The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1820-05-06 00:00:00

•
to sheer that evil had been committed. Would
they not. then allow some alteration which should
prevent the recurrence of this foul stain upon the
national character, sod take away the power from
conspiring rivals to continue such► a stigma T Let
those funds be taken away from under their pe-
lican control and an adequate compensation be
made ; there were authorities for it, as he had
sliewn. He had before mentioned the Act of
Henry VIII. to limit the revenue of the church ;
then there was the lids of Charles 11. by wl►ich
.• Wardship, Purveyance, Knight Service, and
other remain* of feudal revenues," 'by which the
Crown took Id. per h►rrel fur sole, stud !s. per Cal-
lon for whiskey. The preamble of that Act was
peculiarly worded; it stated, that these revenue.
having been found much more, burdensome to the
public than profitable to the state, &c. Theo the
Satr►te of Anne, by which first fruits and tithes li
were given up. Lastly, there was the property of
old stores surrendered in 1805. Ile had omitted
to mention that the 41 per cent. West India duty
was not to be viewed in the same light as the Droits
of the Crown. Dow, or in what progress Of abuse
or laxity they clime to be vested in the Cro-su, he
could not then say. They were grauted by
the Psrliatinsit of Balbadoes for similar purpnara
in 1663, and were to be applied to the build-
ing of public works and repairing the Courts.
By degrees they were usurped by the Parliement ;
they were then remitted to the mother country ;
then they got into the liossorssiou of the Crown. By
the Acts of Charles and James, mid 9 William 111.
these duties were made to constitute ■ part of the
land revenue, and were charged with 700,0001. as
their proportion of the expense of the civil govern-
ment. They were not then considered droits ; they
were given back on representation to the Perlis-
meat of Barbadoes; but on their way back they
slipped into the Royal coffers, where they had be-
come permanently, since that period, droits of the
Crown. The Hun. and Learned Gentleman con-
cluded a very earnest and eloquent speech by mov-
ing s Resolution—
" That it is expedient, with a view to the arramreaseut of
the Civil List, to take tutu eousideratiou the Devito of the
Crows, the Drui►s of the Admiralty, the Hereditary Remmers,
,ad other foods supposed to be out wider the control uf Par-
t liatneni."

Mr. CANNING contended, in an eloquent speech,
against what he deemed the intended innovation on
the honour and dignity of the Crown ins removing
the control of these funds. He thought it a float
ungracious return fur the declaration of the Sove-
seign, that he wished no addition to the settlement
of 1916, to require an examination into those ac-
counts, in order to see that as there was no defi-
ciency complained of, if less would hot do. In
reply to the arguments of the Hon. Gentleman es
to the difference of 'muslin's granted by Parliament
and those by the Crown, the idea of the Hon.
Gentleman was the one he himself should have
used to prove how mach more beneficially and
economically that fund would be managed under
I the patronage of a King than of the Parliament.
As he preferred the spirit of • limited monarchy
to that of en open democracy, so he would rather
see that fund disposed of by the Crown, than
subjected to the captious and oftentimes factious
generosity which might be evinced in the grants
from it by Parliament. It was a curious character
to give a fund, the first pensioner on which was
Lord Chatham, and the last Burke, to call
it a secret one. Surel: the most bungling ad-
risers of Government could nut have selected
two such unfortunate names to connect with
seemly. Mr. Burke was himself an economical
reformer, and yet lie had consented to receive his
pension from this fund. Would lie hare taken
the money if he had not felt that he had good
grounds for so doing?—(Near. hear, hear.)—
Could soy Gentleman hope then by a snare to di-
minish the weight of that great man's name and
opiuions, or suppose that either could be affected by
• taint? If so he envied not his feelings, he de-
sired not to possess .Ins mind or affections. But
he (Mr. Burke) was as far out of the reach of envy
now, as he was above emulation in his lute. He
(Mr. Canning) had only mentioned this to chew that
in accepting his pension, Mr. Burke had felt that
his right could not be clogged at the bottom. Mr.
Burke had himself stated, that when he prepared
his reformation of the Pension List, he and his
friends lied this fund in full view, but writ afraid
to medill, with it, well knowing its character and
uses. Fur billow(' port he would concede to the Hon.
Member, that it would be as well in future to lay
the accounts of that fund and its application be.
fore Parliament as a 'natter of course, in the be-
ginning each Session. He next shelved that out
of 9,700,000/. Drolls of the Admiralty, 5.379.0001.
had been paid to captors ; of the remainder,
e,000,000/. had been applied to the public bervices,
1,100,0001. in aid of the Civil ei
—.v..Lis', 40,0)01. in
aid of the 41 per cent. West India revenue ;
the remainder, which had been spent among the
Royal Family, and in the entertainment of foreign
Princes, amounted altogether to 370,000/. every
shilling of which was communicated to Parliament.
He questioned the accuracy of the statemeots of
the Hon. Member, as to the 41 per cent. die-
ties, sod he denied the danger of trusting the Go-
vernment with the control of the Admiralty Droits.
The Right Hon. Gent. continued, that so far from
the interest which the Crown had iu the Droits
having operated as any temptation to war, that in
more than there or four mustier. it had actually
preserved us in peace; in partirttlar, he would re-
mind the Hun. and Learned Gentleman of the
Case of this Swedish convoy, in the power of
the Crown over the limits had enabled it to pre-
vent • war. It was the pride and privilege of se.
semblies like that House, to look with a jealous
rye on the national character, and on that subject
to entertain notions of the moat high and roman:
tie honour. Then he would contend that to avoid
war it was necessary that it should remain under the
cootrul of the Crown, uutil every claim, either of
captors or others, had been odjudirated. It ought
till then to remain out of the sight out, of the
knowledge of the House...out of its official know.
ledge he meant; for were they to come down t
that House and say, the Crown has seised • certai
number of ships, what would follow ? Why, that
whatever reasons 011)0(7 might exist to reuder it ex-
pedient sot to cootinue the war, the national honour
would be committed, and they would be compelled
to preserver let whatever motives would forbid. He
was surprised to dud the Host. sod Learned Cholla.
NM had stated us practical advantages or good

grounds in general poiicy, for the alteration
he proposed, nothing which could induce tee
House (41 do mote than the Ministers were willing
to do. They were desirous of submitting to p„.
liament the account of every item of the
they arose, from the first nucleus which was foriii.4
even to the last particle that security they weft
ready to give ; but as a right of the Crown mettle:
and exerted as all rights ought to be far the
nefit of the people, he must contend for Its per.
eervetion.—(//ear.)—The only temptation weeds
had been held out to them.to depart from the en,.
blushed usage, and delay the Civil List, was tore
out all traces of • feudal monarchy. and to
the Sovereign to the simple state rit the l'reee:-.,t
of the United States. He was certainly desirous tad
his prejudices should never stand in the way of sey
public good, yet he must eonfrss that he war our she
did not wish to get rid of those traces Of the oltlee
time which remained to na. He knew that sie!lnfig
was more easy mid simple than having a stiireird .rry
King, and there was but nee step Further to to-e.
which he marvelled the Learned Gentlemen goal
not proposed, and that was, that the Ministers
and Officers of the King ehould lie me:mooed If
trot chosen by that House. For lea p irt, he dui
nut think that the monarchy would be inure useful
by bring serarated from the dross of ages, oat
would those Gentlemen who bad formed their
opinions upon those of Patine, be • bit more
fled if the Crown was stripped before them ef
every jewel it posseseed.—(Hear, hear. j—lle
did not think that it could be desirable to de.iroy
those huts of circutnvallation, which were drain
round the person of the Sovereign by the interrea-
bon of his Mistiaters, and through them, he timid:-
ed God, the arms of traitors most break before
they could touch the person of the Sovereign.—
(Hear, hear.)—Any measure, therefore, e.hi t
tended to separate the Sovereign from his legal
advisers, would Ise deeply to be deerecsted. liar
tionoureble and Learned Gentleman had amused
himself and the House by exposing to their view
certain incongruous items of the Civil List ; hut
highly as lie admired that Learned Gruilema a'.
talestur in all lite exertions of them, he most soy
he was astonished at the few vivito/we he !...);
propored to italuee them to adopt his ideas :
deed he had himself, at the clove of his *pert. ,„
furnished a bufficirat refutation of his notion,, Ite.
lie had told them that he had not made up hi,
whether that insulated, that stipendpery hive,
should or should not have the power to chose Lis wen
household. If lie had hot made up his mind on this
subject, his plan was still as open to ridicule as i!.c
present arrangement : unites indeed his Sovereign
was to put his household ow board wages, and duie
himself at • chop-house—/Lovghteri—ntlierw:se,
oh monstrous profusion ! he might be guilty of eat.-
iug more dielies on the table than he could Itim,ell
eat ; and though they might get rid of the worthy
Vicar of the Tower, and the worthy liars at the
Tower also—(Laughiseg)—yet he most still main-
tain accounts of grocei its, of butter and of bacon, of
oranges end lemons ; he must at ill have a stationer,
• brazier, and a joiner—(Loughterf—lse woad
still have to enter charges of beer, bread, air:
wine. But ell these he had not made up his
mind to do without, and to these points as much
ridicule would attach as to thole! he would go un-
sparingly discard. He lied expected thstiire Hun.
and Learned Gentleman's plats would have coot:dri-
ed some great practical adventegee, and lie was
much disappointed to find it simply a pl in for its.
riding the King from the splendour and st.,te which
ought to attach to Ittin--ati object as link
worthy the trial as it was invidious soil objectionable.
All the objections now urged were is, existence at
former periods, when the Civil List was reviard ;
and at every stets some improvement had beets ef-
fected; if the greater intelligence which now pre-
veiled on the subject was considered, together wit!.
the less degree of complexity on the notice, );
would be thought that though not the :wanton
I.OMM/ yet that little remained to be complained of.
He thought that every thing which was essential
was done previous to the settlement in 1811$ ; ei.d
the only tendency of the present proposal was, hi
separating the Sovereign from his servants, to
render his person inure praindient than at return).
He could not thick it i:eces'ary to cut from the
Crown every ancient jewel winos stiorner! rt, rwr to
destroy that illusion, nut delusion, which resulted
from their splendour ; he was not fur tearing the
drapery from the Monarchi both supported
and adorned it. Altogether, he thought the object
ill-advised and ill-supported ; if indeed any erw
demands had been made by the Ministers, or ally
the lightest indication given by the Crown of •
eels to add to the burdens of the country, then
the House might indeed be carried further that:
they originally intended to go. But there had not
been • bit of argument adduced to induce the
House to forego the benefits of an arrangement
which bad had the adventege of four years satis-
factory experience. When he considered also the
gracious wishes of his Majesty to save his people all
unnecessary expener, as evinced by his giving up to
the disposal of the House fund. applicable to other
services, but which had fallen in, to these he
thought they would make a very ungracious re.
turn if they entertained the mutton of the Learned
Gentleman. The Ministers. lie contender!, had
dotie all that they ought to da ; but he was firm
in the maintenance of every right of the Crown
which was not cosily to the people or injurious
to the Constitution.—(Near, hew, hear.)-11e
admitted that, technically tweaking, it was a new
thing which they were debating, but 141 reality
it was not; is, some eases the thtug was changed
while the person remained the eau', but here the
person is changed but not the office. The Right
lion. Geittlentaii concluded lit. speech by saying;,
that lie thought outlines alterations as proposed were
necessary ; they would, if carried into effect, cause
no difference, no saving of expense. or if a differ-
vice wits made, it would he the other wiry. The
Ministers had redeemed their pledge ; they ls.oi
lidded uothing ; uo augmentation vas either risked
or desired, aud what was more, it never had for one
tnoment been in the contemplation of Ministers to
advise an augmentation. It was the more Deers.
sary to observe this, as such a report bad been ',a
very general circulation. He ilseas moved that the
House do peso to the Order of the Day.
Mr. BROUGUAII mud Mr, CAUSING motnall,
explained.
Sir inalge MACNINTOIIII said, that if his conduct
in dolt lima was govern/4 by any other thau.lll4o