Star. — London, England, 1816-03-12 00:00:00

... . 1 the county of Durham, against the Property Tai.— Laid on the table. Lord RANCLIFFE thought it necessary shortly to say a few words respecting whet 'he had said about. the Mayor of Leicester, especially since an Hon. Member had sufficiently cleared that worthy Magistrate from any blame that might have attached to him. He had been informed of an the circum stances relating to that Gentleman, and he was peffectly satisfied with the explanation .which bad been given. Mr. KECK should not think himself doing his duty if be did not exrress his sentiments upon this subject. He had every reason to believe that the worthy Magistrate had acted from the most disinte rested motives, and he should have 'Opposed him guilty of a neglect of the duty imposed on him by his office if he had complied with the requisition which had been sent to him. He wished that two or three Gentlemen- on the other side of the House would consult their professional feelings upon this subject, and he hoped that one Honourable Member in particular would remeniber, first to investigate, then to accuse, and last of all to condemn, and would not so hastily pass sentence on a person who could not immediately defend himself. Another Honourable Member had attributed to the Mayor motives whiclrno man could eve: impute to him, if •be had finown his character. Instead of being un popular, as it might almost have been suspected from what had been said by Members on a form* evening, he had not long ago received a vote of.ap probation from the very party whom the Honourable Member and his frivids, by speaking in his dispraise, bad wished to defend. Lord RANCLIFFE thought the Him. Member for Leicestershire justified in speaking in praise of the conduct of the Mayor of Leicester; but he could ,batdly approve of what had been said upon his Honourable and Learned Friend, who, in the ob tervations he had made upon the conduct of that !Magistrate, had merely followed his statement, and therefore the whole blame should be upon him for fraying made the statement, for which he was sorry, since he bad heard it so satisfactorily contradicted. Mr. M. A. TAYLOR was confident that his Honourable and Learned Friend, whom he did uo tee in his place,, would not have made the obserta tions which had called forth the animadversion of the Honourable Member, if it had not appeared evi dent to him that they were necessary for she defence knd preservation of the rights of the people. Mr. KECK explained. Mr. LAMBION considered his friend fay jasti fied in having made what observations had fallen from him, in consequence of the statement at that time •before the House unanswered. The Hon. H. G. BENNETT defend , tl the con. duct of his Honourable and Learned Friend, and that of other Members, who had made observations 09 the statement of the Noble Lord (Rancliffe). Sir C. MONCK considered the Honourable Mem. her for Leicestershire perfectly right in defending the worthy Magistrate, whe had so unfortunately, with. out deserving it, called down the censure of several Mentbefs ; but he thought that he was acting im properly when he animadverted neon the conduct of his Honourable and Learned Friend. Sir G. HEATHCOTE thought, that as the con. duct of the Mayor of Leicester had been sufficiently expl lined, as the Honourable Member had paid him the tribute which he considered he deserved, and as his Noble Friend had made all the repration in his power for the injury he had done, it would be much better if the conversation should conclude. Sir C. MONCK thought the Honourable Member might have waited till his Honourable and Learned Friend had come to the House, that he might have made what answer he thought proper to the animad versions upon his conduct. Mr. W. DUNDAS considered it quite impossible that his Honourable Friend could hate waited the arrival of the Honourable Gentleman. beCause he was not the person who had brought the subject be fore the House. He was constrained either to come fcrward at the moment in defence of the Mayor of Leicester, or to be totally silent upon the subject. He hoped that what had occurred would be a warning to the Honourable and Learned Member and those near him, and indeed to the House without distinc. don, against attacking individuals who could not im mediately come forward in their own defence. Mr. METHUEN was not acquainted with the merits of the question, Lout thought it due to the Honourable and Learned Gentleman to have waited his arrival. A Petition was presented from the county of Ayr, in Scotland, against the Property Taz.—Laid on the table. A Petition was presented from the toms of Linlith gow, against the Property Tax.—Laid on the table. Mr. LAMBTON brought up a Petition from Ledgefield, in the county of Durham, against•the' property Tax.—Laid on the table: Mr. LAMBTON moved—s That the names of Ahose who were absent on the. Call of the House on Friday least be now called crier." The Right Hon. C. BATHURST not answering so his name, Mr. LAMBTON moved—" That he should be oaken into the custody of the Serjeant at Arms." Mr. W. DUNDAS thought, that the calling ever a the defaulters would put many Gentlemen to great 'inconvenience, and hopti the Honourable Member would not persevere in the enforcement of his motion. Mr. YORKE considered that every purpose of the Call had been answered, and did not expect-that the honourable Member intended to persevere. , Mr. BRAND conceived his Honourable Friend was acting entirely according to the practice of Par liament in calling over the defaulters, and did not at all agree with the Right Hoo. Gentlemen opposite, that because every purpose of the Call had been an errered, many Members should escape the penalty of their negligence. The withdrawing of the motion would be considered as a precedent, whith'snight be dangerous. Mr. V. FITZGERALD considered it almost without example to enforce the motion for calling over the defaulters,upon a Gentleman who had been in the House as Mr. Bathurst had been on the even ing of the Cad. That Gentleman had been exceed. ingly- indisposed for the last month or three weeks, and but for the Call on Friday night, b• did tot think he would lime atteadaithe • Mr. H. ADDINGTON considered the Right Hon. Member's illness a• satisfactory reason why he should not be taken into custody. He thought it singular that his Friend's name should be almost the first to be called over. Mr. LAM BTON saw that the Gentlemen on the other side were endeavouring to gain time, that Mr. ' Bathurst might come into his place. Either the en ffircement of his motion wasnecessary. or it was not; if it was necessary, i the Right Hon. Gentlemen who had just spokes -avow of Mr. Bathurst, wanted to make it it dead setter. That Mr. Bathurst's name should be called over early was only to be accounted fur by its having 'seen on the beginning of the list. Sir G. HEATHCOTE considered that this sub. ject was not calculated to occupy the House for any long period. He should advise. that particular days be appointed for each absent Member's appearance. Mr. HUSK ISSON thought it improper as well as needless to call over, toe names at all. Mr. A BERCROMBY conceived, that if the calling over of the defaulters should be Wade a sub ject of debate, the House might determine to enter upon the consideration of no other subject that evening. It would be much better, considering the importance of the sebjects which stood for the even ing': discussion. that some mode of proceeding was resolved on immediately. Mr. COULBURN reminded the House, that there had been other Calls since the commencement of the Session, the n—nes of the defaulters from which had not been called over, and that circum. I stance might have prevented many from attending who might otherwise have been in their places. The Gallery was then cleared, and it was expected that the House would have divided upon the question, that Mr. Bathurst shouli be taken into custody. Mr. Bathurst and Captain Maitland were, however, ex cused on account of ill health, and a division took place upon the taking irau custody of Lord Nugent, when there were—For the Motion, 51 ; Against it, 218 ; Majority against it, 167. Lord I% tareNT, and the other Members already men. tioned, were ordered to attend in their places on Wednesday next ; as well as all those who were ab sent on being called after the division. Lord STANLEY hoped it would he understood, that the defaulters would be called over in future. Mr. BYNG brought up Petitions trom the Parish of St. Botolph, New Brentford, Hackney, the Pa rish of St. Pancras, and the County of Middlesex, which were severally read and laid on the Table. Sir J. ABERCKOMBY brought up a Petition from the Freeholders and others in the County of Kin ross, in Scotland, against the Distilkry Laws, which prayed, that shin Distillery Lawrof the United King. dom might exist upon equal terms in all its parts.— Laid on the Table. Mr. COKE postponed his motion respecting the Malt Duty till after the agricultural state of the country should be discussed. Mr. COKE presented a Petition from East Dere. ham, in the County nt Norfolk, against the Property Tax. Laid en the T.ible. Mr. PRESTON advised tl)e House to collect the general sentiments of the people upon the Property Tax. He had, day after day, advised Ministers to do so, but they did not seem at all inclined to listen to hii admonitions. Mr. COKE presented a Petition from certain Far mers, Landholders, Sec. in the county of Norfolk, against the Property Tax.—Laid on the Table. Mr. S. THORNTON presented a Petition from the Parish of Christ Church, in Surrey, against the Property Tax.—Laid on the Table. Lord ALTHORPE, atter strongly recommend. ing economy and retrenchment, brought up a Peti tion from Wellingborough, in Northamptonshire, against the Property Tax.—Laid on the Table. Petitions were also resented from Kettering, in Northamptonshire, and from Croydon, in Surrey, against the Property Tax.—Laid on the Table. Mr. FINLAY brought up two Petitions from Glasgow, the one rather in favour of, and the other against the Property Tax. The Honourable Mem. ber stated, that those who had signed the Petition in favour of. the Tat had, in many instances, been free from its operati,n, whilst those who signed the Peti tion against it, had been its principal contributors.— Laid on the Table. Mr. BENNET stated, that the returns under the Property Tax, had been sold as waste paper in the town of Shrewsbury, and he had no doubt, that an indiscriminate use was made of the returns in other parts of the kingdom. . Mr. BROUGHAM believed that many ether in. stances of this practice would before long be brought before the House. He wondered that the Honourable Member for Leicestershire should accuse him, behind his back, of having condemned the Mayor of Lei cester, when on a former evening he had only, in consequence of the absence of his Noble Friend, ex pressed himself perfectly satisfied with the explanation which the Worthy Member for that town had given. Mr. CHARLES CALVERT presented a petition from St. Mary, Newington, against the Property Tax, praying for economy in all departments in this time of general and unexampled distress, and depre cating the large military establishment at, present proposed. Mr. PRESTON said, that from the lowered value of the produce of land at present, the Tax could not possibly be paid ; and coincided in every statement of the Petition. The Petition was then read, and laid on the table. Mr. CHARLES CALVERT also presented a Petition from St. Mary, Rotherhithe, against the Property Tax.— Read mid laid on the Table. Sir GEORGE CLERK presented a Petition from certain Inhabitants of the County of Edinburgh. He said, that he was happy to coincide with the peti. tioners, in thinking a properly modified Property Tax the best measure that in the present juncture could be adopted to raise the supply necessary for the ex. pelmet of the year. The Petition had been agreed to at a meeting called for the purpose of• adopting resolutions against the I:rope: ty Tax ; but so tar bad the:good sense of the meeting prevailed, that they petitioned for what they were called together to pe tition against. The petition, he said, prayed to re. lieve those landlords from the Tax who could not re cover any rent Irons their tenants: Mr. ABEItCROMPAY said, that he rather awe• handed this petition would not, on being read, prove to be quite so consonant with the H )nourable Ba rt:sec's 'magma.. *lag bad himself remised.. In the first place, the meeting at which the Petition was ' discussed, and which was stated to consist 4 the freeholders and landholders in the cotmty of Mid- Lothian, comprised but eighty-seven or eighty-eight persons—a number which, if not far exceeded in the Hon. Baronet's election, would not prove a very effective body of Constitnents—(Hear, hear.) These persons, however, designated as the whole county of Mid-Lothian, met to consider the question of the Property Tax : from the Hon. Baronet's statement it would appear that the whole of these had concur red in opinion with him—the fact, hoiever, was otherwise, for upon the question • being put on the reso)utions against the Property Tax, they were ne gatived only by a majority of three. This majority then proceeded to discuss resolutions of their own, upon which the present Petition was founded ;. and here spin, it would appear,• thit the Hon. Baronet had been rather forced on his construction of the terms of the Petition—for if he.was not mistaken on its being read, the Petitioners would be found to say, not as had been stated, that the Property Tax 4 , was one which, under the present circumstances of the country, was best calculated to meet its exigencits," but to remark, that if it should so happrii that it should be renewed, they hoped care would be taken of themselves." that St as to say, that whatever might become of every other class of the community, let the agriculturists be treated with tenderness. It would be for the House to say, on hearing the Peti tion read, whether the Hen. Baronet had any reason to congratulate himself on the accordance of his con stituents with him in his opinion. The Petition was then read.—lt pronounced tile Property Tax unjust and unfair in its principle, as regarded the agricultural interests, and prayed, if any Bill were brought into Parliament upon the same subject again, that modifications would be adopted, which would impose a tax not upon nominal, but upon real profits. Sir G. CLERK, in explanation, said, that he had described the petition as complaining of the un fair pressure of the tax upon the agricultural interests. Mr. ABERCROMBY said, it was for the House to say, whether the terms of die petition warranted the Hon. Baronet in the conclusion that his Consti tuents agreed with him in thinking the Property Tax the best, which, under the existing circumstances of the country, could be adopted to meet the exigencies of the country—(Hear, hear.) Mr. FINLAY was of opinion, that a loan was pre ferable to the Property Tax, because the latter was more likely to raise the funds than the former, and thereby to prevent capitalists from assisting the agri culturalists. Mr. THOMPSON was of opinion that the petition last read was directly against the Property Tax, in stead of being, as had been stated by the Honuutable Baronet (Sir G. Clerk) in its favour. The Petition was then ordered to lie on the table. Sir JAMES SHAW presented a Petition from the Ward of Queenhithe, against the Property Tax. Mr. GRENFELL wished to ask, whether, in the event of the Property Tax being abandoned, and a loan bad recourse to, the Chancellor of the Exche quer would not think it advisable, instead of going into the money market, to act under the clause of the 26th of the King; known by the name of Mr. Fox's clause, and to take the money from the Commissioners of the Sinking Fund, by which means the effect appre hended is the money market from a loan would be completely avoided The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER did not ci , nsider it necessary to answer this question, as he did not apprehend the event to which the Hon. Gentleman had alluded. Sir JOHN NEWPORT wished to know whether any thing had been done respecting the Commis sariats debt due to Portugal, of one million, for which be understood we were paying interest of 6 per cent. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER had the satisfaction of stating, that a reserve had been made out of the Supplies of last year. to defray this debt, and it had been completely liquidated. He also took occasion to state, for the information of the Hon. Barnnet, that it was in contemplation to unite the Exchequer of Great Britain and Ireland. The subject would shortly be brought before the House. Mr. BARING expressed himself in favour of bor. rowing from the Sinking Fund._ The petition was then laid on the table. • Lord GEORGE CAVENDISH presented a Pe tion from the inhabitants of Belper, in Derbyshire, against the renewal of the Property Tax, and the proposed keeping up of an immense standing army. Laid on the table. Mr. W. W. WYNN presented petitions from the inhabitants of Llanroost, and several other parishes of North Wales, praying that none of the War Taxes should be renewed, in the present period of profound peace.—Laid on the table. Lord MILTON presented petitions from the pa rish of Ellerton, from the village of Bridlington, and from the town of Sheffield, against the renewal of the Property Tax.—Laid on the table. Mr. BABINGTON presented a petition, against the Property Tax from the Borough of Leicester.— L-aid ou the table.. DANE LOAN BILL. Mr. GRENFELL put off ti►l to-morrow I nui tion relative to the recent Loan agreed to be made to Government by the Bank. Mr. TIERNEY inquired, whether the ditcussion on the B.ink Loan Bill was likely to be gone into to. morrow ? The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER answered, that such discussion slepended entirely on the previous business u hicb might be entertained by the House. PUBLIC ACCOUNTS. ' Mr. LUSHINGTON presented several accounts, moved for on a locum evening, relative to the sums due to the country by certain public defaulters. _ Mr. BROUGHAM wished that the paper marked No. 9 should be printed, which, as we understood, re lated to the accounts of Mr. Davison and General De Lancey. . After some conversation between Mr. LIMING- ToN, Mr. BROUGHAM. the CHANCELLOR of the Ex- CURQUVS, and Mr. TIERNEY, ti was agreed that the paper should be printe4. Sir JOHN NEWPORT postponed till Friday next the second reading of the Irish Landlord and Te nant Bill. In putting off the motion, the Right Ho noUrable Baronet observed, that as the law at present' existed, Laudluxds were unable to recover Unit: pro -I perty except by it very tedious prnrets. r;, ) to the nature of this Bill, no perv), at ;it 0 in the proceedings of Parliament c ,, , : !d ple ranee. Two years since, tile i:r;nc4,: t ted, and he had himself wit a cvy of it Judge in Ireland. cnmNIITTEE OF SUPPLY —h!. 7Y P3rin lr , The CHANCELLOR. of the Exc l . ' , having moved! 2 to vote t!;". It 'That the House should recoil-I. itself i nt mirtee to consider further o f tile iiupply l o b to his. Majesty," Mr. W. WYNN observed, it 1 , 113 6, 4 mart', previous to the yea r Its: for the Army under spec f:.: head s , different course was pugsuct4. The Learns, man was anxious that, in rwiny t h e proc , nt the old system should be 14.-x!ted to. B e moved. Tha i t .or it i b he e ahnotzit,zdctitornocit:ith:dco: make a separate provii , ++ for + abroad, troops serving at home." Lord PA LME RS'TON slid, that for the of allowing the Learta d Gentleman zr.l in geseral to come to a fair decision a n theA Estimates, they would submitted i s 1e1 . r : 4 1 ries. The •expeose of the h o u se h o ld tee, ' first be proposed; the dragoc o Ru , e d s a Zi o vi , 44 of the line would trlct conuid:,te.!; 4 head would be the troops on f•reigi t were regularly divided into cavalry and the line ; and all supplementary troaps % mit , 41+1, noticed. Mr. %V. WINN obvrve,f, that the costothary,,,,,tl of voting the Army Estimates was incredeLc:e,. 1, that which the Noble had steed. Lord PALMERSTON said, that the lise' re b t stated to be his intention to pursae, would testa every purpose of the Learned Ceutlrm an . Mr. %V. WYNN was of (pinion that the ma;, of the Noble Lord should not be (vice so enen , iv ez their object. What he ranted was, that the 1.1(. 3 , should have an opportunity of discussingth eque of the household troops, and of every other s speeies troops which the Nable Lord's division of therm % forces was not calculated to allow. Lord CASTLEREAGH ohserved, that era purpose of debate would be answered by agree the course which his Noble kriet•ul had proposed!' , Mr. W. WYNN said, that the division% beve l the different services were not marked with suScir.: distinctness. Lord CAST LE REIG H themet that the e+ , ; proposed to be adoptel by his N Fiend folly answer the object of the Learned Genileu Every point would be debated sep.trately, and ea portunity would be given f)r proposing such red:: Lions u be might conceive to be necessary. Mr. CALCRAFT strongly enforced the otte . :.' of reducing the household troops. Mr. W. W YNN explained; consistently w;:11 former ita!e;nent, the coarse he conceive: House of Commons ought to pursue on the occasion. Mr. TIERNEY wis of opilion Oat t!o. c.e.:: proposed by his Hon. Frieud (NIL WyLa) ros fit one for the Hearse to adopt. Mr. WYNN knew of no other way of tau' ing 's question for a reduction of the items. Lord PALMERSTON said, that in tte tro'- introducing the Resolutions, it would be for the Honourable Member to sly what red.:: he meant to make in the household troops, and to move a lesser sum in the Estimates, according, his view of the case. His object would, if he 6 ceedcd, be then attained. Mr. PONSONBY —o Does the Noble Lord . to propose a vote for all the establishments of E; land, Ireland, and the Colonies together, or will take them separately r' Lord PA I.M ER. STON said he saw no mune ;a separate the items. Let the Estimates forGitiaL'e tain and Ireland he taken together. Mr. PONSONBY said, that if there W2S an* Lion, he would prefer taking the vote for ET: •1 distinct from that of Ireland; not becatbelleobj to the amount of the grant for the establislimelit the Law country, but to its duration. lin:W(11d being for twelve months, he would prefer it sto months ; in order that the Horse should, bdor adjournment, examine into the seite of lrtiod (Hcar, hear,) —which state no man who LA the statement of the Right Ifenourable Secretaryl 4 Ireland (Mr. Peel), a few nights ap.o, coula costr• plate without feeling it his duty to the Houseuidti country to call for a speedy inquiry into so par2 4l ' 4l •: a subject —(llear, hear.) This iavcaiguwn %as ss all sides called leer, and the only way to ensureitt . 4 to bring the duration of the proposed Irish estrk- , ment within six months . —(//eer, hear.) Mr. PEEL said, t h a t a Ri g h t H on . Lamed (Sr J. Nenport) had given net:ce of a motion to' t' e 28th inst. which would involve much of 1: ration which the Right Hon. Gen.l mac was an to have introduced. Toe House was at !dewy lei quire into, or negative such a propo,iivon, , Oleor the 25,000 men were, or were not voted for fral' The subjects were, in his opinion. distinct. Mr. PONSONBY said that he rarely o'ectiel motion effective which originated At his si;e: if House. Now, on the s t. i te of Irel a nd, both 51-k , r curred in the necessity of inquiry. The m::4;00 c'f Right Hon. Friend (Sir J. Newport) may thing, perhaps ; but lie (Mr. Pons.o4) truing prefer the pr.:se:A vote to be limited to s x monab If that v. ere grAnted, an inquiry may aribe; it he fearit was hi pales.—(Thar!) Mr. AB ZR.CROMBY s lid. that -nothing e” tea with the coesi&ration of the Estimates, impotv . as it w as, was halt bo intere into as the recent stn merit of the R fight Hon. Groat-min oppocal Peel), a statement believed by fumy to be an to gerated one—he alluded to the nutertnnate aro from authority, that a force tit 1::3,00 :nen cessary in Itelaftl He should vet y much v. l -' •.. this part of the Estimates were kept distinct,ba•••.,: Gentlemen could then precisely understand what principles they gave their votes. It nAS TV hard to. assume that lielottd required such a foric.l. the maintenance of her tranquillity, and quail o wise to postpone the discussion upon the merits this subject. From the feeling of both sides ..1 House, there was at present every appearanc!tie concurrence in the motion for this inquiry , an d ; had litter taste advaotage of the :Dolma whcil Mr. been made ow What necessit bred in 1791, fieieat for all H e would pi which were I t hey would th petiotl. The rade, there w, cessity for a k In 1791, 3,7(i there woe no be reduced 01 amount of ex stand at 4. 0.5. Lord CA pourable Me per tr-tnrwr, pose. There number of M I to the pecunu the Honoural the amuunt, though the ter propositio was not UW4 and so far it p sino a r Ft ad arra e fn . rc o oe n n e - the most efft economy, the tion ; for, in eiency that w the great exi tutee would 1 lance. The be disbanding msn to bring discipline ; a sions to the d peasants by He also mail per criterion duty had sin Gentleman I from his resit' known that t a force of nea Table Gentler of men on thl the face of a ; and if his of est i m ate, be chew that th Pluence of ordinary eav, expense, d d rett7,olo ; by the donor sa that a SAI the measure. same nunibei I : 3 l w i on T l d v l e t t ie ) l t r i d h . i s r o , 2 a. cl b s ow 'e : I b lo i l ud y h duty most de possess the re hear.) Mr. CALI of defending gument lit • all reduction. Lord) disbar ved, and sell trait) e ern by the retort now ap reßre , to remain in fill took place RIII rc ail 1 1 . I 11111 : :4NuY1 übilot p slVotirY% 'ne:ei diminished ildclrneP(i w as be es ria by a na y p l itu t4 r : i s b t • emi Trance, lie ha error of 11;s pLce in the or L.:rd then del land, and w ee service. Thi' bun of the year IU%, h• rebels, the p eg brave Gll4l Ned a shrew 4 . 01 1 that th e 514 Was not State. ,, ( ld , Mr. M 4•1 415 ;signor its-am ount, 11 . 1 e We* o f k e fire, the on Mr. WYNI t1:;,i'''.,::71e5': 7 11.7::: r twe rv il a neLr t ::m i e ,.: . l (:: : ,b vi i r d : v sl ln t tc : o w y t i t A t h ill , i te l h e i t ti 1 ~QUZ .. r ,i, un111:1 pig of the auhj-et, l tfole „„ s , nt the ve be grat " T . A . tier a few and Lnrd CAI )" ,`, I lit wag Cirarerl i r "Ir4' but o n our r i e• ' sal y e ,i, it , bad ta k en palC ;4Seetnti agreed to. 1 I , oln C om mittee tii'll.''' Lord PA I Resolution , t b '..". 1 for the " I N" e ' ''''' , ire- b ee 1815 to E •'.: did:: : :, Mr. CA LC