Star.
London, England, 1805-05-03 00:00:00

PARLIAMENTARr PROCURING&

• • HOUSE OF LORDS, THURSDAY,. MAY e
ICounfel were further heard relative to tlie Seas Afigal.
Cathcart, Bart. u. the Earl if Caltdis, viz. Mr. Clarke as mad-
deratole length in reply, on the part of the Appellant. Ms fur-
ther eonfideratiou of. the cafe was adjourned till toinerrow. '.
Several Private aid Return Bills were brought tap faun are
Cdmmons, by Mr. Baldwin, the Lord Advocate of Scotland. Ge-
neral Morgan, and 'other gentlemen, the former of which were
feutrally read a firihtime,
The further confideradon of Moore's Divorce Cafe was port-
poned.
Tke hills upon the Table, all hf a private or local defcription,
were forwarded ,In their refpative Rages ; there were moftly
third readings.—After which their Lordarips adjourned till to-
morrow.

HOUSE OF COMMONS, THURSDAY, MAY 1.
The Bill for the incorporation of Officers of Excite in Scotland,
*as read a third time, and paired.
Mr. ORATTAN was fworn in, and took his feat.

A new Writ was ordered to be nude out for Heiftone, for the
e)edlicet of a Member, in the room of John Penn, Efq. who bad
accepted the Chiltern Hundreds.
• . mem nutmegs.
On the motion of Mr. FOSTER, the lriib Loan Bill, the frith
Pon Doty Bill, and the BiH to prevent the Counterfeit of Sliver
Cain were road a firft and (mad time, and ordered to be com-
mitted to morrow.
The frith Bank Note Bill was withdrawn, and, on the motion of
Mr. FOSTER, the Ira Promlffory Note 818 was ordered to be
committed to-morrow.

Mr. PARNELL, from the Office of the Chancellor of the Ex-
chequer of Ireland, brought up various accounts, which were or-
dered to lie ou the table.

Ponst LAWS,
, Mr. BAKER moved that leave he given to amend an Ad of
the crh Geo.!. refpedting tlt• employment of the poor, fo far is
regards their lodging and maintenmee by cornered.
After a few words from Mr. SHA W LEFEVRE,Sir ROBERT
BUXTON, Mr. ROSE, and Mr. WHIT BREAD,leave was given
to bring in the fsme.

LORD MELVILLI.
, On ;he motion of Mr. LF.S rocK, it was agreed, that he carry
a Metrage to the Lords dettring their Lordfhips to site leave that
Lord Vircount Melville do come to be moaned before the Com-
mittee of this Houk.
The ATTORNEY GENERAL moved, that the Bill for' the
Encouragement of Stipendiary Curates be read a fceond time on
Monday next, which was agreed to.
MR. WHITBASAD'S MOTION.
• .Mr. WHITBREAD fignilied, that u use Houk dtd not meet
Taco:lay, he ihould poßpone the fubjed of his notice until Mon-
day wit. in order to give his Honourable Friend (Mr. Sheridan)
an opperlonity of introducing to the Houfe the bands which had
been let down for yelterday.
Mr. LEE.brought up a Bill for the fupply of the market towns
of Ireland more effectually with water, which was read a Brit
time, ordered to be ptinted, and to be read a fecond time on Mon-
day next. l, .
aaysevE ACCOUNTS rat:' SCOTLAND.
Lord HENRY PETTY faid, he bad yelterday
given notice of moving for certain papers, relative
to the Revenue of Scotland, and as the Houle had
not met, be prefumed he mi t,.withotit any in-
fringement of iegularify,i ins e 'no
tion
now. fame
now. At the time when there aid fo Misty power
s
ful motives, when fo loud a MT was vocifetited
throughout the country to enquire into every abufe,
and the foist-cis in whiCh the abufes originated, he
believed the papers for which he (hould now apply
would be found peculiarly deferving the attention
of Parliament. They were immediately connected
with the pradice of drawing money by warrants, in
anticipation. out of the hands of the Receiver Ge-
neral: a cuftom, it would be admitted, that was
remarkably expofed to abide, and which had Conti-
nued without interruption to the prefent time- In the
Course of eight years, from 1783 to 1790, there had
been paid out in this way 186,5091. ; the fame method
was continued to a fimilar extent from 1790 to x 797•
Thii did not efcape the vigilance of the Committee,
in which the Right Hon. the Speaker of the' Houfe
of Commons prelided, and therefore they concluded
their duties with this important fuggeftinn : that it
appeared to the Committee to demand farther regu-
lations, as there was no limitation in the at of the
Civil Lilt or of Privy Seal, with regard to the extent
of there warrants ; and they added, that there was no
fecurity to the ptiblic how long the pradice might
be continued. This cuftom had led to the violation
of the Ails concerping the expenditure in Scotland,
and of the Statute 22d Geo. 111. commonly called
. Mr. Borke's Act, limiting the ceftion of penfinns, in
certain cafes, to no& per annum. He in this part
of the fubjee, tefetred.to the grant of a penfion to
Lord Melville; of 13061. per annum, and to the pay-
ment of this" annuity the Barons of the Exchequer had
been directed to iffue their warrants. If this were in-
tended to be a donation for lift, the proper mode was
to fubmit the affair to the decifion•of Parliament,
where the merits of the perfon appointed to enjoy
this extraordinary exercife of munificence, might be
fully and fairly examined. For the reafons to which
he had adverted, and many others too obvious to re-
quire to be detailed, he lbould move for a variety of
papers, with the defign to corred this pradice, and to
aflimilate the mode of payment in fuch cafes, to that
adopted with the Civil Lilt ;

r. " An Account of all Monies paid by Warrants of the Barons
of the Exchequer of Scotland, from the 24th December, 1797, to
the lateft time to which fuck Account can be made op, fpeeifying
the date of each Warrant, the atithority under which it was iffued,
the purpofe to which it was applied, the perfon or perform on
whofe account it was paid, and whether the money to defray it
were from his Majelty's Royal Revenue, or from the Public Re-
venue."
1. " An Account of his Majefty's Refereed Revenues, from
the fame period to the prefent time, Rating the annual receipts,
and fpecifying the arrears of land-rents, which ars fettled or dif-
charged, othcrwife than by actual payment."
3. " An Account of all Grants made to Subjedls of this Realm,
from the Refereed Revenues in Scotland."

4. " An Account of the Expenditure upon the Civil Lift of
Scotland, Grace the left order of the Mollie, fpecifying both the
perfons to whom granted, and the perfnns to whom payable."
S. a Accounts of all Monies palling through the hands of the
Receiver General in Scotland, to the lateß period (from 1797) to
which inch accounts can be made up, whether fuck monies were
Hilted purfotaht to orders from the Treafury, or under any other
authority."
The motion for the prodalion of thefe levet al ac. '
counts having been read from the Chair,
Lord HENRY PETTY again rofe, anal-Aid, there
was another Rutter in athich he thought it behoved,
the Houfe to make tome engniry, he'meant, an affign-
ment to Lady Melville. Perhaps it might not be sm-


rtialinde.to a rumour which hid very general•
pP reervailed, that this was acquired in a forreptitious
manner, and was not conceded with the full under-
(landing and clear intention of the Lords of the Trea-
fury, whofe fignatures were required to the tranfac•
tion. As be faw one of there, by whom it had been
authotifed, in his place, he fhould requeft that the
'Houle might receive from him fome explanation of
the affair.
Mr. BOND—" It is true my name appears upon
the warrant ; and I fubfcribed it without any helita-
Lion, upon the authority of what appears at the be-
ginning of that document, that the bit tines was done
with the concurrence of the Barons of the Exchequer
in Scotland. I certainly take no blame to myfeif in
the affair, fince it was done with their acknowledged
advice and approbation. ,But I think it due to this
Houfe, and to the public, on the prefent occafion, so
advance one ftep farther. It was not known to me,nor,
I believe, to any of my colleagues who figneclthe in-
ftrumeja, that it had reference to arrears to an amount
of any confideratioo. Some frnaU rums, we thought.
might be comprifed under that head, but that it
fhould cover an item exceeding 10001. I believe none
of us entertained the mott remote idea."

LISIL ON THE HOUSS.
Sir HENRY MILDMAY prefented to the Houfe
the following Petition, from the perfon who has Come
days (ince incurred the difpleafore of the Houfe in con-
fequence of the warmth ofhis defence of Lord Melville:
To the Honourable the Houfe of Commons in Parliament af•
fcmbled.--The Petition of Peter Stuart, Printer and Publiffier
of a Morning Newfpaper, ivtituled " The Daily Advertifer,
'Oracle, and True Briton,"
" Molt humbly iheweth—That for the publication of that part
of his Paper of Thurfday left, deemed highly ofenfice to th:s Ho•
'adorable Houfe, he feels the derpeft regret; and that al•hough
Certain expreffions in that Paragraph be indiferect and unguarded,
and fuel as have incurred the difpleafure of fo important a branch
of the Bridal Conftitution, yet your Petitioner humbly hopes,
on this acknowledgm. nt of his firfeere forrow, that this Honours.
ble Houle, in the plentitude of its condefeeifion and liberality, will
be pleated to pardon him for a treagreffion folely attributable to
the hefty companion of a Newfpaper, and not to any deliberate
' deign of offending this Honourable Houle.
" That your Petitioner is emboldened to folicit your indulgence
and forgivenefs on his well-founded enrollee, that during the re-
veal years in which he has concluded a Newfpaper, It has uni-
formly been his principle and pride zealoullyto furport the charam
wand diinity of the Houfe of Commons; anti that it has frequently
fallen to his lot to have vindicated both from the charges ot Socie-
ties exprefsly inftituted to bring them into public difrepute and
contempt.
" In any obfervatioes which your Petitioner may have publilbed
on the conduet of Lord Melville, he could not but bear ,in
that the views of thole Societies, abetting domeftic treafon,
affifted by the co-operation of the Revolutionary Power of France,
would, be verily believes, have ended the deftrudion of the Bri-
Wit Conititutlon, had not the wife and efficient meafores brought
fbrward by that Adminiftradon' in which Lord Melville held fo
confpicumas a fituation,been adopted; and this Honourable Hunk
would not, in that cafe, perhaps, have been now in exiftence,
either to cenfure Lord Melville, or to pardon your Petitioner.
" That if any thing could incmfe your Petitioner's regret, it
would be its being fuppofed that the objeetionable paragraph was
dim:LA alto againft the Right Hon. the Speaker of the Houle of
Commons; that your Petitioner has no hehtation to declare, that
no Idea was ever more remote from his mind; and that your Peti-
tioner would be the very loft perfon to in finuate arty thing difrefped.
NI of a character whom be, in conjundion with the whole nation,
highly eiteemed as a private Gentleman, and molt profoundly ve-
nerates as the head and public organ *Edits Honourable Houfe.

' "rnat your PetitiOner therefore moft humbly hopes this Ho.
nGurable Houle will content to his relcafe; and your Peti.
timer will mer pray, &c. (Signed)
May a, 5805. " P. STUAJT.'
As foon as the Petition was read by the Clerk.
Sir HENRY MILDMAY moved, that the Peti•
tioner be then brought to the tar, in order to be dif-
charged.
. Mr. WINDHAM was utterly aftonifhed at fuch a
petition ; if, indeed, fuch an application was receiv-
ed, he fhould lament that the fubjeel hal ever been
brought before the Houfe. The prefs, it was true,
had treated with dificfpeet, whatever was honour.
able, whatever was facred in fociety ; it was *b-
lued to fuppofe that to grant the prefent petition
would tend to diminifh its licentinufnefs. The 'nitro-
MenrWas framed to acctife the Houfc, not to creole
the fuppliant. , It implied that the Common, of
England were concerned with perfons difaffeeted to
regular government. •
Sir HENRY MILDMAY was at a lots to can.
ceive what part of the petition could fo flrongly ex-
cite the indignation of the Right Hon. Gentleman,
and by what ingenuity he could apply the contfruc-
tion lie had ,impofed.
Mr. FOX thought the petitiorthighly indecent and
improper. The tenor of that part of it which re-
ferred to Lord Melville, implied a cenfore upon the
Houle. The petitioner intimated, he had condoled
pape:s which contained lavifh panegyriCs upon for.
mer Adminiflratinns. He could not tell the hearing
of this remark, nnlefs it was to (hew that the fopport
of Minifters- was a ground of favour with that
Houle, and with fuch a propofition lie could by no
means concur.
The 4HANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER
thought there were no fuch ferions objeetions to the
petition as feemed to be entertained. There did cer-
, tainly appear to be a nyle adopted, which indi-
cated a degree of Pelf importance not correaly rutt-
ed to the fituation and circumllances of this perfon ;
but it was to be confidered it was a deicer very
ufual with thole in the fame occupation of life.—
With this exception, he thought there was nothing
improper in the petition, and he had a right to ap•
peal to his pall condua as an indication of the purity
of his motives.
Mr. WINDHAM had heard a man (peaking of
the profpe& of Richmond Hill, and afferting, " it
would he nothing if the River were away." The
Right Honourable Gentleman (Mr. Pitt) would de-
prive the petition of its prominent feature and then
declare it was decent and correa. This was not the
place for the topics the petitioner introduced. /vox
crag hie hew. The objeet he fhould have in view,
was to make a fit apology, and obtain his rtleafe,
not to revive controverfy, and excite intemperate dif-
cuffion.
Sir WILLI P. M BURROUGHS (poke to order.
Mr. WINDHAM laid he meant to move an
amendment.

II

Llm---b.-1"..'""."""!/"."'"t"T"' man wayikrth notke, Who would not take advice
The SPEAKER laid, it .vas the courfe to autera even for his milt relief. The hurry of theptefs wail
the Houfe a fecund time on the lane queßibn; in. gisieb to eicufe for the original paragraph ; but, it
order to move an imenciment. (Muhl be' retodelled that the circumttance opal
Mr. GREY confideleti the Petition a ferious ag: *Hide that writer hid thotight fit to comment, toole
gravatino of the libel. He had hitherto forborne WI plait:heibre`theneell, and it was not right to 011ie
fay any thing revere, hot it %add be improper, it an] thing which was untrue at an extenuation.
winsidbeinipoCkble to abttain from fome feeling or Mr. WILBERFORCE was a friend to the hie-
indignation at the condo& of. this Petitioner. He dote of the prefs, in all public afairs:--,bot; dicker
eertaiiily did feel lime mottillcation when an Hon. .be did not at firer think of following up the bifidefs-
Friendd of his (Mr. Meriden) hoe f'atfed a Isitaltir.i any feather than the vote of thet night, the tone and
lion lie (Mr. Grey) thought fit' to. futimit to the' Ryle of the petition had induced him to alter his opi-
Roble as a grout libel. merely a milk and water he mon. Was it refpeilful to the Houle to declare his
filers : nothing could have induced him tobring the' adherence rosin' part, and confequently, his oprfo-
trlatiOr. forward; hitt his regard for the dignity rift fition to die other? Was' it feemly that any.peti.•
that Houle ; and under this fentiment he thought: :libeler (houldintrodnce any fubjeet which likely ,
that, inßead of acceding' to the rhOtiott, tht:Ekta to create difeudion at the time that he was fuppli.
ought to fend the delinquent out of the cultbdy of :citing them-for forgivenefs Would' it be right in
the Serjeant at Arms, to Newgste ; yet he °tool& laity man,. who waehronght before a Bench of tuf.
content hinifelf with yivirtghit negative-. aces, for the purpore of exprefling contrition With
Mr. CANNING conld' Wy no means underflandi lair hope of 'being'dithharged; would' it te right in
the Petition in the way in which it hadbeen &initials 'fuck a perfon to introduce a fubjelt that would be
ed by the Hon. Gentlemen on' the other fide of the. !likely to create dilfenGon among them ?He thoughtHoufe. The fate was, that:in the difpofition. whiter 'the apology &mild have been to the whole Motile;
had been treanifelled, there were no expreffiens. 'without making any dillinetion as to its parts.
Which could be employed that world nor incur eets ; The SO LICITOR GENER 4.l..entirelyeoncuived
fure. Had the Petitioner kited his high refpeft. ',with the HMI: Gentleman and the Noble Lord• who
fn- the Speaker of the Hook of CoMmoni. it %void& jhad jilll fpoken, that' it Was hie). unbecoming in
have been Paid, he dittingtinid bet: Wren that Right any perfon, in the 6:rum/lances of the-Petkioner, to
Hon. Gentleman's puhlitaind private charaeler and !endeavoor to flicker himfelf tinder the inthroity of
defigned to -convey an unlasinutuble inipreffign of .any party, when it was his duty to apologile f* a
the latter. But the FlntilV was BOW to look to the ;breach of pi ivilege committed a Mt the dignity of
r
pregi•with rignar, a new delta waif eottimtneed, and the Houk ; but he could not 1 'eV that there was
licence *as to be reflralned. IF it were fo he beg- any fuch attempt on the part o dOe Petitioner. On
ged it might he underftood to Whielt Me oftlieHouli examining the Petition ittelf,notvnththanding &that
this leverity Vl.elS•tfl be ateribtietif, that when new oc- had been laid, he did not apprehend it aratcapable of
cations arofe in exert the aothoritY of Parliament •fucti condrudion. The Petitioner had eipreffed in
RI repieft there irregniaritie, wt Might not have . eiditive termi his forrow as well as regret, for hating
lolly deelethatiola oh that litietty Which Gentlemen incurred their Mph-afore. AR who had fpoken, in-
feemedinitittcli difpofed to Milli Theiutiglitent of deed, on the quettion, had admitted that the former
the peit,ianer might be ittiorreee, be might even be .part of the Petition, fo far as an 'arrolcigy *as dreg&
vain and prefunaptunus, but he Cal nothing in. an ;Cary, wes.perfeetly unexceptionable, and that had it
application to the Houfe calculated tO excite thole ;not httiti for the paragraph that followed, they would
.
irritable feelings which had beesf indulged. ,vnllingly hive agreed to the motion. He was fur.
Mr. SHERIDAN felt if eittentely nnialtalant to ll:end/6 hear a Noble Lord farther maintain, that
interfere in a debate Of this kind,
•but lie could not the Petitioner had nowwilfully tranfgrefed again*
11Iently linen to the ififinunttotts which were thrown the dignity of the Houfe, and from tle fpirit of his
nut reepeaing future profeeutioni. Tire Right lion. Petitionfeented to perrevire in that tranfg,telhon. He
Gentleman endeavoured to catt the. elfin* of any had peroled the lecithin, and could acoreet no'llgeh.
libliquent proceedicgi alp-ft that Gaol the Hoak; *irk. He admitted that it was not she blithe* of
es if its emillant prattiec was not tO fliptiort the the Petitioner,, who was praying for rtierey;.4-teil
freedom of the prefi, not to retell this pal/adios* uPthy enheefutikel; but contended that he fillistil
of onerights, hut to drafty it. friers Out thset he in the Petition no attack on any pert of the Hoace,
did isle the words of which his tfrin. Friendhadenm: nor law any reflieftioa thrown on auy of its stets. The
plained ; but they were not applied citliciwife thin coedit& of the Petitioner was not culpablitotiongh be
as comparatively, and, there/ore, with nianyAraine might have raid mote perhaps than was, prudent or
of allowance they ought to be hneteeftood. e nit- need/fag. He had Mated his former condnet and be.
fatally feh inclined to every lenient' Mealure an ftieb haviniir relative to that Houle, and reprefented him-
a fubjeet, and it would be reooilcaed, in his anzieiy felfaelupporring osidl oecifions its honour and dig-
to enlarge the means for the circulation of knowledge lay. To attache any importance to his exertions 'of
he had °pried the duties so wilidh- cheap public* thit End Might be regatalid is fooling, hut could
bons were rendered.llo4; indtheregneetines, with never be confidered as an aggravation of his offence.
regard to printers, by wbiai Cho. uOri expoed to In what re(pa6ed Lord Melville, the Petitioner had
pew Cituation's of rcfponrshility. He had, too, oppo advanced balking that could 'be conitrued into an
fed that infientous lavn--that• expretion dictated by approbation of what the Houfe had condemned ; and
his &ails, he matt reirapt.._.rhay taw, by which a nothing; tfserefore, which be could confider as repre-
libellci opt a fieoad coniti4ton is liable to be tract: lienfible. On the whole,' he was of opinion, that the
ported to Botany Bay. \Val; Come falls regarding fentiments expreffed by the Petitioner, though not
the preterit Petition, he happened to' be made ae. neeetrary to the Petition, were rather calculated to
epiainted. Pt was propped CIS WA to prefeat k, and Opefate io his' favour thefi lit any aggravation of his
When it was /Kenn him lei thge oiiiPoll, be die* a offence. He therernee'rupported the original motion.
tine down the prolix feniiel of paper which bad , Sir H. mrttirw„in infwer to an Honourable
occafioned In much animiktverlion. This alteration Gentleman °orifice (Mr. Sheridan) Who had taid '
it •feetned, was not acceptable, and the whole was that the objeettonable paragraphs had been perfißed
*tUrnej. He, however, eoriunended the Petitioner, in, notwithtianditig his remonftrairices to the contra•
ntat when be perked in that form of bit Petition, ry, Rated that the paragraphs were not the fame as
he had the decency, at lead, not to defire him (Mr. they had originally been, but had undergone confi-
Sheridan) to prefent it : be however, found for his &rabic alteration finee that Honourable Gentleman 1
purpofe the worthy Baronet, and to him the butioefs had feentheM.
was cotdigned. He (Mr. Sheridan) difagproved par- Mr. SHERlDAN,admittei that the par.:Tr:lphi in
titularly of that part of the petition which gave the quellion ntighthaie undergone Come verbal alters
credit t i Government, exclufively, for the formation, but did not filppole the Honorable Baronet
tion of thole laws, by which it was laid, the Hanle meant to lay theytheiX here not the Wile in rntiOaatia,
~‘ would have been not now in exillence to ceofure Mr. ATKYNS WRIGHT fps he in favour of the
Melville, or tp pardon your Petitioner." Did Paitioncrl
he mean that the blinifiry alone framed the laws, Mr. STURGESS iitililiNE alluded to Mr. fbe•
that they were not prepared by Parliament ? and ridan's iffettion for the',llberty of the prefs, and re,
was the falvation of the country not to be attributed (erred to a cafe which bellsould never forget, that.Of
to the colleCtive wi(dom of the Legillature ? Mr. Reeves, in which that Gentleman movie:the
Mr. CANNING laid a few words in explanation. punifhment of the author.
Mr. DEN!' thought the Hon. Gentleman was Mr. SHER.IDAN 414 that if the Hon. Gentkr,
unwilling to acknowledge the merit due to the Exe- man was riever to forget cafe, he hoped he !mild
amend his recollationv as Ile was qUite wrong in his
cutive Government, by which thole Watery laws
were propofed. flatetneht. It was the..tite Member for Bridport,
Mr. SHERIDAN laid. the Hon. Gentleman was who brpoghtthat metier before the Houle. He was
pet Belly corral, he certainly did not mean to give hinifelf Chnirnsiti.Of the P.onimittce on that occafion.
credit to the Executive Government for the prepare- Mr. S. BOT.IttNE admitted that he had not, et
tion of falutary laws. that tinie, a feat in the,. e. 2nd had only fpoken
The ATTORNEY GENERAL Was mach fur- hittOtieilly.- . - ~•
prifed at the change of tone in an Hon. Gentleman Sir R.
miumpura •Gili Will receiving the
(Mr. Sheridan). What was, a few days ago, milk Petition. .. . . . .
L
and water, harmlets and innocent, .was converted The quelthas being pat, the: }ure divided; on
into what was offenfive and dangerous. ,The Peti- Which the Outithersaippearad,,
lif ' t
boner very properly apologized, by avowing that he Ayes, t42—Noes, is I.—__ajority, 2 .
was not led into the unguarded exprefrions by any The Petiantift was the called in, and addrefted
difrefpell to the HosiCe, bat by his attachment to the thus by Mr. SilL'efitt4l,s . .
Noble Lord, whole former (deices to the State he " Peter jiret,,,y, PapeF. ...
ar jar°ethirie,fZeiPuriO*iW.
highly appreciated.
tag libellous retake* . Mr dluolatter sod condict, one thil
Mr. WHITBK.EA taisfereeel. that if the para- Hoak sanafarakta, tact rat were thereby saucy ore breach of
graph had been written by a gember of the Oppo. Its privikke and ordered you to be taken loco euftody. By your
I tLion, relleCting on the other fide of the' Honk he .Petitir .t° lay; you A.PPear te. hive eifotted forrov! for Lear
of-
did not think that fuch a petition as die prelint, rr ram fatialtror •ie :dr the 11:batf, :jaw Putx.;:tv
would have been eery likely to hafrf reconciled it to iiiiettht tbthe 80. t..,yoe kiorlinsotted rat • I have there.
the feelings of thofe g_entletnea to fay, tit the poi- tereinrearfonte Oa adrOoth yell, as a irirn tio °Oral, tan
tioner had made ailithcient apology. The formers this poodle edditid wig refine kas se high antesee to any iiviri
.f the writer, however, mightitave induced him to litklitittertbwrintir!dwi" thuelZ..ae'ree 'hal thde'th.ttr. . th
actvife the petition to be worded as it was. He ; Ayr. (grew to ',twin 7w, that you ate now ditcharge44*
ghought i: would be tao It lenient to the petitioner to idrYollrfeitl."
order the petition to be svitb4myeri, and then another Oh the motion of Mr. WHITBREAD, the Addrifi
conitrueted fo as to be More in the manner of a, Cup. of the Speaker was ordered to be entered on the
pliant, and more refpeafol to the- Houle, might be Journals.
prefented indeed of it. THANKS TO THE COMMISSION Or naval. limner.
The SPEAREk reminded the Hon. Member of . Mi. sHEItiDAN rofe—u Sir, if there be any
what was the ulna' piatttice of the Houle in fuck pErfoni indifpofed to the motion which I am to
nafes. The Motion might be withdrawn by the bring forward to-night, the latenefs of the Loot may
Member who introdneeatt ; nr, it was competent to kid them to think that I may pane it farehei-
any other Honourable Member to negative it if he ban. Sir, I Ronald indeed be table to dehttk
Thought fit. a moment longer, notnithlta rig the interruption
bit HENRY MILDMAY heard nothing in the it has received by the bufrnefs already underdifeuf-
entirfe of the dAuffiou which could alter bit opinion, Goo. I trull it is not neceffary, in fulaniuing this pro.
lie therefore pc:filled in his Motion. polnion, to take up much of the time of the Heade.
Mr. ItYDER fepported the motion. . . I &odd rather have wifhed merely to Rate my mo.
Lord de IILACt_LTIERE. did clot think that it was tion, for I Utould naturally have expeeted the gaited
.
of Inch Magnitude,lltai tte-Hatife thOulil. taken**. concurrence and 'feeling pf this Houle is mg favoor,
of every fentiment that was put in writing by a block-• as well as thee .of tht country at large. I thought
head. He could not bring hinafelf to think that a I &mild have (Imply to refer to the Papers them-

kiveri. *sinecure a general expiates of. confidestse
and-4 ellprobation, an4of gratitude for the lerricee,
.thifilommiffioners ofs*eel Boquwy hareeperforraed.)
tircountry. I finek.llositeer, that I ant opt en- ',
' •at liberty to fuopoifk all prefiee sutneeeitary, 1
forthe Right Hon. GenttediA appetite. hiss- announ-
Aid his Ml:approbation of the ativroisiinr manner in
which he coact-el the Cottimiffioners to have con-
dueted their 6nportant enquiries ; but I !hall not
'dwell upon this arctrmfiance; as r iilt that on het- •
, ter confideratioti-hrviill resale witerhellis already
faid to,'thelr direr/vintage, or at lead reprefs it. If I
the perfeverei ;Otis deslitatio'n, all I whit is, den Br
',. will dietary Watt .sigatlt iethat he confiders tepee-
' henfible or unbecoming in the. Repot.% tutu have i
been delivered• to the I,fodfe. This I demand of the
Right HcanGetittinhisti; duty we iv', have foeseguides
with refpcd to our contied in the renewal of this ,
Commiflion. There CollhaglllerS Weft appointed
'under peculiar eitcuetitanore, and,ifi they have done
their duty to the public well, they have done it under .
ipeettlier difadtrintigts. It was, ndt therelyete era-
'thine the
.peccadis of clerkssittuffice, that they !
were appointed ; they hake? ineettsgme the ogir..ial
conduit, and to gored andeamsfeithe corruptions of
pelting in high fiteatiofir I they laser to look great
men boldly in the face; an to Mate a Mir, a flea%
and an impartial report of their tianfadions. •Of a
very different nature arm that Cc aiffites to which
the Leta line. Gettliestmodeligi.. .te to tam my at-
tension. I have looked at i:, Sir, and contend that
it dyes contain powers is compel pedals: to anfwer ,
fully and, dilkinily thecsaeltioes put to them, with: !
out any referve refpeding the *mem of eliminating i
themfelves ; but that Act does not tooth the principle
'of thii. It Was very different from it. It was one of !
die theft gentlemanly, well,bred, Adoof Parlizritent, '
. that e'er' was trained: Ft not even liWoce Mem '
hoes, of Parliaments a 44 g• 4911, high lit tame capable
of ally irregularity or terra/item. It takes the higher
officers as the Aim of the ClinneiSoners, and em- '
powers them le' einiepel ill the kibatterte to render
:aceounts • no theret ere foppofed among the heads
of office. 'So meth tor the difereoCe of the two gilts,
, awl of their confequineow
r. 1 hive kid that the Ad wasp ender diffi•
entries, and that the CoMMitheners had to ad under
1 great difndvantage. There was at the fird a very
treat thipofttila tnanirelled to oppok thek appoint.
meat, and a cry way railed in the crimper again*
what war calla rid' inifeffititm, and a tyrannical' mei-
fare intended. to make men criminate therefe(res.—
Some Hon. Friends of mine looked at the aseafure
with contiderable doubts. Notices were brought for-
it frd of Motions againft the Noble Eart, ftippolk.4
to he particularly :idled in the introducing, the hilt
which were not followed up, and others made andnot
kcended. But the A& after ail has worked its own
way, and hat Ifisblillied its thereat(' by its own
Metits. The Riglit Hoe. Gentletnan oppefite then
came.forward with his motion to procure the cenliWe •
of the Board of Admiralty by this Houk, but this
too failed. Thus was the Corairtiifion threatened
through the Noble Lord who had ;worded it, till at
tall arrived a change of the Adminillratism, and the
heads of the Admiralty and the Traitory were re
moved. The perfon who arraigned the centred of
the Admiralty returned to the head of his lilajefty'S 1
Councils, and though be was not willing, spin to
enter into enquiries, he hint &tee declared that hi
retains all Ms finest; opinhins I and that all hi has
ge#, or 04, et heard, on the fabled, haeconertfied
hess.ht thole apiaigew One clam* in this AR was,
tniqueltionahly, ihoik &lily perverted The fifth
eau* certithdy *Murree ?mended by the gropafers
of. it to be fo periertest 'el it has Veen by thole who,
twee abated the .advantages it *tads them Nor
can I here errerleek in edam of dikontagemeet
in the hey efihe entutniftehers from a Right Hon.
telletneo, :MO. treaforer of the Navy ; a tircum-
Om which has. drawn from the Celereilfroners
fame eery more remarks. If he who brddsin high
. a fitatifiate wintwhe hos fe many titles to milkier*.
don, if hi itilllk high Ihnation in the thstnagement
of naval coticeisli, bpi is hii.fignals, as ft were, frown
his lierliap, be isil the inkrior officer* of Ilse depart-'
:nests, what is to be expeified from theitlibedience
to the authority-of the ParliamerstaryEnqpiry! On the
loth of July the Cansatiffioners applied to the Trea-
firer of the Navy. Wee it creditable telt Gentle-
man of his manners anti refpedability, to delay pay-
his issention to a C.otemiffiort, he might tay tepee-
fentiig dm Sotertign on his Throne, cloashod with
all the privileges which Parliamentfliad bellorkel up.
bet then*, and whom it is the duty of Parliament to
tatted,. and to nuke the objects of refpeft i Tin the
sd of Ofteber, not the flighted notice was taken of
their requell : they repeated their applications, and
than Obese his ezpissations ! Then, Sir, were great
dikoeragementathrowein the way of the Conon Wien-
traand I hope, and crud, the Houk 'will think with
me, that they have sewn uncommon zeal, courage,
(di perfiveranter in the rofecution hi their doty,
when. they .were, yfiet powerfully thwarted and op-
Kited by there viliofe:doty it clearly was to elfin
them by every Mtani in their powet. The duty of
Parliament, refpeeing the public money, is threefold
W. 100 firlt to grant e foppty, whieh caw only be
done in this Honk, and for which ire line* the elli-
Meuse fairly laid before us; for this the Rode of
Commons eeprefsly and particularly rewires the
thanks of the Sovetergu In the difeharge of this dit-
ty de are net to be prodigal. We AM, Th the hest
tilset, to pYoride the Ways and Means with the bell
dour ability and dikrattonsmioPortioll, olkd light-
ly upon the folsjeft as see find it poffible. Thirdiy,
tee bare the more impettant duty of taking etre of
the faithful applicstioh of the alms voted and pro-
vided for, or all that we have done before is fadly de-
ficient. The two fattier branches of our duty can.
not be delegated to ethers : bet that is not always
the cafe with the lath. Untefs you 'motel and (01)-
port the Coinmiffinit which teprefents you.felves,
as much a yon would prated year own rights and
privileges, do benefitiol preetedings can be tinseled
from Them. *.
* Now, Sir, baring raid thus much, I afk, fith,
is this a fit time for ear shanks ? and, feeoadry, are
they necellary for their Mier, encouragement ?In
point of precede et objection can be Elated. The
Commiffioners of Accounts received the thanks of.
the Hoare, Previous to the termination of their la-;
boars. The Right Memorable. Gentleman has
givers *notice for t Bill for the renewal of the Com-
miffron. Can there lie, thee, fe proper a tithe is the
prefents, to enquire refpeihig the pall, as when you

a-: called upon to renew the fame ? 1
am not fat;.fied with faint dila meegie pi dile, tit :t
there is malting fo much amen, more of pi Atte owl
'of blame, a hide to be oveslooked,'and the o:!ter
Modes of that fort, that perfons might attempt to
.avoid Rating what they had to object to. When we
fee Parliament,. with perfons of all the different pro-
feffions and • ptirfuits in the kingdom, feleaing tire
only for this important talk, I mutt demand of them
perfett- perfirmatice of their duty. It they have
!thine thirobey arefully entitled* to our thanks, even
hstependent at • all titfootsragements they had *reineiv-*
jed. It they have nor dosu their duty, I will not ac-
cept of lased manes-z. I would renew the Commit-
(nor, but I wonidebssage theozen. I have socks
_worded my motion seism provoke uoneateLsep or as
elent debate ; butt leave fo worded it, that the se-.
, preaches. made egoist& the ContenifFiuners nmia
ei-
,ther be retrattad or explained,dillinaly to the Houle,
,if they are meant to be repeated. 1 (hall trouble
the Uinta with-hut a fewntore obiervetions on ibis
fubjea ; and I aik, what has been done ? What yet
remains to be done ? Amid whether, under all bit-
cuthfiances. farther encouragement ought not to be
given by the vote of thii Houle ? With relpea to
what has been done, every Gentleman. perhaps,lbts
not looked In very minutely at the previous lteports
as he has at the Tenth. There is nothing in tlient
:that attraas fuch particular notice ; they do nor 4'
!at. fuck- WO game ! but its them are continually
played the gteatek pesfeetertmee and. utility. The
Firlt Report relktt'srerflrarticularly to fraufeitiops
tin Jamaica; and to a Kir. Dick.; and from-ft ap-
pears that the masion has been defrauded of a loan,
ot 36,0021. in peovigows. and another of 34,0001.
ilavithed by Itauds in the. put'chafe of ffores. The
!Second Report treaty of the Chen at Chatham.—
;Atli here we fhould eatie4 fe bounds to our iibe
rality, in the feeling every man mutt have of the fere
'vices-of reir brave feu-men. But here, by mans of
agems and other Mures, more than 34 pek cont.
!hg been fobtraded roar the remuneration of this
;country to htr brave defenders. They now receive
their **fiance at-their own homes. The abeminable
'fyfteni of obliging the poor felloirs to come up here;
from Scotland and from Ireland, is dyne away, with
all its great and enormous shares. la- the Third Re-
port, relpeßing the Meek Contraß, great abufes
have been deteded at Woolwich s 0101. have been
Charged in a cafel.where the total charge ought net
to have exceeded 341. In the Fourth Report. the
fyllem of Prize-Agency .is fdlowed op, and eau-
toughly lifted. Thofe perfons Who fatten at the
expellee of the brace captors are expofed, and rev/.
letions are prepofea foe the advantage of thole who
ought to reap the benefit of their exertions and flaw
gets. A Learned Gentleman is bringing in a OA
on this fettled, in which, however, t am much afraid
rthall not be able to agree with him (Sir W. Scott);
but on that bead I far no mote now. In the
• Fifth Report, Gentkoien will end much worthy oC
their notice, regarding the Sixpenny Oteceotfid g e 4
negligence iu the Hofpital department. Much -crif.
icathwe wete found at Plymouth, refpeaing the
amount of wages to workdays : Bgoaaool. had beta:
paid for work clotte without airy proper cheek or is. •
teitirition of the ferrite. sterually performed. The
Sixth. Report-relates to Woolwich, when it is proved
that jtysßl. otik paid ter the Amaranth, when it
appears, after examining the Mailer Shipwright,
thatls2l. wailbffictient. In the Seventh )Report
the modes by lib rc,t the funds devoted to the Gck and
Intutided onepluederod, are the fuhjsit of saimiaar,
ties. In she &oak there is lonic imposters* matte
eenteentlog the Viffiteflifig °Ake at Plymouth,. an
in the .Ninth, r..p receipts of Bores at Plymouth, aid
cimamllinees of farther plunder and abuts, prow*
Cht she fitirsjea. of the Tenth Lepoet, I seed ler sw
thing,ewthe-Hoefe is felNetendy apptized of its atio.
tenth. Ihtt inlthe Eleventh 'Report is detreted and
developed thaliartneftd, etad.ileras, and uncunititu-
tional condo*. of Ming ftaitiom Navy Bilts, by or-
der of the IttellfurittriMont sfahority of 111-filament ;
areitiee pregnaAt. lids danger to the intakes of
the country, and drawl."' Welly the atteatioe otitis
Heat.
"'rhos far, Si,, I hint fluted, very .bsieffy, foil*
of the materiel heads thrvice perfornied by thee
commiffioners. I am cAnvinced, dial, in fuck a
hay [ketch of their nweitel I sun obliged very far ter
under-rate the diligence, ability; and firmnefei that
have bees difplayed. I now call the attention
Gentlemen to what yet remained tole doe for
they
have fiU many diffiettit talks before them. They hate
to examine hill twitter refpetting the Attires, and in,
fhort the whole eritrdna of the Neey.- They have to
iprefligate the affairs of tree Vißualliag Offices the
Tranffiort Board. and the tick and Hurt (Ace. We
have, tit, the authority of a gallant Admiral for fay-
ing (not ateloding the other),:tbat in the lee of there,.
fmnfideralite oboes Oath Ali the Tell of the pudic
pltmder taiains to be examined into, and brought to
light. There is another (obit& wherein. on the
comparifon, the plunder is much greater than it it at
home; I mean the foreign dock-yards. The et-
pences attendhig the fleets in the Mediterranean, and
repaissuffer the battles off St. Vincent, of the negate
and the ..Oftion of Sir James Sautriaret, and certain
tranfaaions at Aurigae, with a variety of &Mkt!
tnittedc They have alfo to examine into the tit-
cullzitazice of arms, which the tranfports were eons-
pilled to purchare, to the extent of sonoo
which, though declared otel and ufelefs, were bought
it an tWornione mite. They have, likewife, perhaps,
to fee who were partakers in this contra&, and whe-
ther there were any perfons in office mange them.—
They have. likewife, to look a little into the tranfac-
dons of Doctors Commons, as far as the Nary is cor-
cerned, and they have alfo to turn their attention to
the management of Greenwich Hofpital, the recep-
tacle provided for our infirrn veteran maritiers.
is Now, Sir, if any Mir: have been thrown upon
thefe Commiflioners, if there be any charge to make
againft them for any pert o.f their condua in the per-
fortnance of the ditties entrufled to them by the vote
of Parliament, let thdfe who accufe them fiend forth,
and !tate fairly the grounds of their reptnaches and
complaints. Let the Hcufe condemn or approve
, their eondtta. I know very well, Sir, that reforms
are always invidious. There are conaandy perfons
enough concerned in the perpetration of public :thole,
to ralfe a my apinfi any man who dares to 11, eve to
eitinguifit corruption, and put an end t puillic plan-
der. Therenever was in the history of this country fuch
a heat df ContraCtors and Jobbers of every potr4le
fcription, all ready to life, as one roan, agAiutt the

' authority ar.d vote of Parliament irfelfsto refill any 1
reform as at the preterit momerkt., 'lshii lifigini forms
a moll formidable. body, and it is the duty of this
Houfe to take care to prate& its Contmiffupers againft
their united efforts, and to cenfore the condi* (Will
thole who do not treat the Parliamentary ConimilGott;
wish proper retped. If the Right Hon. Gentleman
perfeveres in his opinion of the difquali6cation of.the,
prelent Commilfioners, he mull Efate clearly wherein
c it v have adedin an unbecoming manner. If he has
cod:int; but minor grounds of accufation, he will
probably reftrain them : but if they are material, let
the Houfe hear them out. I will not,now detain the
Honk any longer on this fubjed. The whale world
is witnefs to our tranfadions: let us perfevere in our
ate, mpts. Tt muff, I am confident, appear to be the
duty of the Houfe to fay, that they will censure and
challife all thole public officers, whn, receiving the
public money, (hall dare to Rand in the way of pub-
lic enquiry, and thwart the efforts of the Commiifin
ners."—Mr. Sheridan then read his. motion, which
was to the following effeel : " That the Committee
(fpecifying the Al by which they were appointed),
had, as far as appeared, exerted themfelves with great
diligence and adivity, and that their whole condo&
entitled them to the warmest approbation and encou-
ragement of the Houfe."
The Motion being put fissm the Chair—
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER
rote, not to objet to the motion; but to
.offer a few
general obteroations on what had 'fallen from the Ho-
nourable Member in the tooth Of his fpeech. If the
lenfe of the Houfe was, that the. CoMmitfioners
Mould be thanked now for their pall Cervices, he
fhould not oppofe the propofitiOn ; but he could not
help thinking that there called no precedents for
loch a mode of proceeding. The precedent of the
Vote of Thanks given to the Commit:firmer. of Ac-
counts did not apply, becaufe thele Comtniffioners
had not only given in a number of Reports, but the
Reports had been fully canvaffed Ly a Committee of
the Houle. That Comittittee had reported on the
flatements which the Reports contained, and it was
on this that the Vote of Thanks was grounded. In
this cafe, however., only one Report had been minute-
ly confidered, and therefore he put it. inihe Hoof.,
whether the Voteof Thanks would not be much fuller,
and much: more comprehenfive, if it were given after
the Reports were frilly confidered and digested. This
he put to the cnifideration of .Members, though, as
he had already declared, he fhould not pre, for any
divifion of the Houfe on the fttojed. As to the call
which the Honourable Member lad made on him
for a clear flatement of his objeCtions to certain parts
of the conduit of the Cenundllocers, he felt it nev
ceffary to make a tesit obfervations. • He fully ad-
mitted, that Cohiminioners appointed to examine in
to great public abufes, ought to ethibit a proper
degree of firmnefs, as well as zeal ; but there was
a mode of exhibiting that, which was at all times to
be attended to. The truth was to be got at by all
poffible means, but the character, ofiludividuals
'Mold be as little as pofhble precluded,From .a fair
opportunity of full ditcuffion, or fubfeOueritteinslica.
tibt. In fcveral cafes a prejudice ' was .created
againfi individuals, before the Report *as fairly be
fore the Legiflature, and therefore, he thought, that
any furruifes to the prejudice of individuals, which
had tranfpired before the Reports were completed,
were not to be jußifiede hie objeßad alto, that the
Ittratirurvatre drawn up aniprefented, without al.
loninglindleiduals accufed fel jellify their conduct, or
abased fully to underhand in what light the Report
would place their character. -The_Comroilfioneri
had a right to ule every means tocome at "the truth,
let then-it weseirely not incontdient...withylepaoA
rigid enquiry: to calt'on individuals to eaplaia,.thea
own evidenerkta .. . - . - :
oft appeared that thole Cortimian'iiers refuted the
orportunity of e :planation tp,feveral,perfons whole
names were mentioned, whole charafters were affect
ed by their Reports ;'and it was equally apparent,:
• that had fear opportunity been afforded, the chorale,
ters clinch men wouldoot have fuffered. 'This .was
particularly the cafe of the Comptnalleg of theAkia.
vay, wh,aocatchai'gfcl in.c.!*e.nt tb.,t• Ptf ~. #.10.70F
table with having, contrary t9ihla tillatys,np. Ili, c,
Pori
:key voted. fortiostssayy, to ottiter.ikopF, . 711,t. e.
knowiedsf qr. FjoUratskgrAe.4.4freiAltx:
on this heMt, it w4s,,gAw. Obvious A . Yer747.- in.
deed a recent coggerialion in t . lite 1
..ma4c
it Co, that if *Jamie* pfAir Al,
~, g ti
7:4,
Commitlioneroowbs allowed, to, ex
,•n. hadsbeen
granted, the imprefOonmoultirtle jer,horte gime shraad,
I ripdting that office", ;which efA.ol,lo,rq • 1
4,
of the Commit :Goners had eye; ~ls was!tafn ri-lfk. .
remarkable with reference to thispoints tit 40.0
Lord St. Vincent was applied to hra.the. uttuitton:
tars for explanation refpeding * none cipctii tien,-
which is now quite cleararras,fulliktionutO that No.,
ble, Lord, no opportuatitiCertgianatirAttplifOis.
;r4ire 9teti.tp.Sir A. Hainnamada nottritlsAmdieg.his
cial reqaell: , Thetil 4alother parebtakfo-
tid of thote ewes' oneirs, rather doubtful - •
priety, if iffrlC•ecl„"iA cep &I. be at ailtaid to come ri
q
any 1200)1I of OS (Ili* Y. I . llama that in whiC4 to t e
Eighth Report ,alluded- to the cOotli4 of A Otaiq
]try.., A perficia ras charged' with: gealint Calli:( at
Ply moallhand U
Of Le
abtll of i ni i dm eltt 11* preferred;agailiA
him. This bill was thrown Anil, the 'Grand:, JO '
and the Solicitor y4iti : was employed•ta c-iniatitlh', e
alprofection„wrote.to.:the Vida • hi t ) tv
that the Grand jury. was tamperid'wtib. Vou the
authority of this letter thole CommilSonera themght
proper to pahlillr fuch a nitement in tliCMglith ire=
pprt. was it rfght ,tii throw cut 'fitehanintarZatiort as
this in. the Rill?liCs.,gld particularly upon fuel) giOnndil
Was it difcreef; win itlair, to charge a t'ef enable
htidy of meta with perjury? for the charge' trilled
di
N
to nothing lets. I bore Commitlioners were,' ics
citiedonf 7haviiii Iniprpperly alledgid that the high
price of Liim es which ens complained of in the Wen
Indief;Was owing to the negletrof the Navy Board
to leiterttalt Rorei for the fervite of our fleets in that
quay due time, according to their duty. Now
it appaiked that the Navy Board hid not witted tri
attend to their duty in this cafe. For.tbey bad fent
out two (hips its time laden with.flarres, which
(hips *elle loft, arid to' that lets was attributable the
high pri44 cif aocm which was complained of.; This
faa wasiliCundecaiketd. communicated to the Corn •
mifficesek, end lila it certainly ought wham been
Ilathel: qf the fait were foe the Monk wouldjailge
,I‘heiber eat/ Chnrge:attached to the Navy Board, sod
whetheillii-Coinnuirtnara ;said fairly.in attempt-
ing to impute it. • Wits_ ber upon the fact refpea-.

in ithe pricelsti Ityprsolin Abe • WeR Itfclrms,. and.
undeiiook to iferibethat evil to the Navy Board:.
Ithsii ought ceittifoli, in fairnefs, to hare annexed id'
ihet Report any communications/ they 'had received
'Froth that &Mr& is dedication eoncitolt, parts/-
, malady fuch a mitterial,communications, as that he
rbadallucled to, • The Commilfioners Might fay that
thy had noCreeeivetttliii coratifithieatttisat all. He
could only Rite 'to did Hook What'll* bid been in-
formed. -It had been Ain told to him that one of
the Commifinners 9( the' Navy, Mr. Gambier, was
examined before the Naval CommilAmiers, and Tome
of his antwers were itaticcurately takeh down by thofe
Commillloners. Thefe inaccuracies were printed 2nd
correaed, and yet in the appendix to the Report,the
inaccuracies remain without the correftions. The
•faine complaint was made with ref-pea to the teßi-
minty of a principal clerk of the Navy Board. This
clerk made a memorandum of all his anfwers--feve-
ral of them were found to be incorrectly noted by
thole Commi ffionert—fisch incorreane fres, upon being
pointed out by the clerk, were admitted and correa-
ed. Still the omiffion appears in the appendix. Now
thofe corredions which are omitted are all Rated to
be material td form a fair judgment of the conduit
of the Navy Board, and, if fo, their °minion cannot
induce a conclufion favourable to the charat9er of the
Commiffioners to whom the motion before the Houfe
referred. Indeed, if the fats were well founded,
which he laid before the Houfe pretifely in the metal
ner they were mentioned to him—if thefe Commit.
Goners fuppreffed any documents with *which they
were furnithed, and which were at all neceltary to
enable Parliament and the Country to decide upon
the charaaers of men whom their Reports affected,
he would leave it to thellonfe to judge of the pro-
priety of adopting a vote of unqualified thanks to
fuels a Commiffion. With fuch information before
him, however, he hoped the Houfe would feel fatis-
fied that the. exceptions he had thought it his dutyto
make to thefe Commiffioners did not reit on light
grounds—that there was nothing in it fo warm, in-
temperate and unjuß as Come Gentlemen Teem to
imagine. At all errata, it could fcarcely be denied,
that previous to a vote of indifcritninate approbation,
each of the points he had Rated Should be diflinftly
and minutely inquired into, and each of the Iteports
before the Houle fully examined. Still, notwith.
(landing this impreffion upon his mind, he would
jeave it to the feelings. of the Houfe to take what.
ever conrfe it might think proper, bathe would not
himfelf prefs any particular motion. •
Mr. FOX animadverted on the teretal charges
which had been advanced by the Right Hon. Gentle-
man who (poke lall, againft the Conimiffioners of
Naval Inquiry. As to the firfl, which regarded what
thl Right Hon.• Gentleman yirofelfed to confider the
premature publication of any of the fubjeas referred
to itsthe feveral.Reports from this Commiffion—he
could not d 6.0 it shy fair; ground of accofation
againft the Cou.miffiosers ; for it did not appear that
they had defigridlysiven publicity to the rumours
referred to. &fides, indeed, whether inch things
were kept fecret Or not in the way dtGred by the
Right Hon.' Gentleman appeared to him to be a
maeter fearcely• eronh notice. As to the cafe of the
COmptiolier•of the Navy Boardand his aUedged mif-
Oppropriktioquolthe money entrwfled to his care, the
Right Hon.43entleman teemed to think that if .op-
srrtnnontirty for explanation had been afforded that
oiler, ins well as to Lord St. Vincent, much
confefiost would have been avoided, es appeared in
a part of the Noble Lord's evidente in the Eleventh
Report. Now, for hisisert, he kw no fuch conforion. '
Even withoulthe explanation recently offered to the
Houre'ott'lhas pan t;• lie really thought that, nothing
could be clearer frorn the context of the evidence, and
from a tor.fonfideratioa of Lord St. Vincent's an-
Ewers to' the two *te flon. which were lately the fob-
jett of ditenffion, than that the Noble Lord was igno-
rant of the . money, matters which formed the grava-
men of the Charge again a the Comptroller of the Niey.
But the -Right Honourable Gentlenuti silted why
was not thie Comptroller examined by the Commif-
fiolieciaouching this charge, as well as the Earl of
St: Vincent ? He would ththit Right Hon. Gen-
tleman that the Comptroller of the Navy Will exa-
mined, and. at he defended histfelf from anfwer-
ing
.queltioni tinder the sth clatate. After having
done fo,. then he wouldisutlifts the Right Hon. Oen-
xleman, whaler, it he hohtelf were one of chore
Commiffigners, he would propoce. to examine again
him or any man who to afiedf With refpedl to
,ftatements of the Right Hon. Conitlemau,, as td the'
'condo& of this Com million in the fisit ,Reporti he mutt
.obferve, that if thofe flame*.
,*ere well founded,
the. Wavy 4pkrci feemed Cif. hare' been very Patfire
under the 4rlo4e.lmptl.t*ttons .uPdn.,oloq.,
;Thiy profelred to fctildesmfelvevvery unjultly ac-
;ruled. The Report containing this Refutation hid
Main on the table fad. %early tw6 years, once Juile
' 1803, and during that *slid the 'CommiffiOners 'of '
. the lialoyrßoaed acquiefer.d its tufferis,g the isnpreffion '
• againit them to circulate. No jealoufy es to their
charaCter wailfelittcar*til`Withlii the& 'few days.
'No inquiry, tioathiiricate thell.time was peopoted or
hiseedat. Snrely,theo could hare brought forward
a motion had they felt fofortelpsi is now pretended.
That there might be filniepettil of the condo& of
thole Ctimirnir Tato to be fotind fault with,
was ter y potable. But yet if•they Were culpable only
in• a (mall degree, that was so nano to-be aUedg
againft the rfidtforr.'? Ifi'however,; it appeared. that
they dealt unfairly:by' the eharaders bf. Ma, that
was a feriouaCharge I and although it 'might be pro-
per to continue the Comnsiffion, au* certainly the
names. Should be cb*ngtd. For it dotibtlefs would be
Atoll th'iOntitint thoft'in power whole condnatrad
been heretofOre exceptionable. The exceptions that
were made to the Commiffiuners furstifired, if well
founded, a reafon for excluding them.-from offiCe ;
and, if not, they could notte urged agniuft the tao-
tion before the Houle. But the Right Honourable
Gentleman had coafefed with perfed candour that
he could not vouch for any of the Ratements tharhe
had matte to the Houfe; and tartly then latcould not
aSk the Houle to rely on them as Objedions to the
motion ? That thole Connaitgonera were ready to
go to trial againa. airy or all of the charges that
could be alledged againit them he had not the
doubt. The charges,' fuch as-they were, that the
Right Honourable Gentleman had Rated, could not
initnymais's mind be. &erased applicable in any Gaspe
againfl this motion', ht 'orpothiog to which, indeed,
nothing had-bee& offered. The .Right Ittmearable
Gentientan had, not (aids, nor Could.he, that this :!.14r4

%ion was unneceffary. It wasnecOary to faddy the
general opinion of the oountip. It-wks called for by
*Mille policy. The Merit of the Men and the Grati-
tuck of the People deniitsdeil ik Isitonfidering the
Cervices iii hole Commiffiottets, the Rate in which
chei and Lord Sr. Vincent were- placed. was to be.
taken into account. Much as chat Noble Lord had
deferved and obtained by the glorious bartlei he had
fought abroad, he had learcely in any of them a more
difficult talk to perform, than in originating thisCom-
miffion, which had to maintain Well us almoft -every
Rage of its progrefs again“ the operation of power,
influence, and authority. With a degree of fortitude
and perfeverance that would be at any time laudable,
but which, in their peculiar cireumftancei was extra-
ordinary, they purfued delinquency through all the
obarudions of high office, and againa all the frowns
of power s and they fucceeded in deteeing and ex-
poling the criminality of one of the principal Officers
of the Crown.

TheCHANCELLOR of theEXCHEQUER Dat-
ed, that the Navy Board had not tamely fulmitted to
the imputations call upon their characters by the Firit
Report, as the Hon. Gentleman imagined. For,
accqrding to a Memorial prefented to the Houfe on
the sth of April, on this fubjed, from the Comptroller
of the Navy, it appeared, that immediately after the
publication of the Report alluded to, the Hon. Baro-
net intimated his with to there Commiffioners that he
fhould be examined afrelb, in order to do away, what
he conceived, unfounded afperfirns on his character,
but this the Commiflioners declined. The Hon. Ba-
ronet then drew up a Memorial to that lioufe, which
he meant to prefent; but, deeming it his duty, he
waited on Lord St. Vincent, to apprize him of his in-
tention, !nd to know his Lottfillip's pleafure. Loid
St. Vincent difapproved of the intention, and Rated,
that he fhould confider any fuch proceeding as a per.
Tonal affront to himfelf. The Comptroller thought it
his duty to conform to the Noble Lord's defire, and
to that. was attributable the kind of acquiefcence the
Hon." Gentleman who had jug fat down, alluded to.
Mr. FOX obferved that, even fisppofing all this
IlateMerit to be corral, it did not account for the
filence of the Comptroller of the Navy, fince Lord
St. Vincent retired from Mae. Why not reek the
removal of that obloquy, of which he complained,
under the Lord of the Admiralty who fucceeded
Lord St. Vincent ? He could not, however, help fay-
Mg. that this Comptroller, in filtering from fuch a
motive as the Right Hon. Gentleman had defcribed,
fo deep a fiigma fo long to attach to his reputation,
betrayed a very criminal complailince to Earl St.
Vincent.
Sir ANDREW HAMMOND confirmed the
flatement of Mr. Pitt, as to the early difpofition and
folicitude he had liewn to vindicate his character
from the imputations thrown upon it by the Report
alluded to. At the fuggeltion of a Right Honour-
able Friend of his (Mr. Rofe) he meant to have fol-
lowed the precedent of the toth of Qt2een Anne,
where an iniptitation of a fimilar nature was thrown
upon a Member of the Victualling Board, by the Re.
port of the Cominittak of that Houle. .It war his in-
tention to move, that the Report under confideratiott
fhould be referred to a Committee, and fame pro-
ceeding taken ref-peeing it, that fhould afford him an
opportunity of vindicating his charades-. This courfe .
he wail prefented from foll Owing by. Lord St. Vin. .
cent, who told him upon an interview; that it was 1
for his Lordfhip, and no other perfon to recommend
when the Reports of the Naval Commiflion fhould
be taken into the confideration of Parliament, as that
Commilfion bad been originally peoprifed by him.—
The Honourable Baronet remonfirated 'with his
Lardlhip on the obloquy to which his character mull
be fubjed in the interintiand appealed tlrongly to his
fenfe of juftice—but in vain;'Lord St. Vincent would
not Content. His tight Honourable Friend (Mr.
Role), alfo waited on his 'Lordfbip, but was equally
unfuccefsful. Advifed,"however, by his Right Ho-
nourable Friend and others—and confidering his oWn.
fituation in the navy, he declined entering into holli.
lities with the Noble Lord. He waited in confidence
of a full acquittal of his reputation, whenever thole
Reports &mild be brought before Parliament. Since
Lard St. Vincent'sTemement from the Admiralty
Board,he was given to underttand that it was intend-
ed to eftablifb a Commiflion of reiifion, and before
that Commiffion, he hoped to efiablilh the injullice
of the charges propagated agninfi him. That there
might be fome irregularities under a. department fa
wide and extenfive,' as that over which the Navy
Board prefided, he was prepared to,admit ; hut he
could afro the Houle that there was nothing. fur
whith tiii *xis of that Board were more anxious
fikkithin' I& fair examination of every part of
theft taught*. 4Wirticalarly that to which the Report
of. the Weal COmmiffioners alluded—ali he anted for
;that Board was this, that until fuch full and fair exa.
'liiinititti Mould take place, the Houk and the Coun-
' try would furpendtheir judgment upon the charges
'again(! them.
•-Mt. ROSE corroborated that part of the fpeech of
the-Hon. Baronet, who had jolt fat down, which re-
ferred to him. With refped to the motion before the
Hoare, he pointed out fome parts of the conduit of
the Naval Cominiffion, which did not in his opinion
jultify the unqualified panegyric which the Honour.
able Mover would have the Houle to pronounce upon
diem. The condo& which' he deemed particularly
exceptionable Was to be found in their third Report!
This Report almoft altogether, confined of a cenfure
upon a molt refpedable man, a Mr. Taylor, who was
one of his contlituents. It appeared th'at' Mr. Taylor
was an eminent block manufainuter. He had
fupplied the navy with blocks at Chatham and Pont-
mouth, fine the year 1762. Thofe Commilfioners
thought proper to pronounce his' charges exceffive.
In conlequence, a public advertifement was fent lot th
for comrads to (apply thole yards. -And, would the
Houle believe it,.. tbst Mr. Taylor, under this adver-
fitment, obtained the chatham contrail, at so per
Cent. more than his former charge, of which the
Commißioners Ur Naval Inquiry complai e I, and Mr.
Dunfianville obtained the •contr ad for Plymouth, at
s 'perCent. above Mr. Taylor's price; fuch then were
the frauds detected, and the retrenchments produced
by there Conimiflioners. But what mull hill more fur.
prife the Houle, thole Commit:Goners were aware of
thole fads before they madetheir Report, for they took
place 'two Months before that Report was laid on the
Table of that Houle. Yet no part of the cenfuie of
Mr. Taylor, was abated. Every part of this lime-
meat, the Right Hon. Gentleman laid he. was ready
I to Folic at the bar, if required. Thera was another
... . ' .. -

circumflaisce with Yelped to this much abufrd ma*
which he befied r menti.m. His blocks were Itatsal
to be of as ityferiorsquality. •He had a rival, a Mr.
Garnett. The blocks it tooth thole rivals were com-
pared by a Special e mmiffirm in r 79 r, and thole of
Taylor were declared to be decidedly superior. Capt.
Nichol', who failed in the Formidable, took Garnett's
blooks on one ride of hilf (hip, and Taylor's on the
other. But after he had returned, and was about
to let out on another cruize, he gave orders to have
his (hip furnifhed with no other blocks than thole of
Taylor's.—As to the fraud refpedling 13,0001. worth
of wood, which the Right Hon. Mover had alluded
,to, Taylor had nothing to do with it. Nor had thole
Commiffioners any :twit in detecting it; for that
merit belonged to the Navy Board, who had found
out and were profecutirl this fraud before the Naval.
Commillion milled. Ihe Right Hon. Gentleman
took notice of the charge againft his Right Hon.
Friend, relpeding the patronage of Contradors, and
contended that it had been the peculiar °Ned of hit
Right Hon. Friend's admMiftration, to prevent the
fyltem of contrals altogether, and to leave loch
things to the different Boards, contrary to the fyffem
of his predeceffors, who generally diftributed con-
trado among Members of Parliament, or their rela-
tions. The Right Hon. Gentleman concluded with
Rating, that although he felt his objettions to fome
parts of the conduct of this CommifThm to be well

founded, he would not oppo fe the motion, as the
fenfe of the Houfe teemed to be in its favour. (Here
there goat a partial cry of Aa I A° )
Admiral MARKHAM laid, the Honourable
Comptroller of the Navy had faid a great deal refpec-
ting the Memorial of the Navy Board, and the jutli-
fication they would have let up, if not counteracted
by Lord St. Vincent. He would a& the Honourable
Gentleman if he would now deny the fubflanoe of the'
Report ? The real fads, he would declare, were a
thnufand times worfe than the ftatement ; and be
wifhed the grofs negligence of the Honourable-Baro-
net's colleagues had nut been what it was. He mug •
complain of the unfair proceeding of Gentlemen in
arguing upon the authority of papers fcarcely lair
before the Houfe, and without notice. With refpea
to the lecture on blocks, delivered by a Gentleman
oppofite to him, he would fay a word or two, When
a contract is entered into, the party contracting to
(mini an article is bound by the stipulated price, whe-
ther the article riles or not ; and he maintained, that
an application to raife the price of blocks, which was
the cafe, annulled the contra& That Taylor was
thout h to have a good bargain of his contract was
plain, becaufe Dunftanville at Plymouth gave him ten
per cent. for permiffim to have the article at the price
of his contract. The contra& for blocks fill go on,
to the great lofs of the public money, although the
machines at Portfmouth arc fufficient to fupply the
demand of the whole nation. When the war broke
out, contracts were made for a thort time; but that
was for want of lignum vine. And they were .cot
then intended to be continued. .4
Mr. 'ROSE faid, In explanation. that Duatianville
got to per cent. above the price given to Mr. Taylor.
Sir A. HAMMOND nbferved that, when the Re-
port came to 'be fully conlidered, it would be fully
anfwered. The machine made blocks of an inferior
.ftze, of ten inches ; but as to •the making of large
clocks, it had made no progrefs.
I Mi. JEFFERY, of Poore, did not with to interrupt
thofe viho chore to praife the late Lord of the Adam.
ralty,bot he (poke the fenfe of the enlightened part
of the country; and force of the firs characters in the
fervice, when he faid, that dining the late Admini•
(ration of the Admiralty, under Lord St. Vincant,
the Navy was ill conducted. He was Pure the Navy
was never worfe concluded. He (poke it with the
boldnefs and firmnefs which belonged to truth, that
not only the navy fervice, bin every part of our eons-
mercial intereft, dependant on the navy, was. never
worfe concluded than under the Adminiftration of

Earl St. Vincent.—(Order Order / Chair Chair!
Chair ! refounded.)
The SPEAKER raid, it did not appear to him
that the Hon. Gentleman (poke to the Tuition.
Mr. WILBERFORCE faid, he objefted to the
unqualified praife of the motion to the whole of the
condo& of the Commiffioners, in fpeaking of eleven
long Reportr. He was willing to join in thanking
them for their great fervices in deteftinggrofs abufes ;
but he was afraid the motion, a. it flood at prefent,
appeared as if it would draw fome perfons into incon-
fiftency, or compel them to give unqualified praife
in proceedings of fuch prodigious compafs. He
therefore moved that the words " the whole of" be
left out.

Lord HENNIKER Laid, although he approved of
the condua of the Commiflioners, it was too far to
approve of it in all its detail, as if they aged by di-
vine authority, and could not err.

..: -
Mr. KOSE thought the original motion would be
rendered much leis exceptionable by the propofed
amendment, but Paid it would be Hill more eli.
gible, if 'the words fo far as yet appears," were
omitted—fince the whole of their Reports, fare only
the loth, had not yet undergone any examination.
Mr. WILBERFORCE thought the- laft propofed
alteration wholly unneceffary. •
The 'ATM itNEY GENERAL approved the
amendment propofed by Mr. Wilberforce, but fhould
think it (till better, with-th 4 addition of that propofed•
by Mr. Rofe. The Houle had, in fad, as yet, con.,
fidered no More than the Tenth Report ; there wete
Tcn others of confiderable length, and involving
much of imputation upon the condo& of men of
highly refpedable charaaer. The amendment of his
Hon. Friend did not go ro pledge the Houfe to a po-
fitiiie approbation of the whole, when it had only cab.
mined a very (mall part.
Mr. FOX- (aid, certainly, the original motion of
his Hon.' Friend near him, ( Mr. Sheridan) meant to
approve the whole conduit of the Comrniffioners.—.
He could not agree to the amendment, becaufe, be-
ing entered On the journali, it would imply an opi.
nion, that the whole of the Commit:Goners condte&
was not entitled to thanks. He thought that any ex-
prefflon of general approbation of their condud mutt
mean the whole, and, therefore, he liked Use motion
neither the better nor the work for the omia.n of
that word. If the Houle did not mean to esprefs full
approbation of the condnet of the Commiffioners, s,sr
to lay this-was not the time, let them tejed the mo-
tion altogether; but' he could *flint to no amend-
ment that could be deemed an abatement to the oh-
jea of the original motion. Many of the Reports Of
the Committee had been above a year.before the

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