Star.
London, England, 1824-06-19 00:00:00

HOUSE OF KEYS, ISLE OF MAN.

Mr. IMOUGIIA NI rose to present a Petition from the House
of Keyi, tit the Isle of Man, which was subscribed by the Members
in their individual capacity, and by them in their corporate capa-
city. The Petition, said the Honourable Member, demanded the
most serious attention of the House. The Speaker of the Assem-
bly, who subscribed it, was well known in his civil and military
capacity in the history of India, and by his valuable services to his
country and the world as a literary character. All the other Mem-
bers who composed the Howe of Keys were Gentlemen of great
respectability and importance in the country. It was known to
the House, that in the year 1756, the authority over the Island was
represented by a Governor and Deputy Governor, who were as-
sisted by the House of Keys. The Petition complained first, that
there were considerable abuses in that House; and secondly, that
whatever abuses it contained, there were several charges against the
conduct of the Duke of Athol. Ile drew his facts from the Peti-
tion itself, although he must own that he felt great confidence in
any information that was communicated to him by so accomplished
a Gentleman as the Speaker, who subscribed the Petition. There
were questions which offered themselves for consideration; and the
first was a question of law. This had been already before the
House. The Keys maintained that they were not only Members
of the Court of the Tynwald Legislative Assembly, but: that they
were Members of the Court of Criminal Justice; that no felon
could be tried without their presence ; and that the concurrence
of the Keymen was necessary to give validity to the decision.--
Three persons who had lately been tried for felony bad appealed
against the jurisdiction, because this defect existed in the constitu-
tion and decision of the Court. The next branch of the Petition
was the charge against the conduct of the Duke of Athol.—
His Grace had employed great perseverance iu prosecuting his
claims in that Island—a circumstance which was felt by many of
the members by personal experience, and which was become part
of the history of the country. Since 1765 to 1805, the Duke of
Athol had not objected to the terms on which his bargain for the
command of the Island had been made; but in 1805, at the open-
ing of Parliament, a new bargain was made, and in addition to the
£2,000 of annual pension which the Duchess of Athol then en-
joyed,
his Grace received an income of three or a s,OOO which
averaged the amount of the Customs of the Island. Since that time,
his Grace had been bringing forward fresh claims and further en-
croachments, and lie understood (here was scarcely a man in the
Island who had not felt the effects of them. He did not mean to
say that the Duke, as sole Judge of the Exchequer, actually de-
cided his own cases, bet by an arrangement which had been IA
down by bins, the tithe was paid one year to his trace, as impro-
propriatot, next year to the Bishop, and the third to the l'.rsur.;
and in this manner the Duke decided cases iu two several ii.•tances
where the same pleas wete set up which might be urged inst
himself—(llear, h..,:). Another complaint was, that the l'eti-
(loners felt great Linz: rtainty with regard to those who had a right
to .it in the great Constitutional ; and is W3i also nutter of

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complaint that a Deeittster tone of the Law Judges) had been
T.
moved, under the following singular circumstances. A person si!,
had been at one time a servant to the Duke, was tried for ea.,:
offence. When this reached the ears of the he called belt;
him the Deemster who had sat upon his trial, severely reprimateej
him for his conduct in doing so, upbraided him with issuing tie
process from his Court, and also with his ingratitude for the fa-
vours which had been rendered to him, and among these favour-
was enumerated the appointment of the Deemster to the office cr
Judge—(Hear, hear). All the parties felt the etfee4 of the flak,.';
vengeance. The Deemster and the Attorney-General were
moved from their situations. last ground of complaint W3lOl
a more serious description ; and if it had not come front so resat ct.
able a quarter, he should not have ventured to make it. In len, 4
riot broke out in the Island, owing to some misapprehensions is
the Housed Keys about the Curn Bill. Sevesal persons teee,
arraigned by the High Bailiff before the Deemster, aad while the/
were under examination, and a witness was in the box, a ;ugh Per-
sonage jumped violently up, mil assaulted the witness. For this
assault, the delinquent was fitted 450, and he was ordered to'
imprisoned for twelve months. When the Duke z.itiVed in r!.,
Island, in order to quell the riot, he, calling those proms hetfe
him who held the warrant of,punisliment, indorsed on the
of it—° I hereby suspend theexecution of the within
The llonouratble Memher contended, that all these coolat-i .5
ought to be investigated; and concluded with tnovinz that t!le
Petition be brought up.
Mr. Secretary PEEL felt desitous of addressing the house,
cause if it should appear that blame was attributable to those :stet
whom had originated the measures complained of in the i'eti!:l3
presented by the Hon. and Learned Member, he was ready to ad.
mit that he ought to be implicated, for he was free to confess every
thing that had been done in the affair had his concurrence, or sr,s
rather done with his advice. With respect to the charge of &wise
omitted to include the I louse of Keys in the disposal of erirtira
business, he had, before making up his own mind on the su.';ezt,
asked the opinion of the Attorney-General of the Island( Mr.Cl irk e'
and subsequently those of the legal advisers of the Crown, al of
whom were unanimous in their opinion that the House of Keys
were not entitled to exercise that share in the administration of
criminal justice, which up to that period they had discharged;
but as that part of the case was still under the consideration of his
Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council, he should nut say more
upon it at present. There had been bickerings between the Ilatt-r
of Keys and the Duke of Athol for some time, but he had under-
stood that these parties were reconciled in 1823; he was there-
fore exceedingly sorry to we them again coining forward with
charges in that House. Another charge brought fin ward by tine
Petitioners wad connected with the removal of the Deemster front
his office, but he was sorry to be obliged to state that that of
had been removed in consequence of gross misconduct in the di,-
charge of his official duty, which guilt was fully established in tits
course of a judicial inquiry. That misconduct consisted in his hav-
ing, while holding the high situation of Judge of the Island, ad.
vised a female servant to bring an action far defamation, and islsl
for a year's wages, against her late master ; and further, with hav-
ing been present at a public-house when those actions were com-
promised by the payment of a sum of money—(Hear, hear). la
the investigation of that affair, it was clearly established that a cri.
minal connexion existed between the Ikentster and that woman.,
and which had continued up to the period of the inquiry—a con-
nection so unworthy of that Magistrate, as a married man axed the
father of a large family, as left to him (Mr. Secretary Peel) no al-
ternative but to remove hint from olhice—.(Hear, hear). With re.
ference also to the removal of another public officer (the late Attor-
ney-General of the Island), he was sorry to say that that nteasur
also had arisen out of gross misconduct by that individual, he li w-
ing been clearly convicted of a most gross offence—the indecent
exposure of his person—(llear, hear). Under these cireurnaan.t...s,.
therefore, he thought it very hard of the House of Keys to c.,ele
forward and complain of the removal of those Individuals, and as-
cribe the measures to unworthy motives—(hear, hear). He de-
clared upon his honour as a Gentleman, that in advising the dis-
missal of those persons he had nothing but the public interest
in view, and the maintenance of the respectability of the Magis-
tracy, and not the consideration whether they had or had not ren-
dered themselves obnoxious to the Duke of Athol—( I fear, hear).
With respect to that Noble Person, he felt bound to say, that not-
withstanding Isis having been referred to its all the disputes in which
the-Isle of Man had lately been embroiled, he (Mr. Peel) bad not
discovered any ground for complaint against the Noble Duke for
abuse of his official powers—(Hear, hear).
Mr. BRIGHT was of opinion that the House of Keys ought to
be informed of the grounds on which their Judges had been dis-
missed. To the want of information on that head might be ascribed
much of the irritation that had arisen.

Mr. HUM E supported the Petition.—From what he knew of
the Isle of Man, be believed the disputes had originated in the ano-
malous nature of the duties enforced by the Governor, which had
occasioned muds jealousy as to his jurisdiction in many instances.
The ATTOn N EV-G EN ER A I. observed, that it was an error
to suppose that the decision with respect to the right of the Mouse
of Keys to sit on cases of Jail Delivery was made under circum-
stances of imperfect information. lie and his Learned Friend had
obtained the most perfect information before coming to any resolu-
tion on that subject ; and one of the Judges, so long back as the year
1696, had declared in terms that the House had no such right. With
reference to the Governor, he was sole President of the Chancery
Court, and needed not the assistance of tke Deemster, without it
was his own express wish, and then the Deemster was there only
as an Assessor. Under these circumstances. he did not think this
was a question on which the House could with propriety decide.
Mr. BROUGHAM, in reply, contended for the right of the
House of Keys to attend without summons to deem the law. He
entered at some length into the defence of the character of Mr.
Robert Cunningham, whom he considered to be a most gentleman-
like, well-educated young man, against whom there could not pos-
sibly be adduced any instance of misconduct, except in the instance
of his having, as it was alleged, indecently exposed himself at a
ball, where he had unfortunately become intoxicated, of which,
however, he professed he Was not aware. Since that occurrence,
however, he had visited in the Duke of Athol's family by his per-
mission, and le had even gone so far as to recommend that he
should be appointed a Key. He thought these circumstances would
prove the propriety of adopting a different line of conduct with re-
spect to the government and administration •f that island—in other
words, that the Governor should not be a person whose interests
were opposed to the interests of the island.
Mr. Secretary PEEL said he held in his hand a Report of Mr.
Clarke, with reference to the conduct of the individual alluded to,
on which the determination had been formed.

Mr. BROUGHAM, though he respected the character of the.
Gentleman alluded to, felt disposed to acquiesce in the opinion he
had delivered, he not residing in the island.
The Petition was then read, purporting to be the humble Peti-
tion of the House of Keys of the Isle of Man, stating certain bun -
ances, and praying such relief as the House might think fit.
A Message front the Lords announced their Lordships' assent tss
the Coal Exchange Bill, without amendment ; to the Irish Clergy
Residence Bill; the Irish Mining Association Bill ; and the Bank-
rupt Laws Amendment Bill; the Combination Laws Repeal Bill,
with certain amendments ; to which they prayed the concurrence
of the House.

Mr. BROUGHAM, in moving the Petition should be printed,
expressed a hope that during the summer an inquiry into the allega-
tions of the Petitioners would take place, on the basis of the iuguiry
instituted in the year 1791.—The motiun was agreed to, and the
Petition ordered to be printed.
Mr. BRIGHT presented a Petition from Wm. Kelly and Thos.
Green, of Douglas, in the Isle of Man, complaining of the undue
' administration of justice.
Mr. MONCK presented a similar Petition from Thus. Christian,
lof Ramsey.

TIIE MISSIONARY, MR. SMITH.
Mr. JOHN WILLIAMS presented a Petition from certain of
the Merchants and Inhabitants of the Town of Liverpool, stating
their indignation and regret at the death of the Missionary, Mr.
Smith, at Demerara, and remonstrating strongly against the crud
prohibition of the Governor against Mrs. Smith's attending the fu-
neral of her husband.

Dr. LUSNINGTON presented a Petition from certain Chris-
tian Separatists of Newry, Belfast, and Armagh, against being
compelled by law to take affidavits.—These Petitions were ill laid
on the table.

Sir T. ACLAND presented a Petition from the South of t: c
County of Devon, praying for the Repeal of the Duty on Chic:..
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER stated, that St
hoped to be able in next Session, to bring into operation a pl,in be
had in contemplation for reconciling their interests to those of :lie
revenue.—The Petition was laid on the table.
Sir F. BURDETT presented the Petition of George Ensor, of
the county of Armagh, stating a variety of evils which had arise:)
out of the irritating practice of making processions of Orange Lodges
and Associations in that ..aunty. The result too frequently wag,
that these proct-lon4, psi by the houses of Catholics,with drums
and fifes, and tiniriend!y emblems, irritated thent to repel the
U.sait, din: not oat equently lives were lost in the affray. It was.
the mare n:::y to take notice of it at this period, because, it
not checked by t i:e Magistrates, there was every reason to appre-
hend th At on the appitiacbing 12th of July there would b.t abun-
dant mischief en:a:es: by these processions.—The redtioa being
read, WA3 laid u:1 the table.