Star. — London, England, 1820-06-06 00:00:00

r ~: the Committee, as was also the Petition of the Ship owners, °tithe motion of Mr. MAKRIATT. • ORAMPOUND DISFRANCHISEMENT BILL. Lord JOHN RUSSELL moved the Order•of the Day for the House to resolveitself into a Committee on the Bill for Disfranchising the Borough of Gram pound. It was not necetsary.fur him, updn this oc c.tsion to detain the House with any lengthened statement upon the merits of the question, as they had already been so fully examined. He was ready to accede to any amendment which should appear to him of a useful character; but he could not help saying. that to extend the franchise to the neigh bouring Hundreds, as was proposed by the Hon. Gentleman on the other side, would be at variance with the very principle of the Bill. It appeared to him that'llie most proper measure to adopt would be to transfer it to some large and populous place, not now represented, and, so far as the principle was ceacerned, it would make no difference whether that place was in Durham, Northumberland, or in any other county. He regretted that the conduct of Ministers, with regard to this measure, was wavering and inconsistent, s 4) much so, that he was sure there was net a single independent Member iu the House who would regard one some what they said upon that subject—(Hear. hear). The Hon. Mr. SMITH was in favour of transfer ring the franchise in the manner proposed by his Noble Friend, because he thought the manufacturing interest was almost unrepresented in that House. It was, he was persuaded, in consequence of this cir cumstance that so many. disturbances had arisen in the manufacturing districts, of which designing and turbulent persons took advantage, in order to excite disaffection to the laws and co nstitution . of the coun• try. He approved of this Bill , because its principle involved an intelligible and practicable plan of Reform— (h ear, hear).—No candid man could pos sibly deny that such a Reform was necessary, for there was at present a foul stain upon the represen tation, which ought to be remove&-(llear, hear). — He should be the last man to encourage or counte nance any of those visionary schemes of Reform, which 'must eventually terminate in the annihilation of all Government, and which he regarded only with detestation and abhorrence. But while the would-be pattiots of the country were ready to avail them selves of the distress of the people, in order to make it sei ye their own purposes, it was right that every tiling ought ho be done to counteract their designs, and he should regret the advantage which the refusal to accede to the proposition now before the House would create. This was a safe, honest, and expedient measure ; and he 'could assert, that in the pal t of the country with which he was more intimately con nected. there was but one opinion among all parties as to the laudable efforts male by his Noble Friend with regard to it—(Hear, hear). Mr. Serjeara ON SLOW concurred entirely in the general principle of the Bill, and would not say a word upon the expediency of transferring the fran chise to the neig hbouring Hundreds. The Borough of Grampound'had proved to be notoriously corrupt; and therefore was no lenger worthy of retaining those rights which it had abused. He should not say, that the County sent as honourable men to Parliament as ever sat in it, but the case had fre quently been different with the Boroughs. In Grain. pound, such was the state of corruption, that neither party dared to tender the Bribery- Oath. It was highly proper that the House should take cognizance of this Borough; and it was to be recollected, that Durham, Chester, and the Welsh Counties, owed their possession of the elective franchise not to the Crown, but to the ParliaMent. Mr. D. GILBERT would not say a single word in vindication ut Grampound, because no vindication was possible, from the grossness of the system of . corruption which had so long prevailed there. Yet while he made this declaration, he must at the same time say, that he objected to the mode by which the Noble Lord would now establish a precedent which must be considered as permanent with respect to other Boroughs. The Honourable Gentleman then proceeded to observe, that his grand objection to that mode was, that it would tend to render the Repre sentation of the House of Commons much more de mocratic than it was at present. The present con stitution of the House might be compared to the charm of the lamp of Aladdin, as it was that which would preserve . it through all vicissitudes. If the elective franchise was transferred from the Borough of Grampound to Leeds or any other populous place, the consequence would Le, that the acuteness of the inhabitants of towns equally large would be excited tri discover flaws in the constitution of other Bo roughs, that- they might benefit by it themselves.— He next adverted to the case of several Boroughs, with the view of proving that the franchise might be transferred to the neighbouring Hundreds, without affecting the Representation of the County. In proof of this argument, lie instanced the cases of Shore ham, Ayleibury, and Cricklade. Were any attempt made to establish Representative Government in the other countries of Europe, without providing so pro per an equipoise for the respective constituent States, the consequence would be anarchy in the first in r.-.ance, and military despotism in the end. Our Con mitution, however, was so happily framed, and regu lated itself with so much facility to the interests of till, that it gave to England an extent of freedom such as was not to be found in any country in the world, and produced in it a tree of liberty which nowhere else could take root! The Honourable Mem ber then moved an Amendment, " That the elective franchise should be transferred to Ws neighbouring Hundreds of Fen and Cawdor, while Grampossad should at the same time enjoy its rights nominally; and those or the Hectors who had not been convicted Of bribery should be allowed to vote during their lives, and upon their decease, that right to devolve on the Mayor and twelve Aldermen, by whom It should be esclusively possessed." ADJOERNHINT OF THE DEBATE. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER now rose, and said, that it would not be proper to come to any decision on so important a question, during the absence of some of his Noble and Right lion. Friends, who were at that moment attending a Cabinet Council--(Hear.)—He should therefore move as an Amendment, " That the debate be adjourned till to mon ow."—The question being put, Lord JOHN RUSSELL said, that he should feel every disposition to meet the views of the Right I-lon. (kaki-ran t so far as Was consistent with his duty to the House and to the Country, but the postponement of-the-motion did not perhaps rest ;so ;mirth with him as with his Honourable Friend, the Member for Durham (Mr. Lambton), who had a question of great importance to bring on to-morrow, which cotild not be postponed unless he gave his assent. ' Mr. LAMBTON thought that some more sub stantial grounds ought to be adduced in support of the proposition of the Right Honourable Gentleman than the-simple statement of some of his colleagues being absent at a Cabinet - Council: They found themselves, it appeared, involved in serious difficul ties from the circumstance of her Majesty's embarka tion at Calais, and therefore were obliged to attend a Cabinet Council, but the public business was not ou this acconutio be neglected !—(Hear, hear).—For himself, he should not abandon for a single hour his intention of bringing on the question of Parliamentary Reform to-morrow. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER could not be expected to disclose for what purpose a secret consultation of his Majesty's Ministers was found ne-, cessary ; nor did he presume to dictate to the House what day would be the most convenient for post poning the motion to; that being entirely for Ho nourable Members to determine. He thought, how ever, that there would have been no objection to fix ing the motion for to-morrow; but as an Honourable Member did make such an objection, Thursday would be the earliest day on which it could be entertained. The understanding of the House was now, that the motion should be postponed.; and a short conver,. sation took place between Mr. BENNETT, Mr. CAL CRAFT, the CffANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER, and Mr. TIERNEY, as to the day which would be most suitable, conformably with existing arrangements. Mr. TIERNEY suggested Monday next, which was agreed to, and the motion ordered to stand ad journed for that day accordingly. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said, that having intended to lay before the House the details of the Loan on Friday, and to introduce the regular Budget on Monday, he must, in consequence of this arrangement, defer the Budget till Wednes day se'nnight. INSOLVENT DEBTORS ' BILL. On the motion of Lord ALTHORP, the House resolved itself into a Committee on this Bill. Mr. DENMAN objected to the clause for allowing three Commissioners instead of one; for, in his opi nion, if ever there was an--instance where arbitrary controul could with propriety be given to an indivi ' dual, it was in this, from the peculiar nature of the office. He objected to the proposition of having three Commissioners ; for instead of one they would then have three Courts, and each, perhaps, would often lay down rules inconsistent with the other. It was better to let the present machinery go on as it had hitherto worked ; add if, after a longer trial, it was found inadequate to the purposes of the Court, then it might be changed. The administration of the law, relating to insolvents, as it had been recently exercised by a single individual, had given universal satisfaction. He moved, as an Amendment, " That for the words three Commissioners,' the words one Qominissioner be substituted." Lord ALTHORP said, that he did not hastily re commend the appointment of three Commissioners; and without any disrespect whatever to the present Commissioner, he would say, that the business of the Court was too much,-in all its details, to be left to one individual. It would, besides, be a great ad vantage to have three Judges sitting in the Court. Mr. A BERCROMBY said, that it appeared to him to be most convenient to have the Accounts of Insolvents examined in private, and by a Judge co ordinate with the Commissioner who sat in the Court. It would also be thought a great advantage, even in point of opinion, to have the decisions of this Court sanctioned by three Commissioners instead of one.— For the present Commissioner he had the highest re spect. He had the honour to know him personally, and he knew that that Gentleman was most anxiously devoted to the duties of his office—( Hear, hear). — But still he felt the necessity of supporting the pro position for three Commissioners. Sir F. OMMANEY spoke in favour of three Com missioners. _ _ Mr. D. W.HARVEY agreed, that there was great advantages in having three Commissioners. He pro tested, however, against the appointment of new Commissioners, as there were already sixty or seventy Commissioners of Bankrupts, from whom two for this Court might be taken without adding to the ex penditure of the country. Mr. ABERCROMBY said be had often fixpressed his opinion, that the number of the Commissioners of Bar.krupts ought to be reduced. The very best way to promotethat object would be to support this Bill, for if it were found efficient, it would go to lessen the profits of those Commissioners very consi derably, and the consequence would be, to diminish theirnumber. Mr. WROTTESLEY said, that the late Insolvent Act was ore from which a great deal of mischief had arisen. But if the present Bill were to pass, he thought three Commissioners were necessary. After a few words from Lord Avrnonrs, Mr. 1). W. Hau nt:, and Mr. Muscat., the Amendment was withdrawn, and the blank was filled up with the word " t h ree." After discussing a few classes of the Bill, and snaking some wetbel Amendments, the House resumed. The Chairman then reported progress, and the Commit obtained lure to sit again on Friday next. The Bill, with thrginesJinents, was ordered to be reprinted. The other Ordeu of the Day were then disposed of, and the louse adjourned it lirJemen o'Clock• BATurtio.—We notice with much satisfaction, the publication of anew Edition of the Essay on this important subject, written by Sir ARTHUR CLARKZ, the proprietor of one of the largest establishments of Baths in the Kingdom. It is deserving of every at tention, as it contains a code of instructions, deduced from principles and experience, highly useful to bathers and invalids. LEJORSTRR HUNT.—Mr. D. whose stud now is the boast of the county, having experienced a grea; mor tality among his horses, in the year 1818, wrote to a friend in London, in consequence of a dream that he said was " singing ix his ears," to buy for him a Lot tery Ticket, and concluded with—" be sure you choose a Thirty Thousand, as I want to reinstate my stud." His friend obeyed the order, and wrote him, " as the . dream was singing in his ears," he Judged it right,. to go to CARROLL'S' Office for the Ticket, and it was actually drawn the next week a ; Prize of CA000: kAVANEY OF HER MAJESTY, AND HER ARRIVAL AT CALAIS. " ST. oaties, THURSDAY noon, /UM 1. (Private Letter.) “ I lose not a'moment to acquaint you with tke arrival of her Majesty the Queen of England at this place, at half-past five o'clock this morning. My residence is close to Deg:lsher's Ho tel, which is the chief inn in this town. About two o'clock this Morning I was aroused from my bed by a violent pulling at the door-bell. On going to it.l found a mounted gens d'arme at the doer, who begged to be.shewn Degasher's Hotel, as be was ig norant of the place, and was come to announce that her Majesty would arrive here in a few boors. About five o'clock her Ma- jesty arrived. Every good room in the Hotel happened to be occupied. Her Majesty would not permit Madame Degasher to disturb the possessors, and she and the Ladies of her suite were acteaUy obliged to sleep in the garrets. The Commandant of the town sent to offer a guard of honour, which her Majesty declined." We copy the following intelligence of her l'asassrv, from the Observer, by express from Calais : " 6 ST °MLA% IMIRSDAY MONT, JUZ 1. " Her Majesty the Queen of England arrived here this morn lag, at half-past five o'clock. A cornier reached de l'AnciennePoste at half-past one (in the night), announcing her Majesty's near approach. Ile said her Majesty might be ex- peeled immediately ; but owing to the difficulty of procuring horses, her Majesty's progress was retarded in such a manner as to detain her till the Lour we hive mentioned. " The courier dispatched by bzr Majesty from Dijon, whose arrival at Calais and subsequent embarkation for Dover we have already noticed, was charged with a letter to Mr. Brougham, in - - which her Majesty informed that Gentleman that it was her in- tendon to be at St. Omer's on Wednesday, and requested his presence at that place to confer upon the step which she was about to take in hnmediately proem:ding to England. At the time of the departure of this courier her Majesty had not t:• en joined by Alderman Wood and Lady Anne Hamilton, although she bad received letters from them announcing their intention to meet It( r cm the road. "After the departure of - the courier, her Majesty again con tinued her journey to Montbard, which she reached on Saturday morning at seven o'clock. Here her Majesty retired to rest, and when at dinner was agreeably surprised by the arrival of Mr. Alderman Wood and Lady Hamilton, who, by keeping the route pointed out by Count Vasali, were thus enabled to fall in with her Majesty without difficulty. They had missed the courier on the read, who, it was supposed, must have taken another direction. Her Majesty received the worthy Alder man and Lady Anne Hamilton with great 'condescension and kindness, and expressed much pleasure at receiving such an ac cession to her suite. At six o'clock the same evening, they all pursued their course to Villeneuve, which they reached the next, day. Here, upon consultation with Mr. Alderman Wood, her Majesty repeated her determination to proceed forthwith to England, there to assert her rights as Queen, and openly to meet the accusations of her secret enemies. She seemed to be perfectly acquainted with many of the stories which had been circulated to her prejudice. She treated them with contempt, and said she would fearlessly throw herself upon the justice and =dour of her people. Indeed, she added, that she would long since have been in England, had not her advisers recommended her to wait until his Majesty's Government should afford her the means of going thither in a manner becoming her illustrious rank. Her Majesty having now resolved no longer to delay her intentions, immediately sat down and wrote three letters— one to the Right Hon. Lord Liverpool, another to the Right Hon. Lord Melville, and a third, to his Royal Highness the Duke of York. The first of these important documents, we understand, was a dignified demand that a Palace should be forth. with prepared for her reception, as she intended proceeding to London without delay. The second, to Lord Melville, as First Lord of the Admiralty, was a desire that a royal yacht should be sent on Friday to Calais, to receive her on board; and a third, to his Royal Highness the Duke of York, was a recapi tulation of both demands, as well as a protest against the man ner in which she had been treated. 0 These letters her Majesty instantly sent off by a courier, and it was this messenger, who, on Tuesday night, on his coming to Calais, erroneously stated, that he had left her Majesty at Valen ciennes. This span gaited Dover on Wednesday morning, and delivered his dispatches the same night in London. His orders were to return with as little delay as possible to her Majesty, and to joie her at St. Omer's. " Her Majesty remained at Villeneuve that night, and the next morning pursued her route to Melun ; from thence, avoid ing Paris, she went directly on to Abbeville. She reached Ab beville on Wednesday morning, and threw herself on a bed to gain a little repose. " During her Majesty's retirement, several English families, resident at Abbeville, requested to be permitted to pay her their personal respects. They were, however', informed of the fa tigues which her Majesty had undergOne, and of her inability to receive the kindnesses which were intended. 0 At four o'clock a courier was sent of to St. Omer's, with instructions to have beds prepared for her Majesty and her suite; and at six her Majesty recommenced her wearisome journey. As she was abort to quit the Inn, the English inha bitants already alluded to were in attendance, and as the passed through the hall of the Inn, they bowed most respectfully. Her Majesty was much affected by this testimony of their affection, and uttering a few words of thanks, and gracefully returning the salute, she hurried into her carriage. " The cavalcide now commenced the list and most difficult stage of their route. From Abbeville to St. Omer's they were scarcely able to obtain a single change of horses, and those that were procured were brought from the fields and ridden by the ploughmen. In one instance, where the courier had called at the Post-house, and announced the approach of her Majesty, the Post-master, who had but three horses in his stable, was so alarmed, that he ran of and concealed himself, and was not to be found when his services were required. It was to these de lays that the late arrival of her Majesty was attributable. " M. Degasher and his wife (an English woman), the keeper of the lIot,A, who had made every arrangement fur the accom- modation of their Royal guest, had almost come to the conclu sion that she had stopped at- some other house on the road—. when the well-known cracking of the postillions' whips, as they drove down the street, gave notice of the approach of some of the party. " In a few seconds afterwards, Mr. Alderman Wood, who with the Count Vasall, had come forward in order to see that everything was in readiness, er.tered the inn-yard, and ordered fires and refreshments. The worthy Alderman appeared to be a good deal fatigued, but still sheaved a praise-v..orthy activity in securing the comfort of his Royal Mistress. " An English Gentleman (Mr. Moreland), who, with his fa- ray, were en their way to Paris, now rose from his bed, and tendered the use of his rooms, which were iu a retired part of the building, for the use of her Majesty; but this was not neces sary. He also expressed "'hope that he might be allowed to pay his personal respects to her Majesty in the course of the day. After a abort interval, the renewed cracking of whips Mica all Who were hi attendance to the gate, where her Majesty and rate were seen advancing: and here a setious accident had neaa:y or, curred, in consequence of the want of experience in the drivers. In descending the hill, one of the leaders of her Majesty's car riage fell, and in a few seconds there was reason to apprehend that the carriage would have been overturned. The prompt assistance of the persons present, howevei, prevented this mis fortune, and her Majesty was driven safely to the inn. " A carpet was spread on the steps, and she immediately alighted ; and leaning on the arms of Alderman Wood and Count Vasall, entt;red the house. She appeared to be somewhat ex hausted, from the fatigue she had undergone; but soon recover.. ing herself, she resumed her wonted spirits. She amended t', her chamber, accompanied by Lady Hamilton and some of hi:" female attendants, of whom there were three--two French ma: men, and one Piedmontese. " Her Majesty was dressed in a rich twilled satinet Ptlisse, of a puce colour, lined with ermine, and worn on her hoad a white willow hat, similar in shape to the Frown fashionable Leghorn hats. Notwithstanding the unfavourable effects which must have accrued from the journey which she had just acorn- plished, she looked extremely interesting. It was not a litile singular that the bed-chamber into which her Majesty was first shewn was that in which the late Duke of Kent, when eornEn: with the Duchess - of Kent to England, had slept. Her Majesty preferring a room where she could have her female attendants close to her (her uniform habit), chose a room oft less magnifi cent description, In an upper part of the house. It may now be interesting to our Readers to state the persons who composed her Majesty's suite. There were five carriages in all. The first was that in which Alderman Wood and Count Vasali arrived. It was a sort of calash, drawn by three horses. The secocd was an Faiglish post chariot, yellow body, with C. P. W.' and the Royal arms in the pannels, drawn by four horses. In this were her Majesty, Lady Anne Hamilton, and a fine little fenta:e child, about three years old, whom het Majesty, in conformity with her benevolent practices on former occasions, has adopted. Then came a large Fn:li4l travelling carriage, similar in colour, and the r annels emblazn.ied in the .ame way with the chariot. In this were her Majesty's three female domeetics. There were two other calashes, in which were Mr. Austhr, the• young man adopted by her Majesty at Blackheath, whom name has been so repeatedly mentioned ; Mr. Wood, jun. and several maletranches of her Majesty's household ; among these, we believe, we may include the Count Bergami, her Majesty's Chamberlain, respect_ ing whom there have been such repeated speculations. This Gentleman, it appears, has engaged her Majesty's confidence, ift consequence of the fidelity with which be had attended to her pecuniary concerns. It is not certain whether he will accom pany her Majesty to England. Ile is a tall, robust, Military looking man, of middle age, and was respectfully attentive to her Majesty's person; his manners are those of a man who ha. moved in the highest circles. " After her Majesty - bad partaken of tame refreshments, she retired to bed; and when this dispatch left SE. Omer's, she was anxiously expecting the return of her couriers. One of these persons was to bring her Majesty some articles of dress from London. Her Majesty has expressed a full determination to proceed to Dover by a common packet-boat, if the yaclp which she has demanded be not sent; and if a Royal Palace is refused, she has had an offer of the beautiful house of Mr. Angerstein, on Black heath, which she means to accept. She evinces a strong desire to be in England. " Soon-after her Majesty had reached Motel de l'Ancienne Poste, the Captain of the guard on duty at the gates of St. Omer's arrived at the inn, and expressed an intentitm of granting to her Majesty a guard of honour, to he placed at the entrance of the hotel, as long as she should remain in the town. " The offer having, been cemrnur icated to her Majesty, she said, that however flattered she miet be by the attention of the Officer 91 question, yet she felt herself bound to 'decline the tended distinction. In her progress through France, she had been treated with studied neglect; and she knew too well' what was due to the high rank which she held, to accept from an Lc. laud town that which had !nen withheld front h<r elsewhere, and which she could not but consider uan offence, nut towards herself personally, but towards that nation of which she was the Queen. " The Officer left the hotel, apparently mortified; but when ther his tiffer proceeded from the suggestions of his own gal lantry, or from orders which he had received from his superior;, we were unable to ascertain. " Upon the arrival of Mr. Brougham and the courier with answers from Lord Liverpool and Lord Melville, it is antici• pated that her Majesty will, without delay, advance to Calais ; from thence embark, and once more visit the shores of Old England.' " irmaar. • Her Majesty was yesterday so inuth fatigued that she wan - unable to quit her bed-chamber to attend the dinner party.—. She is this morning, we are happy to state, improved in Mikis and spirits. " The courier who carried the :letter frost her Majesty to Mr. Brougham, arrived last night. Mr. Breasting" statecktbac he would leave London on Thursday morning, and that in all probability he would be at St. Omer's this day. Her Majesty anxiously expects his arrival. Her Majesty expresses most fervently her desire to reach England. She always appears cheerful, except when speakirg of the Princeu Charlotte, to whose memory her heart is fondly attached. a Her Majesty makes constant inquiries after every 'puma with whom she was acquaitited is England, and seems fully sensible of the attentions which many ofd English families she has met felt it their duty to pay to her. " Among her Majeaty's domestics is a cook, who prepares everything for her table. 6 ' Several Naval and Military Oicesa, who were resi.iete here, have quitted the town, in grder to avolil paying their re spects to her Majesty. " Alderman Wood remains here, and will accompany her Majesty to England. lie is in excellent. health, and has re- Ipeated iwerviews with her Majesty. a It would seem that her . 11ajwy cannot, 'however desirous, tail for England this week." " CAtiM4 MOAT RCVS. " The courier sent by her Majesty to Mr. Brougham, who passed through this town on Monday evening, returned .lint night, an& immediately proceeded with dispatches to ha 313- jetty at St. Omer's. " A telegraphic annunciation has been mad:. to the military Authorities here, intimating that no official attention is to paid to her Majesty the QUCCIII of England; and, as if ineuenctd by the nc.tilization, the Commandant, following the example c. the Mayor, whose canduci wad noticed in a former letter, fcr; for au English Gentleman known to possess a considerable : quaintance with his fellew-countrymen, to whom he stated, ii if any public demonstration of respect were offered to her '.:. - jesty, in the slightest degree calculated to produce confusioil the town, he,should be unckr the necessity.of interfering to i` - vent it, by means even extending to imprisonment. This tin' • we apprehend, could onlrarive from 4uo apprehension that it iiiteMit 4 to take her Majesty's horses from the carriaer.