The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1819-02-27 00:00:00

INMA.

Mr. CANNING p ts d Copies ef Treaties entirlintril
with the Nally, !Walls in India.—fildervil to he on the
table, and to be printed.

EQUALIZATION OF TIIF. DUTY ON COALS.

Sir C. MORGAN iirrienteil a Petition from certain lialot-
bitanis or Monmouth, praying that nu alterat might be
made in the Coal Lan. —Ordered to lie on the table.

Me. FowAßns ostoke against she Eiuslizaison of the
Coal Duties. He raid that the inrasurs would be
to thr maissfitelorieis of the country, amid Iy in-
jur3oit to the iron NM k•.
Sir ISAAC COFFIN %puke against the umirial anti henry
dottier on Coals which p d so ls upon time 'mores
in...vs of society.
Mr. 1.1771.1709 seilsl, if the 101.ject wstss nzitated, he
would feel himself 1.0.104 to oppose st. Ile saisl hr 6uprd
that the Members would nut rwoistemuste su uppresiore a
measure RS an sada 4 I tai min tosik,

Mr. BF:SWETT said that Staffordshire rind Shropshire. two
of the most loyal counties in England, were der-Aridly
against the m e, and he would feel himself humid to
oppose it.
Mr PROTSIBROE Said, 11,31 in comylianre with the a i.hr-.
of his cristtln•nts, he a .titt,' opium, the measure. lie es-
prsa-ed liim:rl( against it..• iqualigation Mitt.
Mr. H. Ste si ge said, that tier inhabitant" of London anal
the adjacruit comities a cie subject to an 4111i11111i, unequal,
and most • our mous duty It was an setts le which in this
try might he well I'OllllllllT, mi as o.ir the first err,
Pities of life. In a tiontstry where taxatiun null so heavy,
flue Nlittistrr should take ere& y rase that taxes should out
• press partially upon Our pant of siivii.ty, as iit the par-
eriit ease. He, fur lane, would liaise cage that the sobjtct
slinahl come before the Hatis..
Sir. N CALTTRT inn/Winn, the present duties 011
li.ith partial pod uujii•t, and they affected the lower
t lasses of the people particularly.
Lord CastLeat AGM Paid, lie slid tint consult r the present
a favourable time to agitate this subject.
Mr. LITTLUTON said, that if the Hun Member for Surrry
should tiring in n Unll, nr move for a Committee, he would,
to *very stage, give him his decided opposit .
Lord LOWTIIIR presrntlyl a Petition front certain Italia.
bitaists of Kendal, praying as alteration its the Itieolvent
L. blors' Art —Ordered to lie on the table. . _

Lord G. Swinton prrnent44l souther Petitinu from the
M th,egeiort any alteration iu the Cu.il
Duiies ...-Ordeted Iu lie os the table.
PEWITS ELECTION.
- - - -

Mr, ATICINS-iVlVlGilTapitesrerl--- it the bar with
the Report of the Committee appointed to try the
merits of the. Penryn Election. It stated, that
the Committee had foetid the Petition against the
election of Mr. Henry Swarm was not frivolous or
venstious —and the Committee boil resolved, that the
said Henry Swann had been guilty of bribery mid
corruption, and was not duly elected to it in Par.
liament for the Borough of Peoryis. They ale
resolved, that several other persons named in the
Report had been guilty of corrupt practices at the
Election of Peoryti.
Sir C. Bveatt.t. said, he thought that in the
present ease the minutes of the Committee should
be laid before the Holum One libtoilreil men at
both sides were charged with ac!'s of bob •ry—.llse
three individtmls who had been lomid guilty of
corrupt Practices. by the Report of the Commit tee.
were agents to the parties, and it was not utolikely
that the one party was as deeply implicated as the
other, who are raid to have been guilty of coirup-
lion. It was a case which called GA 'inquiry and
consideratioo, and the House should have the
minutes of ti,e Committee before them. lie con-
cluded with tinning, that the Speaker du not issue
li:s warrant to the Clerk of the Crown to issue a
new writ for the Bioroogli of l'euryit.
Mr. Hot t us vr out it said, it was not usual Tor the
House to suspend i•siiiiig their writ, without hav-
ing very strong cause. He did not think that at
present there were grounds before the House to in-
t:nee them to simper d the issuing of their writ.
Mr. CAREW land, he thought the !louse ought to
pause before they ditermined ; they should at least
have the minutes of the Cottiniiitee before them.
A Member, whose name tie could nut Irani, said,
that oit to vitae where gross corruption was reported.
the House ought to have before them the evidence
on which that Report had been founded ; they
shoold then proceed with seve.ity ; and lie conceived
that by marking 01144 of corruption with their
strongest crustily, they would give the beFt answer
to those men who outside of doors SO violently
upa oiled cooolloct of Parliament. Ile was him-
sill a moderate Reformer, and he could not but
Fick with disgust and abhorrence on the vile coo.
ouct of ii.o.e who would basely barter their privi-
l-grs—those proud privileges 4-I....ti”gutzLtd

this country from the degraded nations of the ('on-
his opinion, whole proofs of gross tiff-
ruptrou had hero established naught borough., the
right of representation Ought to be taken away, prod
transferred to those large towns Menchuster, Leeds,
and other places of great wealth and population,
who had no representatives at all.
Sir .1. NvvrroaT agreed with the lion. Member
that she base practices lie alluded to deserved
the highest reprobation. It was a salutary and
wise proceeding, where cases of corruption appeared,
to denounce them, and to inflict the heaviest cen-
sure that the House could inflict osi those who
were convicted before them of corrupt practices.
Ile agreed with the Hon. Member that this would
be the Isest answer (I. give to those intemperate
premiss who talked of reform, but whose object
was riot relorm, but revolution.
Lord essTts.itEstai said, that it *mild be a
severe exercise of authority to suspend the repre-
sentation of any inatiors of the people, for any
tnne, howa%er short. If the house were to take
the case agsnist the borough, lie would wish to
know from the Speaker what was the course which
Parliament should take. . .

The SPEAKER said, that the House would &lay
issuiti4 the warrant where a special Report was
niade against ►he Borough ; in ordinary cases the
writ is airver delayed.. Ile would not, he said, off
hand and from mere recollection, give a further
°imam) upon the usage of Parliament.
Mr. WYNN mentioned a variety of cases, in which
the House had acted. He said, this was a lase
which required consideration ; and lie suggested
that the further discussion should be suspended to
an early day.
Mr. P. Morriss said, that, in the present case,
both parties were afraid to propose the bribery oath.
The Report, in his opinion, did not go far enough
the circumstances would have warranted 71 Special
Report. In his opinion, the hundred ought to he
included within the borough, which, by increasing
the lumber of voters, would render the introduc-
tion of bribery more difficult.
Mr. 1101ILDSWORTH Maid, no opinion had been
stated, that any bribery had been committed on the
part of the Petitioner.
Mr. HASVEY observed, that there was no proof
whatever that bribers' had been resorted to by the
Petitioner. The Honourable Member (11r. P.
Moore) spoke, as if there had been evidence before
the Committee stifficielit to authorise them to make
is special Report, awl that the system of bribery ass
c.orried to such an extent, as to render it dangerous
to aditimistrr the bribery o•ith. This was nut the
easr. It appeared that the facts stated referred
merely to acts of individual bribery. If any thing
else had been elicited, even incidentally. the C -
inittre would certainly have acted on it. They
could, however, proceed only on the facts before
them. 'They could not look to former Elections—
I hey must proceed only on the present circumstances;
and tlto•e circumstances seftrred merely to acts
committed by individuals against whom the Report
was duetted.

Mr. P. Moony. explained.
Admiral Sourts►atNE said, every Member of the
Committee had considered the case with the most
•enous attention. and were desirous of doing that
which should fully meet the justice of the case.
Actuated alone by that feeling. they hail come to
the decision which was now before the Ilatime.

Mr. !lOWA RD observed, that the cases alluded to
were not exactly in point.
Mr. S. BOURNE said, it was very desirable to
know what course the Petitioner in this case was to
pursue ?
The SPEAKER—" Before I put the question, the
(louse will permit me to observe, that if any opi-
nion is entertained by any Member, that the writ
must he delayed under the circumstances of this
case, that supposition is erroneous, Fitts nre only

susreuded when the Report mfficts the franchises
of • borough. The original motion was, ' That a
new writ he made out for the borough of Prosy.),
in the room of Henry Swann, Since that, an
amendment has been moved, ' That the said writ
do not issue until the House has taken the Report
bon consideration ;' and finally it has been pro-
posed, ' 'Flirt this debate be adjourned till Monday
next.' It is my duty to put the question on the
last proposition."
The debate was, on the question, adjourned until
Monday.
Mr. W. WYvr saidb that in order to enable the
House to decide correctly on this question, it was
absolutely necessary that the minutes of the Com-
niittee should be laid before them—because, they
would have to proceed on the Report quite inde-
pendently of any other consideration, ashl to state
whether they agreed to it or not. This it was
impossible for them to do without a full exittnina-
tom of the minutes, in the same moonier as they
were arcustotned to have the proceedings of flintier
Committees laid before them. He should there-
fore move—

" That the minutes of the I'enryn Election Committee
be 141(1 before the House."—Agreed to.

CASE OF' MR. GitADY.

Mr. C. H. Huxcuirtsira said, lie could assure
the House it was with infinite pain hr
pi. seined
himself to their notice on this occasion. He felt tlim
he had undertaken a most difficult task. and, w the
performance of it, he had to throw himself ou the pu-
tient attention and liberal consideration of the
House. Not because he conceived flit he was
about to advocate a bad or improper cause—but,
from au apprehension, that, in his zeal to delesid an
injured individual, he should let fall some expres-
sion unpleasant to the feelings of the Hon. Mem-
ber for Limerick, and thus weaken a cause w Melt
he was most anxious to assist and support. %Vali
regard to what had fallen, on the preceding evening,
from the Hon. Member for Dover (Mr. W. Bootle),
who stated, that lie would oppose the motion with
which lie (Mu. Ilutchinsoii) meant to conclude, on
the ground that the Petition of Mr. Grady con-
tained sannething disrespectful to the House, lie
begged leave to ikssure hint, that if he saw any
expreasion of an oliensive nature in the Petiti )))) ,
he would not have supported it. Ile wished to
call the attention of the House to the ducision
which they cattle to on Vt. eli IteSdily last, a deco-
-10/011, the propriety of which he was very iimi•li in-
clined to question. The revolution on that occa.
41011 was carried iii u very tfuiui (louse—not More,
he believed, than rit) Alcuilitts being preaelit —and
many of them, lie 'tither imagined, were nut attn»
gether aware of the astute of the tlemion which

they hail countenat.ced. He dill not stand up
there, presuming to qateWion the riglits and priviw
lege' of the Commons ' Humor of Parliament. He
knew and respected those immunities, because they
belonged to them . as the Itepresentstives of the
People. They were not merely the privileges of
that (louse--they were, in fact, the privileges of
the great body of the people--and he Phoul.l be
ashamed of himself, if he were so Ignorant of the
value of those rights, as to slept up to that House,
and say any thing tending to bring them into con-
tempt or disrespect. Willi reference to the vote of
Weiloooloy last, lie would siov , death all due deference
for the opinion of other Geoolemeo, that the
House acted in error. One disadvantage against
winch he haul to contend, to order to produce any
favourable result from this application, was the dif-
ficulty of guardittg himself front otferiug any ob-
servations on the transaction in which this business
originated. He should • be sorry to press any nh.
nervation oft that subject against the Hon. Member
for Limerick, or to make soy remark whatever,
that tended to prejudge the question'. Ile was free
to say, that if, oil au itiVevtigation of the whole
affair, on !Monday se'imight, it should appear, that
a conspiracy had 'wen entered into against the lino.
Member for Limerick, no punishineut, in his
couhl he inflicted on the authors of it, which their
conduct would not fully warrant. Let it not, there.
fore, be supposed, that lie meant to offer any opi-
nion on the case. Ile had moiling, at preset'', to
do with that question, which would, tat a subse-
quent period, become the subject of grave invest'.
gallon. Those Members who %%ere nut present at
the previous proceedings, would perhaps sallow
him to put them in possession of a few facts,
which were esseutial to the proper understand-
ing of the
,Petitioner's ease. The son of the
Petitioner asserted, that a Member of the House
of Commons 11411 attempted to dispose of is
situation, connected milli the administration of
the Criminal and Civil Late of Ireland. fur
b lee anal corrupt luirposes. Ile charged that Mem-
ber with those corrupt practices, and lie left the
House of Commons to deal with that charge, as, iii
its wisdom, it might think tit. The lion. Alentber,
against whom this charge was made, delivered, iu
leis piece, a triumphant reply. But what said the
House ? Notwithstanding this defence, tiny said
" 11'e will hear the charge on Monday se'ainight at
io the bar !" In the course of the Hllll,
Member's
speech he produced a letter from the Petitioner's
father, which created a strong sensatioot. Now, in
his humble judgmeavt. if the letter thus produced
had been sufficiently proved to have come from sir.
Grady—had it been avowed, at the bar, by that
Gentleman, as Ins band-writitog—sill, to the then
state of the original procetaliog, the House having
determined to hear the charge, they would have
done better, if they had abstained from takisig
any steps, snore particularly one so strong as they
had resorted to, pending a proceeding which they
hail themselves sanctioned. But what course did
they take? Those who were absent ought to he
informed—and those who were present ought never
to forget the proceeding. Strangers soinetimee
heard what was going forward ut that House —mod
it happened that Mr. Grady, before he was lartuu,:lit
to the bar, did hear it resolved by the House, that
his letter was " a high breach of their privileges."
If Mr. Grady, when placed at the bar, had said,
" I have heard your vote—but the House cannot
expect that I will accuse and criminate myself. It is
unjust to call on me. You have determined to hear
the original coinpluint, wow, theta, interrogate lute on
the "'object of this letter 14 [lad lie thus expaessed
himself, he would have been perfectly justified.—
If he bad gone further—if he had bulkily said,
" You have no right to interrogate me—l will not
:answer you—the first priocuples of the Constitution
under which I have the happiness to live declare,
that a man shall nut be compelled to cons let sir cri-
minate himself !"—even if lie had used that lan-
guage, lie would only have alone that which he had
a right to do. W'hese then would have bran the
evidence of his having written this letter ?
what ground then coold they hate eutiltuittell
him 1 The Learned Gentleman (Mr. Ilioughani)
stated it to be his opinion, that the Ilion. Member
fur Limerick was eligible to appear as a witness in
this case, because lie was not a party in the pro-
ceeding. Nut a party ! How could such a propo-
sition be maintained ? What did the Honourable
!tether declare in Isis speech ? He stated that a
foul conspiracy had been formed against him.
What did the Noble Lord (Custlerregh) state ? Ile
gave it as his decided opinima, that Mr. Grady tva•
one of the colospirators. Was, then, the Member
for Limerick a party or not in the proceeding. when
he exclaimed, that a conspiracy had been set on
foot against him, and when it was asserted, that the
isadisialtud brought to their bar was 11111,11Catril in
that conspiracy 1 Ile Contended that the Hum.
!Member was a 'party, and being placed ill that si-
tuation, he ought nut to have been called tau to give
evidence.—(lieur.l—Suppose those pervious who
wore Called conspirators should prove their case—
what then would be the situation of the douse?
Wheat !multi this, he holied, and lir believed, the'',
for his own I ir, and for the honour of Parlia-
lova, the Member for Lilo. rick would fully cleu.r
himself. But, let them suppose the contrary—why
then they %soul(' be v.sited by the unplear•ittat re-
flection, that they had allowed Mr. Quio, the per-
son accused, the principal party in these proceed-
ings, to give evidence in his own elte. Hr would
contend, on every principle of right void justice,
that Mr. Quin ought nut to have been odinitted as
a Wittie4ll us N Cans with which he e as so
inanely connecteol—(//eor, irear.)-1 le knew that
many Members quitted the House while the busi•
aiess was in progress—and he felt quite convinced,
that, when the motion was carried, there were not,
as lie before said. more than fifty Slembrre pre-
gent. A questiou ofsu important a motile requir-
e! more mature deliberat 000000 and should nut have
hero decided so hastily, and in so thin a House.-
-1 Mars)--Suppose the letter to have been
the most objectioneble that c!;ualil be (retailed, still
Ogresses nu evidence, except that of Mr. Quilt. to
tiring it biome to Mr. Grady—and (hut evidence,
he would Maintain, taught out to have been
rrstrty-
ed. There was Ito midst's to the letter—the lino.
Member stated that he threw away the envelope,
tau which the superscription was written—and his
name did 11111 14111W11( 111 it front 114101111111 g 111 end.
flow, then. could they safely and conscientiously
deride that it was written by Mr. Grady and sent
by lain to the Ilea. Member i• Ile observed, that

there wit a considerable titter amongst nentlemen,
when Mr. Grady eppeared "at the bar with spec-
levies, mid stated, that, for IS year., his sight was so
bail, that lie could nut speak to any partictslar
hassibwrittiog, if exhibited to Info by candle-light.—
Now, he could shew, by the moat respreteble tes-
timony, derived from per-ons who hid known Mr.
Grady iii France, in this cmultry, and in Ireland,
that his orga... of vision were extremely imperfect—
that lie found ereat difficulty in distioguishing ob.
jects. Its would go turther,.asid prove, incontest.
ably, that Mr. Grady was so short-sighted, that,
In going throw:( the streets, lie ran the hazard of
being rail over toy the carriages which were passing,
if he had not a dui le with him. Ile mentioned
this point, incidentally, to sties. the hostile feeling
with which the I louse virived this Gentleman, and
to prove, that, in this instance. the feeling was not
justified by the fact. A feeling seemed to prevail
that Mr. Grady wished to deceive them altogether
—but the truth wag, th it, though he wax a studious
man, of great alsjliiy, and much attached to read-
ing, it was with difficulty, that lie could either
read or write even in the day time. It might not
be improper here to observe. that Mr. Grady had it
in his power to have left the !louse, ever and over•
ogaiii, when the proceeding was going on, and
when every person could ;perceive whet was
likely to be- the result of it !—(Hear, hear.)—
Surely, his rernsiiiiiig to hear their ilecisiiiii, and
his respectfully subinittiog to their orders, were
circumstances that might to weigh considerably in
his favour ! letter, if it were the most Olen-
sive possible, was not proved, by sufficient evi-
stetter, to have been written by even if
it had been his iiroductiou, it was evidently primed,
as hr hail stated on a former under feel-
ing. of strong irritation, after the office of Clerk of
the Peace was given ',wily. %Vital said the Alen,-
her for !Amend: to this point ? ‘• When," said lie,
Mr. Grady was agitating this subject in My county,
when lie was *weeding retinas !prejudicial to
toy character—might I not, by re-instating his foil
in this rare, which I had it in my power to ,10,
have effcetually sidled his complaints? But I did
not fear them, Nod therefore I gave the care to ;m-
-other." corum.,...ers were here worthy of
notice—fiat, that the letters said to have been
written his Mr. Grady, were out sent till after the
office was give.; tkretitl4lly, that our of
the charges was, that the Hon. Member gave assay
the office oulv during pleasure, and might revoke
the gill whenes rhe pleased. On the Yid of Sep.
tetolter lie gave notice to the Petitioiler, that he
bad that data giscii away the office ; and, on the
19,11 of Ot•tnl),•r, the letter complained of was
writtrii, alter 411 ilihnlatlUn that the Gem. Nleinlter
lied derolid that he would place sir. IL Smith in
the office. That letter lie held m h.* hand, and he
insisted there was not tut 4! which could be
fairly slid to contain a breech of the privileges of
that )-louse.

Mr. W. ‘l'lgtr, to order—" It i+, Sir, a little
too inueli, when a resolution has passed, nernine
coNtendicente, and t• so entered on Our Journals,
designating a particular art to be a high bre:.cli of
the privileges of the House of Commons, for an
Ho►.ouraboer Member to come down and say, itt the
fixe of that resolution, that the in thus described
is nut a breach of privilege.—(hear.,—This is the
more extraordinary, the flotiourable Member him-
self having been present tarn the resolution was
agreed to, and having offered no opposition to it."
Mr. Hu rcuiNsox said, that Laving spoken on
the subject to many Members much older and more
experienced than lie was, to nhom he stated, that
he conceived the case to be one of extreme hard-
ship, and having failed to inspire them with similar
sentiments, he withdrew when the question was put.
He afterward• moved, when Mr. Grady was sent to
Newgate, that the whole of the proceeding+ should
be printed. iu order that the case might he properly
understood. lf, in reading Mr. Grady's letter, he
was no lining correctly, he would not proceed
with it, far lie would ant willingly adopt ally
p:neeeding' that was c•elculuted in injure a person
limo lie had so long knonn, and whose cause he
supported, nut merely because Mr. Grady was his
foietirt, but becative he considered loin to be au
ag,zrieved
Mr, W. ‘l' ytssr—.. 1 do not mean to object to
t;ie H n. Member's readuce the letter, or stating.
ring thing is favour of Mr. Grady—hut I object to
t broad assert ttttt , that the leiter is 110 t a high
breach of our privileges."
Mr. HGTcHtSsoN begged to call the attention or
the House to the following letter, dated

Hos;Iogoc-sitr-Mer, October 19..

" Sin—As I have received no answer to niy letter, tle•
livered to yon by Mr. C. Smyth, I presume you don't mean
to answer it—hut I'Vril that shall nut divert me from the
course I mean to take in ths business; tiuderueith you
base the copy of a letter written by oite to a leadiug
Member of Opposition with whom I have been the last week
in London, who furnished me with extracts and precedents
from the Commons Journals, for the purpose, anti to whose
advice I have committer! myself; I think it right to assure
you, that I base not, and shall not, communicate upon this
or any future step with Mr. C. Smyth, mu.h less with any
body else on the other ride of the Irish fii.unirl. I depre-
cate any idea of a threat ; but, as I have utten thine before
to your advantage, I off.e yen advice; I advise you tto
slote my sou to his officc, of which you deprived him, by
an appointment fur life before the first of next January,
anti by your answer to my letter to inform me that you
mean to take my advice. No answer I shall consider as re-
jecting the advice, and it will be uuneeeseary fur you to
write, if you determine upon rejecting it. Your answer, ur
your uo answer, will be here, or will out be here, the 12th
of November; and to rave you further trouble, and me
further delay, I think it right Its obssave, that the suggest'
of ally mithlin term, will not fall within the scope of my
advice. " Ste, your obedient Servant,
" THOS. latal./Y."
lie (.Ir. Hutchinson) had read this letter several
tinted—and a great deal more light must be thrown
utt it by the Learned Gentleman (Mr. Wynn) or
come other Hon. Member, before lie could he led
to consider it a breach of the privileges of that
I louse. The Learned Gentleman (Mr. -Brougham)
tiluvervetl, that, even if there were no attack on
the Hun. Member fur Limerick, in his Parlia-
mentary capacity, contained in the letter refer-
red to in that which lie had just read, still it
WWI a libel on the House. But, suppose the
Petitioner proved his case at the bar on Monday
ire'intight, where, Oben, would be the libel ? The
Hon. Member for Hover asked, on the former
vvening, " What ! Gentlesneti, will you liberate
a mini oil htiday, who was committed on Wednes-
day ?" lie would say, 6. Cert.iitily—ii, on exa-
mining the proceeding, you find he has been int.
properly committed, lose nut a moment it. rescuing

"I

him from configieme..t !" lie wished I
to understand, that be came forward on

lion, without am• communication from
lie had not seen bon on the subject. Um
he had communicated to him the proceetin
took place on his Petition, yesterday eventi
to that communication he brit received