The Statesman.
London, England, 1810-05-24 00:00:00

represented by two men, who stand together
upon popular ground, and who are entirely de.
iot.ol to th,. Cause of the People. One of
4iorthy kepreserititives you have already thank
the health of, with all that enthusiasm viltiels the
mention of his name so naturally and so justly in..
adires. Certainly, no representative steer deserved
the attachment, affection, and gratitude of his
eonstituents, more than Sir Fran& Burdett.
Li, Bravo, brario! Never !" .4cclansutions Of
tong continuance.] But, Gentlemen, in my hunt.
bie opinion, there is nu action of his political
life which ilmerfes greater applause—nci in.
Pince of his public enntlect that ears loader
tot the approbatiatt of his constituents than that
which is cunnetted with ltii present 'Most snits*,
Orbit rary, and uneonstitationai prisonment; end
his firm, inanly..and constitutional telistanco to
the Speaker's Warrant. [Mar, heart incessant
ydatiolits.) It appears to tae, Gentlemen, that it.
0-by ouch struggles as those he.ii carrying on, and
in the maintenance of 'Which I am happy to see he
is daily more and more supported, .[Bursts of
applause]—it it by such struggles as these that
,the liberty we now possess, and all that is dear to
ns as Britons and men, have been obtained. I
have no doubt at all in my own mind, and I can
hardly conceive how any man tart be so .credulunt
atii so infatuated, as to have a doubt with retpect
to the enormous power claimed by the Home of
Commons, of imprisoning the people of England
during pleasure; a power ;nett absurdly called
Privilege, and which cannot be otherwise than un.
constitutional and illegal. [Every man in the
room rose, as if actuated by the same sentiment,
to testify his abhorrence of such arevolting prin-
ciple.] But, Gentlemen, if even it could be
thewtt to me, by reference to precedent, that the
privilege claimed by the. House of Commons had
ever been exorcised ;—[llear, hear !]—if they
ctiukl produce me ever to many instances of such a
privilege having been exercised for a length of
tistiq still I sh.utd says it was a principle that was
originally unfounded id injustice; and consequent.
ly eolld not be 'Nally claimed; [Vehement ap.
pteuse.] At well might they tell me that' rubbery
Lad subsist‘..; time out of mind, and that therefore
it was sanctioned by precedent. I say with regard
to this assumed priVilegr, at I would with regard
to robbery, that if it has exited even time out of
tuind, it ought net to be suffered to ezist one mo-
ment longer. • . •
. [Nu one who *as Mit prey ht could form any
id u ~f the manner in which this sentiment was re.
ceived anti approved of. The acclamations conti-
nued for 'flatly Albums.]

Gentlemen, IT Is AN ASSUMED POWER, WlllOl3
IF ACKNOWLEDGED, WILL DESTROY AND SWALLOW
tip ALL THOSE RIGUIs BY WHICII YoUR LIRERTY
lb PROTECTED. It will render all those wise and
salutary principles w:.ich have been adopted by
our anernators for the preservation of our freedom,.
absolutely nugatory and .useless. This assumed
poorer, foolishly and absurdly called Privilege,
ought, in my opinion, to be resisted by all legal,
tioaceible, and coustitutional means, till it is re.
trounced by those who have usurped it. I think'
Me ought to be thankful to Heaved that men of
true constitutional principles; of sound legal
knowledge), aid, I trust, of indelible integrity,
bate been raised up to set the ttoble xamile of
o:wooing it. You know not what may be done
by perSeveranoee I 'hare no doubt that• if the
people of England are firm and steady in eipressa
ins their detestation of this ustirped power,, their
aids will be finally successful ; a glorious 'let*.
ry will certainly be Obtained by constitutional
principles over astemed, unconstitutional, illegal,
Simi regal power, supported by arbitrary rind.
pits [Great.opplause.] I have to beg pardon
for trespassing on your time. What I rose for
was to congratulate you on having two patriotic
Members representing yon, and to point out that
it was a singular situation for the City of West.
/Meister to be in. I hope it is an advantage you
will long continue to possess. Gentlemen, you
have paid a just tribute of respect and gratitude
to one of your Representateres, by drinking his
health, and I hope yott will allow me the honour
of proposing the health of your other worthy Re.
preSenthtive, and Chairman, Lord COCHRANE.
[lii: Lordship's health was drank with three
ti.es three.]
Lord COCllllANE—Gentlemen, the same
feelings ire implanted itt the breast of all mankind ;
and I trust, ou the present occasion, I May ap_
peal to those in your own breasts—to those which
you feel, in °edit- to Manifest to you the feelings
by Which, at this moment, I a:3l impressed.
persuaded that you are not here assembled, merely
to learn the 'causes of our grievances, but that you
are met tore, with Minel.) thoroughly convinced,
that without a Parliamentary Reform, things eau.
nit be well conducted in this country. lam con.
irinced you meet here, with minds rally alive to
our present situation,. and with an impressioni
that unless the unconstitutional measures whiCh
have beets of late adowell, arc sresisted—unlese.l
these inueiaturi, these Iteformets, if I may use
the espveission, arc cheekcd in their pro4ress— un.
less then: umlauts, which you are convinced have
been otter. iced for the destruGtion of the country,
are changed, this Email, must be undone.—[Plau-
diA. Gentle:-::gin, of what value is it that the Star
Chamber ait.l the ImplisitiOns which formerly sub.
bisted;in England, hero been defile away— 4f, at
this beck and cad of the Ministers, a pensioned
Majority of the House of o:nmons can, without
conitolii, and without ruspOnsibility of any kind
consign to indefinite imprisonment, and
scud to prison, by the aid of a military force, your
fellow.eatirceis. . Hsieh a systeniih to be allowed,
oT viliat avail is it that the Star Chamber and the
Inquisitinns are done away ?—[Vehernekt idau-
'digs]. Gentlemen, if by experience these men,
who act as public Ministers, could he taught, We
saiiiit expect sonielliint. We hero, in oar time,
eXperience lefficient, without referring tO the
isle of history, to citable to judge, not only of
the evil c insilptences of vitiated Goverenieuts,
Wild of the perversity and impolicy of the Milers
,of Nations conilisCting therris,..dves contrary to the
ti`ferests and %idiots of the whole 'mass of the pee:.
00, 'but we lave also had experience of the
Atevolutions *lnch have resulted (iota such Ito*.

...