Star.
London, England, 1813-02-18 00:00:00

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pep tally to tome to in immediate deeisioti iXI
the qtfistinn. The subject had been long before them,
alid nothing new could be mid on it. The question
ltid been, indeed, exhausted t but he thought it im-
portant to call the attention of the Court to the ens.-
tiOtls they had made in behalf of their rights, collec-
MeV and individually. They now presented them-
telves as Petitioners merely, unsupported by Minis-
ters, but resting solely on the justice of their cause.
Yet he hoped Parliament would be too wise to listen
to the clamours which had been raised against the
Company by a few individuals. However, as his Ma-1
je-stes Government had thought fit to join those indi-1
isisluals) it became the Company to resist the intended
incroachment on their rights by every means in their
lower. Neither ought they to be surprised at the
oudness of the clamour, On former occasions it had
teen quite as loud ' • and vet the firmness of the Court
bf Directors had then triumphed over the empty de-
klamations of the Orators of the Out-ports, unsup-
ported as it now was by any thing like facts, or proofs.
It had been said, that the free trade of the Portuguese
when they had possessions in India, was a proof of
the advantage of an open trade with that country.
But on the contrary, in his opinion, the downfall of the
influence of that Power in India was to be dated from
the enormities practised by individuals in the Portu-
guese trade. The opinions of Dr. A. Smith had been
quoted against the Company ; but although 40 years
ago that Gentleman wrote on abstract principles of
political economy, when the political importance of
the Company was of no moment, compared with what
it was now; it did not follow that, were A. Smith
alive now, he should still hold the same opinions. The
opinion of Mr. Burke ~w well as the other great States-
men, was in favour of Company. His words were,
that 14 he felt indispensible reluctance to change any
Government upon theoretical opinions, however plau-
sible. He had seen Merchants with the talents and
powers of great Statesmen, and Statesmen who were
only fitted to have become pedlars." Such an opi-
nion, from so great a man, was to be prized, espe-
cially as it came from him at a time when he was
shaking their whole establishment by the thunders of
his eloquence. If the trade were thrown open, no at-
tention would be paid to the comforts or sufferings of
the natives of India by the individual trader, who
could feel no interest in promoting their happiness ;
and the English would, in consequence, be soon swept
from the face of the Peninsula, as the Portuguese had
been. It was highly injudicious in Ministers :o listen
to the clamours of the Out-ports, and particularly at,
such a time as the present. Yet these were the Mi-
nisters who boasted, that they trod in the footsteps of
the immortal Pitt ; men who, while they opened the
flood-gates of commerce, wished to impose a mono-
poly on religion, and an embargo on conscience !
vb.', while they listened to the unfounded clamours.
of the Out-ports, turned a deaf ear on the claims of
millions of our fellow subjects in Ireland. He saw
no reason fur protracting the decision on this question ;1
if they did, their conduct to their opponents must ap-
pear indecisive and vacillating.
Mr. K. SMITH opposed any further delay incoming
to a decision on this question.
Mr. R. JACKSON seconded the motion for an ad-
journment till Tuesday.
The Chairman (after another Petition for pecu-
niary relief had been read) said, that in addition to
the 5e300,000 worth of bullion, which had lately ar-
rived froni India, they had advices of £700,000 more.
being about to be sent.
Mr. Hume wished to know if that arose from a
surplus of the revenue of India, or was sent home to
answer bills drawn in this country ?
The CHAIRMAN said, not for bills drawn in this
country ; and be was happy to be able to state, that
the surplus of the revenue of India, during the last
year, was £1,500,000.
r. HUME had no doubt his Majesty's Ministers
had no disposition whatsoever to withhold from the
Company any advantage to which they could ad-
vance a feasible claim but if his opinion was of any
weight, they ought not to specify in their Petition
what they would accept and what they would reject.
It ought to be a maxim with Petitioners to refuse
nothing.—(A laugh.) —if they could not get as
much as they wished, they ought to take whatever
they could get, and be thankful. The Honourable
Proprietor then expressing his opinion that- a passage
in the Petition, namely, "that it would be unjustifiable
in the Company to become parties to a delusion,"
was language unsuitable to Petitioners, moved that
ethers should be substituted.
Mr. PAIERSON (a Director) stated, that the word
" unjustifiable" was not in the Petition ; it was at
first, but they had afterwards amended it. He wished
to lchow how Mr. Hume had come by his knowledge
of that circumstance?
Mr. Hesse s iid he could not be guilty of so gross
a bleach of private confidence as that would be. It
was, however,-not impossible but it had come to the
quarter from whence he (Mr. Hume) had received
it—from the Hon. Director himself.
Mr. PATERSON denied that any such thing could
have been the case.
The question of adjournment on both the Petitions
Was then carried in the affirmative.—Adjourned.

SURREY THEATRE.—This present Evening, To-
morrow, and Saturday, positively the only Nights
ht4ore Easter of The 1 ifc and Death of ping Richard the
7hird, or the Battle of Bosworth Field; including also
the- mattrial features of Th: iliskry of Jane Shore :
This Evening, with the Melo-Drame of the Blind Boy;
To.morrow, with Out of Place ; and, on Saturday,
With Oti, or 7hice Finger'd Jack I—N. D. All letters
addressed to Mr. Ews.TON must be post paid.
TWENTY THOUSAND Po UN lls.—The Ticket No.
drawn yesterday a Prize of Twenty Thousand
Founds, (the only one in this Lottery) was sold at
HAZAttD) BURNE, and Co's. Office, Royal Exchange,
.
One Halt, One Eighth, and Six Sixteenth. Shares.
Fivit THOUSAND Pousns.—No. 2931, drawn this
Thon.ing a Prize of £3OOO, was Sold and Registered
by BRANSCUMB, No. 1, Holborn Bars, to a Club,
tonsiAing of 25 Merubcrs, at the West-end of the
town.

TnousANo PouNos.—The Ticket No. 5533,
dr•livn at seven o'clock yesterday evening a Prize of
42000, Was shared by WLAB, in One Quarter, One
I:i2hth, and Ten Sixteenths, and sold at his truly-for-
tunate Oita, 17, Ludgate-street, near St. whete
t!.e holders may receive their money on demand. It
1411 be recollected, that in the kw little Lottery, the
olgy Prise of AMMO shatedowas also sold by WEB).