I understand, Sir, that in a place which I greatly respect, and by a
person for whom I have likewise a great veneration, a pamphlet published
by a Mr. Debrett has been very heavily censured. That pamphlet, I hear,
(for I have not read it,) purports to be a Report made by one of your
Committees to this House. It has been censured, as I am told, by the
person and in the place I have mentioned, in very harsh and very
unqualified terms. It has been there said, (and so far very truly,) that
at all times, and particularly at this time, it is necessary, for the
preservation of order and the execution of the law, that the characters
and reputation of the Judges of the Courts in Westminster Hall should be
kept in the highest degree of respect and reverence; and that in this
pamphlet, described by the name of a libel, the characters and conduct
of those Judges upon a late occasion have been aspersed, as arising from
ignorance or corruption.
Sir, combining all the circumstances, I think it impossible not to
suppose that this speech does reflect upon a Report which, by an order
of the Committee on which I served, I had the honor of presenting to
this House. For anything improper in that Report I am responsible, as
well as the members of the Committee, to this House, and to this House
only.
Pages:
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193