The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1805-06-28

| Mr.. Sheridan adverted TO IT,. ,ardy opinion
wbch he faid the attorney general had given;
the fo.icitor genera, and an hon. Judge oppo!i,e
had rs yet remained Elcnt. But he rccolleeted
That when the principal members of the South
SSa company had been hrit examined before a
committee ofthat houEe, that projections were
commenced, and tina; fOme members had been
lexr.'isdi that houfe in coufrGuepce OF the part
which they had taken in that tran!aStion.
| There was an additional Object TO be gained by
ar examinationbefore committeeOf that houte,
that they could order the accounts OF Meiirs.
Couis and Co. or Me(lrs. ,Drnmmonds to be pro-
duced,, and they would not dare to refuie them.
The chancellor of the excheqner explained.
Mr.. Fuller reminded the Houie, that an hon.
member under The gallery (Sir J. c. Hppeley,
he i,rned 20 alute to- had Caid that he coul,
prove THAI the mot magnificent cdi6ces. and
the mott fuPerb palaces, had been RATED out
ct 1901. year. In fuch cafe he fhould be
aiha'ned to belong TO any party, but he thought
1t his duty To recommend further inquiry into
fnch buhneis. q great deal had been faid a.
bout the propriety OF perions anfwerins to qnef-
tons which lnight lead TO crimiDate themf-ives.
He knew, without poileihng at the fame tine a
ny knowledge OF the regular forms OF law, that
1t had been the uniform practice of every villain
at the old Bailey, for thcic 100 years palt, to
lay, O Lord, mutt not aniwer that QueAi-
on, bscaute it may lead To- convf myfeIfp'
But in honorable iocirty. what would be laid
! to gentleman who would aniwer in this man
nei On the other hand, ifa perion in office
did honeitly contefs that he had miCppled the
public money, but would prove that re had not
done 10 toenrch himfeIf, the generotity of that
houGe, and of Engliihmen in general WAS iuch,
that he might be certain of being free from any
further proiecuiion.
Mr.. Fox obierved, that the approximations of
committee to be appointed for the ;,nrpofe Of
inquiring into lord Melville's conduit fat heavy
on the minds Of all Lord Melville's friends,
The attorney general bad even gone 10 far AS 10
fay, in effect, that nothing could be gained by
proceeding at law, if he underfood him right,
and yet he bad recommended to the houic Il, a.
dopt that mode of proceeding. He had iaid
THAI, If ,he guilty participation was not traced
nome to Lord Melville, we could no, recover
from him !; but, in civil action, of what cor:
fequence was that. 10 as he was able &, recover
The fun ftated for his client !? 1t might be pro-
per ia legal isnie 70 lay that a man had right
torefute giving an anfwcrto his employers, as
the representatives oft!re people whom thew
ierved undoubtedly were? But it was alto
right that they i;lould do their duty, and take
care that !uch pertons ihould never It any fin.
tnre period have an opportunity of njurine their
confituents.
M. Canning faid, that if one mode was A.
dopted, there mutt be pledge that the other
!houd be abandoned. IF it was ,faid that great
iums of money had been loft by the public.
the mott certain means of recovering thoe fnis,
was by legal proceis. He fuppofsd the no.
nourabie gentleman had only changed his
mode with the hopes of gaining few fray
votes.
The ioEtitor general was of opinion, that all
the evidence which was defired to be bro't for
ward, could be as well enforced in a court of
law AS in omnittee Of the Houfe
MIR. Fonolanque Rated, that whatever might
be the practice IN the particular court to which
the honourable and learned gentleman AL
iuded, 1t was not 10 III that which he pra6tfed
in. -
Mr.. Whitbread relied on the cont.ad aions.
which had been given TO the opinion of the
crown lawyers, by fuch respectable perfons in
their profeffions,. as his honourable friends (Mr
Sergeant Bsf, Mr.. Ponfonby, and Mr.. Fon.
b!anGue) If be got any fray votes, it would
be, PERHAPS, that OF the right hon, gentleman
himie!f (Mr Canning) which it was not ufual
for him TO have.
The houfe then divided-For the amendment
220--For Mr.. Withdrawals motion I5I--rn,;o-
rity7I
MIR. Whitbread then faid that he held in his
hano l'lt or members whom he meant to pro-
pole to the confederation of the houfe, as fit
fubje6 fhould be referred. 1t was of the utmoft
Importance that this committee G,ould con-
eft of pcrfons whole charaS Ser for talents. indie.
pendence and integrity, Giould give confidence
to the country, and he was fure that no ob;etti
on would DC made to any one OF the names that
he held in his hand. they were feleaed with
out confederation TO party, from both 6des of
the houfe.
DE read over the names as follows:
MIR. Baker Lord Arch. Hamilton
Mr.. Banks Mr.. Madocks
Mr. Blackburn Lord Markham
MIR. N. Calvert Hon. +. LaiceIles
Hon. 5. CowPer Sir ]. Wretteiley
Mr.. Creevey Sir Robert Peel
Mr.. PIerrepoint Lord Henry Petty
Hon. John Fame Mr.. Sheridan
Sir John Newport Mr.. Whitbread
Lord Folkitone Lord K. Spencer
Z. Gregor, efq.
and concluded with moving the firff name
William Baker, efq. member for the county of
HEREFORD
The Chancellor of the Excheouer Objected
this mode az naming the committee and mo-
we'd as an amendment, that the committee
!houid BE- chofep by gafIot.
Mr.. Fox exprefed his afonifment, that on
a fubj<6t offuch momtnt the Right Son sen
z a IL. r