On Thursday occurred what was perhaps the most impor- tant
debate which has yet taken place in Committee. It was, proposed by Mr. Wyndham to explain " due process of law," by adding the words " giving not less security than is given by the common law, or by any Act of Parliament varying the- common law." To this the Government objected, and the- debate resolved itself into an attempt to get the Ministry to say what they meant by " due process of law," and for greater security to incorporate their definition with the clause. The- attitude of the Ministry was, we think, fairly summarised by Mr. Chamberlain when he said that when the Opposi- tion asked what due "process of law" meant, they were told that it was beyond the wit of man to define- it, but at the same time, it was a very great safeguard indeed." The position of the Ministry, indeed, reminds one of the words in the Harrow boys' song which comment on Queen Elizabeth's favourite oath :—" What is a ha1idome ? No one knows ; not even the bold sea-rover," Certainly, those bold sea-rovers, the Attorney and Solicitor General, were quite unequal to the task of explaining " due process of law." Ultimately, it was decided, by 32 votes (263 to 231), that the words should go into the Bill in all the simple magnificence of unintelligibility.
Previous page
