Star. — London, England, 1820-07-05 00:00:00

. rARLIAXENTARY PROCEEDINGS. • I HOME' OSSLORDS, JULY 4. - The Cork Harbour Bill, the Dublin Gas Light Bill, the Frame Gas Light Bill, and the St. Dunstan's Rectory 8111, were rend a third ante. The LORD CHANCELLOR moved, that the Juages be ordered to attend the House on Friday, at one o'clock, on the case of the Stafford Peerage, and that one Counsel be beard on each side.—Ordered. • . The Earl of DARTMOUTH postponed the second reading of the Labourers' Wages Bill till to-thogrow. The Earl of LAUDERDALE gave notice of a motion which be intended to submit to the House on Monday, for the pro auction of certain Papers relative to the conduct of a near and dear relative of his, whose character had been unjustly aspersed, while bolding,a command in the Toni= Islands. Lord AUCKLAND moved the second reading of the Insol.. vent Debtors Bill, and gave notice of its committal on Thurs day. His Lordship said, that the benefit originally contem plated by the Bill would not be effected, if it was to pass in its present state ; but he would move some amendments on Thurs day, whirl; he thought would render it useful to the country ; after which be would move that the Bill, with its amendments, be printed, and then re-committed. The Marquis of LA NSDOW N moved for dispatches from Sir Thomas Raffles to the East India Company, relative to the state of Java in the year 1814.—Ordered. The Irish Commercial Credit Bill was read a third time . and passed. The Cbtarter Sessions Appeal Bill, and the pedal Constables' Appointment Bill, were committed. THE QUEEN. REPORT OF THE SECRET COMMITTEE. The Earl of HARROWBY begged leave to lay on the table the Report of the Secret Committee, to whom the Papers connected with his Majesty's Mes sage had been referred, and moved that the same be now read. The Clerk read the Report, which wasas follows : " By the Lords' Committee, appointed a Secret Committee to examine the Papers laid before the House of Lords on Tues day, the 6th of June last, in two sealed bags, by his Majesty's command, and to report thereupon, as they shall see fit, and to whom have been since referred several additional Papers, in two sealed bags, relative to the subject matter of his Majesty's most gracious Message of the 6th of June last—Ordered to report, " That the Committee have examined, with all the attention due to so important a subject, the documents which have been laid before them, and they find that those documents contain allegations lzupported by the concurrent testimony of a great !panther of persons in various situations of life, and residing in different parts of Europe, which deeply affect the honour of the Queen, charging her Majesty with an adulterous connection with a foreigner, originally in her service in a menial capacity and at tributing to her Majesty a continued series of conduct highly un- Upcoming her Majesty's rank and station, and of the most licen tious character. " The charges appear to the Committee so deeply to affect not only the honour of the Queen, :tut also the dignity of the Crown and the moral feelings and honour of the country, that in their opinion it is indispensable that they should become the subject of a solemn inquiry; which it appears to the Committee may be best effected in the course of a legislative proceeding, the necessity of which they' cannot but most deeply deplore." The Earl of LIVERPOOL ro , e to give notice,! that he would, to-morrow (this day), bring in a Bill, in reference to the subject matter of the Report. He stilted that he was persuaded their Lordships were disposed to consult the convenience of the Illustrious Person concerned, as to time, which would not be neglected in the prosecution of the proposed mea sure; but he would enter intro a fuller explanation to-morrow (this day). Earl GREY would, in the present situation.of the proceedings, abstain from saying much that occurred to him upon this most important subject, the_ diffi culty and danger to be apprehended from which was,' in his opinion, increased in an immense degree by the reading of the Report now on the table. When he before objected to the course which the Noble Lois opposite proposed to pursue, he stated then, and be now repeated, that his only object was to ob tain for the parties concerned strict and impartial justice—(lkar, heao).—He had now again to enter his protest against the injustice of a proceeding which did not leave the case of the person accused in an unprejudiced state—( Hear, hcar).—The charges now made were not merely brought forward by the Mi nisters of the Clown, but came before their Lcrd ships through the medium of a Committee of their Lordships' House. It was therefore important that their L , ,rdships should consider the situation in which they were placed. Though the Noble Lord had alluded to the introduction of a legislative proceed ing, it must be anticipated that their Lordships would have to act judicially in the course of the inquiry.— They ought, then, to come impartially to that part of their duty—(Hear, hear).—Thc charge set forth on the authority of the Report was that of an adul terous connexion with a menial servant, and a long course of licentious conduct—( Hear, hear).—A charge of a more abhorrent nature never could be made against any individual, to say nothing of its being brought against a Queen—(Hear, hear).—lf this charge rested upon evidence which could be supported, - it certainly formed a case for indispensable inquiry, and he agreed that it was for the horfotir of the Crown, and the welfare of the country, that the inquiry should proceed in the way calculated to se cure the honour and interests of both--(Hear, hear). But by whom were their Lordships told that the evi dence could be supported? By those Ministers who sere willing to continue her Majesty in the charac ter of Queen—to make arrangements for her intro duction to foreign Courts—and to recommend their Ambassadors to pay respect to her—(Hear, hear). — They (the Ministers) now told their Lordships that the Queen was a person liable to imputations of the most abhorrent nature. They had permitted this conduct to go on for years, and now they brought forward the charge with the greatest haste, leaving it suspended to agitate the country, and t hus com promiiing not only the dig nity of the Throne, but the safety of the State—(Hear, hear).—Her Majesty, now standing under a charge' proceeding from such authority, was placed in a situation that no one be fore her ever stood in. It appeared to be thought that it wOild be necessary to suspend the charge, in order to allow time for the defence : but he did not' think . .that her Majesty would lose anything by the. inciuiry proceeding immediately ; for she must sus-' taisrmOre injury from the circumstance of 'this Re port being promulgated to the world, than she could • gain advantage from any delay for procuring evi dence. .:.114 the ease now- stood, she had no means of luittiviltg 'the chatdcters of the witnesses that erito 'be' hi-Ought againit her; even the name of the menial servant, with whom the adulterous intercourse was said to hare taken place, was not mentioned-- . t ,s` • (Kw, her) -la this an._ .stand !against her - fit `thteCmost,..„. Intps she would have , a fi ntilli, to 'Meet _ =with very Itnpetfect means At defence. ht that justice required tltatheiMajesty be forthwith furnished by Ministers with a dist,.. statement of the charges, and a list of the witnesses on whose authority they were made. He concluded by saying, that his object in rising was merely to enter his protest against a course of proceeding that seemed tosesolate every principle of justice. The Earl of HAItROWBY said, that as the latter part of the Noble Earl's speech related to a subject on which a full explanation would be given to-mor row (this day), he would not offer a word upon it, further than to say, that he entertained a full sense of the importance of that subject, and had as anxious a desire as any one could have, that the minds of their Lordships should still remain with respect to - it in a state ol'perfect impartiality. He could not, however, avoid making one or two observations on the speech of the Noble Earl, in a spirit much milder than that in which he had expressed himself, for he should not copy his tone. The Noble Earl had ac cused Government of a gross act of injustice to wards her Majesty. If it was so, the House was in that inj ustice a complete accomplice—(Cries- of "Hear,' front the Opposition berro*).—When the, measure of a Committee was proposed, a Noble Lord had uried what he conceived to be unanswer able arguments against it; and yet, by not pressing a division, he evidently did not wish it to be known; how small a number his unanswerable arguments had convinced. If, indeed, there ever was a case in which the House was justified in pursuing the course which they did, it was the present one. What in justice was there done? What inconvenience could result to the accused from it, which could have been avoided ? It had been stated to their Lordships, that if the Committee reported on the necessity of some measure, the House would be disqualified to judge upon it ; and, if a judicial proceeding w a s to take place, there could be no doubt that all _previous inquiry should be given up, or the House would lose its character for judicial impartiality. But he would ask their Lordships, if they could have listened to a Minister proposing such a measure 'of himself, as that which was now to be grounded upon the Report ? He was sure, that if a Minister 'did at tempt to make the proposition without such an au thority to go upon, they ought not to have allowed him to open his mouth. A proceeding of the,kind, instituted without previous inquiry, would be con trary to all precedent, and could only be excused in one case—where there was a strong call from the party accused for an immediate trial. In this in stance, when the accused did call upon the House, the Committee had already been appointed; and although the House felt the difficulties and delicacy of the case, yet it saw no reason for altering the course which it had on consideration adopted.— Another point on which the Noble Earl had animad verted, was the negotiation for an arrangement which had been carried on between her Majesty and Ministers; and he stated, .that if Ministers were in possession of - the information on which the chargesi were founded, it was highly criminal in them not toy have immediately instituted such a proceeding as, that to which they were now driven. He (Lord' Harrowby) did not know on what grounds such an opinion had been supported. Now, indeed, when they were driven by the necessity of the case to commence this proceeding, the Noble Earl said, that they should not enter into the investigation of a subject which might prove dangerous to the tran quillity of the country, and he thought that the mea sure proposed ought not to be instituted. [Here Earl GREY rose to correct a mistate silent : his argument was, not that the proceeding aught not to be instituted, but that Ministers, having before them the evidence on which the charges in the Report were grounded, ought never to have attempted to make the case a matter of compromise. 3 The Earl of HAR ROWBY continued. The Noble Earl was, hen of opinion, that if the measure now proposed was to .have been brought foriGrd at all, no' compromise ought to have been attempted. But he (Lprd llarrowby) looked back on the conduct of, Ministers in that instance with the greatest satisfac tion. They had acted with the greatest propriety in endeavouring to avoid the necessity of this measure by a compromise. .The Noble Earl, to be sure, might endeavour to toss them on the horns of a dilemma; but however they might admire his logic, they could not think equally well of his political prudence, when he contended that nn step should have been taken to avert the consequences of an inquiry, equally revolt ing to the feelings and judgment of Members. If it was possible that by allowing the Queen'a liberal in come, she could have been induced to remain in com fort and peace abroad, without coming to "trouble the tranquillity of this country, the present step ought not to have been taken. If there was ever a case in which a man might sacrifice part of his own charac ter for consistency, it was that. But now Ministers must do their duty. He could not hold such an opi nion of that House, as to suppose that it could not blot out from • its mind impressions received upon this, as on minor occasions, so as to allow no more weight to the Report, than would be given in an in ferior Coutt to the verdict—or rather the finding of aGrand Jury. As to what had been said of delay and suspended proceedings, it was to be recollected, that long intervals of time had occurred on many occa sions between the preferring of charges against per sons in high stations, and the decision upon them.— In one instance which had happened in their Lord ships memory, the delay' was one of seven yeart. He did not. say that the charge thus suspended might not wound the feelings of her Maje s ty . ei GOD forbid he should ; but it would wound no more than was' necessary from the very nature of the case • nor could that have been avoided, had a measure been 4t once proposed instead of the Bill which was to be presented to-Morrow oirthe ground of the Report. The Earl of CARNARVON could not admit the -justice of the Noble Earl's comparison of the Report on the table to the verdict of a Grand Jury. Before. a Grand Jury found a bill, they heard a complete body of testimony against the accused. He would ask the Noble Earl whether the Committee bad azio mined such witnesses as a Grand Jury must examine before they sinetioned an accusation ? Were the witnesses brought before the Committee as they mutt been into a Grand Jury-room? There was i _ , be very tion was an occasion on which oaths were inter =betweett the Sovereign and his People, and he did not mean to deprecate such a cere mony, though he thought it had much better be de layed. After expun ging her Majesty's name from the Liturgy, and bnngiug forward the present Re port, it would appear as if it bad been intended to put a -stain on her character in anticipation of that solemnity. The measures might with some have the appearance, not of a wish to do justice, but to throw an insult on. her Majesty before trial. He aid not call upon their Lordships to pay attention to popular clamour, but wished them to regard the feelings . of that respectable part of the Public which looked with anxiety as well as respect to their proceedings. Un der these circumstances, he thought it would be right to suspend the ceremony. No possible danger could arise from a delay of three months. A great respon sibility would be incurred by those who advised this proceeding, if, at a time when.oaths were to be inter changed between the Sovereign and his People, the season, instead of being one of joy and harmony. should become one of sorrow and dissatisfaction—if feelings should be excited which might unfortunately lead to some intemperate act. There were two courses before them. If one way was adopted, there would be harmony and peace. If the other, the only object for which the ceremony ought to be attended to r would be defeated. The Earl of DARNLEY was afraid that nothing but mischief, could result from the paper laid on the table, and sincerely wished that the proceedings had been avoided. He had before alluded to the mea sure of the omission of her Majesty's name in the Liturgy, the injustice of which was so glaring. After her Majesty had been prayed for during twenty. five years as Princess of Wales, the refusing to pray for her as . Queen was quite unaccountable. How did it happen that she, who was worthy to be prayed for on the 29th of January, became all at once an unworthy object on the 50th, the very next day ? The conduct of Ministers in this respect could not be exculpated. Earl GREY, in explanation, re-stated the opinion which he had before advanced in reference to the negotiation. He said, that a charge of adulterous connection, aggravated by along course of licentious conduct, was one which could admit of no compro mise, consistently with the power of the Crown, and, the attention which was due to the interests of the country that infamous charge had been also then softened down by the mild appellation of a family difference. It was a charge against the Queen, which, if true, was dishonourable to the Crown, disgraceful to herself, as well as injurious to the best interests of the State. Yet the Minister, in possession of the in forniation, would have agreed to an arrangement to allow her to reside abroad in peace and comfort ; and hi order to furnish her with a provision which might enable her to go . on in her course of licentious conduct, would have given her £50,000 out of the pockets of the People I If such a case was . founded upon evidence , he again imisted that no compromise should have been offered. The Earl of LIVERPOOL said, that he did not rise for the purpose of prolonging the discussion, but merely to say a few words in answer to what had fallen from the Noble Earl opposite (Grey). The doctrine advanced by him was, that Ministers had finally seen the Queen's conduct in a different light from what they did, at the commencemeat, beCause they now advised inquiry, whereas they formerly sheaved a willingness to compiomise. Now he (Lord Liverpool) had not the least difficulty in maintaining that, even on the assumptiiin of the possibility of proving - every charge against the Queen which had been made, his Majesty's Ministers had done right in offering to agree to an adjustment without a trial.— He would say, that had she remained abroad, the evils attending a compromise ,would not have been so great as those that might be anticipated from in stituting proceedings against her ; and he entertained this opinion in common with ,99 out of a huildred of the Nation. Undoubtedly it might be said, that, if charges existed, they ought to be proved or dispelled. This, as a general maxim, might be correct; but cir cumstances might be such as to render theeapplica tion of it to certain cases highly inexpedient. If the peace of the country, if the honour of the Crown, and the cause of public morals, were involved, in the question, it was not only the duty of a statesman, but of every man who was actuated by public prin ciple, to prevent as far as possible a public proceed ing like that now before the House. lie (Lord Liver pool) Therefore entirely dissented from the opinion of the Noble Earl (Grey) ; and when the proper time arrived, he should be able to defend the conduct, fOunded on different principles, which his Majesty's Government had pursued. He wax not afraid to say, that though the charges were known to Ministers for months before they communicated them to Parlia ment—though they knew The evidence on which they rested, and though they saw the possibility of proving them—it was their duty, in all circumstances, to vent a kublic investigation. Whether the steps they had taken to prevent inquiry were prudent or no was 'a different question; but when the Queen" came to the country—when her conduct Was forced upon public attention—when no medium was left between admitting her • to the exercise of all her rights and privileges, and allowing her full influence on the morals of the country, and proceeding against her r ! supposing the charges to be true, they were compel- led to bring them forward. Great as the evil on this latter supposition was, it appeared to them to be the least—(Hear, hear).—He would not enter further into the subject at present, as opportunities would afterwards occur of fuller discussion. The Marquis of BUCKINGHAM said, that the House had already concurred - in the propriety of proceeding as his Majesty's Ministers had recom-; \ mended, withousknowing any of the FA-tins/ars, but i merely having before them the general charges. He (the Marquis of Buckingham) concurred in all the votes that had been given for adjournment, in order that time might be afforded for adjustment, and he did-so with great satisfactien. He wished the ques dos not to be brought forward if it could have been prevented, . because he thought it would affect the eroseii, bind tbe p€ice ; but When he found diet all attempts e hid been unavailing,: hi as sincerely necessity of pursuing the litqhitY: The • hid therefore devolved upon the Com duty it had now fulfilled ; and if he to say anything concerning the conduct of that Committee, he would Mention that the Re port on the table expressed its unanimous opinion on the documents laid before It. LOrd HOLLAND could not allow sothe of the observations which had fallen from the Noble Mar quis to pass unnoticed. It was with pain that he heard the Noble Marquis attempt - 0 make the Home accomplices in the proceedings of Ministers—it war with pain that he sa w an made to throt.' the responsibility of the inconsistent conduct of .Aft . nisters on a majority of their Lordships; but heti the Noble Marqftis went a little &ether, and w W,e& to implicate them likewise in the negotiations tttar had intervened; be went too far. The majority of the House stood,, in his (Lord Holland's) opinion, acquit: ted, both of having preferred charges against he: Majesty and of having attempted to compromise those charges. The Noble Earl (Liverpool) had stated, in loud and lofty language, that he had his reasons for believing, that inquiry, which was not necessary if her Majesty had remained out of Eng land, became necessary as soon as she returned ; but he had not specified those reasons. He merely gave his opinion, "without producing any grounds for it ; and he had forgotten that her Majesty was not only to escape a trial if she remained. abroad, but was to receive £50,000 a yeaf—(Hear, hear).— The feelings of the oountrr might have Leen inte rested in this question, but was that interest dimi nished by the presence of her Majesty in England? I The Noble Earl had alleged that Ministers . were 'driven to the course which they had adopted, but he had not explained why they were so driven. The course of these proceedings was from the beginning wrong—highly inconsistent--highly dingerous—. derogatory from the honour of the Crown, and in jurious to the best interests of the .country. it wai unjust that charges should be suspended so long as these must be before they were tried. He would again say, that the House expressed no opinion by consenting to repeated adjournments. Their Lordships were told that there were hopes of adjust- Mint, and on that presumption they adjourned the meeting of their Committee ; but in doing so, they expressed no opinion of the charges. Neither did they express any opinion of the negotiations, of which, not knowing the strength of the evidence against her Majesty, they could not know the pro priety. He protested therefoie against being con sidered as a party W . a course of proceedings from which he entirely dissented. The House adjourned at Half-past Six o'Clock. HOUSE OF COMMONS. The House was occupied until half-past five o'clock, in bal. lothig for Committees on the Grantham and Chester City Dec. don Petitions. The following are the names of the debaters= the Ballot : Earl Bective, Lord Castlereagh, Lord' G.-Cavendish, Sir J: Copley, Mr. A. Ellis, Mr. False, Mr. J. -P. Gent, Hon. F.. Lovrndes, Mr. Needham, Sir Edw.ollfieri, Jam Plainer, Esq. O. Prendergast, Esq. lion. R. with, and Chas. Wetherell, FA* Lord G. CAnnani. and ' Mr. Amax En ^ *ere then die. chaired fry asides% oti payment of the ken Mr. WILSON presented aVetidon from the Rectifying Dis tillers of Londan, praying for tong Alteration in the, reguiatioa allowing the etirolesion of spirits from Scotland of a certat sum,* Into this etaintry,--Laid an the tables 111 k. MAXWELL premixed two editions, one from the illeilkati of Gin a, other frnin`Paisley,jrnst any al teradenof the Disks en Timber.—Laid on the • The telkiwist are the moues of the Comminsie en the Cheese Election Petition s•-.LG. G. Meagan, Req. J. Maxwell, Esq. Sir Thomas Winniegton, J. Lockhart, Fag.. Sir J. Marjoribanks, J. Gastoyne, Req. Colonel Davies, F. A. Prittie, FAq. Monte Legge, Reg. William Evans, Req. W. Wigram, E,sg. Honk: Cast, W. Lomb, Req. A. Boswell, Eq. T. F. Lewis Esq. Sir J. OWEN knight in a Bill fur resektleti the cnfotchl of Pines, Fees, and Recoveries In the Courts of Quarter Sessions in Wales, In the same way as in the Courts of Westminster.—Read the Brat time, to be read the second time tomorrow. The Population Mil was read the third time and passed. .Oo the motion of Sir J. MACKINTOSH, the Privately Steal. kg in Shops' Bfil, and the Capital .Felooke Repeal Bill, Isere re a third time and passed. On the Order of the Day beim teed for the third reading of the Capital Relcmies' Commutatim BM. Mr. R. MARTLN objected to nylon of the Bill, which re. , fired a proof of asks in the case of the crimes mentioned. Mr .I. MACK/N.708H said, the objectless of the Right Elioneenble Getitienian applied to the law as it stood, not to the provhions of the RM, which elected only the law as it regarded imaillments, not as it regarded the definition of crimes. -The BBL was read a third time and passed.' On the motion of Mr. Bonnrese, Lord essmaamost and Mr. J. P. GRAM; were discharged from the custody tithe Ser- Arms on the of their ken A Penes trek the it 46.014. br_eiglit_trp = account of the weddranommt of HMI Blik le drab. lie don.—Oirdeta i tioon the lien *• • • Mr, Brown, hum the .peken e it iga tmas. prasteNd at the az the sites of all Bankrupts to thm Prison lime the year HMG. • ilk W. CURTIS Atoka! isom to being In a •Rikkiemonl the Acts of the 30th and. skit of George . 111. for *Ow saw tog and regubning the City of Loads. MO. Mr. ANSON obtained ]pave to bring in a BOOR' the Acts reladng to Cooney Rites. 07 INQUIRY INTO COURTS thintrtla ill scalunta. • Lord A. HAMILTON prefaced his motion for the production of the Correspondence.which had stakes place between the Secretary for. the Home Depart ment and the Commissioners a ppoo"nted to inquire into the State of the Cants in kc s tlandby a feu observations : he complained, that altisou_sh the Commissioners had made eight vo l u Mi nons Reports in which they pointed out the practicability of a saving of 1;15,000 a-year, by the abeilkion of useless aces, yet not one of their suggestions 'had been sanded to by the Govetiment. The Commission Bad been permitted to expire in March, notirithstand• ing the suggestion of the Commi ss i oners theraseivel ofthe necessity of their continuing their inquiries; and this assertion, be believed, - could lie confirmed by the Correspondence itself: Their repeated apple" cation for a renewal of die Commission.-their repro sensations that the further prosecution of their inve*' ti 'on was necessary to make eff ec t ua l t hei r former were not attended to. At the time when he hadatade his motion respecting the Barons of the Er ehespiti, the Noble Lord opposite had stated, that the Commission had terminated by 'the demise of his late Majesty. Now he (Lord A. Hamilton) would shew, from the Correspondence itself, that such was not the understanding of the Cou r t s themselves, or the Government, since.they c°l 7fC tided with the Com . missioners, after the demise o King, as a perfectly legalbody. Bat the most important part of the ques tion was that Math% to t h e retiyal of& Conunilsion. . _• ist wie4WllMOdrie Oubluetp however,on whicimbe thorn& it ue‘ m tgoboin. of thd Ld - thed pie! gal b a fey words. fleouislind to know, at t h e country the inveiti- whittler it really wasdiekneation el& Noble Lord at compromise fence. H. oppOita to shorten the duration of the present S ts- agreed in t h e t testy should lima, in order to afford an opportunity for the exhi- proposed duty th a distinct bition of a splendid pageant, whickwould at *Wert mute; which he witnesses be very ? He was aware that the Corona- w ere a ll owe d t, f t l 1 t e C t