Yet, so long as petitions were
judged by the whole House, there seemed no chance of the abuse being
removed, the number of judges conferring the immunity of shamelessness
on each individual. To remedy such a state of things, in the spring of
1770 Mr. G. Grenville brought in a bill which provided for the future
trial of all such petitions by a select committee of fifteen members,
thirteen of whom should be chosen by ballot, one by the sitting member
whose seat was petitioned against, and one by the petitioner. The
members of the committee were to take an oath to do justice similar to
that taken by jurymen in the courts of law; and the committee was to
have power to compel the attendance of witnesses, to examine them on
oath, and to enforce the production of all necessary papers; it was also
to commence its sittings within twenty-four hours of its appointment,
and to sit from day to day till it should be prepared to present its
report. It was not to the credit of the ministers that they made the
passing of such a bill a party question. The abuse which it was designed
to remedy was notorious, and Mr. Grenville did not exaggerate its
magnitude when he declared that, "if it were not checked, it must end in
the ruin of public liberty." He was supported by Burke, and by two
lawyers, Mr.
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