The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1805-07-10 00:00:00

INOUYE OF COMMONS.

JALDS MACDONALD, Esq. (sow of the Lard Chi?,
B.•un of the • twuk silo, OMN and hit Scat as Re.
,rr•cutetive fur the Ronnuglis of March, Dingwall, Am in
Sonlitisd

VISCOUNT 'tIFIATII.T.E'S IMPEACIIMENT.
Mr. %if I Blit.Al) moved, that the *crossed
Ankles of Impeachment against Lord N. iscount
Melville be now redid ; which being accordingly
done pro Arma, they were accordingly sent off to the
Lords by Mi. WH IT SRC AD, who, on his return, in•
formed them, that be haJ exhiLited, putsuant to
their command, Articles of Impeachment. in the
mane of all the C3mmons of Great Britain and Ire-
against Henry Lord Viscount Melville., be-
fore sot: I louse of Lords.

Mr. WHITBREAD next said, that, in coil-
formity with the notice he had given y2steeday, he
rose to move ,s For leave. to bring in a Rill to con-
tinue the power of the Impeachment Committee
to proceed in their examinations, and to enable the
Committee already appointed to sit, notwithstanding
any prorogation or dissolution of Parliament. He
was aware, he said, that he was calling on the House
for a deed which was almost without a precedent ;
but he thought that every deviation of this kind,
from established praElice, should be regulated by the
circumstances and necessity of the case. Impeach-
ments were things which so rarely occurred, that
they must necessarily he less subject than others to
any ordinary rules; and as the Commons had al-
ready voted the present articles, the House must
be sorry that any thing should be omitted which
might he likely to bring it to a successful termina-
tion. it was to be considered that this proceeding
took place at a very late period of the session, when
the Committee had not to pursue its investigation to
any very great extent ; and though one of the wit.
nessei, from Edinburgh, whom he alluded to yes-
terday, had this day arrived, yet it was probable
that it may be necessary to summon others from
the same remote quarter. Every one must
perceive the evident necessity of obtaining Mr.
Trotter's evidence as soon as he should be set
at liberty to make a full disclosure, should the other
House be pleased to concur in the Indemnity Bill,
which was now before them. He was sensible
that the power lie proposed for the Committee was
very great ; but he hoped, that if granted, the House
may confidently trust to its not being abused, and
that it would he exercised with every degree of dis-
cretion. At the same time, though the Committee
thought it their duty to instruct hint to malie this ap-
plication, in order that they may be enabled to pur-
sue more effeClually their delegated funatons, it was
not meant to be pressed, if any strong objections
should be made to it.

The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER
said it would not he necessary for him to employ
many words upon this motion, as the lion. Gen-
tleman had expressed himself conscious that it was
liable to nhjesi•ms ; objections, in his opinion, so
strong as to be absolutely insurmountable. lie was
confident that no precedent would he fonnd for such
an inroad in the Constitution as to interfere with the
prerogative of the Crown at any time to put an end
to all Parliamentary proceedings whatever. He
assured the House, however, that if those Constitu-
tional objections had presented themselves, he should
be far from opposing any thing of enquiry, or to
stand in the way of due justice being administered;
but he confessed that he saw no great disadvantage
that could arise from adhering to precedent ; there
was no probabiiiiy that the Lords would appoint
the earliest day of the next Sessions for the trial of
these charges ; and though the Committee might be
unable to conclude its examinations before the pro-

rogation took place, it would be an easy matter to
employ for that purpose a certain number of days
in the next Session, without taking a step, which
would break down one of the land-marks of the
Constitution. He should therefore find himself
under the necessity of giving his negative to the
Motion.
Earl TEMPLE observed, that his Right lion.
relation had not stated all the grounds of the mo-
tion then before them ; as it was possible that the
other House might take the very earliest d.iy for
griing into the trial, and, therefore, no time should
be lost in having all the evidence prepared.
Mr. C. W. \VYNNE thought it very material,
that the Committee should he in possession of Mr.
Trotter's unbiassed testimony, as it may open the
sources of other evidence, which could not, perhaps,
be easily obtained after the vacation.
Mr. WEI I I BREAD, in his reply, said, that lie
did not consider the power of continuing proceed-
ings, although unprecedented, to be any inroads on
the Constitution. The Right Hon. Gentleman
said, that the ohjeel might be obtained by the ap-
plication of a few days after the recess ; but casual-
ties should be allowed for, and it was no: impossi-
ble, that by the death of Mr. Trotter or others, the
evidence to be obtained at present may then be out
of their reach. He would not, however, press his
motion any farther ; but suggested ohether, as was
done in the case of Mr. Hastings, it would not be
expedient to bring in a bill to provide for the con-
tinuance of the Impeachment, notwithstanding any
disAution ; which might be dune by art amendment
to his former motion.

Lord HENRY PETTY then moved an amend-
ment for leaving out the word," to enable the Com-
mit!ee to sit•"

The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER
said, it would, in his opinion, be better to follow the
exalt words of the precedent given in the Impeach-
ment of Mr. Hastings.
Mr. WHI I BREAI) acquiesced in this sugges-
tion ; and, having obtained leave to withdraw his
former motion, moved for •• leave to bring in a
Bill to provide that the proceedings now pending
in the impeachment of Lord Viscount Melville
should nor he discontinued in consequence of any
prorogation or dissolution of Parliament ;" which was
agreed to, and a Committee appointed to prepare
the same.