Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1831-06-16
THINGS WITH HUMAN pRETENs1oNs.

Oh Monday se'nnght, the Earl of MERCK made n
Iornai complaint of malicious libel in the Times of
asufoay aSt. The passage complained of was the fol-
iowing:-"Yet mean, cruel and atrocous nc o,or, y;
Viiizeo mind must consider the doctrine that Iro,n
nus no heed OF poor laws equivalent for them
idletui ana abominable is such screen for inbr
manity-there are men, things with human prefer
slohs nay with lofty privileges who do not bInsb 70
treat the proposal of establishing f,nd c. -, y
reei OF the diseased helpless Irish with brutal
cuie and almost impious scorn. Will anv mar 80,
that an Irish absentee Lord could say what he is
TED 10 nave uttered in the House of Peers last nigb
when ioIa hoseoery presented petition, praying that
compulsory tax on land might be introduc ed info Ire
ana' towards alternating her Poor7 We shall name
MIN, because the House of Lords is armed with THING
called ''bar," and other disagreeaby appendages Rt
mere are members of tn House who surprise nobody
by declaring their Indifference to popular odrr 80
Pecial!y when they at such distance from Ireland
as to insure the safety of their persons" The Norn;
oil Londonderry complained severely of Lord beinr
ealvu tnhg lie would put it to their Lordshps to
say whether 1t was pleasant for any Noble Lord to he
called thing in public newspaper This was not
an 10Y not only had their lordships been called chimes
but they designated as '.thinrs with bpman 6r
tensions" No person could hesitate TO saw that tic
calling of Peer of that House ga thing and ia thin
WIN human pretensions," was libel and breach of
privilege. What! because Noble Lord made a. speech
upon public question of great interest, was he to be
called ga thing with human pretcnsons?n This was
an outrage from which the public would relieve the Par
lament OF this country. He would DEFY anv man to
read the paragraph and not to direct to the Noble
Earl. When ne heard the Noble Lord ON the wool
sack deliver himself the case he was so surprised
Noble Lord himself the writer of the article in the
1"nes' He hoped in his conscience that such an apo
gy would be exacted from the person to be brought to
the par OF the House would occasion the press of
the country to know that it was not to attack the
sacred Porsonages of the monarchy and that the Par
lament OF England was not TO be brought forward in
such an indecent manner call Peer "thinp ~
aud thing with human pretensionsp Mr. Lawson
the printer ottbe Times brour to tho bar on nes
Gay lie was asked 1t certain person (he Times does
not state the name) editor; but Mr. Lawson refs
cd to answer Lord Wynford proposed fDing Mr.. Law
son tlOO, sending him to Newpatc This was oopos
ed by Earl Grey, the MARQUIS of Lansdowne Lord
ousnui' ana u is SAID, the Duke Of Wellington. Mr.
Lawson was ultimately consigned to the care ofthe
LOG under whose custody he withdrew divers Hotel
me whole affair, as is usual in such cases. was man
aged with closed doors. petition from MIR. lawson
expressing his regret that he had violated their
privileges d craving pardon presented by Lord KIM
on Wednesday, Lord Tenderden rose TO state What he
understood to be the law He said that the e,nox;rr
courts, IN Inicting fine, always added imprisonment
until the same be paid. He could not believe that tbe
inferior courts possessed power which the highest
courts did not possess This right which he consider
ed to be clear, distinct and ndispuabo was confer
req not or the protection of those who possess tnot
lot inc sake of the House of Lords-not for the sake
OF the House of Commons-not for the sake ofte cot
OF law all of whom are in equal possession of the pow,
erDut Tor the sake of the nation at large for whose
Weliaro and well governmental absolutely necessa
Ty That all men should be taught TO pay due tevereco
to the great Legislative Council of the knrdo. and
to those tribunals of justice in which the laws of the
and are administered. These lords are the reasone
why tho two Houses of Parliament and why courts oF
aw possess The power these tho reasons why each
OF he ought to possess it; and quite sure that if
Vey' ana especially the two Houses of Parliament did
not possess this power of vindicating themselves il
would be impossible that thor respective duties could be
performed with dignity 20 themselves OF with advan
tage TO the country."-"Good Godm exclaimed Lord
bfougban' "who ever heard till this 1noment-when
were you ever told till this day-hen have you been
Ig'd u by Lord Chief Justice Of England-that the
iiOuscof commons has the right to nhict fines and
imprisonment upon his Majesty's subjects in vindcation
Of their privileges (Nuch chceriRg) No who knows
any thng about the law & the constitution Of the coun-
ny can hesitate for moment in saying that the Lord
Cn;ei justice is gricvousy in here and until am
tod by my Noble Friend, in terms the inqst clear and
me most explicit, will not believe that hs is prepared
70 defend and Justify in law what ho has thus said for
ne has thereby conferred upon the House ofCommons
power which none Of his least learned none Of his worst
none OF ms most corrupt, of his least calm bq
leaSt temperate, or his least respectable uredecessors
dIe2mt 9. t.ining il with III IaRsnn ,.aa hra.ht