If the Proposed Voter takes out more cards than one, they are replaced in the Box, and he loses his Vote. J If, having received the Card closed, with the two black surfaces on the outside, the Receiving-Clerk, before he drops it into the Receiving-box, opens it, in such sort that the name, or any part of it, is visible, — he is by the Poll-Clerk dismissed from his office, and divested of his Distinction-Ticket on the spot.
Art. 5. As soon as the Voter hath, as above, delivered up his Card, he is let out through a bar; which, to prevent stoppages, is different from the one through which he was let in.
As he passes out, his Copy of his Vote-making Certificate, by which admission to the Selection-box was procured to him, is returned to him, for the purpose of its being eventually employed by him on succeeding Elections. See Art. 12.
Art. 6. For dispatch, two or more Secret Selection-boxes may be employed: one Receiving-Clerk may serve for two or more boxes.
Art. 7. As soon as the time appointed for the admission of Voters is expired, the Poll-Clerk closes the Vote-receiving Box^ by sliding the plate over the slit, as per Section 5, Articled. He then applies his seal to the junctures; in such manner that, without breaking it, the lid cannot be opened, nor the slit uncovered.
He then admits the Election Agents, in like manner, and for the like security, to apply their seals.
Lastly, he covers the whole, by a covering of cloth without seam: the junctures are secured by seals, as above.
The Box is in this state delivered, by the Poll-Clerk, to a Messenger, by whom it is taken to, and deposited in, the Election District Office.
Art. 8. Regard being had to the respective distances, the Election-Master-General appoints the time or times of the day, at or before which the Vote-receiving Boxes shall, from the several Polling-offices, have been received at the District Election Office.
Art. 9. Here follows the mode of proceeding at the District Election Office: — I. At this office are provided Boxes, marked with the names of the several proposed members.
II. As soon as the vote-receiving Boxes from the several Polling Districts are come in, or the time allowed for their coming in is elapsed — they are opened by the District Clerk, in presence of the several proposed Members or their Agents, or such of them as choose to attend.
III. In presence of the whole company the Voting Cards are thereupon taken out and sorted: the Cards, respectively appertaining to the several proposed members, being dropped into their respective boxes.
- Art. 10. The numbers being immediately summed up, the name of the proposed member, in whose favoiu- the comparative majority of the whole number of votes is found to have been given, is openly declared.
The instrument of return, drawn up by means of a blank form, provided by the Election-Master-General, the same for every District, is attested by the District Clerk: the agents of the several proposed members add their respective attestations, or their declining so to do is noted.
On the instrument of Return, are entered the numbers of the Votes, for the several proposed Members at the several Polling Districts.
The instrument is, that same day, transmitted by post to the National Election Office.
Art. 11. If, and as often as, by tempestuous weather or other accident, the free resort of the Voters to the Polling Office within the ordinarily appointed time has been rendered impracticable — the Poll Clerk, within his District^ has power to prolong the time.
In such case, he shall give the earliest possible notice to the Voters in general, to the District Election Office, and to the National Election Office.
Art. 12. Follow the conditions on which, to save time and trouble, each Voter's Certificate, after having been employed in any Voting District, may be employed at each succeeding Election, without need of fresh signatures by Co-Certifiers.
At the first Election at which it is employed — the Poll Clerk, before the Voter's departure from the Hustings, redelivers to him his Certificate, having first stamped, or caused to be stamped upon it the words following, together with the date and his signature: Redelivered, to be employed at succeeding Elections.
On each succeeding Election, if, at the time of its exhibition at the Office, there has not, on the part of the Voter, been any change of name or abode, it is again, as per Section 9, marked with the words — Found correct, and re-delivered for further use, together with other words and figures to the effect in that Section «lescribed.
If there has been any change of name, entry thereof shall be made, introduced by the words Present Name.
If there has been any change of abode, in that case are to be added words and figures designative of the fresh abode, preceded by the stamped words — Present Abode.
A Vote-making Certificate, once employed in any one Polling District, may, on these conditions, be thereafter employed in any other Polling Districts in the United Kingdom.
Art. 13. For the more eflfectual prevention of disturbance — •every person officiating as Clerk of a Polling Office, shall — within his Sub-District, and every Sub-District immediately contiguous to it — during the continuance of the whole of the Election Process, possess and exercise, so far as shall be necessary for this special purpose, the powers belonging to the office of Justice of the Peace. In particular, the power of appointing Special Constables.
Upon occasion, all instruments signed by him shall, by all Justices of the Peace, within their respective fields of jurisdiction, be backed: backed as the same instruments might be, if signed by any regularly appointed Justice of the Peace.
Section 9- ELECTION DISTRICTS AND POLLING DISTRICTS HOW MARKED OUT.
Art. 1. In this Section, provision is made for determining the limits of the several Election Districts, with the Polling Districts therein respectively contained.
In the following Section, for determining the mode in which the several Vote-making Households shall be ascertained, registered, denominated, and marked.
Art. 2. For these purposes, Commissioners, in such number as to his Majesty shall seem meet, will by his Majesty, at the recommendation and with the advice of the Election-Master-General, be appointed.
Their numbers may, from time to time, be augmented or reduced, as occasion may require.
Of these Commissioners, the official name is — Commissioners of Survej/ and Demarcation and Enumeration for Parliamentary Election purposes; or Commissioners of Survey and Demarcu' tion: or Demarcation Commissioners.
Art. 3. For Great Britain, one set of such Commissioners shall be appointed; for Ireland, a different one.
Art. 4. No Election District or Sub-District shall be com posed partly of land in Great Britain, partly of land in Ireland.
Art. 5. As between England and Scotland, no such separation, as per Art. 3, need have place.
Art. 6. The surveys to be performed are two: 1. the preliminary or ordinary geographical; 2. the appropriate.
V Art. 7. The 'preliminary operation is that, by which the geographical divisions, — expressed by degrees, minutes, and if need be, seconds, of longitude and latitude, — will, as in ordinary maps, be determined and marked out, by physical and mathematical observations, measurements, calculations, and delineations: with the addition of the physical distinction between land and water, with or without the distinction between plain land and elevated: togegelher with the existing political divisions into Kingdoms, Provinces, Counties, Hundreds, and so forth.
Art. 8. The appropriate operation is that, by which the new and appropriate division into Election Districts and Sub- Districts, will be performed.
It will have for its basis the ordinary geographical operation.
Art. 9. The appropriate operation, in its several parts, may either be performed at nearly the same time with the ordinary operation, or at any greater intervals, according as the Election-Master-General shall from time to time appoint.
In so doing, let him have regard to convenience in respect of delay and expense: and, in each instrument of appointment, particularise his reasons.
Art. 10. For the preliminary and the appropriate operations, the same set of Commissioners may serve.
Out of the general set, particular sets or particular individuals may, from time to time, be appointed by him to particular portions of the business: he will throughout have regard to presumable appropriate aptitude, as indicated by profession, known experience, or otherwise.
Art. 1 1. Of the preliminary operation, the Maps, constituting the geographical result, will be upon two different scales: namely, the Country Scale and the Town Scale.
Art. 12. The Country Scale is that upon which the general or all-comprehensive map is to be constructed.
Of this general Map, let the scale be large enough for inserting, in every space allotted to a Country Parish, the name of the Parish.
Also, in every space allotted to a Town Parish, a number referring to its name in the margin of the Map; as likewise, in a Planner more or less conspicuous, an indication of the site of every ihe smallest Dwelling House.
Art. 13. From this Map shall be copied or constructed, on the same scale, — or on a scale as much larger as local convenience, in the judgment of the Election-Master«General, may require, — separate Parish Maps, exhibiting the several Parishes: namely, either on the original Country Scale, or on an enlarged Country ^cale.* In some instances, for example to the purpose of the Poor Rates, the Parish, by reason of its largeness, stands already divided into sections, named Tythings or Tozvmhips, or by some other appropriate name. In every case of this sort, at the discretion of the Commissioners, may be constructed, instead of one map of the whole Parish, a map for each one of these Sections.
Or, so as the whole parish be exhibited, any two or more of them may be comprised in one and the same Map.
An Extra-parochial place may either have a Map to itself, or be comprised in the Map belonging to some adjacent Parish or section of a Parish.
Art. 14. On the Town Scale, shall be constructed Maps, and portions of Maps, large enough to exhibit to view, in a more distinct manner, the sites of the several Habitations.
According to the density of the population, — in some Parishes the whole of the territory will require to be laid down upon the Town Scale; In other Parishes, no part of it.
In others again, — the whole of the territory being laid down upon the Country Scale, namely, on the original scale, or, as per Article 13, on the enlarged scale, — particular portions, one or more, will require to be laid down likewise upon the Town Scale.
* Note XIV.
These will be to be exhibited either in the margin, or upon a separate sheet, as convenience may require.
Art. 15. Here follows the description of the mode of indication, which, for facility of reference, shall be employed in every such map: — I. By parallel vertical lines, crossed at right angles by horizontal lines, the whole surface of the engraved part of the paper or parchment is divided into a certain number of compartments.
II. To the left, of the left hand one, of the vertical columns thus formed, is attached a correspondent vertical column, composed of the letters of the alphabet, with any such number of additional marks of the same nature, as may be necessary for the designation of the total number of the compartments in that column: as A. B. Sec. A a, A b, &c. B a, B b, &,c.
III. Over the highest horizontal line runs a line of numbers, in numerical order; one over each vertical column.
IV. By means of a letter or pair of letters, with a number added to it, each compartment in the Map, will thus have its distinctive name. The letter will shew the place of the compartment in the horizontal line: the number will shew the place of the compartment in the vertical line.
V. Thus the first compartment on the left at top will be A. 1: the next to it in the horizontal line at top, will be A. 2.; the next below it in the vertical line, B. 1.
VI. The several places, mentioned in the Map, are set down in the margin of it, in the alphabetical order of their names. Immediately after the name of each place, comes the letter and number of the compartment, w ithiu which it will be found.
VII. As for example, Abingdon, D. 7; if that be the compartment within which that town is placed in the Map.
VIII. Of this series of names, with such their respective accompaniments, entered, as above, on the margin, is composed an Index to the Map. It is called the Marginal Index.
IX. The lines, by which the boundaries of the compartments are expressed, are called Indicative lines, Index lines, Lines of reference, or Reference lines.
X. These lines of reference are to be expressed in such manner, as to be as clearly distinguished as possible from the ordinary geographical lines, expressive of longitude and latitude.
For example: by diflference of colour, or by their being, the one undiscontinued in the manner of an ordinary line, the other composed of dots.
Art 16. Here follows the mode in which the Districts are to be marked out.
In the operation, the Commissioners will have for their object the rendering these portions of territory as nearly equal to one another in respect of population, as the necessarily and continually changeable condition of every portion of country, in respect of population, and the regard due to local convenience, will allow.
As they proceed in their survey, they will note and set down the several Habitations in each Parish or other such Place.
In each Habitation, they will inquire out, and set down, the numbers of the Inhabitants, under the distinctions of sex and age. Of the male Inhabitants, the age will be to be noted: of the female Inhabitants, not.
To this purpose. Habitations are to be distinguished into simple and compound.
A simple Habitation is a habitation inhabited by one Householder,* and no more: and thus containing but one Household.
A compound Habitation is a Habitation containing Householders, and thus Households, more than one.
Instances of compound Habitation are — I. An ordinary House, when it happens to be inhabited by more Householders than one: II. An Edifice, designed to contain, and accordingly containing, divers Habitations; as a College, an Alms House, an Hospital, an Inn of Court: * Note XV.
5S § 9. Elect to fi Districts.
III. An Edifice which, though not principally designed for habitation, yet incidentally aflfords lodging to Householders, one or more: as the Treasury, the East India House, a Town Hall, or any other Public Office.
Art. 17. For these purposes it will be necessary, that net only each Habitation, but in each Compound Habitation eath Household, shall have its distinctive name.
These names will be constituted by words and figures, for which see Section 10.
The name of the Habitation will be composed of the name of the Approach to it, with a number (to wit) the name of an arithmetical number, annexed.
Of what is meant by Approach, the words Edgware Roadf Hounslozo Heath, Kew Green, Putney Common, Parliameftt Street, Chancery Lane, Grosvenor Square, Palace Yard, will serve for the present as examples. See Section 10.
Art. 18. As the populatiiin comes thus to have been ascertained, the numbers expressive of it will be set down in the Map Avith reference to the division into Parishes.
So likewise, with reference to the Compartments in the Map, as per Article 15.
In each Parish, section of a Parish, or extra-parochial place, as the case may be, Males so many; Females so many; Males, of such and such ages.
So in each Compartment.
Art. 19- When the United Kingdom has thus been laid down in the general Map, and the several Habitations with their Ir»-habitants n ted down in it, then and not before will be the time for de'crminiiig and marking out the Division into Districts and Sub-Districts; always with a view to equality of population, as between every one and every other.
Art. 20. In the marking out of Districts and Sub-Districts, the Commissioners are to be guided by the division into Parishes, sections of Parishes, and Extra-parochial places.
On this occasion they are not to divide a Parish, or Section, or Extra-parochial place in such sort as to allot one part to one District or Sub-District, and another part to another; Unless, for want of such division, the inconvenience should be in an adequate degree considerable, I. In respect of length of journeys * to and from the Polling District; Or, il. in respect of inequality of population, as between District and District. *f- Section 10. VOTE-MAKING HABITATIONS, HOW DEFINED.
Art. 1. The operations, ordained by this Section, have for their purpose the determining with precision what individuals shall possess on each occasion the right of suffrage.
The mode employed, is that of reference made to the Habitations which they respectively inhabit.
For this purpose, it is necessary to appoint a set of marks by which every such Habitation may at all times be manifestly known to have that effect; and may at the same time be indisputably distinguished from every other.
The sort of mark employed for this purpose is the name of some Approach to it, with the addition of some numerical Jigure or figures, as per Section 9, Article 17.
It differs no otherwise from what is every where already in use, than by being fashioned to the degree of conciseness and uniformity which is necessary to adapt it to the present purpose.
Art. 2. The name of an Approach is to be composed of two words, and no more: the first constituting the individualizing part of the name; the other, the specific part: (to wit) the name of the species of Approach.
Thus, in Downing Street, Downing is the individualizing part; Street, the specific part.
Where the name in present use contains, as above, two words * Note XVI. t Note XVII.
and no more, it will, without special reason for alteration, be preserved unaltered.
Where it consists of but one word, this word will be the individualizing part of its name, and a specific part will be to be added.
Thus Whitehall may become White Hall Street.
Where the name contains more than two words, all that are above two are to be omitted. Thus Saint Anne's Street becomes Anne Street.
Where, for their present name, two or more Streets have, each of them, some individual name, with an adjective or other distinctive name, different in each, added to it, — the distinctive names are to be both omitted: the two Approaches are to be thenceforward designated by one and the same name.
Or else let a new name be given to one or each of them.
Thus, in the case of Upper Brook Street and Lower Brook Street, either Upper and Lower may be both omitted, and the two Streets thus reduced to one; Or, if they are kept distinct, the name of one may remain unchanged; and in this case a new name will be to be given to the other.
Thus, if Upper Brook Street is named Brook Street, Lower Brook Street may be named River Street.
The case of the two-worded name being the most common case, in general no change will need to be made. In no instance let any change be made, unless for special reason assigned.
But, for avoidance of confusion, let matters be so ordered that in no Parish shall any two Approaches stand designated in the Maps by the same name.
So, neither in any Polling District.
Art. 3. Of every Habitation, whether simple or compound, the name is to be composed of two parts, the verbal and the numerical.- The verbal pnrt is to be the name of the Approach; the numerical part is to be the name of the number, in the common arabic character, as is at present customary on house-doors.
In the case of each approach, the numbers are to follow one another, as usual, in the order of the numeration table.
An. 4. Where the Habitation is near or contiguous to more Approaches than one, the verbal part of the name is to be the name of some one and no more of the several Approaches: of one or of another, as may be most convenient.
Art. 5. Where the Habitation is a compound one, there, in the marginal index of the Map, as per Section 9, add to the name of the number the letter C.
And distinguish from each other the several Households in it by numbers, in the same manner as simple Habitations are to be distinguished, as per Article 3.
Art. 6. A simple Habitation may give any number of Inmates' votes; but it can give no more than one Householder vote.
A compound Habitation gives as many Householders' votes, as it contains Households having each its Householder of the male sex.
In addition to each Householder's vote, it may give any number of Inmates' votes.
Art. 7. A Household, which on one day has for its Householder a person of the female sex, may, on another day, have for its Householder a person of the male sex.
This considered,'* let no Habitation or Household be omitted in the Account, by reason that the Householder is a female.
But let Females' Households be distinguished by an appropriate mark; for instance the letter F.
Art. 8. In the marginal index of each Map, as per Section 9, the approaches are to be set down in the alphabetical order of the individualizing parts, and not under that of the specific parts of their names. Thus Downing Street will stand before Exchange Alley; although Alley would stand before Street.
For it is by the individualizing part of its name that the object is principally distinguished. The specific parts are in many in- * Note XVIII.
stances indiscriminately applicable. In this case, for example, are the words Road, Street, Lane. Not so the words Street, Square, Crescent.
Aft. 9. Under the direction of the Election-Master-General, Door-plates, resembling those iu common use, but on a uniform plan, to be iixed, one on some one door of every Habitation in the United Kingdom, shall for this purpose be provided.
The use of them is — to make it known, at all times, to all persons concerned, what Habitations confer votes, and what do not: and thus save the need of applying on every occasion to a Register; and at the same time afibrd uidications for securing the correctness of the Books in which Votes are registered. * Art. 10. In the provision made respecting Door-plates for this purpose, — cheapness, durability, and uniformity, will be to be attended to.
Uniformity is of itself a help to cheapness: — since the greater the number made on the same pattern, the cheaper the article may be afforded.
Its durability will be the greater, the more effectually, in case of depredation, its marketable value would, in the act of depredation, be destroyed.
For this purpose it should be as thin as is consistent with natural durability: and, by a pin passing through the door, it may be effectually festened in the inside.
Having regard to these objects, it will be for the Election-Master-General to determine — in what, if any, proportion these implements shall be furnished from his Office, and in what, if any, proportion, from any and what other places.
The Plates themselves being thus provided, the Inscriptions may, perhaps, be most advantageously made by Stamping Machines, one to be kept at each District Office, as per Section 5.
For, the several appropriate inscriptions can no otherwise be ascertained than from the Maps; » Note XIX.
And of the territory comprehended in the District, there ^»ill of course be a general Map kept in the District Office.
Also a set of Maps of the several Parishes and Parish-like places contained in it. * Art. 1 1. For the affixing of the Door-plates, persona are to be provided, by authority, in each District.
In each District they are regularly to be appointed by the Poll Clerk.
But in any Districts the Election-Master-General may direct that they shall be appointed by the respective District Clerks.
The Districts, in which the demand for the exercise of this power is most likely to occur, are those which are completely Town Districts: The reason is — that in Town Districts, the extent of gronnd requisite to be traversed will be comparatively so inconsiderable: so that in one Town District a smaller number might perhaps suffice than would be necessary in each one of the whole number of Sub- Districts contained in a Country District.
A Door-plate Fixer is removable at any time by the authority by which he was appointed.
For the guidance of Door-plate Fixers in the performance of their duty, the Election Master will, from time to time, furnish Instructions.
Before the tenor of the instrument is definitively determined, he will cause it to be communicated to the several District Clerks and Sub- District Clerks, in such sort as to receive any such sug«. gestions as they may respectively see reason to communicate.
To each Door-plate Fixer shall be delivered a printed copy of such instructions, signed by the Office-bearer by whom he has been appointed, -f- Art. 12. In the interval between Election and Election, fresh rights of suffrage will have come into existence. This effect will have been produced in every one of four ways; * Note XX. t Note XXL I. New Habitations will have been erected, and become inhabited by Householders; II. Habitations, that for a time had been uninhabited, will have received Inhabitants and thence Householders; III. Habitations, whether simple or compound, will have received additions to the number of their Householders.
IV. Households will have passed from female into male hands; and will thus, in each instance, have given birth to a fresh vote.
This considered, here follows the provision made for the giving publicity and effect to the several rights of suffrage, as they come into existence.
[ ] days at the least before the earliest day for the receiving of blank vote-making Certificates, to be filled up for the purpose of the then next Election, as per Sections 2 and 7, every person, who in any one of the above four ways, has come into possession of a right of suffrage, applies in person or by his Agent, at the Polling Office, for notoriety and effect to be given to such his right.
The demand made, and [Is.] paid, appropriate mention is thereupon made, in his presence, in the Registers of the Office, in the margin of the Map of the Polling District as kept in the Polling Oflfice, and in the margin of that copy of the Map of the Parish in question which is kept in the Polling Office.
At the same time he receives a Certificate, in which the existence of these entries is declared, and an assurance given, that, on or before a day therein mentioned, an appropriate Door-plate will have been fixed, on the door of the Household of which he is Householder.
For the fixing of such Door-plate, within the time so described, the Poll Clerk is accordingly responsible.
Art. 13. By the converse of the several events brought to view in Article 1 2, rights of suffrage will have become extinct.
For the making of the requisite entries and the requisite changes in Door-plates, it belongs to the Election-Master-General to take order, and by printed circidars from time to time to transmit Directions, correspondent in tenor or effect, to the several Polling Office?.
Art. 14. In several parts of Great Britain, for various purposes Parishes have, as above, been considered as divided into Subparishes, called Tythings or Townships.
In relation to every such Sub-parish, it rests with the Election-Master-General, in each instance, to determine, whether, to the purposes of this Act, as per Section 9, Article 20, it shall be considered as included in the Parish of which it forms a part,, or on the footing of a separate Parish.
Art. 15. In divers parts of Great Britain, are to be found tracts of land, which have never been considered, at least to all purposes, as included within the limits of any Parish; these have accordingly been known by the name of Extra-parochial places.
As often as, in the course of their operations, the Commissioners come to any such Extra-parochial place, they shall proceed in relation thereto, in tlie same manner as in relation to a Parish.
Art. l6. As to the Map, they may, in this case, attach it to the Map of any contiguous Parish at their choice: regard being had to convenience in respect of bulk and other particulars: distinguishing it in this case by some particular colouring.
Or they may consign the representation of it to a separate Map.
Such separate Map they shall cause to be deposited in the Vestry of some contiguous Parish: in the. choice of such Parish, they will have regard to the convenience of all parties interested.
Art. 17. In some instances, portions of territory subject to the same authorities are severed from each other.
Of this or that Parish, in this or that Hundred or other division of a County, one part is severed from another by one or more intervening Parishes.
Of this or that Parish, one part lies in one Hundred or other such Division; another, in another.
Of this or that Parish one part is in one County, another in another.
In a case of this sort, no part of a Parish shall, to the purposes of this Act, be considered as belonging to any part, from whidh it is in any of those ways severed: but each part shall either be considered as constituting a separate Parish, or shall be annexed to some other Parish, such as shall be pointed out, as above, by tegard to general convenience.
So, in the case of Sub-parishes, as above.
Of any such divided Township or Parish, or County, or Division of a County, one part may accordingly be included in one District; another in another.
So likewise one part in one Polling District; another in another.
So even where, as in the ordinary case, the several territories are at present undivided.
Art. 18. So soon as Commissioners have been appointed, in a number sufficient to proceed on the business, — notice of such apfpointment, mentioning the days, shall, by the Election-Master-General, be caused to be inserted in the London Gazette.
From thence it may be inserted, tax free, in every periodical and other publication.
On the first day of every month, succeeding that in which such appointment shall have been completed, the several sets of Commissioners shall respectively transmit to the Election-Master-General an account of their respective proceedings.
Of these several accounts, notices, with brief abstracts, shall, as soon as may be, and not later than within a week after they have respectively been received, be inserted in the London Ga-- zette.
From the London Gazette, they may forthwith be copied, tax free, into all other periodical publications.
Earh account, at length, shall, with all convenient speed, by the Election-Master-General, be transmitted for impression to, and be accordingly printed by, the King's Printer.
It shall be printed in at least two forms at the same time. " One shall be the cheapest legible form that can be devised.
This, as soon as printed, shall be transmitted, for sale, to each Polling District, to be sold at the Office, or at any such other places as the Election-Master General may appoint.
It shall be sold to retail customers at a price not exceeding [ten] per cent, upon the retail price of the paper on which it b printed.* Section 11. MEMBERS' CONTINUANCE.
Art. 1. Except as per Section 12, the term, during which a Representative of the people shaK, without a fresh Election, continue in his seat, shall in no case be longer than one year.
Art. 2. Throughout the kingdom, the day^ on which the new Representatives of the People are regularly to take their seats, is— [the first day of January^.
On that day, the Speaker shall, with such Members of the outgoing Assembly of the Representatives as choose to attend, appear and deliver up the possession of the place of meeting to the incoming Assembly. The in-coming Assembly, till its Speaker has entered into office, is presided by the Chief Clerk.
Art. 3. If, by any accident, the in-coming Assembly are on that day prevented from forming a House competent to do business, the out-going Assembly continues in the exercise of its functions, until the day on which the in-coming Assembly is competent to the exercise of them.
Art. 4. Dissolution is not produced by the decease or disability of the Monarch.* Art. 5. On the expiration of an Assembly, the business continues in the hands of the new Assembly, as if they were one and the same.f Art. 6. In Committees, vacancies are accordingly filled up, as if produced by death or resignation.-j- * Note XXII. f Note XXIII.
Section 12. VACANCIES SUPPLIED.
Art. 1. A Seat in the Commons' House may be rendered vacant by any one of nine causes:— 2. By election to divers seats.
3. By death.
4. By mental derangement.
5. By succession to a peerage.
6. By resignation.
7. By acceptance of a lucrative function under the Crown.
8. By acceptance of a peerage.
9. By expulsion.
Art. 2. [The first day of Jannary\ in every year, is the day appointed for the first meeting of a new Parliament.
On or before that day, every person who, having been elected Member for any District, chooses to serve, must, either in person or by letter (addressed to the Election-Master-General) signify his acceptance.
Failing of such signification, the next day, a new writ is issued for a Member to be elected in his place.
Art. 3. Suppose the same person returned for divers Districts. If he does not choose to serve for any one of them, a fresh writ for each one is issued, as above.
If, choosing to serve for this or that one, he has signified his choice accordingly, fresh writs are issued for all, except that one.
Art. 4. In case of the death of a Member, the Election-Master-General, as soon as he has received what in his judgment is sufficient evidence of the fact, issues his writ for a fresh Election accordingly.
In the books of his Office, he makes entry of the evidence: as, for instance, letter from such or such a person; noting the day on which it reached the Office.
^ 13. Security for the House, S(c, 49 Art. 5. So, if a Member becomes afflicted with mental derangement.
Art. 6. So, if a Member comes by succession to a peerage. Art. 7. Every Member is at liberty to resign his seat at any time.
To do this, he signs the Form of Resignation hereto annexed, and delivers it, or causes it to be delivered, to the Speaker, at the sitting, or at the rising, of the House.
The Speaker, on receipt of it, attests it, and immediately transmits it to the National Election-office.
The Election-Master, on receipt of it, issues by the next post his writ for a fresh Election, as above.
Art. 8. Upon his acceptance of a lucrative function under the crown, as per list, a Member's seat becomes vacant, as if by death.
Art. 9. So, in case of his acceptance of a peerage.* Art. 10. For the case of expulsion, see Section 13. Art. 11. On a vacancy, if, by reason of distance, it is not possible for a new Member to take his seat before the Session is at an end, no Election writ shall issue.
Section 13. SECURITY FOR THE HOUSE AGAINST DISTURBANCE BY MEMBERS.f Art. 1. In so far as such exclusion is necessary for securing its proceedings against disturbance, by annoyance in any shape, — the House has at all times power to exclude any of its Members.
But, on each occasion, the House shall and will declare, in particular, by what species of flnnopancc such OijSturbancct vvas effected, and by what individual instance of misbehaviour that species of annoyance was produced.
Art 2. For terminating, or preventing the repetition of, such » Note XXIV. t Note XXV. t Note XXVI.
50 § 14, Indisposition of Speakers obviated.
annoyance, the House may either expel the delinquent Member altogether, or exclude him for a limited time.