amp the trade, and impair the general prosperity of this
country; that an alteration of these laws, substituting in their stead
a moderate duty, fixed at all periods except those of extreme dearth,
while it indemnified the agriculturists for the peculiar burthens which
press upon them, would, by restoring the commercial relations between
this kingdom and foreign countries, increase the manufactures, and
render more equal the price of the produce of the country." Lord Althorp
objected to the resolutions principally on account of the time at which
they were brought forward, considering the many important questions
which yet remained for the consideration of parliament; he therefore
moved the previous question, which was carried by three hundred and five
against two hundred and six. A few days previously certain resolutions
relative to the same question were negatived in the house of lords
without a division; and in the commons, on the 18th of June, a motion
for leave to bring in a bill to alter the corn laws was rejected. The
corn laws, therefore, were yet retained in the British code.

RESOLUTIONS AGAINST BRIBERY, ETC.

The result of the elections showed that the first reformed parliament
had no small quantity of bribery to deal with. The prevention of this
evil, therefore, was an object which a reformed house of commons was
especially bound to secure. On the 6th of February, Lord John Russell
moved the same resolutions which had been adopted by the preceding
house, and which diminished obstacles that stood in the way of
effectually questioning a corrupt election. According to the resolutions
which had hitherto been adopted as the standing orders of the house on
this subject, the return of a member could be questioned only within
fourteen days after the assembling of parliament, or after his return,
if the house were then sitting; and it was the practice of persons who
made use of bribery to secure their elections, not to make any payments
till that period was passed, in order to avoid the penalties attached
to such conduct. In the hope of checking this evil, Lord John Russell
moved, "That all persons who question any future return of members to
serve in parliament upon any allegation of bribery or corruption, and
who shall in their petition specifically allege any payment of money or
other reward to have been made by any member, or on his account, or
with his privity, since the time of such return, in pursuance of