Star. — London, England, 1813-11-23 00:00:00

I Militia for extended service in Europe; the services of the Field Officers to be accepted in proportion to the number volunteering, viz.—three for 900 men, two for 600, and one for $OO : and that, where a lesonumber than 300 volunteered, if it was actually three-fourths, of the Regiment to which they belonged, the services of one Field Officer would, in that ease, be accepted, the Officers to be entitled to half-pay ; none to take higher rank than Lieutenant-Colonel. — With respect to volunteering intcithe line, the Mili.; tia would be allowed to voludPr by companies, the Captain and Subalterns going with them to take rank in the line according to their rank in the Militia. It bad been determined not to exceed in the former case the proportion of three-fourths, there bling many in dividuals in Militia Regiments whiehowever efficient in that service, could not, from age or other causes, encounter the fatigue of active service abroad, and go have sent whole Regiments would, besides, have broken in too much upon_,the Militia system, which it was the anxious desire of Government to keep up. —The Militia had been of essential service to tile . country, in the protection it had formerly afforded against the danger of invasion, in its alacrity since in putting down insurrectionary movements, and in the excellent troops which it had afforded to the line, who had so bravely and efficiently sustained the ho nour and character of the country. It had also the advantage of drawing into active service men of rank and property, who might otherwise be disposed to • estcrifice to indolent care, that time which was so much better employed. in maintaining the cause of their country. It. was, therefore, the farthest horn the intention of Government to adopt any measure that could in the slighest degree tend to break up so excellent a system. The Duke of NORFOLK wished to understand, whether a Captain, for instance, volunteering with a company of militia into a regiment of the line, would take permanent rank as a Captain in that regiment ? Eat' BATHURST stated, that such Officer would become the junior Captain in the regiment, his commission bearing date after an interval from the time of volunteering. To a further question from the Duke of NOUFoLK as to the permanent rank, it was replied, that such Officer would then be, to all intents and purposes, a Captain in the Army. The Bill was read a seccnd time. Earl BATHURST suggested that it was of im portance to pass the Bill without delay, the House might probably be induced to negative the commit ment. The Duke of NORFOLK was anxious that not the slightest obstacle should be thrown in the way of the progress of this Bill. which he thought it was es sential to pass without the least delay. The commitment was then negatived, and the Bill ordered to be read a third. time to-morrow (this day.) Adjourned t:ll to-morrow. (this day.)• House Oli COMMONS. The Loan Bill was read a tWrJ time. Sir S ROMILLY broug;it up a Petition from certain 'lardy). are !,'Swedcl) confined in ;be King's BeWeh, praying, that if any alterations were to take place in the frus t ek in Debtor's Bill, the benetits of a ini-itht be mended to them. I he Honourable Mem ' hcr'then proceeded to cowman on tbr Bill as impracticable in its machinery, and as irjuriuus lions the delay It must occasion, and hoped that a: Dist sate temporary substitute might be pia vided h t it. 'f he Petition . .-. e thou i......,;-. - t.p. Mr. I.OC KHAR I' said, that it was not his attention to move fora R. peal of the Act, En: only to collect the principal clauses in the Insolvent Debtor Acts, acid embody them together in the present Lill. The ATTORNEY GENERAL said that he believed this day wouhl not pass over without a specidc remedy being brought forward by a Noble Lord in another place. [Here the Speaker interposed, saying it was not regular to re fer to the supposed proc.-edings of the other House.l The ATI Ott NEY GENERAL then observed, that he might be allowed to say, that he was a , sured that a measure affording speedy relief to the persons who were aggrieved by the delay under the present Act, was in preparation, and would be passed before the recess. [or himself, hr did not find that there was any :Dog of jectionable in the principle al' the Bill, and if time were giver., he conceived it might be made a very wholesome law. But lie agreed it was necessary to du something immediately, and for that reason fie was .anxious that some temporary ripe dient should be devised and adopted. Mr. LOCKHAR I' postponed bringing forward his motion on the subject till Moaday. Lord CASTLEREAGH gave notice, that he should to-mor row move some further regulations with respect to the military force of the country. Committee of Ways and Means postponed till Wednesday. '1 he Subsidy Bill was read a second time: HELJTONE ELECTIQN. On the Order of the Day for considering the Hel. stone Election Bill being teaci, . . Mr. HORNE (Member for Helstoue) rose and said lie should feel it a dcrelictiounf his duty to him self as well as to his constituents, if he did not state his tbjeCtIODS to the present measure. In doing so, however, lie acted solely from the individual couvic. lion of kis own mind, without concert with any per. sons in ur out of the Borough. The Borough of Belstorie bad been long iu the possession of the ex clusive right of sending two Member; to Parliament, a right not arising out of any usurpation on the pri vileges of others, or in prejudice to them, but arising out of the law and constitution of the country, and standing on the same basis as the best and most sa cred of - oue institutions, or asehe right and authority of that tiouse. It was natural then for the burgesses of Helstone, and .in some measure a duty incumbent on them, to make a struggle for the preservation of such a right. He was at the same time not insensi , We that this privilege was the last which ought to be r considered as private property ; that it-had high and important duties connected with it ; and that if any grow abuses were proved in the discharge of those duties, it was then the business o, Parliament to in terfere and strike at the rOot of the corruption, pro . vided the municipal law did not reach the evil. It would, however, be the duty of the House to pro. scent cairioudy, on the fullest evidence, and to take care that, in aiming to secine the purity of election, they did not destroy that which was the foundation of it, the elective fraiichi,e itself. Ties hill might t form a precedent by which hereafter, in times of fac tion and turbulence, or of extreme corruption, rather the quality of the Members returned, than the cor ruption. attendint their return, might be made the ground of similar disqualifications. Thus far his re , trail:; were general ; he would ncee proceed to sip , ply them more particularly to Elie Bill in question.— This Bill seiod upon the ground of the Special Re port only, or of that and t:ie evidence delivered at ' the lesi of the House. New the terms of the Report • stated, that there had subsiited a certain illegal agreement between a Noble Duke and a majority of the Members of the Corporation of Helstege• with regard to die return of. Members to serve for that Borough. And he understood that the Committee had in this case inserted the word illegal, purposely to exclude the word corrupt, which they did not think applicable to the transaction. There were three views under which the subject might be viewed :- 1.. The nature and extent of the offence. 2. Who were the offEders. S. The punishment.—With re , spect to theirrst, the Committee having decided that the agreement was illegal in its nature, this alone was a sufficient reason why it should not be referred to Parliament: for if the transaction was illegal, there was a legal remedy, and an adequate punishment for it ; any thing more must be unjust. To go beside the law would be an irregularity ; to go beyond it, an act of oppression. But, granting that the offence. 'leas great, and the punishment ..esetved, yet be wot'ld contend that it ought • :lot to be inflicted on the present parties. It the majority of Members of the Corporation of Heistone had offended, that was no just ground why the whole" body should be dis franchised. The Corporation acted as t: traces for the Borough ; they were the organs and depositaries of its interest—an unnamed majority of them bad abused their trust, and disregarded the interest of the inhabitants—ergo, what ? Not that the offenders should be punished, but those against whom the of fence had been committed, alai:, the people of Hel stone, who were the first persons who had suffered hyahis violation of the law. After again disclaim ing any personal communication with those who were interested in the Bill, the Hon. and Learned Gentle man concluded with expressing his decided disappro bation of it. Mr. Serjeant ONSLOW complimented the last speaker on the delicacy and discretion with which, in the difficult situation in which he was placed, he had treated the question. But in all the arguments of the Hon. and Learned Member, he was so unfortu nate as to differ from him. The Repoit indeed sta ted that the transaction was illeg il, but it also stated that it was one contrary to the law of Parliament and to the purity of election. If this then was not a case in which it was proper for Parliament to inter fere, he.did not know what was. He also differed from the Learned Member, who seemed to suppose that this elective franchise was held by the Corpora tion for the benefit of the People of Heistone, but in his opinion it was held for the benefit of the People of England. But it was !aid, we had punished the whole body for the came of the majority only.— This, however, was unay. ideb ::. We had pursued only the common course. it was not in a single in stance, in the last election only, that the most unwar rantable abuses and corruption had taken place, but a regular system had been long pursued, by which the right and independence of election had been. bar tered away, to secure certain profitable exemptions for the Town and Borough of Helstone. What then could be more just than to take :.way a might which was pl.:crd in sueh improper hands ? from the whole evidence, it appear,,:. that they never vered the slightest anxiety to know what Members were to be returnee for them, but only to know whe ther the wages of their corruption would be paid? It did not follow, beeatise the offence was illegal, that the punishment annexed to it by law was adequate. It was the object of the Legislature, nut merely to punish the othitce, but to provide against the recur rence of it in future ; and for this purpose he thought some such enacunent as the present highly expedient and necessary. The Bill was read a second time. Sir W. CURTIS moved for leave to brio,- in a Bill, to enable his Majesty to accept of the offer of the City Militia to serve abroad.—Lease given. Mr. BANKES moved that the continuance of the Reversion BiU from February next to February 1816, be referred to a Com mittee.—Repurt ordered to be received to-morrow. The Irish Sugar Draw-back Bill was then read. Lord PALMERSTONE in bringing forward a motion for the advance of six millions on account to defray the mentos of his Majesty's 1...nd Forces, stated that the increase in the army in he course of the last year, vas 8,278 men, and the total of the expenditure ,R8,t;t6,000. Mr. Alderman ATKINS asked, across the table, if the Chan cellor of the Exchequer intended to introduce any alteration in die Sugar Ditty Bill, proportioning the Duty to the quality of the article? This question was answered in the affirmative. 'I hl Spirit Distillation Bill was then read. The ,NEARER issued his Warrant fur the Election of a new. Burgess to reprt sent the City of Durham, in the roam of Mr. Lambton, v. ho had accered the Chiltern Hundreds.—Adjourned. FRENCH Pit PERS. CONSERVATIVE SENATE. SITTING OF THE 12TH NOVEMBER. The Senate assembled at two o'clock in the after. noon, under the Presidency of his Serene Highness lilt Prince Arch. Chancellor of the Empire. His Excellency Count Regnaud de Saint Jean d'Angely, Minister of State, Councillor of State, and Count Mole, were introduced. They presented three Projets du Senate: Consultuns.— [See hereafter the sitting of the 15th of November). Count Regnaud de Saint Jean d'Angely exposed the motives for the first in the following manner : MOTIVES YOE THE SEN4TOS CONSULTUMI WHICH PLACES 500,0001115 AT TIIE DISPOSITION OF THE MINISTER AT WAR. MONSEIGNEI7IL SENATOII3—.That memorable Sit. ting is still present to you, in which at once fulfilling the august dunes of Regent, wife, mother, and, a Frenchwoman, the Empress came to point out to you the necessities of France. " The sentiments which she excited in this ing were rapidly communicated to all parts of the Empire, and still live in all hearts. " All who were Frenchmen acknowledged that, in the actual situation of civilized Europe, the nation could not hope to preserve its rank, maintain its dig. nity, provide for its safety, defend its territory, but by proportioning its efforts to conquer to the efforts attempted to subject it, but by increasing the powers of its armies, the extent of its resources above the power, above the resources of the States coalesced against her. " 13ut, at that epoch, Gentlemen, the defection of Bavaria WAS not consummated ; French loyalty ho noured itself by refusing to give credit to it. " You were then still ignorant how the Saxons had, in the midst of battle, deserted their ranks in our armies, to 'occupy those which had been previously prepared for them in the armies of our enemies ; how the artillery furnished, provided from our arsenals, had been turned against our battalions, suddenly as sailed by batteries intended to protect them. " Those events of which no examples are foun(l but in the ancient history of the barbarous kings of Asia, those events for which Europe had not hitherto to blush en account of her Cabinets, to be afflicted for her nations, have been attended with circum stances which a few weeks before could not have pre sented themselves to your thoughts. " However, Gentlemen, our enemies themselves confess it, on considering their defeats and their losses, the French armies have supported their an cient and imperishable renown, notwithstanding all those events. 6 ' But by the force of circumstances, glorious vic tories have become sterile ; reiterated triumphs insuf ficient ; and the unforeseen and, deplorable event of the bridge at Leipsic has added to the advantages of the enemy, even happy for once to obtain a triumph without a battle, trophies without danger, and success without glory. ‘' Upon this fresh misfortune, each of you, Gentle men, have seen an universal sentiment of devotion, of generosity, manifest itself in all parts. In the midst of public and even private griefs, French hearts were filled with indignation at the thought alone conceived by the enemy, of triumphing over France, of devastating her territory, of imposing laws on her. " The cry of alarm and for assistance raised by our children, by our brothers still in arms, st:ll fight ing with glory, has resounded on the banks of the Seine, on the Rhone, the Moselle, and the Loire, upon the mountains of the Vosges, the Alps, and Pyrennees. All old Frenchmen have anticipa:ed by their wishes, the wants of the country, the danger and sacrifices necessary to prevent dangers and sacrifices which otherwise would be very fright ful by their extent, and by the humiliation with which they would be accompanied. '4' What, in short, Gentlemen, would our situation be, if the enemies who are already on some points of our frontiers, and who menace them on another side, should penetrate upon our territory ? What peace would there remain for us to expect, but the peace of slavery and the peace of the tomb ? By what in solent and debasing conditions would Powers, whom their interests divide, revenge themselves for the eclat of our success, the humiliation of their defeats, the necessity that made them subscribe to treaties which they have violated, and even for the generosity which consented to them ? Judge of it, let France judge of it, Gentlemen, with you, by what our enemies have dared at Dresden, before our united menacing victorious armies. " That Congress, hope of the world, provoked,de sired by`the Emperor, which, like that of Westplia, ha in 1648, could alone have balanced and regulated the interests of Europe, was rejected, notwithstand ing the persevering entreaties of the French Cabinet, " Its apparent preparations were but the deceiving means under which were concealed the effective pre. para.ions of a general confederacy. The pretended Plenipotentiaries were in effect hut agents charged to settle the plaa of a campaign already determined upon, and not Ambassadors preparing projets for a desired peace; passionate men, who, by appealing to arms and force, instead of appealing to justice and reason ; mer previously de::icle4 tp discuss nothing, and pre tending to dictate a capitulation, in place of discuss ing a treaty. " They then reckoned upon those defections which we will leave equitable posterity, impartial history, the care of qualifying ; they recosed upon those vio lations of treaties which tl c gold of England had paid for beforehand, which threats had prepared, which fear had promised, which weakness gave rea son to expect. They had not yet arrived before the walls of Dresden, where they afterwards suffered such striking reverses, and already they wished to dictate laws. " What would they do bad they cleared the Rhine! or the Scheldt, the Alps or the Pyrennees ? I do not ask what justice, I ask what treatment France could expect from them; what repose Europe could hope for from them ? The answer, Gentlemen, is in the annals of history. •• At the conclusion of the reign of Louis XV, Europe thought she had a balance, crowns a gua.', rantee, civilisation a bulwark ; the throne of Poland existed. •• An impious coalition was formed. A triumvi rate of Kings dared to confide to each other's ambi tion, by pointing out the victim, marking out each other in the common prey ; and Poland, at first dis membered, entirely disappeared some luitres after wards from the number of European Crowns. •• What bitter regrets has not France suffered— what shameful reproaches has not France experi enced, whose weakness tolerated that wicked politi cal enterprise, which has since brought about results so great, so remarkable. •• Well, Gentlemen, my question is answered by, these reproaches, by these regrets. •• Poland debased, divided, destroyed, oppressed, is a terrible lesson for France, threatened by the same Powers who disputed for the parts of the Polish Monarchy. •• The manes of Poniatowski—the manes of the late King of Poland, so miserably driven far from the Throne—the mares of the last General of the Poles, so gloriously buried under laurels, tell you with what enemies you have to contend, and what are the means of obtaining from them the peace which we wish, and the repose which Europe desires. It is to drive far from the Empire that league which threatens the empire of it. If the coalesced armies could pene. trate or establish themselves on this side the Pyren nees, the Alps, or the Rhine, the day of peace would not shine for Franc.!. It can only rise for us in pro portion as we shall have sent to a distance, and d: ive:i the enemy far from our territory. It is to satisfy this wish, this want, this duty of the Monarch and the people, that new forces are necessary, and th.:t the Emperor demands them with confidence from the nation 'which has offered them with such generous eagerness. •• In referring to the calling, which the Senalus Co:lndium authorises, upon the classes previously li berated, and in going back to the year 1811, his Ma jesty gives way to the Empire of circumstances as much as to the councils of justice, wisdom end hu manity. •• The men who shall come to range themselves under the French eagles will unite strength to cou rage to support the honour of them, and whilst the young conscription shall acquire, in the service of the armies of reserve, that vigour which they still want, to second the sentiments with which they are ani mated, and of which the last leVles have given proofs upon the field of battle that astonished our phalanxes. 4 , The National Guards, the arming of which has honourably anticipated danger, shall return to their homes ; the fathers et families who compose theta shall be restored to their professions, to their labours. 46 Senators ! the words which shall proceed from ' this place, to call to arms the descendants of the came Frenchmen who, at so many glorious epochs, have repulsed the barbarians from the land of the brave. the country of the arts, the center of civilisation ; these words will be repeated by all fathers, by mothers, by all wives, by all brothers, whose bus childrett, brothers, are at this moment paying that debt they owe to their country, How many does not France reckon of them ? How rr..my 1 know of them myself, wlo with eyes still mu:stened with tears shed on account of the unfortunate losse.. who with hearts still moved far those whom Pr.o VIDE NCE has preserved to their love, only think o; sending to their assistance the brave men who yet , remain to them. Noble children of cur dear France! Generou s def:nders of our glorious country, who shut towards the Rhine, towards the Yyrennees, the entrance into France against the English, the Russiaus, r.nd their allies, you shall not be abandoned without assistance in the holy' and honourable contest to which you are devoted. Yet a short time, and numerous battalion► of men, powerful in force and in courage, shall pro_ ceed to your aid, to ensure victory and ti deLver the French land. 44 It is thus, Gentlemen, that, surroundee. by al: the force, all the power of the nation, the Emperor. moderate as when he gralitld Austria the peace at . Leobea and C;uLpo-Ferruk, in the hope of signior that of Europe at ltastadt ; generous as at the epoch whet: he erected thrones and endowed them from his conquests, after the victories of Jena and Austerlitz. he will be able to prepare peace with wisdom. by ba lancing the conditions with justice, anti signing it with honour." Count Mole afterwards exposed the motives of two other projds of the Senatus Contufrtml, relative, the fire: to the prorogation.of the powers of ilieDeputies o! the Legislative Body of the 4th series ; the second, to the appointment of the President of the Legislative Body, and to the Imperial Sittins of that body. 44 MONSEIGNEUR SENATORS-1 he Emperor bar of dered us to present to you a trojet de Senates Contuittem, stating, that the Deputies to the Legislative Body of the -fah series shall exercise their functions daring all the time that the Session, which will open on the 2tl December next, shall last. 44 The same measure was proposed to you at the beginning of this year, and you adopte d it by the Senatal Comeahint of the 9th of January last. The reasons which then determined you will do so now with more force. The period for the meeting of the Legislative Body is too near for its being pos siblii provide for replacing the Deputies going out, and the motives for this convocation are too imperi ous to allow of its being deferred ; it is therefore in dispensable to continue, as you have already done, in their function the Members composing the fourtl: series. 46 We are besides charged, Gentlemen, to present you another frojet de Senatur ennoiltutn. Art. 1 states, that thf! Emperor shall appoint to the Presidentship t f the Legislative Body. 46 Hirtyrto his Majesty flas chosen from among five candelates which the Legislative Body presented to him. " But it may happen that men placed upon this list, however honourable and distinguished may be their understanding, have never been known by the Emperor. " As one of the prerogatives of the Legislative Body is to be able to directly approach the Sovereign through the organ of its President, it has been thought, that to render these communications more useful and especially to the Legislative Body, it was proper the President should be personally known to the Emperor. in this manner the Legislative Body and each of its Members will be ensured, finding in its President an intermediary, a guide, and a support. " There are, besides, in the Palace, etiquirts, forms which are requisite to be known, and which ' for the wain of being properly understood, maay occasion mistakes, to delays which the Legislative Body in. terprets unfavourably. All that is avoided by the measure we propose. To all these considerations may be joined that .ot (economy. We had at first been tempted to siy that the Legislative Body should al ways be presided by a grand Dignitary, a Grand Officer of the Empire, or a Minister of State ;—but the advice of the Privy Council was, that this limita- tion would be attended with the inconvenience of de priving the Members of the Legislative Body of the advantage of being appointed to the Presidentship. " Article 2 states, that the Senate and the Council of State shall assist en w i ts at the Imperial Sittings of the Legislative Body by closed letters. Hitherto the Senate has only assisted at it by a deputation, and several times its Members have expressed a de sire of assisting at them in a body. 44 It will therefore be a grand spectacle to see as sembled in a single Sitting, to hear the words ema nating from the Throne, all the great Authorities of the States. " No reasonable objection can be made to this pro position, since, in the solemn Sittings consecrated to taking the oath from the new Members, there can neither be discussion nor detiberat;on in them, And that they are only assembled for the purpose of hear ing the Three /a' jeer de w Senatur enn:ukton have been ye ferred to Special Commiisions, and the Senate ad journed to Monday next. In the sitting of the 15th, Count Dejean, in the name of the Commission, charged with exanainin4 the first fanjet, after making a speech of some length, said, ""The Commission proposes to you the adoptioq of the trtjet de Senatia Coneultam." Senator Chaptal, and Count de Chanteloup rac ceeded Count Dejean, and made two reports, in the name of the Commission, charged with examining the two other profits, proposed in the name of their respective Commissions, ' that the trojetz should be adopted, which was unanimously agreed to. [Here follow the Decrees issued in the usual style, confirming their adoption. That relative to the placing 300,000 men, at the disposition of the Minis ter at War, are as follows :3 " Considering that the enemy had invaded the frontiers of the empire, on the side pf the Pyrence' r Dc of pa Ar at ner Ful we he por -ea [ Ru . ae !ro lets l of nen .ncl pet •tt of