The Sun.
London, England, 1845-07-29 00:00:00

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A FEW - PASSING REMARKS ON THE
PRIVILEGE QUESTION. By Sir John
Walsh, Bart., M.P. -
This is a pamphlet clearly indicating in its author
powers of a higher order, and views of a comprehensive-
ness and originany beyond the scale which the scope
and limited form of his present "Remarks." The
general purpose of the argument here put forth by Sir
John is to establish the necessity for some very carefully
digested declaratory measure ascertaining and defining,
in- the most distinct and intelligible terms, " the" pri-
vileges of Parliament. He looks upon such a course as
offering the only available middle term, at which it will,
ere long, be possible to escape from the high privil. go
Pretensions of one party in the Legislature, and tl.e high
common• law doctrine of the other. In speaking of the
privilege question, now ponding before the judicial tri-
bunals of the country, lie remarks that—
" The determination to appeal from the decision of
the Court of Queen's Beech to the next tribunal, post-
pones the difficulty, but does not remove or modify it.
It takes, indeed, the chapter of accidents in our favour.
The Court of Error may reverse the judgment of the
Queen's Bench, or other contingencies may intervene.
The case, however, that the collective body of the judges
may confirm the decision of the Court below is suffi-
ciently probable to render it the part of ordinary fore-
sight to anticipate the chance or its occtirreethe, sea-to'
ask ourselves hefbrehand what line we sho-uld oe pre-
pared to take, in the position in which ne should then be,
involved."
Sir John Walsh clearly shows the indispensable necessiy
for the existence of Parliamentary privilege to an extent
fully adequate to upheld and to maintain its independent
action and corporate dignity. But he is keenly alive to
the perhaps inetitable tendencies of unwritten " pri-
vileges" to grow into a powerful and uncontrorenle ma-
chinery of oppression, unless suhjtct to be modified by
the interposition of the authority and the powers of
courts of law. All the dangers incident to a collision
between these courts and the High Court of Parliament
he shadows forth with a spirited hand. Perhaps he ceulel
not have hit upon a more illustrative analogy than that
suggested in the following passages:-
- The Courts of Law have on their side this great
principle of human society, that the progress of it is
always attended and marked by a constant process of
defining and limiting rights and powers. Everything is
gradually appropriated, and fixed in its proper place.
The House of Commons has contrived, in these vague
and unbounded claims, to place itself in opposition to
the opinions, the interests, the very instincts of advancing
civilizetion. I would compare this dispute to our late
difference with America on the Maine boundary. Some
eighty years ago an imaginary frontier line was inserted
in a treaty, assuming limits which could not be ascer-
tained, and describing landmarks which had no existence.
At the time it was totally immaterial, for neither party
cared for the possession of a tract of pathless forest ; but
as the two nations went on reclaiming, and civilizing,
appropriating this wilderness, they came at length into
contact, and they discovered this line to be no line at all.
As there was no limit ascertainable, the two nations each
made its own, and they were on the point of going to
war to maintain them. It happened fortunately that
Lord Ashburton did not carry bete his negotiations the
spirit of Sir Thomas Wilde ; and as they could not find
the old line, they agreed upon a new one. I think
eventually the House of Commons and the Courts of Law
will do the same."
Sir Thomas Wilde, as the champion of the high privi-
lege party, is the bject of Sir John's frequent and UI3IIIC-., .
what unwarranted attacks. But for our own parts wo
cannot concur in the overdrawn and highly-coloured
portions which hie own band has drawn of the exclusive
eligibility of Sir Robert Peel to undertake. the or- .
ganizaticn of such a scheme of privilege definition as ho
has here advocated.
"It is quite evident that such a measure must he the
work of a Government—no individuals could have the
materials to frame, or the power to carry it. The opi-
nion of Sir Robert Peel is known indeed to have been in
favour of the assertion of privilege. I remember one of
his most eloquent speeches, in which he deprecated any
attempt to lower the character or degrade the poei•ion of
that illustrious body, and in which he seemed to consider
such to he the aim of the opponents of privilege?. The
first Member in the noblest of representative assemblies,
to which be feels perhaps that he owes everything, and
others think that he has paid back all that he owes, the
natural tendency of his mind weuld be to stand forward
as its foremost champion. I wish be could believe that
those who differ from him as to the means, concur with
him as to the end. They think that the true source of
the glory and power of the House lies in its numbering
among its ranks those who, like himself, sway it and the
country by the force of intellect and statesman-like abi-
lity. They believe that the attempt to force these high
claims of privilege against the genius of the British con-
stitution, would injure and undermine its real ascen-
dancy. He now stands .in a different position from that
which he occupied then ; still the leader of the House of
Commons, he is also the first Minister of the Crown ;
and experience has shown that his policy has in many
instances been modified by a due sense of the responsibi-
lities of his office. The results of the former contest in
1840 are before him—the flame kindled by the harsh
proceedings against the sheriffs, and the ease with which
the question of the publication was disposed of by the
introduction of a Bill.
" These considerations must have a strong infleenee -
upon a mind naturally averse to extreme arid violent
measures. I cannot but encourage the hope that--
without suffering himself to be embarked in an invidious
struggle, without committing the House a second time
to the employment of naked force, without waiting till
circumstaeces bring on a crisis—ho may under-
take, by the peaceahle means of enactment, the final
settlenn at of this embarrassiag and vexatious question."
This pamphlet is agreeably written, and for the most
part in a temperate and dispassionate spirit.

MESMERIC LECTURES —Mr. Spencer T. Hall's.
third lecture on mesmerism at the Western Literary institu-
tion, Leicester-square, was delivered on Thursday evening to
a numerous and approving aud:ence. Ibe experiments upon
parties strange to Mr. Hall and n.,w to mesmeric operations
were interesting and generally regarded as conclusive—the
power he seemed instantaneously to acquire over an invetei ate
stammerer whom be had never seen before, striking; all whn
witnessed it with ainaznment, and calling forth repeated
plaudits. We perceive that Mr. Hall has announced his fare-
well lectures for the sensor., and the friends of mesmerism
cannot fail to be gratified by the progress it has made i❑ hie
hands during his residence in town.
COUNT KONIGSMAIIK, AN HISTORICAL ROMANCE.
Br CAPTAIN FREDERIC CDA MIER, R.N.—Count Konigs-
mark was one of the most remarkable characters of a wild and
adventurous age. His extra,raiinary career in many quarter,
o fthe glebe is traced by Captain Chamier with a vigorenshand,
and the interest of the reader is never suffered to flag for a
moment, as the hero rushes frnni peril to peril, in lo•:e, wa
gambling, riot, or murder. His indomitable bravery through-
out, which made him so successful in his amours, furnishes new
and curious matter for evey chapter ; but the character of his
faithful and deceived follower, Vratz, is drawn with equal force,
and keeps nearly as strong' a hold upon the imagination. And
there is ana'her person in the drama, the Italian, Isabella, the
devoted mistress of Konigsmark. than whom the pages of ro-
mance do not present a more effective female portrait.. Next
to her is Danna Maria, a noble Spanish senora, whose destinies
arc commingled with those of Konigsmark ; and towards thn
close, the Princent, in whose secret bower his false intrigues
and daring dee is came to their bloody close. In addition to
the glowing materials to which we have pointed, the story is
enriched by a number of historical personages of the age of
Charles ll.—Literary Gazette.
Last week, as the Talbot steamer was getting
real), to leave Lyons, it caught fire from the boiler having been
made red hot. Fortunately no person was injured, but if the
accident had taken place a few minutes later the vessel would
have been on her passage, and the results might have been very
serious.— Galignani.
A bear lately escaped from Ghent from a collection
of wild beasts, and caused cmsiderable alarm amongst the in-
habitants. It was at last killed by an inspector of forests, who,
seeing the animal come out of a thicket, fired a pistol at it,
and broke one of its front paws, and with another shot in this
chest wounded it so severely that in a few hours it died. The
skin was given up to the owner, and the skeleton is to be placed
in the museum at Ghent.

The Glasgow Constitutional states that it is in-
tended to republish the old Glasgow Courant from the 14th
of October, 1745, to the 15th of October, 1746. It says—
We do not know that there is another copy of the paper extent,
and were it for no other thing but the vivid accounts of the
movements of the Pretender, and the fac-simile presented I.y
it of the manners and customs of Glasgow a hundred years
since, it would be exceedingly interesting, and must insure the
warm support of the inhabitants.
The Dowager Countess Grey is surrounded by es
numerous family circle at Howick Hall, Northumberland. At
the dissolution of the late venerated Earl, Viscount Howick (now
Earl Grey), the Hon. and Rev. John Grey, the Honourable Cal,
fain Frederick W. Grey, R.N., Lady Georgians Grey, Lady
Caroline Barrington, the Honourable and Rev. F. R. Grey, the
Honourable Captain Henry Cavendish Grey and Dr. Wilson, were
ep
qr eus.ernr ty
tboe she
Qt.!)
nd, e adtihd bed
not. r
ihvec
aHt oHn oouwriacbkleu
Colonel
tuGrelraeyl,
and the Honourable Captain G. Grey, R. N., did not reach
Howick Hall until a few hours after the Earl had expired. Lacy
Mary Wood and Lady Elizabeth Bulteel did not arrive there bi.s.
fore Saturday. It was the late Earl's most earnest desire that his
uneral should be conducted as privately as possible.
Fong PERSONS KILLED.—On Tuesday mornin;r,
last a dreadful accident occurred near Merthyr, at a mine called
Cyfarthfa Wynch Fawr. Four men, named Watkin Jones, aloe
ijjay.one; Lewis Powell, his son.in.law, thirty.one ; David Davies,
twenty-seven ; and Thomas Jones, twenty-three, entered a buck•l
to descend the shaft, when, about seven or eight yards from the
top, the balance chain, or a link of the other chain to which Cie
bucket was attached, broke, and the poor fellows went down wi'h
terrible speed to the bottom, a depth of nearly one hundred yards.
The three firrt named died instantaneously ; but Thomas Joiesill
survived till he was taken to the mouth of the level, and convere
with those who ran to his assistance. Three of the deceased Iran
have left wives and families. A brother of the deceased Lee IS
Powell narrowly escaped death, as it seems he entered the bucheit
with the others, but recollecting he had forgotten his candle, lie
jumped up for the purpose of procuring it. The lender then re.
fused to let him re-enter the bucket, raying, "Four men are quite
erough to go down at once.''—Bristol Journal. .
AN OLD WATCH.—Mr. Joseph Andrews, hatter,
Mansfield, has now in his possession a watch which has been iii his
family for nearly two hundred years. It was made early in the
reign of Charles 11., and bears date 1650. The present owner's
grandfather wore the watch seventy years, and it is now in god
condition, and keeps time exceedingly welt—Nottingham Journal.
-THE INFANT SCHOOLS, WATERLOO-ROAD.—SLr•
mons in behalf of those schools were preached yesterday at St.
John's Church, Waterloo-road, by the Rev. E. Irvine, M. A., and
the Rev. J. E. Johnston, M.A. These schools, which supply •

gratuitous education to children of both sexes from one year ani i
half to six years of age, are supported entirely by voluntary con.
tributions. The number of children received in the schools average
150; and as they are taken in at such early ages, are found a great
relief to the labouring poor of the neighbourhood.

THE COST OF PULLING A MANS NOSE.—John Hars•
hen of Hawsker, farmer, was brought before the bench of megls.
trates, at Whitby, on Tuesday last, and fined 3/. for pulling the
most prominent part of the face of Mr. William Thompson, a
neighbouring farmer, in rather an unceremonious manner.—Yorh-
shirernan.