A Bill was brought in, for vesting, 1093 in certain trustees, the sale of property belonging to the house of M'Dowall and Co. for the re-payment of advances made to them by government; which being read a first time,
Mr. Bakertook a view of the whole of the transaction, observing that, in consequence of the calamities which occurred in the islands of Grenada and St. Vincent's, in 1800, an act of parliament was passed, to enable government to make certain advances to the merchants anti planters of these islands, on sufficient security being given for the re-payment. Of this money, the sum of 240,000l. had been advanced to the gentlemen in question; and yearly applications since made to parliament, to extend the time of the re-payment. It seemed that this money, instead of being employed in the manner proposed, had been laid out for other purposes in Scotland; and he thought, that the outstanding of the debt to this time was highly criminal, in some quarter or other.
§ Mr. M'Dowallrequested the permission of the house to explain, that ever since the year 1800, when this loan was made, he had used every possible exertion to repay this debt to government. He had ample funds, not only for paying that, but every other demand upon this firm; but, in all his efforts to dispose of the great property he possessed in Scotland, he was, for some reason or other, constantly thwarted and impeded by the first law officers of the crown in Scotland, under the late government. Even at this moment, he had a property of 180,000l. floating in Scotland, which, for the reasons already mentioned, he could not avail himself of. He was aware that his own honour and character required a full explanation of the whole of these transactions being made to the house and the country; and, however reluctant he might be, on some accounts, to make such a disclosure, he owed it to himself to afford it in a proper stage of the bill. The foundation of the present bill was, to permit him, by his own consent, to dispose, through the medium of trustees, of that property which would enable him to discharge the debts due to the public and the other creditors to his house.
The Attorney-Generalexplained, that when he came into his present official situation, he found this large debt due to government; and, for the better and more speedy recovery of it, he wished to have the sale of the property vested in 1094 trustees; which was the whole object of this bill
§ Mr. R. Dundas said, he did not mean to oppose the bill, or controvert the greater part of what was said by his hon. friend; but he thought it hard, that the late law officers of Scotland should be arraigned for their conduct, before the whole of the proceedings should be before the house.
§ Mr. M'Dowallsaid, what he had principally to request was, that the house would suspend its judgment till they should be in complete possession of the whole, from documents which he should, at any time, be prepared to lay before them.
§ Mr. Johnstonesaid that, notwithstanding this bill for vesting the sale in trustees, he hoped the present securities for the debt would not be released, on account of any difference of opinion between the late and present law officers of the crown in Scotland.
§ Mr. Francissaid, he objected to the principle of these loans originally; and tile present bill was a proof, that such advances of money to individuals were not within the proper functions of the government.—The bill was then read a first time.