Star. — London, England, 1822-02-19 00:00:00

• A i.- NAVY ES7 4 IM7LTES. ... An Estimate of tho Clone of Wages, Victuals, Wear . 0101 Tear, and Ordnanceofbr 2 ,000 mkn. incloding 8 , 000 Royal Ni * fines, to save in, Mai 's Fledt, for thirteen lunar maths, h bi commencing the Ist day unary, 10!!: For the Wages of 21,000 men, at AIL Es. Id a man amonth - - - - - - For the Victuals for the said men, at ,21. 19s. a man a month For the Wear and Tear of the Ships in which the said men are to serve, at Al. Is. a man a month For the Ordnance for the Sea Service, at 7s. a man a month - - . £1,781,525 INTIMATE 01 TIM IXPENSZS FOR THE TEAR 1822• For the Ship's in the King's Yards - - ,C550,57$ ?or the Ships building in the East bidles - 60,000 Towards Improvements in the Yards, ace. ... 154,200 ---- Total for the Navy For the Victualling Department For the Transport Department Grand Total £764,77$ 065000 231,000 A 1,260,778 PARLIAMENTARY PROCEEDINGS. MOUSE OF LORDS, FEBRUARY 18. Lord Survieto took the oaths and his seat. Mr. Bur, from the Bank of England, presented Copies of the Applications made by the Chancellor of the Exchequer and the First Lord of the Treasury to the Bank for Advances to Government.—Laid on the table. APPEALS. JEAN Iltrurmarr, residing in Lymitigton (in forma r auperie, Appellant—JAMES Atrium, Stocking-maker in Wallacetown, Respondent. This was an appeal from the Jury Court of Scotland.—Tt ap pears that the appellant having, in January, 1813, been delivered of anillegitimate male child, of which she alleged the respondent was the father, brought an action against him before the Justices of the Peace for the County of Ayr, for its maintenance until it should arrive at the age of fourteen years, together with the costs of suit. The respondent having denied being the father of the child, the appellant removed the cause into the Court of Session, where the Lord Ordinary objected to the admissibility of the appellant as a witness—a decision which was afterwards confirmed by the whole Court, from which this appeal was brought, and the judgment complained of affirmed. Wir.i.iam,isstes, Gent. one of the Attornies of his Majesty's Court of King's Bench, Plaintiff in Error, r. BENJAMIN Row- LEY, Defendant in Error. This was a Writ of Error btought from the Court of .Exche quer Chamber in England ; axd, upon a motion of Mr. ADAM, as Counsel for the defendant in error (no Counsel appearing for the plaintiff in error), the judgment of the Court of Exchequer Chamber (affirming a judgment of the Court of King's Bench) was affirmed, with £136 costs. Toe IiFFNEIFNTATIVES OF THE LATE SIS HENRY VANE TEMPEST, Appellants; Brims axe °Turas. Respondents. This was a writ of error front the Court of Exchequer Cham ber in Ireland, affirming a judgment of the Court of King's Basch there, by which certain large estates in the County of Antrim had been decried to the defendants in error, as having right under a bond with warrant of attorney for confessing judg n.c:n in the penal sum of £7445. es. 11d. granted by Randall Earl of Antrim to Messrs. Burton and Harrison, Bankers in Dublin ; on which judgment was entered in the Court of King's Ibn.:11 in Iceland, in ililary Term, 1; IS. The several estates of Earl Randall having come to be vested in his co-heiresses, A:in Catherine Countess of Antrim and Lady Charlotte Ker, or in Sir henry Vane Tempest and Lord Mark Ker, their hus bands (plaintiffs in error). the defendants in error in Hilary Tuns, 1806, issued a Kin :Ness ',reviving the judgment of 1718) against the plaintiffs in error and the tenants of the estates.— The plaintiffs in error pleaded payment to the scirefuci is, on which issue was joined. They afterwards, by permiss:on of the Court, pleaded nun-resat in Earl Randall, the Conusor of the original judgment, upon which, plea also issue was joined ; and both issues came to be tried, in Easter Term, 1809, at the Ilar of the goon of King's Bench in Ireland, when a verdict was found for the defendants in error. A bill of exceptions to the opi lions and directions of the Court upon the trial, respecting certain matters offered in evidence, was tendered by the plaintiffs In error; but these having been disallowed, judgment was given for the defendants. The plaintiffs thereupon hrouziit their writ grrror in the Court of Exchequer Chamber, where the judo sent of the court of King's Bench having been affirmed, they brought the present writ of error returnable in Parliament. On the lath iest. the cause came on to be argued,when, upon b-aring Mr. ll.ssi for the plaintiffs in error, the Judge-, gave an ssr.animous opieiun that there was error in the record ; and, this d . .y, upon the motjon of Lord !trouser s LK, it was ordered, that the judgment of the Court of Exchequer Chamber and judgment e the Court of King's lknch be reversed ; and that the Court of Brach do issue a venire de nano. NORFOLK PETITION. Lord SUFFIELU held in his hands a Petition from the Ov. neat and Occupiers of Land of the County of Norfolk, corn- , plating of Agricultural Distress, urging the necessity of a re dvtion of tazation, and concluding with a prayer for a Reform ir. Parßarnett. He was too conscious of his inability to do jus tice to the subject, not to regret that circumstances should have prevented the Noble Earl who sat in the Chair at the Norfolk Meetieg (the Feel of Albemarle) from presenting to their Lord ships the Petition of that Meeting. He felt at the same time the high honour which had devolved upon him ; and it was Ito small matter of congratulation to him that on Vie first occasion of his opening his lips in that House, rest the first day of his' taking his seat, he should stand forward as the Representative of the great County of Norfolk—a County once opulent and powerful, but now suck in distress. lie should enter at large into the causes of that distress ; it was one in which the whole country participated, and which had produced a general reduc tion of ptoperty, with the exceptiou of one clan, the Ministers of the Crown and other public functionaries, whose salaries having experienced no change, whilst everything around them &creased in value, had virtually increased, a fact which he felt No disposition to torn into a ch irge against the individuals who enjoyed those salaries. The Meeting at which the present Peti tion had been adopted h td been called by the High Sheriff, at the request of certain members of the yeomanry, who had thus surd a constitutional right —a right of such importance, that if they were to abandon it, they would deserve all the calamities which its loss would inflict. That Meeting,. as to the num ber, the property, and the character of the individuals of whom 'it was composed, was one of the most respectable that had ever been bairn. It consisted of men of all parties, who had united in one op' • , that the great cause of distress was excessive taxa tion, and that the most effective remedy would be retrenchment. The Noble Lord then took a short view of the measures pro posed in the other House, and doubted that they would prove satisfactory. Ile was one of those who believed that it was not is the power of his Majesty's Ministers, however willing, to grant the only relief which was wanted. They could not possi bly sweep off a large mass of taxation, and keep their places. As to the prayer for Parliamentary Reform with which the Pe tition concluded, he would fairly state that it had not been adopted without some difference of opinion. But he was alto saished that it should not have been greater, for he was certain that it was not more than five per cent. out of the numbers _pre sent. lie was amongst those who considered some kind of Par liamentary Reform necessary to the welfare of the State, and whatever difference of opinion might exist on the subject, was ot with respect to the necessity of Reform, but to the time at which it ought to be commenced. lie wished that the people /could be more fully and fairly represented than they were at present. At the same time, he disapproved from his heart of anything like tumultuous assemblies to call for Reform. These tumultuous Meetings only served to defeat the object of the friends of Reform, by affording pretences to curtail their liber ties. He then contended that the people who had met at Man chester, only thought of attending a legal Melting, and had no hostile intention against Government. Ile had travelled in those districts, and from the information which he had collected, was sure that the people had bad no improper object in view. It was only since the outrage at Manchesteroutd in onssequenea of the proceeding. by which it bad been followed, that he had become convinced of the necessity of Parliamentary Reform He then alluded to the dismissal of a gallant Other from the Ebony as another proof of rye pf 4 of tom okeirOop in'tho constitution of Pariansent. He had no doubt that the advice given to his Majesty in both them ease by Ms Ministers, was. isonsciendously given tft' the informattan which they bed re ceived at the dme, but be complained that, on such brittle ground, tMT bad so hastily end rashly ventured to advise. He con clWed by moving that the Padden be read and laid on the table. Lord CA LTHORPR vise able, from Ids connection with the county, to confirm all Chess. egatiene cattaitted "in the Petition, as to the extent of the distress described, and the respectability of the Meeting. He was also able from his own observation, to state that the public feeling of the county of Suffolk was in favour of retrenchment, and of some degree of Parliamentary Reform. A Meeting had been held a fortnight since in that county, uneiampled in numbers and respectability, and had ex pressed a most distinct ind unanimous opinion as to the neces sity of retreneldnent That unanimity bad been interrupted by what he considered an unseasonable Resolution in favour of Parliamentary Refbrm, which, however, had been carried by a great majority of voices. Whether it expressed the sense of the great proprietors • of land could not be fully ascertained at the time, because it bad been carried with the acclamations of the people. He agreed with the Noble Baron who had preceded him, that there was a growing impression in favour of some al teration in the constitution of Parliament. It was certainly re markable that at such a Meeting, an Address, recommending public retrenchment, should have seen carried by the unanimous voice of the county, for all parties united at the time, in the neces sity of a resolution of Parliament to the same effect It chewed that that confidence was not placed in Parliament, which Par- 'lament ought to command. The belief that Government could procure majorities to carry their cern measures, had been strengthened by the experience of tle last six years, which proved that those measures were frequently inconsistent. It was net astonishing, therefore, that what was felt to be inconsistency ' by the more friendly and enlightened classes, should be called corruption by the others. He knew that the merits and the politics of his Noble Friend at the head of the Administration were duly appreciSted ; but the more men of property in the country believed him and his colleagues to• be sincere, the more they were obliged to look for the causes which prevented retrenchment, in order to reconcile them with the feeling of patriotism which they justly attributed to his Noble Friend...- These impediments to retrenchment, would, he thought, be found to consist in those means of influence which were consi dered necessary to envy on the Government of the country.— He did not agree with the Noble Baron in thinking, that de prived of these, the Administration would be overthrown. Ile conceived, on the contrary, that the natural influence which the Administration must command, when supported by the feeling of approbation which prevailed amongst the mass of the well educated, well affected, and, he would say, most influential people in the country, would be more than sufficient to enable it to carry on the Government of the State in a more effectual manner than the indecisive course which had been pursued. .A striking example of this indecision and inconsistency might be found in the modifications row proposed by a Minister in the other House to be effected in the Corn Bill. Those very modi fications had ben carried by a vote of that House the Session before last, hut had born annulled by the Minister through a succeeding vote which confined the inquiry to the question of averages. lie was, however, disposed to rejoice at any alteration which might take place in the Corn Bill. The Petition was then read, and laid on the table. STATE OF TILE COUNTRY. The Marquis of LANSDOWN wished to ask the No de Earl opposite, whether it was his intention to lay on their bud ships' table certain Estimates moved fur elsewhere at the iol,•- gestion of a Minister of the Crown, to thew the Financial Stant of the Country? If the Noble Earl answered in the nelstive, he should then think it his duty at some other time to make a motion on the subject. The Earl of LI V crt POOL did not think the present a pro per occasion to be led into the discussion of the imisortant topics to which the N.ble Marquis had alluded. Ile should certainly have no objection to lay the Estimates in question un their Lordships' table, and he wouhl attend to the suggestions of the Home with respect to the mode which had better be adopted to give the subject the fullest investigation. If a mea sure were brought up from the other (louse, the Estimates would of coerse he produced in its support. lint if the Noble Marquis wished for a preliminary discussion on the subject, he had no objection whatever, and would leave it to the Noble Marquis to choose a day. The Marquis of LAN:MOWN' certainly thought that the first step to discuss with effect the measures which might come from the other side, would he to understand their nature; and a I motion made on the other side that the Estimates in Tuition be I laid on the table, woul.l afford an opportunity for asking and for ' gieing all the explanni.ns which might he requisite. 'lbe Earl of LIVERPOOL joined issue on this point with the Noble Marquis, and said that in twenty-four hours he should be able to inform him whether it would be more convenient that he 'Lord Liverpool) should lay the Estimates at once before the House, or that the Noble Niarquis should move for them.— There was no objection to their production; the only question was, whether it would be more convenient to enter into the whole question at the moment of their being produced, or to wait till some measure came from the other House? On Thurs day next he should be able to give a definitive answer, and to settle the cou-se of proceedings. The Earl of DARNLEY thought that it became their Lord ships to take up the subject separately and distinctly, without waiting for the proceedings of any other House. FORICIGN TRADE, Lord CA I.TTIORPF. presented a Petition from the Chamber of Commerce, of the Town of Birmingham. '1 he Petitioners stated, that having derived considerable benefit froni the I ibours and researches of their Lordships Committee upon ForeiznTrade, they humbly prayed for its revival.—Adjourned. noun of COMMONS. A person from the Commissioners for collating and printing the Public Records, laid on the table of the Douse an account of the sums realized by the sale of the same.—Ordered to be printed. A person from the Directors of the Fast India Company pre sented a return of the number of NVriters and Cadets who had been sent to India within a specified time. Sir WILLIAM G CIS 1: presented a Potiion comrlAnirg of Agricultural Distress, from certain persons residing in Stow-in the-Wold. Mr. CUItTPAS presented a Petition complaining of Agri culturai Distress from Paisley.—Ordered to be printed. Mr. LOCK II ART presented a Petition from Rickton, in Derbyshire, complaining of Agricultural Distress. Sir T. ACLA ND presnted two Petitions complaining of Agricultural Distress, from certain occupiers of land in lkvon sbiro.—Ordered to be printed. Mr. RICARDO presented a Petition from Mr. John Good son, representing the abuse to which Saving Banks are liable from being used merely for banking convenience, and praying that the principle of Annuity Banks may be engrafted on the system of these Ranks. Mr. CUR WEN gave the Petition his support, as cemprisik a plan worthy of the support of Parliament. The Petition was then read, and ordered to be printed. Mr. WILSON moved for accounts of woollen goods exported, and the amount of duty paid during the last year.—Ordered. Mr. DENMAN gave notice that he would, to-morrow, pre sent a Petition from a Mr. R. G. Butt, a prisoner confined in Whitecross-street Prison, on a public charge. II« had the Peti tion then in his hand, but be wished to give time for inquiry into the case before he brought it before the House. Mr. HUME moved for Returns of the number of first Com missions granted for each rank in the Royal Artillery since the year 1816, and of the number of Officers placed on the Full pay of the corps from the Half-payduring the same period. The Hon. Member also moved for similar Returns of the Promotions in the Navy during the same period; also a similar Return from the year 1784 to 1790. The Hon. Member also moved for Returns of the Names of all Officers on the Retired and Half-pay of the Navy, up to January, 182 E, specifying the rank and rate of pay of rAch; and stating how many of them were in Holy Orders. Mr. CHOKER suggested, as an Amendment, to confine the motion to the number of each rank. The Return, so amended, was agreed to. Mr. HUME also moved for Returns of the total number of Officers in the Navy upon the Half-pay and Full -pay, who were not Included in the Retired and Half-pay List, with the number of each Rank, and the amount of the whole, up to January, 1822.—Ordered. -Lord A LTHORPE gave notice that, on Thursday next, be would bring forward a Resolution respecting the Plan proposed by Government for the Relief of the distressed Agriculturists. Colonel DAVIE; pve dodge that, on the 12th of March, he Woldd bring *ward a Motion resiiectlns.thu eollection.of the %know C" Mr.latlrigS paepaeed hi. Motlon,Which 'taxi for this day, to March. St r LDLRY gave notice that, as the 19th of March, be wield MVPs an Address to the pie, praying his Majesty to reams the Lords of the Ad • i mi o n a lti--(Houti. Captain O'GRADY begged t inquire et the Bight H. Secreter iat hl i olate for the I Department, whether it was the his Majesty's Ministers to bring the state of Ire land under the consideration of the House, with a view to Ms cowering and remedying the causes of the evils with which she was afflicted, before the holidays? . Mr. PEEL mid, that his Majestj's Ministers hal not yet de cided upen the course they were to follow. Captain O'GRADY then observed, that he was one of those who bad supported the late measures against Ireland, ha the ex pectation that her grievances would be early inquired into, and certainly, if his Majesty's Ministers did not bring the question forward, he should feel himself called upon to do so. Lord ARCHIBALD HAMILTON moved an Address to the King, praying his Majesty to direct Returns of tbe Com missioned Courts of Scotland, with lists of the Commissioners, Clerks, and Procurators, to be laid before the House.—Motion agreed to. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER stated, in an ewer to a question, that, according to his impression of the two Acts of the Stith and 59th George the Third, relative to the re sumption of Cash Payments, the issue of Promissory Bank of England Notes not exceeding live pounds value, must expire on the Ist of May, 1825. He had not met with any one who ex pressed any doubt of the correctness of this interpretation of the former Act, which limited the issue to two years after the re sumption of Cash Payment& A new Writ was ordered for Drogheda, in the place of Bast:wean, Esq. deceased. Sir T. LETHBRIDGE asked the Chancellor of the Exche quer if be could give him any information as to the quantity of Country Bank Paper in circulation? The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said, that as no Returns of this nature were made to any Public Office, he could not give an official answer to the Ilan. Member's ques tion ; but as far as his information on the subject went, and from a reference to the Stamp Office, be was able to state that a con siderable diminution in the quantity in circulation had lately taken place. Mr. Alderman WOOD asked, if any objection would be made to the production of the correspondence which had taken place with the Secretary of State for the Ilorre Department, relative to the treatment of Mr. Ilunt, in Ilchester Jail? Mr. PF.KI. said, that upon general principles he should not consent to the correspondence ; hut if the lion. Alderman wished for information, he must give notice of a motion. COMMITTEE OF SUPPLY. The Order of the Day for the House - going into a Committee of Suprly was thee read. The C A NCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER moved that the Accounts of outstanding Exchequer and Irish Treasury Bills, to the sth of February, with a view of providing for the same, together witk the wages of the seamen for the present year, be referred to the said Committee. Sir JOHN NEWPORT objected to calling upon the Committee to pledge itself to a vote, in any par ticular department, in round numbers, without sub mitting the detailc. It was usual in Committees of Supply to submit the Estimates, befure the votes were demanded of them. Sir G. WA It RENDER said that this vote of sea men's wages was a matter of course, and that the vote, in the shape in which it was now put, would not prevent the House from questioning the details of the vote hereafter. The House might expect that the Estimates in his particular department would be brought forward as soon as possible. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said he would pledge himself that all the Estimates should be laid in due course in future Committees of Supply. Lord PALMERSTON gave the same pledge for the Estimates within his department. Sir JOHN NEWPORT said he had made the ob servation for the sake of greater regularity. Mr.IIUME said he did not rise to oppose the House going into a Committee of Supply upon the Exche quer Bills, for form sake; but he would protest against the passing of a vote of Sapply for any ser vice, upou the imperfect documents before the House. Ile did not agree with the lion. Baronet, tllat this vote for seamen's wages was a vote of course. He should apprise the Hon. Baronet, that he meant to oppose the vote, until the proper Estimates were Made out—(llear, hrar).—The Hon. Baronet seemed .to forget what took place upon this very vote last year, when the Hon. Member for Appleby (Mr. Crcevey) moved for the details. The Returns then obtained were a copy of those to be expected on this vote ; and when he had stated some of the charges, he was sure the House would not readily sa!iction 'them. Speaking from the Returns of last year, he stated that these 22,000 men, charged at the rate of fts. Gd. per month,made a sum of £548,000; besides 8,000 marines, there was also £25 a day charged for General Officers at the head of marines—(lleer). Ile would oppose these General Officers, with a very few exceptions. There was an Hon. Baronet now in the House, whose allowance he would not oppose. But he would oppose paying men who did no duty ; for if he assented to the vote now in a lump, he would be precluded from opposing it in the details. He would then be met as he was last year, by the Noble Lord (the Secretary at War), who, when he (Mr. Hume) op posed a vote of £73,000 for the Recruiting Establish- I ment, told him that he had before voted for it— (llear).—lie would therefore oppose this vote in the early stage, and, instead of passing the vote, would move for Returns. The Ilouse would then see the Staff, together with the names of Secretaries and Ad mirals, who were included under this head of Sea men's Wages. He should °Nose the pay to several of these individuals, and amongst the rest, to Admi ral Sir Alexander Cochrane, who bad £4,000 for commanding two ships at Plymouth, and three at Portsmouth. This salary was but £1,500 formerly, ,but now Sir Alexander Cochrane had three Secreta ries, one at 121,500 a-year, and all this only for com manding one ship of war, two frigates, and a sloop. It was true that he hoisted his flag on board one of these ships. lie (Mr. Hume) would not oppose the House going into the. Committee on the Exchequer Bills ; but he should protest against this vote being carried without . proper Estimates. The lion. Baro net was aware, that in 1817 the Finance Commit tee, when this article of Wear and Tear was under their coasideration, were furnished by Government with a statement, from which it appeared that there were twelve Flag Officers, twelve Secretaries, twenty four Clerks, and 1,000 Officers of seamen and ma rines attached to the service. Ile mentioned this to shew that particular information was given to the Committee of Finance. The House ought to have the same information now. He (Mr. Hume) would now shew the difference of the E st i mates of this year from the last, and the House would then see the trifling reductions which had been made. There were 1,000 seamen less this year than last, the number this year being 21,000, last year 22,000, which in the cigar& made one-twenty-second less expense 'than i hie year. In Oe provisioning of the. Navy then had r '7 . 1 72.- it ' e t been teduttlons made oral to the fall in 1 1,„ prices of provisions. The charge fin th .t, this year, was £532,950, which was at the rate of £l. 191. a rdsm per month. This charge was only three ship. lings a month more *hen salted pork was from tin to £ 4 12 a ton ; whereas now it was only £5. With such a fall in the price of provisions, the charge for victualling the Navy had fallen only from £2. is. to £2. Is. and finally to Cl. 19s, and el the marin e , were charged for, though from 5,000 t o 6,0 00 were on shore. The House should have the rates at whi c h provisions were furnished to each. This statement was by much too rough. Every charge was t h e same as last year, except some slight alteratio n in the Ordnance. It was most unreasonable, in the seve nt h year of peace, to-be keeping up these charges. There was another item which he was called nun to no. Lice, which was most extravagant. The charge us which he alluded was that of £95,000 for p nw d ei and ball for the Navy. The Committee of Finance,. in 1817, admitted that in time of war the cha•ge the Ordance should be necessarily great, b ut i n pence this charge ought to be much lessened. He could not think how this powder and ball was disposed of, unless the Officers fired off the balls for their amw.e ment. He should oppose this vote until this vim ef -1:95,000 for ball and powder, and £5OOOOO foe pp. visioning the Navy, were more particularly accon•l•ed for. In the absence of such particulars, the would be deserting its duty if it went into' a Cum. mime to vote these sums. After a few words from S7r I. COFFIN, Mr. HuNit, and Mr. WARD, the House went into a Committee rf Supply, and the folk wing votes were agreed to: E26.5,16.'. for paring off Exchequer Mils Issued since the 1, Session of Parliament. £29,000,000 to pay off and discharge the Exchequer Bills i” sued for the years 1818, 18)9, 1820,. 1821, and 1822. £105,181 19s. 4d. to pay off and discharge Irish Treas!!7 Bills issued to the Governor And Company of the Ban': cf Ire land, July, 1821, to assist the Manufacturers of Ireland. X 1,000,000 for Irish Tret.stiry Bids, oatstintlicg in the yt7r 1882.—Upon this vote, Mr. HUME asked what reason there was for pxr ing foul per cent. interest upon Irish Exchequer Bilfs, when money could be borrowed in this country for three per cent.? Ile should object to the vote if it was for the purpose of replacing these Exchequer Bills at four per cent. _ _ The CIIA&CELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said, that the Hon. Member had anticipated him in the communication he had made. It was not his inten tion to issue at four per cent. £4,000,000 were next voted in supply for the ymr 1821, for the like purpose.—The House resumed, and the Report was ordered to be received to •morrow. COURTS UP LAW. Mr. SCA RLETT wished to know from any of his Majesty's Ministers what had been done, or was in tended, towards rebuilding the Courts of Law in Westminster? It was reported that it would be two years before new ones were built, and much as that would be inconvenient he should not object to it if the old ones were built up for the interval. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said, that directions had been given to accelerate the exe cution of the plan which had been adopted. The new Courts would certainly not be so long as the Learned Gentleman had stated. Inquiries had been made na the subject of rebuilding- the old Courts, hilt it wa; found that a great supply of new materials would be quire(' for that purpose. Mr. BANK ES hoped the estimates of the rmw buil,:- ing would be laid before the House. SCOTCH" A PPM STAI ENT. Lord A. HAMILTON, pursuant to notice, moved for a copy of the appointment of Alexander Fetrier, Esq. to the office of Conservator of the Privileges of the Royal Burghs of Scotland. The Noble Lord said, that he was not aware that there was any use in such an appointment ; but he had been told that the ap pointment upon this occasion had been made withcA any salary being attached to it. Not being able to satisfy himself on this point, however, and finding that a salary of £2JO a year belonged to it formerly, he should press his motion, reserving any remarks I:e might wish to make, till he heard if there was any salary in the present case. The LORD ADVOCATE of SCOTLAND sail, he had no objection to the motion ; but he meant to state, that the appointment of Mr. Ferrier was with out salary. With regard to the nature of the office, it was created in 1550, for the purpose of watching over certain commercial privileges which the Royal Burghs had in trading withite Netherlands. It was as a tribute of respect that Mr. Ferrier had been ap pointed to this situation. Sir WILLIAM CURTIS said, that if there was anything improper in the case he was to blame, hav ing recommended Mr. Ferrier to the situation. He did so, because that Gentleman had conducted hies- self in a distinguished manner in an official situation he held at Rotterdani; and he could assure the House he sought after it for honour more than emolument. After a few observations from Mr. ABERCROMEY and Mr. PEEL, the Motion was agreed to. INFERIOR COMMISSARY COURTS IN SCOTLAND. Lord A. HAMILTON, in calling the attention of the House to the subject he was now about to bring . forward, took a very different view of the conduct o f the Gentleman opposite in this case, from that which he took of it in the one which had just been disposed of. The offices in the inferior Commissary Courts had been reported on by the Commissioners who sat in 1808. He would first state to the House what the offices were ; in the nest place, he would give his reasons for wishing to see them abolished ; and, thirdly, he would shew the means by which they were to be abolished. The offices were remnants of the old Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction. There were twenty three Commissaries, twenty - three Commissaries' Clerks, and twenty-three Procurators. These Offi cers were not paid by the Government he was aware, but they were paid by the people, and the offices ought to be abolished not only because they were use less, but because they were absolutely prejudicial. — The Commissioners who sat in 1808 reported on these offices in 1810, and Ministers were culpable for has-- ing neglected in the years which had since elapsed, to attend to that recommendation. But what had been the conduct of Government? They waited from 1810 till 1814' or 1815, and then the Lord Advocate brought in a Bill for the abolition of them. The preamble of that Bill set forth that the offices of the inferior Commissary Courts of Scotland ought to be abolished, and therefore declared them to be abo lished from the lagse of a calends, month after the passing of that DU!, 'lle then Lord Advocate, bow- I I . T --- L . ~'