HL Deb 02 July 1811 vol 20 cc782-3

Pursuant to special adjournment, their lordships proceed ed to take the Report of the Committee of Privileges, upon this long pending case, into consideration, which was," That the claimant, William Fitzharding Berkeley, had not made good his claim to the titles and honours of earl of Berkeley, viscount Dursley, &c." and upon the question being put, their lordships confirmed the Report of the Committee, nem. diss.

The Lord Chancellor

then made some observations upon the nature of the proceedings and evidence adduced before the Committee of Privileges, and conclude by moving, That the Report of their lord ships' Committee, together with a copy of the Evidence given in the said case, be laid before his royal highness the Prince Regent, together with an Address, requesting his royal highness would be pleased to adopt such proceedings thereupon as he might deem most proper and expedient.

Earl Grey

had no objection to the proceeding recommended by the noble and learned lord generally; but was averse to the introduction of any language in the motion which would appear like an attempt to dictate or point out any particular line of conduct to his royal highness, but to leave such result solely to his discretion, as to what proceeding he might think proper to adopt, if any. He therefore suggested the propriety of omitting the word "request" from the motion, which would then go in effect to simply laying the Report and the Evidence before his royal highness.

The Earl of Liverpool

agreed in the propriety of this suggestion, and expressed his opinion, that his noble friend on the Woolsack, in wording his motion, had no idea whatever of pointing out any particular line to his royal highness, but wished merely that the matter should be left entirely to the royal discretion.

The Lord Chancellor

corroborated what fell from his noble friend, as to his intention with respect to the object and effect of the motion he proposed.

The motion was then amended agreeably to the suggestion of earl Grey, and unanimously agreed to.