JB/116/311/002

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N.S. Wales

17 July 1802

Conduct

To help us on assist Your Lordship in the estimate in forming an
estimate of this fraud, I will beg leave to point Your
Lordship's attention for a moment to a tale of other times. The reign
of Richard the second is commonly mentioned as amongst the most
tyrannical reigns that are to be found in our history, as
well as in other respects amongst the most disastrous. Amidst the
manifestations of that tyranny there is one which appears
to have been in the abhorrence of which the historians
of both parties seem to have made common cause.

"At last" (says Rapin) Ao 1398, "under colour of
"dispatching business, the Parliament appointed a certain
"number of commissioners who were invested with the authority
"of the whole House. [He should have said of both Houses.] Thus
"by an unprecedented Act, the whole power of the nation was
"divested to the King, twelve Peers and six commoners." To

"The parliament" (says Hume on the same occasion)
before they were dissolved, selected a Committee of twelve Lords
and six Commoners, where they were invested with the whole powers both
of Lords and Commons, and endowed with full authority to finish
all business which had been laid before the Houses, and which
they had not had leisure to bring to a conclusion. This was an
unusual concession; and though it was in the object, might
either immediately or as a precedent, have proved dangerous to the constitution:
But the cause of that extraordinary measure was an
event singular and unexpected, which engaged the attention of the
parliament. It was a quarrel between two great Lords.+ The
"parliament thought it more suitable to delegate their power to
a Committee, than to prolong the session beyond the usual time
which custom and general convenience had presented to it.

+ As the event of this
important trial by arms
might require the interposition
of legislative authority.

Identifier: | JB/116/311/002 "JB/" can not be assigned to a declared number type with value 116.
Date_1	1802-07-02	Marginal Summary Numbering	15-17
Box	116	Main Headings	panopticon versus new south wales
Folio number	311	Info in main headings field	n. s. wales
Image	002	Titles
Category	text sheet	Number of Pages	1
Recto/Verso	recto	Page Numbering	a21 / b15 / d15 / f21
Penner	jeremy bentham	Watermarks
Marginals	jeremy bentham	Paper Producer
Corrections	jeremy bentham	Paper Produced in Year
Notes public		ID Number	37844
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