The Liverpool Bribery Committee has made its report. It confirms
the worst that has been stated respecting the corruption of the freemen of that borough. The Committee confined its inquiries into the cir- cumstances attending elections which have taken place since the year 1823, excepting that of 1832, which had been made the subject of pre- vious investigation. It seems, that at the election for Mayor in 1827, the price of votes was as high as twenty pounds and as low as six shil- lings; that in 1830, at an election for a member of Parliament, the price began at 2/. and reached 801. per vote ; that at this election each candi- date, or his friends, spent not less than 40,000/. No fewer than 2,661 freemen were proved to have taken bribes—the better sort of tradesmen, as they are called, as well as the poor men—at this contest. Of these, 1,880, are still on the register, entitled to vote. In this state of things, the Committee recommend the House of Commons "to introduce a bill to restrict the franchises, and to alter the whole system of elections in that borough, as well for members to sit in Parliament as for municipal oEcers."
It is said that, in the Committee, Mr. BENzrr, Mr. CHARLES WOOD, Mr. ELLICE, and Lord DUNCANNON, earnestly pressed on the investigation, while 'Mr. Stanley and Lord Palmerston opposed it. We must remember this.
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