HC Deb 08 April 1805 vol 4 cc320-5

The question was then put on each of the resolutions moved by Mr. Whitbread, and carried in the affirmative. When strangers were re-admitted to the gallery, the house was debating on the 11th resolution. It appeared that Mr. Pitt had moved to leave out the concluding words, viz. "has been guilty of a gross violation of the law, and a high breach of duty," with the view of substituting these words—"has acted contrary to the intentions of the said act." After a long conversation Mr. Pitt obtained leave to withdraw this amendment, in order that he might have an opportunity of proposing another in a preceding part of the same resolution. He proposed to insert after the words. "private interest or emolument," these words, "of Mr. Trotter." This amendment was warmly opposed. It was contended, on the one side, that the resolution ought to be left in its original ambiguous form, as it gave no opinion on the question of lord Melville's personal emolument; and that to throw the whole upon Mr. Trotter, would be pronouncing a decision, which the house, from the facts before them, were not competent to make.

Sir William Pulteney

suggested, that the words, "as acknowledged by lord Melville," in addition to those proposed by Mr. Pitt, would meet the ideas of both sides of the house.

Mr. Whitbread

said, he had no particular objection to this amendment. The words in his motion had been left general, because it was confessed that the sums were drawn out for private interest and emolument, but not specified directly whether for lord Melville as well as Mr. Trotter. In this way the motion was read by the chair. It then stood thus: "That the right hon. lord viscount Melville having been privy to, and connived at, the withdrawing from the bank of England, for the purpose, as stated by lord Melville of private emolument to Mr. Trotter, sums issued to lord Melville as treasure of the navy, and placed to his account in the bank according to the provisions of the 25 Geo. III. c. 31. has been guilty of a gross violation of the law, and a high breach of duty."

Mr. Windham

contended that after the clear elucidation of the case that the treasurer of the navy could answer whether he had not derived advantage from the public money, the words in the resolution ought to be left ambiguous.

Mr. Fox

that the attempt to screen lord Melville from the result of the previous resolutions by so trifling an amendment, would do the noble lord no good, but would put that house in a very awkward point of view.

Mr. Wilberforce

said, that not to brand the transaction by the epithets of gross violation of the law, and a high breach of duty, after the confession of lord Melville, would be ignominious to the house.

Mr. Sheridan

said, that the amendment made the motion almost nonsense. To say, in the first instance, that lord Melville con- nived for 16 years, and then to fritter away the conclusion, was a most extraordinary way of acquitting his colleague.

Mr. Bastara

said, it was impossible for any gentleman to support such an amendment.

Mr. T. Grenville

spoke to the same effect.

Mr. Pitt

persisting in his declaration that he would take the sense of the house, the gallery was cleared; but on the question being put on the motion as it originally stood, the speaker declared that the ayes had it, and Mr. Pitt did not push the house to a division. Before strangers were re-admitted, Mr. Whitbread had moved an address to his Majesty for removing lord Melville from his councils; and at the time the gallery was opened Mr. Pitt was proposing to postpone the consideration of this motion until Wednesday.

Mr. Fox

said, after the long debate which had already taken place, he should have no objection to the postponement of his hon. friend's motion provided it was understood that the house should not sit in the interval. He could not consent to a proposition which would leave to the house the chance of meeting again without having taken any step to remove a disgraced administration.

Mr. Pitt

.—Certainly, in every view of the case, it is better that the house should adjourn to Wednesday next.

Adjourned at 5 o'clock on Tuesday morning to Wednesday.

List of the Majority
Abbot, Right Hon. C. (Speaker.)
Adair, R. Bouverie, Hon. E.
Althorpe, Lord Brogden, James
Adams, Charles Brodke, Charles
Anderson, Sir J. W. Bart. Browne, F. John
Andover, Viscount Browne, Isac H.
Annesley, Francis Buller, James
Anson, Thomas Bonbury, Sir C.
Antonie, Wm Lee Byng, George
Astley, Sir J. H. Bart. Calciaft, J. (Teller)
Atkins, John Calvert, Nicholson
Aubrey, Sir J. Bart. Cavendish, Lord G.
Bradshaw, C. Cavendish, W.
Babington, Thomas Cavendish, W.
Bagenal, Walter Chapman, Charles
Baker, John Coke, Thomas
Baker, Wm. Coke, Edward
Baker, Peter W. Cooinbe, H. C.
Bamfylde, Sir C. Coolte, Bryan
Bankes, Henry Coote, Sir Eyre
Barclay, George Cornewall, Sir G. A.
Barelay, George Courtenay, John
Barelay, Sir Robert Cowper, Hon. S.
Barham, Jos. Foster Croevey, Thomas
Barlow, F. W. Curtis, Sir William
Bastard, J. Pollexfen Curwen, J. C.
Best, W. Draper Cumming,—
Bligh, Hon. Thomas Daley, D. Bowes
Dennison, John Marsham, Lord
Duncannon, Lord Martin, R.
Daniel, F. Mathews, J
Dickins, F. M'Mahon,.
Douglas, Marquis Mellish, Wm.
Dugdale, S. D. Metcalfe, Sir Theo.
Dundas, Hon. L. Middleton, Sir W.
Dundas, Hon. C. L. Milbanke, Sir. R.
Dundas, Hon. G. H. L. Mills, C.
Durand, J. H. Milner, Sir W. M.
Ebrington, Lord Moore, G. P.
Elliot, William Mordaunt, C.
Erskine, Hon. Thomas Morpeth, Lord
Fellowes, Robert Morris, Edward
Foley, Hon. Andrew Mostyn, Sir T.
Foley, Thomas Moore, P.
Foljambe, F. Ferrand Newport, Sir John
Fitzgerald, Rt. Hon. J. Noel, G. Noel
Fitzpatrick, Rt. Hon. R. Neville,—
Folkes, Sir M. B. North, Dudley
Folkestone, Viscount Northey, Wm.,
Fonblanque, J. O'Brien, Sir Edward
Fox, Hon. C. J. Ord, William
Francis, Philip Osborne, Lord F. G.
Frankland, William Ossulston, Lord
Fuller, John Palk, Sir Lawrence
Geary, Sir William Palmer, John
Giles, Daniel Paxton, Sir William
Godfrey, Thomas Pedley, J.
Golding, Edward Peel, Sir Robert
Gregor, Francis Pierse, H.
Grenfell, Pascoe Pelham, Hon. C. A.
Grenville, Rt. Hon. T. Petty, Lord Henry
Grey, Hon. Charles Pierpoint, Hon. C. H.
Grimston, Hon. J. W. Plumer, William
Hamilton, Lord A. Ponsonby, Right Hon.W.B.
Harrison, John Ponsonby, George
Holland, Henry Portman, Ed. Berk.
Holland, Sir Nathan, Poyntz, William S.
Howard Henry Praed, William
Huddlestone, John Price, Sir Charles
Hughes, Wm. Lewis Prinsep, John
Hulkes, James Pulteney, Sir W.
Hurst, Robert Pytches, John
Hussey, William Ridley, Sir M. W.
Hutchinson, Hon. C. H. Robarts, Abram
Jeffrey, John Russel, Lord Win.
Jekyll, Joseph St. John, Hon. St. A.
Jervoise, J. Clarke Salisbury, Sir Robert
Johnstone, George Scott, Joseph
Kensington, Lord Scudamore, John
King, Sir J. Dashwood Shaftoe, Robert E. D.
Kinnaird, Hon. C Shakespeare, Arthur
Knight, R. Payne Shelley, Timothy
Ladbroke, Robert Shelley, John
Lambton, Ralph Sheridan, R. B.
Langton, W. Gore Simpson. Hon. John
Lascelles, Hon. Edward Smith, Wm.
Lascelles, Hon. Henry Smith, Charles
Latouche, John Somerville, Sir M.
Latouche, Robert Spencer, Lord R
Lawrence, French Stanley, Lord
Lawley, Sir Robert Stanley,, Thomas
Lemon, John Stewart Hon. Mont.
Lemon, Sir W. Stewart, James
Lefevre, Charles Shaw Symonds, Thomas P.
Loveden, E. L. Tarleton, Banastre
Lubbock, J. Taylor, C. W.
Maddocks, W. A. Thornton, Henry
Markham, J Thornton, Robert
Manners, John Thornton, Samuel
Tierney, Right Hon. G. Whitbread, S (Tellery)
Townshend, Lord J. Willoughby, Hon. H.
Tyrwhitt, Thomas Wilberforce, Wm.
Vansittart, George Williams, H.
Walpole, Hon. G. Williams, Owen
Walpole, Hon. H. Walsh, Sir B.
Ward, Hon. J. W. Windham, Right Hon. W.
Watson, Hon. George Wrottesley, Sir John
Western, C. Callis Wynn, C. W. W.
Wharton, John Young, Sir W.
Wright, JohnAtkins
List of the Minority.
Abercromby, Hon. G. Dundas, Rt. Hon. W.
Adams, Wm. Dunlo, Lord
Addington, Rt. Hon. Dupre, James
Ainstic, R. S Elford, Sir W.
Alexander, Boyd Eliot, Hon. W.
Alexander, H. Ellison, R.
Archdall, Richard Erskine, Sir W.
Ashley, Hon. C Estcourt, T.
Bagwell, William Everett, T.
Bagwell, William Euston, Earl
Baillie, Evan Fane, Francis
Baldwyn, W. Fane, Henry
Barne, Snowden Fane, John
Bathurst, Rt. Hon. C. Fane, Hon T.
Beaumont, T.R Farquhar, James
Beresford, Lord G.T. Fellowes, W. H.
Beresford, John Ferguson, James
Binning, Lord Finch, Hon. E.
Bloxham, Sir M. Fitzgerald, Rt. Hon. M.
Bond, N. Fitzharris, Lord
Brodie, James Fitzhugh, W.
Brome, Lord Foster, Rt. Hon. J.
Brooke, Lord Frederick, Sir .J.
Bruce, Lord Fydell, Thomas
Bruce, P.C Garland, George
Buller, John Gibbs, V.
Burrows, Sir W. Giddy, Davies
Burton, N.C Glenbervie, Lord
Calvert, J. Graham, T
Campbell, J.A. Grant, F. W.
Campbell, John Grant, Sir W.
Campbell, Lord J. Greene, W.
Canning, Rt. Hon. G. Greville, Hon. R. F.
Cartwright, W.R. Gunning, R.
Castlereagh, Visc. Hamilton, Sir H.
Chuse, W. Hamilton,—
Clephane, David Hamilton, H.
Cline, W. Hamilton, Sir C.
Clive. Hon. R. Hamond, Sir A. S.
Cockerell, C. Hardman, Edward
Colquhoun, James Harvey, E.
Corry, Rt. Hon. I. Hawkins, Sir C.
Cranley, Lord Hawthorne, C. S.
Curzon, Hon. R. Heathcote, Sir W.
Cust, Hon. J. Henderson, A.
Dashwood, Sir H. Hill, Sir George
Dent, John Hilliard, E.
Devayiaes, W. Hobhouse, B.
De Blacquire, Lord Hobson, A
Dick, Quintin Holford, G.P.
Dickenson, W. jun. Hope, Hon. Alex.
Dickenson, W. sen. Hope, Hon. C.
Dickson, W. Horrocks, J.
Douglas, Sir Gee. Hunting field, Lord
Duigenan, Patrick Huskisson, W.
Dundas, Phillip Ioglis, Sir H.
Dundas, Hon. R Jeffray, J.
Jepson, Denham, Scott, David
Joddrell, H. Scott, Hon. J.
Jolliffe, H. Scott, Sir W.
Jones, Walter Scott, Claude
Keane, Sir J. Scott, Samuel
King Hon. E. Seymour, Lord R.
Kingston, J. Sinclair, Sir John
Lee, E. Sitwell, Francis
Leigh, R. H. Sloane, Hans
Leland, John Smith Sir W S.
Loftus, W. Smith, J. A.
Long, Rt. Hon. C. Smith, Spencer
Longfield, M. Smyth, Rt. Hon. J.
M'Kenzie, F. A. Sneyd, Nathaniel
Louvaine, Lord Somerset, Lord C.
Macnaughton, E. A. Somerset, Lord R. E.
M'Dowall, W. Spencer, Lord F.
M'Kenzie, F. A. St. John, Ambrose
Manners, R. Stanhope, W S.
May, Edward Staniforth, John
Mildmay, Sir H. Steele, Rt. Hon T.
Mtford, W. Steele, Robert
Montgomery, P. Stephens Sir P.
Moore, C. Stewart, Sir James
Morgan, C. Steward, G T.
Morland, W. Stopford, Lord
Nepean, Sir E. Strachey, Sir H.
Neville, Richard Strahan, A.
Nicholl, Sir J. Strutt, J. H
Norton, J. C. Stuarf Sir John
Odell, W. Sturges, Bourne
Osborne, J. Sudley, Lord
Ormsby, C. M. Sullivan, Sir R.
Paget, Hon. C. Spencer Smith
Paget, Hon. E. Talbot, Sir G.
Patten, Peter Thelluson, G.
Patterson, J. Thelluson, P T.
Pereival, Hon. S. Thynne, Lord G.
Phipps, Hon. E. Thynne, Lord J.
Pitt, Right Hon. W. Titchfield, Varquis
Pitt, W. M. Townshend, Hon. W.
Popham, Sir H. Trail, J.
Pole, Hon. W. W. Turner, Edmund
Porcher, T. D. Vanisittart, N.
Preston, Sir R. Ward, Robert
Pulteney, Sir J. Wallace, Rt. Hon. T.
Rochfort, Gustavus Welby, Sir W. E.
Rose, Right Hon. G. West, Hon. F.
Rose, George H. White, M.
Russel, M. Wigram, Robert
Rutherford, J. Willet, T. W.
Salusbury, Sir R. Wood, Mark
Sargent, J. Wortley, J. S.