The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser. — London, England, 1807-03-19 00:00:00

• dirr7we' • IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. - ttriSe OF LORDS—Oreolutseerv, Wawa M. In` et Scotch Appeal Cause, Wiley o. Wyte, the Lotd*Chancellor pronounced the Judgment of their Lordships, affirming the original Decree. Mr. Wilberforce, lard Howick, and a consider able deputation from the Commons, brought up the Bill for the Abolition of the Slave Trade ; the Sugar Drawback and Beuntie , Bill, the New Provi dence Salt Exportation Bill, and three private Bills, which, with the exception of the Slave TraJe Abo lition Kill, were severally read a first time. The Earl of AYLESEORD (white wand) ac queinted the House, that the Resolutions, respeaing the decision of their Lordships upon the claim to the Peerage of (toward de Walden, had been corn muiticated to His Majesty, who was pl. as 4:1 in answer thereto to say, that he should take it into his most gracious consideration. • Mr. Johnston presented, at the Bar of the House, the Fifth Report of the Cimmissioners of In silty in Ireland; which was ordered to lie on the Lore GRENVILLE presented several papers re lative ro the Mutiny Bill, which were ordered to be united. SLAVE TRADE. •- His Lisrdship then observed, that an Aft origi tiding in teat House had been returned from the Commons--he meant the Bill for the Abolition of 4e Slave Trade, with severe! Amendments, not at all altering the piincip"e of the Bill, but such as he tooted, upon set ious consideration, would meet wife their Lordships' concurrence; in order, there. fore, to give the house a full opportunity of can sideung the matter, he moved—.• That the Bill, together with the Ameudaseeth be printed, and taken into consideration (if printed) on Monday next."—OreltreJ. sex, tent JUISCATURE. His Lordship then adverted to the Bill for the better reteeeting the Courts of Seteland. He said, it was a mea.ure of greet importance. and required their 10/11 , 4t delibet anon and Care. The alterations proerised to or• .node in the Judicature of that part pf the Unites El:geom. were large and extensive, Ind the difficulties to be surmounted, by excluding the one pert, or adopting another part of the Bill, were very considerable. Great advantage, there for-, might arise from deliberant:B fully and ma turely upon this subj.& ; and aecindiag to what had been suggested by a No Ae . j.,ord (Eldon) upon a former night, for type:ad she Bel iron two or m is parts, he was strongly impressed with the ex pediency of such a measure For these reasons, also, he a ished• the tune of deliberation upon at sheulsf be extended, and whatever objetlioss had been made, wereto be mat e t ethe measure, his ip bad no hesitation in saying, her more col tnicnce in the eeueficiel operations of this Bill, than any he had the honour of bringing forward fair bome time. He, therefore, meant to propose, that the Committee should be instruaed to divide ' the Ball into such earth as shell be found expedient ; at il.e same tune, be wished to be understood. that they were net to reject any one part of the Bill in paiticuLue but hoped the House would proceed equally a iih both parts He concluded by moving, Z e lhat the Order of the Day for going i n to the Committee, should be discharged, sag asp/mimed for Monday nextt Lord ELDON thanked the Noble Been for the very great attention he had paid to this suhjett and declared. that the opposition he hail already given to this Bill, was from a conviaion, in his own mind, of the great difficulty of t':e subje&. He again deprecated the idea of attempting to intio duce the I liAlby hay, in Civil Cases, into Scotland, in the first inseam.. unless the voice of the public were with it; as it wouldbe subversive of the bene fit. it was intended to bestow in the administration of justice in that part of the United Kingdom. Lord e.RSK IN E said, he hoped at a future pe riod of their Lordships' proceeding upon this mea sure, to convince the House, that the difficulties in introduting Trial by Jury, into Scotland, were by no means so great as was imagined ; and with re gard to the technical forms of summoning a Jury, and the like, the more he looked at it, the more sim e le and praaicable it appeard to him. Lord MELVILLE advised the House to look at the measure, windy and seriously, before they would adopt any plan ; at the same time, his Lord ship was clearly of opinion, that if the Court of session could be divided into two or more Courts, consistent with the Articles of Union, it would be higlily advisable • and recommended, that the Outer and loner Chambers should be so regulated as to have the whole responsibility fall upon certain • of the Judges presiding in these Courts. The Doke of NIONTROSE concurred with the Noble Lord who spoke last; but thought the disizion of the Court, into Two Chambers, would be more eligible than into Three. Lord LAUDERDALE thought it was impos sible to enter into a discussion of whether one plan or another was the most expedient. We had ex perienced the benefit of three Courts in this country for many years, and it might go forth to the pub lic, that in framing this Bill due attention was nut given to that part of the subject. Lord REDESDALE was of opinion, that some means might be found nut to divide the legal from the equitatle jurisdietion ; and some simple mode of proceeding might be adopted to introduce the 'Trial by Juty at some future period. Lord HOLLAND thought the Noble and, Learned Lord (Redesdale) had mistaken the future operation of the Bill ; and some Noble and Learned Lids had mistaken lel the Scotch writers on this the Judges were converting them : judicial into a legislative body. in conclusion, cautioned their Lord coafounding together the equity of that of England. tN, in an explanation of some lees h, ocular laws in Scotland, where it had that it was not enough to comply Parliament, but to obey the law. AIRD earnestly entreated, that the take care that the Court of Session the power, and extend the law be at it. 'ILLE shortly explained; and . ,LAND, in an able and animated f subjed ; that ti salves from a His Lordship, is ships from cos Scotland with tt Lord SLDOI adverted to past' by: with tc.d Att of esLtl Lard KINN/ Home should is did not Abase yond the biter c Lord MRI . , Lord Ift )I.L. .rts, Afte which the motion for postrni.ing tl.e Ccra naittee, until Monday next, was agreed to nem. di, and their Lotdships wet ordered to be summoned for that day. On the rnotkm of Lord GRENVILLE, the Pa pers relating to the Mutiny Bill, together with the Eiji itself, were ordered to be printed. The House thed adjourned mail tomorrow. HOUSE OF COMMONS. A Message from the Lords intimated, that their Lordstnps hid agreed to the Irish Tobacco Bill, the lt. , vnl Marine Mutiny Bill, the Sierra Leone Bill, And the l 'Limes Police Bill. Some Petitions were presented from Tanners, against the Oak Ba►k Bill, which were ordered to be referred to the Committee upon that Bill. Colonel STANLEY gave notice. that tomorrow he would move for leave to bring in a Bill to reign. late the Woollen Manufadurers, in several counties. The A DVOCATE-GENERA Lime notice, that he would to-morrow move for leave to bring in a Ital to regulate the payment of Seamen's Prize• - - Mosey. Lord Stapfo►d presented at the. Bar of the House, the Report from the Colchester Committee, stating, that they had determinedthat Robert Thorn ton, Esq. is duly eleEted a Burgess to serve in Par liament for the borough of Colchester, and that the Petition is not frivolous or vexatious; and that Wllli irn Tufnell, Esq. is duly eleCied, and that the Petition, as far as respeCts Mr. 'rulnell, is frivolous and vexatious. Mr. Vansittart brought np a special Report irons the Shrewsbury Elefliwi Committee, swine the non-attendance of Mr. Wyndham Quin, on, account of had health. Thi► being tensed by Mr. Taggart. a medical gentleman, Mr. Quin was excused for his non-atten lance this day; and, on the motion of Mr. VANS! rfAR the'rgid Cnmmittee were em- powered to adjourn until Saturday next. A person from the Commiuioners of Inquiry in Ireland presented their Fifth Repot upon fees, per quisites, and emoluments, of certain offic.s.—Or dered to lie cn the Table. and to he printed. A person from the office of the Chief Secretary. in Ireland, presented an Accaunt of the Sums levied by Grand Juries in Ireland. Ordered to lie ou the table, and to be printed. ROMAN CATH•O.IC OFFICERS' BILL. Lord HOWICK ruse and addressed the Heine as toUmrs " Sir, 1 some time ago had the honour to intro- , duce into this Ilnu,e, a Bill for authorising the ad mission of certain Religious Sects into the Army and Navy, and to entitle Roman Catholics, amongst others. to hold Commissions therein, which Bill stands in the orders of to-marrow lor a second read ing. I have already been wider the necessity, on account of certain circumstances, twice to propos' to the II use the po.tponement of that Bill ; and I have now to state to the House, that, on account of these same circumstances, I shall not be prepared to proceed to the second reading to-morrow, as I fully intended. My not being able to name any pat dm ler day for the (milkr privet:slings in this business. makes me think it b •tter nom to give notice, that I I shall not to-morrow move for the second reading ; and in consequence, that order will drop, to be her,- after revived. as %sill be found most expedient. I am aware, Sir, that the course which this measure has taken, must necessarily attract much attention and observation; and that the House will be naiu tally desirous to have ume explanation upon the .. . subjerft to which I have alluded ; but all that I can At present say is, that I throw myself upon :he in dulgrnce of the House (Load erreA of Hear, Hear, fruns all quarters), as I feel. that my public duty does not authorise me to do more. I can assure the lituw, however, that whenever the moment arrives, when it will be deemed proper to say more, I shall not fail to avail myself of an oppor tunity of explaining all my public conduZli but under the present circumstances, I trust 1 thAll not be pressed furthzr upon this subjcet. I shall therefore • corihne my 'el to stating, that I am not yet Autho r:sea to say more, than that 1 shall out to-morrow move the second reading of that Bill.' On the motion of Lord HENIItY PETTY, the House was ordered to be called over to-morrow. The Irish Paper and Riper-hangings Duty Re gulation Bill, WAS reed a second time. and ordered to be committed to-morrow. WESTMINSTER ,ELECTION. Lord 1-lENRY PET IT moved the order for resuming the ptoceedings upon the Westminster Lleaion Petition, and that the Witnesses win, had already been examined, do attend. On the order being read, Mr. SHERlDAtsirose and said—" As I am the individual against whom this Petition bas been presented by Mr. Paull, I beg leave to state, that as the whole of the Evidence which has been heard at the Bar, is now in the hands of every Gentleman in this House, to them I commit the whole of the question. I have no inclination to intrude upon Their patience, by bearing further testimony, to repel the extraordinary charge which bas been mule against me. I would think it were an insult to the House, to endeavour to adduce stronger testimony in my tavoer, than that which has been already !ad duced. A Noble Friend had moved for a Return, shewing the time of ser vice, in the Navy, of Thos. Weatherhead, which it was at first supposed would have stated, with sufficient minuteness, the whole progress and charadter of that Witness. The Re turn, however, accordingly presented from vie Navy Office, was merely comprehended in one line; which being uns.stistaaory, a further account was afterwards moved for, to show, more particularly, the whole time and nature of the service of this Mr. Thom's Weatherhead. That account was now printed, and before the House; and by it, it appears, that initead of serving on board of one ship, called La Prudente, Mr. Wetherlprad has aflually been serving on board of twelve i or thirteen ships, having only remained five or six days on board of some of them, and two or three months on board of others, running the gauntlet as it were through the whole Navy; and further, that he deserted more than four times. As to the piece of his birth, Mr. Weatherhead has told the Housese, sometimes .hat he was born in Newcastle, sometimes at Morrill, and at other times in Lon don, as it suited his pui pose. Application was made by him for a ceruncate at the Navy• Offices in Order to pass as a Lieutenant; bet, instead rff presenting proper certificates from hit airmail Cap • tains, it appeared that he had forged them, awl than the reason why Le was refused, ronsettion . . I only state these taas as a sample of this Wirnes.'s charaEter, as appears from the Re•titn madeto the amended :notion. I wish to spare that ‘Vit nest, and all the poor wretches who have been brought to your Bar; although I could have wished to have sifted this point s whether or n:4 rie Witness% who have appeared before. us, imposed upon those who employed them?' or whether there was any conspiracy existing, in order to tying for ward that charge? With this rematl: I close. the subjea; aid I put it to the feeltugg of the House; I do not wish. to detract Irons the _ _ profession of the law, as I entertain the UMIAK re spell for the Members of tha• profes s ion s but the persons I mean to allude to, are eminent solicitors, some of whom are in this Hotbe, and in my eye, and to them I would put this question ; if a pers an came to them and said, Will you draw up such a charge against a Member of the House, (who would be unworthy of being so, it subseantia ed), they not ask that Frrson, if he knew the cliaraaers of those who were tocrore it, and whether they them selves would not have taken some pain‘, in order to see these witnesses, and inquire into their charaSers ? It it should appear that they (the witnesses) were men of such notorious infamy, that any Bpw-ctreet Offices, or Gaoler at Newgate, could have given she necessary information, would any Solicit t, of high and respeaable charades, have consented to make-up such a charge say, that, in the present case, if prnper inquiries, had beets made, the eha• saaen of these witnesses would have been found to be snob as could not support the charge of the Peti tion. I acknowledge that M. Williams end Mr. Brook had no hand in the bushiest, regarding these witnesses, and I think Mr. Powell may stand equally acquitted. If this be reputable pranioe, there is no. man's charaner that may not Ise brought into question by the rashness or unprofessional pro. cedure of a single adviser. I could have wished to have moved, "'that a Selesn Cominotte be ap 7 pointed to examine and incloire into the circumstan ces of said Petition." as at might tend to 'hew whether or not it proceeded from any conspiracy, and whether the charader of any of the Wit nesse. had or had not been previously ascertained or investigated? Although I say this would have been a very fit course of procedure ; yet, as I find it would tend to anticipate and interfere with the proceedings at present in agitation. as to the Me rits of the Election, I shall forbear proposing it, leaving the House to consult its own charanio and dignity only, in any steps they may think necessary to pursue." Mr. M.A. TAYLOR—" When this question first came before the House, it certainly did not assume the serious aspen which it has taken this moment. I have read, Sir,, with condderable Atte:ohm, the minutes of the evidence, which have been taken at your Bar in short hand ; and I must say, trot: I differ from the Right Hon. Geetleinan who has just spoken, as to the course of procedure which cught to be adopted. I may venture to say, that a more ti igrant conspiracy rev r before presented itself to this House. It is not eely injurious to the charac ter of the House, but it is, in my opinion, anew mode or Ai tazkiiig Mr. Grenville's BM. It is, I aver, an Attempt to make this House a channel of injustice, and the ve.iide of malice. On looking over the whole business, although the House may not be of opinion that it is a case requiring us to request His Majesty to instruff the Attorney-General to prose cute criminally ; ye:. 1 submit that it is one in which it may be necessary to punish some of the Witnesses for gross prev 'location. It is well known that the H use is always zealous in hearing every thing respening the rights of individuals, that can be offered; and such has been the case in the present instance ; but I am still of opinion, that the person who signed that Petition, had no reason to be alarmed that any Witnesses had boon bribed, otherwise he or his Solicitor must have inquired into their charaners. The apparent motive has been, that such a proceeding might find its way to the hearts of men, so as to prejudge the previeu; Petition, which is in dependence. I mast do Mr. Paull the justice to say, that he never would have signed the Petition, had he really inquired into, or been informed of, the real charadlers of those who were to support it. But those who have :Lined for him, seem to have used unfair means, merely for the putpose of exciting suspicion. The letter in the curtody of Harris appears, from the evidence, to be a forged one. 'flute has evidently been a con spiracy in the present instance. lteasuning upon the prinesples of justice and morality, is nor a conspiracy an attempt to fasten upon a man a wrong winch he never did, a crime which he never committed ?-- fake that definition along with you, and look at the charaner of Drake, one of the wit nesses. He appeared before you, he said, as a wounded Officer, who had fought the battles of his country. He alleged that he had been several times wounded in the service ; by the return which has been made, however, he never received bin pension for any wumid he received in the b telt ; but, that he fell from the mast head of a vessel, and broke his leg, which was afterwards am putated. Nor has this Mt. Dralcs been able to state, with truth, where he was born. Alter stating various places in England, he afterwards says, that, when in company with Homan, he boasted he could driinn " ksixtbAotiatlevs4 ) Here the Hon. M em ber of claret, becausehewasaenr statedlris h mvarious itscousistencies in the evidence of this Wit nes', in which he said, there did not appear a word of truth. " Both Drake and Weatherhead were per sons who ought, in my opinion, to receive your ut me.t censure ; and you ought even to adopt the most rigorous measures. For my part, I 'mould humbly submit, that a prosecution ought to be coin. menced by the Crown, against both of them, for e conspiracy ; but although you should nut tt.ink peeper to punish for a conspiracy, yet surely you will punish any man who tomes with lies and falsehoods in his mouth to the Bar ! I may still go further, and say, that, from the evidence of the other Witnesses, it appears, that a conspiracy has teen rennito; through the whole of them. ( Here the Hon. Member again cited rations parts of the evidence). If the House do no: think that there is enoug h to entitle them to commit tar prevarica tion, ethould be inclined to think, that Mr. Sheri efdHti oe ul jjeaevti:leoce sele:plrep:: din hinn44 woad 130 Fully j0%4;51 in iningino • the qthstine under the cognia mew of a civil Owe. The House, perhaps, would rather wish that Ott. Peat' should here the advents„ f lo n b .. p o f t o n n i in the their h t h h e e r : nl Voi poweri.4lupon te p t o : o n e t II the o er a ob i r l e C i . n n ag m A l em:i All ar n i : M a e Il i t e ee Houset i f I la l t i 4l : t 1 •1: can judge of is the ineoasietency. In my opinion, t Petition of Mr. Paull ought to be elected-el false, scandalous, and vexatious . I say, appears from the evidence ; end I may state that I form this o e i. nion fi om that alone, not having been in any ve, e °e e r " nor t i r t the f e pe o l e u n li i t :ta rnt ly d l di w uct i ay t t h .va t i : tia e mt4 F. Ae l t e: t o rt its ebaraaer, its privileges, its justice, and probity. Upon these grounds , I cannot submit to pass unnee tieed, a.Pertition that would make this House a char, red ing o l4 t; ir ini G n injustice, I l a; s AEI,t ee aadeep s it i s i i n it n e e re t s h t rises the virtue of the House of Commons. I never will sit by. timely, an see, by a new medm and snider false meters, the seenrity and ends of its justice, defeated ni sapped in the very foundation. With the leave of the i f 'List . , therefore, I shall gat. mit a Motion.. which, when agreed to, I shad follow up with another, respeaing M . Dreke,whow peeve.' ricatinns have been nenet eminently conspieueue." The Hon. Gentleman then concluded with moving, that, " The Allegations contained in the Petition of Mr. Paull, should lee declared false, ecendeloum and vexatious." Lord FOLK ES CON E—•• Mr.Speakee, I at fee fronethinking with the Hon. Gentlemen who has sent sat down, that the evidence adduced by the Peelle oner, is entitled to little or no credit ; I meet codese that I see it in a very different light ; and cannot help being surprised, is my turn, at the assertion of th it Gentleman, as well as the m lion he has eube ruined to the House. In tact, .Sir, I perceive hardly any inconsistency in the chain of misleilee adduced, and. therefore cannot divine on what grounds the Finn. Gentlemen expect to bear tl m. selves one in the assertion, that a conspnecy of the darkest kind his been made against the imereet, eye. reeler, and honour, of the Hon. Gent. concerned. If, indeed, there was a just ground to suppose such conspiracy existed, 1 hope I should not have been the lest to perceive it; and from that moment I should hive thought it my duty, not only to deal from supporting the Petition, but also to endeavear, in Cone 'it with every honest and upright Memb.: of Parliament, to dote a the inconsistencies and min representations oh the Witnesses, and thus render the dark end detestable deign abortive. The evi deuce, in my opinion, has been exactly such as the circumstances of such a case would ptrmit. The greater part of the statement of the principal Witness, Deeds-, reepeaed private communications with Mr. Sheridan, and of these communications, t.iere ceuid be no other testimony adduced. His statement, in other respedts, was corroborated by that even of Mr. Homan, the friend of the Right Hon. Gendo man, as well as by that of several others, who were admitted on all hands to be men of credit and truth. I cannot help saying, that the charge of tamperi: g with the witnesses, brought before the House, has been fully substantiated by the evidence brought against Mr. Wallace, the agent of the Right Hon. Gentlemen. (en the evidence of elMr. Weethohead, am not inclined to insist so mach ; though I then it far from deserving so meth censure. ass ime have been inclined' to bestow on it; indeed. I am of opinion, it is highly entrobsuetive of the statement of several other witnesses ; and the whole forms co complete and enoneaed a chain of evidence, that I am much surprised Gentlemen should have spoken of it as totally undeserving of credit or attentive. When such evidence, then, has beat adduced, is witnesses, each corroborating the other, it is es. tremely improper that gentlemen should not only now their total disbelief in the truth of the alleen tions conmined in th' Petition, but retort the chew on the Petitioner and his friends, of conspiring tie gether, to blast the charater and welfare et the Rt. Hoe. Gentleman." Mr. M.A. TAYLOR assured the Noble Lord, be had no idea whatever of charging either Mr. Par4l or Mr. Powell, with being engaged in the cons. racy. hut confined the charge solely to the witness produced at the Bet of die House. Mr. W HITBRE A 0--." I cannot help expressing my surprise at what the Noble Lord has advencedi in the first part of his speech. How is it possible that the Noble Lord, whets he reviews the evidece laid before the Ileum. and considers the %eighty and serious charges made against his Itig. • Honourable Friend. can avow to the House, sees nu inenndetency hi the testimony of the Witnesses produced st the bee ? lhe Noble feel had charged the Right Honourable Gent! , inn wish setting his agents to work, in ord r t' prevent the appearance of the witnesses before 0 Committee. In what part even of the e vidence those equivocating, shufiltng set of men, had t; charge been made gees; ? In no one instance h they been able to substantiate this charge. E. Sir• it is unnecesse.ry to go into the substance, their depositions; let us only take a view of t. witnesses' own description of themselves, arid I. whole fabriek, rased upon the foundation of ea evidence, will instantly vanish. In the eyes of nu• of any diseriminatein, no witness who had hie , •i will erg to give a fair and candid account of hiti• can be entitled to any degree of credit. But the Fo' cipal vvitnesr, Drake, has, in giving an account himself, stated fans which are not only disproved:: the evidence of mhos, but even by his oven tee moay in Isis subsequent examination. He descri himself as ten a&ing Lieutenant, who had loite leg in the Battle of Camperdown, in 1797 ; that derived his subsisreece from several pensions, wh' had, in consequence ot his distinguished service been bestowed on him. The whole of this has she been proved to be false; he was never a Lieun went of the Navy, nor in the Battle of Camperlo he had lost his limb in the year 1798, and WI pension, but one from the Greenwich chest . sneh an evidence in the front of his battalion testimony, let the Noble Lord set out, and how many proselytes he will bring over to his t Mon, that there is no conspiracy existing age my Right Hen. Friend, nor any reason to . 1 . 3 the assertions of men, who, even in deem themselves, have been guilty of the most ha, e bleach of truth and deceoc'. I em glad t