Sir Henry James's Bill to nrevent corrupt practices at elec-
tions is even more severe than was believed. The penalty suggested in the Bill for corrupting electors is two years' im- prisonment, with hard labour, and a fine of £500; while a can- didate so guilty may also be disqualified, for the House of Commons for ten years. Bribery through agents, more- over, entails perpetual disqualification to contest that par- ticular seat ; and the bribed elector ceases, as we sup- posed, to be able to vote. The Bill has reached us too late for very careful examination, but it is evident that some precise definition of " agent " will have to be added to its provisions; Otherwise, we shall, at every great election, have emissaries of each party accepting seats on their opponents' committees, in order to bribe, and so either disqualify the can- didate, or extort money from him. We cordially approve both the object and the method of the Bill ; but the Attorney- General must take care that its provisions are not such as to deter scrupulous candidates from coming forward, The regular definition of electoral agency is too wide for a severely penal statute.
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