Star. — London, England, 1807-03-25 00:00:00

it !ft, ir. order to tempt that Gentleiran to take a r;:4 , -e in that new Government. Upon this, 1 may ()Verve, that if men of great abilities are not fatielied with the rewards attached to tl:e fituations which his choofes to appoint them to In.id in the Go vernmtnt of their country, if they do not think the ufual cnmrerfatif n ient. they ought tint to ac• cept oft ffices at all. I do, hose ever, at all events, cutter my protcfl nn. Ii lnlemnly ngainli the meal - tire of giving a man a fit uation for life, in order to entice to occupy another, which may be mote fiet:ling and temporary." (Tt.tle obfervations of Mr. Plumer v.ere followed by loud marks of approbation horn the majority of the Members prefent.) Sir JOHN NEWPORT Paid, that if this plan of aboldhing reverfions had been brought into the Houft two or three years agn, the Houle would not have been in the fituation it now is, in regard to certain offices in Ireland, fuch as the Colleaor of the Culloms in Dublin, &c. for which le vet flons had been granted, previous to the Bill which had been lately brought in for the abolitlou and better regulation of fome of theft offices. Mr. JOHNSTONE approved the Refolution, but thought it a little odd, that thole who were the mon clamorous in their applaule •rf the meafure, were the friends of a Noble Family who were already loaded with falaries and reverfionary emoluments, derived from the Public burthens. If fuch a Refolution had been adopted twenty years ago, this country would not now be bur thened with a charge of 60,0cp1. per annum paid to that family; and he hoped Gentlemen would henceforward adhere to thole principles which they teemed now fo much to applaud. Mr. PLITMER. anfwered, that he was not me of 0 e Noble Family alluded to by the Honourable Gentleman ; and he had only to obferve, that if the rumour he had flatted refpeaing the proffered rever lion was falfe, no harm would be done by his having mentioned it ; but if it were true, the mention might do lonic grod, by warning use parties concerned, and preventing the mifchief, by the adoption of fume t melt' meafure. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQJER role to fay a very few words in his own vindication, for not having fooner brought forward a Refol u tion fimilar to that now propofed by an Honourable Gen tleman, and following it up by a(king leave of the Houle to bring in a Bill upon the fubjett. He did, in the commencement of the laft year, fignify his in tentions on this head, and did aflually move for the production of certain documents whereon to found tome proceeding, though perhaps he had not fully explained to the Houle the whole of his purpole. And he could now folcmnly affure the Houfe, that nothing could have induced him to withhold the Bill which he had intended, hut the firong affurances he had re ceived from the Noble Duke now in the Chief Go vcrnment of Ireland, and the Noble Lord at the head of the Treafury in this country, that they would both abftain from any fuch reverfionary grants : this pro mile they had faithfully kept. The Houle would bear in mind, that one of thole Noblemen was a prin cipal branch cf the Noble Family, which had jolt be come the fubjerl of an Honourable Gentleman's animadverfion, and who, inftead of meriting foci obfervations by a mifufe of his power in this refpee, had carried into praCtice and effect that very principle which the Refolution now before the Honk propofed in theory, by totally abftaining from the exercife of his power, which had been uniformly made by his predectffora in office, in the making of revetfionary grants.% Mt. H. MARTIN Paid, he fo fully coincided in the propriety of the Refolution now before the Houle, and felt it fo neceffary to countera& a fillem fo mirchievous as that which had been alluded to this night, that he (hould now give notice, that he would to-morrow move an humble Addrefs to his Maj:lly, praying that he would be gracioully pleated not to grant any place in the Duchy of Lancatler, or eliewhere, for I ifs, which had hitherto been ulually held by the poffeffors dining his Majefty's Eleanore. (llear, tear, hear, from all parts of the ilotO ) General GASCOYNE thought, that fuch a Refo lotion, moved in the abfence of every individual who was fuppofed to be moll likely to compofe the New Adminitlration, and at fo fhort a warning, was not cor.fi:lent with the ufual courtefies of Parliamentary practice, and therefore he would not give it his fop port. Upon the fame ground he objected to the notice jolt given by the Honourable Gentleman for his motion to-morrow. Mr.HORNER affitred the Houfe, that in the Com rnitt:_e of Enquiry, by whole direflion the Honour able Gentleman had afted, who brought forward the Iteinlutinn now before the Houfe, one of the very t;rit lubjeets which excited their attention, was the identical obje& of this Refoluzicn ; and that they bad eery early come to the refolution of moving the Houfe to grant - leave for the intreduelion of a Bill to prevent fuch reverfionary grants in future ; and chat a Gentleman now in his eye, and who was very likely to pallet's a place under the new Adminiaration, w.ts a Member of that Committee, and one c.f the atto4 zealous fuppos tet snf .ht propolition. He fhould nave thought that the friends of t h e n e w arrange . roe it would nut be the firti to oppoce a crealute of t..is lost. Mr. SHERIDAN nhferved that the Honourable General oppolite to M.n (General G.tfcoyne) cer tainly had not thrown, by his Ipetch, any cenfure upon the meafure now propoCed ; but he had t hrown A very violent imputation urn his friends in the new Adtrni:trazinn ; and ono f. .r which (he beli:ved at lealt) they would he very little obliged to the zeal of t i c Honourable General For his own part, though cite lICW Ministers were Alictlt to occupy thole places tr. to which he lurnfelf and hi- colleagues mutt thortly reheat, yet he Lad I , little of political animolity to. w .rds ther. , , that he was ar.willing to impute to them oily inch it:tend:llS •13 which the zeal of th e Gehet ti t;.i, night btrpoke. Fle hoped utey were atc.:trateu by finite Itroliger motives for ac ..irh-n to post, er, than :little of bargaining and huying t ten way ilito r tricc. 'I in Honourable General's 4,nl , :tin;ed to this; It you attempt to e.lrry a of this foit, )ou Will th row t h e inti,ediment in the v..ty of forming a new And viitncus .-kc:rainittiatinn, to luer••ed the wicked And corrupt nue 'pot turned nett of r flice ; You will die t. .e vig,:ut of their ezertions I You will futews of their plans, if you prevent trt m tak'ng, er granting hicrative places in 'or life, it, at!tifit•it to Catfe they are to 13s::.1slur itt the Kill's rr:alanNatiun for their great let vices and fplendid talents." lhis,•kow• ever, was a doarine to which he ct.uld not fubfelibe, and a kind of fupport from the Honourable General, which, he believed, would not be very graidful irr his friends. Some allofion bad been made in the cootie of this difcuffion, to yet lain reverfrms held by a Noble Family, feveral branches of which formed i parts of the psefent Adminitlration; but he could fee no analogy between the cafes alluded to, and thole now in contemplation of the Houle ; between revel.- fions during pleafure, enjoyed for fervices long ren dered to the State, and tevet lions and places for life, to be granted in the fira intlance before any fervice whatever was rendered, and given as a kind of Lowery to entice a placeman to cilia for a high office to wilt:11 alfo a high Wary was to be attached. This was in deed a novel mode of recruiting an Adminiftration. But whenever the new Minifiers Ihould appear in their places, he hoped the Honourable General would give them a very different fupport, from the kind of obfetvations he had this day pointed again& them. Mr. HUSKISSON, in anfwer to what had fallen from an Honourable Member who fpoke loft but one, acknowledged that he was a Member of the Committee of Enquiry alluded to ; that the principle now propofed had occupied their early difcuffions, and that be, with feveral other Members, who were in the habit of (peaking their fentiments on either fide of the Houfe, had lupported the ptinciple; but if the Honourable Member alluded to him as a per fon likely to have a place under the new Admini firation, and as having any privity on this fnbjea, he could affure him, that he had no tuber privity than mere rumour, like that of the Hon. Gentleman near him (Mr. Plumer), and he therefore could not give his fupport to any tefolution founded upon ru mour only. Mr. WHITBREAD, in alltifion to the cbferva tions which had been made refpeCting the revedio nary emoluments enjoyed by a Noble Family, ob ferved that there was k wide difference between the enjoyment of reverfions long in a family, and granted to men of talents and influence, in confideratinn of great fervices rendered to the State, by which they ought not to be made Infers, and rc vet lions granted for life, granted in the firft inflance when no fervice had been rendered, and only as an inducement to an Honourable and Learned Gentleman to accept ano ther lucrative office. But he was very little indeed prepared to cape& fuch animadverfions upon the Noble Family in queflion, would come from the friends and advocates of the Honourable and Learn ed Gentleman who had been alluded to by every Member who had fpoken in the debate, cfpecially when looking over the lift of Reverfionary Grants to perfons in this country, he found one appointment in the Admiralty Department worth above to,oool. per annum, granted for life to one perfun of the name of Perceval, and one Reverfion for life to another per fon of the name of Perceval. If the rumour was well founded, that the fervices of the Hon. Gentle. man alluded to were propofed to be retained by fuch a grant as that Rated, he trolled the Houfe would nct hefitate to adopt the Refnlntion propofed, and he had only to regret it had not been adopted fifty years boner. Mr. EIUSKISSON explained, faying, that what he meant was, that the Noble Lord (Grenville) held an office by Grant from the Crown, which rendered it impoffible for him to be a Firß Lord of the Trea. fury without a new law at the time of his appoint• ment to that office. Mr. PARNELL.—" I hope the Noble Lord, (Caftlereagh) when he (hall be placed in a fi tuation in the new Miniftry, will not think of advifing the Crown to purfue the praCtice of making grants in this country, as he did in Ireland. I had the honour of a feat in the Houle of Commons of Ireland, dur. ing the whole . progrefs of the Union ;—it is well known that the majority was againft that meafure in Ireland, for the Miniiter was left in the minority; and the reafon was that two or three eonfiderable inoerefts there were againft it. In the cootie of twelve months it was tried again, and then the Miniller carried it by a majority of 30 ; and on that occafion thefe two interelts united in its fupport ; and imme diately we difcovered, that a branch of one of thefe two families, whole interea thus turned the kale, had the reverfion of the Clerk of the Pelts in Ireland. I cannot fay the fame thing precifely of the other fa mily, becaufe I do not know of any reverfionary grants to it ; but I believe that family had a promife made on which it ailed ; and I think I have fome prefumptive proof of it, for one of that family had the &ft Bilhopric that fell vacant after the Union." Mr. JOHNSTONE—" I did not (late, that the neccfrary confequence r-f this refolution would be to keep men from being rewarded for doing their public duty ; but that it afforded me great fatisfatlion, that thole who appeared to be loud now againft grants in revelry-In, were dude who are molt remarkably loaded with public benefits." The motion was then put and carried. Mr. BANKES—" I now move, Sir, that leave be given to bring in a Rill conformably to the faid Re folution."—Gr anted. Sir J. NICHOL gave notice of a rider, which he (hall propofe to morrow, in the Siciiiitt Prize Bill. • - The Pill for regulating the office of the Treafurer of the Navy, paired a Comniltti e of the whole Houfe ; and the Report was re ceived intm.diately,.n the motion (4 Mr. Sheridan. The Pill for Correeting a tiered in the Royal Family Annuity Aet, of Taft Seffion, was conitnitted, reported, and ordered to by read a third time to-morrow _ Sir JOHN NEW PORT brought in a Bill for extendirg to Cities and Counties of Towns in irelind the Law with regard to the Payment of Servant Wages.—Read a brit and ordered to be read a fecond time to-mt.rrow. Orderfd, on the motion of Mr. VANSiTTART, that the Houle fhould to-morrow refolve into a Committee to rln6der of the Estee Adta, with reek to the Duty on Salt tired to Bleach- The Irifh Stamp Duty kill was read a fecond time, and com mitted for td-nOrrow ; as uas the Englifla Malt Duty Regulation Bill. _ _ Sir J NEWPORT obtained leave to bring in leveret Bills for the ret alatian of the Revenue Laws of Ireland. Sir J. NEWPORT propoled the COOMilttal of the Dublin Coal Dill: but _ . Nfr. TA YI,OR chferved, that front the converfat;nn which took place Lyon a tornm evening. the Right Honuarahle Baronet mull Le awa:e of an nnpoition to this locator,.'There were many pertons indeed with whom he had cnnv. tied, who were esceed• ingiv alarmsd by futh a prapotaiou ; and co. coned with them, as the Riche linnonre le baronet was I efolvc.l to pref . % the meature, and as he had tett it his duty by tvtry trcans to relift it, he mould more to count the kioure. Sir J NEWVORT role—hut the Speaker (Intim{ it to he his imprrxive duty irimediytely to comply with the motion—the Houre was counted, and there being but about half a doarti Mem • bcrs prtfo.t, an adjournment took place. t • TKE MIWGE OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES. CONTAINING A DILVELOPtiIIiNT Or Tat cormiaAcir• 111 E RICA. To the Scu3te and Houfe of Remfeutatives of the United States. " Agreeably to the requeft of the Houle of Re prefentatives, communicated in their refolution of the t 6rh intl. I proceed to Rate, under the referve therein expreffcd, information received touching an illegal combination of private individuals againfl the peace and fafety of the Union, and a military expedition planned by them againft the territories of a power in amity with the United States, with the mestures I have put bed for fuppreffing the fame. " I had, for tome time, been in the conflant ex pettatifm of receiving filch further information, as would have enabled me to lay before the Legiflature the termination, as well as the beginning and pro. grefs of this fcene of depravity, fn tar as it has been acted on the Ohio and its waters. From this the Rate of lately of the lower country might have been etlimated on probable grounds, and the delay was indulged the rather, becaufe no circumnance had yet made it neceffary to call in the aid of the legiflative funCtions. Information now recently communicated, has brought us nearly to the period contemplated. The mats of what I have received in the courfe of theft tranfaCtions is v^luminous ; but little has been given under the fanCtion of an oath, fo as to conflitute formal and legal evidence. It is chiefly in the form of letters, often containing loch a mixture of rumours, conjectures, and fufpicions, as render it difficult to flit out the real fans, and unadvifable to hazard more than general outlines, strengthened by concurrent in formation, or the particular credibility of the relator. In this Rate of the evidence, delivered fometimes too under the reftrielion of private confidence, neither Way nor juffice will permit the expofing names, ex cept that cf the principal actor, whole guilt is placed beyond quellion. Some time in the latter end of September, I re ceived intimations that defigns were in agitation in the Weßern country, unlawful and unfriendly to the peace of the Union : and that the prime mover in thefe was AARON BURR, heretofore diftinguiffied by the favour of his country. The grounds of thefe in• timations being inconclutive, the objets uncertain, and the fidelity of that country known to be firm, the only meafore taken was to urge the informants to ufe their bell endeavours to get further Wight into the defigns and proceedings of the fulpeded petfons, and to communicate them to me. _ _ " It was not till the latter part of Odober, that the objefts of the confpiracy began to be perceived, but Hill In blended and involved in myflery, that no thing•dilliat could be Tingled out for purfuit. In this Hate of uncertainty, as to the crime contemplat ed, the ads done, and the legal eourfe to be purfued, I thought it bell to fend to the fcene where thefe things were principally in tranfaftion, a perfon in whole iategrity,under (landing, and difcretior., entire confidence could be repofed, with inftrations to ins velligate the plots going on, to enter into conference (for which he had firfficient credentials) with the Governors, and all other Officers, civil and military, and with their aid to do on the fpot whatever was neeeffary to difcover the defigns of the confpirators, al reft their meani, bring their perfons to purfithment, and to call out the force , of the country to fupprefs any unlawful enterprife in which it fhould be found they were engaged. By'this time it was known that many boats wete under preparation, Horeb of provi lions collating, and an unidual number of fuipicions charaders in motion on the Ohio, and its waters. Be fides difpatching the confidential agent to that quarter, orders were at the fame time ftnt to the Governors of the Orleans and Miffiffippi territories, and to the Com manders of the land and naval forces there, to be on their guard againtl furprife, and in conitant readinefs to refill any enterprife which might be attempted on the veffels, polls, or other objets under their care: and on the Bth of November, initiations were forwarded to General Wiwissow, to batten an accommodation with the Spanifh Commandant on the Sabine, and, as loon as that was efFefted, to fall back with his prin cipal force to the hither bank of the Mifliffippi, for the defence of the interetting points on that River. By a letter received from that Officer, of the 25th of November, but dated ac.tober 2111, we learned that a confidential agent of AA mow Bu a R had been deputed to him with communications, partiy written in cypher, and partly oral, explaining his defigns, exaggerating his refouices, and making fuch offers of emolument and command, to engage him and the army in Isis unlawful enterprife, as he had flattered himfelf would be fuccefsful. The General with the honour of a foldier. and fidelity of a good citizen, immediately difpatched a trufty officer to sue, with information of what had paffed, proceeded to eitablifis fuch an un derflanding with the Spanifh Commandant on the Sabine, as permitted him to withdraw his force acids the Aliffiflippi, and to enter on meafures for oppofing the projeti.ied enterprife. " The General's letter, which came to hand nn the agth of November, as has been mentioned, and force other information, received a few days earlier, when brought together, developed Buaa's general defigns, different parts of which only bad been revealed to different informants. It appeared that he contem plated two dillinft objear, which might be carried either jointly or feparately, and either the one or the other fit tl, as circumliances Ihnuld direft. One of thele was the feverance of the Unir.n of thefe States by the Allegany mountains, the other an attack on Mexico. A third objed was provided, merely often fible, to wit, the fettlement of the pretended purchafe of a track of count, y on the Wafhita, claimed by a Baron BASTROP. This was to fel ve as the pretext for all his preparations, an allurement for fuels fol lowers as really wifhed to acquire lettlements in that country, and a cover under which to Farad in the event of a final difcomfiture of both branches of his real defign. " He found at once, that the attachment of the Wellern country to the prefent Union was not to be Ihaken ; that its diffolution could n. t be effeEted with the confent of its inhabitants; aid that his refnurces wete inadequate, as yet, to effeCt it by force. He took his entitle then at once, determined to feize on New Orleans, plunder the Bank there, poffefshimfelf cf the military and naval flares, and proceed on his expedition to Mexico, and to this Objea all his means and preparations were now direfleit. He colleded from all the quarters where himfelf or his agents pnf. feff;cl influence, all the ardent, relit:ls, defperate, and dilaffeeted perfons, v.ho were ready for any enterprize analogous to their charaaers. He reduced grooi well meaning citizens, fume by affurances that h e pelfeffed the confidence of the Government, and war acting under its fecret patronage ; a pretence which procured Tome credit (ram the nate of our d i ffer. ences with Spain; and others, by offe: s of land in Baftrnp's claim on the Wait*. " This was the hate of my information oflii. pr o . ceedings about the lett of November; at which time therefore it was fit it potlible to take fpecific mealuter Ito meet them. The proclamation of November two days after the itceipt of General Vs'itxtesoe's information, vas now iffued. Orders uet e difpatched to every interesting point on the Ohio and Mitliffippi from Pittiburgh to New Oilcans, for the empl o y ment of fuch force, tither of the regulars or of the militia, and of Inch proceedings elf() of the civil authorities, as might enable them to feize on all boats and Itores provided for the enterprize, to arreft the per. forts concerned, and to fupprefs efFeaually the further progrefs of the enterprize. A little before the receipt of there orders in the Sate of Ohio, our confidential agent, who had been diligently employed in invefli. gating the confpitacy, had acquired fufficient infor. motion to open.himfelf to the Government of that State, and to apply for the immediate exertion of the authority and power of the State to croft the com. bination. Governor Tiffin, and the Legiflature, with a promptitude and energy, and patriotic zeal, which entitle them to a diltinguifhed place m int r h ia e n a y ffe d a ir i a o b n .. of their Sitter States, effe.ted boats, provifions, and other preparations withi n t h e i r , reach, and thus gave a firtt blow, ate ling the enterprize in its outlet. " In Kentucky a premature attempt to bring Bute to _indict, without funijent evidence for his convic tion, had produced a popular impreflion in his fa your, and a general difbelief of his guilt. This gav e him an unfortunate opportunity of haflening his equipments. The arrival of the proclatnatitn and orders, and the application and information of our confidential agent, at length awakened the authorities of that Stare to the truth, and then produced the fame promptitude and energy, of which the neigh. booting State had fet the example. Under an alt of their LegifLture, of Demembei 23, toe Militia was inflantly ordered to different important points, and meafures taken for doing whatever could yet be done. Some boats (accounts vary from five to double or treble that number), and perfons (differently'eai• mated from one to three hundred), had in the mean time paired the falls of Ohio, to rendezvous at the mouth of Cumberland, withothers expeeteddown that river. Not apprifcd till very late, that any boats we r e building on Cumberland, the effea of the proclama. tion had been trufted to for fume time in the State of Tenneffee. But on the l*h of December, fimilar communications and inflruCtions, with thofe to the neighbouring States, were difparched by exprefs to the Governor, and a General Officer of the Weflern Divifion of the State ; and on the 23d of December our confidential Agent left Frankfort for Nafhville, to put into aaivity the means of that State alfo. But by information received yeflerday, I learn, that on the tad of December, Mr. Beta defcended the Cum, berland with two boats, merely of accommodation, carrying with him from that State no quota towards his unlawful enterprise. Whether after the arrival of the proclamation, of the orders, or of our agent,. any exertion which could he made by that State, or the orders of the Governor of Kentucky, for calling out the Militia at the mouth of Cumberland, would be in time to allele thefe boats, and thofe from the falls of Ohio, is fill doubtful. " On the whole, the fugitives from,the Ohio, with their affocßtes from Cumberland, or any other place in that quarter, cannot threaten ferious danger to the city of New Orleans. " By the fame exprcfs of December 19, orders ' were fent to the Governors of Orleans and Miffif- fippi, fupplementary to thole which had been given on the 25th of November, to hold the Militia of their ' territoties in readinefs to co-operate for their defence, with the regular troops and armed veffels then under. the command of General WILKINSON. Great alarm, indeed, was excited at New Orleans, by the exagger- ated accounts of Mr. BURR, diffeminated throu his emit:fat-ice, of the armies and navies he was to aff emble there. General WILKIN sow had arrived there him (elf on the 24th of November, and immediately put into aelivity the refources of the place for the purpofe of defence, and on the loth of December he was joined by his troops front the Sabine. Great zeal was (hewn by the inhabitants generally : the merchants of the place readily agreeing to the mon laudable ever lions and facrifices for manning the armed veal( with their (cameo ; and the other citizens manifening unequivocal fidelity to the Union, and a fpirit of determined refinance to their expeacd affailonts. Surmifes have been hazarded that this enter. prife is to receive aid from certain foreign powers.— But thee furmifes are without proof or probability. The wifdom of the meafures fanainned by Congrefs at its Taft Seflion, has placed us in the paths of peace and juftice with the only powers with whom we hail any differences; and nothing has happened luxe, which makes it their intereft or ours to purfue another courfe. Nu change of meafures has taken place on our pail, none ought to take place at this time. With the one, friendly arrangement Ives propofed, and the law, deemed neceffary on the failure of that, was fufpended to give time for a (Air trial of the atm—. With the fame power, friendly arrangement is now proceeding, under good expeetations, and the fame law, deemed neceffary on failure of that, is Rill fuf pended to give time for a fair trial of the iffue. With the other, negnciatinn was in like manner preferred, and provifional meafures only taken to meet the event of rupture. While therefore we do not defied in the flightelt degree from the murk we then affunied, and are Rill purfuing, with mutual confent, to relit:ire a good underttanding, we are riot to impute to them praaices as irteconcileable to intereft as to good feiths and changing necelferily the relations of peace and juftice between us to thofe of war. Thefe furmitcs are therefore to be imputed to the vauntings of the author of this enterprife, to multiply his p a rtizans, by magnifying the belief of his pro(pcifts and ftt ppor t. " By litters from General WiLRINSON, of the 14th and 18th of December, which came to hand two days after the dete of the refolution of the 1-I.inte of Reprefentatives, that is to fey, on the morning of the 18th intl. I received the important affidavit, copy of which I now communicate, with aired; ot ft much a thi let:ets as comes within the fop e o