The National Register. — London, England, 1822-06-24 00:00:00

M ' ~rrrrr~ 191 '2lll.ertal atiarltamtnt. DOUSE OF Loans. Koxiwir.JUNL ►7. The House met at tour o'clock. Lord 'toile. the Doke of Rattan.', Lord Exmouth. the Bishop of Chester, and the lt:shop of St. David's presented a coosidera• able number of petitions against the 'roman Catholic Peers' BilL Tile Earl of Shaftesbury alio presented several petitions of a similar tendency. Thoy were severally real and laid on the table. Lord HARDWOOD presented a petidou front die wool trade of London. against the importatien duty on titi op wool. The Nlarquis of LANSDOWNE presented a petition from eertoin owners and occupiers of land at Scarsdale, complaining of agricultural dist real.— I .a id on the tulle. TRADE AND) NAN - hi ATION BILLS._ The Earl of LI VER PO. /I. rose to propose the second reading of the Commercial Statutes Repeal Bill, the Navigation Act Amendment Bill, and the importati nof Goods Sill. The noble Earl said, flee first of these bills was to repeal not less titan 300 .of parhirimuit, which had passed prior and subsequent to the reign of Charles the Second. This repeal would prove an a:•sen tial hem& to the commerce of the counity. One advantage would he. that it would enable the merchants to know what could be done by law. The multitude of statutes on the subj.•er of navi gation had ocraisintital great ineoir:cuiitice, which would be obvi ated. With respect to the Navigation It Ils, the principle of the navigation laws had hot been violated. The two great principles were these, first, that no goods should be imported from Asia, A Inca. neat Amens a, milts, they crime in British ships; the other was, mat culouics, in dittl•rent parti of the world were allowed to export their own commodities in their own ships. It b:came necessary to look at all the branches of foreign trade ; and the hid gave the power of importilig to this country, in Spanish ships. The effect would be, to coal a direct intercourse with Spanish South Amerira.—With respect to Asia, Africa, and America, the law remained unaltered. Another brinch of trade was also opened. British ships were allowed to bring the produce of Asia, Arrica, and A•ncri:a, not oilly foe home consumption, but for ex portation. The object was to make tai, coun•ry a depot for the coimuoilities of alt di: world. It was proper to give up all the nano x views of commerce. it had been always supposed that restricting foreign COI , I4IIOCC was beneficial to British commerce, !Yu the elrret was quite the reverse. By encouraging foreign cuinmerce, and enlarging the trade of over nations, England. undoubtedly, extended her own trade. The noble Earl conclu ded by moving the second reading of the bill. alli'her a few words trout Lord Iturewtrod, the bill was read the second time. The other bills were alai real the second time. Lord kIl1t:11sT then rose to move the second reading of lice Colonial and West India Trade Bill. The noble Earl stated Cie dtffieulties wbi.h had attended the colonial trade from the West Indies to the tinned States. and the first Bill was to enable 3 te trade with the United States to be carried oat directly instead of indirectly. It was intended to lay a small duty on produce brought in American vessels. The duty was not to amount to prohibition, but to glee the trade of Great Britain an advantage. The Marquis of BUTE did not rise to utter any opposition to the Rills, but he called the attention of the House to the slave trade, which was connected with West India Trade. Ile was loxious dim should be a better rei,eistration of slaves. He ex- pressed a hope that the noble Lords at tile head of his Alij sty's C.-odernineta would turn ditir attention to the subject. He con sidered the Parliament of EnAland competent to make a law that would effectually ans .er the purpose of preventing the Slat,: Tr sic. The Bills were then read a second time. Ihe Bankrupt Laws Bill passed through a committee, and was reported wiliout amendments. T. e LORD CHANCELLOR, as we understood, laid on the tab:e another Bill on the same subject.. The House adjourned. TUESDAY. JUNE IS. _ _ _ Mr. Tomlyns presented an account of the quanti7 of gold hul- Eon an i bars imported into this country, under the 29tb of Georg the Third. en, ions against the C.lthedic Peers' Bill were presented from the weavers of Glasgow— p.trisit and borough of liungerford —the clergy of Son CAle- ' e—the parish of St. Botolph—the Welsh clergy, &c. Read an d laid on the table. The Bank , upt Laws Bdls was read a third time and passed. The %Veit Itidia Intercourse Bill went through a comittittee. Th.: Colonial Trade Bill, Ancient Commercial Staudt-a Bill, and the Navigation am went through committees. Ea 1 11. k N I.E Y moved for a 'Turn% of all correspondence ar'th the Government ut Ireland, respecting the statiumtry of Ireland. °Wired. Ito. Duke of RICHMOND rresemed a petition from Arthur Chichester, Esq. si.:oinst the Multiage Act Amendment pedron comp!.thed that the II would roofer veiiid the Murretgc ots the Duke of Donegal, to the great itijuty of the petitioner. MARRIAGE ACT AMENDMENT On the motion ot! Lord ELLENBOHOUGII, the Howie went I into a conanntee on the Marri-ge Act Amendment Bill. The - noble Lord then said, lie rose to taldres.s the House under great anxiety, particularly when he considered that noble Lords of great t were ready to give their opinion on the bill. The hold: land then stated several cases which rendered the bill ne e retry. In the cases he brought before the House, marriages had barn set aside in the must lamentable manner, in conse quence of the real or implied want of consent to the marriage by a toner or truant an. It was quite unnecessary for him to state to the House all Me miseries occasioned by the defects of the Marna,. e Act. Marriages could be set aside, either by the man who hair conimitted a fraud on the woman, or the heir at law of property. Iloue ought to consider what must be the state of society living under the irregularil of such an act. Pub:re nnirals were hot OLl4,.untitimin‘ (1, but a sort of bounty was laid out as if it were for crime. The bill before the House would repeal the clause of nullity in the Marriage Act, from which all the oils had arisen. The bill allowed parents and guuttlians a limited time to nullify marriages. Believing that, by the law of God, every marriage contracted by persons competent to enter into the contract, was valid ; he could never believe that marl-lege& ought to be ilia °lves', which had once been concontracted When eace formed, he conhdered a marriage incapable of being ',moiled—unless by the adultery of one of the patties. Ile en treated the House to reflect on the retrospective clause. In the 'lawman which hail just ben read, the petitioner was in error wnen lie stated that no marriage had bten affirmed Ly a tetros pective act. In 1781 acts wet , : pissed to render certain ma riages valid. H e did not think that the bill went tar enouli in *Flail ing to existing n.arriattes—it ought to extend to the marriages of their fathers. He pressed toe rieee-nrity of altering the law as it wood, arid in wishing to extend tne retro..,Fective ciattse, he had to desire to alter the state of property. To the security of pro perty they owed the secarity of the state ; but every man who laboured for property, did it for Cis children, not fur persons who inert seize it from his childten upon a clause of the marriage act. lie was convinced the ltoose would mme to the consZer• a tan of thii retrospective clause with the saute feeling as himself. Ice lef, tne Bi,l to the Hausa, and particularly to the noble and /tamed Lord, who generally directed his mind to the examination o: boas tar this kin.... Lord t•TO WEL entered r . :to a luminous view of the subject, and opposed some of the Fr.ivitrious of tic Bill, as calico:at& to dr, more an:chief than they were intendal to remove. '1 he noble ar.:ll,...rned Lot loonsidertat the bill brought in at too late a addle sttsion. tiripeateel that it should be pestFonva to rieletalssacio, then te lee taken up early and well considered. too hail d WI,..IMORLAID, and several etliet Lords, I . ..; • 4 11 Q • • ,• •••••,,Z; 4. • 'ftat THE NATIONAL REGISTER entered into the discussion. The elanse in question was the pros pective clause, Which gives to parents and guardians the power of avoitimg the marriage (iii the case of a minority) until the niinur shall attain his or her age of 21 years. The llouse then At;juutned. wEuNcsonv, JUNE 19. Several petitions were preoenteil against the Catholic Peers' Bill. • • - - • 'rite Earl of LIVERPOOL moved the first rending of the Army and Navy Pensions' Bill, and fixed the second reading ter M onday. Lord KING stated that it was his intention, on the second reading, to move wine alteration in the pre.minle. The Colonial Trade. the Navigation Bid, the Watt India Trade) and the Ancient S;utu e's Repeal 111.1 d, were severally read the third time and pas.ctl. MARRIAGE ACT. Lord ELLEN BOROUGJi moved the order of the thy for fur ther proceedings on the Mittrieee Act Amendment Bill. The tiltiCUEiiiiolll in the Committee, which had been adjourned, was atteordingly resumed. The Archbishop tat CANTERBURY rose to state his objection to the bill. it was the bueitiees of the flouee to impose all the pro. Section the human mind could devise with a view to the e.cerity of neuriage. It was Rich duty to prevent clandestine iniuriagee, but when marriage was once solemnised the law bliould prevent its being dissolved. The bill bethre the House did not go to that extent, and the right rev. Prelate thereline opposed it. Mar. riage, in the course 01 debate, had been called a civil contract.— It cerainly was a civil contract, sanctioned by r.ligion. It was a soiemn contract, a religious ceremony, perlornmu in the Mouse of God by a minister of the gospel. Lord aI.I.LNISOROUGH wad he heard with great eatisfac- Lien the °pinata of the mon rev. Prelate. yet he could not consent to give up the principle of the Bill. Since the debate id* last Meta, he understood a noble and learned Lord was prepared to offer clauses for tile consideration of the House, winch would apply to the marriage of minors. lie should under these cir cumstances withdrew Ilia amendments. The Archbishop of YORK concuried in the opinion expressed by the Aiclibishop of Canterbury. 'Elie Earl of LIVERPOOL agneed in what had been said by the right rev. Prelate, namely, mat where a marriage had taken place, there should be no nullity. He then proposed that the clauses of his noble and keened Friend Await' be delivered in and re-primed with the 11.11, for the purpose of being re. committee'. The LORD CHANCELLOR said, the great object they all had in view was that of letting prawn-, who had undergone the ceremony of marriage, know whether they were married cr not. The clauses of the bill then under discussion could not be adopted. —lt certainly was must desirable that persons should know that, after the cep puny of marriage had taken place, it could nut be dissolved. Lord It EDESDALE proposed, that the consent of persons to be married should be expreeeed in waling, stating that they were twenty-one years. Tile statement to be attested by potions not related to the parties. Al persona obtaining a licence and mar. riage by fraud to Meat all the interest or emolument lie or she may obtain by such marriage, suet he hobhi to a prosecution for a high inisdeineanor. Lord ELLE.NROROUG II proposed, that the noble and learned Lord's clauses might be diecas•ed by the Committee after the clauses in the bill cad been diepoetel of. The LORD CHANCELLOR declared his intention to oppose the discussion of the retrospective clituse in the Bill, on the gtoond that it ought to be discussed after all the other clauses in tie Ile should therefore now wove us an amendment, " that this ceat:e be postponed." The committee divided, and the amendment was negatived— Contente, 00—Non rontente, 6J—Alajority, 29. Lord EI.I.b:NBOIIOUGH then widowed their Lordships in ott of the retrosaemive clause, and proposed some veiled umendinents, and the exceptions to which lie had alluded yes terday. One ementlinent purported, that previded any property or honours had been enjoyeel under the colour of a marnage 1.0• lemniaed without the consent of parties entitled to give consent, and that no judgment had been renounced, the right to give to the said property and 'entomb should not be allected by um pro -1161011; la the present bill. The Earl tat LIVERPOOL said, that it was a very serious matter tor the legislature to step in to declare that a suit to met litlete a marriage shoved proceed no further. He therefore gave notice elite amendment, providing that the bill should not apply to any pending shit. Lord RED ieSDALE also objected to the retrospective portion of the clause. Lord ItOLLAND adverted to the general injustice and cruelty of the exi,ting law. Let the Home consider the magnitude and I importance tat the evils that arose out of the existing system, and thou their Lorehhips would not allow their attention to be di verted Rom the remedy by minute and technical objections.— They had to emove existing evils, and to repair what was past.— They should be guided therefore, by die rules of substantial jus tice, and 5:I , WA mat, in order to meet an objection which might be started iu a court of law, sacrifice the happiness of the com mune), for which these courts were established. Parliament had (ilea, on former occasions, legislated on the principles which were embodied in the prospective clause of the bill. The retros pective clause was said to be introduced to answer a particular in dividual ease. It was natural, if a case of great hardship was known, that it should excite attention to the law under winch it occurred, and which called for a remedy. Ile thought the clause ought to pass, and was not yet deterred from supporting it by the objection that it affected third parties. Lord ELL ENDUROUGH said, that with the idea which he had of the sacredness of the marriage act he could nut agree to the amendment of the noble Lail opi osite. lie could not ahem the eff; aof marriage to be postponed fur a your. Ile could not %how the ,Wl.lll to be suspended by a single thread over the head of every iamily in the kingdom. Ile thereture called upon their Loolenipe Lot to allow the tethetion. A keg convergent/it ensued ou the clause proposed by the Earl of Liverpool, to estoept from the retrospectif e operation of the hill cases in which slut, bed been commenced, within a year after the passing of the act. The herd Chancellor, Lord Hol land, Lord Itedeedsle, tied Lord Elleuborough were the chief spesliers. The Earl of HARROW'BY defended the first part of the clause, but objected to the allowance of a year for commencing sails. He proposed, therefore, as an amendment on the clause, omitting this latter part of it, which was speed to. The clause a, thus ItliCtUiCtl was then put, and the committee divided, when there appeared-- Couttilis, 42—Not conic:at, ati--Ma joiity, Ire The clause was therefore lost, and the bill left, in this res pect, as it was first int. odueed. When we were re-admitted lam the house we baud their Lordships discussing the clause relative to the bans and licenses. The Lord Chancellor ob jected to the penalties aeeinst the clergy man who might commit a mistake through went of informettou, and mast thus be iu• dieted for what in hint was no offence. A vote was not called tor on the other parts of the bill. The committee adjourned till to-morrow, when it is understood that Lord Redeadale will propose his amendments. Adjourned at 9 o'clock. TUURSDAT. JUNE 20. Lord Sidmoath, Lord ilsrevrood, and the Bishop of Exeter, prim:and three petitions aping the Roman Catbo;ic Peers' he Coro Importation Bill and Bakers Bereistios 818 were hrunght ay Gwa the COulaonc, nn the inni"- af the Ex tl of The Bakers' Regulation Hill, Lauderdale, was reterred to a private committee. After some conversation between the Earl of Liverpool and Lord Ellenborough, the second reading of the Navigation this was limed for Thursday next. The second reading of the Navy and Military Pensions Bill for Tuesday, and the Committee ou the Jlarri.ge Act Amendment for Monday. EAST AND W EST INDIA TN ADE.—The Marquis or LAN - n()%1 NE said, he hod to present two petitions from Liverpool. One praying that the merchants and ship owners oldie putt be allowed to trade to the East Indies, in smalkr ships than those legalized by acts or parliament. The other prayed that the _ be pe titioners may allowed to import sugar from toe East Indie s , on payment of less duties than those laid on NV est India sugar. The petitioners did nut why a right should be given to the NA est India Colonies to import sugar, to the exemsion of .he West India Trade, and the noble Marquis declared himself an aUvo rate for uprising the trade. A poptilaiiun in India, amounting to 00,060,000, every day iuereused the merchondize and mina ret: urea of this country, and the best mode of promoting our own comu:erce, was to increase the trade of other nations.— The petitioners also complained of the severe restrictions imposed on sugar refiners, and prayed for a remedy. The peti tions were read. Lord BATHURST said it was not his intention to make any observations on the first petition. llis object was only to say a few words on the petition respecting the sugar trade. which had some connection with the pro% isions of the West liMia Trade Bill. The petitioners prayed the House to withhold protectiim from the 1N est India sugars, and allow the su„zats of the East Judi, s to be imported on paying the same duties u the West India produce. If Parliament consented ►o withdraw t.e protection from the West India Islands, they would not be placed on the same footing as India. In the West India Colonies they were compelled by law to transport produce is British ships. In the East Indies they might do it in the ships of all nations. By the 12th of George the Second they had the advantage of exporting sugar Iron the West Indies ►o all na tions ; but the advantage was coupled with such regulations, that they received little benefit from that law•. It had Leen urged that the West India Trade Bill then before Parliament, conveyed advantages to the colonists, which ou6lit to unlace Parliament to open the East India sugar trade , but there was within; in that Bill to enable the House to withdraw from the West India trade the protection they had hitherto enjoyed.—lf the petitioners could make oat there was not a sufficient supply in the M est Indies to meet the general consumption, in ground might exist for the consideration of their claim ; but that was not the case. The supply was greater than the demand. and if that were so it would not be good policy to open the East India trade in sugar. The noble Earl did nut say the time would not arrive w lien the opening of that trade might be ad iseithle ; but at present no cause was made out for a measure of that description. The situation of the West India popula lation would be most lamentable, if Parliament dissolved the trade, and no persons would suffer so much as the black pool maim. It wield be the ruin of planters and the misery of slices. The House would call to mind that the cultivation of sugar in the East Indies was new. In the West Indies it had continued for ages. The petitions were then laid on the table. ....... . WiST INDIA INTERCOURSF. BILL.—Earl bATIIURST then moved the order of the day for the third reading of the A 1 est Indis Imercourrie Bill. The Marquis of BUTE, alter a few observations, proposed clause for the better registration of slaves. The Stave Trade Abolition Bill was trot secured, and the uuble Marquis wished to introduce the subject into this bill. Lord BATHURST said there was nothing in the bill to re quire the introduction of the clause proposed by the noble Marquis. lie admitted that a more efficient registration of slaves ii,i6ht be introduced to Parliament, but the subject should not fetter the colonial trader in his coalmen ial pursuits under this Bill. lie could nut consent to the adoption of the clause. Lord HOLLAND opposed the introduction of the clause.— It was a subject which ou,glot to form no part of the bill. 'the soble Lord regretted that the legislature had not totally abo. linbed the trailiz in slaves ; but he was happy to ssy it was be coming weaker every day in our West ludic p ions. - In Jamaica the law was seldom evaded, and it would soon be almost impo►sible to smuggle a slave into that country with out detection. . . . ..... After some conversation the clause was negatived, and the bill re td the third time and passed. The House resumed the adjourned debate in the committers upon the Marriage Act Amendment Bill, and the discussion was again postponed to Monday. Adjotcaed. FRIDAY, Jest:2l. The discussion which stood for this dey, on the bill to admit Roman Catholic Peers to seats in Parliament, excited much interest. The avenues to the House were thronged, and more constables than usual placed at the doors. A number of lath* were admitted to the House, and the area below the bar was ...11- tirely occupied by strangers, a"mitted with Peers' orders. Petitions against the Catholic Peers' Bill were presented from Tam worth—the University or Cambridge—the Synod ut Glasgow —and Sr. Mary, Woolnotth, London. Lord HOLLAND said he ruse to present a petition from the corporation of Nottingham, in favour of the Bill. 'The petitioners prayed that the lawn operating aping the civil rights of Boman Catholics may be repealed. He could not avoid on this =anon adverting , to a declaration made by a noble Duke (Newcastle). stating that the people of the district and neighbourhood of Not tingham were hostile to the bill then bethre the House. The pee titron he presented proved that the noble Duke had taken a muse taken view of the feeling in his part of the country. The noble Baron was happy to find the petitioners free front the mum* views taken upon this important subject. The petition was then read. It prayed, that the bill to qualify Catholic Peers to sit in Parliament might pass into a law. Tire petition was laid on the table. Lord ELLENBOROUGH presented a petition from Hor*- ham, in Sussex, in favour of the bill. A petition was presented from the parish of St. Jannes kenwell, in favour of the bill. I .ord SH AFTESIIC ay presented a petition from St. Luke's Old.street, signed by 730 person:, against the Bid. The nobls Lail alio presented petitions, having tiles:line object, from various oissenting congregations, the whole of which were read and leid on the table. Lord GREY expressed some doubt whether many of the pe titioas presented agmnA the bill were entitled t..) the oharacter of regtear petitions. Many he understood had been sighed privately, and it was reasonable to suppose they differed more or lete ti the objectiteis to the measure shortly to come under dismission; Lord It EDP:St/ALL considered the petitions quite regumr, as far i.s he had been able to judge of them ; The Lord C II A N C E 1.1.014 said, petitions against the bill 1 . . d been presented by at least 4(1,000 persons, and theie was no vat t anon in the prayer of the petitioners. Tire clerk then read the order of the day for the second reading of tire Roman Catholic Peers' 11.11. The Duke of PORTLAND rose upon the order, and observed that it was not his intention to trespass long on the attention of the House. His object was to move the second reading of the bili s and it would be proper Gest, to rewired titan Lordships of IEIIIIII