BRISTOL BRIBERY.
THE evidence given before the Bristol Eloetien Committee has just been published ; from which it appears, that in this instance, as in so many others, the difficulty of procuring absolute proof of the direct connexion between the sitting members and their more active agents in the work of bribery, has preserved to Sir RICHARD
VYVYAN and Colonel BAILLIE their purchased seats. We say, their purchased seats ; because, although we do not mean to charge these gentlemen with having personally committed or authorized the commission of bribery,—an offence of which they have been acquitted by the report of the Committee of the House of Com- mons,—still there is abundant evidence, we think, to prove that -their election was secured by a regularly organized system of corruption.
. From this evidence we learn, that some time previously-to the last election, a society or club was formed at Bristol, called " The Operative Conservative Association." The avowed object of this club was to furnish employment and relief to the suffering classes of society, and to counteract by " Tory organization" the influence of Political Unions. It consisted of a number of honorary mem- bers,who subscribed liberally for the relief of their humbler associates. These latter amounted to no fewer than 1,500—almost all of them electors, and all professors of " stanch Conservative principles." -Provision was to be made annually for one hundred wives of the operatives ; and the rich honorary members pledged themselves
to procure employment for the men who were out of work.
Beer, tickets, and money, were distributed at the periodical meet- ings of the Society. All this was done, partly, as was pretended, out of pure benevolence, and partly for the purpose of preserving the humbler classes from being infected by the Revolutionary doctrines taught at Political Unions ; but without the least re- ference to electioneering matters. This was a point which the counsel for the sitting members laboured assiduously to make good. But the real truth will appear from the evidence of one of the witnesses-
" Mr. Scot, the Secretary of the Operative Conservative Association, applied to rue a few days before Sir-Richard Vyvyan made his public entrance, to become a member of the Society ; and told me it would be a great advantage to me— Mat employment was to be given to the members, and to those out of employ so much a week." The witness described his initiation as an Operative Conser- vative—his attending several meetings,—and receiving beer and tobacco tickets. That that was all done up since the election. He joined a public meeting of the Dlitrict Conservatives on the morning of the nomination-day, in St. -James's church-yard; went to the Hall, and got, lihe the rest, three shillings for the day's work, at the Queen's Head, on their return, from Mr. Knowles. .Whey got each a ticket in the morning on their names beim,.b called over, in the churchyard, " C. K." (Church and King), which they produced in the evening. He also got a shilling refreshment-ticket on the day he polled, and two other tickets, of two shillings each. Mr. Thistle, before this, canvassed him in presence of Sir Richard Vyvyan, and promised him a waterman's situation. Sir Richard shook hands with him, and said that Mr. Thistle was to do what he could for him. Witness, on this, promised him • and his name was put down in a book. He afterwards got 15s. from Mr. Hook, on his promising to vote for the Blues."
This man also said, with honest effrontery, that "he considered himself bribed at the last election, though he did not know Whe- ther the lawyers would call it bribery or not." • The person, namtil KNOWLES, who is alluded to in the above extract, deposed that Sir RICHARD VYVVAN had some conversa- tion with him respecting the Operative Society; and expressed his great regret (very disinterested this in Sir RICHARD 0 that such measures should be resorted to in order to prop up Conservative principles. KNowtes also gave an instructive account of the dis- cipline of the society, and of the distribution of its members into different troops, who were all marched up in regular array to the hustings on the day of nomination. At the last election, the "re- gular voting money" was raised from 7s. 6d. to I ls. 6d. ; and sums of 2/. and 31. were given to the more extortionate electors. The distribution of cash and tickets during the election was managed snugly. One of the witnesses described the operations at the house in King Street, close to the Hall, during the polling-days and the day after.
A pane was taken out, and a sliding wooden one inserted; the Operatitie Conservative voters, after polling, brought, some a letter signed " Thomas Daniel," others a ticket, testifying that they had voted for Vyvyan and Bail-
lie, and presented their vouchers through the aperture to those inside; who took down their names, and gave each man in return a ticket, which he was to take to an appointed public-house in his district, for which he was to receive beer to the value of 6d., and 2s. 6d. cash. During the three days, over 1,290 got tickets. He was employed inside in giving or ordering the tickets.
It was further stated by several witnesses, that "the bribery- box" in King's Street was opened on the first day of the election,
after PROTHEROE and Wteetams had mounted to the head of the poll ; and that, being on the highway to the polling-booths, it was used as a trap to lure the indigent and wavering voters. Whoever voted for VYVYAN and BAILLIE, was sure of three shillings there, besides a guinea voting-money.
The well-known Alderman DANIEL, a very unwilling witness against Sir RICHARD VYVYAN, fenced with the counsel for the pe- titioners with a good deal of adroitness. Still, enough was ex- tracted from him to prove, that the proceedings of the Conserva- tive Society were sanctioned by the most influential supporters of the sitting members. Several material witnesses secreted themselves—no doubt for excellent reasons ; and, as the Committee refused to hear circum- stantial evidence to prove agency, the petition was withdrawn, and Sir RICHARD VYVYAN and Colonel BAILLIE were declared duly elected.
Now it is clear from the evidence, if words have any meaning, that they were not duly elected. Upwards of fifteen hundred voters were regularly kept in pay, in order to secure their return, and for no other purpose under heaven. This is proved by the fact given in evidence before the Committee, that all the treating, all this beer and tobacco corruption, has been "done up since the election." A chill has come over the charity of the Bristol Con- servatives; the bribery-box in King Street is shut ; and the Church and King operatives and their wives may get work where they can, or starve, as usual. Mr. Secretary SCOT, of the "As- sociation," no longer uses his persuasive entreaties to induce them to accept a provision for their wives, and the means of debauchery for themselves.
If the open and disgusting employment of undue influence in elections is to be prevented in future, it is clear that a description of evidence which would be admitted against a pauper on trial for his life, ought not to be excluded when bribery is sought to be proved against a member of Parliament—at least so long as it is deemed necessary, in order to vitiate his return, to prove his personal con- nexion, through himself or his agent, with the alleged maleprac- tices. Gross violations of the law on the part of the avowed sup- porters and partisans of a member, are not held sufficient to render his election invalid. It is declared to be "duly " gone about, not.! withstanding it has been procured by bribery, administered for that purpose, though by parties not his avowed agents.
The most efficient remedy for the evil which we have been as-. sisting to expose, would undoubtedly be the Ballot. But as the Reformed House of Commons has decided by a large majority against this mode of voting, it has become the more necessary to afford every facility to petitioners against undue returns before Election Committees. At present, the usual practice is to stretch. as many points as possible in order to protect the sitting member. The reform of the practice of Parliament in this respect ought not to be delayed. It is impossible to say how soon we may be called upon to elect a new House of Commons; and then the impunity with which the corruptionists of Norwich and Bristol have escaped, will have a baneful influence on the exertions of the honest and independent portion of the different constituencies throughout the country.
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