Star.
London, England, 1805-04-11 00:00:00

PARLMMENTARr PROCEEDINGS.

LOUSE OF COMMONS, WEDNESDAY, APLIL to.

LORD MELTILLI.

The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER in.
reined the Houfe of the refignktion of the office of
Tql Lord of the Admiralty by Lord Melville, and
of his Ma jelly's acceptance of the fame.
Mr. WHITBREAD moved, that the lad Refold-
ti-,n of the Houle palled on Monday, refpeßing the
ecnchal of Lord Melville, be read, which being read
accordingly, he addreffed the Houfe to the follow-
ing effeil :—" The notice of the Refignation of Lord
Melville cannot be unexpeaed ; but thts tingle aCt
an, by no means, anfwer the great ends of public
jollice, or the defigns of this Houlk, after having
paired the Refolution which has now been read.—
If the iffue of the Debate of the night before
laft were merely to be the triumph of a party,
thai party might be fatisfied, beeaufe its triumph
wat ,corliplete, and the Noble Lord had thought it
prudent to retire. But neither I, northofe who voted
with me ott the recent mutton, have condefcended
td party motives. I undertook the caufe of the pub-
lie, and in this moment of urgent necefGty, the eaufe
of the public I will not abandon. If I know any
thing cif my own heart, any thing of the immediate
feelings by which I am atluated, theft is no portion
of the vindiffive principle in my conduit, and hay.
ing obtained the ?erdil of the Houfe, I thould here
flap. But, Sir, lam not permitted to gratify my
wflEes, the fitnation of the country requires that I
ihnold fill perfevere. My Lord Melville has not
yet been difruited from the pretence and Councils of
his Sovereign , trite it is, he has tendered the tefig-
odor. of one of the numerous offi:es he held, and in
this he has done what every difereet man in his fana-
non would have performed; but if the Houfe prc-
ceed no Parther, he may be refiored to-morrow, and
the nation may again feel the confequences of his
rral-adminiftratlon. Is it fit, is it decent, after the
refolution you have paired, that this fhould be poflible?
Ought he not to be banithed for ever from the confi-
dence of the Monarch, and from the Councils of the
State? On refleOing on the late determination of the
Houfe, I am perfuaded there is no man in the mon-
o,' who will not review it with confeious pride and
fervent gratitude,with emotionsofjoy and of triumph.
There is, Sir, no page in the hitlory of Parliament,
which will be perufed with more fatisfaltion. There
was a numerous convention of the Members, the event
was doubtful, the fcales were equally paired, and it
remained for you to decide between two contending
parties--for you, who belong to no party, to whom
no party motives can be attributed—of whom none
can be furmifed. Such, Sir. was the important !Ito-
ation in which you were placed, and your decifion
did honour to your heart and to your underftanding
—and you will be rewarded by the love and applaufe
of your country. Popularity which fucceeds to filch
altion.s, is the higheft gratification the mind of man
can enjoy, next to the ferene confolation it receives
from the confcioufnefs of a faithful difcharge of its
duties. No man can frequent the places of refort
tlis capital, without witneffing the fentiments of
.t,)ngratulation by which the public is animated,
Rit?t,sut hearing the language of approbation dired-
•J t. ,he Commons of England. But we !hall not
" )n.; .•:e the work which is fo well begun; we fhall
abfwer the escalations we have fo honourably
excited, if we Rop here, if we admit Lord Melville
gzain to appear in the Councils of the Empire.—
i:te I exprefs there opinions, I fubmit them with
Pe,:ul:ar dererente and refpea to the eonfideration of
the Hoare, becanfe I know I am addrefling thofe
alio have concluded themfelres in a way mob repu-
•.thle to themfelves, and moll beneficial to their
•)untry. I Shonld reit/Rawly urge any fentiments
which would not be congenial with your feelings;
,nt from all I have collated from perfons uncon-
ialed with any party, from all I have undertlood
'Jai the party to which I belong (and I confider it
+l. honour to belong to that party), from all I have
card from every defcription of men, the uniform
..qtaation is, that more mull be done; ulterior pro-
molt be had, and we mull acquaint his Ma. . according to the moll folemn forms in which
• +,e coavcriant, that Lord Melville ought to be