The Sun.
London, England, 1838-02-28 00:00:00

-
brought against them, explaining the state of their trade, and
inviting inquiry into the whole of their proceedings. The pe-
titioners stated that instead of a uniform rate of wages being
established, there were four rates, and that any master might
take an unlimited number of apprentices.—Referred to the
Trades' Combination Committee.

GLASGOW COTTON SPINNERS.
The Hos. MEMBER then presented petitions from the
Working Men's Association of Sheffield ; from Biddlestone,
in the county of York, and from the Whitesmiths of London,
praying for a mitigation of the sentence passed on the Glasgow
Cotton Spinners.

CORN LAWS.
Sir R. FERGUSON presented a petition we believe from
Dublin, praying for a repeal of the Corn Laws.
THE SCOTCH CHURCH.
Mr. WE NIYSS presented a petition from Fife, against any
further grant to the Scotch Church.
NEGRO APPRENTICESHIP.
An Hon. MEMBER, whose name we did not learn, presented
petitions from Bristol and other places against Negro Ap-

prenticeship.
Mr. MORRIS presented a petition from some place in
Cornwall, also against the Apprenticeship System.
Sir C. STYLE presented a petition from Scarborough,
against a Bill which had been introduced by his Honourable
Colleague.
BISHOPRIC OF SODOR AND MAN.
Mr. BORT HWICK presented a petition from the manim-
trate!, and clergy of Evesham, against the abolition of the

._„
Bishopric of Sodor and Man.
NEW POOR LAW.
Mr. W. DUNCOMBE said that he had a petition to pre-
sent from the parish of Huddersfield, in the West Riding of
Yorkshire, to which he would wish to have called the attention

of the Under Secretary of State for the Home Department,
but he was sorry to find that he was not in his place. The
petition referred to the meetings of Guardians which took
place in Huddersfield on the sth and 12th of June last, on the
subject of the new Poor Law. The importance of the sub-
ject created considerable excitement in the town, in consequence
of which the Magistrates were called on by certain individuals
to bring in the military, which they, in the exercise of their
discretion, refused to do. A representation was immediately
forwarded to the Under-Secretary of State by the parties, who
had suggested the calling out of the military, containing
calumnies and misrepresentations with respect t, the conduct
of the magistrates upon that cccasion. Now, the petitioners
stated that the magistrates acted wisely in refusing to call out
the military, as the peace of the county was net dis-
turbed, and they expressed generally their %arm ap-
proval of the manner in which the magistrates had
conducted themselves.—( Hear.) The prayer of the petition
was that the House would order the, production of any corres-
pondence which might have taken place in reference to this
subject, between the Lord Lieutenant and Magistrates of the
County and the under- Secretary of State. The Hon. Mem-
ber begged to state in conclusion, that he had submitted this
petition to the Secretary of State, but he was sorry to say that
he had paid no attention to it. The petition was ordered to
lie on the table.
BREACH OF PRIVILEGE.—MR. O'CONNELL.
On tho motion of Lord MAIDSTONE, the Order of the
Day for the attendance of Mr. O'Connell in his place was now
read.
The SPEAKER inquired if Mr. O'Connell was in
his place.
,Mr. O'CONNELL rose and said—" I am here, Sir." The
Hon. and Learned Member then sat down.
The SPEAKER—PIease to stand up.

Mr. O'CONNELL then rose
The SPEAKER—Mr. O'Connell you have permitted
you: self to be betrayed into the use of expressions at a public
meeting with respect to which this House has come to
the following resolutions :—" That the expressions in
the said sneech containing a charge of foul perjury
against the Members of this House in the discharge of their
official duties, are a foul and scandalous imputation on the
honour and character of this House.
" That Mr. O'Connell having avowed that he used the said
expressions, is guilty of a breach of the privileges of this House
therefore that he be reprimanded in his place."
The charge of foul perjury is one of the heaviest that can be
made. You cannot be surprised that having cast so
grave an imputation on the Members of this House, that
it has aroused the indignation of those against whom
it has been :directed, and that you have exposed your-
self to the severest censure and displeasure of this House,
You have endeavoured to vindicate your conduct by
urging that you were impelled by a strong sense of
the defective constitution of the present tribunals for the trial
of controverted elections, and that you sought to promote a
remedy for that evil by stimulating public opinion. It
is unnecessary fur me to remind you, that at the time when
you used these expressions which have been condemned,
this House had recognised, with scarcely any difference of
opinion, the expediency of attempting to apply a real remedy
to the evil of which you complained, and that your energies
and talents would not have found a more useful employment
than in endeavour' ig to forward that measure. You have
also alleged in your ,xeuse, and it is true, that others have
used expressions as strong as those which you employed with
respect to this House. In general this House has been of
opinion that it consulted its seat dignity, and obeyed the dic-
tates of prudence, in relying for its protection and defence
against misrepresentation and calumny, in the consciousness
of the zeal and fidelity with which it has discharged its
duties. The case, however, is different when
,one
of the Members of this House seeks to disparage and
degrade this House in public estimation by charging a number
of its Members with foul perjury. No one knows better than
you do, the laws and constitution, of this country have in-
vested this House with a power and authority so large, that
its acts mast always have an important effect on the
well-being cf the State, and that no power can be bene-
ficially exercised, unless administered by those who enjoy
the respect and confidence of the public. It is the
first duty of the Members of this House to contribute
by all proper means to sustain that character, which is as
essential to the interests of the House itself, as it is to the in-
terest of the country. If, unhappily, the time should arrive
when this House shall he stripped of its moral influence and
character, and the respect of the people, its means of resis-
tance will be so weakened to resist unjust demands, that this
great assembly, now popularly constituted, will be tossed and
driven by every successive current, to the great prejudice of
the public interest. I should be unworthy of the situation I
now hold, if I did not feel the deepest interest in what-
ever can touch or affect the character of this House.
It is therefore with great pain that I have been com-
pelled, in the discharge of my duty, thus to animadvert
on the conduct of a Member, who has sought to disparage
this House, by impeaching the conduct and honour of a lerge
portion of its Members. It now only remain, that, in obedi-
ence to the commands of this house, I should reprimand, as I
now do, Mr. O'Connell.
Mr. O'CONNELL then rose amid much cheering, and ad-
dressed the House a 3 follows :—Sir, it seems to me that it is
extremely inconvenient to follow the precedent here laid down.
On the p -esent occasion I have been deprived of considerable
advantage in my defence by the mode the House has adopted.
A 3 to myself, personal, it is but of small importance what my
inconvenience and suffering may be, but it is of great import-
ance to the House and to the country, that its proceedings
should be so arranged as not to produce a moral disparage-
ment between the [louse and the country at large, and the
morality of the House is not to be disparaged if any party
violates that morality. It is not, Sir, because we are
pleased to say we are pure, that the country is to judge us to be
so.--(Cheers.) It is not, Sir, because a majority of 9, or
29, or 200 have declared themselves free from shame, that the
country is to believe them to be so.—( Cheers.) As to my-
self, Sir, the morality or immorality of the House is imma-
terial ; but it is most important to the true administration of
justice, that all decisions and proceedings of this House
should be free from political and party bias. In my opinion,
Sir, and in that no doubt of the country, this House does
not vindicate itself by such a resolution as the present, any
more than the judges did, who vindicated themselves from
taking ship-money.—( Cheers.) lam sorry, Sir, that I was
rot in the House, or that I did not know what the resolutions
to be moved for were. Taking my words, such as they were,
to be the same as those placed in the resolution, are they, I
would ask, sufficient to enable the House to declare the lan-
guage is false, and inconsistent with the fact ? I have no
hesitation in declaring it not to be so, and that facts might be
brought forward to show that what I have stated is true, and
that the greatest partiality has been exercised in Election
Committees. Is there any gentlemen, I would ask, who
could declare that it was their firm belief that Election Com-
mittee; were impartial?—(Cheers.) No one can doubt that
the greatest party bias influences the members of such Com-
mittees. It is admitted that many gentlemen vote in Elec-
tion Committees by party bias. In the motion of last
night it is expressly so stated. It is there stated that
many of the Members sworn to try the merits of Election
petitions are biassed by party interests and attachments.
If that is not perjury I know not what is.—( Cheers.) That
charged Members with being biassed in Committees by their
party feelings—if that is not a charge of perjury then I have
never used the word, because that was all I meant to convey.
_( Cheers.) The gentlemen opposite may lay the flattering
unction to their souls, but I ask will the public go with them?—
(Cheers.) In order to do so they must disclaim that these tribu-
nals were actuated by party feelings—havethey done so ? No—
(Cheers)—nor can they. As for the Bill before the House it is
nothing—it says that these Committees are partial, and then
goes on to continue them. I mean no disrespect to the gen-
tlemen who introduced the Bill, but it does not apply any re-
medy. The public has long been opposed to the system.—
(Cheers. ) I hold in my hand a pamphlet which was published
by a Parliamentary agent above a year ago, in which, speaking
of these Committees, he says, " I have not known a single
case, in which the parties interested, as also the gentlemen of
the Bar, did not look more at the character and political opi-
nions of the Members of the Committee, as furnishing grounds
for success, than to the merits of the case. "—( Cheers.) He pro-
ceeds—" The eviltl has
,e.tolbHhocaeo%;nneptiroiuonslceierred to increase until it has be-
ca,
c fromcme wilnhhtioaclhveerlafbeclloetm.
dbrsle_ec etioi:Net hdee yourpart
m rbeeef pr
tr i
sme
safe—nod ac nee, be-
causetryMember is secure of his seat, nor can any petitioner hope to
succeed with the best Case—all depends upon the politicali
opinions of the Committee."—(Cheers.) I awarel that am
not very popular with the Gentlemen opposite.
fault ; but if so, it is oneel cwanbnyotderepueeritt
tolife. Hon.( Gentlemeneers
attack I
Ltoumda cheers. my
assailing
mho has put forth my sentiments in a
ka d t
be an w
the gentleman
gentlem
ztsat
publication which met them in every publisher's shop ?-
-(Loud cheers.) I tell them that they cannot stifle
either the voice of the public or mine. I have every
fcr the assembly of the Gentlemen around me, but nosp respect
for any body will ever keep me from speaking the truth.
Many of the Gentlemen present will remember that Galileo
was put into prison for saying that the world went round—