The Sun.
London, England, 1849-03-22 00:00:00

Fi.‘.llllt

LONDON, THURSDAY, MARCH 22, 1849.

The Insolvent Members' Bill passed through Com-
mittee in the House of Commons yesterday, with
some alight alterations. There was a very thin
attendance during the discussion, many being absent
at the levee, while a still greater number abstained
from taking any part in the proceedings. In fact,
there appeared a general dislike either to interfere
with the ancient privileges of the House, or to take
a prominent part in resisting the progress of the Bill.
The result has been that a measure of infinitely
greater importance than might be supposed on a
mere cursory perusal of its enactments, has been
hurried through its different stages—the majority
of votes being invariably on one side, the weight of
reason and argument on the other.
The avowed object of the Bill is to avoid the dis-
grace which it is alleged is brought on the represen-
*dye branch of the Legislature in consequence of
some half-dozen, or, at the outside, a dozen of its
Members not being in a position immediately to satisfy
any pecuniary demand for which they may be respon-
sible. If that were to be the only result, it would be
perhaps a matter of very little importance one way or
the other; but, unfortunately, in order to attain that
object, alterations of the most sweeping and extensive
character have been introduced, which, if sanctioned,
will create inconvenience of a very different character,
which will not only deprive a Member of the Com-
mons House of Parliament of the privileges which he
has heretofore possessed, but expose him to the most
vexatious persecutions. The privileges aimed at are
not those of the Members, but of their constituencies.
It is not for the benefit of the individual that his per-
son is protected, and that he is no longer liable to
be arrested for debt, but for the sake
of those by whom he has been chosen
as a fit and proper person to represent their
wants and wishes, to assent to or reject the taxes that
may be proposed, and to enact laws for the government
and regulation of the nation, of which they are free
citizens. Their choice should be free and unfettered;
they have an undoubted right to elect any of their
fellow-citizens to the honourable but arduous posi-
tion. No commoner can decline the responsibility,
nor if once returned will he be allowed to resign his
seat ; it can only be vacated by his elevation to the
Peerage, or by his acceptance of a situation of
emolument under the Crown, in which latter case
it has been thought proper to give the constituency
by whom he was elected an opportunity of saving
whether he still retains their confidence
in his new position as a placeholder.
He may, however, be again and again elected, and he
can no more refuse to sit than he could decline to
Sn'Ve. upon a jury if duly summoned, to act as a
special constable, or to perform any other duty im-
posed on him by the law. It is in fact, accord-
ing to the constitutional theory, a responsibility
which he cannot be permitted to shirk or evade.
Now, however, according to the proposed law, a de-
claration of insolvency, or even a refusal to pay a
demand for a certain time will vacate the seat, and
deprive the constituency of their unquestionable
privilege.
ieitheer
It was well remarked by the Honourable Baronet
the Member for the Tower Hamlets, that 'f the
Bill had been in existence fifty years ago, neither
Fox nor SHERIDAN, nor even PITT himself, could have
had a seat in the House." CANNING might also have
been excluded during certain portions of his career.
Some of the most enlightened statesmen, whose ser-
vices were of Inc merely to those
by whom they were chosen, but to the community in
general, might also have been rendered ineligible. It is