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for the recovery of which he went to

YOUR correfpondent A.T. (vol. Bath. A. T. feems to think, that the

LVII. p. 1169) mentions, that a friend of his dreamed he prevented one of the monuments in Westminster Abbey from falling, by supporting it with his fhoulder, and, on waking, had a violent pain in that fhoulder and arm,

dream was the occafion of the pain; but is it not more reasonable to fuppofe the pain in the fhoulder, whilft the perfon was fleeping, occafioned the dream? Yours, &c.

T. R.

SUMMARY OF THE PROCEEDINGS. IN PARLIAMENT, SESS. V.

Debates in the Fifth Session of Parliament. (Continued from p. 48.)

Monday, December 3.

TH
HE eftimates of the army and ord-
nance for the enfuing year were
prefented, the former by the Secretary
at War, and the latter by Mr. Aldridge,
who gave notice of their intention of
fubmitting them to the confideration of
the Houfe on this day fe'nnight.

Col. Fitzpatrick was of opinion, that the army eftimates ought to be printed for the perufal of the members.

The Secretary at War could not coneur with him, as they were neither complex nor voluminous. Befides, it was contrary to the practice of the Houfe, and abfolutely unprecedented.

Col. Fitzpatrick replied, that there was a precedent for the printing of the ordnance estimates; and no objection could be urged against printing thofe of the army, that would not apply with equal force against printing the former; and therefore, prefuming that the House would act confiftently, he should move, that the army eftimates be printed.

The Secretary at Wur oppofed the motion. The practice of the Houfe, he obferved, was founded in wifdom and policy; and he trufted they would not, on the prefent occafion, depart from ancient ufage, unlefs fomething of greater weight than he had yet heard fhould be urged in juftification of the charge. The motion was rejected without fur ther debate.

The Houfe refolved itself into a committee of fupply; and, without a fylJable of debate, 6,336,000l. were voted; the particulars of which fum were thus given:

Mr. Brett moved in the committee, that there be granted to his Majesty the fame number of feamen for the enfuing, that had been voted for the current, year, that is, 18,000, including 3,600 marines, and that 4 1. per man per month be granted for defraying the

expences of the fame (ordnance for the navy excepted), reckoning 13 months in the year. This fupply, which amounted to 936,000l., being granted,

Mr. Rofe moved, that the neceffsary fums fhould be granted for taking up and cancelling Exchequer bills iffued for the fervice of the current year, and charged upon the aids of the year 1788, for the following fums: 2,500,000 1.— 1,500,000-1,500,000--in all 5,500,000l. Thefe fums alfo having been granted without any debate, the House was refumed, when

Sir Gilbert Elliot gave notice, that on Tuefday fe'nnight he would move a charge against Sir Elijah Impey. And, in order that he might have proper documents to proceed upon, he moved, that there be laid before the Houfe a copy of a letter from Mr. Haftings and Mr. Barwell to the Court of Directors, dated April 30, 1786. The motion paffed without oppofition.

Mr. Fox faid, that Monday next was too early a day for taking into confi deration a question fo important to this country as the augmentation of the army, particularly as it was to extend beyond the enfuing year, and become part of the permanent military eftablish-` ment of the kingdom. A fubject of fuch magnitude thould be difcuffed in the fulleft Houfe; and therefore he wifhed that the confideration of it might be poftponed till after the holidays, unless there was fome preffing caufe for difpatch.

Mr. Pitt faid, he earnestly wished that fo important a queftion thould be decided upon in the fulleft Houfe; and for that reafon, among othees, he was defirous that it fhould be brought on before Chriftmas. The King's Speech had announced that fuch a measure was to be introduced, and furely if any neceffity exifts for putting our foreign poffeffions into a proper pofture of defence, we cannot provide too speedily

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for their fecurity. The regiments deftined for that purpofe could not proceed upon their voyage without the fanction of Parliament; the Houfe would, therefore, agree with him, he prefunied, in rejecting any propofition that had a tendency to procraftination. Mr. Fox acquiefced, although he did not think that a few days delay could be attended with any danger.

Mr. Jolie moved that the tranfla tion of the treaty with Heffe Caffel be printed for the ufe of the members, that they might have the means of being thoroughly acquainted with the nature of a treaty fo expenfive to their country.

Mr. Pitt opposed the motion, because it was unneceffary, and tended only to create delay. The fubftance of the treaty, which lay upon the table, was within the retention of the weakest memory: gentlemen had only to determine, whether a fubfidy of 36,000l. per ann. was too much to pay for having 12,000 men ready to ferve this country, whenever it was found neceffary to call upon them.

The motion was negatived without a divifion.

Mr. Fox obferved, that in the Speech from the Throne it was faid, that France had notified to this country her intention of interfering by force in the difputes of Holland; while the counter declaration pofitively ftated, that no fuch defign had ever been formed by that court. For his own part, he had no doubt of the veracity of the Royal Speech; but ftill, as it was by the tenour of that notification the House was to form a judgement of the conduct of Ministers in advifing the King to arm, it would be abfolutely neceflary that a copy of the notification fhould be laid upon the table. The Houfe would then have an opportunity of deciding upon the state of a tranfaction of which fuch oppofite accounts had been given, by two parties fo very respectable.

Mr. Pitt could not concur in the opinion that the production of the notification was neceffary. He did not mean to act as the advocate of the French court, by defending it from the imputan of contradiction; yet he might tempt to reconcile the appa rent inconfiftency, by obferving, that the party which ruled Holland before the march of the Pruffians called themfelves the legal and conflitutional states

of the province of Holland; these men, on the approach of the Pruffian troops, applied to the moft Chriftian king, as the ally of the republic, for fuccours; and that Monarch, confidering them as the lawful fovereigns of the Province of Holland, promifed to protect his allies against a foreign invafion. This he did not deem a departure from the refolution he had formed, not to interfere in the internal difputes of the republic: but the king of Great Britain not acknowledging the ruling party to be the lawful fovereigns of the Province, but, on the contrary, looking upon them as ufurpers of the government, and invaders of the conftitution of the republic, could not view the armed interference of France in any other light than as a desire to support a fett of ufurpers against their lawful fovereigns, by aflifting one party against the other, and confequently endeavouring to interfere by arms in the internal difputes of that country. In this manner might the variance between the Speech and the counter-declaration be explained and done away. It was of no moment now. to enquire into a business that had, haj pily, been terminated without an interruption of the public tranquillity; it could anfwer no good purpose to inftitute an enquiry which, at prefent, could have no ufeful object in view, and he thought the attempt not innocent.

Mr. Fox fpoke a few words in reply. and concluded with faying, that he would not trouble the Houle to divide upon his motion. The House then adjourned.

Tuesday, December 4.

The papers, which Sir Gilbert Elliot had moved for the preceding day, rela tive to the impeachment of Sir Elijah Impey, were prefented from the Indiahoufe.

The report of the committee of fupply, on the fums to be granted to his Majefty, for the fervice of the year 1788, was brought up, read, and agreed to by the Houte.

Mr. Grenville moved for leave to bring in a bill, for regulating the intercourfe between the island of Newfoundland and the United States of America. When, on the conclufion of the peace, it was found neceffary to regulate the commerce of this ifland, a difficulty of fome magnitude had occurred. In the first place, the policy of this country required that all commercial intercourie

between

between the inhabitants of the United
States and thofe of Newfoundland,
should, as far as poffible, be difcou.
raged; but in the next it was confider
ed, that, as the island had been always
furnished with provifions from the con-
tinent of America, to put a stop to all
communication between them might be
of dangerous confequence to the for-
mer. A compromile, was therefore a
greed to, by which it was determined
that the intercourse should continue, but
that the importation should be limited
to four articles-flour, bread, Indian
corn, and live ftock; and it was alfo
enacted, that this commerce fhould be
carried on in British-built veffels, fub-
jected not only to the general reftraints
of the navigation laws, but also to.
take out a particular, licence for that
purpose. This bill was at firft paffed,
by way of experiment, for one year
only; after which it had been re-en-
acted for two, which period would ex-
pire in the prefent fellion. It there

fore became neceffary, as it had food
the test of experience, and had been
approved of by the inhabitants of New
foundland, and by Admiral Elliot, the
intelligent commander who prefided
there, that it should now be paffed again
for the period of two years. Though,
for the purpose of the prefent proceed-
ing, this explanation would be fuffici
ent, yet he would beg the attention of
the House for a few minutes longer, in
order to inform them, that, under thefe
regulations, the Newfoundland trade,
which was an important object to this
country, had been confiderably im-
proved. When America was fevered
from Great Britain, fome gentlemen,
to whole opinions in matters of trade
great deference was due, were feriously
apprehenfive that this branch of our
commerce would be much injured, if
not annihilated; but he had the fatis-
faction to fay that their fears were
groundless; and, as a proof, he could
affure them, that the men employed in
it this year were nearly double in num-
ber to those who were engaged in it in
the year 1785; the latter he ftated at
fomewhat more than 7000, and the for-
mer at little less than 14,000. To this
agreeable information he was able to
add, from unquestionable authority,
that the fisheries of France, our only
rival on that coaft, had decreased in the
fame ratio that ours had been augment-
ed; there had been exported from that
kingdom, in 1785, 426,0vo quintals of

falt fish; in the last year their exports did not exceed 128 000; whilft thofe from Great Britain, which in 1785 nearly equalled the French, had rifen last year to 720,000 quintals. He entered into fome other comparative statements of the number of ships, men, &c. all tending to the fame point, and cor cluded by moving for leave to bring in the bill; which was granted; after which the Houle adjourned.

Wednesday, December 5.

The Houfe having refolved itself into a committee of ways and means, Mr. Gilbert in the chair, the duties on malt, cyder, mum, and perry, and also the land-tax, were continued for another year.

The anfwer of Warren Haftings, efq. to the articles of impeachment prefented laft feflion, was brought down from the Lords by two maliers, in chancery, and ordered to lie on the table.

Mr. Burke then moved, that this an fwer fhould be referred to a committee, vefted with the ufual powers, who were to determine on the future mode of proceeding.

This motion having paffed, the com❤ mittee appointed were the Right Hon. Edmund Burke, Right Hon. C. J. Fox, Mr. Sheridan, Mr. Pelham, Mr. Wynd ham, Sir G. Elliot, Mr. Grey, Mr. Adam, Mr. Auftruther, Mr. M. A. Taylor, Lord Maitland, Mr. Dudley Long, Gen. Burgoyne, Col. North, Mr. St. John, Col. Fitzpatrick, Mr. Wilbraham, Mr. Courteney, and Sir James Erikinę. Mr. Francis was nominated next after Mr. Burke, but an oppofition taking place, his appointment was negatived on a divifion.

Ayes 97. Noes 126. Majority 29.

Mr. Burke expreffed, in the most animated language, his regret on this determination. Standing, he faid, in the prefence of Heaven, he would aver, that, in his opinion, there was no man on whofe word or whofe juftice a greater reliance could be placed; nor could the whole of the prefent committee produce an equal degree of information with the hon. member who had been thus rejected. He confidered this rejection as an omen that the cause, which that gen tleman had hitherto fupported, would fink, deprived of his affiftance; yet, from a confcioufnefs of its being his duty, he was determined to perfevere; and, though abandoned by the Houle, he would not abandon the caule of jul tice. There appeared, he remarked,

no fmall pertion of inconfiftency on the prefent occafion. Those who had uni

formly, oppofed the impeachment were and subtedly right in having voted for the removal of one fo peculiarly qualihed to give effect to the proceeding. But what had thofe, who voted for the impeachment in its former ftages, to urge in favour of their conduct? By that he had loft the aid of the Hon. Gent. whom he was proud to call his friend, his affociate, and his inftructor; yet it was not from his own ignorance of the fubject that he lamented the lofs; it was from an extensive knowledge, the accumulation of 14 years fedulous en quiry, that he was convinced of the neceffity of local information. The Hon. Gent, had been a member of the former committee, who had transacted the bufiefs allotted to them without the finalleft reproach; yet he would repeat, that, maimed as their future confulta tions must be without the aid of Mr. Francis, he would not relinquish the caufe, nor fhould his diligence be flack ened.

Mr. Fox faid, that if it was wished to carry even the appearance of fairness or candour on the occafion, the other fide of the Houfe would nominate a gentleman to fupply the chaẩm which their vote had made in the committee. The Right Hon. Gent. for inftance, who prefided at the India Board (Mr. Dundas), would bring to them an equal share of refpectability and information.

No reply having been made to this fuggeftion, though Mr. Dundas was prefent,

Mr. Burke moved, that the committee be invefted with the power of sending for perfons, papers, records, &c. A greed to.

The Houfe having refolved itself into a committee of supply, Mr. Gilbert in the chair,

Mr. Pitt, without any preface, moved, that the fum of 36,0931. gs. being the fubfidy granted to the Landgrave of Heffe Callel for the year 1788, fhould be made good by that House.

Mr. Fox faid, it was by no means his intention to oppofe a measure, the general principle of which he had already approved; he wished only for an explanation of fome particulars. The bufinefs was to be confidered either as a measure of neceffity, occafioned by the preilure of the moment-or, as a matter founded on more general policy, and forming part of a tyttem, which it was

intended to adopt. In which of these views it was to be confidered, the House had not yet been informed. He had faid on a former day, that he did not wish to prefs his enquiries into the par ticulars of our foreign politics; yet it was impoffible, in the prefent instance, to determine fully on the expediency of the tranfaction, unless gentlemen were acquainted with the other treaties now on foot, as the merits of the prefent could be afcertained only by its relative tendencies. He remarked on that claufe in the treaty, by which the troops en gaged for were prohibited to be sent beyond fea, except to Great Britain or Ireland. By this claufe we were precluded from employing them in Gibraltar, India, our Weft India iflands, or any other of our distant fettlements, where the various contingencies of war might require their afliftance. We could only judge of the future by the paft and, afcertaining the merits of the treaty by that criterion, we should find, that, had it exifted at the commencement of the last war, the troops thus engaged could not have been employed to the fmallest advantage by this nation. He was alfo defirous of being informed, whether the paffing of this refolution implied that Parliament were bound to admit thofe forces into this kingdom, on any future occafion, without being previously confulted, and their permiffion formally obtained. These several points demanded explanation; but the most effential question was, how far the prefent treaty is attached to, or depends upon, the other negotiations which, it is understood, are now in agitation ?

Mr. Pitt faid, with respect to the firft question, whether the meafure had prung from immediate neceffity, or from a more extended policy, he thought it had been anfwered on the first day of the feffion. The fact was, that the preffure of the time had been fuch, that it was deemed highly neceffary to be provided with a force on the Continent; in confequence of which the engage ment had been formed: but as future fecurity was as much the object as prefent exertion, it was judged prudent to make the measure permanent at least for four years, which was the term agreed upon. It was not to be taken abstract. edly, but confidered relatively to fome other tranfactions, which, it had been admitted, could not properly be dif clofed in that affembly. The neceffity being thus eftablished, it remained only

to

to fpeak refpealing the manner in which the business had been transacted. It was judged more prudent to engage the affiftance of thofe 12,000 men, rather by a retaining-fee to the Landgrave, in which light the 36,000l. now granted was to be confidered, than by any other mode, as no other was lefs exception able or expensive. The admiffion of thofe troops, at a future period, was not, he faid, implied in the prefent refolution of the committee, as that was a circumfiance which could never take place without the confent of Parliament, In forming a judgement of the prefent treaty, it was unfair to fuppofe that fuch a combination of chances could occur as we had to encounter in the last war. He admitted, that by the treaty, as it now ftood, the forces could not be fent abroad. But then, faid he, as the hiftory of this country in former ages, and the experience we have derived from it -as the profperity and glory of former times, contrafted with the adverfity and depreffion of those that have lately past -have all concurred to evince the neceffry of continental connections, it is reasonable to fuppofe, that if a war fhould take place, which, however, he trufted, was at a great diftance, we fhould find fufficient employment for thofe forces on the Continent, where they might act as much to our advantage as if fent to any of our diftant poffellions. He concluded with remark ing, that it was not Hethan, but Hanoverian troops, who affifted in defending Gibraltar laft war, whither, if it were neceffary, they might be fent again. As to the wording of the treaty, if it was objectionable, he fhould only fay, that it had been copied verbatim from the two laft which had been entered into with that Prince, for similar purposes.

Sir James Johnstone condemned the proceeding with his ufual laconic energy. We had been concerned, he faid, in this traffic of blood ever fince the year 1702, yet he was forry to fee it continued. England had a militia to defend her, and Ireland had 60,000 volunteers. But Scotland, though her natives breathed as pure an air, was precluded from that bleffing: he trusted, however, it was able to defend itself; and, under these circumstances, he faw no neceffity for the introduction of foreign troops.

Mr. Burke faid, he had no objection to fubfidiary treaties in general; he approved of the date tranfactions in the

aggregate; but the question now to be confidered was, whether the treaty with Heffe was entered into upon principles of true policy? He was willing to be lieve that it was, though from a concurrence of circumstances, he could not help entertaining fome doubts respecting it. He had no objection to the economy of it; and was ready to confider it as a retaining-fee to the Landgrave, who was a very able, if not an eloquent, counfellor, and whose arguments in the field were more weighty, he was convinced, than any he himself should bring before the House of Peers on a certain occafion, though they might not, perhaps, be fo strictly conformable to the rules of logic. He would fuppofe (and he meant by his vote to give the Minister a temporary bill of credit to that purpofe), that it made one link in the chain of continental connexions, now in a train of negotiation; but if it did, he must confider it as the leaft in that chain. United with Ruffia and Pruflia, we had nothing to fear from the rest of Europe; but, if unconnected with thofe powers, we had much room for apprehenfion. France was not dead, the was only in a paroxyfm of fomnolency. She was exhausted, but reft would recruit her; he was faint, but would revive. Spain would affift her efforts. Let us then be careful, that, in attempting to incline the balance of power towards us, we do not throw it from us. The King's fpeech did not afford one ray of light: the hiftorian would not be able to write from it; nor did it afford mate❤ rials for fpeaking to the politician. It had much the air of an epic poem. Pal merin of England, and Don Belianis of Greece, were nothing to the monarchs of Prulia and Great Britain. A damfel was infulted-Pruffia flies to her relief, and England arms to affift him. In the way, merely by accident, they cruff a powerful French faction, and restore an injured Prince to his hereditary rights. What action in the ages of chivalry was fuperior to this? He dreaded, and was warranted to do fo by the ftipulations of the treaty, that the Landgrave's aldiance with us might involve him in a war with fome of his neighbours, in which cafe we were to affitt him indefi nitely. He had teen treaties where the quota of aid was fpecified. In this, there was no limitation. He concluded a speech of much wit, humour, and aigument, with obfervations on the in difference of the nation refpecting many

important

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