Star.
London, England, 1819-04-28 00:00:00

DROGHEDA PRTITIOIL

The reduced List of Memben appointed to try the
merits of the Drogheda Petition was brought up and
read. It was as follows :

Sir Thomas Mostyn, C M. Phillips, Esq.
Jfteph Pitt, Esq. D. Dugdale, Esq.
W. H. Scourileid, Fs/. R. Vinson, Esq.
Hon. Sir G. Cole, C S. Lefevre, Esq,
J. Blair, Esq. Hon. T. Bread,
J. Carrol, Esq. C. W. W. Wynne, Esq.
J. Martin, Esq. Sir J. Stewart. •
T. F. Kennedy, Esq.
On the name of Mr. snit PITT being called
over, the Honourable Member did not appear, and
in consequence the business of the day could not pro-
ceed. A long pause.followed.
Mr. F. BUXTON begged to know the cause of
the deltiy.
The SPEAKER said, if there had been less noise
in the House, the Honourable Member might• have
known that the dela was caused by the circmn.
stance of one of the of the Reduced List,
appointed to try the merits of a Petition complain.
ing of an undue return foe Drogheda, not being pro-
sent to be sworn.

Mr. BUXTON then mo►ed that that Member
should be taken into custody.
Mr. W. W YNNE said, it was impossible for the
}louse to proceed to other business till the ballot was

&paid
Itheugh

•
of. The motion just made was unusual,
he'nuaceived it to be founded on a precedent
armed In the year 1807, when the House committed
in of its Members to the custody ofthe Serjeaut at
Aides for absenting himself, after he had been ',al-
lotted to serve on an Election Committee.
The SPEAKER put the question, " that JOSEPH
Pier, Esq. be committed to the custody of the Ser-
jeant at Arms."
Mr. DENT thought the motion premature. Be-
, fore such a step were taken they ought to be better
informed of the nature of the case. He was sure
something extraordinary had 'happened. It might
be (but he did not know such to be the fact) that
having served on an Election Committee, the Ho-
nourable Member had gone away, thinking himself
free to do so. He was sure he had not negligently
absented himself. and that what had taken place was
the result of some accident that might happen to him
or any other Member. He therefore hoped the mo-
tion would not be pressed.
Mr. BUXTON had not made his motion from any
personal feeling against the Honourable Member,
and was now ready to waive it.
The motion was then withdrawn.

Mr. W. WYNNE repeated his former statement,
that till the Ballot was disposed of. the House could
not proceed with any other business.
Mr. DENT was confident the Honourable Mem-
ber was absent through some mistake, or very un-
usual occurrence.

Lord CASTLEREAGH suggested, that it might
be as well for the Honse to suit a short time to see
if the Honourable •Member would be forthcoming.
Perhaps the best.course would be to send .to his
residence.

The SPEAKER-- As the House could do nothing
till the Ballot was disposed of, thought it advisable
to wait the return of the Honourable Member. As
to sending to him, he begged to state, that as soon
as it was known he was not in his place, he had
taken the liberty to dispatch a Messenger to his resi-
dence instantaneously.
Mr. BERNALL said they were under some un-
certainty when the Honourable Member might re-
turn, and as they might be kept waiting for a very
considerable time, he should move that the House
do now adjourn.
The SPEAKER observed, the House had first to
consider whether this question could be entertained?
He was sure that there was no precedent for it, and
he doubted whether it could be put. But, if such a
motion could be made, then it would be fot the
House to consider whether such were the course that
it would be most expedient to pursue, as, after ad-
journing till to-morrow, fresh difficulties might oc-
cur, and another question might arise, whether a
new Ballot would not be s►ecessary ?
The motion was not pressed, and the House con-
tinued to sit without proceeding to business, expect-
ing the return of Mr. Joseph Pitt.
In about half an hour Mr. J. PITT appeared.
The SPEAKER said, that he was persuaded the
Honourable Member would feel, that as be had
been the cause of .some delay to the House, it was
due to them that the Honourable Member should
state the cause of his absence.

Mr. J. PITT apologized, and explained that his
absence was occasioned by the misinformation. of a

Member, from whom he understood, that In striking
off the names for the Committee.. his own .had been
struck off. On this he went away. at he had spar.
titular reason for wishing to be at home as soon as
possible. He declared that ...no Alvan -wes-zoiwe
anxious than himself to observe the orders: of the
House, and he trusted that under the particular cir-
cumstances of this case, he would meet with the in-
dulgence of the House.
After a few words from Mr.WYNNE, thUMens--
hers of the Committee were sworn in. • :*2-
HALTORD9S DIVORFR ItrLi,. "
Halford's Divorce Bill was committed, and Coun-
sel heard, and witnesses examined on behalf of Mr.
Halford.—The Report was received.
Mr. CROKER objected to the way in which the
Bill was worded, which was such that he was per-
suaded the House could not agree to it. Ha also
thought that the criminality had not been proved.
• Sir E. ENATCHBULL was at a loss to know
what farther
.proof could be required. It was proved
that the parties had been in bed together.
Mr. LIJSHINGTON remarked, it was rather odd
to object to the evidence after the House had gone
out of the Committee.
A fitterna remarked, that one, of the witnesses
had proved that she had listened at Mrs. Halford's
door, and heard that Lady conversing with -her (the
witness's) brother.
Mr. CROKER.—The proof that parties conversed
was no proof of a criminal conversation—(laugliter).
After a few words from Mr. GORDON and Mr.
BzaNALL,

Lord CASTLEREAGH observed, that the parties
had gone to a Court of Law—as the Bill had come
from the other House of Parliament—and as wit-
nesses had been examined, and not one question ask-
ed by those Members who cioibted the evidence, it
was strange to raise objections in the present stage.
After a few words from Dr. Puttuatoaa, the Bill
was ordered to be read a third time to-morrow.