The Sun. — London, England, 1812-01-08 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENI. ROUSE OF PEERS, TUESDAY, JAN. 7. Soon after Three o'Clock, this thy, a consider able number of Peers attended in their places, in consequence of his Royal Highness the PRINCE RE GENT'S PROCLAMATION for the assembling of Par liament for the dispatch of business. The LORD CHANCELLOR, his Grace the ARCHBISHO P Of CAN : - TERBURY, the Marquis WELLESLEY, the Earls of WESI'MORELAND and CAMDEN, being attired in their robes.of State, took their seats on the Bench, in the front of the Throne, as his ROYAL HIGH- NESS'S Commissioners. Mr. QUARME, Acting Usher of the Black Rod, was then dispatched to or der the attendance of the Commons, who forthwith appeared at the Bar, to a considerable number, with the Speaker at their head. The LORD CHANCELLOR then as organ of the Commissioners, delivered the following Speech on the part of his Royal Highness the PRINCE RE GENT " My Lords and Gentlemen, " We are commanded by his Royal Highness the Prince Regent, .to express to you 'the deep sorrow which he feels in announcing to you the continu ance of his Majesty's lamented indisposition, and the unhappy disappointment of those hopes of his Majesty's early recovery, which had been cherished b . ,• the dutiful affection of his Family and the loyal attachment of his People. " The Prince Regent has direaed copies of the last Reports of her Majesty the Queen's Council to be laid before you, and he is satisfied that you will adopt such measures as the present melancholy exi gency may appear to require.- " In securing a suitable and ample provision for the support of his Majesty's Roya! Dignity"`„ and for the attendance upon his Majesty's sacred Person, during his illness, the . Prince Regent rests assured, that you will also bear in mincrthe indispensable duty of continuing to„preserve for his Majesty the facility of resuming the . personal exercise of his Royal Authority, in the happy event of his recovery, so earnestly desired by the wishes and the prayers of his family and I , issubjects. " The Pri:lce Regent directs us to s;gnify to you, the satisfaction with which his Royal Highness has obs.rved, that the measures which have been pur sued for the defence and security of tne kingdom of Portugal, have proved completely elfee tull, and that on the several occasions in which the British or Por tuguese troops had been engaged with the enemy, the reputation already acquired by them has been fully maintained. The successful and brilliant enterprize which terminated in the surprise, in Spanish Estremadura, of a French corps by a detachment of the Allied army, under Lieutenant General Hill, is highly cre ditable to that distinguished Officer, and to the troops under his command, and has contributed ma rcrially to obstruct the designs of the enemy in that part of the Peninsula. " The Prince Regent is assured that, while you reflect with pride and satisfaction on the conduct of his Majesty's troops, and of the Allies, in these vari ous and important services, you will render justice to toe consummate judgment and skill displayed by General Lord Viscount Wellington, in the direc tion of the campaign. In Spain the spirit of the people remains unsubdued; and the system of war fare so peculiarly adapted to the WWI condition of the Spanish nation, has been recently extended and improved, under the advantages which tesult flout the operations of the Allied Armies on the Frontier, and from the cot ntenance and assistance of his Ma jcsty's Na.y on the coast. Although the great ex ertions of the enemy have in some quarters been at tended with success, his Royal Highness is' persuad ed, that you will admire the perseverance and gal lantry manifestethy the Spanish Armies. Even in those province., principally occupied by t-he French forces, stew energy has arisen among the poople ; sod the increase of difficulty and danger has produc ed mote connected etfor.s of ger,eral.resistance. The Prince Regent, in the name and on the behalf of his Majesty, commands us to express his confident hope that you will enable him to centinue to atiotd the most effealual aid and assistance in the support of the contest, whicNjthe brave nations of the Peninsula still maintain with such unabated zeal and resolution. " His Royal Highness commands us to express Iris congratulations on the success of the British arms iu the Island of J3va. " The Pt ince Regent trusts that you will concur with his Royal Highness In approving the wisdom d ability with which this enterprize, well as the capture of the Islands of Bourbon and Mauri tius, has been conducted under the immediate di /eaten of the Governor-General of ladia ; and that you will applaud the decision, gallantry, and spirit conspicuously displayed In the late operations of the brave army under the command of that distinguished officer, Lieut.-General Sir Samuel Acbmuty, Si) powerfully and ably supported by his Maiesty's naval forces. By the completion of this system of operations, great additional security will have been given to the British Commerce and Possessions in the k..ast and the Colonial Power of France will have been en tirely extinguished. His Royal Highness thinks it expedient to re commend to your attention the propriety of pro viding such measures for the future government of the British possessions in India, as shall appear from experience, and upon mature deliberation, robe cal culated to secure their internal prosperity, and to de rive trum those •flouriOing dominions the utmost degree of advantage to'the Commerce and Revenue of she Uniftd Kingdom. " We ale commanded by the Prince Regent to Acquaint you, that while his Royal Highness re gress that various important subjects of - difference with the Government of the United Statei of Ame rica still remain unadjusted, the difficulties which she affair of the Chesapeake frigate had occasioned iitve been finally removed; and we are diremed to assure you, that in she further progress of the dis cussions with the United States, the Prince Regent will continue to employ such means of conciliation Ifs may be consistent with the honour and dignity of Nlajessy'sCru , sn, and with the due maintenance r , f the maritime and commercial rights and interests ct . the British Empire. • Gentlemen of the rfouse of Commons, His Royal Highness I\as directed the Estimates for she service of the current year to be laid before you. He trusts that ybu will Cornish him with such supplies as may be necessary_ to enable him to continue the contest in which •his tNlajest y is en gaged with that spirit and exertion which will al- Lord the best prospea of its successful termination. " His Royal Highness commands us to recom mend that you should resum,! the cons-idera , ion of the state of the Finances of Ireland, which you had commenced in the last Session of l'irliament.. He has the satistadion to inform you, that the imprcived receipt of the revenue of Irela4d in the last, as corn pared with the preceding year, confirms the belief that the depression which that revenue had expe rienced is to be attributed to accidental and tem porary causes. " Mil Lords and Gentlemen, - " The Prince Regent is satisfied that you enter tain a just sense of the arduous duties which his Royal Highness has been called upon to fulfil, in consequence . of his Majesty's cotitinued position. " I/nder this severe calamity, his Royal High ness derives the greatest COnSoloti.n from his reli ance on your experienceLl wisdom, loyally, and pub lic spirit, to which in every difficulty he will resort with a firm confidence that through your assist ance and support he %hall be enabled, onder.the' blessing of Divine Providence, successfully to dis charge the important functions of the high trust le- . posed in him, and in the name and on the behalf of his beloved Father and revered Sovereign, 10 main tain unimpaired the prosperity and honour of the nation." The Commons then withdrew to their own House, and immediately atter, the Duke of ErEVONSHIIIE and Lord CALTFLottpz were sworn, and took their spats, on their respealive accessions to the Pee' age. _ The .Bishop of DERRY (one of the Irish Repre sentative Prelates also took h.s seat. THE ADDRESS. About five o'clock the House resumed, when the Royal Speech was again read by the LORD CHAN CELLOR, for she futtber information of tie Peers pre sent and subsequenily read by she Clerk at the table. The Earl of SHAFTESBURY then rose to move ant Address on the occasion of the Speech delivered on the part of his Royal Highness the Prince Regent. He adverted to the leading topics ;herein, but princi pally in the first instance to the melancholy conside ration of the continuance of .his Alajesty's unhappy indisposition. Upon this part . of the subjed, and on the necessiiy of adopting those measures conical, plated in the Royal communication, he was con vinced there could but one sentiment pervade their Lot dships. , To this conclusion he was induced by the consideration of the number of years they had . been blessed with the paternal Government of that best of Sovereigns, and especially their escaping from , those various unparalleled calamities which so many other nations were scourged with, which were chiefly to - be attributed to the system of measures adopted by the Govei nu - lent of his Majesty. He was, therefore, convinced that with r spect to this topic they would all be• actueted by those sentiments of gratitude, affection, and reverence, which the recol: lection of such blessings naturally . inspired.. They were all impressed with the conviction that provision should be made not only suitable, but ample, for the support of the 'due dignity and splendour of his Royal Highness's Government, and upon the neces sary dignity of that of our am cted Monarch, keep ing in view a due facility for the resumption of his Royal Authority, in case of the event of his re covery. The thanks and gratitude of the•cotintry were due, most justly dce, to his Royal Highness the Prince Regent, for his wise and prudent admi nistration of the Government of the country since the period of his being called to the exercise of the Royal FunOions. The Noble Lord then adverted to these parts of the Speech which referred to the belligerent interests and the foreign relations of the country. In Portugal, he observed, every thing wore the most satisfaCtory aspect : let its present si tuation be compared to that which it exhibited to wards the close of last Session. The army under Massena, from a menacing position in the heart of the country, had been driven beyond the frontiers. Our triumph didt not end t here, — the result proved to Europe and to the world, that even upon that element which the.. enemy seem ed to consider as his own, he had been frequently and etfedually conquered by British .Armies, con ducted by British Commanders. It was with plea sure, he observed it announced, that the system was to be persevered . in which facts and experierice had shown to be the best adapted to the situation and circumstances of that country, and through which, he trusted, its deliverance would be effectu ated. If they turned their eyes to the more distant parts of , the -world, they would find nought but grounds for satisfadion and . triumph. In conse quence of the system of opetations which has been adopted, conquests of the utmost importance -been achieved, and the colonial power of the enemy was finally extinguished, by a most bril liant achievement, and at one blow, through a felicitous union of discipline and valour. With respect to the pending discussions with America, they were not yet brought to a conclusion, but he was 'confident all means of- conciliation would be resorted to, consistent with the honour and time interests of the Country. After slightly glancing at the remaining topics in the Royal Communication, ' and expressing his confidence that the Parliament, in its wisdom and loyalty, would z.ealonsly support his Royal Highness in the arduous contest in which he was engaged, and in the various men stiles adverted to in the Speech, he moved an Ad dress to the Prince Regent on the occasion of the saute, which, as usual, adverted to theleading topics of the Speech; and signifying, in general terms, the appiobation, and promising the support .Of the House. Lord BROWNLOW, .in a short, but pertinent speech, supported the Address. After feelingly la menting the melancholy situation to which our g►a cious Sovereign was reduced, he expressed his opi nion, ihat it was incumbent on the Legislatur to make a suitable arrangement for his Majesty's per sonal comfort at the moment, and to provide for the resumption of his power, if at.a7future period it should please Providence to restore him to health'. Much Consolation, however, was to be derived from the . condu'd of his Royal Highness the Prince Regent on so delicate aosi s ardgous .an occasion. -He yer= leelly concurred :in what had fallen_ from his Noble Friend, as to the asped of affairs in the Peninsuli, and he hailed pit as en auspicious omen, That •!te sacred spirit of independence appeared 'to burn throughout Spain with undiminished lustre ! and he trusted that through the example of the Peninsula, the - cause of bleeding Europe would 'be ultimately tiiumpil. s ant. In conclUsion, he expressed his con fidence that their Lordships would cordially uite fin assuring the Prince Regent of their .clettrmina ,tion to support him in carrying on a plan of ope rations which had raised to such an exalted pitch the British -honour amongst the nations of the world I'he Address being read, and the cineslion put, Lord GtteNyteec rose, and observed, that if the proposed Address was such as only called (or a .sen tioreet of general concurrence, he would have af forded that most cerdiaily, but train its present te nor and import he felt such was not the case. There were without doubt some points in it which could 'excite no difference of sentiment in the minds of inert, such as those parts winch expressed the deep regret of Parliament with reseed to the considera tion of his Majesty's health ; and, thOse which ~ veitt to express the determination of Parliameet to do all it could to enable the Prince Regent to administer the awful trust imposed on hen, in a way honoirable to himself, and conducive to the interest of the country ; and also to what re late I to the condua and valour of the Officers employed in the different operations, he could have no objection to contribute his portiou of applause. But farther he could not go. Willi respect to the benefits and advantages which may result to the country from such a successful exertion of professional valour and ability, they must entirely depend upon considerations of policy and finance, which were topics very distinct from those of the conduct of the Officers and the armies un der their command. The first day of the Session was generally and regularly allotted to a general and comprehensive view of the state of public af fairs, and on which those leading points and mea sures were adverted to, which were intended for consideration in the course of the Session. There were several points in the Speech delivered on the part of his Majesty, in which the interests, nay, the: safe ty of the country, were most deeply iniolved, and which would call for an early and distind considera tion on the part of their Lordships. On these points he could not now regularly and advantageously enter. Though he entertained such sentiments on a general v iew of the Address, yet he. did not propose_ to offer any Amendment. One consideration was to , . be decisively drawn from it, which was, that the pre sent Ministers were determined to persevere in that system, through which the best interests and the safety of the country were so deeply deteriorated. There was, however, one topic particularly, which was entirely passed over in the Regal Speech ; but this, as - well as some others, was one which, though they may wish to shut their eyes, must inevi tably force itself upon . the .sight ; though they may wish to close their ears, they must inevitably hear ! Btit first, he would wish it to be understood that he retained all his former 01:jetlions which tie had urged to all the material points contained in the Address; and especially to that lavish profusion on _the part-of Ministers of the resources of the country, pOO al a crisis, when e more than ever, they requir ed to be husbanded. He retained his opinions, which ,were adverse to that system of blind police, which, in endeavouring to wound the enemy, only struck upon the. manufaaures and commerce of this ceuntry. He retained his hostile sentiments against that disgraceful •and destruCtive system of finance which .placed the Bank of England in a state of partnership with the Government, for the purpose of forcing upon the country a species of base coin and a paper currency. But this partnership was so managed that all the disgrace of it attached to the Government, and all the profit exclusively apper t iined to thußank. He now came to the considera tion to which he bad at first priticipally alluded, and which he wished to impress with ten-fold force upon the House; namely, those opinions he had so often expressed against the system pursuing with re spect to Ireland. A system respecting which not a single sentence was introduced. They all must have observed how the subject of Ireland was mentioned in the Speech. No mention whatever of the political circumstances of that country was made, The topic of its revenue was merely adverted to, and the object was only how an increased revenue was to be drawre from a country so circumstanced. If that document was framed by a wiseor able Statesman, they st mt know that the only way to improve the Revenues of a country was to improve and ameliorate the condition of its inhabitants, and to remove ail cause of griev ance. With respect to that country, howeter, th e question was drawing to a crisis—its present sit uatiou was such, as that we must - without delay decide what were to behere after our relations with respect to it. The question lidmitted of no procrastination ; a speedy decision must be made, whether or not th e majority of the population of Irelaod were to be admitted to the rights of British subjeels. It was a question that came home to all hearts : convinced as he was, and feeling as he did, upon this great and vital question, he could not suffer a day to elapse without calling the most serious attention of Parlia ment to it. lo a very feW days, therefore, in the course of the next week, the subject would be separately and distin&ly brought before their Lord ships : and this he was happy to announce, first, for the .satisfaction of their Lordships, if they looked at it in the way he trusted they would do ; and, secondly with a view to the peraonal Econ,i deration of his performing his own duty on the oc casion. The Earl of LIVERPOOL observed, he had to ex press the regret he naturally felt at any collision of sentiment which would lead to interrupt the unani mity so desirable on .such an occasion as the present —7-but desirable as he regarded such unanimity, he would never consent to purchase it by the sacrifice of any public principle whatever. He concurred with the Noble Baron as to the custom of bringing gene rally before Parliatnent the state of the country on the first day of the Session. There may be objeEts, however, which allowably and properly would induce Government to abstain from bringing forward parti cular subjects to the general view of Parliament on such occasions. But it was always customary to ing forward a view of the general circumstances o. the COuntry, an esfieCiall) -- what t - egarded its fiare . gh relations * for the general opinion of Parliamen. onthe first day of the Session. Had they departed from this - hue, they should consider themselves as having base • ly betrayed their duties, from any view or object of obtaining unanimity. He was equally aware that the present was not an occasion for regularly going into any detailed discussion, they were, therefore, con fined to a general view of subject.. The Noble Baron told them, that he retains every opinion he had before entertained on certain. subieds, and that -the contrary opinions delivered in this place would prove to be eitoneous and, unfounded. Now he (the Earl of L.) on • sua A general statement, felt• it necessary only to state, also generally that hd was convinced that the hopes of this country, that the hopes which Enrope had of deliverance, hack • arisen and would proceed from the adoption, and . from the perseverance in the system 01 measures (in spite of All tile clamour and all the opposition) * which had hitherto been adopted. He knew not what system might be advised by others but this he would say, that in his mind the continuance of such a sy Stem as the present, iv hatever may be its expence,was essen tial to the safety ola country ! And upon that systeni his Majesty's I resent servants desired to stand or fall ! With respect to atter , her topic, on which (Ike t Noble Baron had laid FO much stress, it Nt as also subject on a hid) much difference of opinion waa' likely to arise.; he would deny chat it was in some degree connected with the general state of the country ; but he would now only sat, that MI the experience, and every thing which had oc curred since the subled was last before the House, tended to evince the wisdom and justice of the pri ,ciples and the justice of the measures which he had lent his humble assistance to. The Noble Baron appeared to have stated his inset).- • lion, or that of some other Noble Lord, to bring the subject specifically before the House. - As that subject was not adverted to in the Spetch, he should certainly reserve what he had to say upon it until it was distinctly before them. It was one proper thr a separate discussion, and should be unmixed with: any other topic. He could not however suffer it to pass without saying, on the part of himself and th e Cul leagues with whom he had the honour to act in this country, and on that of the Noble Duke and Ins Colleagues in Ireland, that they were ready to jos' , tify what had been done, and to defend their con duct ; but he should reserve all further explatiati , till the question could be regularly discussed. Weft respect to the Address on such au occasion, he thought it should be so framed as to induce a gene ral concurrence not only in the House but in Use country ; such was the case at present, as it involv ed only a general concurrence in general and expressed a general disposition to assure the Prince Regent of our support in measures so obvi ously necessary to maintain the interests said hon e yr of the country ; and under these convictions the Mo tion of his Noble Friend had his perfect concur rence. Earl GREY said, he could not refr,in from join ing most cordially with his Nob e Friend, or front declaring in the presence of the Houce, and of the Country, that night, that he full, concurred wi:h him upon all the questions to which the Address re lated. Their opinions were confirmed by exi e rience and tire evidence on tatis, 'and this proNsit ion he was ready to miintain and detelnd. Wiley e 3 they were to consider the transactions in the affai* with America, as the proofs of the success of the system adopted by his Majesty's present Ministers, he was at a loss to know., but upon these getestiores he was ready to pledge himself to sinew that the conda6l of Ministers conduced neither to the ho nour nor interests of the country but, on the ,con trary, that to the system adopted by Ministers were to I;” ascribed all the calamities the country at pre sent experienced. With respect to the affairs of Ire land, he more particularly concurred with his No ble Friend and it was w ith regret he perceived that no mention of the present eventful situation of that country was introduced into the Speech, or of the line of conduct meant to be pur sued v ith respect to it, and from what fell front the Noble Eirl, that a liberal and conciliatory sys tem was not likely to be purs , ted by Ministers. No expectation) was held out that any thing of the kind was likely to be adopted ; on the contrarj, it was declared that the system hitherto acted upon in Ireland, as well as with respeCt to every part of the Government of the country, was to be pl.l-- sisted in, as essential to the common safety : ti at Ministers were determined not only to justify the wisdom anal policy of, what had p:ssed, but to per sist in the same course and system with respect to the future. With respect to such an occasion as ,the present, he was perfectly ready to concur ut whatever measures the Pence Regent should adop , really conducive to the honour rod safety of the kingdom ; but of this descrilmion, he could not coo. ceive the system adopted by Ministers. BA., be the Ministers who they may, he would support them when the measures they proposed should ap pear to him likely to tend to the great objects of the honour and the security of the country. These, he would repeat, must be very different from the present, which he roust regard as pregnant with. disgrace and ruin ! Lord DARNLRY could no hiai k i_ uniting his voce with that of these N ble Lod, who ptessLd th present state of Irriand on the serious consideration. of their Lordships' House and of colijuring their Lordships not to delay that consiacrai ion for a mo ment. The claims of the Catholics %verb set forth in a manaer so pi.,in, so pLaceable, so constitutional, and so Lxeniiilary, that it was impo‘isible hut that they must be attended to, and the sooner the better, The Duke of NORFOLK complained of the man ner in which the Noble Secretary (Liverpool) had treated the observations of some of his Noble Friends, respeCting the omission of what most materially concerned the state of Ireland. He be lieved it was not inconsistent with parliamentary usage to censure Ministers as much for what was omitted in a Speech from the throne, as for what was stated in it ; and, therefore, he conceived that in the complaints made with regard to the entire omission of what essentially regarded Ireland, his- Noble Friends were perfectly justified. The Noble' Secretary of State (Lord Liverpool) talked loudly of the call which be was confident he might make on the country at large (or their support of the Prince Regent's Government. He did not well utiderstand what the nature of that call might she. It might perhaps be something, like the call I