The National Register. — London, England, 1822-04-29 00:00:00

system, controlling it was of most severe operation ; it was also frequently most oisjust and partial. It was ruinous to an parties—except those immediately benefited by the e vent ; and it destroyed all confidence. He hoped the Cluoicellor of the Exchequer, if be valued the commercial interests, and the maintenance of loyalty in the commercial and manufacturing districts, would no longer sutler a system of rapine and violence to be curried on in the name of the Crown.—(lf ar.) Mr. J. SMITH also strongly condemned the system of extents in aid. They were frequently issued where the Crown was not concerned ; could it be desired that so violent a 1,%-tela bliould be continued T The CHANCELLOIt of the EXCH EQUF:II said, that the suhject should receive the amplest consideration both in and out of the House. The ditheolty was plow to snake alterations in this subject without interfering with the ancieut prerogatives of the Crown. The Court of Exchequer, how- ever, wan perfectly competent to interfere in any case of marked rause. Mr. 'Y. SMITH condemned the system of extents In nid in the strongest toms. N 9 man, he thought, could persuade !mind'', after leading the repot on the subject, that the system was one which ought to continue. lle defied all persons to the proof, xs h tiler there aas issue of the exteuts X-sued within the last year where the interests of the Crown were in ally way concerned. Petition eventually ordered lie uu the table. _ _ Some other petitions were presented, and several of the iirde.s were afterwnrds disposed of, which considerably delayed the main motion that stood on the •orders. MIZ.HUNT'S SENTENCE. Sir F.IIU et an advanced hour of the evening, (the gallery however still continuing very full, and the gallery door locked), brought forward his motion for an address to his Majesty, to remit the remaining portion of Mr. Hind's sentence. He took a review of the treatment which Mr. Hunt had experienced, and said it was most unworthy of the parties concerned in it. If it were not placed beyond all dispute, much of the conduct that had taken place would hardly be believed. It reflected such discredit oil the magistracy ; and what could be thought ot such magistracy, when it was remembered that clergy men formed portions of it? What, however, he now asked for, was en act of slow but requisite justice. Mr. Hunt had already experienced more punishment than the court had intended to heap on the prisoner. He asked not for mercy, lie asked not for indulgence; all he required was justice, although it would now be ad ministered in a tardy manner. The hon. baronet, highly complimented the fortitude and perseverance of Mr. Hunt, and said that the greatest benefits had resulted, and would result from the exposures accomplished by Mr. Hunt, and from the sufferings that individual had 'seen most unworthily exposed to. As to the conduct of the visiting magistrates, particularly of the Hi v. Dr. Colston, it was most extraordinary. It was no defence to say that the magistrates had no pay; if there was to beim) re sponsibility because there was no pay, Own lie would say, let the niagi•ti ales be• paid.—(Hear.)—As Mr. Hunt had suffered more than the court had contireplated and awarded, and as the court had interfered as far as it could, lie thought the house could not object to his mo tion. He concluded with moving au address to remit the remainder of I hunt's sentence. . Hr. DAWSON opposed the motion, and commented in strong tel oil the conduct of Mr. Hunt, %%limn he de scribed as living in adultery, and otherwise deserving, by his conduct, all the restraints under which he lind been placed, and all the severity of the regulations ts hich the magistrates adopted towards hint. Mr. Duct at one time himself thought differently of this gaol ; and it was not till his conduct bad drawn on him some severity and re- Fitt aint that he changed his opinion of it. He also con tended, that Mr. Hoot had at all times expes Mimed all the indulgence which his own conduct would allow of. 11011I1OCSE defended the conet et of Mr. Hunt, and strongly condemned the severe rules adopted towards him. He 4;0 ted in all the aiguntents brought forward by his hon. colleague, and gave his %%mutest support to the motion, a loch the house would du itst If honour by adopting. Alt. DICKENSON I-abutted the charges brought for ward by the lion. bait. acid his colleague (Mr Hoblionse) of et miry tow al ds Mr. lino. Ile denied hut Nlr. Hunt had est e been stibjected to solitary imprisonment, and contended that all the restraints to which he hod been •obit C 14.11 otiginated in his own conduct. Mr. PELL would not agree to this addresi. Ile con sideti ti that to adopt it would be a most dangerous and most unconstitutional iliteilt reuse ill' the 1 i I.lUgd Live of the etc an. He declared, that such was his opinion of ME. guilt, that Ho consideration, not es en the re spect he bad for the decision of the house, should they adopt this motion unanimously, should induce Will to re comnr,•ud to the clown to remit any part of Ids sentence After a long debate, the 1110li011 was negatived. The Louse adjourned. _ _ THUR'DAY, APRIL 2ä. The Speaker mita riioded to take the chair at four k in eueisequehee .4 the attendance of opposition tueinbera ; r e did not at that time obaerve one wean:Jet tal the ministerial side of the iloose. Petitions were presented from Cornwall, Eastern part of Sussex, Salop, Hollietham, Barnsley, ha lout shire, and Leiet stet. ; complaining of agticulturai distress.— Ordered to be pi hard. Mr. RAMsDEN presented a petition from Huddersfield against the bill pe tttt itoing the importation of wool:en goods fur the purposes of exportation.—Ordered to be printed. Mr. MA BERLLY moved for accounts of all clerks who hose been admitted to civil offices, from 1815, to the bat of Jitounty Imo, and of all eletks discharged since the period, distiuguishing names, ages, &c.—Ordered. Sir It. W PION mused fur varions pope's revecting the excise prosecutions Mr br•Arktitst•powilet. lie adverted to a prosecution that had been cot ttttt rimed fur • " Broom," same herbs th,it mete connides . rd of medicinal value; but it was considered al imitative of hi eaktist powder. Surely the revenue did not require the support of inch prosecutions. Mr. LUSHI NOTON said, that the subject was tinder the ronsideration of the treasury, and that it was intended to propose a plan for Issuing licences toe the sale of such articles, concluded however in such terms as to protect excisch ble articles.— Papers ordered. Mr. PELHAM presented a petition from Lincoln, pray ing for toirlisiormary reit.' in. Sit It. 11 EBOhisattl, that it was agreed to at a regular where the parties properly assembled, riot stip p▪ lied with disloyal sticks, but proceeding with cult-eel— THE NATIONAL REG ISTEIt " constitutional confitsion."—( laugh).—The petitioners had heretofore been contented with their lot, but seeing themselves surrounded with menacing distress, they were driven to look at the cause of such threatening ruin.— They saw it was in the present representation of the people. They bad seen that house turning a deaf ear to the complaints, and scornfully rejecting propodtious for relief, soil they now thought that there was no bops but in a reliirm in the Commons' House. _ . Mr. JODDItEL approved of the petition, and bore testinuniy to the respectability of the meeting that had adopted it.—Petition ordered to be printed. Lord EURINGTON presented a similar petition from Crediton, Devonshire. Mr. HUME moved for returns of all patents granted for printing, fur supply of stationary, &C. or Alderman King's supplies of stationary in Ireland.—Ordered- Mr. G. BENNET gave notice, that on May 8, lie should move for the printing of the evidence taken in the opthal. min committee. The Marquis of TAVISTOCK presented the Bedford petition for reform. The petitioners did not expert that their petition would have any effect, but they felt it due to themselves once more to implore t h at house to set in motion, in some way or another, the pi ineiples of refit' m. It was not to be expected that any party would willingly resign powei....but lie felt reamed, that without reform there was no hope that the countrs's difficulties would be relieved. A right hon. gent. (Mr. Canning), who had just gone to his seat (a laugh), had said that the country was not favourable to. reform. It by the country were meant those who were interested in the present system. then, indeed, the statement might he correct, but if allusion were tussle to the mass, and to the intelligence of the people, the statement was moat incorrect. He wished the tight hon. gent. and those who thought with him, would only meet ally one county meeting. He thought such persons would come away with a very different opt pion.—(Hear, heat I ) Mr. M'QUEEN observed, that he was informed that constables were placed at the hall door to prevent persons from entering who were unfriendly to the objects of the uneetine.—(Hear.) Mr. F. PALMER said, lie was placed near the door, and that such statement was not founded in truth, a more respectable meeting lie never attended in his life. When the hail was opened, there was no want of " constimiional confusion;" but no one was refused admission.--(Hear.) Petition ordered to be printed. Mr. COKE presented a similar petition from the Hundred of Garrow, in the county of Norfolk.—Ordered to be printed. REFORM OF PARLIAMENT. Lord J. RUSSELL rose, pursuant to his notice to move a resolution. that the Rouse would take into consideration the state of the Representation of the people. He deemed it of great im portance. If he succeeded in establishing the importance of enquiry into the state of the representation, he should then apply for leave to bring in a Bill to amend the representation. l'he question was of the greatest consequence. Parliamentary Reform, according to some, involved the ruin of the country ; according to what he deemed the majority of the nation—and he numbered himself amongst them—on it depended its salvation.—(Hear.) As lie had served an apprenticeship to the cause of Reform, and therefore to whatever other charge he might be exposed, he could not now truly be taxed with rashness. Some of the greatest men produced by this country had supported the ne cessity of Reform, and many counties in England had petitioned for it during this Session. He thought the time was peculiarly favourable. There was external and internal tranquillity—the period was most favourable to the calm examination and decision of the question of Reform. lie thought too it was most satis factory to know that none of the petitioners asked for any ex clusive plans. There were not now general demands for annual Parliaments and universal suffrage. But all these schemes and theories he !eected at once ; he asked tor what the Constitution said the peop le ought to have. Above all, he rejected a theory that had been avowed even in that House, that the Commons ' House ought to contain representatives of the Lords and the Crown asmell as of the people. 'fins was wholly theory. It was calculated to give to the King and to the Peas a majority in the House that professed to be exclusively the people's. If this , were to be, what would become of the balance of the Constitu tion that was to protect the people ? The noble Lord then pro ceeded to argue, that most dangerous abuses had crept into the system of the people's representation. They had arisen front a variety of causes—the change in the state of the country, in the increase and employment of property, in the . growth of manu facture, and in the great and general dissemination of know ledge. This latter change and improvement could net but be apparent to all. Such was the extension of learning, and the encouragement given to literature, that one author alone was raid to have made 80.0001. by his works. There was, too, one pub. biker that annually sold ‘.500,n0u copies ; that employed 6i% dials ; that expended &Stall. for advertisements; and that gave employnisnt to eft) bookbinders. Such was the trade of one house. There were upwards of text circulating libraries in London : there were many all over the country; id besides those there were Book clubs. There were many reviews and scientific works, and the most valuable standard works were in numbers, though such sale bail been limited by one of the S x Acts for the Suppression of Knowledge. Political knawlalge had also been gteatly increased by means of newspapers, &e.— According to the last returns there were annually alum. twenty three utillions of newspapers, eleven millions of wlitch were London daily newspapers. Those papers had doubled within the last 20 years. Had the government kept pace with the in telligence of the people ?—fur no government could be stable Met did not do so. He submitted that it had not. The noble Lord then went into an extended argument, to show that the in crease of wealth, and the progress of manufactures, like the ad vancement of knowledge amongst the Ilittsb of the people, called for a tension of the representation of the p e ople. Tory writers and Tory Statesmen opposed the principle, but it was found supported by the history as well as the constitution of this country Amording to the present state of the Representation, it could not be said that there was the requsite sympathy between that House and the people. It was known that the aristocracy had great influence in the return of members; it was also known that the government controuled many returns ; and as that was not the representation contemplated by the Constitution, and as he aintalet4 that Hefomi alone could save the country, he felt the more earnest in ptessing this motion on the serious attention of !the House. He concluded, amidst loud cheering, with moving, as a resolution, " That it was expedient w take into consideration the state of the represents:ion.' Mr. TW ISS followed, opposing the motion. Lord FOLKSTON E supported the motion, and entered at length into a review and refutation of the arednients contained in the celebrated speech of Mr. Canning, delivered by him to his Constituents at Liverpool, some note ago. He treated the doe time of balancing the three estates of King, Lords, and Com mons, in the House of Continuos, as most aosurd. Mr. Wynn, Mr. F. Robinson, and Mr. Canning, of course, op weed the motion , after which, larrd JOHN RUSSELL shortly replied. The want of agree. inent in a specific plan had been objeete4. The same objection, it valid, ut ght to have beet, fatal si the neyttiution ; for there had not been two members who would have agreed in the object fur which ;he !Tinge of Ur.....gs was to be ceLeel over. 131 Mr. PEEL rose, not to explain away or retract what he said last night, but to repeat, that he would not be the instrument of a measure which he did not conscientiously approve of. It was not from disrespect to the House, but tiorn a conscienti. , as o.u viction that Mr. Hunt was not a proper object for the royal mercy. The House divided— Ayee, 166 I Noes, 269 I Majority against the motion, ins. This result was received with loud and repeated cheering by the opposition.—Adjourned. • FRIDAY, ♦PRIL 26. The gallery was crowded, in con eptence of the ex pectation that the agricultural question would be bronght forward ; but the further consideration of the Repot t un Agriculture was postponed, last night, during the absence of strangers flow the gallery on the division, tall 111onefly next. _ _ . Petitions complaining of agricnltural distress were pre sented from Cork, Waterford, and South Ethertou, in Sontersetshire.—The two tormer were re (erred to the committee, and the latter ordered to be printed. Mr. WILLIAMS (the barrister) took the 04111$ and his seat for Lincoln. Mr. M A. TAYLOR gave notice, that on the 27th May he should submit a motion respecting the appellant jilt is diction of the Court of Chancery and the House of I.ord•. He also gave notice, that in the course of the next session he should propose to introduce a grand jury into the cri. urinal proceedings of Scotland. A petition was pi eseuted from the tanners of Glamor gan, praying for the repeal of the leather dirty. Mr. BYNG presented the Middlesex reform petition. —Ordered to be printed. Dr. LUSHINGION presented ■ petition front Mr. Clark, the publisher of " Queen Mab," complaining of the conduct of the Vice Suppression Society in conducting the prosecution against hint, and of the proceedings res pecting the recognisances.—Ordered to lie on the table. • LUSHINGTON moved, that the house at its tieing do adjourn to Monday next. Mr. FIUME moved,tlint various papers illustrative of the expenditure of 51,0001. be referred to a committee. The items were varied—charges for printing, for clerics of the Lord Lieutenant, &e.—Ordered. Mr. S. RICE presented a petition from Limerick against the Irish window tax. The further consideration of the reports of the Re ceivers' General bill, and the Superannuation bill, was ' postponed. Mr. 0. BENNET asked, if the agricultural question were not brought forward on Monday next, whether the committee of supply would be proceeded with? Mr. LUSHING lON did not doubt that his noble friend (the Marquis of Londonderry) would be enabled to attend in his place on Monday. Mr. HUME asked whether the Government had given any orders respecting the supply or non-supply of gun ! powder or aminimition to Greece or Constantinople, diet whether Sir T. !Maitland had issued any proclamation oil the subject ? He knew of some shipments. Mr. WILNIOT replied, that a proclamation had been issued, and that the shipments wet e made in igitoratire of each regulation ; but they had been stopped, or AMAIN be stopped. The Committee of Supply, the Silk Lace bill, &c. were postponed till blot p LONDON BRIDGE. I Sir W. CURTIS moved the second reading of the Lon ' don Bridge Water-works bill. Sir W. DE CIIESPIGNY trusted that the proprietors would be protected; speaking for 1i i 11l self, lie wan pre pared to acquiesce in the pi °position that lied been made. He, however, spoke only as an individual. All lie cum tended for was a fair and equitable compensations when that was promised, he should withdraw his oppositiou. He understood 10,01:01. only had been odered. Mr. H. SUMNER observed, that the dtlapidations of London Bridge had been frequently complained of. The committee had been of the tumultuous opinion that there were no means of removing the dangerous obstructions of the river without taking down LOlll.lOll Bii•lge. An to the present bill, all lie had to desire was, that the reports about the bridge, as well us the Southwark petrinn, should be referred to the committee on the bill; lie then should have no doubt that such proceedieg I, , gai ding the bridge would he recommended as were advisable. Mr. DENISON concur red in this mode of proceeding with the bid. The present bi idge had been must pro perly complained of. Mr. Ald. tt 001.) would oppose the bill, if lie thought it would prevent the building of a trew leidge. It would not. It was tiecessary, at all events, that the water-work should be tenioved, whether or nut their was to be a ne w bridge. 'Elie bill was read a second time, and ordered to be re • ferred to a committee a buse %Nit •, to which tile reports respecting Liolooll Ilridge were tete' red. Mr. H. SUMNER nova that the Southwark petition be referred to toe committee.—Motion aq,ecJ to. Tine I*nm/tiling orders having been alas u.se.l of, Mr. B ‘ICHAM moved tor it eturne of 'lei...ices granted to eictivellers And of applicati 111 l 3 refused, since I..st 1, 1 , 7 the magi/orates of the lune', Finsbury, and other urvi• sion,—Ordered. The house then adjuiel tied to Monday. It is expecte3 that some notice will b^ taken in Parliament of the state of the aro:aunts of the trea surer of the County of Middlesex, for it is a very great hardship that the county should be obliged to make up any deficiency that might have arisen by the misconduct of taiii.rs. The latter ought to be investigated to the utmost, for never was a country that has suffered so much as England by public d....- faulters. There should parochial meetings held immediately to petition Padiameut on the sub;t.ct, to institute an imitiiry into recent proiteiL:igs. A tenant of a gallant Baronet, residing in ti .• neighbourhood of Bary St. Edmund's, lately applied to his landlord to inform him that he could not go longer, and wished the latter to enter upon thei , r,. , rinses and pay himself for two years rent . were then due. The landlord insisted thiti he should not leave his tarot ; gave him a receipt in fail for his reut; and reduced it, in future, to £Oa. an acre! , ;'•