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

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'have been hardly dealt with I they have been taken
by surprise, and have had no notice of what was
going forward. What ! I thought that Commission
issued fir the purpose of inquiring into abuses.'
with a view to correaion and amendment. Have
I been mistaken, and was it then for the purpose
of enquiring into the taantcendent merits and vir-
tues of the Treasurer and Paymaster of the Navy,
and to ascertain what farther honours and rewards
they deserved for their distinguished services ? These
worthy parties, it now seems, were most cruelly de-
ceived. They attended the Commissioners, never
once dreaming that abuses could have crept into
their office, which the Commissioners wished to in-
vestigate, but fancying it was to be only an exami-
nation, to ascertain the degree of their merits and
virtues, and confidently anticipating a brilliant re-
ward. Now, to come to this es pate evidence, as
it is called: i.ord Melville being asked, did you per-
mit Mr. Trotter t draw the money from the
Bank of England, and place it in his private banker's
hands ? his Lordship answers, " I never gave him a
direa nodosity, but I knew he did it." Now surely,
it would have been more manly in his Lordship to
• have said at once " I did," than to admit that he
knew what was going on, and did not prevent it. It
was skulking from his slaty. It was as much as
sayingAo Mr. Trotter, make money of your office
as you can, and 1 will proted you. And who is
this Mr. Trotter, with whom Lord Melville cannot
be presumed to have any fellow feeling ? Why the
general agent of Lord Melville. Why, knowing tint
to be aidiug in this illegal way, did he continue him
in the pradice ? Can any man believe it was exclu-
sively for Mr. Trotter's sole benefit ? But even
though it were, Lord Melville would not be the less
responsible; as principal, he was as corrupt as if
the act of his agent had been done personally by
himself. The nest argument advanced is that
no loss has been sustained by the prathce. This
I can easily conceive, without giving the parties
much credit for their innocence. Mr Alexandet
I'i-titter is an expert calculator. He might know
very well, how far he might use the public
money, before the demands for it should come
round upon him. It was only the common science I
of every Banker, who knows when his bills are pay-
able, and to what amount, and regulates his issues
in the mean time, accordingly. 1 his argument, of
no loss to the public horn this pradiee is an extra-
ordinary excuse from a Right Hon. Gentleman, so
well versed in the financial system of the country.•
and the laws that particularly relate to it. Does
he recoiled the ad which prescribes the form of the,
bill% and the mode of drawing them ? That as
says, " any man counterfeiting one of these bills,
shall be guilty of a felony, without benefit of Cler-
gy." Now, suppose an expert forger, and many
such there are, bad forged a bill of 500,0001. but
had the money to replace it, when it became due;
and, supposing this transaaion to be afterwards tiis-
covered, would or could the Right Hon. Gentle-
man advise His Majesty to pardon that man, be-
cause the money WAS made good ? To excuse.
therefore, a public officer, guilty of mal-pradices,
upon the ground of no loss, is monstrous language.
It is language that pens an end to the definite pro-
visions of the law, and the constitution of the Mut"
of Commons. What ! no loss ? ! is then every
public officer to speculate with the public money,
for private profit, and, if no loss ensues, is there
no criminality ? %%hat is the use of your I two, if
they may he thus dispensed with at pleasure? What
becomes of the House and its tildes Is the House
to vote a suns of money fur one particular
service, and may :toy Officer apply it to another as
he pleases, and if no Liss follows, is he to rein :in
guiltless? The Right I lon. Gentleman (Mr. Pitt)
says he knows of one sum of 40,0901. that was thus
applied te a purpose different from that for which it
was voted, and he adds, judiciously applied, of
which I h eve no doubt. I ask, however, if any re-
gard were paid to the votes of the /louse, why WAS
not that payment afterwards disclosed, and a Bill of
indemnity demanded for dies: tkat made it ? It is
monstrous that any Minister should think himself
justified in taking such a liberty with the public
money, and not call for a Bill of indemnity. It
is said that the accounts are not correa ; that the
sums lodged with Messrs. Coutts ate not so great
as they ate stated. This does not signify. It ap-
pears that Mr. Trotter took all he could. He was a
good calculator ; and if he took only five millions,
instead of fifteen millions, it was because he could
not make free with more. It is a proof of his skill, not
of his innocence, and, perhaps, it is for that skill he
is reinstated in office. Great pains, we ate told, have
been taken to inflame the public mind. It is said
that hand-bills and publications have been circulat-
ed, for the purpose of exciting odium against the
parties. If u, it is base. The Might Him. Gentle-
man opposite (the Attorney General) will feel it
his duty, I am sure, to ascertain the fad, and punish
these libelers; but why are we to stop the proceedings
of the House, because offensive and libellous publi-
cations have been circulated? That was an argument
which could not be relied on. The proceedings of
the Commissioners in 1782 had been referred to, but
they had nothing to do with the present business.
The question was, whether the Act of 178 i had
been violated ? The conduct of the Commissioners'
in 1782, he weed venture to say, did not sanction
the conduct of Mr. Trotter. he gist of their re-
commendations was, that none of these public offi-
cers should have public money in their hands, or
be exposed to the temptation of private gain,
I that might end in public loss. He could- not
k conceive why we should ne the Resolu-
tions. Can you obtain eticartrons a Commit-
tee, that thelaw has not been violated ? This is the
first instance of an application to Parliament in a
grave business for delay, without stating any grounds.
• 3 you have arty ground, Why not state it? I think
the Gentlemen menet aware of the consequences of
of delay, if any is to take place. In such event,
I think hills of indemnity ought to be brought in to
restrain Lard Melville and Mr. l'rottere from leays
In the conutry. The proceedings of a Committee
will occupy a great length- of tame. What is to be-
come of Load Melville and Mr. 'Trotter in the mean
while? If it shall appear that the sums have been
great, it will not be fit that they should be allowed
to walk the streets at large, and be at liberty to con-
vey in trust to their friends those funds from
ethic% restitution- might to he made to the coun-
try. The &tight Hark Gentleman (Mr. Pitt) will
therefore find it dee to his character to follow the
case of & Thom itaaaboid. and take care that