Star.
London, England, 1805-03-02 00:00:00

misfortunes and did tot at all renal on Mr. Fordyce's
charathr. Let this, however, be as it might, he
could not help faying that he thought it a moil extra-
ordinary circumflance, that a person (landing under
fuch circumfiances fhoold be on a commiftion, the
very objesl of which was to defiroy public abufes.—
He could have liked to have the fubjea brought for-
ward by Come other Gentleman ; but as this was not
likely to be the cafe, he certainly could not, confif-
tently with his duty, refrain from taking an early op-
portunity of bringing the matter under dircuffion.
Mr. FOX was clearly in favour of the original
Motion, and could not conceive on what grounds the
Motion for the orders of the day could be fopported.
It was evident that the Bill, if allowed to be good at
all, could not fulfil its °Ned, previous to the expira-
tion of the Seffion.
_There was no force at all in the

obfervation of the Right Hon: Gentleman oppofite,
that at this period of the SeMon the renewal was an-
neceffary. The Honfe could have no means of know-
.

ing when the Seffion was to terminate. It might ter-
mutate exaelly when it fuited the whim or the interell
of a Minifier. But was the Honfe to be told that an
A&, on all hands allowed to be beneficial,was to be re-
newed jolt at the period when it fuited the Miailler,
and not when it was called for by the public interell
The idea wasmonfirous, and not to be endured for

a moment. If Parliamentary inquiry was to be in-
ftituted at all, then let it be inftituted in the true

fpirit of inquiry, and not dependent on a Miniacr's
arrangement. But the RightHon.Gentlentan had en-
deavoured to argue, that there probably might be no
neceffity for renewing the Ad. Now, what Tingle
tittle of evidence had been adduced to countenance

fuch an opinion? It was contrary to every conjefture,
and every probability. It was direaly in nppolition to
the declared opinion of two Hon. and Gallant Officers,
the bell acquainted with the fubjeft. Thefe Hon.

Officers had arprefsly agreed, that it would be quite
impoffiblefor the Commiffioners to finith their inquiries
within the period which might be expesfled to into-
vene, previous to the anti of the Sefton. One of the
Hon. Officers (Sir C. Pole) had indeed exprelTed fume
doubt as to the continuance of the Commiffion dur-

ing the exigence of a war ; but he had expreffed
no doubt that much yet remained to betneefti-

gated, that much yet was to be done before the mafs
•f public Aura was laid open to view. He really
could not help being anonifhed at the attempt to get
rid of the original motion, by moving the Orders of
the Day. This was furely evading the quellif.n in a
molt unhandfome and indefenf►ble manner. If the

Right Hon. Gentleman thought the Comminion un-
neceffary, or conceived that the Commitlinnets made

an undue ufe of their powers, why did he not, like
the worthy Baronet oppolite (Sir W. Elford), Rate
filch an opinion openly and manfully ? The worthy
Baronet had declared himfelf diflatisfied with the
Naval Commiffioners, and expreffed his opinion that
their inquiries fhould be difcontinued. He had
Rated that their Reports ought to be examined into,
beeaufe he conceived they afforded ground for grave
accufation.—The Hon. Member bad allied now, as
he did on a former occafion. On that occafion he
had brought forward a dired charge, but by fume
misfortune or other, no Member could be found to
fecond his prnpofition. Though, however, he was
in this rept& unfortunate, it could not be denied
that his prneeeffio ire were fair and honourable. If
the Right Hors. Gentleman entertained limiter ideas
why was it that he did not ptufue a fimilar cowls ?
Surely •it would be a courfe at once more honour.
able, as well as more parliamentary. To get rid of
the motion by moving the Order of the Day, was
far from being a fair or candid proceeding, If
Gentlemen objeded to the continuance of the Com-
million, they would afterwards have a full oppor-
tunity of expreffing their fentiments. They ought
at leaft to fuller the Bill to be introduced, and on
the fecond reading they might then take the fenfe of
the Houle, whether it flosuld be allowed to go to
any fuhfequent Rage. They had then only to op.
pole it, and to fay diredly and explicitly that the
Commiffion fhould be doled. He thought that
thofe who originally fupported the At were now
bound by every call of confißency to vote for the
original motion. If they thought inquiry necelttry,
they certainly were bound to fee that this inquiry
was fully and advantageoufly purfued. If they had
thought that grofs abufes exited, on what principle
was it that they refufed their affißance in bringing
them to puniffiment? On every view of public in-
terell he was .decidedly in favour of the original
motion, which he trotted the Houfe would not fuller
to be got rid of by the unfair and unmanly expe-
dient pthpofed.
Mr. CANNING (poke in favour of the Amend-
ment; but begged it to be underßood, that in giving
this vote he gave no opinion as to the policy of con.
tinuing the Commiflion. Whenever this matter came
to be canvaffed, he fhould feel himfelf not at all com-
promifed by the vote he Should give on the prefent
occafion. A great deal had been laid as to the in.
tention of thole who brought forward the meafure,
as to the time of its continuance. One Honourable
Officer (Sir C. Pole) had declared his opinion, that'
it was not meant to be continued during a period of.
war. It was true that another Honourable Officer
(Admiral Markham) had expreffed his opinion, that
it was meant to be of unlimited duration, as long as
there was any fubjea of inquiry not thoroughly in-
veßigated. Now, be contended, with fuch oppofite
and contradidory opinions, in fuch a Rate of ambi-
guity, the Houfe ought to paufe Wore they came
to any certain determination. This was precifely
the oltjed which the amendment had in view. It was
defigned not to operate as a decifion that the Corn
million Should be difcontinued, but as a means of
giving the Houfe time to relied to what period it
thould be extended, or whether it might not be pof- ,
fable to derive all the information required, without
any renewal of the Bill. Even allowing that Par-
liament, in the &ft inffance, intended that the
Bill ()mold be extended to a period beyond what
it would reach to without a new Bill, the Houk
now were not to be bound by fuch a determine
tion. They were to be guided by didates of po.
licy and expediency. One Honourable Officer was
of opinion that we ought by all means to preferve
the commiffion in exitience. Another Honourable
Officer, equally well qualified follicle on the fubjed,
thought, that during war, the operations of the corn-
miffion.would be attended with many difficulties and
embarraffinents. When this was the cafe, what was
there more natural than to adopt the Atnendment,
which did not at all injure the commiffion at precept,