Star. — London, England, 1810-05-16 00:00:00

This day was published, in three thick royal octavo volumes, • price ZS. - as. in boards, THE- ANCIENT BRITISH DRAMA ; com bending a Selection of the best Old Plays. Printed uni formly with the Barrisu DRAMA, in double columns, with Vignette Title Pages. Printed for William Miller, Albemarlo-street. PARLMMENTARr PROCEEDINGS. HOUSE OF LORDS, TUESDAY, MAY 15. Mr. Richards and Mr. Leach were heard in the Irish Appeal Cause, Kennedy v. Locke, for the Appellants. Several Private Bills were brought up from the Commons. On the motion of Lord HOLLAND, the Highgate Archway Sill was read a third time and passed. The Earl of LAUDERDALE objected to the second reading of the Gas Light Big, and moved to postpone the second reading till that day three months. The Duke of ATHOL supported the Bill, and recommended the Noble Earl to state his objections in the Committee. A di vision then took place—For the second reading 32—Against it It ...Majority for second reading 20. A number of witnesses connected with the Gau Light Bin were sworn. ADMIRALTY. Lord MELVILLE said, that not finding ail the papers he de sired on the table, he should move for the present for the dis charge of the Order for Thursday neat, which was accordingly HOUSE OF COMMONS. Mr. COOPER brought up the Report of the Irish Mall Coach 131 U, which was agreed to, and the bill ordered to be read a third t me to-morrow. Mr. CARTWRIGHT moved for the further consideration of the Report of the Leicestershire Canal Bill, which after a short discussion was agreed to, and the Bill ordered to be read a third time. Mr. CALCRAFT postponed his motion respecting the Tenth Report of Military Inquiry, which stood for Thursday next, till to-morrow (this day) week. The Foreign Salt Importation Bill passed through the Commit tee, the Report was then brought up, received and agreed to, and the bill ordered to be read a third time to-morrow. Mr. WHITBREAD gave notice, that he wonld to-morrow stove for leave to bring in a Bill to explain the provisions of, and to render more effectual, the Act for the Regulation of Work houses ; the spirit of which was obvious, although the letter might be liable to misinterpretation. The second reading of the Irish Grand Juries Bill was postponed till to-morrow se'nnight. The Bill for altering the mode of pr.ssing the accounts of the Overseers of the Poor was read a second time, and committed for to-morrow. Mr. A. COOPER brought up the Report of the Committee of Supply, the resolutions of which were agreed to. The Committee on Flax-seed was postponed till to-morrow. The Duke of Brunswick's Annuity Bill went through .a Com mittee, the report of which was ordered to be received to- Morrow. The Report of the Committee on the Importation of Sugar and Salt was brought up, and the resolutions agreed to. The Surveyor General's Bill went through a Committee, the teport of which was ordered to be received to-morrow. The Committee on the Canal Robbery Bill was postponed till to-morrow. Mr. W. POLE gave notice, that he would to-morrow move for leave to bring ii a pill to increase the provision made by the Parliament of Ireland, for paving, lighting, and otherwise im proving Rutland-square. Mr. CREEVEY moved, that there be laid before the House a Copy of the Pape r , entitled an Exposition of the State of the E as t India Company 's Finances at home and abroad, submitted to the Committee appointed in 180/1 to take into consideration the af fairs of the East India Company, together with the document therein referred to. This motion was agreed to. Mr. CREEVEY also moved fora Copy of the same paper laid before the Committee in the present Session of Parliament.—Or 'bred. IRISH WIEWRRIES. Mr. FOSTER (the Mouse having gone into Com mittee) proposed a resolution granting a bounty of 3s. 4d. upon every barrel of Strong Beer retailed over and above the proportion of the retail of one barrel of beer to that of four eallons of spirits. Mr. HUTCHINSON said, that he could not help expressing his regret, that the Right I-7on. Gentleman, in a matter of such importance to the interests of the Brewers in Ireland, had not thought it necessary to go into some detail respecting the grounds and objort of the proposed resolution, as far as any measure had for its real object the protection of the Breweries in Ireland, so far was he a friend to that measure ; but, / however favourable that object might be, there • might yet be serious difference of opinion as to the eGiciency of the means proposed iniurtherance or, it ; the Bill which had been brought forward by the Right Hone Gentleman had by no means answered the end it was intended for. He (Mr. Hutchinson) bad resisted it as laying the foundation of all those grievances which could be now remedied only by the repeal of the Bill which had produced them. He was anxious to 13e informed how far the proposed bounty to the retailer would operate as a boon to the Irish brewer? was it ccrtain that the bounty would reduce the price—and if it did not, if the consumer did not pay le Js for the article ?He presumed-that the bounty would not operate as an inducement to extra con- sumetion. He was apprehensive that it would rather have a tendency to encrease the sale of illicit spirits and promote perjury, and thus prove equally injurious to the revenue and the morality of tie country. He wished to know also how the comparative sales of malt liquor and spirits would be ascertained ? How would fraud be provided against in 'his respect? How could it be ascertained that the vender did not receive the bounties upon the sale of illicit spirits ? Who were to keep his accounts ? The retailers ? Here the Hon. Gentleman commented on the chtEculty of such a class of men as the small retailers of beer and spirits, keeping an exact daily journal of the amount of beer and spirits daily retailed; many of them could neither read nor write, and were too poor to supply that de ficiency by the hired agency of clerks. A plan of this kind would necessarily be productive of a great in crease of revenue officers to keep these accounts, and consequently a serious addition to the expences of the country. In offering these observations he wished to distinctly.understood as not applying them to what ever measure 'it might be the intention of the Right Hon. Gentleman to ground upon his proposed Reso lution; but rather as a summary ( f his objections to the 101 t.ttely in contemplation of the Right Hon. Gen tleman ; that Bill he had opposed, and his support of, or opposition to, the forthcoming plan would depend awn how far it'reseraibletfor differed from that. He wished the Right Hon. Centlethan had stated how As?, or in what they differed, and concluded by re qw:s:ing of him not to hurry his proposed measure tlir4ligh the House, but move for the printing of the Bill, tilling up the blanks, eat he (Mr. flutchinson) might in the niterite have the instructions of his con stitumtr, and be prepared* meet the wishes of that I.nd weighty re rtkn of the trading interests of Ireland, uhich he had the honour to reresestt. • FOSTER said, that in Isis situation Is was not to look merely to the main produce of any Reve nue Bill, but also to its moral effects. He deferred to a future opportunity going into thit detail, which he trusted would be satisfactory to all parties. After a few words from Messrs. HORNER, PARNEC., SHAW of Dublin, BERNARD and WHITBREAD, the Committee divided on the Resolution, Ayes 43-- Noes 20.—Majority in favour of the Resolution 23. _ 'AIIEUICAN DISPUTE. Mr. WHITBREAD rose and said, that having read and considered certain papers ,laid before the House respecting the negociation which was carried on between Mr. Erskine and the American Govern ment, he was now perfectly prepared to state his opt. nion upon them. The Right Hon. Gentleman, his Majesty's late Secretary for Foreign Affairs (Mr. Canning), had publicly charged Mr. Erskine w i t h having depaited widely from both the letter and spi rit of his instructions. Mr. Erskine denied the fact ; and the question at issue in the face of Europe was, whether or not the Right Honourable Gentleman had deviated from the truth ? He for'his own part was persuaded no such imputation could be founded against the Right Hon. Gentleman. But— Here the CHANCELLOR of the EXCHE QUER rose and deprecated the progress of the Ho. nourable Gentleman in a speech which might lead to an irregular debate, there being no question before the House. Mr. WHITBREAD threw himself on the indal l gence of the House, and hoped to be permitted to say a few remaining words. He did not mean to bring forward any motion on the subject ; he wished to save the House the trouble of a discussion. If he wished to be indulged in saying a few words on the subject, the Right Honourable Gentleman might al so wish for a similar indulgence. The question was at issue, as between the Right Honourable Gentleman, Mr. Erskine, and himself. What he wished to say then was, that all that was wanting to the vindica. tion of Mr. Erskine, was the publication of that letter now before the world ; and from an attentive peru , sal of that letter he thought the vindication complete; that Mr. Erskine had complied with the spirit of his instructions ; but that those instructions were not drawn up with the accuracy they ought to have bee*, I nor with due attention to a law which had been re . cently passed in Ametica. Understanding, however, Ithat an intercourse was now in negociation with America, to which he hoped a favourable issue, he ! did not wish to urge any thing further on the sub. Iject, nor to bring on the question which he meant to have done, if that negoeiation had hot commenced. I Mr. CANNING expressed his surprise at the course pursued by the Honourable Gentleman, and thought he had a right to complain of his want of candour in thus deserting a discussion, which for so long a time be had appeared so anxious to bring forward. For i his own part, he had always courted it, as the only way in which lie could shew to the world, that wh a t Ihe had done in his official character with respect to I Mr. Erskine, would bear the strictest and most mi -1 nate investigation ; and that he only acted in that business •as the duty he owed to his Majesty, who had placed him in the office he then held, and to his! I own character, had absolutely compelled him to do. When the Hon. Gentleman thought it necessary to move for certain papers on the subject, he not only abstained from objecting to those papers, but actually moved for many others which the Hon. Gentleman did not know of, in order to throw every possible light en the subject in all its bearings. There was nothing tor which he was more anxious than that the investi gation of this subject should be entered into in the fullest manner. He appealed to the House for the truth of his assertion, that he had never said any thing tending to traduce the character-of Mr. Erskine.— ' He had affirmed, and re-affirmed, that Mr. Erskine bad acted contrary to his instructions, not only as to the letter, but the spirit of them ; and he was ready Ito make it appear in argument, whenever the Hon. Gentleman, or , any other of Mr. Erskine's friends, should chase to bring it forward. He thought the Hon. Gentleman did not treat him fairly, when, after he had stated that if certain documents were brought forward, it would appear that his (Mr. Canning's) conduct would be found faulty and reprehensible ; and now, when those very documents were brought forward, the Hon. Gentleman deserted his former ground, and he was left without any opportunity of defending his official character from the charges which had at different times been made against it.— In the official situation in which he was placed, he thought it his duty to advise his Majesty to recall Mr.. Erskine for having disobeyed his instructions ; and he should have done the same under similar cir cumstances to any other person, even the nearest and dearest friend he had in the world, even -though he had been appointed by himself. Mr. Erskine was an entire stranger to him ; and when he found him ac ting in such a manner, he could not in duty but pre vent a recurrence of a conduct which might produce circumstances of the most unpleasant and dangerous tendency. For the reasons be had repeatedly given, it was impossible he could have any view to personal hostility to Mr. Erskine. All he had done was in the line of his duty, and to justify himself with respect to the conduct that Mr. Erskine's deviation from his instructions compelled him to adopt. Mr. WHITBREAD said, he did not expect the Honourable Gentleman would attribute to him either fairness or candour. All he had to say was, that, as the matter stood, he did not think it necessary to pro ceed any further in it. If the Right Hon. Gentle man thought proper to take up the matter, and make a question of it, he should be ready to meet him on it. Mr. MORRIS hoped the House would indulge him with a few observations on this subject, which so nearly concerned his Hon. relative. He must ex press his surprise that the Right Hon, Gentleman should treat this question as a personal di ff erence. Mr. CANNING (to order) said be must again state to the Hon.' Gentleman—'-- The SPEAKER rose, and said he thought it now his tinty.tO interfere ; and he hoped that what had occurred this day would prevent in future any dis cussion being permitted to take place when there was no question before the House. Mere the discussion closed. COLLECTION OF TAXES. Mr. GRENFELI i said, he had received letter; from various parts of the country, not against thy taxes, heavy as they were, but against the vexation; Mode of collecting them ; and unless some change was made in the regulations of the Tax-ofAc'e, he feared the country would feel itself in a situation past endurance. He then begged leave to read one of those letters to the House ; but before he did so, he would assure them, that he made very' minute inqui ries as to the writer's character, and had found it to be in the highest degree respectable. He was known to many Members of the House, and particularly to the Hon. Baronet who represented the County in which he lived, and they all spoke of him with great respect. The Honourable Member then read the let ter, but his voice frequently dropt so, that speaking from under the Gallery, we could only now and then hear him distinctly. We understood it, however, to complain particularly of the various vexatious re trospective surcharges which had taken place in his neighbourhood ; that he and the other Commission ers of the County had interfered, but that the Com missioners of Taxes had overawed their decision, on which they had a trial in the Court of Exchequer, in which the Court gave judgment against the Commis, sioners of Taxes ; but though they gained their cause, being against the King, they were obliged to pay the costs, which amounted to upwards of £2OO. Mr. Grenfell concluded by moving ‘ 4 That there be laid before the House copies of an correspon dence since the month of July between the Commissioners and In spectors for the collection of taxes on the subject of retrospective surcharges at and near Ross, in the county of Hereford." The two Members for Herefordshire both spoke highly of the merits of the Commissioners of Greg tree, which was in their county, but thought that, as the Chancellor of the Exchequer had stated it to be his intention to introduCe a Bill for regulating any thing that might be wrung, common candour required that the House should wait to see his Bill. Mr. FOLEY would vote against the production of the papers at present, under an idea that the grit , - vances complained of would beredressed by the Chan cellor of the Exchequer. If it should appear here after that those grievances were not done away, he would move for a Committee to inquire into the sub ject. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said, that in a few days he should bring in a Bill in which a clause would be introduced to limit the time within which surcharges should be made, and there fore the only practical line complained of by the Ho nourable Gentleman (Mr. Grenfell) would be reme died. That no man was more satisfied than himself of the value and the merits of the services of those Gentlemen who created those acts in the country.— He thought the country greatly indebted to the Com missioners who carried into execution these acts in their neighbourhood. That the Court of Exchequer could not by law give costs to the Commissioners in. this unfortunate suit; but if the Gentlemen had stated to the Treasury the hardship of their case, he would certainly have directed the reimbursement of h-ar.)—and- now if an application wet e made ; he should still think it his duty to do so. But having said this, he must beg leave to observe, that much of the difficulties in this act had arisen from the system being new, little understood at first, and delayed in its process in the county: ; these would not occur again. The Board thinking in this case the law to be as they contended, could not do other wise than to appeal to a Court of Law for the deci sion, and this was all they had done. Gentlemen knew weil that those persons who arc surcharged, though rightly and under the sanction of the Com missioners themselves, will be sore and complain ; and no man can deny that some officers may in some cases du wrongly ; but he could take upon himself to say that no Gentleman could be more anxious to ' repress every thing that was vexatious in their Officer; than the Board A Taxes. This be would affirm from a knowledge of the great. pains they had taken to prevent their officers doing any thing wrongly. He thought even the Honourable Mover could be satis fied, that there could be no gond in producing the , papers :elating to this last transaction, as the Tics , - :ince sought to be remedied 'e met by his bill. Sir J. co rrRELL 0, a motion on the subject, till the bill was before the I Mr. HURST had long :lc- ‘...emmissirmer and declared that he had alv ays found the -kai.l of Taxes attentive to their du - r, .:,d accornn:bdating to the Commissioners—that at: thought that Gentleman at the head of that Board remarkable ft,r his knew. ledge of business, his anxiety to discharge the func tions of his office uprightly and well ; and that no man could be found who would execute that difficult task so well. Lord FOLKSTONE urged Mr. Grenfill to per sist in his motion ; and intimated that it might be prop r to follow it up by a Committee, &c. Mr. SHAW LEFEVItE opposed the motion on the ground of Mr. Perceval's plan—but agreed that a regulation of the time of surcharging was necessary. Mr.THOMPSON said he had acted as it Commis sioner, had found the Tax Board always 'discharging its duty properly. and in his opinion giving way to Commissioners too soon. But as to the inferior of he had seen no instance of misconduct ; that he had seen a very long list of . surcharges, but he knew the persons-who were the objects of them, and had he `been the Sur-vela., he should have theiight it tis duty io charge them higher than was done. Mr. BABBINGTON• said, that he thcinight one observation made by the Hon. Mover should not pass without notice. He had said that there was a system of vexation acted upon through the country, which would lead the people to complain that their grievance was past endurance. He would not deny that there might be some acts of the Surveyors which were un justifiable, and he believed it would be impossible to find in any set of men perfectly proper 'conduct— but that there was a system of vexation he must dis believe, because he had known scunething of the exe- cution of this act, and had seen a very daft., ent oon duct on the part of the officers. The Hoillurable Gentleman must allow him to think, that n.iti:ing could be more calculated to create a teeling of dissa tisfaction in the people than to find that whilst some were paying cheerfolly their fair portion of tax, others were suffered to escape. This would be injustice, and the House should take care how it joined in a cry of vexation which might check the just and equal as sessment of the - taxes, and leave the honever part of the community to hear not only their own fair bur thens, but those. also which were evaded by such as were not so ready to pay their proper snare. Mr. GRENFEf.L made a low liberal observa tions 'p explanation, and begged withdraw the motion.--Adjourned, TETE EV ENING STAR. LONDON. WEDNESDAY, MAY 16. PRICE OF STOCK:) . THI3 DAY AT ONE O'CLOCfi. 3 per C. Cons. money, 70i--ace. s per C. Reduced 69H-1 per Cent. rt 5 per Cent. Navy 101—Exchequer Bills 24 8 4 , PRICE OF STOCKS YESTERDAY, Bank Stock 365+ India Stock 1871 W 187 I S per Cent. Red. Ann. India Bonds 174. pee. .- 3 per Cent. Coma. 70 tit Exc. Bills, Bs. pr. 4 per COIL 85i 84i 6 Lottery Tickets S per Cent. Navy 101 100; Cons. for ace. 7011. Long Ann. of 7-16 The ALIELIA frigate, which has arrived at F.ll. mouth, in four days from Corunna, has brought ove two Spanish Deputies from the Gallician Junta, tol e . licit a supply of arms from this ccuntry. Madrid Gazettes have been received to theist nit. Subsequent to the actions in Catalonia which ho e already been narrated, we now learn that the Fren c h occupied the town of Rues during four days a i d nights. In the whole of this interval a conflict v ie maintained between the Patriots and the enemy, th e result of which was the loss of 2000 of the fo rmer, and 1200 of the latter, after which diminution of their numbers the French thought fit to abandon so dangeinus a situation, lest they should be utterly de stroyed. Letters of the 30th ultimo, received at Falmouth by a running ship, front C.adis, express the utmost confidence in the secnrityof Cadiz againster earey. A plan was in agitation in the city for the re ca p ture of the fort Matagorda, and there bad been several meetings on the subject. The British gua.ba ata and other lesser ships of war constantly annoyed the enemy ; they had actually set fire to a French camp on the coast, and nearly destroyed it. A number of French privateers had been expeditiously fitted out to cruise against Spanish and British vessels, but with very little success; for scarcely do they put to sea before they are picked up by the British cruizers, who keep a sharp look-out after them. The ouly prize taken by the enemy for some time past, is a ship which put into Malaga by mistake. Provisions ate stated at Cadiz to be abundant, except flour, and the want of that article was soon expected to be re. medied. The prices of fish and butchers' meat were as low as before the siege; and, in consequence of the regular supply daily received, they would soon be further reduced. A ship arrived yesterday from Ostend in twenty. six hours. The Captain states, that at the time he came away the EMPEROR and EMPRESS of Fliascs were expected at that place. He saw part of the Body-guard arrive; the whole consisted of about 1500 horse. Scaffolding was erected in various parts of the town, to enable the inhabitants to obtain a full view of their Majesties. They proposed to take an aquatic excursion ; and a boat was elegantly fitted up for that purplse, to be rowed by twenty Captains, who had offered their services on the occasion. A large scaffolding, superbly decorated, had Os-) bun raised, commanding a full view of the river, fr. whence NAPOLEON and the EMPRES:, w ere to v v the shipping; splendi I fetes were likewise to be given on the water, if the weather proved favourable. NAPoteoN is reported to have been at Finding cn the 12th instant. One Pf our ships of war cruizing in that quarter, is said to have been near en ii:;11 to witness the speags..: c f Ms passing t:!ither, we suyp :1031 the Island of Cads. - ...e.. This, it is remarked, is the first time that I.e has ventured to trust himself upon that element over which we i. , c , sess the dorai. fierce, since hi) 2ight from Egypt. I Letters from Holland to the 11th inst. state, that all the principal towns are garrisrned either with French troops or mercenaries in the same service, and this the douaneers throughout the country had been exchanged, to obstruct the intercourse with Great Britain. By the tenor of the letters, notwithstanding the guarded expressions employed, it is obvious that these restrictions are well understood to be nothing More than an expedient to raise money, and that commerce will be opened to those who win submit Ito the exactions required. The KING of WESPHALIA was expected et Hanover at the commencement of the present month. A letter from Sqmlin of the 18th ult. published in a German Paperartates that the campaign between the Turks and Rnasians had been opened by some skirmishing, and that the arrpr of rach power vat estimated at 150,000 men. - - Lord JAMES MURRAS • second SOIR of the Duke of Arnot, is expected sl.• sty to le t t [he hymeneal altar the amiable and b,...atitul EMILY Pucv, youngect daughter of the Duke of NoRTMUMBISPLAXIN It is thought that the honeyanonn will be vent at Syon. Monday a numeronc meeng of the inhabitants and freemen of Canterbury to , k i:iace opposite the Guild ball in that city, when certain resoluuons wetOoll i Tt • ed, expressive of their diss..„probation of the impri sonment of Sir Fa,tscts Iltinorrr, and Mr. GAVE Jenal. Sir FRANCIS BURDETT apinst the Par , of MOIR& Lordship has retaii.t..i the Arroacask Gus, RAL, MY. GA Rnow, and Mr. Wit:net:GM SS hi% Counsel. FATAL PUGlLlSll.—Yesterday a battle was taught in Hyde Park, between two clerks, named Ye ou g h and Sorrel, in consequence of a dispute the preood . ng evening, when they staked two ruiners each on the issue of the cockiest, which lasted, with de ermined obstinacy, three-quarters of an hour, when Teoug h t in running into his antaglnist, received a blow on the forehead, which caused Us death at two o'clock. lIMMN