Star.
London, England, 1807-02-25 00:00:00

fobjeas. The prefent Bill was a matter of orgency,
as a million and a half of Btitith capital had been
already embarked for Buenos Apres.
Mr. CRIPPS, in expl,nation, repeated, that thc.
South Sea Company had not the leatl objeftion to
granting licences, or doing any thing in their power
for the nrotthinn of this property.

Mr. BANKES thought the parties would not be
likely to be much benefited by that fort of hearing
which was ufually given to Counfel in fuch a cafe,
and therefore thought it would be an unnec,ltary
delay.
Sir THOMAS TURTON confidered, that in any
cafe where Petitioners complained of an invafion of
their chartered rights, they ought to he allowed to
Rate their cafe fully to the Houfe. He therefore
was for the heating of Counfel, and did not appre.
hend that it could occafion any material delay. He
thought the noble Lord had 'wrought on the meafure
rather precipitately, and without giving fufficient no
tice to the South Sea Company.
Lord TEMPLE replied, that the Privy Council
had fent a printed copy of the Bill to the Governor
of the South Sea Company In early as the beginning
of December, and waited a month for their anfwer.
The Bill which bad been fent in was contented to by
the Governors ; and the only yeafon for altering a
few words and prefling it now, was the circum-
, fiance of the information having fence arrived of the
recapture of Buenos Ayres, and the danger to which
the property embarked for that place was now ex-
poled. He trotted the Committee would not confi-
der there had been any improper precipitanc,y in this
bufinefs. He agreed with the Honourable Member
near him (Mr. Jacob) that the Charter was granted
merely to enable the Company to trade with Spaniffi
America, and by no means to give them the mono-
poly of trading with thofe countries which might fall
into the potl'c(lion of this country. As to the queflion
of compenfation, he thought that it fhould lie over ad
referendum. If the Company proved any fpecific injury,
there was no doubt but Parliament would confider,
with due attention, their claims to compentatton.
Mr.THORNTON conceived there mutt have bcen
fome millake in this bufinefs on the part of the Noble
Lord. The very circumttance elated by the Noble
Lord, of his afking the content of the South Sea
Dire/tors to this Ad, as well as the Noble Lord's
own declaration, on firlt propofing this Bill, •• that
all the trade lately carried into South America from
this country was illegal," not only implied, but di-
re/11y acknowledged that the South Sea Company
had a right vetted under their Charter, which this
Bill would violate ; and he begged leave to obferve,
that the South Sea Directors had no right to surren-
der their Charter, without calling a full Court of
Proprietors, and obtaining their content ; that there-
fore the Houfe had not a right to call upon the Di-
re/tors fcr an implicit farrender of their rights, with-
out at leaft hearing them by their Counfel.
Lord .TEMPLE laid that, although it was his
defire at all times to confult the willies and the con-
tent of the parties concerned, when any material
alteration was aecetTary, in cafes of a fimilar nature
to this, from a with to conciliate, yet he by no means
acknowledged the principle. that Parliament had no
right to act in cafes involving the national interell,
without firit obtaining fuch confent. But he eaprefsly
declared, that the South Sea Dire/tors had full notice
to call a Court, and had even pointed out the parti-
cular modification of a claufe which would fatisfy
them ;—and in which, though not altered to their
wither, through a clerical error, it was his intention
to make the alteration in the Committee.

MI. CORRY, Mr. CAWTHOItIIII, and Mr. WYNNE.
(poke againft the Committee, and Mr. Mrwsit, fcr
it ; and, on the quetiion being put for calling in the
Counfel, it was rejeaed without a divilion.—Adjour-
ned till Thurfday.