The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1848-04-18 00:00:00

A SCENE IN THE COMMONS.

in the House of Commons on Thursday, Mr. Thornely,
Chairman of Petitions, brought up the report of the
committee on the Monster Petition, presented on the 10th
instant, in favour of the Charter. The report stated that
the petition was a gross fraud on the house, and on the
right and privilege of petitioning.—(Hear.) The hon.
member for Nottingham when he presented it, assured
the house that the petition was signed by 5,706,000 indi-
viduals. Now the committee had employed 13 clerks of
law stationers to count the names, in which duty they
were employed seventeen hours (hear), and the result of
their inquiry was, that the petition contained only
1,975,472 signatures.—(Hear, hear.) It was also evident
that numbers of names were in the handwriting of the
same persons ; some were signed " her Majesty the
Queen," (hear, hear); others " Prince Albert," the
Duke of Wellington," " Sir Robert Peel," " Pug Nose, '
and signatures of the most absurd and ridiculous descrip-
tion. The report having been read at length amidst cries
of " oh, oh," was ordered to lie on the table.
Mr. CRIPPS, in a v-ry animated speech, condemned the
representation of the hon. member for Nottingham at the
time he presented the petition. The hon. member said
the petition weighed upwards of five tons. What was
the fact ? It only weighed something more than five
hundred weight.—(Hear, hear, and " shame, shame.")
He also stated that all the signatures were those of males ;
now, on examining the petition, it was said that out of
every 100,000 signatures, there was an average of 8200 of
females.—k Hear, hear.) Besides, there were numbers of
signatures which would shock the veriest strumpet that
ever walked the streets.—(Loud cries of " hear, hear,"
and " shame, shame") The name of the Duke of Wel-
lington was signed upwards of 30 times, Prince Albert a
number of times, and he did not know how many times
the name of the hon. member for Lincoln (Col. Sib-
thorpe) was attached.— (Great laughter.) The hon.
member at some length pointed out other absurdities
relating to the petition, which caused great animation in
the house. He thought a select committee ought to be
appointed, fully and most minutely to investigate the
petition, for he believed a more gross fraud had never
been practiced on that house. He then defended the
committee impugning the veracity of Mr. O'Connor, and
stating that he had forfeited any right to have " credence"
attached to any of his sentiments in future in the house.
Mr. F. O'CosNolt said he had not seen the petition
before be was requested to present it. (Cries of " Oh,
oh:") He should vote for a committee to inquire into
the subject, as he did not believe sufficient time had at
present elapsed to allow the committee on petitions to in-
vestigate it. (Hear, hear.)
Mr. CRIPPS said there was a memorandum found in
the petition, stating that the party writing it could not
obtain more signatures unless he obtained additional pay.
(Hear and laughter.)
Mr. F. O'CONNOR again expressed a wish that a com-
mittee should be appointed to institute an inquiry on the
subject. The hon. member then bowed to the Speaker,
and left the house, stating that he would have one of the
charges settled elsewhere.
Colonel SIBTMORPE most indignantly denied that he
had ever attached his name to such a filthy petition.
(Laughter.) He would never have soiled his hands by
touching such a document ;—(laughter)—and those who
affixed his name to the petition, could he get hold of
them, should have a good hiding. (Loud laughter, and
" Order, order.")
Mr. R. PALMER said, from some observations used, he
thought a breach of the peace might be in contemplation
by the hon. member for Nottingham.
Lord J. RUSSELL moved that the hon. member for
Nottingham be called upon to attend in his place in the
house henceforth.

The messenger some time afterwards returned, and
stated that he had seen Mr. O'Connor. and informed him
of what the house had decided upon ; but he declined to
pay attention to its wishes. Sir G. GREY then moved
that the member for Nottingham be taken into custody,
which was agreed to, and in a short time he was brought
to the house, when a mutual explanation took place be.
tween him and Mr. CRIPPS, and the petty fracas was
concluded.