health; on the contrary, he looked well, and less bloated than ordinary. With his general precision, Bonaparte inquired of the officers what stations they filled on board of ship. On learning Mr Lynn was the surgeon, he inquired what system of pharmacy he pursued? That depends upon circumstances," replied the surgeon. "I hope," rejoined the General," it is any other than that practised on this island; for here we have the same thing over and over again bleeding and calomel for ever."

The conversation taking a turn on the mission of Lord Amherst to China, his Lordship related the cause of its failure, which he ascribed to the necessity imposed upon him by the Emperor of smiting the ground nine times with his forehead; an indignity which his Lordship intimated could not be submitted to. Bonaparte immediately replied, "Indeed! now had it suited my policy to send an ambassador all the way to the Emperor of China, I would have instructed him to kiss his great toe, and if that would not do, he might, if required, have saluted a more offensive part, provided my object was attained." Bonaparte protested strongly against his imprisonment. He said he knew of no law in ex

istence which gave the powers of Europe the right of detaining him a prisoner on the island of St Helena, or elsewhere, and strongly urged the propriety of his present situation being taken into consideration by the crowned heads of Europe.

Bonaparte expressed an anxious wish that Lord Amherst would be the bearer of a letter from him to the Prince Regent, which had been prepared for some time. His Lordship undertook the trust, which we believe he has faithfully executed; but it is understood no answer will be returned to it.

The Ex-Emperor had lately received a bust of his son, which afforded him much evident satisfaction. It was given in charge to a sailor of the ship Baring (it is believed), who, upon his arrival at the island, was to concert the most prudent means of conveying it to its destination. The man became dangerously ill before the opportunity of executing his secret commission presented itself; and sending for his commanding officer, he revealed the circumstance to him. The bust was thereupon sent to Sir Hudson Lowe, who, though Bonaparte had long refused to be on terms of even courteous civility with him, instantly caused it to be conveyed to him.

HOUSE OF LORDS. Tuesday, June 3.-The Commons came up at half past three o'clock, with the Right Hon. Charles Manners Sutton, the Speaker, to be presented for the Royal approbation.

The new Speaker advanced close to the bar, when the Lord CHANCELLOR declared his Royal Highness's approbation in the usual form.

THE LATE SPEAKER-ROYAL MESSAGE.

The Earl of LIVERPOOL presented a Message from his Royal Highness the Prince Regent, which was read by the Lord CHANCELLOR, and was as follows:

"G. P. R.

"His Royal Highness the Prince Regent, acting in the name and on the behalf of his Majesty, thinks it proper to inform the House of Lords, that having taken into his consideration the circumstance under which the Right Hon. Charles Abbot has retired from the situation of Speaker of the House of Commons, and the arduous and eventful period during which he has performed the duties of Speaker, has conferred upon him the dignity of a Baron, by the style and dignity of Lord Colchester of Colchester, in the county of Essex; and his Royal Highness recommends to the House of Lords to concur in making such provision for the said Lord Colchester, and the heir male succeed-. ing him in the title, as under all the circumstances may appear just and reasonable."

On the motion of the Earl of LIVERPOOL,

"His Royal Highness the Prince Regent, acting in the name and on the behalf of his Majesty, has given orders to lay before the House of Lords, papers containing information of the continuance of those practices, meetings, and combinations, to which his Royal Highness thought it proper to call the attention of the House of Lords at the commencement of the present Session of Parliament, and shewing that these practices are still carried on in different parts of the country, in a manner and to an extent calculated to disturb the public tranquillity, and to endanger the security of the constitutional establishments of the empire. His Royal Highness recommends to the House of Lords to take this message into its immediate and serious consideration."

The Message produced a long debate, at the conclusion of which, the motion for the Committee, as proposed by Ministers, consisting of the Members who composed the first Committee (with the exception of the Duke of Bedford, for whom was substituted Earl Talbot) was agreed to.

June 5.-The Earl of LAUDERDALE presented a petition from the Lord Mayor and Livery of London, in Common Hall assembled, against the continuance of the Sus

1

pension of the Habeas Corpus Act.-Laid on the table.

June 6.-Lord HOLLAND presented the petition of the Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and Common Council of London, against the further continuation of the Habeas Corpus Suspension Act.

TRAITOROUS PRACTICES.

Thursday, June 12.-The Earl of LIVERPOOL laid on the table a green bag, containing farther information on the subject of traitorous practices. The papers were referred to the Secret Committee.

REPORT OF THE SECRET COMMITTEE.

The Earl of LIVERPOOL presented the report.

"By the Lords' Committee appointed to take into consideration several papers, sealed up in a bag, &c. and to report to the House, &c.

"The report begins by stating, that the Committee, after an examination of the papers referred to them, feel it their painful duty to declare, that they see but too many proofs of a traitorous conspiracy to overthrow the Government and the Constitution, and to subvert the existing order of society.

"The report then praises the active exertions of the Government, and particularly of the Magistrates in the execution of the general laws, and of the special powers entrusted to them by the new Acts of Parliament; but the Committee assert, that though the plans of the conspirators have been thus frustrated, yet, in spite of all this, the same wicked and desperate designs are still pursued.

"The Committee then observe, that their intelligence rests, in many of its parts, upon the testimony of persons who are either themselves implicated in these criminal transactions, or who have apparently engaged in them for the purpose of obtaining information, and imparting it to the Magistrates or the Secretary of State.

"The Committee allow, that such testimony must be very questionable; and state, that they have reason to apprehend, that the language and conduct of some of the latter description of witnesses has had the effect of encouraging those designs, which it was intended they should only be the means of detecting. But allowing for these circumstances, the Committee are still of opinion, that the statement which they proceed to give is by no means exaggerated, but perfectly warranted by the papers submitted to their inspection.

"It proceeds to state, that the papers relate, almost without exception, to the manufacturing districts in the midland and northern counties; and although the disaffected still look to the metropolis with the hope of assistance and direction, yet to the districts thus referred to the more recent projects of insurrection were to have been confined.

"The Committee then state, that although in many of these districts distress has

operated to expose the minds of the labouring classes to irritation and perversion, yet this distress, in their opinion, has been rather the instrument than the cause of the disaffection. In some of the disaffected districts, they believed that distress had been less felt than in many other parts of the kingdom; while in other places, where the distress has been most grievous, it has been sustained with such patience, loyalty, and good conduct, as cannot be too highly com mended; and the Committee think, that it is chiefly by the means mentioned in the report of the former Committee, namely, by the extensive circulation of seditious and blasphemous publications, and by the continual repetition of inflammatory discourses, that this spirit of disaffection has been excited and diffused. These have gradually weakened, among the lower orders, the attachment to our Government and Constitution, and the respect for law, morality, and religion; and their minds have thus been prepared for the adoption of measures no less injurious to their interests and happiness, than to those of every other class of his Majesty's subjects."

The report then proceeds to detail the circumstances relating to Manchester, Yorkshire, and Derbyshire, and includes the tumultuary transactions of Nottingham, Sheffield, and Birmingham; stating, however, that the assemblies have been dispersed, the mischief prevented, conspiracies detected, and disaffection defeated. The report concludes with observing, that the time is not yet arrived when the maintenance of public tranquillity and the protection of the lives and property of his Majesty's subjects, can be allowed to depend upon the ordinary powers of the law."

On the motion of the Earl of LIVERPOOL, the report was ordered to be printed.

HABEAS CORPUS SUSPENSION. June 13.-Lord SIDMOUTH.-The report of the Secret Committee being now on your Lordships' table, I present to your Lordships a bill for the continuation of the measure called the Suspension of the Habeas Corpus Act; and in presenting this Bill, I beg leave to assure your Lordships, that I do it under the fullest and deepest conviction of the urgent necessity that it should pass into a law.

June 17.-The Edinburgh Canal Bill was read a second time, and ordered to be committed.

June 18.-On the motion of Lord SIDMOUTH, the Habeas Corpus Suspension Bill was reported, ordered to be engrossed, and to be read a third time to-morrow, and the Lords to be summoned.

HABEAS CORPUS SUSPENSION.

June 19.-Lord SIDMOUTH having moved the third reading of this Bill, the

Duke of BEDFORD said, he could not suffer the bill to proceed, without doing all in his humble power to prevent its passing. Our room will not permit us to name the heads even of his Grace's arguments, or of those Noble Lords who succeeded him; but in animadverting on the manner in which Government spies had driven many misguided persons into treasonable acts, the Duke stated it as a fact, that a quondam jacobin at Norwich, who had published a blasphemous parody twenty-five years ago, having now turned spy, and being in the pay of Government, has secretly republished his own work, and sent it to his employers, as a testimony of the irreligious habits of those among whom he lives!

The Earls of Donoughmore and Essex, Lord St John, the Marquis of Wellesley, and Lord Holland, also opposed the third reading of the bill, grounding their objections to it on the conviction that the laws were sufficiently strong to repel disaffection without so arbitrary a measure; that so frequent a suspension of the liberties of the people would end in despotism; that although they knew seditious and designing men had endeavoured to draw many of the lower classes from their allegiance, yet they had only succeeded through the poverty and distress of their victims; and that a mild and conciliatory policy ought to be adopted by Ministers, instead of despatching spies through the country, not to check but to promote-not to control, but to instigate and inflame-not to diminish the growth of crime, but to cultivate and cherish it; to bring it to its utmost height and perfection, and to afford Ministers an abundant crop of justice and punishment.

The Earls of Westmoreland, Limerick, and Harrowby, Marquis Camden, and Lord Somers, defended the conduct of Ministers, and the measure in question, declaring their solemn conviction of its necessity, as a measure of preventive justice—they disavowed any improper tampering with spies, denied the truth of the imputations against Oliver, and requested the House to suspend its judgment on his case. After continuing in debate till half-past two, a division took place, and the bill passed, by 141 against 37.

The Edinburgh and Glasgow Union Canal Bill was read a third time, and passed.

The House resolved into a Committee on the Saving Banks Bill.

clauses of the bill, and pointed out various parts which required amendments, in order to render more clear what he supposed to have been the intention of the framers of the measure. He also stated, that he meant to propose some new clauses. One clause in the bill he particularly objected to, namely, that which authorises persons to receive allowances from their parishes, notwithstanding they may have money to a certain amount in their saving banks. This was to encourage that sort of spirit which induced beggars to sew up money in their old clothes, where it was found after their deaths, but from which they never derived any benefit during their lives. This clause he thought ought to be expunged. The amendments were then moved and agreed to pro forma.

Monday, June 30.-The amendment made in the House of Commons to the Habeas Corpus Act Suspension Bill, limiting its duration to the 1st of March, was agreed to without a division.

July 2.-Lord ERSKINE presented a petition from certain persons, whose names were signed to it, praying the abolition of the practice of chimney-sweeping by means of climbing-boys. The petition was laid on the table.

July 3.-Lord Colchester was introduced by Lords Redesdale and Dynevor, and took the oaths and his seat.

In answer to a question from Lord MONTFORD relative to the conspiracy of Brock, Pelham, &c. (who observed it was understood that the Royal pardon had been extended to them), Lord SIDMOUTH said, the state of the case was this, that these persons were still under sentence of death, but that the execution had been respited. If it should turn out that these persons could not, from a defect in the law, be brought to punishment, care would be taken that the law should be mended in that respect. He did not mean by any means to say, however, that these persons might not still be punished; but at present the state of the case was as he had mentioned--that they were still under sentence of death, but that the execution had been respited.

POOR LAWS.

July 11.-The Earl of HARDWICKE presented a Report from the Committee which had been appointed to consider the state of the Poor Laws. The report, his Lordship said, would soon be printed; and he hoped that their Lordships would maturely consider it, and endeavour to procure as much additional information as possible on the subject of the Poor Laws during the recess.

PROROGATION OF PARLIAMENT. Saturday, July 12.-This being the day appointed for the prorogation of Parliament, this House, as is usual on such occasions, was crowded to excess at any early hour, both within and without the bar.

At two o'clock the Lord Chancellor took

hour the discharge of 21 guns announced the arrival of his Royal Highness the Prince Regent, who, after the usual formalities in the Robing Chamber, entered the House, and took his seat near the throne.

Shortly afterwards the Speaker of the House of Commons, very numerously attended by the members of that House, entered the House, and advanced to the bar; the Usher of the Black Rod being on his right, and the Serjeant at Arms on his left.

The SPEAKER then addressed his Royal Highness in a short speech, in which he took a review of the business of the Session; and, in conclusion, presented to his Royal Highness, a bill, entitled, "An act for applying certain monies therein mentioned for the service of the year 1817; and for farther appropriating the supplies granted in this session of Parliament.

At the conclusion of this speech the Lord Chancellor received the bill, to which the Royal Assent was given.

His Royal Highness the Prince Regent then read his speech, of which the following is a copy :

"My Lords and Gentlemen,

"I cannot close this session of Parliament, without renewing my expressions of deep regret at the continuance of his Majesty's lamented indisposition. The diligence with which you have applied yourselves to the consideration of the different objects which I recommended to your attention at the commencement of the Session, demands my warmest acknowledgments; and I have no doubt, that the favourable change which is happily taking place in our internal situation, is to be mainly ascribed to the salutary measures which you have adopted for preserving the public tranquillity, and to your ready adherence to those principles by which the constitution, resources, and credit of the country, have been hitherto preserved and maintained. Notwithstanding the arts and industry which have been too successfully exerted in some parts of the country to alienate the affections of his Majesty's subjects, and to stimulate them to acts of violence and insurrection, I have had the satisfaction of receiving the most decisive proofs of the loyalty and public spirit of the great body of the people; and the patience with which they have sustained the most severe temporary distress, cannot be too highly commended. I am fully sensible of the confidence which you have manifested towards me, by the extraordinary powers which you have placed in my hands: the necessity which has called for them is to me matter of deep regret; and you may rely on my making a temperate but effectual use of them, for the protection and security of his Majesty's loyal subjects.

"Gentlemen of the House of Commons, "I thank you for the supplies which you have granted to me; and for the laborious investigation which, at my recommendation, you have made into the state of the income

and expenditure of the country. It has given me sincere pleasure, to find that you have been enabled to provide for every branch of the public service without any addition to the burdens of the people. The state of public credit affords a decisive proof of the wisdom and expediency, under all the present circumstances, of those financial arrangements which you have adopted. I have every reason to believe, that the deficiency in the revenue is, in a degree, to be ascribed to the unfavourable state of the last season, and I look forward with sanguine expectations to its gradual improvement.

at

"My Lords and Gentlemen, "The measures which were in progress the commencement of the Session, for the issue of a new Silver Coinage, have been carried into execution in a manner which has given universal satisfaction; and, to complete the system which has been sanc tioned by Parliament, a Gold Coinage of a new denomination has been provided for the convenience of the public-I continue to receive from foreign Powers the strongest assurances of their friendly disposition towards this country, and of their desire to preserve the general tranquillity. The prospect of an abundant harvest throughout a considerable part of the Continent, is in the highest degree satisfactory. This happy dispensation of Providence cannot fail to mitigate, if not wholly to remove, that pressure under which so many of the nations of Europe have been suffering in the course of last year; and I trust that we may look forward, in consequence, to an improvement in the commercial relations of this and of all other countries. I cannot allow you to separate without recommending to you, that upon your return to your several counties, you should use your utmost endeavours to defeat all attempts to corrupt and mislead the lower classes of the community; and that you should lose no opportunity of inculcating amongst them that spirit of con cord and obedience to the laws, which is not less essential to their happiness as individuals, than it is indispensable to the general welfare and prosperity of the kingdom."

The Lord Chancellor then read the commission for proroguing the Parliament till the 25th of August next.

His Royal Highness now withdrew, and the Commons retired from the bar.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.
ELECTION OF A SPEAKER.

Monday, June 2.-By four o'clock the House was crowded to excess.

Lord CASTLEREAGH then rose, and delivered the following Message from the Prince Regent :

"I have it in command from his Royal Highness the Prince Regent to acquaint the House, that your late Speaker having communicated to his Royal Highness his inabi

lity, from indisposition, longer to fill the Chair, and informed him of his resignation, his Royal Highness, desirous that public business should suffer as short an interruption as possible, has been pleased to take the earliest opportunity of communicating this event to the House, and of conveying his pleasure that the House do immediately proceed to the election of a new Speaker."

Mr Manners Sutton was proposed by Sir J. Nicholl, and seconded by Mr Littleton.

Mr C. W. Williams Wynn was nominated by Mr Dickinson, and seconded by Sir M. W. Ridley.

The House divided; when there appeared, for the former 312; for the latter 152; majority for Mr Manners Sutton 160.

LONDON COMMON COUNCIL PETITION.

June 3.-The Sheriffs of London appeared at the bar, and presented the petition lately passed at a meeting of the Common Council against the farther Suspension of the Habeas Corpus Act.

The petition was read, and, on the motion of Sir W. Curtis, was ordered to lie on the table.

MESSAGE FROM THE CROWN.

Lord CASTLEREAGH appeared at the bar with a message from the Prince Regent, which was ordered to be brought up and read. It was similar to that presented to the Peers the same day on the state of the country, and was ordered to be taken into consideration on Thursday next.

THE LATE SPEAKER.

Lord CASTLEREAGH then brought up a second message from the Crown, in which the Prince Regent informed the House that he had thought proper to raise their late Speaker to the dignity of the peerage, by the style and title of Baron Colchester of Colchester in Essex. His Royal Highness therefore recommended it to the House, to enable him to make such provision for his Lordship and his next heir male as should appear to the House just and reasonable.

Mr WYNN, and several other Members, contended that this measure ought to have originated in the House of Commons, where the labours of the late Speaker could be best appreciated; and, after considerable discussion, it was at length agreed to postpone the consideration of the message.

June 5.-Sir J. SHAW presented the petition of the Livery of London, lately passed at the Common Hall, against any farther Suspension of the Habeas Corpus Act. Read, and ordered to lie on the table.

Lord CASTLEREAGH moved the thanks of the House to the late Speaker, for the zeal and ability with which he had discharged the duties of that high office; which was agreed to nem. con.

An Address was also voted to the Prince Regent, praying his Royal Highness to confer some signal mark of his favour on the Right Hon. Charles Abbot.

Lord CASTLEREAGH appeared at the bar with a green bag, containing several papers,

which were ordered to be brought up and laid on the table.

A long discussion then took place, which closed with the nomination of the old Committee to examine and report on the said papers. After a division, for the old Committee 126; against it 66; majority for Ministers 60.

GRANT TO THE SPEAKER.

Monday, June 9.-The House, on the motion of the CHANCELLOR of the ExCHEQUER, resolved itself into a Committee on the Prince Regent's answer to the Address of Thursday, when the Right Hon. Gentleman made a long eulogium on the late Speaker's merits, and concluded with proposing a grant of £4000 a-year for the life of that gentleman, and £3000 to his heir for one generation; which, after some conversation, was agreed to.

The second reading of the Bill for legalizing the sale of Game being strongly opposed, on the question being put, the same was negatived, and it was ordered to be read that day six months.

COMMITTEE OF SUPPLY.

The House resolved itself into a Committee of Supply, when the Barrack Estimates, &c. were taken into consideration.

Mr WARD said he would move the different Sums, and was ready to answer any questions that might be asked. The sums required this year were, with the exception of those for Ireland, one half less than the corresponding sums of last year.

After some observations upon the various items, the House resumed, and the resolutions were ordered to be reported to-morrow.

June 10.-General THORNTON obtained leave to bring in a bill to abolish the public whipping of women.

On the resolutions for giving a pension of £4000 to the late Speaker, an amendment was proposed, to substitute £3000 for £4000; but it was negatived, and a bill was ordered to be brought in pursuant to to the resolution.

COMMITTALS BY THE SECRETARY OF STATE.

June 11.-Lord FOLKSTONE, considering the probability that the House would shortly be called on to discuss the propriety of a farther suspension of the liberties of the subject, thought that it was highly important that, previous to that discussion, the House should be furnished with certain returns connected with the imprisonments that had already taken place. He therefore moved, "That an humble address be presented to his Royal Highness the Prince Regent, praying a list of all the names of persons confined by warrant of either of the Secretaries of State, or six of the Privy Council (under an Act, enabling his Majesty to apprehend such persons as he might suspect to be disaffected to his Majesty's Government), with a specification of the names, ages, trades or occupations, places of arrest, and detention of the parties committed."