Star. — London, England, 1814-04-01 00:00:00

CLASSICAL JOURNAL. Just published, pr. 6s. THE CLASSICAL JOURNAL, No. XVII.; containing a variety of CLASSICAL, BIBLICAL *Ad ORICATTAL LITERATURB. [Published Quarterly.] CONTENTS : 1. A Dffence of Public Schools. 2. Oratio tie Constitutiune Tragccliarunt. S. In caret. Epod. Eurip. Comment. 4. Catalogys Praelectionvm pvisl. et priv. G. Avgvsta per se mestre Hibernvm clalaccc. Inde a die iiii.Octobris habendaruns. 5. Epithets in Poetical Composition. 6. Bibliographical Inaccuracy. 7. ADVERSARIA LITERARIA, No. I. R. Inquiry into the Causes of the Diversity of Human Charac ter iti . ytrious Ages, Nations, and Individuals. 9. On the Greek Fathers. 'lO. On the Miscellaneous Otrservations of Authors, ancient and Modern. 11. Mors Nelson!. Prize Poem. 12. , Remarks on Strabo. 13. Resemblance between the English and Italian Languages. 14. ETYMOLOGICAL DISQUISITIONS. 15. Illustration of St. Gregory's Epitaph on St. Basil. 16. Classical Connexions. 17. Suetonius Collatus cum MSto Dunelmensi. 111. Egyptian Etymoligy. 19. Loci quidam Luciani emendati. 20. Conjectura in Incum Dialogi de causiscorruptz eloquestii. 21. Casimir and Burns. 22. An Answer to a late Bonk written against Dr. Bentley, relative to some MS. Notes on Callimachus. 23. Dr. Parr's Inscript. for Sir .1 Moore's Monument. 24. Pacilographia Grzca. With three plates. 25. Porson's Collation of the Harleiaa MS. of the Odyssey. 25. Mara: honian Antiquities. 27. Bp. Pearson 's Minor Tracts, Chronologically arranged. 2S. The Language of Flowers, Fruits, ace. used by the Turkish Ladies in the Harems. 29. Biblical Synonyrni. 30. On the Conformity cf the Gr. Lat. and Sanskrita Languages. With a variety of other Classical and Biblical Articles. Sold by Sherwood, Neely, and Jones, London; and all other Bookseilers in Town and Country. PARI.I4I4IIENT4RT PROCE.EDINGS. HOUSE OF LORDS, MARCH 31. The Loan CRAxeet.LOR took his Sexton the Woolsack, at a quarter past four o'clock, and Prayers were read by the Bishop Of PETERBOROUGH, the junior Prelate. A Private Bill WAS brought up front the Commons by Mr. GRP:NiI-T.l, and others, and read a first time. The Legal Quays' Bill was read a second time, anti committed for te-morrow. On the Motion of the Earl of LAUDERDALE, the Docu ments presented yesterday from the Bank of England were or dered to he printed for the use of the House. The Writs of Assistance Bill .i.sed through a Committee of the whole House, and was reported without any Amendment. The Duke of NORFOLK presented a Petition from John Wilcox Cuntly, praying that a farther time may he, under the circumstanco. stated, allowed in this case, for the presentation of a regular Petition on a particular subject in which he is inte• repted, to their Lordships. ibis Grace explained, that the Peti tioner, from circumstances, had suffered the time originally pre. scribed for receiving private Petitions, to elapse, was the cause of this application to their Lordships. The title of the Petition being read, the Document was order ed to lie on the 'fable. . _ . ..... _ The Earl of DARNLEY moved that an Account be laid before the Hcu.e, of all the Corn Imported into Great Britain since the month of August, 1813, as far as the same can be made up, distinguishing such Corn as was i►rported from Ire land.—Ordered. CLERGY PENALTIES' BILL. The Archbishop of CANTERBURY moved the seeend read ing of this Bil!, which, his Grace observed, was merely to con tinue until the 20th of April, the suspension of proceedings insti tuted against certain Clergymen, as expressed in the title. The Bill was torthwith read a second time, and committed for to-morrow. The Marquis of LANSDOWNE took occasion to enquire, whether the Most Reverend Prelate purposed to state the grounds on which the measure troceeded, to-morrow, or on any future stage of the Bill ? The Archbishop of CANTERBURY observed, he thought that their Lordships were already in possession of the grounds . The Bill was only to continue the existing Act for one month longer, in order to afford Parliament time to consider, whether any, or what, ulterior measures were fit to be adopted on the subject.—Adjourned. HOUSE OF COMMONS. Mr. FAWCErf presented a Petition against the India Ship ping Bill. 'The Petition was ordered to lie on the Table. The Sit ERItES of LONDON appeared at the . Bar, and presented a Petition, conformably to the Resolutions of the Common Council, for leave to have the General Post Office removed to a more convenient situation, by the erection of a new building for the same. They also presented a Petition for leave for a Bill to improve and widen certain parts of the City, by building a new street, &c. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said, that al though the proposed alterations, as far as they related to the Post Office, might be very proper and convenient ; yet, as they would involve a considerable espence to the Public, it was im possible for the • l'reasury to consent to them, without the minutest previous enquiry. The two Petitions were then ordered to be referred to a Committee. _ _ The Committee on the Salt Duty Bill was put off till to morrow. GOLD COIN BILL. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER moved the second reading of the Gold Coin He observed, that having stated the nature and ob ject of the measure on a former occasion, he should not trouble the House with many explanations ; hut he could not help observing, that its object was to prevent ;he gold coin of the Realm from being sold at a price beyond its nominal value. Hitherto every breach of the law on this subject had been pursued under the •Bill, and occasioned by the Bill itself; but in future, although it were not possible to pre vent offences, they might be diminished; as the in tent of the Bill was not so much the punishment of crime, as the deterring its commission by the fear of the penalty. Sir JOHN NEWPORT said, he was certain that a Bill of this r.ature could not exist without produc ing serious effects on the country. Much bad been said of the good effects that would result from it in its former shape, not any of which had appeared. On the contrary, the evil went on; and his Right Hon. friend opposite was perfectly nonliter'd when called on to tell the How what benefit it had produced. It was clear that he had not looked over the Statute Book, or he would have found that an Act to effect all tliat was required was still in force. By a law of Ireland, any man w ho buys a guinea or half 7 a-guinea, at a depreciated price, is subjected to a penalty of 450. ; and if he buys any number, the penalty is 'MO: So that, when the present law his passed, any person in Ireland nay be punished if ki purchase a guinea for either more or less than its nominal value. The Hon. Gentleman contended that this Act would .ncit have been necessary if the country -were not iiverburthened with paper•money ; but at all events, if it were sufferedr o pass, the other shouli be removed from the Statute-book.—The Bill was then read, and prdered to be committed to-morrow. mut SHIPPING itEGULATION BILL. The CHANCELLOR . of the — .EXCHEQMR moved that a list of the several Acts of Zarhament relative to Shipping, be produced and entered. He should not propose any alterations in the Bill in its present stage, as he conceived it would be far better to have it printed, that the House might see it in its proper form. For this reason he should not trespass on the time of the House any farther than to state the mere outline of the measure. Some Gentlemen were apprehensive that it would tend to exclude a large and valuable portion of our British built shipping from the India trade; but this idea was incorrect. The general plan of the Bill was to permit India built ships to be regularly employed for the purpose of trading between China and Great Britain, but, not to interfere with the general trade ; in fact, it was in tended that they should be confined to that branch ; and certain regulations would be adopted, by which those ships built in India, on arriving in England, would be subjected to the same restrictions and regu lations as other plantation ships. It was likewise an object of the Act to encourage ship-building in this country. It was meant to take off all duties on ship timber imported, by which the contents of the vast forests of India would be at the service of the nation. The Right Hon. Gentleman said, that this was only a faint outline of the principal objects of the Bill ; but he should, at the present, abstain from farther re marks on it. Alderman ATKINS could not but tlli7ik that out of this bill some very important consequences would arise to the country, and it was therefore worthy the maturest consideration. He thought it would be found unadvisable to allow registers to all ships built in India, when the trade of ship-building in this coun try was in such a deplorable state. At present, how. ever, he should merely move a list of the number of ships built in the whole kingdom within the last three years ; and with this document before them, the House would judge what was the real state of the business. It was of great importance to the coun try that ship-building at home should meet with all possible encouragement ; for at no very remote pe riod, our merchant ships had been of service in the naval battles of the country. He alluded to the battle of Camperdown, when Government had an opportunity of bringing merchant ships into battle, of from 50 to 64 guns. When the papers in question were looked into, the House would be able to foi a just conclusion as to the importance of the subject. Mr. PROTHEROE was not prepared to give his private opinion on the general principle of the BM ; but knowing the great interest of it to a numerous and important class of society, he hoped that every opportunity for discussing it would be afforded by his Right Hon. Friend opposite. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER assured the Hon. Gentleman that the subject should receive the fullest consideration ; mid whatever infor mation any Gentleman might think of the least im portance to illustrate the topic, should be immediately laid before them. General GASCOYNE said, he supposed there was no intention of entering upon any discussion of the subject before the recess ? to which The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER replied, that notwithstanding the immense mass of Papers that were required, they were in such a state of forwardness, that they would be ready in a very few days • and he trusted that the second reading would take place very shortly after the holidays.— Leave was gkven to bring in the Bill. INDIA BUILT SHIPS. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER brought in a Bill for making further r:gulations re specting Ships built in India. The Bill was read a first time, and ordered to be read a second time on Tuesday, the 19th of April. Mr. Alderman ATKINS moved for an Account of the number of Ships, and the amount of their ton nage, built within the last three years, or now build. ing, in the United Kingdom.—Ordered. He then moved, that the several Petitions presented by persons concerned in building and er,u:pprg Ships in this country, together with the P eturn:; made by Agents for Ship-owners in India, should be referred to a Select Committee. The motion was agreed to, and a Committee was immediately appointed, con sisting of the following Gentlemen : Mr. Aid. Atkins Mr. Rose Mr. Sullivan _ Mr. N. Vansittart Mr. Staniforth Sir G. Warrender Sir William Cunis Mr. C. Ellison Mr. Osborne Mr. Protberoe Mr. Alex. Baring Mr. T. Courtenay Gen. Gascoyne Mr. Wallace Mr. Alexander Mr. 'Ascents Mr. Robert Smith Mr. Charles Grant Sir Robert Pea Mr. Fawcett Mr. G. A. Robinson CLEUGY PENALTY BILL. Mr. BATHURST said he should reserve what ever observations he had farther to make on this Bill, and merely move that it be committed pro forma, for to-morrow, and recommitted on Tuesday next. Mr. WYNNE said he held in his hand a Petition from Mr. Wright, the informer. He had said a few words to the effect that the Clergy had had sufficient notice of the Bill; when The SPEAKER said, that the objection to the Petition was not so much as to the form, as to what the House was in the habit of receiving. He knew of no precedent for receiving a Petition with all the 'evidence annexed to it ; but if any Gentleman could throw light upon the usages of the House in such cases, he should be glad to hear him. • After some more remarks from Mr. WYNNE, the Petition was received and read. It detailed the ope- rations of the informer ; stated, that the grounds on which he had proceeded in certain specified cases bad ' received the approbation of the Bishop of Norwich ; and concluded with soliciting liberty to adduce such evidence as might tend to his exculpation, &c. The Petition was ordered to lie on the table. FREEHOLDPROPERTY ATTACHMENT BIU. Sir S. ROMILLY said, that agreeably to the no tice he had given, he now rose to move for leave to bring in a bill, to enact, that the freehold property of persons who die intestate be subjected to the ply. ment of their teal debts. He did not anticipate any opposition at present to his motion; and he should therefore cOnfine r himself to shortly stating the grounds of the measure. By the law, as it now stands, any person to whom a debt is owing has the power to an est his debtor, and keep him in prison till the debt be paid. To be sure, some little relAxa tiOn of this severity had been produced by the Act of last Sissign ; 'but still, whether The debtor got into his ditecorna from profligacy 9 misfortune, the creditor could keep hint for a time in durance; and if he did'not wakes' full' disclosure of his property, in Certain cases, rihe offence miglit be considered capital. A bankrupt, for instance, might suffer death for keep ing back any of his property from his creditors; but there were otters %ho miglit withhold *their property • . with impunity. While the law W2l thus severe to one class of society, and favourable to another — while it sends one man out of the world for secreting perhaps a small portion of property, and alloWs. ano ther who has ample means to pay his just debts to escape any sort of punishment, it must be admitted that some alteration is just and necessary. What he intended was, that the Bill should apply only to men who, having freehold property at the time of their death, and being then in other respects insolvslit, leave it to descend to their heirs, and suffer their debts to remain unpaid. The law now permits the heir to live in all the comfort and splendour of life, while the honest tradesmen who may have contribu ted to that splendour are at last ruined, and sent to take refuge in a workhouse, because the principal property of•the heir cannot be made responsible. The principal part of his Bill would therefore be to ren der the freehold property of any man who dies in debt responsible to his creditors. He alluded to the Act of King 'William, called the Statute against Fraudulent Devices, and regretted that it did not gc far enough. In farther illus►ration of the necessity of his Bill, Sir Samuel observed, that it often hap pened, that a person had purchased an estate just be fore his death, with the money that ought to have gone to his creditors; and there had been instances of others, who, in desperation at their circumstances, rather than let their property go to their creditors, to the ruin of their near relatives, had committed sui cide. Sir Samuel then reminded the House, that he had introduced a similar Bill seven years ago, wheit he was Solicitor-General, which had the approbation of the Government of that day. There were many objections then made to it, which he did not expect would be revived. It was stated, in particular, that the measure would lead to incessant litigation. The same, and many other objections, were raised against the Insolvent Act of last year ; but now it was in full execution, not the smallest difficulty was found , in it ; and cases have occurred where £lOO,OOO have been paid over to the creditors without the least dif ficulty. Sir Samuel then alluded to the case of Sir Roger Kerrison, of Norwich, who left estates worth 8500,000, and but for the operation of that Act, every one of the creditors might have been kept from every farthing. He knew it had been said that his Bill would tend much to weaken the aristocracy of the kingdom, and do away the distinctions of rank t but the diminution of rank was already seen amongst those who were enabled to commit injustice by living in splendour on the property of other people. The principal consequence of his Bill would be, that if the real estates of men of property were made subject to the payment of their debts, the credit of heirs would be facilitated on coming into life, and the tradesman would have a greater security ftir the obtainment of his rights. Sir Samuel concluded with saying, that he flattered himself the Bill would be allowed to pass through all its stages without opposition. The question fur leave to bring in the Bill was then put and carried. FEL6 IN COURTS OF JUSTICE. Sir JOHN NEWPORT said he was about to move for a return of the rates of fees demanded and recei ved in the superior Courts of Justice in the United Kingdom for the last twenty years. He said it had been observed in that House, that the fees demanded in Courts of Justice were not controulable by Parlia ment ; but if they were not, he would wish to know how the subject could be reached ? He knew that in some cases the fees had been materially raised; but he would not assert that such bad been the case in all the Courts. It must be the wish of the House, and the interest of the Public, that the doors of justice should ever remain wide open ; but if the fees to Of ficers of the Courts were to be exacted according to their own will and pleasure, the doors may be effec tually shut. He should, however, reserve what he had farther to say on the subject, till he had heard on what ground such a motion could be resisted. As to the Judges, he was sure they would feel their credit and character too far interested, not to afford every elucidation of the topic. The Hon. Gentleman then made his motion. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said, it the Right Hon. Gentleman had stated any specific instances, the House would know how to set about the enquiry ; but so far from this, he had not even stated whether the cause of complaint lay in England or Ireland; As to the Judges, it was known that they were perfectly independent ; and although they were the receivers of the fees, they were not per sonally interested in the receipt of them. It was im possible to surmise any thing wrong , on their parts; for they had not only to administer justice with im partiality, but also to look to popularity. On the whole, as he could see no good reason for the motion, he should move as an Amendment, that the House proceed to the other Orders of the Day ; at the same time, he certainly should not object to any rational motion on the subject. Sir J. NEWPORT repeated his observations, and added, that as to the specific information, it was in vain to expect that Attornies would come forward to complain of abuses in their own Courts. But so con vinced was he of the propriety of the House inter fering on the present occasion s that he should press it to a division. It appearing that this being a day on which Notices have precedence of Orders, the question tor a divi sion could not he put. Mr. BATHURST contended that the Hon. Gen tleman had not given reasons to believe that there was the slightest suspicion against the Officers of the Superior Courts, and yet the integrity of the whole Jurisprudence of the country was to be called in question, without knowing upon what foundation. — He ridiculed the idea that the practithners in the Courts would be afraid to tell how and when tin, fees were raised, and insisted, that if tie lion. Gen tleman had made any enquiry on the subject, lie could not have been in the dark about it half an hour. Mr. W. WYNNE contended for the right of en quirn but had no idea of attributing any thing im proper to the Judges of the land. Bt‘t if they cam order fees to be raised at their pleasure, this was raising the price of justice. The confidence placed in the Judges v<as no excuse to him for not looking into this subject. The fees ought to be regular, and should, as a matter of course, be laid before Parlia ment the same as other accounts. Mr. ROSE suggested, that if the Ron. Mover were to alter his motion, s o as to call 'for returns, chewing who arty fees had tteen raised within the last 20 years, it would give all possible 'satisfaction. Sir J. NEWPORT replied, that he could hatie no possible objection to this form. The motions of the Chancellor of the Exchequer and Sir J. were then withdrawn, and the Hon. Baronet framed another, according to the cuggestion of Mr. Rose. On the question being pnt, Mr. STEPHEN made some severe remarks on the disrespectful manner in which the Judges had been spoken of. It had been said, that it was having a blind confidence in the Judges, not to order any Pa. pers that may be whiled for ; but he would say, that blind suspicion was worse than blind confidence.—. ['he Judges ought not to be put to the tiouble of making out such accounts ; their time was too rah; able to Ge occupied with any thing extraneous to their profession. it ought not to be adopted as api inciple, that any Member is to have a return of this kind, without stating proper grounds for it. There were none so far above a shadow of suspicion as the tada Of this land. Mr. BARING said a few words in favour of the motion. tie contended, that throughout the debate. the Judges had been alluded to with all possible del.- cacy. lint it was impossible nut to be suspicion;, when it was known that the offices in the Courts were mostly granted to the relatives of the Judges. Mr. PONSONBY oL•erved the present were extra ordinary times, as hardly a day passed which did not introduce some perfectly novel proceeding in that House. They were now told they ought not to e t , quire into the amount of sums raised from the people of this country ; it would be to insult the Judges, f l seeming to attach suspicion to them. Formerly they were told it was the first duty of that House to en quire what sums were raised in any way from the people. They had an undoubted right to enquire into any increased expence thrown on the public._ If it should be proved that an increase had taken place in the fees paid in the several Courts, that in. crease might appear to be justifiable and necessary . but of this the House could not judge till they had called for information on the subject, and an answer had been given. But the Learned Gentleman (Mr. Stephen) had said it would consume so much of the Judges' valuable time to make the returns called for, that, on that account, the proposition ought not to be entertained. Hew much of their time would it consume if no increase in their fees had taken place ' How long would it take them to return a nil" to the application made ? The House had never been more jealous of any infringement of their authority than of any attempt to raise money from the people withou: their direct interference. In refusing to allow the enquiry to be made which the Right Hon. Baronet had recommended, the Chancellor of the Exchequer had done what no Minister had done before, and he ought to feel much obliged to his Right Lion. Friend (Mr. Rose) for extricating him from the awful situa. tion in which he had placed himself. Mr. BATHURST agreed with the last Speaker that his Right Hon. Friend (Mr. Rose) deserved thanks, but contended these ought to come from the Right Hon. Baronet (Sir J. Newport), and not from the Chancellor of the Exchequer. When the Right Hon Gentleman spoke of the little trouble the Judges would have in returning ‘' nil," lie was talking of the proposition of his Right Hon. Friend (Mr. Rose), and not of that of the Right Hon. Baronet (Sir J. Newport). The vagueness of the motion made by the Right Nor,. Baronet would,' had it not been st,- perseded by the proposition of the Right Honourahl- Gentleman near him, have caused all the trouble and loss of time which his Learned 'Friend (Mr. Stephen) had contended they ought to guard against. lie admitted that what the Right Hon. Gentleman (Mr. Ponsonby) had said, of something perfectly cove! being introduced every thy, was well founded. Mr. PLUNKETT thought the conduct cf the Chancellor of the Exchequer and his colleagues f.r. gularly inconsistent. He had first understood ;Lem to object to the motion, because it seemed to go some. what in reprehension of the conduct of the Jdt ge'. without any regular charge having been preferred The proposition now before them seemed to him lia. ble to the same objection, yet they were rilheg to support it. Here was a double novelty : first t!,er opposed the motion of the Right Hon. Barena, and then, 011 a sudden, changed their minds, and adopted one which was open to all the objections urged against that first submitted to them. He wished the pr• posed inquiry to be gone into, as in some of the Crurs in Ireland the fees had been so greatly increased, that their amount was almost a denial of justice. After a few further observations from Mr. Salves. Mr. STEPtIgN, and Sir J. Newroar, the motion ‘ev agreed to. Sir J. NEWPORT moved, that there should be laid before the House returns of all sums issued way of compensation out of the Consolidated re11% 4 of Ireland to any officer or officers of the Corr; C. Exchequer, for duties not performed by them, toge. ther with the name or names of any officer or dicer: who had declined to accept of soch compensation. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER t p .o r r op re ose tur t s to f am th e e nd gr t o h a m n ot d i n o n e t , a s o m a o s u t n o t m r e a c k e e i v i e t d c a ; compensation by each officer. Sir J. NEWPORT assented to the alteration; and with this addition the motion was carried. CLERGY PENALTIES' BILL. On the second reading of this Bill, P Lord FOLKESTONE took this opprtunity r. entering his protest against it. The objections turd to other ex post facto laws, applied with pecdia; fora to this Bill. If the provisions of the former Act meant any thing, Mr. Wright was entitled to the penalties for which he sued. The Noble Lord 05• served further, that he did not see that the Clerr were' entitled to the indulgence proposed to br tN• tended to them. If there was one character which he detested more than another, is was that of all former; but if an Act of the Legislature eilcour:irj .persons to come forward to discover that uh;cli i'.,t liament declared to be an offence, now when son came to give such information, it WAS not for them to set their faces against him, and deprive him of that which the former Act gave him by HI4 ex 1.0 4 facto law. He should be son y that the partio rro secuted should be ruined, but they ought not to be saved at the eicpence of Mr. Wright. Mr. WETH ERA LL defended the Bill, and tended that the parties prosecuted 4d nut c oaimiti. , x l the offence contemplated by the Legislature when the I Bill was framed, and asserted it had never been le tended to save them from ruin, at the e :pence of ? ! Wright, as it was meant to give him all his c( s Me. wE6I'ERN was in favour of the 13,,1 being read a second time, but at the same time lie felt t,,vre F i_ I