Star. — London, England, 1810-06-07 00:00:00

• .. to petition. Of this meetlig ao one had Said it was disreputable—no one said it consisted of pickpockets, or that it was in the neighbourhood of Hounslow. The inconsistency of suffering a similar P etition from t he same place to lie otilhe table, and t o refuse this, was monstrous. He apprehended there, was, tut pos sible ground for rejecting it. With respect to the Glouzestershire Petition, it contained nothing but mete allegations, without proof's. He beseeched the House not to treat the country with cold neglect, it could not receive any other Petition if it was to re. ject Si this. r SAMUEL ROMILLY observed, that the Question demanded the most attentive consideration. In the present situation of affairs the House would be obviously wrong, if it was to reject the Petition of a loge and respectable County, ori the grounds, or ra:' the the pretext of disrespect. If it were rejected, it must be imagined that Ministers were determined to stand against every Petition. If it were said, that because injuries are complained of, it must be ze. iected, the House on this principle could never re ceive another Petition, not even against a Private L3ill. With respect to the Gloucestershire Petition, the Right Hon. Gentleman carried to an excess the worn out argument of recrimination ; 112 did not look about kim when he said that this side of the House rejected Petition from Gloucester with one voice. There were many who voted in the minority, and likewise /o w of the tight Hon. Gentleman's Friends who sated in the majority. As to his 'tote on the guess tion, it was independent, and given with as clear a conscience as the Right Hon. Gentleman vier Voled, who seemed to be the depositary of the dignity of the House. He thought that at least twenty-four hours should be given to the consideration of the subject ; he therefore, if it was not suggested by another, would move that the debate should be adjourned till to morrow. Mr. STEPHEN was confident that the vote of the Learned Gcntlarrian yesterday, was perfectly con sistent with his usual character. He was sure it was west conscientious ; for although he in general voted differently from him, he syas for th' rejection. of the Petition yesterday, and exactly •on the same grounds on which he would vote for the rejection of the pre sent one, which he considered to bu completely pa rallel to it. The Gloucestershire Petition was refused, because it did not lead to any useful result; but seem. t d rather for the purpose of gratifying a malicious and improper feeling : the present lie conceived to be the SAW case. He would not believe that these petition ors came forward with a real expectation of being }ward. After the circumstances which have occurred , ' :mil the actions in consequence brought against the Speaker, could it be expected that the House would now comply, and erase from its journals the proceed ings and orders so shortly to bo subjected to investi gation ? He believed that this petition, like others of the same class, was for the purpose of insulting the House, however it might be worded (Hear,/sear,) for the purpose of keeping alive the clamour which had been raised for the worst purposes. When the ques tion was argued as if there was an intention of over. throwing the right of petitioning, Gentlemen did not seem to understand the nature of petitions. His Learned Friend opposite must know, in the ease of 1 addresses to the Court of Chancery, the Keeper of the Seals has a right to commit fortontempt of Court.— He might recollect the cafe' of , Mrs. Crowe's Pam. pl)let, who along with ber• Printer were committed by the C,hancellor, Lord Ers:iine, to the Fleet Prison, without a trial by Jury. The House could not be . content to suffer insults to be laid on its 'table. He could not but feel some indignation when, he was told , that innocent bl oo d was sited, in consequence of the acts of Ministers. He denied it ; biood.was shed, in consequence of the most audacious "and.4)osti,fiable opposition, in consequence, he wool knot aty Of de mocracy, as he had the greatest respett ,for that part . of the Constitution, but in consequence of jacobmism, (Hear, hear) and in point of intention, the most sedi tious opposition. With respect to what bad been - aid of his Right Honourable Friend, : as being the depo. Mary of the dignity of the Hotsse, he conceived that every Member was so. Considering the spirit whiCh had gone abroad, he believed such petitions_to be for • no othei purpose, than to shesv the people of England how far the House could be insulted. He called on the Hottse not to suffer it to lie on the table, as it could not be productive of any good. • Lord MILTON said, that he felt quite alarmed kt the rejection of the petition: He did not know what the right of petitioning was, if the subject had knot in his power t o compl a in o f grievances. He thought the privileges bf *the House to be high and unassailable, but did not know of any spirit in the country which tended to injure or abridge them. If he thought like the Right Holow-able Secretary; he should now feel sore on this question, as he bad voted for the committal of Sir Francis Burdett: and Mr. Gale Jones. If it was the right of the subject to pre sent petitions. it was the duty of the House to receive them, Mr. BARHAM hoped that the petition might not be rejected. Mr. LOCKHART thbught, that the Houle should reject all petitioni will& were Worded in an improper manner. The present he conceived to be extremely insulting in point of substance, inasmuch as it charged the House with a great political- crime, the assump tion of arbitrary power. Some allusions had been trade to a bad split existing in the country; he be lieved that a little discontent did exist, but was con fident, that the greater part of the people were sound, ;ind wished only for a fair and moderate reform. Mr. C. DUNDAS stated, that the Meeting was numerous and respectable. The intemperance of the Petition he excused on the grounds of the ignorance of the consequence and the public spirit of the county. In support of his assertion in regard to the respecta bility of the Meeting, he need only mention the name of Sir J. Throckmorton, who moved the Petition. The gnestion is now simply, whether the House is to draw up petitions for its Constituents to lay on the table? Sir JAMES HALL said, that the imputation of Ministers being the cause of shedding innocent blood Was totally unfounded; it originated in what he would call the boyish mutiny of du: Hon. Barottet now in the Tower. He conceived that this petition was a gross insult, and ought to be rejected. Mr. VANSITTART wished that the Petition ?night be read again. —The Clerk then read it. Mr. VANSITTAKT Observed that the accusation' Heshedd blood could, Ildt appiea to - the Housed He dia no vote for ateCotfimiiiai of S'►r Francis Bur- • . • - ! • • 111 • • • . Ilk , • s t a. ! ,A tro t ,' • e smit , Jett' but lie thoight that the sablitent,conduct 110 . frOni *OW 1, 4 1:0141 * , S t ittfrod yet I the Honourable baronet was an tneciutagentlei the and .tbese, froni the., best , aufotmation be had oft the mischiefs which ensued. . . inbjett,, appeared increase inproportion as instil- Sir T HOMAS TURTON N said,-that if the HoUse luxes diminished and it was. pr °boat, that if the yras to refuse this Petition, it would give the signal of State LOttery were abolished, those Little Goes would rejection to all others.. • increase in a still greater degree. Under-these cir- Mr. CHARLES YORKE thought that the Peti. cumstances bethought there was no iubatantial reason tion was intended *a direct insult to t h e H o use, and f or d ec li n i ng t o ra i se t h e Je50,000, whidh would thus in that case he felt it his duty to oppose its reception: be produced. He farther stated, there was a Clause Upon a consideration of his own conduct in inducing in the Bill befere them, enacting that every office the House to commit Gale Jones to prison, he felt should have a lkence to prevent three or four being firmly persuaded that he bad acted io consonance . opened hy.as many persons having one licence among with his Parliamentary duty, and he felt equally them, as heretofore... ..„ . vincesl, that the House had acted, in every sense of Mr. WILBERFORCJ was against exciting a the word, as becaine a proper Itespect for themselves spirit Of gaming among the people. He noticed the on such an occasion. On the committal of Mr. Gale tricks resorted to by Lottery, Office keepers in their ' Jonea, the House was by no means thinly attended, placards, which could only be intended or expectet intiAbeßesointion had been adopted nemine ceniradi- to succeed with persons in the lowest. situations of etate.: The time had arrived when it became neces. life. .The revenue always suffered while the Lottery sary to stop the current of slander and abuse, which was drawing, through the dissolute conduct of those I ' was flowing with 'a dangerous rapidity . on the pro- .. who became adventurers. If the Lottery were alio- 4 ceedings of Parliament. In this opinion, he felt proud r lished, the people, being more industrious, and the to assert,a Right Hon. Gentleman, low no more, and . taxes in consequence better paid, would soon give whosedeathbesincerelylamented.(Mr.Windham)had more than an equivalent to the sum annually raised coincided. He had no -apology to make for his con. iby lotteries.—The House dividedi,--Ayes 61—Noes duCtoart ahis Octasion ' and when he heard it asserted, 24—Maiority in favour of the third reading 37. that he Wits the cause of &spilling of innocent blood, The Bill was read a third time and passed. he denied it ;it was not to h h the cauies of the dis- The other Orders of the Day were disposed of, and torbauces, were to he attribisted, but to Sir Francis the House adjourned at two o'clock this morning. Burdett, to Aim alone he conceived blame MO imputable. Mr. BRAND expressed his astonishment that the Agile of 'petition 'So ihtiniatelv connected with the Constitution oUthe country, should be considered a matter of little signification. With respect to the petition before the House, he conceived its language in fair contradiction, if properly interpreted, was such as ought to be received by the House. If there was not a palpable intention on the part of the Peti tion to offend the House, he thought the House ought not so scrupulously to question its contents. Mr. VANSITTART explained; although he could not approve of every part of the Petition, he hoped it would be received by the House. Mi. CREEVEY delended the conduct of Sir Francis Burdett, whose domines, he conceived, were Sperflictly in unison with the Constitution ; li© could not see, therefore, upon what ground the Honoura ble Gentleman (Mr. Yorke), could accuse Sir Fran cis Burdett of having been the cause of shedding in nocent blood. He wished to know why the motives of Sir Francis Burdett were-to be questioned any more than those, of the Right Hon. Gentleman, to whom he conceived the cause of the disturbances might more iltirly be attributed. He concluded by moving, in consequence of the thin state of the House, that the further (Wince -of the House on the Petition should he adjourned until to-morrow. Mr. YORKE in explanation, said he did not mean to assert what had been the motives of the Honour. able Baronet, but he oould conscientiously say, that the result of Sir Francis Burdett's conduct had led to the shedding of innocent blood, and in that fuel ing he must unegaivocally assert, that the cause of innocent blood being shed, reseal with Sir Francis Burdett alone. The CHANCELLOR of to EXCHEQUER thotigltethe'queition had been sufficiently agitated, and therefete opposed the adjournment the debate. Mr. DUNDAS expressed a hope that the Hon. Gentleman wou'd withdraw his antenonent. Mr. WHITBREAD observed, that other occa 'slons might occur to answer the : Right Hon. Gentle man (Mr. Yorke) on tho explanation which he had given, He could not but admire the conduct of the Right Honourable Gentleman in vindicating himstif at the expence of another individual. He advised him not to judge, . lest he should be judged, and with that observation he should at present conclude. Mr. CREEVY then withdrew his amendment, and the House divided on the question whether the Peti tion should be laid on the table or not COMMT: COUNCIL After the discharge of a considerable deal of rou tine business, the Court proceeded to the Considera tion of the notice of Motion for taking into consi deration the late alarming assumption of privilege by the House of Commons, and the necessity of Parlia- mentary Reform." Mr. Quo: rose to submit a motion to the Court.— He trusted that the topics which it would be neces sary for him to touch upon were so deeply impressed upon the minds of most of those who heard him, as to make it unnecessary for him to go to any great length of observation- in support of the motion he had to make. He was glad to see the interest that ihis subject excited, front the number of persons who then attended, many of whose faces he did not recollect to have seen at former meetings. He was glad, how, ever, that they were present, as it gave him as as surance that the subject would receive the full at tention with it merited. In considering the Aar. ming power which the House of Commons had lately assumed of imprisoning Englishmen at their plea. sure, for alledged offences, which if proved were cog nizable in the Courts of Law ; in considering the solute necessity of a speedy and effectual reform is Parliament, lie ltd the satisfaction to know that them were no two subjects which bad been more thorough ly sifted by the nation-at 'urge, ,or which had been more generally considered in all their bearings. It • was generally understood that the House possessed no privileges of imprisoning, at their arbitrary plea- j sure, persons whose offences, if they had committed any, might be punished by the common means affor ded by the common law. It WU necessary tp look I at the measures which had lately taken plates but it was not necessary to cast out foul insinuations ve s pec. ting the motives of any public men,• Htdid not stand forward to defend whatever there might be .of intem perance in the proceedings of the Common Hall, and much less did he mean to defend the Gentle men who went about soliciting signatures to their counter-declarations. Bat while he coneeiecd it a duty to abstain front imputing bad motives to other men for their public conduct,: he could not avoid condemning the conduct of many of the gentie men who differed from him in political opinions, and wl-o were always ready to call thosedisloyal men, who differed from their opinions. They wished to affix the brand sAf disloyalty to men as much attached to the principles of the Constitution as they could be ; and ~.who venerated as highly the King, who is at the head of it, and the other branches of the legislature, while they confined themsel,es to, their proper functions.— He believed that many of &Ise who were now bran- Ided with the name of disloyalty would be at least as ready - as the boldest of their accuseh, to give up their' lives in the defence of their constitution and their coun try. He, among others, was said to be so identified and consolidated with the system of Sir Francis Bur dett as scarcely to be independent in his opinion. kle certainly had, as almost every other man had, the highest respect for the private character of Sir Francis Burdett I and as to his political conduct, he thout it, in general, highly meritorious and exempt:try, but still there were many points in which he could not agreeyith him: He would not agree with him in calling the House of Commons the inferior broachof the legis lature, and there were many expressions in his letter which he would not undertake to defend. He must, Ayes :A—Noes 78—Majority 42. • POOR CLRICOY. On the mrition of the CHANCELLOR of. the EXCHEQUER, the Report of the Committee of Supply was taken into further consideration. • Upon the resolution for granting £lOO,OOO far the support of the Poor Clergy being read, Mr. WHITBREAD expressed auopinion that the great muniti,:ence with which the Church was already idßported, should be devoted to the maintenance of the poorer Clergy ' . and thonghta proposition of this sort should arise from the heads of the Church them selves. He could net agree to the grant of a sum for the support of the poorer Clergy, unless the superior class of the Clergy spewed some disposition to aJopt measures.for the amelioration of the situation of their brethren. The CitANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER thqught it was necessary for the interests of the State that this vote should be passed.—The question was then put and cairipd. . OTTERS' • DILI.: On the m9tion for the third reading:of the Lottery Bill, Mr. Won Nit 41.13, after remarking the contrast between the subject, which 'had just • before engaged the attention of the House, and the .which was now submitted to them, the one for the incouragement of virtue, and the other for the propagation of vice, op posed the thirJ reading of the Bill, on the ground that the spirit of gambling it excited and fostered was a most iruitful source of crimes anti miseries. These evils he pore i from docinfients had been but little lessened by rxent acts of Parliament, or by the new mode of dral ing the Lotttry. He was determ;ned to take the sense of the House on the subject, and as long as he should have a seat in the House, would persevere in his attempts to root out an evil of the first magnitude. Mr. BERNARD was averse to the Lottery system. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER thought the objections of the Honourable Gentleman arose out of circumstances which were no longer con nected with the drawing of the Suite Lottery. The mode of drawing the Lottery now adopted had so far reduced the number of insurances, that the evil thence arising might be considered as annihilated. It never arose from a small sum being risked in the first in stance, but from the adventurers being induced to follow it up' day after day horn contingency to con qingency, till going froth one step to another, from 'risking their sixpence et sevenpence in the first in :stance they advanced their shillings and their pounds. Thii they could now do no longer. The mischief at present done to the lower orders by Lotteries, arose .... .. v. j ip• And 'at' stialige. gt the gallery, Yorke was turned the • • MOT ft'• t • •• . for 7 . c arige upon la* grounds, and for ea ding the piiblic.fraaa ry; upon an insporrast discussion, this , a s given a most lucrative sinecure: Ile he people out was himself tprned s mt •hen he went down to his former constituenac. appeared to Ministers that cotatezres.ter re- Ls due to him, and he got one pl the mac nt situations, in the conntry, th a t of Fiat the Admiralty. It did appear to Lim that all a contrivance on tke p irt of the Ministers .• . • „„ ...:•.4 Sliof n'• • •-• . • 4447 7 ell 7 1" e urn 91 4 1 a, and for ea ding the ptiolic.frene • • rat an inapt-rant discussion, this bl f . 1 n a most lucrative sinecure: Ile de out was himself torned s mt went down to his former coostituems. ed to Ministers that cornea - eater re. o him, and he got one ol the nem; :aims: in the cannery, that of Fiat dmiraity. It did appear toisim that, oatrivanse on the p ire of the Ministers tt en tiou from the ealamitoste acre of the blood, the trearre,afad the e country, in the illplainte4 eweft. of- Weicherea. knew. 44t the I Privilege of Parliament had ben ai- -1 by persons of the first learningand ie therefore felt it tinnr.ceisare for him It at any length. The subject of Par. ()MI WAS a lso one with which every be supposed to be acquainted. He serve upon this subject, that the three is would be alisolutely Recessed'r to be my plan that could give general sadsr rst point would be to extend the dec. ▪ LIMO/ 4VIIO ate now excluded from it s undoubtedly, upon every principle of to a voice in the choice of representer eond point would be to strike off the s ; and the third, to bring backParlia. stitutional duration. After expatia:::3 It on the advantages which w ou ld r irliamcnrary Reiln, he moved, We Petition be presented to the Hoeourable*, acknowledging their ri;Tte to all diesels* tended for them and lanieutlng what= ' regard to Gale ;ones and Sir Francis I shortly undergo 1 legal decision ; Lave entlarced the Standing Order *sel= ilculated to distrut the public attrition ; ootis. rn to Mr. Yorke --agrbeing with a Resolution 4 is, that 'times of necessity were times of Roo tdingstbat ail things alarmed the waft of sae& in of the people in the House of Comatose, osil a Reform could correct the abuses complained tat if there were a ReforM that the taxes world a there would be no foreign mercenary troop nil that the people would not h ave to ddb cy of the present Ministers if there were a Re. at the House would take these matters into their idtration." seconded the motion, and thought it y necessary that that Court and the ld make a stand against this new as. surer, which, if not opposed, would is irecedent for similar acts. He most Jed in the motion which had been made. .E said, that about forty years ago, that nimously declared certain proctedingi lose of Commons to be illegal. When Commons instituted a search for pre- Daly found those precedents which were riemselves. Now he could state a case is personally concerned, and which was other way. He had Mitnerly been attend the House of Commons, and did .10 it, but went into the country. The Idressed his Majesty; and a proclama- -50 for his discovery, was issued. The omons, however, never thought of stn. down of' their own authority to break' in the country. Lord Roeslyn Indian is his opinion, that it was the House of to had got themselves into a scrape in As to his opinion about Administration, like that which had been hurnourously extraordinary character that he had read . ever world he might hereafter be thrown it be worse thin the present. He also whatever Administration might succeed t was impossible to change lor the wise. C. SMITH was at a loss to perceive what ntrivance there could be on the part of Hie ahnught that it might make a consi- o in distant places, 300 miles from tows, it the House of Commons was . .impr4 shmen (a laugh). The Gentlemen wag, e opposed this privilege, said nothing clve months ago, when -General Cie' tale Sandon, and other people war. sent e thought that every man io the minter 11;;d a serious cause of alarm, if the Cm. a. supported their privileges ou the r.cent thought those who were so anxious to ileges ef Parliament defined should point the proper mode of defining them. Did vish the task should devolve on the Crowa, -Jaw of Lords ? Bsgli to him were preg- inger. Some Gentlemetewere of opinion, istenso of those privileges was inconsis. Ie law of the laud ; he should contend, sported in his assertion by the opinion' Blackstone, that the privileges of Perlin. in the law of Parliament, which was law of the land. Lord Coke said, the lament was above the Common Law, e defined any where - but in thtir owe also said Mr. Justice Blackstone. Magna also been quoted in opposition to the pri- irliament. The 16th Section of Magna that no freeman should be imprisoned or css by the judgment of his Peers or theta* Now if the law of Parliament was, is Coital me said, part'of the la* of the lend, then meet of Burdetf ancl Jones was not coo. The worthy Gentleman then reverted t of Parliamentary Reform, and read an a letter *Lord Chatham to City of the sub t, _id which Lord Chatham. • plan of Parliamentary Refont, that OP Id be added to every Shire, by nay of nst the mercenary Boroughs, .but not a people wl T?icn it a w ird was al competent Lord of the this was all ._ use p in isttra to distract the publicrittention from the 9;101,1405ta and criminal waste of the blood, the treasere,4fod the character of the country, in the illplaiine s i .e4petrt. tion to the isle of- Waicherea. He knew. Ju the question of the Privilege of Parliament had brew at. • ready discussed by persons of the first learning.anit research, and he therefore felt it unnr.ceisary for him to dwell upon it at any length. The subject of Par. lianfentary Reform was hiso one with which every man must ever be supposed w be acquaintell. should only observe upon this subject, that the three following points would be absolutely incensey to be attended to in any plan that could give general satis faction ; the first point would be to extend the elec. tivefranchise to many .svlio ate now excluded from it s but have undoubtedly, upon every principle of justice, a right to a voice in the choice of representar fives. The second point would be to strike off the rotten boroughs ; and the third, tb bring back,Parlia. meets to a constitutional duration. After expatia:::3 for some leng th on the advantages which w ou ld from s uch a leng th Reform, he moved, " That an hnniole Petition be presented to the Hooottrabbello Howie lA - Commons, aekoovrledging their rii,*Tte to all deosejush privileges wisely intended for them, and lanieutlngwleat= taken place ith regard to Gale ones and Sir Francis though that would shortly undergo 1 legal decision ; that they should have enfOrced the Standing Order *best which was only calculated to distract the public audition ; tour ing the places given to Mr. Yorke—avbeing wits a Renaud= 4 the House of Lords, t h at ' times of necessity were times of Rea form,' alp! contending.tbat ail thirty alarmed the waft of so elle tieat representation of the people in the House of commas. sod that no: hilts; bet a Reform could correct she abuses complained . of; maintaining that if there were a Reforth that the rues world be equalized; that there would be no foreign mercenary trope in the country •; and that the people would not have to &Om. the ntisersble policy of the present Ministers if there were a Ito. Com—praying that the House would take these matters Kato their most serious considtratlon." Mr. P.raitioN seconded the motion, and thought it was absolutely necessary that that Court and the Country should make a stand against this new as. sumption of power, which, if not opposed, would in future be A precedent for similar oats. He most heartily coincided in the motion which had been made. Mr. W . lioncE said, that about forty years ago, that Court had unanimously declared certain proceedingi of the then House of Commons to be illegal. When the House of Commons instituted a search for pre cedents, they only found those precedents which were in favour pi" themselves. Now he could state a case in 104C14 he was personally concerned, and which was decidediy the other way. He had Mitnerly been summoned to attend the House of Commons, and dig not chose to do it, but went into the country. The House then addressed his Majesty ; and a proclama tion, offering £5O for his discovery, was issued. The House of Commons, however, never thought of stn. t ding people down of' their own authority to break into his house in the country. Lord Rosslyn at that time gave it as his opinion, that it was the House of epromons who had got themselves into a scrape in the business. As ;obis opinion about Administration, K was much like that which had been hurnourously k.Mated by an extraordinary character that he had read . 'of, that whatever world he might hereafter be throwts, into, could not be worse thin the present. He also thought that whatever Administration might spcceed the present, it was impossible to change for she worse. Alderman C. SMITH was at a loss to perceive what design or contrivance there could be on the part of 'Ministers. He ahought that it might make a consi derable alarm in distant places, 300 miles from tows, to be told that the House of Commons was . .impr4 soning Englishmen (di laugh). The Gentlemen w:ua, however, now opposed this privilege, said nothing against it twelve months ago, when -General Cie, • lug and Captain Sandon, and other people want sent to prison. lie thought that every man io the CD - tote? would have 11;;d a serious cause of alarm, if the Come mons had not supported their privileges on the r.cent ocsasion. Mr. JACK; thought those who were so anxious to have the privileges cf Parliament defined should point out what war. the proper mode of defining them. Did Gentlemen wish the task should devolve on the Crowa, or on tic House of Lords ? Both to him were preg naut with danger. Some Gentlemetewere of opinion, that the existence of those privileges was inconsis. tent with the law of the laud ; lie should contend, however, suppr -in his assertion by the ,ported _ _ opinions of Coke and Blackstone, that the privileges of Perlis; however, completely agree with him in thinking, that one third part of the legislature had no - right to as- ; ment stood on the law of Parliament, whi c h was $ part of the law of the land. Lord Cokes said, ihe . some powers equal, if not superior, to what was claimed by the whole. The House had travelled far ; law of Parliament was above the Comm on L aw , 'and not to be defined any where but i n t h e i r ow . back in the history of the country, to find precedents in support of the step which they had taken ; hut they House ; so also said Mr. Justice Black s tone. M agna ; lied found none. There could be no legal right, with. I Charm had also been quoted in opposition to th e pri out a legal means of exercising it ; and yet the House vileges of Parliament. The 16th Section of M agna of Commons had no means of exercising the privi. : Charta said, that no freeman should be imprisoned sr lege they claimed, but by calling upon the Ki ng m banished unless by the judgment of his Peers or theta* of the land. Now if the law of Parliment was, tie COM assist them. He had been asked, what power had and .Biackstone said, part . of the la* of the land, then the House of Commons to enable them to contend against the Crown fHe would answer, that this 'was , the imprisonment of Burdett anCloses was-not coo . an extreme case, and not very likely to occur ; but if trary to law. The worthy *Gentleman then reverted to the subject of Parliamentary Refn . nn, and read an extract from a le,tter +Lord Chatftam to . the City of it should occur, lie knew of no real power which the House of Commons could have except the support of the people. This support of the people could never London on the subieet, Jil which Lord Chatham. be obtained by any House of Commons, which did stated as his plan of Paigiamentary Refont, that is not itself - support' the rights and lil•ertiesof the people. Knight should be added to every Shire, by way of lie thought that through all the late events, he had balance against the mercenary Boroughs, .but not a seen something like design and contrivance on the word of universal suffrage, or the destruction of the part of Ministers. In the first place, Mr. Charles borough system, was to be found in the Noble Lord's Yorke comes forward, and slims his complete igno- plan. The plan of Reform proposed was, in his (Mr. ranee of the Constitution of England. He began his Jacks) opinion, like the speculative and abstract complaint against 'Gale Jones, by founding it on the opinions and doctrines of the Rights of Man, which 9th article of the Bill of Rights, which prevents the we had seen exemplified in the Freneh Revolution s proceedings of the Houses of Parliament from being and which had terminated in rapine and bloodshed. questioned any where else. Now it was most obvious He called on Gentlemen to point out a time when to any person who had the least idea of what the peculation arid corruption were Bill of Rights meant, that the questioning which is when religious ancrcivil liberty spoke of, was only that sort of question which took than they were at resent!' He place on a legal process, and net that sort of question form, but not to universal suffra, which takes place daily both in w4tings . nnd in dis- woulfketul to nothing an cussions, and in conversaions, abin.4,tps con4pct of . public men. This last sort of questioning no.act of , Mr. wished to call , Parliament could pre, ot, or ever meant to prevent. men to the mow which took were less prevalent, and rty were better protected He as a friend to Rim •• iffrage, which he thought In overthrow of the C. the attention of Omni& k place at the itivothdott ;itt, t}b b,~