The National Register. — London, England, 1812-03-29 00:00:00

..01111 0 .7 - Reft 29. THE NATIONAL REGISTER. Prince and Princess not living together, he himself felt no concern about it; but it appeared to him, that in the present circumstances of the Country, there was no sufficient reason for increasing the income of the Princesses, and he should therefore move, that the House resolve itself into a Committee that day month. Nit - . ROSE stated, that the Hen. Gentleman was not aware that pro vision was made, by Act of Parliament, for the security of the surplus of the Consolidated Fund. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER was not of opinion_ that this question should he postponed. The Hon. Gentleman, when alluding to the revenues of the Queen and Princess of Wales, observed, that it would be easy to meet the charges of the household of the latter, as the expenses of the former were withdrawn from the Civil List; he begged leave, however, to state, that the revenues of the Queen still came from the Civil List, and through the hands of the Prince Regent, as they did through the hands of the King. With regard to the annuity of: the Princess of Wales, he stated that it had been found insufficient, and that his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales had discharged debts incurrtd in consequence of that insufficiency, to the amount of 49,0001. without bringing any charge on the Public Fund. The annuity had some time since increased from 12 to 17,0001. Respecting his Royal Highness's own debts, the yearly sum of 70,0001. was transferred, under the seal of the Duchy of Cornwall, to certain persons, for their di•ebarge. Mr. WHITBREAD thought it was expedient to postpone this question for one month. Hearing the different statements which were made from both sides of the House from the said papers, he conceived that it would be important to inquire into the actual state of the Govern- Milt of the country. The question was then put, and negatived without a division. The House then resolved itself into the Committee, and _ The CHANCELLOR oP the EXCHEQUER moved, "that the sum of 30,0001. per ann. already granted by Parliament, be increased to 5.i,0001. to he given in annuities from the present time, to their Royal Highnesses the Princesses Augusta Sophia, Elizabeth, Mary, and Sophia." Mr. TiritNEV apprehended that this resolution proposed to the Prin cesses 15(01. more than the act of 1799 had provided, and that, includ ing the 40001. from the Civil List, the, income of each was to be now 13,0001. Alluding to the Civil List, he stated that 1,666,0001. had been pald out of it to the Royal Family; he did not say that it was not ne cessary, but he thought that the sum was enormous, and that some attempt should be made at controlling the extravagance of the Civil List. He had heard something of a separation between the Prince and Princess of Wales whispered about, but the House knew nothing about it. He asked why they did not now see Courts and Drawing-rooms, and why the people did not behold something of that splendor for which they paid so dear ? He had no doubt but that the reparation had taken place on good grounds; the Right Hon. Gentlemen opposite (the Chancellor of the Exchequer) knew more of that person than any one the, lie was her counsel; yet he now was contented that she should be kept on a scanty pittance. All he could say about it was, that there was a person in this kingdom, the wife of the Prince Regent, who was now as much the Queen as he was the King, who, in the new arrange- tnents, had been completely passed by, and that under the administra tion of a gentleman' who was once her greatest champions. Mr. W. San ris was aware that it was obnoxious to oppose this mo tion, but he 'thought that, in the present state of the finances of the country, they should be careful of the expenditure. Mr. PON SONBY said, that unless the Right Hon. Gentleman would give some farther explanation respecting this subject, he should vote against the motion. This was a proposition, not only to increase the annuities of the Princesses, but to anticipate the period when they were to commence the enjoyment of them. 1 Mr. FREF.MANTLE thought, that this increase of income was due to the high and amiable characters which their Royal Highnesses had al ways held in the country. He was convinced that. if the Civil List was Inquired into, enough would he found to meet the increase, with out imposing any additional burthen on the people. Mr. D. GIDDY spoke in favour of investigation of the Civil List, previous to any additional grants. Mr. BENNET r spok e w a r m ly aga i ns t an y i ncrease d ex p en ditu re . He has against voting for the resolution at present. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUE R remarked a strange inconsist ency in th e speec h of the Hon. Gentleman, who began with recom m . ending ec onomy, b ut, before he ended, was for an increase of splen a_.or.aed dignity, an d a l arge settlement. As to the present condition etthe lllustrieus Personage allud e d t o , he was av e rs e t o sp e ak, it had nothin g to do with the question before the Committee. The grant of !rat additional to her I vl a j es ty, was ent i re l y unconnec t e d w i t h t h e resolution. Concerning the Civil List much representation had gone labroad, as to its amount and application. Much of this representation, believed, was wilful, as if the whole expenditu re was confined to that the family, which is far from bein g th e case. He did not think the Civil List promised any saving at all adequate to the extent of the resolution; but, if he did, there was no necesse.y for postponing the emlution. • ,ulsler'inNa3c; to whom lamented, extremely, the situation of the illustri whom allusion had beeri made in the course of the de bate, and thought it the duty of the Right Hon. Geutletuan to explain 193 to the House the reason of that situation. If he should remain silent now, the House would recollect that there was a time when he was ready to explain ; when he was not sati-fied to confine his justifi cation to the walls of that House, or to the limi•s of the empire, but was preparing. by a publication, to extend it over all Europe. The situation which he holds now, and which he held formerly, made it competent to a Member to put such a question. Mr. W. WY ti xF. thought it unfair and invidious to support the pre sent grant, by.in,isting on the many virtues of those illustrious females who were the objects of it, as if those who might oppose it were of a different opinion respectin g tf ic i r v i rt u es an d mer it s . It was not from being of a thffirent opinion that he wmild oppose it : but he thought that if the Civil List were examined, we had the means in our hands, and he thought inquiry should always precede grants. He was sorry that the necessary infnrm.qion was withheld a certain Illus trious Lady, and Jameuteci the great falling off of Court splendor. Mr. PONSONBY, coinciding in the opinion, that to rest the present claim on the virtues of the claimers was a most unfair meth ordeter. ming the moi - bn, he tkou7ltt that character was, on that occasion, en tirely to be left out of com , id , .,ration. Mr. H. TiloßNroN and Mr. Witoi - risLET spoke for the postpone ment, as did also Mr. BAR HARI. Mr.TiE RN v V inferred, from the silence of the Right Hon. Gcnt. ( Nfr. Perceval) that there was a separation.—(Mr. Perceval, No, no !)—'lleci I am to understand that the Princess lives on the bounty of the i)ti.;ce ; but that might be taken away ; and all then which would would be 3,0001. It was impossible he could be ignorant of Itor situation, and the Lord Chancellor intot be acquainted with it. He mi,st have made up his tnird as to what conduct he was to pursue. He wished to know why he had chanced, and what was the cause of it ? Mr. PimeEvAL replied, that he himself was the best judge what he was bound to say or tcAlo in defence of his character or conduct. He had no charge, nor had he ever any occasion to intimate any reflection on her Royal Highness. He had no &legated authority as to her; but he had no donht,if Parliament noticed her situation, that he might be commissioned to accede to the of the House. Mr. Tierney and Mr. Whit breal, speaking successively on the same topics, Mr. Perceval ref,,eatcd, that neithtr in his character of counsel, or any f,ther,lnd he inlinuated any thing that would constitute a charge against her Royal Hig!tnes3. After a few words from Sir J. NEWPORT, the resolution was carried without a division. On the second reading of the Bill for excluding Members of Parlia ment who had become bankrupts, Mr. Rochdale and Mr. H. Smith spoke against the Bill; Mr. Lockhart, Mr. W. Smith, and Mr. W. Wynne, in favour of the Th:: same principles were urged on both sides as at the first reading. A division took place, u hen there appeared—For the Bill, 22 ; Against it, 19 —Miority S. The Bill was accordingly read a second time, and ordered to be com mitted on the Bth of Aprii niAt. The Securities Bill VSYS Ore ,•; - e.:!, on the motion of Mr. Wriaß - rox, to be read • a second time on tle 7:h of itpr:l rust. The Irish Militia Bill, and Mi!itia Families Bill, and the Irish Soldiers Wives BPI, were severally a third time and passe.% J anwica Trade Bill was read a t!•1! - d time andpassed:—Adjourned. TUESDAY, MARCH 24. The Hon. Mr. EDEN moved that Mr. Campbell, and Mr. Hudson, the Sheriff's Officer, who was charged with a brea..h of the privileges of the House in arresting Mr. Campbell, should he called to the bar. On their appearance, Mr. Campbell stated the circumstances attendbq his arrest, and Hudson, in answer to a question from the Speaker, acknowledged he had arrested Campbell; hut was not aware he had acted wrong in so doing; Mr, Dan, s..liieltor for the plaintiff, .at whose suit Campbell was arrested, ordered him to keep the defendant in custody.—Mr. Eden then moved, that Campbell be discharged from custody ; this motion was agreed to ; and Dan and Hudson were or dered to attend the House to-n'orrow. Mr. BA KrS obtained leave to bring in a Bill to abolish and regulate Sinecure Offices. Mr. Wt..sTERN moved for copies of rll documents connected with the case of Captain l'emlinson, of tht Navy, who, he said, had, 'from malicious motives on the part of the Navy Board, been iniliczed tried at the Old Haile}', on a charge of o:•? . ery contrt&t,ci tiftt'cr; years ago, arising out of the F. upply of torn stores fur the use :)t . the ship under. Captain Tomiinson' :: s commend, by a shipwright of Dartmouth, named Tanner. Mr. CROKER opposed the motion, contending that no part of the proceedings against Captain . TemEnson, bad originat,!ci in malicious motives on the part of the Navy Board, but that the Joard was actua:A by ruotiver of public duty. After a long discussion, the House divided—For the motion, 91 ; against it, 53.—Adjuntutd. WEDNESDAY, NI AACSI 25. The Hollse having ref:olved into n Committee upon the Pario) P rE;9. tf!r• 13111, Mr. Rosa stated, at son le :enf ; th, :he neeroity of ptch a mea t.l. ai !ie abort to 1 , roos•-!, ar , l•l;t:tlied the parts 0; iHe ti,4t Ca: re,;, - Airity wheat prevail , :d in tly.: kec.1.:14; of au- :d to rcitr cm• p ;Le otiG abic!i 3d A loa I,:,rd nii!!e {l l 'o Li hi ved Gis 1(104 Canis• tllrowgi lie C e " . l Pr e l a N 'A ‘lll