The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1807-07-09 00:00:00

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Member of re.eament. and petitioned for hie en-
latgernent. From the notes of the debate that then
to place, preserved upon the Journals, it appearid •
that every Member considered it as a lamentable
ease for the creditors, but that the Home were
bound to grant his enlargement, by the privileges of
Parliament. These were privileges not given for
the sake of the individual so indulged, but for the
sake of the House, and for the sake of the country
itself. Supposing the Has to be true, as stated in
the Petittone, the House must consider what would
be the situation of Eletines. The freedom of ar-
rest was for the benefit of those who sent repre-
sentatives to Parliament, in order that nothing
should prevent them from taking their seats, and
discharging those duties they had eleeled them to
perform. It such he a ground for preventing a
Member fiom claiming the privilege of discharge
from custedy, it was likewise a ground for declar-
ing the eleetion void. A body of Eleetors, ignorant
of this subjea, might be thereby unrepresented in
this House. If this be a ground for setting aside
the eleetion, there might be a Petition presented
next day. when the matter must be fully dis-
cussed ; and, then fore, any other course of pro-
cedure would be prejudging the subjeß. He never
found a single instance on the Journals. where the
House had refused to assent to a privilege, where it
was clearly defined. When party ran high, he
would wish the House to consider how great would
be the power they would be conceding to Ministers.
by leaving them at liberty either to grant this privi-
lege to a Member or not, as they pleased It was
a matter of great importance. and ore which could
not be sufficiently considered, by confinirg it to the
House of Commons alone. It was ii-cesssry that
the per leges of the two WIINCi should be kept
commensura•a, for it might be cnasidere whether
a person in custody. beceming afterwards a Mem-
ber of the House of Lorda wrs not also to be
privilegee. li the Trla't!r was at all to be brought
forward, ht it, said he, be dacus•eil upon the
point of geeerel prop•ie•y and expedieray, so oat
it may be aecertamei weeeher or not any more ad.
vantageous line can be drawn. Th.s may, v•ty
probably, be the ease; hut be wetild recernmend
that the question should he brorialit forward breed- :
fy. up:.,l :el these grounds, he hoped the Huse
'mule concur w:ih their Committee in the Report
they have this day presented.
Mr. COCHIIANF. JOHNSTONE said, that he
being a Member of the Commune, OW:led that all
the precedents which have been lound, weie such as
warranted the Report ; yet, he was rote o thought
that. owing to the peculiar cirsu nstances of the
case, a special Reoort should be presented to the
House. steel refieetions havirg been thrown tynn
the charafter of one nt its Members. The Pe:items
stated. hat Mr. Galway Mills di.: obtain a sect in ;
this House f•r the express purpo .e of going to the
Wet Indies, so alto 'knee the payment of his ;aw-
ful d hts If the P.:mai eh, iled determine that the
privileges of the Heuer en:i.ler Mr. Kat to his
liberation, he anderstoed that there were five other
persons in a similar peeeicament in the King's
Bench Prima wh r ,;:ily wetted to know the decisieri,
i t order also to b • lieeratee. Leader such circure-
stances,hesholiel cern-seiy entreat ihe fI suee,before
they cave an order fi r the ltheration of Mr Mills,
to refer the matter again fer a fur ter investig item
to a Conienitee of Privileges, or Chit the House
should itseP take the subject into t lei/ grave and
serious ernsideration.
Mr. EL LISON. another Member of the Com•
entree, said, that he was convinced the gentlerunn
who composed the Committee did enter into the con-
sideretion with a strong impression as to the toulne•s
anti enormity of the condo& of the individual im•
pli.ated by these Petitians. He himself was so
strongly convinced of the imprereety of his
(Mills's) condua, that nn honourable man ought to
sit in the House with him ; l•ecause, he continued.
the purity of character of the Members of that
House ought to be considered as affeaing the cha-
rafter of the kingdom. This particular case being
so strong, there was no man that would ge further
than he would do to rescue the House from such
infamy, and adopt another line of condua ; but still
he could not help thinking, that the House had a
mast solemn duty to perform, because it was neces-
sary that the privileges of the House should be sup-
ported. however necessary it mia,lit be to adopt
some other made of freeing the Members from
imputation, that they might sand fair in the eyes
of the community He really thought that the
Resolution of the Committee sheald be acquiesced
in by the House.
Mr. SIMEON said, that whatever turpitude
there might be in tar case now before the House,
the Committee were jestitied, by the established
Rules of the House, in making that Report ; and
he did not think it would be consistent to refer it to
another Committee.

Mr RA RINE said. he th•night it ra:htttr a Cafe
of hardship againa Mr. Mills, m d:scuss this ques-
t:fn. when h: h;td not en opportunity to reply.
lie did hope, that those who had •::erred he attain-
ed his seat for fr•udelent purposes, would present a
petiti,n against his cit eion.
l'he CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER
thought that the I louse could not find fault wicks
the conduet of the Cttrnmittre is not entering into
a tu7ther cor.siderati^n of the farts set forth in the

lan.ause, although the all.'; itines had been
fitt:y ,Libst,d,.l.a•cd, it c•-,u;,! have mad: no d.fference
as to their decisihn, that he was a MemKer of the
House, and conscirt•otiy entitled vs the privileges.
The tiisct-..trge nt sir. Nli:ls arr.se cut of the known
law of Parliament. It was a very different thing
to cansichu- w:ist the law ought to be, and what the
law was. The pubb.: cc:lee:Unice was to be con-
atilernd as well as tha. of private individuals.
pt ,s. n• i;:e particulars of the case were not properly
b foie the (louse. If it should turn out to be a
ease ad sufli argraysting circumstances, it might
aft:rwards justoy the eap;ilsi,:n of that Member
scorn the Fl.rute ; hut, in order to dial that, it was
"'emery that the ilis';vidual accused shonld first be
admitted within we wills; so that he might have
an opportunity of justifying hisusel. On these
gottinds, he agreed with the motion.
After souse turther nbse, esti ,ns from Mr. iVynne.
Mt. 1.4 Metall. Mr. Il•lrtscrt. 4. .1 kr. W. Smith. the
resolutions of the Report were a, re td to; and, nn
the motion of Mr. WM.. Mr. A:ills was ordered
was ni 'too of the M•rsliAl

:

F.AST INDIES.
Mr..R. DUNDAS moved for leave to bring in
Bills for the following purposes : viz. to regulate
the Government and Polite cf Fist S. (temp and
Bombay ; to regulate the public Banks in India,
and invest theta with the powers of other Corporate
Bodies ; and to regulate the Periods in which the
Civil Servants of the Company may be engaged iu
their servicc,ahroad.—Lt,ave given.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER
moved for, and obtained leave to bring its a pill for
repealing two clauses of the A& for regulating the
management of Windsor Forest.
Mr. FOSTER presented the Annual Petitions
from the several Charitable Invitutions in Ireland,
being the same as those presented at the end of
last Parliament ; and afterwards moved, 6. That
the several Estimates of the of supporting
them for one year, up to the sth of Jan. 1:4(!9, be
laid before the House."—Otdered. He then
moved for leave to bring in a Bill far regulating the
Retailing Spirituous Liquors in Ireland. Also a
Bill for regulating the Celli-aims of Ditties on Spi-
rits distilled in Ireland Also a Bill fur recovering
and levying penalties under said Aas, and to alter
the conditions of certain bonds given by Brewers iu
Ireland ; and a Bill for abolishing certain fe. s le-
eeived by Officers of the Custom% in several Ports ;
and for regulating the number of holidays obsessed
in the Custom-houses in Ireland.—Leave given
accordingly.

1410t11.SH %\,l II &e.

. -
Sir H. MILDMAY said, that since the late
discussion on the subjedit of his agreement Kith
Government for the lettial of Moulsham
&c. near Chelmsford, and the want of s nisfac-
tion relative to the transaCtion, as stated by a Noble
Lord ( Howiik), he had hid the opportunity of
receiving Inters from certain Gentlemen who were
upon the Jo: y appointed to ascertain the sum to be
awarded liint tor damages, Er.c. That Jury had
ailor:e.: him 13001. of which 9.:)0.1. was to cover the
expenses of C.e inquest, and 7001. was considered as
an rqui o+lent for the expense of restoring the land to
its former state, and which was to he done at his
own ex;•erse. He then proceed id to read lett.trs
from Gmeral Stun, and others of the Jury, con-
firming his former statement, via. that the cimpen-
▪ nion aearded was not to be considered as a rent
for the house, but as a compemati o for the i• jury
sorL;ch the estate had sustained by the occupation
• i!Sitsty. Sir Hem• colclusied by nt
"That the copy of the supplement to the Memo-
rial, presented by Sir H. Mild,u,ty to the Commis-
sioners of Military Inquiry, be laid upon the sable of
the HOVse."
L• rd HOWICK still declared that this transac-
tion had not been so statisfaftnri/y explained As l.e
could wish. It appeared that this sum had been
awarded for the injtity done to the e,tate, but the
rent cf Oil a-year was an extraordinary sum fur
20 acres of land. 'Pia tenants, in his opinion,
ought to have received the whole or this tiU3I. a-
year. . . .

Mr. CANNING expressed his surprise that the
Nobla Lord should still continue to entertain any
doubt on a plint that WAS so clear. Whatever the
award of the Jury was, the Hon. Baronet had h..sl
no concern in it. and it Was to be consi.tered, that
if Government should choose to maintain possession
of the le Ise, the Hon. Baronet must consione to
sustain all the inconveniences of the bargain, and
therefore the compensation of 7001. could only be
made good then.
Mr. HILF.Y ADDINGTON spoke in general
terms of approbation of the Hon. Baronet's 'we-
aunt. as well as of the Adininistrati n of his Noble
Friend (Lord Sidnicaph), which had male the
original bargain with ttse Hon. Baronet.•
Sir H. Mildmay's motion was then put and car-
ried.
PURCHASF. OF ARMY COMMISSIONS, ite.

Mr COCHRANE JOHNS-lONE moved,
14 That there be laid before the House an account of
the various sums of money received by the Sale of
Commissions in the Army, since January 1793,
specifying the names of the Officers by whom such
monies have been paid, with the particular dates
affixed to the receipt and payment of all such sums."
He concluded with exprevueg some doubt whether
the more proper way was by moving an Address to
His Majesty for the papers wanted.
The SPEAKER said, that if there was any
doubt on the subjed, the most respedful mode of
address would be the most proper. In point of form,
the usual m ,cle WAS, if any measure originated with
Iles Majesty's confidential servants, then to move
an Address to His Majesty for the requisite papers;
but if any trans.,dion originated with the head of
an office, it was then sufficient for the House to
order that the proper officer do prepare and present
the papers that may be required.
Mr. COCHR AN E JOHNS TONE then moved,

" That an humble Address be preserard to His Ni
Jesty, that he would be pleased to girt: direaions for
the Papers already stated to be latsl upon the *fable
of the House."
The SECRETARY at WAR said, that although
he had no °Nation to the su4stance (.1 the motion,
it must universally be allowed, that the sole disposal
of Commissions in the Army was vested in His
Majesty, and be demisted whether it were quite pee..
per for the House to inquire into the exercise of :his
right ; however, as he knew that the Illustrious Cum-
mander-in-Chief was exceedingly desirous to give
information and satistaaion on this business, he
should not ohjea to the substance of the Motion
now made. The mode was for Military Conimis-

mons to be presented to His Majesty, upon which
His Majesty's pleasure was taken, as to filling thtim

up. 1 Ire purposes for which stay Commissions
were sold, were two-fold, and which shew that the
Illustrious Commander-in-Chief both studied pulp-
lic ce:outinty, and the private advantage of
duals, and that at the expense of his own private
patronage. The first object in the wile of Com-
missions was for the half pay fund and, slboadlya

for the 'chef of the families of sperit, rims MENAI.
in order to put their familial in circumstances of
comfort. He particularly instanced the case of Col.
Vaand's Widow. The bulk of Commissions was

rascally by purdnese,,panicularly in time of peace;
so time of war there generally remained a number
of vacant• appointments. for which DO purchasers
were to by found Al the conclusion of the late war
no Ensigns were to be found. It Mad been proposed
en liestreoarits onion ball-swe to serve on the pay of

be sold. The price of 391. was fixed for the site

°Nisch Commissions ; but if every Commission had
been sold us it became vacant. it would have proved
injurious to many Oili'.ers. The Comtparder in
Chiet therefore suffered promotion in many in-
stances to go on in a regular co:.rse ; but still.

from time —to titne, commissions were. sold, and

the money was vested in the Half-pay Fund.—
Another s,lirce Irons which this fund received sup-

port, wA,i when an officer wished to colc the army,

. -
he was allowed to sell what he had purchased, al-
though not to sell the rank shich be already pru-
seised ; thus the difference between the price of an
Lnsigncy and of a Majority went to the same fund.
The Illustrious Person now at the head tht army
had done much for its benefit, for formerly great
abuses had crept into the purchase and sale of com-
missions. In the year 1793. officers had been ad-
virced ft-im the lowest tanks .01 the army up as
hikh as to that of Lieutenant-Colonel. This srs-
tem had been put a stop to, and a salutary regula-
tion had been estabh,hed, that an Officer, under
two years standii;g, could not be made • Captain;
nor a Field Officer under six years standing. The
praaice of giving exorb;tant prices for commis.
sinus, the effect of which tended to the ecteriorati n
of the army, had also been check,d by the Coat-

Mr. COCHRANE JOHNSTON:: said, he hail
never given credit so any reports be might have
heard of an improper use of the Half-pay Fund ;
bur he felt it his duty to call for the account he had
moved tor, and his opinion was, that it ought to Le
annually laid b:lore the Howe'. It had been se-
ported that army conimiss:ons had been s.ild to the
-mount of one million sterling.
The SECRE l'AttY at V%, AR replied, that no
credit should to given to such rumours.
The motion for an Address to His Majesty was
then put and carried.
_ _ _

SECRE LARY at WAR then moved an Ad-
dress to His Moi-sty. •• That he would be pleawd

Clint to be laid before the House a statement rd the
saving of expense to Government from Officers
taken from the Half• Pay, since the year 1795,"
which was ordered accordingly. •
Mr. C. JOHNSTONE then said, that if the
Hon. Secretary at War had .no intention to bring
forward a motion respeai.,g the present merle of
army clothing, he now gave notice, that he should
bring such a motion forwardon that day fortnWit.
Mr. HUSICISSON said, this suhjeoft was to be
taken up by the Military Committee.