Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1807-06-20

him behind the bar. The speaker
came precisely at five minutes past 8
O'Clock, and the deputy usher then re4
tired TO the outside of the door.----
PRAYERS being read as usual, the spea-
ker immediately proceeded to count
the house, but, before he had counted
four, the deputy usher knocked at the
door and entered. The speaker i'm
mediately took the chair, the black
rod, according TO parliamentary usage
dispensing with the necessity of the
usual numbers requisite to form a
house. The deputy usher then in the
usual form summoned the house to
l4he house Of peers, to hear the COM
mission for Propagation read. The
speaker, attended by most of the
members present, proceeded to the
house OF Peers. He returned in about
twenty minutes, read the speech at the
table, according to the usual custom
and retired.
Thus terminated in manner pc.
! cE!iarly abrupt and unexpected, after
setting four months and eight days,
the first and only session of the third
parliament OF the United Kingdom of
Great Britain and Ireland.
April 28...Ve are enabled from
personal observation, TO furnish our
readers with the clue to all this man.
agement, to many of whom il would
otherwise be unintclligible. The f.
nance committee ~ Of 49,. .a,-Jo., 7
had prepared report TO be submitted
to the house. The members of the
committee were in the house, and one
! OF them, Mr. Giles, In the absence of
Mr.. bankes, the chairman was wait
ing below the bar to present the re-
port. That consistent with the usa-
ges of the house, could not be done
until the speaker nad taken the chair.
i While he was going through the ne
! cessary ceremony of counting the
house, to ascertain if forty members
were present, the usher Of the black
rod, who, rs we have stated, was in
attendance at the door during the time
Of prayers, Knocked, and being intro
duced, summoned the house to the
house of peers. The manoeuvre has
succeeded to a certain extent. 1t has
prevented the formal presentment of
the report, and consequently all posi-
biity OF its becoming, as such, sub
Jeet OF parliamentary discussion.
The Report, as we understand,
states in substance, that a sum of
19,aooL had been applied by late
Pay master of the Forces TO his own
use, and that the fact came to the
knowledge of his Colleague, who did
not give any direction to his clerks
on the subject. 1t also states, that
the Committee had discovered other
and great abuses in the public money
concerns on which they should short
ly proceed to report. This, accord
ing to the rumors which were circu-
lated yesterday in both Houses, is
supposed to allude to farther disco
very OF public plumber, an enquiry in
to which would have involved person.
ages highin station and in Office.
his however, we trust, is but a
temporary escape from detection and
disgrace. Parliament must meet a.
gain before the 5th Of July, as the
whole of the annual act relating to the
Irish Customs, expire on that dav.
To re-enact these, the Legislature
must be re-assembled. We should
think poorly indeed of the virtue of
our countrymen, if some Member
should not be found in the next Par
Lament, with spirit and patriotism e.
nough TO seize the first opportunity
that should offer, Of making such NAL
versations the subject of public dis
cussiOn.
The writs FOR the General Election
were, we understand, issued from the
Crown Office this day at noon. The
proclamation for dissolvinr Parlia.
ment will appear in this nights Ca
I 2ette.
OF TURKEY.
Government are in hourly expec-
tation Of the arrival of dispatches
from Adml. Duckworth. There is a
mystery in his proceedings before
/ Constantipople, which must continue
inexplicable until they arrive. He
was furnished with ample means of
/ DESTROYING the town his instruct;ors