The Statesman.
London, England, 1810-05-21 00:00:00

rowgß OF PARLIAMENT.

Akthe pending trial between Sir F. Burdett and
the Speaker of the House of Commons involves
a more than ordinary portion of public interest,
we shall submit to the consideration of our Read-
ors the following Resolution of the Commons, re.
faller) to their own privileges, passed in the year
1763 :
" ResnlVed by the Coseratew Parilltinent, 'that privilege
iq Partition:At daft not extend to the ease of wriliag and
publiebiag seilittessi the
nor ought to be allowed to obstruct
the ()raillery course of kw," atc.
It will be seen by the above Resolution bow
far the Haase of Commons have violated their
eon law in the perking -6r Sir F. Burdett and Mr.
Jones. Let us revert to the opinion of Lord
Lyttleton upon this subjects when it game to be
discussed in the House of Lords. We do not
transcribe the whole of his speech on . the occa.
sion ; but as both the Resolution and speech beer
so immediately upon the point at issue, the (el,
lowing extracts will not prove unacceptable to
our Readers
" My Lords, All prioneps elk sottordinitte to the great
laws oteaciety t to the good order, the peace, and the safety
of the State.
" Privilege must not he exercised to the grievous incon- •
venience and detriment of the public; it must not obstruct the
public, justice ; it mast not endow:et. the public Safety.
" The administratiou of justice, and the execution of laws, I
are, by the Constitution of our Government. entrusted to the
Crown and its Officers; hut entrusted under checks beneficial
to liberty, beneficial to justice. But if you change this Sys-
tem; if you take the executive power (rain the Crown, and
place it in either House of Parliament, what check, what con-.
troul, will then remain? An arbitrary power will be there,
which is no where else in our Government—an orhitrary
power without appeal!
" I therefore hope your Lordships will not differ from the
Commons in this resolution, In order to preserve the inde-
pendence of Parliaments, it will be necrc'ary to preserve the
reputadoa of Parliament in the minds of the people, and 'lse •
love of it in their !worts. HIM, my lord:, can tuts be done,
if they find it an obstacle to that equal justice which is their
birth-right and their safety •
" Upon the whole I am confident your•Lardsh!ps will. on
no account depart from that maxim which is the corner-stone_
of all government : that justice should have its course without
stop or impediment, Jus, far. less patetitissime sial. This,
my Lords, is the very soul and essence of freedom. Obstruct
tbs. and you immediately open a door to all violence and
confusion; to all the iniquity and all the cruelties of private
resew ; to the destruction of private peace, the dissolution
of podlic order; and, in tht cod, to on unlimited and devotic
authority, which we must be forced to submit to, as a remedy
against such intolerable evils, The denuoiess of law is the eke-
nsinion of liberty. Privilegerapittob (tee, In matters of high
concernment to the public, cppesseists, Is Waage where,.
'Dever it e4isti." •.. .
Such was the language of a schelart a man of
genius, and a patriot; a man who was *an one.
ment to his country in public and in private life.
The authority of such men wilt always have its
weight in all ages ; men, of whom it may be truly
said, that they but be,fiß to live 40114111. they ate
dead.
Eittract of a letter from limit, dated May 18,
says, " I am happy to acquaint you, that .the
stoats we dreaded has passed quietly. over us. The
four men belonging to the Meudip Local Militia,
Who were liberated from prison by their comrades,
-were taken end imprisoned eller the arrival of the
Royal Lancashire; and having expressed their
regret for their past conduct, they mere this morn.
ing forgiven by the Colonel,. and liberated. The
regiment then marched to Claverton Downs, and
the ringleaders of the. party who broke open the
prison doors were tried at a drum.head Court-
Martial, and one of them was sentenced to re-
I coifs [lO lashes. The _Colonel, however, finally
pardoned the poor fellow, who was preparing to
receive the punishmedt allotted him ; observing,
that he imputed the ceeduct of the men more to
the ill advice and base persuasions of some of ' the
lower class of the tawn's-people thatito any dis-
affection or want of zeal in themselves ; and that
was his principal reason for acting with so much
lenity."

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