The Statesman. — London, England, 1810-08-01 00:00:00

D'ongersi he Is supposed to be a great authority among themselves, and those who support them. This is his speech od the_Privilege of Parliament ; he says,— " This is a question of considerable importance, for if a popular assembly had a right to be the judge of their own act , , and to make their own will the law, there would be au end of civil liberty ; for what liberty could exist ill a state where there was .s large body of men, who Could controul the law, and deprive the subject of his freedoM at their pleaUre t Wm could they talk of the inviolability of the fiefdom of the sultject, while they violated that inviolabillt, at their pleasure These are the words which were delivered by 11Ir. Pitt ; at thd same time, in this speech, there die repeated and frequent cautions to persons that they ought to be circumspect in all they do,—that they ought to look at every thing with a States- Wad-like eye.—The person tvho composed this speech of Earl Gre! , , was ansCoriscious of *hat he Was doing, when ho could quote a person in sdppurt of his argument who had contradicted the very doctrine fur which he was contending, and Who had mute elaborately detailed those princi ples which I hate stated. It may be Said that this ghat Statesman, whose Opinion I have alluded to, expresicd it when he was hi the vigour of youth, or in the prime of manhood, add that his prince'. pies thaeged as the man became more advanced in; years. Circumstatizes may chanv, but, I keest, Olt principles must ever remain the same. 1 :ad wiit that Berson l who ire going to share in °likes Ie Gur..rtiateitt, may hake different Views . of things from whit they had before. A. man who IS ailmitierl to a palacc may ice things through a diif rent mcdiuni than he did when he was at a tbs. Mice !rout it, ail than in the valley his a different view Of objects from the ciao wbo it on the hill ; lint I say meri cadnot swerve frdnl the public itrintiplei they hive once adopted ; he may be come *is& ; but, if he Swerves frotn his ptiliticil prititiples, lie dues by that act cut Up by the roots All ground of public confidence. There are Other parts of this speech; which are exceedingly eii riolis--" I protest," says he, 64 against men who, under preiciite of Reform, would drive us into ex. trasitgAtit theories ; but I was always a friciiJ to rh•oleraie Reform,” NViiat can be more mode. tale, I would aSk you, than the Reform which the people of this 'country with for—they aro so moderate that they are contented to Rut bp wish all their wrongs, and to go without indediuity for the past ;—they atb content that those Men who have fatieuea ton the spoil shall keep posseisiou of their plunder—they are Out content that those' who have raised th'emselves upon the ruins of their sinking country, and who have sacrificed their pelolic duty to their private interest, should be called to account.;—they aro content that they should retain all their Indust, ill-gotten posses aions—they are content they shall go with impu. nips ; they only ask, let u. have security fur this future ; let us put an cud to this systetn—tfhe tzliefe room resounded with plaudits.] A great. deal is saint inc h } course of this speech about what' is celled wild theory kud speculation, and it is said, that all necessary practical Reform, they, that is, Earl Cagey and those who act with him, ate ready to adopt. I do not *ell understand the use of this word speculation, al opposed to practice—if a man was to Shut his eyes add walk about the room, he Would be a practical men without speculation. [Bursts of laughter]. All human wisdom is theory, and all acts aro ,practical. I look at the ghost of • Banque, atilt say, he hat no spectela!ion. You are tidt to Mew. hen and speculate in the dark, end perhaps break your shins by tumbling over what is in your way ;- r I are for looking before me, add if I speculate I lien for speculatiog with the eyes of the law ; we look scot beyond that; we ask nothing beyond that; we have only to open the Statute Book, and thire we shall find recorded a't and more than we claim; a t the same time it is Said in this speech, that there must be a reslstanbc • to popular clamour: I remember, and I hive no JO ibt you were as attentive to the subject as my self, lh.tt when Lord Grey came into °MCC, and . was afterw irds turned outi the excuse he made for having deluded the public, and for not having re deemed those pledges which he had placed in the hands of the public-you will recollect that the excuse he made was, that the people did not ask for Reform. Noe, I. think, that is quite a dis, honest doctrine: 'I think we ought nut to wait till vie ate asked for that which is• good and fit to be bestowed ; that is nut the way in which a State's: mad blight to act. I think no man ought to wait to pay his debts till he is called upon to du so. I think that a good man and a Statesman ought to forestall the views and wishes of a na. lion, and not to stay till they are wrung relue. Wady from him, though I think that acting upon such principles as Earl Grey has acted, -is neither Wise or honest ; yet let me ask, how are the peo ple to set with men who, in excuse for neglecting to do then justice, say they have not-called for a particular tuea.urr , and then when they do call for it, tell them it ought to be resisted, because of po. pular clamour ? -It seems that nothing is to be yielded to popular clamour. The public voice is net to be heard. Every creature of power, how. ever base, has the magnanimity to spurts at the voice of the people. It is the road to fortune ; there is •no creature, or dependent of power, so contemptible, - but he will spit forth his malice against the Peppla at largo--this is easily accounted for witholt aepposing wish magnanimity on the part of the petit'. so coo. ducting himself; the rewards arc brilliant. Thri....^ is ,to such ready way td fortune as to despise the people—you are considered' as low creatures. It is supposed that all who meet here must give one *nattier the itch ;• but, unfortunately for us, these weed magnloimons Gentlemen - have thmoselves the it !lib% palm: they have no objection to your money; they are like the Emperor Vespasiau, who, when be laid a tax on common sewers, and was repre. hmideil fur deriving money from such source, re. plied, that he did not find that the money had , ally 'mole-4,am smell. So it is with these proud ' and tnegitgutinous persons, they care not for you, but !hey like your money, acid therefore,the null] comieetioit have with the people is with' l . tow pockets. There is another part in this curious si.rech, which is reported as the splotch s:11 . Lord Grey, I eau hardly suppose it to halo , . been his speech as he delitered it. Among other subjects I have the houour to be named. I am .opposed to be a misguided man, and to be feud ing myself to doctrines to the extent of 'which I am blind. I am represented with just as muds truth ad Mr. Pitt's apologists have represented him. I am .representcd as .holding myself forth se a martyr in the same cause with Sydney aiirt, Russell. Nuthiug ,ciield be moro unfortunate. then such In observation i they wad sacrifice , to an arbitery Tyrant, _through the Medium. of flagitious Juries. What allusion eau that have to me ? It is a mere riitibble. It is the argument of e man who shall say, I will out pick your right pocket, but I will pick your left. Here iS a power assumed contrary to the [swa— the fundamentl laws of the country ; contrary to reason and conimun sense; enutrary to the,happi. ness and security of the politic ; and whether this Assumption of power comes from the King, or the House of Commons, or the House of Lords, or the King, Lords, and Commons tinited l it is equally indifferent to us. [lncessant plaudits.] What I deny, therefore, on the part df the peo. ple of England is, that arbitrary soveicien power is entrusted any where. I say that there is no such thing. I say that the people have trusted so. vereign power, as far theycould with safety to !hews selves, in the King ; and that they bare, for the pUtpose of checking the abuse of that power; re: !erred to themselves the right of appointing their torn Stewards ; that they have retained the right of contrettling that power by their Represents. tires in Parliament. hloreoter; there is a pert of Sovereign potter that goes to affect the Ilya of men, and oar forefathers wisely kept.thatin their own hands; the power to which I entitle It the right of Trial by Jury. I shall she* you that the same kind of Sophistry which luti been tip. plied to the subject of the Privilege of the Holm of Commons 'would equally apply to do a**, the Trial by 'Jury. It may be said that Judges are more enlightened Chad Juries, and are better enabled, by the habits tit their pro. (whirl, to determine these questleita which are usually submitted to Juries.. A thousand argu. meats might be brodght forward to blind the cola. mum sense of the Country, and to .do away all that Is most valuable of the rights and privileges which have hitherto been' enjoyed by toe people. .The people have kept this privilege its their OWn,heods, and it behoves them to look with a jealous eye, in order that it may nut be eveutitally corrupted; for I have no 14itatioo in saying, Hitt the• form of the Trial by Jury may be preserred, after the spirit of it shall be deStroyed ; and if ever the day come, Wiwi THE IMMIX 07 TILL TSUI. JilaY SHALL it: AS 00119.1.1 n AS THE' 80. nOOl4ll-11ONGEEI NG SYSTEM, ISIS TRIAL 1Y JuaT, WILL THEN BECOME THE GRAND MASTER GRIST. ANCE OF THE COl/11TAVT d--[Plaudits of tong continuance: - every sone teemed to deprecate the accomplishment di' such a disaster.]---:—, Ise adverting to this topic WI I pass over the worse than star Chamber nloteseek (pea 4 of diens:lois) passed of late years Kau men what hate tomiuitted tarots with the pen ? Can X pink e'er the mode in- which nosei•acetitifing tethe lair of libels, a law which has been confounded by this, preterite:l (Ades of Judges--a law nbt derived frail the Constitution of the country, but growing *d i of an arbitrary system...can I pass over die ] practices •of appointing Special Juries in tbeeet cases which are falsely called Criininal ? Can 1 past over the ekertion of that power which is known to exist it the present day, rind to be carried into effect by every possible means? Can 1 pees Over the manner in which min are tried for this magi. nary offence—the King appointing the Judges— the. King appointing the Juries—the crime se. known to the lai, and in itself only a fanciful crime, fur 1 deny a libel to be a crinte-4 defy our lawyers to show me such a word is any of our Acts of Parliament, except what is called Mr. Fox's Libel Bill which I regret should . have ever found its way into oar Statute' Books, because it has operetta! by a Side. wind to give a validity to that assumption of power., -which, up to the time of its pai., sing, had no legal colour of authority WO*, ever. Etcept in that Bill, I defy any bismt to produce the evidence of the existetice of such an offence as a libel in the Law of England. When you consider that. men are writing ofted with the best intentions, and for the best public objects—that the mind which dictates their Send: meats is actuated by the most amiable. feelings of patriotism, which may often hurry a man to vie expressions beyond *hat hip cooler judgment might chime to adopt...when pm armlike that such an of f ence often Bowe from the purest feel. logs of human nature—that it is made an offence only by construction—when you see persons' tried as they are, brooght before Juries so appuinted by the °liters of Crown, subject to a prosecution unknown to ektrold law, accused by the Attor. ney.Geueral, the immediate Officer of the CrOwn! —*hen you find that Other of the Crown at one fell sweep gluing away the. barriers with which -the law bad encompassed the subjeet.i.- when . yalt find. all this done without trail. greasing the law, IS it at present eights, I think yei will have no reason to boast much of the Liberty of the Press on this subject., Once more to trespasS on your time with respeCt to the Privileges of Parliament, about which so many sophistical arguments have been advanced, in order to deceive. the people. Some Gentlemen hirepieleuded this these powers were necessary for the protection of the People, • pint that for the protection of the people it was necessary to grant these Privileges to their Representatives. They tell you that if they have been abusei,, you cannot - argue from the abuse to the use of tliena. Un. questionably not. But When you see a hollow pretence resorted to, a-power assumed which eau only be exercised against the People, I wilt only ask you how the House of Commons can exercise such a power without eaarcisiag it against the People, fog, whose protection it was granted? The thing is impossible; hot it may be further said, as an argument against this Priv p ilege, that•the House of Commons, in conjunction with the Crown and the Borough . mongers, titay be Mede to destroy the *graft sof the people Alf thii I ESI.IV , .. . - . L._ .__. - . . • •, . • :fie ' C ri a reg u es trist iP s P d a e r t listniefi r.e t. Imi Eesi ce r w dr h el it "t hl be to r be aid of . e Privilege which . can only • be put in force fly theiting's treats trehentent clamour.) lINIVILEGE WHICH CAN ONLY BY ENFORCED BY , A STANDING Ail*—thßitAN SoLDIERS, AND NuNE of wiliten THE RING HAS A RIGHT Tu RECO, ANDTHE MAINTAINING OP ALL WHICH ,Is &MIKAN', TO THE FUNDAMENTAL twit or THE Convent, t (Loud shouts of appiaute succeeded this .anutitisivnal ionument.) But, thttr.E. HIRII,'WHETHER TI'S; KING MAY REES , THEM Olt NOT, THEY CERTAIIILf HAYB NO RIGHT TO istokosat rim Pcort.t IN tlit wharfs. [4n unisolf.. 'Mass burst of indignation.) Gentlemen; the last Act of the Iting's bliitisters seems Completely to draw the Veil aside, mid to thew . English. men their situation, and undeubtedly I feel, dl every man of common sense Mod feel, whet is their real condition. I feel that there is no security for any man. I feel that-by the duty We one to our country, the conteouenctes may be.to ad extent which I may not' Rime, [Mari hear, hear!) and I see do mutts of preventing those eueseouenceiti In time 'the minds of Englishmen may become lowered to their condition. [ 44 Never, never; Englishnsen never Will be:laves."] Gbh., denten, the minds of staves are nut' at ohce' adopted. Whilst we Consider oerselveS free, re. does are the duller which are expected from Us, BUT WHEN ONCE WIS MEOW OURSELVES To HE SLAVES; WE MUST ISTAIIRII OUR MINDS THAT THE SLATE Ills SUTONE VIRTUE, 'WHICH Is OBEDIENCE. (The native spirit of Englishmen found rent in the depression of their jail Gentlemen; I greatly appiehend that I MALL NOT BE ABLE TO. GET SO HOCH OF THE EN GLISHMAN OUT ,G 1 TO SIRING air MIND To THAT CONDITION. [Shouts of applause, scarcely ever equalled Mere were nearly 600 ha/hikers:keit: :saving fit Me air; the sense .f the COMpany coat unequivocal.l I. feel, aentkmen, that if 1 SHOULD FALL, I HAD RA THER FALL WITH A FALLEN. CUUNTHT, THAN RE LEFT SURVIVING AMONG ITS shims. ['mei Haw ,ezpressiqiu were,repeated.] But, Geotle mei, the feelings which you express; give me bet: ter hopes, and better opinions; and I do hope and .trdst to be instrueteetal, fur that is the great ob ject of my GEMICSICIE, to renovate the Liberties •of my Country, and to place them oft the immoveable rock of the Cottstitution. Gentlemen, you well kdow, as I know; and I am fat from meanittg to arraign the justice of the Country, but you ere well aware that pn.ensittent public writer his been sentenced to a long intprisoutnent, to. the payment of a largo fine, and has been made amenable to a tractice, which has beeb introduced in modern Aims, of finding intntetise security for future good behaviour, as It is called ; or, in case ..of inability to procure it, tufferieg imprisonment for lifo--and for what ? For having expressed' his indigeation at 'fiat Alt, winch, I Ines; taxes is NO ENGLISHMAN WHO DORS Not PARTICIPATE IN Its silisonnencx or. [Shoats of approbation.] 1 do tot mead so arraign' the sentence: it is pro bable that; according to the present system .of what is called the Lee of !Abel; it play have beet attract. Ido not presume to say tite.contrary— it. may have been a Ind* CoOtiCtioit I do not ash it may utit have been so; bat this I do 15SHIGH11, that it *a ARE NOT to IL*. „PRESS OUR INUIGNATION THAT GERMAN Mi l l DIEMS SHOULD BE WIOOEIIII TO` SEE ENGLISHMEN ruisomte, OR IF WE CANNOT EXPRESS OUR IN.. NIGNATION THAT ANY ENGLISHMAN SHOULD BE 11.0GGED AT ALL, I do say we are In ENNOCE base .M*l.degraded Mutation that! any nation on the ace of the globe. Ido nut. assert that there mak .not have been tome teolfticality in the mode of azpressioa which May Mini affixed the character of , libel upon the publication to whickl am referring; I do not arraign the Court of Justide that passed the a:atonic • Wit I do say, the situation to which we are reduced, Whether• it is by German soldiers ' or, otherwise; of being a flogged nation--ow stl- ING THE ONLY NATION MAIMS TO THE PUNISH. StttNT eir *9O-7A PUNISHMENT INFLICTED irtnit A Alton er INHUMANITY WHICH NO PLISON WOULR INtrLICT heON A BEAST—. 4, THAT IS OUR SITUATION, I SAY IT IS WETTER. TO ote.J THAN to Li t E —(1 1 / 1 MX the handkerchiefs moped in the air, and the plaudit: continues 4 for many nil. iturea.] Gentlismett; I Wive tonclietlafew of the pro minent evils of the times, and the prominent evils of the country, and 'I wilt venture to prbmise you this; that in whatever 'Situation it may be my for tune to. Sib placed, whether I may hare the Nino,' to be lifted'up by the opialou of the Electors of. Westmluster, or whether, from misconception, or mistake, or differenenof etialon, I may bteplacml is a different situation.; whether I may be high or low, I treat I shall be•foued willing to do the up most of my ' , duty, Its endeavouring to restore the rights and liberties of the people.[" We aro :ems,. .bk of that," exclaimed nsiotyvoicesl Gentlemen, I will'only make this fnetkee Otisereetion, before conclude the address I have had the honouhb' Wake thiltliy. Ito; observation I would nuke is this...whatever may be the couditiott of this country, no good man ought ever to despair; I do assure you that whatever the condition of the country may be, It is infinitely better that I have seen it, sines I hale been before tho eye of the public ; the edam in which we have so lung la. boured, and In which the soil bee been so barren as to produce nothing--a soil which has been so long endeavoured to be made produitive by the efforts of an Ilonourable and Venerable 'Gentle. man, Major Cartwright, who has eves been uni. form and steady in his exertions, at length pro. seises us a fruitful harvest. I believe he will say, that he has reason to knew, from'- lunicatiens - •• CORIRIL which have been Jude to him (toil different parts of the country, that the subject of Reform nei ver bore so fouurable an appearance as it dues at the primal moment. GentlemeN before I sit . doWn I will, with your permission, say a word on Ilse wretched and miserable condition of the Siater Kingdom. Hitherto Ike hue been so occupied with the encroachments on our •an liberty—the. utii4.l form encroachments which for a period of 50 years have.gradually deprived the people of .this country of their rights Mid . privileges—we have fur tht. last fifty years bad so much to bewail and lament ' - l t a o id iivi on cteit ti t m ou pe rs o d p v l i e l io ro t e hi o s ur pt o r s t . o n t ri th g e hts k , in t g ; menal e s e l tract Vitt to year, in cousetpfettiaelif the berth that We have had no opportunity f °- a - v ertine t o any tither objects ; we have had such anode r rsatvaitymi :elostr4i,ssis:likthot.ol:: • Rave not suf fi ciently considered the tuisfortee and injuries ..erf thepeople of our Since tom"! atom of- Ireland; [Very considerable applause.' Gentlemeo l edbe cause of England and Ireland it one:SW: ? l e i a d in t rn u i s i s i t t t i o s s t seem t gusher. heee s n sal ih o fi f S hi ( t . :areAtt a i l e t any speculatiun, to have viewed the situation et [related. It is time we should show this gallant and oppressed people, and that we should she* it by the exertion of the power of this country in their behalf, that we are not deaf to their just ewe. plaints. Upon this subject I feet so much, I cue. fees T have always felt as much, and I have win_ variably endeavoured fur fifteen years to attract the attention of the Government, in and out of Parliament, to the oppressions under which the People of Ireland have groaned, that it i s impossible fur me to add to what It hare alreadr said upon that' subject ;—but I do not defile., of sltewiug. to the mucu.injured people of ti, cowboy, that there are many iu this emetic, who participate in their feelings, and have• a ego_ gluts cause with them; and I own I should bate Wm happy if, in the midst of the chiritable du. nations, some for the relief of the Spauish Patriots, south fur the relief of the Swiss Patriots, tad souse. by Phibuttithipic Societies fur the gevtc; rat relief of all fureigners—l should, I ser i have been hippy to hate observed d shut. let system of charity extended towards our suffering fellow-subjects iu Ireland—l am sure it would- bate • been to the honour; credit, and interest of this Country—l am sure we have had struggles enough of cur owe to make, without 'bating our minds led tto objects which- we have not been accustomed to colitemptate, or to think of sufficient importance to attract our attention. ' The stifferings of our fellow.createres iu Ireland' are of infinitely mote account to us time those of persons, many of whom are the natural stlbjeets of our etimoirt,. I say that Englishmen, Irish. Men, and Seetehmett, ought all tat feel alike se people of pne country; and depend ellen it, egad party goes to destruction, the rest sill aceessofir follow. I shall only make one Observation lot om 1 drink your health., and return you theaks fie the honour you have done me ; it is to recommit." to you to do ell that you coo do ; itjs not to hoc. go our claims td those tights which we have not at present the power to obtain, but ~tealt, . all we can to attain them ; all that honest mgessa do at the present moment is to try to keep gtyp the spark of liberty in a few brassie. I ratetclude by driuking . all your good healthy. [ Lamguage canal cx. press the enthusiastic ardour with which the company expressed their admiration of the ntui. mints Contained in this speech. It was long be z fore the plaudits subsided.] twe Health of Lord Cochrane tlittk dunk with the utmost enthusiasm, sad fel. towed by the tune of Rosie , Brae/sada, which its loudly cheered• Upon the toast of Gwillim Lloyd Wardle, Esq. the vigilant Detector of Public Abuse., 'being drank with appropriate dentesetrittions of respett and' regard, • Mr. WARDLE rose, and after. thanking the Stewards for the helmet they had dope him, hp purpling hilt to this dinner, assured the ataeliall that he doter felt more pleasure' in any journey he bad undertikett in his lire tthe ilimountble Gentleman was acid to have . o Comefrom Bognor) than in that, Which, epoO_ tttli ti occesion, if. forded him the bitportualti ifilifYlllll his respect for the Eteetott Of .1( est - Minster, and his attachment foe thee invaleehle Reiman , - tithes Attar such a speech as had been just ,deliv,ered by that illustrious character—aster such a Ipeerh, in polite of forte and brilliancy, as he was live to say, he never before heard, it would, .11.140”, 111 become hire long to occupy their attt4flon. lie had only to cengralblete the • Meeting un 'fhb restoration of their Representa tive to frclAiiie-on that which he was certain was the cease of Universal joy to the country. Thera could, indeed, be nu doubt that it must be tor. dually grateful to the feelings of the People of England to see that such a man wits flee to persee that worse which market% his *bete life r and which was so eminently calculated to promote their interests. The people must be gratified wheel that man was restored to libetty . , who from his high character and abilltieti*as so peculiarly coin. potent to serVe their cause. His charaeter throegh. olit Ott country. wat t intleed t great. He remelt'. bared to have read in the history of Ruete, that at •a period when that city was &Meted with the plague, it was, in order to alloy its violence, teeorn. mended by the otatles to .ieed a deputation Otto Asia Miner for the statue of the tiodaess Cybele, 'end that that statue shuattl a lake)) Into ii.Cdnei • by the most virtheus man ih the City. - - Now, if it were proposed in Edgland to Send to another' land for the Oodd*ss of Liberty and Law (and there could be no liberty without law), and that the mot virtuous man iu Englandi or of the pre. seat age, were called for to introdice her, sure be was that the name of Burdett would ring front one •end of .tho country to the•other....[Loust applaures.] The llanuurable Gentlemau mho. chided with repeating his congratulation to Oa: . Sleeting 'for the restoration of their justly, -11.0 11 . • ed Represeutative to fteedem and express* iM gratitude for the attention w hirls ha had • always experienced from 'the Eke ors of Westminster. The Hon. Gentleman concluded amidst peals of applause. "•• *: Afire Op excite, of Sir Sat Ito:nid mad Lord ElAilit Wee Trial by . • we .drank with universal appisnie, and a song by kb. T. Lemaitre, opon theithject of Liberty mud Sir Francis Burdett, which was peculiarly weltreceived, , • Sir Francis . Borden prOpoted the --following toast— Ireland in iiarkerbiottal her losseeuten la our remea brance. - • . • , 44. 4 . (UniPerral plaudit Imes .ihgr toast.) uitod3a • • •