in future, papers of a secret nature. He agreed in support of the necessity, and recommended the right honourable gentleman to persist in his intention.

The discussion was continued to considerable length.

Mr. Bastard, Mr. Wallace, Mr. Paull, and Mr. Wilberforce thought a case ought to be made out to justify the motion; and Mr. Alexander, Lord Temple, and Lord Morpeth, joined in the recommendation of Lord Henry Petty..

Mr. II. Addington said, that it had been much his wish, to have had an carlier opportunity to assure the House, that it was far from his desire to bring the question to a division. It had appeared to him so innocent, so unimportant, and so much a matter of course, that he had been on the point of making the motion the day before, even without giving a notice. He had risen immediately after his noble friend near him (Lord H. Petty) to express his readiness to comply with his suggestion, not only because it came from a quarter to which it would be always his wish to pay deference, but because two or three respectable members, who had spoken before, seemed desirous that the motion should be withdrawn. His opinion, however, remained completely unshaken as applying to the present case, by any arguments that he had heard, though he agreed as to the general principles laid down by the secretary of state. He still thought that it would appear strange, that after the House had, no doubt for weighty reasons, adopted these words on two occasions out of the three that had occurred, that in the third, and that an intermediate one, those words should not appear on the votes of the House. He consented, however, to withdraw the motion, thinking it immaterial as to the main object, whether it was adopted

or not.

A message from the Lords signified their Lordships' asassent to Lord Collingwood's family bill, and the English and Irish sugar drawback bills.

Adjourned.

HOUSE OF LORDS.

THURSDAY, MARCH 20.

The American treaty bill, the mutiny bill, the English and Irish militia bills, the militia subalterns bill, and the

militia

militia adjutânts bill, passed through committees, and were reported.

The Scotch bankrupt bill was read a second time, the commitment negatived, and the bill ordered to be read a third time the next day.

WOOLLEN MANUFACTURERS.

On the third reading of the woollen manufacturers' pcpalty suspension bill,

Mr. Harrison was heard on behalf of certain clothiers of Yorkshire, petitioners against the duration of the bill. The object of his speech was to induce the House to alter the term. fixed for the duration of the bill from twelve to six months, in order that there might be a better chance of some per manent measure relative to the subject being adopted during the present session.

Counsel having withdrawn,

Lord Auckland declared his opinion with respect to the bill to be unaltered by what had fallen from the learned Counsel. Whether any permanent measure was adopted this session or not, the duration of the bill for twelve months could have no effect in either case to retard or accelerate that measure. He did not see therefore any reason why the term of its continuance should be altered.

The bill was then read a third time and passed, and a message ordered to be sent to the House of Commons, to acquaint them therewith.

Three private bills were brought up from the House of Commons, which were severally read a first time.

Mr. Young, from the Custom House, presented the annual accounts relative to the commerce of Great Britain, which where ordered to lie on the table.

Adjourned.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.

THURSDAY, MARCH 20.

A petition was presented from the Newgate debtors, praying for relief.

Ordered to lie on the table.

Mr. Martin presented a petition from the maltsters of Tewkesbury, praying for relief from certain duties. Ordered to lie on the table.

Sir Philip Stephens presented the paper moved for by

Mr. Whitbread, in order to shew the distribution of the sum of 20,0001. granted to the commissioners for exa mining the civil affairs of the navy.

Ordered to lie on the table.

Mr. Nap, from the Bank, presented an account of the amount of the 5 per cent. annuities granted to certain persons in consequence of the loyalty loan act.

Ordered to lic on the table.

Mr. Young, from the commissioners of the customs, presented an account of the number of vessels, with their tonnage, belonging to the different ports of Great Britain, Ordered to lie on the table.

Sir Matthew Ridley presented a petition from the shoe, makers of Newcastle, against unlawful combinations in

that trade.

Ordered to lie on the table.

The ten millions and a half, and the one million and a half, exchequer bills, were read a second time, and ordered to be committed the, next day.

The Irish militia service bill was read a third time and passed.

The excise expiring laws tion bill, were committed. Report the next day. Mr. Bird moved that the

bill, and the felon transporta

report of the committee on the

sea-coal admeasurement bill, should be considered the next day. Ordered."

Mr. W. Wynne presented papers relative to the addi tional force act.

Ordered to lie on the table.

DUBLIN PAVING BILL.

Mr. Wynne moved the second reading of the Dublin paving bill.

Lord De Blaquiere hoped that the House would pause before they allowed this bill to proceed. He thought its provisions unusually extraordinary, not merely because it was what had been generally termed in that House an Irish job, but because it was highly unconstitutional. It went to repeal the bill of last session, under which the creditors of the corporation must sue for their debts. Whatever might be done in suspending the commissioners, he thought it highly improper that the creditors should be, even for a time, deprived of the right of suing for their debts.

Mr. Wynne observed, that all he could say with regard

to the business was, that the Lord Lieutenant had, in con sequence of the powers vested in him by the act of last ses sion, suspended the commmissioners for paving the streets of Dublin, and appointed five householders of Dublin, who conducted the business without salaries. The funds were at present in such a situation, that the debts could not be properly discharged. But there was a friend of his just come to town, who could give the noble lord fuller infor

mation.

Mr. John Latouche supported the bill as necessary under the state of the funds.

Mr. Alexander and Mr. Ormsby opposed it on the grounds that it was exceedingly unfair, that without a strong case stated, the creditors should be prevented from going to a jury when they pleased.

The second reading of the bill was then postponed till next Tuesday.

A message from the Lords announced that they had passed a bill respecting the liability of witnesses answering in cases where the answer might subject them to a civil suit, and agreed to the woollen manufacturers suspension bill.

Mr. Wynne moved for a committee the next day, to con sider so much of a certain act, as empowered the Lord Lien. tenant of Ireland to grant 20,000l. out of the exchequer for paving and lighting the streets of Dublin.

Ordered.

Lord H. Petty, after moving the commitment of the treasurer of the ordnance bill, observed, that in consc quence of the absence of an honourable gentleman, who wished to propose certain clauses, he would move that the bill should be committed on Monday next.

Ordered.

Mr. Dillon moved for an account of the number of pr rishes, and of parish churches and glebe houses, built or building in Ireland, as far as the same could be ascertained. After some observations from Dr. Duigenan, he agreed to confine his motion to the reprinting of the account on this subject before presented.

Ordered.

Mr. Leigh moved for a return of the number of commonlaw subpoenas, writs of capias, &c. &c. issued for four years, commencing from November, 1801, from the

court

court of exchequer in Ireland, stating the number in each year. Ordered.

Mr. Fitzgerald moved for a return of the quantity of spirits distilled in Ireland imported into Great Britain in the years 1801-2-3-4-5, stating the duties in each year, and the amount of the whole.

Mr. Rose moved for a return of the quantity of sugars imported from Tortola during a certain period; and for an account of the value of produce exported to the island of Dominica, from Great Britain, and imported from the same, from the year 1767.

Ordered.

DEFENCE OF THE COUNTRY.

General Tarleton begged leave to put a question to some one of his Majesty's ministers then in the House, in order that the House might be somewhat apprized of the nature of the business that was to come on on Monday. What he wished to ask was, whether the business, of which a right honourable gentleman (Mr. Windham) had given a sort of notice on a former night, was to be brought forward on that day?

Mr. Secretary Fox said, that he was not prepared to answer the question directly, in the absence of the right honourable gentleman (Mr. Windham); but as that no tice had not been renewed, he rather supposed the business to which he referred would not be brought forward on Monday.

(A short time after, Mr. Secretary Windham having taken his place,)

General Tarlet n again rose, and said he was sorry to trespass so often upon the House, but it was upon a subject which necessarily produced considerable anxiety both in and out of the House. He wished the right honourable secretary would have the goodness to inform him, whether or not he meant, according to that half-notice he had given, to bring forward the measures to which he alluded on Monday next?

Mr. Secretary Windham said, the honourable gentle, man was certainly correct in calling it a half-notice: he had not given any regular notice, because it was not in his power to pledge himself that he would be prepared to bring it forward by Monday. Notwithstanding the great anxiety which the honourable gentleman and his friends might.