Lord Ellenboroughbegged to ask the noble Marquess, the President of the Council, whether it were the intention of her Majesty's Ministers to accede to his intended motion for referring the petition of the East India Company to a Select Committee.
§ The Marquess of Lansdownesaid, that it might be more advisable to wait until the Government had duly considered the several important topics contained in the petition; but if the noble Baron chose to press his motion for a Select Committee, it would not be opposed by her Majesty's Ministers. At the same time, it was not expedient for him to state what were the points to which the attention of the Government had been principally directed. There were many subjects connected with the petition, such, for instance, as the more free importation of East-India goods, which were of essential importance, and which ought to be well considered. In his opinion, there might be inconvenience in hurrying this question forward, since there were several topics connected with it which were likely to affect the revenue and the system of foreign customs. He should be sorry if any step were hastily taken that would interfere in any way with those great principles of commerce which had been successfully acted on. He was ready to attend to any suggestion that the committee which the noble Lord intended to move for might make to the House, and he would render any services in his power for the purpose of conducting the inquiry which the noble Lord proposed.
§ Subject dropped.