The Sun.
London, England, 1830-08-25 00:00:00

•
tuna of its Members. la a matter of very grave
importouceortel deserves your serious attention. I
Ittiowrtot Whether you can take any steps immedi-
ately, or whether you will not prefer to name a
Cottittlitteal to consider immediately upon this letter,
and upon all that can be done regarding itiund to
report thereurn immediately to the Chamber..
Several voices—Name a Comtnittee.
The President---Ise there, any ohiection- to that
proposition
The Duke tie Choiseul—You cannot name to
CoMmittee to order the arrest of one of your cols
leagues, or to pronounce upon the validity .of that
arrest, unless you were constituted a Court or
Justice.. You are not so constituted at present.
The Chamber of Deputies has alone the power of
resolving upon an impeachment. It is, only after
that Chamber shall have decided upon ten impeach-
ment thatyou will be, able to form yourselves into
a Court of Jus,tice. That is, iti my opinion, an un-
answerable obiection.
The Duke tie Cazes—l would remind my Hon.
Friend that we are here in a situation, provided for
by the Charter. The ChaMber of Peers, says the
Charter,, takes cognizance of the crimes of high trot-
eon; it takes, cognizance .equally of the aecesetious
brought against the Ministeriss—in a word, it takes
cognizance of all the, crimes of which a Peer of
Franca can make himself guilty. - The 34th article,
now the 29th, of the Charter, says, " No Peer con
be arrested except by the authority of the Chamber,
nor tried except by the Chamber on a eriminul
oherge." It then helange to the Chamber of Peers
to decide upon the detention of It Peer of Frane.
That is the only point to which we can at present
uttend, The Chamber of Peers is always the
Chamber of Peers ; and when it is convected into a
Court of Justice, it neither loses its power nor its
title. The Chamber of Peers, in a word, is elwap
qualified to decide otta demand similar to that which
has just.beeniubmitted to ir. It is difficult,: how-
exec, to make any step on so important a question,
without a full knowledge of the facts. The Noble
Peer who complains'of, or ruttier makes known to
us, his :detention, does not say under what circum-
stances, nor by what authority he has been arrested.
He tells am that he has surrendered himself a pri.-
toner, If he has surrendered himself a prisoner, it
would appear that he has no right to complain of
his arrest., If wel should judge from the accounts In
the newspapers, be was arrested in consequence of
the public outcry---in consequence of facts, whose
importance is universally known and appreciated-,
but en whith-we ought to abstain from saying a
single word, since one day we may he celled upon to
be judges of them. After this, it appears to me
impossible that the Chamber should take any step.
We know not of the detention in any efficinl mintier
we have only learned it through the newspapers.
We must have further details on the manner in which
the arrest was effected, and even on the place where
the prisoner is now detained. The best proceedings
which we can adopt is to 1141110 the Committee re.
:quired by the President. 1 cordially second that
proposition.
I.e Comte de,Pontecoulant—The question May
be viewed in three different lights, I say first of all
that the Charter dries not make may mention of us
as a court of justice--it speaks only of the Chamber
of Peers; and, the title of Court of Peers was only
introduced in 1815, for the decision of certain pole,
tiersl esteem, of which it is unnecessary, to revive the
memory. We are not at this moment a court of
justice, since we do not see in this piste° either the
Procureur-General, or any other organ of the Go-
vernment. In the second point of view, no Peer
of France can be detained without the consent of
`the Chamber; and it` appears to me, that hi that
respect the detention is open to criticism. There
is, however, a third constderetion, not less impor-
vmat,—it is that of the impeachment, which the
Chamber of I)epiitios seems inclined to direct. Be-
yond 'all question at Peer, on becoming Minister,
.rue; not lose his character as a Pert : beyond all
question be must be tried by the Court of Peers in
case no impeachment were ordered by the Cham-
ber of Deputies; but the rights of that Chaniber
ought not on that account to be.in the slightest de-
gree impaired. Although we have not been informed
officially and judieitally, our Chamber is not so far
oat of the political atmosphere as to be ignorant of
what was passing. We must all of us have heard
of the proposal made in the Chamber of Deputies,
• and of the discussion which took place on it yester-
day, all tolling to the impeachment of the Ministry,
of which 'the author of thiti letter was a member.
The Chamber has not yet come to any determine-
lion; but its process has in some degree commenced.
Let us guard against exciting a conflict of authority
for it is certain that' if the Chamber has a right to
impeach the Ministers, then the Peer, who is a Mi•
ulster, to to be tried by it." The Noble Peer,
then proceeded to recommend a conference between,
the two Chambers, to prevent any collision between;
them on the subject of their respective powers.:
Though such a proposition was novel in Frenee, it
had long been adopted, and with the most beneficial
consequences. lie would not make any formal pro
position to that effect; but It appeared' to him that
the appointment of the committee suggested by the
Presnlent would enable them' to resolve all difficul-
ties., 1 support that proposition, and move, that the
committee should meet forthwith; and make its re«
port at soon as possible.--(Cries of " Supported.").
The Presiclent-.1 nova now read to the ChaMber
another 1 tt e...eruwitich entirely relates to, the fabled,
which we. are now discussing. Thii letter is from
the Minister of Justice, and has been just seat to me
by the Duke de Broglie ts.- -
",Totha President of the Chamber of Pr ers.
t, I have just learned, not officially, but by report, that
many of the iate Ministers, particularly M. le Prince de
Whorls and N. le Comte de Peponnet, have been *sired
grad (leaned at Tort 0110 ,St. Le. finder existing cies
estanitnneri, sad in feet' oft the impeachment threatened
*pima them by the Chandir of -Deputies, I Nee nut
thought it my duty, evert ferlhe rake and 'safety of the de.
trifled, to interfere and (billies the formalities of their
seiraw But in the present condition of the country, I
think it indispensable to Infiniti the Chamber of Preto,
that MM. do Polignae and de Peyronnet are detained at
Tours and at St. Lu, in order that, in its wisdom, it may
take sash ITIVIOOtttg to it Seen,' most adViltidde• ,
"Thii Keel* at "be tietthei Secretary of State for
the Department of Justice,
(841.-044) " -DUPONT DU 1,141/111t.
Several saiona...-We roast appoint a committee.
A, cominittea'vess, after some further discussion,
4)04110. 'eta!' Member* of it are Le Comte
Simeon, the Marquis de Maleville, Baron Seguier,
Le Comte 'Pomba, Le Utitupto de Potato Coulatit,
IktrOri de %ratite, and Dastard ii stung.,
The Duke de Droglie, Minister of Public la
-
*ruction, then Inpuutoi the tribuneess.." My Lords,"
said he," in the sitting of the oth of August, when
,the chamber took the oath' of loyalty to the King
Sind obedience to the constitutional diluter, a single
Member among all those who were present thought
himself required by his donsidence to refuse that
'oath. He Withdrew'. Ahriostall of us have taken
it simply and sincerely. Seeerui of our number have
thought it due to thew minim! viearacter to enter
:into some explenatimi of the nonuser which iActutdcd
thiito. Thaw motives have been heard with
and reeeived with (emir. However, we have
thought,--feud the “overnment of the King has
come to a similar judgment,--.we have thought that
the pub ought to be take's eiMply and sineorelr;
that it Wee to:Louis Philippe I. that. we, took the
Zittl9f "eo,4l:lti—litat it wile to thej",enstitotioord
lifs 110,tent antenthoents ours! ana►dif ca-
;Huts, I oat *V() tiWOrtt astrediettee
Heat theirs ten be in,that:oath *any Wu
aural:toe or reserve, Bow t mental
r"
OVii4p I have read the
Quielidietme of tosdey the following
rr Ittio
fiirr-4 044 not havg tit,
which many or ray noble hien& and my Vlijirt
Sei ha the sitting of the Kith •
riseKirYn
to any aniareprestataiinnto precise and cioi:r.
the words which the Duke fitsjantess *opt-gen, ,Yost te►
which we also agreed: but shietuthere appears to be ti
to misinterpret the intentions of several amongst us, I ate.
clam anew that It wallet* for the sakedeceotterming as fist
OS in inc lay with such WiNIBUIVI se were likely to coutri.