A hundred years ago
From the 'Spectator,' 13 February 1869—Mr. Jus- tice Wines gave judgment on Friday week in the case of the election petition against Mr. J. L. Phipps, Member for Westbury. The decision was important, as the first in which an English member has been unseated for intimidation. Mr. Phipps had not in- timidated or done anything else personally, but it was shown that a local manufacturer, Mr. J. Harrop, had been authorized to canvass his own men, had canvassed them, and had, as the Judge believed, dis- missed and retained men according as they obeyed his wishes or not. Consequently, Mr. Justice Willes unseated the candidate, but left each party to pay their own costs, and declined to give his reason for that departure from the usual practice. The sen- tence, for it is one, will, we hope, be a warning to every employer of labour in the country that in- timidation, like bribery, only unseats the candidate on whose behalf it is attempted. A few more such examples, and we shall have honest elections.
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