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Mr. Barrow oppofed the motion; faying, he could not confent to have more frequent elections, till he fhould fee fome bills carried into a law for preventing expences at elections.

Mr. Penruddock feconded the motion.

Sir Edward Aftley oppofed the previous quef tion; faying the worthy alderman merited thanks for his perfeverance in endeavouring to shorten parliaments. Our ancestors, at a critical period, agreed to the appointment of feptennial parliaments; but the fame political reafon no longer exifting, they ought to be shortened.

Mr. Alderman Sawbridge faid, he should not fuffer gentlemen to fkulk behind a previous question; for if by means thereof his motion fhould be loft for that day, he would renew it every day till gentlemen fhould give it an open negative or affirmative.

Mr. Barrow on this agreed to withdraw his motion; which being done, the House divided on the alderman's motion, when there appeared Against it For it

Majority

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MAY 19.

123 56

67

Ordered feveral private bills to be engroffed, and deferred feveral orders of the day.

General Smith made a motion relative to the refolutions of the select committee, and prefented fome of them to the Houfe. A fhort converfation took place concerning the propriety of producing thofe refolutions, and about the time of taking them into confideration; when it was agreed that they should be confidered on Wednesday.

Lord Newhaven then rofe; and, after a few words, expreffing his fatisfaction at the information lately received from the crown-lawyers, refpecting the unfortunate affair of Meffrs. Powell and Bembridge, moved, that the order for producing the minutes of the Treasury relative to the conduct of Meffrs. Powell and Bembridge, be difcharged. This ftep, at prefent, he apprehended, would be very proper, as the crown-lawyers had informed the Houfe, that a profecution was now carrying on against these two gentlemen in

the courts below.

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committee on the Scotch Jufticiary bill; which was read, agreed to, and ordered to be engroffed.

Mr. Rolle requested the Paymaster General to inform the Houfe, whether he fti.l perfevered in his intention of keeping Meffrs. Powell and Bembridge in office.

Mr. Burke declared himself at a lofs how to answer the honourable gentleman's question; but, as he had been called upon, he would endeavour to give the Houfe fatisfaction. He took God to witnefs, that, in reftoring Meffrs. Powell and Bembridge, he was actuated by motives of juftice only; and that, before he took this step, he had weighed all the confequences. Their restoration, in his opinion, was founded in juftice. He was not, however, wedded to his own opinion; to that of the Houfe he would ever bow, nor did he wish to take the fenfe of it by a divifion; it would be fufficient for him, if a few of the leading members would declare they thought the gentlemen in question ought not to be continued in office. It was neceffary for him, however, to convince the Houfe, that it was not upon flight grounds he had reftored them, and that no injury could arife to the public from their restoration. Meffrs. Powell and Bembridge were his most faithful affistants; and, notwithstanding the hopes he entertained of reducing to practice the reforms he had projected, had it not been for the affiduity, fidelity, and industry of these two gentlemen, he never could have been able to introduce those which were now established. He was not, indeed, furprized at any confeffion they might make; for, from the condition in which he had feen Mr. Powell when he asked him fome questions, he was fo little able to speak to any thing not wholly in the way of his bufinefs, that he was convinced he could, by crofs queftions, have made him confefs himself guilty of treafons, rapes, and murder. He concluded by obferving, that notwithftanding Meffrs. Powell and Bembridge had rendered him very effential fervice in enabling him to make the neceffary reforms, he would nevertheless abide by the judgment of the House.

He was replied to by Mr. Rolle, and Governor Johnstone; and, after fome defultory conversation, the Houfe adjourned.

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General Smith prefented copies of minutes on India affairs, which were ordered to lie on the table.

The House then went into a committee on the bill for making it penal for any one to be found at night with picklock-keys, or other implements for houfe-breaking.

Mr. Selwyn moved, that he might be permitted to bring evidence to prove the neceffity of the bill. The motion having been agreed to, three of the gentlemen of Bow Street were feverally examined; after which the blanks of the bill were filled up. But, unfortunately for the tribe of thief-takersMr. Powys moved an amendment relative to 12 E 2 the

the rewards to be given for apprehending perfons coming within the meaning of the bill. As the claufe originally food, the mere apprehenfion of a perfon under this defcription entitled the apprehender to the reward; but this, Mr. Powys obferved, was a dangerous clause, as it made the conftable, in a great measure, judge, jury, witnefs, and executioner: he therefore moved an amend ment, by which the reward was made payable only on conviction. This amendment was immediately adopted by the committee.

MAY 26.

The order of the day for going into a committee of ways and means being read, the fpeaker left the chair; and Mr. Ord having taken it

Lord John Cavendish entered upon the bufinefs of taxation. The fum wanted, he faid, was 560,0col. which he propofed to raise in the following manner.

The tax upon bills of exchange he proposed fhould be doubled. Having laft year produced 56,cool. the additional duty would amount to 56,ocol. more. To this he propofed to fubject ail promiffory notes, and bills of exchange drawn on foreign countries; which would raife at least 44,000l.

The next tax was a ftamp on receipts. In favour of the poor, he propofed to exempt from this duty all bills for lefs than 40s. but on all receipts for more than 40s. and under 20l. he would lay a ftamp-duty of 2d. and on all receipts for more than 20l. a duty of 4d. The produce of this tax, he faid, he would eftimate at 250,000l.

The next articles he propofed to tax were, probates of wills and legacies. On the former he propofed an additional ftamp-duty, which he reckoned at 10,000l. and on the latter a duty of 11. per cent. with an exception in favour of wives 'and lineal defcendants. He rated the whole of this tax at 40,000l.

On bonds, law-proceedings, admiffions to the the inns of court, &c. he propofed an additional ftamp-duty, the grofs annual produce of which he estimated at 60,000l.

The tax impofed laft year on ftage-coaches had been fo very productive, that he thought they would be very able to bear an additional one of three hal- ence per mile; the produce of which he rated at 25,000l.

By a imali duty on contracts and inventories, he propofed to raise 10,000l.

On all bills for appointing trustees for turnpikeroads, for making canals and navigable cuts, &c.

he propofed a tax; the annual produce of which he estimated at 20,cool.

Quack medicines he thought very proper objects of taxation. By laying a duty of 81. per cent. on medicines, he believed there would be produced annually a revenue of 15,000l.

An univerfal regifter of all carriages came next under his confideration, which he fubmitted to the committee as a matter very neceflary. He mentioned the wheel-tax, and propofed a tax of Is. on every wheel, viz. 2s. on every cart, and 45. on every waggon. By this he proposed to raife 25,000l.

He then propofed a tax upon all bills of births, marriages, and deaths, which, at 3d. per head, would produce 15,ccol. a year.

All thefe fums put together would make juft 560,000l. the ex. ct fum neceffary to pay the intereft on the loan of 12,000,000l.

Lord Mahon reprobated all these modes of taxation; faying they were done in a very flovenly manner, and fhewed much negligence and much ignorance.

Mr. Fox, Mr. W. Pitt, Lord North, and feveral other members, afterwards fpoke on the fubject; when the refolutions were agreed to by the committee, and ordered to be reported to the Houfe the next day.

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Paffed the St. Martin's Paving bill.

Went into a committee on Bayntun's Divorce bill, Mr. Penruddock in the chair; when counfel were called in, and feveral witneffes examined to establish the proofs of adultery.

The counfel having withdrawn, Sir Herbert Mackworth faid, he thought the fettlement on Lady Maria, which he was to enjoy after the divorce, too fmall; he therefore wished to increase it, and as double the fum did not appear to him too much, he moved, that in the claufe which ftated, that one hundred pounds be fettled on the lady, the word one be left out, and the word two inferted in it's ftead. The motion being agreed to without oppofition, a short converfation fucceeded relative-to India affairs; after which the Houfe adjourned till Friday.

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ftant, as alfo the Definitive Treaties with France and Spain, figned at Versailles the 3d inft. by the Duke of Manchester, his Majefty's ambaffadorextraordinary and plenipotentiary, and the refpective plenipotentiaries of the faid courts and ftates.

The Definitive Treaty with the United States of America was alfo figned at Paris the 3d inft. by David Hartley, Efq. his Majefty's plenipotentiary, and the plenipotentiaries of those ftates, and will be brought over by Mr. Hartley himfelf.

Ifend your lordship immediate notice of thefe important events, in order that they may be made public in the city without lofs of time. "I am, with great refpect, my lord, your lordfhip's most obedient, humble fervant,

C. J. Fox.'

The Definitive Treaty with the United States of America, has not yet been published by authority; but there is no doubt that it is exactly conformable to the Preliminary Articles, as it is fcarce poffible for any terms to be more advantageous to them, and the prefent is not the æra for fpirited demands on our fide. Indeed, copies have been circulated in the newfpapers, probably tranflated from fome of the foreign prints, where the Definitive Treaty with the American States appears almoft verbatim the fame as the Preliminary Articles, given in our Retrospect for January. (See Vol. II. p. 75.) The negociation with the Dutch is, however, more honourable to us than might have been apprehended: and adminiftration will be entitled to the thanks of their country for the firmness they have shewn on this occafion-if they do not give up Negapatnam for too flight an equivalent.

As the Definitive Treaties with France and Spain, as well as the Preliminary Articles of Peace with the States General of the Seven United Provinces, have already tranfpired, we shall give our readers an opportunity of judging for themselves refpecting the advantages or difadvantages with which they are pregnant, by giving them at full length, as tranflated by AUTHORITY.

THE DEFINITIVE TREATY OF PEACE AND FRIENDSHIP, BETWEEN HIS BRITANNIC MAJESTY, AND THE MOST CHRISTIAN KING, SIGNED AT VERSAILLES, THE THIRD OF SEPTEMBER ONE THOUSAND SEVEN HUNDRED AND EIGHTY-THREE.

In the name of the Moft Holy and Undivided Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Ghoft. So be it. Be it known to all those whom it shall or may in any manner concern. The Moft Serene and Moft Potent Prince George the Third, by the Grace of God, King of Great Britain, France, and Ireland, Duke of Brunswick and Lunenbourg, Arch Treasurer and Elector of the Holy Roman Empire, &c. and the Moft Serene and Most Potent Prince Lewis the Sixteenth, by the Grace of God, Moft Chriftian King, being equally defirous to put an end to the war, which for feveral years past afflicted their respective domi

ment of

nions, accepted the offer, which their Majesties the Emperor of the Romans, and the Empress of all the Ruffias, made to them, of their interpofition, and of their mediation: but their Britannic and Moft Chriftian Majefties, animated with a mutul defire of accelerating the re-establishpeace, communicated to each other their laudable intention; which Heaven fo far bleffed, that they proceeded to lay the foundations of peace, by figning Preliminary Articles at Verfailles, the 20th of January in the prefent year. Their faid Majefties the King of Great Britain, and the Moft Chriftian King, thinking it incumbent upon them to give their Imperial Majefties a fignal proof of their gratitude for the generous offer of their mediation, invited them, in concert, to concur in the completion of the great and falutary work of peace, by taking part, as mediators, in the Definitive Treaty to be concluded between their Britannic and Meft Christian Majefties. Their faid Imperial Majefties having readily accepted that invitation, they have named, as their reprefentatives, viz. his Majesty the Emperor of the Romans, the moft Illuftrious and moft Excellent Lord Flori

mond, Count Mercy-Argent au, Viscount of Loo, Baron of Crichegnée, knight of the Golden Fleece, chamberlain, actual privy-counsellor of State to his Imperial and Royal Apoftolic Majefty, and his ambaffador to his Moft Chriftian Majefty; and her Majesty the Empress of all the Ruffias, the most Illuftrious and moft Excellent Lord, Prince Iwan Bariatinskoy, lieutenant-general of the forces of her Imperial Majefty of all the Ruffias, knight of the Orders of St. Anne and of the Swedish Sword, and her minifter-plenipotentiary to his Moft Chriftian Majesty, and the Lord Arcadi De Marcoff, counsellor of state to her Imperial Majefty of all the Ruffias, and her minifter-plenipotentiary to his Moft Chrif tian Majefty. In confequence, their faid Majefties, the King of Great Britain, and the Moft Christian King, have named and conftituted for their plenipotentiaries, charged with the concluding and figning of the Definitive Treaty of Peace, viz. the King of Great Britain, the most Illuftrious and mot Excellent Lord George, Duke and Earl of Manchester, Viscount Mandeville, Baron of Kimbolton, lord-lieutenant and Cuftos Rotulorum of the county of Huntingdon, actual privy-counfellor to his Britannic Majefty, and his ambaffador-extraordinary and plenipotentiary to his Moft Chriftian Majefty; and the Moft Chriftian King, the moft Illuftrious and moft Excellent Lord Charles Gravar, Count De Vergennes, Baron of Wellerding, &c. the King's counfellor in all his councils, commander in his orders, prefident of the royal council of finances, counfellor of ftate military, minister and fecretary of state, and of his commands and finances: who, after having exchanged their refpective full powers, have agreed upon the follow ing Articles.

Art. I. There fhall be a chriftian, universal, and perpetual peace, as well by fea as by land, and a fincere and conftant friendship shall be reeftablished, between their Britannic and Most

Chriftian

Chriftian Majefties, and between their heirs and fucceffors, kingdoms, dominions, provinces, countries, fubjects, and vaffals, of what quality or condition foever they be, without exception either of places or perfons; fo that the high contracting parties hall give the greatest attention to the maintaining between themselves, and their Taid dominions and fubjects, this reciprocal friendfhip and intercourfe, without permitting hereafter, on either part, any kind of hoftilities to be committed, either by fea or by land, for any caufe or under any pretence whatsoever: and they fhall carefully avoid, for the future, every thing which might prejudice the union happily re-established; endeavouring, on the contrary, to procure reciprocally for each other, on every occafion, whatever may contribute to their mutual glory, interests, and advantage, without giving any affistance or protection, directly or indirectly, to thofe who would do any injury to either of the high contracting parties. There fhall be a general oblivion and amnefty of every thing which may have been done or committed, before or fince the commencement of the war which is juft ended.

Art. II. The Treaties of Weftphalia of 1648; the Treaties of Peace of Nimeguen of 1678 and 1679; of Ryswick of 1697; thofe of Peace and Commerce of Utrecht of 1713; that of Baden of 1714; that of the triple alliance of the Hague of 1717; that of the quadruple alliance of London of 1718; the Treaty of Peace of Vienna of 1738; the Definitive Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle of 1748; and that of Paris of 1763; ferve as a bafis and foundation to the peace, and to the prefent treaty; and for this purpose, they are all renewed and confirmed in the beft form, as well as all the treaties in general which fubfifted between the high contracting parties before the war, as if they were herein inferted word for word; fo that they are to be exactly observed for the future in their full tenor, and religiously executed by both parties, in all the points which thall not be derogated from by the present Treaty of Peace.

Art. III. All the prifoners taken on either fide, as well by land as by fea, and the hoftages carried away or given during the war, and to this day, fhall be restored, without ransom, in fix weeks at latest, to be computed from the day of the exchange of the ratifications of the prefent treaty; each crown respectively difcharging the advances which shall have been made for the fubfiftence and maintenance of their prifoners, by the fovereign of the country where they shall have been detained, according to the receipts and attefted accounts and other authentic vouchers, which fhall be furnished on each fide, and furet es shall be reciprocally given for the payment of the debts which the prifoners may have contracted in the countries where they may have been detained, until their entire release. And all fhips, as well men of war as merchant-fhips, which may have -been taken fince the expiration of the term agreed upon for the ceffation of hoftilities by fea, fhall likewife be restored, bonâ fide, with all their crews and cargoes. And the execution of this article fhall be proceeded upon immediately after the exchange of the ratifications of this treaty.

Art. IV. His Majesty the King of Great Britain is maintained in his right to the lfland of Newfoundland, and to the adjacent islands, as the whole were affured to him by the thirteenth Article of the treaty of Utrecht; excepting the Islands of St. Pierre and Miquelon, which are ceded in full right, by the prefent treaty, to his Moft Chrif tian Majefty.

Art. V. His Majesty the Moft Chriftian King, in order to prevent the quarrels which have hitherto arifen between the two nations of England and France, confents to renounce the right of fishing, which belongs to him in virtue of the aforefaid Article of the treaty of Utrecht, from Cape Bonavista to Cape St. John, fituated on the eaftern coaft of Newfoundland, in fifty degrees north latitude: and his Majefty the King of Great Britain confents on his part, that the fishery affigned to the subjects of his Moft Chriftian Majefty, beginning at the faid Cape St. John, paffing to the north, and descending by the weitern coaft of the Island of Newfoundland, shall extend to the place called Cape Ray, fituated in fortyfeven degrees, fifty minutes latitude. The French fishermen fhall enjoy the fishery which is affigned to them by the prefent Article, as they had the right to enjoy that which was affigned to them by the Treaty of Utrecht.

Art. VI. With regard to the fishery in the Gulph of St. Laurence, the French fhall continue to exercise it conformably to the Fifth Article of the Treaty of Paris.

Art. VII. The King of Great Britain reftores to France the Inland of St. Lucia, in the condition it was in when it was conquered by the British arms and his Britannic Majefty cedes and guaranties to his Moft Chriftian Majefty the Island of Tobago. The proteftant inhabitants of the faid ifland, as well as thofe of the fame religion who fhall have fettled at St. Lucia whilft that island was occupied by the British arms, fhall not be molested in the exercise of their worship: and the British inhabitants, or others who may have been fubjects of the King of Great Britain in the aforefaid iflands, fhall retain their poffeffions upon the fame titles and conditions by which they have acquired them; or elfe they may retire, in full fecurity and liberty, where they fhall think fit, and fhall have the power of felling their eftates, provided it be to fubjects of his Moft Chriftian Majefty, and of removing their effects, as well as their perfons, without being reftrained in their emigration, under any pretence whatsoever, except on account of debts, or of criminal profecutions. The term limited for this emigration ie fixed to the space of eighteen months, to be computed from the day of the exchange of the ratifications of the prefent treaty. And for the better fecuring the poffeffions of the inhabitants of the aforefaid Ifland of Tobago, the Moft Chriftian King shall iffue letters patent, containing an abolition of the Droit d'Aubaine in the faid island.

Art. VIII. The Moft Chriftian King reftores to Great Britain the Islands of Grenada, and the Grenadines, St. Vincent's, Dominica, St. Chriftopher's, Nevis, and Montferrat; and the fortref

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fes of these islands shall be delivered up in the condition they were in when the conquest of them was made. The fame ftipulations inferted in the preceding article fhall take place in favour of the French subjects, with refpect to the islands enumerated in the prefent article.

Art. IX. The King of Great Britain cedes, in full right, and guaranties to his Most Christian Majefty, the River Senegal, and it's dependencies, with the forts of St. Louis, Podor, Galam, Arguin, and Portendic; and his Britannic Majefty reftores to France the Inland of Goree, which fhall be delivered up in the condition it was in when the conqueft of it was made.

Art. X. The Moft Chriftian King, on his part, guaranties to the King of Great Britain the poffeffion of Fort James, and of the River Gambia.

Art. XI. For preventing all difcuffion in that part of the world, the two high contracting parties Thall, within three months after the exchange of the ratifications of the prefent treaty, name commiffaries, who shall be charged with the fettling and fixing of the boundaries of the respective poffeffions. As to the gum trade, the English shall have the liberty of carrying it on, from the mouth of the River St John, to the Bay and Fort of Portendic inclufively. Provided that they shall not form any permanent fettlement, of what nature foever, in the faid River St. John, upon the coaft, or in the Bay of Portendic.

Art. XII. As to the refidue of the coaft of Africa, the English and French subjects shall continue to refort thereto, according to the ufage which has hitherto prevailed.

Art. XIII. The King of Great Britain reftores to his Moft Christian Majefty all the settlements which belonged to him at the beginning of the prefent war, upon the coaft of Orixa, and in Bengal, with liberty to furround Chandernagore with a ditch for carrying off the waters: and his Britannic Majefty engages to take such meafures as fhall be in his power for fecuring to the fubjects of France in that part of India, as well as on the coafts of Orixa, Coromandel, and Malabar, a fafe, free, and independent trade, fuch as was carried on by the French East India Company, whether they exercise it individually, or united in a company.

Art. XIV. Pondicherry shall be in like manmer delivered up and guarantied to France, as alfo Karikal: and his Britannic Majefty shall procure, for an additional dependency to Pondicherry, the two diftricts of Valanour and Bahour; and to Karikal, the Four Magans bordering thereupon.

Art. XV. France fhall re-enter into the poffeffion of Mahe, as well as of it's factory at Surat; and the French fhall carry on their trade, in this part of India, conformably to the principles eftablished in the thirteenth article of this treaty.

Art. XVI. Orders having been fent to India by the high contracting parties, in purfuance of the fixteenth article of the Preliminaries, it is farther agreed, that if, within the term of four months, the respective allies of their Britannic and Moft Chriftian Majefties fhall not have acseded to the prefent pacification, or concluded a

feparate accommodation, their said Majesties shall not give them any affiftance, directly or indirect ly, against the British or French poffeffions, or against the ancient poffeffions of their respective alles, fuch as they were in the year 1776.

Art. XVII. The King of Great Britain, be ing defirous to give to his Moft Chriftian Majefty a fincere proof of reconciliation and friendship, and to contribute to render folid the peace reeftablished between their faid Majesties, confents to the abrogation and fupprefiion of all the arti cles relative to Dunkirk, from the Treaty of Peace concluded at Utrecht in 1713, inclufive, to this day.

Art. XVIII. Immediately after the exchange of the ratifications, the two high contracting parties fhall name commiffaries to treat concerning new arrangements of commerce between the two nations, on the bafis of reciprocity and mutual convenience; which arrangements fhall be settled and concluded within the space of two years, to be computed from the firft of January in the year 1784.

Art. XIX. All the countries and territories which may have been, or which may be conquered in any part of the world whatsoever, by the arms of his Britannic Majefty, as well as by thofe of his Moft Chriftian Majefty, which are not included in the present treaty, neither under the head of ceffions nor under the head of reftitutions, fhall be restored without difficulty, and without requiring any compenfation.

Art. XX. As it is neceffary to appoint a certain period for the reftitutions and evacuations to be made by each of the high contracting parties, it is agreed that the King of Great Britain fhall 'caufe to be evacuated the Inlands of St. Pierre and Miquelon, three months after the ratification of the present treaty, or fooner if it can be done; St. Lucia, (one of the Charibee Islands) and Goree in Africa, three months after the ratification of the prefent treaty, or fooner if it can be done. The King of Great Britain fhall, in like manner, at the end of three months after the ratification of the prefent treaty, or fooner if it can be done, enter again into the poffeffion of the Inlands of Grenada,the Grenadines, St. Vincent's, Dominica, St. Chriftopher's, Nevis, and Montferrat. France fhall be put in poffeffion of the towns and factories which are restored to her in the East Indies, and of the territories which are procured for her to ferve as additional dependencies to Pondicherry and to Karikal, fix months after the ratification of the prefent treaty, or fooner if it can be done. France fhall deliver up, at the end of the like term of fix months, the towns and territories which her arms may have taken from the English, or their allies, in the East Indies. In confequence whereof, the neceffary orders fhall be fent by each of the high contracting parties, with reciprocal paffports for the ships which fhall carry them, immediately after the ratification of the present treaty.

Art. XXI. The decifion of the prizes and feizures made prior to the hoftilities, fhall be referred to the respective courts of justice; so that the legality of the faid prizes and feizures fhall be

decided

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