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confi'ered it as queftion of raising money from the fubjects, and er tirely different from making a provision for the Prince of Wales. He was against pledging the Houfe or the Public in any way whatever, that might eventually or contingently lead to fixing a burden upon them to pay those debts, with which he thought they had nothing to do; and the amendment moved was the best way to avoid giving any fuch pledge.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer defended himself from any intention of wishing to treat the Hon. Gentleman or the Houfe unfairly; on the contrary, he thought that the manner in which he had worded the inftruction, by giving room for the propofed amendment, was the fairest public way of dif cuffing the fubject. He agreed, that undoubtedly during the progrefs of any measure in that Houfe, they might alter any former refolution come to upon it; but until that was done, the laft refolution was always confidered to be the sense of the Houfe. He had ftated before that on the event of his Royal Highnefs's death, fome other fund was to be made chargeable for the remainder of the debts. He would vote against the amendment propofed.

Mr. Fox contended, that by the inftruction propofed, they were not voting money for the Prince's debts, nor pledging the Houfe to pay them. That was to be a future confideration, and one upon which he thought an arrangement might easily be made when he knew the resources which the Prince poffeffed, and the affiftance which he might derive from the munificence of his father. The Houfe, by agreeing to the instruction moved, were not pledged for one farthing of the debts; and as to the mode of bringing the fubject forward, every one muft allow, that where fo many questions were involved, there was a difficulty in determining which should be firft difcuffed. He lamented the neceflity for fetting apart any precife quantum of the Prince's income for the payment of his debts; because that ought to be determined by him; but the difficulty which he felt on that point was obviated by the meffage which the Houfe had just received, and the fubstance of which, he trufted, would be ftill more diftinctly avowed in fome future communication. Upon this point fome new inftruction might be neceffary, and he trusted that due notice would be given when it was to be brought forward.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer agreed in what had been faid by the Right Hon. Gentleman.

Mr. Martin rofe, in confequence of an obfervation that had fallen from the Secretary of State early in the debate. That Right Hon. Gentleman had faid, that if the prefent

motion was not agreed to, there would be much public difapprobation; this, he had every reafon to believe, was not the cafe, and though he felt every refpect for the Royal Family, as far as they were connected with the conftitution of the country, he did not think that applications like the present were likely to favour them in the pinion of that Houfe or the country.

Mr. Sheridan faid, it certainly was not his intention in that ftage of the business to enter into any long difcuffion; when the proper time came he would fpeak out plainly, without courting popularity on one fide, or fearing difpleasure on the other. That the House, by agreeing to the motion before them, were in no degree pledging themselves for the payment of the Prince's debts, he differed from his Right Hon. Friend. But he differed still more from the Right Hon. Gentleman oppofite. The only queftion that ought to be before them, was fimply, whether the debts were to be paid or not? By the mode in which it had been brought forward, this direct question might be evaded. The reafoning of his Right Hon. Friend with regard to an annual income to be allowed to the Prince might be true, but it could not be fo with the King's minister; for if he required 125,000l. as an adequate income for the Prince, certainly he could not mean to pay his debts out of it; and if, on the other hand, a part was to be paid out of that, fum, the House was pledged to pay thofe debts under the evafion of making a fuitable provifion for his Royal Highness. He would rather have preferred addreffing the King upon the fubject than the mode that had been followed. As to the language that had been used, reprobating this application to Parliament as a breach of promife, and other obfervations of that fort, he would not at that time give any opinion. The Public certainly never would believe that the King's minister propofed an annual income of 125,00cl. for the Prince, without any reference to the debts, and they ought not to be trifled and quibbled with, by being told at the fame time that they. were not pledged to pay them; they ought not to be deluded, humbugged, and deceived in that way, but fairly and at once let to know whether they were to pay the debts or not. That night it was not his intention to vote either way-this feemed to furprise fome Gentlemen oppofite, but to those who ge-. nerally made up their minds upon all queftions before they came into the Houfe, it was to be expected they must be aftonished that he had not made up his after he was in it. He was againft giving any inftructions to the Committee, relative to the payment of the debts, yet he would give it as his pofitive opinion, that they ought to be paid immediately, for the

dignity

dignity of the country, and the fituation of the Prince. He ought not to be feen rolling about the ftreets in his state-coach as an infolvent prodigal: But, while he ought to be relieved from his embarrafiments, the Public fhould not be burdened with the preffure of a hair, in affording him that relief. By coming at all to that Houfe to pay his debts, the Prince had been ill advifed; and he fincerely believed the King had not an honeft minifter about him, or elfe they never would have heard of fuch an application to Parliament.

The debts might and ought to be paid. If it was meant to keep monarchy refpectable in the eyes of this country, and of the world, a different conduct fhould have been purfued. The fum of two or three hundred thousand pounds he reckoned trifling, when compared to the unbecoming fituation of an Heir Apparent to the Crown, without independence, and, what was worfe, without character. In the course of those difcuffions, Gentlemen had applied bold and strong languag." to that illuftrious Prince; but there were other high and illuftrious characters, who, in future difcuffions, must be told as plainly what the Public have a right to expect from them, and what their conduct ought to have been upon the prefent occafion, however ungracious the task might be.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer faid, he could not in point of order reply to the Hon. Gentleman's fpeech, nor did he mean it. This certainly was a queftion in which the Hon. Gentleman felt himself very much interested, though he had told the House he did not intend to vote upon it either way, be cause he had not made up his mind. He must take the liberty to fay that if the Hon. Gentleman had given his attendance to the former difcuffions on the fubject, as he ought to have done, in his place, or even had he been earlier in his attendance that night, he would have heard enough to make up his mind upon.

Mr. Sheridan faid, it was unneceffary for him to state to the House the reasons which prevented his attendance, and were he to ftate them, they moft probably would be unintelgible to that Right Hon. Gentleman. His reafon for giving no yote was, because he did not approve of the motion before the Houfe; it was a measure confused and indirect. When the pofitive question, "Whether the debts ought to be paid or not?" was before the Houfe, he would have no hesitation in deciding.

* Mr. Sheridan had married within a week or two, and had been abfent from the Houfe on that account.

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The Report of the Committee on the Emperor's loan, and the other orders of the day, were poftponed till Wednefday.

Adjourned at eleven o'clock.

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HOUSE OF LORDS.

TUESDAY, June 2.

In a Committee of Privileges, heard evidence further in the claim of Stapleton to the Barony of Beaumont.

The Royal affent was given by commission to several public and private Bills.

Lord Hay (Earl of Kinnoul), on account of the absence of a Noble and Learned Lord (Thurlow), withdrew his notice of a motion relative to a standing order of the Houfe, and gave a new notice for a future day.

Heard counfel on an Inclosure Bill.
Adjourned.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.

TUESDAY, June 2.

Mr. Rofe moved for leave to bring in a Bill to remove doubts relative to an Act made this feffion of Parliament respecting certain duties of excife; which, after a few words from General Smith, was granted.

The Hotfe, in a Committee, came to a refolution to grant leave to bring in a Bill for the importing of fine filk from any country now in amity with his Majefty.

The Friendly Society Bill paffed the Committee, and the Report was ordered to be received next day.

Mr. Ryder moved for leave to bring in a Bill to enable woolcombers to exercife their trade in any town in Great Britain, &c.-Granted.

A meffage from the Lords informed the House that their Lordships had agreed to feveral private Bills.

MR. MALESPINE'S AFFIDAVIT,

On the motion of Mr. Thelluffon that a copy of the affidavit of Mr. Malefpine, verifying certain facts, &c. be laid before the Houfe,

Mr. Grey faid, he had never fhewn an unwillingness to the production of papers that tended to elucidate the fubject to which this affidavit referred, or which any perfon might think neceffary. But he muft ftate to the Houfe what were his doubts as to the regularity of producing this affidavit before fome decision should

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