Star. — London, England, 1810-06-01 00:00:00

~~ SOUTH AMERICA. BUENOS AYRES, MARCH 1. My last informed you of the conditions on which the port was opened to a free trade. Soon after that event took place, the flritish here were surprised and alarmed by orders issued to them, generally, to quit this country, some in eight days, and others in a shorter period, without any cause for so extraordinary a measure being assigned. On representation being made to the Viceroy of the injustice of that measure, at a time . when, upon the strength of the conditions of a free trade, the Britisti had confided their property into the hands of the Spaniards, and had reason to believe thenwlves secure, he has allowed them a pe riod of four months, from the date of the entry of their respective ships, to wind up their affairs. It is not apprehended but that, at the end of that period, a 1 nger one will be granted to those whose affairs require it. It appears that the opening of the port is merely a -temporary measure, adapted by him to answer his present purposes, as by the duties levied on the car goes of the ships here he is enabled to pay a past of the arrears due to his troops, which have been run ning on for these last five or six months past, in conse quence of the disturbances in the interior preventing the arrival of cash, as was customary. If affairs in Spain go on as bad as is reported, a short time will probably decide what part this country will take; whether it will declare its independence, or remain attached to Old Spain. Whatever be its fate, it is suspected that this Viceroy has orders to declare for either Joseph or Ferdinand, as affairs Spain shall turn out. Some alarm has been created here by a report of the Brest fleet be . ng out; it is said that a Spanish vessel, arrived a few days since at Monte- Video, fell in with a French squadron of the line, which plundered her of almost all her cargo. Orders have been issued here for the enrolment of all the male inhabitants, from the age of 15 to 45, and the Viceroy, it is reported, is going down to Montevideo, to spect the fortifications. Business here is dull ; Br mannfactures are selling very low; freights of Froduce for England 16 guineas per ton. The Minnie sloOp of war is daily expected from Maldo 1, do. Ihe Lightning, it is said, will take home a ei.t quantity of dollars, on account of the Phillip pine Company. PARLIAMEIVTdRr PROCEEDINGS. HOUSE OF COMMONS, MAY Si. The three millions vote of credit was reported and agreed to. Mr. LUSHiNGTON brought in several Local Milhia Pay - Bills, which were read a first time, and ordered for a second •reading to-morrow. The Beer Colouring Bill went through a Committee. The Reports of the Ways and Means and Supply were brought tp. The Resolutions of the Committee were agreed to. The Bill for repealing the 7th of James, which relates to the punishing Women delivered of Bastards, was reported, and the Bid ordered to be read a third time to-morrow. Mr. GRANT brought up the Repor; of the committee on the Caledonian Canal, which was laid on the table. The Land Tax Redemption Bill was read a third time and passed. . The Lottery Bill, the Lowland Distilleriestill, the Holvhcad • Harbour Bill, the Scotch Judges Salaries Bill, and the Trish Loan Bill, severally went through Committees. The ge v orts to be received to-morrow. Mr. LONG gave notice tkat he should tomorrow move for leave to bring in a Bill for the better regulation and payment of some part of his Majesty's forces. The Poor badge Bill was read a third time and passed. The Black Game Bill was repotted, and the Bill metered to be read a third time to-morrow. The Scotch Pension Bill was read a first time. Mr. C. WYNNE gave notice that he should tomorrow move for leave to bring in a Bill for better preventing Bribery and Cor ruption at Elections. The House went into a Committee on the East India Com pany'sßecruit Bill. Sir H. MONTGOMERY proposed a clause, providing that the Company's Rjgiments should be commanded by OfPcers, to take rank according to seniority, without any reference to their being of the regular army. The clause was olsjected to by Mr. DUNDAs, and afterwards !Withdraws. The Bill was then reported. The Foreign Timber Bill was ordered to be committed on Tuesday next. ISLE OF SCILLY. An Hon. Member moved for copies of the correspondence be tween the Lord Warden of the Stannaries and the Secretary Of the Admiralty, respecting the making safe anchorage off the Island of Scilly, for sh;ps of war and their convoy. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER, not being ap. prized of the steps taken by the Admiralty. stt„--7,ested to the Hon. Member to withdraw his metton, and in the interim he Would mate himself ;:tquainted with the subject. The motion was pea withdrawn. GLOUCESTERSHIRE ELECTION. Mr. SWAN rose, and offered to the House a pe tition from certain free-holders of the county of Ginn. cester, purporting to be founded on the Act corn monly called the Grenville Act, complaining of an undue return upon the late election of William Fitz- harding Berkeley, commonly called Lord Dursley ; inasmuch asthat thesaid Lord Dursley was nor, as he ' pretended to be, the eldest legitimate son and heir ap. , parent to Earl Berkeley, as alledged tor his qualifica. tions, whereas it appeared from the register of his birth that William Fitzliarding Bt rkeley was born on the 25th ofJarmary, 1787, being the son of Earl Berkeley and Mary Cole ; and by the registry of the arish of St. Mary, Lambeth , that in May , 1795 , Earl Berkeley and Mary Cole were married, and that on the 6th of May, in the year 1796, Ex -I Berkeley appeared and swore before the Surrogaze, in Surrey, that he. was an unmarried man. This was stated to" shew, that the birth and baptism of the said Lord Dursley took place previously to the marriage of his' mother, Mary Cole, (now Countess of Berkeley) with the present Earl Berkeley, and that the said. Lord Dursley, when sworn in a Member of that House, ‘he late election, did not produce iught to have done ; whereby ndfrcd pull and void by the 33d Toners concluded by praying that issued for the election of a Mem- could not consider this petition as Member who tendered it to ilarly founded upon the.Gren lained of no undue election, or insufficient return. And although 'petent for any Member of that place, and state the circumst:tnce etition, namely, that an Honour.. time of his being sworn MeMber, qualification, and on the proof for a new writ ; yet the House of men in the county of Glou- tester, or elsewhere, to lay before them the life, pa- peered by an entry to that effect in the parish wester yentage, and 'education of any of their Members; he of St. Mary's, Lambeth. That it also appeared by `therefore objected to receiving the petition, as not the parish register of St. Martin's in the Fields, they coming forward in the shape it ought to have done. had a son lawfully born of this marriage, who was M. BANKES and Mr. BATHURST thought baptized Thomas Fitzharding Berkeley, on the 19th the House ought not to be called on to decideinci- of November, 1797. Upon these grounds, the Peti-. dentally upon a motion of this nature ; but that if tioners alledge that William Fitzharding Berkeley, the petition should be received, the discussion upon (calling himself Lord Dursley) was not the eldest it ought to be adjourned to a future day, in order to . son and heir apparent of Earl Berkeley, an d not give the House time to consider the subject , and be having ful fi lled the Act, bad voided his seat in Par more prepared for its discussion. Bement. SirJOHNANSTRUTHER said, thiipetition was Mr. SWAN,before moving that the Petition should obviously not founded upon the Grenville Act, as it lie upon the table, begged to state, that he took upon professed to be. There were but four points to which himself no responsibility , as to proving tI4 troth of that Act properly applied, - namely, undue election, the allegations contained in the Petition. undue return, insufficient return, and no return at Mr. CALCRAFT thought it necessary for him, all. Of nu one of these did this petition complain.— in a question of so grave and serious a nature as the No objection whatever appeared to have been made present, to inform the House of a few facts in this to the insufficiency of Lord Dursley's qualificetion, case which had come within his knowledge, which it as ought to have been done at the time of the election, was impossible should not have been known to the if the alledged ground existed. No person complain- petitioners, and which must have been suppressed by ed of any irregularity in the return at the time, nor them, though they appeared in evidence on the Re of any practical injury sustained by any person in cords of their own Parish Chirch. There was evi consequence of that return. The petition was there- dance in their own Parish Registef, of a marriage be fore nothing more than a mere paper of information teen Earl Berkeley and Mary Cole, in the year to the House, that a person was sitting as one of its 1785. The case had been discussed in the House of Members who bad not produced his qualification at Lords—had been the common topic of conversation the time of his being sworn, as by law required. But in the County cf Gloucester—and now the Petitio ehe petitioners did -not place themselves in the situa- ners had thought proper to come to that House with tion required of petitioners under the Grenville Act. a garbled statement. Opposite the very entry, too, They entered into no recognizance to abide the ex- which they had chosen to give as to the baptism of pences of an enquiry before a Committee, and there- Lord Dursley, there was another entry stating him fore they were not entitled to have their- pktition re- to be the lawful son of the parties. who, for reasons ceived, and acted upon in the usual manner of elec- ' best known to themselves, had kept their marriage tion petitions. If the House should even consent secret, Gentlemen had supposed that the petitioners that the petition be received, considerable difficulty ' might have been ignorant of what they now alledged would arise upon the subsequent question of suffering iat the time of the election. But it was impossible it to lie on the table. He rather imagined that . the i they could have been so ; because these very certiti facts alledged would be much more proper ground, : cates, which they now produced, had been publicly for the motion of some individual Mefnber who weuld i advertised. Being aware of the fact then, why did undertake to prove those facts in evidence to the st- 1 they not call upon him for his qualification at the tisfaction of the House ; but the petitioners would i time ? These matters, he again stated, had been al 'net in such a case be bound to come forward. Be- i ready litigated before the House of Lords, and the sides, this petition called upon the House to decide 1 certificate of the second marriage was had recourse another question over which it had no legal jurisdic- to, only from a belief that the certificate of the first don, but in which its decision might, nevertheless, ia- marriage was irretrievably lost. These facts had fluence the legal decision elsewhere-upon a question come to his knowledge, and he thought it proper to 'that might•hereafter arise between Lord Dui sley, and jstate them. He should find the less reluctance to his younger bro , her. send the Petition back, as it would be still open to Mr. C.W. WYNNE thought, though the present petition under the Grenville Act, the fourteen days could not be considered as an election petition, still not expiring till Monday. Then there would be an the House ought to hear the ccenplaints of persons opportunity of having the Matter adjudicated by the who thought themselves aggrieved. • proper tribunal. There the petitioners might be pro- Mr. WHITBREAD conceived it to be impossible ceeded against for the penalties—here their petition to object to the petition being brotight tip. It mould might be allowed to remain a dead letter, after their then, however, become a serious consideration whe- scandal hard beep propagated all over the kingdom. ther it should lie on the table. He was satisfied that He thought the present quite a new question, He it could not be received as coming under the Gren- therefore wished it postponed to another day. If the vile Act, and he was also convinced it veoald be House should then think the application malicious, a reeable to the feelings of every Gentleman in the and groendlie.s, they would be able to say what mode ouse to find that they could not entertain it at all, they should adopt for vindicating the character of as by it they were called on to the consideration of a the injured individual, and punishing the calumnia point which they could never be competeet to deter- tors. .He couchided by moving that the debate be mine. What were they callecton here to decide ? adjourned till Tuesday next. That a person who assumed to himself the title of The SPEAKER also desired that the Noble Lord Lord Dursley, eldest son and lawful heir apparent to should be apprized that a question was then to come the Earl of Berkeley—whom the Earl of Berkeley too, before the House in which he was interested. him Self declared to be so—who, under that character, Mr. WYNNE thought, if the application should had stood candidate for the County of Gloucester, he found to be calumnious, it would be the duty of and had been elected—was not the person lie and his the House to search fen- precedents for punishing the father so represented him tobe Would the House wish petitioners. to take upon itself such a power ? Would they wish, Sir J. ANSTRUTHER could not agree with his without having any right or any call on them to do Learned Friend (the Solicitor General) that the case so, not only to determine so, but also to declare that was altogether new. It was fully discussed in the Earl Berkeley had been guilty of a conspiracy against i case of the Westminster Election, argued by his the County of Gloucester ? e!efore they ventured h o Learned Fi iend near him (Mr. Adam) and theMas take such a task upon themselves, he presumed they ter of the Rolls. would at least wish to learn from the petitloners whe- The question of adjourning the debate till Tues ther they were at the time of the return acquainted day o'as then put and cal riLd. with the matters stated in the petition.? If the effect !Nina Ai:FAIRS. of allowing the present petition to lie on the Table Mr. R. DUNDAS moved that the House go into was to have the effect of depriving -a eerson of his n Committee on East-India Affairs. rights, or of causing the House to interfere in a Mr. CREEVEY opposed this ; on the ground that matter over which they had no legitimate jmisdic• a very important paper, for 'which he had movei tion, he mist opeose it. He could not think the some time ago, had not been printed. He entertd House called on to plunge itself into such a Oilem- into a statement of what had been done for the Coin ma as this. He had no objection to the Petition pony during the last thirty years, with a view to thew being brought up, but could :out consent to its lying b ,I th • at-they had been constantly declining, and that the on the table. 1 public could have no reasonable expectation diet they The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER, . would be able to repay the money which they had thought there could be no doubt as to receiving the pe• I been borrowing. The Report of the East India Com tition. The question would then be, having received : micee, en extraordinary one, after three years labour, it, if they could refuse to pay attention to the. con- ' s:aced the balance at four miliions in favour of the tents of it. He agreed that the House could not in- j Company. The paper which he had moved for, sign ' terfere in the rights of parties ; but still they were ed by their own Secretary, made it 3 millions agaie - t entitled to entertain the question s o far as they them- ; them. It was therefore of the last importance that selves were concerned. If he felt as clear on this ' this paper should be in the hands of Members, before point as sonic other Honourable Gentlemen seemed f the House went into a Committee,_ where it was pro. to do, he should don' t t a s to th e p r op r i et y of at all posed to grant a million and a half to the East India receiving toe Petition. He was in favour of ad- Company. He should carte the sense of the House on journment, that the question might be maturely con- the question. side l red. • Mr. UUNDAS ob.,erved, that the Hen. Gentle. Mr. J. ABERCROMBY di eight it important for man ought to have deferred his objection till the • the House to know if the Petition contained allege- House went into a Committee, when he would hive tions which were unknown to the Petitioners at the I heard the grounds on which Ile (Mr. Dundas) pro time of the Election. If they then knew the candi. posed to move the enm mentioned for the relict of the date not to- be the person he represented himself Company. The accounts which spewed the state of to be, they might at that time to have asked him the Company's affairs, were in the hands of all the for his qealification. If they were aware of the cir- Members. . . curnstances in wilich he stood, *anil e omitted so to ► Mr. TIERNEY said, the paper would have been call on him, they were nut entitled now t.) come' to necessary, if the object had been to enter into an exa the Ilonse. mivation of the whole of the accounts of the East - , Mr. PONSONBY asked, if the Petitioners came : India Company, but not in the present instance. here claiming the benefit of the Mt 10dt GeorSel After a few words from Lord MORPETH and ' Third ? ' teIr.CREEVEY, the House diiided : . . Mr. SWAN answered in the negative. For the Motion, 43—Against it, 7—Majority 36. The Petition wns dice brought up and _read. When . siraneers were admitted, the Ifeuse had gone b It stated that the Act 454 of. Geo. 11. enacted that int o the Committee, and returned to Parliament, with the excep t i on I M r , DUNDAS was stat i ng t h e causes o f t h e dill. of the eldes t sons of Pe e r s , BSc. should produce their 1 culties'in which the Company found itself, the chief qualifications at the table, in default - of which their tof which:, the number of bills presented in this coun election should be void. That William Titzharding l try for payment upon their India debt. It had been Berkeley, calling himself Viscount Dursley, end! the object of the Company, however, to centine their claiming to be the eldest son and heir apparent of i loans in India to their su: plus revenue there, and they Frederick Augustus Berkeley, E ar l B er k e l ey , had, i had succeeded to a considerable extent in Madras and under this pretence, oel i tte e to p r oduc e hie qualifica. 1 Bombay; but there were no accounts from Bengal to tions, as required by the Act, and that, therefore, ' ehew how the plan answered there. But a complete his seat was void. The petition then narrated eel account of all their debts would be laid before the entry.in the parish register,. of the baptism of Wil- House next Session. It had never been e;pected cleit Iliam Fitzharding Be r keley (L or d Dursley) on the 1 the s e debts cou l d . be discharged out of their commee 25th of January, 1787, es the eon of Eerl Berkeley : cial profits here. The India debt contracted in the and Mary Cole—that en the 6th of May, 1796, t h e I acquisition of territory, ought to -be charged on the same Earl Berkeley came before the *Surrogate of 1 territorial revenue. The House had been in the ha- Surrey, and made oath that he was- a bachelor, and bit of extending relief to merchants, but the Corn- Mary Cole, a spinster, and that they were sebee- l iany would have been able to meet all their late jel questay married ia the said month of May, as op- lapse losses in trade had it not beea for these India bills. He proposed to move as issue di a within% an t a half in Exchequer Bills for the relief of the Co te , pany, which would be made payable in time to bri ll the. Company's affairs under discussion some tim e next Session. There existed sufficient security f ur this in their stock in trade, and the debt would be li. quidated by the Company defraying certain a 4 , 14 expences in the East Indies, hitherto defrayed by th e Crown. Mr. Dundas then adverted to the wan i n which the Company had been engaged, which b a d occasioned the deficit in their revenue compared with their expenditure. But there was now a prospect of their being able considerably to reduce their military establishment: He further stated that the Gole ta , ment had called upon the Company to give licences for individual trade to'Africa, the Red Sea, and the Southern Continent of America. The House, however, would have a future opportunity o f regu. Laing the India trade in whatever manner should appear most proper. He concluded by moving, a 3 above, That one millinn and a half of Eichequ er Bills, &c. Mr. CREEVEY stated, that he had little cons. dente in the security proffered for this sum. It war remarkable that, as to India, the Hon. Gentbailee had only been_ able to sliew a decrease of deficit —be had said nothing of surplus. He contended, in oppo. sition to the last Speaker, that iacsease of invest. ment was not necessarily a source of profit. Mer e the trade wets a losing one, it was a means of loss ; and he referred to Lord Minto's Letter, to sheo how the matter stood in the present instance. The Company bad completely failed in their engagements to the public; and instead of nine millions, which they ought to have paid by this time, they had only paid £500,000. Mr. DUNDAS observed, [hat the affairs of the Company could not be considered as a mere mercan tile concern. They were not to be considered as bank rupt, because their commercial profits here could not answer the India Bills. It might as well be said that this country was bankrupt because it could not at once discharge a debt of £600,000,000. Colonel - ALLEN said, that he had a letter from India, stating an instance of bad faith in the Com pany, in regard to a loan contracted there. It was of the last importance to preserve the confidence of the Natives ; and he coutessed that the letter in ques tion had almost destroyed the remains of confidence which he had had in the stability of die Company. lslr. DUNDAS stated, that tile transaction in quo. tion wts now tinder investigation. Mr. GEORGE JOHNSTONE supported thew. tion, elthotigh he considered it perfectly delusive to argue that the affairs of the East India Company were in a flourishing state, With respect to the &fledged reduction of the military force in India, it was its. possible, inasmuch as it was now scarcely sufficient for the protection of the territories subject to the Company. Mr. GRANT denied that the allegations relative to the insolvency of the Company were in any degree borne nut by the facts, although it was manifest that the general circulation of such rumours, both within and without those walls, was, above all other cirtum, stances, calculated to produce much of the evil which it was only affected to predict. It was no proof that because the coffers of the Company at home, in con. sequence of their commercial and political exertions in India, were not full, that therefore the applicatica to the country for the advance of a certain sum, was insolvency. Ravi not at various times , teat cha r tered bodies made such applications to the House of Com mons ? Did not the Bank of England do so, aid would it be contended that such an act fully illustrated the insolvency of that Corporation ? After some further observations from Lord Mae 'E . 1 . 11 and Mr. Pitesoettoasr, the Committee divided, when the nurnhers were — For the Motion 75—Against it 10—Majority ES. Mc. WHITBREAD asked, whetl.er it was the intention of the Chancellor of the Exchequer to take tip the Report lately presented by the Committee ap. pointed to inquire into the conduct of certain officer: ccnneeted with the last landing of Exchequer Bills. He wished to leave the subject wholly with Ministers, but if the Fora; steps there not taken, he would him. self submit a motion upon the subject. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER, although he admitted the improper conduct of some of the officers, still thought that as no public grim ance could follow, that time should be allowed the Govert:ment to revise the office itself, and to co suit upon the course proper tip be token against the persons implicated. Mr. WH IT BREAD had no objection to allow time tor the revision of the office, but he was convinced 'that as ye y improper conduct was brought home to so iie of theoliker, the example of their puthslunent ought to be promptly made. ASSESSED The Assessed Taxes Bill went through a Commit. tee ; Report brought nit and further consideration fixed for Tuesday next, east ITT4p OF EXPENNTGRIL Mr. BANES rose, on Mr. Davies Giddy's bring• ins up the Report of the Committee of Public FA. penditure, Did he not conceive the abolitionofsine cures to be of the most paramount importance at this time, he (Mr. Bankes) should not now rise for the purpose of moving an amendment. He had found it necessary to concur in resisting a recent motion, for a review of the Representation of the Country; because, though once he might have voted for some alterations in the representation, yet that vote would' have been given under more favourable circa'• stances, and with the prospect of better leaders there were now in view. Modetate though sub stantial reforms, improvements that did not involve the frame of the Constitution, were now re quired...-. This was the time, it ever time was , to separate t he advocates of ref , rm from the advocates' of ruilt. —(Hear! Hear !)--Many complaints might dressed ; many grievances really existed; and, le .rt this view of things, he was sure that not in more severely disappoint the enemies of the tioT ment, than for them to find that House in favouffr the Motion which he was about to propose. Ec c ' 43° . my and the in fl uence of the Crown were the sutees-P_ to which he wished principally to attract the attest: . of the House, which, he hoped , would g ive some . tional Specimen of meeting die moderat e expectati.oo of the country. Economy must be exercised to th e highest departments of our establishments, Whi-a ought to be circumscribed within such limits per/ cimstances denunded.—(licart hear.) consequent upon ►he I: his qualification, as he of his election was rendcn Geo. 11 The pet:tione a mew Wilt might be issi " bar for the said county. Mr. TIERNEY mull • explained by the Hon. the House, as one regul vile Act ; for it compl; return, nor of any insuffi it might be competent Mouse to rise in his plan alledrd by this petitio able Member at the time *omitted to produce his c of that fact, to move fel did not want any set of