Star. — London, England, 1816-06-12 00:00:00

c" ' , . . istence of the prgiogative in. th e Cro wn , and argued that the words mace frohibiti in the Magna Chsrta, ev en granting that ac cordin g to Lord Coke's con struction, they referred to an Act of Parliament, still were proof that this prerogative of the Crown was t hen admitteds because this part of the Magna Charta re ferred to Alien Merchants, and was a special ex ception in their favour. lie also begged their Lord. s t,ips to observe, that, in 1793, when the Alien Act was passed, we were in a state of peace, and, at that t i m e, one of the arguments which had been used in favour of the Bill, was the additional danger to w hi c h the country was exposed from the machina tians of Aliens, 'owing to the greater opportunities o f working mischief which they had in time of peace. The Earl of DARNLEY spoke shortly against tile Bill. Their Lordships then divided—For the second reading 5+ —For the amendment 17—Majority in fa vor 01 the Bill 37. )The cilia orders of the day being disposed of, the HOUSe adjourned at Half past Eleven o'Clock. HOUSE OF COMMONS: IfirWM. SCOTT obtained leave to bring , in a Bill to render valid the several Acts of the Surrogate and Vice-Admiralty Coeds abroad, during the vacancies of the Judges of the Adini. Op The Bill was brought in, read a first•time, and ordered far 'sewed reading on Thursd ay near. The Newfoundland Passengers' Bill was read a second time, t ea ordered to be committed on Monday next. The House having gone into a Committee upon the Acts on the coasdig Trade, Mr.ROBINSON obtained leave to bring in a Bill to amend th e unsaved In the St st of his Majesty, for the utter regula tion o f the Seamen employed in the Col.:ins Trade. Fol. NICHOLS moved, that instrucions be even to the Committee on Tithes to report under what regulations it might kpeoper for lay Proprietors to grant Leases of 1 i:hes. After a few observations from Mr. BsOVGUAM, the Motion vas agreed to. Lord BINNING presented the Report of the Committee on Mad-houses. Laid an the Table, and ordered to be printed. Mr CHOKER brought In a Bill to enable Officers, Sailors, and Soldiers employed in the Royal Navy, to pursue trades.— Read a first time, and ordered fur a second reading to-morrow. The Cearitable DOtlatiOft* Bill went through a Committee. — Report to-morrow. Serjeant BEST brought up a Bill to protect Creditors against fraudu!ent Bankrupts. Read a first time, and ordered for a se cond reading on f t iday. • Colonel WOOL) obtained leave to brag in a Bill to amend the 19th and 44th Arts of George the Third, re,recting the Gantt. Laws, after s few words from Sir e Butt/ALL and Mr. Wet> r. MUT. Mr. KITE obtained leave to bring in a Bill to amend the Aix respecting Volunteer Corps in Ireland. Read a fire; time, sad ordered fur a second reading to-morrow. - GA! LIGHT. Alderman ATKINS presented a Petition from the Owners and Masters of Ships belonging. to the Whale Fisheries, against the Gas Light Bill.—Or- , dered to lie on the Table. Mr. HOLMES brOught up the Report of the Committee on 11;e Gas Light B:11. Alderman ATKINS opposed it, as he thought that if it were agreed to, and the powers proposed granted to the Gels L;ht Company, cutlet Compa nies, and partiziil:triy those employed in the South and G. - via...n:l l'is!Araies, would be roced. He con- tended, it would throw out of emjloy 10,000 sea men, and .5'.41::0 subjects. He complained, that Gentlemen w!,.0 knew nut Lin? of the matter had at. tended the Ci.runtirtee, and Ling their numbers bore down ail opposition to the Bill. Mr. CALVERT defended the conduct of the Conarnittee, am! the provision.; of the Bill. Wt .en. ever any thing was proposed •fur the benefit of man kind, nimopulists aiways rose against it, uod cried l'ltt they would he ruined. Mr; JONES did nut see any reason why the in 3i eiluals whoa! the Bill concerned, should be formed into a Corp.-,ration. He contended that the elements die L.itish Navy were to be found in the Whdle Fisheries, the intesests of which should be kept in sitar. Mr. DAVIES GIDDY said, that all he torsi bred WAS, how the public could best be served, and Lot whether the firofirs of a particular Company were to be diniiiiished or increased. He would ob. ject, lige:ever, to the rerreti-:il corporation of the GAs Light C il,pany, but not to its corporation !or a reasonaidt number' or years, sixty for iiistance. Mr. 110 -.E 81.: •11NER def:oi.lcil the Gas Light Company, and inaktaini-d, that it all the streets of the raefropilis were li, , hte.l with gas, the irregulari ties widch took place alter midnight woglo ce.....e. On 2aCtllit of i:s length, 110WeVtr, lit: wis'..ed thit the Bill should be reprinted, in order that the House should know all its provisions. To give time for that purpose, lie should move that the Report be taken into further cci;sideration on Monday next. Mr. hl A RRYATT did is:it approve of the mono ply conferred by Cie Bill, as it would operate as a new tax on shops. As so the measure itself, he thought it likely to prpve most useful, as the supply of oil would soon be insuflicieot for the service of the me. tisc.olis, as ;he race o' whales was nearly exterminated. Sir J. GRAHAM defended the 8.11 as it stood. The Mose then divided, —For the Orighial Mo tion, 76—For the Amendment, 29—Majority for the Otiginal Motion, 47- The Report was them received, and the Bill, as amended, erdered to be rimed, after some further cearcrsati %l, between Alder man A TKINs, Mr. HOI.NIES, General THOUNTON, and Sir J. Gitanam, and to be had a third time on Tuesday nett. TITHES. Mr. COKE presented a Petition from the Rector 2 rl Owners of Land of the Parish .of .hiss, in -the t .arnty of Norfolk, in favour of a commutation of 1 it!!e,,, Mr. BROUGHAM was glad to see the sound *lra which the Clergy took' of their real interests, bY•Promu!ing such Petitions as the present. Tge Petition was ordered to lie on the Tftble. Mr. COKE then presented several other Petitions f'"al v.itious e.irisliva in the County of Norfolk, to b.e.sause effect, and one agreed to by the Farmers sel Freeholders or the County, assembled in the bora Market, at Njl wich. On the question that it He r ifthe Table, Ur- FONSONBY said, that he Was conscious, at Ifs late period of the S...ssion, that it was impossible b do any thing elf- c wally to coincide with the prayer 'ltltose Petitions, but urged the necessity, in the "Tie of the next Session, to come co acme decision ott , iiii sublet. . . bfel MILTON admitted • that the question of 1 iis was one of g rea t importance, and would not ' that some alteration might be mado in the sys uthe protested against sending abroad any belief i . ' present disttesses might be relievgd by any such • • alteration in the system of tither: They info I sotE of property which might be regulated, but codld not be destroyed. , . Mr. PONSONBi said that he had never con nected the relief of. present distretset With the prOs pective alterations in the system of Tithese Mr. BROUGHAM etpressed the same sentiment-. Lord MI LTON did not charge the House wi th entertaining those opinions, but wished to guard against their being spread throughout the country. Mr. BARING contended, that the Petitions now presented by the Clergy and Farmers, proved that the existing system of Tithes was most prejudicial to the interests of both, and that any regulation would be well received by all parties. Sir J. NEWPORT hoped sincerely that nett Ses. sion Parliament would not defer the consideration of this important question. It bad been promised to Ireland'at the At of Union. The real evil was com prised in the manner and inequality in which 'tithes were levied, and not in their ainGunt. The Petition was then ordrrcd to lie on the table. Mr. BROGDEN appeared at the Bar, and stated that. the House of Peers had agreed to the Confe fence requested by that H‘mse in the Painted Chain. bet., respecting the classification of the Statute Book. Mr. BATHURST moved that a ComMittee be appointed to hold that conference. A Committee was then appointed, and the Mem bers repaired to the Painted Chamber. At their return Mr. BATHURST stated that •the Lot ds of the Conference had agreed to submit their amendments to the House of Peers. _ Mr. GORE LANGTON presented a Petition from tit • comity 1)1 Slnnei Set agitiust the Cortters' Bill.—Ordered to lie ou the Lard MILTON ptesented a P,tition from two persons of the name of Parker and Wilson, who h id obtained a patent for sorce itnpr , veitient in bliip- Ou;lling, in coils . .. Taller of which they had been em ployed for two years in the deck yards at Derford. 'racy had not been employed at their own ►ecunt. menslativm, but at the de, re of die Admiralty, to tiptrintend the improvements they %etre makotg.— They now complained of having rec.:lye:Li no► woo. ntration, not only for their nivel:dun, but for their time and labour. The SPEAKER staled, that as it was a money petition, unless the Noble Lord weir prepared to tae that it came recommended lion), the Crown. be conuary to the'Ordtts of the litalse to receive it. W ES T.I N DIES. Lord CASTLEREAGH wished to direct the at tention of two Honourable Mettib4rs to the notices which they had given of metions on the subjects con nected with our West India Colonies. One of these stood lor to.oight, and the other for Thursday. They would both enibtace nearly the same line of argil mem, and of coot se the unfortunate event which had taken place at Btrbedoes. 13ut tau s he Ministers to he put in the situ.ation of giving explanazians . 13vfore they were in possession of official itdermation ? The -vessel which in , mglit the dispmches was now in the Channel; they would therJfore be recLieed i,tt a vrry short time. 1 lei 1 now to triples:l-; tI IA Gentlemen'who had g:ven.e ir notices to eon,cnt to their postponement to :he corresponding days next week. He did not mean by this to avoid inquOirs ; on the coirtary, he thought that it was most impor• '. cant that a subject of that nature should undergo the deepest inves:igation. He only entreated t:ie 1 - lon. Nlenthers t: wait tit: the official dispatches had been received. Ministers wutild by that time be able to express their sentiments more decisively, aril the dis coss,un would he Treacly facilitated. lie st.ould also venture to recommettd, that in postponing their no tices, they should not suffer themselves tube dragged into any incidental debate. Such a course at this moment would, he conceived, be mare advantageous to all patties. Mr. ‘VILLERFORCE had no objection to post pone his moron; rut as the Noble Lord had said the dispatches were in the Channel, and would be re• ceived alinost immediately, he should prefer Itiday next instead of a day next week. Lord CrISTLEKEAGH observed, that the lin. nen:able Gentkmaii tnast be &Mille that even after the dispatches should hive bee , . received, it wunld ricluite sonic little (lin:, lot Ministers to sonsider their cow eras. Wouki Wednesday and Thursday next week wit the. Hun. Ge . ntlerrsen better than the days which h.: had mentioned ? Mr. BA RING hoped that the discussion of a sub. jest ir. which the safety of our West India Coholies was involved, would not be put off unless better rea sons were adduced. He did not conceive it necessary to wait Ltje urrival of the offici.il di+patehes. The facts aloe evident, and the dispatches could not change their nature so far as to reii.ler a present discu,sion premature. The Noble .L,r't could to t certainly doubt the authenticityol theGovernor'sProclammon. I,ot-el CASTLEREAGII contended, that if the subject WAS acknowledged to be of such m.ignhude as to affect the safety of our West India Colonies, it was the more important that Ministers should nut enter into it without official information. v Mr. PtILMER said, that painlul as it was to him to posti:one a discussion, in which lie considered th4t the lechngs, and the interests, and site safety, of a cons;derable portion of the Empire were so deeply interested, yet he felt himself compelled to yield to a necessity which he lamented, and to accede to the wishes of his Majesty's Minister. He agreed with his Honourable Friend that a great delusion prevailed upon the subject alluded to, and as thi best remedy fur delusion was information, he could not but con sent to wait for that which was expected. After a. few words from Mr. W.' tientrltt Mr. BAR HAM, Mr. MARIiVATT, Mr. A. Daowte, Mr. PALMER * and Mr. BROUGHAM, it was agreed that Mr. Wilber. force's Motion shouli come ou oa the Wedneeday, and Z•le. Palmer's on Thursday lie'nnight. CASE Of M. PERRAULT. _ - . Sir S. I(OMILLY rose to call the attention of the House to the circumstances under which a person of the uar:►e of Perrault had been arrested at the Maori. tius last year, and transported to this country. It had been charged against him that he was concerned in an insurrection; but this he wholly denied. Petitions had bean presented to the Governor, which he, with several other persons, signed; and some time alter anonymous pamphlets had been circulated, calling on the people to ►neet at a certain place' on a partial. tar d iy, but no such Meeting took place. On the Bth of September, a troop of soldiers entered his house, and carried huu away, whether with his wife and all hie ehilareii. 111 ey were itarehect to the (Mance of four miles, and on the following day he was sent to a place 30 miles farther, and detained there eleiirmi days. Interrogatories were then pit to hit% And ha was afterwards sent on board his Majesty's ship *the Minden, and transpotted to England. Bein7 a &Wilt subject, and having taken the oath of allegiance, his only consolation was, that he was going to a country where the laws were always respected, and where every man was supposed to be innocent Until he was found guilty by a tt i.kl ()Ellis Peers. Soon alter his ar rival; I.e transmitted a letter to Lord Bathurst, stating the way in which he had been treated ; and his Lord .ship's answer was, that as the peculiar circumstances of the country had now ceased to operate, instruc tions should be given for his trims), and for the Go-, vet nor to put him upon his trial, in 'order that the facts of the case might be ascertained ; and, until his departure, a moderate allowance should be made to him for his support. Not long after, he.aeldressed a second letter to Lord Bathurst, requesting to be assu red plevioe sly to his departure, that he should betreeted in a manner more becoming his rank and situation. •I'oe answer to this letter was, that eaquiries were then melting to ascertain how far his statement was correct ; and that ss. a day would Le allowed for his maintemince ; but as sown as the ship Alexander could sail, he was to go on board her, and then hit: allowance would cease. On the Ist of April he waste again, submitting that sa. were too little for his sup. pot t, and soliciting some r!dress ; when his Lordship replied, that he had no further directions to give, nor could he extend the pay bey. cid the sailing of the vessel. Tittle were the circumoaners of the case, as Mr. Perraillt himself had detailed theni to the Heitoureble He had been e. Captain ice the French service, and was sent he:e, out as a pri soner, but to he at large, on .an allowance of 5. a day, and without beiiig ahie to speak a word of the language. He desires to have his C4Fe inquit et] into, aid is told to go back, and put himself upon his trial. Nothin' could justify his removal from the ;shill(' by haarce, but the absolute ganger of his coutiottiog theme. It wes the arbarery :act of the tinvernor, against all law, and in defience of all ; and it WAS impossible to justify settling him to this country. Why did not the Goveir.or seiol him to the Cape-of Good Ho e, or the lilt: of B3Ulbon ? Al. that could be ?old ot him Was, that he had been concerted in an mom tction, and bore a bad character ; but it must he reale:ear...red that Character wits given by his oppressoi s. He, therefore, wished to know what Wm oration his Mejetty's Ministers Lad received I,n the subject ? nothing heti publicly treason e.i which could justify the detaining hint oae day in cuoody here : he only desired,Therelore, that the House should have copies of the dispatches fram the Mauritias• on this subject. With this view, therefore, he should move 'neat an huinh!e Adchess be Ferreted to his Royal Highness the Prince Regent, praying twat there be LU sefore this i lot-se copies of all ctisroches i te m the Mauritius relating to P. L. Perrault." Mr. GOU 1. 1 3L112 ;4 said, lie most repeat what he had stated to the Mo ti fs' on a former o:::a3ion, that i t!te first intimation his Majesty's Ministers had te cAved of the treatment of this individual was his ar rival in this eturiti y. By the same ship tit it con veyed him, an intimation was receive'! tio::4 Governor Farquhar, that some measures ador.d for the! rugis trAtion Of sl had ex,:ite.! discontent and instirrte-. tian, and ihat Perrault Lai c:,otight this a proper op poTtunity for him to carry on oesielis in favcur (if the gevernoient of Ilonaparte, who had just then escaped from Elba. Sotae of Ilia insmeents were taken and coatiiieti ; the rem index, who wine rooie deluded elear. guilty, were suireted to eo at large, on givieg prooer security. Thus the only information that Governmert had received respectin t ; M. Perrault was a mere incidental mention of him in those dis. o patches. As soon as Perrault made any complaint, a fetter was sent not to the Governor of the Man. ritius, desiring hint to send home a full account Lf all that related to this individual; but though it had not yet beeit coeifirmed by regular dispatvies that M. Perrault }ma toidergone a itreolar trial in that coun.! try, their was avery reas , ,it tor believing' this to be the cao., for Government had received accounts to that effect from pies ins of cted:t who had since ar-, mind. it certainly would be admitted, that Ministers would have acted wrung, if, on the mere ex torte, statement of this individual, they had complied w ith Iris request, and had recalled the Governor of the Mauritius, for the sole purpose of enabling M. Per- - rault to bring an action in the Court of King's Bench. All they could do was to make inquiry, by writing to the Governor; Government knew that the Mato ritics was at that time under very peculier circum stances ; the garrison was very weak ; it consisted only of 1,200 men originally ; some of these had been sent to the East ladies, and 500 were on the sick list. These were sulficierd grounds for support. ing the Governor in any fair exercise of his discre. lion. Inquiry had been made of the Captain of the ship in which Perrault came - to England. Inde-1 pendently of the very high character which Ciptain Mackay bore, the assertions of an Officer of that rank in the navy were entitled to be received without much distrust; and this Otfi::er taking the allegations of Perrault, with respect to his passage, charge by charge, had either denied them altogether, or had shewn them to• be the grossest misrepresentations. Instead of being confined, he had the whole range of the deck, and the same space at night as was allowed to petty oflieers. Instead of being kept in a state of starvation, the full allots ance" was given him. The mcney,he brought on board was placed in the hands of a Lieutenant, who was ordered to purchase any . thing at his request ; and what remained was paid over to him on his arrival in this country, in the pre sence of witnesses, with the express view of contra dicting any unfounded allegation on his part. He was sent to this country, rattier than to the Island of Bourbon, because the latter was in a state of insur rection. As to • Madagascar, it would indeed have been a cause of complaint had be been sent there; but he bid greater advantages in this country than he could have found elsewhere, for here he could at least bring his case before Parliament. At all events the Governor's statement should be heard before any conclusion-was come to; and till that statement ar rived, he (Mr. Goulburn) felt himself compelled to oppose the production of the papers that had been called tor. Mr. W. TAYLOR stated the opinions of three officers who were conversant with the facts of the case, and who reported the character of this , ~.Y~- dual to he that or a notoriotts supporter of tonaparte that he hurriecrto Bourbon the mordent the news ar rived of Bonaparte's escape from Elba. and that hi was almost immediately arrested for creating a dis turbance. Mr. BARING thought no sufficient reason had been given t:•- .y the papers called for should not be produced. The situation of people in the colonies WAS such, t!htt leforniatien should be alorded on the least hint of grievance; they were so far 'from the seat of Government, and so easily subject to ciprcs. sloth He considered the present a case of peculiar hardship. An iniividual had been exposed to the greatest inconvenience and danger ; he had nor been. tr i e d where could be tried, and he had been sent to a count: y where he could not be tried ; there was quite enotreli before the house to lustily it in feeling exceedingly jeal ,us of the conduct of tln: Governor of the Matirithe. . Mr. BRAND, as a friend of the Governor, re. greeted the re•ued of these papers. So e‘tahli‘hed WAS that gentleman's character for mild:ieis l benevo lence, :aid reetitu.fc of intentem, that he was con. vinced he would hay , • grounds 'or justifyieg his con. duct, though the'str otigest y!tettirds he reloired in a case like the pres:nt. Ile could see ea reaborx efia•e;er for withholding the past:- t!ee :ad been called tor. The erutructihn of 0 err , :vas :see to the petitioner himself ; and he trusted, , :leretere, the: the Hon. Gentlemen consider.thai, with draw his opposition. Lord CASTLAF.REACH thouellt his Nlajesty% MiniActri could not Wit) pro;;; pvehhe the peers called for, till they had themselves receised more in- MittiOrl hn the subi:ct. Mr. BPOUGFLAM could not see the gt (holds for reusing the papers that d been call( d for. Though little eteernutiieation kid leeht made on the suirject, at least v:e might !rive what had been received. Menti had been made of the preitioher in a dis- Ftch front Governor Farquhar, as:d an extract of thus passage might at least tie g:ver. As to Perrault's aleged Zocarnissi:in hem) Bonaparte, it was quite ri. dictileui to suppose, as hail been stated, that at the very critical tnom.eht, and in all the hurt y t,f thc dc. parture trom Elha, a &vete!! should have hen sent oif to the Mauritius. Wieatever pthceedithes might have been had v. ith ra Tett to M 4 yin, Governer l'arquhar had no riglit ehatever to sod the peti• tioner a voy age of days' sail. In this instance, at least, he laboured under the suspicion of a stretch of euthor:ty. la :di probability he ineuired, not ::list wes tire proper place of tic.tination tier this in dividual, but what ship was ready to seil. If the man had keen built; of the misdemeanour laid to Itis charge, the Government here oteehe not to have let him go at lite:icy ; he was il!tlvCvet, 11. s deteution was most tuipititiable— As to saying he eas seat here ia in-del that he might p;aha redress f ern Parlia. meat, it was quite a niockery. Why did fie apply to Parliateeat It& redness, bu. because he had Lt.eu sent here? Mr. P. MOORE thought the autlanity under which the C sprain of the M 1,41.11 acted ouplit to he pi oduced. Six S. ROMILLY shortly replied. Ila Itelieved the reason why the papers were ielused e ..tii, becaull. Nlinisters had no inioimation whatever V. conimuni. cate. He capiaiated on the trueliy titot ( 9 -, re...Ain , of Leming an in./16:11d from his fa firio , arid conatry, and exposint: him to perish by starvaticin in the streets, without the existetice of auy information on Cie nature of his i.fr.nc..f.. It had been contended that die Gavernor of a foreign C.)!Oay mid a right to send person: Loa of the Col au) : it. this were the Lase, tl.e &.3!..veritti's consteLt towards this rin..ll v:as nut iilsgal ; but 4t least. it was iniportithi. to Vie inhabitants o: the C•ilonies to know whothsr this were the case Or nut. Ministers s:ated they had sent out to information, but dented the petitiiilier the means of subsistence till that information.. arrived ; so that he was compelled to return to those of w hone oppression he complained. Whatever might have been the complexion of the petitioner's former character, it was no txcuse what- - ever ter any excess of authority on the part of the Govermir. Even it be were guilty iit ilt that was laid to his C:l4rge, that afforded rea ground for de priving- hint 'us the advantages of a fair trial and treat:writ according to the Ltias. . The House then divided, when there appeared— • For the Motion, 19-- Against it, 51—Majority, ;;2. smant. ARMS. Colonel PALMER rose, pursuant to notice, to move fur a Committee to nit:lone into tha manage ment and expenditure of the Small Aims Depart ment of the Urtigance B•iard. The lionourable Co -I.niel entered into considerable details on the subject of his motion, and alieged an unnecessary multipli cation of the kind of arms in question, a wasteful ex- pendittire or the public money to elect Government Establishments for their inar.ufacture, instead of pur chasing them, as formerly, upon contract, a deterio ration sit their quality, a discouragement of the trade by the withdrawing of Government demands, and the danger of !thing our mannfictuters from want of employment, and several other Abbas or acts of mis nianagerbelit, as the grounds of it. The first manu factory of small fire-arms estahlislaal by Government WAS in Alleu-street, near the Tower. In the year 1808, that establishment was abandoned fcr the one at Lewisham. In 1809, a Committee repotted that ,i€9o,oooliad been expended in the erection of huil..ings and other charges connected with that establi-ihnient. This same Committee complained of the txpeas-, and recommended that, on account of the additional charge that would be required, it should be likewi , :e abandoned, and that Government again iztould de. pend up :in private contracts for the necessary supply. They give this recommendation even while they con:emplated the sacrifice of the 490,000 alrecly expended. The lion. Colonel piofessed himself on- . willing to accuse any individuals, or any Board, cf wasting uselessly the public money, or perseviring knowingly in impolitic or unwise measures ; but t.e I h a d reason to complain that the Ordnance Board had 1 re mained inattentive to the opinion or advice of the Committee, and had followed the recommendation ui Arsons who did riot judge so advaqt tgeously for the public. Initead, therefore, of abandoning the establish meat that had previously been created,a , cording to the advice of the Committee, Government within these two years had erected another at Waltham Abbey, gre bbe a r t , on which £71,000 had been expended. -'thi s sum had been wantonly and uselessly thrown away. He (Col. Palmer) wished to know the particulars of but no idol - undo.' Vs expenditure, and its extent, I