The National Register. — London, England, 1822-05-26 00:00:00

14: tinperia I 4.4 HOUSE OF LORDS. MONDAY, MAY 23. Lord DELAMERE was introduced and took his seat. Petitions against the Catholic Peers' Bill were presented from Stirling—Exeter—the Diocese of Caaterbury—the Rector and Churchwardens of St. Olave.:-:outliwark—and the parishes of St. Margaret and St. Mary. Leicester. Read, and laid on the table. I . IIE ROMAN CATUOLIC PEERS' Blll.ll..—The h ousc was numerously attended this day, in expectation of the Rumen Catholic Mere' Bill. We observed his Royal Highness the .Duke of Sussex, and nearly all the opposition I.ords. The oo die ministerial side displayed a wore than ordinary at tendance. The bar was crowded with strangers. Soon after five o'clock the bill was hrotient up from tbe Com pons by Al r. Canning , accompanied by Mr. Plunkett. and many of the members who supportisl it in the lower House. The Bill was received by the Lord Chancellor, and laid on the table. The Duke of PORTI.AND moved the first reading, and ap peared to take charge of the Bill. The LORD CHANCELLOR read the whole of the title. His Grace of PORTLAND then liked the second reading for Fraley se'imight, and moved the Lords be summoned for that tie!. The House was accordingly summoned. lhe Petitions were severally lead and laid upon the table. Lori HOLL AN U said, he had the honour last year of pre , undo* a petition front Newfoundland, complaining of the bad adnrlnistiation of their law, and praying relief. The noble Lord (Bathurst) said, on that occasion, he would take care to have the subject brou3lit under consideration, and that lie had no doubt something would be done by the next session. Ile wished to ask the noble Earl whether any thing had been done, and whether the noble Earl had it in contemplation to present any bill. Feed BATHURST.said lie had intended to bring in a bill to alter the present system of law in Newfoundland, after the Easter holidays. but he (mind further infmnation was necessary, and was thet, fore obliged to postpone the intended measure. On the motion of the Marquis of LANSDOWNE, a copy of tic report of a committee in the House of Commons upon Vs elch Judicature, brought up by message, was ordered to bepeinied.— The Rouse adjourned. TUESDAY, MAY 21. The House met at tour o'clock. when Mr. Brougham, Mr. Wetherell, and the Attorney General appeared at the bar as Counsel. in the Marchmont Peerage. After some documentary evidence had been put in and read, further proceedings were ad journed to Thursday. Sir J. Graham. and other members from the Commons, brought up the Irish Malt Duties Repeal Bill, and several pri. ware Bills, which were read the first time. The LORI) CHANCELLOR presented a petition from the Dean and Chapter of the Cathedral Church of Gloucester, praying their Lordships not to admit Roman Catholic Peers to a seat in that House. 'rim petition was then read and laid on the table. The LORD CHANCELLOR also pre - ended a similar peti tion front the inhabitants of the parish of St. Martin, Leicester, bearing between 700 and 800 signatures. The Earned Lord mated, that there was a peculiarity in the petition. The peti- tioners erroneously supposed that the Peers of Parliament were obliged to take an Oath, which had been repealed. The informality perhaps would not induce the House to reject the petition; it was nut so much a matter of surprise if die petitioners were n error, because those who brought in the bill to dyable Roman Catholic Peers to sit in the House of Lutds had been misled by the same misconception. After a few words from Lord Holland the petition was received, read, and laid on the table. Viscount IIIELVILLI: presented a petition from Brechin against the Caellilic Bill. - Laid on the table. The Marquis of LANSDOWNE gave notice that it was his intention to-morrow to move the suspension of the standing orders, for the purpose of passing the bill to provide employ went for the poor in Ireland . The noble Marquis made his motion conditional, viz. in case the Bill came up dm the Commons.— The House then adjourned. PIAY 22. Vrtfi 11*'(1 f 41'f'n!t WEV'S ESDAY, - The Marquis of LANSDOWNE discharged the order of the day for susixoding the standing orders of the house, for the purpose of passing the bill to give employment to the distressed poor in Ireland. The noble marquis observed, that the bill would, perhaps, be brought up to-morrow, and in cue it was laid on their table, he should then make his motion.—The order was fixed for to-morrow. EXCISE PROSECUTIONS. The Marquis of LANSDOWNE said, several causes had come to his knowledge, in which the Excise had prosecuted per sons for selling compositions of bread corn, which the Board of Excise considered a fraud upon the revenue. Statements had reached him from all parts art the country, complaining of ag gravated oppression on the part of the Board of Excise. The noble marquis did not take upon himself to say whether the Excise lied acted illegally. Looking at the Act of Parliament upon which these seizures were made, he was sorry to see that die Board of Excise had a discretion which Parliament could certainly never have intended to give them. It bad long been this intention to introduce a bill to remedythe abuse to which he alluded ' • but, as he understood a measure was to be brought into the other house to accomplish the object, he should deter further remarks until the bill came before the house. The noble marquis, however, could not avoid saying, that he was persuaded the revenue might be increased by . introducing a clause in the Act under which the Board of Excise now proceeded, to oblige persons to mark their imitative coffee, and other articles of sub sistence made from bread corn, so as to shoe there was no fraud intended, and that no fraud would take place. Such alteration in the Act could not injure the public, and individuals might sell fairly such substances made from bread and corn as could not injure the revenue, but increase the consumpiion of grain, which at the present time was an object of importance. Mr. Fellows, from the Stump Office, presented an account of the number of Country Banks more than sixty miles distant from London, with the Banks in \Vales. The rctorn was laid on the table.—Adjourned. THURSDAY, MAY 23. The Earl of LIVERPOOL moved the first reading o: the Bill for the employment of the Poor in Ireland ; and the bill was accordingly read the lust time. The Marquis of LANSDOWNE then said it was not neces sary to address the House at any length in order to induce the Lords to suspend the standing orders. He should, therefore, merely move that the standing orders be suspended. Letd KING was sure the House would feel disposed to pass this bill with speed, at the same time be could not avoid ex pressing a wish that the assistance it was to afford had been more extensive. Tho measure was to grant 20,0001. to relieve the starving population of a whole district. It as. in fact not one-shilling per bead. He had beard of jobs, and in case there was a job in the application of the above sum, the relief would not aintaiot to a shilling per head. Some persona had taken offence at a remark made by a member of the other House, who charged the landlords of Ireland with rapacity, but Lord King was of apioloo that it would have been a tree statement, lied the gentleman alluded to added, that the rapacity of land lords was only surpassed by the rapacity of the church, which agsiu was sorpabsed by the rapacity of the government. The Earl of LIMERICK rose hestily.—He said the noble Tftr, r------ - lord had taken up the ountlet for the peraon alluded to i—to throw out a general reflection, at a moment when conciliation was the object, could not be serviceable to Ireland. Lord KING wished more had been done for Ireland, and he wa► only anxious it should not be 'aid—Here we will stop, we can do no more. The relief was trivial. The people of Ire land had been oppressed by taxation, and now the government gave them 20,0001. by way of relief. The Duke of ATIIO 4 expressed a hope that his noble friend, at a tine of conciliation, when every man in the kingdom wished to relieve a suffering people, would not use language of exasperation, which could only tend to inflame, rather than conciliate the minds of the people. Lord KING.—" The Catholic Peers' Bill will soon come tinder discussion, and it will then be seen what will be done for conciliation." The Earl of LIVERPOOL did not wish to prolong this dis cussion, at the saute time Lc might say. there was a general feeling that the measure was advisable under existing circutu. stauces. If it should appear, under the arrangements pro posed iu the bill, that any practical good was likely to result, lie should not have the least &vette° to extend the sum. The Marquis of DOW NSIIIRE rose to express his satis faction on finding the bill brought in by his Majesty's Govern ment. It was an earnest that something was to be done for Ireland. He was himself a large proprietor of tithes, and most anxious for a revision of the plyst.:lll. The noble martinis wished to bear whether government had taken up the subject, and whether the report was correct, that there was to be some al.eration in the window tae.. . . . The Earl of LIVERPOOL hid no hesitation in saying, the reduction of the window leis in Ireland would depend on other IlleSSllreS to be introduced in the other House of Varliament.— If these camisoles meet with approbation, it would induce go vernment to repeal the window tea. Earl DARN LEY wished for conciliation as much as any man. On the subject of landlords in Ireland, he was persuaded the Lords could not think all the great landholders of Ireland were harsh. The middlemen were, perhaps, the cause of the evil. lie hailed the measure as a boon for Ireland. The Marquis of LANSDOW NE then gave notice, that it was his iotentiou to call the attention of the House to a general measure of conciliation, on some day in the week after neat. The standing orders were then suspended, and the bill read a third time and passed. The Duke of DEVONSHIRE presented a petition from the county of Cork, complaining of agricultural distress. The Earl of LIVERPOOL said the subject of tithes bad occupied the serious attention of government, and a measure would be brought forward when in a state of maturity. Lord HOLLAND thought a discussion of the general state of Irelaud would be useful.—Adjourned. FRIDAY, MAY 24. The Royal assent was given by commission to the Poor in Ireland Employment Bill, the Silk Bill, lice Seditions Meetings Bill, and several private bills.—The commissioners were the Lord Chancellor, the Earl of Shaftesbury, and the Marquis of W inchester. Lord HAREWOOD presented a petition from the merchants and manufacturers in the town and neighbourhood of Leeds, in the county of York, praying for the repeal of the duties on foreign wool. Ali n Lord KING preseoteda petition from Wakefield for revision of the criminal code. _ . Lord SUFF:ELD presented • similar petition from South Shields. _ . Lord Viscount SIDMOUTH preseoted a petition from the parish of St. Peter, Westminster, agaiust the Catholic Peers Bill. THE ANNUITY PLAN. Lord KING said, as some of the ingenious plans of the Trea sury bad failed, and the noble Earl did not communicate to that House the cause of failure, he was desirous of asking for s4)1110 explanation with respect to the new plan. The Earl of LIVERPOOL said, that he should not object at the proper time to give explanation on the measure alluded to by the noble Lord. It must he obvious that the measure could not be carried into effect without the authority of another branch of the Legislature. %%'ben it came upon their table he should give all the explanation necessary. Lord KING in reply, said, that the House must be satisfied with the explanation elsewhere, if they could not have it from the noble Earl. The Bills on the table were forwarded a stage, and the House adjourned to Thursday. HOUSE OF COMMONS. MONDAY, )lAT O. Mr. ABERCROMBIE postponed his motion respecting the conduct of the public press in Scotland to the 13th June, as some proceedings in Scotland were definitely fixed for June ad. SCOTLAND.—Lord A. HAMILTON postponed from Thurs day next to June 18, his motion regarding the county representa tion, Scotland ; hie Lordship moved resolutions on the subject. Mr. CURTEIS presented a petition front certain hop growers of the county of Sussex, complaining of agricultural oistress.— The hon. member adverted to the injurious tendency of the law txquiing the marking of hop bags. • Alr. Alderman WOOD was surprised that the hon. member should fondemn such law. It was to prevent frauds ; and if Sussex hops were passed on the public for Kent hops, sonic injury would be inflicted. Mr. LUSH I NGTON observed, that he considered such law to be perfectly just, and that while he remained of such opinion, lie should resist any attempt to procure its repeal. Petition ordered to be printed. Mr. CURTEIS then gave notice, that on Thursday, June 13, he should move the repeal of the act to mark hop sacks and pockets. Sir 11. VI V lAN presented a petition from Truro, praying for the repeal of the salt tax, as the House were adopting measures to afflird die country some relief from taxation. Ordered to be printed. AGRICULTURAL HORSE TAX.—ML S. WORTLEY pre• sented a petition from tanners, &c. of Sheffield. He took this opportunity to enquire whether any relief was to be afforded in consequence of an unexpected demand on account of agricultural horses. Mr. LUSH I NGTON replied, that owing to the bill of last year, a demand ot 21. 17s. 6d. had unexpectedly been made, when it was expected that there was to be no tax. That was not the intention or the law, and instructions bad been given at the Tax Office to afford requisite relief in such cases; and he should hereafter introduce a - bill to declare what the intention of the legislature was. Alt. ABERCROMBIE presented a petition from a lay im propriator, of Mayo, named Carew, praying for a revision of the tythe system. It said that there was no hope of permanent tran quillity except such system was reviled. Mr. GOULBURN said, that a bill on the subject was prepar ing. and in a few days lie should be enabled to introduce it ; till the provisions of that bill could be considered, he trusted that hon members would suspend their opinions. Mr. PLUNKETT said, that this petition merely required an alteration in the mode of collecting the tydies. As to the cause of the evils, he repeated that the great evil was, not tytbes, but the rents. With roped to tythea.he thought that measures might be adopted torches" Ireland from tythe farmers and tythe proctors ; and it' this could be done, he considered that important relief would be affinded. Sir J. NEwrota declared, that nothing but an entire mi. shin of the system would produce any good. He could see no reason why a commutation of receipts might not take place. If the present system continued, C:cre would be a constant increase of the disaffection in Ireland, till the people would be wholly alienated hom the establishment. l'etition ordered to be printed. Mr. lIUNIE presented - a petition from the law stationers of I.oniltin, bigned by between eu and SO of them, against the Stamps' Belief 11111, Two clauses in it would materially affect them; the proposition was to lower the allowance ot4os on stamps purcir.sed to the amount of Sol. to 20s. It was also par tial, because the bill did not atlct the regulations regarding proctors and distributors. They prayed that the clause., might be omitted or amended. Charred to be printed. Mr. G. BENNET moved to postpone the second reading of the Licensing Bill to Friday next t—lie postponed this motion because the Bill was not not yet printed. 11011110 USE postponed till June 19, his motion for the repeal of the house and window lax; he made such postpone• ment to ace what relief measures would be proposed by the min isters. .... WODE HOUSE presented a report from the committee appointed to conaider the petitions on agricultural distress. it embraced the regulatiLas to be adopted respecting the ware. honseing of tbrei:m corn. The House went into a committee on the Marriage Act Amendment Bill. in which Dr. Phillimore made soave verbal amendments. Mr. Eri I EREI.L cowl:lined greatly of this bill. A more monstrous bill, calling itself amendatory of the law, he had never seen. It would be a greater incitement than now existed to fonu improper matriages. Ile Lund:mitt! with moving as an amendment of the first clause, that all the words after " Be it enacted" be left out. fir .1. AIACINTOS'II was astonished to hear it, in fact, declared in that House, that an emendation of the marriage act was net necessary ; the existing law occasioned discord in families, injury to . property, and much calamity in various forms. For years it was considered that the consent of die natural mother was sufficient ; a recent decision had established the contrary by law and was this std state of law with which they were to be satisfied? 1 he amendment was negatived. After a long conversation between Dr. Phillimore, Mr. We therell, Sir J. Macintosh, bee. all the remaining clauses were agreed to, with the exception of that which went to make th operation of the act retrospective. as to as regarded suits for nul lity of marriage now pending. That clause was negatived. The report was ordered to be received to morrow. Mr. WALLACE moved, that the House go into a committee on the Navigation Laws Amendment Bilk In doing so he took a review of some of the obj.s:tions that had been urged against the measure, and submitted that they were answered by the evidence and report resulting from the foreign trade committee.— This bill, as well as the measures regarding colonial intercourse, resulting from the recommendation of such committee ; and from the fullest consideration that he had been able to give to those Bills, he was persuaded of the advantage they were calculated to produce to the country. Mr. Davenport, Sir W. De Crespigny, and Sir M. W. Ridley, opposed the bill, as being ruinous to ourcomuicrcial and shipping nation. The question for the Speaker leaving the chair was then put and carried, and the House went into a committee. Several verbal amendments were put and agreed to. The House re sumed and the report was ordered to be received on Wednesday next. The other orders of the day were then disposed of. lr answer to a question from Mr. Hume, the Marquis of Londonderry add that he would on Friday meat move an ad journment for the holydays, front that day until the following Thursday.—The house adjuurned at one o'clock. ltik:-.U•Y • MAY 21. On the motion of air Calvert, the Bakers' Regulations' Bill Report was ordered to be takeu into further considera tion the Ist JUlle. Mr. CALVERT presented a petition from St. Saviour's Southwark, ugannt the lion Coffins Bill, as their parish was populous and their church-yard small. Mr. DEN ;SON withdrew fur his hun. friend (Mr. Salirs) the notice of motion respecting the repeal of thr tax on Oki low. lie expressed a hope that the measures of the noble Nlaiquis would render the renewal of such a motion quite unnecessary. Sir R. FERGUSON postponed his motion respecting the Scotch Postmaster General, Irmo May RS to June 4. Ps Bikini against the Poor Removal Bill was presented from Pancras, Leicester. A petition from the manufacturers of Wiltshire and So. mersebbire, agaiest the alteration of the woollen trade laws wa. presented. Petitions against the New Corn Trade Regulations Bill were presented from Glasgow, Swore, Surrey, Suffolk, Bambury, &c. Mr. CURTEIS moved for returns of the persons receiving poor relief from Mayfield, arid three oilier parishes in StliiSCl, &c. A petition from the hop growers of Rye, &c. against the act in 18,12, was presented. Sir J. NEW PORT ',resented the first report of the committee oil the graud jury presentmeuts, Ireland. Ordered to be printed. Sir T. LETH BRIDGE- presented a petition from corn growers of Dorsetshire, against the resolutions for the pro posed regulation of the corn trade. Sir T. L LTII BRIDGE postponed from the 30th inst. to June 5, his motion respccitug the pressure of Imitation on egg - tertian e ; Ins ob ject bin, to call the attention of the House its those taxes that more immediately affected the ioteresto of agriculture. Mr. W. S a lilt presented a petition from the Unitarian Christians of Liverpool, complaining of parts of the marriage cere 11111 l ry to which they were bohjected. Mr. G. IIENNET withdrew his notice of motion respect lug tire priming of certain parts of the evidence taken before the coimnittee on Opthalmii, the lion. member being outlet stood to state that an umingement bud taken place which would render such motion unnecessary. Mr. B. WI LBR HA NI mused fur an account of the es peurtiture and receipts of the post-otfice packets on the Dover station from 18U, including the espense of building steam vessels. Mr. BU fTERWORTH seconded the motion. Sir I. COFFIN said, that the satire fate awaited Dover that had befallen Margate ; the Beam-packets must super sede the use of tire common vessels : their safety and advantage were beyond all praise. They must soon be adopted every where, from one end of the country to the other. lie knew Dover well; an immense deal of swind ling used to take place there amongst the boatmen; now those impositions would be matetially checked. Mr. GLADSTONE said the number of passengers ought to be limited, or the steam packets ought compelled to have boats as in the case of Scotland. Account ordered.