The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser. — London, England, 1803-02-26 00:00:00

Mr ir - N • IMPIRLIL PARLLIMENT. HOUSE OF LORDS. a==l hill FRIDAY, FEB. 25.. Mr. M'Ci oc um was heard on behalf of the .Appellant, and Mr. Nowlan on the part of the Respondent, in the Appeal CaUse 'Roderick Fin layson v. Hugh Lines and John M'Kenzie ; after which the further hearing was adjourned to a fu ture day. The Bank Restrietion Bill was read a third time, and passed, and the usual Message ordered to be sent to the Commons. All the Routine Business of reading, Petitions, &c. &e. was gone through. HIS F. NO MAJITSI'Y'S MESS F.T.NTIVE TO THE PRINCE OF Lard PELTIA.M rose, and maned the Order of the Day, and also that his Majeaty's Message he read. It was read accordingly. His Lordship then prefaced his Motion in a few words, explaining that nothing appeared to him necessary for the House to du in the present stage of the business, but to join in an Address to his Majesty, thanking his Majesty for his gracious Mes sage, and assuring him that their Lordships would pay it the utmost attention, and that he might rely on their cordial concurrrence in such measures as should be found to be the best calculated to effect the objeit of affording proper relief to so distin guished and so illustrious a Member of his Majes ty's family, as his Royal Highness /he Prince of Wales. His Lordship added , that there could be but one opinion upon this subjecct among their Lordships, and that, therefore, it would be en necessary for him to say a word more upon the subjelt at that moment, and, therefore, he wdtild proceed otnmove the address ; which he read to the Mouse. The Earl of C ARLISLE immiCately rose and said, he did not wish to throw out the least objec tion to the Motion for the Address just read, on the contrary no one Noble Lord could snore heartily concur in it, than he did. He was perfectly aware that the present was not the fit moment for the en tering upon the discussion of those important to• pics, which must necssarily on a future day come under their Lordships' consideration ; he begged the House would not imagine that he had any de sign prematurely to touch upon them; he rose merely because he thought it was his duty to seggest, that, as a preliminary proceeding, it ap peared to him absolutely necessary, as a matter likely to L enable their ordship; fully to un derstand the whole c:tent of the preceding and all its relative bearings, to have before them, in the interval that would unavoidably take place before they were called upon tittnately to decide upon the subjeft, a copy of the judicial sentence on the right of the claim of his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales upon the Revenues of the Duchy of Corn grill that had accrued during his minority. It was a question highly important to be ascertained, on what ground that claim was legally adjudged to stand, because it ought to be understood, that it I was not a question, as had been ceroneously sup osed, between the illustrious P rince and his Ro y al Father, but purely a question betsneen his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales and the public. 14e bad heard with satisfaction, in another place, and he hoped he 'night without irregularity allude to it, as iz had appeared in all the Papers, that a very high authority, for whom he could not bat entertain every possible resped, had explicitly declared that the prornition which lie was about to bring forward, was not to be consideted as at all interfering with or casting ail: prejudice upon his Royal Iligaess's claim in respett to the Revenues of the Duchy of Cornwall, which, it was necessary to be recot ielted, had been carried to the public account, and not made List of by any individual however exalted. The motives which had governed his Royal Highness. ins the prosecution of his claim, had, in every instance, he well knew, been founded in the highest honour, the most exalted dignity, and the moo dutiful and respeetful feelings for that quarter towards which the manifesting of du ty and profound respect were mast amiable and be coming. With reaped to the last occasion, when the establishment of his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales came' wider the consideration of that House, he would not say more, than that he regret ted that such a restriEtion should be iuipoeed upon him, and that he thought the proceeding an ex tremely harsh one. At this time, however, the sub jeEt would come under their Lordships considera tion in a very different point of view, and the judi cial sentence that he had taken the liberty to allude to, wonld not only enable the House to see clearly how to treat and discuss the subjeEt, but they might then hope to derive great information, and much useful knowledge, from the Noble and Learned Lord on the Woolsack, which could not but mate rially assist their L ordships' judgments. —The question, as he had before stated, lay solely be tween his Royal Highness on the one part, and the public on the other. It ought, there fore, to be examined and decided upon impar tially, and on the stria grounds of justice. F(.s.liis own part (the Earl said,) he should feel it his duty when it came under discussion, to direct himself, and the obiervations he might think it necessary to make, solely by those princtples. '1 he known con descension of his Royal Highness, the winning affa bility of his manners, and the iniany amiable virtues which endeared him to every man who had the La nour to be hi the slighest degree acquainted with him, be should on the present occasion endeavour to shake from his mind, and to act merely as a con scientious juror ought to, and undoubtedly would at in an ordinary cause between two individuals. If it were decided that the Prince's claim wawa right ful one, and that he was legally entitled to recover it, he had no scruplf to declare, that notwith standing the present proposed accommodation, he should think very differently of-ehe public, from the sentiments which he had hitfierto entertained of them ; he should no longer consider them, as a uohle, generous, and just public, but as a mean, creaking, unjast public, ready to take ad vanta g e of any casual occurrence that might have arisen, to urge a colourable pretence for shifting off the pay ment of an equitable debt, if they did not come for ward with a ptornpt alacrity, and in an honourable, open, and manly way, discharge tie whole that re mained due of his Royal Highness's claim. His Lordship enlarged on thes e to p ics with great elo quence and energy, and declared, that he trusted nothing that had falleu from him, in the course of what he had tail,4sr that should be thrown ont in subsequent debate, would have the !east tendency to create any thing like hostility, unpleasantness, or painful f-vlings in that Illustrious Family, whose re sidence it must be the anxious wish of their Lord ships and every British 'abject to see the seat of lasting tranquillity, harmony, and concord. The Earl concluded with declaring, that he should sit down without offering arty Motion to the House, but that he should not have thought he acted in a becoming manner as a Peer of Parliament, and an honest man, if he had not thrown out the sugges tion, (and stated the grounds on which he had been induced to offer it,) with which he had'troubled the I louse. Lord RAWDON ("Earl of Moira) said, he was sorry to feel it necessary to rise and declare, that, in his humble judgment, the suggestion of the noble Earl behind him had not been brought forward at the fit moment. In the first place, desireable as it would undoubtedly be, to have the assistance of such information as the Learned and Noble Lord on the Woolsack could furnish, as • to the legality of the claim of his Royal Highness, the House was completely barred dfrotn • the advantage of that as sistance, becaitte a moment's recolleEtion would terve to convince their Lordships, that they could not with any sort of propriety call upon the No ble Lord to say one word upon what might ultimately come before him in a legal form, and require his impartial and 'unprejudiced judicial opnion. His Lordship raid, he was convinced that his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, in per mitting ails claim to be brought forward in the man ner in svtiiCh it had been done in the present in 'stance, relied with the utmost confidence on the generosity and the justice of Parliament. He felt. and no man could doubt but that he felt strongly, the necessity of convincing - the Public, that he had not been the cause of loading them with that weight of erpence, which it was the prevailing idea had originated in his Royal Highness's con du& • That although the sincere Wish of his heart was'te turidua.himself with most profound respea and hiimHt compliance - with the wishes and feelings of his beloved and revered father, yet surely it was not to he wondered 'at, that he was aniitrus to rescue his own charades from unmerited ceneure, and unde served reproach. Togo into a discussion of the sub jea, and the probable considerations that might offer themselves to their Lordships' minds, when any given measure, gronnded upon his Majesty's gracious Mes sage, should tome before them in due form, would, in his conception, his Lordship said, at the present " moment, be at once premature and disorderly. Their present business was, as he hoped they were all ready to do, to expeet their ready concurrence in the Address moved by the Noble Secretary of State. He would, therefore, trouble their Lord ship no further, than to assure them that his Royal Highness the Prince of \Vales was aituated by the dignified motives which the Noble Earl had so justly ascribed to him, not only on this occasion, but that he had been so in every other part of his conduct, and that he so thoroughly felt the utmost respea for Parliament, and was so fully satisfied of • its candour and justice, that, even should it decide against the proposition that he had allowed to be brought forward, his respea and confidence would not he in the smallest degree diminished. The question was then put upon the resolution for an Address, and agreed to waist dissentiente. A Committee was instantly appointed td form the resolution into the shape of an Address, who pre sently returned with a report of it; when it was read and 27 (ed ; and Lords with white staves or dered- to wait on his Majesty, to know when he would be pleased tobe waited on with it. .' ~. r ,' IRISH 11. 1 / 4 NK NOTES. Lord KING rose, and moved for several accounts rehttiv - e to qrantity of Notes of the Bank of Ireland in circulation, at given periods, and spoke of the immense discount at which Irish Notes were, at one time during the war, between Dublin and Hamburgh (from I 5 to 171), which, he said, partly arose from there being no direct communication between Dublin and Hamburg'', but that it was ne cessarily managed through the medium of London, which of course aggravated the expence. The Marquis of SLIGO said, the Noble Lord appeared to him to be utterly mistaken respeEting the Notes of the Bank of Ireland. The Notes of the National Bank of Ireland had not been at dis. count, but the Notes of the private Banks; which made their payments, when their own Notes were, presented, in Notes of the National Bank; and it they failed in so doing, they were liable to have a Commissinn of Bankruptcy issued against them. Lord KING made three Motions, the substance ofwhich (when correeled by au observation of Lord Pelham) w.ere as follows : , "('hat the proper officers do lay before this House an Account of the Amount of the Notes of the Bank of Ireland, in circulation on the first of January, April, and September, 1797; on the first of April, May, and June, IMO!; and the first of June, August, Oaober, and De; ember, 0302; and the first of February, 1803, mspee tively."—Ordered. FINANCE. Lord AUCKLAND then rose, and in order to enable the House to ascertain whether he was jus tified in an assertion which he had risqued, in the debate of Tuesday, and respeaing which the Noble Lord opposite to him (Lord ilawdon) had differed from him, meant to move fur certain pa pers, explanatory of the real state of our finances. His Lordship explained what he conceived to have het% the ground of difference between the Noble Lord and hint, and read the following Motions : ' l' A❑ Arrount of the net produre of all the permanent Taxis', and al , o ni the Duties granted annually, adding there to the payments on iterolint of Bounties on and other Bounties and Drantiaelc, for three• year:, euilitig the Sal of January, 189, etch year and each quarter."— Alan, That " An Amount of the Ditties on Sugar remaining on Bond t‘n the Sth of January, ISO, 11502, and 18413, respec terely.v---Also " Aerie-mint of the Duties on Beer and Malt, postponed and ouNtanding on the :Ali of January, 11503, and which ,r►ould have been paid at that time, if the, ordinary course of payment had taken place." His Lordship moved the first. Lord KAWDON rose, and combated Lord Auckland's explanation, contending, that he had been fully warranted in his statement, as might he clearly seen, by reference to the " account of the sums paid into, and charges upon the Consolidated Fund," &c. some entries of which his Lordship read. A momentary conversation ensued between his Lordship and Lurd Auckland ; after which the three `.. motions were put from the Woolsack, and agreed . I to. Lord AUCKLAND having declared that he mea nt that the papers he had moved fur should lay upon the Table for a few days ; that he then would move that they should be printed, and if he were permitted to take that course, he would shortly after give notice of a day for taking them into considera tion. Lord GRENVILLE rose, and said, he was not greatly rejoiced that such Papers had been moved for, although he had no doubt that the Noble Lord had moved for them with a view to serve the coun try, by supporting his sanguine expeetations that the finances of the kingdom were an the flatter ing condition that the Noble Lord had stated on Tuesday evening. With that view hive No e l s would he useful ; but in order to ge Lords time fully to make themselves masters of the contents of the papers, a much larger period ought to he allowed between the printing of the papers and the d:ty on which the Noble Lord had said he should give notice fur their being taken into consideration, otherwise few Noble Lords would have industry enough to look at the papers suffici ently to understand them. I lis Lordship said, what he had hoped the Noble Lord and Ministry in tended to, was to cull the attention of the House to the aßaal state of our income, compared with our expenditure, as they stood at present, and to propose such measures as should enable the country to pro- vide resources equal to the expenditure of the pre- sent year. The Noble Lord 11:+d stated, the other night, that the income was thirty-five millions, and the expenditure twenty-four, which would leave a surplus of nine millions, but that made a deficiency of four millions, because the Noble Lord admitted, that the charges of the Establishment during the present year amounted to thirteen millions, conse quently the rine millions would require four millions in addition to pay eff the thirteen, and, therefore was in fad a deficit of the amount of four millions. drd AUCKLAND then undyed for an Account of the Permanent Annual Charge on the Consoli dated Fund, existing on sth of Jaiivary 1803, ex clusive of the part payable by Ireland, and distin rii,hing Such 'part as is applicable to the Reduction of Debt. All Lord Aecct.AN DI'S Motions were agreed to. Adjourned to Monday. 110CSE OF COMMONS. FRIDAY, PER. 25. We understood, before the Gallery-Door was open, that the Committees on the Inverness and Kirkcudbright Elections were chosen. A Message from the Lords stated, that they had agreed to the Bank Restriction Bill, without any Amendment. On a Motion of Mr. BAUDWIN, the Commit tee on the Woollen Manufactory Petition were to sit to-morrow, notwithstanding an adjournment of the House. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said, in consequence of the indisposition of a parti cular Gentleman, who could not attend the House, he should postpone the consideration of the Army Extraordinaries to a future day. He then moved, that the House should be called over on Thursdal next ; which was agreed to :—he also moved, that the names of those absent on the Call should be re ported to the SPEAKER on the Monday following : which was also agreed to. The following Gentlemen were chosen by Ballot for a Committee to try the merits of a Petition com plaining of an undue Election for the Borough of Liskeard t Lord R. E. H. Somerset Rich. Curwin, Esq. Mannees Ed. C. Batons Esq. The Hon. C. Nortoe Win J. I). Loft, Henry Farm, Esq. s, Esq. Francis Browne, Esq. Charles Fernier, Esq. James Graham, Esq. \nd F.sq. T. W. Blake Webb, Esq. The Hon. thindas The Hon. John Cust John Eunblanque, Esq. .'l he following Gentlemen were .also chosen by ballot for a Committee to try the merits of a Peti tion complaining of an undue elation for the city of Waterford : Hon. Cnarles Minim Fred. Willington, Esq. • Win. Cartwright, E . John Huston, F.sq. John Lemon, Esq. Francis Graham, Esq. Lied Henry Petty, George Jennings, Esq. John Pedley, F.sq.Ed. Monktm, Esq. Hon. George Ward, John B. Barton, Esq. Clarks Chapman, Esq. and Robert Want, Esq. James Dowkins, Esq On the Order of the Day being read, for the third nailing of the Militia-Training Bill, General TARLETON said, it was not his inten tion to throw any impediment in the way of the Bai passing through the House. but he could not re frain from making a few observations on it, before it paised into a law. However many Military Gentlemen of high rank had expressed their ap probation of the Importance of a Militia in this country, yet he thought it was the duty of Ministers to take great care of our regular disposeable troops, and effeet every method possible to augment and ap point them for the safety of the country. The ne cessary recruiting, for the increase of our Militia, would greatly prevent the increase ofourdisposeable troops, on whose discipline and strength we must depend for protection in case of a sudden attack. lie observed, our neighbours had a great army, well disciplinect--it was therefore necessary to keep a watchful eye over their conduEt, and have such an armed force in this country, as would render any attack made by them abortive. If the armed force of the country did not receive some improvements, he should, before the close of the Session, make a motion to that effect. The SECRETARY at WAR said, he thought that the Hon. Gentleman's observations were alto gether unnecessary, in the present stage of the Bill, and he could not but express his surprise that the Hon. Gentleman should have sat and heard the Bill read twice, and never till this moment address the House on the subject. Every care had been taken to render the army of this country effative, and the Bill now before the House went to pet the Mi litia of the country on a better footing than it be fore had been. He knew well that our neighbours have a numerous and well-disciplined army, amount ing to five hundred thousand men, and that our Militia does not exceed fifty thousand ; yet he was sure, that whenever equal numbers met in the field, our men would not retire disgraced. General l'Art.e.TON explained. The Bill then passed, and was sent to the Lords for their concurrence. Adjourned till Monday.. T. 7 h:LIT R E-1 7 .0 IA DR UR T-L,1_ , . 7 E. THIS EVENING will he pr.-:ltted a N,yr ill Thu.. Afio, called THE HERO OF THE NORTH. whit l v.:a le• &Merl, THE DEVIL TO PAY. The New Play of the Hero of the North, having heon re•- etived throughout with universal applauve, y. ill be I, , qt: every Monday, Tuesday, Thurgday, and Saturday, till tartlet notice. THEATRE-ROT AL, COVENT GARDEN. THIS EVENING will be perfurnoml the Comic Opera of TILE CABINET. Tu which will be added, The REVIEW; or, The WAGS OF WINDSOR; On MondAy, the Tragedy 4 Handet—llamlet, by a Young G,mtleman, being hi; ,ixthi Appearance. To which will be adilAil (for the hit time this season, 1 larlegoites I labeas. Next Tuesday, a new Comedy will be produced, called John sult ; ur, An Frizlisholass'i Fire-Side. TI BRITISH PRESS. LONDON, ' SATURDAY, F. 26. It has been rumoured, for some days past, that several persons Lave been arrested, charged as par ties to the conspiracy for which Colonel DI:SP MID and his associates lately sufFered.—We have made diligent enquiry, and have not found any founda tion for these reports.—We notice them now, merely for the purpose of contradicling as yesterday being the day cn which the army in the metropolis usually change their quarters, tire appearance of so much military in the streets might procure credit for these reports among pergons igno rant of thi• -circumstance. A General change in the Guards took. place yesterday. The First Battalion of the First Regiment of Guards is removed from . Portman-street Barracks to Winchester ; the Second Battalion of the First Regiment, from Knightsbridge Barracks to West minster ; the Third Battalion of the First Regiment from theTowertoWindsor,andthelnvalids marched • to the Tower to do dtity in their room, after first receiviug a new set of colours from her Majesty ; the First Battalion of the Second, or Coldstream Regiment of Guards, from the Lower Division of Westminster to Portman-street Barracks ; the Se cond Battalion of the Second Regiment, from Windsor to Knightsbridge ; the First Battalion of the Third Regiment, from the Borough, to Fins bury and Holborn Division ; the Second Battalion • of the Third Regiment, from Winchester to the Borough. Yesterday morning at nine o'clock about 150 of the Invalids marched out of Chelsea Hospital to the Towee, to do duty there. They had new regi mentals on, and made a very respectable appear ance. They were headed by three Officers on horse back, and accompanied by one drum. The Bat talion of the First Guards in the Tower, marched out for Windsor, to do duty there. The arrangement of. the Prince of WALES'S af- . fairs has, we understand, given general satisfac tion. The Minister is entitled to credit for the ef feetual manner in which he has managed this ar duous business, without pressing too heavily upon the people; or canvassing too strictly a subjeet of such extreme delicacy. Last week General Besseen addressed the third Battalion of Guards, on the recent conduit of some of their comrades, but said, it had by no means tended to prejudice the corps in the opinion of his Royal Highness the Commander in Chief, who still retained the highest sense of their loyalty and good discipline. The auxiliary French troops in the pay of the Batavian Republic are to be immediately reduced to two demi-brigades, in consequence of a new ar rangement concluded between the two Powers. These derni-brigades will remain another year hi Holland ; the other French corps, which are at present in the Batavian Republic, will be marched into Belgium. A very lucrative appointment has come to the disposal of the Bishop of London, by the death of Dr. Preece, Sub-Dean of the Chapel Royal. The celebrated General Kosciouseo lives in a very simple state, in the neighbourhood of Paris, on an estate to which he has retired. The family of the nese CoNsue are preparing to attend him on his visit to Brussels ; but they will not leave Paris until he shall be ready to go to the Camp which is forming under the command of General lee ere D. The Leopard, of 50 guns, arrived at Portsmouth on Thursday, from the East Indies. She brought dispatches from the Cape, which were received on Tharscial night at the Admiralty. The Vieorw ui, of 74 runs, and the Orpheus frigate, are daily el peeted trom the Cape of Good Hope. A vessel arrived at Gibraltar upon the 29th, last from Malta, after a passage of thirty-three days ' • the Master states, that seven days before he left Malta, twenty sail of transports, and some men of war, sailed from that place for Alexandria, to bring away the remainder of the troops from that country. • GARNRRIN and Madame G A RNERIN set off on te•e 16th inst. from Paris for Peterburgh, with the inteu ron of making aeronautical experiments in that capital. The Pic Nies have had another meeting in the Tottenham-street rooms, at which a number of plans were proposed for the entertainments of the ensuing season. So many difficulties, however, arose, that it was resolved to drop the amusement for the sea son ; and it was proposed and agreed-, for the per pose of remunerating Mr. HYDE, for the loss he has sustained in keeping his rooms unoccupied, that each member shall exert himself in support ote his ensuing benefit-concert. Upon her arrival at the Ball lately given by M. Deceez, Madan - ke BONAPARTE, said to that Mi nister, " Sir, the FIRST CONSUL, in engaging me to attend your fite, wished to give the Marine Body a mark of respell, and to you a proof of the estima tion in which he le?lds yuar administration and for mer services." She then seated herself upon a kind of throne prepared for her at the end. of the Hall. When she withdrew, all the company arose very - respeetfully. The Minister lighted her down stairs, card the Consul 44,1411ACERLS handed her out. .