British Parliament. (Continued from out Mag. for Nov. last.) HOUSE OF LORD S. FRIDAY-OCT. 30, 1795. TH HEIR Lordships met at an early hour this morning, and made confiderable progrefs in the bufinefs refpecting the flagitious infult offered to his Majesty on the preceding day, as he was returning from the house of peers. The order of the day being read for taking into confideration his Majefty's fpeech to both houfes of parliament, and the fame being read by the principal clerk, Lord Mount Edgecumbe role to move an addrefs to his majesty in return for his gracious communication. He began by reviewing the leading circumstances of the war, and remarked that the very defeats of the allies had been favourable to us, for unless the military force of France had been fo occupied, it would have been feverely felt by this country. The defection of fome of our allies, he faid, was of lefs moment thas might have been expected, for no ferious in convenience could accrue from that defection, when we confidered this country as feparately at war with France. Our own operations had, upon the whole, been greatly, if not uniformly, faccessful. In the East and West Indies we had made many conquests, and ftill retained a decided fuperiority. His lord hip next adverted to the difpofition expreffed in his majesty's fpeech to receive fuch overtures, on certain conditions, as might be compatible with the accustomed relations of amity and peace; and this conceffion was, in his opinion, all that candour could expect or policy allow. In allufion to the West India expedition, he faid he looked with a fatisfaction mach increased towards the fucceffes he anticipated in that quarter. Our affairs were, upon the whole, fo profperous, that inftead of unbecoming and imprudent condefcenfion on our part, he recommended, in the language of the fpeech, that we should be prepared for the alternative of war, and continue undiminished our activity and vigour. This was the mode of conduct best calculated to produce a peace on terms fafe and honourable to accept. He then entered into a mi nute investigation of the ftate of the French finances, which he contrasted with our own, and contended, that fuch was the rapid depreciation of affignats, that it would be impoffible for them to continue the war on the fame principle. The noble lord concluded by reading the addrefs he moved, which was, as ufual, refponfive of the fentiments contained in the speech. Lord Wallingham feconded the address. A meflage from the Commons acquainted the houfe that the commons had agreed to the addrefs for a conference. The queftion being put on the address, The Duke of Bedford rofe to ftate his objectiens to the addrefs in its prefent fhape, and to propofe another exaly fimilar to the one which Hib. Mag. Jan. 1796. had been propofed in the house of commons. His grace faid it would be more confiftent with the dignity of parliament for the house to speak their own fentiments, than to fubfcribe to a mere echo of the speech, and happy should he be if their decifion was a recommendation for a pacifi cation. He then animadverted on the different topics contained in the speech in an able and satis❤ factory manner. But as the remarks were in fome degree anticipated by the debate on the addrefs in the house of commons, we deem it unneceffary to follow his grace in a detail of those remarks. He next arraigned the conduct of administration, whom he termed wicked and corrupt, and conjured the house to draw afide that flimfy veil which was thrown over his majesty, whofe paternal care would induce him to exercife an act of royal prerogative, which alone could fave the country from deftruction. He concluded by moving an amendment to the ad. drefs. Lord Grenville, in a speech of two hours, combited the arguments that had been adduced by the Duke of Bedford, and concluded by giving his moft decided negative to the amendment. The Marquis of Lansdowne expreffed his afto nishment at the words that had been put into his majesty's mouth, and delivered from the throne; and having paffed a number of strictures on the fpeech, proceeded to the topics that had induced him to attend the house on this occafion. The enormous price of grain was the subject he alluded to. Laft January, when he read a paper, ftating that the industrious poor of his neighbourhood could not procure other food than bread and water; and when he mentioned the exceffive fcarcity of provifions with which the country was about to be afflicted, he was branded with the appellation of Jacobin, who wished to aroufe the populace against the government of the country. How far his predictions on the subject of scarcity had been realized, he left for others to determine. The poor, he faid, in many parts of the country, were unable to procure even bread and water. The government contractors were always upon the watch, and bought up all the cattle and hogs that were formerly slaughtered for the ufe of the poor. Befides this, they were generally killed half fattened an before they had attained their full growth, which destroyed the breed, and extended the inconvenience to pofterity. The confumption in fleets and encampments was much greater than if the men were difperfed in the country villages, exercising their refpective trades. Peace, immediate peace, was therefore, in his opinion, the only remedy that could reach the root of the evil, and fave the country from impending ruin. Next to this, he thought the fufferings of the poor might be alleviated by the equalization of labour; and he fuggefted the propriety of bringing in a bill for that purpofe, in order that every man's pay should be in proportion to the increased price of provi fions. After reprobating in fevere terms the conduct of adminiftration, the noble marquis concluded by giving his most hearty support to the amendment. A debate of confiderable length enfued, which K being being merely a repetition of the arguments ufed in the house of commons, we shall not lay it before our readers. The fpeakers in favour of the addrefs were, the Earl of Mansfield, Lord Hawkesbury, Earl Spencer, and the Lord Chancellor. In fupport of the amendment, Lord Darnley, the Duke of Grafton, and Lord Lauderdale. The Duke of Pedford did not choose to take the fenfe of the house on his motion, and accordingly withdrew it. Earl Spencer gave notice, that on Monday next he should propose a vote of thanks to admiral lord Fridport for his meritorious fervices. At half paft one o'clock the house adjourned THE Speaker having read his majefty's fpeech, Lord Dalkeith, fon of the Duke of Buccleugh, rofe to move an addrefs. His lordship proceeded to take a general view of our refources, the extent of our commerce, and the fucceffes which have attended our arms, both in the East and West Indies; which having gone through, he moved, that an humble addrefs be prefented to his majefty, for his moft gracious fpeech which he had been pleafed to deliver from the throne. [Here followed the addrefs, which, as ufual, was an echo of the fpeech ] The Hon. Mr. Stewart, fon of the Earl of Londonderry, rofe to fecond the addrefs. It was not neceffary to go back to the beginning of the war, in order to prove the defperate ftate of France; the prefent was fufficient to prove that the conteft must be brought to a conclufion favourable to this country. Affignats and the fyftem of terror, two great fupporters of the French refources, were now almoft exhaufted. The honourable gentleman here entered into a calculation of the loffes on the affignats, and the enormous expences of the French government. The prefent fyftem, he maintained, would also be abandoned by them, as well as the fyftem of terror. He concluded by feconding the addrefs. Mr. Sheridan began with expreffing his furprize that the word fatisfaction should appear in the first line of his majesty's fpeech. He conceived it a mark of true religion, to be fatisfied in the midst of diftrefs and difappointment. The abstinence, the religion, the meeknefs, and piety of his majesty's minifters were generally acknowledged, but it was neceffary to know on what their fatisfaction refted. When the houfe is now affured from the throne, that they are menaced with famine, how could the minister have the affurance to use the word fatisfaction. Mr. Sheridan then expatiated on the wifdom of the Elector of Hanover in making peace, and obferved, that however averfe the house might be to the introduction of Hanoverian troops, he ventured to pronounce it would have no objection Hanoverian counsellors. He then went into a to make an exchange and bring over his majesty's to place the conduct of ministry in the most conlong difplay of the catalogue of our misfortunes, temptible light imaginable. fpeech with a declaration, that he would not vote Mr. Jenkinfon replied to Mr. Sheridan. He begun by the French. Their views of aggran reverted to the origin of the war, which was firft dizement were founded on overturning the goof their opinions and political fyftem.-He vernment of this nation, through the propagation thought that these objects were to be oppofed by every effort of our arms. At the period when hoftilities commenced, the French fyftem was ruinous, hut now their conftitutional ideas were fomewhat altered. Instead of that unqualified democracy they at first profeffed, they now required of their electors a qualification of landed that the propofed divifion of offices in the new property greater than England. He obferved, French legiflature afforded a profpect of greater fecurity, and removed in part our objections to when the new government now forming was peace, which would be ftill further leffened, fairly reduced to practice. 22 the prefent war, which he confidered of no small Mr. Jenkinfon next adverted to an effect of confequence. All ranks of his majesty's fubjects, except the most profligate among the rich, and the vileft among the vulgar, had stepped fornions; for there could be no compromise with wards to exprefs their deteftation of French opithese opinions and the fafety of the constitution. He then took a view of the internal state and diftrefs of France, where there are affignats now in circulation to the amount of 780 millions fterling, which are growing daily into fuch difcredit, that one guinea in gold will purchase fifty guineas in affignats. dinary fpeech which he had heard from the Mr. Fox declared, that after the very extraor throne, he could not pass it over in filence. He wifhed to know how long his majesty's ministers were to build on fpeculations of terror and anarchy. fterling to the annual taxes to pay the intereft of Was it not fufficient to add 500,000l. of last year; but must minifters, besides, insult 100,000,000l. and to have brought on the scarcity the people, by telling them that their condition is better than it was last year? it was not a victory of last year, but last week. With respect to the victory of the Austrians, defection of the allies, and the expeditions to the He then entered on thofe topics, the general ed in the true fpirit of madness and folly to reincoafts of France, which he considered as conceivftate the defpotifm of the Bourbons. He maintained, that not one family in ten, in and was this improving our fituation? He bethis country, could earn bread for themselves; lieved that France was in diftrefs, and that the dearness 1796. British Parliament. dearnels of provifions arofe from the war alone; but had not the least doubt but this country was in a worse fituation. Mr. Fox then concluded a long speech by mov ing, that after the words of the proposed addrefs "That an humble address be presented to his majefty," an amendment thould be inferted, of which the following is the tenor: "To intreat his majesty to review the events of the last three years, and the fituations of the several powers That in this who had been engaged in war. period, two of our most confiderable allies had concluded treaties of peace with the enemy, and one had entered into alliance with them. That in the Weft Indies the enemy had re-captured two islands taken from them, and had placed feveral of his majesty's islands in extreme danger. That expeditions had been undertaken to the coaft of France, which proved shameful and abortive, and had difgraced the British name by the abandonment of those whom his majesty's minifters had affured of support. That fuch being the refult of three campaigns, the houfe thought it their daty to intreat his majesty no longer to listen to the opinion, that the governing powers in France were incapable of maintaining the relations of peace and amity, but to look for indemnity only in the increased industry which peace would protect. And to declare to his majesty, that if the exifting powers in France should, after the offer of a negociation, attempt to carry on the war for their own aggrandizement, the house would give his majesty fuch aid as, being affifted by the general energy of his people, would enable him effectually to repress the enemy, notwithstanding the weak and exhausted state to which the country has been reduced by his majesty's minifters. The Chancellor of the Exchequer declared, that, during a period of difcuffion as difficult and important as had ever come before parliament, the right honourable gentleman oppofite to him had never fubmitted to the house a propofition fo pregnant with danger, and every fort of hoftility to the intereft of the country, as that which he had just offered. Never, he hoped, was a greater diftinction to be obferved than between the addrefs and the amendment then under confideration; an amendment with which the right honourable gentleman had concluded a fpeech the most extraordinary, perhaps, that had fallen from him amidit the many extraordinary fpeeches delivered upon the subject of the war. In this amendment a fuppofed degradation of the nation in its character as a political body, was stated to be the reason of a fubmiffive defire for peace, as well as of a total renunciation of all pretenfions to indemnity; and was referred to for the purpose of holding out the mockery of fecurity and protection for induftry. Such a propofition, any member of that house was allowed by its forms to make, without perfonal refponfibility [a loud cry of hear! hear! from the oppofition fide of the houfe]; he could not, therefore, retort upon the right honourable gentleman the threat of impeachment; but was he (Mr. Fox) the minifter of the country, and the author of a fimilar proposal, he would deferve impeachment as much as any minister who ever difgraced its 75 history.-—Mr. Pitt then with a flow of eloquence and irresistible argument, greater than he ever before displayed in the houfe, combated the affertions of Mr. Fox, calling upon the house to judge, whether it became them, as itatesmen, to announce their own weakness and inability to carry on the conteft, and to declare their readinefs to negociate, with ut fo much as knowing who are to receive the declaration. I have no hesitation, fays Mr. Pitt, to declare, under what circumftances I fhould think it adviseable for this country to treat with France. Whe ther the new conítitution may have been put into activity, or may have been postponed, we are yet ignorant: "But when once that conftitution has been put into activity, with fuch acquiefcence of the people as shall enable the legiflature to speak as the reprefentatives of the French nation, we ought to be ready to negociate, without any objection to the form or nature of the government." Then, and then only, will be the time to difcufs the terms upon which peace ought to be concluded; whether they are fuch as we can honourably accept, or will afford a reasonable profpect of fecurity. But if by any premature declaration of weakness-it by any want of fortitude to bear our own fufferings, overlooking the ten-fold preffure under which the enemy labours, we ftoop to the humiliation now propofed; we must look to a much less fatisfactory flue of the conteft than I firmly expect, or than we might have obtained at different periods, or before other powers were wanting to themselves in fhrinking from the common cause ARE TRUE TO OURSELVES, much may yet be accomplished. It will at leaft be faid, that if any power flood in the breach, faved the rest of Europe, and gave time to thofe principles which threatened univerfal ruin, to spend their fury, it was a country that enjoyed a mild and free government. If we After a few words from Meffrs. Fox and Sheridan, in explanation, Mr. Wilberforce faid, that he perfectly approved of the addrefs, which had been fo ably fupported by his right honourable friend, of the wildom of whole conduct he had been convinced by his eloquence that night. The house divided about twelve, when there appeared For the amendment, Majority, 59 240 181 08. 30.] A new writ was moved for the borough of Rye, in the room of general Clarke, deceated. Another new writ was moved for Haddington, in the room of John Hamilton, eiq. The houfe having refolved itieif into a committee of the whole houte on the high price of corn, Mr. Dudley Ryder, in the chair, Mr. Pitt propofed a refolution which paffed the cominittée, pursuant to which, leave was given to bring in a bill for the continuation of an act palled last feffion to prevent the exportation of corn. Mr. Huffey fuggefted the propriety of aboun K 2 ty ty on the growth of corn, as a remedy to any future fcarcity of corn. Mr. Pitt obferved, that as to a bounty, it Ought to be delicately touched upon; but, however an investigation into the caufe of the prefent fcarcity should be made as foon as poffible. General Smith spoke a few words on the fame fubject. Mr. Fox wished to know when the prohibition on diftillers ceased, as that had a confiderable bearing on the bufinefs now before the house. Mr. Huffey faid, he alfo had intended to fpeak a few words on diftilleries. He wished to be informed whether it was defigned to prevent their working after the expiration of the act, as the price of grain would be regulated accordingly, The report was then brought up, and the houfe was on the Tuesday following to refume the fubject. A meffage came down from the lords, purport ing that they had sent to that honourable house a copy of the minutes of evidence of witneffes examined respecting the perfonal infult offered to the king, and alfo an addrefs to his majetty, expreffive of their indignation at the bafe attempt made on his perfon. The addrels was read a first time by the clerk at the table, and afterwards the minutes of evi. dence; the fubftance of which was, that Mr. John Walford, linen-draper, and baberdasher, and Mr. Stockdale, bookseller, Piccadilly, John Watford Seare and Chriftopher Kennedy, Bowftreet officers, had been witneffes of feveral difloyal expreffions being used by divers perfons on the day of the king going to the house of peers. James Parker, footman to the king, who lives at Pimlico, faid, that the ball which broke the glafs of the ftate coach, came from a bow window near the ordnance office, Old Palace Yard. The addrefs was then read a second time, and agreed to nem, con. A meage was then fent down to the lords, to notify the concurrence of the commons to the addrefs. Adjourned. 31.] Lord Stopford, at the bar, acquainted the house, that his majesty would be pleased to receive their address at half past two o'clock this day. At two o'clock the house adjourned over to Monday, and immediately proceeded to St. James's to prefent the addrefs. Nov. 2. The Speaker acquainted the houfe that his majefty had been graciously pleased to receive both the addrefles at St. James's, on Saturday lalt, to which his majefty returned an aniwer, of which the following is an outline:"Gentlemen, "I thank you for your loyal address, in which you exprefs to much concern at the attack made on my peifon and government. 1 fhall ufe every means to detect those persons who have been gonty of to daring an outrage, by which both the taiety of my perfon and the conftitution of these kingdoms were so much endangered.". The order of the day for taking into confideration his majesty's fpeech, being moved, the house refolved itself into a committee of the whole house, Mr. Hobart in the chair. A mo. tion was then made, That fupplies be granted to his majefty; which was agreed to unanimously, and the report of the committee to be brought up to-morrow. Mr. Secretary Dundas rofe and faid, that at no period of the hiftory of these kingdoms was the military ardour of any officer fo confpicuously diftinguished as that of admiral lord Bridport for the eminent services he had rendered this country on all occafions, but more particularly in his engagement with a detachment of the French feet on the 3d of June laft, and for the important victory gained over it on that day: he would therefore move, That the thanks of this house be given to admiral lord Bridport, which was agreed to nem. con. He then moved, That the thanks of this house be alfo given to vice admiral Harvey, lord Hugh Seymour, and rearadmiral Gardner; which was allo agreed to una moufly, and the fame to be fignified to them by admiral lord Bridport. He then moved, the thanks of that house to be given to all the cap tains and other officers of that part of the fleet. And lastly, That the thanks of that house be likewife given to the feamen and marines, and that the fame be made known to them by their captains. Adjourned. Commifion Intelligence. Court of King's Bench. TUESDAY, DEC. 22, 1795. TRIAL OF JAMES WELDON, FOR HIGH TREASON. TH HE prifoner being brought to the bar, the court informed him and his counsel that the judges having been confulted, there being nine of them in town, had been unanimously of opinion that the charge given to the jury on the queftion of Yeoman or not, decided yesterday, was perfectly right. Prifoner being asked whether he was ready for his trial anfwered that he was not.The court faid that if fome good caule for poftponement was not ftated by affidavit, they must proceed in the trial. No fuch affidavit being made, the jury were fworn as follows: Sir Edward Crofton, Baronet, Foreman. James Smith. Efqrs. On the motion of Mr. McNally, the prisoner's rons weretaken off. The indictment was then read, confifting of eight counts, which formed two fubftantial charges-one, affociating and confulting on the 20th of Auguft with traitors called Defenders, for the purpose of affifting and adhering to the French, then the king's enemies, and overturning the proteftant religion ;-the other, corrupt ing and enlifting William Lawler, by adminiftering an oath to him to affift the king's enemies,, the French, and overturn the established Protes tant religion. the king's life whatever might have been the true intent of the party. But the law which was thus careful of the fovereign's life was equally fo of that of the subject, and therefore took care that this crime fhould be fully proved by the fame overt-act which made the compaffing indubitable. the former-for it is impoffible to adhere to the king's enemies-(whofe object is the king's destruction) without endangering his life. There was another kind of treason-adhering to and affifting the king's enemies. Of both of thefe kinds of treafon the prisoner stood charged. The oath is that called the Defender's oath--The latter, indeed, is but anothor name for in which the perfon fwears in fub tance to be true to king George the III. fo long as he fhail live under his government to obey his committeemen and fuperiors, and officers, in all lawful commands and to obferve the articles of the fociety, and all the amendments made in them fince the year 91-not to strike a brother, or rife a fight, &c. The catechifm, as it is called, and which is annexed to the oath, is as follows: Q. I am concerned? A. In France. Q. What is the pass-word? Mr. Attorney General-He faid it would not be neceffary for him to do little more than to ex. plain fome circumftances in order to give light to fome parts of the evidence which should be produced. He would however fay a few words on the nature of the indictment. It charged the prifoner with two fpecies of treason, the one compaffing and intending the death of the king-the other, adhering to his enemies. In no other instance than this of treafon had the law of England made the mere intention, without being carried into execution, a crime; in this cafe it was neceffary, because the tranquility of the public, the preservation of life and property depends on the fafety of the first magiftrate; and therefore it was, that the mere defign of attempt ing his life, though the defign be not matured and carried into action, is made capital.-Any act that has a tendency to bring the life of the fovereign into danger is proof of an original intention to kill him ;-and therefore in order to convict a man of this crime it was not neceffary he faid, that the actual defign of killing the king should have been ever really entertained. It was enough if the acts of the party had a tendency to the deftruction of the monarch-for inftance, to endeavour a change in government by force, or to procure an invation of the kingdom, or to aim at imprisoning the king, any of thefe evidently tending to endanger the king's perfon was in the intendment of law defigned against The Attorney General then enumerated the different counts in the indictment, as so many overt-acts of his treafon-of which, if any ONE fhould be proved it would be fufficient to convict him. He next proceeded to ftate the evidence which was to be produced on the part of the crownHe prefaced this, however, by a description of the state of this country at the time when the treafon alledged against the prifoner was committed. It was, he faid, unhappily an hiftorical fact, that there had exited in Ireland for fome time back, perfons affociated for the most wicked purposes, and were known by the name of Defenders.-For four years past, those persons had infefted every part of the kingdom; and previous to the time of committing the crime the prifoner food charged with, it had in many trials fully appeared what the wicked designs of thole mifcreants were. Since 1790, they_had appeared in many counties of the North, Eaft, and Weft parts of the kingdom-and had com→ mit ed many very daring outrages; but particu- j larly in feizing by force the arms of their fellow fubjects. It had appeared there were perfons who prefcribed their movements, and adminif tered oaths fo guarded and equivocal, that though they bound the parties to crimes the most enormous, they yet appeared to be obligations to legal obedience. Thefe perfons had made prolelytes, by giving to the lowest of the people falle hopes, which it was impoilible fhould ever be gratified—hopes of general independence and equality-hopes which could not be accomplished -even were they phyfically poffible, without a total fubverfion of all government, and which in their firit tendency, went to reduce us again to a state of favage nature. In fome places thofe perfons have dared to use the facred name of religion, as a cover for those most wicked defigns, and have endeavoured to inftil hatred and animofity into the minds of fome Catholics, against their fellow fubjects, who, though dif. fering in fome points of opinion from them, yet worthip the fame God, and believe in the fame Jefus Christ. They had ventured to do this at the very time when a Proteftant legislature was making every fucceeding feffion, fome new indulgence.-No man could believe that when he attributed this conduct to wicked men profefling the Catholic Religion, he meant to infinuate any thing against the general body of that community-no-there was but a few of them, and those certainly the Lowest |