The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser. — London, England, 1807-03-27 00:00:00

dnithis, as to whether the question had been dir tinCt;e undei stood, in regard to its fell ostatit, either by Its M jetty, or by some Members of the Cabinet themselves. The words of the Lord Lieutenant's Secietary were undoubtedly the cause of bringing this matter tender concideratiou ; because I, along with others, felt the necessity and propriety of any doubts being coinelerely removed, previous to the Bali being introduced ions Parliament. Some die tinfliim may, in certain c .ses, be made betwixt a private Member of Parliament and a Minister. I conceive, that a Minister may, as an individual Member of Parliament, introduce Measures, to which the antheorty of Government is in no d egree pledged. I could adduce instances of this , in re ined to the late %r. Pitt. That Gentleman intro duced both the subj:•et of Parliamentary Reform, sod of the Steve 'Pride Abolition, without con = suiting or having the previous consent of tie exist ing Gcvernmtmt. My Neti:e Friond, in the oth er i T,nor, ( Lord Grenville), and myself, have, u 'n erve:wet Members of the Cabinet, introduced a e•easure of a similar nature with that last one I have shaded to, 1 mean the Bill for the Abolition of that infamous trade, dosing the short time we bare had the honour of being in chi Admiiiistration, which, thank God, has at length been successful. In the present measure, so introduced, we had the sandier:l of a written an charity ; otherwise I should have thought my setC under existing ciieumninces, highly censor able. if I had introdu:ert that Bill into Parliament, without btlevieg that I had the consent of my Colleagues in office, as well as the consent of the rng. I have stated, however, that a doubt arose, as to the extent of the Bill in question. It WAS then deteisninett, in the Cabinet, in the absence of Lord Spencer alone, (he being absent from iii health) that I should write a dispatch to the Lo rd Lieutenant, inclosing the particular clauses in tended to be introduced into the Mutiny Bill, Bating dietinaly, that they were in confor mity with the dipatch I had fornicrly sent, and adding expressly, that the Catholics were to be ad mitted to pi eferrnent in the army, without tests Rhone; which confirmed what had been explained by Mr. Elliot, at the meeting I have stated. That dispatch ' was sent to the Catht,iics, after having been on the previous Methlay sent by me to His Majesty, been pernsed by him, and returned to me without the small. st hint of dissent. (land marks of approba tion). 1 say, that under such circumstances, it was insmedaattle forwarded by me to the Lord Lieutenant ; a step whir* I could-never hesitate to adept, in any case where I found such tetisbdion so expressed. In the mean time, &jet:lions were started to the mea sure, after it was brought into this House, in point of the form of proceed'. g ; and, on reconsideration , of the matter, is was thought better to introduce it in the shape et a separate Bill, instead of expressiit it in the Clause., alluaied to in the Mutiny Bill Oa the Wednesday following, I attended the Leyte at St. Janses's, and had a particular audience of H.l 'Majesty, who asked me what was the business com ing on that day at the House ? I told him, that tke Mutiny Bill was corning fa. wird, and I men tuned, at the saute time, that this chance in dre fuser el peassedere, bad been fraud nece s sary, in order not to impede the progrees of that Bill.— He asked rue whether the separate Bill intended to be brought forward, was not the same, in point of form, as the Irish Mt of Parliament? I stated the circumstances in which this last Bill was to differ from t h e former, which, I added, had been already explained to His Melesty in the dispatch already laid before him, two days bi fare that on which I was addressing him. I, also, on that occasion, re stated the reasons which induced me to think it was a measure indispensably necessary for the welfare asd security, not only of the regular Government of the country, hut the very existence of his do minions. His Majesty upon that occasion did ex press to me a general assent and approbation of the measure. Meer ! bear ! hear : hear ! ) I did un derstand from that conversation, that I had re ceived such an express consent, as led me to con clude, that the assent originally given bad not been withdrawn, and that I might safely and with propriety bring that Bill into the House; what confirmed me in this opinion and intention was, that Lord Grenville had bad an audience with His Ma jesty on that very day, and I learnt from him that His Majesty did not state any thing about the Bill. Under these imps essions and convidions. I certainly did introduce the Bill into Parliament; and during the whole of the week, I heard nothing of the nature of tkjeltion to the measure, from that high quarter. Swine objeftions were, however, stated by one of my Colleagues I dluding we suppose to Lord Sid mouth). Although I had communic a ti ons i n t h e WWI time with His Majesty, relative to other sub- Jetts. no objeftions were ever stated to me by His Majesty, nor did I ever hear of them from any other quarter, till I happened to be absent from the frHouse, on account of the loss of one of my near 1 relation,. I learnrd that His Maj esty had stated dedded objeflinni ro I.'rJ Gienvile, to the mut sute, m far as It went beyond what was granted in the Irish Aft et Parliament ; and that he had recur red to the conversation with me on the preceding Wednesday. I WAS immediately convinced that His Majesty bad aftually misunderstood the staled be. fere him. Alter having introduced the Bill into Parliament, I felt it my duty again to explain my conduit to His Majesty. I according'y demanded an audience of H.; Majesty npon the following day, and told him I must have misunderstood his most gracious erpressiona, which be had used to me upon the subjed of this Bill. From that moment rt became a 'skied of the moat anxious considera tion of Ministers, perntaded as they were, that the misunderstanding had net originated on their parr, by any other means than by a strift adherence to the duty they owed to she country and to their Sovereign; and from an anxious d e si re to assuage any rebellions spirit in Ireland, by the most prudent means. We immediately took measures to assimilate it to the Irish Aft, in order, as far as possible, to conform to the wish of His Majesty; but. on a full examination of the terms its which this Aft was con ceived, in regard to excluding rtstriftions, and intro ducing previsions in regard to the Navy, we were s..nn satisfied that it was impossible for us to core t. such a Bill, or to introduce it in such manner as to relieve it from the objeffions started, or to leave it seas as it would be cunsisteint with the wisdom of the Gown, or consosaat with the public safety, to Wing forward at the present crisis of egaits. The onlj thing we could de, was to pores., i n &- (entree to His Majesty, to athandon the measure al togelliet, is it wed ififtpbenVe to red oce it into ley eth. illePe. I am aware. Sir. that in doing this, I *as making a great sacrifice of my own feelings, to what I conceived to be my public duty ; but when the circumstances are fully understood, it is oast which I do not scruple to say, that I would not hesitate to make again. But, Sir, at the time we made this concession, there was a desire expreiled by His Majesty, that we rhould pledge ourselves that nothing of a similar natere should be in future introduced into the House. We could not consent to this regeistlien, as we found it would be neces sary to reserve to ourselves a power, not only of explaining our conduel and opinions with respe.) to the Bill itself, but to A& with consistency in. cur support to any other measure relative thereto. that might afterwards be introduced into Paeliament, and submitted for His Majesty's decision. We ac companies] this our representation. with an assur ance couched in the most delicate expressions, that Aegis Majesty's Ministers wesemost anxious to do every thins that could be conducive to the prospet its of his empire. It has been stated, however, in that partial publication to which I have alluded, that we stated that we were to persist in that measure ; and that we thought it indispensable not to make that reservation required; and that our anxiety to please His Majesty might not he understood as re straining us from submitting, from time to time, such measures as circumstances might require, as to the state of Ireland, I.et us site in what situa tion we should have been, had the Bill been with drawn without such a pledge being crafted. Mere would then have existed no necessity for His Me jestr's Ministers to have stated to the pubic the difficulties which had occured, or the eth i etetor, which had been started. There would has tties. sufficient public grounds for ofterweres drawing it, on account of the opposman at • have met with in the House ; but having o e introduced it, it would have been highly oil proper to have withdrawn thus, withou staine all those circumstances in vindication to our con• duel. We may also look to these circuelseincei odder which the Catholic measure had teen voted, when further concessions had been sought ; and we may look to the impi enlist) which that unfortunate event might make upon the Catholics is Itelard. We may also look to the opinions of these sated their sentiments, before the Koitinns were presented ; and feeling the necessity a pursuing a simile' and consistent conduct. would it, I would ask, have been either fair or hot ottrabie in as. not to have apprised His Majesty ef that hue w:ach our public duty rendered necessary for its to put , see? Our duty was clear and cotiststo t, and at once respe.liful and Leueurable towards ! his Ma jesty. Supposing that we had given such a pledge, and that a similar discussion was again: to take plate, upon a Petttion from the Catholics being presented to the House, how could we have avoided stating our ()pit ion in favour of the mea sure ? After having acted thus. and holding such opinions, I would ask those who accuse is of rifting insuitiegly, and fencing, at the setae time, a measure upon His Majesty, what other course we could with consistency have adnr ed ? Our reasons felt declining to accede to those teams proposed, were respeelfully stated to His elo jesty, and that we could dot admit of such a pledge, without a complete dereliaion of our duty. Suer. were the reasons stated to His Majesty ; who cer tainly expressed satisfaaion at our deference to his opinion ; but he still required us not only to is ito draw the measure, but to accompany it with a letter, or assurance in writing, that we never would again propose or countenance any thing similar to it— (Wear ! hear ! hear!) 1 have, Sir, no complaint to make upon this occasion ; I am sure that the motives and opinions which dictated that plan no the part of His Majesty, were those of the purest nature. Having had opportunities en iugh o: marking His Majesty's benevolent intentions to. wards his people, his disposition to pri pose every thing that can conduce to their welt ..+e end happi ness, I have nothing to say in regard to his coandult • upon this occasion ; but tar dill teat is the case its regard to those conneeted with him, and who have taken upon themselves to advise—( Lod and reiter ated burst, approbation ; toter ! bar! Ara. !) As far as His Majesty is pet sonally concerned, he stands, in my apprehension and opinion, lully acquitted. as having aged from the most honourable feelings and motives of duty to the nation. I stated to his Majesty the impossibility of our compliance with such a requisition; and the consequence was, that that communication, on my part, was soon after wards accompanied with an intimation on his, that it was necessary for him to look out fur other Mi nisters, and accordingly receiver his commands to deliver up the Seals. Such. Sir, is the history of the whole trausailion ; I have not referred to pa , peis to suy port me he the statemeat I have made; but lam extremely anxious that all the pipers con netted with the subjen should meet the public eye and it I lit Majesty would be graciously pleased to authorise his new Servants to gave every information to the. House, I. for one, shall - be perfettly satisfied. I trust that the statement I have made will t h .n be fund to be cornett in all its points, and that the House will be convinced of the three foilowicg bets: lit, That it was not without sufficient reasons and motives that we proposed this measure. origi nally, to His Majesty ; 2(4, That whatever mis understanding may have unfortunately arisen, we did not persist in doing so, without having reason to believe we were possessed of his sanetion ; eJly. That when that misunderstanding was discovered, we did every thing see could do, to make concessions in the most respeetful mariner; from au anxious with to ad with consistency, when called upon by Parlia ment and the country, to explain our condutt ; and, at the same time, to consult Ills Majesty's ease and comfort ; And, lastly, that our con duet would have been highly blameable, had we failed in stating as we have duke. These. Sir, are the conclusions which I hope and trust will be drawn by this House, from a full investiga tion, and mature deliberation of the matter I have thus taken upon me, perhaps too personally, and too imperfectly stated. I shall now conclude by observ ing, that I am willing, and fully prepared, to give such farther explanation as may yet be requitet; and by throwing myself upon the candour of Use House, I feel no divposition to complain ; sure as I am that I there can be but one feeling, but on! opinion, as to' the Motives which have itloaitel Hi s M n i esu 4 ,,, n this critical cotijuneture of affairs. So far from being one who could join any party iq a measure likely to excite dissension amongst His Majesty's loyal subjeas, there is no man who could be more desirous in his heart to prevent animosity or any dispcsition to revolt. Such. I can venture to add, are His Majesty's own tenameists regard ing me. I have had repeated marks cif His Hopi approbation, and it is, I feel, an inward comfort and consolation to me, in now quitting office, to re fwa, that in no one instance, unless this be an excep tion, has my service to I his Majesty and my Coun try, however deficient I may have been in point of abilities, been otherwise than faithfully to peform my duty to the utmost of my power; and that I have, in various instances, received the highest marks of approbation. I have, in the outset, stated, that it should be my endeavour to abstain from. all topics that would be likelyto create any argument t'ision the subjetff, and I. trust I have adhered to this int, atinn, and that I have shewn, in my own tiehall, ar.ci that of my Colleagues, that a similar upright and manly 4-indult is essentially necessary to be observed by all Ministers, as a contrary one would be not only highly unconstitution il, but highly criminal, were Ministers to accept of power, and at the same time subjeCt themselves to any such restraint.— (Hear! hear! later ! 4w !)--.-Ii was clearly a sti pulation which I could not enter into conestently wth my duty to myself, soy Country, or my So vereign lam anxious, that, it cut of this matter a 'notice) c uld he made, that. it should not be done het .. re pre,ence of those who are concerned in II:e ire:: Administration. I was, at one time, in tending to propose, as an amen intent to the st...ti rn now made for Adjournmeer, that, in :es.' i.! Wednesday se'nnight, the House should :lie, t .o Monday se'nnight, in order to expedite this in uortant investigation ; but the difference is so tri vial, that I shall not object to the motion, providing .rlisre means he proposed, in order to hying it under discuses .111 as early u possible. after we have restuns ed our sittings " At the conclusion of Lord How;ek's speech, such a number of Members left the Moto., as wet? as of strang. ra from the gallery, that amidst the noise and interruption which prevaled, for some time. it was impossible to collet, with any distirieness, what im mediately followed. Mr. Ill:SKISSON, as far as we could collet), was stating to the House, that as neither lie, nor any other Member present, as tar as he knew, had seen any official documents on the subjeCt on which the Noble Lord had so amply dilated, it was impossible lii, hirri to enter upon any argument on the aubjetl; he should, therefore, wish, for the present, at least, to wave all Hither disrossion on the principal to. pits of the Nchle Lord's speech. But although he had not seen the Cabinet Miriu:e referred to, yet undoubtedly the substance of what purported to be that Minute, had got into the bands of other person', and had thus Indira:By beta conveyed to the public. Mr. FULLER also s rid a few words, amidst min* rouse. that prevailed for Some time. He °b urred, that the Noble Lord had made a distinaion between measures brought forward by him and others, as individual Members of Parliament, and then brought forward by them as Members of the Cabinet. He thrat'2ht this Ine of distinaion ought to be clearly defined and ascertained, for the satis fation of Members. Ile wished to know of the No'rle Lord, whethet the seals of effice were taken from Lim on Tuesday morning last ? Lord HOW ICK replied, that he had received, on Tuesday mon ing last, His Majesty's commands, to deliver up the seals of office, and which he had :IC linaSty done yesterday morning. The Hon. Mr. BRAND gave notice, that on that d.y.• I. rtnight he should bring forward a motion, 1 sets . gto ascertain the opinion of that House, of onet of the late Administration ; and also as 1 , ire grounds on which His Majesty had hero :Weise.' to dismiss his late Ministers horn his ser vice. Central LOF lUS, alluding to the relief granted to the Roman Catholics of Ireland, by the Parlia ment of that country, in 1793, said, he thought the Noble Lord (Howick) had given a mistaken re preseutatiou as to any pledge given to that body by the hish Parliament, as to any ulterior measures, tendiog to what was vulgarly bur erroneously called tath,lic Emancipation, by the Imperial Parliament, or as extending to the services or the Irish Catho. ' lies in this country. (.lac efit such Noise, qvii •'‘ for tome tine de•riungd 14e lireurrake 4i:coerces voice, he proceeded). He should be sorry that the Hoo;41 should break tip for she Adjournment without his bviag permitted to say a word or two upon the sti!jetl; he thought it material that Gentlemen should not go sway under any such imptession rest ing on their minds. He lamented that the sobjeft of the Roman Catholic clams should angalis his become suds a prominent feature of discussion, for nothing was more c ilculated to inflame the poblic mind, and particularly the lower orders of the Irish Roman Catholics, than by inculcating the ides of grievances sustained by them. Ni thing was wanted to insure the happiness cf !Wand, but good order and industry ; the great ma , s of the people in that Sister Island vivre in the same situation as the rich man's tenants were in this country. The idea of Emancipation, as it ma: wrongfully called, never entered into the common peopfa's minds, for they must know, that they were already possessed of civil and religious freedom ; they enjoyed undisturbed liberty of conscience to worship God, in their own way, they could pos sess fieeholds, they bad the privilege of the eleflive franchise (only not to sit in Parliament without taking the oaths), they could sit as Jurymen in the Courts of Law, and enjoyed other privileges, in common with His Majesty's Protestant subjeftr. He should he truly sorry, therefore, if, after what they had 'o lately heard, any Gentleman should go away with the erroneous and inflamed idea, that the Roman Catholics of Ireland were in a state of Slavery ! The question of adj.monment, to Wednesday, the Bth of April next, war then put and can ied. Mr. HUSIWtiON then moved for the following wow writs : Fto the County of NueltiotrAam, in the room of the Ri;lit Hon. the Margot. of TA.1.L014, appointed ore of 1.4 Lord. et the Troistuy. rot nri - ett", %II the reams if {1.4, 16 2 11.,41 Charles OM of the PAyombtot. Mal-.=‘ 7 i Fo 14,,,mrh teeralnon, m th , reohs or theft. lion 4abte L. rd Lovoisie, appointed owe m the m i.ioners for the Couteml. For the (7. ttttt ty of h.dii.buigit, in the room o f 11, e p• lloitontsisle R.Mert lfuuAa., sopoitred Post Comehromm, the Airalf of F.o the Iturough of lkfonesor.th, in the room of Charles Somerset, appiriot,l ipso M the Joint-Pape:44Ln Majt,iti% Forces. The Committee on lise War wat, nikv t tf , e Motion of Lord 11. Pt. ITY, postponed to I'Vedooqday cennight. The Report on the Sierra Leone BiR was rend.. ed, a.. 4 ntdered to lie lead a third tittle on We.rc,, day se'nnight. Leave was given to bring in a Bill, fonndee the Resolutions of yesterday, in the Contit'lr-,.• Ways and Means, for ra:t.ng a Supply to testy for Ireland. l'he Fuller's Soap exportation Bl], wa s tta .; third time, and parsed. Adjourned to Wednesday se'nnight. • PltEs LONDON, FRIDAY, MAncu Q. Lord Goitryti.ic and Viscount Howacc, night, severally gave their promi.el emplane:oi in the Ifonsesot Lords and Commons. had a very flit attendance. We never saw so grin a cruwd of strangers 41 the House cf Lo ds , belce tht bar. The following is the substance of the ar ticle in one of the Newspapers, so often alluded to by Lord GitertVlLLE and Viscount Huwica: 's That Ministers trusted His Majesty would to the ieln pensahle , nee:ssity of their exiwessing, oa witc.d-aeise 04 all, the strong per.uanoti they fait of the benefits which rough from a different course of polity to the Catholics land; and they further stated, that it MU 11141111e.telia their characters, that they should openly avers these ns. immits, out tray on the present ocea.ion, but in the erect the Catholic Petition coming forward , and they further tr. slued, that their present deferent , " to His blajesty nigk unt ►e understood as restrainine them horn submitting, from Cm, to time, such measures as ei•cumstances might re.;utrenne:4 Ina the state of Ireland." Both Houses of Parliament adjourned, last night, will Wednesday se'nnight. As this is a shorter period than that which the New Ministers originally p sorcsed, and, as such, a cencessior, it %‘ a, not objeaed to by the Opposit ion. I a.t night we received Frenc't Papers to ine 13th, and Dutch to the 22J, but they contain ze news of any interest. Yesterday, at two o'clock. His MAJISTV held a private Loree, at the Quark's Palace, which was attended by— The Du lvt of Port and: Earls A.,1e40.4, Camden, Chi. chest.,, &HA R.ith•irit ; Viscount Castlereagh 1.0 As Antra, Hnwitesburr, Eldon, ticatlifield, C. S nsterset, Muig-ava, and Lntaina; Sir S Cumuli ; hicon.s. retcownis F•mkeu r, Cam nine, R. II Sanders, Long, and Vetory. The following had the honour of being presert.d to His MAJESTY, upcn their several appoints:le:44 and kissed hands : F.4fi Camdeli t upon I being &eared PresiJent o;* t`le Lord Mulgraee, upon his being appointed First 1.0;i of tbe Irlmiralty, Lord Charles Senseiset, upon hi. being appointed Joint Pay ina-ter of th. Forces Earl Chienesnr, upon hi. ben4 appointeil one of unAst fi GCIIICfaI. Earl RAlliurst, upon hit being appoint 4 Master of the Mint and Pvewdes.t of the 13,ard Mr. Robert DUIIII4S Sand -7a, upon lib being appoiatiti ,ident of the Board of Control Mr. Long, up.,u hia beets aipc..tder.l Joint ramater or Forces Lad L , vaine, upon his being appointed M .mber of t I:- die Mond . Pace 41, uvrt his bring app...ate I Chancel:or of t r Excliotiurr. Alter the Levee, His MI.IESTY held a Privy Council, at which Mr. Primeval. was introduced, and sworn in a Member, and took his seat at the Hon. Board accordingly ; and, at the same time. was sworn into his Office, and took the oath of a Privy Counsellor. Mr. ROBERT DUNDAS SAKDERS WAS likewhe in troduced. and sworn in a Member, and tn-L his scat at the Hon. Board accordingly, after taking the usual oath. His MAJCITY gave audiences to Earl CAmorN, the Duke of Porcri.%:.o, Lord fliwiAsnuar, and Mr. PILIter.VAL• _ About five o'clock His LiAttsty set off la Windsor. _ - Ihe Prier-erg Erzileh packet, from Lisbon, is rived at Falmouth. She sailed on the 13th inst. I'he letters will be delivered to-morrow. The Wei. sinAans packet sailed from Lisbon on the 4th ins:. hut, on seem t of the c•.rtrary winds which Capt. Kinn experienced, he di:cs not conceive her missir;;; rhe Tinansheord, AdreAl,nd, and the Prim.), rl packets, from Falmouth, had arrived at Liibc' The Nam sloop of war. sailed from Lisbon, ot. t: 10:h inst. for Oporto; supposed to convoy t:•? Trade from thence for England. A brig 01 was. with two brigs, a Bark, and some other vessels (sill-. posed to he the I)ltpalch sloop of war, with her cotl ray, which sailed from Falmouth on the 6th), were standing irsto the Tagus, on the 13th, the day the packet sailed. PRICE OF STOCKS, YESTERDAY. :1 per Cent. Consols 5 par Cent. Navy Sill Onnouni Exchequer Rills par :!...I w. &irks!' Lottery Tickets IristrOmniuns 3"1 COllllOll tow .. LONUON :—.printed by DAVIDSON. Nu. 17, Duk44 Court, hue street, Cor.tt.Gaoken, and poblisbt.rl .t tt. ttffite, No. 15, lt..ck of Ut.eltotteoeb Cht::,:ti, Straw', by W. STUCK, of No 7, hew lAt'.!ut: Low( t Vg.. Oidert, de_ fur this Parts, :but (1.0 t i viii Ye defy attooderf to. ' . Ddi bei TN the th• D Nti ca 4 41 le re: 1..'