The Sun.
London, England, 1842-04-30 00:00:00

111 r S. CRAWFORD then ma to move the conisp;on of
the words in Schedule D, which itnyviAci a tax L.ki n,,14,1314
income." The lion. Member said he would divide the House
on the motion, but would not occupy its time after the discus-
sion that had taken place.
Ale. 11U 11E, considering the whole Bill a mass of ivjustiee,
would vote for the motion —( Lout cries of " Divide.")
The Ilothe then divided, w nen- there appeared—
• For the amendment ,
Against it
Majority
.1

50
:259
209

The clause was then agreed to.
The Committee next went into Schedule E.
Sir C. NAPIER said naval and military officers, captains,
and commanders in the navy, and officers of similar rank in the
army, would be very severely dealt with by the Right lion.
Baronet's measure. Almost all those officers had seen
much service, and hai families, and their miserable pit-
tances ought not to be fleeced. The Gallant Com-
modore concluded by moving that the class of officers he
had alluded to should be exempt from the payment of the duty.
Captain CAII\EGIE opyosed the propo,al of the lion. and
Gallant Commodore. Ile should b acti.unc,i to chit-A for a
particular service an exemption from a }Altaic butilcii at a time
of national difficult y.

Lora WOHSLEY thoogilt that the Fopo,al wcs Ulu:lich
otl...:10. to Le ac,ede:l

Z7apiain PF.A 'IIELL said tl,as the ofii,ers of the ;err were
oo:. all layou-able t. the propo,al of alt Income tax; hut ma,,y
of them disapproved of it under any circumstances. Ile sl,Add
vote in favour of the amendment of the Gallaht Commod•le.
Captain PLUMIIIDUE also spake in favour of the amend-
ment.

Sir 11. PEEL said that no ore had a higher 'el-met for the
class for whom the exemption was claimed than he entertained.
No one could feel deeper gratitude to them for the services
they had rendered ; and, he was persuaded that, if they were
called upon hereafter, they would emulate the fame they had
acquired at every period when th it services were required.
lie could also assure the Gallant Commodore, that. no one
could feel more unwillingness than he should feel to diminish
the comforts of such a class. But he should say that if an im-
post were to be imposed upon all the incomes exceeding 1501.
a year. he did not think it would be just to exempt any parti-
cular class from the operation of the measure. He should
also say that the Gallant Meer behind him (Capt. Carnegie)
had repelled such a proposal with a spirit worthy of the pro-
fesession to which he belonged ; and it was his belief
that the army arid navy did not wish to be relieved from a
burden which was to fall upon all other classes. The question
was not, then, whether it was wise to impose an Income-tax at
all ; but after the House had sanctioned its adoptio.i, they were
to determine whether a particular body should be exempt from
its operation. lie did not think the House would approve of
such a rroposit ion.
Sir C. NAt'IER said, that he thought the arguments of the
Gallant Officer opposite (Captain Carnegie) were very far
from good. lie could tell the Gallant Olilcer and the Right
lion. Baronet, that many a poor officer would feel severely the
pressure of the tax. If the Gallant Meer were himself a uiir
of family, with au income of 150/ a year, he would cot peAto:ps
feel so satisfied with the proposal of the Government.
Lord INGESTRIE said he believed that if the naval ser-
vice were polled out, there would be a majo-ity opposed to the
proposal of the Gallant Commodore. He therefore di,ap-
proved of the amendment.
Strangers were then ordered to withdraw, and the Comm;
tee divided, when there appeared—
For Sir Charles Napier's motion .......
Against it
205
. . .

Majority against the motion —173
On the motion of Capt. PECHELL,
The CHAIRMAN reported progress and obtained leave to
s:t again.
Mr. BLEWITT rose amidst loud cries of " Oh, oh,' and
ironical cheers. He begged to state that the Chairman had
not et put the lit clause.—(Laughter and ironical chcets.)
GREAT MARLOW ELECTION—THE PRISONER
RICHARD GIBBONS.
Richard Gibbons, who had been committed to Newgate, was
called to the bar and addressed by
The SPEAKER, who said—Richard Gibbons, the Election
Committee appointed to determine the merits of the Great
Marlow Election, have recommended you to the merciful con-
sideration of this House. Yours was a very serious and grave
offence. It appears that it was not accidental, but that
you deliberately and whilst upon your oath gave evidence
before that. Committee, which was subsequently contras:lciest
in the most positive manner. It is very painful to find a per-
son of your eespectability, and who has been respected by your
fellow-townsmen, and hitherto lived with credit to ycurself,
in so disgraceful a position as that which you now occupy. if
you are in any way alive to a sense of honour, that disgrace is
in itself a sufficient punishment. The House, therefore, con-
sidering the imprisonment you have already suffered,
and considering the deep regret expressed in your
for your misconduct, is willing to hope
that that regret is sincere, and has consented to your
being relieved from further continemwt, and let me hope that
this len?y may not be misconstrued by others, but that it may
act as a warning to them, otherwise it will be my duty to deal
with.them with the utmost severity ; for the House has deter-
mined, under all the circumstances, to vindicate :hat privi-
lege which you have so shailtelessly abused. 1 have now to
inform you that you are discharged. on payment of your fees.
The prisoner was then removed front the bar.

Sir A. PEEL rose and said—Sir, I move that what you
have now said may be entered in the journals of the Ilause.—
(Loud cheers. ). . .

On the question being put,
Mr. 'l'. DUNCOMBI rose and said, he had not. the slightest
objection to the words being entered on the joterneis of the
House. It was quite right that it should be, but of all the
severe ieprimands he had ever heard made upon any individual
in that House, he must say that the censure passed upon this
individual was perhaps the most severe thst ever
was .delivered in the House of Commons.-(!fear, hear.)
He (Mr. Duncombe) felt, to a certain extent, compelled not
to resist the motion, as it was neceesary to the vindication of
the privileges cf the House; but he before stated, that he
believed, and he still believed, that this individual, whom the
Speaker had stated to have shamelessly abused the privilegeof
the house, was nut guilty of that which had been attributed to
him. He (i\lr. Duncombe) believed that the
and he was not alone-he believed that Mr. Gibbons diii tint
wilfully perjure himself before the Committee. If lee had,
there was no punishment sufficient for the offence ;. and ife.liat
individual had wilfuily given false evidence heffirg the Cons-
mittee of that !louse, he (Mr. Duncombe, said it was the duty
of the House nut to release him, but it els their duty to in-
struct the Law Officers of the Crown to indict that individual
for perjury. It was only a few days since that they had had
before them another individual of the name of 'Wrenn.
Mr. Wrenn was called to the bar, having refused -to
give testimony befoic the Committee of the liouse ap-
pointed to try the merits of the Southampton Election
Petition. lie was called to the bar ; he was asked,
"Do you intend to persist in refusing to give the evidence re-
quired before this Committee?" Mr. Wrenn anseered, " Yet,
1 do, because it may criminate myself; becanie I !relieve %ch
testimony will crim.nate myself; but if it is the desire ofThis
House that I should give this evidence, Iss ill bow to ilia de-
cision." What happened on the following day? Another in-
dividual, a Member of that house, Mr. Fleming, was called
upon in that house to explain why he had refused to. give
before that Committee evidence that was considered of im-
portance, but which was liable to criminate. In answer to the
question, why he had refused to give this evidence, he said,
1 did, as a man of honour, refuse to answer that question."
He said it was no perjury-the man had net perjured himself
at all.-(" Oh, oh. ') There were individuals, and every per-
son connected with that individual who had just left the bar
were ready to come forward and say that he was as incapable of
giving false testimony as any Gentleman in that House. On
their authority he (Mr. Duncumbe) brought forward his peti-
tion en a torsner occasion-now a fortnight since-and
the evidence had been Tinted. He should like to know
how many lion. Members had read the evidence,
for if they had read it lie was sure they would nut. believe Inus
guilty of perjury. His friends would not believe.the charge,
and would not care for the reprimand of the House, But it
might affect Inns in the eyes of the public, although they must
see that he had not beets treated as an lion. Member of the
House. He had beets taken into the custody of the
Sergeant-at-Arms, and had been conveyed away to
Newgate without being allowed to say one word in his own
defence. Ho (Mr. Duncombe) said that he left that House
without one stain upon his character.-(Oh, oh.)
Sir R. PEEL said that he had heard with great regret the
observations of the Hon. Member fur Finsbury -( Heel t htar)-
in reference to the reprimand made by the Speaker ir, eur-
' suanee with the motion of that House.-( Hear, hear. ) Of the
individual case in question, he (Sir R. Peel) knew nothing, he
only-followed the usual custom, and moved that what the Speaker
had said be entered on the Jeurnals of the House. ft. was
entered on the Journals that Sir J. Y. Buller reported from the
Committee appointed to try the Great Marlow Elec-
tion, that they had determined fit st, that Richard Gib-
bons had been guilty of wilfully giving false evidence,
and the !louse determined that Richard Gibbons for the same
offence be committed to her Majesty's gaol of Newgete, and
that Mr. Speaker do issue his warrant accordingly. To-day
the motion was " Ordered that Richard Gibbons, now in her
Majesty's gaol of Newgate, be brought, to the bar of tne House,
and that Mr. Speaker do issue his warrant accordingly. Or-
dered that the same Richard Gibbons be reprimanded by Mr.
Speaker, and discharged." The Speaker therefore of the
House of Commons had acted merely ministerially; if he had
acted otherwise, he would have neglected his duty-es it was, he
had acted in the most fitting and becoming manner.-(Hear,
hear.) He did nut quarrel with the Hen. Gentlemen for dis-
senting from the resolution of the Committee of which he was
a Member ; what he regretted was, that be should have made
those remarks, which he he had made with reference to the
chief authority of the House.
Mr. J ER VIS said he merely rose to deprecate discussions of
this kind. If it were true, and he thought that would appear
from the evidence, that the individual gave false evidence, in his
(Mr. Jervis's) opinion no censure could be too severe.-(Hearn
hear.) lie did think this was a very ill judged objection.
Sir J. Y. HULLER said that he thought it would a4,pear
from the evidence that the Committee had not acted eesley in
this case.-( Hear.)
Mr. DUNCOMBE said if he had uttered a single word
which could give the slightest pain to the Speaker, he was ex-
tremely sorry for it. 'I he party whose conduct he intended to
impugn, was the House itself; in reference to this subject. He
contended that the individual who had just left the bar had
not been fairly treated.-(Question, questiou.)
The SPEAKER stated that the Honourable Gentlemen
must confine himself strictly to an explanation.
Mr. DUNCOMBE had said that he did not intend to
impugn the conduct of the Speaker; he had acted in obedience
to the order of the House, amid could not do otherwise. It was
the conduct of the House that he wished to blame; and when
the House ordered this reprimand to be entered on the
Journals of the House, then was the time to make his
observations, lie had not had the opportuuity,__(Orders.)
Now could anything be more unjust than this? lie would
sit doe n and leave the country to judge of the question, •
The resolution for inserting the reprimand on the Journals
was then rut by the :Speaker and carried.
The Orders of the Day were then disposed of; on e,
question that the House on its rising do adjourn tiil Monde
ishe THESIGER said he must move as an amendment t sat
the House do adjourn tiil twelve o'clock to-day -( Hear, hears.
hear. ) On the discussion of the resolution committing one
of the witnesses before the e6outhampton Committee (Mr.
Mabson) to custody, he had ventured to express a very
strong opinion of the .y o r illegality the warrant oP
committal for the alleged contempt. Certainly at
that time he aid not maturely consider that:.
warrant, so as to render the opinion he expressed of very great-
weight. He was reproved by the Hou. Member for eSheffielthe.
whom he did nut now tee in his place, for having convert
doubt expressed byedge,
fully considered the subject 0f
his lion, and Learned Friend (die -Solicits)
General) into an assertion. But he had since ca*'lt
the warrant, and he hag
been more confirmed in the strong opinion he expresseT
last night. The forms of the Mute did not perish lion to
move the immediate discharge of that individual from custody,
but if the House consented to the adjournment, this person,;
whom he believed to be illegally and unjustly confined, must re-
main in custody the whale of to-morrow, the whole,
of Sunday, and the greater part of Monday. }',,
was quite sure it was not the desire of the House to per mit.
so gre ss an injustice. If he could satisfy them that the war=s
rant was bad, and no contempt committed, they Moui4ki 1 the
most earnest wish to repair the injustice committed. He
hoped, under these circumstances, that the House at its rising
would adjourn to twelve o'clock that they, ire ordear that ehev
might have an opportunity of considering this no,at hapeatltt,
question-a question in which the liberty of tele subject was
involved,