The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser. — London, England, 1804-05-05 00:00:00

--. . IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. MOUSY OF LORDS 4 . 111D.1•, MAT $. In the Appeal, Richardson v. the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge, Mr. Erskine was heard kraply ; after which, the Loa's Ca A acti.i.oa and teed Et.trwerranunis delivered their Bpi lions, at much length, sustaining the order in Chancery, against which this appeal was brought. Lord GIL or ray de a few obserrations. • • nri The Order in Chancery was affirmed. The Bill, fur continuing a Bill forthe more speedy filling the Engli►h Nliiiria Corps with °dicers, and the Statute Duty Composition Bill, with several private Sills, were brought up irons the Conimons, and read the first time. ----- ----- The Bills on the table were forwarded in their respeitive stages. Adjourned to Monday. HotrcE tw commoNs. Petitions were severally presented from the pri- Inners contined for debt in the gaols of the counties el Norfolk and Stafford, praying tor relief. Ordered an lie on the Table. The I.eicester County Rate Bill was read a third tisbe, and passes'. The Customs Duty Bill was read a second time, sad committed for Monday. The English Loan Bill, the Irish Loan Bill, and the Excise Duty Bill, were read a second time, and ordered to be committed to-morrow. Mr. BANKES brought up a Rill for ereiling a new Court-house in the city of Westminster, which was read a first time. The Statute Composition Duty Amendment Bill was read a third tinmt and passed. Mr. Fos raft brought up a Report from the Com mittee for considering the course of exchange be tween England and Ireland.--Ordered to be printed. Sir GEORGE CORNWALL moved, that the House should resolve itself into a Conunittee on the Aylesbury Eletilion Bribery Bill. The Marquis of TITCHFIELD said, he had the misfortune still to persevere in the opinion he had formerly given on this measure, for which he was convinced that sufficient grounds had not been stated. He had heard a good deal about bribery, but the reasoning did not apply to the present case. Bribery had nut been proved against more than fifty or sixty persons ; and although suspicion might extend to several more, that was no ground why this attack should la! made on the franchises of the whole of the eleftors, who were nperards of 400 in number. For these reasons he would oppose the Speaker's leaving the chair. Sir GEORGE CORNWALL contended, that the present Bill was absolutely necessary; and that nearly the whole of the eleftors had beers guilty of bribery : for it appeared, that all of them, except about eight, had assembled at a public house, where money was distributed ; and it appeared, that only the eight persons who were not there had petitioned against this Bill. And he thought no great attention should be paid to a petition signed by persons of their descr iption. Mr. ROSE said, this whenever cases of this kind occurred, a provision,shottld be made accord. ing to the exigency of the particular case. There were many instances of boroughs having been, in cases of gross bribery and corruption, thrown into the hundred in the same manner as it was now pro to be done with Aylesbury. Here Mr. ace qtsoted some which occurred upwards of a hundred years ago, in order to shew that Parliament had been in the habit of resorting to praftices similar to that now before the House. He was convinced, that if eve: any case called for the interference of Parliament, more than another, it was the present. The number of persons who bad committed bribery and corruption was not con fined to 50 or 60, but extended to a very great ma jority of theeleflors. It appeared that upwards of 100 of them had been at a public house, where money was distributed ; and that the hellman had been sent about to inform the poor voters that they should have 2 guineaseachiftheygaretheir voteto Mr. Bent. It also appeared that money was distributed at four other public houses, to persons who had assembled there in consequence of public notice. And these persons did not consist, of an indiscriminate mob ; for there were men standing at the doors to prevent any but voters from entering. Ont of 417 eledors *7O voted for Mr. Bent; and the agents of that Gentleman, when giving evidence before t he Cons mitee, said, there might have beets 50 of these who had not been bnbed. It was fair therefore to infer that t?2O of them had been bribed. With such proof as this, then before the House ; with incontroverti ble evidence, that the majority of the elnaors had been bribed ; and that a gentleman had been invited down from London, who was a pales% stranger there, to offer himself as a candidate; he would put it to the House, whether this was not a case for its interference ? It appeared that the Fes ple h.td been indignant with the other Genticmae for not giving them money ; and that, in revenge, they had a public funeral procession, in which he was represented as the deceased. Upon these and many other fads, which he could state, he was convinced that the present Bill was a necessary mea. sure. Mr. FRANCIS thought that this Bill was not the most effectual way to cute such an anirersal dis order as that complained of. Suppose erery elec tor at Ayle.onry had been guilty of corruption, what good could the present Bill do? It would not take away their votes from these persons; but left them the powir of toting the same as ever. All it could do would be to open the Borough still wider, by creating fresh votes, which would be equally ha ble to be corrupted. The remedy therefore WAS in his opinion disgraceful, because it did no more than ex , tend the power that had been abused, to others who night abuse it still more. But Parliament had no right to take away from men their franchises, for they were taken away not only from the present eieetors, but from their soccesseirs, on whom the bo rough was eatals.d. This Bill, therefore, went to do an air of teristice to the future eleftors, who might be perfe ctly innocent, and as 'tic?, be would oppose it. Sw JOHN NEWPORT said, the Bill did not take away from the eleclors the power of voting for Members to scree a Pariiament ; but it went to re medy the corruption that prevailed in the borough. by bringing in a number of pure electors: Accord ing to the laws of this country, electors, who had not made use of their franchises, were liable to for feit their rights. This was always done in case of a non-user ; how much better grounds were there then to take away the rights, when in case of a ii.er He would ask, if it would be su:l...red, that every pretender to Parliamentary reform could have it in his power to say, that the House of Com mons had not virtue enough to correa abuses of this kind ? It was now fifty years since the borough of Aylesbury became noted tur the cor ruption of its eleaots. A Member had once said, I hare no partiality for Ay!esbury; for I never got a vote there which I have not paid for." knd Mr. Wilkes had once said, The elelors of Aylesbury are very partial to me, for they will take my guinea in preference to another man's twenty shillings. There were certain kinds of influence in boroughs and counties which were fair and honourable, as they arose out of the gene ral esteem in which a man was held : but there was another sort of influence, restingissolely on the power of giving money, and such as any stranger mitht possess; which was highly dishonourable and unjust. This latter was the sort of influence now complained of. It was of the most pernicious kind. It was created by showers of money, which did not refresh the parched soil on which they fell ; for they fell only once in seven years. The persons aaing in this manner did so only to sell the persons whom they had corrupted. He hoped, therefore, that the House would always be ready to apply a remedy to such evils. Mr. HURST declared, that in his opinion the present Biil went to affet the very vitals of the Con stitution. If the eleiftors of Aylesbury had been guilty of corrupt practices, there were laws already in force competent to punish them ; but let not the chartered rights of the borough be taken away, merely on presumptive evidence. It had not ben proved that all the persons who assembled at the alehouses, where money had been distributed, were eleetors. With respell to what had fallen from a Right Hon. Gentleman about Mr. Bent, he could assure him that a more respedable man than Mr. Bent never sat in that House. He was a merchant of great eminence and of the first charader. The present Bill he should oppose, because it went to a length that was not justified by fads. Mr. ROSE, in explanation, assured the Hon. Gentleman, he had thrown out nothing against Mr. Bent's charader ; he only said that Gentleman had nothing but money to recommend him. Mr. LEE said, he wished the Bill to go into a Committee, in order that it might be altered in a way that should lead to the Punishment of the guilty ; but if that was not done, if the only objet of the Bill was to throw open the borough, he should op pose it. The MASTER of the ROLLS said, he had op posed this measure when it was last in agitatLn before the House ; and he should now oppose it for the same reasons he had advanced at that time. It was a measure which went to make a majority suf fer for the aft of a minority ; a proposition the most violent and unjust he had ever heard. But suppose corruption had been proved against the majority, he wished to know on what principle the innocent minority, be they ever si few, could be punished ? These, then, were to be punished in a double man ner ; first, by havieg all the guilty voters still capa ble of voting along with them ; and, secondly, by enlarging the franChise, so as to diminish their rights. According to the common law, every mats who abused a right, forfeited that right. The corrupt eleslors of Aylesbury were now under a prosecu tion ; suppose they were acquitted, then die rights, which this Bill charged them with them abusing, re. mained still the same. Suppose they were convieted, :hey were then disfranchised, and the Bill, Yids re gard to them, was mere waste paper. The Bill, therefore, had no other effea, except that of pu nishing the innocent; and such should have been stated in the preamble. The principle on which Parliamentary reformers had gone, was that of in creasing the number of voters, on a supposition, that while it would cure aU defeas in the representa tion, it would be a matter of perfect indifference to those who already possessed votes. But the framers of this Bill went further than any reformers, and treated men's franchises so lightly, as to say, they did nothing but bring a number of additional voters into a borough, to make those already belonging to at :la right. Mr. DICKINSON contended, that this was not a franchise held for the benefit of the possessor, but a trust for the benefit of the public, the abuse of which Parliament had a right to coned. On this principle he would support the Bill before the House. Mr. IVINDHA NI declared he never liked such a system of proceeding as the present. It was some thing like making a compromise with the advocates for Parliamentary keform : it was as much as to say." You can't complain of corruption at eleactions, on account of the small number ct eleaors ; for whenever it happen:, w e increase the number of them." A great deal bad been said about the ne cessity of a general Reform in Parliament ; and many arguments had been used, which were very good in theory; but when he SAN' the representation of the country, with all its anomalies, and ine qualities. producing as good an effea as ould be found in any part of the world. he w,old set all kind of theoretical speculation on the subra at nought ; and would prefer what 1, ..s praaically good, before that which was theoretically right. If boroughs were to be enlarged in the manner now proposed, let it be d one on a general and sqnp'.e plan ; but let not legislative and judicial asls be mixed and confounded one with the other. It was improper to legislate at one time, and purish at another. By the present Bill the guilty were to be punished imperfeelly. Only one half of the punish ment fell upon them ; the other half on the innocent. He would not therefore take half and half; they were both imperfea, and bad ; they led to suspicion, and cast a shade on the policy of the as altogether. If it was necessary to punish met for their gnat. let the laws that were now in force Le employed for that purpose ; and it these laws were not strong enough, let them be m a d e stronger. If after a ll, the offenders were not to be found, the Present Rill could have no ellen in bringing them to light; wink it would operate as a puaisillaltilt oa the &WILY- LONDON, SATURDAY, MAY S. Nothing certain has yet transpired respelling the espeaed change of Ministry. Many reports, how ever, are in circulation upon the subjeti. Among others, it is confidently stated th.tt new writs will be moved for this day in the House of Commons, in the room of those Members who have vacated their places by coming into otfice. We cannot reconcile this report with the positive assurance, which we have, that not a single step had been taken itt the business so bite AS Thursday. It is probable ;however, that s'irnething decisive will take place this d.sy or to-morrow. We yesterday morning received some numbers of the Monitetor, to the 21st,:and letters and papers from Germany, to the edtb. A message has been sent by the French Government, that is by Bou Ae an to the Senate, upon the subjed of his investment with the . lmperialPurple,which no doubt he will assume as soon as the State Trials are ever, and the sentiments of thelegitimate Sovereigns of the Continent are ascer tained. He has made his elder brother, JOSEPH, a Co lonel in the Army of England, and his younger bro ther, Locrei4, Sovereign, ad interim, of the Duchy of PARMA. These aids are well calculated to promote his ambitious projeds. In his announcement of the former promotion, he tells his slaves that all his brother& are as great warriors as nego tiators, and that, as Princes of tl.e Blood, their lives are too precious to be risked like ordinary sublets, unless under special circumstances, and with the permission of Go'vernment. By the latter be declares to Europe, his intention to imitate other Imperial Houses, in establishing a younger branch of his family, an independent Prince. An article from Madrid states,that Spain has secured a continuance of her neutrality, by consenting that English prizes shall not in future be sold in her harbours. They exited, in France, that BON AP A RES will par don MOREAU upon condition of transportation so the Isle of France. BERT II IE Ris visiting the camps upon the coast, and Bo AAAAA re still continued at Paris. As we stated yesterday, upon the authority of our Private Correspondent, the Prussian Mi nister Count H•CGWITZ is &Traced, and only prevented by indisposition from going to hit estates in Silesia, his place of exile. from this at of vigour and justice, it would seem that His PRUSSIAN 1111JUTT is at length tired of Counsellors, who are blinded or seduced by French intriguers. The above particulars are in the German and Dutch Papers, brought by the I laniburgh Mail, which arrived this morning, with the exception of the article respeding Jostens Bomaraar s, which is eitraded from the II enure,. The five Ilamburgh mails which we have re caved this week, present most of the Continental States in the situation of the Roman Empire, some few years before its destruffion by the Goths, Van dals, and other barbarians. Its precarious existence for half a century was preserved first by loss of pro vinces, afterwards by occasional contributions, and filially by regular tributes, which quieted, for some time, its trout and envious toes, but neither gratified their avarice nor their ambition. By the treaty of Luneville, the power of Austria was mate. rially weakened and diminished. By the treaty of Ratisbon, the impolitic and insatiable cupidity of Prussia was silenced, but not satisried, and the Ger man Empire was plundered, divided, humiliated, and dishonoured; and it the former treaty insured French republican tyranny in Italy, and the South of Europe, the latter annihilated the liberty a-id in derndence of Germany, and the north-western part of the C•rntinent. Which of these degradinq treaties has the must contributed to the political .I..archy of Europe, is difficult to say ;,a. bnt to b. 0.11 toge ther may be ascribed the wretchedness of the world. The treaty of Amiens, or rather the vrn, , eirc of Amiens, was only their consequence. By it Eng !and made great sacrifices, but it proved by it to all nations, that the present enormous power of revolu tionary France is incompatible with their happiness, tranquillity, and independence. U the generosity of England has not opened the eyes cf selfish Conti nental States, they may deserve pity, but they are un worthy of succours. A slave who does not break his chains when he is encouraged. and has means to do it, deserves to die in bondage, and is unworthy to enjoy the blessings of liberty. When England armed !Ur Tears bad all other Goverameats mark a' , . common cause with the only free people upon ears against France, a French army would ri . ot i ritAr,-% threatening only this country, tyranni>e over all i other nations. Great Britain bids defiance ,to the Usurper's Army of England ; but this army, tho' some few lea.gut s only from our share, oppresses ' I France and Italy, invades Germany, terrifies Au.- trio, insults Prussia, and intimidates even Russia.— ; A Continental Peace, of twelve months more, kilt • augment and organise the republican miliLar y anthu rity, in a manner that no person yet born can ex. pea to see that day, when Europe shall recover her balance of power, and this part of the world shall be inhabited but by tyrants and slaves, oppressed by bayonets, not governed by laws. The insolence of BONAPARTE is almost surpassed 1 by the basene:s or cowardice of some bulk, Pt incr , :. No sooner does he choose to seal his banditti to vi olate the neutrality of Germany, than all German Sovereigns tremble ; and when he, contrary to the laws of nations, arrests somp. Emigrants in Badeit, Bavaria, and Hesse, Austria and Suabia emulate which shall be the first to persecute or banish per sons, whose only crime is their loyalty, and the ha tred with which they are honoured by the Foreign Usurper of their King's Throne. Shame, eternal shame to the corrupted or ignorant counsellors of Princes, who, in this manner, worsliiis cringe, in sult loyalty, and encourage rebellion ! ! ! How proud ought Britons to be, in reversing the pitture ; in turning their eyes from the debased Con tinent, and re.,Tarding the happiness around them. England, the only country at war with the head of mankind, is the only country where the laws pro ted the good, and punish the guilty ; where the laws are above every man, but where no man is above the laws ; where malefadors inhabit prisons, but nri ther occupy nor surround the throne ; where the best of Princes rules over the most free and dutiful (Id subjeas ; where Legislators discuss with freedom, but where fadions can neither proscribe, imprison, nor murder. The Furt,s e n intelligence will be found i n the last page. A report prevailed yesterday evening, that a lar7e division of the enemy's gun-boats could be dis tindly seen at day light in the morning, from the Cliffs of Dover, stetting for our coast, but it was universally discredited. . Captain Towns , is appointed to the command of the Royal Ckorlette yacht, and also to tae command of the several vessels stationed for the defence of the Thames at Gravesend. Toe Eagle, of ;a guns, Capt. C.n.av, is to be fitted immediately for the reception of Admiral TUORN BOROUGH'S flag. In the night of Tuesday se:might a very great number of vessels appeared off Seineefland harmer; and in consequence of so many attempting to get in, and tie wind not beteg favourable, they ran ea board each other, and did coosiderable damage to the bolvsprits, rigging, masts, &e. Vend some drove on shore upon the Cockle or Korth Sand, within the piers. One of them, the /feet:pity t.Vatow, from London, with rnerchantv' goods, was inftnediately lightened, and go: off the neat tide •to 'Met nhill's Quay, when there were upwards of two feet water on the cieling ; the sugar, &c. in the bottom tier were much oarnaged, supposed to the amount of Severe laws against en:: ration will soon be pub lished in Holland. The richest and most re,peet able inhabitants, particularly at Rotterdam, have emigrated and settled themselves in Er.gland, at Antwerp, or at Embden They carried their for tunes with them in their pocket books. The new coinage of crown pieces from dollars is going on with .ill possible dispatch, at Mr. sot - rom's mint, at Soho, near Birmingham; within these few days, two waggons, contaiumg about wren tons of dollars, were sent, under proper escort, front the Bank to that place, where eight engines are em ployed, at the same time, each of which will strike ($6 in a minute, giving the impression on both sides at one stroke, and so simply constructed as to be worked by one man, without the smallest danger the piece discharging itself from the die, another instantly slips into its place; His MAissys's head and the reverse are done in a mrsterly style, form ing a very beautiful coin, and will be extremely di:- hod' to counterfeit. On Friday night last, the jeep Roche; of Bre men, bound fsom Ostend to M.uennes, laden with coals, was wrecked or. the Goodwin Sands, and to tally lost ; the crew were saved. The master of this vessel had his cargo on board six months ago, and had be:n detained during that time in Ostend harbour. under different pretences, notwithstanding the m--s: favourable winds have constantly offered fur bis sail ing. On Thursday last a peremptory order c.me down fcr him to sail. though the wind was then coo trary. Upon his remonstrating, lie was told he had only twelve hours allowed him to depart, and if he did not avail himself of that andel:awe, he would not be permitted to fur six months more : under those circumstances he was obliged to put to sea; and the fatal consequence to bits has been as above stated. The Mastic reports, that the people in Ostend, and its neighbourhood, are in the utmost distress. The soldiers intended for the invasion of England are forced on board, with no other hopes than discomfiture and death, should they ever put to sea. Yemerdry the ballot took place at Mr. H.. TOR NW'S, Piccadilly, for the eleftien of a Elsicia: to the Society for the Cure and Prevention ce Cor.La g.ous Fevers, in the room of Dr. Diusam.r, ro mped : on casting up the ballot, the aumben were, For Dr. natemaa, For Dr. Read, wierevoa the former was declared duly' elelled. V their alai moo' of Folly is bay a too the ben imfes of ti sumt. A um, out iftg to ci et.gautes them. 11 of tvaalffie of !lawn. but in (al we , the L. -bans a that not a •n bait vi•thl of .Rose, some of of violets Nary tall, Sod is • Yest 4 Queen' Aboi &races DINOTi _ Yest 6e Ps _ Yest Salmi Yest sAssAt at his c Coo !unify visitor ken 1 Itiace Yes . - - with 1 oreet. The PETZIP one of Lot scres Doi Lm and V Th was t( to trot Th born, to • .; EPUSe but Ir I.a, will the IJ consi ma. ri the 3. A Geoff that mere Th Sari e Sp. Tans wish Al Sotto. Mato cert.i upnr " A but 1 GAr. ^ f. ti iz is stem • le a: L •en ts of S the 17101 for the the; tn.. Pot and Mr. C. W 1 NNE said, it was a duty which he owed to himself and to his constituents, to support the present measure as one whi4 went to preserve the purity of parliamentary representation. The House then divided: For the Speaker' leav ing the Chair i ; against it 56. The Bill was then committed. Mr. ROSE deferred his hlotion for instnin ing a prosecution against Mr. Bent.—Adjourned till to morrow. tin Watsb Wes- l' - rMIVP - ■