The National Register. — London, England, 1809-05-07 00:00:00

THE NATIONAL REGISTER. ceeding, autt that he will refuse to appear before their Bar, for it compelled to appear, that he will refuse to answer their interrogatories. Under such circumstances there will be but one possible alternative, Hirt is to say, his im mediate deposititm by' a decree of the State. It is not very easy, from the cautious anti imperfect ac connts which reach this country, to form any conclusion as to the state of the popular mind in Sweden. All that is known is, that the people have ver3 passively submitted to the authority of the Regent, ael that there seems to be a general persuasion, that the character of the KING . was too ardent, and that he consulted rather the man re of the cause in which he was engaged, than the extent of his own reso*rces. The mention of the House of Commons and of the public in general, is almost exclusively occupied on the :)usiness, which has been introduced there by a Motion of Mr. MADocxs. apply be remembered that sonlls c s iLt since that Gentleman gave the ordinary rariiani. .tiary notice, that be would bring forward a motion connected with Parlin, mentary Reform. From the general manner in ws.ich this notice was worded, there was not the slighte. pos sible conjecture as to its actual detail. Every t! . .ng con nected with the great question of Parliamenta-i Reform, is at present matter of immediate interest, an.: such being the avowed purport of Mr. MADOCKS'S motion, the public certainly looked to it with much expectation. But not a suspicion had entered it to the mind of any one, that the actual and immediate point of the intended !notion was what by its result on Friday night it appeared to be. Mr. MADOCKS, rising in his place, preferred a formal Charge against two of the leading Ministers, Mr. PER C EVA L and LorirCASTLEREAGH. After a few observations, which are very important, as being the only present light to his general purpose, he moved, that the House would resolve itself into a Committee on Thursday next, in which it should receive certain charges of corruptiou and of criminal prac tices, in procuring the return of Members of Parliament, against Lord CAS'iL ER LAC LI and the CHANCELLOR of the Ex cHEQUER. It will be seen by the debate, which is fully reported in cur columns, that this communication threw not only the parties accused, but the House itself, into the greatest pos sible surprise and confusion—Lord CASTLER EAGH was not in the House, Mr. PEHCEvAL rose, in much confusion, and after an interval of agitation and embarassment, com plained that Mr. MADOCKS had taken him by surprise, that in so doing he had violated the ordinary parliamentary forms, and even in a degree trespassed against natural equity and personal decorum. It may briefly be observed, upon this part of the sub ject, that the objection goes only to the iiriii in which the business has been brought forward, and therefore that whe ther solid er superficial, it does not affect the substmice. It is certainly a rule in the proceedings of the House, that no charges should be exhibited against a Member without a r.revious explanatory notice. it does not, however, ap pear in the present case, that any left-handed advantage could either be intended, or could by any posssibility have resulted.—Mr. MADOCKS, it will be seen, did not make any charge. He only moved fur a future Committee, in which, on a future day, such a charge should be produced, had he exhibited any accusation in the absence of the Members accused, and with due notice to them, so that they :nicht he prepared to meet the accusation with the eft:fence. The objection against the abrupt introduction of his motion, would have been solid, it would have been equally ag ainst all parliamentary forms and all natural equity, to have produced an accusation by surprise. But where his motion is not an accusation, but merely a notice of accusation, where it is not a trial, but a notice of trial, there certainly seems no reason to complain of surprise. lTpon this ground, however, that is to say, upon a point of form, the motion was negatived—the SexAILZS giving it MAY 7. as his opinion, that it would he inure Parisamentary fur the Honourable Moser• to explain more fully the grounds of his motion. The matter, therefore, has gone oft* for the present, but it is generally uuders;uod, that on Thursday ' next Mr. MADOCKS will adopt the suggestion of the SPEAKER, and will renew the u!ution upon a production of the documents on which it is founded. In the meantime the Pu!iiic are left to conjecture what is the precise fact—what the particular instance of cor ruption n filch tips Ger ~ teman lias to proclaim against Lurd CASTLI;fILAGII and . A!r. PEucEvAL. Upon these poii.ts we have twb brief observations.—ln the first place, '..cotu the manner it which Mr. Mario:.Es prefaced his motion, it is evident that it is very imp o rtant, and that hi•aself, and the party with which he acts, expect from it very consequential results. • This iolerence wav be collected from the Extracts which he !roved to be read from the Journals. The substance of t1.. - se Extracts, upon which he grounded two proceedings :it form, was, I!ial in the year 1700, Samud sh(Phecd, Esq. a Member of thc House of Commous,was a:•enscd of cor rupt practices in 1 , 1 - ocuring the return of :Members into that House,—that witnesses were examined at the Bar upon that charge, and that by the event .`t , liepherd was found guilty anti committed to the Tower. Our second observation refers to the probable source from -which Mr. MAnorKs has derivA his intelligence„ and to the probable nature of the documents which he will produce in evidence, in proof and substantiation of the charge. That these documents are sufficient is likewise evident from the manner in which Mr.MADOcKS and his friends in (louse spoke of them, when repelling the observation of the ministerial side of the House, that the lion. Gentle wan (Mr. NIADocKs) might possibly have no other ground than mere cursory report,—mere idle slander. One of the Members of the House, Mr. B.%'ruu BST, a gentleman who does not always understand himself, at least if we may judge from what is imputed to him, very unluckily made use of the word,—TANGiBLE SHAPE..•-•• 6 He hoped the Honourable Gentleman had something to produce of a tangible shape and substance." This expression gave oc• c.ision to a very animated speech by Mr. WHITBREAD, ill which, with his usual strength and felicity of retort and rallery, Mr. W. rung some very happy changes upon the words—Tangible Shape. The inference from what he said, as far as it bears upon the present points, seems to be, that Mr. Msoocks had exhibited his documents to Mr. WHIT BREAD, and that Mr. BATHURST would have his wish in something- TANGIBLE. Our readers is ill doubtless remember, that the Bankruptcy of WALSH and NESBIT has been frequently referred to in the House, as having led to a most important discovery, but that discovery has never been otherwise mentioned, than in very general terms. In the proceedings at the He., form Dinner, one or two Members of Parliament spoke, and not being .under the same strict ruks of proceeding aft within the walls of their own House, they there distinctlx stated, that it had come out from the documents laid be. fore the Commissioners of Bankrupts in the commission of WALSH and NEstler, that four seats in Parliament had been purchased, at the cost of five thousand each, by the firm of that House. Now, to come to the point, Mr. MA DOCKS, we believe s has had a peculiar share in the investigation of the con cerns of this firm. Is it not probable, therefore, that the documents to which he refers in his motion s may be the BOOKS and PAPERS Of WALSH and NESBITT. Another im portant idea here suggest 4 itself —if these papers are pro duced—if the subject is br,o.ight horne t what will, be the result? The result may be comprehended in a very few words the exemplary punishment of the parties accused—a new Ministry, and a most important practical advance toward,* A EFORM In PARLIAMENT. ~ se,. ....•. a' Sf.,a OCMPISSVI 11/%0 %.,41114113/4114"11 ilitiegios, co ......-1.46."..• LLLL a rOreViOUS explanatory notice. it does not, however, ap- within the walls of their own House, they there distinctlx pear in the present case, that any left-handed advantage stated, that it had come out from the documents laid be- could either he intended, or could by any posssibility have fore the Commissioners of Bankrupts in the commission of resulted.—Mr. MADOCKS I it will be seen, did not make WALSH and NEsnrr, that four seats in Parliament had been any charge. He only moved for a future Committee, in purchased , at the cost of five thousand each; by the firm of which, on a future day, such a charge should be produced, that House. I ri had he exhibited any accusation in the absence of the Now , to come to the point , Mr. MADOCKS , we believes Members accused, and with due notice to them, so that has had a peculiar share in the investigation of the con- they :nicht he prepared to meet the accusation with the cerns of this firm. Is it not probable, therefore, that the eft:fence. The objection against the abrupt introduction documents to which he refers in his motion s may be the of his motion, would have been solid, it would have been BOOKS and PAPERS of WALSH and NESBITT. Another im- equally ag ainst all parliamentary forms and all natural ~ portant idea here suggest 4 itself —if these papers are pro- equity, to have produced an accusation by surprise. But duced—if the subject is br,olght home,, what will t)e the, ' where his motion Is not an accusation, but merely a notice result ? of accusation, where it is not a trial, but a notice of trial, . The result may be comprehended in a very few words — there certainly seems no reason to complain of surprise. , the exemplary punishment of the parties accused—a new lTpon this ground, however, that is to say, upon a point Ministry, and a most important practical advance toward*. of form, the motion was negatived—the SPEAILZS giving it ' A EFORM 111 PARLIAMENT. . .