vilege of every subject of this country, whether high or low, to have an open and public trial; and in this case, if there must be a trial, God forbid it should not be public.

The marquis of Lansdown repeated, that it was impossible for the house to assume that the other house of parliament might not think this matter a subject of impeachment.

The earl of Donoughmore agreed with the learned lord on the woolsack, that the proposed proceeding was interposing the shield of committees of both houses of parliament before the illustrious personage. The queen consort of these realms should be not only free from stain, but from the imputation of blemish.

Lord Holland was far from thinking that no inquiry should be instituted in this case; but he thought that inquiry should be made by the grand inquest of the nation-the other house of parliament; and they, who were the supreme court of judicature, should not come prejudiced to any judgment they might be called upon to decide. He did not think the proposed mode of proceeding more severe, or as severe, as many that might be adopted; but he protested against it as unconstitutional.

The marquis of Lansdown agreed in of the explanation of his noble friend.

every word

The motion was then agreed to, and the house adjourned.

The queen as it might have been naturally expected, lost no time in addressing the following message to the house of commons, in consequence of that which had previously been sent down by the king.

"The queen thinks it necessary to inform the house of commons, that she has been induced to return to England in consequence of the measures pursued against her honour and her peace for some time by secret agents abroad, and lately sanctioned by the conduct of the government at home. In adopting this course, her majesty has had no other purpose whatsoever, but the defence of her character, and the maintenance of those just rights which have devolved upon her by the death of that revered monarch, in whose high honour and unshaken affection she had always found her surest support.

Upon her arrival, the queen is surprised to find that a message has been sent down to parliament, requiring its attention to written documents; and she learns with still greater astonishment, that there is an intention of proposing that these should be referred to a select committee. It is this day fourteen years since the first charges were brought forward against her majesty. Then and upon every occasion during that long period, she has shown the utmost readiness to

meet her accusers, and to court the fullest inquiry into her conduct. She now also desires an open investigation, in which she may see both the charges and the witnesses against her a privilege not denied to the meanest subject of the realm In the face of the sovereign, the parliament, and the country, she solemnly protests against the formation of a secret tribunal to examine documents, privately prepared by her adversaries, as a proceeding unknown to the laws of the land, and a flagrant violation of all the principles of justice. She relies with full confidence upon the integrity of the house of commons for defeating the only attempt she has any reason to fear.

"The queen cannot forbear to add, that even before any proceedings were resolved upon, she had been treated in a manner too well calculated to prejudice her case. The omission of her name in the liturgy; the withholding the means of conveyance usually afforded to all the branches of the royal family; the refusal even of an answer to her application for a place of residence in the royal mansions; and the studied slight, both of English ministers abroad, and of the agents of all foreign powers over whom the English government had any influence must be viewed as measures designed to prejudice the world against

her, and could only have been justified by trial and conviction."

The reading of the message was heard with profound silence; the passage in which her majesty demands an open and public inquiry, was received with cheers from all sides of the house.

Lord Castlereagh then moved the order of the day for taking into consideration the late inessage of the king.-The message was read by the clerk.

Lord Castlereagh said, that, in rising to call the attention of the house to his majesty's message, he had to assure the house, that he keenly felt the extreme delicacy of this most painful of public questions, and that nothing could have induced ministers to bring it forward until all the efforts to render a discussion unnecessary had proved unavailing. He then proceeded to state what it was the intention of ministers to recommend for the adoption of the house. He protested in limine against the insinuations that ministers came down to parliament in the spirit of persecution or of prosecution. Never was there a message delivered to that house on terms more gracious than that to which they now directed their attention. The sovereign sought their advice.. Until the nature of the information to be laid before them was known, it was impossible to give that advice; and no vote should be asked of them that night

calculated to fetter their judgment upon the final question. It was to be presumed, that the queen's address was advised by her majesty's counsel, and that her majesty apprehended that the charge would be unsupported by evidence, and decided upon before a secret tribunal. It was a matter of astonishment to him that ministers should be suspected of proposing or countenancing any mode of accusation against the illustrious individual, or against the meanest subject, without affording all opportunities of examining it with publicity, of cross-examining those who supported the charge, and of rebutting the accusation by means of all those safe-guards of personal liberty, which sprung from the spirit of public justice. The serious question for the consideration of the great council of the nation was, what was most likely to lead to the most proper plan of investigation, and satisfy the ends of justice? He was not now speaking of the ultimate course. It would be for the house to decide, after the report of a committee for which he should move, whether the case should be pursued before the high court of parliament, or before the legislature by bill. But it would also be for them to decide whether any proceedings at all should be instituted. The committee, if it should be appointed, could not be charged with the consideration of the question, any more than a grand jury was charged with the