Star.
London, England, 1819-01-22 00:00:00

(COPY.)

" Richmond Park, 14th Dec. 1818, eight o'clock.
" Stit—l have this moment received, by a special messenger,
yo'ur letter of this afternoon, containing the Petition of nine
Bankers of the town of Liverpool, to his Royal highness the
Palace REIENT, playing for a respite of the three unfortunate
men who are condemned to be executed to-morrow morning at
die Old Bailey, for the crime of uttering forged Bank-notes.
" A similar Petition from another quarter hasbeen mat:mined
to his Royal Highness by me since his Royal Highness has been
at Brighton; and I have been honoured by his Royal High-
ness's authority to act in this matter in the mode most conso-
nant to my own feelings and judgment. It would th.refore he
unnecessary (even if time permitted', to dispatch the present Pe-
tition to Brighton; and I am sorry to inform you that I cannot
perceive any grounds upon which t can, cnnitivetely with my
sense of public duty, recommend the present convicts as fa ols-
jects of the Royal Mercy.—l have flu: honour to be, Sir, •
" Your most humble servant,
(Sirned) " Sintrotratt.
" Right Hon. George C.arming, Ike. &r." •
(COPY.) " I ondon. Dec. 31, 'NIS.
" lost not a moment in transmitting to the Secre'..ry .
of State for the Home I).yortinent the Mentorlilii; the Ilaekt•TS
of Liverpool, in belv.lf of the unfemmate men upon whom the
sentence of the law was to be executed this morning.
" Inclosed is a copy of Lord Sidmouth's answer to my letter.
I am grieved that the circunutances of the Lases were each ..s to
preclude compliance with the prayer of your 31emoriaL -
" I have the honour to be, Sir,
" Your most obedient and faithful servant,
"John Moss, Esq. (Signed) " GEOket CANNING."
" I ought, perhaps, to mention to you, that your packet,
by some accident, did not come to my hands till near fouro elock
yesterday. The memorial wad then dispatched by a special mes-
senger to Richlnond ; thc delay (as Lord Sidmouth's letter chews)
was of no consequence, though it was very distressing that in
this inttauce it should have occurred. But I earnestly adviseyou,
in any case requiring immediate dispatch, in Which you may wish
to employ the intervention of my service with any of the Depart-
ments of State, to address the original Memorial to the Diaart-
ment itself, apprising me lay the same post that you ie:ee done
so, and furnishing me with a copy of the paper. " G. C.-
-After havieg heard these documents, could it still
be contended --(said Mr. Macdonald) that a Minister
had not refused to apply to the Prince Regent, in a
case in which the high prerogative of mercy .was
concerned—(hear, hear)? •
Mr. CANNING hoped, after what had lust been
stated with respect to the conduct of the Noble
cretary of State on a particular occasion, that he
might be allowed to explain as to that transaction.
Rising for this .purpose alone, if the debate shoald
go on, he trusted he should not be precluded from
taking a part in it at a later hour, if he should think
this necessary. Ile begged to say the Honourable
Gentleman was mistaken (for he would not suppose
that it was any thing but a mistake), as to the de-
gree of discretion which had been exercised by the
Noble Secretary of State ou the occasion to which he
had alluded. The letter, he believed, was a fair
transcript of one which he had received from Lord
Sidmouth. If he had known the subject was likely
to come under discussion, he could have brought the
letter in his pocket ; but he believed the copy which
had been read to be perfectly correct. Ile would
now proceed to state what were the real facts. The
case of the unfortunate man in question had been.
brought under the consideration of the Privy Coun-
cil by the Recorder's Report. It was carefully con-
sidered in full Council many days before the execn-
lion took place. On this occasion the greatest atten-
tion was paid to every thing that could be urged in
favour of the unhappy man, and on the fullest ail-
beratien, the voice of every Councillor present was
honestly, but painfully given against him, and the
sentence of the law was ordered to be executed.
He was selected to suffer from among many to
whom mercy was that day extended.. Between that
• day and the period at which the execution took place,
many petitions wet e presented in behalf of the culprit.
Some of these he believed, but one he knew, had
been sent to Brighton, forwarded thither, if he mis-
took not, by the Petitioners. Though mercy wits
rightly called the brightest jewel of the Crown: yet
the House had not to learn that this enviable prero-
gative was exercised by the Sovereign on the respon-
sibility of his Advisers. Ile repeated it, that it was
on the fullest deliberation that the decision in this
man's case had been taken and recorded. The ciis-
ceetion vested hi the Secretary of State went not to
the extent of enabling hint to pardon. Of himself,
lie could not chew mercy. What had been said by
Lord Sidmouth went to this effect, that had any new
circumstances transpired ill his favour, it might then
have been for him, not to determine whether he
should be pardoned or not, lint whether he should
not be allowed a respite? The vo:ce of Lord Sid-
mouth raised against the olfcader had been but one
amongst many ; and the clime imputed to his Lord-
' ship now was, that on the eve of the execution of the
sentence, he had been able to discover nothing to
change the character cf the case, and had therefore
declined granting a respite to excite hopes which he
knew must be frustrated when the subject should
come to undergo a new inquiry—(Near, hear, hear.)
Now, in the coarse so pursued by the Noble Secre-
tary of State, he could not see that he had exercised
any power which the Constitution did not give high,
nor that he had so used the power which the Consti-
tution did give him as to appear guilty of any disre-
spect towards the Crown, or of any hardness of
heart, or obduracy of feeling towards the unhappy
man who had been executed. To himself, as the
Member for Liverpool, a Petition in favour of the
offender had been forwarded from that town, Ile
had beep of the Council which decided for the ese-
, cution of. the sentence. He had given his voice
against the man. It
.was a most vain/ill-task to per-
ferna, Gore knows; but, however painful, a man
most discharge his duty according to his conscience.
As a Member Of Parliament, he had co:hi& cd it

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