§ The report of the committee of Supply was brought up. On the resolution, "That 200,000l. be granted to his majesty to complete the sum necessary for defraying the charge of civil contingencies for the year 1826,"
§ Mr. Humesaid, he could not refrain from entering his protest against charges for diplomatic services. The expense which we were at in this department would appear immense, if contrasted with the expense which other countries incurred in this particular. The embassy at Paris, last year, cost the country no less than 30,000l., a sum equal to the salaries of the whole civil establishment in America. Indeed, England was the most expensive government on the face of the earth, although, from our being so burthened with debt already, we were so little able to bear any superfluous expense. Our expenditure in this department had been increased to four times the sum it amounted to in 1792. He should therefore move, that the following be added to the resolution by way of amendment:— "That it appears by a return (No. 285 of 1822) on the table of this House, that the total charge for his majesty's diplomatic service and consuls abroad, for the year 1792, including special missions, outfit, and equipage extraordinary, and incidental expenses, pensions to retired ministers and consuls, was 113,989l., and that the charge for the same in the eight years, 1818 to 1825, both inclusive, exceeded the sum of 2,500,000l.; being an average of these years 313,000l. each year.— Resolved, That, in the opinion of this House, it is expedient, in order to relieve the burthens and support the pub- 70 lic credit of the country, to lessen the public expenditure by every practicable means consistent with the safety and good faith of government; but that so large an expenditure for the diplomatic service of the country, and in particular in the last year, is at variance with that course, and deserves the censure of this House."
§ Mr. Canningwished to know whether it was the hon. member's object to negative the resolution, or merely to record his opinion that this expenditure was deserving of censure. If the latter, he conceived the hon. member was proceeding in a wholly informal manner.
§ The Speakerobserved, that, from the expressions of the hon. gentleman's amendment, he conceived it was not possible for him now to propose it. They were considering the report of a committee which had taken the resolution into its consideration before, and the hon. gentleman would see that they could not introduce into the resolution adopted by that committee, any matter which had not then been submitted to its examination.
§ Mr. Humesaid, that as there seemed to be some irregularity in his amendment, he would withdraw it.
§ The resolution was then agreed to.