perhaps the weight of the property, not connected with places and emoluments in the gift of the crown, in the Houfe of Peers, would be found in the fame fcale. But whatever the character and motives of the majority or minority were, it was evident beyond a doubt, that under the fupport of the former, the national dignity, power, and dominion, were reduced, and the royal fplendour tarnished, whilst every expence was infinitely increased. It is, faid they, from fuch undoubted matters of fact, and not from declamations or invectives, that the publick will, or ought, to judge of the motives of thofe who fupport or oppofe the prefent fyftem. Upon receiving the the April 18. report in the Houfe of Commons from the committee of fupply, the debate was renewed with great warmth, and a com'mittee of enquiry was again propofed, and ably fupported. The queftion upon the first resolution of the committee, for the payment of the standing debt, of 618,340 1. was carried without a divifion. Upon reading the fecond refolution for the additional grant of 100,000l. a year to the royal revenue, an amendment was moved by a gentleman in oppofition, that the words in the refolution" for the better fupport of his Majefty's houfhold." fhould be immediately followed by thefe," and for the different branches of the royal family."

country, experiencing all the effects of actual banishment; and inftead of commanding that refpect and attention due to his rank and virtues, exhibiting to the world the idea of a

diftrefied and fugitive prince of England, and exciting only the compaffion of foreigners. The fecond, after experiencing the fame difagreeable fituation abroad, reduced to live within the limits of an economy, which however becoming his neceffity, and fuited to his income, is equally unworthy of his merit, and unfitting for the rank which he holds in this country.

The amendment was feconded, but it being represented, that any amendment made to a report was out of rule, and unparliamentary, no debate enfued, and it was agreed to refer the fubject to future confideration. The queftion upon the fecond refolution of the committee, being put about midnight, was carried by a majority of 231, to 109. Though the numbers were fewer on both fides, 19 gentlemen voted against the prefent queftion, who were not included in the former divifion.

The royal meffage to the Houfe of Lords was debated on the 16th of April, when an addrefs of concurrence having been moved by the Earl of Derby, and feconded by Lord Onflow, was oppofed by the Marquis of Rockingham, who moved for an amendment of very confiderable length, being an address directly counter to that propofed, and which was afterwards entered without addition proteft. The noble Marquis en-, tered very diffufely, and with great knowledge of his ground, into the fubject, and ftated feveral of

as a

thofe

those arguments and facts which we have already laid down. He was oppofed and fupported with great eagerness, and the debates were long, various, and very interefting.

In the courfe of this contention, the Duke of Grafton faid, that his regard to the noble Marquis fhould prevent his moving the previous queftion, upon both the addrefs and the amendment; but he conjured their lordships, as the best proof of their loyalty and affection for his Majefty, that they would confent to have the original motion poftponed, and agree to appoint a committee to enquire into the expenditure; but more particularly to enquire what parts would beft admit of a reduc

tion; and when that was finally fettled, proceed to a vote of concurrence, for the amount of the reduced estimates.

If they agreed to this propofal, he offered to prove to their fatisfaction, that the estimate fo eftablished, would not exceed the prefent revenue; and that at the fame time, it fhould nor bear upon a fingle article, which fhould be thought by those who profeffed themselves to be his warmest friends, to adminifter to his Majesty's ease or fatisfaction; or that was neceffary to fuftain with fplendor and dignity, his elevated rank and fituation. The noble Duke finally pledged himfelf to the houfe, that if they would go into the propofed committee, he would demonftrate from the most clear, authentic, and inconteftible documents, that 800,000l. a year would answer every end of private eafe, perfonal dignity, and royal fplendour; in a word, would furnish

every appendage to royalty, excepting that only which minifters miltakenly thought neceffary, that of obtaining, through the means of corrupt influence, an unbounded power and controul over the will and refolutions of parliament.

The question being at length put upon the motion of amendment, it was rejected by a majority of 96 to 20 only. A fecond divifion took place upon the Duke of Grafton's previous question, which was also rejected by a majority of 90 to 26. The main question on the address was then put, and carried on a divifion.

The rejected amendment, which was entered as a proteft, infers the neceffity of the utmolt œconomy, from the increase of pub. lic debt, and the decrease of the empire; and expreffes aftonishment and indignation, at a profufion in minifters, which greateft profperity could scarcely excufe. After ftating and examining various matters, it concludes in the following terms, and was figned by fourteen Lords.

the

"With regard to the further increase of your Majesty's civil lift revenues, we must decline any concurrence therein, not. folely from motives of ceconomy, (tho' at no time more strictly requir ed) but from a dread also of the effect of fuch an augmentation on the honour and integrity of parliament, by vefting fuch large fums without account in the hands of minifters. When an opinion is known to prevail, and which we have no means of contradicting, that your Majesty's civil lift revenues are employed [F] 4

in

caft off and rejected, and all for the fame individual cause, that they were in the whole, and in every part, totally unfounded and unjuft. And they infifted, that it was a thing unheard of, when any claim or account had been once fettled and liquidated, more especially under the legal formality and fanction of a particular and public commiffion, to bring such a matter again forward, unless it was fupported by fome new documents or proofs, which the claimant must alfo demonftrate, not to have been originally within his reach or power.

was

The minifters were charged, in unqualified terms, with a fhameful profufion of the public money, and with the most fcandalous meanness, in fubmitting in every inftance to the infatiate rapacity of the German princes. Nor did parliament efcape its fhare of the cenfure, for, what was termed, their tame acquiefcence in every propofal, however unreasonable or abfurd, that laid before them, and their granting the property of the people to fupply every demand, however unneceffary, extravagant, or unjuft. This demand, they faid, could be confidered in no other light than that of a foreign tribute, exacted from us in the moment of our diftrefs, through a full conviction of our diftracted fituation, and the unhappy ftate of our public affairs. The na tion was to fubmit to every shameful impofition, propofed, or practifed upon it by the petty ftates of Germany, left they fhould withdraw their mercenaries from the fupport of our fatal minifterial civil war, before they had put the

laft hand to the ruin or extermination of the British nation on both fides of the Atlantic.

They alfo arraigned the minifter for furprizing the houfe with fuch a demand, and bringing in a matter of fuch confequence at a feafon, when he knew that it was, and must be, very thinly attended. They contended, that if this demand, after fleeping for fourteen years, was now admitted, it would rouze all Germany into action, in the framing of new, or the reviving of old claims; and that they should never get quit of the German chancery, whilst they had a fhilling left to grant. They concluded by lamenting and execrating thole fatal measures, to which they attributed our prefent unhappy fituation, and all thofe humiliating and difgraceful circumftances in which they said we were involved.

On the other hand, the minifter acknowledged the ftalenefs of the claim; he wished the demand had been made earlier; but he urged the length of its ftanding to be the only objection that could be reasonably made to it. He infifted that the account was clearly and fairly ftated; that the demand was just; that it confequently ought to be paid; and that length of time did not weaken the claim in point of justice or equity. The good faith, the credit, the juftice, and honour of the nation, were all faid to be deeply concerned in the exact obfervance of its contracts with foreigners, and the punctual discharge of its foreign debts. Any failure in thefe refpects must be productive of the

moft ruinous confequences, in our future connection and intercourfe with foreign ftates. We should feel them equally in the affairs of war and of peace.

It was alfo contended on the fame fide, that this claim had never been rejected by the German commiffioners, as had been reprefented in the debate, It had been only poftponed, they faid, from its being connected with fome other matter, which prevented its being brought with propriety, immediately within their cognizance. They alfo afferted, that it had never lain dormant, and confequently that it was not an old claim newly revived. The claim was never dropped; on the contrary, the demand was regularly kept up, according to the ufual official forms, from the time the debt was incurred, though from various caufes and delays, payment had hitherto been deferred. They concluded by declaring, that it was not brought on in confequence of any ftipulation, and that it did not appertain to any treaty paft or prefent; but that the honour of the nation, founded upon its good faith to all mankind, and particularly to its allies, rendered the payment indifpenfable.

The refolution was carried in the committee of fupply upon a divifion, by a majority of 38 to 20. But upon receiving the re port next day in the houfe, the debate was renewed with great warmth; and if a few more of the country gentlemen had been in town, the minifter would probably have found himself in a minority. As it was, the report

was agreed to only by a majority of eight, the numbers being 50 to 42, upon a divifion. It was particularly obferved, that fome zealous courtiers, and profeffed government men, avoided voting upon this question.

The day after the decifion of

this question, Sir James 9th, Lowther, who had lately moved the amendment to the civil lift bill, in favour of the two Royal Brother Dukes, moved for an addrefs to his Majesty, to requeft an augmentation of their annual income. He ftated with energy, and defcribed with a real and affecting fympathy, the caufes which led to this motion, and the particular circumftances of fituation, which rendered fuch an addrefs neceffary; circumftances, which were unfortunately fo confpicuous, as to be publickly known in every part of Europe; which he reprefented, as not lefs affecting the national character and honour, than the royal dignity.

and

The motion was oppofed upon the ground of propriety, and the previous question immediately moved. The difficulty, as well as impropriety, of difcuffing a queftion of fo nice and delicate a complexion, were principally infifted on. It would be breaking in upon the domeftic affairs of the royal family; and venturing to enquire into matters of fo tender a nature, as the conduct obferved, and the transactions that paffed in private life, between the Sovereign and his brothers. These were, they said, matters by no means fitting to be brought forward brought forward as fubjects of public difcuffion. The Sovereign

fhould