Star.
London, England, 1807-02-14 00:00:00

of his newel} and dearea eonnellions. Surely the
Boufe would not condemn him for an aa which was
very natural, and which he thought there was not
an Hon. Member prefent but would have aOed in a
fimilar manner. The fecond means by which Go-
vernment had it in their power to ufe undue and im-
proper influence was, that of a mifufe of the public
money, and he was as certain that none could be if-
rued, either from the Exchequer, or from the Trea-
fury, for fuch purpofes, without his knowledge; and
he declared folemnly, that not a tingle !billing had
been iffued for this occalion either in Hants or any
where elle ; nay, he would further pledge himfelf,
that no fecret fervice money, nor coin of any de-
fcription had, during the late eleainn, been applied
,to this purpofe. He had now anfwered, as he thought
fully, to thole two points, and he hoped, as far as his
ability went, to the fatisfa&ion of the Houle. Why
a pion in his fituation flsould not be permitted to
teflifv a
preference for and exercife his private indi-
vidual intered in fuch a way as it was in others
deemed meritorious to do, he was totally at a lots to
conceive. On the contrary, he was perfealy convin•
ted that he had the fame right to do fo as any other
perfon wharf never, and in that confcionfnefs of reei-
tude he had done it without fcruple. He afked why
Government Ihould be precluded from thofe feelings
which attached fo flrongly to other men ? If fo, he
begged the Houfe would fee in what a fituation they
would place the prefent Government. The Hon.
Gentleman on the Oppofition Bench had for twenty
Tears held all the patronage of the County in quef. ,
von. Government had certainly the fame right to
give their opinion (A cry of bear, hear, hear l) that is,
Paid the Hon. Gentleman, fuppoling they don't do it
uncontiitutionally (Hear, hear, hear !) He had thus
endeavoured to latisfy the Honk as to the reafons
which had induced him to come forward in his pri-
Tate capacity, and he had alfo given his general rea-
fons for the interference he had ufed. He was per-
feel), aware of the political fentiments of the feve.
ral Hon. and Right Hon. perfons who compofed the
prefent Government ; he was truly fenfible of their
high notions of honour, and th.qr love for their coun-
try ; and be was equally certain that in his fituation
of Secretary to the Treafury, he fhould have forfeited
their good opinion it he had in any manner adled
contrary to the principles of the Conflitution ; and,
notwithflanding the charge brought againft him
and the clamour which had been fo induftrioufly pro-
pagated refpeaing it, he was happy in the refleaion
that it was altogether unfounded. He had very lit-
tle more to fay. He trufted that his fituation, his
fortune, and his connalions, were fuch as to (helter
him ltom all idea that he would lend himfelf to any.
bale or unworthy conelna, in fo very important a
matter as that of endeavouring to violate the free-
dom of the elective franchife. Nut a tingle vole had
been given by any perfon belonging to the Barrack
Board, which was a (hiking proof that Lis letter was
taken as nothing more than the recommendation of
. _ . .

an individual in favour of a near relation. Under
thefe eircumilances, he trulicd the Houle would be
of opinion, that this petition was frivolous, and unde-
(crying their further attention.
Sir H. MILDMAY faid a few words in expla-
nation.
Mr.BRODERICK faid, the Hen. Gentleman

bad informed the Houle, he was polfetfed of landed
property in the county of Hants ; but, from his own
ihtwing, it was evident that before he at 411 inter-
fered with neighbours and tenants there, he had
thought it neceifaryto fend his requeft to the Barrack
Mafter General, to ufe his interelt and influence
amongft thofe of his department. The Hon. Gen-
tlemwn Teemed to lay great ftrefs on the petition not
being that of the great body of Freeholders of the
County of Hants. It never was pretended that it
was ; and he Taw no rcafon whatever why the Hon.
Gentleman fhould prefume to diaate how the peti-
tion fhould be drawn up, or by how many it fhould
be figned. He, for his own part, thought that it was
figned by a fufficient number, and contained matter
of importance enough to induce the Houfe to grant
the inquiry moved for, which would give the Hon.
Gentleman a very fair opportunity of proving his
innocence to that Honk and to the Public. The
Eon. Gentleman had told the Houfe that no promife
or threat could have been made without his know-

ledge. If no fuch thing had tranfpired in the county
of Southampton, he would have paid as much re-
open to kis allegation as lie did to that of his poffef-
fion of property. A Right Hon. Gentleman over
the way (Mr. Tierney) had on a former night com-
plained of the length of time which the Hon. Mem.
bets who fignei the petition had fuffered to elapfe
before they prefented it. They were ungneflionably
the belt judges of that point, and doubtlefs brought
it forward at a time when they thought it would be
mina likely to have a full difcutlion. As fuch he
enuld rote for the 'notion.

Mr. HERBERT faid, no man mote fincerely re-
hoiced than himfelf to find that the Petition, which
ad been fo long withheld, had at length found its
way into the Houfe, and that the flream of tyranny
itd oppleffion, fo long faid to have been held by the
prefent Ckvernment both in and out of the Houfe,
Mould at laft come to a fair and candid inveiligation.
Yet, however glad he might be that the whole truth
Mould come nut on this occafion, he could not help
erpreling his opinion of the conduct of thole who
had brought the tnbje& forward. The Hon. Gentle.
=en who had figned ibis Petition had profeffed that
i• had been their with to have produced it at the corn.
-4.encernent of the Seffion, but that they were fearful
:re would not be s fafficient attendance of County
ivlrmbers. Whether that was the true reafon or not
he did not know, but if it were true, there certainly
matt have been Come other reafon ; and he had heard
that this was not the Pktition which was drawn up at I
that time, but, on the contrary, oho of a quite different
.complvsion; if fo,Jkow could the Hon. Gentleman
who brought it forwordanfwer to the County the dif
ference which' now appeared on the face of it ? The
lon Petition he underfloor, pretended not to ftate
any fait agairdt his Hon. Ft iend, and it was necelTary
to drniv the attention of the Houfe to this Petition, to
Ihtw the tone of the opinion which pet vaded it, and
chereby to enable it to forte a true judgment whether
this petition had been prefented for the porpofe of gra.
Trying private pique and refentment, or for promoting
the public good. He believed every one mull have
been aeqnainted, from the advertifcments of the Hon.
Baronet, that the influence of the dock yards had been
tiled in the cootie of the late eleelion in favour of
banfelf and his Hcn. Colleague. He bad, however)l