The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1804-06-23 00:00:00

HOUSE OF e',IIMONS.

Sir JOHN NEWPORT gave notice, that early
in the next Session of Parliament, lie would bring
for ward a motion, the ohjed of which would be the
Aas for regulating tEe Trials of Eleetions in Ireland.
Several papers from the East India Company,
relating to the Mahratta war, were presented at the
Bar of the House.

A person from the Office of the Chief Secretary
in Ireland presented accounts re.peaing officets on
haif-p4y in Ireland.
A Mefsage from the Lords informed the House,
that they had agreed to the Irish Linen Duty Ex-
emption Bill, and the:Aylesbury Merton Bribery Bill.
Mr. Cacti. presented a Petition from
certAin
freeholders of I,:rncrick, against the Report on the
.'urn Trade.
Oa the motion of Mr. &saw, the Committee on
the Insolvent Debtors Bill was fixed for Tuesday next.
list M. %V. Ramer presented a Petition from the
ship-owners at Newcastle, against the N'avigation
Laws Suspension Bill.
The Staines Bridge Bill was read a third time
and passed.
Mr. FOSTER gave notice that on Monday next,
he would move tin leave to bring in a Bill for ap-
pointing Commissioners to inquire into the fees,
emoluments, salaries, and other gratuities, of certain
officers in Ireland.

Sir Cit.taxas BeNBUIT brought op the Report of
the Committee on the Corn Laws, which wa,
and in which, among other things, it was resolved,
that it would be expedient that the price fixed as the
standard for the importation exportation of
grain be regulated by th 2 price it bore in the fur
maritime distrilts of England. The Report being
agreed to, a Bill was ordered to be brought iu upon
the same.

The House in a Committee, on the motion of
Mr. FOSTalt, came to a resolution for regulating
the importation and exportation of grain from Ire-
land, and the report was ordered to be received on
hlcnday.
On the motion of Mr. Rosy, the report of the
Liverpool East India Prize Goods Bill was or-
dered to be brought up on Monday.
The Order for hearing Counsel on the Report of
the Slare Trade Abolition Bill, was, on the motion
of Mr. WrGaItRIFORCE. put off till Monday.

FINANCES CF IRELAND.
Mr. Ass xxxxx a brought up the Report from the
CoMmittee of Ways and Menu for raising the Sup-
ply for Ireland. On the reading of that Resolution
which went to lay a tax on the registry of freeholds;
Mr. STEWART opposed it as an unconstitu-
tional tax.

Mr. FOSTER said he wished to correct a mis-
taken kW, that this tax would tall on those whose
freeholds were already registered. by making it ne-
cessary to register them over again, or every 'car.
It meant no such thing. It only went to ena& that
whenever any man should In.ive occasion to take in
oath relative to his freehold,' that oath should be on
stamped PaPer.
Mr. JAMES FITZGERALD thought no man,
who went to ascertain his right, could objed to pay
so small a t4I for doing so, as was now about to be
impo.ed. It was only two shillings ; and, as a mat-
ter of regulation, this duty would serve to afford pro.
tisaion and security to the gentlemen of Ireland,
against persons fraudulently claiming the right of
election.

Mr. HUTCHINSON considered the tax
because site sum it was calculated to Filo-
duce was but small. He therefore could sot ob-
ject to it Oa the ground 4 its being oppressive. Du:

e objected to it on a
cause he thought no
thrown in the way of
themselves of their electL. _
Mr. DAWSON thought the tax -
fetter the freedom of eleltion, and prevent frets.
holders rom exercising their rights. The free-
holders in England were not stopped in their way to
the hustings, and prevented from voting until it
was- ascertained whether they had made their oath
on stamped paper. The House would recollea,
that the tax would fall on those who were now regi-
stered freeholders; for, at the end of every eight .
years, the freeholds must be registered. Oa the
whole, this regulation would deprive the pool mad
of his ele'ive franchise, because be was poor $ watt
it would give the rich man an undue Mame over
ethers.

Sir JOHN NEWPORT said, he could not see
Low the payment of Ts. at the end of eight years,
could overate as a hardship on any man. He hoped
the measure would be carried, as a regulation highly
proper and nece,sary ; as one which would prevent
those ire.neese quantities of fiaitious votes wL icL had
been, for some years past, created in Ireland, for
sinister purposes. The freemen of corporations paid
for the registry of their freedom, and why should
not the freeholders of counties ?

Mr. FOSTP.R observed, that the registry oaths
were generally sworn before Magistrate, ; and,
ac-
cording to another Resolution of the Committee,
these would be liable to a tax, if a particular Aa
did not exempt them. His objed now wa, to Jo
away this eaemptior. But when freeholds were
registered now, the freeholders generally gave the
clerk a sum of money, whatever they pleased. '1 .is
money had hitherto come nut of the landlord's
pocket; and so would the tax itself. Ile did not
at present think he could be justified in withdraw-
ing this Resolution. But it it was objected to by
toe souse, it was then his intention to adopt, is
Id of it, an additional Stamp Duty on all leases
entered into in Ireland.

The Hone then divided. For the ResOution,
119.--Against it, 31.
All the other Resolutions were then a;,-reed to ;
and Bills ordered to be brought in on The same.
"The Irish Regulation Revenue Bill was pu. If
till this day sea:tight.
Mr. FOSTER waved that there be hid WO II
the House an account of the Funded 1)21,t of Ire-
land, from the rear 1801 to 1801.

Mr. FRANCIS said, he wifhed to ash the Right'
Hon. Genth man whether he meant to move foe
laying before the House the narnts of ll:use persons')
in Ireland, in whose hands there remained so great
an overplus of the public revenue ? Ile believed, the
time must come when it would he necessary to ap-
ply to Parliament for such powers, to recover thh
money.
Mr. FOSTER said, he meant to move for a •
turn of the precise amount of those balances ; at.
then the House would get the nanses of those
whose hands they were. The names of all, ezcep
those who were now the eristing eollc fors, west
already before the House.

The Motion was then agreed to. •
Mr. FOSTER then moved for an account of :h
net payments into the Treasury of Ireland, an,
also the balances in the hands of revenue colleaorr
receivers generals of the post office, &c. in Ire Line
during thestwo last years. Ordered.
LORD ADVOCATE OF SCOTLAND.
Mr. WHITBREAD rose, to bring forward h
promised Motion relative to the condo& of tl.
Lord Advocate of Scotland : and first moved
certain papers presented to Ere House on the •übje.
be read (these papers have been already pub/ishe
in Tate BRISIsH Paris.) When they were read b
the Clerk, Mr. Whitbread began by expressing d
sad:ha:ton he felt at seeing in his place the Rigl
Hon. Gentleman, agait..: whom he now rose
make an accusation. And he trusted that the r.
commendation held out by a Right klonourab!
Gentleman (Mr. Pitt) on a former day, whe
this question had been agitated, wculd no
be particulaily attended to: it era:, that ever
gentleman would come to the discussion of
with his mind totally free from prejudice. I-
must put in his claim for some share of ti
merit; for he could solemnly assure the Hour
that he hal no prejudice in his mind. From t
first time he had heard of the business, he bad fi
some degree of warmth ; but that warmth was II
attended with passion ; and, whatever his teelin
might be, he would draw no other inference di
what the papers before the House should justo
The House was not precluded from curling to a
decision of right or wrong. But, after reading :
paper laid on the Table, the contents of which v.'
not denied, it WAS impossible for the House nut
come to some decision. It would be impossible
to say eye or es, cu the proposition he should I
before them. For the sake of justice, which v
due to the people of Scotland, and to the chat-a!
of the Right Hon. Gentleman, which was invoh
in this question, it would be impossible for •
House to say that his proposition WAS not eid
false or true. The people of Scotland must ettl
be sheltered by Parliament from oppression, or tl
must know what they are to exped. The a ords of
motion with which he meant to conclude wt
exaetly these :—" That the conduift cf the Lc
Advocate of Scotland, in writing the letter to i
Sheriff of the County of Banf, which was :raw
fore the
.House, was oppressive, illegal, and c
trary to his official duty." The powers vested ;a
Lord Advocate of Scotland were (trial:lly v
great, but not so great as those he bad ascum
Granting, however, for a moment, that he was
rested with those powers, th•:n he must
tend, that although the condud in question mi
not be illegal ; yet, it was oppressive, with He
to the unfortunate Mclßison, who was the object
it. Suppose the Lord Advocate had the po•
vested in him by law, to defame the clunatter
tiny man in Scotland, without making an ACM

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cowtitntional principit,. le. 1
embarrassment shwild be
those who weut to possess
tire franchise.
sught the tax would go to

astainst him ; that be could render Mtn the most
s.i,:mati,-d and unhappy wretch; that he could or-
der the c:fic .rs of justice to take possession of the
person of any sobjea, scrutinise the motives of that
man's arAinary aFtions, attribute disaffation and dis-
loyalty to him ; and that, after being apprehended,
be should not be set at liberty. Suppose it was in
his power to say, that if the property of such a man
was clumnitied, it was not only not to b.! restored, but
I that care must be taken that he should receive
no remuneration. He would allow for a moment
these monstrous powers to exist 'in the Lord
Advocate ; yet, after all, it would appear be
had, in this instance, been guilty of an act of
oiiression towards Mr. Morrison. Now, as the
Right Hon. and Learned Gentleman was in his
place, perhaps the House woalcfhave no objection
to hear again the circumstannes on which 'the accu-
sari ni Against him was founded. Mr. W. then re-
latrd the transaction, which has been already de-
tailed to the public, namely, that of Mr. Morrison,
a respectable fir:ner in Banfskire, having discharged
servant, for having negletted his duty to attend a
si,lonver :nspectian ; of the servant's applying to
Vie Lord Advocate for his opinion, and of the latter
Is tying iminued disaffection and disloyalty to Mor-
rison, .tad declared no protection should be afforded
to his property, if the enemy landed in the cour.try.
When consulted by the servant, he said that.
Morrison had done nothing that was contrary
to law, The master, therefore, was not accused;
lie was not brought before the Lord Advocate;
Wys thought props to pass sentence, and inflia pu-
r.ishmenr, without allowing him to say a word in bis
defenc.- or in explanation. If there was say one
p in of his c‘induCt worse than another, it was that
of he L Gentleman, after passing through'
all the )11s of his profession, and arriving at
the iligh oilice 1w held, having proceeded to pass
sentence of grievous pains and penalties on a man
who had n A heels uied; and who was acknow7

ledges to have dune nothing illegal. Ile would
call upon the English and Scotch lawyers then in
the House, to give their opinions on this subjed,
and endeavour to sec that, in this country, Scot Lied
should not he under the foul stignri of having a
code of laws that santlioned ads of tyranny and
oppression. He desired that if the ad is question
should appear to have been oppressive they would
declare it to be so. It was passible that the sen-dr.t,
whose name was Garrow, might have grossly naii,
behaved himself; and thou Morrison, his master,
was AS well all'oded and loyal a subje.l as any in
the land. Them was not, however, any roof of
his being a dis iffetted man ; no such thing was
stated in the Lord Advocate's letter. And some
p:rsons, who were acquainted with Mr. Mor-
sooa, had, since the tioestioa was List agitated in
the House, informed him (Mr. Whitbread) that his
eliatosaer was very different from that of a disaffed.
el man. Ile was a respectable farmer, and had dis-
tiog tii.hed himself some years ago for his loyalty to
• hi. King and country. the servant had entered into
a corps of ‘'olunteters, which was nine miles distant
ft om hi. master's house. On the very day, when he
went au ay, without leave, to the inspeCtion of this
' corps, his motes had employed him in thatching
la barn : a work extremely necessary at that sea-
son of the yea-. The master toll him, if he left his
work he would turn him off : he very properly
I, did so; and he defied any man to say there was
; any proof of disaffeetion in that Al. Now he
P v:ished the House to consider the effect which the
1condo& of the Lord Advocate would have on the
1 Volunteer System in general. Was the charadler of
l Volunteers to he changed ? Were the people of the
i country to be dragooned into Volunteers, by means
Volunteero
serviceins andpen
to a
ohies? He alwayse of perfect understood the
But now a rod of iron was to Lang over the heads of
the people ; they were to be chastised ; and the
Volunteer spirit of the country was to he destroyed.
There was ar.other circumstance beloogiag to the
transs(tion in question, which he would not mention
if the Hoscumtle Gentleman was not then in his
place. Morrison had applied to the Lord Advocate
.with a view of removing the severity of his opinion,
oti•gave several references as to his character. 'fo
he persons o Ittihad applied to him for this purpose,
he Lori A tvocate observed, that Morrison was a
feolf.t to have b-fore that tine acceded to his opi-
pion If such tt: answer had been given, it
cooli hay- lolly been el:Rated by a most es.
toowdinart assumption of power in himself; and
r So o. that he had an unlimited right to punish.
1:. - . :eoroseotatit n was true, it was on aggrava-
) tau ..I she case; and proved, that the Right Hon.
Gentleman was unfit for the situation which he held.
In reasonirg no this subjeca hitherto, he went on the
supposition. that the condo& in question was legal;
sad conteaded, that whether loyal or not, it seas
sppressive. Bet he would now maintain there was
sot a shadow of foundation in law for this conduit.
I 4 it was possible to suppose the Right Hon. Gen.
lemon had attest from ignorance, then he was
milt for his situation. Rut the knowledge, and the
• treat legal talents he was well known to pos-
e ess, left hint without any defence on that ground.
-le mug know that what he had done was In de-
eance of all law He did no: pretend to on-
ferstond the laws of Oootland, nor would he enter
nto a his-oty of them. But he would refer the
inn. Gentleman to ea AR of Wis. M. passed few
lie purpose of Guarding the Liberty of the Subjeti
A Scotland i by this it was dechued that no man
humid he imprisoned, unless the ground of such
mprisorimeat was stated to him. Now, if the or-
cr given by the Lord Advocate for imprisoning
4otrison had been carried into effect, it would have
teen illegal ; because no ground was stated; and it
Sight prove fatal to the officers sent to execute it;
4 hr if any or all of them were slain in doing so,
o verditt for murder could be entered against
.sore who killed them. The Law of Scotland
• Iso .said. that when a man was imprisoned, a
mw mutt he fixed, within sixty days. for his
ial ; and that, for certain offences, bail mug be
teepted. But the Lord Advocate would order
man to be kept in co. ntinernent, until he should
•ink proper to order his IRseratioo. In case to
i .rasion, or imminent danger thereof, it might
f; said it was necessary to Crillrilit stopetted
-noes to risco]. But in this C;ist. no such de-
em could be made, there was Do in-
' asion, nor attempt at =rion ;
and, from every
rcumstance, it was evident the Rib-ht Hon. Gee.
..I 1•111 had acted illegally, oppressively, and con.
.01 to It's duty. Ai the Lord Advocate, be had

MIN

no right to interfere in the manner be had done ; an i
if there was any reason to suppose that Morrison
was disaffeited, another course alienist have been
pursued to punish him. The Lord Advocate in
Scotland had the power to institute a prosecution, or
abstain front it, if he chose. Those great pewees
which in England were exercised chiefly by grand
juries, ought to be united in a discreet person,
swayed by fur party, and against whom no im-
putation whatsoever could lie. In the present in-
stance, the Lord Advocate teak not that course which
his official duty pointed out to him. He travelled
out of the hue of his ditty, and it was for that he
deserved to he blamed. I le should be very happy if
the giglit Honourable Gentle:nan would make this
case so clear as to shew that all the charges against
him were void of foundation. But if it nets attempted
to rest the defence on law, he hoped such an extra-
vagant dolrine would be overturned; and if it
should be said, that the detention of a person was
necessary towards the preservation of the country,
that defence must fall to the ground; there vets no
occasion fur the exercise of such a power, because
the French had not attempted to invade the country.
But if the Lord Advise to thought it necessary, at
his own risk, to have Morrison apprehended,
what occasion was there for ordering that to
be done until the invasion was attempted ? Why
did he not state his reasons for the act of rigour,
in order that it might not be drawn into a precedent ?
If he took such things upon himself on his responsi-
bility, let hint afterwards call on Parliament for an
act of indemnity. He did not mean to impute any
bad or malicious motives to the Lord Advocate of
Scotland; his motives might he pule, he might be led
away by an indiscreet zeal for the bened t of his country.
And if he did so iu his official situatioa, the House
ought to pass its sentence upon hint. If the pre-
sent motion he was about to make should be agreed
to, he meant to follow it up with another, which
would be an, Address to His Majesty to remove
the Hight Hon. Gentleman from a situation for
which be was wholly unfit. Mr. W. then con-
cluded by saying he would trouble the House no
longer, and was about to put his motion; when
The SPEAKER suggested, that the regular mode
.of proceeding in a caw like this was, to let the
Hon. Member. against whom an accusation was
made, be heard in his defence; and be should
then withdraw from die House; after which the
motion should be made and discussed.
The LORD ADVOCATE of Scotland then rose
and addressed the I roust. He was ready to admit
that the Hon. Gentleman who brought forward this
charge had endeavoured to make it as palatable as
he could consistently with his duty ; hut, notwiti.-
standing the candour and politeness of the Hon.
Gentlemen, he could not help feeling the nukwsrd
predicament in which he himself was placed. Little
Jid he expea that the first time he bad the honour
of addressing that House, be should stand in the si-
tuation of a person Accused of a crime; and still less
did be expect that the crime imputed to him should
be the crime of oppressim. went charges
he was not often accustomed to meet ; and
sure be was, that irjastice and oppression were
offences which had never bean coupled with his
name. It was not. however, surpeisieg that this
I should be imputed to him by an Hone-Gentleman
who knew him not. By him they'might he credited,
and they might obtain a partial belief in that House.
But if such a cry as this had been raised at ainst him
in the city where be heed, an hundred thousand
tongues, and not a few a: ms, would have risen
in his defence. if it was true that lie had been
guilty of this aa of oppression, he had one con-
solation, which was, that the person against whom
it was committed, had had his revenge, and a
grievous retaliation. During the two months
that he had been attenilieg his duty in that House,
since this act was done. no complaint had been
made. And now, at the end of six months, it
was brought ferward, and made a subjea of dis-
cussion. is was a proceeding which he felt to
be so severe and uneandid, that be really believed
the Honourable Ger.:le:min, who was now his
accuser, to have been wheily uncoucerned in it.—
Ha believed the Honourable Gentleman had
not received his information until the time nli.r.
he brought the subiect before the /louse. Be.
same kind friend did him this p*.ece of cervic :
some of his own coal:semen s s cnnttiv.
that, at the moment when he returner to the ;e-
-osin of his family, and wes deeply eigaged in bus:-
nets. he was forced to leave his ho nee eat sattszel in
that House again. in tinier to meet a charge of so K-
ILOS and w.igh:y a nature as was just made ages-et
him. If he had not tufisal all the terrors of im-
prisonment, he suffered its another respect; he rif-
feted by way of fine. He had heard that it was
attiC,l;r. that House, in his absence. that it was uo
wonder Jsl are iron should have beea slow in making
his complaint, born- do en as he was by the weight
of superior power. Nferrisoa,liewever, knew how to
complain in 3 weeks after the trensaftion in question.
He had employed a w:iter in Eiliebteeth to speak to
him (the Lord A deocatej. He said that Nio&son
was hint by the lettcr written to the Sheriff. and that
he was a loyal and re:piaable man. His answer to
the attorney was shun ; it was, that if Morrison felt
himself oppressed, hat hint cern • to the Lord /idea.
sate end sly so, and be should have a satisfaelary
answer. riace that time he had not heerituny thing
more et Morrison, who Studs no explanation of his
emsdea. In trees that the Han:e might be able to
judge of the !reeves by which lie had ailed, and
the nature of the acts he had don.', it would be ne-
cessary for him to Rive some accc the state of
Scotland a: the time, .inti of hO own imetien. He
wished it to be cloak :• ulderstood that the
measures of defence at that time in Scs:Lizi
were wholly istadequew :or te.at country. He del
ern, by this statement. mean to impute any Wen::
to the late Mininert, roe to the illitsteions Corn-
mender in Chief. S: eland did feel considerable
alarm on the occesien. . Sue, far his own past, he
bad theeeht it was be ter to celled the gr: at body
of the force rear the capital, i i order to keep it
secure, even tl.esugli reSeute petts of the country
might be endangered. In faZt, abolish Scetlend
contributes great members innards recrnithig the
army, it so happened etre only is v eel hat.
tallow there at !!-:e car riether with one
regiment of dragoons; the only force that
could be spared for Ire`and out of the gene-
ral neck. defence of Scodeed had been
left chi,. fly to the and Slat we; hotly as in !d
and elude-id. On the East coast of Sec:lend the-re

was only one weak regiment of militia to defend it.
The sefety therefore of Scotland, and of the Worth-
ern parts of the country in particular, depended
on the Volunteers. The Commander-in-Chief con-
centrated the principal part of this- force near
the capital, in order to edhrd k the greatest
protection. When he saw how necessary it
Was to promote volunteering by every possible
means, he would leave it to the House, whether he
should have measured his offecial duty by the cold
and rigid forms of law ? That force was the only
means by Which a great pert of Scotland could
be defended. It was of more ;nips:in:lnce that
Edinburgh should be defended, than any other
Fart of the rountey. • At this very time, infor-
mation was given to die lords Lieutenami,
that as invasion on the part of the enemy might
be expelled every moir.eat : and on the 21st
of Decembete Earl Moira waited on him, and
held a conference with hint on the subje); and it
was agreed, that every possible precaution should
be taken : and rigidly did that Noble and distin-
guished officer adhere to this determination, that he
would not sleep out of gdinburgh-ehe would not
stop even one night at Dalkeith house, which was
only six miles from Edinburgh, lest there should
be any defy in marching the troops, should the ene-
my appear off the neighbouring coast. It was
with this idea of approaching danger on his
mind that he wrote this letter in question to the
Sheriff, upon hearing of Morrison's conduel ; and
he solemnly declared he thought the enemy would
be in Scotland before the letter could have arrived.
Having mentioned these feels as to the state of the
cossatrr, he would say a word or two upon the na-
ture of his own office. If any gentlemen thought
it was of the dry and formal nature of that of the
Attorney General in England, they lahourel under
a great mistake (if laugh). The office of Lord
Advocate of Scotland had no limits to it. The
Hon. Gent. could assign no duties to him, which
would nut be ease and idleness compared to what
he really had to attend to. Befnre the union, the
Government of Seotiand was cenduiled by a Coua-
cil, composed of the Lord Chancellor of that coun-
try, and other great officers of state, mast of which
situations were abolished at the Union, and the
whole powers of that Couacil, with all their
duties, responsibility, &c. devolved on the Lord
Advocate% and wore ever since vested in him. All
the departments of government there looked to him,
not only in civil but in military matters. Even the
Commander in Chief always had recourse to him
for advice. But he was happy to find, that lately he
Was relieved from a great part of his duties ; for the
distinguished Nobleman who now commanded the
forces there (Earl Moira) was as great in civil as
in military affairs. He was a man in whom unbctind-
ed confidence raght be placed. He had changed the
dread felt at invasion, into an ardent zeal to beat the
enemy. By the blood of Seotchmen, he would, when-
ever occasion required, illustrate his great name in
arms. The mention of this illustrious stranger,
now so dear to the people among whom he re-
sided, was not foreign from the subjeet under
consideration. Were he a man of that harsh,
oppressive, and unfeeling character he was repte-
genteel to be, it was not very likely he would
have been consulted by a man whose dispo-
sition was opposite from this. He would not have
been honoured by his confidence, and his private
friendship. To that Nobleman he might now ap-
peal, and ask, whether the people lived under his
Government in that degraded state it was sup-
posed they did ? The -House ought to consider
that Scotland was a separate kiagdoea, with se-
parate laws and institution': WAS reoloved the
distance of ileht miles from the seat of G :vernmcnt,
and had not toe ordinary public funetionei des we had
here, where every man knew the part he is as to Aa.
But in Seotesad, he had, on his own shoulders,
Almost ail the tunetioas of Government. Since
tri;kg the lever in question. he had to write
ab.we See mote to the m igiorates of dieerent parts
of Scotland, as to the mode in which they were to
aet ihr the defrost of the coantry. His p:esfeeissors,
AS weir as hims,lf, had often exercised cemidereele
tv Sr 7S • u their own reseonstbilir• even against law.
A Le.: Advocote d iriag tile American war (the
pre .t Laud Melenh) had laid an emeargo on and
. •eeeel several vessels t at were g ling to America
• . ee emigrants; ter which en i e was t3ankc.l by
!Arid Chanrellnr from the Wools. c*. His pre-
, . .sor in off e, by a similar exorziie bat
he es de, authority, did, in the year 17e4, seize a
treasonable letter, which he was informed had been
put into the office at Perth ; and that very letter led
to the convietion of the traitor Watt at Edinburgh.
• He .himself letely stopped vessel.. going to America
%sea emigrants, beeause the previsions they were
allow-d on board were bad and pernicious.—
Atter the insurrection in Dublin last July, he again
exercised his authority, by stopping all persons who
had net passports. What was the House to think
of him. if he did not in cases of emergency act at
the risk of his responsVoility ? When he expeeled the
enemy to land in Scotland last Oitober, he, the then
Secretary at War. declared he would ael on his own
respon ihility, in proclaiming Martial Law there, if
necewary ; and afterwards he would rely on the
caedour of the House for a bill of eidemiiiiy. 11
the Hense, however, ser tell kern these thiiies
must not ha don:, he w el: fee: happy in haring a
berthen rem iveJ from oT leis shoulders. In cube
of da--,g.r cf invasion, it was his intention to ap-
eerehend every saspeeted person. With respell
to the case of Morrison and his servant, it tr,IS
erecisely this :—Ta the application of the ser-
vant Gerrard, he reerely gave his opiaioa as
to how far he might recover his wages. But the
stet he tock agaicit the master was in consequence
or some cernmenicatiee made to him by the she-
tqr. But he would not shelter himself by saving be
had received any. secret informetion which it would
he unsafe and improper in him to disclose. He
though: it no more than justice due to h!oreson to
sae. that AU the infirneitien received concerning him
r:Lsted solely to the trays. ion with the servame
Under the circumstances he bed dearibed, in wee:
light was he to c-assider condor of elorri,on ?
As guardian of the puhhc force, he must entertain a
jealousy of it. He could not dive into his motives ;
but. he could not hesitate to say, if l'ithrisor. Lad
been in the pay of France, he could not have more
effectually serve) her interests. Suppose him to be the
agent of the First Consul, and t 3 ask, What MPS: I
do ? the First e oesill would answer. you cannot send
;maw I. eta Are not In a site atiee to gee-.

it, or send it to me; but discourage the Vaunters.
there you can most essentially serve me.• He wet d
rate a fait, to shew the propriety of this reesonieg.
He had learned, from the firmer Lord Advocate,
that information had been given, by persons initiated
into the secret, theta most detestable society existed
at Pnrtsoy, early in the French Revolution, who
corresponded with the French Convention, and sid-
ed in co-operation with the Jacobins, for t.): purpe.,e
of producing a Revolution in tgis gauntry. This
society was held within a mile or two of Morri-
son's habitation ; and was compose I of prisons
AMOT4 whom he must necess ally possess a great
infihence. The Sheriff dispersed this soci:ty.
But they continued to meet in small societies, and
were vigilant in the means of attaining their obile.
Their policy was to prevent the forming of V.Au.i.
teers. The masters harrassed their servants when
they entered into a Volunteer Corps. Ihe servmes
and mechanics encouraged each other not to ent.e.
So that, though the number of Volunteers to neat
up the quota of the place was sm el, it was wish
extreme ditlitulty they were completed. Wear,
then, b,d he a right to fear from the eendua of
Morrisorr to yards his se emit for attending an la.
speditan 1 Or rather, wh it ought his cooclude° be,
in guarding against pre& ces. denounced by te
Sheriffs and ether magistrates, in their con.mmuca-
tions with hims and in the die:barge ut tf air duty ?
He must say, Morrison hardly could have .t al as
he did upon common motives. At lean he viewel
it so. It might be the weakness of his :rimier, hut
he could' not view it otherwise. timely OA was
natural enetieh,.and his condue' was not to be at-
tributed to mot:ves of oppreseon. But why was
Mr. Morrison to engross all compassion ? Na one
would deny that the case of his man was peculiarly
hard. Yet we hear of no compassion lon the
man. The Honourable Gentleman passes all that
by. He did not ascribe any but honourable mo-
tives to that Member. He knew the winced
error. It was partial information; and he hoped
the Honourable Geatlemen would he named by
this, not to proceed on such partial evider.ce-e-
-tie would now trouble the House • with some ee-
minks on his letter to the ifeetitl depute. The e
were three clauses, that w.ra chiefly noticed--
One thing in it • had not been noticed at
all; and that was, his returning the feel I lien-e
was but one part of the House whose anger
he would endeavour to avert by any perticel tr as.;
dress. He would assure the Learned Gentlemen
in that House, that he had not intended to make
any precedent of returning fees. it was nut toe
preixice of Scotch hissyers ; eii I he ;eyed to he
pardoned this one insreece of the kind. Tne firs:
clause cornpleined of in Id . leiter was th u, win. h
spoke of the atrocity of Morrisan's c sn hid, rard
vised that kind of animadversion of it among his
neighbours, as he theught it merited. He had, in
this, only sreted his opinioe of Morrison; he hid not
cringed his opinion since. But, he would ask, whet
i jury this could be, ii not enforced by the opinion
of his neighbours? What that was, might be-col-
lected from this circumstance. lie had preveil.ei
upon one Gentleman to take the matter up at rhe
Quarter Sessions, but it was kicked over the table.
He maintained. that the 0p...1i0n of a public
officer, respeaing a private individual, is not
matter for the cognisance of Parliament. The
second clause was, that which direted that Mor.
rison should he appiebenied on the landing of the
French. The Honourable Gentleman said, if this
WAS attempted wirhout a warrant, and Morrison re-
sisted, and killed any per•oe making the attempt,
it would not be murder. He had not ordered the
Sheriff to apprehend him without a warrant. The
eheriff would issue his warrant, for which the order
he had given would be his authority : he would be
responsible. and must come to Parliament for insiam-
nity, if' he could shew just ground. But the Sheriff's
warrant would be legai, and ought nut to be resist-
ed. But then the lien. Gentleman says what is stat
worse, Morrison is ordered to be detained ; Low.
he would say, that bail is no security against
a traitor when the enemy is in the count!
The security is, to keep him confined. The Hen.
Gentleman had mentioned the AR of 1 701 ; ho
would recommend to the lion. Gentleman and
others, to read that Mt, that they may form some
notion of the law of Scotland. That Aa provides
for the liberty of the subjea in Scotland, as com-
pletely as the Habeas Corpus, or any other aft, here.
Bet that law expressly excepts the case of inv.:sien ;
in which case, a suspeaea pecan May be appre-
hended by order of five members of the Privy Cour.-
cil. But the Privy Council ate no longer in exist-
ence. None of them are left, bin the Lord Advo-
cate. He, therefore, willinglrtook the responsibi-
lity upon himself of ordering the apprehension cf a.
suspected perste:, incase of invasion. If censure is to
be passed on hen far that, he must be content,
No censure indeed, and (he would say, with all
defe ence to the House) no censure passed, if on
that ground, would cut very deep with him; and
he must obi: :Ye, that he did not anshmise the letter
being male pu'elic and known. it was to be com-
municated to Mr. Morrison ; but he did not exied
it to be ma 'e matter of record in a court. If the
enemy had Larded, and he had committed anf
person; on suspici-m, could he afterwards comae zo
Parliement for in iemnity, mid he state akg.! .
No! that is net the stihiten of Ilea .
He would seize, what he lied been ue.

to do contrary t. 3 ;he Stria letter a the I.e.
and ask, if he had ma.:e out a at case for inJer.-
nil 1 I'he third c:.:ase was that, in which r-2
said, he would do all he could to prawn cor.•
pensatioa for the drstr..Ction of blorrtson's c r•'.
Ste. And this he m..intained to be perfealy •••:
If blorrison's earns burnt by the (army, a•- d
Cie same time his servant's cottagr, in using b s sl• -
cret on. he would say the Volunteer (the servant) is
entitled to the whole value of his loss. But the
master.whom I cannot but sttspt-ft, shall not be rem:-
netated At all, since he had so little regard to it .t 4
to refuse one Jay to his servant, at a quarter's,. •...•
speaion. He maintained, that discrctioa govt.:tn.:l
L:ie timpensation. and that no wrong was done ut
wi hh •11'ng it from . disaffeaed persca. He bv),g
pardon of the fur irtrutrrig so long '
tirr.e. He isesA uyitt thern,in j•ldgmg, to plac. •
selves ht his S.:::IAZi, n. Ile threw mself on their
dour. He w s re.•i,uadcd the Gentlema
tended nothin.;; bat justice. He should hear ;:.;
praises of that Gentlernin that be should not accede
; he should hear no censure that shculd
ready to level. He would leave the Honour'`':'