The Sun.
London, England, 1827-03-29 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

EXTRAORDINARY SITTING OF THE HOUSE OF
LORDS, SATURDAY,. MAliat 26.

THE UMBRELLA DEBATE.

Lord KING presented a petition from a Gentle-
man who the night before, while attending a de-
bate in that House, had had the misfOrtune to lose
his umbrella. The petition was perfectly respect-
ful, except that it accused one or other-of their Lord-
ships of having stolen the article in question.—
(Hear, hear.)—On a case so completely a a dead
weight" to the House—as much so, indeed, as the
Corn Laws or the Currency, and one affecting too
both the public and private integrity of their ord-
ship, more particularly the responsible Counsellors
of the Crown, (here the Noble Lord glanced his eye
reproachfully towards the woolsack,) he was sure
no undue influence would induce them (forgetful of
their own dignities) to shuffle off so important, so
national -a; question. A joke, added his Lordship,
with singular facetiousness, was a joke as long ac no
one suffered by it; he himself was
.as staunch an
advocate for wit as any man could he (a laugh),
but really when, through the misconduct ,of some or
other of their Lordships, not only the manufacturing
interests .had been lost, but • the petitioner's urn-
brella also, he thought it full time to discuss the
subject with the gravity due to its importance.— I
(Hear, hear.) •
The LORD CHANCELLOR here rose, evi-
dently much affected. He observed, that the Noble
Lord (King) had turned towards him in a manner
which he could not and did not pretend to misun-
derstand, He denied the charge of having stolen
or even pawned the umbrella, as indignantly and as
energetically as he had denied the claims of the
Catholics ; and, though having once used a hat as
his protection from cold, it might naturally be
supposed that he would lay hold of an umbrella for
the same purpose; yet he called on their Lordships
to recollect that the hat was his Own, and he vowed
to God, that so also in a like emergency should be the
umbrella. His Lordship added, that it would be in the
remembrance of the Howie that he invariably carried
with him a cotton umbrella, (here his Lordship pro-
duced an old cotton umbrella from under the wool-
sack, and opening it to its full extent observed, that
like himself it was something the worse for wear,)
'and' would searicely be supposed, with a due atten-
tion to economy, to have stolen a silk one. if th•
House disbelieved this solemn asseveration of his in-
nocence, be should think it his duty, to lay the seals
which he had held for so many years at the feet of his
Majesty. He didnot,howeverovish tohnrrytheHouee
into :a decision; for he much doubtedtlie .propriety_ in
charges of this nature of deciding inspatricr,, and
thereby shutting out information; he should there-
fore try to adjourn the debate till Saturday next, when
their Lordships would be enabled to come o. a clear
and dispassionate judgment.
Lord HOLLAND observed, that for his part, he
defied the world to-say that he bad ever invaded his
neighbour's property.
The Duke of WELLINGTON rose under feel-
ings tf considerable agitation. Neither the most
exalted niar. the lowest, we understood hiM to. re-
mark,.in station, were free from occasional charges
of thii naturo: He himself had been accused, when
in the Peninsula, of having purloined a book, entitled
" Domestic Duties," a snuff box, mid one boot from
the tent of his Noble Friend, the Marquis of .Angle-
sea. Looking to the present question, he rather in-
clined to the opinion, that the'lloble Chancellor was
innocent.

Lord KINGSTON observed, that he also had
been accused, velien With the King, in Ireland, of a
theft of a still more serious 'Character": having been
charged, in fact, with stealing the, very whiskers
which he had now the honour to'exhibit to their
Lordships' notice. But there were shades of dif-
ference in °Tory case; his barber had triumphantly
exonerated him, and he hoped—indeed he was
almost sure—that the Noble Lord on the Woolsack
would be as triumphantly acquitted.
The Marquis of LANSDOWN observed that the
Lord Chancellor had certainly been seen near the
übem therefore
called
arela a
illed in
nrt thepapnod ea
itititimzetrits of
heed its abduction;
rmieaaknet_aa td_iAl
iginehnset
shouldo
' search ul
d
throughout the Woolsack.

This the CHANCELLOR refused, observing
that it would be an indignity Offered 'to the repre-
sentative of his Sovereign. The objections, how-
ever, being over-ruled, a diligent search was made;
and the umbrella at length discovered, hid in the
mace. On this his Lordship once again. protested
his innocence, but the feeling of the House appear-
ing evidently to be against him ; a division was
pressed for, and the numbers appeared
For the Chancellor
Against him

Majority lBO

We understand, that in coniequence of this result
the Lord Chancellor has sent in his rcsi,gnation, and
that. Mr. John Wilks, of Sudbury, is mentioned as
likely to succeed him.
His Royal Highness the Duke of Gloucester was
present during the debate, and appeared much
affected by the result. •
NB. We have the merit giving this Debate exclusively, it
having been communicated to us by the wife of the sufferer,
who, to the aggravated confusion of the chancellor, was also dis-
covered concealed in the Woolsack.

The following is the copy of a letter written,
and actually sent, by an eectionate wifleulto,haetr
husband, who having been capitally convicted,
was sent on board the . Ganymcdc hulk,
Woolwich. The woman is at present resident
tit a town in the eastern part of this county.—
For obvious reasons we omit names, but give
the remainder verbatim as it was written :