The National Register.
London, England, 1812-05-24 00:00:00

MAY 24.

the Prince Regent to form an Administration among themselves, with-
out taking in the talent of either party, be should to-morrow move that
an humble Address be presented to his Royal Highness the Prince Re-
gent, praying that he would be graciously pleased to form a strong and
effective government.
Lord G. L. GOWER moved for the copy of a letter from himself to
Lord Castlereagh, dated the 7th of May, 1812, stating all the circum-
stances of the case of John Bellingham, as they occurred in Russia, and
the steps taken by him thereon. He made this motion for the purpose
of clearing his character from the aspersions thrown upon ft by Belling-
ham. The motion was agreed to without any observations.
Mr. LUGHINOTON brought up the Report of the Committee of the
House on the Prince Regeni's Message, relative to making provision
for Mr. Perceval's family. On the third resolution, for granting Wool.
a year to the eldest son, being read, Mr. Whitbread contended, that the
grant, under all the circumstances, was too much, when the property
already possessed by Mrs. Perceval, or her expectations from the fa-
mily, were considered.
Sir F. BURDETT would not have said any thing respecting the cha-
racter of Mr. Perceval, deeming it highly improper at this particular
time, did lie not owe it to himself, after what had passed, to say, that
all the Right Honourable Gentleman's measures, deserved not public
aNtobation, but public reprobation. He did not think he should dis-
caarge his public duty, if he were to approve of this additional grant
required from the exhausted pockets of the people. He could not but
lament, estimating Mr. Perceval's virtues as he did, and the, pecuniary
loss that must have resulted to the family, and above all, the present
situation of the country, that some other way bad been thought of to
alleviate the situation of the widow and children. Had a private sub-
scription been opened, he should have gladly made a large demand upon
his private purse; but in the performance of public duty he could not
approve this additional demand upon the public purse.
Mr. HOME Sumrieß observed, that in the Bill introduced by an Hon.
Gentleman opposite, it was provided, that the Chancellor of the Ex-
chequer should, after three years' service, be entitled to a pension of
:sOOOl. per annum. Mr. Perceval's- service bad exceeded that period,
and if he had died in possession of such provision, it could have been
assuredly considered no more than fair to transfer it to his widow.
The House then divided, when there appeared for the Resolution,l7l ;
Against it, 16.—Majority, 155.—Adjourned.

THURSDAY, MAY 21.
ADDRESS FOR AN EFFICIEN ADMINISTRATION.

Mr. Wow'.LET rose in pursuance of the notice he had given yes-
terday. The object and the intention of the motion whirl' he was
now about to submit to the House, was to contribute, as far as his hum-
ble effarts could, to prevent the formation of a Government, which no
person could look upon as sufficient, and •.Which appeared to him, instead
of being capable of leading the nation out of its present difficulties,
much more likely to create new and heavier ones. He hopeU that the
speedy manifestation of the feelings of the country, through the agency
of that House, would prevent an event which could not but prove highly
datrimental to the public service. He did not mean by this motion to
pledge himself to the support of any men who may be called to.power,
and still less was he disposed to interfere with the privileges of the Crown.
1114 motion would merely call upon the House to say, that a strong
and efficient Administration was necessary, under the present circum-
stances of the country. He would therefore move, that an humble
Address be presented to his Royal Highness, praying, that he would
form such an Administration as would be calculated to gain to itself
the confidence of the country.
.l.ord_Mivrot4 seconded the Motion.

Mr. EYRE thought, that a motion of this kind was unprecedented in
P. triianientary history. If, indeed, the Administration were actually
twined, such an Address might, consistently with the principles of the
ltiistitution, be presented. The ground of the motion, was the in-
ettlziency of the present Administration. Under the circumstances of
the country, he him,elf was convinced that all the abilities of all parties
shiAi:d be united, and the Public were now convinced that the attempt
e-7,s made of bringing into the public service the talents of certain
ciauctit persons ; but they thought vroper to refuse, unless great public
questions were conceded to them which could not be given up. He did
net place much reliance on the prophetic denunciations of incapacity
which he frequently heard in that House. He recollected what high
ex,iectations were formed from a set of men who were supposed to pus-
all the talents of the country, and he recollected also, how greatly
stick expectations were disappointed. He would therefore move, " That
tile other Orders of the Day be now read."
lord MILTON said that his Hon. Friend (Mr. Wortley) bad made a
!notion, to which, in his mind, it was impcssible not to agree. He
col:Id not foretell what would be the result of the motion, hut whatever
be Cie result of it, he thought that a mere change of men, without
c.'anige of measures, would produce nothing highly beneficial to the
county,
Sir F. BURDETT agreed with the Noble Lord who just sat down, that
r,r) change 'of men, without a change of measures, could give any thing
'_l`te security to the country. The men who could hope to gain such
cklnfidence, should be men who had pledged themselves to apply the
national resources to no other than national objects—it:en who had made
tit,
their minds to admit, without exception, all religious persuasions to

...

311

the full enjoyment of the Constitution ; and who were determined to re-
store to the kkople a full, fair, and free representation, without which,
in his mind, all other changes were to no purpose. They had seen
Administrations of all kinds—made up from all parties ; Administra-
tiosis of every species of mixture, from that of Mr. Pitt down to that of
Mr. Fox, not omitting theone of Mr. Perceval. There had been those
Administrations, but they had invariably increased the burdens of the
people, without doing.Auy thing fur the permanent prosperity of the
country. But such must be the fate of all Administrations, unless there
was a total change of system, founded on a reform in the representation
of the people. That corruption must be rooted out, with which every
Ministry bad teen hampered and surrounded—a change of sy.item could
only effect this which was so necessary for the salvation of the country.
Such being his sentiments, he could not approve the Address, because
it did not go far enough; it pretended to remove evils, but it only went
to extirpate mere specks from the surface of an excellent Constitution.
fie, however, not deeming the Address to go far enough, firmly be-
lieving that nothing but a change of system would benefit the country,
had inteoded to move an Amendment.

The SPEAKER stated, that the motion already before the House
being covered by an amendment (that of Mr. Eyre), the 'inn. Baronet's
could not be put until the previous motions had been disposed of.
Sir F. Bela) e.rT then read his Amendment, to give the House an idoa
of what he had intended to move. It said in effect, that it was highly
necessary to listen to the distresses and complaints of the people, for tile
purpose of redressing them ; that .he resources of the country ought to
he applied to natioeal objects; and that above all things, there ought to
be a reform in Parliament, to give t.; the people a full, fair, and free re-
presentat ion.
Mr. WILBERFORCE could not approve of the Address, because it
went to attack a most valuable prerogative of the sovereign, that of
being free and unconti ouled in the choice of his Ministers. beeteing
the Address an entrenchment upon a great constitutional principle, he
certainly should resist it; and he trusted that the House would not be
induced to set so dangerous a precedent. As to the men who might •
guide the reins of Government, it was quite immaterial t him trout
what party they were selected. He, for one was ready to support any
Administration whatever—(Hear haw, hear ! )—that evinced by its con-
duct that it had the public benefit in view.—(Heetr, hear !)
1 lie Hon. Mr. WARD admitted, that if the motion were in any way
hostile to the Constitution, any temporary advantage that might be de-
rived from it ought to be forgone, in order that our constitutional prin-
ciples might be preserved entire. He however could-not agree that
it was contrary to all precedent, and a violation of the Constoutien ;
and if ever there weie a time when the advice of Parliament respecting
an Administration was necessary, it the privilege of addressing the So-
vereign were not -to be denied altogether, it was the present moment.
This was a time of great public difficulty and national danger, and the
Administration which had to conduct affairs at such eventful and Mi.
' portant crisis was one of acknowledged weakness.—(Hear!) This was
admitted on all hands—it was the general feeling of the country. Wth
such a glari ;g fact before their eyes, critically situated too as was the
country, with respect to its internal situation and external relations,
was not this a time when they ought to address the Prince Regent,
if they might address him at all ? But without reverting to the -
general feeling of the country as re the weakness of the preseot
Administration, what vas the universal opinion of it before the cahe-
mitous death of Mr. Perceval ? Why, that he was the main support
of it; and even the frieas of that Right Hon. Gentleman were wont
to maintain, that his talents and his character were sucti, that they were
sufficient to cure the defects of all the parts of the Administration. lie
had been withdrawn, and it would be but an ill compliment to his
memory, if his friends were now to maintain that the present Ad-
ministration could go on when the main support was gene. But pos.
sibly they should he told that an at tempt had been made, without SW C.
cess, to strengthen the present Administration. 'True; but what sort
of an attempt was it ?—(Hein !)—lt was like the attempt made three
or four months ago, with this exception, that the recent offers were
more inadmissible, more insincere, and inure disgraceful than those
made on a former occasion—(freer, /sear!).—'l•o ri:o,e acceded to-the
recent offers would have demonstrated, mat nitre place was all that
was wanted, for acceptance of them would have been obtained by a
total surrender of principles. Uoder all the ci..cunistances, be could not
hat approve most cordially of ihe Address, as must the tioase, he
thought, except it was ready to cringe to a _most destructive system of
favouritism.

Lord WALPOLE opposed the motion for an Address, as did Mr.
HERBERT, they COlllit_te•ring that it went to make a t:an,;erous attack
on the prerog,tive of the Crown.
Mr. RirDXit opposed the motion at some length. The Government as at
present formed, he considered the most likely to conciliate the people, and
to have its general approbation, inasmuch as it w s composed of persons
who had supvorted those measures which had had the approbation of a
majority of the house- Though. he could not longer continue of his Majes.
ty's Ministry, for reasons which he woulctiiot then state, he could not out
express his firm conviction, that the offers rcCetltly Maur to two in.
dividuals to join the Administration, were fl de willyperfect sincerity.
He would appeal to a Right Hon. :I!fknd ar. Qauning), whether bucb
was not his belief. In fact, sincerity, actuated the conduct of those
who made them, nor was it wislikiti, • dist either of the individuAs
should abardon their prircip!es, or sacrifice -their honour for mere