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1795 the right honourable gentleman did not think so lightly as he appeared at present to do of the services of the gallant officer in securing the retreat of the army neither had the noble lord whose letter had been alluded to, and who had not forgotten these services so soon as the right honourable gentleman. It was not his intention to speak of captain Robinson but with respect, yet the right honourable gentleman seemed to exaggerate his services. The right honourable gentleman had said that that capfain had been sent out with orders to detain the Etrusco. Had the honourable gentleman really read the papers upon which he was to decide as a judge? Could he say that any statement of such orders was to be found in these papers? (It was then said across the table, that the fact may be true though not in the papers.) Had then the right ho nourable gentleman not only decided himself, but endeavoured to make the house, upon a statement which he did not know to be correct? Had he proceeded upon these grounds against an individual whose honour and charac ter were at issue, and upon which he was to pronounce as judge? What had been done in this case, was every day done; and even, as his learned friends near him informed him, had taken place by a remission of forfeitures in nine different causes that day in the court of exchequer. After stating the proportion condemned to captain Robinson, and restored to sir Home Popham, the chancellor of the exchequer contended, that there never had been a case in which money was more properly assigned. If any gentleman could place his hand on his heart, and say, that he believed the government had acted from corrupt motives, he would vote for the censure. But he deprecated the general charge made by the right honourable gentleman, of the various instances of misapplication of these funds, as calculated to produce the most injurious consequences. After a few observations on the nature and circumstances of the traffic which had been charged as illicit, the right honourable gentleman concluded by expressing his confidence that the house would meet the resolutions by a direct negative.,

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Mr. Windham explained.

Mr. Whitbread spoke briefly in favour of the resolu

tions; and after a short general reply from Mr. Lushing ton, the house divided:

For he resolutions

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The royal assent was given, by commission, to the assessed taxes bill, the duchess of Brunswick's annuity bill, the indictment bill, and several other bills; in all, public and private, twenty. The commissioners were the Duke of Cumberland, the Lord Chancellor, and Lord Walsingham.

The military inquiry bill, and the Irish glebe house bill, were read a third time, and passed.

The Irish militia volunteering bill was read a second time, and committed for to-morrow.

Lord De Dunstanville moved the second reading of the interment bill. His lordship observed, that dead bodies were frequently thrown on the coast of Cornwall; and that particularly, not long since, between forty and fifty bodies from the wreck of the Anson frigate were thrown upon that coast, and there being no law to provide for the interment of such bodies, the decent rites of burial were not performed. The gentlemen of the county had therefore come to the resolution of applying to parliament for the present bill; the object of which was, that the parish should bury the bodies, and be reimbursed the expence by the treasurer of the county.

The Earl of Lauderdale objected to crowding the statute book with legislative acts, in cases which might be properly left to the feelings of individuals.

Lord De Dunstanville re-urged the expediency of the bill, which was read a second time, and committed for to-morrow.

Mr. Rickman, from the commissioners of the Caledo nian canal, presented some papers, which were ordered to be printed.

The Earl of Suffolk hoped, with respect to this canal, that it would be navigable for large vessels.

Some private bills were brought up from the commons by Mr. Ashburnham, Mr. Graham, and other members, and read a first time.

The Lord Chancellor gave notice, that he should move, on Friday, for the attendance of the judges in the com mittee of privileges on the Banbury peerage.

Adjourned.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 1.

In obedience to a summons sent by the black rod, the speaker and the house attended in the house of lords, when the royal assent was given, by commission, to seve ral public and private bills. The public acts were, the duchess of Brunswick's annuity bill, and the Irish custom-house fees bill.

A message was received from the lords, acquainting the house that their lordships had agreed to the military commissioners bill, to the Irish glebe houses bill, and se veral private bills.

Mr. Creevey gave notice that, on Wednesday next, he will move to refer the paper relative to the droits of admiralty to a committee of the whole house.

On the motion of Mr. Long, the report of the com. mittee in 1796, appointed to consider of the repairs to be made in Westminster Hall, and both houses of parlia ment, was referred to a select committee.

A person from the exchequer chamber presented at the bar an account of the number of writs of error on which there was an appeal from that court to the house of lords, conformable to an order of the house. The account was ordered to be printed..

Mr. Chaplin moved for leave to bring in a bill to repeal an act of James the First, and to alter the provisions of the 3d of George the First, respecting the appointment of game-keepers. Leave given.

The Secretary at War gave notice that, on Friday next, he will move for leave to bring in a bill to compel VOL. III.-IS08. 2 R

the clerks of subdivisions to account for the money paid into their hands as fines for not serving in the militia.

The cinque ports salvage bill was read a second time, and committed for Friday.

The small-pox infection prevention bill was read a second time, and ordered to be committed on Friday.

The Scotch clergy bill was committed, and the report was ordered to be received on this day se'nnight..

The Solicitor-general for Scotland presented a petition from the magistrates and town-council of Kilmarnock, against the sugar-distillation bill.

The lunatics bill was read a third time, and passed.

Sir John Newport moved that there be laid before the house a copy of the memorial presented by Messrs. Thomas Simmons and Co. of Liverpool, to the commissioners of customs of England, relative to a shipment of woollen cloths, and any answer that has been returned thereto. His object in moving for this paper was to shew that the sixth article of the union had been infringed by a charge made at the custom-house of Liverpool of certain duties upon Irish manufactures, reshipped for the Brazils.

Mr. Foster did not object to the production of the paper, and said, that it was possible the officer alluded to, may have been mistaken as to the nature of his instruc

tions.

Sir John Newport observed, if that was the case, it was surprising that no answer had been returned to the memorial.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer deprecated an idea going forth from the honourable baronet's statement, of any disposition to infringe the articles of union.

The paper moved for was ordered to be produced. 1 Mr. Whitbread asked when it was intended to discuss the assessed taxes commission bill?

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The Chancellor of the Exchequer wished that an early opportunity should be given of discussing the bill, for the purpose of obviating the most unfounded representations which had been made respecting its nature and tendency.

Mr. Whitbread thought the bill highly objectionable as it stands, and hoped that the right honourable gentleman would correct the obnoxious clauses.

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The consideration of the bill was fixed for Friday. Mr. Bankes gave notice of a notion for the latter end of next week, relative to the exemption of foreigners from the property tax.

The house having resolved itself into a committee ta consider of the trade between this country and America,

Mr. Rose moved, that it is the opinion of the committee, that for a time to be limited (for one year, and to the end of the next session of parliamen ), any goods or merchandize, the produce or manufacture of the United States of America, not prohibited by law, may be imported into this country in British-built ships, owned, navigated, and registered, according to law, or in Ame rican ships, on paying such duties of customs and ex cise as are paid on the importation of such goods or mer chandize from any other country. His object in this mo tion was, to place America in regard to this country on a footing with the most favoured nation.

Mr. Rose moved another resolution, for the purpose of permitting the importation of snuff and tobacco from America,

The resolutions were agreed to, and the report was or dered to be received to-morrow.

Mr. Rosc gave notice, that to-morrow he will move that the house resolve itself into a committee on the trade to the Brazils.

The Irish bank charter bill was read a second time, and ordered to be committed to-morrow.

The British herring fishery bill was read a second time, and ordered to be committed to-morrow.

The British ships non-privileged bill was read a third time, and passed.

BUDGET.

The house having resolved itself into a committee of the whole house,

The Chancellor of the Exchequer said that, before stating the terms upon which he had contracted for the loan for the service of the present year, he should shortly recapitulate the different beads of supply and of ways and means, of which the following will be found to be a correct statement:

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