The Statesman. — London, England, 1818-05-19 00:00:00

,s'a? ~~ ~:. r • I I 'f mic a) , in the course of this lahour they bad discovered be stances of abuse more flagrant than toy be bad thee to stated to the House. In the Retires, there were some ominous omissions. In general, the Re. vereod persons to whom the eaquirles bad been di vected, bad answered with a seal Bed alacrity which woe:d tielece tie heighten rather then_ detract from the siancgVilem4ich be had formerly bestowed on Sham. —Bo from moue -. piens no Metes bad been • 'made ; and some of those places were those, In which, from other sourees, the Committee bed devised se. doubted ieformatino that them *listed instatmes of glaring abuse. Oa those instances the eyes of the Committee were fixed, though toe three weeks the lteverend Gentlemen bad not thought fit is sake vat. tv.rs t e of the abuses Nehich` they most have known Its hive 'listed. He'shoutd be glad that this way the Wm- Mallon should reach thees—that the cases which they had withheld had ant escaped the vigilance Of the Committee—and that from whatever motive they had been guilty of this omission, -whether, from an Indio. PON** to reseal the faelte-of a neighbour,. or from the muse corrupt and unworthy desire of paying Coati to the patron.to whom they owed preferment, or from whatever other more or less venial cause, if they continued to defy the orders of the !loose, the only consequence would be, that the indignation of the Committee ' instead of the abuses themselves , would be filed (won those who had attempted to conceal them. Ile should ray no more open this subject, he hoped he shoold net be obliged to recer to it. He had in his eye ten or three of the grossest cases, winch, its leo could appeal to the Mem. bars of the Committee, were liable to those remarks —Ether, hear!)—Ho should state some instances of obese which bad been discovered, since be bad made the former statement; be did so, not merely to gratify cariosity, but to impress open the llouse the necessity, if the present Bill should pass, of fol. lowing it up with whatever measures might be requi site to make it effectual. There was a Free Gram - mar School in Hertfordshire, attached to which were some scholarships of 141. a year in the University of Cambridge : in the last 30 years there had bees as scholars but one. An Honourable Friend of his wished bias to name the places—he bad hitherto ab. stained from doing so, and he should persevere in that worse until the whole evidence was brought for- ward, and the persons who were implicated might know who were their aCellaerlie--illearq— la the e county of Eases there was a farm about WO acres of excellent land left in 1584 for the establishment of a school—there was now no school. In Devon• shire, there was a fend of 1701. a year for the sup port of 11 school—there were now two or three scho lars. Now it is well known that according to the Bell and Lancaster system, 1,500 scholars might be educated for that sole. In Dorsetshire, there was a house and garden for a school.maste., and an estate uf 2 or 3001. a year to maintain a school—but no school was kept. In lhoton, there was an estate which hat produced 1,0001. a year, and which now was let for 6504 bequeathed for the seppert of a school—the trustees were a Corporation-4tot that worshipful burly allowed 41. only for theiottpoees of the trust. In some counties there were schools and hospitals in 'lwo of Sire heirs of a noble person —.410e trustees had turned over the business of the trust to ttwir optsard—llle ate ward 10 an under agent o—the agent 1.. a respectable officer—more nearly, he should have thought. connected with the sohject on 'tick the house had jot' derided—to the game keepera..-11.arighter I—This charity had scholar ), ill one of the Colleges of Cambridge which bad been filled op for more than 100 years. the game. ...per not having presented thereto. In litneebtera ire, there was an toast.. of 1001. a year, which bad bequeath..l far charitable purposes, which was actually affered fur sale. The trustees had paid a year fur the purposes of the trust, and had to the habit of pocketing the remainder. At in the rmunty of Nottingham, there was a school, •he (stria of which to use the words of ,'reed informant, had been sold or alienated in . shameful way. "From a respectable Solicitor of the same place, isiformadon. bed 'been derived respecting, was believed, the same estates, that they bad been teed at a pepper•corn real fur 999 years! In tcestershire there was one of King Edward's Jots where tie master bad 1501. a year, with a kepis and garden, the second master 901. with a house sad garden also. There were no scholars. — the rents of the estates attached to this school would edecate 3 or 4,000 scholars, probably all the poor In the City of Worcester. In another place for 1001. only six scholars were educated. There WNW many other cases wide% would seem like repetitions , the same circumstances, There wets some other abeam so numb more enormous than any thing which ~had detailed, that in the present stage of the be siness he dreaded even to mention them. It was 'neigh to hint, that estates of thousands a year left , charitable purposes, were enjoyed by persons to Isom they bad been granted on leases almost as long Oust which be bad meutioned is Nottinghamshire, a rest 0f,31., 41., or 51. That these INNS had been ranted by the persons themselves. who sow enjoyed hem, or by tools who had been gotten tote the masts. the 'spells purpose of consommes ng these abases. consequence of the instances Which bad b ees brought to light, he was confident the House world lss the present Bill--that it woeld do US endeavour, . limo, to make it etrtctest—tbat it would neltber„ log it with more receptions nor with additional rib strictions on the powers of the Commissioners. 'orther restrictions were proposed in another place, ,4 those who were interested in proposing them have lbe glory and the responsibility,bot the House would Seel it necessary to grant powers as ample as those !bids it most beneficially exercised. lie should , say word as to the appointment of the Commissioners. It had been at first intended to appoint them in the , Bill. This did not appear to him so iodispensible as some of his friends. They were now to be nominated by the Crown, and he implored the Right lion. Gen tleman opposite to consider, that whatever the pro. visions of the Bill, however ample and appropriate the powers which were granted to the Commission, after all, its success mailsl depended on the personal polities of the —(Hew'! from the bettetees.]—lo hitis case, tit least,. be hoped every thing like party feeling, er a spirit of patronage or jobbing the appointments, to nee a common but impressive word, would be given up.— Setae of the Comobsioners wore to he oppoygod were thought begged Most antioasly wished to have tbe refuel elk even on those terms. He deeply; and from the bottom of his heart felt the Importance of the ',Ake, and as be was at present advised, he did not think that his temporary retirement from other duties weight he too great a sacrifice for the security his presence woeld afford on that CLmmission. He trusted the Bill would meet with no farther interruption. They had' not among them many, if soy, of the wrong doers. If it met opposition In another place, be hoped at least it would receive the warm end conscieutious support of the heads of the Christian Church of this country ; as no duty could be more appropriate for those who taught what was emphatically called the Curl of the Poor—se prevent Nees from being robbed of their inheritance.—[Hear, hear n The Speaker then left the Chair ; she Bill passed through e Committee. sod the - Report was ordered to be received te-morrow. BANK RESTRICTION KILL. On the motion of the CHANCF.LLOR of the EXCHEQUER. the Report of the Bank Restriction Bill was taken into further consideration. Mr. F. LEWIS said, that, in passing this Bill, some preparauon ought to be made by the Bauk, to MUM, at its *episodes, cash payouts. If this were not dome, he conceited that the present measure would go to render the Restriction interminable. He should, therefore, propose a claim, which, if the house agreed to it, would pave the way for the re. somptioit of cash payments, in the course of the nest Session. He felt that his powers were not cal culated to produce that effect on the Hoose—(there was at this time a considerable ,wine)—which the portance of this subject demanded—but be rose in the hope that his observations would call up itulivi. duals of greater talent than he possessed. It was his wish, that a Bill, considerably different from that now before the House, should be passed. He was asitious that the Bank should, by a legislative provi. shirr, be called on to limit their issue of notes. For this purpose, be should move an Amendment to the preamble of the Bill, spet ifieally binding them to do so. Two years ago, such a proposition was made and negatived. But the arguments which were then opposed to it, did nut apply to present circumstances. Several reasons had formerly been urged against such a provision. Tile supporting an army in France was one. But that army was now almost entirely main. tait.ed b) France, and, therefore, the argument failed. Maims, the unfavourable state of the euchange was stated as a reason for continuing the Restriction; bet was this a fair argument, whets it was known that a loan was to be raised for France, sad when it wits perfectly understood, that a part of that loan would b e contracted f . 1 . i n England ? The effect s its"-• parity of reasoning, must be, as specie must be seat from this country, to create a favourable. not an en. favourable state of the exchange. If the circumstance of a loan being mode for France were used as a reason for abandoning cash payments for the aso meta, it might have some weight ; but he denied, at all events, that it was a good one for coatinuing such a meanie for any considerable length of time. Let the House look to France itself. Under all misfor tunes, she bad adhered to a metallic circulation—and the price of the precious metals remained almost un changed. Let Parliament reverse the piastre. Not.. witbstaiultag the flourishing state, as it was termed, of this cautery, no circumstances, it was said, ap. peered to authorize the resumption of cash payments. What then was the inference ? It was clearly this— thet gross mismanagement most exist somewhere. This country had drawn from France and from other nations larger quantities of gold and silver than had been received in any ether pert of the world. Yet that abduction had not compelled those countries, from which the resource was drawn, to resort to a 4 paper eiradstitio—sed, by • parity of reasoning, it was evident, that the seeding oat of this country • quantity of the melees metals, ought not to lead to the result. that cash payments should be wholly abandoned. Other causes than thou stated must be looked to as the reason for the non-resumption of cash 'peyments, and other remedies must be resorted to for the correction of. the evil—remedies very dif ferent indeed from those hitherto proposed. The Hon. Gentleman then entered into a review of the circumstances which attended the great issue of country bank-notes. A vast quantity of paper of that description bad got into circulation. Many of those country houses had failed—and the conse quence was, that an additional supply of Bank of England paper was called for. When he said Ibis, he meant. not to deny that the country banks bad done mach service; but it was most evident, that, by their multiplicity, they had spread over the country a greater portion of Bank of England notes, than, under other circumstances, would have been .disseminated. The number of country banks had, undoubtedly, produced many good effects. They had occasioned the a:sanction of business os more medullae term' than it otherwise world betokens performed, and it had also rendered it necessary that the issue of each individual should, in a coo. siderable proportion, be contracted. Still, how ever, they had *Mated the paper system. Butyl to revitrt to the general principle. It was most evi dent that the great increase of paper money bad tended to raise the prices of-every article, even to double them. What was the consequence? Why the expenses of the wet were doubled, and thus it was, that, is a time of peace, they were borne down b 7 WOO 1.0 aa tezetioly The longer Bank accounts. This was imperative, $o long u Restriction Alt continued ; let the House restage that, and be would be content sever to call on the Bank for any papers.—( Hear, hear 1 .)-1( the House did not at this moment interfere, they would leave a system in existence which had a tendency to alter the Sahli of the whole properly in the country. Tne propesition.with +hien he meant to conclude, bound the Bank to nothing 1.1 particular, except to sPcog. else the necessity of a diminution of their issues.— They ought to begin with a large reduction of their 11. notes, as those mute directly inlet fer , .l wish a metallic currency. This would have the t , r.-A , toes, both in resulting matters to a co o t er state. and .11;,) .. on a subject of the highest importance —he meant 'he facility fur committing tkn. crime of forgery, which grew wish the issue of these small note*.—( (leeit) —Six trials for forgery only took place heto.i. 171',7 —SOU was the number since e —(//eur, ; kw' !) On the subject of seiguiorage, all he should say I was, the' it would fill on the last holder. The go . aserel ant of continuing the present system of cur -1 fancy must be most injurious, both externally as well as internally—it most show other States that this country was irretrievably entangled in fi nancial 4115culties. There was, in the present moment of peace, an opportunity, by courageously facing the ' evils - in our finance well, to genitive this impression with far less danger than it could be effected in a time of war, when the apparently helpless state of the country might invite an attack which, from the present pacific state of Europe, there could be no - 1 reason to expect. It was in vain to hope that the seat year would be more favourable than this for en• tering upon the subject, and it was for these consi derations that he was anxious to call upon the House to adopt the amindment with which be meant to con. dude. The. I/M: Gentleman then proposed that the words " unforeseen cinemas:states" should he ()Mit led in the preamble of this 'Bill, and that after the word ' whereas" these words be inserted—" it is expedient that the Restriction be further continued, for the purpose of enabling the Bank to provide for the resumption of cash payments, by such a gradual reduction in the issue of their smaller notes, as would enable them, with as little delay as possible, to re vert to payments in specie." Mr. CANNING expressed his opposition to the 'amendment of his Honourable Friend, on the ground of its assuming a . Parliamentary interference with the management of the concerns of the Bank.—lle' was not one of those who could not be considered blind to the inconveniences, or enamoured of the fa cilities which the suspension of cask payments pro *heed. On that subject, he continued to entertain ell his former opinions. But he still thought that the r House should pursue the same course it adopted on the former occasions, by merely fitting the tune when payments in cash should be resumed, leaving it al together to the Bank to make the due means for pre paration. It was the duty of the Bank to be pro vided with the means when the Legislature should deem it expedient to remove the Restriction, and be did believe, that in point of fact the Bank was so provided. One, therefore, of his objections to the preamble proposed by his lion. Friend (Mr. Lewis), was, that it assumed the incapacity of the Batik to pay its notes in specie. Ile considered that the con tietuance of the Restriction at present, rested wholly on eatrinsic circumstances, impossible to have been foreseen or controuled. Bat though they rendered such a ineelere essential at the present moment, from their nature they were not likely to recur when the period fixed by the present Bill should ezpire.= When the resumption should take place, some dile (fealties must be expected, and on the Bank was ime posed the responsibility of providing for them. It was therefore most expedient to leave the Bank the master of its own concerns, and not, as would be the case in the event of adopting the preamble of his Honourable Friend, pet the House of Commons in their place. He confessed himself one of those who deeply felt that the country could riot be considered to have righted herself, until we had reterned toe wholesome and healthy circulation. .. Mt. J. P. GRANT renewed his objections to the present Bill. It was so impeitant a measure, tbsi he must be again allowed to say, without affectation, that he did not understand the nature of the conchs. sion the Right Hon. Gentleman endeavoured to eats. blish, from the fact of foreign loans being oiegociated iii this country. But if these loans constituted a reason, why was not the fact asserted in the preamble of the Bill, instead of the indefinite statement of un foreseen circumstances? The Learned Gentleman proceeded ko a 'iletairea statement, how these loans; i would operate, io producing remittances from 4141 country in goods, and not in bullion, and that from the nature of 'lamps, the market would ' right itself. He gave notice of his intention, in a future stage of the Bill, to limit its duration to six weeks after the next meeting of Parliament. .' Mr. G. GRANT, - Jen. contended , that the con donut* of the cause operating still in France, would have the effect of preventing the efficacy of the corrective on which, in an ordinary Intercourse between the two countries, would regulate the course of excbange. The 'season of Reitrktion, loaded with inconveniences, as be allowed it to be, had enabled es to bring the war to its glorious cOnclo. don. It was the reliance placed on our national geed faith that had given us the means which este bled us to beat France, availing herself as she bad done or means of a very differeat description. To eveoteally taken off was diminished. He regretted that the motion made a short time ago for an enquiry into the subject had not been acceded to, end he strongly recommended the Chancellor of the & L a e , quer, early in the nett Session, to propose th e po:nttnent of a Committee for that purpose. N o rational man 'could believe that soy change i n e i r . •comstances could take place by neat July, whi c h, is the opinion of Ow,. *lvo now opposeJ the tramp. tion, would render k then advisable. F..r himpif t ie ronfesserl, llott t e viewed the proo;edings of the li3nk with considerable jealousy ; end he was per. suadetitilio events, tereseen or unforyseenoisonl4 front time to time happen, which would be urged as die outA . for rotitinuing ate Restriction. I The Huuae !hen divided F.r the Aseudo.ent Art wit it • hiajiaity —&7 Mr. J. P. GRANT moved, as an amendment, tat the period for the resumption I.f cash pa)ments by the Bank should be altered from the sth of July, 1819, to six weeks after the neat meeting of Parlia. meat. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER opposed the amendment, nn the ground that it did not allow sufficient time for the cousideration of so • important a subject. Mr. TIERNEY thought that the Right Hon. Gen. tlemen could have no objection to substitute the 25th of March, tailless there was some joggle between the Government and the Bank, In which case be rem grettod that the candour of the Hon. Gentleman an. der the Gallery was not imitated, who declared that to pay paper in specie was an abominable heresy.— [A laugh. 3 • Mr. J. P. GRANT withdrew his amendment, to, , make may for that of his Right Hon. Friend (Mr. Tierney). Mr. C. GRANT objected to the amendment, es the operation of the French Loans could not be eh. pected to cease at the time. mentioned therein. Mr. J. P. GRANT wished to know if his Hon: • Friend could assure the House that their operation would cease by the sth of July ? The House then divided— For the Aineattawat *phut it Majority . • LOTTERY. The House hiving resolved itself into a Committee. of Ways and Means The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER, moved a Resolution for raising the sem of 290 ) 00 0 L by Lottery. Mr. LYTTELTON expressed himself hostile to the measure, as contrary to good policy and good • morals. He admitted the ffeascial difficulties of the' state, but regarded it es the province of a &libel's. live assembly like that to overlook the miserable es pedielits of the time, and decide upon broad and libe ral principles. If the principle of raising money by Lottery was one* established, they might, upon the asmejustification, proceed to- raise a revenue from licensing brothels and gamling.housea. The system of Lotteries went to increase the -patromige_of the Crown, to train op a race of informers, to subvert the morality, impair the industry, and, in its re aisle effects, to injure the revenue of the State. It was not • little eatraordinary that while the Right Hon. Gentleman evinced so much anxiety for build ing churches. he should raise such a battery against his favourite measure as was contained in the Rou lettes!' before the House. The CHANCELLOR , of the EXCHEQUER did not think be was called upon to offer any new tea.; sons for following op a measure which had been. acted en by all his predecessors particularly as the Honourable Gentleman had offered no new argu ments against it. Sir M. RIDLEY thoeght it Inconsistent that the Right Honourable Gentleman should encourage Sav ing Banks with one band, and gambling habits with the other. Sir J. NEWPORT instanced tin- ease of one of the • .High Sheriffs of Dublin, who was found guilty of insuring Lottery Tickets. He understood that the same person had been found guilty of the same of• fence in the former year, notwithstanding which his continued. 27 -61 licence was _ .. The Cil ANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER de clared himself ignorant of the case, but observed, that if it had come to his knowledge, each a person should not have been licenced. Mr. WILBERFORCE observed. that there was a wide distinction between individual ads of im. morality, and those which were patronized by the Government. If the practice of raising money by Lottery w's once ellowekto be criminal. it cola not he defended upon any ground that would Oct justify other crimes. It was easy to estimate the produce of such a taz, but who could assign limits to its demoralizing effects upon the community. Mr. B. 110 WARD opposed the Resolution, which he described to be contrary' to the law of the laud, as declared in the Act of William. After a few words from Mr. W. SMITH and Mr. 1:1TTELT011 ) 111 division took place, when there ap• . pealed—. For the Resolution Apes' k - . 'l5 . 33 Majority - 44 The Rrport was thew ordered to be received to ataffoW. trust I n—thr should wi.ich keeps ships 1 sot bi keepe shire, been 1 uow a loi 1 keen 1 town Bch,. a shat same it teal Irani tort Will( • beeell 'if toss ) The wool poor t 2001 -'Di of 11 atm be In I sines *nom fore who as ll at a • gran them i,? for 1 11 In brill pull at 11 ON stri furl let the fee wh . . a. It $I i am by tie lii till 1 t r' at qv hr Ilk ) • of ' tiN - - .1 .• , j ? ..at.d Xky . ): ) \. ‘ ,:_.; it JUt . lte.. -,---7)- 79 - .)". . ..:! X,t ''` • •?‘ N, • . ..- • . -, , THE S' AT r . . • • . . --- ..---.-- . - -.----.. - - ---.--•--------- --:.------ --- __---- -- W: • Abbo t t, . ' tedgkesti„, . ~' stem to ettistiethe viatieldid , ;K i l os "' smsatero t t rosy as it was la i , rawer, he gate his eepport, bad it, T she h theen r o lo eit to •,Infereet ._ . telittriltrat be found dt One time . op 0 as Ail Ila Ps 1 bet • • whigh ' ke • fstgr -.and the present Item be imit lOina ssaat s ha *mad . dee: JI p ...:___, .... toh quote octillion to mAriorthlitehAt; •he.,. ." fa dared bee_ epriper one . to meet mulch.* ilte‘eolir ermeifitorkil ie d that woad diet • e Pi • " 11 "I -4 • to I hate it emierstood that so the Cosmoluiooers so op. There mold, he was convinced. be •no interreptinn perky of the country. Pointed woeid Wire evils% bet the 'ohne, o f &if tit trade Sy the mitosis& of ileßestrictlen Act As : Mr. GURNEY contest , 'Oat the Restrictien ' inal attendance to reward limn, end . op Ikea Mae ai esnsdd aubilsd not the rash specolations, so remark. advisable, not heroes. the alt was ad - piii(eettp s in ha t d he ow ci o e f w.... a pretence tat fe f t are ezot ie be rea r utoelevehetheasiesrj aireprinelviehtechinarsdeprec, astltyionaritemniehrwreoicettuornmetattebesTisestredi:m?.:; fl er v r a: PE ies rlf lainte i7 enein . doYfinteeirtiresal:thcelyee.cotiniteerihatesobiormettpribecaurfet, e icato se al 4s 4 , , ... • 1 De ea propose himself titindertaliti the pert atone of those end the facility of borrowing Coramissinners. The proposal ) was fide on MI pet Thie led te - oebstitate rub speculation for a pre. while we hid so large a debt, and while so (urge on • i r --Ind the goloroot he had hitherto totes le the soh. deal "Mad en fair sad solid capital. -- It was the jetrftest *as paid on that debt, materially to dietioligr , . • ON 1 jai, gave him some title to attention. He °resod losseettnas such a system of tomb that . bred dip All •mmuttity of paper, withoat the most injorion .. coneequetiress end in lei 1 t h ee, sacrifice . sects his time ,end hie labour, without content ' throughout the country .ae oriel . se.seq, proof of this assertinu, he ad- • 1 e m m e a m lu bor me s n o t; ( ( a ho nd ge en mat ee is n o tbe ett r are ter n m i s o . 6 As si soz i e be o sa f the o o t a ber necesse es e r ii i ill 1 l'olielnatedruilfertetedwltti th e Be n t libel o re f " pe ed pe to r wo the s' es dil e hasbo a fil d inP obe in cle m q'u w e. h c e : : I ru i rh sg ich is get ri d o f ti l l. 1 tress, that the farmers engirt not pay their rents, and Te the other House of Leeidetreopo it'd es e or them the surety this very Bill was a lamentable interference was that the poorer classes were lu the greatest dis- that there was pound embarrassment throughout the 1 of itighest personin that Ilouge(tko House of Common ) with the Bank, and it was to Ibe thonght a seat in the Home anent not be incom. Inference that he meant to propose a declaratory , no petible with a place in that CORIIOIIIIOII. Bat if it pr e e mbie. T h e M emb e r fo r Surrey (Mr. S. Thor.. country. were thought so, he begged hetes ge rola, thee he ton) complained of the Hort* calling se often, fur Mr. BANKES was Perfteded that every time the inl Sic a...a, ...ore_ Tide area loweretise, so long as the Restriction was renewed, the probability of its being ._-__ _., :___ .1!....!_t_5._., It- --__.._-_. 1:1 d