Spring of 1795 no less than 200ol. and there were a variety of inftances where they had cleared other confiderable fums. More recently they had gone into the further practice of buying up lean cattle from the breeders, and felling them again to the graziers.-The carcafe butchers alfo, inftead of purchafing cattle in Smithfield, met them at the diftance of fome miles, and purchafed half the fupply intended for the London market. Smithfield market was thus made to appear thin. It might be faid that there were already laws to prevent this; but the prefent mode of profecution was fo expenfive and dilatory, it fubjected a complainant to fo much attend ance, first, before a Grand Jury, and then at the Affizes, that offenders were feldom fued, nor had they in general known houses at which they could be found. The Houfe would, of course, be very cautious when they were called upon to interfere with any trade; but they would be alfo careful to cherish the labouring claffes, which were the true fupporters of our national importance and wealth. The report was then read; after which Mr. Mainwaring moved for leave to bring in a Bill for more effectually preventing the foreftalling, engroffing, and regrating of live cattle.

Mr. Alderman Combe feconded the

motion.

Leave was given, and Mr. Mainwaring and Mr. Alderman Combe were ordered to bring in the Bill.

The order of the day being read for the commitment of the Quakers Bill, Mr. Pierrepoint onj &ted to the Speak er's leaving the Chair; the Bill, which he had maturely confidered, being, in his opinion, fraught with dangerous confequences.

Mr. Serjeant Adair thought that all the objections to the Bill might be removed in the Committee. He then went over his former arguments in defence of it.

The Solicitor General repeated his objections, contending that the Bill went to pick the pocket of one man, to relieve the pretended fcruples of another's confcience. The confcientious part of the Quakers, whom he much efteemed, did not defire the Bill.

Mr. Jefferys, of Poole, faid a few words for the Bill, and Mr. Hobhoufe and the Attorney General oppofed it; after which the Houfe divided; for the Speaker's leaving the Chair 12.-Againft

it 26.

On a fubfequent motion, the further confideration of the Bill was postponed to that day three months.

THURSDAY, MARCH 9.

The Order of the Day for taking the Reports of the Committee of Secrecy into confideration being read,

The Chancellor of the Exchequer obferved, that the Reports related to two particular accounts; one, the competency of the Funds to defray the outftanding engagements of the Bank; and the other, the neceffity of continuing and confirming the Order of Council on the 26th of February last. In regard to an enquiry in Parliament, he confidered it as a proper and neceffary measure, becaufe the Houfe and the Public would thereby have an opportunity of seeing, that it was not without a due fenfe of the neceffity, that Government had fufpended the further payments of the Bank in fpecie, because, if the Bank had cafh enough to affift the public, it was impoffible that their ultimate fecurity fhould not be eftablished on clear grounds. He fhould take the general fenfe of the Houfe on the neceflity of continuing the restriction; and afterwards, he thould wish to have the real fituation and refources of the country enquired into; the preffure of the prefent burdens, and the probable effects of new ones; the measures moft important for the prefervation of the public fafety, and the effect of the measures hitherto adopted. He was folicitous for a firm and candid investigation into all thefe fubjects; and having fo declared himfelf, he concluded by fubmitting his firft motion, "That it be an Inftruction to the Chairman of the Committee to move the Houfe for leave to bring in a Bill to confirm the refrictions impoled by an Order of Council of the 26th of February last on the payment of specie by the Bank for a limited time."

Mr. Fox began by ftating, that he could not coincide in the meafure propofed of guaranteeing the notes issued by the Bank; for it tended to cement Government and the Bank; and every thing that went to unite diftinct func tions in the public department, was, in his opinion, a great and additional cala, mity to the nation. Any Minifter who advised his Majefty to prorogue his Par liament until public credit was reftored, fhould it laft for five years, ought, in his opinion, to be impeached. Mr. Fox, after reviewing the neceffity of the mea

fures

Sir J. Sinclair objected to the word confirm, as tending to give a legiflative fanction to the Order of Council.

Mr. Pitt explained, that nothing more was meant by the word, than to give a legal force and credit to a measure which the Committee had declared to be neceffary.

The question," that leave be given to bring in the Bill," was then put and carried without a divifion.

FRIDAY, MARCH 10.
THE BANK.

Mr. Sheridan, in conformity to notice, brought forward his motion on the affairs of the Bank. In a fpeech of confiderable length, he entered upon a general review of the relative fituation of the Bank to Government and the Pub lic; commented on the reports of the Committee, on which he founded his motion; pointed out the critical ftate of public credit; deprecated a forced paper currency, which he confidered as the prelude to national infolvency, and as an opiate in a fever; and concluded by moving as a refolution, "That it is the opinion of the Houfe, that immediate freps ought to be taken to enableGovernment to discharge the fum of 11,686,000l. or a part due from it to the Bank."

Mr. Grey fecorded the motion.

Mr. Pitt very ably replied to the arguments of the Hon. Gentleman, and concluded with moving the previous question.

Mr. Sheridan explained, as did Mr. Pitt.

Mr. Fox fupported the motion of his Hen. Friend.

A divifion then took place.-For the previous question :85-Against it 45. Majority 140.

MONDAY, MARCH 13. SINECURE PLACES AND PENSIONS.

Mr. Harriton called the attention of the Houfe to a fubject of uo finall intereft and importance to the country, at a period when the public expenditure fo far exceeded the income that there ap.

peared hardly a poffibility of fupporting any longer the accumulated burden to which this calamitous war had given rife. The public burdens, he faid, were not merely occafioned by the war expenditure; they were materially increafed by the erection of new offices, and the profufion and prodigality of Minifters in every department, for the benefit of their fatellites and dependants. This prodigality ought to aroufe the jealoufy and indignation of the Guar dians of the Public Purfe. If the prefent fyftem of corrupt influence was not checked quietly within the walls of this House, it would be done tumultuously without. By that new-fangled monster called Confidence, the offspring of a tooconfiding Houfe of Commons, were the difcuffions and deliberations of the Houfe influenced, and to this undue influence was to be ascribed that train of accumulated burdens which were fo grievously felt by the country. He then mentioned a few places and fees, not amounting to any confiderable fum, which he withed to be applied to public purposes; among them were the falary of the third Secretary of State, which he ftated at 5000l. a year, and certain fees, arifing from Contingent Bills in the War De partment, amounting to about 550,000l. He animadverted on the profligacy of Administration, and the diftreffes of the Public from the confequent accumulation of taxes, and concluded by moving, as a refolution, "That the extent of fupplies voted to Government fince the commencement of the war, and the enormous increafe of taxes upon the people, made it incumbent upon the Houfe to enquire, Whether fome alleviation of their burdens may not produced by the abolition of certain fuperfluous offices, penfions, and exorbitant fees, and likewife what faving may accrue from an economical reform in the public expenditure."

Lord W. Ruffel feconded the motion. Mr. Pitt, after alluding to fome irrelevant obfervations made by the mover and feconder of the motion, remarked, that the mover appeared to have two different objects in view; the first relative to the making retrenchments, and correcting profufion in the established offices of Government, and in finecure places and penfions-the fecond to an enquiry into the ftate of the nationalexpenditure, and propofing a check on the expences of the ftate. This latter was already comprehended in a refolution N12

which

fion;

which had paffed the Houfe, to enquire into the finances of the country, and to confider of the most practicable means for obtaining a diminution of the public expenditure." The Hon. Gentleman means to include in the inveftigation which he propofes, fubjects of the most extenfive and complicated nature. He wishes to embrace all the ordinary and extraordinary expences of the different branche of Government. He extends his enquiry into the difbursements of Army, Navy, and even public eftablishments. I am ready to admit (faid Mr. Pitt) that as far as this propofition goes, it forms a fubject worthy the confideration of the Houfe; and the magnitude of it appears to be fuch, that no man can fay what will be the effect of it, or to what particular meafures it may lead. Yet, the Hon. Gentleman in bringing before the House confiderations of fuch extenfive views, and of fuch high importance, adopts a very fingular mode of proceeding. He does not think proper to offer matters, fo momentous and complicated in their relations, in a direct manner, to Parliamentary difcuf. but states them as the object of a collateral enquiry, and introduces them immediately after his motion for retrenchment in the offices of Government. But certainly the Hon. Gentleman will not deny that there is an extreme difference between both objects; for the check which he propofes on the public expences very much exceeds in importance that reform which he withes thould take place in the establishment and falaries of public offices. The diftinction between thefe two objects being fo evident, as the latter does not form any part whatever of the propofition formerly fubmitted to the Houfe by the Hon. Gentleman, nor of the notice which he gave of his motion of this night, I must confider the manner of Introducing it not only irregular, but inadequate to the magnitude of the enquiry which he proposes to establish. I alfo think it neceflary to remind Gentlemen, that the objects which it comprehends form the grounds of my motion for the appointment of the Committee which has this night been chofen by ballot. Iftated in general terms, previous to my bringing forward that motion, the various points to which the attention of the Comintice was to be direfted; but I could not, until I AP. POINTED THAT COMMITTEE, proceed to offer, in a specific manner, each of

thofe points. I therefore only ftated, that it was my with and defire to move, as an inftruction to the Committee, that, after enquiring into and afcer taining the whole ftate of the finances of the country-after reviewing the whole amount of the debt which had been incurred during the war-after investigating the provifions which had been made to meet it-after confidering the probable amount of the total expence of public fervice for the whole of the year 1797, and the fums now appli plicable to defraying it; the Committee thould exercife a full power in forming and digefting a plan for comptrolling the public expenditure, and to enquire and report upon the best and not prac ticable means of obtaining a diminution thereof. I therefore am not a little furprized, after ftating these measures in general terms-meafures which have been fanctioned by the unanimous concurrence of the Houfe, in confequence of the appointment of the Committee for the profeffed and acknowledged confideration of thofe very objects, that the Hon. Gentleman fhould now bring for ward a motion to the fame end, and without any previous notice what

ever.

After reafoning with much ingenuity and effect on the juftice and propriety of the offices under confideration, Mr. Pitt called the attention of the Houfe to the reduction that had already been made, and the favings that had been made in confequence. Under this notion of an economical reform in 1782, and a fubfequent enquiry by the Treafury, 278 offices had been abolished, and the expences reduced from 171.0col. to 60,000l. The falaries of the Exchequer Office had been materially reduced, as had the Auditors of Imprefs. The favings from thefe were nearly 60,000l. The Penfion Lift had been reduced fince 1733 above 48,000l. and during the fame period Sinecures in the Customs to the amount of 130, the expence which was 10,6801. had been fuppreffed. In the Excife there was a faving of nearly 12,000l. and Lotteries, &c. were under fuch regulation as prevented cor rupt influence.

To afcertain the ftate of the expen diture compared with the income, was a fair fubject of investigation. Convinced as he was, that any attempt at en quiry, with a view to the production of an efficient refource from the materials propofed, would end in difappointment,

he

of the Bill for continuing and confirm ing the Order of the Privy Council to the Bank.

Mr. Fox faid he should not oppofe the fecond reading; but wished to know if it were to be obligatory on Government to receive Bank of England notes in payment of taxes; and whether Bank paper was to be legal payment between individuals, for neither of which he faw any provifion in the Bill;-he thought alfo a claufe fhould be added to limit the Bank in their advances to Govern

ment.

Mr. Pitt faid, Mr. Fox had now ftated matter which more properly belong ed to the Committee on the Bill.

Mr. Hobhoufe violently objected to the Bill in toto, as an act of robbery and depredation upon the public creditor.

Mr. Grev confeffed, that as the Order of Council had taken place, it would be impoffible to open the door fuddenly again. He was therefore for the fecond reading of the Bill. But what he with ed to notice was, a paper which had been laid upon the table, and which contained very alarming information. From that paper it appeared, that on Saturday laft Minifters had iffued 120,000l. in Exchequer Bills, for the purpose of being paid to the agents of his Imperial Majcity, which Bills muft be converted into fpecie, and could only be fent in fpecie to the Emperor.-The Bills were fold in the market at three, and three and a half per cent. difcount; on whom was this lots to fall; on the Emperor, or on this country? The whole matter, he thought, was worthy the most ferious attention of the Houfe. Mr. Pitt obferved, that the Emperor's bills had been drawn and accepted long before the Order of Council was iffued.--they formed part of the 500,000l. voted the Emperor before the recefs, and we could not avoid paying them. Exchequer Bills were iffued for this purpose, and part of the discount fell upon the Emperor.

The Bill was then read a fecond time, and committed for Monday, and the Houfe was ordered to be called over on Monday fe'nnight.

MONDAY, MARCH 20.

Mr. Pitt remarked, that the Order for the Commitment of the Bill for confirming and continuing the late Order of Council respecting the Bank stood for this day; but fome circumftances had come to his knowledge fince the notice

was given, which induced him to poftpone the Commitment of the Bill. He therefore moved, that the Order of the Day fhould be discharged, and that the Bill fhould be committed on Wednesday next. Agreed to.

Mr. Abbot, in a fpeech of fome length, urged the inconveniences that refulted from the defective manner in which the laws were promulgated, and expatiated on the Refolutions which he afterwards fubmitted to the Committee. It was his intention, he faid, to move that the refolutions fhould be taken into confideration at a future period, and, in the interval, that they should be printed. He concluded by moving eight Refolutions, of which the following is the substance.

1. It is the opinion of this Committee, that it is expedient that his Majesty's printer, instead of 1126 copies of Acts, as he now prints, be authorifed and directed to print 3550 copies of every public Act, 200 of every public local Aết (including Road, Canal Acts, &c.), and 200 of every private A&t. The fecond and third Refolutions related merely to the mode of diftributing thofe public and private Acts through the medium of the Poft Office. The fourth enjoins the Chief Magiftrates of towns corporate, Scotch boroughs, and Sheriff's of counties, on receiving thofe copies, to preferve them for public ufe, and tranfmit them to their fucceffors in office. The fifth charges the parties interested in the profecution and event of private bills to tranfmit the copies to the Magiftrates in their refpective districts, without any additional charge to the public. The fixth directs the King's printer to ftate the general heads of the ftatutes, together with the general fubftance of each Act. The feventh provides that the duration of any temporary law be expreffed in the title of the Bill, and at the end of it, and no where elfe. And the eighth enjoins, that all ftatutes intended to be revived thall be included in one Bill, defcribing the ftatutes re fpe&tively; and thefe of a temporary nature in another Bill, defcribing the precife duration and continuance.

The Houfe refumed, the Chairman brought up the Report, and the Refo lutions were ordered to be taken further into confideration this day fe'nnight.

The other Orders being difpofed of, the Houfe adjourned.

WED