The Statesman.
London, England, 1820-11-13 00:00:00

THE PEERS.

The conduct of the Members of the Government
bad, until lately, been merely oppressive : it remained
for them to chew that they were dastardly and con-
temptible. They have completed their picture ; and,
having mustered courage to approach the Rubicon,
they feared tops*, it ; they have reteAced their steps,
and have excited disgust, superadded ess our former
indignation. 114
it would be difficult to refer to any administration,
is which its members sbewed such a mixture
of rashness and calculation, of insolence and ti-
midity, as has been displayed by our present Minis-
ters. Hitherto indeed they have been content with
stripping us of our rights through the medium of a
majority obtained by means which are known to us
all: They then rejected our petitions as the " igno-
rant impatience" of the " swinish multitude;" and
avowed the practice of seat-selling to be " as
" notorious as the sun at noon-day." Then it
was that the Ministers daringly called out, " Im-
" peach us ;" and laughed in triumph. Now then,
;shy did they not avail themselves of their last ma-
jority and proceed to crush the Quires ? They may
perhaps, "We dare not; for our majority was
•- composed chiefly 'of our own myrmidons ; and we
" found that we were opposed by most of the rank
" and character in the kingdom." Usdoutbedly, the
minotity was much ;nore respectable than the
majority ; but must sincerely du we trust that our
countrymen, in the warnsth cf their zeal, will
not mistake the objects of their gratitude. Much
should we be mistaken if we were to pour out that
gratitude indiscriminately upon all the Peers who
♦oted against this detestable Bill. IV.' should examine
men's motives : and, generally, it will not be unfair
to take !;lose motives as stated by themselves. First
thee, there can be no doubt that many of those Noble-
men voted purely from principle. They, unquestion-
ably, arc entitled to the thanks of their country;
though they have their best reward in the conscious-
ness of havingdischarged their'cluty. A number oppos-
ed the Bill from a desire to turn the present Ministers
oat of power, and obtain their places. These com-
pose a species of political yelpers; and, of course,
care not a farthing for either the QUZIN or the peo-
ple. As we go downwards, we find the motives of
what may be called the straggling voters, silly enough.
Some of these Solons of Westminster said they would
oppose the Bill, because it established a principle that
the personal conduct of the sovereigns of this country
could be made the subject of inquiry and of punish-
ment. This reason evidently proceeded from a mis-
understanding' of our political axiom. " The KING
can do no wrong; ;" which is a maxim perfectly just
in itself, but which requires a perfect know-
ledge of our Constitution to comprehend. Some
Noble Lords voted against the Bill on the grounds
of inexpediency ; and a few opposed it, although
they aspersed the Quitatc, in language which
would have disgraced " a beggar in his drink ;" and
these last Noble Lords, we believe, will not be readily
(forgotten by the people. Some, it is said, ►oted
against the Bill from apprehension of its conse-
quences ; but such apprehensions, we cannot believe to
be melt-founded. Whatever might have been the de-
ei,ion of Parliament, we have too moth confidence in
the rood sense of our countrymen, to suppose they
would be incited to any act of violence. However, on
examining the motives of the Peers who voted
against the Bill, we observe bow few are entitled to
our thanks; and we are always to keep in remem-
brance, that many of them disregarded our just and
respectful petitions, and treated them with contempt.
Lint in examining the situation of the Agents,
wheth'er active or passive, in this proceeding, we
shall observe one who has been treated even worse than
the Qestax ; who has been insulted by his Ministers :
bat been, through them, neglected by his Parliameat ;
and to whom compassion will not only be acceptable
but will he the sincerest proof of loyalty. What,
at the present moment, must be the situation of
the Sovereign ? If he should not instantly dismiss
those Ministers from his presence and his councils,
vie can only suppose that he is kept in ignorance
of the state of Isis country ; for we mast otherwise
believe bins to be the victim of an infatuation, with-
out either jackets:tent or object.—Tile Comati Maroc.

VISITORS Al BRANDINNORGR 1110CSI ON SATCR-
OAT AND YRSTSRDAY.—His Royal Highness Prince
Leopold. Marquis and blerchioness of Tavistock. Sir
Robert Wilson, Mr. and Mre. Howard, Lord Hawke,
Mrs. Wood, Miss Wood, bliss C. Wood, Mr. W.
Wood, Mr. Brougham. Mr. Denman, Dr. Lushington,
Mr. Wilde, Mr. Williams, Mr. 1 indall, Dr. Holland,
Lieutenant-Colonel Ityves, bid rquis of Downshire, Lord
Arthur Hill, Captain Ilent, it.N., Duke of Leinster,
Duchess of Somerset. Earl Forescue, Mr. Wilbraham.
Lieut.-Velma! Sir Ronald i'vrgus-ou, Mr, O'Meara,
Lord Landoll', Le Vac de Melford, Lord Clifden, the
lion. Mrs. Denier, Mr. Sheriff Vt aitheaun.
Prince Leopold had an andiencc of the Queen SO
Saturday fur an hour and a half.
While the Peers were voting seriati,n, her Majesty*.
Counsel were on the steps of the Throne. and noted
the votes as they were eiven, t see how the majority
of 98 sts the second reading would be-ollbetett- 11'W1"
they bad ascertained that it was reduced to eitsc—thet
very number of the Cabinet—and consequently that
the Bill was only saved by the votes of those wbs
had avowed themselves parties to the measure, they
went out and stated t4is to her blajrsty, while the
Lords were dividing. A message was immediately
Our readers will learn, net without astonishment, i drawn up by the Queen's Counsel, and, being signed
by her Majesty, was carried to Lord Dacre is the House.
that all the unfortunate men, twenty-two iii number,
charged with high treason, arising out of the late agi--i Is was to the following effect :
taions and disturbances in the West-Riding of York. That her Majesty having learnt that the third read.
shire, aid who were induced to plead guilty et the log of the Bill of Pains and Penalties bad been carried
by a number of votes equal to the number of those
Aseises held at York.. the llth September last. from
an expectation that the Royal Clemency would been- who strewed themselves to he parties against her, she
tended towards then, have been sentenced to trans-
'desired to be forthwith heard against the passing of
rtation! for what term we have not heard.—The , the Bill.
following is a "at
at the persons on whom this sea- I Her Majesty heard the result of the division with
StOGI has barn preseauced i her accustomed fortitude. and signed this message
Pawn Bsnussoe an. Tan NJUOMBOURIIOOII.-.-WID. with snob eneeP"•ee t adding, as she wrote the words
Comsdre, Richard Addy, Charles Stanslield, Benjamin " Caroline R." that notwithstanding the majority of
lieseenoleneph Chapel. Jame Plower*, Benj. Rogers, nine against her, she was still Queen. As soon as the
William Rise, John Birkinabagir Joseph Firth, Jail° numbers on the division were declared to be 108 to
Yaks's, John For ond, Abraham Ingham, (leorgs 99. Lord Deers rose to present the Message from the
Brian, Jobs Illobsoorym verge
.Fl Birkinshaw, Wm. Rolland,
Queen, but was prevented from proceeding by Lord
sad Maul Downing. Liverpool's rising and making the statement, that he
roost wan Nutoilantinnoon. or Httongasetens.p.--
Jae Liedloy. Nathaniel Baskiej. Thomas Blaelibarn, intended to abandon the MIL When the question
and John Ply,
Me Ueda Mercury.) was put and carried, that it be read that day ale