posed a day for taking it into consideration; and to
this they agreed. It was afterwards moved, that the consideration of it
should be adjourned to a short day, before which the petitioners should
be ordered to declare whether they intended to controvert the last
election of all the sixteen peers, or the election of any, and which of
them. This affair was of such an unprecedented nature, that the house
seemed to be divided in opinion about the manner in which they ought to
proceed. The partisans of the ministry would have willingly stifled
the inquiry in the beginning; but the petitioners were so strenuously
supported in their claim to some notice, by the earls of Chesterfield,
Abingdon, and Strafford, the lords Bathurst and Carteret, that they
could not dismiss it at once with any regard to decorum. The order of
the house, according to the motion explained above, being communicated
by the lord-chancellor to the petitioners, they waited on him with
a declaration, importing, that they did not intend to controvert the
election or return of the sixteen peers for Scotland; but they thought
it their duty to lay before their lordships the evidence of such
facts and undue methods as appeared to them to be dangerous to the
constitution; and might in future elections equally affect the right of
the present sixteen peers, as that of the other peers of Scotland, if
not prevented by a proper remedy. This declaration being repeated to the
house, the duke of Devonshire made a motion, that the petitioners might
be ordered to lay before the house in writing, instances of those undue
methods and illegal practices upon which they intended to proceed, and
the names of the persons they suspected to be guilty. He was warmly
opposed by the country party; and a long debate ensued, after which the
question was carried in favour of the motion, and the order signified
to the petitioners. Next day their answer was read to the house to this
effect: That as they had no intention to state themselves accusers, they
could not take upon them to name particular persons who might have
been concerned in those illegal practices; but who they were would
undoubtedly appear to their lordships upon their taking the proper
examinations: nevertheless, they did humbly acquaint their lordships,
that the petition was laid before them upon information that the list of
the sixteen peers for Scotland had been framed previous to the election,
by persons in high trust und