The National Register. — London, England, 1817-07-14 00:00:00

JULY 14. it became again necessary to address the Crown, as well with a view to a practical abolition us to express a speculative condemnation on the trade. It was now carried on under various flags, even under that of Amerieiritself, and lie feared much that American ships, American property, and American subjects were embarked in it. Since their settlements had been rearmed to France, the trade was carried on in them also. There was no doubt of its existents on the - western coast of Africa, iu Goree and Senegal. He had not heard that it was carried on by any of the other Powers who had agreed to its unconditional abolition. With respect to Hod land, 1e had not heard of more than one instance which occurred upon the Gold coast. Nothing took place in the trade on the part of Denmark or Sweden. The evil arose from Portugal and Spain. Great sacrifices bad been made to them by this country, to induce them to abolish the traffic in Slaves along all the African coast north of tlto mine, but t was still carried on by them. So fir from removing this nefa rious traffic, the Spaniards seemed even to deride the efforts we were making to put a stop to it. She selected as the scene in which she desired to carry on her trade in slaves, that very part which England had chosen for the purpose of civilizing it. This was au insult too gross for a great nation to put up with. The lion. Gentleman then entered into a very estentive ea umerrtion ef the various nets of cruelty -till ex ercised towards the unfortunate Africanus by the differeet Powers, and czneluded by movine the Address which he would beg leave to read to the Ilan-e.—(The Honourable Gentleman thus read the address, which was very long, and nearly the same in substance as the speech. The prinei l .al point in it was a desire that his Royal Highness- tbt. Prince Regent, in concurrence with the other Powers of Europe, ♦could adept such further measures as might be etreetual for the sietpre,sion , of the Slave Trade ; snit] to this rod that they would it fuse to receive the colonial produce of any cuuntry which still continued to carry it oesj. CASELLREA6w could assure his Hon. Friend (Mr. Williertbree) that no exertion hail been omitted on the part of Government to prevail on the ether powers of Europe to put a s l o p to the Slave Trade. They were now engaged in ac tive negociations upon the subject with Spain and Portugal, and also with France. For this reasen he felt it didicult to say any thing at present upon a question of so extensive a na ture. It might have the effect of prejudicing the negoeia tions now pending, without rendering any service to the cause. He could have no objection to submit to the [louse hatever bud been done in this important 'rosiness lip to tile latest period; but it would be better to wait with the result of the netseelations was known. He hoped it would he in a great degree satisfactory; but if not, he should wish that his Honourable Friend (Mr. Wilberforce) would again call the attention at' the House to the sabject early in the nest Ses sion, when there should be a systematic report laid• before the Hoese c ae well of the state of the evil, as the mode of redress. Mr. A. Renews: e observed, that the Colonies, and trimly persons connected whit them, had once been basilic to the abolition; yet since that measure was carried, they were RS anxious to preserve its integrity as tbsse who were originally most favourable to it. From the present motion, he did not hope for mulch success, yet he should - vote for it. Mr. J. H. SMYTH hoped that the assurances given by the Noble Lord (Castlereagh) would disappoint the gloomy pre. dictious of an Hen. Member. He was eel tain that the day on which that Noble Lord should sign a treaty for general abolition would be the must glorious of his wlwle diplomatic career. Mr. W. Snirtr said, he had very little Trope from such a measure as the present; he should, however, support the mo tion. The motion was then pot and carried. Mr. Wisseneonce observed, that it was his intention to have moved, that the Address be communicated to the Lords, and their consent to it requested. but in the present late pe riod of the Session, he feared lest by any circumstance it should be delayed and the object lost. Fie then moved drat a Corimittee be appointed to prepare the. Address. The SPEAKER Said, that unless the lion. Member wished to scud a Message to the 1 orris to demand a conference, it was unnecessary to make such a motion. The Address was then ordered in the usual manner. FINANCE. Mr. TIERNEY rose to submit to the House!his Resolutions:, and the first thing be should do would be to withdraw his first Resolution, in which there was a mistake arising from his not having been aware, that the Irish Bills had been paid off by a grant of Exchequer Bills in the present Session. The total Supply of the year in the 'Votes was 64,535,(X101. ; on the Ways and 'Means there was 6e51ti2,0001., leav ing a deficiency of tfi‘oool. Now he wished to know how teat de ficiency was to be made good. Besides this there was a farther de ficiency of 187,0001. and there he found he was sure a mistake in the calculation of the Right lion. Gentleman. 'raking the unfunded Debt at 66 million, as the Might Hon. Gentleman opposite did ; and following his system, there would still remain 26 millions of unfund ed Debt to be added next year. Ile then went on is state several dif ferent items, and to draw a comparison between what wtwild be ad ded to, and what paid off from, the unfunded Debt during the pre sent year. He observed, his present Resolutions were intended to make the state of the funded, the unfunded Debt, and the Ways and Means of the year dear. The lion. Gentlemen looking at the bud get, would at first view be led to believe that there would be paid off from the Navy Debt a sum of 1.66140001. lie was desirous to sec how this really natal. We had this year taken 2,523,0001. arrear of Property Tax of this year. This was a produce which could never re cur again ; and assuming this year's income to be the same as the last, there would be an excess upon the Consolidated Fund of 3,521,0001. De had no object in his rmsent enquiry than to discover the true state of our Finances, and if he was guilty of any mistake, he should be happy to be set right. The Right lion. Gentleman opposite repeat edly said we should now, as we did after the American war, quickly recover our prosperity. But the ease was widely different now. At the end of the American war we lost nothing, but our distresses, On the conclusion the late war we had hot all our prosperity. He (Mr. T.) always said, when we lost this war, we should loose our taxes ; he laid always stood alone in this opinion, with the exaption of a Right lion. tientleman opposite, for whose opinion on these subjects he entettainial the highest respect (Mr. Rose). The Right lion. Gent. then pioeeedtd to comment on the state of the Sinking Fund, and made a comparison between the different quarters in the last year and in the present, and from that comparison drew this conclusion, namely that for the quarter ending July Stli, there would be a defi ciency of at least 5,740,0001. With respect to our present revenue it would not pay the interest of the National Debt. He would not say the National Debt was in jeopardy, buts still it was a black prospect. Money must be borrowed to supply the deficiency, yet the House was about to separate without making any provision to meet the difficul ty. lie trusted, even if his Resolutions should be negatived, that he had done some good, by drawing forth the Resolutions of the Hon. Gentlemen opposite. Their Resdutions differed only to the amount of a few hundred thousands, whilst the acknowledged deficiency amounted to many millions. He thought the country never was in a snore critical situation. With respect to the plan of the Right Hon. Goldman Mr raising the money he wanted by an issue of I%i:do:quer Hills, he did not intend to find fault with it. Ile understood it was the system of the Right lion. Gentleman not to IA Exelieqi:r Bills go under a certain premitun, being certain at any bole of getting them Trn NATIONAL REGISTER• disposed of at the Bank. This might be a convenient plan for the present, but would it not ultimately put the Right Hon. Gentleman still more at the mercy of the Bank than he at - present was; and if the Berle were, as the Right Hun. Gentleman had stated, to resume their cash payments at the period named, would they be able to excist the Right Honourable Gentleman in his distress next year, by taking anothersix million of Exchequer Bills off his Mende Mr. Tierney then adverted to the rising of the Funds, which had been dwelt on so much by Government, as being a proof of the pros perity of the country. lie was of opinion it was a proof of the direct contrary. 'llse rise of the Funds was owing, in part. to the distresses and difficulties of the country, and to the large capital unemploeed.— Every Banker now (to use a City term) was a Bull, and contributed to rase the price of the Funds, by speculating in tbuni. If, fortu nately, trade should revive, what would then be the consequence? These persons iner sell out largely, lee the price of the Funds be what it might, and at any loss, as they would have no other means of realizing property to answer the demands made upon them. Al this apparent prosperity, as ' judged of by the high price of the Funds, was not to be relied on. If the Revenue could not be raised, end raised considerably, in his opinion the country was in a greater strait than it had ever beta before. The Chancellor of the Exchequer had said he should raise the Funds to ench a height, that he should be enabled to reducer the 5 per Cents. ; but then we should add 24 mil lions of Exchequer Bills to our unfunded Debt This extraordinary rise in the Funds also acted much against the operation of the Sink ing Fund, whilst it would not at all operate to relieve the People from taxation ; and who could for an instant , Ratter himself that commerce would revive whilst the country was ill burthened The Right Ilan. Gentleman said he should conclude by noting to with draw his original Resolutions, for the purpose et: substituting sense revised ones in their place. Mr. GRANT Lit himself obliged to resist these resolutions, which he eonceived might be divided under two heads, one applying to the unfunded Dent, the other to the Revenue. The 'AMC/111MM wh'eli lie had to propose, related only to the unfunded Debt, 'indite pro table increese :end diniinunition. The 'tight Honourable Gentleman had stated the deficiency at 66,000.0n01. whilst he (Mr. G.) said it would amount to no snore than 64.000,0001. The Right H en ourable Gentleman said, there would this year bean increase of debt of I,Es 1.4,00(il. whilst he (Mr. G) on the contrary said, there would be a diminution of I,2oeexiol. 'there was indeed a correction in the Right Honourable Geneeman'e each - news of at least 4,000,0001. The Right Honourable Gentleman had also argued the probability of a deficiency in the Ways and Means that was extremely unlikely, since almost all the Ways and 3leens were already realised. He tken entered into a statement of the Supplies rind Exchequer Bills voted mid the Ways and Means to meet them. The amount of Exclie suer Bilk as taken in his statement was felkeelexil. but probably in January next the sum would not actually exceed 61 or 62 millions. The Ways mid' Means were nearly equal to the Supply voted,. and when the Ways and Means were issued, the Supply of course would lie provided for. Mr. Grant then proceeded to contend, that in the Right Honourable Gentleman's Resolutions there were several errors : and particularly in the omision of 1,600,n5e) paid of of the outstanding Navy Debt. The peat question now under consider ation was the increasing and paying rift the Debt, and the diminution made in it should be attended to. If there was any merit in his (Mr. il;. Grant's) Resolutions, it was that they hail for their foundation facts and not conjecture, whilst the Right I lononrable Gentleman's was objectionable, inasmuch as they were founded on supposition. The Right Honourable Gentleman had also raid the revenue, would this year receive dieted of 2,901,0001. Property Tax, and extra ordinary source of revenue, which would not occur again ; but if there was this extraordinary receipt, their was alto an extraonlinary expenditure, which would not occur again. This year the expendi ture would be 19,000,0001. Next year ha trusted it would not ex ceed 1 eeioo,noole This reduction might be set off against the ex traordinary receipt of the present year. The Honourable Gentleman, after sonic further observations, concluded by moving the previous question. Mr. TIERNEY denied his Resolutions were all supposition. lie stated the Revenue of last year; then said, if the Revenue was the stone this year, !etch mid such would be the consequence ; this was a fact. The Honourable Gentleman thee entered into some ex planations, but in so law a tone, see coufd nut clearly understandwhat he said. He contended, however,that the statement of the lonourable Gentleman, (Mr. Grant) as to the amount of Exchequer Bills likely to be out-standing on the sub of January lag, was erroneous to the amount of 1,200,p001. Mr. VANSITTAIT said, this could not be; if the whole of the Ways and Means were granted, the whole of the Supplies must be paid off It was well known that the system of peymg off Excise. Biter Bills was to pay oft those granted in the previous year. Such had been the eagerness of monied men during the present year , that all the Bills of last year up to October had been bought up ; and it was rather to be feared, that there would be a scarcity of 'exchequer Bills, instead of a difficulty in disposing of them . He believed this country. notwithstanding our present embarrassments, was still ca pable of snaking great exertions. He trusted, however, it would be long before they were called for ; when they was, be was convinced our efforts would be made for the good of the world in general, and not for a selfish purposes of our own.—Hear, Hear Sir. H. PARNELL said, the Right Honourable Gentleman had talked of the prosperous state of the country, yet in the second ye .r of peace he had proposed and carried a war expenditure. The 'light Honourable Gentleman had talked of vigorous measures of finance. This measure meant vigour of taxation, whereas it ought to mean vi our of economy. Ile trusted the House and the country would oblige the Right Honourable Geatleansai, to adopt the vigour of economy before It was too late. Mr. BAR 'NG approved of the system adopted by the Chancellor of the Exchequer; at the same time he considered the country as greatly indebted to hie Right Honourable Friend (Tierney) for bringing forward his Resolutions, and thus calling forth those of the Honourable Gentleman opposite. The previous question wee then put upon the Resolutions of Mr. Tierney, which was carried, anti the liesoiutions of the flououreble Member (Mr. Grant) were agreed to. Sir S. Roemer moved for a copy of the Presentments of the Grand Jury of Dominica. The motion led to some cor.versation between Mr. W. Smith, (;en. Mitchell, Mr. Rose, 'and Sir S. Remaly, after which the motion was agreed to.—Adjourned. THURSD IY, Jtu D. The Deputy Usher of tile Black Roil appeared in the House, and summoned the Speaker and Members to attend the Lords to hear the royal assent given by commission to several Bills. Upon the return of the Members, :1l r. Hiehniore, from the Bank of England, presented papvrs, containing accounts of the receipts and payments made for a period past by the Bank of England. The Cit kNCELLOR of the EX CHEQUER moved the order of the day for renewing the adjourned debate upon the grant for repairing Lyme Harbour. Mr. Gonnosi moved, that the House be counted; strangers were excluded, and there bring but 31 Members present, the House tutu ediately adjoin or d. The House was summoned to attend in the House of Peers. On their return the Speaka announced that the Royal Assent had been given to scvcr.tl public and private Billy. A Nlessage front the Lorde announced that their I.ordabips bed agreed to the Navy Agents Rill, the Savings Banks hills. anu some other Bills.. without n:•r amendment. Another Me:ange r a t t. •stet L o in the House a copy of the Report of 11w Select l'tmintito. , .: on the Poor Laws. Mr. Lust( soToN tome& that the Speaker do issue los Writ for the election of a llurztaa..o verve in the present Puha:neat for the Borough of Harwich, in the room of the i ltifilit Ilea. N. Virasittart. who, since his election, had accepted of the office of Chancellor of the Exchequer for 4cl/init.—ordered. The grant of 10,0001. fur the improvement of the Harbour of Lyme Regis, was agreed to. lib.. F. BURDETT presented I petition from a Mr. Kniglit. form.:7- ly of Manchester, but now a prisoner in Reeding girl, g of having . been imprisoned seventeen sort As witlonit tuy. charge against him, read and ordered to lie on the taLle. General TDORNTON ruse and fsid Mr. Sptsker, I rise to g'vt notice, that early in the next Session I shall move for leave to brii.g in a Bill to abolish Subscription Masquerades." tThe notice of the Gallant G ennui conrulsxl the House with tel for astute secuads.] TILE LATE NIL PVIISONSY. The lion. Mr. lianas: prefaced the motion he was shout to make. with a very affoetionate compliment to the memory of the late 'tight lion. George Put003111,—. 6 That the Speaker do i!.sue hi,. Writ fur the election of a Knight of the Shire for the County of AV teklow, to serve in the present Parliameht. the room of the Hight lion. Gecri.;e Ponsonby, deci:ased." Lord CAS'"LFltt.tctt and Sir' . W. lirbt.r.v, werr equally wa-m in their tributes of esteem for their late valved fri , ed, which were' received with a general feeling from all sides of tile House; after which the writ vas ordered. STATU OP THE COUNTRY. Mr. minus/11M rose, pursuant to the notice he lied given, and observed, that if no ectra•ndivary event had insetted the commencement and prnerevc of the present Session, or if •ke retiring trent its labours the Home had left the liberties uftl e people in the state in *lnch they had found them—if they had not, by the extraordinary powes a which they hail vested in the Crown, placed those liberties at its disposal, he should not have (intuit' it nreessary to txesrpass on their aret.ti•n+ ow the prestru occasion. But when he corked back mum the state in which the country was in when the Parliament st as call, d together, when he remembered the hopes the anxious hopes which the people held of relief when Parliament Si lii wise/nide, at the disappointment or those hopes, and above all, the state in which Parliatnent were about to lease the rights and liberties of their constituents, be could not stater it to be prorogued without endea wonting to press upon it the wholesome ditty of selfexamination, without calliug its at ten. non as well to what it had done as to what it had left undone. and stibmittieg an Address to the Throne, explaining the ma tore and grouuds of its labours, and praying that the great powers with which the Crown had been invested might nut be abused in the recess. It was in the recollection of the Honse that the distress which was acknowledged so fre quently in the course of the Session was in existence long before the house had met.—ln the midst of these starting,, which were in some places intense and unparalleled, theta existed what might be considered their usual accompaniment —a discontent gt the measures of Oove 1111111111 l Disturb ances occurred in some places. These, hew ever, might all have been traced sup to the distrceres which existed pre viously to the Session. But to the immortal hanour ut the people of this coeutry it was to be said, that in the midst of their sinferingsand privations, they still looked to Pat liainent. and to Parliament alone for relief. To the labours of the House did they all look forward with hope for 30111 C reined,' for the great evils which they cnilnred.—How had rettliA ment answered that hope, whose first step had been not 14 relieve, but to restrain the people? When the distresses of the country had been inquired into, and when means of re. lief had been believed to have been discovered, in a res isle■ of the whole system of financial policy, the House had thought proper to pass to the other °Met s of the day, moved as an anuetutment to a-motion that had for its object the relief of the public distress. The Hon. Gentieman then I idered on a most extensive review of the agricultural, commereihl, and political state of the country, in which, it is impossible for our limits to follow him ; and concluded by mss ing as Address to the Crown, which he read, and vs Welt em htaccd the whole of the political movement of the Session, from its commencement to the present day, and recommending, at the commencement of next Session, a vigorons inquiry into the manner in which the powers plated in the hand of Govan. went had been exercised during the recess. Lord CAVlLlittrA6ll.—" Sir, it would be impossible for me, neither, indeed, am I inclined, to go throngh the gi eat variety of topics touched upon in the speech of the Hon. ar.d Learned Gentleman, or to discuss the various and inmost:int objects embraced in his Address. The course pursued by hint appears to me a singular one. it is certainly an unusual one. On half of the topics upon which he kas enlareed sn much, there is, if his statetnants be con et t,a sufficient limn dation for impeachment against the individuals to whom ha alluded. On many of the points, both in the speech and lLe address, the Hon. Gentleman had beets totally silent sharing tl.e Session until the present moment ; and it is rather curious, after allow in; it to pass without making his views the subject of any motion, and employing the whole time of the Sessien in writing an Address, to come down and read it on the very last day." The Noble Lord then went into a very long defence of his official conduct both at home and abroad. He insisted tha the people had received more relief than they expected at the commencement of the Session. Speaking of his conduct in Ireland, he said " it what has been alledL:ed agaiust and which has been so often repeated by some llon Members on the opposite side, were true, it ought to be made the 466. ject of personal impeachment." A very long debate continued, in whieb Sir F. Burdett, the. Attorney General, Mr. Bennett, Mr. 11. Addington, Mi. Barham, Mr. Canning, and Mr. Huskisson, took part, mid, which was mixed op with a strange and petty association of personal annimadve rsions and paltry allusions, mule suited to a ease at nisi pries than to the grave consideration binational affairs.—the Address was negatived. Mr. BENNETT had a petition to present from the younger Mr. Evans. Lord CASTLERVAGII should nut oppose the bringing np the petition, bait thought the procceding was somewhat none than irregular. 'lnc word dungeon was not applicable to their room. The object of these persons was only to piuduce an impression upon the public in their favour. The petition was theta lead and laid on the table. Adjourned. You:vo WATsolv.—We understand thnt the state. ment which has nprared in the rapers, that young Watson embarked from Livery() it 1;1. America, in the ship Euphrates, is said, by the Liverpool Paper, to be unthoraled; uor is it believed in America that he is or. rived in the United States, as there could be no reason for concealing the fact. Captain De Cost, of the Eu phratcs, toot out a tliteily of the name of Watson, trout which the report has probably originated.