Abbildungen der Seite
PDF
EPUB

and fair consideration of the whole question, for the success of which he had been uniformly anxious. He was now ready to receive any proposition from others, which he conceived to be suitable to his views of the subject; and he was open to propose any plan himself conformable to those views, if he should see any feasible means of carrying it into successful execution."

Mr. Calcraft spoke to order. The noble lord was making a speech, and not replying to a question.

Lord Castlereagh observed, that if the honourable gentleman's interruption was characterised by an attention to order, it certainly was not distinguished by its candour, the more especially when the late extensions of the usage of the House with respect to questions were considered. He cer tainly did wish to explain the situation in which he and the rest of his Majesty's Government felt themselves on the subject. For himself, in conformity to the statement which be already made, he should consider himself at perfect liberty to enter into a discussion on the merits of the Catholic question; and, as an individual Member of the Government, to bring it forward for the consideration of Parliament, if, on due investigation, he should find reason for thinking that such a step ought to be taken. So much with respect to himself; and with respect to the other Members of Government, he had only to repeat, that he did not understand that the influence of Government, as a Government, was to stand in the way of the declaration of their individual sentiments. On bringing up the Report of the Committee of Ways and Means,

Mr. Creevey objected to the loan of two millions and an half prayed for by the East India Company. He said that the eight millions which were lent six years ago were not accounted for.

Mr. Wallace had no doubt that he should be able soon to lay a satisfactory statement before the House.

Mr. Creevey and Mr. Wallace severally explained; after which the Report was agreed to.-Adjourned.

1

HOUSE OF LORDS.

THURSDAY, JUNE 11.

The House sat a few minutes (the Lord Chancellor being sent for to attend at Carlton House), and after going through a little private business, adjourned.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.

THURSDAY, June 11.

The Marquis of Tavistock brought in a Bill for diminishing the expences of County Elections. His object was, that the Bill should be printed, and then stand over till next session; which was ordered accordingly.

QUEEN ANNE'S BOUNTY.

On the motion of Mr. Wharton, an Address was ordered to be presented to the Prince Regent, praying that he would order to be laid before the House an account of the application of the 30,0001. granted last year out of Queen Anne's Bounty.

Lord Folkestone, seeing a right hon. gentleman (Sir W. Scott) in his place, begged to remind him of a promise he had made some months ago, to bring in a Bill for the regulation of inferior Ecclesiastical Courts. The session was now pretty far advanced, and if not speedily brought in, he was afraid there was little chance of its passing this session.

Sir W. Scott said, he was in the course of preparing the Bill alluded to a task which required greater labour than the noble lord might think. It was his intention to take the earliest possible day to bring it forward.

CATHOLIC CLAIMS.

Mr. Canning rose for the purpose of putting the House in possession of a change in the form of the motion on this subject, of which he had given notice for Thursday next. It had been represented to him by gentlemen on both sides of the House, that there was some technical objection to the proceeding in the form of an Address to the Prince

Recent. According to his own judgment there was nothing in tis objection, but still it was not his wish to run any risk of the object of his motion being defeated by a technical or formal objection. He therefore now gave notice that it was his intention to alter the form of his motion, and instead of an Address to the Prince Regent, connected with the subject of the Catholic Claims, to move a Resolution to the same effect, and then to move that the said Resolution be laid before his Royal Highness.

LANCASTER CASTLE.

Sir F. Burdett presented a Petition from a person named Samuel Shuffem, a prisoner confined for debt in the Castle of Lancaster, complaining of harsh and unbecoming treatment which he had experienced on the part of the keeper.

Mr. Bootle bore testimony to the general character of the keeper of Lancaster Castle, for humanity. He wished, therefore, that the hon. baronet would fix an early day for his motion on the subject of this Petition.

After a few words from Mr. Dent and Sir F. Burdett, the Petition was ordered to lie on the table.

ADMINISTRATION.

General Gascoigne begged to ask of the noble lord opposite (Castlereagh), if the formation of the Administration was now in such a state as to supercede the necessity of the motion of which he had given notice for to-morrow, for an Address to the Prince Regent, requesting that he would be pleased to proceed to the formation of an Administration?

Lord Castlereagh said, a noble earl (Bathurst) had been appointed by his royal highness the Prince Regent, Secretary of State for the War and Colonies, and except the situation of Secretary of State for the Home Department, and a few inferior situations, all the offices in the Administration were now filled up.

General Gascoigne, in that situation, begged to withdraw his motion which stood for to-morrow.

Mr. Wortley then rose, agreeably to the notice he had given, to move an Address to the Prince Regent, expressive of the regret of the House that his Royal Highness had not been enabled to follow up his gracious intention, as expressed in his answer to their last Address, respecting the formation of an Administration. In doing so it would be

necessary for him to call the attention of the House the proceedings which had taken place within the last three weeks, in consequence of the former Address of the House, and he hoped the House would agree with him in the view he had formed of those proceedings. The object of his first motion was to represent to the Prince Regent, that the Government then formed, or about to be formed, on the death of Mr. Perceval, was not such a one as was agreeable to the wishes of the House, or to the situation of the country. Three weeks had passed away since that time, and nothing had been done. They had still the same Government and the same Ministers; and in such circumstances it was the duty of the House to have such information on the subject as they could procure in that House, and then to address the Prince Regent for the sake of expressing their opinion as to what should be done. His first object should be to take a view of those, and this he should do as shortly as he could. For the first ten days after the Address had been presented, nothing had been done. Some conversations had indeed taken place, but nothing had actually been done. Great part of the disappointment which had since taken place, he thought, was to be attributed to the delay of those ten days. The application then made to Lords Grey and Grenville came to nothing, indeed he thought it could come to nothing. Instead of leading to the formation of a strong and efficient Administration, he was satisfied it could have led to nothing but disunion. Then came the commission entrusted to Earl Moira, he believed on Thursday last, and the communications made by him to Lords Grey and Grenville, on which occasion he made propositions to them to come into office, without any qualification whatever; so that all the great measures for the accomplishment of which they had been contending, during the whole of their lives, was laid at their feet. These two noble lords, however, would not agree even to this proposition, unless the appointments to the offices in the Household were also given up to them as a preliminary measure. For this they threw away all the great objects for which they had been so long contending. Their excuse for pursuing this line of conduct, was a jealousy said to be entertained of the persons holding offices in the Household. If that was so, then did those noble lords take the readiest modes in their power to confirm and strengthen those jealousies. Supposing the officers alluded to had given up

their seals, would they not have had the same, or rather a greater ground for resentment, which must naturally have been increased by their being turned out of their offices?— When the great principles in which, according to the view of the subject entertained by those noble lords, the fandamental interests of the country were concerned, were granted to them, they ought, according to his (Mr. Wortley's) idea of the matter, to have made a peace offering of all the rest! Then as to the influence supposed to be exerted over the Prince Regent, by some of the Members of the Household, what proof was there of this? That they were not brought into office immediately after the restrictions ceased. That was a measure of which he was convinced the great body of the people approved. By their conduct too, they had debarred themselves from coming into office at present; and, therefore, in that they alone were to blame. He spoke of those noble lords with all respect. With one of them, Earl Grey, he had the honour of personal acquaintance, and no man could more admire his very superior ability, or his exalted honour. Of the other noble lord he had no personal acquaintance, but to his great talents there was no man who did not concur in doing justice. It was, therefore, with regret that he saw the country deprived of the services of such men; but in such circumstances as had occurred, and that too occasioned by their own act, it was impossible the country could have had their aid. Then what should have been done? Earl Moira did resign, and by his advice the Prince Regent called in once more the assistance of his old servants. With this he (Mr. Wortley) was not satisfied; he thought something more should have been done; and he wished to have seen all those who could act together on the same principles united, at such a period as the present.If he had seen a fair prospect, that the Prince Regent might be advised to avail himself of the services of those persons, he should not have made his present motion. He hoped to have the concurrence of the House in the motion he should now have to submit to them; if not, he had the consolation of thinking he had done the best he could. He concluded by moving, That an humble Address be presented to the Prince Regent, thanking his Royal Highness for his gracious answer to the Address of the House of the 21st of May last, expressing their regret that he had not been enabled to follow up his gracious intention as expressed in the said answer; also expressing their earusst hope that he VOL. III.-1812.

2 E

« ZurückWeiter »