The Sun.
London, England, 1812-07-04 00:00:00

SINECURE OFFICES BILL.

Earl GROSVENOR, in moving the second read-,
ing, of the
,Sinecure Offices Bill, said he would
make but a verylew prefatory observations. The
Bili was one, to to iS success of which the public
looked with great anxiety, and he confessed him-
self at a loss to anticipate any serimis objection
to it. All that it went to do, was to declare that
no person should hold an office unattended with
any duties, and unquestionably the present prac-
tice on that subject was one which could. not too
soon be terminated. He trusted it would not
now be defended on the ground of long establish,
ed usage. Prescription was no defence of error.
At least he expressed his hope that the Bill would
be permitted to pass through the present stage, in
order that, if any imperfections existed in the de-
tail, an opportunity might be afforded of ccirrect-
ing them in the Committee.
The Loa]) CHANCELLOR warmly O" ;ed the
Bill, which he declared abounded wi..„..surdi-
' ties, and the clauses of which were of such a na-
ture, that if agreed to by Parliament; it was im-
possible they could be carried into effect. He
was persuaded that this wise and notable Bill bad
not,,passed under the eye of a lawyer; and the
consequence was that which it 'always must be
under such circumstances, that as" a legislative
measure, it would be nugatory if enacted. To
prove- this, the Noble and Learned Lord entered
into a critical examination of the various clauses
of the Bill, contending that the Bill ought to be
called.a Bill to deprive the Crown of the power
of granting all Offices whatever. He had care-
fully examined the schedules of the Bill ; and he
would' venture to say, without fear of contradic-
tion, that not one-twentieth part of the Offices
described in the Eill as sinecures were actually so-.
The deficiencies in theßillwere abundant; in those
parts of it which' went to the abolition. of cer-
tain principals, andto the substitution of their depu-
ties,there was no proviSion for the payment of these,
deputies. Adverting to the abolition, all the Bill
proposed to effect, of certain offices in the Courts
of Justice, he ridiculed the suggestion. The
business at present before the Courts was so ,con-
siderable, that it could with difficulty be transactS.
ed, • And now it was propOsed •to diminish the
number of those Officers who'assisted in execut-
ing it. For himself, he had no hesitation in say-
ing, that no man could devote soul and body
more completely to the discharge of. the functions
of his high office ; it was impossible for him at
his time of life, and it Would have been impossi-
ble for him at an earlier period, to devote more
than 18 hours out of the 24 to business : he knew
perfectly that his Noble and Learned Friend, who
presided in the Court of King's Bench, was also
completely oppressed with the extent 'of the du-
tics he had to perform. As it was said by Lord
Mansfield,' that he did twice as much as had
been done by
,his predecessor in that Court,
so it might be said--of his *Noble 'and Learned
Friend, that he did three times as much as had been
done by Lord Mansfield. -it was the same thing
in the Court of Common Pleas ;' and yet; under
all these eircnnistances, it was proposed to reduce
the number of Officers, aiding in the business of
these Courts. Did their Lordships recollect the
duties of the Cursitors in his Court ? Were their
Lordships aware, that if the Bill before them
were to becoine 'an Act of Parliament, and the
office of Cursitor abolished, no writs could be
sent into Norfolk and Suffolk ? After a variety
of observations, tending to shew the futility of
the measure, he. moved 'as an Amendment, that
the Bill be read a second time this day .three
months.

The Marquis of DOUGLAS contended that the
Noble and Learned Lord's arguments were pre-
mature, as they were directed, not against the
principle, but against the details of the measure,
and ought therefore to have been reserved for the
Committee.

Lord l.ttnESDai.E objected to the Bill, contend-
ing, that in many respects it would be' injurious
instead of beneficial to the public interests. No-
thingcould be more pernicious than an ill .judged
economy-. He instanced the case of a loss which
the revenue had incurred of 10,000/. in conse-
quence of the abolition of a place, the salary of

LONDON;
SATURDAY, JULY 4, 1812.

French PaPers arrived last night, from which
we learn that ITONAPARTE was' at Konigsberg
on the 15th ult. It is therefore more than -pro-
bable that a blow has been struck .before this
time. We trtist, however, that the Russians will
have profited so much by experience, that they
will not trust the fortune. of the war to the issue
of a battle or two. By the adopting of a defen
sive and harassing system of warfare, General
BENNIGSPN may ultimately destroy the French
Army. If he will imitate the splendid example
which Lard WELLINGTON has set , him, there
can be little doubt that his efforts must be
finally successful. While acting defensively on
their own frontiers, a:iy loss which the Rus-
sians may sustain can be quickly and, easily sup-
plied ; hut BUONAPARTE'S reinforcements will
•
have to traverse half. Europe.

We may shortly expect to hear some very im-
portant intelligence from the Peninsula, for therp
appears to be no doubt that Lord 'WELLINGTON
Was advancing upon Salamanca the view of
forcing MARMONT to a battle, or of 'con-yell-
ing him to abandon the whole or the .greater
part of the EirovinCe of Le6n; The retreat of
lfaa,loNT would be attended with 'most beneficial
effects, as- it 'would give a decisive turn to the °pc,
rations in the North, and place the Trench rather
in an embarrassing situation in the South of Spain.
The advance of the allied army under Lord WEL-,
LINGTON, connected with the active and perse-
vering efforts of the Guerillas, and with the
movements of Sir HOME POPHAMS squadron„ on
the western coasts of Spain, affords the most ra-
.
tional ground for hoping for the most brilliant
success ; but we must not, at the same time, con-
ceal,from ourselves, that the very exhausted state
Of the country offers the most serious obstacles to
the advance of the British General.

Yesterday, about twelve o'clock, the QUEEN
and PRINCESSES left town for Windsor: Previous
to their departure, the Dukes of YORK, CUMBER-
LAND, and CAMBRIDGE visited them.

PnILLIrroN, the late Governor of Badajoz, who
surrendered to the Earl of WELLINGTON on the 6th
April, and was sent by Government on parole to
Oswestry, contrived to quit that town on Wednes-
day last, accompanied by an °Aker of artillery
named GARNIER. It has not yet been ascertained
whither these- disgraceful fugitives have gone
but there is some reason to suppose that they are
attended by three persons who reside ,near
We are are glad to learn that Government has
adopted every necessary precaution to prevent their
escape from thiS country ; full descriptions of their
persons having been sent last night to all the out-
ports, and to other places where there is any proba-
bility of detecting them; and sirict orders have been
issued for the careful examination of every suspici-
ous person who may be found near the coast. The
artillery officer who aCcompanies .PHILLIrPorr is
said to speak pretty good English,whence it is con-
jectured that he has probably assumed the appear-
ance and character of a friend,' acting as an in-
terpreter. PHILLtt,PoN himself is, a tall man,
being nearly six feet in height, of a stout
frame, with a fair complexion, ansl havtng a scar
over his left eye. The baseness of so niany French
Officers- in these repeated violations of the lawS of
civilized warfare,- seems to render it indispensable
oti the part of our Government, to abridge the 'ac-
commodation's which have been So liberallygiven to
these persons, and to watch them withta degree of
strictness that 'may put the farther repetition of
such transgressions 'out of their power. This
man when in London, was entertained At the tables
of several of our gentry, and no ddubt laughed
at the goodnatured simplicity Of his
.hoSts, We
wish he was the only one 'of his countrymen' to
whom a similar opportunity of being merry at the
expense of our folly had been, afforded.

SECOI'iD VOITION,

S UN- 0 FFICE;

HALF-PAST Tti-O O'CLOCK•

We stop AC Press to state, that-Preneb Paper'
to the 30th ult. have just beeii receil'ed. It ap-
pears that BUONAPARit remained at itonigiber;
till the 16th, on which day he proCeeded to Vehlayi
and, on the following day arrived atinter6nrg,
both which places he reviewed all the troops sta'
tinned there:

INTEIISBURG:JUNE ,18.—His Majesty (Btro!.7'''
t'ARTE) reviewed yesterday, at Vehlau, the third
division of Curiassiers. His Majesty arrived sr
Intersburg at four. He reviewrd, this morning'
at Intersburg, all the divisions. of the Second corr:s',
commanded by the Duke of Reggio, and the 01°
brigades of light cavalry, as well as a brigade
the Prussian corps, commanded by Gen. lii,rlll-
- .appeared satisfied with,the fine apPearanc's
of the troops.

BERLIN, JUNE 1 6.--Flis gh nes s Prii
CHARLES Of INIECTILENEOURG STRELITV, 'pas.-44
through ' here yesterday, on his way from 13r
law, and is going to Potsdam. '

-Marshal the Duke of T'ARENTIIIM has, its ig
said, the command in chief of the Prussian for'
under the CoMinand or General De GRAYQ-01'
His Excellency passed the 6th at Konipb2rg'
and thence- set out for Memel. His Excelleoci
tix French General of Division, Count .liool4-
DROP, arrived on the 9th of June at Konigsberg'
ROME JUNE 19.,--Yesterday his Majesty
CHARLES IV. (of :Spain) and his family, arrive°
in this city. Their. Majesties alighted at the
Borghese Palace. They were accompanied hi
the Lieutenant of the GovernOr-General and the-
-2refec-t of Rome, who had wine to Inca tha'''
The beauty Of this new residence appeared to
give much satisfaction to the KING and Qu-02;"
Their Majesties are very well.