The two Members of Parliament, Messrs. Whalley and Otadow, who
have lately been stumping the country on behalf of the Claimant, were on Tuesday brought before the Court of Queen's Bench for contempt. They were charged with having at public meetings in St. James's Hall declared that the witnesses against the Claimant were in a conspiracy against him, averred that the Attorney-General and the Government knew him to be Sir Roger, and insinuated that the Judge was a party to the con- spiracy. The Court considered the charges proved, and Sir A. Cockburn, in a judgment of the sternest kind, informed then that but for their submission to the Court, and their pledge to abstain from such proceedings for the future, he should have
added imprisonment to the fine of £100 which he proceeded to impose. It was at one time expected that the old question of privilege of Parliament would have been raised, but it was not, as imprisonment till the fine was paid, though at first included in the judgment, was remitted,—not, the Lord Chief Justice explains, because of their privilege, but because in their ease the fine could be realised without it. The judgment has been received with general approval, as the scandal had grown rank.
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