which their Commission is charged, to transact the public business at a much lower rate than is fairly due to individuals receiving ordinary consignments. On the whole, your Committee recommend that a Commission of five per-cent. on the net proceeds of sales should be allowed to the Commissioners, they paying the charges of their establishment. This allowance will probably amount to not less than about 50,000l. or 10,000l. to each Commissioner, and will be more by about 17,000l. than would be due to them, according to the usual practice of merchants, and more by at least about 32,000l. than they could claim according to the precedent of 1756, to which they have appealed.-The excess of this remuneration above that enjoyed by merchants, as well as above that granted in 1756, may be justified on the ground partly of the more than ordinary trouble imposed on the present Commissioners, and partly by the length of time during which their Commission has necessarily subsisted, and perhaps partly also by the circumstance of your Committee, in consequence of the omission not only of the Commissioners, but also of the government, having to recommend a retrospective arrangement. The sum which the Commis

and has lately been applied by the law to the net proceeds of sale, having before been charged on the gross proceeds. It appears by the evidence, that the excess of the commission of prize agents above that of merchants is justified chiefly by the peculiar trouble imposed on the prize agent in the distribution of the proceeds of his sales among the crews of the capturing vessels, a trouble from which the Commissioners for the Sale of Dutch Property were exempt. If also the capital employed by the prize agent, and the responsibility and risk to which he is subject, are taken into consideration, little disparity between the two charges will be found.-Your Committee will now present an Estimate of the Remuneration, to which the Commissioners would be entitled according to each of the three principles which have been mentioned. First, If the commission usual among merchants of two and a half per cent. on the gross proceeds of sales should be granted, about 50,000!. would be the amount of the allowance, out of which the expences of the Establishment (in all about 17,000) would be to be defrayed, leaving about 33,000l. clear profit to be divided among the Commissioners.-2dly. If the principle adopted in 1755, of two and a half per cent, on the net proceeds,sioners will have to refund, in case of the (which may amount to about 1,300,000l, | or 1,400,000l.) should be resorted to, a sum of about 32,500l. to 35,000l. would be receivable, which, the expences of the establishment being paid, would leave about 15,500l. to 18,000l. to be divided among the Commissioners.-3dly. If the commission should be calculated at the rate which was usual among prize agents at the time when the Commissioners began to act, namely, five per-cent. on the gross proceeds of sales, the sum would be about 99,000l. subject to a similar deduction, leaving a clear profit of about $2,000l.-Your Committee can by no means agree to decide the question, according to this principle. The Commission received by prize agents at the time when the Commissioners were appointed, has lately been determined to be a more than adequate remuneration for the whole of their trouble. It should also be recollected that the Commissioners not only have been exempt from the labour of distributing the proceeds of their sales among the individua sailors concerned in the captures, and from much other trouble and responsibility, as well as from the advances to which prize agents are subject, but are also enabled, by the magnitude of the sum on

adoption of this suggestion, will be not less than between 60 and 70,000l. They will also fail to receive nearly 20,000%. which they appear to have expected to appropriate to their own use, for further interest and commission.-Your Committee cannot allow any weight to the observation, that two of the Commissioners having, after a term, quitted their professions with a view to the fulfilment of their trust, some reference should be made to this circumstance in estimating the amount of the remuneration. No notice of the intended sacrifice was given; and it is obvious, that by proportioning the general compensation receivable by the Body to the special claims of two Individuals, a more than adequate reward would be granted to the majority.-If it should be thought fit to adopt the suggestion of your Committee, the Commissioners ought to be credited in account for the proposed Commission, and to be debited for all sums applied to their own use, since they have been taken without due authority, the same general principles being observed by the auditors in the settlement of the concerns of these Commissioners which are usual in similar cases. Your Committee further suggest, that the Commissioners should be directed

TOWN OF GODALMING, At a Meeting of the Corporation and principal Inhabitants of the Town of Godalming, held at the Town Hall, in pr suance of a Requisition for that purpose, to the Warden of the Town, on Monday, the 27th day of March, 1809.

It was (with the exception of two only) unanimously resolved, That an Address from the Corporation and Inhabitants of this Town be forthwith prepared and presented to G. L. Wardle, esq., M. P. thank

by which he so peculiarly distinguished himself as a Member of Parliament, in bringing forward and prosecuting the Inquiry in the House of Commons into the Conduct of the late Commander in Chief his Royal Highness the Duke of York.

That Mr. Weale the Warden, and Mr. Haydon, a Member of the said Corporation, be deputed to present such Address, and that they do forthwith consult Mr.. Wardle as to the most convenient time for his receiving the same.

to use their utmost diligence to make up | and transmit their accounts to the lords of his Majesty's Privy Council, with a view to their being submitted to the Board of Treasury, and by them referred to the Auditors.Your Committee have not pursued their examination of all the topics to which their attention has been called, as will be seen by the evidence, partiy because such investigation might detain the m too long from their inquiries into other subjects, and partly on the ground of their not wishing to be considered as exemptinging him for the manly and patriotic spirit the government from the duty of applying their attention to the transactions of the Commissioners, or the auditors from the diligent and exact performance of the functions of their important office. The magnitude of the charges on the vessels and cargoes sold, which manifests itself in the difference between the gross and the net proceeds, and in the excess of the charges above the whole proceeds in the case of many vessels, appear to demand attention.-Your Committee have had it chiefly in their view to examine and animadvert upon those points which derive importance either from the magnitude of the saving in question, or from their involving some general principles, on which it might be material to insist.-On a review of the whole of the subject which has been before them, they beg leave generally to remark, that to commit pecuniary trusts of extraordinary magnitude Godalming; 27th March, 1809. to persons, however respectable as indi- SIR-WE the undersigned Members viduals, and however qualified for their of the Corporation, and principal Inhabiemployment by the habits of their former tants of the Town of Godalming, this lives, without settling, during a long course day assembled at the Town Hall, in purof years, the mode or amount of their re- suance of a Requisition for that purpose to muneration,-without providing any ma- the Warden of the Town, feeling convinced terial check on their proceedings, and that Corruption in any Government must without reminding them of their responsi- necessarily tend to weaken its own just Au bility by calling for any regular or perio-thority, and admiring that manly and pa dical account, is a neglect which may be expected often to lead to equally prejudicial consequences, and is a deviation from the acknowledged duty, and also, as your Committee trust, from the ordinary prac-mons, into the Conduct of the late Com tice of government.

PROCEEDINGS

In COUNTIES, CITIES, BOROUGHS, &c. relative to the recent INQUIRY in the House of Commons, respecting the Conduct of the DUKE OF YORK. (Continued from p. 563.)

That these Resolutions be entered on the Records of the said Corporation, as a lasting memorial of the opinion entertained by the Corporation and Inhabitants of this Town of Mr. Wardle's Parliamentary Services, and as a Tribute of their grateful acknowledgments to him.

THE ADDRESS.

To G. L. Wardle, esq. M. P.

triotic spirit by which you so peculiarly distinguished yourself as a Member in Parliament, in bringing forward and prosecuting the Inquiry in the House of Com

mander in Chief, desire to offer you our most sincere and hearty thanks, and as a lasting memorial of the opinion we entertain of your Parliamentary Services, we have caused this Tribute of Acknowledg ment to be entered on the Records of the said Corporation.

(Here follow the signatures.)

LONDON:-Frinted by T. C. HANSARD, Peterborough - Court, Fleet - Street;

Published by R. BAGSHAW, Trydges-Street, Covent Garden :-Sold also by J. PUDD, Pall-Mill,

VOL. XV. No. 17.] LONDON, SATURDAY, APRIL 29, 1809.

[Price 1s.

"By the corruption of Parliament, and the absolute influence of a King, or his Minister, on the two "Houses, we return into that state, to deliver or secure us from which Parliaments were instituted, and Our whole Constitution is at once dissolved. " are really governed by the arbitrary will of one man. "Many securities to liberty are provided, but the Integrity, which depends on the Freedom and IndeIf this be shaken, our Con"pendency of Parliament, is the Key-stone that keeps the whole together.

"stitution totters. If it be quite removed, our Constitution falls into ruin. That noble fabric, the pride "of Britain, the envy of her neighbours, raised by the labour of so many centuries, repaired at the expence of so many millions, and cemented by such a profusion of blood; that noble fabric, I say, which "was able to resist the united efforts of so many races of giants, may be demolished by a race of pigmies. "The Integrity of Parliament is a kind of Palladium, a tutelary Goddess, who protects our state. When No Agamemnon, no Achilles will be "she is once removed, we may become a prey of any Enemies. "wanted to take our city: Thersites himself will be sufficient for such a conquest."-BOLINGBROKE.

HAMPSHIRE MEETING.

the meeting, and, laying aside all party
considerations, join in taking that leading
part, upon this occasion, which was suit-
able to their rank and property. That
I was perfectly sincere in this wish an ac-
count of my conduct afterwards will clear-
ly shew.-Having been informed, that the
Earl of Northesk approved of the Meeting,
1, after writing a letter to him, waited upon
his lordship, at his own house, on the 15th
of April, when I stated to him, in a very
full manner, my sentiments as to what
ought to be declared at the Meeting;
I repeated my wish respecting the persons
to take the lead, but added, that if Mr.
Powlett chose it, I thonght, the proposi-
tions, whatever they might be, ought to
come from him. To the same effect I
had before written to Mr. Powlett himself.

-[642 641]mentioned, I expressed a wish to see the This Meeting, the Requisition for hold-leaders of both the political parties come to ing which was inserted in the present volume, at page 545, was held at Winchester, on the 25th instant; and, as I think the proceedings of great importance to the nation at large, I will here give a correct account of them. It is very well known, that, for a long time past, County-Meetings have been merely the work of party; and, in fact, that the Resolutions, or other things, emanating from such Meetings, have not contained the sentiments of the people of any county, any more than decisions, in another place, have correspond ed with the sentiments of the nation at large. Therefore, it is necessary to give the history of this Meeting in Hampshire, from which history the nation will be able to judge of the weight which ought to be attached to the opinions and the decision -On the 24th, when I had requested of the Meeting. The Speeches, made upon this occasion, and which occupied nearly to wait upon Lord Northesk again, he did four hours in the delivery, it would be im- me the honour to call upon me, and to inpossible to give here, nor would it be of form me, that Mr. Powlett had prepared much use, if I were able to do it, seeing some Resolutions to be offered to the that they have been published so much at Meeting. I then shewed him the Resolu length, in the STATESMAN and other daily tion, which I had just drawn up (and papers, and seeing that the several clauses which was passed at the Meeting), upon of the first Resolution do so fully express which he gave no opinion whatever. In all the most material principles, maintain- his lordship's presence I then enclosed a ed by those who spoke in support of that copy of that Resolution in a letter to Mr. Resolution.- -As to the origin of the Powlett; and as I understood that Mr. Meeting, the history of that will be found Herbert was at Mr. Powlett's house, I reat the page before referred to, and in the quested the latter to shew the Resolution Address to the county, which I subjoined to the former, at the same time distinctly to the Requisition. What remains to be stating in my letter, that, if none of them done is to give a faithful account of what chose to move that Resolution, or something took place, after the publishing of that Re-substantially the same, I should think it my quisition and Address; which account I, as duty to do it.having had a considerable share in the business, owe to the county and to the public at large. In the Address before

-By the bearer of my letter Mr. Powlett sent me word, that he would meet me at the George Inn at Winchester, the next morning at ten o'clock. X

66

He came at about half past eleven; and, as there was no time to lose (the Meeting being to be held at twelve o'clock) I inmediately went into the room where he was, and where, at my request, his Resolutions, which will be found below, were read, in the presence of Lord Northesk, Mr. Bonham of Petersfield, and Mr. Budd, of Newbury. I frankly declared to him, that they did not meet my approbation, and that I was morally certain, that the Meeting would view them in the same light; and I added, in nearly these words: "as we have not a moment to lose, and as straight lines in politics, as well as in "geometry, are the shortest, I will frankly "tell you, Sir, that if those Resolutions "are offered to the Meeting, I shall move "to set the whole of them aside, and to. "substitute my Resolution in their place." After a few words more, I and Mr. Budd walked out, leaving Mr. Bonham and Lord Northesk with Mr. Powlett, the former of whom, we were in hopes, would have prevailed upon Mr. Powlett to take what I proposed instead of his own. -Here ended the communications between us. Just before I saw Mr. Powlett, I had, by mere accident, seen Mr. Chamberlayne of Weston, and whom I had not seen, or had any communication with, for a year and a half before. Mr. Chamberlayne, who was sitting down to breakfast, said to me, in his usual frank manner, "come, Cobbett, let's see what you have "got to propose to this Meeting to-day." "There," said I, "take the paper "and read it, while I run down to Mr. "Powlett, who is just come in.". -The moment I left Mr. Powlett, I went back to Mr. Chamberlayne, who told me that he most cordially approved of every word in the Resolution. I then gave him an account of what had taken place between me and Mr. Powlett, and added: "if they should render it necessary for me "to move this Resolution as an amend"ment, will you second me?" To which he answered, I will."- Not another word passed between us; nor did I even see him again, till he stepped forward, and, in a speech which deserved and which received unbounded applause, fulfilled his promise.I have thought it right to state all the circumstances, in order to shew, first, that, from beginning to end, I did all that I could possibly do, to avoid the necessity of being myself the person to take the lead at the Meeting, and to leave that office in the hands of those, to whom it would be more natural for the

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county to look up; secondly, to shew, that Mr. Chamberlayne and I had not (as being near neighbours it might be supposed we had) been contriving any operation for the day of meeting, and, in justice to Mr. Chamberlayne's talents as well as his motives, to show that he had had no time whatever to frame a speech for the occa sion; thirdly, to show, that there was, on our part, no trick, nothing done underhand, nothing, from beginning to end, which could be construed into a design, or a wish, to induce the Meeting to adopt any thing, which did not perfectly correspond with their own opinions and wishes; and, fourthly, to show to the nation at large, that the Resolution, passed at the Meeting, does contain the free and unbiassed sentiments of that Meeting, the like of which Meeting Winchester had not seen, I believe, within the memory of man, and certainly not for many years past.. The Meeting was opened in the usual place; but that being instantly filled, I proposed an adjournment to the great Hall of the Castle. Even that, however, being thought too confined a space, it was determined to adjourn to the Grand Jury Chamber, as a place to speak from, while the audience took their station in the court-yard of the Castle. The number of persons present, exclusive of comers and goers of the town, might be from eighteen hundred to two thousand, as nearly as I could guess. They .consisted chiefly of the principal tradesmen and yeomanry from all parts of the county, persons able to spare the time and to afford the expence of carriages and horses; nor should it be forgotten, that, except the time of harvest, a more busy season of the year could not have been fixed on. -We saw, upon this occasion, none of that rabble that follow the heels of an election candidate for the sake of a little dirty drink; we heard no senseless bawling on one side or the other; no squads of hirelings to hiss or to applaud; what we had the pleasure to behold from the Grand-Jury Chamber windows that day, was, an assembly of sober, intelligent men of property, a fair representation of the sense and the integrity of this county; and, therefore, the decision cannot fail to have great weight with the kingdom at large, especially when it is considered, that the discussion lasted for nearly four hours, that ample opportunity was afforded to every one to express his sentiments, and that the regularity of the whole of the proceedings of the Meeting (aided as it was by the con

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