Star.
London, England, 1828-02-12 00:00:00

ads description when not even an opiniOn was callid
s.,t from Parliament on the subject to which they
lamed. In this instamce the Government of this
count', was acting in concert with our allies, and
they were therefore beend not to betray their cue—
Edence. If it had been the object of Noble Lords
to take these affairs out of the hands of the Gower"-
meat, and disclose theft secrets to those who were most
disposed to cotinterart their views, their Lordships could
got adopt a Mode better calculated to effect that objeo
ban by requiring the production of these papers. If,
iheir Lordships considered the Executive Government
Incompetent to adopt and conduct those measures which
teens most fit to be adopted, then the proper course to
perm would be, not to call Upon them to disclose state
secrets, but to ask his Majesty to transfer to oi her hand's,
pnbroken,the confidencewhich had been reposed in theirs.
It had been said that there could be no reason for with-
holding this information from the people of this country,
after it had been communicated to other states: the
fact was, that a very small portion of these documents
bad been so communicated ; the great mass of them re-
mained undisclosed. These were the reasons which he
(Ertl Dudley) bad to state for not acceding to the
Motion of his Noble Friend. There was one other
point in the speech of his Noble Friend to which,
although he had no intention of entering into any of its
details, he would briefly advert. His Noble Friend, in
alluding to theehangewhich had recently occurred in the
administration of the country, had insinuated, that be-
tween those who remained in office and those who joined
thernoome sactifice of ptinciple had taken place, and
asked what stipulations had been made ? Stipule..
tions there were none. lf, indeed, there was sd little
honour or confidence amongst them that it was neces-
sary to stipulate for each other's principles, they would
be, in his opinion, most unfit-to act together. No stipula-
tions, therefoie; he repeated, had been entered into be
tween them. But if his Noble Friend asked if there x-
isted amongst them a fair understanding as to all matters
of general policy, he (Lord Dudley) replied directly and
decidedly, yes. And with respect to the observations of
his Noble Friend in regard of the treaty, he could assure
him that it was the intention of his Majesty's Ministers
that it ould be executed—fully executed. It was
never into ed "to keep the word of promise to the
ear, and brew it to the sense." It was meant to be fulfilled
in spirit as wel' as to.the-letter. His understanding upon
this subject was, that this treaty as far as depended on us,
was to be fulfilled in spirit, the object of it being to esta-
blish the pacification of Greece ; and in that spirit it would
be the duty of his Majesty's Government to carry it into
full effect. He knew of no shrinking from that duty
on the part of any member of that Government to
which he bad the honour to belong ; nor had he any
reason to believe that in their mode of fulfilling it there
would be any falling off in the present Government
from the preceding one. These were all the observa.
tions he had to make in reply to the speech of his Noble
Friend. He had endeavoured to express himself shortly
in the most satisfactory manner he could. When his
Noble Friend called upon him to go at large into all
the details and circumstances coaaected with that
Treaty, he must beg to decline doing so now: this sea<
not the fit time for entering into them. The proper
period, however, would arrive, and he would then,
Should he still have the honour to hold the office %hid,
he now filled, go into as ample and detailed an expla-
nation as his Noble Friend could desire. It was not
because he was afraid of being unable to give the most
satisfactory explanation of every circumstance that be
declined doing so now, but because he did not think it
was either fit, or wise, or seemly, to go into the facts
relative to that Treaty."' the present moment. When
ever the proper time came, he would not shrink from
it but he trusted he bad said enough to convince the
House that he ought not at present to comply with the
motion of his Noble Friend.
Lord GODERICH-4f any excuse were necessary
for troubling your Lordships on the present occasion, I
trust I shall find it in the speech of the Noble Earl who
commenced this discussion. The Noble Earl alluded
not, perhaps, quite regularly, but in a way of which I
have no right to complain, to some circumstances
which led to the change in his Majesty's Councils; and
I owe it to my own hieonr, to your Lordships, and to
the country (for even in respect to an individual as
bumble as myself, I may, perhaps, be permitted to say
so), to state the grounds upon which I acted, and to ex•
plain the circumstances which occasioned the change of
Government—(Hear). I frel that in undertaking this
duty I have to claim your Lordships indulgence, and
to task your patience with the detail of some personal
matters. Ido so most reluctantly, I can assure you,
when I remember that I must withdraw your attention
from the subject before you, much more interesting to
your Lordships, and far more important to the country.
than any thing that relates to asyself—(Hear, bear).
The immediate cause which led to the change of
Government was the existence of an irreconcileable
difference of opinion upon a subject of the deepest
importance, between two individuals, Members of
that Government, holding situations of the highest trust
and distinction in the administration of public affairs.
My Noble Friend manifestly knows to what I allude;
and I am sure I tan appeal to him with confidence to
support the allegation I now make—(Hear, hear).—
ashismagb, perhaps, it does not distinctly belong to the
part of the subject to which I am now adverting, th's
I will say, as regards my friend. the Noble Marquis
iLansdown), with whom my official connexion was so
recent, that I serer had to deal with a man whose
character stood higher for honour, integrity, conside-
ration, conciliation, and-fair dealing—(Cheers).—l am
almost ashamed of saying what 1 think of him in his
presence; but what I state is due to him, and as it is in
a manger extorted from me: that must be my apology.
the comae of the last Session but one, it was an-
/enticed in the other House of Parliament that it was the
intention of Government to propose in last Session the
. appointment of a Committee of Finance. That was a
measure labials bad attracted much of my consideration,
and upon which I had determined, in the discharge of
those duties which fell to my lot in the other House.
I-bad made up my mind that it was a measure which
ought to be submitted first to my Colleagues, and then
so the Legislature. It is not worth while, perhaps, to
state what induced me to think that there were cir-
cumstances in the finances of the country which ren-
dered desirable such an investigation. I did think it
desirable in itself; and I thought, besides, that the in-
quiry ought to be pursued with an hottest and zealous
determination to render it effectual.—(Hear, bear 1)—
It would have been my duty, in concert with my Right
Hon. Friend, then Chancellor of the Exchequer (I am
alluding now to whatoccurred after Imyself was most un-
a orthily, and, I am not in the least ashamed to say, most
unfortunately in some respects, appointed to succeed the
individual who was last year at the headef the Govern.
meet), to submit to my Colleagues, at the eailiest con-
' 'talent moment, that view of the finances which it would
be our business to bring under the consideration of Par-
liament. Undoubtedly one of the most important subjects
that could occupy our • attention would have been
the Aida of the finances of the country ; aid, of come,