The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser. — London, England, 1803-03-22 00:00:00

• reason and condone, to be ptcjide i ed; tI"P enquiry ought to be made previou , to the declaration of judgment, whatever that judgment might be. His I.ordship concluded with dularing, t h s he should vote fi): the Motion to withiraw the original Mo. tion, and that because no parliamentary grounds had been st ited in support of that Motion. The question WAS pat, and the miginal motion was permitted to be withdrawn The Committee on the Chalking-Bill was put off till Friday `lwo public and three private Bills were brought up from the Com Mons, and presented by Mr. Alex ander, Mr. Dickensoaand others, and severally read Y first time. Judgment, it is expeaci, will be given by the Lord Chancellor to-morrow, in the Appeal Lloyd o. Gr.►,dy.--.\djourned. HOUSE OF COMMONS. MONPAY, MARCH t2l. The SPEAKER took the Chair at half-past Two o'clock. Three new Member-3 were sworn. Sir GiroaGE Situexaeaum, Bart. and a few other Members obtained leave of absence fur short periods. The Rill for regulating the Office of Surveyor General of his Majesty's - Woods and Forests, was read a second time, and committed for to-morrow. Lord GLENBERVIE moved for leave to bring in a Bill for the purpose of enabling vessels employ ed in the Greenland Whale-Fishery, to counpkat their number of men in certain• Ports, for the pre sent season. Leave was iiven. Fr FRANCIS 131.1 RD 'TT rose to make a few observations on the Bill for ereding a Workhouse in the parish of St. Pancras. He stated, that the Bill was brought in after the sub:Ted was discussed and strongly objeded to in the Vestry. That the Peti ti,ni for leave to bring in the Bill was signed by :2!.)0 persons only, and the Petition against the Bill aas signed by taoo respectable parishioners. He also stated, that the parish contained upwards of 7,000 inhabitants paving taxes, who were in gene ral adverse to the Bill ; and as it was to be taken into consideration by a Committee to-morrow, he should svish to hive that Committee postponed to the .33th instant, that the Parish might have an op portunity of expressing their sentiments more fully, for the purpose of opposing the Bill. The Hon. Baronet then moved, that the Crsminittee on the Pancras \V.-. khousc Bill shouldosot sit until Wed nesday the 30th instant. Mr. COURTENAY obsett-ed, that the Bill went to give fise diredors an absolute powtr, and changes the whole laws and regulations of a Parish, consisting of 7um inhabitants, in a must extraordi nary and objecticnable manner. A desultory ecnversatinn then took place between Mr. Baldwin, 3lr. Ale;:and,T, Mr. D.ut, Mr. Hurst, and Sir Francis Burdett, when strangers were or dered to withdraw, and a division took place. On returning to the gallery, we found the numbers N 1 re, Against the Motion For it Majority against the Motion Mr. TILIRDON moved, that a Committee should be appointed to take into consideration so much of the Elation Aa as related to Short-hand Writers on Committees appointed to enquire into the Merits of Petitioo.s coroplainiag of undue Elations, and how that part of the Expellee should be defrayed, aad that the said Committee should report to the I hiva: respecting the same. Lerd Everov, Col. Bars' L, and Mr. Ler, se *erally spoke in NO terms of the very great aivan t.:ge the ditTerent t ommittees derived from the exer tions of the Short-hand Writers; in short, that they could not have gone through the business double the time, but for the aa,istance they received from those Gentlemen. A Coramittee was then appointed to consider of the same, and report accordingly. On the Motion of Mr. DICKENSON, sen. the Bill for suspending, for a time limited, the Al of lenry VIII. re , rating the non-residence of the Clergy, was read a second time, and ordered to be taken into coosidcratic.n by a Committee of the whole House to-morrow. A Message faint the Lords, announced their Lord'hips' assent to some private Bills. A person from the laspeCtor General of Exports and Imports, brought up certain accounts respea ing the exportation and importation of Wool, which wet e ordered to lie on the table. The MASTER of the ROLLS gave notice, that he intended to move for leave to bring in a Bill for extending to Roman Catholics the benefit of an ACI o f the ath of his present Majesty, by exempting them front the necessity of taking any. oath, except ing the Oath of Allegiance Lord CASTLEIIEAGIL moved the second read ing of the Resolutions of the Committee on the India Budget. Several t.t . the Resolutions were then read and agreed to, when Mr. FRANCIS requested a moment's attention. Ile conceived that when accouuts were laid on this tank, it wits the right and the duty of every Mem ber to invcs,,ate them, and where any part ap p ated oyaiainible, to state his objections on that subject. nue word as applied by him on a founts night, had been the subject of much animad version. Rut he should justify the word false, as ap plied to accounts, in so much as it had no relation whatever to moral truth or falsehood. In objeaing to an account, was it to be said that you impeached the honour or charafter of any person ? If so under stood, no person could with safety or effea objet to ally account his duty may prompt him to point out as defative, without running the risk of incur ring a personal enmity. He was as far as any Mem ber of that I louse from ascribing an improper mo tive to those who produced the account, and would wish to be understood as ohje'ling to the account as a put)lic document, without any reference to the authors of it. Ile should, however, observe, that out of this had arisen an important subjea. It was said, that the mention of the Company's capital stock would be an improper charge on the debit hi.!e of the account. But it was a matter of great importance to the Proprietors of East India stock t know die Dame of their security. It was said t', t t Ciovernatent guaranteed the capital of the East. ladia Compily at twelve millions. As to the mean ing, of the term guarantee, he conceived it to be plain, and so have exaaly the same import as when Government guaranteed the pa) menu of the interest on the lmpertal * Loan. But will the Affable Lord say, that Guvernuieui has gutaratiteed the East in; 40 r"' ..-- ,„, die Company's capital at t w elve , ? Is it so, or is it not ? fer it was a encortstance he tither `heard Of hefote. Sir THEOTHILUS ME TCALFE said, - he eleseld call the arleation of the Howe for a few nua meets to two points. And first, he would appeal to the recolledinn of every Gentleman who was on the Committee, if the Hon. Gentleman did not call the account a gross fabrication of the Direetors of the East India Company, tbr the purpose of deception? It was certainly the privilege of any Member of this House, to investigate the accounts that were laid before it, and to objed to such parts as he conceived to be defedive ; but to call any part which perhaps he did not understand , a gross fabrication for the purpose of imposition was in the highest degree un warrantable. He conceived that the Noble Lord (Castlereagh) had on a former night explained the cause of the omission of the capital stock in the most satisfadory manner. Another Right Hon. Gentle man (Mr. Wm. Dundas) had also answered him in a very clear and convincing manner, by explaining that It was an account expressly stated to be exclu sive of the capital stock. And yet the Hon. Gentle man declared himself unsatisfied. Secondly, as to the term Guarantee, on which the Hon. Gentleman so panicularly dwells : he never said that Government had guaranteed it, but it was guaranteed by an Ad of the 31st of the King ; and if the Hon. Gentleman would take the trouble to refer to that Ad, he would find that as soon as the public had received the sum of 500,0001. the surplus produce on certain branches of trade were to go to form a fund for the liquida tion of so much stock. This was the nature of the guarantee, which was a plain word well known, and which did not require the explanition given by the Hon. Gentleman ; and the only way to account for his mistake was this, that the lion. Gentleman heard the word guarantee when he was pen - ally awake, from which he fell into a gentle slumber, and heard,or seemed to hear, at some other stage of the debate, the word Government, and thus by drawing them toge ther produced the combination of the words Govern ment-Guarantee. But this misconception was not confined to this House, it had got abroad into the public papers (Here the Hon. Baronet was called to order). He by no means meant to say, that any person had presumed to publish the Debates of this House, he only alluded to a paragraph which was evidently paid for. (The Hon. Baronet here read a few lines from a newspaper, which misrepresented the statement he made on a former night.) He said, that the accounts were sb complicated, that it was impossible to have them perfedly Cr: red ; and that the Court of Diredors could only make them out from the best documents they could procure. He would say again, it was impossible for a monien_ to suppose, that the Court of Diredors could be ca pahle of fabricating accounts. And that the House might know that those wicked men, the Dire tors, did not fabricate those ace:ants,. he would move that the Clerk should read from the Journals the order of 1; J 4, which expressly mentions that accounts should be made out exclusive of stock. He also contended, that whether the stock was included or not, the ba lance would be found in favour of the Company. He apologized for trespass:ag so long on the atten tion of the House, but said, when so severe an at tack had been made on the charafters of the I)irec tors, he felt himself called upon to elecidate the subjei as much as was in his power. (The t then read the order of the 2WI of March, 17n t, which stated, that accounts should be made out ex clusive of the capital stock of the Company). The Hon. Baronet then said, the only conclusion he wished to draw from it was this, that the accounts objected to by the Hon. Gentleman, and in so un qualified a manner termed :t fabrication, were drawn up in the usual manner, and in conformity to an or der of the House. He then contended, that, not withstanding the mauy difficulties the Company had to encounter, in supporting a very expensive war, the balance would he found considerably in their favour. In the course of the last ten years, the exportation of woollens, metals, &c. amounted to seventeen millions; and in the last three years the duties paid to Govenunent amounted to upwards of five millions. Lord CASTLEREAGH rose to express hisk con currence in the explanation given by the Hon. Gen tleman. As to the guarantee, the public had a claim on the guarantee fund. After the payment of five hundred thousand pounds, the nominal capital of the Company was six millions ; and if the assets were found to be equal to the debts, independent of the capital stock, there could be no doubt as to the nature of the security which it afforded. He was certain the lion. Gentleman and the public need have no apprehensions respecting the affairs of the India Company.—They would have no claim on the public lait would, he was confident, be able to con tribute, in a very considerable degree, to the .exigen cies of the State. Mr. FRANCIS, in explanation said, he was perleCtly satisfied with the answers given him by the Noble Lord and the I ion. Gentleman ; but wished to know if, since the year t 793, any pro gress had been made with r,zard to the objeas of this guarantee fund? Mr. WM. DUNDAS said, that he was now satisfied with the explanation given by the I-ion. Gentleman of the expressions he had used on a former night, and though the Hon. Gentlerhan does not now appear to have had an intention (dim puting dishonourable motives. yet to the car of a plainman,c..pableoljudging ofthemeaningof words, it did appear a very serious charge, and from which he must have expeaed warm tangnage to arise. He at that time did warmly call, in terms of defiance, on the Hon. Gentleman, to prove his charge. And the Hon. Gentleman, by now admitting himself perfeCtly satisfied at the explanation given, justifies the warmth of the language he then used, by ac knowledging himself to have founded a serious and unwarrantable charge, on grounds which it now appears he was totally unacquainted with. As to the ontis , ion of the capital Stock, he conceived it had been fully answered ; and as to the term Gua rantee, that also had been sufficiently explained.— There was but one point more he wished to allude to, and that was what related to a Noble Relation of his, who lately was at the head of the Board of Column'. He then read a printed document, which, he observed, was in the power of every Member to set, and which would fully explain every part of the conduct of his Noble Relation ( Lord Melville) while he held that situation. Lie concluded by observing, that the arrangements made in time of peace had been interrupted by the war. Mr. JOHNSTSNE repeated most of the obser- .~' 4. THE BRITISH PRESS. LONDON, Tlja-DAY, MARCH Yesterday evening, at six o'clock, Mr. SPARROW, the King's Messenger, arrived at Lord IlAwitts- BUR Y'S office, with dispatches from Lord WlllnT wonT it, at Paris. It was expected since Saturday morning, that the answer of the FIRST CONSU L to the dispatches sent off by oar Government on 'Tuesday last, would be received in the course of last night or this morning. It was also supposed, that the dispatches contained the final determi nation of Ministers, and must, of course, bring the dispute to a speedy issue. It was consequently reported, upon the arrival of the messenger, yester day evening, that he was the bearer of the defini tive answer of the FIRST CONSU This is the only way in which we can account for the report; for it is impossible that the nature of the contents could have transpired. It will be seen in our Stock List, th it the Funds experienced a rise of per cent. in the course of the day. No intelligence was received in the morning ; and our warlike preparations appear to proceed with unabated activity. The improve. ment in our Funds was, therefore, probably owing to the accounts received on Sunday, -through va rious channels, of the pacific disposition of the French and the Dutch people. We have al ready inserted an account of the extraordinary conversation between the FIRST CONSUL and Lord Wu I T 0R T 11, and now present the French report of it.—However the accounts may differ in derail, there is no doubt but that the substance is true.— Various letters received from persons of rank, who were present, agree in representing the manner and language of the FIRST CONSUL upon the occasion, as violent and intemperate.—Even several of the French, who were in the circle, sheaved by - their looks and gestures, symptoms of contempt and astonishment, at such unexampled behaviour,- . ' Where, then, we are at issue wAsiich exit:tor didarr character, whose impulse and movements are all new, and nut to be judged by ordinary s ulcs, it is impossible that Ministers should know whether we shall have peace or war. In this state 91 uncer tainty, they have wisely resolved to provide against the worst. By the Dublin Mail, which arrived yesterday, with papers and letters of the 17th, we learn, that the Lord Lieutenant summoned the Captains of the Yeomanry Corps of that city on Tuesday last, and intimated to them, that as art occasion might which might make it necessary for Sir WILLIAM MEADO'VS to withdraw the garrison-troops, the mi litary duty of the place would devolve upon them. He, therefore, requested that they should make re tuns of the eff:xTve strength of tlnir several corps, in order that arms might be issued accordingly. The report which we have inserted of his Excellency's Address, is taken from. the Dublin Evening Post, and diGrsmaterially from one inserted in aLcndon Even ing Print ofyesterday, in which he is made to state, that " although he had reason to think that the country was generally in a state of tranquillity, he was sorry to have reason to say, that there were still existing. proofs of continued treason ; for within the last t hours, zi.t pike heads, recently forged, had been e'scovered in the neighbourhood of the capital."— The disturbances in the South of Ireland, we a:e sorry to find, have Lot yet subsided ; and it is much to be feared, that the prospeEt of a renewal of the w;:r increase tlinn. In the county of Water ford, a body of 15(33 men lately assembled, and 1 , !.- veiled the fences which were ereEted around the im provemeats of Lord HENRY STLAkr. ... Paris Journals up to the t ith inclusive, received yesterday, take no notice of the misunderstanding between the two countries, except what is contained. in an article in the journal de Commerce, of which we gave the substance yesterday. NVe in s ert it t hi s day at length. Yesterday we received New York Papers, of the 10th of February. The clandestine importation of the disorderly Negroes froth the French NVest-lndia Islands, into the United States, has been warmly resented. Yesterday we received nine supplements to the Aloniteur. They ate filled with financial re ports, to the exclusion of every other article. It is impossible to attempt any detail of statements so minute and so extended. _ . _ Citizen BARBE M allots, Minister of Finance, concluded a long report of the financial operations of the year 10, with a flattering view of the finan cial state of the Republic for the year 11. The service of the year 11," says he, " opens with untouched resources: they consist of a dispose_ able produce proportionate to the expences of the Republic. There is nothing fiaitious, nothing un certain in the receipts on which these resources de pend ; they are real, :md, as it were, indigenoos,— and have not been encreased by any loan. The year 10 has left a sum of two millions for the service of the year 11—A•convincing proof of the great ad vantages to be derived from order and ce con omy " By their giving foreign nations a certain know le(ige of our revenue and expenditure, we manifest to them the extent of the means proposed by France, and prove beyond a doubt one of the princip2l sources of her power. This picture of such various resources will also hold out to them a certain pledge of general tranquillity." The French Government seems wonderfully de sirous to point out to particular attention the flou rishing state of the finances of the Republic. Without questioning the accuracy of the statements, we may be allowed to trust, that in any legitimate struggle the finances of this country would be found amply sufficient to enable us to make every exertion which the situation of the country might require. Gthteral WHITELOCKE, who returned to Ports mouth to resume the command of the garrison, in consequence of the threatened rupture with France, has inspeaFted the several forts, and ordered all Ilse guns on the works to be mounted. On Saterday two troops of artillery-horses passed through Chichester from Portsmouth for Itingmer, near Lewes, where we hear the same portion uf ar tillery will be kept, as dal ink; the war. In the course of last week several parties of the . marines passed through Winchester, on their way into the interior, on the recruiting-service. On St. Patrick's 1/ay, the Imperial fh-g was hoisted in Dublin and in the evening their - lencies the Earl and Countess of HiuuwhctL gave a splendid Ball and Supper on the occasion., to the Nobility and Gentry.--' Ile preparations were of the most elegant and costly descziption. Colonel Briaa stoNT, of Yorkshire, will, we be lieve, be shertly created an English Peer. 'l.ll - handsome manner in which he gave up his re giment to the s: rviccs of Government, and the la ro properties his Lady holds in Northumberland, au 1 her popularity there, well entitle him to such a .11i tinaitAr. Yesterday we received the following accounts from Gibraltar: GIBR kI.T AB, FEB. 24. " The two French line-of-battle ships that have been so long behind the Rock, with troops on board for St. Domingo, are nuw passing Europa Point with an easterly wind. The weather has been uncommonly told these three weeks past: during several following morn ings, ice a quarter of an inch thick was found on the higher parts of the rock : ,all the crops" in the neighbourhood, that, two mouths ago, were at least four inches high, are completely destroyed; and the Spanish farmers are now plougiling their land, to sow it afresh. " The Grenada Mountains in sight of this place have been covered with snow these six weeks. " No accounts from Egypt or Malta latelyr. The Garrisoz are 41 healthy as usual." . ! rations and arguments, which 1u used in a fotmer debate on the subject.; and contended, that rift withs:anding the flattering statement .made by the Noble Lord, of the affairs of the East India Com pany, it was by two millions two hUndred thousand pounds worse this year, than it was last year. Mr. WALLACE said a few words, in which he agreed with the Hon. Gentleman who spoke last, that even from the accounts on the Table, the Com pany seemed in a worse state this year than the last. Mr. KI NAIRD felt great pleasure at the state ment given in by the Noble Lord of the Company's affairs. .But he wished to have 'a question answered, which was this :--Whether any money had been paid into the Guarantee Fund, from 1793 to 1798 ? Lord CASTLEREAGH said, no money could be paid, until .he India debt was reduced to two Mr. KIN'.-:AIRD eiplaincd. The remaining Resolutions were theft read and agreed to. On the Motion of Mr. WICKHANI, the House resolved itself into a Committee of she v. - hole House on the Irish Militia Buenty Bill. Mr. WICKII AM stated, that he had two amend ments to propose. The first was this—That Grand Juries may have the pow:,r of levying money either on thecounty orbarony, as m.gvapnearmosteligiblefor forwarding the purposes of the. bill, until repaid by th Lord Lieutenant. The second amendment was, that the penalty of five hundred pounds on Militia Colonels, for sending inc3rreilt returns, may be omitted. . A conversation took place between Mr. Wick ham and Col. Bagwell ; after which the amend ments were adopted, the resolutions agreed to, and the report ordered to be brought up to-morrow. The Irish Postage Bill was reported ; the Reso lutions agreed to; the Bill read a third time, passed, and ordered to the Lords. Mr. ALEXANDER brought up the report of the Irish Restriction Bank Bill, when the Amendments were agreed to, and the Bill ordered to be read a third time to-morrow. Mr. BAILLIE moved, that the Order of the Day for the second reading of the Grenada Bill be read. Mr. WILBERFORCE wished to have the se cond reading deferred till to-mot - law, as he had some objenions to state against it. Mr. BAILLIE then moved the second reading for to-morrow, which was agreed to. The Committee of Supply was postponed to Wednesday.—Adjourned. PHRAIrRE-TOTAL, DRURT-LANE. THIS LVENING will he pretitted a New Historical Play, in Three Acts, called THE 1 ; K 0 01."1*HE NORTH. o,::tur.: and %luaie composed and selcc . e.l by Mr. Kelly. The principal Character; by Mi. rope, Mr. Wrougliton, Mr. Kelly, Mr. Ilnymorid, Mr. Dowtnir, Mr. Weallister, Jar.. Mr. De Camp, Mr Caultiehl, Mr. Sr-rtvsielr, Mr. Grimaldi, Nlr. Gibbons, Mr. Fklier. Mrs. 14:ing, Mr , . Mountain, MN. llarlow,r, Miss Menage, Mrs, Wand, Miss Tyner To which w;ll be added, THE DEVIL TO PAY. On Thursday, The Vero of the North, with The Virgin Uniwasled; Miss Lucy, Mrs. Jordan. Th, p,thric are most respectfully informed, that the Tragedy of Pizarro is in preparation, and will be produced on Monday, the instant. TIIRATEE-ROrAL, COVENT-GARDEN. 'FIBS EVENING will be performed a New Comedy called JOHN BULL; Or, AN ENGLISHMAN'. FIRE-SIDE. The principal Charafters by Mr. Lewis Mr. Cooke, Mr. fr.iwectt, Mr. Johnstone, Mr. H. Johnston, Mr. Blanchard, Mr. Finery, Mr. Waddy Mn. Gibtr, MI. Davenport, and MN. IL Joillibtoli. The Prologue to be spoken by Mr. Brunton. With a Lyrical Epilogue by Mr. Johnstone. After which, (First Time), A Mono Deima, or Tragic Scene, culled TH..E CAPTIVE, By Mrs. Litchfield.. The Overture and Music composed by Dr. Busby. To wlkit.:h oill be added, THE GHOST. On Thursday, the New Comedy called John Ball.