mind, in which the French conftitution had been once extolled as a monument of wisdom and virtue. The calamities, distress, and miferies which had overwhelmed that fabric of wisdom and virtue, if they were infufficient to wipe away the right honourable gentleman's admiration, his own expreffions would most effectually remove every idea of veneration for fuch a fabric.

He (Mr. Fox) had faid enough to fatisfy his friends, and to conciliate his enemies. He acquicfced, on his part, in the affertions of the right honourable gentleman, and would no longer confider fuch expreffions imputable to him.

Mr. FOX, in reply, remarked, that the right honourable Secretary at War had fallen into the fame error which Mr. Burke had done before, in a publication which muft ever be read, and which that gentleman had afterwards retracted.

Mr. Chancellor PITT moved, That a Committee he appointed to draw up an addrefs, to be prefented to His Majefty; And a Committee was appointed accordingly.

Ordered, That His Majesty's most gracious Speech to both Houfes of Parliament be referred to the faid Committee.

A meffage from the Lords, by Mr. Holford and Mr. Smith; that the Lords do defire a prefent conference with this Houfe, in the Painted Chamber, upon a subject materially affecting the fafety of His Majefty's perfon, and the honour and dignity of Parliament.

And then the meffengers withdrew.

Refolved, That this Houfe doth agree to a conference with the Lords, as is defired by their Lordships.

And the meffengers were again called in; and Mr. SPEAKER acquainted them therewith.

And then the meffengers again withdrew.

Ordered, That a Committee be appointed to manage the faid conference.

And a Committee was appointed accordingly, confifting of the following gentlemen:

Then the names of the Managers were called over; and they

went to the conference.

And being returned,

Mr. Secretary DUNDAS reported, that the Managers had met the Lords at the conference, which was managed on the part of the Lords by the Lord Prefident of the Council; and that the conference was to acquaint this Houfe, that the Lords, having been informed of feveral daring outrages offered to His Majesty's facred perfon, this day, in his paffage to and from the Parliament, had taken the fame into confideration, and, having examined feveral witnesses relative to the fame, had agreed to an address to be prefented to His Majefty thereupon, to which address the Lords defire the concurrence of this Houfe; and, that the Lords had also communicated to the Managers, at the conference, the names of the feveral witnesses who had been examined.

Mr. SPEAKER obferved, that before the Houfe proceeded farther, it was neceffary to mention that there were two modes of proceeding, either of which might be adopted, and which was neceffary, before they proceeded farther. The firft was to hear, evidence at their own bar; the other was, the adopting of that which was given in at their Lordships' bar.

Mr. Chancellor PITT moved, that the most fpecdy method be taken, which was the adopting of the evidence already taken.

Ordered, That a meffage be fent to the Lords, to request of their Lordships, that they will be pleased to communicate to this Houfe a copy of the minutes of the evidence of the feveral witnetles who were examined by their Lordships, and a list of whofe names were delivered by the Lords to the Commons, this day, at the conference.

Ordered, That the Earl of MORNINGTON do carry the faid meffage.

The Earl of MORNINGTON reported to the House, that he had been at the Lords with the meffage, but that the Lords had adjourned.

Mr. Chancellor PITT mentioned his intention of making a motion to-morrow, in a Committee of the whole Houfe, on the ftate and price of corn in this country.

LIST of the GENTLEMEN who compofed the MINORITY in the HOUSE of COMMONS, on the QUESTION of Mr. Fox's AMENDMENT.

Antonie, W. Lee, Efq.

Aubrey, Sir John, Bart.
Baring, Sir F.

Baring, John, Efq.

Bonverie, Edward, Efq.
Burch, J. R. Efq.
Byng, George, Efq.

Church, J. B. Efq.

Coke, H. W. Efq.
Coke, Edward, Efq.
Courtenay, John, Efq.
Crefpigny, T. C. Efq.
Crewe, John, Efq.
Curwen, J. C. Efq.
Dundas, Charles, Efq.
Erikine, Hon. Thomas
Featherstonhaugh, Sir H.
Fitzpatrick, Right Hon. R.
Fletcher, Sir H.
Francis, Philip, Efq.
Fox, Right Hon. C. J.
Folkes, Sir M. B. Bart.
Glover, Richard, Efq.
Hare, James, Efq.
Harcourt, John, Efq.
Harrifon, John, Efq.
Honeywood, Filmer, Efq.
Howard, Henry, Efq.
Huffey, Samuel, Efq.
Jekyl, Jofeph, Efq.
Jervoife, C. Jervoife, Efq.
Kempe, Thomas, Efq.
Long, Samuel, Efq.
Lechmere, Edmund, Efq.

M'Leod, General
Milner, Sir William
North, Dudley, Efq.
Pierfe, Henry, Efq.
Plumer, William, Efq.
Powlett, W. Powlett, Efq.
Rawdon, Hon. John
Ruffell, Lord John
Ruffell, Lord William
Scudamore, John, Efq.
Sheridan, Right Hon. R. B.
Shaw, Cunliffe, Efq.
Smith, William, Efq.
Spencer, Lord Robert
St. John, Hon. St. Andrew
Taylor, Clement, Efq.
Tarleton, General

Thompfon, Thomas, Efq.
Townshend, Lord John
Western, C. C. Efq.
Winnington, Sir Edward
Wyndham, Hon. P. C.
Wilbraham, R. Efq.

TELLERS.

Grey, Charles, Efq.
Whitbread, Samuel, jun. Efq.

Friday, 30th October.

The Earl of DALKEITH brought up the report of the Committee appointed to prepare the address upon His Majeft's Speech, which being read a first and second time, was agreed to, and ordered to be prefented to His Majefty by fuch Members of the House as are of his Majesty's most Honourable Privy Council.

Lord MORNINGTON acquainted the House that he had delivered their meffage at the bar of the Houfe of Lords, and that he was defired by their Lordships to inform the House, that their Lordships will return an answer by meffengers of their own.

Mr. JEKYL rofe to addrefs the House upon a fubject which, in his opinion, called for a ferious and ample investigation. Parliament, he faid, was affembled at a moment big with more important confiderations than perhaps any former period had produced. From the experience which he had of the Minifter's conduct, he was warranted to conclude that it was not a defire to fubmit his meafures to parliamentary difcuffion, or afk the counsel of the House on the emergencies of the occafion, which had induced him to affemble Parliament at fuch an early period of the seafon; but he was reluctantly compelled to the ftep by the exigencies of fervice which called for new fupplies, in order that he might remain in his prefent fituation. But, faid Mr. Jekyl, I demand of him, and I

afk at this Houfe, if he will prefume to adopt, or they will fanction, a mode of raifing money, which is equally novel in itself, and dangerous in its confequences; a mode which, under the old and ruinous defpotifm of France, was recurred to as a defperate extremity by the profligate rulers of that nation? He had feen fictitious notes in circulation, dated at Hamburgh, and payable at four months, and these he understood the government were fending into market, to fetch what value they could bring, no doubt under the difadvantage of very large difcount. If, in addition to all former lavish modes of expenditure which the Minifter had adopted, and the unqualified fanction which Parliament had given to his prodigality, they would not even remonstrate against this destructive and bankrupt fpecies of trade, he warned them of the annihilation of their rights, and perhaps even the extinction of their exiftence.

Mr. Chancellor PITT hoped that the honourable gentleman would contrive fome regular mode of bringing the bufiness to which he alluded before the Houfe, and that he would name a day for the difcuffion. In the mean time, he would only fay, that no money had been raised except what was voted by Parliament, nor was any applied to objects on which they had not previously determined. Mr. Chancellor Pitt moved, that the Honfe refolve itfelf into a Committee of the whole Houfe, to confider of the best means of remedying the present scarcity of corn.

The Speaker having left the chair,

Mr. Chancellor PITT stated, that the whole of his intention at prefent was, to move for leave to bring in a bill to renew fo much of an act of his prefent Majefty, as permitted the free importation of corn into any ports of Great D.itain. To this he conceived no objections could be urged; and, therefore, he took the earliest opportunity of craving the authority of the Houfe for the adoption of a measure, which, if it did not entirely, would at least partially remove the inconveniencies felt from the failure of the two laft harvefts. Government had been at pains to collect all the information upon the fubject which it was in their power to obtain; and the statements from which the information was derived, he fhould move to be laid upon the table for the perufal of Members. He thould then think that it would be expedient to appoint a felect Committee to take this information into consideration, and to procure as much additional information as poffible. He would propofe alfo, that the House should again refolve itself into a Committee of the whole Houfe on Tuesday, to renew the confideration of the high price of grain. At prefent he should content himfelf with moving for leave to bring in a bill to continue the importation of foreign corn duty free. VOL. XLIII.

Ι

Mr. HUSSEY did not wish to appear forward in the business; he only begged leave to put one queftion to Mr. Chancellor Pitt, whether he had reafon to believe, that merely a bill, permitting the importation of corn into this country, would be fufficient to remedy the fearcity, or whether a bounty would not be required? He would not venture to pronounce upon the propricty of a bounty being offered; but he was afraid that the grievance could not be removed in any other way.

Mr. FOX thought that some attention should be paid to the prevention of distilleries; but being informed across the table that the act for that purpofe did not expire for fome months, he faid that there was fufficient time to speak of that afterwards.

Mr. Chancellor PITT replied to Mr. Huffey, that he would not give a decifive opinion upon what measures were neceffary or proper to be adopted, before he collected the fentiments of gentlemen upon the subject. With respect to offering a bounty on the importation of corn, he would not abfolutely deny that it might be expedient; he would only fay, it was a delicate step, and ought not to be taken till after mature deliberation.

Mr. HUSSEY obferved on the subject of distilleries, that it was a wife and politic meafure; and that the Public ought to be informed immediately, if it was the intention of Parliament to adopt it, as it would even now have a confiderable influence on the price of grain. The grievance, he faid, was prefling, and the remedy ought by no means to be delayed.

The Committee agreed to the refolution for preparing the bill, and the Houfe being refumed, the report was received, and the bill was brought in and read a first time.

A meifage was received from the Lords with a copy of the addrefs which they had voted to His Majefty, upon the outrages committed against him yesterday on his way to the Houfe. Copies of the minutes of evidence which had been taken against the perfons concerned in the outrage, and the lift of the men who have been committed to the Compter, were alfo fent.

The minutes of the evidence were then read. (Vide the procecdings in the Houfe of Lords on the firft day of the feffion.) No obfervation was made upon the evidence, and the addrefs was agreed to, nemine contradicente. Adjourned.

Saturday, 31st October.

The order of the day being read for taking His Majefty's Speech into confideration,

Mr. Chancellor PITT moved, "That a fupply be granted