Rather a foolish ceremony came off in the House of
Commons on Thursday. The House on Monday resolved that a man, named Reginald Bidmead, had forged signatures to some petitions against the abolition of the London coal-duties, which is, of course, a grave contempt of Parliament. It was at first proposed that Bidmead should be sent to Newgate ; but milder counsels prevailed, and be was ordered to appear at the bar and receive a reprimand. He accordingly attended on Thursday, and was solemnly reprimanded by the Speaker. Mr. Peel did his work well, dwelling both on the heinousness of the offence and the risk which Bidmead had incurred; but the whole proceeding had about it an air of unreality. If Bidmead is guilty, he deserved a long term of imprisonment ; but it should be inflicted by the ordinary tribunals, and in the ordinary way. As it is, a man accused of a discreditable offence is punished without trial, but only by a reprimand, and will be held by his friends to have been guilty only of a political error. The whole procedure of Parlia- ment in this matter of contempt needs revision ; but there is no time for anything.
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