Mr. Powys

Mr. Wilberforce.

Mr. Powys.

Mr. H. Dündas.

Mr. Powys faid, he was truly forry that the right honourable gentleman had forced the House to the harfh measure now propofed. He had had fufficient time: they had fhewn every indulgence. But he was forry to say that the difpofition to union did not appear to be reciprocal. He conceived the prefent ftep to be abfolutely neceffary. They were no longer a branch of the Legislature, if they fubmitted to the arrogant contempt of their authority which had been shewn by Mi

nifters.

Mr. Wilberforce defired his honourable friend (Mr. Powys) to reconcile his prefent opinion with that which he had formerly given, that it would be unbecoming in Mr. Pitt to go out with a halter about his neck, and negociate for place again.

Mr. Powys declared that his language had never been ambiguous. He left ambiguity for men who had finifter purpofes. His heart was in his words. He had never said that Mr. Pitt could difgrace himself by paying refpect to the folemn fenfe of that Houfe. He was no enemy, but a friend of Mr. Pitt. He wished to fee him make a part of the new Miniftry. It was the defign of no men to exclude him; but at the fame time it was his opinion that the lofs would be fmaller to his country if he were to retire at this time altogether, than to continue in fetting up ideal punctilios to the facrifice of the dignity, and extinction of the utility of that Houfe. Mr. Pitt could not be difgraced by negociating with Mr. Fox. He could only be difgraced by a furly and fuperci lious contempt of the opinion of that Houfe.

Mr. H. Dundas entered at confiderable length into the queftion, and urged the impropriety of moving fo harsh a propofition after two o'clock in the morning. Time and intimation ought to be given; it was a moft folemn difcuffion; for in his confcience he believed that it put a final end to every profpect of union. Gentlemen talked of the moderation of their conduct, of their wishes for union, of their temper, forbearance, and candour, while at the fame time they pufhed fo harfh a question as this at fuch an hour. He had objected to their previous measures, because he confidered them as hoftile to the end which they profeffed to have in view; and this he confidered as the completion of the refolutions which they had already paffed. He faid he had laboured most ftrenuously for an union. He had exerted every nerve and all his influence to bring it about. He wifhed to heaven that the refolutions had been of another complection, and more moderate than they were. He faid that gentlemen ought at

leaft

leaft to poftpone the queftion. They ought not to put union out of our reach; and he thought that this addrefs would do it effectually.

Mr. Lee made a long speech, in which he declared that the Mr. Lee. House of Commons was extinct it was dead and buried if they did not manifeft their authority. It was their office and duty to declare their opinion of Minifters; but of what avail was their opinion, if they could not give authority to their refolutions? The queftion was for their existence. He alluded to the conduct of Minifters, and the clamour which they had fet up in the country against the India bill - a clamour which was confined to affertion and ridicule, and he had by accident contributed to the greatest part of the ridicule, as well as of the wit and argument, that had been used against it.

The honourable Mr. Villiers made his first speech, and The Hon. spoke in favour of Minifters. The oppofition wifhed, he Mr. Villiers faid, to crush his right honourable friend, and to make him

a cypher in the Administration which they were to form.

Mr. Rolle alfo fpoke against the motion: it was unexpec- Mr. Rolle. ted, he faid: it had not been intimated nor fuppofed; and the Houfe was to be taken by furprise. It was not confiftent with the declarations which fome of the prefent fupporters of it had formerly made, but they had fhewn themselves to be political weathercocks,

C. Mer

fham.

The honourable Charles Marsham took notice of this ex- The Hon. preffion. Was he a political weathercock, because he supported the House of Commons against the punctilios of Mr. Pitt? Because he ceafed to vote with him on his standing in oppofition to their declared fenfe? What must men of independence, who underwent the laborious duties of that House for the fake only of the public, think of fuch a conduct as the right honourable gentleman had been pleafed to hold? They muft, with all their predilection for him, give the preference to where it was due to the dignity, the fupport, the efficacy, and the independence of that Houfe.

Mr. Coke alfo spoke in answer to an affertion of Mr. Rolle's, Mr. Coke. refpecting the refolution which he moved; and he faid that no man fhould tell him that the calamities that might flow from the present interregnum were to be afcribed to him for making that motion; they were to be ascribed to thofe Minifters who dared to ftand up in proud oppofition to the voice of the Houfe of Commons.

Governor Johnstone spoke in vehement terms: he faid he Governor had all along called on the gentlemen to come to an addrefs; Johnstone.

2 E 2

- but

Mr. Fox.

The Solici

but now he must blame them, for they had come to it at a fhameful hour, and after the strangers were removed from the gallery, that the proceeding might not come to the public eye. It was well that they had moved for ftrangers to withdraw. He alluded to what Mr. Lee had faid of the ridicule which had been thrown on the India bill, in confequence of the mifreprefentation of a paragraph in his fpeech, and he defired him to ftate the expreffion over again, that it might be fairly understood. Gentlemen talked of their temper, their moderation, confcience, and all the other tricks of profeffions, and yet they proceeded to this hafty and violent step.

Mr. Fox faid, that as they complained that the present motion was likely to be a bar to union, and that it would be wife at least to poftpone it, he, who had through the whole of this moft alarming conteft fhewn himself to be a friend to moderation, would inform them, that if the right honourable gentleman, or the learned gentleman, or any other member in the immediate friendship and confidence of the Minifter, would rise and say, that by the poftponement of the motion till Monday, the fmalleft particle of benefit could arife, or that thereby any thing like a promotion of union might be obtained, he would moft chearfully entreat the Houfe for leave to withdraw his motion.

No member rofe to give the defired fatisfaction.

The Solicitor General inade a long speech, in which he traced tor General. the refolutions from their origin, and called all along for information, at what time it was that Minifters became unconftitutional, by which the country gentlemen had been drawn from their fide to vote against them. The country gentlemen had been feduced by the idea of forming a broad and extenfive Adminiftration; but now it was beginning to appear that it would end in what he had always fufpected, a change of the prefent for the old fet of men, without any union. Sir Robert Srayth spoke for the Ministry.

Ld, North.

Lord North faid, that Mr, Dundas had declared, that the carrying an addrefs to the Throne would be the means of putting an entire end to the hopes of union; but when Mr. Fox offered, that if he or any other gentleman would rife and fay, that by putting it off till Monday, any thing like union might be obtained, or any fort of advantage, the learned gentleman fat ftill. It was therefore evident, he did not think that the paffing of the address that night did put any farther bar to union than the refolutions already paffed had done. He defired it to be fo understood.

Mr.

Mr. Henry Dundas faid, he did not think there could be Mr. H. any great difference between moving it to-night and on Mon- Dundas. day. He could not prefume to pledge himfelf to the bringing about an union. After feeing that the many gentlemen of independence, who had undertaken to promote union, had been fo defective and unfuccefsful in their measures, he could not presume to venture on that olio which so many abler cooks had spoiled.

Mr. Powys thanked Mr. Fox for the very manly conduct Mr. Powys. which he held. His moderation would establish his character among all thinking men. But he declared, that as the motion was made, unless fome perfon on the other fide would rife, and move to adjourn, he could not confent to the motion being withdrawn. If any gentleman did rife, he would fecond the motion.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer faid, that without entering The Chanat all into the argument, whether the poftponement of the cellor of the Exchequer. motion till Monday could promote an union, or whether the putting it now could retard one, he would content himself with afking gentlemen if it was perfectly fair and candid to put it at fo late an hour without intimation, and when many friends of his had gone away, in the confidence of there being no more bufinefs.

land.

Lord Maitland denied that gentlemen had gone off fingly. Lord MaitHe believed not one, and he called on any member to rife up, and mention one perfon who had gone off uncoupled.

The honourable William Norton faid that he was going, The Hon. but he was stopped, and defired to stay, as important business W. Norton. was expected.

The honourable Charles Marfham ftill called on the gen- The Hon. tlemen oppofite to him to ftand up fairly, and fay whether C.Marsham they wished to adjourn or not.

Mr. Powys faid, that in the love of moderation, he would Mr. Powys. go farther than he at firft propofed. He would fecond the motion, if any other gentleman would make one for an adjournment, even without a reafon. If they would not do this, the sense must be taken, and the nation would know which of the two fides were the obftinate party.

Lord Mahon faid a few words. Mr. Fox had faid that Ld.Mahon, Mr. Pitt's declaring his refignation would be fufficient for negociation without refigning. Would that fatisfy the dignity of the House?

The honourable Charles Marfham concluded the debate The Hon. with faying, that Ministers must be anfwerable for the con- C. Marham fequences of their obstinacy.

The

Mr. Fox.

The Attor

The Houfe divided- Ayes, 177; Noes, 156; majority for the addrefs, 21.

A Committee was appointed to prepare the address; who in a few minutes returned, and reported it as follows:

"To the KING's Moft Excellent Majesty.

"WE your Majefty's most faithful Commons, impressed with the most dutiful sense of your Majesty's paternal regard for the welfare of your people, approach your Throne, to exprefs our reliance on your Majefty's paternal wifdom, that your Majefty will take fuch measures, as, by removing any obftacle to forming fuch an Adminiftration as this Houfe has declared to be requifite in the prefent critical and arduous fituation of affairs, may tend to give effect to the wishes of your faithful Commons, which have already been moft humbly represented to your Majesty."

The addrefs was agreed to.

Mr. Fox moved, that it be prefented to the Throne by the whole House Ordered; and alfo, that the members of the Privy Council would learn from the King when he would be waited on by the Houfe with the address.

The report of the Ordnance estimates was then brought up, and agreed to unanimously.

At paft five o'clock in the morning the House adjourned to Monday.

February 23.

The Attorney General made a ftring of motions for accounts ney General of balances in the hands of Mr. Rigby, on the 13th of November and 30th of December laft, and of all payments made by that gentleman fince, during the laft twelve months.

Mr. Rigby,

Mr. Rigby, as it might naturally be expected, did not suffer fuch motions to be paffed in his prefence, without making fome obfervations on them. He faid he had no objection to them; but he was greatly furprised, that, contrary to all practice and rules of civility obferved in that Houfe, they had not been previously communicated to him, or the least intimation given to him that such motions were to be made; but civility was a thing he had no right to expect from the learned gentleman; but he appealed to the House, whether even common decency had been obferved on this occafion, where questions of fo very perfonal a nature were brought forward in fuch a manner. He had no objection to the motions; his objections lay folely to the manner in which they were brought forward.

The