The National Register.
London, England, 1817-02-03 00:00:00

THE NATIONAL REGISTER.

ing to them for the preservation of that Constitution of which
they had been deputed the guardians. The Noble bird
expressed his conviction, that the I r.mse would not disappoint
the hems and expectations, either of his Rival Highness, or
the people. He again expressed his high satisfaction at the
commimicatnnt of his Royal Highness, and concluded by
luau Mg an Address, which was, as usual, an echo of the
Speech.
Mr. Dawson seronikil the Address. The substance of
this !lon. Member's speech was Utc same as that of the
mover. He conelnded by declaring the satisfaction he felt
in seconding the Address proposed by the Noble Lord.
he %ddres• was then read from the Chair.
Mr. Poxso BY, in differing flout many topics urged by the
Mover and Seconder or the Addres-, had no desire whatever
to increase the despondency which existed to such an extent
in the country. He agreed folly with the Address on the
sobject of the Expedition to Algiers, and on the late War in
India. lie also agreed, that the fate of tire country was in-
deed in the hands of the Parliament ; and feeling that to he
the case, he should have-to make some o:isers al ions on the
present Speech as delivered from the Throne ; and he should
also have to desire the Clerk to read two iniragraphs from
the Speech from the Throne at the commencement of last Ses-
sion.

The Clerk then read the paragraphs in the Speech of last
Session.
Mr. PostsoNßY resumed. He wished now to be understood
as speaking of the Speech only as the speech of Ministers.
lie wished now to ask, how It the assertion, that one ma-
nid*actures were Ilontishing, t limed ont ? and, with respect to
erouomy and retrenchment, he would ask, it' any one mea-
sure had been imposed by Ministers? and further, he would
ask, had out every measure of retrenchment proposed by.
others been opposed by them? After this what faith could
be placed in speeches from the Throne?2/I:nr, hear!—The
Mover find Seconder, on the present occasion, had been
most confident in asserting that our present difficulties were
only temporary, as arising out of temporary causes. He was
persuaded he should, before lie sat down, be able to show
them the contrary was the fact. The Right lion. Gentleman
then proceeded to take a review of our finances, and coo.
tended that they were exhatided. Our Consolidated Fund
had no longer a surplus. And with respect to keeping our
faith with the public ereolitor, the only incaas of doing so had
been destroyed ; he meant the Sinking Fund. A sinking fund
must be a fund which enabled a nation, or an individual, to
pay off somuthing of his debt. We had no such sinking fund,
we had, indeed, no sinking cued ; for, if in order to pay oft
10,000,0001 from one source, we were obliged to borrow
10,000,0001. firma another, he defied any one to say this was
paying uhf from a sinking fund. It was no such thing --nei-
ther was there a temporary difficulty—the real difficulty
under which we were labouring was excessive taxation. It
WAS the ditty of the Parliament at this time to speak truth to
the people. It was also the duty of the House, and of Go.
vernment, to adopt every possilde economy and retrench-
ment. The House must show the people they were deter-
mined to do their duty. The only way to preserve the con-
tidence of the people in the House, would be fur the House
to show by its conduct that they were determined not to trust
the management of the public parse to his Majesty's Minis-
ters, let them be who they may. This would be the only way
of preserving the confidence of the people. With respect to
relief, where were the people to look for it ? Why, to the
House; and he trusted they would not he disappointed. He
understood Ministers had come to the determination now to
make some reduction in the public expenditure. He hoped
he had heard what was true; but he regretted much that they
had not sooner come to this determination. He heard nothing
of retrenchment, however, till near the meeting of Parlia-
ment:—why had not the general cry of the public been at-
tended to, and Parliament called together earlier There
could be but one reason ; and that was, that Parliament was
troublesome to the Rt. Hon Gentleman and his colleagues.
The Right Hon. Gentleman concluded by stating, that it was
necessary, if the House wished to preserve the confidence of
the people, that they should prove their determination to
deserve it, by looking most closely to the public expenditure
in its minutest branches; if' they did this, he was eouvinced
the people would still confitie in their representatives. With-
out •neli conduct on the part of the House, he was persuaded
that all confidence between them and the people would
cease. The Right Hun. Gentleman concluded by reading
the following Amendment, which was to succeed ituinediately
ittleis the two first paragraphs of the Address:—
" That we have seen with the deepest concern the cont. -
ell embarrassments of our agriculture, mannfictures, and
commerce, the alarming deficiency of the revenue, and the
unexampled distress of all classes of his Majesty's faithful
subjects.
"'that we are willing to indulge the hope that these dis-
tresses may be found to have originated in part from etre -
stances a a temporary nature, and that some alleviation of
them may lie produced by the continnatiou of peace ; bat
that we should ill discharge our duty to Ins Royal Highness,
and be guilty of countenancing a must Oangerous delusion,
were we to conceal front him our opinion, that the pressure
which now weighs so heavily 0.1 the resources of the coun-
try is much more extensive in its operatMit, more general in
its causes, more severe in its effects, and more diffividt to be
removed, than that which has prevailed at the termination of
any former war.
"That we are firmly persuaded that the same exemplary
patience and fortitude with which all ranks have hitherth
borne the difficulties under which they labour, trill cotainee
to support them tinder such !milieus as may be foam' indis-
pensably necessary for the mud oida ble exigencies of the pub-
lic service; but that to maintain this disposition, it is incum-
bent on this House, by a severe and s drilant exercise of its
powers, to prove to their fellow-subjects that the sacrifices
wh'el, it may be died painful duty to make, are strictly limit-
ed .o the real necessitiesof the State.

"That while we acknowledge the gracious disposition an-
nounced in his Royal I licitness's Speech from the Throne, we
cannot help expressing our regret that his Royal Highness
silo old not have been advised !Owner to adopt measures of the
most rigid economy and retrenchment, particularly with re-
spect to our Military Establishment ; that to prompt and effec-
tual reduction in this, and every other branch of our expen-
diture, his Majesty's Mithful COIIIIIIOII% mast moor:Illy look,
as the first step to relieve the guttering, and redress the
ViClianecs of which the people so justly complain ; and that
to citable themselves to assist Isis Royal HLltitess by their
advice in the perform:wee of a ditty so imperiously called for
by the present situation of the country, that they will lose no
time in instituting a strict inquiry into the state of the mi.
tion."

Stich were the slew% he wished the IToivie to adopt; and
lie trusted, front a beast; of their duty to llicuiscl% es laud the
public, they would adopt them.

Mr. BATHeR,T expressed his surprise at the apeerh of tl,e
lilt Hon. Gentleman, who heal now adverted to the Speech
e 4 the last Session and compluiwed tha• the tilescription there
given of the state of the country did not now apply. Did not
the :tight Hon. Gentleman recollect that things had changed,
their sitnation ? With respect to the other paragraph of the
Speech' of last Session, the same answer wroth/ apply to that ;
and it' the House was not satisfied' with what had been done
by Ministers last Session, be wished the Right Hon. Gentle-
man wotildlhave looked to the Speech, and he would then find
that his Royal Highness strongly recommended to the House
to enter early into an investigation and' consideration of the
state of the maim). Did the Right Hon. Gentleman suppose
his Majesty's Ministers would have introduced such a recom-
mendation into she Speech from the Throne, unless they bad
been prepared to meet the House on the sabject %
Mr. Lyme declared himself very little inclined to de-
spondency; yet he saw very little in the Speech to congra-
tulate himself upon. One part of it he considered its highl♦
objectionable; and that was, the paragraph which imputed
the difficulties we were at present labouring under, not to the
long emilitimince of the war, lint to its termination.

Mr. C. GRANT coincided in opinion with the Right Him.
Gentleman, and adotit►e(l tluit the distresses experienced by
the agrienitural interest were also equally entitled to the t•oe.
sidei ation of the 'loose. What was the state of the nation
during the war in the latter respeet ? The effect tats this,
that an impulse was given to iftricitltnre, by the difficulties
thrown in the way of importation. 'Prosperity of course fol•
lowed. A state of peace, however, altered the prosperous
situation of that branch of matinfacture of the State; but
the Corn Bill would be the means of restoring the former
state of the agricultural interest. Adverting to the notice in
the Speech, respecting the ili,affiTtion, the Hon. Gentleman
observed, that the people in general were disposed to loyalty,
but certainly there were others who were not so.
At this partof the Hon.Gentlem.in's speech, two messengers
from the Lords appeared at the Bar, with a communication,
being admitted to the Table—they stated, that they were
commanded by their Lordships, to desire a present roofer-
puce with this Millie, in the Painted Chamber, en a sultteet
materially affecting the safety of his Royal Highness ow
Prince Regent, and the honour and dignity of Partiamenth
and were directed to inform the tionse, that in the absence
of the usual messengers, they, the Clerk Assistant, and Read-
ing-clerk were deputed to convey the Message.
Mr. VANSITFAI,T then moved that the House do agree to a
conference, and that Lord Binning do carry the ansuer to the
Lords.

On the return of the Noble Lord, Managers were named to
hold the conference.

On their return from holding the conference, Mr. Vallon,-
TART stated to the House, that their Lordships had informed
them, that ses eral daring °inners had been committrd on
the person of the Prince Regent, on his passaee from tlw
House of Parliament, and that they had agreed in an Ad.
dress to his Royal Highness on the occasion, and had directed
the Managers of the conference to communicate to this
House the name of the witness who had proved the oat.
races ' • which ass, the Right Hon. James Murray, commonly
called Lord James Murray.
The Right lion. Gentleman then moved, that the message
from the Lords he now taken into consideration.

Mr. C. WYNNE widied to know what course the Right
Hon. Gentleman intended to adopt, in respect of the debate.
Mr. VANSIMKT observed, that the House would better
consult the respect due to the Crown by not proceeding any
farther in the debate this afternoon, and would therefore
move, that it be adjourned till to-morrow.
The motion was agreed to.
_ _

Here the commiideation of their Lordships was read by
the Speaker froin the Chair, together with the Address agreed
upon by their Lordships to his Royal Highness the Prince
Regent, in the followilez words:—
" SIR—We, his Mejesty's dutiful and loyal subjects, the Lords
Spiritual and Temporal in Parliament assembled, beg leave to ad-
drois your Royal Highness upon the subject of the transaction of this
day, and cannot sufficiently express our abhorrence of the daring and
atrocious outrage which has this day been committed against the
Person of your Royal Highness; we arc deeply concerned to per-
ceive, that any person could be found so desperate and flagitious as
to perpetrate against your Royal highness an offence so atrocious in
its nature.

66 We, your Royal Highness's dutiful and loyal House of Lords.
Spiritual and Temporal, entreat your Royal Highness, in which we
feel we shall be most heartily joined by all well-disposed persons in
the aammunity,that you will use your utmost endeavours to discover
and bring to justice all partita concerned—the actors, adders, and
abettors, in this daring and unprecedented outrage."
Mr. VA NSirr aRT then moved, that Lord James Murray
be railed in and examined to the fart stated in the Address.
Lord J. t v was then called to the bar; and in answer
to certain questions put to him by the Chancellor of the Ex-
chequer, Mr. Cortyini, 51r. Wynne, and some other members,
stated, that lie is a Lord of the Bedchamber to the Prince Ile.
gent, :rid was in attcodinice on his Royal Highness in the
carriage on their paisage from the House of Lords; on their
return, between Carleton hone and St. James's, the glass of
the carriage was fractured: it was the glass...on the Prince's
lett hand.—The fracture appeared to be produced by two
bullets, for mind apertures had been made in the glass, and
the remainder of it was not broken Im had not the slit:West
donlit the fracture was causal by bullets. About a Minot(
after this happene4, a %cry large stone was thrown at the
ia:o.r glass, mid then due.. or lour other stones, ts itli _teat
violence : lie had exaniiii.:l the first glass Oat Iva, brokt as
minutely. : there was no crowd mite the carriage at the time:
but it' a pistol hail liven tired with gunpowder, the persist
firing it, lie thanks, must hay.. been recogisizeil : he supposed,
as nu report was by him, they might come trout an air-
gnu. 't hi re were no bullets luuud in the carriage; lie sup-
posed they were shot from one of the trees: the opposite glass
was op. it was not broke at all; he got nut of the carriage
immediately after tile Tenure Regent; did not search the
earl i.me, nor did he know whether any Indicts were found
at the bottom of it. 'lie Al:Aster of the Horse was in the car-
riage; splinte.s of the glass were found the stone which
struck the opposite glass did not enter the eat riage; the glass
was s -ry 11111 k.
In answer to 3 question from Lord Mti.vox, the wittiest
said, that this Royal Highness sat io the middle, butt% n the
)faster of the Ilurse and the witness. 1 ho stone smashed
the window and pounded the glass, which was remarkably
thick. '!'here was a footman and a lite guardsiii in by tIM
side of the carriage. I fe could not say whether the supposed
bullets ties forated any part of the carriage.
'I he w does, having withdraw Mr. tNSITTAPT ronrck eel
that no tirttlier infortnation imuld he neeeis:try, fluter the tr.
tinintly they had jilt hi:. ud, to 110.11,• t u eqthat

in the Address.—Thur, hear!—He therefure moved that the
Address be read.

Mr. PONSONOV observed, there could be hut one sent'.
went in the House ea the subject. in respect to the propriety
of concorring in the Address.--hear, hew I—Whether a pis-
tol hail been tired or nut, was of no consequence, and could
have no Whit nee on the decision of the House.

The Address was then agreed to,ricut.

WEDNESDAY, JAN. 29.

The metnbets, at iht!l-past two o'clock, went up with the
Address ou the happy escape of the Prince Regent; and the
House adjourned till five o'clock.
• At the Litter hour, on the I louse being resnmetl,

LOlll CtICIIKANt: rose, and stated, ...lilt 111.7 held in MS hand
a Petition from Bristol, signed by te0,701.1 persons. After
making some observations, he presented the petition. It
stated the distresses of the country—the numerous bankrupt-
cies in the Gazette—the starving population, and many other
matters el a similar nature and prayed for radical reform.
It was laic! oil the table.

Lord Cucu RANI: presented a similar Petition front Quick,
in the township of Sadilkworth, iii Yorkshire: it charged the
Parliament as not beitig the legal Represeutatives of the
wople, tee.
Mr. VANSITTART WojeCtrd to this petition lying on the
table; lie considered it to be a libel on the House.
Lord COCHRANE did not hear one word of libel in it; but
the Right Hon. Gentleman was nearer to the Clerk than him
set, and he might hear it better.
The ArroasEY•Getsreiar. contended, that the petition,
from beginninl to cud, was a connived, determined, and
deliberate: Ebel on the House.—( Mar, hear.)
Mr. BROUGHAM denied that the petition was as set forth
by the Hon. and Learned Getitleman--" a determined and
deliberate libel on the prisileges of Pailiamcnt." He dis-
sented from the doctrines of this petition ; he was an enemy
to universal suffrage, which would tend to the overthrow of
the Constittition.—( Hour, hear!)—Bin he was a friend of
Reform, and the advocate fur Amendment; therefore he did
not wish to be mixed up in the general doctrines broached
on this and similar petitions. With respect to Parliamentary
Ramo, it should not be said, that because those who argued
in favour of Pal liamentary Reform were of opinion that the
nation wai not properly represented, and therefore stated
that opinion, that they were libelling the privilege's of Par-
liament. it would be better fire the opposers of these doc-
trines to meet the petitions by reasons; and therefore he
should so pi,ort the petition.
Mr. CANNING was disposed to admit, with the Hon. Gen-
tlest in, that to state that this House does not represent the
people, was a sort of language which might call fo• an answer;
but when these petitioners went on to state that, by not being
represented, the Constitution was suoverted—what was that,
but an incitement to resistance, and a stet towards rebellion?
(Hear, hear!)—He maintained that for a century past no one
bad (west toned the right of this House as the representatives
of the nation; and at least if the petitioners had complaints
to make, they w ere not to insult the House.
The House divided -Ayes XlB--Noes 136 Majority against
it 87.—The Petition of coarse was rejected.
Lord COCHR ANE presented another Petition similar in
language to the former, from another town in Yorkshire.
Mr. VANSITTANT observed, that, after the rejection of the
last Petition, the !loose would not be surprised if this should
be deemed entitled to the same Cite. The language was the
same, and appeared dictated by the Sallie spit it.
Lord CocwieAVE justified the language ot• the Petition, and
maintained, that cotruptiou was too much supported. Fo•
instance, he would state how he was first returned to Parlia-
ment; he came from sea with plenty of Spanish money, which
he had foolishly expended in getting returned to Parliament
for the But (nigh of Honitou. But how had he been returned?
Wliy, in this way; the bellman of the town went about
ringing his bell, and calling upon the electors to conic for-
ward, and receive each 101. 10s. They were invited to call
upon Mr. Townshend, at his bank, which they did, obtained
their motley, and then he was elected.—(Heor, hear!)—The
fact was so notorious, that in certain places, for money, they
would return to Parliament either Lord Camelfuld's black
servant, or a great dog.
Mr. CANNING SU 4SeAted to the Noble Lord to withdraw the
Petition, and get the objectionable passages removed.
The Noble Lord acqui,,sced in the suggestion, and stated,
that he would inform the petitioners that it was the opinion
of the BOti,e,
The Petition was then withdrawn.

The Noble Lord then piese•nted a Petition from Ashton-
under-Line, in which the petitioners, disclaimed hying "ac-
tuated by feelings of asperity or motives of revenge" in
stating their grievances, which might have been avoided it'
the " w:iole people had been in the House." The prayer
was to the preceding ones.
The Petition was received, and laid on the table.
Lord CounnAan presented t similar Petition front the
town of Oldham, in Lancashire, which was read and ordered
to lie on the table. The Noble Lord also presented one from
Aslitoo under-Line, which the clerk was proceeding to read,
when

Mr. VAastrtanr observed, a Petition had already been
pri voted by the Noble Lord front the same place, and
rereuved.

Lord Cociirinsie said, this Petition would be found to con-
tain additien4l matter.

TLe Petition was then read, and, being found similar to
the last, was rejected bs a dirge majority, as were some
others presented by hi• Lordship.
Lord tMlu.•run wished to know if there was any truth in
the report which had gone abroad, of the Secretaries to the
Admiralty having received their salaries at the war allowance,
on account of the expedition to Algiers. It lie received an
answer in the alfu mat's' e, he should then hays: to submit
a motion on the subject. . _ .

Mr. CHOKER had no hesitation in stating, that during the
time the expedition lasted the Secretaries did receive a war
salary. It the Noble Lord intended to bring forward his
notion, he had no apprehensions hot be should be able to
answer hint satisfactorily.
:les.Axv::: informed the House. that the Honse had
this tla been up with the Address of Congratulation to the
Prince Regent on his escape; and that his Royal Highness
had returned a most gracio as answer, timid:Mg the Commons
for tin., new proof of their attachment, and informing them
that steps would immediately be taken for discovering the
permit ~tors of this outrage oil public decorum.
Nit.. W. Wv then rose to call the attention of the House
to a certain distinction assumed by the Lords in the confer.
swe which took place yesterday in the Painted Chamber.
It had, on all former occasions, been usual for the Lords at a

• .
conference to it cowered on one hide of the table, mid the
CuninEnis to stand tincovetril nil tie oth,.r ; this distinction
yod ahr43-3 been tccoly given to the Lords; but at the con-