The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser. — London, England, 1809-02-24 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. llOt SE OF LOR OS; Tim assay, tee ii . 411.••••• SANDI:RV PLFRAGE. The Arrow, air -Goo ea, tienol holm* the . Cen t orittee of Privileges, on behalf of the dome wheu he urged several objections against the ad missibility of the evidence adduced by the Peti tioner ' , dative to the peologiee of his family. Tlicak objection" were answered at considerable length by Sir Samuel Itotnilly and Mr. Hargrave: Alter a few observations from the Duke of Norfolk, the Lord Chancellor, and Lord Erakitie, regaidiug the propriety of being assisted by the opinion of His Majesty's Judges then present, on the adonis). ability of the evidence which had been objected to, the farther proceediuss were postponed:4dt_ Tuesday next. • THE usrratts OF MR. CANNING AND MR. PINCKNO. - Lard Aurat..txtr . thrived, " That the Letter written by Mr. Canning to the American Minister Piocitney, alluded to on a former night (on Lord gavniallea motion) and the Anew* of Mr. l'auckney thereto. be 'laid before' the House."-•• Agreed to. PORTUGAL. The Earl of BUCIIIIIQUAMNHIRE rose for the purpose of moving foe certain papers, coutainiug rufortuation relative to the Atteirs of Portugal. But before he did so, he thought proper to address their Lordships, with respect to a 'notion of which be bad once given notice, and which euliarquently lie was iuduced to relinquish at the time, on ac count of 'thine intelligence communicated to him, that he was disposed to consider well founded, be cause it proceeded from respectab:e authority. This motion, of which he had so given orifice, re garded Pottage!, and he was led net to persist in brougiug it forward at the tune appointed, front hav ing been informed, though not correctly. that the British forces were about to embark from that co:intr.', awl font theuraiad of them - were repre.- sciotial to have actually 41`. Nei Without refer ring to any thing aliseussett elsewhere, lie might regularly mentiou what had been said by the Foreign Secretary of State, reeptering our opera there in Portugal, editor he hood ' , mart-Wed a strong disapprobation of those who framed the Coolvention of Cintra ; became they had not teken the opiroion of the Portugneae on the subject. His obj ect now was to obtain every iliformattoos that'buul d 'maids the House to investigate the mode of conduct pursued in that port of Europe; and therefore, without say ing more at present as to Ins fioronerly intended motion, be should move " That on humble address he pea - seated, requesting his Majesty to ley befoore that Ilonee a copy of the letter of the 4th of September 16611, sent by Lord CASTLliit.:irtill to Sir Hew Dalrymple also a copy of the letter of Loot CASTLraL tali of the 420th of August Igoe, to Sir. Ilea l)t!tymple, sod the etwitiouten; also an ere. count of all applivatioas made by the Juntas of. • Oporto and Algarve for ditto-gut supplies and ale account of all ouch supplies furnished by dirt country iu conseqrsence of thy same." The Eel of LI VtitP4lo L exwesred his readiness to accede to flee two last mono'''. of the Pottle Earl. %Vith iesrect to 'lie list. Although the Noble Fail . bad with Ina usual candour and politeness previ ously stromitted these mistimes to liis Memo:tem. yet he 'rid iiverlonke.l tli it one, mod nut Isalog per. pared to speak precisely coAcerAing the propro ty of it. brio; a . .reed to, he aunl.l secostaiiwiiii its • being postpon ed tall a future day. In the meals erne he wished to observe, the information celled for in the immoral motion would lit supplied by papers already' moved to be laid before thee I lease ; sad with regard to the last motion he felt too nb jitetion„ but the Noble Earl would consider, tied although applications had been 'crawly made to His Majesty's Goverinnente vet several eommuoi cations had taken place Leiween the Juntas and the English Commanders respecting which had also been attended te ; however. lie nee eared their Lordships every account should be given as far as possible, consistent with the par " te.., of thi i and other motions. The Earl of Waster wished to telt the Noble Secretary if this, or other motions already made, would einlirsee an account of the army after it proceeded into Spain under the command of Sir Joh'. Moose. The Earl of Ittrearnot replied. that it was the wish of Ili. Majesty's Ministers to give the fullest infortnatiou respecting their conduit, not only the affairs of l'ortitgel but in those of Solent. The motions already made would produce the informa tion alluded to by the Noble Earl, and he took this opportunity of laying, that excepting confiden tial papers requiring eecreev. it was the intention • of Ministers to grant every document and commu nication which could throw the smallest light upon the whole of their proceedings. Viscuoint StOstotsTri pmposed that his Noble Friend (Buckinghamshire) nsight amend his last motion, by striking out the words "in consequen.-e of the S 411114" which would make it general, a oil thereby apply to every information on the subject. • The Karl of Bute, xoriamoisntac accordingly withdrew the two Snit motions, mid the last, alteceJ as before stated, was maauisaiously agreed to. The Militia Eidirtoneut Bill was read a third time,eurl mooed. The other Orders of the Day were thou dismsed of, and tie: fteliolirr•oyi. HOUSE OF COMMONS. A %vow tem the 110.11.1 . of Loriln a annual/ell this thew Lordships ►::d rent cfl to and passed the Militia Vo. tunteering BiN, with errs rat amendments, to which they de saandt the eunctwernt r ..f the Howse. A Petition sae pir.iteitc.l from n person of the name of Era•tiwuite, praying for public *id to enable him to twin t•. perfection his invention for the re rovrry of property Suet at sea The Pet'tius nu rend; .1 retard eases when: this itrention had Lees sarcessfelly used, particularly in the rvie of the Abeqraireany End Indianan. Ordered to he ou th► iehie Ale. Vomit, presented • petition from the proprietors sea liih.d,itarits of the Jena Lauds, which h.... wiffer.S," meek ',a latimi praying niter lo Gel...le ssen said, a more an tinchuly 'nest ou.aki not be •:epirtril that. that to which the petition related. Nu hes erre, of land had brew 1111 l :Mated, and a has of on. million of money had been sitataitied, opon a moderate computation, by the unfurtutiate sutlerere ; there was, hoe ever, tine con solation, no lives bad beck hot. Ordered to lie referred to • (''smitten. who should repot t thew opinion up 1•11 the same to the House. THE DUKE OF YORK. The SreetLe informed the Howe, Neat he had jog! received a letter front 1 a Rityol ilishotto the tot . York, relative to the inquiry otaivo the !Inti..r had inwtituted iota the conduct of he Royal tii, i hnuw. He thee asked the opinion of the llouiw• whether he whould read the Ir tier in gee"- ' tion..- 1 , A general cry of Yes, yeb ! itezd. Reed !) [COPY.] " /fres Genre, Feb. e 3. IN* " Sta—l have waited with the greatest anxiety until the Comnsittee appointed by the House of Comma)* to inquire into my conduct as Com mander-iii-Cliief of His Majesty's Army had dosed its exarniqations, and I now hope that.it will not be deemed improper to address this letter through you to the House of Commons. " I ele , erve with the deepest concern, that in the course of this inquiry my name has been coupled with transactions the most criminal and disgrace ful, and I must ever regret and lament that a con nection should ever have existed which has thus exposed my character and honour to pulllic • ani madversion. " With respect to any alleged offence connect ed with the discharge of any official deities, 1 tJo, in the most solemn manner, 'you my honour. as a Prince, distinctly assert my licence, not only by denying all corrupt participation iu any of the infarnons transactions which have appeared iu Evi deuce at the liar of the House of CUIIIIIIOIIII, or sioy comairance ut their existence, but also the slightest knowledge or ►uspicion that they existed eat all. " My coiteciousiiesa of innocence leads me con fidently to hope that the House of Commons will not, upon such esldenct: as they have heard, adopt any proceeding► pr.-judicial to my honour and cha racter; but if, 'spots much testi' tttttt y as has been adduced agnimn one, the !louse of CMIIMOLIN eau think my • wetter Inestiosinble, I claim of their ju.tice that I ahail hot he condemned without trial, or be deprived of the benefit protection which is afforded to every British subject by those sanctions, under which atone evidence is received in the ordinary administration of the law. " I am, Sir, yoter's, " FULDEILICE. " Tile Speaker of else :louse of ('immune." I This letter *as ord,•r•d to lie use the Table. • The Loan ADVOCATE of SCOT .t% I) 1,1401.11 fur leave to brim in • RAI to otocsol Lt., of Scot:nett relettre to orbit! .I*ti.ler. He eb.erveLl, that the !ewe of England mot Sr. t cool erre very tillicrrut open this 'abject, sod tLat thry en Abt to be ite%in.slattel. _ _ The 1.011 was then brought ia, read a first time, end or demi to he reel a earutol. The SP,.AK►:K here observed slant the letter . of his !Loyal nighties* the Duke of York shirt' he had read. that. an it was a matter of more thou ordinary importance. it might be proper that the Clerk should immediately make ■ ropy .of it for the general inspection of the nonse.—Ordered. Mr. BA Pi KES raid, it appeared to him so Dowel II pribmilart, that he could not forbear asking, whether thrro ae any ruuilar precedent? The SPILAKtiI replied, that it won citstomnry for all letters directed to the !louse upon charg,•s briore the honer, tha►. lalleal tillers should he nni.osed a .11 retail by the Speaker t.r. she 1 . 1.1011 1111 1, 14 . iturintlant matters the Spraker tank th. -ens: at t he House whether such lettons ►hoald he I , ail in not, as he had done; and that such let telb Should be laid on the Table was a matter of course. But as this web a case 111 which he thought theic should be no delay. he had Merrier.' request ed might be taken. cn'y _ _ . - Mr Enort brought np an Account of Ilan sad limp Seed euipueted into Ircland.—.otdered to tie ou Ike Table . , and tu Lr priutcd. EAST INDIA AFFAIRS. Mr. DV tt tiroseh;Jilitite;ttention of the (loose to the affairs of the East ludic Company.— Ile said in the lust Session of l'arliansent • Select Committee had been appointed to investigate the emotion of affairs in the East Indies. and as the appoinnsient of • Committee had before been adopted a, the best mode of obtaining the desired isof•rinatice, he did not conceive it necessary to detain the House by ally argument upon the sub ject. %%list lie hail to propose was, that the same Committee should be appointed, with the excep tion of two Members who had never attended that Cous.nittee, and in whose place he would propose two others. For the purpose he concluded with moving " That a Select Committee should be ap pointed to inquire into the present state of the af fairs of the East India Company." Mr. Cateut said, as the lion. Gentleman had proposed the appo.sitsnent of the same Committee which had, acted lust year, and as he meant to op. pose it, he must enter into a .hurt history of the affairs of the East India- Company, in order to ex plain his ob j ection. The noel. Gentlensais then stated. that to I7so the wiser of the East hullo Company was taken out of their hand., mid given to the Board of Controul, who sere to report, from time to time. the state of the affairs of the E.ust India Company ; in consequence of which Lord Melville, who was then at the heel of this new Government, reported with great congratulations the success of their measures; and it was exactly the same with his succes,or ; but not lin with in Ho'. noontide Friend of his, who reported the distressed state of the Company's ailairs.• In 1603, when Mr. Pitt came to lswmw two millions of 111911 Cy for that Company, he objected to it. unless there was a politic diselreoire of their real situation—that was deferred from time to time. until prat year, when it was agreed that the disclosure should take place, end this Committee was appointed. The complaint Intniiist the former Goo eraineet sam e that they had exte:ided their dominion, sod ilestroe ed their finances, wh.eli %kJ* to be semi-slier' by t fi e Band of Confront. Since then, however, every Prince in hull.' had bril, individually dethroned ; sod the (7outpanyallebt, which was to have hetu liquidated, had increascd. Was it poavilile a graver cure fur inquiry could lie wide out ? ru der this itiiprehcini IL "t that the 1111 l iltrr hod been appointril Tint ri aeon why he ob jected to this (. Ate tvaa, that it ads eoniprisei: of the friends of the Hoard of Coot I, of Marquis SS'ellesley's Government, and of the Dircvtorg. 111.! would ask, um, it proper that those hint• iliately'connecterl with their usiiinianageinvist, eboutd sit su jutignicut ou theut.clvis Could any one think Margolis Wellesley's conduct would be . ipirstioned by his friends ? •• Oh !" say they. " tut there are two Directors." Ile asked, who were these two Directors ? how were they cireitm stowed ? Why when they were out of the doors of that Committee, they were suing for a renewal of their Charter. Ile knew, he sail, it would lie asked, if another Committee were formed, not composed of persons uiscounected with India af fairs, how could they prosecute their iiiquiries with effect ? He would answer, by t allwq witnesses who were. In the years 1781 and 1781, when a Committee was formed, who had prodtmed such valuable information to the House, it Was emus posed of persons who were not lailians, excepting one, and they obtained their information by calling wituesaes who were Indians; and what wan the result ? They gave a body of information front which we have derived lasting benefit; while that of those who were so well acquainted with India affairs was trilling and contemptible; and this was not all lie had to complain of, for they possessed a ',aver with information which they withheld, and could leave given ; and was such a Committee to be upheld ? The Hon. Gentleman then said, the great object of Bonaparte was to deprive us of our East India possessions, and to invade India ; and he could not conceive he could find a better ally in that quarter, than the dis tracted state of our finances. Ile then concluded with protesting against the formation of the Com mittee. Sr MITRE 11 WELLESLEY said thet the propriety of a Committee being formed was admitted, and thin. •hc only question was, whether that Commit- i lee a ili4 'wordy formed ? Ile thou ht the Hon. Gentleman* objection truly whimsical. It would appear to him tio question, whether one who was acquainted with the business of the Inquiry, or one who knew nothing about it was best ? Hut the lloil. Gentleman ll ght otherwise.—lle says, du not appeal to these, but to those—for his part, he never knew a Committee formed iu that House to make inquiries, but such as were conversant hi the subject to be itiquirerl into. The Mom Gent. had objected to those who formed the Committee, as tieing friends of the Micquis IVellesley. In answer he could say. that mice, si lieu a question arose in that Committee, lie divided with the Hon. Gentleman, and so he. did wee with the two Diteeter, And, lie would tub!, that it uny question arose either in that Committee, or in that House, for inquiry into the con,luet of his Noble Helative, he would sup port it. The Iliiii.Genersl next adverted to the wars which hial taken place in losiliu since 1782 ; he had no objection that these causes should he inquired into ; for thongli their dianiai )))) was extruded, it was nut e‘tendeil by wars 40 aggression. The question therefore would lie, these 'beim; defen sive wary, what' .1' the Company had not a right of reminieration ? %Vats were always expensive,and hparticularly wars iu India. Ile would take upon imself to prove that those wars were necessary. India was sitiver in a more tranquil state than sluts.! the year 11103 ; and he would venture to say. that it would so continue while under the present Government. As to the expoiiitiou, the I lonour elik tlentleman had alluded to. would it not hare been better to produce it here. than to have let it appeared in the newspapers ? But was it not proper before they so prudneed it, that its correct ness should tie exailained into ? Mr. CIICEVY explained, that the nhj-►►t►onr h e made were not to offilnittuala, merely u. mirk, or tnea tt itt any thin; ven.onat, but role') to thews in their ►wpoutses. _ _ _ Lord AactlitALD HAMILTON declared, he hail long considered the system pursued. with rcgard to our India possessious, as Inwided in the grossest tyranny and oppression, nod there wet a time when that House were inclined to agree with him in that sentiment. To the formation of the Comniittte made toper the Members proposed, his object was to their probable partiality, and the report of the Committee of last year contained rufficient grounds fur that apprehension. it had fullers to his lot to oppose the opinions nilsonced by the Pre sident of the Boon( of Cuotroul, relative to the asserted success attendant on India 111)111111 ; yet the i report stated the existeuce of serious evils, utak that they had been progressive, and therefore lie must have loiter authority for the existence of those sole eemoom than the itiere assertion of There were one or two paragraphs in the expiaat ion of their affairs Fiveli by the. East Indus Company to the Board of Lontreul, which sufficiently den ttttt - strated . the causes of tine {allure and declension in Our finances ; the first was the diminution both 113 the amount sad profit of their sake, and the se cond was the rapid and unjustisiootole Increase in their expenses, and he was decidedly of opinion the India Company were the authors of their ca'as males. Upou the whole, his L odehip object. d to coostitotiog the lc lee in the inamier pro posed, as not likely to answer ally gi od purposi . Mr. WILLIAM Saltrit coald not conevne how the objection made by his Hon. Fliend to some twines of the Committee, could be ivoisidereil as personal, when he had so ilOtinetly stated his ob. prison to them messily ill their official capacity: brit' it was said they 'dere included ilecording to all former precedent. Now lie was our of those who thought, it there were fifty precedents fur the Ines sure, if it should appear they were Fad ones, they should lat rejected. ft hail been ()Netted by trio Hight Hot,. General, that his Hon. Friend bail ex pressed a preference to as unlearned rather than a learned Committee. It; indeed, by that was meant persons who neither possessed information theffi.elves, nor were capable of acquiring that in f„rmatiou, then he would agree the (injection hod some fowl latiou ; but if ull that was intended was, that they should lie of that degree of good sense *efficient to call fur the necessary informa tion, and understanding to acquire it, then the objietiou fell to the ground.. Now, though there were many named who could not he accused if meting with partiality, yet was it cur. Join. they laboured under no Lies? And moat all he aelositne there was a 'side difference hatioweir a Committee tree from all hiss, need naming inch. violotalt on it, who were interested in the event of its delifteno ions. This was the case in juries; was it nit a reio.iimentlation that a man 'kohl lie un informed or the matter he was celled tro to decide spot' ; tool well it toot. on the contrary. olvc tnin that lie shouhl have formed Hoy 'MCI6IOIIO 1,0- mo o o u the subject—awl yet he might, in other respects, be highly eidiumble ; and this npOi ed to he ease of the Lest India Compipiy. liideed, he had tio hesitation nt saying, he considered the num. her of servants of the Csowu allowed to sit in that House, to have produced a very improurr bias upon its decisions; nod the only reasots given foe this permission, that they might communicate the nece.sary information ; the answer to which was, that it was very possible to admit of their diseliarg- Mg that duty, oil:iota peraiittnig them to v4/11. in it. All this reasomie• applied the present ease; and, therefore, be felt r himself bound to impost the propositions of Ins Ilan. Friend. • Mr. Wri.neavises considered they had the sanction of the British Constitution fur mixing Men in official stations with independent country gentle , men, and conceived it would be a serious lorry if such were to be at:lusted front the House ; nor rid he apprehend them to be so attached to their sta tion) as to give up their inilejwistlence, nod it ass but reasonable they should have the opportunity 01 defending their own measures. In Luke in onset ! it ass natural, in the present instant e, to have * proportion of those holding official silo:it:ow OD the Committee, for the purpose of affuvitug the • necessary information. without which the object of their inquiries would be deprived of their assistanee„ For his own part, he was adverse to being cni the Co 1111 l from the consciousness of -the little service he should be able to attunl ; but when he looked at the variety of which it was proposed to be composed, he could not but consider it as a pledge of their conduct and moderation. Mr. %%lint:ex/Or appealed to the House, whether after opinions had been advaiteed ell the very soh jeet of inquiry, those advancing thesis should be placed on the Committee, sir whether the Hight Hon. Gcntlemati who said he outiltil prove facts should not ra.licr be called ,as ill Vileness t , efore them. He would likewise ustc acre there no other fileinlient to he found sullicietitly intoroted to ;doer on the Co • ft..without bring under the elects pity of .resortiug to those in official situations.- 11 ere the Secretary rit Stute for the War INTlM meat, or the Chancellor of the Exchequer, proper persons, or could they give the necessary anew!. awe, trips,, the duties of their qatiorni, ut u time we were engaged in a war wait the whole Continent. stud Abell our bustlers were in such a attar. :ii like ohjaction applied to the Directors of the Fast 1 ludis Company, where the questiow was, the l ud ic Comwity ecrsits the • Board of Cootrooi, galosh equ:i.iy applied to the President of the Board of Contritol. Toe Committee so constituted be de ' eidedly objected. Mr. I' ni.i.sa observed, the origin of the Emit i India Cowpony was merely to ;tosses* a few places I thr the purposes of ti ode, si.ol farnishlog the tia tires with our _various yodituoditirs, instead of which they • had by degrees got • into their hands the entire country ; whethersitis OAS right ut 15T011,14 Ire WeUlt, not say, but he fcarecl that icy attempt at this lase pi-rind to set n:I thlogs to flour wan. Was SO arduous A lAA that be Cl,llsl4llieti it ilat Ai- Ultnt lila oomi !4e. Mr. GRAFI? observed, that the Committee was intended, not for the purpose of iaquiring into the Isysteml generally of East ltidia policy, hut tutu the..Petititio of the Compativ, uod ,the state of their attairs ; and 'therefore (som named hoisting I of fi .iail situations, weae not sitting in judgment ou their own voodoo. . Mr. l'uTs.it Moons: said; the house wus 'goo. Tint of the prceise object df the Committee, Lind the ;tight Hinicturistsie (Mr. pandas) vr.is studiously silent on the sui•ject, as it A was intended to cover the i_. , iicirance and neglect of the Hoard of Op; rout by the affectation of inquiry; and he w • but if the utility of the system pur sued in not the object, then the whoSe was a i the public. Ear his part, he co*. side slitein wrung ever since Mt Lusters inter fervd• t ith Comimuy and lie itnired we should lose we knew its value. _ . Mr. I. JO:INSPIii said a few words in favour of the • proposed Coinmittrc. The qtscsmni was then put. that a Committee be appointed In inquire into the prestost State of the Affairs of the Lust beta Company, and to re report the same. with their opinion thetccu to the House:" which . *us 'agreed to. A Committee was accordingly named, consisting of tue following Members, Ave of whom to bee tinorurn. . 4 Mr. Dundee, Smith, Chancellor of the Exchequer, rotten:oil. Lord Castlereagh, Lord Henry Petty, Sir J.,lsn Anstinther, • Lord Milton, Mr. Wallace, Mr. Petcr t I o Wilberforce, • Starr Grant, Hiles Addiagimi, Tierney, Lori Temple, Valssittiut, Mr. George Johnstone, l'reesry, I Lord Morpeth. Sir :tubed reele, • Mr. l'actv, then, utter • short statement. moved. " That there he laid before the Home. the exposition of the state of their atlairs, huh muted try the Board of Diteetors of the East In dia Cowpony, to the 11 , •artl of Coniroal. This after sonic obseristl ins from Mr. Dun.. DAM.. Mr. WHITBREAD, and others, was negatived without a dieimmia. Mr. Wmetron brought op the Report of the Committee of Finance, and the liesolutioas were agreed le. Mr. Fuerca gore notice that he should on Monday U, At more the blob ftliscellaitemas (Ingots in the Committee of Finance. The Secretory ut War gave notice, that at the mule Committee, and on the same day , tic would move the remaining Aran! Estimates. The Alutioy llill was read a veciind time. and or. deed to be committed to- ma ar'nuiglit. HILL. Mr. • PEnt:EV•I. mov.al the committal of this Bill, and that there be an instruction to the Com mittee that they might have power to reberve • chaise for sitithurosiii;. Ills Majesty by proclamation to prohibit the . . of aphis Ii owl corn or grain in Ireland if Ills Majeaty 1.61.141 think lit. ?.Jr. BMW,. In a tiprect . h of einipiilerishle length, opposed the instruction to the Committee to ra culla Ireland fruits the operation of the fill. 1I.• min z.ll, as an antenahncut, "'That there be ail In struction to the mall Coia,.itttee to 'ital.,. 111011.11 • '• in the said Bill fur extending the operaiym to Ireland." Mr. FosTE• unpporteul the onealturr. llcst.ticf:. that from Jannary. !WON, nearly tax mill s iit gilloto of spirits haul Itteli 1..14111, al• 'U" 4rot aro tint 411 t ~•iel .'AC •{w the bad mita th,t the thf N. 4.1 it WI. lvl