The Statesman.
London, England, 1819-02-10 00:00:00

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St •111,1:L. Tt.4 •

LONDON,' WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY. 10,• 1819.

2111 e Grim f.. .ids Hastress /41 ie. Me fie , tied it 'ea the 4.11,61 r

soyforeski very solid ground for resisting it. Ile was
eat Ong to propose a Bill for pelting an lisad to the
grastlse of Sinecures, or for suspending the power of
graalleg them for a limited period, though that was a
proposition which bad already *Waiter' their Lard-
ships' approbation: all that be meant to ask foi was,
that an account might be presented to their Lord-
ships, showing what offices bad berm granted in re•
version during the last year. Their Lordships had
formerly obtained, on orders they bad made at-
cowwis of Grants in Reversion for a mach looser
petted. There coild therefore be no objection, la
principle, to the 111011011 belted now to solnalt. It
was true, that after what bad paned both in this and
h.t/PVl‘et Hoes. of Parliament, on the sulject of Re-
to Gill, he could not expect anyiElivg else then a
blank retire to his motion ; still it was derivable that
the return 'tumid be made, is order that. Parliament
sod the Public might be informed of the fast. Pub-
licity, their Lordships must be aware, could out fail
to be of the greatest advantage in this, as well us le
other affairs connected with the administration of
the Government. It was the best prevention of
abuse, and however well disposed Minister,
might be, one of the boot securities for their acting
properly was the knowledge that *eery transuding in
which they were eagsged mast be submitted to the
tribunal of public opinion. From • due respect to
public opinion, be believed that his Majesty's Wait-
ron had for some time abstained from granting any
Pisces in Reversion, except one which, notwithstand-
ing he inters of Ike oils, and the person to whom it
was greeted, be could not help rept rding as a violation
of the principle tbst no farther Reversions were to be
granted. Besides the motion he mentioned yesterday
(or an Acceant of the Grunts in Reversion daring
last year, be meant to move for a Return of Grants
made by other Authorities. H. thought that the
vase rile which bed bon applied to Grants direct
from the Crown, should be made applkable to all
public bodies of every description. it was their
Lordships` duty to endeavour to correct all Mods of
abuses; sad it was above all things desirably, that
questions of this kind should be laid completely
here; for if Ivey thing more than another tend-
ed to disgust the Public, it was an entiestoor at
soacealineht in public affairs. He hoped, there-1
fore, that there would be no objection to his
second proposition. His great object in wishing
to prevent Grunts in Ro'ollloll, Was to remove'
that bar to the aboliti to of sinecures end use.
less ylacee which these Grants presented. Mach bed
been 'needy done towards the aboliii o of Sine..srev ;
bat their Lordships would recollect, that in the Bill
lebisio had been istradoced as this subject, it was
the wish of the Noble and Learned Lord to incept
Ithree offices, namely, that of the Clerk of Parlia-
ment, the Clerk of the Flees of the Court of Es-
chequer in Ireland, and the Lord Justice-General of
Scotland. These offices ad still been preserved.—
There were band.., as be had already said,
traces in the gift of public bodies, of which it bad
been the practice to grant Reversions. Of those be
apprehended Parliament slight to have cognisance;
and it was with a view to obtain neceseary informa-
tion for their Lordships, that be now submitted two
motions. First, for an Address to the Prince Re-
gent, praying that he would be pleased to direct that
there be laid before the ileum a Return of all Grants
is Reversion of Offices held under the Crown, since
the lst of Janeary, 1818. Secondly, an Address
for a similar Return of all Grants of Olhc.v in Re-
version by any Public Authority whatever.—The first
motion was agreed to.
The LORD CHANCELLOR &yobbo, whether
the second sootiest was so framed es so produce say
practical result. lie was at • leas to know what the
Noble Lord meant by the general term " Public
Authorities." Did he mean Depertmeate of State,
Public Boards. and Courts of Law ? It appeared
to trim that it would be necessary for the Noble Earl
to specify what bodies or persons ha meant by
" l'ublie Authorities."

Earl GROSVENOR wished the motion to be as
general as possible, and foe that reason had chosen
the terns " Public Authorities." Ile was desirous
of obtaining a Return of Crams in Reversion from
every Public Body by which such Grants were mode.
The Earl of LIVERPOOL thought that the mo-
Ilea meet be differently framed. No sech style es
"Public Authorities" was knows in the Law or Cow.
of nig &matey. Row was the proper °M-
icas • aintd when such an order, framed ding
to the Noble Earl's motion, should be put into his
beria!? It world be impossible for ►im to know o■
shoes he might to serve it.
Lord ROLLAND did not think the objection to
the motion valid. I here were a great many Acts of
Parliament in which the term" Peblic Astberltios"
occurred; it was therefore siogslar enough to assert
that it was unknos4 to the Law and Constitution of
the country. Ile was of opinion Met Pas:lament
had a sight to call open all Public Authorities, ge-
nerally, for any information they could afford ; but
if a perticelar specification were necessary, the No.
ble Secretary of State was, from his misc►, better
gsgalifsed than 'invadesr person to say how tha► ought
to be done, and might teach his Noble Friend how to
reach his object.
The Earl of LIVERPOOL again observed, that
the motion mast be amended. No person or body
was bound to stake a marts until an order was
served upon them, and this order would be in •
shape which could not be served. The [louse cer-
tainly possotami the right of calling for information ;
but when a Noble Lord proprorail that such • call
should bar made, he ought at least to 'sirloin distinct-
ly what be tomtit to call for.

Esti GILOSV ENOII. bad already seid that he
perpesety framed the motion in as gr.erti terms es
possible, beam• it was his object to reach all Greets

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irißrsersinn of Sinecures sad Places of every kind.
His Noble Friend had shown that 'bp tern Pahlic
Aathelities was not of se unknown a n►tare sa the
Noble Earl hod asppostd it to be. His wish was to
obtsist merits of those Grants which wr•r- not toads
directly by the ClOllll ; bat as be understood that
there was no S•fiellS inclination to oppose the prim-
ciple of this motion, be Would he lase• to withdraw
it. with dm view of briaging it fersrsra on a (stun
occasion. In a ships which he hoped would he sun
satisfactory to their Lordships.
The motion nas then withdrawn.--Adjourned.