Lords Sitting of 21 April 1806

MINUTES.
The royal assent was given by commission to the 2O Millions loan bill, the Irish Treasury bills bill, the Irish Militia Service bill, the Cape of Good Hope Trade bill, and the British Fishery bills.—The earl of Kinnoul was sworn, and took his seat, as baron Hay, on his lordship's attaining his majority.

KING'S MESSAGE RESPECTIVELY PRUS- SIA.
Lord Grenvillepresented the following message from his majesty:
"G. R. His majesty thinks it proper to acquaint the house of lords, that he has found himself under the necessity of withdrawing his ministers from the court of Berlin, and of adopting provisionally measures of just retaliation against the commerce and navigation of Prussia. His maj. deeply regrets this extension and aggravation of calamities, already so severely felt by the nations of the continent, whose independence and prosperity he has never ceased to consider as intimately connected with those of his own people. But measures of direct hostility, deliberately adopted against him, have left him no alternative.—In a moment of confidential intercourse, without even the pretence of any cause of complaint, forcible possession has been taken by Prussia of his maj.'s electoral dominions. Deeply as this event affected the interests of this kingdom, his maj. chose, nevertheless, to forbear, on this painful occasion, all recourse to the tried and affectionate attachment of his British subjects. He remonstrated, by amicable negotiation; against the injury he had sustained, and rested his claim for reparation on the moderation of his conduct, on the justice of his representation, and on the common interest which Prussia herself must ultimately feel, to resist a system destructive of the security of all legitimate possession. But when, instead of receiving assurances conformable to this just expectation, his maj. was informed that the determination had been taken of excluding, by force, the vessels and the commodities of this kingdom from ports and countries under the lawful dominion, or forcible controul of Prussia; his maj. could no longer delay to act without neglecting the first duty which he owes to his people. The dignity of his crown, and the interests of his subjects, equally forbid his acquiescing in this open and unprovoked aggression. He has no doubt of the full support of his parliament, in vindicating the honour of the British flag, and the freedom of the British navigation; and he will look with anxious expectation to that moment, when a more dignified and enlightened policy, on the part of Prussia, shall remove every impediment to the renewal of peace and friendship with a power with whom his maj. has no other cause of difference than that now crea ed by these hostile acts."
The message having been read, lord

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Grenville moved, that it should be taken into consideration on Wednesday, and that the lords be summoned for that day. Ordered.—His lordship presented, by his majesty's command, certain papers respecting Prussia.

ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE IN SCOTLAND.
Lord Grenville said,he rose to give notice on a subject of considerable importance to a great number of his maj.'s subjects, and also to that house, with respect to a part of its proceedings. He alluded to the Administration of Justice in Scotland, with respect to the forms of which, he believed, it was the opinion of the bar in that country, and the general opinion, that an alteration might be made with great advantage to all those who were suitors in the courts. Far was it from him to say that the system of legal proceedings in Scotland was not one wisely established, but, in the lapse of time, it had become, in some of its parts, inferior to the system established in England, which had stood the test of so many ages, and which still retained all its original beauty and purity. Far was it from him to say, that the laws of Scotland were not administered with the greatest purity. There was, however, one consideration of the greatest importance, namely, that justice ought to be speedily administered, otherwise, in many cases, it ceased to be justice. Their lordships had taken upon themselves to be a court of dernier resort for all parts of the united kingdom, to the execution of which important business much of their time had been devoted. Notwithstanding, however, all their diligence and attention, the number of appeals from Scotland now on the table of the house, which were yet undecided, shewed that they had arrived at that point when they must either declare that they could not do justice to the parties appealing to their decision, or take some measure to reduce the number of appeals from that country. It was doubtless of the greatest importance in every case, that the dispatch of business should keep pace with the business which actually arose. He was afraid he could not promise any measure upon this subject in the course of the present session; and, though some might complain of this delay, it was nevertheless of the greatest importance that such a measure should be carefully digested, and receive every advantage which could be derived from the suggestions of those who had a thorough knowledge of the Scottish law. The mode he
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intended to adopt was to propose certain resolutions, upon which, in the ensuing session, a bill might be founded; but which, in the mean time, might go forth to the public, and receive all that consideration which their importance deserved, and particularly from the Scottish bar, from whose talents many advantageous suggestions might be expected. His lordship concluded by giving notice, that he should bring forward some motion on the subject on Monday se'nnight, although he would not pledge himself as to the particular day, and moved that the lords be summoned for that day.
The Duke of Montroseexpressed in the strongest terms the infinite satisfaction he felt, in finding that a measure of such consequence was taken up by a noble lord for whom he entertained such high esteem, and whose talents were so adequate to the undertaking and success of measures of such size and consequence; and he was confident he might safely venture to assert, that the noble lord would have the sincere and unanimous thanks of the whole country, for whose benefit he had so generously undertaken it.

AMERICAN INTERCOURSE BILL.
Lord Hollandsaid, he had to apologise, that the bill upon this subject was not yet in perfect readiness to be laid before their lordships; but its main object was to enable his majesty in council to grant certain powers to the governors of those islands to regulate that intercourse, as far as it regarded the importation, &c. of provisions and lumber, from the ports of America into those of our West-India colonies. The bill would shortly be laid before their lordships, and he should propose that it be read a 2d time on Thursday next.
The Duke of Montroseobserved, that he was one of those who certainly thought the measure of a much more serious nature than it seemed to be considered by those who introduced it. They did not seem to be aware of the great amount of the tonnage, and of the great number of seamen who were employed in that trade. He was persuaded that the shipping amounted to no less than 101,090 tons, and the seamen to 6500. To prove this assertion, the noble lord concluded with moving for certain papers, by which, he said, all he had advanced would be fully confirmed.

IMPEACHMENT OF LORD MELVILLE.
Mr. Wyatt,surveyor-general of his majesty's works appeared at the bar, and in answer to the question put to him by the

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lord chancellor, respecting the time when the preparations in Westminster-hall, for the court of parliament, sitting on the trial of lord Melville, would be completed; informed their lordships, that the same would be completely finished on Saturday next.—Mr. Whitbread presented a list of the names of certain additional witnesses who were deemed necessary by the commons to be examined on the trial of lord Melville, and requested their lordships would issue summonses for their attendance, on Tuesday, the 29th inst.—After the messengers had withdrawn, their lordships ordered that a message be sent to the commons, acquainting them, that their lordships would take the necessary steps to provide for the attendance of the witnesses mentioned.
Lord Walsinghamread the report of the committee, to whom it was referred to search for precedents respecting their lordships' modes of proceeding on former cases of impeachment: which report was ordered to be taken into consideration on Wednesday.
Lord Aucklandmoved, that the house should proceed on the trial of lord Melville de die in diem, except from any special considerations they should deem it expedient to adjourn to the day after the morrow of the day on which the motion should be made.
The Earl of Radnormoved that the further consideration of this motion should also be postponed till Wednesday.—The earl of Rosslyn and the lord chancellor opposed this motion, on the ground of its being unnecessary, it being already the general and decided opinion of the house, that they ought to proceed on the trial de die in diem. The motion was then put and negatived.—On putting the original motion,
The Earl of Radnoropposed it, conceiving that 4 days in the week were as many as the house could devote to the trial, consistently with that attention which they must necessarily pay to other business. He declined, however, proposing any alteration in the motion.—The motion was then put and carried.