The Sun.
London, England, 1812-01-10 00:00:00

very, general nature, as it merely MSc:lived—a,
"'That'it <Was the opinion of that Cotinittee;
that, in - addition to the useful and effec lye
measures alreyly adopted for the abolition of
sinecure res, it was expedient to extend
. them'• others, the duties of which' were per-
'for ey:deputy ;'' and a farther amended r-esoiu-
' , after a long debate, resolved, ,€ That for this
purpoie, in addition to the useful and etfeetive mea-
„to
sures already adopted for the 'abolition of sinecures
and 'of offices, the duties of which were executed by
pouty, it was expedient to enable his Maj,sty io
reward inn different way .tho.se.eyvho had filled the
high effective civil offices," ''''t-le had the' greatest
respect for the high offices herd by Colonel MtMa-:
hon in the Prince's household, but he 'Contended
this did not bring him within the meaning of the
last resolution. , It was Only understood• to mean
those who hold higheffeative situations in the Courts
of Justice, in the Army and Navy, and the Public
Offices of State.. [The Him.. and Learned Gent. was
here reminded thie civil offices alone were expressed
in
.the Resolutions.] He eorreCted' himself with re.
spect to what he had advanced as •te the office; held
in the-=army and navy. He CoriCeived the Resolu-
tion only meant those who filled the high etlective
offices .iii the Courts of Justice, and •of the State.
With this feeling, it appeared to him-a mere jest to
talk of the situation held by Colonel M'Nahon as
coining within the purview. of the Resolution. The
Reselution recommended the abolition of offices
which produced revenue without employment, and
the regtileation 'of thOSe where the revenue and ear-
ploymeot : were disproportionate, with the excep-
tion of ',eertain Offiters in attendance on the king,
and haring a respect: for the situation of persons at
present-interested therein. • The reports both of the
CotninissiOners of 1.783, and of 1808, recommended
the abolition of the two Offices of Paymaster and
Deputy Paymaster of Widows' Pensions, as being
unnecessary, the one having very little to do, the
other nothing at all. The Office of Paymaster bad
in particular been recommended to be done away
on the demise' of General For, Now what had
been done by Ministers when that event took place ?
Why, at a time when the House was not sitting, and
Parliament had no opportunity of addressing the
• Prince on the subjea, they had advised-it to be given
to Col. .T.Vl'Malion ! But then, said the Chancellor
of the .Exchequer, it was distinctly communicated
to him, that lie was to hold it subject to any future
Act of Parliament. What was there in this ? why',
Colonel M'Mahon held his own private estate sub-
ject to any fe:ure Act of Parliament. That he mutt
so hold his sinecure was known to him before, and
his having been told so then, only proved that they
Were conscious they were fis tug in the teeth of those
principles which had been recognized by the jiouse
and its Commissioners. It had been said. that it was
not granted to-Gen. Fox for life, no more than to
CoL M'Mahon a hut if they turned teethe report of
1783, they would see that no; reason had been
given tor not immediately abolishing it, but, that it
was then held by Gem, Fox. If then they had acted
consistently }with that recommenciaiion, on his death
it would babe been abolished. That ihe grant of it
to,Col.lll`Mahbn did not prevent,its being subject to
a future Ad of Parliament was certain, but it threw •
an obatacle in the way of its abolition, and on this'
'groanci he eouid not but objea to the appoiot meet.
'With reseed tO what had been said en theeothjed of
ai.aleingeata I-IQ3. Gentkifigh a Maste of Chaecery,
he could hove w ished it -spared, .and he regretted
. that his Hon. Friend had not confined himself to
the appoititments to offices which were pinery sinea
cures. • 4-le censured the grant of Colleetor of the
Excise. to an. Hon. Baronet, at a time when the
Committee were debating on The expediency of its
being abolished, -He could not but condemn that
.condud which threW an impediment in the way of
. relicying the publit from the intolerable weight of
sinecures 'e and, with the eiteeptiOns- he had made,
fully concurred in the observations made by his H. 07
rAurable Faiend. When he considered what pains
Government bad taken Co fly in the face Of the Re,
solinionS Of 'that' House, he thought it extemely pro-
per for therti. to eiaese before they granted the sup-
plies. . ' _ . • .
Mr. CROKER observed, the last speaker had Wisha
ed one of. the late appointments had not been no-
ticed, and he also could have wished that one had
been omitted—thal of the Clerk of .the Council.
That 'office was not a new grant. It had been given
to the Hon. Gentleman twenty-five years ago, and
he had succeeded to it by the death of its late holder,
instead of obtaining it by a new grant. Perhaps
the Hon. Gentleman was not aware that a new
writ bad that day been' moved for in the room of
that Gentleman, on account of his receiving that
office. He was surprised to hear the last speaker
. say that the communication made to Colonel
M‘ll,lahon on his, appointment, only :proved that
Government were conscious they were aa tog wrong,
and then _ go' on to state that the. only reason for
its not being abolished in the time of General' Fox,'
was that he held it by a tenure, of which it was
thought he could not with justice. be divested. It
was because Ministers were aware that such was time
, impression on General Fox's mind, and foresaw that
. one similar Might have been made on that of Cel.
M‘Mahoh, eif ,notice were not given that such an
objection would stand no • longer. The Hon. Gen.
tleman opposite had omitted to read part of the te-
'solution produced, which went to suggest the rep-
, lation of sinecures. It was necessary that it should
be stated that that resolution bad notbeen forgotten,
'and` that Colonel M'Mahon had Only received the
grant subject to such regulation as Parliament might
-hereafter think proper to Make,
Mr. CdftEVEV observed, lie had not.said that the
situailons- of Clerk of the Council, and Master in
Chancery, were sinecures, but be had complained.
that two new placetnen, the one holding a situation
of 10001. per ann. the other-of 3.0001. were thus
brought into Parliament.

Mr. BRonGttAm, in explanation, said he had read
the whole •of the Resolution, but contented that
the office of Paymaster of Widows'. Pensions, was
one which it was not proposed to regulate, hut to
abolish.

Mr. CEOKlet remarked, that if the House were
disposed to deal with that office at ail, it was still
open for them to do so, without injustice.
Mr. STEPHEN did not expect. that on that occa•
sion any remarks would have been madeon the ap-
pointtnent•with which he had.been honoured ; and
thought it would be but candid for Gentlemen having
such remaiks to make, to give some previous notice,