The National Register. — London, England, 1809-03-26 00:00:00

THE NATIONAL REGISTER. MARCH 26. titre deliberation, and however ungracious it might ap pear, after the communication made b) the Chancellor of the Exchequer, he must still persist in it. He had conscientiously voted against all the Addresses yilti•.-1 went to charge his Royal Highness with corruption or criminal connivance (Hear ! heart) and he perfectly concurred hi thinking with his Right thin. Friend (Mr. Perceval) that ais Royal Highness went oat with clean hands ( Hear ! hear ! j'eNn the Ministerial bench**. ) put after that question was decided, he caw no other course for the House to porsoe, than that branch of the inquiry which he had taken up. The question of interference, without any degree Of corruption attaching to it—of interference arising from an im proper and unworthy influence, appeared to him to be one which the House ought to come to a decision upon. This 'was the view w lich he took of the subject, when he tirst sub mitted his Resolution to the llotke, and he had seen no occasion to alter his opinion. Some (cnttemneu would have voted for the more severe measures, had not his intention of bringing for ward his Resolution been known, and this he thought a very strong reason for not withdrawing it. In describing the connection which the Duke had himself condemned in his letter, but only in one place, and then oul y with a reftvence to the unpleasant pt o- Feedings which had re s ulted from it, he had expre , sed his sense of the initnorldity of the transaction. It had been argued that the House was a very improper judge upon such occasions; but where a connection might have led to such dangerous conse quences to the State, he fii4 not see how the House co uld withhold its opinion. The Right Honourable Gentleman concluded with moving the following Resolution, 44 That while this House acknowledges, with gratitude, the beneficial 'effects of the rules and regulations introduced by the Duke of York into the office of Commander in Chief, and. the general improvement of the army under his command, it has seen, with sleep regret, that a connection the most immoral and unbecom- Ow 6, was attended with impropercommunication and i n terfere n ce, and gave colour and effect to transactions the most criminal and 'disgraceful.'' Sir WtI.I.IAM CuRTIs supported-the Motion, Lord A L - rn on PE was of opinion that the Duke of York had been guilty of corrupt connivance (Hear! Hear!) hut he thought the country would now be *satisfied with his 'removal. should therefore propose as an amendment to the Right Hon. tientleman's Resolution, that his Royal Highness the Duke of York having resigned the office of Comumader• in Chief, the House does not feel it necessary to proceed any further into the consideration of the minutes of the evidence before the House, as far as they relate to the Duke of York, The CLIANcO.I.Oft of the EXCIIEWIER said, he preferred the Amendment of the 'Noble Lord to the :notion of ilk Right lion. Friend, which appeared to him n: tp ported by any evidence at the bar. ile should I;at ny time have thought it necessary, aud still less so at the present, when his Royal Highness had sent in his resignation. Lord TEMPLE stated, that when he heard the Commander in chief had resigned, he thought further proceedings unnecessary, but that opinion was altered when he heard the communication of the Chancellor of the Exchequer, and the tone in which that communication was made, when he said his Royal High pess did not resign until his innocence was declared (hear! hear!) The Noble Lord acquitted his Royal Highness of cor ruption' ; but asked if it could he said that he was acquitted of dispef;ing of places in his patronage under an unworthy and un becoMing influence ( hear ! hear !). Mr, WIIITIMEAn concurred in the Amendment proposed by the Noble Lord. He explained his roasons at length, and ad.. verted to some points of the Chancellor of the Exchequer s speech. He did not think there was any man in existence, who could have thought, after the result of the Joe inquiry in this Ilituse, and the vote given on Friday last, that the Duke of York would have remained in the situation which he occupied, lint now that he had resigned, he thought a motion which war intei ded to enforce his resignation, quite unnecessary. It would annihilate that secret, felt though unseen, party, which Lord Chatham had represented as standing behind the Throne, and stronger than the Throne itself. He did not approve of a moral lecture to lie delivered to Princes. The Princes belonging to the Royal Family in this kingdom.were compelled to marry against their will, and therefore almost forced into guilt by the rebellious feelings of independent nature. He vindicated Mr. Wardle's conduct it bringing forward t h e p resent Inquiry, aod congratulated him on the 199 Members of the House of Commons, that could not fail to thank him for his courage and patriotism. The CLIANOCLLOR of the EICUSQUER repelled AO charge 197 of having abandoned the Duke, who had acted from his own free will, unbiassed by advice. Mr. BATHURST replied at length, Isad the House divided. The Numbers for the Chancellor's Amendment were Against it I Is—Majority in favour of Ministers 123. Lord FOTASTO ME also put oil his notice of Motion from Mona . day nett, fortaltini into further consideration the Report of the Cummtttee Appointed to enquire into the conduct of his Royal Iligimea the 'Duke of York, until the 17th of April next. — Adjourned Tuesday, Mare: 21. VICTUALLING BOARD ArroINTMENTS. Sid C, pursuant to notice, in support of bit psi. Bon, recurred to u long series of documents in the Reports of the Committees of Finance and of Naval Revision, and took an his torical view of the state of the Navy at different periods, in or der as well to she w that that state was always affected either by the possession or the want of professional experience in those who at different times undertook its management, and directed its operations, as to prove, that within the present reign, for the want of such experience, ability, and industry in those who at different periods superintended the various branches of naval extraditure, the most gross and flagitious profusion, improvi dence, and pecilation had prevailed in our dock•yards at home, and our Beets in foreign service; and. that the public accounts in that department had been suffered to run into such arrear and confusion, as to render the audit of them totally impracticable, for a series of twenty years together, to the preclusion of all etl'ectual means to c :eck the progress of peculation and fraud . When the urgent a:7lirs of this country called for great ex. penditure. and consequently for a heavy pressure of taxation on the people, it was hut right and reasonable that the people should be convinced that a scrupulous and efficient yigilatae was exerted in every department of office, in order to secure the fair application of every shilliug granted for the public service; and his principal motive for now calling the attention or the !louse to this suhje.t, was not to cast any blame on the present Board of Adonira!ty, but in order to record on the Jour nak of the House a resolution which he should have the honour to propose now, " That it is the opinion of this " Hoose that neither the plan recommended by the Commis " sioncrs of Naval it evision,,,Sespecting the Victualling Board, " nor any other plan can he effectual, if that Board be coin " posed of any other than men of extensive experience, know ! " ledge, ability, integrity, and indefatigable perseverance in " their,ditties. • . • • :wt r. It, WARD Said..thatOte 4001 be totally at a loss to undermwi;.: !he real object of the lionoerable Baronet's motiort ruin his ;:.pecelt t4is night; if he had not heard the conversations both w ithin slid without -those malls which had their origin in the suggestions of the Baronet, an were calculated to throw blame on the present Board o. :'..( l .atiralty. He must, there fore, he excused from imputing Bic :aotion of the Hon. Baronet merely to the motives he avowed. lie must call things by their right names, and freely, avow his nwh conviction, - that the true object of the lion. Baronet's motion was to cast an indirect cell . sure on (he of Admiralty; and, therefore, without digs pining from the truth the Resolution, lie would oppose it by the previous question. The motion went to charge the Admi ralty with blame without a single argument in support of it. — He was, therefore, compelted to move the previous question. Sir C. POLE shortly replied, and the previous question was then carried without a division. Mr. FosTeß moved, the the Order of the Day for the com mittal of the Irish Malt and Spirit Duty Bill should De read. His object was to postpone its committal to Thursday next, as he did not think a Bill so materially affecting Ireland could be pro perly discussed in so thin a House. Sir 3. NEWPORT said, he rose for the purpose of moving, not that this Bill should be postponed to Thursday, but to this day six months—a Bill which be thought fraught with the most evil consequences to Ireland, and teading to endanger the peace of the whole Eampire. A long conversation then took place upon the subject, in which Mr. W. Smith, Mr. Barham, Mr. Leslie rester, the chancelloo of the Exchequer , M r. Hutchinson, Mr. Foster, Mr. Grants, Mr. Alderman Combe, and Mr. Iluskisson took a part, ate which a division took place—For the original Motion 3001. the Amendment 49—Mejority against the UM 13.-+The there lust for this lieuion.—AAjoitratd. • • I