The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1810-05-29
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HOUSE OF COMMONS.
LONDON, April S.
SIR FRANCIS BURDETT.
May25.

MIR. Lethbridge moved the order of the
day fo- resuming the adjourned debate on
the resolutions of the honorable gentleman,
respecting the letter. of Sir Francis Burdett,
to his constituents; which letter is charged
as being breach of the privileges of this
House. .
Sir Samuel Romilly said, that after all
the consideration he had been able to give
to the subject now under the consideration
OF the, House, and if it could be true, as an
honorable member had asserted on a for
mer hight, tina. he was then the only per-
son who entertained ,loubt on the subject,
he was glad to find that was not the case
now; for he believed many honorable mem !.
berS who had taken time to consider it, were
OF the same opinion with himself He con-
graduated the House on now coming to the
question In a more cool, SOBER and credita.
BILE manner, than they could have done had
they before entered into it; and that they
would now be more likely to give their judg-
ment and decision in a manner more con-
sonant with the strict rules Of Justice, than
when they were seemingly hurried on blythe
warmth of their feelings The proposition.
he said. involved two questions first, whe. ;.
ther the paper was gross libel, rejecting
on the privileges of the House Secondly,
whether it was expedient to come to the re-
solutions! On tile former, he did express
doubts, whether the paper were libel at
all and next, whether it were a libel re-.
fiecting on the just privileges of the House.
He would state 10 the House the doubts he
entertained as to the libel; and in doing
this, 1T would be necessary to see for what
Mr.. Gale Jones had been committed The
honorable member then referred to the
Speakers warrant from which, he said, il
appeared, that Mr.. Jones was committed for
two offences n lihpl cl.
racter and conduct of the House the other,
against the past conduct of individual mem
bers. The libel for which Mr.. Jones had
been committed, was stated to be paper
published by him as manager of Debating
Society. 1t announced, that the question to
he debated was, " Which was the most de .
serving the censure of the public--Mr.
Yorke's enforcement of the standing order of
the House, 10 exclude strangers from the in
CURRY into the Walcheren Expedition, or
Mr.. WIndham's late attack on the freedom
of the Press ?" Then followed statement
of the manner in which the question on the
preceding night had been determined. This
paper, in his mind, did not contain any thing
libellous against the character or conduct of
the, House but only against the conduct of
individual members, on matters that were
past. He begged the House would believe,
that he did NOT intend to justify Mr.. Jones
for issuing this paper. He thought it ex
tremely wrong, that any person or persons
calling themset9es a Debating Society, who
advertised questions for discussion, 10 which
any one might no. and there deliver his OPT
Mon for shilling, should take upon them
to criticise, or ceLsure the conduct of any
man or set OF men, in any other assembly,
on points to which the latter could not give
any answer, not being present. But as this
paper had been made the foundation Of cal
ling Mr.. Jones before that House, and of his
being sent TO prison in consequence, lie could
only argue on it as matter of serious doubt
and consideration in his mind, whether the
House, in their committal, had acted with
all that discerHmeDt and propriety, that
might be expected from it. The paper al
uded to the enforcing of the Standing Or
der. That was the act of the individual
member; the House was not concerned In
1t - 13Hrnur5 from the opposite side of
the House. jill be was mistaken, he err
ed under the highest authority of the House,
that At the chair, who had informed them
that no member had a right to enter into the.
slightest discussion of it. It was only a few
evenings ago, when a right honorable gentle
man attempted TO speak, before he moved
the Standing Order, the Speaker told him
he could not be allowed to do so.--The only
part the House took in it, was making the
Standing Order on the hrst day of the SEES.
sion---and after, it became the entire and
sole act ct the individual member who chose
to rutit in force. Here the honorable and
Learned member again referred to Mr..
Jog-s's advertisement, and observed how
guardedly il was worded-- Hear Hear
from ne Treasury Hchch 1.-The learn.
ca mcfober said, If any one could so far mis-.
understand him. as to suppose. that he IN