Star. — London, England, 1818-06-09 00:00:00

f • i i I • I F. k• ?, ; given that the framers of it were too ignorant to-specify their exceptions. The ATTORNEY-GENERAL defended the fra mers of the Alien Bill, against the reproach of the Learned Gentleman ; they had not known of the Scotch Act ; but the same reproach might have been made against many others, for it was evident from all naturalization Acts, passed for a number of years. that the whole British Parliament was ignorant of the Scottish Law, as appeared from the clauses al ways introduced into every naturalization Bill. Ac cording to an Irish Act of Parliament, foreigners purchasing their freedom in Dublin and other Cor porations, might become denizens of that country. Mr. WILLIAM SMITH said, when this measure came from the Lords it met with his reprobation ; but as the measure now stood, and as it was to be continued only for nine months, and not to have a retrospective effect, he would not object to it. Mr. W. WYNNE said, that as the Bill had come amended from the Lords, it was a measure of con fiscation, instead of security ; but, in its present shape, he had no objection whatever to it. lie quoted several cases of persons having been naturalized in a very easy manner, and he hoped next Session the House would take the whole of the subject into con sideration. Sir WILLIAM BURROUGIIS considered the clause as a most oppressive measure—the present proposition as most expedient. He strongly recom mended to his Honourable and Learned Friend (Sir James Mackintosh) not to persevere in his amend ment of introducing the names of the Corporate Bodies which the Bill was calculated to affect, as that would lead to the identical mischiefs which it was the object of the Bill to avert. Mr. BROUGHAM wished to suggest an observa tion to the Noble Lord. He understood the measure was only prospective ; in order that it might be so in the most effectual manner, he thought it would be necessary to state in the Bill, that instead of the words, " from and after the passing of the Act," there should be named a certain day, beyond which the Act was to operate ; and thus it might serve as a warning to persons in future ; for befors men heard of the Act, they might have made purchases of stock and of land ; and therefore the Act would be retro: spective, so far as regarded them. If this was done, he should have no objection to suspend the Standing Order on the present occasion, in order that the whole Bill might be passed through all its stages in one day. General MITCHELL said, he had been in the city not two hours ago, and there he saw that orders had been given for the purchase of stock in the Bank of Scotland. Leave was then given, and the Bill was brought up by Lord CASTLEREAGH, and read a first time. Lord CASTLEREAGH, in answer to the sugges tion of Mr. Brougham, said, that the object which Parliament had in view must be defeated, if the Bill did not include persons who were purchasing at the very moment when Parliament was legislating on this measure. The clause fl-om the Lords was a complete notice to all persons purchasing stock, that th2y were purchasing it at their peril. Would the Learned Gentleman, then, open the door to all those individuals whu were taking advantage of an old Scotch Act of Parliament, to defeat the objects of Government ? and he hoped the Learned Gentleman would not think that there was any fair ground for his suggestion. Mr. BROUGHAM was not convinced by the ar guments of the Noble Lord. The notice of the Noble Lord on Saturday was nothing, and could not take away men's rights to complain. This was completely a retrospective legislation, and was most unjust ; equally unjust was it to say, that any amendments introduced by another House, could be a sufficient notice to any set of people. Suppose a Foreigner should purchase Stock in Scotland on Wednesday rest, he did so in utter ignorance of the Act which was to be passed that night, and in a belief that the House rejected the retrospective clause ; and if a larded estate was purchased at the same time, it would be forfeited. No mischief was to be appre hended from dangerous persons, for they had already made their purchases, and would make no more. • Mr. CANNING agreed that persons might make such purchases as the Learned Gentleman stated ; nor was a notice of a law binding on any person. But it was evident that the notice. must have operated on any man of common sense, and it was impossible for persons making purchases to suppose that any principle of good faith was to be extended to them. It was necessary, as soon as possible, to put an end to this absurd state of the law; and it was no argu ment, to say that private rights might be violated by the present measure. The same argument had been used when it was proposed to abolish. the slave trade; but to that it was answered—" let those who conceive themselves wronged come and state their cases, and ask for compensation." Now he would propose that a similar course should be pursued in the present case. Lord FOLKESTONE - said, the conduct of Minis ters exhibited or. this occasion the same inconsistency which had marked it throe bout the whole of the last and present Sessions. 'They now said it was ne cessary to the security of the country thae this mea sure should pass in an unprecedented manner. One of them lately argued, in a very elaborate manner, that it was necessary it should have a retrospective effect. How could the House and the country con fide in those who argued, three days ago, that'it was r.ecessary for the measure to have a retrospective ef fect, when they saw them come down now and pro pose it without that which was said to be essential to it? General THORNTON, amidst loud cries of " Ques tion," said, he hoped if purchases of Bank of Scotland Stock gave foreigners a right to sit in that House, that Mlaisters would make the measure so far retro spective as to deprive them of that right. The Bill was then read a second time, committed, the Report received and taken into consideration, and the Bill read a third time and passed. The Petition from the Stockholders of the Bank of Scotland, prcs,:ntrd on Friday tau, was ordered to be printed. Adjourned. , . . eviction. Here the Hoitoorable 1144,earstedGenak man quoted several passiOirirmasbn 'Act 'Weft eiroa Anne, proving that persons sq.naturalized were sub- ject to the same diiigt‘eas 1 igland. He trusted that e Noble Lordriourd - t vere in his ef- foits o eraLao•Act, at least, that he would R~dls'lnon or name to identify his allusions, since the only reason that could be riven for such a character of the Bill, would be, ~. THE EVE tVING STAR. • LONDON. TUESDAY, JUNE 9, 1818. THE FUND& PRICE or STOCKS THIS DAY AT TWZLVE O'CLOCK : Reduced 754} —Cogs. shut—for Opening 79./ Si per Cents. 881-4 per Cent. 96+ 97 Navy Anns. shut—lndia Bonds 90 92 pr. Exch. Bills 17 21 pr.—Omniurn I} f pre. INCOME AND EXPEMDITURE. The Select Committee on Finance, have made an additional Report to the House of Commons, em bracing the subject of the Income and Expenditure of the Country. From their statements it appears, that in Great IBritain the total permanent revenue for the year 1817 fell short of the estimate by £1,984,546, which being more thin compensated by a receipt of £2,261,951 of arrears of Property Tax, and of £68,580 of other unappropriated War Duties, making, together, £2,330,531, there was upon the whole an Excess beyond the Estimate of £345,985 ; while in Ireland there was a deficit of £585,889, from which the above excess being deducted, the difference between the Estimate and the actual produce of the Revenub in the United Kingdom is exhibited by the remainder, being only £239,904 upon a sum of £51,905,000. It alsiy appears, that in the year ended the sth April, 1818, a considerable increase took place in the Revenue, inasmuch as the difference between the re ceipt and the estimate in Great Britain is in that pe riod reduced to £1,245,550. In Ireland, the revenue likewise experienced some improvement in this period—the amount being only £529,131 below the estimate. The general increase of the Revenue, however, ap pears more particularly shewn by a comparative statement which the Committee proceed to make, be tween the income of the quarto+ which closed on the sth April, 1818, with the corresponding quarter of 1817. In stating this contrast, the Committee very properly exclude the Property Tax and other War Duties, in order to shew the real improvement of those Duties only which constitute the permanent Revenue. The result of this comparison is a balance in favour of the quarter ended the 6th April, 1818, far Great Britain, of £739,009, And for Ireland, of £.56,760; making upon the whole an increase of L'795, 7 69, but which would have been considerably greater, if the produce of the Sugar Dnfei had been divided in the same proportion in the present as in the last year between the two quarters ending the sth of January and sth of April. In consequence of the expected rise in the average price of Sugar to that point at which it becomes chargeable with an additional duty of Ss. per cwt. a great quantity then in bond was taken out for home consumption immediately before the close of the quarter ending sth January last, from which period the additional duty, as had been foreseen by the Merchants, became payable. By this anticipated payment of the duties, the produce of the January quarter was greatly swelled, and a corre sponding deficit occasioned in the produce of the succeeding quarter. The Committee observe, that they would not be disposed to lay much stress upon the melioration of the Revenue in a single quarter, or to build upon that circumstance alone a very sanguine hope of a permanent amendment, if it were not manifestly the consequence of an extensive and important change in the general condition of the Country. In corroboration of this view, the Committee enter into a variety of observations on the component parts of the Accounts laid before them—particularly the Customs and Excise—the tenor of which affords more satisfactory evidence of a growing improvement than is to be found even in their total amounts. From the Income of the Country, the Committee next proceed to the head of Expenditure. The total disbursements of the year 1817, amcun ted to £68,096,245, of which there was applied to the redemption of debt, the sum of 1:15,159,589, leaving an expenditure of £5'2,956,906, which being contrasted with the actual income, amounting, with the produce of the Old Stores and the Lottery, to £52,302,210, there appears to have been a difference between the expenditure and the receipts within the year, of £654,696. • .In the statement of the current year, we observe an excess in the probable expenditure beyond the esti mate formed by the Committee last year, amount ing to £2,872,606; but if we exclude the sum of £15,392,467, which stands appropriated to the reduc tion of the National Debt, it does appear that the real expenditure, estimated at £52,697,011, will agree very nearly with the income, which is compu ted at £52,505,364. The Committee, agreeably to the instructions of the House, have added a general view of the proba ble expenditure for the year 1819. Supposing no extraordinary charges to occur, they calculate that the whole expenditure will amount to £66,068,000, including £14,981,000 for the Redemption of Debt; so that contrasting the actual charge of next year, exclusive of this sum for the redemption of debt with the income for next year, which is estimated at £52,500,000, there will be a balance in the country's i favour of £1,415,000. It is further to be obverted, that any improvement of the Revenue on the one hand, and every diminu tion of expense that may be made in future years on the other, will/ have the effect of creating a surplus annually, applicable to the diminution of the Public Debt ; an object to which, the Committee justly ob serve, the wisdom of Parliament, and the exertions of Parliament, cannot be too stedfastly directed. The Committee conclude by repeating an antici pation which they ventured last year, that the reduc tion of the Interest on the Four and Five per Cents. must, under a continuance of the present favourable prospects and with the growing abundance of capita] in the country, contribute at no distant period in a very material degree to the reduction of that load of debt, but for thich the revenue of the country would be more than equal to all the charges upon it. EDUCATION OF THE POOR. The Select Committee appointed to inquire into the Education of the Lower Orders, and to report their,,bservations thereupon, together with the Mi nutes of the Evidence taken before them from time to time to the House ; and who were instructed to extend their Inquiries to Scotland ; have considered the matters to them referred, and agreed upon the following Report : Your Committee rejoice in being able to state, that since their I first appointment in 1816, wh en t h ey examined the state of the Metropolis, there is every reason to believe that the exertion. of charitable individuals and public bodies have increan:d, not withstanding the severe pressure of the times; and that a great augmentation has taken place in the means provided fur the instruction of the Poor in that quarter. They are happy in being able to add, that the discussion excited by the brit Report, sod the arguments urged in the rommittee to various patrons of charities who were eaianinect as witnesses, have had the sa lutary effect of improving the administration of those institu tions. and inculcating the importance of rather bestowing their funds in merely Educat.ng a larger number, than in giving both instruction and other assistance to a more confined number of Clii!dreu. As the management of those excellent establishments is necessarily placed beyond the control of the Legislature, it is oidy by tLe effects of such candid discussiiins that improvements in them can be effected. Since the inquiries of your Committee have been extended to the whole Is:and, they have had reason to conclude, that the means of educating the Poor are steadily increasing in all con siderable towns as well as in the metropolis. A circular letter has been addressed to all the Clergy in England, Scotland, and Wales, requiring answers to;queries, of which a copy will be found in the Appendix. It is impossible to bestow too much commendation upon the alacrity shewn by those Reverend per sons is complying with this requisition, and the honest zeal which they displayed to promote the great object of universal education, is truly worthy of the pastors of the people, and the teachers f that Gospel which was preached to the poor. Your Committee have lost no time in directing and superin tending the work of digesting the valuable information contained in the Returns, accoMiag to a convenient plan, which will put the House in posamsion of all this information in a tabular form. They have received important assistance in this and the other ob jects of their inquiry, from two learned Barristers, Mr. Parry, and Mr. Koe of the Court of Chancery, who have devoted much of their time to the subject. It appears clearly from the Returns, as well as from the other sources, that a very great deficiency exists in th e means o f edu cating the Poor, wherever the population is thin, and scattered over country districts. The efforts of individuals combined in societies are almost wholly confined to populous places. Another point to whfcb it is material to direct the attention of Parliament, regards the two app 'site principles, of founding schools for children of all sorts, and for those only who belong :o the Established Church. Where the means exist of erecting two schools, one upon each principle, education is not checked by the exclusive plan being adopted in one of them, because the other may comprehend the children of sectaries. In places where only one school ;an be supported, it is manifest that any reguLs tions which exclude Dissenters, deprive the Poor of that body of o'd means of education. out Committee, however, have the greatest satisfaction in obsirwirg, that in many schools u here the national system Is adopted, an increasing degree of liberality prevails, .nd that the church catechism is only taught, and attendance at the establishe d place of public worship only required, of those whose parents be long to the establishtm.nt ; due assurance being obtained that the children of seztaries shall learn the principles and attend the or dinances of religion, according to the doctrines and forms to which their f.uniLes are attached. It is wi:h equal. pleasure that your Committee have found rea son to conclude, that the Roman Catholic pour are anxious to avail themselves of those Pretestart Schools established in their nidglibeurhood, which no catechism is taught ; and they in dulge a hope, that the Clergy of that persuasion may offer no dis couragement to their attendance, more especially as they appear, in one instance, to have contributed to the support of schools, provided that no cuctisisni was taught, and uo religious obser vances exacted. Your C'oenntitttv are happy In being able to state, that in all the returns, and in all the other information laid before them, there is the most amiticstionable evidence that the anxiety of the poor for eCFJcsrion continues not only unabated, but daily in creasing ; that it extends to every part of the country, and is to be found equally prevalent in those smaller towns and country districts, where c•l means of gratifying It are provided by the charitable efforts ci the richer classes. In humbly su;,;:s•!rg what is fit to be done for promoting Universal Educatior, your Committee do not hesitate to state, that two different plans are advisable, adapted to the oppbsite circumstances of the town and country districts. Wherever the efforts of individuals can support the requisite number of schools, :t would be unnecessary and injurious to interpose any Parlia mentary assistance. But your Committee have clearly ascer tained, that In many places private subscriptions could be raised to meet the yearly expenses of a school, while the original cost of the undertaking, occasioned chiefly by the erection and pur chase of the schocl.liouse, prevents it from being attempted. Your Committee conceive. that a sum of money might be well employed in supplying this first want, leaving the charity of in dividuals to furnish the annual pros ision requisite for continuing the school, and possibly for repaying the advance. Whether the money should be vested in Commissioners, em powered to make the fit terms with the private parties desirous of establishing Schools, or whether a certain sum should be in trusted to the two great Institutions in London for promoting Education, your Committee must leave to be determined by the wisdom of Parliament. In the numerous districts where no aid from private exertions can be expected, and where the poor are manifestly without adequate means of instruction, your Committee are persuaded, that nothing can supply the deficimcy but the adoption, under certain material modifications, of the Parish School system, so usefully established in the North ern p art o f the Island, ever epee the latter part of the 17th century, and upon which many important details will be found in the Appendix. The modifications will be dictated principally by the necessity of attending to the distinction, already pointed out, between districts where private charity may be expected to furnish the means of education, and those where no such resource can be Ilooked to; and the Tables subjoined to this Report, will afford important lights on this subject. It appears further to your Committee, that it may be fair and expedient to assist the Parishes where no School-houses are erected, with the means of providing them, so as only to throw upon the inhabitants the bortiten of paying the Schoolmaster's which ought cer tainly not to exceed .024 a year. It appears to your Committee, that a sufficient supply of Schoolmaster may be procured for this sum, allowing them the benefits of taking scholars who can afford to pay, and permitting them, of course, to occupy their leisure hours in other pursuits. The expense attending this In ' valuable system in Scotland, is found to be so very trifling, that it is never made the subject of complaint by any of the Landholders. Your Committee forbear to inquire minutely in what manner this syr•em ought to be connected with the Church Establish ment. That such a connexion might to be Grated, appears elfest L ;tatted ty a retard to the prte reay t of Loth systems, and in rhodaud (1w teo are mutual together. But a difLulty arises in England, which found there. The great boey of the llissentet fish Church differ hide, it at all. in doctrine froniti mem; they are separated only by certain opinions o rather than a relit loos nature, respeedng the right o and by some shades of distinction as to church t o p a • they may conscientiously aend their children to pi connected with the Establishment, said te rse In England the cue is widely different ; ard it il a ils pp Committee e ss ent i a ll y necessary thatclimes clime full considered in devi.ine the arraneemettr d T h t place the choice of the Schoolmaster in the P.aish jcct to the approbation cf the Parson, aril the Diocesan ; but to provide that the children d q ce not be compelled to learn any Catsehistrt, &m ad ; other than those of their parents, menu to r. r , safest path by which the Legislature can Ki re dyable objects of security to the Ests.b:Litniet,,„,th; and justice to the Dissenters on the when. The more extended inquiries of your C., :re , ! , te, have amply ccuf.rmed the opinion which a p 4 , 1, ration had led them to form two years ago, tpo t abuse of Charitable Funds connected ehy muse r e f er t o the Appendix and the Tibia,. T portant details of this branch of the sub eu; be t that although in many cues those large lend, r p i been misapplied through ignorance,to., 4,m0,, carelessness, yet that some instaec.s of aNs se e , themselves, of such a nature, as wound Lee commend, at an earlier period of the SAlft e , el k of proceedings for more promptly checking beth in the partkutar cases, and by the forts 0 , t: ample. From the invertigatious of the Cutrue be issued under the authority of an Art ot fsfa advantage may be expected ;—t's.l thou g h come your Committee to anticipate the =razor it c wisdom of the Legis'ature may ad'ept in cer:•tryr Inquiries, with a view to provide a spu:dy ate Mot for the evil than the ordinary tribw , .4 of M. cr. yet your Committee cannot raid la::: .r, eta and publication of the a-xis:hip ,bs: -xi." a in leading the parties concert rd correa tne-• the apprehension of the inquiry ah , eat to h ' mean time produce a similar eft rt. As the Universities, Publi. &hoot.. and rot dal visitors, are exeuipted from Oft jurictlic;'• InissiOntri, your Conunittee have ben, e several of those Insututiuns; the result of t e. e i. be fount: in the Appendix. It :Inquestis.uaEy 4derr.ble unauthorier: ti , .vlatkats have beta retie, and Winchester, from the original plans of the fo those deviations have hem diatattd more by a rep terests of the Fellows dial of the Scholar. nay, object of the foundatiuns ar.d of the futi.l.i.• although iu some respects they have !seine whole to the Inukutions, !Pet the! tier hay. encroachments In former times, cm . ...d toe fa.. While, therefore, your Committee readir,„ r Fellows elan blame In this reapers. the; emote expectation that they will seize the oppor Tur e 7 inquiry, of doing themselves inner by cor. - tainy that have crept in, as far as the real interests cr the MM. may appear to re quire it. If, too, there I similar errors in the Univers:On, which have cot Orel your Committee willingly Batter themselves that te taken to correct them, by the widen. and heel-Err c respectaLle person, to whose hands the crica:ros ef bodice are committed. I •sik6l 1 '4, Your Committee are fully persuaded, that r. gime and abuses exist in Charities which base RC indeed. it so happens, ti.ot the were inmate %hid met with belongs' to this class; and that ne was exercised, until a few aunts ago. altir-rpiltir dons had existed for many years. T. this rat'rct rb beg ler.Ye to request the speedy atter - Arr. cf Pirtiau-or It further appears to Tent Cont-idec, that a. d sion about to be issued w3l be cur.f.ovi to the int abuses, and as the ir.fornuttiee, in the Fornehial Le sufF.ciently detailed re4ecting the r. to r! FAiuwir a Commission should also be lei tc, cAer u-e'er Parliament, or by means of an ~ . .cidren tc the Crn purpose of supplying this defect. In the course of their itupthies, Ccm-2ttee dentaUy observed that c►aritable funds, coward tion, are nut alone liable to greet abusrs. nig malversation appears to base prevaila in all other and although• your Committee have no authority, t struetiao, to investigate the matter, and to rrp..“ they should deem themseiv...s wanting in their dun not to give this notice of so important a =Vet, forced upon their attention. The prorogation of Parliament is expects place to-morrow, in which case the Disoi be proclaimed on Thursday or Friday. clamation for this psi was signed by!.': REGENT on Saturday last. Tais Proclami the usual terms, and the writs are rcun Wednesday, the Ist day of July next. A similar Proclamation has been signe election of the sixteen Peers of Scotland, w! take place at Holyrood House, in Edinhi Saturday, the 20th day of June instant. Tux Quitex.—The answer to the incuirr Queen's Palace yesterday, as to the state tf iESTY• was—" The Quers has had a goc " and is much better to-day." In the eve MAJESTY rude out in her gardca for an b tween six and seven o'clock. Yesterday evening the Patscr rti.:;ENT 1 the performance of the Philharmonic Sot:: his presence for the second time. A 1. , 0x in t of the Arg yll Rooms was reserved 1:-4. the al dation of his Royal Highness's Party. The Duke and Duchess of CAuzatnot, Landgr.tve of HEssr-CAsszt., with their a, visited Covent Garden Theatre last night. received by the audience with cnthusiast:c applause. God save ge Kos being at the played, and sung with great effect. DRURV-LA NE THEATRR.—A genoral NI the Proprietors was yesterday held at tl.is Sir THOMAS TURTOW in the Chair, for ire p receiving the Report of the Special Coin After hearing the Report, it was unarirr solved that the Theatre should not be c open longer than was absolutely the usual benefits to yerformers, rn'.ess F. were willing to take on themselves the rr during the remainder of thc usu tl se..l;ccn attempt to open the Theatre next se..con. previous arrangement with the creJr,.r., 14J able; that if such arrangerr.:n: c uIJ be was expedient to raise the same or WAX): the system of managemen: shauid Re cicaai a person properly qualified should be hunts the sole management of the Theatre du ensuing season, subject only to the revisic pecuniary arrangements by a Coign—ice n the Proprietors. VAUXHALL GARDENS Were opened ing for the first time this season .to the great c nearly seven thousand spectators. The Gan beautifully illuminated and decorated. The( was filled by a body of able musicians, v instrumental. Between the Acts of the co dame and Mademoiselle SAnnt perforrnec tight-rope; and during the fire-works, Nladar made her astonishing ascent on a rope inclined rlaac to a height of sixty feet!