Star.
London, England, 1807-07-08 00:00:00

fi to of the Houfe thofe Gnecures and pennons had
been diflributed, and to what extent the distribution
of them hart gone. The Right Hon. Gentleman,
(the Chancellor of the Exchequer) had laid, that
they deceived the people grof,ly, who held out to
them any diminution of their burdens, from fuch
retrenchments. This might be true, but the People
had another °bite& in view. They faid, " Give us
an independent Parliament, ants refcue the Houfe of
Commons from the corrupt influence of the Crown."
Fifty millions in the general fervice of the Country,
would not be fo feverely felt as 500.0001. annually,
laid out in corrupting the Houfe of Commons. A
dependent Parliament was the real caufe of the lavilh
prodigality of the refources of the country. The
people ought now to learn how many of their Repre-
fentativea receive penfions from the King's Mini-
if as. Whether the general opinion overrated or un-
derrated the evil, he was not prepared to fay ; but
this he was perfeelly convinced of, that nothing worfe
ronld be done, than to endeavour to get rid of the
~a eft of he motion, and blink the queftion.
Mr. HUSKISSON Rated, that on a former night
acme allufion had been made to his penfi n. This
rtnfion was, however, fufpended during hi: continet-
once in office
Mr. CALCRAFT thought it need's'', that the
public fltould know how, and in what pro;sortiA.
thefe things were diftributed. As for the Hon. Gen.
tleman who (poke lan (Mr. Hufkiffon) his place was
40001. per annum, and he had a fineetwe befides.—
It was therefore not extraordinary that his penficn,
which was moot. a-year, fhould net alto be continu-
ed to him while in office. If he threw his eyes over
the oppolite bench, he could hardly fee a tingle
placeman of the prefent Adminiftration, who, be-
fides his oaentible place, was not in poffeflion of
fome finecure or reverfion. Some of thefe Members
were even obliged to get a finecure or reverfi ot be-
fore their marriage fettlements could be executed.
Mr. N. CALVERT thought it improper to refer
every thing that came into difpute in that Houfe to
the Committee of Finance, as it was impoffible that
it could attend to every thing of this fort.
Lord H.-PETTY urged the neceflity of avoiding
all appearance of concealment. In the effential object
of the motion, there appeared to be a general con-
currence, and whatever might be the differences of
opinion as to the form, he hoped that this would
make a moll ufeful impreffion on the public—a thing
fo eminently defirable at the prefent crifis. His Lord-
ship obferved as to the form,, that there was no occa-
lion for a particular reference to the Committee of
Finance, as this point was fully within their prefent
province. But the object of the Noble Lord was not
any general inquiry. What he wanted to afcertain
was the influence which the Crown exercised in that
Houfe, and to this he had heard no objeCtion. He
believed that the Noble Lord would find that inflti
ence lets than he imagined, although it might be
greater than fame were willing to allow.—He un
derflood from every quarter of the Houfe that there
was an imperious call from every part of the country
for fome loch motion as this. He could not conce've
why thereihnuld be any alteration, and why the truth
fhould not be brought to light by a Committee ap
pointed for that particular purpofe. A great deal of
diftruft of this Houfe exited, and this was liable to
be ufed to the worn of purpofes. It was therefore of
importance to take the readielt and fimpleg m -trie to
remove it. He would therefore vote for the original
motion. He then adverted to the grants by the
Crown, and contended thatthe Houfe had a right to
examine into the exercife of the difcretionary power
entrh/ted to it, and to apply filch remedies with re-
gard to future grants as the firbjeet Mould appear
to demand. As unanimity in this cafe was defirable,
he hoped the amendment would be withdrawn.
Mr. CANNING agreed that in general it was wife
not to refer every controverfy to the Committee of
Finance, as this would be confiituting them arbiters
of the bufinefs of the Houle. But the Noble Lcrd
himfelf (Petty) agreed that this was a cafe ftrietly
for their confideration, and all that his Right Hon.
Friend propofed was, that they fhould take up this
affair immediately and report to the Houle. With
refpe& to the interference with other duties, all the
Committee would have to do would be to due its
precepts to the different Offices, to receive the re-
turns, and lay them before the Houfe. It was one of
the merits of the Committee, that thefe things could
be referred to it. He objedled to the idea of a Noble
Lord for including the Officers of the Army and
Navy who had feats in the Houfes.
Mr. PARNELL objected to theAmerdment, and
faid that it would not include the places and penficns
from the revenues of the Weft Indies.
The Houfe then divided on Lord Cochrane's
motion—Ayes 61—Noes 9o.—Majority againa the
motion 29.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER
afterwards propofed an Amendment, is the fhape of
an original refolution ; to which Lord COCHRANE
propoied his Refilution as an Amendment.
Lord H. PE ['TY moved, that the Clerk fhould
read the order for the appointment of the Committee
of Finance; which being done, his Lordfhip ailed
whether, under that appohitment,- the Committee
was authorifed to report to the Houfe all falaries ?
There was alto another ground upon which he ob•
jetted to the motion. It only authorifed the Com-
mittee to require an account of certain falaries, when
the appointment gave them authority to fuggelt the
means of reducing thei-efalaties. He fupported the
Amendment. .
Mr. W. SMITH objeCted to the motion, the vault
of which, if carried, would be only to lay fuch papers
upon the table, as it was overloaded with every tef-
lon. He wifhed that it fhonld be an inftruClion to
the Committee to commence their inquiry imme•
diately.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER
• complained of the mode in which his motion had been
received. He adopted, the fuggeflion of an Hon.
Member (Mr. Whitbread), who turned round as Coon
as he law him inclined to adopt-it. The authority
with which the Committee was invefled, authorifed
them to Mee precepts, and to bring all neceliary in.
formation before them. Stich, he contended, would
be the neceiary and-natural deli of their appoint-
-client.
Mr. WHMBREAD, in explanation,. admitted
that he had fuggefted a different form of motion to
Rye Noble lArd,.which he had not thought proper
to folio*. The Right Honourable Gentleman took
op part of his idea, and thought it better to lifer the