The National Register. — London, England, 1821-05-13 00:00:00

of it, and his willingness to explain what lie had really uttered ; but as to the note in the courier, neither he nor his friends knew any thing of it till the publication. Oil the contrary he aas paine d to see it. The Nisi quis of LUN DON DERRY said, there could he no doubt of the libelltite, character of flie article? it was iniploper to attribute unjust motives to him. members. alootioin agreed to—and afterwards Cu. printer (Weaver) was .in to :awed tile bar Of the 11011,e toi-manner. SIit).TIOUS AIELTINSIS.—Mr. LEN N RIO rose, pur suant to notice, to call the attention of the honer to the 60th Geo. 111. respecting seodieus ineetiolgs mod libels. Ile thought, if lie could sliew that the constitution had been infringed upon, and that unnecessary restraints had been imposed, lie should have established a ground for his motion. It aas the undoubted right of the subject, ac cording to the constitution, to meet and agree to petitions respecting their glievarires ; and this right had been violently suspended. The measures, however, were passed during a period of considerable alarm, and when there was in operation an extensive system of espionage; they rere supported because the alarms of some led them to desire to sacrifice a part to suppoi t the remainder of the constitution ; but when the causes of alarm had sub sided, lie maintained that the act suspending such portion of the people's liberties ought no longer to exit. Ac cording to the existing law, petitions could not approach that house no they were wont to do; and the measure had been attended with all those inconveniences that hail been foretold, as was proved by the various refusals of slid ill. to call county meetings ; refusals that proved their submission to the government. lie was not afraid of the freedom of the press or the freedom of speech; and sure he was that no great state could exist long without them. By those acts, the repeal of which lie now de sired, such freedom had been suspended for the third time; but they were even severer than previous avowedly temporary measures. The alleged cocoas on which the alarms were founded had been disproved. Mr. Hunt's trial proved none of them; there was no proof of the 'noble marquis's (Londonderry) statements, about cart loads of stones, of fields of slaughter, and magistrates stoned to death. If the evidence on which the bilis a cre founded proved to be false, if on that false evidence the people load been convicted, what was so proper as to re verse that attainder? The measures which he sought ,) have repealed had produced something like apathy —but was nut such tranquillity more alarming than the storm? (Hear, hear.) Therefore lie proposed to repeal the sedi tious meetings act, as well as that regarding libels. 'that act regarded what had nut been defined, and what had been pronounced to be 'indefinable. It admitted a severe and cruel punishment—perpetual banishment for a second offence. The lion. baronet who had just lets prison fora supposed offence—un a verdict that had been obtained by finesse—might, if lie again addressed himself warmly to his constituents, be placed in jeopardy; and if a second verdict were obtained, arcing what spirit had actuated some of the judges, lie should tremble for the fate of the hon. baronet. (Cheers.) From what lie had seen, from the interrnption which one individual had experienced while conducting his defence, be 'mist infer that it was thought a jury was too potent a protection of the people ; and as to the discretion of law officers, what Lad been done in the case of the Queen skewed what they were capable of doing when they had the power. He, there fore, in the name of his constituents, and of the people, called on die house to restore to the people their unfet tered lights. Some might think he had indiscreetly brought tea ward his motion—but so convinced was lie of its plopriety, that he should persevere. He concluded with moving for leave to bring in a bill to repeal the 60th Geo. 111. respecting sedition. meetings. Mr. Sergeant ONSLOW censured the remarks that had again been applied to a learned judge, an individual who possessed a tender and an holdout able mind. If (bete were charges against that excellent-minded judge, why were they not regularly preferred, so that tloere might be regular answers ? After sonic remarks from Mr. Denman, Mr. Hutchio. son, ese, the house divided. 'rite numbers were—Fur the motion 4S—Against it 6). Mr. LUNN ARD then made his second motion for heave to bring hi a bill to repeal the new act respecting libels t and the house shortly afterwards divided on it, when the rimuhers appeared to he—For the motion 56—Against it firS—Majoi i ty These divisitnis were received with considerable cheer ing by the oppo- it ion. Mr. SCAR LETT then brought forward his motion on the subject of the poor laws. Mr. RICARDO supported the motion, and urged the necessity of some provision being adopted out this subject. Mr. M. A. TAYLOR also urged the necessity of suite alteration in the pi:lsent system of poor leas. lie Inv ti colarly 'tiged the necessity of some amendment in the set tlement laws, Atter some further conversation, leave was given to bring in the bill. Mr. SCA KLETT brought Its the bill, which was read a first tam.. Mr. SCARLFITT said, his object in this measure was not to oppress the poor, but to rouse a spirit of isalustry and Milo penitence in them. by destroying the opinion which has rooted in the minds of all, that the duty of re lieving the poor, nailer all circumstances, was imperative. o The second reading of the bill was ordered for the filth, and ordered to be printed. AMMO or StCli.T.—Lord %%M. RENTING/I moved for a number of papers relative to Sicily, amongst which were copies of instructions gis en to Sir William A'Court, our ambassador, relative to the occupations of Sicily by the British army, and the pledge of the Neapolitan go. vernment relative to the security of persons and propel ty. --The motion was agreed la, Mr, J. SMITH then moved for leave to bring in a bill to amend the bankriipt laws. The hon, member entered IMO • statement of the nature of thin nu-aside he intended to propose to the house, which was simile.. to the locums. of lest session, unit had for its object to protect thu 1111t . ufs IIIII:Ite mut punish lire traudulent bankrupt. The motion aas agreed to, the bid brought in, read a first, and ordered lo lit' read a second time on Friday. 'l' lie report of the committee of supply was brought up, and (lie several resolutimis were agreed to. The other utdcts sere then disposed uf, and the house adjourned. WEindEsrAY, MAV 9. Mr. UrILE.TON prehoutcil the report of the Albo rough election coissshurt., Much declared Mr. Antiohos lo hive been dnly elected, and the petitiea uot to have been frittoloui THE NATIONAL REGISTER Petitions were presented against the Metropolis Road Bill, from Kent, Greenwich, %Vooltrirli, Dartford, &e. Ali, ILF.YGATE ~resented a peti!ion from Sudbury a;aitist the adoption (daisy compielmiy mode of education, as it would add to their parish !mitten., %shirk were ISs. or 19s. in the pound. Or , lrrcii to ht• printed. s, WIIITBRUAD presented petitions from Mims. low against the Metropolii 1(oad.• B the inhabitants td that neaglibtairhood being Lir' reedy satisfied with the road:, Ili. R. MARTIN presented a petition from persons in Lomita' and elsewhere, praying the adoption of some summary mode of punishing servants and others driving the petitioners' stage coaches, &imagine or injuring horses. Petition read, and ordered to he printed. Mr. NIA ((TIN then gave notice, (lost on Friday next he should move for h'iVC to brine in a bill on the subject. Mr. BYNG moved for the revival of the committee on the Metropolis Gas Light Bill. Sir J. YOItKE trusted the house would before they gave encouragement to too many ni thee panics. They had an example helot e them of the we prudes. By permission of the house, the water y' ell had been graciously permitted to ruin one an they were allowed to ruin other persons if Were they to have a similar race with these I trers of gas? 0 Af;rr sonic remarks from Sir I. Coffin, yng, and Mr. I'. Mocre, the house divided. The nu ere were— For it, .;—Against it, 87. BREACX OF BENNErr moved, that Alto IVeaver be now called to the oar.—Agreed to. Mr. Weaver (printer of John Burt) was then placed at the bar. In answer to questions put to him, li.Ntated, that lie was the H. 'l'. Weaver Hawed at the end of the paper; and in reply to inquiry who had Worded him the earagiaph in questffin, lie stated, that lie aas engaged in printing the paper on Saturday. He did not know who banded the paper in queetiou. There was an editor; his name was Cooper; that Cooper lived somewhere iii Black frith s-road ; he did not Kum where exactly. He had been the editor for some time past. Hr came backwards and forwards to the office. Weaver said lie was printer, pub lisher, col sole proprietor; he was not sure about the time; it was, lie thought, about six weeks. lie pur ceased the paper of Shackell and Arrowsmilli. Arrest:. smith lived at the house, in Johnson', Court. Ile was not A rrowstnith's join neyman : but there %vete some arrange ments with Arrowsmitli. Ile did say, on the lOth and iatli Feb. at the stamp-office, in his affidavits, that he wax sole proprietor. The price however was not yet settled. 'f here was agreement. It was not in writing; it was a verbal agreement. It was that he should become pro prietor at a certain price, which certain price hail not yet been fixed upon. Ile made the purchase after a prosecution had commenced against the paper. He re ceived the prohts and accounted fur them in vat ions ways. lie made no returns to Are oswinith. He paid the editor three guineas per week. He (Weaver) dot nut keep the MS. copy; he believed the editor kept the copy ; lie was nut aware that it was destroyed. The House in John son's-court was taken with the adjoining house on lease; the renter of the House was Shackell. The " landlord" was a " widow lady..' He was sorry lie had no reason tolemploy any hanker. He was to settle with Arrowsmith hereafter; no sum had been named. There had been a transfer of property, brit no sum was named. lie had sworn, February to, that the paper was to be printed at his residence, Dyer's-buildings it had however been printed at A rrowsinith's. The copy wits not given to him, it was handed to the cotupti aura; lie did not know who brought, or who received the copy. There were five or six compositors; they did not print what they liked.— Ile did Ina know from the compositors, which had inserted the paragraph. He had not asked alio inserted it. As to the parat.raph he believed it to be false; and had he Lou it 10 be false, no power on earth shoahl base induced him to insert it. Ile believed nu money was paid for the para graph. Ile did not ki ow the name of the compositor who ineerted it. lie named four regular compositors, Hayward, Are. There were cur:elem. sr he paid them all. There were extra-hands employed on Saturday. 'file editor, he thought, was ill the office on Saturday vi lieu the paper went to press. The verbal agreement was made about seven weeks ago; it was neater two ti ttttt tits than one mouth ago ; it was made iti Arroessiloth'e titlice. Cooper was appointed editor pre- 'jou. to such agreement; Mr. Shackell appointed Cooper. There were ninny money transactions with Cooper, but that person seers frequently paid by Ai iosesinith. lie (Weaver) had paid Coops r cure or twice; lie had paid the stamp other; ocher account. were ouistauding ; the other uuteoings were paid by Arrowsmite ; he pad the weekly outgoings, he, the reader. &c. read the paper. There were books, in as hich the accounts were kept, the money for the sale, ad vet tisetureit•, Ate. Mr. Arrow hilith did not receive. the a hole of the ea.ekly inoteeds; sometimes he made the entiies in the books ; sometimes Art irwstnitli. There was nu person authorised to insert paragraphs alien he and the editor were ult.:eta , but such insertions lied taken place. He was not aware of ally piivntc marks whir' were to nutlionse the insertion of paragraph. beerieg such maths, even if himself and editor a ere abseitt. Ile had been employed nt the Ti a cellar before Ile was engaged with John Mal. The exile hands did i,at insert paraaraphs ailsum' authority. Mr. Cooper +las the sole editor res far as lie Lute w. Ile had paid Mr Cooper. li, did not know where the editor lived— Cooper one night said he lied to go to Blackfriars road.— There was a gent:ennui with Cooper this morning—but he did not knew the gentleman's name. If the copy were nut given to the rending-boy by himself or Mr. Cooper, he did not knew by whom they might be given. lie thought the compusitors would nut dai c to insert a paragraph a theme authority, if they thought it important. He had had nu communication with Coupes by letter or nice. Mr. BENIdLTT the.' moved glint Weaver with:lrate, but be instructed to remain is waiting.—Weaver accordingly ithdrew, Mr. DINNETT next stated, that Ise only desired to detain Weaver till the other parties Pere k.ummuncd, lie atoved, that Arroastaith. Sion-lett, and llrtuy Cooper be directed to attend the house lurtheit'a —Motion agreed In, and suunnun.a tvrre hotted to direct the attendance of the parties. Covers o► Jusricr..-81r J. NICVi PORT prefaced his owlion pith elating, that the motion fur a canonisation to emptile Tutu tie tees of cowls of jiotica one carried in lel I, by a majority of uac, lu IS* t M . CitinnisW , Un was iuued I an t ;sat fur the i uurt of eliNicery dare %ire ton out of ll,u five holding matte: ,hips in chancery. The cotton...lll4olv had wade four lepuribt Ihat Was the prodaet of the'r ; 4 1usur.. The evenee• had been coioideruble i the curcomissioder* receasea 3001.0 yeiLr ; 'Le %thole ranee. 11.4) pr.ont ,e4l would be 40,0001. fur duct Reports and 147 Under all the circumstances he deer ,e 1 it tight to state his oplimn❑ in a series of resolutions, that they might be placed au the journals; fur all would admit that it Oral most im portant to secure a pure iiiiiiiiiiistratiou of justice. The resolutf . n• stated the lain:111,00ll —the estent of Ore ;coin , ini,sioilers' Labours—their receipt of 36,0001. RS SllariCt the CUlialllaliCatiall of the Lord Chancellor in receiving the iepoi t—ltie notices returned by the judges, antiounciu. that ;le reports had not It en officially cominuoicated to them arid tioally, that the house viewed with regret the slounivs of the commissioners' progress--the difficulties that had been throes 11 en their way. After some further discussion, the house divided on the re-olution conveying a censure. The numbers were—fur it 58—against it 82. onouGll I{Etroast.—Lord J. RUSSELL then I.r - ought iisird his nwto•n respecting the coney( boroughs; and urging the necessity of reform in the representation, concluded by moving a series of resolutions, the substauce of which wiles, that on enquiry it had appeared that bribery and efirropt practices existed in various boroughs which had .fatigat into decay, and that it was expedient that the elec. live franchise should be taken from such boroughs rind trans ferred to large towns and populous districts at pre:.•nt Un represented; and that a committee al Id be appointed to enquire into the best mode of carry in..; this plan into effect. ' Mr WHITMORE, although he did not appprove of all the positions laid down by hi. noble friend in his speech, yet be fully concurred in the principles of the resolutions, which he now rose to second. I ae resolutions were then put, and the gallery was partly cleared for a division, when Mr. BATHURST rose, umidsl loud erle..s of " With Ira w " and " Question," to oppose the resolutions. He had ram objection to disfranchising offending boroughs ; but the nobles lord's plan appeared to him to contemplate the disfranchise ment of all small boroughs, whether guilty or innocent ; to this proposition he could tut assent, and therefore should Oppose the motion. The gallery was then cleared for a division ; and the numbers were—Fur Lord John Russell's motion, 124—for the previous question, Iss—Majority against the motion 31. The examination of this division was received with loud ' cheers. On being re-admitted to the gallery we found. Mr. MA BERL Y objecting to the terms on which on ad. vance of 500,0001. from the Bank of Ireland to government was to be contracted. Four per cent., he observed, we►e the ter is; but he contended that the saute or a greater sum could be obtained in this country fur three per cent. In this there was a difference of 3.0001. to the country nu the 50),0001. The CH A NCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER defended the terms of the advance made by the Batik of Ireland as being most advantageous to the country. Mr. flaring and Mr. Calcraft were each of opinion that the advance could have been more advantageously obtained in this country. Here the conversation dropped. The house adjourned. titttnsnar, MA? 10. Mr. MONTGOMERY presented a petition nom the county of Ayr against the Scotch jury Courts Bill. Mr. ABERCROMBIE said, he was ashamed of these peti tions. Would the house believe that the bill was to give in crl. minal cases what was now the regulation in civil cases t and that it was supposed to cast a slur on particular individuals? Sir G. CLERK denied that the bill in Scotland was made the subject of party. Petition ordered to tic printed. BREACH OF PRIVILEGE. - Sir R. MARTIN complained of The Times having misrepresented him and the house. in stating that there was •• laughter" when he talked of the possibility of • horse's eye being knocked out, and hi s s in ews injured, without being able to procure tedress from the journeymen initiating such mischief. lie cared not—but when he spoke on a serious subject, it was licentious to state that the house was convulsed with laughter. Ile moved that the parties be ordered to attend on Monday. No person appeared to second the motion. The hon. member looked round some time ; at last it was seconded by a member from the lower opposition bench. Mr. TIERNEY hoped the motion would not be pressed. inasmuch as it would go to lessen the weight of that authority which they sometimes felt it right to exert. (Hear, bear Motion withdrawn. PRIVILECIETOIIIX BIJLLe...Mr. G. BENNETT moved, that the Order of the Day be read for the attendance of R. T. Weaver, H. Cooper, kcc. I'. Arrowsmith by Mr. G. BENNETT. He was not the proprietor of Jahn Ball; he had not been such since February; he had transferee; it to Mr. Weaver; he did receive soma money ; he did not set up the paper; he did not pay NVeaver two guineas a week. He p.sid the tent of the house ; Weaver . paid him again; he paid hims e lf out of the proceeds; sometimes one and sometimes another, paid the wages; he did not principally pay the wages. His partner, Shacicell, employed Cooper; Cooper had three guineas a week, with the understanding that there was to be an advance if the paper succeeded. He gave up the paper bemuse he could not superintend it. If there were lass, it tell un hint ;if there were profits, IVeaver received them all. (A laugh) There was no written or oral agreement about the trans.er. He transferred it soon after the commencement of a prosecution. He was content to abide by the loss; he did nut look fur the profits. \Vetiver had never accounted for the profits. Tile tram(er was tipitards of two months ago, Ile did not K 2 the article before it was printed; it was not customary to save the manuscripts; he did nut know that it was customary with the newspaper offices to preserve them. Ile first heard yecerday at tcti that Weaver was ordered to attend; he saw Weaver, but bad no further coulters cation on them; he was not present yesterday 1 lie hittl not heard the examination. Wm. shackcil called, Examined by Air BENNETT.—He hail ceased to be a proprietot in February. a week atter hating the honour of seeing the hon. member.. (Laughter.) lle gave it up from the dread of prosecution; there was no remunerati..n Gtr th e surrender; IVeaver was then receiving two pounds a Seek as an overseer; Weaver rocc , .ved three guineas a week as part of profits for pre :ent use; he had seen Weaver paid ; he had mmettnies paid him; he sometimes received the proceeds, sometimes Arrowsmith received them ; and snmetimm ho received them in trust for Weaver. (1, laugh.) There were two account ]looks at the office. He sanctimes taw the manuscripts; lie did not know th a t h e had seen the manuscript of the etude in queqium, He appointed Cooper editor t there was no other ("dim ; he was responsible to W"eitver ; Cooper examined the arths:e—cettainly Alter they were printed, sumettntea before. If loss had attended the paper, it was to have fallen un 4r, Weave' ; he shook' have locked to Weaver. That are haiieted to be also undtrstood by Arrowsn.ith. He had started t'ae paper; be might almost say lie was the tether of It. (I,aughser.) lie paid ell the expenves, but out 91 ‘V caw r'e money. Weaver did not make any payments. tt'eaver had snineurnta paid Cooper. ‘Veavor had 'weal employed by hint on Item bad; Nr" toter lied hefure b.. a about t, a office. Ito 16441 t mployed Weaver previously to the transfer on other matter,— le sometimes lent men to Weaw.r; Weever had not paid him. its tea; neithet trustee not amen% to Weaver; he was merely a t; tend to ass are tai tt tooter. He presumed it wee coutama ( Fat taatle.itioa aer p(c 130.) • 'Ff. ...._