The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser. — London, England, 1810-05-09 00:00:00

TIM Conroe, nnaer such circumstnnces, th hjects to pursue, who thought ill of Use n y .t• the House, and had like him no coati home In mi n i s ters, but t., come to the House of Common s . IVould they, then, by receiving some and i-jacting o th er s, create donlus s and narrow the ways to re dress, and a constitutioual expression of the rani. nines of the people. The Gen!lemon oppo.ite were well calen'ated to bring the matter to a dread ful issue, hot not to lead the !loose out of site diffieulii-a into which they might plunge firm, Every step they took they impaired the dignity of the House mom; and lithe!, rejected this petition, give still grouter cause t o th e their iojostice world people t o ask where ••3•4 their dignity, where w as their ju-tice ? Whatever might he the issue of this n itraion, he had only done what he cooceired to his duty, and would give his vote most heartily for the petition being laid on the table. WILDERPOIICH, recollecting the extreme ro. . t iretability of the body petitioning, and the decision the fl:iiise had lately cone to on other petitions, w ished their deliberations iitiott the prevent. to he re matore and well-wei7,!INI as possible. For this .„.„,„,u he would move 'flit tbedebate 411.1011 lie t oi; mrae d till to-marrow. - Calmness and reflection were mostdeairatile in determining on the momentous guest which now occupied their attention. They ought to consider them in all their extents and bearings, and, by the . 'nut delay, he proposed they would alai chew thew respect for the fir.t cite in the world, and for the people of England. tic could see no objection to this motion, as, c o m p ar i ng t h e peti'inn wit h the other two. o• which they hail cvng• to different decisions, it did not appear No cleat an to enable any one, tit once, to make up his we d, either for receiving or rejecting ; and die remaining for 21 hours in doubt, could reflect no ilirgrice on their proreedings. H e conc l u d e d w i t h a elation For adjourning the debate till. to-morrow. Mr. W. SMITH did not object to the adjourn ment ; but having read this petition himself, suffi cietitly to make op his mind upon it, he had no dis inclinatims toddies" his opinion upon it now. In doing so, he would lay out of his consideration the first p ar t of the ohjoi , tions of the Right Hon. Se cretary. because, if acted upon, it would lead to perpetual disputes, never to be settled, and state. nails from one side end the idlier of the numbers fur or against ei try petition. It was sufficient that the meeting was lega;ly called, and the med. sore ailoptc , l by. ao undisputed majnrity.— Il• ni , 4ht adil to th:a, that the attendasoce sues 6111, ol d th e p.•opby near!) nos. • ; bot, as he Id In-fire, thin was not necessary to be discussed. Neither was it to the purpose whether the meeting was tonip..serl entirely, or of a majority of Livery. men. All the usual precautions had been taken to prevent strangers from being admitted to the Hall. Ant the petition.stood on its own grounds, and be came it owed a number of circumstances tundra sant fair theta •to hear, it could not on that account he rtjemed. The stilij• et had an ackiinvltilged right in petition, and it was clear ill .t they would pot strtiiiini against hat they liked Inv what they thsiketi. • lei doing-this, naives the tans were of fens cc, they were bound to reeeivq it, though the mal•, r ma t! ! • lac moat dos igreenble. He hail voted for the ; -!ton of the 'Middlesex petition, Ii- nose the off.- puts were stilted tint as opinions li n t 44 ."0114r1 , 3r.11•4 of Met: This plain line was then to he drawn, between that petition, so cost mewled, and the pte.ent, which only stated the opioinna, conceptions, and belief of the petitioners. To 4.n5% no Anther nu the muter now,' and not mowing of the votes he had given on tee two 2re eeffing nerasismi, he could see no otrection to re ceiving this petition. Mr. 114aitsst had also read the petition over and aver, and hid nude up hie mind upon it. He h aw no ground for refuiiing it, as it contained no offence, which, in his opiiiion, ileac rr,.! that sentence. lie agreed with un lion. Griot lemon (Mr. Whitbread), that, as to mratr r , the first pi.titien was the strong eat ; the iteottel Its And this least of all. But I.e r jrdrd Ole second, not on account of the term-, taut bvciiiist it was not a petition at all. Of tile present, he dial not know to what part to object. To that part asking, Where was the d guilty and ja-hce of the Howe?" he would ..uhricribe as lsa conceived both in a great degree us. paired. Lout A. HAMILTON did not object to the ad journment. any Gentlemen had not made up their mind.% it was iin pryer they in d have live to du BO* He con.ithrred the oppositton of the Right Mu. Secretary as that of &limiters, and rontideied that of all the subjects for regret and dean. to the Illaute and c. ry. none was.° greAt iss h..ing such au Adinini.tration, if they could Set the llothe to go slops with them. Vur the *O4 l'lptcl.6lolllll in the pautio.., the pets tioner.ll4.l the authority of the Hon«e itself, sad it ass a tare in the Hight Hon. Secretary to ob jest to those which bore a &utile constractton, and Pl"letO;rely over flow• mare offensive, which could hear only um.. Such naq that respecting the sub.. jel of nation-I. bftsitght before them last year. which K+ver+cto the resointion of a Hight Hon. Seem. t* (dt. Canuilt.t) now rceonled on their %flit% wag the main of jest of cum nkint. an all these pennons. and the son•ce from which the mist of expr.w.ions were drawn. He *marinated Ile moat cal* 00000 on+ reault, should the Hotly.' he toteatlell on to acquiesce with Ministers in their 'anent ni-asstrea, and cure nonce that he would tik e an early (importunity to move for expuugin?, lln ohjer tionalale port+ of this resolution from their J..urdagio. He concluded. by alluding to the ea.. .`awn of " their ancestors tterting with indigns. Lau at Nts.:h preetteer as were now seknowledged." rat :lilted, why they might not reduce this (1-cla 'Niho9 to practice, mud emulate the example of tarn investors %INC. Ana,/ voted against the Middlesex peti. ti"ti betitio42 it wu a mandate, and nut a petition. The present was worded more decorously, and he iroulri Cote fir its being received. The petitioners de ant affirm, but plated wittier+. with such prew hielnary otwereatinus. " it appears to us," " ws Iteu . ilily conceive," M iu our conception," &e. lite Cuancti.t.un or the EICHEQUIM thought the House would not consult its dilnity, if it dealt "herwire with this petttiait than it dtd with that of lie oiljected to it, not on the ground ef Its slot corning froo the whole of the Livery ; a Whieh Hennes h e onw .tis Right P-.lttstinible friellig bed ever thought of standing upon. kits Itt. I lon. Frit oil le I lieu 00101 3 ty ruisnndcrstood in this, and irgnmenls founded upon it fell to the osoend ; for he slid not state it us • reason for rejeetin g the petition, but a matter of coateilation to himself, that the vote be was, on other accounts, ended on to give, was uot against the whole of that respectable body. Whet he looked on the petition, he could not help obsurring th( *mull number of signatures; which was the more remarkable, considering the!, on such mal sions, the parties were mimeos to have as many as they could. But this was not his ground of ob jection. Ile objected to the petition as wholly iu tended to insult the House. If any one could read it, and think it was sod so, lie would agree that it ought to he received. lo doing this, he begged Gentlemen not to look at the qualifying of a few introductory phrases, intended as a cloak for the most offensive matter iii the subsequent party. The Middlesex petition was rejected for the same offence; and, if others carne with as clear a piorpo-a to insult, how idle would they make their proeeedings, and how would they hold them selves up to the contempt of those very per sons, if they gave the to any other reception. lf, indeed, they agreed with the Han. Gentleman, (Mr. ‘Vhitbreed) then they would receive this petition. For, according to his principles, they must receive this and every other species of contumely and in sult.—(Hear, hear, hear.)—lle told tie-tn, let us put up with insult, because we have lost our dignity and justice. He told them that they had lost the coofideuce of the people, and ought not to expect them to come as petition en ought to come before them.—(Hear, bear, hear.)—Upuit such grounds. indeed, they must put up with any degradation that might be offered. If the Idols. Gentleman was prepared to lead the way to Moult—(herie, hear)—if he was prepared, (as he bad declared himself this night) to tell the petitioners that such was the offensive language they ought to hold (hear, hear) then he could not wonder at hie coining to the conclusion he did come to. But he could not suppose such arguments, however violently urged, would have any weight is that House. The Hon. Gentleinan arid, that they (Ministers) were well calculated to bring them into difficulties, but not to fight the battles of the House. It now appeared, if those battles were to be fought, either against the present petitioners or any other, they would nut he fought by the Honourable Gentlemau.— (Hear, hear.)—Those who fought them would have to encounter also the opposition of that Ilon. Gent. and his friends on the other side—(hear, heard—And be dud trust there was spirit enough in the House to siiew that they would tight their owe battles against all such elle:111es, even though aided by die lion. Genthonaa.—(llear, hcar.)— Ile would nos object to the adjournment, though he did not See much necessity for it. He had con sented to it ou the other petitiota,• and no rea son to repent of the delay, as Gentlemen came more deliberately prepared to reject a most insult in; proilsicti 4444 • He trusted tliis deluy would have a similar result. The Honourable Gentleman had told them to book to their Journals, as if they were only to do that, and on nal, uffroeive paper that was presented to diem, go intd a nice balance of word., to see kV hailer it wtN a ii_tUlS,VSerli little lea. Insulting than the preceding. If a petition was OffrllSlWC•tilitt was the only groood for thettdecl slot:, without having recourse to precedents.—With mopes t to the offence lathe pre , ent Petitiothit could not be read without being obvious to every eye.— He requested to know, if their rights were to be questioned in the manner they were, by persons ap proachitig to the jowls of petitioners ? AVere they to be told, not only that their proceediargs were not legal, but that nothing could make them legal, and that they were elmie the King, Perliainent, and every legislature twin, earth. Were they to be told, after being thus accused, that, Irons the construc tion of the House, no surprise tens excited by such conduct ? Was there no insult in expressions of in dignation and disgust at their votes and decisions ? Was there no insult in telling them, that they hod, by their misconduct, lost the remains of the cou fidenee of the people? Could there be a doubt of the most deliberate insult being offered under the specious mask of it. , humble conceptions ?"—A$ for what was said of himself, lie had given proof, by voting for receiving the Westminster Petition, which, on dust subject, was at least as strong as the present, that this was not the ground of his ob jection. That petition had been allowed for, as agreed to in the beat of the moment, very shortly after their Representative was beet to the 'rower. But there could be no excuse for - others, con structed, weeks after, by persons, whose conduct primed that their most anxious wish was to vilify and degrade the House of Commons. Sorry was he to see that there were persons in the House ready to assist them nit nny terms—to take up the language of the strongest, amid by their example and precept, instruct others to use the same.— /Wear./ Were they to receive this petition, then it would he on their Juurtialv. and afford another happy precedent for the Honourable Gentleman and his frooids on the other side. But the House would no: permit it. Toe} would have petitions, not according to any form, but touched its lan guage resorctful awl decent, its ordered by the law of the land. (near). Should petitioners use too strong expressions, In hest, or inadvertency. they would. not to.. captiously take it up; but when it was intended to insult them, nothing but weakness could ever induce them to receive the degrading affront. Mr. Wilmot:us said, that he did not eneourage abusive or improper petitions. The present peti tion was from au acknowledged body, who had a right Madams, the King upon the throne; and he had no hesitation to say, that, in his opinion, the petition was not insulting.--(Hatr, hear.)—lt was collo rued onto such a alesuiog, not from any thing contained in itself, hut from the disposition of the House to sevk offensive lau d /Hear./—The 'Right lion. Gents had charged him with accusing • the HflllMe of want of dignity ; he would assure that Right Hon. Gent. that strong as he might consider the language adopted by him, lie did not himself consider it strong etimigh to express his detestation of the want of dignity mid of justice which he had occasion to observe in the House of (7ommons. Say the Right Goa. Gent. what he would, he (Nit. Whiihreoil) would never g;ve over maii i taining the cause of the people, eiro against the House of Cantrontsir, when that Minos rnauifested to dis. pmisition to oppose them. Even if the Right Houountble Gentleman's rinse was just, he was riot capahleof niaiataining it. One Parliament had been dissolved by him—the pre.ent had been flowed by him.—lt arose out of a disgrsceful and bigatted cry, and no one could say but it might be its fate erininate as time former did. lie could not sav w hen it would terminate, but, %btu it did, it would not he without disgrace. Lord A. I-1 NI LTON explained. Coplain PARKER said, that shout three mi nutes he would give strung era 0,1, fur rejecting the petition. He would reject it, because tire House *Mould not lie insulted, directly or indirectly. It was an artful petition, intended to entrap time House. Tire petitioners had set lip their opinion. against those of the body they pelitioned, and it became that body to shew diem that they were mistaken in thinking so. As to the speech of the Hon. Groileinan opposite, (Mr. Whitbread,) he thought it was hardly hor w him to bring the Tel ler of the Exchequer every slight 11 1 /110 tire carpet. Mr. Alderman Comic sod, that the small mem ber of ognaturea to the petition, was in cousequence of a Resolution of the £l.ll,lliniting the number. Mr. hymen, in explanatiomi, that he had not shut the door against the petitions of the people. 'fire conduct which he had purmed, was the same ispou Iwhich tile /1,111. Ge•itle.miati's (Mr. Whit bread) own friends acted, power. Mr. Watr■utan said, that tic hatiumver formed IS parr o f any administration. lint the Right Hon. Gentiemoi. instead .if considering what conduct other Ministers had adopted, should consider what would hest become himself. The amtudinemit &IS than carried without a di vision. ACTION AGAINST THE SERJEANT. The SPEAILICR mited, that he was desired by the Serpent to inform the House. that he had been served with a process of law. at the suit ofS,r Francis Burdett. Upon which' the Ctiascat.t.oa of the Excite smut moved, " That it sh.add lie referred to the Committee already appointed ;" which, after a few words Iron, Mr. Tiausar. was agreed to. It sea, then moved, mid curried. that the Serjeant should he called in to Mate particulars; hut he not bring in the way, the House proceeded to other business. Lord A. Ilfasitt.Tott gave notice, that he would move, that the resoltitiOUS reineCtiug: the Right lion. Spencer Perceval. and Lord Castlereagh, should be expunged from the Journals. It was not his intention to revive the question, which the House had already disposed of ; his object was merely to remove a memorial from their Journals, which must go a great way to justify the language which had been of late adopted towards them. Mr. CANNING said, that hr rose to wove for such papers, as lie understood nu objection was to be made to. lle then moved for an address to His Majesty, fur copies of the dispatches of Mr. Catiiiii.g to Mr Frere; also of Mr. rrere to Mr. Caunin 4 ; together with those of the Marquis Wel leaky. At a future day, he should probably move fur other papers, connected with the subject, but at present lie forhore, as some objections %night be side to graiitiog tbeni.—Tlie naotiou was agreed to. MACAO. Mt'. PitENDIEBOAST pteinced his motion for certvin papers, relating to the occupatiou of the Island of Macao, by the British, a ith some observations, w bleb he debt ered in so low a voice as to he nearly Mao dible. When the !louse considered the connection between this rountry and China, lie was sure that it must see the necessity of inquiring into the cir cumstances relating to the capture of the Island. The expert Lion. he said, was undertaken in conse quence of the representations of the super( ;trees to the Goverionent of India, and Admiral Drury landed them, not as an ally, but as a conqueror, and hoisted the British flag. The event was pro ductive of ■ misunderstanding, between both Go vernments, which might produce the worst ef fects, ry cutting off the trading intercourse.— To prevent such a consequence, nod obtain a true insight into the nature of the case, he should move— . " That there be laid before the House, eopies of all di.. patches from the Hoard of Athatrally, Me Court of Direc tors, and the East India Company, to Admiral Drury, re lating to the Expedition to Masao. Also, copies of all the Orders which may have been sent by the LorslS Cummu sionera of the Admiralty, touching his It ports upon the subject of the Expedition. Also, copies of all orders or opi- Mons from the Commissioners for India Affairs, w►ic► may have been transmitted to the Go►ernur-General of India, and to the Factory of China, upon the same subject." As this motion necessarily embraced a great num ber of papers ; it was his wish to be appointed one of a Committee to select such as were necessary. Mr. DU N DAS said, thst the Government of Eng land, considering the relation between this country and Portugal, hail thought it expedient to autho rise the taking posses,ion of the Portuguese Settle• meats in India; but, at the same time, t twake an exception in favour of Nlae,so. Ile then read the instructions sent out to that effect. No orders whatever could go from this country without the concurrence of Government. If Lord Minto in truded to act at all upon the statement of the su percargoes, he could not submit it to tn.. Govern ment. As to Admiral Drury. he had acted in strict conformity with his instruction•. 'rise House could Lace no conception of the 1314:.. iii papers whirh the motion called let ; and he was sure that it must see no blame could possibly attach to the Executive Government. Mr. G. Joirtaroms. aid. tint any thing which went to involve the I uuntry in a quarrel with Chi n a, was entitled to the utmost investitition ; awl if any raw could be made out wrong enough to call for it, it was that .taierl by his Hots. Friend (Mr. Dunda , ) where it was evident that the instruc tions of the Government had been disobeyed. The worst of coosequeuces urght follow from such conduct. Mr. WALLACK oppescd the motion. from which he thought that great inioMetileller must result. Sir Hotta roensts thought that every paper, which was necessary to vindicate the conduct of the gallant Admiral. %hoot.' be lad before the House. 1f all the papers moved for were ton many. the motion might be so qual.tied as to obviate that objection. Ile was .ittre that the gallant AJ I could defend himself; a.al as to the ii.dity of the measure. he should only that it wJ4 the height of folly to excite any sp.ri• of oppoottou so the LA nese Government, which might tend to inferft with our trade. It appeared to him that i 1111111.• tatiun tout rest somewhere. Tneie were four par- • ties concerned : the Government of this eouritr. which was acquitted ; the Governor-General of India, the East India Company. and the Supet (Anima. Mr. Geier opposed the motion. T.. go any farther would be, iii effect, to reciill the meat of India. No charge was made aptist the Coinniatidtr-in-Citief of the Expedition ; uu the contrary, he had conducted I •eif with the K re at est propriety end disi•roion, and was fully apprii*e.l of Ly the Court of Directors. lie should thew. fore oppose the production of any paper* whatso ever. Mr. PRENDERGAST mark a few olwe•vations reply; and content/el, that Lord Munn *us the responsible person, and not those wlio save tits ad vice. Mr. DUNDAS eXpliiineil. Af..'r a few words from Mr. A.SELL TMOIN the IllOtiOU was negatived without a division. WEST IN DI A DOCK COM l'A N I'. Mr. BARHAM, aftern few re it Irk, up I' the i• - 'dilution of this Company, and the woo, it ! lei which it was created, moved the followiicz n man. non, " 'Phut it appeared to the House that the West India Dock Company, in dividing to pit: cent. without deducing the Property Tax, Fuld és ceeded the extreme rate of interest allowed by tit . 39th of His present Majesty." lie said, tat iirer this resolution was agreed to, it was Lis intention . to bring in a declaratory Bill. Mr. lIIBUIERT said, that every partiPular u. o t this subject had been laid before a Cominit;e-i„ which had come to a determination, that Ilse affairs of the Company had been conducted in a fair and candid manner ; at the same time it had bard upon this single point, and reported ita opinion on it, which was, that they did not think it warranted by the letter of the law. The Comps iy had di vided ten per cent. but not clandestinely. ; it was published in all the newspapers. Perhaps they would think it not improper to continue this indul gence, as an encour.igement to the great under takings of the Company. lie concluded with moving, " That the debate should be a Ijourned to this day six months." isr. BARING said, that he would support the re. solution, unless the Gentleman n o po.ite - would thew that it would be better concluded iti a Court of Law. Mr. M•auTATT said, the Legislature, on form lag the society. gave them a monopoly, but only to certain extent ; for after it went bey and 10 per cent. the rates on ve-sels entering their docks should be reduced. It had been argued, that they only took 10 per cent. as regulated by the Act of the 314 of the King; hut if they could not abew by that Act, they were excluded frmu paying h.- come tax, and were under a different law Ir all other incorporated bodies. They had not a right to subject any class of men to hear their ex penses; and the West Inota planter should not be put in a worse situation that' his fellow-010.j ct•.— Under the-e considerations, the resolution should have his full support. Mr. lIUGUAN opposed the measures ou the . ground that the law was open to a revision. 'rite ArToottax-GeilltßAL stated, that, from his knowledge of the great benefit that the docks had been to the public, and the excellent rummer they had conducted their affairs, he would be sorry to give en opiition to their i•. Jury. It we. cert.:ll the public could apply to a Ciiiart of Lao, but it would be troublesome and umiecessery. as he was con vinced any Resolution of that House, which set forth they had acted itnproperly, would be complied with, and they reverse their conduct. He thought if they hail considered the Irt:er of the faw, .tiley ought to have paid the 104000 e tax out of the 10 per cent. They might have been Ird away, that because the East India and South Sea Company's were excluded from the general tax, tiley were also entitled to the same exempt:on, but thei. body was quite different. He thought it his duty to Mate his opinion, and was sorry that it was not in his power to support the company. He would there fore give his vote in favoor of the resolution. Mr. BARHAM replied ; and said. hr did not tin. dertake to dictate what mode the House should pursue ; he had brought the question before them, and it was for them to decide how the abuse should be done away with. Mr. 111118FRT spoke in explanation. Mr. WM. Spirit was of opinion that the rouiatry would not be oblig d to the West India Dock Company for any incidental advantage they might derive. for 'hi ought not to foiego any thing that tended to the general wrlfa e. He coin Ind, dby assenting to the Resolution. The SuLtixrua-G•rigitst., after passing an en. osmium on the general conduct of the We-t italic Dock Company, acid. he perfectly *greed with the arguments and opinion of the Hon. and Learliod Gentleman, the Atturne)-General. Mr. Jens Soma 44141, thedilEett' ties of the com pany had been very lately got over and it .1.. by the means of his late Hon. Friend, (the (umina, ), now no more, that they had hero overcome. After some observations from Mr. W. Mr. G. orge Johts.totte. Mr. Witham. and Mr. Primeval, the SPEW'S put the question on the Amendtuent, which was negatived without a di vision. The original question was then carried. DUKE or BRUNSWICK. Mr. WHARTON brought up the bill to enab!e His Majesty to settle an annuity on his Strews Highness the Duke of Brunswick; which was read a first time, and ordered to be read a second time to-morrow. The other orriert of the day were ttwo Jiroo-ed of. ■nd the House adjourned. at Tara La c o'CLot t. to Out day. We read. with touch m ossfaction. the Oli-es lions of a Naval Olfiter ou the pamphlets et 1.. nl Ilat.ett.ms and Mr. Rose, respecting a Nav I Arwood at Northtleet ; we trust di.- judscu las salutary hints thereto contained. will be duly ~ sidered by every Mesuber of Patliatnent, M bu Mill have to vote away %urban immense sum of ; and. in (act, by all per s ons sam a r a a t all in promoteme such a work. It is twitch to t e ~ 1. h thatN s t va e l sr tine to 'i :o ll ik w". :s e e f il ul a alr- s i Pe t ! : fill question.