The National Register.
London, England, 1816-05-13 00:00:00

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CIVIL LIST INVESTIGATION.

Mr. TIERNEY, pursuant to notice, rose to move fur a Com-
mittee to inquire into the suite of the Civil List, with power to
call far, and examare persons, paper:, and records. He
nue:deal that the Noble Laud should have deemed it right to
ground his pi (weeding of Friday on papers not before the
House. He had since seen them, and made himself tolerably
well master of their eon tents ; but it would be a peat disad-
vantage to his argument that they were withheld from flue
House. But the Noble Lord not oily chose to withhold papers.
tint he had been tampering with the Jury. In the course of
the morning there had been a alerting at the Noble Lord's
house of certain Members of that House, consistiag of 'base
called independent country Members, fur the purpose of in.
structine them in the views of Government. ( blear, hum.)
He did not complain of these things us decidedly irregular;
but he explained them to shoo the disadvantages under em Lich
lie came to the argument, and the en rvoustiees of Government
upon this particular business. When the Noble Lind and his
friends tilt the private interference of Government to be so
necessary—when they were so anxious to explain and instruct
at a primate meeting at the Noble Lord's house, what else were
such circumstances but symptoms of nervousness and alarm.
( flew, lour.) Although not irregular, it was very like an un-
fair endenvonr to bias those who were to deten JJ ll e upon the
present oc-asion. (Mar.) '1 he Noble LoVel did vim only
justice iu saving that he mast bs desirous of supporting the
proper splendour of the Crm wn— he qnestion helms en them
was, what was the proper splendour of the Crown ? If by the
splendour of the Crown. the Noble Lord meant outside show
and extravagant expenditure, there they must differ; but if;
by the splendour of the Crown, he was to understand that
course mm hieli contributed to character, and the best interests
of the country, the Noble Lord would have his support. Bet
hitherto, notwitledunding the Noble Lord's insinuation or sneer
about calumny, lie must say, from the accounts of the Civil List
which hail been laid before the House, the country had every
thing to fear from the extravagance of the Lord Chamberlain's
department. Alteration alone conk' cure the evil. The Noble
Lord, however, urged, that the extent of the expenditure wa►
rather owing to the circumstances of the country than to the
expenee of the Regent, as not one third (upwards of 400,0001.)
of the expenditure was in the maintenance of the peisonai
splendour otitis Royal Highness. What made this part of the
subject more remarkable was, the Noble Lord's comparison
between our Civil List and that of France. The Noble Lord
was anxious to have it kept in mind, that he had travelli d—
iner, like most young travellers, lie st erred to have brought
home with him nothing but the vices of other countries.—( .4
laugh.)—As the Noble Lord had chosen to ntake such compari-
son, there was one thing further which he might have observed,
how the King of France laid out the. sum granted to supply his
Civil List; for had the Noble Lord gone thus far into his rela-
tion, he would have had to tell the House, that the King of
France, in consequence of the distresses of his sulijeets„ ac.
titally gave back to the people part of the sum with which they
had so liberally provided him. He wished the Noble Lord
could profit by the example. All the difficulties which the
country laboured under were in consequence of the people
having supplied the Crown so long and so liberally, that they
could now scarce keep themselves. As endeavours seemed to
be making to impress the idea that our Royal Family were but
niggardly supplied : he would detail what they received from
the nation. 'flue Windsor establishment was properly sepa-
rated— for that there was granted 280,0001.; namely, 100,0001.
for his Majesty; her Majesty 50,0601. and the four Princesses
130,0001. If there were an honest desire to promote savings,
this expenditure might he considerably curtailed. There were
four Lords of the bed-chamber, Groom of the stole, &e. Where
was the necessity for them, since such spleudid appendages
were useless to his Majesty and the country i To the Prince
Regent there were granted a privy purse, perfectly unencum-
bered, 60,0001. ; addAional allowance, 10,0001.; Duchy of
Cornwall, Ib,oool. ; consolidated fund, 43,0301.; on the whole
1138,0001. The whole detail amounted to 1,040,0001.; and
could that sum, which was wholly set apart from the Royal Fa-
mily, be called niggardly! But now the Civil List chargers
were annually increasing enormously. Fur the present year.
the charges were 1,180,0001. but that sum was lessened to
1,360,0001. ; the estimated expeuee of 1804 was 919,0001.; so
that in those few years there was an excess of ;031,0001. The
average expenditure of the seven years preceding 1511 was
1,10e,0001. hut that for 181 G was 1,360,0001. so that there was
an excess of 2:is,0001. According to the best calculations
which he could make, and he challenged the Subic Lord to
disprove his statements, the-re bad been an SMOU4I excess of
Vis,oool. since the Regency. This evil being likely to continue.
he saw no hope of remedy, except the House could discover
where it lay; and, theretime, he moved for a Coineet lee.
'the motion was opposed by Lord Castlereagh, Mr. Long.
and Mr. Vativittait ; mud supported by Mr. Calcraft and Mr.
C. W. Wy ime.
The House his Wed For the motion, 122—.Againtit it 213
Minority in favorer of hlinistere 01.
Lord CavrtrreEsen brought up the Civil List Regulation
Bill which was read it first, and ord-red to he read a second
time tin Mirada,- next.
On the Report of the Bank Restriction Bill being presented,
Lord Folkstone moved au adjournment.
'The Galleiy ag.uiu cleared isir a division. For it,f,;— against
it 183—Mnjunty I DI. The other busiuess being deposed
the House Adjourned.

TbPSDAY, MAY 7.
GOVERNMENT OFFICES.

Lord ALTTIOR PE moved for a Committee to examire
ileivase and diminution had taken place in the val.+ rev, N".
Of the Reveral Croveinment offices vinee 17Itta, and what pio-
-4 re-v hail in en made towa -
ireuellittent. 'fltat all pos.sibie reduction was iteeevvar, he
I ,dieyed nu one vrottli ; and tit it eiustd. rabic test emr.
cent might viol take place, hr believed, few would ‘lue•-tioit.
Savingv, they might he stmal, would cehviace• the
litorie 1114 liovernitioin and that timbe did um. lanyobe novo