nized, &c. the Legislature may declare the nullity of fuch proceedings; and it was upon this principle chiefly, that he agreed to the relevant provifion of the bill.

The Duke of Norfolk exprefled his concurrence in the principle laid down by the rev. Prelate, as to the indelibility of the facerdotal character. Refpecting this, it was a maxim in the antient Catholic Church, Nec herefis, nec apcftafia delit; but with refpect to the fubject, there were one or two confiderations which ftruck him as material. A perfon may innocently become fubject to the enactment of the bill, as in the inftance where he was, through mifinformation, or other caufes, led to fuppofe that he was either 23 or 24 years of age, when in fact it might not be fo. There were cafes alto in which the bithop who ordained may not be wholly exempt from blame; and it may not be unworthy of confideration, what degree of punishment fhould be incurred by a diocefan who fhould fo infringe upon an act of Parliament.

The Bishop of St. Asaph explained: The cafe adverted to by the noble Duke was one of thofe, he conceived, within the contemplation of the bill. With refpect to the latter confideration, bifhops were, as the law now flood, liable to be called to account should they act in violation of an act of Parliament.

The leading provifion of the bill, which enacts that no perfon fhall be admiffible to the facred orders of deacon and prieft, unless he fhall have completely attained the 23d or 24th year of his age respectively, &c. was then agreed to.

After fome further obfervations on the part of the rev. Prelate and noble Duke above-mentioned, the remaining provitions of the bill, with a few verbal amendments, were agreed to.

On the motion of the Bishop of St. Afaph, a claufe was inferted for the confervation of the rights, with refpe&t to this bill, of the Metropolitans of the refpective parts of the united kingdom.

The Houfe then refumed, and ordered the bill to be reported on Monday.

The report of the volunteer bill was then received pro forma.

Lard Auckland obferved, that in confequence of the unavoidable delay of printing the bill, he did not think the report could be confidered on fo early a day as was at first propofed. He feemed to think not before Tuesday.

The

The bill was then, with the amendments, on the motion of Eord Walfingham, ordered to be printed.

Adjourned till Monday.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.

FRIDAY, APRIL 13.

Sir John Newport moved to discharge the order for taking into confideration the Ilchefter election petition, in order to fix it for a future day; which motion, after fome converfation between Mr. J. Graham, Mr. Baldwin, and Mr. Hiley Addington, was negatived.

Mr. J. Graham prefented a petition from certain voters of Chippenham, refpecting the right of voting in that borough, which was ordered to be taken into confideration on the fame day as the former petition.

Mr. Secretary Yorke, after referring to the order of the 28th of March, giving leave to bring in a bill to fufpend the operation of the army of referve act, observed, that it had been more convenient to bring in two bills, one for Great Britain, and one for Ireland. He therefore moved to difcharge the former order, and for leave to bring in a bill or bills refpecting the fame fubject. Leave given.

Mr. Secretary Yorke afterwards brought in the bill for fufpending the army of referve act in Great Britain, which was read a first time, and ordered to be read a second time on Tuefday, and to be printed.

Mr. Secretary Yorke called the attention of the House to an act of laft feffion, for the more fpeedy and effectual completing the officers of the militia, which being limited in its duration to the 25th of March in the prefent year, had, through inadvertency, been fuffered to expire. It appcaring, however, abfolutely neceffary to revive and continue that act, he therefore moved for leave to bring in a bill for that purpofe. Leave given.

MISCELLANEOUS SERVICES.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer moved the order of the day, for a Committee of Supply; and to refer to the faid Committee the cftimates refpecting the militia pay, cloathing, and allowances, and alfo the eftimate of fecret fervices which was ordered.

The House having refolved itfelf into a Committee of Supply,

VOL. II. 1803-4.

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The Chancellor of the Exchequer moved the following refolutions and fums, which were feverally agreed to.

To make provifion for the pay and cloathing of the militia of Great Britain, for the allowances to adjutants and ferjeant-majors of ditto, and alfo for the militia of Ireland and fubaltern officers of ditto.

Secret fervice money

Sums awarded to be paid by the British Government, in purfuance of the 7th article of the treaty with America

To make good Exchequer bills iffued last year upon the aids of 1804

£. 150,000

412,000

11,000,000

000

Trustees of the British Museum The Houfe having refumed, the report was ordered to be received, and the Committee to fit again on Monday.

IRISH MILITIA AUGMENTATION BILL.

Mr. T. Grenville obferved, that feveral Gentlemen had understood that both the bills were not to be read a third time on the fame day, and fome who were not then present wifhed to speak upon the bill for augmenting the Irish militia; he therefore propofed, if the right hon. Gentleman (Mr. Secretary Yorke) had no objection, to poftpone the third reading of that bill till fome day next week.

Mr. Secretary Yorke faid, if there were any Gentlemen who did not expect the bill to come on on that day, he had no objection to poftpone the third reading till Monday.

Mr. Sheridan thought the priority ought to be given to the bill for augmenting the militia of Ireland, as they ought to augment first, before they drew away the exifting militia, fince it would be very prepofterous if the bill for accepting the offers was to be agreed to, and then the bill for augmenting to be negatived.

Mr. Secretary Yorke obferved, that the addrefs upon his Majefty's meffage only spoke of enabling his Majefty to accept the offers of the Irish militia, but took no notice of the augmentation; the former, therefore, of course had the priority.

The bill was then ordered to be read a third time on Monday.

RUSSIAN MEDIATION.

Mr. Fox wifhed for an anfwer to a queftion refpecting a fubject he had formerly adverted to, namely, the Ruffian mediation, which, if it was fatisfactory, might fave him and

the

the Houfe much trouble. He had had an intention to bring forward a motion upon the fubject very foon after the re cef; he had however heard reports of fome important tranfactions going on with Ruffia, which, if true, might form a confiderable objection to the production of papers. If he received a fatisfactory anfwer upon this fubject, he fhould avoid making any motion upon it.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer was glad of the opportunity of explaining what had been rather feverely animadverted upon by the hon. Gentleman on a former occafion. He ftated on a former day, that there was every wifh on the part of the Minifters to put the Houfe in poffeffion of all the information in their power, but that there were objections which might render it highly inexpedient to lay any papers refpecting the fubject before the Houfe." He then ftated two objections; the one arifing from circumftances exifting at that time, and the other from fubfequent circumftances, which might still prevent his Majesty's Minifters from making any communication to the Houfe: thefe latter circumftances ftill exifted. Whether any negociations were fubfifting with Ruffia, he was fure neither the hon. Gentleman nor the Houfe would expect to be informed nor, he was convinced, would the hon. Gentleman, if he knew of the circumstances which still exifted, prefs any mo-' tion upon the fubject. He affured the hon. Gentleman he had been as explicit as he could, confiftently with' his duty.

Mr. Fox faid he was fatisfied with the explanation of the right hon. Gentleman, and thould therefore wave making any motion upon the fubject.

Whilft upon his legs, Mr. Fox gave notice of his inten-' tion to make a motion, on Friday next, relative to what had been done for the defence of the country.

Mr. Johnstone moved for a detailed account of the receipts and disbursements of the island of Ceylon, from the time it came into our poffeffion to the latest period to which the fame could be made up. Ordered.

Mr. Corry faid, he had the preceding day begged leave to poftpone his intended motion, refpecting the circulation of Ireland, till that day, it being the wifh of his Majesty's Minifters to wait for the latest communications from that country. No communications having, however, been received that day, he should again poftpone the motion till Monday. Lord Folkeftone wished to know, if any use had been

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made

made of the bill for the more effectually officering the militia, as if not, it might be a reafon against its revival.

Mr. Secretary Yorke replied, that whatever might have been the ufe made of the bill, it was neceflary to revive it, in order that the militia might be properly officered. The returns of the number of officers appointed under the bill might be easily obtained.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer gave notice, that he fhould on Wednesday fe'nnight move the ways and means. for raifing the fupply of the year.

IRISH MILITIA.

Mr. Secretary Yorke moved the third reading of the Irish militia offers bill.

Mr. Kinnaird made fome objections to the bill and to the mode of augmenting the militia, which, as it was kept on foot at the expence of both kingdoms, ought to be for the defence of both. He concluded by urging the neceffity of energetic meafures at the prefent crifis.

Mr. Lee expreffed himself strongly in favour of an imperial militia, conceiving that there was no found reafon for locking up a certain number of militia in England or in Ireland exclufively. He thought that all diftinctions upon this fubject ought to be done away, as fo long as the militia of the two countries remained diftinct, fo long Ireland was deprived of a part of thofe advantages which ought to refult from the union. He stated that befides the 6000 of the Irish militia who appeared in the paper on the table, he understood that three regiments more had fince volunteered their fervices in the fame way

Mr. Bankes repeated his former objections to the measure, for which he conceived that no neceffity had been made out, nor could he perceive that by taking away 10,000 militia from Ireland, any number of men could be got for general fervice.

Mr. Windham referved his opinion on the general fubject, until the bill which had been poftponed fhould be brought forward. What he rofe for in the prefent inftance, was to throw out an idea, which he thought neceffary for him on this occafion, left he fhould be fuppofed to acquiefce in fentiments from which he differed, although his general opinion was in unifon with the hon. Gentleman who uttered them. What he meant applied to that which was commonly called

the