The National Register. — London, England, 1816-04-07 00:00:00

APRIL 7. elmong the poorer ehtsses of society, WAi entitled tO commenda tion. 'Fite rich us well us the poor were interested M the sub ject, and he Italica the introdtwtion of it with p!easure, con vinced their mutual advantage would induce a concurring sen timent Wall ranks of people. Mr. Roo: stated, that thate7,h some Impositions had been practised by Ilvuetit Societies, yet the udvantages were very great, not less than 709,093 members being associated for the laudable purpose ot relict. - r' ' MR. HARRISON. Sir J. N, wen moved the the printing of certain accounts respecting the Treasury contingeucies, which had been laid on the table. Mr. Tteu N EY otrterved, that there was a paper presented a week ago which she wed the increased oats:Maga of Vac Trea sury arc WOOL more than the last year.--in that accroint there Is a sum of 35001. for the salary of Mr. Harrison, the Assistant- Secretary, being an increase of 5001. beyond the former year. He thought that the salary basing been increased from the first appointment of Mr. Harrison up to 30001. that sum ought to be considered as quite sufficient. At the same time he was bound to say that this Gentlemen was entitled to every praise for assiduity and attention in his official capacity ; but what mast surprize the House more was, that in addition to an in creased salary of 33 3 0!. a year, there was au item in the at:- c annts awarding Mr. Harrison 30001. m o re for his services. Now, he wished to know where the liberality was to stop? He begged of the House to recollect, when they were dealing out reforimi in the expenditure, that here was a Gentlemen, with a liberal salary, receiving a suns in addition beyond any decent precedent. With reapect to the proceeding to be adopted, he should nut move any thing; because it' he did, it might be at tributed to party motives, anti it would not heroine him to im peach the Minister, for that, if he stirred at all, must be the step to take. The Right Hun. Gent. observed, that this trans action would never have come to tight—it was detected merely by his moving for the papers In question. Mr. VANSITTART stated his readiness on every occasion to give explanation on the subject. With respect to Impeach ment, if lie (Mr. V.) was to tall, he would rather fall by the hands of the Right Hon. Gent. than by less able means. The Right Hon. Gent. then stated, that Mr. Harrison was appoint ed by Mr. Pitt, in 1903 ' with a salary of 20001. a year; in 1807, in cons e quence of the approbation of the Board of Tree eery, Lard Grenville gave him an additional 5031. In 1809, the increase of business in his department Wag considered, and en additional 3001. was made, making in the whole 30701. a year. Besides this appointment, Mr. Harrison was engaged in extra-official birtinesa, in corresponding, with the army on Vile continent, anti rai-ing money for that army. In 151 J, being ill, he applied to Lord Liverpool for a remuneration of his extra Services. Out ;nature consideration, it was judged expedient that a suns of 30001. would be the most appropriate mode Of remunerating those services retrospectively ; and that sum tva% A ccordingly awarded him, with an addition of 5031. a year so l on g as his services continued. He observed, that a sum of ja,aool. had been granted to Mr. Campbell for services oh' Go % ernment, which was paid out of the Stamp Office. He did not mean to contend fur the propriety of making these grants p rece dents, but he woeld support the propriety of the grant to Mr, Harrison, and be prepared to give any further eapla nation. Mr. Ttantrev desired, that the Minutes of the appointments slight be read by the Clerk, which would serve us an answer to any ground of complaint against him (Mr. 'f.) The Clerk accordingly read the Minutes. Mr. METHUEN naked, whether any increased sal a ry w a s paid to any Gentleman for performing the duties of Mn. Har mon w hiie he was Mr. V VISITTA Pa replied, that a small sum had been awarded to two Gentlemen. Mr. C. WINNE thought, that when a Gentleman receive.' a salary of 511001. a year, the whole of Ilia time was bought for the public, and be conhd not be entitled to any further pecu niary grant. He shoaid, therefore, move fur an account of .the contingencies far the last five years. The papers were then ordered to be printed. LOCAL POOR Avis. • —••• • . Sir R. Henna moved tor leave to bring in a Bill to regulate the Local Poor Acts. There never was ► warn Bill passed the Legislature than the last Act on this subject. The Hun. Bart. noticed the confiihon of the pour in several towns in his neighbourhood in the smeary. particularly Lineoln, Newark. Isiotringliam, and Derby. The Hon. Member then adverted again to the Act to which he had before alluded, and which he said gave to the Magistrates a most unlimited power. It gave them the power of detaining auy pauper, has lag one become hargeable to the parish, in the workhouse till, by their labour. they had repaid to the parish all which had been expended *pun them. This might, in some cases, absolutely give to Ma gestrates a power of imprisonment for life. Another objec tion was, that the Act gave the Magistrates an absolate power over the children of those who had been charge uble, if only for a day. They might dispose of them, either by keeping them there, putting them apprentices at a distance or at home, - for seven or fourteen years. A thr tlier objection to this act was, that it gave the Magistrates a power of corporal punishment is cases of misconduct on the part of the paupers. He bad a short ti:ue since visited Workhouse which was situated its his neighbourhood; he had to twit to find with the state of the house generally ; but he ren there something which he much regretted—that was live veils for the confinement os paupers; in the centre of the doers of sylfielt were rings. to which he understood offenders were frequently chained. He hail Yves. informed of two cases, which he considered as most aggravated, of the confinemruit of pau pers; one related to the confinement of an old Chelsea pen sioner, near 70 years nt' age, blind and lame, who, le under stood, had been conlitied in one of these cells, and heavily loaded s. ith chains. The excuse for this pnnishinvid was, that at times, when he received his pension, he was in the habit of .getting drunk, and beim* Mg in a most violent and outrageous smaller. The other case was that of the confinement of a !maw , wOmall,who, however, escaped with the rho in 1111011 her, which weighed 30Ibs. The excuse for chaining this girl was, that she was adlicted with a disease, which might have been to; 11111 l %ideated to others hail she been at liberty. The Hou. concluded by mos tog for kayo to bring in a Bill to repeal and amend various local :Vets fur the maintenance and goers-ea:tut of the poor. Mr. Lour-11%11T adverted to the extraordinary horthen which the pre' , nt poor laws iiirposed on the public .--The sum pa;il for the support of the poor last year amounted to m. 040,0001. nearly one third of the whole rental of the kingdom. lie considered the indiscriminate relief of persons because they were t or, as built impolitir and irreligious; for though the scripture recommended co:opassion and charity towards the poor. yet the ',AMC scrip' wes . aid, that every man should gain leis hi t:,o sweat of his brow. Sir S. ,R 0 3 ,11 Li,v thought the oh;eets of his Hon. Friend's bill were most.piaisewerthy. One olvet of the hill was to enact THE NATIONAL REGISTER. a general regulation, as far as possible for the nialia7ement of the poor. Another was to prevent the farming out of t!:e po tr. A third was to prevent children being bound apprentices to the masters of tile pony-I .es ; and a fourth to prevent patipt rs being imprisoned and kept in chains. He trusted, that all these objects would be ellected by his Hon. Friend's bill, nut only as related to Lincoln, but to every pine-house in the kingdom. He should suggest the propriety of making the impribunmeut of paupers by roasters and governors of poor-houses a misde meanour, and that the otfonce should extent' to oversvers and other parish officers oho connived at it. Sir E BKIDGCS Her is favour of die hill. The Bill was read a first, and ordered to be read .a second time. _ _ . Mr. SHARP presented a petition from the importers and dealers in fort ign wines, and pruyinl relief from the duties. Mr. VANSITTART Wid,a deputation of the persons concerned in the wine trade had waited on him, and urged the necessity of a reduction in the (tunes on wine; he then stated to them, that ander the circumstances of the country he could not anti cipate any reduction in the duties ou a luxury which had been a productive source of revenue t and further, that if any re duction of duties could take place on any articles, it would be on articles necessary to the lower dais of society-L(11w%) Sir M. Ittinnx rimed for a copy of any contract which might exist for serving the table for the guards at St. James's, and the names of the persons attending there. Mr. VAVIITTART said, it was unnecessary. The officers were to have a compensation, and the table be done away.— ( near, hear.) EXCISE AND CUSTOMS. Mr. BROVOITAII moved, that au Act of the 5 ith of the King, relative to the Customs and Excise, should he entered ita read, which was dune. . _ _ Mr. Bnoveitast then rose to bring forward a motion which concerned every commercial man, awl, indeed, every iadivi• du 11 in the creintry, inasmuch as it concerned the constitution of the country. In bridging forward this motion, it would be recessary for him to advert to what had beet' the state of the law as related to the Customs and Escise duties of the country, which in a time of peace, amounted to 33 millions, and n time of war, 43 millions. Formerly all the business of this branch of the revenue rested with tile boards of Customs and Excise, the .sheathers of which held their situatious during life or good behaviour. Formerly also these boards had the con trotil over all eases of otreuces committed by persons against this branch of the revenue laws, and the consideration of cases arising out of these laws, which till four of our statute book., occupied a very considerable portion of the time of the Com missioners ; and it was afterwards found necessary to give his :Majesty's Attorney General a power of slopping proceedings and restoring seizures mole under the laws; but this could only be done pending proceedings. and in cases where there was a proof that no intention to defraud existed, or whisk the fraud arose from mistake; and these powers did nut extend to any cases of breach of the navigation laws. With these 'Teaks tions, which excluded all political or ministerial intl. , rferem.e, the laws existed till July, Int!, when the .Ict which had just been read was pawed. and which, he contended, changed at mice the constitution of the country. The first prevision of this Act gave a power of restoration after condemnation ; the second set wide the question of whether with good intention or fraudulent design; and the third pros ision did assay all consideration of the navigation laws; MA ill tact, transferred a dispensing power over a branch of reventie amounting to 45 millions annually from the unpolitical, uniniiiisterial Illwirds of Excise and Cestouts, to the Ministerial Board of Treasury. After mentioning the precipitate manner in wlfaelt t h e Bill lie condemned was introduced, and the lateness of the time. (viz. the Intli July,') lie trusted the House would now accede to his motion fir enquiry into the several eases which lie would state. The first case was that of Mr. Bailey, a common brewer, in which a verdict had been taken, by conseut, ler • 4001. The fast attempt made to get rid of this verdict, was a memorial presented to Mr. Arbuthnot, of the Treasury, fr. m Lord B'estmoreland, desiring that the case might be considered by the Treasury. The case and memorial were upon this referred to the Commissioners of Excise. Mr. Brougham pro ceeded to lead other letters from the memorialist to Lord Westmoreland, aeknowledeing the kind attention of his Lord ship, and expressive of gratitude. Mr. It. observed, he was not at liberty here to advert to the connection which there was between Lord Westmoreland and Mr. Bailey, and the Borough of Lyme Regis. The Board of Excise, however, reported that this was a case which might not to be taken out of the emiree of law. After having retuned it back four times to the Board of Excise, the Treasury adopted the report, but Hot till a delay of 13 months had been glycol to llr. which delay arising from Mr. Bailey has ing a friend at Court, was the next good to having the tine remittr ds The next case was that of Mr..). Abbot, of Canterbury, %silo had been con victed of using vitriol, quassia, end other deleterious drugs in brewing his porter. 'lle case, the Hon. Member said, was filly proved, but memorials were presented, stating that Mr. Abbott was ignorant of such materiels being on his premises ; and memorials to character of the highest description, signed by Mr. Marriott, Sir E. lintiehboll, and Sir W. Cuteis, all Members; and alto high testimonials to character from Mr. Baker, Member for Canterbury; and from the Reverend amid respectable Dean of Canterbury. consequent effect of these testimonials was, that the proceedings were suspeaded, and the case, with the testimonials, WI re referred to the Com missioners of Excae, who ri port; d upon the l'.!3C that it was oi.e of the mo-t aggravated, end that it was one which, milers the Lords of the Treasury should give positi.e orders to the contrary, they should feel it their duty to proceed in. Th.' was the derision of the Excise. The Tleasurv, Lou ever, ordered the fur her proceedings to be send, in Abbott's Pstaing a hue of 5001. and expellees. Whereas had the case been proceeded in, die penalties would hare amounted to 90001. It would. perhaps, be said that Mr. Abbott was only legally guilty, and that he had no knowledge-411cup, hi-ar e /rem the Chwiectlur if his Exchequer !)—lie was glad to hear thus ewer, and he wished it lei slit be acted epen in other cases as . • well as theta! of Excise. le wis'aed it might he este:Wed to libels.. Here the Hon. Member ails erted to several cases of printers and publishers who lied been hued, altlitetelt it was I proved they were ignorant of the publication Navin. tat.en pile fill their pri inises. Judges iii these cases land always held that ignorance was no excuse for the dissemination of poison amongst his Majests's subjects. 'file Hon. 'Member next ad vernal to the case of Wolfe Benjamin, a sea vomit:date ttwer, at Leigh, w Esses. ileve Mr. Isenjamin obtained testi fioni .hr. Hotiblon, Mr. Striitt, and Mrs Western, all ' it tubu rs of this House; and in the weer' of the report of the Commissioners of Excise, tile tines were remitted. The next case was that of J. Gipps, who hid (-mill-evened the anti ta l es, and against whom judgment was ewer. d up for iioal. Ame ' morial was presented, and a strong testimonial front inhabitants of the comity of Soothe-mat-in, which represented that he hail long been distinguished for his loyalty and zeal for L his Majesty's governateut; sad that he had always stood toi tb, emordless fit expence, in support of the friends toad measure; of his Majesty's government. This testimonial had ,lrs effects sad in the faro of the Commissioners, who reported, that they raw nothiag in the testinumials deserving of favour, and that he ought to pay the full penalty. IHa having paid MM. out 4411001. the Treasury re trOtted Abe retnabiing 1001. This the Hon. Gentleman dm l.trcd woe a cries would e w o o ft d he as zs ti t u i g h i no k t is it patty description. After this case, power to be lodged in the breast cola hoard, subject to political feelings and prejudices? Neither, in his opinion, ought it to loil,m with the Board of Excise; who, in the discharge admir ditties, might be too prone to enforce lines; but in some inde pendent quarter a power of review ought to exist. Where it should be lodged, he was not called on to say. If he could prove that the Board of Treasury had, in the case.of John Gipps, prostitutt d the powers of the Act to political motives, he submitted he had made out a case of.p.ious fuck evidence, and for further enquiry. The Hen. ?timber then concluded by moving a Resolution to that effect. Mr. VA NSITTART said if the Hon. Gentleman had at all made out his case, he might, instead of censure, have moved for im peachment of his Majesty's :Ministers. The fact was, however, that he had made out nothing mute than a case of mercy on the part of the Crown. With respect to the state of the law, as laid down by the Hon. Gentleman, he was wrong in every point. The * Board of Excise had always been dependent ou the Crown, and received directions front the Treasury Board, which had always the. power of revis:ou of titles And penalties; and the new Act only gave a more summary power to the Board of 'Treasury, which, before the passing of the Act of the 3SO of the King, exercised the saute power through the medium of the Attorney-General. With respect to the eases which the Hon. Gentleman had cited,, only two were caws iu which proceedings had bet* carri-el ou to conviction, a n d therefore, on the others there could he no doubt the Tremmy had the power of remission. The lion. Gentleman had aumed for twenty-nine cases, cut of which he, had selected six on which to found his chat ge, but he now seemed inclined to abandon all except one—that of Gipps. The Right lion. Gen tleman then catered into a review of this particular case, and observed, that there has been a sittottlar negligence on the part of the Board of Excise, a Ito had not laid the only docu ments which gave a tinge to the rase before the Board uf Trea sury, and the memorial not only gave Gipps. a character foe loyalty, but also for fair dealing; anti the Treasury certainly considered a fine of AWL added to costs, amounting 3001. more, was punishment snffielient for such an offence as Gipps was charged with. The Right Hon Gentleman then proceeded to comment on the other eases, and contended that the punish ments had been fairly apportioned to each offenee.—All the indulgense which had been estended to Davy was, a delay of two months allowed to pay the tine in after the proceedings had t erm inated. In Mr. Abbott's case, it was allowed by the Hon. Gentleman that Mr. Abbott was ignorant of the offence being committed, and it could not be said that he had been vety leni ently treated, when it was considered that it was only on imme diate payment of a tine of 301)1. and all costs, that proceedings against hint were suspended. The Right Hun. Geutleman con cluded by movino, as an Amendment, the previous question. Sir S.RomiLi.v, Mr. TIERNEY, and Mr.PosisoNny could sea no grounds on which the penalties iuGipps's case were remitted. except that he was a zealous supporter of the measures and the, friends of Government. Lord C eiTLER FAWN, Mr. LUsIIING TON, the SOLICITOR GE. NERAL, Mr. SMITH, and Mr. Peovn inn supported the Amendment; the House divided—For the original Motion alli —For the Amendment I2l—Majority against the Motion Sl. Adjourned at Halt' Past Two. WEDNESDAY, APRIL 3. Lord G. L. Gower presented a petition front Stafford, pray ing a reduction in the Military and Naval Establishment, se% neral economy, relief of the agricultural interest, rec. Sir R. Name moved for an inquiry into the present mode of employing children in cotton manufactories. The lion. Mem ber, after adverting to the manner in which children were fora merry employed in these manufactories, said, Ile had last year brought hi a Bill for regulatiug the employmentolapprentices, which had been productive of the happiest effects: his pre• sent object would, if adopted, provide that children should be taugheto read and write; and that those tinder ten years of age should not be employed in the manufactories, nor should they be employed more than 13 hours in the day. The Howe would perhaps be surprised to learn, that in some installers, children under this aee, were employed lii or 17 hour. in the day. These children were, in fact, the riches el the country; without them, the various machinery employed by us would be useless, and even mischievous. The Hon. Bart. concluded by moving for the appointment of a Committee to enquire into the state of the children employed in the manufactoriesin the king dom, and to report to the Home thereupon. Mr. FINDLAY wished that the Hon, Baronet's censure should be confined to particular instances, and not be uttered as ap. plying generally. He (Mr. F.) had never known say instance in which children ' of the ace mentioned by the lion. Baronets had been dragged from their Reds in the morning, and em ploved 16 or 17 hirers in the day. In all cases of which he had any knowledge, proprietors of manufactories had been ansione not to employ children under 10 years of age, and in no case within his knowledge had children been employed more that 13 hours out of at. His lieu. Frictid, now he era., abOla to re tire from business, was proposine a measure which, in its ef fect, went to calumniate the manufacturers e,f the country. . Sir It. PELLE could nut but consider the insitinatioe ,it' his Hun. Friend against him as unfounded ; he guarded himself against any intended censure in the man ufactio tot eenerally, - lie being himself about to retire ft om business ; he 12 years - ago proposed a Bill to the sane effect as that %skids he brought infest Session. Mr. LITTLETON, Mr. COURTNEY, and Mr. CORWEN, paid a due tribute of applause to the Hon. Baronet and his h u mane motives; at the same time, when the necessary investigations should have taken place before the Committe e, they were per suaded it would be found that very few instauces of abuse es.. • isted on this subject. • ' After some further observations from Mr. Goonots, Mr, Wnwrrenev, and ethers, the motion was atmeed to. The Bat for securing the Purity of Election in the Borough of Heldone was read a second time, and committed fur Mon. day fortnight. THE POLICE. OF THE MF.TROPOLIS. . Mr. BENS:I.IT, purotant to notice, brought forward his me. lion for a Committee to enquMe into the state of the Police of I the Metropolis. Committees, the Hon. Gent. observed, Mid heels appointed on the subject more than once. The lust Oen !Mime sit in Isdi, sr hen the meet voli was in a state of alarm on account of the melancholy monde et' the Marrs; It , the la. hours of that Committee. the Hon. Gent. said, had produced imbing. He then proceeded ta take a res iew of the state of - j .he Police at present, and which he contended was inetficica. alludsoll to the system of gut ing a reward of 4 H el e . P t !ic o tr r t th li e dlr ap l i e mebeusioa and conviction of capital ottendemi ziVA