§ Mr. Whitbread brought up the report of the committee appointed to inspect the Lords' Journals in respect to their proceedings on the charges adduced against lord viscount Melville; which was ordered to lie on the tables.—The hon. gent. next brought up the report of the committee appointed to draw up the Articles of Impeachment voted by the house against lord viscount Melville; which being shor[...]y read, pro forma, he stared, that when he moved a resolution in the house, that the noble lord should be impeached, he was prepared with the articles which he proposed. He then considered the balances lost, in the case of Mr. Jellicoe, to be of serious importance; but as that opinion did not seem to meet with the general concurrence of the house, the committee had thought proper to limit it. The charges, which he first intended to confine to three heads, now consisted of Eight Articles, in which there was only one which was absolutely new, and not included in their former resolutions. 738 At the time Mr. Trotter was appointed Paymaster of the Navy, it appeared that viscount Melville Was in possession of a balance of 10,000l. which had not since been satisfactorily accounted for. There was another charge, arising out of the admission of viscount Melville on the floor of that house, when he was making his defence, that he had been possessed of 10,000l. navy money, the application of which he declared that he never would disclose to any human being. The committee, therefore, agreed to make that the ground of a specific article. Besides these, there were the sums of 22,000l. advanced to viscount Melville, without interest; 22,000l. also, for which it appeared that interest had been paid; and from 10,000l. to 20,000l. which went to what was called between them "the mixed account," and which, hitherto, was altogether inexplicable. He thought it right that this explanation should, in the event, be given to the house; and moved, in the first place, "that the report do lie on the table, and be printed for the use of the house;" which being agreed to, he moved, in order to give gentlemen time to examine the Articles of Charge after their being printed, "that the Report be taken into consideration on Monday next."—Ordered.
§ The following is a copy of the said Articles of Impeachment.