The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1819-12-14 00:00:00

ainutry. They must necessarily be triancled in the spelt
• Trout the cattle slows mad agricultural mibstaaces, as
well as other matters which are submitted for inspection,
nod deers need wawa slariag these *enema.
LAM, CASTLEREAGH sitisierslood He 0/Stiviere RE REA oc-
cß.toos were given in rooms after divisive, aged that it wee
eft finch occasions the business was dime, and mot in Om
open arr.
Mr. SCAMILIarr and Hr. Bliotionati both assured t►e
isoble Lord that he was issWlMten o n that pellet.
• Ift•touGnatt's aufgestiats was soot attesided to.--Tbe
11;ti wits then passed.
• MAXWeLL law the dismission ou the Bill
In.l terminated, be thought the melt better fur the people
than if they were left opms to Qte delusion's of those who
practised aria 'limn. He trusted the utmost sympathy
weight he skean by those *halted it la t►eir power to relieve
them for the disiressre of the poor.
Phr ..thcr orders of the ilsy we►e them reed, and Om Howse
iotprorocii at A QUA (LTD! KEPORE TWO O'CLOCK.

'i 1-! E B R I'ILSH PRESS.

LON DON.

TUESDAY. Dacia's.* 14. 181.9.

tit- Bill for expediting trials for misdemeanors
*NI laid night read the third time in the Howie of
Lord*, and thence transmitted to the Hoeft of
Commons, where it was read a first time, and on
dererl fur a second reading on Wednesday. By
a clause introduced last night by the LORD CIIAN
Ekt.on, the power hitherto enjoyed by the At-
torney-General, of keeping informations filed ex
qfirio suspended for au loth finite period over the
head of the subject. is eery considerably abridged;
fur it is provided, that if the Attorney-General
sli-11 not, within twelve months after the defendant
ha. pleaded the general issue, proceed to trial, the
11.1Cialarir may give 30 days' notice to the Attor-
u. or Solicitur-General, that he is prepared for
unit, 31141 the Conrt will, on the expiration of the
en thy., issue an order authorising the defendant
to Intstv nit the trial. This is a Very important
coo..et•smo on the part:of the Crown; bat nothing
c.,,u1 I be more unjust than to deprive the subject
of he indulgence hitherto enjoyed of traversing,
sod at the same time to leave the Attorney-General
itt full possession of his extraordinary powers of
I.,tpt g the trial indefinitely. The LORD
H NCELLOR has thus, in a very satisfactory wan-
t:, r, redeemed the pledge he gave the House, and
hal even game beyond the suggestion made by Lord
I hit LAND. who, on first drawing the attention of
the ['matte to this important matter, proposed, that
if the retie did not proceed to trial within eighteen
months after the filing of the information or find-
ittg of the indictment. the defendant should be

do., barged from all responsibility.
In pursuance of au order of the House of Coo-
mons, Mr. STODART. the bookseller, attended last
alight at the bar, and corroborated a statement pre-
viously made in the House by Mr. ELLICE, that
Mr. Ifontioustt was the author of the pamphlet
entitled " A Try ling Mistake, 4-c." Mr. ELLICE
era informed the House, that Mr. HOSHOUSE had
authorised him to say that he was ready to obey
their orders. In consequence of this notification,
it was not thought necessary to summon Mr. Hos-
Itiousg. os, give him an opportunity of saying any
thing in his defence; but Mr. COURTE!t&Y moved
that be should be committed to Newgate. Sir
Caisauta 'Waif I,L, unwilling that a Gentleman
of Mr. fluutiouse's rank ■nd habits should be
ettetisiumated by the .association which Newgate
strareht, moved as en amendment, that he should
Le collimated to the custody of the Serjesnt at
Arms. A division took place, when there appear-
ed -for the original motion, WS; fur the emeud-
Utr 65.

the law now pending in Parliament for the
mine effectual punishment and prevention of sedi.
Coo. lii.. Is, some core is used that the penalty pro-
posed should be extended to all persons who shall
endeavour to bring either House of Parliament into
blued or contempt with the people; but con-
sid.ring the nature of the powers assumed by
the Haute of Commons in punishing libels,
even without the form of a trial, such care
on the part of the Legislature is unnecessary.
The House punishes in a summary way Ell
breeches of privilege, but a breach of privilege
seems to be nit more capable of an accurate
definition than libel at the common law. The
House ought of right to have the power of punish-
ing all offences committed against its dignity, and
the solemnity and order of its proceedings, when
committed by one of its own Members, or by any
other individual within the precinct of their House;
but it. the House of Commons exercise a power be-
yond thus, and undertake to punish any of his Ma-
jesty'', "objects, who in the opinion of a majority
a the Members may be thought to be guilty of a
libel, we cannot see any good reason for denying
the same power to the Kiug's Majesty. The House
of Commons, in its aggregate capacity, possesses
no greater power by the theory of the Constitution
thaw the King, end yet if the Sovereign, from
whose will Parliament derives existence and motion,
were of his own authority to imprison an individual
for at; alleged libel upon his. person mid diguity.
there t. not a man in the country who would not
excicru against so alarming an as.umption uf pre-
rogative. The power exercised by the Cummous
meat be defended either upon the question of ex-
pediency, or upon the necessity of it. being euublett
to avert its owu dignity. Another mode of proceed.
ing in cases of libel is pointed out by the forms
of our judicial procedure wore analogous to the