Imatges de pàgina
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Total of the Number of Men who have died in actual Service in His Majefty's Navy fince Jan. 1, 1776 269

the Men raised for His Majefty's Navy from 1774 to 1780 270

Second Report of the Commiffioners appointed to examine and ftate the Public Accounts ib. Lift of the Public Offices where Money is received for Taxes or Du

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ties 277 Account of the Public Money in the Hands of the Receiver General of the Customs ib. Examinations of J. Powel, A. Blinkhorn, J. Dugdale, J. Lloyd, Milward Rowe, John Elliot, J.Turner, and John Marshall 280, &c. Account of Receipts and Payments by R. Trevor, Receiver General of the Poft Office 287 Examinations of R. Trevor, W. Fauquier, W. Ward, E. Mulfo, and John Bacon 288, &c. Money received by Edward Mulfo, Efq. Receiver of the First Fruits

292

Examination of R. Chefter, Efq. ib. Account of the Tenths of the Clergy, which have been received in the 12 Years laft paft, ending at Christmas 1779 293 Examination of T. Aftle, Efq. Re

ceiver General of Sixpence in the Pound on Penfions 295 Account of Monies received and paid into His Majesty's Exchequer, by T. Allen, Efq. Receiver General of the Deduction of Sixpence in the Pound 296 Examination of R. Carter, Efq. Receiver of the Deductions of One Shilling in the Pound on Offices and Penfions 393

Account of all the Public Monies received and paid by R. Carter, Efq.

304 the net Produce of the Revenues of the Poft Office, from 1708 to 1713 395

Account of the weekly Balance of the Revenues of the Poft Office, for one quarter, ending October 10th, 1780 305

of the quarterly Balance of the Poft Office, upon the four quarters, ending October 10th, 1780

306

of the grofs Receipts, &c. of the Duties arifing from Stamps, Salt, &c. for one Year

307 Examination of E. Naish, Efq. Af fiftant Secretary to the Tax Office 308 Account of the Number of Houses chargeable to the Duties on Houses and Windows ib. Manifefto against the Dutch, and all the Papers relating to the fame 315 Debate on the Addrefs to His Majesty, on the Rupture with Holland 345 Debate on the Motion for an Account of Letters of Marque to be laid before the House

375 Mr. Eftwick thanks the House for the Relief granted to the Island of Barbadoes

378 The Thanks of the Houfe to Sir F. Norton, late Speaker

379 Debate on Sir Hugh Pallifer's appointment to the Government of Greenwich Hofpital

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on the Mutiny Bill

ib.

433 518, 522 434

on Eaft-India Affairs Copies of Eaft-India Petitions 458 Account of the Sums laid out on the Extra of the Navy from Dec. 1779 to Dec. 1780 Debate refpecting the non-attendant Members

&c.

472

480 482

Debate on Mr. Burke's bill
Abstract of a Bill for uniting Wales,
499
Debate on the first reading of Mr.
Burke's bill
507

on the Motion for an Account of the Number and Force of Admiral Darby's Squadron to be laid before the Houfe 509

on the Ilchester Petition 520

HISTORY

OF THE

PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES

O F THE

HOUSE of COMMONS,

In the FIRST SESSION of the
Fifteenth Parliament of GREAT BRITAIN,

Appointed to meet at Westminster, on Tuesday, the 31st Day of October 1780.

THE new writs having been made returnable on the 31st of October, 1780, about three hundred members met this day in the rooms adjoining to the House of Commons, and a confiderable number of them having been fworn by the Lord Steward, the King went to the House of Lords about three o'clock, and sent the usher of the black rod to the Commons, commanding their attendance in the House of Lords. When the gentlemen were come to the Lords' bar, the Lord Chancellor [Lord Thurlow] faid to them, "His Majefty has been pleased to command me to acquaint you, that he will defer declaring the caufes of calling this Parliament until there fhall be a Speaker of the House of ComAnd therefore it is His Majefty's pleasure, that you, gentlemen of the House of Commons, do immediately repair to the place were the Commons ufually fit, and there chufe a fit perfon to be your speaker; and that you prefent fuch perfon who fhall be so chofen, to his Majefty here, for his royal approbation, to-morrow at two o'clock."*

Accor

* Extract from Elfynge's Antient method and manner of holding Parliaments in England.

After relating the form ufed in chufing a speaker (which is the fame as that observed at present) he says,

"Here may be two questions moved :

"1. Whether the Commons might chufe their speaker if the King commands them not ?

VOL. XVIII.

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"2. Whether

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Accordingly the Commons returned to their own House, and Mr. Hatfell, one of the clerks of Parliament, having taken his feat at the table, and the members who were fworn having taken their feats in their turns,

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66 2. Whether the election be in their own abfolute choice? "For to clear thefe two, we might view the antient records; those of Richard II. are the first that mention their fpeaker.

"It doth not appear by any of them, that the Commons had ever any fuch commandment to chuse their speaker, neither is a word of it in any record of Edward III. which have the speeches at large, touching the fummons, most of them concluding with a charge of the Commons to confider and advise amongst themselves, but nothing touching the election of a speaker.

"Yet out of doubt they did first chufe their speaker, before they entered into any debate of charge.

"The first charge to chufe their speaker, is in anno 2, Henry IV. and it is continued until this day.

"But as touching the fecond queftion, furely the election of the fpeaker was antiently free to the Commons, to chufe whom they would of their own Houfe; which appears in this, that the King never rejected any whom they made choice of."

Thus far Elfynge.

Had Mr. Elfynge lived until the year 1678, he would have struck out his last affertion, viz. "that the King never rejected any whom they made choice of." In the parliamentary books and papers of the year 1678, there appears to have been a strong debate, on the King rejecting a speaker chofen by the Commons.

A new parliament met on the 6th of March, 1678, and the Commons being (in the usual manner) commanded by the King to chufe a fpeaker, they returned from the House of Lords to their own House, when Colonel Birch rose, and recommended the right honourable Edward Seymour (who was speaker of the last parliament) for his great ability and long experience in the employment, as the fittest person for fo great a trust.

66

The motion was agreed to, and Sir Edward Seymour was prefented for his Majesty's approbation. As foon as he was at the Lords' bar, the Lord Chancellor faid to him, "That if His Majesty should always accept a perfon pitched upon by the Houfe of Commons, "then it would be no great favour to be chofen fpeaker; and there"fore His Majefty being the best judge of perfons and things, thought "fit to except against Mr. Seymour without giving any reafons to "the perfons chufing, or the person chosen." And therefore he ordered them to fix upon fome other perfon by to-morrow morning, to be prefented to the King for his approbation.

The Commons returned to their own House, when Sir John Ernley, chancellor of the exchequer, ftood up and acquainted them, “He had orders from His Majefty to recommend Sir Thomas Meers to them to be their speaker.”

Mr.

Germain.

Lord George Germain rose, and addreffed himself to Mr. L. Georgs Hatfel, faid the bufinefs firft to be proceeded upon, was that which His Majefty had been pleafed to direct, which was the choice of a speaker. His Lordship then defcanted for a short time on the duties of a fpeaker, and the neceffary qualifications for executing the office. He faid, to be capable of filling the chair with dignity, the perfon propofed muft understand the conftitution of the ftate, be well aquainted with the law of

Mr. Sacheverel said it was never known that a perfon fhould be excepted against, and no reafon given. It is done to gratify fome ticular perfon.

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Mr. Williams. This feems to be a question of right. For above an hundred years paft it has not been known that any speaker was ever excepted against. The thing itself of prefenting him to the King is but a bare compliment. If we fuffer this, we shall be put upon daily.

Sir Thomas Clarges. There were parliaments long before there were fpeakers chofen; and afterwards, for the eafe of the Houfe, among themselves they pitched upon a speaker.

Mr. Garraway. If you admit this, you would admit any thing! If Mr. Seymour be rejected from being speaker, pray who muft chufe the speaker, the King or us? It is plain, not us,

Sir Thomas Lee. To except against a speaker without giving a reason, is to do a thing that may fet us together by the ears; and then they [meaning those who advise the King to reject the fpeaker] have their defigned end. But I fhall not confent to part with the least right that belongs to my country, for which I am chofen a representative. Colonel Birch. He that advised this will readily advise more, I'll warrant you.

Mr. Powle. This ill advice must proceed from fome who are too near the King. But I hope there is not a man here fearful of speaking his mind freely, in favour of those whom he reprefents, nor yet afraid of being deffolved, if it be to-morrow, for maintaining the right of those who chufe us to fit here for them.

The Houfe adjourned till next day, and prefented a reprefentation to the King, fetting forth their right to a free election of a speaker, and hoped His Majefty would accept of the choice they had before 'made. The King answered, "All this is but lofs of time; and "therefore I defire you to go back again, and do as I have directed "you." They prefented a fecond addrefs fhorter but sharper than the first. Upon reading this addrefs, the King faid, "Gentlemen, I "will fend you an answer to-morrow." Accordingly, as he had often done before upon great difficulties, he refolved to put an end to the difpute; and on the next morning Thursday the 13th of March, he came to the Houfe of Peers, and prorogued the Parliament until the Saturday following. Thus ended the firft feffion of the new Parliament; and thus the King found a way to gain his point; for on the 15th of March, being the first day of the second feffion, William Gregory, Efq. ferjeant at law, was chofen fpeaker.

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