Star.
London, England, 1809-01-25 00:00:00

COMMITTEE Or FINANCE:

The CHANCELLO R of the EXCHEQUER now
rose, to move for the revival of the Committee for en•
qiiiring into the expeediture wailer the several heads
of revenue, commonly stiled the Committee of Public
Finance: On the propriety of reviving that Colo
mittee, he conceived there could be no difference of
opinion, and therefore he felt it unnecessary to detair
the House long upon that point; but as he contea
plated some change by reduction in the number
Members, from what had been settled last year, be
should in the first . place, state his proposition to
the House, and wait to hear if any objections
should be made to it. His Honourable Friend of
posite to him (Mr. Bankes), who had so ably and
efficiently for the public service, and so honourablj
for himself, filled the Chair of the Finance Coruna:
tee for many successive Sessiene past, would see
the idea of reducing the number of the Commie
originated in a suggestion of his own, that by slid
an alteration, greater dispatch would be effected it
the disposal of the business referred to them ; and the
profits of their labours could, by such means, be mole
speedily and more frequently laid before Parliament;
and dispatch must be allowed as a desirable objec;
so long as it was no impediment to the discovery a
truth. In proposing to the House the names of tlx
Members to compose this list, it was by no mean
his wish, nor could it, he thought, be conducive r
the objects of the Ingeiry, that they should all be ma
of the same political sentiments. It was likely thl
the Inquiry would be more efficient if made by 's
Committee of Gentlemen, whose political atuchments
were on each side of the House. He should, therefore
propose, as a basis, the list of 25 Members who ccio
posed the last Committee, and reduce them by asl
lection to 15, the number he proposed for the tie!
Committee ; and so far was he from wishing to ma
ist the selection any thing like what might be suppe.
a leading towards his Majesty's Ministers, he
anxious rather that the balance should tend the otl
way. In making this selection, conformably to
suggestion of his Honourable Friend, who had
ably filled the chair of the former Committee,
thought it of the highest importance to retain 11
name ; and expressed his hope that his Heeoura....
Friend would have no objection to robume the doos
of a situation in which his talents, his discernment, as
his zeal, were so well calculated to give effect to tis
labours of the Committee. The Right Hon. Geno
man then read to the House the list of fifteen, viz.
Henry Bankes, Esq. Richard Ellison, Esq.
Henry Thornton, Esq. Nicholson Calvert, Esq.
J. H. Leigh, Esq. James i3regden, Esq.
Lord Henry Peuy Right Hon. P. Carew
Henry Joddrell, Esq. Right Hon. H. Grattan
Isaac H. Browne, Esq. Richard Wharton, En.
Hon. Dennis Browne Lord Archibald Hamilum•
R. M Biddulph, Esq.
And he moved, that they be appointed a Commt
to inquire and examine, ficc. as before.
Mr. BANKES said, he had certainly menticr
to the Right Hon. Gentleman, that a Commit.
constituted as the last was, coulduot so of ectuallys
before the House the result of their labours, as if tlr:
number was more compact. He expressed his :Ira)
to the Right Hon. Gentleman fot his civility in 0
tending to his suggestion* as well as for the :2.10