Star. — London, England, 1807-07-09 00:00:00

PAR LIAMENTART PROCEEDINGS. HOUSE OF LORDS, JULY S. In an Appeal from the Court of Seffion in Sectland, " Thomp fon a Tare," Mr Alcsander and Mr Horner were heard for the Appellant. Further confulemtlon on Friday. Mr. flobhoufe and feveral other Members of the Houle of Commons, hrou;,ht ti? the American Treaty Bin, which was read a firft time and ordered to be printed. Adjourned till to•marrow (t"is day). HOUSE OF COMMONS. Mr. Young prefented an Account of the Foreign and Brltifb Shipping employed in the Britigi Trade, for three years, ending ' the Sth of January, rlic.y. and of the Tonnage and Number of Men --Ordered to lie on the table. a Mr FRENCH brought in the hitt Prifon Fees Bill. This wa read a first and fecond time. committed and reported, with a view to its being fent to Ireland, fo that it is not intended's° pars this (talon Mr. HAWKINS BROWNE moved for the Report of the Commiffioners for making Bridges and Roads in the Highlands of Scotly.d.—Ordered. The Dover Pilot Regulation Bill was read a fecond time, and referred to a Committee. Mr. VANSITTART prefentcd a petition from certain Aine • rican Loyaliltt, which was laid on the table. The Report of the College of Phyficiaris on the (Ojeda Vie. cination, was prefented.—Ordered to be bid on the table, and to be printed. On the Report of the Bill for prohibiting the granting of Offices in Reverfion for the benefit of Survivors being read, Lord H. PETTY fuggettd that Profefforthips in Scotland ought not to he allowed to he granted in reverfion. There was no loch pradlice known in any of the Univerfitirs of England. He therefore propo fed that fuch an extraordinary proceeding fhould not henceforward be permitted in the Univerfitirs in Scotland ; and moved an Amendment in the Bill to that &e ft, w:.ich was agreed to sew. an. Committees were appointed to prepare Filimate* of the Expence of Pay and Claathing for the Militia of Great Britain and Ireland. A petition wa; prefented, and ordered to be laid on the table, from the Philanthropic Annuity Society, praying Parliament to grant them further power, in order to enable them to carry their plans into execution. This being the latt day for hearing private Petitions, the Speaker ordered the Scrjeant at Arms to go into the lobby, and inquire if there happened to be any Gentleman there who had any loch pe tition to pre(cnr. The Serjeant returned without finding that there was any Hon. Member in any of the plates adjoining the•Huufe who was prepared with a petition of that nature. The Houle then proceeded to the coofideration of the other Orders on the Lift for the Day. The Report of the Traders Alters Bill was ordered to be taken Into further eonlideration to-morrow. Mr. V ANSFI TART prefented a Petition from tome American Loyaliits, praying for compenfation.—Ordered to lie on the table. —He gave notice, that on Friday he would move to refer it to a Committee. Lac now PETITIONS. Petitions were prefented complaining of undue returns for the Burgh of Lancafter ; for Liverpool; for the liniverfity of Dublin: all of which were ordered to be taken into conlideration on the 23d inftant ; and alto for the County of Renfrew. SALTASH PETITION. Mr. WHARTON moved for the poßponement of the confide radon of the Saltath Election Petition from Tuefday next to Thud day the aid instant. with a view to fubmit to the. Houle a Motion on Monday fe'nnight for a further poftponcment.—Ordered. Mr. DEN r prefented a Petition from the Debtors in Lancaf ter Gaol, praying for relief.. —Ordered to lie on the table. Mr Alderman SHAW prefented a Petition front the Weft India Dock Company, praying for public aid.—Ordered to be re• fared to a Committee. WINDSOR ?O ST. The CHANCELLOR of rite EXCHEQUER moved for leave to brine in a Bill to amend a Bill of laft year, for afccrraining the condition and boundaries of Windfor Forcft. The amendment related to two abuks which were found to bear exceedirgly hard upon individuals, with raped to their claims, and the evidence for making them out. The ohjed was to repeal thefe claufes. Mr. CHARLES DUNDAS feeonded the motion, which was agreed to. - - - pEwsinws. Mr STURGES BOURNE adverted to the Aft paired for limiting the perdions from the civil lilt to 90,00:I. Since that 1 period the penfians had nat exceeded that fum, and a view of this he believed would be fatisfaetory to the Houfe. He moved, ift, for an account of the pennons charged on the civil till during 1803, and the fularequent years, exclufive of tinge paid to our foreign nu:Afters—ad, an account of all offices created or revived lince the soth of May, held immediately from the Crown, with the fal-aies, the names of thofe appointed to them, and the dates of the appointments-3d, an account of all offices of which the holders were fuperannuated, granted (ince taoe—tee names of the perfons, the dates of the appointments, and the amount of the fuperannuations.—Ordered. Mr. DENT moved for a Committee to examine the flats of the Weft In as Trade; tut this was negatived, becaufe it ap peared that Rime relief was to be claimed, and therefore it was =airy to proceed by petition. - FAST INDIA COMPANY. Mr. CHARLES GRANT prefented a petition from the Dl redors of the Eaft India Company, praying for leave to raife one million by bonds, untill it should be found expedient to raife mo ney by augmenting their capital. or fuch other relief as to the I I Houle mould kern meet. He moved, that this petition be referred to a cummitt.e of the whole Houk. Mr. CREEVEY °Alcatel to this. becaufc it was unprecedented to grant the prayer of a pit ti without a Ratement and et:n.ls- deration of the Rate of the Company's affairs. An attempt bad been made in 1772 to have recourfe to a contrary pr..Ctice, ' but it had not fueceeded This was a more aggravated cafe, for it became the Houk to he well apprifed of the Rate of the Com- pany's affairs, for it ought to be recolitaed, that this was the year in which, according to Lord Melville's prediaion, the debt, of the Company was to have been reduced to 5 millions. But whatever was the nature of the cafe, the fubjedt required a pre•'l vious dikuffion. Mr. ROBERT DUNDAS faiJ. that this cafe was very differ ent from that of 72,, for then the Company came for new powers —in the prefent inftauce they had the power to raife the money in one way, and only arced for power to talk it in another, as I being more expedient. But he intended foun to bring forward ; the India Fudget, and he had only delayed it that be might have ; the accounts to the lateß poffible period. Betides, as to the ex• I pofurc of the Company's affairs, the motion made for referring ; the petition to a Committee of the whole Houfe, afforded an op portunity for that purpofe. Mr. CREEVEY contended, that tbis cafe was end!) , the fame i ZS that of 1772 Mr. P. MOORE obfcrved, that by the ad of 5793, the Diree- I tors had not the power of railing beyond three milhonahy bonds. &fides, it became the Gentlemen on the other Ede to explain why they had not bad recourfe to the method of railing theft Ruch. Mr WALLACE replied, that their reafon was that they con%l. dered it as more expedient to Talk the money on bonds. They only requetted leave to transfer their authority, and did not claim any new powers. The cafe therefore was different from that of 1772. It was then agreed that the Houfe timid to-morrow go into a Committee on the Petition, but afterwards, at the fuggettion of Mr. Dimas, the committal was poßponed till Friday. INDI•N •FFAINS. • ---- Mr. R. DUNDAS rule to move for leave to bring in a Bill to regulate certain Affairs of India. He would briefly Rate its die& In the fir& place ec Governments of Madras anti Bombay had not , the authority to appoint a pollee, which that of Bengal had. k was intrt,dcd to glee them this power. It was alfo propofed to give t hew the authority to nominate !office. of the Peace. Anuthdr repletion was, rrfpoffirg the fervants of the Company, By the Aa of ry93, they could not hold offices shove a certain vales until they had rr flied for a Rated tine in India. 1 hers were two colleges, one at Fort William in India. the other at Hertford in this country; It was propofed t: give the (indents from Hertford, a certain dedudion from the time of their favice It India. It was doubted whether the Company had the power to appoint char tered hanks 'lie only other regulations, therefore, was to appoint by legifittive authority chartered biota at Calcutta and Madras. he concluded by nr clog for leave to bring in a Bill fort! tae obi Cis. Mr. MOORE alked whether this originatol with the Board of Cot r .ul, or theDirerflora? _ Mr. It DUNDA.S...—With the Cocusuiffirocrs Uric givt.n. IRISH CHARITABLR lIISTITO I .I ^ w i I. Mr.FOSTER prefented Petitions from the fs,veral Charitable bt- Ititutions in Ireland—the Proteftant Sehools—Foundling Hofpital, &c. which, he fah', where the annual Petitions. and worded In ' 1 the ulna! form. They were feverally ordered to lie on the table Mr. FOSTER then moved, that there be laid before the Houfe the F.Rlmates Ibr fupportiag all the raid Charities for one year, to i sth January, tErB. 1 Mr. FOSTER moved for leave to bring In a Bill for the further i regulation of Licenjes for Retail Spirits. Afro a ISHI to amend the Ad of the 46th of the King, for regulating and fecuring the Du . . ties on Spirits diflilled in Ireland. • Alfo a Bill for recovering of Penalties, and to alter the Condi tiun of Bonds given by Brewers in Irelaad. AI& a Biil to provide for the shoat/Ring of Pees received by the Offirers of Cußoms.and for regulating the Hours of Attendance and Holidays to be allowrd to 11:ch °deaf. Alfo a Bill to amend the 47th of the King, refpeding the Hs• port of Provifions from Inland. All wbich be obtained leave to bring in. He then gave notice that he would, on Friday. move is the Com mittee of Supply, fur flatus to make good the Paid grants. PILIVILkOII OF FARLIAMINT. Mr. ROSE brought up the Report of the Cows mittee of Privileges, on the fubjea of the arrest of Mr. Mills. a Member of the Houfe. The Report Rated, that the letter of Mr. Mills, and the petitions of his creditors, had been referred to them. They had examined the matter, and found him a Member of the Houfe, and at prefent in the cußody of the Marfhal of the King's Bench paints. They had ex amined into the precedents ea the fubjelt, thought they had not enquired into the allegations contained in the petitions, and had come to the refolution, that Mr. Mills was entitled to the privilege of Parliament.) Mr. ROSE then moved, that the Houfe do agree with this Refolution of their Committee. Mr. P. MOORE begged the indulgence of the Houfe for a few minutes on a fubjea fo intimately conneeted with its honour and dignity. which were' of much more importance than the privilege of any individual Member. He had been a kind of medi ator between the Hon. Gentleman and his creditors, and he had found that his debts amounted to at leaß 30,0001. The petitioners thought that while the Houfe were intent on maintainiug their own privi• leges, their property fhould alfo be protected. He had been a Member of the Committee, and as far as he had examined precedents, there was not one which met this cafe. He was inComed that Mr. Mills had procured his feat in order to protest himfelf againd his jolt debts, and defraud his creditors. It was a ferious confideration that the privilege of Parliament fhould intervene to proteEt any man, in defiance of and the laws of his country. He hoped, therefore, that the Houfe would be difpofed to confo der a little before they protefted a man who wifhed to elude his creditors, and efeape from Office. Mr. ROSE Paid, that on examination he had found one cafe precifely fimilar to the prefent. This was the cafe of a Mr. Ballet, in the reign of George the Fir it. That member had been confined oa a writ of merle procefs, and it was reafonable to fuppore that petitions were alfo relented againti him, for, after a ferrous difcuffion in dot Houfe, he was admitted a Member. Even if the allegations of the petiticiers were proved, they could have no effect upon the Re folution of the Committee—they found thentfelves bound and fettered by the privileges of the Houfe. Mr. WILLIAMS WYNNE obferved, that there was not a Member of the Committee who did not confider this as a cafe of peculiar harelfhip on the creditors. But the privileges of the Houfe were given fur the benefit of the Houfe and the Country, and they had never refuted or hefitated to affert a privilege which was clearly eflablilhed. When par ties ran high, what confequences might not enfue, if it were made a question in every instance, whether Members timid enjoy their privileges or not ? This privilege might be made the fubjed of difcuffiun in a general thape, if any change was thought fit , to be introduced, but could not.be refuted in a particu lar inflance. Mr. COCHRANE JOHNSTONE faid, that in the petitions fuch reflections were thrown upon the honour of a Member, that he could have whited that this matter fhould become the fubjeCt of a particular invehigation. He underftood that Mr. Milli, imme diately on being relieved from coniinement, intended to let off fur the Welt Indies to elude his creditors ; and alto that there were four or five more in the King's Bench ptifon, who waited for the order of the Houfe, arid would then attempt to follow his ex-. ample. He wished the petition to be referred to a Committee of Privileges. Mr. ELLISON laid, that if the charges contained in the petitions were true, no honourable man could tolerate the prefence of Mr. Mills in that Houfe. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER obfcrved, that.this was a cafe of privilege, and mutt be fupported on the grounds of that privilege. Even if the Committee had found the charges fubflantiated, they were bound to propofe this refolurion, and the difcharge of the Honourable Gentleman was a necef fary confequence of the law on the fubjed. What the law was, and what it ought to be, were two very different queßions. But would not its relaxation be produelive of much greater mifchief than any that could arise from the few rare inflances of this kind ? If the cafe were afterwards proved, to the conviction of the Houle, in all its enormity, it might then be come a fair queflion, whether fuch a Member ought not to be expelled? But in order to do this he mutt firfl exercife the privileges cf a Member, and be able in his place, to invalidate or refute, if he could, the charges brought again(! him. He mutt firft be brought within the walls of the Houle. Mr. WILLIAM SMITH cunfideted it as not a law, but a privilege of the Houle ; and they had a power to relinquith the enforcement of it, if they thought proper. The Refolution was then agreedto,and Me. ROSE moved— " That Mr. Galway Mils be difcharged nut of the euttody of tiae Marthal of the King's Bench," which was alto ordered. MOVLSHAM HALL, SCC• Sir H. MILDMAY laid, that fence the late dif cation on the fubjeft of his agreement with Govern ment for the letting of Moultham Hall, &c. near ChelmsFord, and the want of fatisfaetion relative to the tranfafflon, as timed by a NA,le Lord ( Howick) he had had the opportunity of receiving letters from certain Gentlemen who were upon the Jury appoir tcd to atcertain the fam to be awarded him for damages, &c. The Jury had allotted him 13001. of which ago]. was to cover the eapenfes of the inquefl, and pool. was conlideied as an,equivalent for the expert& of reQoring the land to its former Hate, and whicllL was to be t.on: at his own expenfe. He took that talcs; Pion to hate that he owed confiderable acknowledg . •.. malts t-t lisrd Sidmonth's envernment., fur the fair. nets and liberal. y which he had experienced from it. His brit offer had been made to the Barrack Office during that Adminifiratinn. but the whole of the Wines receeeing the letting of his houfe, had taken place after that Adminißration had gone out of office. He then proceeded to read letters from General Stun, and others of the Jury, con firming his firmer fiatemerst, viz. that the com penfation awarded was not to be confidered as a rent for the !mule, but as a compenfation for the in jury which the elate had fuftained by the occupation of the military. Sir Henry concluded by m►.ving, 46 That the Copy of the Supplement to the Memo. vial, prefented by Sir H. Mile!may to the Commif fioners of Military Inquiry, be laid upon the able of the Houle." Lord HOWICK Rill declared, that th:s tranfac- Lion had not been Co fatisfattorily explained as he could with It appeared that this funs had been awarded for the injury done to the eftate, but the rent of 6001. a.year was an extraordinary turn for zo acres of land. The tenants, in his opinion, ought to have received the whole of this 6001. a year. Mr. CANNING expreffed his furprife that the Noble Lord thould hill continue to entertain any doubt on a point that was fo clear. Whatever the !award of the Jury was, the Hon. Baronet had had no concern in it ; and it was to be confidcred, that if Government fh-uld choofe to maintain pof feffion of the leak, the Hon. Baronet mutt continue to fuftain all the inconveniences of the bargain, and therefore the compenfation of 7001. could only be made good then. Mr. ADDINGTON laid, that in the few words that he timid offer to the Wore, he flivuld pur pofely abliain from adverting to the merits of the cafe itfelf, or from intimating, in the molt remote manner, any opinion upon it. His principal obje& in riling, was to exprefs his fatisfaftion at what had fallen from the Hon. Baronet, in the beginning of his fpeech ; as it would make it unneceffary for him to trouble theHoufe with fome obfervatiens that he molt ' otherwife have made ; and to move for the produc ' don of Come Papers, which timid demonftrate, (if any demonftration.was needful) that his Noble. Re. 'ration had had no concern whatever with that part of the proceeding, to which any cenfure or fnfpicion had attached.—By referring to dates, it would be fawn, that the lira Rep refpedling the Houle at Mon'. lham Park had been taken on the tsth of May ; whereas his Noble Relation had religned the Seals of Office on the t ath. But the Worthy Baronet had laid, that he Had been very far from meaning to throw the flightea imputation en Lord Sidmouth's conduit in this trantaBion. No one could poffihly fufpett that he had, he himfelf being the principal, and the individual molt intereßed in it. But an im. preflion had gone abroad, warranted by the manner in which the Honourable Baronet had expreffed himfelf on a former occafion on this fubjett, that all the proceedings had taken place under Lnrd Sid mouth's Adminiftratinn ; and this impreffion was not likely to be diminifhed by the indiftintt and am higuous terms in which his memorial to the Military Commitlioners was expretred. In that memorial, too, he obferves, 41 that the occupation of the land took place during an adminiftration to which he hid been pclititally oppofed s" and in his former fpeech he had argued, that any thing irregular in his favour was hardly to be expelled from a Minitier, to whortihe wa, known to be politically hotlile. This was open to two conftrustions, one of which was molt unwar. rentable. To that linifter (laid Mr. Addington) he pert - ally recolletted the Honourable Baronet's public enmity, and bore him n) fort of grudge for it ; but of that Miniller he wculd confidently alien, that he would countenance and encourage any meature of this defcription, if he thought it was right, without any regard to political confiderations, or to the poli tical condo& of the individual who might be interefied in it ; and that, if it was wrong, whoever might be the parties, he would have let his face againft it. All, however, that had in this inftance been done by his Noble Relation was, to content to an AO of Parlia aunt to releafc the H. nourable Baronet from three months' refidence, and to agree that the expense of fuch Al thould be charged to the Public ; to which, as the accommodation was a public one, he con ceived that no human being could obje&. All the other proceedings, on which In much comment had been made, had taken place under a fubfequent Adminiitration. SALE er CAMSIISSIONS TM THE ARMY., Mr. COCHRANE JOHNS I'ONE faid, he role to make the motion of which he had given notice, and moved accordikgly, "'that an humble Addrefs t•e prefented to his MaJefty, that he will be gracioufly pleafed to give dlreflions that the re inlaid before the Houle an Account of every Sulu of Money re ceived for Commifnons, occalloned by death or difmilnon,or In thole cafes of promotion in which Officers have not been allowed to difpcife of their Conurifiinns, trim tft January 1795, to the prefent year, and the names of the peados by whom paid and to whom receipts granted and to what por. pores the laid fums were c.fpeetively applied." The SECRETARY at WAR laid, he thought this was in fume degree a kind (.f interference with the prerogative of the King, whofe tole right it was to difpofe of Commiffion• ; but knowing the difpofi• tion and fentiments of the illuftrious Perfonage, who fo ably filled the high office of Commander in Chief, and how defirous he was to meet any inquiry that night be deemed neceffary on this (tibia% he would not certainly object to the Papers moved for by his Honourable Friend. He thought it however med lar), to explain, as briefly as poffible, the nature of the fubjcEt to w hich the Papers related. There were, he faid, two purpofes to which the limey railed by the file of Commiffions was applied, which reflated the highe( honour on the illutirious Perfonage at the head of the army, both for his ceconomical regard to . the public fervice, and his great humanity of heart ; that inflations Perfonage having endeavoured to be nefit the laudable funds he was about to mention, to the great injury of his own patronage. The fira fund was that for the benefit of the half-pay Officers; the fecond for providing for the widows of meritori ous Officers, who fell in the fervice of their country, or who by long and laborious Cervices were deemed • entitled to fuch rewards. He was happy to fay that I the 'aft widow of an Officer who had been provided for, was the widow of Colonel VafFall, and had a family. The half-pay fund required, he faid, a little explanation. In time of peace, there was no difficulty in the fale of comrniffions ; and in time of • war, none in the higher 'departments : but in war many Commiflions remaitftd , whaic is termed vacant, for putebale, and for which nn purchafers were found. This lall happened to be particularly the cafe at the conclufion'of the late war, when there were found fcarcely any Enfigns in the different regiments, and Done to put chafe. There were many Lieutenants reduced to half pay : and in the year 1794, when the Duke of York was appointed Commander in Chief, he-introduced a regulation. by which half pay Lieu tenants were to ferve with Enfigns' pay. Commiffinns. were fixed at 3001. and were fold for the purptte of forming a halt-pay fund. Officers about to quit the army, might fell that commiffion which they pur chafed, but not that which they held from promotion; fo that if an Officer fold a Captaincy, and was a Major by promotion in the regular way, the difference in the price went to the fund : and inflead of giving away commiffions, his Royal Highnefs, to the very confiderable injury of his patronage, had ordered them to be fold for the benefit of the half pay fund. It was well known to every Member, that at the commencement of the late war,great abufes had crept into the army. from the indifcriminate allowance of purchafe ; and many perfons bad tifen to the higheß rank by that method, who had not been regularly bred to the army. The prefcnt illntlrious COM. mander in Chief adopted a regulation, by which no man could become an Officer under two years fervice, nor a Field-officer under fix years fervice. There kill, however, exifted another grievance, which was that of giving exorbitant prices for Commiffions ; and, though the King's orders were to the contrary, young men of rank would give large funs to get into the Army, and Officers who had families aould not refill fuch temptations ; as, by the large turns they obtained, they got what was almoft equal to the higheft Rep they could go, viz. a regiment. The Commander in Chief had, after many trials, hit upon a mode of checking that abufe ; and had alio dons: away entirely the fhameful praaioes of Armyßrokcrs, by wfiich he had done the moll effentiat let vice to the army. He thought it unneceffary, on this Motion, to add any thing further, as he had no objeFlion to the produktion of the papers moved for. ► Mr. COCHRANE JOHNS I'ONE allured the Houle, that he had never given the lean attention or belief to the malicious tumours which had been fpread abroad on this fubjeet, nor had he the leaf idea of olifapplicalion of the money paid for Commiffions ; hut in fuch times as the prefent, he thought it the duty of every Member of rarlianscat to watch carefully the tispenditurc of the pvtgic money in eve►y department. The SECRETARY at WAR. raid, he had not imputed any thing of the kind to the Hon. Member; and as to rumours on the fubjed, be had heard non; that could, in any manner, apply to the prefent bil lion —l'he Melon was than read (torn the Chair, and agreed to. Mr. COCHRANE JOHNSTONE moved for an mow of aR (urns reedy, d from Officers on half pay, on their again mining into fun pay, from the la January, t 795, to the prefent year, and the purpotes to whirls fuck funs ►ad beets applied-Ordered. The SECRETARY at WAR moved for a Raiment of the expence laved to the public by the employment of Officers rats from the half pay Once gyps —Ordered. FINANCE. Lord HENRY PETTY moved for leave to bring in a bill for uppropriating the ezeefs of the Sinking Fund, fimilar to the bill which he introduced lait Selflon. In doing to, his Lord(hip entered into a Ratement of his plan, and pointed out the fuperiority, of his fyßem, when compared with that formerly adopted, in fa far as both the Rockholder and the put / . lic was concerned. The SPEAKER fuggefled to the Noble Lord, the proceeding aloft Parliament, having commenced in a Committee of the whole houfe, in which certain refolutions were paffed, which of courfe ceafed with the IA Parliament, whether it would not be more regular to introduce the meafute in the fame manner in the prefent Parliament ? In this view of the cafe, it would be for the Noble Lord to move that the Houfe do to morrow refolve into a Committee, to confider of the Finance Ads. Lord H. PETTY having fignifid his affent to this mode of proceeding, Mr, PERCIVAL begged of the Noble Lord to under Rand that though he thould not have oppofed the bringing in of his bill, yet that he mutt oppofe the agreeing to the refolutions which the Noble Lord might have to propok for the approbation of the Houfe. Lord H. PETTY then moved, and it was ordered. that the Houfe do on Tuefday next refolve into a Committee on the Finance ARs. The SECRETARY at WAR prefented a petition from the Veterinary College, pra)ing aid.—Ordered to lie on the table. AMERICAN INDEMNITY BILL. Mr. G. ROSE, on moving that the Houfe thould refolve itfelf into a Committee on the Bill for grant. ing an Indemnity to his Majedy's prefent Minitters, for having authorifed the Ditties granted by a late Aft of Parliament, to be levied off goods entered into the d ffetent p , rts of our Well India Inands nom America, without the confent of Parliament, entered into a molt minute detail of all the commercial regu lations that have taken place between America and ' this country for feveral years pall. Indemnities had been frequently granted to Minifters on former cc cations ; and if in the prefent inliance they had not advifed the regulations with refpeEt to America and the Well India Trade to have been continued in the fame manner as if Parliament had been fitting, their conduit would have been highly cenfurable indeed. By law, every American ve ff el which traded to the 1 Welt Indies without the exprefs provifion of an Ml of Parliament, fuch as that which had lately expired. was liable to the forfeiture both of herfelf and cargo- The protecting law expired with the Parliament,'and Minillers only continued the provifions of that att. He therefore fupported the motion for the Houfe going into a Committee on the Indemnity Bill. Lord HOWICK ohferved, that he would be at ready, as he was confident that the Houle would b to grant indulgence to any man or let of men, wily in the performance of the duties of a public (Immo, had been guilty of any light or trifling inadvertence, or who had even fupplied an accidental omillion by rather an overltretch of power. But in the prefect Cale, the aft had expired in confequ e nce of the dd.- folution of Parliament; Minifiers continued to raife the duties without law, on their own reffonfibt . tub on the ground of expediency only, as a Right Honourable Gentleman on the other fide (Mr. Rofr) had formerly elated; and in fad there could not b e any actual neceffity for advifing the unufual courte of diffolving Parliament in the middle of a fetEon. :