The Statesman.
London, England, 1810-03-28 00:00:00

1
art of oppression ill mited to the character of guardians of
" public Itherty, and destructive of the first and mon import-
" ant object of the Constitution, viz. the personal security of
" the subject."
The next passage was that commencing with the following
words :-
" Founded on such a basis, fortified by such euthorities as
" I shalt have occasion to appeal to in the progress of this
". inquiry, I have little doubt of being able to convince every
" impartial mind. that the House of Commons. by proceed-
" ing to jodomem-passing a sentence of impriseimient -•••••
4' issuing a warrant of ronunitinent-hoc ;nile hevnetl ins pre-
" scribed limits. acted in a manner inconsistent with the ends
" of the institution, amt violated toe fundernental principles
" of the Law ant Constitution of the Land."
The next passage was-
" By proceeding thus, they have exercised a
,jurisdiction
" not vented in them, a jurisdiction beyond the limits of
" King, Lords, and Commons, while Marna Charm remains
" unrepenled ; and repealed it never can he till England shall
" have fouad her grave In the corruption of a House of
4' Comnions."-[Loud cries of hear, !scar! fom the Opp,-
;aline.]
Tha next otaimsious passage was, that subsequent to the
Speaker's warrant.
" Let this instrument, this thina, sum generis, be contrasted
4' with the description of the properties of a legal warrant.
" floes it not evidently appear, that this piece of unsealed
" paper, signed by the Speaker. by which an untried sub-
" ject has been outlawed, bears n.l feature of legality? and
44 hat, from the commencenseut of this proceeding, hi its
" Progress. and to its conclusion, there is not one step that
hat not been waked in a peculiar manner with disrespect
" for the laws? a disrespect in which all the parts have been
6' we-Kief filly cnissistent throughout, in consittuting the m''6l
" uniewfhl art tha mind of man can possibly conceive."—
(11ser, heart Iron time Treasury Bench.]
Mr. LETHENDGE now called the attention Of the
Hoqie to a pasforgl‘which he thought would of itself sub-
stantiate all complaint: it was this:
" The commencement of this usurpation was whets they
44 (the Hoare of Commons) e., rid of the Upper House Of
" Parliament, and eat n 0 the heed of the King. rug din,'
•6 it sans:, err ernhotdened to retain an illegal power, not pre-
" tended to even be the King, but which, these lineal owe-
" reline over the king, claim as of right. But no wonder,
" when they have so entirety departed from the ends of their
" Mediation as was tinted to be proved by Mr. Marldneks,
" and acknowledged by themselves, in the never-to-be-for-
" gotten morning of the 11th of May, 'lBO9, when, from be-
's *the lower or inferior (far it is the same sense, one be-
" ing ao English, the other a Latin word), branch of the
6` Lealslature, they have become proprietors, by burgage
' tenure, of Ilse Representation; and in that capacity, in-
" Sated with their high-blown fainifid ideas of Majesty. and
" tricked out is the trappings of Royalty, think privilege
" and protection beneath their dignity, assume the sstord of
", preeopttive, and /tad it trolly over the King and the pea-
-1 pis?,
These were the specific passages on which the complaint
was (sanded;. on these he stood, calling open that Honourable .
_ Moose to vindicate itself from a series of unjust and pas
Aptillable aspersions, and punish the violation of their psi.
*lieges in what manner aught, to their wisdom, appear most
fitting.
A pause eitsuieg,' The SPEAKER remarked, that the
course of proceeding wag, after a complaint had been made,-
and after the cola:ale:ion of that complaint had been anise-
taints!, to hear tbe Honourable Member against whom it had
been preferred. . •
Sir-F. BURDETT then addressed the Chair for a very
few minutes, but io so low a tone of voice, that wenre not
sore we correctly widerotood the Honourable Baronet. As
far as we could collect the tendency of his olnervations be.
appeared to us to lava that the paper which bad been' ribs
lisped under his name, amid which had just been read by. the
Clerk, contained opinioos which he had ant formed *Rho*
murk cooslderation, and from which lie did not seems, Wee
eon to depart. It was impossible for him to undentand, whit
the Hon. Gentleman opposite meant by the term " Privileges
of the Hituse." lie begged to /thaw whether it was berm-
sore fir him to withdraw.
The SPEAKER replied, that a matter of complaint cif a
breach of privilege had been stated by one lion. Member
against another : the uniform course under such eireunistnacell.
wits. that the person accused was first heard io his defense,'
in which be might admit. deny, Or e vtenuate the matter with
which he was charged. and that then 'he was required to
withdraw. It then herniae time duty of the accuser to subal
mit to the Home some prepositiore declaratory of their
'pinion no the facts before them. and of hi, proposition the
Mouse would dispose at its pleasure. Unless therefore the
Name departed train its usual mom of proceeding, which
bad hitherto been ilea-top-a, end which lie hoped was ue.
!Mumble-rifest, hear!)-the Hon. Baronet mot with- I
draw before any other proposition could be rode. (01
load
ere of withdrew), withdraw I. and Sir Francis Burdett ac-
cordingly withdrew.]
Mr. WfLSON ruse. and was commencing some obser-
vations. when he was interrupted by
The SPEAKER, whosaid, that the Hon. Baronet having
withdrawn. it was the duty of the. Hon. Gentleman in whom
the affair originated, to bring forward such a tuition as he
might think most advisable. .
Lord OSSU LIMON was also proceeding to make some °b-
eery:gimps, when . .
The SPEAKER again interfered. As yet there was IS I
question before the House.
... Lord OSSULSTON made same further observations.whtell
were wholly inaudible in the Gallery. He was stopped by
the cries of "Chair, Chair !"
The 'SPEAKER rat. in obedience to the call of the
Rouse, to set thg Noble Lon: right. As far as /hi (ramie-.
tioMi had proceeded it was perfectly in conformity to the
usage of the Home. It now remained fur the lion. Gentle-
Nan to make his motion.
Mr. L ETH BRIDGE said, that as it was the pleasure of the
'loose, he would proceed to make such motioas as appeared
to him to be the most advisable. In doing this he shotdd.he
extremely short, for many retions, the principal one of which'
was, that--,. ,
that-
Lord FOLKESTONE spoke to order. The Honourable
Gentleman had already made a speech on the present otea,
sins. If it were the Hno. Gentleman's intention to atlyance
any further argn.uents before his motion, he contended that
his Hon. Friend was fully entitled to hear them. H's Hon.
Friend had an unquestionable right to bear all the ckaraes
that were to be preferred against him, although. the usage of
the Howe might require that he should withdraw immediately
before the motion -
Tat SPEAKER apprehended that the' couroc which the
}loo. Gentleman was about to pursue was perfectly consis-
tent with the theme of the House. He was about to submit
In the Howe a proposition of which they were to judge. a
proposition founded on the complaint which the Hon. Ba-
ronet against whom it was preferred had been present to
hear. He apprehended that at was the duty of the Honour-
able Gentleman now to offer his motion, accompanied with
whatever reasons he might think it necessary to offer to the
lions, to induce them no ad.ipt it.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER coincided
in the ductrioe so clearly laid down from the Chair. The
individual who thinks it bis duty to bring forward a charge,
Wilmot to make a eosapharit so Ilse first instance to the
linme, and then in lay the particulaigrounds of bin charge
upon the table, in a specitic shape. In the ease under consi-
deration, the whole of the documeot upon which the charge
was founded had been read by the Clerk at the table ; and
the !Inn. Member bringing forward the charge, had even
pointed out, and read in his place, the particular Romero
which he conceived to a.notint to a violation of the privileges
of that House. The Hon. Baronet had bad an opportunity
to prove, if he could, that the passages sn specified did not
violate the privileges of that Nooses he had the opportunity
to show how far they contained the sentiments of a person
who entertained a respect for the privileges. of that lionise ;
how far they were innocent in themselves; or justifiobietpnii
any grounJi. The Hon. Gentleman. therefore, who brought
forword this wafts°, was very properly proceedlog to mote
the ground. apes w hich he enosidered the parariges he had.
pointed out, as violations of the privileges of that Howe.
Upoa the principle of reasoning adopted by the Noble Lord,
the Hon. Bartioet should not only bear the grimed, upon ,
which the Hell. Mover brow ht forward his resolitialw, hat
ell the arguments which should be made use of, in the whole
course of the discussion. [Ns, ise f] Upon the teaasid et
the thing, he would admit, titan an individual ander ala 110;
' cusatian ought to be allowed to bear all that might be
in support of the charge against him. But open very%
and saticiern reasons. that Home had thought proper $s
adopt a ditTerent course in its proceeding', and to net weft .
tinnily upon the principles which dictated it. If the Wiser-
able Baronst were therefore to be allowed!, hear the "API%
of the Honourable Gentleman (Mr. Lethbridge), he would
have an equal right to hear the whole iliecossio "n; and .
i both were nentonteut with the ituiforos practice is Net
}loupe, be was determined to support the courm4oisted eat
by the Chair.
Lord FOLKESTONE offered himself unwillingly to the
BOW, partictilarty as he differed from the opinion of the
Chairin to the propriety of the course to 'be roosted. 'Bad
whoever releetsiare he might feel on the occosiors, be giaa
bound to state the imprealions which existed on his mind..
Where were but ace or two precedents that beasohl tan' en
mind, as having at:carted slaw* had the bossier e sew.
lett
s? . .

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