BRITISH HOUSE OF COMMONS.
Tburfday, December 8.
REPORT OF THE BUDGET.
Mr. Wilberforce, having feeo how much the o
pinions of honorable Gentlemen might vary in ' c
course of one day, had some hope of another
change, from hearing them talk of to-morr»w.
the present topic was so important, how did it lap
pen that they overlook<-d it yellerday. He expcc
ted jiiflice from all partie., and candour, though
not from the Hon. Gentleman, yet from hts bob.
friend, (Sir W. Pukeney) : he was therefore sur
prised to find him treat the fp-ech of the Chancel
lor of the Exchequer as a general defence of the
pra&ice in que&ion, which was only referred to up
on an immediate necefiity. The care of public cred
it was certainly lils firft cfitfy i it was t«r him to
watih over it with a fearful eye, and to atljuft its
balance with a careful band ; it was within l.is
knowledge that the.disclosure of this grant tt> the
Emperor would have material})' jleprcflfed credit,
he was so far from being bl,imeable fur concealing
it, that he defeived t^e thanks of the houle, who
would, doubtless, now that the qurtlion was before
them, express therr reaffenfe of it. His merit, in
deed, was the greater, becanfe lie mnli know the.
conftrudlion which oppofn-ion would put upon his
Conduct, and !iow the constitution would revive in
their Speeches only to'be again slain by them. Ihe
present appearance of public credit had, perhaps,
partly contributed to the better difpofuion late' - /
Giewn towaids Lord Malmefbury at Paris, and was
an inllance ho«v carefully it would be guarded by
Minjfters.
The hon. Mr. Yovke declared this to be one of
the most important debates he bad ever heard in
Parliament, iHough he had be?n a member of that
House of Commons which the hon. gfnrteman f<>
much delighted to call feryile ; to which fort of
__cailiag-names he would only reply, that fie no more
wanted fpir i+r-or -i«- auy -wajt r I lull
the hon. gentleman himfelf. The preient question
related only to the ways and means, which certain
ly were not to be withheld at the tnoft dangerous
period of a dangerous war, and the tnoft critical «nc
of a critical negociation. With refpeft to the po.
litical part of the dispute, he thought th« mini(l«r
praife latherthaß blame. Had it been
determined that no partjof the vote of credit ftiould
go to our allies, however necessary it might be :
He considered the deliverance of Germany to have
been effefted by this supply ; and hoped that the
question would be difcufled to morrow with all the
deliberation and impartiality due to thecircumftan
ces of the country.
Mr. Harrifon (aid, that if ministers had been
without an opportunity of applying to Parliament
either during,or immediately after the expenditure,
a part of their present arguments would have been
■ot Hock, by which some gentlemen might derive
great benefit, to fritter away the constitution, and
afiift the right hon. gentleman in the plan, which
he was so obvioafly pursuing, of rendering the house
of Commons a nullity. It was his otyeft to keep
—cwy-iTiTTTj- fy,
ture he was now making for barracks, was one in
stance of it, A new flru&ure of this fort was bow
forming on the high road Stilton. Forty acres
of laud-had boen purcbafed for it, and the work
men werefo numerous, that he thought they would
cut each other's feet. To all expences the poor
were made to contribute, whiis nothing was given
by the hon. gentleman, who had so many places and
emoluments. But upon this fubjedt he would not
now trouble the House, as he intended to bring it
before them by a motion (hortly after the holidays.
Mr. Wilberforce explained.
Mr. Curwen \Vas convinced., that of all the qwef
tions difcufled during his time in parliament, this
was the most important. It was not the {atety of
Germany, but the fafety and continuance of the
constitution, that were »ow to be cor.fideted by the
house. To take from any body their consequence
in the eyes ot the people, wa6 to deprive that body
of the means of Being ufeful. The people did not
care for five'bundled and fifty-eight men ; they re
verenced the houle, endued with all its privileges and
ufeful rights. If this encroachment upfcn them
was endu'ed, he had no hesitation to fay 1 , that he
could not respect the house. There was a talk, on
the other fide of candour expedied fjom friends:
for his part, if any friend meditated that violation
of the constitution, whieh was the uniform objefil
of all the miniftef's endeavors, no candor fhauld'Jhut
his mouth.
The master ot the rolls thought the greatest part
of the debate so little connected with the qtieftion,
he hoped his honorable friends would give 110 further
answer totho gentlemen or the other fide, who were
certainly entitled to talk as long as they pleased,
and the lpeaktr was compelled to remain in the chair
as long. The bankable member, however, re
joiced that he was not compelled to (lay ; and as
sured the house that he would not afFeraoy defence
■of his nonorable friend.
Mr. W. Smith had no hope to convince the
honorable gentleman. So far, however, was the
vote of credit from fanftioning the iflae of monej
to the emperor, that in 1704, when a similar iffiHe
was intended for the king of Prufiia, that design
had been obviously pointed by his majerty's message,
upon which the vote of credit was pafTed. The
house ought to prefer this queltion, which was a
question of Their right and place in-the couflitution,
to all others.
Lord Hawkefbury thought the real obje<& of the
debate to be obtained as soon as puflible,; and
that, if the fending of money to the emperor de
pended upon the present difenfiion, it would be bet
ter to decide the conftitutioi.al question firft; but
lince it was now desirable, for many reasons, and
-erpec.ally for those relative to the negociatiun, that
the supplies fliould Le voted, he had only to suggest
that this should be don* immediately, and to hope
that, upon the great conHitutional point involved in
the other qucttion, a dalermiiiatiuD would be feri
outly given.
Mr. Fox agreed with an old maxim now out of
/afhion, tli3t retirefi of grievances should always
pccc.edc .iujjplics.. The only qudtiou far the house
:
than an apparent one as to the real objeft of the a
fupplv. Could there be any doubt which appcai -
ance would be best for the house of Commons, th •
reprefeptatiye. of their jeahu, ancestors, tp gve f
hastily, without enquiry, or for one day to
hold th* public purfc, and in the mean pot. to n
discuss the conduit of their chief agent . Was a
member of parliament to be toU\ that, because f.
had not urged an objeflion one day, he was disabled
from offering it on another ? He afl'.ed pardon,
however, of the hatife and the country for this net
gleft, and was delirouc to compeiifrte for it by tu-
ture vigilance.
Tbat he had so often declared the conftittitiow
to be in danger, (hould now lei It of aft be objeded a
to him, when the House witnessed the « te f, to "
which that danger reached. It was his boalt that
he had often prcdifted it. All his fears were fully <>
unified this night. If, in the debate on the Sedi- p
tion Bill, he had said, that the fpjnt of the people t,
of England would be so broken by it, astoencour- ti
age the minilier in fending money to the Emperor i
without consent of Parliament, what exaggeration «
(hould he not have been accnfed of ? His friends t
hid been charged with faying frequently, that they l<
were in the la ft dyke of the conliitution. They n
fought as well as they could in evfry fortrefs; and
wasit to be expefted. that, becau!e minjfters had
conquered many, and those important cnes, the ir
defenders of them were, therefore, 10 lie down be
neath their power ? There would, indeed, soon be ti
nothing worth fighting tor. I'he dtfence of ©inif- K
ters was so difgraceful, that, if the present was a b
personal question, he could desire n» greater tri
umph than to hear it. They had not transferred
the whole vote of credit to the Emperor Would «
any man fay, that the Emperor wai at all in the r
contemplation, or view of the house, when the vote
us cTriit wiS paffcilT Here Mr. Fax dclir.ed to c
b?.ve his msjefty's message read, and Hewed, that o
when anv loan or subsidy wits iute'nded 10 a foreign 8
power, that obje& was always noticed in it. The "
other defence wai, that it was wife to-keep up pub- o
lie credit by conr«ling its real state, i. e. by de- n
ceiving these who would trust you. The hon.gen- 1
lteman (Mr. Wilberforce) saw nothing dilhonora
ble in this, and accused those who did of want of'
candour, desiring, no doubt, tjiat gentlemen on
this fide of the House should d< fend their cause with
jiilt as much sincerity, steal,-and honor, is he pppuf- J
ed the minister, when he thought some appearance l;
of oppolition necessary. The House would not
eoafound the quettion as to the proper application *
of this money, with that relative to the mode of
obtaining it. It might be proper, or not, to fend «
money to the Emperor ; but had the minister so a
far abolilhed tha conliitution as to have the right v
of doing so without the consent of Parliajpent ?. '
Against such a do&rine he would contend in that
Houle as long as it was possible by words, and
otherwifeif it was necessary, out of that house;
for he would live and die by the freedom of the
constitution of England. So far was he an y -»iL
lvii, cuuviuucu Xjy 11 111£* tfl.C
constant suspicion to which affairs would be liable,
if, without the consent of parliament, tposey might
be sent out of the kingdom. There would always
be a doubt attending ourpecumVy tranfa&ions, and
no man could urge against the fufpiicion of an enor
mous secret expenditure, the proceedings of parlia
ment, and the impossibility, which hitherto had ex
isted, that money could be disposed of without theit
knowledge.
The chancellor of the exchequer said, that he
would refrain from any further argument upon the
question this oi;ht, finding the intention of honor- >
able gentlemen to bring it fofpeedily under discus- 1
fion again.
Mr, Ballard said, that he would give his vote for
the supplies ; but, by doing so, .he did not mean to
imply on approbation of the mini Iter's conduft in
this mode of expending the public money, or to J
fay that he did not think such a mark of difappro
Nation as would prevent the pra&ice in future to
be necessary from the house. The house then di
vided.
•For the resolution I,64—Against it jS—Major
ity 106. J
011 Grangers being permitt/d to re enterthe mJ
lery, we found Mr. Pitt and Mr. Fox engaged in
a convention acrofa the table, but they each spoke
in a tone of voice so very low, that it was impossible
to hear diftin&ly any thing they said. It'' was
hawever, generally understood that Mr. Fox Sad
given notice of his intention to make feme motion
-011 Monday next.
The clerk then proceeded to read the resolution
Mr. Bryan Edwards objected to the tax upon
iugar. He said, it was not his intention to oppose
in the fm all eft degree the supplies for the public
lervtce. He conceived that unanimity was particu
larly necessary at the present crisis, not only to give' (
dignity to the proceedings of parliament, but also
tfe lupport the honor and eharafter of the country
and to gue due effeft to the negotiation, in which '
we were at this time engaged. Bin he ceuld not
help calling the attention of the house to the pro i
posed tax upon sugar, which ,he could not view ss
a measure either judicious or politic. If we looked
to the situation of our Weft India possessions, wc
ihould find that the late dreadful infurredtion in
Jamaica had produced a loss to that iflar.d of
500,©001. that Barbados, from the cffcumftances
.of the war had b<jen driven to an expense of 000,000)
and that the islands of St. Vincents and Grenada
had been so ravaged and dillreffed by the hoftilitiea
which had been earned on in them, that they were
.nrapaWe of repairing rhe losses they had faftained.
Our Weft India poffeflians being so conditioned, it
could not reasonably be imagined that their pro
duce was a fair objed of taxation. Jf the turden '
o the proposed tax was intended to fall upon the
planter, the measure was «njuft ; and, if it was in
tended to fall upon the conftimer, it became burthen
some and opprrfiiv\ His ideas were, that, isa tax
mult be levied upon this commodity, it (hould at 1
leal, be considerably otherwife it wo 'u!d
not fail to prove highly injurious to the planters, or
, Whom he feared the burden uuft fall. Another
. consideration was, the duty upon Eaft-Indi? fogar
was not upon the lame footing as that of the V e - (
, Indies, the duty being in a far less proportion.
; Fhftead, therefoie, of laving an additional ha f crown
■ a hundred upon both sugars, he thought the: duty
. on the Weft-India produce should be less, and that
: upon the East-India more, in oroer to draw a pro
portion agreeably to the exilting taxes upon t 10 e
. comrpadiiies. These ideas had anfen in his mind,
, not from any principle of opposition to the|m.nliter, £
, but from the purest of motives, and he wished to 1
: submit them to the superior judgment of tbechan- ,
I cellor of the exchequer. f
Mr. Pitt agreed with the honorable gentleman,
that every practicable indulgence should be « xte j" d " .
. ed tu the planters; but he had not the lmalleft .
doubt that the tax would ultimately be paid by the 1
consumer. As to the proportion which the honor
able gentleman wiftwd to he thought kaj
ready fufficiendy in favor ofjhe Weil-India pro>fi- _
etor, the duty upon tlie. produce of this land being
only 13s. per cwt. while that upon the Ealt-India
produce was 37!. 83. per cent, ail valorum. the .
tax of half a crown a h.undred upon each, lie th,ere
thoug-ht, was by no means an uureafonable propo
fltioH D ; although he was free to conWs, that the c
ft».tement of tlue honorable gentleman, icfpeCtiug
the situation of the Weft-India Islands, fhoutd have
futee weight with the house, iu tlje future difauf
fions upon the fubje&.
Sir Wtiliaifi Young was also of that tlie
statement of Mr. Bryan Edwards was entitled to £
much attention. _ j
Colonel Harcourt did not think that the Atua
: tion of the Weft-Indies was so bad, but that there
was a fair profpe£t of the;njuries they ha.' iuftained
being amply repaired by our recent acquifiuons in
•that quaiter. i
Mr. Pitt and Mr. Thornion said a few words f
each 5 after .which the resolution was put, and car
ried. S
On the resolution refpe£ting the drawback upon j
1 coffee being read, Mr. Bryan Edwards made a few
observations on the nccelfity of encouraging the i
1 giowth and exportation of it ; and, after some rs
■ marks from Mr. Pitt and Mr. Shwell, this and the
other resolutions were put and carried, and the '
minister obtained luave to bring in bills purluant to
. them. S
The house adjourned at jo o'clock till to-morrow. t
[ Wanted, ,
\ A NURSE, t« attend a"sick Lady, a few miles from j
ii this city :—apsrfon well recommended, will be im
mediately employed, and liberally rewarded. For in for- j
■ mation enquire of the Editor of this Paper.
: February 24
1 " * A Young (icntleman, ,
WIJO can come well recommended by a refpe<slable ,
1 merchant of this city, would be willing to engagg either
> as a CLERK in an accempting-houl'e, public office, or ,
t wholefaleftore. A line addrefled to A. B. and left with
? tjie Printer of tjiis Paper, will ha duly attended to.
February 43 It -
\ 7 College-Hall,
RtADiKos and Recitations,
e. . .
Moralj Critical, and Entertaining.
& ■ hhb, - |
At 7 o'clock, will be delivered,
' first part
Aurtrony'n Funeral Oiation, Shakespeare. 1
S /anga't Triumph o\er Alonzo, Young,
d SECOND PART
OJe on St Cac ilia's Day, Pope.
Hamlei's.lolilocujy onh'u Mothei's ' 1
l " ShaMp-are. '
.- Ode to Madoefs, p, tiiofe.
I THIRD tAKf . ,
Hamlet'sSoliloquv on Death, Shakespeare.
•,Od(! on the Paffiont, Collins. 1
e Alexander's teall Diyd«i.
e Ticket* to be had of Mr. Poulfpn, ju*. at the JLibrary;
atmr. M'Elwee's lorjting-glafs-ftpre, No. 70, b. Fourth
- flreet; and at Mr. Carey's, Bookieller, Market-street
Halfi a dollar each.
r 'Wanted,'- r^~
o Penujfylxank Bank Shares,
II For which Gajh, or approved Notes at 60 days, will
o -be given, at the option of the Seller.
> February Apply at this offiy. (
° New Theatre.
TflfS EKENINgT February 24,
Will be prcfented, a Comedy, called 1
!- Every one has his faiiic,
11 i-ord Norland, Mr . W arren
c sir RobertJlamaje, Mr. Wiaaell
e yi T - S ° lasf Mr. Morris
Mr. Harmony, Mr. Ba.e.
'Pt ; rwm, M[ Cloper
d Pbc Mr. Moriton
n • Hammond, Mr Warrel i ( Wl .
;° J rlc '- Mr. Warrell
I j ' , • M.f.L'Edraoge
Lady Eleanor Irwin, M)s . Mer
B !"/ M "' f""'"
e M.fsSpn.iler, M«. L'Eftrange
c Woobura, Mrs. Morris
'< /» 1 ~To which will be added, ' ,
e (For the ad time in this Theatre,-and with the original. '
0 Overture and trench Mulic, composed by Monfr, Roch . .
• . ' """ performed in America) 1
h A Grand, Serious, PANTOiMI ViE BALLET, called 1
it. t he Death of Capt, Cook • i
in Coveni-Garden Theatre, London, undt, ,
3 U r «° n 0t ' V,r - Bt RNV ' awards o» ix y 1 H U V "
d rir llf * T '' Wlth umverfal applause.] 1
With New Scenery, Machinery, Drejfcs and D U o- 1
n r, r ~ . rations.
t ,
[ Mdlrs. Byrne
j iFranci*
* XhePtmcipalChataaer.by^
j Morcton 1
, C I Fox
L . , .1 Warrell
it t j• _ Mrs.Byrne. t
►' "»**%D- 1
n Indian Women,—Mrs Har v „ ilrfy' "• Liv « nc y. *<:• I
. or, Miss Melbourne! m 2 L'Krt Mercht'er, Mrs. Doit- ,
lt Enteriiinmcnti. o# foarujia with (
1 «-«-:
' r ; a Dollar, Md Fit Seyen Ei S h ' hs
oa3ette^^irdteti^tates,
AND
Philadelphia Daily Advertijer.
PHILADELPHIA, February 14 .
STOCKS.
Six - - .... jjry
Three per Cent. .
perCent. - -- -- -- --
per Cent. ..... ...
Deferred Six percent. .... jjy
BANK United States, ... Uperet
Psnnfylvania, - - - . lS do _
»" North \mierica, .... 45 do. \
InfuraßCe Cump. N. A. (hares, - 30 per ct
f ennfylv. 3 per w ■
COURSE OF EXCHANGE.
On London, at 30 days, par
at 60 days, f 62 i-»
at 90 days, J7 , mJ
Amfterdaro, 60 days, per guilder.
9<= days, 4i
AN ODE
On the Birth-Day of hia Excellenty SEuRGE WASH
ING'tOK, Prefiuent of the United States of America
Ncju Jerfcy, 13d of February, 1797
WHAT mean those drains, my fancy f?ems to hrar }
Wafted so fu'eetly thiough the mideight air
Sure 'tis the gentle Spirits of the Vajc,
Or Patriot Heross who each danger brav'd,
And died exulting in their country fav'd,
That fill with cxtacy the dying gale.
They ceme to hail the bright propitious m m
.Oji wjiiph thejr great compatriot was born, .
And usher in the white-wing*d hours :
Hark ! how thty itring the Lyre to theme* fsbl r.t,
Recount-the deeds of heroe* in each clime,
And give the palm to our,.
See (freaks «f fapphi;*- gild the (jricnt Jky,
And flying clouds announce fame power :s nigh.
To give an.energy t" joys (incorc. k ■ - tiS—Z-
Yes, th'ftt heavenly maid, fairOnatitubb, (
With all the Virtues a» hej bright prelude,-
Descending front yon lucid as ure sphere.
she topes, Uhe Sons of Freedom to inspire,
To raise their ardent gratulations higher,
And join thefeftive tributary fang:
She bringsriie Mules from their native hill#,
Aonian groves, and ever-flowing rilis,
Each delicate emotion so prolong.
Let Nymphs and Shepherds jain the mazy dance
Let Mirth illume the hours as..they advance,
And languid Age forget its crutch and car?:
Let pain be footh'd, and grief aiTume a finite—
This natal day has magic to beguile,
Or wipe from Sorrow's eye, ,t£ie falling tear.
The thought of Washington, injsvery mind
Mud raise Ideas grateful as refi .'d,
That pomp of language never yet expreft ;
That name rever'd, to LIBERTY fodeur,
Mull prompt the fervji.t, unaife jl td prayer,
Ar.ii fvc««t ejpic&ve Silence jniufe th? rcll.
COMMUNICATIONS. >
Bruce travelled to explore the fo»rce of the
V - ;? h?'L fc- 'B"''' y .iui.'"i '*♦— fear*
bectTan intereli':i ; o! j-bt»t what ca take f<?
many French philofephers up and Aoipn out Wcjltrn
ritttrt and creeks, is an extrayidinarv thirg !—Liks
ruttic beauties, far removed from the touch of de
vices, those dillant fifties havcdoybtlefs many secret
charms, unknown t<« the dull Americans who inha
bit, out cities and fill our philosophical f./cietivs.
Pechsps it might do as well if thel'e ruflic
which have such aftonjfhing attractions for foreign
amateurs wt« kept more out of fight—male co
quetry hurls their (itnplicity—and the mere celebri
ty which thty Bi-y gain by the learned sdiriratiop
of tbefc travellers may perhaps be but a fmallconj.
penfation to tJrr'irparents f«r the lofg of reputation
which theie vifi'9 if often repeated might produce.
If t-hefe philosophers ate the only wen whom the
various Propaganda Societies in Europe can leffd
us, we think we have many milfionaries rather bet
ter qualify'd for the jiurpofes of fettling a new
countiy y.,h J are and r.ot philo
sophers.
,T7
A paragraphia in the Aurora—the author no
doubt of the et ican Annual Regijler—affefls t®
wonder at the lilence «f thdfr who are censured in
that woik, and takes it as an evidence of guilt. A
better account, however, can be given of this fi
lcnce. It proceeds (;om a perfe£l indifference to
the cenftye conveyed in that book. Ihe author of
it is generally known, and his chara&er is such, as
to tender those whom he attacks quite unconcerned
about any mifchief he may attempt. The book, in
question,- is the yerieft catch-penny that ever wa?
published. It is the mere jtitchen tittle-(attle of
jacobinifip. Neither th»fe who are blamed nor those
who are praised, if not of the mesneft understand
ing or the grofltft taste, can feel any excitement,
except that of disgust, at any thing it contains.
The paragraph in the Aurora is a competent speci
men of the Hile and charafter of the whole peifoi
mance. The author wrote it, no doaht, to endea
vour to force his work into notice ; but he will fill
the less, and not the «ere ps his -book, by giving
the public this sample of his talents. His bed me
thod wiH be to get people to purchase without ever
feeing a sentence he has produced,
"ke democrats call the attachment of the citi
zens to their " beloved fcll6w eitizen" i3platry,
This is ttrange talk for men who " adore the peo
ple." Is their voice llupid idolatry ? Yes or no,
is equally a plea as guilty for the democrats. Ei
ther they quarrel with ths people for their appro
ving voice, or fay no to the faft and quarrel witli
the ttuth. A ttranger to America, and to both
parties, would think the nation the (tupidell and ba
sest upon the earth, if he read and judged only fro* l
tht jacobin gazettes. Yet this is the glorious con
clusion our " patriots" " the adorers of the pfo
ple" take such unwearied pains to eftaMifh. ' 0
lower the national chaiaCler, and the national fpint
too, to make Americans think thcmfel* 6B
and to peifuade the French to believe that we are
cowards and traitors, are the " patriotic" talks ai
tinned by their severe talk mailers to the democi»:»
(or American mongrels) aid their gazettes.