Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1820-09-12
FOREIG%.
LIVERPOOL, JULY |.

4
'consort of Great Britain increase in in
terest as they proceed. III order to un-
derstand the actual posture Of this I'M
happy contest, it is necessary that our
readers should have connected view. Of
the proceedings which have taken place
in Parliament since our last publication.
Mr.. Wilberiorce's motion of Thurs
day se'nnight, undertaken as it appears
without the concurrence Of ministers,
was chiefly meant TO induce her majesty
to give up the question of the liturgy,
which is now, it seems, the great point OF
contention. twas hoped that the solemn
address of the House Of Commons, with
a distinct acknowledgment that no i'm
putations OF fear or consciousness Of dis
honor were to be implicated in her rnajcs-
TVS compliance, would have shaken her
determination on this leading article.
But the queen was immoveable. Her
answer, which was couched in terms the
most decorous and respectful, intimated
with sufficient frmncss that it was not
the part Of conscious integrity TO retract
its prctensions. Such are the narrow
limits of contest which disturbs the
tranquility OF a great nation, and inter
rupts its public business at season of
peculiar difficulty, It seems to resem-
Bile too much those matrimonial quarrels
in private life, which are often protracted
to the ruin Of domestic peace, because
neither party will be the first to yield.
In such cases it is commonly remarked,
that the party which first gives way
shows the most understanding. and we
still think that if her maiesty's advisers
would give up this affair of the liturgy,
which is, after all, only ceremonial OBJ
seryance, they would rather display mag
nanimity than suffer degradation. The
great question of the queens innocence
or dishonor would remain Just where it
was. With respect to the queen her.
self, it is impossible not to remark, that
her lofty infexibility shows a degree
of intrcpidity which can hardly be
thought compatible with a secret con-
seriousness ofguilt.
The next step in this unfortunate
course was notice from Lord Castle
rcagh, On Monday night, that he should,
in the course ten or twelve days, pro-
pose motion which would bring the ma
turc ofthe charges against her majesty
distinctly before the house, and enable it
to Judge whether there was trina .facie
evidence ofanecessity for further nvesti-
cation. His lordship proposed this dis
tant day in order to give time for the
secret committee in the other house to
produce its report, and determine its
future proceedings. This was certainly
very proper, as otherwise the two houses
would have been engaged, by sort of
collateral and useless process, in the
same etinvesligation at the same time.
On the following day, however, before
the secret committee of the Lords had
entered on its functions, Lord Grey
made distinct motion, that the commit
tee itself should be Immediately dissolv
ed. His lordship supported his propo-
sition with great eloqucnce and powerful
argument, but their effect was weakened
by an unreasonable introduction of gene
raj politics, with which this question
ought to be kept, if possible, unconnect-
cd. He showed the obvious improprie-
ty of permitting a certain number OF
peers, by cursory glance at eT-harte
evidence, to PREJUDICE question which
might soon be brought before the house
in its judicial capacity; and he insisted
strongly on the offensive aspect Of a Sc
cret inquiry, as abhorrent 20 the spirit of
British Justice, and repulsory 10 the cur
rent ofpublic opinion. Lord Liverpool,
in reply, disdained all reference to popu-
lar feeling or prejudice in proceeding
ofthis nature, and maintained that Lord
Grey's principal argument was inappli-
cable, inasmuch as the affair was not
likely to come before. the upper house
in its judicial, but in its legislative ca
pacity. The motion of Earl Grey was
lost by majority of 53; of course the
secret committee of the lords will COM
mence its operations Immediately.
We are to infer from Lord Liver
pools remark, that in case the inquiry
should terminate unfavourably for the
queen, she will be proceeded against by
what is called bill of pains and penal
ties, that is, she will be punished by a
special act of Parliament in such way
as the two houses may deem common
sura;; with her offences. This may con-
sist of banishment, divorce, or degrade
ton, but is not likely to affect her person
al security or general liberty On the
whole, we think that the country Will be
disappointed that the necessity ola secret