The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1805-04-09 00:00:00

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their accounts: and justify their multi& ? The Right
Hun. Gentleman had expressed much anxiety to
come to a conclusion upon this miestiOn, before
the recess of Parliament. Where was that anxiety
now, when he proposed a Selea Committee ? Could
any men in that House lay his hand to his heart,
and asey he could controvert those propositions?
The Right Hon. Gentleman (lid light to suggest
a further enquiry, provided Mr. Ma k Sprott would
eommunicate his knowleOoe of the transoeion, if
owould, open his mouth as well when upon his
oath, a. when he was not. He Chen. retnotded the
House of the Repott of the Committee on the late he
Sheriffs of Middlesex, wheiothe Committee made
their report, which was received as lull evidence,
sad Cosisel were allowed to speak merely as A sup-
plemental', ettplonation. Would any roan is being,
he asked, ea y that Lord Melville, Mr. Trotter, or
Mr. Mark Sprott, by an after examination of the
kris, add any thing for the satisfitetion of the
Hesse? His Right Hon. and Learned Friend (the
Attorney-General) had gone over the whole of the
case, and pressed the necessity of a Select Com-
mittee; but the CoMmissinners of Naval Enquiry
had been occupied for six months in no ether busi-
ness than that of investigating the matters of the
tenth Report. What utility could it then be of, to
go into a new Committee? he wished to see what
reason could be urged for it. The Right Ho-
nourable Gentleman appeared anxious to know
the extent of the deficiencies. not for the purposes
of crintinating, bet for the purposes of refunding,
as appeared from his enumeration of the several
sums paid and received. The money Was not kept in
the Bank; no, says the Right Hon. Gentleman, it
was lodged at Messrs. Courts, to save trouble : a
clerk of the Navy Office takes a cheque for ..large
amount, receives the value at the Rank of England,
passes Somerset-house, and carries it down to Messrs.
Coons and Co. This IN as the convenience. He
did not want any further illustration of the fallacy
of the pretence. One point more he begged leave to
adeeroto. While he had the honour of holding die
office of Treasurer to the Navy; no inconvenience
whatever arose from a strict adherence to the Act
of Parliament, which was one of the most s ilinary
and useful eve; framed ; nor could he see bow It
was possible Mr. Trotter could see any thing it
the ael which could leave the least doubt no his
mind of the true spirit and meaning of it. With re,
sped to the participation of the emoluments by Ist d
Melville. with Mr. Trotter, there did not remain a
doubt upon his mind stn that part of the case. Was
it possible fin Lord Melville to go on as he did, fUr
12 years, merely far the advantage of Mr. Trotter ?
he could not be blind to the rising prosperity of Mr.
Trotter; he knew he originally had nothing ;
and this alone should have been sufficient to rouse
i his jealousy. The accommodation of 10,0001. of
20,0001., and various other considerable sums, left
no: a shadow of doubt upon the subject ; and it
fully Appeared his Lori ship had gone on systemati-
cally for 12 years together. 4le hoped it could not
be said he was ACtllAte.i by any peevish motive to
Lord !Melville in giving his vote in support of the
I resolntione that ni?ibt ;he wishel the House would
• meet the question fairly, broadly. distinctly. and
teSithost delay. With relic& to the examination of
those parties bef ire the Consmissirsnero it was said
they had no trial, no witnesses, and the whole was
er pass evidence. Their own actions had been wit-
nesses against them ; they had no other adverse
evidence, and the trial was as fair as any pos-
sibly could • • under the ciroinotauces. What
more. then, could the Homo have before them
than this testimony ? and, if they did not act upon
it, it was perlenly ludicrous to give the Commis-
sioners so much trouble. It would not only now be
a great inconvenience to go into a Committee, but it
would be a strong mark of disapprobation against
o
the Commis,irmers, who of all other men were most'
entitled to public thanks; and it was the greatest
pride 1;e hid, that he took a share in His Majesty's
Government when that power was constituted. For
these reasons he should vote for the resolutions.
Mr. CANNI NG opposed the resolntions; ate con-
sidered it would be proceeding upon iorperfea evi•
dense, and the House would make an impertel deci-
sion if they did not firs go into a Select Committee :
it would be holding out to the pnblie that they had
condemned the whole, when it was only a part. With
teepee to the Report itself, it contained a vast quan-
tity of consplez and complicated accounts, which
Lord Melville had known only for the first time,
when he wrote the •last letter to the Commissioners,
and from the* complex and complicated accounts,
his Lore Ws goat was to'be irderred, and the Com-
missioners' Report was to be taken for granted.—
He declared, that he felt a firm conviction, that, if
•the question were to come before a Committee, it
would be Rands that the aft was not violated. Har-
ing then dierniaiied this part of the subject, he should
now COMe to the imputed participation. He rc-
r, prated, the imputed participation, this being the
fullest extent of the charge, for he had riot heard
any thing like a direeoccusation to that effect. He
put it then to the consciente of the Right Honoura-
ble Gentleman behind him (Mr. Tierney); he
requested him to pat his band upon his bears, as he
had recommended to others to do, and to declare,
whether he is not convinced, that the vote, as pro-
posed; if carried, will not be considered by the
world as confirming the accusation in its full ex-
tent ? and whether it will not go forward, not as de-
cisive of this or that particular point, but as cowl-
mehending and embracing every circumstance,
however vague or general, that has been brought
into discussion ? He would ask, whether, in WI,
after such a vote, lord Melville would not be con-
sidered by the public, as found guilty of foul and
corrupt malversation in office ? (A loud cry of
titer! hear! hear! from the Opposition Bench, and
one or two voices assented). Mr. Canning then, in
continuation, said, he understood the flonoureble
Gentleman who opened the business, not as having
pot the ease in that broad and aggravated pant of
view; and. therefore, he submitted to the House,
whether the vote, if carried, would not go farther
than the original mover intended i This was his
meanies, and he conceived himself tonna in it. there
row remained some detached changes, which he
should answer. One of these was, the discontinu-
*nee of keeping the account in the regular way.
'••• esplainedi by reference
of the several Otli-
- uf business Many
call is tue assistance
it so happened,

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