The Statesman.
London, England, 1812-04-15 00:00:00

Y,PATPIWAN,_

1;144 ow taitor•. of tarat,l a *as lei
teriblised in ibme way to rewards`services of Col.
biqtlibbe, He did got mean to-say that the ser-
vices of that gentleman were not deserving of re_
war]. That he had been active in the, discharge of
his office, and faithful to the Prince, Is as universally
admitted; but had the Prince Do other means
bt rewiirding his services, but sitch as these ?-L.
Were the Household offices. so foil or so keenly
_ _

ttour off' Ace, he never Would be aide to discharge,
effectually all thdt would be requisite; and the ire..
cessity, therefore, of the appointment as well as the
constitutionality of it, appeared to him to stand upon•
clear and unskaken grounds. But it had been said
that the office was never created until his Majesty
was rendered unable by the disorder in his eyes to
perform his royhl, functions as usual. It should he
recollected, in the estimatlg of the validity of this

- .
solicited, as not to afford room ?' . ,•When Colonel -argument, that very few . lonarclis .had ever lived,
McMahon was appointed Keeper of the Privy whose habits were so formed for public business as
Purse, no one disapproved of the appointment —. those of his Majesty, and this, added to the constant
It that was found insufficient, might not the -office iortease of business, and the peculiar condition of
of Equerry have been added to Re and, if both' to- the times, would, in his opinion, justify the continu.ei
gether were not enough, surely others *Might have ante of the office. There was noising in, the ape
been discovered to fill up the measure of rewaier. pointment of Colonel M'Mahon that would make ,
But what realOn cialld be assigtted to justify this i him responsible for any act ; and he would again re-
new creatioe of place, which was unknOwn to the !peat, that it would be impossible for the Sovereign
conotry till 1795, when the pessimist infirmity •of I to undertake the greater and more important tune-
the Monarch rendered such an office excusable' in I tions of royalty, if he should resolve to apply himself
Col. Taylor ? He (Col. Taylor) was ansassistant to Ito the awe subordinate tasks. Upon all these
it King who for forty years before bad carried on 1 grounds, he hoped the House would be satisfied that
the administration of affairs without aid of the kind. 1 the Constitution was not entrenclied, and that the re-
Be wished them to know on what grounds a similar . fusel of the papers was not midi a view to denying
officer could be required by •the Regent, wlte was information, but to the repressing that ulterior mea-
much younger, and not subject to the same personal , sure, witi.ch he was pervaded the Houle would not
infirmities, or why. he should be held to stand in need' be disposed to adopt. . .
of what no former Sovereign ever hid. Ile concluded i Mr. ELLIOe' sail, that with respect to the hull- ,
by moving , . .: vnbral upon whim this situation was conferred, he
.
e That there be laid betore the Horse a copy of the Its- ' had not the pleasure of beitig, so much acquainted
strinnent;by which the HiAht Hon. John 11,51ahon was 'ap- with as other-, bet lie kilned that be bad been a
rented Private Secretary to his Royal memo, the Prince meritorious servant, and that the Prince was Willing
Urgent, in the name and on the behalf of his Majesty.; and to reward him as a faitheet mead. 'to
this he had
also copies of any notices sent to the Board of Treasury i no objeesion, for he believed that nothing could ;she
on the sallied 'Or the said aPPeiatdiegts and "r gliugtes'arriucternore in the cs.titipttlon of Ins people_ than
teereoa." ' • I Private- and Steady attachment. • [Lola, cries of
The Motif& having been seconded and pat from : Hoar!] But there was a marked distinction between
the Chair, • I the case 'of Coronet Taylor and that of Colonel
;Lord CASTLEREAGTI said, the' Hon: Gent. had 1 M‘Mulion, fin his Majesty never called for such as- ,
attempted to raise his motion to a degree of impore. sistanee, and when it tat given to him, the circuity-
tance it by no means deserved. lie had stated that , stances of his health rendered it necessary. Colonel
• he MIS given to auderstand that the granting of the I Taylor was both the hands and the eyes of his Ma-
papers would be opposed, but if he (Lord Castle-' jesty, and he discharged his duties in such a way as
reach) rightly understood his Right liOntourafile 'to avoid even the shadow of imputation. However,
Friend on that subject, his expression was, that ;he always thought that the situation of Colonel Tay-
there wont& be.no objection to the granting-of the ; for ought to have been a responsible one; but the
papers, bens they were introductory to some ulte- I circumstances which called for''that appointment,
rior `measure which might be objectionable. As he ! made every person concur in it without further laves-
(Lord C.) should resist the production of the formal.; ligation. He would wish to have something more ,
official document, which was necessary with no other ; defined in the present. instance. If the hecessity of,
view than that of doing away the officel in question, I a fourth Secretary was proved, be would have no
he should proceed to state the reasons upon whieh objection.to concur in it. Ho didenot-think that. the.,
his objection rested ; and the lion. Gentleman hay- 'Adding up of papers, and placing them in boxesere-
big thought it necessary to bring the appointment I quired a Privy Councillor, with a salary. of 20001.,
under the view of the House, he should submit the a year. At all events, if the situation was neces-
grounds
on which be conceived the appointment to 1 vary, he thought that the person filling it should be
stand. Ile would admit it was the duty- of a Secre- responsible. '
Lary of State to take his Royal Highness's pleasure The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER
on the different measures that arose, and that he per- would agree that this question ehould not be consis
formed no single function for which Ministers were , dered as if directed merely to a private person, but
mot respopsible; this was the Constitution. If, then, I that it should be discussed upon public grounds. An;
the lion. Gentleman could fairly make ont that the i old and faithful servant was, he would admit, de- '
appointment of a Private Secretary had any the serving of reward ; but, at the same time, such a
- slightest tendency to remove the responsibility from consideration alone would not be sufficient for the !
Ministers, be certainly would have a case to shew, . establishment of a new place; nor, if its illegality
which must be fatal to the appointment. Persuaded, 1 were proved, Should it any longer be allowed to con-
' however, as he was, that there was no function em- I tinue in existence. The Hon.-Gentleman who spoke
braced in the datig of a Private. Secretary, -whin'', :east seemed to him toconeiry, in his approbation of
could render him constitutionally responsible, he-did rewarding old and faithful Mends, mere than he ex- I
^.-trot see how ally function embiaced in that capacity re.sed; Did he mean to say, that the individual ,
• • could oPerafte to ireincive the.conetttutional responsi- filling the throne of this country should always
sbility of Ministers. With respect to the mere tech- :choose his servants from among his private friends ?
:nice! question,• he conceived-that the mere standing Did he mean to say, that the Monarch of this coon-
enionte. inehe Treasury-wassnotighe,,lt WakillS sa- try was to be the head of a party? If so, lie would
lisficlori' ind as contirtenteas any 'other form by tell him that this was a eettiment the most unconsti-
,- - • •
which the will of the Crown teen' he signiata.—' tutiodal—Weer q—and true most aristocratic that
Pi, air; h, at,lsirr,!l-:-The mere circumstance of could be. expressed. There were certainly other per-
twine a Priq Caouneilror was, he believed a new Ole; sons who had been more nearly connected in private
jectioncend-the-interptetation 'of the oath into' an life with his R.oyalllightiess than the present Ministry ;
ebligatjen tp ittlende • ativic.e. perpetually upon' the bdt the connections of private life should not be amu.
,:tioverei,guajc., net. natter Wassest• leesnetamordistery •tivein the selection of public servants. lie was willing
end violena. ,'Re. supposektiat Attlee.. his Right -to make tidy apology if he-misunderstood' the lion.
Hon. Frternatifered Ittepeymeet, he stated the tea- Gefttlemau e but what that Hon. Gentleman said
sons of the stismaitfement r and if no form of oath was ' seemed- to him 'to have such a tendency. The paper
'hdminjateted to the: Private Secretary of the Crown, moved for at. present he did not think necessary, be-
Awhile: eveattleece• any. ap the Priam% Secretaries of cause,' if the appointment was illegal, the House.
the greet. tilisiisters of liPeCreowni who were equally might proceed against such an illegal appointment
eeteeected with. the peptic, through whose hands the Without the Production of the instrument. But in i
same
descriiiitop -of papers passediOndewhose office truth the appointment could not be considered illegal, 1
. . . ...
scat equitlty-eonfidefftial: The present appointment because no person would deny the right in the :
' was not of ii4hurth Secretary of State, but of Crown to establish a new.. office. The appointment
an Atilt nit to hie Royal Highness. For his part he of Colonel Taylor was of the same nature, and it
disclainieddhe idea of being exonerated in the small- wai made by those per:ons who now complained of
est degree from his sharc.in the responsibility of the 1 the present one.---- were
duties attached to it we
Cievernittent eit.was in fact nothing else but a relief merely those of manual labour. It was true, that
aepointed by. his- Royal Highness to assist him' in . his Majesty had, for forty years, managed his busi- ,
carrying on the business of the country. This mini- li ness without suzli a Secretary, and it was astonishing
rally brought trim to the question, whether the office • how he could have done so ; but they should revs!.
was neeessary or tuntecesiary- and he would allow, ; leer the difference of circumstances and of habits in
that if the nee et eity of it could hot be made out, the ;Isis Majesty and the Prince Regent. The opposition ,
appointment could not be justified. He was tar ;to this appointritent appeared to him most extraordi-
from being conxiitcesl by that part of the lion.. Gen- I nary. It would appear from it as if Gentlemen were
•tletnan's speech, which attempted to draw a paral. destitute of any real ground of opposition, and had ,
h.I between . the times .of King "William and 'those taken up this far
.iiiiit of a better. They showed a i
of the present day...Perhape, according to the the- disposition to compbto, but without cause. [Hear,
cry of the Catistitutfon,a Secretary of State might , near I] Much cant bid -been made use Of about '
be supposed to lire' under the sameroof with the Su- ' exterior and interior-Cabinets ; • but did any person
. eereign, for the greater convenieuce Band dispatch of . believe that Col. ltbfahon was really ti Secretary of '
business; but he.b.a no hesitation ill say ing, in the , State ? • . a .
fare of the [louse, that.he could not carry 055 his 1 Mr. ELLIOT explained.
busbies', if lie-Was honed to -karat no personal access! - Mr. PONSONBY did not believe that hie Hon.
to the Sovereign for instruction upon all occasions.— ; Friend meant to- say that public servants shottld he:
. When they talked of King William and George the ;always chosen froth among private friends. He was
T. and H. they „should
,remember,.that the whole convinced that uo such motives-could operite on-the
systempf the countrywas different, thitt business ;Prince Regent; end the situation of the Right lion.
was since accumulated, and establishments lacreased,:•Gentleman opposite, was a predf that such motives
that our army ellee:na but. a pigmy army, that our; were not the guide of his conduct, for he believed
navy . was nothing in comparison .with its present' that Right: Hon. Gentlemen had never been the prie
slate, and that the whole population was not trained rate friend of his Royal Highness.' Even though the
to arms. At that time the Sovereign and the Mi- - legality of the appointment is question wereadmitted,
misters too might haze discharged their duties with the constitutionality of it would yet remain doubtful.
greater ease, foehinifght observe, that Ministers were , —When they were told that there was stow so
not then in the habit of atteuding the. House to such ntuch for a they
to do ; to great an accumulation -
late hours es modern practice reudivetrnecessary.— .of business;, it seemed to be forgeteen that his
Row, under circumstances so dissimilar, any wallet , Majesty th King came to the Throne about the
could be attempted to be drawn,. surprised firm.—' middle, of the memorable.seven years war; at 'a time
Looking to all the existing circumstances, Could any .1 when there.was fire times more foreign correspond-
one say that it wouldbe poesible.fo; a onarch of ence than any ofethe present Mluistere.would utuldr-
this cooutty to discharge. all the manilla. laleenr which;.take.to manage.; yet he had contrived to 'perform all
would be uecessary, without some assistance Of this i his duties-withoelthe aid of any private secretary,.''
kind ? He was confident-that if hiseltbyatiligliness ; down to the moment when nature had rendered COL
should determine to give up his mirrd 'from morn- L.Taylor necessary: If therOwere to be. 'such in .of-
iug till night, not on the great contemplative and. freer, then it would-be.rfor Paellament to &fins the
dignified business of the Governments OUt to duties, rant the' ' 41 t o impose a:proper ' responsibility. Tilt
lower toil of it priTate Seereteryrto thaper, 1*31114 : wit itbeetintely smaileiti- For ARO the eienesquescep I

.. . . . . .
A Prince might come to the Throne who wits not of
, such mature years as the Prinee Regent ; pbssiblyti.
woman; and possibly one who was bowed down
by YarTuus calamities ; and .ender such circum-
stances, would not this private -secretary have
some influence.? Would not the Sovereign be inclined
to rest on this private secretary's advice? it was not
in the nature .of things that such an officer could be
without the highest influence of any person, in the
State! An influence? too, of which neither the law'
Inor Parliament could lay any hold.--[Hear!]—
cNiu h had been said at various •times /- as well as on
4
ithe present evening, about interior and exterior Cu.
binets; but the Right Hon. Gentleman (Mr. Perce-
-1 val) bad called all that had been said on such a subject
a kind of.cant ! lie.had said that it was a kind of cant
constantly used by the Opposition, by those pergous
! who were not now in office, bht wished to get into
office. That might have been thrlariguage of Oppo-
.sitiOn at various times, but could either the Chan,
cellor of the Exchequer, or any man conversant with
r the history of the Jast fifty years, say that there had
!not been such things ?—[l fear, hear!]—Every one'
knew, as did the Right lion. Gentleman (Mr. Per-
cival) in .particular, that there had been exterior and
;With's' Government--exterior and interior Cabi-
nets? As to the new office, it was one that
was . pregnant with evil ; and though the Chan-
! rellor. of the Eteheqirer had endeavoured to treat
' the' motion with much levity, yet lie- felt con-
: vineed, that the Bight lion. Gentleman,' in his own
' Mind; did not think lightly of. it. The Noble Lord
;(Castlereagh),. in expatiathig 'ow the great necessity
for such an officer,. had 'not confined hiinself to a
il mere- statement of-the velief . which the Sovereign
; - would derive from his.assistanse; .but , had •Initgiiiiied
i the accumulation of businest.and capers to such 'Hick,:
. teal, that the House walled to,imag,ine that hit Royal
i
j Highness was nearly 84"ocafed under their weight.;
Or, to use his own words, that "- he could hanky get
!from under them:" . if this were the case; he
could trot help lamenting, from motives of, humani.
ity, the appointment of his, lion: Friend (Colonel
j Wlllahon' for whose private character.' he entertain::
ed the highest respect) to thy. situation ; 'for: 'as he
was nut a Hercti/ea in .strength, he was fearful he
I would sink : u titter the task.=[A taughl= -He. bad
heard of a lap-dog, or a cat, being drowned ih abowl
1 of_milk, and should not now be .surprised to hear;
i that Colonel M'Alahon was:suffocated under the
j reanp of Officiarpapers, which, from his new 'offiCial
;,situation, wotild be confided. to his tharga.-[ Loud
ksughter.]-1n ctioclusion, fie again urged the neees-
„sity of having the nature *of the situation
.properlr
defined, in order that it might be underitood by the
country, before k met-:the tipprobation of the House/ 1 .
with which feeling he declared his intention to vote!
; for the motion of his lion. 'Friend: if tharwas corn-
i plied with, it would be then time-, to consider what
: further steps were to be pursued.
I" Mr. Secretary RYDER observed; that the; more 1
' the' House heard of this business the more. tbei!
must feet surprised that his Honourable Friend (Mr. i
Wynne), after reflection, had peraiited in his mo-
tion. lie was anxious to rescue. his Right
.Hon.
Friend (the Chancellor of the Eacheiinerj frog
that species of misconstruction whiclt.had been too
frequently practised on the opposite .side of the
`Honso—he alluded to the assertion made by. the
Right Hon. Gentleman who had spOken last, that
his Right lionourableyriend had, invented a speech
in order to have an opportunity of answering it.—
[hear, law:- !]—The only proof of this invention
which had been adduced was a statement that his
Honourable Friend had imputed to the gentleman
isii the other side of the House, the use of the words
" illegal •-and uticonsti;utional," when no such
words had been uttered. lie admitted that his
Honourable Friend had made use of the words ille-
gal--(The Chancellor of the Exchequer here cried,
Nu!)—His Honourable Friend had said, No—
! [Langhter.]--lle apprehended he was correct—but
whether it was illegal or ugonstitutional was the
same thing ; for that which was unconstitutional lie
' conceived would be deemed illegal.—[Hear!]—lle
, did not, however, believe that one constitutional prin-
t ciple had beet( yielated by the appointment in ques-
t tion. If his' Majesty had not been afflicted, not-
; Withstanding. all ' the advantages he possessed, from
the immense accumulation of business, since the year
, 1803,- it would have been impossible for him to have
I keinted his functions without that species of accom-
imOdation which bad been afforded. his Royal MP-
ness the Prince Regenti by the appOintment of 'Col.
.
I lkl‘Maline. . . . _
t Mr. LAMBE contended, that unless the leading
principles of the Constitution were to be overlooked
ii and forgotten, then they ought to accede to the mo-
tion before them. The appointment ought to be ex-
-1 amined, and if improper, as doubtless le was, it
' ought to be recerieci. As to the appointment of Col.
i'Taylor, it was a" matter of necessity ; it was as) evil
i from Which they could not sid themselves ; but when
1 tge, necessity ceased the appointment ought to be made.
to cease also. lie had heard ,much acrimony,. but lie ,
' had not heard any of the cesservations of the lion.
: Mover (Mr. Wynne) answered'; bht this was indeed
' a proclaimed era of new and incedenioniiin priori-'
pies 1 He hoped all partook of those tine princi-
ples ; but the objections to the office had not bpen•
. answered. As to ttss ncrease of Public business,
i • that ought to fall on the public officers ; ink
where was the necessity coircreatiog a Minister be-;1
tween. a Minister and the. Sovereign-6f increas-,
1 ing the delays of offices ? This new officer necessa-
rily must have a great deal -Ofinfluenc,e, an Win--
ence that might be pregnant With the greateit mis-.
I chief and danger. He 'int ',peaking to a Britiali
' !louse of Commons, ivhVmust soon answer for their•.
conduct to those whom they represented. The' new,
officer was of such a description that. he might,. in:
fact, become the King. The relgning. Monarth migkti
. be of ihdolett or of studious habits, winch weed
make him averse from public business, anti' be inigfit,
leave every thing to his Private*cietary. There wasp.
the danger—it was that which made 'it an infringe.'
meet upon the Constitution ; and he could nut Put,
remark, that among the bad sight -of the Igoe*.
times was, -that mach apathy witisertScud in The 417
cussion of all'Coestititiosnil points. • On Pectiniery:
subjects they_ evinced ahe grakkes sensibility; bot
when .Consfitwtional pw4tOsine before them, they
. displayed nothing but/p ; ~ llit trusted the 400-1
field atonldlienccedecipi:
... -i - . 4. ..::
Jhft: -CALORAFT• gollitgatiniii that• the% was ;to
, ,