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the Honourable Gentleman had alluded, as marking the humiliation and diftrefs of the country, was one which he hoped to fee univerfal, although he could not expect the Honourable Gentleman or his friends to participate in it. He could not expect them to carry about a begging-box to collect contributions for the defence and fafety of the country. So far from the fuppofed diftrefs of the times being an argument against the propofed remuneration, he entertained not a doubt but that the poorest perfon who had fubfcribed would double, nay triple their fubfcription, fooner than fuch worthy characters fhould go without that reward they had fo well earned. He did not think it neceffary to fay more; he hoped he had explained to the Committee the ground on which the annuity was given; that it was given not as a reward, but to enable them to fupport their rank. It was given to both on the fame principle, and he doubted not the measure would meet the approbation of the Committee.

Mr. Nicholls was of opinion, that in the prefent fituation of the country, pecuniary rewards ought not to be granted; but, however, if the Houfe were of a diffèrent opinion, and thought it right that pecuniary gratifications fhould be granted to thofe two eminent commanders, then he should contend, that the gratification fhould be the fame. In the prefent inftance, the penfion to be granted to Lord St. Vincent, was by no means. equal to the penfion to be granted to Lord Duncan, though the words in the grant were the fame in both cafes. Lord St. Vincent was an elderly man, and had no children, and therefore a grant of a penfion to him and the two next heirs male of his body, could not be equal in value to the fame grant to Lord Duncan who had children. Upon this ground, if the House thought their fervices equal, he thought their remuneration should be fo, and with this impreffion he should move, as an amendment to the motion, that if Lord St. Vincent should die without heirs male of his body, that then the penfion fhould be granted to his executors and administrators for the term of thirty-one years.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer obferved, that the reafon for granting the annuity, being to enable the perfon on whom it defcended to fupport it, the moment the title was extinct, there was no further ncceffity for continuing the annuity; he therefore objected to the motion.

Mr. Nicholls denied that it was given merely to fupport the title. It was a reward for fervices which the country thought proper to beftow, and he contended it ought to be beftowed with impartiality, which was not the cafe under the prefent circumftances.

Sir Francis Baring regretted that this motion, as far as it related to Lord St. Vincent, had not been made at an earlier period; but ftill it was better late than never. With refpect to the two great naval characters who had been alluded to, their fervices deferved the moft diftinguished rewards their Country could bestow. He fhould not enter into any nice difquifition upon the exact proportion of public rewards; but he agreed in this principle, that where any dignity was conferred upon a man, he thould have the means of fupporting it. He fhould therefore give his affent to the motion; ftill, however, expreffing his regret that the motion with refpect to Earl St. Vincent had not been fooner propofed.

Mr. Dundas faid, perhaps he ought not to take notice of what had fallen from an Honourable and Learned Gentleman who commenced this difcuffion. He was aftonished that the Honourable Gentleman's mind could fuggeft, or his tongue utter, fuch an idea, as that the attention of the House was called to Lord Duncan, becaufe he was related to a perfon in Administration. Did the Honourable Gentleman mean to perfift in that declaration? Did he really believe that that was the reafon why the attention of the public fhould be turned upon him? If that was the Honourable Gentleman's opinion, he believed he was the only man in the kingdom who thought fo. It was true that he was related to Lord Duncan, that Noble Lord being married to a very near and dear relation of his. He had known him ever fince he was of an age to know any body, and could bear ample teftimony to his character. But there was one circumftance which he particularly wifhed to mention, which was, that it would have been the greatest poffible injury to Lord Duncan if this provifion had not been made. It was to be recollected, that the fervices of Lord Duncan did not begin with the great and glorious victory he had obtained his conduct, long previous to it, had entitled him to the gratitude of his country. But every man who knew Lord Duncan, knew, that although his fkill and abilities were always known and admired, he never had the command of a fleet till he was appointed to the command of the North Sea fleet. He never had the command even of two ships, or had a broad pendant flying. Under thefe circumftances, he had not the means of adding much to his private fortune. In the tedious Cruize which continued for many months previous to his victory over the Dutch fleet, the merit of Lord Duncan was confpicuous and in the fame manner as the conduct of Lord St. Vincent, previous to his Victory, gained the attention of his Majefty, fo did that of Lord Duncan. He was the correfpondent of Lord Duncan on that occafion; for, having re

ceived an intimation, probably from the First Lord of the Admiralty, that fome mark of royal favour was about to be conferred upon him, he wrote to him (Mr. Dundas) ftating, that he fhould receive any mark of his Majefty's favour with great respect and gratitude, but begged it might not be of fuch a nature as to increafe his expences: becaufe he had three fons and five daughters, and therefore wished not to have his expenditure increafed. When the Noble Lord returned after his victory, his Majefty had, unfolicited, and unknown to him, conferred upon him a peerage. Under thefe circumstances, he wifhed to afk, whether the country would not stand difgraced if fomething was not done to enable him to maintain his family? With refpect to Lord St. Vincent, if the Honourable Gentleman fuppofed that any thing was intended against him, it was a moft erroneous fuppofition. He knew that the Noble Lord himself was of a very different opinion. He could fay more, that the circumftances which led to the meffage refpecting Lord St. Vincent, were not known twenty-four hours before the meffage was delivered. He begged the Honourable Gentleman not to fuppofe that he was the only friend of Lord St. Vincent?-There were others who loved and admired him, and would protect his honour.

Mr. Plomer was anxious that the Committee in agreeing to the refolutions before them would be unanimous. But while commanders in chief received the rewards justly due to their merits, he thought thofe fecond in command were alfo entitled to the bounty of their country. Every man who heard him, would, he was fure, concur in any poor eulogium he could bestow on the Admiral who was fecond in command, on the celebrated 11th of October laft. Sir Richard Onflow had on that day fignalized himself by a conduct truly British, and a heroifm that would add luftre to any character. And as it had pleafed his Majefty to raife him, unafked and unfolicited, to the rank of baronet, he thought fome provifion ought to be made for him fuitable to the title. It had been stated by Mr. Dundas, among the reafons why Lord Duncan was particularly entitled to a penfion, that he had a large family, and it was for a fimilar reafon Mr. Plomer wished the Houfe to remunerate Sir Richard Onflow, who had feven children, been forty years in the fervice, and was not in circumstances to fupport the title.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer faid, that upon a former day he had stated how painful it was to oppofe any propofition for liberal rewards to men who had performed eminent fervices. But it was his duty to remind the Houfe of the line which had always been followed. In the first place, it had been an inva

riable rule never to enter into difcuffion upon fuch fubjects but from the recommendation of the Throne. In the next place, the remuneration had always been confined to the commanders in chief. If the Houfe were to go beyond that rule, the Honourable Gentleman must see how far they would be carried. Befides, he would not contend that the dignity of a baronet required fo much to fupport it as the dignity of the peerage. Gentlemen alfo would recollect, that there were not wanting many inftances of officers, fecond in command, who had distinguished themselves in a very fignal manner. Many had arrived at the fame dignity as that conferred upon the gentleman alluded to. Many had attained even a higher rank, but no pecuniary remuneration had been bestowed upon any. Nay, there were not wanting inftances of commanders in chief, who had highly diftinguished themfelves; who had been advanced to the peerage, but had obtained no pecuniary recompence:--one had been advanced, firft to an Irish, and then to an English peerage; another had been raifed to an Irish peerage, but neither had received any pecuniary provifion. Gentlemen finally would recollect that it was impoffible in the prefent Committee to go beyond the recommendation propofed from the Throne. The inconvenience therefore of drawing into precedent the cafe of Sir Richard Onflow would, he was perfuaded, be felt equally by the Honourable Gentleman and the Committee, and mult at once fuggeft the propriety of not bringing forward any propofition on the fubject at prefent.

Mr. Plomer was extremely unwilling to difturb the unanimity of the Houfe upon the prefent occafion. He knew that it was neceffary to have a recommendation from the Throne but as the grant was a Parliamentary one, he did not conceive it improper to make thofe obfervations which he had fuggested to the Committee.

Sir W. Dalben rofe with very different fentiments from those expreffed by the two Learned Gentlemen. The motion had his perfect and cordial concurrence; and he only lamented that the Houfe could not go to the extent defired. The Committee were granting provifions for three lives, but life was uncertain: a few years might pafs away, and thofe lives be no more. The peerage might then come to a peer who would have no property to fupport it: he lamented, therefore, that the provitions for the maintenance of it were not permanent, and he wished that it should be granted in perpetuity. This might be done without a perpetual burden on the country, in this mode: three thousand pounds a-year might be granted for twenty or twentyone years, instead of two thoufand. Two thousand pounds, however, fhould only be paid yearly to the Noble Lords, and

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the remaining thoufand might be put into commiffion, in the fame manner as the fund for paying off the national debt; and fo accumulate by compound intereft, till a fufficient capital was created to purchase a perpetual provision of two thoufand pounds

a-year.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer obferved, that if it were the fenfe of the Houfe to provide a perpetuity for the peerages in queftion, they had better grant it at once. But it was underftood, that though Lord Duncan had not now an estate sufficient for the fupport of the peerage, yet that he was in poffeffion of an eftate, or an inheritance, which might hereafter amount to a permanent provifion for the rank to which he had been raifed.

Sir W. Dolben faid,. he was perfectly fatisfied with the ex] planation; but now he was upon his legs, he withed the principle he had laid down to pervade the whole peerage; and that when the King conferred the honour of the peerage, fome method fhould be found out by fome fund established to provide 2 or 3000l. a-year for the fupport of the dignity.

The amendment propofed by Mr. Nicholls was negatived, and the original motions paffed nem. con.

On the motion of the Mafter of the Rolls, the Rev. Charles Mofs, Canon Refidentiary of St. Paul's, was defired to preach before the Houfe on the 7th of March, the day appointed for the General Faft.

Adjourned.

HOUSE OF LORDS.
Thursday, Feb. 15.

The Supplementary Militia Bill, and two other Bills were received from the Commons.

Adjourned.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.
Thursday, Feb. 15.

Two Petitions from the Clock and Watchmaker of Liver-. pool and Edinburgh were prefented, praying for a repeal of the Clock and Watch Act. Ordered to be referred to the Committee appointed to take the former petition against the faid act into confideration.

The Report of the Committee of the whole Houfe, upon the two Meffages from his Majefty, refpecting Earl St. Vincent and Lerd Duncan, was brought up, and Bills ordered to be brought in upon the Refolutions of the Committee.

SUPPLEMENTARY MILITIA.

Upon the question for the third reading of the Supplementary Militia Bill;

Sir

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