The National Register. — London, England, 1818-02-09 00:00:00

lIIPILIIJAL P. '• • HOUSE OF LORDS. SATURDAY, JAN. 31. The Royal Assent was given, by COl4Millfioll, to sb. Bill for the rep♦al of the Act of last Sesshm,feotillei al► Act for the repeal of the Habeas Corpus Att. The c sertnindoners were, the Lord Chancellor, the Earl of Sbaltsbary, and Leal bielville. MCIIIO.IIY, Fill. 2. CLERK OP PARLIAMENT. . . Eva GROSVENOR, referring to the office of Clerk of Podia-. snrut, observed that nothing more strikiugly showed the im propriety of granting offices in reversion than what bad oc curred in this case. lie was persuaded, that t h e gerrtleasan who lately held the office of Clerk of Parliament would never Isaac asked the reversion for his son, could he have foreseen that that son would have filled the situation of Ambassador to n Foreign Court at the time that the duties of his office as 'erk of Pa. liament required his presence intliat House. It was his intention to propose the abolition of the practice of granting places in reversion, and that the abolition should be extended not only to grants from the Crown, but to those made by Judgos, and indeed to grants in reversion of every riescription connected with the public service or the tondo t ;nos of the county. In the mean time he moved an Address to the Prince Regent, praying ;Vat lie would order to be laid lwfure the House an account of all grants in reversion of others held immediately front the Crown, and also grants in reversion ()loftier public offices. The Earl of LIVER rum. objected to the general nature of the inotioo. It' the Noble Earl confined it to those offices held under the Crown, lie should be rya& agree to it. The Lord Crusher:LA.(7n thought the Noble Earl 'night di vide motion, it' he continued of opimion that he ought to cull for information as to both species of offices. For his own paid he should be very well pleased to see a statement of all grants in reversion laid before their Lordships,and probably should hims. if shape a motion calculated to attain that ob ject. His opinion with regard to offices granted by the Judges as lie lead already bitiinated, remained unaltered.— Many offices formerly bestowed by the Chancellor were now in the gift of the Crown ; but with regard to the Judges in the other Courts, the power of giving those offices was necessary, as a part of their emoluments arose from those gifts. Were it not for this, the incomes of the Judges would be totally in adequate to the laborious and important duties they had to perform. When the subject was last before the House, he had convinced their Lordships of the utility of the offices in the gilt of the Judges, as well as ot others of a similar nature; and he had no doom he should be equally successful when the question came again before them. He had, however, no ob ject' to ao account of all grant* in ion by the Crown bring laid before their Lordships; and when it was pro duced, he should perhaps think it right to call for an account of all landed property, held in virtue of grants from the Crown, previously to the act passed respecting the grants. Earl Onosvenoe said, that all that bad occurred since the subject was last discussed had only tended to fortify him In his opinion, that nothing could be more injurious to the in terests of Ike public than granting offices in reversion. In saying this he by no means meant to suggest, that lee thought the Noble and Learned Lord, or any of the Judges, were overpaid for their services. What he objected to was not the amount of their ensolements, but the mode in which they were obtained. With regard to the motion, we understood the Noble Earl to intimate his readiness to divide it. and to press, for the present only, the tint part relative to grants Irons the Crown. The motion thus altered, was put end agreed to. PAPERS ON THE STATE OF THE COUNTRY. Lord SIDMOUTIK i■ compliance with the commands of the Prince Regent. laid before their Lordships certain papers elative to the state of the ceentry.—Adjourned. Tussaaar. FINANCIAL DOCUMENTS. The Earl of LaUDIRDALS moved for various account' re• Wive to the National Debt. CASH PAYMENTS AT THE BANK. Lord Kinn had heard lately, that the supposed intention at the Bank, to defer their payments in specie, was attempted So be justified or defended by arguments which be could by. so means comprehend. What was be to think, or what was any man to understand, by the plea set up that a negociated loan in a foreign country, in France, was a sufficient cause for saspeading the promised payments in cash by the Bank of Liaised? Public credit, and comniercialas well as national prosperity, must languish, as long as the natural and substan tial currency was obstructed or suspended, and there could no security or stability in the country while any suspicion remained that Government was unable to pay its debts. The Earl of Ltionsmot said, it was his clear opinion that the Bank ought to reeome its payments in cash as soon after the retina of peace as possible ; but at the same time he had felt, that from the peculiar nature of the ease, the moment ed aid not be precisely ascertained. There might be circum stances in other countries which might operate to occasion a temporary suspension of that desirable event; but there was mothiog oa the part of Government, or on the part of the Bank itself, to' defer the resumption of payments in cash. The Earl of LAUDERDALS observed that the plain English of all this was, that this most important question relating to the interest and prosperity of this country, depended not on the Parliament of England, but on the Parliament of France. July neat had been talked of as a probable time for the re_ appearance of rook currency, but was the Noble Earl sure that some other loan, a loan for Russia, for instance, might ant intervene as tare-wally as the Lean for France, to defeat ;t retract the common wish of Government and of the ap STATE OF 'FHL COUNTRY. The Order of the Day being read for entering on the con sideration of the Papers relative to the internal State of the Country, which had last night been delivered, sealed up by the Secretary of State for the Home Department, to the Clerk. Lord Sinuous"' moved that they be referred to a Commit tea of Secrecy. The Marquis of Lassuowse believed it was customary is seeasioua lilts the present, that a motion like that of the Noble Secretary of stair should be Litt odeced by an express Manage front the Crows. Visootoit SIDMOUTH said, that the Noble Marquis **old end, that Committees of Secrecy were appointed set only in eousequerce of Messages from the Crown, butt the Fiume of (.wens. 'ller,proctice of their Lord hips' Hasse requirad" stn other form that" that of a Massage from the Throne, ra. marauding the taking of a measure or measures law their N NATAL temenees coasideration, in nubs, to laigleil' ,, Ciisniuse for examining the Unto. The Earl of CARtIATON was anxious that their Lordships should not legislate as if they were goaded bs the rigid spur of necessity k but direct their Committee to inquire what use bad been made of that high sad most peritons authority ors which Idinissers bad been permitted to stand, connecting it with that responsibility which they owed to the country. It was Incumbent upon their Lordships to do something more time abide by the diets of Ministers, is the shape of Reports cot op under their instruction, and from no better soarer.-- Attu *lithe Reports. was there sot niftiest reason So be. hove, that she late distathanees hat been thrummed if not originated, by the agents of Ministers, and might be traced to the odice of the Noble Viscount (flidosontb) himself/ (Hear, tient 1) The Earl of LIVERPOOL was far from meaning to trouble their Lordships at any length. The ordy and simple question for their Lordships at present to consider was, whether they would adopt the motion of Isis Noble Priend (Sidon:intl.) by following the immemorial and invariable practice of their Lordships' House. In ail cases were a Message had been communicated with the seal of s dice upon it, a Secret Com mittee was appointed to consider it. The form of proceeding was peculiar to their Lordships' House; it hod beet', without any eseeption, their practice in so instance to delegate to their Committees the power of sending for persons, records, and papers. With respect to late events, he could consis• tesitly say,and this he would say, that If the Noble Lord sup posed that the result of some late trials went to contradict the subStsitee of the reports of last year, that result had gone completely to con6na them . --(H - ear,bear !) Fifty bills load been (mood against the accused men; and thirty-six had been pat upon their trial, who were either found guilty, or had pleaded for mercy. Much important information had been received on the state of the country, since the last report, and the only fair question was whether their Lordships would re fer it to a Committee. as was agreed upon then. This was **questionably the only course to be recommended to their Lordships, as conformable with the practice of Parliament at every stage. Their Lordships then adjourned to Thursday. s,, ‘`. THURSDAY. TOP. SECRET COMMITTEE. A Committee to consider and report on the Paper relative to the State of the Country, which had been laid en the eable by the Prince Resent's command, was then balloted foe and consisted of the fol• lowing Peers Lord Chancellor, The Earl of Harrowby. The Duke of Montrose (as Earl Graham), The Earl of Liverpool Mar quis Camden. Marquis of Lansdowne, Earl Pitswilliatn. Earl of Pools. Viscount Sidusouth. Lord Grenville, Lord Redesdale. Earl GROSVENOR after deprecating in strong MM., the proposed plan of proceeding. moved, that the Secret Committee be empowered to call for and examine perms, papers, and records. The Earl of Livzaroot. contended that such powers were never granted to Committes appointed on similar occasions. The motion was negatived.—Adjourned. FRIDAY. In the morning. Counsel were heard on appeals, for the first that this season. Adjourned to Monday. HOUSE OF COMMONS. SATUNDA It JAN. 31. There was sobasioess of importance this day. Monntv. There being osdy S 5 members preterit at 4 o'clock, there was no House.—Adjourned. TUESDAY. CONVEYANCERS. - - - Mr. Sw*es presented a Petition from several Attorneys and Solicitors, complaining that a vast number of persons, wholly unqualified, as to education or regular professional instrnetion, were practising as conveyancers ; and they prayed the House to take into consideration the laws affecting than, inerder to some legislative enactments which may check the abuse complained of.—Tbe Petition was read and ordered to he on the Table. FINANCE COMMITTEE. Lord Carrenneaen said, if the House were not unwilling, he should have no objection to go on with the motion respect. ing the revival of the Finance Committee, which stood for yesterday. In calling the attention of the House to this sub ject, be trusted they would feel that whatever difference of *patios might have existed epos any particular measures proposed by the Committee of Income and Expenditure last year, no Committee could have executed the trust reposed in them by the House, with move industry and more fidelity.— After recapitulating the labors of the Committee, the Noble Lord concluded by moving, that a Committee be appointed to inquire into the Income and Expenditure of the United Kingdom of Gieat Britain and Ireland, for the year ending the Sth of.lanuary„ 1817; and also to state the probable in. come aad expenditure for the years 1818 and 1819, so far as they could be estimated; and to consider of what means might ►e devised for the reliefof the country, without detriment to the public interest. The motion being agreed to, his Lordship proposed the same Members who constituted the Finance Committee last year, to which the House assented. BANK RESTRICTION. Mr. GIIRMLL.—In consequence of the commenkation which bad been made to the House on Thuesday last, by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, on the subject of the resump tion of cash payments by the Bank of England, felt himself compelled to offer to the House a few considerations upon the subject. He was not at all surprised at the communica tion made, though he was not prepared for it preeisely at that time, nor had he any idea of the grounds upon which the continuation of the Bank Restriction was to be proposed.— He knew, however, that upon some ground or other inch a proposal would be mad. to the House. He always thought such a step would be taken when the period began to ap proach for realising the hopes of the country upon the resump tion of cash payments. He would now entreat the House to recollect the promises which had been made by every Mem ber of his Majesty's Goveroineat upon this subject, particu larly by an Hon. Member (Mr. Hoek/mon) who was First Conialieskuter of Woods and Forests. These promises, with respect 'to the resumption of eAsh payments by the Bank of England, were given by Ministers, with a confideuce and boldness which nothing but a mond certainty of the result couldjOstify. The promises of Governineut wet accompanied with the assurances of the Bank itself. if the protestations on the porta the Baulk were serioirs, nod coining from such a rgatectable source, particularly from Mt. Hartrmu. ttl,co wa• • the head of the Directors, lw conld nut lot a moment dtuint sheiceisceeity. it warsmatural that they would appeal to the Hooscior the purpose of relieving them trout the situation re which the were placed by the Act of 179 7 . By commercial Sul it esiW getitut be felt at one of considerable tklEcttitY• law of complete anomaly comanzrelal world. They had now stopped payment 21 years. Stich circumstances would have brought any other body of bankers or commercial men to ruin, but instead of that, to the Bank of England they were a source of wealth, of power, and prosperity. The restriction was said to be imposed as a. measure of state policy, and accessary to the best interests of the country. It wu a getter only advantageous to the Bank. It had the effect of adding millions to millions in the hands of private individuals, but it sapped the foundations of the solid and legitimate sources of a country's wealth. The Restriction Law bad been introduced twice within the last three years by the Right Honourable Gentleman opposite (the Chancel lor of the Exchequer.) The first motives assigned for it Were the necessity of foreign subsidies, the war with Buena_ parte, and the high price of bullion. But of all the grounds ever Emanated for such • measure. none were so futile, so flimsy, so insulting to the feelings and to the understanding of the public, as those stated in the communication made to the House on Thursday last. Was it because France. Aus tria, and Prussia required the aid of foreign loans, and at two or three commercial houses ; that for example, of Mr. Baring or Mr. Rothschild had set the example of engaging in such speculations, was that a reason why the Bank Restriction sl Id be continued? He moist state it as his opinion, that while the Bank refused to pay in cash . such l oans should be restrained. In this business the erect was mistaken /bribe cause. 'floe disadvantageous state of the exchanges was assigned us the reason against east' payments,. but the truth was, that so long as the paper currency of the country was not convertible into rash, It would continue to turn the rate of exchange against them, and vice versa. They were themselves, by passing and continuing the Restriction Law, the cause of the unfavourable state of exchange. It could not be denied that a paper circulation was attended with many and great advantages to the commercial world, but all these advantages were founded on its convertibility into gold. The precious metals were the only standard of value devised and generally agreed npon by mankind. The sooner they reverted to this older and better species of currency, the mere it would contribute to the advantage of the country. The Hen. Member then moved, that there be laid upon the table an account of the total weekly amount of Bank Notes, and Bank Post Bills, in circulation, from the mouth of January, 1817, to the id of January, 1818, distingoe khan the amount of those under 51. The CH ANCELLOR of the ExcifittivEn said, he would not at present follow the Hon. Gentleman through any of the argu ments into widish he had entered upon the subject of the Bank Restrictien. He had stated on Thursday last, that circumstances might arise which would render the continua tion of it necessary. It they should arrive be would then be prepared to go into the subject. Mr. °Emu Fri.L then moved for a variety of retnros from the Hank, tending to slew the amount of its issues for the ►ast year, in the difterent !weeks; its balances in cash on the Thus of cacti month, the cash belonging to Government in its bands and the amount of the unclaimed dividends. INCOME TAX. Mr. BROUGHAM wished to be informed whether measures had been taken for removing all vestiges of the Income Tax. The CHANCELLOR of the Excumiumt said, he felt plea. sure in having it now in his power to give satisfactory infor mation upon the subject. A circular letter had been sent to the Commissioners of the Income Tax, desiring that they should destroy all papars having reference to this Tax, such only excepted as were necessary to be retained until such time as the accounts of the Receiver General were settled. PROSECUTION OF MR. HONE. Mr. W. 81111111, preparatory to his intended motion for leave to bring in a bill to correct ex. informations, wow. ad for an accouot of the sums paid by Mr. Hone at the Crown Office, for copies of the informations filed against him, under what authority they bad been demanded, and to what use they had been applied. Ihe Arreassv Gewitam. opposed the motion, as there was nothing new in the case to which it related, and all that was demanded, was already known. He moved the previous question, which, after some observations from Sir F. Burdett, Lord Castlereagh and others, was carried. Lord G. BIIRESFORD, ou the part of the Prince Regent, acknowledged the Address of Condolence, and thanked the House for the same. LUNATIC ASYLUMS IN SCOTLAND. Lord BINNING moved for leave to bring in a Bill for the erection of distinct Lunatic Asylums in Scotland. He should only move then that the Bill be read a first time and be printed, and should postpone further proceedings till after Easter. The Bill was thee read a first tine, and ordered to lie oa the table. Mr. Hine= moved for as account of all the pensions and retired salaries which bad beeu bestowed on persons who bad been employed in the Tax Office, distinguished those persons who held separate situations.—Ordered. Mr. Bauman presented a petition signed by 1 inha bitants of Liverpool praying for Perliamentary Reform.-- Ordered to lie on the table. Sir H. PARNELL presented a pedtien from the High She riff and Grand Jury of the Queen's County, complaining of the too frequent use of the military in the enforcement of the civil law. lie observed that it was a very great grievance, and one which called for the Interference of the House in the most pressing manner. Mr. Pm was convinced the House would perceive that there was no necessity of entering Into the merits of the question at that moment. Al the same lime he would say, and he knew he would be borne out in the assertion by every gentle. , an who knew any thing of the affairs of Ireland, that there was no period when the ill te airtime of the military was 'cascaded for or leas used titan within the last two or three years. bit. V. FITZSERALD agreed perfectly with his Hon. Friend (Mr. Peek) that there had never been less use or less call ter the screico of the army than withiu the last two or three years. His lion. Friend had introduced a regulatiou re specting the police, which bad been followed in several baronies, and though the expenses of that police had been levied on those baronies, yet such was the satisfaction of the inhatedants at the safety and protection tiny received, that they had expressed their readiness and even pleasure, to pay ing the expenses thus incurred. Sir W. livaitorGus thought, that too great precaution could not betaken against employing the military in die ex ecution of the civil law. The gentlemen on the other side of the House, taking credit to theutselvea for having re:touted from using them lately uu welt occasions, throe u io the House, that it was not unusnal to have Mein employ salter that purpose. He thought the petition demanded very great atten tion. •