The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1809-03-18 00:00:00

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alleged against him unfounded, that linuez found
it neeessary to pronounce him innocent of them.
Mr. TISRP4 EY expressed the greatest objection tos'
any thing whatever appearing on their Journals,
uprn the ground of criminality, 113 applying to the
Duke of York. He considered the character of

his Royal Highnesses a species of public property,
in which all were interested, while that of every
other man might be called mere private character,
the preservation of which Hamer' theni%elres
alone ; because his Royal Highness mi4ht, in the
course of events. be one day called to sit on the
Throne of these Realms. It followed, therefore,

that if a charge of corruption should be establish-
ed, as might lw the event of their vote on such a
subject, a bill of exclusion must necessarily fol-
low such a decision, as it would be a most mon-
strous 4.ye-sore to be governed by one upon whom
such a tuark had been owe set ; and as he really
thought nu such thing had been proved before
them, he was wholly adverse to any resolution be-
ing proposed upon the subject. A very geueral
impressiaii had been made upon the public mind,
by their proceedings upon the last night. mi.,
was to hint a matter of wonder; yet still it had pre-
vailed, ultliough they had still much to do, and
much to decide upon, before they came to a
conclusion. 'Fite Right Honourable Gentle-
luau proposed to amend Ins Resolution, is if
the ouly question fur their consideration was
upon the guilt of the Duke, upon the charge of
corruption ; but that was not the rattly considera-
tion ; his Royal Highness vial a public fluictionary,
and he must stand or fall like every otlii.r twit-
viilicil, upon his general conduct in and situation.
Ile ei,refore wanted a pledge, Riot something fur-
thei should be done than what was proposed ;
would the Right Honourable Gentleman agree,
that upon the various matters dist limed before the
House, they bad a right to pronounce first
.upou
the question of criminality, and next upon the
general conduct of the Duke in his character of
Commander-iu-Chief. If he did this, he might
remove much difficulty out of their wiry. This
hue, however, he chose not to follow, hut ...anted

to confine them to a final derision, by a *ample aye
or no; and by so doing In' %las drnisi Gentleman
into a most dilemma. and forcing him,
for our, to lei,. thin s rui,st 'wilful to his feeliegs.—
Of his Royal he thought highly ; he be-
lieved him generoos mid brave; but lie had other
d3tirs to perform ti the public, and by which lie
Vial bound to see that great public offices were
filled by characters not only acquitted of guilt,
but free from suspirin I. The Right llowinrable
Gentleman said, lie %% Oval to incorporate his Re-
•Atitiou into his Addle,', lint lit should recollect,
that while the Rabbi: mind was torn by contend-
ing opinions, that liiinse was the only body not
giving any opinion at :dl; for his part, though as
little in the ha tits of being governed by the po-
pular voice as any man. yvt on the present oces-
-81011 lie stood in awe of the public op tttttt n, eti muds
so as to be ash tuned to look his 11'011StitUellIS in
the face, if' they did lint do more than was pro-
rm.!. The Address of the Right honourable
Gentleman would go the length of serving
to continue his Itoynl highness in he pre-
sent situation; and he hoped the House would
bear this MII3IIIII, us the mu wti it encP of hits resolu-
tion. With respcct to the Dike of York himself,
he must say he could not but consider lion as very
hardly dealt with en the sitirject of his letter to that
11m M. ; this hail evidently come from the Cabinet.
It was said to be drawn up by other hounds than the
Duke's, and lie was sure it hail been written by
weaker onus. Ile could easily conceive the Duke
wishing to deny the ituinitation of guilt; but why
was he not allowed to do soils the first iitstaisce ?

The denial likewise. upon the honour of it Prince,
he ecrially couiletsined ; the honour of a Peer was
intelligible, and was admitted by common prac-
tice ; but the honour of a Prince, as taken in
contradistinction, he could make nothing of. The
mea kk Itt g of the letter seemed to hint to be, that the
Duke was decoyed into it, merely to foniid the
Address intended by the Right Rottman' ble Gen-
tleman upon it. He could not possibly conceive
how the Hoke could condescend to remain in

-.Mak

office alter what hail passed, and yet that letter
WAS mode the very foundation for that measure.—
The latter pass.ige, likewise. of the fitter, was evi-
&oily not the dictate of the Duke, but that of some
. •perud pleader, as if they had no other choice, bid
either to impeach or acquit hutthereare a thousand
instances to the can't ; i► fact, on. could cosily
CulstVlVe ex r, where, with manifest guilt, it might

be highly inconvenient to exhibit articles of im-
peachment, us.sersing Only to secure an acquittal.
Was there, then, no other coves for them to ninsue
lie, for one, had no objection to their exercise of the
inquisitorial powers ; they must lee lodged sonic-
where; and there were eases, of winch lie consi-
dered the present to be out. where it %taboo 'wiry
they should be eilltri Lied, and sound disi:ietion was
the rule which might to guide thew. If they were to
be his last words, he would say he did not coi.sidear
the Doke of York as guilty of corruption; hut
then he would ask. was it fur His Majesty's Mi-
nisters to force them to a simple aye or no opou
that question ? Thee might succeed there by force
elf a majority ; hut even the., they might trod
names on time one side that would virtually out-
weigh numbers nn the other. The Right Honour-
able Gentlemen will not he satisfied without
supposing there mists no doubt in the cave ;
110 W,• though he, in his own mind, entertained
no proof of actual corruption, yet he could by
no means go the length of snying, hr eider-
famed no doubt of any misconduct. He there-
- fire wished, from a principle of feeling, the House
would adopt the proceeding by way of address, as
he could nut agree to a resolution Foists( merely to
the question of corruption or cruuinality. It was
neressary to satisfy the public mind that the mat.
ter itself was not closed, but only the form of their

proceeding disposed ob mid winded security that the
Rouse should have an opportunity of discussing
so:nething more besides the mew question of
; sod was anxious, that haying d ! with
th.! 1)04e in his Royal Character. they should
meet the quest. by eon.itlerits.g him simply as
a public functionary. In this poiut of view
he would agree in doing ample ;ti,tice us to it
military merits; that his regulations were good. and
that Isis attentions to the busiounis of the service
were highly exemplary and meritorious ; but still
be would be of opiaive be could no: remain tvhera