Star. — London, England, 1830-06-09 00:00:00

SPIRIT OF THE JOURNALS. ennowtcxx.—lt is some time since we stated that the truce was at an end, and that a formidable Opposition had begun to show it self. In the smooth sea Ministers managed pretty well ; but it is clear enough that the present pilots are unable to navigate the vessel of the State now that the storm has arisen. Nothing could be more miserable than Mr. Goulbum's display in the debate on the South American Missions, except Sir Robert Peel's petulance on the Forgery Question. These men are quite incapable of managing the House of Commons; we have not the least idea that they will carry Lord Lyndhunt's Law projects to-morrow evening ; and they may reckon on a severe struggle in the Committee of Supply upon Friday. Should the ad ministration give way, it will not be forgotten by the historian of their achievements that they attempted to bestow on the sons of two members of the Cabinet pensions which the House of Commons re fused to ratify, and on the brother of another allowances which escaped by a bare majority the like ignominious reprobation.— Whatever may be said of the purity and disinterestedness of public men, the names of Dundu, Bathurst, and Gordon, cannot be quoted as those of public servants more highly esteemed by a grateful coun try than by themselves. HERALD.—We agree entirely with Mr. Hume that any direct attempt to circumscribe locomotion, or. as he more plainly expresses it, to prevent every man " going where he pleased," would be wholly indefensible ; yet it does not, therefore, follow that the same ho. nourable member's accompanying remark, that there " is an un founded prejudice against absentees," is correct. Absenteeism is both a positive and a relative evil—positive, as it takes men from the duties which they owe to the society of which they are memben ; and relative, as it leaves those duties and burdens to be in a great measure borne by others. Both these points of view apply more par ticularly to landed proprietors both in England end Ireland. Who is there who can have witnessed the benefits conferred by the residence of a landed gentry in either country, and bow the picture becomes re versed when they are gone, that can doubt of the inestimable bene fits which result in the one ease, or of the innumerable evils which must ensue from the other? Still as concerns the individuals, the country has only a right to treat the matter in its relative position ; but even in that point of view it has never yet been treated, or at least dealt with. The relative evil produced by absenteeism is, that it throws upon others that share of the public duties and burdens which the absentees ought to pay and perform themselves. The true definition of public taxes is, that they are imposts raised for the protection of the property sod persons of the State which raise them. Even the interest of our enormous national debt comes strictly within the range of this description, for, though the interest itself is not so applied, the principal debt was from time to time Incurred for the purposes to which the whole property of the king. dom stands pledged. Trars—Sir Jazzes Geaman's motion last Monday evening, for reducing the estimated expense of diplomatic missions to Ame rica, was defeated by a small majority of the House of Commons. We have repeatedly drawn the public attention to the general scale of our diplomatic expenditure, and have urged the e Log reducing it. That ministers are satis fi ed as to that ex = in reference to the diplomatic department at large, to the parti cular subject of Sir J. 011AHADell motion, — viz. the charges for our American diplomacy,—is obvious from two considerations... la. That between 1826 and 1829, an interval of only three years, there was an actual diminution in the total expense of our foreign missions approaching to very near 100,0001. or 22 per cent. upon the gross amount of the former eras that is to say, that in 1826 the charge was 460,0001. and no more than 366,000 L in 1829.-2 d. That an arrangement has been made by Lord Aberdeen, for cutting away all the extra and objectionable portion of the expense of the American missions, by bringing them wholly within the sum allotted to diplomatic missions in It would be most uncandid to refuse credit to Government= proofs it has afforded of a desire to economise to the utmost the re. sources of the state, as applied to the payment of civil function. aria ; evidence of which is contained in a public document of much importance, entitled, a "Return of the Establishments of the Public Departments and Offices in 1821 and 1829 respectively, showing the reductions which have been already carried into effect since 1821, and the further reductions which have been di. rected to be made as vacancies occur I and also showing where any Increase has arisen in any of these respective offices. From the above heading of the paper, it may be inferred, as indeed turns out to be the fact, that the reduction has been systematic end progressive, and, whatever it may have hitherto accomplished, that it is not yet complete. It appears, then, from the summary of this return, that the reductions already executed in the salaries of the civil departments exceed 580,0001. per annum upon a gross annual expenditure of 3,690,0001. or above 16 per cent. while the further seductions contemplated will exceed • 105,000/. making the sum total of the reduction almost 19 per cent upon the gross expenditure. A sevae and searching, and extensive investigation is now In daily and most diligent progress, into the whole of that immense field of disbursement, and we fear of long-neglected abuse—namely, our colonial establishments. Some of the chief members of the go. vemment devote every moment they can spare from the routine bud new of their several offices to this much-wanted inquiry; and we doubt not that the result of their labours, when arrived at, will be hailed with satisfaction by every honest man. Examinee Clinowici.r...-The Press, that last bulwark of a people's rights, and a country's freedom, appears now devoted to utter ruin. The assertion may startle us, but, unfortunately, ft is no less alarming than true. It would be criminal to hide the covert design, for, though deeply planned, the scheme is too glaring, and more formidable in its principles than the public apprehend. The womb of time can only reveal its ultimate and fatal effects. We cannot say that we announce this intelligence " more in sorrow then in anger," because the subject is one calculated to MSe the melt patient feelings of human nature, if not reduced to the abject lot of slavery—a condition most abhorrent to the rational mind. It is enough to say, that an Independent Press is doomed to extinction—that proud and enviable engine of a Foe State, whose mighty operations impart both life and energy to the public intellect, while its salutary influence scares the minions of tyranny and op. pression. This glorious Machine. the grand Palladium of popular Liberty in every quarter of the world, whether it flourish under the, torrid or the frigid sone, diffusing alike the blessings of mental int. provement, moral happiness, and national Independence, Is to be deliberately sacrificed under the flimsy, the untenable pretext of— Augmentation of Revenue ! What foul delusion—what Insult* sophistry. After the stubborn arguments heretofore adduced. and those front an official source, which establish the gradual deterioes. tion of newspaper property, and the consequent decrease of income to the Exchequer, it would be a most palpable absurdity to ims. gine that the authors of this new taxation upon unhappy Ireland, seriously contemplate aught else Prom the odious impost, save the tote extinction of the Irish Press! And involved in that de plumbic calamity will be hundreds of persons who now enjoy but an indifferent provision upon the present Newspapers, thanks to the existing duties. Those will barely live to execrate the cruel policy that deprives numerous families of a maintenance in the land of their birth and their kindred. This last brand was only want. ed to perfect the climax of Ireland's geountless miseries.—Wrest Hem her grasp the only favourite channel of literary communica non, and she rolls back again into that age of darkness, when crime and outrage were the primary features that marked her national records. Gracious Heaven, are millions of taxes to be removed in 3ne Session of Parliament off great and affluent England, while in the same. Session hundreds of thousands are to be imposed upon impoverished Ireland—is it even-handed justice to force a pitiful degraded Province, destitute either of capital, manufactures, or trade, upon an eq uality of taxation with a wealthy, powerful, and independent Nation, abundant in riches, whose resources, both na. i tunic and acquired, are superior to any other country on the face 0 /1 the Globe ? But as if to fill up this inordinate tide of wealth the agricultural population of Ireland, the almost only available sten. dud of taxation, are drained to the veriest farthing by heartless ab. sentee proprietors, who squander in luxury and extravagance the l'.srd earnings of their humble and ill-requited vassals. Is it then to be said the distressed people of this country can afford to pay a tax of fourpence on every Stamp Sheet of News, in. cluding the price of Paper already assessed at the mill, 314 the additional expense of publication ? Advertisements diminish every other day, and under the new burden will dhiappear altogether. Newspaper property has been many years 3 bad speculatiortin Ireland, as the proprietor. are never paid either ter the paper or the advertisements a tythe of the price charged in the Sister Country, nor are they indemnified for their labour or dis bursements with the same punctuality. Why or wherefore, then, Government should persist in imposing a oak of duties deservedly unpopular, and flagrantly unjust, it is difficult to conjecture, un less their object be a desperate one. We give up the question for the present, without alluding to the numberless, expensive, and most provoking addenda the stamp schedule fastens upon almost every legal instrumen neeessary or the business of common lie, besides the almost Insuperable bar f it opposes to all proceedings f at law or equity. WESTERN LITERARY AND SCIRNTIFIC INSTITU TION--The half-yearly meeting of the members of this Institution took place on Tuesday evening, at their boost in Leicester-aquarL It appeared from the report read by the secretary, that the number of subscribers at present amounts to 760, and that the library has been increased to 4,000 volumes. The report pa universal sada faction to the meeting, and was unanimously approved of. CORK YACHT CLUB..—The first meeting for the season was appointed to take place on Thursday and thou& the weather proved unfavourable, the Club mussmd strong. The Mar.' quip of Thomond's yacht, Rostellan, bore up the bay, on Wednes day evening, and anchored off Cove, when she was visited by Sir C. Paget; she returned the following day. The Noble Marquis is Admiral of the Club for the season. NAVAL INTELLIGENCE. The following arrivals 17,c ;:Wile :—..The Cantos, Lyall, from St. Petersburg's, at Hull; Louisa, Mendoza, from Villa Nova, and Nova Paquete, from Lisbon. at Cock ; Pene lope, Drysdale, from St. John's, N.B. N.B. and Sprightly, Rogers, from Pillau, at Shields. Da;t., Just I.—Wind N. moderate.—Sailed all the outward bound. Arrived the Governor Harcourt, from Jamaica POILTIMIOVIS, Jams I.—Wind N.N.l4.—Arrived his Majesty's ship Vigilant, from Plymoutb. Rumour's. Just 7.—Wind N.W. to N.N.W.—Sailed the Nightingale packet, for Halifax and Bermuda. Lemnos, Just 7.—Arrived the Juno, Russell, from Nassau ; Sir Watkin, Sanderson, and Amazon. Martin, from Mobile ; Su san and Jane, Norris, from Virginia; Lucas, Lascelles, and Ho rizon, Green, from Savannah; Italy, Putman, from Charleston ; Fanny, Eagle, from Philadelphia ; Manch ester, Ketebly, from New York ; John Bolen, Haycock, and Ellen. Grey, from St. John's. N.B. Jolts, &ockburn, from St. Petersburgb ; and Jane, Bell, from Rostock. emllmm ARMY INTELLIGENCE. The following are a few brief eitiacts from the Montreal Papers of the 6th and Bth May :—" The second division of the 24th Regi ment' under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Fleming, left 1 1 here on Monday evening, about seven o'clock, in the Hercules steamer. The division consisted of the companies, and was accom panied by the officers mentioned in the Ca:etie of Monday. We noticed, with much satisfaction, that a great number of ladies and gentlemen, induced by a feeling of respect for this gallant regiment, were on the beach at the time the steamboat was about to leave port. On ha getting underway, the band, who had previously played several fine airs, struck up ‘• Rule Britannia," when the crowd on the shore gave three cheers. This was returned by the Regiment, the colours of which were at the same time displayed, adding very much to the effect of the scene. Cheers were again given from the shore, and once more responded to by the troops on board the Hercules. We do not re. member to have ever witnessed a regiment leave Montreal, whose departure called forth such cordial marks of good feeling from the inhabitants. Two companies of Artillery, commanded by Cap tains Dowse and Hornsby. arrived here from Quebec yesterday morniag, in the John Mohm steamer, and proceeded to Kingston the same day, to take the place of Captain Anderson's company, now stationed at St. Helens, and that of Captain Faddy, which is to I proceed to Quebec to await the arrival of transports from England, when it and Major Coffin's com pa ny will return to Britain. Two companies are expected from England to reface these ordered home." FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE. Important document, in the present state of French parties FRANCE—PRIVATE AND CONVIDENTIAL.—In pursuance of the Royal Ordinance of the 10th instant, which convokes the Elec toral Colleges for the Zid of next month, I invite you to inform, without delay, the officers of all ranks in garrison or in quarters, In the division which you command, who shall qualify as electors, that you are authorized to deliver to them directly furloughs to go into the departments in which they have to exercise their political rights. The duration of the furloughs which you will grant them for this purpose must be calculated approximatively, according to the time which will be necessary for them to make the journey, to be present at the operations of their colleges, and to return to their poste. These furloughs will not cause any diminution of the pay of the officers who shall obtain them.— The King expects from you on this occasion the tame proofs of attachment to his person and to his service which you have given him on similar occasions. You have already on several occasioes explained to the military men called to take a share in the elections, the nature and the extent of the duties which belong to their employ. meats, and how incompatible with those employments any conduct would be that might oppose the direction which his Majesty has thought most suitable to the present circumstances and situation of the kingdom. These is none of them who should not compre. bend, that if they are free as to their votes they have also obli. gations inseparable from their situation; tha t it is impossible to serve at once the Government of the King and the Opposition, and that ho nour, as well as duty, requires them to makes choice between the two. You will have now to maintain, by your instructions and by your example, the same doctrines, and to employ, in order to make them effectual, along with the force of your personal conviction, the lawful means which the confidence of his Majesty has put at your disposal. The views which regulate the government of the King are known and may be loudly avowed ; they have no object but the preservation of the rights of the throne, and the stability of the institutions of which It is the fundamental basis. They are a sure rule of conduct for every one who desires frankly and honestly the maintenance of the monarchy and a public liberty. I invite you, besides, to come to an understanding with Messrs. lee Prefets, who are specially charged to give to the electoral operations that direction and that emeralds which must secure their result...-. Yen will take measures that the service may not suffer ikon; the ab settee of the officers called to the elections from their quarters or garrisons. I have the honour to be, Le. the President of the Cows ell, charged ad interim with the Portfolio of War. (Signed) " Prince de POLIGNAC." Smetana, Aran. 18.-117= — ident of Greece has published in his journal, in the Greek leaguer, the complaint which he has addressed, through the Baron de Rouen, to the French legation at Constaatimmle, on account of the two decrees inserted in Nos. 104 and 105 of our journal ; he formally denies the ex- 1 btence of these decrees, and accuses us of calumny. We have presumed the authenticity of these two documents on the autho rity of the Government seal, which Is affixed to the two copies we have received. We have shown them to the French Can. sul at Smyrna, who has recognized these seals as being those that are attached to all papers issued by the Greek Govern. ment. We must add, that these decrees, which came from a respectable quarter, circulated all over Greece ; that persons who are not accustomed to collect false and calumnious documents possessed copies of them ; and that the concurrence of all these marks of genuineness induced us to publish them,— ' but with the observation that they were privately circulated. Their existence however, is now formally denied by the Pre sident of Greece, and we must declare that we have been informed by the French Legation at Constantinople that this denial is confirmed by incontestable proofs. We confidently these explanations to the public ; they will suffice to justify our intentions. It still remains to be explained how the copies in our hands came to bear the Greek Government seal: perhaps we may soon be able to give this explanation in a satisfactory manner, and to unmask the malice that sought to lay a snare for us. The complaint of the President, conceived in very violent language, contains various accusations, to which we shall revert in our next number : in the mean time we shall content ourselves with Indignantly repelling the charge of calumny. Ca. lumny is the weapon of cowardice, and the President knows whether we have hitherto wanted courage and frankness to attack him openly." Bow-STaEnT.—Yesterday, a gentleman, attended by Ensign Mills, who made a statement on Saturday at this Office, which charged Capt. COMMIE with having stolen a cloak belong. lag to him, and with having obtained ten pounds from him, by re presenting that he would procure the insertion of some parsgiaph in The Star Newspaper, appeared before Ur. Halls to make the following explanation of Capt. Christie's conduct ;—He said that it was far from Mr. Mills's intention to charge him with a felony.— The fact was, that Capt. Christie and Mr. Mills, were, a short time back, very intimate friends. During the latter gentleman's absence in the country, Capt. Christie called openly at his lodgings, and being at that time in want of a cloak for a particular purpose, bor rowed it while the servant was in the room. The cloak had never been detained, and it was now lying at a coffee-house ready for Mr. Mills whenever he chose to take it away. Mr. Mills said that such was the case, and that it never was his intention to charge Capt. Christie with a felony. A reporter who attended for The Those said—l beg your pardon, Sir, you applied here for the purpose of obtaining a warrant against Capt. Christie. Mr. Mills : No, no ; I merely came here in order that I might ascertain what course I should pursue. The gentleman who attended for Capt.Cbristie said, he under stood some very erroneous statements had appeared in the report of Mr. Mills's appearance at the office en Saturday. Mr. Milk said, that such was the case in some of the papers, but the report was perfectly correct in The Observer newspaper. The Reporter for The'ieses said that Mr. Mills bad stated things to-day quite con trary to what be had on Saturday, and that s warrant was most die. tined, mentioned. Mr. Mills said that it was not his wish to charge Capt. Christie with felony.—Mr. H ALLS inquired if a war. rant had been issued ? And the clerk answering in the negative, he said that then there was an end of the mauen—The Reporter said, that the statement of Mr. Mills today was clearly an after-thought. Mr. Hat.t.s said that Mr. Mills had come to the office in a state of alarm, which might, in some degree, account for what bad been said. He, however, was happy to say, that with respect to the cheques, concerning which Capt. Christie had previously appeared, he had had a 001131111112iCadell with the Captain's family; and al though circumstance@ were such as, on the first view, to create a suspicion, still, they did not warrant the conclusion which had at one time been come to, concerning the Captain's conduct. There was an understanding in the family that them cheques on Green wood and Co. were to have been paid in a particular meaner. They would be paid as well as every debt of Capt. Christle's.—The gen tleman who attended to tusks the explanation, said be appea red at the request of his father, Sir Archibald Christie. Me that as regard would be paid to the contradktion of Capt. Wag the propristew of the Star. Although be was not the propitiator, negotiations had bons pending on the subject. Whether be would the was another matter. The gentleman then re tired with . . _ _.._ IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. HOUSE OF LORDS, Juwz 8. CaPTUN DILDKAT'S DIVORCZ. Their Lordship heard evidence upon this Bill. and adjourned the further hearing until to-morrow at four o'clock. Petitions were presented from the Borough of Leominster. by the Earl of Esse:, against the punishment of death for forgery; by Viscount Lorton, against the introduction of poor laws into Inland; by the Marquis of - Downshire, in favour of the Bill for draining bop in Ireland. The Irish Beg Draining Bill was read a second time, and ordered re be committed on Thursday. rims ow ?Klma= or TUE CaOwx. Lord DARNLEY, from motives of delicacy, would not at the present moment press the second reading if this bill, Wit would lead to a discussion, but as noble lords, if they objected to the bill, vould have an opportunity of stating them at a future period, he trusted the bill would be allowed now to be read a second time sub silextio. The Marquis of LANSDOWN hoped, that if it was not to be again discussed. something would be done for one class of persons. —He spoke of one of the most deserving and meritorious classes, namely, subaltern officers, who earned their rank with their money and by their services. The Duke of WELLINGTON was not aware of any objection that existed to the principle of the bill ; with regard to that class of persons which had been alluded to, he bad not the least objection whatever. There were, however, some parts of the bill to which he could not consent. Earl GREY regretted it had been postponed till this moment. The bill was then read a second time. The House at Half-put Six went Into a Committee on the East Retford bill—Adjourned. HOUSE OF COMMONS--TUESDAY, Junta 8. Petitions were presented from Drogheda, against the Irish Gra. E'en' Steam Bill ;:from Fermanagh, Londonderry, and Waterford, against Increase of Taxation in Ireland ; from Hull, against ?le r Slavery ; from Brighton, against punishment of Peith for ; from the Londonderry Chamber of Commerce, Belfast, against Ditty on Coals; from the same Chamber, and from several places in York, against the East India Monopoly ; from the Magistrates of Surrey, for a remedy against the spread of Canine Madness; from Tipperary, against the Assimilation of Taxes in Ireland ; from the London Political Unionists, congratulating the House on the abandonment of the new form of Government in Greece. Upon presenting the latter, Mr. HUME supported the prayer of the petition. Mr. HODHOUSE also concurred in the prayer of the petition. en. He thought it was certainly fortunate for this country that the Illustrious person alluded to in the petition had refused the sore. reignty of Greece. He was so indignant, after reading the papers relating to Greece, that, were it not toe the pet:tiller situation of the country, owing to the King's illness, he should feel himself bound to make a motion upon the subject. Mr. H. GRATTAN condemned the course that was adopted towards Greece by the allied powers. Mr. O'CONNELL hoped - that a discussion upon this abject would shortly take place. He gave the 'need of his approbation to the illustrious Prince in question for refusing the sovereignty of Greece. Mr. HOBHOUSE presented a petition from the medical practi tioners of the cities of London, 1% estminster, and the borough of Southwark, against the Medicine Stamp Act. The honourable member complained of the operation of this act, and said that, by the New Stamp Act, the objectionable parts of the Old Medicine Stamp Act were not only continued but increased. The amount produced to the revenue by this tax was only 37,0001. He hoped the Chancellor of the Exchequer would pay attention to the prayer of the petition. Prosecutions had been Instituted under this act which were exceedingly vexatious, because they were :prosecutions for acts not wilfully committed. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said, that there was every anxiety on the part of the commissioners of stamps and government to make such an arrangement as would meet the conve nience of the petitioners, provided that such arrangement did not interfere with the revenue of the country. If the parties against whom prosecutions had been instituted had any thing to complain of, the Board of Stamps were very willing to consider their coin. plaints, and remedy them as far as possible. Mr. WARBURTON complained of the sort of medicines upon which duties were charged. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER explained. Mr. HUME thought that the Chancellor of the Exchequer would consult the wishes of the people by changing the duty charged upon stamps into a duty upon licenses. The petition was then brought up,: and ordered to lie oo the table. lleusges from the House of Lords announced that their Lordships bad passed certain private bills, and concurred in others. Mr. HUME presented a petition from the churchwardens and overseers of the parish of St. Luke's, complaining of the conduct of the commissioners foe building churches and chapels, in compelling the parish to build a new church in the parish. He knew of no' way by which the complaints of the petitions could be fully weer mined but by referring the petition to a select committee. Upon this subject he should snake a motion upon a future day. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said he could not suppose that the House would accede to the motion of the Hon. Member, because, although the Commissioners may not have thought it expedient to beer the petitioners relative to the building of the church in question, still it did not appear that the Commis. timers had not made such inquiries as were necessary, previous to ordering the church to be built. He thought it was clearly proved by the fact that the church in question was generally tilled, that the church was necessary. Mr. J. WOOD complained of the powers invested in the hands of the commissioners, by which they were enabled to inflict churches upon parishes that were not to want of them. He could never con sent to give those commissioners increased powers when they con. standy abused those with which they were entrusted. He as a die. Dente? must say that he thought the established church was mil. clently endowed, and It was not for the interest of true religion that it should be possessed of too great a retinue. Lord J. RUSSELL said a few words. Mr. TRANT condemned the language adopted by hon. members against the commissioners for building churches. Mr. R. COLBORNE was fur amending the act, so as to enable the commissioners to appropriate the surplus rents of the church towards defraying the expenses of the church. Mr. Sergeant ONSIASW made a few observations upon the question before the House, which were not heard in the gallery. Mr. 11U3IE complained of the observations made use of by the honourable member for Dover (Mr. Trent.) That honourable member ought to make himself acquainted with the question before he adverted to it : lie denied that the church in question was con stantly Oiled : he also condemned the expression used by the Chan cellor of the Exchequer towatds the parish of St. Luke's, namely, that it was poor and dissolute. It might be poor, but it did not follow that it was therefore dissolute. tie complai ned of the power of the commissioners, which enabled them to ride over the opinions of parishes; nor did he think it creditable in his lilajewy's ten to support such a power. Dr. PHILLI:11011 IC begged to ask when it was the intention of the Right Honourable the C ha ncellor of the Exchequer to have the Church Commissioners Bill read a second time ? The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said he could not then say, but he would give timely notice of his intention. After a few weeds from Mr. W. SMITH, the CHANCELLOR of the Exc HEQV en, and Mr. BARING, the petition was ordered to lie on the table, and be printed. Mr. 11U31R gave notice that on the 17th instant he would move that the petition be referred to a select committee to inquire into the allegations contained therein. Sir J. GRAHAM moved for a espy of the Instructions relating to the prevention of the blockade of Greece. Sir H. PEEL said that it would not be convenient to multiply the nature of the return. There was no objection to the returns, but some of them, particularly that relating to the instructions of Lad Aberdeen to Sir P. Malcolm, were, he thought, unnecessary. A short conversation took Mar; between Sir K. VYV wax, Sir B. PEEL. Sir C. WETHERELL, and Lord J. RUSSELL, relative to papers connected with Greece; but it was tarried on in so low a tone, that its purport was not clearly understood in the gallery. The motion was then agreed to. Sir J. GRAHAM moved for returns of the salaries and pensions paid under the Act I George IV. c. 118, and the funds from which those payments have been made —Ordered. Mr. HUME wished to know when the accounts of salaries and pensions paid in the colonies were to be laid before the house. Sir G. MURRAY could not at that moment say, but he would , enquire, and state the result to the house. Lord J. RUSSSLL presented a petition hos certain Dissenters in London, complaining of the oaths requited to be taken on several in On the motion of Lord MILTON, returns were ordered of the duties laid on foreign corn imported since 1827. Lord 110 WICK gave notice that he should, in the Committee of Supply, again take the sense of the house on the expenses of South American Missions. TUC CCEILENCT. Mr. ATT WOOD then rose sad said, be wished to call the at... tentioo of the house to the consideration of a moat important ma. sore—to one whkh vim cakukted to "diem the country, and to relax those pressures which now so heavily premed open the Nun. tey. He wished to propose to the home the re.cetablielonsat of that &attest and legitimate metal standard which the Act of 17117 'avoided, and which was not testered by the Act of 1819. Re thought it was e•pedieot to asshwiLste the currency of the country, paper as well as metal ; but such a measure must necessarily involve the whole question of the currency ; and under the strong conviction that in submitting such a measure he should not succeed, he thought it advisable to confine it:a:- self to one more limited and placticable. He confined bilio..f.t thus with the less reluctance, because he attributed to the cit.::g.• from that ancient and legitimate metal standard the whole of the difficulties, and the alterations of affluence and of distress, which had proved so destructive in their result to the prosperity of ti.e country.—(Hear, hear.) He could see no reason on earth for sod; distress and difficulty as at present, and for the last few years, pressed upon the energies of the country. Nor could he see any which did not resolve itself into embairassment and weighty pressure upon the productive classe4 of the community.--(Hear, hear.) if any person had paid attention to the histal of the country for the last fifteen years, he must be aware that in pro portion as prices had advanced during that period, in exaely the same proportion were the means of subsistence ptac.d out of the reach of the great body of the people, until at !au periods had been experienced when the productive classes were almost in a state of famine. This state of things had its origin in the artificial operations which had taken place in the value of money.--(Hear, hear.) During a long period prior to 1816 there was but one in. stance in which money suffered &depreciation in value, and with the exception of that one instance its value steadily advanced without any fluctuation ; but what was the case since then ? Money having fallel in value ruse again to its very highest value, and then basing again fallen it again rose, and so a third time, until its value became the sense of bankruptcies, against which no prudence could guard anamipt those classes who had so embarked their fortunes as to be liable to feel the effects of its fluctuations. Ile would now call the snarler of the house to the act of 1797, which first established the ppee money, not as the representative of money as formerly— /se es a thing to be changed for another thing of more in. Mask value, of which value it was the representative, but a pure piper money changeable into nothing. (Hear.) This act, by introducing paper, suspended silver as a standard of currency.— Silver hod been the standard for more than two centurie4, but in that year Parliament suspended it, and substituted another in its room, and in so doing took no sort of precaution to protect the new standard from depreciation. The laws which cep. plied to the former standard to prevent its being depreciated, could not be applied to the latter, and no new ones whatever were adopted (Hear.) The new standard became the measure of value for a period of twenty-two years, and at the expiration of that time, namely, in 1819, this new standard was, without any inquiry, abandoned. The old standard was brought back, and all engagements contracted under the latter standard were by that Act made payable in money, and this without making the smallest inquiry as to the extent of the debate. meet of paper money. The Committee which was appointed at the• dme upon that bill said that it formed no part of their duty to Inquire Imo that examination, for they thought they were bound to assume that k had already been fixed by the wisdom of Parliament, which hon. eon was not the case, and thus no inquiry took place. He observed that an bon. manber opposite to him, appeared to be incredulous, but such was the fact. That committee whose province It was to make a large addition to every tax in existence by one act of Par. Bement—that committee did not think It a matter proper for their esosideralles, in eider to report to the house the effect which th.rt ens mason would have in increasing all the burtbens of the country —(Hear.) It was said by the right honourable baronet (Sir Hobert Peel), and It was also contended by all those, who, with him, supported the matinee of 1819, that in the passing of that bill the nation was only discharging a debt of justice; and even were it not so, that still they were bound to the adoption of the measure by another and a preceding act of parliament. He would, foe the sake of argument, admit this reasoning to the full, though before he sat down he would show to demenstradon that neither position was a, all tenable. He would ask the House to turn its attention to the state of the country--to see on the one band the land bound down by settlements and mortgages; and on the other hand the menu. lictures and commerce of the kingdom in a state of unparalleled ispersion—to witness on cony side one great system of pecu niary credit, and then to ask themselves the question whether there could be found in civil legislation a course so calculated flat the utter derangement of all the energies of the rescue—for the suffering of all classes—for bringing together all the elements of dis order, and producing calamity, such as was at present indicted on the country, as was the course which wes then adopted ? He would. however, as he had already said, admit, for the sake of argument, that it was just to re-establish a metallic currency. It was not to relieve the country from future-apprehended embarrassment that the Dill of 1819 was introduced, for at that time no suffering war Airmen. (Hear, bear.) The Committee saw no difference in the value of money. The advocates of the bill had no doubt upon Ithe subject. They could place paper in the one scale and gold in dee other and tell to a fraction the value of them respectively, which was governed by the price of bullion in the market ; but this it was which eventually led to all the ruin and destruction of pea. pony which of late years bar taken place. He had, however, ad. witted, for argument sake, that Parliament was pledged to the ma. nee, sod that it was bound to indict a metal standard upon all en. gripasots and debts contracted under a paper currency; and having initted, be would still affirm that the pledge was violated—that the standard was not brought back to what it was prior to 17117 that the standard was not the same as it was before--and that no pe. sosiary contract or tax, to be paid under that act, was thereby placed under the same circumstances, or under the same stands* as before 1797, to which standard haus profewd that Parliament was I pledged to recur. The ancient standard of the country sae not cid at 31. 17s. lOed. per ounce, but it was gold at 31. 12.. lOid. per ounce, or silver at is. 2d. per ounce, at the option of the purchaser, which made a most serious difference, as might very easily be explained. For iastarce—at one time gold was the dearer coin, in proportion, and then of course it was the interest of the people to pay in silver ; during the last century, gad was the cheaper coin in proportion, and then it was the interest of the people to discharge their debts, and pay their :sires in gold._ From the year 178.5 up to the present time, gold had gradually advanced in price to the extent of fourteen nor rent. beyond the price of silver, so that it was now clearly ttie int.:.s: of the people to pay in silver. (Hear, hear, hear.) He was glad to see an hon. friend of his in his place, who bad told him Oat he could not un. dentand what was meant when the people talked of a double star.. dad of value, for he would take that opportunity of informing hin.. When there are two metals forming the standard of wale; the debtor will, as a Matter of course, pay In that which is overrated in the bullion market; he will acquit himself in the cheapest metal. Where there is a double standard, the debtor or the purchaser will pay in which coin be thinks fit; and if the pro. portionate value of the two coins vary, he will, necessarily, fi.r his own interest, pay in the cheapest. This was the state of the law of the country down to the year 18W, when the present coin was first introduced. Thus, in the case of a mortgage eta ed prior to 1797, the debtor could easily understand, though his putt friend could not do so, the advantage of paying in the cheaper tit two coin., both forming the standard of currency.—(Hear, hear.) — He would assume that a man had to pay a tax of 211. and tailing the present prices of silver and gold respectively, if the latter was now as formerly the standard, he would take his 214 in geld to market and purchase 86 ounces of silver, which be would cony to the Mint, where ie would receive for it about 211. Is. 9d. and thus effect a saving of five per cent.—(ilesr, hear.)—As silver was the main coin throughout the world, it might not be unfair to assume that the quantity of that metal which would be required in thi. country, if it was made the standard of value, woad alter the value of silver thrtutglitint the world ; but such, be thought, would nut be the case, fur it did not follow t h a t b e a m s. s u m was t h e standard of value, that all debts mud engagements should be dis charged in silver, for one of the effects of a silver, united with a gold standard, would be to prevent the reduction of paper money which would then be employed as the pepsemettive d silver. This, ag.sin, would cause the price of sensutsffitise a dame, and would lave the effect also of increasing the vest et lend from four to six or seven per east. thus allindiog raid to the landed proprietor, to the farmer, and she ogricultorlst, while it would also relieve the labours from the MUM ie the taus —(Hear, hear, bear.) The change hens a doable to a single standard stmadir—that tut b a gespo somdeled e; j e sid frot and ura dives Taped, who contended that gall aught tabs mode the seleeillehilde -