The Sun.
London, England, 1839-06-17 00:00:00

STOCKDALE v. HANSARD.

Lord HOWICK bleu& up the Report of the Com-
mittee on the proceedings in the case of Stockdale and
Hansard.

The SPEAKER put the question, that the Report be
printed, when several Members exclaimed, 6. Read, read,
let it be read now."

Lord HOWICK said it was hardly possible for the
Clerk to read it, as it was a very rough copy.
Mr. T. DUNCOMBE really thought they ought to
know what the opinion of the Committee was.
The Clerk then proceeded to read the following Re-

' Your Committee hive applied themselves with all the
diligence in their power, to the consideration of the important
subject referred to them ; but the difficulties which attend
it, and the delay which necessarily occurred in their
obtaining a correct acci,unt of the proceedings in the
Court of Queen's Bench, have rendered it impossible
for them to be as vet prepared to lay a full and com-
plete Report before- the House. Such a Report they
trust that they may shortly be enabled to present ; but
in the mean time it is their duty to submit to the
House a practical question, of which the decision cannot
be postponed, while it will necessarily have a very
material influence upon the future proceedings of the
House in this matter.

In their former Report your Committee have apprized
the House that a writ of inquiry had been isrued for the
assessment of damages in the case of Stockdale
v. Hansard ; they have now to state that under this writ
damages to the amount of 100/. have been awarded
against Messrs. Hansard, and that in the ordinary course of
law execution may be had, and the,e damages may be le-
vied on Tuesday next.
Referring to the resolutions of the House of 30th May,
1637, your Committee consider it an imperative duty to
report this circumstance to the House, in order that the
House may have tile opportunity ef determining what
course it may be advisable to pursue with reference to the
contemplated proceeding of the Sheriff in execution of the
judgment of the Court of Queen's Bench.
Your Committee will proceed to submit to the House
the different courses which have occurred to them, as
courses one or other of which it might be competent for
the House to adopt, and will then state which of them
has appeared to the majority of your Committee least
liable to objection.
I. A writ of error might be sued out, and the deci-
sion of the Court of Queen's Bench might thus be brought
under the review, in the first instance, of the Exchequer
Chamber, and ultimately of the House of Lords.
11. Mr. Stockdale might be suffered to receive the
damages awarded, but a Biil might at the same time be
brought in for the purpose of declaring, for the future,
the right of the House to publish its proceedings.
111. Instead of attempting to pass a declaratory Act
a Bill might be brought in enabling both Howes of Par-
liament to publish such papers as they might think ne-

cessary.
IV. The House may avail itself of the Constitutional
powers it possesses to prevent the execution of the judg-
ment obtained against Messrs. Hansard. If this course
should be followed, the Sheriff and his subordinate officers
would he prohibited by the House from levying the da-
mages wh'ch have been awarded, and any failure on their
part to yield obedience to this prohibition would be treated
as a contempt, and dealt with as such in the ordinary