Star.
London, England, 1820-08-04 00:00:00

PR-14 EN —PE stE,..
_ .

Which was at present going forward. It was stated
in the former Petition, 'that a BM for the degrada-
tion of the Queen had been introduced in the House
of Lords ; and surelx it was as clear as the light of
the sun that such a Bill had been brought in, and on •
evidence examined by a Secret Coinmittee. This,
therefore, appeared to be merely a technical objec-
tion ; but still he thought the Court should not cone
teed against it, Unless, by acquiescing in the rejec-
tion of the-Petition, they were to compromise some
right. - Though they might have committed some
small mistake in point of form, be denied that there
had been any intention to offend ;
,and, considering
the difficulty which Parliament itself had experienced
on the subject, it was not wonderful that they 'should
have fallen into a mistake. Unless the Court framed
another Petition, to which no objection could be
Urged, he was sure her Majesty's enemies would say)
that they.had presented a Petition which they wished
to be rejected. In asiopting the course which he now
proposed, they had only one comma) object with the
rest of their fellow-coontrymen—to claim the exer-
cise of those rights and privileges which had been
handed down to them by their ancestors. If the Ree
solutions which he was about to move should be
agreed to, he Mould further move, that a Petition
conformable to them be presented to the House of
Lords. The Court would perteive, that in the Peti-
tion now propbsed, all that had been said in the for-
mer one about the Secret Committee, and the Judi•
cial character of the House—in short, everything
considered objectionable, had been omitted. He cone
eluded by moving three Itetolutioos (fur which ere
Adt7ertisement).
Mr. Ift/itemise seconded the Resolutions.
Mr. S. Duce.: believed the Hon. mover to be cor-
rect when he stated, that every word of the Petition
had been drawn up with the intend= of avoiding
everything offensive. Ile was not afraid of saying
that the Court had A tight to Address the Crown, Or
to Petition either House of Parliament; but he de-
nied that they had any right to dic.ate either to the
Sovereign or to the Legislature.' It was because they
had no such right that he thought amore properor a
more stinging answer had neverbeen given than that
of the House of Lords to the late Pe:ition. In facte
that Court did not occupy,
:in the opinion of the
world, the same high estimation that they formed of
themselves; and of this they had seen an instance in
the manner in which their Petition: had been treated
in the House of Peers. rtespectingthe.propriety :of
Petitioning, it had never- been demisted. by. anyeseee
sible man that to interfere in a cause, while pending
in a Court of Judicature,' was what. ne individual
ought to do, and whaono body Of then had-aright to
do. If anything could endanger ilseir rights, it was
the assutnption of that which was no right; and if
ever their liberties should be endangered, it would be
by the abuse of them. ft would,be well for tho'se
who were taking the-present course, with the view
of serving the cause of thee Queen, to beweetethat
their exec inns did' not rather tend to injure it; fir
oftenanindisereet friend was the worst of enemies.—.
In the part which he took on this question, his tato-
' tives were as. pure as•thosae which influenced Gentle..
men on the other side of the Court; and, therefoixe
he hoped it wculd not be imputed to any improper
feeling on his part if he voted, as he believed- he
should, against the present Resolutions,
Mr. cokAm had thought that the Hon. Member'
who had spoken last would have stated something in
the shape of argument and reason against the Resolu-
tions to which he had objected. It was not true, as
had been alleged, that in the former Petition they
had taken upon themselves to ray what the green bag
contained: allthey had said on the subject was, .that
the Bill appeared to them to have originated in evi-
dence laid before a Secret Committee, and procured
by the Milan Commissioe; hut what that evidence
was, 'either in subject or in character, the Petition
did not allege. But the Honourable Member (Mr.
Dixon) had told them, that'if they wished to.seree fhe
cause of the Queen, this was not ,the proper;ceuese.
He, however (Mr. Oldham), stood, these to advocate
no cause but that of lustier. That ivas-the semisoft*
by which he was actuated ; aedlieheni jainedin
petitioning against this Bill, it weroirder the cbtivica
time that it might one clay affect liirrkkenia Avery.
subject in the kingdoms as well as ethre'llietricrui Per-
son who was the immediate objittt atetineeeehtfgelit
Wes, directed—(Hear, hear).--fit era." Ntir, *teat
(loaxtit,itutional ground that he wishesteq kpoKkit
was not proper to petition the' Leglature-k Mates
contended the other side, that House e&Lorda
were acting in this matter, not in -a legislatiie; 'eat
in a judicial capacity, and that, therefore, to pekrtion •
against this Bill was to interfere with theiteLor&
ships judicial functions. The slightest observetian,
,however, must convince any one. that the Heruse of-
Lords were acting in the mixed -eharieter ofjudges
and legislatOrs; and that. beinx 'the- tase„ At, ,could
not see why a Petition:against 'their proededings
should be diffeiene froth that which vroold'he tate
ceived io other 'eases. He woul% notgoirittett4
rats of thCBIII at
.pireseet ; but he conceived Ilia if
they went the House of Lords with a -Petition Usse
exceptionable tri roust' of Erm, it• not Only might,
but it must be received. It had been said, that-the
consequenie of this Petition's being received, would
be to load the table of their Lordships with similar
Petitions from all parts of the kingdom ; but, fur his
ow npart, he would rather that the table of the House
of Lords should be broken,with the load of Petitions,
than that.any one-Conscitution.ii right should be vio-
lated—(l-lear, hear).
'IWO WILLIAMS (the Sheriff-Elict) suppofted the
Resolutions. Gentlemen opposite thought the fore
met 'Petition coutaieed matter :hat wairei.ted its re-
jecticoe but they must be gratified to see the readiness
cif the Mover to Oink eves? objectionable expression
in-that which was to be pi oeosed.
Mr." Alderman Wen 'li MAN saw no necessity foe
saying thhch on this question at present, but thete
were some partiCular points that, in his opinion, had
'not been- sutEtiently dthei ieti to. The Hon. :11entber
•