226]

Jb/Iraz? of an 11c? to regulate t/ie “Trials (f contrmverted E/eéiionr, or Return: qf Zllember: ta ﬁr-"ue in Parliament.

S the prefent mode of deciﬁon, upon petitions complaining

of undue eleétions or returns of Members to ferre in Parliament, frequently obﬁrucits public buﬁnefs; occaﬁons much expence, trouble, and delay to the patties; is de_ feflive, for want of thole {anftions and (olemnities which are eliablilh- ed by law in other trials; and is attended with many other incon- veniencies; for remedy thereof, it is hereby enaéted, that, after the prefent feflion, on complaint of undue eleétion or return, a precife time is to be ﬁxed for conﬁdering thereof. The Speaker is to give notice thereof, and order attend- ance; but not within 14. days after appointment of the Com- mittee of Privileges. The Houfe may alter the time on like notice and order. The Serjeant at Arms, before the reading of the orders of the day, is to require the attend- ance of the Members, and at his return the Houfe is to be counted, which for want ofa hundred Mem- bers is to adjourn, till a hundred be prefent. In prelience ofa hundred, the petitioners, with their Council, Agents, &c. are to be ordered to the bar; and then the names of all the Members of the Houfe, are to be put into ﬁx boxes or glafies ; to be drawn alternately, and read by the Speaker, till forty-nine be drawn. Voting Members at the eleition, or complainants, are to be {et aﬁde. All above ﬁxty years old are excufed, or thofe who have {erved on a (elect Committee in the fame feflion, unlefs the number

§

ANNUAl.REGI9TEK

1770.

who have not ferved be infuflicient. Members excufed {hall not be deemed to have ferved; Members verifying other excufes, their allegations are to be entered ; and, ifthe Houfe refolve that they are unable to ferve, they are to be‘ excufed: InPtead of whom, others are to be drawn to complete the number forty-nine. Petitioners may name one, and ﬁtting Mem- bers another, who may for like caufes be fet alide, or excufed, and others named. The door of the Houfe, that, during this buﬁnefs ofchuﬁng by lot, was kept locked, is then to be opened, and the Houfe may proceed on other buli- nefs. to be then given to the petitioners, their Council, Agents, Sac. who, with the Clerk, are to withdraw, and to {trike of? one alternately, till the number be reduced to thirteen. The Clerk, within one hour, is to deliver a lift of them ; and they, wfth the nominees, {hall be {worn a feletft Committee, and the Houfe is to order them to meet in twenty-four hours. On the par- ties withdrawing, as aforefaid, the Houfe {hall continue ﬁtting; and the ﬁfty-one Members, {io chofen and nominated, {hall not depart the Houfe, till the time for the meeting of the {aid {cleft Com- mittee {hall be ﬁxed. Petition- ers, 8cc. declaring that any Mem- ber drawn is intended for a nomi- nee, and the Member confenting thereto, he is to {erve as fuch, and another is to be drawn to {up- ply his place; but on negleﬁ of nomination, deﬁciencies are to be fupplied by lot; leaving alwaysﬁf-

teen as a {elect committee. PTCVICUS-

to taking any fuch petition into conﬁderation, the Clerk 1s to put the

and,‘

Lills of the forty-nine are,