The Sun.
London, England, 1810-04-11 00:00:00

eseeri upon theni to 'dye& art Officer of that
. oese, and murder or loss of lives had ensued,
e hat; esen betore they could have 'enquired_ into
the necessity which might justify the case,.
.w-ould have been, and justly been, the -opinion
of that House .upon their conduct ? Whatev'er
opin:on Gentlemen opposite might entertain of
the imbecility of Ministers, he would declare
that no fear, either personal or public,' would
ever influence: his mind.. In pursuing the line'
of .conduct he had taken on this occasion, he saw
beforehand, that of the two which presented
themselves, be .was by no means selecting the ea-
siest
course. But he saw that the time was arrived
Which others only supposed to be approachin,. He,
siren saw. what Gentletuew opposite now ;tallow-
-I,edg-ed, however they might think his construction
of the letter harsh, that it was a -resisianceand de-
tiauc.e to the (-louse of Commons. He took the
morgflitticelt course of proceeding, and Gentlemen
who thought his view of the 'Honourable Baronet's
condua, at that period, uncandid, were now corr.::
vieced by this second utter, and all his sUbsequent
condea, that it was well founded and just. Under
these impressions Government aeled, and acted as
he trusted a:British Governmetißwould always ad,
with respect to the laws, and never to interfere'
with the laws till necessity comeelled them to do
sn,- to take care of the public security, and to see'
that the country- should not. be 'endangered.--,-
'Would any, Gentleman who knew the liberty en-•
joyed by a British subject say, that it Was In the
pewer of any Government to pre veut such.scenes
as had lately taken place. Could any-foresght, any
preparations, any precautions, any tneasnres be
adepterl by which au armed force should .be ready
in every street of this vast metropolis, to firevent the
breaking ot. windows,.or even the conflagration of
houses, or the -assassination • of individuals ? • No !
no such iitterference could :take plaCe•without ex-
po,ing its authors to the charge of oppression, mili-
tary tyranny, and a design to trample on-the liberties
of ilie.people.—lt was the duty of., Government—
all that 'they could do or. ,could -be expected of
them was, to see where disorder was beginning, to
'check it there, and preserve the peace. There had
been no neglea on the part of Government in-this
respeet, and whenever the Civil Magistrate saw it
necessary, the military were ready to obey his direc-
tions.. 'Theis' secured, whatever feelings he might
have for the injuries iufliaed on individual suffseers,
he never for a moment entertained a fear for the
safety of the nation, and preservation of the Consti,
union. He , never entertained a. fear because he
knew, that if tumult raised even its most forinidable
head Goveturnent bad Taken means, and were ready
toerush it. As for the question, with regard to the
Serjeant's executing the warrant, it was most unfair
- to charge,Ministers with hangingip doubt 'as to the
proper Mode of performing that duty.. The fad was,
they were not called on to decide the matter at all,
or consider, as Ministers,' how it might be done.--
Had it been in discussion in the House before the
warrant was issued, he would have had no hesitation
as,a,Meinber of Parliament, to give his opinion, that
they had a right to break open the door. But when
a person, executing an important duty, cltubtcd: the
leglity of his commission, it became necessary' to
de:et: 1;1, ing an epteion, or offering to controul one
who acted at His own peril. There was something
to be observed too betmieeti the Gentlemen iapposite
and the Mirristet's. They formed their judgments at
cilt-ttrent times, and in very diftlx,nt situations. Gen-
tlemen opposite were-now giving their opinions aßer
the.affair was psst, ithout responsibility, and with all
the composure they would discuss an abstract point
of science. The argument now was, er,- bile
theSe troubles existed, and' danger- was tlpeetened,
Ministers might not have exceeded-the law, with a
view to the general public weal. In hiSopinion it
wool l hive been unjustifiable to interfere with ale-
-gal officer 4tling tender another constitutional autho-
r ity in the discharge of his duty. With respect to
the presstit motion, he entered into the views and
considerations of several Hon. Gentlemen opposite.
He thought that going.to severity would be inexpe-
dient; but between severity. and no notice there was a
middle course which he begged leave to recommend
to the House. 10 do nothing, upon-this letter was
a very equivocal way of consulting their dignity.—
They, oughts rather to meet fairly what was opposed-
to .them, without shrinking, and deal with them
firmly and temperately. Inahe situation in which
the writer of the letter was now placed it was not
necessary to visit his offence with severity-, nor,. would
it be right to pass it altogether without notice. He
supported the motion for. hisxominitrnent oti a
former letter, a little more guarded in its expression
thap the last, though-with the same tendency, and
tier `the accomplishment of the same objeef. This
letter he would consider as a proot to dispel every

doubt from the hreasts of those who were were no-t
convinced of the 'design of the former. It was: an
aggravation and:_ epetition of the offence for which
pui4ishinent wos already intliLlect. "With these views
of the matter he would_ have to propose a Resolu-
tion as.an-am9nclment to the present Motion, to this
e Vet : •

"'That the Letter! of. Sir P. Burdett, addressed to-the
Spviikyr,•was a high aggravation of his former otknce against.
the privileges of we .House of Commons. But as from the
tetutti,mate by the Serjeant at Arms to the Speaker's War-
-111111. it appeated that the wirrant had been executed, and
thcrarly-tommlttett !tithe-Tower' -the tibUse would not,
prod'ed larther upon, this .I..etter; at this time."
lie .conceived this istould be a better mode of
dlspusi:lg of the business, than not to notice the let-
ter at all, not only as more consonant to their dig.
!thy.. at present, but as the matter might be again.
Liken up hereafter, if circumstances rendered it ne-
cessary.

SirJoux Ansi-RI/T.lmi, in explanation, said, that
if it could be thought there was any thing equi-
vocal. ju.the original motion, he would concur in
uriredefinitiie mode.of expressing the opinion
the House.

WIIITZREAD, with all the feelings he che-
ris!ted on the present subjeit, felt it was impossible
1-,lr him to adopt the proposition, cons6tent at least
the'opinions he had before expres.ed. For in
t!),.•.case of Gale- Jones, how could that be called an
(yrasi.tiou of an offence,
,which offence in his opi-
ni.,n cover existed. The Honourable Gentlemen
Illositre conceived-their conduet.p-erteOly ; for
lcs part he was quite of a contrary opinion.; with
r, .;!,ttc t to the authority of the warrant, he w ould ask
(i;t.- Right I-Jon. Gentlemen, personally,
and as one who deserted the study of the laws for
Wits (the late Attorney-General), what his opi.-
i'ivti ilte..Speaker'4 .w arrant was ? The Hon. Gen-