HISTORY OF EUROPE. 



137 



with the deepest regret, that, in 

 consequence of a connexion the 

 most immoral and unbecoming, 

 a communication on official sub- 

 jects, and an interference in the 

 distribution of military appoint- 

 ments and promotions has been 

 allowed to exist, which could not 

 but lead to discredit the official 

 administration of his royal high- 

 ness, and to give colour and effect, 

 as they have actually done, to 

 transactions the most criminal and 

 disgraceful." The house adjourn- 

 ed at half past four, on Friday 

 morning. 



Next day, March 10, Mr. 

 Bankes, pursuant to notice given 

 at a preceding sitting, after a 

 speech of considerable length, in 

 which he took a clear view of the 

 evidence on the table, proposed 

 an amendment on the amendment 

 of the right honourable Mr. Ba- 

 thurst. Ml-. Bankes's amendment, 

 of which Mr. Bathurst's was, he 

 said, the basis, was as follows : 

 " That an humble address be pre- 

 sented to his majesty, stating, that 

 information had been communi- 

 cated to this house of various 

 corrupt practices and abuses hav- 

 ing prevailed in the disposal of 

 commissions and promotions in his 

 majesty's land forces, into which 

 this house has diligently examined ; 

 and that we feel ourselves obliged 

 to acquaint his majesty, that the 

 result of our inquiries into the 

 truth of these transactions by the 

 examination, as well of oral evi- 

 dence, as of various documents, 

 has convinced us that such cor- 

 rupt practices and abuses have 

 unquestionably existed.— To as- 

 sure his majesty that it is highly 

 satisfactory to this house to find 

 no ground, in any of these pro- 



ceedings, for charging his royal 

 highness the commander in chief 

 with personal corruption or par- 

 ticipation in any profits derived 

 through undue means ; but that, 

 while we readily do justice to the 

 exemplary regularity with which 

 business is conducted in his de- 

 partment, and the salutary regu- 

 lations which have been introduced 

 by his royal highness, some of 

 which are calculated to prevent 

 such practices as have been 

 brought under our review, we are 

 obliged to express our opinion 

 that such abuses could scarcely 

 have prevailed to the extent to 

 which they have been proved to 

 have existed, without having ex- 

 cited the suspicion of the com- 

 mander-in-chief. And we humbly 

 submit to his majesty, even if it 

 can be presumed that abuses 

 so various and so long continued 

 could have prevailed without the 

 knowledge of his royal highness, 

 whether the command of the army 

 can with propriety be continued, 

 or ought in prudence to remain 

 any longer in his hands. — To ex- 

 press to his majesty that the 

 abuses which have been disclosed 

 during the progress of this exa- 

 mination have unveiled a course 

 of conduct of the worst example 

 to public morals, and highly inju- 

 rious to the cause of religion, 

 which, if not discountenanced by 

 his majesty and by this House, can- 

 not fail to have a pernicious effect 

 upon those main springs of social 

 order and well regulated society 

 which it has been his majesty's 

 uniform care to support and 

 strengthen by his counsels, and 

 to illustrate by his example." Mr. 

 Bankes was followed in the de- 

 bate of this night by Mr. Yorke 



and 



