The Sun.
London, England, 1820-02-19 00:00:00

[PRICE SE VENPENCF.

acd deliberation as to the great subjects which
would speedily call for the attention of the Le-
gislature would be afforded. He could fairly say
that the question involved itself, as far as con-
cerned the advisers of the Crown, merely into
what was most expedient for the public interests
or convenience. And he must say,that he thought
it would be far more advantageous for the public,
(even independent of the consideration of the
vil List) under the present circumstances, to
adopt the proposed course. It must be no-
torious to all, that it was far preferable not
to enter into these important considerations
at the time 'when, from their nature, the
SessioTh mast terminate in a comparatively short
interval, but to defer it to a period when, at
no material distelice of, time, the judgment and de-
cision ef Parliament could be deliberately formed.
,He thought the alternative admitted of no com-
parison ; and. conscientiously convinced as he was
that the course proposed would be by far the most
conducive to the public interest, lie should not
detain- their Lordships longer, but move an Ad-
dress to his -Majesty.on the occasion of his most
gracious-Message,-expressive of the sense of their
Lordships, that having taken into their considera-
tion the present state of the public business, and
being apps inert of his Majesty's intention to call a
new Parliament •without delay, they would there-
tore readily concur in the adoption of such mea-
sures as nosy be deemed indispensable for the
public safety and welfare, in the-intetval between
the close of the present Session and the meeting
of a new Parliament.
The Marquess of LANSDOWNR observed, that
he should not in his mind discharge his duty to
the public, did he not express his dissent from
the proposed •deviation from the course of
the proceeding adopted upon all former pre-
cedents of the kind. He felt no sup, rst it ions
reverence for forms and ceremonies ; yet he mutt
deprecate an unnecessary deviation from those
closely connected with occasions of great and
real public importance. The present was, he
t:tought, an occasion which, above all other for-
mer precedents, should be strictly attended to,,and
be believed the present was the first occasion
wherein the Sovereign was advised to submit to
Parliameet a proposition involving its own disso-
lution. The prerogative of the Crown was ire-
doubted upon the polio, and the present question
involved that, whether it was more expedient now
to enter upon, or to postpone the consideration
of certain great national questions, In fact, the
Ministers, in the present case, advised the King
to call upon Parliament to assist !Inn in getting
rid of itself. And farther, in this Case, there was
an explanation given as to the means to be adopted
for providing for the Public Service, or even for
the state and dignity of the Crown itself. This,
too, was done at the very period when it was
most usual to proceed with earnestness and dis-
patch in the transaction of the public business.
Undoubtedly the Act referred to by the Noble
Earl (the 7th of -William Ill.) did not go to de-
prive the Crown of the prerogative of dissolving
the Parliament, but he thought they should not
be inattentive to what took place in the instances
of former demises since that Act passed ; in that
of Queen Anne, and of Kings Geo. I. and
Geo. 11. ()nail these occaeions gravy weeks did
not elapse berweete the Royal demise and Pat
ment's going into the consideration of the Ci-
vil List. These
,grave precedents should not
be unattended to ; and they should seriously con-
sider the present state of a great portion of the
public business. In the long recess a considerable
increase was made, under the authority of the
Crown, to the standing army. He meant not to •
itnpugn this neesnre, tinder the circumstances
which gave rise to it ; but it certainly was of that
importance that Parliament should have a fair
opportunity forconsidering a ereasure of such pe-
cllier importance. If this addition of 10,000
men to the standing army were to continue un-
considered till a vote was passed, it may go to
include the approbation of Parliament to the coo-
tinuance of so large an additional force. There
were, besides, other measures of great public in,-
[crest; which rendered the present juncture not •
only different from, but of greater- importance
than any thing connected with either of the ac-
cessions fo which he had referred, and which ne-
cessarily rende:red:it the more essential not to de-
part from the' established course of precedent._...
On these ,grounde he might be excused for ex-
pressiug his dissent from the 'course proposed.
Earl of Hattitowev argued, that the course
proposed in the oireseut case
was far more ad,
vantageons and Conveoient. With respect 10 the
public busineSs; then that contended for by the
Noble Lord. The Noble Alatquess was likewise •
mistaken in assatoing; that Parliament was here
called upon tai -advise the Crown with respect ro
the period of its own dissolution. 'No such in-
ference could fairly be drawn. The Crown
merely communicated its determination to the
House, and the House on its part bad to consider
whether it would concur in certain measures
which were essential to the public service.—
With respect to the Civil List on which so
much stress was laid, would it nor be prefer- •
able, in a case where it was impossible at the
most that Parliament could last longer than six
months, to bring tint extensive and important
subject at a period and under circumstances
in
which it could undergo a thorough investigation
into full discussion ? Even at the present moment
Coe coun,ry was beginning to feel inconvenience
from the prospect of a pending dissolution, and it
certainly was advisable nut to leave it long in
such a state of suspense, but to go as soon as was
safely practicable to a General Election. There
was no prospect of bringing lot ward those great
questions to any beneficial conclusion in the in..
terval which could remain of the coutittutthecof