The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser. — London, England, 1808-04-08 00:00:00

did, that It its **Set tte sick and wounded eel diens—a bemuse• iedectiou fur Euglishmeti, the boat of whose old morality it was, to assist and clothe the wounded and sick enemy, even to nourish them. blow ofteu, to the hotiour of Eag laivt, has the meanest man in our ranks deprived himself of clothes and food to give to the wounded enemy ?—And is it now for Ministers, by this new morality, to stain for ever the honour, the humanity of their country ? Do they wish to foams the foot steps of Bonaparte ? 'Let them recollect, that this very systents now "recouirtiended for our imi tation, la the only preventive to ins beteg called a troly great man. But it will not operate mgaistut lima the sick soldier, for be assured, that Bens poste, whoeontrouls all the ports of the Continent, will not let his army want Bark, let who will ' suffer. The poors—uot the poor and healthy, hat the sick passant., .the women and children, will be. the sufferers. What will this new system drive His Majesty's present advisers to ? Not *mildest with attacking au.innocent neighbour, tuardarieN hia people, knotting his capital, and stealing kis fleet, do they now declare war against hostansty ? Ohl England, will you ever reguti the honour you have lost ? If there was no other argte mint against the measure' but its awn weakness, it would be sufficient. I hold in my hand a paper giyiug the price of bark on the I Ith of February, 1808, at Paris, when it was one shilling in the jloond chenper than the market -price in this country. N ill the Noble Lord, at the head of the Admiralty, say, that even with our immense mari time forts., not one single ship in the year shall get lota one of the numerous ports subjected to Frmii e% If the Noble Secretary of State were to rise in his Owe, and propose to destroy the French tinny, engaging them in single combat with himself and his colleagnee, it would jot more surprise rate; for the proposition would not be more preposterous thin the iwewat, nor be attended with more effect. My Lords, I oppose this mecumre, because it is a . weak one, and can lend to no possible gond ; be cause it is staiiiing the fair fame of our country ; bet:Ouse it is against every sentiment of humanity, which used to he the boast of our 'forefathers • because it has a tendency to enforce on the mind: ,of the nations of the Continent , that we have for gotten that we belmtg to the human, race : and as we were told by a Noble Lard opposite to us, that we had many arms against us on the Continent, yet we had mu to titans with we; because this measure, being contrary toasty just principle, in either divine or human laws, must inflame the nations of the Coutinent against us, and render them willing enemies.—lti feet, it would be the means of thror:- ing an odium on the country, that centuries of good acts could not expunge, and altitudes against every principle that does honour to human nature." The Earl of WLSTMOILLAND contended, that if the measure would nothave effect at the present moment on the enemy, it would in a very short time, a. the waut of Bark would oblige them to admit our manufactures. He concluded with ob serving, that the arguments of the Noble Lords on brie oppneite side, tended,. as they had done the whole Sessions, to favour the enemy. Lord Houieeti expressed his surprise that His Majesty's Ministers should press the measure, after the evideuee Lino had been heard at the Bar of the House that night. It was useless to dwell upon its iuhunsaaity, for the morality of His Majesty's present Ministers Ite.i forgotten the meaning of the word. Every argument they had adduced in favour of the measure, was refuted. If our army had be *gad a fortress or a city, and the place was in wow of provision, our Commander would not be justified in supplying the provisi'on ; but if they asked for medicine for the sick, it was not the practice of the old morality of this country to re fuse it. lie hoped the House would not pass a Bill into. 111 , 11 which violated all the fi n e r f ee li ngs that characterised.this nation. As long as he had the honour of holding a seat in that House, any measure that tarnished the honour of his country, be would oppose, and there never was u measure more calculated to produce that effect than the present one. Lord Mutottats—n The present is a necessary measure to meet the Berlin Decree. The Noble Lords had spoken much about its inhumanity, but where could be the inhumanity ? They held out that the enemy were not in wa:it of the article ; and if they were not, they could not suffer by the prohibition.—The Bill is only a measure Of rt st tipu ; for if Frauce will hot Like nurmailmfacturcs, she should not have our Bark. There was a quan tity of iv in the country, and lie would not ii.ty that for this we were not Marked to the lendable enterpose of one of our merchants. lie trusted, however, that the person would not stiffer, as it wits in the power of Fits Majesty's Mit.isters to grant him a license to export a putt of it, at any tune the enemy would allow the manufactures of this country to he imported to the Comment ; hut iss was impose 'le any merrhant, however enter_ prising, could vcpect that his foreign article should have the prof n. to our own manufactures." The Earl of LAtirtanaLE could not be silent • and hear the language which a Noble Earl (West isteelassil) had used that night. Ile would invoke the censure of the /louse upon such language. Would . any Noble 1..0nl sit passire and hear any set of Lords told they were using arguments to enforce the cause of the euenty ? lle Mul often listened to the Noble speeches with apatite ; but the words wean so striking, that he could not help taking them down. Wax it to go abroad to the peeple of this great empire, that there were persons sit that Howse defending the eoe:ny. %Vito were the argument* that brought forth this aceusatioa ? 1T as it-not proved in the evidence at the Bur, that yoar ineasurc a, your Orders in t'otincil, had left thougands of your as.mnfaettirers in idleness, and would eventually reduce theta to twzgarf ? Wi.nin would the non-:tuportation of bark injure ? Nut France, bat the pea.antry• of Spain, and the coun tries denending on Bonaparte. And what is the tiro mis . tto.i made h . : the Noble Lords? Why, that they ,could t rcia: tOr the •xportation of bark, it th- eaeuty would take a:leipoil quantity in value of our manuftentrr% in cm-Ilan:v.. z.s t p. pose the enemy a4rertl tl. that prropo, , ttion, hied sent Mr. Deuttnalt an order for too p ' , ands of bar?, ; b e would apply to Mi.ihrters fur a h, crew; then they would say, " We must send tan kiln- Jresi yards of eat,,:o ; there is Mr. B. i• 1 Yr.; k shies:. who supported us ,th I{l - 4) „L., at the last contested election foCtliat county, against Lord Milton, he ought to be encou raged." And by this mean* Ili* oug ht Ministers would rime another E• urcv of exteading the influ ence of the Ciown._ and endangering the interests of the . country. A Noble and Leerued Lord, whom he sew iu his place (Lord litslesdule) had about four weeks back wad that the in( reliant,. of tilt/ country were gro!twing great lc-riche', to an ex t, at before unknown ; and it was necessary that the Crown should grow strong iu proportion. lie supposed the present measure, by ruining one merchant, and obtuining for Ministers influence with a few individual manufacturers, would bring the merchantssad the Crown on a level. Lord REDESDALC argued in favour of the po licy and propriety of the Bill. It was calculated to make trance feel the pressure and evil effects of her violent decrees against the commercial in terests of this country. He next al hided to the comments made by the Noble Earl (Lauderdale) on the vote which lie, and many other Noble Peers, had given on a measure lately submitted lo the de cision of that House. In the line of conduct which they pursued, they acted; though in opposition to Ilia Majesty's Government, from a sincere con viction of its rectitude. And he was convinced from as proud a feeling of iudependence as elm recterisod any members of either side in that House. Its answer to the severity of that 'measure, as affecting the Petitioner, who had that night been heard at the bar, it was to be recollected, that there was by this Bill a discretion vested in His Majesty's Pnvy Council, which he was aware would be exercised with'the most lenient bearing towards the interests of the merchants and manufacturers of the country. Ile should, upon every consider ation of the question,- give it his most decided sup port. Loral Glii:NVlLtr, in a most eloquent and im pressive speech, reviewed the various evasions prac tised by the Noble Lords opposite, with the hope of at laat fix tog upon something either in the shape of argument or illustration, to justify the system of policy on which they had begun, and were de termiaed to act. There was no expedient too con temptible, no device too wretched, under which thty bad not endeavoured to shelter the various measures of their Government. The grant ground upon which they justified their Orden in Council, was •the Order of their predecessors, of the 7th of Jaituary, lgo7. It was in the recollection of the Hodge, that when that Order was first canvassed in the Le4islature, it called forth the loudest op- Eosition and hostility from those very persons.— They were not only hostile to its operation, but were averse . to its principle. Yet scarce a few months had elapsed, when this very Order was made the defence for a new course of measures, totally inapplicable to the circumstances of the case, and attended with effects neither within the compass or object of the Order to which they referred. What had the House beard that bight at its Bar? what manner were the object and motives of the present Bill justified? By the examination of the persons moat able to afford accurate information, at was sheath that it would not only prove to-• tally inefficient, but that it was rested by its defenders upon a false assumptio n . They had assumed, first, that there was • great want of the article of Bark in France, and that the pressure of that want would compel its- Govern ment to relax the severity of its commercial policy against this country. In both their speculations the facts were against them ; the French people having • large quantity of that article ;` and . there fore there existed no such necessity as the 'Noble Lords were induced to expect. Bat was there no sense of the great injustice under which the Peti tioner must suffer by this nugatory bill, when, by an act of the legislature, th e w h o l e va l ise fan ' article, which, to the amount of 600,0001 . thi s M r . Deuft:adt bad purchased under the faith of Go vernment. was totally diminished, and thrown upon his hands as a dean weight ? The Noble and Learned Lord has said, that the Petitioner had to confide io the discretion vested by this bill in His Majesty's Privy Council. Against such &doctrine he should ever protest. He should protest against that House voting against its own views of right and propriety, under the falla cious hope that the Noble and Learned Lord, (Redesdale.) or any other Member of Administra tion, would exercise with caution and lenity the monstrous power committed to them by Portia meta, and that their character or conduct should be the only guarantee to the people of this country against an extravagant abuse of the unconstitu nonel authority vested in them by this Bill. Was Parliament not competent to exercise a due dis cretion, and to temper their proceedings with a due regard for the interests of the persons who must now feel aggrieved by its enactments ? Or was it the determination of His Majesty's Govern ment, to reserve for itself every exertion of forbear anceanal acs uiercenco r whilst it vassonlleft to that !louse to pass measures of severity and hardship?—. And for what object was this system to be pursued ? It eras to induce France partially to relax its ri gorous decrees against this country. So this was the proof of all the energy and promptitude, of all the vigour and resmarces, of the Noble Lords opposite. Thus ended all the vaunting hopes and ruiglify promises of those who were to subdue even the violence of France. to curb her aggressions, to force her own menaces to recoil upon herself, and filially to reduce her to an abandonment of her own rigorous expedients, from the pressure of those pri vations which she must endure br our blockade of her numerous ports. With all this out side 'hew of purple, the only object to be ob tained was the success of a contemptible con tria ogre to insinuate into France those article* of British manntlicture, from her inability to obtain which, was aunrcd her ultim a te d is t ress an d discomfiture.. The Noble Baron took • coinpre tomtit% e view of the various observations lie had heard adraticed, mail of the reasons which induced him to vote fur the rejection of this Bill. He told thcen, that, aithi all their cunning and devices, it would prove hut waste toyer, and he ails happy in the coutemplation of its faeinre. Ile felt happy, that when, in the insolence of el'insed and uncoc rriitiled power, man dared to violate those tight*, fur the protection of which all atithorit, and predetni 'lance n.is conferred, ;hat in the 'ovum - oh:nee of his namr, , 01:2(1:1-at Crecer oft lir Iraive-ree irit..rpo4t4l. as l cv..ins.:•;i by rhymeiLl bounw the rail attualpUi of violence, converted the very expedients for their operation, into instalments of prevention mid de feat. The Noble Baron concluded by calling upon their Lordsoips, as they respected the dignity of their OWO HOUSe, the character of their country. and the interests of humanity, to reject this weak, wretched, degrading, and nugatory measure of contemptible policy. The LOAD CH.ANC:j 7.0 g having !eft the Wool: sack, declared, that though ninvillnig, after the very long discussion of the Bill, to cuter fully into its merits, y et lie could not so d'er the observations of the Noble Baron to puss wilisout one remark in reply. If this Bill was so ciegrAtliii and so ab horrent to the lawS of humanity and of nations, in what manner, he would be glad to hear from the Noble Baron, was the Act of ITO to be defended. which declared corn, beaus, uud pulse, contraband of war, mid subjected to punishment soy of the Majesty's liege subjects, who should have nttempted to supply France with those articles ? It was irre concilable, at least to him, that to prevent that people from getting Forced was wise and politic, but that refusing thew physic was inittunan. Ile was aware that the Act of 17:17 referred principally to this prevention of any truiterous correspondence between the two countries. Lord thittivitte roc to explain, and contend ed, that there was a wide and 'palpable difference between the two periods of time. In 179 i France stood alone, and the other powers of the Continent were in clove alliance with this country. Unfor tunately the reverse was our present relation with the enemy. Ile could not congratulate the Noble and Learned Lord on the candid inference he laud endeavoured to draw,although it had scarcely fallen from him, when he actually anticipated the answer. Lord HAWKS:I/IVRY considered the instances of his Noble and Learned Friend truly in point, and strongly contrasted the inhumanity of starving the whole people of France, with the alleged janitors lityof the present Bill. _ _ Earl ROSSLT N proved, from the present prices of the article, that no such pressure as that alleged existed. and that it ass nugatcry in the extreme to give a legislative sanction tie' this measure, so ridi culously designated by the Noble Lords opposite, as the security and stdvati u of our manufatturers end merchants. The /louse then divided, and there appeared for the third reading, Contents ....56 'Proxies 54 110 Fot:-Conte sts 20 Proxies if? 44 Ilsjerity oti Lord GuE vt Lbw move 4, " That a clause should lie added to the Bill, that any individual who may sutler by it, on makini out his ease to the satisfac tion of both Houses of Parliament, should men et compeummoin" Lind HAWK - MVOS opposed the motion, u Un precedented. The motion was then pot and negatived. The House adjourned at TWO •'CLOG[ THIS 110110 ING. lIOUSE OFCOMMOIRM, Committee appoldted Ow series of elm reifies spinet the Eleelioh foe Wexford Earl Percy, Chaiimas, Sir William lagleby. Thomas bodfrey, Charles ifaubary , Tracey, William Beckford, Hoy Richard :Seville, Astell, Lord James Murray, Alezaso kr Campbell, Albany Saville, Williams Fitzgerald, Henry Howar d, John Pedly. John Ca{craft, Nominee fur Petitioners; lion. Dennis StOVIDP, Nominee for Sitting Members. Several Accounts relative to the Naval Asylais were laid before the Howe, and ordered to lie on the table. SW CILISLEII VOLE gave slotiee, that, on Monday next, he moat.' move an Address to 1141 Nlajeaty, oa the subject of the Naval Asylum, Mr. Lusninowow per notice, that, on Monday next, be should snout for certain additioual Papers, relative to Sir Home Popham ; sad, at the some time, he dated, that, should that Hos. Baronet be able to attend iu his piace, upon the nth of May, lie would make his proposed inotioa, found. ed upon those papers, at otherwise postpone it to a future day. Upon the motion of Sir Tnom•s Totten x, it was ordered. that these be as instruction to Ills l'unsuisstee to Vbool the baktss Petitioa, as to the Wcighiug of Bread, was referred, that tbs., have the paws, to snake pruvision, relative to tba pareseat of bakers' wages, pussuaut to thc puler of said pe tition. Mr. Paas[Ll. stated, that, in consequence of what had helm comustaicated to him, ha should withdraw the motion, of which he had gives notice yesterday, relative to the hos ing a new writ for the borough of Peteradald, in the room of Hilton Jellitre, Esq. Upon the 3fotioa of .Me. Hyantrimu, there was ordered t. be lead before t►e Heave, an Account of the Leitmotiv chargtabk epos the Consolidated Fund, from the sth of April, iso7, to the sth of .4pril, lens , distioguivhing the tovaral Heads. That *crowns were accordingly brought up sail laid •pots Olt table. Mr. fo■Tttc gave notice that be should its the Committee of Supply allOve the usual Miscellaneous Luisa/tea fur Irebaad. ASSESSED TAXES BILL. Upon the Motion fur the second reading of this Bill s Mr. BIDDCLPII begged leave to call the at tention of the House, to what he conceived to be a most important measure, about to be paggied into • law, with as little previous notice being given as in the cum of the late alteration upon the Military System, introduced in the Mutiny Bill. The Bill in question, while it profeived merely to effect an alteration fur the purpose of regulating the mode of levying the assessed taxes, actually imposed addi tional burdens, without settii.g forth ample or con stitutional grounds for inch a proceeding. Until he heard of some such strong grounds, lie should certainly think it his duty to object to the Bill in question proceeding one stage furthe . Seine Gentlemen might deem him factious in doing so; but he could assure them his conduct proceeded from no such motives, but from a full conr.ction, that the Constitution of the country faro oiled a barrier against such a course dprotedure. Mr. fluscissoN said, he was at a luss to discover how the Honourable Gentleman could cipp.,se this Bill upon constitutional grounds. V. e uere alto gether in a new situation in regard to public ere tlit. Rielit Honourable Friend ;the Chancel lor of the Exchequer) had already pro;:osed to find an addition to the public debt, by which had lseeii created by the operation of his measure, which met with no opposition. The ,urn 110 W VW pOitti to be ruised by these additional tik•es in tic Gill was little more than 100,0001.; and the reamiii Cley we•► introduced in this mode was. that the Asat.a.sL.l Taxes commenced from the itli of April each year, and eaded ova CI:: nth of Aptil in tile nest. An allowance of 38,0001. had been made ts the Receiver-General, on account of his toots:of respoinfiltiiity ; but it was now proposed, by a clause la this Dili, to reduce that um to what it forgh tr i, 1111111ely, 50,0001. which would, no doubt, add to the saving that had been effected by su e 4 measures. Mr. liIDDIMPIi still persisted in his objection, that this was not the proper am!. the constitutional mode of introducing new taxes. .He consieisrnf the House of COMIIIOIII as the grand house of ti. ntiuce of . the nation, culled to the ussistance of nisteis, and to su;;;;est to them means of money, if nut occurred to themselves, adapted to the public exigencies of the country. In the prt. sent instattee he was of opinion that such means might have been found out without inflicting say additional burdens upon the people, or adopting any additional taxation whatever. If the kith. Ron. Gent. would be pleased to appoint a day In discuss this subject, be (Mr. B.) should attemp t to suggest some modes of raising money upon a inert judicious plan, more consonant to the feeliito of the country, and amply sufficient to suitor t as credit. The Cii.stecerame of the Tomatoes,' said, did not conceive there was any thing bona) in this tootle of proceeding . It was a bi t to defray a charge occasioned by the operation or., former Bill, which would given* less than 250,000. to the revenue, in a preferable mode to that which formerly existed. If the Hon. Gentleman could take upon himself to state, that that mode was net so proper as the former, then he might furnish some reason for opposing the present measure, but surely the House had a right to know what he would be inclined to suggest in the room of it. Mr. TIERNEY disapproved of this mode of im posing additional duties, under pretence of pro posing regulations of others. The Hight Hon. Gentlemen opposite had stated no geed reasons for adopting this procedure, instead of th a t w h ic h a ll their predecessors had uniformly adopted, by giving notice of th e i r avowe d intention to , ropes* some new taxes. They were endepvouring, as it were, to smuggle in this measure, in a manner that could not fail to be offensive. If there were I.e:. "sons of opinion that the public sersiee could be well conducted, without imposing any addition a l taxer whatever, it was hard .that new ones should uevertheless he imposed upon the public by such means. Ile should not dispute, that the mode of regulation might' probably be the best that could be suggested, but lie could sot approve of imp,,,. ing any tux by such a mode. The CHANCELLOR of the ExcneetnElt added, that he was not taking the House by surprise, no: shouhl • they yet be deprived of the opportunity of hearing any propositiou which the lion. Gentle. men opposite might choose to suggest, and cora. pare it with that adopted in this Bill. He should propose, that the Bill should be committed ou Monday next, when such opportunity would be afforded, after they had well dig: steel some plan as a substitute for the present one. Dr. Lavtasecx objected to the measure, in point of principle, and not upon the mere ground that it was meant to effect an alteration. The House ware new reikinif Ways and Ildeams, in con sequence of money having been funded this year, without the usual formality of °ruing a budgiit, or any notice iven that duties were i n t en d e d t o b e proposed. I t had always been deemed .the most expedient practice to take a comprehensive view of the whole taxes of the year together, at the time of imposing new ones, and therefore he wished the Right Honourable Gentleman to postpone this measure at least till be could pursue that uuiform system._ Mr. Rost observed, that upon former ocra,ions very considerable additions had been made to the Ways and Means, by similar:nodes, and no objec tions had been nude to them. Mr. WHITBREAD supported the objection. He thought that all duties ought to be stated iu ti e budget of the year, lie remembered • very.great outcry was occasioned in • former year, when he was not in Parliament, that under the name of consolida tion, great additional burdens were imposed. That surely was a gri. mice ; and this, therefore, le 3,, no so, where, under the name of re gu l a ti on . t axe s were intr oduced, which occasioned an average crease of two per cent. He thought, then, that no detriment could be occasioned by delaying such an objectionable measure till the budget was brought forward ; and this was the more especially necessai, sines. his Hot). Friend near him (Mr. lliddidpli) meant to suggest a mode of avoiding any additional taxes. Strangers were about to withdraw, when the B;11 was read a second time, without a division, aid or dered to be committed nti Monday nest; upon which day, Mr. FICAKISSON said, be should prop o.e to introduce into it the intended regnlatious of the Caustic Licenses. ORDERS IN COUNCIL. Mr. T.Earny proposed the names of corta;ll persons to attend as Witnesses before the Com mittee, upon the Petitions against the Ordels I Council. The hst was read from the Chair, and. afar a few word, i.um the CIiANCF.I.I.O2 of the EXCHEQUL It, it was ordered that these a4ll do attend for exuannation upon Tuesday ucxt. DEFENCE OF THE COUNTRY Lord CASTS,pare uotICC, that Tyr' TutAlay next he should state to the tho outline of the measures the c"ateu:.ist:u If Hip Ma;csty's pr, sent Goserotnent, rtiative t.. the internal defemiiv,• force of the Loun... Il• to base the prop , .setl plan introdin e I 4efon• rect.'s:, and the fl.il printed, 1.11 as to atiord tune for t , erions and mature cousiiirrution. RETZBBION ABOLITION BILL. _ _ _ Mr. EA - N — KE — i --- M - 0 - 1;e41711;:t7o - lia -- on - ;ttaTi — o - fthis 111:1 Cpon the question tieing put from the Chair. Lord Orli. t.,rov rtwe, loud spoke at consiitsr..i , : , length,' lint in such an Mau-bole tone of voice. that we coulki collett even a su.glt senteacc what he utt,ied. 11 r untie' stood him, howi.%,! - . to t •peak'ip.: is ft.! our of it. %relit *lwo a Committee, M HEN Ali It. r/N in tht ( hair. 31r. H. 471 Pi .Mated. that this ! hail de•ir , -41 tho Hnu:•e to l.•rp in muntnLtat• , r the prucet.(iiii a s that hail Lren to►en alt' :he fortnvr oar, vri , ich 11::(1 brcn introdut tat for sign • cr::• ~f :t similar purpoi,... In c,.ii9t•gurncr of t ,t,..r0;:e4,1;!1 6 , in the lioute ut Lurdr, tLe Ilc:Le