The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1820-06-27 00:00:00

I.►IPBKI4L P4KLIAMAN7.

HOUSE OF LORDS. lloxpay. JUNI 26.
-.B:

Air liwocovir tud reerva! other Member, of the flower
of Cornwell, h.-ought up the Irish Clutuatereial Credit Bill,
the 'riveter \bilious Lau Bill, the Futwir.l Debi Charge
Bill, and several Nit ate Dili', which *ere rcaJ u Gist
time.

PA Pm.
Me. Slorpelh. from the Trimly Mugge, presented *Cup!
of the Memorial fun the Chamber of Commerce of
mouth to Ibe 111 Ilse yea. 1814.

PETI TION.
•
Earl Gamy presentid a Pr idiom from 111 x. R. G. Hiatt. a
debtor confined in White Crosivinteet Prison, praying for
relief It stated that he brought on action for rabic' impri-
sonment against Sir Nallasincl Cogant, in the former of Cum.
moo Ph as, for having committed bon In prisms on a charge
of libel before an iudieinieut was proem .1 and a bill blond,
and the Judges of the Cwart of Commou Pleas held, that hit
Nathant.el-Conaut had not done any thin but what lie wall
justified in. The Noble Earl stated, that when lie presented
this Pennon he had thine ti without a knowledee of the cir-
cumatauary of the pal tuii!ar case. He hail on a former or-
canon expressed his opinion, that Slairstrates had not the
right to commit to prison in. a charge of hbvi belure a bill
was found; he was still of the same iipavon, for whirl,
reason he would hereafter glee notice of a motion sin the
subject. As the present Petition was c lied in respectful
terms, lie thought it his duty to present it, and to move that
it should be read and laid on their Lordships table.
The LORD Custer mama said, he ruse sot for the purpose
of objecting to the Petition behig received, for the Judged or
the Court of Common Pleas being of opinion that the Peti-
tiom r hail no mist. of complaint, was not a reason why
Pat /innivnt should not enter into the subject.
Lord ERWIN, made a few remarks, but from the noise
in the lions, and below the bar, it was itopossible to bear
thou.—The Petition was read, and I MI on the: table.
THE QUEEN.
Lord DAVIE hoped he might be permitted, with.
out basing given any previous notice, to present a
Petition to their Lordships, which, u bring in his
opinion iiroperly expressed, he conceived tt to be
his duty to submit to their consuleratiou. Ti.,
Petition was from her Majesty the Queen. He
lamented that this Petition. coming front so illus.
nines an individual. dial not tied its way to their
Lordship: table through the medium of the highest
authority within rho House, but as it was offered
to him he felt it to be his duty to present it. He
should. when the Petitiou was reail„piopose-such
as were required in the Petition. and in
which he hoped he should have their Lordships' con-
currence. l'he Petition complained of the mode
of proceeding which their Lordships were about to
institute by means of a Secret Committee. cud of
the dtfEt•tatirs thrown is her Majesty'liway for pro.
curing witnesses necessary for her defence. and
further complained of the unfavourable impression
which the Report of a Secret Committee was cal-
culated to produce upon the minds of the people
of England. 'rile Noble Lord then commented
upon the cs:l consequences which In u-! dove from
the secret mode of proceeding against which her
Majesty protested. The public ferliog against
it was no:minus, and it ors, hilt too manifest that
the •ppoisitunruit of the Comitnitee was altogether
in the hands of Nliuisters.—(lleor, Aeur.—livired
some Members of the Cominittre had already ex-
pressed their opinion ern the subject which was
to be 11116111ittell to their investigation. The pro-
ceeding by Secret Committee had been likened to
that before a Grand Jury ; but what would the
public think of a Cisolositter. on which were four
Cabinet *sisters. who had already expressed their
op • ni JJJJJ the matter ? There were two Rev,.
tend Lorils. of high character. who from their
situation and profession demanded and obtained
the respect of the country. They had eon.
currril in advising the king to exelnile her
Majesty from sharing the prayers of a pious
people. •ud et was iinpiessilile that they could
Inure done an hid they sot been impressed with a
belief that her Majeaty's cilutluet been of
a nature to justify so public • censure. Vet
they. too. were. Members of the Secret Com-
mittee. One of these very lioverend Prelates
(the Archbishop of aniterbury) was, us Ise under-
stood, the responsible vermeil by whole salve
the name of the Queen had been excluded from
its plaice its the Liturgy. He would not go through
the !MOWS of the other Members, 0111), 110 (lOU
were all men of unblemished character, bat it so
happened that their feelings upon all public questions
;1011a decided inclination to the :Unable rs oft lie Crown,
and whose bias was gemrally conceived to be attainst
the illustrious but Illiffsfilllllite individual !lee tiseal.
He implored their Lordships to consider of the
deep interest and aosirty with which the proceed-
ings in this case were viewed by the public, and
that they would fuither consider how for liar Mil.
jesty had a claim owns the justice winch was due
from every Toglish geodesists, not to proceed
against any unfortunate individoal *ceases:, with.
nut enabling ouch tertian to procure the Illeitrig for
establishing• defence. The Petition finally-preyed
that her Majesty might be heard by her Counsel
at their Lordships' bar.

The LORD CII4NCEILL9II expressed much 14f.
prise that the Noble Lord atic i ld seem in - his
speech to reflect upon his conduct for not having
presented the Petition. Ile wished to stood clear
upon this point. Ile owed u duty to every subject
of the realm, but tie s.wed one still grouter to the
Home, mad he could assure the Noble Lord that
he had u„ other reason not to prearlil the Petition,
than that it would be titter for some other Noble
Lord to present it. Ile :18.1 nut three minutes to
consider the stature of the Petit ))))) . um) he would
now tab that lie was induced to decline offering the
Petition Its t Lest nosier, pre fern that it shoo id tall
into the hands of smite other ',ensue' ; bccause he did
not understand that such was the proper mode of lieu.
ceeding. and he should have- wished that the coin.
munication had been made to the. Ilause in some
other form than by Petition. Ile had been on a
former occasion blamed for not presenting a letter
to the [louse from the same illustrious individu.l.
It was his wish to have submitted it to the
House, but on Woking into the Journals he felt that
he should not be observing time ft s of time House
if he were to Cousent to it. He had no ul►jection

whatever to the 'onion if presented ,by • Noble
Lord not on 'he 11' oplimck, hot i.e sows obliged to
decline presenting it hinoielf. but haying. three
minutes to consider of it, trod being desireus to ob-
serve as mach a in him lay she forms and practice
of their Lordships' House. If he erred, it certainly•
was not out of any disrespect to the illustrious in-
thy:dual. Ile could entertnin no personal feelings
agelist her, mud he would rather suffer death than
infringe upon the great principle of the Coorti.
fool, which distinguished accusation from guilt.
Earl Geer—Nn one was snore disposed than he
was to give the Noble mid Learned Lord on the
woolsaek the fullest credit Ger a faithful discharge
of his duty, and he was cousiiired shat nothing bat
a sense of what he owed to the [loose prevented
him from presiessiiiisg the Petition. But making
this adintssion, he must differ from the Noble total
in imagining that ratting on the woolsack lie was
invested with a peculiar chsracter which disrioe
kin:died his ilaties its a Peer of Parliament
from those that appertameil to every other
Noble Lord in the Moises and it was not
competent for the Leartisd Lord, no more than
any other Member of the Moto., to &Cline
presenting the Petitions 4.1 any of his Majesty's
subjects, oho expressing them...els:ea with propriety
and respect. either complzined of injury or de.
mottled red.ess. Feeling strongly that the doors
of that House ought to be throe ii opei, to all Pe.
titiouers of whatever rank, lie should say, that had
this Petition been offered to him, even though lie
had not three minutes to consider of it, he should
not, ignorant as thank God he was of the merits
of the case, have lierhated a moment to mead it.
The LORD CHANCELLOR diAciaiitied liar lug beta
influenced by any feeling disresprc.ful to the illus.
pious Petitioner, but never having known or such
it circumstance before, lie preferred letting the Pe•
tition fall into the howls of another persists, lest he
might, by presenting it, infringe opou the strict
line of his duty.
Lord flot.LattD concurred in the view taken of
this matter by his Noble Friend (Earl Grey), and
oreservtt, that the duties which belonged to the
Noble Lord on the wooloack differed in no respect,
as a Peer of Parliament, Irmo those of any other
Memher. This was a arty important principle,
for otherwise it might be conceived. that any Peti-
tion or measure brought leeward by the Noble and
Learned Lord was of more weight than if it came
through any other Member, as it might seem to
emanate from the organ of the House. All Peers
of Parliament are equal, and in that /louse no
greater influence belonged to one Member than to
another, excepting so fir as a particular impression
might chance to be effected by his individual chi.
reeler. The Learnt., Lord hail said, that no pre-
cedetit was to lie tomtit on the Journals. Ile could
easily credit this tosertioo, fur the whole proceeding
wit. unprecedented in the moods of this country.
The Earl of Livraelmt. did not know if it were
vete...oats to address the Howie upon the subject,
particularly as they were all agreed iii the propriety
of receiving the Petition. They agreed to it, not
because there W/O; any precedent upon their Jour.
mils to sanction it, but because in the absence of all
precedent, it was the clear principle that every
'abject, whether high air low, should have access to
the House, and the only question now was. whe-
ther the access in the case of the Queen might
not be in • more solemn and dignified man.
ever. But as they could 'sot have it under an.
other form, they were under the necessity of
accepting it in-the present. The Noble Earl coat.
tended. that although all Peers in the House were
equal in point of tirivileges and duties, yet he could
never accede to the doctrine, that • Peer of Pars
homing. if offered a Petition. might net exercise j
his own discretion upon the propriety of being mode
the medium of cousottscatitrat to the House. Ile •
instanced the case of a Peer being requested to
present a Petition reflecting either upon himself
personally, or upon Poole or his friends or relatiour,
and could it. lie asked, he imagined. that suck Peer
should be under the imperious necessity or being
made the channel of inch • cominunicatiou. He
also considered the ewe of a confidential Minister
of the Crown hying required to present a Peti-
tion to the House, armoring the conduct of the
Administration. Such seemed to 'file the can iss
the present instance, and who could censure his
Noble Friend, as a confidential adviser of the
Crown, if on Elicit u point he should exercise Ins
own discretion ?—(lleur,
The Marquis of LANSDOWN said, the if the
Noble Lord on the ‘Voulcittk had stated that the
Petition had been offered to hint, but abut from
reasons peculiar to himself he had declined pre-
seining, it, not one in the (loose could final fault
with the exercise of has discretion. —(l./eur).
But the Noble Lord aL.--eltreil that it was nut trom
any feeling attaching to I -elf that I.e su timed.
hut from circumetauces aporttsi 66 166 g to his official
situation in that noose. Upon this point he con-
ceived
the pontion. stated 'by his Noble Friends
(Luria Grey and Holland) very proper, for the du-
ties of all Peers of Parliament acre aleatoric. The
situation of the Noble Lord in this 11.flise differed
essentially from that of the Speaker in the House
of Coniston., who was the organ of the Flouse.—
The Noble Lord sat on the l% uolsack by the com-
mand of the Crown, as Keeper iii the Seeds, and
Ilia duties, as such, were precise; but there were
doors whica appertained to him, and which he
could not relimplish, 'lamely, the duties of the
Peerage. Ile was, us a Peer of Parliament, re-
quired to 'tett:win dioies common to all. but which
were. tit the same thine. depetidato upon the sound
exercise of his non dirt:rebate.
The Lotto CouNccm.oe again 4lisinvowe4l any
personal feeling. on the subject, and expressed his
willingness to perform on every occusiou ..ich duties
as the House should prescribe to lino. It was ini-
pobsibie that lie mild feel any thing per:soma!,
" and ilium:Omit the whole of this loirsiono.." said
the Noble Lord emplwticallya " uu such thing
shall influence me."

The Marquis of LmisOctet and Lord !Jot.

LAN 'plumed. 'They vest-rally diiistrosred shit
intebuitil if imputing any perset.al motive. Its the
conduct of the Noble Lend in tertian, g to pigswill
the Velllll.ll.
Lord ERSKTIES Spoke brirfiy, bat the low tout
in which he spoke tendered his words indistinct
below the bar.
The Clerk at the tattle thon reed h•r .11tajestybs
l'etition, which wee to the fullowillg fleet :
" TO THE LOKDA sriarrvaL AND rgarronAL.
" THE PETITION OF HER' MAJESTY THE
QUEEN-
" Emu:Mist RECUIA.
" The Quota 'siring West iefweemal that Omni* see
sheet to he asslasured *gains* hey an tlic House at Lariat
demos it necessary to approach your Lordships as a peti-
tioner and a fellow-subject. Her Majeaty challenges the
•n.l minute inseanicattnn into her conduct, but abe pretest.
spinet the mode of secret -inquiry ; and if the House of
Lords proceed is such a n 111111”, the Queen unarm bet con-
sider ii as contrary to every prisicip!e of law sad justice.—
The Queen, however, thinks it right to declare, that eves
from such au urconstitaational made of procedure she ap-
prehends no danger, unless it be instituted before she
shall be enabled to procere such docuufents sad evidence
front the Continent as will expose the machinations that
lave been formed agaiust her. Her Majesty is SIIIKWISS
that no unnecessary delay should tae interposed iu the way
of the fullest isivestiption of this matter, but she protests
against any inquiry carried ea without her presence. or that
of bee Counsel sad waitresses. The instant that her sit-
nesse. arrive she will eitrest the House of Lords to pro-
ceed in say way their Lonlshipa may think proper; but be-
fore any prilimiaary proceeding be instituted, her Majesty
desires to be heard by Camelot at your Lordships' bar
this day."

The Petition being read, Lora DACRE rose, and
after obsessing that he had not even three minutes
to consider of the object of the Petition before he
found it necessary to present it to their Lordships,
and hail, therefore, no lime to enforce the argu-
ments contained in it, the Noble Lord moved.
The her Majesty'. Counsel be now called in,"
The motion was immediately put from the Wool.
sack and carried, rinnioe dissentients.
Counsel were then called.

A few minutes elapsedbefure the Learned Gen-
densest appeared. The delay well occasioned,
we understand, by the necessity of callsug Mr.
Brougham from the Him* of Commons, where he
had but just concluded is eloquent Speech its fa.
sour of his ablation§ client.

. _
C..un•cl bring ageih called, Mr. Brougham. Mr.
Denman, iitid Mr. iVilltamo appeared, and rd•
••raced to the bar.

Mr. Brougham then addressed the House. Ile
said he had the honour to attend their Lordships as
Counsel for her Majesty the Quiet., utiderstanding
the it was their Lordships' pleasure that Counsel
should be heard at their bar in her Majesty's behalf.
It might be snore consisteut with what ire owed to
his illustrious client, it, feeling the Interests that
were involved in this proceeding, viol deeply sen-
sible how feeble were such powers as he possessed so
sustain their magnithde—if, under this conviction,
he were to entreat their Lordships for • few hours
delay, to °loin- the ores-mil preparation ; but he
was commanded by his illustrious client to er.
counter any personal isiconvessieuce with regard to
himself, and run every elk with reference to her-
self, rather that. throw any obstructor,' in the way
of inquiry in whatever way their Lordships might
command. ft was more iticumbilit upon him to
make this statement to their Lordships, because it
was important to the interests of her ALjetny to im-
press upon their Lordships that the application now
made was not fur the purpose of obtainiug delay in
the vulgar sense of the word, bni that the
Queen desires delay—not for postpouing any
investigation commenced, or prosecuted in the or-
dinary course, nor tit the pronouncing of any judg-
ment constquelit upon aneb investigation, because
her :11;:jesty insist feel that such judgment would be
one of honourable acquittal, for she kisows that she
is innocent, end that their Lordships are just—hot
the Queen desired a delay, because every principle
of law and justice must be set in defisoce if sir
Mese refused her prayer. Fier Majesty's conduct
was called in questiots—ainwl, so lie had a milt to
smote flows the votes of both Houses of „Parlia-
ment, was wade the %object of investigation. The
King's Message, as from Bit same soutte he was
enabled to collect. formed the foundation of this
proceeding, and wish :t had been ConnOoniessed ur
both Houses several papers. which, as his Majesty
declared, related to the Queess4s conduct whale
abroad. What the nature of the testimony was
upon which her Majesty's conduct was arraigned—
by what means it hell been collected—liow it hail
beet, scraped together...rwho had lent themselves es
tools 111 striping and arranging this feloniously, as it
was railed by a figure of speech—.l)y shoal they
had been instigated and rewarded for this how
and sandalous proi:eeiling, he did snit', pretend
to know, but whatever was found ui the bag laid
opon the table of both 11,susts was meant and in-
tended only to impeach the character id Qeern,
and to sustain charges of what was floor, or Lively
alleged to have beets dune abroad by her 11.1jesiy.
Their Lordships were aware that the Q.ierusi 'lur-
ing her reanfesice uut of this ressilril at a
great distance from it—the
Alp.
and the Appettines
bring at one primal interposed betwreti isrr 11 sje-ty
and this conatry—st another penult the Alps alone,
but that at all issues her residence was sit such
distance front the scene where her Judges were now
tattii,g• as to reedier it impossible that
tier Nlajesty could trces.e ally information or cotes-
tounicaiiini, or even summit,. 10 a letter, before the
lapse of bum fire to six weeks. Su much time
would be over,. .'v titt.tele to stud a feller amid
receive an diviner ; too it their Lordships were
to wait so long as to enable her Majesty to col-
lect her evoleoce, resoling is dsarirut place.,
and unless they 'edited so twig, It would be
of time would, of courser
Oarless to welt at all. a bt,ll looger period
.
be ileceSSary. Such

PRICE 7d.

delay would be further necessary. trot stone fu:
producing esirtetice to repel charge*, but else lor
the purpose of enabling lisi.liejesty end
Counsel to cross-titmice ostureses who u.igii*
be produced agailist her. He (lAA ha* it woltlA
be possible to ctosta-ezamise those It-retches
begged their Lordships' pardon—those pers,noger
who might be brought forward to accuse het, with-
out bell% aPPrifte of their habits, character, and
principles. lu demand/lig this delay. he desired st
should not be said there, tier whispered elsewhere,
by those who dared nut to say it there 11U1011t
ho-
uourabie men, that lie was adivrecing the pier of
guilt. His plea was that of innocence, tor the
more ittnuceut the (beet'. the more vile tier caisson-
itiators. sod the more necessary was it fur her l‘l4.
jesty to bring forward such evidence as would re 7
pel t:ie charges 'urged rep/test her honour, and co!.
lect such testimony as must osetoltelm lief ac.
misers.

Whet' their Lordship. reflected upon oce pecu•
hardy in this painful proceeding, which, howeser,
Ars not to he attributed to the Queen I. when they
reflected that when any Ensltsholan, or lin wife, or
daughter, was to l'ave his, her, or their characteis
sifted 'mini any •Ileged impropriety of condu:r
eochniitted its England ; when they reflected, in
order that to couoteract the perils to which their
characters might be exposed, there were tertatu
great safeguards secured to them by the principles
of the Constitution. The first shield was, that alt
the witnesses produced against the accused would
be English, bound by certain' principles of moral
obligation, acknowledging the validity of an oath,.
awl feeling that 1111 power on earth was capable tit
relieving them from its influence; giving their!testt.
molly in the face of their country, and iu tare pre.
sence of their friends, neighbours, and acquatut.
ance—not foreign( re, who perhaps might feel from
circumstances of a religious character that Gotha
taken here eftercinel no binding influence upon
their consciences (atat! there were many such)—re-
strained by no principle of moral proprietee and
feeling 110 control arising from the presence of per..
toots acquainted with their previous conduct and
chsracier. This involved a second safeguard, which
was derived from the knowledge of the witnesses.
They were known to the Jury, the parties, or the
persons present, and the public press would com-
municate to those nut present their demeanor tint
appearance. Their Lordship. Should also irfiert
that an English !retain' so accused had alio a safe;
guard in being entitled to a compulsory process to
secure the attendance of witnewees. Tory 'nun
come into Court, and nu power, no tut riue Ors ca.
pable of preverseog their appearauee. I.ilut how
stood the case with her Majesty ? All the entaesee.
against
lainlile were re
isisr
of
! foreigner,
or perverted
ulm possibly
es„vertedpeinap (roue
principles,
micer-
hold lightly the sacred obligution of an oath, they
were under uo control, and might give free otter.
auce to every evil ittipreslion of then Minis. He
spoke in the presence of map alp *air, Whey stok
thing affected themselves personally. stir ttlf taibtAre
Captain (the Duke of Wellington) whom he had
the hu 1111 l ir to address, but when the honour of their
wives or daughters were concerned, it did them ho.
nour to tremble for the possible consequences. Her
Majesty had no power to compel the attendance of
her witnei•es, who resid.'d probahly tit different
parts of the Continent. who were bound to her by
no tie but a sense of what was due to justice, who
had formed with her perhaps only a casual or pass-
me acquaintance, who were under no influence
tither of her spies or agents, who from laziness or in.
difference might hesitate to uuderiake a tedious.
dangerous. and expensive journey for one who had no
means either of rewarding services or (1' gratifying
ambition. Yet they were to be collected against those
who were drawn together by force. or fear, or bro.
luny, mod who for these V:111006 motives were ready
to give utterance to every Malignity and falsehood.
Such being the case, he asked what must be the
feartessiienis of that Illustrious Personage when she
commanded hien to say. •4 Let the prueeedirags gs
on, only allow me tlw ordinary indulgences whiten
II iris this country are usually granted to every person
accured." It was however Inechsty, riud if he Ile.
elected it, it was the duty of others who were bound
by the Joules oath to sea! justice dour—at war their
Lordships' duty to see that justice was secured. and
that her own fearlessness and consciousness of unto.
cence ought not to be tinned to her Majtetj'is pre.
judice.
If he happened not to he well atitrainted with
the characters of some of these the neces-
sity of giving sufficient timet for inquiring rota thew
would be mantles'. but the knowledge. he had a
some only rendered lima the more &strut's of !taro-
Mg more. He spoke trot to Iry ears, but ta
lawyers, and he begged to ask how it was possible
to Ce021••CX11r111111. any witnesses without knowing
something of their chars. tars > Fle .ould put the
case of Hoe witness who had beets turned off
by her Majesty far having stolen four Imirdred Na.
poleters. Such wis one of her accusers, and did
not a knowledge of this eirciunotaisee sheer the ac.
cessity uf,eincLtug caret:illy intro The conduct of
the ()there? Fortunately u..e fire :114iesty's
ileti.es who would •hew coilduct tit tiiii
resided at ltuoi-h, 811 English Oat' a
Italian spy, no ll•tioverian Bart.!), but an English
naval offirer, trim had bled its his country's service,
! and whose word would be enough to torn the other
out of Cann. If such witnesses as mere brought
!tie (4.1.• es were exifiti'ted its Site gab..
Pence of Iser Alajesty'd witlesses, or of thus(-
' who, 'wowing something of their characters, might
expose them import cron-examinatmii. their Lord.
ships might indeed credit then testimony ; bur
would their Lordemps, us the Queen's Judges, drive
tier prematurely into the case (saloon affording her
the possibility of securing the means of defence ?
If he were now demandstig any suspension of the
proceedings which. would dehiy the final close a
single hour. he should withdraw it instantly. fee
it was her Majesty's command that he should de-
sire only a postponement of the commencement.
and not of the eventual proceeding. The Anal