The Marquis of Lansdownerose to give notice of his intention, in the course of a short time, to bring forward a motion relative to the Orders in Council. Without entering into any detail, he thought it necessary to state that there were two views in which the subject might be considered. The one was, the effect produced by the Orders in Council upon our negociations with the United States of America: and the other, the effect produced by them upon the commerce and prosperity of the country. Without giving up for himself, or any other noble lord, the right of interfering with respect to our negociations with America, if it should be thought necessary he would merely mention that his motion would be confined to the latter view of the subject, namely, the effect of the Orders in Council upon the commerce, the manufactures, and the resources of the country. He wished to name rather a distant day, and would therefore move that the House be summoned for Monday fortnight.
§ Earl Bathurstwished to know which of the orders in Council the motion of the noble marquis would refer to?
The Marquis of Lansdownesaid he would state that at a future opportunity; and also apprize the noble earl, if he wished it, of the terms of his motion.
§ Lord Grenvilleexpressed his concurrence with the sentiments entertained by the noble marquis. As to the very injurious tendency of the measures alluded to, independent of the effect they might have on any pending negociation with the United States, he was decidedly of opinion 686 they should be revoked on the ground of internal policy; and in this view, he would ask whether or not petitions had been presented to the Prince Regent praying their revocation? On this subject he thought some particular information should be laid before the House. The people of this country were, in former times, disposed to look to parliament on such occasions; but latterly they were more accustomed to make application to the executive government alone. In the present instance, he would admit they might with less impropriety depart from that principle, because the Prince Regent in council was invested by parliament with the power of revoking them.
The Earl of Liverpoolagreed with the noble baron, that it was certainly true, the subject had the option of petitioning on such an occasion, either the executive or the legislature. It was one, however, on which he did not mean to lay down either course as a general rule; perhaps in the case before them, the petitioners had taken the most correct course. He should entertain a considerable objection to a motion such as the noble baron seemed to have in contemplation; but every information on the subject which he thought could be consistently communicated, he had no objection to afford.
§ Lord Grenvillesaid, that in consequence of what had fallen from the noble earl, he was not desirous of pressing such a motion; but a great deal upon the subject was already unfortunately known to the public.