Star. — London, England, 1815-02-10 00:00:00

HOUSE OF cp111114) NS. The SPEAKER gave notice tkkt he had Issued a writ for the Foroogb of Southwark, in the Mom of Henry Thornton, Esq. sietess.:d. Sir Was. Ltmos presented a Petition against the Slave Trade. •Mr. SAVICOLOS brought up the report of the progress dodo in the inve , ilgatton ut the Accounts of Mr. Wyatt. litc.ttt, brought up the Accounts of the Commission for the reduction of the National Debt, ending 04 the Ist of February. 18'5. Mr. CL,sa Kr presented the account of the names of the per- Ws who had a? phed for relief under the New insolvent Debtors' Act, billC‘ ita tvat enatuurut. PROPERTY TAX. Serieant ONSLOW presented a Petition from the Mayor and Corporation of the town of Guildford, in the county of S , irrey, against the Property Tax. It was the work (4 met) who had cheerfully borne the burdens of that Tax as long as it was necz:ssai y, and' who only wished fur its removal when it was no long. r so. • • Mr. PONSONBY was desirous of taking, the ear-. liest opportunity of calling the attentiao of the House to the subject of this Petition ; a subject on which such y numerous Petitions had been prepared all over the eutintry to be presented to that House. He now rrse to ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if his Majesty's Ministers find yet made up their minds as to the course they would pursue ? He wished to know, whether or not it was their intention to pro pose a renewa l of t h e Property Tax, which, accord ing to. the existing law, would expire on the sth of next ? The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said, it this question had not been asked, it was his intention to give notice that, to-morrow se'nnnight. he would calk the attention of the Comniittee of Ways and Means to certain important'financial mea sures which he should propose, and which, if adopted, would relieve him from the necessity of rotosutuend log ,a renewal of the Property Tax. rMr. PONSONBY was not sure that he rightly comprehended the meaning of the Right'Hon. Gen %lsaias : he understood him to say that it was not at present his intention to propose a renewal of the Pro perty Tax. He wished to know if he was right in ?bill :The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said, certainly he did net mean to propose *,renewal of- the Property Tax, if the House should prefer. the War measures which it would be his duty to submit to their consideration. PONSONBY thought what bad fallen from the Right Honourable Gentleman was quite unsalis factory be wished to- know what was his determina tion? He was aware the . Right Honourable Gentle. man did not make up his mind hastily, nor always ding pertinaciously to his first resolution ; but after the ti . c which had pissed since the' House last met,' he ought to have been able to make up his mind on this subject; he ought to be able to give a decisive answer to the question. Did he mean to propose a renewal of the Property Tax, or not ? • 'the' CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER. Tllaie already answered, that I do not mean to propose a reneyear of the Property Tax Act. —(Hear, latar).—ffut it will of course be open to the House to - have reetatuse to any ether financial measure which they may consider more expedient for raising the sup plies necessary for the public service." 'Mr. WHITBREAD oSserved, there was a' con siderable diifereace between the first statement which the Chancellor of the Exchequer had made this day, and the assertions which bad fallen from him last.— At first he bad said, be should not propose the re newal of the hoperty Tax, if the House would adopt certain measures of finance, which be intended to bring forward on Friday the 17th instant. Now, if the question were to be put on this footing, he con sidered the proceeding contemplated to be one of a most alarming nature. He kneW how strong the voice of the people was against this oppressive and • most inquisitorial tax. It was known that it was •atarnt to be petitioned against, from one end of the country to the other ; and was the Right Honourable Gentleman to hold such au impost in his hand, to enforce the adoption of any other measures of finance which be might propose ? Was he to be enabled to say to them, on bringing forward the propositions Which be had announced—You must admit these, or the Property• Tat wiR be renewed ? This, from what h e had at first said, was that which they bad to ex pect; but,, after the lapse of a few minutes, he had departed from what be bud said, and told them he . -d,.t not meats to propose the renewal of the Property - , Tv, but to bring forw.nd other measures instead of . Which wtis the' tilieaissertion ? By which did abuts 1..: Disl.-le . Anc.iii to say that, under orrtAiirsusnssansasilss Rid sot mom to propose t h e renewal of the tax in question ; or. was it to• be too *raped, that if the pew mama to be submAttou - •._ .. .. .- , ;::.0:,.: - .0 4t.3r010i54b..t. i :-._ 0 t!;0'fr.;10.. ,,. .,iinf ,!p them e were not e ' be !would NiNf#l4ll l tne: 3 1 11Z , 11 1 10 , • .1 - • -..-,• • " . 1 . ). tp4stc:i. . 4 .ihe EXCllitlett pprol r re'Afte Ouse' *o Ul ntit'pledge itself iitOttd ~,adoitie thoie ineasutteWhicitatedtuation of thrOntin. trymight make - necessary; ' They would rake infra consideration the plan which he undertook to submit to them. and of which the Property Tax formed no part, and that which should appear to the House the wiser measure would of course be preferred. The Howe. would not refuse to make that prmasion which the situation of the country called for, but would exercise the right of determining in what way this should be dyne. Mr.WHI'rBREAD understood, from what he had just heard, that the first assertion of the Chancellor of the Exchequer WAS the true one—that no re laxation of it wits intended by the Right Honourable - Gentleman. The Petition having been ordered to lie Jathe General GASCOIGNE'said be wai by nalts eaiis satisfied with what had fallen from the Chancellor of 'the Exchequer. He held in his hand-a petition signed perhaps more numerously than any other, .twit had been signed, he•believed, by the whole of sec inha bitants of Liverpool, with . the,exception ad_ abouc eight or ten. He had expected this tax woad have. been at once given up—that id renewal undue 'circumstances would not have been thought of. .It- must be remembered that the question was asked before the recess, but that ,no decisive answer had, been given. What had been, said today he tegarti t edl as not less evasive than . whaa had bean :Wed then.... ? *, To him it did not appear than Ministers were at that time at a loss how to make up their minds on the subject, as letters had been . written twtheir friend., in various parts of the country, fiorn which it was clear that, contemplating thePeate with America, they wished to continue the Property Tax for another year.. Whether the communications to which he had referred were public or pi ivate, •was not material:.-*-. they had been acted upon.. : A meeting had been called in the town of Liverpool, on the suLjectuf . the Property Tax, which he did not believe _would have been called but for these letters. That meeting; which was more numerously attended than any for-' met meeting had ever been, had (with the exception of two or three dissentient voices) declared unaoi t , mously against the tax, and he had been instructed .to inquire what were the intentions of Ministers re. l tweeting it at the earliest opportunity? This he now did. He bad no right - to demand inforthatfoo of Ministers, but he was justified in asking it, as it. might regulate his conduct, and enable -tom to . de. Ode whether to move that the Petitio n wbieh be now presented should IL: on the , table; or laai it should be ieterred to a Committee. lle WAS not satisfied with the statement made. that day by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, and thought he would have acted more consistcatly, and in a manner :rime bonourable to his character, had he fairly and trii- Conditionally given up the Tax. No further reply was in tde to the gallant General. , —The Petition he presented was read ainikardered to lie on the table.'..' . . Petitions against .01e renewal of the.Property . Tax were presented from the Borowrit, of Oranthain and Southwark, the inhabitants of 'Wigan, the towns of Sandwich and Plymouth, and theWardriPOrtsoken. Ordered to he on the table. A Petition vas proented front the East Riding of the County of :York, praying for an alteration in the Coin Laws.—Ordered to lie on the-table. Further Petitioni were presented against the re newal of the Property Tax, fiorn&kid, Isling- ton, Lower Islington, Twickenham, Spitalfields, Whitechapel, from the County of Essex, the Wards of Aldgate, rArriu g tion Within, Bridgeward, the Lord Mayor and Livery of London, from Coventry, Christ Church, in the County of Surrey, and a great number of other places, which were ordered to lie on the table. COURTS-MARTIAL. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER took the - earliest opportunity of communicating to the House, by command of the Prince Regent that Lieuteennt-General Sir John Murray had be es put under ala arras. in order to bring him to trial by a WJViI 1 ; z 44. 4f( ti , A1 .• • • . • "" • HOUSE' OVIARDS,. 1 0 2111117 Aft •9 • .." this' tot ineettoy, • idle 'the bay Chrlitlinek - vaillittlilkir • glace this day. , The LORD CHANdELLOR took his seal on ' the woo).* about a quarter before four o'clock ; and prayers were read by the Bishop of Pax sp.aosamon. AaJ, between that hour and flee, a very considerable number of'Peers attended in their places. and Writs of Error were m3ercid to be dia. Inward, pursuant to this Petitions of Parties; and several orders were made respecting subsequent hearings. Cersain Papers were peesentUil at the • Bar from the Caurt of Exchequer in lrelaud, respecting the cause ot . " MaroeU v. e.' Blak Mr. Higham, front the Commissioners for the Reduction-of the National Debt, presented an Account of the Receipts and Expenditure of that Imd' lot the las: Ica; curling tile Slst of January. •• II -1.• • ‘. • % 41•4 0 , #Ccgtints of the Sum, received and disbursed on Grants. °Milk 'Adtruitles, intro tht"stlf of January, 1808, to the saki" day,id the:yew - ISt& . • "• . llese tivtuuusits wee severally ettlered to lieln thi table. hlll.lflAs rad FITZ WIL lifAM Mee tO gine =dee, alit'he Veduesliy next, sobtoit a motion rit the litinue oti .the woholt. of the Militia:. His Lord.hip reminded the House, that, on a formerfday, It: hail brought forward the question respecting the embodied and disembo.lleil militia, and the observations be shoild tsave to otfer ou Wednesday would apply to nearly the oldie -Lard t.;•REiV11.1..13 adverted to the propriety of having Ac counts lietore their Lordships relative to the ditembutlying of Wide Corps which had taken place, subsequently to those of which a uatement hada!ready.been laid upon the Table ; and he W boated his i..tent to move for such production. SIDMOU IH observed there could be too possible objention to the production of such an account as that contem plated by the Noble Lord. The document could be laid before the Howie either to-morrow or Monday Lord tilt hNVII.I.B then moved, prafertaa, that the Account be laid berate the House, which was ordei ed accordingly. Adjourned uU to.morrow. - 1 Court•M*rtiaL Mr. FREEMANTLE wished to offer a few ob• servadons on a recent proceeding. He was going on to comment on the degree of rancour which had been manifested on a certain trial —when _ _ Mr. ROSE called the Honourable Member to order, contending this was a subject which could not at that time be regularly brought. before the House. Mr. FREEMANTLE stated it to be his object to ,hew the necessity of taking the most efficient mea soles for preventing such personal proceedings arising out of the Court-Martial on Sir John Murray, as had ' resulted from it former trial. The CHANCELLOR of the. EXCHEQUER was of ,opinion the Hon- Gentleman could more regularly have offered these observations -atter the motion which he had to make. In reply to them, however, he had to state, that every measure that could be taken had been taken to prevent such very alarming consequences. He then moved—That an humble Address be presented to his Royal Highness. the Prince Regent, thanking him for his most gra cious communication with respect to the arrest of Lieutenant-Genera! Sir Juhn Murray.. The motion was agreed to. VI NANCY!, AND DANK RESTRICTION Ave. The CHANCE‘LOR of the EXCHEQUER now gave notice, that ate would to-morrow se'nnight call the attehtion - of the . Committee of Ways and Means to several plans of Finance, of which the Property Tax would form no part. .He then moved that the Bank Restriction Act should be entered* read, and *gave notice, that on Monday . neit lid should move that the House should take into ma deration the said Act. * Mr. HORNER wished e - know, if thehtight Crenilentan meant to papaw .the renewal of the Bank Restriction Act, without first moving that the House should go into a Committee on the affirs of the Bank The COANcELLOW of the EXCHEQUER had. no intention of moving for such a Committee ; but it was competent fq any Member to bring for yard inch a Motion if he Ikon& proper.. •41 • Mr. IV HUBRE4p said, the Motion no* Witte the House 40# dim 1114 opporttnuty of saying a fee -.....• "z.... ih -.....--,,..._____ oral- on . IS ibirce illtillVkAa" pleilkigli, *- ick - U*4 Nad- ads oppoentniay LI offering Woo. e supposed Goemareeal)i acre apprised that the cure situation of Eutuperwas - settled. The Noble 4.ord who .had been sent". to Vienna, had not yet *ached England, or of course he would have been itt his plece that day, He, however, must of course IMPPoser though the Congress had not yet termi nated its sittings, tbat all those great points had been settled, with which the negociators had been so long and so disgracefully occupied. He wished for that information now which he bad endeavoured to obtain before. He wished to hear that England had no participation in the proclamation of Prince Rep nin, of which. Ministers, when the House were last assembled, bad heard nothing. He wished to know if they had any knowledge of what bad been done with the Republic of Genoa, and if England could I teak forward.with security to a state of peace tram ft arsangentents made at the Congress. He wished not to dwell on the disgraceful acts—" it they be , acts"--mihich had emanated from that Congress since the British Parliament was last assembled, nor on the disgraceful manner in which the subjects which came under the consideration at Vienna, had been treated, when 41Voty day jsundreds of thousands of human 'wings were disposed of with so little ceremony, and they heard talk of a balance of 1.50,000 subjects being doefraritiseilhOeteigitiO another, as if those who showillgasiedfef theasellad forgot the - possibility. cikarlissesifrlds, dm . peoples as if oppression ant iniktr-s. .uuld rapt glom rotate the sufferers to fresh 49 0 , TRlfenc c, litio l 4 nnght unseat some of the reigning Stivernigni,. and renew the scenes of thg French Reveled : ed. 'Oh the several topics on whiih' he had toothed he wished for Information; And •nit. time appeared to bins sts proper for asking it, are. Adler the notice which had just been &IVOR-00'4k. glallieCt 'of finance. . '' , . , The CHANCELLOR of the ElititNliEß considered the conduct of the Honourable (retitle. man irregular, in bringing the subjects which he had. Mentioned into discussion, when no question respect i_e_g them, and no authentic document was before the „House. At the same time he had certainly no oh 'ection to say, Mee for all, that as his Noble Friend Lord Castlereagh), who had attended the sitting of press, was on his return, and might be expected mein a few days, he was disposed to await his ar rival before lie offered that explanation which , had been required—( Hear, Irear.)—The House would feel that it would be in the power of his Noble Friend' to give fuller and more satisfactory information on all the great points which might be touched upon, than be could submit to them ; and he therefore hoped they would admit the propriety of welting till the Noble Lord could be present. This statement, he hoped, would satisfy Gentlemen opposite that no dirrespect was intended to them, if some of their questions remaiaed unanswered. Mr. WHITBREAD only wished to remind the Right Honourable Gentleman and the House that it had been said on a former occasion; when the si lence they observed had been made a subject of com plaint, that had the Noble Lord been in the House at that time, the same secrecy would have enveloped the events passing on the coutiaent,..but that the information wished for would be given in his ab , fence, if lie were not returned when Parliament again Userribted. I Mr. PONSONBY denied that :he Chancellor of *the Exchequer was correct in describing the conduct of his Hon. Friend (Mr. Whitbread) as irregular in 'bringing forward those topics to whichhe had thusgb; it his duty to advert. There was a question beforrthe House, and one which, as it extended to the .whole of the money transactions of the country, was one into the discussion• of which they might be fairly in-, troduced. He, for his own part, would say, chit if the state in which things should be placed was so far deter mined upon at Vienna that the Right Hon. Gentle. man thought himself justified in making his financial calculations for the year, he would have done well to postpone bringing forward the measures he had an- , noonced, till he could make some statement expla natory of the arrangements to take place. To him it appeared an extraordinary thing that the Chan cellor of the Exeeequer should give notice - that he would to-morrow se'nnight bring forward some new and important financial plan, and yet propose to my nothing of the general state of politics. At the same time, he might say for himself, that he perhaps did not feel this so strongly as ()then might persuaded' , as he was , that the Heuse had but one thing to d 0,... to diminish as fast as possible the public expenditure of the country. This was required by the people. and as they had done all they had it in their power to do to put down the Property. Tax, he hoped they would continue their exertions, to procure a reduo: tion of the public expenditure in every department of the state. The motion was agreed to; the Act to be taken into consideration on Money next. SIR JAMES DUFF. Mr. WHITBREAD apprehended, though the No. , ble Lord (Lord Castlereagh) had not arrived from Vienna, and the Right Hon. Gentleman proposed to keep his mouth sealed on various subjects till his col .laalgue returned, who, he supposed, from the notice - whiclt had been given, was expected by the 17th instant, he might perhaps be allowed to ask if any information had been obtained respecting the cot -'1 duct, or the alleged - conduct, of Sir James Duff, at Cask. i . The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER stated enquiries to have been directed, but the answe had not yet been received. Mr. WH-FfBREAD considered that since the Houserfaielasesitting, the latter end of November, there had been plenty of time for making a tonimu. `nication to Cadiz ,and receiving an answer, bet he apprehended the business had been forgot. He hoped the Right Hon. Gentleman would, be able to give some information on the subject to-morrow, when be would repeat the qe estinn. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER expected' to receive the infnrmation on the subject very shortly. COSIMI3UONERS OP ACCOUNTS IN IRELAND. Sir JOHN NEW desired to be informed by the Right Honourable Gratkman opposite (Mr, Basthurst) whether his Majesty's Ministers had it in contemplation to introduce a hill in the present Ses 'jou, to enable the Commissioners of Accounts in Ireland SO tontine oft oath the several witnesses they may chit* necessary ? He wan aware th3r she Crown • bad gives permission to dCatWit.. itlt costa:J.. ad, that such • permission was fttd; and that the commission= could not prowA so CONCIOS that power unauthorised by Act of Parliament. He re. • quested permission vo inform the House, that be bad been legally advised on this subject. and that the former Act was reduced tostipll4o4llissiaitTs. in. comiw. sequence of its nut baying contained that authority. Mr. lIATHIJ RST rose and statedi dust he was not. aware 1.4 any such intentioft in toe bfaleateniksius - ter% conceiving it perfectly unneeeseatt.: ti SieJO/IN. NEWPORT observed, that brallektr - therefore, esteem - it his duty to bring in a Bann disk effect ; •and immediately gave notice that l vallidd. introduce it on Tuesday nett: • SANK Or EXCLAIID KOTIPV u. • Mr. HORNER moved that an account be laid ors the table, of all notes issued by the Bank of England from the Ist March, 1814, to the 94 distinguishing the post bills from the notes payable on b danand ; also the prices of pit' aodsilver'bri r is, Por tugal gold coins, stamped dollare,•B3.- Oa:Was or arrest ncoordinpi y. • . • 41.; folliatt Mr. ROBINSON . gave notice, thikbooliduld, to. morrow, AIR the attention of •the House Mike Bleach POwdet Act. „..,. •-, Sciffri%c Mt ?nit' LAVES OrAkintick. • • ildr:t KOK Elt broUght op an iterOuftt of all ships buili in C:ensiiia, :and bf those which 'were 4estroyed or capturt isy theienesny t ' and Areal) the cones. forldettafbetrreen hit :Majetty's Wile* artif Coin tnisjeners, on the lattices •of Abe filiStAting cie the pekes. • • .•:-2.,:1.a .i.::,a ... •. . . Mr. WHITBIt.EA.D the itterks nnalteeltaitt, pfulitrnee *as submitted to the Howie ti- ` t4l7. mu tilated ftwni,•wir also that he hid. -ii. ,in his. pocket. He perceived a kites-frosts dii: t Hon. Gentleerrar; . 'signed witis Hitt` Anew (M t i r: - • keys) fla o natne, directing the tale nt •tenfliigatet,' lying at; Quebec. This order was datedthe rib of July, 1814, and was, he believed, in consequence of a represents. tion from Sir George Prevost, that those frigates were unnecessary on Lake Ontario. The Honour able Gentleman therefore moved, that there be pre sented to the House:a copy of a letter from the Navy Office, dated the 27th July, .1814, arid addressed lb Commissioner Hall, at Quebec, reipectirig the imme diate sale of the frigates Skate altd )fiche. Mr. CROKER had de objectiod ihat theietter re ' quired by the Honourable Gentleman - limpid loam. diately be submitted to the House. Indeed be - was. ' not aware of its absence, utitiliziforMild by the fiss pourable Member, and imagined that it Was omitted by those employed in the* selection of the papers, from au idea of its unimputtanee, and not to :arena. bulk of intfifferent matter, already increased to too• large a magnitude. The paper alluded to was a Mee repetition of what would be found contained its other* now on the table, and was in reality never acted on.. it Was at Grit-doubted whether those ships could INV carried up to.be rendered efficient oil the Lake ; bat subsequently the difficulties obviating the attempt were removed, and one of them was sent up, although the Hon. Gentleman (Mr. Whitbread) had *diet the circurhstaace„ but anerted:ti - .WOl were sold. Mr. WH l rl3READI4snliu . ; - ' iheltisht 'Hun. Gentlemen. Te4wilfthe ocirels.seitasom the Navy Office to Ciami;.," . ' apiselia.:illistihere were two, of a difirent.innieit.' 'Tlist roma anihorising . the sale of the frigates, theilatter . ,patlially awn • dicing. but not totally refilling it. ~ for Mr. .CROXER Seid,litat - 'the cud*: sale Mat .• Conditional to sir • JaMell .Te?,.aod ii . o.kto oponate is case he did not require to use them. The Papers were Ordered accordingly. • caterreor LAW IN laZL*WD. „Sir JOHN NEWPOltrinoved for a retain of the number of Writs issued from theCqurts of King's liench, Common Pleas, and Exchequer, in Ireland, from the first_ day ut January, 1810, to she Ist of January, 1815, specifying the amount for which they were .'severally issued.—Ordered. ALZACHING .C?. Mr. PONIKINIAY rose to move the second read ing or the Bleachtng Act. Mr. BKOWNE coped, that the second reading would br deferred to some future &basic embraced a question or mums inter-national importance, re spe,sing the competition between the linenmmanuhic turies set England and Ireland. Mr. I'CINSONBY observed, that he had no objec tion to gratify the wishes of the Honourable (lank man; but begged 'rare to state, that the nature of the NU seemed to be misunderstood, as it did . nOt dude the general question, but merely went to repeal a clause in the old Bill. Sir JOHN NEWPORT remarked, that the House should not suffer even for a single hour, a clause to _exist in the old Billy which, in its °Faraday violated. the Act of Union, • Mr. HoRNER acknowledged that be Iles not perfectly acquainted with the nature of di BM is question, but reugesabered. that daring some former duicussion a strong sentiment. was generally enter tained against it, as militating Wiest the Went ma' nufactures of England i. he, therefore, conceived, that the second reading should be postp oned, to F i ve the Members an opportunity of obtaining mote perfect information on a subject so important to the Interests of the country. Mr. PONSONBY having acquiesced in the opi , nion expressed by the Honourable Gentleman, Wed nesday neat was appointed for the second reading of the Bill. .~ -~ I PROIILRTY TAIL: Mr. TIERNEY.—. , The Chancellor of the Ex. chequer having appointed next Friday week for the introduction of his new system of taxes, •L would de• sire to be Informed whether the Right . Hotiotteabit. Gentleman intends to submit previousli.to the coosi deration. of the House, the 'Ware of the svitena—tl , amount to be raised—mid the branches of guar.', tional expenditure to which the products are to !'d applied f"—(Hear, hear.) The CH4NCELLOK of the EXCHEQUER. " The Right Hon. Gentleman has totally miscon ceived the declaration I had made in the early patt of the evening. I 144 ktased ghat I should and it necessary, 1111 consequence of the espiration of the Property Tax, to propose some anauciel resolutions to toe Committee ot• %Vey, And Mean; but never had in chntentpiatinA the intreitinetip‘ftr * new system." Mr. TIERNEY. spr4 bvishpkibeit sabstWates :for the Propetel imerAirol that several. ew taxes Tax, or fur the purpose ut ruisins SUMS to licridre 1 1 _, ~ i>