The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1806-06-13 00:00:00

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NtIMIBER W 73.)

HIGH COURT OF PARLIAMENT.
TRIAL OF
HENRY VISCOUNT MELVILLE,
THE BAR OF THE HOUSE OF LORDS,
IN Tv nr311141111-11.4 LL,
Upee. ea Astrocintent against hint for bigb Crimes
end Miaow...pintas, by the Knights, Gitszana, and
Jarifesses, in Parliament attenthled, in the 'tome of
thortioelare, oad of oil the Commons of tie Untied :
Kingdom .f Chew Britain and Ireland.
This insportant trial commenced on the 29th
of April, bitt we have been prevented, by an or-
der of the Howe of Lords, from publishing
.any
port of it, mull after the verdid, which was given
yesterday. The forms and ceremonies we detailed
during the trial, and we now proceed to give the
whole case.
visna v, •PittL 29.
The Court having met at ten o'clock, this,
morning, the Noble 10efendaut attending, and the
usual proclamation having been made, one of the
Mailers its Chancery read the .Aniclor of Llib•
peachment, and the Noble Defendant's answer to
each.
The Impeachment begins with a preface,
isg.that the Commissiofterafor Examining Public
Accounts, suggested a reform in the Office of
Treasurer of the Navy, which was approved by the,
House of Commons. in June 1782. declaring it,
as their opinion, that from henceforth, neither this.
Paymaster nor Treasurer of the Navy, should
apply any suas.of the public tunny intrusted us.
them, or either of them, to any purpose of ie.;
tenet, or advantage to themselves. That the sea
tary of Treasurer of the ,Navy was in Pak
queries thereof, increased to 40001. aireare
June 1782 • that Viscount Melville was appoints. 1
'
Treasu&r of the Navy in August 1782, and I
eared said salary of 40001. a year, and held said
until April 1783. That the said Viicount
Melville was appointed Treasurer of the Navy
;en the Sth January 17114, and received a
of 40001. altar, in full of all wages and
fees, and ocher profits and emoluments enjoyed
by former Treasurers, until the 31st day of May,
1800. when be gave up said office. That
the Mouse of Commons on the 17th day, of
February, 1783, ordered, that leave should be
gives; to bring in a Bill for better regulating
the Office of Treasurer of the Navy, and that
said Viscount Melville, then Henry Dundas,
should prepare and being in the same ; and in
pursuance of the said order, the said Visconnt
Tdelville, on the 29th April, 1783, broeght in a
Bill for said purpose, which being passed,
was carried by the said Viscount Melville to the
Lords, and having bean passed there, was passed
into a law in the 25th year of His Majesty's reign;
which said A directs, that from and after thu lit
3uly, 1785, the Treasurer of the Navy in all Me.
morials to be presented by him to the Treasury for
money for naval services, shall pray, that such
non may trimmed es the Bash of Zsglasd en his
account, and shall transmit with such Memorial, a
copy of the letter or letters from the Navy, or
other Board, chieding him to apply for such
sum, specifying the service for which it is wanted,
and the balance in the hands of the Creasurer of
the Navy, and the Commissioners of the Navy
shall order the Bank to issue said sum, on account
of the Treasurer of Ole Navy ; that after Ist July,
1785, all money for the service of the navy shall
be issued to the Bank, upon which the Treasurer
of the Navy shall draw, specifying in each and
every draft, the head of service for which the
same is drawn ; and add, that the monies so
issued to the Bank. on account of the Treasurer
of the Navy, shall not be paid out of the Bank,
naless for navy services, upon drafts so signed,
and specifying as aforesaid.--The impeachment,
after this recital, then gives the articles of im•
peachment as follow
A s ICLa Ft esr—That the said Viscount mesitie,whast
Treasurer of the Navy, end previous to the 10th day of di
_my, 1786, did take from tlus money imprested to him a'
Treasurer of the Navy, from Ili. Majesty's Exchequer, the
sum of ten thousand pounds, co some other Large sum or
sums of money, and did frauduleat4 convert the same to
his men use, or to cone other corrupt and illegal porpoise,
*odic otlic: purposes than those of the public navy terraces
of On kingdom, and Jul so itiiaita 'Oat fraudulent conrer.
sum atlas said sum or same of mine!, alter the pess.ng of
the said Act of Tart iauslnt tm the better regulating the See
the Trenurer eel tie Nary kid the said Viserrunt Mel-
ville has declared, that he never rostil sere.rl the applies.
lion of the said sum of 10,0001 and ire. particular, he did
make such &earth:in to the House of Commons, on the
I Ifh day of Juue 190); and then and there added, that he
telt himself bowl by motives of public duty, as well as pri-
vate boom', and persanal convenience, to c.niceal theme.
Aar lett tacos n—Thst the laid VISCOUS' Melville did
toanne at end permit and suffer to Alexander Trotter,
illegally to die*, cad take Son the ornit of It-righted, for
'shut purpOlaS than he immediate applicalann to navy tor-
r arse, Large toms of moor b.oss and wit of this monism be.
fort trien issued nuts the %wilt Ws of knew 1. on account
of the said Vtaerranit Me.rilieors freesurer M His Majesty's
Navy ; and 64 Cnik IMO at 44 sunlit else said Alexander
"'Mlles be place oho said lasr.tnentiened solos et roomy in
the hands of Me ois Tumult Coutts and Compass, the
private Bankers of cie said Alexander Trotter, in his own
31132 t, and subizet ti tinsel* controul and ditoceition.
Aar teat Tulin—That after the Inning of the said AO
of Parliasem, for better regitlatii4 the ,ifrsce of the Trea-
surer of His Majesty't atam,sivi after the said lhtia day of
January, Ifll6, tinge urns of money were buns time to
time, iesiied And paid to the Governor and C;ampaii• of the
Bank of England, and placed on art account raised in the
booksof Unsung Gerstner and Company with the said Vis-
count Melville, ioutuled, " right Honourable Henry
Dundee, A. 6 of Parlipmeat New Accouat anJ the said
.‘lexander Trotter, undo the said authority fern the said
Viscount Melviile„ did, Irvin the vela 15th day of January,
178 k during all the time the lasi Vermont \CASIO!' am-
:wined to hold the said oMice of Tressorer of His Majesty%
Navy, draw upon the sled Bank of Eagtaise for and on se-
imuut of the monies se amok end paid to them, and placed
to the said act rnt so raised in their books, with the said
Vitamin( 54.1,11.., as such Treasurer as afientsid : and "Me
said A e.mi.der Trotter did receive and take large sums of
money, so disco by him, born the sate! Rankin Easter:.
TL .t the sal Nona Lord Viscount M Aside did. after
V.,e said lOra d ir of J.inuary.l7S6,rrr udalent,y and illegally
surer the 5..: Trotter to place ninny of the said tarns of
motery, a. ri•/4 • by him fon the tank of Englanf, in the
bands if ht. Nov 'rams Coen and Coatiiany, the private
Buttressed th: <aid Trotter, ii, his own slam., and at his own
disismal t sad tie lard AlearinJer Trotter did, thereupon,
".oh pvi•rt,, by the connivance, and with the Frans.
.
of the so"( lTenty Toed V. .Count MOWN, y ar: I
riot the 54. lapt ent•lt,t.fed s • :ii of in ;•...a,