The National Register. — London, England, 1811-03-31 00:00:00

196 liament, by referring him to two Acts passed during the reign of Queen Elizabeth and King James. By the 35th of Elizabeth, only 201. was lined upon any man who absented himself from his parish church for the space of one month. Was there ever the like nonsense ?—(Laugirs I)—Yet by the 3d of James I. this penalty was shortly after reduced to two-thirds. Had the Toleration Act repealed that penalty in toto l--The Noble and Learned Lord (Redesdale) must say it had not,.if he spoke out. He left the whole to the judgment of their Lordships; certain, at any rate, thatlie had done good by agitating these points. Lord LiyEaroot. now moved, that the further proceedings on the Bill he adjourned to this day six months; which being agreed to, the Bill is, of course, lost.—Adjourned. WEDNESDAY, MA' , CH 20. . The Exchequer Bills' Issue,and the Militia Officers' Pay Bill, were read a second time, and ordered to be committed to-mor row. Also a great number of local and private Bi THURSDAY, MARCH 21. THANKS TO GENERAL GRAHAM, ett. The Earl of Liviotpoot, rose, pursuant to notice, to move a vete of thanks to General Graham, and the officers and men under his command, for the brilliant victory obtained by them over the enemy in Spain. His Lorc.ship entered into the parti culars of the action, and paid high encomiums on General Gra ham, who had devoted 18 years to the benefit and glory of his country, who had sought the pest of honour in every part of Europe, and who, in so doing, had invariably found it. The Noble Lord concluded by moving the Thanks of the House to Lieut.-General Graham and Brigadier-General Dikes, and to the officers and men under their command, for the.hrilliant vic tory gained by them on the sth instant, on the heights of Bar rose, in Spain. After Lords GREY, GRENvtLLE, and MULORAVE, had also spoken in the highest terms of praise on the conduct of Gem-ral Gi aliam and the whole force engaged in the battle, the motion was carried nem. dis. /RTDAY, M ARCH f. 9. The LORD CHANCELLOR spoke upwards of two hours and a half :T.-aim - it the Claimant fcr the Banbury Peerage, the further disLt.sion of Lit+ stands for Tuescl,:y next. COMMERCIAL CREDIT BILL. BiII went through a Committee, and was ordered to be fx.ported on Monday next, upon which day Lord Lauderdale signified his intention to move a claue for preventing the Bank Directors from purchasing Exchequer Bills under this Act, when it passes into a law.—Adjounled. HOUSE OF COMMONS. MONDAY, MARCH 25, The Printers' Bill was read a second time, and ordered to be printed. ELECTION BRIBERY BILL. Mr. WYNNE rose, to move the second reading of this PA.— Hi: understood the But against the sale of- seats which lately passed the House, to be a pledge, that the House was hostile to the principle; having the minor regulations for carryin;), the ob ject completely into ttfect for future consideration. Some, in need, at - that time contended, that there was no cause for any in terference ; but the majority of the House had thought other wise. It was notorious, however, that seats had been since sold; and the only.ett...ct of the Bill had been to compel the witnesses before Ceinmittees to give evidence, though tending to crimi nate thtinselves ; they, however, being indemnified from any proset.ution in Courts of Law tor such discoveries. Whether the compulsory clause should be adapted or not, he hoped the iulemnity would be granted.- : . Ai the law s'.ood at present, a r..an might get himsvi: indemnified by actaring anoth:r; and it was known that Member"; of that' House gave evidence against their voters, and confess «i on Yip croF ,, i-examination that they tiid it with a view to protect t'hi , .niselv.! from actions. Mr. LK A I) said that nothing hut a plan founded on a COM pvehensive vi;:w of tle.:,?Til;it.-t would d o goo d. For no great go ,, d w.:s reasonably to . bt. expec•ed, ex.or pt from a real, true, and moderate Reform.;'-and for this he wt.s anxious. He wished his. Hon. Friend uot,t4,) press this to a divi-lon, as he must be . te.vare that the Bill had a hearing which perhaps he himself had not observed when:.ht brought it in. Mr. G. Jo Ns-roN'E opposed the Bill, upon the ground that no general. or special i f iaions had been stated to show the propriety of any legislative fne,i;sure on the subject. Mr. Cu R W‘: thought that there were sufficient grounds for aliovvin7 the Bill to go into a Committee. AL. MUARIS :lieu& that the retpedyinG the alaucs lit Elec- THE NATIONAL REGISTER. tions, was a consummation deVOutly to be wished; but not at • the expence of such a Bill as this. Mr. WY 2•!NE shortly replied, when the House divided— Ayes 17 ; Noes 64—Majority ag ,inst the Bill 47.—Adjourned. TUESDAY, MARC!! '26. The General Tr:closure Bill, and Cinque P. rt Justices' Bill, were committed.—Report received, and ordered to be further considered on the 3d of April. SPILSBY POOR BILL. Mr. CHAPLIN moved the second reading the Bill, for the pur pose of poqpoing it for a month. He was aware that there were many objectionable clauses in it—but. perhawi, with several al terations, it might be rendered worthy the attention of the House. Sir S. ROttiLLY was anxious to give every opportunity for improvement, where improvement was possible, but the whole frame and object of the Bill was bi.d—there was not a single clause but what was liable to objection. He again adv( rted to some of the most extraordinary proyi:dons of this Bill,VVhich was intended to operate upon twenty united parishes. The Directors . were empowered to compel all the poor.- throughout the whole extent of these parishes, whether 'asking for relief or not, to go into this workhouse. They were to have all the authority of magistrates with respect to such as they should consider va grants. They were to be allowed to enter houses at their discre. tion to search for vagrants. They might commit to solitary. imprisonment, without limit, the poor which they collected, arid administer moderate correction for misbehaviour-1n other words, they were to have the power of flogging the poor under their controul, at the it own discretion. They might besides, by this Bill, seize all the poor children in the parish, whether call ing for relief or not, and bind them apprentices at their discre tion. He thought that a remedy• to these Workhouse Regula-' tions was urgently required, and concluded by proposing that the Lill be read a second time this day six months. After a feW words from Gen. Tarleton and Mr. G. Vansittart the Bill was rejected without a division. CHARITABLE DONATIONS. Mr. LOCK ART moved for leave to bring in a Bill for Register• ing Charitable Donations. Air. WILBERFORCE seconded the motion. Sir S. Rommi.v was a warm friend to the object of . the but doubted whether it went far enough tad° much good. Mr. Wv N N E said a few words in favour of the object of the measure.—Leave given. WEDNESDAY, MARCH, 27. Sir T. TcR - rox gave notice, that soon after the recess, he would call the attention of the House to the exemption of Fo reigners from the Property-Tax.—Adjourned. THURSDAY, MARCH V. . THANKS TO GENERAL GRAHAM. The CHANCELLOR of the Excur.gu ER rose and said, be had to submit to the consideration of the Honourable House a Mo tion for a vote of thanks to the gallant General Thomas Graham, for accomplishing one of the most brilliant achievments which ever history or tradition had been found to record. On such an interesting and heart-arousing subject what man could be back ward in its applauses, and Meat heart could be found not beat ing in rapture at its participation of national glory ? The whole course of General Grahams career had been most markedly brilliant, his plans and his whole system of action were worthy of eulogium, and might be called forerunners of the present hap py victory. On the sth of this present month the Spanish Com mander in Chief, General La Pena, issued orders to General Graham to descend from the heights of Barrosa, a strong station which he had occupied, in consequence of its commanding part of the plain on which the enemy bad mustered considerable force, and moving along to secure the passage of the river at Torre de Bermesa, where a bridge had recently been constructed. That hasty march was begun after having the evening before been 16 hours in incessant motion. They had arrived at liarrosa, hungry, harrassed, and fatigued ; yet they showed, in obeying the orders of their G-neral, an ardour and an alacrity Which is the glory of the Commander, and the soul and nerve which constitutes warlike enterpri'e, leaving a few Spanish troops for the defence of the heights of Barrosa. General Graham hastened down the hill at twelve o'clock noon, and entered a large forest of pines, in a most painful and difficult march to his new position, sstruggling through all the entangiing interruptions of the forest, and the broken and difficult ravines which it opposed against him. He was hurrying on in his march when he was informed that the enemy had poured in a formidable division in his rear, and were hastening to the attack of the position of Barrosa.— Astonished at the menace, and conscious of the consequence of the heights, he instantly wheeled around, deterranied to retrieve • - . . . , • • • . . ••- • 5 ' •