Star. — London, England, 1803-04-07 00:00:00

rAXLIAMENTARr PRoCEEDMGS. HOUSE OF LORDS, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 6. The Brute refolved Well into a Coenrr ittee of Privileges, and lord Watsttcame having taken the Chair, the conficicration of the Clsini o. the Rev. Mr. Brydger, to the Barony of Chan dos, was rcryined. Mr. ATTOINIT Gax4AL was further bard on behalf o► the Crown, and Mr. Townfend, of the herald's Office, save evidence at the Ear with reined to tome points which bad been adverted to, in the courfe of the a-gu mews of the Learned Comte], Ste. The further conSleration of the c.fe was then deferred till this day fortnight. The Houfe then refuelled, and after prayers were read, their Lordihipaproceeded to forward the Bills upon the Table; the greater part of there handing for third readings, they were read and pared accordingly. The Exchequer Bills Bill, and Sir James Saumares Annui ty Bill. were both read a (mond time, and ordered to be com mitted tomorrow. Mr. ALA:Anne R and others brought up from the Commons the American Loyalifta Commidoners Bill, and returned the C.ergy Refulence Three private Bills were prefented by Lord Was. Roseau., god read a Srft time. Mr. R. TNOLDS prefented feveral Papers from the Court of Ctuncery in Ireland, rotative to the pending Appeal of D'Arcy and Irvin .. D'Arcy. MILITIA OPTIC/et DILL. _ _ Lord HOBART moved the third reading of the Militia Officer's Bill. The Earl of Raoaoa took the opportunity to propole fume flight amendments in certain parts of the Bill, which were agreed to by the Houfe. The Bill being read a third time. The Earl of RADNOR. rote to propole the intro dation of a Claufe by way of Rider to the Bill, the particulars of which he Rated to their Lord !hips, but the leading effed he defcribed. would be to reanre the command of thofe Companies to the Field-Officers of the Militia Corps, of which, by the regulations not long fince adopted, they were deprived, but which were Rill held by Officers of correfponding rank in Regiments of the Line. In recommending the Claufe to the adoption of the Houk, his Lordfhip recapitulated Come of his former obfervations on the proceedings with refpeet to the Militia, and urged, that befides tending, fo far, to reftore the Militia to its original conftitu• tional principle, it would diminth the difficulty of finding Officers properly qualified, by lelening the number of Captains in each Corps. The Noble Earl alto made Tome obfervations with refpett to the fubordinate parts of the Claufe, and concluded by regularly moving for its adoption. Lord Mozarr felt himfelf called upon, under the prefent eircumllances, to refift the adoption of the ',toppled Claufe. In the Aril place, he ob. I ferved, it would direaly controvert a Leginative provilion made in the laft Seffion of Parliament, by which that alteration, propofed after a due confideration of the point, was deemed advifable. Of the effea of that regulation, which he thought likely to be advantageous, they had not yet had an opportunity of experiencing, and be was of opinion that, at leaf, fuch an opportunity fhould be given. Nor was this the only objeaion he en tertained againft the Gana ; it would go, in a peat degree, to render inefficacious one of the Leading provifinns of the Bill itfdf, as it would Co far give a greater latitadeto the ,power of the Lord . Lieutenaats in 'bele raped*. than was in the con templation of the BiU. The Noble Secretary here ciefcribed the elk& and intention of that part of the Bill to which he alluded. and having argumenta tively enforced the above points, concluded by oh ferving, he felt it his duty to oppofe the Claufe moved by the Noble Earl. Earl Steve's& delivered his fentiments on the queftion at tome length. in the count of which he expatiated on the importance of the Militia as a Coollitotional Defenfive Force, and exprefred his !egret at die alterations whiehhad been lately made in that fyftern. He thought the Bill before the Hoare. in that point of view, one of coafiderable importance, and with refpea to it, he mull obferve, that no cafe of neceffity for it had been made out by Minifters, which be thought fhouleLhave been done before they could be juffified in calling upon the Leginature to adopt provifions Co contradiaory to the Conftitutional principles of the Militia as originally eftabliflsed. On thcfe general grounds, be was inclined to fupport the prepofition of the Noble Earl, whole particular obfervations in re commendation of the Chute his Lordfhip alfo en forced. The queftion was then put, the propofed claufe was rejeaed, and the Bill read a third time and patted, and a meffage fent to acquaint the Commons *herewith. RIMS, OP SOLDISIS ♦MD SAILORS. The Order being read for their Lordthips going into a Committee on the Bill introduced by the Earl of RADNOR, for the more effeaual relief of Wounded Soldiers and Sailors on their difcharge, ; the loading provifion of which was to factli• tate the conveyance of fuch perfons to the places of their legal fettlement, the Noble Lord flared his intention to purpofe to defer that Rage of the Bill. From what we could collet from the ob fervatioas of his Lordfhip, his intention was to extend, as well as to ameliorate, the provifions of the Bill. He Rated a cafe of extreme hardfhip, which occurred with tepee to the wife of a foldier, and which Teemed to induce him to the prefent pro ceeding. The Loan CHAN ctLLot Paid a few words on the oecalion. He appeared to concur in what fclifrom the Noble Earl, and adverted generally to the cafe cited by him, which he deemed a matter worthy of the mon ferious coafideration. The Committee on the Bill was then deferred till that day three weeks. Some private bufinefi was then difpnfed of; after which their Lordships adjourned till to-morrow, when a Comminion takes place, for the purpofe of figoifying the Royal Alfcnt to certain Bills. HOUSE OF COMMONS. The Sr■ informed the Houk that he had received a Copy of the Mama of the Proceedings of the Board of CommiMoners appointed to take Evidence Wady( to the Dublin Unite:by Election, and that ►e had Weed Ids Warrant for titan to re-amber on the 25th init. A perfon front the "I'reaftuy of !inland brought up the slish Report of the Cowintimers of Pub ie Accounts, end kveral other Accounts, purfnant to Aft of Pertiatnest, which were ordered to lie an the table, and be printed. Mr. NV:amnia pee notice that he &mild, on the Ali eves day a fter the iteeefs, move that the food Rector be refund to ▪ Committee of she while Hods. The to enable the Lord China wal Wart the Lord Chancellor°, Irdand, itc. to dircet tic lels tied Mort gagcof the Lands of Lunatics, was read s firft that, and or dered to be read s feeond on the az tt inft._ _. _ -- TheSodihwark Paving Bill waa read a third time, and 1 paired. Mr. Daimon gam nadee, that he Amid to-marrow mote' to poßpore the confideration of the Sp e ci al i Report of the Committee oa the Great Grilnibr ' , IRA rtildvc to the condua of the Mayor, which now Rood foriserday, the 19th left. to the Monday following. .... .._ CAtMAITNIN COUNTY ILECTION. Sir Pi PS SM. Put.vsN reported from the Committee appointed to try the merits of the eon relied Elation for the County of Carmarthen, that John Hamlin Williams, EA. was duly eleaed ; but that the Petitions did not appear to the Com mittee to be frivolous or vexations. EIRRIC[•UPON-TWIID ZLECTIOII. Lord Halvsy reported from the Committee on the contetled Eleeion for Berwick•upon.Tweed, that John Fordyce and Thomas Hall, Efqrs. were not duly defied, and that the fatd Ele&ion was void ; but that none of the Petitions were frivolous or vexatious. SURICRY RAILWAY. The Surrey Railway Bill was read a third time. On the queflion that it pafs, Col. WOOD Paid, that if the Bill really tended to effeet what its title and provifions profeffed to do, and that it would really benefit the Public, he would not be the man to fay a word againft its immediately paffing ; but he was of opinion it would, on the contrary, be found very inconve• nient and mifchievous in its confequences, and particularly to farmers, who would be materially injured by ir, and could not get their manure but at a very advanced rate of carriage. He fhould hope, therefore, that the Houfe would agree to adjourn the further confederation of it for a fort night, which he moved accordingly. Lord Wea. RUSSEL oppofed this delay, on the ground that the Bill in every part had been moll amply difcuffed in the Committee. Mr. Hoerr oppofed the motion on the fame ground. He raid, as minute an invefligation as potlible had been made before the Committee, ef• pecially as to carriage, and if any of the rates were lowered, it would tend to fruitrate the objeas of the BilL Without fome stronger evidence. there fore, than private fuggeaions, he hoped the Bill would immediately pars. The quellion was put, and the Bill paled with out a divifion. 111011-1.1103111C1 01 TOE CLIROY. Sir W. SCOTT rote to make his motion on this tubjeEt. He began by faying, that it was in the highelt degree fatisfaCtory to him, and it mutt be equally fo to the Houfe, that there would be no neceffity for his trelpaffing at any confiderable length on their time and patience. The fubjee had of late undergone Co much difcuffion in fo many various forms, and of fo many various kinds, that it mull have been infinitely familiarifed to the minds of all who had in the leaß attended to the fubjett. An ancient flame enaCted, before the national religion was Protellant, at a period of time when the moil unbounded dikontents pre vailed on the fubjett of religion throughout the realm, has for a great many years lain dormant as to its execution. In this nature, however, there were certain provillons giving powers to informers to proceed againft the Clergy holding farms, and alfo for non-refidence at the Parfonage-honfes, under very fevere Penalties. There powers, after lying thus dormant for near a century and a half, had been about five years ago called Into activity by a general attack on the Clergy, particularly in the Weft of England, and in fuch a manner, as to prove an engine of the greatelt oppreffion. The praaice then adopted was, to commence anions againft Clergymen, and then write letters to them, informing them of the extent of penalties incurred, but that the informers were ready to make up the matter, and though they had it in their power to recover Co large a funs, yet they would take a fii pulated fun) to compound the whole. He was much afraid, from what he had learnt on the fub ht% that in a great many inftances there offers ad been too often complied with ; and indeed he was not Co much forprifed at it, when he refletted how fuddenly the Wines came upon them, and the great avert - ton which many old and infirm Clergymen mull have on their minds againft going to a public trial on fuch a &hie.% in which they would have to encounter Co many different preju dices, and which would of courfe give rife to a great deal of unjull obloquy and cenfure, and much unmerited reproach on their charaiters and condutt. This fcandalous traffic had been Rated to the Houfe by a Member of one of the Weftern Counties, to whom the Clergy in general were greatly indebted for his humane and generous in terference in their behalf; and that Hon. Gentle. man then informed the Houfe, that there were upwards of too cafes of this kind in his neigh- j bourhood ; but Paid the Hon. and Learned Baro net, there was no proof that there were too cafes of criminal non-refidence. Such, however, was the outcry againft the Clergy, and filch the enor mous increate of penal alums, that the tall Par- 1 , liament became of opinion, it was high time to do what Lord Coke faid iso years before fltould be done; to take into their confideratian a revi lion of that Ratute enacted at fuch a diftant pe riod, and when the diffinfinns of the country on that head were moll violent and mifchievous.— The fubjelt was accordingly brought before the Houfe, but fo late in the tieffion, that nothing to the purpofe could be done in it. In the next Sef lion of Parliament, it was not taken up iu a very early Rage, and indeed it was not to be wondered at, as the fubjett was of fo very eztenfive and com plex a nature, that if there was any blame. it mutt attach to all the Members, as be knew of no individual who was aaually pledgedeo take it up. At a fuhfequent period however, it had been al ma irrefißibly prefed upon him, in the ccnirfe of his profeffion, to take op the meafure, and be had contented to dedicate his time, send the bumble talents he polieffed, in behalf of a numerous and refpesaable clefs of men, who were fecluded from the fpecnlative porfuits in which the reit of their fellow fubjetts have a right to engage. He was therefore induced, from motives of public duty, to usdatake a talk which be knew to be tioshictotwe ' and invidieds in the extreme, and did accordingly in the la& Seffion of Parliament review the Bill, and referved to himfelf a pi ivilege of determining on thefe matters. On thefe grounds, he prefumed to offer the Bill to the Houfe ; and . 13 a late Rage of the Seffion it was finally withdrawn, becaufe it did not appear to him that there was fufficicent time to make it what it ought to be, or to render kin any degree complete. He appealed to the recolleetion of every Member who heard him, to fay, what a crowd, he had almoft faid a mob of Bills, had been puttied into the Houfe during the laft agonies of the laft Parliament. He had cer tainly pledged himfelf that that Bill fhould be re turned in the next Parliament. He begged leave to Rate, that what lie had done in refped to for wardin the meafure in queftion, he had under taken f rom a fincere defire to benefit fo refpeda ble a body of men, and to lay all future queltions of litigation at tell ; and, with the humble hope he entertained, raped:ling the future proceedings of this Houfe in regard to the Bill, flattered him felf he 'might fucceed in attaining fo defirable an , objet. Under fuch circumflances, therefore, he fhould have thought his endeavours might have efcaped acrimonious cenfure. With refpcd to the prefent Bill, he thought it his duty to declare ex plicitly, that it was fundamentally the fame as that offered before to that Houfe. The leading' , features and provifions are the fame, though Come of them are, no doubt, is many refpedts, tome. I what foftened in the expreffions, and ia the enadt• meats alfo refpeding fuch parts as appeared to' trench on private convenience. All the confidera tions which reading, reflation, information, and experience on this fubjed, had enabled him to adopt, convinced and fatisfied him that it was his' duty to fubmit the Bill to the Houfe in that form. He Inuit fay, that there are certain perfons who had claimed exemptions from the Bill, which he had not touched. All he could do regarding . them was, to offer their claims to the confideratton of the Houfe. With refpeft to thefe, he came there as free and as unfettered as any other Member of that Houk. He had. he laid, totally omitted all regard to any provition for meliorating the Rate of the Parochial Clergy of this country: not that he doubted that tome degree of amelioration was neceffary, but that beeaufe he thought, in a pro vifion of that kind. it was bell to leave it to the united wifdom of the Houfe. With refped to en aiding the Clergy to repair and rebuild their ha bitations, which he knew were many of them in fuch a Rate as not to be habitable, be bad alto left it to the united wifdom and difcretion of the Hoofs; but he was perfedly convinced that the removal of that defea would in a great meafure remove the complaint of non-refidence. With re (pea to the larger Benefices, he Paid, they were Inch as can remedy thole evils themfelves, though they be not provided with honks (ultable to their means : but he mull think it a confederation won. thy attention, whether or not as to thofe, even where there are no houfes, louse provifioa fhould not be made in future. at the time the Benefices are conferred, that certain portions thereof fhould be referved for providing proper manfions on their glebes. As to the (mailer Benefices fausethingbad been done under Mr. Gilbert's A@; the principle of which was to enable them to build houfes. The Legiflature has enabled the Corporation for 21111- hag the inferior Clergy to lend money for thefe purpofes, on a very final! intereft, and, in tome cafes, on no intereft at all ; and in others, by giv. ing a (mall furn ; therefore, he thought, if a fimi. lar meafure, on a larger fcale, conflftent with the wifdom of Parliament,were to be adopted, a great part of non.readence, which is now complained of, would be compleatly obviated and done away.— Another circumliance, he kid, wis the cafe of Stipendiary Curates. Thefe perfons are men of, ample manners and laborious lives. As to their number, lie begged leave to Rate, it made him with an aching heart declare, that their condition both in point of number and circumftances, calls for the interference and affiaance of Parliament : they leave their cafe to the liberality and charity of Parliament, under the hope and expeeatian of thereby obtaining redrefs ; and from all quarters he had received letters of the general alarm there perfons were under refpedting refidence. The lati objeft for the notice of the Houfe is, the (mall Be nefices ; an acknowledged number of which are of Inch a Rae as to offer to thofe who are to fupply them nothing bot a fcanty living and extreme dif trefs. The queftion, therefore. was, what was the proper way to remedy thefe evils ? Qpeen Anne's Bounty tended in a certain degree to that eft& ; and items then tobe confidered, whether the matter might not be accompliated by :he confolidation of ' fmaU contiguous livings; that. however. required the confideration of thofe to whom it more pro perly belonged. It was inspofable for him at pre fent even to guels at their real atomic's', but be thought it might be done by the clergy themfelves, amongtl whom there were many names intimately conneded with, and materially interetted io the ho. nour, the fecurity, and independence of the Govern ment of this country, and who muft recollea bow necdrary it is for them, in a cafe of this nature. to ufe their utmoß exertions, and to make fume facri fices for the general accommodation and benefitof that clefs of fociety, particularly conitituted by themfelves. Thefe were points in which the interference of Parliament would never be effee• coal, unlefs followed by fuch accompaniments.— There was only one more obfervation he had to make, which was, that he had not prefumed to intrude within the limits of the regulations of the Sifter Church of Ireland t becaufe he did not pot fefs local knowledge fufficient for the purpofe ; but if the Reprelentatives of that part of the coun try Gould, in cafe of this Bill being adopted, think proper to make (under provifions, it might eafily be dose. He would now Rate to the Houle what his humble ex ton was, as to the condoa the Houfe wail,' adopt in this boanefs. He flumd with, that as loon as it is confißent with the orders of that Houfe, the Bill Ibould be read a firft time and printed, and afterwards go to a Committee, becaufe he entertained a con fide nt hope, that when it has undergone loch a (minus confideration. there can be no °Nations Rated to the material objeas of i 4. Oa a isa view there have bees fame Rana' with rather too great a degree of harfluiefs. Fa his own experience he believed, that almolt ever. Member had received fume information ou fubjea. He was very far from blaming their de fire to (late objeelions for, in his opinion, the moll difpaffionate confideration is due to this Bill ; a n d from every information he had obtained from churchmenor laymen—from landmen or feamen— he had received not very decided, but very difcor. dant opinions. If the till should be found, by the good feufe of the Knife, fo incorrigibly abfurd, to be incapable of being brought to any praaical ufe, he would be the &It to depart from at ; b ut he hoped it would be found produflive of confi derable benefit, both in point of private and public utility. He then concluded a very elaborate and learned fpeech, by moving, " That leave be give n to bring in a Bill to regulate the mode of fpitataid perfons holding farms,and to render more elite nit the refidence of the Clergy."—Granted. WOOLLIN M•NUVACTURi/t. The Order of the Day was read for taking into eonfideration the report of the Committee on die Woollen Clothiers' Petition; and on the motion of Mr. DICKINSON, jun. the Honte refolved itfelf into a Committee of the whole Houfe, Mr. Esrcur er in the Chair. Mr. Dicait.son, jun. Rated, that the fubjed was of the highell importance, and required all the contideration the Houle could pofribly give it.— Had it been in any other hands, he was convinced it would have been better concluded, but it mull Rand on its own intrinfic merits. The bell way for him to take, he believed, would be to Rate what the Bill was not. It was not a meafure to do away twenty-three Ails of Parliament, but to amend that number of Afts, which, though they have been in exiftence, are now become cibfolete. He would &only enumerate there Ads. Since the Ratute of Elizabeth, trade had increafed to a great degree ; and if that wasilbt repealed, eight perfons out of nine would be reduced to poverty, in confequenee of the introduilion of the Spring Shuttles. The import of the raw material will be much diminifhed ; and the Rate of the trade will gradually go to ruin. The fecond Racine he would with to mention was, that of Edwarti VI. which prohibited the ufing of certain chemical preparations for purging and cleaning of cloth.— The next Statute was that of Philip and Mary, re lative to weavers. In the infancy of the mans failure, perfons having wore looms than one, were fubjed to penalties. He had Rated the out line to the Houk, and was lure the Hoare would require all the information necetraey before they paired the Bill into a law. Laws in the courfe of time are liable to decay and corruption. From the whole biftory of our Conftitution, it would ap pear to be a hiftory of the amendment of laws.— It was well Paid by Lord Chief Juftice Coke, that the thip of State would not Beer by the fame means at one time as at another • nor would the clout's which fitted him when a child fit him when arriv ed at manhood. The manners and adorns of a country are all liable, in the courfe of time, to change, and therefore laws mall alter. Laws were made for the fake of juftice to a country in general, and not for one private and individual are. Quick fides and fptedy market. are the few dations of all trade and commerce. The *voila trade has now arrived at a pitch of joerf;shion hi therto unprecedented. He wined that there laws should be repealed, in fo far as they tend to injure the progrefs of that fume& They are Ouc h as have been put into execution from no good motives, but from the affociation of a fet of men prompted by views of felf-intereth He would with, however, to call to the recoUeetion'of loch ifociations, that it is to the loom in a great meafore that the matt important interefts of this country are to be mufti. bused. He, therefore, moved, " That the Chair man be inure ted to move for leave to bring in a Bill, to repeal feveral laws relative to the woollen manufactures, to be read a firft time to-morrow, and that a day should be appointed for a fecond reading after the recefb, in order that Members should have time to confider it." Mr. BIAGGI faid, he apprehended the Hon. Member would not obtain his object, unlefs he enumerated the Aab he meant to amend and re peal ; for a Bill to repeal the Ads relating to the Woollen Manufactures generally, would create a very great alarm, which jt would be very wrong to give rife to at this moment. Mr. Dice:now, jun. obfcrved, that if the Bill was allowed to be printed, that would thew com pletely the Ails propofed to be amended. The Cerement-on of the Excnactose faid, it was abfolutely necetary that the title of the Bill Mould enumerate the particular Ads propofed to be repealed or amended. Nay, that it fhould even defcribe, where parts only were to be amended or repealed, what fuch pare were that were Co to be amended or repealed; in order that the Hoofs and the public in general might and/Aland what was about to be done. He would, therefore, foggelt to his Hon. Friend, that the Bill might be read a firti time to-morrow, with fuck improvements, if be now moved for e Chairman to report pro grefs, and auk leave to fit again, which was ac cordingly done. The Houfe fawned, the Chair* man reported progrefs, and obtained keel to GI again to-morrow. COISISITTIS OP SUPPLY. The Norge having received itself into a Corr: mittez of Supply, Mr. DISSIZT 111011,d, that the Petition of Ge. , Martin, jun. of Lincoln's Inn, Swifter at Law, be referred to the (aid Committee.---Ordered. Mr. Ttsarsv obferved, this was not the care nt an Ametican Loyalilt now prefenting his cafe to IParlianient ; but one of thole claims which is well known, having been invcAigated br the Couttia• (loners appointed to enquire into the tares and Cervices of ilia American Loyallfts, wbo, mulct all circanillances, 4id not think thensfelves war- ranted to allow this claim ' without applying to Parliament. There could be nu doubt as to - Mr. Marlin's, which amounted to 645t51. The only qi , eftion was, whether it was to be defrayed the Government of this country, or that of America ! Mr. Martin Chewing that he had dal all dde di genes to recover from the United &stet of Am,- nea t at lea* (added bin to ausasioa Wtsag PPP