The Sun.
London, England, 1801-03-11 00:00:00

MR. HORNE TOOKt.

Lord TEMPLE—" I rise, Sir; in consequence
Of the notice which I had given some time ago, to
draw the attention of the House as to the eligibility
or non.cligibility of the Eleaion of Mr. Hoatat
OOKE to a Scat in this House. At the same
time, I earnestly implore the House to believe-,
that I bring this question forward upon a principle
of duty, and from no personal disrespect towards
the Reyerend Gentleman. For, Sir, whoever
•might have been the, individual, even if a relax
tive of my own, placed in Similar circumstances
with this Gentlemao, I should•equally have felt
it to be a principle'of duty incumbent upon me;
to have brought this subjr before the House
and I sincerely hope that the House will now di.
vest itself of every consideration that may peen-
liarly apply to the Hon. Gentleman's Politics at
PrincipleS. The House,
,Sir, will doubtless re-
colleil the duty which it owes to itself, to th 4
Constitution, and the Public, in deCiditig up6n
the present question. I again assure the House,
that in the part I take in subinitting this stibie&
to•their consideration, I urn notinflueneed by
.any
private feelings, and I . own that I should feel
mortified if the discussion 'should receive any bias
whatever from private prejudices. Still less,
Sir, do I wish to.bc SuspeCied of any disrespen
co the Body of the Clergy, in- bringing 'the pre-
sent question before the House. Far be it from
me to wish to degrade that • useful Body in tha
eyes of the people! and more particularly at a
time when the stream of public prejudice, espe-
cially in a neighbouring Country, has tun high; '
and has received the aid of current opinionderived
from the sources of false Philosophy, all tending
to involve in one common ruin every Constituted
Authority, every thing held venerable by tho
wisdom of ages. God forbid that I should
bring forward any • measure tending to
degrade the Calling of the Clergy in the eyes
of the Public, or to place it upon lower grotinda
than the religion and good policy of the Country
have placed it. But, Sir, I cOntend,.than I 'pay
reed to the purity of the Clerical Char ter iii
bringing this Question forward--I contend that
I thereby increase the veneration and•-affeaion
with which the people of this Country ot4i,ht to
tepid this.liody. In my view,_the.tendency of -
this Question is to raider the" diitin'6.lpo still .
between the Clergy and the Laity—a dig-
tititction, :which the Clergy themselves have con- •
tended for as important to the proper discharge.
of their funftion. And, Sir, whatever be the re-
stilt of the investigation I now propose, I shall
feel that I have done my duty in bringing forward
a QuestiOh which is important, as it respets the
honour of Parliamentary Proceeding;, and which
I hope will henceforward he put to rest. All I
wish for is; to call for the opinion of the Hou:;e.
upon it, not presuming to diaare what its decie
stun ought to be, but sincerely ho?ing that it
will pay the utmost attention to this Question ;
and that, as it was brought forwardby me coolly
and dispassionately, in like manner the House
will decide upon it. The Question nOw before •
us, is nor, Sir, whether tliis'Or the other descrip-
tion of persons he the most
,proper to sit in this•
House, or 'Whether' a black or a brown coat -
should be worn within these walls, bat whether
or nor we should .abide by that Parliamentary
'Constitution which our Ancestors • have esta-
blished ? The Question- is, Sir, whether, in this
moment of innovation and reform, .we, Should de-
part from that rule by which, fora century pastithat
Members of this House have thought fit to abide ?

And if the Constitutibn and-Usaie.of Parlianient
kave et ti t:A this point,then the question is, whether
or nor, we -should•abide by' the establidled,rule. or
piecedent andpranke We should recollett, that:
' those Parliamentary 'Rights are entrusted in' -our
'hands, and that-we have no authority to innovate
and transfer. them to others. .We. should gu3rsi,
lest the barriers of the Constitution be impair-.
ed 'by us, If the Honourable and Ruierend
Gentleman agrees -with Mei,:that the .-Hou4e
ought to abide by its established customs, I must
then claim his support to the priut4,le I have laid
down. Surely, Sir, it does not become us to in-
troduce an innovation into this Piciase,-whio-may
prove. of dangerous and misthievous Consequence..
But before I proceed to move that a neli. Writ he.
issued for" the eleaion of a Member for Old Sa-
rum, I must first endeavour to prove, that the
Hon. Gentleman stands in that predicament -which
constitutes hii ineligibility to .a teat in, this
House. In order to this, I mean to move that
evidence be called to the Bar of this House, -to
pro.ve that the Rev. Gentleman was
.afluay or-
dained'Priest, and officiated under that eharadter ;
and after having proved -this'br cVidence,, I pro-
pose then to move the appointment of a Commit_
tee
tee to search for Precedents, with a view of final-
Sy nioving the ineligibility of the I len., and Re,v
Gentleman to hold a seat in this House. 'I lir't
of all move that Mr. Boucher be called to tlic
Bar. • But before Lsit down-I would., state the
.4
Objeccl I-have in view.bi proposing the examina-
tion of-this Gentleman. He is Registrar of the
Diocese of Salisbury) and I• propose his being call-
ed- to pYoduce eviden that Mr. lioeNe TooKE
was'a&ually ordained Priest:.
Mr. H. Toot( n and Mr. Fox immediately
to speak, but 11,1 r. H. Tooit way,

c:;e

I