The Sun.
London, England, 1830-07-06 00:00:00

SUGAR DUTIES.

TIM CHANCELLOR Of the EXCHEQUER brought up the
repot t of the Committee on the Sugar Duties Bill, which
agreed to, as was al•o the Spirit Duties Report, and
the Biils ordered to be read a third time to-morrow.

Mr. HUME presented a petition from John Doyley
Williams against the stamp duties on medicines. The
petitioner did not complain of the amount of duty charged,
but the law being in so
,uncertain estate it rendered
medical practitioners open to very vexatious pro►►ecutions.
The Hon. Member hoped the Chancellor of the Exchtquer
would take the subject into his consideration.
Woad SIBTHORP said the present was an awful
morneut when they were about to be sent to their con.
stituents to render an account of their conduct—therefore,
•us he did not wish to be found Wanting—(A laugh)—he
hoped the Chancellor of the Exchequer would inform him
if It was the intention of Government to bring forward
any measure to put a atop to mock auctions, with ►vhich
the country was now so inundated.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said, he
thought it was desirable something should be done ; but,
at the present moment, he did not feel warranted in giv-
ing any specific pledge on the subject.
_Mr. WARBURTON presented a petition from a num-
ber of surgeons and physicians, praying the House to take
into its consideration the difficulty of obtaining subjects for
dissection. The Hon. Member said, if he should have the
imam' of a seat in the next Session of Parliament, it was
I►is intention to take an early opportunity of bringing in
another Bill relating to the subject of anatomy.
The Beer and Cider Duties Bill was read a second
time and ordered to be committed.

Sir H. PEEL brought up his Majesty's most gracious
answer to the Address voted on Wednesday last. Ills
Majesty thanked his faithful Commons for their loyal
Address, and felt persuaded they would hhe no time in
providing a temporary supply for the public service,
until the meeting of a new Parliament.

REGENCY
Mr. R. GRANT rose and addressed the House nearly
in the following terms :--Sir, in calling the attention of
the House to the proposition of which I gave notice the
other evening, I trust it will be unnecessary far inc
to repeat what I then said and now feel, that the
question is one of great magnitude, and that there are
great difficulties attending it, which I make so bold us to
charge myself with bringing forward. I sun aware that it is
impossible, under any circumstances, even taking it as an
abstract question, that a subject so intimately connected
with the welhleing of the monarchy, aointimately connected
with the Constitution, and in which. the feelings of all
loyal subjects are interested, should be otherwise than
deeply interesting. Rut, in addition to all that belongs
to it us an abstract question, there is one circumstance
which gives it a peculiar add sorrowful interest when
introduced to this Howie, namely, that a measure
of this kind is founded on a conjectural anticipation
of an event, which God avert! and which, when it
occurs, would fill the nation with sorrow,—an event
which no reflective man could think upon without serious..
nees.....which no citizen could look forward to without
.deep concern—and which no loyal adherent of the family
which now occupies the Throne can contemplate with other
sentime its than those of the most painful nature. Sir, having
thus 'stated the nature of this subject, I may be asked why
I thought it necessary to bring forward the question before
this ilois,c—why the attention of the House ehould be
occupied with the subject at all—and still more, why I
should take upon myself the charge of recommending it to
your attention. With respect to the subject itself, it may he
enough fur me to say, that whatever be the difficulties, the
delicacy and importance connected with it, all those cis.
cornstances, and all the embarrassments which may
arise limn a discussion, would he multiplied ten thousand
fold hi the events of the contingency which I wish
the House to provide against. In this view
of the case the difficulties which I contemplate, and which
may be urged as a reason against the discussion of, the
question, lie far from operating with me as a ground. for
postponement, only furnish additional reasons for taking
it tip with the utmost promptitude, and pursuing it with
such celerity, as is consistent with the importance of the
euroject. With respect to myself, Sir, in calling the at-
tention of the House to the subject, I recollect that my
province is not to enter into a discussion of the ember-
m enet; questions which belong to the subject, but, on the
contrary, I think that I should not discharge my duty, if I
slid more than press the subject on the House, without
offling any opinions of my own upon the difficulties
which surround it. I therefore mean to confine, myself
to priming the subject upon the consideration of the Howie,
and not to ask the House to pronounce any opinion upon it,
although I sin at the same time aware that this ileum is
perfectly competent to teke upon itself the devising any
measures to he adopted, in the event of the contingency
which I am anxious to provide against. But I at the
time time thought that it would be inure agreeable to
usage, mom comiistent with precedentm, and more con-
sonant with those feelings which we all entertain towards
the Royal Family, to confine myself to this point, namely,
that the Crown should, by an Address front this house, be
invited to originete a 'Demure of this ilexeriptien. I therefore
feel it my duty to content myself with stating my reasons
for inducing tide House to implore the Crown to originate
this measure, and that it would be inconsistent with my
duty if I were rashly to enter into a discussion as
to what ought to be done...--(llear.)—ln the remarks
which I era about to address the House, I wish to keep
clear of all personal and political allusion', which at all
times I wish to avoid, but the more so on a
subject of so intich importance, as to induce ;us to re-
frain from giving way to ordinary political feelings ;
much more do I wish to disclaim from the bottom of my
heart, the introduction of any topic which could encroach
iii the slightest degree upon those feelings of reverential
aitaelmient to the Royal Family, with which every good
subject should approach a discussion of this kind. Sir,
fully aware that the question is one which involves matters
of great delicacy, I yet feel that it is impossible, without
the utmost caution to treat it, without enctoaching in some
degree upon the aecresy and 'reclusion of the Royal Household.
I know that by the Constitution the Royal household
is, as it were, placed as a house upon a hill, and its affairs
are in some measure excluded from domestic secresy
and seclusion. But upon this occasion I think the Royal
household ought to be coneidered as exempt from
intrusion as any private household in the realm. I may
be asked why I think it necessary to bring forward this dis-
cussion, as the House already had its attention directed to it,
awl it nosy lie said although the discussion was without notice
yet that measured attention bad been for weeks together
so directed to the subject, as to preclude the necessity of
a specific notice. Upon that part of the sub-
ject I say, and I am justified in saying it,
by the observutions of two or three Houourable
Alembeis that although his Majesty's Government
linty have directed their attention to the subject for some
time, that it was not until two or three days after the
demise of the Crown, that the public had any notion
that it was the intention of Government to submit
to the House that the question of the Regency
should be postponed for the present Session.—
Sir, in considering the details of this question, it will per-
lieps be expected, or ought to have been expected, that some
notice ahould be taken of those precedents that tnay
be considered applicable to the subject furnished by
means of history. I leg to say, that although I have
perused with some care, as of court's, it was my duty tote,
whatever evidence history supplies as applicable to the sub-
;rut, it is not my intention to trouble the House with the
details, or even with a notice of the precedents, that pre-
cede the middle of the last century. I do not mean to
say that none of the precedents supplied by earlier history
arc any way applicable—or the contrary : but recollecting
that the Constitution was not settled in those days as at
present, seeing that many of the uffairsof State, conducted !
now ma they were thee, would be anomalous, I cer-
tainly do not conceive that nanny of the precedents I have
hioked itt, are any thing like so full of utility as might
might have been expected—therefore I pass over them,
and come to the two precedents which have occur.
red since the middle of the last century..—press..
dents which I conceive to he of the utmost im-
portance. The first of these, :which I think the

least important is, that which occurred in the
year 1751. George the Second, at that time
being greatly advanced in age upon the death of his son
the Prince of Wales, and recollecting that the children of
that Prince were then in a state of minority, thought
it necessary to send a message to both Houses of Parlia-
ment, earnestly calling upon them to make a provision by
the appointment of a Itcguney, adapted to the peculiar
emergencies of the case. The Message to both Houses was
sent on the 26th April, 1751. This was followed by a
second message to the House of Lords on the Bth of
May, respecting some of the details, and on or
about the 22d or 23m1 of May, about four weeks
from the date of the first message the Regency Bill passed
both Houses, and received the
,Royal Assent. The more
impel tent precedent, however, ie diet which took
plate in 1765. GeorgelH, at that time having been upon
the Throne about four years, in the very prime of life
(fur he was then, 1 believe, about 25,) alarmed
by an illness which, though I believe in acme degree se-
vere, we know, from the best authority, not to have been
dangerous—thought it access try, not by the usual course
of a Message, but by his own personal appearance,
in the House, to call on Parliament to take into considera-
tion the casualties that belonged to his exalted station above
all other, and to make some provision for a successor to
his throne by the appointment of a Regent. The
words in which that Monarch expressed himself were
to the effect, that the tender concern he felt for
his faithful subjects, made him extremely anxious
to provide for every possible event which might injure
their future happiness or security. His late indisposition,
although not attended with danger, had led him to con-
sider the situation in which his kingdom and his
family would he left if it pleased the Almighty God
to put a period to his life while his successor was of tender
years. It was his earnest desire to take every precau-
tion to preserve the Constitution of Great Britain
undisturbed, and the dignity of the Crown preserved, and
which had induced him to lay the subject before Paha-
ment. Such were the words of that revered Monarch
so far as related to the only point now before the
House. They certainly were uttered by the advice
of his Majesty's responsible Ministers, and which
I AM perfectly satisfied must have met with a must
hearty response in the breast of his Majesty. He is
speaking with a Kingly firmness in looking forward to
that event which would terminate his life. He was
therefore desirous with Kingly heart and conscience
to bring forward the subject with all its difficulties before
Parliament that the country might net be disturbed—that
the Constitution might not be agitated, and that full
satisfaction might be done to the rights of the
Crown, and the demands which the interests of his
subjects required in case of his 'demise, Now, Sir, re-
verting to this question, which the House is called on now
to consider, and looking forward to a future event, which
I am obliged to look forward to,—the very contemplaion
of which must cast sorrow into the mind of every moan—
I say, looking forward to that event with all the
feelings that belong to it, I ask whether I am
pmeposteruus in supposing, or should he tnis aken
in fancying that the Ministers who advised this speech
made by George 111., hen they been now the Counsellors
of his illustrious descendant, would have cordially advised
the same subject now to be brought forward, I
may be allowed to say that the kingly feeling* which
George the Third exhibited on the occasion, sic
such as never could be alienated from the
breasts of any descendant of that August Personage.
Sir, I humbly conceive that there would have been a pe-
culiar propriety in the Act to which I have referred.
Had that application been renewed by the professional
advisers of the Crown, I say they would have done well
in counselling their Royal Master, immediately on the
conclusion of the payment of respect to the mortal remains
of the departed King, to have followed, the example of his
August Father, making his public appearance in this
House, and calling on it to consider the occasion and
provide for its exigencies. Sir, I have considered
deeply the Act of George the Third, and I have drawn
front it those general inferences which seem to mue to
be natural, always remarking the circumstance* atten-
dant on that Act. That he was a young monarch in the
prime of life, with every prospect of a long and happy reign;
then, if, under such circumstances, an Act of that nature
was considered necessary, how much more so was it in the
present instance. But, Sir, I should not, however, do toy
duty if I did not beg leaves to look a little more particu'arly
into the difficulties against which I have been imploring
the House to join in making provision. Sir, in so doing,
1 am obliged to say once more, and presume to think
Vie good feeling of time House will approve of it,
that this subject presents topics from which I intend ab-
staining as much as possible. Though I may allude to and
foUnd arguments upon them, bet I only consider it necessary
to touch upon them. Butt trust the House will not measure
the importance to be attached to them in consequence of
the notice which I shall, or not, take of them. But the
House, I hope, will exercise its own opinion of the real
nature of them. Sir, in time event of the lamented de-
mise of the Crown taking place after this Parliament
shall be dissolved, and before the writs are returned for
the new Parliament,—in that event, Sir, we must
look forward to time possibility of two contingents.
Either that of the Queen being enceinte at the time
of the King's death, or the aeceasion of an
Want Princess. Now, Sir, it is well known that by the
Art of Arnie, upon the death of the Sovereign, the
Privy council must, under great penalties, immediately
meet, take the oaths of allegiance, and proclaim the
new Sovereign. Now, Sir, I AM bound to put
to the House, what would be time consequences resulting
in case of either of time contingencies happening to which
I have referred. The Privy Council would assemble
for the purpose of taking tonsures for the Proclamation,
which must be prefaced by the taking of the oaths of alle-
giance on their part. To whom, Sir, I would ask, ar.e
the oaths of allegiance to be taken, or who is to be
proclaimed ? By the lame Act the subsisting
Ministers of the Crown are to be continued for six
months, miles' they are discharged by the person
who succeeds to the throne. In the case 1 have
referred to. Sir, whose Minister. are they? To whom
are they responsible? By whom are they to be
discharged ? Time Parliament, Sir, so mbssolved
are to assemble again, but such Pediment Estist be
commenced either with a speech from the Throne,
or by commission front the King. Under time circum-
stances I have referred to, in whose na,ne is that commis-
si.as to be made? The first act that Parliament has to per-
fo in is to swear allegianae to its Sovereign ? To whom
is it to swear allegiance'? What, Sir, is time state of
time country abroad ? Wnose subjects ore the popula-
tion of the empire ? For whom , are the public
players are to be offeaed up. I could multiply queetions
of this kind almost into infinity. There is a great
mass of other difficulties. The ether propott:on to which
I have referred, is that of the demise of the Crown,
and time succession devolving upon an infant niece.—
Qmtestions of difficulty arise in this point of view,
such as who shall he the Regent. Were Mr. FoX and
Lord Ellenborough right in their opinions in 1708, or
were Mr. Pitt and Lord Eldon right in their supposition ?
Far the reasons I have assigned, I hope the House will
nut separate until they have deliberated on time subject of
a Regency. If they come to such a conclusion, a
peat many but very important considerations
presented theinselve*as to the person and qualifications of
the Regent..--(Hear. )_There are qtrestions which 1 will
far the present refrain from alluding to. It will
be recollected the great :eensternatiou and interest
that existed at the time of appointing a Regency in 1788.
Gime of time objections against taking the measure into
consideration was, that it was so difficult a question
it would in ail probability take many weeks to decide, and
it was hard that Hon. Member.; should et this time of year he
Ica in town. But I will Belt, should the convenience of
Ms tubers be consulted when so important a subject demanded
their attention, personal convenience ought not for a
moment to be consulted in so serious a question,
and I am aatonished at Honourable lillembere underat-
leg obis Vital subject.' Personal convenience, I will
isy, ought to be sacrificed to the performance of a
great netionel ditty. The Heim will remember, that
shortly after, the death of his Majesty George the
111., an illustrious Prince in the full vigour of life,
was leadenly called into another world. The Duke
of Kent died suddenly; Another Prince of the
Royal Family had also been removed be death,
who a short time before before bid fair to reach
all old age. God forbid he should anticipate
another death, but it was not impossible, and
Parliament ought to make it provision in' case
such a calamity should befal the nation. There had beea
only two Monarchs sincethu Coequest, who died leaving
Queens without issue.