§ Mr. Ald. Curtispresented a petition from the lord mayor, aldermen, and livery of the city of London in common hall assembled, setting forth, "That the petitioners have uniformly concurred in and supported such measures as have appeared conducive to the safety and welfare of his majesty's dominions, and have cheerfully submitted to the most unexampled burthens, under a confidence that the resources of the country were faithfully and honestly administered; and that they learn, with the utmost concern and astonishment, from the reports of the commissioners for naval enquiry, now before the house, that the right hon. Henry Dundas viscount Melville, late treasurer of his majesty's navy, has been guilty of a gross violation of the law and a high breach of duty, whereby immense sums of the public money have been perverted to private emolument; and that they conceive it to be a high aggravation of such offence, that these disgraceful transactions were carried on during a period of unprecedented difficulty, when the very existence of the country was said to be at stake; and that the person so abusing his trust, so violating the law, was in the enjoyment of several high and lucrative offices, and ever among the foremost in laying additional burthens upon the people, and calling upon them to submit to the most painful privations; and that they are duly impressed with a high sense of the virtue, integrity, and firmness of the house, and strongly participate in the sentiment which so generally pervades all ranks of 378 his majesty's faithful subjects, of the wisdom and fidelity with which it has discharged its most sacred trust, by the progress it has made towards protecting the people against such gross violations of the law and breaches of public duty; and that the petitioners approach the house, as the guardians of the liberty and property of the people, under a full conviction that such shameful abuses will induce the house to do ample justice to the outraged feelings of the country, by bringing to condign punishment convicted criminality; and that they beg to submit to the house, that it would be highly derogatory to his majesty's government, prejudicial to the public service, and insulting to the house, and the nation at large, for lord Melville any longer to continue in his majesty's councils, or to hold any place of trust, profit, or honour, in or under the government; and that they conceive all other persons who may be implicated in, or who have connived at, such abuses, to be incapable any longer of serving the country with honour or advantage, and ought equally to be brought to a severe account; and therefore praying, that the house, taking these matters into their most serious consideration, will vigorously promote and prosecute those inquiries, and cause the powers of the said commissioners to be prolonged and extended, and other measures to be adopted, in order that such further enquiry may be made into the receipt, management, and expenditure of the public money, and the conduct of the public offices, as may lead to the detection of all abuses and the punishment of all offences, and that such a system of vigilance and economy may be established, as may effectually guard against the recurrence of such flagrant abuses."