THE Gentleman's Magazine; For JANUARY, 1781. Debates and Proceedings of the Firft Seffon of the House of Commons of the Fifteenth Parliament of Great Britain, appointed to meet Oct. 31, 1780. October 31. UCH of the new mons as fworn being affembled in their own House, and his Majefty being feated on the throne with the Houfe of Peers, the ufher of the black rod was fent to command the attendance of the Commons; when the Lord Chancellor [Thurlow] fignified his Majesty's pleasure, that they do immediately repair to their own House and chufe a Speaker, and that they do prefent the perfon of their choice for his Majefty's approbation the next day at two o'clock. In obedience to the royal command, the Commons returned, and being feated, Mr. Hatfell, one of the clerks in parliament, acquainted the members prefent, that the firft bufiefs to be proceeded upon was (what his Majefly was pleafed to direct) to chufe a Speaker. Ld Geo. G-rm-n then rofe, and entertained the Houfe with the duties and neceffary qualifications of a Speaker; remarked that the right hon. gentleman who laft filled the chair poflefled every qualification which the duties of that office required when he was first elected to that office; but, now that the fatigues which the right hon. gentleman had undergone in the fervice of his coun B try had impaired his health, it would ill become that Houfe to place him again in a fituation in which the bufinefs of the Houfe muft either be frequently fufpended, or the valuable life of the hon. gentleman endangered. For that reafon, and that only, another gentleman had been thought of; and when he acquainted the Houfe that he intended to move for Mr. Cornwall to be their Speaker, he trufted that no member who had fat with that gentleman in parliament would withhold his affent. Mr. W-lb-e El-1, in feconding the motion, fincerely lamented that the late Speaker fhould last feffion have had occafion to complain of the impreffion made upon his conftitution by the fatigues of his fituation, though he could not but own he confidered it as Dthe natural, confequence of constant attendance, and the continual application to which men in elevated ftations must neceffarily fubmit; but as this was a proof that the hon. gentleman preferred the duties of his office, and the fervice of his country, to the prefervation of his own health, and the tranquillity of his own mind, fo in gratitude this Houfe, now an opportu nity offered, ought to relieve him from thofe labours and thofe anxieties, by chufing another Speaker. With this view it was, that he looked upon Mr. Cornwall as a proper fucceffor to Sie Fletcher Norton; nor could he give that gentleman better advice, than to let the conduct of the late Speaker be his model, if the Houfe fhould honour him fo far as to feat him in the chair. F Mr. Mr. D-nn-g expreffed his fur- man at pleasure, a penfioner, and a prize, when on coming down to the reprefentative of one of the cinque Houfe he heard that Mr. Cornwall ports, a fit guardian for the privileges was to be Speaker. There was no of the people? But why chufe a new gentleman for whom he had a higher Speaker? If Sir Fletcher Norton was regard, nor to whom he would have fo worthy, why difinifs him? To remore readily have given his fupport, A lieve him, fay they, from fatigues, than to the gentleman propofed, had which his conftitution is unequal to, the chair been in the fair fenfe of the Mighty plaufible, but wholly unfoundword vacant; bur, at a time when ed. The lurking reafon originated in Sir Fletcher Norton, the late Speaker, that memorable fpeech which proved his was in the House, and to all appear impartiality as a Speaker, his zeal for ance as capable of executing the du- g his country, his feeling for the na ries of the office as ever, it flruck him tional diftrefles under which Great as the most fingular of all measures to Britain laboured. Hence the caufe of confefs, as the noble lord who made the prefent attempt to difgrace and inthe motion, and the hon. gentleman fult him; and, as it was unmanly and who feconded it, had done, that the illiberal, he trusted every member, late Speaker was the properett and young and old, thofe who fat in the moft able of all perfons to fill the old parliament, and thofe who were chair with dignity; and, in the very newly chofen, would feel properly on moment of making that confeffion, to the occafion, and join with him in propose another candidate, and that fupporting the motion of his honoura❤ too without ftating to the Houfe, as ble and learned friend, which he begmight have been expected, that Sir ged leave to fecond. Fletcher Norton had formally expreffedD Sir F. N-rt-n faid, he had rifen his defire to refign the chair, allign- before in order to fave the House trou ing as a reafon for his fo doing, that ble, and to tell them, that he came his health was in that impaired itate in down with his mind full of the busi which the noble lord and the hon. nefs of the day, and with a full refogentleman had both declared it. He_lution not to go into the chair again obferved, that if appearances were to E on any confideration. He was happy, be relied on, or if aturances were to he faid, in feeing fo many members be believed, Sir Fletcher Norton was of the late parliament prefent, and as well and as capable of going took that opportunity of returning his through the duties of that office as ever moit grateful thanks for all their goodhe had been fince he was first chofen. nefs to him. He begged also to thank He concluded his fpeech with moving, F the noble lord who made the motion That Sir Fletcher Norton be conti- for the election of a new Speaker, and nued Speaker." his hon. friend (if he would allow him to call him fo) who feconded it, for the many handfome things they had faid of him; but he should be an ideot Gindeed, if he could poffibly imagine he merited fuch compliments, or that his ftate of health was the real caufe of their moving for a new Speaker, Every man, he was fure, who had the leaft pretenfions to understanding, Hwent before him in feeling, that a confideration of his state of health was not the true motive for the prefent meafure. With regard to the gentleman who was the object of the noble lord's motion, he highly approved of him; Right Hon. T. T-n/h-d rofe to fecond the motion, and objected to Mr. Cornwall as an improper perfon to fill the chair, were there even a vacancy, as he held an office under the crown, difpofable at the pleasure of the crown, and was the reprefentative of one of the cinque ports; whereas the office of Speaker ought to be filled by a perfon free from all influence of the crown. It was the first duty of the Speaker to guard the rights and privileges of the people against the increafed and increating influence of the crown, Was Mr. Cornwall, a place but, Mr. Bg reprobated the motion as an infult to the late Speaker, and complained of the laft parliament having been diffolved but two days after Sir Fletcher Norton fet out for Yorkshire, without the leaft previous intimation being given him of any fuch defign," though he was the reprefentative of a borough fo near town as Guildford, He allo mentioned the rudeness of the minifter's telling his friends, who at but, as the House must be beforehand with him in feeing through the fallacy of the reasons stated by the noble lord as the ground of the motion, and as it was an infult to the understanding of every gentleman prefent, to pretend that an anxiety for his health was the real caufe for moving that another Speaker might be chofen, he called upon the noble lord and his hon. friend to tell him, why he was thus difgracefully difmiffed? He preffed_ténded at the place called The Cockthis the more earnestly, he faid, be- B caufe, though he had been in town three days, he had never been asked whether his health would enable him to continue in the chair, nor had he been applied to either directly or indirectly on the fubject of chufing a new Speaker. pit, of the intention of moving, that Mr. Cornwall might be elected Speaker, without giving the smallest intimation of fuch an intention to Sir Fletcher Norton. Mr. C-nw-l faid, that if the House thought proper to elect him to the chair, he fhould exert his endea vours to give them fatisfaction; but that he could not think it would be in his power to come near the partial expectations of the noble lord who made the motion, the hon. gentleman who feconded it, or his learned friends. D After a momentary pause, complain of fuch ufage, and doubted not but the Houfe would put a true construction upon the treatment he had received, and the filence of mi Mr. F-x ftrongly arraigned the miniftry for having made it a fyftem during their continuance in office to difgrace every dignified character in the kingdom, and efpecially to infult and vilify thofe men whofe conduct the Houfe of Commons most approved." The noble lord who made the motion Sir F-tc-r rofe, and declared, if had filled his fpeech, he faid, with any thing could induce him to accept empty compliments on Sir Fletcher the chair again-he begged pardon for Norton, and, after afferting he was the the expreffion-to afpire to it, it would ableft man the House could chufe to be the contempt with which he was fit in the chair, had concluded his ad-treated. He furely had a right to drefs with moving, that another gentleman might be elected to fill it; and the hon. gentleman who feconded the motion had recommended it to the gentleman moved for as Sir Fletcher_nisters respecting it. Norton's fucceffor, to copy the examn- F Mr. Els declared, that he had no ple of Sir Fletcher Norton, telling him in the moft plain, potitive, and direct terms, that his only chance for making a good Speaker refted on his implicitly following the model of Sir Fletcher Norton. What will the world fay? Will they not take this Ld M-b-n declared, that he would measure as an ill omen, as a bad begin- oppofe the motion, were there no other ning of the new parliament ? Sir Flet- reafon for it but that it was made by a cher Norton feels himself infulted; he member of administration; that admicomplains of the infult, and he de- niftration, whofe baneful measures had mands, honefly demands, to know H loaded their country with misery and the caufe! Do minifters anfwer him? diftrefs, had abridged the inheritance Does the noble lord in the blue ribbon of the Prince of Wales, and entailed fpeak out, and fairly avow the caule ruin on the House of Hanover. of his removal? No; the noble lord takes refuge in a cowardly filence, intention either to infult or difgrace Sir F. Norton, but that he thought it was better to chufe a Speaker of tresher health, and who, from his time of life, was better able to encounter and Gfuftain the fatigues of his office. Mr, R-by faid, this was the first debate debate in which he had heard it affert- that the gentlemen were to confider ed, that there was any thing of infult, themselves here as reprefentatives of difgrace, or contempt, to any man, in the people of England. In this view, appointing a Speaker, or that any gen- therefore, the baron of a cinque port, tleman was either to be called on or and the member for Old Sarum, was expected to ftate his reafons why he either of them as eligible to the chair recommended, or why he voted for A as the members for the county of this or that particular candidate: He York. The conduct of Sir Fletcher had always underflood, that, when a Norton had been loudly applauded, new parliament was fummoned, every and yet it might not ftrike every genindividual member had a right to give tleman as it did those who had been his vote as he pleafed for a new Speak- fo lavish in their commendations. One er; and he defied the most learned in B part of his conduct he had often menthe law to prove, that it was any part tioned to the late Speaker; and that of the conftitutional law of parliament, was, his relaxation of the rules of that when a member was once elected proceeding, and his want of ftrictness To the chair of the Houfe, he was to in obferving order, and keeping genfit there just as long as he pleafed, un- tlemen within due bounds. This, he lefs fome charge of criminality could Choped, would be a main object of Mr. be made out against him. With re- Cornwall's attention, to restore parliagard to the fpeech alluded to, he ment to its dignity, by enforcing a thought then that the Speaker went ftrict obfervance of all the forms of the too far, that he was not warranted to House. He remembered, Mr. Onmake any fuch addrefs to the throne, flow was remarkable for having what and that it was flying in the King's Dwas called too much buckram in his face, and he thought the fame now. manner; but though Mr. Onflow [A cry, to order, to order.] He infifted might be too pompous, the oppofite upon it he was not difcrderly in what line was infinitely more liable to be athe had faid, he had a right to fpeak tended with bad confequences. As to of the last parliament. A great deal the mighty fecret, the true cause of had been faid about the conduct of Sir E moving for a new Speaker by one fide Fletcher Norton while Speaker; per- of the Houfe, and fupporting the old haps he did not perfectly coincide in Speaker by the other, it was reducible all that had been urged on that topic; to a very fimple fact, and when put and for this and other reafons, not fit into plain English, and ftripped of the to be given in that Houfe, was dif- drefs of eloquence, and the ornaments pofed to fupport the nomination of F of oratory, was no more than this: Mr. Cornwall, for whom he should "We will vote for you, if you will be certainly vote. He obferved, that only for us;" and as to the idea of places two matters were urged against the and placemen, that language will ever appointment of Mr. Cornwall as ob- be held while parties continued, but jections, and thofe were, his repre- he fhould hear it with great indifferfenting a cinque port, and his being ence, till he was told that no perfons a placeman. With regard to the lat- were feeking for places. He for one ter, an hon. friend of his had men- voted for ministry, because he thought tioned Mr. Onflow, but he had forgot well of them, at least he knew not that Mr. Onflow was for fome years where to look for better; but whentreafurer of the navy, a much better ever an adminiftration could be found place than that held by Mr. Cornwall, capable of reftoring unanimity to the and therefore more defirable. As to country, he would moft chearfully Mr. Cornwall's reprefenting a cinque give up his place to the fupport of fuch port, that was to him a very extraor- an adminiftration. dinary objection indeed. He had always understood that there was no loca. rrefentation within thefe walls; Mr. F-x faid, that fide of the Houfe did not call the hon. gentleman to order for fpeaking of the laft paria ment, have ready access to his Majefty's perfon. ment, but for using the King's name; that he hoped the young members would now fee, that what the news- The Ld Chancellor replied, that he papers and the country faid was true, was commanded to declare his Majel that the King's name was on every oc- ty's royal affurance to preferve and cafion used as a shelter and fereen for A confirm, in the most full and ample ministers. With regard to the laft manner, all the ancient privileges, parliament, most certainly he, for one, rights, and immunities, of the Houfe was difpofed to fpeak worse of it than of Commons; and fhould always put probably the hon. gentleman would the most favourable constructions on do; he held it in deteftation, and, he all their proceedings. This bufinefs hoped, every man in England would B being finished, his Majefty delivered his fpeech from the throne to both Houfes (fee vol. L. p. 538.); after which the Commons returned to the Houfe, and proceeded to be fworn, which was continued till Nov. 6. do the fame. Sir E. A―tly faid, he fhould vote for the late Speaker, because he had acquitted himself in a moft fair and impartial manner. The Houfe divided, Nov. 1. 203 C When a bill, for the more effectual preventing clandeftine outlawries, was read the first time, and ordered to be read a fecond time; and then the ftanding orders and refolutions of the DHouse were read, and agreed to. The King being feated on the throne, and the Commons at the bar, Mr. Cornwall, the new-elected Speaker, addreffed his Majefty in a fhort. The Houfe taking notice, by the fpeech, in which, in the ufual ftyle, book of returns, that the fheriffs of the he exprefied his doubts of his abilities city of Coventry had not returned any to difcharge that weighty and impor- citizens to ferve in this parliament, tant truft; and therefore intreated his and that they had made a fpecial reMajesty to give his commands to the turn why they had not returned fuck E Commons to proceed to another elec-citizens; the faid return was read. Mr. Cornwall then, in an humble manner, expreffed his acknowledgements, and entreated that his Majelty would be pleafed to put the most favourable conftructions on all his words and actions, and honour him with his royal forgiveness for the frailties and errors of his nature. And he must claim for the Houfe of Commons, in which he was to prefide, the continuance of all their ancient rights, privileges, and immunities; particularly, that the perfons of the members, their eftates, and fervants, fhould be free from arrest and molestation; that they fhould enjoy freedom of debate; and F Ordered, That Mr. Thomas Noxon and Mr. Thomas Buller, late sheriffs of the city of Coventry, do attend this Houfe upon Thursday the 23d day of this inftant November. Mr. Speaker then reported to the Houfe his Majefty's fpeech; which being twice read, the hon. Mr. De G-y moved, that an humble address be prefented to his Majefty, to return his Majesty the thanks of this House for his most gracious fpeech from the G throne, &c. H |