The National Register. — London, England, 1820-07-10 00:00:00

till inpc cal 13adiatrient. , nousE of Lorms. MONDAY, SCLY 3. The special Constables anti the Quartet' Sessions' Appeal Biils were re.i I the second time. wsonvi:x T DEBTORS' AUCKLAND gave notice, that lie should IllOve the second reading of the Insolvent Debtors' Hill to-morrow. FOREIGN TRU/E.—The Marquis of LANSDOWNE. as Chairman of the Committee on Foreign Trade, presented a Report resr cting one branch of that important inquiry. The Noble Marquis, in moving the Report do lie on the table. begged their Lordships would allow him to offer a few observa tions. Ile had ban induced to adopt the course of reporting from time to time the views of the Committee, as the subject referred to them comprised various interests. Commercial. financial, and suanuLicturing regulations, were equally the sub ject of inquiry; but it appeared desirable, that those who had to propose a Bill, should have the opportunity of seeing distinct objects as they came bet Ore the Committee. This was the first of the reports which would be made to the House, and it would be found to elub. - ace particular points submitted to the Com mittee. The Noble .Marquis abstained from making any pro position upon it. lie felt duct he should not discharge his duty it lie did not state that the Committee entertained a strong opinion that some measute ought to be adopted to promote the interests of the manutacturer and the consumer. All the interests of commerce were in suspense. parliament consequently would not fail to entertain a Bill to regulate Mote interests. Some parts of the evidence submitted to the Committee had led to sugges tions a lach weie wtothy the attention of the House. It was impossible ui make any regulation in general policy without thfleteme of opinion, but the House %wont no doubt agree with the Couunittee in the view they had taken as to that which was most conducive to the interest of the Empire at large. The Committee, iu contemplation ut that interest, had considered the expenditure of classes of persons who had embarked capital for years past without advantage. They had felt it their duty to la down the great principle on which this question was to be decided. They had endeavoured to render the prom:ding con sistent with the existing interest ut the nation. The Noble Marquis adverted particularly to the duties on timber, in which tne Committee recommended a relaxation; and having expressed a hope that the Lords would not delay their determination beyond the ume necessary for due consideration of the various matters under enquiry, wncluded with moving the Report be printed. Lord ELLEN BOROUGH said, it was impossibie tin any Member of the Committee who had attended to the evidence. not to be sensible of the distress which pervaded all classes. The Committee had recommended the increase of the duties on cubi cal timber, and opening the Baltic trde. On those points the Noble Lord thought the House nUght a proceed to legislate with. out delay. The caution was agreed to.—Ailjout nest. TVESHAI, Ji - LY 4. Tin: QUEEN. REPORT OF '1111.: SECRET COM hIITTLE. This day the Earl of HARKOWItY, Chairman of the beet et Committee, appointed to examine the Papers re lating to tiie Lunduct abroad, laid en the table a re port of the result of their investigation. 'the Noble Earl made no preiiminary remarks, but merely moved the report be read. It was accordingly read by the Clerk at the table, It was headed, "Report of the Lords' Committee appoint ed to examine Papers laid before the House ut Lords by co: and ut his Majesty, and neportto the, con." 'the Committee having examined, with attention, the documents laid before them, they bud that these docu ments, supported by the testimony ut pessuiss resiiiimg in other countries, deeply affect the honour of the Queen, charging her Majesty with all adulterous etilltleCtital with a foreigner and a menial servant; also with a long course of licentious conduct.—These charges appear to the Committee to affect not only the honour ut the Queen, but the dignity of the Crown, and their opinion is, that it is neeessaiy to institute a s o lemn enquiry. The Earl of LIVERPoOL ruse, after the report had been read, and gave notice of his totem ion to bring in a bill to-morrow, on the subject matter of the report. — The Noble Karl at the sante time intimated that time would be gives' to suit the convenience of the Illustrious Person whose character was involved iu the pruceeditig, but he should state his views more at large to-morrow. — lie concluded by moving the Lords be sot ttttt trued to at tend the House to-morrow. Earl GREY said, lie considered himself bound, as a Member of that House, to see impartial justice done to the Illosti touts Person who was the subject of the Report. lie repeated the objections he urged us' a tinnier occasion and cultivated that the Illustrious Person accused did not stand is' the unprejudiced situation in which she ought to appear before the House. The accusation was made by persons who were responsible, yet a Secret Committee ut Lords could not decide on the accusation without a mani fest incoosistency, pet haps injustice. 'the charge brought against her Majesty the Qstecn was that of an adulterous connexion with 4 menial servant, and a long course of 11- centiotemess. Nothisig could be mole distressing to the feelings of any man. The Committee info: toed the House that tue cleat ges called indispensably fur enquiry, and it that necessity existed limn !he beginning, ail cumiii 0- anise Was illtllOssible. 'flit! Report caste front a Commit tee partly composed of Ministers, who had notwithstanding entleavouied to compromise with the Queen. They kmt slept over the evidence one whole year, dust tug Whiell the public mind had been kept in a distrm:ted state, and not Indy the bottom - ut the Crown, bat pet baps the safety of she country, endangered. 'the Queen stood lm a situation ander these Vilitiges in which no person eves stood helm She was accused, and tbe hearth in her defence ; yet before. that dermice could be heat fl she was prejudged ny the Seciet Committee. The cvtdwn e evils it CCiseti 'al lout allowing the Queen au opportunity to shew the cha racter of the witness , s. the derision ut th e u n wind tee the Queen was put wider accusation, and it is ulna be three mentlis 'refute she cultist make tier defence What apoiogy count that House utter fur a illsoet ekling SO rapid, w Inch rendered the tfiteeti the object or pi ijiidice,i insert spoil es-parted evidetire. The Noole hall hail s4lll Hon would be giseu let Majesty to pi e t iai e 101 her detemee. The specific Clititge'S would 1/(t 'cut to the 011t•i:11, with hit s'l the witnesses against her. lie expressed an opi nion that proper time ass uecessary. It would be gross Injostice to prucktd belure tier Majesty was tally pie paied. Ills object was to protest against the *bole proceeding, which he cousideted a violation uf law mull justice. 'the Earl of 11. MM‘v* Ill' said, lie should not adopt Ihe tune the Noble Lail nail essiiiiicd. Toe Noble Eat I stated, that his Majesty's Croy Li Ist had acted with gross injustice to her Majesty. The House would no doubt consider that (moonlit as unfounded. 11 ever there WAS a proceeding its which he had a right to assume THE NATIONAL REGISTER r - tls t the general opinion of the Eloise Wild favourable, it was that wttitis the Noble Eat Iso h deist eca led. Eat I G EY explained. lie repeated that it W:l4 a ease which Nlinisters could nut campioutise without a violation of duty. The Eat I of HAIZROWRY said. if it hail heen possible to keep the Queen float coming to England to disturb the public tranquillity, every lionom able man would have consented to sacrifice hi, own cons►itutional consistency, rather than agitate the une-tion. 1% hen the Queen (*Mlle over, there was 110 alternative. application to Par liament was unavoidable. He had a better opii.ion of Parliament than to suppose they would consider the retort in any other light than that of a verdict git en by a Grand Jury. Instances had occurred lit witiCll Chill I.:CA of this dest•t iption, against pei,ous in high stations, had nut been bionglit to trial tut seven years. The wound infliet• cd by the report of the Committee most have been given by the bill which the Noble Eail WAS to present to- morrow. 'the Earl of CARNARVON denied that the Secret Committee stood in the situation of a Grand Jury' 'l•be evidence upon which they made their repots would 1.1 , 1 have been received by a Grain! Jury. The object n bl involve a most painful emptily, and if the Noble Lipids opposite should pi tweed with the. Coronation until it us as decided, it would occasion dissatisfaction iu the mind, ale ady too much agitated. It was not to this Irel. ing of CI4IIIMUUS and dangerous Olen that lie allude d, but to all classes of own, who were looking to the winced tugs of Parliament upon this momentous subject. He submitted whether it would not be adeisr Able to postpone the Coronation. If it was brought on in the present stale or public feeling, the joy and harmony whll•h ouillit to prevail amongst all his Majesty's subjects would be tut tied to discord and disconteni. Eat I DARNLEY objected to the proceedings of his Majesty's Government Earl GREY again explained, and observed that lie had helm' no argument stated by the Noble Lind., which could justify them in cousenting to pay the Queen 50,0001. a year taken from the public, tin• the sole purpose of her remaining abroad. It seemed that site was at liberty, whilst away 110111 this conistiy, to indulge iu the liven tionsitess imputed to her Majesty, but the moment she se foot in England, the evidence was to he brought against her. This was no family difference, as it had been de scribed. It was a high state crime, and it was the ditty of his Majesty's Nlinistels to make it the subject of Pith.. cial proceeding, whether the Queen was in England or upon the Continent. The Earl of LIVERPOOL maintained that it was a public evil to bring forward the charges against her Ma jesty, and if that person had abstained from coming to England, it would have been the duty of his Majesty's Ministers to abstain from bringing forward the charges. This was the opinion of ninety- out of a hundred. Nu Statesman, uo man, would have proceeded in such a case without necessity forced hint on. The Marquis of BUCKINGHAM supported the pro ceeding by Secret Committee, the House, in his ()linnet), having sanctioned it in their vote. Lord HOLLAND could not admit that the House was implicated in the proceedings of Munster!, who could never be justified in their design of making a sacrifice of 30,0001. of the public money to keep the Queen abroad. It was, on the whole, a proceeding derogatory to the dig nity of the Crown, aud the honour of Parliament. 'l•he conversation then finished, and the Lords were summoned tbr toduorrow. WEDNESDAY. JULY S. The House of Lords, in consequence of of having been engaged to day in hearing appeals, did not meet until five o'clock. Atter several hills had been brought up from the Commons, Lord HOLLAND rose to present a petition, which he held in his hand, against the Alien Act, Ile was totally unacquainted with the persons who bad signed it ; but from its nature, he felt himself bound to move that it be laid on their Lordships table.— The Petitioners stated that the provisions of the Alien Act might be applied most injuriously in the course of the investigation which that House was about to institute, and which at present so much occupied the attention of the country. They gave Minis ters the absolute power either of keeping or sending out of the country such witnesses as her Majesty might deem necessary for her defence, while a secure and peaceful residence might be given to those on the part of her accusers. The Petitioners, therefore, prayed, that the Alien Bill should not be passed, or, at least, that such clauses should be introduced as would prevent the evils which they mentioned. His Lordship concurred in the object of the Petition as constitutional and necessary to ensure substantial justice to her Majesty. The Petitioners were certain inhabitants of Westminster Tut gut:Est.—Lord DACRE ro=e to present a Petition from her Majesty the Queen, in consequence of the extraordinary report which had been made by the Committee of that House.— Her Majesty stated that she had weighty matters to urge, which, so tar as she could understand the nature of the charges against her, it was absolutely necessary for her defence, that their Lord s:lips should be put in possession of it at the present stage of the proceedings. Her Majesty therefore prayed that she knight be heard by Counsel at the liar of the House. He (Lord Dacre) V1:114 perfectly unacquainted with the circumstances alluded to, but trusted the Queen's demanu would he granted. It was pro• bable that the suggestions which her Counsel had to urge might expedite and facilitate the proceedings in the important case which engaged so much ut their attention. Lord LI V I.: POOL could nut help ronarking upon the ex traordinary nature of the advice which Lath in this instance been given to the Queen. He was at a loss to know how she became informed of the proceedings of that Iltaitie. It wit , i utterly im possible to hear Counsel in this stage of the hnsines.s. If her Majesty would wait until the Dill, obeli lie had iven notice of, was bubittitted 10 the hou s e —until the tint step in/he proraxding against her was taken—lie would then move that a copy of that hill be laid berme the Queen, end her Majesty's Counsel might then regularly urge whatever they I.tut to state necessary for her detence . : - Lord DACRE assented to the course which the Noble Lord had polnied out was, plubaLly, tee'inicully correct; but when the high station and peculiar circumstances of the illustirlons individual alluded to were eunsit,erell, he trusted that her :ila jesty's demand would not on sueb grounds rcfused. I. , rd ELLEN littlioUtill could not consent that the high station of the illustrious illtliVj :Li question s; ould at all weigh with the !louse. No greater teeth:) . should be given to the Queen than to the lowest subject in the Scare; Laid he would therethre vote against the motion. Earl GREY said, that the H Juse wet pitted in its protcot embarrassing situation by the tanaluct of Monsters in sending the charges against the Queen to a Secret Committee. Ile agreed in the gem's& principle laid down by the Noble Lord who iipuke lint there were pet tliar circumstances in the present ease l deserving of :men:Lull. :she was situated as 1,0 other indivkilua of rank 'laud hum, ID torrent tioies--..s no other subject of this country could be with ceip.:et to that House. The motion on the vrayer of her Mitjtlty's Petition WAS Liege. Urged without a titywou. BILL TO DISSOLVE THE ROYAL MARRIAGE. AN n DE TRITE THE. QUEEN OF HER PRIVILEGES.--The rad a LI V ERPOOL then said, it was his painful duty to bring in the Bill of which he hail given notice. The principle of the Bill would be collected from the preamble, and it would be for thiuo whom it concerned to disprove the allegations in it. As the time would come for the Illustrious Person to make her defence, it was far from his intention to urge any thing that might produce more prejudice in the public mind. The noble Ea:l defended the proceeding adopted by his Majesty's Ministers on this un happy oceasiou, and observed, if he was to renew his steps, he should re.t cad the same ground again. It had been stated oa the best legal authority, that no judicial proceeding could be maintained in t h is case, consequently there could be noimpeach mem. That being the ease, and impeachment out of the ques tion, the Bill he had to introduce was the proper proceeding. By I.!z r 1 eon:wind , ' Parlementi, the ptoceeding . might arise in either House, hut it was better it should originate in that House. The only question had been, whether this Bill should be brought in on the responsibily of Government, or by the nvomtnendation of a Secret Committee. Ile had inq u ired into the subject, and it was evident that a proceeding of the kind should not he introduced on the ipsc di.rif of Ministers of the Crown. It was said the Report on the table went to prejudice the Illustrious individual. Undoubtedly it did prejudice her to a certain extent, but it was the unavoidable consequence of every proceeding of this nature. The 11.!1, said the noble Earl, proceeds to deprive the Queen of her titles, rank, and prerogative as Queen Consort, and dissolve her marriage. This is the nature of it. There are no penal •asequenees. It has been booted not to fall with unnecessary see en,y on the Illustrious Individual. The enacting clauses of this Bill may be altered according to the circumstances which may appear to the Committee. The sense of the charge will appear in the preamble. I trust your Lordsh i ps will, on this as well as every other atoceoding, inaure the respect and confidence of the country. I propose to read this Bill the first time this day, and I propose that a copy of the Bill may be Mrwarded in a respectful inanner to her Majesty. Your Lordships will perhaps not proceed with t h e second reading for two or three days, until we know what the feelings of the Illustrious Person are on the subject of her defence. I should propose to fix a day on Monday next, for further proceeding. It was the duty of the House to meet this question With firmness. It was seine satisfaction to know, that during a period of naar two hundred years, there had not been a whisper of shame against any of our Queens. Her late Majesty was a pattern to ail wives. They had a painful duty to pertium, and could not shrink trout it.—The Noble Earl then moved the first reading of the Bill. It was accordingly read, and appeared to be a Bill to deprive her Majesty of her title and privileges as Queen of England, and to dissolve her Marriage with the King. The preamble stated, that her Majesty,* hen Prircess of Willes in 181.6. being at Milan, had in her service one Bartholomew Berganti. A degrading into. macy was held between her Majesty and this Bergami. She not oniy advanced him from a menial situation in her service to the rank of an officer, but bestowed on him great and extraordinary favours, and obtained for him an Ordsr of Knighthood. While he was in her service, the Queen, regardless of her honour, conducted herself with indecent familiarity and freedom, carrying on an adulterous connection, and a long course of licentiousness. in violation of her duty to his Mcjesty, as well as her character 01 Queen. The Lords spiritual and temporal, In Parliament as sembled, declared, therefore, that her Majesty, after the passing of this Act, should be deprived of her title of Queen, and her marriage dissolved and annulled. The Earl of LIVERPOOL moved, after the Bill hail been read, that a copy of it be sent to her Majesty by her Attorney General. Earl GREY rose to ask whether any additional information was to be afforded the Queen, as without more particular evi dence of the charg es than the mere statement in the B ill, hes Majesty could not he able to meet the accusation. The Noble Earl also asked if the Queen was to have a list of the witnesses against her. The Earl of LIVERPOOL said, it was unusual to give a list of witnesses in any criminal proceeding, except High Treason. Full time would be allowed her Majesty to prepare to answer the charges by witnesses at the Bar of the House, when the Lords bat in Committee on the Bill. He was not aware of any additional information that could be given. Lord DACRE then adverted to the Queen's Petition, and moved that Counsel be called to the Bar to state matters neces sary for her defence. The Earl of LIVERPOOL considered the motion at that time quite irregular, but had no objection to consent to Counsel being heard to morrow.—Adjoutned. THIIIisDAY, JULY 6. QUEEN.—Lard DACRE presented another Peti tion t roan her Nlajesty, requesting, in the present state of the question, to lie heard by Counsel. 'the Petition was read by the Clerk, in substance as follows:—" 'lire Queen has heard with inexpressible as tonishment, that a Bill, tending to degradelter, and dissolve her marriage, has been 'nought tato the House of Lords, I where her Majesty has no Counsel to assert her tights. The alleged offence is contained in the Report of the secret Committee on the Paper. The Queen is footer informed, that her Counsel is refused a hearing at the Bar on points impoi taut to her defence, mid that a list of %rime-sea are to be denied her Majesty. Under these ClrCllllllll4llCell the detect' ilium its whether she has any course lett than to protest against the whole proceediug. She is, however, es to make one more aloft, Madill that view requests tier Couirsel may be heard at the Bar.' The LORD CHANCELLOR said, this was a ease of the utmost importance to all who might be accused befo:e that House. The Peillioll was not specific, and did not state what points Counsel have to speak to. It Was con trary to all precede. Wet before the wools lied been adduced to war rant the second readiog of the Bill, the defearce should be entered into, for that defence never be necessary. 'llse rittestion, the retort., was art Whether counsel should be called in, but lie should tome that Counsel be called in, and nisi' mica what points they were to speak to, ui• asked what those points were. The Earl of LIVERPOOL supported the Chancellor's proposition. Tile LORI) CHANCELLOR then ordered Messrs. Brougham and Denman to be called to the Bar , bY command of the House, asked to what points they la* tended to speak Mr. BROUGHAM cud—" In obedience to the cow• maul of this House, we are to staie tot what points we intl. lid to address your I.olll,llipS. It i. our iilt rution t° declare certain IllatielS Oil the OW( of the (liteeli, Whalen We cautul but think are calculeted to id (Once an Oleo Lott ellect upon lite eottweils of this blouse. It is iitattir of detrinsebt to her Ltje.iy that your Lordships should have beet' advised to ieject the petition of yestrida)' presemed hefure the Bill was read." Counselawl, after some disco s' wt t e called agawi lo speak wily to the ;node of proceeding on the Bill, and to tune. Mr. BROUGHANI then addressed the House. It had leached her Majesty's ear, that she was to be dealt with ill all i especla as if she was the lowest, instead of the highest subject. God grant, said the Learned Cou nsel, she wr," an the aititation of the lowest subject. If to, she wet not have to cutuphuu of delay. Had else been the 'new