proper courts to be intrusted with the trial The Earl of Mortos opposed be B 1, of soch causes. The crime of lending laying down bad principles, wichte: money to support the Slave Trade was al- not rentore lo cariy joto practice. Teady sufficiently provided against by ibe Lord Ellenborouck remarkes on the forfeiture of all ibe money embarked in it, i savage character of the Bul. A mas and by the knowledge that the trader, if bad negroes in Jamaica and SL T20m2 discovered, would become a felon, and and who transferred one of ibes from so thos be rendered unable to pay any debi. island to another would be liable to a His lordship then moved thai the report transported. The Bill was an essaan of the Bill be received ibis day three of that fanatical irregularity of me months.

which would reader that excellent se The Marquis of Lansdowne observed, i sure, the Abolition of the Slave Trags that from the prospect of a speedy peace, odious in the West India Islands. We it would be proper to provide against the such a sweeping measure of legislaos application of British capiral 10 a traffic in . was proposed against any Act which the profits were well known to be migbe keep alive the Slave Trade, it mg immense; and this could not be done by : not be improper to provide against ateses pecuniary forfeitures, but only by fixing of the Charter of the Sierra Leobe Com. ibe s'amp of infamy on persons engaged pany, wbich had been rumoured to exst! in it. The offenders were ordered to be · His lordsbip alluded to certain reports, tried in the settlemen's where the crime which were in circulation respecting : was committed, because in those places member or members of the Sierra Leos there would be the best means of proving , Company, and expressed b's bope that is either the guilt or the ionocence of the was not correct that any of the members person accused.

of that Company bad attempted to coes The Lord Chancellor said, that the House teract the purposes of the abolition, corshould be very cautious in passing the Bill trary to the professed objects of the insti, which was before them, as the extent to tation. which it went, would perhaps surprise The Earl of Rosslyn supported the Bil. Pirsons who had not attentively examined and said, that if the noble and learned lor it. Under the Bill any persco who pos. bad read the answers to tbe reports a sessed a mortgage on lands in a foreign which he had alluded, he would hare bean settlement, would be acting criminally if fully convinced that the cbarges were eshe advanced an additional sum on the founded. game security, although that sum might Lord Ellenborough, in explanation, said, be absolutely necessary to the preserva. that he had not asseried tbat the rumours tion of the value of the property and con- were true, but only that they were in sequently of bis own mortgage. A man circulation. could not even lend without security to a a The Earl of Liverpool admitted that the possessor of foreign colonial possessions, Bill was drawn up in a slovenly manner: because, according to the law of those but he thought the object of it was good. colonies, all estates were assets for the especially as far as it prevented the applipayment of the debts of the proprietor. cation of British capital to the cultivation He was surprised such a Bill should base of foreign colonies. It would be an inpassed the Commons, where there were justice to our colonies, where the Slave persons acquainted with the West-India Trade was abolished, to allow British laws and West-Indian transactions; and he capital to be applied to the cultivation of should feel it his duty to oppose it, as it colonies where the Slave Trade existed. had not been shown how far the present Persons who had vested property in foreign Jaw was insufficient to prevent the evil colonies, had done it at their peril; and complained of.

in the case of the French colonies wbici The Earl of Harrowby supported the were in our hands, warning had beea Bill, and said it would be still in the given, that it was not the intention of this power of holders of foreign colonial pos-country to retain them, by the prohibition sessions to borrow money on the produce. on the importation of their produce. If the Bill, however, had the effect of The House then divided : stopping altogether the application of For the Report 9; Proxies 10 ... 19 British capital to the cultivation of foreign Against it ...... 12; Proxies 12 ... 24 colonies, it would be an object highly de

Majority ......... sirable.

The Bill was consequently leat.

Bill. HOUSE OF COMMONS.

Friday, June 30.

DUKE OF CUMBERLAND'S ESTABLISHMENT BILL.] The Chancellor of the Exchequer presented a Bill" to enable his Majesty to make provision for the Establishment of their royal highnesses the Duke and Duchess of Cumberland; and also to settle an annuity on her Royal Highness during the time of her natural life, to commence from the decease of his said Royal Highness, in case her said On Royal Highness shall survive him." the motion, that the Bill be now read a first time,

, 1815

duty which they owed both to the country and to themselves. Some gentlemen had attempted to compare the marriage of the duke of Cumberland with that of his royal highness the duke of York; but it was a totally different case. On the latter event, both Houses of Parliament had offered their congratulations; but the public ministers would not venture to propose such a measure on the present occasion. They would not even say, that the noble duke was to be permitted to reside in this country. For his part, he did not think it likely that his Royal Highness would reside here; and, indeed, there had been a kind of official intimation, that he was expected to live abroad. If, therefore, he was to reside out of the country, his present income was quite sufficient, and under these circumstances he should certainly oppose the Bill in all its stages

Mr. Burrell said, he had not heard single argument in favour of the grant, but many good reasons against it. Most unfavourable rumours existed respecting the conduct of both parties, and no attempt had been made to remove them. For these

amendment, "That the Bill be read a first time on that day three months."

In deLord Archibald Hamilton rose. livering his sentiments to the House on the very extraordinary grant which was now proposed to them, he desired first to repel the charge that had been made on the other side, that the opposition which-[Hear, hear!]. hon. members on his side had expressed to this measure was merely of a personal nature. That opposition, he was convinced, arose not only from the subject of the grant itself, but from the manner in which it had been brought before them; for what, he would ask, were the circum-reasons, therefore, he should move an ́stances, under which the House were now called upon to vote an additional income to the duke of Cumberland? There had been no previous congratulation on his Royal Highness's marriage; and he felt persuaded, that no part of the country regarded it as an auspicious or desirable Occurrence-[Hear, hear!]. A question had been put last night to the noble lord opposite, whether the parties would be received at Court: but the noble lord had not only refused to answer that question, but had even reprobated the conduct of his right hon. friend, who had so properly put it. What opposition, therefore, could be of a more public nature, when it remained uncontradicted that Her Majesty had intimated a determination not to receive the wife of the duke of Cumberland at Court? If there existed any blame in the agitation of this question; if there was any appearance of slander on the royal persons who were interested in it, the whole of that blame and that slander came from the other side of the House-[Hear, hear!]. His Majesty's ministers seemed to conceive, that the House were bound immediately to increase the allowance of those persons, without any previous consideration of their conduct: but he trusted that honourable members would not forget

Mr. Douglas spoke in favour of the meaThe consent of the Crown had, it sure. appeared, been regularly obtained for this marriage, and it would, he thought, be doing a great wrong to the duke of Cumberland to exclude his Royal Highness from that consideration which had been usually granted, which indeed could not be consistently refused, to the other branches of the Royal family. As to the gone abroad upon this rumours which had subject, they were said to be uncontradicted, but that was perhaps because they were not thought worthy of contradiction; and if they were not encountered, it was only because they did not appear in a tangible shape. Upon the whole he could not see why the duke of Cumberland should not, as well as the other branches of the Royal family, be enabled to maintain the splendour of his rank, or that any attention should be paid to rumours, upon the merits of which it was impossible for that House to form a judgment.

Mr. Wilbraham Bootle said, that he was anxious to explain the grounds upon which he had voted, and meant still to measure before the vote against the House, because he should be sorry if such

votes could be supposed to proceed from only excepted, who was lately a member any want of due respect or solicitude for of that House-[hear, bear!), but wis the interest and dignity of the Royal had lately found it convenient abroptly a family. He would not enter into the quit the country (Mr. Cochrane Jober merits of the duke of Cumberland; but, stone); yet the duke of York bad for suci considering this as the only opportunity eminent services received only 3000! the House would have of expressing ils year, which was not more than the salary sentiments upon the subject of this mar- of an Under Secretary of State. He riage, he felt himself called upon, in this trusted, therefore, tbat some additions instance, to state his opinion upon it. provision would be made for his royal Upon such an event it was usual to apply highness the Commander-in-chief. to the House for a vote of congratulation; Lord Castlereagh could not belp com but that custom was deviated from on this plaining of the conduct of bis bon. friend occasion, and that deviation betrayed in stating to the House, that the marriage something of which he could not approve of the duke of Cumberland had been ces Such a deviation, indeed, warranted a sus- ducted with privacy. The fact was, an picion that those even who supported this the Prince Regent had expressly declared Bill did not think the marriage worthy of in his Message to the House, that the approbation-[Hear, hear!). This mar. marriage took place under the premises riage, in fact, took place in privacy. It sanction of the Crown; it was a marriage was not mentioned in the Gazette it had solemnised at Berlin, in presence not even the ordinary publicity of a mar- several members of the family of the riage between private individuals, for it duke of Mecklenburgh Strelitz, and the was not stated in the newspapers. It representative of the British Court; and was said to have taken place in May last ; as to the non-appearance of the marriage but that was not known until it was stated in the Gazette, that was owing merely ? in that House upon bringing forward this a casual omission. In regard to what its measure. There could not, it appeared, hon. member had mentioned respecting be any doubt of the fact, that the female the merits of his royal highness the duke part of the Royal family disapproved of of York, no man could be more deeply this marriage; and that disapprobation impressed than himself with a due sem formed a strong argument against the of his Royal Highness's most importar present Bill. But if, under all the cir- services; and he was sure that the counter cumstances, such a Bill were adopted, would acknowledge, that much of the and such a marriage sanctioned, where, glory we had lately attained, was to be he would ask, was the House to draw a ascribed to his Royal Highness; but he line upon any marriage contracted by lamented exceedingly, when a question a member of ihe Royal family, however respecting one branch of the Royal famili improper that marriage might be ? He was before the House, that the bar did not wish to draw any invidious com member should have digressed into a cal parisons, but he confessed that he heard sideration of the merits of another branek with satisfaction the suggestion of the As to the marriage of the duke of Cor hon, member for Bristol, as to the pro- berland, he repeated, that it was not priety of granting some reward to the solemnised in privacy, and that the air Commander-in-chief-[Hear, bear! on

[

on tion now proposed to be made to his to the Ministerial side). As Parliament had

come was necessary for the support of his the duke of Wellington for conducting it necessary to say, in reply to bring acted so liberally and so justly towards rank and dignity. Thus much he thone our brave army to such glorious triumphs, friend who spoke Tast, because he writer surely some consideration was due to the

to satisfy his mind, being fully convince merit of him under whose care that army of the purity of his motives, was formed for great achievements--[Hear, hear!] The duke of York had, for a and such was his skill and firmness, such was totally irrelevant to the motion under series of years, been training our army ; member on the other side of the Hous his candour and good-nature, as to de- consideration. No one, however, he # indeed, that this illustrious person bad not, out giving due praise to the Commande in any dispute with a single officer, one throughout his command, been engaged in-chief, who had placed the army insect

a

Mr. Whitbread began by observing, the the latter part of the speech of the bo

a state of efficiency as to achieve ibe me

on which they rested. He had taken the pains to inquire into those reports, and he had never heard any satisfactory reason for the aspersions that had been cast upon the duke of Cumberland. He would even ask the hon. gentlemen who had indulged in them, whether the nature of the information which they received was sufficient to justify the attempt to degrade that illustrious individual in the estimation of the country ?-[Hear, hear!] Aright hon. gentleman, of whom he wished to speak with every possible respect, had asked a question of the noble lord, which he knew could not be answered, and then grounded an argument upon that denial. In his opinion, if the noble lord had given an answer to it, he would have deserved to be banished from his Majesty's councils for ever.

brilliant exploits-[Hear, hear!]; and in adverting to those events, he could not avoid saying, that he was sorry to see lord Wellington, in his recent general order, applying such epithets to his opponent, who had, according to that gallant officer's own acknowledgment, so ably contended against him but a few days before, as to render the result of the contest doubtful. Would it not, then, have been more becoming in a great conqueror to have spared such language? But to revert to the duke of York; whenever the distinct merits of that prince should be brought before the House, he should be ready to state his opinion upon the subject. With respect to the question before the House, he had already marked his sentiments by his vote, and he now felt it his duty to speak against it, for he could not think the case under discussion such as Mr. Tierney wished to say one word in to deserve the liberality of Parliament. consequence of what had fallen from the Some gentlemen seemed to think, that hon. member. The question which he under the Marriage Act-which was most had taken the liberty of asking, he then galling to the Royal family, and was not thought, and still considered, a proper one. productive of any good effect whatever-The House of Commons was called upon the House were bound, the Crown having sanctioned the marriage of one of the Royal family, to make provision for the parties. This, however, was a case in which the principle did not apply, since an illustrious personage had declared her decided disapprobation of the marriage. The fact had been stated—and, as it was not contradicted, he must presume that it was true. In and out of that House there was but one opinion respecting the proposed grant. No sufficient grounds had been laid for voting it, while very sufficient grounds existed for rejecting it, and therefore he should conceive himself acting most unwarrantably, if he gave it his assent.

Mr. Hammersley said, he should support the vote, because he thought it rested on the strictest parliamentary grounds, and that no parliamentary ground had been alleged against it. He apprehended the Crown had made a bargain with that House to have its own dignity and splendour properly supported; and the question was, whether they ought not to grant some provision upon the marriage of one of the branches of the Royal family? if so, it could not be denied that the present was a moderate demand. With respect to the personal allusions which had been made, he should be ashamed to repeat such scandalous and calumnious accusations, upon such slight grounds as those

to grant a certain sum of money to support the dignity and character of a branch of the Royal family, and the only object of such a grant must have had a reference to this country; but he happened to hear, that a certain illustrious personage had declared she never would suffer the lady to appear at Court, and he questioned the noble lord as to the accuracy of that fact. It was a question which, under all the circumstances of the case, he was justified in asking; and as the noble lord thought proper to refuse any answer, he was warranted in drawing the conclusion, that, for some reasons which he should not presume to guess at, the duke of Cumberland had married a lady whom the Queen would not receive. The more he thought of this matter, the more he was convinced that the House ought not to agree to this grant, and therefore he was the more determined to oppose it in every stage.

Mr. Methuen contended, that the House ought to show, by its vote that night, that it was not inattentive to the morais of the country, and therefore he should oppose the grant; not from the slightest personal motives, but merely in the conscientious discharge of what he conceived to be his duty.

The House then divided, when the numbers were,

92.

For the first reading of the Bill 100
Against it......
Majority