The Sun.
London, England, 1822-03-07 00:00:00

MALT TAX.

Qn the motion of Mr. LUSIIINGTON, that the Report of
the Committee on the Annual Malt Tax be received,
Mr. CURWEN said, he wished to persuade his Majesty's
Ministers to commute the repeal of the one shilling per bushel
tax upon Malt, for the repeal of the Salt Tax. He hoped they
would see the propriety of acting upon the strong indication of
the feeling of the House on that subject. The relief to the
farmer by the remission of this Malt Tax would only be
260,0001. as the benefit of it would be divided between the
farmer and the public on the one hand, and the brewer and
maltster on the other. The advantage to the farmer, however,
by a repeal of the Salt Tax, would be considerably greater. He
really wished the Chancellor of the Exchequer would postpone
the completion of this measure, in order to make inquiries on
the subject.
Sir R. WILSON wished to know whether it was the in-
tention of the Treasury to continue to levy the fine on the
Sellers of Roasted Wheat, sold as such ? The fine had been
levied on Mr. Hunt, and had ruined sonic others. He thought
such a practice most impolitic, with reference to Agricultural
Distress.

Mr. LUSHINGTON said the subject had been for some
time under the consideration of Government, but he was not
yet prepared to give any answer with respect to it.
Mr. JONES said, with reference to what had fallen from the
Hon. Member for Cumberland (Mr. Curwen), lie thought that
his Majesty's Ministers had made a most unfortunate choice in
determining to repeal the duty on malt. He thought they
should have waited for the Report of the Agricultural Com-
mittee, or have taken the sense of the country on the subject,
before they decided how they would act; and it was very hard,
because they had taken a resolution one way, that the country
was to suffer when it appeared their interests lay the other.
Sir I. COFFIN observed, in confirmation of what the lion.
?timber for Cumberland (\lr. Curwen), said, that he knew
that nine revenue cutters itere sent to cruise betwixt the coast
of Ireland and England to prevent the smuggling of salt back-
wards and forwards between the two countries, the duty being
much higher on one than the other. This was a proof of the
great request this article was in, when persons would risk their
lives in order to deal in it at a cheap rate. lle also knew 4
case, in which a vessel was seized for having two. baskets of
salt scrapings, and the Captain, after being detained for three

months, was liberated by the Treasury, having been put to an
expense of 5001._
_ .

• The Report of the Committee was then received, and the Ra-
solution agreed to.
. .
POILEIGN CORN.

Sir M. RIDLEY
presented a Petition from Newcastle-on-
Tyne, praying that the subject of the importation of Foreign
Corn be referred_to the Agricultural Committee.—Petition re-
ferred to said Cbmmittee. -- •
POSTMASTERS-GENERAL.

Lord NORMANBY said, that as there was some misappre-
hension on the subject of--his motion for to-morrow se'nnight,
he begged to repeat that it was for a reduction in the number
of Postmasters-General.

Sir GEORGE CLERK brought up the Annual Bill for the
Reguhilon of the Royal Marine Forces.—Read a tint time,
and ordered for second reading tomorrow.

FUNERAL CF HER. LATE MAJESTY.

Mr. BENNETT said, he rose for the•purpose of bringing
under the consideration of the House all the circumstances at-
' tending the funeral of her late Majesty. In doing so he did not
think it necessary to apologize tchthe House. -Not that he meant
to say, that an individual as ill qualified as himself for the per-
formance of such a task, should not, upon undertaking it,
apologise to the House; .but that the importance of the sub-
ject, the deep interest which the people of England took in it,
and above all, the honour and character of the country, which
were involved,in it, combined to forceit upon him as a duty ;
and as a duty, he would discharge it, fearlessly, regardless of
the various motivestliat he knew would be attributed to him-in
doing so, It would be in the recollection of the House, that at
the latter end of last July, her late Majesty was seized with
that illness, whibh, alter some days of suffering, terminated
her existence on the 7th August following. To some it was
matter of surprise that she survived as long the accumulated
wrongs and miseries which accompanied the persecution by
which she was finally overwhelmed. Nothing but that forti-
tude of mind, which belonged • to the spirit of her family, and
which, was not more transcendent in the males than in her late
Majesty, could have prevented her heart from breaking. During
the whole 'of • her illness nothing ivhich could be construed. into
decent respect was shewn towards her by his Majesty's Go-
vernment. No notice was taken of her illness by.any of the
Servants of the Crown, and but one of the Royal Family (the
Duke of Sussex) took any notice of her, no more than if there
had not been such a human being. As soon as her dew-ease
took place, due notice of that circumstance was given to his
Majesty's Government, through Lord Liverpool, by one of her
Majesty's Executors. By him 'Lord Liverpool was made ac-
quainted with her Majesty's testamentary bequests, and her last
wishes. He (Mr. B.) had with him a copy of her will, but at
present he should only remark on one part of it. She said that
three days after her death she desired to be carried to her native
land for interment. The House, perhaps, would be anxious to
know her motives for this request. It was not that she wished that
in 3 days the usual ceremonies should be hurried over, or that she
did not wish to remain longer than 3 days in that country which
had been her stem and her stay in the hour of peril and adversity.
But when she was informed by the medical gentleman, whose
painful duty it was to make the communication, that her com-
plaint must terminate fatally, she numbered the few days which
she calculated wou'd put an end to her existence, and by al-
lowing three days beyond that, she corisitiered that it would be
the anniversary of the day of her leaving England seven 'years
preceding—and it was on that day, which she regarded as the
foundation of all her woes and all her injuries, that she wished
her corpse to retrace the fatal course - she had then so unad-
visedly taken. She had woeful cause to remember that day,
.when she acted in opposition to the counsels of her friends.—
Lord Liverpool said in reply to the communication of his
Learned Friend, that Government would defray the expenses
of the funeral, and intimated their intention to comply with the
request of her. Majesty, in causing theekneral to take place as
soon as possible. His Learned Friend was referred to persons
whom he conceived to be the agents of Count Munster, relative
to the arrangements to be made on the other side of the water,
and finding that none had been made, he and the other Execu-
tors resolved to have nothing to do with the coneruct of it, but
to leave the whole to Government. On the 14th of August the
funeral took place; and as to what occurred on that occasion,
he (Mr. Bennett) having been present, saw, with his own eyes,
what he should describe of it. He heard the protest of his
Learned Friend (Dr.. •Lushington); and what he first had to
complain, of was that at Braadenburgh House that becoming
solemnity due to the exalted rank of the illustrious deceased
was not observed:- He had seen the funeral of some of the
principal Nobility, and he had always found greater tokens
of the regret of the survivors shewn than on this occasion.—
The merely hanging the room with black was not sufficient for
a Queen of England. There was also a sort of' privilege
claimed and enjoyed by the Royal Family, viz. that their bo-
dies should be removed by Yeomen of the Guard. He did not
knoiv of an instance of a burial of any of the Royal Family in
which this custom was not observed. But here there were
no Yeomen of the Guard—their place was supplied by common
undertakers' men. A circumstance of this kind rnightbe consider-
ed as of no consequence; and, indeed, to the philosopher; it was
of none in itself ; but it was of importance when regarded as
the mark of insult, and the proof of bad feeling. Notwith-
standing, on the day of the funeral, it poured with rain, the
streets were crowded with the people of England. The' most
respectable persons of the' middling. classes were seen lining
the pavement, ell in black, and every house was crowded.—
He was sure he should be borne out by the statements of those
who witnessed it, that there was every demonstration that the
public feeling on the mournful occasion was deep and marked.
He believed that it was not more so at the funeral of her la-
mented daughter and infant child, which was calculated to ex-
cite more interest among females than even the funeral of her
Majesty. After repeated stoppages, the funeral reached Cum
berland.gate ; but on what occurred there lie should not say
one word, as it was no part of the question. Ministers were to
be considered as the authors and perpetrators of the bloody
deeds and calamities of that spot, in endeavouring to force
the corpse by an obscure and byeway, in , opposition to the
wishes of the public. The same scene as he had described at
the west end of the town, awaited them at the suburbs.—Ani-
mated with but one feeling, the whole of the people of Eng-
land might be seen in the streets and suburbs of London.
The rapidity with which the journey was made from London
to Harwich, was such as completely to harass and fatigue all
who accompanied the funeral, and almost too much for the
jaded animals to support. In answer to all remonstrances,
they were informed that it was in obedience to Lord Liver-
pool's orders. It was part of the request of her late Majesty,
that an inscription should be placed on her coffin to the fol-
lowing effect:—" Here lies Caroline of Brunswick, the injured
Queen of England." Lord Liverpool said, he could not
give instructions for this being put on the coffin, but he
believed he acquiesced in its being done by the Executors.
The doing so was entrusted to Mr. Wylde, who was only pre-
vented from his inability to make his way to Brandenburgli
House through the throng of people, in time.—This inscrip-
tion however was placed on the coffin at Colchester, where
it was torn off by force, and a scene of contest suppressed by
military, which lie would leave others to describe, took place
in the Church. On the 16th of August they left Colchester
for Harwich, a distance of 16 miles; and if he were called upon
to describe the manner in which it was conducted there and
throughout, he should say it was " a funeral going post."
Different parts of the funeral were sometimes a mile dis-
tant from each other. The only solemnity that attended
it was, the attendance of the people who flocked to witness
it from the neighbouring towns. On arriving at Har-
wich the hearse drew up immediately to the water side,
and without waiting sufficient time for a human being
connected with the procession to get up to it, the coffin was
dragged out of the hearse and hurried to the jetty, whence
it was lowered into a boat without the 'pall, or without the
presence of a single person accompanying the funeral. He be-
lieved that more decency would be observed in conveying the
body of the commonest person out of one country to be buried
in another. In the boat was Sir George. Nayler, the Under:
taker, a Deputy Undertaker, and Deputy-deputy Undertaker,
but no one of the servants attached to her late Majesty, nor
was there any boat to convey them from the shore to the ship.
Thus was conducted the funeral 'of the'Queen of England—
with no other sites, no snore ceremony, and no more decency
than lie had-described—and here ended the control of the Bri-
tish Government. When they reached ship-board the prepa-
rations were not completed, and here it had been intended to
leave his Learned Friend to conduct the remainder of the fune-
ral, but that plan was changed. The vessel did pot sail till
evening, so that there was no call for all that hurry which ren-
dered the travelling of the body more like the journey of a fish
cargo than of the corpse of the Queen of England. The ship
arrived at Stadt on the 19th, where the body was brought on
shore, and placed on some temporary stand till the church was
in preparation to receive it. •The contrast betwixt the con-
duct of the Government 'of Hanover and the people was
'remarkable throughout. The Municipality demanded per-
mission to attend the funeral, which was twice refused ; and
no answer being given to the third demand, they went down
and attended it without permission ; and all the same demon.:
strations were made by the people of Hanover as had been ob-
servable in England. The battery saluted the corpse without
orders. The procession, the next day, moved on, and he was
told that, throughout the country, - the same feelings of hatred
of oppression were shewn. He was told that nothing could be
more touching than the affectionate regard and kindness which
the women shewed to her memory. The mournful -procession
every where passed through roads strewed with, Rowers, till it
reached BrunSwick, where the body of the Queen-of England
was placed in the tomb of' her illustrious forefathers. The
people of the town of Brunswick shewed but one feeling, save .
and except the Government of the town. It would hardly be
believed that at this hour the Queen of England had received
no funeral rites. Ile knew it would be said that it was a cus.

torn in Brunswick never to perform funeral rites twice over,
and the instance of the Duke of Brunswick, her father being
removed from interment in a small town near the field of battle
to the same tomb, would be cited. But it was to be remem-
bered, that the ceremony was performed on the first interment
of the Duke; whereas, in the case of her late Majesty, it
never was performed at all. His Majesty's Government might
be the converts of the new ligrits of •the-French philosophers
on this subject, 'who held that there is nothing beyond the
grave. He knew it was no honour to the dead, but it was
consolation to the living. The Queen of England resided now
in the tomb of her ancestors, -beside the remains of her father
and brother, who fell the victims of the tyranny of the despot
of France. But he doubted if the history of that tyranny af-
forded an example of mare degrading persecution and indignity
than what was offered to that unhappy Queen. Though no ce-
remony. or rite had been performed, there was no -place of
worship where thename of-Queen Caroline was not uttered to
Heaven, with prayers to Gon for mercy towards her oppres-
sors, that their fate might not be like hers. He would not
take up the time of the House N.:WI any thing immaterial ;
but it was impossible, in treating of this subject, not to ex-
press the regret be. should continue to feel to the end of his
life. Before he sat down, -however, he must recall the at-
tention of the House to the conduct of Government in what
transpired as connected with this matter, in England. His
Majesty's Government had been long aware of the deep inte-
rest which the people of England took in the fate of her Ma-
jesty. They knew that in all classes there was scarcely a per-
son but was anxious to shew respect to her Majesty's re-
mains, and it would have been thought that they would take a
course not to shock the prejudices or the feelings of the public.
It was more natural to think they would .take a course tending
to conciliate feelings,_ which it was not in their power to obli-
terate. They had, indeed, no less a body to entreat them to it,
than the Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and Common Council of
the City of London—a body. he knew, which it was the
practice to underrate when they were not on a particular
side . m polities ; but whom .he (Mr. Bennett), when even
apposed to them in Opinion, ever looked upon with respect.-
He then read to the House the Resolution come to by the
Lord-Mayor, Aldermen, and Common Council of the City of
London, on the occasion of her Majesty's death (which ap-
peared in our Paper at the time.) —This Resolution he thought
was sufficient to teach the Government what were the feel-
ings of the country,. and respecting those feelings they would
not have objected to the funeral being attended by the
Corporation of the City of London. Had there been in
the breast of Ministers—he would not talk about wisdom—
but had they been gifted with a moderate share of that
prudence which was necessary to qualify men to conduct
the meanest, humblest affairs of life, they would have seen
that there was but one course which could be pursued with
safety, and that was by conciliating the inhabitants of the Me-
tropolis, which could only be dune by suffering the funeral
procession to \pass through the city. By what melancholy fa-
tality they came to a decision not to do -this, but to drag the
body of the Queen through bye-lanes and out-of-the-way routes,
he was now at a loss to conjecture, but the House would per-
haps learn it that night. He could not find that this was
in pursuance of any request which she had made. He had
seen nothing of the kind, and though he had made in-
quiries on the subject, he could not learn from those who
were in attendance on her Majesty in her last moments that
any such wish had been expressed. He had before explained
why she had desired to be removed within three day after her
decease, but from that desire no man could infer that she was
anxious her 'funeral should be so conducted ; and he therefore
contended, that the consequences which .ensued must rest on
the heads of those who had provoked the people to violate the
law. Others were to be thanked that there was no more
bloodshed. If those to whom Ministers opposed ,themselves
I had beery as wrong-headed as the Government on this occasion,
the result must have been a fearful sacrifice of human life,
and what the final issue might have been, GOD only knew. He
was old enough to remember the time when the Queen first
arrived in this country. She came full of life, of hope,
joy, beautiful (as he thought) in her person, and amiable
in her disposition. One month had sufficed to darken
all her prospects, and completely changed the scene.
'From that moment, there was scarcely any evil--any cala-
mity that a human being could know, which had not been
heaped on the head of that qnfortunate Princess. He spoke
not of calamities which Gon, in his infinite wisdom, had
doomed her to encounter, but of those which she had expe-
rienced through the iniquity and treachery of man. What-
ever they might hear from the other side on this subject, he
would say, that she had been taken up by the present Mini-
sters or their friends, and aided and caressed so long as she
could be of service to them as a party tool. • When no
longer of use to them, she had been forsaken, and in conse-
quence induced to take that step which had subjected her to
so many sufferings, and which had finally produced that me-
morable scene whichl the people of England had put a stop to,
by the firmness with which they had come forward to oppose
oppression. The proceedings which had occurred would re=
main a lasting mark of infamy to those concerned in them,
while they would render illustrious those who in another place
had opposed them, and in particular that Noble Personage who
had s greatly exerted himself in her cause, and in that of his
country—who never deserted the unfortunate, and who had
manfully stood by this persecuted and illustrious Princess till
the last moment of her life. He knew what would lye the fate
of the present motion, and he knew what had been the fate of
those which preceded it, that were in any way connected with
this subject. But notwithstanding this, lie should have been
ashamed of himself, as a Member of Parliament, if he had not
broitght it forward ; he should have been ashamed of himself,
as an English Gentleman, if he had not expressed his feelings
on those occurrences to hich he had directed the attention of
the Ilouse. He had done So, he hoped, decorously, but at the
same time speaking out, and endeavouring to put.on record (if
that was of any value in the case of an individual so humble as
himself) his sentiments on a subject which, whether viewed
with a reference to the present o 4 the future, must be ever re-
garded as of great importance to the British character. He
concluded by moving the following Resolution :—" That it is
the opinion of 'this House, the respect and solemnity by ancient
custom reserved for the funerals of the Queens of England,
have been at the funeral of her late Majesty Queen Caroline
unnecessarily and indecorously violated."
Mr. J. CALCIIAFT spoke to the fitness of the arrange-
ments made for the funeral, but in so low a tone, that he was
very imperfectly heard in the'gallery. He was present when
the corpse was embarked. He saw the coffin carried into the
boat, as he thought in the most solemn manner, the greater
number, if not the whole, of the mourners being present.—
The Naval part of the service was conducted with the greatest
propriety. 'lt was impossible to provide accommodation for
all who attended, but care had been taken to make every ne-
cessary preparation. At Harwich the Church had been fitted
up with black cloth, and the same attention had been paid
in every part of the journey where the corpse had rested.—
On the other side of the water the preparations' made by the
Hanoverian Government were such that without great exertion
they could not have been completed in time. In some instances,
those to whom the conducting of the funeral had been
confided, had acted in opposition to the wishes of some
who attended, but this had not been done from any feelings of
[personal animosity, but had occurred in the discharge of their
dirty.
Sir G. COCKBURN understood the lion. Member for
Shrewsbury to have charged the Navy with having failed in
die respect due to departed Majesty on the occasion of she
funeral,

Mr. BENNETT denied that he had preferred such a
charge. '
Sir G. COCKBURN said, if the Honourable Iltember had
not spoken to that effect, he had not another word to say on
the subject.
Mr. BENNETT had not preferred a charge against the
Navy. He thought he had said, and if he had not he would
say it now, that the Navy, on this, as on all occasions, had
tlisplayed v proper feeling. What he said was, that boats
were not ready to convey the mourners on board, and the pre-
parations in the cabin were not complete when the corpse ar-
rived.

Sir GEORGE COCKBURN was happy to have received
this-explanation, but he could not admit there was quite so
much to complain of as the lion. Gentleman now contended
for. He had it from Captain White, who was at Harwich, for
carrying on board all who might, be marked by the executors to
follow. He had taken on board all who had presented them-
selves, and he had said, that he (Sir G. Cockburn) would have
the pleasure to hear, in a few days, that it was impossible for
any service to have been more satisfactiSrily performed. lie had
asked the Executor what description of frigate lie would prefer,
a larger or a smaller one. .Ile had suggested, that a smaller one
might be preferable ; but a larger was demanded. In conse-
quence of this, one had been ordered round from Portsmouth, as
that was thought more respectful, and every order, usual on
such,occasions, for firing guns, lowering flags, and other marks
,of respect, had been given.
Mr. CALVERT stated Sir G. Naylor to have attended with
the crown and pall when the coffin was lowered into the boat.
Colonel GOSSETT was not in the House when the Hon.
Member for Shrewsbury made his statement, but he'understood
that he had found fault with the manner in which the coffin was
lowered into the boat. If any one was to blame for this he was.
He had adviSed the measure as the best that could be adopted.
He had consulted with a Captain in the Navy, of the name of
Doyle, on the means of embarking the !Body. The beach being
shallow, as it was not easy to carry the coffin, they :tad both
agreed that the best course would be to lower it by the crane.
The next question was, by whom should it be lowered. Officers
were at first named for that purpose, 'but these not being used
to such duty, it was thought advisable to employ the four men
who usually worked the crane.. While this was doing, Capt.

White was stationed at the jetty head to give the mourners
every accommodation in his power. He was surprised
.that
none went to him at the time, bat the mourners were under-
. stood to have . retired_ to the inn. If any blame was due for
the precipitation with which the embarkation had been effected,
this also must fall on his shoulders. He had left the beach,
and rode up the toWn3with Sir G. Nayler, to whom he remarked
that no time should be lost, as the tide would serve but for two
or three hours.- if the embarkation were not effected within
that time, either it must take place in the night, or the corpse
must be detained four-and-twenty hours. This he had stated
to Sir Ge-Nayler, who had replied that time must, be allowed
for those who attended to take, refreshment. The coffin, he
had to state, had been temporarily placed in his (Col. Gossett's)
dining room. That apartment had been prepared for its re-
ception, the. window being taken out to make way for its en-
' trance. -This became necessary as the church was not in a fit
state to receive it. The Mayor had offered the use of the Town
Hall: He went to examine it, but found it would be necessary
to pass up a staircase with a turn in it, which it was doubtful if
the coffin could be got by. The qhestion then was, whether
the coffin should be taken up that staircase or conveyed to his
dining room, which had been prepared for its reception. The
latter was decided upon.
Mr. HUME thought it his duty to'state, that he had never
witnessed conduct more creditable in the parties than that of
Captain White and his men. He had no hesitation in saying
that every possible sign of proper feeling was manifested on
their part while the body was being, lowered into the boat.
What his . Hon. Friend had complained of was, that no boats
were ready to convey the mourners on board. When Lord
flood asked what conveyance was prepared to carry them on
board, he found none ready. He then inquired in what way
he and the rest of the household were to be brought back.
Captain White said,, he had received' no instructions, but
he had no doubt that instructions would soon be received, and
he would take it upon hiniselt .to say, that his vessel should
attend to convey his Lordship or any part of the household
safe to England. flit; conduct was very gentlemanly, but
no boats were ready to take the mourners with the body; and
an hour after the coffin was embarked, it was a matter in
debate whether they should go over in the packet or by the
f. igate. He gave the Hon. Member who had last .spoken
credit for his exertions, and only regretted, that he had not
attended the preceding part of the procession. No com-
plaint had been made by his Honourable Friend of the man-
ner in which the funeral was received on the other side of the
water. The body had not been suffered to be borne by common
undertakers, but eight Majors had offered themselves for that
purpose. The people too had insisted—he believed against the
-wish of the Authorities, on removing the coffin from the-hearse
to a carriage which had been prepared for it, which was drawn
by a number of the' most respectable inhabitants. He had no
hesitation in saying, that had there been no interference on
the part of the Government, the same would have happened
on this side of the water. That of which his Hon: Friend prin-
cipally complained was the way in which the fthieral had been
conducted in this country. With respect to the black hang-
ings, every one who knew what occurred at Brandenburgh
House must regard what had taken place there as a mockery.
On the Saturday the workmen began to knock up black cloth,
though it was intended: that the luneral should take place on
the Monday. It was only front a strong representation by Lord
Hood that it was postponed till the Tuesday. It was this in-
decent haste that was complained of. But though it was de-
termined that the corpse should be' removed on the fol-
lowing Tuesday,' the fixing up of black cloth was continued, as
it should seem, merely for the sake of expending SO much black
cloth and other materials to no purpose.—(Hear,- hear, hear!)—
Whatever the expense incurred in this way might have been,
it was not incurred to shew respect for her late Majesty.—
The funeral decorations,the believed, were not completed till a
_few hours before the corpse was to be removed. Nobody was
admitted into the room, and therefore they could not be put
up to shew respect for the Queen, and they could be of no use.
But the principal complaint against the Government grew
out of their conduct with respect to the procession. 'Why
refuse to let it pass through the city ? Why refuse to. allow the
first Corporation in the nation to pay their respects to their
departed Queen ? Why direct the body, contrary to the custom
on all similar occasions, to be carried out of the main roads
into the lanes and bye .ways ? This was most uncommon. He
did not know whether it was the law ; but he 'understood that
every path through which a funeral passed, became immedi-
ately a public way. The Government gave orders that the
corpse should be removed by a circuitous route, and carried
through bye ways. It was the want of certainty, as to the
road which it would take, that produced so great an accumu-
lation of individuals at the West end of the town, as had been
found there on the day of the funeral. Had it been known
that it would take the road it in the end did take, those who
had come front Whitechapel to the West end, would not have
gone so' far to obtain a sight of it. Ministers ought not to
have supposed the people would submit to the thsgracc
of seeing the remains of their Queen removed through lanes
and bye-ways. He hoped the Secretary of State had com-
municated with Sir R. Baker on this subject. That Magistrate
would inform him that the disposition of the people seemed every
thing that could be wished, and all they complained of was
that it was proposed to carry the corpse out of the highways.
That Magistrate exercised a discretion for which he (Mr.
flume) applauded him, and determined on altering the route
of the procession. He was certain that if Sir Robert Baker
had been allowed to follow the course he was disposed to
adopt, there would have been no riot, no disorder, no
bloodshed. An Officer from the Government had prevented
Sir Robert Baker from acting as he was about to do, or
that Magistrate, who deserved a reward very different rom
that which he had received, would have taken a course that
must have prevented much mischief. He then came to that ,
part of the conduct of the , Government which had been most
culpable—that given respecting the military, which had led
to the most disgraceful scene that had ever fallen under his
observation. He himself had seen a great part of it, and he
lamented- to say, the soldiers sent to act under the 'orders of the
civil power had, in fact, acted against and broken the peace
which they ought to have preserved. He did not blame the
Officers, for they, it appeared, had not ordered the men to act
as they did. The men ought only to have acted in obedience to
the orders of their Officers ; but they had attacked the people ,
with their swords, and even with fire arms, without orders.--
Soldiers acting such a part were nothing.but a lawless band with
arms in their hands, attacking their fellow subjects, whom they
ought to have protected, and they were guilty of themurder and
manslaughter which had been committed. He admitted that
the soldiers were placed in a very perilous and painful position,
but how often were soldiers drawn up where they must be ex-
posed to be shot at, and' yet abstain from acting till ordered for-
ward by their officers. Here then was a want of discipline. He
would willingly admit that stones had been, thrown, and that
the soldiers had otherwise been much insulted; but still he must
say that in his eyes they had been the first aggressors. He
gave credit to Sir Robert Baker for his conduct through the
day, and was of opinion that if the orders sent for a detach-
ment to advance to Tottenham-court-road, had arrived ten 1
minutes sooner, the result would have been most calamitous.
With the military force at their back, Ministers must have tri-
umphed, if they could value such as they would have gained
by cutting down and riding over the helpless populace. That
no respect was intended to the Queen was plain from what 1
took place after the body had been carried through the City.
The moment the procession left Whitehapel, all the ornaments
were removed, the attendants who had previously been on foot
were allowed to ride, and the whole procession was like that of
the funeral of the most ordinary personage. An inquiry ought
to have been instituted after the verdicts of murder and man.
slaughter had been returned. Had a soldier been shot and the
Coroner's inquest returned a verdict against ten persons, did
any one belieVe that then the matter would have been allowed to
rest up to this time without any inquiry being set on foot ? He
hoped the Hon. Officer was then in the House who on, a former
night' reflected on the Coroner's Inquest that had sat on the
body of Honey. He (Mr. Hume) knew some of the individuals
who had served on it, and he could state that a more respect-
able Jury had never sat, and no Jtiry had ever been more
fairly called together. Ministers, he contended, on the occa-
sion of the funeral, had not only treated the late Queen with
disrespect, but they had marked their contempt for some of
the most iMportant institutions of the country. He therefore
felt it to be his duty to support the motion of his Hon. Friend.
Colenk GOSSETT, Mr. PEEL, and several other Members,
rose at the same moment; but the Colonel was declared in pos-
session to explain. He merely stated that the mourners might ,
have availed themselves of Captain White's boat, to have ac-
companied the coffin from shore, and that some surprise was
expressed at their not having done so.
General GASCOYNE said, that among the many other
obligations which he owed to the Hon. Member for Aberdeen
(Mr. Hume) was that of being compelled, in consequence of
allusions which lie had thought proper to make to him, to trou-
ble the House with a few observations on the present occasion.
He must begin by saying, that he never saw a case which had
more entirely failed.—(Hear.)—Upon the 'occurrences of that
funeral, he believed there was but one opinion among reflecting
minds, and that was, that there never had occurred a more dis-
graceftfi transaction thin the attempt to obstruct and force a
victory over the civil authorities of the country in the discharge
of their duty, and to drag,. in temporary triumph, the body
of that Queen, when dead, whom they had made in life the un-
happy tool of Party.—(Loud cries of " hear" from the Trea-
sury Benches.)—Having set out with stating, that he rose
in consequence of expressions which had dropped respecting
him from the Hon. Member for Aberdeen? he must complain
of that Hon. Member's allusion to him in his absence last night.
He (Gen. Gascoyne) would now express the regret he felt for
having used a phrase on a former night, which appeared to
have given offence to the Hon. Member (Mr. Hume). It fell
from him in the heat of debate, and he now regretted having

used it.—(Hear, hear!)—But what had the Hon. Member
said, not in the heat of debate, but after a night's sleep over
the words ?

• Mr. DENMAN rose to order. He was sure that the House
had heard with great satisfaction the Hon. and Gallant General
express his regret for a phrase lie had used on a former night ;
but he was now referring to a former night, which was disorder-
ly, and might, perhaps, lead to recriminating topics.—(Hear,
and loud cries of Chair !)
• The SPEAKER said, that the House would feel the diffi-
culties he should have to encounter in the situation in which
they had done him the honour of placing him, it he were called
upon when any deviation from strict order took place, to inter-
pose his voice; but he was persuaded, that the more they de-
viated from the strict line of order, the more convinced they
would be of the inconvenience of such deviation, and of the
necessity of maintaining forms which were sanctioned'by wis-
dom. It was most certainly irregular to refer to a former de.,
bate ; but as he had not interfered in the allusion of one Hon.
' Member, which was irregular when it was made, he was at a
loss to see how he could now interfere to prevent another Hon.
Member, who conceived himself alluded to in his absence, from
giving that explanation respecting himself, which he deemed
relqant. The inconvenience, however, of these deviations
from order were so palpable, that he hoped to prevent their re-
' currence.—(Hear, hear.)
General GASCOYNE resumed, and said that he had freely
confessed his regret for the personal allusion into which he had
been betrayed on a former night in the heat of debate, and'only
meant to add that he was certainly provoked to it by similar
personalities in other quarters. Some of the Gentlemen who
sat on the upper benches on the right hand side of the House,
were certainly too fond of imputing improper motives to their
political opponents, and arrogating to, themselves the whole in-
dependence of the House.—(Hear, hear.)—.lf motives were to
be thus attributed, he was one of those who thought that. the
Gentlemen who opposed Ministers in the hope of driving them
from their seats and succeeding them in office, were as liable• to
an undue bias as the official persons to whom alone they attri-
buted such motives.—(Hear, hear.)—The Honourable Mem-
ber (Mr. Hume) had last night assumed something respecting
the manner in which he (General Gascoyne) had acquired his
present military rank. To that allusion he should only reply,4
that he had obtained his present rank by 40 years of service.
extending when and where it was required, or wherevei he had
the honour of command, sometimes by loss of blood, and often
with fatigue and danger.—(Hear, hear.)—The only other allu-
sion he should make to the Honourable Member would be to
recommend to his attention the good old proverb, which he was
perfectly disposed to remember himself—" Brother, brother, we
are both in the wrong."—(Hear.)
Mr. Secretary PEEL, in rising to make a few observations,
said, that he regretted much that the Hon. Member for Shrews-
bury had thought fit again to agitate a question which he re-
garded as one which would have been much better left in peace.
He would, indeed, have looked upon its being a much more pru-
dent course to leave it in the retirement which it had obtained,
rather than again to bring it forward in order to excite the at-
tention of the public. The Hon. Member had, however, used
his own discretion, not in bringing the question forward, but
also in expressing his opinions thereon ; he would also use the
right of exercising his discretion for the purpose of making a re-
ply to those observations. He had no personal knowledge of the
matter, but he could assure the Hon. Member that he had care-
fully attended to the evidence which had been laid before his
predecessor in office, and that after his mature consideration of
the subject, he had come to a firm opinion, Ghat the line of
conduct which had been adopted had been that most calculated
not only to comply with the wishes of the late 'Queen, but
also to exhibit every respect which was compatible with her
elevated situation. On approaching the consideration of
the subject, he would premise, that it was his intention to con-
fine himself within very narrow limits ; and he would avoid all
other topics whatever, except that which was immediately before
the House. On a former occasion he had fully stated his opi-
nions relative to the conduct of Sir R. Nilson; ffie House would
not expect that he should enter again intothat topic. The
real question for consideration was, whether his Majesty's Go-
vernment had shewn any want of respect to her late Majesty's
remains. He felt that if he rested that question upon the argu-
ments which had been used by the several Ilon. Members who
had preceded him, to the arguments advanced by the Hon. and
Gallant Officer, in relation to the course which had been adopted
by the military, to those brought forward by the Hon. Gentle-
man connected with the Lord Chamberlain, as to the regula-
tions adopted by that department, and to those advanced by the
Gallant Admiral, as to the conduct of the Admiralty, he should
have placed the question upon most satisfictory grounds, for
those Hon. Members had fully shewn that the proper respect
had been paid by the persons connected with those various de-
partments towards her Majesty's remains. After the regula-
tions which had been adopted by those various departments, in
order to insure success, he was sure that the, House would judge
fairly as to whether any disrespect had been shewn,' from a rope
having accidentally failed, or a step having been wanted in
the mere detail. He was convinced that even the minute at-
tention of the Hon Member for Montrose had not sufficed to
find any particular topic on which he could fix his finger, in order
to brand it with disrespect. Indeed, that Hon. Member, whose
respect for the memory of her late Majesty it was not for him to
doubt, had exercised his ingenuity in order to dispel his grief by
an extraordinary mode--a mode which he could not consider
possible, if the admissions of the Hon. Member had not esta-
blished it, for the consideration of the expenditure of black seem-
ed to him more calculated for a tailor--(loud and long laugh ter)than for the. lion. Member, whose affliction could not be re-
garded as acute. The House had already seen from the obser- '
vations of the several Members connected with their depart- •
ments, that the regulations for paying respect to her late Ma-
jesty had been most extensive, and that no want of respect had
been shewn by them. Even the Hon. Member for Montrose
had appeared to assent to the fact of respect having been shewn
by the Lord Chamberlain and Admiralty departments, as well
as by the military. He would therefore confine himself solely
to the facts co-nnected with the removal of her Majesty's re-
mains from London. It was in the recollection of the House,
that her late Majesty had died on Tuesday, the 7th of August,
and that onthe subsequent day a message had been sent to her
Majesty's executors, stating that it was the intention of his 111 a-
jesty's Government to take charge of the funeral. From her
Majesty's will, it was evident she had expressed her desire that
her remains should be deposited in the tomb of her ancestors at
Brunswick, and that they should be removed from England
within three days after her decease. Application had imme-
diately been made to his Majesty, who had granted his assent ;
the funeral was therefore regulated to be in immediate readiness.
It had even been delayed to Monday, by means of whicn all the
charges of indecent haste had been proved to be incorrect. It
had been objected that the body had not been removed by the
Yeomen of the Guard. That had not been the case at various
funerals of several members of the Royal Family, at which
exactly the same etiquette had been observed as in the funeral
of her Majesty. The bodies of the Duchess of Brunswick, of
the late Duke of Kent, and of the Duchess of York, had not
been removed by the Yeomen of the Guard. The non-removal
of the body by those yeomen was not therefore to be regarded
as an insult. The funeral, therefore, being in readiness on
Tuesday, the removal of the Queen's remains was then effected.
On their removal, a scene took place which he had never before
heard of, a scene so disgraceful, that he was persuaded if the
Members of that House had heard that, in any other country,
at the funeral of the Queen, not only the orders of the King,
but the regulations of the Government, had been violated
in a similar manner, they would say, that that kingdom
was upon the point m.
of yieiding its Government to anarchy.--
Under these circumstances, could it be said that Government
was answerable for the consequences which occurred ? No, it
was to those who opposed Government in the arrangement
which had been then made, and who originated and opposed
obstructions to the execution of duties prescribed by the exist-
ing laws, who should be called on to answer for those conse-
quences which it was to be regretted had then taken place.
Nothing, in his mind, could ever result from concessions to the
people (as they were then erroneously called) upon sucha 'sub-
ject, but confusion and an aggravation of riot. _He was satisfied
that in all such cases the time must come, when blood must, as
a consequence, be shed, either by the party performing their
duty, or those obstructing it. As to the officer who on that oc-
casion had the conduct of the party, the conduct which had been,
pursued, with reference to him, was, in his mind, fully justified
by his negligent performance of the duty with which he had
been entrusted ; and there could be no doubt, in his mind, that
this officer, under the'circionstances, ought to be dismissed.--
As to the indecent haste with which it was alleged the funeral
had been hurried along its intended route, he should only say,
considering the interruptions which had been attempted to be
thrown in the way, he thought these were enough to have apo-
logised for it had it really taken place, which, in point of fact,
it did not. On the first application by the executors to his Ma-
jesty's Government, two days had been appointed for conveying
the body to Harwich ; but on a remonstrance being made, three
days'were given, if three should be found necessary for the con-
venience of the parties. As to what took place at Colchester,
he should state, the executors having declined all responsibility,
the Government was therefore obliged to undertake the charge
of the funeral both here and beyond sea. Was it then possible
that the persons employed by Government should permit an in-
scription which ran in these words, " Here lies Caroline, the
injured Queen of England," to be affixed to the coffin, whereby
a stigma and disgrace would be supposed to have attached it-
selfto his Majesty's Government ? this would have been a breach
of their duty, and the attempt was an outrage and insult to Go-
vernment. Had the executors undertaken the duty which, by her
Majesty's request, they were called on to assume, the question
would have been different ; but as they did not, it was com-
pletely altered, and the fault lay at their doors, who having
divested themselves of all authority to interpose, commenced
this outrageous and disgraceful proceeding in the church.--

i

(ember
ep over

House
General
night ;
isorder-
-(llear,

ieir re-

freely
le had
id only
similar
n who

Mouse,
) their
ole in-,
rere to
at, the
them
tble• to
attri,

Diem=

eetinF
ed hi*

reply,

.e had
often;
r allu-
L be to

IC was
er, we

tions,
mews-
he re-
peace.

epru-
ained,
he at-
, used
1, but
se the
; a re-