n, which he was anxious to submit to the consideration of the house;
and he likewise obtained leave to bring in a bill for a similar
purpose. Mr. Buller's bill came on for the second reading on the 27th of
November, when it was opposed by Lord Stanley, who moved that the second
reading be postponed till the 12th of May, in order that the question
might receive a fuller consideration. Mr. Williams Wynn approved of
the bill; and Mr. O'Connell abandoned his own in its favour. Lord John
Russell recommended that the bill should be read a second time, thinking
that it at least provided some remedy for the evils complained of. On a
division the second reading was carried by a majority of two hundred
and fourteen against one hundred and sixty. Nothing further was done,
however, before Christmas, except that there was much discussion on the
subject of election committees.

The house of commons was again occupied with the subject of controverted
elections on the 2nd of April. On the motion for the recommittal of Mr.
C. Buller's bill, Sir Robert Peel rose for the purpose of bringing
the subject generally before the house, and of submitting to their
consideration a proposition of his own. Sir Robert's scheme was, that
the speaker should nominate a committee, which should be called "a
general committee for elections," and which should consist of four or
six, or some such limited number. To this committee he would leave the
duty of appointing select committees, by whom election petitions were to
be tried. These last committees might consist of seven or nine members,
and each was to have the aid of an assessor who should be its chairman,
and in all respects on an equal footing with the members of the
committee. These persons were not to be permanent, but employed as
occasion might demand. There was to be no attendance of members at a
ballot and the operation of chance was entirely excluded. Mr. O'Connell
still thought it would be advisable to take the adjudication of these
contests out of the present hands, and to transfer it to the judges. He
moved as an amendment, that Mr. Buller's bill should be referred to a
select committee, who might report on the subject at large. Lord Stanley
moved that Mr. Buller's bill be considered that day six months; and
proposed that a committee should be appointed to examine the conflicting
cases, and to report on a mode of giving uniformity to the law. Mr.
Shiel approved of Sir Robert Peel's plan; but h