Prices of Grain.- Meteorological Diary of the Weather.-Bill of Mortality. AVERAGE PRICES of CORN, from Dec. 11, to Dec. 15, 1780, Wheat Rye Barley Oats Beans COUNTIES INLAND. Huntingdon 5 95 COUNTIES upon the COAST. Rutland Chethire Ich. Woodhoufe, Sutton Coldfield, War Rwickshire, maltter. Tho. Staton, Crooked-lane, Lond. gunmak. James Hall, of Hunflet, Yorksh. butcher. merchant. Tho. Sanfbury, Calthorp, Oxfordfh. baker. Geo. Slack, High Ireby, Cumberl. drover. Jas. Buckham, Wooler, Northumberland, druggift and apothecary. Sam. Rutter, jun. Red-lion-ftr. Clerkenwell, carcafe-butcher. Tho. Attley, Newcaâle upon Tyne, sugarrefiner. Tho. Daniell and John Wall, Foster-lane, Lond. working-goldsmiths. Holloway Brecknock, of Aldgate, London, linen-draper. Rich. Hilditch, Newnham, Glouc. merch. John Fletcher, New Broad-frect, Lond. infurer. Edw. James, Wrexham,,Denbighsh. merch. Chriftened. Males Females 709 Ifaac Gibfon, of Egremont, butcher. tanner. Rob. Anfell, Edward-ftr. St. Mary le Bone, carver. Jas. Clarke, Scarborough, Yorksh. mariner. John Barber, Wedington, Warw. miner. Roger Crompton, of Manchefter, and Elias Crompton, Lawrence-lane, Lond. dealers. Geo.Sowden,Ratcliff-row,Midd.coal-dealer. John Wefton, of High-freet, Southwark, glafs-feller. Jas. Geo. Snowdon, Holles-ftr. Hanoverfqu. ftone-mafon. Stanford Halford, Hendfworth, Staffordsh. horfe-dealer. Rob. Richardfon, Fulham, Midd, innholder. Fra. Williams, Shoreditch, Midd, innholder. Jas. Chrifimas, Guildford, Surrey, grocer. Fra. Byrne and John Jordan, Clement's-la. Lond. merchants. Jas. Badnall and Hen. Yeomans, of Leek, Rich. Coleman, Ludlow, Shropfh. maltter. Cha. Phillips, Warminster, Wilts, draper. Bill of Mortality from Nov. 28, to Dec. 19, 1780. 753 21462 Baried. Whereof have died under two years old 492 Peck Loaf 2s. 7d. felf; and it gave him great fatisfaction to find, that a bill for conftituting a commiffion of accounts was in contemplation, by which he hoped fome method would be devifed for faciliAtating not only the paffing the accounts at the exchequer, but for compelling the payment of the balances. Debate previous to the fecond Reading of Mr. Burke's Bill, Jee p. 505.6. REVIOUS to the reading the title of the bill, Mr. R--by rofe, and repeated what he had for merly faid, that there were fome This was the part of the bill proparts of the bill of pofed which he approved of; and what which he highly approved, and others B he difapproved of was the interference which he could by no means give his of parliament in the expenditure of affent to. He approved of that part the civil lift. He faid, he had drawn of the bill which had reference to the up a motion on this fubject, which reformation of receiving, auditing the expreffed fully his own ideas, and accounts, and iffuing the monies at meant to move it if he had not been the exchequer; after which he fpoke precluded by that of Ld G. G-rd-h of his own particular office, the ac- (fee p. 504.); but he would thus far counts in which were not paffed fo freely contefs, that he ever thought, early as might be wished for, owing and ever fhould do, that the civil lift folely to the prefent dilatory method of revenue was as much his Majesty's as accounting at the exchequer, a bur-Dany eftate enjoyed by any perfon preden he faid which lay heavy upon his mind; for nothing was more painful than to lie under imputations, the ground of which it was not in bis power to remedy. E fent, which was determinable. The civil revenue was fettled on his Majelly on his acceffion for life, his intereft in which no power on earth could deprive him of without manifelt injuftice. Mr. 7-1-ffe highly approved of the doctrine laid down in the propofition fuggefted by the right hon. gentleman, but was always averie to He inftanced the cafe of a noble lord, who, about the time he came into office, was called the grand defaulter of unaccounted millions [Ld H--d]. He made it his bufinels to enquire into the caufe of the gene-meeting, abftract questions. ral outcry, and after confulting two Ld C-d-fb could not hear withperfons perfectly acquainted with the out indignation gentlemen maintain bufinefs, and of high integrity and that parliament had no controuling abilities [the deputy paymasters], he power (ver the civil lift revenue; if found that the charge was totally un- that doctrine was true, the people of founded, and that the fault was not histhis country were all flaves; there was G lordship's, but arofe, as has been faid, an eflential diftinction between private from delay elsewhere. He now food property and that fpecies of interest partly in the fame predicament him perions enjoying public emoluments had in their revenues; men held pri- fore any one claufe in the bill could vate property for themfelves alone, be taken into confideration. If it places of truf and profit for the good should be determined in the affirmaof the late; the rule held throughout tive, that parliament had not a right from the smallest and meanest to the to interfere, to reform, arrange, and, moft lucrative and great; it was a con- if neceflary, to refume the grants they dition, from which the tenure of the A had made to the crown for public purcrown itself was not exempt. The pofes; in fhort, to fee to the proper immenfe revenue of the crown may by application to the monies they had minifters be employed to good or bad granted; there was at once an end of purposes; if to the latter, who has the the liberties of this country. Give power to reform the abuses? Will any princes and their minifters the excluone maintain that parliament has no B five right of difpofing of fo confiderfich power? And if it has the power, able a part of the treafures of the nation it implies a moft glaring abfurdity to without controul or without account, fay, that it has the power to reform, and our liberties from that inftant and not the power to enquire, into would be gone for ever: that this was the abufe to be reformed, whether real an abftract queftion, and therefore inor fuppofed. I would defire to know C proper for difcuffion, he denied. The from any gentleman who hears me, propofition, as connected with the bill, whether, though the civil lift revenue was no abftract question; because it was granted in the grofs, it was not amounted to a direct and specific defuppofed to be granted for particular nial of its principal, which was a thopurpofes or fpecific fervices? If fo, if rough reform in the whole of the civil any of thole purposes are found to be Dlift expenditure; and goes to a full of no further ufe, or if unneceffary answer to the petitioners, and a deoffices have been created, where is the cided opinion on the subject matter of injuftice to abolish them? the petitions themselves. What you Mr. F-x thanked the right hon. feck, gentlemen, is improper in itself; gentleman who moved the question, no fuch reform is neceflary, or if it for the opportunity it afforded to both E be, it is not in our power to give you parties to come to iffue; it would fpare any relief. much time and infinite trouble; it Ld B-ch-p in a fhort reply faid, militated directly against the bill on the propofition fuggested by the right the table; for certainly if that Houfe hon. gentleman did not go the length was not competent to enquire into or which the hon. gentleman has reprecontroul the civil lift expenditure, the F fented; that, without proof of fome bill was founded in the moft glaring abufe, it would be unjuft to interfere injuftice; but when he gave credit for in the expenditure of the civil lift; the direct open manner in which the, that it did not involve in it a denial of hon. gent, who fuggetted the propofi- the right to reform abufes; but it af tion had fupported his opinions, he muft ferted, that there ought to be a proof confefs, that it involved doctrines of of the abufe previous to the interfea moft alarming nature, and appeared rence. This, he contended, was fupto him to be utterly fubverfive or the ported by the conftitution, taking the first principles of the conftitution. right in the ftrongest manner to exift; He therefore fincerely hoped, that be and it would be expected from that fore the Houfe proceeded further, they fide of the Houfe, that the office of would confent to let in the propotition fecretary of state should be fhewn to be of the hon. gentleman, and proceed to H ufelels, before the Houfe could condifcufs it, for it would be equally nu- fent to its abolition. gatory and ridiculous to go into the committee on the bill till the fenfe of the Houfe were taken upon that queltion. It must be firft got rid of be Gen. C--y obferved, that the propofition fuggefted by the right hon. gentieman was of infinite confequence; and, in his opinion, thound procede precede all further difcuffion either ed that right when an occafion offered, upon the principle or provifions of the then moft clearly every object of their bill. It would clear the way, to the meeting and deliberating was at an full and fair confideration of its feveral end; from the representatives of the parts; otherwife it would ftand in the people, they were no longer the fer way like a locked door, or a bar of vants of the public who had fent them iron, to fhut out or prevent every ar- A there; but the corrupt or fervile tools gument but that of the principle of of thofe who paid and rewarded them the bill itfelf; and would continue to for their treachery or neglect of duty." prefent one of the most idle and ridi- Mr. D-nn-g confidered the civil culous of all conceivable fcenes, a lift revenue as involving in it a truft grave and respectable affembly de- fubject like every other fpecies of troft bating upon the propriety of a mea. B to examination if this truft is faithfully fure, which they denied, or at leaft re- difcharged or not, which it would be fufed to acknowledge, that they were impoffible to determine, without encompetent to confider or difcufs. quiring into the expenditure; and e The Attor. Gen. owned, that he was qually impoffible to enquire to any averse to the difcuffion of the question, good purpofes, if the power to enquire for he could fairly declare, that if it C was not accompanied by a power of fhould be put, he did not know whe- controul. To talk, therefore, of the ther he could give it a negative or an injuftice of enquiry without previ 'affirmative. oufly proving fame abufe, was, in his opinion, as ridiculous as to say that a man ought to be punished for the comDmiffion of a crime, but that it would be unjust to try him till you had proved his guilt. He feemed to dobbr, whether the right hon. gentleman wished to have the fenfe of the Houfe taken upon his question. Mr. B-ke begged it might be determined upon, before the Houfe went into a committee upon the bill. The prefent doctrine, fhould it be adopted, went equally to the defeating every part of the bill, as well as thofe provifions which the noble lord in the blue ribbon had avowed his public difapprobation of. E The refolving, however, that that Houfe was incompetent to enquire or 'controul the expenditure of the civil lift revenue, would not, though it might be intended to effect it, destroy the liberties of Britain. The people must do what parliament had refufed, or rather what they were refolved not to do, or had declared themfelves incompetent to effect; but he trufted that health would follow. The prerogatives of the crown, the highest and molt tranfcendant part of its power, were created, and ought of courfe to be exercited, for the benefit of the people, who created and conferred thein. Every right, therefore, his Majetty enjoyed, as fovereign, was a delegated right, and confequently fubject to examination, correction, and cont. It was particularly of the very effence of that Houle to enquire, to regulate, and controul; and whenever it waved, concealed, or fufpend Mr. R-by faid, whatever doubts the learned gentleman might entertain of his wifh to bring his propofition before the Houfe in the fhape of a motion, he had none himself; for he could fairly declare, that as he would F not be bullied by one fide of the Houfe, fo he was refolved not to be cajoled or flattered out of it by the other. Mr. Msfid, who concluded the debute, was clearly of opinion, that the civil lift revenue, being an investment G made for the good of the nation, and applicable in particular to the maintenance of the dignity and fplendor of the crown, ho diminution could be made which would not prove injurious to the people. About nine o'clock H the question for discharging the orders of the day was put, when the Hoûte divided, Ayes 205, Noes 199. Γ Mr. R-by himself was the only minifterial member who voted in the minority; upwards of 16 members, me most of them nearly connected to him, having voted for the order of the day As foon as the members returned to the Houfe, it refolved it clf into a committee on Mr. Burke's bill, and Mr. Elwes was called to the chair. When the chairman came to the words in the first claufe, for abolishing the office commonly called or known by the name of third fecretary of State or fecretary of state to the colonies, Ld B-cb-p role, and made a long fpeech in favour of the office, and against the clause. C fluence of the crown by abolishing necure places, and applying the favings to be made to the exigencies of the ftate. The first great confideration then was, the leffening the influence of the A crown, which had enormously increafed of late years, and particularly to fince the acceffion of his prefent Majesty; hence the great fource of all our prefent evils. Stop up or cut off that great fource, and every part of the political machine would perform its wouted functions in its ufual manHe maintained very broadly and ner. This was the great object, as he roundly, that that Houfe had no right obferved before. How was this to be to interfere in the expenditure of the effected? By abolishing the means of King's civil lift revenue, upon any that influence; by abolishing the eftaother ground than that of grofs atufebiifhments that created it. The prepreviously proved; and even then,fent, circumftances of this country confiftent with the special pofitive and made it likewife neceflary to approvefted rights accruing from a legifla- priate the annual fums thus lavished in tive act, he doubted mach, though it effecting improper purposes, to very might be legal, whether it would be proper purposes, in his opinion, the conftitutionally legal, to take from the relieving the people of part of their crown by act of parliament what clear D burdens, which the very influence ly belonged to it. Most certainly, if complained of had been inftrumental abufes were proved, it was comperent in impofing. This, in his opinion, to that Houfe to point out to their fo- contained an abstract of the whole fubvereign the proper mode of removing ject, and with the permiffion of the and correcting them; but, in his opi- committee he fhould flightly touch on nion, that mode was not by paffing a E each of thofe heads. law of retumption, which fhould never be refor ed to in any given instance but in that of the laft neceffity, when every other means had been tried, and had been unfuccefsful; that it would give rife to a moft dangerous and alarming precedent, as it would go to establish this maxim, that the legiflature were the only proper judges of the detailed exercife of the executive power. The principle would affect every establishment already made, or which might be hereafter made; in fhort, it would divest the crown of one of its most valuable rights and prerogatives, that of difcharging the duties vefted in it by the conftitution, the right of judgement in what manner thofe duties could moft faithfully and effectually be difcharged. Mr. T. Tad obferved, that the prefent bill had two objects in view, the reduction or the letlening the in Great ftrefs has been laid on the generofity of the crown on his present taefty's acceffion, by giving up the civil lift revenues or duties, and taking in lieu thereof the flated fum of F 800.000l. per annum. This was a plaufible argument, but is easily refuted. During the whole reign of the late king, he never came to parliament for alliitance but once; and that immediately after a most dangerous Gand alarming rebellion, carried from the extremity of the ifland into the very bowels of the kingdom. His Majefty, after reigning twenty years, defired no more than 450,000l., not as a free grant or gratuity, but merely as Ha loan, for payment of which Mr. Pelham, the minifter of the day, propofed that the civil lift revennes fhould be mortgaged. Such was the conduct of the minifters of the late king; his majefty never afterwards came to par liament |