Like the boughs of that laurel, by Delphi's decree,
Set apart for the fame and its service divine,
All the branches that spring from the old Russell tree
Are by liberty claim'd for the use of her shrine.
ON BRIBERY AT ELECTIONS
[After his unsuccessful contest for a seat in the House of
Commons for Huntingdon in 1826, Lord John Russell drafted a
measure for the prevention of bribing and sent it to Lord Althorp
with a letter which was published in "The Times " and attracted
much notice. The following passages are extracted.]
Bribery is clearly forbidden by the law, and it is competent for
every British subject to petition the House of Commons, praying
them to inquire into any particular instance of that offense
which may have occurred under his own observation. The House may,
if it thinks fit, refer such a petition to the Committee of
Privileges, or to any other committee it may choose to appoint
for the purpose.
Bribery in a candidate, however, makes void the election, and a
petition complaining of bribery committed, with a view to the
last election in a borough, is properly an election petition. But
a term of fourteen days is the limited period within which a
petition of this nature can be presented, and various onerous
duties are imposed upon the petitioner--he must enter into a
recognizance to pursue his complaint, and must incur an expense
of some hundreds or even some thousands in prosecuting the
inquiry.
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