The Statesman. — London, England, 1823-04-12 00:00:00

MI F i e • ;;~ now ? He thought Ministers had not been sufficiently explicit upon this subject to the House. It was hut rea sonable to expect, that when a new species of loan was created, and considerable deviations made from ordinary practice, that the probable benefit derivable to the public from the innovation would have been stated in the fullest and most satisfactory manner. The greatest silence, on the contrary, was maintained by the Right Hon. Gentle. man opt:ostte upon this subject, and the Ilnusewere left to guess at the probable measure of relief which the plan niiarht be expected to operate. It was his firm conviction • that it would produce no good result, and he expected before be sat down to convince the House that such an assumption was rot unreasonable. 111 the first place, suoposing the scheme to be productive of good, it was only through the breaches of positive law that the bene fits were to be approached. By the Statute of William and Mary the Batik were restricted from jobbing in the Ftocks, and the first step towards giving their interfer erce in this loan effect should necessarily be to repeal that law. But would it be said that the circumstances which rendered a prevision of this sort necessary against the Batik when that Statute was made, did not exist at the present day It certainly could not; for the objec tion had been rather fortified by the great increase of tn. fuence and capital which the Bank had since acqnired. Such were the resources of the Bank, that if they were once allowed to go freely into the Market, they could model it almost to their pleasure, and at any time raise or depress the funds two or three per cent. in twenty-four hours. But this giving the loan to the Bank was a posi tive breach of public faith on the part of the Chancellor of the Exchequer. When this subject vi,s before the House last year, the Right Honourable Gentleman's pre decessor stated distinctly, that if the Commissioners of the Sinking Fund did not buy op these securities, they would he brought into market, open to public competi tion. lit, therefore, accused the present Chancellor of a breach of faith, and, indeed, of a departure from the established practice of the last thirty years, by not throwing open this loan, like all others, to public cont petition.—(dear.)--And Added to all the objections which might he made to it as a private job, it was, tinder all considerations, a most improvident bargain for the public. By a calculation which he (Mr. Hume) had made, it would appear that on the 10th of October, 1)42.8, which was the period of the loan terminating, the Chancellor of the Exchequer would have received 11,247,000/. The question to be asked was, what was to be done with this money—was it absolutely necessary? It was not wanted towards the remission of taxes, nor was it calculated to enhance public credit. The Honourable Member then entered into a calculation to show the ad vantages which going into the market, and buying up Three per Cents. would have over the present scheme of Long Annuities. He further contended that the loan was made nitli the Bank upon the most disadvantageous terms. The stock was bought at 75, whilst the market was suffering under a temporary depression from the rnmnurs of a war. If Government had waited for a short time the Funds would have been up again. The effect of the bargain which they bad made with the Bank, would be, that what the latter bought at 171. 3.. 9d., they might sell at 201.3+. 7d. If it were probable that there should be a war, and the Funds continued at 75, this would not be an unprofitable contract for the pub lic, but as peace was likely to continue, there was no doubt but that the Funds would rise higher than 75, and in proportion as they rose, so were the public losers by the transaction. For all these reasons then, but more particularly because the Chancellor of the Exchequer bad no right to extend the contract beyond the year for which he wanted the money, and because be ought to have left the loan open to public competition, he disap proved of the plan, and he trusted the same feeling would he so general throughout the House, that they would immediately scout the measure. He concluded by giving the Amendment his support. Mr. MA DIMLY expressed his disapprobation of the lo in principally on the ground of its being given exclu sively to the Bank, and the new and dangerous facilities which such an arrangement would afford to that wealthy Company in meddling in the money market. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said, he was not disposed to go into any general arguments in support of this measure, but the breach of public faith imputed to him made it incumbent upon him to say something in his own justification. The Honourable Member for Aberdeen had asked why in pursuance of a pledge given by his pre decessor, this loan had not been laid open to public compe tition in the market, and not given to the Bank exclusively. In het, it had be-n so exposed last year, and it was not un til Government had found that there were no individuals coming forward to contract for it, that they opened a nego esti in with the Bank. Tile loan in itself was too large for tiny private individuals to undertake, and therefore the Bunk were properly applied to. But it was not true that they came in under any peculiar advantages, for all the proceedings with the Bank were conducted precisely as they with an Individual, or any class of individuals. There was threforefore nn breach of public faith, for the terms upon which the late Chancellor of the Ex.diequer stated that the loan was to be contracted for had been strictly complied with. Mr. M ABERLY observed that the loen had never been offered in parts to individuals, which was the basis of the arrangement with the Bank. Hitherto Government had ex pressed a wish not to contract for less than the forty-five years. The CHANCELT.OR of the EXCHEQUER said, he was not sure that the loan had been offered from year to year, but he recoll , cted that no one seemed disposed to take it up on any terms. Mr. BARING thought the inconveniences arising from the infraction of the statute by which the Bank were restricted from jobbing in the money market, fur nished a strong objection to this measure. It was, in his opinion, a dangerous innovation, and to be justified only by the plea of urgent necessity. lie was at a loss to see the immediate occasion for raising this money in a way so novel, and indeed se unintelligible. His Hon. Friend, the Member for Aberdeen (Mr. Hume) had stated that there would be a loss on the transaction; and he (Mr. IL) was inclined to concur with him in his con clusion. The scheme, even its supporters were obliged to admit, was founded upon a delusion. The money was not necessary towards a remission of taxation, and cer tainly it could not have the effect of promoting public credit. First, he (Mr. B.) saw no immediate necessity far raising this money; and, secondly, lie did not think public credit so low, that if the money wanted, such a trick as this was necessary to obtain it. In a country like this, 54 full of capital, there never could be any dif ficulty in raising not two but twenty millions, and the mode in which this loan proposed to raise it, in itself' furnished an argument against the measure. From the candour displayed by the Right Hon. Gentleman, in his first financial statement, he (Mr. Baring) was led to ex pea a more explicit and manly course of proceeding.— He considered a scheme unwise, and the connection with the Bank unfortunate. It would seem as if Government bad made choice of the most unseasonable time for ef fecting this loan. Souse two or three months ago, the 3 per cents were up to b 3; but the rumours of an ap pre:ldling war bad lately such an effect upon the market, that they fell to 73. This was the very moment that the Bight Hon. Gentleman went into the market, and his bargain with the Bank was made upon the basis of 73, being the standard price of 3 per Cent. Stock.—(Hear.) Bait, not content with taking tne Fuds at the greatest dis advantage at which they have been for the year, the Chan cellor of the Exchequer committed himself to this unfor tunate bargain for five years. There was something so exceedingly ridiculous in the whoie scheme, that lie (Mr. B.) felt souse difficulty in treaties it with gravity. He wondered how any man could defend such a scheme ; but he found *that Ministers did not defend it. He really be lieved that they me as coavissod of its futility as any THE STATESMAN. one on his side of the House, and that the Chancellor of the Exchequer would be obliged to the House if they helped him to get quit of 't. There was no doubt but that, from the great mass Of capital in this country, the Funds would again rise to , their natural level, and h was only then that the folly of this contract would be seen in its tree colours. Thus, if peace continued, the bargain was bad ; and if the country were again obliged to go to war, he asked what could be more impolitic than to sad dle the Bank with this weight, that body beink to the public what a private banker was to an individual—a re source in times of difficulty ? Mr. HUSKISSON expressed his regret that he had not been present at the commencement of the debate. To such of the objections, however, as he bad heard, it appeared to him that a very s hortl answer might be givep—namely, that they did not apply. Gentlemen seemed to argue now as if the principle of this measure was broached for the first time. whereas a contract had been already made with the Bank, and the question was whether or not it was to be ratified.— With regard Ito the objection taken to the Bank becoming contractors, no such oojection was taken last year, when it was intended that the Rank should contract for the whole amount, and the objection would have been made with greater force than now. lie could not say what effect this loan would have upon the money market, being ignorant of the domestic regulations of the Bank. They might divide this loan amongst the Proprietors of stock, as they did in the ease of the Loyalty Loan during the last war. It was said this was an infringement of the Statute of William and Mary ; but if this Statute was constructed too rigidly, the hands of the Bank would be tied up altogether from nego elating any loan. The loan was contracted for upon the market terms, and this the Government thought the fairest standard. As to the loan being given exclusively to the Bank, the Hon. Member himself had admitted that this was precisely the description of loan which no class of indivi duals were disposed to speculate in. When it had been contracted at the market price, without paying a premium, he thought no complaint should be made by the public. Mr. GRENFELL in explanation, said that in the case of the Loyalty Loan, the Bank were advised by their Solicitor that their Charter did not warrant them in engaging in any transactions by which they would come to have any concern in the buying or selling of stock. Mr. HUSKISSON and Mr. II ALDIM AND severally ex plained. Mr. MARTIN supported the amendment. The House then divided, when there appeared—For the motion. 53—Against it, 43—Majority. 11. On our return to the gallery, the House was in a Com mittee on the Bill, and after some verbal amendments were agreed to, the Report was ordered to be received on Monday next. IRISH GRANTS. The House having resolved itself into a Committee of Supply, Mr. GOULBURN said, that in moving the customary Miscellaneous Estimates for Ireland, he did not conceive it necessary to make any es,danations as to the necessity of those Grants, unless they should happen to be objected to by Gentlemen on the other side. He then moved to vote the sum of 17,0001. for the Protestant Charter Schools in Ireland. Mr. HUME objected to the amount of this Grant, first. on account of the heavy burdens which already pressed upon Ireland ' • the expenditure of that country being al ready more by two millions and a half than its income.— This fact appeared from the Returns that had already been laid before the House; and he had entertained hopes that long before this time, considerable reductions would have been made In the expenses of Ireland. He expected that the Excise Duties in the Miscellaneous Estimates would be much greater thin they had been before the Union: — but they had increased from 41,0001. to 200,0001. It was his opinion that a public interference with charitable Insti tutions never did any good; because he knew that the moneys voted for charities were always misapplied. As to the proposed vote for Protestant Schools, he must express his entire dissent from it ; because they never promoted the education of the people of Ireland. He thought it would be much better to apply a part of those sums now proposed to the maintainance of central schools for chil dren of all sects. Let chartered schools employ their funds as they liked but let the Parliamentary Orants go to the education of the Catholics, so as to convert them into good and peaceable subjects. He knew that the lower classes of people in Ireland were extremely anxious to have their children educated : and if they were educated, many of the outrages by which Ireland was disturbed would be put an end ;a. It was monstrous to suppose, that 17,000/.was necessary for the education of 2,000 Pro testant children. The sum could never be applied to purpose so limited as this: and if it were laid out in the education of children of the community at large, it might do good ; but be never would vote that sum for keeping up such an unnatural state of society es that of taking children away from their parents, and keeping them in separate establishments, merely . for the sake of increas ing the number of Protestants in Ireland. Therfore he should propose to reduce the vote to 10,000!. and to apply the other 7.000/. to the general education of the pour in Ireland. Mr. GOULBURN said it was a great mistake to sup pose that the schools in question were intended solely for the propagation of the Protestant religion. The chil dren educated iu them were generally orphans, and it did not follow that, because they were the children of the Protestant parents, they should be deprived of the support usually granted to them by Parliament. On inquiry he found that the persons educated at those schools had always conducted themselves with great propriety in every department of life into which they afterwards en tered. Sir JOHN NEWPORT said the great evil belonging to the scholastic institutions in Ireland, was that of their being subdivided into such small establishments, that the sums expended on each were rendered nearly useless; whereas, if the money was applied to the support of large provincial schools, education might be made more uni versal, and become greatly advantageous to the coun try. He could therefore recommend the abandonment of all the lesser establishments,and that the sums granted for their support should be applied to the larger ones, where great numbers of children might be educated at once, at comparatively little expense. Mr. GOULBURN assured the Right Hon. Baronet, that he had taken every possible means to render the grants available to the benefit of the community as much as possible. Mr. NONCE thought that the charitable institutions for propagating the Protestant religion in Ireland ought to be supported by the voluntary contributions of the landed proprietors of that country. If large sums of this kind were voted annually, there would be no end to the demands on Parliament ' • the larger the grants, the mo re would be given; and distress, instead of being re moved, would be created. He would therefore support the amendment. Mr. HUME said he conceived that education ought al. ways to be promoted in proportion to the number of per sons who were to be educated. He presumed that Catho lics had orphan children as well as Protestants, and he wished to know why souse provisionshould not be made for their education. Mr. GOULBU RN said he did not think that the pro posed him larger was than required by the necessity of the case. Mr. GRATTAN said that this exclusive plan of grant ing money fur the education of Protestants, contributed greatly to irritate the feelings of the Catholics. Mr. HUM E withdrew his first amendment, and then proposed that the sum of 13,0001. be granted. On this the Committee divided, For the amendment 15 ; for the original resolution 42; majority 26. Mr. tiOULBURN next morel a grant of 14,000/. to the Society for educating the Poor in Ireland. Mr. HOME recommended that the suggestion of the Right lion. Baronet (Sir John Newport), fcr having a large central, instead of scattered establishments, should be attended to and he was sure that an impression had gone forth, that all these grants were applied exchisively to the education of Protestants, without allowingsCatho lies to partake of the advantages arising from them. The Resolution was agreed to. The next motion was to grant 27,0001. for the support of the Foundling Hospital in Dublin. Sir JOHN NEWPORT complained of some severe restrictions in this establishment. " Mr. PEEL said it had been found necessary to restrict the admission of children into this establishment in the winter months, because it bad been found that when children were. sent away in that severe season, from a great distance not being under the care of their mothers, they died before the persons appointed to convey them arrived in Dublin. Mr. MONCK said that this hospital contributed to the increase of crime. He was assured that there was scarcely a servant girl in Dublin who had not two or three children ; and that this profligate conduct proceed ed from the facility by which they could get rid of them in the Foundling Hospital. Time Resolutions were agreed to. The Committee next voted the sum of 19,000!. for the House of Industry in Dublin. Also 4,5001. for the Richmond Asylum. Also 7,5001. for the Hibernian Society for soldiers' childreo. Mr. HUME observed that if this grant were made, si• milar ones ought to pass in favour of Scotland. 1,600/. for the Hibernian Marine School. Also 1,9301. for the Female Orphan House, Dublin. Mr. HUMEopposed this grant, on the ground that if the entire poor of Ireland mild nut be supported by the beneficence oilTarliament, the public ought not to be taxed to support the small portion who could be benefit ted by this sum. Mr. GRATTAN said he should be sorry to see any reduction in this grant. as he was himself satisfied it was expended for the benefit of those contemplated under the motion. Mr. MONCK agreed with the sound principles on which the reasoning of the Member for Ab-rdeen rested. Though we gave the poor eight or ten millions, it would not suffice to remove the miseries to which numbers of them would still be exposed. Sir J. NEWPORT contended that the riches of Ire land being withdrawn by the absentees since the Union, was a cause which might be assigned for the great num ber of poor there was there to be supported. While three millions of rent was &limn from the population of that country, it was not to be wondered at, that poverty pre vailed there to the extent it did. Mr. Secretary PEEL declared, that no city in the world Well more charitable than Dublin. There was no city in which the demands of private charity were more liberally complied with. He had presided at meetings there, where 600!. or WO/. had been promptly obtained for the relief of the poor. Mr. HUME repeated his arguments against these cha ritable grants as productive of great evil. After a few words from Mr. DAWSON and Mr. MONCK, the Resolution was agreed to. Resolutions were then agreed to for granting 2,6801. for the Westmorland Lock Hospital; 2,8001. for the Ly inm-in-Hospital ; 1,400/. for Doctor Stevens's Hospital ; 3.1792/. for the Fever Hospital, Cork -street; 300!. for the Hospital for incurables; and 8,9231. for the Roman Ca tholic Seminary. The sum of 2,000/. for the Royal Cork Institution was, after some discussion between Sir J. NEWPORT, Mr. Prea, and Mr. Hcats, agreed to. The sum of 7,000/. for the Dublin Society House was proposed, when Mr. HUME observed, that this was voting to little purpose. This Institution bad been founded in 1731, for agricultural purpo es, but it was now appropriated to the fine arts. He called upon the Right Hon. Gentleman (Mr. Goulburn) to state the great literary productions of this Society since last year. He knew it to be a place where newspapers were taken in and read, but could not find any publications of merit. Mr. GOULBURN said the Hon. Gentleman did not sufficiently inform himself on this subject. There were six professional gentlemen who gave lectures in Botany, Chemistry, Natural History, &c. Many improvements in different branches of science were matte there. Draw ing and sculpture had made great proficiency under the instruction given: and a part of the money now voted would be appropriated to sending two young men to Rome, who had made considerable progress in painting and sculpture. Mr. HUME said the productions of this Society were of the most childish descriptions. If no other advantage could be shown than those arising from the lectures, and the sending of sculptors to Rome, he thought the grant badly expended. He concluded by saying he would now propose the abolition of half this grant for the present, and next year lie hoped the whole would be abolished. After some further discussion, the motion was agreed to. 'rhe sum of 9,230/. was voted for the building of Churches in Ireland. Lord A. HAMILTON could not agree to this motion, as the Church Establishment in Ireland was much greater than it should be, and the funds for its support were already large in proportion to the service done.— Several parishes were without a Clergyman. Lord Blaney could not get service performed fur three years. The Honourable Gentleman concluded by saying this grant should not come from the pockets of English men. Mr. GOULBURN observed, in the parish to which Lord Blaney's application related, there was a curate.— That application was for the purpose of enforcing the re sidence of a rector. Sir JOHN NEWPORT observed that Lord Blaney complained, that, during the absence of Church ser vice, a defalcation of three thousand persons took place.—lt was rather a singular fact, that the Bishop of Ralik', did not compel a Clergyman in his Diocese to build a glebe house, though he had glebe land to the extent of 2,000 acres. A Church so largely endowed, and already in possession of funds sufficiently ample for every Christian purpose, should not disgrace them- Selves by coming to Parliament and demanding further assistance. Mr. HUME said he could not suffer the statement that the Clergy and the Government had done every thing in their power to correct abuses, because be did not believe that such was the fact. Since 1600 no less than 703,924/. bad been expended in building glebe houses. 0 n that account he would certainly oppose the grant, and take the sense of the House on it. Mr. W. SMITH thought, that those who called for such grants from Parliament were the worst friends of the Clergy and Church of Ireland, which could not last much longer as it now was. He understood that the Catholics were increasing in Ireland, while the Protest ants, for whom this enormous establishment was kept up, were decreasing in number. Mr. GRATTAN bore testimony to the. frightful de crease of the Protestants of Ireland, which was to be mainly attributed to the great wealth of the Clergy. The poorer they were the better for the Cherch. When Gen tlemen put forward religion in so popular .a way as through the medium of taxation, it was not to be won dered that the number of Catholics had increased so much. This was one of the caures of the disturbed state of the country. Mr. GOULBURN, in reply, said that the grant was simply to advance money for the building of the glebe houses, which was afterwards recovered by instalments from the incumbent. If the Protestants decreased, it was only in those places where there were no parish churches; but where there was a parish church, and a Minister, there was no instance in which the zeal of the ♦RR. r* Minister did not make a Prote4tant vpulation. The. vete would not add to the emolumentstifilte church, kin ,1 he proposed it only because- he thought it wou:d caner a lastjug benefit upon Ireland. Sir JOIIN NEWPORT said that, no later than ISIS, six vicarages were united into one benefice, which nlace.l many Protestants at a disiance of 16 or 17 miles from the rrisit church. This was an authority which no persons ought to be permitted to exercise. In the ensuing Session he would certainly take the opportunity of moving fur a Committee to examine the state of the Church Establishment in Irelath:, and then it would be seen whether he was right or wrong in his statements. . . Mr. BANKS, as well as we could catch his observation;, said that such a motion would he very desirable. After a desultory conversation, in which Mr. Hums, Sir J. NEWPORT, Mr. S. RICE, Mr. MONCK, and Mr. R. Suitit took a part, the gallery was cleared for a division, when tie numbers were—For the grant, 43—Against it, 19—Nlajority for the grant, 24. The next vote was for KIWI. to the Commissioners of wide streets, for completing improvements in tke City of Dublin. Mr. HUME objected to this grant, on the ground that the Commissioners levied a tax on C 06115 in Drbliu. the pro duce of which ought to suffice for all reasonable impro: e latent,. Mr. GOULBURN said, he was sure no sincere friend Ireland would throw any obstruction in the way of the im provement of its metropolis. So far from putt•ug limit, to the labours of these Gentlemen, it was in contemplation to extend them. This grant had been regularly wade by t: Irish Parliament. Mr. RICE adverted to the abuses which crept into the application of these moneys. Mr. PEEL upheld the grant es necessary to remove swop 'mistimes, and render the city of Dublin healthful at well as beautiful. Mr. RCMP: wished the grant not to exceed the sum vote.' by the Irish Parliament for the same purpos.. After souse observation* from 51r. GOL'LIICRN in re ply, the grant was agreed to. 2,5110 i. was proposed for defraying the expenses of t':e Fanning Society of Ireland. Mr. HUME repeated the objections he had tak•i to this societylast year, on the ground of its total inu.il.ty. —Agreed to. 300/. was proposed for the Royal Irish Academy. Mr. HUME contended that the funds of the Farming. Society should be converted to the support of !his, which was the more useful iosti•ution of the two.—Vwe agreed to. 500. to the Commissioners of Charitable Bequests anti Donations. Mr. RICE protested against the existence of these Com missioners. They did no good, and imposed a heavy CY pense on the country.—Vote agreed to. 8,385/. was proposed for the Society for Discounte nancing Vice. On the suggestion of Mr. S. RICE, this vote was post poned. 19,9391. to the Trustee of Linen Manufactures in Ire land, in aid of the said manufacture. Mr. MA BERLY wished to see this grant discontinued, as he did not consider the linen trade was promoted by the bounties. Mr.tiOULBURN said these bounties had been recom mended by the Irish Linen Committee. The object of the bounties was to put the linen trade on the 541/1e foot ing in the South, as in the North of Ireland. The vote was then agreed to. 16,1071. was proposed to defray the expenses of the Board of Works in Ireland. Mr. HUME asked how many of these Commissioners there were at present ? Mr. GOULBURN said that the vacancies which oc curred at the Board by deaths or resignations, were not to be again filled np.—Vote agreed to. 17,3011. was proposed for the expenses of Stationery iu the Public Offices in Ireland. After some discussion between Mr. Mananir, Mr. Home, and Mr. S. Rica, who objected to the terms up.in which paper was furnished by a Patentee in Ireland, and Mr. GOULBURN and Mr. Pun, who defended the grant, the vote was agreed to. Mr. GOULBURN was about to bring forward other estimates, when Mr. HUME observed that it was already past the hour at which the House usually sat. The House then resumed ; the Chairman reported pr. - greys, and obtained leave to sit again. The other Orders of the Day were then disposed tr, , and at a Quarter before One o'clock the House journed. MAILS. DUE. AIR. Mr. 0 O. . Holland V Waterford. .1 0... liambro It Jerae3r....o I.... France 0....1.i5b0n I 0....F1andera.......0 0. ...Gottenbarg 0 0.... Malta .O PRICE OF STOCKS THIS DAY AT ONE O'CLOCK. Bank Stock lndia Stock S per Ct. Red 731 76 Ditto Bonds 30s. 31s. —sem. 3 p.Ct.Cons .....79!11 771 Ex.8i11.211. 31 per Cent ssil wow. (—s Ms 17cpti: 4 per Cents 94114 ----woe. sl5 17s —. pm. New Fours .... .. 901 97 Small 13.317 s —spas Long Ann...... .. .. 19,11 Lottery Tickets . Imp. S per CI ) Con.forAect... .751 761171 Mte *tateontan. SATURDAY EVENING, APRIL 12, les. PARLIAMENTARY COMMENTARY. In the Loans, Lord Leedom moved for an account of the application of the money issued last Session for the relief of the Irish. He thought that the aczotant crught to be laid before the House, in order that it might know what bad been done with the money. We shall be very anxious to see this account ; we always like these Par liamentary accounts, of all sorts. They are so short ; so neat; so clear ; so satisfactory ! But Irish Parlia• mentary accounts, above all things, are our delight; and more especially when they relate to money. They are always, then, so correct ; so candid and so explicit! However, we shall see this account. We have heard talk rs! Flemish accounts; but we defy the Flemish to beat the Irish. Admiration of the world as we arc, we excite its envy by nothing so much as by these accounts. I ttth e COMMONS, there was a Petition presented from the Grand Jury of the County 'lithe City of Dublin. This Petiti on, which was presented by Mr. Wetherell, complained of the conduct of the Attorney-General. Plunkett,as having accused them of acting contrary to their oaths; and they pray the House to adopt whatever may be deemed neces sary to prevent the recurrence of snch an evil. Mr. Plunkett rose after the presenting of the Petition. He made a speech of considerable length. He retorted pretty bang'. somely upon the Jury. Nobody rose to reply, and the pi. tition was received. Mr. Plunkett said, that he could co-. sider the petition of the Grand Jury as nothing mote than a make weight to the charge that was to be pre. ferred on Tuesday se'nnight.—We most confess, that, if we felt any friendship fur Mr. Plunkett, he would be an object of our profound compassion. From the very lirst•(and our readers will recollect it) we expressed out _.I tre thi tht cif fri, wa • of ini bet all inu slat th to fit.