Majesty on oath, he ought to be enabled to ascertain the fact, and it could be ascertained by another inquiry, where Dr. Warren might be uncased to the eyes of mankind, and exposed to the contempt and ignominy which he deserved, if the imputation were true. Mr. Burke concluded with remarking, that a sudden cry was more eloquent than any composition of words, because the genuine sentiment of the soul betrayed itself in involuntary exclamations, while words were frequently used for the purpose of concealing men's feelings, and of exhibiting a false colour for their conduct to the eyes of mankind. of the physicians, before they proceeded | unfounded opinion of the situation of his to restore the government to its due tone. All he wished was, that proper steps might be taken for that purpose, without any farther delay; nor could he conceive that it was necessary at that moment to institute another inquiry, as to the present state of his Majesty's health. They had resolved that his Majesty was incapable of any public business, and having proceeded thus far, it was their duty to lose no time in providing for the exercise of the sovereign authority thereby interrupted. With that view he had already voted for one of the resolutions proposed by the right hon. gentleman. With regard to the Regency, he had made up his mind upon the subject, and was ready to state his opinion whenever it should be properly under their consideration. He would only say, that when a bill, which he conceived it would be necessary to pass on the occasion, should be introduced, he Sir James Johnstone said, that the right trusted that proper care would be taken hon. gentleman would prevent them from that the House might receive constant in-going upon the most glorious act that formation of the state of his Majesty's health. Mr. Vansittart asked Mr. Burke the name of the physician whose answers he had read from the Report of the House of Lords, and whether the other physicians agreed with him in the opinion which he had stated. Mr. Burke said, it was the examination of Dr. Warren. Here there was a general cry of Hear! hear! from the treasury side of the House, upon which Mr. Burke asked, were their schemes ripe, that they ventured thus early to betray their sentiments? Were they going to build a weak and miserable machine of government on that foundation of fraud and falsehood and calumny? Were they going to rob the first physician in this country of his character? He called upon them to show how Dr. Warren was likely to have given a false, precipitate, and ill-grounded account of the state of his Majesty's health on oath? By their clamour, they had furnished an unanswerable argument for a fresh inquiry. He knew Dr. Warren, he belonged to a society where the doctor frequently came, had always found him an instructive companion, and had ever heard him considered as a man of learning, great integrity, and honour; but if he were a desperate quack, unskilled in his profession, and daring enough to deceive the House of Lords, and to deliver an ignorant and Mr. Vansittart said, that though the right hon. gentleman had answered one part of his question, he had taken no notice of the other, which was, a desire to know whether the rest of the physicians concurred in the opinion of Dr. Warren. the subjects of a free country could perform, the exercise of their undoubted right to provide a government for themselves, when the natural government was, through accident, or the unfortunate incapacity of his Majesty, no longer able to act. Sir James protested that he spoke his genuine sentiments independently of favour or any motive whatever but a sense of his duty. He had never been at St. James's since the year 1761, nor at Carleton House in his life; but he thought that a man might be a good member of parliament, and do his duty in that House, without either cringing at court, or sacrificing to the rising sun. Besides, how absurd was the expectation of those who wished for a farther inquiry! Was it ever known that two physicians agreed in opinion in the world! It was impossible to make them agree upon any case, and therefore it was idle to expect it; for which reason he advised the House, who were the true physicians of the state, to prescribe for it without farther delay. Lord North said, that as a sudden cry had burst forth, when the name of a physician had been mentioned, to whom he confessed himself greatly indebted, and as that cry might be differently interpreted by those without doors, from its real meaning, he could not avoid rising to do justice to a character, which might be very materially affected, unless some explanation were given. The cry to which he alluded might, like other exclamations of a similar nature, have proceeded merely from the ardor of debate; but, as it could not be recalled, it might be understood, as if the other side of the House had reason to doubt the skill and integrity of Dr. Warren. Now, as be well knew that Dr. Warren was a physician of great learning, great abilities, great honour, and great integrity, for the sake of Dr. Warren's character, which could not be but materially hurt, if an idea should prevail that any part of that House thought him capable of giving false evidence, or disguising the truth when under an examination upon oath, he earnestly wished that any person who had the smallest doubt of his skill and integrity would state what the grounds were, on which he entertained that doubt. It was fair and candid for those who joined in the cry, to rise and justify it. If no one should rise, when thus called upon, he should take the cry to have been nothing more than a sudden burst of zeal for his Majesty's recovery, and that Dr. Warren's skill was acknowledged to be as undoubted, and his integrity as unimpeached, as if no such clamour had prevailed. Mr. Pitt said, that having before explained on what grounds it was that he objected to the motion, and as the greatest part of the debate had consisted either of comments on what had fallen from him or of matter directed personally to him, it would not, he conceived, be considered as any violent infringement of the orders of the House, if he wished to speak a second time. He did not rise for the purpose of making any observations concerning either the character or the skill of Dr. Warren. a physician was generally known and acknowledged; but, with respect to the particular disorder with which his Majesty was afflicted his skill was comparatively little, compared with that of those physicians who had made the disorder their peculiar object of attention and in saying this, he begged the House to understand that he spoke from incontrovertible, undoubted authority; from the authority of Dr. Warren himself, who, in his examination, told them, that he always thought it necessary to call in and consult others more experienced in that species of practice than himself. He repeated, therefore, his objection to any unnecessary delay; but, after the very extraordinary footing upon which what he had before said had been placed, it became, în his mind, unavoidable that some farther inquiry should be gone into. He had already contended that the report gave them ample grounds for proceeding, and then a right hon. gentleman had risen and told the House that they were to consider the probability of his Majesty's recovery to stand exactly as it did four weeks ago, with this difference, that the probability was the more distant, because a month had elapsed since it had been declared. To this opinion he could not accede; but, if the right hon. gentleman thought it a concession, because he did not wish for any farther examination, he was welcome to consider it in such a point of view. To the best of his belief, the very reverse of the right hon. gentleman's inference was the fact: and when he had made such a declaration, in consequence of the predicament in which he stood, he could not be supposed to speak wholly without information, whilst he affirmed, that what he knew induced him to make this suggestion to the House. With regard to their future proceeding, he thought that the grounds afforded by the report of the physicians were ample, and that the two facts to which he had before alluded, were the whole of what he should beg leave to propose to the Committee; but, when he found that, under the pretence of supposing that no alteration had taken place in his Majesty's health in the course of the past month, matters were stated in such a way, as to extort from him what he had just said, and which he had cautiously avoided in his former speech, from a conviction, that the House could not proceed upon private opinions delivered, or encomiums passed by others on particular characters, but must have the grounds of those opinions, and the truth of those encomiums substantiated by an inquiry, he was of necessity compelled to agree to that inquiry. He hoped to be permitted to make some remarks concer ning the situation in which they were discussing the subject. The noble lord over the way had talked of the ardor and warmth common to debate; he was ready to admit, that to debate on political questions, where men were governed by their partiality, (and he meant a laudable partiality to one set of men over another) from a persuasion that their political system was wiser, they might show a degree of ardor, and occasionally betray warmth; but, in the present discussion, there could be no difference of opinion, because there could be but one wish; and, therefore he could much of censure in his lamentation, that he hoped he would have the kindness to be more sparing of his pity, and to leave him out of his lamentations for the future, In answer to Mr. Vansittart's question, whether the other physicians concurred in opinion with Dr. Warren, Mr. Burke read extracts from sir George Baker's examination. He then took notice of Mr. Pitt's observation concerning the tone and em not avoid most seriously lamenting the degree of warmth which had been used, where nothing like violence ought to have characterized their discussion. He could not but feel concern, in particular, that the right hon. gentleman over against him had done himself so much injury, as to have betrayed a degree of warmth which seemed to have arisen from his entertaining wishes different from those of the rest of the House. If the right hon. gentle-phasis with which he had mentioned the man had discovered that the evidence of the House of Commons was not enough to proceed upon and that the report of the Lords was necessary to be recurred to, and if the right hon. gentleman felt the impropriety of delay, was it fair, was it candid, that an argument should be stated on those grounds for farther inquiry, and the report of the House of Lords quoted without once stating to the House, that the report was a report delivered and printed by the House of Lords nearly a month ago? Contrary to his own opinion, as to the necessity, and merely to prevent the House from proceeding to act upon the private opinions of any man, when the grounds of those opinions could be substantiated, he felt himself reduced to the necessity of agreeing to a farther inquiry but the House, he conceived, would institute the inquiry, by a motion more generally expressed than that of the right hon. gentleman, and from motives of delicacy, proceed, as before, by a select committee, who might, he hoped, finish their examination in half a day or little more; and, as the House might content themselves with having the report, which would, he supposed, be short, read, without waiting for its being printed, he hoped they would not lose more than a day or two at farthest. Upon these grounds, he should be happy to withdraw the question of the order of the day, wishing however, that the House might not mistake the principles on which he did so. Mr. Burke answered, that he always thought it necessary to stand upon his guard when the right hon. gentleman undertook his defence. The right hon. gentleman not being able to carry any point by reasoning, had fallen upon his motives, instead of his arguments, well knowing that it was a safer mode of attack, because every man could judge of the justice of the one, though no one could possibly guess at the truth of the other. There, was, however, so much of malice in the right hon. gentleman's compassion, and so circumstance of the Lord's report being a The was weak, and therefore he was forced to raise and exert it; but it did not follow that he was in a passion; he might say, with one of the ancients, who had been charged with being in a passion, "Feel my pulse, and say if it does not beat temperately." When he spoke of a fact, without being ready to adduce any authority for it, then let him be arraigned by the right hon. gentleman, and then let unworthy motives be ascribed to him. He hoped to meet with judges more favourable, than to attempt to criminate him from imputed wishes, when he had argued from authentic information. When he fled from inquiry, then let the right hon. gentleman aim his envenomed shafts at him. He was ready to go into a full and free inquiry at the bar; because there he could do justice to himself, but not in a committee. Let Dr. Warren be placed against another eminent physician, and a keeper of a mad-house, with thirty patients, against the keeper of a mad-house with three hundred, and thus the House would become possessed of well-founded and complete intelligence. Mr. Pulteney was concerned that so much warmth had been shown in the debate. He was desirous of calling back the House to a proper degree of temper, and was against withdrawing the question for the order of the day. He considered that both sides had been drawn from their object merely by warmth, and that they had thence forgotten how much the country was daily suffering by delay. If any man were to say that it was impossible for his Majesty to recover, that would be a ground for farther inquiry; or if any man were to say that his Majesty was capable of executing public business, that also would be a ground for inquiry; but neither of these things were said. Between the two, there might be many shades of difference, but the House had no occasion to meddle with either the one or the other. Mr. Fox rose again and observed, that it did not excite his surprise, when he perceived that the hon. gentleman who spoke last objected to the withdrawing of the question for the order of the day. That hon. gentleman had, he believed, not been a considerable time in this country, and therefore he must be a stranger to the various rumours and reports in circulation. Had he known as much of those reports as he did, the hon. gentleman would, he had no doubt, have thought the proposed inquiry absolutely necessary. With regard to the two propositions that the hon. gentleman referred to, they were nearly the words which he had himself used, on the first day that the subject had been mentioned in that House. He had then said, that all the physicians had declared themselves clearly and decisively of opinion, that his Majesty was incapable of meeting his Parliament, and of doing public business; but that his recovery was probable, though no one of them could say when his recovery was likely to take place. Agreeing, therefore, that his Majesty might recover, and that the probability was that he would recover soon, they must submit, for a short time, to a weak government, or else do an injury to his Majesty when the time should arrive for him to resume his prerogatives. If that were the argument, still he should contend, that it was necessary for them to proceed to learn when his Majesty's recovery was likely to take place; but, for his part, he had not the least doubt of the hopelessness of the case. Mr. Fox added, that, upon the present occasion, he must take notice of what had fallen from the right hon. gentleman over the way, and enter his protest against what would, if continued, inevitably end in putting a stop to all freedom of debate in that House. The right hon. gentleman had talked of warmth, and said it was allowable, when the political interests of parties were at stake, but not at the present juncture; and that therefore his right hon. friend had spoken from his wishes. If such attempts to impute unbecoming motives to members for their arguments, were made, unaccompanied with any one reason in answer to those arguments, it was enough to fire any man with indignation. made no scruple to confess, that he felt equal warmth with his right hon. friend, as much warmth as he had ever felt on any political question whatsoever not from a wish that his Majesty might not recover; he sincerely wished that he might; but from what was more strong in his mind, even than the satisfaction which must result from his knowing that his Majesty was restored to his health-his desire that the people should be acquainted with the truth. In such a cause, he was not ashamed to confess himself warm, and to avow his determination to resist an attempt to deceive an affectionate people, and to prevent that House from being deluded, under false pretences, into a mode of government which would sacrifice the He constitution. In such a cause, he felt a warmth superior even to his attachment to majesty; superior to the love and loyalty which a subject owed his sovereign an attachment founded in the love of a man of honour to truth, and in his detestation of falsehood. With regard to the manner in which the cry had been given from the other side, when Dr. Warren's name had been mentioned, it was impossible for the friends of that gentleman, and for every man feeling like a gentleman, not to glow with the utmost contempt. A physician's eminence, above all other professions whatever, stood upon the most secure and certain footing. No man employed a physician from favour; no man employed a physician because he was of his party, nor because he had given him his interest at an election; but they trusted their health in his hands, because he was known to possess superior skill, and on that account alone. He would believe that the great personage before alluded to by him, (the lord Chancellor) had an ill opinion of Dr. Warren, when he should hear that the learned lord trusted his health, when he should next have the misfortune to be ill, in any other hands. These were not encomiums, but facts. It was the confidence with which people of the most exalted ranks trusted their lives in Dr. Warren's hands, that made him so unusually eminent as a physician. The cry, therefore, if it meant any thing, must have been meant to convey an insinuation against his integrity; but, as the opinion of Dr. Warren's skill never could rise, so no more could the opinion of his integrity rise, though his integrity undoubtedly equalled his skill. The right hon. gentleman had been pleased to say, that he thought the probability of his Majesty's recovery was greater than before, and he had added, that he was provoked to declare that to be his private opinion. I will not be provoked (observed Mr. Fox) to declare any private opinion of mine to the contrary, nor will I assent to that of the right hon. gentleman; but if the House is to proceed on shades of opinion, as to the probability of his Majesty's recovery, which I think is extremely absurd, I must still contend, that the inquiry should be as free and open as possible. After some further conversation, Mr. Pulteney waved his objection, and the question of the order of the day was withdrawn. Mr. Pitt then moved, "That a committee be appointed to examine the physicians who have attended his Majesty during his illness, touching the state of his Majesty's health, and to report such examination to the House." Mr. Sheridan moved, by way of amendment, to leave out from the words "examine the physicians," in order to insert these words, " inquire into the nature and present state of his Majesty's malady, and into the probability of his speedy recovery; and that they have power to send for such persons and papers as they think may give them sufficient information concerning the same." The question being put, that the words "examine the physicians" stand part of the question, the House divided: An amendment was next moved, to insert after the word "physicians," the words" and other medical persons," which passed in the negative. Mr. Pitt afterwards moved, "That the physicians who have attended his Majesty during his illness, touching the present state of his Majesty's health, be examined before a select committee." An amendment was proposed, by leaving out "select committee," and inserting "committee of the whole House," which passed in the negative, and a committee of twenty-one persons being named, the House adjourned. Jan. 12. Sir Robert Smyth informed the House, that he had a petition to present from the electors of Colchester, but as he saw that the House was rather thin, and the subject of the petition might pos sibly occasion much discussion, he would merely give notice of the contents of the petition, and present it on the following Wednesday. Sir Robert then read the petition, which stated, that sir Edmund Affleck died on the 19th of November last, that his death occasioned a vacancy for Colchester, that a writ was issued for the choice of a representative for that borough in December last, that George Jackson, and George Tierney, esqs., be came candidates, that the returning officer having proceeded to an election, had, on the close of the poll, declared the numbers of the votes on each side to be equal, and made his return accordingly to that House. The petition afterwards stated the incon |