122 ANNUAL REGISTER, ISiO. 



right to assume such a thing as 

 that prejudices against it could 

 stiU remain in the breasts of any 

 persons elsewhere, after so much 

 had been done to allay them first, 

 and afterwards to eradicate them. 

 It could not be doubted but the 

 main object of offices was trust ; 

 but this mode of granting them in 

 reversionoverturned that principle, 

 and encouraged the dangerous 

 idea, that offices were granted for 

 the benefit of the possessor, and 

 not for the benefit of the public. 

 As to the prerogative of the 

 Crown, the bill of last session 

 rather tended to restore the pre- 

 rogative. The Crown, in the 

 disposal of offices, ought to have 

 them to give unencumbered at 

 the lime of bestowing them. Upon 

 these grounds he would move, 

 <' That leave be given to bring in 

 a bill to make perpetual the act 

 which had just been read." 



Mr. Henry Thornton felt the 

 great respect due to the other 

 House : yet he considered that it 

 was the peculiar province of the 

 House of Commons to consider of 

 measures which tended to lighten 

 the burthens of the country. It 

 might be possible that the lords 

 might be somewhat too preci- 

 pitate in the rejection of any thing 

 that might appear to invade the 

 royal prerogative. But as to the 

 prerogative of the Crown, the bill 

 Lad a greater tendency lo increase, 

 than abridge it. A gift of a place 

 in reversion was not worth a 

 sixth part of tlie real value of the 

 place when the actual possession 

 could be given. Considering the 

 bill, therefore, as advantageous to 

 the public, and not injurious to 

 the prerogative, he should beg 



leave to second the motion.— Thg 

 Chancellor of the Exchequer said, 

 that if they proceeded to alter the 

 prerogative of the Crown in any 

 respect, there should at least be 

 sufficient reason stated for such an 

 alteration. When the report of 

 the Finance Committee should be 

 on the table, the House would 

 then judge whether such alteration 

 was necessary. He agreed, that 

 there were many offices which 

 might in future be reformed or 

 abolished ; but as he never under- 

 stood it to be the intention of the 

 supporters of the bill to interfere 

 with the vested rights of any indi- 

 vidual, he thought it could be of 

 but little importance, whether the 

 same effect was produced by a 

 temporary bill, or a perpetual bill. 

 He therefore moved as an amend- 

 ment to the motion, that, for 

 the original, the following words 

 should be substituted : " A bill 

 for continuing and amending the 

 said act for a time to be limited." 

 The amendment being read by 

 the Speaker, Mr. Perceval said, 

 that although lie had stated his 

 sentiments, if he perceived the 

 sentiments of the House to be 

 strongly the other way, he would 

 not press a division. After some 

 conversation on Mr. Perceval's 

 proposed amendment, his own 

 and one other voice was all that 

 could be iieard in support of it. — 

 The bill having passed in the 

 House of Commons, was, Febru- 

 ary 26th, the day appointed for 

 the second reading, thrown out in 

 the House of Peers. 



After Mr. Bankes's motion for 

 leave to bring in the above bill 

 was disposed of, he made one for 

 the appointment of the Finai^e 



