Star.
London, England, 1803-07-13 00:00:00

LATE FRAUD ON THE BANK,

Sir Feancis Biomes,. laid, he had given notice
of a motion on the preceding day, the queilion con-
cerning which lay in fo very narrow a compafs, that
he would only trefpafs on the time of the Houk for
a few minutes in what he had to fay. It was neeef-
fary that the Houk fhould be in poffeffion of certain
falls, to obtain which fhould be the objea of his mo-
tion- He felt that it mutt be extremely irkfome to
animadvert on the condua of others, however repre-
henfible that might be. Bnt after a fraud of raft ex-
tent had been committed on the Bank, under cit.-
cumflances which affeaed the credit of the Govern-
ment, it was of the utmoft importance that the
blifinefs fhould b: enquired into. A great criminal
had baffled the juflice of the country, and efcaped
from punifhment, on account of the negligence of a
high officer, who had a great falary for performing
very trifling duty : it was merely on account of his
negligence in performing that trifling duty, that fe-
veral millions of the public fecurity were rendered of
no value, and Parliament was afterwards obliged to
pals an Ail, to repair and folder up that great error
that had taken place, and, the great evil that was
likely to wife from it. The Aa pared through that
Houfe without any explanation, or without any
body knowing what its objea was; and it was not
until a late trial, that the nature of it was under-
flood. This circumflance muff have had a moll
otifcbievous cffea on the pubic mind,and makes men
look with dißruft on the proceedings of that Houk,
which Gould ever be confidered the guardian of
the public property. He limpid have thought
it to be the duty of the Attorney-Comerat to take
notice of the negligence of a public officer, as
an offence punifbabli in the Courts below..—But
as no fuch thing had been done, be felt it his
duty to call on the Houfe to cane* its inquifitorial
power, and to enquire into that condua of public
officers, in order that chafe guilty of criminal nee-
gerce might be made examples of, and that its mil:
chicyous effeas might be cured. Although the fraud
that had been committed was of fuch magnitude, yet
it was a matter of much lighter confideration than
the quenion of negligence on the part of an Officer.
It was of the utmoft smportance for the Houfe to foe,
that the public money was not walled on older;
offices, and 'bat it fhould not appear to have connived
at the neglea of public officers. It was more im-
portant teen than any confideration of the public
credit having been endangered by the impunity of
the m *nitrous criminal in quellion. Punifhtnents had
frequently beau inflifted on pertain for much lefs of-
fence that; this all of negligence. In the year 17119,
the Lord Mayor of London was fined and difgraced
for certain %silences of neglea in times of great dan-
ger and difficulty, in times when men hardly knew
how to ea, and while he held an office, not of his
own choice, nor attended with any emolument. The
Houfe had very lately.
.deprived an ancient Corpora.
tiro of its pi ivileges, for no other rearm but becatife
the Magifirate of the place had not been able to
preferve the public peace dining the time of an elec-
tion, which was the only occalion on which the peo-
ple had an opportunity of expreffing their fcntiments
on public men and public meafures. He would these-
fore ails, whether the Houfe confillently with its for•
mcr practices, could pars over without notice or
quit y, the ad of criminal negligence in queflion ?
It ever there was a time when fuch enquiries were
neceffary, it was the Feint ; when every man in the
Country was making facrifices, and when all unne-
ceffery wafle of public money ought to be put a flop
to. Nothing was now heard of but vigilance and
economy on the part of public officers and although
the Auditor of the Eschcquer had a0c;01.4 year from
the public, no notice, it feemed, wes-to be taken of
his negle4 of duty. After the Ikea* pekalties coo-
tinualty inffilted for tilting infringements on the re-
venue law., and for trifling negletils, was this thing
to he Pared I if's man happened through negligence
to put a Utile powder in his hair, be wait liable so a
penalty of twenty times the amount of the Hair
Powder Dut. When all this was labositted to he
the fake of the public, it would be a link 'too much
to fairer to crepe, a:thou anisnaxlverflons that nie..

gfigericepn the pact of an officer, which had nearly
endangered the public credit.and had enabled a great
criminta to elude public Suffice, He would therefore
move, " That a Committee be appointed to enquire
into the eircunifiances of the recent fraud on the
Bank, fo far as the Lone relates in Robert Aftlett."
The ATTORNSY GENERAL Paid, that had it not
been for the Ipeech with which the • Hon. Baronet
prefaced his motion, it would have been impolfible to
know what the objea of the motion was. As to the
degree of blame which might attach to thole who
had lately introduced the Bill for making valid the
iffne of Exchequer Bills, the Hun. Baronet mutt take
his !hare of. that blame, inafintich as he fuffered the
Bill to pars the Route, without making himfelf ac-
quainted with its contents. Had he read the Pre.
amble of it, he mull have been fati.fied as to its &jell ;
for it exprefsly Rated the oniZon of the proper fig
nature to the Exchequer Bills. It was undoubtedly
a fubjed of lamentation, that the offence againft
die Bank had been committed, and that the omit Eon
of the proper fignatures bad enabled a perfon to
efcape from parliament : but he would fubmit it
to the Houle, whether that omiffion partook of
that maim, animas neceffary to juftify the interference
of Parliament ? This was not a cafe that bore the
flighteft refemblance to the affair of the Corporation
of Nottingham, which the Honourable Baronet
alluded to; when he Rated that an elation was the
only place where the people bad an opportunity
of expreffing their fentitnents. The faa was, that
the Peace cf that town had been diftnrbed in fych
a manner, as to prevent the true Reprefentative
of the place from coming into that Houfe; and if
the Aft for reftoring the peace of that town was
made the fubjeft of cenfure, it was a cenfure he had
no hefitation to take a (hare in. The cafe now brought
before the Houfe certainly was not without blame;
but the Houfe mutt feel, that it was not one which
required the interference of Parliament. On that
account, he would move the previous quellion.
Sir FRANCIS lINRDETT, in reply, aid, the queftion
was, whether tome perfon was not refponfible for
Tome great neglect which had produced a great public
evil, by nearly !baking the credit of Government. and
fuffering a great criminal to efcape Suffice ? With
refpea to what he had faid, as to the people having
no other opportunity of expreffing their femiments,
except at elation', he meant that great body of the
people from whom the right of eleetive franchife was
withheld.
The previous quellion was then pot and canied,
by which means the original motion was luff.
Adjourned.

LONDON.

WEDNEMDAT,JULT:s.

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The Triton. arrived at Liverpool, left Standees
on the t tab of June s an embargo was laid on
all vefels there. Two French tranfports, with
zoo foldiers, are taken and carried into Carling
Bay, a French tranfport is reported to be carried into
St. Vincent's.
A Bill was laR night brought in by the LOU
Mayoa, for raitlng.an additional military force by
the City.—an example which we hope will be gene-
rally followed.
The Gazette of lan night announces the appoint-
ment of the Field and other Officers for twelve Bat-
talions of the Army of Referee ; and thofe for addi-
tional Battalions to thirteen of the old Regiments of
the Line, which are to be formed from the new Levies.
The balloting is already in a Rate of great forward-
nets, and in a few weeks the defenfive force of the
country will be fuch as to remove every apprehenfseta
with refpelt to its fafety, even though &failed by the
whole of the difpofable force of France.
Some of the Paris journals, upon the authority of
the German Gazettes, (peak of the Court of Berlin
being concerned in the mediation which Ruffra bad
offered between this country and France. They add.
that a plan has been aftually formed by the Court of
Berlin, for fettling the difputes between England and
France; of which the follosiing are the principal ar-
ticles That Malta (hall be occupied by Ruffian
troops for ten years, and that they Shall be paid by
England and France jointly :—That Malta &all be
ceded to the Order at the expiration of the ten years.
and (hall be garrifoned by Neapolitan troops ;—and
that the ifland of Lampedofa Shall be ceded to Great
Britain."—We believe that tome overture of this na.
tare has adlually been made to our Government. but
no one who underßands the real ground of the
war between the two countries, can believe that it
would be finned to for a moment. It is poffible, how.
ever, that the offer of PTA& may revive the negotia•
ton for a little, which before was confidered as at en end;
but we can promife little from it. Neither Ruffin nor
l'ruffia bare given any proofs as yet, that they enter.
lain proper views of the danger *ith which Europe
is threatened by the infatiable ambition of France.—
To perfuade the hoitile Powers to relinquith all views
of war, is ant the only °Nat which ought to occupy
the attention of Mediators—lf they do not induce or
compel the Aggraffor tp abandon that fyflem of
ambition mid aggrandizement which threatens the
relay ambers, they do noshing—Nor is there any
force in the argument they may ufe, that this Country
is not put into greater danger than any other by
the tncafures followed by France. U they do not
fee their own danger; or if feting it. they confider
taaaact as rains is that any scatoa why this

Cuuntry, which feet the mikhief aimed at it, and
which pofetfes ample means to repel! every aggref-
fion, and even to punifb thole who dare to intuit
it, fhould allow itfclf to be fo loft and degraded, as
tamely to (offer France to purfue, uomoleited, a (yr-
tem which threatens the more danger the longer it is
allowed to he perfevered in ? On the contrary, does
not the call become more imperious, in proportion
as we fee others made the dupes of rnifplaced eon&
dence, or the paral . fed viaims of their own pitfalls.
ninnity, to make a noble Rand in favour of the rights
of nations—wren if it fhould involve us iniodilities
with thofe who aught fupport us in the Meted.
If Malta alone were the object of difpute, the me,
diction of RuCfia and Pruffia might adjuft it. But.
in truth, Malta is only one of the points on which
two governments, irritated againtl each other, have
ehofen to make a hand. Though Malta had never
elided, this war, in all probability, would have take*
place a few months fooner or later. The two coon.
tries of France and ingland have not yet aequi:ed
that relative politico in which they !hall both remain
at ret. The one will brook no equal—the other no
fuperior. While the one difplays a Wiles, turbulent
ambition, which the other will not endure, the quer.
tint' of houour and of dignity mull be tried ; and
war lough as it has frequently done. before, redoes
both parties to ; more accommodating temper. Till
this country is fully prepared to Meet the French, and
confident of beating them with cafe on the foil of
England, fhould the war be transferred there, we
thould, in force refpeets, regret any peace erupt fuck
a peace as clearly demoaftrated itfelf to be p peace
of choice and policy, and not of ;meaty, beau&
any other peace would be to France a complete tris
umph. Nay more, the condo& of this country would
be imputed to the terror of invafino. jt is fad,
perfectly well known to every perfect who has !penis
France Race the peace, and who has taken the trouble
to obferve the temper of the people. that the frrencls
foldiers and the inhabitants in general aferibe the lad
peace to the tenor of invafion. This fentinsent has
been artfully inculcated into the people of Franiy and
the armies. If the armies believe that we nand fop
much in dread of them. and that they are fo foe..
midahle, they will become formidable., They will
acquire an akendant over as. It is now infinitely
deferable that the French &mid feel that we have
no more reluaance to fight them by land than to fight
them by tea ; that the fame courage animates every
clefs' and that in defenesofehis freedom and indepen,
deuce, every Engliihman is ready to be a fiddles.
When this fen im:a is ftrongly felt by a groat people
with arms in their Lands, there is no danger to be
feared. We will not retort the bravado of the EIVII44s
that we could allow them ten days to land.—.We are
not to be taught by the enemy how. *Stu and where
we are to fight but we have not a doubt that t 4
phyfical ftreagth sold the courage of the people of
this country are adequate to repel the iavafion of
France, though Frenchmen could trots the Straight
of Dover as they can trots the Rhine. Even wets
the people of England callous to the generous fends
menu of national dignity and glory, they would
infpircd with courage to defend themfelves by due
moll fordid calculations of prudence. The people of
England are aware of the confequences of being con.
quered, not by generous rivals, but by an army of
freebooters animated by the hope of plunder—and by
a Government, whole enmity nothing could faddy
but our utter deftruilion.

It was the maxim, and the with of the Great Lord
CHATHAM, that every Engßatman Ihould be ac-
quainted with the ufe of arms. If ever fuch a menfure
was necelfary, it is at the prefect erifis ; if ever it was
pra(ticable, it is mesh when the beans of Batons aro'
es knit together as the hurt of one man," in shelves
of their country, and the fupport of its Covenants!.
It vsill infringe little, either on the bufinefs or the
pleafures of individuals, to devote two or three hours
iu the courfe as week, to learn the ufe of the matt+,
and bayonet. The difeipline, which is really add
in battle, is very Pimple, and may be acquired is a
very thort fpace of time. By inch a plan, (and, we
under and, it is (meshing of dais nature which will
be fithmitted to Parliament on Thurfday), we Oa
prefect to the enemy a wet of iron behind oar weeks
mak. He Will have a double conqueß to atchieve
he will fee the abfurdity of his threats, and will be
glad to abandon his hoßile intentions.

Mr. FITZIII/011, of Milbrook, Hants, is elated for
Tiverton, in the MOM of Mr. Demmer Rupee, now,
called up to the Houle of Peers as Lord HARROW/11T.
Mr. BlllplllllllB GOI,DINID had a long interview
with Mr. Aommaros yellerday in Downintareen
Yellerday fe'nnight a meeting was convened at the
Exchange, Liverpool. purfuant to adverafornont, to
take into confideration the bell means to be adopted
for the defense of that town. It was pc/poled, that
application Would be made to the Admiralty for a
Ihip or (hips of war, to be Rationed at the mnutb of
the river for theproteSion of the port t a Committee
was appointed MT drawing up the requefi, and
concerting ether meafures of tecurity and defence.
The Duchcfs of Sy. Atm; 's gave her Lill An
Supper for the (salon on Monday evening to am
perfous of fathion, at her houfe in Bruton•ibeet.
The Students of Cambridge gave a Ball and Sup
per left week to a filer" company ; mason; whoa
were feveral of the firß
CORN MARBIT, MA1111.L.11611. JULY 13.•••• We ban
had no new arrivals this moaning, and there is no
variation in the prices Rom lad Miaiday.
Assize or Baaati.--Yefierday the Loa. Mares
ordered the prigs of Bread to in eoutioocd the tams
as ha teak.