The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1888-02-18 00:00:00

TRAFALGAR-SQUARE.

Mr. W. H. Smith intimated that, as the debate on
the Address would probably be concluded during the
current week, he proposed that the discussion on Sir
Charles Russell's motion with regard to the right of
meeting in Trafalgar-square should be taken on the
20th inst.

PRIVILEGE OF PARLIAMENT.-DEBATE ON THE ARREST
OF IRISH BIEMI3ERS.

Mr. Picton called attention to the arrest of Mr. P.
O'Brien when leaving the House on Friday last, and
moved a resolution declaring it to be a breach of the
privileges of the House. Admitting that the hon.
member had been arrested in mistake for Mr. Gilhooly,
he contended that it was mistake that ought not to
have been made, and he asked the House to take steps
which would prevent such an occurrence in future.
Mr. Matthews confessed that it was impossible to
defend the unfortunate and regrettable mistake which
had been made, and for which the Chief Commissioner
of Police had already tendered a most complete apology
to the hon. member concerned. In the name of the
force and of the Government, the right hon. gentleman
'also offered his sincere apologies, and expressed great
regret for what had occurred.
Sir W. Harcourt urged that the dignity of the House
required that inquiry should be made as to how this
transaction came to occur, and what precautions should
be taken to prevent its recurrence. For that purpose
the matter ought, in accordance with precedent, to be
referred to the Select Committee on Privileges, which
was appointed at the commencement of every session.
The Attorney-General contended that, the arrest
having been made by mistake in pursuance of a warrant
under the criminal law, no question of privilege was in-
volved. He therefore moved an amendment, re-
gretting the indignity offered to Mr. P. O'Brien, but
declaring it unnecessary tg. proceed further in the
matter, as it it arose through a mistake on the part of 1
a police-constable.
Sir C. Russell, on the other hand, maintained that a
breach of privilege had been committed, and argued
that in order to secure an accurate statement of the
circumstances and a permanent and authentic record
of the transaction, it ought to be referred to the Com-
mittee of Privileges.
Mr. Bradlaugh, referring to the surrounding of the
House by a body of detectives instructed to arrest
members, declared that he felt ashamed that the House
of Commons should put itself in a lower position than
any of the parliamentary assemblies in Europe vdiere
pi ucautions were taken to avoid insult being offered to
the members.
Sir H. James held that although the matter might
be one for inquiry, and even for censure, it was in no
sense one of privilege. To refer it to the Committee
of Privileges would be to assert a right on the part of
members of the House which they did not possess.
Sir W. Harcourt pointed out that the argument of
the last speaker struck at the whole of the privileges
of the House, and rendered it still more necessary that
the matter should be inquired into by a committee.
Mr. P. O'Brien having narrated the circumstances of
his arrest, Mr. Gladstone asserted that the contention
of Sir H. James—who, he said, had out-Heroded the
,Government—denied the right of privilege to members
of Parliament altogether. As the Government had not
denied the breach of privilege, and high legal authori-
ties had asserted it, the question ought to go to the
Committee of Privileges, to ascertain whether there
had been a breach of privilege or not, and to consider
whether any or what action should be taken thereupon,
and what measures should be adopted to prevent such
occurrences in future.
Mr. Parnell protested not only against the arrest of
Mr. O'Brien, but against the manner in which it had
been made; and in particular he denounced the con-
version of the police attending the House into a body
of spies.
lathe course of further discussion, Mr. W. H. Smith
denied that the Government had given instructions to
the police as to the discharge of their duties. Even-
tually, the motion of Mr. Picton having been negatived,
Mr. J. Morley moved, as an amendment to the Attor-
ney-General's proppsal, that the circumstances attend-
ing the arrest of Mr. O'Brien should be referred to the
Committee of Privileges. This was negatived on a
division by 246 to 151, and the Attorney-General's
motion was then agreed to.