The National Register. — London, England, 1818-05-10 00:00:00

r s I ie- re 41 l'l'L tall) No. 535.—V0n. Xt. POLITICAL DISQUISITION. PARISH VESTRY UILL. ANIONGST the many subjects which within the course of the last week have occupied the attention of Parliament, we cannot select one which appears to us more generally to interest the public at large, than the hid nos': betbre Parliament, for the regulation of Pa rish Ve trie: , . When we consider it with reference to tie spirit of our national laws and institutions, we can not but feel impressed with a sense of its high import ance, and therefore, whilst there yet remains an oppor- Utility for the influenceof public opinion, on the adop t on or rejection of the Bill in question, we conceive it our duty holdly to promulgate those opinions which the most deliberate and orimpassioned consideration of the subject have impressed on our minds. ititout enter ing into any discussion en the expediency of those in stitutions for the relief cf the pour, with whom every pariah of the kingdom is so inundated, or in the least degree intefering in those regulations which any parish may think it expedient to apply to its own particular cir cumstances; we will boldly assert, that the existing mode of nominating the Parochial Legislature in this , 1 country, is the most perfect in its kind, net only tl:at has been, but that perhaps can be devised, It so admirably harmonises with those principles of practicable equality which are the foundation of our Political Institutions; it is sanctioned by such long usage, by such gantral and unqualified approval, that we almost shudder at the content/a - Arm of the eftleftvours made to introduce innovation in the operation of it. Such, however, is the case ! The Bill, it is true, does not go to the extent of taking from those who before possessed it, a voice in the regulation of parochial affairs, it is grounded however on a principle, we conceive. far more dan gerous and invidious, the uneleal distribution of power in favour of wealth. The =jerky of our readers are, without doubt, acquainted with the purport of the Lill in question ; but for the information of such as may not be so, we will briefly state, that it is to add to the power of the more opulent parishioner in all parochial .iffairs, by allowing hint one additional vote for every 1. et which ha is rated from '251, up to 1501. by which many individuals befiae limited to one vote, will in future be entitled to six. 'I he alleclged motive for this innovation is, that it will tend to secure the attend ance of the more opulent parishioners atVestry meetings, from which, according to the statement of s ein e Mem ber of the Hoosc, they have been driven, or rather re pelled by the force of vq4,-ar clamour, and the rude col lision to which they have been exposed with Plehian e/oeution. Another argument advanced in fitvonr of this rneature, and by Tar the more ,specious of the two, is, that the man who contributes more than his fellow parishioner to the parochial expenditure, ought, in jus tice and reason, to have a stronger voice in all that re lates to the administration of it. That it is a duty incumbent on the squire, as well as on the trade.enan or farmer, to devote his exertions to the public good— that the public have a right to demand it, are, we trust, points of fact beyond dispute. The rich in neglecting to attend theso meetings, have unquestionably been reprehensible ; butt admitting; (merely for the sake qf argument) that it is se. and that their motive for se do ieg, originated in the disgust they felt in plebian so ciety, don it not appear probable, that the proposed remedy will tend to aggravate the evil ? Will nut those, flora whom rank and wealth could not before ensure respect ar.d deference, now feel themselves :a tared by this new created distinction ? Will there lzss clamour in ecnscquenee? Will the deportment the lass towards the more opulent parishioner be less likely to cite the disgust of the latter? These are questions, we appit lietlde3 ) to which there can be but I ;atonal( Ittoitittr+ Our on titut tort any 3Litilni. SUNDAY, MAY 10, ISIB. one answer. In our opinion, the measure can scarcely fail to he productive of incessant jarring and rancor ous animosities. Ko much far its expediency. As to the justice of the mcesuic we can say still less zn fi,eur of that than of its exnediercy. it she..i.l net be forgotten that whether er. iantitunt of a parish be retsd at i5l. or at t.CI., he contributes, if he be rated fairly, in proportion to his means: he is as much interested in whatever may affect his little pro ' perty, or the advantage of the parish wherein he Las fixed his home, as his more opulent neighbour, and has un questionably eery right to as strong a voice in all those measures of which 1w must in crennion with his neighbours feel the operation. We feel convinced we are here speaking the sentiments of the rnajelity of our countryieen, bet it may, perhaps, be said again in fa vour of those :manures we have been so ceodenining, that the seperior attainments, the more profound and polished educetion et the more opulent class, better qualify them to judge and decide on questions of public utility, than those men who have not had the same advantages. In admitting this reason in part, wo must however, observe, that these questions which are likely to form a subject of discussion et `✓cztry Meetings, are generally in their statue and in their bearing, so sim ple as to fall within the compass of the most ordinary minds, and as connected with many circumstances with which the tradesman or firmer has more opportunities of becoming acquainted than the gentleman ; these questions appear more properly the business of the for mer than of the latter. In short, we regret and deprecate the measure in question, as a species of aristocracy utter ly inconsistent with the spirit of our Institutions and at open variance with popular opinion. Could we persuade ourselves that it were calculated to achieve its alleged object we should sill be of the same opinion as to the justtice and fairness of the measure, but we mach fear that in it the violation of long established cus tom and popular feeling. will only tend to encrease those evils which on a false principle of expediency such ex tracrdinary a proceeding is intended to remove. The afEtit of Fualdes goes on still slowly. In the 24th Sitting, a complaint was tnade that threats had been held out against some of the witnesses fur the pro secution, who were encouraged by the Magistrates to disregard them, and told that they were protected by them and the laws. Bax has made another voluntrry deposition, in which he says, that Yeneo Bessieres, Veynac, Louis Bastidc, and Rene, a tobacco dealer, endeavoured in eMn to iteince him, by the promise of 1200 francs, to join them, the day before that on which M. Funldes was murdered, in robbing the house of M. de France. The next day Bax sa.v the persons above named, with Bastide, Grensont, Jausion, Bancal, Colard, the woman Bancal, and two ether females, whom he did not know, in Bmical's house, surrounding M Fualdes, who was seated on a chair. After maktng their victim sign 12 or 1 4 papers, nhich Jausion put in his pocket-book, Bastide told him ho must 'lie, on which he exclaimed, " What 1 can I believe I shall find my relations and friends among; the nooll,cr of assassins?" The only reply &stick made was to seize him, and with the assistance of the others . to extend him on a table. The unfortunate man the n begged for time to reconcile himself to God : to which the inhuman ruffian replied, " Go along, you will ruccmciie yourself to the Devil." Tha depoeitlon then described the strtr A lling of M. Inaldes, the overturn ing of the table, his being seiJed again, nm:l ultimately put to death; the discovery of Madame Manson in the closet, in man's apparel ; and her being saved from tau: brutal vengeance of Bastille, by Jatrion and 131 x.— Instead of heir', confounded and ovcrwhchned at the reading of the horrid details of his own cruelty, liastide smiled at the moot frightful passages respecting the inurdct • Jausion, on the e,mtrary, exhibited ne.-vms writhings. Madalue Manson confirmed Faso: _ _ test molly, that two men ssvetl her life. She Irad t!..uught that Bantu' was one of them; but it tuiqht have hutra Bax. I3astide administered the oath to her over the dead body, PRICE 94d. IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. HOUSE OF LORDS. MONDAY, MAY Z. Lord KFNVON moved for a Copy of a report made by a Committee of the House of 0 , 1111/1011/1 on the 50) . 1‘Ct 44 . the Employment oi Children iu the Cotton nicturies.— Ordcred. Tne several Hills OD the tabic were forwarded a stage. - djoorocill. 'rump 1 . A pereon from the Mint presented aces:tents of the lo , a the old silver evinage which had been called in, and of tho expenee of the late gold coinage, and also an estimate of the expence of the intended gold coinage. Oc the Motion of the Marquis of LANSDOWNE these papers were ordered to be printed. The of LAN'tDOWNY gave notice that he should to morrow move the second reading of the Pardcns under the Great Seal 841. The Inukeeper's Rates Bill was eentruitted.—Adjouracd. WBONKSDAY. PARDONS UNDER THE GIIEAT SEAL. The Marquis of LAISDSJOWNE moved the second reading of the Pardons under the Great Seal Bill. (Its Lordship. after at.... 1).• referring to the objectoltbe hill, to lessen the es prnee of übtairing Vai-elons tineltir the Great Seal, which we is •It nrcLeni Leyond tae reach of any pour person, adverted iiiore to Stamp Duties, which he was happy to sea, atialistit it hy this Etit, Bo tar as regarded the Pardons, %stitch ti.....0n0u0t wits no less than 601. These Dt.ties sneeivily him alt law lit ueeedings, and became a serious bur• den tapou the peoplc. He was aware that this was mit a time to recommend the abolition of ditties, when the R.% time was unequal to the expeuuttute ; but even now the Legislaturis frequently found itseifcompelled to grant relief frogs the op pressive weight of these macs. In many quarters, the people unable to obtain justiee iu the ordithery Courts, from the op piessive automat of Stamp Duties on the pteeeeditigs, tinned the Legislature for the establishment of inferior Cm' ts, free from that bat den ; and the Legislature frequently ftmitti itself compelled to accede to this prayer. This war, however, aay stein which led to injurious conseqiienees ; and he trustedthat, ere long, the evil would be mitigated, by re. clueing the amount of this branch of the stanip Duties. 'r he Dill was read a second time, and committed for to-mot'- row. ALIEN BILL. Lord Holism) wished to obtain infatuation as to the state of any uegotiation with Foreign Powers upon this sub ject, nod he therefore gave notice tur en early day of his 'ion to mu v.. IL,r say correvunilence wit h foreign powersenthe subject of tevtlation3 with regard to Aliens, and also for any correspondence with the Minister In the Netherlands, re specting the grautinst or refusing of Passports to individuals not being subjects of that State, or of this Oovernmeut. Vie Pills for the allowances to the Princes, and the Loan Bill were then ordered to be read a third time to-morrow.-- A I,uurtied. TRIYIIIO4 Y. COTTON-MANUFACTORIES' BILL. LordKttvsuv wished to propose the second reading of the Cotton Factories' Regulation Ei The Earl of Lite :I% , :DAT.Ii had. a, fir :0 he was co ricerned, no objection to the eunrse the Noble Lord s -oposeil. The proper place for details was the Committee, and for that stage he wonld reserve them. The Earl ot'Llvettruot said, that as the Noble Lard had ch. jeered to the principle of the did, lie thooght it right to state, so reply to his obsess/idiots, that the objeet of the Pill was not to regislate labour generally, trirt the labour of children, or persons under the age of 16 years. With all his respects fur the tree exercise of labour, Isis opinion woe, that to be called free, it twist be the labour of free agents, In that view of the subject, he conceived the conduct of the Cotton Fat• tories a proper object of parliamentary regnlatiou. The Earl of L t enettnAs.E agreed in the priociple that chil dren ought nut to be overwoi keit ; but he observed, that Ihnitinti toe work done, and the time to be devoted to it, wore two very dement things. ROYAL ANNUITIES. The Earl of lavv.it Pout moved the third reading of the Bill 14 go - timing hit aimility to the Dike of Cambrtdge. The Earl of LAI. :3E111).1.1 E moved that the message frr•-rt the Cronn, relative to the marriage of the Royal Dukes be read. The Clerk having read the message and the address rutpd on it, The Earl of Latrouttivos said, he had desired the viewaste and the address to be rend, in older to bring to heir Lord ships' recollection that a pe.riciple had been trylie.l in the proceedings which had taken place oa tl;is pittrjret. declared tit ineiple uu wlsih their Lardshirt had acted %via, that prima:aim vas to he male for eert.iii members of this Royal Family is aonsetpieuee nortiaL. In looking at the Bills on the table, their Lordships ::itd that th ere was one tuember of the Royal rashly inarri.:(l, with that eon. pent of tht. Crown, and for whom es provision !tad yet beta mink. With that member Of the al I . :tinily Mho attiaj i ll t h e kitisa;j.)• to wiuehhc h a d ail vetted be wits Ito it cua• vta• soothe , illindricus prflin neat I} coance.teg with the %%110141• pruilijice h a d ex:s.c its a certain ;carter. 11.• was, harry, boa ei er,to see, front on• of toe tot the ills if that plajuilite had presatic4 it %%a.: 14,0%11 11.1410Ved bat s%!ty 4 5tj..1114 shotll , l e 4.1 oithunt any apparent oil the rinC, of Cc0,t4.41.1t01, Hots what he could out • antlerstini a, It th er e ally real ground fur sigmaiizing that ills t ate tthas person, the proper coarse would he to tottoetuce A B i a otetwit . hint frosts the Crown; hut while he ivaa , e n o ,,, . 1 14 retain LiS laak to OM tailor of bucces4ton, It WBs SUM Utitalf