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and by Mr. P. Moore, from a creditor to the amount of 19.2001.

Mr. Huskisson brought up a bill for the better prevention of smuggling, which was read a first time, and ordered to be read a second time the next day. On the question that the bill be read a second time the next day, Sir John Newport expressed a hope, that the honourable gentleman would not object to this bill being printed for the information of gentlemen, as it was desirable that a bill of such a nature should be thoroughly understood before it passed. Mr. Huskisson would have no objection to the printing of the bill, but thought that it ought first to pass through the committee, in order to have the blanks filled up, as otherwise the bill would be altogether unintelligible.

Ordered, on the motion of Sir J, Newport, that there be laid before the House a copy of a letter from his majesty's principal secretary of state for the home department, to the lord lieutenant of Ireland, dated June 18, 1806, directing him to call upon the archbishops of Ireland, for certain re turns respecting the state of the established church in their respective provinces. This was but the revival of an order made on the 20th of April in the last Parliament.

Three petitions, complaining of undue elections and returns, were presented, and ordered to be taken into consideration on the following days. For, Wednesday, July 22; Shrewsbury, July 22; Kinross county, Thursday, July 23.

Mr. Dundas gave notice, that on Wednesday next he should submit a proposition to the House, for the regulation of the affairs of the East India company.

Sir Arthur Wellesley gave notice of a motion, as did also the Chancellor of the Exchequer, of one for the next day, and one for Thursday, of none of which we could collect the object or nature, the notices were given in so low a

tone.

Lord Cochrane wished to put off the notice which he had given for the next day to Wednesday next.

Lord Henry Petty observed to the noble lord, that two important questions already stood fixed for that day, namely, the notice he had himself given some time back, relative to the finance sinking fund, and the notice given that day by an honourable gentleman opposite, relative to a proposition on the subject of the affairs of the East India company. These two subjects would be sufficient for discusVOL. I.-1807. ce.

sion

sion that day, and he put it to the noble lord, whether it would not be desirable to fix his notice for some other day.

Lord Cochrane then proposed to put off his notice to Thursday, when he was informed by Mr. Whitbread, that he had an important business to bring on that day, after which the noble lord declared his intention not to de fer his motion.

Mr. Cochrane Johnstone, pursuant to his notice, moved, that there be laid before the House a list of the names of persons appointed inspecting field officers of volunteers; and also a list of the names of the officers on the half-pay of his majesty's service, of the rank of colonel, lieutenantcolonel, major, and captain. He did not mean to express any disapprobation of the appointment of inspecting field officers to the volunteers, a force, which, in the present circumstances of the empire, was material to its defence; but in order to render such an appointment efficient, he contended, that the inspecting officers should have been nominated from those men who had served in his majesty's army. Sixty inspecting field officers had been appointed, and forty-nine out of these had never been in the regular

army.

The Secretary at War had no objection to the motion of the honourable gentleman, ai d had risen only to state a circumstance for the information of the House, namely, that the persons who had been appointed, were all men who had been in the army.

Lord Temple suggested the propriety of confining the list of names of half-pay officers to those on the half-pay at home. The motions, however, were put and carried in their original form.

COMMITTEE OF SUPPLY.

On the motion of Mr. Huskisson, the House resolved itself into a committee of supply, to which the several accounts of exchequer bills, and the several annual estimates, together with the accounts presented this session, were referred. Mr. Hobhouse in the chair. In the committee the following sums were voted:

To pay off the sum of 10,500,0001. exchequer

bills, issued under an act of the 46th of
his Majesty, outstanding, and unprovided
for

£10,500,000

3,000,000

Ditto
Ditto, issued for the service of the year 1805 1,500,000

Together

Together with the several sums contained in the annual estimates for the maintenance of the public offices; for the expences and repairs of the two Houses of Parliament; for printing and stationary for ditto; for printing the journals of Parliament; for the salaries of the different officers of Parliament; for the expences of the civil establishments of the different West India islands; and for the other annual purposes usually provided for by vote of Parliament, towards the close of each session. It was also resolved, that a sum of 4,500,000l. be granted his majesty to pay off a sum of 4,500,000l. raised by exchequer bills for the service of the year 1806, (on the credit of the war taxes) outstanding and undischarged.

The House then resumed, and the report was ordered to be received the next day.

The House resolved itself into a committee of ways and means, Mr. Hobhouse in the chair; when the following sums were voted to be raised by loans or exchequer bills: To pay off exchequer bills, issued on the credit

of the war taxes, for the service of the year
1806

£4,500,000

For the service of Great Britain for the year

1807

Ditto

3,000,000 1,500,000

On the House being resumed, the report was ordered to be received the next day.

STATE OF THE NATION.

Mr. Whitbread, in pursuance of his notice, rose to submit his motion to the House. He was not altogether unaccustomed to address that House upon interesting and important questions, and he had, during the number of years that he had enjoyed the honour of a seat in Parliament, proposed many matters of moment for its consideration: Some of the propositions which he had the honour to originate had met with a favourable reception from that House, but much the greater number of them had been rejected. On all these occasions he never thought it right to trespass upon the time of the House by any apologies for his own insufficiency, or the inadequacy of his abilities to the satisfactory performance of the duty he had undertaken. It had ever been his opinion, that it was much better to leave the proposition he had to submit, to the support of such arguments as he could urge in its Cc 2 favour

favour, or to be borne out by its own intrinsic value, than to make any attempt to conciliate by such means the attention of the House. But, on the present occasion, whether from that diffidence which must be produced by the doubts and suspicions that prevailed in the public mind as to the motives of public men; whether from the nature and effect of those debates that had lately taken place in that House, which were so little calculated to exalt the character of Parliament in the estimation of the public; whether from the difficulties and dangers of the circumstances of the times, or the gloomy and disastrous situation of public affairs; whether from any one, or from a combination of all of those causes, it proceeded, he confessed, that he had never felt the same diffidence in addressing the House nor the same necessity of soliciting its indulgence. The proposition which he had to make was one that would tend to restore gravity of debate, which had of late been so much departed from in that House, to call them back from that personal acrimony, and those mutual charges and recriminations, which, without promoting the interests of the public, were so little creditable to the character of Parliament, and to direct their attention to the means of averting the dangers that threatened the country, and of retrieving the fallen fortunes of this great empire. Here

Mr. D. Browne moved the standing order for the exclusion of strangers, in consequence of which the gallery was immediately cleared, and strangers were not re-admitted during the remainder of the debate.

We are however informed that Mr. Whitbread took afterwards a comprehensive but aggravated view of the internal and external situation of the empire; referring all means of security and preservation to the return of the late ministers to power, and prophesying every evil from the continuance of the present administration in office. After dwelling at great length upon all the various topics which so large a question afforded him an opportunity of touching upon, the honourable gentleman concluded by moving that a committee be appointed to inquire into the state of the nation.

Mr. Milnes, we understand, answered Mr. Whitbread. He stated that the proposed enquiry would be vague and delusive; that it was an attempt to censure the late change of administration, and to embarrass the measures of go

vernment:

vernment that many of the grounds which had been urged by the honourable gentleman for going into the committee, had equally existed during the continuance of the late administration, when no such notice had been made by the honourable gentleman or his friends. Mr. Milnes represented the state of the country to be such as required the exertions of the united energies of all descriptions of its subjects, which it was the object of this motion to distract. Looking to our resources, to the patriotism and valour of our country, he saw nothing to fear, but much to expect. Were we to countenance the exertions of our allies by examples of British valour, were we to evince by our conduct a conviction of the fact that the path of peace was only to be found under the arch of victory, he had no doubt but the ultimate issue of the contest would be honourable to the country. With a conviction of these truths on his mind, and for a variety of reasons, which he alleged with great eloquence, he was so far from giving his support to the motion, that he should move that this House do now adjourn.'

Sir Arthur Pigot answered Mr. Milnes, and was followed by Mr. Henry Smith, and Mr. Montague.

Mr. Wilberforce, we are further informed, went at large into the question with his usual ability, and alleged, that he would give his support to any specific subject of enquiry, but must withhold his assent to the establishment of a committee on principles that comprehend every subject of consideration real or imaginary, which must consume much valuable time without producing proportionate good. He strongly exhorted the nobility and gentry of Ireland to use their exertions to instruct and improve the condition of the people of that country, observing, that it would go further to preserve the security and peace of that part of the empire, than any political measure that could be proposed.

Lord Milton supported the original motion; as did alsq Mr. H. Smith, Lord Howick, and Mr. W. Smith.

Mr. Bathurst, Mr. Croker, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, and Mr. Canning, supported the amendment. After a short reply the House divided.

For the amendment,

Against it,

Majority for ministers,

Adjourned at half-past four o'clock.

322

136

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HOUSE

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