The National Register. — London, England, 1822-03-03 00:00:00

I zwi J. (stirtill ANI obtained leave to bring iu a bill for flit be iel parts% 411,1 ligl gof Mary-le-bone. WALLACE moved for the revival of the committee oil foreign trade. Meavuiss were in contemplation to re move many ut those regulations nhich now pressed heavily on our commeice i and it thrice vi ere carried into effect, he doubted not that this country would become the emporium of t lie trade of the world. It %tali with the particular ohjects of enquiry into the harbour-dues, pilotrigt, &c. that lie !wised for the revival of tile committec.—(llear 1) —They had operated to prevent the approach of manly foreign ves sels to our coast, and hod therefore been the occasion of the u,s of many lives. Morino agreed to, and committee appointed. Mr. LEN NAR D postponed his *notion relative to the six ate r, we believe, from :‘ltti eh ti, t , l April 16. Mr. G. BEN N Err postponed, till afiei L titer, his mo tma regal dim; the circumstances attendant on the fuuetal of the late Queen. Civil. OFFICES. &c.—Sir R. HERON gave notice, that shiirily after Easter he *Mend move for leave to bring in a Hill to prevent the necessity of reacts Mg counnissiuus on any demise of the Clown. Sir It. HERON also gave notice, that he should, after L ester, bang to a bill to atoeud Die law of settlement as far a, regarded labourer. Lord A. HAM ILI ON gave notice, that nu Thursday, the' 6th of March, he should submit a motion oil the subject of Seottio enmity repre,einaliiiii. Mr. DOM I N ICK BROWN gave notice, that on the IStli of April. he 14114m141 submit a moll tttt on the state of Ire land Mr. C. 11. HUTCHINSON, in presenting a petition against the Irish window tax, condemned the tax ;is one the most hilarious operatimi, especially on the hc.tltlt of the Irish population. Ireland „as taxed mucii hey mid its means. —This tax iii particular was understood to he a tsar tax ; besides, the msh. klarqms (Londonderry) w lien in promised to use Iris iiillitence to get this tax repealed. Mr. (MATTA N also condemned the tax. Sir W. DE CRESPIGN Y trusted that the ministers would get rid of some of these taxes,—of those taxes that wars so especially obnoxious. The petition was from the city of Cork, pray tug fur the repeal of the Irish whitlow tax. CA Rtal•GE or l'ETirioNS.—Sir R. WILSON rem. plaitied of has ing been coal gel It. lbs. by the pii,t.iitliee, fur a petition, because the petition was closed lit bath cinis• lard A. HAMILTON aud others preferred similar complaints. Mr. 11U 11E said, that petitions above six ounces weight did not puss free he knew nue instance whine bib. postage had been charged. Sir M. W. RIDLEY said, the public were net so well acquainted with the regulstani aibmit the pos loge of petitions, and a Lout their be if; left open at each end, owing to such iegulatiiiiis having been introduced into tin act 1111,14114411 g duly on tea und collie.—( hear, and laughter.) Mr. Alderman WOOD moved for the evidence adduced befute the coroner 011 two debtors, who had died in ll chester Jail in Jauntily last, as the verdict stated that their deaths were accelerated by the dampness of the prison. Mr. PEEL wished the motion to be withdrawn, and to antler this mention of it to stand as a nutlet.. Mr. G. HENN Err implored hon. members to read the evidence given byline the ssioners, as the et nettles oitictised in the gaol exceeded any thing he had lead on Ike subjects. Mr. A Idei ns iii WOOD withdrew his motion. Mr. HUALE, at the request of Mr. Brougham, post poned his motion on the subject 4f Irish tithes, till after the recess of Easter, 'fit, silo), April 16. Sir J. NEWPORT hoped the government would take this vital (oration into their hands—almost every thing omiected with the trittlyaillity of Ireland depeuded on it. Mr. GOULBURN replied that this, as well as other stihjects deeply important to the int( rests of Ireland, had received tie most serious attention of Parliament. Sir T. LETHBRIDGE asked if an lion. and Learned :%tember intended to renew his Bill on the subject of the Poor Law.? Mr. : , CAitLEIT replied, that he certainly had intend ed to apply fur leave to bring in In; Bill again ; but if the Nt ble Lord's (Londonderry) plan of lending 4,000,0001. to the Parishes were adopted, it might tomer sede the necessity o his Bill.—(ear, hear !—lf that o ere not agreed to, f then be sh ou ld log for ) ward the 11.11. JA'AIES brought forward his motion respecting the Opening of Members' Letters sent to them by per soils confined in pi twat. •lle particularly complained of his own Letters to and from a person confined in Lancashire fisting thus been opened. 'find petson was confined on a motel St'llteltCC, illll/1/1101/4 two years impriso 11111 l •ut fur basing tet tined his Majesty's subjects by attending a lte- Mini Alerting. fitsasigc as he thought some of the deci sions of that H , use were, he did not expect that they would nartiost such a pi ocertling as this; tot if such practice weie allowable, the instance of Delmar - 1 . Jail showed that severities might be cut ll itt ued while !Slagis ts ale, and Members had het n heat d to praise rue Jailers, and others managing the 1 , 11601111.-- (Hear, heat !) Bat Int practice adopted to Lancaster Jail was hot followed by the Jaileos °laity other part lit the Kingdom ; even the letfri aol Mr Hoot, that still perceented u,duaitlual, rim e nut violaieil.—( Hear, heal !) He should have brought his action, tint uncim standing that it Wall a breach of the pri vilege of Pas Mimeo!, he preferred this course. He con chiPded with 'nosing, that it Wil , a Breach of the Privilege oi ashameht to break °poi, detain, os s uppless Letters rad ected to Members. Lord STANLEY said, he subject hail beton) been dismissed try the prison committee, hot it had nevi r beets viewed ss se tor stuns of ptisilege. There wet e hounds to the pi istlege, and the posictice hail received the sanction el papa and 111116ialratra. .bc tole 111 question had been 1114%U ep by Mr. Jostler. B ey and s ll the titles had rreelitt it the COW 11,111 of Justices Bayley mud lie, therefore, iliongbt the gaoler i.ad only done his duty. Mr. PEEL said, it was held by the hon. member that it was die gal (0 eitels Ilacoubcia . k tiers under any circuit'. *latices; but this dor tome he must daisy. Convicts, for instaine, were gimlet the complete coma tarl of tire moan —the crown violet inicrialst all correspondence whatever im such pri,uucts. 'llle ballit: pi Moyle applied to ps i r:net s, espeerairy what are a ailed the crown sides of die ill lroolta. A , the nudges bad aigised the littler, the pre imuspram at., ib.l the rune. acre I.l4bCti by two judges. rLii • a, butt s t t, air e warrantaal by the Act ut ticarge all. fed r c;ulating Firm! a, 4101 other places ot c minor. o.tut, IMbli bet 11 unnoticed by the bon. me whet. THE NATIONAL REGISTER But after the signing of the order of two judges, it would be a waste of time to occupy the attention of the house. The privilege of members was, that their letters should be exempted from postage—they were not exempt from being openeli where oilier letters were liable to be opened. Be sides, the act of parliament hail justified the by-laws for the nianagement of prisons and other places of confine ment. The opening of letters committed to the post-office would be a breach of privilege, hut that was different from the case where gaolers had to widen the letters sent from their prisoners. Milliners would not desire to inter fere with the criminal justice of the country. Mr. G. BENNE IT said, according to the doctrine of the right boo. gentlemen, magistrates might convert sim ple impriso iiiii ent into solihuy continement. Atter an Lxtetided discussion, in which Sir IL Wilson, Lord Londonderry, and several members took part, the house divided. The intinbeis were—Fur the motion, 60 —Against it, 16'1—Majority, 10. THE FIVE l'Elt CENT. STOCK. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER then lose to bring forward his proposed plass for the redemption u the Five per Cent. Stock. The right ham gent. entered into a detail of his plan end intentions, %illicit have already be-en before the public iu the account of what passed at the meeting at Fife-house, on Friday last. He bind his plan only differed front Mr. Pelham in one point, that of regairing a dissent, instead of an assent, on the part of the stockholder. He concluded by moving a resolution, that all holders of Fire per Cent. Stock, who did not declare their dissent, should receive I U.A. Four per Cent. fur each MI. Five per Cent. The interest to be paid half yearly, and Stock not redeemable till Ist!9. Mr. ELLICE contendi.d that, looking at the plan of the Chancellor of the Exchequer in whatever way he %%mild, it was Unjust towards Use public eicilitor, olio had a right to an option which wits not given by this plan. The Clit et of it had already been to induce little holders of stork to run, in a state of alarm, and sell out, and the resin' had been to raise all the foreign funds, even to the bonds of the new Republic of Columbia, which had risen to par.— He strongly condemned the regulation requiring a dissent instead of an assent, which he said was gl eat illjagtiee, alld these were the objections he had to the plan. Mr. WILLIAMS also condemned the plan, first, on account of the distress it would occasion to the small leitidliolders, of whom, according to the statement of the Chancellor of the Excliequer, there were above COW. — Next, he disapproved of the plan, because it added seven millions to the national debt. The Chancellor of the Ex chequer had said it would keep up the funds; in his (Mr. ‘Viiliants's) opinion, this was an evil rather than a good, since the debt would be much better paid when the Rinds were low, than when they were high. Mr. MA BERLEY w islied the period should be extended from the !nth to the 3011 i of March t—lie wished this, to prevent the possibility of the politic saying this plan was hurried ou without giving time for reflection. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER, in reply to a question tram Mr. Ricardo, said, no person residing abroad, mi) might in consequence claim all extended time for entering a dissent, should be entitled to such extended time for any Stock purchased later than the 2J of Fe bruary. Mr. T. W ILSON objected to one part of the plan, viz that part which went to hold a rod over the heads ul the individuals holding Five per Cent. stock. It not only re duced their interest to r per cent., but told them that a the end of seven years it might be again reduced. Some further observations followed from Mr. Ricardo, Mr. Bright, and Mr. Banks. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER, in reply, to questions put to him, said, that trustees would be em powered to act for their principals, and be indemnified as by Mr. Pelham's Act in 1749. The re solution was ultimately adopted. The House thee went into a committee on the A111111;11 Malt Tax Act. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER proposed a resolution, that Instead of returning any sum upon stock un hand, which might have the effect of vamping the °pet ations of the brewers and _distillers, there should be an allowance of Ys. per barrel made on all strong beer and porter brewed within a certain period. A proportionate duty on spirits distilled from grain, and vinegar made in 11:e same period. The resolution was agreed to.—Report to-morrow. The other orders were disposed of, and the House ad fourned at half past twelve. TIPESDAY, ‘2l. , There being only Thit ty-tive Member, ple:ent at four o'clock, the Speaker declared the House to stand ad journed. WEDNESDAY, PEI. 21. Leave was given to bring in a bill for the lighting of akcfield with gas. Sir H. BLAIR presented a petition from Wiglown, complaining of agricultural distress. Cul. DAVIS moved for returns ut . the putt expenees of collecting the excise; the West India Duck dues, cd. Gen. GASCOVNE brought in the Liverpool Duck Acts Amendment bill.—RAad a first ti me . Mr. HUME moved tar a series of accounts of bat racks kept lip fur marines, &c.—Ordered. Mr. RICARDO moved fur sewn's of the weekly aril vela of corn at Mat Wane, distill:o'o'4lg British hum foreign, tot the last three years.—Ordered. Mr. HUME presented a petition from Mr. Gourley, complaining of the present mode of governing our colt,- Ines in Canada, which, by a proper mode of administra ;night be made to pay their uNill expcncen: Bead, and ordered to be printed. HAWKERS AND PEDLARS. Mr. 11UNIE said, he was extremely ',minas to bring this subject before the house. The department for col. heeling the hawkers and pedlars' duties was extremely expensive; and, what was remarkable, it was such as ter back as 17117. R.:pints to that effect were then made to the 11011 AZ. The hawkcta and pedlars were 'Afterwards thrown into the hackney coach &pertinent ; bat the ex. pence from 4,0001. had arisen to 9,4421. These ditties were collected at a rate of upwards of 16 per cent. 'the commissioners attended only about once a week —amongst them were Col. Thornton, who seldom attended; 111 r. Wilmot, who was pirs ale secretary to Lord Liverpool; end Mr. Jesse, who Ix-longed to the Board of Works. Were tin re any duties to perform, those individuals would nut attend. '1 he ditties collected amounted to 52,04101 , and the rape 'ice of collecting amounted to 9,34•41. The country cunturissronru Dad been extruded hum 10 to Jo. Out vl these colic clots was a clergyman; auulhu Was a lunatic, he tenth:l . 3lodd ; indeed these hundred pounders were appointed Recording to the interest possessed. In stead of being placed in populona divisions, most of them were in obscure places, proving what lie had stated, that the business was one completely of patronage. As to the hackney coach department, it was said that it could nut be done away with, because it was one of police as well as of revenue. Belot e the police offices were established, that might be an argument ; but now the complaints re garding hackney coaches sere chiefly adjusted at the police ullices—indeed the hackney coach co 11111 l issioners wily met once a week. It was iptite preposterous that such an establishment should be kept up at such an enor mous expence,especially as the stage coach duty, amount ing 0 2:i,11011/1.,W collected at an expence nut exceeding 6,0001. (I lear.)-1 le cum:hided with moving for an ac count of the hawkers and pedlars' establishment. Mt. LUSHINGTON said, he would mot object to the accounts required; but he lamented that the hon. gent. hail not limited himself more particularly to the motion. Alany circumstances had hen omitted that ought to be introduced. The office had undergone revision in 1810. lie did not mean to say, that the department might not undergo some useful revision now; indeed its revision etas a matter of consideration at present with the govern ment. tie would not say that the lia•Nkers and pedlars' duties might not be collected by the stamp ur tax depart ments ; but as the commissioners of hackney coaches had judicial .duties to pet foim—as they had to deal atilt Y or 3,000 persons of not the must tractable disposition, lie did nut think it was a department that could be advantageously abolished. .%literinati WOOD thought the magistrates could per fon)) •dicli duties. After some remarks from Sir W. De Crespigny, the accounts were ordered. Mi. HUME, in moving for further accounts, said, that his strong points had been winded. If country commis sioners w ere required, why o ere they appointed in ob scure places. He mov ed for aCCOIIIIIS of 'inspectors of 4Cr. Mr. LUSH INGTON ohscried, that the hon. gent. was much misinformed on the subject—die commissiontis had decided upwards of cases yearly. Mr. G. BEN N E complained of the government tlarowing on the house, the investigation of these cases.— he members of the executive seemed to imagine that they had nothing to do but to receive their salaries, and that the house was to perform the business of the country. Arc! tttt Its were ordered; also of country inspectors; penalties collected; Low applied; the number of board days, ire. A report from the commission appointed to inquire into the state of the revenue of Ireland having been pre sented to the !Wise, Mr. WALLACE begged to observe, that this was merely a preliminary report.—Ordered to be printed. Sir R. W ILSON said, lie was requested to present a petition, signed by LAW persons, residents of Greenock. complaining of the sentence pronounced on 'Mi. Hunt; of the subway eoidinement to which he had been con demned ; of the llaU,eous state of his pi ism', etc. They prayed fur Mr. limit's removal or release. After tile cruelties and climes Mr. Hunt hail exposed; and after the treatinint and severe rules to which lie was subjected, the House pea haps would think, if the ministers had ally justice or generosity left, they would acquiesce in the prayer of the petition. Mr. WARN E said, whatever Mr. conduct might have been, the treatment to winch lie Was exposed was quite uncalled for and unwaraautable. Mr. Hunt was perfectly right in not availing himself in tile common jail room of the prison to hold intercourse wick his frieuds.— The prison, it was well km mil, was on the banks of a river, anti there was a small aperture in the wall; and the only way the son had to talk with his rather was to row to Allah aperture, and there, laying on his oars, hold. ing conversati with his parent.—(Hear, beer.) Mr. DICKENSON said the rules had been agreed to by a most respectable body of magistrates. Mr. HUME observed, that All hon. member (Sir T. Lethbridge) had denied that Mr. Hunt was sufiering " so litary" confinement. He had now au affidavit from the surgeon end Mr. Hunt's sun, sweating to that fact ; sud that the shoal hail sent a letter, deploring that the few comforts enjoyed previously by Mr. Haim were com pulsorily entureed. The commissioned s reported that the prison was badly conducted, and that Mr. Hunt's room was dal k, damp, uuventilated, and altogether most un wholesome. It the magistrates were not to blame, who were to be blamed? He deemed their couduct to have been must culpable. Sir T. LETHBRIDGE said that the object was to have it believed, that Mr. Hunt WAS exposed to extraordinary severity. He dill nut admit such to be the case. But es to the charge of solitary confinement, lie certainly did not yet believe it to be proved. To shut out particular WAS not to impose solitary confinement. As to the repot t of the commissioners, he had read it with pain, and he hoped such circumstances would not occur. Mr. M. A. TAYLOR declared, that lie considered Ilse s 'oiling magistrates of Sumeisetslaire to be mach to blame —they had not done what it was their duty to do. lie would 1101 shrink lions his duty, and express conipliment where he thought no compliment was deserved. —(llear, hear!) Mr.G. BENN ETT was not surprised at the hon. bart.'s (Sir I'. L.) notion about solitary confinement ; but to compel individuals to have intercourse with their friends under most degrading circumstances, was to enforce so litary confinement of the most galling character. There was no gaol iu the kingdom where there was such conduct as was ;tow complained of. The rules, signed as they welt by Mr. Justice Best, were most censurable. 'T he visiting magistrates had been most negligent--dlicy ought to be removed—and if he had the power, they should ne ver exert any magisterial duty again. Mr. Alderman W 00D declared, that Mr. Hunt was, in fact, now condemned to solitary confinement, and Boit his loom was damp and most miwnolesome. The rules had been altered six or seven times , a nd that w ithout any complaint being preferred against Mr. Hunt, as the com illitslitulinecyj e e d ;er t l i li t i , e to m r 3 e g lit t sows 'ties to which lie was exposed—seventies which, v ra ii tt A •s is i . m i d in t o l t ie ft to m w t e h r e , ;lethal's, no other man but Mr. Hunt could Mire survived. Mr. LEN N AR'S condemned the treatment to which Ma. limit was exposed, and was astonished that the inagn. - , tildes could dclare their d e rmination to &lend their eto : l l l . l,:idi t e ie rl ic e 4. ei l a ralion appeared in titian, and had net lieu remain] tead, and tinkled to be pliuted. I C