The National Register.
London, England, 1812-03-01 00:00:00

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MARCII l._

t
rine, that every thinj was to come through Pariia?:.ent, and nothing
froin the favour of the Crown. He always conceived that there was
::)thing improper in the Crown having the power of rewarding services
by sinecure laces; and It had•been allowed on aU hands, that if even
the sinecures were abolished, some other fund must be provided, in
order to preserve to the Crown its prerogative of rewarding services :
and he wa.s not afraid to say, that he thought it right that the Crown
should have the prewogative of conferring certain places not inertly as a
reward of services wlact, ::i.onent could take cognitance of, but in
some instances, as acts b.:r4 ee and favour, independent of any consi-
deration of important -ervie ts, either civil or military. He had often
cated to the House Ili', ep..ion respecting those sinecure places, and he
did not see why he s nound to recommend the abolition of this -par-
ticular sinecure more •han any other.
Mr. Wit rrkiittAn said, that ,he House was bound in every point of
view, to tape up the matter, because an improper appointment had been
made—an appointment improper as it respected the Prince Regent—im-
proper as it t tapected the declared form of the House—and odious as it
rciarded the reclines of the people. (Hear, hear /) The Chancellor of the
Exchequer had said that he would do every thing to prevent Parliament
from taking the office away from the Hon. Gentlemen. If not counter-
acted by the vote of that night, the Right Hon. Gentleman might per.
haps advise the Prince Regent to grant also a reversion of the office. He
would again repeat, that it was a grant not decent towards the House of
Commons: and he trusted their sense of its indecency would be ex-
pressed that night. What effect such a decision might have on the Right
.1-cm. Gentleman would remain to he seen. He had remained Minister
v. hen supported by very smad majorities • nay, even when in minorities
Le had still clung to power. Whether, should this amendment be car-
ried, he would still remain in power, what his fitture colleagues may be,
what principles they may have, or what discussion of principles may
prevail annnig them, could nut be foreseen at present.
Mr. Su ea: DA NI regretted that Colonel M‘Mahon, for whom he en.
t• rained the greatest Tegard,•had ever been induced to accept it.
Lord CoCIIILANC thought the House itself had been more to blame
ht this matter, than either the Minister or the Prince Regent. The
ilutise had not acted on their own resolutions, nor had included the
anoli:ion of the office in the Act which abolished two sinecures of a
simiiar nature. He would not, therefore, so vote as to throw odium
where it did not belong, nor would he support the continuance of this
sinecure ; but should immediately leave the House without voting on
either side. (l'his his Lordship immediately did.)
A divi.ion then took place, when there appeared—For Mr. Banker's
Amendment, 115; Against it, 112 Majority against Ministers, three.—
Adjourned.

TUESDAY, FEB. ?si.

Mr. BANitts moved fir various papers relative to the trial of Mr.
aish; also that he appEars in his place on 'Thursday next.

liROl l'S OF THE CROWN.
Mr. BROUGIi tas. pur•ttant to notice, rose. to submit to the House a
Motion neon this suhlect. Ii adverted to the arguments which, on a
former :5C.C3,..4.)11, had been urged b 1 those who maintained that the Droits
of Adoth:ity were a separ tt..: right of the Crown, and observed, that
no ostehd denied that the. 1-louse plsieised the privilege of lookiug
o the applkation of chi, and sitttilitr fund 4. In the outset, he beggesi
:cave to re:o..rit, that no one could doubt of the impropriety of applying
runs out ut a food, without the autlia.rity of a vote of Parliament. Nu
o!.e could &mitt of the elti•itence of the abuse; but such was the appear-
ance of the paper; b..i.‘.)re the House, that he thought it alone suilicicnt
(round for immediate. and minute enquiry. In order to simplify any
discussion which might take !place on this subject, he wisuld divide the
tpers into four classes, hi which he would not include the accounts of
uvinies issued in consetriericr of N'les,:,ge6 to the House, or of the sums
rrea to the just el:tints of Captors. The first class was the account of
sums paid to the Captors, but which soots, on the face of the papers, did
tot appear to be indisputably paid. The next related to sums, which,
fron, the account, were apparently paid fur the same purpose as the
first. Tio third class c .nsisted of certain stints paid, without any ground
°f1.4Y111.-Ir being ulled.,!ed in the acc:oint ; and the last class, which was
the larg,e, included sums issued tor va, ions services, which did nut at
aa rdate to the manner in which the Droits was formed. It was his
intention to take each class separately, and point out items, which he was
t.nivince,l would induce the House to agree to his Motion. The Hon.
then entered into a detail of the various grants which had
been made from the bruits of Admiralty, to many of which he urged
strong objections. He ciaieluded by moving," That a Select Committee
he appiinted to inquire into the Application of various sums received as
Units of the Crown, and to report on the same to the House."
The Curt NCELLOR of the Eton coo ts rose, and proceeded to notice
the cases offered to the consideration of the ouse, to justify the itp-
po;ntruent of a committee, and taking them collectively or separately,
he ass.,rted, they established no sufficient grounds for granting what
t,ppearcd to be the object Of the motion. Every infotination should be
n_orded the Hon. Gentleman in any particular case where it might think
IE neCes,ary ; but the rot& iplicity of committees was a serious evil, as
obstructing e bsiness of the Hous. Th.: mode of argument used was
hardly fair inth the Hon. Gentleman:e it was a double-banded stroke,
he w 4 by
which he sure to cut either on the one side or the other; we think
proper to reward, we do wrong in conferring it; if ws withheld, we are

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THE NATIONAL REGISTER.

WEDNESIMY, TIM 26.

133

wrung in that also. He again repeated that it intormation were ast:ca
for on any particular case, he had netibjecti in to give any paper chi-
manded ; but as he saw no advantage from a Committee, but rather great
inconvenience, he_would vote against it. _ _

After some further observations from Mr. Brougham, Mr. Croker,
and Mr. Wilberforce, the queition was
.put from the caair, and nega-
tived.--Adjourned.

A Message from the Lords informed the House, that the I,nrcis had
agreed to the insolvent Debtors' Amendment Bill.
Mr. M. A. TAYLOR, pursuant to notice, called the attenti.m of the
House to the subject of delays in the Court of Chancery. The nnist
of bis statements and argumeuts were the same as those he
last year on the same question. He concluded ‘N ith moving f.:r 11 -
lea Committee to inquire into the causes of the delays of caws in
Chancery, &c. The motion was greed to.—Actjotirned.