The Sun.
London, England, 1810-06-07 00:00:00

NAVAL NEWS

PORTSMOUTH, Jti 6.—This morning the ~.9.6th
Regiment of Foot marched into this town, acconi-
panied with their luggage, and 'were -immediately
embarked on board transports in the harbour, wait-
ing for their reception. We understand they are
going to Guernsey.
His Majesty's ship Leda was this day appointed
convoy, to the East ladies, and has directions to pro-
ceed to sea to-morrow- morning with the same, if
the wind permits.
_ _ .

His Majesty's ship Lively, it is expeled, wilt sail
to-morrow morning, also, for the Mediterranean.
Arrived the Elizabeth, GIGG, from Ski. derland.
The ffilliam and Mary, GILPIN, and Betsey,
CLARK, fur Sunderland; and the Union, FINCH, for
Chepstow.

Went out of harbour this day the Union, CLARK,
for Quebec.

PLYMOUTH, JUNE 5.--Carne down the Harbour
and piled ,to the Westward his Majesty's ship Se-
rapis.

Came down
,the harbour and anchored in the
Sound his Majesty's brigs Savage and Podargus, the
latter sailed last evening with a convoy to the East-
ward ; also sailed his Majesty's ship Rodney to the
Westward.

Arrived his Majesty's ship Plover from a cruize ;
the Rose, DENNIS, from Guernsey, with a cargo Of
flour for this Port ; the Bedruth, Deloxsg ; Sally
and llilliarn, AYE ES j and Bolton, SANDERS, from
Swansea; Friendship, PaTitartaatnGE, from Neath;
and the John and !Pillions, HAMSON, from New-
haven.

COMMON COUNCIL.

At a Court of Common Council, held yesterday,
the subject under consideration was the power as-
sumed by the Hoese of Commons " of imprisoning
the people. of England for offences cognizable in
Courts of Law, and to adopt such measuresas might
be necessary for obtaining a redress of grievancea,
and reforming the corrupt and inadequate Repre-
sentation of the •People in Parliament,' This bids-
jed has been so repeatedly canvassed in and out of
Parliament, that " iespiration can hardly throw a
new light on it," and therefore we are persuaded
that our Readers will be satisfied with a brief report
Of the proceedings.
Mr. QUIN opened the business. He rejoiced at
finding so full a Court, as the importance of the sub-
je& merited their mosi serious attention and gravest,
consideration. It was not his intention to deny the
House of Commons had privileges, but he meant to
maintain that the House ought not to take upon it-
self to punish that which was cognizable by the laws
of the land. He then vindicated the citizens from
the charges preferred 'against them. They were
not, as had been said, unprincipled and disloyal:—
they were not enemies- to the House of Commons.
In the hour of danger they would be found ready
to fight in its defence...Supporting the rights of the
House of commons, they preserved that eqnipoiae
and balance of the difThrent brandies of the-Legisla-
ture, from which all the blessings of our .happy Con-
stitution were derived. He denied that they were
as closely united with Sir Franck Burdett as'/they
bad been represented to be. He (Mr. -Quin) could
not approve of some of the expressions contained in
his letters. He would not go. at large into the ques-
tion of privilege, but he never could reconcile it to
his mind as being just that one-third part-of the
Legislature should have greater power than- the
Whole. The House of Commons-had privileges ;
they enjoyed that of freedom of speech, and they
bad that of 'committing .for contempt—but still be
contended no precedents could be found to justify
their recent condud. No right "could exist where
no power existed to. enforce that right. How had
the order of- the House been enforced ? Were the
Officers of the•Hous'e sufficient to elle& the remo-
val of Sir Francis ? No; but then it might be said,
if the House did not possess the power of calling
into their aid ,a military force,,as-in the case of Sir
Francis, what would be, the consequence, should
the -House of Commons have to contend against
the King ? That was
_an extreme case, and . he
would give an extreme answer. In such a case,
they would in every quarter find themselves sup-
ported by the great body of the,people. The BM
of Rights set forth; that their proceedings should not
be questioned out of doors, or made the subject of
a process in any court Of law. A debating
so-
ciety could not question their proceedings ;
they had not the power of questioning. them
in the manner meant by the , Act, as by
questioning, a legal process was understood.—
He then proceeded to speak of the necessity of a '
Reform in Parliament. To compass a Reform, the
extension of the eleiiive franchise, the -destruc-
tion- of rotten boroughs, and the shortening of the
duration of Parliament, were necesaty.—On this
aubjea, he thought, they were so far agreed, that
he would'not consume their time, but by reading
certain Resolutions to them, the subject matter of
which he would propose to unbody in a Petition
to the House. He then read a number of Resolu-
tions, complaining of the conduct of the House of
Commons id imprisoning Sir F. Burdett and Mr. G.
Tones' with a view of screening the authors of the
Walcheren Expedition from disgrace; stating the
burdens of the people to be unnecessarily. aggravated
by the manner in which the taxes were colleded,
avowing their concurrence with the sentiment ex-
pressed in the Address signed by the late
_Duke of
Portland and 31 other Peeh ; that times of necessity
were times of Reform, giving it as Their opinion,
that evils 'so manifold as those which they deplored
w-ould not have been known, had the people been
fairly- represented, and praying that The-House would
take the subject into consideration, and give to the
Wishes of the people a reform.
Mr. PIERSON seconded the motion.
Mr. WIIEBLE stated that very question to. have
been brought forward 40 years ago in that Court,
when no doubt existed as to the illegality of such
Conduct on the part of the House of Corinnons.
Mr. C. SMITH defended the conduct of Parliament.
The' House ofCOURRIORS had proceeded in a similar
manner against
,General Clavering and Captain San-
den, and to their conduct in those cases no objection
had been trade. There would have been just
cause for alarm if the House had not maintained its
privileges, aod
,puriished those t:isi whom they were