124 ANNUAL REGISTER, 1809. 



proportion to its numbers, the best 

 army in the world. He had said, 

 that he believed a conspiracy 

 to exist. If the house could go 

 along with him, and suppose that 

 this was actually the case, he 

 threw out for their consideration, 

 whether a parliamentary commis- 

 sion, with power to examine on oath, 

 was not preferable to a committee. 

 Sir F. Biirdell stated the mo- 

 tives that had induced him to 

 second tlie present motion, and 

 sincerely hoped that upon inquiry, 

 it would be found that the facts 

 alleged originated in error, or in 

 mischievous intentions, and an 

 unfair wish to run down the Duke 

 of York.— Mr. W. Adam said, 

 that from the situation which he 

 had, in the way of his profession, 

 gratuitously filled in the service 

 of the illustrious person who was 

 the object of this motion, he was 

 enabled to speak with certainty re- 

 specting his revenues, and every 

 circumstance connected with them. 

 During the twenty years he had 

 held his office, he had been inti- 

 mately acquainted with his royal 

 highness's affairs, without any cir- 

 cumstance being kept from his 

 knowledge, even in his embar- 

 rassments. And in all his expe- 

 rience of him, he had known his 

 royal highness uniformly to state 

 the situation of his affairs with an 

 accuracy that was extraordinary, 

 a truth beyond example, and a 

 fidelity of memory thatreflected the 

 highest credit on his understand- 

 ing. In all that time he had never 

 heard of his having procured any 

 accommodation orloan on any other 

 terms than the Dul'e of Bedford, 

 or the Duke of Devonshire, or 

 Duke of Northumberland would, 

 if they had occasion. He could 

 confidently assert that the facts 



alleged would prove unfound- 

 ed. And, as he felt no bias 

 but what arose from a regard to 

 justice, the mode of proceeding he 

 had to propose, was suggested, 

 solely with a view to promote it. 

 The inquiry, should in his mind, 

 be public as the charge was, and 

 the authority of that house, when 

 examining witnesses at its bar, 

 would ensure their punishment in 

 case of prevarication. — Gentle- 

 men should recollect, that this 

 investigation might lead to an im- 

 peachment, and, that therefore the 

 house ought not to part with its 

 power of inquiry, or delegate it to 

 a parliamentary commission, when 

 the investigation would be carried 

 on more properly, more effectually, 

 and more constitutionally, in a 

 committee of the whole house. 



Mr. Wilberforce contended that 

 an inquiry at the bar could not 

 be conducted with impartiality, in 

 consequence of the interference of 

 party spirit. He preferred, with 

 his friend Mr. Yorke, an investi- 

 gation by a parliamentary com- 

 mission. Bj' the appointment of a 

 commission, the witnesses would 

 be examined upon oath ; all party- 

 bias and personal altercation would 

 be prevented, and, of course, a 

 weight and consequence would be 

 attached to the decision of those 

 delegated, and to the testimony of 

 those examined, which it was im- 

 possible to expect from any dis- 

 cussion or examination at the bar. 

 The claims of the people demanded 

 that the representatives of the 

 people should look to substantial 

 justice, however high the rank, 

 eminent the services, or splendid 

 the connections of the dignified 

 personage against whom such 

 charges were preferred. That 

 justice, he conceived, could be 



most 



