The Sun.
London, England, 1829-04-14 00:00:00

PRICE 7D.

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF LORDS.-(LAST NIGHT.)

The LORD CHANCELLOR, Lord SHAFTESBURY,
and Lord BATIIURST, sat at a quarter before Four
o'clock, as Lords Commissioners, for the purpose
of giring the Royal Assent to upwards of 30 Public
and Private Bills.
Mr. Pullman, Assistant Deputy Usher of the
Black Rod, proceeded to the Commons to surnrrion
their attendance to hear the Royal Assent rcivett.
In a few minutes, the SPEAKER, attend«l by an
immense number of Members, appeared at the Bar.
Among them we noticed, Lord Nugent, Sir .11.
Wilson, and Mr. Calcraft.
The Royal Commission was then read by the
Clerk of the House.
Mr. Wilbraham, the Deputy Clerk of the Crown,
read over the title of the different Bills.
Mr. Courtenay, the • principal Clerk, pronounced
the Royal Assent.
Among the Public Bills were the Catholic Relief
Bill, the Forty-shilling Freeholders' Disfranchit,e-
ment Bill, the Innkeepers' Bill, the Indemnity Bill,
the Scotch Creditors' Bill, and the Militia Enrol-
ment Bill.
A great many Peeresses and Ladies of distinction
were in the Opposition Benches.
The attendance of Peers was by no means nu.
merous.

We noticed the Duke of Norfolk near the steps
of the Throne.

We understand Mr. O'Connell was in the lobby
of the House, but in consequence of the outer door
being fastened was unable to gain admission.
The House then adjourned during pleasure.
The LORD CHANCELLOR took his seat Oil the
Woolsack at five minutes past Five o'clock.
Mr. HOME DRUMMOND and others brought up
several private Bills.

Earl EITZWILLIAM then presented a petition
from the Catholics of Wicklow, praying for relief.—
(This created immense laughter throughout the
House.)
Lord FARNHAM moved for leave that a Noble
Lord, whose name we could not hear, might attend
to-morrow, to enter his protest against the Catholic
Relief Bill.

The Earl of CLANCARTY then rose to make
his promised motion, that there should be laid before
the House a copy or copies of reference or references

to any surgeon, or surgeons, or any medical man,
respecting the health of Eneas McDonnell, under
the direction of his Excellency the Lord Lieutenant
of Ireland. (The Noble Lord was for a few moments
inaudible.) The case of E. McDonnell, a gentleman
who was employed as the agent of the Roman
Catholic Association, was as follows :—Mr. McDon-
nell, in October, 1826, conceived that he might raise
himself in the opinion of his employers, if some dis-
turbances could be got up in the part of the country
where he was ; a disturbance took place, the Riot
Act was read, and the meeting dispersed. On the fol-
lowing day he attacked the two magistrates who were
employed in putting down the riot, and insulted
them in a most offensive manner. A prosecution
was instituted against him, and he was sentenced to
12 months' imprisonment. Soon afterwards
he was released. While he was imprisoned, a refe-
rence was made to medical men respecting his health,
and as would be seen by his notice. ' motion, one
of the great objects he had in vie was to have
Oti
those papers laid on the table of the muse, that
their Lordships might know the nature of
them. In a speech the Noble Marquis opposite
stated that he had been charged with encouraging
the Catholic Association. He (Lord Ciancarty)
had taken the liberty of putting a few questions to
the Noble Marquis, who, with a disposition that
would have done honour to any man, had most
readily given answers to every qaestion put
to him, and vindicated himself against an; charge
whatever. Not so the Noble Duke at the head of
his Majesty's Government, for he had set up a case,
quoted a case, and reasoned upon it. He had said

hat the man's health was in such a state that he

thought his Majesty's Ministers would not have
done their duty if they had not discharged
him. It was universally believed that the utmost
medical men could certify was, that M'Donnell's
health might suffer by further confinement. The
Noble Duke had passed this day one of the greatest
measures ever passed ; he expected great advantages
to be produced. No one would do more than he
would to bring about the object he had in view.
The Noble Lord concluded by moving, " That there
be laid before their Lordships copies of any certifi-
cates from physicians or surgeons which had been
laid before the Government concerning Mr. Eneas
Macdonnell, or sent in to the Lord Lieutenant of
Ireland."—( The Noble Earl spoke in so low a tone
of voice at times, that we could not hear all his ob-
servations, and are not quite certain of the correct-
ness of our report.)
The Duke of WELLINGTON—My Lords, it
is not necessary to travel through the greeter part
of what the Noble Lord has said on this occasion,
I shall confine myself, therefore, to the production
of the papers respecting M'Donnell, the punishment
inflicted on him, and the mitigation of his sentence.
My Lords, I concur that these cases of the exercise
of the King's prerogative of mercy, although not
entirely exempt from the power of Parliament, yet
are probably of that description that of all things
they ought to be the least liable to inquiry in
this or the other House. They are cases m which
his Majesty exercises his judgment in the carrying
of them into execution. The case of his Noble
Friend rested on only one ground. He (the Duke
of Wellington) happened to mention that a reference
had been made to a physician, and that was the
only ground on which his Noble Friend rested his
motion for the production of the papers. This arose
from his want of caution in addressing their Lord-
ships, to which he was not much accustomed; and
in doing that he had probably been guilty of a breach
of their orders, or had violated the practice of
debate; but because he had done that, this wAs t.to.
ground whatever for the production of papers-,,at
least no Parliamentary ground for the production of
papers which would lead to an inquiry Into the ex-
ercise of his Majesty's prerogative of mercy in the
government of Ireland, While he stated this, he
must add that he had not the smallest objection to
the strictest inquiry being made into the case. He
never knew a case with which more pains had been,
taken than with this. The Noble Marquis. 4.t the
head of the Government of Ireland had acted with
great discretion, as the c..4o.yerainent of the
country had ascertained, the precise state of Mr.
Macdonnell health before ha was released. He
would gay more,,he had perused the Report of
two inquiries which had been made within a frees
days interval of each other to ascertr,i4 the fact.
Before the Noble Lord proceeded 0, call for papers,
subjecting his Majesty's prct—cgative to inquiry, he
should have shewn :;;)r ething more than the mere
fact he had tp,e4tioned to their Lordships.—Mear,
Noble Lord stated, that there had been
some want of courtesy on the part cf the Govern-
ment towards those gentleman villa were the object
of the libel for which Mr. Macdonnell was confined
and punkt:sea. But that gentleman came to C;o-
-vernuierit, demanding his release; he required his
pardon; be did not ask it as a fa-our; and if the
Government had been disposed to negociate with
him as if it were granting a favour, on what grounds
could it impose conditions ? The claim was made
from necessity; and if in answer to the conditions