BISTORY, OF..EUROPE. 
Mr. Sheridan supported the ori- 
ginal motion with great force, and 
answered the objections in the hap- 
piest vein of humour, He consider- 
ed, that coupling the message which 
had been sent by his majesty, with 
that which came down from his 
royal highness, the house had docu- 
ments enough to see, that the in- 
tentions of his majesty could not be 
‘tarried into execution on the sum 
now yoted; and therefore it was 
competent to them to increase 
the vote: an honorable member 
(Mr. Johnston) had said, that in 
1795, when the spirit of jacobinism 
was abroad, less objections were 
-made to increase the splendor and 
dignity of the royal family : this was 
‘was indeed a strange principle for 
‘supporting royalty. Itreminded him 
of the story ofthe conversation of the 
two owls ina ruined castle. One 
of them said ‘‘ Long live king Mah- 
-moud! as long as he lives to carry 
‘on his devastations, we owls will 
never want ruined castles to build 
our nests in.” The royal family 
‘might say on the same principle 
“Long live the Jacobins ! as 
long as they exist, we shall enjoy 
all the splendor and dignity due to 
our rank ; but the moment the spi- 
rit of loyalty returns, and the love 
of monarchy resumes its place in 
the hearts of the people, we shall 
be thrown on the shelf.” In reply 
to Sir Rebert Buxton, (who ap- 
peared to despise all external trap- 
pings, and think that virtue alone 
-was the only true dignity of a 
_prince,) he said he was Teady to 
admit the principle; out not to 
_ confine it entirely to the heir appa- 
_fent: for instance, if all the great 
officers of state would consent to 
Test upon their virtues, it would be 
Als setae ae GQ 
; 
83 
very well: if the speaker, when go- 
ing to present an address to his 
majesty would dispense with his 
gilded coach and mace, and walk to 
St. James’s, wrapped up in his vir- 
tues, and a warm surtout, with the 
privilege of carrying an umbrella, 
if it should rain: if our judges 
would lay aside their state, and yo 
their circuits in the mail coaches 3 
und the gentlemen of the bar move 
as outside passengers: if the lord 
mayor and sheriffs, instead of their 
gilt barges and Guildhall banquets, 
would come down in hackney 
coaches, and dine at Dolly’s chop- 
house on their return : then indeed 
it would be undoubtedly right, 
that the prince should conform to 
the prevailing customs, and lay 
aside all his state and splendor. 
Mr. Sheridan concluded a very hu- 
morous and argumentative speech 
by supporting Mr. Calcraft’s mo- 
tion, 
Lord Hawkesbury defended the 
arrangement which had _ been 
propesed by ministers, in conse- 
quence ofa message from his ma- 
jesty; the house could not, as 
members of parliament, look into 
any debts contracted by his royal 
highness since 1795 ; the discharge 
of such debts (if they existed) must 
be left entirely to his own honor and 
prudence. No new account ought 
now to be entered into about debts, 
and there was nothing, in either the 
message or the proceedings of par- 
liament thereon, respecting his 
speedy re-assumption of his state. 
Sir John Wrottesley and. Mr. 
Smith spoke in fayor of the motion, 
and lord Castlereagh against it, 
The house divided upon the pre- 
vious question : the ayes were 184, 
the noes 139. 
On 
