Star.
London, England, 1809-03-18 00:00:00

'vas ; and the milder the means of removing him
could be devised, the better. That removal, how-,
ever, was what the House owed to itself. There was
a time when nothing would have made the Right
Honourable Member more happy than to have heard
that the Duke had resigned ; and he might have
resign:id without the smallest disgrace. There was
a precedent of this in the case of the .Duke of Marl-
borough, of whom the House of Parliament received
certain information that he had unduly put £63,000
into his pocket. The House took this in its consi-
deration, and her Majesty in Council declared that
being informed of the proceedings, she resumed the
Duke of Marlborough's appointments ; and•nothing
.appeased on the Journals of the House but the remo-
Aral of the Duke. The Right Honourable Member
.4eoncluded with announcing his intention to propose
an Amendment to the Right Honourable Gentle-
man's intended Resolution, to the following effect,
upon which hp should be inclined to take the sense
of the House
That the House haying considered the various circumstances,
think it right, first to pronounce on the honour of the Duke of
Yu. k ; and next, what impression the whole of those circumstan-
ce.has left on their minds."
Mr. Bit AGGE BATHURST said there was a de-
gree of unfairriess in omitting the word "charges" in
the Resolution, after the Right Honourable Gentle-
man had used it in his argument. The Honourable
Member urged the advantage of burthening the
House wish as few divisions as possible, and said that
now the *Right Honourable Gentleman'S Resolution
was withdrawn the House was open to the proposi-
tion whidi the Honourable Member had taken the
liberty on state to the House on a former night.
• Mr. DA:ItHAM-couldnot'bring himself to th in k that
immediate degradation and eternal infamy were no pu-
niihinent ; and thought it wrong to inflict punt:Uinta
for sn anibiguity, and to pronounce judgment upon an
aheinative. All that the House had to say was, that
the charge of corruption was not proved ; and it was
injustice to the Duke of York to deprive him Of the
votes. of those who could go thus her, and no farther.
He had rather kill a man outright, than mercifully
indict a lingering death— he had rather stab him, in
open day, than nisinuate into his body a poisoned
dagght. The 'Duke of Yotk might be innocent of
corruption, and yet guilty of anistonduct—it was im.
possible to ,dismiss the subject without a further re-
tolittion, and tire Address would form the subject ofl
third Resatition. It was'desirable that there should i
be an 'Ad in order to relieve the anxiety of his
Mijesty'st :isnA. The Honourable Member's view of
the subject, would be bettei explained by a resolution
which he should not prOose for the opinion of the
House, butznerely read is a declaration of hit own.
It stated firStf that there were corrupt practices—
Sdly, that the Duke of Yoit did not participate in or
connive at them—and Sdly, that he had, however,
permitted the undue influence of a connection, in itself
highly immoral, to the injury of the service and the
scandal of the public. •
Mr. CARTWRIGHT was of opinion the House
should come to a decision on all the charges, particu-
lerly those that related to corruption and connivance,
and that it should be done rather by way of Resolu-
tion than Address.
Lord W. RUSSELL said, that after the very
long discussions that had already taken place on this
subject, he would not enter into an examination of
the evidence; bin confine what he had to say to the
first proposiuon of the Right Honourable Gentleman.
Neither that proposition nor the amendment of hii
Honourable Friend, .met his approbation. He would
be sorry to find it drawn into precedent, that the cha-
racter of any person, however great and exalted he
Might be, was to have preference to a consideration
of publie grievances or even inconveniencies. It
Might be necessary perhaps to pronounce an opi-
nion, on . the-character of the Duke of York ; but
the expression of it was not to be a
,preface to their,
proceedings, The fair course would be
first to examine into the abuses s• ,• to have been.
committed tinder the sanction of' Dune of York ;
to ascertain Whether they did or did net exist • and if',
the result of that inquiry should prove that they did'',
exist, to follow it op by an Address for the removal]
of his Ruyal HiOness. •
Sir H. 14,10NOMERY Could not help eaves-
sing his surprise at the consistency of those Gende-
Men, who wished that the Home should .pronounce
* 'specific opinion upon the question of Aye or No.—
In an early stage of their roceedings, they objected
to pronounce upon the evidence without due *enquiry,
and now they are called Upon to declare the innocence
of tip party accused. The whole country was ring-
ing with •the abuses committed in the department 9f
which hit 'Royal Highness. was at the head. He
trusted that these would be inquired into before they
came so a specific vote on the Duke of York's guilt
or innocence.

Sir J. HALL observed that the information re-
ceived by the House was not such as to justify their
in coming to a decision of guilty or not guilty.
Mr. C. ADAMS rose, 6erely.for the purpose of
explaining the grounds on which he had voted. It 1
Was with the greatest regret that he felt himself ob-
liged to give a rite against any branch of the Royal
Family ; but an imperious sense of duty compelled
him to declare, that be thought enough had been
proved at the Bar tojustify-the original Address.
Mr. LOCKHART said, that not haring an op-
portunity before of stating his opinion,be would Claim
the indulgence of the' House for one moment. Upon
a careful review of the evidence, be would conactenr
tiously declare that the charges of corruption, cri-
minal participation, or connivance, were not 'WS=
ciently made out.
Sir W. CURTIS wished to explain the gotds
upon whiCh he had. even his vote. He-had carefully
eiamined the evidence, and he could find nothing in
it to justify him in laying his hand upon his heart and
saying, that the Duke of York was House
of corrup-
tion or connivance, He thought the was bound
to come to a specific Resolution of Aye or No.
Colonel WOOD said, that there seemed a disposi-
tion in some. Gentlemen at the other side of the House
to acquit the Duke of York of corruption or conni-
vance, aud- yet to fix him with other charges for which
they could find no name. The Honourable Member
proceeded to remark . upon the evidence of Mrs.
Clarke, but the douse manifesting much impatience,
he sat down, declaring thit he to.the propos&
• tion of the Chancellor of the Exc tier.
W.M. FITZGERALD hoped, tia $e cgmpli_
▪ cared nature of the iltiegions, that fhb Boil* would