Page images
PDF
EPUB

Bills, alfo the Bill for preventing the making of Spirits from Wheat, &c. the Mutiny Bill; and three Road Bills. Af ter which, the Houfe adjourned to Tuefday the 2d of February.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.-Dec. II. The House refolved itself into a Committee of the whole Houfe on the high price of Corn; the report of the Select Committee was taken into confideration, which recommends that an engagement should be entered into by fuch Members as fhould chufe to fign the fame, to reduce the confumption of wheat in the families of the perfons fubfcribing fuch engagement, by at least one-third of the ufual quantity confumed in ordinary times.

The Refolutions were agreed to, and a Committee appointed to prepare and bring in the Engagement.

Sir John Sinclair made his motion re-. lative to the cultivation of Waste Lands, viz. "That a Select Committee be appointed to take into confideration the beft means of cultivating the uninclofed, unproductive, and Waffe Lands." The motion was agreed to, and a Committee appointed.

Dec. 14. The new Tax Bills, Money Bills, Affeffments, &c. which food as orders of the day, were gone through, on each of which converfations of confiderable length took place.

On the order of the day for taking into confideration the Reports of the Committee appointed to inquire who was the Author of the Pamphlet, entituled, "Thoughts on the English Governmeat," the Refolution was read, which declared that work to be fcandalous, feditious, &c. and a grofs violation of the Privileges of that Houfe.

Mr Sheridan, after ftating and commenting on the evidence contained in the fecond Report, which went to confirm the proof of Mr Reeves being the author of the pamphlet, (and in which it was alfo ftated, that the Committee had found that the name affixed as Secretary to the first three Advertisements of the Crown and Anchor Affociation, J. Moore, was fictitious, the correspondence being conducted by Mr Reeves, who held it with 2000 other Affociations, and which correfpondence would fill 14 volumes,) faid he could not but with fome heavy cenfure and punishment of that Houfe upon Mr Reeves, and his publisher, (though he was not very anxious that the latter fhould fuffer.) In the first in

ftance, he would propofe, as in all former calls, that the book fhould be publicly burned; and that a copy of that Refolution fhould be communicated to the Lords in a conference. As to further profecution, he would fhew an example of the mercy which this man and the active part of his Affociation were without, and would propofe only to addrefs the King to remove him from all his employments under the Crown; after which that he should be called to the bar of that Houfe and reprimanded by the Speaker. He concluded by moving,

"That the pamphlet be publicly "burned by the common hangman in " Palace-yard on Monday the 21ft inft.

and before the Royal Exchange on "Tuefday the 22d; and that the She"riffs of London and Middlefex be di"rected to attend at thofe places, and "fee this order put in force."

Mr Dundas opposed the motion. It would be a reflection upon the justice of the Houfe, in a cafe in which they were parties offended, to take upon themselves the punishment. Moreover, the motions would deprive a man of all public fervice and emolument upon ex parte evidence, upon an examination without oath, and without allowing the defendant an opportunity of cross-examining the witneffes, or invalidating any particular fact of which he had been accused. This and every other offence against the House (except a case of privilege, which could not be taken cognizance of by any other judicature) he fhould vote for going to a Jury of the Courts. From fome expreffions that had fallen from the Hon. Gentleman, he had now difcovered that the real caufe of his taking an active part in the prefent bufinefs, was not that the book contained a grofs and fcandalous libel, but that it was written by the Head of an Association against Republicans and Levellers. So far, however, was he from thinking this to be a circumftance which ought to prejudice the Iloufe of Commons againft Mr Reeves, that he confidered it to be a great recommendation of his character. His exertions in 1792 he affirmed to have been productive of effential good to the community, and to them was owing all that peace and quiet which we now enjoyed. So that on this part of his fpeech he agreed with him in point of fact, but differed from him widely in the conclufions which were deduced from this fact. If the Hon. Gentleman was particularly keen for burning books, let him collect a quanti

ty

ty of the libels on the other fide of the queftion, and, for God's fake, let him kinle a fire which would fill all Palace-Yard. But let him not, by moving that this publication be burned, affix the fanction of the Houfe on all that fwarm of 'libels with which the country had been infefted for fome time paft. He concluded with moving an amendment-that after the word "That," the following words may be inferted, "An humble Addrefs be prefented to his Majefty, that he may he graciously pleafed to give directions to the Attorney General to enter a proecution againfi John Reeves, Efq. for the publication of a fcandalous, malicious, and dangerous libel against the House of Commons."

Lord Sheffield feconded the amendment; but he did it for reasons which would not be acceptable when he told them, perhaps, to either fide of the Houle. He faid, he obferved that one fet of men, inftead of profecuting a libel against the conftitution, meant to profecute a man whom they confidered as having counteraced their views; and that another fet fhrunk from the common protection of a man, the attempt to opprefs whom was perfectly clear, altho' they did not confider him as proved guilty; he therefore thought it highly proper that the profecution fhould be caried on by the Attorney General, and then evidence on oaths would decide the queflion,

Mr Fox oppofed the motion, and Mr Pitt fupported it; and after feveral other Members on both fides had delivered their fentiments, the original queftion was negatived, and the amendment carried. It was then propofed, on Mr Dundas's motion, to addrefs the Crown to profecute John Reeves, Efq. together with the Printer.

Mr Sheridan moved to amend this, by Teaving out the Printer, which was agreed to; but on putting the main queftion, Sir William Dolben and Mr Dent infifted upon dividing the Houfe; when they were told out, it appearing that the numbers were only Ayes 24, Noes 4, fo that the Houfe was adjourned, and the queftion remained this day unde cided.

15. Mr Sheridan objected to referring the Sediticus Pamphlet to the Attorney General, as well as the profecution of either the printer or publisher, and moved that the debate on it be refumed. An amendment was moved to this, "That an humble Addrefs be prefented to his

Majefty, to be graciously pleased to order his Attorney General to profecute John Reeves, Efq."

Agreed to without a divifion.

Mr Pitt moved, that the Sedition Bill, fent back from the Lords with amendments, be taken into confideration.

Mr Fox objected to the amendment; there ought not to be any amendments in Money Bills, much lefs in these, but this practice had been lately adopted. When the Bill went to the Lords, the words were, " certain penalties for certain offences;" inftead of the word "offences," "felonies" were fubflituted..

After a converfation of fhort duration, the bill was agreed to with the amendments; the Chancellor of the Exchequer to carry it to the Lords.-Ordered.

The Bill for raifing 18,000,000l. by annuities, was read a third time and paffed.

Mr Wilberforce begged leave to fay a few words on the Slave Emancipation Bill. He had, he faid, pledged himfelf to bring this bufinefs forward before. the 1ft of January 1796, and gave notice, therefore, that he would bring the matter forward again in this feffion, and that immediately after the recess.

Mr Fox faid, he was glad that the Hon. Gentleman brought it forward again, and hoped that this bufinefs would obtain a full and fair difcuffion, and that the Houfe would recover that portion of charity which it had loft.

Mr William Smith rose and moved, "That a Committee be appointed to take into confideration the loan of 18,000,000l. and to report thereon."

Mr Pitt faid, he should certainly give his vote for the measure propofed by the Hon. Gentleman, and he trufted that the refult of the inquiry would be to eradicate every particle of doubt that might exift in the mind of any man, either in or out of that Houfe, relative to the Loan.

The queftion for the Committee of Inquiry was then carried without a divifion.

Mr Smith moved, that it fhould be a Committee of the whole House.

Mr Pitt moved, as an amendment, that it fhould be an open Committee above flairs.

After a few words the Houfe divided, For Mr Pitt's amendment 56, against it 19; majority 37.

Mr Pitt propofed that the Drawback

on

on the coarfer kinds of Sugar fhould ceafe on the 20th of this month.

The other orders of the day were then difpofed of, and the House adjourn

ed.

16. Mr Huffey moved the order of the day for a Committee of the whole Houfe on the high price of corn.

Mr Pitt wifhed to know if the Hon. Gentleman had any thing particular to fay.

Mr Huffy replied, to raise the bounty. After a conversation of fome length, Mr Huffey moved, that 20s. fhould be fubftituted in the place of 15s. which was agreed to,

Sir Peter Burrell made another motion, that three-fifths of the additional duty on all corn imported from foreign parts fhould be granted on all foreign corn in the King's ftores. Agreed.

The Houfe went into a Committee of the whole Houfe on the new Horfe Duty Bl.

Mr Pitt moved an amendment in fayour of all horfes under 13 hands high; this particularly related to fmall horfes ufed in parts of England and Scotland. This amendment was agreed to; after which the bill was reported with amend

ments.

The other orders of the day being gone through, the Houle adjourned.

17. A meffage was fent down from the Lords, fignifying that their Lordships had agreed to the Treafon and Sedition Bills, with the amendments,

Mr Hobart brought up the report of the Corn Bill, with the amendments of the Committee on the increase of a bounty from America and the Colonies, which were agreed to.

Mr Hobart brought up the report on the general Horfe Duty Bill with amendments, a claufe being added exempting horfes travelling poft and paying 3d. per mile duty.

Mr Hobart brought up the report on the Pleasure-Horfe Bill. A claufe was added to it, exempting the Yeomanry Cavalry from the duty, each captain or other commanding officer to give in the lift of horses thus employed.

The Bill for regulating the Marine Forces while on fhore was read a fecond time, and committed for Thurfday the 4th of February next.

18. The following bills were read a third time and paffed: the Mutiny and Defertion Bill, Horfe-dealers Licence Bil, Working horfe Duty Bill, and Poor Relief Bill.

On the motion of Mr Wilberforce, a claufe was added to the Pleafure-horfe Duty Bill, exempting Freehold Farmers under 70l. annual rent, who fometimes rode their work horfes, which was agreed to.

19. The Sugar Drawback Reduction Bill was read a third time, and paffed.

Mr Pitt moved that no Petition for private Bills be received after Thursday the 11th of February. Ordered.

Mr Pitt then moved, and it was agreed to nem. con. "That the House hall adjourn until Wednesday morning

next.

[ocr errors]

23. A meffage was received from the Lords, acquainting the House that their Lordships had agreed to the Tax Bills, together with various other public and private Bills.

Mr Sloane prefented a Petition from the Bath Agricultural Society, praying the Houfe to enact a general Inclofure Bill, for the purpose of improving all the Waste Lands. The Petition was referred to the Select Committee appointed for examining the ftate, &c. of the Wafte Lands.

Several private Petitions refpecting Inclofures were prefented, and much private bufinefs was difpofed of.-Adjourned.

24. After fome private bufinefs,

Mr Pitt moved the adjournment of the Houfe till Tuesday the ad of February next.

On the queftion being put,

Sir John Sinclair gave notice, that on Tuesday the 24 of February next he would move that the Report of the Committee refpecting the fate of the Waste Lands be confidered. The Houfe then adjourned to Tuesday the 2d of Febe ruary 1796.

[ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small]

316

THE

MONTHLY REGISTER

FOR APRIL 1796.

Interesting Intelligence from the London Gazettes.

From the London Gazette, March 22.

[ocr errors][merged small][merged small]

ed the marines and boarders to land be hind the point, and take the batteries in the rear. As the boats approached the Beach, they met with a very warm res ception, and a temporary check, from body of troops drawn up to oppofe their landing: the fi uation was critical, the ship being expofed to a moft galling fire,

Diamond, off Cape Frehel, 18 Mar. 1796, and in intricate pilotage, with a confi

S1R,

Having received information that arm ed veffels detached by the Prince of Bouillon, had chaced a convoy, confifting of a corvette, two luggers, four brigs, and two floops, into Herqui, I proceed ed off that port, to reconnoitre their pofition, and found the channel, which I found very narrow and intricate. I fucceeded, however, in gaining a knowledge of these points sufficient to determine me to attack them, in the Diamond, with cut lofs of time, and without waiting for the junction of any part of the fquadron, left the enemy fhould fortify themfelves ftill further on our appearance.

Lieutenant M Kinley, of the Liberty brig, and Lieutenant Goffet, of the Aritocrat lugger, joined me off the Cape, and, though not under my orders, very handfomely offered their fervices, which I accepted, as fmall veffels were effentially neceffary in fuch an operation. The permanent fortification for the defence of the bay are two batteries on a high rocky promontory. We obferved the enemy to be very bufily employed in mounting a detached gun on a very commanding point of the entrance. At one o'clock yesterday afternoon, this gun opened upon us as we paffed: The Diamond's fire however filenced it in eleven miputes. The others opened upon us as we came round the point, and their commanding fituation giving them a decided advantage over a fhip in our pofition, I judged it neceffary to adopt another mode of attack, and accordingly detach

derable portion of her men thus detache ed. I pointed out to Lieut. Pine, the ap. parent practicability of climbing the precipice in front of the batteries, which ke readily perceived, and, with an alacrity and bravery of which I have had many proofs in the course of our fervice together, he undertook and executed this hazardous fervice, landing immediately under the guns, and rendering himself mafter of them before the column of troops could regain the heights. The fire from the fhip was directed to cover our men in this operation; it checked the enemy in their advancement, and the re-embarkation was effected, as foon as the guns were spiked, without the lofs of a man, though we have to regret Lieut. Carter of the Marines being dangerously wounded on this occafion.,

The enemy's guns, three twenty-four pounders, being filenced and rendered. useless for the time, we proceeded to at tack the corvette and other armed veffels, which had by this time opened their fire on us, to cover the operation of haul. ing themselves on fhore. The Diamond was anchored as clofe to the corvette as her draft of water would allow. The Liberty brig was able to approach near, and on this occafion, I cannot omit to mention the very gallant and judicious manner in which Lieut. M'Kinley, her commander, brought this veffel into ac tion, profiting by her light draft of wa ter to follow the corvette close. The enemy's fire foon flackened, and the crew being obferved to be making for the fhore on the English colours being

hoifted

hoifted on the hill, I made the fignal for
the boats, manned and armed, to board
her, directing Lieut. Goffet, in the lug
This fervice was
ger, to cover them.
executed by the party from the shore,
under the direction of Lieutenant Pine,
in a manner that does them infinite cre-
dit, and him every honour, as a brave
man and an able officer. The enemy's
troops occupied the high projecting rocks
all around the veffels, from whence
they kept up an inceflant fire of mufque-
try; and the utmoft that could be effect-
ed at the moment, was to fet fire to the
corvette, (named L'Etourdie, of 16 guns,
twelve pounders, on the main deck) and
one of the merchant brigs, fince, as the
tide fell, the enemy preffed down on the
fands, close to the veffels; Lieut. Pine
therefore returned on board, having re-
ceived a fevere contufion on the breaft
from a mulquet ball. As the tide role
again, it became practicable to make a
fecond attempt to burn the remaining
veffels Lieut. Pearton was accordingly
detached for that purpose with the boats,
and I am happy to add, his gallant exer-
tis fucceeded to the utmost of my
hopes, notwithstanding the renewed and
heavy fire of mufquetry from the fhore.
This fire was returned with spirit and
good effect; and I was much pleafed
with the conduct of Lieut. Goffet, in the
hired lugger, and Mr Knight, in the
Diamond's launch, who covered the ap-
proach and retreat of the boats. The
veffels were all burnt except an armed
lugger, which kept up her fire to the
laft.

and I beg leave to recommend him to their Lordships as a moft meritorious officer.

I have the hohour to be, &c. W. Sidney Smith. A return of the Killed and Wounded be longing to his Majesty's fhip Diamond, in the three attacks of the enemy's bat teries and Shipping in Herqui, the 17th of March 1796. Killed, 2 feamen.

Wounded, first Lieutenant Horace Pine, Lieut. Carter of the marines, and five feamen.

Admiralty-Office, March 26.

A ditpatch of which the following is a Copy, has been received at this Office, from Sir John Borlate Warren, Bart. K. B.

La Pomone, Falmouth, 24 March 1796. SIR,

I beg leave to inform you, that on the 15th inftant, in confequence of my letter to their Lordships from Falmouth, I flood over to the French coaft in fearch of the Artois, who joined me on the 18th; and on the 20th, at day-break, having difcovered from the maft-head feveral fail of veffels in the S. S. E. the Saints bearing N. N. E. three or four miles, I made the fignal to the fquadron under my command, confifting of the Artois, Galatea, and Anfon, for a general chace, and upon our near approach, perceived them to be a convoy of the enemy fleering in for the land. At ten A. M. being up with part of the merchant fhips, I captured four, and ordered the Valiant lugger to proceed with them to the neareft port. I continued in pur fuit of the men of war, who were forming in line a head to windward, and kept working to come up with the enemy, who I foon perceived were endeavouring to preferve their diftance from us, and to avoid an action, by their tacking at the fame time with our fhips; but being at length arrived within half gun-shot to leeward, the two fquadrons engaged, and paffed each other upon oppofite tacks. Immediately upon our fternmoft ship being clear of the enemy's line, I made the fignal to tack and gain the wind, which, by making a very short board on the ftarboard tack, was obtained; perceiving them rallying round the Commodore close in fhore, and beginning to form again, I made the fignal for our's, in clofe order, to endeavour to break their line, by cutting off the rear hips, Rra

The wind and tide fuiting at ten at night to come out of the harbour again, we weighed, and repaffed the Point of Herqui, from which we received a few fhot, the enemy having found means to reitore one of the guns to activity. Our lofs, as appears by the inclosed return, is trifling, confidering the nature of the enterprize, and the length of time we were expofed to the enemy's fire. Their's, I am perfuaded, muft have been great, from the numbers within the range of our fhot and shells. The conduct of every officer and man under my com mand meets my warmeft approbation; it would be fuperfluous to particularize any others than thofe I have named; fuffice it to fay, the characteristic brave ry and activity of British feamen never were more confpicuous.

Lieutenant Pine will have the honour to prefent their Lordships with the cohours which he ftruck on the battery ;

and

« PreviousContinue »