the petitioners are convinced that no act of any branch of the legislature has ever been received with more satisfaction by the people of this country than the said votes, and they are further convinced that nothing can possibly be a greater disappointment to the Feople than any remission in the House of the vigorous and necessary efforts with which they have thus commenced the career of public justice; and that the faithful and dig nified discharge of the powers vested in the Commissioners of Naval Inquiry, their in defatigable industry, their resolute perseve for having recorded upon their journals, the flagrant breaches of trust,committed by unfaithful servants, they beg leave most humbly to represent to the House the necessity of guarding against a repetition of similar frauds, peculations, and abuses; and that the petitioners, therefore, entreat the House to investigate thoroughly not only the remaining articles contained in the Tenth Report of the Commissioners of Naval Inquiry, but also the suspicious matters brought forward in their Lleventh Report, and likewise every other irregularity which may hereafter be discovered by any further reports of the said-rance, their unexampled fortitude, and their commissioners; and that they will also institute immediate and strict inquiries into the expenditure of every other branch of the executive government; and that, in the progress of these important investigations, which the expectations of the people require to be rigorously and impartially pursued, the petitioners are persuaded, that the House acting up to the spirit of their resolutions of the 8th and 10th of April, will follow no other counsels than those which shall be dic tated by their own integrity and discernment, and they hope that the detection of men, who are now found to have been, for a series of years, in the constant habits of misapplying the public money, will warn the House not to rely too much upon the specious professions of their colleagues for the punishment of offences, through which they have themselves derived a corrupt support to their own power; and that the petitioners trust, rather, the period is at length, come at which the representatives of the people, returning to the examples and the maxims of former times, will shew themselves determined to pursue hereafter a system of vigiLance and jealousy, instead of reposing an implicit and indiscriminate confidence in the advisers of the Crown, eh varas incorruptible integrity, have demanded and have obtained the admiration and applause of the whole nation; and a continuance at least, if not an extension of the powers vest ed in them, and also a general inquiry into the conduct of every other department of fi nance, are essentially requisite to the pros perity of the British Empire; and the pe titioners anxiously request of the House, that whenever hereafter this subject may come before them, they will fix their attention on the obstructions to full inquiry, so evidently pointed out in the said Tenth Report of the Naval Commissioners; and they intreat the House that they will, in the institution of other inquiries into the public expenditure, take especial care that the power they shall delegate be equal to its object, both as refer ring to the facility of inquiry and to the integrity of those to whom inquiry shall be committed; for the petitioners submit to the House whether any thing short thereof will not be deemed illusive and unavailing and rather contribute to the continuation than the prevention of future abuse and pe culation; and that on all these matters the petitioners request the House steadily to purs sue what they have with so much honour be gun, and not to relax their efforts till guilt wherever it exists, shall be pursued to de tection, and till exemplary and deserved pa nishment shall have overtaken, as well those who have themselves been fraudulent, those who have connived at fraud. Petition of the County of Norfolk, presented as aforesaid, on the 17th of May, 1905. A petition of the gentlemen, clergy and freeholders of the County of Norfolk, convened by the high sherit of the said county, at the Castle of Norwich, in the Shirehouse there, on Tuesday the 14th day of May, 1805, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, that the petitioners beg leave to express their gratitude to the House for the steps which they have already taken towards the detection and punishment of those servants of the Crown who have de 10 NN bos to proceed in the spirit of those votes in their future investigation, of those flagrant abuses brought to light by the Reports of the Commissioners of Naval Inquiry. That to the Commons in Parlia ment we look up with a confident hope and just expectation that they will not only not relax in their inquiries into all abuses and culpable irregularities in the ma but that they will also take especial care that the very heavy taxes levied upon the people, and hitherto cheerfully contributed by them, shall be wisely and frugally expended. Pelition of the Hertfordshire Freeholders, presented as above, on the 20th of May, 1905. fied the faws, broken their trust, and applied enornious sums of the public noney to their own corrupt purposes of emolument and power; and that in the name of a loyal and suffering people, the petitioners implore the House not to relax in their exertions; they Intreat them to consider how patiently the petitioners have seen millions added to milHops of the national debt, the rapid advance in every article of consumption, their burnagement and expenditure of public money, thens encreasing, and their means of bearing them diminishing, in the just hope that while engaged in extensive wars what they contributed with cheerfulness would be apphed with fidelity, and as the law expressly directed; and that faithful to their first dufles, the House have recorded, by the resdlutions of the 8th and 10th of April, that the people of England have been grossly wrong- A petition of the freeholders of the, ed by Lord Melville; and the petitioners County of Hertford, convened by the high humbly represent to the House, the neces- sheriff at Hertford, on Saturday 18th May, sity of effectually protecting the nation 1805, and whose names are thereunto subagainst fature depredations; and therefore scribed, was presented to the House, and praying the House, first, to investigate and read; setting forth, that the petitioners have sift to the bottom the remaining charges of received the votes of the House of the 8th abuse in the application of the public mo- and 10th days of April last, with a satisfacney, contained in the Tenth Report of the tion as great as have been their astonishCommissioners of Naval Inquiry: secondly, ment, indignation, and sorrow, at the gross to examine minutely into the nature of those and flagrant system of negligence and pecuirregularities brought to light in the Eleventh lation which has been disclosed by the ComReport of the said Commissioners, and like-missioners of Naval Inquiry; and, with a wise whatever may appear culpable or sus- gratitude proportioned to the extensive sepicious in any of their future reports: third-curity and important national advantages ly, to institute immediate and rigorous inquiries into the expenditure of every other department of executive government; and that in performing these acts of necessary and expected justice, the petitioners are persuaded that the House will take no other guides than its own wisdom and resolution ; and that, warned by the example of detected guilt, and awake to the frauds which have been practised upon their own facility, as well as upon the public purse, the House will perceive the necessity of resorting to those principles which prevailed in the better days of our constitution, and of acting upon a system of vigilance and jealousy in preference to one of blind and implicit confidence in ministers. Petition of Hampshire agreed to at Winchester on the 16th of May, 1805, setting forth as follows: That the votes of your honourable House, on the Sth and 10th days of April last, on the motions of Samuel Whitbread, Esq. founded upon the 10th Report of the Commissioners of Naval Inquiry, deserve the gratitude and confidence of your petitioners, and of the whole country. -That we do humbly request this honourable House thence to be expected, the petitioners beg leave to state their firm conviction, that nothing can so much contribute to the happiness of the people, the success of the contest in which the nation is engaged, and the ultimate well-being of the country, as a system of economy planned with prudence, adhered to with firmness, and conducted, in its de tails, with diligence, caution, and integrity; impressed as they are with this conviction, the petitioners entreat the House to accept their grateful thanks for the inquiries which it has already instituted, to the further prosecution of the object above-mentioned they earnestly pray the attention of the House, and beseech them to pursue with effect that which they have begun with so much ho nour, and that they will institute and persevere in a general system of inquiry which shall be co-extensive with the abuses which may exist in the expenditure of the public money. Petition of the Borough of Reading, pre sented as above, on the 20th of May, 1805. A petition of several inhabitants of the Borough of Reading, in the County of Berks, was presented to. the House, and read; setting forth, that the petitioners beg to the Continent where they were to inspire leave to convey their sincere and hearty con-universal confidence? They have put in gratulations to the House on the votes of the 8th and 10th days of April last, respecting the Tenth Report of the Commissioners of Naval Inquiry; and they trust that the House will continue to scrutinize, with unceasing perseverance, the several reports that are or may be brought before them, and that they will bring forth to public view and contempt all persons, however distinguished by rank or office, who shall have been guiltyof peculation, embezzlement, or misapplication of public property, and inflict on them such marks of disgrace, and such pu pishment, as will satisfy the expectations of an injured people, consistently with the wisdom and justice of the House. SUMMARY OF POLITICS. RUSSIA.That confidential inter"course," which, at the beginning of the session of parliament, we were so confidently told, existed between this country and certain powers upon the Continent, particuJarly Russia, seems to have led to nothing further than an excuse for the raising of five millions of the supplies for the year. This, it is very likely, was all that the minister himself expected from it; and, the public will remember, that it is all that was anticipated by the Editor of the Register. Indeed, those who expected continental aid, during the present war, during a war undertaken, by the ministers, for the purpose of retaining Multa, and especially when that war came to be conducted by Mr. Pitt; those who, under such circumstances, expected efficient aid upon the continent, must have been something more than nature's fools." -It is now said, that the Emperor of Russia is about to tender Napoleon terms of peace. To send his ambassador to tender Napoleon terms of peace, at Milan; and, perhaps, to be present when Napoleon is crowned king of that country, to have a large share in settling the affairs of which Alexander claimed as his right, and the refusal, on the part of Napoleon, to admit such claim was the principal cause of the hostile language and attitude of the former ! Napoleon will soon settle the affairs of Italy; and then there will be no further room for disagreement upon that head.What delightful progress we have made in this war! From the incapacity and imbecility" of the Addington administration nobody pretended to expect any thing good; but, there were many who expected wonderful, feats from the vigorous proceedings of Messrs. Pitt and Dundas. What have they done as motion messengers and exchange brokers enougli, and some few lazy blindering spies perhaps; but not a single soldier. Not a single ounce of powder have they caused to be burned; not a single sword have they made to move from its scabbard, The public will remember with what confidence the hired writers spoke of the great change which the names of Pitt and Dundas were to produce upon the Continent; and that same public must remember that, on our side, pains were not wanting to prevent them from being deceived. We not only de clured our opinion, that no aid would be ob tained from the Continent by the Pitt and Dundas administration; but we stated, at length, the reasons upon which that opinion was founded. Nevertheless, the promises of the ministers were, by but too many, relied on. There are always so many of those per sons, who are connected with the press, en tirely dependent upon the minister of the day, that it is by no means surprising to see the public led along from one false hope to another, when such hope is favourable to the duration of the minister's power. Even now, at the moment when the fallacy of the promises made in the Autumn is become apparent, new promises are made, with as much confidence as ever. As to public opi nion, therefore, it must be, with respect to foreign politics especially, left to events, and events, too, so glaring in their appearance, and so severe in their effects, as to set all the powers of palliation at defiance.--The Emperor of Russia, if he be really disposed to accommodate matters with the Emperor of the French, will hardly suffer the interests of England to stand in the way. It is poss sible, though not very likely, that Napoleon may propose an arrangement, in which Eng land will be called upon to give up Malta to Russia. This is rather too much for Napoleon to consent to; but, if he were to c sent to it, would Messrs. Pitt and Dundas re fuse to give up that Island? That "oat "work of our Empire in the East?" Would they refuse to give it up? They, who, in the words of the former, pledged themselves to "repress the ambition and to chastise the **insolence of Buonaparté ??? Good heavens! What empty sounds! what noise and nonsense has this nation been amused with! No? they would make no such refusat; anduo erg need be surprised, if, (supposing them still to be in power) after having given up Malts, and pledged the nation to pay the amount of the Spanish prizes, they were to come to parliament and boast of having made up bo nourable and permanent treaty of peace and amity between his Majesty, and the Emperor Napoleon!own co29 15 201 "Messrs. Pitt and Dundas!" Some of these epithets may now, probably, be dropped; but, still the persons who made use of them hang on to the system, if not altogether so tenaciously to the men, Let them. Since nothing but suffering will open their eyes, let them hang on, till events come and force them from their hold.- -It is amusing enough to observe how men of this description are, operated upon. The West-India merchants and planters have had a meeting, within these few days, at which they enter-, ed into a resolution (which they have taken good care to publish) to make General Prevost a present of a piece of silver worth 3001, for his gallant conduct in defending Dominica. To the army under him they presented their thanks, This latter commodity we need not wonder that they part with so freely; but, I think it will be allowed, that they must have been terribly frighten What have away three hundred pounds to a general, and THE ENEMY'S FLEETS. But, will Na poleon be inclined to make peace, at present? With Russia he may; but, not with England upon any terms not degrading beyond measure, because all the chances are now for him, and none against him, especially in the West Indies, if the combined fleets of France and Spain should, as is still imagined, be gone to that part of the world. At Jamaica, on the 16th of March, they had heard of the attack upon Dominica; a council of war had been held; great bustle was making to bring out the militia; and martial law was about to be declared. What resistance Jamaica would be able to make cannot be quite certain; but there is too much reason to fear, that, if the combined Toulon and Cadiz fleets are gone thither, that colony is in great danger of becoming French, noted before they came to a resolution to give only for the present, but for ever. Once in possession of Jamaica, Napoleon, who would be at no loss to find a conveyance, in neutral vessels, for the produce of the island, would, though not so easily, find the means of conveying troops quite sufficient, and more than sufficient, to defend the possession against any force that we could spare to attempt the recapture of it; and, if he held it to the end of the war, or, rather, to the time when negotiations for peace should begin, is there any one who believes, that, with a ministry and a system such as ours, we should be able to obtain its restoration by treaty? Does any man believe, thot Mr. Pitt, or the other pre-ries of State, informed them, that he had remier, Lord Sidmouth, would persevere in the war for the sole purpose of recovering Jamaica; especially after that war bad already cost, perhaps, a hundred or two of millions of pounds sterling? If this sort of statesmen, therefore, continue to conduct our affairs, and if the present system of finance be adhered to, it seems very probable, that, in a year or two hence, we shall wind up a war, in which Messrs. Pitt and Dundas promised to "s repress the ambition and to chastise the insolence" of Buonaparté; this war, it appears very likely that we shall wind up with acknowledging this Buonaparté the Emperor of the French and King of Italy; with surrendering Malta, and with leaving the enemy in possession of Jamaica. It is useless for people to be angry with one for giving opinions like this, Let the ministry be changed, and let the system be altered; and, if that is not done, let nobody complain of the consequences. # What said they only about three months ago, turn out those vigilant, vigorous, wise, and upright statesmen, ceived a dispatch from General Nugent, the Lieut. Governor of Jamaica, stating that every preparation was made for resisting the attack of the enemy, if that island should be his object. Whether this intelligence proved consolatory to the meeting we are not told; nor, indeed, is it much matter. It is for the inhabitants of Jamaica; it is for England, that we ought to feel upon this occasion; and not for those swoln merchants and those overgrown planters, who reside in England, and who have, for the far greater part, been greatly instrumental in producing the present dangers, by the support which they have given, and which even to this hour, they continue to give, to the power of the Pitts and Dundases, They know, that those men have always been hostile to the West Indies, and that the turn of their po licy was to favour the East at the expense of the West; but, like true spaniels, the harder they have been kicked the more obedient and more fawning have they become. Constantly intent upon, nothing but their imme diate interests, they have not yielded, in ri point of staunchness, to the band of gentle men pensioners themselves; but, not less foolish than supple, they seem never to have perceived, that the very means which they employed to purchase the favour, or, rather, the forbearance, of the minister, enabled him to set them at defiance, till, at last, they had no course left but that of supplication. Verily, they have their reward! They have the Pitts and Dundases: much good may they do them! They have their wish they are under the arch-angelic wings of the heaven-born minister what more do they want? Their voices and purses have been liberally employed to exalt and maintain bis power; to enable him to continue to rule us, the people of England. Secure in their numbers they have laughed at all the struggles we have made to extricate ourselves from the effects of his system. Let them, then, excuse us, if we break not our hearts in sorrow for their calamities: let them wonder, that we refrain from mocking now that fear is come upon them. It may now, possibly, occur to the whole nation, that it is entirely owing to the war with Spain, a measure against which the opposition so strongly protested, that there is such a thing as a combined French and Spanish fleet in existence. It may now, possibly, be remembered, that we foretold, that the dollars; the dollars taken without a declaration of war; the dollars for which we sold the remnant of our reputation: it may now be remembered, that we foretold, that those dollars, the capture of which was ordered by the Pitts and Dundases, would, even if brought into the national Treasury, go but a very little way in defraying the expenses that would arise out of a war with Spain. Such lessons are useful; though it must always be matter of regret, when men are found insensible to every thing short of punishment. These observations are made with a view of reminding the reader, that the cause of our misfortunes hasnot proceeded either from witchcraft or from the stars. The cause is clearly discernible in our own conduct; in our own selfishness, tameness, and folly and, unless in that conduct there be a very great change, what reason have we to hope, that we shall escape the consequences? It is in ourselves that the remedy for all our evils lies. If we would but listen to the voice of reason; if we would but obey, in public matters, the dictates of our conscience, the affairs of the nation would soon be conducted in a manner that would rescue us from the shocking state of disgrace in which we now live. But, so wide has the system of corruption, aided by the system of paper-money, extended, that it is wonderful that there is even a small portion of public spirit left. We may complain as we please; we may accuse and try and punish delinquents; but, until the cause be removed, we shall find no relief. To this cause we owe all our misfortunes: to this cause ther may all easily be traced: and, it never can be too often repeated, that, to turn out the Pitts and Dundases without destroying their system would be perfectly useless for my other end than that of enabling their succes sors to delude the nation for two or thres years longer. Who would have imagined; that we should so soon have seen the fles of France and Spain masters of any part of the ocean? Yet, with a thousand ships of war in commission, and of those thousand one hundred and fifty of the line, we now appear to feel no resentment at the conduct of those who have left our colonies to be insulted and captured by the enemy. A peo ple so tame as we are become; so dead to every feeling as to public matters, particnlarly where the honour of the nation is con cerned, never yet long maintained their independence. STIPENDIARY CURATES.The bill now before parliament relative to the stipends ef curates, who shall serve and reside in parishe es where the incumbent is lawfully excused from residence, is intended principally to promote residence on the part of such enrates; and, it appears to be well calculated to effect its purpose. The bill provides, that, in cases where the living exceeds in annual value 4001. a year, clear of all expenses, the Bishop of the diocese is, by this bill, autho rised to assign to the resident curate a stipend not exceeding one-fifth of the annual value of the living, provided, however, that the said one-fifth shall not exceed 2501. a year; that where more than one' curate is nece§• sary, the Bishop may assign to them both altogether a stipend amounting to one-third of the clear annual value of the living; that the Bishop shall have it in his power to direct where the curate or curates shall personally reside, and, if he pleases, he may direct the residence to be in the parsonage house, or, in lieu thereof, assign him 201. a year for i place of residence to be paid by the incum bent. These are the principal regulations and, though it will be seen, that the bill gives great discretionary powers to the Bishop, yet, it is to be hoped that they will be exercised with wisdoin and justice, and, no one can deny, I think, that stich powers must be lodged somewhere, or that the church will very soon fall under the daily-increasing influence of the sectaries, who are spreading over every part of the country, and whose pernicious progress ca |