Star. — London, England, 1807-02-14 00:00:00

Hon. Secretary, and infifted that he had done no more than what he was juftified in doing. Mr.-PERCEVAL role, and fpcke as follows : I , Sir, I cannot but exprefs my furprife, at hearing Minifters attempt to throw on us the charge of incon fiftency• Ine:eed, it muff be acknowledged, this is of a piece with their ufual conduCt, and comes,with a peculiar good grace from that virtuous Miniftry, which was ever exclaiming againft the delay of the Hampfhire Petition. Now, mark their condo& when it is produced. They who were to anxious sto excul pate themfelves from the charge of undue influence, now refufe to go into Committee, where their con• duet would undergo an impartial, though firid ex. amination. With fuch pri.fellions, we inn often fee men endeavour to delude and gull the credulous; but it..linifters may depend upon it, that this evening's condird, if it does not totally undeceive the country, t;, long their dupes, will undoubtedly put the leaft difcerning on their guard in future. As for the Right Honourable Gentleman accufed, I lenk uprn him as a mere instrument in the hands of his ftipe• riors. In this point, the Petitioners alto view his condud ; for they alledge, that various inflances of Minifterial interference, have, to their know ledge, occurred in different parts of the coun try. How then is the Petition to be anneered ? Not by going into the examination of the prevailing and general abufe of power, but by patching up a fort of lame defence, in the only inftance, arnongft many, fpecified ; and thus this virtuous collation of Minitters, who were fo clamorous for an opportunity of difplaying their innocence to the world, are now content to (mother, in the firfi instance, that inquiry which alone could have preferved their character from dude fufpicions of exerting undue influence, which have fo very generally prevailed ; and of which to many proofs are offered to be produced. The Right Honourable Gentleman has laid, this application was only made in the charader of a freeholder of the county. But to whom was this made ?to his tenantry ? No. Was it underftood to be a private communication by General Hewett ? No. He immediately, by his Secretary, writes to Davis this letter, adding, that he had received the orders contained in it, from (not a freeholder of the county) but the Secretary of the Treafury. The fame Gentleman, 1 recoiled, raid, that had the letter been direded from the private houfe of the Right Honourable Secretary, all would have been right.— This I deny. What, are you to fuppofe, becadre it would not then come diredly from his office, that its mandates would be lets attended to ? This would be, indeed, to open an eternal fubterfuge, by which the Miniftry could, at all times, efcape the wholefome reftraint provided by the wifdom of the Legiflature. Let the fyflem laid down by the Right Hon. Gen tleman be only carried on with a little ingenuity, and each Member of Government, poffeffing a freehold in one or more Counties, may efFeEtuaily, in fpite of law, controul the fuffrages of that County, and thus the boated independence of Parliament will quickly be transformed into the calm fubfervi. ence of corrupt placemen and penfivners. It was worth the attention of the Houle to compare the for mer conduct of the Gentlemen now in the Miniftry, with their prefent unwillingnefs to inquire into the complaint of the petition. They had then affected there had been corruption and it titmice reforted to. Of this they could bring no proof ; yet they called for reform. Now the allure exists, even by their confeffion, yet they retitle to inquire into it. That is, in other words, we, who were once fo pure, are, by the unhappy influence of place, becoepe fo corrupt, that we dare not permit an inquiry to be inftituted, left the difeafe fhould be difcovered to have infeded us all with its malignancy. If there be in Govern• ment any regard for the frame of the Confliturion, they muff be convinced there is fufficient grounds to enter into Committee on this petition. And I hope that, notwithfianding they have affected this to be a party queflion, which I think may, with greater jut tice, be retorted on them, they will, nevertbelefs, give us an opportunity of having the matter fairly difcuffed. 'Tis a duty they owe to the magnitude of the queltion, and the anxiety of the community at large. Lord HOWICK contended that there had been nn unconftitutional interference, eizher on the preterit or any other, occafioo, on the part of Government. If there was any improper interference, it was on the other fide of the Houle. The abufe of authority had been by thole who had attacked Gove:nment. He adverted to the fignatures to the petition, and re marked, that among them were a Commitlioper of Army Accounts, the Clerk of the Commiffioners for the Redemption of the Land Tax, the Clerk to the Commiffioners of the Balingfiuke Canal, two fervants of the Hon. Baronet (Sir H. Mildmay), a tenant of the Duke of Bolton, and a perfon who was applying to become a Surveyor of Taxes. This was a pretty good proof that the influence of Government had not produced much terror among thole who were in pub lie employment. As to the enquiry Aced for, there was no pretence for it ; every thing that could be known was already before the Houle. General elle F ations had been made of other :nfrances in which the influence of Government had been used. He appealed to the Houfe, whet her fuch a thing we; ever heard of as perfons arming to the Houfe with a general charge; and then Paying, if the Houfe would let them have a Committee they would prove instances, but without mentioning how or when ? Such never had been the pradice of Parliament. With regard to •what had been Paid by an Hon. Gentleman (Mr. Johnflon) re- Ipeding a letter fent into Yorkfliire, hetwas furprifed he had not produced that letter. It had been known ! upwards of two months that this ruble& would be brought before the Houfe, and he certainly would j have been prepared with the letter, could•he have made any ufe of it o This charge, like many of the others, he confidered as . frivolous. Eye unci difce oman. He was perfuaded the Houfe would not think it right to go into the enquiry. He had already raid, that if the charge could be proved; his Majelly's Minifters deferred the /Wine of the Houfe ; but if not, that it ought to be ma: ked by the.manner of relating it. The charge had been brought. forward, and a more frivolous one he had, never heard of. He called upon the Houfe, therefore, to difmifs the petition out tuf C tirt. He was as anxious as the Hon. Gentleman could be to (ecure the independence of Parliament, but he could.not confider there wasany impropriety in a Secietary of State doiok that which had always been done. It was evident,to the flour*, that the in fluence of his hlajefly's Minifters was not that which ;: . : '• ‘'. r . is was molt formidable, and is a proof, on a motion for enquiring into the poffibility of a reduEtion of finecure places, a Committee was inflantly granted. —He would afk, whether a fairer Committee could have been granted ? With refpea, to the motives which actuated fome of the Honourable Gentlemen on the other fide of the Houfe, it might be perfeftly natural, that thofe who had been in office 20 years, fhould with to retain the advantage of their paft pa tronage, and it might be convenient for them to de prive Government of their fair patronage, though certainly it would not be very ufeful to the country. His Lordfhip concluded by afrerting, that nothing had been fairly laid to the charge of Government, and he untied that the Houfe would not only ^.almly and difpaffionately view the fubjed,but would entirely difmifs the motion. Mr. PERCEVAL and Sir H. MILDMAY ad. dreffed a few oblervations to the Houfe in explanation. Mr. ROSE laid, he had entered the Honk with a ftrong determination not to offer hirnfelf to its notice, but after the perfonal allu firms which had been made to him, the Houfe would not be furprized if he laid a few words. He adverted to, and jullified, his hay. ing availed himfelf of the offer of a perfon at Canter. bury, to promote the eleftion of an Hon. Member (Mr. Calcraft), who certainly had not made a very grateful retnrn. He alfo denied a charge of having fufpended an Excife profecution for election purpofes. That fahjeft had once been brought before the Houle, and the Houle had refilled to notice it. The charge had .been repeated in a newfpaper, and he bad pro lecuted the Printer, not by a criminal information, but an aftion for damages, in which the printer might have proved the truth of the charge,if it had been well founded. A libellousaccount of that trial had formerly been publiffied ; it was now republifhed, and the publifher had admitted that it was brought to him by the friend of a Noble Marquis. With regard to the prefent question, it had been laid, that no threats had been ufed. He had letters which would (hew that a Member in the Ordnance Department had gone into the town which he (Mr. Role) reprefented, the day heft re an elation of Magiftrates, and had told thrice who were to cleft them, that if they adhered to Mr. Role, they would lofe their employments; and when he late diffolution of Parliament took place, two Gentlemen, both ftrangers, refpeftable men, he ad mitted, and of large fortune, but not known to any perfon, came forward with letters from the Secretary f the Treafury, addreffed to the Cultom Houle Officers, who were difabled by law, and under fevere penalties, from interfering in Eleftions. They lent letters to perfons who did not even know Mr. Free mantle, and enquired who he was ; they purfued the liurgeffes from one end of the town to the other, but could only get a tingle vote. He maintained the influence of the 'lreafury had been exerted in a way never heard of before. He defied the proof of an inftance, in which any man had voted for him, in consequence of any kindnefs he had done him. He could alfo mention, that at Southampton, where his fon had been the candidate, out of 700 votes, there were only two perfons to whom he had ever done a perfonal kindnefs. On the other hand, a Gentleman in a public empinyment of 6001. a year, had promifed his fon to vote; he afterwards addr effect him in thefe terms : I write to you with a broken heart, but I dare not do it, under the apprehenfion of lofing my employment." He afterwards aficed the Gentleman whether it was true, and he replied by hanging down his head and quitting the huttings. Such had been the conduit of the prefent pure and immaculate Go vernment ? He next referred to an inftance of a perfon in the Dock yard at Portfmouth having been difrniffel fcr voting againft the intereft of his Majelly's Mini tiers, and he (olemnly declared, that with regard to himfelf, he never had put any man to the haft pain or diffifulty with regard to giving his vote. • Mr. CALCRAFT protefled that he had never communicated the affiftance the Honourable Gentle man (Mr. Role) had given, till another Honourable Gentleman informed him he had feen his letter ard the anfwer to it. He denied having ever fail he was authorized by the Treafurer of the Navy. He had heard things as extraordinary of the Honourable Gentleman (Mr. Rae) from the fame quarter that he htd derived his information. Amang other things, be had been told that Mr. Rol': was corinened with the prefent Adminillration, and that, fo far from thwarting Government, he affilled the Chancellor of the Exchequtr. He oblerved that a more ft.volous charge never was made, and he hoped, that before fuch a charge was lillened to, it would , be borne out by fomething more than declamation. The SOLICITOR GENERAL begged to call to the rect.lleftion of the Houle, the declaration made by the Right Hon. Gentleman (Mr, Role), that he had not intended to fay one word upon the fubjeft. He begged leave to obferve, that this sun a pre famptive proof that the Right Hon. Gentleman himfelf was not convinced of the truth of his allega tions, or he would not have been thus baokwafd to fuppr.rt them. The Right Hon. ,Gentleman had alto Rated, that the Reps which lie bad taken on.a former occafion to vindicate his charafter from thelmputa tion of uncontlitutional interference at tbe-Wettmin fter Elettion, were by bringing a civil -anion for damages againft an oblcure printer, who had no way of defending himfelf hut by producing. thafe waifs which were Cole!) , in the poffellion of the Right' Hon: Gentleman, confequently out - of his reach, and he was prevented from m4ing any defence. But the Right Hon. Gentleman, if the vindication of his own purity was really his object, fhould have taken the contrary cnurfe, and have proceeded by criminal i infarmat ion, in which cafe he would have been bound to fallify on oath the libellous charge, and , have thereby placed his conduit beyond aU doubt or quef tion. Mr. ROSE raid he had been advifed by a urfon as eminent in the proferson.as the Hon. Member. Mr. GEORGE ROSt r accufed Miniiters of hav ing ufed their influence to . . • Mr. ASH TON SMITH diGtvowed every thing perfonal and noalcvalenr. . . - • The Houfe became exceedingly clamorous for the quell ion. _ Strangers were ordered to withdraw,, and upon a divition there appeared, . . . • For the Motion , . . 57 Againfl it Majority againil the Committee In. Adjourbed at One , • THE EVENING STAR. LONDON. SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 14. Confols, for snoncy, 6211—for Fcbruary 6211.7-.onullem 71. Exchequer Bills, par to Is. . Lail night an exprefs arrived at the Admiralty, with intelligence from Sir S. HOOD, the particulars of which were not made public when uur Paper went to prefs. The Inveterate gun•brig has anchored at Deal, (torn the coat of France, with difpatches from the Admiral on that Ration. The French are colleaing their (mall craft on the whole line of their coat, and availing themfelves cf every opportunity of flealing along their !hallows to their more northern depots. A change of fyftem teems to have lately taken - place in the French marine. Whatever may be their pur pole, they are recovering from their long inallivity. It appears bj their feveral motions, as if a general order of fume kind or other had been Med by the French Admiralty. Immediately upon the arrival of the Inveterate, all the gun brigs and !loops of war, at that time at Deal, were difpatched to take their feveral Rations on the French coaft. THE ARMY. If we may judge from what Brigadier General CRAWFIIILD hitherto has done, we may augur mon favourably of the expedition entrufled to him, and Miniflry deferve the highell credit for the felediun of fo very able an Officer. We have feen the letter of an Officer in General CRAWFUILD'S Army, who mentions that the Egyptian ophthalmia hod broke out in one of the tranfports, and had laid up 5o men, who were landed at St.Jago by Dr. THOMPSON, the Infpedor General of Hof pilals. Our Military Readers will learn with fatisfaaion, that the Colonelcy of the 88th Regiment has been given to Brigadier General &examen, the only Ge• neral Officer among the Heroes of Egypt who had not been rewarded or had honours conferred on him. General Sir Gaosus PREVOST has jut} come to town, and the report is again afloat cf his going out with a force to the Weft Indies. This may account for the order to detain the Well India fleet; nei:her that nor the Eatt India fleet being likely to fail for Come time. AMERICAN PAPERS. We this day received New York and other Ame , rican papers, to the 2oth ult. . . A compromife has at laa taken place between the Americans and the Spaniards, and the AmeriCan ar• mament under General WILKINEON has withdrawn from the frontiers to defend New Orleans, where they are apprehentive of a 'haile attack from Colonel BURR, whole deligns feem not to be underflood, withllanding his late acquittal. Colonel BURR'S forces have been'llated at 7000 men, but this is Purely exaggerated—indeed there is a wonderful tendency in the Americn journalias to excite the public mind againft Buaß& n All the American 7,lin boats in readinefs have been ordered to fAiricir New Orleans. The Bill for A:bnlifhing the Slave Trade has been ihrown out by the AlTenthly of South Carolina. It was 101 l by the caning vote of the Prefident. - The following is the 'aroltrecent intelligence from the feat of Government " WASHINGTON, JAN. to. 66 We have heard nothing fuither on the 'filbjea of 'Butes expedition t..tt is' a myfterious piece of bufincfs; and at preterit defies the tomtits) , of com mon intelligence. • • The congrefs barriers goes on flowly : the Bills for repealirtg the Duty on Salt, 'arid for continuing the Mediterranean Fun/Alto the 15efence of our Trade againft the Tirates v have been. twice read. 4-4 The Slave Trade Bill drags heavily Oh.' It has already been comMitted for revifion three or' four timcs, • and is likely' to • undergo as main; more revifir'ns and amendments:" In what thape it will finally pars 'no human eye an forefee. Genernl SMITH, of the Senate; has moved for an augmenta tionof the (landing army. A Motinnihas been made to continue the Aa furpencling all iniercOurre with pqmihgp.- • • . •• • A report has agaTn . goi inltTeirculation, that the Cailit Beet has putt() feu. The authority quoted is that of a neutral (hip arrived at one of the out ports. • Letters and papers from Halifax' to 'the t4th plt. have been •receivea. 'initiate letter .of the 13th !hies; that an Americin tail, bound from Bone deanx to Vililadelphii,*with French prnprty on Ward of great value, has been taken-off the DelaWari, by the Bermuda {loop of 18 guns, Captain Bras!, and. fent'into lleimuda. lit. BRENTON, the .fenior. AG latent Judge at Halifax, died in'the beginning of lift month. A Mr. RALLIRURTON has been appointea to fucc'eed him, adlaterint, until a *fucceffor is appoint ed in England. The Candidates are Mr. HALLIBOR: Tom and Mr. Unlaces, fort of the-Attorney General, a young Gentleman admitted-to the Englifh Bar . ,' and educated purpofely feu the fituation. • • Miffs DAVIS, it will beremembered, was ref. who, cued by the OfAcers of Juftice from folitary confine ment at a houfe in Johts.ftreet, Golden-fquare, has been conveyed home to - her parents in Wales, after her fight lad been reftored, and her health improved, in the poorhOufe of St. James's parifh. The prole. cution which was inftituted repelling this bufinefs, has been difcontinued..,. • • .• N4UTICAL INTELLIGENCE. DOVER, FEBRUARY z 3. Arrived yefterday, to wait for convoy, the brig PHOBBE I Captain SwEresom, of and for Gothenburg, with wine, from Oporto.. Paffed by this day, the fbip Britannia, Captain lIARViIf, froni the cod (4 Ptru, 101 from St. Helena, Nound to London ; alfo the Manfort, Captain Iticumostr, from the fame place, bound to London.—wiml W. and moderate. PORTSMOUTH, FEBRUARY t 3, Arrived his Majefly's fhips NEwasts, from the Downs; Coamottaur, from the Wraward, and the LURYALUS, from a cruize. Sailed his Maje !hips SAFEGUARD, for the Downs . ;; INCONSTANT And DISPATCH, on a cruize•—Wind S. W. ' DEAL, FEBRUARY 13. Sailed his Majelly's (hips Ecoaa, r`r the rfench Coal}, and the PHOSPHORUS, for Silt emel t . At rived his Majelty's chips RAILLEUR, from' Sheernefs; TRnmpgust arid SEAGULL, from a cruizt.'o and re main in the Downs With the reft of the fh;p s as per la(t, and feveral outward bound yards. W 4.0 3.W. GREENOCK, FEBRUARY nr. _ _ Captain Simpson, of the brig Sally, from hence for Limerick, writes from Lochindall, of due ad ink Yefterday off the Runs of Iflay, we fell in with the wreck of a (hip, bat the lea was fo heavy and dole by the Rims, that we could make nothing of it; but a floop going to the filhing having plenty of men, hoilted out her boat and got feveral things. We do not know what (hip it could be." GRAVESIND. FIB. 12.—Sailcd the Boddingtons, CL AltIC, for St Vincent's. Fsa. T 3 —Pared by the Guardian Wirliamfon, for Copenhagen ; Albion, Randel!, for Dublin :Logan, M'Connell, for Belfaft ; Vag. nol, Harris ;—Mentor, Chriftie ;—Aguillor, Millington ;—Ann„ Tuckcr ; Britannia, eldis ; Oporto, Coney; Mercury, Brown; Eleanore. Nightingale ; Birgmore, Proufe ; atid Britannia, Doti.. ghts, from Oporto. Sailed the Metcalfe, the Baring, for India ; Surrey, Horry, for suriniiin - ; "Albion. Taylo r , for Trinidad ; Margaret, Moffat, for Or:nada ; Science, Howard, for New York ;—shannon, Daniels, for Limerick ;—Bleffing, Mackie; Hercules, Caffrey ; and the.Wanflead, warm), for la. maica. ()Revolt tos.—The Oratorios commenced laft night at Covent Garden Theatre, under the judicious direc tion of the ASHLEY., in a fide which promifes a pro duelive feafon. The leading vocal performers who have been er gaged are nearly the fame as thofe of lad feafon, viz. Mrs. Di cxow s, Mrs. BLAND, Madame DUSSEC, and Meirts. BRA H A 1,1, PYRE, SMITH, DOyLE, and BELLAM Ir. The inttrumeptal band is very pow erfnl, e chorus fingers unufually numerous and correa. The pieces of laft night were the firft Ad of HAYDN'S Creation, and dalexassekr'4. Feel. In the farft e Mrs. DICKONS lung " 0 mighty Pensi" in a very fafcinating n a incr. T h e audience was numerous and refpeetab.e. . . HARRISON'S vocal concert, at the Grand Room, Hanover•fquare, commenced lift night for the feafon, with an excellent Selditoriithat did in6nite honour to the condutiots. Mrs. VAyGHAPI, Mrs. ASH, and Mrs. .41ov/crept, fang their fpngs with their dint fcience. Mrs: A s ,Sweet Bird, accompanied by Mt. ASH, was given with ationifhing effeet. Blart.snaa was in fine voice, and delighted us with his fweet and powerful abilities, in Dr. Car..cove,s new 14. S. Recitative and Song, from CAMPBELL'S 4 1 1eafura 4 *ye ; —and Him( Isom equally pleated ns in' 'Mr. MATHS'S Verfes of the Moiled Dr u m, or the siskier'e Funeral ;—the mufic •of which ranks among Mr. Arvwooh's heti works for icientific compoOtio.n.— In fhort, where fo much excellence was difplaied by the different Vocal and Inltrumental Performers, it is impofEble to difcilminate.—The room was cow. pletelY filled with all the beauty and fathionabies itt town: it was nearly twelve o'clock before it Ml' eluded. Covers MattriaL.—Wednefday morning the fig. nal was made on board the Zfaland, at the Note, (flag (trip of Vice Admiral RoweEv) for a Court Martill to be held on board the Magnanime, M the harbour, f o r the trial of Mr. HENRY Toucsa, Pilot Of hii Majefty's gun-brig 'Sparkler, for running the Paid brig on (bore ; and the charges being proved * he was fentenced to be mul4t of his pay and repri• mantled. The Court Martial on Capt. Hay:mas t late Com mander of his Majelly's (hip Difpatch, clofed on Thurfday at Portfmouth. The Court fully acquit. ted Capt. HAWKINS of every part of the charges alledged agaialt him. A General Court. Martial affembled in Edinburgh ,Cattle, on Monday fennight, for the trial of Thomas Henderfon, Corporal of Artillery, from Dumbarton Cattle, for difobedience. The !entente of the Court, which doled on Wednefday, was, that the Corporal fhould be reduced to the rank and pay of a gunner,. and receive too lathes. The Commander of the forces in Scotland, in confederation of his long fervices, has remitted the latter part cf the fentenot. 'Bow-sritsrr.—Yetterday Thomas tiressasusy, alias Wrepini Billy, was fully committed for trial, charged gith the murder of Mary Webb, in Higgler's.latie. The riidence is chiefly circumaaatial, but very firong. l, Molt of the particulars our readers ate al• ready in potreffion of.—William Brows, a private in the Marines; was examined on a charge of having robbed and murdered Mr. Begbie, the Clerk of the gritilh Linen .Company, at Leith, and committed for further exam:mation.-7troma Nada', who was detected in picking pocitets at the Opera Houle Matquerade,'was committed to Newgate. The celebrated ROUMAU with matchlefs eloquence has inculcated the abfolute necoffity of Females fuck ling their own Offspring. We are happy to and that masq Ladies of rank and iltaion have adopted this truly maternal prailice. To' ameliorate thole pains which may confequently ante, Mrs. GARDWRILPS PLR Casts and EssErrcir of Row, are earneflly re commended. They have been'approved of by the molt eminent Accouchers and Midwives, as they enable any Lady to Tackle her children with pleafare, and prevent diforders communicated by hired unties, filch as Scurvy,Worms, &c. To be had at the Worm MufeuMs, No. 74, Long Acre, and No. 3, High flreet, Shoredirch, price 75. the Packet. u m r LoNi;ura Illol{ TO-MORROW. • Mend . 26 minutes after 6 1,, - )orn . ' • 53 minutes Am 6 LONDON: Printed and publilbed by LEVEL KENT, (of Can. terbury Place, Lambeth), at the SrAl•OP)tea, No. t o Carer Publithect allo at the &rat. Dines, Temple Bar.