Star. — London, England, 1816-03-27 00:00:00

.4. • A T a GENERAL MEETING of the SPANISH nod MOROCCO LEATHER DRESSERS, held at the. Ship Tavern, in Long-laor, Southwark. on the Q.rnh March, I BIS, to consider of petitioning Parliament for a REPEAL of the DUTIES on LEATHER, • GFORWI CHOUMERT, Esq. in the Chair; ResoLvan; - That tEe present Duties on Morocco Leather and Men! Skins Piave prove' highly injurious to the Mattufacture. That the Dn.tes on ;he avr'age amount to :10 per rent. on the valve of the rate materials, and In some instances amount to nearly WO per cent. That the adtlitlimal Doty imposed In the year IRIS has been almos: wholly paid out of tin• pocket of the manufacturer; that spa• y substitutes have been introduced ht the manufacture of shoe.; and other wares Moral of Leather. and the present Du ces have acted almost as a prohibition to the manufacturer of in ferior Skins, Which, since the impt3iition of the additional Duty, a r e flit made Into (.rather. That numerous families in this dittriet are wholly deprived of envinvsnent, and that, unless some Midis ifforded to the trade, t!i- veil must increase. Thy a Petition he resented to Parliament; praying railer. turd t , it Messrs. Chonmert, Hayardalil, James Walker, R. Watt., KNew man, Taite, and .1. Slee, be a Committee to prepare and get the► same presented. That the Morocco Manufacturers in tho Country be requested to assist in the application, and solicit the Interest of their itepre stmativts in Parliament towards this object. 'That these Resolutions be signed by the Chairman, and In serted in 1;11 of the Morning and Evening Newspapers. (Signed) GEORGE C HOU MEICE, Chairmen. PARLMMENTdRr PROCELDINGS. HOUSE OF LORDS, MARCH 2d. The TTrm.e proceeded in Sir George Barlow's Divorce Bi ll.- 1 Mr. W.lltIlF.l riended as Counsel for the Petitioner, and Mr. Idannisom for Lady Barlow. Witnesses were examined to prove the preliminary fats of the ease and the adultery, and the Bill waft then read a sezoni time and committed for toetnurrow. Respecting General Dyott's Divorce Mr. SLADIL, a Proctor, and two other Gen-lemen, were examined, when it appearing &Ars. Dem: was at Paris, it was ordered * on the motion of the I.oen CanNcet.tok, that service of the BM and Order on Mrs. Dyott'. i'roror shield he deemed good servief. Lard RE: I E3I).II.E pr,-sen.rd a Put Mon from the Debtors son(ine.l in the Castle of York, prayi , g relief.—Ordered to lie Oes the Table. The Earl of COVENTRY presen.ed a Petition from the City of Worcester, praying the repeal of the Insolvent Act. — Ordered to lie on the Table. The Bart of SHAFITSBURY presented Petitions from the Land-owacrs, Occupiers, &c. of Sarre) , and Suffolk, complain blit of Agricultural Di3trcss, and priying relief.—Ordercd to he on the Table. nnwoNtv ANT) RETPENCIIMENT. The Earl of COVENTRY presented a Petion from the Nobility, Gentry, Clergy, Freeholders, and Inhabitants of the County of Worcester, praying for economy i.. the Public Experulitire, and retrench ment of tinneccsary Establishments.—Ordered to lie on tie Table. The E irl of LAUDERDALE expressed his con currence in the sentiments of the Petitioners, and ad verted to an item of public expenditure which usually earue up to the House two or three days only before the close of the Session, when them was no time to snake inquiry, namely, an annual grant of ai'.50,000 for the Caledonian Canal, which Canal, he believed it was the opinion of naval men, would never prove of any utility, and which, it was the universal opinion in Scotland, was of no use whatcver. He therefore thought that a saving ti ti.is amount might at all events he made, and 'which, in these times of diffi culty and s lressure, would be of some importance.— He tinstel that an inquiry would be instituted upon this subject, in order that this money might not again be voted for nu useful purpose. The Duke cf SUSSEX presented a Petition from the Lord Mayor, ALlermen, and Commons of Lon don, in Co union Council assembled, praying for economy in the public expenditure, and retrenchment of usArss offices, and particularly Fraying against the large military establishment now proposed. • His Royal Highness observid, that the 'iconic had a right to expect the strictest economy in the Public expenditure, at a period like the present of pressure and difficolty. He could not, however, upon this subject, add to what had been so ably said upon a former night by a Noble Marquis ; . he could only recur to a topic he had mentioned before, he alluded to the Marines. By the establ'shment of a force of that description, in Preference to battalions of the line, a considerable saving might be effected, as it would be found that 16,000 Marines would cost the cnuntry £60,000 a year less than 16.003 men form. ing a standing army, reckoning 1,000 men to a ►attalion. The Petition was ordered to lie upon the Table. PRINCE LEOI'OLT I OF COBOURG. The Earl ct LIVER POG:. presented a Bill for allowing a Bill to presented in ti:is present Ses sion of l'arliarr-nt, for naturalizi:lg l'rince Leopold of Cobourg. H s I.or .Iship stated that thii gill was necessary as a preliminary step to the naturalization of his Serene Ilighne,s. It had been usual to go through the different stages of Bills of this descry- I tion in one day, and therefore he proposed that cer- I tail) of the standing of Jets should be swended to -11314,110W for that purpose. The Bill was r. ad a first time. Lord HOLLAND suggested, that the regular course would be to move that the standing order al luded to be taken into consideration to morrow. The E.al of LIVERPOOL acquiesced, and a pinion to that effect was agreed to. Re&DING CLZRIG The LORD CHANCELLOR read a letter from Mr. Rose, thr Clerk (.1 the Parliaments, announcing that the state of health of Mr. William Stewart Rose, the Reading Clerk, was such, that there was no pro bability of his being able to attend the House, and pmposing that Mr. Birch should be allowed to of in. his stead, whom he stated to be well quali fied for the duties of the situation, having attended the House in that capacity for two Sessions on a for mer occasion. His LoNtship said he had no recol lation of the merits of Mr Birch, but be thought it 0 - imp( stance that he should only be appointed to, during the pleasure of the House, and that I:e should not be removed from the situation without the pleasure of the House, and• he moved to that, effect, after speaking very highly of the services of Mr. Cowper, and mentioning the necessity there was! that that Gentleman should have efficient assistince,l and also warmly praising.the conduct of Mr. Currie , who had officiated as Reading Clerk. The Earl of LAUDERDALE did not mean to, O ppose the motion, but thought it right some inquiry should take place, as it seemed at present to be in the power of the Clerk of the Parliaments (a Member of the other House) to substitute any person he pleased as Reading Clerk at the Table. He intended, then. . fore, some day, prnbably.nezcweek, to move for a Committee noon this subject. Lord REDESDALE suggested the necessity of there being additional assistance provided at the table. Lord HOLLAND observed, that If additional assistance were necessary. he trusted the Clerk of the Parliaments would provide it, , without any charge upon the public. The Earl LAUDERDALE said, the Patent to the Clerk of the .Parliaments ran, thit he should either attend in person or provide a sufficient Deputy Deputies; hut rather than interfere with vested' rights, if a different construction was put upon the patent, he thought the expense of whatever addi tional assistance should be considered necessary must ba borne by the public, as lie could not admit the country to be so reduced as to be unable to pay for necessary assistance in the conducting of business of So much importance.—The motion was agreed to. Adjourned till to-morrow (this day). HOUSE OF COMMONS. The Report.of the Committee upon the subject of Weights and Mea%ures was ordered to be brought up to-morrow. Mr. CROKER moved for leave to bring in a Bill, for the purpose of transferring the duties of the Transport Office to the Navy and Victualling Offices. The object of this measure, the Honourable trentleman stated to be economic regulation, and the transfer of certain legal rights which belonged to the Tran sport Office, to those offices, by which Its duties were hereafter to be perforrntxl. In consequence of a question from Mr. Wert. es m, Mr CROKLIt chserved, that the duty of the Transport Ser- vice was to be transferred to the Navy Office, and that of the Sick and Hurt to the Victualling Office ; that a medical attend: ant would therefore be rppuitited for the latter department; and that especial cue would be taken to provide for the accommoda tion of all naval lunatics, whose case would out fail to be duly cunddered.—Leave was given ta bring its the Bill. The Pancras Church Bill was read a second time, and cons ', Inked to a Select Committee. Mr. M. PITT presented a Petition front certain Land Owners and Occupiers in Uorbetshire, stating the severity of the agricul tural distress, and praying for the considers ion of the Referred to the Committee upon that subject. Mr. BENNE 1' gave notice of a Motion for the Sd of April, with respect to the Police of the Metro. polis. Mr. BRAND presented a Petition from certain persons in Hertfordshire, complaininq of the Agri cultural Distress.—Referred to the Committee upon that subject. Mr. BROGDEN brought up the Report of the Cawmittee of Supply.—The resolutions were agreed to, and I.lllls ordered accordingly. Mr. LUSHINGTON presentei, pursuant to or der, a copy of the E.timates of the Lord Steward of the Household. T R A WSPORTL Mr. H. ADDINGTON moved for leave to bring in 13i11 to continue and amend the Act of last Ses sion, with respect to the transportation of offenders. This measure, he said, he should have brought for. ward sooner, if he were not in hopes of being able to frame a Bill, for consolidating all the Acts upon the subject of Transportation, from that of George I. downwards. But this consolidation heist; found impracticable. it became necessary to provide for the continuance of the Act alluded to, which would et pire on the Ist of May, some o'raissions in which it was intended to supply. It was also meant to intro. duce a clause fur providing Inspectors, at the pons to which the transports are usually sent for embark*. don, such Inspectors to act intermediately between the jailors. or persons bringing transports, and the Commanders of the vessels in which such transports were to proceed to their destination. Mr. BENNETT expressed a hope that this mea sure would not be hurried through the House, but that ample time would be afforded for the considera tion of the important subject to which it referred.— Upon this subject it was known, that the highest au• thorities entertained an opinion, altogether adverse to the principle of transportation, and with that opinion he himself fully concurred. For in his judgment, a much better plan might be devised for the reform of convects at home, and at a considerably cheaper rate. But the fact was, that transports were never reformed at Botany Bay, where the whole system of manage ment was of such an opposite tendency, that the number of executions is that settlement tar exceeded the average nt natural deaths. lie would, however, cuter more at length upon the second reading of the Dill, which, he trusted, would nut be proposed for some time. Mr. H. ADDINGTON said, that he had no wish to hurry the Bill, but yet, as the Honourable Mem ber objected to the principle of transportation alto gcther, he could not see how his purpose could derive any advantage from the delay of this measure. Mr. ABERCROMBY observed, that although he did not agree with his Honourable Friend as to the expediency of abolishing transportation altogether, thaaght that the system ought to be very materia ll y makfied. The Learned Gentleman asked whether Governer M,crinirrie had yet returned any answer to the letter which, he understood, was some time since addressed to bim from the proper office, in closing the report of a Committee of that House, upon the subject of transportation to Botany Bay, and the general conduct of that colony ? If such , answer had been received, and he expressed a wish to have his question communicated to the Under Se cretary of State for the Colonial Department, who was not then in his place, he (Mr. A.) thought it de sirable to have that answer laud before the House. After some further conversation between Mr. An Dierrrou, Mr.Aseacaomwr, and Sir M. W. RIDLEY; Mr. LOCKHA RT observed, that he believed the plan for reforming offenders at home, by solitary confinement, 'cc. was found chimerical, as those con nected with the penitentiary system could, he under. stood, fully testify. He himself thought, and his opinion was supported by some able writers,• that it would be advisabll to hairs convicts emplied t o work in the open air, which would certainly be mor e for the advantage of their health, a9d most probably tend to diminish that hostility to society, which was too often the source of vice. • Leave was given to bring in the Dili, which was accordingly brought in, read a first, and ordered to be read a second time on Monday next. DEB T° ft& Mr. ABERCROM.l3l 7 presented a Petition from the Delators confined in Yotk Jail, stating that they were imprisoned for debts which they were unable to pay, that their insolvency was created by the pressure of the times, and by unavoidable misfortunes—that they were ready to divide their effects among their creditos.e • gam= Alley WIC 44/100 to satisfy by all the means in their power, and ,tbat under such car cumstances, .they heard with alarm of the introduc tion of a measure into that House which they under stood was calculated to deprive them of the clemency . of the existing law, 'and to condemn them to such measure of imprisonment, as any capricious, or cruel creditor, might think proper to inflict. B:tt the Pe titioners earnestly prayed the humanity of the House would he graciously pleased to take their urhappy case into consideration, and save them from the visi tation of such aggravated calamity, as they were led to apprehend from the measure alluded to. The Learned Gentleman in presenting this Petition, took occasion to espress a hope, that the House and the Committee to whom this subject was referred, would not, in considering the evils which might have re sulted from the existing law, entertain the idea of recurring to the former system, under which such in. tolerable injustice, such unparalleled inhumanity, took place. In pr i oviding against fraudulent debtors he hoped the House, in its justice and humanity, would never overlook the case of due unfortunate debtors from whom this petition proceeded, and he much feared that such unfortunate debtors were but too numerous, especially in the present state of the country. Therefore, while he wished, as much as any man, to guard against fraud, he would never allow, misfortune to become the object of punishment, and particularly of punishment so severe as any cal. lous or thoughtless creditor was at liberty to inflict upon his debtor under the old law of debtor and creditor, to which he confidently hoped that Pai Ha meln would never consent to recar--(llear, dear.) The Petition was referred to the Committee ap pointed to consider the effects of the Insolvency Act; and on the motion of Mr. Abercromby, the-name of Mr. 8. Bourne was added to that Committee. THIRD SECRETARY OF STATE. Mr. TIERNEY, with a view to the motion of which he had given notice, with respect to the office of the third Secretary of State, moved for an account of the Salaries and Allowances of the Offices of the three Secretaries of State, distinguishing each depart ment, and the person by whom each salary and allowance was received, from the sth of January, 1815, to the sth of January, 1816. CIVIL LIST. Lord CASTLEREAGH gave notice of his in. tension to propose a Bill, fur regulating the Expen diture of the Civil List in future, in pursuance of the recommendation of the report of the Committee of last sessions, which Bill was meant to include a pro vision for the appointment of certain officers, to check the expenditure in the several departments. This Bill, however, he did not think he should be able to bring forward until after the recess, as the Estimates had been referred back to the several Officers, with a view to consider what practicable reductions could be made; consistently with a due regard to the inte rests of the Crown, and the allowance of such an establishment as should provide against any applies. tion to Parliament hereafter, for the discharge of debts. As to the present debt of £277,000 upon the Civil List, lie was happy to say, that the pay ment of that sum would be provided for without any application to Parliament, namely, from droits of the Crown, a considerable part of which had ac crued since the discussion of this subject last 3esiion. Mr. TIERNEY observed, that as those Proles of the Crown, of which he would be glad to hear a Luis. factory explanation, would be available for some other purpose, it not required for thedischarge of Ole debts of the Civil List, he could not see that that Ho;isc or the Public had so much reason to rejoice as the N.;ble Lord professed to feel. But the Estimates were, it up peared, referred back for the purpose of reduction ; so that an alter-thought had occurred to the Noble Lord (,n this subject Ca laugh, and Rear, hear, hear !] and he would be very glad to find, however unlocked for, that a similar after-thought should occur to the Noble Lord with respect to various other De partments, so that something more than the mere thew or profession of economy should appear in the i Administration. But it seemed the Noble Lord's in tended Bull was in pursuance of the Report of the Committee of the last Sessions, of the proceedings of which he (Mr. Tierney) decidedly disapproved, and he fancied that the grounds of his disapprobation would now be pretty generally acknowledged. His intention, therefore, was to move for the appoint-1 ment of a new Committee, to consider the whole of the subjects reierrrd to the Committee of haat Sessions, and the Report of which might be made before the introduction of the Noble Lord's Bill, which, it seemed, could not be brought forward until after the Holidays. Thus the Report of the Cointnittee which he proposed would serve to guide the judgment of the House in considering the Noble Lord's Bill ; but he (Mr. Tierney) thought the House must now be fully satisfied, that unless the Committee which he proposed should be invested with powers to send for persons and papers, the inquiry would be ineffectual. Lord CASTLEREAGH said, that he had no ob jection to produce an account of the Druits alluded to; but with respect to the Right Honourable Gen tleman's intended motion, he thought it would be more satisfactory to the House, and to the views of the Right Honourable Gentleman himself, to have the.views of Government upon this important ques tion made known, before that Motion was brought forward. Mr. TIERNEY observed, that there was an un derstandin; between the Chancellor of the Exche. quer and himself, last Session, that if any new excess should arise upon the Civil List. die Report of the Committee of last Sessions should be referred to ano. ther Committee. The Noble Lord, in founding his Bill upon the Report of the Committee of last Ses sions, proceeded upon the assumption of facts which he (Mr. Tierney) utterly denied. The Noble Lard might, however, bring forward his Bill as soon as he chose, While he (Mr. Tierney) would make his Mo tion as soon as he chose ; and if the Noble Lord were not on the alert, be (Mr. Tierney) was very likely to be before him—EA langh, and Rear, hear!] Mr. BROUGHAM asked, whether the N , lble Lord bad any objections to produce a statethent of the Dioits of the Crown from the commencement of the war, together with their application, and the amount of the residue He meant, merely a statement of the totals. Laid CASTLEREAGH replied in the negative, and the statement was accordingly ordered. Mr. BROUGHAM inquired also, whether there was any objection to the production of a similar statement %yak respect to the 4 per Cent. Duda! Mr. LIISHINGTON rerlied, that such a sti k . meat was already he-titre ti.es /loose. Mr. BROUGHA er;ressi.d a doubt there was such a general statement as he reqiiir e d b , fore the House. After a kw words from the CnatecetLOtt of e t EXcuroetP. and Mr. Be.):NET, The Account alluded to by Mr. Ltaii,g tou . 4 ordered to be printed. TRAPIS Mr. WILBERFORCE :I:seed whether any, a. 4 what steps, were taken in roust) ire- of that Article in the Treaty of Peace which pledged rt itten Powers to conceit measures with a view to ate Al. the total atiolitio,;ttlhofvt.,hhtirnSlativ,ee'Frrreandtch.:xlini,..r Lard CASTLE It EA G Cc!' a dveriPg to elor I took place at Vieniia respecting the abiliti on w the Slave Trade, on the part of RlEci4, Atistria,pm„; ;4 and Great Britain, t, was not then authorized t , . concur, ~thertd. that France had since been induced cti acqu: Ne is t i e benevolent oh w ject of th ese l i cl:Nt ;!nd that. he bi d applied, by command of the Ptin:e Regnt, ti Ministers of these Powers to this country, rique l e ur , them to apply to their respective Courts to t awhn t rity to hold a crellerence in London upon the Wi en alluded to by his Honourable M ee authority shuffle! be rec:iv;.(l. which WNS to be es pected, he est-Ares.' Ins Honout:ible no time weuli be list on his pat in proud% lae object in view. Mr. W. SMITE! asked, whether there ti nv prospect, or even a trlim;•rit of hive, that Ole 1§. A . 4 .7^Vertirnent svoUld be io!nced to concur in the.,. li.ion of the Slave Trade ? He souli nix norci s cuss whether Spitio ought or might hare b es ced to acquiesce in this benevolent °Nees; bau t could nnt help thinking, that while that ci.utn, p n , i sisted in this odious traffic, the endeavours At e other Powers must he magavoty. ' Lord cAsTLE itEAOH saki, tlr.t no one t•::11 h a il with more sincere joy than liiins:ll the c rence of Spain in this measure; but he nas setiv say, that the end.s.avours heretof ite used t , , that concurrence hid been unsuccessful. was pledged at Vienna to diszoatinue the Slave 171 . eight years, and to that pledge she adiwrini in ::.11:11: discussions which had since tak::n place. fie deed great apprehensions that that G: ,- .+cinnoid Vrtmld not depart from this tle..i;il. BA nolsit:i;.:. standing that perseverance, he nA suppese it would be deemed consistent will sound policy ore mon sense to depart from our Illations with this G)• vornment with respect to other objects. That Spit might yet be loci iced to relax upon this riot, wa = his wish and hope ; but yet, trim what had Alz . e.bly loccurred, he regretted to say, that he could no: lull out any expectations upon the subjs.:t. lacked, la must add, that the policy of that Pouer appeared a him to be not only unintc.lli:lible in mos: ii-stanter, but Itbsolutely at variance with zllc princiOesol cm* i mcn sense. Mr. FOR BES, with a view to a motion which Is intended to bring forward, to take into consider:dim the crate of our Linen Tr.ido, moved for RI:Lull:5 ti the r;93.ntity of Irish an., S:otch L:Ern exportrd, aLi of Foreign Linen imported, from the year MS to 1816, together with an account of the Du:i:s pli4l upon the import of Foreign Linen tv4kin the s.arn per i , ).l.—Ordered. On the motion of Mr. WAnnr, the Pa:L-7.s on ele table with regard to the S.ilaries in the 1 1 ,st were ordered to be printed. On the motion of the CHANCELLOR of the EVA'. QUER, the House resolved into a C , mink:re ur , e Loan Act of the 49th of the King, and a R c ,,,lu t i 2 was agreed to for repealing the said Act--It: pert to. morrow. On the motion of Mr. W. SWII, certain Accents were ordered with respect to Spirits distisied in Sci.t. land, and the quantity thereof imported int., the part of London, with the amoutit of &airs paid therein Mr. BARING, adverting to some observations which he had made on a preceding evening, vi;l1 respect to the expense of victualling the men in M.l - Haven, said, he wished to eail the attrarot..t the House to a subject which certainly teoiii..l soave satisfactory answa from Misirtcrs. tie alinicl to a charge which appeared in the N.ivy Estiaiiitcs for the present year, for victualling the Officers ant ship.kee f ers in ordinary. The number of glen victualled was 4187, at Is. Gd. per d;em, making total of X 132,969. In the Estimates of ISIS, that appeared A charge for precisely the ante dectipt;e4 of men, at Is. per diem. Now, it in ISIS, ISit an.l Isls, Is. a day was thought to be a sufficient sum, he should like to know what possible reason could be urged for augmenting it to Is. 61 whea the price of every article was so greatly diMiltiShrj! On a former occasion when he mentioned the sub;i•et, it was thought to be a sufficient answer from e othei side of the H use, that it did not belong to Admiralty department, and a great outcry was ;4 4 * ed, as if a prodigious triumph had been obtain:4l by the Government.—{ Near, hear.)—For his own palls he must say, he did not care in what department the abase was committed, it was enough that the abuse existed to induce that House to look into the subject. He found, upon looking into the Estimates, that a considerable numb:l- of men 'were victualled at the same rate. He WAS informed, -however, hom gooi .authority, that the actual expense of victu the men at Milford Haven was not more than Is. a dir. for beef, bread and beer, and that the surplus perquisite belonging to the officer whin provided Oka food. The gross mania of expense which the near. try had to p 4y, between the rate of Is. and Is. tit. was 414,000; and certainly if no more satistact.;:f information was given upon the subjcet thin v:!1• 1 had already been.afforded, he should leel it his when the matter came forward in a o.mmitters 13 move the reduction of the whole expenditure to 5. 1 . 4 it had cost the public in preceding years. The ID nourable Member concluded by.mnving for a stal e : ment of the number of men in the several der.a• meats of the Naval service, including the ThasPat and Cussom•house service, victualled by any amerce* ment or allowance other than by the compaition of public -tenders. Mr. CROKER said he must distinctly deny that the answer given to the Honourable Member on 2 former evening was, that the particular case he allot ded to did not belong to the Admiralty Deparunfut. The answer was, that unless the Hons., permuted the • Estimates to ico into a Committee, it would be irri• possible to give those detailed explanations wi;:th