§ Mr. W. Smithrose in pursuance of the notice which he had given last night, to move for the rescinding of the motion for the production of papers relative to the colony of Sierra Leone, which had been made by an hon. gent. That motion had been made without any previous notice, and was for the production of papers, some of which would be unintelligible without others, and some contained gross and libellous matter against persons in this country, who were extremely anxious for the most minute investigation, and would have been happy if the hon. gent. could have gone into the enquiry this year, but as the session was so far advanced, there was little prospect 462 of it. The only effect of the motion would be, that the Papers would he on the-table, which could answer no good end, and might be extremely prejudicial to the individuals whose characters were implicated. He therefore would move, "That the order for the production of Papers, relative to Sierra Leone, be rescinded."
§ The Speakerbegged to suggest to the hon. member, that if the Address for the production of those Papers had been presented (and he understood it was), this motion would come too late. It would only be in the power of the House to impound the Papers, so as to prevent their contents from being known, or to present another Address to the Prince Regent on the subject. Perhaps the best plan would be to prevent the Papers from being printed in the present session.
§ Mr. W. Smith expressed his acquiescence in the proposition, which was adopted.