hould be appointed. A comparison of what had formerly been done by a Committee of the Council, with what had been done by the Board of Trade, would clearly demonstrate the fuperiority of the former over the latter. In the year 1678-9, when the constitution of Jamaica was under confideration, the constitution of Ireland, of England, and the Colonies, were all laid before the Council, and in 18 months by a correfpondence with the Affembly of that ifland, its conftitution, fuch as it is at prefent, was established, with a dispatch which could be equalled only by the judgement with which every thing was adopted. By the Board of Trade, thirteen years had been spent in fixing a constitution for Canada, and then an arbitrary one was chofen. In the ceded iflands the inhabitants had been declared by proclamation entitled to all the rights of British fubjects; and yet while the capitation-tax was taken off, a duty of four and a half per cent. was impofed by the royal authority, without the concurrence of Parliament. Thus arbitrary power had been established in one province, while a strange medley of liberty and defpotifm was established in another. He was induced, from these and other confiderations, to perfevere in fubmitting the clause to the Committee. On a divifion there appeared For the claufe Against it 158 211 The Committee proceeded to the long -claufe in the bill for regulating his Majefty's Houfhold, by abolishing the offices of Treasurer of the Chamber, Comptroller, Cofferer, Paymaster of the Penfions, &c. &c. and for ferving the King's tables, furpiture, &c. by contract. Mr. Burke informed the Committee, that upon mature deliberation, finding it might be liable to many inconveniencies, and that it did not entirely meet the withes of the people, he was willing to give up that part of the claufe which refpects the ferving the hou hold by contract. After moving, that the word offices be changed to office, which was agreed to, he moved that the words, he abolished,' ftand after the words Treasurer of the Chamber.' This occafioned a long debate. The Speakers were Lord Nugent, Mr. Burke, Mr. Fox, Lord North, Lord George Gordon, Lord Beauchamp, Mr. Gilbert, Mr. Hopkins, and others. Mr, Welbore Ellis, Sir Edward Deering, and Sir John Wrottefly alfo spoke against the claufe. Their arguments and those of the other fpeakers went chiefly to the principle of the claufe, all of them objecting to meddle with his Majesty's houthold. Governor Pownal said, that be was the firft who had made the diftinction between that part of the Civil Lift which went to the Offices of the State, and that part which went to the King's houfhold. He was, and upon a thorough enquiry, convinced that Parliament had not only a right to enquire into, and to reform the offices of the State, but that it had always exercifed that power. That, however, he was convinced it had never interfered in the King's household, except in times from which he was unwilling to take his precedents. There were however precedents of proceedings in Parliament, which stood upon the fame ground exactly, and were of the fame fpirit precifely, as the matters proposed in these clauses refpecting the King's houthold. He faid, that in the 15th of Edward II. a commiffion, in confequence of proceedings in Parliament, was iffued, for inquiring into, and reforming and new-model ling the King's houthold. That a commiffion of the like fort, in confequence of like proceedings in Parliament, was issued in the roth of Richard the Second; but when he looked to the confequence, to which those measures led, he should not take them as his precedent. The first ended in depofing Edward, and the second in dethroning Richard. There was a wifer and a more temperate measure taken in a period between those two-in the soth of Edw. the Third-and that was an addrefs of Parliament to the King, praying him to inftitute an inquiry into the state of his houfhold, and pointing out to him the abufes which they apprehended reigned there; and that if he would reform them, he need not burthen his fubjects with fubfidies and taxes. That although he did not approve the making the reform of the King's houthold by an act, yet fuch reform ought to be made; and if thefe claufes were rejected, he would bring forward a motion for fome fuch addrefs; but hoped that fuch motion would be unneceffary; for if his Majefty fhould learn that the idea of the neceffity of the reform was universally received and established in the minds of of Gentlemen on all fides of the House, be was fure the matter would originate with his Majefty. If no fuch information nor advice was given to his Majefty, it would be time for his Parliament to interpofe their advice by addrefs; and fome fuch would be propofed. Mr. Mr. Burke faid, if the claufe, as he had moved it, for abolishing the Treasurer of the Chamber, was loft, his bill was gone. The Treafury of the Chamber was the very first office of the houthold that he had laid his fingers on; it therefore led the way, and involved all the reft; and as the remaining clauses of his bill, for the most part, turned upon the abolition of the Board of Ordnance, the Board of Works, the Mint, and other Boards and Offices, which made parts of the houthold, he was reduced to the neceffity of abandoning the whole, if the doctrine which had in the courfe of the debate prevailed, viz. that the houfhold moft not in any one part be touched, but that fuch parts of the bill as went merely to the establishments of State, were fair and reasonable subjects of Parliamentary revision and reduction,' was to be admitted as a bar to the abolition of the office of Treasurer of the Chamber. He declared that his bill did not limit or tie down his Majesty in any one refpect; that with regard to his table being ferved by contract, about which fo much had been faid, his Majefty might, if he pleased, for any thing the bill faid to the contrary, contract for his table at 100 guineas a-head, and invite 100 people to eat at it. It did not restrict the quantum of money to be expended in fupport of the houshold; it only took care that what was expended should be wifely and economicaly laid out, and that fraud fhould no longer prevail in thofe who served his Majesty with provifions, nor the coft be large, as it now was, of thefe who were paid for preventing that fraud. By way of reply to thofe who had talked of the Ungentlemanlike conduct of abridging the Sovereign, and finting him in his private expences; he declared he had no fuch intention, and the best proof that he had not would be by reminding the Committee that he had not touched the privy purfe, for which a clear 48,000l. per annum was allotted. This fum was more than fufficient to enable his Majefty to live with fplendor and with dignity. As a proof of it, he inftanced the Duke of Northumberland as poffeffing three palaces, each of which was more fplendidly furnished than any one of his Majesty's boules. After fully enforcing this argument, he went into a general confideration of the clause, and of the bill, as far as it refpected the houthold, answering every objection that had been made in the courfe of the debate, and contended, that one great end sof his bill was the rendering it almost impoffible in future for the King to run in debt, by enacting that the firft Lord of the Treafury fhould be answerable that the expences of the Civil Etablishment should not exceed the money allowed for that purpofe by Parliament. After feriously repeating, that if the prefent queftion was carried against him, he should confider his bill as gone, he de clared, that though he would not take any more upon him to fight his bill through the Houfe, he certainly would not withdraw it, but leave it to the people to go on with it, and let them judge by the issue how far their petitions were able to procure the redrefs of grievances they complained of. On the question being put, that the words be abolished' ftand after the words Treasurer of the Chamber,' the Committee divided, For the motion Against it 158 211 Mr. Burke, having lot this point, declared his indifference as to what became of the reft of the bill. Mr. Fox, however, roufed him to his wonted attention to it, by arguing on the neceffity of their ftill going through with the bill, and if they got ever fo little more than they had already gained, it would be worth the ftriving for. Even, he said, if they could: not obtain more than the abolition of the feven Lords of Trade, he thould, after having gone through the bill, think that had been worth the struggle, becaufe they would have feven of the enemy lefs to fight againft. Mr. Burke admitted the force of the argument, and the Committee, after a few words from Mr. Turner, went through the whole of the clause, negativing every part of it. The Committee then adjourned, after agreeing to report a progrefs, and ask leave to fit again. Tuesday, March 21. Lord North moved that the Speaker do give the three years notice prescribed by the act of Parliament fpecially provided for that purpose; that the Charter of faid Company will expire at the end of faid three years; and that Government are ready to pay the Company the fum of 4,200,000l. His Lordship obferved, that it was a mere matter of course, and that the confequence would be, if the present Company did not come into terms, that the trade must be laid open, and the territorial revenue taken into the hands of the Crown. This produced a warm and long-contefted debate, which continued for upwards of of three hours, on the previous question put by Mr. Burke. At nine o'clock the Houfe divided, Ayes 142, Noes 68. As foon as the Members returned into the Houfe, Lord North prefented the bill for appointing a commiffion for enquiring into, ftating, and reporting the public accounts of the kingdom. The bill being read, a motion was made that faid bill be read a fecond time, which, after fome oppofition from Col. Barre, was agreed to be read a fecond. time on the 11th of April. The House rofe at eleven o'clock, and then adjourned. [To be continued. ] The BRITISH MUSE. An INVITATION to the feathered RACE. Ye gentle warblers, hither fly! And thun the noon-tide heat: My fhrubs a cooling fhade (upply; My groves a fafe retreat. Here freely hop from fpray to fpray, Or weave the moffy neft: By Phoebus lov'd, these verdant bays Shall fhade your tuneful choirs: Here calmly fit, and chaunt your lays, Which Phoebus' felf infpires. Thefe rofes, dear to every bard, To finiling Venus dear, With fragrant tufts your young fhall guard; Your loves confummate here. Amidft this cool, translucent rill, That trickles down the glade, My trees for you, ye artlefs tribe! For you these cherries I protect; Let then this league, betwixt us made, Under an HOUR-GLASS, In a Grotto near the Water. THIS *HIS babbling &tream not uninstructive flows, Nor idly loiters to its deftim'd main: Each flow'r it feeds that on its margin grows, And bids thee blush, whofe days are fpent in vain. Nor void of moral, tho' unheeded, glides Time's current, ftealing on with filent hafte; Here bathe your plumes, here drink your fill, For lo! each falling fand his folly chides, And revel in the shade. No school-boy rude, to mifchief prone, E'er fhews his ruddy face; Or twangs his bow, or hurls a ftone, Hither the vocal thrush repairs ;. Sad Philomel! ah! quit thy haunt Let not the harmless red-breaft fear, With one that loves his home. Who lets one precious moment run to waite. The MISER and the SPENDTHRIFT. SPENDTHRIFT. Elentless man! vile fordid wretch ! Rhine ans are ever on the stretch, Accumulating peif : No keen diftrefs e'er touch'd thy heart, Thou would'ft not with one ducat part No not to fave thy felf. MISER. Thou fool! my riches do no ill; They wait on no licentious will, But harmless fill my purse; Whilst poverty, disease, and pain, Soft Luxury's deftructive train, Prove thine to thee a carte. FRIENDSHIP, AN ODE. Bid him wake to new delight→→ LIKE the foft gladdening dawn of Crown the magic of the night! light Succeffive to the gloom of night, *Tis Friendship gives the joys fincere, To foothe the aching breast; On Life's deceitful stream we fail, The flattering tribe attend; Let us, Lyfander, ever be Still let its transports glow. THE FOREIGN Extract of a Letter from the Hague, March 3. HE Plan given in by the different Admiralties to the States for the new equipment of 1780, and which the States of Holland fo ftrongly fupport, is to fit out 52 men of war, two of 70 guns, fix of 60, 12 of 50, and 27 frigates, with five Guarda Coftas. Thefe fhips will employ 13,870 failors, and will coft five millions and a quarter of florins, half of which is to be found in the Laft & Vyl Geld, and the other half by quotas from the different provinces. STANZAS Written by an unfashionable Husband on his Wife. LET the state In artful ftrains make free, Since bleft with fair Maria's love, Each season of the circling year Her blooming youth, like opening spring, Like that does sweetest pleasures bring, Like fummer is her warmth of love, THE ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS to our CORRESPONDENTS. HE anecdote of the apoftacy of the Duke de Riperda, might have been somewhat more circumftantially related; efpecially as the inftance was not fingular, as our correfpondent fuppofes. Much about the fame time, another famous man, Count Bonneval, a Frenchman, retired to Conftantinople, where he diftinguished himself under the name of Ofinan Bafhaw. We have his memoirs of his own writing. The character of Cardinal Ottoboni, does not state whether he died last month or ten centuries ago. We have not been able to find more than one Cardinal of that name, who arrived at the Papal Chair, and therefore does not correfpond with the character alluded to. Hiftorical facts, loosely given, without date or voucher, are feldom fatiffactory. If Theron will confult our Natural Hiftorians, his first query will be refolved to his fatisfaction; the fecond we think he might answer himself. The object of the general deluge we are told was to deftroy a profligate human race; the ark was contrived to provide for a continuation of the feveral fpecies of land-animals; while the tribes of marine animals remained secure in their natural element. We fhall be glad to receive any good hiftorical account of the antiquity of engrafting and inoculation. We must repeat our resolution to have no concern in political invectives. It is a misfortune common to Eugenio, and fome other of our correfpondents, to commence Poets before they have learned the art. The mere discovery of words that rhymne together, to tag dull lines with, is the qualification of bell-men for Christmas-time. Hiftorical Chronicle for March, 1780. February 26. family they begged to interfere: the Judge LAST night, at the Old Bailey, af- answered, that he should be always glad of ter the Jury had convicted a publican of receiving fix bufhels of coals, knowing the fame to have been ftolen, Judge Buller made a long and folemn fpeech to the pri, foner: he faid, that fince the laft teffions he was happy to find the mode of punishment for offences in that Court was fettled to be appointed by the Judge who tried the indictment; he thought the Recorder, by whofe means this rule,was adopted, deferved high esteem of the public; for certainly no other was so proper to know what sentence to pronounce as the Judge, who by remarking all the circumstances, was beft acquainted with the nature of the cafe: that the crime of which the prifoner was found guilty, was of all others the most dangerous: it was always his opinion that the receivers were worse than thieves; he therefore thought himself bound to make an example of the prifoner, as in this great city his offence had become alarming by the frequency and opportunity of commit ting it; he therefore fentenced him to three years hard labour on the river Thames. One of the Jury rofe up and faid, that he and his brethren hoped his Lordship would mitigate this judgment: they agreed with him in the enormity of the crime, but as they apprehended it was the first breach of moral principle the prifoner had done against the laws, and in confideration of his paying attention to a Jury when it was not incompatible with public justice. In the prefent inftance he confidered it impoffible; for the prifoner had added to his own guilt, by the feduction of two fervants of the Coal Merchant, who were drawn in to fell him the coals; the Jury then intreated that instead of three years two only might be the time, and the judge complied. February 29. Yesterday a man was carried before the Lord Mayor for defrauding a woman of fome Bank Stock. It appeared on the examination that he pretended to be a Broker, and prevailed on the woman to give him half a guinea, and to fign a paper empowering him to tranfact fome business for her at the Bank, her husband being abroad. The woman not being able to read put her mark, and when the went to the Bank to receive her next dividend, the found that all her flock was fold and transferred to another perfon. The impofition being committed in the outparts, be was fent there for further examination. March 1. A woman is now in the common prifon at Bodmyn in Cornwall, for a murder committed on the body of her own fon, upwards of thirty years ago. She has been committed on her own confeflion. |