H

asserted on India affairs. tions had been solely directed natic, and he had not even me name of marquis Wellesley in of them. His charge was not foreign resident; it was agains of control, against the governm dras, but, above all, against the of the court of directors, who him to be the principal delinqu said the right hon. gent., I have upon in a way I do not app were inconsistent in my condu led upon by an hon. gent. from whom I should not have It would seem as if his intenti promote differences among th

Howe

tained of the same transactions by the court of directors. But, sir, respecting the whole of that letter, after what has been said of it, I desire to acknowledge my full share of any censure that may be thought due to it. The ability with which it is written, is far beyond any to which I have the least pretention, but I approved of every part of it, and never gave my assent to any measure, or put my name to any paper with a more perfect consciousness of doing what was right, and what my duty required of me. That it will be answered, and most ably answered, I have no doubt; and if the answer shall disprove or do away the facts, or any of them, which it states, or convince me, that my view of them has been erroneous, and the answer of administration at a time whe founded upon it unjust, I shall be most dial union and hearty co-ope ready and happy to acknowledge it. But, necessary to the welfare, if not sir, I believe there are facts, stubborn and vation of the country. afflicting facts, stated in that letter, which rent the hon. gent. may appea no eloquence can disprove. I have been speak truly, the hon. gent. w at all times ready to acknowledge the to sustain on his own shoulders great merit, and splendid services which weight of the concerns of India distinguished the early part of the marquis vourable pliant moment had bee Wellesley's career in India, and I felt pro- to persuade him, he would hav portionate regret at seeing the lustre of to Bengal in a high responsib those services obscured by the system he afterwards pursued. Respecting the procedure before the house, and the dilemma in which we are placed, I always thought that the most proper course for the hon. gent. to pursue, would have been first to place his documents on the table, and then to move for their being referred to a committee for investigation; and, I should yet hope, that we may tread back the steps taken this evening, and the dilemma be got rid of in the mode proposed by the learned gent. below (Mr. Perceval).-There is one point in the hon. gent.'s speech (Mr. W. Pole), which I think must have arisen from his misconception. He laid considerable justify the resentment is to ov stress on my hon. friend near me (Mr. R. offence. The terms in which I Thornton) having stated that the letter absence, were good-humoured had been approved by 29 out of 30 direc-mentary. No man repines mu tors, as if my hon. friend had included, which he does not feel to be as directors, those gentlemen who were out Respect and value are usuall by rotation: but this is easily cleared up, in regret. But my right hon. fri by merely stating the fact that the letter taken about the fact. was approved in court, and sent up to the board of commissioners in the beginning of April, and after the annual election was laid before the court of directors, again and again approved, so that 29 out of 30 directors had given it their approbation. Mr. Sheridan said, he was not disposed to retract a single syllable of what he had

do not mean to say, that the has acted from pique or disap all his motives, I presume, public spirit, mingled, perhaps tle apprehension for my pa consistency; he must, however to be the protector of my own and of my own honour.

Mr. Francis.I am so well see my right hon. friend once place, that it would be very him to say any thing to me or could give me one moment's co facts, to which he alludes, have misrepresented to him. The o

I never the transactions in the Carnati uttered a word of provocation make good his charge against lo ley. You, sir, and the whole bear me witness, that the supp of the Nabob of Arcot, in whic lesley has no concern, was the which I called for his assistance

of my hon. friend, the representative of sented in that hous Norwich. With respect to the government his own sentiment of Bengal, and to my disappointment, and liament. The ho all the anecdotes he alludes to, and his own lesley, who had pla meritorious conduct, it is quite enough for traordinary a dile me to say that he is mistaken in his premi- exhibiting a charg ses; and that, as in fact I have expressed no vernor-general, h resentment, he has no right to assert that I extraordinary cha am influenced by disappointment. On the Co., by accusing principle of his own insinuation, if the act of parliament, fact fails him, I am entitled to the opposite the fact than the conclusion. dinary assertion, indebted to the p millions. Wherea pany being in de public are conside company for adv by order of his Sir T. M. could no the hon.

gent. took with the name of who could not in have any knowle beyond having per and the return he gation was to join

Sir T. Metcalfe trusted the house would give him some credit for his silence in the discussions on the rejected draught of a letter, particularly as he had so repeatedly been pointed at for having differed in opinion with the majority of his friends in the direction. The paper in question was laid before the court early in April 1805, and contained every act of lord Wellesley's government that could make against him, in the opinion of the writer of the letter, from the year 1798. He stated, that the house should understand the established rule for carrying on the correspondence between the executive part of the company he had brought for and the governments in India, is by an-marquis. With re swering every letter, in the order of its ar- sir T. M. declared rival, paragraph by paragraph; and of nor expected to r course the former transactions of the Ben-vour at his hands gal government must have been decided on, amined every act by approval or censure, many years before vernment, and co the letter in question was produced: and that having in tha as it appeared to him that the hon. mem-great talents as a ber opposite (Mr. Grant) had undertaken ded zeal for the in an unprecedented task, in raking from the he felt it his para records every thing that could make against feeble support 'to the government, without taking notice of ter. With regard any one meritorious act, he felt it his duty give, he must be to object at the India-house to the direc-feeling of the hou tors' entering into any contention with the in affording any c commissioners on the alterations they had peared to him a made, because it appeared to him they ne- ported by any kin ver had stronger grounds to stand on than in that instance: for in addition to the legal authority they possessed in altering a political dispatch, they had the argument in their favour, that no such procedure had been adopted upon the departure of any former governor-general. And what appeared at the same time extraordinary, they were suffered to make an alteration in a letter purely commercial, which by law they had no authority to do. The hon. baronet (sir J. Wrottesley) was under a mistake in supposing that what fell in the debates from individual directors was to be considered as the opinion of the body at large. The India Co. was not répre-present withdraw

Mr. Grant said had no right to gi letter in question sixths of it had bee of the India house possessed; neithe warranted in say eight of the direct themselves about whole court (the were much interes even called for a s Mr. H. Addin most regular cour gent. to move tha

some further information before the house upon the subject, it might be competent to him, or any other hon. member, to move the further consideration of the question on some day subsequent to the production of these documents.

placed upon assurances; if any be reposed upon treaties; we to expect that she would be foun ing on the side of the enemy, I ing the common cause of Eu France. On the contrary, she notwithstanding those assuranc treaties, she had been leagued from the beginning.

This

Mr. Paull said, this was the very mode which he intended to have pursued, in consequence of what he had heard in the course of that night's debate.-The moti-fested in various instances. He ous were then ordered to be withdrawn. act was to occupy Hanover, un After which, Mr. Sheridan gave notice, of covering the retreat of the that he would move the house to rescind allied army, and of securin the order for printing the first charge. frontier against the danger v Mr. Paull then moved for the production result from the establishment of certain accounts, with a view to shew force in the electorate of Han the comparative amount of the public ex- this occupation was a flagrant penditure in India during the administra-violation of justice, no one tions of Mr. Hastings, lord Cornwallis, sir and as such, his majesty could J. Shore, and marquis Wellesley.-The it deeply. The insult and inju motions were carried unanimously, and affecting him more in his priv the house adjourned.

HOUSE OF LORDS..

Wednesday April 23.

his public capacity, he detern ply to remonstrance and negoti than to measures of a more ser ter. What was the conduct

[KING'S MESSAGE RELATING TO PRUS-Their lordships would scarcely SIA.] Lord Grenville moved the order of if the facts were not notoriou the day for taking into consideration his rope. Before time could be g majesty's most gracious message. The mes- first temperate representation sage being accordingly read, his lordship explanation was offered or r rose and observed, that after the message took forcible possession of h which their lordships had heard, it would electoral dominions. The co not be necessary for him to take up much she occupied a few days be of the time of the house. He was persuaded purpose of protecting and guar that there could be but one sentiment the arms of France, within o among their lordships respecting his ma-after, she appropriated to herse jesty's message; he was convinced there sion and a conquest made by could be but one feeling in the country, was the second step in the as to the line of conduct which it was ne- the injuries offered to his maje cessary to adopt; and he believed that was, however, a third step m there could be but one opinion throughout and more injurious in its objec Europe respecting the conduct of Prussia. quences. His Prussian majes Had there existed no connection between to be notified to the British that power and G. Britain, if his Prussian Berlin, that, in obedience to majesty had not been bound by ties of al- from France, he must proceed liances, of blood, of friendship, and of the shipping of England not gratitude, still one might have supposed Prussia, but from the ports that his true policy, a sense of his real in-countries within the reach of terest, would have induced him to pursue or influence. It was in this a course different from that which occasi- now stood. His majesty could oned the message which had been just deep and lasting regret that read. It was not his intention to enter Prussia, over which he had deeply at present into the particulars of should involve in the calamiti the conduct of the Prussian government; only the subjects of Prussia, it would be necessary, however, to make other countries. Whether an some reference to them. The court had remained to his majesty, it been engaged in confidential intercourse their lordships to determine; with England previous to the battle of there was none. He could Austerlitz; and if any reliance could be what other measures than thos

VOL VI.

3 L

been resorted to, could be taken against | ful motive for pro a country which was found, either from which he anticipat choice or necessity, to yield to every re-rence, not only of quisition of the enemy. Such boundless heard him, but of e acquiescence did not become any country, try. He was anxio and much less a great country like Prussia. [jesty that they fel It was obvious, that, in point of honour themselves, and th and reputation, she could gain nothing by his dominions, in t it ; it remained to be proved whether, they were not willi even in the inferior consideration of inte- tain him. In this lo rest, she would find herself the better by ment he was pers it. He purposely abstained from making heard him would ag use of strong terms in speaking of the con- no longer upon th duct of Prussia. If it could be the object of move that the foll any one to irritate, to inflame the passions, sented to his majes to make it more difficult to renew hereaf- cious message. His ter the connection between the two coun- address, which was tries, how easy would it be for him to re- The address having present the conduct of Prussia in a much lord Chancellor, stronger light? One observation more re- Lord Hawkesbur mained for him to make, which related to of expressing his the interest of Prussia herself. This ap-approbation of the peared to him to be the kind of reasoning the noble lord. Aft by which she endeavoured to reconcile rate, and the dign herself to the strange line of policy she the particulars of had thought proper to pursue: "I have no were laid before the hostility against you; France insists upon sider himself as gui my ceding to her a part of my dominions : lordship's patience I must indemnify myself somewhere; you vour to trace the ci are my weaker neighbour, and I will wrestled to the last unfo my indemnity from you." What could court of Berlin. H there be more monstrous, more unjust, ever, to his majest more contrary to the principles of the law press his entire ap of nations, than such a proposition? He had done. The ele would allow that cases might occur, in majesty were inva which a country might be obliged to cede account of a Ger part of her territories; but though her in-count of her hatred terests were affected, still her honour might were attacked in vi be preserved. There was no disgrace in ties, which stipulat being the victim of such a necessity. It was neutrality, as well not dishonourable to be obliged to bend to towns. Prussia her circumstances after an appeal to arms; she accepted Han the dishonour was in not contending against France, was a party such an event, in yielding without an effort Under these circu or a struggle. The ground upon which he occupation of Han would move the address to his majesty, as a violation of po which he held in his hand, were these. fraction of the grea First, the necessity of evincing that a con-lic law of Europe, I pection did and ought to exist between rence to the addre England and Germany, and that we felt feel the folly of the deeply for her interests. He was also anx- ced, he was confide ious to convince Prussia, that there was she had adopted ag not a power in Europe who would exclude ping of G. Britain British ships from her ports with impunity; fold force upon the and above all, he wished to mark our ab- tion of Prussia, th horrence of that abominable principle of weeks would demo one power indemnifying itself at the ex-vernment would pence of its weaker neighbour. He would expected conduct acknowledge also, he had another power more strongly th

which had been fortunately established | the same precedents be obser with two great Northern powers, he meant trial of lord Melville. Order Russia and Sweeden. To the firmness and also ordered, that no membe sincerity of these powers, he was persuaded pass through, or remain, in the we might look with confidence and satis- the ball, during the procession faction, as more than a counterpoise to the the trial: Also, that a note, wi defection of Prussia. of the right hon. C. Bathurst, the serjeant at arms, and that him to attend at said trial.

Lord Mulgrave thought it impossible that any of their lordships could feel more strongly than he did every word of the [CONDUCT OF EARL ST. address; it had his entire approbation. Mr. Jeffery said he did not wis After the complete vassalage of Prussia, he to the long procrastination wh was convinced, that it was impossible to ken place, by means of the pri be at war with France, without, at the pers that had been moved for, same time, being engaged in hostility with repel the charge which it was h her. The measures which had been taken, to bring forward against lord S had also his approbation; they were mar-nor, at this time, to say a wo ked with energy and promptitude, and the subject. He thought it ne were such as became a great and a just na- a day should now be named tion. He doubted not the readiness of a forward the same; and he was government to renew the customary rela- fixing that day, as nearly as p tions with Prussia, as soon as she should cording to the wish of the hou evince that she was alive to her own ho- he would not desire to name an nour and interest. His lordship concluded than it might be supposed a su with expressing his concurrence in the ad- would be given for printing th dress, and of the measures which had been ready moved for, therefore he, adopted towards Prussia, from which he be agreeable to the house, w saw reason to augur well of the future con- the 6th of May, on which day duct of government.-The question was determination positively to brin then put and carried nem. diss.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.

Lord Howick was as anxio delay in this business as any house. No rational motive c Wednesday, April 23. signed for delay on his part, or MINUTES.] A new writ was ordered of the noble lord's friends in q to be issued for Wexford, in the room of the necessary time that might lord Loftus, called up to the house of for the production of such peers as marquis of Ely.-Mr. Giles re- were judged necessary for the ported, from the committee of impeach- the noble lord, and the elu ment, that they had inspected the place in such points as the hon. gent. the court prepared for the accommodation thought proper to specify. of the house, and found that there would wished that such papers should be sufficient space for the accommodation and put into the hands of men of 500 members, besides the managers of the discussion should take pl the impeachment. He then moved a string of those papers were not ye of resolutions, being those usual in such and a considerable time would cases: That the managers do first go out for their printing. If there sh of the house before the other members; ficient time for this purpose, be that after the Speaker has left the house, fixed on by the hon. gent., the members be called by the clerk, ac- could have no objection that cording to their counties: That no mein-should be finally taken up o ber do go out till his county be called: But should it appear in the me 'That no person but members do presume all the documents could not be to sit in the places appointed for members house previously to that day, in Westminster hall: That the serjeant do only reasonable that a farther take all such into custody: For the more con- take place. At present he had venient passage to the hall, that the consta- to the day nominated by the h bles do attend and keep the same clear. Ordered.-The form of procedure in the cases of dr. Sacheverill and Mr. Hastings, being entered as read, Mr. Giles moved, that

[KING'S MESSAGE RELATIV SIA.] Mr. Secretary For mov of the day, for taking into c bis majesty's message, relativ