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

THE NATIONAL REGISTER.

MARC!! 1.

which were answered by Lord
up.
The Resolutions on the Navy Estimates were then read and agrged

,ton, the Report was brought

to. -
The Resolutions for the Estimates for• the Army service were then
read, and all severally agreed to, until the resolution tor granting
6-2,1,-.91. to defray the charges and Paymaster of Vidows' Pensions was
read.
Mr. BANI:ES said, that it was his intention to move an amendment
to thin Resolution ; but before he proceeded farther, he wishtd the
Clerk to read the ed and 3tl Resolutions on the Report of tie Final:cc
Committee, in May, 1810; and also the 10th Report of the C _ommis-
skin r for Public Accounts, in 1783, respecting the office ot Paynnt,t(r
of Widows' Pensions. 'Mae Resolutions were accordingly re:ld by
the Clerk, and their tenor was, that the office in (11'e-tion had been
condemned by them as one totally unnecessary, and of no possible
betiefit to the public. No duties were performed by the principal, slid
very little by the ueputy. Tlio• Resolutions of MO confirmed these of
1783, but at the same time alluded to other sinecures w hich they re-
presented as not deserving to be abolished, considered them as situa-
tions which the Crown had at his disposal, for the reward of onaur-
able meti, who might find it necessary to retire, through age, or other
' circumstances, toms former efficient services fur the State. tut lie
would put it to the candour of his Right lion. Frielid,v.liether the Pev-
• mastership of Widows' Pensions was amongst the number of tines
sinecures which the Committee considered en honoureble rett eat for dc.
serving men, and which it te ought right not to recolt.mend to abolition ?
This office, as the House :oust see, was an ''hl stienia wheel the Per-
liament had intended to wi e out as soon as the de nth ef Gen. la.e caeid
make it practicable.s—He i-egged gentltinen tnly t.,, look into the ,:at
report on the subjectvand . hey would 1:-I that Ow whole hui,iile-s con-
nected with that office was perforried 1.1- 1001.4 ye:lr, by one of the first
clerks in the Vs'ar Office, who did I:esides, all the I,usinez;s of his own
efficient situation. Was net the cenferrine such a place on such a peroln
a--on a person who was one of the Prince's own family, tz.ther an eKpc-
riment of the Minister, to try how he could do odious thines he a way
most advantageous to hinveif ? Was it net, at least. the iltitTtion of a
Certain system of conduct, by follem ing (.1 which, If obloquy was ta be
the consequence, that obloquy would not tall undivided on his own
head ? ( Hear, hear ! ) The Minister 'ead obtruded the consideretien of
this question on the license : there it was in the estimates : vote ti!ey
must upon it : and when the alternative of the preservation or of the
abolition of this office Was placed le tore him, he had little diiiiculty,
indeed, in forming his choice. lie was sorry that some more efficient
place had not been bestowed on the Hon. Colonel, whute merits it
appeared, deserved a better situation. Ile was particulerly sorry that
the appointment had taken place almost at the outset of the Regency,
when it evidently made the public look with no little anxiety and indig-
nation at the conduct of the Government. The Hon. Gentleman con-
; eluded his speech in the midst of loud cheering, by moving as an
! amendment, that 59,900 and odd pounds be inserted in the resolution,
instead of (et thousand, dec.
Mr. C. ADAMS supported the amendment.
Mr. M. Mo rflosou a complimented the motives on which Mr. Banises
acted ; but, at the same time, begged him to consider, whether in pur-
suing his favourite and laudable object of public economy, he miizlit ;lot
push it so far as to destroy all animation and alacrity fur the see vice of
the public.
Mr. Wienearoace said, be was ready to move, that this very sum of
27901. which he was not willing to vote to Colonel AV Mahon, should
be given in addition to what had been voted ler the widows. Ile could
not but strongly condemn the principle of the present appointnu or ; he
thought it extremely dangerous to introduce such a principle into the
expenditure of the public money : and, if it were once introduced, he
knew nothing that was too corrupt or too ext' as igant fir such a prin-
ciple to cover. Besides, he thought it dangerous, and iihely to produce
much serious discontent, if broad, palpable blots, like this, which every
man could see and point out, were to be left exposed to the public view.
It would appear as if ministers, instead of lightening the vessel of the
State to meet the storms of the present times, were razhee putting in
fresh loading and fresh incunibrances.
General TA it le ea cm thought, that the Right Hon Gentleman hail used
Col. MiMalion ill, in appointing him to a situation which necessarily
held him up to much obloquy.
The Cneatee Lew( of the Excites:aura certainly had not expected to
he charged with ill-treating, not only the Prince and the country, eut,
Colonel M'Mahon also. If .it was enough to move the halienetiell ut a
gallant officer to be recommended to a lucrative situation, as the reward
of his services, he was afraid thet he had incurred the indignetion et the
gallant General also by recommending hint to be Goveruor of Berwick.
(a laugh) If he had anticipated any serious danger to the country Ironi
recommending Col. M'Mahou to this appointment, he should certainly
have abstained from doing so. He cook, however, tee no danger in
giving the place, on the express understanding that the continuance ot it
was as fully open to the determiration of Parliament after the appoint-
ment, as it was before. When it was said, that a Committee eo veers
ago recommended the abolition of this place, he shouhl consider the
length of time rather an argument the other way, as it shoved cle'°
ithat Parliament, during all that time, had not thought proper to. act
upon those resolutiowe He would not allow it to lee cvustitutienaldoa•

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