thus had increased the affefliments of the other parishionersthe old books were fuppofed to have been destroyed. Mr. Ellifon was very anxious that the name of the magiftrate who could have been guilty of fuch a mean and fhameful conduct might be brought to light, as fuch conduct must prove equally dishonourable and injurious to the country: Cafes like that, were, to the honour of the county, rare, and he thought the magiftrate who had acted fo fcandalous a part, instead of being cautiously alluded to in that Houfe, ought to be dragged before the court of King's Bench, The House then divided on the clause. For it, 34} Against it, 34 Majority 30. The provifion refpecting appeals, fuggefted by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, was then introduced, and the other claufes gone through; after which Mr. Pitt gave notice, that from the urgency there was of paffing the Bill before the holidays, and from the anxiety with which many of the parties interested in it waited to fee it pafs into a law, he should be obliged to move that the Bill be read a third time to-morrow. A meffage from the Lords acquainted the Houfe that their Lordships had agreed to the Mutiny Bill and to fome Natu ralization Bills. The Bills for fettling an annuity of 12,000l. each upon the Princes Edward and Erneft Auguftus were read a fecond time, and ordered to be committed to-morrow. Alfo the Bill for enabling his Majefty to fettle on the Princess Amelia a part of the 30,000l. fuch as was settled on the other Princeffes. The Game Bill was reported. The report of the India Budget was brought up, and ordered to be taken into further confideration on Friday next. The Bill for permitting ships to fail from Newfoundland without convoy was committed, and the report ordered to be received to-morrow. The Overfeer's Affiftant Bill was committed, and the report ordered for Friday. The Bill for difallowing the bounty on the exportation of fail-cloth and canvas was read a third time, and paffed. The other Orders of the Day were then poftponed, and the Houfe-Adjourned. HOUSE HOUSE OF LORDS. Their Lordships went into a Committee on Ricketts' Divorce Bill, and the Baftardizing Claufe being read, Lord Kenyon objected to the principle of forming a judg ment on ex parte evidence, as being founded in injustice, and contrary to the rules of law. Such was the principle on which the claufe propofed was founded, and which, if paffed, would, by a pre-judgment, bind the right of a party who, in a court of law, would have the benefit of a cross examination. He did not infinuate that there was any fuch party in being, and was fatisfied there was no fuppreffion of facts, or any collufion in the prefent cafe; but still it was effential that the ftreams of juftice should flow within fixed and well-known boundarics; and, as it would be a deviation from them to adopt the prefent clause, he must give it his negative. The Duke of Clarence was much obliged to the Noble and Learned Lord for stating the law on the cafe. He wished to know, whether the record of the evidence which had been given at the bar of their Lordfhips, would be admiffible in any procefs which might be hereafter inftituted, with a view to baftardize the children. Lord Kenyon replied, "No. To render evidence good and legal, parties must have power to cross-examine all witneffes, but as no fuch opportunity was offered in the prefent cafe; it was impoflible that the evidence given at their Lordships bar could go to the courts below." [In the course of the proceedings on this Bill in the Houfe yefterday, Mrs. Stratton who lives with Lady Elizabeth Rickett's in the capacity of governess to her children, was examined, and on her cross-examination faid, "that Lady Elizabeth had ceafed to have any intercourfe with Captain Hargreaves from the month of June laft, and that no impropriety had been discovered in her conduct fince that period." Mr. Balmane, who attended as counsel on the part of Lady Elizabeth Ricketts, then addreffed their Lordships, obferving that it was not the intention of his unfortunate client to add falfehood to error, by difputing the evidence in fupport of the Bill before the Houfe; but Lady Elizabeth, though deeply confcious of her deviation from propriety, was alfo anxious to give an indignant and folemn denial to the fcandalous imputation thrown out in the defence of Captain Hargreaves, of feductive practices on her part: that that this afperfion, though totally unfupported by evidence, had circulated in the public prints, and had inflicted another cruel wound on the already agonized feelings of the Lady, who was shocked at the idea of appearing before their Lordfhips and the public as a perfon abandoned to profligacy, or who had in any degree folicited the unhappy intercourfe of which the was the victim: that between the offence into which fhe had been betrayed, and the laft ftage of licentious. depravity, there were many gradations; nor ought calumny to be permitted to deprive a mifguided female of that fragment of character-that wreck of reputation-to which the clings in her diftrefs, and by which the hopes to reach the haven of retirement and of penitence. The Houfe having gone through the Committee, the Bill was ordered to be read a third time to-morrow. The Scotch Small Notes Bill, and fome private Bills were received from the Commons, and read a first time. The Orders of the Day being difpofed of, the HouseAdjourned. HOUSE OF COMMONS. The Partridge Shooting Bill was read a third time and paffed, on the motion of Mr. Shaw Lefevre. The Bill amending the act for impofing a duty on the articles of Indentures of Attorney's Clerks was read a fecond time and ordered to be committed to a Committee of the whole Houfe on Monday, on the motion of the Attorney-General. The Bill for granting an annuity to their Royal Highneffes Princes Edward and Erneft Auguftus paffed a Committee of the whole Houfe, and the report was ordered to be received to-morrow. As did alfo the Bill for the annuity of her Royal Highnefs the Princess Amelia. The Bill for allowing fhips to fail from certain ports of the island of Newfoundland, without convoy, paffed a Committee of the whole Houfe, and the report was ordered to be received to-morrow. SLAVE TRADE. The Slave Trade Carrying Bill was read a fecond time, and on the motion of Mr. William Smith that it be committed on Tuesday next, Colonel Gafcoigne faid he did not rife to oppofe the general principle of this Bill, but to exprefs his defire that a particular claufe in the Bill fhould be rejected. He withed 6 Y 2 therefore therefore the further confideration of this Bill fhould be poftponed until after the affizes. The Speaker informed the Honourable Member he was not now in season to make his objection, for that the motion was only that the Bill be committed. There would be an opportunity of opposing the measure. The Queftion for the Commitment being put, Mr. W. Smith moved, that this Bill be committed to a Committee of the whole Houfe on Tuesday next. Colonel Gafcoigne faid, he rofe to oppofe the commitment of this Bill on Tuesday, it being too carly a day for it. His constituents were materially interested in the matter; they had retained counfel, fuch counsel were on the circuit. The fame objections were made laft year to this Bill, and the Bill did not país. Under these circumstances he should propofe that instead of Tuesday next, be fubftituted, this day three weeks. Mr. William Smith faid the Bill was precifely the fame as that which was entertained in the House last year, but which was defeated by affected delays, fuch as he conceived the prefent motion to be. The excuse was now, that counfel were retained, and who were now on the circuit. They needed no counfel; the Members who opposed the Bill could urge every objection to it, full as forcibly as any counfel could do; and as to any further time being neceffary to meet this Bill, its opponents had had it in their hands for a twelvemonth. Mr. H. Thornton moved the Order of the Day for the fecond reading of the Bill for confining within certain limits the Trade in Slaves on the coaft of Africa. The motion being put, Colonel Gafcoigne faid, that as he totally disapproved of the Bill he fhould at once give it his decided oppofition. A colony had been established on the coaft of Africa, which, disclaiming any intention to trade in flaves, had yet employed them. It were true they were employed under the fpecious name of labourers, but the fact was, they were to all intents and purpofes flaves... He believed the company engaged in the adventure wholly from interested motives, and for thefe and other reasons he muft oppofe the motion. Mr. Hawkins Brown vindicated the company of mer chants trading to Sierra Leone. He faid, they had under taken taken a work which, if accomplished, would entitle them to the thanks, to more than the thanks, of every friend of his fpecies. The motives of the company were not as the Honourable Gentleman had imputed to them, mere felfintereft, they had embarked in the scheme with the most perfect philanthropy, and their fucceffive difappointments were met by them with no other feeling than regret at being fruftrated by adverfe elements in views of unbounded bene volence to their fellow-creatures. Mr. Peele was originally of opinion, that the country could only act confiftently with its known character for humanity by abolishing the Slave Trade, but recent events had produced in him a change of opinion, and he firmly believed the regulations adopted by the Gentlemen concerned in the trade had produced the most falutary effects, he believed the Slave Trade, as it was now carried on, was carried on with as much humanity as it could be. We were engaged in an expenfive war, and as every thing that tended to cramp the trade must diminish our refources, it became the House, in his opinion, to paufe. It had been faid that the trade generated wars in Africa; but it would be recollected that Africa was divided into feveral kingdoms and states; that wars were carried on more from paffion than from reafon; and that if it were not for the trade, the pri foners taken in battle would, he had every reafon to believe, be put to death. If the inhabitants of Africa had the protection of laws and liberties, he should be as much for the abolition of the trade as any man; but they had not, and therefore he conceived, when they were taken from Africa, that they were not torn from their country, but rescued from it. To them Africa was like an unnatural parent, who afforded to her offspring no fecurity, no property, no liberty. Let Gentlemen compare the fituation of the flaves in Africa and in the Weft Indies. In the former place they had, as he had already faid, no protection from law; in the latter they had that protection, and were kindly treated. The Honourable Gentleman confidered this as another attempt to abolish the trade; and he could not but think that it would be more respectful to the House not to bring forward the fubject so often. Mr. Wilberforce was rifing to reply to Mr. Peele; when The Chancellor of the Exchequer faid, that friendly as he was to the principle of the Bill, yet there being other important business to come on that evening which could not well admit of delay, he wished the prefent debate might be |