The National Register.
London, England, 1817-02-24 00:00:00

THE NATIONAL RECNISTEL

that the London Union Society had not any correspondence
or affiliation, as stated in the report, with any Branch-Union
Societies, nor with -soy others ; and the petitionte finally
prayed that he might be examined, together with the hooks
and papers of that society, at the bar of the House. His
Lordship said, that if there was any truth in the petition, the
Report of the Committee would he subject to a suspicion to
which he should be sorry that any proceeding of their Lord-
ships Should be liable. His Lordship observed, that the peti-
tion contained statements which it was of the utmost import-
sure the HODAC should thoroughly examine, because if these
statements were correct, the Sect et Committee must have
been imposed upon. He hail the highest respect for the
Members of that Committee, butt they might easily have been
misled by false evidence, persons de:irons of cutartiug the
favour of the fLiii:e.

The Duke of Moseraose rose to Order. He considered
it highly disorderly to impute to the Members of a Committee
appointed by their Lordships any motives, such as courting
the favour of the which could influence them m the
discharge of a public duty.
Earl GROSVENOR said, it' the Noble Duke had allowed him
to finish his expression, it would have been foond that he had
no intention whatever of imputing motives to the Memhers
of the Committee. All he meant to say was, that persons,
with a view of courting the favour of that House, of courting
the favour of Ministers (for what was intended but to give
Ministers addilional power), might state to the Committee
what was not the fact, and that thus the con ~,, n. o might
have been misled. 'this was his view of the sabject, aid u
was most important that such a consideration should be adopt-
ed by the House. Was it to be endured, that upon state-
ments made by any Committee to that House, and which
statements were tittered to be proved at the Bar to hematite,
that the liberties of the people of England were to by placed
at the disposal of Mr. Canning, "Ir. Braggy Bathurst, Lord
Castlereagh and their colleagties (cries of Order)?
The Luau CuaNCEI.I.III( declared the allusion to Mr.
Brugge Bathurst, eix. to be most disorderly, nor could he
consent to remain ten minutes longer in the situation which
he held, if the House derided it to be in order.

Earl Gn Ex regretted tout di•nrder should have heen created
by attempts to call to order, and by the prolongation of a dia.
cosier thus created, which was in itself disorderly. It he
understood at all the orders of the Horse, it was, that a Noble
Lord called to order, should have the privilege of immedi•
ately esplaining himself, lint if it was to he allowed, that in
speaking to one point, order, a Noble Lord was to go back
to other points antecedent in the debate, there was an end to
all order in their discussions.

The Lout) CHANCELLOR said he might sometimes go too
tar when he thought the order of thei r Lordships' proceedings
infringed upon; but he was always actuated by a sincere
desire to preserve that order.
The Earl of LIVE:I:POOL said, that no Lord of Parliament
could, in a Parliamentary sense. know what measure was in
conteinrlalion, mid.ss it hail been pub!irly stated ; and al-
though, from motives of eon venience, and through indulgence,
intimations were privately given of intended measures, still it
was an auuse of that indulgence to make it the foundation of
an attack upon individuals.
Lord HOLLAND observed, that it was the order of that
House, if he at all understood it, that a Peer ehoul3 be allow.
ed to explain himself, it' called to Order. In the pre,ent
stance, a discussion had been raised upon the point of order,
which was in itself disorderly.
Earl Guosvason maintained that he was perfectly in order
in making the allusion he did. He should have been utterly
out of order to have named Peers in that House, ana le merely
therefore named those Ministers who were in the other House.

After some consideraqle debate on points of order, the Pe-
tition was read ; and, upon Earl Grosvenor moving that it do
lie on the table,
The Lon° CHANCELLOR objected to its reception.
A long debate then ensued, in which Earl Grey, Lord Hol-
land, the Noble Mover, Earl Lauderdale, Lord Ersk nue, and
Earl Darnley contended for the Petition being received ;
and the Earl of Harrowby, the Duke of Athol, and Lord Li-
verpool contended against it, on the ground of its being con-
trary to the rules and orders of that House to receive yeti.
Lions from individuals, who not being presumed to know any
thing of the Report of the Secret Committee, that Repoli
having been printed for the use of their Lordships only.
Earl FITZWILLIAM, though he had himself been a member
of the Committee, and as such, lie approved of the report, on
the evidence which had been brought before them, neverthe-
less wished, as that evidence was now contradicted by the
petition, that their Lordships would adopt the amendment
which Earl Grey had moved ; namely, that the debate should
be adjourned until Friday next, and that it be referred to a
committee to examine precedents as to the points on which
the rejection of the petition was proposed.
The House divided on the amendment, when the numbers
were, contents IS—non-contents 64.—Majurity against the

amendment, 46.