The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1822-04-25 00:00:00

MOUSE OF COMMONS, WtraNGDAT, Aran: 24.

There was a rail of the House axed for this ereiiing, but
me aaneratood that before our aihnimion to. ilw Gallery, it
'"Mag'ilttuteisou upon the motion of Sir Job. Newpnrt.
• *r -GMILI. presented a Petiiiollfruns certsio Merchants
aid Oralera in the City of Londouile,ry, prating fur adrfi-
' ttasil tliiiitipon foreign cheese and butter.—Ordered to lie
ma ibis sable.
'WINDOW LIGHT TAX.

'Sir G. HILL eseesestesk ibst the Member for Dublin (Sir
P. Shia) wessisfposipsse bill saosion fur she repeal of the
Wiiilow Tan, in consequence (stis sae sosslerssood) of the ab-
sence of Lord Londotisierv..
• .84. It. SHAW said, thus it was a question in which his
esisstiisselii• were.ffsonsl deeply isterestra, awl he ronl.l not
cosiest to pistpone it wiles. souse slay west• fitted upon
whirls he coati) positively soismis II VA the Culasiarrationi or
ths Noose. He had given • ersy itinsissisice, bet he should
0,4 certainly tiote she Noble Aistarsiss stutelii be in the
Mies., as from whit had pawed b WIPP leduced to elslerla in
atihir this he Aosta have biaialailart• • _

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M.,. CA LCRAFT seagested. that it would be better to
wsl until the Cheiseeltur wf the km:halves ur some Minister
rannittuwe to 1W Houseaut it was anal desirable that some
pirnikeilay alsould be SseJl
S.r•R7ItHAW said be certainly could not postpone his
tontine lentil some duly wps peremptuttly Sued.
Or. F.I.LIS lad spate Pelititsys so preornt wit the subject
a the Window Tax. iq usv. of which he prayed-the 11111114i0111
of the Muse. He washed it hell pulse la his kende. at as
eselier period, in order thus it &Ai/oMay' WS* pointed aid
cifeetat.4l ento;:gst the M. mbete.. Tor Pelham entered en-
treoliely tale sloe 9seition, and pointed out the pievanees
iresuhiing Plias ilia. slit. and finthcr eonspliisesi that they
*id lei t share in an equal reditthh.o of tnnes"With England
sleet the terevestioe of the iii. He hoped the HOY./
atewldelse it Chair fel) 'coesidtratinn. The Hedonists', cud
Learned Masher then ypesenlicf Nor Petitinsts from the
pa,..shes of St. Maly; St. Gewee, 814% Petri, St. Wee.
Vireh, all in the nit yof Habib'.
S.. J. NEWPORT, Said, it would fee wortb the attention of
the Hulasu 4u tzawoult the &intik covained in that rotation,
Hefota 'bey yule on the subjs.; ; for Hp.*
tails alitelitt puase.ws ii .ere correct, he could see nu grounds
of sipplOsson to the nnntun for tie repeal of the tax. He
bad when elated that the whole pigment of assessed taus
spas Irelastd was the isnot injudicious policy that etould base

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indeed, es the ease ties stooa it world be one of the harsh-
.
est meseeemenhich Parlianiept timid adept.
The Petition woi laid on the table. o ..
4.. Petition less presioted Wee the High Sheriff end
Giend jurors of Carom...vs, complaining of the egehrultosol
distress, turd preyhig that fur the relief thereof the salt
tali might be repealed —Laid on the table. •
Lord EBRINGTON presented two Petitions from Wither.
toile and another Rewired in Devonshire; also Petitions
from Axmiester,Clisielleigh, and Morton Erasion, Devon,
complaining of !Mt lettlintal distrtas.....Lividois thelairlos
Mr. DENISON permeated a Petition from the Leather-
dealers mid Tanners of the metropolis praying for relief
from the elaies on leather. They stated, that since the im-
position of the last duties, notwithstanding the increase of
the population, .she rouspormioo bad diminished; that from
the nature of the.Eeri-e regulations or levying the duties,
the (beige to the consumer (the duties being 100,000/) was
double that amount; that the coeliac leather paid a duty or
the weight exactly the same as the leather of Ave nines the
value—so that no labourer could have n pair of shoes without
firit contributing from es. to ifs. lid to the State. He
hoped, from three facts, and the obvious waste of poor hides
which must tale place on the application of the present
dailies, would rllllllc the country to Ise relicvd from a tat
the most oppressive nod injorions of any no Site Mato,
hook, and the worst kind of poll tax on the poor, while it
,could nut be felt by property. • •
The CHANCELILAHL of the EXCHEQUER had no oh.
intim' to receiving the Petition, thouels be could not admit
that the leather tax was et all oppressive.
Mr. CA LCRAPT said, that they must he at a loss to kr.nw
what tax the Right lion. Geotlemso would consider uppers.
rive. Those who hail to pay held a different opinroit on the
subject. He wished to pat I question to the Right Hon.
Gentleman, suggested to bins by some of his coisatituents,
who were bankers. It we. understood that in two years
from May next all the' 11. notary hank notes would be pro.
Whited from circulations by law. He wished to know if it
were in the intention of Government to submit any regula-
tion to the House on that subject, so as to prolong or render
perpetual the circulation of country U. notes?
The CHANCELLOR of tpe EXCHEQUER said, that
it was his Intention to propose a regulation to the House un
the subject, probably in the course of next week.
The Petition was ordered to be printed.
Mr. R. G. BENNETT presented a Petition from Salis-
bury, praying for the release pt 31r. Hunt, on ammsa of his fi
admirable conduct donne his eoufinetnent —(l..aughter.)
Also another froin Glasgow, signed by 8,000, to tho same
effeet.-lAid on the toble. ...
Mr. H. G. BENNETT gave notice that he would move to-
morrow, for papers relative to Mr. Theodore Hoek, chess he
• hoped that the Plight Huts. Gentleman would be in his plat*,
as be had mime questions which he fuuud it necessary to pet
N him on the rulsicet. •
Eit.J. NEW gave notice of a motitordne the Sih
May, relative to Grand Jury sod Parochial Aeltoesersonts in
Ireland.. .. • . .. •
EXTENTS IN AID.
Mr. LIT 'I pemented s P-Mitiou from the Mer-
chants and Battlers of Stafford, Warwick, sod .WereeMer,
complaining of Extents in Aid He knew not by what fa-
tality it bapposed, but a rester number had been issued
fur that neighhoorbood than any other, and there were few
mercsetile persona of any comatose, there b.t *bell more
ur bleaonfferiedfrons thno...He detailed to the Home the
grievous nature and effect of the proceedings under this pro.
cres,.wiliels, iq the remedial swept away the while Wile, and
left the claim of the creditors without any means of liqui-
dation.: Bet it so happened that the revenue bad not bene-
fited I. may one ease eel of all the extents which had
illerleid• . Ranh n system, he contended, could not be nevem
~ eggy for the collection of the revenue, while it operated se a
tropism of fraud in reseed to the commercial treutiactioos of
the partial concerned, sal interrupted the confidence which
',night to exist in a osereentile population. Who would Live
coedit to a mast-who woe foray degree • bond debtor of the
Golieeerrimst ? On the other handy what a temptation was
bre prepared for pmeoiso to move" the reesaine of their
Miele' from those who had credited them, without kuowing
that they were under soy such obligation? He was quite
sure that the Right Hon. Gentleman would not contend that
r arch a system was necessary for the collection of the re.
veinier Gradate hoped that .he would sot consent to leave it
w t pontirof isdivideels to imempit repine sad violin's-it
is the name of the Crown, when the Crown bad nothisig.to
do with lbe,matter in questiato, • ' M.. ~ , , ‘, •-..
_t
Mr. J. SMITH said, that the ere width hod Men
made of the extents issued, sheared that in no one inolance
I had the Crown any *Wog In do with them. He believed
that the in introduced by the Member fur Norwich
for 'Mendip" the law, would have been more prefect had it
'been delayed twelve months; but for that measure they would
have seen subsequently extents in aid issued upon same of
the greatest Mows of the metropolis ;. and bed it wisp.
pened, the improvement of the law would have been so
peat .greater. He was sot interested in the ,abject.
Neither he unr any of his family had ever issued so comps,
though they bad held the power , fur sixty or sevesty-yearo
pest. , • -• , 3 •
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER would mat
oppose the Petition, nor to say proper conotdrretion or dia.
'mission of the subject within or +dhoti An House. Alma
leer/root of the Crown, he meat always beopposed to may en.
eroachinent un the ancient prerogatives which were giveo so
It to secure the collection of the revenue. If there were any
abuse of it to lie complained of, so also was there a power
to remedy it. The Court of F.sehequer could net aside so
extent issued under unfounded putritsion• for isdoridual
beoefit. .•
Mr. W. SMITH begged to be allowed to say Art the
Bill he brought in to correct the practicer complained of
• woo not longer to be considered his Bull. It had bees cut
down and impaired by the ter officers of lbe Crlikru, so us to
. take away unehalf of the begat he expected hen" it.• He
;hid always. taken the subject up on the view of allowing
'the Crown the full use of the prerogative, so as to se-
;Cure the doe collection of the revenue. Butt the
'oboe was incalculabie; extents had goer on increasing, till
,illi . see pear there had been 120 odd Mooed; they then sank
down to almost nothing ; now they were Mennonite again ;
last year there were 40 issued, awl he dried use who beard
him to ray, that in any one ease the revenue had been bene-
fited by she profess. Unless a more efficient measure of
remerty.wece introduced by time other Member, be would •
cerminly take up the *object spin. • .
Mr. MONCK thought that the affidavit should slate the
bona Ate debt upon Which the extent was prayed, mid that
would go far tie prevent a freodulent use of them.
—The ATTORNEY-GENERAL had sot beard of any re-
mai kable of abuse *Cements is aid, sad If soy such
alpisitil occur, there was mofficietst power in the Cuenca Ex-
chequer in set them aside on a proper representation. He
• decilited the discussion of the.queetion, but he saw iso rea.on
to alter the law, or abridge the prerogative, which was
needful to the collection of the revenue.
Me. HUM E conteaded that the antiquity of a prerogative
was no coestimoional objection to the Anti ion of it if there
was proof of systematic abuse. The effect of extents in
old was to give the coueciors or public mosey colifideneve till
bankruptcy overtook She debtors to :be Ciouu ; then they '
ramie to and swept away the whole properly. In &ottani'
the Crown only divided .5 ith the other ereditors. Why stimuld
not the same law emit here ? And if that could nut he so,
why not "font some ostisore to 'invent the Issue of extents
exerpt ty real okbesere ekilhe Crown ?
Mr W. AMITkI explained.
Mr. I'. MOOR Eibotoght that the system, if not tyrannical,
1,01 at Nast a fee, corrupt one. He explained the evil
tendency of them, mpecially is respect of m.eurities, which
wore oitherieerter called on," Cr else is some instances most
unexpectedly, sod as the distance of twenty years. Ono of his
constil meals, a man of au bet sac,. bought. a house of a col.
lector fur 1,4001. Many years after the collector het-ante a
defialttr, and the house was seized uuder an extent, though
it had b. rat purchased years belore, al a tune when no one '
ilieoght any other than thee the colhaor was a now of ton.
sideroblet. wealth.. He thought the system might to he alone
away aionghgh,v , , .
Mr LITTLE:ON said, that if the Attorney-General
we the Chontellor of thy Exchequer would read the evidence.
taken -before she Committee of taut year, they would see
ilmhoiretre nova distisiet admission that the system aims not
Derritirldurlbef enliectiou to; the revenue.. As t• the mesas
of redress, it esthete' he reepepagegod that the mischief cum-
, phoingli et eves elm a um** of the salsas iihice. by
• - • (,10,.1 I,i . •4,.0r I, •f•-•,.''',.1 forest .ort le •

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fullovriag on H.e..-.ltrels of a bankruptcy, anki in wins clan
causing kb, iabecitike luu Isle afterwards to repalVblte (.11
.41011 e. • ;7 it
Mr. DENMAN thoncla that there wens, 11"1•Y 'Nee'
tines to thii;dt.l,wtnd ruck (revues. Alban (01 PK tooth
enobSlc. be ~pin. ay
• Alter opfer, sansriselrum Mr.*, SMITH du Patislaa vas
ordered'to.he prints&
Mr. HILL presented • similar Petition from the iron.
masters of Shropelnre.—Ordered to p.intrd
HOUGH EY inowedforttrynnottalyrof certain pupa*
connected with the Tax 011ice..—Orderrd.
MR. HUNT.

The Marquis of TITCH FIELD psmented • Petition from
his constituents on behalf of hir.tilint. The petitioners ex.
pressed them bop. a that the House would interfere to pro.
core his release from.confoement, as they had fotisserly done
fee Sir M. Lope., esperiallyas •the illegstity of Mr. Hunt's
conduct was solar doubt Ail, that the Legislature Awl thought
At to pass an Act to determine the questina sulusequesttly.
The pesilinaers sent on to see termr ohm* were perhaps
mat MP propm as• they enght to be.. They expremeel their
bufflts tisal Ibe Howe world not sifter Mr. Hunt to remits
My Mager in prisms; to •se ffer there as a victim of ministe-
rial hatred—subject to the m•lme of the petty tyrants who
held him is custody. Cowering es tie did in the prayer
of the Petition, ha. goutd nut agree is the memos offered
by tie petitionets. H. was bound to declare that Museum
did as more Mow their dory in dirmiiag the prosecution of
Mr. Hunt, and the smitenno could ally be roosidered as the
regular applicxlion of punishment to the degree of his offence.
But jealously es he felt Air the authority of justice, he was
led by that feeling to regret that •tty oppression should fall
oil, even by occident. It was not to be denied that Mr.
Houtts puoishment had been coasiderably egg/armed, and
that he had suffered more than it was ever intended he *mould
suffers Perhaps Iwo rush) llchester giol would hematitic+
punisholeMos tem years•aiadta, halt in any other. He runt.
teemed on the abase of power by the gaoler, and pointed
IN the one of one Gardner, who had been pot to considerable
aofhwieg by what the gaoler termed inadvermnry. Certainly
if, is She osonsents of obiseisre, he could bare given orders for
tietreatsamol complained of by the prisoner, he mum base
bees blest with a disposition which rendered him peculindy
Mil •for his 'sittsidloo. He did not beg fur any f svour fur
Me.• Hunt, but only for justice. He was the last vermin in
the House who would attempt to interfere with the exerts.
lion of jostler. But these was something very ptraller is
This may, which cabled' on the Home Departeneut Id inter-
fere in behalf of themrisotier.

Mr. C. W: WYNN rose to dirpote the allegations of the
Petitioner as to the ram of Sir M. Lopes; neither had the
Hamm interfered,. nor any of Itts Majesty's bliaislers
pied to do so, en helialf of the Barougt. • . i • •
Mr. G. BENNET I' said, that the niotioa nn that occasion
wartrithdrawn me tie enderstanding find Moister* would
isterfereet.("No, neer from Ma. Wynn.).—He begged team
to say, though, that he was a party to the transaction, and
thaithweonsietios froatashat was offered by Ministers was,
that the Crows would eertuieely look with an eye of mercy to
the ease of that aged individual.
Mr. PEEL, referring to the proceedings of that day, said,
that hit memory most be very imperfect •if theoessertion of
the Hon. Gentlemen' was- correct. As he recollected, it was
distinctly declared that there could be no compromise—n•
onderrtaeding as to extending the merry of the Crown,
although it certainly was urged. that the Horse, basing
• directed the promeatioo, were entitled is abates.' to implore
the remierion of the punishment.
M ACM NTOSH said, that every body must agree
that there could have beennio express end direct orminuce
given of extending the mercy of the Crows : that mould
have been equally improper for the Howie to ask 'or for 31i-
sisters Naive. Bat he would venture to say, that the words
used did, in sebstaste, convey to nU prevent at the.debatie
• Wettest intention on thepart of Minister. to *drier with
the Crone upon the subject of that pounsfinient. He did
OM deny but that if the proposilon of Ole' Noble Member
foe Huntingdon had been pressed, it mist have been reject:
ed, because the Haase thought it better 10 leave the whplet
to the rare of the Crown, in the general confidence that the
pardon would he reacted.
' •Me C. W. WYNN raid. that the objection take,' to the
motion was distinctly on the Remind of impropriety fir the
theerforene• orate Hoosel sad it was as dlstmettly rsairtaised
that sommapact would he made upon that subject. •,
'•IIIIr.'EROUGIIAM burr fit. tedimony In the fact stated
"bp•Ille Mosolaratile and Learned Friend. The great hard.
skip of the sentence was urged not only on account or the
great age of Ile M. Lopes, hot foe the commonness of the
MEN' seder which he committed the offence. Them was no
'sprees statement or assurance that Wonders would inter,
fen, bet there was not a single Member who left the House
with dreilttast vestige of doubt that Pm object of the mo-
tion had been effected. It early remained for Government
to Eke,' the same mummer or eliderstanding in these or any
oiler words to the Honourable Member for Weannioster
to seism him to take the course before taken by the Noble
Member fur tiontiageloo, and withdraw his motion.
The Marquis of TITCHFIELTI stietlliat the, authority of
, the Right Has. President of .the Homed of, Control, was so
grater than his own as to the words used by the Noble Mar-
quis on she case of Sir M. Loper., the Right Hon. Geode-
mars not having then found season to chance his position in
-the Hoese—i-(Laughter)—.lf the Noble Marquis, whore in.
disposition be regretted, were present, be' would corroborate
the matensent which he (Lord Titelifield) had wide.
Mr. C. W. WYNN was 'merited to hear the allusion
made to the alteration of his sauation—(Laughter)--sa if
that circumstance proved that his memory was not as trust—
worthy on that aryouiet.—(A laugh.)
The Marquis of TITCHFIELD bad never said or inti-
mated that the Right then.,Geetteman was out as liberty in
express bin °pintos to the Holm; be only contended that
the Right Hon. Gentleman was no better an authority than
himself ma the occasion. Far be it from him to intimate •
that the opinions of the Right Hon. Gentleman were not
percieely as valuable now as when be sat is a different
situation.
Mr. C. W. WYNN did not know to what part of his enn-
'duct the alluuren of the Noble Marquis was pointed. He
was reedy to defend it, and only wished the charge to be
mere
Mr. DENMAN said, that there was a Noble witness at
the bar-.(Laughtei)----nlid could inform the House of the
exact terms which pawed.—Lord J. Russell immediately
took hissed by Mr. Denman.]
The Petition was ordered to be printed.

Mr. Alderman WOOD pretested a similar Petition from
2,500 loshabiiants of Hatifez.

Lord 1. ItUtiSELL was ant exactly aware of what had
passed before he emered the Hour*. If understood the
precise point in dispute, be ►ad withdraws the motion with
the understanding that the object of the motion is regard to
the release of Sir M. Limes would be granted.
Mr. W. BNII CH pretested a similar Petition front several
inhabitants of tbelCity of tiloswieb.
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Mr. BEAUMONT presented • similar Petition from •
plats in Noriliumberland.
Ordered to Le printed.
MR. HUNT'S IMPRISONMENT.

Sir F. BURDETT mill, after the numerous Peti-
tion, which ho beets ptesented on dm subject
which formed the grounds of the motion he was
about to make in lamer of Mr. Henry Hunt—
Oster the able manner in which those Petitions had
been supported, particularly by the Noble Lord
near btu* (the Marquis of Trichtblll), he felt con.
riderably entbermweil in rising to make the mo.
ton of which he had given hence, hereto* that No-
ble Lord' had most strongly, though but shortly;
enforced ibuse grounds winch the COMPe of billet).
serrations lit support of Isis motion would natutalty
lead him to occupy, in a manner which had prey
duced• so great au impremseets on the Houseaust
(Chrers)—that, glad•se he was to hind that the fume
frtitime which had.beew awakened in his own trAild
are this*object, were not only espreteed in the Pea
honor of tire people from all parts of the cbualtry,
but hod ralso,been ,echoed by the voices •I'manylll6
that House; yet he could eft divest hnneelfuelflell

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feat It in
lna
vonentsiliotaegrfotlolyennlrgeargde, "re snhowthirilt
tAteafi~ biro
Ikaiblin3 vile inifoprwruaridoinntg.,:lieihitmulitoismilthdponubtledelibt:ealigiralurly..l:pitri:.
&Md. lip to a very
tented strong hopes that his Alon,ter,
leased have spared him the tunable of trtsparne4
upon the time of the House, and the pain of dweil.
so ormirming anobleri, by the perftion.
anee of all act at once favourable and joist in the
individual in
.question, to the laws, and to them.
genies, in remurrog'tfie rtmaitufei-of. the senoidc..,
whiciteeuld-nut be,etiftiereti elfi/tit »flowin it to
predict Withe mikft of the people, frorai'tlfe con.
victims of its exec/sive seventy, a ferlilix winch, I.t
the sak4'esf theediainiinallin of jostle... h„(1 the
laws themselves. 'owght Moly. to be evnirlat-
Of 'sympathy nth' tile petiole who nos the
Of &telt pussishMent. ',He Mid hoped tint Ids Al.
jesty's Ministers would have found it a.. voghle
recommend to the Ctewn to remit the rentaintu))
term of the sentence on Mr. Hint. Had it beet)
for him to c•mmatticuie' with' that department of
the Government to which it'pecuharly.belaiiged to
take eognitante of this matter, he had not the
saltiest doubt of its merits% with the contest at.
tention of the 4ight Hon. Gentleman mho fillsd
office ofSecretaty for the Home Departniamit. Indeed
he did not altogether despair of haviorgthe thaistahi•s
of the Right lion.
,Gentleman in this m'atte's; the
o
more so, because n. Making known to finis soave
peCcircumstance'suliarcircumstance's in some other ewer,- fie
had at once promptly attended to the reprints)_
lotion, which were .made. and isiterfered to niacin
the persons to whose cases his attention was on that
ocessiotillirectea, 'fiord' a severity' of poniabreriit
(I)Heyoeatri,d offence'.
hopedotoappeitairge f
Right
rit.--
Gen.
demo') would not takc his haring failed to
innuguniticostit
assiiityh
wanthim eoln.
reths
eioeesutbarject s
e.,
niffriproceeenct
in
him, but would rather view it at it was attended,
in the light of a greater rontpliatent paid to him in
firm reliance on his' judguiete.—(Hear, he.r.)_
It' he could make out, in the first place, dist the
setitence'upon Mr. Hunt was in itself sutcieutly
severe for the offence with which he was charged_
mud it was not for his purpose to impugn that sen.
triter—and if, in the second place, he conk' shew
that the mode in which thee oenterlee had been Mr.
tied into effect had augmented Iti severity fai be-
yond what the Court'Which deeried it had contem-
plated—lie thought that in so doing he shield tore
established a sufficiesitccese• to tall upon the House
' to adopt the course which it was hat inteittiin to
suggest. Their iras,'however, A third point, which
appeared to him to he not the least strong part of
the case: he intent the claim of Mr. Hunt sport
the Goveritment mud the • country fora favourable
conederatiorrof hit mist; forilit—manirer iii Which
he Ibid. peritied and .successtully candieted a
hopipitait isiquiry(Heur, hear, hear.)--
rJo otdri to establish the first branch of his argu-
s mmilcit was necessary that be should cull the atten-
tion of the' Hislimetto what *as the nature of. the
clMige'spinst'Mr. Front) and in so doing he could
not' help remithing sipin the harshness of the legal
prriceediag• is such a case. This person was trued
an a great 'variety of comes, einhnicing ' every dr.
g teei of affettem from it* Meet( to toe triarettl•n
the Seale olvethnintility.' 'He was entirely acqiiitied
On ill the' heUtY and Siggravated counts. and after
five 'boors spent by the Jury in consultation, was
heed' guilty-of nal,' • entail pert of one mint;
wherenpoo the Jur, were reminded by one Of die
Oniaechhing fanyers,lbitt 'there was one small coact
emilrecing the' t;nialleit Part of the charges, the
minimums of guilt. to which he referred them, and
upon that count they at length founded their ver.
diet of,' guilty." He could not help thinkiugit
• great grievance that a person should he prosecnted
by... many charges, so that he might it length '6e
found guilty On I charge of so smelt& nature. that
if that had formed the only count in the indiehoesits
it would not have been thought worth the while to
put him on his trial. If he had been found guilty
on the whole of the counts, the sentence nf.tiest
years and a half of imprisonment would have h'eal's
sufficient punishment to satisfy all the entls'ofjustice.
The offence with which he was thirged was a mis-
demeanor, which was a species of offence described
as inter mistera cries/sta. and deserving only .f
slight punishment ; that of *bleb he had been con-
victed might be truly described as inter Panora
minimes, the smallest of misdemeanor*. Indeed
he (Sir F. Burdett) 'could not imagine how he
Could be said to have committed any offence at
all, for it could not be doubted' that •et the time
of the transaction with-which he was' charged, his
mind wos'whelly.free from all idea of guilt. sad that
if he ready committed tiny offence, it was entitelv
without any knowledge or intention on his part. ft
ate u matltn of the old law"cif the laud, (hit atlas
non fit real, nisi wens sit rya, but here was a per-
son found guilty, though *sot at all intending, or
even conscious of doing wrong. If there were
any offence st all on 'that Ociession, the guilt
rattier •lay with the Magistratia, who 'havnig
the power. had taken no pose at all to prevent its
commission. But whatever the offence usigHtli of
awahlich Mthatarn.
iHeitupt:isot wnwaseicaoonivictotedoy,
enaorspearsonan would
wit MA a soffitient ponishment. If the olirersli.
ttittoosi lawyers 'weft right in considering ter.
'smallest deprivation 'of liberty as a heavy nod a
grievous punishment, be did say that Mr. Maui
been most grievously punished. If the' term of
imprisonment 'to ninth he 'hid been seotenced
were nut too large a punishment for the degree of
crime of which he had been fOUnd guilty, that of a
portion only
punishment, fistilleens7 be shouldallest wish to
couotiathe inkndioirct:
mots what
ulitimtvne
the e
wbvilititl
.itilc,iteiesi if
tinpntlie ?_istiisterif beets fo
Realty ln_d
'File term of his life reuld not have bees Inflicinit
—(Hrsr)—unleas indeed his dayi had been pro-
longed to the age of Mathussiem—(llear, haul—
mud that even would not have stone unit,' the dais
of Dr. Coniston had been in like manlier prolonged.
that he might inspect the prison for 'the •Ithole of
she period...w(tlear, heat.'beur.)— In proceding to
the second. krisich of his subject, it was not his in-
tention to ontiepote the &acclaims on the 'question
respecting ere' ni of llchester. It would, however.
be necessary Mr :int totatith iPon some of the topics
connected wi h that discussion, in doirigntich he
ahoistd'cbofiae n. mot If ii Clowly as possible to the
particulor question so which he was astahrwitig him-
loth When tie sestesce who patted; M. HOutliskt!

—.wow.-
.44.44mirmouililira44L

• •-•
lowlier it was intended that he should ',offer soli.
tern conlinentent?' tlelltsdlee who passed
the sentence answered, '6 By no means." When
Mr. Hunt, sleet being a short time in the gaol,
preferred charges stoniest the •gioler, in, that House.
it .ss contended .
that it. wee the beePtianaXed gaol
in England. Ind That YleiV,YriMt).• *son for 'respel-
l:lg Mr. Hosit'there. *et were the case, pine! it
was afterward. 'friend ptst 'elute it von the worst
msosged• poi in the kingdom, he had a right
to say that the Court io . peering sentence
levee intended, itilset 'en' eye who had ever spoken
vie the subject is that flogs* had ever contenaed
• that Mr. Hint might to be subjected to an; de-
gree of severity beyond thejudgnient of the Court.
The Members for the comity of Somerset had de.
deed' 'dislyerogf st 4ie charges against the
c00k,,, when they were first mode ; but both of
them admitted that Mr. Hiint might to have ill the
leceostuoriatton that could be allowed consistently
with s state of confinement. On that ground alone,
therefore, it was incumbent on them to do all that
was to their power, as the sufferings of Mr. Hunt
bad 'been aggravated in weight beyond the con-
templation of the Court by which lie was sen-
tenced, to shorten the term of their duration.—
Mr. Hunt was placed in • ward of the gaol where
for many months of the year the sun did not shine ;
and fur the ahort period al which the light of the
gun could be seen, it was Sn such a manner es
added not to the comfort, but greatly to the annoy-
ance of a person in that situation: for it shone oil a
whitewashed wall fronting the windows of the ward;
and he (Sir F. Burdett) himself must declare, from
his own observation, that it was most distressing
to asv person's eyes. Mr. Hunt's eyes had suffered
from it considerably, and would probably never
recover their former strength. At first he found
et that ward two prisoners who slept in the
room, their beds lying on the ground, and a
truckle bedstead having &ten provided for Mr.
Heat. One of those persons wore the prison
dope, and one of them had been convicted of an
attempt to murder his wife And fatuity. Those
pertotta were, however, on • complaint from Mr.
Huta, ordered to take op their Distresses, and
woo to their own cells. One of the Magistrates,
Sir.J. Acland, had paid every attention to the earn-
- ',hints of Mr. Hunt, and having in the course of
a visit to the prison experienced the coldness mid
dui tpness of the. place where he was confined, or-
der ed the stone floor to be replaced by • boated one,
stir I other sdditions to be made to his comfort. It was
said that the ward in question had been intended to
be seed as an infirmary; but instead of a place
Vor the cure of sick prisouers, it was most admirably
:i'dopted to sicken those who were in health, and to
it rake of the strong fit subjects for an infirmary
sae td the fact was, that up to the 'present moment
It ,ere was nn place in the gaol of the nature of ao
io fismary, for the reCeptiottof sick Klemm. The
is At complaint made by Mr. Hunt was the want
cl a place for etercise, being only allowed • 'yard
el eight feet square; after which •he was sholred
tc walk in the large pied. It wits a teMaika-
e circumstance that in every case where the
co mplaints of Mr. Hint bed been addressed to any
pt non Relined to alleviate the unnecessary horrors
of a gaol, they hod, Ilways been found to be of the
PIC.Ott/eaeoitigte atitire,lrtaißMaistely intruded.
r hat was the case with Sir C. Bampfylde, the
If sett of the county. who ordered his le.
t ratty to tit admitted, and other unreasonable re.
• trhinte to be removed. Bot before he lent out of
I Ace, Or. Coulston hewing again. Ise,cossi elating
tdregietrate, restored the former unnocemary, un-
gentlemanly. and vexation. regulations.—(lieee,
hear.)--Thet same person had three severe' times
• renewed the scandidoes, dirigraceful, and inhuman
restrictions to whiChAlr. Hint( -bid been subject.
rigiteritbstOneliag all the obstacles to success
which were presented by the high character which
the hypocrisy arid deceit of the gaoler had acquired
him, by the footing on *Wits he stood with •the
ittigistracy, reticiubling that or a *friend and com-
?tome rather than of an officer subject to their con.
are, by the apporent hopelessness of redress, Mr.
Hunt persevered in pressing for an idquiry, and so
strong and well-founded were his unit .the
Magistrates, after an investigation'of 'three As
only, were so convinced at they guilt of the gaoler,
that they wanted to compromise by promising Mr.
Hunt that the °toter should. be dismissed, he hav-
ing been glad''
to resign to escape further in-
quiry! provided he would drop the further pro.
secutiou of his charges. Batt' with a correct and
manly spirit he refused to accede to the pioposal,
lenvitrg. it for them to judge of the propriety of
✓outinsing the gaoler in his office, but determined,
on public grounds, to probe the charges to the
bottom. No sooner was his refusal known than
en attachment was issued against him by the Un-
der Sheriff for 50!. for costs tiseurred in procuring
▪ hearing and examination auto his ccmplaint..
Ou the heel of that Mr. Hunt was served with
process for penalties in the Exchequer for en us•
conscions viotatiott in the Excise Laws. Hiving
discovered a method of preparing front British
strain, a wholesoMe, nutritious; aid cheap break.
last for the poor, hews* contracted in two penalties--
She one for selling sod flee other for smoking the
)iowder in question, seder st statute meant to pro-
seet•both the reveisoe anti the public &orb a 11111141a-
lent and spurioui imitation or Coffee ; although no
one ever charged him, tin one for a moment sup.
posed that he ever intended to impose either 'a
i.he Excise or on the gable.. He (Sir P. Burdett)
had certainly understood. 'the Secretary or' the
Tressury, when the subject was mentioned by his
Hon. Friend the Member fur Southwark (Sir R.
to say, that thete was no intention to press
fee the payment of 'the penalties; and he had
much sdiftlenfty io understanding hair' it' • hap-
Petted tbit these petteltiel were called for at
the nutmeat which welt selected for the demand.
Mr. Hunt fortunately succeeded in raising, the
money, and thereby prevented the confiscation of
his estate. This hi would ink 'savoured xtroilly of
oppression. whether lewd or trot ; sod of all. vier.
suers, oppression gluier the caret of the 111 w was
the worst. It appeased to be thought shot what.
ever Mr. Haut 04 most necesiatily be evils merely
become it Wei &netts; Ititfi.'hoditeeiteliteriterioets
the 'saline act might •be coiSideredriben Firmed
bY etifith•et. .
—los
• '. it we. • • . '•
complaint; were Toed of thlddilrM'bf fl ricul.
tirlefzilsheis thin distrns wee uttributiet tire-eat
..dfxisete .iht ritaritet• 'le Iptieduit" Or.
• light found out :discovery 7144 teutlid. O
•Chats

• ' ' '
a demand for various Jkinda of groin, of the semi
inks that ft adturtiliteria. to the comforts of the l'
poorest chimes of the people; • Circumstance
which, io any ether ease, *held have been considered
ye entitling thee /inventor to encouragement and re-
yinrd ; but insten'a of these, he is rendered subject to
henry fines, end oppressed with the demand of pay-
ment at a period eiliewhe was least prepared to meet
it. The lion. Baronet, then proceeded to notice
the refund by Dr. Conlaton of permission for Mr.
Hoot to see his sister,. who was in a bed ewe of
health, and consequently di without the astisfac-
tiorinf seeing Ayi'liPiiill'f i refusal ails° to aUuw
hire 10-he visited lij hie meal Attendant, and re-
ferring Min to the surgeou of the gaol, who had in
three different indances applied blisters to persons
for the purpose of torture—one to the head of a
Man who- was heavili ironed, with hi• hands
feet behind Isis, bock, " because he was a trou-
blesome joker ;." another, " to Pend the man-
ners" of the party; and the third, " because
he thought gni sith wai ill,heiMing;" ind fol.
lowed them'. tip with severe eniinadversiorls on
the conduct of Lk Couleton. as disgracefol to
the the character of a Christian Clergyman and sit
English Magistrate; and on that of the surgeon;
as revolting to humanity. . it was quite clear that
Mr. Hunt had suffered a great deal more that the .
Court by its sentence had intended to inflict ; by..
ihterposing, therefore, for the remission of the irer- ,
iseinilet,of the term of his sentence, the House
would not in any way interfere with the jurisdiction
of the Court, nor with the sentence which it had
passed, for the Court itself had, as far as depended
on interposed to relieve him from a portion of
the undue severity with winch he had been assailed.
The Hon. Baronet then proceeded to his third
topic. the meritorious exertions of Mr. Hunt, and
his indefatigable perseverance. in bringing to light
the atrocious abuses. of the' geol. When he first
saw the names of the CroUrnissioners appointed to
conduct the inquiry, he felt the fullest confidence in
the sincerity and justice with which that inquiry
would be pursued. That confidence had been
fully jestified. So far from endeavouring to aggro- .
vote a bad case, the Comminiieners had elides.
voured, wherever they could consistently with on
honest discharge of their duty, to soften down the
circumstances which came out before them. This
Report, holiest'', represented the gaol as the reverse
at what it herd before been clesclibed. The visiting
Magistrates, instead of checking, bad served as a
shield and a screen to the wickedness of the gaoler.
lie tetiliared highly the conduct of thrill( Mors-
gisttia;Ostl Ofglected 9sit 'iignie of the pocind
left t)iis "heti cott6Ol 4i it its the hand, of a
few of the worst disposed, the most arbitrary,
' tyraniical, and vexatious spirits in the commiiaien.
The HoUt. Baronet then proceeded to reel 'Shin
the -*jolt' Ot 'Ot Cortiiiirtre' of in ..
ivy Vita
lie
the state of Ilchester Gaol...event of the uses end
malpractices which ails. Hoot had brought to
light. and some of the cases of atrocious cruelty on
the part 'of the' gaoler. ' When he lOoked at the
evidence and the Report. which he entreated gen-
tlemen, to examine with care sod attention, be was
convinced that that ioloiry must lead to the
most important consequences, and salutary lot.
proven?ltits iti the administration of all thh gaols. in
thitingilom. '.trltfr. Hood had done nothing more;
if he had no other claim than that of having brought
to light the atrocities which, through Ins means, had
been discovered, and thereby probably secured the
preeriatioe of similar abuses in future, that alone
would he sofficient to entitle him to the attention
of the Rouse pf Commone, end to their favourable
consideration. It bad bten mid in reply. to the
complaint of Mr. Hunt, of haying been. kept in so-
litary confinement, that it was voluntary on his part
to make it an, because lie hod refused to appear in a
room in coinomou witb feline and prieenem.of every
description, to see and converse with his friends,
shut in another room with the crowd of visitors to
those prisoners, Now he would say, that after the
long confinement lie bad endured, subject jto the
power and caprice of an arbitrary magistrate and a
brutal gooier, to suggest to any decent man such an
silternative as • relief from solitary confinement, was
to aggravate cruelty by gross and wanton insult.
• The capricious and arbitrary exercise of power to
which he had so long been subject, was a great lee-
k, grevation of his senteuce, which was originally suffi-
ciently seaere, if it Imd.been properly carried into
. effect. It should be recollected, that he vim only one
of r cumber of persons coloricted on the same indict.
went. The others, if any offenCe were committed,
were more guilty than he, inasmuch as they were the
original framers of the requisition which collect the
meeting together, and be was only a visitor oo their
invitation. They had been reutenced only to me
year's imprisonment, and had not been treated with
any severity beyond simple imprisonment. It was
impossible for the public to draw any other eoucits-
sion from all the circumstances of this case, than
that Mr. Hunt had been made the victim of vindic-
tive feeling, which it was most disgraceful on the
part of Governmeot to entertain, soil by the indul-
gence of which, instead of a punished criminal,
they had elevated him into the rank of II martyr,
and powerfully excited the public feeling in his fa-
vour. The result of this case proved the necessity
of greatly modifying', if not of putting an coil to, the
system of solitary confinement, which—however
wisely and humanely intended by Mr. Howard. his
principles having been adopted in name only, while
in practice they were, widely departed from, nay
entirely lost sight of altogether—had degenerated
into a system of -orbiirory cruelty mid urine.
cesiery torture. Wholly repugnant, not only to the
prioctilii:o OCEngioli law, but to every feeling of
hannitsiiy. lilting,' sale conceived, established,
first, that the sentence on Mr. blunt was in itself
' sallicietitlylettere; secondly, that its 'severity had
been geeritly, aggravated, by the manner io which
it hid been . executes; and thirdly;' that he had a
strong claim to the consideration of the Hoope and
the Government for his
.miritorious exertion, in
the defection of greet *ebbe grievances Red
abases, he thought he had made out n 'stiffi-
cient ease to can for their interposition in hie be-
half, and' should therefore misie au Address to his
Majesty, which would afford hint an opportunity
Of gratifying one of the feeling. most dear, he was
sore, to his own mind, by remitting the remeitider
of a punishment the continuance of which could not
be attended with any piddle britent. He concleded
• by moving—"..'ihaenn humble Address he pre-
sented to his Majesty, praying him to he graciously
pleased to remit, tbs, remainder of .111 r. Huid'a isles

Prilatlffilt.94.77l/11e, P4"isnel sat down amid
Inuit Imo 'reprve coeers.
Mr. DsWsutt,, after sole prefatory observetions,
which the noise In the House prevented 119 from
collectieg, proceeded to say, that the chief argu.
Menlo which had ,been toted by the Hon. Baronet
were, io the p •t)yt, the punishment of Mr.
Hunt Was too great. lo which he (.14. 0.) Aimed
leave to say, that he hoWed implicitly to the outhp.
illy of the Court by which Me.liont was sentenced;
and thought it was the dot, of every man to do the
settle. The Heat arg,upoeut its, that the sentence
hod been siggrevated to the cooysie of its execution,
and that in consequeoce of that aggravation, the
remainder of the term ought to be remitted ; but
lie would tale his argument on that head frosu the
statements of Mr. [hunt. himself. and from the
Report of the Commisetooers. Mr. Hunt did oat
complain of having himself been ironed, or Itlis-
tered, or in any other way ontrigeoisely Mooed.
Ilia whole complaint was, that he had been con-
fined in a dark. damp, and gloomy cell, &milted
of the advantages of the light of the sun, and of the
constant presence of faintly
and visitors; mad
that he had chosen to term solitary confinement.
If he could prove that Mr. Hunt himself had op,
proved of the apartment in which he was lodged,
hr thought that complaint, that part of hie case,
was disposed of; if he *hewed that the regulations
to which he had been subjected had been approved
by the Court of King's Bench, would put an
end to the Whole case ss far M hardship was con-
cerned. On the 15th May. 1820, Mr. Hunt was
sentenced to two years and a half's imprisonment in
Ilchester gaol. When the sentence was passed, he
inquired whether his confinement was to be solitary,
and Mr. Justice Bayley mustered him, " Certainly
not." adding. that if he had soy rearm) to complain of
being harshly treated, he might appeal to the Court.
The apartment in which Mr. Hunt was placed was
large 'row,' ward Gentlemen were aware that a
room in a prison could not be so comfortable as in
a private house, but it was the best apartment in 1
the gaol. It was true it way enclosed by a wall
which had been found rather higher than was neces-
sary, and had consequerity been lowered. There
were at first two other prisoners' beds in the room,'
bat they wire removed, and a comfortable feather-
bed provided for Mr. Hunt at the county expenie.
Those persons were not feloin, as had been stated,
bat ;arsons confined for tuisclemeauors, •od those
persons hod afterwards been allotted to Mr. Hunt
and Mr. Kinnear, confined in the same ward, as ser-
vants; separate rooms were appointed fur them, and
. bells put iu Mr. Hunt's room, and doors in the pas-
asses. to preveot their unnecessary intrusion. To
chew how far Mr.flont's cumpleime were well found-
ed, he would rend to the (joireem letter from that
person after he had been sow time in confine-
ment, which he had, hicildieusty 1"0814 '01",
Caused to be publiefiefut•tlie Hon.
Meinher then proceed d tri read • !else! "film? ay
Mr. Hontln the commemmeot of his cofilipetogot,
expressing anticipeocro of ling onion s the
apiratioN of his sentence with health, virile, and
constitution improved,
o with a 'cheerful tepper
and appetite invigorated' by exercise, which
he meant to Asks 49 far as the limitsof t
prison, which contained a spacious yard, bold
*pow ; and concluded by stating. that he. etas
as comfortable as • man in prisop amid he."
--(Cries' of " Date ! 411 tl —lt was dated NI.
• 18S00.(ilear, hear, and mole
month an order was made b 3; 4!..si.tretes
to allow his family and friends to. vitot
In consequence of that order a ouroberof *loos
used to go to him in gaol, among whom was a wo-
man named Vince, who was notortOusly living in
adultery with Mr. Hint, who wife, as well ao the
hutband of best woman, were still living. The no.
toriety of those circumstances. 'and the scandal
which they occatrioned—(Fleirdienr, and laughter)
—occasioned an order fat the exclusion bf that per-
son from the interior of the'roL.:(Hear, hsar4-.
After the date of that Order,...eiery thing changed,
andappeared jaundiced Itis:the eye of Mr. Haut, and
aft;r using every eodeartour to make the Magis-
trates rescind it, he moved the Court of King's
Bench. And here be begged to call the attention of
the House to the affidavit on which his application.
was founded; he there stated that nn his arrival he
was placed in a cold damp cell, closely adjoining to
a pestilential yard. He (Mr. Odium.) begged the
House to observe how this agreed with the expressions
of Mr. Hunt himself atria former period. In the
succeeding part of his affidavit he stated that two
.females of his faintly were prevented from seeing
„him, nod he was thus exposed to solitary confine-
ment. This affidavit was read in the Court of
Ripest Bench, sod the affidavits of the gaoler and
theMngistrates were filed in reply, containing
apch •mattslactory answer to the aseertions of Hunt
in every respect, that the Court dismissed the case,
and to mark its sense of the proceeding in a
.st,rouger manner, with costa. Yet this c•ircum-
spsoce, the Hon. Barooet had with siuguler
8a sit argument iu favour of Mr. Hunt.
The circumstances which were now stated as those
which exceeded the sentence of the Court, were
those which:Were hard and dismissed. The male
fes'indi of W.:Hint, his' medical and professional
-advisers,' were iodinated ; it was Ins mistress only
that was excluded. In one part of the case he arl.
united there was an appearance of hardslnp, which
arose from the Magistrates and the Sheriffs not met-
ht( in ilisison, and what was refused by the Magi-.
sirateksoukgrsoted by the Sheriff. and thus no al-
ternation of indulgence and ressorint took place;
bat still Mr. Hunt was the gainer by it, and lie
enjoyed in an unblushing manner the society.
from which he hart been before excluded.—
Bot the conduct of the Magistrates ought not
to weigh with the House of Commons, arid the
acquiescence of the Court of King's Bench
satisfied him that there was no ground for the
present inittion. The exclusion of his mistress
was called for by a sense of decency and decorum,
and could not be called solitary confinement.
When Sir Charles Bamplylde took the mansgeentott
of the 'gaol in December, 18120. into his ownilthads•
the system of vacillation arose Mr. Hanning suc-
ceeded, and when the investigation closed, it be-
came imperative on the visiting Magistrates team.
forces the regulations of the prison ; but.. the
High. Sheriff thinking their operation honk
took. upon himself .to , allow Mrs sleet's frisoidn
.to visit hit° at all hoots of lite day. Such was the
histoey,ar the case, slid he (Mr. Dawson) could we
notloug in the case for the igterfetance *falba lions..

y •
Y

By the Act of 32 George 111. the Magistrates wert
111.tilfotilled to ptiake ruin entrigulatiorn, and he
saw no reason why Mr. Hunt should not be bound
by them as well as any other prisoner, and he
thought the Magistrates would have failed in their
duty, and forfeited their characters, if they had
permitted the' iinercourie to proceed which he hod
Nluded to. Of ell owe. living, he considered Mr.
Hunt as theta: entitled to claim indulgence ; hit.
tenieer hitif lure end dangerous, lie had an-
pawed every' where, and was to be considered as the
foandte tab new school of inherent reformers, whir
Opt Sys a cenneut iii the•couutry, though aim* hie
inceremetion, and that of the other isicandieties,
Waster and Catlike, the country hid remained, in
a great measure, its tranquillity, and he trusted the
tote of that night would not renew the dangers.
Mr. Hoanouss said, from the tune and manner of
the Hon. Member in the beginning of his speech,
he lied nut at all anticipated the close of it. Hr
mut appeal frpm the attempt to excite the passions
ear the House and the country, by mixing Mr.
Wont up wish individuals with whom lie was in no
way connected. What. he would ink, had the
houses of Wooler or Carlile to do with the debate ?
:%t hat had blasphemy or impiety to do with the
question ? He had heard of uo impiety ; on the
part of Mr. Hunt, at least, he had heard of none.
The Hun. Member seemed by his laughing to be
better acquainted with Mr. Hunt's writing.; but
all he (Mr. Hubhouse) would say was, that no
blasphemy or impiety appeared upon the record.
Attending as he had to wind had fallen from the
Honourable Member (Mr. Dawson), he could
not perceive that he had charged any fact which
his Hon. Colleague had stated, was either exag-
gerated or discoloured. The Hun. Secretary had
indeed attempted to impugn Mr. Hunt's evidence,
without perceiving that he at the same time called
in question the Report of the Commissioners.
Every part of Hunt's charges against the gaoler
sod the Magistrates had in the main been made
Au t• The Hen. Secretary had gone out of his
way in reattittg_e lecture on the scandalous im-
morality 'of "Mr. Hunt. He (Mr. Hoblioure)
had as much' leaped fur morality as any man.
and he thought it behoved the reformers to have au
especial care mew their conduct, for he was sure it
would be scrutiiiixed_ with m much acrimony, and
certainly with more well-paid malice, than that of
any other class. But he would recommend the
Hon. Secretary to'be cautious how he need such
topics. its he did not know how high they might
reach—(Hear, hear, hear.)—sod pot consider this
unfortunate individual as the only offender against
the laws of morality. It wa, under the management
of the gentlemen who appeared so shocked at the
visits of Mrs. Vince, that the most improper inter-
course was carried on between the male and female
priapeers ; nay, ettreu the moral governor of the gaol
wap himself suppycte4 of having an illicit connexien
r whip out of the female prisoners. The Magistrates
theinserves now seethed to think they had done
wrong in their prohibition, for Mrs. Vince was now
allowed so visit Mr. Hunt. It seemed that. Mr.
.Hunt at first, approved of the gaol, bet whew was
his letter dated ? fit July. He arrived there in
May. and during the summer months the inconve-
niences of which Mr.• Hunt complained' were
net in such operation as during the winter.
r.§att for himself he should not regard the letter
of, Mr. Hunt. when he had before him the Report
of the Commissioners, which bore him out in all his
subsequent ciiiiipiJints. It was acknowledged the
cell of Mr. Hunt was deficient iii light and air. two
small ingredients itt human life; takeaway earth
end water, and the Honourable Secretary himself
would find it difficult to exist. But then they
gave him a feather bed ! and a bell to ring for his
' attendants !—(which was afterwards taken awry)_
but these great indulgences the Commissioners did
s not notice, justly coueloding the mode of Mr. Hunt's
imprisontneut was not materially improved thereby.
It was quite new language to talk as if 4r. Hoist
should be subjected to the same rules and regula-
tions as a common felon. He thought, from the
concession of the Hon. Secretary hinted'', there was
enough In juelify the Home in acceding to the
motion of his WM.. Colleague, He had no more
reason than his
Hon.p Colleague tq regard Mr. Hunt
with a partial eye, but he limAted on him as a man
who had suffered' a severer punishment than the
.Court• which pronounced his seat/nee intended.—
Ha would appeal to the. Howse as• men, as gentle-
mep. and (which ;evolved still higher dun's) as
Christians, to agree to the motiou of his Hon.
Friend. .
- Mr. Dtcwiwsoa defended the conduct of the
• Magistrates, who bad theinielveo instituted est•in-
quiry, and_stiamissed the surgeon sad gaoler,.with-
out refereeT to.any other pertmo. Ile bad never
'till that evening beard that Mr. Hunt's sister had
'irpplied. and "beeit refused admission to see him.
• He called to the iterdlectiou of the Hbust the testi-
I mearerafeWy.ll4 who, going inset Mr. Hoist's mom
(he waited on him), fouled Mrs.Viace einiuglie his
hem iFt,yjibieb Mr. Hoot was so displessld. Oat he
got the man 44 hours solitary confinement. if
the Migistrites had at all exceeded did'. authority,
Ow were' ansenable to the highest tribunal of the
couptry, tito.Court of King's Bench. Under these
circumstance', he was not prepared to support the
motion of the Hon. Baronet.
Mr. Past. said, the strong impression he had
that this was not u fit subject for discussion in that
House, would induce him to confine his otoerva-
twits within very narrow bounds, and indeed.. he
might appeal to the speech itself of the. Hon.
Baronet as enother reason, for he could not think
any sufficient grimiel was there laid to induce the
House to interfere with one of the most weed
prerogatives of the Crown, and violate • pretence
which had prevailed since the Revolution. of-giving
any opinion oa the seutences of Courts of Justice.
On the propriety of that course he should have
thought rid man could be more convinced than the
Hon. Baronet himself; considering the peculiar
opinions which he entertained with regard to the
• cOlratilletion of the House, and its encroachments on
the other hspoehes of the Cmuititatiou. If the
Motion of the Hon. Batonet were followed. up.
1 • .
'Meth -iii arrogitiOn by that dossa. wield be an
'•olictoathinent atone dai.grrous to "the 'Cbustitu,
tie... than . soy oilier which could be •imagined.
4j9,lopuOtouribtog coosid be more fatal thee the
este blisbotes of sects a precedent in the.caag of Mr.
'hiti;it: He could nut view the offence of which Mr.
Hatt( had been Nand guilty in the light that it had
,MM attempted to place it. It stood on record that

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liege subject,. to contempt of the Goveriinicist....-.
(Hear.)—And was it possible that such a chirg•
could be treated with contempt ? If sueli were the
light in which it woo viewed, he cautioned the "lease
to regard well she consequences to whirls it would
Ind. %Vas there any man who had reed on. pew.
endings at Luncoater, and did not seethere • corn-
plete refutation of what lied hem called the Maws
cheater niassacre hear.)-.[lad they nen
the evidence which shrived how that ussembiy seas
preeimis laud the moisten. in
winch it marched to the groeut‘-vend woe.ld Nov
after that be gulled with the tittle pretence thee et
was for the purpose of penerObly petninnitig.lpi re-
form ? He could not view the sentence airline,:
Hunt at too severe, sod bolieviu‘ as he
oil the evidence adduced, that it was lolly
merited, he, as a servant of the Crown. nee r
would consent to edvise any ermissinii of the
seietence ; and with all the retie-et posttle
for the House, lie must soy that, should they come
in all unanimous decision in favour of the Hon.
Rironet's motion, he could not, after the tuaturtst
constder.ition, give such advice.—(Elesr, hear.)—
fie would not now enter on the subject of I Iclies-
ter gaol, which he had understood the [Jou. Barouet
proposed himself to avoid touching on, till the
Hon. Alderman's (Wood) motion was byline the
Honer ; but aerate of the weakness of the case as
regarded Hunt, he had Introdoed mutt that
had nothing to do with the motion before the
House. He could see no ground to *uproot:lt
the Throne with an Address in fas Our of Mr.
Hunt, that would not be more applicable
to any other person conNned in llehester gaol.
Take the debtors, for exaotplev was it on account
of the insalubrity of the giott Hoer could they
address the Throne en beitelfrof ■ cenvitted of-
fender, and leave in the onion persons suffering for
no fault of their own? Another ground which the
Hon. Baronet thought made a distinction •in
favour of flow, woo on inquiry into the &nen
of the mins. Bet if ha was do leek at tkits
he must look also to the untittei mild with-
out fatiguing the House With the Nstails of the
Report, he would decide that he tri4 pot Be-
lieve the co4doct which Wt. kboot Ind purcoed
would be • ground for any °thee pinion is which
a Secretary or Sate could recomMettil a reminopn
of his sentence. He thought• Beronet
had not shewn•that there bad been soy viegiroe-
tioo of the sentence, and still lees that the stisience
itself was ineommensunde with the emotivity of the
offence► Its objected to tilt motion as interfering
withal) undoubted preirisslite eat tl,c.t.l.oo'lts and,
above ill., becattee 044 titaertereere, 49" the pint of
pen to« cowlick:oi tit .mOition weak Nero to he a
grossed wbioh the 14one did not see in she case of
his innocent fellow-subjects.
Sir J. MAcKlitT9Stt said, Wort be stated the
resisons on which he meant to ground his vote, be
would state those ott which. he did not mean to vote.
If it were to be considered that he agreed with Mr.
' Hunt's political opinions in voting foe the motion.
then it would be impossible for him to vote fur it.
He saw it§ Mr. Hunt only an Etig,lisivan who ask-
.-ed for justice, and he should despise himself if, to
coosidering that demand, he were to be swayed by
the disapprobation (he would usetiOstronger word)
which he entertained for his onitsiobe, or by'
. tiopopularity in diet Hone. Claims for justice were
ea sacred in his peens es• ha that of any other
man; wither did he thick it necessary to ground
his vote on arraigning the verdict or the sec-,hted cc, fie was dot Onergoelnted with the pain•
f;il •doter of spportitwing. discretionary
puoisb-
tient, sad whatever might be his opinion, he
had no doubt the Honorable Persons who ponied
that sentence *ere well satisfied on the iubjeet.
Whenever a case of excess in discretionary putiith-
merit should arite, he ihould not fail to arraign the
conduct of the Judg.e with the wind freedom.
sod be thought it unwise of any Judge (if such
! there were) to deprecate the fullest discussion end
inquiry into their conduct. What• Mis the tharacke
of Judges before that House regarded their 'cilia-
duct, and before the pten subjected them to the
ordeal of public opinion ? They were subservient►
venal, and oppreesive. They sanctioned the in..
famous ship-money. and other measure% srhiai
would have led to a system of Mire, de
cachet. Before that full examination of thole
conduct, the Judges were contemptible—since, they
had acquired the love of their country and tbe.nei-
miratiiin of the world. The short ground on•wittela
he should vote for the motion was, that Mi. !Eirsiit
had, already suffered more thee the Court "high
pronounced judgment intended he sheeld, and he
founded his opinion on the Report of the Commits
netters. The Rtglu Hon. Genthemsia (Me. Reel)
had observed, that there were no precedeeiti +thin
the Revolution Of the interference ofirarlierit4.
He could sties him abundence of such prendento
both before, sod since the Revolution, sod win so tM.
tie liable to the charge of 'being en encroschisiesst
• the prerogative as the present: The Hen. Membhe
then cited the ease of Sir Henry Vane, and the Cala
of Sayer and Deans, in Charles I I.'s time, uhereihr
House addressed the Crown to remit upyetuniery
penalty.. Singe the Revolution, in the yree OM%
these was a remarkable precedent. It was cm tell•
tittOO to liis.Majesty to step the parkin of Thomas
White..lie would ask the Heune whether this
were not a much stronger precedent, interfertng
as it might with the personal feelings of the So-
vereigo, which no address for mercy ever cony?
So that in Dime year, after the Revolution. in the
reigu of William, they had a precedent of the
spatial interference of the Hone of Commons •to
'intercept the mercy of the Crown. But in those
days there was no Minister to declare that he wiltikt
resign his office if such a measure way passed;
for so lie must uaderstand the Right Honourable
.Gentlemso (tie. Peel) when he stated that the en-
tire • acquiescence of the Imperial Parliament 'of
Great Britain and Iretond would not induce bins
to address the COMM to remit the remainder of
Ma. soutenoeveeiChens.)—There was thou
no individual Member of the Administration• who
valued- ids' own privatt'llpinion more high', than
the collective wisdom of the
He did not wish to Misrepresent the- Right Ho-
nourable .Clerillemen, but • that was the inference
se be drawn from his declaration, tar he cooltruut
'seppose him capable of tolding such nneosistitsi-
Lionel doctrines as to advise the Crowu to rejeet