Star. — London, England, 1823-05-13 00:00:00

fore:should go in employing a large military force iA spi t in, which bad brought a.variety of attacks on bi ro . Now, if they substantiated the charge against hi m , it in fact made against their argument. Then, , g ain, it was said, that it would be no use to send a r vi me n over, that it must not be a cheap war, which' was g ood for nothing : then the Noble Lord turned Imm i, and said the danger is not so great ; France wo od find the conquest of Spain no easy thing.— ugh, he thought, would he done by the assistance bt our army or navy, and encouraging English v olunteers to aid her in the sti uggle. The value of otrallialice was not appreciated by those who talked in that strain. If we landed a single brigade of sol fliers on Spain, said the President of the Council, all the whole war was our own. This might be true, as king a leaf out of the Noble Duke's (Wellington) b oo k ; yet much might be done if that Noble Duke, bur tutelary genius, had appeared active in the Spa sish cause, or in that country : " I d et but Achilles on the mount appear, Proust Tray shall tremble, and consent to fear." of whilst our fleets or army could do nothing to save Spain from invasion, the same Noble Lord asked France would dare to attack our ally, Portugal, when we had a fleet to sweep the sea, or a large army tp avenge the insult ? History would prove that the I I Spaniards were most completely adapted for the sort if wa r which they had laid down as the plan of the present campaign. When, in Homer, the Goddess of Wisdom wished to inspire the weak with a'rnotive or c ourage to attack the strong, it was said she gave them the courage of a fly, which having once tasted human blood was incessant in its attack, and could aot be diverted from its purpose. With reference to the transactions at Verona, about Tui key . and Spain, a great merit had been made that our Ambas,:adoi bad kept them from signing a joint declaration as to the policy to be adopted towards Spain. Now he thought this praise was about on a par with the Frenchman who arrogated to himselfa peculiar merit _ . in having preventedhia friend, who had received forty pills from a quack, from taking more than fire, which however, from their strong drastic nature, brouglic hi in to an untimely end, after five days torture. Then, skid the .Frenchman, what would have been the consequence if he had taken the forty ?--(.4 laugh). Though no such joint declaration was made, still it was admitted that it was in the spirit of the Holy Alliance to make war on Spain for her late change of Government, and called on all superior Govern- rents to assist in making this war diet ival towards its end. Now this Constitution was founded on the bases of the old Constitution of Spain, and at all events was moie like our own Constitution than the A 11-.1- eracy of Russia. As far too as English interests were concerned the Government of Spain could never be too democratic, so as to keep her out of the family influence with France. Peace with England, and war wish all the world, was the cry of all the lower and middle orders in Spain. We should have strength ened the favourable feelings of Spain towards us. He repi.obated still mole the cold, formal, cruel, admoni ilea given to the Portuguese, to beware of defending her y on the l'yrennees as a better place than on the Tagus. Time ske was to be abandoned to her fate. For his part, he would rather break the Treaty at our than have acted with such cold cruelty to wards an old ally. Ile should now like to know, in the ease of Amarante joining the French against the Portuguese Army, whether this would not come within our Treaty of Alliance? Was this nothing, or. would they wait longer? He. would ask with De mosthenes, was it nothing that a man of Macedon bad invaded Greece ? What! were they to wait till Por tugal was attacked, till her territory was loaded with soldiers ? On the whole, the Government should have protested against all this interposition by the Allies in the first instance; and we should have best seemed the intetest of Spain, as well as that of England, had the line of policy adopted been more firm and intre pid, and more becoming the character of the Govern ment of a brave and free people. Lord ELLENBOROUGH concurred with his No ble Fr.end in believing that a systematic design to put down liberty wherever it appeared us Europe, had been detected from the transactions which took place since 1814, at Lay back, Troppau, and Verona. The ancient policy of Great Britain had been to send troops as auxiliaries to such of the Great Powers as were its allies when engaged in war. But never until the late.war in Spain had it sent an army to take the lead in the combat. Why not act now in conformity with the old policy of Great Britain,and give assistance to Spain, not indeed by dispatching an army, but by the other means practised by Great Britain? The Noble Earl asked, was Great Britain now to fight for Spain, when Spain was divided? That, said the Noble Earl, would be a war not against the French, but against the Spaniards. Neither he (Lord Ellen borough) nor any of the Noble Lords around him gave Ministers such counsel ; they did not ask them to send an army, but why not make use of a fleet? Why not give the Spaniards the assistance of the naval power of Great Britain? Suppose, for instance, that tire or six ships were now on the coast of Catalonia, would they not be sufficient to enable the Spaniards to preserve Barcelona ? It was known to every one acquainted with the coast of Catalonia, that there were but two roads to Barcelona ; one of which could not be passed while a fleet commanded the bay, and the other could easily be retained by a small number of troops, in consequence of the country through which it ran being extremely difficult. Would not the assistance of a small British fleet prove highly useful to the Spanish Generals, who had retreated lately to the province of Catalonia? It would be use ful, not only as a means of defence, and of protection, hut also as one of conveyance of their troops from that coast to any other part of Spain. From the speech of the noble Earl, and from the declarations of the Noble Duke, it seemed that they wished success to the Spa niard% yet why did they thus tolerate the wanton at tack of France on their liberties? It was argued that it was a war solely carried on by France against Spain; but aas it really such? He could not agree to that proposition. Did not the Holy Alliance join in it ? It was pretended that the present war was one in which the personal aggrandizement of France was alone sought, its military ascendancy solely desired ; but would any one believe that Russia, Prussia, and Austria, were not interested in the present war ? The Holy Alliance was interested in supporting their principles-- 7 those principles inimical to every free Constitution about to be established in Europe, and above all, to the British Constitution, the origin of all the freedom of Europe. • Much was said abovt.lhiti moral influence of revolution . ; •hut who eooldttok,' at the history of France during the last thirty *ifs, and not see that t he F re nCh nat i on h i d d erive d only . advantage from t h e ass i m il at i on of i ts Constitn tion to that ut . Great Britain ? Did any one doubt that the Spanish Constitution would ultimately prove advantageous to that people ?—lf the Spanish Con stitution was deservedly assailed, could not an attack . be also mad e b y t h e assa il ants on t h at o f G reat Bri tain ? Was the Constitution of Spain more objec tionable than that of Great Britain, with its free Press and its free discussions in Parliament? Did any man doubt that those principles on which the attack on Spain was pretended to be justified, would, if the Holy Alliance could dare attempt it, authorise them in their own opinion, to attack Great Britain? It was futile, therefore, to say that Great Britain was not interested in the result of the contest. If France gained in personal aggrandizement, (heat Britain would see the most fearful results arise. The attacks of despotism would be as dangerous to Great Britain as to Spain. Ile could not, therefore, behold the late conduct of his Majesty's Ministers without entering his protest against it, as contrary to its ancient policy, fa tal to its future pcace,and destructive of its best interests. Why was Great Britain to stand by with folded arms and behold danger approach, without making an effort to repel it? Such conduct could not be sup ported on any principles of sound policy : it was un like the wise Legislature which had declared every man to Le guilty of high treason ¶s ho did not join one of the parties in a civil war ; fur from a spirited contest only could the nation hope to come to a last ing peace. Influenced by those considerations, lie felt that he could not 'coincide with the views of the Noble Lord opposite as to the props iety of observ ing a neutrality, which seemed to him both unjust and impolitic. Lord CALTHORPE thought that war ought to be avoided as much as possible; but although his Majesty's Government had made great efforts for that purpose, there had been a mistaken tone used by them on that important occasion. He did not desire that they should have dictated terms to France, but that they should have boldly reuionsti ated, that they should have shewn, that not only the welfare of Spain, but that of France required a different line of conduct. He lamented that his Majesty's Ministers had not adopted that course. He had paid the Utmost atten tion to the Papers which had been laid before their Lordships, and, after due consideration of them, he could only say, that his Majesty's Ministers had but just escaped censure, but that they did not deserve approbation. He deprecated any future engagements of Great Britain in treaties such as the present. which shackled its exertions, and deprived, her of the right' to co-operate in establishing firm principles ip any country which sought its liberation .flow bigotry, and slavery. The motion was then negatived vvititogt a die:a:ion, and their Lordships adjourned at Ten o'Clook. HOUSE OF COMMONS. The Liverpool Gas Light Bill was read a third time and passed. The Dublin Gas Light Bill was also read a third tint* and passed. REFORM, &c. z 7 , - Mr. J ARVIS presented a Petition from the County. of I lants, praying for Reform, Retrenchments, Reduc tion of Taxation, and the_ appropriation of a portion of the Revenues of the Church to the use of the State. On moving that the Petition should be brought up and read, Sir T. BARING seconded the liringing up of the Petition. He did not believe there was a Meseiber in *t House indisposed towards presenting the Yeti tidns of the People, whether adopted at large Public Meetings, or otherwise; but if the People were pre vented from meeting to consider of their grievances, and to adopt Petitions at General Meetings, the readi ness of the house to receive their complaints was of little service to them. The Honourable Member then proceeded to detail the facts attending the getting up of the present Petition. The Sheriff, he said, had refused to convene a Meeting, upon which refusal the Hon. Member and four other Magistrates called one, at which this Petition was adopted. Mr. CURWEN adverted to the Agricultural Dis tress, and observed, be thought the Fuudholder ought to pay his fair proportion of the burthens of the State. Mr. ItiC A RD° defended the Fundholder; who, he contended, had made his full proportion of sacri f ices. Mr. BENNET denied that there was anything satis factory to be found in the present state of agriculture. Mr. MONCK agreed in what had been said as to the deceitful state of the mat ket for agricultural pro duce. He agreed to many parts Of the Petition, but must dissent from that which related to the clergy. Mr. PHILLIPS defended the Corn ,Laivap but thought something ought. to be done on the subject ; of the Poor Laws. Mr. WHITMORE thought the House ought to nos. vise the system of Corn Laws without delay. ~ Sir T. LETHBIUDGE thought funded propsity,.' like all other property, should be made subject to pay its fair proportion to the Poor Laws: The Petition having been read, Mr. F. PALMER bore testimony to the respect ability of the Meeting at which this Petition was adopted. He also strongly commented on the con. duct of the Sheriff for having refused to call a County Meeting upon a Requisition signed by upwards of 549 of the most respectible inhabitants of the. County. Lord PALMEILS ON defended the conduct of the High Sheriff, who had acted from no other motive than a desire to discharge his duty conscientiously. Sir T. BARING said he did not intend to impute any improper motives to the High Sheriff, still he must think that a Requisition, signed by WO re spectable individuals, ought to have been attended to, although there were no high-sounding titles amongst them.—The Petition was then ordered to be panted. SLAVERY. Mr. A. CAMPBELL presented a Petition from the body of West India Planters resident in London, against the proposed Abolition of Slavery in the Bri tish Colonies, which the Petitioners represented as a measure pregnant with mischief to the Public, and as an attempt to invade private property.—Ordered to be printed. Sir 3. GRAHAM presented a Petition, very nu merously signed, from Carlisle, praying for the Abo lition of Slavery. Sir I. COFFIN had seen various Petitions for the abolition of slavery, but not one for indemnifying the per sonswhose propertyw as thus sought to bedestroyed. • . Pik; eaRwEN hi if favOiliatotite oltifiction of slavery: • ' Mr, BARING. begged leave to Wahl the House, 'that the publication Of occasional remarks id this House upon the subject then under discussion might be productiire of the worst effects upon that very class of persons whose relief was the object of the Petition: Mr. F. BUXTON expressed his determination to make his promised Motion on Thursday next. Mr. Secretary CANNING presented certain Papers connected with the subject of slavery, which were or dered to be printed. Petitions for the Abolition of Slavery were al t o presented from Coventry, and some other places. LIZUTIINANT ELAQUIERE-MR. BOWRING. Mr. HOBHOUSE, seeing the Right Hon. the Se cretary of State for the Foreign Department in IC., place, begged to call his attention to two circum stances. A British subject, an Officer of the Bi ids!) Navy, who, intending to go to Corfu, had not only provided himself with the usual passport from the French Ambassador here, but, in order to obviate all possible difficulty, procured a passpol t from the Right Hon. Gentleman (Mr. Secretary Canning), which it was generally believed would, of itself, have enabled the beater to pass to the place of hi; destination. But although thus provided, the Neapolitan Minister at Rome told his hip(' that if he intended going to Corfu it must be by some other route than through the Neapolitan territory—and his friend was, there fore, oblige.l to take shipping for Corfu. That fa iend was Lieut. Edward Blaquiere, of the Royal Navy.— He also begged to state that letters directed to a most respectable English commercial house had been opened,. the - substance abstracted, and proclamations of the Trappist and of the Duke d'Angouleme sub stituted in its place. The house to whom the letters were directed, was that of Messrs. J. Bowring and Co. a name which. would immediately suggest to the House the probable cartse of the violation cf his cor respondence. It was probable that the French officer, finding the name of Bowring on the envelope, thought it would be a good joke to withhold the letters and enclose the proclamations which he had mentioned. Mr. Secretary CANNING said, with regard to the first question he had heard from Mr. Blaquiere him self, and was utterly at a loss for the motives of the Neapolitan Ambassador's refusal to permit Mr.. B.'s passage through the Neapolitan territory, but he (Mr: Canning) had written toour Minister at the Court of Naples to demand an explanation. (Hear, hear.) With respect to the second subject mentioned by the Hon. Member, he begged to say, that as far as he had 'learned, it was only surprising that even so much of `correspondence was permitted, infested as the roads of Spain were, not only by the French troops and army of the Faith, but also by guerillas. But he was at a loss to conceive how the party to whom they had been addressed had learnt that the envelope contained letters pa business originally, and that the proclama tions. vibether, good or bad, were substituted for the If,the. Hon. Gentleman could put him in aktiseision Of any facts upon which to guide him, he siouldtake the necessary steps in the affair.. Mr. HOVIOUSE explained. The envelope, was directed - in tlwhankwriting of Mr. Bowring 's come sgondept at 4ville.• • VIE„ Setr~gtar CANNINg said.- had the Hon. -, ;Member ifated - tliiifact at first- it worild• have been unnecessary for bias to. have troubled the Hon. Gen. .tleman for any eiplanation, but he bad supposedrit possible that the remittance of the Proclamations alluded-to might baste been so much clear gain, to Mi. Bowring—(4 langh). • Lord G. SOMERSET presented a -Petition from Monmouth against the Insolvent Debtors Act.—Laid on the table. Mr. 11. G. BEN NET informed the House thzt he should to. morrow move for a Committee to inquire intithe piesent state of the MillbaniC Penitentiary. Mr. J. P. GRANT, seeing amongst the Orders of the Day the Report of the Sheriff's Court of Scotland Bill, hoped the Learned Lord who had introduced it would not press the mea sure this day. The LORD ADVOCATE of SCOTLAND said be had no wish to press the measure but although he sheuld not procted with it this night, he certainly would bring it on to-morrow. Lord G. SOMERSET presented a Petillon from the Bankers and others of the town of Monmouth, praying for an alteration in the Insolvent Debtors' Acts.—Ordered.to be printed. Mr. R. MARTIN presented a Petition from the Inhabitants of the County of Galway, in Ir!land, praying for the imposition of a duty upon foreign bat-W.A.—Ordered to be printed. F 0 R El 0 N MERCANTILE SECURITY. Mr. J. SMITH presented a Petition from a Body of Merchants of the City of London, praying for an alteration in the law which would not allow the Agent to pledge the goods of his Principil. Mr. SCA RLETT defended the law as it at present stood. By law, a factor bad the power of selling goods consigned to him, but he was restrained from pledging those goods; or, if be did, the principal had his remedy against the piwnee. This was the . law of foreign States, as well as of England. It was the law laid down in the Code Napoleon, a compo sition which would do more to immortalize the name 'of the individual who composed it than all his vic tories would do. The law which the Petitioners now sought to repeal, was one founded on strict justice, Mr. BARING said, this was a subject of very great !importance. The raw, as it now stood, had frequently been the subject of complaint, and, he thought, called for alteration and amendment. He hoped his Hon. Friend would persevere, and ultimately ask for leave to bring in a Bill founded on this Petition. Mr. HUSKISSON agreed that this Petition related to a subject of very great importance, and the opi nions which had been given by his two Honourable Friends—the one as to the law, and the other as to the fact of the case, were, each deserving of tbe most se rious cOnsideration. He thought the Petition should be referred to a Committee above stairs, where it might be considered whether this law might not be so altered as to prevent frauds being practised, and yet to do away the hardship of which the merchant at present complained. Mr. SCARLET! said a few-words in explanatioa. Mr. ItICA If DO said, if' there *wak - ornt particular mark by which an agent or factor Might hi-distin guished from a principal, then hii flc4iourable and Learned Friend's argtiment in support dale law as it at present stood, would apply. He was in favour of a Committee. The Petition was then laid on the table and ordered to be printed. Mr. J. SMITH said, he should, to-morrow, move the . appointment of a Select Committee. SUNMAN TALLOW. Sir T. LETHBRIUGE presented a Petition from the Butchers of Leadenhall-market, complaining of the importation of RUssian Mr. MONCK asked what they had been endsa • • • • • • •-• 9 iiouviag to effect daiittig the whole Of the Sessiocri . -::. A reduction of tatation. And whit Oral the object of the Pe:Won nbw presented? It iris to havifi taf imposed for the benefit bf . a Particular clak • • liti hoped that the Chancellor of the &chequer, *mild tuns a dealt eir to all such application!; and if be made.any alteraticin, take off the duty altogether. Sir T. LETHBRIDGB thought that the tax *lull not fall upon the consumer in this ecitintry, Bdt dpod the Russian manufacturer. . ••• • • Mr. ItiCARDO said, that if the -Hon. narontt's idea was con ect, then he hoped•to see the acin. ronet made Chancellor of the Exchecteltr, for 'hi would be the first Chancellor who had ever Imptitett a tax of a large amount, without imposing a tiurtheii on the people of England.—Ordered tolie on theta*: Mr. lIUSKISSON presented a petition froth the Merchants, Bankers, Factors; Brokers, and others of the town of Liverpool, praying for an ,alteratir id the law respecting Principal and Factor.—Cordered td lie an the tab!e. aEgn DUO. Mr.DENISON presented a Petition•from the Ale and Table-beer Brewers Against a clause in the Bill of the Chancellor of the Exchequer. By that Bill there was to be an Excise duty of five shillings, and they were to brew five barrels instead.a sit. What they complained of was, that they. were sobs debarred from brewing beer of an intermediate.iluaiity; The reason assigned was, to prevent the 'Wiring of beer; but the brewers would have no objection to make that a transportable offence. Ile would seggest that the tax should be transferred from th,e beer to thei malt, by which the whole expense of the collection would be saved. A tax of six shillings on the malt would produce 610,0001. to the revenue. Mr. RICA ItDO would also ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the mischief if the tax _ _ should be laid on the malt, and every one be allowed to brew what quantity he. pleased ? Mr. MARERLY thought no Petition came more strongly recommended to the attention of the House; Mr. C. SMITH thought the dUty should be laid on the Malt, and not on the Beer. Mr. RENNET had not heard a single word in fatz your of the Bill, which was pregnant with injuitice to the brewer. The poor should not be dbliged to pay £2. 10s. where the rich only paid EL The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said; that all the objections now stated had beeq formerly. urged, and replied to in the Committee. The pre sent measure was only a modification of the existing law; and an attempt gradually to imptove it. He would be ready to discuss the subject in a future stage of the Bill. Mr. HUME observed, that the Bill of the. Chan cellor of the Exchequer gave a great shock to capital and credit. By the tiansfer of the duty to malt there Would be a saving to the Public of a million. Not • withstanding the increase of the population, there had been a decrease-of the consumption of malt. _ _ _ _ Mr. COLBURNE said, that the Bill of the Chan cellor of the Etchequer would be an improvement on the present law. , After a lew words from Mr. BROUGHAM, Uri. F. PA Ltd UR, Mr. MABERLY, MT.MOWCK, and the CHO CELLOR of the EXCHEQUILR, the Petition was read,_ laid ors the table, and orde,red to be printed. • Mr. BUXTON said, that a great sensation prevailed in Lea. don with regard to a Bill to be brought in to-night on the Silk Trade. The wish was that a Committee should be.,granted to refer the subject to their consideration. Mr. HUSKISSON said, that no possible resalt could arise from the Committee sought for. They could state the grounds of their objects in to the repeal of these laws ; but he was sure ' that the ceaseless discussions of a Committee would lead to no imaginable advantage. Air. BROUGHAM moved that there should he laid before the House the Crown Books of Dubin) from the year 1110ii•t0 1 822, containing the panel of the Brant:Land Petit Juries.. . After a conversation across the table with Mr. Gota.suait, did 'books were ordered. Serjeant ONSLOW postponed the wend reading QC She Usury Bill until this day fortnight. •• • • In answer to a question from Mr. Three, Colonel 13Aliltriaid, he *as quite 'prepared to so en with the inquiry into the otioduct of the Shetiff of Dublia es WINS. nesday. Mr. CAWTHORNE presented R Petitio*froth the Merchants of Lancaster, against an eqoalization of the Doty on Sugar..—Ordered to lie on the table. INSURRECTION R AND. • Mr. GOULBURN regretted that after Inswing ix - pressed 'a hope that he should not be speedily called upon to move the renewal of the Insurrection Act iii Ireland, he now felt himself compelled to do so on account of the alarming state of that country. IR some places there was a general combination of the peasantry against the property ; the same illegal oaths were administered now as at former periods ; and a general disposition to refute obedience to the Law was ' too notoriously manifested. Under such circumstances he was bound to call for severe measures, for the ope ration of the ordinary Laws could not reprecs the rioters ; in fact, there now existed that extraordinary degree of disturbance which nothing but extraordi nary power could check. It was not his inten tion to go into any details of the causes which led to those scenes of outrage which disfigured the country. During the last two Sessions documents were laid on the table explanatory. of the state of things in Ireland. But although it would be difficult for them to see the frame of society in that country, the most casual ob server must be in possession of atrocious facts, with whose mention, he would not weary the:House. ,Thd ordinary administration of the law could not be ear• tied on. The poor were arrayed against the iieh nor that alone ; but such was the power possesied by the multitude, that they defeated the law, and care tied with them such a terror as enabled them to Issue orders as precise, and enforced by penalties as severe, as the most severe laws of this country. The crimi: nal—not perhaps the best expression—but the guilty. was the man in whose behalf every arm was raised, and every effort exerted. At the last Assizes for Cork, IN persons were discharged from want of evidence. Such a fact spoke volumes; spoke more than all the reasoning he could use would show, as to the necessity of putting down such a system. Of all the measures ever devised for meeting the pe culiar circumstances of beland, none was better calcu lated than:that which be now asked. That measure had ban the subject of much-obloquy—it was said to make suspicion a crime, and to punish it as a crime. In the case of Ireland it was no such thing. The horrors in Ireland were committed by night; and the object of the Insurrection Act was to confine all per: soils to their houses, to prevent nightly assemblies, and thereisy to promote the peace and security of Cie country. The penalties were, he admitted, sevefq, I.' i • -