and so praccessary for him, after what had fallen from tised in the art of duplicity, that he was his noble friend, to trouble their lordships acting the part of a madman or a devil. with any extended reasonings upon the “ It will require,” he says, “the utmost subject ; but he must say that he thought I exertion of your abilities in the art of dis

simulation to set people against me.” Was, would now make a few observations rethis the language of a peaceable man, a specting what the petitioner had said repreacher of the gospel, to his superior ? lative to the 501. or 1001. offered to him The rev. gentleman continues :-“I must as an inducement not to bring the subject exhort you to repent of your enormous of his petition before the public. He (the guilt, so contrary to law, reason, justice, bishop) had received a letter from an and the gospel of Christ. At this time, eminent clergyman of the Established perhaps, this warning will be in vain, while church, which was conclusive on the you are puffed up with worldly pride and subject: he alluded to archdeacon Pott. ignorance. Tremble at the thunder of The archdeacon stated how he came to the Most High God, with whom there is have any communication with Mr. Griffin, no respect of persons ;-prepare for the and what was the purport of all that had thunder.” Could the House think of in- ever passed between them. The archstituting inquiries upon the allegations of deacon had had his attention called to such a man ? - The case of the rector what had been stated in the House of of Saint Paul's had been adduced as a Lords, respecting his having offered 501. proof of the mismanagement of the funds or 1001. to Mr. Griffin, in order to induce of the Society. It was urged, that the him to stop all further proceedings relative rector was at the same time a Missionary. to his appeal against the Society for the It was to be inferred, from this, that the Propagation of the Gospel. The archduties which he had to perform as Mis- deacon said, in his letter, that Mr. Griffin sionary were distinct from those of his came to his house at Kensington, between rectory. But the rectory produced him seven and eight o'clock on Sunday evennothing; for although it had attached to ing, he never having seen him before. He it a glebe land, that glebe yielded nothing; had declined entering into Mr. Griffin's and if the unfortunate rector was not as statement, which he had been desirous of sisted by the Society, he would be left making, but he observed to him, that from without any remuneration for the dis- the intemperate language he had made charge of the parochial duties as rector. use of in his letters, every body would feel Mr. Griffin complained, that the Society convinced that the Society did well in getwas disposed to employ as Missionaries ting rid of him. Mr. Griffin then replied, those whom this rev. gentleman is pleased

“ Was there no door left open for repena to call natives. One would suppose from tance or apology?” The archdeacon rethe manner in which he treated those joined, that there was, if he wished to people, that they were inhabitants of a make one. At the next meeting of the savage country. They were, however, committee of the Society, he related what fellow subjects, born in that country, and had passed between him and Mr. Griffin, educated at the College of Windsor, in and he wished that an apology might be Nova Scotia, and for which the Education accepted by the Society. On the Monday, Society had granted small sums, for the Mr. Griffin called on him again, when he purpose of inducing young men to be told him that if he made a proper apology, educated as clergymen; and it was the the committee might recommend his case practice of the Society to select such in- to the attention of the Society. A hundred dividuals, rather than exercise their pa- pounds were mentioned as the utmost that tronage by the appointment to the church he could hope to receive from the Society; of persons brought up at home. It was but it was impressed upon his mind, that true that many might wish that none whatever sum he did receive, the principal should be appointed to missions except object would be to place him on a better persons educated at Oxford and Cambridge; footing with the Society, especially in rebut the views which the Society had taken lation to his future prospects. He added, were more liberal and just. The noble that if Mr. Griffin imagined that in making lord had, he thought, totally failed to the proposal, he was influenced by fear, or make out any case which could justify a any apprehension of exposure, or desire reference of the petition to a committee. of concealment or suppression of any

The Bishop of London said, he would statement injurious to the Society, he deny that he had evinced any disposition (Mr. Griffin) acted most unfairly towards to shelter the Society from an inquiry into one who intended all he did merely as a the distribution of its funds. He had kindness to him. Mr. Griffin made no never said any thing of the kind. He reply. He never said that his petition VOL. XVIII,

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was to be presented to the House that

HOUSE OF COMMONS. evening. The right rev. prelate concluded by observing, that the letter of the arch

Friday, March 21. deacon completely refuted what had been East Retford DISFRANCHISEMENT said respecting any desire to induce Mr. | Bill.] The order of the day being read, Griffin to suppress any charge he might Mr. Tennyson stated, that he rose to conceive himself able to bring against the move that this bill be re-committed. He Society.

understood his hon. friend's purpose was, Lord King said, he had not given to move an Instruction to the Committee; any guarantee for the good temper of Mr. if so, it was clear that such motion Griffin; indeed, he could not have done would be irregular until the House had any thing of the sort, for he had never seen resolved to go into a committee, and him but once. All he had stated of the after the demonstration made by his rev. gentleman's character was, that he hon. friend it might be expedient for him possessed a certificate of the inhabitants of (Mr. T.) to explain the course which, in Bridgetown in his favour. The manner in his judgment, ought to be followed in the which he had been treated by the House further discussion of this bill. That dishad not evinced the best possible temper cussion would naturally divide itself into on the part of their lordships. The course three distinct parts. The first question taken against him was not by any means was, “whether sufficient evidence of the unprecedented ; for whenever a person ap- Corruption of the Borough of East Retford pealed to the House for redress, or attacked had been produced, to justify the interà public body upon public principles, the ference of parliament ?”. This question he course of the ministerial bench was, to use conceived would be decided in the affirmevery exertion to blacken his character. ative by the House resolving to go into a But much less turned upon the character committee on the bill, and should be so of the petitioner than the opposite side decided before his hon. friend's proposition wished to believe. He (lord King) had could be entertained. This was his said, that the rector of Halifax was an apology for interrupting his hon. friend, ecclesiastical commissary and a missionary, The second question was, “ What should The noble carl replied, that this assertion be the measure of that interference ?" This was true, but that the rector got nothing would have to be determined in the comfrom his parish, for his glebe yielded no- mittee, subject to any instruction which it thing. But this assertion was not correct; might receive from the House, and he for although the rector got nothing from understood the object of that to be moved the glebe, he received between four and by his hon. friend was, to limit the meafive hundred pounds a year from his pew sure of such interference. This imposed rents and other parochial fees. The rec- upon him (Mr. T.) the duty of stating tory was, in fact, a valuable church pre- more distinctly than he should otherwise ferment. It was a decided misapplication have deemed necessary, the position to of the funds of the Society, to bestow any which the borough of East Retford was additional gifts on a clergyman in pos- reduced by the evidence before the House, session of such preferment. The Society in order to shew that no measure of interwas instituted for far different objects; ference short of utter disfranchisement and its real friends would feel sorry if its could meet the justice of this case. He funds were to be so applied. The right rev. should however abstain from offering, at prelate had said, that the Society did not present, any observations on the third decline the investigation; but the right point for discussion; namely, “ the ulterior rev. bishop had declined it for them, and disposition of the franchise in case East the result was the same. He begged to Retford should be deprived of it,”—as he say, that he did not rest his motion upon was anxious to observe that delicacy which the petition, but upon the ground of what the right hon. gentleman opposite (Mr. had fallen from the right reverend prelate, Secretary Peel) had recommended on this that the money of the Society was wasted, subject before it was decided, that the by being bestowed upon persons already borough should in fact be disfranchised, but provided for.

he trusted that the House would allow The motion was then put and negatived him the earliest opportunity for stating without a division,

his views respecting it, when the proper period should arrive. If, after the ample time and the facilities which had been af- heard at the bar, availed themselves, forded to him for establishing the facts --although aided by one of the most upon which the ultimate result of the distinguished counsel of the day-of that present proceeding was to depend, he opportunity for attempting to disprove the should fail in satisfying the House that his facts charged. On the other hand those proofs were sufficient for the end he had facts, thus uncontradicted, had been esproposed, blame would, beyond all doubt, tablished in a manner which must have be justly attributable to him, for not brought home to every gentleman's mind having redeemed that pledge upon which a moral conviction, that the corruption the House had consented to suspend the alleged had, as stated in the charge and writ and allowed him to summon witnesses in the preamble of the bill, been “nototo the bar. But if, on the other hand, a rious, long-continued, and general.” The gross and fiagrant abuse of a high public learned counsel at the bar in his able trust--one upon which the very existence speech did not even affect to deny it, aland vitality of the constitution itself might though, on other grounds he had deprebe said mainly to depend--were exposed cated any further proceeding. Indeed and ultimately corrected, he should, in the case was so distinctly and conclusively addition to the gratitude he sincerely felt made out by a powerful and connected for the support he had received, have the stream of evidence, that all denial must satisfaction of reflecting that he had jus- have been vain and futile. Although tified that support and the confidence these payments of head-money had been which the House had been pleased to made for a very long period, he (Mr. T.) repose in him. The diligent and anxi- had been satisfied not to commence anything ous attention which the House had paid like regular proof of such payment before to this investigation during its progress, 1807. It appeared by the evidence of Mr. rendered it unnecessary for him to go Jonas Warrick, who was the nephew of Mr. elaborately and minutely into its details, Bettison the steward of the duke of Newbut circumstanced as he was, it would be castle, that he was employed by his uncle to expected of him,--and seeing the purpose pay election-money in that year, and that of his hon, friend the member for Hert- he had gone round to a considerable body fordshire, --he felt it his duty, to present a of the voters, and delivered them packets summary of the case, so as to recall the containing money as a remuneration for principal points to the recollection of the their suffrages. The next election was in House before it came to a decision. 1812. The payment of head-money was

The charge against the borough of distinctly proved on that occasion by Mr. East Retford

was, " that it had been a llannam, the agent, and Mr. Pickup, the notorious, long-continued, and general steward of Mr. Osbaldeston, who was practice for the electors, who voted for then returned for Retford. Mr. Hannam the successful candidates, to receive the had produced the original list from which sum of twenty guineas from each of them, these payments were made at Retford, the so that those who voted for both the sums paid deviating in many instances members returned had customarily re- from the usual amount, having been arceived forty guineas for such exercise of ranged upon a scale adapted to the degree their elective franchise." It was nearly of promptness with which the voters had eleven months since this charge had been offered their support. Mr. Pickup adpreferred. Numerous petitions had, in mitted that he actually paid the voters inthe mean time, been presented from the dicated to him by Mr. Hannam from that borough. They deprecated the inter- list. He (Mr. T.) would pass by all the ference of the House in a case where minor details, but he could not quit the year it did not proceed upon corruptions 1812, without observing that the only alleged to have taken place at the last instance in which any successful candidate election; they stated that the electors ever appeared to have omitted the payment had made no previous bargain with of head-money, occurred upon that occathe candidates ; they insisted on the sion, when Mr. Osbaldeston's colleague, ancient charters of the borough--but not Mr. Marsh, made a memorable exception one word of denial addressed to the main on his own behalf, and had never afteraccusation was any where to be und. wards been seen at Retford The hon. Neither had the bailiffs and burgesses who gentleman then proceeded to the following in compliance with their petition had been election of 1818, when Mr. Evans and Mr. Crompton were returned. With re- | pay-list of 1818, and the cash account of gard to the payment of election-money on that

year,

named the individuals who were the part of Mr. Crompton on this occasion, then paid the sum of 211. each for their the House had the evidence of Mr. Fox, votes by the medium of Alderman John the clerk of Messrs. Foljambe's bank at Thornton; two of the aldermen yet living Retford. He produced the bank book did not appear to be included ; but Mr. containing Mr. Crompton's account, from Alderman Clarke (as he himself admitted which it appeared that shortly after the at the bar) had received 421.; whether election of 1818, that gentleman was this double payment was made to him charged with 2,8401. as “Sundries," and as an alderman or a plumper he did about the same time there was a correspond- not state. From the list and the cashing entry of a payment on the part of Mr. account it appeared that all the other Crompton to the firm, of 2,8001. Mr. resident burgesses had received the usual Fox, after much fencing, stated, most re- gratuity except two, who had not promised, luctantly, an impression on his memory and except also an exception he was happy that this money had been paid to one to mention-the rev. Mr. Booth. To these Westby Leadbetter (now dead) for distri- he should add the name of Broxholme bution amongst the voters. This witness Slaney, who had promised, but, for some appeared so unwilling to give distinct tes- reason, did not appear to have been paid timony, that the House declared him by Thornton. The name, however, of this guilty of a wilful suppression of the truth, voter appeared in the pay-list of 1812, and and committed him to Newgate ; but never- in 1818 he conveyed the money to his son theless the evidence extracted from him was George Slaney—therefore the House must such as to leave no doubt that the 2,8401. not imagine that he was to be classed was paid to the electors; indeed the fact of with Mr. Booth. In all, there were paid election-money having been received by in 1818, through Thornton, 128 rank them at that period on behalf of Mr. and file, with the returning officer Crompton was otherwise evidenced, as he (Mr. Cottam) and Aldermen Clarke should afterwards shew, and Samuel and Mason at the head. To meet this Buxton had stated before the Election payment by Thornton, the cash-accommittee that Westby Leadbeater was

count shewed that Mr. Evans remitted to the individual who received it from the him 2,8501., about the same sum as had, bank. The next head of evidence was for a similar purpose, been disbursed at applicable to the payments on the part of that period by Mr. Fox for Mr. Crompton. Mr. Evans in 1818 and also in 1820, He would now direct the attention of the when he and Mr. Crompton were again House to the election of 1820. He could returned without opposition; what opposi- not produce Mr. Evans's pay-list for this tion, indeed, could have succeeded against year. It was not entered into Thornton's gentlemen who so carefully complied books; but a note in Thornton's writing with all good customs ?- This evidence stated that there were “ 193 to pay” in was contained in the books of Mr. John 1820, as a similar note had stated that Thornton, now dead, an Alderman of Ret- there were “ 148 to pay" in 1818. In ford, and the agent of Mr. Evans at those fact, he found by Thornton's cash-account elections; they were produced by his re- of 1820, that 155 voters were paid for spectable widow, and in them all the voting in that year-134 by himself and material transactions of her late husband, 21 by his principal, Mr. Evans, who for with Mr. Evans, in connection with his this purpose remitted 3,0001. to Thornton, agency, were found recorded. They con- and advanced 4201. more with his own hand. tained lists of all the burgesses in 1818 The number so paid, 155, constituted at all and 1820; lists designating such as had times a large majority of the electors, and

romised to vote for Mr. Evans in those this fact would, of itself, make out a years; regular cash accounts between him sufficient case for the disfranchisement of and his agent relating to each election, the borough. He could not indeed specify and the pay-list, or list from which by means of a pay-list (as he had in 1818) burgesses residing in and near Retford, the individual voters who were so paid in who had promised their votes, were actu- 1820, except by the admissions of such as ally paid in 1818. Those who had not had been examined, neither could he promised could not, of course, be considered shew that more than 155 out of the 193 as entitled to the election-money. This were actually paid on this occasion ; nor