Star.
London, England, 1805-04-27 00:00:00

HOUSE Or COMMONS.

T!le SPEAKER took the Chair at half pat four.
Scare private buratefe having hr .11 3 nt.,01 writ wan hr.
tiered to be iffued to Eke. A !it:rip:is for Vetzhingly, in tiac wont
of James Milne•, Efq. (treed. d.
Sir WILLIAM SCO ET moved for the re-romm!tment of the
Prix_ Bill on the 36111 of M.iy nixt.—Ordered.

Si^ JOHN NEWPORT moved that cerr.,in official papers re-
fpeeting the r.xpecce of Government in IttLintl. t.t

the fecond time the Thames I Aftpgc and 3all:nage Bill ;
and ou the motion of Mr ROSE for its commimicht on Monday,
Sir M. W. RIDLEY felt it his duty to call the attei.tion of the
Ii mire more particularly to this Bill, which he found, from its
pre-inthle, was intended to re al many, if not nearly all, of the
former laws by which she navig.,tion of the River Thames was
regulated, at.d to eltaldifh many new and heavy charges, upon
bills and velfLls, for width he knew of no fulßcient reafon ahgn;
ed the Houfe. .re, however, be could be Induced to give
his off ilu to filch a Bill. he mould feel it his duty to move, that an
aecount a the Receipts and flair.:adittmes of the Trinity Houle
board. for the loft three years, I'm laid before the linufe.

Mr Ito in a few wards, defended the Bill, audit was coat-
i- i led for MouJay.

NAVY.
,NDRFW HAMMOND moved, that there be laid before
. Copy r.) the letter Carolled, on the azd April, aos,
. .m ruli, rof the Navy, to the Lords CommiMoners of
•J 1 —Grdered.
ISLE or MAN.

.NV mi..", and after tome allufion to a motion
1„ ; pia... u. .1 farai. r for a return of the Port Du-
, -tie,: I,t the a M.:rt. fn:in 1793 to 1804, and the
thereof curiur z p r; d of five yearm, nhf. reed, that

' !... appearc th.4t fhe rzceir ..vt•rti-r...1.11)aut
..t ;,:id the expet.:lttore4:.bott i 6 I•er avian-a. Ia ,v•
fe.7lii, of uut of which it app...Ared th-.t

F :it: into th,. I.:::::hequttr, and the only accoton ire
r. .tic .;f the rcrnairdo.7 lons of 17,i 01. was, Ur :t a was a
,knee 1., the brit', of the Iztc :.1)4 Facia kteeiv,r4 : emot-;*/ •
.; ut.thr t iromatar.:ei ~fthc country, the ilutec oneht
;.. r, ma::. f4ti,:itti with inch an accoLut of fa large a Iwo, be
tAft ti.,ticeth4t Leltould, on t' ritidy mat, move rot au Account
of the Itxplus tcycou.:i of the I& of NT:in.

SLLFCT COMMIrrEw.

0,1 the motion of the CIIANCELLOR of the
rX::1-1EQUEK, the Order ct the Day for balloting
a Selea-Committee was ri.ad. The Scr;eant at
Arn.s having, in pot foam: cf order, gune to the
;..ther's Chambers, the Court of Requel and
adjacent, to furnrym the Mart her,,, tire bal.
lutilT proceeded. When all the nanie, of the Mem.
brr. :tad been :cad by the Cle:k, an] when thcfe
hn chofe to VULt: had depofited their fills in the
glafs ;
Mr. S'rURGES BOURNE moved, that a Ccrn-
mit:ee be appiiitted to exaritine the lilts, an] to rc-
-1,: rt to the Houfc the names of the twenty .one
i,•!ohe; wit had the tnij•-•rity of vntes

Mr. WHITBREAD fai,i, a report had been very
generally ci.,n!atecl that ii i. had been fent to Mem-
ber. ht• Letf..n; high in authothy, pin:ill out the
..f thufe ;ley w•ilsed to 14 chofen en
the S.Aal Committee. He held in Lie ik..nd a paper
nam:“..l that wilt) vvcre (id iv be

feleeted, and recommended by Government,
,which
he w..01d read to the Houfe, namely,

Lord Caltlereagh Mr. St. John
Mr. Wlitbre d Mr. Softer
Matter of the Rolls Mr. H..Lateels
Mr W. Windhoun Sir H. Mildm-ty
Sir W Scott Mr. S. Thornton
Mr. T. Gro‘ille Mr. J. Lute
Mr. Ryder I.ord Boyle
Lord George Cavendith Mr. Cartwright
Lord Duni* Mr. Hawkins Broone
Lord W. RuiTell Mr. Gunning.
Mr. Lkyeefter
If on the report of the Committee appointed to examine
the glafs, is lhould appear that thefe were atitially
the names poffeffing the majority of votes, the infer-
ence was too plain not to be drawn by every man in
iheH ink and in the country. Some of the perfois

he had mentioned were fo nbjedionable, that if they
were returned, however novel the proceeding, he
mould inflantly feel it his duty to. move that their
names be expunged for the purpofe of fubftitutiog'
others more fatisfadory to the public.
Mr. FOX obferved, that it would certainly be as
competent to the Houfe to expunge fuch names, as
:t was to them to expunge the names of thofe
members ballotted for in elation or other Commit.

tees, whole occupations would not allow them to at-
tend their duty.
The Right Hon. the SPEAKER, however, Rated,
tkat the only question before the Houle was, that a
Committee of 21 Members be formed, &c.

Mr. Sturges Bourne's motion was then agreed to,
as was like :wife the one which followed it, fpecifying
the names of thole who thould couttitute the examin-
ing Committer.
`Mr. SIILRIDAN hoped that the lift which bad
been read by his Honourable Friend, would be laid
on the table of the liouce. He adverted with appro-
bation to the mole of forming a Select Clmmittee,
propofcd by an Homan able Gentleman laft night,
which was, that the Members who were to compofe
it, World be alternately named by both fides of the
FlOlll2. On a former very important occafion, when
the ballot was lufpeaed to be but a mall:, on the no-
mination of the Minifler, confidering the importance
of undeceiving the public, and not letting them ima-
gine that the Cominittee were choler fairly by ballot
when it was no Inch thing, he had moved that the
door-keeper be called to the bar for the purpofe of
examining whether or not lids had been delivered
through his hands to the Members. It was true his
motion was negatived, but he hoped that Minifiers
would not avail themfelves of this as a kind of

tering claufe—(A laugh.)
After a few word. between the SPEAKER and Mr.
WHITARII&D. as to the proper form of proceeding,
Mr WHITER6iID 111017.6 d A refolution, " that it was
a high breach of die p‘ivtleges of that Fioure to c.r-
ciliate lids of lq,utbers to ferve by ba!lot in a Sete&
Committee."

A diviiitin immediately took place, when there
appzare..!, for Mr. Whitbrcad's Dilution 45—Againti
it 154.—Majnrity tcso.

THE Phi% TSR or THI ORACLE.
When we were again adinitted,
Mr-ATKINS WRIGHT was commenting on the
necsflity of admitting the full enjoyment of the li-
berty of the prefs. - It was true that this liberty
ought to be exe,cifed in a becoming manner ; yet if
every frivolous paflage in a newrpaper, derogato-
ry to the dignity of the Houk, were to meal-ion its
interpofition, the public bnfineis would be gvievoufly
impeded, and no great end cf jut:ice would by filch
means be fuccefsfully promoted. On there grounds,
he hoped the Hon. Gentleman would not profs the
Order of the pay.
Mr. GREY thought, by the tenor of the Hon. Gen-
tleman's fpeech, he 'teemed inclined to objet to any
form of proceeding in cafe of a libel infiinging on the
charafter and priyileges of that Houfe. He would
admit that nothing of a trifling nature would have
attraded his observation, but he conlidered this by
no means to fall within that defeription. This was
not an unguarded expreflion, it was the I..aguage
which " he tha; runs may read," and I:leie could
be no difficulty in collating the general siefl;7n of the
2aragraph. If any Gentleman could confider it a
fair dirculTion on public mearn:rc, he (Mr. Grey)
would be the Lift man to Zlifeuas age fuels diftadfion,
and would withdraw the motion he now propofed—
but he thought that the palEige contained only grofs
and unqualified abufe, and that it was manifestly in-
tended to iufult the dignity of the Houfe. Under the
influence of this opinion, he would difeharge a need:
fary and a painful duty, in moving for the Order of
the Day.
The queft;on was then put and carried, and the
Order being read by the Clerk " That P. Stuart do
attend this Houfe," the additional quellion was pro-
' pored. that 4' he now be called Co ;" when, after a
remark, addreffei to Mr. Atkins Wright, by the
Speaker, on the point of Order,'
Mr. WINDHAM faid, he was not, as Isis Hon.
Friend (Mr. Grey) had diflinguillicd liimfelf, the
lilt man to invite the Houle to exert it own authori-
ty on an occalion of this kind ; but if he were'dif-
poled to avoid the application of it, it would be Im-
eaufe he fh. uld defpair of its being attended with
Accor,:ing to the fentiment of one Hon.
Gehthlailli, it w..s the wiled way for the Houfe to
admit licence to triumph, and to difmifs all cam
about its own honour. " Let every man fpeak and
write as he pleaks, it could be followed by no mil-
chievous eonfeqnence ; the• good fenfe of mankind
would fee the abferdity of filch mifreprefentations."
But would the Hon. Gentleman treat with the Came
levity a libel agairot his own reputation ? If he
would not from private motives, how much more
powerfully fhould he be influenced from public ones,to
prevent their means of d:famation ? The prefs in-this
country had, by the patience of individuals, and'of
affociated bodies, been too long tolerated in its ex-
cefres. Whatever was a:Mt deferving rkfpat, had
been dill egarded ; the dignity of rank, the fplenclour
of flare, the pride of fituation ; whatever was noble
and honourable in polifbed fociety, whatever was de-
corous in civilized man, bad been rendered -contemp-
tible by the univerfal liceoce of the prefs; The ef-
feet was not trivial and partial, it was important and
general ; it tended to produce a change in the politi-
cal charai9er of this country, eminent as it had be-
come by its virtue, its valour, and its magnanimity.
The queftion then was, if this overgrown evil were
to be permitted to flask over the land, and to fpend
its rafje to the deltration of all that was great and
exceent in the State, or if we were to arrelt its pro-
/ greis ? He felt nothing vindiftive on the relent qU&

dna ; he thought, however, ;hat the Houfe could
alone wank its own fecurity, and preferve its own
charaAer, by condoeing itfelf in a way that would
mark firongly its difapptobation, and prevent the re-
petition of the offence.
Mr. SHERIDAN could confidently affert for his
Hon. Friend (Mr. Grey) that ro man felt a higher
refpe& than he did for the liberty of the pill's, or was
lets difpofed to countenance vexatious profecuticns
for accidental excetfes. The habit of his own (Mr.
Sheridan's) life had taught him to be eltremely tole-
rant on all occafions of this fort. He, however, could
not avoid confidering the paragraph as libellous ;
yet not only candour, but common Whet., required
he fhould declare, that, in companion sv::h many

others, which teemed to efcape Cenlure, it was de-
cent and moderate. If the Houfe were accultomtd
to connive at publications fo indecorous, it would be
fevere to file& the &it violation it noticed for the

difplay of its refentment ; it would be more generous
to apprife the public it had adopted new maxims, it
had awakened frelk fenfibility, and would not infu-
ture fubmit to let there tranfgreffions pats with im-
punity. There was much to be Paid in favour of
thefe diurnal publications; he for one (hould deem
it to be a great national calamity, if the people,
through tome fuch medium, were not made acquaint-
ed with all that paffed within thofe walls ; and it was
not very furprifing. if Members of that Houfe in-
dulged fo mach licence in fpeaking of each other,
that printers fhould catch the infeChon, and not Phew
all that decency and refpat to which, under lets un-
favourable eircumftanees, they might be inclined.—.
He remembered one occafion on which the whole
conßitution of Parliament was libelled ; the Houfe of
Commons was reprefented as an excrefcencei which
might be amputated without danger ; and the pub-
lication was expofed to the verdhll of a Jury. An it.
genious friend of his at the bar fo artfully managed
the defence, that the Jury were fully convinced the
work contained no reflation on our public inftitu-
tions. Such an experiment had not much difpofed
him to favour profecutimr, and he did not think this
was a fit opportunity on which to adopt any judicial
proceedings.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER
thought the Houfe would now be fully fatisfieditwould
haveheen wifer to have availed itfelf of the recom-
mendation of his Learned Friend, laft night, and to
have allowed itfelf an interval of four-and-twenty
hours Cher refledion. As the matter now Rood; it
was neceffary to take tome ferious notice of the affair,
from a regard to the• dignity and charader of the
Houfe. He mull, at the fame time, repeat what he'
laid yeaerd ay, that, after having tolerated the abufe,
it was a delicate thing to commence, and extreme le
verity fhould be avoided. The Hon. Gentleman,
who fpoke left, in contending for the freedom of the
!refs, had a little let down the charater of the coun-
try in a branch cif its inftitution, for which he had
((onetime& expreffeci equal partiality, he (Mr. Pitt)
meant the trial by Jury ; and the (tory, however
amufing, was not calculated to promote in the coun-
try that reverence for the moil admirable contrivance
for the proteCtion of property, liberty, and life, which
in the brealts of Englifhmen it was accuftomed to ex-
cite. The equity and humanity of the 'Houle might
be properly exercifed after the Houfe (hould be in-
formed what the perfon had to fay in his own vindi-
cation, but to withhold all enquiry in the prefent
Rage of the hufinefs, would be to furrender the privi-
leges of Parliament.
Mr. SHERIDAN laid, he could not eafily be
caught addrefling the Houfe in difrefpeCtful language
of an Engli(h Jury. The conftruaion jolt given to
his remnik was not corral ; in what he had Paid, he
defignid to do juftice to the talents of his friend, and
equally to the perfett purity of intention in the Jury
he addrefred.—(4 cry of Hear! Hear!)
Mr. CANNING obferved, that the Honourable
Gentleman feemed to have forgot the conclufion
which he had drawn from the Itatement which he had
made—( .4 laugh.)
The ATTORNEY GENERAL thought that the
expreili:4l of acquitted libeller was rather n. n'e re-
niarkable than that of acquitted felons I—(A /alb.)
Mr. FOX—Sit, it has never been my opinion, and
I think my condo& has pretty well (hewn it, that the
liberty of the prefs fhotild be rattily meddled via).
But, however, when a grofs breach of privilege was
committed, it is not perhaps altogether proper that
the offender fhould efcape with impunity. Some alln-
fion has been made to a prosecution by the Attorney
General. It does not appear to me that this is the
jult mode of proceeding on a cafe of this nature. No
Court of Jultice eve:, or at leaft very feldom. adopts
the plan of a profecutino in the cafe of aContempt of
Court, but almolt invariably proceeds by taking the
punithmert into its own hands. In a hint on the
Houle of Commons, therefore, the perfon who has
written it ought more properly to be punifhed by this
Houle, and it certainly is by no means advilable, that
he Omuta be fent to filch a mode of trial as has been
alluded to, without firong grounds for ter df.ing.—
But let me not, at the fame time, be mifunderltnod.
I am by no means difpofed to favour the difpofition
fo turn matters into Contempt of Court, which are in
fait et imesOf entirely a different nature. In this in-
fiance, however, it is clear that the offence refembles
that of a Contempt of Court, and as fuch it ought to
be ;minted by this Houle, and by no other. I have
certainly not often thought it fit to profecute indivi-
duals. But at the fame time I mull fay, that the
Gentlemen on theother fide have not been remarkable
for their forbearance in any cafe where Government
has been concerned. I do not, therefore, fee why the
Houfe of Commons thould be the only part of the
conftitutional body that is to be libelled with imps.
nity. I widely differ from my Hon. Friend, when he
lays that fuch a paragraph as this appears almolt
every day. Undoubtedly I am not in the habit of
reading the Newfpapers fo much as he does, but 1
certainty has.; .fcarcely ever feen any thing like
this. I defy any Gentleman to (hew me any fuch.—
(Gbferving a fmik from the Member, on the other Pe.),
--I lay again, that I defy them to (hew me any fuch
paragraph. There are, indeed, often attacks on in-
dividuals, that, &RBI (peaking, are wholly unjulli-
fiable—but I fay, that if lucb au imputation as this
had been thrown on any of the proceedings of the
Houle of Commons, when the'Majority was in favour
of Adminittration,it would not be tolerated—(licnr 1
Hear! from the Ireafury 13(n. !)—No one would dare
to do loch a thing. I certainly do think this, ther,..-
Ifore, an extraordinary cafe; but at the fame time,
on the general principle that the freedom of difcuf-

Con, ether in or ont of doors, fhonld not be Oro u-
raged, I am free to confefs, that i am not of opktun
that the puni(hment ought to be fevere.
Mr. WILLIAM SMlTll—Nothing, Sir, in my
opinion, can be more ferious than a libel directed
againfi an individual. It very often dPes him incal-
culable injury, becaufe it goes into a du-Ad-and places
where it is abfnlutely impoffible for hint to follow it.
But, Sir, I really think that a libel on the Houle of
Commons Rands upon very different grounds. Pa-
ragraphs of this fort, when they are not in unifon
with the public feeling, are of little importance.—
This libel, Sir, is certainly out of all unifon with the
public feeling, and therefore, in my trillion, it is per.
teal), harmlefs. This is certainly not the cafe when
a libel is publifhed on the condud of a li:ember of
the Honfe, and this, therefore, ought to be a more
ferious confideration. We ought to be more careful
of protefling individuals limn Inch attacks, he.cauf.e,
when the Houfe, in a colleftive fenfe, a± with the
public, all libels on their concluff can be attended
with no mifchievous effells, even though they fnould
be more grofs, if any thing can be more grofs, than
the libel in coeftion. Ido not, therefore, thinl-, that
it was material to notice it ; but whether any pi o-
ceedings fhould be had upon it, after it had been no-
ticed, is another quetlion entirely. lam rather dif-
poled to agree with the Right Hnn. Gentleman on
the other fide, that I,mething fhonld certainly be done
by way of marking the difpleafure of the 1-loufe. But
I muff advert to one thing—We are here accufed of
bah, intemperance, &c. &c. the expreflions are not
very material. Now. Sir, how did we proceed? You,
Sir, gave the vote that decided the matter, and there-
fore this is more particularly a libel upon you, you
whom we all refpeft, and whom certainly it becomes
us all to prom& from any improper imputations. This
cafe, therefnre,does undoubtedly differ from any other
very materially. Can it be fuppofed, Sir, that you
were affirmed by intemperance, or gave your vote in
hafte, after you had liffened to the arguments on both
fides ? Certainly this cannot be laid. This may be
a reafon for taking notice of the libel, but at the fame
time it mutt be confeffed, it is an additional proof that
it,could be atte,nded with no harm whatever.
Dr. LAURENCE differed trona the Honourable
Gentleman who had kill fat down, on the nature and
effeOs of a libel. The Hon. Gentleman (aid, that
when 4 'Aid was not in unifon with the feelings of
the public, it ought to be difregarded. By parity
: of' reafoning it followed, that when a libel was in
, unifon with the public feeling it ought to be taken
notice of. There was fomethtng in this that dittin-
:• guifbed it from other libels. The Houfe fat rather
, in a judicial caisacity. This was no polii ical quetlion
and therefore the libel was the more intolerable. The
, Houk' had on this occation done every thing with
coolnefs, and no paffion or party feeling was con-
cerned. He ti;ifned to alit :.le to tome oth:r topics—

(;ortdcostg.64. He entered his prot&l agairdt the dif•
tindion that had been made by the Honourable
Gentleman ; for if this was to be allowed, a door
would be opened to the mcia fcandaleirs attacks on
the Horje of Commons, when it was foam' thit theffe
might be circulated with impunity.
The quettion being loudly calledfor, and the Houfe
having determined that the Printer be called in,"
Mr: P. Stuart appeared at the Bar.
Mr. SPEAKER••••Q.... What h your name i—AnE
Peter Stuart:

Q. Look at that pa.per-is it printed and publifh-
ed by you?—Anf. It is.
Mt. Sesaesa—That paper has been complained of
to the Houfe as containing libellous refiedioas on its
condua and char:alter. What have you to fay in
anfwer to the charge ? •
Permit me Sir, to afore you, that I very much regret that any
pus of the Contents of my paper of yefterday fh.tild have incur-
red the difpleafurr of this Honourable Houle. If, Sir, I have iet•
preffed myfelf too warmly in favour of Lurd whom
I flaLli always entertain the higheft refpc.:l and efteern—l beg that
this Honourable Hotise will view it as the unguarded language of
the hurt, and not a wilful intention to proyoke the cen,ure of a
power on which our aearett rights and liberties .lepend. I intreat
you, Sir, that tome allowance may be made for that Fr edom of
Difcuffion of Public Affairs which for a long (cries of years has
been' fandloned bycommon ufage; sod tbat the !laity compatlon
of a Newlpaper may not be confidered as a deliberate deign to of!
fend this Honoura...de Houfe.
Mr. Stuart was then ordered to withdraw.
Mr. GREY role—Sir, it 4 now my dtity to fub-
mit a r:folution to the Houfe on this bufinefs. This
I fhall do without premiling it with any obfcrvations.
Of the fort of apology that has been made, it apology
it can be caged, I leave :he Houfe to judge, and I
fhall be perfedty fatisfied with their decifion, whatever
it may be. I wills, however, to make one obfervation
with regard to the charge that has been thrown out
againft me by a Ger;tleman on the other tide, of
having been too h.sity in bringing forwarl. this bufl-
nefs. Sir, I brought it forward as loon as the•offence
came before the public, and loon as it was generally
known, and this I thought to be the molt proper pe-
riod. Having laid this, Sir, I fhall only move—
" that the Paragraph in queflion, in the P.tper print-
ed and publithed by Mr. P. ST UAILT, is a high breach
of the Privileges of this Houle."
The ATTORNEY GENERAL—I do not mean
to objet to the motion that has juft been made. Bat
with regard to the obfervation to which the fionnor-
' able Gentleman alluded, as coming from a perfon on
this tide of the houfe, Prather think the Honourable ,
Gentleman (poke of fumething that fell from me on
a former night. I believe the Hon. Gentleman willies
now that he had attended to what I faggelted on that
uccafion. I (Wed, that I had no doubt that this
came under the defctiption of a libel, and think fo
(till ; but I alto faid, that it did not appear to me
that the Houfe ought to interfere in the bufinefs.—
This is fl ill my opinion. Many things come before
me which I cannot liefitate to pronounce libels ; but
from the circumliances that attend loch cafes, I
Ihould not advife that any notice Chould he taken of
than. And I mutt fay, that the ragerocfr with which
the Hon. Gentleman and his friends have taken up
this paragraph favours much more of the irritabi.fi.v
of forenefi than of any Avant!: of charatfer oa tiltir
part. An Honourable Gentleman over the way,
that he had great difficulty in finding an?
other libel fimilar to the prefent one. Sir, li!l.!is
do not make luch hang or prong imprefti, rig
in other cafes as they do when they are dire.-
ed againft ourfelves. This may have been the c;uf
at prefent. 1 tecolled, Sir, when public prints
r'..at Hon. Gentleman hate, at Clubs and meetin;,,,,
:hat the Houle of Coma ions was fo loft to event
thing that was juft and proper that there was no of:
whatever in attending in it, and 'that it afforded no
potation :Thatsur to the people of this country

c—unt.iiiiox the

and I remember tno, that the Hon. Gendernan was
abfent fr..m his duty in the Houfe at the time. Yet.
sir, I do not fay that the Hon. Gentleman abfolute-
ly held this language—but I do (ay, that the print
made him fay fo, and adopted that mode of convey-
ing its fellti,nenta with more weight. But after all
this, Sir, there was nn interference on the part of the
Houfe. I only mention this, Sir, toilet,, that thole
things which make for ns do not make altogether fo
ikong an impreffion as thole things that make againfl
us—( crier of hear, Bear, from the Miabferial Pe).
With regard to the motion stfelf, I certainly have nu
ol,j:Etion to it.
FOX—The Right Hon. Gentleman tar, I fop-
role, alluded to me in what he has kill laid. lie has
flated that a certain print publifhed obf-rvatioas pur-
porting to come from me. When he produces tie
paper to me I may perhaps recolleEt what I fail, fo
far as to give him information whether the obferv4-
tions cttme from me, and how far they were accurate.
I 2151 11,)l afhamed of what I (aid, and, if the Right
Hon. Gentleman wifhe: for information on the fuh-
je3, he has only to produce the paper containing the
remarks to which he has adverted. That a man may
fay that it is of no fife that he ihnuld attend the Honk,
becaufe he can do nn fer s ice in it, withotie being guilty
of a libel, I Arnold think incontrovertible. I did fay
In, and that was my opinion molt certainly. if he
thought this lii al like the paper now helot (! us, if
lie hat.. lhewn i.se the print in quellion at that tint; I
cot.id have. t bin how far it was accurate. It may
not, csrlupt, be filch an eafy matter now ; but, how-
ever, .vet; at this dillance of time, I have no objec•
tirn to •;ive hint every informati•sn in my power ; and
1 bclieve I can Rill, froin reco'.!eion, fatisfy him on
this fobjeC. But, Sir, I mutt confers Ido not fee the
jitttice or the candour of withholding all allufton to
the affair at the time when it happened, and bringing
it forward as an argsainvitan aillimintrn when fuch a
libel as this is before the Houfe(llear ! Hear! from
the Oppition Benches ) I certainly do think this a more
Ittious 1:!,e1 than many others, and confefs that it has
nta;!e » i±ronger impreffion on me for exaftly the rea-
fon ih..t has been Rated, of its not being in favour of
my own Ede of the queti ion ; not, however, becaufe
I am myfelf individually concerned, hut becaufe I
think that libels are match more ferious when they
are moll agreeable to the Executive Power, for, in
that cafe, there are thong tufpicions that they ma 7
poffilAy come from thofe who receive the pay of the
Governinent.
Mr. ATKINS WRIGHT defended the feitinients
which he bad formerly etprelred.
The motion was than put, and carried without a
Mi. ATKINS WRIGHT then moved, that Mr.
P. 13,1.1 rt be calla; to the Bar, reprimanded, and dif-

charged.
Mr. GREY obferved, that if it era's the genera.
(cote of the Houk that a libel of this nature fhould
be paired over in thi, manner, ht had no oblation to
the motion. He was of crinion, however, that when
the Houle interfered, itb ought to be fome-
thing heavy. The paragucilit onenion Bad been
.voted a high Breach of privilege by :!- • Houle; and
the Author ought therefore to meet with lurf.
of the difoleafure of the Houle. However, he foottici
be lorry to urge any greater feverity than the Hoof,
thought tic( (Iraq ; and he ti7t.refore be per-
fatly catisficti with whatever the Houle j• tiger "to
per. If, then, the Houfe, after hearing the apology
that had been made, if it was an apology, Ihntatt
think it proper to sgrce to the motion, he had no ob-
lation.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER
was lorry, that in this inflance he thould be corn
gelled to propofe a greater degree of feverity than
What had been mentioned; but he felt that he nv,uld
nt t have done his duty to the Houfe, if he allowed
tie matter to reit here. However much therefore he
might be difpofed to lenity, as far as the individual
was concerned, yet he could not forget what was doe
to the dignity of the Houfe. After having once re•
folved that a perfon had been guilty of a high breach
of privilege, he could not, in continency with the
dignity of the Houfe, be i;rnantly difcharged. He
thought therefore that in the fira inflame, the Au-
thor of the paragraph Should be committed, and then,
if he made a proper fubmilfion, as he bad no doubt he
would, he (tumid confent to difcharge him at the ear-
hell pAible period. He then moved, " That Mr.
P. Stoat t be committed to the cuttody of the &leant
at Arms."
Doctor LAURENCE Paid a few words relative to
a matter of form, after which the motion of the Chan-
cellor of the Exchequer wascarried without a divition.
NAVAL
hir.CANNING moved, that a Copy of the Precept
iffued by the Commifhioners of Naval Enquiry to the
Trcafurer of the Navy, in July lan, and of all Cor-
refpundence between the laid CommifGoners and the
laid Treafurct, be Lid before the Houle.
Mt. CLAUD& SCOTT.

Mr. Serjeatu BEST role to move for the Papers
refpeEting the Contra/1s with Mt. Claude Scott,•of'
which he gave notice laft night. He Rated, that he
underflood from a perfon, on whole veracity he re-
lied, becaufe he had offered to verify the truth of his
information at the Bar of the Houle, that Mr:
Cathie Scott had made ufe of monies accruing from
tie tale of certain cargoes of neutral sack, inllead
of paying the money over to Government. In the
year IVA feveral neutral veffels, dettined to the ports
of France, were captured by our cruizers, and
brought into Englifh ports. The cargoes of thefe
veffels were, by the appointment of Government, fold
by Mr. C!.►ude &t it, and he underttood, that to the
amount of 2o,ccal. cf the proceeds had been kept in
his ln.nds, fur his own life, fur a length of time. His
intention was to enquire into this Era.
Here the SPEAKER drew the attention of the
khufe to the courfe of the Honourable Member's
The Speaker was of opinion that it the
Honourable Member meant to bring forward :roy
charge or complaint againtl a Member of the Houle,
he ought &It to move that the Member Ihou'..l at-
tend in his place.
Mr. LEST Paid, that he meant no complaint then.
Winn he meant was, to move for papers rel.oive to
this tra.ifa(►.ivm ; and if, after thefe papers thuold be
pro,:uce,.!, he %cold fee reatim for moving a c:ins-
plaint again►t the Honourable Member, he thould ci)
to. As to the prizes, what he undertlood w•is, that
kit% were taken by Government for its own ufe, and
lons,. told by Mr. Scott. He, however, had nu in-
,,utit :2 implicate any Witlinni, evidence.

. .
Mr. BEST now moved for copies of any. ordere
'eiven by the Lords of the Treafury to Claude Scott.
Efq. for the rile of neutral veffels feized by out
eruizers in 1795.
Mr. CLAUDE SCOTT informed the that
undoubtedly Inch tales, as thole fpoken of by the
Hon. Memher, had taken place, but as to. the pro-
ceeds, he had n•!.ver made ufe of them for his emelt'.
ment or advat tagc. Very confiderably more than
to the amount of 260,0001. had been fold by him, fo
it was nearer a million : but a fum of 350.0001. had
lain at the Bank for from three to four. or perhaps
five months, uncalled for,and unapprOptiated, becaufe
Government did not 1:now under shat head of fer-
vice to place it;—He had applied feveral times to the
Secretary of the Ti calory on the fubjea, but it was
tome time before the appropriation of the money
i was determined.—For one. he had had no de of it.

Mr. ROSE fail, that fo far as he recollated the
ttanfaSion, Mr. Scott had never had the money of
Government in his hands for one month at a time.
He was, however, glad of the motion, as it would
lead to the Floufe being fully and authentically in-
formed.

TheCHANCELi.UR of the EXCHECTER 'oh
ferved, that the Hon. Gentleman ought to have
giVen a fuller notice lal night, and have Informed
the Houfe what was his intention, for then Govern-
ment would have had an opportunity to judge how
far the information demanded could be given. In
the prelcut cafe the truth was. however, that the
Hon. Member had been iotally uninformed and pre•
mature. _ _

Mr. FOX raid, that he never could think that per-
ton. were bound to date the grounds of their motions
In fui4y as the lion. Gentleman fcemed to with, and
if they !laced their motions, that was not all, but
they were to RAC what thould be the topics of their
fpeecbes.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER in-
timated that here was no common cafe. A teflec
tion was meant to be thrown upon a Member of the
Houk, and in fuch event, he mull think that a fuller
and more paitioilar notice, than he could find had
been given, ought to have preceded the motion of the
Honourable Gentleman.
Mr. GREY here role to fet the !aft Speaker right.
He had the notice read from the Journals, which fpe-
cified the particulars of the motion.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER
acknowledged that he had not heard the notice given.
Mr. Serjeant BEZT was free to own that he full-
pored the Right Honourable Gentleman had not, at
Cue time, attended to the purport of the notice. He
commented on the fpeech of Ur. Role; but,
mi lik-
ing " moment" for " month," was going on to ex-
profs his fuiprife, when, from all fides of the Houfe
he was apprized that the word Month was what Mr.
Role had made are of.
Mr. Serjean• LEST laid, that as to the fpeech of
Mr. Scott, h hoped the fiat would Writ out as Rated ;
in which ....P.: he thrit:d have his informant caked to
the bar of tile Hr .to be chaltifed for a praCtice
which he did sifted, namely, that of individuals
mifion,” P.• :.lembers of Parliament on fpetial

Mr. ROSE juliified b;mfelf a• to the mifapprehen•
fiun refi•eEling time, and faid further, that he did
not belit.v- *!. t..tstt had ever had the public money
'..auds tor even fo long a period as a month.
The iivcral motions of Mr. Setjeant BEST, for
Copies of the Auth rity of the Lords of the 'l'rea•
fury, the Sale:;, °duce of the Sales, the Sale of
Wheat, and P.o,.iuce of that, were now put and
agreed to.