The National Register. — London, England, 1819-02-01 00:00:00

PARLIAM HOUSE OF LOUD& TUESDAY, JA 16. lard T)uorlas toe!: the 041 hi and his seat, CD•ierOD I' OF •rti r. KING'S PERSON. Lard Frokks so, on the miles' of the tioy being tooted for a ike?unel reading of the bill to provide for the custody of the King's person. WWI perfectly willing to sektiowledge, on the earned nrp.rituweli,ll4 rine recognized the principle, whether AO wr wressx, that the care of the King's person should he 4 1 ,95141,i 4 from the exrentive government, that the iris , ' coat.' not hr better disposed of than it W4ll by this hill. But Ogirdites the separation of the trust, the bill involved another vrineiple, which had, when tt:e question wan before thsenssed, been the subject of much objection wish many noble Lords: he meow the establishment of an imperiuns iw intporio, by giving the person who hid the rare of the King's person an extensive patronage. lie thought that their Lordships might not to pots the present bill, moil they ascertained the nature. of the potrimage which was to he vested is the Duke of Volk. A s he had olreoily observed, he hod no objection to the object of the bill, bat wished, tor the sake of re.nlArits in their LOrdshipii . proceeding., thin wine rspi.tt Lion should be given on the point to which he hod The Earl of LIVERPOOL had no objection to give the ex. planation which the noble ',Aril required. It was intended that the establishment should undergo a reduction, and the proposition which was to be made would he founded on a principle of reduction ; but as to the de tails of that reduction, they had no connexion with the present bill. They would coma first before Ike other house, and would in the usual coarse of business be brought under the consideration of their Lordships. In the mean time, nil that he contended for was, that whatever that establishment might he, it ought, if their Lordships agreed to the present bill, to be placed under the control of the Duke of York. The bill was then read a second time, and ordered to bo •oiws.dtted on 'fiuraday.—Adjourned. WEDNESDAY. CRIMINAL LAW Lord HOLLAND wished to call their Lordship' attention to petition which he hold in his hand on the state of the crimi. mai law of the country. It was from the Lord Mayor, Alder. men, and Common Council of thi city of Landon ; it relined is one of the most important subjects on which the Legis. lature could be addressed, and the facts itecontained were •alculated to awaken in their Lordship' minds the most serious considerations. Ho wished that this subject had fallen into Miler hands in this House, and was glad to see that it was takes op in another place. The improvement of the criminal law was of the greatest importance to the welfare of the country; sad notwithstanding that great loss the cause of humanity and improvement had recently experienced, he hoped soon looms time object of the petitiumers aceomplished. The Earl of Lovsnroot. did not intend to oppose the motion. The only petal to wich he was assziues to call their Lordships' attention was a Isere matter of fact, involving the consider atioa of how fir the increase of erioses during the last years palates' out in the petition, may not have arisen /rens the situation in which the country Was placed by the change from war to peace. The Marquis Of LANSDOWN could 110 t concur in the view taken by the Roble Earl. Last year a statement of the num. ber of ceuvk►ioes and punishments for a series of years bad bees laid before the Home. It appeared from that statement, that the ioctesse of crimes could not be attributed to the change from war to peace ; for it would be found that they bad not only increased after the war, but during the peace.— "One predominant cause of the increase he held to be, the state of the primes. From the want of proper principles fur use regolation of the goals, and irons the want of sufficient machinery fur enforcing the laws respecting their regulations, they had become schools fur vice, and J to prepare the youth who voce entered them for the commission of greater crimes. He hoped that the subject would be lii ictly and promptly investigated by their Lordships, and that they would take into their serious cossideratio■ how far a diminu tion of punishment was likely to lead to a decrease of crimes. Lord Klan alluded to the report before their Lordships rWative to the means of preventing the forgery of Bank-two', and oh d, that if they meant to put a stop to the lament s:de effects of forgery, they must remove the cause. There were very few instances of the forgery of country Bank-notes, while executions for the forging Bank of England notes were numerous. The reason was, that the competition of country bankers occasioned a vigilant attention hn the part of each dense to the state of its notes. If many forged notes were 'offered by country bankers to get into circulation. it would elect their credit. Hence they were constantly on the watch. But the Bank of England, having no competition, did not feel the necessity of the same vigilance. To tete tdy this, be proposed that the right of tuning one and two pound notes, to the monopoly of which the Bank of England had no claim by their charter, should be given to the other Loudon banker.. The petition was ordered to lie on the table. CUSTODY OF THE KING'S PERSON The House resolved into a committee on the bill to provide fer the custody of his Majesty's person. Lord HOLLAND was very retort-int to offer any opposition t• this further progress of this hill; he begged, however, to Ls understnud as circling no objection whatever to the pre position for placing the custody of his Majests's pe:sun in the Duke of York. Dusting the, greater pelt of the time which the Windsor establishment bait lasted, he had been of opinion Clot it was in lio was necessary to the comfort and di„mity of the person fur whuse use it was pretended to be maintained, bat that it was an unnecessary burden on the people; and he tviould be happy to feud that the noble Earl had cimm o►er to 11:s opillison. The Es' I of Liverpool thought that, as their Lordships were agreed on the 'proposition of m 'king the Duke of You k Persona, there entail be no objection to the other ',Arts of the hill. Hr had stated ye•slerdaa•, that Ciere could Or no increase *f the estAhlishinent; bat lie snit Parma to contrail, that whatever might be its extent, it ought all to ter placed model the coutr,il and diiectioa of the. nabs Prrsoner. The EArl of Lst.r.ranot then said ;le hall titer to pronto.. to Nil up the hlnttw. , and to etni ye th, appointment u!.l smetuin r of the cooocil, to supply the a aeztory oc-et,intied by the derto of the Lurd Curl Jqopro. Ito Fllollld theft tote MO ye the 4. , pnintoutot efJoloi J•tfoliu. A!.trtp.ri or Caw. len, 1 . 4 e ith the atnette..,...lA. 1,45 then arrectl to o end orc't..e:l to bt tertrted.-..A,ljoorned, TIIN NATIONAL Tnuft.,DAY. The Duke ofSLasge look ih oaths and his seat. The Doke of Monennes brought down the answer of the Prince Regent to the address ins the speech of the LI Ida Com missioners, expressing in the usual let 1114 his 1/14 al Highness's sat istaelion at the 'Wald and 10)41 address/4 their Lordships. The Bail of Sri seeitesuov reported the bill fur the c minify of his Majesty's person, which, with a verbal amendment mos ed by Lord Liverpool, was ordered to be engrossed, and lead a third time to-morrow.--Itliottrited. FRIDAY, The Earl of Titawer took the oaths and his seat, A person from tho East India Company, presented the annual se eostnt sf resolut . worrants, &c. grattng 4laries, pensions. or an nuities, purmant m act of parliament. The hill to provide far the custody of his Majesty's person was read • third time, passed, and ordered to be 'eat to ihe Commee:, by two of the Judges.—Ad;utinsed to Mondny. HOUSE OF COMMONS. MONDAY. JAR. 25. CRIMINAL LAW. The Sheriffs of London appeared at the bar, mid presen'id I petition from the Lard Mayor, Aldermen, and Con DOG Coancil Lotiiion. playing the house to take iwo it. cons.der shun the state of We law respecting the punishment of etleu ders. Mr. Alderman Minn, en rising to move that this petition should lie upon tie tank, observed, that he was sere the sub. jert to whirls it referred must appear to the gunge to be high.. ly important. (Atwe, Aear,) Many leavaM and eminent men tide during the last 511 years contended, chat our criminal rode was unneces.arily severe, and that imp ri.ennient and hard la hour inight in many eaves be propel ly substituted for the punishment of death. He had visited Newgate the day before, and had seen 40 persons ender seatence of death, pot one of whom had any appreheliseens of being executed. The calcu lation was, he believed, that not more than t to lb suffered ; and ibis constant extension of mercy, arising from the rigour of the law. probably operated to encourage the commission of offences. With these few remarks he begged leave to more that the petition now presented do lie upon the table. Mr. Alderman WAITIIMAN sob d, that he rose fir the purpose of seconding the motion of the hon. Alderman. He had no intention, however, to enter into a discussioa an the general merits of the question, being merely desirous 'dealt*: the attention of the house, on this oecasiop, to a few of the loading facts contained in the petition. It appeared by this statement, that crimes had increased to an alarming degree within the last ten years. The number of prisoners was nearly quatimpled, having rises from 4,000 M 14,000. He could state frees his owe ieformation, that, of the persons brought before the magistrates in London, • much; larger number escaped with inpuoity than formerly, from the difficulty of sending them to prisons already croudrd, and of brining them ulti mately to juitice under the present ity of the penal code. He held a paper in his hand, by which it appeared, that 600 of the persons confined in Newgate during the last year wets under 21 years of age ; and, as far as the account could be made out correctly by the keeper, the total of those acquitted and cons icted under that age summated 10 about 1,000. He had no wish to trespass longer on the time of the house, and should conclude, therefore, by impressing a hope, that the ins. perfume of this subject Would draw the attention not only satire house, but of his Majesty's Government, with the view of providing some remedy for this alarming and increasing evil. (hear, hear.) Mr. B. BATHURST agreed, that it was very desirable that this question should be fully considered; the fact was, that the increase in the metropolis was net in so large a proportion a. in other places. A new practice had indeed sorting up, or older CMS more artful offenders employing children as the in. cruelest* of their depredation., probably in the kept, not t . only at - remaining themselves-concealed, but that the youth u the other culprits would exempt them from incurring the full punishment of the law. 'the petition was then ordered to lie en the table, and to be printed. CONVICT SHIPS. Mr. RIENNIT stated, that he held Gt Iris hand a petition from Dr. O'Halloran, complaining of cruelty in tb. treatment which he bad experienced during his imprisonment, both bcfere and after his trial, and mere pat tictilar of his mitering. on board the transport in which be hail been plaited in order to be con 'eyed to New Smith %Vales. According to the regresentations. •f this petition, lie had been removed from prison and pat on beard the Baring transport in a fit of severe sickness. He was taken into a small cabin, where he was left without nourish. meat •r assistance of any kind fur 19 hours, when a small supply of food was brought to him. He was afteswards thrown with 19 others, into a sot t of hole or dungeon, which Ile (Mr. Bennet) had hiasself measured, and which was exactly twelve feet square. ( hoer, .'ar.) The cribs were six feet and a half in leagth, and iu each of these were six human battle stowed, for the purpose of taking their rest. The consequence was, that the most disgosting scenes took place, and anabominable and shameful vice was of two frequent occurrence. He would detain them with only one were! more. The ship Sally, which sailed last year with 200 convicts, lost 40 of them before she arr.ved at the place of destination. He d:d not make these statemests for the pleasure of finding fault ; but where the penalties of law was ief:icted, it a as desirable that the andel er should experience every ulleviation of his aaniery which inanity could dictate. Mr. BRAGor BATFiURIT said for linme&ty. as the hon. gen tleman had anticipated ; but he would remind the house ut the &ration, duties the which that person 114.1 to pct tuna. lie must be allowed to dente the correctness of the boo. gentlemen's information on this subject. Indeed the erv.iter pail of his complaints .eismati to be against transpire tattoo. (Ns, tro,fions Boma lit order to obtain :wren( information on ale subject the noble lord had soot down to 11 person ssho was in-' trusted with the siiperilitcmlence of the hulks, and who de served the High character %hick he possessed. The peisou had reported him it was impmsible the situation tepresented by Di. Halloran could ever have occurred.. The object of I.r. Halloratt and the bum geht, .scemed to be, to prevent that mail from undergoing the sentence of the law. A NIEVReh whose 'tante we could not learn, said that lie could himself hear wit•ess to the uncomfoi table manner in which siiips, employed to transport tollaiels weir lilted up. 'Flue 1101I,e would consider tins vettel tbegligenve as more un pardonable. when thee were lammed that the ttansput ring of ra 'tcmiviet COsif 13!;I. TUESDAN , NOTICES. The CPA N , ELLOR of the EXCFIR:44I:I!It rose to rive notice, that the tout.9ll relative to the Windfor estahli.hinent and care of l;:.e lime pe&seu woulil he a44noiltiki Italie, Muse Dire , • rhirt on harsday &mistrial, a nd Ulal air the ll"4lll,lll.l eiatsgent finance committee on Friday se'imight. COMMITTEE OF SUPPLY. The CHANCELLOR of the Exceecit:aet meowed that thk Horse de resolve itself into 4 COllllllltiee of supply. The lions, having gime into a committ e e o f supply, Mli Bregden was called to the (hair itiiii• die minion of the Chant cellor el the Exchequer, the supply was wilted amuse, am( the Home resumed. The report was ordered to be take* ntu cunsideration on Therstlay. DR. HALLORAN AND CONVICT SHIPS. Sir T. B. M aerie felt anxious to comeeract the impremiolll t made by an Hen. Gentlem a n last ni g ht. if t h ere was awl Maine imputable, it might not to be attached to the noblie teed at tire head of the Hoare Department: it ought to Igir • raiuferred to the hued ever whet , ' he had the houoar tier preside. On the 91it isfthis month he bad made a calculatioli• upon the propurnau el deaths in convict ships, and lie forma it in he 64 in 44409—that is, I in about 117. The Hon. Gen- tleman had stated that they had been crowded so horribly that it was sitliriaing to see them. He had said, that sit of them had been crowded into the space of six fret. This he utterly deuied. They bad as great a space showed them as a British soldier; as 'real as lit had hod 'oil bad a Men of • mar, and hits sons hail now. Kure allot , shiers were allowed more than tS 'litchis. The Dim. Gent , rit:ag theu read the returns of 9 ships, showing the iniinher tit* convicts which earls monied, and the number that died. The Bernie, thli very ship 1101 W in question, hail furineily carried to Botany Bay 30.1 convicts, of whom only one died ; site had then the officer as master, stud the snow 6111/VOll as now. There uever was an instance of greater liminess and humanity thaw the stucco,, had strewn to all ler his care. lie believed these existed uot an abler or a more skilful surgeots. He hail been recommended by Sir Keats, principally fie Ins skill 41111111111141/ii) (114114 , , manse.) .v.. was Dr, Reid.i Mr. Bata UT said, that as to the number of persons, he had visited two ship. , iii one Were 303 convicts, hi another 4471 iii the Basing he loused td, he might say 21 persons ; for Mr.* Leeson, who had spent a cunsiiierahle fortune, was crowded for his passage, into the saute room. He went thence below and sat upon • box. He was much shocked with the scene Each crib was six feet by five and a half. He tut, Shies Myles in one of them, and asked hew many lay there, he was told that six did. He called the tither three, and they innate. diately presented themselves. It might lie that the orders from the Admiralty were thst only four should lie in a crib He might have asked the master to accompany him. • But 114, repo:Board to the muter, with horror, the state of the con: 'lets. His reply was. " For God' s sake, Sir, distil go away with the impression that the cutivicte alone are crowded. Look into my cabin, look into the soldiere apartment, we are all espial!) crowded... So far was he from denying it, that he 0111) aggravated the represeutiog made In him. The Hone Gentleman had compared the sitnatioo of coavicts with that of soldiers. If soldiers weie cruelly treated, that was ce . justification for cruel imminent t• convicts : but of Its soldiers ene-third were on deck derails the night. This he know from his own repellence. But all the convicts wets shut up during the night. Bat he plisalimal hirmiellthat any one of the Gentleatan opposite wealdee•Mielled if he went down I. see these coavicts. The Mee* Men. Gentleman had said, that he had ascertained that Dr. O'Halloran had not been ill. Not been illl He bore on big cumatimance the proofs of his Miles, too strong to be 'mistaken. He had sever seen man so changed, Such testimony was more likely so bit true than the testiasoay relied on by ibeilitigbi Hen. Gentle: own. It should be recollected tun, that the harry, whirls carried 200 convicts, of wlfoin 30 died, had marital this very . season ; and that ris e reason stated by the board for this mom tality was, the season of the year. He cared nut whether seamen or soldiers had us small /1 space assigned to them These disused to a sea life mast find such confinement bur. ruble beyond all conceptioa. The smell, too, which he had not mentioned, was surely a terrible aggravation. Ile could then re • , that it was a great act of Cruelty to confire men in such a situation fur a number of hems, at night, and ander the lion. Eves in the abhorred slave.iradr each slave had one foot and • half. Eonsidesing these facts, he was • mot surprised to find, by the trials he had seer reported in the newspapers, that those wretches, goaded by every kind of suffering, chose rather to perish is battle than not to attempt to effect their escape. In brining those cruel inflictions under itee attention of the House, God knew that he had se other object but to rescue hie fellow -creatures fruin sintering an unecessary and cruel aggravation of their punishment. i• God knew that he had never piopiised any ott.sr übjeet for l his exertion, than t• diminish the sum of human misery. The CH.III.4CELLOR Cir 'the I.gCHEQLea inCilied the adjourn.; anent of the House.—Adjourned. WEDNEDSAY. A variety of estimates for the public service of the year were laid on the table. Mr. CALVERT presented a petition from Ltie Charles Townsend, cosuplaining of an undue return Ihoreufk f Tagawerth. It was mitered to he taken in t i.Lsideraties a 'ruttish's the 9th if Mareh.—Adjourned. THURSDAY. Mr. W. Wilmw brought up the report of tfse comruittee et privileges., appointed -yesterday, to irquire into the nature of Mr. Burton's applicetion so be discharged from custody, as a Member of that House. The Ilua. Member obsee ved, that the committee had found that Mr. Burton had been duly elect. ed a Member, that lie was now a peimeer fur ileht upon muse yroye:s, and upon the iv li•de matter reGreed to Sheol were or opiniou, that lie was Clllllll,l to privilege of par- liament. He did gut think it eere.sat yto make any further oh lions 00 the present case, and yliormil thereluie 'nova first, that Rubu.a Christie Burton was entitled to the privilege of parliament ; maid seer:natty, that he hr discharged l otn the custody of the VI al drig Mille Fleet pe ;flies' resolutions weir put, and col lied stensinecontradictils. 1:01:6ERIES, Sir .JAMES Macitcrosit said, lie took this opportunity of making a few irinarior VII a document which had been ie. cently laid before the Hunts, and was intimately c u itetcel with the cruise! of his motion. This doe 1111 l eel was the objea ut his :notion. This document was the tepert ut the could raissionees appointed to inqinie into !lie means el lesseitingt • the facility with whitli Rants-cotes weir at pi ereht imitated Tit, result denionstiated the there was hale us nu pi orpeClE utioilriteliiig the Clones and 'nisei lies arising ti UM 111 C plestat stem, *stein try the iciiewal •f cash !my miletilr. 'IMO err. lirK Al mint la.'refuse •piwrir 10 be Mauna a loonies ut Hem. lily to muse who 1:011101:1t 1111 the lives 14.01C11 41111111 C ahly of the peujile us the lti;;licit objecte of poiiiii•et I you it. if lie minim - good the tillbalalleC VI the Cepuil, it rititutoiltql to abort ken projects fur improving the constrnenen of Haul-notts had been submitted to the Directora of the