Page images
PDF
EPUB

be had, whether the conduct of Sir Charles Grey and Sir John Jervis in the West Indies fhould be inquired into, because this might be made evidence hereafter in the course of that inquiry, if it fhould be inftituted. He was aware an affidavit had been produced in that Houfe, but that was made under circumstances very different from this. That affidavit was not made after a view of the proceedings which had been already had in Parliament upon this fubject, and was of a date prior to fuch proceedings; but the prefent affidavit was of a date subfequent to the debate in that House upon that business, and feemed to have been procured rather in confequence of that debate, and circulated pretty industriously among the Members of the House, and in the city, and conveyed a direct attack on officers who were not present to defend themselves. Instead of this affidavit, he fhould like to see Mr. Malefpine giving his evidence at the bar of that House, if the inquiry was inftituted. His difficulty arofe on the queftion of the regularity of admitting papers of this nature, not that he had any objection to the affidavit being laid upon the table, because he did not he fitate to ftate roundly that the affidavit in queftion was from one end of it to the other a grofs and fcandalous perjury, and he hoped it was not fo loofely worded, but that the author of it might be brought to condign punishment, for which purpose proceedings were to be inftituted in a court of law.

Sir William Young agreed with Mr. Grey, that bringing up the affidavit would be in every refpect in the teeth of precedent.

Mr. C. Dundas faid, he alfo would confirm the affertion of Mr. Grey refpecting the affidavit of Mr. Malefpine, and evidence was then attending who would contradict every part of it. He had made inquiry into the character of another officer (General Dundas) who had been attacked, and whofe reputation was dear to him-he meant his brother, now no more. The refult of his inquiry had been fuch as to prove, that that brave man had never acted fo as to call for cenfure on his conduct. He was no more, and he requested those Gentlemen who were about to move for an inquiry, that they would not let any falfe delicacy, or any refpect for the afhes of the dead, prevent them from bringing his conduct also to an examination. He afked this, because he felt the full confidence that the refult muft do honour to the character of that gallant officer, by a triumphant victory over the affailants of his fame. He asked this also, because he faw his character fhamefully attacked in the ftate papers of another nation. Victor Huet, the commiffioner, in his public difpatches, had carried enmity beyond the grave, and had bafely infulted the memory

3 F 2

of

of a man, whom he had feared to meet when living. He implored thofe who called for examination, to let it extend to the length he asked, and thereby do juftice to the reputation of a gallant officer, whofe conduct never was before impeached.

Sir W. Scott obferved, that this affidavit could not regularly be laid before the Houfe; it was not evidence of any thing pofitive even in the court where it was taken, for it only stated the opinion of the perfon who made it, and as what he be lieved, not what he knew.

Mr. Barham faid, he had asked for no other papers but what were neceffary to ground his motion upon. He should act folely upon the evidence before the Houfe, and confine himself to the papers upon the table. In refpect to what had fallen from an Hon. Gentleman, concerning a gallant officer now dead, he challenged the recollection of the Houfe, whether he ever had faid a word imputing blame against him, When he did not blame him, it was not through a delicacy of reverencing the dead; it was because he believed none of his actions ever merited cenfure.

Mr. Sheridan faid, that it was with him a matter of regret that this affidavit could not, according to the rules of the Houfe, be laid before them; but that, however, was in fome measure compenfated by its being in the hands of almoft every Member. His Hon. Friend had faid, that this affidavit was a grofs perjury from the beginning to the end: He had very little doubt of that, for upon examination it would be found to bear ftrong internal marks of perjury, from its inconfiftencies.

Mr. Thellufon faid, that his brother had been charged on a former occafion with having made a wilful mifrepresentation in his memorial on this business; and this affidavit was made in confequence. He then gave a hiftory of the proceedings of the Committee of which his brother was the chairman, and maintained that his brother had done nothing for which he was not justified.

Mr. Foddrell ftated, that the affidavit was in a great meafure mitrepresented, and did not contain the inconfiftencies pointed out to the extent that Gentlemen described them.

Mr. Fox faid, his objection was fimply this, that he did not like to take the affidavit of a man, who, if he gave evidence at all, ought in this cafe to give it at the bar of the House, But as this affidavit had been circulated fo much, he thought it ought to be commented upon in the courfe of the debate upon this bufinefs, otherwife two great officers, of high character, would be treated in a very unbecoming manner;

for

[ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small]

for they certainly were calumniated grofsly in this extraordie nary affidavit. He could have wifhed that this affidavit might have been laid upon the table, efpecially if there was to be no inquiry into the conduct of thefe officers, because if the affidavit were on the table it would be regular to discuss it.

Mr. Alderman Lufhington faid, his Hon. Friend had been regular in his proceedings. This was a great question to a commercial country; it was a queftion of policy, not of guilt. His Friend, Mr. Thelluffon, had been called upon to do as he had done. When the facts stated in those affidavits were made known to him, as he had no reason to know the character of M. Malefpine to be bad, he could do no otherwife than prefent the remonftrance which he did.

Mr. Whitbread (poke against the affidavit in exprefs terms; he was certain, he faid, of an Hon. Gentleman's affcrtion, that he could prove the falfehood of the memorial, and the affidavit, which was manifeftly founded on it. Should the affida vit be received, it would be eftablishing a dangerous precedent. The character of the officers whom it tended to criminate, was highly deferving, and the more it was investigated the greater luftre would be added to it.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer obferved, that Gentlemen were pretty nearly going into a debate upon the fubject, which they should not do until it was opened by the Hon. Gentleman who had given notice of bringing the subject forward that day.

The queftion for laying the affidavit before the House was then put and negatived.

THE NAVY,

Mr. Secretary Dundas faid, he had troubled the Houfe on various occafions to attend to certain regulations refpecting the payment of the wages of feamen; thofe regulations had been adopted, and he trusted that the beneficial effects of them had been already felt. He had an object at present in view of a fimilar nature; it related to half-pay officers of the navy. They were a fet of men who were fubject at prefent to intolerable hardships. When called upon to go in to actual fervice, they found themfelves in a very awkward fituation: The pittance that was paid to them was fo fmall, that it did not anfwer the purpofes of fitting them out for the fervice; the confequence of which was, that they found themfelves involved in great difficulties. They had occafion for money to fit them out, for which purpose they ufually went to an agent, to whom they paid five per cent. in tereft, to which was to be added money for commiffion, and

for

for affurance of their lives when they are going upon an hazardous enterprife; fo that altogether out of this miferable pittance, the deduction was not lefs than eighteen per cent. His object was to remove thefe difficulties, and put an end to this enormous expence; for which purpofe he should propofe, that they should have three months wages in advance, when called into actual fervice; and that they should be allowed to draw bills at three months, fix months, or twelve months, as they might think fit to fuit their convenience, which bills would be regularly paid without any of the expence which he had already specified. Another point which he had in view was, that of a regulation of the payment of widows penfions. He propofed that they fhould be paid by bills drawn for that purpofe, without any expence or inconvenience at their own doors. He concluded with moving for leave to bring in a Bill for the more ready and convenient payment of the wages of the half-pay officers of his Majefty's navy, &c.

Colonel Maitland did not oppofe this; on the contrary, he declared he was extremely happy that the fubject was brought forward. The half-pay officers of the navy were unquestionably objects highly worthy the attention of that House; but he was of opinion alfo, that fomething fhould be done in favour of the fubalterns of the army, whofe cafe was at prefent a very hard one; and he was forry that after provifion had been made this feffion, for feveral objects, and one very large and extensive, to a certain high character, that still the fubalterns of the army fhould have been neglected.

The Secretary at War denied that there was any inclination in his Majefty's minifters to neglect the fubalterns of the army, as feemed to have been juft infinuated. It was easier to talk of relief in general terms, than to procure it; and the Hon. Gentleman had not ftated any fpecific remedy, nor made out any specific grievance in the cafe to which he alluded.

Colonel Maitland faid, he thought it was fufficiently specified, to ftate that the fubalterns of the British army ought to have fome provision made for them. The fact was fo; nay, he would venture to say that every Gentleman in that House gave more reward to his footman annually, than some of the half-pay officers in the army received from the Public.

General Smith approved of the motion of Mr. Dundas. The regulations he propofed he thought perfectly falutary, and fuch as muft meet the approbation of every man who had the intereft of the British navy at heart. He wifhed, however, that the care of the Right Hon. Secretary would alfo extend to the India officers, who were equally deferving of their country.

[blocks in formation]

Colonel Rolle approved of the motion.-The case of midfhipmen, at the conclufion of a war, was, he obferved, peculiarly hard, and merited fome falutary relief.

Mr. Jekyll wished to know whether the Right Hon. Secretary meant to include marines in his regulations? to which Mr. Dundas fignified affent by gesture.

General Macleod faid, he was not much in the habit of be ftowing praise upon the Secretary of State; therefore, as he did fo now, there would be the lefs reafon to doubt his fincerity. He certainly applauded the Right Hon. Gentleman very highly for his motion. He alfo hoped that the cafes of the other perfons alluded to would have the minifter's attention. -The motion was then put and carried, as was also a motion for a Bill to regulate the payment of the widows penfions.

CONDUCT OF Sir Charles GREY AND SIR JOHN JERVIS. Mr. Barham proceeded to call the attention of the House to the fubject of which he had given notice-he meant the conduct of Sir Charles Grey and Sir John Jervis in the Welt Indies. He trufted it would be unneceffary for him to fay any thing in vindication of himself, for rifing upon this occafion. He was aware of the manner in which accufations of that kind were generally received in that Houfe, particularly when charges were made against characters which every one had been used to admire, and whom therefore most would naturally wish to protect. He felt alfo that this was a fubject which was not likely to bring popularity to those who conducted it, and that there were feveral perfons whom he perhaps could have expected to have joined him, would not be very ready to divide with him the unpopularity of this bufinefs. He was aware alfo he should not receive that affiftance which he most wanted, from a quarter where once he had great hope of it. Notwithstanding all this difcouragement, the fubject was of fuch a nature, that he could not, confiftently with his duty, abandon it. He was fully convinced that the conduct in the West Indies of which he complained, was fuch as to demand the interpofition of the Houfe, whether they confidered the commercial intereft of the country, or the recovery of the national honour. If he fhould hear any thing of delay in this bufinefs, and the delay was imputed to him, he should be ready to meet it; for although it was undoubtedly true that he took blame to himfelf upon a former occafion, for becoming a principal in this bufinefs, yet it was true alfo, that the motion. with which he intended to conclude, could not, confiftently, be made one day fooner than that on which he was fpeaking. It was neceffary he should state that application had been made

to

« PreviousContinue »