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his own name

2. AND be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, Or although That nothing in the said acts contained shall extend, or be is not in the construed to extend, to prevent any person from voting at assessment. ¡ any such election of a knight or knights of a shire, or of any burgess or burgesses for the said borough of Cricklade, for or in respect of any messuages, lands or tenements, which have been charged or assessed, for six kalendar months next before such election, towards some aid granted, or to be granted to his majesty, his heirs, or successors, by a land tax, in the name of a tenant or tenants actually occupying the same at the time of such assessment being made, although the name of the person so claiming to vote, or the person or persons by or through whom such person so claiming to vote derives his title, or of the predecessor of the person so claiming to vote, shall not be inserted in the assessment, according to the form of the assessment to the said first recited act annexed.

ANNO 320 GEORGII III. CAP. 1.

An Act to extend the Provisions of certain Acts of Parlia ment made to regulate the Trials of Controverted Elections, or Returns of Members to serve in Parliament.

A. D. 1792.

11 Geo. 3

c. 52, recited.

WHEREAS by an act, passed in the eleventh year of the reign of his present majesty, intituled, An act to explain 42 and amend an act, made in the last session of parliament, intituled, An act to regulate the trials of controverted elections, or returns of members to serve in parliament; it is enacted, That on the day appointed by the house of commons for taking into consideration any petition complaining of an undue election, or return of any member to serve in parliament, the house shall not proceed to any other business whatsoever, except the swearing of members, previous to the reading the order of the day for that purpose: And whereas by an act, passed in the twenty-eighth year of the reign of his present majesty, intituled, An act for the fur- and 28 Geo. 3, ther regulation of the trials of controverted elections, or returns of members to serve in parliament, it is enacted, &c. That it shall and may be lawful for the house, previous to the reading such order, to proceed to such other business as in the said act is particularly specified: and whereas it is of importance, that the like power should be extended to the several cases hereinafter mentioned, be it enacted, That on the day appointed by the house for taking into On days consideration any petition complaining of an undue elec- appointed by tion, or return of any member to serve in parliament, or the for taking pe petition of any person or persons desiring to oppose any consideration, right of election, or the right of chusing, nominating, or messages from appointing any returning officer or returning officers, which the lords may shall have been deemed valid by the determination of any previous to select committee, it shall and may be lawful for the house, order of the previous to the reading the order or orders for taking any day; and on days appointsuch petition or petitions into consideration, to receive any ed for trial of

the commons

titions into

be received

reading the

articles of im- message or messages from the lords; and also that it shall peachment, business neand may be lawful for the house, on the days appointed for cessary for the trial of any articles of impeachment exhibited, or to be exhibited by the commons before the lords in parliament, previous to the reading any such order or orders as aforebe proceeded said, to proceed to any business that may be necessary for the purpose of carrying on the prosecution of such impeach

carrying on the prosecution may in

like manner

upon.

ment.

7 and 8 Gul. 3. cap. 25. § 1.

ANNO 330 GEORGII III. CAP. 64.

An Act to explain and amend an Act passed in the Seventh and Eighth Years of King William the Third, intituled, An Act for the further regulating Elections of Members to serve in Parliament, and for the preventing irregular Proceedings of Sheriffs and other Officers in the electing and returning such Members, so far as relates to the Publication of Notices of the Time and Place of Election.

17th June, 1793.

WHEREAS by an act, made and passed in the seventh and eighth years of the late king William the Third, (intituled An act for the further regulating elections of members to serve in parliament, and for the preventing irregular proceedings of sheriffs and other officers in the electing and returning such members), it is enacted, That the proper officers therein mentioned shall, upon the receipt of precepts for the election of members to serve in parliament, forthwith cause public notice to be given of the time and place of election, and shall proceed to election thereupon, within the time by the said act limited, and give four days notice at least of the day appointed for the election: but it is not in the said act specified at what time or within what hours of the day it shall be incumbent on the proper officer to give such public notice as aforesaid: and whereas, by reason of such uncertainty, great inconveniences may arise from the undue practices of returning officers and others: may it please your majesty that it may be enacted; and Notices of the be it enacted, &c. That, from and after the passing of this time and place act, all notices to be given of the time and place of any for members election for members to serve in parliament, shall be pubof parliament licly given at the usual place or places, within the hours of to be given within certain eight of the clock in the forenoon and four of the clock in

of elections

hours.

the afternoon, from the twenty-fifth day of October, to the twenty-fifth day of March inclusive, and within the hours of eight of the clock in the forenoon and six of the clock in the afternoon, from the twenty-fifth day of March to the twenty-fifth day of October inclusive, and not otherwise; and that no notice to be given of the time and place of elections of members to serve in parliament shall be deemed or taken to be a good or valid notice for any purposes, or to any effect whatsoever, which shall not be made and published in the manner, and within the time of day aforesaid; any law, statute, usage, or custom to the contrary notwithstanding.

ANNO 340 GEORGII III. Cap. 73.

An Act for directing the Appointment of Commissioners, to administer certain Oaths and Declarations required by Law to be taken and made by Persons offering to vote at the Election of Members to serve in Parliament. A. D. 1794.

to administer

WHEREAS great delays have arisen in the election of members to serve in parliament for places in England, Wales, and the town of Berwick upon Tweed, by the time and place in which the oaths of allegiance, supremacy, the declaration of fidelity, the oath of abjuration, and the declaration or affirmation of the effect thereof, are usually administered to electors; and in many places it might thereby be rendered impracticable to receive the votes of all persons claiming and having a right to vote within the time limited by law for the duration of the polls at such elections: be it enacted, &c. That, from and after the passing Returning of of this act, when a poll shall be demanded at any election ficers, on reof a member or members to serve in parliament for any didates, to ap quest of cancounty, city, borough, or other place in England or Wales, point persons or for the town of Berwick upon Tweed, the returning the oaths of officer or officers at every such election, after such poll shall allegiance,&c. be demanded, shall, at the instance and request in writing, of any of the candidates, under his or their hand or hands, immediately after such request, and before he or they shall proceed further in taking the poll, retain, nominate, and appoint, two or more persons to administer the oaths of allegiance, supremacy, the declaration of fidelity, the oath of abjuration, and the declaration or affirmation of the effect thereof, now required by law to be taken, made, or subscribed by voters at elections of members to serve in parliament, and to certify the names of the respective electors who shall take such oaths, or subscribe and make such declarations or affirmations respectively, in manner hereinafter mentioned; and the persons to be appointed as aforesaid, or in manner herein-after mentioned, shall respectively have full power, and each of them is hereby authorized and required to administer all and every such respective oaths, declarations, and affirmations to every such elector who shall desire or be required to take the same oaths, or any of them, or to subscribe or make the said declarations and affirmations respectively, previous to his voting at any such election: and every such person so ap- Persons so appointed as aforesaid shall, immediately after such ap- pointed to pointment, and before he shall take upon him to act under take the fol lowing such appointment, take the following oath; (that is to say),

I do swear, that I will faithfully and impartially ad- Oath. minister the oaths of allegiance, supremacy, and abjuration, and the declaration of fidelity, and declaration or affirmation of the effect of the said oath of abjuration, to such persons as shall lawfully apply to me in that behalf, in order to qualify themselves to vote at this election; and that I will, on being thereunto requested, fairly and truly

Electors to apply to such

voting, who

shall adminis

ter the oaths of allegiance, &c. and give

certificates thereof.

give to every such person, or any of them, who shall take such oaths, or subscribe such declaration of fidelity, and make such declaration or affirmation of the effect of the said oath of abjuration, or either of them, before me, a certificate thereof, according to the direction of an act of parliament, made in the thirty-fourth year of the reign of his majesty king George the Third, intituled, [here set forth the title of the act] and that I will not give such certificate to any person before he shall have taken such oath or oaths, or made or subscribed such declaration or declarations, affirmation or affirmations, as shall be mentioned in such certificate, before me, and in my presence.'

Which oath, to be taken by the respective persons so to be appointed, the returning officer or officers at every such election, and his or their deputy and deputies, or any of them, is, and are hereby authorized and required to administer.

2. AND be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, persons before That after the persons so appointed shall have taken such oath, so required to be taken by them respectively as aforesaid, any person or persons claiming to vote at any such election as aforesaid, may at any time, before he or they shall give his or their vote or votes at such election, apply to any one of the persons so appointed and sworn as aforesaid, to take the said oaths of allegiance and supremacy, and abjuration, or any of them, or to subscribe the said declaration of fidelity, and make the said declaration or affirmation of the effect of the said oath of abjuration, or either of them, and the person to whom such application shall be made shall accordingly administer the same to such person or persons so claiming a right to vote, and shall immediately upon such oaths being taken, or declarations or affirmations respectively being subscribed or made, sign and deliver a certificate thereof to such person who shall have taken such oaths, or made or subscribed such declarations or affirmations respectively, which certificate shall contain the name, addition, and place of abode, of the person to whom the same shall be so given; and in case of persons taking the said oaths, shall be in the terms following; (that is to say,)

Form of certi

oaths.

A. B. [naming the person taking the oath] of [naming the ficate of taking place of such person's abode, and his addition or occupation] has taken the oath [or oaths] of [naming the said oath or oaths so administered] before me this day of And in case of Quakers subscribing the said declaration of fidelity, or taking their affirmation of the effect of the said oath of abjuration, shall be in the form following; (that is to say),

or of making affirmation.

A. B. [naming the person subscribing or affirming] of [naming the place of such person's abode, and his addition or occupation] has made and subscribed the declaration of fidelity, and affirmed the effect of the oath of abjuration [or if only one of those acts has been done, then naming such one act only] before me, this day of And every such person to whom such certificate shall be so

certificate to

vote.

given, and having a right to vote at such election, shall, on Production of producing such certificate to the returning officer or officers, intitle qualior other person or persons lawfully taking the poll at such fied persons to election, be permitted to poll, and his vote shall be taken and received in like manner as if such respective oaths, declarations, or affirmations, mentioned and expressed in such respective certificates, had been administered by, and made, subscribed, or taken before, the returning officer or officers at such election.

cate, to with

3. AND be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That when any person or persons offering to vote at any ing to vote, Persons offer. such election, without producing such certificate as afore- without prosaid, shall be lawfully required to take the said oaths of ducing certifi allegiance, supremacy, and abjuration, or any of them, or draw and take to subscribe the said declaration of fidelity, and make the the oaths. said declaration or affirmation of the effect of the said oath of abjuration, or either of them; then such oaths, subscription, declarations, or affirmations, or any of them, shall not be administered by the returning officer or officers, or other person or persons taking the poll, but the elector or electors so required to take such oaths, or to subscribe or make such declarations or affirmations respectively, shall immediately withdraw, and shall take the said oaths, or subscribe and make the said declarations or affirmations respectively, before one of the persons appointed and sworn as aforesaid, in manner herein-before mentioned.

appointed

4. AND be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, If the number That if at any time during the poll at any such election it of persons so shall be found that the number of persons so appointed as should be inaforesaid, is insufficient for the purposes aforesaid, and sufficient, more may be r that the poll is delayed for want of a sufficient number of appointed. persons to administer such oaths, declarations, and affirmations as aforesaid, then and in every such case the returning officer or officers at such election may, and he or they is and are hereby impowered and required, at the instance and request in writing, of any candidate then present, to retain, nominate, and appoint, such further number of persons, for the purpose of administering the said oaths, declarations, and affirmations as aforesaid, and of granting such certificates as aforesaid, as shall be necessary to prevent such delay: and the persons so nominated and appointed shall take the like oath, which shall be administered to them respectively in like manner as is hereinbefore directed, with respect to the persons first appointed for the purposes aforesaid.

5. AND be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, Returning of That the returning officer or returning officers at every such ficers to appoint proper election shall, and is and are hereby required to appoint, places for find, and provide, a proper place for every such person, so oaths, &c. taking the appointed as aforesaid, to execute the duty hereby imposed upon such person, to which place the respective electors may have free access, without interrupting the poll, and so as to enable the persons so appointed to act separately without interfering with each other in the execution of their

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