The Statesman.
London, England, 1810-05-25 00:00:00

re de EDITOR of The STATESMAN.

Ste ; —Looking over some papers a few days
since, the enclosed met my eye, which being, in
my opinion, curious of its land, I take the liberty
of sending for your perusal.
I am inclined to think, Sir, it might not be un.
acceptable to many of your readers, though of
course it has nothing to do with the present day ;
it will she* a great man's opinion of the British
Psrltiment...l mean that which existed nearly 200
years ago.
If, ilserefore, ft meets yourapprobation, perhaps .
yon may be induced to give it insertion in your
valuable. paper, which, Sir, would greatly oblige
Sidi May, 1810. A WELL WISHER.
SPEECH OF OLIVER CROMWELL IN DISSOLVING
THE' LONG rARLI ANENT.
" It is high time for me to put an end to your sitting is this
pl,sre, which you have dishonoured by your contempt of all
s trine, and defiled by the practice of every vice—Ye are a
factious crew, and enemies to 111 good goverament:_ye are
a park of mercenary wretch~, and wmtld, like FcEAU,
Sell your country for a mess of pottage; and, like JUDAS,
betray your GOD for a few pieces of money. Is there a
single virtue now remaining among you ? Is there one vice
ou do not possess? Ye have no more religion than my
finrse. Gold is your God. Which of ye have not bartered
your conscience for bribes ? Is there a man among you tird
lac the least care forthe azood ,A* the Commouwealth ? Ye
sordid prostitutes, ~Ave yenot defiled this sacred place, and
turned the Lord's Temple into a den of thieves, by your im-
moral principles and wicked practices ? Ye are grown
intolerably vicious to the whole nation. Ye are deputed here
to get grievances redressed. Are ye not yourselves be-
come the greatest gricynact. t Your country, therefore, calls
upon me to cleanse this Atigean stable, by putting a final end
to yoar iniquitous proceedings in this Rome, and which, by
Cod's hellh and the strength he has given me, I am now
come to do; I command you, therefore, upon the peril of
your lives. to depart imasediately out of this place. Go—get
ye out—make haste, ye venal slaves, begone! so take away
that shining bauble there, and shut up the doors."

The authority of Lord KENYON has been quoted
iu support of the assertion that the privileges of
Parliament arc not questionable in a Court of
Law. A case, however, has been cited, in which
Lord KENTON held a directly contrary opinion.
It was in the year 1799, in giving judgment upon
a rule to show cause why.* criminal information
should not be grant►d against 3. WRIGHT, for
printing and publishing a libel on Josh Henna
TOMS E. Tito alleged libel was. contained in a
Report of the House of Commons which WRIGHT
had printed. Lord KENYON made use of the fol.
lowing words (see the Bth vol. of the Tern% Re.
ports, p. 2901 " I do not say that cases may not
be put in which vie would not enquire whether or
not the House of Commons were justified in any
particular measure. If, for instance, they were
to send their Serjeant at Arms to arrest a Counsel,
here, who was arguing a case between two indi-
viduals, or to grant an injunction to stay the pro.
ceedings.here in a commonaction, undoubtedly we
should pay no attention to it."
OxroltD, Mai 23.—1 n consequence of the al-
lusion made by Mr. Grattan, in the debate of
Friday last, to the late election of the Chancellor,
Lord Grenville, and the silence of the University
un the Catholic Potitions, a Convocation was this
morning held, in which it was resolved, without
opposition, That the' Representation in Parlia.
merit fur this University, be requested to oppose
the Motion made by Mr. Grattan—the debate on
which builds adjoorned to Friday next ; and to re.
silt those Petitions of the Roman Catholics of Eng-
land and Ireland, which pray for the 4 the total
repeal of every test, oatl►, declaration, or provi.
Sion, which has the effect of subjecting the Peti.
tiimers to any penalty or disability whatsoever, on
account of their religious principles."