The National Register. — London, England, 1814-05-22 00:00:00

MAY 22. k n ew that within these few days many speculations had been made i n co rn, upon a certainty of its rising in consequence of this Bill rasAiii t g• Mr. Hustasserr differed from the Hon. Gentleman who spoke last, .mil thought a Bill which prohibits import could not tend to en bailee the price of corn. As to the appointment of another Com mittee, he could not see the use of it. He would therefore with the Bill to gu through a CAnmittee, and then he should have no oh jeetion to a reasonable tidily, that the measure might have due eon. Act ration from those most likely to be affected by it. The re.olutiou was then agreed to. Mr. VANSITTART stated that good reasons might be given for the bill pas.ing fur either three or live years; which of the two periods was the mute proper, it would be iu the wisdom of the House to deride. _ _ _ The Corn Exportation Bill was read a second time and ordered to be (s)mmitted to ►dorrow. Mr. iillSKissom gave notice, that to-morrow he should move for a Committee of tne whole HonAe, on the acts of the 9th and 10th of King William relative to wool. Sir E. Bryagem's Bill relative to the Settlement of the Poor was real a second time, and ordered to be committed to-morrow.--Ad journed. THUnsDAY, MAY 19. Mr. PROTHEROE presented a Petition, signed by 2‘2,44i of the inhabitants of Bristel, setting forth the evils that were to be expect ed from any alteration in the Corn Laws,- and expressing their COO fi.leace that the wisdom of the legislature %%wild avert the threatened .e% Mr. iirtsTERN said, he did not wonder that the constituents of the Hon. Gentleman should express opinions so nearly coinciding with tits own, since l►e hail seen a letter addressed to them, in which lie (Mr. P.) had stated, that the greatest n►ischiefi were likely to rcsillt frn►u the intended alteration. Mr. l'uoutEßOE explained the came of his writing the letter in question, and said he should always think it his duty to communicate his opinion to his constituents on any subject of so munch impor tance, an" he would refer to the Home whether he did not in this respect act as become an honest Representative. Sir H. PAR*ELL complained, that in a letter of the Hon. Member l'.) to his Constituents he bad stated this to be a proposition for raising the priv.e of corn. Once for all, he begged . to be under stood. that he had never any intention oradvancing the price of corn or orbread. He had merely, promoted this meabnre as consi doing it most likel, to render the price of corn more steady than formerly. Mr PROT 11 EnOE said, that he had written such a letter, but it was a private one, and had found its way into the public papers, in way that the person to whom it was addressed could IlJt account for. Mr. HOJINER **id, that he Must consider the Hon. Gentlemen had not been fairly treated ; for he cmild not hilt conceive that it was of the utmost importance to maintain the connection between the Representative and the eensOtitents in this way. He thought the Hun. Member (Mr. Protheroe) bad behaved in a most manly and call:lid manner, and it he had even Advi4ed his Contit'nents to peti tion ag,iinst the present measure* respecting corn, he could. not.have acted wrong. • FRIDAY. MAY 20. Serjeant Omstnw, on account nt the 'bill for repealing the Ap r !entice Act not being printed, moved to postpone the farther e on•• sideration of it till Monday next. Ordered. 1)E BERENGER. Mr. Witt'rnutAri wished to call the attention of the House to a subject which had excited a considerable sensation. He alluded to the arrest and committal to Newgate of a perFon named De Be tenger, who was implicated with certain individuals now under in dictment for a conspiracy, at the instigation of a self-constituted Committee, called that of the Stock Exchange. But while the other individuals were admitted to hail, De Berenger was kept in custody under the Alien Act, for no other apparent reason Orin because he was a foreigner by birth. He had received a petition from this person, complaining of the grievances under which lie laboured ; and as it appeared perfectly respectful, lie should move that it he brought up and read. The Motion being agreed . to, the Petition was read. It stated his arrest at Leith, and committal to confinement on the felons side. ot New led tei nestled the charge of dirloyalty, acd played to be ad mitted to bail. THE NATIONAL REGISTE t t. • Mr. WHITBREAD then said he should beg leave to make a few observations on the use that was made of this Alien Act. Berenger had been arrested under it, on the pound that he wala person dangerous to the safety of the conntiv. Was not this an arbitrary stretch of the powers of the act? lie had read it carefully, and could a cc no proviso in it for depriving a person of any thing but arms : yet this person's papers, clothes, and even his money, had been taken from pion; the fatter of which had indeed been returned to him in substance, but not iu effects. Yet so far from this person being considered a dangerous subject, he had been in the country ever since 1788, and had long been employed as an Officer in his Majesty's service. It was incumbent on the Officers of the state to account for this strange extension of the Alien Act; and it they did nut account for it in a manner that should appear to him per fectly satisfactory, Le should feel it his duty to move for such a Committee as was appointed to enquire into the case of Mr. Col ville. The honourable gentleman moved, that the Petition do lie on the table. Mr. ADDINGTON would not object to the 'Petition lying► on the table, but he would merely state, that Beeenger was arrested, and detained by a warraat from the Secretdry of State, on gronnds to tally distinct and unconnected with the prosecution instituted by the Stock INchange. He was still detained in Newgate for the same cause that led to his arrest by an alit•rt messenger. What this cause was, t h f• Hon. Gentleman would not, of course, expect him to explain. He would therefore only say, that a great part of his letters had been restored to him ; that he remained in Newgate at his own express desire, in prefeteuce to being remanded to the custody of the, alien messenger. Mr. BATIIL'RST contended that the conduct of Berenger fully justified the mode of his arrest and detention ; and added, that he was not committed to Newgate under any reference to the afNirs of the Stock Exchange, but in comequenee of subsegnent oc currence 4. It the Officers of the State had exceeded their folic till's, the House was aware that they were responsible for so doing. After a dilenssiott in which the arguments on both sides were often repeated, and in which Abeicromby, Lord A. Hamilton, Sir F; Burde t, Nlr. Ponsimby, the Attarucy-General, Sir S. ito. ntilly, the Solicitor-General, Ali. W. Wynne, Mr. Lockhart, and Sir J. Blackiutosh, took part, the petition was ordered to lie oo the table. Mr. WHITBREAD rose to move for the appointment of a seere t Committee. This lie thought ought to be done immediately, or, after what had passed, Mr. De Berenger would be injured instead of being benefited by coming to that House. He th►»►eht no in. convenience could re•nit from this. He concluded by, moving for -the appointment of a select Committee. Mr. BATHURST said, the question could be quite as well decided without a committee : but, at all events, as that was not the proper time for such a motion as had been made by the 'Honourable Gen tlemen, he found it . his duty to move, " [hat the other Orders of the I)4y be ►tow read." Another discussion took place, whieit -ended in both motions be ing withdrawn, with the understanding Unit the question should be deliated on Monday. PETITION FROM THE cm - OF LONDON. Mr. Sheriff MAGrrAv appeared at the Bar with a Pitition from the Lord Mayor and Corporation of LOndon, praying that no al teration might he made in the COlll Laws dining this Session. The S.''Atctar thought it his duty to notice, that this Petition ,was presented by only one of the Sheriffs - . 'Sir JAMES'S it Ai! stated. that the other Sheriff was indisposed. Tlie SOF:AKER Skid, that this was of course a perfectly sa6sfoctery reason tor hia abience. The Petition was brought up, and ordered to lie on the table. GRANTS TO LORD LYND6CIc, HILL, & BERESFORD 'Oa the motion of the CLIANGLI.LOR of the PIXCHEQUER. the respeeting the Grunt to Lord Lyndoek, re-cumuli! tt d. ' 'rue House having guile itito the iiiii tittet, the CitAN^ELl•ott of the ExellEQUElt inovea, that ioofil. pet' animin tie grdeittta ty Li,rit'tylittoek, to he continued to ht, iteira nt.,td PIiCCI."I"Jg to 16e • itie - ' ' • - • . - , • - Attei Tome word+ (runt Mr. W. Snail', Mr. N. Wurtley,...ibbil Sir C. Iliip u elt. the licanhitiun was agreed tn. .• , The HeNolutions respecting Lurch, Hill auft Berieforit were " ahu ie•conitnitted, and tem*liitims similar tu that-,41.)14ind 1. -.3kiduck were moved by tiie Chancelliir ut tbe Exc..liecpser, 'AM d akarciAl to. • The Itepucts weir ordeiLd•tu he , reetived via Al.puddy. . - . .- • . • t'