The Sun.
London, England, 1827-02-17 00:00:00

Revs& also, that his Majesty's character was as humane as that of
NV Member of the Royal-Family, and therefore he could not be-
lieve that Ministers,had laid before the King a true statement of
the condition of the country. He could not believe, for a moment,
that with any knowledge of the state of the working population,
.hisMajestynouhl have been induced to send down to that House
the: Measage which they were then discussing. He was satisfied
that it was by the advice of Ministers the King had recommended
this, subject to the attention of Parliament. Ministers were in
this case, as in that of Prince Leopold, worshipping the rising
snn,, and sacrificing to their own interested views the welfare of
the people. What could evince a more profligate disregard of the
public good than in allowing so large a sum as 50,0001. to descend,
as in that instance, in consequence of the accident that had befallen the
Heiress Apparent ? He repeated, that he could not believe his Ma-
jesty was so destitute of the feelings ofhumanity, as to have sanctioned
this- proposition if he had known the miseries of his people.
His Majesty had been advised to adopt a course which derogated
from his honour; and all who felt for the true honour and
dignity
.of the Crown must deeply regret that such advice had
been given. What ! when his Majesty had so recently addressed
a circular to the Clergy, calling upon them to collect subscriptions
for hie starving people—when, in consequence of that circular,
the public officers of parishes had been seen going from door to
door to solicit pence from every inhabitant in aid of the public
distress,—how was his Majesty's letter to be reconciled with the
Message which his Majesty bad been advised to send down to that
House? The public purse had been deemed inadequate to afford
the smallest pittance in aid of the sufferings of thepeople ! and he
should be glad to know from those who advised the begging col-
lection, what that collection had produced. Had it produced
half what-the people were now called upon to add to the in-
come of the Duke of Clarence ? Had it produced twelve
thousand pounds ? had it produced six thousand pounds ? The
Ministers who could advise his Majesty to recommend these
begging applications round the whole country ought not to
have advised his Majesty, after the lapse of a few weeks, to
act in so contradictory a manner. If, in the present state of the
country, they had money to spare, let them give it to those who
were dying for want of it.—(Hear, hear.)—Let. not that House
be a party to a measure which would render the whole Royal
Family odious, who felt that they were perishing for want,
while Parliament was lavishing 9,0001. a-year of the public
money upon an individual who had already 29,5001. a-year.
He was told that state was of importance to the maintenance of
royalty, if not, why all the paraphernalia with which the King
was surrounded—why all the names which graced the Red Book,
and consumed so large a portion of the million which was destined
to support the Civil List? But to those who knew any thing of
the disposition and mode of living of the Duke of Clarence, it
was well known that no man was more averse from all unneces-.

nary display and expenditure, in matters of forms. The Duke
of Clarence was well known to be a man of plain, good, Eng-
• lists feelings, and indifferent to all these puerile distinctions.—
The Chancellor.of the Exchequer had admitted, that the grant
was proposed to be made, not to the person, but to the rank of
the Duke.of Clarence, as Heir Presumptive; but he had to-
tally ailed ..to make out a case that this money was neces-
sarily_wanted,.even had the Duke been Heir Apparent. Instead
of lavishing the, public; money, as it was now proposed to la-
vish it, a.reduction of the Civil List was the first thing which
that House ought to look to. It was their duty to cut down un-
necessary expences, and, if they had any money to spare, to
give it to those who had not a loaf of bread to put into
their mouths. The peke of Clarence and his family were
living as private individuals ; they had a house in town, and a
house in the country ; they were supplied with every thing they
wanted by the public. What possible necessity or pretence then
could there be for adding 9,0001. a year to the 29,000/, a year
already enjoyed? He felt deeply hurt at the manner in which this
proposition had been brought before the House. He was not pre-
sent when the Message was brought down to the House ; but when
he heard of it, he really could not believe it possible that any men
bearing the humane, charitable, and excellent character which the
members of his Majesty's Government, those at least who sat in
that House, bore—(a loud laugh).—lt was certainly rather invi-
dious to make ex,ceptions ; but he spoke more particularly of the
character of those whoN he knew of his own knowledge, and whom

he believed, as far as his humble testimony could go, to be gene-
rally entitled to the character for which he gave them credit. He
did notrtherefore, believe it possible that the Right Hon. Gentle-
man opposite could have advised his Majesty to take the
step which had been taken, and he did hope and bust that the
House would pause before they committed themselves—(Hear,
hear, heart)-,-Let them allow a little time to pass over, that
the voice of the people might in some degree guide their decision.
Let them hesitate before they exposed themselves to that reproach
which must fall upon them, if they refused to afford any assistance
to a starving people. He would ask the Right Honourable Se-
cretary for the 1.-19 me Department, how he could receive the
various applications from Glasgow, where thousands and tens of
thousands of people were borne down by want to the last degree of
misery—how he could possibly meet the appeals of men, who,
with the mod perfect obedience to the laws, were starving quietly
and dying of want, when he had recommended his Majesty to ask
for an addition of 9,0001. a-year to the Duke of Clarence's income,
having previously refused the pittance of a penny to these
unfortunate individuals ? If the House of Commons supported
this vote, they would abandon the interests of the people
which it was their duty to guard; they would not prove
themselves guardians of the public purse ; they would prove
themselves anxious to please the few, at the expense of
the many. He would rather see the many satisfied ; he would rather
that the people should have confidence in their proceedings, and
feel that justice was done them—that they should be placed in the
situation in which they would be placed if they agreed to this
vote. The money was not called for by the Duke of Clarence;
it was the act of Ministers alone; and it was an act to which the
House ought not to yield their accustomed passive obedience.—
It was a question which involved the honour of the House, and
the honour of the Royal Family themselves. His Majesty's Mi-
nisters had already compromised, in a great degree, that respect
which he had entertained for them, for the care which he thought
they were disposed to manifest for the public interests. He did
not call upon any Hon. Member at once to reject this motion, but
he trusted the consideration of the question would he adjourned.
ooly called upon the House to take a little time for considera-
tion, before they proceeded to vote an additional grant of 9,000/.
a-year to ,the income of the Duke of Clarence, when the Duke
was already I:4 possession of 29,500/. a-year. He moved, there-
fore, that the ,Siseaker do now leave the Chair, and report pro-

ETES&
Colonel WOOD regretted that the Noble Lord
(Althorpe) had opposed the print motion. Nothing was more
unpleasant than to make comparjeons ; but he was driven into
this course by the proceedings of the Hop.ourable Gentlemen op-
posite; It certainly was not desirable or j tudici,ons to contrast the
distresses of the people with the allowances which were necessary
to uphold the dignity of the Royal family of England. If e did
not think that there was any wish, on the pert of the public, to
do so. On the contrary, he was persuaded, that it was the gene-
ral feeling in the House, and out of it, to enable the illustrious

person on the Throne, and those who were likely to e-
ceed to the Throne, to support their exalted rank, and pay
a
theiri
way as they ought to do—(A laugh.)—The addition of i
year to the income of the Duke of Clarence would, in fact, be no-
addition to the general expenditure of the country. it would
not be an additional charge to the country of 9,0001. a year, but
a diminution by 9,0001. a year of the savings which fell into the
public by the death of the Duke of York.—(A laugh.)—His
welt Hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer had alluded
to the domestic virtues of the Duke of Clarence and his Illustrious
Consort: Now he (Colonel Wood) lived at no great distance
from those I;:untrious Persons, and he had, therefore, opportuni-
ties of knowing and seeing the quiet, economical, and proper way
in which they were sdisposed
tritium Friend, the Chan: to conduct their affairs. His Thus-
ellor of the Exchequer—(Loud laughter.)
—He should not do his duty if he did not state his conviction that
there was not, at this moment, P. man in the country who enjoyed
his family circle in a quiet way awe than this Illustrious person
enjoyed it. He cordially supported th,,, ;notion, and he trusts i
that Honourable Gentlemen would be induc,aii to withdraw their
oppositicai to it.
Mr. CURWEN regretted that this subject hgl
been brought before the House; but, although the sum proposed
t° be added to the income of th Duke of Clarence was not large,
Wtelt-that he should not do his duty, if he did not sepport the
Amendment.
Mr. MONCK declared that he had not heard a
,ogle argument from .the Chancellor of the Exchequer, which
couldjustify the present
port the Amendment ; anlaposition. He should certainly sup-
e only regretted that the Honourable
Member for Aberdeen, instead of moving for an adjournment of
the discussion, had not met the motion
?tion by a direct negative.
Mr , BROUGHAM_man can be more wil-
ling than I am at all times to lend my assistance
ing
the just
state
and
dignity
of
the
Crag
towards support-
n; and if a case had
been made out to justify any increased allowance to the Illustrious
Person who is the subject of the present discussion, I should have
been foremost to lend my aid in support of the
the pr upon a
esent question rests entirely u_ proposition. But,
o fact. Is it, or is
not true, that in cor,sequence of the melanchol
yevust, which.
has lately taken place in the Royal Family,
Highness the Duke of Clarence is exposed t
so 'neater Royal
than he w v
as before that event? If it _an 7_ ex
be shopence
wn