erving of animadversion. On the 21st of April Mr. Hardy again brought
the subject forward, by moving a series of resolutions, which declared
that in the transactions regarding this seat, a breach of privilege had
been committed. The committee itself had found it proved, he said, that
the L2,000 had been paid and received; and if the circumstances under
which the payment and receipt were made did not constitute a breach of
privilege, he had yet to learn what did. He entered at length into
the transaction, and concluded by asserting that there could not be a
grosser case in all its bearings. There had been a contract to sell a
seat in parliament for L2,000. which money was to be appropriated in a
corrupt manner in every respect. From the evidence respecting the Carlow
club, and the L1,000 to be applied to county purposes, nothing could
be clearer than this, that any tenant who fell into arrear of rent from
want of prudence or honesty, had only to say to the club, "My landlord
is against you: if you expect my vote, you must pay my arrears of rent."
What a system was this! If this were to pass unnoticed, who could
object to the formation of Conservative clubs which would say to those
shopkeepers, before whose doors the priests threatened the grass should
grow, we will indemnify you. Better be without the reform-bill than
see it leading to consequences like these. In former days they had to
complain of boroughs being sold: now they had to complain of the sale of
whole counties. Mr. O'Connell applauded the conduct of the members, of
the committee: he would take this stand on their report. The agitator
was defended by Lord Francis Egerton; not that he would wish to imitate
his conduct in many respects, but he thought that he stood acquitted
of pecuniary corruption: that charge was removed, and he did not feel
inclined to go upon the minor questions arising out of the case, because
he wished to be indulgent as well as just. The transaction did not meet
with his approbation, but he looked upon it as part, at least, of the
extensive system now carried on in Ireland; and however strongly he
might deprecate that system, he doubted whether it would be just or
expedient to bring the member for Dublin, or the other parties concerned
in the transaction, within the resolutions of the house. He was not one
of those who felt a desire to bring any man within the scope of a breach
of their privileges. His own hands were as clean as those of mo