Star. — London, England, 1802-03-05 00:00:00

WANTED in a dry healthy Situatinn, within Fifty nr Sixty Milos of London, and Two or Three Of a Market Town • to Putchafc or Rent, a faun fondly Houk, •+ith L few Acres of Land contiguous tlincto. and other fokabla conveniences. Lo en cobs deeded to ucks. P4II4LentENIARr PROCEEDINGS. :IIOUSE6fLORDS. THURSDAY, MARCH 4. • - • On the Order being moved for the fecond read in of Woodcock's Divorce Bill, Lord AOMILAMD thought it very neceffary to call their Lordffiips' attention to the prefent Peti tion, and particularly fo after the vigilance which the Houfe had been obliged to exercile for fome years paR, on the fubjcfl of Divorces. There were two inftances of Bills fimilar to the prefent having been before the Houle. One was the Petition of a Mr. Ellen, in which it appeared that he had entered into a deed of reparation with his wife, by which he left her at liberty to difpore of herfelf as the might think proper. That Bill was very properly reyeßed by the Houle. The other Bill he alluded so, was that f-r divorcing a Mr. Twifleton from his wife : which the House agreed to. It was now time that the Houfe Ihould come to a fixed and fet tled rule on the fubjed,fo as to prevent applications of this kind from coming forward. It appeaied by she Bill then on the Table, that the prefect Peti tioner had, in the year 1794. figned an inftrument, by which he feparatedkhimfelf from his wife; that the after that reparation, committed adultery, for which he could not maintain an action in a Court of Jullice for damages; but he came to that Houle to apply for relief—for what? was it for any injury he had fugained ? No; becaufe he could not prove any injury in a Court of Juflice. What tight then had he to expert any relief from Parliament ? No ble Lords might think that in cafes of this natur: there was no collufion. Apparently . there might be none; but it was very poffible that a perfect un derflanding, and a collufion of the moll artful kind, might cliff. The only way therefore to get rid of the difficulty was, not to receive any Bills for Divorces at all, unlefs the parties brought for ward a clear, untainted. and unfufpcded cafe.— And an ellintial part of fuch a cafe fhould be, that the parties had received el-mages in a Court of Law, and had never feparated from their wires. This was a rubjed which required the Mon ferious attention of the Houfe. It involved in it nothing lefs than the exiftence o‘the Conftitution and of the Country, to fupport which it was neceffary to prevenwthe public morals from being corrupted. —We had already teen enough in a neighbouring country to put us on our guard againft the conta gion that might fpread here. Let any man look to Fiance, and fee what were the fruits of that law which made marriage a civil contrad, and put it in the power of parties to be divorced, for fo trivial a caufe as incompatibility of temper. He would find that during tle ha year upwards of 700 Divorces a viands istairimeini took place in Pa ris and its vicinity. We had already efcaped one dreadful evil with which we were threatened from France. Let radiainent take care that an evil, ultimately as dangerous, Ihould not creep into the Country. At prefent the Houle could do no more than flop the facility of obtaining Divorce Bills, and by that means they might be rendered leli frequent. The prefent Bill had on the face of it, without hearing any evidence whatever, enough to render it inadtniffible. His Lordfhip then con cluded with moving, That the Bill be rejeaed." The LORD CHANCELLOR coincided in every thing which fell from the Noble Lord, except the Mo tion with which he concluded becaufe, as the Bill Ind gone fo fir, he thought the Houle ought to hear what the Petitioner had to fay. He confi tiered it of thesnmoll importance that in Bills of this kind, where the Petitioner failed in bringing forward the neceffary fads to conftitute a fair bows ids cafe, the Petition ought not to be received at all. If it was effential to the difienee of a tingle family that morality and good order fhould be ob ferved by the Members of it, how much more ne ceffary was it to preferve the morals of the nation at large, which conflituted one great family ? He was clearly of opinion that aria& of reparation be tween two parties conftitutcd a good around for rejediag the petition °Nile huroand. Hc did not fee any jug reafons why the& voluntary repera- Cons Humid be permitted. It was but very lately that a monftrous novelty was attempted to be in troduced into Westminster Hall—that a woman who had parted from her hufband in cnnfcquence of a deed of feparation, was to be confidered asfisi jgris, and could contract debts for which her huf band Ihould not be anfy:erable. It was adonifhing to conceive to what an extent this pmaice of fepa ration had been carried. It had proceeded from the h;gher to the lower orders nf the people. He recollected a circumflancc which-came out in a legal proceeding that took place ‘ia the Court wacre h: had lalt prefided. It , was. that of one of the lowett orders of livery.iervants, between nitro; and his wife a deed 'of reparation had 11,:en entered into; and it was ftipulated between them, that he Ihould give her a• certain allow ance i,f his wages, and that he ghould en en:ale that allowance in proportion as he Ihould ritifcd to higher fitnatians in the family where lie (rived. His Lordfnip Paid, he merely men t"t.itd this fad, to thew how far the hufitiefs of separations had proceeded, and point out the ne cel'ity of , putting a flop to them. He concluded with moving, That Counfel be called in." Mr. ADAM then appeared at the Bar; and laid, that Mr. Woodcock, the Gentleman in whole be half he then came forward, had, at the age of 19, married a young Lady named Croihy, w h o was alto under age, but the marriage took place with the content eft 'their friends. Incapable from his *youth and ineitperience of judging of the impro priety of fuch a choice, the conduet of the Lady (non gave him caufe to repent of what he had dune. She loon entered into habits of extrava gance that were totally different from his notions of dorneflie happinefs ; and it was folely in conk tinence of her condo& that he was obliged to exe cute a deed of feparationirom her- - The Duke of Noarul.l role to a& what was the realbn affigned in the deed for the reparation? Si.J it appearing that it WAS " fur various unhappy disa greements," Ste. The Loan Cuaiseettox afhed Mr. Adam if he had witneffes to prove thofe fasts to which he al luded, with regard to the cattle of the feparation ? Mr. ADAM faid he had not any it-articular wit neffes for that purpofe; hut their Lordfhips might collect the fads generally from thole witneffes who were to prove the other parts of the care. The Duke of NORFOLK then rofc and Iltid it was not for their Lordlhips to draw forth loch evi dence ; it was for the Petitioner to produce it ; 'and he would move that the Bill be immediately rejeded. Lord Atvas LIT exprefTed nearly the ftme fen timents with the Lord Chancellor, but wiflied the Bill to be put off till Monday next. The Duke of CLaittatce faid, he underftood there was evidence fufficient to prove the cattle of the feparation. Mr. ADAM was then called to the bar, and be ing quetlioned as to that fad, faid, he underftood from the Solicitor that fuch evidence was at hand, and could prove the conduit of the Lady to be fuch as to render a feparation on the part of the hufband neeeffary. After fome further converfation between the Lord Chancellor, Lord Alvanley, and Lord Anck- I land, the Bill was rejected.—Adjourned. HOUSE OF COMMONS. Upon the Report of the Committee to whom the Petitions refpatting the neceffity of Bridges over Bangor and Conway genies, in Waies, being read, leave was obtaincd.to bring in two Bills for fuch partook*. Ordered, on the Motion of Sir W. Towns, that the name of Mr. G. Rofe should be added to the Committee to whom the Bookießert' Petition had been referred. Mr. W. DUNDAS brought up a Bin for laying a Tax of twa pennies &reckon every pint of Ale brewed in Dundee.—Read a lilt and ordered to be rc.ul a fecood time to-morrow. Mr. HUDSON, from the Commiffloners of Escifc, prefented an Account of the Duty paid on Paper and Pafteboard for cer tain periods-Referred to the Committee on the Bookfellme Mr. VATIsi brought up the Report tithe Committee of Supply. The refelution for 'offing too,ocoL by Loan on Ex chequer Bills, was agreed to, and a WIR ordered. The Cinnamon Duty Bill was road a &ft, and ordered to he read a limed time to-morrow. The Order of the Day for the frecind reading of Use Amer". can Treaty Bill was pcdponed till to-morrow. Mr. LOCUINCTON MIMI that this Hoofs lismild on Mon day next refolve Well into a Committee. en the Report of the Committee to whom the Petition of the Merchantkof St. Pin cent and Grenada had been referred.—Agreed to. LORDS . ACT. Sir WILLI A ICI WT II wz moved that the Houk odd Waive kfelf into a Committee on the Lords' Ad, merdy in order to move an additional Claafe. The Houfe refblved kcal into a Committee, the Clanfe was brought up. and Mr. B withdrew the Claire he props fedardeld for extending the Bill to the property of pri Perron*, with a view to bringing it forward on a future day. Honk then awned, and the Report was received, and to be taken into conaderadon on Monday, the 4th of Mat, RESIDENCE OF THE CLERGY. Mr. Di cc tw so pi role purfuant to notice, to move for leave to bring in a Bill to continue for a time to be limited, the Aft of laR Sellion, for amend ing the Aft of Henry VIII. refpeCting the refi &nee of the Clergy. He obferved that when he propoibd that mcatbre laft Salon, he was influ enced by a fenfe of duty, and in the hope that the grievance which he meant to remedy would have been taken into confideration, and fome perma nent arrangement made to relieve the Clergy; and it mutt be a fource of gratification to the Houfe and the Public, that the bufinefs was taken up, and a meafure preparing by fome eminent charafters, who, however, required fome further time to di gell their plan. He therefore thought it neceffary to bring forward his motion. The motion for leave was agreed to. EAST INDIA ESTABLISHMENTS. Mr. Wm. Donnas role to move the order of the day for the fecond reading of the Bill to empower the Eaft India Company to transfer their fervants from one ellablifilment to another. The order be ing read, the Right Honourable Gentleman Paid, that as he underflood there were fome objeftions to the Bill, he timid again briefly (late the grounds upon which he was induced to bring it in, and which, in his opinion, were amply fufficient to re man every material objeftion to its provifions.— howivcr, felt no paternal anxiety about its fate. The Bill came to him from the Direftors of the Company, who were unanimous in approving to propriety ; and he, from his official fituation, felt it his duty to introduce it to the Houfe. So long back as the year 1736 it was the intention of the Company to reduce the eftablifhment at Ben coolen to a faftory. They were indttced to adopt this plan from the increafed expense which attend. ed that eflabliftiment, which amounted lately to more than t,otpoool. a fum which was very dill proportionate to the advantages derived from that ellablifhment. But. when they deemed it expe dient to carry their plats into. execution. they felt that, in jullice to the fervants who had been:em ployed in it, who bad (pent in that fervice tbe bet ter part of their days, and who had expofed their lives to the infalubrity of the climate, fome ade quate remuneration or appointment &mild be pro. vided. In this fentiment he cordially concurred with the Company; and when it was.recolleded how large an acceflion of territory had lately been made to the Britifh Empire in India, ample room mull be found for opening new fituations to fuch of the Company's fervants as it might be thought expedient to transfer from one fettlement to ano ther. Nor could fuch a meafure trench upon any individual right, or any pre-exifling Aft of Parlia ment. The Madras Ellablifhment was likely to gain an acceffion of revenue of no lefs than z,zs toool. from the territorial aeceffion of Tippoo Sultaun's dominions. To transfer a few of the fervants from Beneoolen. not perhaps more than twelve, to the Madras Eftablithment, could there fore be of very little or no confequence. The only grievance that could be complained of was, that it would augment the number of candidates ; but *hat material difference could the addition of is perfons make where fo many fituations were to be filled ? The ftrongell recommendation in favour of the Bill, in his opinion, was the material favitig it would fecure to the Company ; that laving, as be had obferved upon a former occalion,wouldamount to no left than Bo,OOOL while only twelve fervants were to be transferred to the Madras Eftablifhmedt. This laving, he might further add, was only . the commencement of a plan of general ceconotny, which he milled he Ihnuld have the honour of bringing before the Honfe at a future priiod. He fhould now content liimfelf with moving, 'that the Bill be read a fecund time. Mr. Jortitrros E could not permit the Bill to be read a fecond time without offering a few obferva tions upon it. The Houfe would recoiled that when on former occalions the Right Honourable Gentleman, and thofe conneeted with hint in the Board of Controul, were 1u loud in their panegy rics on the flour-idling lbte of India, he, on the contrary, h ad contended that our affairs in that quarter wore the moll nnpromifing and difaltrons Aped. He did not rife to oppofe the Bill if it fe cured any material raving, becaufe he was a friend to economy in every branch of the Government of India; for itwas uftlefs to go on with fine flourilhes about our India profperity. Things were now in a fituation which called imperioully for a ferious and folid fyftem of economy. But was the mea fore now propofed any effedual (rep towards cart blifhing fuch a fyflem ?—it furely was not. The whole expenee attending the Bencoolen Eltablifh ment amounted to 120,0001. including the Military E ftablilhments.—The Civil Officers received of that; firm but rs,oool. Now the Officers who were to remain at Bencoolen would have among them only i good. viz. 30001. for the Prefident and 20001. furl the four fubordinate officers. The raving therefore, by transferring the fervants from the one eflablilh ment to the other, would, inftead of 80,0001.1 amount to no more than io,oool. ; and for filch al paltry raving was it worth while to violate the faith pledged by Parliament to the Company, and the fpirit, if not the letter, of Ads of Parliament fo lemnly made in proterftion of the Company's rights? By virtue of there Ads the Company's fervants were to fucceed to office by feniority, and not through any undue influence of individuals or of Government. He confeffed that a great aceeffion lof territory had been added to the Madras Ella blithment ; but it had been in contemplation to unite the Pretidencies of Madras and Bombay, and by means of that onion a fufficient number of fer vants would he found to perform the bofinefs of both ellablilhments. • The addition now proposed to the eltablilhment of Madras would only carry with it an increafe of expence, while it operated to the injury of the fervants already on that ellablifh ment. Why not transfer them to Ceylon ? Nn; the appointments there had already been all filled for the purpofes of miniderial and eledioneering influence, while its revenue was yearly decreifing. The &ft year that revenue amounted to 227,cr001. ; the next year to 90,0001. ; and the third year it fell as low as 24,0001. Yet the colledion of that re venue colt the Company no lefs than 88,0001. De rides, infkad of holding offices at the plealure of the Crown, the fervants employed by the Com pany Ihould rife in proportion to the length of their fervices, and according as their fervices were ap proved of by the Company. It was not his intention now to oppofe the fecond reading of the Bill, but he certainly, on the grounds he badadduced, should oppofe it in the Committee, and that more efpe cially as he was confcious he could prove that the propofed Man would make but a raving of io,ooo intlead of 80,0001. Mr. We, LA.:e defended the Bill, as calculated t- produce a great raving to the Company in India. Mr. M k.TCAL FE was ready and willing to give full credit to the purity of the Right Honourable Gentleman's intentions in bringing in the Bill, and altir for his tendernefs in fecuring the rights of the Company's fervants. But while he bad thus done jullice to the motives which aftuated the Right Hon. Gentleman, he trolled the Houfe would be lieve that the Executive Government of the Corn. pany felt equal anxiety for all the objeds which the Bill embraced. The fecond Eaft India Bill, to which an Honourable Gentleman (Mr. John done) had alluded, was very wifely framed : but it never had in contemplation that fupernomerary fervants might be found in one Government, while there might be a deficiency of them in an other. But the Honourable Gentleman would have the fupernumerary fervants fent to Ceylon. If the Honourable Gentleman was anxious to realife that with, he lhould exert hit influence to prevail on Minitters to place that Wand under the dominion of the Company. Ceylon he looked 'upon as an appendage of the Crown, and it would be improper in the Diredors to attempt to inter. ' fere with it. Indeed, if the Houfe would fee the bufinefs in its true light, it would be manifeft to i them that there was nothing like a job in it, and that on the part of the Diredion it evinced nothing but proofs of felf-denial. As to the fervants at Bencoolen, they never could afpire to any very lucrative offices, efpecially where they mutt meet with competitors poffeffmg fuperior claims ; it was therefore his opinion that they would prefer return=", ing home, rather than expofe themfelves to an un equal contention in a new fettlement. As to the injudice of their treatment, it lhould be recollefted that if it was unjutt to difplace them for the raving of Bo,nool. it was likesvile unjult to difplace them for the raving of to,oool. Mr. D. Scorr contended, that even were it per mitted to the Eatt India Company's fervants to go to Ceylon, they would never think of it ; the prefent allowance there was too (mall to hold out any fuch temptation. Mr. Tr SRN EY could not but be a friend to the Bill, as far as it promifed economy, and fo far he fhould venture to offer his fupport to the Right Hon. Gentleman. He mutt, however, express is wonder, that the Board of Controul had never before entered on this ceeonomical plan, and that it had In long efcaped the vigilance of the Right Honourable Gentleman. The attempt would af ford ample field for the exertions of his abilities, and he hoped they might be crowned with fuccefs. When he loo k ed ' " fa r back k 1- as the year 1785, to the records of the Company, he there raw how much the revenue of Bencoolen had been re duced ; yet, alive as was the mind of the Right Honourable Gentleman, feventeen years were per mitted to elaple without his endeavouring at any remedy. From year to yeas the expenees 'attend ing drat eltablifltment continued to increafe, yet 4 . A nothing was attempted till the Court of two up the Lurneci. He was anxious to know boyy, the expellees Bencoolen came to he doubl e d. N.Cting futely could be more fcandalous than the expenduure for that eftablifhment. He was alto at a lofs to fee why the fervants at Bencoolen were not hardly L:alt by ; when they went, they had in view the advantages refulting from that fitua tion and no other. Why not leave it at their option, either to retire or to go to a new fettle ment ? In this plan there was no true economy, for trae cecoaomy Laves no room for jealoufies, or for apprehenlions from a fyllem that mull create alai ms throughout all the other fettlements. Mr. W. Du S DM laid he had no objeaion to give that option to the fervants intended to be frat.b. (erred.' As to his active exertions for feventeen years in the department of India affairs, he begp,:-a leave to remind the Hon. Gentleman, tl.nt it but four years since firft he held a plaze at tl Board (Teo:an-ad. Mr. NIETCAL: E fail a few words M explanatior. and to ready a tnillake into which an Hon. Gov tieman (Mr. 1). Scott) had fallen. . The Bill was then read a fecond time, and cam mittcd tbr Monday. SUPPLY. Mf. • ALIZANDIII brOtlght op the Report of tl.e Committee of Supply—On the motion for the re. cond reading of the Refolutions, Mr. Roston rote to oppofe them. He (poke at great length, and adverted indircriminately to al ma every fubjea to which the public expenditure applied—repeated the arguments urged by other Members on former occations,refpefling the incon venience refulting to the country from the delay in concluding the Negociations for the Definitiv e Treaty—complained much of the adminiarat ion of the finances, witlirefpea to Ireland—deploredthe calamities felt by the poor, particularly in tier Northern parts of the ifland, in confequence of the Cavalry confuming the oats, which con llituted their ordinary food—m; n utely e xamined the char ges for foldiers' bedding, which, he contended, could not be con-ell, unlefs each foldier was alkwed at leaft . five beds at a time. He infided the Revenue was inadequate to fupport the weight of filch 'a cha•ge as he found in the Efiimates, on account of haw for the foldicrs, befides beds—beds and Ilraw too 1 he could not conceive what it could mean. He entered warmly into the rubjeti of fire and candle charged for the Barracks; and oticeried, that the accounts, with reference to there atticles could not be correil unleft fires were burnt in the Dog Days, and the candles tiled in aid of the light 'of the Sun. He then proceeded to expatiate upon a variety of fuppofed national diftreffes, the exif tepee of which, for the fake of his argument, he affirmed, and at length particularly drew the at. tention of the Houk by alErting that the fir.nr.cr Of the ci u - ttry were in to defperate a !nation, Government was unable to difcharge its bill-, and that a faa had come within his knowledge of a bill .accepted by Government having been dilhonoured. -[7 here was a general exclamation of hear! hear !] Mr. Dsur immediately role to call the Hon. Member to order. He thought he was extremely irregular in making an obfertation which tended to difcrcdit the Government. Mr. SPEAKER—" I think a Member who intro duces into his obfervation an aiicrtion which re fiats fo hhly on the Government, and fo mate rially affe as the credit of the nation, is goilty of a violation of the orders of this Houfe and deferves its cenfure." Mnstis XANDER" The Hon-Gentleman should either avow, and' rove what he has aliened, or apologize to the Houfe." Mr. Roasorr—" I will, if any Gentleman will move to name a day, bring proof of what I have raid at the Bar of this Houfe—but I think it had better not be done." CHANCELLOR Of the E: CH stlyElt—" Better not be done! better not have been laid! but, haring been laid, he is bound to retraet or prove it." SECRETARY at WAR—" he Hon. Gentleman has not treated the Houfe with that refpea which might have been expelled from one who has fo long had the honour of a feat in it. He is bound to (late the precife faa to which he alludes, and ap point a day on which he will brim; proof. If he does not do fo, he will deferve cenfure for making an affcrtion which he is not capable of proving." Mr. Rol:sox-4' I am lorry for any elpreflion I ufed which has given offence ; but it was in the -warmth of argument. I aliened that the accep tances of Government had—C Go on, go on) — been refuted payment—:hat public offices did not pay their acceptances. If any Gentleman will move for a day on which to prove the affertion, I will do fo; but the left fpokea upon the fubjed the better." SECRETARY AT \VAR.—" I can conceive, that the left raid upon the cubic& the better for the .Gentleman. Let. him Rand up and fairly Rate the fad, that his words may be taken down." Mr. Roasom-- ,, I never afferted a thing I did not believe to be true. The fail then is—there is a -Banker, a Member of this Houfe, who did take an acceptance to a fmall amount to a Public Office, and the anfwer was—There was not money to pay it."—(Nam the °lce, exclaimed the Chancellor of the Exchequer and many of the Menshert.) CHANCELLOR OF THE EICHEQI/ER—" I ant Pure the Houfe will feel that this affert ion of one of its Members cannot be paired unnoticed—it is due to the Houfe, to the Country, and to the Govern ment, to enquire into the truth of filch an affertion with that attention fo ferious a fubjed demands. .The Hon. Gentleman has laid, that Government Acceptances have been refuted at a public office. I call upon him to Rate the particulars of the tranfaelion—the turn for which the Bill was givcn —the circumffances under which it was dicho noured, arid the office at which the acceptance was tendered and payment refuted." Dr. LAV/RENCE--•" It is a molt ferious queftion ; and I doubt whether the Houfe can incidentally difcufs it. It is highly necelfary, hitch an affertion having been made, this Houle iliould inquire into it, and that the Public thould be fatisfied ; but I think it would be irregular to proceed to do fo now. The Hon. Member's words may be taken down in order to ground a fr.tinc motion; but I i to to th ar Dar apt 4 p 4 S lx 5 ix Oa umi fur da til to 1 toad xneri