The Sun.
London, England, 1807-02-14 00:00:00

!landed about, to `be sure that would • have been

`another matter. But it was a private letter entirely.
Then what effeEts had it been attended with ? What
advantage had it produced ? It was not pretended
that it had produced any. The Hon. Baronet knew
the voters, and yet he could specify none that had
been procured- by corrupt pradices. None were
given or withheld in consequence of threats.—He
could colled no precedents', becauSe no Opposition
ever presented such d Petition. He defied them to
shew one instance in which a threat had been employ-
ed by Government to influence a vote. The Oppo-,
sition 'was- at present in its infancy; but everything
.must. have a beginning, and he had no doubt that
the Right Hon. Gentleman' over the way would
.one day'pr-ove an excellent'leader. This; however,
was an unfortunate commencement. In short,, this
charge was completely frivolous, and every one must
be
.no less astonished than disgusted at seeing Such
a, Petiticin from the, quarter from whence it came.—
Party-feelings' might- be excusable. 'He himself had,
perhaps been influenced by them--but there Were,
bounds even to party-feelings. This was a case
which did not for a moment -Merit the attention • of
the House, and could only operate to the prejudice of
those by whom it had been brOng-ht forward.
Sir H. IVILDMAY, in explanation, said he had
stated only the written evidenee. There was much
other evidence ready to be prodUced before the Coni-
mittee, not only with resped to the interference of
the Treasury, but also of other Departments of Go-
vernment, and particularly involving-the condud of ,
the Comptroller of the NavY.
CANNING hoped the Hon. Gentleman who
had spoke last on the other side would permit him tos
qualify his observation, that nothing was so extraor-
dinary as a motion of this kind proceeding from the
quarter in which it originated, by telling him, that
it was equally extraordinary that such a motion
should meet with such a reCeption in the quarter in -
which it was opposed. In the earlier part of his
Parliamentary life, he remembered motions of Par-
liatnentary Reform strongly urged by the Honourable
Gentleman and those :about him; It was 'fortunate
for the Country that •thfiSe Gentlemen were now.
placed` ih a sitnation'in 'whia'their influence upon
the Councils-of the Sovereign; and the share they had
in dire;;th'Jg the measures of Parliatnent, gave them
an opportunity of carrying into effe& their ideas upon
this subject. The Public would now know what were
the Hun. Gentlemen's improved and corrected ideas
with respect to the object for which they clamoured
so loudly before. The whole of.. the Parliamentary
Reform he- meant to carry into effect was, the
unlimited and havefaeed interposition of that Govern-
ment inflUence, the exertion of'whiCh, they, without
foundation, imputed to other Govern rnents as the worst
of crimes.. It , was argued by the Hon. Gentleman,
that because he and his friends had thought proper on
former occasions to'prefer groundless complaints "of
this nature, they may now in reality retort the evil
ten fold, and this was the way the Hon. Gentleman
and his friends redeemed their pledges of Parliamen-
tary P.-:form. The Hon. Gentle Man told the House;
that it ought to see no grOund of suspicion in a letter
written by the 'Secretary of the Treasury to Ulu
Head of a' Principal Department of the Public Ser.-
vice, a Department having greater influence in Ramp=
shire than in any other County, to use-his influence
"in favour of a particular candidate. He would not
hiniself say that such a' letter was a.grOund for pro-
nouncing the writer and his principals guilty. But he
thought the House would hardly be of opinion that
there 'was not in it strong ground, for suspicion
and for inquiry. He professed the .highest resped
for the Honourable Gentleman whose name was
coupled with' the charge preferred in the Petition..
-He had never heard the Hon. Gentleman's name
mentioned otherwise. than with resped, except in
the Petition. He had never witnessed a more ho-
nourable, a more candid, or a more affeeling appeal
to the sense Of the HOuse, than the Honourable Gen-
tlenian had made. There was no
_part of that
appeal which was not creditable to the H6n. Gentle-
man as an indiVidual. Any complaint that his in-
terposition in the Eledion may be liable to, could
attach only to his official capacity. Nothing • was
more true than that the persons composing a Govern-
ment Were not disqualified from exerting their rights
as-individuals in common with every Other subjea :
but they should exert them With cautiOn, so that it
should always appear to be the individual: right they
exerted, and not the power and influence of Govern
ment. The Hon.Gentlernan might have written to his
private connexions and dependents, with. all possi-
ble zeal and ardour, to exert themselves,to promote
the eleEtion of his friends. But the ground of com-
plaint was, that the letter was addressed, not by
Mr. Freeniantle, a Gentleman of property, and a
Freeholder of Hampshire, to General, Hewitt, a pen-
son of private connexions in that County, but from
Mr. Freemantle, Secretary of the. Treasury, to Ge-
neral Hewitt, head of the. Barrack Department,
'claiming the exertions off, his influence through
all -the ramifications, connexions, ,and -dependen-
cies of that Department. It could not justly
be assumed, that this was the only instance of the
undue interposition of Government ifs this Elec-
tion. The expression of his Hon. Friend (Sir H.
Mildmay), " 020'th:see oinnes," was in itself an
assurance that there were many similar instances; and
the Petition stated this one, nely as a specimen "of a
multitude of otNer fads which were to by brought
forward, aedewhich the Petitioners were ready to
prove. It was not fur hip to say how far the alle-

. ,
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.„. ,
gaifons Ot the, ni:!ae.out : but al
ra Metiiber of Parliament; he woUld r.ty; thet
titioners having Stated sueh fads, and liar inc_ declamd
thenia‘elves ready to, peeve .would eequire
tench strengei than he tp
the dismissal of the Petition proper
and rc2,,i)e.4. The -Hon. Gent. tovard, clo,:e
SPeC.!CA), Cited :! limu(.r insiacce o:.:lt;:b2.hd of his o,lr.
Jervoise) who had been ter eed out of the. rcpre-.
sentation of the County of feet by the :interposi-
tion of the.pbwer of -G./Verne:eta ;, and
.the Hon.
Geetieniale argued from tia that. the interposition of
:Caveieeneet to turn out it,u (rid Represeetetive,in the
present instaece, was but tint rep, isal. But what
it to the free:noldcrs or the county of
Hauls, that their.i;:dependence to be continually;::
invaded, because
,the reprisal was allowable on the .
part of those who nay happen, to be at the time in
power, and whose friend may formerly have received
,a wrong, which they think proper to retaliate. But was
it to be argued .or suffered, that from .this assumed.
Tight of party reprisal, the County of Hants shoald :be
• eternally disfranebised-i If such .reprisals were.suf-
. feted, it could be only on the principle, that as.
Hampshire was accustomed to such.invasions of its..
rights, it could suffer no pain from any fresh instance.
:of it; a principle more unjust and more ontrageons
than airy he had ever heard maintained? The Petition
which had been. alluded. to by the Hon. Gentleman,
• and in whath the movereaed seconder a the present
Motion we-1e complai.tmnts, was exaa.lv similar to the
present; the only difference was, that some of those
who then.complained of the invasion; argued now,•
'that it would be foolish to listen , to a coMplaipt of
similar invasion. The. complaint was ,then backed
aloe by Lord Carnarvon, id now Lord Carnarvon vase
on the other: side.. , That was the only difference
between the cases: Thezeneral principle of the ar-
gument of the Hon. Gentleman was, that because
Hampshire was used to being wronged, Its wrongs,
should never. be redressed ::tor when injuries of the
highest magnitude; were stated, it was thought quite
sufficient in bar of redress-to -turn round short, and'
state,:that others had beenguilty of similar invasions.
There was another peculiarity with
,respe6t to Hamp-
shire; that the case on which the House came to the
Resolution, condetnning the Duke of Chandos, arose
in that County. 'The.Reselution of the Honse upon
that case declared it to be highly criminal, and a
breach of the-Privileges of the House,. to be.vindi-
cated by severe.animadversions, that an Officer of the
Government should interfere, direaly or indirealy,
in the Eledion of*Membera;toservein the CcntimOns
House of Parliament: It the interference in that in-
starCee were compared with the interference in the,
present instance, no' man could hesitate to say, that
the interference in the present instance was more ai-
red and immediate. It was argued, that the Duke
of Chando3 was as a Peer prohibited from interfering
by law; but it was his interference as an:Officer of
Government that the Resolution stigmatized. Ano-
ther complaint was, that the fats contained in the.
complaints of the Petitioners had not been brought
forward as soon as the Hon.' Gentlemen opposite
wished,, that they Were not prepared as
:the.Hoh.
Gentlemen wished, that they were not the same facts
as they Wished ; other modes of bringing the matter
forward ought to have been resorted to, according
to 'the opinions of the Hon. Gentlemen ; and indi-
viduals-ought not to have been feasted and pamper-
ed up for the purpose of sacrificing them on the
occasion. It wasvery, likely that the entertainment,
as it. was served up at present, was riot to the taste
of the Hon. Gentlemen; but was it to be argued that
when Government had invaded
.the rights and in-
dependence of a county; and pleaded custom as a
ground for denying redress, the House of Commons
should refuse to inquire into the grounds of a Petiti-
on complaining of the injury, and invade another
right of the subject, merely because the form of the
Petition:in question may be disagreeable to those,
whose crime was its substance ? ,Vas the House to
call for and- compare all rough drafts and amended
forms of the several,Petitions that had been sketched
previous to the due finally-presented? Was the House,
in assuming a right which .it did not possess; to lose
sight. ofthe due exercise of a duty which Was incuM-.
bent-upon it. Helsadheard it was maintained in ano-
ther place,that the influence of Government was a sort
of paternal and prOluting influerice; which may as,
properly be-exercised Oyer the people as that of .a
landlord Over hiS tenants. He had riot heard that
sentinsent uttered here
.so generally. But when so,
impoirtant'a person as the Secretary of the Treasury
said any thing bordering upon it
,became the
House .to guard against it in the Outset, ,nartieularly
when that Secretary of. the Treasurystated that
he had come into office critically. at that period,
and that the , Whole business of the EleCtions
was in his , hands; He was glad to find the
Flonotirable Gentleman had estates in Hampshire;
but he couldnot have • estates in every Ceunty, or-
Ins)rises in every Borough. He anust think, upon
the whelp of the circurnstauces, that the letter to
Gets. Hthwitt Was written not as a letter from, one
private Freeholder to another, but in the charader
of Mr. Freernatitle,;Secretary to the Treasury, hav-
irig the charge .of,managing the General Election, to
the person at the head, of the,Barrack DepartMent,
claiming the exertion of his extensive influence. But
it was argued; the House aught .to have no jealousy.
of a Petition 'complaining of this interference; and
an Hon. Gentleman, who represented the County of
Hants recommended that the Petition' should be dis-
missed; and thrown-hack with disgrace upon the heads.
of those who had preferred it. This would hardly ,be
of Service to the Hon. Gentleman in; another simi-
lar•crisis of difficulty; Whether be may or may not
happen to have a' friend in the situation of Secretary
to the Treasury, and having a freehold in Hampshire.
He had trusted that it would not have been necessary
-for hith to speak upon this question ; and-though lie
had a high respell for some of the Petitioners, be
would have been silent, had not the arguments offer-
ed on the opposite side called upon him for these-ob-
servations. He had hoped, that such a Petition,
movectand seconded by-such personS, would have met
universal concurrence. He was ready to allow, that
it the Petitioners could, not prove their allegations,
the strength of the language in which they expressed
their complaints ought to stabjed them to some cen-
sure. —But that the strength of the language should
be made 0 ground for reje&ing the Petition, when
. those who signed it professed themselves' ready to
prove their allegations, was what appeared to hint
most extraordinary and Most unjustifiable, and there,
fore he would <::v ve onevote, at least to preserve,he
House front censure that timst.fall upon it if the

, •,. * `' "7 •,) • •"1"e1 rt")lA'%
potitprn 1;110111d 66,diirniise4 yr ithot proper
deration, • • • • .
• • 4 .e = •
tlionoht it urrar Ir, it ,—lrcr,erce
CLOat..:tr,to take tidvantige of all inadvertent eiproi
iou of An Hon. Csentieman unused to. pu.btic.sp,ekt7
. The flou. Gentleman ha 'd beside§ 'eoiTeete4
tlp-> e.;<,pres§ion of the propriety of Goyerunient
.1.),r in eleelions in a corpor2te;cop?city; ainjost

a soon he had used it: :The holder of the Oitiee
of s:cretary,of the treasury not One of tho,,:t
Officer§ who were dibtinguished by !ivy or by ItesJ
,hitiops of the House from taking part in election-. ,
he was, therefore, at full liberty toyote,ao
like any other individual. The preseni case has n t

. _ .
of,thc County of Hants in particular, it, was
case,;,tot?e decicled on general principl4,
The Secretary the Treasury was in no Way chi:,
qualitiecl from interfering. In the case of 1779, ale
Duke of Chanclos,was disqualified by law; as a Peei.
of Parliameni,-,R4 as a Lora Lieutenant. , Mr. Free-
man tle.had,written in ftwour. of Mr. Herbert: he

had written as a_ Freeholder, not as Secretary of the

.Treasury—to.Gencral Hewitt, not as Barrack Mas-
ter General, but as a Freeholder. The Hon. Gen-
tleman did not deity to a Member of Government
-the right of canvassing tenants, or other persons cons!
ueQed with him; it *as only, the application of
threatS or bribes that could be called undne influence.
.I.Co charge of the king -was made. It was only a
violation of the -Law of Parliament and of the Land,
t hat could constitute a fit 'Subject thr the i in'estigat ion
of the Con-114W of Privileges. In the prsent case
there was no new part to he brought forward. Would
it, be consistent- with the dignity of the House to gO
into a Committee of Privileges to inquire into what
was known. not to be inexistence The Committee,
of Privileges was one' of the most ancient and ve-
nerable forms of the House, and-ought not to be re
sorted to on light grounds, The 'ftids were aeknow;.
ledged, and theconstrudion clear in the present
I,QnISOLK ESTO NE allowed that the Members
of Government- had a right tointerfere in Elections,
as privateindividuals ; • but he. could consider the let-
ter limn the Secretary of the. Treasury to the llttss,,
rack Master :General, in this case, only as an
letter. It was understood as such by those svloise
condo& was. to influence. He did expo' that the
Gentlemen on .the.other side would have assented to
tthe Motion, in ,consideretion of their own hoooer,
of the honour of 'the County. of Hants,,ind of the
House of Commons. He Understood that. naochs
further grounds of crimination were 'to be brought
foVsvar&-and particularly a-letter from one of the
other Public Boards, signed by the Secretary- (hi
this
,ground he wished to go into the, Committee.
Me..lQiIN agreed that this- was a gene-,
iso questioio. was, whether the, Howe would,
sandlots a Secretary of the Treasury in sending a
letter -from the Treasury,. perhaps- signed with the
Seal of. the Treasury, and carried by a Messenger Of
the Treasury, tohisk the influence of a great Public '
Ds-partmtn on a General EleEtion,? Every one who
under Stands this to-be a measure of mere private
canvass between Freeholder -and Freeholder, would
vote against going into ‘a Committee. But it ap-
peared to him to be official; and therethre he voted
for:inquiry. The Barrack-Master General, the Se-
cretary of the Barrack Board, and Major Davies,-
allsundevstood the -..letter to be official. He de-
nied, that this letter was a single instance of the iti-
terference of Government in Eledions. He himself
had seen many similar letters, particularly one writ-
ten by the same Secretary of. the Treasury to an
EleCior in-Yorkshire, whose name lie did not know,
- to influence his vote. He adverted to the abstinence
- from all interference in the 'General Eledion in the
Administration of Lord Sidtuouth. -He called upon
those who wished to prevept undue influence of
Government from extending to every County,- City,
and Borough in the Country, to vote for going into
the Committee.,
Mr. PATRURSTs.cIw no reason to.go into a Com-
mittee. of Privileges, when there mere no 'has touch-
ingprivilege to be authenticated: The tads in this
case were clear, and the eonstrutaion was' obvious.
If.any Gentleman thought there was foundation for •
motion oicenstire, he May bring it 'forward. The .
HOuse of .Comeohns would hardly go int() a coal-
mittee of Privileges to
.fish out grievances now un-
ktiown. The. faa stated in the Petition was all
the HouSe
‘could attend to. It was extremely
improper to., introduce the name of the Comp-
troller of the Navy, or. of_ any other person, with-
out'specific: foundation. .Mr. -Freemantie had
declared that lie had Written 'the letter merely
in his individual capacity,:‘and there was no reason
:to presume the contrary.'. Petition stated, that
the Petitioners believed MrssFreemantle ,had no
property hi the County of Hants, Wat it now appeared
- he had ; and thras'f.tr the Petition ,proceeded on false
grounds. It was an unfair exaggeration to state
that it bad been argued by his Hon. Friend (Mr.
Tierney),. that because the. County of Hants had
been often violated, it was not entitled to redresSo
lii Hon, Friend; while remarkin,g upon -the 'ex-
. traordinary-zeal shewn on this occasion by
.sorne
Hon. Gentlemen on the other side, had contended'.
that there was no violation in the present case. The
f Hori.. Gentleman (Mr. Canning)- had declared, he
did not mean to impute any guilt, but merely in-
ferred- ground for suspicion. • Some persons were
always disposed to put the worst conseru6tion. He
Isopechthe House would not do so. .He
.thOught it
no disgrace to the Petition not itshgo into a Commit-
tee upon, it.
Mr..PERCIV4.II, began by observgi7n,etrlailatelxieprheast.l
heard in the of the debate a
sion of .Surprise L-one set of Gentlemen were star-
- prised at the manner in-which this charge !hid hews
brotight forwardanot her at the charge itself. A No.
ble Lord who had just sat down.(Lord Folkstone), had
freely expressed his surprise-at the strange reception
this Petition bad met with from his- Zajesty's Mi-
nisters in that House ; and the 'Noble Lord was
suiptisjd at such a reception, because the Noble
Lord thought such- a line- of condua inconsistent
with those professions in faveur.of free and -liberal
' inquiry into all alledged abUses of a- public nature,
which wer6 ever hi the mouths of the men eon*
prising the present Government of the country. He;
for his part, could riot be brought to think that the
reason assigned , was at all a .satisfadory- one, for to
be told that the present Administration, were in eve-
ry instance asiting iii'dired inconsistency w ith their
professions when wt ofpower-, would have produced
in his mind, sensatious very opposite to those of sur-
prise. No:; of all other emotions, surprise was
that from Which he was-o; that inOment, most free.

Whet' bashbderi the 'corrdhai of Ministers upon that by better mean; 'than those by -AM; they li see-
m:7ler he
_had long since learned to anticipate from 1 seeded in acquiring it.
what had been their conduit upon 'Occasions that Mr. Bea-mese explained.
ineolved the sinus of their formai profeseions, in. Lena/ HOWICK, in reply to Mr. PERCAVAL, de-
the bold and unblushing- contradigieu of their_ pros- nied that he or his friends deserted those principles
*Lice. He therefore was 'prepared to receive that whiCh regulated their conduct when in oppoSition,
fresh instanceof their good- faith and consistency and contended, that during the many years to Which
as completely Of a piece with all their other proceed= he referred, there never had been a• single instance
lugs; for, however they may, night after night, of such arfindiVidual and personal opposition brought
uniformly Perstiethat. condua which when out-of as the present. And Would the Hon. and Learn-
Office they aenunißjraily decried, they have been, ecl Gentleman say, that duringethe last twenty years
Since they came into effice, at least, consistent in there was no interference, in eleaions by former
their systematic perseverance in cootradiaitig, both Governments ?He did not mean to justify himself,
WI their laeguage and their measures, all-the mighty or those connected with him, merely by a declares
professions and high=flying theories which in so great tion that 'others did the like ; but it was fit that the
• , a-measere •chatataerized that-deceased body Of red- attention of the House should be called to the quer-
- s formers. 'Whet, for in-stake, had- been their lan- ter from which these complaints proceeded.—The
guagehapon the former-night when-that Petition was Noble Lord next appealed to the letter written by.
Jiresented? No leSs than mutual congratulations •the. Right Hon. Gentleman (1W Rose), to a con-
were given and exchanged by the Gentlemen on the tractor for the Ordnance, requesting him to exert his
' opposite 'sides-; they were rejoiced,' lotsooth, that best offices with his friends at Canterbury, in favour
the period of triumph and:-inquiryhad at length ar- of a Candidate (Mr. Caleraft) whose ele6tion he was
- rived, that investigation the most • stria would end studious to promote. The Noble Lord read- the
in acquittal the most ,hOneurablee tliat.'the' poison of lefter, which stated in general, the anxious wishes
chlumhy, which had _ been so generally and, ineie 'Of the Right Honeurable Gentleman to secure the
dionsly circniaoesi, satoul4 be- Checked in-its disserrii- I election of the Candidate he-favoured, and pointed
nation, and that its propagators would he justly ex- ! out-the means by which his object could be best
posed se. the vengeance due from injured innocence I promoted. Was the Right Hon. Gentleman a free.'
• and honour to the' latent eserunOtO'rs of malevolent i man of Canterbury,- or. was the interference- now
aspersions and waqtott eccusations. Such was the complained of in any measure to- be compared with
language of the other aide a few nights sincee-and f that which the Right Hon. Gentleman had exerted
what was it then ? No longer courting inquiry— in the Canterbury Election ? Surely not. If, then,
no lobster taunting- their anticipated triumphs of -such a conduct did not then call for any censure of
tried and ,approeed innocence ()Vet grog ndless ca the House (he did not mean to contend that one
lumny,. but evading past protestatiout-, shrinking abuse' justified. :mother), with what face could the
from the investigation called for, to which they had Right Hon. Gentleman and his -friends -move to
pledged thaemseives ;' one 'night congratulating the refer the present case
.to a Committee, which So.
country upon the 'prospect of -immediate inquiry, much less•called. for. any such ii-terference of the
and the next geeerously threatening:to pettish and House ? But there. were other instances of the in-
to disgrace the very twin who h-ad given their' I his terference in elections by the Right Hen. Gentle-
so much desired oPpertunity of inquiry,eby present- man, tar more glaring and unequivocal. He tvotad
ing that Petition, and praying that that- House content himself with adverting to two—oneoccorred
would admit them to prove the truth-of the alledged during the West Minster Election, when Lord Heed
charg,es-upon which- that Petition- rested.:: He put , was the'Goyernment Candidate. Did it not appear:
it• boldly to Ministers, whether theY, would be from the examieation of the expellees attending
tempted to proceed tesSich -a length; .as not only to that Election, that two separate accounts Were kept,
resist inquiry, bet to punish the promoters of that one for Lord Hood, the other for. the •Treasuiy?
investigation which the Gentlemen themselves,. a t \Vas not that a more fit subject than the present for
few nights since, thought so necessary to the great the interference -and -animadversion of the .House ?
ends 'of general justice, to the assertion of the rights l But another case bad occurred. Had not an , applia
of the cittentry, to the Vindication of the impeached. cation been made (whether effectually or not be
and questioned charaoer of the Government, and could not now state) -to the Right. Hon. Gentleman-
to the due maintenance of the 'dignity of the to obtain the remission -of certain penalties tinder
House of Commons. When he heard Gentle- l the Excise Laws. in favour of asperson- whose vote
men • say,- that they did not wish to reciitninate t was to be secured ? On that occasion, the charge
(-because foe the very best :reason, that. they:could f was-made and proof offered. _Whether the charge
not), and ..vet do so •by insismatioe, he could not was true
.or false, it- was not for him to state : but
think much _either of their eendocr or their logic.— - in 1784 she made a motion, the words of which the
As to the objeaion of there being hut a single fact Noble Lord repeated, for an inquiry into the charge
upon which the Motion- for going into aCommittee charge moshgrievouS in all its circumstances;
rested, be thought- it zi sufficient answer to refer to yet the motienfor that Committee of Inquiry was
• the allegations iu the Petition itself, and particularly. negatived. Should he refuse an inquiry underor el-
the form of words, from-which it was imposeible not Miler circumstances, what. would be the opinton
to infereegenerality of charges, as itt the terme"with_ and the language of the Gentlemen opposite him ?
• which the ehargeeegainst ;the Han. Gqinletl32ll was Yet they make out nothing like such a case at pre-
introduced "-among other .instance s, -end also that -sent.--What is the question now ? Why, that Mr.
the same' uedue infleence had been resorted to," in Fremantle, of his own accord, and from the itn-
-various depaietnents"—didsthese words warrant the pulse Of private' friendship and affection for a re-
strange asset tion, that the Committee was to go into f Lakin, addressed a letter to General Hewitt, request- •
inquiry upon one fan only ? -But even of tins fa& ing his friendly services in 'favour of the Candidate
the document is attempted toJ3e.qnestioned. _What in whose cause he so- naturally interested himself,
is this document ? A letter -froth the Secretary of Did Mr. Freemantle mention- any high Officer of
the Treasury to Lieut. General Hewitt at the Head Government ? Did lie mention the name of Lord
• of the Itsraeck .D2partment. It has-been said that Grenville, or even' insinuate that he had any au-
the Hun. Secretary is a Freeholder; but does it 0- thority whatever to exert himself'• in favour olitatney
-pear -that- the General is'a-Freeholder ? From the particular petson or persons ? But it was said the
formal manner olehe Note-too, it was evident • that letter was marked private, and why ? Because he
if the two Gentlemen were at all acquainted, it must had reason to be ashamed of the contents. Would
have been in the slightest manner eaand yet the ob- the Honourable Gentleman pretend, that every letter
jeel'of tills letter ia to solicit to less an obligation so Marked, private, must contain something to be
than the General's influence and support on an en- : ashamed of. They surely could not so suddenly be-
suing EleCtion. He bep's the General to. use his come so very ignorant of what was every day done
influence, and witn whom ? Not with his tenants— 1 by men in public situations ; nor could they furget
not with his frieeds, but with those, immediately in that the word private; so used, meant nothing more
his deo:nu-nem—with Major Davies, and Others than non,oj - icial.-A's to the exculpation resorted. to
.the Barrack. Department. Would it not then be. a by the Learned Gentleman, (Mr. Percival) of the
,mockery to contend any longer that such a letter conduct of Mr. Fremantle, that he acted only as an t
was merely an i;mocent communication between instrument, nothing could be so clumsily contrived
two innocent Freeholders ? But if the ireerpretatibn —for it was Well known that that Gentleman was
,of this letter is still to be a question, lie would have too proud, whatever - might be suppesed to be his
recourse to the usual mode of determining the in- I obligations or attachments to any men in power, to
terpretation in such casee—the manner in- which •be induced in any 'shape •to stoop to any improper
English was understood beethe Englishman to whom interference. Another, insinuation of- somewhat
that English' was addressed. Anilhow did General, a similar tendency had been thrown out by an Hon.
Hewitt enerpret this- ambiguous enii2ma ? in such Baronet (Sir H.. Mildmay). Some interference on the
a manner as prompted him to aft up to its true spi part of Government was said to take place, and.ehat
tit-eley promoting ti einfitience lie had been official- when it was asked if the expenses astending`going
ly commissioned
\to pronidte ; and in his letter, how there were to be defrayed; the answer was, 'that
has the General- spoken of the Secretary--nut as a' they.. could not be admitted 'into the Public
Freeholder—not as a private Gentletlem having cer- counts.. What other answer could well have been
fain weight and certain connexion in the county, given ? Yet the inference drae-n by the Hou.,Bae
but merely as Secretary of the `freest-nye-as an Of- j ronet was, that theexpences were to be made good
feer of the Government, eottnnuniczeing the will in some particular. private way. As to the Condit&
of the Government, in order thereby tb• influence of Major Davies, there was Much of mystery and
the decision of an entire department, comprehend- suspicion about it.• - But what-, must be thought of
ing in itself no little proportion of t-le interests and those by whom it was instigated ?In -the present
fee ngs of the county in questioin If the House i case, where is the proof that any thing has been rea
rejeeled this Petition, notwithstanding the strong ; curred to in order to defer by intimidation, or to
grounds upon which it is supported, What will be influence by promise ? On' 'the contrary is' it not
the consequence ? .What a proud precedent shall evident, that of the persons supposed to be under
111inisters have to boast of in this san'ple of their the influence of Government, as many have voted
Treasury Correspondence—them may they t x a for What is called the Opposition Candidates as for
Treasury in everycOunty, in every town, in every boa those said to be the friends of Government ? Look'
„tough; then may each Minister circulate through his to the signattireeaffixedeo the Petition, and .tile truth
respeaive Barrack Department the decree of the Go- of this assertion will be incontrovertible. So far
vernment against the Subjeet's birth-right—provided from being afraid of being dismissed for such a bias,
only that thetekeep within the cautious limits,of their some of them have, since solicited for advance-
.precious- precedent ; provided only they do not pro- • ment to better places. But it is observed, this is
pounce actual menace, provided only they do not only one of several other cases : grant us the ins
convey, through the medium of an `innocent Free- quiry, and the ether cases will be proved. What !
Holder's letter, ebribetaken from the public money; is a general charge first to be madeeend then a
provided they keep within such limits they are safe; promise put forth, that it will bennide good by fur-"
the'.precedent cif diet mein would bear them 'out, ther cases'? If they all resemble the first; they can
andthey a ill again find a House of .Cernmoos who make good no such charge : besides, such teepro;•
will counteinknce thien hire, their .breach of that ceeding hade never been allowed by Parliznient, eind
s-
tfouse' l'rivileges, and in the violation 'of the Sub- be trusted never would : besides, it *such ill Uses
jest's constitutional rights, provided only _that in the existed, this Would not be the mode 'of
act of such breach and violation; `tile forms of dis- them. Some suchl Committee as that hic'el-y fapj
ereetness and decorum, prescribed in the present t pointed to inquire into the existence of h ua-oless
precedent, be observed. The Right Hon. Gentle- I Places and Pensione_ should be had recourse
man concluded with an earnest advice to,Ministere The Motion for that Conmeittee had tipt.beett made
to depart from that line, of conduht which no talents out of any love for the present AdtniniStrafion xet
could ultimately, rescue from-the indignant .anitnad- the Motion wae acceded to. This "proved the spirit
versions of the Countryfriends „might be • for -a by which Mieisters were aauateds and their wil-
time -partial, and talents for a time popular, but lingness to -adopt such measures as seemed caleu-
le&itede of intention, iiitegrity of principle, and lated to correti abuses; but the present Motion was
housistencf of conduct, were the best, :perhaps. the" by no means bf that nature. Sur,,,ly this was the
otfly„means of permanently securing 'that power, fast time that a person holding a place under Go-
:which he hoped they would endeavour to maintain yunmentwas to be prevented from expressing his

this

wishes in fa,.our off' friend or relation, where
no abuse of could be deteaed=against which,
however, that A& was direqed which is now sup
posed ro have .been violatFd.. These charges came
with a, very 'questionable air from persons who
had been' twenty years in
.power.„ and who insi-
nuated that they were 500 n be' restored to power
again.
Mr. PERCIVAL and Lord HowicK explained.
Mr. ROSE said, that he had come down to the
House in the determination not to say a word upon
the 'question ; but after the personal attacks that
were made upon his condat, it was impossible for
him to remain altogether silent. .As to the letter
read by the Noble Lord, and addressed by him to
a person who had offered his services in favour of
the person he would recommend, there was nothing'
.it
,similar to the case now before the House;
nor was the: disclosure of that letter a proof of
much gratitude on • the part of the Gentleman
in behalf of whom ,it had been written. Had
Ile deserved the blame, that was imputed to him,
not only should he-have deserved the censure of the
House, but also the forfeiture of his.'employment.
As to the libel against him, alluded to by. the Noble
Lord, it was not matter grave enough to be brought
before that House; bin it had got into a Newspaper,
and he had laid his hand upon the Printer, andcalled
Upon him to make good his charge.. Hcedid notitt-
stitute a criminal prosecution against the man ;
such was not his objea ; for his only wish Was,to
clear his own character. Under that impression,.
he brought hiS civil aiaion„ and obtained a verdia
and damages. This libel has lately been re-publish-
ed, and there was room to under the-,di-
reClion of a distant relation of the Noble Lord oppo-
site him (Lord Temple). He could. see no ground
of chargeagainst hum in it now; for if there V:259
he had. given a fair opportunity to prove it, and-the
proof had failed. His motives for
_countenancing
the present Petition were very different frotiiTthOse,
imputed to him—it was nOt to support his populari-
ty, or.to wound the feelings of, the Gentleman (Mr.
Herbert) against whom: it seemed,:directed
man could en.tertain more sincere regard for that
Honourable. Gentleman than he did. But there
were several facts that called for censure, and which
might be proved if the House acceded to the present
motion. , He should now chiefly refer to the •con,
duct of an Honourable Gentleman (Mr. Calcraft)
in the town which lie had the honoar to represent,
to, which that Hon, Gentleman came and used in-
treaties and threats, to influence the Eleztion of the
Municipal Officers of that town ; when afterwards
Parliament was dissolved, letters were brought down
by the. same Gentleman, under the hand and
seal of the Secretary of the Treasury, to instigate
the Custom-house Officers, who are disabled by
law from taking any part in such matters, to exert
themselves in support of the friends of Government;
In. another instance, a military man had received
the same instructions : and the Burgesses were.hunt-.
ed from one end of the town to the other, when, after
all, not more than one vote could possibly be obtain-
ed. He certainly, ;t more than one public. meeting,
had inveighed against such practices of Government;
and he was now ready ,to declare, that he never
knew of any such practices by any Admiitigtration
in this country. For hia part, he never had recourse
to such means, either' to support himself or , his near
relation in another town. There were about. 7000
rotes in Southampton ; and out of that number he
did not think that his son got more than two,from
the recoliedion of any kindness conferred upon the
Freemen by him or his connexion,. indeed, some
that had 'atomised him their votes, were deterred
from keeping their promise ; for they were afraid
that if they did, they might expe& to lose their Situa-
tions. Stich was the system of terror anted, on by
Ministers, of which he should.adduce a variety of
proofs, if the Committee moved for was appointed..
Mr eiI.4.CR4FT said,. that he was accused by the Right
ILI Gentleman who spoke last of ingratitude in his private,
and of tyranny in his public capacity; the charge was serious,
but happily Without any toutlation.. Not only had he for-
gottev the latterteferied to, but even his own answer to that
letter, till he was told. by he -Secretary of the Treasury that
they were bpth in existence; )et how they were brougtt tor-
Ward. he could dectaie upon his honour, of that he was
entirely ighbrant. A.s to • his (chjutt at Sr,urhainpton,. he
6u:n e,jually set accusation at defiance: he had never spoken
to the persons alluded to, but in rite presence of a very re-
spectable:Gentleman of that town, and he would.leave.ivic,
that Gentleman tosay it'a word of threat to any of thernhad,
ever passed his li as.

'Dispatches -were last, night reoeived at the Admi-
ralty from Sir S., HoOD, and also from Admiral
11117RitXy''whO had arrived at Porto Praya.

THE subje& of the Hampshire Petition gave rise 1
to a warm and interesting Debate last night in'the
House of Commons. • The result, as we ventured
to predi& that it would prove, was perfealy honour-
able to Mr..FREEMANTLi, against Whom the acCaw
tion was principally,direded.

•The Gentlemen who wished to become Contrac-
torS for the ensuing Lottery have, we understand,
applied, through the medium of the, Governor of the
Bank, to the Lords of the Treasury. for leave to
amend their Biddings, and Lord GRENVILLE has ail-
pointed-next Wednesday to receive them..

Yesterday morning, at ten o'clock, His.IVIAJEsT3t
left town for Windsor. At twelve oreloCk Her
JESTY and the PRINCESSES honoured Lady CHAR-
LOTTE FINCH with'a visit; at her apartments in St.
James's' Palace. Soon after one o'clock they set off
for Windsor in. their travelling carriages.
Lord TEMPLE has given the Office of Clerk of the
Works to Chelsea Hospital, vacant El, the death of
Mr. SAMUEL WYATT; to Sons SOANE, Esq. -with
liberal promptness suitable to his Lordship's cha-
raaer.

• The Rev: JOHN BROOKE, 111. .Fellow' and Ttl•
tor of Jesus -College, Cambridge, is presented, -by-
the Loup CHANCELLOR, to the Vicarage of Whir-
ilesfOrd.

The Rev. FR ?cots CrtEsswELL; 8.. D. Senior Fel.'
low and Tutor of Clare-Hall, Cambrijge, is presented;"
by theiMasterand Fellows of that Society, to the va%.
. tuable Ret.'lory of Waldingfield Magna, in -SulfOlk,
vacated b the death of the Bev. THOINIAS'BUYCE.
..• 'DIE OR ATORIOS..-7-This • sublime 'entertainment
Commenced last night at Covent. Garden Theatre,
under the dire&ion of the ASHLEY'S, whose re-
spective abilities and experience give them a promi-
nent qualification for the undertaking. The Orches-
tra Was filled with Able Performers under the Condu et
.of Mr. G. ASHLEY. The principal singers were
RnAttAm, Madame D.ussEx., Mrs. DICKONS (late
Miss POOLE), BELLAMY, DOYLE, PYRE, •and Mrs.
BLA 1,T.p.-7-IIRA it A Dif was encored in " &Ply Sweet id
Lydian 111ectsures," which he sung very finely, and
was admirably accompanied on the violoncello b 7
Mr, C. ASHLEY. Mrs. DICKONS was encored ill
" /zed Bars;' She iervery much improved
as a singer. The whole went off with precision and
grandeur*' The house was so well attended as to
afford a;-good promise of a successful season.
VOCAL CONCERT, under the condua of
HARRISON and BARTLEMAN, was resumed last night
at the Hanover Square Room, with its usual. bra'.
liancy and success. WElctisELt. led With great Br
plause: HARRISON, )4R 'I';,ENIAN, Mrs. MouNTAlrs:'
Mrs. ASTIR', And the rest of the Vocal Corps, highly
distinguished themselves, and received great ap-
plause,

. _
PORTS micapr FE -1-3.--;-Ai-rived. the Neniesk
Frio-ate, Ciiptain Somizytt.LE, from Oporto ;• sbe
sailed from Qpurto the zgth ult.' with a Convoy of
1 near sixty 'sAil under her proteaion, but from which
1 She. lairted
,two days after sailing in a gale of wind..
lArrived also the COrmorant Sloop,, Capt. HuonEs,
from the West it dies Emulous Sl66p, 'Capt. Srti•
I PART, from a 10. days Car*, ; and the Tisiphone
I Guard-slllp froth.krnington.,
Sailed the Safeguard Gun-vessel' for the Dow lc,
with a convoy ; and the Dispatch Sloop of "War
. with Dispatches on a secret service.
Dropped de.wn -to St. k4len's the Audacious, of
74 guns.-
Spartan' Frigate is appointed the COnvoy for
the East Indies instead' of the Antelope;, Thames.
Frigate for the West Indiei; ae...d, the Chitl4-rs, Sloop
for Newfoundland.'
Dovt n, FEB.. 13.--,Arrived. the. Fortune, Capt.
ROLESS, of Lubec, in. baga.St, for ; also the
Brig Pallas, of and for Savannah, fren? London.
'`.. Nssed by for London, the, Ship ildgrifirrt,.Capt.
_iliclimoND, from St. Ile:le:Ia..; also_ the Britannia,
Capt. HARVEY, from_St... Helena for Lors.,,!:.)n.
YA RM 0 UTH, FEB. 1 3.—Saik4 L' Aitizabie Frigate
on a Cruize ; and arrived the cruizer Sk,9p and.
Snipe-Gun .brig from a.Cruize.

. Tbe.SOLICIZ'OR.GENZRAL animadverted on what had
fallen fromthe ICght
,lion. 'Gentleman (Mr. Rose), as to the
in 4 de of proseCution 'which he had preferred; against the
Printer. of the Libel. I:lad I,e adopted the criminal prosecit.
tion, the Right flop: Gentleman Must be aware that he must
have previcust) made oath to the`truth dt the fads alledged,
of which, however, he does not now pretend to be quite cer-
tain.

After several explanations between Lord How teK, Mr.
Rost:, and the S7.olzetioii-GzarsaAL,
Mr. AnisTON:-,to eurered upon ashort reply, in which
he vindicated the votive wnich induced him to make the
Motion.

I'h. cry for the Question now became general, and the
House ctiviCed. •

For granting the Committee c7—Against it 184—Majority
for Ministers 227.--AcijOtirned at One o'clock.

MAILS.
.Az vn1.7.-1 Du!--4 G:Atenburgb, c Dublin;
3 Waterton'.

PRICE OF 13TOCKS
THIS DAY AT TWELVE O'CLOCK.
Consols

THE SUN.

SOLILK QUIS •UICEAB CUM Ay'DIAT?

L 0 N D 0 N,

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 1807.

THE Inveterate Gun-brig, has arrived at Deal
from a Cruize off the Coast of France, and we un-
derstand brings Intelligence that the French are by
degrees removing their small Craft to their more
Northern ports. In consequence of this information,
all
,the Gun-brigs and Sloops of War, that were at
Deal immediately sailed for the French Coast. —Lord
ST. VINCLNT leaves Town on Monday to tape the
CJimnand of the Channel Fleet.

IT was reported yesterday that BASILICO had ar-
rive] with frOin Lord Hut CHINSON. WC

are eiribled positively to contradict that. report ; no
M 1); d ached the Foreign Office
„whop

DEik, FEB: 1 3.—Sailed- His Majesty's Ship,
Flora on a Cruize,- and the Phosphus for

inr was Put to Press

Arrived His Majesty's Ships Railleur from Sheer--
116 s, Tram peuse and Seagull from a CruiiFie, and re-
main in the Downs with the rest of the Ships as pel.
last, and a Fleet of Outward-bound Vessels.

Bow- sTßEET...—Yesterday Thomas
,Green44oy,
alias Weeping Billy, was fully' committed for 1.6017
charged With the murder of Mary Webb, in Hig.
gler's-lane.. The evidence is chiefly eitcumstantia,
but very strong. MoSt of the particulars our,Readers
are already in possession of •
William Brown, a private in the Marines, was
examined. on a charge, of, having robbed-and muy-
dered Mr. Begbie, the Chrk of the British Linea
Company, at Leith, and committed for further exa-
rninatton. .

- Jaini;sjilacka'y, who was dete6ted in picking
pockets at the Opera-house Masquerade, was com-
miteed:to Newgate.
MAN§ION-F1 OUS m—Yesterday William Freeman;
who was apprehended some da‘ s; since in attempting
.to utter a forged Draft for Ind. drawn upon the
13anking-house or Sie Matthew 'l3loxliarn• and-Co:
purpotting-to•he-signed- by Clyton M'Carty, under.=
went a final examination before the Loan i‘tityorig
after which his Lordship committed the Prisoner to
Newgate to take his trial. .