Star. — London, England, 1810-11-30 00:00:00

any other IA ) would be thought grossly indelicate. He hoped a prudential, regard to the feelings of the King would not prevent the House from recollecting that there vas a Crown also; and when people talked of the Kitig of Engl-and with reference to the Crown, 1( t them recollect," that he was never young, never old, and his functions never inactive or suspended,— AS to the precedent of 1788, which had been referred to, in his opinion, it should be looked at only to be avoided. The Right Honourable Gentlemen oppo site, however, only referred to it that they might pick out what suited themselves. There was nothing in their whole conduct that did not prove them actua ted by the interested motives attributed to them by the right Honourable Gentleman who spoke last.— Whi:cver the person ought to be to whom the kingly functioiis should in the interim he confided, it was not for him (Si: Fran :is Burden)" to dictate to the House or to the nation at large: btit of this there *e,:tild he no doubt, they could not go on in that miaow; track thej were now in. In the year 1788, when the former suspension of the functions of the Crowntook *place, we were at peace, now we were at war. France was . then weak, now it enjoyed an overwhelming strength. Then our national debt was under :00nti1- lions, now it exceeded 800 millions; at that time we had profitable commercial alliances, now our corn interce was.exclit (led from every part of Europe ; then we had sometliiii; besides paper currency, now we had nothing else, and our paper was greatly .depre *eia:cd. Every thing was then qiiiet at home, and we Fiti nothing to ;ippreliend from ab..oad ; now how *chlferent the pictu. ein every respect Vet now, that }louse was told, that after a month of anarchy, they were. to go on a fectuight In:)ger is the same track. Ge:a:rai MATHEW never voted with more real sa - isfaction than on the former night against the )r (t the Exchequer. He could not take the cimple assurance of any man, as to the state of health of !tit; bchved Monarch; but much less could he take the assurance of an interested Minister; more pm one of the present weak and con tonptible.Administra•tion. Evc•ry man knew them t‘• be so, and they .hal pron.! the fact by their own act . :, end by their argument:. He appealed not to the public, but to every man who heard him ; he asked 'them to look at that Treasury Bench, and to say if they ever saw such a set of men in such a situation. They were destitute of ability, of talent, nay, even of• respectability. (Hear! and Order! 0,-der!) What Coanty Member, c.r what man of landed property, IA as among them ? To say the best of them, which he v...ihed to do, they were a set of second-rate lawyers. They had no far ther care for the safety of the nation, nor any • farther stake in it, than a desire to keep their ;places. He agreed with his Honourable Friend, the MeMiser for Westminster, that the Government could never safely be instrusted to such men. It would be calamitous and ruinous to the country to do so. They had left us without a force sufficient to prevent an invading enemy from ditembarkingon our • ihores. Or to meet him should he be able to effectuate • a landing. By their bigotry too they paralized four fifths of the population of Ireland ; from these cir cumstances he could not trust them: The Right Hon. Gentleman (Mt. Perceval) too by his assurance of the progressive state of improvement of his Ma jesty's health on a former night, had proved himself either to have been in an error or to have imposed on the House. As there was a want in the King, and having no confidence in the assistance of Ministers, he should not only vote against the adjournment, but when they went to consider of their hither proceed. ings, he should speedily move that the Prince b e called en, by an address of that House, to 'Like on all tee kingly power daring the unfortunate Malady of his father, and oo longer. But at the same time he agreed in the - constitutional doctrine of Mr. Pitt, that 'his RllOl Highness had no more right to be Regent than any other subject of these Realms. But in saying so; he must add, that the Prince would have this meclebetter right to the dignity. being called to it by the voice of the people; and besides, he was the only • person calculated to call togethfe the population of Ircl.md, distracted by the bigotted fac tion who now have the management of affairs. The Honourable bfember proceeded to hope diet thealt 'powerful DIVINITY, who had been pleased fot a time 'to deprive us of the care of our most gtazious Sove reign, would mercifully restore him speedily to the wishes of his people. No religious man, he was convinced, however, could doubt that the present 'melancholy affliction was intended for the best ; and viewing the whole matter as he did, he ceeid not but conceive it a warning to that House, and to the peo ple of this country, to get quit as speedily as possible of that weak Adinnioretion which now governed the country. This was a path clearly chalked- out for us by Peovtoexce ; and we would be criminal if we neglected tl:e warning. • Lord Ml 1 TON was de, idediv ,y,is zt-c iy against the adjourn ment, bra ralt 1;1. the reasons adduced by the H Norrur a' lc Cener tl, C:e . present C,:oinet was not fit to b e tru., , cd. The qacstion was most important, with out regard eh her to the.fitness or un fi mess of :Ministers. This country was not now a Monarchy. He would Venture to assert without Ore power of contradiction, th it we were at this moment it Republic. He begged tne House, therefore, to consider the State in which, by the vote of this night, they would leave the coun try. He could not consent that the country should continue longer without a Monarch, or that our Mo. n irchy should be suspended, trusting to the Chapter •of Accidents. He denied that the Report which had • been laid galore the House could be considered the Report of the Privy Council. It might be right for • time Noblemen and Gentlemen to meet together, but they, the Commons, were not to be guided by them • —they were not to take what had been done by ano ther body—not co-ordinate, bat emanating from an . other pati of the Constitution, and that part, too, whose functions were at present suspended, and which biNly, therefore ; had no right to administer an oath ,--as a rule for the c Induct of that House. His Lord - ship proceeded to answer the dilemma of Sir Francis Burdett, stating the case which had now occurred to .'be 'One extreme necepitatis, but frir which the two ' lionses were equal to provide. He also contended that the Gentlemen on the Treasury Bench were not 'now to be considered as the Ministers of this country, • bit only as the late servants of his Majesty, and con phidecr with declaring, that he mu s t o pp ose t h e ad ' journment, pi; THOMAS TURTON Pi4i4tahle4 that the Coma of proceeding in 1188 differed most illitesiell7 . from that adopted on the present occasion. They were now called upon to adjourn a report which mere ly admitted a probability of his Majesty's recovery; . but on the occasion in 1738, the.report *its- decitive as to that probability. He therefore protested against the measure of adjournment. , Mr. W I LLIA MS WYNNsta ted that the first duty . of the House was to hear themselves the evidence as to the state in which his Majesty now is ; and that they could not better discharge the sacred trust reposed in them by their constituents 'than by following such a course. No consideration of delicacy ought to induce them to depart from. the lineof conduet which they were imperiously called on to follow. It was much betterfor the House to examine by a Committeointo the state of their. Sovereign, than to take their information at second hand. He certainly could never look upon the Report of the Privy Council as authentic information,on which they could safely place reliance.' The House Would never allow any document to have equal weight in their estimation with .What was consistent with their own knowledge. The present occasion differs mate rially from that of 178 R, when an adjournment was proposed by Mr. Pitt. The House were not then told of the probability of an amendment, but they were po sitively assured on the Ministerial responsibility of am actual convalescence. Mr. Pitt came to the House on the 20th of February, and they adjourned to the 24th, afterwAds they adjourned to the 26th, again for other three days, and lastly till the 10th of the following month. The cases of 1601 and 1801 did not admit of the smallest application to the present. No communi . cation was made to the House in 1801 of his Ma hsty's illness, and they were ignorant of the nature of is indisposition. In 1801, when the subject of his Majesty's illness was started in that House, they were assured by Ministers that there wai no necessary in. terruption of the Royal functions. Here it would cer tainly have been usurpation had the House ventured Ito carry their enquiries farther ; but the case is now ltotally different. They had on their Journals a state / rnent from the Right Honourable Gentleman (Mr. Perceval) that his Majesty was at present incapable of exercising the Royal duties. What a difference too, between the present period and 1788. The nation was then in a state of peace, and Mr. Pitt was at the heaU of the Administration. The internal affairs of the na tion were consequently the only objects of considera tion ; and our foreign policy was not calculated to in ' spire us with uneasiness ; but how different the pre sent state of the nation, where a single step !right be productive of important consequences to our most es sential interests. Should any unforeseen . accident hap pen to Lord Wellington in Portugal, no assistance could be sent to him. Could any money be drawn from the Exchequer, though circumstances might ren , der a supply of money of the most indispensable ne, cessity ? Could the,Privy Seal be affixed to the most necessary deed ? Or could the Sign Manual be in any case procured ? All that was asked was, that the House Might be put in a situation from which they might be enabled to decide on the ulterior steps that ought to be taken. He could not see what difference it could make with regard to the effect on the feel ings.of his Majesty, whether the examination took place before the Privy Council or before the House. No answer has been given to the question, as to the time in which the recovery of his Majesty may be ex pected. He rejoiced as much as any man at the pro bability of that recovery ; but, as it was impossible to look to any given period for such an event, he could not give his assent to an adjournment. Mr. BR AGGE BATHURST adverted to what had been stated as to the difference between the pre sent period and 1788, and that the ground for ac ceding then to the motion for adjournment, was the positive assurance of his Majesty's convalescence. He would allow this, but was it not a sufficient an swer to those who state that every deficiency ought to be immediately supplied ? This doctrine, he would take it upon him to say, was new to the House, and new to the country. He could not see the necessity of taking a step which could hardly fail to hurt (le feelings of his Majesty ; nor could he see the pro priety of refusing the adjournment at present, and acceding to it a fortnight before. Why was the bare word of the Chancellor of the Exchequer then to be listened to, and the deliberate opinions delivered by experienced phys;ciana not now to have an influence on the House, who assured them that the King was in a progressive state of amendment. In 1788, on the bare allegation of two individuals, the two Houses of Parliament thought -fit to suspend their measures, to wait the effect of the predictions which had been made to them, although the Regency Bill had al ready passed that House, and was under discussion before the House of Lords. He thought the House would do well to avoid setting on foot any mea sure on the present occasion. He could not avoid thinking, that the eatnination of the Physicians be fore the Privy Council was a much better mode than. the examination before the House. It was impossible not to foresee that many injudicious questions would be then put, which could hardly fail to hurt the feel ings of a delicate mind ; in the examination before the Privy Council, all this has been very judiciously avoided ; but in an examination before the 'House, many minute particulars will be gone into, and many injudicious questions put, which, not alone from de licacy to the individual who is the actual Sovereign, it were to be wiFlcd could be avoided, but even from motives of delicacy to the office of Sovereignty itself. Notwithstanding %%4:at had been stated of the advanced age of our Sovereign, it was highly probable that he would yet be in a condition to exercise his Royal func tions; and, to preserve as much as possible to the country, the hope of that recovery, it was necessary to abstain from every thing which might have a con trary tendency. After the admission by the Chancel lor of the Exchequer, that at the end of fourteen days something of a decisive. nature must be done, he could not see that the House could with any propriety refuse a:ceding to the motion for adjournment. Mr. AnAM was as anxious as, any Member of that House for his Majesty's recovery, and could wish, if possible, tha t every delicacy should be obser ved in the steps that they might take. He was per suaded, however, chat no delicacy ought to stand in the way of the exercise of those sacred duties. ' He 'wished to explain to the House the motives that for merly induced hini to vote for an adjournment, and which, on the present occasion induced him to give a different vote. When it was stated on a former oc casion that the Minister had seen the physicians, And that ;key half given coAfident hopes pf 4 :req. reconty, it was :not..perhaps granting too. Awl to allow a fortnight before entering on a question of so delicate a nature. It was v di event, how twofcndiigairhtseawt fratu that oft: the p were as ~ Thc l vot r : ever ia•l7 6 BB 7hen was perfectly sent occasion. The House ilid then the distinct averments of Lord . Thurlow and Mr. Pitt, clothed with the most awful responsibility, and the grave and awful authority peculiar to Lord Thnrlow, to war rant them in their proceedings ; but the situation in which the House now stood was very different The Privy Council has been.assembled as was done lby Mr. Pitt in 1788 ; but the House had no respon- I sibility to look to, and no evidence before them.— The examination of the Privy Council was taken diunele, not in the presence of the House. He main- tainPd that it - was contrary , to the sound doctrine of ' Parliament, and utterly impossible for that House to proceed to act on any evidence except delivered in the House, or in presence of those delegated from the House. The Privy Council is no doubt a respectable body, but the Privy Council is not Par liament, and the evidence taken before it must be considered exactly in the same light as taken before any other court. He asserted, therefore, that it was contrary to the duty of the House to proceed in any other way than by granting a commission in the way which had been proposed. Mr. Pitt thought fit on the Thursday to move for an adjournment to Mon day ; and on the Monday he moved for an examina tion into the state of his Majesty's health. Mr. Fox acceded to this measure as proper, and as reasonable, although it proceeded from a person in political op position to him, from a conviction that it was impro per to proceed on evidence not taken before the House. When he (Mr. Adam) came to the House, he ima gined that an adjournment was in like manner to be proposed until Monday, and that then a Committee would be appointed, that the precedent of 1788 might be followed as nearly as possible, in order to k-enquire into the state of his Majesty. In such a case he could have agreed to an adjournment. He did not mean to say that the examination before the Privy Cou ncil was conducted on false principles • nor would he as sert that there was not much in t he examination of 1788 which every body wished had not taken plate ; but it was necessary Parliament should see with its own eyes. Considerations of delicacy ought not to stand in the way of truth. He was perfectly aware of the de fects of that House in many respects; but it was pro per to consider the House in all its aspects ' • and not alone to dwell on its defects. He could not, therefore, consent to abandon Parliamentary enquiry, because some Gentlemen might think proper to ask improper questions. This was the due course to be followed. He would not take into his consideration at present what might take place in consequenceof the Commi ttee's Report; it was only what should transpire from that Committee, that could put them in possession of the circumstances which might enable them to do so. He paid a tribute to his Majesty's virtues. He sta ted, that he was unwilling to take any step deviating in the least from complete precedent ; and there was one such precedent in 1788, in which all Members were agreed. He stated the difference between re sponsibility and examination before the 'Privy Coun cil, which could only be considered in the light of a declaration of notoriety. He wished at present to avoid all questions of an ulterior nature, convinced as he was, that su ffi cient for the day is the evil thereof. —On these and some other considerations, he voted against the adjournment. Mr. W IL BE RFO RC E combated the arguments of the preceding speaker, whose legal habits, he said, had led him to consider the subject in too technical and too confined an aspect. If the House thought 1 proper to adjourn on verbal testimony alone, why should they now refuse to do so ? moreparticularly I as no real substantial injury could be pointed out as likely to accrue froth adopting the Motion for Ad journment. An examination before a Committee of the House might be se conducted as to be pain ful to the feelings of the Monarch ; and when it was known that that Monarch had been fifty years on the-; _throne (Hear) and that no material injury was likely to arise from the adoption of adjournment, he could not think that the House would refuse to go into that measure. The King dearly loves his people ; , and they love their Monarch because they know that he loves them, and because they know also that they have enjoyed happiTtess and prosperity under his mild and plt.milal govechment. (Hear.) One argument stated on the other side had once almost wrought conviction on him respecting the danger of allowing themselves to be carried too far by their ideas of de licacy ; but as it was stated by the Right Hon. Qen tleman (Mr. Perceval) thv it his Majesty should continue indisposed at the end of a fortnight, some measures would be resorted to, and that no material injury would result from the delay ; and on this sub ject he could not but suppose that Ministers must ne cessailly be best acquainted. He would therefore repose confidence in them, and he would in that way be able- to reconcile delicacy with his duty. Upon the whole he agreed - to vote for the motion. Mr. FULLER asked why they could refuse to go upon the opinion of two of the ablest p!iysicians and honest men in the country (laugh), far above any mean or unworthy motives ? What could these men gain by their present situation—they were in a worse situation than when physicians to the public ? Every probability was that he would be restored again to sanity, both of mind and body. What had they to reason on but simple facts brought before them. He concluded a speech, in which he made several apos trophies to the feelings of the House, and used seve ral strong expressions, which produced the usual effect on the House, with voting for the motion. . The CEIANCELLOit of the EXCHEQUER addressed the Members in the Lobby, requesting them, whatever might be the result of the division, then, not to separate, as it was probable that a second division would take place. The numbers on the ques tion of Adjournmeet to this day fortnight were, Ayes, 233 —Noes, 129—Majority 101. A second division then took place on the question for appointing a Committee to examine die Physi cians, when the numbers were, Ayes, 137-LNoes, 236—Majority 93. Adjourned to this day fortnight. MARL•LANC—Owing to the Lite contrary winds, .bete are scarce any fresh arrivals of Grain, in gentral coostwise, and not much foreign. Wheat on hand; prime old Danteic about .CS per quarter; waiting the expected supplies very few sales are made of any article but to those in fasthwith regent and prim are again oonsidered•almost nomissaimi4kW Tick *Lab $7l, W ASS.. ? iv 4 1 14 "n" 411 1 01 lr riOnia wild* THE EVENING STAP LONDON. FRIDAY. NOVEMBER SO. • Sr. ANDasw.--trelidaY sr the Banks and EXCheltl 'The Korc.--The Mowing are the Bulletins " WINDSOR CASTLE, ►• " Nice, I.M. eg His MAJZSTY is not quite so well as' the morning." (Signed as be{, " - WINDSOR CASTLE, NI “ His Mir continues „much the same he was yesterday." (Signed as bet The following important Notice was thi: ed at LLOYD'S .4,LOYM NOVEV " Extract of a letter dated 20th instant, from Brii this day the Mary from Lisbon. Letters are,recc 4atiki Lisbon 17th, stating, that on the night of t' French broke up their camp, and begat' to retreat tion, ask was supposed, of Santarem; that Lord W t in pursuit of them, and that 500 boats were sent up The Captain of the Mary adds, it we reported at a heavy firing had been heard is the French camp previous to its being brok en up." The above &rin g is supposed, by those with military affairs, to.have been occasioi French blowing up their powder magazine to their retreat. • EL cc is appointed Head of the new Regency in ship is gone to convey him is Lord VA'Awn* is arrived at Gibrzltar, io c e after a passage of only a week. At length something in the sh , pe of F cial Intelligence-from Portugal has been p c the Afoniieur. By Paris papers to the date day last it appears that dispatches from dated the Sd inst. were received at Paris last, the 23d inst. brought by a General 1. limits do not allow us to offer any rem Ari subjoined extracts, viz. MASSE' 's dispatch num, and so much of the details furnished' ral For as the French have thought proper PARIS, NOVEMBER 23 L&IT&L 111011 THE SI•RskiAL rimer. OF [MINI SEELNIL HIGHNESS Fat MAJOIt•GINHCRAL " Head-quarters, at Nenquer, Monseigneur,—Your Highne ss has doul ceived the letters which I had the honour ti you from Visen and Coimbra. After havii 13th, Ilth, and 15th ult. well reconnoitered shut up in his entrenched camp, on the I Lisbon, I wrote you a long letter; but I hi to think that it has not reached you. 44 I every day offer battle to the enema keeps himself shut up in his entrenchments. " I am just sending General Foy, with in order tu give a line of direction to my the rear-guard, commanded by General and to the 9th corps, which is at this moment frontiers of Portugal. My orders to General' that upon arriving at Almeida, be should escort there, and proceed to Paris with all in order to give your Highness those de; you may wish on the situation of the army, information with regard to the ridiculoui which we have seen here in the London tie' There is only one word to oppose to these it is, that they are all a fabrication.—The a good condition. Every one rivals another and zeal, and burns v:ith the desire to di himself, and to merit the approbation of the " I amp with respect, &c. (signed) " The Marshal Prince of 1/110111 TM& 1111141TEUlt. " The General of BrigaJe Foy arrived this day in set out from the bead-quarters of the Prince of Essiing 411 November. He traversed Portugal with an ewe dragoons. " He brings satisfactory news of the titeatbn of Ho contradicas entirely the false accounts of every 1 the English take pleasure in disseminating in ev-.y s! " Our army is abundantly provided. Bread, meat, rum, and even sugar and coffee, were :u There were found upon the Tagus provisions of rvt Lion ; rice arrived from America, colon'sl produce, quantity of corn. The enemy had destroy,tl which circumstance for some days obliged the arniv rice and white beans; but since the ‘2o:h of Oetohe, have been re-established in bufficieut number to gri- quantity of corn necessary for • the con►umption of A great many cattle have also been fewnet. " According to the accounts given by General Fol duct of the English in the country is inconceit•.thle. entirely laid waste, burnt and destroye4-70 1.-agues of a circumstance which sh, w• to the Continent the fate. perience, if they should ever obtain any tufiuecce there, hay been treated like Bengal after the !what) fa.liion. " As for the rest, the English octopi, at the ..a strong position covered with redoubts, in which girl lected cannon of every kind that they could procure. of Essling drove then at the point of the bayonet from to the capital, that is to say, for a space of 80 leagues. chcie has retarded his march. It is to this rapidity that the fine valley of the Tagus has remained not that the enemy hid not an .pportnn;►y of ravaging k, and which assures the subsibtence of the army for months. " The Prince of Fssling has thrown a bridge over two tetes 7 4-pent, which-are impregnable. He has alas his magazines at Santarem, which he h fortifying ed out the positions to put it , out of the danger of a for the purpose , of assuring his commtmkatioas %k W+ places. " The English army has a great many sick. There great number of English deserters, while there is ' ter from the French army. Every thing that has bees in the English Papers upon this subject, and upon s ash mine, which, if we are to believe them, bas lasted mon months, ate se many Idle tales invented to divert the Ragland from the alarms which they have conceive!' the tate of the Rnoish army. " There have been ten clays isaus,hut the weather X become very fine. Our army has very few AA. OW principally fed on Indian corn, of which there is great: horses are ip good condition. " The ;wrenched camp of the English before Lisbon theirposidon respectable i but it requires to be atlas'!" or 50.000 English troops. " The English Beet, with an immense number is anchored in the Tagus. The population of the * bale Portugal Is atsembled at Lisbon; in consequence of mem number of people are collected there, which of great diseeders anti a dreadful famine. " As the General of Brigade Limas was endblegals of the Tagus, at Villa Franca, with a friend, be vras tot a callow-allot. This yam General Officer was of M at and his death is much " The prisoner& on each side have been esebanfel RENT LONDON: ?signed ind pubtlibed by LEvrt. 1T#4.9wcp,Tp1a 4 4.8"04 N.. 1, Cirri" ►TI, • sd egen. ns of tu.e, • 4 NOV, 29 . as he was; before.) * NOV.* me to.d ar be e.) • ;his day EMERII it • 1 recei ved br f the li t ; AL in tEe Welling, ' " op the it I.Lb c , 4 mp two il l , ;e iionc.l by , . • r is `Fete. ce P... • I A Frer.c ]tom rf • 11‘.141 . .v. •is on rf.d • arks on ttch to B A 1 1 1 : led by Gen. rto publi , ss INC, re HIS tAL. • Nr.v. & doubtless r to write . sving t on L ed tile es- t e heights , u have bat • , Its. ,th 900 divisios Ll Gard . - • • DMetlt al 7 ;era! Foy at old leave all dispa ... details "Ili ay, and lous ar newspa. . • e reports . ; to army It 4 1 , ter in ardo distingui- , he Emperor p I) If EssuNc. la Park Estifog oti tit escort of • • a of OUT erm • y kind whit shape. .at, rice, ai.• ▪ shunAto. rvtv - y t i octi r, a. 1.1 the nil v to 'thee the he :r.!, of the at ; Foy, the to e. IN , / I s of terrosry to it wmti er herr. eat • 4 on. i t e! i . fr ig y u itir OLOUthetil 1g and • • • !or four e 1 ' rer the • , a▪ nd lus • • courdosio ij a bi t and% Jere Ate de DOI OM • - • breo Pobli • • a =Mod mo m tam t the Tootl e , rod ' • DO. Orr carak7 cat pkatJ I isbott • lefdodt'd of• 'bar twir legal' • I I. lbe s cut r at rei" cFN'T, X I,