The Sun. — London, England, 1806-04-22 00:00:00

IMPERIAL. PARLIAMENT. HOUSE OF PEERS. MONDAY, APRIL 21 . • Mr. WYArt attended at the flar,nd stated to the House that the preparations fOr the trial of Lord Vi scount Melville would be-completed by Saturday next. . LorcL HA V. ,(Eatl of Kinuoul) took the Oaths and his Seat. • In the Appeal, Henderson v. Ramsay and Others, Mr. Not.,'AN was beard. fol the Appellant, and Mr. ADAM for the Respondent.—The farther cousidera- tion was postponed till to-iriorrow. The Royal ,Assent was given by Commission to, the 20,0 9 0,000 i. Loan Bill, the- Irish Trea.sury Bill, the Irish Militia Service Bill, the Cape of Good Hope Trade Regulation Bill, the British Fisheries' ,Encouragement, and several Private Bills. The Commissioners were the . Lord Chancellor, Lord Walsingliam, and Lord Auckland. Mr. WHITBREAD and . several 'other Members of the House of CoMmons brought up a 'Message con taining a further list of -witnesses to be produced on the trial of LOrd Viscount Melville, and requesting such witnesses might be Summoned to attend on the 29th inst. , On the motion of Lord WAt..trsron AM; a Message was ordered to be sent to the Commons, containinc , a -compliance with, the above request. Sir .1. T. Duck Worth's Annuity Bill and the Trea -surer of the Ordnance's Replariori Bill-were read a third tine and passed, and a Message ordered to be 'sent to the Commons to acquaint them therewith. Mr. BAIL LI E and several other Members of the douse of Commons brought up -the.. Bristol Paving Bill ; which Was read a first time. HOSTILITIES ‘VITH PRUSSIA. Lord Gazzonza. presented the following Mes sage from His 11bjesty : GEoltex, K. Ills IVlajesty thinks it proper to acquaint the House that he has found himself under the necessity of with drawing his Minister from the Coprt of and of adopting provisionally measures of just retaliation against the Commerce and Navigation of Prussia. His Majesty deeply regrets this extension and aggravation of calamities already so severely felt by the Nations of the Continent, whose Ude pendenceand Prosperity he has never ceased to consider as intimately connected With those of his own rec.*. But measures of dired hostility, deliberately adopted against him, have Lit him no alternative: In a moment of confidential intercourac, without even the pretence.of any cause of complaint, forcible posSession has been taken by Prussia of His Majesty'sliecto-ral -Dominions. Deeply as this event affeaed the interests of 'this kingdom, His Majesty chose nevertheless to forbear on illi3 painful occa. sion:all recourse to the tried and aWedionate attachment of his British SubjeCts. He remonstrated by amicable Negotiation against the injury he had sustained, and rested his claim for reparation on the moderation of his conduct, °lithe justice of his representatiOns, and on the c olinno ‘ n interest which Prussia herself mast ultimately feel to resist a systeradestructive of the security of all legitimate possession. But when, instead of receiving assurantes conformable to this just expectation, His Majesty was informed, that the determination had been, takenolexcluding by force the Vessels and - the Conirdodities of this Kingdorn from Ports and Countries 'under the lawful dominion or torcib'leeontroul of Prussia, His ftlajesty could do longer (May' to aet, Without negleeting the firstduty which Ile owes lo his People. The dignity of his Crown and. the interests of his Subje•fts equally •tOrbid acquiescing in this ,open and unprovoked aggression ; he has no doubt of the full support of his Parliameat- iii' vindicating the Honour of the British Flag, andllieFreedom of the British Navigation; and lie look with anxious - expectation to that moment- when a more dignified and enlightened policy on the part of Prusii; *hall remove every impediMent -to the renewal of Peace and Friendship with a Rower with -whom His Majesty has 'no Other cause of difference' than that now created by these hos ide acts: - G.R. Tae Message haying been read, . • • -Lord6*-RE' NVILLE moved that it should betaken into consideration on Wednesday; and that the Lords be summoned for that day.---,Oidered. • Els-Lordship presented, .by His Majesty's com mand, certain Papers respetting 'Prussia. Earl Si'E'ACER presented several Returns respefts ipg,;.the Additional Force Ai which were ordaed to be 'printed.. . ' EDAriIisIISTRATIan OF ILISTICE lii SCOTLAND. Lord GRENVILLE said, he rcisto give notice on a subject of considerable importance to a great slumber of His Majesty's subjeas, and also to that House, with respect to. a part of its proceedings. Ike 41tuded to the .administration of justice in Scot land, with respect to -the forms of which, he be lieved, it was the opinion of the Bar in 'that Coun try, and the .general 'opinion, that an alteration rrii~hfbe made with great advantage to all those who were suitors inthe-Courts. Far- be it . 4ons him 'to. lay; '.that the system of Itgal proceedings in Scot land was not , one wisely established, but in the lapse. . of time 4'1144 become,, in some of its parts; inferior to the system e a stablislled in England, which had stood the test of so mauyages, and which still re 7 tained:all its original beauty and purity. Ear be it from.hitta to say, that the laws of .Scotland were not administered. with the greatest purity. There was, however, one consideration of the greatest ithport ance, namely, that justice ought to be speedily ad :ministered, otherwise, in .many cases, - it ceased to -be-justice. -Their Lordships_ had fakes ,Upon them selves to be a Court' of dernier resort for all parts of ifie j United- 'Kingdom, to' the - execution -Of WhiCh •ituportant•business much of their time hadheen de 'voted.. . Notwithstanding, however, all their dill- Bence ;and: 'attention, the .number of appeals from SeoCand;:now on the Table of the, House, which ..W.eke yet undecided, showed. that they had arrived at that point when they must either declare that they conk{, not do justice to the parties appealing to their . r deciSion-, or take some measure to recluse the nuns- •ber of appeals - from that Colintry. It was-doubtless of the greatest' importance in every:case that the dis .patch of•busities should keep,pace with the.business which actually arose. , Ile. was afraid he , could not ,proinise ally measure upon this.subjea ,the'course I or tile present Session, and though ...some might cow-! 0s tois delay, .it was oeverthalessof the greatest tligt - ' suchfa,:oteasure. l 4,fpuld, be caristi'aily' 'dkested and receive every advantage .which could be, ;;•i‘ed from the, suggestions off, those who had a 'thorough knowjedge of the Scottish Law. l'he modelle intended to ;adopt was to propose certain ReSointiOns, upon which, in the ensuing Session, a Bill might be founded; but which,. in the' mean time, might go forth to tho public and receive all that consideration Which their importance, deserved, and partiCularly from the Scotti,h Bar, from whose talents many advantageous suggestions might be CK licad. His .Lordship concluded, bygiving.notice that hie shotildbring thrwarcl some Motion on the subject on . Monday se'nnight, although' he would aft pledge _himself as to the particular day, and proved that the Lords be summoned for that day. The puke of MONTR OSE expressed his thanks to the Noble Lord for having turned his attention to this subjc&, and he was convinced the Noble Lord would also have the thanks of the whole Country for proposing a measure which was so much wanted, and to which tho Noble Lord was so well able to do justiee. The'Lords were then ordered to be summoned for Monday se'nniabt. • _ _ _ Lord HOLLAND said, he had discovered that there was an informality in a Bill which he intended to present this day, by which he was precluded from bringing it in. ; He :would, however, state, that it was a Bill to authorize His Majesty to direa the Governors of the West India Islands, from time to time, to permit the importation and exportation of certain articles to and from the West Indies in American Vessels. If he was enabled to. present the Bill to-morrow, he intended to move that it should be printed and relict a second time onThurs day. He would not; however, press the latter Mo tion if any Noble Lord.objeaed to it: . . The Duke of MONTBOSE observed, that the question which the Noble Lord's Bill involved was pne of very great importance; it was pot a party qUestion, but one which related entirely to ourown Colonies and our own Shipping. There were per sons who intended to petition the Ilouse upon this subje6t ; . and from this cousideration, added to that of the importance of the, 9uestion, he trusted the Noble Lord , would' not obje& to put off the second . rending of the Bill for a week after the day he had mentioned. He intended tc , mOve for. Papers which would proVe the importance of the Trade carried on by this Country for the supply of the West Indies, as it would appear that it employed upwards of 100,000 ions of our Shipping,. and upwards of dodo Stan ieu. Nothing farther was said respeCting the Bill, and - _ _ The Duke of NIQICTROSE rose ao - t;in to wove for several Amounts respe6ing the Trade between this Country and the West Indies which were all or dered. • Lord YVALSItiGIIIIVI ,presented a Report from the Committee appointed to search respeetipg Proceed ings on Impeachments, containing the, ceremonial to be observed on the trial of Lord.ViScount The Earl of RA.uwort moved that the Report be. taken into consideration on Wednesday.—Ordered. Lord I‘UCKLAND moved, that the House should, proceed on the trial of Lord Viscount Melville de die in diem, unleis• from any' special considerations they should deem it expedient to adjourn to the day after the morrow of the day on which. the Mt.) 7 . tion should be made. . The Earl ofitnnsott moved that the further con sideration. of this Motion 'should also be postponed tilt Wednesday. • The Earl of Ilosstm: and , theloßD CH ANCELLO4. opposed Lord Radnor's Motion, on. the ground. of its being unnecessary, it being already the general and decided ophlion of the House, that they ought to proceed on the trial de die in diem. The Motion of Load. RADNOR was then put and. . . negatived.' '• in peitting, the original. Motion, The Earl of RAuxon. opposed it, .conceiving, that four days in the week were as many as, the House could devote to the Trial, Consistently with that atL tention. which they _must, necessarily pay to other bUsiness. He declined, however, proposing any alteration,in the Motion. The Motiun Nas then put and carried. INSOLVE VT DEBTORS., Lord HOLLAND said, though he had pat suceeed ed in his proposition respeaing the Bill he intended to introduce, there was one Bill which he had the honour to present to their Lordships with respect to which he thought tliere, could be no,difference of opinion, he meant the Bill for the Relief of cer tain Insolvent Debtors, which he proposed should be read a second time on,Thursday, for which day . he moved that the Lords be surnmoned.Or4ercti. Adjolartied.till to-morrow (this day). HOUSE OF COMMONS. MONDAY, APRIL .21. „- A Message by the'Black Rod reqUired the attend- Alice of the House in the HOuSe of Peeis, where the Royal Assent Was given Sy CommisSion to the Loan: Bill, the Irish Treasury Bills' Bill, tile - Irish Militia Service Bill, -the Cape of Good Hope Trade Bill, • -the British Fishery Bill, and SeVeral.priN7afaßills. ": LORD 'MELVILLE. Mr.' Witrriiß . r.An Moved, thra a Message be, Sent . to the Lords, with a list of the• Witnesses whoni he proposed to have sumrnolied by their Lord Ships to . attend tbe Trial of - Henry Lord - Viscbunt Ordered; and that -Mr. Whitbread --do carry ; the ;Message to the Lords. Mr. `WH ITB R EAD then went up with the Message, ,aud on- his return acquainted the House, from the. Bar, that he had waited. on the House of Lords with the _Message, - and that their LordshipS would send an answer-by a Messenger of their own. - A Message from the - Lords shortly after informed the House, that their Lordships would give orders for summoning the Witnesses to attend the Trial of lord lelviile, as desired. Mr. WurtsanAD then gave notice that he should, to-morrow, move, that that part of the Journals of - the ficiuse.oflast Session which contained the.Ordet• of alehouse, to the Attorney General, to suspend the proceedings in the Civil Suit against Henry Lord. Viscount Melville be read, for the purpose of mov-: ing, that the Attorney General be ordered still fuir-, .thee to suspend the proceedings therein. Mr.../10BHOUSe, ixioved,. that the Order for' the second readily; of the' Bill for. authorioing the', examination,of persons upon oath by the Commis sioners for investigating the claims of the Creditors! of the 'Nabob bf Oude, be 'referred from Wednesday to 'Friday next. 7 --Ordered. A person from the -Navy,Office preseated, _pur suant to an Order of the House, an Account of-the number cif Sl2;:ps of the line and of t'iigate2 in or. dinary on ,the . 7th Oa. iBOl, sliewing the natdreo repairs they required to'.put them in a midi !oif fOr permanent service.. Also a.cOpy of the Sae:lure of Prices given in by the'Merchants _building Ships by contract for His Majesty's Navy.--Orderel ... to lie on the Table. After some few observatiOnS from Col. VERE KE 4 and Mr., CORRY, the former Gentleman obtained leave to withdraw his Bill for Paving, Lighting, &c., the City of Limeriek, with a.view to bring in ano ther more strialy conformable to the prayer of the Petition upon which it was. founded, and to the leave given. ' Ordered, on the Motion of Mr. VillssermaT, that there be laid betbre the louse an Account of the real and offic!al value of British Iron and Tin Plate exported for ten years ending - sth jan. 1806 ;. a-coM parative Account 'f the :number and tonnage 'of all British and foreign. Ships that entered, and cleAred outwards, for the year ending sth Jan. 1806, distill- I .guishing their several voyages ; a Statement of all the Exports and Imports for the five years ending the sth Jan. 17g3, and sth Jam. 18.016 ; an Account of the official value of all British Manufadures ex ported for the last three years ; an Account of the lquantity and value of Colonial Produce imported for the three years ending sth Jan: 18.06; and an Ac count of the qua!: tity of Sntar and Coffee imported from Jamaica, 'from sth Jan. 1792, .to sth Jan. 1806; distingnishing each year. The Inspelior General .of Imports and Exports presented these several Accounts at' the Bar ; which were ordered to lie on th'e Table, and to be printed. 'Ordered, on the Motion of the S:CRETARY- at WAR, that there. be laid before the House an Ac count of the Number of Men raised by the Re cruiting for the Line, from the ist•of January, 1801. Also 'an Aceount of thel\?Umber of Serjeants em ployed in the Recruiting Seririce.and of the distri bution of them. RECRUITIAG FOR LIMITED •SERVICE. Mr. ST4RGES BOUIVNE gave notice, that he should to-morrow move for further Papers relative to the Recrniting for Limited Service during the two last Wars. The SECRETARY at WAR was of opinion, that ' the PaperS he held in. his hand, Which he proposed to move to have laid on the Table, would supersede the neeess4 of the I.llotion of the Hon. Gentleman. He then molted, that diem be laid before the House !I a Copy, of the 'Circular Letter :of the Secretary at War, •dated i bth December, :1775, - addressed to the Colonels _comma - nclinE Marching Regiments; relative to the recruiting 'for 1t fisted service; 'also 'a -Copy of the Advertisement, dated War-011ice, Dec. 16,1775, on the same ''ulijeta ; Copy of a Letter from the Secretary .at War, of the same date,- and on: the same subject, to Lord Weymouth. The Papers were iinniediately Presented by :the Secretary at War ; .and we underjood Mr. Bourne to - say, that his Motion. was rendered unnecessary - thereby. On the M,ption ofMr.PEarmyAL; the second re4d-' ing of the 'Stipendiary Curates' Bill: was put oil' frO.rn' Wednesday to Friday next. - Mr. : I?EttOptAz.: then gave notice of :a , Motion to morrow, that bring betbre the fionse a more accurate statement of th expellees incurred for the .6dmiral MARKHAM, with a view to the Charge to he - preferred against .Earl tit. Vincent; by- an Hon. Member opposite, .thought it necessary to call :or further Papers, which, as they were already made out, would not create any delay. After a few words from Mr. JEFFERY, Who wish, ed- to give every accommodation in Ms .power, that would not preclude him from bringing forward his charge in the -present Session, and frOM; Lord -HowicK, the several Papers were ordered. .Mr. Secretary Fox brought down .a Message from His Majesty, relative to the condua of the Court of Beilin, and the measures which that condna render ed necessary on the part of 'His Majesty.,—(For which, see the House of Peers) Mr. Secretary' Fox Moved, that His Majesty's most gracious Message be taken into consideration to,morrow.—Ordered. Mr. Secretary Fox afterwards, by command of His Majesty, presented at the . Bar all the documents relative to the whole transaction. The Papers were ordered to lie on the Table. Adritiral NI ARKE A NI presented. the several. _Papers previously ordered on his Ilotiuti.-7-Ordered to lie on the Table. • INDIA PAPERS.. Lord ARCHIBALD HAMlLTON,.pursuant to his notice, rose to move for a proposed dispatch from the Court of Diredors to the Governor General of India, dated ad of April, 1805. The Noble Lord apologized to the House for bringing forward this Motion, but the Paper - seemed to him so essential to;have on' their Table, that he felt it r a _duty to move..for its produ&ion, as an Hon. Gentleman whd had given notice of a Motion to that etfeei .had relinquished his intention.: .It was not his ob jeCt in moving for thiS document, to -make it the foundation daily charge, or . to Supply any evidence, 'against Marquis \\Wesley.' His objea vas to make it a gt;ound .of charge' against - the late Board of Controul, and. particularly the Ndble Lord who pre sided over. that Board. That Noble ,Lord had -for many years past represented the situation of the 'East India Company's alfairs as one :Of great prO perity. The calamitous circumstances of that part of 'the' British Empire was principally to be aitri bdted to the late Beard of Controul: In moving for these Papers, he wished to ascertain, whether the Noble Lord would, acknowledge bin - kelt' as the author of these measures, or shift, some part -of the guilt of them upon others. The Noble Lord con- , eluded by moving, that there be laid before the llouse‘‘ .A Copy of a proposed DiSpatch from the Court of Direetors, dated April act,. 1805, to the Governor-General—a - Copy of the- Answer-of the Board of Controul refusing to transmit the Dispatch, and of the Reply of the Court of DireCtOrs to this refusal." On the Question being put, TIUDDL - ESTO NE. felt hiniself called on by ,the allusion that had been made to his condua with respea to tl.tese Papers, 'to say a few worth on the subjed. It was not with a view to the,crimination cif Lord Wellesley that he proposed to move fur them, though, when the discussion on the:conduft of that Noble Person should arrive, he would be ready to state his sentiments openly upon the sub jc.a... His objec=t was to.temove au imprea , qo , 4 th it had gone abrot4 in con4' , ..quen , :!: vt a di4.tcuisn .that HOtike Towards the close of lost Session, that the Court cf Diraaors.had approved of the Trea ti e s , relative to Oude and Fetruckaba.;, of w hich' they hid •not been informed till two years after they had taken place: The P a pe r s _h a d s i nce beat/ called' for and produced in • a Court of PrOpriotors at the 1 ' 4 4 HoOSe, and so far his obj e & kvas answered. But as the Noble Lord had br oug ht forward his Moti°"' 11e should support it on the broad, ground, that as the attention of the Hodse was'turned to lodic subjeas, every information ought to be granted. Mr. Secretary FOX could not reconcile to ,his mind any way in which this Paper could be P r() &iced that would not be oaanifestlV and erot'sw ' m uiß just. Whilst the House was OCCilpied COnSIA ferir t' whether or not • a criminal to waos proceeding oought to sa ( - - - had against the Noble Person, I ec o a dua this document referred; it would be in the last {}egret unjust to suffer him to be weighed by the authority of any persons whatsoever. It would obt be borne if an indiVidual were to be put on his trial 0; 1 3 cr7 minal charge, that the opinions of - any description _ of - persohs should be allowed to bias the oPini°2 of the jury. s Stich a proceeding would be a good re,, as ftl for putting, off the trial. The Papers now nlor c " ra t k might be said not to be official. The Court 0 ' 4-- " rectors . had no right to give their opinions to any other body than the Board of Controul. If r e j e6ed by that Board, - they had no appeal but to Parliament, like any other of His Majesty's subjeas. • Such was the anomalous situation of the Court of Direa°M that they were compelled to sign what they disap proved. His Noble Friend' had disclaimed the 10 - tentign of nioaing for the Papers with •a view t° tne critnination of Lord Wellesley. But whilst a charge of a' criminal nature was impending over that NOblei Person, it was impassible that such a reasoned case should not produce an unfavourable ina.Pr esi°ll against him. These documents should not b e poi duced till the other-questions should be 'decid ed ' t was not fair to call tar them from a feeling o f de 1- cacy for the charmer of the Court of Dife' 3 r , :when they Might be Made Use of to the initlrY 'person under accusation. Much -stress had heel) "" on the eircuanstanciaa , f their having been publisb L ' d ,. But if they were in the' hands ~of the Public, we?' Must be in the hands of the 'alemberaaafaliat Rouse, and so could not be necessary for hrformaticai jf It "were asked, : why the House of Commons- s I W -14 ' 1 ' not' have those Papers which were before 'the-Pale, he should 'answer, because the House of Com cn°ll -:, - is to decide jedicially on the propriety of prooe f a rn ‘; criminally against the person to Whose cohdu& they refer. His Noble Friend had said that the papers would be necessary to enlighten the House 00 t subjeCi of India, but they were . not• then enaag e , b L i the discuasiou of the general question. They Img,. advantageously recur- to these docuMents wbo ev ,;:`. that question be brought forward,. and there fore he should net negative the Motion for 1,,„ produetion. He meant only. to diSpose of if for t'- present, 'by Moving the preaiibus- question:a:; Mr. G. JOHNSTONE expressed ;Ist"' nishmept, to' which he could scarcely give utlor 3i ' c h e* at the-sentiments that had fallen from the 1 41 :T-: t Hon. Oentletnan, whci . hdd ever been the aclai o Ca l f of inquiry and publicity. He did not, think to l ite . to hear the public records:of the Court of Diree“ )rs called inofficial documents. If he :had nea heard Right Hon. Gentleman;-lie should not have belie s ' eu - him to have so expressed hinisell. -The Hon. wal l a' ber here cited two-cases —one on the Ist of J ll °''' sot, the other ,in 1708, in which similar docu ments-to those now called for bad been produceda--; He had riot supported the criminal charge ogn i n t Marquis Wellesley . , though. he 'disapproteil of all measures, which he believed to - have arisen not fro criminal motives - , but the influence of ambition a man of high li.deuis possessed of power. 14 ; thought it would be an injustice to themselves 00 the' Public to withhold the Papers. • Mr. Secretary Fox explained. • HILEY ../IDDINGTOA had /lever been s ° astonished' since he had the honour of a seat in ( b at House, as at the astonishment expressed by the Gentleman (Mr. Johnstone). The Ncible Lord w . ," id c) brought forward the Motion - had said, that be not mean thereby to supply any ground of charge evidence against Lord Welle.aley. But when it Sivas,l considered that the first charge against that I\ l ° - ; 0 , 1 Lord was- to be brought fors gird to-morrow, not Papers containing censures .on all his inea.sai l as well those which were the subjea of charg e _those which were not, have the effea -of making tl if impression unfavourable to that Noble Person. -the House were to agree to the Motion it walk' e -an aainjustice, of gross .for which they could 03 110 reparation, but by direeting that all the di meats aipon which the Court of Direr had ed these Opinions should be - laid !before them. " therefore should oppose the Motiw. Mr. R. THORNTON said, the ilovis would its own eyes, and keep itself in darkness and ig l- f 'ranee, if it did nut pass- a :=-vote : for:the -produaio o 4 ' ) these.Papersa 4puldbc - a great 'calamity if,GO -, tlemeo did not know the content of this docurne° t- If - they ,hachanyhknowledge'of what it did coutai°' they Would be anxious to have it:before the llntif in a•regtilar :shape;. --It Was an acknowledged fati" . that our Indian Empire was incumbered with debt s 'and difficulties to such a degree that a 'total obamla e of system -was adopted of necessity the gover,n ment of-it. The Paper alluded to contained ta r ' opinions of 29 out of 30 Direaors (for it had re ceiv,ed the sanction of two successive set s o f Dirac tors), in condemnation of the system that had bell' -• abandoned, and in recominetadation,of the systarn 0 4„a '. had beep 'adopted. He hoped the Company wr O o ld b" able to overcome its os.via difficulties - without cotolog' to the House or to the Country for aid. ;But at prese 4et there was 'no complete security, against that miste cr tune. - It was therefore most essential toinveatiarat e '- and at least to make past errors the weans r future wisdom. It was necessary-to 'the case of the Noble' Marquis, who had governed India 5 ° long, and under whom it had not prospeaaa, that the Papers should be produced. Tut :was neae 4 ; .nary to the case of the late Board of c oaarot d, a ao -to the case of the Court of .Direaors. J'he yape r would, be produced sooner or inter ; e; , ery Meiatbd r would read it, and it-was' better it,Shonld be read an avowed -and dire& avay. Toaaatompt to chee k the perusal of it , would vain-as :to-attenipr stop an eruption of Mount Vesuvius (a lopeh). had -no private difference with Lord Weilesley,thoa4 D he disapproved' of his ladministtation , olJudia ; 14c laid 1 o wish to stigmatize aoypart of tie-! Ii 01 the great man new do eaea a ; it was t