Society.

It would be a very fatisfactory anfwer to fay, "In the reign of King George the Third." As a philofopher then, the name of GEORGIUM SIDUS prefents itself to me, as an appellation which will conveniently convey the information of the time and country where and when it was brought to view. But as a subject of the best of Kings, who is the libeřal protector of every art and science—as a native of the country from whence this illuf trious family was called to the British throne -as a member of that fociety, which fourthes by the diftinguished libérality of its Royal patron--and, laft of all, as a perfan now more immediately under the protection of this excellent monarch, and owing every thing to his unlimited bounty, I cannot but with to

take this opportunity of expreffing my fenfe
of gratitude, by giving the name Georgiam
Sidus,
“Georgium Sidus,

- jam nunc, affuefce vocari."
VIRG. Georg.

to a far, which (with ref ect to us) first be gan to shine under his aufpicious reign.

"By addrelling this letter to you, Sir, 25 Prefident of the Royal Society, I take the most effectual method of communicating that name to the Literati of Europe, which I hope they will receive with pleasure. I have the honour to be, with the greatest respect,

Sir, your most humble
and mott obedient fervant,
W. HERSCHEL"

PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES. The Fifteenth Parliament of Great Britain; and the Fourth of the prefent King, FOURTH SESSION.

WE clofed the debates in laft month's Maga zine, with mentioning, that the order for the attendance of Mr. Hamilton of Bargeny was difcbarged, but had not room to flate the reafon. On Thursday the 29th of January, Mr. Yorke rofe and informed the Houfe, that be had receiv ed a letter from Mr. Hamilton, in which that gentleman declared upon bis honour, that with respect to the offer faid to be made by him to his nephew Mr. Dalrymple of a place of 5051, a year, be bad na authority whatever from the Duke of Portland, or any of his colleagues late in office; and that he had mentioned the Subject to his nephew, merely to put an end to a tedious and warm converfation on political matters. The letter alfo contained affurances from Mr. Hamilson of his greatest readiness to obey the order of the Honfe, but prayed that the time might be enlarged one week more. Mr. Henry Dundas then reminded the House, that be bad foretold, that the matter would turn out a mere joke; and that he had been of opinion from the beginning of the affair, that the noble duke's character did not fand in need of any vindication. While Mr. Dundas was Speaking the Houfe by their cries of bear! bear! encouraged him to move that the order be difcharged. Mr. Yorke feconded the motion. The order was then dif charged. After this, the Earl af Surrey rofe, and moved, that the charge brought by Mr. Yorke and Mr. Dalrymple be read; which bav ing been done; his lordship moned, that it is the opinion of this Houfe that the faid charge is groundless. An amendment was made to this motion by inferting in it, that the member why bad brought the charge had reported to the House the contents of a letter from Mr. Hamilton, in which that gentleman abfolutely denied, he had ever received any authority from the Duke of Portland. This bring adopted, the refolution paffed without a divifion.

There was then a fort converfation on the

fate of the nation, and Mr. Fox moved that the Committee be adjourned to Monday the 2d of February, which was carried without a divifion.

A new wit for Truro in room of John Pellexfen Baftard, Efq. who had accepted the Chiltern Hundreds.

Brook Waifon, Efq, took the oaths and bit feat for the city of London.

HOUSE, of LORDS.
Monday, February 2.

The new Lords Carteret and Ehot took the oathys and their fears.

Ordered the thanks of the Houfe to the Bishop of Landaff, for his fermon preached before them on Friday the 30th of January, and that he be defired to print the fame.

HOUSE of COMMONS.
Monday, February 2.

Ordered the thanks of the Houfe to their Chaplain for his fermon on the 30th of Jan. and that he be defired to print the fame.

MOTION BY THE CHAIRMAN OF THE ST.

ALBAN'S MEETING, FOR A FIRM, EFFI
CIENT, EXTENDED, AND UNITED ADMI
NISTRATION.

Mr. Grofvenor role foon after the Chancellor of the Exchequer came into the Houfe, and in a low tone of voice ftated to the Houfe, in a fummary way, an account of the part he had taken, in concert with other gentlemen, to effect an union of the contending parties in Parliament, and by that means to make room for a stable and permanent administration. He faid, the country called for fuch an adminiftration, and with a view to make room for

he fhould propofe a motion, which had been fhewn to a great number of gentlemen, and approved of by them. He hoped it would be approved of by the Houfe. He faid, he was not particularly interefted in it, farther than as he was interested in common with every man who heard him, and with every man who felt for and wifhed well to the Country, and with all who were defirous of fecuring to themfelves and to their pofterity the bleffings of a free and happy conftitution. The motion was,

"That it is the opinion of this House, that the prefent arduous and critical fituation of public affairs, requires the exertion of a firm, efficient, extended, united adminiftration, entitled to the confidence of the people, and fuch as may bave a tendency to put an end to the unfortunate divifions and difiractions of this country.”

the acquittal or condemnation of the party impeached. In like manner Mr. Luttrelt reafoned upon the effects of a fingle refolution of the Houfe, however ftrongly stated, and endeavoured to prove that the refignation of the prefent Minifters might be given up without degradation of the honour of the House, and perhaps that it would be advifeable to do fo, as a means of forwarding the union of parties fo much to be defired. That an union was neceffary, in order to arrange a firm and lafting government, was, he faid, but too evident from the concurrent teftimony of all ranks of men, and from the prefent ftate of affairs. If the appearance of things at home did not fufficiently evince this truth, Mr. Luttrell defired gentlemen to turn their eyes abroad, and they would fee ample and undeniable proof of its reality. The affairs of India were faid to be extremely preffing; undoubtedly they were fo, but he would venture to fay, that before we attempted to govern India, we ought to fhew ourselves able to govern England; a good government of India could only originate in a wife government at home. Nor thould we perhaps have India long to govern if an end was not put to party feuds and diffentions. The French had already fent out a number of troops thither. The Dutch alfo, who doubtless had not yet forgotten or forgiven our capture of St. Euftatius, had not figned their definitive treaty of peace with us; we had little reafon, therefore, to expect favour there. Again, let gentlemen look at the fifter kingdom, and fee the gloomy and unfettled ftate of its affairs. In fhort, turn their eyes which way they would, there was caufe of alarm, of anxious expectation, and of probable danger. Let us, therefore, faid Mr. Luttrell, beware that we do not become contemptible in the eyes of all Europe, and afford our natural enemies caufe to regard us as a nation of Geefe inftead of Foxes.

Captain James Luttrell rofe to fecond the motion. He faid he wished to be confidered as every way unconnected, and impartial; his profeffional duty had kept him from taking any part in the debates of that House for near four years paft, and nothing thould have tempted him to ftep forward but the critical Situation of the country, and a motion, which while it was wholly divefted of party fpleen and invective, feemed to be every way fo well adapted to that fituation. Mr. Luttrell took a view of the ftate of parties, and difcuffed the fubject at fome length He faid, fuch was the height to which diffention had been carried, that it was evident the House was divided into two parties, fo powerful, that each were too ftrong for the other. It was not therefore in the power of any one man to effect an union; it required the authority of that Houfe to effect fo falutary a meafure. Had it lain within the reach of an individual, be was perfuaded the firft fubject in the kingdom would have effected it. Having faid this, Mr. Luttrell went into a nice difquifition of the difficulties in the way of union, and argued that the refignation of the prefent Miniftry was neither neceffary as a facrifice to the honour of the Houfe, nor was a gratification of party vengeance. In order to maintain this pofition, Mr. Luttrell laid it down as an undeniable principle, that the appointment and difmiffion of Minifters was one of the indisputable prerogatives of the Crown, and that any attempt tending to invade that prerogative was at once unconftitutional and dangerous. In the prefent cafe the Houfe had come to a refolution, declaring their opinion of the Miniftry, and upon that refolution was grounded all the argument infifted upon fo frenuoufly, that Minifters ought to refign. A refolution of the Houfe, he obferved, was Captain James Luttrell rofe again and faid, not law, nor had it abftractedly a legal ope- he certainly had not spoken the fentiments of ration. Other procefs must be grounded upon the refpectable meeting alluded to, nor affect it, before it could have effect. Thus for in-ed to have spoken thofe fentiments. It might fance that House impeaches a Minifter; the impeachment neither convicts nor punishes, The Minter goes to trial, and upon the iffue of that trial depends the guilt or innocence, VOL. VI. Feb. 1784.

Sir George Cornwall defired to caution the Houfe againft confidering the fpeech of the honourable gentleman who had feconded the motion, as containing the fentiments of the meeting where the motion had been first propofed and thought expedient to be made in the Houfe. That meeting had not argued in the manner in which the honourable gentleman had delivered himself. The honourable gentleman, Sir George obferved, had declared himself to be a fair, independent, and impar tial man. He did not doubt in the leaft, that he was the character he declared he was, but he could not help faying, he wished his fpeech had been as fair and impartial as the honourable gentleman had profeffed himfelf.

be very proper for the chairman of that meeting to have declared, what the fentiments of the meeting were, but it would have not only been improper, but highly indecent for him,

a prim

Sir Edward Afly faid, the Captain of the Mediater had proved himself as wife in the cabiner, as he was known to be brave and export at fea. Sir Edward declared he had turned the fate of afans d liberately in his mind, and that be heart ly difapproved the meafores go ng forward. In his opinion, they would make bid worfe, and what they were about, might lead to endless diffractions. He had feen one coalition already, and defined to hear of no more. The confequences of that coali-, t on were too recent for him to with for another. Sir Edward reprobated the inaction of the noble lord in the blue ribbon and the right honourable gentleman, and declared, though he had voted for the decreafe of the infivence of the Crewn, he did not with to fee it unconflitutionally reduced, or the royal prerogative invaded. He mentioned a Speech of his on a former occafion, which the newfpapers had mifreprefented, and mide him praife Lord North. He concluded with repeating his objections to an union, and confequently declar ed his dilent to the motion.

Mr. Martin faid, he concurred entirely with his honourable friend in diking the idea of another coal in. Mr. Martio warn ed Mr. Pitt against fullying his character by fo imprudert a flep, declaring, he wfhed never to fee him joined with the right honourable gonfleman over the way. As long as he remained in office, he thole have his fopport; but he had rather fe ha rot: e in full poffeffion of his reputation, than continue in office without it.

heads of the two great parties in that Houf, and therefore the most materally concerned in the motion, had yet offered themfelves to the Speaker, to fay any thing against it. This was a proof that they affented to the propoftion laid down in it, viz. " that the prefst arduous and critical fituation of affairs requir ed the exertions of a firm, efficient, extended, united adminiftration." Could either of the honourable baronets, or the honourable gen tleman who had spoken against the mon deny that fimple propofition? With regard to what an honourable baronet below him had faid of there being no diftractions in the country-Were there not diftractions and divifions? Perhaps the right honourable gentleman had the confidence of the majority of the people, but were there not divifions in that Houf? The right honourable gentleman could not fland as a Minifter, without the fupport of that Houfe. Thofe therefore, who oppold the motion, would be the means of continu ing a weak and inefficient government, a greater curfe than which could not befal the country, under its prefent circumstances!

Sir Cecil Wray did not understand the drift of the motion: if it meant in any way to encroach on the King's prerogative, in his mind it did wrong, for that ought to be held facred. He defired the motion might be read. Sir Cecil afterwards faid, he ku w of no diractions in the country. On the contrary, he faw addrefes daily fent up to the Crown, all thanking his Majelly for difmithing his late Minitters. Every body without do rs feemed to be of one opinion. In that Houfe, indeed, there were divifions, owing to an inordinate luft of power in individuals. He did not admire coalitions; the last had brought in men, that in confcience he thought ought rather to have been brought to the fcaffold. Sir Cecil declared, he wished there had been a diffolu. tion; he was convinced then, it would have been fen who had and who had not the con. fidence of the people. He was perfuaded, the prefent Minifters poffeffed it completely.

M. Powys was forry the motion was not concurred in by those whom he had been hap ry to call his friends. He had not brought himfelf to approve the late coalition, any mose than the honourable baronet over the way/Sir Tdward Aficy, but the critical fituation of affairs made the union now aimed at neceffary, And he was glad to fee that neither of the two right honourable gentkmen, the fuppofed

Sir Peter Burrell expreffed his amazement at the pref nt Miniers continuing in office after the refolution of that Houfe on the 16th of January. Sir Peter reafoned on the nccef fity for that Houfe's coming to fome means of enforcing that refolution; or else, he contend. ed, it ought to be refcinded, and removed from their journals. "While it remained on them. and was without effet, it was a monument of their difgrace. If not foon followed up, it would bring them into contempt and durifion, and create the right honourable Gentlema (over the gray) Perpetual Dictator.

Commodore Jubnftune faid, the speech of the honourable Baronet who had spoken laf, feemed to have been prepared for a motion ter an addrefs to remove Minifters, rather than for the prefent motion. The Commodore reprobated the idea of leading the House on thep by step, without their knowing what they were about, or how far they were to be iel This practice of making one id'e endeavour after another, to maintain its own imagina dignity, had always ended in real disgrace. He could fhew two or three infiances, in which, by not for ping at the fird ́erior, the He had rendered itself perfectly ridicu lous: the first was in the Middle fex cleftica; which they had obftinately perfified in till the whole nation took umbrage at their conduct, and they were at length obliged to the morti fication of having their refolutions refcinded from their Journals. Another inftance was the idle attempt to tax America; a piece of madness that had coft the country millions of money, many thousands of brave subjects, and the whole of the thirteen Colonies. The Refolutions on the fubject of the prefent Miniftry were he would contend, in like manner illfounded and frivolous, and the beft way to fave the honour of the Houfe would be to re fcind them.