Star. — London, England, 1812-05-05 00:00:00

k.M.' a mitti,im.tAvrAhr isitocEEhtmcs., tiOtiSrbr LORbS, MAY 4. The Pensions, Ike. Duty Bill was read it third tint. and passed. The Sandhurst Lands Bill, stStne local and private Bills were b ro ught np from the Commons by Mr. Lvsnwavo DI and other Members, and read a first time: Moor's Divorce Bill was read a Second time and committed far Wednesday . . 'The Earl of SHANNOINI presented a Petition froth the mer chants of Cork against the East India monopoly.—Laid ou the Table. On the third reading bf the Irish Tobseeo Duty Bill, The Earl of LAUDERDALE urged his former objection to I k e p r inciple of fixing a minimum of price on any commodity, and was supported by Lords HOLLAND and ROSSLTN. The Earl of )toss and the Earl of Ltsrza rooL supported the clauses objected M, sod the Bill was read a third time, and passed. be Gold Coin Bill was also read a third time.—Adjountecb MUSE OF COMMONS. r rM Packhurst Forest Bill, and the Sandhurst Lands mu, wele toad a third time, and passed. The Scots Custom Supperannuation Bill was read a third time, Old passe& Ti'lk Mae Drawback Bill went through a Committee. Toe per was received, and the Bill ordered to be read a third time tvinortow. The Excise t'apperainnuition Bill went through a Committee, and the report was ordered to be received to-morrow. Tire Salinities Bill was taken into farther consideration, and lame iiitMaslmenes were added. Mr. H. SMITH moved for leave to bring in a Bill to extend the lirovidisni tithe 56th of the King, and of an Act passed this Session, for ttle relief of persons entitled to Bank-stock, and other securities ie the public funds. Leave was given. The Bill was then brims& tip, teed a first dine, and ordered to be read a second time next Thursday. Mr. DICKINSON shoved for: leave to bring in a Bill to em power any two Magistrates tb order the repair of county bridges. Ordered. The Bill was brought up, rtad a first t ime, and ordered se be read a second time next PridaY. Lord COCHRANE gave notiee of a motion for Monday, for. m account of the lace, cambrfes, silks, and other manufactured goods imported lately truth France. Mr. ROSE stated that there would be no objection offered to the motion. Lord COCHRANE observed, that he woul.l move to night. Mr. CRk:EVEY moved that there be laid before the House the report of the Commissioners of his Majestfo woods and fo rests, which,by 64 Geo. 6.e. 70 and 50. c 65. ought t'o be laid before Parliament every third Session within SO days of the meet * of . Parliametir. Mr. WHARTON said, that no particular negligence was im pittabk to the Noble I ord now at the bra I of the Commission. Mr. WHITBREAD said, that the amount of the defence was, that the Noble Lord was merely as bad and negligent as his pre decesoire. Mr. WHARTON said, he dichot intend his statement for a defence. The Noble-Lord required none. Mr. WHITBREAD was glad to hear that the Honourable ttotleman did not intend a defence; fur the Noble Lord had ken proved to have neglected to do what the Act commanded. The motion was agreed to. Lord COCHRANE, after observing bow highly prejudicial to the manufactures of this country was the importation a French vilks,laces, Ike. and that it was no matter of surprise that the sea l er, was distressed while Ministers pursued such a policy, nerved that there be laid before the House an account of the hills, laces, cambric*, and other French manufactured goods im ported during the last two Months, and also to the latest period entered at the Custom House. Mr. ROSE said, that he mast object to the word " as Breinrportation of silks was utterly prohibited, and a contrary idea might excite some commotion In the country. Lord COCHRANE said that he, had seen these article& this isorhing. Mr. ROSE—boas the Noble Lord say that he has thh morn * seen manufa:tured silks in the 1 hunts ? Lord COCHRANE Lad seen silks which he was informed tame from France. Mr. ROSE said it was impossible. No CustomAnuse Officer Would dare to emerthrm. • Sir FRANCI% B(IRDETT *Observed, in answer to Mr. Rose's ohjection,that tkg production of the account, instead of exciting attatuce, would present all alarm, by shewing that there was an mile for any. Mr. ROSE agreed with the Honourable Barbnet, and with... drew his oblection. 'Ord COCHRANE again observed, that he bad seen a great smithy Of silk that morning, width he was informed was part of a cargo of Remo value. Mr. MELLISH recommends.) that the account should specify "whether the goods 'were for home consumption or exportation.— After a few words from Sir R. Peet., Mr. BARING, and htr J. Newmar, the motion was agreed to, with the addition, that it Should specify whether the goods were for home *consumption or • for exptirtation. Lead COCHRANE Wished to add to the motion, an account hfCirsterit Hence seizures of similar goods during the same pe riods but was informed by the SPEAltek that he must make a Upstate motion. Mr. R. WARD gave nod* that he should next Friday move ddi Address to the Prince Regent relative t 6 the Barracks. Mr. BROUGHAM brOught up a Petition from the weavers lit amity, et Lance ter and its vicinity. It complained of the number of sinecures ' enumerating those of Mr. Rose, Lords Ar den, Calriden,Ste. and abo'of the itemiser of foreigners supported in England. Mr. ROTE said, that his name seemed to be purposely fixed the heed of the list ; but he felt satisfaction in his sinecure, as It was giventn consequence of an Address of the ether House. Mr. BROUGHAM said, that he really meant no particular re gection op the Right Hon. Gentleman ; tin far from it that lee would *much rather see him in the enjoyment of any sinecure, than vested with any office to which duties were attached. The petition was ordered to lie on the Table. Mr. BENNEF moved for an account of the number of per. sons employed in the Commissary General Department in PuE tugal.—Ag reed to. Lord COCHRANE moved for an account of the seizures ti French silks, face, and other manufactured goods, for the last two months, specifying whether sold for home consumption or ex portation.—Agreed to. Mr. BARING movedfor the quantity of money raised for ser vice of the Veiled Kingdom, from 180 i to 1811 inclusive, dii tinguishing the s a me raised by the increase of tbe gado:mai debt and by taxes. The House dim went Into a Committee on the Orders in Cianci!, and Mr. Thumas Messenger, brass founder, Of Birming ham, was called in and examined. About nine o'clock the examination of witnesses eade.3, doe r!lairtnin repor.ed progress, and asked leave to sit again,. was piers. SIVECOREF. Mr, TIANKES moved, that the Sinecure °fracas • • Bill be further taken into consideration. -• • Mr. WILLIAM DUNDAS said he had many ob- ' tections to this measure. His objections wae‘chinfly . confined to the offices in Scotland. In that country: *ere were antient offices of State, which were appen, dages to Royalty, and were =tient vestiges of gran deur, which it woad be highly injurious to abolish. It would be a gross breach of faith to abolish these offices; it would be insulting to Scotland, and would be a violation of the Union 'with that country. The LORD ADVOCATE of SCOTLAND was • .01 the same opinion. This regulation would, in ,his mind, (lo away some of the principal cornpaits be tween England and Scotland at the time of the Unions -rkt that tune the office of Chancellor was done away l in Scotland, but another, that of Keeper of the Great %cal, was established in its stead. There were,many oiler offices of a similar description in Scotland, and he would ask, Whether it would be now fit to abolish those rights ? Were all those men who were truly Tespoanble, to be driven away ? and what trust_ or confidence was to be placed in the inferior Officers,' who were to be put-in their places, and who were to la v it a powe r o v er ' t t e I** load ed igtfigin of Bo* land Wcnict the House &dike* to the abolition of the Keeper of the Seal in Scotland Ulfe. BANKEC re/died, it woe ttot to. be delithed.2 he Honnur , able Member continued Mite said that the Bill spoke differently. The sill went to abolish the offices so far as related to salaries, This was tvbat he com plained of: for if the salaries Were cat off; the people of Scotland would have no sectuity for the due per formance of the duties of the Offices. In the Bill the offices of Lord Justice General and Lord Keeper of the Seal were to be consolidated. He contended, that the duties of the two offices could not be performed by one person. If the Bill passed, the people of Scot lead would be in a state of astonishment mixed with indignation. All Scotland would be in confusion. If the Bill passed, the people of Scotland would crowd to the Bar, and petition for the protection of their tights. Why did not the Honourable Gentleman extend his principle to all the offices in England ? Why did he not say, that in all cases where there was a deputy the principal ought to be removed, and the deputy made to perform the duty ? He wished that the regulation of all those offices should be left to the Lords of the Treasury. Believing that the measure was calculated to do more good than harm— (a laugh) —more harm than good, he should vote against its further progress. Mr. LYTTLETON said, he had often heard it thrown out against the people of Scotland, that they were more disposed to benefit by the corruptions 'of the State than any other people. He had often been inclined to consider these as calumnies ; but the speeches of the two Honourable Members who had just spoken contributed in some manner to remove that opinion. Would it be any longer said that Wilkes and Junius were calumniators of Scotland ? The offices in question were not only useless, but they were generally given to private favourites, io conse quence of which the power of the Aristocracy, and notthat of the Crown, was increased. If ever there was a time when this power ought to be rescued horn the Clown, it was the present. The Regent was surrounded with favourites and minions. This was proved by the appointment of Colonel *Mahon.— He had no objection to reward by sinecure offices, even to the amount of thousands, suck names as a Nelson or a Wellington ; but he never 'Auld consent to a shilling of the public money being given to a gamester or a spendthrift—( Mar, hear.) Mr. COURT ENAY spoke against theßill, which, he said, ought to have been divided into six classes, on every one of which the opinion of the House should have been taken. He considered it as radi cally bad, for it was founded on another Bill which could never be acted upon (Mr. Burke's Bill). The House, he contended, ought not to look at things as they ate, but as they have been ; and he was confi dent teat if this Bill was passed in its present form, it would be found to be one, the most expensive to the nation that ever was framed ; for it went to entail a charge on the people in perpetuity, by giving large pensions to those who held the first offices in the State for a certain number of years, which would in the end prove far more burthensorne to the peop:e than those offices and sinecures which it intended to abolish. Lord A. HAMILTON defended the system of consolidating and abolishing useless offices in Scot land. He contended, that all the offices pointed out in the Bill, might be executed by deputy, as recom mended, without any inconvenience resulting to the Public. 'The salaries of the principals might be saved, without at all diminishing or tarnishing the honour of the nation ; and at a time when our ex penditure was so large (in the present year he was convinced it would fall little short of £100,000,000) such a saving would be highly desirable. Colonel BASTARD said, the House had long been told by Ministers, that no office in reversion should be granted till the opinion of the House was known; and n-w, when, on the recommendation of so many Committees, a Bill has been brought in, and the expectations of the people raised to the highest pitch, they were told the Bill was not proper by those very men who, instead of rejecting, ought to do every thing in their power to amend it. An Hon. Gentleman opposite (Mr. Courtenay) had said, the House must not look at things as they are, but as they were. Good Goe! could they shut their eyes to what was passing at the present moment ? Could they be blind to the starving situation of the people, and say it was possible those unfortunate wretches could bear to see the loaf torn from the famished lips of their wives and children, to pamper in luxury a set of men who are 1 wallowing in wealth produced by peaces and pensions , wrung from their bard and incessant labour? (Ilear.)l He wished this measure had been differently con ducted, and that a separate vote had been taken on every place that was recommended to be abolished. 'f he thing would then have appeared more in its tree light Many orthose places, it was well known, were given as temptations to take office, end no" t as a reward for offices that had been welt on faithfully filled. He conjured the House to reflect by what thq were about to do. He was afraid di public did not now entertain so respectful an opidittin of the- House as might be wished ; and if they'disfeet Jo an in their power to shew that theplooked to the terest of the people more than to their own,- tare waethat respect would still be diminished. Mr. VANSITTART was of opinion the Bill should be recommitted, that it might have further consideration. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER opposed the Bill, on the ground that it would be taking a branch of the royal power from the King, which he ought to enjoy toe the purpose of enabling hiin to reward merit. This Bill, he said, went to curtail the emoluments of the Chief Justices of the Court of King's Bench and Common Pleas, offices which, he contended, were more arduous in their exe cution than any others under the Crown, and which were the worst paid. It would, therefore, be a most unjustifiable thing' to deprive them of the power of selling certain offices, or giving them to branches of their own families, to provide for them in some re spectable manner. If this Bill were to pass, no nian of talent would be found - who would undertake any species of public-business, and neglect his own part cular avocation. For these reasons the Bill should have his decided negative. Mr. BANKES observed, that much the greater ' part of the speech of the Right Honourable Gentle man and those who preceded him on the same side referred to points whichat.properly to be argued in a Costunittee. He w they had confined them- LONDON. TUESDAY, MAY S. PRIOR OF STOCKS THIS DAY Al' ONE fiCLOCIt Bank Stock 290,1—India Stock 8 per Ct. Cons. for money 61;1 —Do. for acc.6l& S per Ct. Reduced 60.1-4 per Cent. 75} 5 per Ct. 92 91t—Scrip pre.-1 nog Anna. 13 1141 th, Exch. BIM par Bs. pr.—Buods Si. 4s. pr. DETECTED CONSPIRACY. SIR JOHN LEICESTER'S CAVALRY. A plot of a very extensive and dangerou s nature has been discovered at Stockport, in Cheshire. We have the first authority for stating, that a regular con spiracy had been fcirmed ; and which, but for this timely discovery, was to have been put in exec° , tion this week, to throw the whole country into con fusion from Stockport to London, and even the capi- tal itself, in the event of their first attempts proving successful. • For the purpose of executing this diabolical work, agents had been distributed through all the interme diate towr.s, and the whcle ramifications of the late riots, and numbers had taken unlawful oaths to.aid land assist in the perpetration of the general ruin.— The signal was to have been the stopping of certain mail-coaches—the non-arrival of which at their usual hour and place, was to be considered as the com mand for the general rising. Sir Jons LEICESTER'S cavalry, a very meritbrions and active corps, was ordered to Stockport about 14 days ago. It is since their arrival at this place tha t thediscovery of this infernal conspiracy has been made by the Magistrates and the Commanding Officer of this corps, which has been on permanent duty for the List ten days. • We could not have believed that in this country we Were cursed with such diabolical fiends as the ' detection of this conspiracy has proved to exist in it. In common with every friend of humanity, we could not but deplore the privations which the lower orders have for some time been obliged to endures and we were disposed to ascribe to ignorance and suffering, the excesses which in various quarterstave disturbed I the peace of the country. Those who have been be grayed into acts of indiscretion, should still experience leniency ; but we hope that vigorous measures-will be adopted to bring the real incendiaries and instiga. tors to exemplary punishment. I' ---.--. - Letters were received in town this morning from Oporto, dated the 15th ultimo. They contradict the report of the fall of Almeida. A French corps, under General Dumessts, invested it for a day or two; but be was obliged to 'decamp, on a vigorous sortie madeby the garrison, which consists of Portuguese Militia. The defeat of the French before Almeida took plve on the sth. being the day on which Badajoz was taken by storm. Ciudad 'Rodrigo, was invested and summoned on the Bth ultimo, by a small French corps, but which I likewise disappeared on the,garrison refusing to sun. render. The Portuguese Militia is every where in full activity. MARbIONT is said to have made the best of his way to join SOOLT, after leaving a small corps of observation on the frontiers of Portugal. We have this morning received Jamaica Papers to the 18th March. They are full of complaints on the subject of the depredations committed in the West Indies by French privateers, which are now more numerous than when , the West India Islands belonged to France. These privateers are armed, fitted and refitted in AmericUn harbours, where they also carry and dispose of their captures, and it is not without reason that we may venture to assert, that they be_ long to American owners. Tfiis is a kind of war in disguise, which, we trust, will speedily be put an end to. The accounts from the Havannah, via Jamaica, 'state, that the troops of King FERDINAND had been every what triumphant over the Insurgents, or rem hationists, and that. tranquillity had been restored in South Ameriee. - , LOSS . Or Ing MAJESTIt's SHTPB SktLARI AND APELLES. We are sorry to announce the loss of his Majesty's sloops SKYLARK and APstits, on Saturday last ) on the.Yrench coast The crew of the fdrmer weresaved, and it is hoped also the crew or the latter. The par.. titulars are detailed in the subjoined letters t °' DEAL, APRIL 4. ag We ate sorry to state the loss of his Majesty's sloops Arvu.ss and SKYLARK, yesterday morning, on the French toast, near Boulogne. The Captain, Stir. geon, and Purser of the forrner are Made prisoners of war ; the remainder of the officers and crew, with the whole of the SKYLARK'S officers and crew, made their escape in their boats. It appears the accident occurred by thick weather. 41 During last night, and a great part of tes•day, a great firing has been heard from the enemy's coast, supposed to be an attenipt on the pan of the ships on the Boulogne station to destroy the Apu.tts. " . . " lIOVER, MAY 4. 11 On Sattrday evening last, his Majesty's sloops SKYLARK, Captain Boysa,. and APELLE3, Captain HOFFMAN, accidentally got on share on the ene my's coast, to the N. E. Etaples, occasioned by the riling of a very thick fog, and the wind being di rectly on the land. Captain BOYER, Ending it im possible to get the vessel off again, after seeing the , whole of the crew safe on board the boats, ordered the SKYLARK to be blown up, to prevent her falling into the enemy's hands. The Lieutenant and 24 of - the men, who were on board the gig; were picked up by the NYMPH hired armed cutter ; and the rest, it is supposed, will meet the s ►me chance. The Mime.% it is feared, will fall into the enemy's hands, and the crew in that case will most probably be made pr,i. soners of war." " DOVER, MAY 4. gi am sorrylo acquaint you of the los, of his Ma• jesty's sloops SKYLARK and APIU.LES, on the French coast, about four miles to the Northward and East• ward of Etsples, on Saturday last, in thick weather, One of the Lieutenants of the former landed here this afternoon, and from him we hear, that the whole of the crew of the SKYLARK was saved by her boats, and that the brig was blown up to prevent her falling into the hap& of the enemy. The Aaaxxas, it is feared, was taken possession of by the French ; .and as to her crew nothing at present is known. The Gentleman who landed here, came away from the SKYLARK with 24 men, and in rowing off from the French coast fell in with the NYMPH cutter, and put his men on board her ; the other.boats, with the re mainder of the crew, mast probably fell in 'with some other cruizers, and from the heavy firing that was heard here last night, and also at times this day, it is most likely an attempt has been made to destroy the APELLItik The NYMPH is going past for the Downs." American Papers to the 16th arrived this montage. FROM THE NEW•YORK GAZETTE, APRIL 13. We have it from authority at Washington, &la tirely satisfactory to us, that a dispatch-vessel will speedily set out for England. The writer of the letter. adds : she is meant to go to France, and that there certainly has been something done with Mr. Forma. He concludes by saying, you may now look out to • see Congress mighty bold, as soon as Mr. Fosraa gives way, and an arrangement is sent out.for ratifi cation not to be 'communicated to Congress until the dispatch-vessel briags back the sanction of the Panicle REGENT : you may then expect to see a declaration of war bid on the table, and after the artificial storm is over, the Army Bills revoked, taxes repealed, and the Treasury in the way to be replenished, the Ter.. rapins will swear they frightened England into terms: • 66 Not many days ago *e expressed the opinion, that if BARLOW had sent oat any favourable arrange. =eau with France, it would not be Lid before Coo. but used in negotiation with Mr. Foirrsa;so • about a revocation of the Orders in Coma The above intelligence, if accurate, supports the opinion. « The Philadelithia Casette remarks, tha ben a report of an embargo for several days, but does not perceive that it is all the work of specu lators. We have more than once had occasion to state that serious disturbances bad taken place in France, ow the subject of the high price of provisions. Theis commotions have now extended to Paris. Twent thousand malcontents were on one occasion c and the following inscription was discovered nut morning on the walls of the Thuilleries: " &Lib l PLICIE! or the Read of theTyrent 1" To appease the multitude, the Bakers were ingot-- + diately required to supply the Citizens with brastig. I four sots per lb. instead often. A Gentleman wb we have seen, and who left Paris a few days ago,, expressed his surprise when he arrived at Morlaix, find that Bread was three -tines the price tbere4 .what it was at Paris. A French Gentleman, who was present, very significantly observed—" 1b EMPEROR &tang lain for the Parisieuu." • In addition to the many causes for exciting uneasiness in the breast of BONAPARTIip which have of late alluded to) the above cannot fail to strike our Readers in a forcible light. Indeed, the general report throughout the whole of France is, that the Emperor is sincerely desirous of Peace. The deficiency of provisions from the Streightt of Gibraltar to the shores cf the Vistula, with a popu. lation of fifty millions to supply, h ad produced in him no inconsiderable alarm, which the restoration of the tranquillity, and the re•establishment of the intercourse of Europe, seemed to be alone competent to remove. Basso—This day the Loan MAYOR, after inspect. jug the Returns, ordered present prices to remain. • This day, at twelve o'clock, the follolidog Notice eras stud sp I the Stock Exchange :—lrish Pao 4111 , 7 6 0 A000 ISO lot Ireland, the bidding; to take place os Thersdatp,:das if May; 4100 t)apital St per Cent. Mak to take ppeat fro, SAO caber, Mt:, to XS per Gans. memos trout 15th "-Wing is to ps is 'beast reap. • . ~~ : . !elves to thi ininc;ple of theta', itnci ha 4 not figras sed him with this double difficulty, There were few Offices int'Ondtd to be abolished. It Was only intend ed to abolish large Salaries when attached to ineffi cient offices. He was really surprised to hear the offices which-this Bill proposed to abolish, represent ed as in some measure the outworks and safeguards which were necessary to the protection of the Crown. On the contrary, he tdther regarded them as a mill stone appended to the Monarchy, in danger *of wtigh ing it to the ground ; because these sinecures were be come low, degraded and odious in the estimation of the people.—(h(iai, hear.) —The recent vote of the Honte by which the sinecure held by Colonel M'Ma hon *ls abolished, had ruined their character in the eyes of the country. Almost all the arguments of the Honourable Gentlemen from the Northern part of the Island, seemed to him to be founded on a mis conception. It was astonishing to him that those Gentlemen, with 41 the acuteness generally attributed to the natives of that part of the country, should not have been able to comprehend what his Right Ho nourable Friend, however, ( the Chancellor of the Ex chequer) seemed to comprehend very well indeed, i namely, the difference between an Office and the Sa lary of an Office.—(4 laugh.) Mr. CANNING strenuously supported the Bill. Lord CASTLEREAGH opposed the Bill. The House then divided—For the Bill, 134 Against it, 123--MAJonair AGAINST MINISTERS ELEVEN. The other Orders of the Day were then disposed of, and the House adjourned at THREE o'clock. THE EVENING STAR.