The Sun. — London, England, 1825-02-12 00:00:00

ICE, see our Fourth-Page. 1 4 ° For LIT ERARY• NOT .. PRICE or STOCKS TII IA llttsck stock 3 per Cent. Ile4. 943$ 3 per Cent. Cons. 31 per Cent. bitto Red. .., loli 4 per ualt. 1 Dissd. ( New 105 R z 6i 6 illuilz Long :Inn. 231 3-16th 'NIP. 3 per Cents. — India Stock — Ditto Bonds South Sea Stock PRICES OF FOREIGN Ft A itstrian Bds, A per et. .• • 97 Brazilian Bds BP . Scrip 825 4i pm. T;ueno;Ayresßds 91 lids, 6 per et. ... 89 4::llonibi a n Ids,B per ct.... 913 Do. do. 1824 9oi 1 Danisl),s percent. ( "reek Bds . 5Bl 'Mexican lids Do. Scrip 1825 33 s 13 pm. DAY AT ONE 0 - CLOCK. Old Annuities New Ditto ' • Ex. Bills 10001. 2d. — Ditto 1 Ad. Ditto 500/.'2d...... Ditto 1 Ad. Ditto Small ... Ditto lAd. — 65 Ditto Commercial Bank for Act. India for Acct.' Cons. for Feb. 25. 93g NDS, AT ONE o'cLopK. Neapolitan, 5 per ceßt. ... Neapolitan Scrip Peruvian Bonds Portuguese Bonds Prussian, 5 per ct. Ditto New ( 19 : 1 Russian, New, 5 per cL 97R 4 ! 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SOLLM QUIS DICERE FALSUM AUDEAT • LONDON. SATURDAY EVENING, FEB. 12, 1525. The Paris Papers of Wednesday do not contain the least intelligence of political importance. The 'report of a visit from the Prince de M TERNICII to the French capital is contradicted by the official Journal. FREXCII FUNDS.—PAUIS, FEB. 9.—Fire per C e nts. I&3f. 6 5e.—Bank Stock, 1,072 f. 50e.—Neapolita.n Itentes, 88f. %ie.—Spanish ditto, 174 ; Spanish Loan, 5711.—Exchange on .ILondon, one month, 251.; three ditto, 24f. 85c.—(Copra Au illennque, Fc!). 9.) It appears by the Brussels Papers to the 10th instant which arrived this morning, that since the 4th of this month the Low Countries have been suffering from inundations, occasioned by the sea overflowing the dikes in some places,ami in others by the body of water forcing its way ,through them. We are glad to observe that no lives were lost. The places stated to have been visited by this calamity are Ostend, Tinnonde, the parish of Grimberger, and Durgeu(lam• in the Waterland. Smuggling between Belgium and France is c ar • tied on to such an extent, that the French Govern ment-has resorted to severe measures of repression, which have excited so much dissatisfacti9n among the inhabitants on the frontiers, that it is slip_ posed the Governments of the Netherlands and France will enter into a commercial treaty on the principle of reciprocity of trade, in order to put an end to the present high inducements for pursuing the baleful practice of smuggling. We learn 'from Berlin. that the King of PftussrA is so well satisfied with the result of the deliberations of the provincial assemblies of Bran denburg, Old Prussia, and the Duchy of Pome rania, that hiS MAJESTY intends to convoke the Assemblies of the other Provinces,- and if the lAter give equarsatisfaction, it is generally be lieved that the Convocation of the Estates of the whole kingdom of Prussia, which was deferred in 1814 for purely political reason'':, will very soon take place. It is said that the Russian General NOSLITZ, who arrived lately at St. Petersburgh from the head-quarters at Mohilew, was the bearer of dis patches of great importance, sent to the EM. P EllOll. by the Commanderin-Chief of the Army of the West. Several files of American Papers to the 16th January have been received this morning, but they do not bring any fresh intelligence from the South American States. Accounts from the llavannah dated the 18th December state, that an expedition under the command of General COPPINGLU, who was the Spanish Governor of the Floridas at the time those provinces were ceded by Spain to the United States, was on the _point of sailing with reinforcements for the garri son of San Juan de Ulloa. General COPPING Eit 15 to remain in command of that fortress. The renewed Debate on Mr. GoULBURN'S Bill respecting the Catholic Association has excited so much interest in both opponents and sup porters in the House of Commons, that, as our Readers will see in our Parliamentary Report, the subject is to be resumed on Monday. WINDSOR, FEB. 11.—The Royal Lodge is in perfect readi ness for the reception of his MAJESTY, whose arrival is confi dently expected about the middle of next week.—Yesterday afternoon her Royal Highness the Princess Augusta took an airing in the Great Park.-13er Royal Highness this afternoon accompanied by her Lady in Waiting, paid a visit to the lion. Miss Townshend at the Castle. • The Duke of York and the Princess Sophia paid visits to the King yesterday. Yesterday afternoon, at two o'clock, a Cabinet Council was held at the Foreign Office, Down ing -street, which was attended by the Loan Cg, NcELLon, and all the Other Cabinet Minis ters, with the exception of Mr. Secretary PEEL. The Cabinet Ministers continued in deliberation till roar o'clock. EAST IN 1)1N HOUSE. upon the Hon. Proprietors for a judgment upon his . . character Important as was the character of the Marquis of Hastings, there were other parties besides him whose feelings were to be re garded, and whose honour was to be considered. Ire felt that it was clue to bins, and the Court of Directors, that this Court should take into consideration the dispatches that were made by those Directors in consequence of the communications re ceived by them from their Governor-General relative to the transactions with the House of Palmer and Co. He should therefore beg leave to move as an amendment that all the words in the original motion after the word " That" be struck out, and that the following be inserted instead :—" That this Ho nourable Court having perused the papers laid before it rela tive to certain pecuniary transactions with the house of Messrs. William Palmer and Co. of Hyderabad, is of opinion that there is no ground for imputing corrupt motives to the Most Noble the Marquis of Hastings, late Governor-General of India, nor to any other Member of the Bengal Government; but at the same time it feels itself called upon to express its approval of the several dispatches to India, made by the Ho nourable Court of Directors, on the 24th May 1829, the 28t11 November 1821, 9th April 1822, and 21st Jan. 1824." Sir GEo. Ronixsox seconded the -motion. He said, that when these papers were called for, the object was expressed to be, to enable the Court to judge of the propriety of making a further remuneration to the late Governor-General of India, for his services while Governor. This was the express object for which the papers were laid before the Court, and he did not think that the Court would do well unless the whole matter was inqUired into regarding those rumours which had gone abroad affecting the character of the Noble Marquis. No per son agreed more cordially with the Honourable Gentleman, the mover of the original motion, than he (Sir G. Robinson) did, that the Marquis of Hastings was quite clear of all corrupt motive in the transactions with Messrs. Palmer and Company at Hyderabad. No man alive held his Lordship's character fir integrity higher than he did, but having been placed in that situation which accidentally brought these matters to his notice, he had prosecuted the inquiry into their nature with the greatest assiduity, and he should be wanting to that character which he felt it necessary to supptirt, If he did not distinctly declare that he saw in these proceedings a departure from those sound principles of government, and a departure from those wise rules of policy of which he had always considered to be essential to the true interests of the Company's possessions in India, and he therefore thought that it required an opinion of the Court of Proprietors upon the conduct, not only of the Mar quis of Hastings, but of the Court of Directors, in this transac tion during the last five years. It was upon this ground that he seconded the amendment. A Special Court of Proprietors of East India Stock was held yesterday at the East India House ' Leadenhall street, to take into consideration the Hyderabad Papers, which had been laid before the Proprietors, as far as they respected the conduct of the Most Noble the Marquis of Hastings, late Governor-Geneial of India. _ A very numerous body of Proprietors were present, and the minutes of the Court which was held on the 3d March, 1824, when the Papers now to be considered were ordered to be printed, and the usual. Papers and Orders having been read — The Chairman ( W. A STE!. n, Esq.) rose and said, that he had to inform the . Proprietora; that the present was a Special Court, called at the request of nine Honourable Proprietors, to consider the papers that had been laid before them in pursu ance of the order made for that purpose.at the Court of Pro prietors, held on the 3d day of March last, the minutes of which Court had just been read to them. He would now desire the requisition, calling this Court, to be read.—The Secretary then, read the requisition. A PROPRIETOR rose and said, he was sure the Court would excuse him for putting a question to their Chairman, which he thought would tend to materially facilitate the busi ness of the Court on • the subject to which the requisition re ferred. He understood that there were other papers, not .now before the Court, hut which— t The Hon. DOUGLAS KINNA run spoke to order. He thousht he Hon. Proprietor had better hear what it was he (Mr. kin naird) intended to move, before its addressed the Court upon the subject of other papers r.ot before the Court. The Pnorn ETOR said 1 - . e only spoke from rumour, but he certainly had heard that there were other letters, which, though not before the Court, were in the possession of the Hon. Court of Directors, and which, if produced, would throw much light upon the strjeet, they were now about to consider, and if these papers could be obtaine s „ he thought it would be very 'desir able. If, however, there , were pet sons who wished to discuss the conduct of the Marquis of Hastings distinct from that of Mr. Adam, or of the transactions with the house of Messrs. William Palmer and Co., then he should not press the matter. But he thought such a discussion could not be had, and it was upon this ground that he would ask whether an opinion of Counsel had not been taken by the Court of Directors upon the questions relating to the legality of those transactions, and whether it would not be more advisable to have that opinion laid before the Court previously to their entering upon the question proposed in the requisiti :n which had I. em read ? The CHAIRMAN said, that having been called on by the Hon. Proprietor to state whether the Court of Directors had not taken an opinion on the question relating to the transactions between the Bengal Government and the house of William Palmer and Co., he felt no hesitation in answering that ques tion in the affirmative. Undoubtedly the Court of Directors had taken the opinion of Counsel upon the question; and it was not for him, but for the Court of Proprietors, to say whether those papers should or should not be produced. Mr. RANDLE JACKSON asked whether the papers alluded to were those which had already been printed, or whether they were other papers, which had not been called for when the vderabad papers were ordered to be laid before the Court? The PROPRIETOR who first spoke replied, that they were other papers, and not included in tht'se ordered to he printed. Mr. II u ME said, there seemed to be some difficulty in this case. lie 'understood the Gentleman who last addressed the Court, to allude to an opinion respecting the conduct of Mr. Adam ; now if the conduct of that Gentleman was intended to be discussed,- he then should egree that that opinion, and the papers connected with it, ought to he produced ; but he under stood this present Court was called upon a requisition, which distinctly referred to the conduct of the Marquis of Hastings alone, and that, therefore, the opinions of which the ilon. Pro prietor spoke could not be required. The Cita' n MAN said; that the opinions were not printed, nor did they form part of the papers ordered to be laid before the Court, and therefore they need not be called for. The Hon. D. Kr NNAIIID then rose and said, that he was sure no apology would be required by the gentleman opposite, if he (Mr. Kinnaird) did not take any notice of the observations which had fallen from him ; for he, in good faith and sincerity of word, did not know what was meant by that ,gentleman nor did he understand_ what were the documents he alluded to. It was in the knowledge of this Court, that about eleven months ago it was ordered that certain par t h.s relating to transac tions which had taken place betwe n " the Bengal Govern ment and the house of W illiam Palmer an Company, and of the conduct of that firm, should be printed, to clear up certain doubts in his and other proprietors' minds, with reference to the administration of the Marquis of Hastings. On a further amendment, other papers were called. for regarding that Noble Marquis, and which were also ordered to be printed. Tha re quisition now before the Court regarded those transactions which affected the conduct and character of the Marquis of Hastings alone, and he (Mr. Kinnaird) would briefly state his reasons why the, question should be confined and narrowed to that natticular point rather than that the Court should go over this whole extent of a long and arduous administration of be tween eight and nine years. Certain rumours had gone abroad tending to impeach the character of that noble person, whose administration embraced this' period ; his name had been con nected with transactions that were said to compromise his ho nour and dignity as Governor-General of India. It was to contradict, if possible, these rumours, and to ascertain that the confidence of the East India Company was not reposed in, nor their bounty given away to a person who, by his con duct, had proved himself unworthy of both Feeling as he (Mr. Kinnaird) did, that the character of that noble indi vidual was of the highest kind, both for integrity and honour, and so dear to us was it, even as men as well as proprietors, that the truth or fidsehood of those rumours should be ascer tAned. that it was not, in his opinion, any misuse of the time of the Court to enter into an inquiry for that purpose.— ' Eleven months had elapsed since these rumours had gone abroad, but he did not out of any regard to that noble individual, whose character was implicated, precipitate thiS inquiry, in order that it should not be said that any vote had been taken on the question by surprise ; he rather suffered the feelings of the Noble Marquis to be kept on the'rack during that pro tracted period, than that it should be objected against him (Mr. Kinnaird), and those who were anxious to vindicate that Nobleman's character, that any precipitation had been used to gain a decision of the Court before the fullest inquiry had been made into the grounds of those rumours. He hoped it would not be said that he and the- other gentlemen, who acted with him, had hurried this matter. In making the motion which he was about to do, he begged to say that he had no speech to make, for he understood that the papers which had been print ed were fully sufficient to enable the Honourable Proprietors to form their opinions as to the vote they should give, and he took it for granted that those papers had been perused by all the gen tlemen who attended this Court; it would be needless, there fore. for him to occupy their time in urging reasons in support of the Resolution he was about to submit to them. The Hon. Gentleman then moved • a Resolution to the following effect : " That this Honourable Court having perused the papers or dered to be printed and laid before it at a Court held on the 3d of March last, relating to certain pecuniary transactions with the house of Messrs. Wm. Palmer and Co., at H ydrabad, is of opinion that there is nothing contained therein which tends to affect, in the slightest degree, the personal honour and integrity of the late Governor-General. of -India, the Most Noble the' Marquis of Hastings." He thought the papers before the Court bore out this proposition, and contained so full and dis tinct a confirmation of this truth, that there could not be but one opinion entertained by the Court as to the propriety of this motion tieing; unanimously adopted. An Honourable Proprietor, whose name we could not learn, seconded the motion. The CHAIRMAN said that he begged to express his satisfac tion at the manner in which this motion had been brought for ward ; and if lie could not - agree thereto, he hoped the Court would give him credit for entertaining no feeling of disrespect towards the Noble Marquiss, nor the slightest wish to' impute to him conduct that would in any degree reflect upon his per sonal integrity and honour. But when he (the Chairman) con sidered the whole of the circumstances detailed in the volu minous papers laid befors the Court, he certainly could not go to the extent of the Hon. Gentleman's motion. He thought that the words of the motion were too large in regard to the conduct of the Bengal Government with the house of Palmer and Co. at Hyderabad, and he really thought that it could not be said that the personal character of the Marquis was not implicated in those transactions, regarding him as the servant of the East India Com pany. He (the Chairman) thought that he had compromised his character as Governor of Hyderabad;in those pecuniary trans actions, but he (the Chairman) would acquit the Noble Mar quit of all corrupt motive ; this was far from being his opinion, and the amendment which he should, by the courtesy of the Court, beg leave to move, would be expressive of his senti ment in that respect. The Court of Direstors had irksome, a painful, and a laborious duty to perform; they had laboured through many voluminous papers, and had sought with un wearied diligence to place these things before the Proprietors in their true light. Was it to be supposed that the Directors would have done all this voluntarily, or that they had been ac tuated to do it from an unfriendly feeling towards the Noble Marquis ? Certainly not. It was imposed upon them by their situation ; they were called upon it by a sense of imperious duty to the Company, whose-affitirs were entrused to them ; nay, they owed it to themselves, for if the conduct of the Noble. Marquis was unimpeachable, then that of the Directors must. have beenhowfroornmged the ;and Court thech of araistierrecotforts were a hosehon s o i u m ra pta b or le indi vi nt to the East India Company as that of the Marquis of Hastings himself. He (the Chairman) had not been their servant for a period of 25 years, without feeling that he had a right to call Mr. Joux SMITH said he felt great embarrassment in op posing the amendment which had been moved by the lion. Chairman, because there was nothing which came from that Chair but a hat deserved the greatest respect; but, in fairness and in candour he could not see how he could agree with the amendment. He had laboured through the papers before the Court, and he could not but feel that the character of the Mar quis of Hastings was fully exonerated from all imputation of participating in the proceedings to which those papers related. lle had always th oug ht, an d wou ld s till declare that the nego tiations carried on with the native Princes of India, was the original sai of the Government in that country. But how did the consideration of these matters affect the present question be fore the Court? Here was a Noblem a n of the first military ta lents, aided by officers also of great talent and experience, who had accomplished more for the interestsof this country than any Governor-Gencral that had ever preceded him,endeavoured to be connected with transactions that were said to have transpired with the house of Palmer and Co. at Hyderabad, in which his dignity. as Governor was said to be compromised ? But these were not the facts which they were now to inquire into. The question put to him (Mr. .1. Smith) was plainly and simply this :—was this Noble Marquis a man of honour and integrity, or was he not ? This was the question ; and he (Mr. ,1. Smith) must answer it directly, and in a manner that would not admit of doubt ; therefore, in agreeing with the amendment which went, to other matters not relating to the Marquis of Hastings, it would make an impression on the minds of the proprLtors that there was something in the question, and in the mode of an swering it, which implied a doubt, and that there was some de gree of suspicion mingled with it. He (Mr. J. Smith) did not mean to say, that there might not have been something in the conduct of the Noble Marquis, which it could be wished had not occurred ; he might regret a want of discretion on the part of that noble person, but if the question were put to him, aye or no, was the Marquis of Hastings a man of integrity and honour ?—had he tainted that character for high and unsullied reputation and pure principle for which he had ever been re gardAl ? Ile (31r. J. Solidi) would say, that he could see nothing in the whole of the voluminous papers that were before the Court, to enable him to say that the noble Marquis had done any thing to justify such an opinion. Ile (Mr. Smith) bitterly regretted that, bn this occasion, he could not do that which he, on former occasions, though. not universally, was happy to do—that of agreeing,with their. honourable Chairman, but tor the reasons he had assigned, he felt himself callad upon o support the original motion. Mr. PoYNnEn rose to address the Court. A Pitorit lETOR rose at the same time, and said, that if the Court were to enter fully into the qoestion, it would, perhaps, be painffil to the feelings of the Noble .Marquis, whose con duct was the subject of it. It seemed to be agreed on all hands,. that there was nothing to impeach the character of the Noble Marquis, or to impute to him any corrupt motive; the only diffi !ulty appeared to be in expressing that opinion. Mr. PorNnun. rose to order, and said he was in possession of die Court. Ile perfectly agreed with the amendment, but he should not do as the Hon. Gentleman had who brought the mo ion forward, content himself with merely stating his assent, but he would go further into the question, and give his reasons for agreeing with the amendment that had been moved by their Hon. Chairman. First, then, it should he remembered that the Noble Marquis had already received from the East India Co.npany-:-.(Order, order.) Mr. TRENT rose to order, and said, the question was not what the Marquis of Hastings had received from the Company, but simply as to his character for integrity and honour in cer tai❑ transactions with the house of Palmer and Co., at Hy derabad. Air. POYNDER resumed and repeated his former obser vation. Mr. R. JACKSON rose to order, and said, that if either tl.t original motion or the amendment had said one word of pecu niary matters, then the Hon. Proprietor's speech might be in order, but as neither the one nor the other at all alluded to pecuniary remuneration, he considered the Gentleman to be quite out of order. Mr. POYNDEii said, he should not be put down nor silenced by Hoa. Proprietorsl4 that Court, when he felt that he was pur suing a most correct course. Ile would undertake, before he sat down, to connect the present question with the one of pecuniary remuneration to the Marquis' of Hastings, and if he did not succeed in thi s , t h en let him be put down immediately. Tate Gentleman then proceeded to comment on the papers that had been printed. He remarked upon certain passages in the let ters of the Marquis of Hastings, while Governor-General of lndi+, to the Court of Directors, and which, he contended, showed, that although no corrupt motive existed on the part of the Noble Marquis, there was a degree of favouritism evinced by him towards his connections and friends, which amounted to establishing a monopoly of the pecuniary transactions of the Gov-rnment of Todia, with the house of Palmer and Company at Hyderabad, to which firm Sir William Rumbold, who was anti nately related. by marriage to the Noble Marquis, be long ‘d, although Sir William was at the time an officer of the East India Company,:and therefore not at liberty to be con nee e 1 with a house of business of that description. The Hon. I Pr( praetor also endeavoured to show, that the Marquis of Bast inl s, if not imm e di a t e l y concerned the negociations for the loans which had been obtained from the house of Palmer and Co. at the rate of 18 per cent., being 6 per cent. above thdtsgal interest of that countr,y, he had not exerted himself sufficiently to ascertain whether those loans could not have been procured at a lower rate. It was also represented by the documents, that the Marquis of Hastings had granted a licence to the house of Palmer and Co. to negociate loans at a higher rate of interest than the law allowed, and which the Government of India had a power to do ; but that, although he thus acted, he did not communicate this circumstance to the Court of Directors at home for upwards of three years afterwards. Mr. Poynder then went through the several dispatches of the Court of Directors, made to the Noble Marquis in consequence of his communications, and commented on those passages which he considered to shew the sense of the Directors, as to the trans actions which had been carried on with the house of Palmer and Co., under the sanction of the Noble Marquis, as Governor- General. He said that not on l y was t h e faith and credit of the Government used in setting up Messrs. Palmer and Co., but he would undertake that it was also used to bolster up that con cern. He then read extracts from others of the documents, printed by order of the Court.--(I n the course of the reading of these extracts, the Hon. Proprietor was frequently interrupted by other Hon. Proprietors, who said that the Gentleman was entering upon matters which had no relation to the Marquis of Hastinga.) The CIIAIA MAN said, he considered that the Hon. Proprie tor was not out of order. Mr. POYNDER continued. —His reason for entering thus into d et ail was, because the motion of the Hon. Gentleman (Mr. Kinnaird) did not merely relate to the Marquis of Hastings ; if it had, he should have supported it. But it was intended and calculated to cast odium on others—it threw dirt upon other ser vants of that Court, who had gone before the Noble Marquis. Mr. KINNAIItD requested that his motion might be read, which was read accordingly. The CIIAIRIVIAN then directed the amendment to be read. 111 r. POYNDEII—He put it to the Court whether, in oppos ing the motion and supporting the amendment, it was not com- petent for him licence was granted to th e h ouse t o d o t h a t w hi c h cou ld no t to go into these details. After reading varione other extracts from the printed documents, tho Hon. Proprietor be done witnout the consent of the Indian Government, viz. to said h e considered, that although no corrupt motive could be take interest at a higher rate than allowed by the law, and was assigned to the Noble Marquis, yet there was in these transac- dated 23d July, 1816, and signed by Lord Hastings, Sir Wm. Lions sufficient to show a very strong it clination to favour friends, .Rumbold having then become a partner. But this was a most and to use the power of Government for that purpose. Neither extraordinary licence, being granted to Messrs. Palmer and. the Noble Marquis nor his friends had removed all sus- Co., and not to the parties by name. But the dates were the picion from his character respecting his conduct in these most material. This licence had not been communicated to proceedings. But he (Mr. Poynder) would say, that it was the Directors for more than three years after it had been not he or his friends who provoked this discussion ; he granted. should have been content to let the Marquis alone on the high Mr. TWINING said, that when this question was brought pedestal on which his friends would place him, decorated with forward, it was hoped that we should come to a speedy conclu his stars and ribbons, and titles and honours ; it was they who sion ;at the same time he thought as there were many persons brought forward this question ; but if the Noble Marquis were concerned with the claim of the Marquis of Hastings, he thought so perfect and unsullied in his character, what would become it would have been but fair that the claims of those persons who were connected with him should be met. It was his intention of the Directors? for the Court must condemn theoi if they. meant to set up the Marquis as his friends had called upon tomove an amendment to-embrace those twoobjects. He tho ug ht them to do. They would do more ; they would brand the the claims of the MarquiS of Hastings were great, and deserved Board of Directors with indelible disgrace, if they should allow the peculiar notice of this Court. The longer they debated thi s ' this motion to succeed. And did the Court think those Gentle- claim, the more they would be increasing matter to iiscuss, and men were nobody ? 'Was Mr. Canning nobody ?—.Mr. Bathurst it was therefore desirable to avoid it. He then moved an amend and Mr. Wynn nobody? If the . Directors had been weak ment to that effect. enough to have sent out such dispatches as were l• eluded in The CHAIRMAN said, that the Hon. Proprietor was so well the papers that had been printed, without good grounds, i; acquainted with the forms of the Court, that tie did not require would have been the duty of Ministers to stop them. But they to be told that it was irregular to move a second amends did not, and he contended this gave an additional sanction to be for e th e first was disposed of. those dispatches. But this, was not all ; the Court would go Blr. S. DixON said that he thought there should be an ad much further; they would carry the torch into India, and was it journment, for this was a most important question, and deserved. thus they would remunerate their faithful and long-tried sere every consideration. Before, however, he made the motion to vents ? It did not appear to him (Mr. Poynder (that the matter that effect, he should say that all the p a p ers th a t h a d b een rea d, could rest here ; for if this motion passed, they must grant an r had done good, for it would give th e Ho nou rabl e P ro p r i etors annuity to the Noble Marquis; for these reasons he submitted a clearer view of the question than what they had, perhaps, that it became the Court, in honour to itself, and in protection when they came into this room. But he begged to say, that totheir Directors, to support the amendment. unless a clearer case was made out against the Noble Marquis Mr. Mein said, he should not detain the Court, but be tha n had been this day, he should, for one consider that Noble could not but ask them to look at the position in which they Lord wholly untouched by those proceedings. He now begged. were placed. He agreed with the Honourable Proprietor who to move that this Court do adjourn to a convenient day. had just addressed the Court, that there were questions.con. Sir JOHN DoYLR seconded the motion. nected with these papers which required to be investigated ; for The CHAIRMAN said, the question w a s th a t this' Court do he did not know, that if Messrs. - Palmer and Co. were to come adjourn to this day week ? before this Court to ask protection from the injuries they had After some desultary conversation the Court adjourned. experienced,. how far they might not be able to make out a case that should entitle them to it. But the motion before the Court was quite distinct front that. A motion was originally made to grant a remuneration to the Marquis of Hastings, for his splen did services in India. On that occasion certain rumours were circulated that made it necessary that his friends shocild inquire into them before they pressed the application for a remunera tion. His lion. Friend (Mr. Kinniard) accordingly, in the , month of 111-arch last, moved for the papers to be laid before the Court relating to the transactions upon which those rumours had been grounded. This motion was the only way to clear away the difficulties then before them. In justice to the Mar quis of Hastings, the Directors were called upon to produce the papers. If there was a man in this Court who could breath • a single _charge against the Noble Marquis, he (Mr. Hume) should cell upon the Court honourably and properly to give an , opinion upon it; and if that charge was made out, or if those papers proved any charge against that Noble Individual, he (Mr. Hume), would join his censure with that of the Court, of the conduct of the Noble Marquis.. Now what had happened ? The papers were brought forward, and his Hon. Friend had acted most fairly in, allowing nearly 12 months to expire before he renewed or proceeded ihrther with his original motion, in order that every Proprietor might have an opportunity of form ing his Opinion open them. The Hon. Gentleman then pro ceeded to comment on the course which had been pursued by Mr. Poynder, and said that the Marquis of Hastings had no thing to do with the establishment of the house of Palmer and Co., and that it was cruel to have those matters mixed up with his case, _which was totally distinct from it. The lion. Gentleman then stated the origin of this house, and showed that the Court of Directors had sanctioned the conduct of Lord. • .pinto, under whose administration that firm had been established. He then complained of the conduct of the Chairman in moving an amend ment, which was beyond the terms of the requisition.— The requisition did not embrace any other topic than that of the character of the Marquis of Hastings. It was neither fair, just, nor manly, in his having thus acted. If such condaet were to be sanctioned, there would be no limit to their running wild ; for all were ready enough to take a devious course. There was a want of courtesy on the part of the Chairman, which he had never before witnessed. He had taken - the Court by surprise, and had shewn the cloven foot in this proceeding. He (Mr. flume) and his friends had been accused of seeking to pass by all discussion upon the conduct of the Marquis of llast ings, and to get the motion assented to without entering int) fac.s But what was the conduct of their lion. Chairman ; the former part of his amendment was couched in similar terms to the original motion ; but here was the trick—it lay in a few words. After declaring that nothing appeared in these papers to impeach the intt gr.ty and honour of the Marquis of Hastings, it , proceeded to say, " or of any member of the Bengal Govern ment." Here was the point. It. was a most despicable manner of taking an opportunity thus to get an expression of an opinion of men, whose conduct had not been before the Court. 1f he were to speak his candid and honest opinion, heshould say, that the Directors who joined in these despatches were afraid that they had gone too far ; they were afraid of the argumt nts contained in tile protest of an Hon. Director, whom he had in his eye, which lie entered against some of those despatches. When the time came he (Mr. Hume) should be prepared to give his opinion.of those dispatches, but this Court wits not at present called to give an opinion of them. He contended, therefore, that these two addilons made to the original motion• by the amendment, which were understood not to be considered as the act of the Court, but o'the n over and seconder, were intended to take the Court by slurp-i.e. He would callf upon the Court not to give their opi don i p m such points as were not included in the requisition. The Hon. Gentlemen spoke on the subject of illegal inte a t, alleged to have beer. tak n by the house of Painter and Co. from the Bengal Govern ment. lie said, that monstroas as hutch a rate of interest as twelve per cent. would appear to Englishmen, who were ac customed to consider five pa cent. as the full amount that the law would sanction to be taken, yet it should be remembered that interest was altogether relative, and that what might be exorbitant in one country would be very moderate in another.— Now twelve per cent. was the legal rate of interest in India; but the fact was, that the House of Paln.er and CO. had taken la per cent. upon a loan to . the Bengal Government; but this was to pay an old debt due to the Government cf his Ilighnees the Nizam, for which no less than 24 per cent. was paid. This was the conduct of Palmer and Co., which had been so much the subject of censure.—(llear, hear !) It was quite painful to hear statements made by men who were ignorant of the custom of that country, by which impres sions would be made on the minds of persons who had no op portunities of arriving at the knowledge of these things. The Honourable Gentleman then proceeded to argue that this pecu niary negociation with Palmer and Co. eves necessary to relieve the Bengal Government from the pressure of the interest on the debt to his Highness the Nizam. He also said, that the advances made by the House of Palmer and Co. were.essen tial to the proper and regular paying of the native troops.— The Hon. Gentlemen then adverted to the pensions granted to the Palmers, that had been so much complained of, and said that they were granted by an independent Prince, in consideration of the eminent services which the tailor of Mr. W. Painter had rendered to him for a series of 23 years. But all theie pensions were given long previous to the establish ment of the house of Palmer and Co. The lion. Gentleman concluded an able speech by observing it was not fair to mix up with the simple proposition that was before the Court, mat ters wholly unconnected with it; and he exhorted the Hon. Proprietor to act consistently, and not be induced to give an opinion upon the conduct of persons who were not alluded to in the requisition. The CHAIRMAN said, he should not be doing his duty if he remained silent under the imputation 'that had been cast upon him, and that not for the first time, by the Gentleman who had just addressed the -Court. He had said, that he the (Chairman) had used trick, by taking the Court by surprise, and that he had shown the cloven foot. lie. would throw those words back upon him (Mr. Hume). and say that he had given him grounds for saying that he had before this evinced a dispo sition to take the Court by surprise ; and it would instruct as to that Gentleman's conduct on the case of Mr. Adams. lie hoped the Court would stand up and protect their servant; and they must excuse him if he said he would not resume the chair until he had received their judgment upon his conduct. He stood here to receive either their applause or their censure.—(Ap plause.) —Perceiving, by their applause, that he had not lost their confidence, he wished, under more cool feelings, to address the Court. He had been charged with having► taken the Court by surprise, by introducing the amendment. But, to show that his conduct was not influenced by any such motive, and also to explain why the documents alluded to by the Hon. Proprietor (Mr. Poynder) had not been printed, he would request the opi nions which the Court of Directors had given upon the sub ject of the pecuniary transactions of Palmer and Co. with the Nizam, be read, as part of his speech. (Here two opinions of Mr. Serjeant Bosanquet, and one of the Attorney-General, were read. These Learned Counsel were of opinion that although they had no doubt the transactions re lating to the loans were fraudulent, yet they could not advise any criminal proceedings against any of the parties, because those acts which constituted the fraud appeared to have come to the knowledge of the Government, which would be ari answer to -the charge.) • ' The CHAIRMAN said that it must appear to the Court, that while doubts existed as to there being any proceedings taken against the parties, these documents could not be made public. —H e would just allude to the conduct of the Marquis of Hastings, with reg ard to th e l icence granted by him to the house of Palmer and Co. , by which it would appea r in what manner that Noble Lord treated the Court of Directors. The THE THEATRE. DRURY.LANE.-The Merchant of Venice, last night, brought forward Mr. KEAN' in the cha racter of Shylock, in which he first appeared on the London boards. The moral hostility which prevailed against him, for three or four nights of his appearance this season, seems to have totally subsided. Ile was received with much applause at his entrance, which continued during his per formance. The house was very well attended. We witnessed his first appearance in London, in this part and attended his performance last night. The same points which his admirers consider as beauties, and the same fablts, marked his per formance last night, with hardly any variation. But as we have often expressed our opinion of his acting, we do not thick it necessary 'to ani madvert on his performance at present, except to obserye that his original fault in the trial scene was equally conspicuous, viz. standing aloof witl► his back towards the Court, and remaining in that attitude during the whole time that tl►e Duke was addressing him personally. Can it be sup posed that in Venice, where the Jews were held in contempt, scorn, and horror, such irreverence towards the Court and the Supreme Head would pass without censure and probable punishment ? This gesture shows a want of due reflection ou the part of the Actor, and certainly brings his judgment into question. MERCANTILE SIIIPPING. DEAL, FEB. 11.—Wind S.W.—Came down from the River and remain the Honourable Company's ships Inklis, Serie ; Scaleby Castle, Newall ; and the Kent, Cobb, for India, with troops; also the Gilmore, Laws, for India, and the transport ship No. 22. PORTSMOUTH, FEB. ll.—Wind Southerly.—Arrived the Henry, Westmorland, from the Downs for Demerara. Sailed the Aiipley transport for Valparaiso. PLYMOUTH, FEB. 10.—Wind W. and variable.—Sailed the Vigil .1 . 4, Fox, for St. Michael's ; and the Laura, Lilburn, for Tobago. FALMOUTH, FED. 10.—Wind S. light airs and variable:— Arrived the Indiana, Kemp, from Lisbon, in 19 days. Sailed the Bellona, Hutchens, for St. Michael's. LIVERPOOL, FE]!. 10.--Wind W.—Arrived the La Fayette, Fawning, from New York, sailed the 17th January ; Virginia Packet, Knight, from Virginia; Ceasar, Fisher, from Sierra Leone; and the Ann, , from St. Michael's. DOVER, FEB. 11.—The vessel laden with Ordinance stores, and sunk in the fair way of vessels going into Dungeness Roads, has been lifted, and moved in towards shore. The Framligen, Fevetman, from Cleaborg to Lisbon, was lost off' Christiansoer the 4th November ; three of the crew dr iwned. The Gosport, Hare, from Archangel to Shoreham, is con demned at Drontheim as unseaworthy. SPORTING. THE ROYAL HVNT. WINDSOR, FEB. 11.—His Majesty's Stag Hounds met this morning at Two Mile Brook, and experienced a very short, but sharp run, which only lasted half an hoer, and took at Fulmer. 'Sire noticed the Marquis of Worcester and Lord Alvanley among the numerous sportsmen present. The RIPLEY HARMERS meet every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.—The very excellent Subscription Pack of Harriers at this delightful village have had this season some of the most brilliant runs ever remembered, and the pleasure to those who ,o n the social hunt, as it is aptly called, is considerably in cr.ased by the polite attention that is invariably shewn to them by the Subscribers. Although Ripley is only 23 miles from London, on the Surrey side, it has to boast of more attractions than any place in the environs of the metropolis. Two packs of fox-hounds in the neighbourhood, excellent coursing and good shooting, together with superior fishing and cricketing is the various seasons, forming at once the most interesting rural retreat at every period of the year, and the centre of enjoy ment for the admirer of field sports. JUDGMENT.-This day, in the Court of King's Bench, Mr. JosiAH TAYLOR, convicted for lit ep ing a notorious gambling-house in Pall-mall, St. James's, was sentenced by the Court to pay a fine to the King of £5,000, be imprisoned for 12 months in Clerkenwell Prison, and enter into sureties for five years—himself in £lO,OOO, and four others in £2,000 each. DREADFUL SUICIDE.—An unfortunate young man, whose name is Owens, a professor of music, put an end to his existence yesterday afternoon, in the music shop of Mr. Betts, under the North Piazza of the Royal Exchange, by blowing out his brains with a pistol. He had purchased, lap pears, the instrument of d es t ruct i on b ut a f ew min utes b efore, ea r d e. : at a gun-maker's in the neighb our h oo d, an d exec uted h is ful purpose with so much reso l ut i on t h a t his head was d .lite rally blown to atoms. Ev er y p ar t o f th e s hop was covere l w i t h the fragments, and the windows were broken in several places. Mr. Owens is said to h ave b een f or some time pa st in a de sponding state of mi n d i n conse quence o f pecuni ary difficul ties, which is presumed to have been the cause of this des perate act, which i s rendered the leis mor e having left a wife and dreadful in its conse quences from th e c i rcums t a nce ot large family wh o lly unprovided for. He resided at No. 23, Judd-street, Brunswick-square . King's Theatre, where he Illr. Owens was formerly a member of the orchestra at t h e per formed during several seasons, a nd obtained that situation, it i s said, through the patrona ge of Lord Lowther. He subsequent.. ly visited Canton, and was for several years the leader of th e band to the _English factory at that place. The b o d y was B removed to Saint a rtholomew's Church, to await the Coroner's Inquest. We understand that the Stewardsof the Hereford Music Meeting have altered the days of perform ante from the 23d, 24th, and 25th of August, to the 6th, 7th, and Bth of September.