Mr. Sexton yesterday week called attention to Sir W. Marriott's
speech at St. James's Hall of last Wednesday week, as raising a question of privilege. Sir W. Marriott had sug- gested that the forged Parnell letter might have been nothing but a forged copy of a real letter, and he had intimated that the Commission had pronounced no opinion whether this was so or not. Mr. Sexton submitted that for a Member of the House of Commons to reiterate against Members of the House of Commons charges into which the Judicial Commission had inquired, and which they had found to be false, involved a breach of privilege. The Speaker decided that whether Sir W. Marriott's words were just or unjust, they could not possibly be construed as a breach of privilege ; and Sir W. Marriott having explained that a good deal of his speech at St. James's Hall was not very serious, but -rather of the nature of chaff, Mr. Sexton said that he left Sir W. Marriott to what he deserved, " the contempt of that House and of the country." Contempt, perhaps, is a strong word, but undoubtedly Sir W. Marriott did not come out of the transaction with flying colours. He had made a speech which he was neither ready to stand by, nor willing to retract and regret, and that is not a state of mind on which any one can expect to be congratulated.
