The Statesman.
London, England, 1812-05-13 00:00:00

IMPERIAL P.ARLMMENT.

HOUSE OF LORDS, MAT 12.
About a quarter before three o'clock prayers were read. Lord
Ellenborough acting as Speaker, in the absence of the Lord
Chancellor.
%lien strangers were admitted after prayers, Fart BA-.
THU RS 1' was moving that the House should* adjourn during
pleasure, w hirh was agreed to.
A few minutes before five the Lord Chancellor en:ered -the
House, and the House resumed. A great number of Lords acre
present.

EAST INDIA TRADE.
The Marquis of LANSDOWNE said, be held in his hand an
important Petition from the Corporation of London, praying
for a continuance of the exclusive Trade to India hitherto con-
fined to the Metropolis. His Majesty's Ministers had declined
to press the consideration of this subject during the present Ses-
sion, and hr was desirous to decline pledging himself to any
opinion relativeto it. The sentiments expressed by those who
represented this Metfopolis upon so important a question, were
however undoubtedly entitled to the deliberate attention and
consideration of the House. The Petition stated the vast capi-
tal vested in warehouses for the purpose of carrying on the East
India Trade, which would be lost, and the vast number of per-
sous employed in different avocations connected with this trade,
who would be thrown out of employ, if the trade was to be
thrown open to the Out-ports. His Lordship moved that the ' HOUSE OF COMMONS.
Petition be read, which having been done. it was discovered to
be informal fur the cant of the common seal, and was with- I The House met at the usual hour, and shortly
drawn, his Lordship stating that the Petition had just beta' after four o'clock, a very great number of Members
handed to his', and he had out observed the informality.
MURDER OF MR. PERCEVAL. i had taken their places.
The Duke of YORK. read the Answer of his I MURDER OF MR. PERCEVAL.
Royal Highness the Prince Regent to the Address I Lord CAST LEREAGH brought up a Message
of the House, stating, that measures had been taken ' from the Prince Regent, which is as follows:
for the apprehension of the offenders. I " Gnonan P. R.
The Address anti the Answer were ordered to be I e The Prince Regent, deeply impressed with the severe loss
fortl.with printed and published. his Royal Highness and the country have sustained, in ewe
The Earl of LIVERPOOL presented a Message seqlence of the murder of the Right Honourable Spew,/
Perceval, and being desirous of marking his sense of tesepebai
ya
from As Ro l Highness the Prince Re gent.
lie and private virtues of Mr. Perieval, and of affording YAW
Tile LORD CHANCELLOR was so overpower- and assistance to his numerous and afflicted family, meas•
rid by his feelings that he could not read the Message mends to the House of Commons to enable los Royal Highness,
audibly, and it was with great difficulty his Lordship in the name and on behalf of his Majesty, to make some provi-
got through it. sion for the widow arl,i family of the Right lion. Speucer Pa-
The Message was then read by the Clerk at the ta. • eeval, as to the justice and liberality of the House may seem
ble, stating his Royal Highness's affliction at the pu The Message being read by the Speaker,
proper."
lie and private loss sustained by the murder of Mr. I
Perceval, his Royal Highness's desire to make a pro. I Lord CASTLEREAGH said, he was sure that he
vision for the widow and the numerous family of ; was anticipated by the feelings of the House, and '
that Gentleman, and desiring the concurrence of the lof the empire/ in the sentiments of sorrow and
Howie in enabling him to make such provision. ! regret, which he now rose to express on a subject so
The Earl of LI V ERPOOL said, he was about to , painful and afflicting to the country at large. Tee
do that which was not strictly according to the re. `subject might, indeed, have been brought forward
; by one who, from his eloquence, was far more able
gular course of their Lordships' proceedings; but
to do it Justice; but as the feelings of that Hon.
under the circumstances of this melancholy event,
Gentleman were too powerful for such an effort, he
he thought it right to move an immediate Address,
trusted that he should not be thought presumptuous
concurring in the object of his Royal Highness's
Message. He should not do injustice to the subject in venturing himself to address the House. He felt,
,
by saying one word upon any topic of political differ-
indeed, with certainty, that no eloquence was ne-
ence : be was satisfied that there was but one feeling cessary to rouse the indignation and sorrow of the
in the House upon this horrid event, and he had no : House on this lamentable occasion. Whatever dif.
Terence existed as to political feeling, there was bat
doubt that their Lordships' feelings would lead them
;one feeling as to the atrocity of the act of assassins-
to an unanimous concurrence in the Address. Cer-
tain be was that no man had a larger share of public I tion,—an act so abhorrent from the principles of our'
and private virtues than him whose loss they had now i nature, and so new to the annals of this nation.
;If the House required any inducement to guide
to lament; that no man had less guile in him than
•
his unfortunate deceased friend. His Lordship con-
;them in their decision on thisquestion
cluded byREY said he trusted their Lordships would moving an Address of concurrence. . 1 might contemplate the private virtues of they
Mr.
Earl G;
Perceval ; while at the same time it was to be rile
give him credit in declaring, that he sincerely partici-
collected, that the loss now incurred was the loss of • I
public servant, engaged in the zealous and cons.ien.
pated in all those feelings to which this melancholy '
and horrid event had naturally given rise. Ha, tious discharge of his duty ; and that it arose from his
equally with the Noble Earl, deprecated any elle. • 6mm and sincere conviction that the claims presented
sion to political ditteiences, and whilst he partici- ' to him aid not deserve the notice of Parliament,
' which had now subjected him to the resentment and
pated in those feelings upon this occasion, common
revenge of a disappointed individual. The Noble
be trusted to every Englishman, he most cordially
concurred in the proposed Address. The circus's-
Lord then observed, that he was happy to state, tat
hGovernment had lowhichstance of a public servant murdered in the midst of
from all the information w
his public services, leaving a numerous family with-
therto been able to collect, the fact committed was
out easy provision, which had he lived he might have an insulated fact,—that whatever reproach attached
heats enabled to snake for them, undoubtedly anti-
to it, attached only to the individual who committed
fled the family of such a person to a provision from' it; and so far the national character remained with-
the public. Upon this ground the Address had his
out a stain. The Noble Lord then proceeded to ob.
most cordial concurrence. Might he, however, be •
serve, that there was no Assembly in which the storm
permitted to say, that he thought it would have of party mere immediately subsided, than in that
Assembly which he had now the honour to address.
been more desirable not to have departed from the
No mite would feel, however opposite his political
usual forms of the House, and to have come to the
opinions might be, that it would be any abandonment
subject with somewhat more deliberation ? Ile was
also anxious to state, for the sake of his own honour of his principles, if on the present occasion he should
and consistency, that he concurred in the Address turn aside entirely from any consideration of points
with the express understanding that he did not coo. of contest, and look only to the afflicted state of:
the family of the deceased. [Cries of hear, hear!] '
cur in any words (if any such there were) that might
Mr. Perceval had left a lucrative profession, in which
be construed into an approbation of those measures
respecting the policy of which he had the misfortune he must have attained to the highest honours and
o
to differ in opinion. In the praise of Mr. Perceval's opulence, by the exertion of those eminent talents '
which had raised him so much in the public estima.
public oldies, and *of his disinterestedness, he most
heartily joined ; with his private virtues he was not lion. He (Lord C.) could say from personal know-
so much acquainted as others, but so far as he could
ledge, that it was from a sense of public duty alone,
judge from a slight knowledge of the former, he and with the utmost reluctance, that he was persuaded
was disposed to join in the warmest eulogy. His to apply himself to public life • and there could be no
Lordship koncluded by again stating his concurrence
doubt, that if he had remained in the exercise of his
profession, that his family might have been crowned
in the Address, with the qualification he had already
mentioned. with opulence, and blessed with such a father.—
The Address was agreed ;
by the whole House
to nosnine dissentiente (here his Lordship seemed much affected.) He
and ordered to be presented,
was convinced that he was only speaking the pub. 1
and the Lords with white staves were directed to lie feeling, when he asserted, that there never was
wait upon the Prince Regent to know when his
a man who conciliated to himself a greater quantity i
1
Royal Highness would be pleased to receive the same. of personal esteem. [Loud cries of hear, hear !
EXAMINA NON ON THE ORDERS IN COUNCIL. from all parts of the house.] Indeed, he would ;
STATE OF THE COUNTRY. I venture to say, that there did not exist a man who I
The Earl of LIVERPOOL observed, that there I was an enemy to him as an individual. [Near, hear!]
were some private Bills which it would be desirable I He had no doubt of the concurrence of Parliament
to forward, but that it would be desirable, under I in the recognition of this principle, that unless there
present circumstances, not to press any matter that I has been some base misconduct on the part of the
was likely to create any difference of opinion. He public servant,. it becianeethe duty of the Helm is
observed that the House meet-sit to-ttorrow, bat as extend its protection to such servants. The Parleeel
we understood Lis Lordship, that an adjournment ment could never interfere mere wisely than for HO '
for some days might then take place. j purpose of protecting those trusts, the, faithful tUs- i
Earl GREY agreed in the propriety of not press-' charge of which might possibly subject a man to pale-1
ing any subject that was likely to create any difference 'lie or private malignity. The recognition of such a
of opinion, but suggested the expediency of cond. I principle would be advantageous to the public service,,
ruing the examination of witnesses on the Orders in I and was a duty not to be neglected under the most
Council, particularly with reference to the situation I economical arrangements. [Hear, hear.] He sin-
of the • witnesses now in- attendance, who must be cerely felt that he was only weakening the impression.'
put to great inconvenience if they were under already entertained by the House, by expatiating on I
the necessity of rernaluing in town, and the pre. ; this subject. At present he merely wished the House
sence of several of whom was actually required iu the ' to recognise the principle of the Regent's Message.
country. The particular nature of the grant proposed would
The Earl of LIVERPOOL, while he felt the in- ,be taken into consideration on a future day. He
convenience to which some of the witnesses might be would- merely state thus much, that it would be the
exposed, felt at the same time that the public and object of the grant to protect the family individually.
private incouvenimice of continuing the examination ' from poverty, [hear, hear!] instead of a single grant
under present olseumstances would be so great as to I to one individual, which, on his death might be loaf''
preclude a arrangement for that purpose.
Ito
the family. It iwould also provide such an annuity
ny
Earl GREY declined to press the subject any ifor the afflicted widow as might produce convenience
further, although he could have wished that the great l at least where consolation was impossible.—The No.
inconvenience to which some of the witnesses would 1 ble Lord was greatly affected throughout his speech,
be exposed coald have been avoided, -1 and concluded by moving nn Address to the Prince
The LORD CHANCELLOR trusted the Noble Regent, expressive of the abhorrence of the House at
Earl (Grey), and every
Rom would give him credit, when he declared that Spencer Perceval, their desire to mark the sense they
the state of the country was such* that It was nurse . entertained of his public 'milieu" by affording every

assigance to his distressed and afflicted family ; and
that they will take the necessary measures to enable
his Royil Highness to make provision for them ac-
cordingly.
Mr. PONSONBY slid, he felt a real anxiety to
second the motion. The honour of the House and
the country was concerned in !hewing, that no varia.
I tion of principle could prevent.an entire participa-
-1 tioa in the indignant feeling excited by such an etre-
I city.—[flcar, hear!]—He was happy to hear the
'statement made by the Noble Lord, that the nation-
alcharacter was untainted with this act—that it was
to be referred solely to an individual. It was the
I great advantage of a free Government that every one
had an opportunity and a right of freely expressing
his opinion. It was the duty of every individual en-'
joying this right, to express his opinion, however
different it might be to the views and policy of others;
and if a man was to suffer for a free, honest, consci-
entious avowal of his sentiments, the morals of the
people must, indeed, lie debased; and they no better
1 animals than under a state of despotism. Let every
Englishman, then, express his horror of such grin-
'ciples. He entirely agreed with the Noble Levi,
Ithat it was the duty of Parliament to interfere, to
I protect the servants of the public. Ile agreed in the
principle of the Bill ; it was his sincere wish that no
part of the family of Mr. Perceval should suffer in
I poverty.—Wear, hear!]—Though he widely dif-
' fered from Mr. Percevol in political questions. nod
man entertained a higher opinion of his honour, nor
a warmer affection for his person.—{Hear, hear !)--..
He never knew a stun of more worth ; and did not
believe that there easted one who was more to be
esteemed in the various relations of husband, father,
brother, and friend.—[fiear, hear I—As it was
Impossible to restore to his family the comforts to be
derived from his existence, it was the duty of Perlis.
I meat to do its utmost to render the remnant of their
!lives comfortable. (Mr. P. sat down seemingly
greatly affected.)
Mr. CANNING said, he trusted he should be
pardoned for the trouble given to the House, if even
after the sreches already heard he should rise to ex-
press his entire concurrence with the sentiments
which they contained, and to join in that testimony
of respectful sorrow already so ably pronounced on
his departed friend. Of that deceased friend he would
say, that there never existed a man more uniformly
;amiable. None of those who acted with him heard him
!speak' without having their own opinions con-
firmed by his judgment and sanctioned by his vir-
tues; and none differed from him without thinking
that his errors were the errors of a virtuous mind.
It was a great consolation to consider, that the crime
which had deprived the country of this ornament was
the act of a solitary individual. • The Noble Lord
had acted justly and wisely in making this commu-
nication to the House, as it would on one hand pre-
vent the misrepresentations of the disaffected, and on
the other, quiet the misapprehensions of those who
seeing a danger, might mistake a symptom for a
proof. He entirely agreed with the a )11,--rrence ex-
pressed in the motion, and in the proposed remune-
ration. The loss of Mr. Perceval was Irreparable 1
to his country—it was irreparable to his family, ex.
cept so far as pecuniary aid could compensate.—
When we recollect how often, during the last two
years, we have listened with pleasure to his voice,
whoa he has been calling on Parliament to reward
great public itirtvirArs, we aught to embelle• with
eagerness this lamentable but fit opportunity of mark.
ing by our generosity, our wish to reward his services,
and to try as far as possible to alleviate the sorrows
of a deeply afflicted family.—Cries of hear, hear!]
Mr. Wlll . BREAD said, it would be totally un-
necessary for him to say a word on the merits of the
motion, after the very able and eloquent manner in
which it had been brought forward, and seconded by
the Noble Lord and his Right Hen. Friend ; but as
he had frequently been an active and open opponent
of the Right Hon. Gentleman in that House, he wish-
ed to be indulged with a few words. It would be
needless for him to say any thing which might mark
his private virtues : he (Mr. W.) believed them to be
most numerous and extensive ; and they were too
well known to require from him the smallest pane-
gyric. Among the many public virtues which he pos-
sessed, there was one which he and the House had very
often witnessed, and which he had as often admired,
which was, that amidst the great diversity of subjects
whereon he was continually drawn into argument, he
al ways preserved a perfectly liberal and unceasing con-
trout of temper. However he (Mr. W.) might, on
various occasions, have differed with him in opinion,
he could truly aver, that, twyond the doors of that
House, he (Mr. W.) never carried a single particle of
political animosity against the Right lion. Gentle.
man, whose toss he sincerely felt and deeply deplor-
ed. He concurred most cordially in the motion.
The motion for the Address was then put and car-
ried stem. con.

On the motion that the Address be presented by
such Members of the House, as were also Members
of the Privy Council,
Mr. WYNNE thought it would be mare strongly
indicative of the feelings of the Heusetthat the whole
Noose stout& go up 'kith th 6 Frei.
I Lord CASTLEREACIII toncarred In .tiis
propo-
sition, as it would be moretratifying to the feelings
of the family, and more respectful to the memory of
his Right Honourable Friend.
It was accordingly ordered nem. Ton. that the
whole House do go up with the Address, and that
the Members who were of the Privy Council do wait
on the Prince Regent to know when he will be
pleased to receive the same.
It was then ordered that the Prince Regent's Mes•
sage be referred to a Committee of the whole House
Ito-morrow.
Mr. WIGRAM, after bearing testimony to the
estimable qualities of the Right Honourable Genet,-
man ever since he had been a boy at school, suggested
that he should have a public funeral, and that the
(louse do attend it.
Lord CASTLEItEAGH thought it would be more
agreeable to the feelings of the family that the funeral
was not public.
Some further conversation took place, but carried
on in so low a tone, as to be unintelligible in the
Gallery.
A conversation also took place as to the proprie-
ty of adjourning for a few days, or only from day to
"Xi when it was understood thakthe Home was to
adjourn only from day to day.

'`IMMI

The different Orders and Notices were th n post-
poned to more distant days.
The Committee on the Orders in Council, on the
motion of Mr. BROUGHAM was ordered to stand
for to-morrow.
Adjourned till to-morrow.