Star.
London, England, 1822-07-18 00:00:00

remembered that some itif ther;e Wae eat indsat Home
were proprietors of their-own seats, and the nominees
of others. Many of the privileges Alibied by that
House, he objected to; and tow one SW* than that
which gave its Members exemption limn personal ar-
rest.
This might be a very proper privilege when ,
Parliaments were of short duration, and when they ,
sat for only about forty days ; but at preterit this pri- I
vilege was nothing more than a protection to the siis- i
honest against the payment of their debts. And yet
it was altogether inconsistent ; for, according to the
legal provisions, a Member ought not to be in debt at'
all ; at he was obliged, on taking leis teat, to swear
to-the possession of his qualifications in landed pro-
perty, dear of all incumbrance, which meant vir-
tually that he was not in debt. On the whole, he
should decidedly object to the exercise of the power
claimed, as it was now, by the House. In thus de-
ciding he did not look at the person, but at the prin-
•ciple, and the object which the House appeared to
wave in view. It followed, therefore, that he should
vote against any motion personally affecting the Gen-
tleman who had just left the Bar, and he should cer-
tainly take the sense of the House epon such a motion.,
Mr. S. WORTLEY agreed with the Hon. Baronet,
that the breach of privilege, if any, had ben caused
by the fault of the House itself. It suffered its de-
bates to be reported, and therefore ought not to ex-
pect that every person commented upon in those de-
bates should sit down quietly under imputations
which might be cast upon him. There could be no
doubt that the Hun. and Learned Gentleman who
bad been alluded to (Mr. Abercromby) had brought
forward his motion in a fair and proper manner; but
if that Hon. and Learned Member had been misin-
formed, it would be unjust to deprive a person re-
ferred to by the Hon. and Learned Member, of the
right to defend himself. He therefore should also
vote with the Hon. Baronet against any motion
having the punish . ern of Mr. Hope for its object.
Mr. CANNING said his opinion on the present
subject might be stated in a very few words. It ap-
pealed that the House had already decided the para-
gr.aph ill question to be a breach of privilege. He
was not present at the debate on that subject, and it
was now too late for him to give an opinion upon it.
The question now before the House was merely whe-
ther the Gentleman who had left the Bar was the in-
dividual who had committed that breach of privi-
lege? He should 'Bte for the present motion, be-
cause it affirmed that proposition; but be did not say
that he was prepared to cancer in any vote which
went to impose any, even the slightest punishment
upon Mr. Hope. He should vote for the motion, be-
cause it embraced a mere matter of fact.

Mr. COURTENAY said, that he conceived the
present motion merely conseitilientiarupon that which
,had been agreed to by the House on a former even.'
ing, he had not thought it necessary to state what
was the ultimate course he intended to submit to the
consideration of the House. As this had been, how-
ever, somewhat inconveniently anticipated, be would,
with the permission of the House, state the nature of
the motion with which he intended to follow up the
present, should it be agreed to by the House.—,[lt
was here suggested to the Hon. and Learned Meinber
that the present motion might beat once disposed ofj.
The SPEAKER then put the question, which was
agreed to without a division.
Mr. COURTENAY then rose to propose his ulte-
rior proceedings. He in the first place disclaimed
being a party to the approbation bestowed on Mr.
.Hope's address; and be also disclaimed any inten-
t ion to oppress that Gentleman by the weight of
.p ower which the House possessed. Every one would
• gree that the privilege of speech in that House was
etessary for the good of the people; but in the pre-
• ent instance he had been induced to call the atten-
tion of the House to the publication, to prevent by
the interference of the House the serious conse-
quences which he apprehended from a personal ren-
contre between the parties. Mr. Hope had now
given such an explanation as in his opinion tended to;
satisfy the House that he had not intended any dis-
respect towards the House, and therefore he thought
the /Luse 'should not now press the matter further
against him, and in "pursuance of that opinion, he
should now move as a Resolution, " That the Speaker
be directed to communicate to Mr. Hope, that the
House had voted him guilty of a breach of privilege,
'.ut in consideration of the explanation he had given,
he House would proceed no further against him."
Sir R. WILSON said, that this was a breach of
.rivilege that the House was more bound to look at
h:us any other. Nothing was more hurtful to the
freedom of debate, than to allow censures on Mem-
bers to pass unnoticed. It was necessary, to prevent
any personal consequences, from the course alopted
by the House.
Sir R. FERGUSSON said he had no wish to keep
op any irritation which unfortunately existed; but
the respect he bore to an excellent friend who was
absent (Mr. Stuart), compelled him to antics a para-
graph in Mr. Hope's pamphlet of a most libellous
mature, reflecting on Mr. S. It was that which in-
-trod uced the expression describing Mr. S. as " the
heartless ruffian who sought revenge by means of his
minions, whom he ordered to bind the arms of his
victim." This assertion respecting Mr. Stuart, he
(Sir R. Fergosson) declared in his place in Parlia-
ment, to be one of the most maliciOus falsehoods that
had ever disgraced the press. Mr. Hope, when he
introduced this, must hare been aware that the fact
isestion had been denied by Mr. Stuart. He (Sir
P. Feigusson) thought it necessary to notice this, lest
an impression should go abroad unfavourable to a
gentleman who was respected by all who knew him.'
Mr. BROUGHAM said he hid ho dolsbt thatthe
privileges of the House had Ista briikent.ncir was it
merely, as had been stared by the gentleman •at the
ear, a technical breach of privilege. This was not
like a braich arising from the mere_pablication or
the proceedings of the House. under the failisigs
by which Mr. Hope was actuated, he would bathe's.*
man to criticise the language too minutely. The in-
vestigation had been only begun, as the papers bababeen ordered to be laid on the table. Mr. Hope,
well as others, was upon his trial, and that war al
reason for as lenient a punishment as possible. 'lthrtl
he must say that .a substantial. breach of privilege
had been committed ; as a direct attack had been
made on a Member of Parliament in the discharge of
Isis duty. The language was such as, it it had been
used b) one Member to another, would have called
for the instant animadversion of the Chair. Hii Ho.

:leasable Friend had Wien charged-with doing that in