Star. — London, England, 1809-03-21 00:00:00

o f the Duke, and that a privbte letter had C', - J.: 1 00 ,1 in support of public conduct. Chan. 1,, o f the Exchequer had stated, that the Duke c' ; arrived at that period when the House had de tred :he i r c onviction of his innocence. The Noble c Lor d feeling, however, that innocence had been de ci3vel on only one point, entered his protest against vo r emhtruction which might suppose this to have b x ii the case in all points. There was a point as to ini,conduct in office, still remaining behind, of allow. Mrs. Clarke to interfere in public business—of public situations to unworthy persons : on this but for the Duke's on have resignation,. the House i come to a decision that night. It would l av e been better if the Duke had resigned from dif. teen: views. He should have said—" I bow to the o inion of the country; and after the House of. Com. mo os has acquitted me of the charge of corruption, I si:lidraw, not because I am perfectly cleared by the latter, but because it is more respectful upon the w h o l e to submit to the opinion of the former."— Even voting as the Noble Lord did against the charge o f corruption in the Duke, these were his sentiments.. To the Resolution of the Right Honourable Gentle man (Mr. Bathurst) the Noble Lord could by no -means agree; he did not think it should be hinted to his Majesty by a side-wind that the Duke ought to rcs i go . If the Resolution had been brought forward ,;raring the progress of the debate, it would not have i!oric enough, and now it did too much. As to the now," in his Noble Friend's Amendment, the Ncble Lord did not see it in the light of the Right lA ut ovrable Gentleman's objection ; and if he could r . sc :ntiously vote for the Amendment, taking the word L 1 the sense which it struck him to bear, he had aright to do so. Mr. DAVIES GIDDY supported his Right Hon. Friend's Resolution, upon the ground that to attach Ilene to the Duke of Yirk, where it was due, would convince the public of the sincerity of their former complimented the Duke of,Yorls for the . a ‘ . which, through hi s means , h a d resulted tt the as._ He did not mean to attempt to deprive the Duke York of whatever merit he could fairly claim on that account, but it had not been proved to him as a Member of Parliament, that this merit was at all so transcendently brilliant as to be taken into account when the House was proceeding on such grounds as the present occasion p r esented. Wh e th er t h e resig nation of his Royal Highness proceeded from the idea that the House had actually decided on his innocence, as the Chancellor of the Exchequer had said—or, whether it had been owing to the sense of the very distinguished minority which had decided against him, a circumstance which, in former times, had broken off wars between contending nations, and had produced the most important effects in domestic po litics—whether it was because the House had acquit ted him of corruption and connivance at corruption —or whether it was because his Royal Highness felt that some• proposition mild, comparatively as this was, would be carried by the united voice of the Com mons of the Empire, and he might presume that it would have been carried by a great majority, at least, if he rightly understood the speeches of many Gentlemen—whether it was for any of these reasons, or for all of them, that the Duke of York had thought' it neither prudent nor proper to continue any longer, he would not stop to enquire. It was suf ficient for them, at present, that he had retired.— But with respect to this resignation, he must say, that, the Right Honourable Gentleman opposite, (Mr.. Perceval) if he really thought the Duke of York in-* nocent, had not done his duty either by the House, or by his Royal Highness. If the Right Honourable Gentleman was convinced he was innocent, •it was his duty not to have abandoned his Royal Highness, but to have advised him to continue in his Office. (Hear, hear.) if he thought the Duke of York was innocent, not only of corruption, but of all connivance at corruption, and of allowing improper interference, why did he not advise his Majesty not to accept his resignation ? Or if it was accepted in opposition to his advice, why did he sit where he then was ? The Right Honourable Gentleman might be willing to depart from his own sentiments ; but all he, and he believed others wanted was, that his Royal Highness should resign; and as the resignation had taken place, after those who had voted with him on the subject of corruption and connivance, had been beat on those Points, he thought there was no reason for any farther censure. If the Duke of York had tesigned_previous to the close of the .Inquiry, then he should have thought that the House ought to have come to a dis i• strict resolution on the paint of corruption, because it might then have been thought necessary to have adopted some farther proceeding ; but when the ques tion came to a point of influence, the resignation was fully sufficient to do away. any necessity for censure, for the individual was out of office, his continuance in which alone could have 'rendered it dangerous, or a proper subject for the cognizance of the House. The worthy Baronets, Members for the City of London, had, therefore, come a day after the fair. (Hear, hear.) Now, when his . Royal . Highness had resigned, they - _ • parties; to take cafe that they should not bp allowed to form, or sulivert administrations at their pleasure. If the Gentlemen. opposite owed their official situa tions to such a party, he hoped that seeing the conse quences to which such intrigues led, they would put it down, and thus afford-some compensation to their country. The existence of this secret Cabinet was no new thing in our history. It had been found out by Sir William Temple, in the reign of Charles the Se cond ; and Sir William then told him the consequences that would result from it ; he fold him that it was un known to the constitution ; that it ought not to exist ; and that if it was allowed to continue, it would work the overthrow of his Majesty's Family and Crown.— (Loud cries of hear, hear!) An Honourable Gentle man proposed to read the Duke of York a lecture on morality. He (Mr. W.) did not think this a very fit time for such a lecture. A sufficiently long and grave one had been read to his Royal Highness in the course of the examination. The situation of Princes was a very difficult one. They were exposed to greater temptation; than others, without the same means of resistance. They almost always wanted that valuable acquisition —an admonishing friend. Such a friend was with them so rare, that to speak the truth to a Prince had been always considered as a characteristic of extreme Ipldness. "He is a bold man this," it had been said," for he has spoken 'the truth even to the King." .Some allowances in a moral point of view were due to persons in such a si tuation. Another strong reason why the House should not read the Duke of York a lecture on mora lity was, the situation in which the Princes were placed, from the necessity of the case, of not being allowed to form those connections of the heart which were permitted to every other subject. He did not say that this was a case in point with respect to his Royal Highness. The observation was general ; but he thought it was a reason why the House should not readily throw stones at Princes on account of their improper connections. We had, he observed, one Royal Duke whose character for morality and cor rect conduct, stood as high as that of any man—and considering the circumstances to which he had allud ed, the greater temptations and the difficulties at tached to the situation, it would not be an easy mat ter to prise such a character higher than it deserved. (Allan:, perhaps, to the Duhe of Gloucester.) The Ho nourable Gentleman proceeded to observe, that he hid a few words to state on the subject of a meeting of General Officer's, to which he had referred on a former night He said that the idea of the Resolu tion which he had understood to have been come to by that meeting, was not so entirely put down as had been stated, though indeed, he confessed he had now no dread from it. He was now informed, that the proposal made at that meeting had been grounded on a letter from a Garrison Commander, and was drawn out in the hand-writing of Sir David Dundas. He was now even given to understand, that the pro position had been seconded by the Right Hon. Gene ral opposite (the Secretary at War), and that it was in consequence of the opposition of one General Officer present that it was withdrawn for the moment ; not entirely set aside, but to be brought forward again on future - sent. recision. Mr. HILEY ADDINGTON said, it seemed to he imagined by the Right Honourable Gentleman o nnsite, that this was a mode of bringing for t, sml, by a side wind, that which had been for rcrly attempted, without success. He should I:pe that there were none capable of the meanness rf en.leavouring to do that indirectly, which they had not the courage of doing openly and avowedly. As to popular clamour, which had been so much all , :cled to, he must confess that there were none held it in greater contempt than be did ;—but there ails evidently a difference between popular clamour and public opinion. What, he would ask, were t'x sentiments of the thinking, the observing, and the most enlightened part of the community ? Were they not such as had been represented, and ought not the House more or less to support that. (pinion ? This was a question upon which there appeared to be some difference existing. It was aried that the public were just as capable of form ing a correct opinion and judgment of the case be fore them as the House could do, it being clearly a matter cf -et i knee; but that he should deny, because it was well known that that evidence had been very incorrectly stated, not perhaps wilfullyso,nor partially, • but merely incorrectly ,on account of the numerous in conveniences and laborious duties to which reporters were subjected. Those who had attended to the evi &ace as it was adduced at the bar were certainly there-, fore much more capable of forming a correct judgment the public could chi withoutdoors. It was only after the most attentive reading of the whole evidence thathe hiid been able to form an opinion upon any particular Fit of it ; and he certainly _thought, that upon an ;,erasion of this kind, every Member of the House, of Commons was- bound to act upon his own conviction, and not listen, nor be guided by public opinion, and far less by popular clamour.—Not -...:itlistanding these corrupt practices that existed, he was cr)nvinced that no appointments had been :nude by his Royal Highness except of men merit. He should, therefore, most decidedly dis sent from the Amendment of the Noble Lord.— Worded as it was, nothing on earth could induce him to convent to it, hut he had no objection to agree with tip: original motion. Mr. GOOCH considered that his Royal Highness responsible to the House for his conduct. Mr. BOOTLE observed, that a good deal had been said about popular clamour, and if there had been t'sat clamour in the sense which some had given it, there might be cause for alarm. But the present pub ii: opinion was nothing life this ; and the Hon. Mem ber rejoiced to sec the sentiments of the lower orders ungitled ; he should have much greater fears for the safety of the State, if he saw them preserve a sullen on matters of such high importance. Mr. H. THORNTON was at first doubtful whe.- dv_r he should support the Resolution or the Amend raciit, but he now r?ther preferred the Amendment. The Doke of 'York had certainly displayed a great i-ixity of prlnciple, in cases not immediately connected aith his official situation, as in those of Kennet and - O'Meara, and on these he wished to express an opi 'Aioa. As his Royal Highness had resigned, he would content himself with voting for the Amendment, but wished the word now to be struck out. Mr. WHITBREAD rose and observed, that he could not help explaining in as few words as he could, tLe grounds on which he would vote for the Amend-' mentproposed by his Noble Friend behind him, in a • speech devoid of affectation and full of ability. (Hear, :4 , 2r, hear !) But, even if t,hat Amendment had not been submitted to the House, he could not have voted for the Resolution of the Right Hon. Gentleman be low (Bathurst.)• Every one had his own way of see !iv; things, and had it not been for the gravity with which an Hon. Gentleman (Mr. H. Addingtan) had spoken, when he said that his Resolution would faci litate the continuance of his Royal Highness in office, he should have thought that he bad been bantering. • The Resolution expressed, That improper interfe fence had been allowed to exist by the Duke of Yt, rk.'" Now, if such a Resolution was placed on the Journals i.f the lionse; there could be no doubt that it would k7Hude the Duke of York. from office for ever. It as also stated, that the interference of Mrs. Clarke • had a tendency to *discredit the official administration of the Duke of York, and to give countenance to very improper transactions, as hail. actual& been the case.— /leer, hear, hear!) After the passing such a Reso lu7 . in, he could not imagine it possible, bow the Duke York could haie continued an hour klbger in office. Lite . re _w as another gait of .the. keiolu,tion to whith . 1 ' 4hjeCted, and that was, its coinnieneetnen4 be Was as ignorant of it as . 1111,12 ad not been pre. Mr.WHITEREAD said, he understood .paper, on which the .proposition was founded, teas in the hand-writing of Sir David Dundas. There were Gentlemen now in the'House who were present Pihen the information was given to him, and they crluld state 1 that this was the fact as he received it. lie begged to say one other word. He should be happy to hear from the Secretary at War if the proposition was now abandoned? The SEC RETA RYat WAR said he had seen no paper in the hand-writing of Sir David Dundas. As to fhe other question, he could not say if the proposi tion was abandoned or not. A Member, whose name we could not learn, thought the Duke of York entitled to thanks for the high stikte of improvement the army had attained while his Royal . Highness had been Commander in Chief. Mr. CANNING said, when he first heard of the circumstance alluded to'by the Honourabk. Gentle. man, Mr. Whitbread, he stated, that it had hi; Most decided disapprobation, as being one of the most im proper steps which the army could adopt. If there did exist an attempt on the part of any military officers to protect the Duke of York against the Commons, a more culpable idea never entered into the heads of men. But, on the other hand, if it was only a simple conversation at a convivial meeting, he saw no occa sion to swell it up into a matter of importance. If, however, the idea of making it a formal resolution of military officers as a deliberative body should at any time be entertained, the Honourable Gentleman (Mr. Whitbread) should find him one of his most determined supporters in inquiring into the business. Mr.WHITBREAD again stated that he had been informed the paper had been read before dinner ; and if thought necessary this fact might be inquired into. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER explained, that he had not deserted the Duke of York, as the Hon. Gentleman (Mr. Whitbread) had stated. His Royal Highness had resigned of his own proper motion, and the Hon. Gentleman could hardly expect him (Mr. Perceval) to make any strenuous opposition against his Royal Highness indulging his own incli nation. General LOFTUS, referring to the club of Gene ral Officers, stated, that he himself was not present, but that he had inquired into the particulars of a friend who was present, and the information he re• ceived was, that there was no paper produced, that the subject was started in a moment, without any forthality, and was carried on and dropt like any other conversation. Mr. LEE KECK thought it proper that some en try on the subject of the inquiry should appear on the Journals of the House, and for that reason he disap proved of the Amendment. Al to the question, whe ther the Duke of York should or should not be ever restored to the office of Commander in Chief, with that he had nothing to do. Mr. BATHURST begged it to be recollected, that the motion now brought forward for the decision of the House, had been in their possession for the last ten days. The question, therefore, was' not if he should be allowed to fire at the Commander in Chief after he had retired, but if the motion, which was on the Table of the House previous to his re tiring, should be withdrawn ? He was bound to consider the case as if it were possible, though his Royal Highness had no x resigned, that he might return to the situation he lately held at some future period, in which case it was proper that the Admoni tion in the Resolution he had moved, should be en tered on the Journals of the House. He had been asked, was this his mild proposition to which he alluded ? He said it certainly was not mild; but yet it was so, when coupled with what they had already heard.— There was, therefore, no paradox in saying, that _ . . _ - - had come running and out of breath to express their some ii„ _ opportunity. The ..on. Gentleman had willingness to vote against the Duke of York. 44 See been informed yesterday, by a very respectable per now," they said ; " only now observe, how ready we son, a bookseller, who, he believed, was known to are to vote against his Royal Highness !" They most of the Gentlemen on the other side, that a cler- ; could not touch the Duke of York while, politically gyman had called on him, requesting that he would , speaking, he was living, but they were among the recommend to him aliterary:gentleman to correct a first to pounce,upon the, dead carcase. (A roar of letter to be addressed to his Royal Highness by the laughter.) The word now which had been so much Club of General Officers, telling him that he would i objected to, * Mr. W. thought essentially necessary do wrong was he to resign his situation. The b00k...! in the Amendment of his Noble Friend. Some seller, however, very properly desired the Reverend might, perhaps, suppose, that this word might have Gentleman to take back the Address to the General a reference to the exclusion of hi s ati s y a l Highness Officer from whom he had received it, assuring him 1 from the Throne—he did no t sa y th a t that ac- that the publication of such a paper was the most tually was the opinion of any one, but it might foolish step' that could possibly be adopted. He had be so ; and therefore he observed, that exclusion been told that no harm could result from such meet. from the Throne was at present totally out of the ings. He dared to say the fact was so, and that, as I question. It was by much too serious a subject Czsar stopped his •tumultuous legions, simply by to be at all taken up on the present occasion ; and 'using the word 44 Quirite:," it would be only neces he was sorry that it had been at all alluded to. But i sary to remind them they were Soldiers !—The Hon. the word now did not mean a perpetual exclusion ; Gentleman declared his opinion, that a national sen-; from o ffi ce—though, if it were understood that it was i tinsent prevailed that the Son of the King was not a in the contemplation of any Minister to restore his I fit person to be Commander in Chief. The present Royal Highness to his command, the country would ' inquiry had demonstrated that it was not fit that the' think, and justly think, that the result of this inquiry 1 Son of the King should hold that situation. The I , had been nothing at all to the purpose ; nothing that !House had been engaged in this inquiry from the Ist could possibly satisfy them ; nothing with which they of February to the 20th of March. We of course ought to be satisfied. He did certainly think it nearly I saw the ease with which the Son of the King could impossible that the Duke of York should be restored be removed from his situation. -When the charges Ito his situation. But as he had not the power of look- were first brought forward, Gentlemen on the other ing into futurity, it was impossible for him to say , side had stepped forward, and, challenging the Hon. that circumstances could not occur in which such a i Mover to the Inquiry, had said, "Oh ! now at resumption might be proper. Suppose, by some al- length you have come in a tangible shape • and we most miraculous event, it should not only be proper, i thank you for giving us an opportunity of meeting but even necessary, that his Royal Highness should 1 the charges !" When the Honourable Gentleman, resume his office, the word now reserved a power of , however, had proved his charges, he was told he was considering this Report over again, and of dealing to have no thanks at all ! For these reasons he with it as in such a case might appear just or prudent. : thought the Son of the King was not a fit person to —The Right Honourable Gentleman over the way i hold such a situation s —'rliere was a time when the had talked of the absence of party spirit on this occa- favourite Son of a King had not been so treated. In sion, and yet the Gentlemen on the opposite side had ' a former reign, when the Duke of Cumberland gave accused those who sat beside him of pa r ty motives in ' offence by concluding the Convention of Closter Se this proceeding—now, if ever there was any thing vern, he was at once removed and disgraced.— from which party all along had been excluded, it I Though he (Mr. Whitbread) was not prepared to was this. The Honourable Gentleman who brought ; say, that the Honourable Gentleman who brought 'forward the charges had stood alone—he had con- ; forward these Charges ought to receive the Tlrxtrks - Icertcd nothing with any party, either with the .of the House, because in so doing he had only dis ' party opposite, that of his Honourable Friends near ; charged his duty, he was satisfied that he had the , him, or a third party, which might be so called, i thanks of the great majority of that House, and- of as they acted generally in a body, and were dis- ' 999 out of every 1000 individuals throughout the tinguished by a term which he would not men- kingdom ! tion (the Saints perhaps.)—And yet the Honourable' Mr. ADDINGTON explained. Gentleman had 135 Members with him on the Ad- I The SECRETARY at WAR said, he bad only to I A LIVING PEERAGE. • chess which he originally proposed. There was a I repeat what he had said on a former night on the sub . 1 This da y was Puill "hed ' in a h H Thick Volume,Roy al IBmo. price party, the annihilation of which, he hoped, would be ject of the Club of General O ffi cers. From the state- ; Cor r e s p ondin g with the Index i t n o b t oa e rds ouse of Com mons; among the salutary effects of this inquiry—a party anent of the Hon. Member that the proceeding was! which was not known by the constitution, which Lord founded on a letter of a Garrison Commander, one ! A BIOGRAPHICAL INDEX to the HOUSE of Chatham characterised as a party behind the Throne, would think that a formal address had been proposed; Family, and the Public Conduct and i Members of each -I- .1* PEERS—containing Anecdotes and Characters of the Chief Parlia which was greater th an the Th rone itself ; a party this, however, was not the case. It was merely the i mentary Character of the present Living PEERS, on a new and which had been audaciously proclaimed as existing, subject of conversation', whether it might be proper to , improved Plan. and defended as lawful, in a pamphlet published pass a resolution of thanks to the Duke of Yoi k then By the EDITOR of the BIOGRAPHICAL INDEX to the HOUSE of COMMONS. last summer, without prosecution having taken place or at any other time? Nothing farther was done ; so Instead of a tedious detail of dates and proper names succeeding in conaequence ; a party which was not new in our it was unnecesary for him to say that be did not se- each other, without intereit, and devoid of usefulinformation or days, as it had existed forty years.—(Loud cries of cone a proposition which had never been made. So f rational entertainment, the present work abounds I. anecdote Peerage, and. hear, bear !) He hoped that party would be extin- far from it, no intimation of such a proposal was made ;In facts relative to the Living Peerage It is p recisely i the raBl kind h has . o s guished. if proceedings were instituted against any till the cloth was removed fro m t h e ta ble. It was then work which, under the name of a Compe . always been sought for, but which it has requ i red the ebserva of those publications which had animadverted on the talked of, and it was agreed that at all events such a I done era long and active life to cuilecrinto the present volume. conduct of the Duke of York, he hoped the publica- • measure would not be adviseable till the conclusion of I Printed for Thomas Goddard, Nu. 1 , Pall Mall ; Cra d oc k a nd tion Ise alluded to 'would not **llse or f it Was one of the discussion now going on in the House of Coln ' Joy, Ave•htaria-lane ; and G. Richards,Cornhill; to be had also the foulest !Welt - upon his Royal Highness that ever mons. There were at the time only thirteen Gentle'. Of whom be had, by the same Editor, . . had, of could posiibl of all Booksellers. 7 . ex ist.—(Hear, hear, hear! !) He men present, and the proposition was not received with 1 D. 12 hoped other Princiss would le.r.i to beware of such acclamations. As to any thing further on the subject '' l2s . in boards, corrected to the S E AN of 1808. .e a+IOGR A ?RICA!. I NDEI to the Hous E Of COM MOM, price • . though harsh, all things considered, it was not so.-- The Hon. Gentleman (Mr. Whitbread) talked of the dismissal of the Duke of Cumberland. That, however, was on account of a specific fact, and did not apply to a charge of corruption. Here there was only moral guilt—there, there was an act done which was dis.: graceful to the country. The question was then loudly called for, and stran gers were excluded. i • We understand, however, that, on the question being . put on Mr. Bathurst's motion, it was negatived with out a division. Lord ALTHORPE'S Amendment was then put as a distinct motion, when The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER moved as an amendment, that the word now" be omitted. . __ On this the Hone divided—For the Chancellor of the Exchequer's Amendment 235—Against it 112 Majority for omitting the word g , now" 123. Strangers were not re-admitted after the division, but we understand that several Notices were given-- Lord Folkstone fixed the 17th April next, for further Inquiry into the Minutes of Evidence on the Case or the late Commander in Chief.—The Adjourned Mo tion on the case of General Clavering, was also post poned until Thursday next.—We :Ilse understand 'that Lord Folkstone gave notice of his intention, within a few days, to move that such letters as had no reference to the late proceedings, and which had been sealed up by the different Committees, should be re turned to Mrs. Clarke, and the other persons to whom I they were addressed.—Adjourned. II 11 a