The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser. — London, England, 1809-05-02 00:00:00

r• • ~_ !, 1 ` lttioa it 'mild hbariatul they had appropriated to ; themselves very neat e 7,0001. each for a service of 4 years. They had received in wauy cases 10 per cent. while they claimed 1, although' 21 was de clared to 'bre'the regular *am ; the trench Coin missieuers received only 21 upon the net proceeds, amounting to little more than 10001. each.. They wished to come under the description of prize agents, hut prize agents were liable to loss which they were unt. Two of them, it was add, had thought fit to give ue their professinns to attend t these ditties ; yet Mr. Johu Bowie* had had time to write thirty. palm b'ets. The floe. Member then said, it was uatoral to give up professions for places like these. A person opposite had thought proper to give up his' plats in the Admiralty for 10001 a-year; end a Mr. M'Dmiald had been in dorsed for 15001. a yeale and a premium of 50001. to accept the situation of en A.nerieen Commis sioner. Iletrusted that Mr. Bowles 's conduct had s town what autejacoliins are, end looped it world preveut Ministers frum employing such men in fotiare; lover hireling authors—putting 200,0001. hod their hoods, WLIS like granting a bounty on ..„iery.• (Hens hew, The Him. Gentleman 'len itetnatite.d upon the trimmer in which the se , mints had been missed. anti in which Mr. Roec heel committed *rune ecru s, though no doubt nn setentionally. He mold propose nothing upon what Adel ressuaeration they • filet to have, Lnt it routs not be what should be given to Arnim and faithful servants ; per could agree to give them what wets proposed by the Committee. lie might have been inclined to propose some kind of pro ceeding agitimit them, but this he knew could not he done tilt their accounts were finolly The Hon. Me;nl coticlis.led with moving— " That it is, the opinion of this noose, that to commit pecuniary trails of great maguitude to prisons, howev e r respectable as individuals, and however qualified fur their employments, without providing any check un their pro ceedings, sad without calling for any regular or periodical &meant, is a sieglect which must lead to the most prejudi cial cosisequenct a, and is a violation of the most emulous duties of Guversiinent." 'rite ne a propositions went to condemn the Cow. missioners, as not havingdone their duty, and that under suspicions circumstances, rem nnerstiun should lie suepeuded, until the fuel settleuneut of their &crowns. Mr. Tnous roe said, to put the opinions of the Committee iu their proper view, it was necessary to: state rte..; had thought of recuininencling" est mutual iilowauce to the Commissioners, but tine iu vecoiumeuiling 5 per ceut. upon the net pro ceeds the auditor! would be liable to charge them with 'arrest oo moory, impropetly withheld, and that thus they would hot be go highly remune rated as was premised. The Committee had ez. pressed their opinions upon the merits and demerits of the 4.'avingetiseloowni, and of the Government, mid the wordier the first Resolution were nearly those of the Committee ; tel hr mold not agree with the Hun. Meech us his Reenlutions went to threw blame indiserinterataly upoo the whole of the Mem beis of Goverument, while he could wish the blame to fall only where due. The !Immutable ilembee concluded' with 'ming. that he seethed to know the ' setaiineitto of ills Majesty's Ministers, lend whe ther they intended to act upon the opinions of the' Committee ? Pcitc.r •AL said, that lie carne prepared to *tete to the [loose What proceedings had been tarn he Government, in consequence of the Re port hrfore them. It would be recollected that some time had elapsed liefor , ! the. Report was Feinted. after being laid before tie! Homo-, end that within fourteen days after it •veui delivered to the Members, the Honourable Gentleman had • given notice of his motion. 'ehe Tieusnry had, hrtiArer, given orders for the Fru ilf!taii of t lir com mission to be bronght to an issue; they hurl m etered the Commissioners to be allowed 5 per cent. upon the net proceeds, ',eying their own expenses and the interest of the balances retained by them, in couformity with the opinion of the Conimithe ; but allowing deductions for loss, where any had twill sustained. lie teemed with the general prin. ciples of the proposed ResolotiOes, hot could conceive cages to which they would not .apply. In a recent instance Commissioners had been ap pointed to restore Portuguese property to claim ants without any deduction, from which he apprehended no censivre. He did not conceive any practical . convenieuce was to br derived from the propoeitio.is of the Honeurahle Gentleman, which went to calory a censure upon ail Ailimuisontions, since the appointment of the Cominiseimiens, and from which the present Governmeet stool clearest of any. If the House threw a reflectioe moss Go. stermuents in general, it would naturally fall the heat isst upon that of the day, nod hoped this con• oideratioo, this injustice, would initiate the noaranle Member to withdraw his Resolutions if not, he should feel it his duty to move the previ ous question. Ihe previous question was then world, Sir done Newroar paid that he could not agree to p.weiies; by the amino, as recommended by the Hight HMIs Gentleman. It was evident that the Coss tuouintiers bad taisapplied the meuey entrusted to their care ; and if they were nut visited with censure, a great instatement would be held forward by the (mime violation of trust ; if any instance aanouuted more directly than another to inalversa trou of public trust, it was that which they were then cuusidering; they were thereflore foteunil to nee that it did not puss. tuipuuisbed. When he looked to the manner in which the Commiseieneers gave them, lie was still more convinced of the pro,. potty of vomit% Hula wit h jmnishinetit. They asserted that they bud of the inoiley after um manner of tenet paiblic offices, but ;lel ether ;intik offices despore of the public money Us float wig see Av.? They ought to have the matey in the Bank of En 4 daiiil, but instenit of tleit they put it ;eta tile 'amid, of private Bankers, se the auinusit of 'eight huodred cud fifty thousand tiountle. They took care to •opprepriote to theut , *elves a *Kw large reniuseeratiou for their trouble, but still thev tools merit to themin.4ves fur haring relisiti milted demands with a new to the venue:si nter of the puhlic ; if 0 leisikropt had kept his sic• count. is; Oct; a iiiaotier to they hail done, he eas persuaded teat this I .;ntamireionerewould look Maim it ps an evidefice of fraud. There were many nc omits blts, Mit t Iit:M.(4 . CA which they said did not appear io the tail:: hook. The Grow:rine:A wee celpabli. hi !mini eioue pothiug! eith tespect to a . (Leas. Re thought not only that the Resolutions might to be passed, but that they ought to be fol lowed up by an Address to His Majesty', praying that the Attorney-General should be directed to prosecute the offenders for malversation in office. If the Resolutions were passed it was his intention to propose a motion to that effect. Mr. ROSE said that whatever blame was to ut tech to Government, it belonged entirely to that Treasury, by whom the commiesion was appointed; he thought that when the time of the conunissitne expired, then was the pima proper opportunity fur ascertaining the amount of the remuneration. It had been said, that a party writer was appointed in this commission ; he could assure the House, that he did sot know the writer alluded to—lie had iv:- ver seen him, nor had he ever read one of his pamphlets ; he did not know any thing of the com missioners until they were appointed, and it &lever entered his bead that they would think of re warding themselves. It had been /Looked why they were not compelled to account be fore, but that neglect might have occurred from the weight and hurry of business. He considered such inquiries of great use, for it was imposeible for any man to say that lie had omitted moiling. He hoped the Home would agree with lam in thinking, that.the . cirenmstanees did not call for that strung centime upon the Government which had been pro posed. Mr. WHITBREAD said, Olathe was sure the Right Hon. Gentlemen had conducted himself properly, but he could not allow that Government should be permitted to get off lightly, because the Rt. Hon. Gent. had entered into a defence of hiersell. With respect to the Dutch Commissioners, any member of Parliament wishing to discharge his duty, must mark their conduct with the tinger of reprobation ; he must point out the individual who was so much concerned—eau individual who had been in the con stant habit of libelling whoever opposed the Trea sury: smoke had for a long while issued front that transaction, hut it was not expected that it would have terminate , ' in such a fete. The Commie simiers upon their examination were guilty of gross • prevarication; one of the leadiug characters was thin public censor Mr. John Bowles : the manner in which they were appointed ought to be attended to. An Order in Conned was issued,invitingD itch ships to come to our coasts, in order to preserve the pro perty from the French ; they coulialed in our pro tection. and Caine, but at the same time Commis sioners were appointed, mid they were condemned. Those (:ounnitsionera did not wait as others did, but beget' to think immediately whet they ought to be paid : they did cot go to the Privy Council to ask their opinion, hat went down to Chelsea to consult with Mr. O'1• mare: he told them that he hail 5 per cent. in the proceeds, and they put upon it the construction most favourable to themselves, and concluded that it must be gross proceeds he ineant—could any thing be more gime than such a proceeding? They said they did so according to common usage : it was a grows falsehood. They were indulged toe great degree; ou the examina tion they were permitted to explain away their answers, end amasser their explanations; and after wards they wrote letters to the Members of that House, and canvassed for dreg votes. The Right Hon. Gentleman heel asked, would Parliament iii terfere? -He (Mr. W.) would. /hear hear !) They stated they had served without fee or re ward; they could not mention the extent of the compensation. Mr. Pitt, upon one occasion, ap plied to them for money, and they said they could afford none, unless the East India Ccenkniny would give them an advence, yet our of these was a life and Conine gentleman—he would risk his life and fortune in the• see vice of the public, and yet he would not allow the public to de eve ;my edvneittege from their own money. The Right Hon. Gentleman !mil asked would they pass a sweeping censure upon all Governments? He (Mr. W.) del not wish the I louse to imitate the Christi in author, John Bowles in meowing a victim intothe ;pave; he rather agreej with the Hon. Gentleman who said, that it we. pro lane to disturb its repose; but, without going in the memory of Mr. Pitt, there were other Mem bers of that Government alive, on whom it might net be unjustifiable to visit censure. Mr. Bowles might attack the memory of the Duke of Bedford, but he was little inclined to tUllow his exempts in attacking the memory of any one else. The Right lion. Gentleman opp osite might come in for his share of blueing. Il e i (Mr. W.) was willing to allow him industry ; lie was not its dined to detract from the abilities by which that indent'' , was directed; bathe questeou was, whe ther that industry and their abilities were always exercised in the proper way ? Mr. Pitt hsviog made a request to them for money, and being refused, ought not the Right Hou. Gentleman to have said, you shall pay in the money immediately ? Should not the House inquire, when the Right Honourable Geutlernaii ecknweledged that he was negligent? —ln his (Mr. W.'s) opinion, Government was highly culpoble. Some Honourable Friends of lies, when in power, had omitted to do the seine : he was sorry far it, but it was easier to account for it in their Adiniiiistretion, . which was SO duet, and so much occupied with matters they' might hive deemed more important ; lie hoped that the resolutions would be carried, and that the emeecittion would be instituted ; that he who had spent so lunch time in libelling those he called laieobins, world be punished. Since the dis covery of Philavapher Square, there was never such ▪ one as the late discovery of this gentleman ; it was said that he gave np his profeteeios, but what was that professiou ?—if lie (Mr. %V.) was rightly isiforuicd—uothiag. In a letter which Mr. Bowles hall directed so him there were many passages ail milady adapted to binteelf ; at present so much so, that her was sure Mr. Bowles could tent dare .to look into what lie had written--{Herr the tionoutable Member rend several passages from • pamphlet of AIN Bowler's, lamenting the corrupt state of society, aged declension of morality in the present day). - Flee Comenessimegire were appointed ; although the Act of Par:eiment specified three, or more, lie did out know mite Vie mintier should have exceeded three. Mr. 13owles' was well re warded far his exertions, at a time when popular fiery was more alive than at toe present day ; be les -I•Oured its humble prose, while others preferred the vehicle of chime to crush their opponeuts ; those were. Kenning times with the ale.-jacohiges. One of the sisti-jacolneis was now Secretary of State in diet . - • House; another filled a high oflice,abrosiT; int&.a tin rd, 31r,.1. Bowles, was a Dutch Ceilutissiotter, he who had rittarged the D. of Bedford with irreligion. who was himself a Pharisee. The Commissioners had the preposterous impudence, after they had cumpeu sated themselves, to say, that they evisteted more remuneration. It put him in mind of a story that was told of a master and his mail, where his waster brought a charge against him, and milked him what he had to say Mr hintsell ? lie replied, that he want ed to have his wages raised. He thought the Coin tnittee had given them snore than enough, they ought to be called' to some ace !!!!! at for the insult they had cost tektite public. Ile gave great credit to the Honourable Gentleman, and the Com mittee to which he belotered, for the clear and perspicuous manner to which. they had unfold ed what the Commissioners had taken so much pains to obscure. No limit could wake him believe that they did not prove the amount' of what they made, nor would it be easy to convince him of the propriety of rejecting the • Resolutions. Did the 1' glit Honourable Gentle man who recomineittled sbeh a measure, know the temper of the people, or did he• defy that temper ? It was once thought right for Ministers to mix with the people, hut now it did not appear of so much consequence. A Noble Lord, however,. who sat near the Right • Honourable Gentleman, was once inclisiell to Mix with thew, but at last he was driven front the popular representation, and it brought him into bad company. Did the Right (lon. Gentleman know that in withholding the Reversion Bill, that it) contruieniug the Resolu tions of the House of Commons the other night, he was acting in defiance of the people ? Did he knot:. that the continuance of his Noble Colleague its office, after havirg been finand.guilty Of a breach of the Coustitution, was a violation of that defe rem* which was due to public opinion ? tie con cluded with expressing his cletersuivatioa to vote fur the motion. Mr. ['Yantis,. and Mr. Rom explained. Mr. Hcastisson said, that be, as well rig his Right Hon. Friend had never read the publication of the writer alluded to by the Hon. Gentleman. lie could not state why live Conatuissiouers were ap peittted instead of three, but he supposed there were good maroons for it at the time. The particular charges would go into the Courts of Admiralty, not into the Treasury ; there . was no difference be tween Ins and his Right Hon. Friend's evidence.— _He did not mean to &feud the conduct of the Commissiouera, but he thought there were. mil lieieut grounds to justify the previous question. Mr. POPISONDY contended for the propris•ty. of the House adopting the Resolutions§ as originally proposed, and said the object of the Itigiat lion. Gentleman in opposing it seemed to be to pass by every instance of neglect or misconduct, without suffering it to become the subject of notice or animadversion. It was not intended to charge Nli 'lister* with any crime; but when inquiry was 'im posed into abuses, it would be very injurious in every sense to pass it by. Resides, the blame imputed was not to the Government, but to the Dutch Commissioners. Did the Right lion. Gentlemint then invite them to pass over this, 'end by so doing, encourage other defaulters to perae vere in their pursuits, with the hope of impunity ; and this in a case where it was acknowledged that the Commissioners had helped themselves to a sum of no less than ...r.,oool.without any authority what soever ? If they were to pass such a transaction as this by, without marking their tense of its atrocity, what would their emistituesits say to such conduct ? The Right Hon. Crentlenteu bud quoted some very sentiintutal passi n from a pamphlet of Mr. Bowler's, entitled, " A View of the Moral State of Society, at the close of the Eighteenth Cen tury,". from which he said, it was clear that this Gentleman, whatever might be vase of the other Commissioners, was at least not ignoittitt of the public duties imposed upon him by his situation. lle urged the necessity of the House, for the sake of its owe character. tracing on its journals its de testation of such misconduct, and warned Ministers. that there was nothing in the Resolutions tending to crimiuste them more than their predecessors. except they shoals!, by persevering in opposing them, make the'guilt their own. Mr. MAILUT au defended the character of Mr. Bowles, and mud it was a mistake that he had been appoiuted to his eitnation for his publications in general . ; but that he had been sent for by Mr. Pitt in consequence of his Astoupuous Answer to Mr. Poyne's Rights of Man, who had then appointed him: Mr. Pe'rett Monne condemned the conduct of Ministers . in attempting to stifle inquiry and cen sure in this, us on other occasions; and considered the protaectingss of the Commissioners as a com pound of fraud and peculation, for which the At torney-General °light to be directed to prosecute. Mr. IhNar SMITH was sorry to see the Govern ment coupled with the conduct of the Commis sioners, which he considered such a: the house was bound to murk their indignation against. The SOLICITOIP.GENERAL for SCOTI.AND de fended the propriety of moving the previous ques tion, because any censure now would seem to ap ply solely to the present Government, which was wholly free from blame in this business. Lord IL PETTY strongly urged the necessity of the House adopting the Resolutions, sad of shew ing to the world that they were not to he satisfied with ('mum': teed of Inquiry, without giving them their support, mid carrying into effect the reforms proposed by them. Mr. 134101411, om the same side, supported the necessity of adopting the Resolutions. Mr. CAN sum agreed in condemning the con duct of the Commissioners, mid adopted in sub *tan& the Re,olutions as applied to them ; but he deprecated any censure as applied to Government in general, which could not but seem as if applied, though undeservedly, to the present. Mr. Ttstenee insisted there was nothing in the two first Resolutions that could be tortured into applienjion to the present Government, as dis tinutsislied from any that preceded it since the• estahltslimeist of the enfasnii.ion. Mr. Flt mat' Tuna/moo suggested • Resolotion, which he thought might be su7ii-tituted in liru of all the Resolutions as originally proposed, and con ceived- might be acceded to. by both aider of the House ; it •%u., " The the ensunis4ioner, fir nui nai:iiig the Dutcivproperty had been appointed bo long ■3o sr the year 1795 ; awl that td!ting of c Guyer • ' tuge of the twlect of 1 aliment, in not appuitit ing their salaries, awl !narking out the extent of their duty, they bud appropriated to tne. ns th es a part of the public emery, and had not accoupt. ed for their trust ; isfid that they had therebe been guilty of gross negligence in the diacharge of their public duty." Mr. STEPUENI and Colonel Ei.t.tsott Loth said few words against the original Ite4olotions. Mr. Ottu briefly replied, and considerin g the blame attached to Altiii4crs, as otill more link,' r ant than that of the Cuminissiouers, &dared In , would verse I , lff f' in taking the sense of the llowm upon tbe Resolutions he mid proposed. The Howe then divided upon the previous questioq, which was carried, there appearing—. ifor it l.O Against it 77 Majority O5 Strangers were not re-adinitt..tl into the Gallery when this division took place, b.it that 111 r. Thornton's proposition was acceded to hr huth aides of the House, (the original Resolu!lotis hav ing been withdrawn for the purpose of intik iiig room for it) with the exception of•the word neglect, tiir which the word ostissiox was proposed to be sub stituted, and which was carried upon another di vision— Ayes 9ll Nuts Mejority The Resohdioa thus tunrodeil wag tltfrei to ; niter which the• House adjourned at twar.v.... o'clock. PARLIAMENT4HY Rh.FORM. GRAND DINNER AT THE CROWN AND ARMOR TAVERN—Mexamrp.ll•%•l.• .• The dispersion of the i loads of corruption, and the dawn of the. day of rel Orin, constitute an era in the histiiry of the country, which identifies the patriots of 1809 with those whose energies produved the !Alorious Revolution of Vibe—The firm ginmjs of liberty and political freedom has partially yielded to the dilapidations of time—but the fabric itself being sound, and the foundation unshaken, it re quires, in order to be renovated, only those ex ertion% of which tie proceedings we are about to record, furnish the first example. The friends of Parlinineatary Iteforiu were this day convened at the Crown rod Anchor Tavern, in the. Strand, to order to cormsuli•.-m• the most efficient mode of oarryiug that object into effect. The' ci , - Cllll34llllCr of the chair brui t ; te be filled by Sir. F. gurdett. entitle expected attendance of Lord Cock . liai s e, 51r. %Vardlle, and oth e r popular characteis, among whom were many who Officiated as Stewards upon the occasion, excited !mei' mom :eolowit de gree of interest, that, before three o'clock, fire guineas were offered for ticket: of admission.-- About 1.500 tickets were issued, linmi us every one wished to obtain a seat in the great room, Nleeh *cotileonly (anthill) about two-thirds, the pressure, when the doors were opened, au beyond descrip tion. Not only was every seat immediately occu pied, hut all time avenues hetwert the tebks were tilled up—so that it was fur tonne • impossible even for the attendants to pitsieini repass. The great doors were then with difficulty closed, wed numbers were of course excluded. The gallery was tilled with ladles, who were admitted to view the ceremony of the 'meting. At live o'clock, Sir Francis Burdett the Chair man was announced, and after a passage lied bem n made for him with great exertion, he proceeded to the upper end of the room, followed by Lord Coch nine, Mr. Wardle; mud Mr. Matlock% From the moment they entered' till they were seated, the plaudits were incessant. The company then wit down to an excellent dinner. After the cloth was removed, Sir Francis Bur dett requested the comula►ny to sit as close as pos sible, and he (inlet-cif the great door► to he o gs i n thrown open, iii order that the whole company migct witness the proceetlingx.---The Hon. Bart. had ex pressed a wish of the same kind before dinner was over; but at the sia4get.tion of Mr. Win. Smith, it had lwen deferred till the removal of the table cloth.—The pressure now become excessive, and it was at least Mill an hour before any thing like or der could be obltigned. Sir r. anver; standing upon the table, said, " I will give you for the first toast, the person most interested in tire promotion of the tneastue we have ," . Ito was prevented front proceeding, and a long interval elapsed before silence could be pro eared—he then said, " I will beg leave once more to propose to you, as a toast, the person who is the most interested in the measure we have met this day to promote— " The King, and the principles which seated hi, Nina, as the Tluour"—with three tunes three.—' luccsuirut After a short interval Sir FRANCIS BURDETT stood up again and said," The nest toast 1 pro e ioso to you is that of those persons most 'seedy 'merest ed in the redress of the uncoostautionnl corruptions of the country, I mean " the People."—( Brace ! had aechaeation.v.)—The toast was culled fur and drunk with duce times three standing. The next toast given was— " The progress of public opinion." Sir FRANCIS BURDLTT again stauding forth, si b'uce was proclaimed, and after sevetil fruitless 4i-- tempts to Alois it, be addressed himself its these terms : "Gentlemen, having list! the /moony so, this occasion of being called to the Chair, it ht comes my duty to open to this nutnerous mot respectable assembly of people the business of t h. day. Gentlemen, it is a measure of the very high.. est importance in every point of view ; it is a lam`a ' sure of the greatest magnitude, which we lime met this day purposely to attempt to promo.. If tbrri is any thing which can lie offered to the attention and is most worthy of observation of the.enlightee ed assembly I have the honour of addressing. it is a measure of such importance, as the one upon which I mu addressing you. both as it con- Cyrus the security of the Throne, nod the - happiness and Itheitits of the people.—(i.ond Applause) —The measure of Reform in Parliaoient, is in itself now become so familiar to the enlightent part of the community, that I stook% think i sets , unnecessarily taking up the time of this eteetie4. which has honours rl we by phiein , ,g me in the • on this occasion, if I attempted to Make the • . . • V `1 I . I `U • 11 of oh' Grin Pry I 14i for