HC Deb 15 February 1813 vol 24 cc518-9
Mr. M. A. Taylor

said, he rose to complain of an unmerited attack which had been made upon him by an individual in one of the daily prints, and which, while he had a seat in that House, he would not submit to. He had no objection to the publication of the debates of the House; but in these debates false accounts ought not to be suffered to go out to the public, nor false insinuations allowed to be thrown out, which might have a tendency to lower the character of any member of that House in the public estimation. He had occasion to notice an attack which was made upon him in the same paper about two years ago. Whether this originated in any ill will entertained against him by the Editor of the paper or not, he could not say. This was not his case alone, but that of every other member of the House. The press was now teeming with these sort of attacks, and every individual ought to resent them. Within these walls he had a right to look for protection. He appealed to the House if there was a syllable of truth in what the Editor had asserted. He alluded to the British Press newspaper. The Globe, which contained the same account, was, he believed, edited by the same person. In the account of the debate on the Vice-Chancellor's Bill on Thursday night, he was described as having been assailed with loud noise in the course of his speech. He appealed to the House if this was the case. In the paper in question he was described also as having, with a degree of arrogance, said he would not waste his valuable time in answering lord Redesdale's book. Such was the vicious and unfounded mode of attack resorted to by the Editor of this paper. (A. general call of "Read, read!")—It was not his intention to read the account, us he did not wish that the individual in question should be visited with punishment.

The Speaker

said, if a complaint was made by the hon. member, he ought to deliver in the paper. The House was not to notice a practice which it did not mean also to punish.

Mr. Taylor

said, he did not wish the matter carried farther at present; but if the practice were repeated, he should certainly move for the punishment of the individual.