London and the Kingdom - Volume 3: A History Derived Mainly from the Archives at Guildhall in the Custody of the Corporation of the City of London.Sharpe, Reginald R. (Reginald Robinson)
History
London and the Kingdom - Volume 3: A History Derived Mainly from the Archives at Guildhall in the Custody of the Corporation of the City of London.
Sharpe, Reginald R. (Reginald Robinson)
London (England) -- History
his lordship returned home, attended by a great number of people; and
the populace took the horses out of the carriage at St. Paul's, and
drew the coach to the Mansion House." The enquiry stood adjourned until
Friday (22 March). In the meantime, leave having been given to him to
appear by counsel, albeit with certain reservations, a committee was
appointed to employ such counsel on his behalf as they should think
fit, with power to draw on the Chamber to the extent of £500.[282]
When Friday came the Speaker informed the House that he had received a
letter from the lord mayor to the effect that he (Crosby) was so ill
that he could not leave home, but that he would attend in his place
as soon as his health permitted. Another adjournment was therefore
made until the following Monday (25 March), and Oliver's defence was
appointed for the same day.[283]
[Sidenote: Crosby and Oliver again before the House, 25 March, 1771.]
By Monday the lord mayor had sufficiently recovered to attend the
House. At two o'clock in the afternoon he again set out in his
coach accompanied, as before, by Oliver. Crowds again escorted them
to Westminster, and the approaches to the House were so densely
thronged that the Speaker gave orders to have them cleared. Even
Walpole acknowledges this.[284] After the orders of the day for their
attendance had been read Crosby explained how it was that no counsel
appeared on his behalf. In the first place the restrictions that the
House had placed upon the appearance of counsel--viz., that they should
only be heard upon such points as did not controvert the privileges
of the House--was such as to prevent counsel speaking on many points
material to his defence; and secondly the counsel whom he could depend
upon, and whom he wished to employ, were on circuit. He therefore made
his own defence. It was now ten o'clock at night, and the exertion he
had undergone had rendered him so weak that he again had to ask leave
to withdraw, promising to abide by the judgment of the House. On his
return to the city he met with another ovation, his coach being drawn
by the people all the way to the Mansion House.[285]
[Sidenote: Crosby adjudged guilty of breach of privilege.]
After Crosby's withdrawal the debate was continued. It was moved that
the lord mayor's discharging of Miller out of custody, and his having
held the messenger of the House to bail, was a breach of privilege.
To this was moved the previous question, but after long debate it
was rejected and the original motion passed, order being given for
the lord mayor to attend on the following Wednesday, if his health
permitted.[286]
[Sidenote: Oliver committed to the Tower, 25 March, 1771.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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