Apb. 27,] 



THE NEWSPAPER. 



place After a discussion, in which Lord R. Grosvevor, Lord 



^,j Rysasuw Colonel ^Sibthorpk. Mr. Elphivstonb, and Mr. 



* v» Wation- to** hartAtWTHouse divided-For the second reading, 



£< >l5*-For the ^erWnt, 8Q-Majority, 6g.-Mr. Duvcombk 



O *then charged Sir R. Pell with inconsistency in bringing forward 



w ^ n r, ffld not, he said, understand how the Right 



could reconcile the Bill before the House 





m> *» this measorp- He 



3* OflloTioarable Baron _ , ___ . „ . 



A sflth his asseveration itfear, "So help him God," it was an honest 

 neasnrc. In his (It* Buncombe's) opinion, so help him God 

 ,t was one of tM grossest jobs ever perpetrated. — Sir R. 

 pEEt had lued these words in perfect truth; and would, 

 even now, press the Bill of last year, if there were any 

 chance of carrying it. But they had received no very cor- 

 dial assistance from the Opposition, and were now reduced 

 to the necessity of contenting themselves with a less ade- 

 quate measure of reform, if they did not wish to abandon 

 It altogether. A combination of vested interests was the 

 chief impediment to the passing of that pill- and though an 

 executive could perform no greater service to the country than 

 the undertaking of reforms, he who proposed to effect reforms in 

 the law most lav his account with proceeding very gradually. 

 He deprcrited these recriminations ; anl Lord J. Russell, know- 

 in? the difficulties which beset an executive Government, and 

 recollecting the course which he had adopted on various ques- 

 tions, should be more sparing of charges of humiliating positions, 

 and so forth. He would allow to every man the privilege of 

 changing his opinion, if he manfully avowed the ground of his 

 convi?tions.-Mr. C. Bullbr remarked that Sir R. Peel had lost 

 sight of the honesty of the Bill in vindicating the honesty of his 

 intentions. Shrinking from the opposition which ther encoun- 

 tered last year, they brought in the present miserable Bill, which 

 created twentv-nine new Judgeships, but grappled with none of 

 the real evils of the system.— Dr. Nicholl made a few observa- 

 tions in reply, and the Bill was then read a second time.— Sir J. 

 Graham then proposed that the County Courts Bill should pass 

 through committee, pro forma, in order to introduce some alter- 

 ations, with the view that it should proceed hereafter pari passu 

 with the Superior Courts Common Law Bill. After some discus- 

 sion this was adopted.— In answer to Lord J. Russei-l, it was 

 stated that the Irish Registration Bill would not come on till 

 after the Gth May. 



Tuesday.— Mr- Barixg took his seat for Huntingdon.— Sir R. 

 Peel, in answer to Dr. Bowring, stated that a treaty had been 

 signed between Prussia, on the part of the Zollverein, and the 

 United States, for the mutual admission of articles at rates lower 

 than if imported from Great Britain or other countries. But 

 though signed, the treaty was not yet ratified ; and as two-thirds 

 of the Senate of the United States were presumed to be opposed 

 to it, the result could not at present be anticipated.— Mr. La- 

 bol'cheue pointed out that by treaty the manufactures of this 

 country should be imported on the same conditions as those of 

 the most favoured nations.— Sir R. Peel said that the attention 

 of the Government had been called to this; but as the treaty 

 between the United States and Germany had not yet been rati- 

 fled, he would not say anything more at present.— The House, 

 which was very full, in anticipation of the expected explanations, 

 had its impatience at last gratified by the Speaker calling on 

 Mr. Fkrravd, who immediately rose and spoke as follows:— 

 "Sir, I have, during this morning, minutely examined into all 

 the speeches which I made in the manufacturing districts during 

 the Easter recess, and which have been published in the Times 

 newspaper. I have paid particular attention to the leading ar- 

 ticle of the Times, in which were quoted certain extracts from 

 speeches of mine, which bore on the right hon. the Secretary of 

 State for the Home Department, and the hon. and learned mem- 

 ber for Beverley. Sir, it is not my intention to retract one syl- 

 lable which I used in those speeches, nor to extenuate or explain 

 away a single sentence. When I made use of that language, I 

 asserted the sacred prerogative of a fiee-born Englishman, and 

 I expressed my opinion upon the public conduct of two public 

 officers. Sir, I defy this House to deprive me of that privilege. 

 The opinion which I formed of the conduct of those two public 

 officer-; is supported by the public press of the country, and is 

 backed by public opinion. But, Sir, if, in making use of those 

 expressions, I have in any way wounded the personal honour of 

 any member of this House"— This last expression having been 

 drowned in a shout of exultant derision, which arose ere it ob- 

 tained complete utterance, Mr. Ferrand did not attempt to pro- 

 ceed, but abruptly finished his address thus:— "Sir, the party 

 spirit and unmanly bearing which was exhibited towards me 

 last night, and persisted in this instant, should remind those 

 Honourable Gentlemen — and I am sure, Sir, I shall be backed 

 by the feeling of Englishmen at large — that this House is the 

 last tribunal for them to appeal to." He then left his place, 

 bowed to the Speaker, and slowly walked out of the House, 

 amid repeated roars of laughter. — Mr. Borthwick being about 

 to bring on the next motion, Mr. Roebuck asked whether it was 

 fitting that the matter of Mr. Ferrand's charges should end in 

 this way? He was himself prepared to make a motion on the 

 subject, rather than suffer such a termination. — At last, the 

 general call being in favour of Mr. Hogo, he rose and said he 

 claimed, not the protection but the justice of the House. In this 

 respect he had a stronger claim even than Sir J. Graham ; for 

 though he, as a Minister of the Crown, had a right to protection, 

 still Mr. Hogg thought that, acting as he did, as the sworn servant 

 of the House, and assailed in that capacity, it devolved on the 

 House to investigate the allegation made against him, and either 

 to visit him with merited punishment or to pass a resolution de- 

 claring the accusation false and calumnious. He then read that 

 portiou of Mr. Ferrand's reported speech which contains the 

 charge, and pointed out that it was no question of a difference of 

 opinion, as to whether his law were right or wrong, but the 

 distinct allegation that he was actuated by impure motives. 

 Those more conversant with the usages of the House might 

 suggest what course should be adopted, for vindicating his 

 honour, and stigmatizing those who had cast upon him so foul 

 an imputation. In a public journal of that morning (the Times), 

 there was contained a base insinuation, as false as the other. 

 It was, that while he was acting as chairman of the Nottingham 

 election committee, he had asked for some official appointment. 

 To this he gave a reiterated and emphatic denial, and sat down 

 amid great cheering from all sides of the House.— Sir J. Graham 

 intimated that the manner in which Mr. Ferrand had fled— lite- 

 rally running away from both his accusations— disposed him to 

 leave the matter where it was. But as the honour of every 

 member, all of whom were regarded as M honourable," was in 

 the hands of the House, it was for it to determine what course it 

 should adopt.— Sir R. Peel said that it was a matter of choice 

 for the House, either to treat the matter with ridicule, or seriously. 

 If the latter, then he suggested that they should adjourn the 

 debate, in order to afford time to look into precedents; for they 

 might incautiously establish one which might hereafter be 

 abused by the power of a majority. For himself, he thought the 

 whole affair had no parallel since the day when the conjuror ad- 

 vertised that he would compress himself into a quart bottle, and 

 at the appointed time suddenly disappeared.— Lord J. Russeli, 

 said, that as Mr. Ferrand had neither withdrawn nor retracted 

 his accusations, and had fled from their proof, it was important to 

 determine what course should be adopted. As Mr. Hogg had 

 claimed the protection of the House, he, for one, was quite pre- 

 pared to vote for a resolution, declaring the charge against him 

 to be false and calumnious. The case, as respected Sir J. Graham 

 would differ in point of form, as he had not claimed the protec- 

 tion of the House. If they left the matter where it now was, they 

 would be liable to the imputation of being indifferent to'their 

 character in the eyes of the country. — Lord Stavlev concurred 

 in opinion that the debate should be adjourned, for there was no 

 precedent to such a case. There was not an individual member 

 who did not believe, not merely in the utter groundlessness of 

 the charges, but that Mr. Ferraod knew, when he made them, 

 that they were utterly incapable of proof. He came down with 



an air of boldness, as if he were about to substantiate his charges, 

 and at the first breaking out of natural indignation, declared that 

 he would not submit to the jurisdiction of the House, or retract 

 his gross and libellous imputations. The matter was in the hands 

 of the House, and did not depend on the fact that any one mem- 

 ber had claimed its protection. Time should be taken for re- 

 flection as to the coarse to be pursued.— The Speaker, who was 

 appealed to, advised all discussion to be dropped, and that the 

 course pursued in Mr. O'ConneU's case should be adopted, which 

 was to read the accusation, and Mr. Ferrand's admission of it, 

 at the table of the House, and then to proceed according to plea- 

 sure.— After some remarks from Mr. Blackstovk and other 

 members, the debate was adjourned.— Mr. Borthwick then 

 moved an address to her Majesty, praying that measures might 

 be taken to restore the Convocation to the Church j but while he 

 was speaking, the House was "counted out." 



Wednesday.— The Marquess of Blandford took his seat for 

 Woodstock.— Sir J. Graham introduced the case of privilege, by 

 moving that the passages in the speeches of Mr. Ferrand, contain- 

 ing the two charges against the Home Secretary and Mr. Hogg be 

 read by the clerk at the table. This having been done, the Speaker 

 inquired if the member for Knaresborough was in his place/ 

 No answer having been returned, Sir R. Peel rose, to tender his 

 advice to the House, as to the course which should be adopted. He 

 had referred to the three cases in recent times, analogous to the 

 present one-that of the complaint of Lord Maidstone against Mr. 

 O'Connell, of Mr. Sheil against Mr. Hill, in the case of " Who s the 

 traitor?" and that of Mr. Blackstone, who, when he was chairman 

 of an election committee, was accused of corruption. The result of 

 his consideration was, that the House should proceed with a strict 

 adherence to all established formalities. Mr. Ferrand had admitted 

 the correctness of the reportof his speeches containing the charges ; 

 but strict justice required that no advantage should be taken of 

 these admissions. He would give him the opportunity of once more 

 unreservedly acknowledging or denying the accuracy of his reported 

 charges ; and if he admitted their accuracy, to allow him the privi- 

 lege of attempting their proof before a select committee. He would 

 therefore move that the complaint be taken into consideration on 

 Friday next ; and if that were affirmed, to follow it with another— 

 that Mr. Ferrand be required to attend in kis place on that occa- 

 sion.— Lord J. Russell approved of this course.— Mr. French 

 protested against. The accuracy of the reports was questionable, 

 though he admitted Mr. Ferrand was unfortunate in not having a 

 better command of his tongue.— Mr. T. Duncombk did not approve 

 of any round-about method of procedure. Why not appoint a com- 

 mittee at once ? Had he been placed in Mr. Ferrand's position, he 

 would have demurred to the right of any member to question him 

 as to what he had said ejsewhere, and would have offered him any 

 satisfaction, in the House or out of it. But if Mr. Ferrand could 

 not sustain his accusations, the more manly course would have 

 been to acknowledge his error.— Mr. D'israeli disapproved the 

 general tone of Mr. Ferrand's addresses, but he did not approve 

 the course which the House was now taking. Mr. Hogg might 

 have asked some man of sense and temper to apply to Mr. Ferrand, 

 and the result, he believed, would have been satisfactory to Mr. 

 Hogg, and not degrading to Mr. Ferrand; or Mr. Hogg might have 

 made his own complaint to the House. But Mr. Hogg had done 

 neither; and then Mr. Roebuck, who constituted himself public 

 accuser, put his question, and this without the common courtesy 

 of a notice. Sir R. Peel had certainly proposed a course 

 which would bring back some decorum into the proceedings 

 of the House ; but it would be still better to let the matter 

 drop altogether. Was it to be said that the House must 

 erect itself into a court of honour, whenever a charge was 

 made by one member against another? The House did not so be- 

 have when Sir R. Peel charged a member with the much graver 

 offence of makiug a speech that stimulated to assassination. But 

 Mr. Ferrand, being a man without a party to back him, had been 

 baited and bullied on ail hands. He himself did not sympathise in 

 Mr. Ferrand's views; on the contrary, he had told the hon. 

 member, that he thought he had a bad case, and a worse tribunal. 

 Indeed he could not wonder, that from sueh a tribunal Mr. Fer- 

 rand had chosen to withdraw himself. As to the Keighley Union 

 case, he owned he had never understood it ; but nobody could deny 

 that there had been a great many obscure and suspicious circum- 

 stances about it; and it was natural enough that Mr. Ferrand's 

 imagination should have been inflamed when he found himself 

 engaged in a contest with a Minister of the Crown, and pardonable 

 that he should have held the sort of language which had been used 

 by him. Surely taings must be come to a strange pass, if the 

 House of Commons were compelled to interfere on such a matter as 

 the present, for the purpose of rescuing this strong, if not popular, 

 Ministry. He had been much gratified with Sir It. Peel's prece- 

 dent of the bottle conjuror; but how far Lord Stanley's speech had 

 been an example of the forbearance and conciliation which he 

 recommended to Mr. Ferrand, was another question. Lord Stanley 

 was the Prince Rupert of the House : his charge was irresistible ; 

 but when he returned to his camp, it was always in possession of 

 the enemy. It had been truly said that gentlemen, if they choose 

 to tell lies on the hustings, ought not to tell them in the House. 

 But he would go further : he thought they ought not to tell lies 

 even on the hustings, and if a man chose to declaim against the 

 Poor Law there, he ought not to come hither and vote for it. If 

 any man did this, that man was guilty of corrupt conduct, and 

 might now move a censure against him for saying so. He would 

 remind the Prime Minister of what had been said by a former, 

 though not greater, Sir Robert, who, when Sachevercll had been 

 long baited and worried, declared himself tired of roasting a 

 parson.— Captain Berkelev did not think the case was one of 

 which Mr. Hogg could have fitly made a personal quarrel; nor did 

 he consider it consistent with the dignity of the House that the 

 matter should be suffered to drop. There was a party in that place 

 who had been accustomed to cheer all the violences of Mr. Ferrand, 

 and they were in great measure the persons responsible for the 

 scrape he had got into. — Lord J. Manners moved the previous 

 question. He contended that the speech of Mr. Ferrand did not 

 convey the sort of imputation upon Mr. Hogg which it had been 

 assumed to involve. The newspapers might have given it that 

 construction ; but it ought to be judged of by itself, and not by the 

 constructions of other people. As to the charge against Sir J. 

 Graham, that right hon. baronet, who must be the best judge in his 

 own affair, had declared himself content that the matter should be 

 passed over. — Mr. Smythe seconded the amendment of Lord J. 

 Manners. He had no adverse feeling to Sir J. Graham, whose 

 straightforward conduct he highly eulogised ; and he considered 

 Mr. Ferrand to labour under as extraordinary hallucinations 

 respecting the character and conduct of the right hon. baronet as 

 respecting the employment of machinery. Nor did he question the 

 integrity of Mr. Hogg, whom he believed to have been influenced by 

 no worse motive than an outrageous sense of public virtue. But he 

 could not concur in a proceeding the object of which was to compel 

 Mr. Ferrand to prove his belief. No man in that House could prove 

 his belief upon any subject discussed there. Seeing that all this 

 mischief was owing to the member for Bath, he had himself a belief 

 though he could not prove it, that there was some understanding 

 between purity and power ; for that spurious patriot, while he 

 attacked all others, spared one great person, and intimated 

 plainly enough that if he were not the Diogenes of Bath, he would 

 like to be the Alexander of Tamworth. That learned member had 

 now effected a combination of two remarkable positions— that 

 of the rebels' agent and the Queen's counsel.— After a few words 

 from Sir R. Ixclis, Mr. Roebuck ro*e. Mr. Ferrand, he said, 

 had admitted having used the words ascribed to him ; and as to 

 the complaint that there had been no notice, surely, if a member 

 were charged with a robbery, he wanted no notice in order to be 

 prepared for a denial. Was thin a matter to be got rid of by the 

 somewhat cowardly expedient of the previous question? That 

 meant, that the House desired to express no opinion whatever. But 

 ought the House to express no opinion uponaquestiou whether a 

 Minister of the Crown had used his power to crush one of its 

 members ? It was the duty of the House to see that no Mi nister did 

 so use his power; it was his own duty, as one of the members 



[1844. 



of that House, to look to this. The accuser-Tart* " —^ 



own charge; still the House, in its courtesv „!f ned fr<H>fcfa 



rt all — __ 



one. 



matters or nign account ; ma he concur with Mr D'i ^^7 « 

 suggestion that this matter ought to have been* seAui- 1 in *• 

 was commonly called a gentlemanly way— an anniS -J* *** 

 able ; if not, then a duel ? Surely, after the late horEL* •***• 

 be felt that such a proceeding would have been a dismllf 

 —Mr. Smyths rose, and accused Mr. Roebuck ofi "' — 

 Mr. D'Israeli, that he was actuated by feelings | 131!** to 

 appointment, but loud cries of «• chair," and the internl?^ tU *" 

 the Spkaker, stopped the farther progress of this U^y**** ** 

 of quarrel.—Lord Howick was inclined to adopt th« ?To * B * 



tfct 



the case, which would contemptuously alio w the'mattw ?** ** 

 thereby showing their utter disbelief of the accusations 

 opinion of the public went With them, a vote of censure w*. ~~ 

 cessary ; if it did not, it was useless, while the precedent *n»u 



be established of noticing every case in which a memhiilES 

 House might think his honour impeached by groundless cha 

 Were they still further to waste their time, on Friday next^E 

 grave matters were set down for deliberation bv fresh di«en*£ 

 on this most trumpery case ?— Mr. Hume gave his reawMfe 

 considering that all who voted for the "previous qiiestiniS 

 would lend a sanction to the accusations.— Sir J. Giub 

 pointed out how the matter actually stood. The accusation! JuS 

 been brought under the notice of the House, and both he and 5? 

 Hogg had then felt it their duty to bring them forward in a fori' 

 manner. But having himself often said things which heremtM 

 and had wished to retract, he would be quite satisfied if Mr. fE! 

 rand would attend in his place on Friday and express his rem 

 for having spoken in a way which he could not sustain. Ukl 

 did so, all recollection of the charge would be effaced frnm U 

 mind.— Mr. Hogg would also be quite satisfied if Mr. Ferrul 

 would adopt the suggestion, and in that case would tfc 

 forgive and forget. — Lord John Russbll approved of tftfc 

 prospect of an amicable termination of the affair; u4 

 Lord John Manners withdrew his amendment, prote*. 

 ing against the imputation that he approved of doellns. 

 —The original motion for the attendan«e of Mr. Ferrand w* 

 then put and carried.— The House afterwards proceeded to tte 

 regular business, taking the County Coroners Bill, which stood 

 for farther consideration ; but Mr. Hume opposed a certain pra. 

 posed addition of ** three-peuce" per mile, which has already 

 been a matter of much debate, and in the thin state of the Howe 

 the managers of the Bill were compelled to postpone its farther 

 consideration.— Mr. French next rose in a House of about* 

 Members, to call attention to the Dublin Jury-lists, but his da- 

 course was cut short by the counting out of the House. 



Friday.— A new writ was issued for Horsham.— The Leedsaod 

 Bradford RailwavBill was recommitted on a division by a majo- 

 rity of 15S to 56.— In reply to Mr. Macaulay, Sir R. PeklhM 

 that he had received a letter from the Directors of the East India 

 Company, stating that they had, in the exercise of the power 

 which the law gives them, thought fit to recall Lord Ellenboroogk 

 fromtheofficeofGovernor-Generalof India.— Mr. RoEBDCKCtlW 



the attention of the House to a breach of privilege hi the shape of i 

 challenge sent him by Mr. Smythe, the Member for Canterbury. 

 The letter was put in and read by the Clerk of the House. Mr. 

 Smythe said that it was only a demand for an explanation of 

 certain terms which Mr. Roebuck had applied to him in debate. 

 —Sir R. Peel called on both gentlemen to state that the matter 

 should end there ; and the requisite assurance was given. Sir 

 R. Peel moved the consideration of the complaint of Mr. 

 Ferrand's accusations.— The Speaker asked whether the Hoe. 

 Member for Knaresborouch was in his place?— Mr. Fmrawj 

 having answered, the Clerk read the extracts complainea 

 of.— Mr. Ferrand said he owed an apology to the Hoose 

 for having taken up so much of its time. Had r «« "™- 

 Member for Bath not taken him unawares, he should have ; jit™ 

 the answer the hon. Member for Finsbury suggested. flue w 

 the hurry of the moment, he was sorry to say he had aaopreu 

 the course he had. He owed another apology to t tie jow s 

 classes for having detained the House frointteconjtej"™ 

 a question that night that was a question of We ana ae 

 them. If he had wounded any man's feelings, ne su 

 always be ready to give that satisfaction that one ma 

 honour had a right to expect from another man ff i 

 He had said on Monday that he believed »^, Iwhe VouM 

 in the Times on the subject was correct ; bu • tnai doWB| 

 examine them carefully. He had done that, and cam 

 accordingly, to the House. The House was in ^err 

 thought he had fled owing to the rude : and _ unman r ^ 

 of the Hon. Member opposite. He repeated that ne 

 all that was reported in the Times. He had J^Ldnowoberit 

 he had thought that was the proper course. «e n * dar «he 

 the summons of the House to attend tahwPj^ ™" None bd 

 would obey every order they were entitled to ***'•. ' an «*> 

 acted better in the chair than the Right «oj Gentiem 

 now occupied it $ but that Right Hon. Gentleman haoj 

 difficulty of his position in that self-constituted 1 court ^ ^ 

 When that common informer (loud cries °f oraerj t 



would recal the words, but not the sent, . mc . n i „ eed on a* 

 informer and accuser had attacked him and «?J», elf &* 

 the crime of which the Honourable „ Jrfintr in the na* 

 was Kuilty. He protested against such P ro « e p d i° e V^iared t* 

 of the people of England ; and in their ( name he a _ 



self-constituted court of honour to be illegal arm ^ y 

 of the people of England he refused to pi eau at rf ^ 



Graham said that the hon. member for Beverley n* onthe$ * 

 accusations against him ; and he n°£ rose to s PV. usedf h e*» 

 ject of the accusations against himseir. as mi cnt3 »hetf- 



entitled to ask the house for an acquittal, or at * . lbe «n»B T 



to find any trace of any communic»i.»« "-" . erS| wita^. 

 missioner or with the other Poor-law g^HStfJ be & »' 

 ence to the particular union in qnestiom ¥ nrt n p*V 



certained that not even any verba ^^^Xnevtr^jS 

 him on the matter. He now declared he had ^ ne rf flon 

 directions respecting that report. The «U ten fott od£ 



Member for Knaresborough was, therefore en m n deB * 

 The dismissal of the alleged tool was nearly a 

 in itself of the accusation. [Left situng.j 



CITY. j.tP«J^ 



Money Market, Friday. -Con*o\* clo * e «J mo ,lV> 



duced Three per Cents., 98| ; ***"£?# to 7. P* 



Three-and- half New, 102£; E%che ^^ ^ ¥ -^ 



gazette of rasj^K-^HgSS^^VSS 



E<Uware-road, buiUer-E. Gramam, Dover -»tre«. RfAp * E j 

 _H. Cn»NNKi.r., Southampton, coal •men**"* " Comn.*rc»»l;^J^^' 



chandler-G- Smiro*. Stratford, Em«-x. ....f„rd.btr«. 



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- SCOTCH SKOUESTRATIONS.-C Br.»cK. ££ g£j-r. - 

 ch„nt-<i. K.«, Kilmarnock, calion P"/"",- i al „ M P""""' r 

 POWIUU4 Co.. M am-h^ter, ***$?** CI.**..*, P r " v "«" J 



fimrrn, Gla»«ow, upholnerer-R. B *\ c r "*y uMe lbur«h, b**« r 

 Aberdeen— G. Sharp, N«wbi*Kinfr, near •"» 

 Prineei-itreet, Edinburgh, grocer. 



