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London, England, 1805-03-07 00:00:00

some previous consideration or inquiry. He, there-
fore.' wis,o 1 his Lordship would not press it.
Lord KING replied, he thought the subjed mat-
ter ot the motions was of a nature so clearly ueob-
jeftionable, as that he was surprised any opposition
could be offered to it. He recoUeded what trans-
pired on his recently agreeing to postpone another
motion. For the present he seemed inclined to
press it.
Lot d HAW KES BU RY, in explanation, beg-
ged the Noble Baron to recoiled that the Nlotion
alluded to as postponed was so deferred as his owl
aft. On the present occasion, feeling that he was
sort prepared to give a decided opinion as to the me-
rits ,if the Motion, he would move the House to
• adjourn.
The LORD CHANCELLOR said a few words
fns support of what had fallen front his Noble Friend.
The question of adjournment was then put.
Lord GRENV ELLE rose, and defend-d the ob-
servations of his Noble Friend (Lord King). He
considered the information required by the Motion
as unobjeftionable, and necessary to be laid before
the House ; with a reference to the extraordinary
powers vested b Government by the suspension of
the Habeas Corpus Aft in Ireland, there could exist
no doubt, that what had appeared, on an inquiry sn
constituted as.that specified in the Motion, was fit
to he laid before that House. He thought it hard,
when that part of the United Kingdom was de-
prived of the benefit of the Habeas Corpus Ad, all
relevant information, as hitherto called for, should
he withheld. Were these denials persisted in, it
would look as if they were inclined to abandon all
constitutional controul on the exercise of inch ex-
traordinary powers as were now vested in Ministers.
They refused even to consider the state of the jails
in that part of the United Kingdon—a consideration
they were the more bound to do, as conneded with
an Ad recently passed by themselves.
The LORD CHANCELLOR observed, no man
could possibly lament the necessity of suspending
the Habeas Corpus act more than be did, nor cou!cl
be more willing than himself to have evcre degree
of proper information afforded. He, therctOre,
wished it to be understood, that, in supporting the
nunicio for an adjournment that night, he -by
no means wished to oppose the pro,ludion of any
ioformation wit itever that ought to be given ; hut,
that-he only sought for an opportunity of intoim-
i.ig himself whether the information ri quired in the
present instance was such as ouebt to he given.—
Idis Lordship then reteriel to the it ording.,,t the
rrintkm, iiasticillarly those words, " who sat i t Ili!
purpose," frnm which, he could not coll.& for u4it
purpose it was the sitting in qisest ivn was h.ll.
peodusition required might involve the disch,siire
of circumstances, which, for A time at least, it may
be highly necessary to keep secret, as mformation
respecting traitorous conspiracies, ke. : the-delay tiii
to-morrow could at any rate make no difference,
it would only give His Majesty's Ministers an oppoi -
'unity of ascertaining, whether the depositions in
question were or not of a import fit to be laid before
Parliament : they wished only for an opportunity of
knowing what hue ot enadud was proper to be pur-
sued on the occosion. _ . .

The k.arl of Dutay expressed his opini in. that
the positions advaeced by the Noble and Learned
Iced, and his Noble Friend opposite to him, wore
as extraordinary positions as he had ever heard ad-
oanced istkat Hupse. It was tlif. ditty of Minists-„
particularly of the Secretary ut State for the Home
Department, to be so intortned with respt& to sub-
jells like that in question, as to be able t' declare,
at the moment, whether the Motion was Obeiana-
ble or not. It was extraordinary to see a Secretary
of Stew not informed upon such an occasion.
Lord HAWKESiIIiIIY, in reply to the ani-
madversions of the Noble Earl, insiacd that the
House was placed in a very extraurdimmrsittiatiun,
by the condua of the Noble heron, in the present
instance. Though not called for by their Lord-
ships' orders, yet, in common courtesy to the .House,
a motion, which obviously called for consideration
or enquiry, should not be passed, unless. previous
notice of it had been given. Such a .motion as
the present, he contended, required time to consi-
der whether, under all the circumsuences of the
case, it should be agreed to or not. Time should
be afforded for consulting with those whom it may
be the duty of Ministers on such subjeds to recur
to for information and advice. In proposing to ad-
journ, he meant not, in his preset view. of die
subject, to oppose the motion : it was, in fad, urg-
ing a request that it might bit put off, so as to af-
ford even a short interval for consideration.. Such
a course, he thought. should he :utopia, with all
questionahie propositions, which wore bsought for-
ward and urged without previous notice. He
meant not to offer the least opinion s& to the motion
of the Noble Lord ; but he thought .that, inde-
pendent of the merits cf a question, the pressing of
a motion without notice, as in the present ease, was
sufficient ground for urging an adjournment.
The question was then put—Lord.Hawbosbury's
maim agreed to ; and en Adjournment till tomor-
row accordingly wok place.