out of it: he meant the commiffion by which the chief justice of the King's Bench fat as Speaker of the Houfe of Lords. He knew that this commiffion was not a new one, but of long date; but ftill it appeared to him to be a mode of reward dependent on the will and pleasure of the crown, and there fore in oppofition to the defign of having the falaries of judges fixed and afcertained.

As he was on this fubject, he begged leave to mention another matter, which, though not immediately connected with the motion he fhould then propose, would at fome other opportunity well de ferve their confideration: he meant the impropriety of judges fitting at all in that Houfe. He did not wish that the highest honours of the kingdom fhould not be open to that profeffion, but that whilft peers fat on the bench as judges, they fhould abftain from exerciting their privileges of voting in that houfe. So long as they fat there they were neceffarily legiflators, and almost unavoidably became politicians; characters, which, in the opinion of the best writers on civil government, were utterly inconfiftent with that of a judge.

Another reason why he thought the lord chancellor, lords commiffioners, and lords chief juftices, ought not to vote in that Houfe, was, that by this means, they were obliged to fit on their judgments and decrees, and as it were to try themselves. He faid, he had often heard it boafted, that Lord Hardwicke never had one of his decrees reverfed, whilst he fat on the wool. fack. This he had always confidered as no compliment to that learned peer, and as a fact that

proved too much. Did their lordhips think Lord Hardwicke fo infallible, that during the great length of time he prefided in the Court of Chancery he had never given an erroneous judgment? Or mult they not rather concur in opinion with him, that the true reafon why none of his decrees were reverfed was, the great influence a lord chancellor of Lord Hardwicke's abilities muft always poffefs in that house ?

In fupport of this opinion he defired their lordships to remember, that when Mr. Henley fat there as lord keeper, he had the misfortune to have feveral of his decrees reverfed; but when he became Lord Northington, and was created a peer, having an opportunity of talking a little to their lordships about his decrees, no more reverfals were heard of. In all cafes of appeal, their lordships well knew, it was for the moft part customary to leave the judgment to the law lords; the impropriety therefore of their trying over again the causes themselves had adjudged, needed, he thought, no farther argument.

The motion being objected to as throwing a direct cenfure on the late appointment of commiffioners, it was withdrawn, and the following fubftituted instead, "That a "committee be appointed to take "into confideration the indepen"dency of the judges; and fuch farther regulations as may be proper for fecuring the fame." After fome debate, in which Lord Loughborough replied to the Duke of Richmond, in a speech, faid to have been one of the moft eloquent ever delivered in parlia ment, the previous queftion was

"

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the finances neglected, the military eftablishments unreduced, and the negotiations with foreign powers, which the critical conjuncture of affairs rendered peculiarly important, entirely at a stand.

Various causes were affigned for the extraordinary delay in the appointment of a new administration. Those who wished to fhift all blante from the court, alledged, that the chief obfiącle arofe from the mutual jealoufy which ftill fubfifted between the newly-allied parties, and the difficulties they found in adjufting their feveral pretenfions. Others have fuppofed, that the interval was employed in private intrigues with the individuals of different parties, and in an attempt to forman adminiftration independent of the great leading connections.Others again did not hesitate to affert, that on the failure of this attempt, the influence poffeffed by the lord high chancellor; whofe difmiflion was a point infifted on by the coalition, was the principal cause that retarded the new arrangement. Whether any, or which of thefe caufes, really operated, we cannot venture to pronounce. We give them as topics of public converfation at the time, and as matters frequently alluded to in the debates in parliament.

On the 6th of March, an addrefs was ordered to be prefented to his Majefty, to befeech his Majefty, "that the fame reftrictions might be obferved in respect to any penfion he might be advifed "to grant antecedent to the fifth day of April following, as, by an "act of the laft feffion, are thence"forth ftrictly and abfolutely pre"fcribed."

In the converfation that took place on this motion, it was fire

nuously urged on one fide, that though, for reafons which were deemed fufficient at the time, the operation of the act had been postponed till the 5th April 1783; yet it was generally understood, that the fpirit of the act was binding on the King's minifters from the day on which it was brought into the houfe; and that the noble marquis, under whofe administration it paffed, had declared this to have been his opinion. The chancellor of the exchequer was therefore called on to inform the House whether there was any foundation for the rumour which prevailed, and on which the motion had been grounded, that a great variety of penfions had been lately granted to a very confiderable amount.

In answer to this queftion, the minifter first obferved, that he could not subscribe to the doctrine he had just heard; that the spirit of the act was binding on him before the time fixed by the exprefs letter of the law. The object of the act was to take away a power, which the crown had otherwise an undoubted legal right to exercife; but by limiting its reftrictive operation to a future fixed period, the fpirit of the law rather tended to fanction the intermediate exercise of that power. He then entered

into a detail and vindication of the different penfions that had been lately, or were then in the course of being granted.

The firft, he faid, was a penfion of 3000l. to the lord chancellor, to whom a grant in reverfion had alío been given of a tellership of the exchequer, in confequence of a. former promife given him by the King The propriety of making a permanent provifion for this great law officer had been at all times fo

univer

putation of peace and war, the refpective falaries would be reduced about one half.

A claufe was afterwards brought up, "to exempt the cafe of Edward "Lord Thurlow from the opera❝tion of the bill; his Majefty hav"ing, in the year 1778, promifed "to the faid Lord Thurlow, on "his accepting the office of lord "high chancellor, a reverfion of a "tellership of the exchequer, in as "large and beneficial a manner as tellerships were then enjoyed.” This clause caused some debate. The provifion made for that noble lord was contrafted with the cafe of Lord Camden, who had retired on a penfion of only 1,500l. a year, with the fame promife of a tellerfhip. The extraordinary penfion of 2,6801. granted to the former, ought therefore to be confidered as a compenfation for the curtailed ftate in which he was to receive the tellership. It was alfo remarked, that the late chancellor of the exchequer, when defending that penfion in the Houfe, had urged as his principal argument, the generous conduct of Lord Thurlow, in having, unlike his predeceffors, made no ftipulation whatever on his accepting the feals. To record, therefore, the whole ground of the propofed exemption, the claufe, it was faid, ought to have run thus," whereas Edward Lord Thurlow has a penfion of 2,6801. a year, because he nobly di dained to make any ftipulation on

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his becoming chancellor; and whereas it is fit he fhould have the reverfion of a tellership of the exchequer in as beneficial a manner as it had heretofore been enjoyed, because he bargained for the fame before he would take the feals; therefore be it enacted, &c." A length the claufe, as firft moved, was agreed to without a divifion; but on the report, three days afterwards, it was rejected by a majority of 57 to 49.

July 16th.

∙1783.

On the 16th, the sesfion was closed with the ufual formalities, by a fpeech from the throne, in which, befides the common topics, both Houfes were acquainted that the exigencies of the public fervice might require their being called together again at an early period.

Before we conclude this part of our work, it may be neceffary to add, that the state of the affairs of the Eaft India Company continued during the whole feffion to be the object of unremitted investigation in the two committees appointed for that purpofe; but that the unfettled ftate of government prevented any effectual measures from being taken in confequence of their reports. The celebrated bill which was brought in by the new minifters at the beginning of the enfuing feffion will afford us an opportunity of giving a retrospective view of the whole of the parliamentary proceedings relative those vaft and important objects.

to

CHRO.

JANUARY. Utrecht, Dec. 27, 1782.

TH

HE ftates general of Holland published a placart, in which they offered a reward of 1000 golden ryders (about 12000 guineas) to any one, even an accomplice,, who would difcover the author or authors of a libel, intituled, The true Caufe of the Decline of that Republic, in a letter found between Utrecht and Amersfort, in which the Princefs of Orange in particular was very much vilified; the fame placart forbad the reprinting of the faid libel on pain of paying a fine of 6000 florins (about 5401.)

January 8th, 1783. A chapter of the Bath was held at St. James's, when General Grey was invefted with the infignia of that order.

The bank of Scotland 10th. offered 4000l. for twelve months, free of intereft, to the magiftrates of Aberdeen, to purchase corn for the relief of the poor; and 1000l. for the charity workhouse at Stirling.

St. James's, 11th. The king fignified his pleasure to the lords commiffioners of the Admiralty, VOL. XXVI,

that the uniform clothing worn by the flag officers of his majefty's fleet, fhould be altered in the manner mentioned at the foot hereof ;and that commodores having captains under them, the firft captain to the admiral of the fleet, and firft captains to admirals commanding in chief fquadrons of zo fail of the line or more, thall be diftinguished by wearing the fame frock uniform as rear-admirals.

Such flag officers, however, as were provided with the uniforms were permitted to wear the fame till the end of the present year. UNIFORMS of the Flag Officers of his Majefty's Fleet to be here. after as follows:

tdinburgh. Jan. 13th. The directors of the Royal Bank made offer to the magiftrates of 5000 1. fterling, free of intereft for 12 months, for the purpose of purchafing corn for the relief of the poor.

Hague, Jan. 15th. The three regiments, known by the name of the Scotch brigade, were actually under the command of the ational troops of Utrecht. The officers had fix weeks given them to confider of a new oath, but the colonels commandant demanded longer time. About fifty officers retired from that fervice, viz. fix or eight field officers, twelve captains, and thirty fubalterns. These gallant veterans did not think it confiftent with their honour as British subjects, to take the new oath lately ordered to be impofed, which was virtually to make them abjure their native country. Several of them arrived in Briftol, fully trufting to the refolution of the British cabinet council, who refolved, that they fhould te

tion.

The commanders of the three Scots regiments in the Dutch fervice, generals Houfton, Stewart, and Dundas, were to enjoy their pay during life, without being obliged to fubfcribe the oath, or do any duty on account of their long and meritorious services. The feffions began at the Old-Bailey.

15th.

Daniel M'Ginnis was tried for the wilful murder 17th. of John Hardy, hatter, in New. gate-fireet, where Mr. M'Ginnis lodged, by ftabbing him in the left breaft, with a thort tuck, or bayonet, which entered his heart. This unhapppy accident was occafioned by fome water thrown out of Mr. McGinnis's window, on Mr. Hardy's fky-light, who going up ftairs to remonttrate with Mr. M'Ginnis, words arofe, which proceeded to this fatal extremity. Mr. M'Ginnis had a moft excellent character given him as a quiet, harmless, inoffenfive, and humane perfon, by gentlemen of great rank.