present circumstances of the country, be highly mischievous and highly prejudicial to the public interests."

Lord Grenville-"My Lords, in agreeing in opinion as to the impropriety, at the present moment, of calling for the disclosure alluded to by the noble marquis, I may be permitted to state, that in the little share which my noble friend near me, and myself, have had in the transaction referred to, we have nothing to disguise, nothing to conceal, nothing that we shall not be anxious should be publicly stated, whenever the proper moment for so doing arrives. After stating this, little else remains for me to say; nor should I have risen upon the present occasion, had it not been for the allusion made by the noble marquis to dreadful personal animosities, which had interposed obstacles in the way of a wished-for arrangement. My Lords, for my noble friend and myself, I can most distinctly say, that we were actuated by no feeling of animosity, by no personal feeling whatever; that we were actuated by nothing but a feeling for the public interests, a desire for the public welfare, and an anxiety to set aside every other consideration, save those which arose out of public principles and public interests; and I do most distinctly disclaim any of those feelings of personal animosity to which the noble marquis has alluded."

The Earl of Liverpool-" My Lords, I feel it necessary to say a few words in consequence of what has fallen from the noble baron (Grenville), and lest my silence should be construed into an admission of being actuated by those feelings of personal animosity which have been alluded to by the noble marquis. My Lords, for myself and those who have acted with me, I do most distinctly disclaim any feelings of personal animosity. In my conduct in this transaction, I have been only actuated by considerations of public principles and public interests, and by no feeling whatever of personal animosity. Having said this, it only remains for me to deprecate the calling for the disclosure alluded to by the noble marquis, and which I am satisfied would at the present moment be highly detrimental to the public interests; nor would such a disclosure, at the present moment, be either proper or decent."

The Earl of Moira-" Whilst I fully agree, my Lords, in the opinion which has been expressed, that it would be highly mischievous, and improper to make the disclosure alluded to by the noble marquis, I cannot but most deeply lament the unfortunate turn which this negociation has

taken. It has been my office, my Lords, in the course of this negociation, to be the humble instrument of conciliation; and it has been my earnest endeavour to smooth those difficulties which unhappily interposed obstacles in the way of an arrangement so highly desirable in the present crisis of our fate; but I deeply lament to state, that differences and estrangements have rendered those endeavours unavailing. My Lords, I believe, nay, I have no doubt, that persons who interpose those obstacles have convinced themselves that they possess a conciliatory disposition, and that they have induced their own minds to believe, that what they urge is a fundamental principle of the Constitution. I cannot, however, but lament that points of form should stand in the way of a conciliation, and an arrangement which is so essential to the interests and the welfare of the country; but I am satisfied that it is all misapprehension, that nothing but misapprehension stands in the way, and I trust that before the House meets again, some arrangement will be made satisfactory to the country.'

Earl Grey-" My Lords, I cannot but think that the noble lord who has just sat down has, in some degree, overstepped the line which other noble lords have thought it right to adopt, in regulating their conduct upon this occasion. I am thoroughly aware, my Lords, of the anxiety of that noble lord in the service of the Prince who now possesses the Sovereignty, and of his zeal for the public interests; and it is to these motives alone that I attribute his having, in my opinion, overstepped the line observed by others upon this occasion. My Lords, the noble earl (Moira) has spoken of points of form interposing obstacles in the way of the proposed arrangement. I am anxious to remove any misapprehension which may arise from this expression; and I trust your lordships will give me credit when I state, that in the little share which my noble friend and myself had in this transaction (only since last Monday), we were not actuated by any consideration of points of form, but by that of principles, which, if not fundamental to the Constitution, are at least essential to the existence of a Government, with a view to the interests and the welfare of the country. I am also anxious to remove any misapprehension that may arise from an expression used by the noble marquis, and which I confess I do not exactly understand. The noble marquis has spoken of dreadful personal animosities' interposing obstacles in the way of the proposed

arrangement. 1 trust that your lordships will give me credit when I state, and that the noble marquis will do me the justice to acknowledge, that in the little share I had in this transaction, I was not actuated by any feeling of personal animosity, but actuated alone by public considerations, arising out of my conviction of public principles, and my view of public interests-(the Marquis Wellesley nodded assent, and called Hear, hear !) My Lords, such considerations alone actuated my conduct in this transaction; and when the proper time arrives for that conduct to be known, such will be proved to be the fact: the present period, I am fully satisfied, is a most unfit moment for making the disclosure."

The question for adjourning till Friday was then put and carried.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 3.

Lord Jocelyn informed the House that, pursuant to Addresses to the Regent, his Royal Highness had ordered that the representations made to the Privy Council, relative to the propriety of laying an increased duty upon foreign linens, and the account of the disbursements from the Droits of Admiralty, should be laid before the House.

Mr. Wortley moved for leave to bring in a Bill to enable justices of the peace to afford parochial relief to prisoners confined under mesne process for debt, in such jails as are not county jails. After a single remark from Mr. Rose and Mr. D. Giddy, leave was given.

ORDERS IN COUNCIL.

General Gascoigne inquired of Mr. Brougham, whether it was his intention to bring forward his motion regarding the Orders in Council on Tuesday next?

Mr. Brougham replied, that he saw no motive for postponing it beyond the Thursday following, which day it was bis intention to fix as a period when he should positively submit his propositions to the House. If, indeed, it were wished that the discussion should be deferred until something in the shape of a Government were formed, he thought that it would be postponing it to a period infinitely too dis

tant for the decision of a question so momentous and important. At present, however, it would stand for Tuesday next, but if a right honourable gentleman (Mr. Canning) should put off his motion which was fixed for the Thursday succeeding, be (Mr. Brougham) should name that day for the debate upon the Orders in Council.

IRISH CUSTOMS DUTIES.

The House resolved itself into a Committee of Ways and Means, when Mr. W. Pole proposed a Resolution for continuing the Irish Customs Duties, which expire on the 5th of July next, for another year.

Sir John Newport objected to the vote, at a time when the country was destitute of an Executive Government.

Mr. W. Pole said, that all parties agreed in the propriety of the Resolution itself, and he should have thought himself guilty of a gross breach of duty, if he had not submitted to the Committee a Resolution for continuing to the public. creditors of Ireland one very important security for the repayment of the debt.

Colonel Bastard acknowledged that the right honourable gentleman had done his duty, but the House had likewise a duty to discharge. He, for one, should uniformly object to any financial measure, until an Administration were formed. When a new Government was established, he trusted that some inquiry would be instituted, to ascertain whether the immense taxation now collected were necessary for the maintenance of the state. The Resolution was then agreed to. Mr. W. Pole brought in the Irish Loan Bill, which was read a first time.

NEW MINISTERS.

Mr. Canning said, "Having been the channel of communicating to the House on Monday the circumstance that a noble friend of mine, Marquis Wellesley, had on that day received authority from his royal highness the Prince Regent to proceed to the formation of a new Administration, I feel it incumbent upon me this day to state to the House, being in possession of the information, that my noble friend has this morning resigned that authority again into the hands of his Royal Highness. I shall accompany this disclosure with no observation, unless I might be permitted carnestly to deprecate discussion-(Hear, hear!)which can be productive of no good, and may lead to great

་

mischief, by kindling animosities, which are certainly not wanted to add to the embarrassments of the country. Being now, however, in possession of the information, and having been on the former day the channel of communication of the one fact, I thought I should be guilty of something like delusion if I had not communicated the other."

Mr. Martin (of Galway) said, "After what has fallen from the right honourable gentleman, the House may be assured that nothing will proceed from me that can in the least degree embarrass any arrangement hereafter to be attempted, but as a Member of Parliament I feel it my duty to ask one question, and it is this; I address myself to the right honourable and learned gentleman opposite" (Mr. Ponsonby).

Mr. Calcraft rose to order. He admitted that a precedent had been the other day set of putting interrogatories to individual Members in their places, but he did not think that it was sufficient to authorise the practice. It would be recollected, that on Monday last the question had been read before he had objected; he now interposed to prevent the reading of the question, as well as the answering of it.

Mr. Martin replied, that had he not been sanctioned by the proceeding of Monday last, he should not have ventured to propose the question to which he was desirous of obtaining an answer. If the right honourable gentleman (Mr. Ponsonby), after it had been stated, felt that it was a question which he could not reply to, without difficulty, he (Mr Martin) would not press it upon him.

Mr. Calcraft said, that the point was not whether the question could be answered, but whether it ought to be put in the manner proposed. The practice of a former day had lent some support to this mode of proceeding, but he thought that it ought not in future to be countenanced.

Mr. Martin-" Then I will not put it in the form so much objected to. I will only say this, to what cause is it to be attributed that the negociation-"

The honourable Member was interrupted by loud cries of -(Order!)

Mr. Barham declared his determination, if the question were persisted in, to take the sense of the House upon it. Whether it were read from a written paper, or put by word of mouth, could make no difference; he warmly insisted that such interrogatories were wholly out of order.

Mr. Martin." I certainly shall not persevere. My