On the motion of Mr. Canning, the order of the day was read for the attendance of Mr. H. C. Jen- 344 nings, who had written certain threatening letters to Mr. Peel. The Speaker inquired of the Serjeant-at-arms, whether Mr. Jennings was in attendance, and on being informed in the affirmative, he was conducted to the bar.
§ The Speaker.—What is your name?
§ The Speaker.—Look at those letters; there are three of them; were they written by you?
§ The Speaker.—Have you any observation, or explanation, which you wish to offer, upon having written them?
Mr. Jennings,in a feeble tone of voice, replied, that he was very ill at the time he wrote them, as the papers which he had in his hand would show, as well as in great anxiety of mind; but upon reflection, he was extremely sorry for having written them.
Mr. Secretary Peelthought the demeanour of this individual at the bar of the House, and the observations he had made, entitled him to the lenient consideration of the House. It would be extremely painful to the House to visit the offence of this person, who represented himself to be in a state of ill health, with any severe measure of punishment; and he thought the acknowledgment of his error might be accepted as a sufficient atonement for it.
Mr. Secretary Canningwas of opinion, that as this individual had menaced the House with overhanging their debates, and addressing one of their members from the gallery, it would be necessary to take some preliminary steps, before discharging him from further attendance. He should move, therefore, that Constantine Jennings had been guilty of a breach of privilege, and that he be called in and reprimanded by the Speaker.
§ Mr. Humeregretted that the right hon. gentleman felt it necessary to make this motion, because it involved a question of considerable importance. If a member of that House should make a statement respecting the character of an individual which was not correct, and should persist in taking no notice of repeated applications made to him to correct it, he really thought, though he did not defend the conduct of Mr. Jennings, that an individual, whose character would be so attacked, would be placed in a situation of considerable hardship.
Mr. Secretary Canningthought it impossible to visit such an offence as that of which this individual had been guilty, however it might be apologised for, or however extenuated, with a less measure of punishment than that which he proposed to inflict upon him.
The motion was then agreed to, and Constantine Jennings was accordingly called in, and reprimanded by the Speaker. The reprimand was as follows:
Henry Constantine Jennings, there is no duty more imperative upon this House, as well for the preservation of its own honour and dignity, as for the maintenance of the best rights of the public, than the duty of preserving inviolate its own privileges. I may add, there is no duty in which the House engages with greater reluctance than that of visiting an individual with punishment for an offence committed against them; and for myself, let me add, there is no duty more painful, both from the apprehension, that I may not adequately convey the sentiments of the House, and also from a feeling of what must be the situation and state of the individual who is subjected to that correction. The House have heard, and have heard with as much satisfaction as the circumstances of the case would admit, the unequivocal and full expression of contrition on your part. The House are prepared to receive it in the spirit in which you delivered it, and, under these circumstances, to deal with this offence with the utmost lenity. I am commanded to reprimand you for the offence which you have committed, and to admonish you, that a repetition of such offence will not be passed over with so slight a correction."