Star.
London, England, 1810-05-10 00:00:00

11706 isigiend e for that
Lad Chief su. ce
which had--
- ---- -- -11rTrivitiba"mti" 5311.16
. ,ed no oeterruption whatever, -although amyl •no content . verb but
erf his i eiclal functions immediately. adjoining tendeci.**. IT fgr turbulent plumes. •
when he entered
_ the. Hall itsel4 on his Ssti WILBPAPOkCE wet& "--d enema ge the .fteo-.
theclsuly/ell--; judicial
plc to petition on ail occasions ; but when under the
ler. from the Court of Sings Bench, far, front wit' --
would justify the character form cif a petition they presented what, he had alMost
nening any conduct that
inscribed to the Meeting
.by the. Hon. Gentleman, his said in thelangts.
.age of the. law,
bring the 3-friuse into " hatred and conteinpt," they
• via seated with the utmost deference.— was calculated to
cordsluP ' -
the debate With respect to the Middlesex Peti- ought not to receiveethat which was substantially of.
teem
"r— expressed the same opinion which be• enter- fensere, because the style was guarded. Thee (the
tioa,di hentis occasion. He dedattd that in neither Petitioners) presented it not with a view of doing
tie--ree° there appear to exist the slightest disposition theniseties good, but to do the House'
evil. their
the contrary, he believed it was , condUct'sheyeed they had a radical distrust, and al-
theeaseivuel'oie-nce- - -°ll
give *sh of the petitioners not to do so:, For :Most amounted to denying that House to be a branch
loos Wish
anxious tdnot, after candidly examining the 1 (tithe -Legislature. If ever again the?.
IA part, he could mean to assert
his of the petition under-debate, find any mad- : thiir ilignity.they ought to reject that petition. He
matter or offensive expression. As to the • regretted that Gentlemen who sometimes expressed
rov"is-sible
;lumber of signatures, this paucity was notoriously ! concern at the language in which the House *as ad-
according to the established custom of the Liver dressed, shotfid speak of others as they did, knowing
w
trre a few signed for the whole. But if, according that honest men may take different views of the same
ts eke doctrine of some Gentlemen, the whole of those subject ; unless they had reason to think their judg-
‘,.ho approved of any petition should subscribe to it, went formed from corrupt Motives, it was not right
tuc
h a doctrine ought to be made public and univer...l to express-themselves in such language as had been
ribed—for otherwise the contrary, whith used. On the questing respecting the late expedition
s4slygePscnreerally the preient course,.might render mint :he had taken a middle course. He. could not ap-
petitions questionable, as to the sentiment of the body ; prove of the expedition, nor could he condemn it in
from whom they professed to come. The Right Hon. i such strong terms as some Gentlemen did, as being
Gentleman (the Chancellor of the Exchequer) had ; alike repugnant to common sense and good intention.
aeeeged diet this petition.contained nothing but insult, l All Administratims had been accused in a similar
d that premeditated too ; but he (Mr. Wardle) 1 way for the last thirty years. The Duke of Port.
711 Id lot conceive that any great , like the' hind's Administration and those of Mr. Pitt and Mr.
ally too ' bob .i
Liver) of London could meditate any setts thing.— : Fox had been each in turn charged- with incapacity,,
could, if he might so express himself, condescend toy and want of integrity. These charges had become 1
olfor, an insult—( Hear, hear, on the Ministerial knchet) so common that they had lost their weight, and being
„eyes, he would repeat, condescend, and even de- I applied to celery Administration could not be believed
grade itself. For, in iris judgment, the party that : even when just. He was not insensible of the excel-
iffered an insult even degraded itself more than the i hence of the Constitution. When he knew great men
party that received it. Vas it to be supposed, that if ; had come to this country but little acquainted with
the party from whom this petition came meant to in- 1 its laws, who, astonished at what they saw, con}d not
suit the House, that that party could not have more ! but contemplate those principles with wonder and
effectually contrived to convey that insult through the 1 admiration which produced such happy effects, was
medium of resolutions ? If it were said that such re- ; his opinion of it to be shaken by the abuse of the
solutions might be prosecuted for libels, he would i vulgar ?—After a farther eulogium onahe Constitu-
k, whether the Livery of London had not as much j tion, he concluded declaring he would never wish to
tight to express their opinipn on public affairs as that ; reject a petition in which unintentional improprieties
}louse could pretend to, and whether the apprchen- !of language might Appear ; but, elites he s •sv one,
'ion of such a prosecution was likely to firm any ! which he could only consider as a studied insult, in-
cause of restraint if the Livery were disposed freely tended to degrade the House in the e} es of the nu.
is animadvert upon the conduct, or.as some Gentle. tion, he shoidd wish it to be rejected, but in snchi
men would impress it, to insult the dignity of that terms as would not deter others from stating tl;eir i
House? Why then should it be supposed. that if ratezances to the House, and seeking redress at their
tir Livery meant to insult • they should resort to a se- i
Node so little suited to the complete gratification of
_Mr. PONSONBY declared his intention to vote !
Stir purpose as a petition tolhat House itself, which ore this occasion as lie had done with regard to the 1
eteisarily subjected thew tiarettreiree, ? Thz: people petitions of Westminster and Middlesex. He would l
lal an unquestionable right to declare their senti- vote for the reception of thz petition, but he certainly I
stets upon every public question ; and why should would not do so it' lie thought it contained a studied"!
they be restrained ? His opinion of. their rights lie insult to the House: This, howevet, he could not i
iiways had and always would maintain both in and 'persuade himself to think, because he could not sup-I
out of that House ; but in maintaining that or any p9se'that men petitioning for any object, would deem
other opinion, lie had no intention to convey.an insult. .it prudent to use insulting language. Indeed, if they
re/tee; the passages irk, this petition deemed Most 'could so intend, they could not be serious in their.
demise, that which asked the House, Where was wish to obtain the object in view ; and if their pen-
is Dignity and Honour ? was, he observed, most tion were rejected, that rejection would he a reproach
inticularly ohjected to. But he, would ask those only upon themselves. aggravated by th: considers- '
vho pressed the objection, where was the dignity, or tion that the conduct which produced it would ra-
ttleAnxxte, or justice of-die House, when it refused Cher tend to perpetuate than, to remedy the evil com-
e investigate the charge brought forward by his plained of. Upon these grounds he must think it
Honourable Friend (Mr. Mad,locks) against two improbable that the petitioners could intend to insult
Inhere of that House (Lord Castlereagh and Me. the House. With regard to the assertion of the Ho-
,
• .ceval) relative to the. sale of seats, when it pre- nourable Gentleman (Mr. Wardle) that the Gen-
tented his Hen. Friend from proving the fact—when, tlemen on his side of the House were more culpable
in a word, it acquitted the delinquents, because, for- than Ministers in the case he referred to, because
sooth, the delinquency Was frequent—because the ac- they, as he alledged, defended the sale of seats ; this
cased hat 1 c nothing more than had been done he- assertiiiii, as well as others used in that House, and
fine?—.ln adverting to this' circumstance, be begged out of doors, served to prove the existence of as
studied
to say, that the charge whirl it produced against that plan of misrepresentation respecting the conduct
House, did not apply more tothe Noble Lord (Castle. of those who were ,the subjects of the Honour-
Leigh) and those about him than
eto the gentlemen on able Gentleman's censure. For the fact was, that
ill:: opposite side who defei;ded him. His language so far froM defending. the Sale of Sete, there wets I
no thiesubject might he mieintee preted ; but be could I actually a;hill in that House at the time alluded to
otliciitue to say, that by the conduct of both. pm- ;to prohibit such tr ilk altogether ; which Bill was
toon the occasion referred to, it was. casually dis- I brought in by an H..nouralJle Friend of his (Mr.'
wired, indeed distinctly avowed, that the purchase I Curwen) and es h ch hill he himself and those with
Netts he that House had been the costtinual practice • whom he had the him eir to act, used every exertion
'il Adminstratinns. How Alen could the Livery in their power to hav carried into . a law. That it
of London be condemned for asking that. House seemed unsuitable to the plait he had mentioned to
sore was its dignity, where was* its j
,justice, Sifter : have any regard to
_justice, to candour, or to. truth.
'minding such a discovery, and giving impunity : From all, indeed diat he had heard or road of late,
whose who.confessed a gross violation of its best pro- i there was no doubt on his mind of the establishment
raeges ? A Right Hon. Gentleman (Mr. Perceval) :of a system for propagating scandat.---for promoting
kid distinctly stated in that House, that there was no I an impression that all public menwere alike—without
question upon which both sides were so completely t principle or any regard to th: public interest, and en-i
agreed as in a decided opposition to reform ; and 1 gaged in seeking only their own sinister objects.—
why should he be surprised' to find bit own words the I Against that Douse these -sl enders were, he observ-
loguage of the public ? Yet•he now denounced the i of, particularly levelled. What, that any assembly
topktition 4 his mix Imignage as extremely offensive. i composed of Gentlemen of property, talents, and edu-
The Petitioners were. it appeared, rather unlucky in' cation, should be actuated only by love'of place or a
Ttpeatia,g the Right Hon. Gentleman's words. But, ;view of plunder—could be blind to every consideration
in truth, from %% hat the Right lion. Gentleman and iof character, and look only to the purNuit of gain ?
elses had maintained in the course of 'his and a re- i Was it possible that there could exist such an unbar-
t'nt discussion, it seemed impossible for the people !. y public—such a nation of tools, as te) believe such
'A present any statement of their grievances to that : language ? Sure lie was, that there was a great deal
House, unless the precise words in which that •state- '; of integrity and li mom cm both sides oldie House, for
aka should be drawee u!-,•, were distinctly pointed . he never doubted the integrity or honour of any Gen- j
etd. Unless such a coarse indeed were chalked nut, 1 tleman, because he happened to differ from him in 1
itwas not possible to guard any petition against the ' opinion. There were indeed in all times differences I
cavilling, hypocritical spirit, which was now so pre- of opinion among the most honourable men upon the
'Nene and which there was too much reason to fear most important topics. Many honourable men were
Proceeded from a desire to stifle the voice of the pen- : found to differ even es to the nature of our Constitn-
Ple. He would be sorry that:such a desire should ' tion. That celebrated man, Lord Somers, was, it
"Ist in air quarter, and particulaily in that House, would be recollected, once impeached before the
from which the people had a right to expe/f very dif. : House of Lords, through the spi; it of party, and
- 1
ferent conduct, That the people had any intention ; the influence of misrepresentation, and yet did any
to insult that House, he distinctly denied. If they ; one now believe that Lord Somers was not an
really meant to insult, he did not think that they i honest.man ; or did any one now believe that that,
would petition at all. But he firmly believed that 1 great leader of the Tories was not an honest man ? 1
da people looked to that House as their most essen- , Yet that Noble Lord was once the subject of consi-
-I'4 support. It was not indeed to that House that the ! derable censure. But atter the convulsions which
People ever objected, but that corruption, peculation . agitated this country—after all the men of property,
which there was notoriously so much ; education and reflection had become disgusted with
n to complain. Such was his fixed opinion—and the conduct of those who by the bye pretended to be
'he thought otherwise, he would have pursued a dif. all virtuous, and the restoration of Charles the Se-
ll:flit line of conduct. He fully believed that the Pe- cond took place, Lord Clarendon rendered a most
tainners in this case had no other object than to coin- important service. When, through the enthusi-
Plain of what they deemed an abuse. If he could astir loyalty of the day, it was proposed to grant such ,
conceive that their intention was to insult the House, a revenue toCharles as should make it unnecessary for
11: declared that he should have no hesitation in voting him afterwards to refer to Parliament, Lord Claren-
! r the rejection of their Petition—but his conception don, notwithstanding his devotion to Monarchy, sue-
lel decidedly opposite, he would vote for its re- cessfuhiy resisted the idea, declaring that he would
teetion. ! never consent to render the Crown independent of
Mr• JACOB disclaimed the intention imputed to ' Parliament. Accordingly the'Monarch never forgot'
him by Coe last
V speaker, of reflecting upon the Li- the resistance of Clarendon, and eafter giving him
en,' of London, the ae 'orit of whom, he believed, '
.up to abuse, sold. him to his enemies. Reverting
to a very honest, iuddiustrioY us, well-conducted, and •to the indiscriminate censure cast upon all pub-