The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1818-04-15 00:00:00

PRINCE REGENT'S MESSAGE.

Immediately after our re-entering the gallery,
which was a work of very treat difficulty, in conse-
quence. or the crowd whom curiosity hurl assembled,
Alr. IV ILBSRFORCE row, and, a* we lerstoott,
inquired of the Noble Lord opposite (Castlereagh)
whether he iLietirled to proceed immediately to
more for a C.unniittee on the Prince Regent's
Message; so, ill that ea.r, he (11r. Wilberforce)
would postpone a notice of his, which stood for the
presto, evening.
Lord CASTLEREAGH Said, it wea his intention
to propose that the Older of the Day for going into
I Coutinittee no the Nlessage should be real, with
a tie* to the rte.tiameatelit of ii.—(Shnuis pt.
Ili ir frorri ell rides V the Muse, which coati-
Need for several struarli.)
nit. Order of the Day was then read.
Lead CASTLIRI, ALM moved—" That the Coos-
In'ttre be postponed till to-morrow."
Mr. BROUGHAM 1.:1141, when be took the liberty,
"" 'he preceding *veiling, to
lew tateder.ite, and, lie thought, cullstitu-
tloinirspresssitinr, to the AlldresS to the Throne,
;he Lbw' ration was Met, lii thlrerestt parte of that
itot*.y *de__ .1 li
le
_by. I,ee,, :es opposite—sod by his Dom
fiends below km, to whobc authority he .was

more disposed to bow—with a declaration, that it
was contrary to precedent. His Hon. Friends
agreed with him. its principle, and were anxioes to
place, on the face of the Address, • stateineut of
the necessity of economy, in any grant that might
be nestle. They said, however, they could not
adopt it, merely because it wait calamity to the
received practice in such Cases. The precedent
usually billowed in Addresses to the Throne, ill
'ower to Royal Messages,. was cited against his pro-
position--aad he was told, that his Amendment
could not he agreed to, in consequence of the prin. I
(aide that had been long adopted. But what was
the conduct of the Noble Lord ? Ile now came I '
down to the Howse, mud deviated from all precedent.
—The Noble Lord moved, that int order should
be postponed, for taking into consideration, on the
day on which the House had directed it should be
taken into consideration, • Message from the
Throne, an Amendment to which Nlessiii,e pro- .1
posed yesterday by him, was negatived, merely be-
cause such a proceeding was utiuthal.—(Near,
hear.)—The reason why those forms were necessary
wa-, because they were founded on a dile respect to I
the Throne—because they origniated in that re- I
spectfitl attention which was owing to every thing !
that proceeded from that quarter, whether hi the i '
shape of is Speech or of a Message. And snitch
wigs sacrificed in debate. coil in consideration, I
for the propose of coinciding in this principle,
and *hewing decorous 'mention to common.
cancels of this nature. This was evident—for they
were often called on promptly to deliver their rya. i
Mon, where delicate and critical matters would, under
other circumstance*, have called for deliberate se-
rious investigation. They acted, on those occasion.,
thus promptly, lyecause the bustaess came recom- •
mended to the manner to which he had alluded.
The plain English of the present proceediog
too ()brio'', to allow it to remain secret for one se-
cowl to any person who wished to discover it. A
Noble Lord, a Member of another House,. met ;
standing at the head of his Majesty's
a private room—iii a manner contrary to the spirit !
of the British Constitution—in a way which was j
against all practice, but which no man, eveu if die
practice esisted, could defend on that ground—
thought
fit to meet a select body of the Members
of this House—(Hear.)--Fie understood the
party consisted, in general, of most respectable
country gentlemen—of gentlemen, whose liberality
of conduct, and whose general tendency of princi.
plc, to support Government, where they could at
all support it, were perfectly well known to the
Noble Lord. One or two of those gentlemen, lie
hail been informed. were not of the description he
had stated. Au Hon. Member of die learned pro.
fessiou to which he was attached, was, he under-
stood, included in this selection. (The Learned
Gentleman alluded, we believe, to Sir S.
This looked as if the Noble Lord felt a doubt upon I
the aubject—this appeared as if Ministers wished
to feel their way before they came to a decision.—
(Hear, hear.)—Muay Gentlemen were excluded
from that favoured body—but why that principle
of exclusion was adopted, after the principle of
selection had been acted en so widely as he had
stated, he was at a loss to conceive. There war a
full atteudasice of the country gentlemen, who
were much respected, and wlio were to be feared by
the Minister on account of their weight. To theta
a disclosure of a most delicate stature was made—a
disclosure which was refused to that House. wheel
lint that House asked it.—(Hear, hear.)-11. suds
.aretitigs as this were to be allowed—if Parliament
were to he *deist when they heard of ouch as-
oemblies—it was • mockery to proceed to
a debate in the House of Commons.—( Heor.)—
The debate might go on—the result of the diviaiou
might be declared by the Speaker from the Clear—
but, in point of fact, the matter was previously
settled elsewhere.—/Near.)—How settled ? By
private means—by practicing. on Members of that
House in withal* ways—(Hear)—which lie had,
constitutionally speaking, a right. to suspect Go.
'eminent of a wish so to do, when they proceeded
in such a course.—(Hear.)—The preliwivary de-
bate was carried on in silence—and in silence and
darkness the feelings of particular individuals was
ascertained. If Ministers found that the majority
was so commanding that they were sure of carrying
their measure, the House would hear nothing more
of the transaction. unless by some unaccountable
mistake, like that which fortunately occurred yes-
terday, the busisidss came to be initiced.--;
It was it mockery to talk of legislation. tf such pri-
rate debates were permitted. Not having an op.
portunity before of fully speaking on this subject,
he now rose to enter his protest against such an
unconstitutional practice. He could not let it
'sacs, with a proper regard to the discharge of his
parliamentary duty. But it seemed Lord Liver-
pool had mistaken the sense of this secret inert.
ing. The astonishineut and silence of the pow
ties assembled at it, had. somehow or others
beeu taken for assent—(Hear, hear, hear/—bay
no sooner had those Gentlemen come to the
public and known House of Commons, than they
opened their months, and, one alter another, they
all declared (what tended to the no small confusion
of Mittioteni)—that it war a propoaitiou so extrava-
gant. that they could not possibly concur in it.—
(Hear, hear.)—One miter another they made this
declaration—and, although his I,earned Friend
below him—(Mr. M. A. Tay lor)—detied any one of
them to state that he was an except. to this rule—
not one of them rose in his piece and amid, " I agreed
in the proposition made at the Earl of Liverpool's-4
dissented from the independent Gentlemen who met
there." But, he understood other meetings had
taken place there—and that there had been more
feeling of pulses—(heer, hem.)—He had • right
to believe, as no auspicious result attended the
first tri...eting, that others would be sought. And
now another delay was required, not that more
pulses should lie felt—but that arts might be used,
and unconstitutional practicer resorted to, in order
to get over those Gentlemen, whose honesty stood
recorded by their conduct lust night.—(Hear.)—
If the House passed over this proceeding of Mini-
sters, they would tacitly agree in the practices of
the Noble Lord. He had called on the House to
sanction, indirectly, what he knew he could not
directly propose.—(llear.)—He should, therefore.
take the liberty of moving, if the motion of the
Noble Lord were disposed of by 31 negative, which
he could trot help believing the House would have
the virtue, firmness. and consistrocy, to give, he
would, in that event, wove a Resolution, so con-

stitutional in its nature, and, at the same tiir.c, in
language so respectful m►d temperate towards the
parties out of door., whose interests it was meant to
touch, at Would, he doubted not,, meet the general
concurrence of Holton relate Meambers--(ticar.)
Lord CASTERREAMI did Not /!Pan to trouble the
Howse with many observations en this ocesikion.
The Learned Gentleman got up for the purpose nf
priite.tilig monist a practice—which lie loudly in-
veighed utmost—as if the right of any tiumbir of
Members, to ilehlienite out of that [Douse, was a
practice tow for the first time known. not the
Learned Member was for ever in the habit of throw-
hog out ideas of this kind, which differed entirely
from long-established enstom. He (Lord Castle-

reagh) apprehended, that if Members were pre-
vented from meeting out of the Hoose—if they were
debarred born fleeting Minietere, for the purpose of
preserving the purity of the House of Common,—
his Majesty's Government would find themselves
very little in n eituation to propose measures either
wise in themselves or likely to meet with the con-
currence of Parliament.—(Hear, hear.)—He there-
fore entered a couuter-protest against this new con-
stitutional doctrine—this new constitutional light—
which had broken in on the mind of the Learned
Cetitlemais -for, not to allow such meeting would
be unreasonable and unwise. With respect to the
ground csii which the House last eight negatived the
Learned Gentlemen's proposition, lie never under-
otond that it was because his Amemidmemit was a-ou-
tfit), to parliamentary practice. It was on this
distinct ground, Mist the sentiment coutained in
the proposition was of a nature which the House
was riot called on to entertain. %Vile was the sen-
timent That the House would consider every
measure. in the nature of a grant, with a view to
the burdens which now pressed on the people. It
wus a bad compliment to the Throne to give such a
it was whiilly unnecessary.—(Hear,
hear.)—The Learned Gentleman appeared to in-
sionate, that the ',resent postponement was moved,
fur the purpose of etiatlilisig Ministers to practise
on Member. of that I louse. —(Heat. hear, heir. J
He seemed to think that it was lii the power of his
Majesty's Ministers to carry on practices—to exert
influence—to have recourse to arts--.-160 as to win
over those, who, by their latignagr, and by their
votes, on the preceding evening, had expressed their
general sentiments. lie thoti4lit the Learned
Gentleman might have had is fetlieg, both towards
the House mid the Goveriiineut, that would have
led him to put it more true amid a more liberal
interpretation on their ((Polito. —I Hear, hear.)—
But it was perfectly in unison with a conduct lie
had so often before pursued, of throwing out any
thing which might calumniate or vilify the Admi-
nistration of the country, which happily' had so long
enjoyed the confidence of the House of Composts.
—( !fear, hear.)—But it was Dilly one of those in-
stances of assumption which had so repeatedly cha-
racterised the argumentative veracity of that Learn-
ed Gentleman in that House. He should, without
further wasting the time of the House, in replying
to these unfounded assumption., content himself
with moving, that time cousiderution of the Message
be postommed Until ti-morrow, when he should have
the honour to submit to the Nouse the grounds
upon which his Majesty's Minister. toad proceeded
in their advice to his Royal Highness, in a rummer
which lie hoped would he satisfactory to the House
and the country, and shew that his Majesty's Mi-
nister* had discharged their duty both to the Crown
and the public.—( Hear, hear.)
Mr. TIERNEY—If the object of his lion. and
Learned Friend's speech had been, as it had been
said, merely to vilify his Majesty's Government, he
must confess lie bad taken very unnecessary paiiia,
as there never yet had existed a ministry whit h had
taken such pains to vilify and degrade itself iii the
eyes of the Parliament amid time country as the pre-
aro Administration—(Loud cheering and laugh-
, ter )--nor ever. in his tecollectiou, had there been
so much time taken up with more success to exhibit
Ministersin a degraded and contemptible situation.
---(lieur.)—This he spoke advisedly, us lie had
decided in his own mind that no other words in the
English lauguage could serve the purpose of coo-
veyitig what he, amid every other Man of sound
judgment its time liouse, thought their conduct
siterited.—( Hear, hear.)—lt had been said by
the Noble Lord that the practice pursued on n late
occasion was by no wrens unconstitutional. Ti tie
it was that meetings of Menilsers of Perliament were
sometimes cotivetied with respect to Bills affect-
ing any particular trade, or professional or mer-
cantile interest ; but then they were always se-
lected for the purpose of advising what mem-
sures should he adopted, and were the persons
best skilled in the trade or profession to be affect-
ed. In this ...Ina there was a wide difference, be-
cause the MC:ISUre was of a general nature, and
therefore ouglit not to have been submitted to any
select body of the douse, before it had been sub-
mitted to the House itself. But here the Minis-
ters appear to have advised his Royal Highness,
and settled in their minds what was to be tne na-
ture of the proposition about to he laid before the
House. But previous to the meeting at Lord Li-
verpool's, some rumour, it appears, had reach-
ed the ears of those wise !Ministers, who began
to suspect that the. proposition would not be
agreeable even to the faithful few which were
about to be collected at the !Minister's house.
The purpose, therefore, of this !Weeding was, to
re-consider the proposition. As there were but few
Members in that lesser (louse of Common', it
would only have been fair that there had been
fitted up a gallery for the Mot of the Members to
see at least what was going Loud laughing.)
—.But that, to be sure, was not very metered, as
there was no debate, it turned out to be a Quaker's
Meeting.—( Hear, and langhter.)—lt was true,
they said, that Lord Liverpool did snake a speech,
and rather a long one, but Ito approbation folloeril
it ; and etlopting the ordinary rule, that ',deuce
gives coasted, he supposed they would give their
assent to the proposition iu the House. The inn.
ment, however, these selected Gentlemen found
themselves in the air of this Howie, which, to be
sure, was a very different atmosphere from that of
Fife House, they, one after the other, avowed
their dissent. Now there certainly was no titan
more disposed to give those Gentlemen credit for
manly principles, supported in a manly manner,
than he was. He therefore would give teem their
mend of applause, whether Whig* or Tories, fur
manitemin; what in their conscience timey felt
themselves called upon to avow. The result of all

this wir,, th',.t tile Noble Lord first called on the
House to wait for twenty-four hours, and now he
i found toie.zeiteary to tuake it forty-eight. But
what resents had been given for this delay None
at all. He had merely said, Wait till to-morrow
and I will tell your why you should postpone
10-111oft0w-I's-(Laughirig.)—The real truth was,
that be hod to go mid seek advice amongst the
rest of Ilia colleagues ; and such a situation as his
between his colleagues awl the House was one
truly to hr.. eotnmiserateti. In that steeling (for it
h.id all come out since) it htd been proposed that
the Duke of Clarence should receive an additional
income, rendering his total income equal t o 40,0001.
with an outfit 410,0001. The Duke of Kent was
to receive 12,000/. so as to make his total income
30,0001, per annum, with 12,000/. as an outfit ;
the Duke of Counlierland—(Reiterated shouts of
hear, hear, hear)—to receive an additional 1=2,000/.
per pontoon, croaking his income 30,0001. with au
outfit of 12,000/.; and the Doke of Caniltridge'a In-
come to he augmented to 30,000/. a year by so addi-
tional vote of 12,000/. a year, soul 12,000/. at au out-
fit, making a total of 116.000/. to be granted during
the first year, at a time when the country is so ill
able to make good its present tares. He could not
help believing that his Royal I-Ugliness the Prince
Regent thought the advice given him was perfectly
right, and such as should be acted upon--that the
Ministers imagined tut'. that these illustrious per-
sons could nut maintain state and dignity in the
situations to winch they were or might be placed,
here or in foreign couutries,'on a more economical
scale. But after admitting all this, did it not clear-
ly appear that the Noble Lord had thus incautious-
ly advised has Royal Master, and NS soon as he had
found the proposition initial:veldt, then had de-
serted him ?—(Hear.)—txrept they now abandon-
ed the soma proposed, what was the object of their
putting off the discussion ? They flattered them-
selves they might now, after proposing a greater,
propose a lest sum—and yet such Men could
talk the last evening of his Hon. Friend's motion
destroying the system of administration. Could
they be even accused of haying any sy•tem ? Only
(•aitl lie) look at the Bench and set if tiny thing
like system can proceed from such a strange, hely-
rogeneoue, and discordant body as that Belie!) pre.
rents.—(Hear, hear, and continued laughter.l—
only system was this—try one thing. and if
that won't du try another. He twist say be felt for
the situation of the Noble Lord ; he had much
commiseration for one who, in the ryes of Foreign
Nlsuisters, had assutued is character of importance
and resputitobility, resembling that of a Sovereign
rather than a Mmi•ter—when he found that Noble
individual at a loss in the House to know what he
could or might tin, with reference to the wishes of
others not in that House, he anticipated some ad-
vantages from the delay, snd hoped the longer such
delay the more the Noble Lord would moderate his
proposition. So far was even well. He should wait
pant-oily till to-morrow. But of one thing he was
convinced, that nothing would satisfy any honest
man no or omit of that House, or quiet the minds of
the people of this country, except a total abandon-
ment of the proposition altogether.—( Loud cheer-
lag.)
Lord FOLKSTON e was snrinised to have heard so
much last night of the necessity respecting the
forms of proceeding in that House, and this night
witnessing nothing but attempts at violating all
order and precedent, by the very parties so tuition,
to preserve It last night. He could not sufficiently
reprob or the proposition fur deferring the discus-
snot to another evening.

The question WEIS then put, and carried without
division.

The Gaol Chaplains Bill was read a second time,
and, MI the motion of Lord FOLKSTONE, ordered
to be printed, mid committed on Friday next, after
u few words from General THORNTON*