CHILTERN HUNDREDS. In former times, the beech-forests which covered the Chil tern Hills, in Buckinghamshire, were infested with robbers, and in order to restrain them, and protect the peaceable inhabitants of the neighborhood from their inroads, it was usual for the crown to appoint an officer, who was called the steward of the Chiltern Hundreds. The office, which has long ceased to serve its primary, now serves a second ary purpose. A member of the house of commons cannot resign his seat unless disquali fied either by the acceptance of a place of honor and profit under the crown, or by some other cause. Now, the stewardship of the C. H. is held to be sueh a place, and it is consequently applied for by, and granted, in the general case as a matter of course, to any member who wishes to resign. As soon as it is obtained, it is again resigned, and is thus generally vacant when required for the purpose in question. When the C. H. are not vacant, 'however, the same purpose is served by the stewardship of the manors of East Hendred, Northshead, and Hempholme. As to the offices which are held to vacate seats, see ELECTION. " The practice of granting the C. H. for the purpose
above described began only about the year 1750, and its strict legality has been doubted, on the ground that the stewardship is not an office of the kind requisite to vacate a seat. The gift of the C. H. lies with the chancellor of the exchequer, and there is at least one instance of its being refused. In 1842, after very awkward disclosures had been made before a committee of the house of commons, as to corrupt compromises, which had been entered into for the purpose of avoiding investigation into gross bribery in the election to certain boroughs, of which Reading was one, the member for Reading applied for the stewardship of the C. II., and was refused—the chancellor of the exchequer being of opinion that, by granting it, he would in some sort have made him self a party to transactions which he did not approve, and of which the house of com mons had implied its condemnation."—Standard Library of Political Knowledge, p. 500.