The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1838-03-02 00:00:00

BREACH OF PRIVILEGE.-ADJOURNED DEBATE.

Lord M A I DSTONE moved that the older be read for resuming
the adjourned debate on the question that Mr, O'Connell be re-
primanded in his place by Mr. Speaker.
Mr.'r-ErtnArtvEs moved as as amendment, that the house.
taking into consideration that several members had avowed their
belief that the decisions of election committees sworn well and
truly to try the matters before them were biassed by party in-
terests and questions; and considering, the late elections ',tad
been impugned in the strongest terms by the.public press; con-
sidering, moreover, that the house had ordered to be read a
second time a bill to regulate the time of elections and returns
of members -to serve in parliament, was content to proceed no
further in the said matter.

The amendment being seconded,
Mr. CRESSWELL rose, and observed that it ill became the
noble lord opposite to attempt to impute the shabbiness to hon.
members last night upon his side of the house, in respect to their
conduct on this occasion, when it was recollected what bad been

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the course pursued by the noble lord since the attention of the
house had been first drawn to the subject before them by the
noble member for No►thau►pton. When that noble lord. had
given a notice upon that subject, the noble secretary of state for
the home department had also given a notice, conditionally,
dependent upon the course which the noble lord near him should
pursue. If the notice which the noble lord thus conditionally
gave, relative to expressions used elsewhere with reference to
the canduct of honourable members by a right reverend prelate,
were given not with a purpose and determination to bring such
a breach of privilege before the house, but with a view to screen
from punishment a political ally, then he must say that such was
not a very dignified line of conduct. Whilst, on the contrary,
if the ❑oble secretary did intend to bring the charge forward,
not through a sense of his public duty, but in retaliation for
bringing the honourable member before the house to answer for
his offence, then he must say that such conduct was something
worse than undignified. (Loud cheers.) The mover of the
amendment said it was better to dismiss the subject. Now, for
his own part, he was not so anxious for punishment. Enough he
thought had been done for vindicating the honour of the mem-
bers of that house. ( Hear, hear.) He was one who enter-
tained, despite of all that had been stated, a respect for the vote
of the House of Commons. Last night, in a house containing
520 members, the honourable and learned member for Dublin
had been charged with uttering a slanderous charge against
members of that house. How was this met? The secretary
of war, representing the ministry, did not attempt to exculpate
the honourable and learned member, or meet the charge. He
proposed the previous question. (Hear, hear.) But, in that
house of 520 members, the offence imputed to the honourable
and learned member was voted to be a false and scandalous
charge without a division. (Bear, bear.) The noble lord
had asked why bad they not adopted a stronger proposition as
to the extent of the punishment of the offence. He wished no
stronger course to be adopted on this occasion. He and his
friends had appealed to the house as to a jury upon the subject
of this charge, and the jury had acquitted them. The noble
secretary had exonerated them in his speech from the foul
charge, although he would not put it on record by his vote. The
effect of all punishment, he had found in his pro-fessional expe-
rience, depended upon the constitution, the feelings, and the
character of the person upon whom the sentence was to be pro-
nounced. He had witnessed the effects of a verdict of guilty
upon an offender who had suffered extremely, and been quite
abashed, though it was known the punishment would be slight,
whilst the sentence when pronounced upon others with a full
knowledge that the punishment would be severe, had been re-
ceived by the delinquent with callous indifference—the former
being liable to a punishment of only one month'simprisonment,
the latter to two years and the tread-mill. (Hear.) What the
honourable and learned gentleman would feel when submitting
to the reprimand for his offence, and exposed to the indignity
of correction, aggravated by that which the speaker might be
disposed to add in vindication of the insulted honour of that
assembly, it was not for him to divine; but this he knew, that
if he were ever to he placed in such a situation, the reproof of
the chair of that house could not fail to produce an effect upon
him that he could not forget to the latest hour of his existence.
These were his feelings in reference to this subject. They
were, he hoped, the feelings which ought to actuate a gentleman
and a man; and he thought that, under such a mortifying in-
fliction, those feelings would not be lessened in their intensity
by remaining after it a member of that house; he would most
assuredly take the earliest opportunity of retiring. (Loud
cheering from the opposition benches.)
Some further discussion took place, in which Mr. Wynn,
Lord Castlereagh, Sir F.-Pollock, &c., took part.
The house then divided. The numbers were—
For the amendment
Against it
Majority —24
Mr. GRA TTn N then moved that the following words be added
to the motion :—Notwithstanding,, that the bon. members for
the county and the city of Cork, for the borough of Sligo, the
borough of Liskeard, and the borough of Falkirk, had avowed
in their places in that house sentiments similar to those ex-
pressed by the lion. member for Dublin ; and although that
house was contented to pass uncensored, and even unnoticed,
a published charge of the Bishop of Exeter, accusing the ca-
tholic members of the house of a disregard to their oaths, and
denouncing the exercise of their rights as " treachery agravated
by perjury."
This was also negatived after debate and a division; the num-
bers were f—ayes, 197 ; noes, 226; majority against the amend-
ment, 29.

The original motion for the reprimand was then carried.
Lord 'MA osToNiz afterwards moved that Mr. O'Connell be
ordered to attend in his place i❑ the house this day, which
motion was also agreed to.

Mr. GILLON said that he agreed in the sentiments of Mr.
O'Connell.

Mr. HumE moved that the words be taken down, which was
done. _

Lord G. LENNOX called attention to the slow promotion of
the officers of the royal marines, and moved an address to her
Majesty, recommending the expediency of adopting some plan
to accelerate promotion generally in that corps.
Captain BoLDEEO seconded the motion.
Mi. C. WOOO resisted the motion as uncalled for, and de-
fended the system of promotion adopted as applied to the royal
marines.

The house then divided, when there appeared—
Ayes
Noes ... .

Majority
The announcement of the numbers was received with loud
cheers.

The other orders of the day were then disposed of, and the
house adjourned at a quarter to one o'clock.
HOUSE OF COMMONS.—WEDNESDAY.

The speaker took the chair at four o'clock, at.. which time a
great number of members were present, and the strangers'
gallery was crowded to exccess.
The Paington Ha, hour Bill was read a third timeand passed.
Air. O'Connell entered the house at a quarter past four
o'clock, and took his usual seat on the ministerial benches. The
hon. and learned member had a large bundle of petitions under
his arm, and as he walked up he bowed to a number of mem-
bers as if anxious to attract attention. No expression of feel-
ing, on either side, however, was manifested.
A number of petitions on various subjects wete presented.

CORN-LAWS.

The Marquis of CHAN DOS enquired if it was the intention of
the hon. member for Wolverhampton (Mr. Villiers) to bring
forward the motion, of which he had given notice for to-morrow,
for a repeal of the corn-laws? It was highly important to know
whether the motion was to come on to-morrow or not.

Mr. TI-1014NLEY said his hon. colleague (Mr. Villiers) had
not been able to attend the house since Monday, in consequence
of indisposition, but he saw his hon. friend this morning, and
he informed him that if he (Mr. V.) was able to attend the house
to-morrow he should certainly persevere in his motion. (Hear.)