Star. — London, England, 1801-05-15 00:00:00

PARLIAMENTARr PROC.EEDWGS. HOUSE OF COMMONS, THURSDAY, MAY re. The Bills to permit the Royal Exchange and London situ nine Companiesto future Property on Rivers and Canals, were read a third time, and paired. Mr. Lowe moved an humble Addrefs to his Majefty, that his Majefty would be graciosily pleated to order the Refolutions of the Planters and Merchants of Grenada, in the months of January and June, 1793, relative to the State of the Bland and the Fortifica tions thereof, together with a Copy of the Letter of General Hon* to the Right Hou. Henry Dundu, rdpedling the State of the Fortifications, and the Expeuces for repairing the fame, to be laid before the Haire • which was agreed to. The Houk in a Committee went through the Fines and For fdtures Bill. To be reported to-morrow. Mr. Bennet brought up the Report of the Committee of Ways and Means, which was read and agreed to, and a Bill ordered. The Horfe Hyde Bill, the Dublin Foundling Hofpital Bill, aqd the Bill to permit Portugal Wine to be bonded, were read a Brit, and ordered to be read a fecond time to-morrow. The Hair Powder and Armorial Beating tax Bill, and the lith Members Duty Exemption Bill were read a fecoed time and committed for to-morrow. COUNTRY RAMC NOTE FOROERY BILL. _ _ _ Mr. DENT objected to the firlt reading of the Bill, and moved that it be poflponed to this day three months. He Paid it was (welling the ilatute books with penal Ilatutes, to give to a defcription of perfons a degree of confcquence to which he by no means confidered them entitled. It was like wife giving a legiflative fans ion to the circulation of Country Bank Notes, which had already arrived to an alarming pitch, and rather demanded the interference of that Houfe to fupprefs, than en courage it. He knew, he laid, of two very refped able Country Banks, one at Liverpool, the other at Lancaller, who refuted to Wile their own notes, and yet the bufinefs of thefe towns was as well con cluded as that of any other town in England. He confidered the fyftem as mifchievous to the coun try at large, and to every individual in it—to it may be attributed the prefent high price of provi lions, and until fomething was done to put a flop to it, inftead ofencouragmg it, he feared every ef fort to keep down the price of every article of life, would prove ineffetual. The country Bankers, in order to attach a confequence to their own paper, as foon as they get a Bank of England Note into their poireffion, fend it to London immediately ; and to prove the affertion, he appealed to every Gentleman who was in the habit of receiving rents, if they received one pound in ten in Bank of Eng land Notes. This was fo much the fyftem, that he had adually been afked in the country, if the Bank of England had ceafed to iffue notes ? He thought it wrong that private individuals fhould have been permitted to avail themfelves of a privi lege which the Legiflature had found it expedient to grant to the,Bank of England, of iffuing (mall notes inflead of cafb. He thought the Bankers fhould have confined themfelves to their former praßice, of iffuing no notes lower than five gui neas ; and that the (mailer notes ought to be cir culated by the Bank of England alone. If this method had been adopted, it would have faved many families from ruin. It caufed petty fhor keepers in every little village in the kingdom to become Bankers ; who after circulating their paper round the country, fail, indebted to all the poor in their neighbourhood. He knew an initance of once of thofe houfes having failed for 800,0001. and paid only ss. in the pound. He affured the Houfe that he was aduatcd by no perfonal views in his oppo fition to the Bill ; he was by no means concerned in its fate, but he conceived it would not be a be neficial meafure. Mr. TTRANITT JONES (econded the motion.— He had the higheft refped for the Hon. Baronet who had brought . in the Bill, but he had not an equal relpeCt tor the Bill itfelf. There could be no doubt that its effed would be that of producing a greater circulation of par currency than at pre fent existed . He Walled pe the Houle to revert to the cattle of the Bill ; the caule was the Ad to in demnify the Bank of England for refuting to pay their Notes in fpecie ; the cattle was the guineas which Miniflers had fent out of the country to fubfidize Vienna, Berlin, Naples, Peterfburg, Sar dinia, and La Vendee. Thank Gon! the grant ing fubfidics feemed to be pretty well over. He hoped the Houfe would hear no more of them, for it was by means of diem, and the Britifh gui-, newt fent to the Chouans, to promote the relto ration of the French Monarchy, that the prefent meafitre was the fubjed of difctiflion. He could Rate it as a fad to be relied on, that thi Britifh guineas fent to France to encourage infurredion in La Vendee, had not only been received by the Chouans, but by Republicans, who perfonificd thole Chouans. He knew not why a meafure like this, which was fraught with the greaten evil, had been brought forward at all If it fhould be the fenfe of the Houle, that the Bill to favour Country Bankers &could be paired, it was his intention to, bring up , a claufe for laying an additional Ramp upon their Notes. t was a common obfervation of the people now ► that they never law the King's • piatire—Goo he retired, the original was in a (fate of convalefcence—this he declared he fpoke from his heart as an Englifhman—he hoped the public would again be bleffed with the fight of the original and picture too. The latter, he was per (muted, would not be the cafe if this Bill paired and. therefore, if his Honourable Friend's motion was rejedcd, be fhould to-morrow move a claufe to lay x tax by gradation on Country Bankers. Sir WM. ELVORD defended the Bill. He Paid it did not go to increafe the penal (lattices, it went rot:rely to prevent the paper and water-mark ufed by Bankers being made by any perfons without the perminion of tome pertain authorifed for that purpofc ; and likewife to prevent the engraving of plates. He thought it a beneficial meafure, in aiinuch as it encreal( .1 fecurity of the public; and a humane meafure, mai - notch as it went to prevent forgeries being committed. In anfwer to the oblervat:on of Mr. Jones, relative to his inten tion of taxing Bankers, he begged to remind the Hoc. Gentleman, that they were already pretty heavily taxed. All re-iiihable notes of Bankers for int. paid ,6d. duty. He laid, that the circu lation of County Bank Notes had been reduced fint-e the war. denied that the Country Bank en aided the Fasiners io keeping back their grain: the Farmers were the creditors iaftead of being the debtors of the Bankers, in that part of the Country where he refided, (the Weft of England). He had fubmitted the plan of the Bill to the Go vernor of the Bank of England, and it met with his approbation. For his part, he could fee no reafonable objeaion which could be given to it. Colonel BUXTON thought that attempting to prevent forgeries encouraged the circulation of pa per currency, to the injury of the public. In every little village in the kingdom might be found a Banker iffuing twenty-(pilling notes. He did not fee why he himfelf fhould not as well come to Parliament for a Bill to prevent his own notes of hand from being forged as any Country Banker. He difapproved of the Bill, and fhould vote for the amendment. Mr. EL LI SON defended the Bill. He denied that the Country Bankers tended in the fmalleft degree towards the encreafe of the high price of provifions. He thought it was to be attributed more to Lon don Bankers ; and laid there were many Banks in the country as fafe as the Bank of England. Mr. Rossoa fupported the amendment. Mr. MARTIN (of Galway) approved of the Bill. Mr. CORRY laid, th 4 private Bankers in Ireland had gone to fuch an extent, that fomething mutt be done for that part of the United Kingdom, be caufe he was fure they would not be able to pay the notes they had iffued. He was anxious to get fuch information as would enable him to ground a meafure to correlt this evil, but he was afraid no thing could be done this feflion. However, when he vifited Ireland this fununer, he would endea vour by every means in his power, to procure fuck information as would enable him to come to that Houfe early in the next feflion with fome fpecific meafure. He hoped the hint he then threw out on the fubjeet, would have the effeet of inducing the Bankers in Ireland to get in as much of the paper they have afloat as poffible, and be the means of checking a fyilem to which, if no bounds were put, the confequences may be molt injurious to the community. As he did not fee the Bill be fore the Houfe could tend to encreafe the circula tion of Country Bank Notes, and as it avowedly went to prevent forgeries, and thereby give a greater fecurity to the holders of notes, it fhould have his fupport. Mr. BURDON was glad to hear what fell from the Right Hon. Gentleman who (poke laft. He thought if a meafure was to be adopted to limit the circulation to a certain extent throughout the United Kingdom, it would be beneficial to the country. He thought the Hon. Gentlemen who oppofed the Bill had not read it, or they would not do fo. The Bill went to protea the water mark of any individual who might think proper to adopt it, as well as that of Bankers. All ranks of people in bufiners who wifhed to avail themfelves of it might do fo. He was perfuaded the circula tion of Bank Notes was of very great utility in Scotland, and he did not think them by any means injurious in this country ; on the contrary, he thought they gave a facility to trade which it would not have without them. The SPEAKER Paid, in confequence of what had fallen from the Hon. Gentleman who fpoke laft, he had looked into the Bill, and found that it did not agree with the leave given by that Houfe, or with its own preamble. The leave and preamble both fisted that it was to prevent Forgeries on Bankers; and it would be found that other perfons were included in the Bill.—The Preamble and Bill being then read, they were found not to agree. —The Bill was therefore withdrawn. --.... ..._._ Sir Wm. ELFORD then moved for leave to bring in a new Bill, which was agreed to. MESJAGE FROM THE Eitta• Lord HAWIESIBURY brought up the following Meirage from the Kama G. R. o His htsjirry taking into csalideration the danger with which his faithful Ally the %ern of PORTUGAL is now threat coed by a formidable kwatiou on the part of France, and eon- Odering the very great advantages which the esmmcree of this country derives from its connection with Portugal ; and relying upon the zeal and attachment of his faithful Commons, His MAJESTY recommends to that Houfe to confider the pro. piety of granting an aid to the gu at et of P , to CM be her todefend her dominions apinit the threatened Invafion.' Lord HAWKESBURY Paid, that he Mould on Monday next, in the ufual form, move, That this gracious Communication from the Throne Thould be referred to a Committee of Supply. " He meant to propofe a Refolution in that Committee, that a fum not exceeding 300,0001. be granted to his MAJESTY, by way of advance, to, be applied in fuch manner as circumilances may, in his MA-. parry's wifdom, feem to require. He, therefore, moved, that this gracious Meffage be referred to a Committee of Supply.—Ordered. SALT. _ The CHANCELLOR of the Excnaiwza faid, that in purfuance of the notice which he gave yefter day, he rote to move for a Committee to inquire into the Law, as it regarded the Duty on Salt, and the inconveniences wiring therefrom. and that they do report the fame, with their opinion there upon, to the Houle. He Paid it was not neceffary for him to fay any thing on the nature of the arti cle to which this motion referred, the importance of it was felt in our agriculture, in our manufac tures, and in almolt all the neceffaries of life, and, perhaps, at the prefent moment, nothing was more clearable than that of effefting a reduftion in the price of this article. The Duty on it was high, and there were not many articles on which the duty bore a higher proportion to the original value of the article etfelf, and perhaps there were not many articles in which there was fo large a di! proportion between the produce to the Revenue and the burthen to the public, as this article of fah. it mull be the with of the Honfe that as large and as free an ufe as poilible (hould be made of this article, and as low an expence as could praCtically be deviled; in this the conveniences of trade would be much confulted. Indeed he knew there were fame who thought that the duty on this article ought to be done away altogether.— The whole of that matter, however, would be for future confideration. Some Gentlemen were of opinion, that a commutation of this tax ought to be adopted, and that it ought to hay: been adopted long ago. That matter alto would be for future confideration ; and all that he fhould obrerve at prefent was this : if in the wifdom of Parliament tt fhould Teem fit that a commutation of this duty fhould take place, no argument could be made ufe of on the renewal of the duty, by the motion he was now about to make, becaufe it was for a Com mittee to inquire into the fubjc&. Nor was the cafe now the fame as it had been on that article. The great objed of the commutation formerly, was to prevent fmuggling. The prefent objet was to reduce the price of the article. The Houfe would perceive that his idea was, that true policy in this cafe, was to keep the price of the article as low as poflible. The fiffijed was one which had long occupied his attention, and he had the plea lure of concurring in fentiment upon it with a re fpeftable body of Gentlemen who defired him to bring forward the meafure in that Houfe ; many Members of that Houfe had intimated that with to him, and among them Lord Sheffield, of whom it was impoflible for him to fay too much in praife. He then moved, That a Committee be appoint ed to inquire into the law relating to the duty on falt, and into the means of remedying the in conveniences arifing therefrom, and to report the fame with their opinion thereon to the Houfe."— He added, however, that this was only a prepara tory ftep, in a fubjeet to which much inveftigation belonged, and that he had no hopes of concluding the matter this Sefton of Parliament. He hoped, however, that the labours of the Committee upon it might be printed, and perufed during the recefs. The Qieftion being put, General GASCOYNE ezprelred great fatisfaetion at feeing this fubjeft thus taken up. It was much wanted. The part of the country from which he came, were fuffering much, and fome trades had been almoft annihilated by the duty on this article. In a word, Salt was a neceffary of life, fo eaten- five in ufe, and fo effential, that he would no more make it a fubjeCt of taxation than flour. Mr. JONES was glad the Right Hon. Gentleman had given earnest of his intention to do away fo odious a tax as this, and which was laid on by the Right Hon. Gentleman's predeceffor in Office.— He only hoped that this was an earnest for the Right Hon. Gentleman purfuing a different line from that of his predeceffor. Mr. VASIDELESIR afked, if it was intended to in. elude Ireland in the proposed meafure i and was anfwered in the affirmative. Mr. Lea raid, that this would be a very benefi cial meafure to Ireland, one half of the Fifheries of which were loft, becaufe the perfons who caught the fish were obliged to throw one half of it away on account of their not being able to buy falt to cure the fish. He knew that a drawback was al lowed on falt ufed for the curing of fish, and for certain Manufa&ures, but the large Manufadurer only could really avail himfelf of that drawback, the poor map could never buy a fufficient quantity at a time, tocome within the benefit of that drawback. Mr. WILIISEFORCi expreffed great ratisfaftion at the meafure now propofed by his Right Hon. Friend. It was almoft inconceivable how much the Agriculture, the Manufadures, and alma all the articles which were emphatically to be called the neceffaries of life might be affeded by this, and afieded in a way molt advantageous to the mars of the public. He had never thought it a good tax; but with regard to the policy of a Right Hon. Gentleman Pin Pitt) in taxing it, his objed chiefly was regulation of duties'aftually in being. Mr. Jones infifted, that the former Minifter (Mr. Pitt), had doubled the duty on this article ; and he (Mr. Jones) raid, at that time that he fhould after wards move for the Repeal of that odious gabelle. Lord HAWILISBURY obferved, that with regard to what had been laid on the policy of his Right Honourable Friend the late Chancellor of the Ex chequer' he muff obferve, that he had not been treated fairly to-night on the fubjed of the Duty on Salt; it was true that the duty was increased, and an Hon. Baronet (Sir W. Pulteney), had ob jeded to the increase, and Rated the advantages that might arise by taking off the duty altogether. His Right Hon. Friend raid, at that time, that although he did not fee the applicability of the reafoning of the Right Hon. Baronet, to the then condition of things, lyet he faid, that at a future period it might become fo, and he himfelf Mould be glad to fee the tax on fome future day conimut ed ; but at that particular moment it might wt.)]. out material inconvenience, be made an article by which a confiderable aid would be given to the Revenue. He did not treat it as a permanent tax, but on the contrary confidered it as a tax to which, at fome future day, he fhould be glad to fee a commutation applied. Mr. Colter expreffed great fatisfaftion at the ef fees this meafure, (which had been to his know ledge long in the contemplation of its Right Hon. mover,) would have on the fiffieries and other trade of Ireland. It would be hailed in that coun try a blefling. Mr. NICHOLLS raid, he heard the Motion of the Right Hon. Gentleman with great pleafure ; the advantages to be derived by all cla&s of people, by a redulion of the Dutyon Salt, were indefcrib able,' but he wished not to flop here, for a number of the molt effential articles of life were taxed to • high that the lower daft:: were almolt crushed, and fome of them fhould be taken off and others fubaituted ; Coal, for inflance, as well as many other articles, was in this situation. The Right Hon. Gentleman, by attending to there points would deferve well of his country and of mankind. Mr. Asaxasola faid, that this was a meafure which was aufpicious to the beginning of the la bours of the United Parliament, and one of the 'f leets of the Union, for it would have been very • difficult to make it general in the way it now may be, if each country had a diftinft Parliament.— There were tome vac's, as he underftood, felted on an allegation that they were employed in fmug. • gling Salt into this Country. He hoped care would be taken to promulgate the meafure now about to be adopted by the Houfe, and efpecially in Ire land, for there it would be particularly hailed as bleffiag. At the fame time he was forty that a niobium like this fhould produce any acrimony when there was no difference of opinio l ur should it— it mild be regarded as a boon, not a rub ' jed of contention. Mr. BAGWELL raid, he did not how another np.tb. lure which could be fo beneficial to Ireland as th,— Mr. W. SMITH could have almoft wifhed, he laid, that his Hon. Friend had not alluded to any body who had propofed a Tax upon Salt, becaufe the bufinefs of to-day was a butinefs of agreement and mutual fatisfaetion, not of difcontent or drift; but as he had done it, and as it had been anfwered that the objea of the late Chancellor of the Ex chequer was to regulate the Duty on Salt, it mutt not be forgotten, that the Right Hon. Gentle, Man did lay on Salt a double Duty, if Ten Shil lings were double the amount of Five. However, he was very happy, that the meafure now pro poled was brought forward.--The Motion was then put and carried, and the Committee nomi nated immediately, and powers were given to them in the ufual manner. PERSONS UNDER SENTENCE OF DEATH. Mr. Josss adverted to the number of perfons now under fentence of Death, which had accumu lated for a confiderable time, becaufe the Recorder had had no opportunity of making Reports. His Majefty's happy convalefcence now removed that barrier which occafioned the delay; he, therefore, wi(hed the Chancellor of the Exchequer to inform him when there would be a Council held for the purpofe of receiving the Report He hoped he (hould have credit for his motive in afking this queffion. If improper, he (hould not perlift in it. The CHANCELLOR of the ExcHt.gyEß faid, it was impoflible for him to hold any conference in the Houk on that fubjed. The SPEAKER raid, he had not the leaf[ idea of doubting the purity of the Hon. Gentleman's in tention, but this was a queftion which could not be put. ELIGIBILITY OP THE CLERGY. The Cu cr ttcntof the Ex c Eqpt a then moved. " That the Report of the Committee on the Bill to remove doubts refpeeting the Eligibility of Per funs in Holy Orders fitting in the Houfe of Com mons, be now received." He faid it was a with exprefed by hirnfelflaft night, and by others, that this Bill fhould be printed. There were two or three flight verbal amendments to be made in the Report, which rendered it necefrary to re-commit the Bill. He propofed to commit it to-day, and to receive the Report immediately, and to order that the Report fhould be taken into further con fideration to-morrow, and he hoped the Houfe would allow the Bill to be read a third time on Monday next. The Report was accordingly received, recom mitted, Report received, ordered to be taken into further confederation tomorrow, and that the Bill, with the Amendments, be printed.—Adjourned. REPORT. The Committee wbo were appointed to enquire into the fate of the prefect miffing Laws between Marten and Servants, and'alfo to enquire, whether any, and what further Provi, Bons and Amendments may be neceffary thereto; and to re port the fame,with their opinion thereupon, to the Houfe— Have enquired accordingly ; and have come to the following Refolutions : Refolved. That it is the opinion of this Committee, that the prefect mining Lars, as far as they are applicable to the power given to Maglitrates to fettle difputca between Mailers and Ser vants, are defedive, becaufe they have, by confinable. been confined to Somata in Huibandry only. Refolved, That it is the opinion of this Committee, That it would he beneficial to the Community, to apply many of the Provifions and Regulations contained in that Ads, to all Me. nial and Domeftia Servants. illefolved, Thee it isthe opinion of this Cenunitter, that, as doubts have miles whether liefagiiirates *ire, by Law, any power to hear and determlne dlfputes between Marten anlAr tilicers' Labourers, or other Perim), in cafes where fuch Ar tificers. Laboorms, and other Perform are employed in Ts*. wash ,or bp the Great, it would be expedient to give fuck paver te rMYed. kis the opinion of this Committee, tint :,, power iheelj* given to Magiltrates, to hear and cte!rr difpein, iontrads, or agreements, where the fuse in elelle ball mimed a fum to be limited. 714 0 111 ." 4 0 tried t• Crab st lif that Article of tbeesi, shids wale se groelir oturser of Manahan than =baill PIS wilatilleroiru in Irdsel bc ef hill ~sem ofilie Imperial Parliament, hate ' in& Ildr &mt. They floe it as their opinion, in the AIM of iehhniens, that the following Perform hail be in ' emedila et Wisp rieded a Member, or of fitting in the Im peril Prefiersent, via. No pates wise hall be a Cornmiffioner of Cultoms, Emile, or fltesspe, or who hall be concerned, directly or indiredly,ki the farming, etheding,or managing any of the rums of mczey, duties, or other olds heretofore granted, or which hall heir after be fronted by any Ad of PartlaMent to his fetakilf, its heirs or fuerelfere. (except the CoeueliboOsei of the .TreefurT mid their flowermy): • Nor say paws who hall be a Commillieser for determining appeals ecestaniai the Paid Desire of Cams, Excire, and. hemp*, or for oxeroalleg or =gift the account of the rod Duties. (except the Auditor nwsi of the/x*9=l. Nor any perfon who hall be a Conmelhona of Impreft Ae. gems: or any Agent for any Regiment: Nor any Perfon who hall, dlredly or indirmill, hirnfelf, sr by so Perko erhatfoever in trult for him, or for his ufe er beeselly or IS his nessont, undertake, execute, hold, or eajoi, or andnee to alms, bold, or enjoy, in the whole or in prs, any contrad, or eosnmlflion made or entered ants under or from W Commillioners of lab Majefty's Treafurr fie Ireland. er with any me or mere et leek Coinmillioaeri, ar with any other Peen it Perfoas whetters-Ira, far or on account of the Public Smoke Is Ireland; a who hall knowingly and willingly turn& or provide In wham of any fuels agree • meat, eantrethoor eseseddien width be or they hall bier made eR adored bee se stersidd, my as sv to be ranittoi abroad, of my IMO eV merebeedlss to be id er employed in the Service Ohs Pula, hide. the dm that be had err cute, bold or am*, amp fads bossraa, sitomarls. or ""' mithon. army part it here thereof, or any batedt or weak. mint "id (rem Ike Irene /except Perkin who hall be Mcm b e r d l is z a hmepereted Trading Company Dow exiiting or Wind. and eanheing or more than ten Perini)+, h lir se edits to wry eentaddt, or conundEce. MO& mot ey beer may ile *ode, entered flte ' fdr esm 7oll Vials Cuipany be ks Cceporate capacity, for the Ware keewsuels• er Company): Nig gia l Drys ar Cleft Is say of the fercrel Offices fol• 'bittglil 117) die Monet Lord High Trcafurcr, or . the Coeumillmese of the Treshey. (min the Set . '" °I she Treshry); er sidle Avatar My the Receipt of his MO =MI at of the Taos tithe Exchequer ; or of the et he isthirwer (except the Secretary of the Clon ally of the Eseimpar); or of the Cemenlaseers of tb. Illmspes or at the Ommeddlosen of Me SW: porton who Si hive, In nesse, at lat h ' MI S if oar the farad et poorer mbar him In tae! der Wm it Ms beads. ati gat. es et pries etyma. hem Getty die or nowdesdes V sr irr ga sprehmetet. teldsh letha l = et Laid Usikairent, Lord Deputy. Lord er ether Clistdmereer ar Oommen edam poet etthe United laggerra. mad bid, creased or reshot at way dm *fir hs psis et soh& et the Peellimest of tdivel.lit tile dirt , ' Mid yew et ch bd. of bb probe trashy, bitillidet‘ •A" Alt helbvide t h e r e :issises ad bilepekiesse stir; Hook ▪ Olollamo titre Wks my Of bee ander dm beradle mod, Wags co" Ids 0111sm dards er Palm ht Wm errs* 'ir 4104 Ws Me 'e piddleMb"