Page:William Blackstone, Commentaries on the Laws of England (3rd ed, 1768, vol I).djvu/195

Ch. 2. from voting and holding any office in any corporation; unles, before conviction, he will dicover ome other offender of the ame kind, and then he is indemnified for his own offence. The firt intance that occurs, of election bribery, was o early as 13 Eliz. when one Thomas Longe (being a imple man and of mall capacity to erve in parliament) acknowleged that he had given the returning officer and others of the borough for which he was choen four pounds to be returned member, and was for that premium elected. But for this offence the borough was amerced, the member was removed, and the officer fined and imprioned. But, as this practice hath ince taken much deeper and more univeral root, it hath occaioned the making of thee wholeome tatutes; to complete the efficacy of which, there is nothing wanting but reolution and integrity to put them in trict execution.

influence being thus (I wih the depravity of mankind would permit me to ay, effectually) guarded againt, the election is to be proceeded to on the day appointed; the heriff or other returning officer firt taking an oath againt bribery, and for the due execution of his office. The candidates likewie, if required, mut wear to their qualification; and the electors in counties to theirs; and the electors both in counties and boroughs are alo compellable to take the oath of abjuration and that againt bribery and corruption. And it might not be amis, if the members elected were bound to take the latter oath, as well as the former; which in all probability would be much more effectual, than adminitring it only to the electors.

election being cloed, the returning officer in boroughs returns his precept to the heriff, with the perons elected by the majority: and the heriff returns the whole, together with the Rh