Star. — London, England, 1805-04-09 00:00:00

7. That the Right Honettrable Henry Dundee was re-appointed 1 t4ferer of the Navy on the sth of January £784, and continued au the Edd office until the tft of )une !Soo. S. That in the year an an As!l of Parliament was paired ss 6,., 3 chap. 31, minded "An Aft fur better regulating the office 0 Om 1 resturcr of Ids Majelly's Navy;" whereby it is directed, I.J nion , y (hail he iffued from the Treafury to the Treafur -r, of the Navy; but fiat all monies iffued for naval ferviet s [hall he p. 41 t•• the Bark on account of naval f< rvices,and placed to the •••enunt of the Treafurt r of the Navy, and (hall not be pad out of th, bank unit& for naval fervice, and in purfuatice of drafts fign sd by the Treafurcr, or fettle pt.rfn or perfons authorized by buu ; NLich dr3fts fitall fpecity the heads of (trace to which fueh ton••• are to he appli,d, and that the regulations under the laid AC 6.11 talic place from the stit July 1785 _. • • 9. That the es.cution of the Lid alt swot poftponed till the no , tit of January 814, and that, from that time till the month d June t Poo when Loat linelville tort the office of Treafurer con :, ay to thepraelice ellahlOwd in the Trcaforcrfhip of the Right I loooto,ide Ifaae Barre, contrary to the refolutions of the Houfe of C., tttttt tons, of the thth of June, and in defiance of the pro. 'lons of the above nwtitiooed ACt of the 2Cth Geo. 111. Chap. 3t, large fum. of money were, under prc:enec of Naval Servic..., :,t.d by a feandalou. .vanan of the ACt, a: c trims times dr .wn the Bank and insetted in Exchequer and Navy Bill., lent ulon tae t. curity of Stock. employed in difenouting private bilis, n. pit-chafing 8..0k and Eall India Mock, and ufed in various ways lur tiatpurpoh. of private emolument. to. •1 hat Alexamit r Trotter, Efq. the Paymifter of the Navy, was the petfon by whom, or in whore name the Public Money was the employ/A. and that in In doing he elect with the know • ledge and tract , ' of Lord V. Melville, to whom he was at the fame now 7tivate agent. and for whole ufe or benefit he occafion ally laid out from to to ao,oool. without confidaing whether he was previoufly in advance to his Lordfb:p, and whether fuch cd var.ca w, re made from his public or private balances. ti. That the Right Honourable Lord Vircount Mehtill- Laving b. en privy to, and cnnnived at the witkdrawing from the Bank of lo . elata for purports of p-rate lour& or emolument. fonts if tt: d to I.: rii AS 1 riafurcr of the Navy, and placed to his account in the Bat.k, ac:ording to the provilions of the 25th of Cho. 111. cFap st, has been guilty of a orals violation of the law, and a high breach of duty. S. Tha: it further wean, that fuhfctrett iodic appointment of lord Ni.:brile as 'Etienne of the Navy In ;!8.1. and durirg the time he' I that °Mee. I rge films of Milner iffued for the ferrite of 6- Navy were applied to other fervicm, and that the faid Lord hleivPle. In a letter written in anfwcr to a Precept if kid by the ConwroNoners of Naval Inquiry, requiring an Account of Money received try hitu, or any perfon on his account, or by hi. ostler, from the Poynioner of the Navy. and alto of the time w:oo, and the perfons by whom the fame were returned 'o the Bank, or Paymofter, has.declared, that he has no materials by %kith he could make op loch an Account, and that if he bad ma terials, he road not do it wltturd difclofing delicate and confid, tranfottior s of Government, which his duty to the Public mutt lime retrained him from revealing: 13. That Lard Melville, in applying monies iffued for the (*cr oft( of the Navy to other fervices,ftated to have been of In delicate and confidential a nature, that in his opinion, no Account rap, or ought to be given of th.:m, has ado.: in a manner inconfintr t with his duty, and incompatible avlth thole fecurities which the Lead inure has provided for the ;roper application of the public money. The SPEAKER having put the yucftion on the firfl Refnlution, The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER role, and !poke neatly as follows Without pre tending to deny that the Honourable Gentleman has in a I,r eat meaffire adhered to the prumife which he made of confidering this fubjeft with moderation and cnolnefs, I mutt be permitted to fay that he has not perfrveled in this refnlution to the end. InileaJ of keeping ltriflly to fans, which ought alone to be confidered in a criminal charge, he.has appealed to the feelings ef various defcriprions of perfons, upon to pies that are not applicable to the prefent occalion.— He has touch.:d upon the Public burdens, and hinted at the fuppolition that thefe burdens, required by the prefffire of the times, have been aggravated by the ab.ife of the money, the railing of which forms fo heavy a tax or the people. Sir, I am willing to allow, as ever y mar, mail, that if the public money be franan dered by any malverfation on the part of the officers .—(Hear, Atar!)—then the matter becomes a fubjeEt for grave confideratinn and teritats inviry. But what I complain if is this, that the Hon. Gen:leman ha- endeavoured to millet, the public by tndeavour ing to circulate the notioti that great additions have been made to the public burdens, when no fuch ad ditions have in the linallett degree taken place, fur he knows that not a has bean loft to the pub• lic—(Hear! Hear !j--iiiat no allegation, if any fuch las has been mentinne,f, anti that, ir 10, no mil chief whatever has refutted I:cm this tranfaetion— yroar of r ear! Hear! jr.; Cfipy:ti‘a Bender.) bit, the Houle mu:l he let flble that it is vet y little conliaent with the tnrtd.ration and candour that ought to accompany a ferious charge of this nature, to proceed with Inch violence, and interrupt a Mtm her with clametir. But they need not expeEt to in torrupt me with inch noire, which I mug confider as an attempt to influence the patFoans of the Houle ; and I have the lefs doubt on the fubjeel, when I re colico dle numberlels mifrept efenta.ions brth in and out of the Houle on this affair—milieptefentations which have been attended with no little mifchief. It has been (latest, no. rally that a very confiderable lots has heen fullai:ie,!, but that our leamen hare, in confequence ot the mu:Wiens now befire Its, been prevented fri.m recessing in peeper time the money due to their vet or, and I In. ir meri:orious fervics.— (Ao! i•o! from the Ulf ftion.) There has not been the flii 4 hteit grounds lor laying any fuch thing, for I can Safely aver that the delay el an hour has never taken place in paying loch money, and I do, there fore, molt grievoufly, and jultly complain, that this affair has not been treated with prop,i candour and moderation. But I have not only to complain that the Hon. Gentleman laid afide that moderation sit,' which lie commenced, but that he has given a totally miltaken view of the materials or, which he founds his charge. The Hon. Gentleman tells us that the Noble Lord had an opportunity of anfwering for himf-11, as if he had been on a fair and impartial trial—that queltions were put to him—that he was informed as to the nature of the charge againfl him, and allowed to fay whatever he chole in his own tie• fence. Now, whatever inference the Houfe may draw from all this, it was certainly any thing but a fair and impartial trial, for it wanted thole circuntartn ces that accompany a criminal trial in all well :ego hated countries. The Noble Lord had not an oppor tunity of knowing exaftly the charges againfi IN copy a thefe charges had not been given him.— Ile had no opportunity of calling witneffes in his favour, nor of crufs-examining thole who might ap pear agtinft him. Above all, it was a point attended to in every trial, that a man Atonic, not criminate himself. Now there are circumflances that clearly point nut, that neither the Noble Lord nor the other perfons who were examined, ought to be confidered as haying been brought to any thing like a trial, upon which 4 final judgment could be fafely pallid. They tad been examined, and required to anfwer queltions witleatt being made acquainted with the wet view sslach Inch queltions were put, and without hearing the nature of the inquiry exactly (fated UMW. Ido not fay this, Sir, with any view to I 'give an opinion 611 the merits of the points be7ore !us. My ohjea is to, thew that ou: materials are not fuch as to afford a fafe ground for any final decifion. —With rtfpea to the matters tbetnrelves, I do not with to deny that they are of the troit grave and im portant net :re. I do again contend, that the public has not only fuftained no lots, but that it has not even fuftained any inconvenience from the manner in which the money was applied. Yet, at the fame time, I admit, that if the Public money be even in correaly managed by a Public Officer, he is refpon fible for his condua. Bu: I beg leave to fay, that, from a full confideration of this Report, I am con vinced that all the circumllances are not before us in the full, clear, and fatisfaCtory manner, in which they ought to be, before we can give a fair and im partial judgment upon them. If this he the fad, we can much lefs pafs any cenfure in the prefent Rate of the cafe. If I felt this to be the true (late of the quellion before I came to the Houfe, my opinion is much mere confirmed now, from the manner in which the fubjea has been treated by the Right Ho nourable Gentleman. He has argued from the documents now before us, but has not attended, in many cafes, to feveral circumftances that van .lie nature of fome tranfaCtions, and the extent and ue gree of others. The conclufions which he draws alto are not thofe of the Commillioners, hut fuch as he himfelf finds it convenient to draw from fe.:.r.ti circumftances combined together, which, t o rso their not being fully known, cannot be completely understood. The Honourable Gentlentan first reit ed his cafe on three grounds, but he atterwards varied it, and reduced it to one tingle queltion.— He himfelf, however, has admitted that the whole is fo connetted together, that it is imantrible to pals any judgment on one part of the tranfaaion without taking into account all the rest ; and yet, after all this, he propofes that the Houle lhould come to a decifion ou one tingle part of the charge without pretending to judge of the others, which he leaves to a future occafion. Now, as to the charge of par ticipation, he has not Paid fo much as ..n the mho two. Yet certainly it would have been much more p-oper that this thould not have been mentioned at al, AS the Honourable Gentleman does m t mean at prefant to infift upon it, heeaufe, of all others, this is the charge which is molt likely to wound the feeling, .of thole who are nearly connefted with the Noble Lord, and of all thofe impartial men who do not with that an accufation of fuch a fetious nature thould be brought againil a man, except under circumftances when they might be pre pared to come to a decifion on the point. I am de firous; however, that the matter thould be examined with all that moderation, ferioufnefs, and coolnefs which ought ever to attend an affair of this nature. There are a variety of circuniftances wanting that are Material, as applicable to the charges—There are many points that require explanation. Without any long delay, not much beyond the holidays, by agree ing to the motion for a Secret Committee, for which I (hall have the honour to move, the Houfe will have the matter clearly before them ; and it is only by this mode of proceeding that the whole can be fully invef tigated, In as to prepare it for a jolt and impartial decifion.—Now, Sir, the firft charge is, that certain fums properly applicable only to the naval depart ment, have been applied to other purpofes. At pre fent I (hall not enter at large either upon this or the other charges—but content myfelf with (hewing the meeffity of tome further inquiry into the circum ances.—Nothing appears here as to the motive with which the thing was done. It is mentioned that the nioney was applied to other fervices occalionaily.— But as to all the citcumflances relative to the motive and the precife necellity that exifted for making Inch a loan, we are at prefent in the dark. Yet the Houle will agree that in es mining the condo& of a man with a vita' to pafs a fentenee of guilty or not guilty, it is of great importance that the motives which led to the nanfaaion thould be knowo r in order to afcer rain the exat degree of delinquency that attaches to it, or whether there is a ny d e li nquenc y i n th e ca f e at all. Is the Houle prepared to deny that the tranf aftion may be proved to reft upon fuch grounds as not only to entitle the Noble Lord to an indemnity, but even to the highelt praife fur having incurred the tefponfibility ? I only fay this much on this head, in order to induce the Houfe to agree with me, that it would not anfwer the purpofes of juftice to ct.me to a decifion, without a fur:her examination into the affair. There is a Itatement of a fum lent to the Treafury. I do not think myfelf at liberty at relent to enter upon a particular examination of that tranfaCtion ; but whether it was illegal or not ; whether any (hare that I had in it was proper or im proper, remains to be enquired into. After this en quiry it will be for the Houle to determine, whether I am liable to cenfure or puni(hment, and I than Cub mit, as I of courfe mull do, to their decifion. In the mean time, however, it is certain that the public have fuftained no lots, and it may be fuppofed that, if any money was applied in the manner fuggefted in the report,it has been for great public purpoles, in which, perhaps, the falvation of the country might be con cerned, and which were of fuch a nature that they could not be executed, except with fecrecy. I believe it will be found that two-thirds of the rum mentioned in the repot t were applied in this manner. The No ble Lord occupied fituations in which he alone was concerned. Whatever money he might have applied by transferring from one fervice to another in tilde fituations, I know not, nor can I give any explana tion. But if the largeft turn be clearly and explicitly accounted for,even though the Noble Lord thould not be able now to account for the reit, and I am not aware that he can, this will at lea II go to induce the Houle to believe that the remainder might be applied with equal propriety. Now another point of accu• fation is, that firms were allowed to remain in the hands of the Paymafter, from which Lord Melville underflood him to have derived tome private be nefit before thefe fums were applied to the public fervice. I beg leave at prefent not to be under flood as pretending to fay that it is juilifiable in any per to apply the public money to views of private emolument, even though no lots has accrued to the public. (Hear! Hear!) This matter will come to be ' difculled when the affair is completely before us.— ' Bin this I do affirm that it is molt material that we lhould be fully acquainted with the nature of the mifchief done, and the extent to which it has been carried. The Commiffioners ' it ought to be obferved, do not pretend to fay that there were longer ;Get from the Exchequer to the Bank than it a more plain and eorrett mode. of conduCting the bufinefe of the Navy had been adopted. They admit as a fail, that the ;flues were not longer. :here were none that could increafe or accelerate the employ. ment of the money, and confequently it is evident that the burdens of the people have not been aug mented ; nor has it been proved that a tingle inch tribal hal been retarded in receiving his payments. '-The Honourable Gentleman, therefore, brings charges, founded upon flatements which the Corn miflioners theintelv.es did not intend to reprefent as any grounds of blame. I do not fay, that in the ap plication of the money to different pin-poles from what it was originally defigned, efpecially to pur chafes in the funds, there was no rifle. But then if nn lots has been incurred, this ought to be ac counted a throng prcfumption that the money was not applied withoat proper care and fecurity. It does not appear that any fervice has been retarded by this tranfaalien. Upon the whole, it is certainly my opinion, and I troll that thefe who have read the Re port carefully, have perceived, that before a proper decifion can be given, many circumstances of eluci dation are required. In Come points it alto appears from the Report, that the Commillioners are not al together accurate, and this conftitutes another ground for having this fubjeat further lifted. One of thefe points is this :—lt teems that money had been car• tied to the houfe of Mears. Cnntts and Co. not by draughts on the Bank, which is the ufual way, but' another mode which has been ocean , nally refin-ted to. On this account the Comaatironers fuppnfed that the money had not been tranfmitted from the Bank immediately to the houfe of Coitus and Co. I but had been lodged finnewhere elle lietare it came into !heir hands. By this means they imagined that fix mil:ions were in they know net what ha. zard, and one million they Hated at a particular period. This million was, iii fait, traitimitted di re fly to the hottfe of Coitus, as wield appear on a further enquiry ; therefore, this main point would have been explained to th e f a tisfitation of the Corn million, if it had been more fully invelligated.— Another point is the manner in which the accounts were kept, and the payments made by the fob-ac countants. It is certain that it late always been found convenient that a fmall balance theuld re main in the hands of the fub-accountants. A large fum was drawn by a dr night on the Bank, and this,' for the fake of convenience in their payments, was I kiven in fmallfum s to t h e f u b- accountants , w h o o f ten ept them in the Bank in their own names, and drew' as they found it necetFary to fatisfy their different (mall demands. Why then the quetlinn wires, whe ther it was neceffary that larger firms Ihould he iffned from the Exchequer to the Bank, in confequence of an individual deriving profit from the ufe of limy: of the money, and whether any inconvenience occurred from this circumilance ? Now the Houfe knew that no money can be iffued from the Exchequer to the Bank on account of the Treafurer of the Navy, with oat the order of the Navy Board, the Board of Ad• miralty, the ViCtualling Board, and others conneCted with that department. The Corernitlioners feemed to fuppofe that this had been eluded, and that it was impoffible that larger toms ihould not have been iffued than was actually neceffary for the im• mediate demands of the fervice. With regard to any inconvenience, none had been .fledged, nor was any ground I'.eted for a charge on that head. —But there is another circumllance of tome im portance, which deferves to be mentioned, and whica the Coinntijieners teemed not clearly to have unsierftood. In attending to the balances they do not appear to have taken into account certain affign merits oatftandina, for which the holders might de mand hilt:eat payment. With regard to the total balances in the Bank, they laid that they onftirt not to exceed meaty days, wherea a in left, they ()Verve that they have arronnted to thirty-farce, end fume. times to forty-five days. They feeared, however, to think, that they.mi?ht fairly be foarteen days. When they found forty-five days balances, they took an unfavourable period—but if they had taken the ave rage of two periods, if they had looked at the affign meats outltanding, and deduCted the turns in the out ports, the balances would be brought to fourteendays, the number mentioned by the Clerl:, whom they exa• mined, and only fix days beyond their owh number. —Now on a point fo involved, where it is fo new . - fary that accuracy Ihould be cenfulted, and where that can only be attained by patient itweitigation, I leave it to the Houfe to judge whether the matter is in a proper situation for a decifion. With regard to this point of the balances, there are no lets than four errors. This may thew the Houk how very com plicated thefe things are. They cannot be prepared for the final decifion of the Uoufe without a Secret Committee, who may examine the whole with pa tience and attention. Now, with regard to another point, that of the participation, this is a tranfaCtion in which, above all, further inveiligetion is of impor tenet. After what the Honourable gentleman laid at the outlet of his fpeech, with refire& to his mode ration, I did hope that this point would not have been touched upon, cfpecially after the letter written by the Noble Lord, which mutt be confidered of equal weight with his oath. The Hon. Gentleman obferved, that Lord Melville had refufed to anfwer the Commillion ers when they queftioned him relative to his deriving any private advantage from the application of the money. But whoever links at the report cannot but be convinced that the grounds on which the Noble Lord refuted to anfwer, were, that from the manner in which Mr. Trotter kept his accounts, it was int poftible for him to fay, that he had not advanced him public money without his knowledge. On the fare of the accounts, too,cool. is the whole amount of the advances to Lord Melville. It is known, that of all the turns of iCa millions which h a d pall e d through the hands of laird Melville, every farthing has been applied to the purpofes far which it was iffued, and has been regularly accounted for. The Hon. Gentleman draws his fuipicions from different par ticulars ; the exacts refult of which it is extreme ly difficult to estimate. All this renders it necef fary that the matter Ihould be further invelligated. —N ow , if a Committee be appointed to lift this tranfaCtion to the bottom, I will venture to affert, that it will be proved, that from the manner in which the accounts were kept, a great many fums drawn in the name of the Treafurer, for his private account, were, in fad, applied to official purpofes.— But, at all events, a further investigation is necef fary, before judgment is paffed. It is impoffible tot fay, at prelim, what went to Lord Melville's falary, as Treafarer, Mr. Trotter was acc!iaoTed to receive. He was allo acctuto.-.1 .d to receive lary on o f of An office aid li.s di vidends in the funds. Ali t::ef: fOrmrd part of tl:c account, and made it er;rermly difficult to unravel. How in thefe circumflances can the Houle refufe to inflitute an inquiry by a Selea Committee? I put it In the candour of the Gentlemen of the Hrufe whether Lord 11Idvillec..uld poilibly with to receive any of th!s petty private bentfit, with the convi6tion that he was aaing improperly ? No motive appeps for fuck a firan,;e circumtlance. Why, then, it is evident we have n'.t the materials I.r a fi'ial decifion before us. It is evi.lent that Lord Melville had no opportunity of defending hinifell herore the CommiaioGers.— They put quellions which he was required to anfwer, but be had not witnelies, nor any power to eras examine them. I now, therefore, (land up, according, to the courfe of Parliament, for a Secret Committee to lift rill-. affair to the bottom. This cannot occafion any delay that will be of mate: jai corfequence, and betides the thing is ahl'lutely neeelfary in order to anrwer the put poles of Make. I thi‘il fit,t at prefent enter upon the merits of the fuhjea, becaufe I think that it would he premature. When the whole cafe is before the H +life, then an opportunity will be given to difcufs the matter, and come to a jua and impartial de cilion. I Shall now, the:el‘re, only move, by way of amendment, that the cif carnflances relative to the condna of Lord Melville, as Treafurer of the Navy, to be found in theTcntlateport of the Commiffioners of Nasal Inquiry, be refelTed to a Seled Committee of this Honk to examine the matter fully,and report as (hall appear to them to the Houle. Mr. FOX obj:eied, that the mode propofed, as he conceived, from his recolleelion of a cafe that hap pened about five and twenty years ago, would pre vent the original refolutions from appearing upon the journals of the Houle. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQIJER an fwered, that lie dillinelly meant to Itibaitute his ma. ti ,, n for that pi - voted ; and, for that purpofe, to move the previous qiiellion upon each of the refolutiens. Mr. GREY fpoke a tew words. The SPEAKER—' , The original quenion was" —rile thus read the fl refulution propofed by Mr. Whit brtad]—" fince which the previous queltion has been put ; I am now, therefore, to move the previous queftion." Lord HENRY PETTY exprefred his anxiety to take an early opportunity of declaring his fentiments upon the quellion before the Hoofe ; it was. with a great degree of furprife he heard the Right Hon. Gentleman who fpoke last, at the beginning of his speech, flare, that his Hon. Friend (Mr.Whitbread) had travelled out of his original track of modera tion, and had endeavoured to inflame the paflions of his hearers ; he, however, obfaved, in the fiat place, that the refelations of his Honourable Friend were founded upon plain matters of fait, which arofe out of the breach and violation of the law ; but the pre. ference which the Right Honourable Gentleman had given to appointing a felea Committee, was from an enumeration of figures, which arofe from the ob.- fcurity thrown upon the bufinefs by Lord Melville, and his Paymaller. The 110 of Lord Melville's having violated the Art of Parliament; of his hav ing allowed his Paymafler to lodge certain fums, fhould have been deputited in the Bank of Enol:!nd, in the hands of a private banker—of his . admillion that feveral firms o f mone y, conflitut ed for the particular purpofes of the Navy, were appropriated to other fervic:., were too flagrant breaches of the Al of Parliament to be paired over ; and when the Refolutions propofed by his Honour able Fr iend were agreed to, he ( - tmid be one of the tint to acquiefce in the appointment of a Idea Com mittee, nor would any Member of that Houk be more aaxious to carry fuck a nicafure into effect.— He :tilted, would Lord Melville with to make any lumber declarations ? and even fo, he felt he could not go into a Select Committee without a hope of (bine explanation ; but it was more befitting the Houle of Commons to :!gr • to the Refolutions then before them, v.hen a grols breach of an Ad of Par liament had been committed. The Right Hon. Gentleman had laid, that no lot whatever had been fullainod to the public io this Intliiiefs; it appeared ta him, however, notwith:tanding the Right Hen. Gentleman's alrertion, that, at leedl, a great public rifle might be fufFered ; but, certainly, a great, poll tive, and particular public lot; had been futtained. The Right Hon. Gentleman hid entered into an ar gument of numerical calculations, in which he could not attempt to follow him, being unacquainted with the forms of office with which the Right Hon. Gen tleman was fo converfant : he had laid that large films were given from the Exchequer for the fervice of the Navy, which were afterwards appropriated to other fervices, and much larger rums were drawn than applied, how then could they have been ap plied ? this was not fpecified, and they might as well have been applied to private purpofes as any other. The Right Hon. Gentleman had admitted that great fpeculations had taken place, great rifles mu:t confequently have follov:ed. A combination had been formed of three perfons, the one had the dirdlion of the public funds relating to a particular department. sir. Mark ' 2 prott was the broker and manager under Mr. Lll,l3llder Trotter ; he was the confidential azenr, and accettuta'ole to Lord Mel ville ; and he was the I ),:fr , :i, who was accountable to the public. What ire z!!:ed, might have arifen front this combination e :re had heard of many combinations of Cifferceit deteriptior ; in the Rate, but he knew of tone loale ff.rnii.lai,le than the one in quetlion, and ti. i;•00:c!:!iic deception which Lord Melville Earl putfued, ltao evaded every attempt at invelligrion. Isis I.ordlliip then adverted to an extract from the eviAtice of Lord Melville, given before the •:::(Traniiiec of Finance, when the tipeaker WAS at the :Tad tionrd ; and it then appear ed, that. no aecoeu of the Fit Treaforeriltip of Lrd Melville been h'a!ly paii.ed. The No. ble Lot d bed dated, that the feveral regulations which had taken place, had enabled him to catty that moti benetki into efidt. He de manded what this hencfieial Att was ? It was not to coußitt.te tine e: ice of a particular department into a public trealm y. loud ay cf Hear ! Ilear !) For lourtecn years his Lordtbip had fyflema tically the At of Parliament; and the Houfe was then celled upon to go into a Committee, berme the queeion %vas decided, whether the Noble Lord was to bold the high and important tituation any longer ?—(Hear! hear!) If it had occurred to