Star. — London, England, 1806-02-04 00:00:00

- PARLIAMENTARr PROCEADINCS. HOUSE OF LORDS, MONDAY, FEB 3. On the motion of Lord WALSINGH CV!, it was ordered. that no Reports on Private Bilh be received front the Judges after the teth of April nett. The of the Appeal, Ogilvie v. the C arron C om p any , waadß to-morrow -fe'onight.—Adjourned. HOUSE OF COMMONS. Oa the motion of I` S. BOURNE, the Speaker iftued his Writ to eket a Burgc.rs for the Borough of Windom-, in the room of the Right Hon. Charles Long, who, fince his eleetion had accepted the Office of Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland. TM Malt Ditty and the Pteonal ellates Duty Bills were read a reeved time, and ordered to be etwamitted to-morrow. On the motion of Mr. S. BOURNE, the further confide-ration of the Petition, complaining d an undue Eletaion for the County of Middiefex, was poltponed to Friday next. Mr. MORTON prefented a Petition from the Debtors eonaned in the Gaol of Dorfet —which was ordered to lie on the Table. The Houk having, on the modem of Mr. POOLE, refolved hfdf into a Committee for taking into coofideration the fur ther (applies to be granted to his Majefty, the Honourable Man ber prefented the Ordnance Account, which was referred to the u Committee, and the Report ordered to be received to =ROW. MONTTMENT TO MARVIS CORNWALLIS. Lord CASTLERAGH role, conformably to the notice which he had given on a former night, and (aid, that no perfon was more ftrongly impreffed with the propriety of afting upon the general prin. ciple of rewarding great and eminent Cervices to the State by fuch marks of public gratitude and honour as they deferved. It was wife and politic in Patna anent to confer on individuals thofe dillindions to rohich brilliant atchievements and the performance of folid advantages to their country had juftly en-' tided them. He alto agreed, that if the tributes paid on fuch occafions could be confined to fpecific ads, It might be more fatisfadory then to extend them to • the general ads of an individual during a long' merle of years, refpeding which there would be, in all probability, a difference of opinion. But having Rated thus much, he might he allowed to fay, that the great perfonage who was the fubjed of confide ration deferved the higheft rewards which the Houfe and the Country could bane. His merits and his whole courfe of public life had fomething in them fo peculiarly impreffive and engaging,as to difarm honi lity, and cement the bonds of fricndfhip. In addret fing the Houle refperaing the character of Marquis Cornwallis, it might not be neceffary for him to dwell on any difplay of his talents in Parliament ; they were not, perhaps, fuch as enabled him to rank amongft men greatly sliningnifhed for their eloquence ; but if the Noble Lord had not attained to that diltinftion, his talents bad been unqueftionably difplayed to the greaten advantage in thole works which confer red lifting benefits on the Empire. To him it be longed to combine and difpiay thofe talents which eharadterifed an able Stant - mats and great GeneraL— His military fame had been too well efiablilhed to admit of any queflion. Suffice it, therefore, to ob- Cave, that in the difcharge of the arduous duties Which it impofed upon him, and the dangers which be encountered, no man dilcbarged the firft with Mal honour and fidelity, or encountered the latter with more &moth and valour. It was his good fortune, likewife, that his prnfperity as a foldier ne- War induced bins, under any circumstances, to forget eler.ency and moderation towards the vanquilbed.— To India, that great theatre of his atchievements, he carried the principles of the Britills Conliitution, and efiablifised a Government founded on jullice and on the fecurity of perfons and property. If the No ble Marquis had no other claim to the gratitude and ahem of the country, than what he had then Rated, he was certain thole Cervices were fufficient to entitle him to that diftinftion. But there were other parts of his conduit which, in his opinion, deferred equal credit, though he was aware that a difference of opinion prevailed on tome of the fubjees to which he fitould allude. (Here the Noble Lord expatiated on the talents which the Noble Marquis exercifed in bringing about the union between this Country and Ireland, a meafure which he confidered highly bene ficial to both countries. The Noble Lord alfo pane gy rind the Noble Marquis for the Rrength of mind ind great judgment difplayed by him in forming the Peace of Amiens in the left war.) The Noble Lord et:winded with moving, That an Addrefr be prcfented to his Majefty, humbly lia ising that he would be graeiouily pleafed to give dire:lion, that • Mostunsent be erected in the Cathedral Church of St. Pawl, London, to the MeAt Noble Charles Marquis Cornwallis, in ine• mortal of his brilliant character, effentiel fervices, and great zeal and drrodon to the lilt moments of his life, which he devoted to his country" Mr. CHARLES GRANT feconded the motion, and in a long fpeech pointed out the advantages which this country derived from the ezeicife of the Noble Marquis's talents in India. Mr. FRANCIS fatd, he gave his cordial fupport to the motion, which had been judicioufly introduced by the Noble Lord, and ably leconded by the Hon. Member (Mr. Grant). He entered into their feelings with that' warmth which his friendship for Marquis Cornwallis had produced, feelings which he had no doubt were generally felt in the Houle sad through out the Country. Mr. WINDHAM felt himfelf bound to oppnfe the prefent motion on general principles, as he had done that made on the late death of another great man, (Mr. Pitt) but as a precedent had been ellablilhed by the Houfe in that inilance, he (Vold yield to the determination of Parliament, and acquiefce in what had been propofed by the Noble Wirer. Mr. WILBERFORCE gave his teflimesny of feelings and greaten approbation to the m•iiiiin in troduced by the Noble Lord. It was iii, gratification and pride, as an Englilbman, on taking a view of Lord Cornwallis's adminiltration in India, to obferve that all his ads were thole of oifdoni, liiintiefs, and humanity. in the while courfe of his long and la borious life, he teemed to have only thee objects in view—the good of his cowboy, and the happiticfs of thofe whom he governed. Mr. O'HARA relied his objedion to the motion principally on the ground that the Noble Lord had introduced into it the Peace of Amiens and the Union, in both of which tranlntions the Noble Marquis had a flare. Without enquiring into the merit. of the Peace of Amiens, it was fufficient for his put-pore to ,abject to the motion, when he was told that the Noble 1 1 / 4 latqois bad a (bare in faiidioning that meafure (the Union) which had proved Co ruinous to his country. lie ironed, however, that if that meafure was not tfcincled, at lean that the molt obnostous part would be alone away. . , Mr. MIDDLETON NM fithfied the propnfition; now offered to the etmlideratioo of the Houle, one only met with the approbation of the Houle, but with that of every individual of that widely extended region in which the Noble Matquis had abed fo coapicuous and beneficial a part. Mr. Alderman I'RINSEP concurred in opinion with the Honourable Gentleman who preceded him. —The mode of eflablilhing the right to liereditaty property was a meafure which was calculated alone to endear the name of Marquis Cornwallis to all the inhabitants of India. I Mr. FOX, in expreffing his concurrence with the motion, was happy to do it upon the_ general merits of the Noble Marquis, and not on the ground of any one particular ferviee which he might have rendered the country ; ►e gave his vote with the more fatisfac don, becaufe the motion did not contain any fuch expreflon as "excellent Stattfitan." The introduaion of the Unicn into the fpeech of the Noble Lord, and upon which fubje& the Hon. Gentleman behind him (Mr. O'Hara) had defcanted, and defcribed as a ruinous meafure, ferved only to remind him (Mr. Fox) that the a& was one of the molt difgraceful this country had ever witneffed. The motion was then put and carried. Lord CASTLIILIAGH prefented force additional Papers refpcaing the Treaties entered into between this Country and the Court of St. Peterlburgh, &c. which were laid en the table. MR. PITT. Mr. CARTWRIGHT rote in purfuance of the notice he bad given on a former night, to move an Addrefs to his Majefty relative to the Payment of the Debts of the late Chancellor of the Exchequer. In doing fo he Rated it to be his intention, in imitation of the example let him on the former pro ceedings, regarding the (Ch)c& of his prefent motion, to ;Main from every thing at all calculated to provoke a debate. He fhould alto follow the ex ample of the Honourable Gentleman who had brought forward the motion of the former night, in taking the cafe of the Earl of Chatham for his model. He could not, however, exprefe his own feelings, and he was convinced he would not do juflice to the feel ings of the public, Were he not to Rate, that in the Right Honourable Gentleman he felt the country had (Whined a lots great beyond example, and the weight of which was not now fo apparent as it would afterwards turn out. With the prefent motion he was hopeful the feelings of every man in the Houle would move in nnifon. It could never be for a mo ment fuppofed, that complying with fuch a motion could at all detrasf from the memory of the Right Honourable Gentleman. He was yet to learn that the late Lord Chatham had funk in the taint& tion of the public, becaufe his debts had been paid by the country. It would be recollated, that, for t 6 years, the late Chancellor of the Exchequer had no• thing but the income attached to the two places, the duties of which he had been called on to difcharge, and that the only bonus which bad ever been con ferred on him (the Cinque Ports) was bellowed on him unalked, which dufficiently marked the integrity and honour of his charader. Could his difinterett ednefs and integrity, indeed, have required any proof they would have been fufficiently evinced in the oc currences of IA year, when, on a minute inqniry into certain peculation' alledged to have been prac tifed on the public, the Right Honourable Gentle man had come from the invelligaiion with unfullied ' hands. The recompecce he afked was for Cervices of no common kind—for a man, who, while he had negleeted his own affairs, bad been more affiduotis in the fervice of his country than any other man—for one who, to the lateß day of his life, had preferved the refpe& and good opinion of every man in that Haute. He did not regard what he afked as a gift, but as a debt of gratitude. The amount he was not exaely certain of, but he was authorifed to fay, the debti were above forty thoufand pounds ; and when Gentlemen recollelted the difference of the times, and the long continuance of the Right Hon. Gentleman in office, compared with circumflances in which the debts of the Earl of Chatham were paid, he prefumed it would not be deemed unreafonable. He then moved that an humble Addrefs be prefented to his Majefty, Rating that the Houfe having been informed that the late Right Honourable William Pitt had leftdebts for the payment of which hi. funds were infufficient,and being defirons to mark the refped and efteem in which they held the memory of that great man, they therefore befought his Majeßy to order that a film not exceeding forty thoufand pounds be appropriated for the payment of his debts, "Grin his Majefty that they would fee that the fame be made good. Mr. BOOTLE feconded the Motion. He Rated, as a proof that the deficiency in Mr. Pitt's funds was not occafioned by extravagance on his part, that he had retrenched his expeoces, and parted with a (mall place and hook which he had, when he was again called to the helm of public affairs. He fruited that the vote of the Houle on this fubje& would be una nimous. The only grounds nn which it was poflible that it could be objeeed to In far as he conld figure, mull be, that it might be by a fubfcription among his private friends. This, however, he (Omitted, would be difgraceful to the country, whole honour could hardly be reconciled to the idea, that the debts of a perfon who had ferved the public for fo many years fhould be paid in this way. The only other (Nation mutt atife from the fear of precedent. Of this, he thought, there was nu danger. Applica tions of this nature had been fn rare, and were fo feldom neceffsry. He had never known the feeling and magnanimity of Parliament ineffeaually applied te, and he trolled it would not be fa this night. Mr. WINDHAM laid, he felt far higher pleafure and fatisfaeion in agreeing to the prefent Motion than he had even felt repugnance in diffenting from the former. Here there was nothing in the nature or form of the Motion which implied an approbation of general political conduct, or which called on Gentle-, men who had differed from the Right Honourable Gentleman. in affenting to the motion, to relinquifh their own lintimeots. That no perfon had a right to call on another to do, and between the former cafe and the prefent there was this material and clear dilltneion. Thofe who opp ,, fed the former Motion felt themfelves compelled to do fo ; becaufe it gave the Right Honourable Gentleman commendation for perfevering in a fyllem "shish they had pro- Idled. Here they could be in no fuch dilemma, be caufe the contrary of the qualifications now aferibed to the Right Honourable Gentlem4 had never been imputed to him by any perfon whatever. Nothing like the idea of fell intetelledneficottld be laid to the charge of the Right Honourable Gentleman. His mind, grand and unpolluted, WAS above fo firdid a confideratinn. It had been well obferved to , , by the Honourable Member who feconded the Motion, that it was not in confequence of any wild profution or extravagance that the prefent Motion became ne celrary. If he were inclined to make a criticifm on the Right Honourable Gentleman's eondua, he Mould fay that he had erred in the contrary extreme, and that, relying too much on his own fterling mind, he had not facri6ced enough to oftentatious great nefs. He knew that even without fuch a propenfity, his income was not equal to his expenditure. The Right Honourable Member declared that he was not aware that there was any great magnanimity in the grant propofed to be made, nor would he efteem it any wafte of the public money, if inftead of going the length of paying the debts of the Right Honour- able Gentleman, deceafed, it bad gone fomewhat farther, and had provided, what would have been gratifying to the feeling of the Right Hon. Gentleman had he been alive—Come mark of refped to his friends who remained. Mr. GEORGE PONSONBY Paid, he had felt himfelf impelled by a feafe of duty, however unwil lingly, to give his negative to the former motion. If he felt pain on that occafion, he felt the moil pellet!, fatisfaaton now, in giving his moil hearty silent to the motion now before the Honfe. In doing fo, he was of opinion, that he was not paying the debts of Mr. Pitt, but the debts of the country. For tweaty years Mr. Pitt had held the office of Prime Miniaer. For thefe twenty years we had given him too little to fnpport him in that fituation ; and, we now did no thing more than common juftice in making up the deficiency. However much be had differed from the Right Hon. Gentleman, he had never queftioned that he poffeffed great talents, and many great qualities, and the Hon. Member felt peculiar fatisfaaion in paying this tribute to his merit. Lord FOLKSTONE gave credit to the Honour. able Mover, for the candour with which he had brought forward the motion. He could not agree, however, in the teftimonies borne by him, to the great abilities, and flatefman-like qualities of that Right Honourable Gentleman. His difintereflednefs he was not inclined to difpute. The manner in I which he got the Cinque Ports, formed, indeed, a very complete contrail to the way in which they were lately difpofed of. Admiral HARVEY, although he had frequently differed from the late Right Hon. Chancellor of the Exchequer, bore teftimony to his long and eminent fervices, his fplendid talents, and perfea &latera -1 ednefs. He concurred in the motion. Mr. WILLIAM SMITH did think that he was called on, confiftently with the opinion he bad expreffed on the former night, not to give an unli mired concurrence to the prefent motion. It was irnpoffible for bim, thinking u be did, and had always done, of the conduct of the Right Honour able Gentleman, to vote in an uaqualified manner in fupport of the motion. As to the difinterefted nefs of the Right Honourable Gentleman, he en (holy agreed in that point with the other members who had fpoken. How far the country, however, was called on to make up any deficiency in the Right Honourable Gentleman's fortune, mull de pend on the fervices he had rendered the country. If the falary was not adequate, an additional bur then muff be impofed on the people. This he was averfe to do in times like the prefent, though he might probably be fuppofed to feel more inclined to with an increafe of falary to thofe perfons who were about to come into office. Here, however, every thing mutt be grounded on the opinion of the fer vicesperformed, and the Gentleman whebronght for ward the motion even declared that as the exprefs rea fon of it. If Co, how could they-call on him, who did not think that the Right Hon. Gentleman had done any fervice to the State, to concur in the Addrefs fo diametrically oppofite to his own opinion? He was aware that there might be other reafons for rafting the propofed motion, betides the oftenfible one.— While they learned, from motives of friend(hip, to defire that every mark of refpeft (bould be paid to the memory of their departed head, was it not apparent that thofe very Gentlemen were indirealy drawing in the Honourable Member and the Houle to compliment themfelves ? He declared that he fhouid never be induced, either direaly or by a fide wind, fo to libel himfelf or the perfuns whohad Reed with him, as to give an unqualified vote which might feem to warrant this inference. He had heard the Right Honourable Gentleman called the Saviour of his Country from Anarchy ; and it was perfealy ob. vious that the prefent motion was meant to carry a fanaion to this idea (A cry of no, no). This feemed to him to he one of its objeas. Grounded on this fame afrertioes, this unmeritedcompliment to him was a cla mour railed for the very purpofe of degrading another charatier thernollunfpotted, andthe greateft for talent and worth in this country, At no period in the hillory ofhiscountry were more vindiaivs proceedings carried oa, nr were greater incroachments made on the Con ftitution, or on the privileges of the fubjeit. To ap probation of filch fervices he could never give his fanaion. If Gentlemen, therefore, were defirous of an unanimous vote on the fubjeit, they were bound to have left not only nut of the motion, but out of their fpteches, every thing that could have led to any dif cufflon. All the friends of the Right Hon. Gentle. man feemed to argue that he had merit in not having degraded !lilac', by falling into every vice. But was it to be held out as virtue in him, that he did not condefcend to peculate ?—That he did not enrich himfelf by becoming a plunderer of the public purfe ? He believed the Right Hon. Gentleman was infinitely above fuch conduit, and, if he agreed in the vote, it was not for the reafons which had been urged by his friends. He fhould have thought that he rather de graded the Right Honourable Gentleman in taking merit to him from fuch circumflances. He Ihould have thought the friends of the Right Honourable Gentleman would have confulted his honour more in entering into a fubfcription among them elves to make up the deficiency of his fortui,e. If their exertions had not been fufficient for the purpole, he declared that he would with pleaforc have ct,ntributed what ever might have been required from him. If be thought the country at large would agree in thinking, this a proper mode of diipoting of the public money, he, too, would have agreed in the relent vote ; as he did not believe that would he the public opini•ia, he did not think hinifelf entitled to fupport the notion. Mr. ROSE afferted, that the merit of Itto Right. Honourable Friend, now no more, was fuch as pair entitled him to the bell willies of his country, and to every tribute of refrea and gratitude, both pecu niary and honorary, which fhe could pay to his me mory. That the finnonrable Gentleman who ball fpoken loft, might not fuppofe that the private fiends of Mr. Pitt would not gladly have prevented any application to Parliament, had fueh a Itep been ac ceptable to his Right Honourable Friend himfelf, he (Mr. Role) was in condition to thew. A propofal was made in the year t 795, when it was fuppored that it might have been Mr. Pitt's lot to retire from of fice, to prefect him with too,oool. An Honnurabie Baronet near him (Sir F. Baring) had allured him (Mr. Role) that the funs could be got in 48 hnnrs. He tried his Right Honourable Friend on the fubjea. and found him completely adverfe to it, &elm -int o that as he lhould anfwer to Goo, no cotlfiderrimu (hould induce him to accept it. and in this refolution he perfilled, declaring, that if he felt himfelfuncom fortable, it was his determination to return to his pro feffion. In the year iBot another propofition was made to him, which he alto rejeaed. Mr. MANNING alluded to the pi-volition made by himfelf, and acceded to by Mr. Pitt, of allowing voluntary contributions in aid of Government to be received, which he Rated did amount to a,000,0001. being an aaual raving of taxes to the people of this country, of too,oool. from which he inferred, that Mr. Pitt was well entitled to the film propored in the motion. If paid in any other way, he thought the people of this country would be difappoioted. Mr. WILLIAM SMITH explained. Mr. CUMING did believe Mr. Pitt to be an excel lent Ratefman, and therefore gave the motion hi, fup port. Mr. ELLISON fupported it with much earneßnefs Mr. Pitt he Confidered as a chandler without fpot or Memifh. There was nothing about him on which malignity could fix. The Country and that Houle had already acknowledged his great and pre-eminent fervices. Had he purfued any other profeGon, he might have realized an imrnenfe fortune; but he had devoted himfelf to his country. The Marquis of DOUGLAS diffented from the motion, fo far as it lay on the grounds Rated on the other fide of the Houle. He bad no objeflion, how ever, to the fum being voted.. it being to be confidered an aft of generofity from a great nation to a departed fervant. Mr. FOX declared that he felt the higheß fatif faaion in being able, from the words of the Motion. to give it his moll cordial fupport. From the year 1801.3, confidering the Situation of the country, and the difpofition which Teemed to snanifeft itfelf on the part of the Right Hon. Gentleman now deceafed, he had refolved, fo far as in him lay, that all former debates and animolities between them fhould be bu ried in oblivion. It would have been impror in him (Mr. Fox) to have urged there topics, convince& as he was that Mr. Pitt had formed a fimilar fefolu tion, to which he had fine given the moll ample teftimony. From that time, though other differences did arife, he had cautioully and religiouilly abßained from reviving any old caufes of animofity ; and, as far as Mr. Pitt was concerned, he was ready to bear teftimony to fimilar forbearance. Though he (Mr. Fox) had had no opportunity of expreffing or flew iag his fentiments of Mr. Pitt, in the fame way aa. .Mr. Pitt had done of him, he declared that from that , moment forward his will was that Mr. Pitt Should hold a dißinguifited part in any Adminiflration in which he (Mi. Fox) was concerned. Mr. Pitt had, in the aloft diftin@ manner, declared this to be his feeling to Mr. Fox, though he (Mr. Fox) had new had the fame opportunity of declaring thofe to be his feelings towards Mr. Pitt. He gave his moll cordial fupport to the motion. The Right Hon. Gentleman had been Minifter for twenty years, during which he had got nothing but the Cinque Ports. For fuch condo@ he was entitled to that praife which hie abler nence merited. and it was now the duty of Parliament to bellow on his memory an apprcpriate reward. Mr. CANNING apologifed for troubling the Honk at all on a fubjeft on which he felt fo deeply. He hoped, however, not to depart from that candid and moderate line of charaaer which had marked the greater part of the dikulTion. There were one or two priors, however, on which he was forry to find he could not agree with Come of the Gentlemen oppofite. Some Gentlemen teemed to talk as if, in acceding to the motion, they were conferring fume thing like an eleeinolynray gift ois his departed Friend. This, however, was a principle on which he widely differed from them, and a ground on which he would rather court their oppofition than their con currence. He claimed it as a reward juAly due to the Cervices—to the meritorious fervices of his deceaf ed friend. In no other point of view would he ac cept of it. He expeaed, he fondly willted for una nimity, but he did not defire to prevent coming to a vote, by giving up any part of the late Chancellor of the Exchequer's valuable fervices. In the former debate, a cautious abilinence was ...reeved, as to the obje ft of the motion. Nat a word was introduced, which it was thought could have provoked the flight eft difcuffion. The wad.. of the motion were taken from a cold precedent. Yet even they gage offence. His objeflion was, that they were cold and inade quate. He would have preferred the warm over flowing. of the heart. But to prevent altercation, a cold book of precedent was retorted to, and even it was thought too animated, and too highly coloured for the occafion. Now, when not a word of compli ment was introduced, even (till objet tions occur, and the vote, that it may be unanimott., mull be brought down to an eleemorynary gift. Such, however, he would not accept of it. He agreed in opinion, that compromife never did any thing ; nor would he (of fer compromife to tarnill the memory of his departed friend. He mull have it as a reward for Cervices, or nothing. Mr.CHARLES WYNNE fpoke to order, it being irregular to introduce alio lion s to other nights' debates. Mr. CANNING proceeded ; he exprefred his dif appointment at the former vote not having been una nimous, and Sincerely hoped the prefeat one would be without a diffenting voice. He concluded an eulogium on his Right lion. Friend, by exclaiming, All thy good now blazes forth, All thy evil's hurled with thee. Mr. FOX explained, and added that it was on au count of Mr. Pitt's merits that he concurred in the Addrefe. Atter a few words from Mr. Hudlcfto; the clef• lion was put and agreed to rum. ere.