se, and who generally had a number of copies of those journals on
hand, had distributed a hundred and sixty-eight of them throughout some
of the constituencies just prior to the last general election. This had
been done at his own expense, and in the interest of the Reform
candidates; for he believed that no more effective campaign document
could be devised than a truthful record of the proceedings in the House.
But as strict matter of Parliamentary law he had been guilty of a breach
of privilege, no one having a right to publish reports of the
proceedings of the Houses without authority. The existence of such a
rule is perhaps salutary, as there are conceivable cases in which it
would be inexpedient to allow such publication. But, as everybody knew,
Parliament had long been accustomed to wink at perpetual violations of
this rule. Newspapers all over the world had been permitted, and even
encouraged, to transgress it. Some of the leading organs of public
opinion in different parts of the world had built up their reputations
mainly by the fulness and accuracy of their reports of Parliamentary
proceedings. Nothing can be more certain than that there would have been
no talk about enforcing the obsolete rule at this time but for the fact
that it seemed to afford a pretext for punishing the man whom the
Government party wished to destroy. The attempt to enforce it was not a
success. The motion to that end was made by Allan MacNab, and was to the
effect that Mackenzie had abused the trust reposed in him as the printer
of the journals, by distributing portions of the same for political
purposes, and among persons not entitled to copies thereof, thereby
committing a breach of the privileges of the House. The junior member
for Wentworth thundered with tremendous vehemence in support of his
motion. To judge from his language, his soul had been stirred to its
nethermost depths by this lamentable violation of Parliamentary
privilege, which he characterized as a species of treason. Hagerman and
Boulton followed in the same strain, the latter waxing almost pathetic
in his expressions of devotion to the British constitution. But their
exertions were ineffectual. The House, subservient though it was, was
not to be coerced into supporting a motion which, if carried, would
almost certainly be converted into a basis of attack on persons who were
favourable to the Administration. A majority of the members foresaw that
if Mackenzie were punis