Star. — London, England, 1818-02-24 00:00:00

PARLIAMENTARY PROCEEDINGS. HOUSE OF LORDS, FEBRUARY 23. Coastal were heard in part relativ.: to the Scots cause, Far quhar •. the Earl of Aboyne.—To proceed again onWednesday. The Royal Anent was declared by Commission to the Thirty Millions exchequer Bills, and the Malt and Pension Duties Balls. The bards Cominissioners were di Loan Casiiiiiicha, the Marquis of Wmcitasxxx, and the Earl of SHATTZSBUILV. Mrc Sweismaira presented the Annual Accounts from the Corcustigniunstre of Westminster Bridge, which were laid upon the table. Lord 'HOLLAND presented a Petition from the Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and Common Council of the City of Loudon, in Common Council assembled, the purport of which wee, pray ing for a strict ;slid impartial inquiry into various circumstances alleged to have taken place during the Suspension of the Habeas Corpus Act, and against the passing of any Bill of Indemnity to screen or shelter Ministers or their agents from the consequences of conduct during that intervaL The Petition to the above general effect being read, it was, on his Lordship's motor, laid upon the table. RLPORT OF THE SWART COMMITTLE. The Duke of MONTROSE presented the Report of their Lordship? Secret Committee, to whom was referred the various sealed up Papers and Documents communicated to the House by command of his Royal Highness the Prince Regent, which, on his Grace's motion being read by the Clerk, appeared to the following purport and effect : The Lords' Committees hiving duly proceeded to examine and consider of the vvrus Papers and Do cuments which were communWeed sealed up to the House, by command of the Prince Regent, and sub sequently referred to them for consideration, and being ordered to Report upon the same, do Report, That their Lordships first proceeded to examine and consider those Papers which contained official infor mation relative to the actual state of such parts of England as had been the object of consideration of the former Committees, particularly that instituted on the 12th day of• June ; and they find, on examin ing the same, that it appears to have been fixed that, a general rising should take place on as early a day as may be practicable, after the expected rejection of the Petitions presented to Parliament ; that the town or neighbourhood of Nottingham appears to have been the first place where directions were given for such rising to take place, and where it was ex pected that numbers would have joined such assem blage, and particularly from' London. This general rising was first fixed for such early day, but the mea sure was subsequently postponed until the 10th of June. This afforded additional time for the frustra tion of such design, by the measures adopted for the purpose—by the zeal and activity of the Magistrates —by the judicious arrangement of the force that was collected—and (in consequence of the information received) by the various arrests of active and promi nent leaders that were made. It appears also, that a rising was intended about the same time in Derby shins, which movement was to be headed by a person called " The Nottingham Captain." That this in tended junction was not formidable from the number of persons engaged in it ; but such persons in their progress to the place of meeting. armed themselves with pitch-forks, pikes, and by forcible seizures of guns and other fire-arms, of which and other articles they plundered several houses, and in the course of which proceedings a cruel and deliberate murder was committed. That it was proposed a rising should take place at Nottingham in the morning of the 10th of June, where the supposed numbers would have been assembled to unite with them ; but from the resistance which was opposed to many of the insur gents, and the further arrests that were made, they did not arrive at the appointed place until a late hour in the morning, and a military force was duly a , scrnbled to oppose them. In consequence of these precautions, it appeared that. the leaders were induc ed to break up the meeting, as they appeared to have enusrtained no hopes of success at the time. That. in the course of their march to these intended places of tendetvous, it appeared that not only a cruel and deliberate murder had been committed, but they evinced a strong disposition to the commission of other crimes and offences, in order to force many quiet and peaceable persons to join and unite with them ;'and notwithstanding their being held in check by the military force their leaders more than once attempted to rally their deluded followers and adhe-. rents. • That it appeared from the papers; this insur rection, though of small importance singly in itself, yet as a 'part of an extensive system, and a determin ed general rising, it necessarily assumed a more ieri , ous character, as well stated, and in a great measure -established in the last Report of their Lordships' Se -cret Committees. That at the following Assizes at Derby, forty-six persons were indicted, and of whom several were afterwards arraigned on their indict ments before a Special Commission. Of these four of them were tried, and capitally convicted - of the crimes charged ; three were executed, and the rest of those convicted were transported. That of those, nineteen had withdrawn their pleas of Not Guilty, in the hope of avoiding capital punishments, and the sentences of Death upon them were remitted.— Several who had been guilty of flagrant crimes fled frorn justice, and were not apprehended. That the cases of thos e: persons had been deliberately investi gated by a respectable Grand Jury of the county aE Derby,_ whose opinions were confirmed by the ver dicts of the Several Juries by whom, they were tried, and'further proved by the acknowledgments of those who' finally pleaclgcl Guilty to *the charges against them. that stith:recotctecL facts proved, beyond the possibility of :amp, the' existence and the reality of the traitotous conspintylit which these persons had embarked. That the adtiial:ininnection in Derby shire was not the onh , One to which grounds were laid for directing the attention of he Lords' Commit • tees r —the general intended rising, of which Nouing haniwas to be the head-quartervalso occupied a .due portion. 11 their attention. It appeared also that early in:the night, when a . rising was expected to take plate in the neighbourhood, the town of Not tit.glikm was considerably .agitated—that during the loa*.h of the insurgents to that quarter, they sent forward some 9f their number to gain intelligence as to the'actual state of the town ; in consequence of whitteabout one hundred persons shewed themselves o n th'q'skirts of Nottingham Forest where they ex pectm't,o be joinea by a conside ra bl e num b er . Ab out twelve 'o'clock that night, the party so assembled made a hostile display, and drew up in lines, two deep, armed with different weapons of offence, until about two o'clock in the morning, when they though,v it expedient to disperse. Some appearances in the town of Nottingham, about .the time, induced the Magistrates to send for a military, force. That, con= nected with these disturbances, a disposition of a milarly turbulent nature 'had evinced itself in many parts of the West Riding of Yorkshire; particularly at that time in the neighbourhood of Halifax, where, from information received, there appeared reason to think that a general rising would be attempted. That in the neighbourhood of - Huddersfield, on the Bth June, a considerable body assembled, and varibus acts of riot and depredation were committed the truth of which was afterwards established by the in vestigation of a Grand Jury at York : but the requi site evidence was, from circumstances, not brought home upon some of the subsequent trials. That it eared likewise, that in Yorkshire, as in the other, geared districts, great reliance was placed by the insurgents upon the hope of co-operation from Lon-. don. In viewing these circumstances, and in consi dering the information before them, the Lords' Com mittees have formed the decided opinion that the great body of the people have remained untainted, and free from disloyal or dangerous principles, even during periods of the greatest internal distress. That the wisdom and energy of the measures adoptt.d, the arrests which were made on adequate grounds, the general improved state of the country and of the condition of the labouring classes, continue to in crease these salutary dispositions. That, at the same time, it appeared that many persons in the metropo lis are still actuated by dangerous principles, which they appear to be still endeavouring, or inclined (as Well as other persons in some other parts) to carry into effect in a way hostile to the established laws 'land Constitution, and khich a continuance of that vigilance on the part of the Governmeat, and of vi gour and activity on the :part of the Magistrates in these parts of the country yet disturbed, will still be necessary. The Lords' Committees also duly pro ceeded to the examination of such papers as related to those persons arrested under warrants from the Se cretiry of State, under the authority of the two Acts to enable his Majesty to secure and detain such per. sons as be should suspect of conspiring against his person and Government. With respect to those per sons against whom bills of indictment were found, the Committee have thought it unnecessary to make any particular remark. It appeared there were war rants so issued against ten persons who were not' taken ; that 44 persons were arrested under warrants on suspicion of high treason, of whom seven were discharged without being held to appearance ; that 37 of these so apprehended on suspicion, were subse quently, after different periods of deter.tion, enlarged. But the Lords' Committees, upon due examination into the cases, consider that all these committals welt fully justified by the events and circumstances which had taken place, and that, in no case, were warrants issued, but upon full and adequate grounds ; and that it appeared to the Committee, that at the different l it such persons were so enlarged; as the state of the country seemed to allow ; and that the Lords Committees were of opinion that his Majesty's Go *ernment, in the execution of the powers entrusted to them, had acted with due caution, energy, and vi&i lance ; and that the Magistrates, in the aistarbed dis tricts, by their vigour, zeal, and activity, had contri buted, most materially, to the internal peace and se• curity of the cownery The Duke of MONTROSE, on the Report being gone through, moved that the same be laid on the table, and printed for the use of their Lordships.— Ordered. Earl GROSVENOR observed, that the Report furnished little more than a narrative of the transac tions as communicated by Governmer.t. He was not then disposed to enter into a discusion of topics not then regularly befor.- the House, as a proper op portunity would probably soon arrive. The evidence communicated to the Committee was certainly nei ther satisfactory nor full; and sander such circum stances, he thought the evidence on which the Com mittee formed their Report, ought to be laid before the House; and in order to do away any alarm that might be entertained as to the consequences to indi viduals, blanks may be left for the names of parties. The Earl of LAUDERDALE was of opinion, that as much of the Report referred to those made last Sessions, those documents ought also to be printed at the same time. MISCELLANEOUS. The Marquis of L INSDOWNE presented a Petition from the town and neighbourhood of Darlington, against. he practice of employing Climbing Boys in the Sweeping of Chimnies. The Earl of C.VRNAR VON presented a Petition from cer tain Merchants, Manufacturers, and others of the towns of Man chester and Salford, similar to that presented some time since to the other House of Parliament, and disclaiming all imputations of disaffected or disloyal conduct, on the part of the inhabitants, and against the passing of the - Bill of Indemnity, ace. The Noble Earl subsequently presented Petitions from Mr. William Ogden, Mr. James Sellers, Mr. Guy Bray, and Mr. John Acres, respectively, all complaining, more or less, of al !edged grievances and personal ill-treatment suffered by them, under the authority of the recent Suspension Act, (in substance similar to those presented to the Commons). And praying for re dress, and tbeir Lordships non-concurrence in a Bill of In demnity:, &A.—AU which documents being lead, were ordered to lie on the tilde. Lord HOLLAND inquired of a Noble Earl opposite, re-' meeting what had been done in the Colonial Legislatures of the _West Indies, touching the improvement of the condition of African blives in those Islands ; and hoped it was intended soon torsome communication to Parliament on the subject. 1 'BATHURST; in reply, said the subject was in the se ribw acttntion of his Majesty's-Government. The regular Acta of the Local Legislatures wile ease were not yet received ; but as soon. as they should be, a communication would be made. The Earl of LIVERPOOL stated, that it was the intention of a Noble *lend (Visccisnalldmouth), to present a Bill to the House on Wednesday neat, founded on the subject matter of the Report of their' Lordships' Secret-Committee ; and which Bill it was proposed to move for a second reading on the fol lowing Friday.—Adjourned till to-morrow. HOUSE OF COMMONS. Several Petitions were presentedlcom the Tanners of Ches ter, Cockeimonth, Maryport, - . Whitehaven, Fgremont, Keswick, Harrington, and Workington, praying for the repeal of the Leather Tu.—Ordered to lit on the tab!,. The four Quarterly Accounts of the Treasurers of Westmin ster Bridge we." laid on thetable. Several Petition s were presented from Bath, .for and against the Bill for lietaing that City with Gas.—Laid en the table. The Bill respecting Clergymen °fit:lacing in' Gaols went through a Committee, the Report of which was pederwt to be. reeeieed to-morrow. • . • Lord P.A.LMERSTONAave notice , that in Mc Comm4uee of Supply tin Friday, heswoilM move the Army riatitnathu •• Mr. CALCXAF r gave notice that on Tuesdaiv v , the.rith of March, he would repeat themdtion which be .had oxalic Int, Session respecting the Salt DUties. • , • Mr. BENNET presented several Petitions from eertnin-teW. flees and Cuiriers in the ToWn ad Shrewsbnry,ragainst rbtr Tax. Ordered to lie on the Table.—The Honourable Mine 'bet next presented a Petition front a .person of the earn* of Gorge Bradbury, complaining of ill usage under the lhope lion Act, and praying against a Bill of indemnity. Ordered t 0 lie on tie Table„—lie nett pi-atoned a l'etigh.n from certain in babkants of Nottingham, complaining of various abuses, arrd oaring for reform. Ordered to lie on the Table, and be printed: B LOOD-MONEV. Mr. BENNET gave notice, that on Wednesday would move for leave to bring in a Bill to abolish the Payment of Rewards on the Capital Conviction of Criminals, which Rewards were technically called Blood-money.--(Hear, hear, h,!ttr !) LATH HAS LIGHT BILL. Mr. DICKENSON having moved that the Gas Light Bill be read a second time, ' Colonel PALMER opposed the motion. He was instructed to state, by the Mayor and Corporation of Bath, that they did not object to the principle of the measure, but that as the guardians of the interests of their fellow-citizens, it appeared to them that as there was much difference of opinion with respect to the merits of the Gas Light, as there was no neces sity for the immediate adoption of the invention in Bath, and as improvements Were every day making in the preparation and management of the Gas it self, it would be better to wait the result of those improvements, than to take a hasty step of which they might afterwards repent. It had been said by the friends of the Bill, that it was the universal wish of the inhabitants of Bath, that it should be carried. The fact was, however, that a great majority of the owners of property in Bath were adverse to it. The promoters of the measure were shareholders and other interested ,persons. The. Corporation, on the contrary, had no interest in it, but were actuated solely by their zeal for the convenience and prospe rity 4.the city. He pledged himself, that whenever it should appear to be the real wish of the majority of householders, and other inhabitants of Bath, to have the Gas introduced, the Mayor and Corporation would not only consent to its introduction, but aid it by every means in their power. There was one clause of the Bill to which he wished the attention of the House to be particularly directed, as it clearly manifested the contrariety of opinion which existed on the subject in Bath ; he meant the clause by which the property of one of the principal land-owners in Bath, the Earl of Manvers, was exempted from the operation of the Bill. The Corporation would of course claim the same ex e mption in favour of their property, as well as Lady Rivers, another great land-owner, who objected to the Bill. A very small part of the city would therefore be left open to them, and if they should think it worth while to obtain a Bill for lighting it, the whole'city might be injured, should it prove *nuisance rather than a benefit. He had been one . of the warmest advocates'of the gas light himself. No man could observe its beauty without being so. But within the last two days he had heard some circumstances which rather shook his opinion. .It there was.any one place in the king dom in which it was zo be expected that the Gas would be in the best state, it was to be the spot on which they were, as it was naturally the interest of the Con tractors to take care that it should appear to advan tage under the observation of the Members of the .Legislature. He happened lately, however, to be in company with a Gentleman who resided in the im mediate vicinity of that House, and who declared, that frequently for days, and sometimes for weeks, the smell of the Gas was abominable. He had also been informed by another Gentleman at Chelsea, that having been at the expense of fitting up his whole house with Gas Lights, he had found the e ffl uvia s o intolerably offensive, and so injurious to the health of his children, that he had been ccnnpelled' to have the apparatus removed. On all these grounds, he moved as an amendment, that the Billbe read a see cond time that day, Mr. GOR DON thought that the Bill should at least have a' second reodiv; ssin'eltV Cblimittee trotdd be inaar Ott portunities of discussing its merits. It could not be iiTd that the Bill was disapprosOdby.the inbabiliftilt Bath, when it was known that 30,0001. hid already' been subscribed by them to carry the measure into affect. The rear fact vras, that the Corpo ration, finiing that the 'speculation wislikNyToproveploftpble, wished to undertake it tbeittselves. Mr. M c:TRIEN stated, that. the landy oL Prelnnen who were concerned in the present., in.eintrewo:of so.respectable a 2 nature, as to su ff er nothing, 'entito comps with with t b Cor poration of Beth. • • • _ _ _ Mr. CURWENobservoillothit the clause relpecting the - EMI' of Nlanvers was copied from the Corporation 4:10414.h0d a communication with the Corporation of Bath, on the subject of the propoied measure, and although he lyni offered. a Ord the intents of that Corporation.li the Bibs, by every practicoble prbvision, he was not listened. to..butavas:toild that they,yreuid depend on the strength of noses in, the nettle of Commas* Lord J. THYNNE opposed the Bill, and M.r..PILQW4Er, ROE supported it., Mr. BARRETT - Observed. that She expesweelstUd in 1.2ri115 measure be regslsted by the pri of coals. ... • Mr. P. MOORE said that he irished she )3ill shoolsi UZI a• Committee. as be would then diFee . t. attention to the price which was - now charged for Gas Lights. When the subieet' had originally been investigated by a Committee, it had been stated in evidence 'that the lighting of a whole house in all its branches With gas would not come to more than et, a year, ands now that was the cost of a single light; so that parish lights., which formerly cost 255. a piece, were now paid for at the rate of 41. He should, in the. Conunittee, propose some clause to regulate the price of Gras The House divided. For he Bill, 79.—For the Aisseadaseot,, 31.—Majority for the Bill, 41. The Bill was then ordered a second time. .I!ANIC NQTES. . Sir J. MACKINDOSH said that if there wererno. objections to the following motions he would imme diately make them, otherwise he would give notice of his intention to make theM to-morrow : • lit. That there be laid before the, Howe an ACCalint of the num-, berof persons appjehended for forging Notes of t./0, Rank of Ent land, and for knowingly ulternis and' possessing forged Timm, from the Ist January, 11316, to the present time, diainguaing tie number of persons who had been convicted, and the number wbo had suffered death. Id. That there be. laid before tba.liouse an Account of the number of personi convicted of forgi n g notes of the Bank of Pngland, and of knowingly uttering and possessing forged notes,' who suffered death for the twenty_ years preceding the suspen sion of eaels payments by the Bank of England in 1797 ; tobether with a klse•accOabt from 1797 to the present time. 3d. That thite be laid before the House an Account of the wholestapettse incurred by the Bank of &gland in the prose ciAion of perfonefor forging notes of the Bank of England, and for knowingly uttering and possessing forged notes, for the years preceding 'rlat . osi'df cash payments by the Bank of Eng land io I'HYSV -• with a late • account from 1797 to the :present ficke.7l -• -..• The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER sug gesting to the Honourable and Leained Gentleman the expediency of contenting himself 'with giving his notice of his motions, - • •.• Sir J. MACKINTOSH - accordingly gave notice for to:niorrow. . .• BUIRWET'S pIIIIIIART. Istr,JlANYLESkasta-petisien to pieset4 respecting ;an addition to the British Masan"... :He observed, dm it was most probably known to most .31crubers ,that the literary world had sustained a gre at i„ s!3, be decease of the late Dr. Burney, who had 1 0 ; lam eminent as a collector of the. meat arialts, in the purchase of which he st as not sn l in price. The improvements that had been in the arrangements of the British Museum wen. tyci known, and satisfactory and beneficial to the since now all could hare au easy oppcetunitiy o f* siting this great depository of literature, an s . ael curiosities. The object of the petition was to b e el , abled to purchase the valuable library of the ha Dr. Burney, to be deposited in the Musenna-is object which appeared highly desirable. &ire m ai had occurred, because it had been thought siyi.talnr to ascertain the value of the library, and to every proper inquiry. The Honourable Mernixt re. eluded by moving that the petition from the In * sees of the British Museum should he brought up. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCIIEQUER s a4 that the petition came at that time razhet pectedly. He thought, on the whole, that it Z 4a matter that required consideration; it would b e t i t best mode of proceeding to refer the petition to Committee, which might examine into it. B e Ira rather inclined to think well of the tnnsartia t , a the library was likely to become a very quisition, and it was not probable that ra:::.thk t ~T portunity would soon again occur. The pc :lzi stated, that many valuable libraries and (•. , ..e.'S". 3 had been purchased by the British 31 . ...5e:rr., ;3 4 that the late Dr. Burney had collected a re-, ere, sive and valuable liLrAry; whica was le.y the public attention, and whith'his son •;:,. Rid g y to allow to be purchased for the public a&antare, The petition also, as we understood, prayed r t , leave to bring up a second petition, req les;i7 aid•of Parliament in the purchase of the tj t - . The petition was laid on the table; and the petition was brought np; ansiardered to be refn to a Committee, which was - na'rned, and whit!: Tb ceived permission to adjourn from place to F:ace. TI WA gC Mr. D:GILBERT brought up the Report of Li Committee on Income and - Expenditure, u!.ich ordered to be laid on the table and to be printed. Sir C. MONCK wished to make an obien - ritte the subject of the Report. The Chancellr.r Exchequer had promised. that if the actual etpea ture should not exceed the estimates, and the re.eip and the estimate should be in their e:,petted Ker r . lion, the revenue would exceed theeipenditure. wished the-Right Honourable Gentleman would te:l the House whether his opinion was changed on ;11x subject, or that he would faiocr them with whaln e acconnt he might be - enabled; from his infortus, to lay before them. The,CHANCF.LLOI2 ef;the EXCHEQUER said, the House would remember tharthe had conceive; from the expenditure of last year, that the produce of the revenue would be comiderable. It would be found,. by compering the different sums in the more pointed out, that dwell would be, in reality, in tl'e income, including the Sinking Fund, a surp:::: your of the public 0f'3,000,C1001. EMPLOYMENT OF CHILEMEN IN MANUFACTI%R:N. Sir ROBERT PEEL would take the liber.y cif ,making a few observations before he moved t.l-.t , 7,,r st.ir of his BilL it had been said that the 1;;;I L.• tertered with free labour; but he was himself ar, 44. vocate of free labour, and he could not tell l v:Lz• tle children, 'Who had neither a ivi l nit a tosct their own, could be. dialed free labourers. Tter children were under either parents or muter:. v.:.0 oftourse directed them in their conduct. ile 1.4 hapirylciffind that the parents had petitinnud bHuuse to _ take theihildrei under.their Thi Bill embraced lush alarge.aad br*ficer.: ject,,atut.included.the interests of so many poor-prN ple, that the plan could net possibly be carrie.. effect without an Act.of Parliament. He the House, in the eresiArrt instance, would al:cv.v same course to be ilren That had been followed the years ago. The Bill 'might undeigo a second ra.! : ing, the blanks might* be. filled up, and plenty tirrie,rni . ht be allowed, i 4 order that it should . ee Impiiii- ciiieE the country, and no fur th er procefj • ings m 4. iake ?lace on it till-after the holidr-- (sear, hear.) He did not wish any man to be u... by surprise, but he hoped the - House Would allow 7J furthettime to be wasti& 'than. couldnot 14 arci.'.l before' theZetermination of 'a measure of such • Kt-tante.' - .The Bill of 1815 Fad` poposed that c:..:: . n uncle r tip years shOnld not be admitted to u.t .nufttteries. He tiad tpropased that nine 'yen s_hbuTcl74'ole7tiirje, arid .Lhe .powerS of the Act v c-e end when chilthun attained the i . ge . ofsixteer- :r till that time - Thei 'could not be sankto be free age:z. or. capable .Of judging for themselves. Will. tI,T! #.itOrridnes befcireibetn, he -loped the House w....:1 understand the real intention, and Seer the Bil: zo pass the second reading, that those who were ted might be acquainted with its provki6ns. time per day that the Bill allowed was elevt:..:7s for labour, and an huur and a half for foo2. A:. on that-pirt of the stibject,'he should rema-:. was intended, if possible, to prevent a n.ts:".:s.r...e which had recently occurred. He allude 3 melancholy accident of fourteen children :2(13 burnt during-the night. There hid been :( rice of causing the children to work Whza, th:tl: tens were in their beds--(hear, hear)--and ashamed to own that-ite had himself been corcer - ..1 where thatproceeding h_ad been suffered : su: hoped the. AusesWoufd interfere, and prevent the future. - Ityfit his wish to have no ni,t!:t 7 .."< at all in thie.;fictories. The Honourable Kircnt: concluded brinoving, “ that the Biki.huuld tv*---;a read a setentifebirje." Izitd LABCPXLES did not rise to make a 7.. ;( `' fessed-OpPositiOs to the motion of the Hone::: 1 Baronet, because he had stated that the Bill nvi.:t lie over, the blanks might be filled up, and country have proper notice dal what * . ai ward. in one part of the'•Dill he agree d Honourable Baronet : i n that - part which lin-,ited - t;e ages of the children employed in the manni..ct:. -- m. It there was any abuse with regard to the lige-,.ltcr tainly called for the attention of the llou,d. is et• was one thing which ought to be obserseell:c' mer times, a great part of the manufitt7: - 7.5 -J been conducted upon streatiis. introduction of steam had. removed mnrly r: th.e:l r , :'x: into remote parts of the country. But still A were upon streams. 'Fite 13ill was calculited A great superiority ancLatka i ntAge to t)2ogefaTc - : that were carried on by steam. They could, in :..t