any effect. The feamen would have had the Act of Parliament to refer to as a proof that they were falfe.

Mr. Curwen wished to know whether the feamen had demanded more than was granted to them by the Admiralty? If they had demanded more than was granted them, and any dif affection remained on that occafion, Minifters could not have been too expeditious in ratifying all that had been ftipulated they fhould obtain; any delay in this cafe certainly deferved the cenfure of the Houfe. On the other hand, if every thing the feamen had demanded was granted to them by the Admiralty, he was ready to admit that his Majefty's Minifters might fuppofe there was no reason to apprehend that new difcontents would arife, in confequence of the business not having been laid before Parliament.--If he could be convinced the latter was the real fituation of the cafe, he fhould think himself bound to vote against the Motion. The Chancellor of the Exchequer faid he did not believe that any anfwer he could give to the questions put by the Honourable Gentleman would enable him to avail himself of his fupport. The Honourable Gentleman had ftated, that if his Majefty's Minifters had reafon to think the Seamen expected more than was granted to them by the Admiralty, the propofition for fulfilling the promifes which had been made to them, fhould have fpeedily fubmitted to Parliament. After what he had already faid, it was unneceffary for him to enter any further into the difcuffion of this queftion. He could however ftate, that there was at one time more demanded by the Seamen, than that upon the granting of which they returned to their duty. Mr. Curwen faid a few words in explanation.

been more

Lord George Cavendish faid, when the measures of Adminis tration became weak or wicked, it was the duty of that House to inftitute an inquiry. Nobody could have more refpect than he for the Noble Lord at the head of the Admiralty, and he believed that no blame attached to him in the present instance; but there was certainly a criminal neglect in Minifters not fulfilling the ftipulations which had been made by the Board of Admiralty at Portsmouth. It had been fuggefted that the prefent. difcuffion ought to have been postponed. He was of a different opinion. The House had all the information neceffary to ena ble them to decide upon the queftion.

Mr. Whitbread requefted the indulgence of the House for a fhort time. He obferved that an Honourable Gentleman (Mr. Yorke) had deprecated the Motion. at this moment, because the Houfe in difcuffing it must be actuated by impreffions which in future inveftigations they might wish had not exifted. It was evident, however, that every information on the fubject that could poffibly be obtained was now before the House, and there

was

was much more than was neceffary to prove that a Vote of Cenfure ought to be paffed against his Majefty's Ministers. The defence fet up by the Honourable Gentleman he understood to be this---"The mutiny is over; the combination of the feamen does not exift; and therefore no extraordinary expedition is necellary in bringing the bufinefs before Parliament." He would beg leave, however, to remind the Honourable Gentleman of fome circumstances which he seemed to have overlooked. It was a fact that three of the ships at Portsmouth had remained all along in a state of mutiny, and when the reft of the fleet failed, refufed to raise their anchors. It was alfo well known that the fhips at Plymouth remained in a state of mutiny after the Admiralty had granted the demands of the feamen, and would not believe an official statement of the affair being fettled, until they fent their Delegates to hold a conference with thofe of the fleet at Portf mouth, and to be fatisfied of the truth of the account by a perfonal conference with them. This furely was a proof that the combination was not diffolved; and, therefore, it more peculiarly became the duty of Minifters to put an end to the difaffection that exifted, which could only be done by a ratification of the promise of the Lords of the Admiralty by Parliament. He pointed out the natural effect upon the minds of the feamen of a rumour, that Parliament had not fanctioned fuch promife, if they heard that rumour after they had failed; whereas had they known the act had paffed, they would have had a ready anfwer to any one attempting to mislead them by mifrepresentation; they would have faid, we have seen the act of Parliament? and what you are attempting to impofe upon us is falfe. He cenfured the iffuing thofe orders by the Admiralty, under which Admiral Colpoys had acted, and obferved that they were actually published before any propofition made to Parliament to ratify the promise made to the Seamen. What must have been the confequence, if the news had reached Admiral Jervis's fleet, and had it not been known that the demands of the feamen had been fatisfied? The confequence must have been fatal to the intereft of the country. Upon the whole of the queftion, he was of opinion, that the Houfe would neglect its duty, if it did not come to a Vote of Censure on Minifters for neglecting theirs. With respect to the Motion, it attached to the Chancellor of the Exchequer, because he conceived he was the efficient Mover of all the public councils of the kingdom, and the Honourable Gentlemen who acted with him were merely his fubordinate and subfervient agents. The Houfe then divided,

LIST of the MINORITY on Mr. WHITBREAD's MOTION.

Fox, Rt. Hon. C. J. Rawdon, Hon. J.

Pulteney, Sir W.

Barham, F.

Grey, Charles.

Richardfon, J.

Baftard, J. P.

Hare, J.

Ridley, Sir M. W.

Beauclerk, C. G.

Hobhouse, B.

Ruffel, Lord J.

Bird, W. W.

Jefferys, N.

Bouverie, Hon. E.

Jekyl, J.

Brogden, J.

Jervoife, C. J.

Burdett, Sir F.

Johnstone, Sir W.

Byng, G.

Knight, R. P.

Cavendish, Lord G. Langton, J.

Ruffel, Lord W.
St. John, St. A.
Sheridan, R. B.
Shuckburgh, Sir G.
Smith, W.

Spencer, Lord R.

Colhoun, W.

Leiceßer, Sir. J.

Sturt, C.

Coke, T.W.

Lemon, J.

Tarleton, General.

Combe, H. C.

Lloyd, J. M.

Copley, Sir L.

Miibanke, R.

Courtnay, J.

Milner, Sir W.

Crewe, J.

North, D.

Tierney, G.

Viner, R.

Walpole, Colonel

Walwyn, J.

Dennifon, W.

Northey, W.

Western, C. C,

Dundas, C.

Pierfe, H.

Wilkins, W.

Fitzpatrick, Gen.

Phillips, J. G.

Williams, Owen,

Fletcher, Sir H.

Plumer, W.

Winnington, Sir E.

TELLERS.

Curwen, J. C.

Whitbread, Samuel.

HOUSE OF LORDS.

Thursday, May 11.

The Duke of Bedford poftponed the Motion, of which he had given notice for to-morrow, on account of the agitation of the public mind on the fubject of the marine, but did not wish to difcharge the order for fummoning their Lordfhips, being in hopes that fomething might arife in the interim to appeafe the public mind.

Mr. Manning brought up the Report of the Middlefex County

Rate Bill.

Several amendments made by the Lords upon the Bill for allowing the iffue of fmall prommiffory Notes for a limited time, were agreed to by the House.

The Debtors increased Rate Bill went through a Committee, in which the allowance was raised from 4d. to 6d. and the Report ordered to be received to-morrow.

The Speaker informed the Houfe, that he had been in the House of Lords, where the Royal Affent was given to the new

Loan Bill.

Adjourned. No. 36.

8 F

HOUSE

HOUSE OF LORDS.

Friday, May 12.

The Duke of Bedford faid, that he yesterday informed the House, it was not his intention to bring forward this day the fubject of which he had formerly given notice, and for which their Lordships were fummoned this day. He observed at that time that he did not wish to discharge the order for summoning their Lordships this day on account of the anxiety of the public mind, and the hope he entertained that fomething might appear to relieve that anxiety. He was very anxious upon that subject, and therefore he came down every day, but he had not the good fortune to fee in their places those Ministers from whom he could expect authentic information on a fubject of the greatest importance. Circumftanced as our affairs were at this moment, he did think it would be extremely improper in any perfon to bring forward any thing upon the fubject to which he had alluded, fince it might be detrimental to the public fervice. That was a fufficient reafon for him to wave, for the prefent, the objections he had to the conduct of his Majesty's Minifters. Not that he had abandoned fuch objections; on the contrary, he should perfift in them at the first period that should appear to him not to be unfeasonable. He was bound to do fo in his own vindication, for he was confiderably involved in the queftion by the language that was used by the Noble Secretary of State on a former day. He fhould, however, refrain for the prefent. He requested only that the House should recollect when he should bring this matter forward, the reafon he had affigned for declining it now; and he hoped he should not then be told, "the thing is blown over, and confequently it is unfit to difcufs it."

Lord Grerville faid, there could be no pledge entered into as to what arguments fhould be urged before the House at any future period. The Houfe muft judge of the propriety of arguments when they were fubmitted to them.

The Duke of Bedford then said, that the fubject which he was to have brought forward this day, he fhould fubmit to their Lordships on Monday the 15th inft. He then moved, That the Lords be fummoned for that day.---Ordered.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.
Friday, May 12.

The Middlesex County Rate Bill, was read a third time and paffed.

Colonel Gafcoyne brought up the Report of the Bill for regulating the wages of Seamen in the West India trade.

The Stamp Duty Bill on Attornies Certificates, was read a third time and passed.

CANTERBURY

CANTERBURY ELECTION.

The Chairman of the Canterbury Election Committee re-. ported their decifion, by which John Baker and Samuel Sawbridge, Efqrs. are declared unduly elected, and that George Gipps, Efq. and Sir John Honeywood, ought to have been returned.

The Clerk of the Crown amended the return by ftriking out the names of John Baker and Samuel Sawbridge, and fubftituting thofe of George Gipps and Sir John Honey wood.

The Report of the Vagrant Bill was brought up.

A conversation arose upon a Clause in the Bill for allowing a difcretionary power to Magiftrates in certain cafes to país vagrants without punishing them. The Houfe divided upon the queftion of agreeing to the Claufe---Ayes 32---Noes 7. Adjourned

HOUSE OF LORDS.
Monday, May 15.

REPORT OF THE SECRET COMMITTEE.

The Duke of Bedford reminded their Lordships that they were fummoned on this day, to take under confideration the Report, of the Secret Committee which they had appointed to inquire, into the caufes which produced the neceffity for iffuing the Order of the 26th of February laft, prohibiting the Bank from paying their Notes in Specie. It became incumbent upon their Lordihips to take that Report into confideration, and to found fome refolutions upon it, as their Committee had not drawn any conclufion from the evidence which was laid before them. As he was the perfon who had moved for the appointment of that Committee, he confidered it as a duty which devolved upon, him to propose these resolutions. He lamented, however, that the task had not fallen upon fome other perfon, as he felt it to be both difficult and painful; he should have felt it to be a labour of no inconfiderable difficulty to have called the attention of that Houfe to a subject of fo extenfive and complicated a nature as that of the Finances of the Country; but that which, would in any circumftances have been difficult, was in the prefent inftance rendered painful by the confideration that if their Lordships did not exprefs a decided difapprobation of the conduct which Government had pursued in the business which was to be the fubject of difcuffion, they would implicate the character of that House, and implicate the character of the nation. After calling their attention to the matter contained in the Report, he fhould fubmit certain refolutions, founded upon the evidence which it contained, which he hoped would meet with the concurrence of the principal part of that Houfe. In what he had to

8 F2

advance