Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1817-04-15

said thus, he need moi state that he did
not purpose, at present, TO cater into par
ticulars. He would refrain from all rcfe-
renee 10 any Interior proceeding, and re-
commend that nothing should be said or
done until the report of the committee
should be laid before the house. All
that he had TO request III the mean time
was, that their iordships would abstain
from making up their minds until the
whole subject should be investigated. AS
TO the course To be afterwards adopted-as
to the necessity or expcdIency of any ul-
terror proceedings, on that head he would
pot say a word, and all he asked of their
lordslips was, TO suspend their opinions
and judgments until the report should be
made. There was only one other point
to which he felt il his duty to call tlieat-
tention of their lordships, as 1t was mate
rial that it should be noticed. The atrO-
eious outrage lately committed against
the Prince Regent was certainly regarded
with The utmost horror and rvprobaiion
by an overwhelming majority of the nati-
OH and he felt II his duty 10 state, that
the present communication was not at all
connected with that outrage. Though
that atrocIous, tlfat horrld outrage against
the royvldignity had moi been committed,
his Royal HighneSs's advisers, with the
still feitit their indispensable duty TO have
brought forward this proceeding, origina-
ting ina message from tic Prince Regent,
To he followed by reference of the pa
pers 10 a committee of secrecy. lie mo-
we'd, therefore, that an humble address
be presented TO his Royal Highness the
Prince Regent, thanking him for his graz
cious communication, and 10 assure his
RoNa Highness that their lordships would
proceed to take the papers laid on the TIA
hie, and referred To- In his Royal lllghness's
message, into their immediate and serious
consideration.
Earl GroSvenor rose, not 10 object TO
the motion, which, it had been justly Oh
served, was put into such shape, that ii
could not be reasonably opposed, but
merely TO say, that this was Il most ire
mendous charge against d majority, or
Il large proportion of the people OF this
nation, and one which he hoped could not
be sustained. But, after the communica-
ton that had been made 30 them from his
Royal iIighness, by the advice OF his M
iIi"Ters, they must 20 INTO tie committee.
Ofthis, however he WAS convinced. that
these meetings and combinations, II they
did exist, were mainly provoked by the
conduct of these ministers themselves,
who had set their faces against economy
and retrenchment, and every species Of
retnrin whatever.
Lord Holland said, he had no objection
10 make to tie address proposed by thano-
BILE viscount, or 10 the further course OF
proceeding, nor did he conceive that any
objection could be made in The present
stage of the proceeding. He could not,
however, but deeply regret that any such
communication should have been deem
Ell necessary, particularly al a moment
like the present, when the greatest dis
tress unhappiiy SO generally prevailed, 81
which must, in its nature, give rise To
feelings that it would be much wiser To
soothe than 10 irritate. Ii was but the
preceding day that Il petition was presen-
tedto the house, from an individual. com
planning of q gross violation OF Justice.
The house rejected the petition, and he
Thought very properly, on the ground that
it had no jurisdiction, and lhat the ord-
nary course of the law was sufficient for
the grievance. In fairness and Justice,
however, let the same argument be APP
Piled equally to power and the powerless; !
lei il be fully asccrtaIned that the ordina-
~ laws had been found insufficient, be- |
fore they were called upon to resort to a |
ny extraordinary measure. 1t seemed 10 |
him, that the People, in all that had for !
some time past occurred, had displayed |
4 reyerence and a regard for the constitu- |
ton, desire for constitutional remedies, |
and an anxiety that relief should be aifor |
ded them by Parliament, though ii would |
not perhaps be found that Parliament |
could, SO readily as they imagined, disco
yer an eifectual remedy for the present at. |
tiicting distress. But, with all this evident |
regard for the constitution, with all this |
desire for the interference of Parliament, |
ministers had chosen moi TO assemble H. r
Lament until a very late period. fiewoud !
bring to the enquiry, on this subject, the !
most unbiased impariiality thai was in
his power, but he could not help premis- /
ing, that he trusted it would not be found |
to infringe, I'D the slightest degree, upon |
The liberties of the People. For any such |
measure, il was time the most umfortu-
nate that could be imagined, a period
whenn danger existed from without, and
when a considerable irritation on the part
OF Il considerable portion ofthe People,
might he Justly ascribed to the distress
winch unhappiy too generally prevail
ed.
The Earl of Liverpool. Heidi not think
it necessary to trouble their lordships
with more than very few words in the
present stage of this proceeding, as both
the noble lords who had spoken before
agreed, that there could be no objection |
10 the course now recommended, Whatey-
er IT might be thought expcdent to do !
when the committee shouldhaye made IFS |
Il Il. 4