The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1809-05-02 00:00:00

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House; another filled a high oflice,abrosiT; int&.a
tin rd, 31r,.1. Bowles, was a Dutch Ceilutissiotter, he
who had rittarged the D. of Bedford with irreligion.
who was himself a Pharisee. The Commissioners had
the preposterous impudence, after they had cumpeu-
sated themselves, to say, that they evisteted more
remuneration. It put him in mind of a story that
was told of a master and his mail, where his waster
brought a charge against him, and milked him what
he had to say Mr hintsell ? lie replied, that he want-
ed to have his wages raised. He thought the Coin-
tnittee had given them snore than enough, they
ought to be called' to some ace !!!!! at for the insult
they had cost tektite public. Ile gave great credit
to the Honourable Gentleman, and the Com-
mittee to which he belotered, for the clear and
perspicuous manner to which. they had unfold-
ed what the Commissioners had taken so much
pains to obscure. No limit could wake him
believe that they did not prove the amount'
of what they made, nor would it be easy to
convince him of the propriety of rejecting the
• Resolutions. Did the 1' glit Honourable Gentle-
man who recomineittled sbeh a measure, know the
temper of the people, or did he• defy that temper ?
It was once thought right for Ministers to mix with
the people, hut now it did not appear of so much
consequence. A Noble Lord, however,. who sat
near the Right • Honourable Gentleman, was
once inclisiell to Mix with thew, but at last he was
driven front the popular representation, and it
brought him into bad company. Did the Right
(lon. Gentleman know that in withholding the
Reversion Bill, that it) contruieniug the Resolu-
tions of the House of Commons the other night, he
was acting in defiance of the people ? Did he knot:.
that the continuance of his Noble Colleague its
office, after havirg been finand.guilty Of a breach
of the Coustitution, was a violation of that defe-
rem* which was due to public opinion ? tie con-
cluded with expressing his cletersuivatioa to vote
fur the motion.
Mr. ['Yantis,. and Mr. Rom explained.
Mr. Hcastisson said, that be, as well rig his
Right Hon. Friend had never read the publication of
the writer alluded to by the Hon. Gentleman. lie
could not state why live Conatuissiouers were ap-
peittted instead of three, but he supposed there
were good maroons for it at the time. The particular
charges would go into the Courts of Admiralty,
not into the Treasury ; there. was no difference be-
tween Ins and his Right Hon. Friend's evidence.—
_He did not mean to &feud the conduct of the
Commissiouera, but he thought there were. mil-
lieieut grounds to justify the previous question.
Mr. POPISONDY contended for the propris•ty. of
the House adopting the Resolutions§ as originally
proposed, and said the object of the Itigiat lion.
Gentleman in opposing it seemed to be to pass by
every instance of neglect or misconduct, without
suffering it to become the subject of notice or
animadversion. It was not intended to charge Nli-
'lister* with any crime; but when inquiry was 'im-
posed into abuses, it would be very injurious in
every sense to pass it by. Resides, the blame
imputed was not to the Government, but to the
Dutch Commissioners. Did the Right lion.
Gentlemint then invite them to pass over this, 'end
by so doing, encourage other defaulters to perae-
vere in their pursuits, with the hope of impunity ;
and this in a case where it was acknowledged that
the Commissioners had helped themselves to a sum
of no less than ...r.,oool.without any authority what-
soever ? If they were to pass such a transaction as
this by, without marking their tense of its atrocity,
what would their emistituesits say to such conduct ?
The Right Hon. Crentlenteu bud quoted some very
sentiintutal passin from a pamphlet of Mr.
Bowler's, entitled, " A View of the Moral State of
Society, at the close of the Eighteenth Cen-
tury,". from which he said, it was clear that this
Gentleman, whatever might be vase of the other
Commissioners, was at least not ignoittitt of the
public duties imposed upon him by his situation.
lle urged the necessity of the House, for the sake
of its owe character. tracing on its journals its de-
testation of such misconduct, and warned Ministers.
that there was nothing in the Resolutions tending
to crimiuste them more than their predecessors.
except they shoals!, by persevering in opposing
them, make the'guilt their own.
Mr. MAILUT au defended the character of Mr.
Bowles, and mud it was a mistake that he had been
appoiuted to his eitnation for his publications in
general.; but that he had been sent for by Mr. Pitt
in consequence of his Astoupuous Answer to Mr.
Poyne's Rights of Man, who had then appointed
him:

Mr. Pe'rett Monne condemned the conduct of
Ministers. in attempting to stifle inquiry and cen-
sure in this, us on other occasions; and considered
the protaectingss of the Commissioners as a com-
pound of fraud and peculation, for which the At-
torney-General °light to be directed to prosecute.
Mr. IhNar SMITH was sorry to see the Govern-
ment coupled with the conduct of the Commis-
sioners, which he considered such a: the house was
bound to murk their indignation against.
The SOLICITOIP.GENERAL for SCOTI.AND de-
fended the propriety of moving the previous ques-
tion, because any censure now would seem to ap-
ply solely to the present Government, which was
wholly free from blame in this business.
Lord IL PETTY strongly urged the necessity of
the House adopting the Resolutions, sad of shew-
ing to the world that they were not to he satisfied
with ('mum': teed of Inquiry, without giving them
their support, mid carrying into effect the reforms
proposed by them.
Mr. 134101411, om the same side, supported the
necessity of adopting the Resolutions.
Mr. CAN sum agreed in condemning the con-
duct of the Commissioners, mid adopted in sub-
*tan& the Re,olutions as applied to them ; but he
deprecated any censure as applied to Government
in general, which could not but seem as if applied,
though undeservedly, to the present.
Mr. Ttstenee insisted there was nothing in the
two first Resolutions that could be tortured into
applienjion to the present Government, as dis-
tinutsislied from any that preceded it since the•
estahltslimeist of the enfasnii.ion.

Mr. Flt mat' Tuna/moo suggested • Resolotion,
which he thought might be su7ii-tituted in liru of
all the Resolutions as originally proposed, and con-
ceived- might be acceded to. by both aider of the
House ; it •%u., " The the ensunis4ioner, fir nui-
nai:iiig the Dutcivproperty had been appointed bo

long ■3o sr the year 1795 ; awl that td!ting
of c Guyer

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tuge of the twlect of 1 aliment, in not appuitit-
ing their salaries, awl !narking out the extent of
their duty, they bud appropriated to tne.nsthes
a part of the public emery, and had not accoupt.
ed for their trust ; isfid that they had therebe been
guilty of gross negligence in the diacharge of their
public duty."

Mr. STEPUENI and Colonel Ei.t.tsott Loth said
few words against the original Ite4olotions.
Mr. Ottu briefly replied, and considering the
blame attached to Altiii4crs, as otill more link,' r-
ant than that of the Cuminissiouers, &dared In,
would verse I,lff f' in taking the sense of the llowm
upon tbe Resolutions he mid proposed.
The Howe then divided upon the previous
questioq, which was carried, there appearing—.
ifor it l.O
Against it 77

Majority O5

Strangers were not re-adinitt..tl into the Gallery
when this division took place, b.it that
111 r. Thornton's proposition was acceded to hr huth
aides of the House, (the original Resolu!lotis hav-
ing been withdrawn for the purpose of intik iiig room
for it) with the exception of•the word neglect, tiir
which the word ostissiox was proposed to be sub-
stituted, and which was carried upon another di-
vision—

Ayes 9ll
Nuts

Mejority

The Resohdioa thus tunrodeil wag tltfrei to ;
niter which the• House adjourned at twar.v....
o'clock.

PARLIAMENT4HY Rh.FORM.

GRAND DINNER AT THE CROWN AND ARMOR
TAVERN—Mexamrp.ll•%•l.• .•

The dispersion of the i loads of corruption, and
the dawn of the. day of rel Orin, constitute an era
in the histiiry of the country, which identifies the
patriots of 1809 with those whose energies produved
the !Alorious Revolution of Vibe—The firm ginmjs of
liberty and political freedom has partially yielded
to the dilapidations of time—but the fabric itself
being sound, and the foundation unshaken, it re-
quires, in order to be renovated, only those ex-
ertion% of which tie proceedings we are about to
record, furnish the first example.
The friends of Parlinineatary Iteforiu were this
day convened at the Crown rod Anchor Tavern, in
the. Strand, to order to cormsuli•.-m• the most efficient
mode of oarryiug that object into effect. The' ci,-
Cllll34llllCr of the chair bruit; te be filled by Sir. F.
gurdett. entitle expected attendance of Lord Cock-
. liaise, 51r. %Vardlle, and other popular characteis,
among whom were many who Officiated as Stewards
upon the occasion, excited !mei' mom :eolowit de-
gree of interest, that, before three o'clock, fire
guineas were offered for ticket: of admission.--
About 1.500 tickets were issued, linmi us every one
wished to obtain a seat in the great room, Nleeh
*cotileonly (anthill) about two-thirds, the pressure,
when the doors were opened, au beyond descrip-
tion. Not only was every seat immediately occu-
pied, hut all time avenues hetwert the tebks were
tilled up—so that it was fur tonne • impossible
even for the attendants to pitsieini repass. The
great doors were then with difficulty closed, wed
numbers were of course excluded. The gallery
was tilled with ladles, who were admitted to view
the ceremony of the 'meting.
At live o'clock, Sir Francis Burdett the Chair-
man was announced, and after a passage lied bem n
made for him with great exertion, he proceeded to
the upper end of the room, followed by Lord Coch-
nine, Mr. Wardle; mud Mr. Matlock% From the
moment they entered' till they were seated, the
plaudits were incessant. The company then wit
down to an excellent dinner.

After the cloth was removed, Sir Francis Bur-
dett requested the comula►ny to sit as close as pos-
sible, and he (inlet-cif the great door► to he ogsin
thrown open, iii order that the whole company migct
witness the proceetlingx.---The Hon. Bart. had ex-
pressed a wish of the same kind before dinner was
over; but at the sia4get.tion of Mr. Win. Smith, it
had lwen deferred till the removal of the table-
cloth.—The pressure now become excessive, and it
was at least Mill an hour before any thing like or-
der could be obltigned.

Sir r. anver; standing upon the table, said, " I
will give you for the first toast, the person most
interested in tire promotion of the tneastue we have
," . Ito was prevented front proceeding, and
a long interval elapsed before silence could be pro-
eared—he then said, " I will beg leave once more to
propose to you, as a toast, the person who is the
most interested in the measure we have met this
day to promote—
" The King, and the principles which seated hi, Nina,
as the Tluour"—with three tunes three.—' luccsuirut
After a short interval Sir FRANCIS BURDETT
stood up again and said," The nest toast 1 proeioso
to you is that of those persons most 'seedy 'merest-
ed in the redress of the uncoostautionnl corruptions
of the country, I mean " the People."—( Brace !
had aechaeation.v.)—The toast was culled fur and
drunk with duce times three standing.
The next toast given was—
" The progress of public opinion."
Sir FRANCIS BURDLTT again stauding forth,
si-
b'uce was proclaimed, and after sevetil fruitless 4i--
tempts to Alois it, be addressed himself its these
terms : "Gentlemen, having list! the /moony so,
this occasion of being called to the Chair, it ht-
comes my duty to open to this nutnerous mot
respectable assembly of people the business of th.
day. Gentlemen, it is a measure of the very high..
est importance in every point of view ; it is a lam`a-
' sure of the greatest magnitude, which we lime met
this day purposely to attempt to promo.. If tbrri-
is any thing which can lie offered to the attention
and is most worthy of observation of the.enlightee-
ed assembly I have the honour of addressing.
it is a measure of such importance, as the one
upon which I mu addressing you. both as it con-
Cyrus the security of the Throne, nod the-happiness
and Itheitits of the people.—(i.ond Applause)
—The measure of Reform in Parliaoient, is in
itself now become so familiar to the enlightent
part of the community, that I stook% think i sets ,
unnecessarily taking up the time of this eteetie4.
which has honours rl we by phiein,,g me in the •
on this occasion, if I attempted to Make the
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