The Sun.
London, England, 1840-02-19 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 1840.

meet the buyers prevented any increase in the demand,
and the biddings throughout the day were very languid;
a large proportion of that passed the chair was bought in
and withdrawn at previous rates, but when the importers
were inclined to realize they were again compelled to
submit to rather lower rates ' • Congou must be quoted
Id and Twankay Oid cheaper than yesterday ; Hysona are
now 3,1 lover than in January, and Imperial and Gunpow-
der 2d to 3d. Up to the present time the total quantity
passed the sale amounts to 25,500 packages, out of which
only 6,000 have been actually sold. The latest prices
paid are—Congou but mid ra str 2s 10d, bnt mid blksh
leaf litle Pekoe flavour 2s l Id to 2s 111 d, mid blksh leaf
little Souchong flavour 2s 10. id to 2s lid, but mid ra blksh
leaf ra bnt 2. 91d, but mid soil blksh leaf st lit old Pak
flsv 33 91, good erd ra cos and leaf 2, 711 to 2s Sid ;
Imperial, but mid and mid brtsh If 3s 4d, mid pale If Se
914 to 3s 10d, mid ra brtsh if ra coa 33 61d to 3s 7id ;
Gunpowder, but mid pale If ra esa 4s 21d, mid drksh 1 ra
coa 6s to 63 11d, mid ra bstsh:lf ra cos 5; I Id, mid brtsh
5s 4id to 5s 6d ; Twankay, but mi i brtsh If 2s I lid to 2s
1 lid, but mid 2s 104 d to 2; 101 d; Hyson, mid and good
mid brtsh If 3s Sid to .3s 9d, good but mid Ss 61d to 34 7d.
It has been positively declared that the cargo of the
Eucles is to be admitted at 2s Id duty.
Coreux.—The market has been very quiet during floe
last few days (or nearly all descriptions admissible for con.
sumption. British Plantation has brought very full prices
by private contract for small parcels; the quantity to offer
for sale being, limited, none has been put up to auction.
This afternoon the demand for Coffee from the home trade
was limited by private contract, and the public sales con-
sisted of 368 bags Ceylon, 86 casks British Plantation,
116 bags Pedang, 435 bags 41 casks Java went off
heavily ; Ceylon sold at former rates for the better kinds
and fetched 1053 to 114 s for file, and fine fine ord pale,
good ord sold at 103 s a 104 s, and very good ord country
damaged kind 100 s, which is 3s to 4s cheaper : British
plantation only partly sold 2s to 33 under former rates, it
was an indifferent parcel, being unclean. Berbice mid
fetched 114 s a 118 s, fine and fine ord 106 s a 11 ls, good
ord 102 s, Jamaica fine mid taken in at 1283 ; Padang fine
palish green sold at 735, a 743 61, inferior 66s a 67s 6d,
being its full value : Java was partly sold 3; under former
rates, viz. at 83s 6d a 84s for good ord mixed pale, fine in
casks was taken is at 87s per cwt.
Rem, BRANDT, AND Howestss.—The transactions in
Jamaica Rum have been limited since we last wrote, and
rather lower rates have been submitted to. Leewards
have been taken very sparingly, and proofs are obtainable
at 3s 61al per gallon. The quantity sold of both kinds does
not amount to 120 puns, Sc. For East India, 10 per
cent. ovenproof, as 21 is asked, but there has been little
business doing; there is now no doubt but that
it is the intention of Government to reduce the
duty ; there have been some small arrivals. For
Brandy the demand has been very extensive, principally
on speculation, and prices have advanced since our last
report 3d to 4d per gallon for Cognac; first brands of the
vintage of 1836 have been disposed of at 5s 5d to 5s 6d
in hhds, and sis 3d to 5s 4d in puns; 1837, in hhds 5s 4d
to 53 sd, in puns 55 2d to 53 3d ; 1835, in hhds 53 Id to
55 2,1, in puns 4s lld to Sc., and there are not further
sellers of the latter under ss. Bordeaux is also
dearer, sales have been made at 2s 93 to 2a 10d:
the stock here of this kind is small : at the above
rates some parties are not inclined to sell, in consequence
of our Government having agreed to reduce the duty if
the French Government will follow the same course to-
wards certain articles of our manufactures, which proposi-
tion is to be brought before the House of Deputies, and will
no doubt meet with success. Geneva is held firmly at 2s
to 2s 2d, at which there has been a fair business
doing. British Corn Spirits have been in good request at
93 10d, and some houses will not make contracts under
10s per gallon.

This *Memo's* the Rum market was quiet, but the mer-
chants were net disposed to submit to any further reduc-
tion in prices. Brandy continues in active request, and
prices are still advancing ; large purchases have been made
in Cognac for arrival at 5s Id to 5s 3d for first brands of
the vintage of 1838 and 1839 at 4s 9d to 4s 1 Id per gallon.
COCIIINEAL-Previoui rates have been maintained, and
a fair demand has prevailed ; 117 bags Honduras at public
sale sold steadily Silvers at 43 9d to 55 9d, and Blacks
6s 4d to 63 11d per lb.
Rtcs.—Java, sound bags were taken in at Its for good
mid white rather broken, and low quality mixed with
Paddy at 8s Gd to 95 6d ; a few lots low white realized
105 Gd. Bengal is held for previous rates, 133 6d for good
mid, and 14s for good clean white. Carolina at 33s for
old, and 35s for new. This afternoon 1,953 bags Bengal
at auction sold 13s to 13s 6d for low middling white.
SALTPKTRE.—This afternoon 1,821 bags Calcutta, and
2,232 baskets Egyptian, were put up to public sale; the
former sold at 24s 6 to 25s for 13} to 7. per cent. refrac-
tion ; the latter taken in at 143 Gd to 15s GI per cwt.
Tausw.—For Russian on the spot prices have further
improved ; large purchases have been made in first quality
at 51s 3d to 51s 6d : at auction, 180 casks stranded sold
47s 61 a 50s 9d. For delivery in the next two months
prices nave improved to .51s to 51s 3d. For delivery in
the last three months 493 6d to 50a; yesterday there was
less business doing, and there were sellers at 49s 6d psr
cwt. Town Tallow is on the advance.
To-day the demand was good for P. Y. Candle on the
spot, as well as for delivery in the last two months at
Bls 3d to 51s 6d. Fur Os•to'ser, November, and Decem-
ber there are not many buyers, but no sellers under 49s 6d.
011.8.—For Southern Oil a good demand has prevailed.
Cod and pale Seal have been disposed of to a fair extent,
the former at 281 10a a 2SI 153, and the latter at 291 a
29/ 103 for first quality. Sperm is held more firmly, 40
tuns at public sale wore taken in at 1101. Linseed Oil on
the spot at 24s GI a 243 92, and for delivery in the next
three and four months at 25s 3d a 25s 62 end 25s 92.
Rape, prices are improving. A fair business has been
tradsacted in Olive at our quotations. East ladle Cocoa
Nut fine quality 43s 61 a 443 per cwt.

COUNTRY CORN MAR

Wheat.

Barley.

Per Quarter.
Abingdon..,,,
Andover
Banbury
Basingstoke—
Cirencester
C,,ven or y—.
Daventry.wa.
Derby
II :wclen
Ilu ngerforti—
Ala:ton
Iktii4en h cad..
Nottingham
Wantage
Warwick
W,r;ester
York

s. to s.
CO 7i
n 2 72

s. to s.
32 43
26 46
37 44.
32 37
38 40 •

33 44
35 47

22 42
35 33
35 4
3 45
30 4V
3G 46

;i1 ~G

Per Bushel.
Birmingham

s. ti. s. d,
4 (i 13 0

Oats.

S. to s.
23 3ti
28 32
23 31,
24 29

25 Rs
23 34
2; 36
23 30
22 33
25 32
29 3(1
22 :2S
32 37

22

s. d. s. d.
40 b 6

Beans. 1 Poissa.

S. to 1.
40 5

42 46
40 42

30 44
54) 55
40 4
36 43

37 42
48 5:3
38 48

- 43

0 70

$. a.
44 2

40 42

To-_. ..-

- SO

37 40

40 65

- 40

1,4, g, d.
6 6 7

Oats.

SPIRIT of the PUBLIC JOURNALS.

FROM THE EVENING PAPERS OF YESTERDAY.
(From the Globe.)
There are two distinguishable points about this
sudden apparition of Socialism, which has frighted
the Isle (of Ely) from its propriety, and likewise the
Prelate of Exeter. One is the new moral philosophy
of the Oweeite flocks ; the other their new notions
of political economy. It is our conviction that the
former could not find an abode in any brains which
ha I not been left " empty, swept, and garnished,"
for their reception. Their spread (if they do spread)
still more accuses the previous furniture than the
" new moral" upholsterers of the " heads of the
people." The latter have sufficient truth in them
very naturally to mislead many. They proceed upon
a principle which has already worked wonders, and which
we expect to see work many wonders more in our age.
The principle of co-operation has already shown what
it can do ia the vast extension of the benefits of Insur-
ance, and the still farther extension of those benefits
which may be efected by aid of Government and As-
sociations. We are disposed to think that partnerships
of limited liability may afford machinery for the co-ope-
ration of small capitals which does not exist at present.
The multiplication of clubs is another instance of the
increased resort to association, for the purpose of plac-
ing enjoyments (beyond the means of each) within reach
of meny. It is not wealth, but genteel poverty, that is
making Pall-mall a street of palaces.
(From the Standard.)
At the risk, or rather with the certainty, of being
charged with falsehood, wo think it right to lay before
our readers what we know to be the present condition,
and what we believe, upon the best grounds, to
be tha present plan of the Cabinet. Lord Mel-
bourne is to be raised to the dignity of a Mar-
quis! The Cabinet is divided on making the Corn
question and Ballot Cabinet questions ; end Lord
Melbourne is in a minority with his colleagues, re-
sisting stoutly these two Radical propositions. One
of two things must occur—either the extreme of
the Cabinet must give way, and thus lose the sup-
port of the Radical section, or the minority—
in which case the few remaining old Whigs and
their supporters in the House will retire, and
oppose the thorough-going Radical Cabinet, and
Lord Melbourne's place will be filled by Lord Durham
or Lord Normanby. The fact is, the Cabinet is so
divided within itself; it is utterly impossible it can long
continue together. A dissolution may be forced, and
thus the existence of these incapables extended a few
weeks longer, but the doom of the Melbourne Oabinet
is sealed, and neither the influence of the Palace nor
the support of the 16 actual majority can save it from
destruction. Internal warfare has done much to effect
this.

(From the Courier.)
The proceedings in the House of Commons last night
will be read with great interest. It will be seen that
every step taken by the House in its assertion of Pri-
vilege over Law, plunges the House in greater diffi-
culties, and is calculated to set that branch of the Le-
gislature still further at variance with the feeling of the
country. It will be observed also, that the progress of
the assumption of arbitrary power is the same in an as-
sembly as in a single individual. To maintain the arbitrary
power assumed, a fresh assumption and a further exer-
cise of it becomes day by day necessary. Thus the
power assumed by the House of Commons to punish for
contempt was by committal to prison. It is now as-
sumed by Lord Howick that the House has the power
to punish not only by committal to prison, but to ac-
company that pegoaTty by other aggravations of pain
and penalties at the discretion (I) of the House of Com-
mons. Here is another new doctrine!

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

FIER MAJESTY'S REPLY TO TIIE LORDS'

ADDRESS.

" I thank you for this dutiful and affectionate Address. I
feel deeply your approbation of my choice, and it gives ms
great satisfaction to find that an event S 3 essential to my do-
mestic happiness is also considered conducive to the interests of
my people."

ANSWER OF PRINCE ALBERT TO THE HOUSE
OF LORDS AND HOUSE OF COMMONS.

" I return the House of Lords my warmest thanks for the
message which you have now delivered. I learn with lively sa-
tisfaction their approbation of the choice which her Majesty has
made, and it will be the study of my life to justify the favoura-
ble opinion which you have now expressed."
{His Royal Highness's Reply to the House of Commons'
Address was couched in precisely the same terms as to that of
the Lords.]
HOUSE OF COMMONS, Fss. 18.

The SPEAKER resumed the Chair at Five o'clock.
HER AIAJESTY'S ANSWER TO THE

ADDRESS.

The SPEAKER, on taking the Chair, said--I have
to report to the House that this House has attended her
Majesty to-day with the Address, and that her Majesty
has been pleased to return the following most gracious
answer :—" I thank you for this dutiful and affectionate
Address. It is with great sati4faction that I find that
an event, in which My feelings arc so deeply interested,
has been attended with so many manifestations of joy
among My People, and has called forth expressions of
loyal attachment from My Parliament."
DERBY AND BIRMINGHAM RAILROAD.
The Derby and Birmingham Railroad Bill was read
a second time, and ordered to be committed.
EDINBURGH MARKET.
The Edinburgh Market and Petty Customs Bill was
read a second time, and ordered to be committed.
THE STANDING ORDERS.
Mr. C. PONSONBY moved for leave to bring in
Bill for making a turnpike road from Winbourne to Pid-
dletoun, in the county of Dorset, notwithstanding the
non-compliance with the Standing Order of the Houso,
which required that " a dotted line should be laid down
on the plan deposited, showing the cuttings and embank-
ments on the said line ;' and further n oved that the
said Standing Order should, in this particular instance,
be waived.

Sir E. KNATCH BULL felt bound to oppose the
motion of the Hon. Member opposite, for if the prayer
of the petition which he had presented was granted, it
would leave it to persons conducting private Bills to
pursue that course their own discretion pointed out, in-
stead of following the orders of the House.
Mr. LABOUCHERE took the same view of the
case as the Right Hon. Baronet opposite, and he
trusted that the Hon. Member behind him, having
done his duty to his constituents in having brought the
case before the House, would not press his motion, if he
saw it was against the sense of the majority of the House.
Mr. HOPE thought the subject was one that was
entitled to the indulgence of the House.
After a few words from Mr. MILES, the Bill was
withdrawn.

FACTORIES.
Lord ASHLEY gave notice that on Tuesday the
3d March, he should move for the appointment of a
Select Committee to inquire into the operation of the
Act for Regulating Mills and Frctories, and to report
their opinion thereupon to the House.—(Hear, hear.)

and Ipswich, and the 16th March for the appointment
of the Committee for the trial of the merits of the pe-
titions presented against the returns for Cambridge and
Totnes. The Hon. Member hoped that the House
wou'd come to some order, so as to insure the attend-
ance of the Members on the lists or panels Nos. 1 and
2, otherwise much time might be lost through the in
attention or non-attendance of any Member.
Sir ROBERT PEEL thought the proper way
would be to serve an order of the House on the Mem-
bers, so as to insure their attendance upon the proper
day.

Mr. GOULBURN thought it would be otter to
postpone the subject for a day, because the House was
about to take a step that might have to guide it in its
future proceedings. Four-and-twenty hours ‘vould not
affect the object which the Hon. Gentleman
had in view, and he thought it would be much better to
give notice for to-morrow, so that the House might have
time for consideration.
Mr. PENDA BITS would adopt the suggestion of
the Hon. Gentleman, and give notice that he would
bring the subject before the House to-morrow.

CHINA.
Sir JAMES GRAHAM begged to ask the Se-
cretary of State kr Foreign Affairs a question. La
July last official accounts reached this country, that
property to the amount of 2,000,0001. had been sur-
rendered by the order of the British Super-
intendent to the Chinese Government, under
the pledge that repayment would be made. In
November last, the Secretary of the Treasury gave
official information to the parties interested that it was
not the intention of her Majesty's Government to
make the repayment. Her Majesty, in her Speech at
the commencement of th• Session, expressed her regret
that the events which had happened in China
had occasioned the breaking up of commercial
intercourse between the Chinese and her subjects. Sub-
sequent information very soon reached this country
that acts of hostility had been commenced ; that a
blockade of the port cf Canton had taken place, which
after existing for four days had been withdrawn by the
British Superinteedant. Since that, further accounts had
reached this country, that an eng,agement had taken place
between the British and Chinese. No information
whatever had as yet been presented to the House on
the subject, and the question he had to ask the Noble
Lord ivas, whether he was prepared to lay upon the
table papers relating to affairs that were so interesting
to this country?
Lori PALMERSTON said the Right Hen. Baronet
was aware that papers had already been moved for and
ordered by the House. He had made it his
duty before he bad come down to the House, knowing
it was the intention of the Right Hon. Baronet to put
the question, to ask when they wouldibe ready for pre-
sentation, and he could state that they would be ready
in the early part of next week.
PERSIA.
Sir JAMES GRAHAM begged to ask another
question which arose from a paragraph in the Queen's
speech relative to our existing relations with the
Shah of Persia. The question he wished to ask of the
Nolle Lord was, whether any information had been
received by realizing the expectations held out,
and whether there was an immediate prospect of any
arrangement being established with the Court of
Teheran. The Right Hon. Baronet then asked if any
communication had been received from the British Mi-
nister at the Court of the Shah of Persia.
Lord PALMERSTON said that a communication
had been received from the British Minister at
the Court of the Shah of Persia, stating that the
Shah would comply with all the demands made on him.
Subsequently to that period, however, he had received
directly from the Shah a communication of the details
of which notice had been already given him. It ap-
peared on examination that the mode in which the
Persian Government had proposed to execute its ge-
neral intentions was not on certain points the same as
the manner in which it had first been proposed to give
satisfaction to the British Government, That rendered
it necessary for hint (Lord Palmerston) to make another
communication to the British Minister at the Court of
the Shah. That communication had not yet been
answered ; but as the Shalt had declared his unqualified
determination to grant all the demands made of him,
he bad no reason to doubt, that the answer that
would be received would be satisfactory.—(Hear.)
He could not state precisely the nature of the relations
existing between the Shah and the Governor-General
of India, but he had not himself received any informa-
tion which could tend to show that the British Govern-
ment had any reason to be alarmed on that subject.
On the motion of Mr. WALLACE leave was given
to Mr. Gillon to absent himself from serving on the
Committee of Private Bills.
HILL COOLIES.
An HON. MEMBER asked the Noble Lord (Lord J.
Russell) to postpone the discussion of the claus'es of the
Bill relating to the FM Coolies.
Lord J. RUSSELL said that if he should hereafter
find it necessary, he should have no objection to post-
pone it.
EMIGRATION OF INDIAN LABOURERS.
In answer to a question from Sir J. GRAHAM,
Lord J. RUSSELL said that any information which
could be given respecting the emigration of Hill Coolies,
and the condition of those who had emigrated, would be
given with the papers which the Noble Lord at the
head of the Administration had promised in the House
of Lords to lay before Parliament.
PILOTAGE.
Mr. WHITE begged to ask the Right Hon. Gen-
tleman, the President of the Board of Trade, whether it
was his intention to bring in any Bill respecting pilotage?
Mr. LABOUCHERE agreed with the Hon. Gen-
tleman, that legislation upon the subject was highly de-
sirable. But after what had occurred in respect to the
Bill formerly brought in by his predecessor, Mr. P.
Thompson, it certainly was not his intention to bring in a
all on the subject, as he believed it would be needlessly
occupying the time of the House.
THE CASE OF PRIVILEGE.
The SPEAKER asked the Sergeant-at-Arms whe-
ther Mr. Howard, junior, was in attendance ? And,
being answered in the affirmative, he ordered Mr.
Howard to be brought in.
Mr. Howard being accordingly brought to the bar,
The SPEAKER said what is your name ?—Thomas
Howard.
What is your profession P—l am clerk to my father,
who is an attorney, residing in Norfolk-street, Strand.
Have you been recently engaged in issuing and serving
writs for your father in the case of Mr. Stockdale ?—Yes ?
several.
On what days nm not certain. I believe two on
Friday last, and one on Saturday.
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL—By whose orders?
—By my father's.
Have you gone to him where he is confined, and re-
ceived instructions from hint there ?—Yes.
You went to him and he gave you orders ?—Yes.
What were the writs you served ?--I served three copies
of one writ on the Messrs. Hansard in the suit of Mr.
Stockdale against them.
Have you seen Mr. Stockdale in those circumstances?
--I have not.
Has the cause of action been mentioned to you ?-1t
has tot.
Are you aware of the cause of action ?—I don't know
for certain, but I can give a near guess._( A laugh.)
Were you net aware of the cause of action at the time
you sued out the writ ?—No, I think not.
Have you taken any proceedings in the action now
pending et the suit of Stockdale against the Messrs. Han-
sard ? Yes, a great many.
Since your father was iaa confinement ?—Yes.
Do you know the cause of action ?—I do.
By Mr. GODSON—Wow, old are you?-19.
How long have you been apprenticed to your father ?
I have been articled three years.
By Mr. O'CONNELL—You know that your father
was in confinement for bringing an action against the
Messrs. Hansard, which had been pronounced a breach of
the privileges of this House ?—Yes.
And you acted in the present action by your father's
orders ?—Yes.
By Mr. GODSON—Are you not obliged to obey all
the lawful commands of your master ?—Yes.
It is part of your articles ?—Yes.
Mr. Howard was then ordered to withdraw.
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL said that it was
certainly a very painful duty to him to address
them on the present occasion.—( Hear.) The young
gentleman who had just left the bar had stated that hehad
continued to carry on the action, which had been pro-
nounced by that House as a breach of its privileges, know-
ing that his father had been committed to Newgate for
commencing that action. It was quite in vain for them to
commit the attorneys if their clerks were allowed to carry
on the action.—( Hear, hear. ) The Hon. and Learned
Gentleman opposite had stated that the clerk was bound to
obey all the lawful commands of his master, but he (the
Attorney-General) submitted that that was not a lawful
command. He was, therefore, under the necessity of
moving that Mr. Howard, having conducted the action
against the Messrs. Hansard after his master had been
committed to highNewgate, wascontempt and
was guilty of a
breach of the privileges of that House.
Sir EDWARD SUGDEN had heard with great sir-
prise the motion of his lion. and Learned Friend die
Attorney-General, because he had not stated en which of
the actions, whether the first, second, third, fourth, or
fifth, the breach of privilege had been committed. The
young man who had been called to the bar, in the answers
he had given to the questions put to him, had entirely ex-
culpated himself from all blame, until the Learned Attor-
ney-General had put to him the question whether he had
continued the action for which his father was in confine-
ment. Now he said it was a surprise on the House to call
upon this youth to answer in respect of an action in which

the damages had been levied andpaid ; and at that mom en,
the Attorney-General was proceeding against this boy—.
for such he was—the apprentice of his father, for executing
the duty he was bcund by his articles to execute. He supposed
he was not expected to understand the law, and he might
be excused in his peculiar situation if be believed he must
act according to the decision of the Court of Queen's
Bench. But it appeared to him as if a trap had been used
in order to catch this boy in an offence for which be had
not been called before the House. There was not the
slightest ground for the motion made. The Noble
Lord (Lord John Russell) concluded his address
last night, with an observation that made greatim-
pression upon the House, but which, in
apprehen-
sion was a iniseaken one. The question was not whether
the House had the privilege or not of publishing this par-
ticular paper. but what was the mode in which this privi-
lege, if it existed, was to be preserved. He thought they
had the right to publish this paper ; but this did not alter
his opinion as to the impropriety of the mode they had ern-
plot ed in vindicating it. The Noble Lord had referred to
cases in the times of Charles the First and Charles the
&cowl, and had praised these Parliaments, and so did ho
fur some of their acts, but he thought the Noble Lord
would not praise all that had been done in the time of
Charles the Second. The first case was that of Sir John
Eliot, Hellis, and others, in which an information was laid
against three Members for an act done in the House,
far which they were apprehended and heavily fined.
In that case the matter was settled quite tight, for it was
dune by the joint resolution of both Houses, and by an ap-
Eeal to the House of Lords the judgment was reversed.
The victory was achieved, not against the Law but by the
Law, having the decision of the House of Lords, a com-
petent authority. The other case was still stronger, the
case of Speaker Williams ; the judgment in that case had
never been reversed, it was met by the Bill of Right;
therefore in the one Case the House of Lords set them
right, and in the other, the question was settled, not by
the House of Commons but by the Bill of Rights. Ho
cited these cases in order to prove that the minority were
right :in their perseverance en this question. The Con-
vention Parliament had been cited, but the decision they
had come to in committing the Judges had been held to
be indefensible by all the Judges and all lawyers since that
time, so it was no mean authority. In the case of Ashby
v. White, the House had taken all the present steps, and
the House was most signally beaten. The case
of Nayler showed now injudicious it was to give the
power of punishment to a popular assembly, he
was sentenced to stand in jthe pillory in several
places, to be severely whipped, to have his tongue bored
through, and marked B with a hot iron, to be sent to
Bristol to undergo the same punishment, and thereafter to
be imprisoned with hard labour until the Parliament
thought proper to relesae him. There was at that time an
AtturneysGeneral not so kind and considerate as the At-
torney-General of the present day. Ile contended that
the course proposed by the Attorney-General was not the
way to vindicate tier privileges. It would not be reputable
fer the House to commit the boy because be had obeyed
his father in regard to an action that be had never been
called to account for. He hoped, therefore, the Loblo Lord
would not persist in carrying the motion made by his Hon.
and Learned Friend the Attorney-General. It he did be
would be compelled to divide the House.
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL said that the Right
Hon, and Learned Gentleman who had jest sat down bad
fallen into a very great mistake in what be had said upon
the different actions. It was upon the fourth action
that Mr. Howard was committed, and it was upon the
fourth action that he proposed to commit the son. The
father was imprisoned fur committing an act that he was
told was a breach of privilege, and yet he had thought pro-
per to direct his son to proceed with it. With regard to
the general subject he wou'd beg to observe, that Hon.
Gentlemen might have defined to another period entering
late the generil question.—(Cries of " Spoke, spoko,"
ant " Chair, chair.") If he were out of order he would at
once sit down.

Sir E. KNA TCHBULL wished to observe that the
House was now in a different position from any it had been
in before. He should like to hear from the Attorney-Ge.
net al the grounds on which he was now about to proceed.
Was it on the fifth action or not ? The Hon. and Learned
Gentleman, he believed, would say it was not on the fifth
but on the fourth; but the House would say that if the
fifth action had not existed they would never have en-
tered upon the present proceedings. Was it just or WAS
it consistent with the dignity of the House to call a man
to their bar for one action, when it was manifest they
wizlird to punish him for another The Hon. and
Learned Gentleman said that he sees proceeding azainst
the party because he assisted his father in a former action,
but they had already punished the father himself for pro-
ceedieg in the fourth action. 110 thought that that the
minority had not been fairly treated in discussions on this
subject. He hoped, however, that in a question of pu-
nishment the wishes of a minority of upwards of 100 Mem-
, bets would be consulted, and that some consideration wall
due to these opinions.
M:. O'CONNELL said that he thought that the ma-
jority of the House had been treated with very little con-
sideration. They had witnessed a repetition of the same
arguments, and the makieg of objections, at every step
taken by the (louse. They bad witnessed an unyielding,
he would not say an unconsciervious, opposition to what
had appeared to be the wishes of the majority of
Members.—( Hear.) That majority had not been
composed of partisans, but embraced almost all the
leading man of both parties, besides others who had sup-
ported those leading Members. !le thought that the Hon.
Member opposite ( Sir E. Knatchbull had fallen into a
mistake wi.h regard to the motion before the House. The
motion was not, as the Hon. Baronet supposed, for the
committal of the party. The motion was merely to declare
whether that person had been guilty
.or not of a breach of
the privileges of the House. For his part he should be
sorry to vote for the committal of the party till he was
assured that he was determined in persevering in violating
their privileges. If the committal had been moved for, be
( Mr. O'Connell)should first move that he should be brought
to the bar, that he should be questioned as to whether he
was aware that he had been guilty of a contempt of the House.
There was not the least doub: of the fact ; for he had been
asked whether he had proceeded on the fourth action after
he understood that his father was in gaol for bringing the'
action, and he answered in the itlirmative.—(llear. ) He
had a full knowleolge that his father was in custody, and
he persevered.—( Hear.) He asked, would the House be
consistent in proceeding against the Sheriffs hereafter, if
they allowed a person to go off, who was carrying on that
action with a full knowledge of the breach of privilege ?
( Hear, hear.) If they did so, it might well be called a
trap.-_( Hear, hear.) It had been said that the House
was laying a trap for the Sheriffs, if it allowed the action
to go on. The Sheriffs had conscientiously discharged a
public duty, and it would not be fair or reasonable to allow
them to be kept in jeopardy. It was in the power of the
'louse to stop the actions, for there was not that appetite
for imprisonment, which some persons imagined. He
would not follow the lion, and Learned Baronet opposite
in has opinion of the previous cases. But without apply-
ing that gentleman's words to the gentleman himself; he
would say that the words grini-yribher, which he had
used on a former night, might be applied in this case. As
to the case of Nayler, it was not just to taunt the House
of Commons with what had been done in that case,—
( Hear.) The House of Commons had nothing to do
with it.—( Hear.) The blame should be thrown upon a
set of miscreants who were summoned by Cromwell from
amongst his own partizans in England, Ireland, and Scot-
land.—(Hear.) The assembly in which they sat was not
a British House of Commons. When the writs were re-
turned, they were received outside the 'louse by a file of
Ciornwell's Grenadiers, who would allow no one to enter
the House who had not Crommall's sanction.—(Hestr,
hear.) It did not become the Honourable Gentleman,
who ranked so high as a constitutional lawyer, to taunt the
House of Commons with the acts of such a set of men._.
(Hear, hear.) He might as well taunt them with the
acts of the National Convention of France.—( Hear, hear,)
As to the question whether this person had committed a
breach of privilege or not, he thought there could be no
doubt that he knew others had been committed to gaol far
carrying on the fourth action, and that he persevered ia it
with that knowledge.---( Hear, hear.) The House would
stultify itself if it resolved that he was not guilty of a
breach of privilege.
Colonel WOOD, notwithstanding the arguments of the
Hon. Member opposite, could not be convinced that they
had not summoned the lad Howard to the bar for one
offence and were going to punish him for another. He
tt,oh ebseefeu Attorney_rites
tnytthey did pursue such
itw a?eoomkucst
answc rine his ; roacpsstipinreoi
one
ntc tooitmtht
ehmdeiiitd4lotiluliaisat:et.ioi)oruengi,hfcb,
was sure they would not go the right way to
have their privileges backed up by the people. He trusted
iasmnecc: eiur conclusion, cscael u'ess ibero elpny , that the House would pause before it adopted
so severe and uncalled-for a course,
Mr. THOMAS DUNCOMBE thought it but of
little importance whether the boy Howard bad been
brought to the bar upon the Ist, 2d, 3d, or 4th action, as
in his opinion, he ought not to have been brought there at
all.—(hear.) The 'louse had assembled on the 16th of
last month, fur the despatch of business of great im-
portance, they had now sat five or six weeks, and
he (Mr. Duncombe) should like to know what busi-
ness of importance they had dispatched in that time?—.
( Hear, hear.) What were they now about to do ? Why,
to commit a minor, for acting in obedience to his father.,
(Hear, hear ) lie believed that the boy would receive
public sympathy, if they sent him to prison for obeying
the commands of his father.—(hear, hear.) He (Mr.
Duncombe) considered that it was high time to put an end
to the proceedings on the subject in which the /louse had
been lately engaged, and he believed that might be done
without compromising the dignity of the !louse ; and the
mode he would venture to suggest, would be the appoint.
menr of a joint Committee of both Houses of Parliament.
Hear, hear.) There was some analogy between this
case and that of Mr. Wilkes, in 1773. lie was arrested
afterwardsllss ple adheisd
privilege thatt the
g
on a charge of sedition upon a general warrant, and was
committed
ittewdartroait itilewaTsoiwlleg
er.al, Mr.
of Parliament. The Lord Chief Justice of the Court
of Common Pleas decided that the general warrant
y •
was legal, but that the privilege of Parliament could be
wentai on with
rert
t'oi‘eirege of sedition. The Attorne
prosecution for a seditious libel,
set
General up in
and the House of Commons found themselves in difficulty,
because the Court of Common Pleas had held that Mr.
Wilkes could plead his privilege of Parliament. After this