The Sun.
London, England, 1819-12-17 00:00:00

OLDHAM INQUEST.

Sir F. Boa DRTT said, tbilt he had a petition to
present relative to the Coronet's► Inquest at Oldham
from Robert Lee, but he was ►enable to state whe-
ther be was father or brother to the young man
upon whose body the inquest had been holden
The petition was then brought op and read. It
recapitulated all the proceedings and adjournments
of the inquest, the application tna►le 'kb the Court
of King's Bench for a mandamus to compel Mr.
Ferranti to go on with the inquest, and the manner
in which this Gentleman had availed himself of
the (federal ion of the Court, that he had acted
illegally to dismiss tbe Jury. It then prayed lot
such redress as tits Hou►e should think fit to
allow,

On the motion that the petition lie on the
table,

Alt. V. BLAKE said, that it was most certainly
true, as stilted by the Hon. and Learned Gentle-
man ( Ir. Brougham) who presented the hist of
the present seties of petitions, that it wets the
duty of esery lion. Member to present such peti-
tions, even though the statements contained in
',hen, should he erroneous or unfounded; but Con-
sidering the number of those petitions which were
now presented, it was material to point the at-
tention of the House to the fact, that upon the
face of these petitions it appeared, that the
grievance must complained of was unfounded;
that grievance, as alleged, was, that thee petition-
ers were unable to obtain redress, although) they
applied to the Magistracy. Now it was plain
that the facts alleged amounted to a complaint
against the conduct of the Magistracy, and the
petitiopers were not warranted in the as.4erfion
that they had endeavoured to obtain rediess, and
were unable to do so. It appeared, indeed, that
thee pet itiouers, as they ;alleged, lead preferred com-
plaints against the Magistisey ; but to n hoot were
those complaints addressed ? Why, to the Ma-
gistates thene,t Ives they oh course refused to

admit that they were wrung, awl to punish them-
selves. But did it appear that the petitioners had
preferred any complaint to the proper tribunal ?
Did it appear that ,they had applied to the Court
of King'S Bench for a► criminal intormation ? On
the contrary, it appeared they had not done so,
and consequently it must follow that the state-
ment was unfounded, When they 'alleged their in-
competency to obtain redress.- For how could
they obtain redress if they would not anply for
it ; and if they would not apply for it in the pro-
per form and place, it was because they found oc-
casion to inflame the public mind by applications
to this House. The last petition present►d by the
lion. Baronet (Sir F. Burdett) contained charges
acainst the Coroner, as well as against the Ma-
gistracy ; and it was stated in it that apnlica,ion
had beet► made for a mandamus to compel the Co-
roner. But what was the Court required 10 tin ?-
why, to compel the Coroner to renew a proceed-
ing, the roust illegal and unprecedented that ever
was known in England-.—fl Coroner's July assum-
ing to themselves all the functions of a petty Jury.
The Coroner was right not to renew it when he
discovered his error, and the Court would have
been inexcusable to permit hint to do so. The
application was improper. If the complaint was
founded the complainants ought to have taken
another course.

Mr. BROUGHAM contended, that the Hon. Gen-
tleman was quite mistaken in the view which he
had taken of the snhject. There was nothing
improper in the application which had been made
to the Court of King's Bench, and, that Court
would have granted the Mandamus, if the Coro-
ner had not efF-ctually *hewn cause against it.—
He did not impute it to the Coroner that his con-
duct had been intentionally illegal. but the Court
haring ri+tsed the Mandamus, on the ground that
his proceedings had been illegal from their very
origin, he bad jumped at that declaration to put
an eta' to the whole Inquest. And were the House'
to be cold that the people of the country were un-
reasonable because they were not satisfied with
‘uch a mockery of justice ?—(Bear, hear ?)
When he saw such a collusion as this—for though
he did not mean to say it was intended it

sprenred to lie real—alien be saw a Comfier
quoting his own breach of the laws in defence of

hip adiournment, and using stifle the whole
encoiry, he would think it a shame if the people
of England were satisfied.—(hear, hear, hearl)
—He did not approve of the proceedings of the
Manchester Magistrates on the 16th of August.
But great as was the irritation which they pro-
doced, it was nothing when' compared with that
urea red by the conduct stibsepiently adoptetL Fie
did not accuse any one, but bad it not been for
that most unfortunate fatality by which :he
Gram! Jury of Lancaster had found it their duty
to throw out the Bills laid before them, one trial
before a Judge (and not a Manchester Magistrate
or an Oldham Coroner), and the verdict of a L 311.-
easter Jury, would have given satisfaction to the
whtile country.
.But it was the final adjourn-
ment of the Inquest that had clowned the
whole, and made the breach he wren the people
and constituted authorities, if tiot irremediable,
at least much broader Rfld menacing than it
would otherwise hart. been, The Honourable
Gentleman complan2d of mis-statements in the
Petition, but what rills-statements had not. been
!woe in another place which he would not name,
when it had been found necessary to raise alarm ?
Had it not been represented that 100,000 men,
out of a population of only .150,000.itt men, wo-
ntcn, and children, were in orms'and in open rebel-
lion, and had not the troth of the statement been
vouched for by Noble Persons, who had not con-
sidered the impossibility of the case ? " Sixteen
thousand colliers are in arms, to my certain
knowledge," said one of those Noble Persons ;
not only 16,000, but 16,600," said another ;
for they seemed to be respondere pima, and to
sing to each other.—(Laughter.)—But alter all
it turned out, from a statement of an Hon. Friend
of his, that there were not 15,000 colliers in that
district ; so that those Noble Persons had counted.
more in arms than were actually above or below
giound.—(Laughter.)—The colliers of his Hon.
niend (Mr. Lambtou's) at least 1000 in number,
must also now be put out of the question, as it
was proved that they had never quitted their
work, so that the whole number was reduced to
14,000. But certain Noble Persons did not. care
what statements they made. They, heard them,
they swallowed them greedily, and then gave
them again to the public ; thus verifying the fol-
lowing Hudibrastic maxim :

Certes, the pleasure is as great,
Of being cheated as to cheat.

Mr. BLAxs said, the lion. and Learned Gen-
tleman (Mr. Brougham) would do hint the justice
to admit that be did not oppose the bringing up
of the petition, because of the unfounded allega-
tions

The SPEAKER reminded the Hon. Member, that
l►e was not at liberty to do more than explain
what he before said.

Mr. BLAKE was perfectly aware of the impro-
priety 9f doing more, and was not attempting to
do more. He merely wished to apprize the House
of the unfounded allegations as to their proceed-
ing by mandamus; he did not object to its lega-
lity, bnt that upon the case it ought to be an ap-
plication for corrupt conduct in the Corm of an in-
formation.

lqr.. R. MARTIN considered the speech of the
Hun. and'Leatned Gentleman to have applied to
any thing but to the subject before the House.—
Ile wished to aEk the Hon. Gentleman opposite
but one question :—What proceeding did they
mean to found on this Petition'? •

No answer being returned, the question was
put, that the Petition lie on the table, wl2kh wes
ordered.

Sir F. BURDETT then moved that it he printed,
Mr. It. MARTIN stated, that he must now offer
himself to the House as the protector of the pub-
he revenue.--{Laughter.)---Ile litsured the Hon.
Gentlemen opposite, that the printing of those
Petitions Would cost four or five tittles es much as
the t.vhole salaries of the Lords 61 the Admiralty.
fie should therefore oppose the printing of bud,
nonsensical stuff.

The question was then pnt, and carried in they
Affirtllziclye, With only one dissenting voice.

ISA lINSTA PI, E.

Dir. ‘Vyt:bie moved, Speaker be in-

structed not to issue his writ for the eiteion
Burgesses for the Borough of Barnstaple, nota
the 15th day of next February. Ordered,
• Air. C. GRANT moved, that an Address be pre'(
seated to the Prince Regent, requesting his BAP(
Highness would be pleased to order a Coll °E
the Seventh Report of the Commissioners oil
pointed to inquire into the Salaries, Fees, t!!!
other Emoluments of the Clerks and other tre
fivers of the Temporal and Ecclesiastical Coo"
in Ireland, to be laid before the House.—Ordered'