The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1810-07-27

stake, are not mainly To be attributed TO the.
misconduct of the ministers to whom the
government of The country has been en-, rus =.
| tea III any man in the course of the dis
Cussion does not mean to- take that extensive
view OF the Situation of the country, which
| can alone enable you, or, if you carry an
ADDRESS to the crown, can alone enable the
crown to judge of the means of ayertinp the
impending dangers. and their consequences,
one OF the principal considerations must be
| the rashness, misconduct, mistaken vie VS.
| ana utter ignorance OF the true principles of
| the constitution, which have marked the
whole conduct of those who unfortunately
tor the Country, have had the admnistrati.
on OF the public affairs. I agtee with the
| noble lord, 1t is not from that quarter only
we are menaced with danger am sen
sible that. while. ON the one hand we have
4 government that rashly plunges into diff
ncuities and measures, without considering
now they are 10 eXtricate themselves from
those difhcultieS, or how the measures they
ADOPT are to be supported (; you have on the
other hand disposition rising in the coun
trv, not against anv particular act of the go
vernment, but against the exercise of the le..
gal powers OF the constitution itself 1t is this
situation OF things, that calls upon every man,
who knowsand venerates the constitution of
he Country, 10 rally not round the present
non, but to rally round the constitution itself;
out, above all. TO rally round that which is
the main source ut all the blessings this coun
try enjoys to which alone we can look Tor
security against danger; more prosperous,
happy and secure times l mean to rally
round the parliament of the country, NV
Lords. whenever the moment Shall arise
when persons of any description shall! attempt
60 violate the independence of parliament
hon be "A, oh
destroy the confidence of the Country i'm its
parliament; | mean not the confidence of
the Country IN this or that description of
persons. who Compose the parliament and
VINO may form parts of this or the other
house OF parliament but mean of the par
liamentarv constitution OF the country: if
ever the people are taught to look for relief.
tor safety, for hope bur To the parliamentary
| safety, and he relief and hope to be deri
we'd from that source, it requires but little
gift of prophecy to tell them that they will
he deluded To their destructi n. For, my
Lords. from parliament, the liberty of the
Country originally sprang All the wealth,
power and prosperity OF the country, have
arisen from parliament. and are to be attri
outed parliament. am convinced that,
by parliament, it may be done. But. nv
Lords, for the faithful discharge of that du
" which parliament owes to the country, it
is the first and principal duty of parliament
to MAINTAIN and assert the privileges which
were given for the benefit of the country
Privileges which have uniformly beer exer.
Cised for he benefi, of the Country, and can
not without species of treachery be aban
doned. Without those privileges, the exvr-
else of which the people have been deluded
to Contest free and independent parlia-
ment never could have existed. Whoever
knows any thing of the history of the coun-
try, must be convinced. that an independent
parliament never could have existed, with
out the privileges, and the means of exerci
sing them, which are now disputed With
out those powers which are now inherent i'm
parliament, and the exercise of the particu
lar privilege. which, it is now said, it is for
the benefit of the people to prevent the ex-
ercIse OF, parliament could never have a
chieved tor the Country what it has If the
persons who oppose this privilege should sue
coed IN depriving parliament of privilege
so necessary to its existence, 1t will prevent
its asserting IT'S own independence, and of
maintaining its own dignity. If they should
succeed in depriving the house parliament
OF their privileges and of driving them to
other quarters for protection and security
from that moment parliament ceases to ex
list as an independent parliament. Under
such system, parliament never could have
raised tins country to what il is. At the
period when our ancestors established the
freedom OF parllamentS, at the commence
ment OF the reign of the Suuarts, at that par
ticular time it was that this instrument of
parliamentary power, which is now contest.
ed, was the means by which the freedom and
liberty OF the Country was affected and if
even parliament relinquishes that principle.
they Gespui themselves Of the means Of af
| fording to the crown that security which i,
viii receive, rather from parliament than
from those who profess TO be better friends
to the crown. They viii deprive parliament
of the means of doing that which parliament
has ever done =; mean, of maintaining that
liberty which parliament alone has establish
ed, and can alone secure the continuance Of.
Whatever circumstances arise in this coun.-
try, | will never desert the standard of par
lament round that / will rally. because !
know, and am convinced, that anon the in.
dependence OF parliament depends the best
in erests, the prosperity. the tranquility, the
freedom, and independence of the British EN-
| pire"
Lord Erskine -" My lords, I am ready to
ccscur with my noble friends, that the BOW
er and privileges of parliament ought to be
supported Al all times | revere the consti
tuIon bur the subject upon which Iose to.
offer my sentiments is this. the power exer
cised lately by the house of Commons has
been alluded 20, and the unfortunate circum
| stances which attended it but, my lords,
| this IS Question OF grave and serious i'm
| poTtauce. Inc constl luton itself is founded
/ apOn the law Of the land and must ever