The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1803-03-05 00:00:00

Y, MARCH 5, )803.

HOUSE OF LORDS.
ratnag, stAactt 4.
Mr. RoMILLY and Mr. ALEX ANDF.R. were heard
in the Appeal Cause, the Marquis of Bute and his
eldest son (the Hon. Herbert Windsor Stuart, com-
monly called Lord Herbert Windsor Stuart,) and
the Hon. James StuartiWortley, (second son of John,
late Earl of Bute,) for the Appellant ; and the
A TTOnNEV-GENEA AL and Mr. ADAM, for the
Respondent; and after a reply from Mr. A:Al-
a:wag, the Loan Caaacw.on gave judgment,
' and affirmed the Interlocutor of the Court of Session.
The Report from the Committee of Privileges, re-
lative to the return of Writs issued to summon the
Temporal Peers of Ireland to Parliament, was pre-
sented 'by Lord Walsingham, and agreed to. It
confirms the mode by which the Irish Temporal
Peers were summoned to take their seats in the pre-
sent Parliament, and declares that they were sum-
moned in conformity to the letter ami spirit of the
Act of Union.
The Militia-training Bill passed through a Com-
mittee of the whole House.
A Petition was presented against the Woollen
Manufacture Bill.
The Bill for disqualifying the Revenue officers in
Ireland from 'Votes as i;.lectors to Parliament, and
the Mutiny Bill, sere brought up from the Com-
mons by Mr. ALLXANDLa and others, and pro.
seated ; and also, the St. Giles's Burying-Ground
Bill, by Sir William Anderson and others.—They
were severally read a first time.
Adjourned to Monday.

HOUSE OF COMMONS,
FRIDAY, MARC!! 4.
Sir M. W. R IDLEY reported from the Com-
mittee appointed to try the merits of the Petition,
coniplaining of an undue eletaion from Great Grims-
by, that one of its Members would be obliged to be
absent upon material business on Monday next ;
that the Committee had already been sitting for
three weeks, and that they requested the permission
of the House to have leave to adjourn from to-mor-
row till Tuesday next.
On the Motion to this etre& having been made,
leave was given accordingly.
A Petition was ?resented from the Ship-Owners
of the town and port of Newcastle, praying for the
repeal of the Freightage Duty. Ordered to lie on
the table.
The Hon. D. it YEIER reported from the Pen-
ryn Committee, that they decided the sitting Mem-
bers to have been duly eletied, and that the Petition
against them was not frivolous nor voirations.—
(This determination was the quickest =as yet
occurred, perhaps in any Session, as the Uttees
was only appointed yesterday.)
A number of Members obtained leave of absence
for different periods.

:inn AFI AIRS.
Mr. CORRY brought in the Bill for regulating
the Drawbacks and Duties on Exportation and Im-
portation in that part of the United Kingdom called
Ireland, together with the Irish Stamp Duty, Hat
Duty, Game Duty, Port and Packets Duty, and an-
other
Bill of a private nature, which were severally
read a first, and ordered to be read a second time
on ?Monday.
Mr.WICKITANI moved for leave to bring in a Bill
for preventing litigious and vexatious Actions in Iron
land. In explanation of his object he stated, that
it was a pradice too prevalent in that country, to
bring trifling suits arid :glions before the superior
Courts, whereas others of an inferior description
were competent to decide upon them, where the
proceedings would be attended with infinitely less
trouble and expence. The provisions of the Bill
would be to authorise the Judges in the superior
tribunals to annex to the aftions brought before
them a declaration, that they were such :is the infe-
rior Courts could not take cognizance of, with
power in the opposite case to refer them to such in-
ferior Courts.
Leave was given to bring in the Bill.
THE PRINCE OF WALES'i ESTABLISHMENT.
Mr. CALCRAFT, before he entered upon the
main subject of his motion, wished to advert to
and renew a declaration which lie made on a former
evening, in consequence of a suggestion from an
Hon. Gentleman (Nlr. Erskine) whom he saw now
in his place. He was desirous that the I louse should
be fully apprised of the motives by which he was
actuated, and to assure them, that the present pro-
ceeding originated entirely, and personally from
himself. Upon this subject he had no conversation,
concert, nor correspondence, with any .person, nor
did he communicate it to any une before he gave
the notice ; therefore, he could have had no con-
currence or encouragement for doing so, from the
Royal Personage to whom the motion personally re-
lated, The subject in which he was engaged, was
evidently of a very delicate nature ; but he trusted
that the manner he meant to adopt, would b'
found such, as could not prove offensive to any o.
the parties. In the Bill still before them, the
HOuse had gone the full length of what his illajes-
ty's Ministers proposed to them ; but it was not so
certain their late grant went fully to the extent of
his Majesty's most gracious message, and in his
mind something of great importance remained
still to be accomplished. The mode he meant'
to take was, to submit to them a motion for
a committee to enquire into the extent of the
claims on the honour and justice of the Prince
of Wales, which must still, notwithstanding
the late liberality of Parliament, retard the resump-
tion of that state and dignity befitting. the Heir
Apparent of these realms. To any enquiries which
might be made by a Committee in Parliament, he
could not conceive that any of those objections
could apply, which might -be urged with effect
against any other mode of investigation. In refer.
ring to the gracious message of his Majesty, ceen.
tlemen would there see, that it expressesisierelienee
ou their zeal and attachment, for whit ars be 110•

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cessary for the purpose of consulting the state and
dignity of his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales.
From the general terms, however moderate, it ap-
peared to him, that infinitely more was included
than had yet been done. The I louse had, no doubt,
made a very considerable grant, but- the public did
not find themselves one jot nearer the accomplish-
ment of their expectations, that. the Prince would
speedily, or rather immediately, renew the splendor
and magnificence of his establishment. The Chan-
cellor of the Exchequer, on a former day, declared,
that were the motives of his Royal I lighness's for-
bearance in this respect known, of made public,
they would be found such as to reflect the highest
honour on him. But he, as a Member of Par-
liament, anxious to maintain the dignity of the
nation, was bound to institute an inquiry,
and nut accept the declaration of the Minister, or
even that of the Royal Personage himself. The
country was known to look with anxious and ardent
expectation to the re-appearance of the Heir to the
Crown in all the magnificence belonging to his sta-
tion ; and if that was not immediately resumed, the
0130 of Parliament was far from being completely
fulfilled. It was obviously impossible for the Prince
to be restored to the state suited to him, and at the
same time make an appropriation for the discharge
of his existing debts upon his present income; and
therefore he (Mr. C.) esteemed it more advisable
and commendable in Parliament to remove, at once
and in the fisrt instance, every load and clog which
could impede the vaagniticence of his appearance.
If there was any obstacle to be found is the finan-
cial state of the country, that would be a fit subjeet
for the consideration of the Committee. The mode
he had the honour to recommend was by no means
unprecedented, for the powers given to the Commit-
tee in the year 179.5, went much further, and were
infinitely more extensive than what he now proposed.
He was well aware that, even after the Committee
should be formed, (if the House thought proper to
do so,) vet even then his intentions were likely to be
frustrated, because there could be no power to com-
pel that infoxmation to be brought torward which
they might think necessary, if there should be any
disposition to withhold it. would the latter be the
case, the House would at least have the satisfaction
to reflect, that they had gone as far as they could in
the business, and there the subjeCt must necessarily
drop. He declared that he would not have em-
barked in so delicate an affair, or come forward on
this occasion, if he had not perceived an anxious
feeling in most parts of the House upon the late dis-
cussion, that his Royal Highness should be forth-
with relieved from the embarrassthents under which
he laboured. He felt within himself also an anxious
disposition to see the Prince in easy circumstances,
and he believed similar feelings pervaded every part
of his Majesty's dominions. If the country was in
other respeas able to support the national splendour
and dignity, he could not account for pareinsony be-
ing confined only to the circumstances of the Heir
Apparent, nor why he'should be compelled to reside
in a corner of his palace, surrounded by difficulties
and embarrassments. After all, however, he did
not view this cpiestion as a personal one to his Royal
Highness, but as resulting from the natural expecta-
tions, and wishes of the people that the I leir Appa-
rent to the Throne should be restored without delay
to that splendour and mangnificence which consti-
tuted so much of the pride and glory of this great and
powerful nation. In the proposal he had the honour
to submit, he disclaimed the most distant intention
of sheaving any kind of disrespeCt to any human
individual. If he was mistaken in the calculation
be made of the ardent feelings of the House, or
had committed any involuntary error in judgment,
he could not help it, nor was he to blame. The
task he undertook was not to himself a very agree-
able one, but he had discharged his duty, and con-
chided by offering his motion, which was to this
effect :—" That, anxiously desirous to give full and
complete effect to the important objets recommend-
ed to the House in his Majesty's Message of the
16th of February last, a seleCt committee be ap-
pointed to enquire into the nature of those claims
upon the honour and justice of His Royal Highness
the Prince of Wales which now impede the de-
sire expressed in his Majesty's gracious Message,
that he might be enabled to resume the rank and
dignity suited to the Heir Apparent of these realms."
Sir WILLIAM GEAR v seconded the motion.
Mr. ERSKINE (Chancellor to the Prince of
Wales) said, lie . rose in consequence of the lion.
Mover.of this Question having adverted to a decla-
ration made by him on a former night, on grounds
of which it may not be unnecessary for him to state
to the House. It was by mere accident thar he hap-
pened to come in at a time, when one of the Prince's
servants was delivering a gracious Message from his
Royal Highness, expressive of the grateful sense
he entertained (and indeed did always entertain)
of the kindness of his Royal Father, in recom-
mending his situation to their attention, and his
acknowledgement for the liberality he expe-
rienced .from the hands of Parliament. • When
he saw the Honourable Gentleman (Mr. Calcraft)
get zip immediately afterwards, and announce
his intention of making the present Motion on this
day,' he instantly felt himself impressed with a
sense of delicacy, and was apprehensive it might
be thought or suspetted that the Prince of
Wales had instigated or considered himself by any
means interested in the notice. He said no more
than what he knew he should be, and had 2EMany
been since confirmed in, by that exalted personage
himself, who had authorized him to declare, that
he was perfeetly satisfied with the gracious recom-
mendation of his Majesty, and equally so with the
subsequent liberal grant made him by that House.
That he felt no personal interest to himself in the
issue of the Motion, but would at all events be
equally thankful for the attention paid to his cir-
cumstances by the House. But at the same time that
he made this communication, he did not wish to be
understood as intending any more than he expressed.
He had no intention to discourage or discountenance
the Motion, or to have it implied that he consi-
dered it as one unfit for discussion *in that House.

PRICE SIXPENCE.

As a servant of the Prince of Wales, in his capacity
as Chancellor, he certainly felt no interest whatever
in the result of this question, but as a Member of
Parliament, he vitas sensible that he had a much
higher and more important duty to perform, and
to state what he actually felt upon the present occa-
sion. In his Majesty's Message, and the subse-
qnent proposition of the Minister, the claims of his
Royal Highness to the revenues of the Duchy of
Cornwall were not at all adverted to. These claims
had not yet received any judicial determination,
but they were not, on that account, the less just, or
thl less solid. Under all the circumstances which
had before been so frequently alluded to, his Ma-
jesty would. perhaps, have been amply justified. •
considering the manner in which the revenues were
said to be expended, in applying to his Parliament,..:
and calling upon them for assistance to enable hint • -
to make the necessary restitution. But his Maje,tr!
in that was not forgetful of that moderation for
which he had been distinguished throughout the'
whole of his reign, and left the whole to the
wisdom and discretion of Parliament, without
making himself any distinct propo.sitien. He ye-
ray believed that, in the proposition which fol-
lowed, the Minister had strictly pursued the modes
ration of the Message. That Right Hon. Gentle-
man could then have known the extent of the claims
mite' the honour of his Royal H: Hess, but had
acknowledged at the time that he had no meson to
exile. the Prince would be able for sonic time to
resume his state and dignity and it was now evi-
dent, that what had been granted was not sufficient
for that purpose. There was certainly every reasoa
to have the fullest reliance on the honour of the
Prince, vs provide in the first place for the discharge
of every claim upon his jestice e'but it was also
very desirable that he should be enabled to give the
public the benefit of his proper state and dignity.
This Motion, in his view of it, was far from implying
the slightest censure on his Majesty's Message, or of
the measures which succeeded it. If he could any way
consider it even as a comment or eriticisrn upon
either, he would be one of the foremost persons in
the House to oppose it. When the Minister first
stated his proposition, it was to he supposed, that he
considered the sum voted as adequate to its objet.
That mistake, however, was not to guide the con-
du& of other independent Members of Parliament.
There was no inconsistency whatever in the mea-
sure now proposed to be adopted. Parliament may,
with all respell and deference, approach the Sove-
reign, and say—"
.Your Majesty, desirous to relieve
your Royal Son and Heir from the restridioas for
some years imposed upon him, recommended that
subject to the consideration of your Parliament ; •
but in doing so you were observant of the modera-
tion which your Majesty, in no instance, has lost
sight of. We are also desirous of removing these
restriStions, and anxious for the support of the Moe
narchy, and the maintenance of its splendour and
its dignity. But as the sum already voted wasf&small
and inadequate to the obje& we had is view, we
now wish to amend the proposstiou of your Minister,
by giving more than he, at the period alluded to,
thought proper to demand.'' He confessed himself
better pleased to see the Motion brought forward
now, than at an earlier season; for had the Message
stated any distils& sum, or the Minister asked for
more than he had done in the first instance, the de.
mand, no doubt, would have been complied with,
but it might have been complied with relndantly.
A variety of remarks might have been made upon
the subje& ; some Members of Parliament. perhaps,
might have talked of the vast ruinous expenses of
the late-war; some represented the excessive burthena
of the people. and, in fine, the debate branch into
a variety of very disagreeable topics. The case
would indeed be quite altered if the House should be
of opinion it was not desirable for the Prince to re-
sume his state, and that they would not assent on
his account to lay any fresh burthens on the people.
As to the Minister himself, he was persuaded, there
was no man in that I louse, or in the country, who
felt greater attachment, who was impressed with a
higher respect or regard to the comforts, the
honour, and splendour of the Royal Family. I k
was convinced that his disposition towards the Prince
of Wales was not limitted to the specific sum he wa.s
first induced to propose. As to the Prince himself,
he again said, in his name, that he was perfectly
satisfied with what had beer done for him already ;
and that he would have been satisfied, if less, or no-
thing had been granted. The Prince, he would
further state, would be exceedingly willing to forego
his claims to the revenues of arrears of the Duchy of
Cornwall, if any such wish had been intimated on the
part of his Royal Father, and that he would have been
equally ready to do so, if no application whatever had
been made to Parliament in his favour. For his
own part, Mr. Erskine delared, that whatever might
be the issue of the question this evening, whether ad-
verse or favourable, he could never wish these claims
to be agitated in a court of Justice. In regard to
the claims themselves and their legality, Ire concurred
in what he heard on a former occasion from the King's
Solicitor General, that the Prince's right to those Re-
venues had not been contradi&ed by any law Autho-
rity. In that House he was sure they never had been
called inquestion, by any one who could be supposed
conversant and well-informed on the subjeCt. Their
validity had the saniflion of Lord Eldon, as well at
present as when he was Attorney-General, and had
not been disputed by any man of professional enos
nence. There could, he believed, be no doubt,
that the Prince was entitled to the revenues of the
Duchy, from the moment of his birth until he came
of age ; and that those who had the management of
the estate, and the receipt of the money, were ac-
countable to him for it. The origin and meaning of
the original grant was to secure the independence,
at all times, of every Prince of Wales, and rescue
him from the caprices of his other, if such caprices
should have existence. But satisfied as, he was of
the validity and justice of these claimis he never
stated, in that Houae. That this or that sum was ow-
ing to the Prince. He was aware, that it signified
not whether the Prince himself actually received the
individual guineas arising from these i_ecenues--.

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