The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1803-02-24 00:00:00

Tr:

ekes, ha hopes that feu:. might tale place in the
interval, neon which event, they expected them to ,
,
He therefore, for '
eorinseee°3couldnsickirtebtlYcii:nictileiveek hvoawhie.his Royal Highness
could think himself. boded in honour to make corn-
pemeition for losses which the creditors had
voluntarily incurred ? As to the resumption of
the state and establishment of the Prince, it
was not to be expected that it should take place
immediately, and the delay certainly arose from
honourable causes, which gave his Royal High-
ness an additional claim on the respect and at-
tention of that House. It was something, however,
that if the public could not have the gratification of i
observing the Heir Apparent resume at once all the
splendour suited to his high rank, the present mea-
sure would at least accelerate it by three years and a
half sooner than it would otherwise take place. In
addition to this, it was to be considered that its im-
mediate effect would be to administer, in a great
degree, in the meantime, to the ease and comfort of
that Royal Personage. The Hon. Gentleman (Mr.
Sheridan) misunderstood him in supposing that he
meant to say that any disgrace was to be implied
in a compromise, supposing any compromise to have
taken place. What he meant to say was, -that he
felt the more satisfaction in this measure, inasmuch
as it would prevent a litigation which every one
must be extremely desirous to avoid. If the subjed
4 the Cornish revenues had never been agitated or
mentioned, he should, neverthelces, have thought
it his duty to make at this time precisely the same
f toyosition, but it was no small recommendation to
it tnat it would he attended with the effect already
alluded to. I: wa. said by Mr. Sheridan, that had
the investigation taken piece, the effect of it would
he, that the Prince might claim as a right what was
now proposed to be granted him as a favour. He ,
veti unwillinee, and in fad, would abstain from going
into that subject r let it suflice to say, that even on
the statement of his Right Hon. Friend (the Soli-
citur-General) the right cf the Prince was not ad- ,
mined to the extent laid down by Mr. Sheridan, who
represented that there would be a very considerable
sum indeed due from the arrears of the revenues.
What he understood to be admitted was, that his
Royal Highness, on coming of age, would be en-
`titled to an account of the arrears, and not to any
very considerable balance. It had further been
stated, that upon the nature of this right all the
great . law authorities were united in opinion. For
himself, he must confess that he had not the pre-
sumption to offer any thing like an opinion, but
having very frequently had occasion to converse
upon the subja, he did nut find that there was so.
entire an union in the sentiments of those respeetable
authorities, though the preponderance was certainly
in fave et- of the Prince. Being, however, upon the sub-
jed, he should be excused for a moment. in going a
little farther into it. Supposing the ceese to be gained,
he would ask, how much the nearer* his Royal
Highneis would be in raining any thing by it? ' In
what manner could ludgment be executed ? Where
was the lien which would attach upon any crown
property? Every one knew there could be none.
The only redress, after all, would be, to come to Par-
liament, which, perhaps, would on such an occasion,
before they defrayed it, be induced to enquire whe-
ther he had any fund of his own for the discharge of
the demand ? That must again be produCtive of
still farther enquiry into the grounds of former ap-
plications ; and it would be in the end necessary to
make out accounts on all sides between his Majesty
and the Prince, and between the Prince and the pub-
lie. He would, however, dwell no longer on this
topic, as his Royal Highness had shewn the teluel-
ante he had to recur to such proceedings, by the
magnanimous message delivered to the House on the
present evening. He had already observed, that no
claim, the validity of which had been admitted,
which had been refused for want of the necessary
funds since the year l79s—there could have been
I no legitimate debt contrated, and therefore his
Royal Highness could not be made liable for any.
Mr. SHERIDAN rejoiced that though he had
no authority from his Royal Highness in what he
I said, yet he had been authorized by him to make a
statement to the effect he before alluded to on a
former occasion. It had scarcely been denied that
a compulsory deduction of 101. per cent. had been
' made upon the creditors in general. The Right
Hon. Gentleman indeed asserted, and with credit
for it too, that no deduction bad been made upon
the household. True, there would have been no
dedudion if they had been made in money ; but
they were paid in debentures, which were at a dis-
count of perhaps 201. per cent. The Right Hon.
Gentleman acknowledged, that with the accession
of income, the Prince, in order to justify the ho-
nourable and just demands upon him, may not be
able to resume his establishments for a considerable
.time, perhaps for a year or two. This was a strange
way of expressing satisfadion at the time, that all
profess to feel how much interest the country takes
in seeing his Royal Highness speedily appear in all
the state and magnificence suitable to his exalted
station. Having the same wishes himself in com-
mon with other Gentlemen, he must confess that
he felt himself exceedingly disappointed ; for he
certainly expeded that Parliament would resped
those high feelings of justice which the Minister
himself had allowed to have done his Royal High-
ness so much honour, and to have given him addi-
tional claims to the attention of the House. Great
merit was assumed from the circumstance, that it
would accelerate the resumption of the establish-
ments in three years and a half. To show the
value ofthis boast, he would suppose that this pro-
position never had been made at all, and that.in
the year 1806, the Minister should come forward
and tell the House—" All is now paid out of
the income -which was originally- intended for
t'he Prince, hid he not been in debt at the time ;
but, notwithstanding this,' it will be impossible for
him, on account of some honourable demands,
whether foreign or domestic, to resume that state
suited to his di nity for a considerable time." He
would ask, whether the House would bear such a
lengthened restraint, or whether there would be any
*hesitation in furnishing him with the necessary
means of immediately appearing in all the splendor
of his station ? He should forbear to state all that
he might do upon the present occasion, but must
add, that. he wished the whole to be done as speedily
as possible, in order that the public , horns and
wishes niay be no longer disappointed, from sine*•
plained motives, however honourable they • may be.
The CHANCELLOR of -the EXCHEQUER
explained, that what he meant by honourable, had
ro reference whatever to the nature of the debts,
but to the motives of his Royal Highness himself,