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leges of Members of Parliament. With regard to himself, he did not wish to take any harth measure at present, but trufted that no editor of a newspaper would use his name in future without his authority, and that what he had now faid would prevent the neceflity of his troubling their Lordships again upon this fubje&.

PRINCE OF WALES'S DEBTS.

The Duke of Grafton began a very earnest appeal to their Lordships, with obferving that it was highly neceflary to prefcrve the dignity of that House, and the respect due to both Houfes at all times, and not to fully or diminish either by taking any premature ftep that might occafion embarraffment in time to come. Their Lordships, he trufted, would all feel this, but most especially in the days in which they lived, when it was more than ever neceffary from the unparalleled degree of difficulty and diftrefs in which the total incapacity of his Majefty's prefent advifers had fo unfortunately involved the country. Of that incapacity he had witnessed abundant proofs, in the manner of their difpofing of the most important points that had been offered to the confideration of their Lordships; and moft efpecially the laft motion relative to an inquiry into the state of the nation, brought forward by a Noble Earl, which the influence of ministers had caufed to be difpofed of contrary to all precedent, and when he, among other Noble Lords, anxioufly entreated the adjournment of a fingle day to reconfider the fubject, and to avert the evil of a precipitate decifion on fo important a question.

The taking, as he had already faid, any ftep that might depreciate that Houfe, was of all things that which he had moft to dread. In this light did he fee a step that was about to be taken in that Houfe the next day-(his Majesty's mes fage on the affairs of the Prince of Wales)-a measure in itfelf highly important, and of fo delicate a nature, that the other Houfe had thought it required a very minute inquiry, for fo he understood, and he did not mean to speak unparliamentarily, he understood it from the printed votes of that Houfe. He fhould not enter into particulars upon the fubject then, nor could he, by late experience, flatter himself with much hope that any thing he might urge would make any very deep impreffion upon their Lordfhips. But as this matter was to be brought on in that House the next day, and confidering what had paffed in the other House, that there a call of the Houfe had been agreed upon previous to any dif cuffion of the business, he trusted he fhould not be thought

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to deviate from the rules of Parliament if he advised their Lordships to be extremely cautious, and to recollect the danger of difgracing both Houfes, the Royal Family, and the King upon the throne, if they took a fingle step, till their Lordships fhould have the measure before them which the other Houfe might fend up. Suppofing that their Lordships fhould come to fome propofition the next day on the fubject he alluded to, and should not have the good fortune to have the concurrence of the other Houfe, what would then become of their Lordfhips propofition? they could not controul the other House upon the fubject, for they held the public purfe. He would have their Lordships, therefore, think a moment before they proceeded in this bufinefs. It was impoffible that they should take any step, without running the danger of committing the Houfe to what they might not afterwards be able to maintain; for they could not know what propofition might come up from the other Houfe of Parliament; and thus their Lordships, by adopting any measure the next day, might be very much perplexed and entangled afterwards, when they might be called upon to affent to, or diffent from, any measure that came from the other House. When that measure, whatever it might be, fhould be fairly before their Lordships, he would deliver his opinion, without meaning offence to the Illuftrious Perfonage in question, or indeed offence to any quarter; but as an honeft man, openly and unrefervedly, although he might differ from his nearest and dearest connexions, as he had more than once been, painfully to himself, obliged to do. His Grace repeated that he feared that the Houfe might be brought into a state of embarrassment, if they adopted any thing upon this fubject the next day; and therefore he hoped his Majefty's ministers would not think of prefling any one measure in this very critical and delicate bufinefs, before they knew what the other House would refolve upon.

Lord Grenville faid, if the Noble Duke had but waited till the next day, he would have found that there was not the fmalleft occafion for his Grace to have felt that extraordinary` degree of alarm that he had fo anxiously ftated. Certainly no Noble Lord could imagine that it was his intention to propofe any measure that could lead their Lordships into detail on the fubject. They muft undoubtedly wait till they faw what the measure was which the other Houfe fhould legiflatively fend up for their confideration, before their Lordfhips proceeded todiicufion and debate on the fubject. A!! he meant to propofe the next day, would be what every Noble Lord who had read his Majefty's Meffage, would fee was indifpenfibly neceffary, viz. to move an humble addrefs to his Majefty, exprefling their thanks

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thanks for his moft gracious communication, and affuring his Majefty of their Lordships uniform affection to his perfon and the interefts of the Royal Family; and that at a fit time they would cheerfully concur with the other House, in such meafures for making a proper provifion for his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, as under all the circumstances of the cafe fhould appear requifite. Such an addrefs, his Lordship faid, would not commit or pledge that House to any one proceeding, but would leave the whole fubject open to full and free difcuffion. The whole fubject must come before the House, and be confidered again. If the Noble Duke attended to the Meffage from the Throne, he would fee that they were not called upon to come to any propofition at prefent that might lead to what the Noble Duke apprehended. Perhaps he was not regular in ftating at the prefent moment what he intended to move the next day.

The Duke of Grafton faid, he was not quite fatisfied; if any body was out of order and irregular, he knew that he was that perfon-anxiety for the occafion betrayed him into it. He did not mean to evade the question in any shape; he thought it would be wrong for that Houfe to take the lightest notice of it, or take a fingle ftep in the business, for fear of going too far, untii fome measure had been adopted by the Commons; becaufe, until that happened, there could be nothing on which any refolution could be grounded: And therefore, if the Noble Secretary of State perfifted in his intention of moving either an addrefs, or any thing elfe, he begged leave to wash his hands of it altogether. Whenever the matter fhould be brought forward, their Lordships ought to know what they might do, without being fubject to the chance of its being afterwards fet afide. It was with that view he rofe to fubmit his ideas to the Houfe. With regard to the measure itfelf, when it came to be difcuffed, he repeated it, that he fhould give his affent or his diffent, without confidering whether he should give offence to that Houfe, to the nation, or elsewhere, for he was determined to do what appeared to him to be his duty.-Here the converfation ended.

FEES IN THE SECRETARY OF STATE'S OFFICE.

The Earl of Lauderdale took the opportunity to state to the House, that fo early in the feffion as the 26th of February, he had moved an addrefs to his Majelly, for papers to be laid on, their table, relative to the fees received in the offices of the Secretaries of State. They had not yet appeared; why, he could not conceive. He wished to know of the Noble Secretary of State, when they were likely to be produced; and fecondly,

fecondly, whether there was any difficulty arising from inaccuracy in the form in which his motion was worded: If fo, he was ready to correct it, and render it practicable.

Lord Grenville faid, he could not affign any reafon for the delay, but that he would make inquiry.

The Earl of Lauderdale then obferved, that the feffion was now far advanced, and the Public ought to know in what forwardness our preparations were for a future campaign, and what troops were intended to take the field. Minifters alfo ftood pledged to make fome communication relative to the Imperial loan, as foon as they could. The Noble Secretary of State would recollect, when the meffage relative to that loan came down, it was ftated, that certain fums of money had been advanced to the Emperor. He fufpected that this country had paid, or flood pledged to pay, a larger fum of money than was communicated to Parliament. As he thought it material for the Houfe to know this, he fhould have a motion to make relative to the fum of money advanced at this period, by this country, to the Emperor.

Lord Grenville referred to the tenor of the meffage, to which the Noble Eari had alluded. In anfwer to the first question, relative to a future campaign, all he could fay in addition to that was, that he had no commands from his Majesty to make a further communication upon that fubject, and therefore it was impoffible for him to make any other anfwer. To the other part of the Noble Earl's requeft, he faw no pointed objection.

The Earl of Lauderdale then moved for an account of such further fums of money, as his Majefty has been induced to order to be iffued to his Imperial Majefty, fince the last return, fpecifying the dates, &c.-Ordered.

RECAL OF THE LORD LIEUTENANT OF IRELAND.

The Order of the Day, on the motion of the Duke of Norfolk, to inquire into the circumftances of the recal of Eart Fitzwilliam, being generally called for,

The Earl of Guildford begged leave to remind the Noble Duke, on whofe notice their Lordships were that day fummoned, of the extreme impropriety of bringing forward his queftion respecting the recal of the late Viceroy of the fifter kingdom, during the abfence of a Noble Duke, the cause of which abfence they must all lament. He therefore fubmitted it to the Houfe, whether it would not be more fatisfactory to their Lordships, and to the Public at large, to defer the difcuffion of this important bufinefs, to fome day when their Lordfhips might have the advantage of the attendance of that

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Noble Duke, who was deeply implicated in the business from his official fituation.

The Duke of Norfolk faid, he did not mean any difrefpect to the Noble Duke, nor would he urge his queftion, if fufficient reafons for poftponing it were affigned; but he did not think the cafe was quite made out. A Noble Earl, who had lately been recalled from an high and important ftation, had come down to that Houfe, and charged Administration with having done what they did unjustifiably; implicating his character in charge in his abfence; and calling on them to name a day to inquire into all the circumstances of the tranfaction. Blame there certainly was fomewhere, and that Houfe had a right to have the true grounds of it afcertained, for their fatisfaction and that of the Public. One minister was prevented from attending the Houfe to-day, and it was fuppofed that the question referred to the department of that minifter in particular; that feemed to be the reason why this business was wifhed to be deferred. It did not appear to him to be by any means a fufficient reafon; but he would be guided by their Lordfhips, if they would be pleafed to fuggeft their defire. As there were two parties concerned in this bufinefs, his Majefty's minifters and the Noble Earl, and there certainly was an obvious indelicacy in forcing either of them to say a word on the subject, he would therefore wait for the opinion of other and lefs interefted Lords. When he understood the with of the Houfe, he would act accordingly. He was either ready to proceed at that moment, or to wait a few days longer.

The Earl of Moira conceived the Noble Duke would find it abfolutely impoffible to bring forward his question, when he confidered that the abfent Secretary of State prefided over the office with which the Viceroy of Ireland immediately and folely correfponded. If the newspapers correctly reflected what had paffed in the Houfe of Commons of Ireland, when a question for an inquiry on the fame fubject had been lately agitated, an Hon. Gentleman, who had lately left England, and who had much conversation of a confidential nature with his Majefty's minifters, had declared upon his honour that the Noble Earl had not gone a step beyond his inftructions. His Lordship mentioned the refpect perfonally due from one Noble Lord to another; and faid, that to proceed in the abfence of the Noble Duke, would be a mark of disrespect to him, without being of any advantage to the Houfe. The Noble Duke ought to have an opportunity of taking his fhare in the difcuffion, especially when the ufual practice, that each party involved in blame afcribable to one or other fhould be prefent, was confidered.

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