The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1806-06-13 00:00:00

•
ststetisktitat he Rlt the pettVar disadvantage of
'4,4ving ealy tb observe uplift one part of the case,
sa the only.eviclqnce yet -before that Supreme
Cocrt, was that o.k tlllt al:closer. He could not,
I:,c,efore, until true evidence was before their
Which•wai to be ad heed on the pats
e, the defence, positively insist that anj of the
c• Irgel; was fylly and completely, proved ; and all
t; At he had to do, at 'presedt, was, to submit to
,!,sir ihips what he conceived to be the force
s:..d elite of the evidence already before them, in
i'qe charges, an 4 how jar they had been proved.
He should then begin, by stating to their Lord-
sips what had been the grounds of the proceed-
ings, .and Upon what. circumstances the charges
vete established. This. was a duty which
he considered as due to • the- ChM:mons of Eng-
land and Ireland, and even to the It ceased him
self, for the chsraittv of the Commons was
sheve•the suspicion of their,ei?teitaining any pet-
' vital. %laity to the Nnble Dlfeudant ; so far
were Abelnfrons It, that -.key could net., without
pitiful feelings, contrast th- situati, n of the No.
tleViiebiattollsenlatastated of piiwer, authority,
srd the. favosts.st c,- of his Sovereign,
ssitA that 'vies now placed, at their.
Lordships' Bar, as a Deli, einem, ittipped of all
those advintager, *and °bib ged to jitstify himself
against tbarges of high crimes and mi.d.mea-
pmes. Bat the Managers were; at t)se same time,
awfully imptessed.with.a due Sense.of the serious
duties imposed upon them. and thetespon,ibili,y
of choir sWation, when they had, ‘at the same
tune. to sustairtbedigoky and charter of those
who sent them these. and to deal with justice to
wards the individual accused. In a word, they
were, serviblo_that the eyes. of the country were
theft. then, 11,1

11-Irodaslir indeeii, carried Wads it a peculiar.cha* -
saner ; for, tistzly nothing could be more extra-
-4"digli4S.oll9 *led g public accountant refusing
to give a single evidence of the manner in' soh ch
he employed ttdr tramey entrusted to his care.
However. drat esp W.ll.tallilaffhafili4 14:.
would:AA shais:Lar ; -.diskaitthe affet-
ence. !'fibitraine4 MnattrethohWPlirstvtot to
the arsanitentent he laid •• fawn, at this Cointnence.,
ment of his'epeecis, tever:el to the-origin an the
proceedings, of which we .4141 on!y summarily
s' ite, that, in consequence of a report of the Com-
missioners elf Public Accounts, stating that it
would he expedient to withdraw front the l'reap
taiw of the Navy, all emoluments to be derived
from the temporary apislicaiinn of the public mo. •
eey for Isis own purpose, and to place them i .
il.e drawn from it for naval purposes.
0,,1y, it for that purpose was broZ in by
tie is' 'Elms. Henry Janda, (the
.
1-be
-lent),
abet reasurer of the Navy, Azad passed into a
law. .Hleobial..!sty was then graciriasly-pleased to
granr to the lreasnrer of the Nary an-additional-,
salaiy of 20001. a VlNlT.llll.tuil compensation and'
rati,laelion for 41 losses he may sustain in con-
, sto:aencie of
--the new arrangement ; an.' yet he"!
' b:2,ed their Lordships to observe, that even so
esily as the month of August foller.ving, the lfe-
, 1 nclant cause) a bala-ce of 110001. of the poldic
money to be applied fer his own priratP purposes.
•I:ie question then veal, did he corm with the
r ndi:ion ? r If he bad sustained. any loss by
t.. use new arrangemeuts, which he so disinterest.
e•!,,, as it afterwards type:are& proposed him.
LI, there mien have been some feeble excuw
-Tt for
iiznd
. -el . _ t ,

er palliation 1 „MR, but hit had received
• iFey lam Ole . . it for any reisnnahle prefit
eremolument he might havehad be:ore the passing
i;f this law. When the erisnlirner.t, were elm-
rinted for an additional salary, the public thongh:
that they had Made a cheap, and certainly a sate
La•gain ; but, by the ciindu4l of the -accirsed, b^
t, k care not only that the public should pa..-
rnthing by it, bur that greater advantages shouid
he raten of them. than could have been done by
6.1 f fair profits antecedently to the A 3. Un the
!,:11. of November, in the same year. he different
• 'ass of 110,0001. end 0,0001. were drawn by the
Ts-ran:um of the N ivy from the Bank ; :but of
t".se it appeared, that 1 1,0001. had been inter-
rpttd in its pregresi; aril was, in various ways,
lolly unsatisfaeorily aci,ounteil fot. We shall
rrc attempt to folksy the Learned Manager in
t'.e several itern, of sums which he adverted to.
until he came to the sum of 45.0001. drawn trom
CI. ILA on account of thea'reaturer, of the
I•tart of which the Managers had fo.:nd means
to trace a Bank note of (we believe) 10.)01. pail
ir.:o a banking-house in the city, in payment of
a 1..11 of exchange drawn upon Lord Nlelviile, by
a ,coca of the nanstrerf-Mudie.. ",-"l.lbel44ll4govae -
lt observed, laboured under a petuliar difficulty
ksoLi' c"ndnetinft this prosecution; as they had nn(!'.er evidence to r,isort to. bet the undestroyed
unts and letters 0r Lori &Igrille himr-Ir.
t 3 !the stra.igest thins of all eras, Ciat even iill3.

-.- •
Milli, Iff karaentlving id afford an* exptn a- '
;ion, (tittered, on his part, a solemn protestation
against kt. Their Lrirdships, no &film, would
know hew to appreciate this species of defelsee ;
for.. in his opinion, tlee ohjenions• of Viscount
Mehrillt's counsel to allow the prodtition of his
own accounts, and of his own hand-writing, Af., I
forded the most complete evidence. and coo-1
viajou of his gaily. lie rules of law were
not so mach at variance with those of commuai
sense, as to rejed this proof ; for surely, the same
documents, which. if favourable, would have just
tified the accused, must, when ttrafavourable, be
allowed to operate against him. The Learned'
Manaaer then nitro: irtm a very long and circum-
stantial statement of all the various accounts re-
furred to in the course of the trial. comparing the
official, with the Bank accounts, from day to day,'
&c. The last that he dwelt upon, *as the declar-
ation made by Viscount Melville, in the House of
Commons, that of all the satins of public mon•y-
coming through his hands, as Treasurer of the
Navy, none was applied to other than Naval pur-
poses, except the sum of 10,0001. and in what man-
ner he employed that, his sense of public duty
would prevent him from ever disclosing to that
House, or to any human being. Such a decla-
ration, mole in the face of the ration, within the
walls of du House of Common,, and in the teeth
of an Aft of Parliament. must, if submitted to,
have the preposterous and monstrous effell of put-
ing a public accoaatant above the law, and SU-
rrior to all responsibility. How was this mys-
tery to be unravelled? Was he authorised to
do so by His Majesty, or by any other authority
superior to his own? That he did not deign to
tell you. In this country, there was no man pos-
sessed of public money, far which he was not
accountable. He, however, openly declare a that
he would not account for it. Englishmen always
thought, that the I louse of Commons alone had ,
any power over the public money, and had a
right to inquire into. and infotro itself of the
manner in wnicls it had been appropriated. It
was true, that His Majesty's Ministers, in par.
ticular cases, were allowed the discretion of ea-
pending money in secret services, but then, even,
they were obliged to state. that it AA§ so aapi:ed I
but the present Defendant was above that, he
would give no account; but his own authority,
and called upon the country to be satisfied with
'his Assertion. What! was it for amoment to be
endured, that.a man, in a situatiou in w: ids
,000,anol. of public money was passing
igh- his -hands. tto tell the country, that he
id not be accontitahle for the manner in which
disposed MIL He did not even say, that he
tsposed of it officially, or for any pelsiic pur-
-1 le might, for any thing the public kciew,
employed it for purposes of oppression or ;
corruptiob. or . to desire/ the liberties of the pro:.
pie ; his accuse: s had a right to say so ; and yet.
such wes the declaration which he dared to make.
'fen in the - very Sanctuary of Liberty l=in the •
louse of Commons I Surh was thr,11,4 which,
selefted • for t: e aviakal•of so ear iog, so hors-
ed a doetrioe ! He left no vestiges by-winch the
slication could-be traced; and when called upon
discloshre,'or th give same account; he an-
ed with this manifesto, disclaiming his duty.
4 Auseraig -big. Oafs, autaositv.. and power !
ut what a figure did he'eut; when the sam •man,
who could Cm' glaringly dare Ind have the
Commons of England, crooChed iiil4 shrank, to
•
'awn r...eklilest. a. •Itiuse in
The Learned afitiriager
recapitulate the articles of
chsr,,,e, asai then 'reVerted tutlim first, namely, the
vicpation ht Las Law.—Ajj turned to 1 ursJay.
- • ematma T, WAY 13.
TS l.! Mani •
As tarin as the Court was opened. with the
usual f trmalities. the LOKI> Cuisonsectou called
on the Counts I for the Detendant to pi oceed.
, Mr. PLOWIII then rose, but began in sir low a
' tone of vote, taut we could only near him state,
that, standiag iii such a situation as he then did, lie
stood in rued of all the candour and indulgence
that the (louse conal passthly shew •Inm, as the
ditty which he owed to the Noble Dern font, that
I ittgh Court. and the public, requirad iil the ener-
gies that could be possessed, by .iii ads of mire
capacity than he found himself Ist asesse I of. It
was true, indeed, that he was released from ap-
pre. ettsioos, which, on ordinary occasio s, he
might very j•iatly entertain, as he was convinced
the liberal and enlightened minds of their Lord-
ships, would not be susceptible of those injurious
imptessions, which prevailed amongst the gone=
rainy of the public, by speeches and publications,
prejudging the cause which he had now to advo-
cate. Their Lordships were, no doubt, sensible
of the inequality of the parties now before therm.
The Commons cable to the prosecution, armed
with all the power and authority which justly
belonged to that important branch of the Legis-
lature; and the • Manager.. besides being per-
sons endowed with no otalinary share of learning,
eloquence, industry, and Ability, bad the addi-
tional and important advantage of all the power.
dignity, and authority, that the Comosons of Great
Britain could confer upon them ; but he had, not-
withstanding all this, the corsolation and satisfac.
tim to know, that their Lordship; deci ion would
be made according to the justice and merits of
the ease. Ile then adverted to the Report of the
Naval Commissioneis, which had gone abroad,
and taken possession of the public mind, before the
Noble Defendant could have even been aware of
the injury which his reputation was sustaining,
from the notoriety of the abuses which prevailed
in the department committed to his manage.
meet. After this, it was perfealy fit and proper
that the public should have the matter sifted to
the bottom, and know whether the Noble Viscount,
now upon his trial, had encouraged or employed
them for his own benefit or not. However, be-
fore this inquiry could be made, sine of the first
steps taken, was to strike the Noble Viscount from
the presence. councils, and confidence of his So.
eel-sign, for ever. The Noble Viscount was also
stripped of a:I the afices, power, and influence.
which he might before hare possessed. Levy
obstacle-that could have opposed itself to in-
quiry was spee •ily removed, and witnesses were
examined, from week to week, and from day to '
day ; all the N tble Viscount's papers and corre-
spondence ransacked. and his private dealings
scratisised is vain. for grounds of criminality.—
After stating so mueh, their Lordship, must
think that Cur Noh'e, Detendanr. instead of gentle
vs..: meat, had te:n very hardly deck by. But
las accusers and eits‘mirs did not stop here; foe
.......—....

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epos *eta. •..levAlse first place, then, he would tested of public money, fc
siativehicieerettreivimes of which the NobleV is- accountable. He, however,
colan;arokse3s.ivli, afterwards, the nature of the he would not account for it.
e, ideetdoatc cottilotto the proof of them ; and, thought, that the I louse of
tnallT;.befiwhe coosidered the charges to have any power over the public
been proved. The crime was' that of a wilful right to inquire into, and
violition of tb law, la' the. breach
.of an Ad manner in wnich it had b,
of raillarkiii.. :ad the appropriatioli of the was true, that His Majost)
public ;may to. his ows purposes, both of titular cases, were allowed
vide,* .carte, 'in -fiat, • resolved hate ate and the pending money in secret se:
$ um! imp. It :could. hi no: barddsip to .the they were obliged to state. t
acc 4 tit, Managers rernsil.kirota stubborn but the present Defendan
.511.
and ential fads. _They chatted Shim with would give no account; b
the InisaPpticadon of tOsdfXn. the =miner of em'-' and called upon the conntt
playing,. Whicls, be- hid left them. no • pitssibles 'his ion. What! was
mead troditagl
,Tbe aeciaied liersO possible endured, that.a, man, in
rzessei•fsi‘kis eatilselt. Mad thclawiordainod • .144,000,0n01. of public
that .111 c Agouti( muse Apply the Fab& sibsey but through- his hands.. to to
f•••• put lie portent!, he received an additional ra- would not be accountable fl
Jars `ill tvito;Sensattoss fer not doingso. This was be disposed of ' it. He did
ti- set ition on whichAllisteld•bilteffice. and oto. &posed of it officially, o
tainted an additio ral salarg; and yet it was proved, poses. lie might, for any
herald rite
.passibilittdf ventrAdielion, that he have employed it for par
rec-heed die adifttiettialretakry; and. at the same"' corruption. or .to destroy t
tim iat..4adfcl.i/se..e.ost#ti;il tims tr,bith ketib, , ple ; his accuse:s had a ri
tai ner Altit. 0.4.41:410,.,5a his airsti- such was the declaration IA
•—orslity: it efurilsim to mention, even in the. very darrctuar
thettielaiiiiMAlriltevi,ilatotti:vnts of hitpl.ll Mouse of Commous I Su
.. .
Pr')-$ ' ; Ilfbad . tit,dved.Kftiw, isinnett, .he selefted • for t: e avoical
Jai?
who, gw Aar •an Abstratit from the Jour- faced a donne, ! He left r
psis O? eIi4INII 40'nfueriir;froutn witictrit application cuuldbe traced
a ppealedi VaiiCibi :died liostbStYble Henry fpr a disclosure, or tto give
Druishis•WW‘ise 4 One . s'e-rfriyfra.in't'edsu pre- kvered with ibis manifest'
pare , ~ • !, Jr 4.e4, 404 _asserting -ale title..
.• . i .r.
aw , , s • • '
.e •" . ts.tu ear him out But what a figure did he'c
io us . r"'!" •A. gioderstiOn—to war..44;he ac. wlio could tl•us glaring!
cosed,Asisw • . • • -tOott=liing en, or Commons of Englatid. ci
even fliootioninitotlb •i.. ve - ' dant.biansuit treats 'ate
"J .0111.111111stildildillkilhal sock. ass.• an Aft •.1 Parliament I
sv thus. he 'ci r the cries Orthe INIES3.I. nett proccedeil to recap
.. .