he should he happy to hear his on the subject antik the Queen statemants contradicted; but if landed, and set her calumniawas certainly understood that tors at defiance. (Hear, hear.), this gentleman took great pains Let not ministers think, that the in the proceeding. He indeed dissatisfaction out of doors on, was supposed to be the head or this subject was a mere idle clainventor of this Milan commis-mour. It was, on the contrary, sion. In order to get at the deep-rooted: and, from the facts, he recommended to notice Land's-end to the Orkneys, pera person who had practised in vaded persons of every station the same court with him long and description. The question and successfully. One of his was not whether her Majesty qualifications for the situation was guilty of the high crimes was rather extraordinary, for it alleged against her, but wheappeared that he understood no ther she, the Queen of these language beyond his native realms, and the first subject of tongue. A second, and, he be-England, should not experience lieved, a third individual, were that justice which ought not to added to the commission. He be refused to the lowest. In did not himself know any of the the first place, gross injustice parties employed on this oc- had been done to her by introcasion, and God forbid he ever ducing this green bag; and, in should! (A laugh.) To prove the 2d place, they had acted still that the Vice Chancellor was at more unjustly by her when they the head of this army of es-brought in a bill, the most palpionage, it was only necessary pably disgraceful that was ever to observe, that he himself went known in England. He should to Milan in 1818, and remained be glad if the noble lord would there till September 19, in that set him right as to the expense year. The expense attending of this commission; but he unthis commission (he cared not derstood that it had cost the by what name it was called country 23,000l. In the first five whether a secret court of judi- months of its existence a sum of cature, or a combination of spies) no less than 11,000l. was drawn had been very great indeed. by these commissioners. Now It must have been well known he would engage for half that to ministers that those persons money to procure such witness, had been employed, because he es in Italy as would blast the knew that no commission would character of every man and be suffered in Milan without a every woman there, however regular correspondence having respectable. (Hear.) Let the taken place with the Austrian House consider the creatures by Court. From the date he had whom the affidavits were sworn mentioned, the statements con- they were procured from the tained in the green bag must meanest, the most rascally of have been received by his Ma- mankind. (Hear.) And was jesty's ministers a year ago; and the Queen of England, on such yet not one step had been taken evidence as this, to be degraded at once, and without trial? motion. It would, he conceived, (Hear) He said she was debe a waste of their time, if he graded, because ministers had were led, in consequence of brought in a bill which now what had fallen from the gallant hung over her Majesty's head, general, to enter into an exaccusing her with such gross planation of the course of concrimes as could not be separated duct that his Majesty's ministers from the idea of degradation. had been induced to take in conThey talked of granting her sequence of the important subjustice of giving her the best ject which had recently ocčus means of defending herself; but pied their consideration. Had how was such an intention the gallant general, he would proved? He was sorry, even ask, seen any thing in the genethus shortly, to have occupied ral conduct of ministers that renthe attention of the House, dered it necessary to bring this since he knew that others better question under discussion? Or qualified than he was would had he perceived any part of take up the subject; but a sense their proceedings that appeared of what was due to public jus- to justify the casting the least tice and to the character of the imputation on them, as the au country induced him to come thors of this painful 'investigaforward. (Hear, hear.) The tion? He conceived that the gallant general concluded by gallant general had not; and moving that an humble ad- therefore he would simply ap dress be presented to his Majes-ply himself to the motion now, ty, praying that his Majesty before the House: The objec will be graciously pleased to tion he took to it did not ariser give directions that there be from any indisposition on the laid before this House, an ac-part of ministers to give the farcount of any commission of lest information on the subject commissions, instruction or in- when the proper time arrived! structions, issued by his Majes- for, whatever might be the gal ty's commands since the depar-lant general's opinion of minis ture of her Majesty the Queen ters, whatever cause might have from this country in the year induced him to imagine that 1814, for taking depositions, or they threw an improper shade making any other inquiries re- of mystery over this transaction} lating to her Majesty, during with respect to the mode in her residence abroad together which it was conducted, or the with an account of all sums of manner in which the charges money expended in the execu- were to be provided for, he tion of such commission or in- could assure the gallant general straction, and by whom such that there was no portion of the sums were respectively issued." painful investigation with which Lord CASTLEREAGH felt it to it was connected that he would be his duty, under the circum-more readily, if the oceastoni stances in which the House was suited, place him and the House at present placed, to oppose the in possession of. He believed, * most sincerely, that the whole government in mystery. When. transaction, from the first to the the proper time came, ministers last, would bear the light, at were ready to give every inforleast as far as he had any know-mation, but they would be guilty ledge of it. (Hear.) But he of a dereliction of duty if they might be allowed to say, that did so prematurely, The House the present was a very curious could not decide whether they mode of proceeding, if it were acted with a view to the ends introduced with a view to assist of justice, or for the purpose of or elucidate the inquiry now oppression, until all the facts pending before Parliament. It were before them; then only was most extraordinary, in the could they judge correctly of very first outset, before the their conduct, or of the conduct House had adopted any mea-of their agents. Those facts sure of inquiry of their own, and were not before them, and without waiting for that which therefore he contended, that the it was quite clear they would motion of the gallant general arrive at by another process was wholly premature. In this while they were ignorant of the stage of the proceeding he must: whole course of evidence that entreat the House to enter fully: the gallant general should call into the reasons why, in his opion one of the parties to put the nion, information on this part of House in possession of all the the subject should not be laid means that had been adopted to before them. He had no hesit gain information, and to state tation in stating, broadly and facts which would not in any distinctly, what was the fact. degree render other parts of the The outline of the fact, unconcase intelligible. It certainly nected with the Bill before the was not very common in judi- other House, was simply this cial proceedings to give up the The statements concerning the means by which information conduct of her Majesty reached had been procured. Indeed no- ministers from so many quarters, thing could be more subversive and had become so notorious of the course of justice, nor was here (statements, let it be obs any thing ever known more served, that were not procured contrary to the order of pro- by any system of fishing, but ceeding within the walls of Par-which came voluntarily from vas liament. (Hear, hear.) It was rious quarters, many of them of such a line of conduct as he the most grave and official chathought the gallant general racter), that it was deemed newould not, on reflection, perse-cessary to inquire into their vere in. Feeling thus, it was not truth; and, unless the gallant his intention to negative the mo-general laid it down as a maxim tion, but to meet it with the pre- that the servants of the Crown vious question. As he had former-were obliged to shut their eyes ly stated, with respect to the con- and ears against every offence duct of foreign ministers abroad, that threatened the welfare of he did not wish to wrap up the the state-unless he conceived because they must experience rumours, Le, perhaps, would not the most painful feelings, when have made this motion. The in-: charges were made against a formation alluded to was not person of such illustrious rauk drawn from Italy alone; and al, as was borne by the individual though he called the persons now before the House, that, who were sent out the Milan therefore, they ought not to commission," their inquiries take the plain course of justice were not restricted to conduct on such occasions, and ought pursued in that place. Their not to institute any inquiry into orders were to look to every reports of this nature; unless thing that could be devised, in the gallant general reasoned reason, to detect and separate thus, there was nothing in the falsehood from truth. That was conduct of ministers that de- the system adopted in this case: served censure. He would here- but certainly the inquiries of the after argue with the gallant ge- commissioners were applied to neral why the course of inquiry a much more extensive portion to which he objected was, a of Europe than the gallant gethe time, the most proper. He neral seemed to suppose. With admitted that that course of in- respect to the characters of the quiry was not strictly official persons employed, he was suro. it was not sanctioned by any the gallant general could not proceeding that could give it mean to insinuate any thing the name of a commission-it against them. There was no was not distinguished by any of thing in the character of those those formal instruments which individuals that could lead the were usually known to the con- House to suppose that they stitution. He would state, in would take any step inconsiste due time, why he considered this out, not merely with the genedemi-official proceeding pro- ral prineiples of justice, but of ceeding not strictly according to British justice. At a proper the forms of the constitution moment he should be preparedí was, under the view then taken, to defend all their proceedings!: the fit and proper one to be When the facts alleged againsto adopted; and he would also her Majesty flowed in on gas: consider the question, whether vernment with so strong a tide, the commission had acted with when the number of charges severity or injustice: or had hourly increased, and when they hunted for that sort of, informa assumed a most grave and se tion, which, according to the rious aspect, ministers felt that gallant general, Italy was fa- they had no right, intrusted as. mous for which a sum of money they were with a responsible aucould buy, and by means of thority, to let those accusations which the fairest character rest on the ground of ramour. might be blackened. If the gal- They thought it was their duty, lant general had waited for the even with reference to the chufacts of the case, instead of ap-racter and dignity of the Queen plying his reasoning to certain herself, to take the best means to ! discover what degree of weight lor, so far from militating against they deserved. Under the circum-the impartiality of the inquiry, stances, they did not deem it a afforded an additional pledge ease, in the examination of which that it was a just one. He would it would be wise or prudent to now briefly notice the course employ that formal commission that was taken. In the first inwhich would place on record stance, application was made to the statements that were to be a gentleman at the bar of the inquired into, even though they Chancery-court, a Mr. Cooke, turned out to be unfounded. for his assistance. There was They conceived it would an- no man in the country, he beswer the ends of justice if they lieved, who had the honour of were inquired into by persons his acquaintance, that did not of such character in their pro- respect him. He (Lord Castlefession as would enable minis- reagh) had seen him only once; ters to place confidence in their but, if a person might judge proceedings, and to give credit from the propriety of his apto their report. Certainly it did pearance, and the gravity of his not fall within the province of manner. (A laugh.) For his the Vice-Chancellor to lend own part, he thought it would himself voluntarily to such a pro-have been wrong to send a ceeding; but he must at the young gentleman on such a missame time observe, that there sion (a laugh); although the was nothing in the conduct of gallant general might suppose the Vice-Chancellor on that oc- that he would get much sooner casion that could in any way re-into all the secrets of the matter flect discredit on his character. than a person of more mature He held a high judicial situa- age. (A laugh.) When the tion; but, when he was called | business was of so delicate a naon to inquire into the matter at is-ture, it was, in his opinion, most sue, he (Lord Castlereagh) knew proper to employ an individual of no just ground which could of grave and thinking habits. be alleged to prevent him from The gallant general said, an ininforming himself of the truth dividual was selected who knew or falsehood of the reports that nothing of foreign language. had been circulated against the This, he conceived, was a pledge character of the illustrious indi-that nothing more was intended, vidual who was then residing but that the individual should abroad, and afterwards stating go to the appointed place, merethe conviction of his mind. Hely to hear the evidence as a was yet to learn that there was professional man. It showed that any thing in the Vice-Chancel- he was not sent out to insinuate lor's situation that ought to pre-himself as a spy into those transclude him from entering on an actions, but that he was speciinquiry of this nature always fically sent out as a person who, provided that it was pursued when the witnesses that were with truth and honour. The to substantiate the facts came pharacter of the Vice-Chancel-before him, was ready to take |