ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT URBANA-CHAMPAIGN Production Note Project Unica Rare Book & Manuscript Library University of Illinois Library at Urbana-Champaign 2015 GULIELMI IV. REGIS. ANNO TERTIO ♦ »ile**#*************#*###*##**#**********-************ CAP. XX. An Act to indemnify Witnesses who may give Evidence before either House of Parliament touching the Charge of Bribery in the Election of Burgesses to serve in Parliament for the Borough of Stafford. [18th June 183*3.] WHEREAS there is Reason to believe that there has been the most notorious, long-continued, and general Bribery and Corruption in the Election of Burgesses to serve in Parliament for the Borough of Stafford, and that such Bribery and Corruption are likely to continue and be practised in future unless some Means are taken to prevent the same : And whereas a Petition against such Practices at the last Election for the said Borough has been presented to the Commons House of Parliament: And whereas it may be necessary to examine before the Committee to which the said Petition may be referred, or at the Bar of either Houses oi Parliament, several Persons ; and the Evidence of such Persons may tend to expose them to Penal Consequences: And whereas it is expedient to indemnify such Persons, upon their making such true and faithful Disclosure and Discovery as herein-after mentioned ; be it therefore enacted by the King’s most Excellent Majesty, by and with the Advice and Consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the Autho-S I rity218 . 3° GULIELMI IV. Cap.20. rity of the same, That for the more effectually prosecuting the said Inquiry, every Person not having been a Candidate for the said Borough at the last Election, who'may have been implicated or en-gaged°in such alleged Bribery and Corruption at or connected with any Election of Members to serve in Parliament for the said Borough of Stafford, and who shall be examined as a Witness before either House of Parliament, or any Committee of either House of Parliament, touching such alleged Bribery and Corruption, and who shall upon' such Examination make a true and faithful Discovery and Disclosure to the best of his or her Knowledge touching all Acts, Matters, and Things to which he or she shall be so examined, shall be and’he and she is hereby freed, indemnified, and discharged of, from and against all Penal Actions, Forfeitures, Punishments, Disabilities, and Incapacities, and all Criminal Prosecutions, which he or she may have been or may become liable or subject to, or which he or she may have incurred or may incur at the Suit of His Majesty, His Heirs or Successors, or any other Person, for or by reason or means of or in relation to any Act, Matter, or Tiling done or committed by such Person or Persons in respect of such alleged Bribery and Corruption: Provided always, that nothing herein contained shall afford any Indemnity to any Person with respect to any Action for Bribery at the last Élection for the said Borough of Stafford, which shall have been commenced before the Eighteenth Day of March One thousand eight hundred and thirty-three. II. Provided also, and be it further enacted, That where any Witness shall be examined before the House of Lords or any Committee of the said House, such Witness shall not be indemnified under this Act unless he or she shall receive from the Lord Chancellor a Certificate in Writing, stating that such Witness has, upon his or her Examination, made a true and faithful Disclosure touching al c s and Matters to which he or she has been so examined ; and where any Witness shall be examined before the House of Commons, oi before any Committee of the said House, such Witness shall not be indemnified under this Act unless he or she shall receive from the Speaker of the House of Commons or the Chairman of such Committee a similar Certificate; and where any Witness shall be examined before the House of Lords or any Committee of the said House, and also before the House of Commons or any Committee of that House, such Witness shall not be indemnified under this Act unless he 01 she shall receive a Certificate from the Lord Chancellor and shall also receive a Certificate from the Speaker of the House of Commons or the Chairman of the Committee of the House of Commons to the same Effect; which said Certificates the l ord CJ.aucellor and the Sneaker of the House of Commons, or such Chau man of the Com-mhtee of the House of Commons, are respectively hereby authonzed to ¡rive ■ and if any Action, Information, or Indictment shall at an) Time be pending in any Court for Bribery at the last 01 “el Election for the Borough of Stafford against any per«>n or Persons except as aforesaid, who shall have been so examined a > a Witness or Witnesses in manner above mentioned, such Court shall, on tne Production and Proof of such Certificate or Cert.ficates, stay he Pio- All Persons, except Candidates, implicated in Bribery at Stafford, who may be examined before either House of Parliament, or any Committee thereof, and who shall make a faithful Disclosure, indemnified. Not to indemnify against any Action brought before 18th March 1833. Witnesses examined before either House, or both Houses, not to be indemnified unless they shall have a Certificate from the Lord Chancellor, or from the Speaker or the Chairman of the Committee of the House of Commons. In case of Action, &c., the Production of the Certificate shall stay the Proceedings.TM&. p*/o7 k 3“ GULIELMI IV. Cap.20. 219 ceedings in any such Action, Indictment, or Information, and may, in its Discretion, award to any such Person or Persons such Costs as he, she, or they may have been put to by such Action, Information, or Indictment. LONDON : Printed by George Eyre and Andrew Spottiswoode, Printers to the King’s most Excellent Majesty. 1833. *T