The National Register. — London, England, 1821-06-10 00:00:00

Mr. SCA Rurrr bad not Intended to allude to the hon. member; he only complained of the opposition being placed en factions grounds. Sir R. WILSON had declared it to be a spoliation bill, because it went to deprive the poor of their remaining rights. If that were the effect—and he maintained that such could be logically proved—wkat else was it but a poor spoliation bill ?—(Hear.) Mr. CALCRAFT said, that his lion. and gallant friend need not be much alarmed about the bill, for he would undertake to say, that not one line of it would pass into law. Its provisions had been discussed in the poor laws committee, and it was found necessary to abandon them one by one. Sir C. BURRELL spoke in favour of the bill, and ex pressed his regret that so useful a measure bad been so severely spoken of. Petition ordered to be printed. CONSTITUTIONAL AssociaTion.—Dr. LUSHINGTON presented a petition from Thomas Dolby, • printer and iublisher, residing in the Strand, complaining of two ndietmenti having been preferred against bins lry the self-denominated " Constitutional Association." For years Mr. Dolby had conducted his business without ex posing himself to the charges of the Attorney-General. The first libel was for a publication he had ceased to sell. The association founded their proceedings on four recent nets, which were innovations on the constitution. The first indictment was agreed to by Mr. Murray, their allot . - Defy, to be abandoned on certain terms—to pay all the expences— to have all the stock—and to agree not to sell any publication in future that might be offensive to this society. This was monstrous, but this was the conduct of those whom he would denominate conspirators against his Majesty's subjects. They, however, were a powering body, and lie lamented to behold names that appeared in the list—persons high in the church, 6fc.—(Cheers.)-- But as if their vengeance had not been satisfied, they in stituted a second proceeding. and dragged Mr. Dolby a second time from his home; but this be was not-surprised at, when he saw what busy meddling fools were at the head of this association (Loud cheers.) On his con science he believed that the object of the association was to curtail and destroy the liberty of the press ; and not with the view of doing good to the country, but to promote their own selfish views. (Cheers.) He should support the petition, it praying the house to adopt measures to prevent such innovations on the constitution. Sir M. CHOLHONDELEY said, that he was a sub. scriber, but he lied become such from a feeling against the caricatures that were exhibited. He had particularly Inquired whether the association bad any political views, and he was answered in the negative. He had not been able to attend the meetings. He had seeu with regret comparisons instituted respecting the highest personages. Mr. DENMAN said, it was remarkable that this luso ciatiun should evince activity respecting libels on one party, and supineness as to the most infamous libels levelled against auuther party. Sumo allusion appeared to be made to what be had said in another place ou the subject of a supposed comparison between Nero and a person whom he was not permitted to name. He said that he should never forego the right of au advocate to pursue the course which he considered most likely to promote the cause of his client, and to defeat fbul and infamous persecutions. (Hear, hear.) He had exercised that privilege in another place, and he should never alma don it. The petition was then read. Mr. S. WORTLEY presented a petition from Sheffield against the poor relief bill.—Read, and ordered to be printed. Mr. S. WORTLEY then presented a petition front Ha lifax, against the duty ou foreign wool.—Ordered to lie on the table. Mr. BRIG II r having presented a petition, moved that the extra-post hill lie printed; and he hoped that the bill would not be pressed forward till it should be printed.— Motion agreed to. A petition was presented from Ashton against the poor relief bill. Mr. SCA RLETT instanced a case where a man had pre ferred taking 65.6 1. from the parish to getting Ss. by win k. Petition read, and ordered to be printed. The bill fur preventing the adidteration of clover and other seeds was read a first time, and ordered to be read a second time on Wednesday, alter Mr. F. Robinson had expressed the hope that the bill might be printed, that the house might see what were the penalties. Mr. WILBERFORCE gave notice, that on Wednesday next, he should submit his motion respecting papers on the slave hack reccitly laid helmet the house. Sir J. M -CINTOSH presented the report of the dwell ing -house robberies bill. Agreed to, and bill ordered to be read a third time on Friday next. The report of the navigable rivers bill was presented and agreed to, and the bill ordered to be read a third time on Friday. Torfteco DUTIES.—Mr.LUSHINGTON brought in • hill fur the better securing the duties on tobacco. Bill read a first time, and ordered to be read a second time on Wednesday next. Loenoe Bougie.— Alderman WOOD presented the miutates of the London bridge committee. Mr. RICARDO presented a petition from Mr. Williams, we belmese, of Glamorgagishire, as to measures for the studio' ation of the poor.—Ordered to be printed. oa A eo.—Lord NUGENT brought forward his motion respecting the administration of police of Tobago.—Ac- Cording to the evidence of Mr. Capper, late Attorney- General of the island, there were such associations amongst the legal officers that it was impossible to do justice.— Mr. Capper foutid that if be remained in the island, he must do one of two things, either submit to such unjust practices, or lead a most uneasy life. So circumstanced, be preferted throwing up his situation, and tor arriving in this country he represented the facts to the colonial department.—Lord Bathurst sent to the island for in formation, and the officers denied all the charges, and attributed the most nuwerthy motives. His lordship then went into detail of the dreadful modes of imprisonment pursued by the officers iii the island. In one instance, a a man, charged with assault, was found in a loathsome dmigeon, and humid in the stocks, almost in a state of starvation, the jailer having tolerably well fur:often the isoners. The excuse was, that the prisoner was insane —and the recent act of insanity was the statement of the man, and If lie lived and gained his liberty, lie would apply to the parliament of England. or bring his action for damages.—(Hear, hear.) Mr. Capper eveninahy eh t. •,1 the prisoner's heh use, after stating, if the man shed, lie would indict all the patties fur murder. His Mg-MAI:IONA L-ILEGUTEIL. lordship concluded with moving, that a select committee b e appointed to Inquire turn the state of the administra tion of justice in the island of Toting*. 11r. W. SMITH accounted t h e muluni. Mr. GOULISURN opposed the motion. He would not deny that there might he some °eminences in the admi nistration of justice in Toba g o that might be susceptible of some remedy t bat lie put it the noble lord and the house whether any advantageous resell could be antici pated from the commencernant of an in q uiry at the latter end of the sessions, when only one party could be heard ? After some observations hum Mr. Bantam, Sir J. Mac intosh, Mr. Marryatt, and Mr. Wilberforce, the house divided on the motion. The members were. km the mo tion 66—against it 110—majority against it 44. ROYAL ALLOWANEIII.—Lord LONDONDERRY, on our entering the gallery, wits ou his legs, stating to the house that he had a communication to make to the house from hiss Royl Highness the Duke of Clarence, sanc tioned by his Majesty. It was In the recollective of the house, that in 1816 the house adopted a resolution for greeting an additional sum to several of the resat family ; amongst them a sum ot 60001. was granted to the kauke of Clarence. Ills royal highness then considered he should not be justified in accepting the grant under ex. Wing circumstances, and declined it. 'fhosis circum stances uo longer existed, and his royal highness felt that it was now necessary be should meow his application to the liberality of parliament, and accept of the grant then made to him by the house. The noble lord then moved, that the resolution of 1814, for granting WWI. per an. • nun out of the consolidated fund to the Duke of Cla rence should be read. This was done, and the !noble marquis then gave notice, that he would on Friday move that the house do resolve itself into a committee of the whole house to consider the said resolution. Mr. lIUME observed, it would be desirable to know what property his late majesty left, and whether it would not be possible to provide fur his royal highness's imme diate wants out of that fund, instead of imposing further burtheus on the public. Load LONDONDERRY said, he should be ready to give every information ou this subject on Friday, when the subject came fully before the house. AwlatleAN Loll ALswrs.—Mr. COURTENAY, in par. mance of the notice he had given, moved that the house do resolve itself into a committee to consider of the claims of those American loyalists who had suffered but come iilleace of their adhereuce to their allegiance, and who had not yet been remunerated. Sir S. MORLAND seconded the motion. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said that the claim uuw urged had been represented as resting on those principles of humanity, liberality, and good faith, so captivating to the imagination, that no tribunal which recognised those principles could refuse to do them jots. tire. The hoe. gentlennut would find in this house a dis pusitiou to go rather beyond what was due to stria t jus tice than to fall short of it. The principles of the act of 17a2 would best be known from the preamble. Procla mations had been made in America, calling on persons to preserve their loyalty, and promising to indemnify them fur their losses. Mr. W. SMITH strongly animadverted on the language of the Chaucellor of the Exchequer, that promises held out by our counnauder of the American loyalists during the con test might be interpreted according to its success. When be read the words of these promises, he found nu mention of success or failure, but an unconditional promise of indem nity. He cold nut therefore characterize any departure :rum these engagements, otherwise than as a complete breach of promise. But the right hon. gent. said, that if their claims were now granted, they would receive complete M. demnification, which no other class who suffered by the war had received. This he (Mr. W. Smith) denied. Who were theme American loyalists ? Persons who had been obliged to quit their homes, and who were declared traitors to the new government, on account of their fidelity to ours.— Though, therefore, they received pecuniary compensation, they could not be indemnified for all their losses and suffering.. But their claims had been cut down ou a formes occasion to one third, and of that third they only received half. Wbea the right hen. gent. competed them with British creditors or the Americans, he ought to hove recollected the difference between the too classes. Br' It creditors had not risked their lives like them, to amiutoin tire cause of the mother country. But it was said the country could out afford com pensation. When this plea was advanced, the house ought to look at the votes of the yelr. and the wan granted to individuals who, however ileserving, were not more so thau the persons whose chum lie pleaded. Mr. COURTENAY replied, and tbe hnu'c divided— For the 1110t1011. 71 Against it, 80 I Majority, 17. Mr. COURTENAY then moved that the house should itself into a moutuittee to consider the propriety of an address to his Majesty on the subject of the claims of the American loyalists. Mr. CREEVEY opposed the motion, as it referred to a grant of money, it being past 12 o'clock. Mr. COURTENAY consented to withdraw his motion for the present. YORlENtilita POLLS BILL—Lord MIL TON having moved the order of the day for the second reading of the above trill. Mr. DENMAN expressed his wish that his noble friend would postpone the second reading of the bill to a period when it could receive more ample discussion than it pos sibly could at that lisle hour of the night. Mr. C. WYNN suggested that it would be desirable for the noble turd not to attempt to press this measure during the pieseut session. If the noble loud would consent to postpone the third reading of the bill, lie (Mr. W.) would hot object to its going into a committee. Mr. BROUGHAM, after speaking in favour of the principle of the bill, expressed his hope that his noble liittid would accede to the proposition of the lion. gent. Lord MILTON then expressed lit, intemion nut to carry the measure into effect until next session. The bill was read a second time, mid ordered to be committed on Friday. The house then adjourned at two o'clock. illUllaDAY, JUNE 1. Mr. 110BHOUSE presented a petition from Liverpool against the pour Laws' hill, objecting to ;ill parts of it, e acept that which revisited settlement. He was afraid lie could nut support this bill He thought before the house could interfere with the poor Las, there ought to be some iiniuiry i:ito toe laws regarding rmigrati .011, wnigatiuu, combiiuuion, &c. ; and more partieUlarl:, touching the Viii tnt La's. . - dr. BROUGHAM adverted to the prior pies of Mr. Scailett's bill. Li t:i;, bill wet.: canted to its piese.,t form , . ~~: it would, he tootendei, go to cambial, two classes of 1104 If one bora before a particular period entitled to relief, any the other born after that period and not retitled to and relief. This fact aloue, he ambulated, showed Ilse dißcuhy of legislating on the subject. Mr. S. BOURNE admitted the force of what had been Mated by the boa. and learned gentleman. One result of the bill would be to deprive legitimate objects of relief, of any assistance, because the funds might be exhausted ; and could it then be allowed, that the person applying ensue • eessfully fur relief, should be treated as a vagrant, which which, under this bill, as it now stood, he would be. Mr. HARRORD opposed the bill. He condemned Its principle; the bill, he maintained, proceeded ou the system set forth by Mr. Malthus—• system which he conceived to have been must successfully answered by Mr. Godwin. Mr. BRO UGH A NI hoped this question would be distressed rather as a waiter of science, than as a political measure.— Great mischief wookl result from adopting any arguments of a factious nature against the bill. It was most necessary the pour should feel convinced, that the home had no other object but their interest and comfort in view, in the rejection Of adoption of the measure now under consideration Petition received and ordered to be printed. Mr. Ald. WOOL) moved, that there be laid before the l inens the result of an inquiry into the conduct of the Debesterjailor. laid before the Sonserselshire magistrates.— Ordered. Woo t. TAX.—Lord MILTON gave notice, that in the event of Mr. Curwen obtaining leave to bring in the agricals enrol horse tax repeal bill, anti stalls bill being read a second time, he should move, that it be an instruction to the com mittee to introduce a clause to repeal the duty as foreign • woul.—(Much laughter.) Exert eatran, litecann.—Mr. S. RICE postponed Isis • Motion respecting the illegal fees stated in the ninth report of the commissioners of enquiry, to be received la the Irish •cuurt of exchequer. Mr. ABERCROMBIE said it was an important motion, - 0 - audit was also as important that the character of the Lord Chief Baron should staud in its true light t and with that view he had intended to address some observations to the House, in the event of ministers being present. But they had get their supplies, and therefore they did not seem to deem it essential to attend. looter' ISLAND. —Mr. HUME rose to bring forward his motion on the subject of the lonian Islands. He lamented that all his Majesty's ministers were absent—(hear. bear I) — The boo. member having spoke of. the stale of the lonian Islands previous to 1816, he proceeded testate, that at such period Sir T. Maitland arrived in the Islands. By the Islanders he was hailed es the harbinger of peace. All ap plauded him—all expected the most laureate things from him. It was agreed that the Testators should remain with their existing powers till a new government should be formed; bat, instead of doing this, Sir T. Maitland Mime diately dismissed the senators, declaring them to be " cor rupt." sikbeagb they had done nothing. Sir T. Maitland bed stile the government what be considered to be most arbitrary. Some of the senators were eventually condemned to primes. Besides these things the liberty of the press was was completely destroyed. There was but one press, and that was at Corfu; and even an advertisement could not appear without being previously revised by the censor. The Yeas member then proceeded to notice what be deemed various acts of the government of ae arbitrary sad cruel elmencter. They were referred to the tribunals—but, itsunge to tray, Sir T. Maitland was to have the casting vote, and in elaborate reply be decided against inquiry in pee of coatis- That proceeding alone, the hon, member contended, if -• *ere were DO other, imperiously required that inquiry should be Instituted. He concluded with moving.. address to his Majesty, praying him to be pleased to appoint a com mission to inquire into the state of she lonian islands, the conduct of Sir T. Maitlaud, the cause of tranquility being disturbed. Ike. Mr. COULBURN resisted the motion. The statements bad already been thrice refuted; they were founded in mis representation and falsehood; they were not such as would warrant the interference of the house. Mr. BENNETI' replied to Mr. Goulburn, and contended that no answer bad been given to the statement of his lion. r Mend, at least none justificatory of the conduct of the Lord ' High Commiaioner.—lie then proceeded to a repetition of the charges made by Mr. Hume against the goveromeat of the lonian Islands, and contended that the lonians had bieu oppressed in the severest manner; their petitions bad been wholly dareprded, or, if answered, answered by an armed force. An individual had been tried on such a ehargens io court Ia this country, from the Court of Kiue a Beach to the Court of Pied Poodre, would huve entertained, homely, a a charge of being suspected to be a -uspiciou- Perseus Ile concluded by declaring his opinion, that the system of go vernment its these islauds should be changed, and that the power of the Loud liiga Commissioner should be controuled. Mr. EVANS cundennied the policy adopted towards the loniume, and supported the motion. Mr. J. P. GRANT said, that as be could not see any grounds of charge agaiust Sir 'names, he could not sumo. t this motion. If the charge was distinctly againm that boil. takes , unconnected with the errors of the constitutioii, lie would support the motion for inquiry, as W./111d all that hon, officer's friends, fully convinced be would come out of that inquiry wills honour to himself. Bid the Lord High Coni• mis3ioner bad acted under the directions of the constitution —a constitution which had rei clued the sanction of his Majesty, and which, therefore, WO the duty of tme Lord High Commissioner to obey; fur these reasons he slitamd oppose the present motion. A very long diffixte took place, after which the houses divided—For the mutton, 27 1 Against it, 97 I Majority against it 70. Sir R. WILSON presented a petition from W. Benbow, bookseller, Strand, a hick ~ t ated, that he had been cored. 1 on the 18th of %lay on a judge's warrant, and that he was a prisoner in the King's Bust li.prison, WI the pros, cotton of a set of conspiratuis cnhling thems -Ives the Con.totuliunal As sociation, among whom were some of .he great officers of st lie, and who had many thousand pounds at their duy .sal. He complained of his peat sullering and expellee to is licit lie had been ,-uhj,-clell by their proceedings. 'The to:taloa sins laid on Lie tsisle Mid u, detest to be printed. On thi motion of Mr. Chet tipple, leave was given to bung in a hall to facil . ire MIMEO try pi oceediogs before just Ire. of the peace and milers. The same lain member then moved for leave to bring u•I 1,111 to revilate mid f .cilliat.• taa Irur. un.al ..f :11k1 teCIAA , IIZAIItes 1111110 magesti ate., to ot aa al delivery'. Mr. Cllrr W 1 N OE then b rei4:.• in both t 1.• bal.., a hurts were read it tir.t lOW Mott d to b. lead a 114 Could time on Thitcala. best. Aleather, (whom name we did not ~see (Fur 4...m641144as ace prig,: Ik. I