The Sun. — London, England, 1806-01-22 00:00:00

PARLIAMENT. HOUSE OF PEERS, TUESDAY, JAN. 21. r .i.az Session of Parliament was opened by Com missioners appointed by His. Majesty, to whom it was not. convenient to attend in person. The Arch 'biShop of - CANTERBURY, the LORD CHANCELLOR, Lord ELLENBOROUGH„ Lord HAWKESEURY, and the Earl of DARTMOUTH, afted as the Commissioners under Royal authority, and the most gracious Speech to: both Houses.of Parliament was read by the LORD 4CHANCELLOR. • [For - which see our Paper of yesterday.) IlarquisWELLEsLEy,theMarquis of LANSDOWNE, and Lord ST. JOHN, were introduced, and toot the oaths and their seats, . Earl NELSON was introduced by the Earls of MAC. CLESFIktif; and BaisTO*l., attended by the, Earl 2‘.larshal, 'and Garter King'at Arm . ; and, after the usual oaths, took his seat. Aboa a quarter before five o'clock His Majesty's Speech was again read. ‘' The Earl of ESSEX then:rose to move the Ad :dress, and spoke to the following effeel :—" My Lords, on the iubie& of the Motion which I am .eow ahoUt to make, it is not necessary that I should take up your 'Lordships' time with many 'observa tions. , The. nature and tendency of the Speech which `you have just heard, is such as must of itself 'be sufficient to induce your Lordships to concur in an *Address to His Majesty, thanking him for the gra cious cornmunication contained in it, and assuring His Majety• of our readiness to concur in every measure which Is recommended in that Speech.— Every one 'of yoUr Lordships must feel, much more forcibly than any words of mine can express, the highest sentiments of . satis . fae - tion at that most bril -liant arid decisive vi&ory which was lately gained over the combined Fleets of France and Spain—a viaory which has crowned our country with new glory, and tended most effe&nally to establish its permanent security against all the hostile attempts . which the enemy may. Meditate - against us.. I am confident that all your Lordship's participate in the , generous and tender feelings expressed in His Ma, ' Jesty's Speech for the loss of that heroic Commander, to whose great.talents, to whose consummate valour and .skill, the whole kingdom is. indebted for the victory in .question. . Such services as these are entitled to the highest , honours and the highest re, wards which - it is in the poWer of the Nation tO•con . fer; and I trust your LOrdships, will cheerfully con _ cur in the magnanimous recommendation of His Majesty to. make a suitable, provision for the Family of the late illustrious Lord Nelson. I trust that you will also be ready to thank His Majesty for the gra dons intention expressed in . His Speech, of laying befOre this House copies of such Treaties as were en , tered into between His Majesty and certain Powers on the Cootinent. _ And until those Papers come re gularly before Parliament; I. trust that no discussion will be entered into on the subje& of them. When thst period arrives; . I trust it will appear that no blame whatever can attach to Government for the unfortunate turn which affairs have lately 'taken on the Continent of Europe ; but that it will appeat 'His Majesty's b - est endeavours were not wanting to give every aid in his power to his Allies ; and that every thing has ,been. done by us towards pro moting the obje& of the Confederacy, with as much wisdom , and foresight, as it was possible to exer cise. Alelancholy,as the state'of the Continent is at this time, we have the satisfaaion to know, that in this Country we have every thing to hope for.— We have our own unconquerable spirit, and our vast resources still to depend on. And Las to the Nations of tine Continent, disastrous as the situa tion of Austria may be, we'have still a most power ful Ally in the Emperor of Russia, who has nobly and..magnanimously persevered in that enlightened line of policy which led him to enter into the CenfedersCy againSt the common Enemy. If, there . -fore, we should be..threatened with danger, we must meet it with.undannted r:solution ; and I have - no doubt but a great enlightened- People, such as .we are, will meet it - successfully. We must exert all our efforts to counteract the, designs and at tempts of this aboMinable Enemy, who meditates our destruaion, and by so doing I doubt not but this Country will be invincible at home, and honoured • abroad. If we are to prosecute the war, we must do it in the most vigorous and vigilant manner. I do not think it necessary to trespass any, longer on your Lordships' time; but shall conclude I;vith mov ing, "That an humble Address be presented to His Majesty, &c."—(Here, his Lordship read the Ad s dress, which was, as usual, an echo to the SpeeCh, • in every part of it except one, where the House con doles with His '.Majesty on the death • of the late Doke of Gloucester.. Lord Viscount ~ C ARLETON rose to second the Address : he spoke nearly ai follows :—" MyLords, . the Address to which your Lordships are now called on to give your - aztrit; and whiCh I hope will meet with ''srousutianimous Concurrente, does not pledge .the -House to any specific line of proceedings and -thesefore I trust none of your Lordships will (Ned to it. 11lost of the topics alluded to in His noes .* ty's Speech are such as , must meet your concurrence. 'The glorious ViiSfory of Trafalgar is an event of such-niagoitusle and importance, that it is . hardly possible for the imagination to conceive any other more transcendent.; it , is superior to almost every other naval at:lion- for which our history is so fa mous. - : The unparalleled' valour displayed by all the engaged in - that salon, and the unex ,ampleti ability and skill with which it was conduet •ed, has been a subject of admiration to this Country and the whole world. Never was's() great an En my • so completely destroyed.' The naval skill, and the :valour displayed on that glorious occasion, was never equalled, and witi never be surpassed. Every man _who recollects `the signal' given by the Hero who achieved the successes—' England expels tha! every man- will do his disty's--muss. - be struck with a still • 114;s .egree of aclattration of his charae - ter. We never can speak or-,think with suffiCient admiration :of this great Vi&ory, nor sufficiently larnentithe fate of him whose great mind planned the attack that was croAned with such brilliant success. I have thus far expressed my feeiings on this silbj,:a, because I .wish to sire& your:attention to, the importance* of ti•sat part of His Majesty's Speech tvhich recos.l - a munificent recompense to the represen tatives of the' demised Hero, to whom every in-' dividual in the Country, from,. the highest - to- the lowest, is ,so greatly indebted for his security. Your Lordshipsi I, trust, have no, objeait2n to cur in the expressions of co6doience on the death Of a most illustrious and a:xtiaSle Prince, who was _ _ . nearly allied, and so dear to His Majesty—l mean the late Duke of Gloucester.' - With respect to thiit part of the Address which relates to the share which the Government had in the late events on the Continent, the present is not. the proper time to discuss it ; and when that discussion comes on, I . hope the condua of His Majesty's Goveromeut will appear perfe6tly justified. also .am confident we may grant further powers to Government, with a complete reliance that they will faithfully execute the trust reposed in them. Notwithstanding the unfortunate turn which affairs have taken on the Continent,.-we cannot but applaud the enlightened Policy of the Emperor of Russia in the line of cod dpkt he has pursued, and entertain the most :san guine hopes of deriving benefit from his co-opera tion and friendship hereafter. That illustriotis Prince was determined not to make an ignominious Peace. I'he interest of Russia aifd this Country have always been, and will ever continue to be the same; and from this community of interests, and their mutual friendship, the happiest consequences may be expected. Your Lordships, I am confident, must, all feel the necessity of prosecuting the War with. vigour, as the only means by which we can ever expe& to possess Security or Peace. You must feel the magnitade of the stake we are contending ,for. But you ,nust all feel besides how great are the resources, the power, wealth, and : commerce of this Country. Never was its commerce in a more flou rishing state. And what is still greater than all—our spirit is ,unsubdued—our valour is entire. Such a nation, by making vigorous efforts, must be invin- , cible. Under all these impressions, I trust, there is not one among your Lordships who will not cheer, fully concur in the present Address." The Address being read from the Woolsack ? , Earl CO WPER—" Lards, it was my in tention to propose an Amendment to the Address that should be moved to_His - Ma;esty, and I should propose that Amendment now, were it not for an event upon which I, as' well as others, 'must have some feelings of delicacy, a well as regret. The' ill state of health, and the consequent abrence from his place in another House of Parliament, of an Honourable Perion 'who holds the principal situation in His Majesty's-Councils, impresses mj with a de sire to postpone for a short time all, discussion on a subje& in. which that Right Hon. Person must be particularly interested ; and in .the considera tion of which his presence in another place must be so desirable. I wish, therefore, to decline mak ing any Amendment at this time. But when I pot ponethe discussion, I beg it may not be understood that I waive the. right 9f bringing forward, on ano ther day, a Motion similar to the Amendment I in tended to offer. The SubstOce of my ..A.,mend `mentis this : that while . this House expresses its wish to support His Nlsjesty's Government in such measures as may be necessary for a 'due prosecution - of-tne . NNr 7 tr, it ShoUld also declare that it teels, it as a duty it owes to the Public to see that the means fur enabling•GOVernment to make extraordinary efforts shall not be misap - plicd.• I now give notice, that on Monday. next I will bring forward - a Motion ; to, this effe6t."• • • • , Lord' GigiVPILLZ.--cc My tords, without intending or wishing •to -brin forward any dis, cussion on the question now before the, House, I feel myself obliged to trespass on your attention for a very short time. This is-a moment in which the extraordinary situation the Country is plaeed, in re quires the Most aelive and numerous attendance 'of all the Members of Parliament; This day should not be passed over - withont something being said, or some explanation given, c.,o.ncerning the present state 'of the Country, and the best means of ex.tricatiq us from•the perils which surroundus. Nothing could Jus, tify the postponement of discussions so important as these but the circumstance alluded to by the Noble Earl. What fell from that Noble Earl has, relieved my Mind from a great deal of anxiety. I highly applaud the considerations of delicacy and feeling upon Which he has a&ed ; and however desirable it might otherWi:4e be to bring the important subjed of the state of the 'Country oefore the House as speedily as possible, yet the considerations I have al luded to _must justify, us in postpdning it a little longer: My, Lords, I most heartily concur in that part of the Address which relates to the brilliant an& important .vietory gained over the Combined Fleets of the Enemy. Every, man possessed of an English heart and an English head must •concur in all the• praises that have so "justly been bestowed on the persons who achieved_ that most glorious' Viaory ;- and all must cheerfully 'concur in pledging the Na tional gratitude towards the If4mily of the illustrions Hero who fell on that memorable occasion, and in acknowledging their claim to 'every reinuneratioira generous and grateful Coin - My Can bestow... The part of the Address, therefore, which alludes to that, event ,has' my full. and l:artfelt approbation ; nor will I, fbr the, reasons that have been stated, oppose any 'part of the Address. But in' thus acquiescing in the postponement of the Aniendment which the Noble Earl intended to make, I beg it to be under stood that I do not pledge myself to any opinion, or debar myself the right. of ,supporting that Amend ment in another shape at ,some other time. I shall therefore, at preSent, decline giving any opinion on this general subje& until the whole of it crimes to be fully taken .into consideration; lnd, accordingly, I will reserve to a future opportunity the observations I intended to make." Lora HA WKESTURY—L" My Lords, the obser vations which have' fallen from the two Noble Lords who spoke last give' neeeerygreat satisfadion.— They very prdperly,co4sider an event which many of us sincerely lament, as an additional inducement Why they shotild net ei,lter into the discussion 'of certain parts of the Address now before the House. I give the Neble'L'ord who spoke last full credit for ,those perscaial feelings wbieli,so honourably aanate his mind towards an individual, vOto,l'unfOrtiniately for the public, is prevented by i,,,iisposition from attending his duty in Parliament.. There are few persons who must not feel for the present.situation of a man who hai been the admiration, of his Country' and of the 'whole - world. It gives the pleasure, t . to find that • this circumstance causes the postponeinent of a discusTiion would lvae been, very improperly brought forward now. is unnecessary for rn'e to trouble your Lordships on • any topic in His Alsjesty's Speech, 'or the Ad ; 'dress which has Veen' so ably moved and seconded: _ . That Address doeS not commit Parliamept on any land: one, topic wihateVer. Your Lordships may concur in every part of it, without precluding a subsequent discussion. I am happy to find that there exists but one opinion ;on the .Subjee't of the great and brilliant services which the late naval victory pro duced, and that there is only one opinion also on the manner in which it iS':proposed these services should bei rewarded: I feel it necessary. to make some obserwations on the stibjed of the Amend inent I.vhich. the Noble Earl said it was,his inten tion to make. That .Aineticlrrient refers' to ;a cer tain, part of the Address ,on which: information is to, be laid before the House, without which' we shall not be able to forth an Opinion. , His :Ma jesty has expressed his gracious intention to com municate to us this inforMation.. I conceive the general' preaice to be this : 'Whenever His Majesty says he will cause certain _ Papers to be laid before Parliament, it is 'unusual to enter into any discus sion of the subje& to which such • Papers relate until they are actually , laid before the .1-Iciuse. Let us wait and see what is ,the information, contained in those Papers before we give an, opinion ; and when we see the. doctithents, it will be time enough for us to come to some determination upon them. This is the general practice of I)rliariicult ' and it, when the documents' 'are laid before the House, they should be found' defective, further information may then be moved for. We are npw, my Lords, only called on to thank His Majesty for, the gracious in tention he has expressed of laying the copies of cer tain TreatieS before •usi and when those Treaties Come, then will be the proper time to discuss thein. I agree entirely with the Noble Baron, that the pre sent is a time when the whole state of the Country ought to be taken into consideration: His 'Ma jesty's Government wishes it ; and 4, am confi dent His Majesty's Ministers will not shrink from the most scrupulous examination "into the state of public affairs. I and sure they will be able td justi , fy the in,easures they have pursued.. are not now about to pledge the, House in .any thing on which there can be the slightest difference of opi nion 3, time will come for discussion, and His' Majesty's IGovernnient - Will be prepared • to meet ' • .• • •;. Lgrd 4 111 IL . G.R.4E: entered into 0,,i-same line of argument with the_ Noble Lerd . who nookejast.- , -- 4 I shall he ready," said his Lordship; "!'to discuss subjea whenever it comes under our consideration . . I hope the Noble Lord who intended. to propose an Amendment will not bring forward any Motion of that sort until the Papers which contain' the necessary ' inforthation are laid before the House. I feel pecu liarly anxious that the question alluded to by the.two Noble Lords should meet the fullest discussion, and that it may be discussed in the manner wished for by my Noble Friend. I put it to, the Noble Earl who• gave notice of a Motion for Monday next, whether the objet Of that notice will not be better answered ,when copies of the Treaties are on the Table of this House. I feel anxious' then, that the Noble Earl should not bring forward his Motion until we shall be able to discuss the merits of it. No ,persori can be more desirous than I :am for an early and full dis, cussion of all the topics referred to by the two No , ble Lords.,_ I am Confident Government will wind justified for its conduct : and for my own part I • hesitate not to say, that, undefall the.encurnstances, there is not one measure that has been:adented. by Government which I would wish to retraCt.' • • Lord GRE NV. 4 7,4 E ,, in reply, observed',, thitt it was his wish on that day net to come to any 'decided vote, 'But as to the state of the Country, that was a subjea which must be brought before the Holistion an early day. He would not then enter into any part of the subjea„ But with respea to the Notice that had been 'given for a Motion on Mon day next, he thought it ought not to be made 'at all. It was not the propriety -or the impropriety of an Amendment that the House had to discuss.—.-- It was the general' State of the Country, and,tbat ought to be,'brought forward as siieedily as possible. He hoped or an early day, this . important sUbjea would come under the consideration of Parliament. Nothing 'cOkild justify the House: in suffering any. considerable interval to elafiSe befofe•thiS important question came under consideration,. The Address was then .read from /he WoOlsack, and agreed. • Lord H A WKESBURY: gave notice, that on Friday. ,he would move the Thanks of the House to Admi ral Lord Collino - wood, and the other Officers, toge ther with the Seamen and Marines, who were en gaged in the late ACtion off Trafalgar.. Lord littucLey gave notice, that on Friday be would move for a Return of the nunaher.of Men raised under the General Defence Act. JUDGE FOX. The Marquis of ABERCORN reminded the House of the necessity of proceeding as spe l edily as possible 'in the investigation of the Charges that had been Ref rred against Judge Fox. At half past six the House adjourned. HOUSE OF COMMONS. TUESDAY, JAN. 21. The SPEAKER having taken the Chair, evaly at three o'clOCk,. Mr. QUARME, Yeoman Usher of the Black Rod, informed the House, that the Lords, authorised by .His Majesty's Special Commission, desired the immediate attendance of the Commons in the House of Peers.. The House accordingly at tencted the SPEAKER to the Lards. • On his return the SPEAKER informed the House, that he had ordered Writs to be issued for eleaing a Member for the. City of Gloucester, in the room of JOHN PITT, Esq. ; for the Burghs of St. Andrews, Cupar,` &c.. in the roortrof the late DAVID SCOTT, Esq. ; fbr the- County of MonmOuth, in the -room of Sir cIIARLES . MORGAN for • the town of Borough bridge; in the room of late: Hon. JOHN SCOTT c; 411 d also for the Cotinty,Of Waterford, in the room of the - late Bight Hon. JOHN BERESFORD. . Lord CASTLEILEAGH'aiId several other new Merril hers then took the oaths and their seats. The BC .ttsual at the 'commencement of every Session, was bronghtin, pro forma -for the preventing of clan destine outlawries. . New Writs. were •then Ordered for eleaiug a Member for the- Boro4gh.•of Dunwich, in Suffolk, in the room of SNOWDON BARNE,. Esq. ; for the Queen's ' County, in Ireland, in the . room, of Sir EYRE CO6TE 5 for Dumbartonshire, in the room of Sir JAMES C O LQUHOUN fOr the County of Bedford, in the room of the HOD. ST. ANDREW ST. JOHN 5 and for the Borough of Leominster, in 'the room of the Hon. CHARLES KINNAIRD, now p Peer of Scot- The- SPE4KER then acquainted the House, that the Commons had been at the House of - Lords, to be present at the opening of the Session of Parlia ment, under the authority of a Royal Commission, and - had heard His Majesty's Speech read to them by the LORD CIIAICELLOR, of which he had obtain ed a. Copy, and should read it for the farther faction of 'the House. .--_... The MeoAge was then 'entered - as read, when Lord FRANCIS SPENCER rose,. for the pur. pose' of moving. an Address to his Majesty in an swer to his most gracious Speech to both Houses : but he spoke in so low a tone as to be• scarcely audi ble from the Gallery. As nearlyi-however, as we could collea the substance of his short • speech, it was to the purport following :—He rose for the purpose of moving an humble Address to His Ma jesty, in answer to his gracious Speech, in which Address he would hope for the unanimous Concur renco of the House. For those brilliant successes of HiS Majesty's arms by sea, which had sb emi nently distinguished the naval history •of the past year, he was confident the Honse would fully coin cide in the sentiments expressed in His Majesty's Speech; biit, aboVe all, in what respeded the glori ous and ever4fiembrable victory of Trafalgar, under the gallant and justly regretted Hero who achieved that proud triumph tor his Country-before he had nohly,fallen in her cause, and left her to deplore a loss, in which, he was convinced, every man who heard him, sincerely participated, the concern ex pre s red by'His Majesty : atrci he felt the strongest :reliance, that the House, in its liberality, -and'ses tice to the Memory of that great an,d gallant Coos mantles, would cheerfully meet the Royal- wishes, , and enable-His IVlajesty - to add to the honours al .ready conferred upon his family such signal re wards as would mark the • public gratitude for thss important - sittories,'.and the public security which the Nation so etnitently owed , to his.prowess. But, while the Coltu such proud and distinguished cause of • triumph in her• Naval -successes during the last Year; and 'more particul sin that of the vi&ory of Trafalgar, .he was -cosfident the House ,must deteplY participate in . those feeling - -of regret, .expressed by His Majgsty,.- for : the: _reverses sus, -mined -by :our Allies; on - the _Continents and • the • melancholy issue of the.' late campaign. At the - same time, the. House and the Country naust feel high consolation in the manly conduit, and the unshaken .attachroent manifested by our faithf4 Ally; the:Emperor of Russia, to those principles, and that enlightened policy; which bad 'uniformly distinguished his reign : a circumstance whtels gave us still reasonable ground to hope that affairs on the. Continent-. might yet be brought to a fa vourable issue.- • In' the crisis, howevefs in which this Country now stood; we had nothing to fees from the haughty menaces, or the insatiable ambi tion of the common Enemy, while defended by the known loyalty and valour of 'His Majesty's Suite‘iis, arid the unexhausted resources of this Empire, en the vigorous application of which, he was confident the syisdoni and spirit of the House would cheer fully co-operate with His Majesty, for maintaining .. the contest in such a Manner as to sustain- the Country in her wonted rank amongst the Nations of Europe, .acrd for brieging the present arduous sssu test to an - honourable and advantageous conclusion. ..TheNoble Lord coecluded by moving .his Address, which reiterated the sentiments - expressed: in the Speech. . - • _ Mr. AINSLIE seconded .the in a short • Speech; in which- he observed, that the, events 'which had taken place ipts - the Continent had-. b ee n rapid , and uncxpeeied ; -and that France had acquired by • • War, in' a short space of time, those accessions to . her power and territory which she 1 - ,s4b.efore been gaining - under , the rtiask of Peace. • But he congra tulated the:House, that though the fate of the War on the COntinent. had been lamentable,,xes our Own Naval- and Military .charader- was unleipaired under the pressing exigencies of this crisis;Great sacri . flees must doubtless be made, and many privations be, submitted to,_ but the spirit and resources of this, Country were fully equal to the greatest exertitlns. The language of the Enemy was menacing; his objeaa.waa to overthrow our .pewer; and redtice us to a state. of ,deperideece. Bet the. Reopiw of IVs . Country, he trusted, kneW, and were determined to -der en . their-rights,- .. Notwithstanding our -unparal leled. Naval sties‘ses, and though the. -late Vietory must he.-consiclered- as the most importisnt in the annals -of the,Ceentry, and- as placing us in a state of eoiripeeative seeurity,, yet it would besslangeroua to despise the designs and efforts of our Euemy. she exigencies. of the times required the most vigourons measures; and, be trusted, that the. .vigour of our Coutscils,:eed ,of our, exertions, would at length ,procure for the Country a solid, an honourable, and; lasting,Peace. - • s ' s LordallEAY PETTYthen rose, and spoke to, thelcilloiking Purport Ie o4ering my senti ments upon the present occasion, I Must - observes,, that to that part of the Address to His Majesty; which relates tct the ever-memorable • dsy upoa Which the srloSy, of the British NaVy was established; and in which the •loss - of one of the bravest and most enlightened mer that ever conduced , to the honour Of this Country, is deplored, I am sure no Member of this House will, for an instant, objed. It was the ,peculiar talent' of the•Nroble and gallant Lord' who fell.in the moment of vidoiy, to unite all men, in one common effort fat- one common cause ; and it now becomes our duty, willingly to join all sen timents M. one bond of adnairatioro ;and, grad tude. But ,with regard to other .partsailse. Speech, I am by no means disposed to yield the, same ac quiescence ; and,it was my intention this night to have moved au Amendment to the. Address, express. sive of sentiments more consonant to the 'existing state .of affairs ; 'but, from certain iptir,stions'that have reached me, and, _I suppose s .manyother. Gets tlerrien, that such an Amendment would lead to discussions extremelypainful to the House, because involving deeply the charades and conduct of a per son high in- of ice, whco took the principal lead in thOse trensaalions which must necessarily become the subject of much inquiry and.animadversion, but whesestbseeee at present is caused by, a mistortune which, I am sure, personally, I and eVery_rs6ti aroUnd me must sregret; I have been induced, for the pre-