Star. — London, England, 1824-02-07 00:00:00

-------- - tolowing regulatiocts,anct.with the aid of the scale to w:iich the Com mittee have referred, the tread-mills in va t inns pt isous, even those on the most diversified principles of construction, may be conducted upon one uniform and certain system of operation throughout the kingdom. 4 1. Every tread-whtel should be provided with a regulator,' by which its rate of revolution may at all times be restrained within safe " 2. To the tread-wheel should also be affixed • a dial-register, on reference to which the rate of Labour may at any flue be se cunarly ascertained. " 3. The daily rate of labour should in no case exceed 12,000 feet in ascent. " 4. Care should be tak':n to apportion the diet to the degree of t:bour enforced. " The Committee are aware that the observance of t -ese rules will not remove the objections•. which ninny respectable persons entertain against the use of the tread-wheel : they regard the punishment, under any circumstances, as too rigorous. In the opinion, however, of the Committee, the primary feature in the character of hard labour should be severity ; no.t equal, indeed, to every description of criminals, not irreconeileable with the feelings of humanity, nor one degree beyond that which the public interests justify, and the reformation of the criminal. demands; yet a severity that shall make those who have violated justice feel the penalties of the law,and the consequences of guilt. The Committee believe that, for a certain class of offen ders, the tread-wheel is, under proper regulation, a pu nishment of this description, and that no House of Cor rection should be without it. The great proportion of offenders committed to such places of confinement are sentenced to hard labour,' and but for short periods of imprisonment, during which the tread-wheel is an ap propriate punishment. Brit in bearing this testimony in its favour, they feel no hesitation in declaring their opinion that its value may be overrated, and its disci pline misapplied. Notwithstanding the acknowledged excellencies of the tread-wheel, it ought not to form the punishment of those whom the law sentences to impri sonment only. To inflict it on this description of pri soners would be to change the character (it their sen tence. To subject, also, convicts committed for long periods of imprisonment, day after day, to this disci pline, is inconsistent with the views of the best writers on the Penitentiary system, and at variance with those principles of prison management which Howard never ceased to inculcate, and to realize which the enlightened exertions of Sir George Paul and miter eminent Magis ti ates have been zealously. directed. 41 The practice of employinE females at the tread wheel is, in the o?inion of many benevolent persons, in no case justifiable. In this sentiment the Committee do not concur. Upon hardened offenders committed to Houses of Correction—such as the law has truly desig nated idle and 'disorderly'—the labour is productive of excellent effects, and, if superintended by a careful matron, may be safely administered ; but the general employment of females at the tread-wheel is liable to serious objections; and as there are, even in the absence of pm ison trades, other kinds of labour to be found for women in a gaol that are congenial to the habits of their sex, the practice of thus employing this class of offenders is not justified by necessity. " But let the punishment of tread-wheel labour be ever so caiefully regulated, there is one consideration which ought not to be forgotten, and to which the Corn mittea cannot too earnestly entreat attention. Punish ritnts, however salutary, cannot alone be expected to reclaim;, nor do they, under any form, diminish the necessity for those moral and religious services, with out which all plans of prison discipline will prove inefficient, and the formation and recovery of good character become alike utterly hopeless. The Com mittee have been led to offer these remarks, be cause it has appeared to them that in some prisons by far too much dependence has been placed on the deter ring influence of ueach wheel labour, while but little earnestness has been evinced to take advantage of that subjection of mind which' the punishment has a ten dency to produce, and which might be available for the purposes of religious impressions and permanent im p! ovement. Thete is nothing in the character tf tread- wheel labour that may not be made to strengthen the power of religion, and extend the influence of her mi nisters over the mind and feelings of a prisoner; and it would be indeed to be deplored, were the introduction of hard labour to be con s ide r ed as superseding or weak ening the necessity for their labours, without which the great objects cf prison discipline can never be attained." ‘l• ll °''' - INSURRECTION A .11ARTINIQUE. By the Cornwall, Captain Morrison, arrived at Liver- I pool from Barbadoes, intellige n ce of a very alarming nature has been received from Martinique, by which it appears that the mania of insurrection, so prevalent of late in the West Indies, has spread to the French colonies. Fortunately a timely discovery of the conspiracy has taken place, and the consequences which might have attended it have, therefore, been prevented ; but if the accounts now received are authentic, this insurrection has been planned with a degree of sagacity, and was to have spread so extensively, among the people of colour as well as the slave population of Martinique, that it s: as evidently of a much more dangerous nature than any whlch have occurred in the British colonies. The plot was revealed in consequence of a discovery made by one of the Mulattoes. that in the event of its success the property of the people of colour would not be re spected, on whicl2 he gave information to the Govern- • sr.ent. The intelligence of the events at Martiniquehad caused an order to be issued for placing Dominica under martial law. The Cornwall, which left Barbadoes on the 411: ult. has brought dispatches for the English Go vernment. The following is an extract from the Bar. badoei Paper of the 31st of December : " limbur-Town, Rectusta II By the mail-boat Eleanor, c a p ta i n m o ty,, tt , winch left Mattinique on Monday afternoon, and arrived here last night, we are informed of that Wan:: having been thrown into a serious state of alarm. Between twenty and thirty free coloured people, all wealthy and respect able, have been arrested, and sent from Sr. Pierre to Fort Royal, on board one of the frigates, where they are in close confinement. Some seditious conespond er,ce had been discovered, which had been carried on by the malcontents with Eurtte, the English Islands. and St. Domingo. indiscriminate massacre of the white inhabitants, and setting the town of St, Pierre on fire, were the diabolical means by which they intended to overthrow the Government. The vigilance of a French police, under the superintending hand of Pito vinetzee, has frustrated this horrible conspiracy. A letter, it is said, was found, coutaming a reply from Boyer, the Chief at S:. Domingo, to ass application male by one of the conspirators for the assisnurce of soldiers. The news of troops having arrived here from England, to keep in awe disaffected , fellows, and the o.pottune arrival of troops horn trance, staggered their resolution, and aware to,have induced them to fut 9ff thegonsunuritation of their revolutionary scheme roth the 17th of December, the day originally fixed ou, until Christmas•eve. But, in the meantime, the activity of the Executive, and the curubitte watchfulness of the police, made such discoveries as completely ar rested their career. Several coloured men had arrived there lately from France, who had been distributing seditious pamphlets; and it is said that about sixty of the coloured militia bad been disarmed." By this conveyance a letter has been received by an emineat West Indian Establishment from Barbadoes, dated on the 3d of January last, of which the following is an extract: . " A plot has lately been discovered of an insurrection being on the point of breaking out at Martinique, which, it is said, was pre vented taking place by the timely arrival in that island, of .500 troops from France, as well as by the reinforcement we have had here from England. The free coloured people ate said to be impli cated inthe-atfair,,and a correspondence has been discovered be tween them and the Government of St. Domingo. The Island of Dominica has, in consequence of this, been placed under mar tial law," Inc. PARLIA MEN 1 Y .P#OCEEDIGNS. HOUSE OF COMMONS, 'FEBRUARY 0. Papers were presented from the Court of Chancery, which were Laid on the table. Mr. T. WILSON presented a Petition from the Inhabitants of the Ward of Broad -street, praying the Duty on Coals might be re pealed. Ile also presented a Petition from an individual against the return made for the Borough of Bussiney.—Both Petitions were laid on the table. _ Mr. AGAR ELLIS moved for Returns of the names of all Parishes which had presented memorials either to the Lord Lieu tenant of Ireland separately, or to the Lord Lieutenant in Council, relative to the proposed Act of Parliament for arranging the Com mutation of Tithes in Ireland, with the amount of Composition in each case, and specifying also the Parishes in which such Composi tion had been rejected. Mr. GOULBURN said he had intended to have Moved for a Return on this subject himself. If the House were to have any Return, it would be desirable to have one which would be satis factory and effective; that which could be procured by the Ho nourable Member's motion would only be a Return of the names and number of the Parishes which were dissentient, and the amounts of each proposed composition ; but his, besides embracing these points, would furnish the House with the precise reasons why the Vestries had in each case of refusal rejected the Bill. Without this information the Returns would be of comparative unimportance. After a few words from Air. GLAITAN and Mr. A. &Lis, the Returns were agreed to. Mr. BYNG presented two Petitions from the Parishes of Ed monton and Enfield against the existing Duties on sea-borne Coal. He recommended the subject strongly to the attention of the Right Hon. the Chancellor of the Exchequer.—The Petitions were both laid on the table. Lord ALTHORPE gave notice of his intention to move for an Account of the gross amount of the Revenue for the last three years; also a similar Return from Ireland. He also moved fur a hst of the umber of Roman Catholics who had been appointed to the situation of Assistant Barristers, and to other official situa tions in Ireland. When these Returns should be in the possession of Members, it was his intention to give notice of a general motion relative to the present state of Ireland. Mr. Secretary CANNING, in reply to a question from Mr. Abercromby respecting the number of prosecutions under the Ille gal Meeting Act, said he was not aware of their number, nor could he give the information required. Mr. ABERCROM BY said he hoped he would procure it, and return him an explicit answer on the subject. Mr. MA BERLY gave notice, that on the 6th of May he should submit to the adoption of the House a pnopoeition for saving a great part of the unnecessary expense incurred at present through the improvident and extravagant mode of collecting the duties rn malt and beer. He took that opportunity of acquainting the Char. cellor of the Exchequer, if the Right Honourable Gentleman bad not any intention of doing something himself relative to the amal. gamizing and consolidating of the Consolidated Fund, that be should also propose a scheme to that effect, by which a very large sum would be saved to the Public in its management. Mr. HUME gave notice that on Tuesday the 9th of March he should move for a Cammittee to inquire into the state of the Church of Ireland, with a view to its reduction. He wished to know from the Right Honourable Secretary, whether they might expect the long promised returns relative to the Consular Department to be laid on the table? Mr. Secretary CANNING said, that as to their being so long promised he was not to blame, the promise was none of his. The returns were returns of infinite detail; yet he believed and trusted, that, in the present Session, he or his Right Honourable Friend in whose Department it more properly lay, should be enabled to place these returns on the table. One point of Information he would give the Honourable Gentleman, which would probably set his mind at ease, and that was, that generally speaking, he had reduced the allowances to the Consuls stationed at the Brazils. Mr. HUME said, he was convinced the mode which had been adopted as to their allowances was very injudicious. They should have stated incomes, not dependent on the produce of the com merce of British subjects. Lord JOHN RUSSELL, after a few words on a point of form with Mr. Secretary Canning across the table, fired his notice of a motion fur the formal evacuation of the Spani►h territory by the French forces for Thursday the 12th of March. Mr. Serjeant ONSLOW renewed the notice of his :notion for leave to bring in a Bill to repeal the existing Usury Law for Tues day next. AUSTRIAN CONVENTION. Mr. JAMES rose to express a hope it was the imme diate intention of the Right Honourable Secretary to submit to the House the details of the late Convention concluded between this country and the Austrian Go vernment for the liquidation of the Austrian debt to this country. Though it might be considered very ra dical to say so, he thought the conduct of that Right Honourable Gentleman very unconstitutional and ille gal in having agreed to such a Convention, without hav ing first consulted Parliament on the subject (A laugh.) Mr. Secretary CANNING would put it to the Ho. nourable Member, if it was Parliamentary in this way to rise, not for the purpose of asking a question, but to proceed to argue a very doubtful position of his own with respect to the powers of the Crown, without giving notice of his intention? If he had asked him whe ther it was illegal in him, or unconstitutional to lay such a Convention as that concluded with Austria on their table, he would answer—No. If then that Ho nourable Gentleman thought differently, it would be for him to name a day when he might formally have questioned the exercise of those powers of the Crown. Such a conduct would have been somewhat regular, Constitutional, and Parliamentary. He; however, wished it to be understood, that he declined the inves- Ligation of the subject. Mr. JAMES said it would have been-better to let him go on. (To some Members who were about him, and seemed endeavouring to persuade him to adopt a more regular course, he said-." I shall not give any notice, but proceed"). In his mind property and claims had been sacrificed, when we might have sued the Em. peror in his own Courts. The failure in this flagrant case ought in justice to other bankrupts to have every usual publicity. The SPEAKER here rose to Order, and the Ho nourable Member sat down. AFFAIRS OF SPAIN. Lord NUGENT said he had been anxious to discover, by more authentic means than those ss hich had fallen in his way hitherto, how far the Government of this country had abided by the neutrality pointed out as the rule of policy which became this country last year, by the Right Honourable Secretary. He had it in con templation to make a motion to extract such informa tion on this subject as it was in the power of the Right Honourable Secretary to afford. He now si isised to !mow if he had any intention to lay before the House the instructions sent by our Govetßniont tQ,ir Wil liam A'Court, from the period of the efitranefof the French troops, in April last, up to the timeof the King of Spain's departure from Cadiz; and irlso copies of the commu nications made by Sir Willi* tot our.Goveriment in the meantime ? Mr. Secretary CANNING said that he had no such intention ; and added, that the answer he should give to any such application, if made to him by the Noble Lord, would entirely depend on the case made out by that Noble Lord, whenever he made such a motion. Lord NUGENT then said, he should give notice be fore be left the House of a motion relative to the con duct of his Majesty's Ministers in preserving a strict line of neutrality between the belligerents in the late war in Spain. He would examine the Journals to see what day was open or convenient for such a notice. BURIAL OF IRISH CATHOLICS. Sir JOHN NEWPORT moved for copies of all com munications which had been made by official persons to Clergymen, sextons, and others, relative to the burial of Catholics or Dissenters in public burial -grounds in Ireland. Mr. GOULBURN said he was very unwilling to withhold anything like elucidation on the subject, but he fel: this was one of great delicacy and irritation, and thought these disclosures likely to produce or keep alive bad feeling and serious inconvenience. Ile had heard it was the intention of the Honourable Baronet to move for the repeal of the well-known Statute of William relative to burials in Ireland, a subject on which these papers, if produced, would throw no light whatever.— Ile hoped that with respect to the cases on which this appiication was grounded, enough had been done in the spit it of conciliation to settle the question, and hence he thought it would be extremely unadvisable to re-agitate the go►estion to a division, as he telt he must, from con scientious and prudential motives, oppose the production of these communications. Sir J. NEWPORT said it now became his duty to press this question to a division. He contended that an attempt had been made to rob the people of a certain denomination of the right of burial-C" No, far from it," said Mr. Goulburn3.—lie would repeat his words ; it was an attempt to rob them of the right of burial ac cording to the rites of their religion. It was high time the subject should be discussed and settled in that House. He would ask, why had the Episcopacy by its inter ference, thrown this firebrand among the Irish Catho lics? If the subject were delicate and dangerous, on their heads he it. He should certainly divide the House. Mr. GRATTAN thought as these papers were likely to be the cause of a debate and division, that it would be most expedient to give a few days notice of the Mu tion, and postpone it for the present. He regretted that a distinguished person should have thought proper to begin his high office by insulting a large majority of the Irish people. If the rule continued to be acted upon, the consequence would be, that every funeral would prove the cause of a regular fight. Mr.ABERCROMBY thought the knowledge of these official circumstances was essential to enable them to settle the question. Mr. PEEL believed that in this case there was a pos sibility of deciding the case of the papers now moved for without prejudice to the feelings of the parties most interested in settling the question as to the right of burial by Catholics aid Dissenters. There were two motions contemplated by the Honourable Baronet ; the papers were one, the repeal of the Act of William 111. was the other. Would it not be best to separate them ? What had occurred even this evening shewed they were not likely to come to the general question without being too sensibly impressed With its delicacy. Whilst the question stood as it did, would it be prudent in the Irish Secretary to assent to the production of information containing inflated mistatements on a subject of such an irritable nature ? It was clear from what had oc curred in the parishes, that a great deal of parochial ill will at least had arisen. From these reasons he felt he must support his Right Honourable Friend, and oppose the motion. Mr. CALCRAFT thought it was not enough the House should be assured that the question had been set at rest. It was high time the question should be set at rest by a legislative enactment, so as to prevent such an occurrence in future. He hoped his Right Hon. Friend would press tht: question, and shew the Irish people what sort of a Government they had gotten, and how ready it was, by every timely concession, to extinguish opposition and animosity. Strange it was, that living in the present age, the Government of Ire land should endeavour to prevent a degraded sect from the privilege of burying each other. He defied the Right Honourable Gentleman to shew an equal instance of human folly in any Government in the world. The House then divided—Ayes, 39—Noes, 56—Majority, 17.-- The motion was lost. SUPPLY. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER proposed the usual annual motion, that a Supply be granted to his Majesty. Mr. HUME was proceeding to make some observations on the necessity of having the estimates previously laid upon the table, when he was interrupted by the Speaker, who said, that the usual mode of proceeding was, to vote generally that a Supply be granted to his Majesty. On the Motion of the Cuattcmost of the EXCHEQUER, Monday next was appointed for going into the Committee of Supply. Sir J. WROTTESLEY wished to know when the Right Hon. Gentleman (the Chancellor of the Exchequer) meant to bring for ward the financial statement. The sooner it was laid before the Pub lic the better, as delay could not fail to be productive of ruinous spe culations. He hoped, therefore, the Right Hon. Gentleman would fix upon some day, and thus remove the anxiety which both the House and the Public must naturally feel upon the subject. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said it was his intention to bring forward, on Monday the 23d inst. the statement to which he alluded the other night. The formal way of doing it was in a Committee of Ways and Means. MISCELLANIES. Sir JOHN NEWPORT moved for a return of all sums of money levied in the several parishes of Ireland for building and re pairing churches, together with the rates of assessment, salaries of clerks and other officers, and the number of persons constituting the vestries making such assessments, for the last twelve years. Mr. GOULBURN thought these would be very troublesome and even unnecessary accounts; in fact their number would amount to 2500 multiplied by V. After a few words from Sir J. NEwroar and Mr. Goutau RN, the returns were ordered. _ _ Sir JOHN NEWPORT also moved for a return of the num ber of cathedrals in Ireland consolidated with parish churches, to gether with the amount of rates in such parishes for repairs, under the Act Bth of Geo. 11. His view in making this motion was to ascertain, since the people were taxed, in what manlier those taxes or assessments were levied.—Papers ordered. Sir JOHN NEWPORT wished to know whether the Right Honourable Gentkman would have any objection to a motion he had to make relative to Inlaid? Mr. GOULBURN asked what was it about? what its items? Sir JOHN NEWPORT said he wished it to embrace a return of the baronies, houses, families, and other items connected with the population of Ireland. The Honourable Baronet here handed the paper on which the motion was written to Mr. Goulburn across the table. Mr. GIIATTAN moved fora return of the number of Magis trates, Constables, at.d Sub-constables appointed under the Conga bulan Act, gassed in 18:42; tooher with the religion of each, whether Protestant or Catholic ; the name, of mach Conqtah/es as bad been tried for offences committed in the execution of their duty, distinguishing the names of those acquitted, the places where th e said offences occurred, those now under confinement, &c. &e. Mr. GOULBURN said, the only part of the Return that pre. genteel any difficulty, was that respecting the religion of the parties. Mr. GRAWAN said, be apprehended that there could be no difficulty in making out the Return, if application were mash in the proper quarter. It might be easily ascertained from the Z.lagi. strata. It was ♦try important that this part of - the motion she t id be complied with.—The Return was oplered. On the motion of the same HonourabfeGentiefnan, a Return w ordered of the number of persons committed-rder the Insurrec tion Act from January, 1823, to February, 1824, the nature of tee offences with which charged, &c. &c. Lord NUGENT fixed Thursday next for his motion. On the Motion of Mr. WILLiAlii, the Cayse Paper of the Relrs Court from 1811 to 1823, was ordered to be lad upon the table. Mr. Secretary PEEL moved for a copy of the forrevorden ee between the Secretary of State for the Honie Department and the Visiting Magistrates of Prisons in which the Tread-mill is us..l. The Right Honourable Gentleman observed. that so far front the Tread-mill being injurious, it was found that in all prisons where it had been introduced, the health of the prisoners was nitwit inv. proved.—Ordered. Dr. LUSH INGTON gave notice that he would, on th- 15th, move for leave to bring in a Bill to consolidate the Laws retati* to the Abolition of Slavery. On the motion of Sir F. OMMANZV, a Return was ordered of all persons tried and convicted in the Island of Jantaica from the let Jauuary, 1825, to the 3•lst of March of the same year. The llouse adjourned at Six o'Clock to Monday. TH E VENI NG STA LL. LONDON. SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 18%. THE FUNDS. STOCK EXCHANGF, TWELVE O'CLOCK. Consols opened this , morning, with a brisk market, at 94, and went up to 91t, but soon afterwards, a respectable Broker selling to a l-rge amount, they fell to 90j, 91, for the Account, and for Money Sq. Private accounts from Paris state, that M. Vit arcs has come to a determination to reduce the 5 per Cent. Rentes to 4 per Lent. FOREIGN FUNDS. Very little d ing in the market this morning. Spanish opened at 24i, 1, at which price they remain steady. Mexican opened at Si. Current Prices : New Spanish 164, Old 24i 11, Coholustan7Q 71, Austrian Si aglian 784 4, New rrussila Old 94 to Russian 90k, French Scrip 84, Mexican Loan 54 to 4. AUSTRIAN FUNDS. VIZNNA, J. 24.—Metalliques 84.15-16. Bk. Sit. 944. 2-5. PRICE OF STOCKS AT ONE O'CLOCK. Bank Stock 238 1 / 2 -3 t er ent. Reduced 91 V 2 134 % S per Cent. Cons. 905 Vs /8 4 4 per Cents. Old 102 1 / 4 1 / 8 -4. per Cts. New 106% 34 Bank Long Anns. 22 9-16 7-16 1 ,4 2 India Stock 275% 276—Inds Bonds 82s. 84s. Excheq. Bills of £l,OOO, 545. 575. Consols for Account 91 91 1 A 90% 91 90%8. The French Papers of Wednesday evening have reached us. The only article of intelligence they ccn tain is a report from Madrid, stating that Government had received intelligence of a violent insurrection in the Philippine Islands. The following gratifying account of the prospects of the Greeks is translated from the Frankfort Papers, which readied us this morning to the Ist inst. TRIESTE, JANUARY 17. A ship has arrived here in eleven days from Zante. According to. the private letters which we have received through this channel, Maurocordato is stated to have appeared, on the Sd of this month, with a division of the Greek fleet, before Patras, while Colocotroni pressed the fortross on the land side. Jussuf Paella, the Go. venor, is said to have made proposals to evacuate the place, on being allowed to proceed, without hindrance, with the garrison to Smyrna; but that these terms were not accepted. This intelligence, however, stands in great need of confirmation, as well as that of the cap• cure by Maurocordato of two vessels, having on board fugitives, with money for Patras. Others letters say, that a Greek ship has fetched Loa Byron from Cephalonia, and conveyed him to Miss.- longhi. DARMSTADT, JANUARY 29. In the Sitting of the 21st, the Second Chamber adopted, by a majority of thirty-five to twenty, the pro posal of the First Chamber, to request and authorise the Government to borrow money at lower interest, for the purpose of paying off that part of the public debt # for which a higher interest is paid than that at which new loans might now be obtained. FRANKFORT, JANUARY 30. A letter from Syra, of November 28, in the Oriental Spectator, has the following passages : " We enjoy perfect tranquility here, our commerce is extremely active, and our port is constantly full of vessels coming and going, and a great deal of business is doing." (Here follow some old details respecting Missolongbi, before the siege was raised.) " If through any cause whatever Pat:as were to fall, the affairs of the Greeks in the Morea would, iu my opi nion, assume, for the first time, a decisive ascendancy; and there would be no reason why Coron and Modon, which fortresses are not so strong, should not fall in their turn. If the Greeks were once masters of all the military positions, and in entire and tranquil possession of the :kith ea, they would be able to spare part of their force s to decide the fate of Etolia and Attica, and pethaps to attack Lubcea." The writer observes, that the possession of that island would be of immense importance to the Greeks, and that if the Turks should fail before Missolonghi, and Patras be obliged to surrender, the revolution, instead of retro grading, will advance with gigantic strides, daily strengthened by hope, habit, and experience, and by the assistance of all kinds abundantly b es t o wed by the Philhellenes. The New Yolk Paws'last received contain•some in telligence of interest , from South America. A verse' had arrived at New Yoik, from, La Guayra, which lel die latter place on the 22J of December. The inha bitants of that town nyni of Cortical: had heard die re. port of the European ruweil intending to as:.i..)t in re, 1 1 1 1 1 ( r I r r e F - :1