Star. — London, England, 1803-04-23 00:00:00

r li ~~- Fit 1 .1:1 ,r q :es I , , 1 . ,: l' : - II I , :i .. 4 , ‘; it 4' 11 1 . 4 . 1 4 rAtiLl4lll.ENTifitr PRQCEEDIAGS. HOUSE OF LORDS, FRIDAY, APRIL at. Their Lori:alp', purfusnt to the Order of the Day, refolved into a Committee of Privileies, and Lord WALSINOURDI having taken the Chair, Mr. Townftiend, of the Herald's Office, and Mr. Cullen, in Officer of the Archbilhop's Court st Canterbury, were farther examined refpeding certain points touching the claim of the Rev. Mr. Thymus to the Barony of Chandos. After which their Lordthips deferred the farther confideration of the cafe till Monday nest. The Houle then reigned, and after prayers were read, the Royal Alfent was given, by Commillion, to nine public and private INN; the former confined of the Four Million Ex chequer Bills Loan; the American Loyalitts, the Militia Of ficers, and Sir James Saumarcz's Annuity Bill. The Lords Commlinatiers were, the LORD CHANCELLOR, the Earl of ROSSLYN, and Lord WALSSNCHAM. Lord Vilcount COURTN zr took the oaths and his feat. The Earl of LIMIRICR prefented a petition from John Har ney, confined in the Four Courts Marffialfea, in Dublin, on a verdi.lt of damages for fedudion ; which Petition Rated, that on the trial the Judge, after the examination of fome witneffes, recommended to the Jury not to find a verdid with damages, which they did notwithitanding: That on a motion in the King's Bench there, fuck verdict was let slide, and a new trial granted ; on which new trial', in the fame County, anotb.. r p er did was given againft him, for the fame amount in damages : That he was fo much impovcrilhed by thefe trials,and the mo- tion to the Court, that he could no longer relit the proceed- i ingsagainft him, and he was in confequence a prifoner for the damages : He therefore prayed that he might be permitted to take the benefit of the Infolvent Aft now on their Lordships' table. Lord Limerick concluded by moving, that the f.id Won do Be on thetahle. The Loan grritteli-i.oa left the woollaek, and laid, that In theilnroleent Bill now on the table, there was a clank very properly excluding perfons confined for damages for reduction, from the benefit of the Bill. He thought, hovreveri that the Petition Rated Nth eircumtlances, that it might be allowed to he on the table, but whether any thing further Ibould be done lo it, remained for their Lordfhips future confideration.---Or dered to lie on the table... Adjourned to Monday. 1:10USE OF COMMONS. A Meffage from the Lords required the attendance of this nook at the Bar of the Lords.to hear read his Maleity's Com pillion for declaring the Royal Affent to certain Bills. Read a third time, the Bill for enabling his Majelly, to grant a Patent to build aTbeatre in the City of Glories* palled, and ordered to the Lords. A Petition was prefented by the Cotton Manufaituren of Perth. Ordered to lie on the Table. Several peridons were prefented by Mr. ORM so r, from cer tain Clerks belonging to the Law Offices in Ireland, praying confideration of their refpedtive cafes ' in relation to the Bill now prefendfig for the regulation of Law Proceedings In Ire land. Ordered to lie on the Table. Read a third time the Expiring Law Bill for continuing the Duty and Drawbacks on the Export of Coffee and Sugar; alto the ris Revenue Bill. The Hoak went into a Committee on the Clergy Non-refl. dame Ball; the Report was brought up and received, and or night,to be taken into further confideration on Monday fort and the Bill, as amended, to be printed. COVNTY Laid L. Cow ea rote to call the attention of the Houfe to a Madre, ei which he had given notice previous to the Recefs. The abhaft of Ids radian was, that a Committee be appointed to emidire into tht Rate of the County Bridges. It was brought *sword hit year, and he now again renewed the motion, not steely in compiles= with the Inkrattions °lbis coefbtuents, but offa with the with°, of many other Counties eonfiderable both withregard to their mem, their trade, and thdr wealth. Some morfurs appeared abfolutely neeeffary to be adopted on this Mope, that the Meet in thelaw as it now Rood might be duly eamikatal, and the proper remedy applied to carted it. In dna view he hoped the Hoofewonid agree with him in the Mo doo,rtaat • Cooroulesoe Us appointed to enquire into what more elledttial powers 'mold be granted to the justices of the Peace for repairing of County Bridges, and the Roads connoted therewith... Leave given. • SACRISTS! IL ICTION. Mr.Sittrn moved the order of the day, for taking hag confideration the refolutions of the Committee ma the report of the Iloheller Eteaion Commit tee. Agreed to; and the firft refolution was read by the Clerk. It Rated the opinion of the Corn. Ohm, " that it appeared to them; that a fyftem of the molt grofs bribery and corruption had bees carried on in that borough, by certain perfons en gaged and interested in the Paid Mr. Sitivu immediately role, and Paid, he had the honour of being Chipman of that Committee, 4,10 that it appeared to him. from the evidente on whith the Committee had formed the; opinion,that a grofs and fhameful fyftem of bribery and mi.- Tuption had been carried on, under a confpiracy formed for that purpofe. He felt it unnecelfary ttD trefpafs on the Hook, by a minute detail of the evidence to this effed, which had already been fo long upon the table, and which every Member had an opportunity of perufing; but as the Houfe had, upon former occafions, vindicated its own privileges, by proceeding with rigour againft the 'Wons guilty of Inch condud, if the Houle thould think proper to agree to the prefent refolution. he Thould be induced to follow.itup by another refolu-, tion, 4. That it is the opinion of this Houfe, that fosse further proceedings are requifite, as well on the fajta of this refolution as on that of the le cond, third, and fourth refolutions of the Commit. tee, and that the Houk do direft his Majefty's Attorney-General to profecute Sir J. White Par ibas, Thomas Hopping, and other perfons con cerned with them. ' Sir M. W. Ravirr laid, that one of the Gentle men, who wawa candidate at the late eledion. was A Mr. Davifon ; and he wilhed to know from the Honourable Member, whether the Refolution he propofed to bring forward was intended to impli cate him ? He underftood there was fome proof to Thew that Mr. Davifon had entertained fume intention of pnrchafing a majority of votes in his favour of that Borough, and for that purpofe had, fome time before the eledion, been in treaty with other parties to that effed, but that he never did ad upon that intention, but had, previous to the eledion, declined every Inch purpofe, and with drawn himfelf from all concern with the parties.— His with now, therefore was, to know whether it Ras intended to implicate Mr. Davifon in any aft ST bribery ? • Mr. WALLACE laid, he was one of thole gentle men who had fat upon the Committee, and wit nefred the .flagitious fyftem of bribery and corruption which came nut upon evidence ; he was. however, of opinion. that before this Houle came to any refolution for direfting a profecution by the Attor ney General, there fhould be flrong proofs, almon beyond doubt, of his guilt, before he (hould be put upon his trial ; and from a train of I eafonii.g at conliderable length upon the tircumflances of the cafe, he argued, that ni grand jury in the ingdorn, upon the whole of thofe circurnliances, ii Could find a bill aga:nfl Mr. Davifon, though the proof was palpable that Mr. Oldield, who was tie aeenfer of Mr. Davifon, was himlelf a trader In Boroughs, and a Dealer in Corruption. That it appeared, that whatever intention Mr. Davifon had originally formed of reforting to bribery, he had completely abandoned it. Mr. BUaDON alfo vindicated the conduit of Mr. Davifon. Though it was clear that he had origi hally agreed to the propofition of Mr. Parfons, to purchafe thirty votes, at the ftipulated price of 301. per vote, which would fecure him the eleftion of the town ; yet he afterwards declared, he would wafts his hands of the concern, and have nothing to do with any of the parties. It was in evidence, that ground was purchafed at immoderate prices, and houfes built thereon, at the expenee of Mr. Parfons,for the purpofe of deciving thole degraded wretches, who thus abtifed that' franchife which they ought not to polled, in differing themfelves to be bought and fold: tie was, upon the whole, clearly of opinion, that Mr. Parfons and Mr. 014- "field ought to be put upon their trials. Mr. JOHNSTON!was clearly of opinion, that Mr. Davifon ought alfo to be pit on his trial, from the palpable circumftances which appeared in evidence againft him, not merely on the teftimony of Old field, but upon the concurring evidence of others. Lord Cott thought the guilt of Mr. Davifon was fo palpable, that unlefs he was profecuted, it would be impoflible to profecute the other parties. Mr. SHERIDAN contended, that whatever proof there might be, on the minutes of evidence before the Committee, as to the original intention of Mr. Davifon towards alts of bribery and corruption, there was no proof whatever of any fad, to Phew that he afted upon thole intentions; and it furely was not the fpirit of Britifh Law, to punifh men for mere intentions, however criminal. Such in t*ntions were abandoned under the influence of a penitential (pink, before the intended crime was committed. A. man might charge a gun with in. tent to murder a man; but furely the law would not condemn him for murder, on a bare intention never fulfilled. *An Han. Amber behind. him (Mr. Burdon) had talked in terms of high indig nation about the vile degraded wretches at Bebe ter, who had accepted of 301. bribes for their votes. He did not (land upass the advocate of fuch abufes. He could with the inftances of loch impunity were much lefs frequent. Unhappily, however, there was not much of novelty in the circumflance; and a man was to the full as vile and degraded a wretch, though he were a Duke or Marquis, or an Earl, who, for interefted views, fold his influence over Mations for ¢ or pool. as he who fold his vote for 301. Many inftances of this fort were but too notorious, particularly in the Wined of the late Union, when many Peers were not afhamed to re ceive large bribes for the furrender of their interefts in boroughs, over which they had no right to ex utile but that of a corrupt influence. With refped to the refolution propofed, he hoped no Member' would vote who had not had the minutes of evi dence, and thofe who had, mull, he was confident, acquit Mr. Davifon. Mr. Vann-rater (poke at confiderable length, in fupport of the implication of Mr. Davifon. The Mama of the Rota.: thought the Houle ought not to come to any decided opinion on this fubjelt, much lefs to dire& a profecution by the Attorney General, in confequence of a decided opinion formed by the Honk upon the affumed guilt of an.individual. The pratice, though le gal, had been, in parliamentary ufage, but rarely adopted : and he took the principle to be, that the Houle fhould not direa fuch profecution againft individuals, except for public offences againft the Conffitution, and fuch as there was no likelihood that any individual would take up. Under AR of Geo. 11. the crime of Bribery was fubjeffed to a very fevere penalty. When the Ad palled from that Houfe,the penalty was but pl. But the Houle of Lords wiling to get rid of it, and thinking. probably, the heft mode to infure its relation on return to the Houle of Commons, would be to alter the furn of the penalty, they made it fool. But. Much to their furprize, the Commons adqpted the amendment,and the Bill paffed; and under this Bill the perfon guilty of bribery is liable, under the Sta tute of Limitation, to be profecuted for the penalty ady tittle within two years from the time of its com mittal. Now if in the prefent cafe the Houle lhould direa the Attorney General to carry on a profecu lion, and that he (hould fucceed in convifting the party, the Court would feel itfelf bound to inflict a mere nominal punifhment, knowing that the party was liable to be profecuted and punillted by another tribunal in • large penalties : nay, the trial of the fame man in both cafes might be carried on fide by fide, and the Attorney General would have no power to controul the popular informer, in carrying on his profecution. Befides, the Houle, in this cafe, by . entering into the merits of this charge. and coming to a decifion to dire& the profecution, would, in effect, prejudge the cafe, and prejudice the minds of jurors, which would be doing that which Courts of Juftice. in all other cafes, would punifh with feverity. Betides. the Houle did not feem to be aware, that there were trials pending in thofe very cafes already; that Mr. Davifon was afttially fued at this moment by information on penalties to the amount of 48,0001. and the other parties in the cafe for very large fums alfo. Clear in the principles which he had laid down, and con • iinced of the impropriety of the propo fition for this Houfe to direct a profecution, where the par ties were likely to be prolecuted and puni(hed le verely, if guilty, by other means, he moved the previous queflion. Mr. Fox Paid, the previous queftion might get rid of the debate for this evening, but could not prevent its being refumed on another day. On the previous queftion being put, Mr. BURGOS role, and laid, that he perfectly coincided in opinioh with his Right Hon. Friend who moved this queftion, that a decifion in the Frefent inftance, on the original queftion, might have an effect on the decifion of a Jury in thofe numerous alions laid to have been brought. It was necelfary, however, for the Houfe to recoiled, that they had come to a Teichill , Nl that Mr. Davi fon had been concerned in the laid corruption ; and to another Refolution, that the Houle would take matures towards punifhing him for the fame. If he tunic:flood his Right I 1 , 41. Ft lend tight, be meant, by the previous glutton, to put an end to the bnfinefs altogether; but this he could not agree to; and he was cocain the Houk would be of opinion with him, that they could not, confiftently with their own dignity and charader, Coffer the matter to pars off, without leaving it in their power hereafter to take up the matter in fuch a way as (hould to them kern moll proper, in order to carry into tiled the refolutions they had entered into. He therefore begged leave to enter his pro teft, in behalf of the Houk, againft the idea that the previous (Felton, if carried, fhould preclude the Houfe from following up the Refolutions they had entered into, at any future time they might think proper. Mr. GREY expreffed fome furprife that the Right Honourable Gentleman who (poke Ia fl fhould fuppofe the previous queftion could preclude the Houfe from following up its refolutions already e t ntered into, as the uniform praelice of the Houk as known to be, that the previous queftion only poftponed the confederation of the fubjed to fame future opportunity. He thought, however, that the Refolutions which had been paffed, ought to be kept in view. It was evident that proceedings, altogether incompatible with, and deftrudive to the freedom of elation, had been &Red on at IL cheflor, not only in the late eleetion, but on many former occafions ; and it peculiarly behoved the Houfe to fupport its charades and dignity. by Mewing to the world, that they would not omit any opportunity of evincing their determination to punifh, and put a flop to as far as they could, loch fhameful pradlices in future. He hoped, therefore, the Hoofs would keep the many in their molt attentive confederation, and whatever might be the fate of the anions alluded to, that they would exert the power they bad, either by disfranchifing thofe who (hould be proved guilty of felling their fuffrages, as in the cafes of Shoreham and Crick lade, or take fuch other meafures as to them fhould kern molt proper to put a flop to fuch fcandalotn proceedings in future, and to fupport the honour, the dignity, and independence of the Houfe. Mr. Beanus, in explanation, Paid, that he was equally furprifed the Hon. Gentleman who fpoke 'aft fhould fuppofe he was fo forgetful of the pradice of the Houfe, as not to know that the previous queftion was only a poftponement of the meafure. He thought his Right Hon. Friend had conceived, that, by the previous queftion, the bufinefs was entirely done away, and on that account only he had entered his proteß againti it. The Maim of the R 411.23 explained. The previous queftion was then put on the &ft Refolution, and negatived without a divifion. I *Mr. Joon SMITH fald, that notwithitanding all he had heard on the fabled, be Rill agreed with the Committee, and mutt perfill in moving the original Refolution. The original Refolution was then put, and ne gatived without a divifion. The previous queftion was then feverally put on the other Refolutions, and negatived without a divifion. The Ctrancastoa of the Elena:apse (aid, that he coincided in opinion with the Hon. Gentleman oppofite (Mr. Grey), that the Houfe having come to the refolutions they had on this !Miners, it was incumbent on them, in fupport of their honour and dignity, and alto in fupport of the freedom of elation, not to let the bufinefs drop. He had not been able to examine the whole of the report, but he underffood there were proceedings which ought to be put a flop to. lie begged the Houk would underhand, that in what he now faid, he did not mean to give any opinion ; but he thought the Houfe ought to enable themfelves to pursue hereafter their refolutions with effect ; and he, therefore, moved... That the report be taken into further confederation on Tuefday Ordered. HIGHLANDS 07 SCOTLAND. The Citaucst.t.oa of the Eacusqrsa Paid, that previous to the recefs he had, by command of his ?dajetty, prefented a report refpeiting a Survey of the Highlands. The ()Ned of this was to ob. tain a perfea knowledge of the cautes which had effeaed fo confiderable an emigration from that part of the United Empire. The population of the country was of the firlt importance, and no thing could more conduce to its in.creafe, and turn that increafe more effeaually to the benefit aeon]. merce, than fuck meafures as were likely to afford ufeful employments in agriculture, and an eaten five field for ettablilling manufaautes in that part of the Empire to which the Report related. He therefore moved, " That the Paid Report be re ferred to a &lea Committee, to etamine the mat-, ters therein, aad to report their opinion to the Houle."—Ordered.—" That five be a quorum of the laid Committee"--Ordered.—Adjounsed. LONDON. SATURDAY. APRIL. i 3. PRICE OP STOCKS THIS DAY AT ONE O'CLOCK 3 per C. Reduced 631 I. 3 Per C. Conf. sessity, 644 for May, 6 41. Old s per C. Ann. 99—New atop& PRICE OF STOCKS YESTERDAY: Bank Noels 17t 16, 17of s wee-M.1797, 994 3 per Cent. Red-651 65i 65 Long Atm sp 7.163.16 3 per C Coot 664 651 66 lAA. $ per CCDIL New 4 per Cent. SA :31 Fick* Bills, par. II a. diC s per Cam Aso. soot 991 Cool. fee May. 67{ 65{ 664 We Rated yefterday that Mr. Anotimros's ex planation oo Thurfday, called for by the mifcon• ception of many refpelting the notice he gave on Tuefday. had had the effed to deprefs the Funds. and they might be expelled to be Rill lower. This aanally happened; before the clofe of the market yefterday the 3 per cents were at 63i. One Broker, who has many French connexions, but who is known to be a man of refpeEtability. 'fold very largely, and it was concluded that he ailed on informatins► from France. A report was alfo circulated. that Admiral Tura soaouon bad engaged and taken two Dutch frigates ; and ano ther that a new Treaty of Alliance offenfive and defenflve betwen Pry Ma and Frahce bad' ;tuft been concluded. Thefe unfounded rumours were. coupled with Mr. Anotecrom's explanation, and and it was inferred that he now had left fanguine hopes of peace than on Tuefday. The price this day is about I per Cent. better. The PEncu to (loop of war, of 18 guns, has at , rived at Portfmouth from the Cape of Good Hope, after a paffitge of two months and two days. She brings accounts of the arrival of the CONCORDE frigate, Captain WOOD, at the Cape, with orders for its evacuation. It was accordingly furrendered to the Dutch two days before the Placing left it. Admiral Sir ROGER Cvarts, with his fquadron, may be expeCted to arrive in a week or ten days it was finally arranged when the PENGU/11 failert when they were to depart ; but it was generally be. lieved they would fail about a week after. The PENGUIN has brought home a Colonel of the honk, and about thirty foldiers. The Sr. Fro. * asmzo frigate, Captain BIRCH/OE, had arrived at • the Cape /Om time previous to the Coscoxne, with duplicates of the orders that were fent by the IraocENE, to retain the place. Difpatchcs were received from Sir R. quarts. , at the Cape by the Firearms, announcing the giv„ ing up of that place to the Dutch.on the stlt of February.. This morning difpatches were received from Sir • RICH•Rn BICKIRTON in the Mediterranean by the DRAGON, Yefierday difpatches were forwarded from the Admiralty to Commodore Hood at Trinidod. • By the DRAGON, arrived from Gibraltar, Now. have received a number of letters, all exprefling in the iirongeit terms of regret, the fenfation.i of the inhabitants on the near profpeB of lofing, for a while at lealt, their beloved . Governor, who, 4y this time, is on his palTage to London. Hit un- remitting attention to the prole Lion, interellt, and comfort of every clots, has made an imp!etGon the public mind which will not foon be. effaced.— They were the first objects of his iblicittirle, and. his exertions were crowned with that fuccefs which the benevolence of the °Nee merited. Nor were' his endeavours to organize the army, which at the time be took the command was in a high (We of indifcipline, lefs fuccefsful. 4n one who, wilt take the trouble to look into Capt. Wzzsatis count of the expedition to Egypt, in thzt pan where the forte • tottched xt Gibraltar, n will be.. convinced that if w% MO labour. At that. time, it was. no 0eu414 'thin . ' for the tsiee be feen lying drunk jpsr;abis Re the roei l beefily and degraded en imais.4 frinei now far otherwife; and dielieakhdindeoMforts 4'4 the men have increafed with die•fleielnefrof•itfik pline that was reiderekindifisenSbje: Our limits will not allow u to infect all the W . A.. tens that have reached ue . t'but as they are all at a - Smiler compleaion, it is the left =drag. Vale s --• however, fubjoin the following : :~ '4I .1 GIBRALTAR, APRIL r. " 'This goes by the Daacou, which arrived ha night, in eleven days, from Malta, and which fails. fur England this morning. - None of the troeps• from Egypt had arrived when the Damson ailed. bat by a vefel from Aboukir bay. they were told that the army was to embark on the tit of March. " His Royal Highnefs the Governor fails-frops thli on the loth of April, in the'Anaxoe frigate, to the great regret of all the inhabitants, who have met with a degree ofproteEtion and attention from his Royal Highnefs that they never experienced before. They have fubaiibed twelve hundred guineas to prcfent him" with a diamond . Itai, as a mall tribute of their affedion and gratitude, nnd, perhaps; no Governor ever left a place mete Aii cerely lamented by all thofe who are heft capable• of appreciating his worth. " The EXPIMITION and. ALLIGATOR, with the sd battalion of Royals on board:fatted for Eng lani this day." • Jilt as this Paper was going to profs we received French Papers to the ipth inclaie—they, hem: ever, contain but little news. .• • • The Project of Law refptaing the eftablithment of a National Bank was paid in the Leginative Body, by a majority 0(159 votes to 63, A long Article under the bead Malta,. in the Mexican of the atb, contains an account of the correfpondence between Burt, Minifter Pleitipo tentiary of the Gamin Marta, and his Excel lency Sir ALIZANDiII BALL, t o te Britilb Governor. which is the fame in (übftance as that already de tailed in this Paper.—Five per cents. se f. 85 c. The Gascitte di, Frage hates, that an embargo has been laid on the 'cella, at Dunkirk detlined for the Newfoundland filbery. This precaution, lays the Editor, which is naturally cone ted with the whole of the meafures taken .by Goverameit, has excited neither furprife nor uneaGnefs. . A /enter from the Hague, dated April t 4. 04s, It is aliened here, that the refult of. the nego tiations between France and England will : be known in a few days, as every thing depends on a categorical anfwer of the Fsasr Consul., which wiWaably decide the grand que ft ion of Peace o f . N •