HISTORY OF EUROPE. 



77 



** demncd ^vithout a trial. When an 

 " appeal has been offered to his in- 

 *' temperate judges, Mhen a re- 

 << quest has been made to put him 

 «' on his defence, when it has been 

 " earnestly solicited to give him a 

 " fair and candid hearing, and then 

 " come to a deciiioa on the merits 

 " of the case, a strong and pre- 

 <' sumptuous negative has been 

 " given, directed and inforced by 

 " the violence of the times." He 

 then moved, that Mr. Peter Stuart, 

 of Fleet-street, the printer and pub- 

 lisher of the said paper, should be 

 called to the bar of the house. 



The Chancellor of the Exchequer 

 admitted that the passage just read 

 was libellous and indecent, but 

 hoped, that if gentlemen now began 

 to turn their attention to every thing 

 of a libellous and indecent tendency, 

 they would at least observe the 

 strictest impartiality. Observations 

 of the same kind, on the proceedings 

 of the house, had often before ap- 

 peared, and were as often over- 

 looked ; but if it was now resolved, 

 that remarks, derogatory to the dig- 

 nity of the house, should be mark- 

 ed with its indignation, he was sa- 

 tisfied ; all he desired was, that they 

 should not select one particular in- 

 stance for punishment, and let 

 others pass with inipuniiy. IIo con- 

 cluded with saying ho did not ap- 

 pr-ive of the motion. 



Mr. Grey replied, that if the right 

 honourable gentleman wished to 

 make this a part of a general system 

 he could have no objection ; but he 

 had selected this case, as one which 

 it became the house to take under 

 ils special cognizance. The reason he 

 brought it forward, was, that he 

 thought it one which was right and 

 proper to select. If the right ho- 

 uuurable (^utlcman, or others, had 



seen calumnies on the proceedings 

 of that house, and did not call for 

 punishment on them, it was not his 

 fault that they neglected their 

 duty. 



Mr. Fox allowed, that, in affairs 

 of this kind, the strictest impartiality 

 ought always to prevail, but in 

 judging of the propriety of such 

 motions, a guard should be had to 

 particular times and circumstances. 

 It was the duty of the house to 

 take care that the late decision, 

 which diffused such universal grati* 

 tude throughout the country, should 

 not be wantonly attacked and in- 

 sulted : the necessity was the grea- 

 ter, when men, in high official situa- 

 tions, were seen endeavouring to 

 protect persons convicted of the 

 grossest malversations, and when the 

 present treasurer of the navy was 

 continuing in office a man whom tho 

 commissioners of naval enquiry de- 

 clared unworthy of acting in aaj 

 pecuniary situation. 



Mr. Canning then rose, in con- 

 sequence of allusions made to his 

 continuing Mr. Wilson in office, and 

 a debate of some length ensued, 

 which had little, or but very remote, 

 connection with the subject in ques- 

 tion. 



Mr. Robert Ward said, that, in 

 order to let gentlemen sec the pro^ 

 priety of preserving moderation and 

 temper, he should move that the 

 sequel of the paragraph be read. It 

 was agreed to, and was as follows: 

 — " if those who were so very impa- 

 " ticnt to deprive Mr. Pitt of so 

 " able a coadjutor, were equally 

 ^' zealous in their endeavours to 

 " restore to the public the unac 

 " counted millions, of which that 

 " public has been so disgracefully 

 " robbed, there would perhaps be 

 ^' some excuse for all that affecta- 



" tion 



