Star. — London, England, 1819-02-04 00:00:00

( \ I 17 :1' PROCUEDINGS. • • NOME OP LORI* VIIMINTARY 5. Counsel were godly heard respect big die Bests Appeal, 6, Crswfurd e. Stewart." Judgment postponed. On the Scots Cause, " Stewart v. IMPEalgist CrewAird.", Counsel were heard in part. This Appeal vonstitatis mealier branch (the fourth) of the Renfrewshire Election ease.-... Farther bearing on Friday. The Bill for the Naturalization of Henry John Hendrickson, after the Oaths of Abjuration and Fidelity were duly edentate. I tered to that Gentleman, and to Messrs. Taylor an Povey, of the Royal Parochial Chu rch of St. Martin, who were sworn with respect to their intended Evidence, was referred to a Private Committee of their Lordship, which sat in the course of the evening, and the Bill reported by the Earl of Bstariessour. Lords Gleenni.i.e and YASUO/SOWN( took the oaths and their oats. The Duke of WELLINGTON presented a Petition from the Gaud of Merchants of the City of Dublin, praying the House, that the Protestant Establislunents in Ireland might be pre. served inviolate in Church and Btate.—The Petition being reed in the usual way by the Clerk, was ordered to He on the table. It was ordered, on the motion of the Earl of SHAFTBSt BURY, that no Petitions for Private Bilk be received after ebe 4th day of Much, nor any Reports front 'the Learaed JAIN theme after the eth day of Aprilpeat. Viscount BIDMOUTH presented, by command of h i Ito* Highness the Prince Regent, unladen to Lordablistfrem the Right Hon. Thomas; Rawl Meant Noah, Viscount Vs. kntia, of that part of the UnitudiUnalent called Iceland, pm. ferring his claim, and praying thatlk *gist hi allowed Ws rig h t. to the title, honour, and dignity ofEarl of Anglesey ; and which, after being shortly read, was, MOW NobWBeeretary of State% motion, referred to the Cotnntittea of • • • . Lord KENYON gave notice. that Ise on "Mar wat to subntit a motion to the House, respite*. itostior" trent of Children in Cotton Dianufactolles. Adjourned till to-morrow, when the ballot ter:•the'F' Commltte.: on the affairs of the Bank takes place. HOUSE OF COMMONS. . • 04lit LAWS. Mr. MADDOX presented a Bill for the purpose of altering and amending certain obnoxious Acts now• in force, and highly prejudicial to the 'community. Mr. CURWEN did not rise to oppose the Bill.— He could not, however, Help observing, that such an alteration is what was considered as part of the criminal law of the country, would have come with more propriety from the members of his Majesty's Government than from the individual whose Bill was now presented. There were many cruel hard... experienced from the existence of the Game Laws as they now stood on the Statute Book. There seas one case of an individual having subjected him -5.::f to a fine of a thousand pounds, for, compara tively speaking, a very trifling and venial trans ressicn. It was understood that the unfortunate Gentleman alluded to, was a Clergyman, whose • -large family and small income could very ill sustain such a pecuni.try penalty ; and the law in this in stance WAS so rigidly worded, that Government could not afford any relief by remitting the fine. He hoped, . that when the Bill now before them went into Committee, it would be recommended upon the re port, that the !louse would in hs wisdom order the appointment of a General Committee, for the revi sion and farther amendment of the Game Laws, and further repeal of many Acts now felt most oppres sire. Such a Committee, empowered to consider various operations of the Game Laws. would render the greatest service to the country. Mr. bIADDOX, after some general observations, moved that the Bill be read a first time. It was read a second time, and ordered to be committed. PETITION Is PAYOUR or THE BANK RESTRICTION. Mr. HAHN DAVIS stated, he now held in his hand a Petition, with signatures of the greatest re spectability, from the blerchants and Manufacturegs of the City of Bristol, pray ing, that the House would rot permit_ too speedy a resumption of Cash Pay ments by the Bank of England, as such a measure :night be highly detrimental to the trade and corn r.arce of the country. It elas the opinion of the l'o_itioners, that no particular period could be fixed for the return of the Bank to payments in specie. Mr. ELLIS, not having spoken last night on the subject of the Restriction Act, wished to say a few words ; and the Petition now under consideration afforded him the opportunity. He certainly was of opinion, that the Committee proposed by his Right lion. Friend (Mr. Tierney) was more eligible than that proposed' by the Chancellor of the:Exchequer. Whatever might be the result of the Inquiry, he . could with much pleasure'assure the House, that, so far as he Was able to form a judgment, the list which he had that morning seen presented several names from whose high character the country might expect the most satisfactory account of the real state of - affairs between the Bank and the Public. lie was happy that Gentlemen agreed to repair to the Corn- Mace free from all party prejudices, in order to snake 3 fair and full investigation of the subject. It was evident, as lied been mentioned last night over and over again, that the continuance of the Bank Restriction Act operated as a reason for the exchanges being against us; and the same causes must always roduce that ef f ect of which they had now com plained. Ile hoped and trusted that the Committee would be wholly free from the trick and device which had been for several years practiced ,by the • Right Hon. the Chancellor of the Exchequer. He condemned the mode of raising large sums by Etc chequer Bills. It was not only tnjutfous tolls* • li4 but served as one great cause for the COStiAllailell of the Bank Restrictions. Mr. PROTHEROE declared, that he had till[ elk cived any communication from his Constituents of the nature now offered by the Honourable Gentle. man (Mr. Davis). • Mr..LAMBTON thought that such a redden bed not originated at any public meeting in Bristol. Mr. CALCRAFT could not agree with his flea. Friend (Mr. Ellis) on his eulogium of such a COM. mince. It would have been better entitled to his panegyric had the Committee been composed in dos manner proposed by his Right Hon. Friend (Mr. Twrney). The list now alluded to appeared as a woes deviation from that candour se -warmly re. commended from the opposite side of the House. • It ' was as fourteen to seven! Such a Committee could slot, therefore, be said to he formed on principles of fairness or impartiality. Bus it was like all umllar Committees of the Members of the present Admini stration. He remembered an instance when, out of a list of 120, no less than 90 names were by the re .commendation of the Treasury. Mr. ELLIS explained, by assuring the Honourable Gentleman that he had entirely misconceived He had not praised the list of the Committee. All that he had said was, that be was glad to And that v • Gentlemen had promised to repair to such a Com• ,mittee free from all party animosities, in order to in, vestige* thnsubject, and arrive at the truth ; and that he saw in the list some names of the first re spectability, and from whom the country might entertain the.besrhopes. 111 r. TIERNEY took that opportunity, in allusion the list in eirculation, to earnestly recommend the omission of a single name, in order to introduce that of. hit Hon. and Learned Friend (Mr. Brougham), whose time and tacit: would be valuable to such a Committee. He iris convinced that were his Learned Friend chosen as a Member for such a Committee, he would be indefatigable in his search of truth. If the Right Hon. the Chancellor of the Exchequer were to favour him (Mr. Tierney) with his consent, it would at once prove that he was resolved to meet the Committee on those principles of candour and fair dealing which he so earnestly recommended. Mr. LAWSON acknowledged, that he had seen the list now mentioned, and to prove that he did not entirely igree.to such a list, he thought that several more Members from the Opposition side of the. House might be added, by withdrawing an equal number of names. He pretested his independence,and said that no man should dietate to him the lineofsonduct which he should follow. In the full exercise therel. fort, of his parliamentary privilege, as boasted of last night by an Honourable Member, a Bank' Di rectal., he would earnestly recornmend.the withdraw ing of one name, in order to make room fhi a Noble Friend of his (Lord Lascelles), who possessed . virtues. and. abilities idmirably, adapted for such' an enquiry:" is that list he saw the name of a Learned Gentle man belongineto.Doctors Commons (Sir /oho Ni. el:Sol.) What service such a Gentleman could be of to the-Costusilitee of Finance, he could not coropre , Acad. His Noble Friend, conversant with the sub ject, • and h ell accustomed to the rules of Parlia ment, would be much more preferable. Such a Com mittee did not went the assistance of a Learned Ci vilian from Doctors' Commons—unless it were in tended to institute au action for Criminal Conversa tion .With a certain Old Lady of Threadneedle-street ! (Loud Laughter.' • Mr. H. DAVIS returned to the subject of the Pe tition against the resumption of Cash-payments by the Bank of England. He again wished for leave to bring it.up. Mr. TIERNEY said be had no dOubt of the respec tability of the signatures, but he oLjected to it on ac- count' of the manner in which those signatures had been obtained. He would put a question to the Ho nourable Gentleman.—Was it, or was it not, a fact, that at a meeting of a club, of which Mr. Alderman DaniA was chahauan, that petition was put (whether by accident or not he should not enquire) into the hands of the Chairman, in order to obtain the signa tures of the Members?—(hear.) He understood that all the signatures affixed to it, with the exception of one, were obtained in that club ; and now it was brought forward purporting to be the Petition of the Inhabitants of Bristol. The fact was, that one half of the persons who had signed it did not know what the object of die Petition was. . Mr. H. DAVIS was happy that the Right Hon. Gentleman had given him an opportunity of assuring the House, that he was entirely ignut.itit of the pro ceedings which were alleged to have taken place.— What the Right Hon. Gentleman had stated was wholly new to him. for he had not even heard that the Petition had -been given to Alderman Daniel. ' Of all those who had signed it, there was not one, connected with a Ranking-hcuse. It was true, indeed, as he had before stated, that some of them were both ' bankers and merchants; but it was in the Tatter ca pacity that they had signed the petition—(iea?.) ' Mr. TIERNEY said they signed in one capacity, and acted in another-44: .7.augA.-.) FRAUDS IN THE COAL TRADE. Mr. EDWARD KNATCHBUI.L presented a Pe.' tition from Joshua Richman, pi-alms that the House would adopt some Legislative measure to prevent frauds in selling Coals. The Hon. Gentleman re marked, that two years ago a Bill similar to that which was prayed for in this Petition 11:.d been at tempted to be introduced, and had been unanimously rejected by the House. All that he had to do was to bring up the Petition, and refer it to the considera tion of the House.—Ordered to be laid on the table. DANK RESTRICT!ON COMMITTEE. The SPEAKER begged leave to submit to the House, whether it would not be biter to take first the order of the day for the ballot; and then, while the scrutiny was going on, the House could be occu pied in receiving Election Petitions. The CH A NC ELLO It of the EXC HEQUER accor• dingly moved the order of the day for the ballot. Sir FRANCIS BURDETt thought, that as it would save the time of the House, it would be much better to name the list at once, than to go through the . formality of a ballot—(hear, hear.) Mr. BENNET was also of opinion that the list should be voted at once—(Beer, hear.) Mr. DENT said, till, he heard a better reason for departing from the usual practice, he should adhere to that practice. Mr. Drifts, the clerk, -ilia read over thinames of . the Mashers, and lists or *embers for the proposed Coinsisittes was thrown into a large gTass an the table. No Member of the Opposition put in a list. The Clerk afterwards locked up the glass in a boa. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER moved. that a Committee be appointed to examine the lists, and to re p *bit Members had the majority of votes. nte AICER named Mr. BROODItIe, Mr. CAL CILATT, r. Seejeant Ons Low, Mr. Lotearow, Mr. M•Dtstr.tut, and Lord DINSING. Mr. LAMBTON said, that since it was already perfectly well known and determined who were to be the Committee, be would rather decline to take any part in picking up their names. The SPEAKER said, he bad to ask the Hewes. able Member's paidon, for that be had of himself mentioned the names, not knowing that any Gentle man would be averse to it. Mr. TIERNEY said, that since it was the cetirsr. cimen of inem, , iality shewn by the other side, let: them the of declaring who were the M inserted in their circular list, he thought it far better and mom satisfactory, they should appoint among i themselves the Committee of Examination as well as the Committee of Secrecy.— (Ater, ham) A Moan (whose name we could not Wm) aid, that be did not understand the rentals of thelisik HosuCrendentan, as-to Ministers dictating the mob on the lists. He had found a list on his table, but I he had not adhered to it ; he had inserted in place of some of the names, other names, from the opposite bench, of practical Gentlemen. He, therefore, felt indignant at the imputation of having given in a prescribed list. Mr. TIERNEY said, he did not know whether the Honourable Gentleman had been a Member of the last Parliament—(the Member replied that he had not)--if he had, he would have known how those things were done. It appeared from himself that lists were put upon their tahles. There were some independent Members who, like the Honourable Gen tleman, exercised their own judgment ; but they were the minority, and not the majority of those who re ceived lists.—(Hear, hear.) Mr. WAITHMAN said, that he had found no list on his table—in:ea checrikg, and laughter). The SPEAKER then named another Committee, retaining only Mr. Brogden and Lord Binning, of those formerly named. fhxy immediately retired to examine the lists.' ELUTION PETITIONS. A Petition against the return for Worcester was referred to the Committee appointed to meet on the 16th Match. A similar Petition from Nottingham was referred to a Committee to meet on the 2d of l March. A Petition from JOHN BELT., complaining that CHARLES TENNYSON had been elected by bri bery, in Great Grimsby, (Mr. J. P. GRANT was the unsuccessful candidate), was referred to a Committee to meet on 2Sd March. Petitions from Camelfoid, I'llossiney, and Haslemere, were similarly disposed of. WISTMINSTER HUSTINGS DILL. Mr. BENNET moved that the Westminster Hust ings sill be read a third time. Sir FRANCIS BURDETT said, that if he were to act from private feelings, no man could be more willing than he to indemnify the High Bailiff; but he saw no reason or justice in throwing the burden ois shoulders which were the last that ought to be made to bear it. The High Bailiff had not only taken the office voluntarily, but he had paid a large sum for it ; and that sum he would not have paid ter it, if he were not sure of an adequate and proper return. In 1811, a Committee was appointed in great hurry to bring in a Bill, and their Report came quite stul tified into the House. The very cause alleged for hurrying the Bill through the House—that the peace of Westminster might depend upon it—was entirely without ground. It was then promised, that in ;airy should again take place. There was none. Now again they were urged to adopt this measure, so objectionable, without any investigation into its cha racter or necessity. Ile understood that 1.3000 was the sum paid for the office by the High Bailiff to his predecessor. It was impossible that this vim should have been paid for an office of only 000 a year. It had been said that the income was 1:1.53, but that the Dean and Chapter received CIO, and the High 13 &iliff paid £lOO for a Deputy to do what he himself ought to perform. It was a commonly received plinciple, that benefit and burden should go together. The benefit of this was amply sufFcient for bearing the burden, and ought to bear it. If, indeed, the benefit was divided among many, the High Bailiff might net have an adecuate sum remaining ; but they had nothing to do with that. The High Bailiff had made his bargain, and must bear the consequence. He had no more title to call upon the House to re lieve him, than if it had been a bargain for the pur chase of an estate. It was an office of the higLest character. Whoever was High Bailiff of IVestmin ster exercised the same power as the High Sheriff of a county : he summoned Juries and returned Mem. bets. No money ought to be taken for an office like this, which ought always to be gratuitously given. Nt. individual could be better qualified than he who now held it; indeed none had ever given more uni versal satisfaction : but that was altogether acciden tal, for the Dean and Chapter would have given it to any man who gave the largest sum. If the money had not been given to Mr. Browning, the' present High Bailiff had not been appointed. It was then too much to ask the House to pass this Bill, becau-v the High Bailiff had made an imprudent bargain. The Committee in their Report had recommended that the burden should be thrown o.i the poor-rates. To argue against this recommendation, lie conceived, would. be to waste the time of the House. As to the charges, they always appeareclto him sources of emo lument rather dian of expense. Formerly, when £lO,OOO had beeu frequently spent on Elections, the High Bailin' shared largely in the profits. But the charges recently exhibited appeared to him to merit no ether name than extortion. How a sum so large could become due, he could form no idea. An ace tion had been brought against him, and he had re sisted it. The Chief Justice, however, Lord Ellen borough, by a decision which he thought very ex traordinary, had found him liable, as a candi date, although he had not been a candidate.— But he bad been made liable to expenses reduced to what was fairly and legally clue. This Bill gave then a power of extortion, and was an infringement on the privileges and righ ts of Westminster. There was less reason for imposing *these expenses in West minster, on Candidates, than elsewhere, because the emoluments of Dean and Chapter were so great. Instead of the Bitt being read now a third time, he should move that it be read a third time this day fortnight, in order to give time for Petitions, which he should have to present against it, for acquiring proper information on the subject. At the same time it appeared to him so very plain, as that even investigation seemed unnecessary to. defeat it. It ryas hurried through oh account of the ensuing Elec tion, in order to devolve the expenses on those who should be Candidates ; but the Electors could easily frustrate that object by returning, as they had done on other occasions, a Representative who had not been i Candidate. Upon all public principles, upon reason and justice. Candidates ought not to be made liable, when others were in fact liable, and were able to sustain the burden. It was a and well r known saying ' that the Church was ver y as t u t e in taking thogood things of this world without their accompanying burdens. But the office of High- Baih not to be made a matter of emolument; but it had been made 'so ; at least, then, let the bur den go with the emolument. The Honourable Be rout concluded by moving, as an Amendment, that the Bill should be • read a second time on this day &Might. lir ROBERT — WILSON seconded the Maim, prase:pay on this mead, that as the qualificatiOn common for a Member was MO a• year by the existing I x* which did not require that he should possess be a capital of £lOOO, he ous;ht not to be required to mortgage his income for Lee years and A hat . : Int the purpose of raising money to pay the expenses of the hustings. Mr. LAWSON also supported the Amendment: He contended that the burden ought least of a:: to be thrown upon the electors; that would be a grc,.- 1 act of injustice, as well as a breach of a furklame nu i principle of the Constitution. The didiculty was t o steer clear of injustice to the returning officer as we'.l as to the constituents: but the first was only an at of private injustice, the other of public; and the to- t ought not for a moment to be put in the scaie the other. There was also some appearance of justice in compelling an unsucce.;sfill canidate to pay his share of the expense. It might be cens4le7:4 objectionable to make a criminal scar the ellarie the erection of the scaffold on which his political in dependence, perhaps, was to he sacriti:ed; but if ; :e were defeated, it was his misfortune—tire loser met pay. In the good old times, before degeneracy had btSl carried so far as at present, members were paid for their attendance, and for their travelling expeuses; but now kept Members were unknown, or at Iraq 6: remuneration was of a different kind, although still it v.as far different from the emelulients .of a I, griping class of the communty, who fr.:— . , 1011 taverns, and found their advanta::.e in paying a stn, expense for the purposes of casual ev.ortioti, or ac , •dentnl purchase—(pestiee.l 'f! _ ! lonout able her opposite (Mr. Bennet) Ir_Traed now to 'se lei lating in the spirit of idleness and epprellens:(.n. , wished to renew the old bill for three months, lseca he would not give liimself the trouble, or (1;(1 , dare to undertake the task of proposing a ne v 1. lie that had voted last night in the mquiricy, plaining of postponements from year to year, with singular inconsistency wished to bring in one these temporary and ten►porizi.tg measures. Mr. BENNET pressed upon die [louse the gl ha► &hip of the sitalition of the High Bailiff; uhu at this moment EaNJO out of pocket by his (Ace . . who, if this Bill were not carried, would be a greater loser after the approaching election. Mr. D. W. HARVEY contended, that the E Bailiff ought not to be placed in a situation diUe from that of all other returning Officers. Mr. HUME insisted thn:, as.the Courts of L were open to the High Bailiff to recover the atom as a debt, no Bill was necessary. A division then took place. Far the Amendm , 10—Against it 3'2. The Bill was accordingly a third time, and passed. The Cutlery Bill ‘37 - as read a , r..trild time. Committee Bituiday. RESULT 01* THE BALLOT. Mr. BROGDEN hroutrht up :he Report • - ,f the Corm. appointed to scruticize lists delivered in for Met* , the Secret Committee en the 1. uk Itcitrairtion. It Wag and the following appeared to be t.e u.intos for wkieh tlr jcrity of Votes had been given : Lord Castlerengh F. Robinson Sir John nchcil The Chancellor of the Mr. GrcuftU Mr. Littletcn Exchequer 11r. lirskissen Mr. Wilson '.‘fr. Tierney Mr. isberc:orab7 Mr. Stuart Went Mr. Canning Sir. Bankes Mr. Mannixe Mr. Welksky Pole S'ir J. I:l:c:atesh Mr. Fran::Ltnt: Lclt Mr. Lamb 3lr. Peel Mr. Ashu:st 'Sir John Newport At the time the Report was breutht nr, the Ilousenvairr: err Tty, and immeliately :iftir it laza bum 'cad the Bette jourLed. MEETING 47' FREEMASONS' T.lrrp. Yesterday the Members of the house of Comm in Opposition to the present Administration di together, to the number of one hundred aad lc; at the Free . Masons' Tavern—Mr. TIIMNFX in Chair. On the Right Honourable Gentleman's being proposed by the Marquis cat TAvisroex, addressed the company assembled to meet him much feeling and eloquence. Ile declared, that utmost object of his ambition had never been so i a reward as that which had been conferred upon in so gratifying a manner, by a body of Gentle] who, for independence, character, and numbers, never been surpassed by any political par:y at period of our history. Mr. TIERNEY congratul them sincerely on the rapid progress of public nion, which had developed itself in a tone not be misunderstood by their political adversaries: also on the probability there appeared of that nion being represented in the present House of Cc mons more faithfully than in its predecessor. The only return he could make to those who bestowed on him such flattering marks of confidence was to devote to their service the remainder of strength and years—but any efforts of his woulc unavailing, unless supported by their active co.eiNe. ration, He firmly believed they had but one mon object, the public good—and in the con harmony and union which prevailed amongst he anticipated the most certain means of ptomot; that end. The Right Honourable Gentleman eluded his speech amidst the loudest applause of company. In the course of the evening, the folk' ing toasts were given: " The King."—" The PI ince Regent, and ycipetuity ' principles which raked his Family to the 'Throne. • " The Navy, the Constitutional defence of the country, " Arniy, and never may it. in in composition or hers, prove dangerous to the Liberties of the Country." "The Constitt.tional Rights of the People. May they fectually asserted in the New l'arliament.' " A real Retrenchment of the Public Expenditure-- Le indemnity for the past, and security for the future.'' " The cause of Civil and Religious Liberty allover the Wald- . " Our fellow-countrymen, of whatever Persuasion, wheat .2 honest Difference of Religious Opinion has excluded from tL 4 Privileges of their Country." " The Memory of Mr. Fox." " The Memory of those great and good Men whom we /1 10 lost, and may their example animate those who survive to le• on their principles in Parliament." " A temperate but effectual Reform of all .Ibusel." " May the spirit bur athed by the People at the General E•c• tion, not evaporate in the house of Commons." " Lords Grey, Lansdowne, and Holland, and those Pe , rst , t* support our principles in the other House of Parliament.' " City of 4 lons continuo del:lay represented." " The Liberty of the Preis." " Trial by Jury, and the health of the Independent )1• a the Bar of the three Kingdoms." " Prosperity to Ireland."—" The Bishop of Norwich." " The final Abolition of the Slave Trade." " The Cause of Indei,endence in South An-erica." " AU honest Elector. throughout the Lripi: e." " Cuccess to the independxit visit of Scotland." About eleven o'clock Mr. TIERNEY retired free the Chair, after it had been resolved that Pin lizaie!. tary Dinners, for !!embers of both Houses, sho' l be held once a fortnight during the 3e4siew to tnt of Ito tea al ir, In C ,:e I ftr sts; le Ittel 32,4 Ice). Len:. ees• ,Ile L : :rnt- Iliac I 11,*: are= met me-1 een 11 r!:(1 icy :se MOI few tit x, bt i wid et the )41 phis emea i t kit: t au! tlatec. opi• Lot tc ; anc Bpi• Com ) hac ience of hi! Id D'c'i'e colt. then, lotins of )114:.v. • th , ..‘ r „ r Cur - y be t%. LO Kaa . ros3 :Lo re Igo tO 3CI , ro ute f.r.t6 3 • fre [zatel• iboui ! L iq• P P