The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser. — London, England, 1805-04-19 00:00:00

Melville to satisfy the people, the thing would be of no great consequence, and would even have the ap pearance of partial rigour towards one puticular in dividual. To avoid all appearance of a punishment, merely personal towards !iis I.pdship, and fur other infinitely more imp o rtant put posei.,. it becomes an indispensilile duty to press a full investigation into this system of general depredation whit, has pre vailed all the pliblic offices, and promote the further developement nfThem, by that disinterested, honest, and independent committee, to whose labours their country is ..0 greatly indebted. The people of England have a I ight to call down punishment upon every violation of : Xisv, in whatever quarter it may be found, and the Livery has a peculiar right to demand it ; for while we see two great City Officers, late Sheriffs of the City of London, now under con finement in Newgate, for a comparatively trifling breach of law, shall we he restrained for demanding that just punishment should be inflieed on that enormous delinquent, who, through the course of his depredations, for thirty years past, possessed offices of the highest trust, ceniidence, and emolu ment, and had in his hands, all that time, the en tire patronage of India and of Scotland ? If then Coe Minister, with whom he constantly aged dur ing an administration of eighteen years, had seen, suffered, and supported this flagrant system of pe culation, the inference is irresistible, that such a Minister, so implicated in these transattions himself, is far from being qoalified to look after and controul the misconduß and delinquency of his sociates and subordinates. Gentlemen, it never can be amiss to promote enquiry into the public expenditure. If the House of Commons has held the purse of the na tion through so long an Administration, and has been all along contented to vote the vast estimates annu ally laid before them by the Minister, without any enquiry having ever been instituted, the more iucunsbent is it on the people to give them every encouragement and assistance in following up their late almost unexampled decis;on—a deci sion which will tend more to the support and per manent security of the British constitution thast all the ads of its secret or avowed enemies could ever hope to do for its subversion. I must once more express my sincere satisfaftion in refleeing, that this comes not before you in the semblance of a party measure. On all former occasions it was the policy of your enemies to divide you whenever any public question was proposed, but that resource must fail them in this instance, which admits of no disunion. But it behoves you to bear in mind, that the decision so much rejoiced at by the Country, was only carried by a very small majority; and that, as we must all be aware of the numerous arts that will be employed to defeat the ohje& of it, the much greater is the necessity for the constituents of the country to en courage, by their instrueions, their representatives to persevere in such honourable and highly beneficial exertions. I do not think it needful to waste any portion of your time on unnecessary arguments in favour of the Resolutions whith I shall now read to you (for which vide the Advertisement in front of this Paper) ; and also a petition to Parliament, which be also read, to the following purport : " That Petitioners have uniformly concurred in all measures that appeared te them conducive to the welfare of Hu Ma }amyl dominions, and for that purpose had chearfully sub• mused to the most unexampled burthens; that they have ieareed, with concern a•id astonishment, that the Right Hon Henry Dead" Viscount Melville, late Treasurer of the Navy, has been guilty of a gross violation of the law, and a high breach of duty, a hereby immense sums of money have been preened to the purpose of private emolument; that they consider it to be a great aggravation of the offence, that these disgraceful transations were carried on during a period of un peseedvnted difficulty, when the very existence of the country nes at malts ; end that the person thus violating the law was flu the peesession of several high and prontable offices, and ever among the foremost in recotrunending additional burthens so be laid upon the people; calling upon them to submit to the mast painful privations : That Petitioners are duly impromed with a high sense of the virtue of the Ho nourable the House of Commons, alit participate in the general sentiment which pervades the country, of the wisdom, firmness, and integrity, with which it has discharged its sacred trust, by the progreis which it has made, in protecting the public money from such misapplication, and from such gross visitations of public duty : That they approach the HOW, with a knpe, that the Howse will do justi:e to the outraged feeling. of the public, by bringing to cndign punishment convicted crime; and that it would be derogatory to Gevcrnment, pro- judicial to the Putilic Service, and insulting to the House and Nation, were Viscount Melville to remain a Member of His Majesty's Councils, or is possession, under the Crown, of any Place of Trust, Honour, or Emolument : That they conceive any ether person directly concerned in such abuses, or who may have conni‘ed at the sine, to be equally incapable of continuing in office, and that such persons ought to be brought le a acrid account, The Petitlnn concluded with ;Kayla'', "That the House wi:l take the same into consideration, and prosecute these en quiries with vigour and offer" That for this purpose the Rouse will muse the powers of the Coninsissi..ners of Naval En quiry to be continued, and extended, u cireuent.inces may re Apure ; and that such further enquiry may be made into the management and expenditure of the public money, and the coeds) .rf public offices, a. may lead to the detection of all abuse., the punishment of offences, and the establishment of a system of vigilance and economy, that shall prevent the recurrence of loth abuses." •s There is only one more observation with which I mean to trouble you. It has often fallen to my lot to stand forward and arraign the votes And con dua of some of your Representatives in Parlia ■sent. I always did so with some pain, and it is therefore with the greater pleasure that I now ap pear before you to bear my testimony of congratu lation and thanks to the votes given by your present constituents, in support of that decision by which the condua of Viscount Melville was condemnc.l. I will not, on this occasion, renew any discussion respeft log the duty of representatives to obey the instruc tions of their constituents on particular occasions. My sentiments, on flit subjed, are already known !n you, and your constituents will, on this day, you whe with thL that I reFeesen tatives were bound, in all cases, to obey their con stituents instruitions. In all general and incidental matters, I would allow them to be free agents, and ad upon their own opinions; but. in all great and cm: i:utioual questions, I hold them bound to vote according to the instruainna which they may receive from heir constituents." He then moved his first Resolution ; which being read by the Crier ; Mr. Gonneeaeaa advanced, and informed the Livery, that though he had little to add to what had been already said, he addressed them in compliance •.ith the usual eastern of seconding a motion. On a subj Pet of such univer,al congratulation, it was the right and duty of th? City of London to express their opinions freely and without fear. Every power in the State. of whatever description, originated in the people, and whenever they became acquainted with any violation of the law, their duty, as well as their interests, required their interference ; and if the proceedings, on the present subjed, were to stop here, there would he reason to regret that any investigation had taken place at all, as the aban donment of the subjed, after such a determination, would tend to destroy all that confidence which the people were, from the late vote, disposed to place in the Parliament. Mr. W A uoittoropt said, that if more power was delegated to any man, than human nature was ca pable of bearing, some allowance should, in fair nets, be made for so difficult a situation.—(Here there was a loud cry of of! .f! and buses from most parts of the Hail, intermixed with some few voices, exclaiming, hear /lint ! bear him ! which continued for some time). Mr. Watioisorott re sumed, saying, that it was not his intention to justify the delinqueecy of so flagrant and atrocious a kind (applawe)—but he could not, at the same time, be insensible to what w is the peat responsibility of the unfortunate Gentleman, and of what was his situa tion during the time of his culpability.—( Shorts of deroprobalion, whirl, he endured very potienilq He repeated. once more, the he was very far from de fending Viscount Melville's con het, but did not like that the censurt should apply solely to one guilty in dividual. when there was known to prevail a❑ am ple and comprehensive system of dilapidation, through all the offices. There was known to have been a di jfeit of no less than 20,(M,0001. during the last war, in the navy accounts, which wee so complicated and irregular, that all the efforts of one hundred clerks would he nimble, in twenty years, to unravel. It is lamentable to see the same men suffe ed, for twenty years, to, go on in this general system of the most damnable peculation. to contrast this situation with that of other na tions, he would take the liberty of reading an ex tra/I from the last speech of the President of the United States of America, to the Congress (alter ternrte cries of of !of ! and let bins goon!) The extra& was as follows : " At home, fellow-attains, you best know whether we have dme well or ill. The suppression of niinneemary offices, of useless establishments and expencea, enabled us to discuo tome our internal taxes. These covering our land with ()ch eers, and opening our doors to their intrusions, had already began that process of domiciliary vexation, which, once enter tamed, is scarcely to be restrained from reaching succeisively ever, article of produce and of mopeds. If among these taxes some minor ones fell, which hag not been inconvenient, it was because their amount would not have paid the Officers who colleded them; and because, if they had any merit, the state authorities might *dript them instead of others loss approved. " The remaining revenue on the consumption of foreign articles ia paid chiefly ►y those who can afford to add foreign luxuries to domestic comforts. light( collected on our sea board and frontiers only, and incorporated with the transaftions of our mercantile citizens, it may be the pleasure and the pride of an American to ask, what farmer, ',hat mechanic, what labourer, ever sees a tax-gatherer of the United Salta! These contributions en.ible us to support the current expenses oh the Goverunieut, to fulfil contrails with foreign nations, to extinguish the native right amid within our limits, to extend those limi s, and to apply such a surplus to our public dews, as else,. et a 'tort day their final redemption—and, that re- Acm,ition one! efreted, the revenue, thereby liberate I, in .v, 6, a just re. arttion among the dates, and a correspuii.lior amendment of the constitution, be applied, in time of pease, to rivers, canals, roads, arts, manufactures, edU.stini, and other great objects within each state. In time of ear, if in justice by ourselves or others must sometimes produce war, ins creased as the same revenue will he ►y increased population and consumption, and aided ►y other resources reserved for that coins, it may meet within the year all the expencss of th•• vest, without encroaching on the rights of future genera. tions, by burthening them with the deism of the past. War will then be but a lustre non of useful works, and a return to a state of peace, a return to the progress of improvement " How great WAS the difference, he said, between such a state and the condition of this country, where taxes are raised to such an enormous size as to make a mart alarmed when any one knocked at his door. But while we saw the mote in the eye of our neigh bour, how could we be insensib:e to the beam in our own ? What were the people of England, what were the Livery of London doing through the eighteen years of the present Ministers peculating Admini stration ? We were lost in admiration of tropes, figures, and high sounding language, while these men of transcendent talents, in the highest situations, had all the time their hands in our pockets, and were plundering us without mercy or remorse. They alarmed us with threats of invasion, and were still all along invading our pockets. Viscount Melville served valiantly the Catamaran expedition, and while he boasted of saving his country, had himself been saving groats. All the while the virtuous citi zens of London, all honourable men, were admiring these exalted charaders, while they silently suffered them to pick the pockets of the people. He admit ted, however, he said, that all was not lost, nor the constitution gone, while they were still allowed le gally to assemble in that delightful place (a burst of laughter). He bestowed very high commendations on the youthful aßivity, and honest and laudable exertions, not of any of the Ministers, but of Capt. Jervis, which enabled him to deted many of those abuses, which he communicated to his uncle, the first Lord of the Admiralty, who, in consequence, set on foot the enquiry, from whose labours so many beneficial reformations were expefted. Having com plained that all was not right even in the City, he wished to be explicit on the subjed. He saw an item in the City accounts, 'hewing that their for mer Chamberlain, John Wilkes, F.sq. had lent to the City, on different occasions, 8 0001. at interest, while he was receiving from it a yearly salary of 5001 and at the time of his appointment to the place of Chamberlain, was himself quite a beggar, and instead of having any money to lend, was 40.0001. or 50,0001 —(/sere Mr hisser and clamor As- CAW » very uproarious, that Afr. Wading**, bears ona6k to obtain 4tart‘er licanmg, was millet to rear! from the Bustrar.) The first Resolution was,.thgn put, when the spew of hands was universal, with the exception of foe. which was held op for •the contrary at the further end of the Hall. It having, however, been repre sented that it was held up by mistake; the Lord Mayor determined that the question was carried Linan moaslo. The second Resolution being put, a similar dilemma occured front the same hand being ereeled in the rear. This occasioned strong eau - tions of indignation; many crying to have him tamed one ; and others asserting, that he was no Liveryman. At length Mr. Waithman came for ward on the Hustings, and appeased them by ob serving, that whether the person was a Liveryman or not, was not worth enquiring, as there appeared to be only one dissentient. The question was de clared to be carried in the affirmative. The third, and other Resolutions were carried. UlIgn;t110‘1110, on account of the disappearance of the black-ball which had been before corn plained of. The Petition also was carried Unesimosisiy. Mr. WAITHM•N then said, there were two or three more B solutions which he should make no observations upon, as they arose out of what had al ready been agreed to ; but as an allusion had been made in the Petition to the office of Treasurer of the Navy, he thought it right to explain to them, that the Bill for regulating that office was only a branch of that numerous. code of reformations brought forward by the late Mr. Burke, and adopt ed when the people of this country found the abuses and grievances, under which they laboured, per fealy intolerable, towards the close of the American war. The Bill in question, however, was not brought forward at that time, nor till the Admi nistration of Mr. Pitt, in the year 1785. When Visconat Melville was Treasurer of the Navy in that year, both he aid Mr. Pitt brought forward this 8.11 for regulating the Treasurer of the Navy's office, and took a very aftive part in passing it, by which they gained no inconsi !erable share of popularity, on account of their great promises, that similar mea sures sho dgo to the correCtion ofevery exi sting abuse. Yet, no sooner was that AR If Parliament passed, than Viscount Melville corn nenced this scandalous system of peculation : and even after the Report of the Commissioners of Enquiry had disclosed his.dis grace to the public, be was continued in the exercise of his office as First Lord of the Admiralty, one of the highest situations in the State, up to the de cision of the House of Commons. Mr. Trotter, also, his accomplice and agent in all these transaCtions, having been returned by him to his former situation of Paymaster of the Navy, liras retained in it by Viscount Melville's successar, until the Resolutions of the I louse of Commons compelled him to dis miss him. It was, he must repeat, a very hip py thing, that the House of Commons had come to this decision, as it would do more for the safety and proteftion of the British Constitution than could be effected against it by its enemies in the space of very many years. He next said. that he hoped the Representatives of the City had no: so soon repent ed of the Vote they bad given, or, if they had, that they would tell the Livery what course they meant in future to pursue.—Carried Unerinsousty. _ He also moved, that" ti Petition be engrossed, and left at the Town Clerk's office fro- signatures (beside those of the Lord Mayor, Aldermen, &é.), every day from ten till two o'clock, until Wednes day next."—Catried Unanimously. lie moved that " the Representatives of the City of London be instructed to present the said Petition in the House of Commons, and to sup putt the objects of it by their Vote which was car ried Una .imously. He moved next, that " the thanks of the City be granted to its Representatives for the votes they had come to in condemnation of Viscount Melville's con duet, while Treasurer of the Navy ; and also to such other Members of Parliament, belonging to the Livery. who voted in the s inte inaniwr." But after wards saying, that as he understood it to be the wish of several Gentlemen that the present vote should be confined to the lout City Members only, Cie question was offered in that form and carried Uouninuterly. Mr. Alderman Cuarts—" Gentlemen, give me leave to assure you, that I never in my life felt a more or so great a gratification as I do now in this vote of thanks from my fellow citizens; and I de clare solemnly, before God, that 1 never gave any vote in Parliament, however I might have differed from you in opinion, which my conscience did not approve and chaat The vote of which you now approve, and whiet I gave with the utmost degree of satisfaCtion, flowed from the same principle. You know my opinion on the subjea of instructions. I went to the House of Commons, on the charge against Viscount Melville, with my mind and con duct unfettered by any instructions whatever, and you have been pleased to approve of my conduct on that occasion. If, in any future instance, 1 should ever give a vote on any other but just and somsci. entious principles, deal with me as V isconnt Mel ville has been dealt with, and disgrace me. I shall I insist on having a free voice as long as I have breath; and, being a determined enemy to peculation's of every kind, I shall never have any other motive for my conduct but the public will, and the public good. In such cases my principle is, that the higher the situation of men in office may be, the more careful, the more guarded, should be their proceedings, and when they do wrong, no motive on earth shall ever induce me to screen them." Mr. Alderman Asticaeon—" Gentlemen, as you are acquainted with my sentiments in regard to the force of instructions upon a Representative, I need not now repeat them, and only mean to assure you, that 1 am extremely thankful for this mark of your approbation, and that my highest pride will always be to deserve the continuance of your fa vour." Mr. Alderman Coss ea—" Gentlemen, I return you my sincere thanks for this new mark of your re gard. It has always been my good fortune to have concurred with you in opinion, and to have acted ac cordingly, in obeying all your instructions. I know not precisely what effeft your instructions may pro duce in future, as we can all remember that there were times, when, to instruct your Constituents, was of very little avail, and when the voice of the Livery of London was not to be heard in Parlia ment, through their own natural and legitimate o-- gang. On the pre.ent occasion, however, I have '7! '1 " ti - the satisfaCtion to say, that. as I think Aril( bound at all times to ad according to your ktiontett onh and convey the sentiments of my Celistitueue o Parliament, so am I persuaded, thattlikdisposifieo of all my colleagues is in un i son w i t h my owner namely, a determination to use ou r b est exertions, that these scenes of depred a tio n , in all the depart merits, should be sifted to the bottom." Mr. Alderman Patce—ff Gentlemen, this tests. mony of your approbation is most gratifyf or to me, as my highest ambition ever was, asl ever will be, to deserve the esteem and favo ur of my constituents. When first you remota me as one of your Representatives in Parka. ment, I promised you to perform the duties of that office faithfully and honestly. lam con. scious of having truly performed that engagem ent. and I now again promise you that I shall ever con tinue to do so with unshaken fidelity, according to the didates of my conscience, and without any pots, tiality either to men or measures. I have ever stood upon the sound principles of the Constitution, and no motive whatever shall induce me at any time to swerve from them.° All these Speeches were received with very warns applaatse, but that of Mr. Alderman Cotnhe in particular. with the most loud and reiterated accla mations. The Sixth Resolution was then put and carried smeartinterwiy. The Seventh was a Resolution of Thanks to the Commissioners of Naval Inquiry for their great at tention and industry in the investigation of exi.ting abuses, and for their inflexible integrity in bringing the same to light, which was voted unahimowl, amidst universal acclamation and applause. Mr. WAITHMAS then come forward, and said, that though he had acquiesced in separating the names of those Members who ate of the Livery from the vote of thanks to their own Members, he could not rest satisfiM without proposing a distind resolu tion as to them for the condo& they had pu sued on the same occasion. He would, therefore, beg leave to propose the following Resolution—. Tut the Thalkv .if this 11111 be given iv those Members of the !louse of Commons who are of the Livery, who supported L' Resolutions there v ted o.i the bth i ~. ~ The question was then put, and carried tmani .mously, and with the loudest applause. Mr. Alderman Paisszr then CRITIC forward, and addressed the Livery as follows Gt NTLEMIN 01 THIS L:Veltt " congratulate myself, on this first occasion of presenting myself to your aozi;.P., in having already outained such a distinguished mork of your A. , ro botion of my condtat in Parlialnyas, sal 1., ; ,eii g found myself, on the measure which ? it, in such company as that of your diem to City of London. I thank you, Gentt•lueli highly flattering encouragemint. .e of your immediate Representatives, I 'eel e ri and a common interest with yourselves, is e y thing which affeels our corporate welfare, or tito. f the country at•large; and I take this opportunity f declaring, that I shall ever be adtvoted by an arci‘i,t zeal tor the rights and prosperity of my fellow Cit:- erns ; most anxious always for your approbsticn, and hoping to be honoured with your advic.:, en couragement, and support ; or to :Abide your cen-' sure, should I ever unfortunately deserve it." This speech was 1110KIAlge re Sr p ill i talid Mr. Prinsep retired amidst the Thanks were then arneni,iortly voted to the Lord Mayor for his impartial condu.R. The Loan MAYO* came forward, and said:— " Gentlemen of the Livery, I am happy to meet with this additional proof of your approbation, and I assure you it will always be my earnest endeavour to deserve it." This short address was most warmly received. Mr. Taavtas came forward, and spoke to the following purport : "GENTLEMEN Or THE LIVERY, " I sincerely congratulate you on the very orderly and unanimous manner in which the. interest.ng and important business of this day has been con dated and passed. There is, however, one point that seems to have been forgotten, and I cannot suffer this Common Hall, so really num:sous, and so re speaably attended, without calling it to their atten tion and consideration. The Earl of St Vincent is the person to whom we are indebted for all the blessings we have derived, or may derive, from the Commission of Naval Itigairy. He is the fountain from which those blessings floured—the foundation on which that Commission stands. To him this country is originally indebted for the virtuous and indefatigable labours of the Commissioners, and for the honourable, spirited, and dlniied cimclua of t►e majority of the House of Commons, in voting the resolutions, of which you hate this day so svarmlf expressed your approbation. Of Earl St. Vincent, no notice has been taken. I Am sure the orris-i sion has been merely accidental ; and as I feel how much we are indebted to him, I will b:7, leave to move another resolution, to thank that Noble Earl fur the share he has had in bringing t ii I gin those gross and scandalous abs es whi.:h have so long existed unheeded and u. redrnsed " He then snoved—•• The Thanks of that Common Hall to the Right Hon. John Earl of S!. Vincent, for being the cause of instituting the Com-nission of Naval Inquiry a" which was voted anagrasearly. and with univsasal applause. It was then resolved, that the resolutions should be printed in the usual Morning and Evening Pk pens, and the Common Hall was dissolved. Never was the•e seen a Common Hall in ou , memory where there prevailed so much tummies ;‘, and where no moist was heard bat what procer. ,, t l from the ebullitions of exulting approbation, As the several Revolutions, Petitions, &c. were put to the vote. The galleries in the Great Hall were uncom monly crouded by elegant aad well-dressed Lathe' and Gentlemen. In the upper one, over the real steps that lead to the Law Crum, Council Chaw ber, &c. we observed Lord Henry Petty, Lai Ossulston, Thomas Cteevy, Esq. M. P. Mr lulu Hodgson, and many others. 11w two Noble lt , rdi were very attentive to the speeches a•td other pat` ceedings of the day ; and seemed deeply impress 6 ' with the manly, firm, and dignified espre.sion the public voice, through the medium of that ctoc and most constitutional organ—a Common Halk consisting of the LORD MAYOR, Aldermen, an; Livery of the City of London. • Lave themselves the opportunity of telling yot Cher they will, or will not, a& in conformity wi isstriveneins you will now give them. All shall add if s shot I saver maintained that rei • am Gu 02