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Thornton, Mr. M. A. Taylor, and others took part; after

which a division ensued,

For receiving the clause - 90

Againfl it - - - 7

Majority 83

Air. Dent moved, that there should be laid on the table a copy of the minutes of the Committee appointed to inquire into the abuses of franking in the public offices.—Ordered.

Air. Ryder gave notice that he should the next day move for leave to bring in a Bill granting certain relies to Woolcombers,. &c.


Mr. Anjlruther solicitor General to his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, as Duke of Cornwall) acquainted the .House, that the Prince of Wales, while the question relative to his establishment was under the consideration of the House of Commons, had thought the proper conduct for him to observe was, to avoid expressing any opinion or wish upon the subject; fully sensible that the liberality and wisdom of Parliament would make such arrangements, as- should be best suited to the situation of his affairs, the dignity of the Royal' Family, and the interest of the Public. But having understood, that it was the desire of many respeiiable persons that his wishes and opinions upon the subject should be known, his Royal Highness had authorised him to assure the House, that he is extremely desirous that such regulations may be adopted, as to the wisdom of Parliament shall seem most expedient and advisable, for the purpose of establishing order and regularity in the expenditure of his income, and to prevent the incurring of debt in future. And at the fame time, his Royal Highness had authorised him further to express his earnest desire, that the House will appropiiate such part of the income which they may intend to allot to him, to the liquidation of the debts with wluch he is embarrassed, as, under all the present circumstances, shall seem to the wisdom and . prudence of the House moll expedient and advisable; sully sensible that however large that appropriation may be, the House will be guided solely by the consideration of what shall appear to them the molt conducive to his honour, and the interest of the Public.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer said, that in consequence of the communication which had just been made to the House, he rose with sentiments of much less anxiety and much greitsi 1 iatissatisfaction than he had experienced in any former part of this transaction. In bringing forward this business, which he had reason to hope would have been in itself highly satisfactory, but which peculiar circumstances had rendered extremely painful, he had not however been without some degree of consolation. He had satisfaction in contemplating the principles which had given rife to the difficulties attendant on the transaction. He observed wish pleasure, that a Parliament which had never failed in any expression of loyalty to their Sovereign, or attachment to his family, which had never been wanting in discovering a proper spirit of liberality, when the occasion called for it, had no less in the present instance shewn a degree of jealousy, care, and circumspection, when a demand was made upon the pockets of their constituents, attended with some circumstances which they could not altogether approve. He had no less satisfaction in observing that the Illustrious Personage himself was impressed with a just fense of that line of conduct, which regard to his character and situation required him to pursue, and he trusted that the House had that day received an earnest of the suture dispositions of his Hoyal Highness, and of that regard to the welfare of the people, which would distinguish him in the exalted situation to which he one day might be called. • Under that impression, he hoped that there would be little difference os opinion as to the proposition which he should submit to the House. The instruction which he meant to move went precisely to the two objects to which his Hon. and Learned Friend had referred in the communication from his Royal Highness—the regulation of the expenditure of his house-, hold, and the appropriation of part of the income for the discharge of debt. It was certainly satisfactory to the House, to know that his Royal Highness was perfectly disposed to concur in whatever arrangements the wisdom of Parliament might adopt with respect to these two objects. He hoped, that by this communication every difficulty would be considerably lessened, though it might not perhaps be entirely removed, as some Members, however disposed to support the credit and dignity of the Prince by the grant of a proper establishment, had expressed their opinion that no notice ought to'be taken of the debts at all.

The question, he would remark at present, was not, what part of the income should be appropriated to the payment of debt, nor did the instruction he had now to propose go so much as to narrow the amount even of the largest sum that had been suggested for that purpose. The only question was,

3 C 2 whether public life fortified against future error, and qualified for the important duties of that high station which he may one day be called upon to fill."

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Mr. Curiven expressed his satisfaction at the message which had been received from his Royal Highness, and which he conceived would produce the most favourable impression in the country. He hoped that it would prove on the part of the Prince an earnest of his future attention to the happiness of the country, which was so essentially connected with his own interest. He remarked the cruelty that would be attached to> the situation of his illustrious Consort, if, by a refusal of that House to make any provision forthe debts, she W.is lest exposed to the taunts and insults of creditors. He wished that his Royal Highness might be put in a situation to obtain respect, and to deserve it; he had therefore voted for the larger income with a view to the application of a considerable part of it to the discharge of the debts. He regretted that the House had as yet received no communication on the subject from his Majesty, whom both from his paternal relation to the Illustrious Parsonage, whose situation was the object of discussion, and from the still higher character in which he stood as father of the country, he had expected, would have come forward on the occasion, to promote the ease, the comfort, the splendour, and the happiness of his son. He had hoped that he would have clone something, and something considerable, in the way of extricating the Prince from his difficulties. As the business now stood, even if the larger sum should be applied (sixty-five thousand pounds, and the revenues of the Dutchy of Cornwall), it would require a period of ten years before the whole •debt could be liquidated; during all this time the creditors of his Royal Hi briefs must remain under a degree of constraint and embarrassment,

Mr. Grey said, that though he had undoubtedly a claim ta the most candid interpretation of his motives, he was happy that in the part which his duty fliould compel him to take in the present discussion, he had Ijeen preceded by a respectable Gentleman (Mr. Duncombe) on the other side of the House. 'Every person must concur in the satisfaction which had been expressed at the message delivered by the authority of his Royal Highness. He was happy to receive it, not ac a measure taken upon the spur of the occasion, but as the sincere express sion of his feelings, witl. respect to the House; he wished indeed that the whole grace of the transaction had belonged to his Royal Highness; that it had not previously been suggested from any other quarter; that ministers had first come


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