HOUSE OF COMMONS.

JANUARY 24.

o'clock,

Mr. Powys rofe; he faid, that the scene of confufion, to which he had been last night a witness, had fo haunted his mind, that it had rever been a moment abfent from it fince. He had been ever fince filled with the melancholy idea of the fatal confequences that might be apprehended from the temper and difpofition which feemed to prevail in the houfe. He turned his fincere thanks to all thofe members who used their best endeavours to keep the houfe from proceeding to any bufinefs, at a moment when the members appeared to be too much agitated to debate with temper. He declared, that in what he wished to fay, he was not at all influenced by any previous concert with the right honourable member at the head of the treasury: he was proud to boast of his friendship with that right honourable gentle man; but he hoped that the houfe would beheve him, when he affured them he was above any double dealing. He was determined to act according to what he should conceive to be the advantage of the country; but before he hould proceed, he wished to put a question to the right honourable the chancellor of the exexchequer, and by the answer which he should receive, he fhould be determined whether or not he should make a motion, which, at that moment, he had in contemplation. If the right honourable gentleman should not give any anfwer at all, he would not conftrue his filence into disrespect; but he should conftrue it to mean, that he did not think it proper to give an answer to it; however, in the prefent alarming fituation of affairs, he thought it his duty to put his question, and to call for an aniwer to it: the question, therefore, to which he wished to have an an.wer was, whether that houfe might expect to be in exiftence, and to meet again on Monday next? He did not, as the right honourable member might fee, call for an anfwer that might proclaim to the public the fecrets of the crown, which, as a mifer, the right honourable gentleman was bound to conceal; he wished fimply to know from him, whether, on Monday next, the kute might expect to meet again, in order to proceed to business?

The Chancellor of the Exchequer faid, that he had laid down to himfelf a rule, from which he did not think he ought in duty to depart, which was, that he ought not to pledge himself to the house, that in any poffible fituation of affairs, he would not advise his majesty to diffolve the parliament; however, as the honourEUROP, MAG.

Monday next.

Mr. Powis faid, that with this answer, as far as it went, he was perfectly fatisfied he had applied to the minifter, and he had given him a plain, an unequivocal anfwer. He confefied that the only fubject which had alarmed him this day was a diffolution of parliament; an event which the pledge of the right honour able gentleman had, for the moment, taught him not to apprehend; he would therefore not. prefs him further upon that point, and he would not make that motion which he came down, determined to make; and therefore he would make another motion, which he hoped would produce a ceffation of hoftilities, and be the means of bringing gentlemen to reflect with temper on the importance of the prefent fituation: for this purpofe he moved, that the houfe do now adjourn."

The Hon. Charles Marfham feconded the motion, which was put, and carried.

FEBRUARY 2.

Mr. Grosvenor, the chairman of the St. Alban's meeting of country Gentlemen, role about four o'clock, and stated to the house the motives of his conduct. It was an object which he confeffed to have much at heart He was forry the wished for conclufion of the meeting was not more within view than he had authority to say it was. No man, he trufted, would imagine he could have any other motives in the business than what arole from a very honest regard for the good of the public. He confeffed himself, however, not a little interested in the fuccefs of the task in which they were engaged. His fortune, his friends, and the welfare of pofterity, were powerful arguments with him to perfevere in accomplishing a general and cordial union on the principle of true patriotifm, among the feveral parties who now divided the members of this houfe and the public. He profefled much refpect for both parties, and was only folicitous to fee their talents, their influence, and their friends, in one great object. He would not longer encroach on the patience of the houfe, but fubmit a motion to their confideration, which had been already fhewn to several and approved. He could therefore read it to the houfe with the greater confidence, that he hoped in their unanimous concurience, to the following purpofe, if not the very words "It is the refolution of this house, that the prefent arduous circumftances of the country require a firm, efficient, ex.ended, and united

It was

admini

Mr. Cook rofe, and ftated, that as the late motion had obtained the confent of the houfe, fomething was abfolutely neceffary to be done to remove obftructions to that union, which had been judged fo necefiary to the intereft and profperity of the country. He regretted very incerely that minifters had trifled with the pa'tience, and had even infulted the moderation of the houfe. From the friendly interpofitions of the independent members, he had entertained the most flattering hopes of coalition. Thefe, however, had vanithed, and matters fill continued in that fullen and obftinate posture in which they had retted previous to the mediation of that very refpectable body of men. He was intrufted for the good of the country He regretted the prevention of public bufinefs He felt for the honour of the house-Whattever others might think of the measures and maneuvres of parties, he thought fomething abfolutely neceffary to be done for the reftoration of public tranquillity, and in affertion and vindication of their own infufted honour. He wished, however, in the formation and adoption of fuch measures, to regulate his conduct by the principles of moderation. Thefe bestowed moft dignity on public procedure, and were most likely to render the decifions of the houfe in the recovery of its own dignity refpectable. In this view, and with fuch motives, he would fubmit to the confideration of the houfe the following motion, viz.

"That the continuation in office of the prefent adminiftration is an obstacle to that union which is neceffary to conciliate the confidence of the houfe, and of the public." The motion being feconded,

Sir Jofeph Mabey urged his objections to it with much ardour, and with much vehemence. He confidered the adoption of it as adverfe to the fentiments of the people at large, and as opening a door for the admiffion of an ld administration, whofe formation he had uniformly reprobated.

Mr. Hemet begged that the gentleman who had made the notion might reconfider it, and withdraw it at least for the prefent. It appeared to him to put that union, which feemed to be fo ardently defired, which was the wifh of the houfe, and the inclination of all parties, at a greater diftance, and to widen the breach between the oppofing parties.

Mr. Cook faid, that he had expreffed his averfion and his reluctancies as ftrong as any perfon poffibly could do in the fubmiffion of 'his motion to the houfe. He however faw no

other method than the one he had stated, that was calculated to produce a decifive effect. Till this was done, he muft think it his duty

to perfift in recommending the motion on the table to the difcuflion of the house.

Mr. Fox was of the fame opinion.

Mr. H. Dundas called the attention of the houfe to the nature and circumftances of the prefent motion. He hoped gentlemen would not be betrayed into an adoption of the motion by its femblance of moderation, or by those falfe, though plaufible expediencies under which it was recommended. Much has been faid of a want of confidence in the prefent adminiftration. But I will affert, (faid he) that how little they may poffefs the confidence of the houfe, and how far it has expressed its diftraft in them by its late resolutions, they ftill participate the regards and the confidences of the nation. I appeal to the people on this point. I dwell not on addrefies from this county or the other county, from this borough or the other borough.

Mr. Fox was happy to find that the learned gentleman who had spoke laft, had of late become fo attentive to the fentiments of his conftituents, and of the elective body of this kingdom. Time was when he had afferted that the voice of the people was no where to be heard but within these walls; and that was the period when the table was loaded with petitions to the houte from all parts of this kingdom.

The propofition before the house is no ab. Atract maxim feparate from its former refolutions. It is on the contrary connected with, and is a confequence of them. Thofe, there fore, who have voted for the one are bound and engaged to vote for the other; and thofe who feparate their affent to the one after hav ing given their concurrence to the other, fell and betray the dignity, the honour, and the reputation of the house.

It is a maxim in all well regulated governments that a period fhould be put as foon as poffible to civil diftractions. But how are the diftractions of the prefent times and of this country to be remedied? A middle way of accommodation has been defired. I know no middle way of accommodation but this, that minifters defcend from their fi uation, that they refign their offices, and ceafe any longer to defy the maxims of their ancestors, and to infult the dignity of the house.

Attacks have been made on my popularity. My invafion of chartered rights has been held up as a ftalking horfe to the public. I have been charged with ambition. But on what grounds have thefe accufations been establish ed? Have I ever fet myself in defiance to this houfe? Have I ever fought power through the means of bafe corruption, or dark intrigue? No; my ambition has ever raifed me above fuch modes of preferment. I have never facrificed my principle to my popularity, nor to my ambition. I have ever acted openly and fairly. I would rather be rejected, reprobated, and profcribed: I would rather be an outcast of men in power, and the follower of the most

infignifi

Mr. Coke (of Norfolk) faid, that the houfe having come to the refolution which he had had the honour to propofe, it might have been expected that minifters would have fhewn refpect enough to the folemn opinion of the Commons of England, to have retired from a fituation where they could no longer exit without injury to the country. But as they had not chofen to take the ftep which he thought their honour required, it became the houfe for their character to take fuch further measures as fhould be neceffary to give effect to their refolution. The ftep which he propofed to the houfe was, that the refolution to which they' had come yesterday fhould be humbly laid before his Majefty. Having ordered the refolution to be read, he concluded with making his motion, and he trufted, he faid, that this would fuperfede the neceffity of coming to the stronger and lefs pleafant meafure of an addrefs to the Throne.

Mr. Duncombe faid, that an addrefs to the Crown would have pleafed him better than the prefent measure, for it would have been more manly and more direct. It would have been more becoming the character of the House of Commons; it would have thrown off their dif guife, and fhewn the end at which they aimed. He had diffented from all the refolutions which had been lately paffed, from the conviction in his breaft that they were violent and unjuft. Having objected to them in the progrefs, he thould continue the fame courfe, for he faw no reason that, because the houfe had come to certain refolutions, he should be bound by them to conclufions of which he difapproved.

Lord J. Cavendish was ftrenuous for the motion, thinking it the moft appofite and delicate which the houfe, in its prefent circumftances, could poffibly adopt.

Lord Mulgrave reprobated the motion as not by any means calculated to produce the object to which it pointed, and for the attain ment of which it feemed principally defigned.

Sir W. D ben faw no neceffity for a refignation of minifters previous to coalition; and thought that a conference would be exceedingly proper for the formation and existence of fo defirable an object.

Mr. Solicitor General complained of the afperities thrown on his right hon. friend (the Chancellor of the Exchequer.) It had been alledged in the course of last night's debate by one member, that his reputation was fullied; by another he had been compared to the Duke of Buckingham. He thought thefe infinuations as inimical to union as they were inapplicable to his friend.

Allufions had been made to the infamies of his right hon. friend's retirement from office. Suppofe them to be as dreadful as can be figured; fuppofe him even going out with that rope about his neck to which reference has been made-would the hon. gentleman over the way (Mr. Fox) venture to take hold of that rope, and lead him by it through the Areets of London? He was fufpicious, that if he attempted fo unwife a fcheme, he would foon find the rope moved from the neck of the right hon. gentleman, and placed as an ornament of derifion about his own.

After reprobating the motion with much feverity, he faid he would move an amendment on it, which was that the following words be fubjoined to it, viz.

"Though after a long and full examination of the ftate of the nation, no charge has been either brought or proved against micifters, notwithstanding it has been by them repeatedly called for."

Mr. Powys, Mr. Banks, and Mr. Mansfield concluded the debate, when the amendment being rejected without a divifion, the house divided on the original motion, For it Againft

A

HOUSE

FEBR

211

187

Majority 24

OF LORD S.

YBRUARY 4.

BOUT half past four the Earl of Effing

ham rofe, and put their lordships in mind of the intimation which he had given the day before. The fubject appeared to him as of the utmost importance to the independence of parliament, the tranquillity of the public, and the prerogatives of the crown. Under this view of the matter, he had long deliberated with himfelf whether this houfe could with propriety be filent while the other houfe went on fo rapidly in its movements. Satisfied at the fame time of his utter inability to do any thing like fubftantial justice to a point, in a proper conception of which fo many of the most invaluable principles of the conftitution were involved, he had given intimation of what he wished fome of their lordships would do, that fuch of them as were helt qualified and prepared might have faved the hurt which a' cause so noble, fo neceffary, and fo interefting, would undoubtedly derive from so poor an advocate. The duty, however arduous and preffing it was, had undoubtedly fallen to his hare.

He

He would do it to the best that was in his power. Their lordships could not be inattentive to the temper of the times, and the spirit which had lately prevailed in the houfe of commons. He wished he could speak of the complex business now under difcuffion with temper, with calmness, and moderation. This he was ftudious to preferve, as it might be a means of doing much good, and preventing not a little mifchief. The point to be explained and exhibited materially affected individuals, fo far at least as any thing conftitutional could affect them; but he trusted their lordships would not forget the dignity they owed to their rank, the houfe, and the conftitution. Confident of meeting the peers of the realm in this difpofition, he had a propofition to fubmit to the houfe,which he hoped would not only be thought decent, feasonable, and neceffary, but highly becoming the house, in the prefent very critical and arduous circumftances. Here his lordship fated an act the twenty-first year of his Majesty's reign, which, for the benefit of the EaftIndia company, authorifed the Lords of the treafury to accept their bills to a certain amount. The houfe of commons, apprehending particular abufes to which this power might be in their opinion liable, puts a negative on their conduct in that particular, or, which is the fame thing, interferes by a vote of the house. He would not take any notice of the language fed by those who had chiefly promoted the meafare. He thought it derogatory to the whole legislature. It was in his mind a most direct and premeditated infult both on his majefty and the houfe of lords.

His lordship would not therefore take up any more of their lordships time, but fimply move, "That an attempt in any one branch of the legislature to fufpend the execution of law, by feparately affuming to itself the direction of a difcretionary power, which by act of parliament is vested in any body of men, to be exercifed in fuch a manner as they fhall judge expedient, is unconftitutional.

"That according to the known principles of this excellent conftitution, the undoubted authority of appointing to the great offices of executive government is folely vefted in his Teajefty; and that this houfe has every reafon to place the firmeft reliance in his majesty's wifdom in the exercife of this prerogative."

Having read thefe refolutions to the houfe, he propofed, fhould they be adopted, which he hoped would be the cafe, to move alfo an addrefs, founded on the fecond refolution. He then moved the first refolution.

Earl Fitzwilliam, after anfwering every thing material which had fallen from the former fpeaker, adverted to the fituation of this country under the prefent minifters. He knew he should be understood in afferting, that the fervants of the crown had no precedent for retaining their fituation in the face of a majority of the houfe of commons; that their mode of acquiring power was the only counterpart to their fyftem of continuing in it against the voice

of that house and the public. Much as had been faid about public confidence, his lordship doubted it extremely. It would in his opinion have been strange indeed, if the first commiffioner of the treafury had not still some share of popularity, He would take upon him to fay, that thofe very circumstances which were most incompatible with his official fituation, were at the fame time calculated not a little to command a general fuffrage. His youth, his inexperience, his predeliction for court, and feclufion from thofe focial circles where his equals in rank and fortune and years commonly refort, are facts which always will have their weight in this 'country, and with all the world. But furely thefe, however valuable in an individual, and whatever applause they were calculated to excite, were not the qualities chiefly wanted in the first minister of a great and refpectable state. What might create a very confiderable reputation for a private gentleman, under certain circumftances, would render this great officer's fituation infignificant and ineffectual. What then has he yet done to give him a distinction fo eminent and fingular? Under what afpect does he appear to fill this important and busy fphere with fuperior ability and wifdom? Trace his whole political conduct from the beginning, and try it by this rule. Where are the great and meritorious things he has yet done for which he has been fo highly and ftrangely railed? His age, his parliamentary exiftence, prevent our appealing › to any thing atchieved by him, which could give him any title or claim to fo eminent a diftinction.

The right hon. gentleman had been in office before now. That inglorious peace which he had atchieved for this unfortunate country, parliament condemned and cenfured; and then

it was feen what had been done in office. Could it be forgotten by their lordships in what a state of confufion his particular department was at that time left? What fingle plan of taxation, or finance, or reform, relating to any department of ftate, did he produce during the few months he continued chancellor of the exchequer? What proofs were then made by him of a mind full of such refources as our exigencies required? What fingle vettige of genius, of attention to our trade with the colonies, of our connections with foreign courts, of encouraging our manufacturers at home, or affifting the extenfion of commerce abroad, were to be found in the respective office of the right hon. gentleman? One would expect to have found in the firit minister of a great empire, other qualities than thofe of a doubtful or indeter mina e merit.

From this diffection of character he paffed to the refolutions, which he negatived in strong terms, as exprefsly calculated to breed a variance between the two houfes of parliament.. For his own part not one folid reafon had come to his ear or his imagination, which could render the prefent motion neceffary. He was therefore ready to negative the refolutions on

the