The Sun.
London, England, 1837-12-07 00:00:00

SPOTTISWOODE CONSPIRACY.

Mr. SMITH O'BRIEN said he was about to present a
petition of a somewhat novel nature, but which was not more
unprecedented than the proceeding out of which it had arisen.
The existence of a subscription, which had been carried on
for several months in England and Scotland, was a matter
of public notoriety.—( Hear, hear, hear.) It had not
yet however been alluded to in the House, but it appeared to
him to be a subscription professedly raised for the purpose of
encouraging the presentation of petitions.
Sir E. KNATCHBUL L rose to order. He would be the
last Member in that House to interrupt any Gentleman in
presenting a petition ; but as he understood upon the authority
orthe Speaker a rule had been adopted by the mutual con-
sent of the House, that no discussion should take place upon the
presentation of any petition, the Hon. Member, therefore, had
only to state the substance of the petition, and to confine him-
s2lf solely to that statement. He ( Sir E. Knatchbull) spoke
under the correction of and appealed to the authority of the
Chair.

The SPEAKER said the question had been submitted to
the consideration of the House, and whatever rule therefore
existed was a rule which had been sanctioned by the House
itself. The Hon. Member therefore, perhaps, would think he
would satisfy the rules of the House, and those whom he re-
presented, by merely stating the substance and the prayer of
the petition, as the matter would no doubt be discussed in a
subsequent part of the evening.
Mr. S. O'BRIEN entirely concurred in what had fallen
from the Chair; and if the Hon. Bart. opposite (Sir E.
Knatchbull) had waited only half a minute, he would have
found that his (Mr. O'Brien's) view entirely coincided with
his own. But he had always understood that Members who
presented petitions had a right to accompany them with some
prefatory remarks. He was not disposed to enter into any
argument, but he was going to state, that under the peculiar
circumstances of this case, it appeared to him the legitimate
way of bringing it under the consideration of the House was
the form in which he was about to submit a petition from one
of the party who supposed himself to be aggrieved. He be-
lieved he had a right to read the petition.
The SPEAKER suggested that the Honourable Member
must confine himself to the prayer of the petition.
Mr. O'BRIEN.—May I be permitted then to ask whether
it is in my power to move that the petition be read by the
Clerk at the table?—(Cheers.) He understood that he
might make such a motion ; he would therefore move that the
petition be brought up and read.
The Clerk then read the petition, which was from the Hon.
Member, Mr. O'Brien, complaining of the late subscription
named the " Spotiswood e Conspiracy," by which combina-
tion of persons having nointerest in the particular place, the
Member and the electors would find it impossible to defend
the seat. If such a system were allowed to go on, it would
tend to abridge the rights and privileges of the people; and
prayed the House for an inquiry.
Sir E. SUGD EN rose to order. That was a most novel
proceeding.—( Loud cheers from the Ministerial benches, re-
echoed from the Opposition.) He rose merely upon a point of
order, and he had that satisfaction, that he was not preventing
the sentiments of any Hon. Member from being given to that
House. He apprehended that the petition cou'd not be re-
ceived. The Hon. Member complains of what he considers
a public grievance—
gr. W. S. O'BRIEN—No, no—a private grievance. He
approached the House in the character of an aggrieved party,
and called its attention to the fact, that a Member of that
House had taken such a part as was inconsistent
.with the
proper and impartial discharge of his duty towards him.