The Sun.
London, England, 1801-11-26 00:00:00

to cherish, wish respect to the adoption of the Pro-
position,: nor did he think that by it we should lose
the Sovereignty of 'the Seas. The application was
not an attack upon the charter, but only for en in-
quiry into a grievance, the existence of which was
acknowledged by Government, the Board of Con_
trot, the Directors themselves, and a great number
of Proprietors. ;the iabjed of the Supporters of the
Motion, .was fair and laudable, and its, adoptioti
would .tend to the salvation of"the Ificlia Company,
the'general prosperity of the Nation, and, above
all; to the extension cf her Trade.,
/11r. TIERNEY said, that, notwithstanding the
lateness .of the hour, he felt himself called upon, in
consequence of sonae- thiogS that had fallen in the
course of the Debate, to offer a few observations to
the House. The first ground of objection to the
I\lotion which forcibly struck him was, , the terms
of the Aa'ofhao3, to supersede which would be
the effect of going into, ,the Committee. At the
same time, he could not
.agree with those: who
argued, that in no case Charters should he touched.
The great and known interests ofahe Public were,
with him, paramount considerations. On such oc-
casions, the cant phrase:of " Chartered Rights"
should not weigh with him.. The Aft in question
was, with resped to the points adverted to, in his
mind very distinctly worded, as might be expeaed
from the produdion of a Right Hon. Gentleman who,
however he might differ from him on various politi-
cal questions, he must confess was perfedly,compe.
tent to the task.. In, that regulation the Company
were left to the enjoyment of their exchisive mono-
poly, but under two leading restrialons ; the first,
that the profits of the. Company should be limited,
and that when they exceeded a certain amount, the
Public should he suffered to participate; and second.
ly, which appeared to be an extorted concession,
the regulations in favour of the Private Trade, re-
speding the manner of its being carried on, and the
providing of the conveyance for 3000 tons for the
respective Imports and Exports of India and Eng-
land. The only principle on which the Legislature
could fairly be called upon to interfere upon such
an occasion as the, present was, some general grounds
of mismanagement on -the, part of the Company,
obviously and alarmingly affeding the public
interests. If such a plea were advanced, the_ na-
tural course would be, to consider next, who the
applicants for such an interference were. In his
coinion there could not be found,soo persons friend-
ly to the Proposition of the Hon. Baronet : about
250" of the Proprietors were in favour of it, togee,
titer with about 4.0 or so persons who signed the
application, and who seemed interested in the ques-
tion ; beyoad that, he could perceive in no com-
mercial quarter the smallest wish for the question
to be brought forsaard. If the Directors were, in
"the points; in question, guilty of any, oegled, he
would add, that the Board of Control were equally
reprthenSible. He here adverted, to the relevant
provisions of the- Aa in question, than which, he
observed, it ''‘Vas impossible for words to he more
explicit. 'hen that :VI wa's framing,, the Legis.
lature was, to a certain degree to be considered, as
ire king a bargalit for the Public against the mono..
poly of the East-Italia Company. So decided. were
the framers of that Ad with fesped to the intro-
priety of tampering therewith, that on a future
oc-
casion, Alen certain farther regulations were found
necessary, they were -provided for by means of:a
.separate legislative provision. He Proceeded to
consider what description of persotes were urgent
for the proposed Measure, :and observed, that they
were in .general persons who hid made fortunes
under the Company--perstins who, undoubtedly,
were entitled equally with,the testsof their fellow_
suljeCts to the protedion of the Legisla-turee but,.
in hisidea, not entitled to any particular favours,
or to claim essclusive privileges ; they professed
their greachbjeol to be the service of the Public,
-and yet they seemed in effect to'say, that if. their
• Proposition should not be. adopted,
,:they would
do the most mischievous things in their power.
Such persons he did not think were particularly
entitled to favour from the Legislatore. The Ho.
nourable Baronet had placed in his front two
_names, doubtless of great weight, viz. the late
President of the Board' of Control,. and the Marquis
WELLESM ; with regard to the latter, from the
personal knowledge of him he
,bad in the early
parts of that Noble Lord's political career; he cer-
tainly felt much respedi for him, but he must beg leave
to observe that the subject before the House, was
not that in which the NobleiVlarquis was best qua-
lified to lay down the Law : he Was aware of his
literary talents, and were the present a question of
classical research, he would be one of the first to
subscribe to his decisions-; but he was yet to learn
how his voyage to India, and short residence in
that Country had rendered him an indisputable au-
thority. With regard to the late President, he
hid certainly often disagreed with him, and though
he respeded his general talents, and knew his in-
formation on India Affairs, yet, in this particular
instance, his opinion was entitled to no extraordia
nary deference. He was the author of the measure
taken as the ground of the present application ;
and that Right Hon. Gentleman's being wrong in
1793, was, he thought no reason for his being right
row. Some of- his prophecies were far from being
fuLilled. He had not forgot the assertion, that the
public revenues would be assisted to .the amount of
aco,cool. by those of the India Company, and,
that the latter, at the end of thirteen years, would
be eighteen millions in pocket, after paying,all its
delos.-12he present, however, he regarded as a
question of great magnitude. He felt, that the
Company, even did the discussion stop here, would
not come out of it as well as it went in.—He was
sorry that the "subject ever discussed—he was
aware that every thing, wont upon general opinion
in India-a-The '.opinics entertained in that quar-
ter, of the Coroppny, and he was sorry that
any thing should arise which, should give the Ser-
vants .an apparent triumph over the Master.—The
- Hon. Baronet was - formerly aware of the ~great
a strength and ianportanecaof . the ,Shipping Interest,
- and its tendency to produce the effeds alluded' to.
He would ask, did they believe* the question would
• stop there ?..Far from it, , If the door, of the Char-
. air. was. once opened, it would be impossible to ;,hut
Cheapneaaiicings ollte great phjed of the applir
cants, why' should the :louse third:: 'ally would
consne themselves to the Port of leondon? `mould
a.;Y Mr.10§4•40 5'e!'4414) o.l4;rt'sr!n§ GlAqioVii