Star.
London, England, 1803-04-08 00:00:00

mum: ism INT.

The CitawcaLLoa of the Excit royale moved,
that the Houfe do at its riling. adjourn to Tuef-
day fe'nnight.
Mr. PATTEN Lad, he came down to the Houfe
with an intention of reGiling the motion for 40
adjournment. had it been for a longer period. He
fhould not however refill the motion as it now
flood. But he begged leave to give rotice. that if
no material change fhould take place in our poli-
tical fituation during the gecef., he fhould, at a
very early day afterwards, bring forward a quef-
tion of enquiry into the (late of the nation.

01.1111 ADA LOAM SILL.

The Order of the Day being read for taking in-
to confederation the Report of the Committee, to
whom was referred the petition of the Grenada
Merchants,
The Refolotions were read the fiat time, and
on the queftion being put for the fecond reading,
Mr. Witssaroaca tole and obferved, that he
himfelf, as well as fome other Gentlemen, bad,
when laft this bufinefs was before the Houle, de-
filled from oppofing it fo ftrongly as he then
fhould have done, had he not been taught to un-
derftand that no future application would be made
to Parliamentfor further indulgence. He had then
Paid, that he lbould at any future time refill fuch
application ; and he was the more particular in fo
doing, becaufe he forpeded another application
would be made, and the refult now juftified that
fufpicion. He was perfedly convinced that the
claim now Ihould not be granted, unlefs it was
made perfealy clear to the Houle, that the claim-
ants could not without extreme inconvenience to
themfelves raife the turn required by any other
means. Mr. Wilberforce then traced to its origin
the grant made to the Grenada Merchants in
zysie ; and obferved, that the delays allowed them
from time to time for the fulfilment of their en•
gagements, teemed but to create new claims.—
Brad's fecurities were originally given, but now
thofe fecurities were changed for Well India ones,
as the Gentlemen concerned had their chief pro-
perty there ; and this was another departure (torn
*their original engagement. He contended, that
granting public money for private undertakings,
was contrary to the original and fundamental
principles of our Connitution. He knew that
much of this money had been ufed in carrying on
the Slave Trade ; but it was not more on account
of his deteftation of that trade that he oppofed the
meafure, but upon Conftitutional and Parliamen-
tary principles, to which it was oppofed. The fi-
tuation of our Weft India concerns at this day,
were In totally different from what they were when
the original grant was made, as to make it much
more neceffary now to infilt on repayment, than
at any period lance the loan was ganted ; as what
I had lince occurred with refpea tor
oar Well India
potellions, and the prefent Rate of St. Domingo,
rendered the potation of Grenada much more
precarious. If Government were enabled to grant
large fums to individuals for their private par.
pores, it might be improperly ufed for increafing'
their influence, and now therefore was the time
for the Houle to interfere. He did not mean to
apply this in any way injurious to his Right Hon.
Friend ; but he condemned the praaice as a dan-
gerous precedent. The purpofes of the applies'.
lions already granted had not been fulficiently in
veftigated, as they ought, to prove that the money
was employed for the purpofes it was granted.—
Ramours had confidently gone forth. that it had
been applied for extending cultivation, and the
fettlement of new ettates ; but the contrary ought
molt certainly to be proved before farther indul-
gence was granted. Having argued at length to
this effc& he obferved, that if it was to be admit-
ted as a principle. that the public money was to
be granted away to companies or individuals, for

the purpores ofimprovement, or cultivation, in Any
part of his Majefty's dominions, that he would tie
a claimant on behalf of that extenfire and indef.
trious County he had the honour to repref:nt
(Yorkaiire) for the purpofe of cultivating walle
lands, and promoting agriculture ; a purpofe in
which the money might be employed with infinite-
ly greater advantage to the interefts of the (min-
' try, than in that of Weft India produce. Lilt
timely every individual engaged in a foreign trade
for his own advantage, has as good a right
claim compenfation from that Houle for Wks fill
tamed by the ravages of war, as the claimants in
the prefrnt cafe. The return of produce from
thofe ifiands had been held by Come Gentlemen av
, amply compenfating us—but be could prove the
very contrary; the longer the payment was e:-
I.4yed the greater the n&, and the heavier the
rate of intereft paid. We were told too, of the
benefit derived to our revenues, hut thole revenues
were paid by the confumcrs at home. Mr. Wil-
, bertiace concluded by eaprefliog his conviltion
that no further indulgence mould be granted, and
by voting again& the feeond reading.
The CHM/CELLO& of the &cm sky CI faid,while
his Hon. Friend avowed as his objeft the difcon-
; diligence of indulgence to the Grenada Merchants,
, the greater part of his fpeech was againtl the
original policy of the grant, and not against the
continuance of it now. His Hon. Friend's state-
ment inflamed that the money bad been lent to
the Grenada Merchants by Government. The
, fag was not fo :it was applied by Parliament, and
in his opinion wifely. His Hon. Friend had fpoken
in a manner be extremely regretted to hear, of
the fecovity which the public held on this tubjed,
which the greater part of his fpeech went to de-
, preciate. But whatever opinion his Hon. Ft lend.
or other Gentlemen might entertain of the Slave
Trade, he untied no Gentlemen acquainted with
the interefts of the Britifh Empire would detract
from the valise of our Well India Colonies. Did
his Hon. Friend recoiled, that every hogfhead of
.fugar, puncheon of rum, or bale of cotton,
_ported from thofe countries,were paid for in Britifh
manufaetures? Did his Hon. Friend know the
advantages derived to our naval flrength from the
extenfive employment of Britifh (hipping in trade?
Let not confiderations of humanity interfere ton
much with public policy, where in fad they do
not clefts, for the purpofe of undervaluing our
Colonial poffelfions. His Honourable Friend has
Paid, that Government, by making fuch grants to
individuals for their private purpofes, might do it
to increafe their own influence ; but be feemed
not to remember that this was a loan, and not a
grant, advanced by Parliament and not Govern-
ment. He had Paid, Government ought to know
whether this money had been applied with itria
propriety ; but this duty belonged not peculiarly
to Government, but to the proper Commiffloners.
In his mind, it was too much to fay the money was
mifapplied in extending cultivation, Government
had taken great pains to enquire into the ability
of the borrowers to difcharge their debt, and he
could allure the Houk they were completely fa.
tisfied ; and that fatisfaCtion was further corrobo-
rated by the report of the Committee intlituted by
that Houfe, and it was fatisfaftorily thewn that the"
Gentlemen to whom indulgence was granted,
would not be able to make any farther cfifeharge
of their engagements until Come time in the prefect
year; and they only wifhed for a farther indul-
gence. His Hon. Friend had infitled on the ne-
ceffity of vigilanceand enquiry; he perfealy agreed
with him ; and in the prefent cafe both had been
exerted, and the refult proved that the claimants
had already paid off one third of their original
debt, and propofed to pay off the remainder in
three years, viz. acso,oool. in the prefentooomool.
in the neat, and the remainder in the fubfequent
year ; and if any Gentleman would advert to the
comparative prices or fugars in 1796, and their
fluduation in price, with the circumflances at-
tending it, they would fee ample ground to vin-
dicate the Company from any charge of wilful
iinpunduality. He was therefore decidedly fur
fupporting the motion.
Mr. Wu caeasoacs explained at Come length.
Sir Roarer Ps s 1.11 (poke warmly and zealot:fly
in fupport of the motion.
Dr. Lamas:ice (aid, that notwithflanding the
lots this country fuftained in the late furrender of
our Well Indian ppffeffions, which had been fo
jufily deplored by himfelf and his friends, but
treated as trifling by his Majefty's Miniflers, be
was glad to perceive the arguments ufed upon
a former night, to prove the extent of our lotes
in that furrender, famed to have had their due
cleft on the mind of the Right Hon. Cattleman
oppofite him (the Chancellor of the Exchequer)
in the manner he had this night fpoken of the im-
portance of the (ample Colony of Grenada. He
perceived that lightly as he heard the furrender
of Effequibo, Surinam Demerara, and Marti-
nique, fpoken of on a former occafion, that Mi.
'lifters teemed now to be fully aware of what
they had given lip, in furrendering the extenfive
potieffion of the Weft India Trade. He then
reprobated with Tome feverity the propolition of
Mr. Wilberforce, which, by refuting the indul.
gence, and forcing the Grenada Proprietors now
Ito fell their eflates for the payment of their debts.
would have the effect of producing the moll cruel
confequence to that race of men to whom his be.
nevolence was fo unbounded, by having them
brought again to fide, and thereby tearing parents
from their children, hufbands from their wives.
and heaping cc them all the anguil of teparation
for life.

Mr. 'orgasms agreed to the policy of the pro.
pored meafure, but defended the arguments of
Mr. Wilberforce.
Mr. Hoaaousa alto fupported the motion.
Mr. WILLIAM Soma, General GAACOION I, and
Sir WILLIAM PULraattr (poke in rapport of the
motion, which was agreed to—and the Refolation
being read the kcond time, the bill was ordered
to be engroffed, and read the third time on Tucl
day fe'nnight.
Mr. At I VIDE a prefented the Sugar and Coffee
Export Regulation Dill—read the aril time, anti
ordered for the fecond reading_ on Tedder. the
tsith ataxia, to which day the kloure adjourned.

V