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

tleman maintained, that the Speaker's warrant was
omnipotent ; it there was a doubt of its legality, 'on
what ground did that doubt stand, when the war
rant brought the evidence to the Bar it) the case-of
the Duke of, York i—The Honourable Gentleman •
expressed L'a's conviction that the people of England
were not se besotted as .not to allow the House a
power which was not inetely necessary for support-.
ing their dignity, but was also necessary to preserve
their existence. Much had been said on the sub,'
ject of Reform ; he was a friend tp Reform,..and the,
exserience of each day convinced him the more of
its necessity. He need only refer to what had-pass-
ed in the House for the last month to she.w the
fact 'to be so. There had been in consequence
,more converts to tie opinion that it was desi-
rable, than had been gained by this or any. preced-
ing Administration. The friends of Reform must
with equal justice' contend for the omnipotence
Of the -Speaker's warrant. The influence of the
Crown 'was not inconsiderable its this House 5 if -I
Reform was necessary would it be-destroyed byit ?
Would not a reformed House be iti a sort of hostile
position to the increasing
_influence of the Cross n ?'
Would it be prudent then-to wrench out of the hands
Of the Croutnotts the only weapon which, under
these circumstances, , it could- wield against the
Crown's influence ? The warrant, therefore, was le-
gal, and,' to the .mind of every man,of common
sense; must be omnipotent. The Right Hon. Gen-
tleman opposite bad taken credit to himself for bay-
irig used diligent means, when informed of the re-
'sistance,
.to afford. the Serjeaiit facility in execut-
ing the warrant ; but be would only request Gen-
tlemen. to examine the real state of fads, and then
they *sisould see that the Bight Hon. Gentleman was
'assuming to himself and' his colleagues credit-which
did not belong to hint. The •Serjeant at Arms had
stated, that during his visits io the Office of the Se,
cretary of State, he (Mr. Ryder) • was not . visible ;.
that after repeated applications and much conversa-
tion with Mr. Read the Magistrate, and Mr. Becket
the Under-Secretary, &c. he at length, on Monday,
obtained the assistance which was necessary; that
even then the police preparations were superseded
by the military. power. This, then, was the sort'of
power which the Right Honourable Gentleman
vished to ensure, viz. that
.the interval of four
days should elapse before the warrant oft his House
could be 'allowed to be put in force. With every
disposition to excuse the Serjeant for not put- .
ting the warrant into execution immediately, he
yet must-observe, that he had not taken,, as ap-
peared to bins, pains.--The Right TiOnont;•
able Gentleman bad said, that if Government had
called in the military-sooner, that Gentlemen on his
(Mr. W.'s) side of the House . would have found
fault with him for sacking, • The fad- was, that
neitherthe civil nor-the military had in the first in-.
stance been properly applied to. The disturbance
which had taken place, in consequence was he Was.
happy to find, the result of a m6b, end. not the pro-
duce'of any deep laid. plot againt the Government.
' There was no person who, thought at all that ap-
prehended the least danger. With respect to the con-
duct of the Hon. Baronet, he,was no more an apo-
logist for him than he .was for his Majesty's Minis-
ters; but if the Hon. Baronet thought that iii mak-
ing the resistance to the execution of the warrant hp.
•was justified in principle, why he was boupd toad es
he had done. If the warrant had been execute:l with
promptitude on' the morning it was , issued all the. ill
consequences which bad r _o__ossed its CXXCUtihil'S oft
the fourth day would have been avoided. , But then
it bad been stated that it was necessary taha---te legal.
opinion on the propriety, of using force; why this was
a little singular, that the late Attorney. General (Mr.
Perceval) sitting in the midst of Lawyers clubbing
• their heads together, should doubt, and yet call for
cetispassion when accused of the consequences of
`delay, and throw the blame on theSerjeants who
the Right MM. Gent. seemed to think was a person
'that should *net only be well versed in Law but in the
Gospel too. Mr. W, would be ashamed of any
. friend of his should shelter himself under such a
paltry anifmean subterfuge. What bad been the
'couduct of the First Magistrate of • the first city- in
'the world on a former occasion.? He applied to
the Judges .for their opinions how to act when the
Riots had commenced ; the Judges required eight
hours to deliberate; said the worthy_ Magistrate,
`before 'the expirat'i'on of that time, all Lou-
- don will be in. flames if I don't ad, and he did-
so instantly, and took thesresponsibility on himself.
It had been insinuated, too, that the Sheriffs had
- disagreed, butthe Serjeant proved the contrary, he
said they aced with 'cordiality: His Hon. Friend
behind him (Mr. Curwen) had talked of the. neces-
sity of'rallying round the Government. He did not
know what his Hon.-Friend meant. by the Govern-
ment ; if he meant . the Administration, the rally-
, ing point- was nething, for the people might as well
-rally round a rush ; but if he meant -the warrant,'
then, indeed, lie. was. prepared to join-him. The
House must recoiled the proceedings in the ease of
r Wilkes ; similar ones, he. was afraid, would oc-
cur if. the Hon, Bironers letter was noticed.
`-‘ What must be the situation of the House, if
he were,returned again to Parliament -in the event
of expidsion," said his Hon. Friend:- Why,
said Mr; W. that is a. bad argument, to use ; for it
usustesot-besendured that the House 'is to negle'd its
duty through fear of the consequences." The con-
sequences which had happened, arose, from the va-
Ciliation of the. Right Hon. Gentleman opposite; if
he had come to the vote at once, and not-given way
to doubts, they never .could have occurred.' The
Right Hon, Gentleman cautioned the :House-to be
guarded in
.its conduct in these serious times; or the
most fatal impressions might -be made on the public
mind. He- would ask-the mover of the . vote for
committing Sir Francis Buidett to -the Tower (Sir
R. Sainsbury), whether now, after -the experience
of tour days, he 'would have, moved suits a pro-
ceeding.. He.would ask the Hon. Gentleman who
first stirred,. the business (Mr. Lethbridge) whether
'now lie, would have desired the House to take the
letter into consideration. Many people-out of the
House he knew thought the proceeding was impru- ,
dent, The' Honourable Gentleman concluded with-
hoping that _accounts • would be laid before the
House of the number of 'liven-- lost and that the'
Lettershoold remain on . the table if at any time
Sir Francis Burdett _should express a, wish 'to re-
' turn to Parliament it might be shewn as a reasott
why .his recantation should he read, so necessary to
support ilie dignity of the. House.
A Member, in
:the.cuursl of-his speech, alluded