The Sun.
London, England, 1801-05-21 00:00:00

IgESSAGE FROM THE KING,

The Order of the Day being read for taking His
Majesty's late most gracious Message 'into con-
sideration,
Lord HOB ART rose to move an Address to His
MAJESTY on the occasion, which was couched in
the usual way, thanking His MAJESTY for his most
gracious Communication, and assuring him that their
Lordships world most cordially concur with the
other House of Parliament in enabling His MA J ES-
TY to aa in tie manner therein mentioned. His
Lordship prefaced it with a short but neat and appro-
priate Speech, in which he expatiated on the great
importance of the Portuguese Alliance to this Coun-
try, in a Political as well as a Commercial point of
view ; and with respell to the required pecuniary
aid, he observed, that it was the duty of this Coun-
try to do as much as it could towards preserving the
Alliance, and saving that Country from the power
of France. The mode now proposed was, upon the
whole, judged as the most expedient and efFedual
under the circumstances of the case ; and he repeated ,
that though we were trout Acse considerations un-
able to do as much as we could wish, yet we cer-
tainly should do as much as we could. His Lord.
ship they► moved the Address.

Lord HOLL AND expressed his_ disapprobation
of the Motion, not,because he differed as to the im-
portance of the Portuguese ‘connettion to • Britain,
or the policy of preventing that Country.ifrorm fall-
ing under the power of France, but because the con-
dud of our Government had' reduced Portugal to its
present situation—becaUse pecuniary' aid was not
the most efficacious. Assistance --in troops, &c.
would now-be the only dreamtl means, but if pe-
cuniary aid was .detetmined on, he thought the
paltry sum 300,0001.• which he understood was
that proposed; was most miserably insufficient. •
The Marp;r of SLIGO rose; for the purpose of
impressing the House with the consideration, that
,it was the Juty, as well as the interest of Great
Britain, .to make every exertion for the preserva-
don of Portugal. A long residence in that, Coun-
try, had given him an opportunity of witnessing
the sentiments of the Portuguese towards- the Bri-
tish Nation, which were hniversally those' of the
warmest and most grateful attachment.
The Earl of MOIRA, in answer to what had
fallen from the Noble Marquis, observed, that
his Noble , Friend had not uttered a • word in
depreciatiOn of Portugal, or against its connec-
tion with Britain. ; on the contrary, he adnaitted
these, and principally. objerEted, than the means
proposed were inadequate to their .objest—His
Lordship, then with much animation. enlarged upon
the several topics adverted to by his Noble Friend,
censured the condua of Lite 'Ministers, for not re-
taining a great part :of these troops which he said
were sacrificed in the West ladies, and unnecessarily
placed in situations 'of peril among the sands of
Egypt ; and;with respea to the proposed pecuniary
assistance, he asserted that it would comparatively
be of no more. avail than three halfpence ! •
The MaryuisTOWNSIIEND spoke shortly upon
the importance of the Portuguese- connOtion, and
the loss this Country' would sustain were she de-
prived of it.
The. Earl of SUFFOLK spoke shortly in sup-
port of what fell from Lords Mot IIA and Ho 1. Atm,
particularly with respea 'to the smallness of the
sum proposed, which he conSidered as thrown away,
or in filet, made a present,of to 'Bonaparte.
The. Earl of WESTMORLAND spoke with
much ability, and in some detail, ih reply to what
had fallen from Noble Lords at the opposite side
of the House.

Earl briIGV.LEY shortly delivered his send-
ments, after which

Lsrd HOBA kT entered into 'a general reply,
and principally observed, that The sum proposed
;wal just, what was • required by Portugal herself
as an efficient aid, and on which point, he must say,
the Government of that Country was most probably
the best Judge. :With respea ,to the idea of the
rnimey eventually. going into the coffers of l3ona-
parte, he observed, that most likely every farthing
of it. Would be. laid out- in this Connsiy, in the
necessary articles of which Portugal stood in need.

The Question or: the Address was then put And
ca Tied without a division, •

THE L.Vi'E SIR RALPH ABERCROM!

• Lord HOR,IRT presented a Message from :His
MA J EsTY, which being read from the Woolsack,
appeared to run to the following etre& That His
'MAJESTY acquainted the House of Peers, that hav-
ing taken into his consideration the .eminent and
,signal services .of the late General, the Right Hon.
Sir RAI:PH A E ERC ROMBY, K. B. during ,a long
life spent in the service of his Country, and:ter-
minated by • a glorious death,.. he thought proper
in testimony of his regard for the memory -ot that
distinguished Officcr, to confer on his Lady the
dignity of a Baroness of. the United Kingdom. of
Great Britain a:id Ireland, hr the name,- stile, and
title of Baroness Aatiteßomey of Aboukir, to
descend to the Heirs Male of the said Si- RALPH
AB ERCRONIET ; and that Ills MAJF.STY has been
further pleased to grant an Annuity of 20001. dur-
ing the life of the said Baroness Atli:RC ROM B Y, and
the life of the two next Male Heirs to the said title
and dignity, &c.
This most Gracious Message • was ordered to he
:taken into consideration on .Friday next.

Some routine business was then disposed of, and
their Lordships adjoutned till to-morrow,

110 USE OF pOMMONS,

WEDNESDAY, MAY 20.

The Resolutions of the Committee of. Supply, re-
speding the Irish Duties, were brought up.
. M. O'HARA was of opinion that the Irish
Duties ought not to be made permanent, but should
he voted annually, as was the custom in Ireland.
Mr. CORRY said, that it was only intended to
renew these Duties for one year.

The Resolutions were :hen agreed to, and a Bill,
or Bills, ordered to be brought in thereon.
Sir I.V. YOUNG moved the Order qi die Day for
going into a Committee on the Bill requiring Re-
turns or the, Assessments for the toor„&c.

The Motion was opposed by Mr. -SHAW LE
FEVRE, Mr. ELL ISON, and Mr. WM. DUNIIAS, on
account of the late period of the Session, at which
it was brought in.

S;r JP. PULTENEY thought the House ought
to have thelteturns of the Assessments, in order
to form a ground-werk for some other regulations
recpeaing the Poor Laws.
Mr. irliV1)11.411I opposed the Motion : he
thought these Returns ought not to be required
until the House had determined to adopt some
regulat ions.
Mr. ROSE concurred in opinion with Mr.
WINDHAM, and objefted to the passing this Bill in
the present Session of Parliament.

After a short reply horn Sir Wm. YouNc, the
House divided,

For going into the Committee - .27
Against it _ 6$

Majority -

MESSAGE FROM, THE lUNG:

The CHANCM,LOR of the EXCHEQUER
brought down n Message from 1-Its MAJESTY, stat-
ing, that His MAJtrry having taken into consi-
deration the eminent and signal merits of the late
Lieutenant-General Sir RALPH.. As ERC ROMI3
during a long life, spent in the Service of his
Country, which was terminated by a glorious death,
had 'thought proper to confer on Lady AB E C ROM-
-13 Y)-.llle relict of the late Sir R. AB ERCROM.
BY, a Barony, by the tide .of Baroness ABBR.
CRAMBY of Aboukir, with remainder to the two
next Heirs Male of the, said Sir It\ LPH, and being
further desirous of granting to the said Lady AB Eit-
CROMBY, and the two next Heirs Male, to whom
the title shall descend, a net Annuity of zoool. per
annum, relied upon hiS faithful Commons to enable
him. to make good the said Annuity, and that they
would take the 'necessary measures for securing and
settling the •
The • CH..-INCELLOR. of the EXCHEQUER
moved, that the,said Message be taken into, consi-
deration to.morrow, in a Committee of the whole
House.—Ordered. •

. .
Mr. TIE I?,‘VEY.' begged to recall to the recacc-
don of the House that they had vo'red.their Thanks
to Admiral Sir HYDE PARKER, qui juntaion with
the-other Admirals of the North Sea Fleet ; but he
believed that the, .very Ship that .carried out those,
Thanks, Carried o.lit rtie r3'. to Admiral PARKER to
return home: The Gazette of last night contained
an account' of'- the HOnotirs conferred upon the other
Admirals;but'not 4/o_,--,Sir E,E Pi. R K E :':tough
he had received the Thanks of the it 2p7
pcared to him that e Dinity of the House was
concerned iii this business. It was the opinion.of
many people.•that the Tiranks of this House were
Voted,; in geney; in too great a hurry, by which
`mans they were rindcred.:of lesS value, ,ile
thought, however, upon this occasion, Nlinihters
were bound to explain what appeared to him to be
a great inconsistency in their condud.
The CHANCELLOR 6i .11:e EXCHEQUER
said he conceived the points to which. the Hon.
Geiitleman had alluded, were such as rendered it
impossible for hiM to give the infOrmation re-.
quired. He should be sorry indeed, if the Thanks
of the House were diminished in their value, be
cause he conceived them to be the greatest Honours,
that an Officer could receive. He conceived that
the Thanks of the House were properly voted to
Admiral PARKER fot his able' disposition of the
Fleet under his Command in the attack Made upon
Copenhagen. What the circumstances 'were that,
prevented other distinhions from being conferred
upon him, he would certainly, without any •diste-
speet to the Hon. Gentleman, decline entering into.
Certainly no impeachment was intended to he -made
against the zeal of Admiral PARKER ; he thought
himself bound to say thus much in justice to the
charaEler.of that Officer. But circumstances may
have occurred; independent of those for which he
obtained. the• Thanks of the • House, which might
render it expedient that Admiral PARKER should be
recalled, and that the Command of the Fleet should
be bestowed upon another Officer. It, appeared to
him, under these circumstances, that the House
would be satisfied, that the merit, great as it was,
of making a judicious disposition of the Fleet, was

not st4ficidtit to justify Mit;:sters in recommending
that the same marks of distinaion should be con...
fcrred upon him., as upon the other Admirals by
whom the,plan was carried into. execution.
7IERNEY , rose io reply, 'when he was
called to Order, having spoken before; but he said;
he should conclude with a Motion. .He said he was
tiot by any means satisfied with the answer he had
received from the Right Hon. Gentleman. When
the Thanks of the House were vote(), he thought' all
the Admirals *ere included in that vote : he did
not deny. that circumstances might have since
arisen to render it proper to recall him, but When.
the House made no distinaion in the Vote of
Thanks, he thought Ministers. ought to-explain td
the House, why they advised Hts MAJESTY, id
the distribution of Honors, entirely to pass over thi
Commander in Chief. He defied the Right Hon:
.Gentleman to produce a tingle instance in. which
Honours had been conferred upon the Second id.
Command, while the Commander in Chief, afer
having been thanked - for his conduit, received
no mark of distinaion whatever. He thought it
right to state, that he never in his life spoke to Ad-
miral PARKER, nnr was it in
.consequence of any
communication with him, that he noticed this sub-
jea: He concluded with moving, 1( That the
Vote of Thanks .to Allllip.ls PARKER, NELSON,
and GRAVES, be read."

Me-SPEAKER said, it was not usual to put the
question, nor to make Motions for reading Extraets
from the Journals, unless something was to he done
upon it ; therefore, he feared he had not been regu-
lar -in suffering the Honourable Gentleman to make
a second Spee6.
Mr: GREY said, he conceived' it to be.the con-
stant praffice to, move for the reading of Extrafts
from the Journals, and if that was opposed, of
course the question must be put upon it. He thought
that in ccmvlrsations Gentlemen ought not to be
confined to the same strk rules of Debate, that
they were upon a regular Debate.

The CHANCEZiO It air the EXCHEO UER said,
that strialv steaki6g the Hon. Gentleman u'as.cor.
red ; if a question was moved and seconded, it must
he put ; but when the SPEAKER had-given-his ,oPi.
nion upon a ynint of Order,sit was always entitled
to great weight. H did nor mean to allude to any
thing personal to himself, bur the opinion of the
SPEAKER upon points of Order, had always great
weight with the House.' rr was true, that Gentle.
men frequently moved to have Extra 1s from the
Journals read, but then it was incidentally in the
course of Debate, in order to prove a fad or sup..
port an argument ; it was always for some particu.
objed. Upon this.occasion, he was inclined in
the. present instance, if the House would permit
him, to wave the point of form, for the purpose of
obviating what might, perliap•;, otherwise make an
improper_ impressions 'I he:. Gentleman had
stated, that the merits:of Admirals PARKER, -NEL.
sox, and GRAY ES, upon this occasion, were equal,
because they
,were equally thanked for tbeir Ser-
vices ; .but he would find tiptin looking at the
_lour_
rills, that the inerits of these Officers were ditrer-
ently described, and th:q, cliTerent descriptinns of
these merits were specified in rite- Vote of Thanks..
The Thanks to Admiral PAttitglt
were in these
words, • •

" That the Thanks of this House be given to Admiral Sir
HYDE'PARKER, for his.able and judicious disposition of the
Force under his Command, .by which the Danish Fleet and
Batterie,S, composing the Defence of the Harbour of Copntl_
lugen, were taken or destroyed on the ?l of April,
anti to AdMiNIS NE1:5611 and GRAVES, and Ca,
-STEWART, in these words :

. .
." Thar the Thanks ofthis House be given to vi've,Admi-
ral Lord NEi.soNi, to Rear-AdMiral cic vEs, and to Lieu-
tenant-Colonel Sr r.w.%R'r, commandiugsthe 49th Regiment
of Font ; and to all the Oflicer- under the Command of Ad.
inir. d Sir.H,VnE .P.ARKElt.'for theirbravery and gallant con-
duct on the,gloridus'occas,on, of the triumph of the Rritiih
Force off the. Harbour of Copenhagen, on. the :d of April,
.180 t."

. .
Nobody would suppose that it was the intention
of those who proposed the Thanks to impute a want
of bravery to Admiral .P.AR KE R, but the Resohitions
were applied to the fail Admiral PARER was not
engaged; he made ihe.dispositiou for the attack,
but Admirals NELSON and GitAvr,s'Orried them
into effed. It appeared, therefore, the HOn. G,N7.
tleman was not 'correct in stating 'that they were
thanked for the sank services; and the circumstances
to which he had. before. alluded,• were not known at
the time the Vote of Thanks ‘s?s proposed. -The
Hon. Gentlenian :had stated that' he Shad had n 3
communication with Airniral PARKER upon this
subjea -; 'he was sure he had-not, liar should he have
supposed he. had, c,...en if the Hon. Gentleman' had
made. no 'such ciclitration, because if he had consult.
cd the intet,::::t of Admiral 'PARK ; k he would not
'have taken the' cotirse- he had in that House. He
had before stated, that no imptration was intended
upOn gle 7,04 of Admiral R, who had, during
alimg lice, displied the most ardent zeal for the
service of his Country. What the circuinstanc.es
were which governed the conduft of His.letjesty's
MiNistcrs, he li-tut:now forbear: to. state, and he
should conclnde with repeating his former ohserva.
tion, that for disposition which Admiral PAR.
RE R had made of this'feet, he thought at the time,
that that Admiral Was entitled to the Thanks of the
House, and heremined the same opinion still.'

1/1,17071V he trad never heard a Mo.
timr for reading an, Extra 4 from the Journali re-
fusekip or eve)) doubteklbefore.
The SPEAKER.exptained the Orders of tho
House. He',considered the 'Hon. Gentlemakirre-
gulai-. in haAng rn.1(1•: a second Speech—it was true
that ExtraCts were fregtpntly rad from the journals,
but sdipething Was always foumied upon it.
Mr. GREY said; he did not suppose the Right
Hon. Gentleman (the' CHANCELLOK of the Ex.
cytrgunt) meant to ,allude to his own condad
while in the Chair,_ though no such reference could
be made without doing him the highest honour,'
from the uniform dignity and impattiality he dis:
played in that situatkon. He felt'also the greatest
respect for the Right Hon. Gentleman, by whom:
the Chair was now tilled; but humanity was liable
to error; and he could not carry his 'deft rence to
any man, however respeetable, so far as t) :1• up
the use of his own. judgment. He think:---(Herz
the Hon. Gentleman was called to Order by Mt.
WILL,W4 DZINDAS.]

FT- • • .
• •
Ur. Gitilt said,f he codeeivett he wAs in Order,
. .
but to prevent all difficulty, he would after the
present Motion was disposed of, submit a Motion
to the House.
The SOLICITOR GENERAL said a few words
upon the point
.of Order.
Mr. GRAY continued. •He said, it was his in-
' tendon to move, that the Resolution of Thanks
should be taken into consideration, to-morrow. It
must appear a very strange circumstance to every
body who read the Gazette of last night, that Ad-
miral PARKER, who received the Thanks of that
House, was, in the distribution of Honours, passed
over unnoticed, after having been recalled. The
Right Hon. Gentleman was of opinion, that ate ho.
hour and interest of Admiral PARKER would have
been better consulted if another course had been
adopted, at least at present. He differed in 'opinion
from the Honourable Gentleman, and thought that
his Honourable Friend had aled advantageously for
the interest of Admiral PARKER, in bringing for-
ward this Motion, because it was a subject that
most undoubtedly called for explanation. But that
was not the only ground upon which his Honourable
Friend brought forward this Motion, he brought
forward the Motion because he conceived the cha-.
racer of the House was concerned, because it might
appear under the present circumstances,
without ex.
planation, that they had voted Thanks to persons
who did not deserve them. The Right Hon: Gen.
tleman stated, that Admiral PARKER was thanked for
a different Service from the other Admirals,_ but
Admiral PARKER Made the disposition of the Fleet,
and though he was not engaged in the Aaion, yet
be retained the Command of the part that was, en-
gaged, and directed it by his Signals, arid I ask the
Right Hon. Gentleman—
Mr. HARCOURT moved that the Gallery be

cleared.
,Strangers were then ordered to withdraw, but
we understood that Mr. GREY'S Motion was nega.
tived without a division.
When Strangers were admitted, we found
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER
was stating, that. he was of opinion, the subjeti of
the Report of the Secret Committee, should be
- brought forward on Wednesday next.
. Mr. GREY wished to know the general nature of
. the Proceeding, which was intended to be brought
forward on the ground of that Report.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER
said, the Report itself pointed cut some things
which he apprehended would meet the approbation
of the House. There were two points to be brought
forward. The renewal of the Measure which was
lately agreed on by Parliament,. with regard to
Military Law in Ireland, and the Lidcmnity of
those who were concerned in a certain manner with
reference 'to the Suspension of the Habeas Corpus
A&. He then moved, " That the. Order of the
Day for taking into consideration the Report of the
Secret Committee, be now read," which it was,
and the Order was discharged, and the Report- was
ordered to be taken into consideration on Wednes-
day neer xt- '
A pson from the Stamp Office produced certain
Accounts of Duties,
which were referred to the
Con,trittee of Ways and Means.
Mr. JoNrs gave notice,. that to-Morrow se'n-
sight he should bring forward a Motion reveet-
ing EgYPt.
• The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER moved
the Order of the Day for the House to resolve itself
into a Committee of the whole House to consider
further of Ways and Means.; which being 'read, he
moved, " That the Sr tAicsit 'do now leave the
Chair." The House accordingly,,went into a Corn.
tittee of the whole House, -Mr. Bst4Goa in the
Chair.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER....—
" it will be tecolleaed, Sir, by the Committee,
that the Right Hon. Gentleman who proposed to
the House the Ways and Means of the year, for
raising the Supply, proposed among other things, a
Duty on printed goods ; likewise on Pepper for
home-consumption, and Pepper for exportation. It
was afterwards thought adviseable that the Duty on
Pepper exported, should be abandoned-on the strong
representation of persons best qualified to form
opinions as to the•effekt of persevering in the Duty.
sir, a representation was made to me on 'his sUb-
jea, which I stated some time ago to the douse to
have made a strong impression on my mind, and I
propose to abandon the Tax, from a thorough con-
vidion, on my part, the House would aft unwisely
to pursue that Measure. It is therefore my duty
to .propose Taxes -to supply the deficiency, which
will be thus occasioned. The Duty on printed
Goods is taken at 1.4.0,0ool.: those on Pepper at
9 z,0001.--:making together the sum Of 232,0001.—
it is for the purpose of providing for chat sum of
deficiency that I am now about to propose,Taxes.
PROBATES OF WILLS.
_ _

a The first Tax I shall propose, , is that of
an Additional Stamp Duty on Probates of Wills,
Or Letters of Administration on property lett by
legacy or otherwise, where the value amounts to
snore than 6001. and rising grdually from 'that
amount up to too,oool.—There is a duty already
tip to boot• and from thence upon a 'scale of
gradation up to to,oool. and then up to 60,0001.
but the progressive gradation stops at to,oool.
.r here he recited the scale of the proposed
duty,)—and then proceeded to • say, " I pro-
pose to make an augmentation on almost all these
duties excepting, the sMaller sums. Upon all.
bequests, S,:c. up to io,oool. upon a certain scale
of gradation up to I 00,0001. for it does not appear
equitable to me that the larger bequests should pay
a smaller proportion, with reference to their own
amourrt, than the,smaller.--L-It does not seem to me
reasonable that the scale of gradation should stop at
ro,000l.; I shall therefore propose to pursue the
ascending series up to too,oool. ; and by way of
Stamp on the Probates of Wills and Letters of Ad-
ministration in this manner, but I shall propose no
new duty where the property does not amount to
Cool.

From 6001. to i 00,31. I propose a Duty of 31. which • •
I calculate will produce - - - 4. 5,479
Frouvtooot. to 20901. col. which will produce Nal°
From 20001. tO3GOOI. 201. which will produce s 15,260
fram.soool.-to-Pstoool-301. which will erodoce 1.4,37°
From.teynal. to 15,0001. 501. which will produce g,OOO