The Sun.
London, England, 1806-06-13 00:00:00

NUMBER 4289.]

IMPEACHMENT Or LORD MELVILLE.

FIRST DAY, TUESDAY, APRIL 29.

AFTER the Commons, with their Speaker, had
taken their seats, the Lords moved ,fl=oin their own
Rouse of Parliament, in the order, and with the:
formalities, which have already -been described in
-this Paper. Silence having been proclaimed, and
the usual Proclamation read by the Serjeant at Arms
for all persons concerned to come forth, in order to
inake good the Charges against Lord Melville, who
' now stood upon his trial, the Charges against the
Noble Lord, and his Lordship's Answer to, them,
were read by the Clerk of the Court.-
The following is 'the Substance Of the Charges
and Answers :
Atter stating the importance of the Office of Treasurer or
the Navy; recapitulating the regulations introduced into that
Office, by which all monies issued from the Exchequer arc
required to be paid into the Batik; and not drawn from thence
but,tor specific services; the appointment of the Right Hon.
Henry Dtifidas to the officeof Treasurer of the Navy, and the
opppintesent of Alexander Trotter to be his raymaerir
The First Article charges Lord Melville with receiving,
previous to the tech January, 1786. 'to 0001. of the Public
Ploney,_and with fraudulently and illegally converting the
same to his own use, or to some other corrupt or illegal pur
pose;' with declaring that he would never reveal the appli-
cation of the said sum of tootiool. feeling himself bound by
motives of public duty, as well as-of private honour and per-
sonal convenience, to conceal the same.
• The Second Article charges-him with conniving at, and
permitting and suffering Alexander Trotter to draw money
out of the Bank for other purposes than for immediate appli-
Cation to Navy Services,- and to ,place such money in the
hands of Messrs. Coutts and Co. his private Bankers, in his
own name, and subject to his sole controul.
The Third Article charges, that after passing'the Aft for
Regulating the Office of Treasure' of the Navy, large sums
-of money were from time to time paid into the Bank, and •
placed'to the account of the Right Hon. Henry Dundas, and
that during all the time the Right Hon.' Henry Dumfas held
the office front the loth January, 1786, he did permit Alex.
Trotter to draw money out of the Bank'and place it in the.
bands of Messrs. COutts, in his own name; and that the
said Alex. Trotter, with the privity and permission of Lord
Viscount Melville, did apply the said sunis 6f money to his
Own advantage and emolument; that the sail Alex. Trotter
did mix the Public Monies so placed in his private Banker's
bands with his own proper money, whereby the Public
Noney was not only used for private emoitrinent, but was
exposed to great risk, and was withdrawn from the controul
and disposition of the Treasurer of the Navy.
_ The Fourth Article charges, that after the Toth January,
1786, Alex. Trotter did, with the privity, or by the conni-
Vance and permission of Lord Melville, place sums of money,
•issued from the Exchequer to the Bank, and draw-n from the ,
Bank by Alex, Trotter, in the hands of Mark Sprott and
others,, and did apply and use the same for purposes of pri-
vate profit, or for purposes other than Naval Purposes,
The Fifth Argcle charges, that after the roth January,
x 786, Lord Melville did fraudulently and' illegally, for the
purpose of advantage to himself, or for some other corrupt
and illegal purpose, take and receive from the -Public Money,
placed at the Bank, to,bool. or some other large sum or sums,
and did convert the same tb his own use, or to tome other
corrupt and illegal purpose.
The Sixth Article charges, that after the 2oth 'armory,
1786, Lord Melville, fraudulently concealing the illegal use
and application of the same, did procure and obtain- from
Alexander Trotter advances of large sums of money which
were made to him in part from money illegally drawn front
the Bank by A. Trotter, and in part Irom monies placed in
the hands of Messrs. Coutts, when mixed with the proper
monies of the said A. Trotter. That during the time A.
Trotter was Paymaster, he kept with Lord Melville an ac-
count current, entered in certain books of account, contain.
ing entries of all the sums paid and received by the said A.
Trotter on account of Lord Melville ; and by agreement be-
tween the said Lord Melville and the said A. Trotter, dated
the ILtll and 23d of February, 1603, they had delivered up,
or agreed to cancel and destroy, all vouchers and inemoran-
duals that had existed or passed between them ; which
vouchers and memorandums were destroyed with a view to
conceal and prevent the discovery of the advances made to
Lord Melville, and of the considerations for and upon which'
the monies were so advanced.
The Seventh Article charges, that Lord Melville received
from A. Trotter 22,w0i. or some other large sum, without
interest, part whereof was advanced from Public Money, and
,part from the said mixed fund.
The Eighth Article charges, that Lord Melville did re-
ceive from A. Trotter 2a.000l.• or some other large sum; for'
Which it had been alledged by Lord Melville he was to pay
interest; and that for the purpose of more elleaually con-
cealing the said advances, the books of accounts and vouch-
ers were destroyed. .

The Ninth Article charges, that Alex. Trotter did gra-
tuitously, and without salary, transact the private, business
of Lord Melville, and was from time to time in advance ter
Lord Melville, in that resped, to the amount of, from 101. to
So,oonl. which advances were taken from thernoney placed in
Messrs. Coutts's hands ; whereby Lord Melville did derive
benefit from the said illegal ads of Alexander Trotter. And
that Alexander Trotter did ad gratuitously as Agent to Lord
Melville, and did advance money in consideration of the said
Lord Melville conniving at and permitting him to apply the
Public Money to his own emolument : that without such
connivance the said Alexander Trotter would not have been
able to have made such advances. All whicn ads were con-
trary to the duty of the Ofiice held by Lord Melville, and a
violation of the Laws., And by all and every one of the
aforesaid ads, he, the said Lord Melville, was and is guilty
of high crimes and misdemeanours.
To all these Charges Lord Melville, saving to himself all
advantage of exception to the inefficiency of the said Articles
in point of Law, and of not being prejudiced by any.want of
form in his answer, and also all rights and privileges as a
Peer, saith, he is nowise guilty of all or any of thesupposed
Crimes or Misdemeanours charged upon him ; and this he
is ready to prove ; and he humbly submits himself and the
justice.of his Cause to the House.
Afterthe above Answer had been given in, the Commons
exhibited a further Article of Charge, being the Tenth,
against Lord Melville.
. This Tenth Articlecharges, that after his appointment to
the office of Treasurer of the Navy. in August 19, x 782, Lord
Alelvilledid; between that day and the sth of January, 1784,
and between the sth January:, 1784, and ist January, 1786,
take and receive divers large sums of Public .Money,
amounting to a large sum, to wit, 2.7,00:1. or thereabouts,
and did fraudulently and illegally convert and apply the same
to his own use, or to some other corrupt and illegal purpose,
and to other purposes than those of public Naval Service ;
and did continue the said illegal conversion and application
after the passing of the Ad for better regulating the Office
of Treasurer of the Navy.
To this Tenth: rticle Lord Melville answers, that he feels
it incumbent upon him to protest against being bound by the
Law and Custom of Parliament, or the Laws of the Realm,
to answer such further Article. Nevertheless,confiding in the
;eeriness of his cause, and the justice of the House, and say.
ang to himself all advantage of exception to the inefficiency
of the said further Article in point of Law, and of not be-
ing prejudiced by any want of form in his answer, and also all
rights and privileges as a Peer, saith,that he is no ways guilty
of the supposed Crimes or Misdemeanours charged upon him ;
and this he is rea•ly to prove, and he submits himself and the
justice of his Cause to the House.
Mr. WHITBREAD, as soon as the: Charges and
Answer had been read, rose, and opened the Charges
in a Speed), of which „the following is 'the sub-

stance
fie began by saying that, in proceeding to execute
the duty that had been imposed upon him, he la-
mented.that this 'task had not fallen to the lot of p
More able person He shobld have to detain the at-
tention of theiflortiships.fpr- a longtime, in tracing