The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser. — London, England, 1807-03-26 00:00:00

• the year 17?... th• saelb cffiee was Itgais rata.. etsi for life to Lord A ikelton. Them were thci only two instances 'kV+ had occurred du ;nit the period of one hundred and twenty-two years.- Upon these inetaacre, Ihave prepared myself with a few of the fans to state in support of thin p resen t motion. The circumstances of the one cannot. with propriety, be compared to those of the othe r, Lord Ashburton had filled the situation of Solicitor General, had been at the head of his profusion for many years (Hear! hear !), and bad dininguislted himself, on many occasions, in this House, by his consistency of conduce, and exertions to sup port the rights ef the people, and the dignity of Parliament. 1 recoils* of no similar ,ex anions on the past of. the Right Honourable Gentleman (Bear! eine: frays the Opposi tion Beaches.) That Noble Lord was also ea eluded from advancement in his profession, by at riving at the dignity of a peerage, Lord Mansfield being at that time Chief dustier of the Court of king's Bench, and Lord Loughborough Chief Justice of the Court of Common Pleas. Under thesecirennutances. Lord Ashburton being thought to deserve well of his country, get the situation now alluded to ; not as an inducewdet for what he should in future do, but as a reward for what he bad .already done. These, I behave, are the only instances of the Chancellorship of the Duchy of Lancaster being granted for life, but I wili not u nlit it positively. How, then, can it be said, that my motion can trench upon the prerogative of the Crown ? It must be its the tecolledtion of the Howe, that in the month of December, 1783, it being underssocd that His Majesty was about to grant that office for life, on its having again became vacant, the Hense of Commons did in terfere, and I hope this House will de the same. On the 23d of December, 1783, an Ad dress was presented to His Majesty, praying that he would be giaciously pleased not to grant that situation again for life, but only for a limited period. as at that time it was, thought it would be found necessary either to do. away that office entirely, or tc introduce certain modifications. I am net so wedded to the terms of the motion I have now inciposed, as not to ague to modify it in the same tetm:, if more agreeable .to the House. A Committee has been already appointed to inquire in . to Use please expenditure, and to suggest the most proper modes of 'felling any savings therein. I am pot yet warranted in stating that the office of Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, will, in con scquesce of their inquiries, be abolshed t but I have • reanen to think that they will unite in opinion with Mr. Burke, that it might really be dispensed with. It will shor tly be a matter of consideration, in that Committee, whether any office should be abolished during the life of the grantee? and I think it may be stated to be a grievance, as well as that of Rever sion. His lA-key has indeed the power of grant ing certain siteat ions for the life of the grantee ; but it may perhaps he thought proper to allow that to exist only during his own lite. The objet of favour of one King. or of case Govettunent, may have no claim of favour from rise next. is he intended grant to be considered in the light of a reward for set vices done ? 1 cannot make that admission.— That Right Hon. Gentleman, if report says true, is ,bout to be entrusted with another very honourable t and profitable situation. Are the Members of hot new Adrainistration, already placed ip such a notation with the public, as to take upnn them selves such a great degree of responsibility ? I should be glad to know for what reason this additional office is thus to be given away ? Bin, Sir, I have still smother ground to gu upon ; I may proceed to sup pint my Metiou upou sue mete general principle, that, pending LI-se investigation and inquiries of this Coieuettee, so appoieird, wa ought nut to infer tile, so as to delay their deliberations, or impede chair powers. The Measure which I propose stria cettoinly not be liable to the ohjea.ion I heard sta-ed, aenerday, relative to Reversionary Rights. It is no innovation of established custom. On the Address which 1 have alluded to being presented to I li. Majesty, he was graciously pleased to state, that he agreed with the suggestion. It cannot be alleged with propriety, that this is a sort of taking the House by surprise. Although I have been but a short time in the House, I hope the House will believe me. when they consider the circumstances of this case, incapable of taking any such advantage of those whom it may materially concern. I really never intended to take them by surprise. This is a motion which has sprung up nut of the Debate of yesterday, and is of such a nature, that had I de. layed, even fur a few hours longer, in giving my notice, this motion would have been rendered nu gatory. AU who know the Hon. Gentlemen now en the Ttessury Bench. might also know, that such a motion would soon have been tendered unneces sary, as they are disposed to grasp at every advan tage. They will do well, however. if they will al low every opportunity to the Committee now sitting, go go on redlifying•eilsOng *hoses, without any ir regular interference, in offices which are the subjeet of their (the Committee's) deliberations." The Hon. Gentleman tr.en concluded with reading hi; motion, as stated at the commencement of his e?eech. Mr. WARD—" I rise for the purpose of sc. cowling the motion which has just now been made, and to express my full approbation of the Hon. Gentleman's cendna and motives in bringing it forward. It is recommended by every consider ation that can be derived from recent example or Precedents. These precedents are sufficient to sa tisfy us that we are not interfering with the King's prerogative. livery grant, of the nature of that alliteLid to in this motion, tends to impair the dig nity of the Crown, in so far as it puss it out of the Kirg'• power to punish a weak, an inefficient, or a wicked Minister, by depriving him of those places, a' pleasure, *hich he might, at a nature period, think right to bestow upon wiser and better men. I - takes away all iwnr, ihnsierout from the S'sve. reign, even when he f:::Js he has been deceived in his expeaations. It puts his Ministerslout of thepro tiaicn of their Sovereion, by putting it out of his revue- to dismiss them t: (fin that patronage and in- Beeline he formerly thought proper to bestow. They may not only despise their Sovereign's authority, but also the authority of the Srnate of the nation. Such grants an- obviously tai c nstitiational, and have a tendency tc raise up a race of men to be independent, net tansy of their ; • etneign. from whom t hey ea. - - . O PP' teiVed their offices, bet a/so of the people by eitufft they weriimirii"—(l4fid lifia. or /war ! hear!) The foinin was }}ben tea& ficim s the Chan'. Mr. roictvAvrose fro& the Treasury Deicho . and addressed the House as follows :—` 4 L was ea trentely anxious, Sir, to be present in this Liouse when this question came forward, and I have come for the purpose of stating my reasons for that anxiety. I conceiiik ft is eft important duty ( 7 for me to secure to de ; wise at least, as accurate a statement of the a s as possible,*bet ore they take upon themselves to address His Majesty upon such a subject. It was my duty to take care, that no motion of this kind, alluding to my situation, should be founded upon, or agreed to from mere rumours. Such being my objek. IMI prevailed upon to present myself thus early to yoist notice. I beg leave to say, that the Honourable Gentleman who has made this motion, may dis miss from his mind any apprehension that I may entertain an unfavourable opinion of his tact lives. or that they have been in any way conneCt ed with personal ill-will or hostility, as las per suaded, that during the whole course of our friend ship, nothing ever occurred which gave vise to such . suspicions. Understanding. Sir, that His Majesty had formed the determiaation to do that which is the undoubted Prerogative of the Crown. to take the management of his affairs out of the hands of one Adrninistratiois, to put it into the bands of another ; I had soon afterwards an intimation made to me, that His Majesty was inclined to make me his Chas , - cellor of the Exchequer, accompanied with a giant of the Chancellorship of the Duchy of Lancaster for life. Were it not for the notice of this ll' iti so, I should have been, at this moment, in posseesion of both of these situations ; so that the Hcn. Gen tleman may stand acquitted by the House of taking them by surprise, as the season would have cer tainly gone by, had he delayed it longer. Under stanng. I say, that this notice of a motion had bee given, I, instead of approeching my Sove reign, in order to accept of these offl:es, changed my intentions of acceptance, and only apiiroaeited him, to desire, that he would permit Me to 'de eline accepting any o f those office:, till mat tire', as I had addressed you and the Home (1:eoll cries of Neer! hear! from the Treasury tench). sl ut another reason, more strong than that one, was this, that no step. taken by me, should fetter my Sovereign, as to the course that would be most proper for him to take, in consequence of any Address he might res ceive from this House of Commons. I thought it my duty to take care. that, whatever might be the advice which this House, in its wisdom, might be disposed to convey to the foot of the Throne, might be carried there under circumstances in which His Majesty should in no degree be fetter ed its exercising his discretion. I accompanied that intimatam with an assurance, that as His Majesty had been graciously pleased to suppose, that in this particular crisis of affairs, I could afford him any useful set vices in the Administration he might think proper to appoint for the carrying on of those affairs, my purpose should not be in the slightest degree altered or abated, whether the detetmtuatiou of this House be to recommend the granting to me et the situation, now in question, for life, or not fief a single hour. Unquestionably, I should not have turned my back upon my profession, as Lords Lechmere and Ashburton di.f, by accepting a Peer age ; sot only on account of myself, hut for the sake of my family. (Hear! hear!) When I knew that my services would be requited, I felt the 1 Matiments I at first entertained upon this 5 all. •Isa, in ne degree abated by the notice of this emotion. I felt it no longer a atwitter of option to me, but that, whatever might be the sonar queaces to myself, my Sovereign should command 1 my services. There was another thing which I ' was anxious to have an opportunity of stating to the House, and that was to do away the impression which some Members bed entertained as to the si tuation of the Decoy of Lancaster being one that never had been granted for life before. I have taken some pains to colleft the has, and they are such as have been stated by the Hon. Gentleman who made this motion. Idu not believe that there ' have been more than the two instances which he has alluded to. It is not for me to compare myself to any of those Noble Personages, but I am im pressed with no Constitutional or Parliamentary ofsjenion to the grant which wee made of that same office to Lord AWN:it-ton. I found it was an instance in which that ofEe had been granted for lite to a person taken out of the prulessioh of the law, by an Administration over whom presided the pure Whig Principles of my Lord Rockingham, and that it was given to a person who was the po litical Friend of the father of the Noble Lord opposite (alluding to Lord l henry Petty). It would be presumption in me to compare myself to Lord Ashburton ; but if he was to be rewarded in that way, I do not know that because an Honour able and Learned Gentleman may fancy that became that Noble Lord's services wire mote valuable than mine, he can argue that rim in sup port of eke different branches of the Constitution. Whatever be the motive of His Majesty, in reward ing an individual, the same propriety exists in the mode of the present day, as formerly. I recol lett, too, that, amongst the distinguished set.- vices of that Noble Lord to his Country (and whith may be in the remembrance of the House), was the famous resolution he proposed to the House, and to which he procured their as sent. which was, that the influence of the Crown had increase d, was increasing, and likely to in crease, under the Whig Administration of the Lord Rockingham. (Hear! hear! hear!) that Noble Lord having accepted this place, under such cir cumstances, led me to think, that this present mo tion would not be supported or seconded by the Representatives of those who professed Whig Prin ciples. I never at least could have imagined, that such a motion could have been countenanced b the son of a Noble Personage, to whom I have al hided (Lord Henry Petty and the Marquis of lemsdowi), nor by an Administration, whose very first aft of power, so far from advising His Majesty not to grant offices improperly, was to pass a Bill, not for regulating offices in general, but lot use express purpose- of securing to a Noble Lord, then at the bead of the Treasury, under circumstances totally inconsistent with the la.v, the means of continuing very considerable emoluments to a whole race ; a place svlach would be surreodeled by a pose patriot, as trenching upon the power of tiro Crown.-- t ae easel. I will not touch iieron that of my The aromas . uet a L a f avo u r of this meson: e, ,W d Lachmere, as it is separated from the other are such as • would apply. not to the particular ogle alluded en. The situation was grained to tat *rant of any paetietdoe place, for life. to any. Liod Addis:tam at a time When In held nee.. iddividuel ; taut, get erally, to the the Con• official situation ; but was merely ftir the me.. seitutional system which has prevailed its this .pose of enabling. him to sit-ins the House of Peers t , country, which enables His Majesty to cora: and Led such an income got been granted so hits,• different offices upon individuals, According so biz alter having procured a peerqe, a pensiain must' pleasure. Not one office alone, but every other, of 1 hare heeo attached. It wet not an offint gitewhole a similar description, WAS to be included. Then to errohle hint to hold another one. but 'nerdy to appears, however, to be evidently a sort of cepsi- I uphold, hi: dignity in the House .. Lords, and until cioos feeling upon this sulijed, against the persons he mild succeed Lord Mansfield. as Chief Justice connected v:ith this present geostioe, .otter that 1 of the Cart of King's Bench. Tois was dohs with any , sentiment favourable to the itornsts of the the general approbetioa ra r.ll persons and all par coultery ; yet the late Admini,tratinn have piqued ties ; it could not, that fore, be 5111(1 to be a part themselves upon not having grantee offices in re- for 14c, hot merely till that other office was vacant' version. as had been done by former Adeninistra. a circumstance which was likely soon to follow._ lions, except M one solitary instance. where an So far from this motieh twine an attack against the 011 , te was conferred by the Chancellor in the King's Prerogative, it is the proposal to giant that Court of Chancery! This office, if I under. .ituation for life, instead of pleasure, that is Wk . stand it rightly, was granted to a meritorious to be art infringement thereof, aecerding to do. individual by a meritorious master ; I mean the Piinciples of the Constitution and the Rights of re* private Cle,: to a Banister! t This I under- People. The history of rttglan,l would thew, tits, stand was the only exception specified in the dis- t!.e alienation of Crown La..de was rd ways coo'. , cussion of yesterday, relative to reversions. I leave tiered as tending to impair the fererno o ttieie ot it to the Idolise to determine, whether or not the Crewn, and so it was in the present troitii:ce:-:'" this motion be one that is founded upon an en- Three years only have elap-ed since arrorgemerus o f !.aged view of what should beadoae for the benefit this kind were In centeroplation, foe the piwpose ce of the country, or one that is dire led to the par- granting the very situation alluded to as a peseta. titular Gtlice in question, not merely because rent reward for long and important services pew it was granted individually to me, but because formed by a person whom I respell. I rorallmy it was supposed to • facilitate the arrangements Lord Sidmouth. His answer Was dietinftly this; which His Majesty chore to make for a new Go- that he could not reconcile his mind In being inetru vernment, such as he could trust his *fain cod-- mental in alienating so large a portion of the Fret°. The Idolise will consider whether, in the present gative of the Crown, by occupying a situation is state of the country, it be proper thus to impede which no duty was to be pains/nod. but from which the formation of an arrangement which His Ma- extensive patronage was to be derived,. That lima. jow deems se essentially necessary to the welfare lion was not therefore accepted of by Lord Ode And sectuity of his kingdom ?".-- (Hese di /tight Hon. mouth, although he was celled on juall to remit* Gentleman's speeds called . retth such lead, general, and a remuneration far services performed. Me grounds ,/most ssuperresfe sited herds of appre6a;ion and dies however upon which I shall vote for the Motion ate serJant esprersions.frons Pyres , Ansier in the How, ky not io much those of precedent or usage,eo irona rest rats.? ra. la of hear ! hear ! hear! 4-c that it was in:- a consideration, to use the words of tee Right rosliAle in rhe Choler!' errerately to case' the t•stc mean- Hon. Gentleman himself, of the great med awful ii of the 'cuisine's's he tittered.) When silence was crisis in which the country is now placed. Moo again with difficulty restored, he thus con:inn:A : Lear !) It would be highly improper, this to in " The House most take into their consideration the terfere with the duty of the Committee. 'heady ap. circumstance; under which His Majesty has, by pointed to inquire iato the offices that ought to be taking a cerred view of the interests of the coon- abolished. I have no oleteelion to that Rt. Hon Gent. try, the constitution of the country, the continuance if called upon to occupy the situation of Chan. of its establishment, and the preservation of its cellor of the Exchequer, being liberally rewarded. religion, thought it his bounden duty to entrust the The salary of that office may not, perhaps, • he con. administration of his affairs into ocher hands. Whe. sidered as equal to the duty, considetiu g his ther, under ell these circumstances, the House will concessions ; but if an increase is to be made, bee disposed so manifest, upon their part, any dims). let it be done in a manner consistent with the pub sitinu to throw di ffi culties in the way of the aceem. tic interest, or it ought not to be done at all." i plishment of this desirable ()hied. was a most in . :- ttir. id TEJRGES BOURNE spoke at corsi portant point. I, for my own part, considering the dyeable length ago fast the motion, and particularly circumstances under which I at present stand, adverted to the great integrity and disinteresteJrsess feel it not only my duty to leave the question, but h of his Right Hoo. Friend, Mr. Perceval, " than also to leave the House. It is one, in which, on va- whom a more hOnouralde, independent, and dis- Tinos accounts, it would be improper for me to ia- interested charafter, lie said, is not to be foe 1 •terfere, by giving,* vote. I shall, therefore, imme- within these walls." (Beer I bear I hear !,l The I?diately leave the House for this night , with gi vin g concessions which that Learned Gentleman was • perfed assurance, that whatever may be the re- about to make i , if be accepted of reface. were Oh of your wisdom. or slat effeit . ?f pm decision, much greater than generoily toast/Ad. He was ea to the discretion of our Ifeelfrelgo. my services ,sarprised to else the Noble Lowd three-heft ember> will note be withheld, provided he will eoetinues eassmem in the flay of the foessaliess of en Ad* of opinion that my services use required to contri- 1 nistration for tole good of the tellantry ; whet bore to the welter* and security of the country, at I the measure was merely an . exercise of thel this critical conjundure." King's Preeogativm and wee by to means norm Mr. Percival, we believe, immediately left the cedented. lie thought the former instaalles adverted House. to were very sin tar to the present one. Theo& Mr. PLIIMER stated, that he had yesterday lice ot Chancellor of the Ditcher. of Lancaster, dovish Started this question, when there were much fewer nut strietty sinecur e, was totall y bereft of p ower, Se Members in the House, and had done so from that the liberties, of the people could not beamed. rumours. He begged trove to say a few word. in He believed it might yield about 200121. per moms his own justification. He wished the House to no- which must otherwise go to the King; while an eeep tics, that he had not made his assertion, or set this meatation of salary to the Chancellor eat the Elan matter a going, upon idle or unfounded rumours. quer must be taken out of the public money. He did not ad from aey personal motives, bur only 11;r. SHAT i) nude an able speech in favour of from a convidien of the impropriety of the Right the motion, and ridiculed the idea of the case of Honourable Gentleman holding these two office., the Right Honourable Gentleman being COT• the one for life, as an inducement for him to occupy pared with these of Lords Lethmere and Ashour the other during the pleasure of His Majesty. H. ton, who were both of them at the head 44 their pre. was sure the Right Honourable Gentleman himself, fession, and their concessions were, therefore, be. if still in the House, would do him the justice to yond any the Right Honourablo Gentleman c o uld say, he had not founded his observations upon idle possibly make upon this occasion. He intended to rumours, or from any disinclination to - see him in here abstained tram speaking upon the queition, offices of trust and emolument, consistent with the bat was unable to resist expressing his heartfelt sa wn pi inciples of the constitution of the auntry. tisfadion at the cqnduct of Parliament in having Lord HENRY PETTY—" T rise to offer - myself appointed the Committee qt Finance, which has at this early part of the discussion, on account of already excited much nice out of doors. He con my having been personally alluded to by the Right eluded with observing, that perhaps the very es lion. Gentleman who has just now left the House. inence of that Committee would be, if not the sole I too disclaim any personal hostility against that reason, at leost the chief one, for this new Ada& Right lion. Gentleman, or any imputation against nistrotion hurrying this Parliament to a dissolution. his private chorader. I join the Hon. Gentleman Mr. MONTAGUE made a very violent speech who has last spoken, in thinking, that could the against the motion, and dealt largely in abuse of office in question be held along with the other, con- the late Adiiiinistratinn. In doing so, he even cos sistent with public economy and benefit, or could descended to personalities so much, that he was trio an increase of salary be bestowed upon the latter ouentlt%called to order, but did not cease delivering office alone, there is no person whatever whom I . his sentiments. till such time as the Members of the could see with mole satisfattion, enjoying those New Oppottion, by clamorous expressions of dis advantages, than that 'Right Hon. Gentleman.— satisfadon, rendered his speech inaudible to him- Such art augmentation would, I think, be des: to self, as well as to the House and to the gallery. the numerous merits or that Learned Gentleman, - Mee JOiriNdirGallisaid, that if the gram of : 1 4 which I know he possesses in private life, although I Chancellorship of the Duchy of Lancaster to Lod differ from him in a public capacity. I should. in- i ,Ashburton, for life, WAS fit, it W A S equally in the die . deed, be the lest to state objeCtions upon that point, cordon of the Royal Preroga:ive now to confer epee as lam strongly impressed with a sense of the ar- his lioneurable and Learned Friend that situation, duous and laborious duty he has to perform; hut l as a reconmeese for the pecuoiary loss which Fe still I should entertain a desire, that that objet must seer by withdrawing hireself from his pro• could be accompliahed, in a manner not inconsistent ifessional pursuits. Wan nosed to the cm edit whine with the true interests of the Country. I will follow h the Members of the Lae Administrat.on were cogs the Right Hon. Gentleman only in two or three tinually giving . them olves fur their preens ilk points ; and first as to that which concerns myself. parity wnilst Its office, he much doubted whet* He has stated some things which lie is not justified their conduct desueved the panegyric. It was Mg in doing. He has said that I have been prevailed to be recognised in the Bill, which they got to IN upon to lend my countenance to the motiorenOW be- II teed twice, at nine o'clock, the same night ; 11 fore the House. I certainly am disposed to do so ; I Bill which vested, in one Noble Family, the Atli but I am not aware that he could be in possession I of First Lod, Teller, and Auditor of the lisp of that circumstance. Having premised this, he chequer. In ailother instance, they increased stated that it was perfeftly inconsistent in me to do the salary of the First towd of the Admit-M. I W is so. on account of what had taken place in the year the u,tizi open and parliamentary usaumer, sett ISt 1732, as to a risible departed and near relation of td the private fund, for the application of whiell Caine. He was not justified en saying that there was then was no public record laid opon the Abdo di no dissimilarity between the two cases. Ido not tLat Hu one. The E;ght Hon. Gentkinan (Mr. Tt know that I entertain that respell tor any man, how- Gienville) when laying the Naval Estimates before ever nearly connected with me in private lite, that the House. taud adverted to the salariessires to the would incline me to refrain from explaining what 17 Commissioners at Naval :tteieW ; but he at it think it my duryto state as to his public condlia. 'fe same rime left out of his consideration the ellele ;mots of mydeceased relation bear me at m retain• moos amount of Lis own sinecure. He (Mr ! MID; ingftsPlaforbisc rw.fro haradem rajfn r and rn e em h :s t r i: : hot v.ll stunt) begged so bring back to the recolkelioa or they will not prevent hi, public dm h :use the circumstances and manner in whith measures. lam prepared to show, that there ;s e the measure tor appointing the Committee of Fl eery bromi difference betoist the ciicain.tarices et stance WAS originally isruduccL The late &IT. I•