Star. — London, England, 1814-07-19 00:00:00

.., THE QUARTERLY REVIEW, No. XXI. was published THIS DAY, by John Murray, Albe- piate-at.eet. ADDRESS of CONGRATULATION to JLId-Marshal his Grace the Duke of WELLINGTON, approved at a Meeting of Merchants, Bankers, and others, held the 13 . 1 t instant, will remain for Signatures a few days longer at the Crry OF LONDON TAvtuts, between the houts of Twelve and Two o'Clock. WILLIAM HOLDEN. ,P4RLIdiMEIVT4Rr PROCEEDINGS. HOUSE OF LORDS, JULY 18. The Royal Assent was given by Commission to the White Herring Fishery Bill, the Scots and Irish Judges' Pensions, Irish Sus - ar Bounties, Prze Money Regulation, East India Duties, Bank Rests Glass Duties, and the Auditors General's Bills, together with some others of a local or private nature. The Lon;. Commissioners were, the LORD CHANCILLOR, the Duke of Mos.: suss, and Lord REDESDALT. A 81 , at slumber of Petitions from different parts of the cotta try, on the subject of the Slave Trade, were presented by the Earls Peace, WARWICK, LAUDERDALE, E3SEX, OSSORT, Bra 1110ROUGUr STARDOM ' Lords HOLLAND, FOLLY. and other Peers, and severally ordered to lie on the table. Au Acemint of the quantity of Grain imported into Great Britain front the year 1755, to the latest Returns, was presented at the Bar by Mr. lavitec, and ordered to lie on the table. The Irish Peace Preservation, Naval Timber, and a few other Blila,were brought up front the Commons by Mr. BROG DIN Mr. BROADDRAD, and other Members, and severally read a Ant time. About this period of the proceedings his Grace the Duke of WaLeslsCiosi entered the House, and immediately took his seat ow the Ministerial Bench, where he continued unt,t he re tired f out the House. The Earl of DARNLEY presented a Petition from the Tower Hamlets and their vicinity, signed by 93,684 persons, and occupy leg 410 sheets of Parchment, against the revival of the African Slave Tiede; and briefly observed, that as the sense of the country was so universally expressed on the subject, it as incumbent on his Majesty's G. vernmcnt to make eommen sura:e tlertions in order speedily to atchieve the final abolition. 1 lie Duke of GLOUCkSI . E.it presented a Petition front the City of b.dinburgh to the like effect. • 11.esie documents were severally ordered to lie on the table. TUX DUTCH COLOIIIID. Lord HOLLAND, seeing a Noble Earl in his place, expressed his with to be informed whether it was likel that any authoritative communication would be unrde to Parliament this Session respecting the islands conquered Irons Holland The Earl of LIVERPOOL said, he certainly had no authority to make Any communication to the House upon the subject ; he could only say that the sulj,ct referred to by the Noble Baron, together with others, were in a course of discussion between this count• y and the Dutch Government. Lord HOLLAND.—Was he to understand that the subject was not to be referred to the ensuing Congress, but under, discussion with the Dutch Go vernment ? '1 is 1;. 11 of LIVERPOOL certainly wished to be tuidcrbtood as swing that the 'object of the Dutch Colonies was under a course. of discussion with die Dutch Coverument. ALLUDGF.D ABWAS IN - CERTAIN GAOLS. Earl STAN called to the recollection of their Lordships certain Petitions he had presented on a former day, complaining of illegal practices on the opening and . intercepting of letters from prisoners, and preventing communications between them and their law-advisers. On that occasion it was suggest ed, the most regular courses would be through the medium of the Secretary of State for the Home De partment ; and it was his duty to give applause to the Noble Viscount (Sidmouth) in that office, for his very proper conduct in that business. T:te Noble Secretary had sent a most proper letter down to Gli.ucester, directing that such illegal practices it, that gaol should be discontinued. What he had now to complain of, as stated by the Petitioners, was of practices nearly similar in two other gaols in the same neighbourhood, but as the Secretary of State hul acted in so proper a manner on the former occa.' sion, he would not now, after moving that the Pete. tiers sliceld lie cn the table, more any other pro ceedii,g upon them. The Noble Earl then presented two Petitions from certain individuals confined, or lately confined, in gaols in Bristol, complaining as above. Tae offence for which they were confined, he said, was, that when the late rejoicings throughout the country, on the restoration of peace, an event to which a Noble Duke (Wellington) then present so eminently con tributed—(Hear, hear)—toa place, they were accus ed of the monstrous offence of firing two pistols ! and fur which they were consigned to close imprison. ment, with the usual privations; upon being tried, however, they were acquitted. The Petitions, being read short, were ordered to lie on the table. State of the Jails of the Metropolis be communicated to their Lordships, which was accordingly done. His Lordship then said, when that Report should be before the House, he should propose a day 10 the sacond reading of the Jail Fees Abolition Bill now upon the table. SUPPLY OF CORN. Earl STANHOPE then adverted to the import ant Resolution he hid submitted to the House a few days ago on this subject, which was ordered to be printed. It was his intention to move that that Re solution should be taken into consideration by their Lordships, and having consulted some Noble Friends, he understood that thy se'nnight would be a conve nient day—he therefcre moved that the Lords be summoned for Monday next. The Eirl of LIVERPOOL observed, that it was generally understood, the most proper and regular cuurse, on a subject not only of the greatest import ance, but confessedly one of much difficulty and de licacy, would be, when the Report of their Lord ships' Committee atonic!. be made ; to adopt no measure hastily in consequence, but to have the Re port printed, to have it go forth to the public and the country, and so lie over for consideration during the recess. Their Lordship would recollect that an tm portant measure on the si.bject had been agitated in aniither place, but which was abandoned, with a view of afh.rding due time for a deliberate conside ration of the subject. Under these impressions he certainly must deprecate the adoption of any mea sure on the subject that Session of Patliament. Souse conversation took place between the Noble Earl who ;nu-educed the subject and the Earl. of LAUD:At/MLA in a way of eManation, as to forifiter arguments respectively advanced by them. At - the conclusion of which the former asserted, he had no doubt one hundred to one throughout the country on his side, on this m .st important question. Their Lordships wore then ordered to be sum moned for Monday se'rihight. The Snuff . tad Tobacco Exportation, and the Land Tax Commissioners Binh were read a third time and t awe& , he motion of Lord HOLLAND, a messape was or .ett to be stet to the Commons, recLucstill that a copy of tLe Report of therm Committee on tLe the property, of whatever desetilption, of his debtor ; and it was much better that he should be left to use his own caution and discretion upon this point, than that he should sit dowo in apathy and carelessness, under the impression that the Legislature would take care of his interests. Earl STANHOPE opposed the Bill upon the ground that it would take away in a great number of cases the trial by jury, and throw the questions that ought to be decided upon by a jury, into the court of Chancery. Lord HOLLAND supported the Bill upon the ground of its being grounded on substantial ittstice. Lord REDESDALE objected to the Bill, on the ground that it could only be brought into operation after the death of the debtor, and after it had been seen whether his personal estates would he equal to payment of his debts. The present Bill, too, he thought, would lead to an extension of credit, which was already too great in this country. Lord ELLENBOROUGH conceived the present to be a sort.of posthumous Bankrupt Act. if all es tates were to be saleable on the filial/ of a Bill by a simple contract creditor, his Lordship would wish to know what security there could be for the purchaser of an estate. He objected to the idea of superseding the old established law of the land, by capriciously per mitting a fter :altem application to a Court of Chancery. Lord ERSKINE denied that the operation of the present Bill could be to abridge the jurisdiction of ju ries ; the only operation it could have would be to prevent the extension of that jurisdiction where they did not at present possess it. He submitted, the prin ciple of the Bill not being objected to, that Amend. ments might still be introduced to the effect of doing away particular unpalatable clauses. The question was then put, when the motion for the third reading now was negatived, and the Bill was ordered to be read a third time this day three months. The other Orders were then disposed of, and the House adjourned. so" • is liinl 01 1.0.11.1 1 - 11. J la Loll VW, iI lIlCibilFC W • was or.. •ett to be s,-nt to the Com/runs, requ..sLii,g in the Public Funds? The tact was, that II that a ,:opy o f t„ c R cpcn o f weir committee on t h e bad it in his power to bargain for a securit: VOTE 01 CREDIT. The Earl of LIVERPOOL presented a Message from the Prince Regent on this subject, frequently made towards the close of a Session, it was as follows: " Gamins P. R.—His Royal Highness the Prince Regent, acting in the name and on the behalf of his Majesty, informs the House of Lords, that having taken into his consideration the emergencies that may arise, and relying on the experienced seal and affection of their Lordships. he trusts that the House will concur In enabling his Royal Highness to take such measures as the exigencies of the affairs may require." The Noble Earl moved that the Prince Regent's Message be taken ►ato consideration on Wednesday next ; and the Lords summoned for that day. The Earl of LAUDERDALE thought the pro posed measure was an extraordinary one in time of peace, and wished to be informed of the sum that would be required. The Earl of LIVERPOOL.—Though the form of the House may preclude the necessity of his an nouncing such a question in that stage of the propo sition ; yet had no objection to state, that in the Ways and Means for the service of the year, credit had been taken for the amount of the proposed vote, which was intended to be for three millions, the sum, which under the circumstances, was deemed proper for the purpose. Their Lordships were then ordered to be sum moned for Wednesday. coRRuPTIoN OF BLOOD. Lord ERSKINE moved the third reading of the Bill for taking away Corruption of Blood. Lord HOLLAND rose for the purpose of proposing an Amendment, winch justice, policy, and good faith required. The old law, the alteration of which was now suggested, was sounded upon gross injustice, proceeding upon the principle of punishing the cent for the guilty ; but he wished pat ticularly to draw the attention of the House to the case of Scot. land, which, previous to the Uuion, was unacquaint ed with the law of Corruption of Blexd in any case, although the law of forfeiture was one which had an ciently prevailed over all parts of the United King. dom. He quoted the authority of Gilbert Bur. net, to prove that at the time of the Union the law establishing Corruption of Blood in cases of High Treason, had been adopted as a compromise betneen the parties, although strongly iesisttd by the Parliament. In 1744, the year before the rebel lion, at the time when danger was apprehended, the law had been continued during the lives of the sons of the Pretender, but the necessity had ceased upon the death of the late Cardinal de York. Under then circumstances it was but an act of justice to restore, at least, Scotland to the situation she held before the Union, if it were not deemed expedient to abolish the law of Corruption of Blood in all parts of the United Kingdom. It was impolitic, because it rather pro moted than discouraged Treason, and must lead to continual animosities. He should therefore move, as an amendment, the omission of the words—" save and except in all cases of High Treason, Petty Trea son, or Murder, or of the abettors of the same." If, however, the House should reject this general motion, he would propose that the exception in its present shape should only extend to England and Ireland. The Duke of NORFOLK opposed the Amend ment, arguing, that by the law as it now stood, many individuals uould be deterred from the ctime of High Treason, by the consequences which attended it tc. their posterity. The Amendment was negatived, as were also ano ther Amendment, moved by Lord HOLLAND, to in sert after the exception the words, " in those parts of the United Kingdom called England and Ireland" and a subsequent one likewise moved by his Lord ship, for leaving out of tt.e exception the word " Petit Treason and Murder." The-Bill was then read a third time and passed. SIMPLE CONTRACT DEBTS. Lord ERSKINE moved the third reading of the Bill for rendering the freehold estates of persons dying indebted liable to the payment of their simple con tract debts. His Lordship observed that common honesty required that the estates of persons dying in debted should be rendered liable for the payment of their debts; and he thought, therefore, the preamble of the Bill, declaring the expediency cf this, self evi dent. His Lordship put the case of a person borrow ing £50,000 on simple contract, and purchasing an estate with it. By means of a little money lie might get over the long vacation, to prevent his creditors getting judgment till the ensuing term ; in the mean time he might die, and his heir would succeed to the estate, whilst his creditor would be unable to recover a farthing. To meet such cases as this, lie thought the present Bill necessary, and he could not conceive why, as a judgment bound the heir, the estate should not be liable in the first instance to the simple contract debts of their late possessor. His Lordship argued at some length upon this ground, and with reference to cases that had occ erred, contending for the expe diency of extending (as this Bill proposed to do) the principle of the Act of the 47th of the King, render ing the estates of persons dying, being at that time subject to the Bankrupt Laws, liable for their simple contract debts to the whole country. Persons might still do what they pleased with their own estates, the only object of the Bill was to give creditors a chance of recovering their simple contract debts, where the debtor died possessed of freehold estates, without suf ficient personal assets. The Duke of NORFOLK objected to the Bill, on the ground that it would unsettle the law regarding landed property, and render it extremely difficult to effect a sale of a freehold estate, as the purchaser could scarcely ever feel himself secure against the claims of the creditors of the former possessor. The LORD CHANCELLOR also objected to the Bill as unnecessary, it being always in the :lower of the creditor to bargain with his debtor for that se curity which would tender the freehold estate of the latter liable for the debt. The present Bill went to do away all that caution with which it had been the policy of our institutions to fence round landed pro. petty, whilst it, in fact, afforded little or no real se curity to the creditor. If the principle of this Bill was to be adopted, why should it not equally be ex tended to estates tail, to copyhold estates, and to stock in the Public Funds ? The fact was, that the creditor had it in his power to bargain fur a security affecting HOUSE OF COMMONS. The House was summoned to the House of Peers; and on ha retusn the Speaker in6•rmed the House, that the Royal As. sent had been g.ven, by commismun, to several public and pri vate hdlg. Several Petitions were presented, praying for the general abo• Won o the slave 1 rade '1 hr Committer ell the Alien Bill was fixed for Wednesday. On the motion of Mt. H. ADDINGTON, an Address was voted to the Prince Regenr i for some papers relative to the state of Vaccination in Sweden. _ _ _ Mr. H. ADDINGTON gave notice of a Committee for t morrow, to consider on the areas of defraying the expense of the flume. Police Other. The Colonial Audit Bill. the Tea Exportation Bill. and the HacLuey Coach Bill, were severally committed. and the Re ports ordered to be received to•motruw. The Report of the M admit Acid Bill was brought up and agreed to. Leave was given to bring in a lbllta wend the powers of the Acts relative to the improvements in the street. su Westminster. Mr. RUSE. then biought in the Bill, which was read a first t:rne. '1 he House resolved itself into a Committee on the Post-Of. fice Acts; and, on the motion'•of the CIittbICELLOR of the Er cutilues, it was received that an additional duty of ltd. each letter be imposed on letters carried by sea, in such vessels as are not regular pallets in the service of his Majesty.—The Report to be received to-morrow. The Colonial Estates Bill passed through a Committee. TOL Hous • went into a Committee on the British Cordage Aus and resolved on certain bounties on Coca :age exported.— Ile Report to be received to•morrow. 'the Stamp Duty Bill, the Queen's Ferry Bill, the Irish House Bill, and the Bank itesuiction Bill, were each read a third time and passed. he frith Militia Pay Bill was committed, and the Report or dered to be r ..Tetved tomorrow. The Scots University Paper Hill, and the Irish Judges Annuity 13il1, were severally read a second time, and ordered to be com ►rutted to-morrow. The Report of the Committee of Supply was brought up, and the Resolution for a grant to the German Sufferers, aud those for Miscellaneous Grants, were agreed to. On the question respect ing the Grant in aid of the Civil List, Sir C. BURRELL made some observations on what he eons.- &red an improper manner of deriving emoluoients on the part of the Marshainitll. the profits of whose whets were %sensed entirely trout contributions levied on persons attending at Court. The Irish Distillery Bill was committed.—Report tomorrow. Sir RUMILLY presented a Petition from the Debtors iu Ilcliester Jail, praying for relict. The Irish Customs Bill was react a third time and passed. A Message from the Lords informed the House hat the Peers had agreed to several Bills, and leiptsted from the Commons the Report of the Committer appointed to inquire into the state of the Jail of Newgati. On the motion of the CNANC6LLOR of the EXCHEQUER, the Messengers were called in, and informed that ihe House would send an answer respecting the Report requested by their Lord• ships, by Messengers of its own. The Scotch Notes Bill went through a Committee. VOTE OF CREDIT. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER presented the usual Message from the Prince Regent respecting the Vote of Credit, to the following effect ; "G. P. R. " The prince Regent, in the name and on the behalf of bis Majesty, considering it will be of very great importance to pro vide for such emergt•ucits as may arise, aild relying un the rape riented zeal and fidtlity of the liouse of Commons, trusts they wiU enable hint to take such measures as the exigencies of at tain mayrequire." _ _ _ The e lvlessoge was ordered to be referred to a Com mittee of the whole House to-morrow. EAST-INDIA SHIPS BILL. On the motion, that the Report of the East-India Ships Bill be agreed to, Mr. CARLCRAFT objected, that the time for which the Bill went to continue the existing law, viz. for six months after the opening of the next Session, was too long, as it would lead to the same postpone ment of the permanent measure which had taken place in the present Session ; unless some assurance were given that the measure should be brought on at an early period of the next Session. Mr. WALLACE explained, that the reason why so long a duration had been fixed for the temp.rary law was, that time might be given to priintolg.ite the new measure, if any such was adopted the nt-xt Session, before the old one expired, without whic,• pr4aution great contusion Might arise among wt: sitipPlng interest. Every disposition existed en the part at nis Majesty's Ministers to bring torward the measure early next Session. A4er a few words from Lord BARNARD and the Ctuisice.LLott of the Exmmurot, the Report was areect to, and the Bill ordered to be read a thirst time tomorrow. COPY-RIGHT DILL. Qn the motion of Mr. 1). GIDDY the order fut t be further consideratton of the Kt:port upon the t . ...op -right sill was read. • . r. C. W. WYNNE said, that he felt some difb c ulty upon the subject ofthis 1111 At i —1... A- events hi c said not help e siaressiug his 'egret that no provisivi. „ ,4 made LO ;prevent any of the Untvel sates hum selling the books with which they might be furnished in consequence of the measure. This regret be was induced to express, by a hint which had been thrown out that some of the Scots Universities were likely to sell new works, with a view to apply the produce to the purchase of old and foreign books, tor the supply of their libraries. Mr. W. DUNDAS bore testimony to the charac . ter of the Scotch Universities, asserting the improba. bility of the intention stated by the Learned Gentle man. Mr. CROKER spoke in favour of the University of Dublin. Mr. J. P. GRANT observed, that it appeared a. great hardship upon booksellers, that they should be . obliged to furnish gratis to the Public Libraries and Universities the eleven copies mentiooed in the fill. The Learned Gentleman spoke struogly in favour of the Universities of &fie:tad. After a few words from Mr. SMYTH of Cambridge, Mr. CROKER proposed a clause which he deemed necessary to rescue from great inconvenience the pub- Ushers of Ireland and Scotland, namely to provide • that the delivery of a copy of any work to any Public Library or University in Ireland or Scotland, bolded to receive it, should be deemed equivalent to a deli very of the same to Stationer's Hall, in London.— Agreed to. Sir E. BRYDGES gave notice of a motion for to. morrow. for an Amendment in the Bill to extend fur ther the period of Copy-right. A verbal alteration was made in the Bill, upon the motion of Sir J. Marrows, with regard to the Scotch Universities. Mr. C. W. WYNNE spoke against the delivery of books gratis to the several Universities. as the Bill di. rected, for this he conceived an unjust tax upon au. thors and booksellers. As to the argument that the delivery of these books was advantageous to the book sellers, by rendering the work better known, he thought that quite a fallacy. Indeed, if it were just he should suppose that every publisher would be for. ward to make a present of his work to every chattel. ing library. Certainly through such libraries a new work would be more likely to become known, and ob tain purchasers, than through the University libraries. But he presumed to think, that the booksellers w told he hardly inclined to adopt such a project for adver. Wing and dis!:os g of their works. Recurring to the supply ofoft a Uuiversities, he was of opinion that a sum should be rather granted from the public purse to enable them to purchase new works, than to hn. pose upon publishers the tax proposed in this Bill. The sum for that purpose need not, in his judgment, ex ceed £2500 a year, to all the Universities, and surely ouch a sum ought rather to be allowed, than enact the provision of this Bill, which wescalculated to dis courage the exertion, by reducing the reward of talent ind science. The Learned Gentleman observed, that the funds of several of the Universities were amply sufficient to purchase books, without any public grant. or any ta; upon liusrary industry. Fur instance, he knew that the University with which he was connect i:d (Oxford) felt no solicitude whatever upon the sub ject. He also observed, that one copy of every new work might suffice for the two public libraries of fLtlinborgh, and one also for the two public libraries ot Dublin, to each of which this Bill provided that copy should be sent. Thus publishers were unneces sarily taxed, and when the very high price of some works were considered, the amount of Otis taxation might be easily appreciated. The Hon. Member con cluded with expressing a hope that the discussion of this measure would lead to the adoption of some plan next session, which should be more conducive to tile advantage of the Universities, and to the general in terests of science and literature, than any Bill of this nature was ever likely to d Mr. 1). GIDDY :::pressed his entire concurrence in the general ooservations of the Learned G..,,t:e -man, particularly in the wish and hope that in the next Session some pecuniary Fovision would be made 'Tom the public purse, to supply the public libraries with new books, and thus to relieve the booksellers from the hardships of which they complained. Mr. W. SMITH thought the Universities ought to rrLiii i 4;„;-, ?eity advantage whi c h t h e c l ause un d er tiscussion proposed to .-cure to them, for it was corn. paratively of lath. value to them, while by levying a tie upon publishers, it was too likely to form a serious impediment to the promulgation of knowkdge. He happentd to belong to a Society, which subscribed to procure the publication ot the very valuable produc. ;ions of Mr. Smeaton, the celebrated engineer, and it was found that the bookseller could not sell a copy at less than seven guineas and a halt. Now he submit. ted to the candid consideration of the House whether eleven copies of such a work did not form r.aner too serious a deduction from the profits of those lit whose immediate benefit the work was published ; and also, whether such a deduction was not peculiarly calculi. tel to impede the progress of knowle.ige ? Such a tax upon literary industry would not, lie hoped, be al lowed to survive the next Seasion, fit its existence was evidently oner ,us upon publishers, while it was really degrading to the parties benefited by it, and materially injurious to the interests of the public. Mr. HORNEIt thought that a very limited view had been take,' of the advantage resulting from the grants to Universities, which formed the subject of discussion. For through the grants, with toe sup ply of books which the several public libraries posses sed, authors ot every clam were; enabled to find at such libraries all the materials of knowledge. Thus .are interests of literature were promoted, and anthem derived from the public libraries a degree of :wean 'age which much more than counter-balanced any diminution ot profit they might sustain by supplying ich with a copy of their productions. As to what i:vea reallywas the result vmeducthhamt o i r n e m of olca am ses eo th t th at ao hi u g t h a p t r y iLe had been said respec t i ng t h e very hi g h pr i c , c of books, of extrinsic decoration and mere b.nding than so in trinsic met it, and that too many booksellers were now become rather furniture brokers Man the ministers of literature. (Hear, hear.) He had himself witnessed a striking example of this taste. It was notorious that me works of Grey night be bought for Is. ; but he had lately seen at a bookseller's a u,sik entitled he " Remain: vt Grey," e , imprelientling nothing else titan that author's colitnicit-place book which neitli-r he hapset', nor his ex ,:clitor, Mr. Mawr, ever theuglit worth publishing. T.os book. however, was is printed on supe, tor pAper, spie d dl it y bound au,! dc• ..kirAted, published ac less this'. seven guineas s.tell copy. Could it then be deemed a treat grievance, 4 1,