The Sun.
London, England, 1810-05-08 00:00:00

SUITS IN CHANCERY.

Mr. M.A•.TA Y LOR postponed his motion respe&ing
suits in Chancery, which stood for. Tuesday, the 22d,
to the Friday foaowing. •

- LONDON pocxs.

. ,
General held in his band-a Petitic n 'against
the London Docks Bill, the receiving 'of which was
objected to till the Hon. Member stated that the Pe-
tition represented that in the progress of the Bill the'
Standing Orders of fhe House had not been complied -
Witb, and.that several material bats
.had beep mis-
represented before the Committee; on which the
Petition was brought.up and ordered to be read.
A few words followed from Sir CHARLES PRICZ
when—

The SPEAKER Obser.ved that it seen) to. be'the in-
tention of an interested party to overturn the Bill in
its last•stage, by referring to the report of the first ;
as there:Was no accusation of positive fraud, he
thought it should be rejeaed on the grounds.he had
before urged.
The question for its lying on the table was then
put and negatived.

Mr. CAMPBELL, from, the Transport Board, pur-
suant to an order of the House, presented accounts
of the hired transports in the service, with their
tonnage,'stations, &e. which were ordered to be
printed._

Mr'. IRVINE, from the Office of Exports snd Im-
ports, presented the. Account of Coals acid Culm,
imported into.Londen in the-year 1809.—Ordered
to be rinted.

. .
Mr. KNOWLES, from the Na.vy Office, presented
Accountsof the Store-ships in the service.—Ordered
to be printed.
Mr. MANNING, postponed the third reading of the
London Docks Bill to Thursday next. '
Sir S.. ROMILLY postppned It's motion relative to
the transportatiOn of Convi&s till Thursday next.
Mr. H. SMITH postponed his motion relative to
the Collieries of Glaworganshire tin'this 'day se'ri-
night.

BARON KOLL!:
. Mr. WniTßßEAD.expressed his wish to have_ it
in his-pover to contradict certain statements he had
seen2in the pnblic:papers, containing 'a letterfrom
hiS-MAjesty to the King of Spain, and count6rsign-
ed by the Marquis Wellesley ; he asked the ,Hon.
Gentleman opposite-if such doeutnents were ge-

r~u!ire

,
The CHANCELLOR or-tne EXCHEQUER rplied,
that such sort of que-tions, if answered, would.
mud) inconlienience t..,e private branch .of the pub-
lic service. . .

Mr. WHITBREAD, with much warmth, wished
the Right Hon. GentlenJan. would reply aye or no
to big question, which he repea•, cF
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER repeated
his answer.

SIR F. BURDETT.
The SPEAKER said; that- before the House pro-
ceeded to the general business of the day, he
wished to statt, that previous to the recess, he had
received two papers fi otu Sir F. Burdett, .which as he
.felt.it incumbent on him, he,had communicated to
the House; one was a notice of an action to be in-
stituted against him in the Court of King's Bench
the ensuing term; which term as it now approach-
ed, he requested the consideration, of the House on
the proceedings had, and to be bad, on _a matter so
interesting to its privileges. •
The CHANCELLOR' of the EXCHEQUER was of
opinion, that the, better course would be to appoint
a Committee. He:,therefore moved, that. a select
Committee be appointed to inquire into the pro-
.ceedings had and, to be bad, on the letter and notice-
-of Sir F. Burdett.
-Mr. WHITBREAD said, that before the question
was
,put, perhaps the Right Hon„Gentlematt would
condescend to state the grounds on whiCh be moved
for a•Committee; since such a 'time had elapsed an-
tecedent to any steps being taken, he thought it ex-
traordinary that the House-Could now be acquainted
with the arguments he supposed were prepared on
the subjea.' • .

The CHANCELLOR..of the Exvittausit answered,
that it was for the purpose of obviating any previous
discussion he moved for a Committee.

The question was then put, when
Mr. ADAM rose to Make a few observations on the
terms.of the motion. It was material that the House
should consider every thing which- had passed on
this- sub:lea ;.•. the term, therefore, of the. reso-
lution;- -be conceived to be short, or too general
This was not a time to discuss the subje€l, -bu► for
his part he had . made up his mind -to maintain the
the Privileges of the House.. He wished that it
might be added to the motion, that the Cominitttie,
should make its Report on a certain limited day ; and
'that it might be underatodd from it, that the Com-
mittee was not for the purpose of advising, but of
enlightening the House with respect to what it ought
to do :- if the-motion was in this form, he would
have no objection to it.

The SPEAKER said, ,that, in point ,of form, it
was usual for the report of a Committee- to con-
clude in the way alluded to by the Honourable Gen-
tleman.

The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said, that
in making the motion he had no other idea but that*
the Committee shouid report its opinions,: on which
'the House was to proceed. • • •
• Mr. •ADAM• observed, that this would be doing
what be wished to avoid. 'lt was fus wish that the
Committee should investigate the fatiS,-and then the
Houma might form its 'opinion. He •conceived that
on a subis,6l of such importance, tbe. report should be
received on a certain day.

The OPITAKER observed, that in petnt of order
there could be.no particular day Preseribed. '
ADAM cited the case-of Hubbart's servant.
The question Was then put, • which was, -•
" That a Seed Committee should be appointed to con=
shier the proceedings had, and to be gad, on the. Letter and
notice ot Sir F. Burdett, and that phe Cominittec\shoutd re-
port such tats, with the opinions they should think neves-
Sary to the House."
Mr. WittTartaAn vehemently entreated of the
,House to consider the 'situation in Whibh it was
'placed by the Right Hod. Gentle Man opposite, who
had gene on, step by step; without knowing Where
he himself Situated;- who ltdd bionglit therri-
within `a few hours time of the proceedings of law
against their Speaker, and now told them (after 4e
claring be should form his opinion during the vacs-.•
tion), that they should submit to the decision of a
Committee. A Learned Gentleman on
,his side of
the House had some time uv
ago declared it was, .highly
inexpedient to delegate the authority of the House to
a committee. But the Right Hon. Gentietnan•haa
made a motion, to which he again added an'alnend-
ment, agreeable to his ustial. irresolution. - *He
hoped,: therefore,-that the. House would not now
follow- him, and suffer itself to be led as heretofore
by one who- did not knoW his
,own principles. . He
was- convinced tbat the-House .would be disgraced
by allowing this .Committee,, and he -.would, .as
every Member, who ,knew his own mind would, vote -
against- it for by procrastination fresh difficulties
would 'be incurred.
Mr. PoNsONBY understood that the motion had
been made irk consequenceof a communication of the
,Speaker, forthe pm pose of ceceiving the dire&ion
of the House. The Right ion. Gentleman oppo-•
site, had thought proper to propose a Committee,
which he 'considered more calculated to produce a
doubt of 4he rights-of this House than remove one.
Also, it. should be considered whether it was fit the
House should take the opinion of a Cotnmitee, -and
proceed accordingly, or whether it should decide on
.the_report of faCt,s. ire was unwilling it should be
understood he gave any advice on the subje& ; with
this qualification -he would suggeit that this de-
bate might 'be adjourned, to give time for- con-
sideration, rather than now refer the subject to 41
Committee. ,

Mr. RYDER said; that as_ the speech of an. Hon.
Gentleman opposite (Mr. Whitbread) was a part of
his --system of general abuse, it needed no
His Right Honourable - Fiend had, proposed to fal-
low the example of_ the House in the-appoint-
ment of a Committee. In, dOing. so, the House
would not delegate its authority, but appoint. it for
examining precedepts, and reporting those_ prece-
dents and opinions. He could not but think, that.
in a subject of, spell importance this wits the rtiode
it became the Houie to pursue ; n.o material time
would be lost, and in consequence of such a report
the House would be able to deeide more satisfattori-
ly.to themselves and to the country.
Mr. C. WYNNE agreed that it was usual in such
cases toappoint a Committee; if so, he did not see
bow .it was po,sible to avoid delegating the autlid-
rity of. the House: He was ot. opinion that this
consideration should be postponed.
TIERNEy, inveighed strongly against the con.;
duct of Ministers,,who he said had set the HOuse
au Easter task, atid.atter all did not know how to
decide. The Right Hon. Gentleman s!tuuld have
Considered the: subject, and not have thrown it on
the House, HeAvould strenuously resist the mea-
sure of r&crring theVrivileges of the House to the
opinions of *a Committee. He therefore moved as
an amendment, that the latter words of the :Re-
solution; " together with their opinions," be left:
out.

Mr. B. 'DoNt)As said,.that though the Honourable
Gentleman had inveighed against the rashness of
-Ministers, he wished. the House.to consider there-
fore, how far they would allow such a princi-.
pie to go. Was it to be contended, that those
who voted for certain 'proceedings, should .now
charge Minisiers with having gone too far. ?., There
seemed to be a, systematic.-design gone forth,
of seeing how far the Privileges of the House
might be insulted. The question-crow was,
titer the, present subjea should be referred to a
Committee; in this there was no delegation of the
privileges of .the House. He therefore hoped the
Honourable Gentlemen would not persist in their
opposition.

Sir A. PIGOT understood, that a motion of an ace
Con' of law had been served on the Speaker, for
having caused the dwelling-house. of Sir F. Burdett
to be broken open.. This neeesure he conceived to
be not blamable, as the conduct of the Honour-
able. Baronet deserved it. An offence had been
committed against the Ifouse, and the offender was
sent to the Tower. ' Three weeks had now 'elapsed
since the serving of the notice, and,no line of pro-
ceeding had been.adopted by the Right Hon. Gen-
tleman. The Speeker- did what was his. duty; he
communicated what he had received to the House
which was entered on • the Journals. In conse-
qtience.of a mistake in the first notice, a second'
was . served, which was on the 17th of last month ;
it was now the 7th 'of May, and nothing had been
resolved on. What was the case ? It was a notioe
to the Speaker of an anion for discharging his duty
here. It was a proceeding entirely new, unwitness-
ed-not only since, but _before the Revoltitioni in
those inglorious reigns which preceded it, never
was even such an .idea started ; it was a novelty
monstrous in its nature; it was a novelty at once'
the characteristic and disgrace of these times. The
consideration of it, of coulee, fell to those who
hold the reins of power, and it was truly astonish-
ink- why, this impertinent paper did not meet with
more attention. He was determined to support the
privileges of the HO4use, and to countered as much
as was in his power the delpsiOn which had gone
abroad, calculated only to entrap the unwary and
the incautious.. That now, immediately before the
term, his Majesty's Ministers should at last _awake
from their trance and, endeavour to cover thtm-
selves with ea 'Committee was extraordinary. He
sincerely and Unaffectedly de'plorted such negled.
When the notice was served on the Reuse, he regret
ted that no one was ready to declare his opinion. It
was a question, he conceived, A.rf -the greatest dal!
culty, and the most raklicalimporiance. The-House
should newt- part with its privileget unless it wish-
ed to surrender its judici4 legislative andiogeisitoriel
functions without s hick it could riot-exist. Tr, is was
Lint a new school of prkileges he was urging. Free-
thin alluded to the daily tr.uh read on the sub-
ject of the House having no figbt .to 'commit. The
_ .

. -
Leeened Genttemati contended thatthe, .ufie
--
the miserable pretenders to ie - thlic epproleeti-qn 2114
applause male of the poWers which tie House e 5.
ercised, sere,. 'that they were injurious to the Cell",
stitution and to the rights- of the people ; now le
fa& wesehat the House exercised no privilege WilA.e
`„
did.
,not properly belong to therm If those
strumetits of anarchy and .conftision were to eh'7l
their ebjea, the result would bee thatlin six; ral_lis
-the House of Commons :must cease to exist. iv
depretated the passivepess of 11/Itnisters in not t'm
log somemeans of countereaing she effects of is
poison which the people- were in the. daily habit ea
receiving through the instruments to which he 624
alluded: He- much Lamented ll:sit-the House
not come to some resolutions,: as was, done inal
good times, expressive of their privileges, go as etPo
all might be acquainted therewith Wiih respecl,
the motion of the information which the Coniteitk'st
might, be, euPposed to being forth, did the gq,ue
wish, then •to search fdr. whet per ha does not g2V,t
Did they suppose there Wel-is anypree'et.fetivi for c'bd
vii aEtions against the, Speaker ? Cutlet any °Nee,
pointed out by the Gentlemen. opposite ? It
what could the Committee tell ate House ? Si/I(3Sr
meant to be contended that this House was to
render to a Committee its ownpoWers- ? Were the
to be guided by opinions ?. If -.so thee it might o
said indeed that their fienaions Were gOtte.
e
e 'kir instance in any of lovteer.Ceutrtee-hir.
tpta
pose
re
Chancery,t hat a. person should he commit ted for °et
tempt, and after his commiital, an Attorney sh°,aG`lfet
get up and hand to his Lordship' a notice of trime
an action of 'civil damages, would his Lordshill
be justified if he ordered the Attorney into-the 01,
tody of atipstair ? The-Learned Gentleeein •C‘see,
eluded with stating his intention of voting in Ore
of the amendment rather than- for the
-meet of:a ComMittee with unlimited powers.
sr,
The bOLLCITOR GENERAL expressed- his coocl'e
-renceand'convietion in the sentiments of the heart''`
Gentleman opposite. If the Horse conseote",
allow any pt its privileges to be cut down, it W34:1,;,'
poStiib, 'CALM it could exist,. because those p irivil- P
, were 'the only eafeguard, aeaiost anyobstructions
proceeding on the ousiness which ie might hayed
transact.. With these sentiments, he should-Me'
confine himself to the limited
_question befere tit
House, viz, what was the proper course to adqo
When it had been stated that the case elo,N'
tt
consideration was one of a novel nature, and 's'oce,
no instance could be furnished in which an action "' f
been brought against the Speaker, Was it not Ports/
that a .Coninaitiee should.- be brow ht to search
precedents, and was it not desirab;e, i lee if the C°``lj
mittee found any facts in theii searele,that they sh
report their opinhers on those' facts 1: It watt .Old
,
on alLhatids that it 'is high time sbuiething 6`;‘)Uld
done, the only difficultythat'seemed to arise e°9ep
to what was, proper to be done.
-Some Getitie'l'e
had charged his Right Hcu. Friend with bents rwi
miss inbringing on an inquiry; but he vvoeki
,
was a charge of that ualure respectful to the t„
The Gentleman seemed to think ;hat' die-
..viieees of the nouse were to be'protected ooly
his Vlajesty's Ministers. Was not the House tits
proeer guardian of its own privileges ?
a cberge against his Right Honourable Fr'''
might be a very popular argument.
doors, but he trusted it would not be rec,.-ived w `I; ,
doors in any other -manlier than by ,eprolo°)'y~Y,
The House was collectively coeeereed in 'tee. e"'''o'
which wes proper to pursue in this case. The
would do his -Right Hon. Feiends the justice
knowledge, that on a termer dal he bad 04r,0f
them tQ consider the novel situation in which 'l'
were placed,. but not . one
,of the Gentleeneve
though three weeks had elapsed, had come: tilt aidr'l
with any proposition. When therefore, they C" ;et
so loudly on his Right Hon. 'Friends to account es
their delay, why did they not point out some eoll.e?
to pursue; likely to meet the urgency of Cie-c:"
Would any Gentleman who thought tile nie3'-
now proposed not a fit one, substitute or rec°o3e
mend another ? A Select Committee was,. in be
opinion, the best calculated to meet the case, 0. 0,
cause they would examine into facts, report ilKreee
and then the House might afterwards dete'";:eii
what was best to be done. They (night 'be eh'-weet I
to colleEt up all the information --necessary to rjc be 1
an attack of- so novel a nature, to which sietiLliees
euperadded their opinions ; the report
the House might exercise their juegtnenisunfette tbe,
With this view, he thought the 'motion shool'
adopted in its original state.
c
Mr. WiiiDHANt agreed with his Learned 01
(Sir A. Pigot) in -all that he had stated. The 16-0#r
lion, in his opinion, branched into two consiuee
tions. The fireteand the least important, v.ls th
e.
condua, of the Committee; and the other, the fee
cessity of doing something in the present decrial
stances in which the House was placed. l)Aeit
events, if a Committee was appointed, henld
say, That the House were bound to be cautious)
see, that they died not delegate powers such as ler,
.not be proper to entrust them with ; but he 1113 ode
'stood that their decision was not to be ultirnate, ac
therefore, he had not much cause. for apfrel,' Le
sion. The powers intended to be intrusted to teeiey
was that they should rather mix their opinions *ea
the faas, then decide what course the House sh°ol
pursue, so as those feels might beintelligible 10 te,
House. •If it was meant to give them powers od
yond that, he should think it objectionable, a`o,
should be inclined to coincide with his Right 13;11
Friend, , that. it would be setter to leave •tilervito
altogether, unless their powers were confine' e
the statement °fleas. 'He thought it might he 0,
tended with danger out of doors: Mr. W. c°l‘•
demned the doaritte that the House was not to I°.l°o'
to Ministers for responsibility with respea to Lei
delay this business. They were most assureuie
from their situation bound to suggest to the 14°,etie
what" Was best to be done. They possessed the c"--er
fidence of the House, and therefore were the- P.
dis
per persons to institute proceedings. He was
tS
posed to agree that the amendment suggested hYdele
Right Honourable Friend was. the most prli
measure.
„etc
Sir l'iteseesTOßTON, was not disposed to de-Pos
the important privileges with which the Hons° 0,0
invested, to any Committee. He shuddered at
idea -that the House itself .was not competes! be
make defence against any action which Liege'. co
brought, and ought to.determine, in his opinion,
its own judgment.
Mr. ADAM' recommended -the HouSe to cons,
the question dispassioliatelyeaud aeamatter foe i

i

roe, uke
Not:mirth an
He I uuse es'
is (0 file Cony
pte ; now IP.II
rivilege whi`
If those In:
sere to ebtaxil

to deleg3,
House
erect at ilto,
meet v` b 8
•

to cons'
or of