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were likewife the petitions from the Courts of Proprietors and Directors, and from the City of London, against the bill. And, in compliance with the prayer of the two former petitions, counsel was beard against it. Mr. Rous and Mr. Dallas on behalf of the Proprietors, Mr. Hardinge and Mr. Plomer for the Directors. While the counfel were yet pleading, Mr. Nicoll, accomptant to the Company, was called to the bar, and produced a statement of the Company's accounts, figned by himself. And as foon as the counfel were withdrawn,

Sir J. Lowther food up juft, to obferve that, before the bill fhould be read, or gentlemen proceed to debate upon it, every paper now delivered to the bar fhould be read; for as the bankruptcy of the Company was the pretence for bringing in the bill, that bankruptcy muft be proved before the fecond reading of the bill was permitted. This, Sir James faid, was all he had to remark at prefent, and the Rt. Hon. Secretary might now rife, and make his defence for having introduced a bill that had for its object the vio lation of the most facred rights of English

men.

Mr. Fox rofe in reply, and readily allowed that every minifter, who fhould venture to bring a great meafure before Parliament, fhould hold himself obliged to defend his meature, and, by defending his measure, defend himself; in that fenfe, he was ready to enter upon his defence. But he was attonithed, he faid, to find himself attacked npon a new ground, a ground where, he was forry to Tay, he felt himielf moft ftrong, becaufe his frength was founded on the weaknefs of the Company. He believed, he faid, gentlemen would find no great reafon to lament, that the account the Hon. Baronet alluded to had not been read, as he fhould, in the courfe of his fpeech, have occafion to touch upon moft of the articles In the account he had found many things inferted which ought to have been om tred, and many omitted which ought to have been inferted,

He reduced the 4,200,cool. lent to Government to 2,520.000i. the prefent price of 3 per cents. of which the money lent makes a part.

He excepted against the article for French prifoners, 260,6871, as not to be relied upon for the immediate payment of the Company's webs.

The Manilla expedition, and hofpital charges, 161,3241, for the fame reafon.

The Company's bonds, 280,5751, he exsepred against.

Goods fold, and not delivered, 553,2581. because the money could not be received to sopply the prefent demand.

Merchandise exported to India, 1,278,0911, he reduced to 600,ccol, for military thores to be expended by the Company for their own protection.

He excepted to 364,5151. stated as cargoes

fent from Bengal to other Prefidencies, military ftores, on the fame ground,

He ridiculed the article for filver, regol and compared it to the curious bill in Shakfpeare, where the hoft charges a monftrous fum for the luxuries, and clofes the account with one penny for the fubflantial article of bread.

He excepted against 172,3341. advanced to the owners for freight, as the money due for that article was not placed on the oppofite fide.

He deducted 1,800,000l. from the amount of the fuppofed produce of their fhips expected in England for duties, freight, demurrage, and incidental charges.

He excepted against the fum charged for fhips employed at home, 12,000l. unless the Company were to be real bankrupts, and the fhips were put up to auction.

He excepted to the value of their houses and warehoufes 253,6161, on the fame ground. He execrated the debt due from Afoph ul Dowla, 789,8281. and hoped to God it never would be pald.

Another debt from the Rajah of Benares, 130,500l. exclufive of 60,1861. for intereft, was never to be recovered but by oppreffion.

L.992,012, ftated to be due from the Nabob of Arcor, was in the fame predicament. As was likewife 158,15cl. due from the Rajah of Tanjore; and 993,8041. ftated to be due from the renters of fundry districts of lands; all thefe latter foms, amounting together to 2,822,310l. Mr. Fox objected to as unfit to be inferted in an account of ways and means to anfwer the Company's preffing demands. Viewed in this light, he faid, there were more than twelve millions charg ed in the account that could afford no relief to the embarraffed fate of the Company's affairs. He therefore fubmitted it to the candour of the Houfe, if the interpofition of Parliament were not neceffary to rescue the Company from impending rain? **Bot "could not this be done without a violation "of charter?" The disfranchisements of electors, erecting fupreme courts, introducing new laws, which neceffity made neceffary, were no lefs violations of the charter. "But "neceffity is the tyrant's plea ;" and fo it is of the innocent man. "But the influence "of the Crown will be increafed." So will the refponfibility of Minifters, in the fame proportion. "But why not give the fame

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power to the Directors as is now propofed "to be given to Commiffioners? They have "fent proper orders; it is their ferrants that "have difobeyed them?" For that very reafon they ought not to be trusted; for no government was lefs fit for the management of public affairs than that which was fo weak as not to be able to enforce obedience from its fervants. There was a radical defect in the government of India. Who would venture to affert that Lord Macartney was not at this hour fufpended, ar had not

thared

not fhared the fate of the late Lord Pigot, for ferving the Company faithfully? Last Tuesday's Gazette, was a melancholy proof of the warfare, in which the fervants of the Company are engaged, and of the dangerous d fpofition of the officers, where plunder and the infatiable thirt of riches made them quarrel and bring their own affairs to the brink of ruin. But India is restored to "peace, and the company will foon be en"abled to rife fuperior to their loffes." Who would fay that peace was restored? did gentlemen fee the confequence that might enfue, from an union between the Englith and the Mahrattas against Hyder Ally's fon? the fate of General Coote, whofe lofs he much lamented, made a renewal of the war an event not fo improbable, as many might imagine. And it was in view to this event, that he preffed fo earnefily the pathing of the bill, which could not be delayed without danger to the state. He risked much: he might lose many friends. But, copicious as he was, that fome fuch measure was neceffary for the falvation of the state, he would proceed, regardless of the confequence,

Mr. Pitt role to make remarks on the foregoing exceptions, and was proceeding, as if the objectious had been abfolute; but on explanation, he was fet right, and he concluded with moving to adjourn the debate, even-till, to-morrow; which motion, on being put,, was rejected 229 to 109.

Monday, December 1.

The order of the day for going into a committee on the bill for velting the affairs of the East India company in the hands of commillioners being read, is

Mr. Powys rofe. He faid, the question before the Houle was this, whether the affairs of the East India Company were reduced to fuch a late of defperation, as, would justify the adoption of a fyltem, which eminently threatened the Liberties of this country? He was clearly against the question. If the fervants of the Company are the cause of all the anarchy, complained of recall them. He called on the right honourable Secretary, -to defend the principles of his bill, on those which had to eminently, diffinguished his parliamentary conduct, and had to peculiarly drawn, along with it the love, the admiration, and gratitude of his countrymen. And he would here, hate the difference, as it operated on his own mind, between the champion of influence, and the man of the people. He imputed the prominent features of the bill, not to him, but to his noble colleague; and he lamented to see those great and fplended-talents perverted, which were want to be exerted in the cause of liberty., The fyftem, which the right honourable Secretary had reprobated from the beginning, was the fytem now to be adopted. His voice was indeed the voice of Jakub, but its hands were thofe of Efau. He contefied the GENT. MAG. Dis. 1783.

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competency of the bill, declared it had no other principle whatever, but that of patronage; but fubmitted it to the Houfe, whether it were not better to grant the coalition a lepfe of their places, than give the fanction of parliament to a measure, that ultimately would terminate in the same thing? He faid, the bill, for a very problematical good, was pregnant with the greatest evil. That hardly a veltige of the company remained. They were didreffed, and they came in their trouble for relief; they afked for their bond, but they did not, like Shylock, ask for a pound of your flesh. He concluded, with fupplicating the Speaker to keep his feat; for, by leaving the chair, he configned the conftitution, the liberties, the glory, and the dignity of the British empire, to ultimate and certain ruin.

Pay-mafer-general [Mr. Burke] urged the moti preffing and indefpenfible neceflity in fupport of the measure. Things were now in their last flage. Gentlemen were not aware of the vast object to which the attention of the Houfe was directed. This bill went to regulate the internal government of an extent of country equal to that of the whole German empire, and to rescue from the most grievous tyranny, no less than thirty millions of people. The bill, therefore, whether coming from minifty or oppofition, from friend or foe, or Jacob, or Efay, was entitled to the support of all who wished well to the happiness of mankind. He preffed the necefity of the measure, from the oppreffion of the natives; from the horrid injuftice of fuffering the most flagrant abufes to be continued, not under the fanction of parliament indeed, but in direct opposition to its authority, Moch had been faid of the violence done to the chartered rights of the Company. What were the chartered rights of the company, but a grievous monopoly, which could never take place without encroaching on the chartered rights of every other Brush fubjećt ! He wished to fee all fuch chartered rights abolished. Here he entered into a detail of the uses the company had, made of their chartered rights, and shewed in the most striking colours, that they had actually fold every perion abat confided in their fidelity; that they had never made a treaty which they were eat they fight to violate; and that every nation or people, who entered intotheir alliance onconnection, were eventually, rujued and undone by the'r treachery. How anbefceming, then, to cry out again violence and arbitrary meafvies. while they perfitted in thote which could bear no other epithet!

He prored, that the Court of Directors werk as corrupt as their fervents, and that corruption was provided for in the flamina of their conftitution; and concluded with as anegyrid on the author of the bill; who, by, the part he had taken, had convinced the world, that bis exertions were not calculated

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Friday 5.

The Houfe of Commons in a committee came to sa refoletion, that fo much of the act of the 4th of his Majefty as relates to the free poftage of letters and packets, &c. from Great Britain to Ireland, and from Ireland to Great Britain, be repealed.

Same day was tried, in Westminster-hall, an interefting caufe, wherein à Baronet was plaintiff, and Edward Whatmore, Efq; defendant. The action was brought to recover 240.. which the plaintiff advanced to the defendant for the purpofe of carrying an -election in the House of Commons against the fitting Members for the borough of Hindon. After a hearing of fix hours, à verdiét was given for the defendant. Only two wimeffes were examined on the part of the defendant

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The celebrated Paul Jones arrived in town from Paris, with difpatches from Congress to bis Excellency John Adams, Efq. He was only 22 days on his paffage from Philadelphia to France, and after delivering his pate hese he fet out at 3 next morning for Paris, to proceed from thence to America. 15 M Saturday 6.

Trishcame on before Ld Loughbrough at Guildhall, on an action brought against the :E LCs for not providing for and fending home the foreign failors (commonly called Lafcars) hired abroad to affift in navigating the Company's fhips to England, and fince which for their support they have been obliged to -beg about the streets; when after a hearing of two hours a verdict was given against the Company, that they should allow each man

as they were acknowledged to be good ailors) 36s..a month during their stay in -England, to be cloathed, and to be fent ,home at the Company's expencé.

College of Arms, Dec. 6, 1783. His Majefty has been pleafed, by warrant under his royal fignet and fign manual, bearing date at St. James's the 3d infant, to declare and Fordain, that, for estrecting divers abufes which have of late ears crept into the order of Baronets, (many pesions having affumed dhąt, title swithout ane juft right) and for

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preventing the like in future, the title of Baronet thould not, from the date hereof, be inferted in any commiffion, warrant, ap pointment, or other inftrument, thereafter to be iffued to any perfon claiming or uning the faid title, from either of his Majesty's offices of Scecretary of State, or from any other of his Majesty's offices whatever, until fuch person so claiming or ufing the faid title, or fome one on his behalf, fhould have proved his right thereto in his Majefty's College of Arms, and produced a certificate thereof from the faid College, under the common feal of that Corporation.

And that his Majesty's Secretary of State for the time being thould not, from thenceforth, prepare any warrant to pafs under the royal fignet and fign manual, for the purpose of advancing any perfon to the degree of a Baronet of Great Britain. until it should appear, by a proper certificate, that the family arms of the perfon fo intended to be advanced, together with fo much of his pedigree at leaft as may be neceffary to afcertain the defcent of the title, thould have been duly registered in his Majefty's College of Arms; and that the Clerk of the Crown for the time being fhould tranfmit all patents of Baronets, thereafter to be created, as foon as might be after they should have paffed the Great Seal, to the Regifter of the College of Arms, for the purpofe of an authentic 'registry thereof in the said college, which patent, fo registered, fhould be returned to the Clerk of the Crown for the use of the perfon to whom the fame should be granted. Land, Goz. SURREY, D. E. M.

Monday 8. The Houfe in committee of fupply voted 45. in the pound land tax.

Tuesday q.

The bill for regulating the East India Company's affairs was read in the Houle of Lords the first time, when Ld Temple role, and entered his folemn protett against so lufamous a bill. It went near, he said, to feize upon the most inclimable part of our conflitution, our chartered rights; but, notwithstanding it had been carried with a high hand in another place, be trufted their Lordfhips would never give it their fanétion.

The Duke of Portland defended it, as did Lord I oughborough Some very warm debates nfued, which ended with reading the petition from the E. I. Company again it

The following malefactors were (in obedience to the Recorder's order) conducted out of Newgate to a new featfold hung with black, erected a few yards from the door of the debtors on the north fide of Newgate, where they were executed at ten minutes after ten, viz. John Burk, John Wallis, alias Fox, Richard Martin, and Frauces Warren, alias Ballinger, George Morley, Samuel Wilfon, John Lawyer, Willam Manto, and William Buby and Francs Bark. They behared with great penitence.

The inhabitants of that neighbourhood have fince petitioned the fheriffs to remove the fcene of execution to the old place, but were told, "The plan had been well confidered; and would be perfevered in."

Wednesday 10.

Being the anniversary of the inftitution of the Royal Academy, a general affembly of the academicians was held at the Royal Academy, Somerset-place, when Edmund Garvey, efq. was admitted an academician, and received his diploma, figned by his Majefty. Three filver medals were given, viz. one to Mr. William Artaud, for the best drawing of an academy figure; one to Mr. Thomas Proctor, for the best model of an academy figure; one to Mr. Thomas Johnson, for the best drawing of architecture, being the elevation towards the principal court of one of the pavillions of Greenwich Hofpital, neareft the river, done from actual meaforement. The affembly then proceeded to elect the officers for the year enfuing, when Sir Joshua Reynolds was re-elected Prefident. Council.

James Barry,
George Dance,
Jeremiah Meyer,
John Richards,
J. Bap. Cipriani,
J. Singleton Copley,
Rev. Mr. W. Peters
Benj. Well, Efqrs.

Vifitors. Agostino Carlini, Richard Colway, Jofeph Nollekens, Jofeph Wilton, John Bacon, Edward Barch, Charles Carton, J. Singleton Copley, Benj. Weft, Efqrs. In the H. of Lords the order being moved, for the reading of the bill "For better regulating the affairs of the East India Company, &c." it was read, and a motion made for its commitment.

Lord Gower declared his diffent to the bill. He faid he would fiare what appeared to him to be pretended, and the real caufe for the bill: It was pretended, that from the circumstances of the Company, the mifmanagement of their directors, and the difobedience of their fervants abroad, actual, ruin flared them in the face, and created a neceffity for Parliament to interfere to fave them from deftruction. The real caufe he fufpected was, the amazing patronage that would be acquired to the Minifter by this new arrangement.

Lord Carlile faid that the bill, in his opinion, was highly neceffary; and he had not drawn his opinion from mere affertions only, but from the actual state of the Company's affairs.

Lord Coventry wished to call their Lordfhips attention to the dangerous innovation they were about to adopt, that of depriving a fet of British fubjects of their deareft rights, their franchifes and their property; if they were robbed of their charter they lost their all. The Duke of Manchefier fpoke in favour of the bill; he was fatisfied of its neceffity, and refolved to give it his hearty fupport; as he believed that the Company in their GENT. MAC. Dec. 1783.

flatement had mentioned many articles that would never be forthcoming.

Lord Rawdon admitted that there had been great rapacity committed by the Copany's fervants in India, and that fome regulations were much wanted; but he hought this bill would not be productive of the requifite regulations, but rather produce ao influence in this country which no Minifter ought to be intrufted with.

Lord Sandwich faid, that he did not perceive the ill confequences from the bill which the noble Lord apprehended, and he was thoroughly fatisfied of the necefity of doing fomething speedily for the falvation of the Company.

The Duke of Richmond objected to the bill on the fame grounds he had done before, as au infringement on the conftitution, by establishing a new breach of executive power.

Several other Lords fpoke on the occafion, fome for and others against the bill. At length the question of commitment being called for, there appeared for the commitment 57 and 19 proxies, in all 76. Against the commit-, ment 75 and 20 proxies, in all 95. The bill was therefore rejected.

Thursday 11.

The Houfe of Commons agreed to the report on the fupply, viz.

That 17.483 effective men, including 2,030 invalids, be employed as land forces for 1784; that 636,1901. be granted for maintaining the faid men; 284 2131. for the forces in the plantations, Gibraltar, &c. 8,2521. for a regiment of light dragoons, and five battalions of fost in the East Indies.

That 10,5371. be granted for the pay of general ftaff officers.-67,5511. for allowaaces to the Secretary at War, the Judge Advocate, Exchequer fees, &c.—and 9,3711. for the charge of two Hanoverian battalions ferving in Great Britain for 183 days.

While the proceedings of the preceding day were reporting, Mr. Flood from Ireland came into the Houfe, and without apology entered into the bufinefs of the day. He faid he had not been prefent, but he had understood that a converfation of a very ferious nature had taken place; and that the delicacy of the fituation of Ireland, on account of the volunteers, had been urged in argument for voting fo large a number of troops in England as 17,483 for the peace eliablithment of 1794.

A general cry of No, No, No, enfued.

Mr. Fiond, however, proceeded, and affured the House, there was no delicacy in the fituation of affairs in Ireland fo far as the volunteers were concerned. Ireland was loyal, and the volunteers were the loyaleft of the loyal.

Sec..at War declared, that among the reafons given by him for keeping up the number of troops for 1783, he had not once thought of the volunteers of Ireland, much less mentoned them; nor had he ever spoken of them but with respect,

Gen. Conway affured the hon. gent. that if he had cafually made ufe of the word delicary in fpeaking of the critical fituation of the times the prceeding day, it was without reference to any particular fet of men or measures, but in general, which every man of common fenfe muft fee and feel. The times were critical; but he had never given the most diftant intimation that the volunteers of Ireland had made them fo.

Other members fpoke to fatisfy the hon. gentleman that nothing offenfive had been faid of the Volunteers of Ireland.

Mr. Flood, however, concluded his fpeech with moving, that the words 17,483 be left out, and that the words 15,483 be inferted

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Wednesday 17.

In the House of Commons, as foon as the Speaker had taken the Chair, Mr. Baker rofe and said, that he had fomething material to Jay before the Houfe, and therefore moved that the Serjeant at Arms be directed to go with the mace into all the avenues leading to the Houle, and fummon the Members there to attend. This was feconded and carried into execution.

Mr. Baker then rofe again, and mentioned a very alarming report which had been for fome days in circulation relative to a conference which a noble Lord had with a great Perfonage, and the opinion that was Taid to have been exprefled by the latter of the bill which that Houfe had fent up to the Lords, for vefting the affairs of the E. 1. Company in cettain Directors. At prefent it was fupported on no better authority than that of a rumour, but it was a rumbur of too ferious and too alarming a nature to be paffed over unnoticed.

He added, that he would not fay any noble Lord had spread fuch a report; he could not fay who had fpread it: but certainly it had been fpread, and it was the duty of that Houfe to exprefs its abhorrence of it, be the author of it who it might. He made fome further obfervations, and concluded his Speech with two motions to the following purport, viz. "That it is now proper te declare the opinion of this Houfe, that to report any opinion or pretended opinion of his Majelly on any matter depending before Parlament, is a high crime and mildemeanor, derogatory to the dignity of Parliament, and de fructive of the Principles of the Conftitution." The next refolution was, "That this Houfe will, on Monday next, refolve itfelf into a Commitee of the whole Houte, to take into confideration the prefent fate of the nation."

Lord Maitland feconded the firft Motion. Lord Nugent oppofed it. Mr. William Pitt was aito again the Motion, and concluded his fpeech by moving for the order of the day.

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Lord Mahon feconded Mr. Pitt's Motion. Mr. Fox declared with great warmth, that if he could trace up the report to the Nobleman who made it, he would move for his impeachment; he added, that if the East India Bill was thrown out, as he did not doubt but it would, he would bring in another, thoroughly convinced that fuch a Bill was neceflary for the fafety of India, and for the Company's Affairs.

Some other Members having delivered their fentiments, the Houfe divided on the motion made by Mr. Pitt, for the order of the day, when there appeared for it 80, against it 153.

The motion for the order of the day hav ing been thus negatived, Mr. Baker's twe refolutions were carried without a divifion.

Mr. Erskine afier this moved, that it is the opinion of this Houfe, that the prefent fate of the Eaft India Company called for the moft fpeedy interference of Parliament, and would brook no delay; and that the

Houfe will confider as an abettor of those

abules, and an enemy to his country, any perfon who fhall prefume to advise his Ma jefty, to preven the difcharge of this important dury. This motion produced another divifion, when there appeared for it 137, against it 73.

Friday 19.

This morning, at one o'clock, a fpecial mesenger delivered to Lord North and Mr. Fox, the two Secretaries of State, a message from his Majefty, importing, that it was his Majefty's will and pleafure, that they should deliver to him the feals of their respective offices. On this metlage the feals were feat to Buckingham houfe by Mr. Frazer and Mr. Nepean the two Under Secretaries. A fimilar meage was about the fame time fent to the Commiffioners of the Great Seal.

Late the evening before the Duke of Portland and Mr. Fox communicated to his Majefty difpatches from Holland.

At a General Court of the United Company of Merchants of England trading to the Eaft Indies, it was unanimously refolved, to requet Gov. Johnston, Richard Atkinton, and John Woodhoute, Efqrs, to offer themfelves as candidates to fill the three vacancies in the important office of Directors, occafioned by the resignation of Sir Henry Fletcher, bart. and Jacob Wilkinson, efq; and by the death of fir William James, bart. with which requeft thofe gentlemen readily complied.

Monday 22.

The House of Commous agreed to the report of the Refolutions on the supply, viz. that 23,5561. be granted to replace the like fum to the Sinking Fund iffued for paying annoities; alfo 161,029l. for ditto; likewife 13,3391. for ditto in the 19th of his Majy; alfo 27,9091. for ditto in the 22d of his Majefty; and 24.9431. for ditto, 1783. Paffed the Land-Tax Bill; alfo the Lith Pofta e Bill.

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