The Sun. — London, England, 1814-04-19 00:00:00

riAU.A HOUSE OF CONI:1101 , 4 , S, .ArtttL 1L Mr. Kingston, from the niroekoi the East Itldia•Com 'ponv, presoned, Atconnt of the Aut l annt'rof Goods sold at tho Co npans,'s Warehon'sei from March 1812 to March 1613. Thc frith Chari , ies Pill was read a second time, and refer red to a prirate t:Oltimittee. . Mr. M. A. TAY '.oit presented a Petition fr9m the ricirongh `nf -agoinst the eniplornierit of }list Shipping, .which was referted to Age 'Committee on this . übject. • Tire. Speaker was directed t.o isstrea new Writ for the elec tion of a Member to serve in Parliament forthe Borough of s Trurc, in.the room of John Lemon, Esq. deceased. , The .Cochineal Bill was read a'third tim e) and ossed.. Mr. BR6GDEN brought up the fteport.of Supply; which Was agreed to. - • ' ' LE E WARD ISLANDS. Mr. MOWN, with reference to a-Bill then in progress the House (the Colonial Residence wished to pitt question to the Hon. Gentleman opposite him (Mr. Goiil burne). Fre understood that there had been an appoiiktraent. alqt, i.e Marchant to he -civil Secretary of . Antigua, an office ofgreat importance in the gevernment of that. he wished to Know whether the appointment to it was by coin mission or patent. Mr. GOULBURNE said, that the office of SeBretary; for all the Leeward Islands had formerly been held hy one person, but an the death of Mr. Osborne it had been deemed advisa ble to separate the office, and Mr. Le Mifrchant,. brother to General Le Merchant, who was killed at the battle of Sala-, maraca, had been appOinted by patent to he Secretary af. An tvith the express condition that he should resideat that place. Mr. CREEVEY asked whether the papers which had been ordered, on his motion, relative to the- leave of ahsence of Sir Evan Nepean from his ottide in the Island of Jamaica, had been returned. Mr. GOULBURN said, that a letter had. been wriften to Jamaica on the subject of the order, and that no indisposi tion existed on the part of the Goveranient to affordrthe in formation wished for. THE LATE NEGOCIATIONS. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said, that before' he was prevented by the other business which was to come before the House, he should &all their attention to a subject of .the greatest • magnitude. He had communicated to the House before the recess, that it was the intention:of, his Alajesty's Government to lay before the- House the Papers which 'respected the conduct of the late Negoeiations at Chatillon, and their final rupture. - It was at that time deeMed by his, Ma jesty's Government to be their duty to lay as soon as possible before Parliament the ground's of that rupture, in order to call for its approbation of that measure. Circumstances, however, had 'since occurred, which, in their opinion, rendered this approbation unnecessary. The parties with whom this country - had to negociate had been changed by events too notorious to need to bere lated ahat House—events on which all minds must have dwelt with joy. A -new negociation bad in ponsequence been entered into, which, as far as it was possible to judge from present ap pearances, would be attended with the most happy results. (Hear, hear !) It was now deemed inexpedient by his Majesty's Government, on ac count of the existing Negociation, to produce the .Papers relative to that which bad been carried on .at Chatillon', as the disclosure might be attended with inconvenience. Mr. WHITBREAD "said, he felt'surprised at the communication which the Chancellor of the Ex chequer had qeemed it advisable to make. Siude the time which the Right Honourable Gentle man had made his former communication, events had occurred, greater than which had never, in so short a space, been before witnessed. From these events no one derived a greater pleasure than him ' self ; tint he should deem it a dereliction of duty. on the part of the House if it did not call for those Papers which his Majesty's Government had thought it advisable to withhold. Not only it be hoved the House not to be steam' . aside Ilon► its duty by prosperity; but it became proper to exert more than its usual vigour in discharging every - part of that, duty, of which clearly a very material one was to ascertain whether, in the conduct of a most important Negociation, his 'Majesty's Minis ters had conducted themselves with peudence and consistency. It was certainly their duty to trace the • conduct of the Noble Lord (Lord Castlereagh) who had been employed as Ambassador on that occa sion ; not that he thought-from what information he (Mr. W.),hatl been able to obtain, that any blame would be found to attach on that condUct, but, o;! . the contrary, that it Would, be found de set ving of the highest praise. It was, however, rather too much, after the confidence 'which the House had rep ose d in the Governinent by ad tournment•aftee adjouroment, to enable them to settle those great interests, which we had now` happily so good reason to hope 'would be set tled most advantageously, that the House of Commons of the United Kingdom should be the only body which remained officially unac quainted with the progress of public events ; not even having known that any negocia-; Cons had been carried on until they had re ceived the notification of their rupture: The House of Commons' would not act consistently with the' dignified station which it held, if it did not call for some account of these proceedings which 'it wa s attempted to conceal. If the , Chancellor of . the Exchequer had clearly stated, that.it was not deemed expedient by his Majesty's Government, now, to furnish the papers in question, be should have been content to wait until the objections to their prpduction were removed ; but if -it was the inteution of those who had determiaed on the` communication which had been made to with hold them now and ever, he e for one, should . protest against, this doctrine ; and if he had been the only Member who wished for their produe, tion, lie should even then think irnecessary, to avoid the imputation of a flagrant desertion of his duty, by calling loudly for these papers. He could' conceive that it might be impr o p er t o p ro d uce these papers during the' progress of the'present negociation.—(ilear !)--Did the Gentleman who ,cried, bear ! understand the Chancellor of the Exchequer to have meant that it was for the nre ,, sen t o i 4y tharit was meant to withhold these pa-' perso? If such had been the meaning of the Right Hon. Gentleman, or if such were now explained to be his meaning, 0 the objections which he (Mr. NV.) had made would vanish ; but if the ad visers of the Regent thought proper to W;thhold •thein for ever, he should feel itelna duty, as a Nember of Parliament, to endeavour to frustrate such an attempt at concealment., The GAAS:CELLO:I of the Ii;XCH,‘F.QU,ER,Saitr, that in the communickioa which lie ltiati made, .there w as e tiothing by which it was intended to pre clude Parliament from calling tat any future time for in account of the lcegdciakidtls > thatilltin 4 - 7 (1-iear,•.aeat ! troM the opposition Benches) and he had not given any opinion whether di- Mit it would be pi oper at any future time to lay the papers before the House. What-he wished tn.be understood to say - WO, that m the opinion of hit Majesty's Ministers it was now intApedient r 0 produce them. For the confidence which had been reposed in them by the House by its adjourn ment, the Goverinarnt, as the Hoh.Gentionnn had truly said, were lunch judebted. The confidence so reposed; he trtisted, they wohlsl not be found to have abused ; and ail they asked was a •Con 7: tinnance of the same confidence. , Mr. ‘ViIITBItEAD sairlhe could well compfebend that it was not the intention of the Right lion. Gentlemanto prevent that which he had, no power to prevent, a vote of the HOUse for Iheprodue flan of the papers ; but notwithstanding 'the 'cir , durtiloctitory 'winner in which that Gentleman had expressed hithself,, it appeared that those who had advi§ed the.- present Message deemed it espe ciient withhold for. ever those_ papers which ten days 'ago- they had promised to lay, before the House. If when tbe account of the present Negoeition should be 'laid before Parliament, the production of the papers relative to the INTeI goeiation Nvlich had been broken off at Qhati,llon should not - appear improper, '!lie should persist in calling for them. The confidence which he had.repOsed' in his Majesty's Ministers by those • - djournments, to which he had never objected, he act not. repented ; but it was unreasonable to demand its continuance before it was seen whether or no they had been worthy of it. The CIIANCELLOR of the EXCHERTI ER said, •that !IA not expressed an opinion that it would be inexpedient at some future time-to lay the papers before the Honse. He repeated, that it was Ihis meaning that it was nOt'now deemed expedient by his Majesty's Ministers to lay before the-House e those:papers which a short time, ago they thought it their duty to . produce. CORRUPTION OF BLOOD AND PUNISHAEND OF HIGH TREASON. , Sir S. ROMILLY Moved the second reading of his two Bills to amend the law respecting - Corruption of Blood and the Penalties of I;igh Treason. After a few words from Mr: YORKE, the Bills were Seve rally lead a second time, and ordered to be committed this day se'unight. ..: . ... COLONIAL OFFICERS BILL. On the question, that the SPEAKER should leave the Chair, Mr. CREEVEY opposed the Bill being commit ted. It was no Bill of Reform, but a Bill to sanc tify sins of 32 years standing against a Bill of Re form. Instead of agreeing to the Bill being com mitted, he should propose a resolution,, that the law had been violated both in letter and in spirit, and that steps should be taken to give vigour to The original Act. Recent events should' make Gentlemen cautious ut sanctioning such a Bill as the present and he trusted that, with the return of peace, the attention of Pariiiiment would be turned to every branch of the public expenditure. ,He concluded with moving an amendment, leav ing out all the words after the word ". that," and substituting certain resolutions, which he read. Mr. GOULBURN expected at first no opposition to the Bill. It was the same as that introduced by Lord Shelburne, in the Lords, which was ob jected to in the House of Commons at that time. If the Bill went to deprive persons of tke eniolu ,ments Of places granted to them, it might be ob jectionable. He could not see how those who bad supported Mr. Banks's Reform Bill, could ob ject to this; for that Bill supported all vested in terests. As to the leave of ,absence, it was left entirely under the statute of.the 22d of the King. Sir JAMES MACKINTOSH, after sonic prefatory remarks, observed, that the abuse of non-residence (lid not apply to the East Indies, Where the regu- Jatious concerning absence were wise and honour able, and useful for the public service. Though he did riot agree in all that 'had been stated re specting vested interests in places held during good behavirinr; ,yet it was always necessary to consider that inviolable respect which should ac company all political plans of practical reform, which was flue to long established habits and practices, even tholigh acquired under the undue connivance of Government. Many, no doubt, had lorneed their whole plans of life on non-residence : many had received appointments even before they were of sufficient ate. They Ought not, therefae, to be punished for anyconni vance between their friends and relations and former Governments: This would he against the maxims of political wisdom, as laid down particularly by a person Of great authority. The commonwealth was fixed. Ten= derness to individuals cost nothing. The com monwealth was permanent : regard to time in fa vour of individual interests was of no conse quence. It was also important to consult the, general feelings, and to prevent the introduction of personality and party hostility into a work of reformation. Long practised permission§, if not of strict right, should therefore be consulted. At, . the same time it could not,bp denied that the whole practice from 1782 till now had been a series of abases, and a violation of the intentions of the legislature, in favour of non-residents. A contrary course might 'be adopted, the effect of whiph would be to throw into the hands' uf the' present Ministers an enormous patronage, on the ground of the misuse of it by their predecessors. He could not so far compliment them for perfect . qquity as to suppose. they could make no other use of this but to reward those gallant and.signal ser vices which raised British glory beycmd the ex ample of all former ages (a laugh). He moved to omit all the words in the clause respecting sub sisting interests, except what related to the East Indies. . STEPHEN arguesl at some length in defence of what he had before stated concerning vested in- terests, which he contended was perfectly correct, notwithstanding All,the clamour and criticism, and all the ridicule that had been used. lie, wiShed, the learned Lexicographer (Mr. Creevey) p;,defi ne what he meant, and justify,. the sarcasms oti Master in Chancery." ,reSted int eres t was , i n fact, Opp ose d to contingent interest. Would it , be contended that no interest was vested, unless granted by patent ? What of places during life for good behaviour ? When our gallant defenders re tiring -on half-pay were spoken of; was.that half pay by patent ? instead of a public-splrited and just reform, it would be a jacobin reform to proceed on other principles, aniVto - take away such interests, *ithiiht a itbnipeiitatibli. Leave of ithience Was wise, as it gave a periodical return to and means of pinging 6,4' the driiSs acquired from the manners of n country lb different from otrr own; and of renewing the moral stamina. Like the giant Antzeus; Men recovered their strength by towing again to their mother earth. Thepub lic would not save a shilling by a - rash unprincl pled alteration ; but, on the contrary ; would find a hurdle:). These sinecures would be nb longer a relief to other barthens, by being bestowed as merited rewards.' Mr. CitEth'''EY admitted patent rights,. but not those quamdiy• se bole sserint, in whic h case the nbseutee,. by not pt.rforming Hs duty, had no vested interest. Vested rights - did apply to places held - during pleasure. The. Learned Gentleman would :say in his office, • that a claim on a legal settlement was a ',vested interest ; but 'if on a place in Jamaica, held during pleasure, he would call ,it only a contingent interest, as the House might destroy it the next day. Mr. P. MookE opposed the. Bill, as be did not think a case had been made out of any existing evil which required to, be removed. He thought that , much more information should have been given to the. House 'of the state of those colonial Governments, before such a measure was intro duced.. Sir S. RoMItLv observed; that When his Hon. and Learned Friend (Mr. Stephen), had .spoken about/ vested interests in those places held at the pleasure of the Crown, the House • had 'certainly understood him as using the terns not in the mere legal and technical signification, but in that sense in which it had-been generally used, of an interest of which a‘mari •could not be, divested without a violation of justice. In the strict legal sense, the word Vests(' was only used in contra-distinction to contingent interests ; 'awl every thing that a man was in possession of, even a tenantry at will, was a vested interest. In that strict and technical use of the word, it was enough to say that Sir Evan. Nepean wit'Siii possession of a certain office, and that, therefore, it was a vested interest ; bat this was certainly not the sense in which the term was• generally understood in that House, when it was used as bearing - upon a question about re forming offices . . ' • , Mr. STEPHEN, in _explanation, said, that .he conceive((" that a man could not, without a viola tion of justice, have conditions now imposed up on him differing from those under which he had accepted the place. It was not, however, abotit' places held during pleasure that he •'had been speaking ; knit about places huld.for life or during good behaviour. - . ' Mr. MARRYAT thought that a very sufficient ground had been laid for the Bill when firSt it was introduced. It was .notorions that the white po pulation of the islands had been very materially diminished of late. The colonial Governments - had been obliged to make enactments for the pur pose of kseeping up a respectable white population ; and they must feel it a great grievance, that men holding such lucrative situntions in _those islands should absent themselves. A great number of the estates in the West India Islands had lately been .sold or given up to European creditors, and one ' agent now superintended many estates on which formerly many white proprietors,' with their fa milies, used to reside. • . Mr. WiaiTitßiss.n was sorry that an Honourable and Learned Gentleman ' (Arr. Stephen) should have considered that any sarcas'lnS had beset di rected against him. If he possessed the pdweriof sarcasm, he should nut direct it agaiuSt him,' as, he was convinced it would flot produce any elect on that Honourable and Learned Gentleman, but be thrown away, as a taunt inzbelie. it Was the.. Honourable and Learned Gentleman who . had himself mentioned the sittlation he held, and, he could not see how it could be considered •sarciastii to allude to his situation as Master of Chsucerv. When that Honourable Gentleman had used the term vested interest, he, together with .all the un learned part of the House, did suppose he used it in thkt sense that it was generally used. in that House,' as a right of which at. man could not be divested without a violation of justice. IT, however,- the Honourable and Learned Gentle- - man - only used it in the technical sense, it meant nothing more than- saying that Sir Evau Ndpean and Mr. King shad the offices which they held ; and this was a position that would certain ly not be disputed. The Hon. and Learned Gen tleman had now said,' that it would be a violation of justice to impose ,upon a man different•condi tions irons those under- which he accepted his place.. The conditions, however, were pretty' well understood at the :one of acceptim those places; and in the commission appointing Sir Evan Nepean there were the following word s :—" To have, hold, exercise, and enjoy the'same s dining. such time as be shall execute the office, in per son, awl conduct himself •Well therein.'t 'When - such Words as these were in the commission under which lie held the place, lie could not conceive how requiring him to execute the office in person could he considered as imposing new conditions on him. Those who had held those offices so long without residing, could not he supposed ignorant of the positive statute that required their residence. Such ignorance of the law would . not be allowed as an excuse for a child who had committed a capital offence. SiR s E van. Nepean, however, perfectly well knew that it was necessary for him to go over to Jamaica, and eit?- tain leave of absence in order to enjoy .. .the eMolu. ments of his office ; and, he did go over to Jamaica,- and, after a residence of two days only (as I:e.Was informed), he,returneal with his leave of absence.. Was it possible, then, that' he (lid not kit 3w that he was evading the int en ti on o f t h e la v ? He would have been glad to have, seen s we of those leaves of absence, - but . he believed that. those Gentlem en bolding those offices had all lost them. Au Honou ra bl e G ent l eman , i n speaking of this measure, had used the term Jacobin Reform. Now this term appeared to come " a day after the fair." He trusted that "that was an old obsolete terns which would never return. Gentlemen might very easily select some Pther to express their meaning. The Hon. add Learned Gentleman (Mr. .Stephen) appeared. to have entirely forgotten who were the speakers 0-a. t 4 late discussion, as he had ate ibuted expres- stoils io an on. niend of his; NViio, this know' lcd Wks tt Brighton at iiiAt time, . Mr. BAOII7II.ST, jun. said a few word:; in favOur of th 4 mroocitn.thTßN explained. • • Sir F. FLOOD said he would vote for the Bill, because,. _ his conscience, he thought it would be . unjust to tu!, interests of those persons who had reedited them as rovaro for public services performed by theni. The House then went into the Committee. ---O° „he las :. clause being read, ' Mr. A. IfilOWN'E oted.that it he left out. ,-- A ditis ion took place tn ;—For the clause, 33 ; against it, 9! The report to-morrow, The.seeond reading of the East India Shil:Ping Bills vi-11i n cb ri stood forta-morrow, was, on the motion of, the uANcewe„ of the ExcutquEn, pottponed to Thursday _C sdaY ib , nnigh t • Adjourned. . ' ___,...e. T 3 CORRESPONDENTS. \T'O blank a 6tistant Reader aißath. , It it quite cheetioit° 1,1 Public Writers to find their labours so highly approved loyal and culightened'lsien, Putr.Attritns, of Weymouth, Will have the goodness to °: serve, that the doctrine of Suicide was never inculcated as . virtue in BUONAYARTE In this Paper. We trust ourJAnfe. • Of religious duty is more consistent with our Political s er/ : timents, than to allow us to lapse into such political err°ls , 313 33 ' AnnivEn-4 Prance 1 Guernsey, 1 Jersey. Du 2 4 GotteriburghT 1 PRICE OF STOCKS THIS DAY AT TWELVR O'CLOCK. • a per Cent. Rethiced, 6541 t India fonds, 9s. pr. 4 , 3 per (;tint. Cans. 67i 67 654 Exeliever 6 5 * r • 67. 6;31 19 IS Is- In . ' 4 per Cent.Cfms. 90§ Cons. for Mae, 5 per Cent. Navy Ana.9sfi E. EYTOS, and Stock-aroh;.;r U r- tio No. fB, Co‘'entry-iticvt• Ii if;li WATER AT LONDON 11R.11)6.F. TO-MOP , '' , Mornioz, 13 minutes aft e r ;2. m inutes THE SUN. 30LEM QUIS IISCERE FA Lfit!M At'f)nAT LONDON, TUESD.4I% APRIL 19, 1814. Notwithstanding the decisive mariner in, w b !:„ . changes at the Admiralty are announced in of the Morning Paperg., we are disposed to P e , ,, severe in positively denying thiit any. such e1 , ' 114 - are,likely to take place, at least at pres,eut. a General Congress is to be held among tb e " ropean Powers, and as no person is . bettei'te." 6 , fled to assist on.such an occasion, in sopPn l4 , l i., the interests and honour of the BritiAt than Lord CASTLEREAGH, we have little Lk) r that that Noble Lord 'will he required to 0 4 e rate in stre,h an important measure. 'Nor any doubt that the great abilities of Mr. CA :4 ' : , ° , ) , are duly estimated by the pres e nt Adaiinisty and that his powerful aid wilrbe called for t O increased cucrgy to Government. We this day lay beloi - c: our Readers some interesting Extracts" from French Papers t ° h a s turday last, the 16th, The Enrneror FeANct!lite arrived at Paris, and talan up his re . sidene To te , Palace Borgllese. - The three Sovereign ' F,e l3 ' fates have been received by ikloN sl What A- glorious spectacle ! Well may ‘° that War has at length been proved tO be 3 biblknsing, and that Monarchs have gboil l :'s• ' ~) e OC) the love of that g e n ui ne ;lay, which is s'-!' t it to ambition, as it - consists in givin , l v ipp‘o''• Mankind, is the noblest inm , ,te of a Povai, l7l.- ‘: (1 0/ rn The Archduchess LOl2lS:i Sl'!° i 10 . designated), in conSegtence of a ielte: Father, delivered to ,her a t Orleaus•bc .:i? ‘ *l CIO LICIITENSTEIN arid ESTERITAZ-:;'S i eL °'' t (12 1 12th for Ra y mbouillet. e still'e' tile.(-- r • i to King of Ro r ie, for, want to a more api)? .()P ! ‘ . name, accompanied the .Arehduchest , , ".`" eli have an iterview with her F a ilier, or tl doubt her future destination will be agreeable to the wishes of this sullen - itlyr These Papers s ta t e; tl r)t lintN.AritnTr-• ,05 at Fontainblean. 'After having•caused bc o sal eruption, a cutaneous, eru pti o n .bas (be t. • forth upon hi s - own. - body, and confines . , Ot `cumscribed Tyrant to medioametits tow the bath. • Ei-en his favourite Mamalnke b ' , said, refused to follow his fOrtnnes—We rec° ~„13 1 07" mead the situation to-the head of tiro 1%"" ' " L. Review, who, if he takes with him a boN ;t7, appliCation .which bears the name of will, we suspect, be trebly welcome W friend, BUONAPA'r;TE. bv 11 1°ft The report of th e rece pti on give" itcdl SIEUR to the Senate and the Representative will be read with feelings of peculiar del i = l; i t : v . How sublime is the contrast between th e ro , guage he .empl o y s , an d t h at w hich tbe- 1 / B se''' sr , Usurper of the Throne of France was vv 6vt to .. or n "We must-no mor e meal the past; sve Inust rr il , se henceforward be a Nation of Brothers P' ee ls are the cheerin g accen t s w ith which b e g ri a a now happy people.—HerniAlit have a dde ' l e r, France will a l so en j o y t h e rights of . br°t : , --- in the g r an d nat i ona l commu nity of E ur " e ‘f . ,, , , In the sam e d e li g htf u l s t ra in he says to the of the glslatiye B o dy,- " L e t its think only a tore ;" nd a appropriately comp:intents en] the glorio u s stan d they made against- rit.llrol -1 • th while Tyranny had yet the power to null then'. Though not offici a lly enabled to accept tPe