New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-05-18
PARLIAMENTARY PRIVILEGE.
THE BRITISH HOUSE OF COMMONS AND THE
PRESS

GALLERIES OF THE HOtSE-Mf' piSNNnii
WEAKEST SPEECH IN oProsIIoN-TnE GAL
IrRIrS CLEARED-MR. DIsRAEiis POSITION
SHARPLY CRITICISED BY TIE PRESS.
,rpoN THE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF TIE TRIDuNE.l
LONDON, May 5.-In perhaps the weakest speech
he ever made, Mr. Disraeli last night refused to
sanction any change in the existing relations be-
tween tho House and the Press, and another col
lision was the immediate consequence. 1t may be
conceived that the Prime Minister reluctant to
follow the lead of the leader Of the opposition.
Then he had only to substitute other resolutions for
Lord Hartingtons. The House would have been
only too Glad to accept something better. those
presented were cumsy drawn mp and LETT some
questions unsettled. But they did something Ihey
dealt with the question: and they needed only one o
two amendments to end the difficulty i'll substan-
tally satisfactory way.
Tbeoucs;ons are really two-the publication of de-
bates and the presence of strangers. AS matters now
stand every report of the proceedings in the Houses
breach OF privilege, for which the offender may be
imprisoned and fined by the House, without appeal
TO the courts. Lord HartingtOns first resolution
proposed that no report should be subject of COM
plant unless the doors of the House had been closed,
or publication prohibited, OF in case of willful mis-
representation, cor other ofense" The last words
were vague and ought to have been stricken out; Dut
the effect of the resolution would have been to recog
furnishing only in where had been improper
IL exercised The second and third resolutions provid-
ed that strangers might be excluded by the Speaker
occasion should arise for depressing or preventing dis
order but at otherwise they should only be excluded
by order of the House, and that unless notice
should hoy been previously given the question OF ex-
cusion should be PIT without amendment or debate.
As reporters are included among strangers, the dvis-
ion as above made is artificial but 1t is the one fol-
~. l.. tt,,t1 Linz form
and obviously meant to pass rather than to meet the
issues squarcy and establish once for all the rela-
tons Of tie House and the Press on footing suitable
to the dgui.y Of both
Lord Harrington supported his resolution in speech
of some research. Before Mr.. Dsrae rose, nobody
else spoke but Mr.. Mitchell Henry, who was beside
the quest ~, and Mr.. Newdegate, who was against
hasty action Mr.. Disraelis speech amounted to
this that things had gone on pretty well for long
time that committees had considered the subject
and come to 10 conclusion that the House had got
out Gifts recent momcntary Inconvenience by sus-
pending the rule that had occasioned them,
and thu; there remained practical neces-
sity Tor immediate action. Mr. loves re-
ply was masterpiece of concise statement.
He pointed out that the rule against publication OF
debates framed centuries ago 10 prevent des-
potic King from sending to prison members whose
speeches he did not like But that danger no longer
exists thc House wants the speeches published, it
depends upon their publication for great part OF
its influence upon the country; the reason of the
rule is dead aud the rule ought TO die with the rea-
son. Under 1t as it now stands, while our most
earnest desire is that our proceedings should be pub
lished to the British nation, and while we are con-
scious of deriving from it power perfectly astOnish-
ing even 70 ourselves the law and wisdom of Para-
mcnt are that the very doing of that which we de-
sire is a crime for which can be dragged to
the bar of this House and committed to prison, to
be released only payment Of a heavy fine, by
vot3 OF This House. which there is power to ques
ton.
The existing rule respecting Strangers Mr.. Lowe
described As a rule which gives one member greater
power than the whole House; which allows single
individual on his own within to exclude strangers
which makes hlm King for the tin Fl. being and puts
everybody else on his knees to beg him to be merci
full But who gave him that powers What in
duces us" oueTied Mr.. Lowe, "now to place our
selves al the feet of any mani If the whole of this
House wishes that its proceedings should be open ex-
cept one man, what sense or reason is it that
one mon should he able TO prevent itT
And if he chooses TO use a power the
House places in his hand, what business has anybody
to challenge him Tor it That single member should
override go is indeed 10 put upon the House an in
jury and degradation but the House itself is respon
sible The rule OF exclusion had most excellent
and obvious purpose when made, but change of time
and Circumstance has made it in the present day
of the most ridiculous and CALLING letters AND insults
ever imposed upon free people. MIR. Lowe con-
Guided with an appeal to the House TO act in its own
judgment and not make party matter of it, aud fol-
low Mr.. Disraeli.
But a. he sat down, up jumped Mr.. Hardy, Secre-
tary for War; 20 enforce party discipline. lie was
not allowed 10 get through his first sentence Mr.
op1
told the Sneaker he saw strangers. The Liberals
cheered Mr.. Sullivan heartily Mfr. Lowc's answer
TO Mr. Disraeli was complete logically Mr. Sulli-
vans was complete, practically. and between the
two there was nothing left but for the Prime Minis
ter and his followers to fly into passion. This, by
all accounts. they seem to have done. There were
high words in the abs ance Of the reporters and
finally ar adjournment of the debate to The 2jth Of
MAY Wa carried. But for Mr.. Snlliyan's spirited
Intervention there would have been no adjourn
neut, aud J. ri H@Itington's resolution would have
been reject, 2.
IL III Sullivan is correctly reported, he put his
act on the ground that he was journallst-he is
Editor and Proprietor of The Da5'ia Aaii0n-declar
ing he would not submit day longer to the
ignominv Of reporters being merely tolerated in the
gallery. Mr. CoYcn Of The Nercast'e Chronicle the
mos; powerful journal in the North of England,
stood loyaiiy By Nr. Sullivan. He told the House
plainly thai She Pres is not anxious 10 there,
that Parliamentary reports do not pay, and that if
The presence o. reporters is desired they must in fu
ture be traatc as r.ntcucn The whole Press Of Lon
dom rc;occ - say speaks this morning in similar
tone MI Ui-Yse has the credit of bringing Journal
ism at least L. nauiinity, and to of its own
dignity Tic strongest language used by aDy body
is 10 be found in the leading Tory journal, which
declares its leaders view perfectly n,Onstrous, and