The National Register. — London, England, 1816-03-11 00:00:00

Tempted by the soccious offer of advice gratis, a person not long since applied to the " Medical Board," in Black friar's Riad • ; but soon found, that however justly the Board had rated the value of the advice, the price of the medicines furnished 1w them (15s. 12.5. or Bs. per week, according to the appearance and probable circumstances of the parties) to he above his ability. This plan of the Board reminds one of having, in the days of youth, seen a mountebank on his stage, pompously boasting of his in tention to make a present of five shillings to every one who would apply for it. The claimant had only to pay one shilring for a small packet of medicine, estimated by the mountebank to be worth six shillings, (probably nut costing him a penny,) and the difference constituted the five shillings promised. • It has been erroneously supposed by some few persons, that Mr. Astley Cooper, the celebrated Surgeon, is connected with the tirm tot' Cooper & Ca of Blnelariars Road, those gen try who are 90 constantly obtruding their names iu almost every daily Newspaper in circulation. This is a great minake. It i sot for a moment to lie supposed that Mr. Astley Cooper would Eegrade himself so far a, to become one of the advertising tribe. IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. SOUSE OF LORDS, MONDAY, MARCH S. The Royal Assent was given by Cmana,sion to the Malt, tigAr, and Tobacco Duty Bill, the 11 :gallons Exchequer Bills Bill. and the Naval Courts Martial Bit!. 'The Clergy Residence BM waxreutt 4 gird time and passed. TUESDAY, MAIICH 5. Fail Stanhope presented a Petition from Chelsea sintinst the Property Tax; as did Lord King one fi oin East lirinstead. THURISDAN, MARCH 7. STATE OF THE. NATION. The Duke of REWORD .aid, the motion lie bad to propose was of so extensive a nature, and of so much difficulty, that he should shrink under it, if he did not think he should receive their support and indidgenee- The motion he should conclude with would hr.—" That the Howse should resolve itself into a Committee, to enquire into the State of the Country."—Such a measure ass consistent with precedent; and if ever there was a time when it was neeessavy, this was the time. The Peace Establishment exceeded the whole of the American war, nud also the tear first yea rsi of the Revolotionary.—[The Noble Duke was proceeditrg in his arguments against the proposed Peace Establishment, when he was seized with sudden indisposition, and obliged to sit down.] The Marquis of LAP.% VF . then simgestod, that as the Noble Duke was so unneh indisposed, the &bate should he ad joitrued.—lt was accordingly iiii,ourneti to Tuesday next. HOUSE OF COMMONS, Moro4y, MARCH 4. Petitions were presented from Monmouth, Litchfield, Mac clesfield, Bridgewater, High Wycombe, Belford, Caine, Hun tingdon, Mile End, St. Luke's (Chelsea), Oakingham ' Lime street Ward, Sonth Molton, and Tewksbury, against the Pro. perty.tax. A new writ was ordered for Lewes, in the room of Thomas Read Kemp, Esq. who has accepted the Chiltern Hundreds, Mr. C. CA I.VERT presented a Petition front the Parish of St. George's, Southwark, against the Property.tax, and one from the Ward of Dowgate, signed by every individual in the Ward, with the exception of Ise. This ward had, on all occasions, been ready to conic forward in support of the Government, whatever Ministers directed the affairs of the Empire. Mr. flancts v presented &similar Petition from Lambeth. Mr. VAN.;ITTART wished to remind the House, that with re spect to the. Property-tax, it had been originally brought in by Mr. Pitt. fur the service of the then war, and pledged for an millions, or rattler to continue for eight years. When the re newal of the war obliged Lord Sidnuinth to resort to this tax, he proposed it, not on Mr. Pitt's funding plan, on which money might be borrowed, but as a tax for one year; Parliament re sei sing to itssof the light of continuing it or not, as seemed to them most proper. It was thus that the tax was granted as a War-tax, and the words " so longer" were originally introduced into the Bill ; the question whether it should continue in peace being, as he before stated, vested in Parliament. In lbOi; Lords Grenville and Lansdowne were placed is similar circum stances; for these two Noble Lords, with respect to this tax, tid not consider the faith of Government pledged to its discon tinuance in the event of Peirce, no more than himself, and tierefore It ft the question open for the consideration of Par litietent. He would now state, what had Wpm ned since. On the 20th of Februnry, !Ste, !what, made to the House a general statement oldie means in the bands of Government for defray g the public expenditure, in %hi. h the Property-tax was not IL -hided ; it being considered an inconvenient and unpropiti em measure then, on the eve of the expiration of a war. On that occasion he bad stated, that the reablie filth was nid pledged, and the question would remain open for decision. He now thought that circumstances were greatly changed. Those re. "(Aimee to which Government looled for assistance were mort gaged ;and the only choice was. either to make &huge addition to the Assessed Tames, or adopt the Property-tax. Any addition to the Ayr/eased Tases'Must be much more burtheneome and trou blesome; and as Government must have one or the ether, they judged it the most expedient to cad for a contiutiance of the rt impel tv4alc. . Vi-oN v maintained, that thoughthe Right lion. Gent. did Hut consider the faith of Parlionsent pledged, there were rosily in the idolise, end inure out of it, who did. The Aat ex pressly des:shined " that it should continue until the 411, of April followiug the definitive Treaty of Praire." Where words were as significantsy exit/rued what oilier opinion entail the polite( have Tile Right Hon. ('cut. hail talked of the choirs aforer fa two ii.jog, namely. the Assessed 'faxes addition, or the Property-tax. To he (Mr. P.) wonld say, " lei need of either."---(lfear, hoe')—He lipid the !tight lion. Gen tleman would athard to the suggestion s,f tte Hon. Baronet, us the wisest Comae of proceeding. and abandon the tax. Mr. West:vax presented a Petition from the Freeholders of Suntee,rt-diiie against the tax, which mated the distress's of the dipientriaral inkiest, which war in a sate older:is : theme's and l a w giver . r 4e , ;oboyo.(1, caustd by the overwhelming in !lnmate of taros, p+a.lug for a redisetism of the military e.ta bliihaveut, the ahmition oi'silie:nre places, .he..vc 'Floe Hon. dew-called the attention of Aloe tees, not only to the general &abject of the itetitlon, last to +mother imp°, tent fcatine OCes fiened b y v ie disteesaos of the ottionsiten. He stared, that every day the French Am!.amerior was in the practice of grantitig passports to diairestatal ;senors . who wet* lerr.ng the country. 'ft! NATIONAL REGISTER. Mr. M Exist EN considered himself imperiously called upon to speak, haviug seconded the address to the throne, vvhieh was so generally acceded to by the House, and to remind Nlinisters of the pledge of economy held out by the Prince Regent in that address. He considered himself as security thr that pledge, and regretted to see extravagance still persevered in—m promises there held out, still uni Hear. itear.`--1 t was the duty of Ministers to go to the Prince Regent, and to tell him, as his faithful advisers. that it was but just that he shook! have no more excesses in the Civil List--nu more fancifnl cot tages, pavilions, and pagodas, or things of that kind Bear, hear )—to tell him, that the contributions paid by France, for the maintenance of the army there, were not the exclusive pro perty of the crown, but 'whinged to Parliament to recommend to his Royal IFgliness to add practice to his theory, and then he would win the people's hearts. Snob advice might be un palatable—but retrenchments wile neeessaly.— (Hear,ha ws.) Such was the ditty of the contillential advise', of the Cross ii. (fa deaf ear were turned to their refurnish...locos, he hoped it would not be long before the House 'mold rise. with one ac cord, to approach the throne. and to coos ince the people (what ever might be said to the contrary by persons from malicious or designing tints) that public spirit was yet alive within (lie walls of Parliament --( Lour! cries oil &a t, tear.)—The Hon Gent. here noticed an error which had EOM' abroad, that he voted for the estimates going into a Committee, as Implying that he approved of them generally. The fact was not so. In the Committee each item would hr discussed, and by with holding his assent to the Committee he should base been voting against keeping up one army. Mr. LASIBTON observed, that the speech of the Hon. Se conder did him great bottom., and he congratulated the !louse and the country on the eetieral manifestation of opinion against the tax. He also condoled with the 31inisters on the bidisposi tion, the length of attack, mid recommended profuse blt eding, either by a lancet or a leach—(a laugh.)`-Indeed. he could not recommend a better operator to them than a Commissioner tinder the Income-tax. With respect to the tax, he wished to remind country gentlemen, that the time had now arrived when a great stand must be made to ward off profusion and extravagance in the public expenditure; for landlords could obtain no rents. tenants could not find a market for their produce, labourers were out of employ, and the poor were obliged to abandon the work-homes to make room fur their masters and former cm 'doyen'. hear)—'f his was the issue of a war, a n d the beginning of a peace, for which the Noble Lord opposite had obtained a blue ribbon and a Marquisate, and the people no thing but undiminished taxation and a military despotism— (Mae, hear). Petitions were presented against the Property-tax from Ches ter and Beverley ; on presenting the last, Mr. FORBES expressed his hopes that the Chancellor of the Exchequer would give way to the voice of the pimple, thus generally expressed. If, however, that Right Hon. tientlernan should still persist in bringing forward the 11114 . 45111 e, he trusted he would he eventually foiled in the attempt. Lord MILTON pi eseuted petitions from Vann, Gistiorough, and Leeds against the rcuewal of the Property-tax. On pre senting the last, Lord LAINCELLES, observed that some mod:ficatiotis were absolutely necessary to be made in this tax, it' it was indeed to be pressed upon the country, particularly as related to the landlords and tenants tax, and . commercial men. With respect to the distressed state of the agricultural interests, which were now invariably united with the property tax, be must confess lie did tint entertain any very saueitine hopes, that any thing the House could do, would much relieve that part of the community. The dishes.: of the agriculturist arose mostly . from the extensive failures of country batiks. the increased caution of those which remained, and the consequent diminu Lion of the eirculatinc ilium. In his Hob l i 11l 1, the only relief which could be afforded, would be a diminithus of taxation by an introduction of saving into all the departments, from the highest to the lowest. Mr. PONSONBT said, a Noble Lord hod staled his objection to the tax as related to the tenants, because few of then, %Vete able to pay it. He also objected to the laudlord's tax, be cause he thought it bore hard on then' in ninny eases; and lie objected to its application to eannowreial inew, because in these times of distress exposure of their 01mm:stances might lie ruinous to them. After these three classes wets exetnpt, he would ask the Noble Laird who would remain to pay the tax —and what could be thought of the Minister who should press this unproductive and obnoxions tax upon the people. M=M -- AkMY EsTIMATES. The Order of the Day for the House going into a Committee of Supply having been read- -oa the motion for the Speaker'. leaving the Chair, Mr. W. Wltise said, he believed that this was the period at which he must bring forward his motion, namely, "That it be au instruetion to the Committee to provide for the payntent of the British army now serving in France." lie moved this on two grounds; first, the extreme impropiwty ofhaving an army serving within three days march of thi.: metropolis, wholls in. dependent of Parliament for pay. And, secondly , (lint ieally neglect should arise on the part of Frowne for pay me Ilie Ministers could not, without a breach of the Constitution, Issue any nullity for that purpose. The motion of Mr. It vs X E was agreed tie. Mr. PROTHEROF then rose, not to object to the Rouse going into a C. • tee, but to take the earliest opportunity of dis senting Iron, the opinion which had been given by gentlemen en t he other side, that the country was as well abbe nun, as at any former period, to support the expense of Ike proposed large establishment. lie also objected to the extensive mill. tart' establishments proposed in these estimates ou another . . . . . ground ; ate stated by the Noble Lord (Castlereagh) on a former night ; *keit the Noble Lost, said, it Wil% 111,4 a i,di to see the military spirit subside. He (Mr Protheroc) also wished to Fee that spirit subside, te: it OA , only by the eivii poker gaining the presronderattee over the military, that the peace •t* Europe could be permanently secured. But woul.l it be contended, that keeping up so large a military establish ment as that proposed would have that effect? lie was eom strained to admit, that the strong pietiote (Lawn by the Rigbt lion. Gentleman of the state of Ireland reedeted a large fin fe nece.sary ; but the Sallie necessity koitid not apply to the other parts of the estimates. A Noble !Mid (Palmerston) had said, on a former night, that a reduction of 20,000 men would only save 00.0001. a year, which was a trifle. Tiiding a. that sum might appear to Use Noble Lord, he (Mr. P.) a 11510418 to Cit ; and strongly CC(0111111Clitied it to the Noble Lind to adopt that saving, and C% cry other, how( ver minute, which he could adopt. The House then resolved itself into a Committee. Lord I'm. II EIVITO r said, Opoqt4 the dgi , It4ICA he iihould not feel g neeeinai y to gs Into detail, but to sta..e the diffident heads, and reserve 111111 Set to en..wer the uti.emitions Of Gte tlemu•n as thy aupe.--(11ogr, hear.)--lie must again premise, that the Estimati.s as nou proposed new not a Peace 1-:btablisio smut, but out aur the present year, suinelbiog be t*cen a War MARCH 11. and Peace Establishineto ; one in which causiderable alters- Culls-might be made, even Marisa! the present year. If Geode alga would look at the Emilie:les now before the /louse, and compare them with those of last year, they would find that a very , material reduction had Myelitis taken place, and that much more was contemplated. Imitating the 30,000 Merl in Franck, wauld not wain to 1w provided for, there was a redoetitas in out mili!ary establi , l lit of 87,000 awn ;he con sith-red the 36,000 men in France us a transfer, and therenwe woeld lake the real diminution ot force at 57,000, and the saving of expence at 41110,0001. The Noble Lord then entered into a detail of the principal item, on which a d' had taken place--the household troops were rethiced 1,600, at a saving of expence of 33.0001. ; the env airy were redneck! 9,000, and a saving made of 314,0 , J0h ; infantry had been diwharged to the amount of 21,000, and a saving made upon that head Or (Ape/I diot' e ot' at km 11,10,6001. In the miscellaneous department dime aa= a •aslag, iii filet, tlds year of 394,0901. thoagli there would appeer to he a saving of not more than 194,0001. a s of 100,0001 having bees taken from that 'Mid last vial. This saving principally anise ou the article , of additional pay, beer innkeepers' allowance, and contingencies. In fra die Estimates. the region -ills had all Men taken as they stood at the begiuning of they ear ; and the whole force would be Maud to amount to 0;.090 or' ot,ooo men. Under the head of Militia Expenditure there would 1w found a diminution of expence of 1,186,0001. In the establishment tifG4 mural Officers there was a saving of 8,7a01. In the Staff and Garrisons 173,0001. The reduction of Officers on the Staff at home was two Lieutenant Generals, two Major Generals, three Aides-de-Camp ot the Prince Regent's, and two of the Commander in Chief. 'llw saving in the fireign corps would be 110,0001. The foreign Stall had been reduced one General, five Lieutenant Generals, fifty Major General , ; and a further redaction of two Major General*, two Aides-dc-Camp, and an Adjutant General; and in Jersey and Guernsey two Lieutenant Generals would be struck off. In Ireland there would be a reduction 111 . two Lieu tenant General* and four Major Generals. The C ander' of the Forces at Ceylon, the Cape, the Mauritius, and Gibraltar, would be removed, and Lieutenant Generals put in their places. This measure would produce a saving of at least 13,0001. In the Supernanierary Office there was an iuervase this year of 19,0001. chiefly arising on pensions for retiring Officers. In Use public departments of the Commander in Chief, the War Office, and the Advocate General's Office, there was a saving of 16,0001. (Ibur, hear.)—Ccutlemeti should recollect, that the labour of reducim.• the army was greater than that of con ducting it in its perfect stale ; and that reduction could not take place all at once.—The Military ,tltowaner s had increased lao,ouol. The Chelsea and Greenwich pensions had increased 3,8001. The out pensions on these' establishments 162,0901. The widows' pensions had Mr/eased also 6,4001 In the Vo lunteer Corps there was a diminution this year of 43,0001. In the Local ilit ia there was also ad• • would this year be I/0 010114 e for training, sad the regiments were reduced one half. The whole reduction on the Foreign Carps wound be 455,0001. On the Military College 3771. la the Military Asylum there was au increase of 11,0001. in the incidental expences there was a diminution of 53,0001. On the Cempassioaate Fund, sit increase of about 7,0001- In the Commissariat of 1 reland:ffiere was this year a saving of 100,0001. ' and in the barracks 3.1,0001. The Noble Lard tit n w cut through the other heads of expenditure, mid observed, that compar ing the expenditure fur the present year with that of :tilt there would be found a saving of 8,1;04,0001. and as compared with last year six millions ; and lie further anticipated a saving of at least one mill' , in the present year, besides w Midi V,000,0001. included in the present estimates were permauent charges not attached to the anus. The expellee of maintaining the 50,000 men in France would be 600,11001. and if that at my were reduced, the amount of half-pay and pensions to the officers and men would be 266,0001., lie would not then teinale the H 0404, with more calculations, rcromutending the discussion of each Resolution separately. lie (lieu moved a Resolution, that 176,613 men be maintained for the seri ice of Great Britain and Ire and, including the armies in France and the colonies, but exclusive of the troops kept up by the East India Company. BANkkg contended, that it was the proper function of the Home to curtail these Estimates if they thought tit, and nut to address the Throne fiw their I etiliClloll. rOr the present year he thought there ought to be no reduction in the force in Ireland : but he hoped a bt tter system sword be adopted for the .fteuellt of that unhappy country. No FUril case of necessity h id been made out for the amount attic other pat is of our force as had been skean tier Ireland. If there had, be would not have hesitated to have voted fur it, int the declared necessity of the case. He considered the I; ti Treaty of Peace as tieing more iikely to heenre to us permanent tranquillity than any Treaty he could refer to; and taking that, together with the reputa tion and quality of our at my into eonsitiention, there could be shewa no neer•iity toe maintaining so large a Military Esta blishment. Lord CAuTLERVAGa said, that having been prevented by indisposition from delivering his opinion on 'hie great question, he was anxious now to take the earliest opportunity of express- Mg' his sent:mews on it. He was prepared to admit that they could do milling in the way of saving, which they did not owe to their constituents, without compromisine their real interest, by breaking down a •sli in of At euri t whit-i would iitt.lliV its in enormous t' pence to ri .establisli —I iv it u s ted th. Com mitter would not suffer Alinisters in t clamoured down by cry that they were adverse lo ceo..ouie. There was no set of men whose interest and ditty it more was to adopt or to recom mend remit - alas than his Majesty's Minister,.—Hut lie wished to dispel that damsel of pr judo v I amid against them. Last year the Home voted the gic.acsi saga ever put nailer the cool roul tit any Government; for tlic whole amount, including the was 120 'millions. We were then engaged lila most tremendous conflict, which bad been orotight to a favourable conehision ; and with ever) attiaition to reotmey, for thecoutest wits finish ed, leaving a *mat of 43 mil!imis ut-exi.ended. The present was not a perfect return to aA- ire Estaulishment , hut he hoped that return would be strt.ucr Afii cted than after any f oilier war; for Ad,,, the Actero ur war we had an riudiini iiis'aed i• •everal years. The redaction of the army of the ans Imo, very considerable; and ear expcn more woad be i educed from be millions to . ..tr. He felt con s incvd, alter Govern rout were uncut to [Mow eight millions of Property LAX:Okla WO the laps of the hulutc, that they t the "bil e w 1..4 fee! much revs t tha! it should he cutitioned for a year or two, ill to pivs4:t Ve . the eltarat.ter rti the tri tiou. Ile trusted that the British manly si•iitt which Itml sop ported them thion.,bout n mug and rattan iis war, W 4.11.41 now 11 0 44) 1 4 1 system of esiablirletnent for their county Melt would preserve t 141 Country r ntirr._ _ _ Mr. CALC R AFT 1111;0 1 .0brti a n::djourament.- (Oita $1 Ques t/01i, qt. stiot ! G.l 'a, Go on ! Attcr :un,e eatit , eisi,tito.: it v.ab Agreed that the Committee. weld bit again on Weduao dikk Adjourned at past two in the morning. lIMMI'