§ LORD BEAUMONTsaid, that the Motion which he had to submit to the House was, that the petitioners be called to the bar and be reprimanded and admonished for their conduct by the Lord Chancellor.
LORD BROUGHAMthought this was the best course that could be taken, more especially as they had given evidence before the Committee since they had been in custody in the fairest manner.
§ The MARQUESS of LANSDOWNEwas fally prepared to concur in the Motion of his noble Friend. He wished it, however, to be understood by all parties, that the I lenient course which that House was induced to take on the present occasion did not arise from their considering the offence to be one of a minor character. But the peculiar circumstances of the case, and the position of life of the parties which might not enable them to appreciate the enormity of the offence they had committed, 282 had induced the House to take a merciful view of the subject.
§ The EARL of HARROWBYsaid, he had received a letter from the Secretary of the Guardian Society at Liverpool, denying that any members of that society had had anything to do with the obtaining fictitious signatures to petitions. He knew this society to be composed of a most respectable body of men.
§ LORD BEAUMONTwished it to be publicly known that the inquiry into the conduct of the parties who had employed these men was still going on, and that the Committee expected eventually to discover those who had employed them, and were the really guilty persons. In case this fraud were clearly traced to them, they would be severely punished.
§ Order of the Day for taking into Consideration the Petition of Joseph Byrne, Joseph Hinde, and Duncan M'Arthur, Prisoners in Newgate, stating their deep Regret for having committed a Breach of the Privileges of this House, and praying the merciful Clemency of the House, read. The Yeoman Usher informed the House, That the said Joseph Byrne, Joseph Hinde, and Duncan M'Arthur were in Attendance: Then it was moved, by Lord Beaumont, That Joseph Byrne, Joseph Hinde, and Duncan M'Arthur be brought to the Bar of this Douse, and reprimanded by the Lord Chancellor, and discharged.
§ Agreed to.
§ Then the said Joseph Byrne, Joseph Hinde, and Duncan M'Arthur were brought to the Bar, and reprimanded by the Lord Chancellor for their Offences.
§ "Ordered—That Joseph Byrne, Joseph Hinde, and Duncan M'Arthur be discharged out of the Prison of Newgate, and that this Order shall be a sufficient Warrant in that Behalf.
§ "Ordered—That the Speech made by The Lord Chancellor in reprimanding the said Joseph Byrne, Joseph Hinde, and Duncan M'Arthur, be entered on the Journals of the House,"