The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser. — London, England, 1804-06-07 00:00:00

r. IWenn—because lie would never consent to abr - don what was found pradically good, for a this; fa it at best was uncertain. In the case now oelor Rte ;louse, there vat a manifest departure from ti e eitablished usage and practice of the Constittnio.. was a case very different from other eases of bribk try end corruption. It was different in this re<peCt that bete there had been a long continued and sy kinetic scene of corruption, which loudly called fr the interference of Parliament to suppress. Partin agent aright have been justified in disfranchising th, horauga altogether and it was still more justified it adoottng the fresent remedy. It had been argued, that thee:tension of the franchises to the adjoining hundreds would be an injury to the present Lie,. tors of the Borough. Now, in answer to this, he senuld suppose, that a man went and built a house within the bog ugh of Aylesbury, and occupied h. He was then to be considered an Elector, and there was one more added to the number al ready in the Borough. Would any man say that this was doing injustice, or doing an injury to the remaining electors t and if it was contended that it ' was unjust, in point of principle, to admit 100 addi tionalelettors, it must be equally unjust in princi ple to admit one. If their I.ordships would look Co the foundation of this measure, they would see that it was one to which they could not, with any propriety, refuse their assent. A court, composed of IS Members pf the House of Commons, appointed under that law which was called the Grenville Ait, had examined into and ascertained the anent of the bribery and corruption which had been prallised at Aylesbury ; and it was on their express recommendation that the present Bill had been brought into the House of Commons. He earnestly boned that their Lordships, by their vote, would sanetion this proceeding ; that they would do an at similar to what had been done in the case of S hore- Irits, when the late Lord Chatham observed, that, the Parliament had taken the borough of Shots bans out of the kingdom of Bengal, and placed it fa the kingdom of England." Lord AUCKLAND supported the Bill; and pored as MI amendment to the Lord Chancellor's Motion, M That so much of the Order of the Day, N required Counsel to be beard in favour of the M e be dispensed with." Lod HAWLESBURY strongly supported the Bill, as a measure absolutely necessary to correa a Sigma abuse in the Constitution t and with no in ionic, to individuals. The individuals belonging be time Borough of Aylesbury could not complain .61 any injury, for nothing was to be taken from 1 ibem ; and if there was, that thing could not be considered in the light of private property. The einalve franchise which they exercised was not pri vate property, but a public trust vested in there by due commu*ty ; and if that trust was abu,ed, the community from which they received it had a right to take it back again ; but even this was not the caul herr, for they sti:l were to hold the trust ; but, es order to prevent them from making a bad use rf k again, it merely proposed that several o:hers we:c to participate with them in the exercise of the same. Lord ;LLEN BOROUGH strongly ob . l:Eted to ' BM es an a& of great injustice, because it went to Matt pains and penalti:s on :Iv: ir.nocent as well as the guilty. And if such a precedent as this erns once admitted, a similar measure of disfran chisement might be adopted in every case of bribery which might occur at every eleCtion throughout the kingdom. The LORD CHANCELLOR followed the last I Noble Lord in opposing the Bill. And, in answer • to what fell from Lord Grenville, he contecaled that **accession of new eleflors was an infringement on the right of the old eleßors. Even she addition of one who should build a hense within the borough must be considered as dssonos sine ;sjaria. He was **enemy to real reform, ' , tit he would ever oppose dat thing called reform which was founded hi in • justioe. Aker some further conversation. it was ordered **Counsel be admitted to die bar. The Counsel against, the Bill were admitted accordingly, and were heard for some time. When Counsel withdrew from the bar, Lord Glum gt.t.s moved the second reading of the BM. The LORD CHANCELLOR opposed it, upon de Around that there was no evidence before the bat the Minutes of the Committee of the of Commons. He. therefore, proposed an Amendment, which should be entered on the Jour . sals of the House. a, shew to posterity that there was one man in that House who would oppose so initya Bill. Gaeta ex explained. Lord AUCKLAND said, that not having heard she arguments of Counsel, nor the evidence ad ' decade he should decline voting either way on the lireseatspestion. Lord GRENVILLE declared he by no means meant to tak e the House unawares, nor to press the question against their Lordships wishes; be there fore would postpone the further eunsideratioa of the Motion till to-morron. wiIrLORD CHANCELLOR said, he could ave that House, without observing upon what fell front the Noble Lord (Grenville) : he said 1c had thrown a slur upon the 'Bill ; if the strongest pro test that his mind could suggest again..t Bach an iniquitous Bill was so, he pleaded guilty. lLne ver, as the Noble Lord had postponed the furth , ..r consideration of the Bill, he also withdrew his Amendment. The Counsel and witnesses were then ordered to attend at the bar to-nwrrow, .utd the House ad journed. HOUSE. uf CONIMONS. Mr. Davits Gt Dhoti took the oatl.saud h ., seat, for the 13e..rough of Webttone, in Cornwall, en the MOM of Lord Fifth Atria, lately appointed one Cf the land% of the Trea:“ary. accuut.zs of corn and grain, exported and imported, were brought up, °Ward to lee un the table, and to be printed. _ A Petition a•ai ptercnted frcrn the ship Owrers of Durham, eg.tibst tltc s44peinion of the N..viga tioo laws.—Ordere.l to lie the Tabie. _ Sir Jona W. Asui.aso. brougqi lip a Petition from certain Proprietors of E:tatcs in the %Vela India Colonies, against the Bill for the AbAition tbor Slave Trade. On lee Motion. 'dear the Bill do lie on the Table till the second reading, and that the parties be then beard by themselves, or Counsel, against the said BM; Mr. WILBERFORCE said, this =centre had for many years undergone the most minute and ex 'ensive discussion, and he thereon saw no great oc casion for hearing Counsel on the subjeel. At all events, he thought it could he better not to fix at present the hearing of Counsel. Mr. FULLER expressed great surprise at this iihjeltion, and said, that from his papers he could assert, that every word spoken by the Right Hon. Gentleman on this subject, the outer day, was not founded in fag. Lehi TEMPLE differed in opinion with the Hon. Gentle:nail (Mt Wilberforce), as to the obiehii if to hear Counsel on the 2d reading. He allowed the measure had certainly undergone the most ample discussion, but the present state of the colonies re quited that the Proprietors of Estates should have every possible opportunity of delivering their ob jeiions to the Bill. Mr. I)ICKENSON thought that some notice should have been given of such a motion. The SPEAKER said, that it was the usual prac tice of the House to make an order in ad cases for the Parties eo be heard by themselves or Counsel, on the second reading of a Dili. This op crated as a notice, and if any Member hid an obje&ion to make to it. he had an opportunity of doing so on the Order of the Day being read. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said, that under the explanation gisenby the Speaker, he acquiesced for the order being made at present, but conceived that every Member was at liberty to oppose the busting of Counsel on the Order of the Day being read. It was then ordered that the Petitioners be heard by themselves or Counsel on the second reading of the Bill. Sir W. YOUNG said, the Hon. Gentleman (Mr. Wilberforce) wed not suppose the foregoing was, the only opposition to the Bill—these was another Petition from the Merchants of Liverpool against ite which was expeeted to arrive by tin murnkng's post, but which did not. Lord TEMPLE brought up a Petition from Mr. Lyal, Colonial Agent fey the Island of Jamaica, against the Bill for the Aboli:ion of the Slave Trade, praying to be heard by themselves or Counsel against the same. Ordered to lie on the Table till the second reading, and then the Petitioners to be heard by themselves or Counsel against the Bill. Lard PORCHESTER gave notice that on Friday sehinieht he would make a Motion relative to the Orders sent out to the different Commanders in India. TtlF. 1.0 tL thetechTes LETTER. Mr. WHITBREAD rose, and said he had been induced to give the considerable length of notice he had done respeining the Motion which it was now his intention to submit to the House, in order that the Lord Advocate of Scotland might have an op portunity of being present when he brought it for ward. He had, however, the ratisfashion to knew decisively that toe Lord Advocate was apprised of his Motion, aad he therefore, in the absence of that Learned Gentleman, sonceived bizaself at liberty td speee as freely tespedting the transaction that was the aubje& of his ..lesion as if he were aetually present. The Learned Lord, he said, was, from his official situation, invested with large powers; and these he had uset in the present Instance i such a man ner that he hail not merely ontstepped the law, but had done so in an unprecedonied decree. From the nature of the Ss arch law, the situation of the Lord Advocate was in fa& more respoilsil de than that of the Attorney General, which answers to it here. Both are inveoed, for the pubic good, with very ex tensive and extraordinary powers, and cases may oc cur in both countries, wherein Pa liament ought to interfere, eit! er as a check to an undue exercise of that power, or h, ar, iddress to His Majesty to remove the person who should transgteu the hounds of that authority, which the Conan mion for the wisest par. poses had vested in him. hi tier pleient case, he would assume that the Le rd Advocere had tio right to calamniate any nibjech whatce". He would also aunme that he had no power to .rrest .ray sub jet, nor to order him to be arreqed, •xi h out due pro. efts of law. If he prove 1 th.it he bed calumniated a subjesh, and that he had afterwares excommuni cated him from the benefits and ae vantages of the society in which he lived, without any trial or inves tigation whatever,. if it should are ear he had so far inisconducted himself, he should 'hi .k him unfit to fill the high andimportantofticea hic he now holds. Much argument had occurred in the eiscussion of the clause in the Volunt, er Bill in that House relative to the colitraet between M ISM% and Servants, and he thought the best friend of the Volunteer system would not be bold enough to deny that many cern pleints have arhen out of the circumstance of ser vants becoming Volunteers, by which they have in many instances dons so from a positive intention to injure their masters. This case has occurred in Scotland. A person of the name of Morrison, a Farmer in BeAfinire, had a servant named Carrow, who, contrary to his inclination, entered Stiehl Ve..• hunter Corps. He atteaded drills and muaters. from Whitsunday, the day he entered, till the 13th of o&ober, on which day he absented himself from k the whole day to attend as inspeetiiin of the Carps, ordered by the Marques of I ; on which occarioti Mr. Morrbiin, hi, ma a. r, discherg ed him. The servant then apt - 1i to the Lord A ./iicate for his opinifyi as to tiv ntdi CAS he was en titled to against ..is -roaster, by a CA st ited in what is there called a sl..nior al. shr Whi!l)rea..l then rend the Memorial, ie rhich it was coached that the sere int entered tore toe corps • itheni hi s n ts s ter's culture; thee he was allowe h to attetal drills well he absented hime fruits his work a whole day, :o atter,' the inspetee it whi:ve mentioned, on which account he :as di:he:eche Ile then asks what remedy he has ah. iret menet ? The Right Hee. (;entleinen .hen sail, that the Lord Advocate, instead of giving a ober, stseieuh and dis passionate opinion. as the case reehred, had set off in ;ha roost usinstie&he terms. His rim words were " However an priarintcd and al pre i.e. Mr. 3 orri saa's carsdaThwau haw Th s, he couteihred, was wrong in any person to high in off ee, on a case as which he allows that the master, Mr. Mor rison, had done nothing contrary to law. opinion was given on ale leeheseeer, and on the 30th, he addressed a !cue: to the Sheeiff Sub stitute of Beaffshitte in oaten he said, .." 14C coadoci of Illorrison is most :Precious!" wit*ootask: • ing whet the servant had been guilty of in his meaner of absenting' himself I without asking whe ther he had le* his barn unlocked, and his master's property liable to the deoredati in of any one who might come that way ;" and then he goes on, " and eerypo%Tiolc means should be taken to stigma's: , and punish lam. His condua can only have arisen from disloyalty ; and therefore as soon as any Frenchmen ore !turfed in Scotland, I order you lu ;size Murrisun end pod hen in prior, aid led to lb.', h,$): : ;, him widiuut my order. And 'further, I shall do all f con to prcaht him from receiving coy csmprneat,un for any part of hi, properly winch may 6r destroyed either by the enemy or the Kilg's troops." This, he said, was a monstrous conclusion of a monstrous mind. It Mr. Mot rison was a man of feeling, he must say to himself and to his ft iends, that he had rather the Lord Ad vocate had been a tyrant with power to hang him immediately, tOan thus to hold him up to the world as an °Neel of public resentment and detes tation; as a man with whom no person should have any dealings or communication, by which his family; as well as himself, were liable to be entirely ruined for ever. Resides, supposing the French had landed, oath a proscription was likely to affea his life, as every one must know how ready a mob was to seize on such doarines as 'Awful signals to plun der and pillage the objea against whom they were direaed. These were the bitter sentences passed by the Lord Advocate against Morrison, and they had already operated so far as to make a considerable impression on a person of liberal education in the same country, who had expressed himself with great warmth against Morrison. Mr. Forbes, the Sheriff Substitute, had fortunately advised the Sheriff's clerk to send a copy of the letter to Morri son, and to put the original on record, which gave the means to the House to come at it. Another circumstance, which clearly sheered the injustice of this transaaion in deeper colours. was a letter written by the Sheriff's clerk, Mr. Patrick Rose, to Mr. Morrison, in which he advised him to buy off the man " by making him as handsome an allowance as possible, as the best means of appeasing the Lord Advocate." Mr. IVbithread contended, that the Lord Advocate had au authority, even by the law of Scotland, to as in the ooprecediatted roamer he had ,one, and diet such a violetiorrof therights of chef oder& ought to raise the inslignetiort of the House. It might, perhaps, be said that Morrison may have' Bois action against the Lord Advocate; but it must! be very evident, that though the Lord Advocate has not the legal power to do what he has done, he has yet very great power indeed ; and small would be the chance of such a man as Farmer Moe rison, after all the expenses that must accrue, recevering a fair compensation in damages from a man in the high official situation of the Lord Advocate. But even though he should recover, it became the bounden duty of the House to interpose for the piotettion of the subjea, the honour of the Crown, and the stria but impartial administraticet of pub lic justice. He bud proceeded so fee on the an thcrity of letters, whit!, he believed to be true and legal; if they were fergeries. he should have to beg pardon of the Lord Advocate for the observations he had made, and of the House, for hevieg tekeii up so much of its time in vain. He concluded by moving, "That there be laid before the 'Home a copy ot so much of the records of the county of Beeffshire, as contain a letter from C. Hope, Esq. the Lord Advocate, dated Soth Dec. ISA to the Sheriff-Substitete, relative to Mr. Morrison ; also,. a copy of the letter from Mr. Geo. Forbes, the She riff-Substitut., to Mr. Patrick Rose, the Sheriff's Clerk, on the same subjea." The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said, it was not his intention to objeet to the produc tion of the paper moved for, but he thought this was not the stage in which the House ought to enter upon the subjea. He must, however, observe, that, in his opinion, the coostruaion put on the letter by the Hon. Gentleman who had brought forward the motion was not such as would be warranted when the words of the origin oh letter were fairly before the Howse. He Lepeol the l louse would not suffer their minds to ecceive any undue impression from the observatioas eh eh had been made or. the present .scrasion, but would, when the matter came reoularly before them, give it a far and impartial investigation. He was sure, front his knowledge of the Noble and Learned Lord Witt) WAS the sutlea of the motion that n • motives of personal malice or resentment against an in lividuel could have indu rd him to take any step is hich should overate to the in• jury of that and, it must therefole, if any measure such As via! a meleined of h id taken place, Lye proceeded entirely from the ecul d pi ordrof mild, and at 4ht to he regarded accordingly ; when the Howe ennsidered how much the public was in terested in the defence an I support of the clieraaer of one who has, for such a length of time, fillsd so high an ofiscial station, with so much credit to him self and advantage to hi; country. Some surprise had been intimated at the \nble and ;earned Lord alluded to, not being pre -no He weidered, on the contrary, that as this transaftr , n took place so long ago as Oanber par, acid the Lord Advocate had attended his duty for same 'wicks, this matter bad not been sooner brought forward. Ile ac quitted the Hon. gentleman who now made the motion of being an, party to the delay, for he be hewed he had lost no rime in bringing the mater forward. As it now stood, tire Noble and leariod Lord was not able to be present, because he WAS particelerly en card in the discharge of the duties tiff his h;el and i , riecntent office. Mr. PDX said, that as the papers moved for were to hr granted, he should not detain the House by entering on the oilaject at present. With re spea to die principle, whenever it came fairly be foe- the /louse, he leeed that a better defence would he set up than Me scale:fan drdetst mood, which, to oiet, was one of I:I' wildest and weakest that could be iniaoed. 1r -.v much had been heard in that House of the Fri h Revolution, yet, could any one say that the 2' • rw'tirs committed, during that period, and the fa, ao effeas which have follow ed, are to be excused, because they were the effeEts of ankol maids : lie wee sore the House would never listen to sueh kind of argument on an occasion of sech impertance. After a few words of explanation from Mr. raai.ao, the two Motions were severally put and aeneed to. Mr. kerrsoalato snored for leave to bring in a Bill for amending an Aa passed in the Parka r ent of Ireland, in the 3Sth of the King, for regulating the eleftion of Members to serve in Parliament, and for repealing several ails specified in the said do, so far as relates to freeholders under 201. Mr. H. LASCELLES Thiseed;' that the seem ( ' realing of the Clothiers' Bill be postponed to tr.. morrow, on acconnt of the then state of the House, which was very thin. After a few observations from Admiral Bleat- LEY, and Mr. WI I.BLRFORCE Lord TEMPLE moved, that the House h e counted, %%hen there being only thirty-five Meners present, th J louse of course adjourned. TUE BRITISII 1-)1.il.::.1z). LON DON, THURSDkY. JLNE 7. Various reparts ;we in circulation upon a swim of extreme delicacy and importance. Of these a e have reason to believe the following is the most au. thentic. On Friday Mr. PITT 114k1 an audience of the PRINCE at Carleton House, at which be stated it to be the opinion of the Physi:ians that qukt, atd a total seclusion from business, were necessary to His MA J EST v's complete recovery, and therefore he wished to know how far His Royal Highness would concur in an arrangement to relieve His Ma. ,J EST T from the temporary pressure cf business. The PCINCE obscryei that he was uninformed as to the real state of His Ma.; es r health, and that he could give no answer until he had consulted his friends. lie iccordingly called a meeting at the 'Marquis of BCC 14:11%Gll St'S on Saturday, when he communicated the purport of his conversation with Mr. PITT. It was the general opinion of the meet ing, that Royal Highness could take no notice of Mr. Prrr's communication as to the K tic's health: hut that the Panics should write to the CIiAN- desiring that a cull statement of all the cir• cu m stances blight be made to bins. In consequence of this, thelLo MD CII4I4.CELIOOI waited upon the PAISES on Sunday morning, with *report, , igned•and swcr.: by all the Physicians, and also the depositions cf some of the attendants immediately about His Ms. Jess . v's person, which report agreed with Mr. PITT'S statement. Heroin believe the matter rests for the presmt ;butthe report ci.. Regency, to which it appears to have been the opening, has gained ground since the Birth-day. The Marquis of litcs- INCH 4/4, it is said, has had two ir.terviews with the Lort o CHAisceLLoa upon the subjelt ; and, according to some accounts, Mr. Fox and Mr. C tier, on Tuesday, communicated to Mr. Par the PRINCE'S answer, stating, that he i had applied to the Lotto CiI•NCELLoa, as the proper source of in formation relative to His Mansrv's 'health, and that he should take such proceedings upon it, as he should think necessary. Others say, that the ob• jed of their visit to Mr. PITT was to apprise him of their intention to move for a Parliamentary En quity into the state of His MAJESTY'S health, with a view to other proceedings. It is certain, howe ver, that His MAJI sr v held a private Levee yes terday, nJ spent the Jay in a manner that ought to make us hear or read these accounts u ith great CAution. We have received Moniteurs to due 27th Lag. The new Ess►taoa is busily employed in receiving the oath of allegiance from his new titled officers ; aril the various distrias and departments are busily employed in giving their votes in favour of the Esl• eicaull.-1 he 5 pet cents. were, on the 25th, 57,60. On Monday evening advice; were received at Portsmouth from, Captain BLNWET, of the Trikor, of lii. having, in company with the Dead, and ,- dra, driven thirty-five sail of gun-boats into a no. near Cherbourg, and that, with the assistance of a bomb, he was of opinion they may be destroyed ; in consequence of which, the Prospero bomb, Capt. C. Joscs, was immediately ordered to join the squ tdron, and sailed on Tuesday morning. Yesterday, about one o'clock, the DANISH n'sssona had .in audience of Lord ria n sow his office. On Tue , day night, Mr. W.CIC, the Ntesm was sent with dispatches t,. the Loki, La NA•ir Ireland. "Ilie new plan for the regulat'i , at of t'ae Nlt Staff; publi.;)ed r-e•igt• ;vet ! , in this paper upoi 3t st or March, w.t> stgne.l by His MAJtsTV the t!'2d A Court of Direnors was yesterday held . Ea't luau House, when Captain STLettlIN of the Moaarcb, tank leave of the Court, vious to his departure fur Bengal dire&. Court adjourned at six o'clock sine die. It is expesied that the Commanders of the ander and Sovereign will take leave the next Ct Orders have been sent out by the East Compan► to their Governments abroad to ciao as much as possible die culture of hemp in Samples of hemp, the produce of our pi.ssessii the t'.tst, have, upon the fairest trial in this cot been found far superior to any Russian hemi imported into Great Britain. We understand that in consequence of thi War, arrangements have been made in Indi the addition of ten regiments vf ‘•epoys to di o. the East India Cowpony, at the deocy of Bengal. A mag Mastr tim sl mcn e l e ge, on ti tag his teat This en: me morate lency's A: c alculated felt by evt Op ?osii gra nd orcl ••::11 the o ore tio:, Ql th, tun, whi M.ijesty t• ti(in of th menu we rooms, al raisture clegant ti 799," w mo tto, & Sever dressy which er I ;a ppy all the di sr . o . 4 les, of the yc This dev Sultaun, was a wh lar to th plume of The with the cies : Area Deg Mai IN Pa S.ll* Set • Guu AN OR TSB Ti Yest chariot and for of Ligt return Nn the oto, Vsszou IlAwati it A-- cleve lay, AL essrt , The ted to to dui t : Mt A la ~ .aae. lerd, ion a): 0 tUllf • 4p.— tad p Fr.lot7 I at tilt - 1/..4 I, ta.ur HAM! A t, Fe. Hi m a , ,—The Piiry e A'is. 11,ivr o ;uurt. to t em I India Lord coura! , e 14µ Indi. , tann r isions A 7 1 . ..ount!'‘ - ap ev • 4 41,31, he 1 1 , 4 dia, tc r t' , - he esta- Le liter.. • all