The Statesman. — London, England, 1815-06-15 00:00:00

f ._. t • • - k t. tt e t ter • . r„, • 4.• THE STATESMAN. old canons, indeed, which prohibiter) marriages not that the sentiments and securities of family honour, likely to take place, leach as marriage with a grand. ! and that the dignity and solace of private life, all , mother ; but there were als o p ro hibited cas es which, 1 that secured the paternal !tense, and the relation Of !- in his own knowledge, we r e cons t an tly r ecu r ring, ' b otcher Ned sister from pollution, were , in a great such as marriage between cousins, and sn a ;-sia a ss with :degree, ist make, atel. hest beers outraged and violated a brether's widow. Why, then, be wished to know, ieseekke . libertinism of Sir Henry Mildmay.—[!fear, if there would have been no impropriety, or (leper. ',hear, hear :j tore from the usages of society, had marriage takes* ! ' Mr. TAY . LOR thought that the Committee should place betwen Lady Roseberry and Sir H. Alildnrv, •httawits totafittgalest the eloquence of the Right supposing no obstacle to have stood iss the way, and honourable and Learned Gentleman, whose argu. no crime to have beet) rettimitteti; whywas-this-ter....eet appeared to him in the nature of an address to eutestaece of relatilinshipan'oleio SicondettitfiWttiftl m istatta'aebtain large damages. Ile considered that an oejectioa to that marriage, or into.oheisalstotiox...thesase Lad been much exaggerated, by terming it rift6ii. in "their o ff ence? Ile trusted he was NI - W.ll •• alc - itscsso . titoos intercourse. Ile believed that there known to be sup Posed indifferent to the interests of , were numberless marriages in this country which nsorality, or the importance of public decorum. lie! might be void by the strict application of the Canon ocas not aware thaehe was subjecting himself to sea: Law: He knew many men, of the most respectable misrepresentations; and he could assure - the House charocter in other respects, Who had married their that he had no acquaintance with either of the partfes. first oife'.l sister. If there was already a law upon in this unfortunate transaction. What he considered tee subject, why should not the present case be left was, that , as the canon law did not avail as a general.: to,the operation of theelem? It bed been said, that rule, it was not necessary either in common sense or it was probable that Lady Roseberry would be old. tommon justiCie that the offender in this instance mately deserted by Sir 11. Mildmay. Much, how. should be driven an outcast from society, without ever, as he condemned the crime which Sit H. Mild any chaste* or means or returning to character and may had committed, he did not believe that he would respectability. desert her, or that any gentleman would desert a The ATTORNEY-GENERAL protested against woman in those circumstances. He could not con. the doctrine:apparently assumed by his Hon. and ceive that it would he ally disgrace to the House to Learned Friend, that all these who opposed the Bill strike out that clause, or even ep permit those people of Lord Auckland, in 1800, were bound by that to live together in an honest way. If there were at tote to rive the same opposition to the present clause. ; present any taw against their marrying, a process . As little did. he think his Host. Friend justified in might 'fie instituted in Doctors' Commons to prevent supposing, that any enactment of mere privilege in it. lie did not require the eloquence of the lion. the other House ought to intluenci the deliberations. ; and Learned Gentleman to make him feel that it was of the House of Commons, or provoke them to a a great crime to go into the house of a brother.itt. belief that their own privileges or legislative autho. :law, and seduce his wife. Bad as the thing was, he kity had been infringed. It was with perfect asto. i conceived that it had been much exaggerated in the Itiohment he had listened . to the statement, that of i description. every hundred marriages celebrated in this country, I Mr. LOCKHART thought that his Honourable three at least wire contrary to the canon law. His ; and Learned Friend need not complain of the elo. own observation led him to a conclusion very differ. At:mime of the Attorney-General, as it appeared to ent indeed from any belief of such a proportion, !have made so little impression on him. His argil. from any belief that incestuous marriages were thus , ment, however, had been bottomed on the opinions frequent, or that the sanctions of the Thaws' code iof all the best writers upon those subjects. They were thus daily violated. The first plain question i all described the crime ns most peculiarly destructive for the House to consider was—what was the nature .to public morals, when committed by persons to of the crime itself, stripped of its adventitious de. ; whom affinity or propinquity afforded the most un. fortuity, ofatH its peculiar and more odious charac. ; restrained intercourse. They, therefore, conceived terhtica ? It was the crime of depriving a worthy , that the strongest prohibitions were necessary to and innocent man of what was most -consoling and prevent the crime from being committed under those t alunble to him in this life, it was the crime of de. :*circumstances. The Canon Law had determined priving four young children of the care and tender. that such marriages were incestuous, and he saw no arse of their maternal parent. But, said his lion.; reason to contend against that interpretation which and Learned Friend, this is an ordinary offence, ' the English law had adopted. As to the question of why take this out of the disgraceful catalogue, and ' privilege as between the two Houses, he conceived stigmatise it with any marked or added severity ? . that every case stood upon its own merits, and that Was there, then, no incest in this crime, was there ' this was a peculiar case, which ought to be excepted ao blood in it, was there in all its circumstances tin. from the common rule. here, it was evident, that thing beyond the impropriety of 'an individual seduc. ' the Canon Law tins not hostile, but auxiliary to ing his friend's wife ? It could not be meant that public morals. lie should, therefore, vote for the there had been no affinity, no trust, nor confitimice ' adoption of the clause, on the ground of the pecu. arising from affinity, beyond the common intercourse liarity of the case. of friendship, or the ordiesary'civilitito of society in ! , Mr. C. W. WY NNE, finding that the objection of the ease now under consideration. It was itopm,:i. many gentlemen to supporting the clause was merely ble that this should he contended. In this country, ou the ground of privilege, thought, that t* 0%1 tee happily, men felt secure under the guardianship of this, it might 1:e proper, in agreeing to the clause, public law and public morals. It was not necessary .to state, that the House agreed to it, on the ground that their Tigiffince sh o uld be ever se ake, lest their of the incestuous nature of the connexion. domicile, or their chamber itself, should be insulted ! Mr. W,-O\ll Ili ota , ready to vote for the clause, sod profaned. Much did he believe the sanctity of ,as considering the present case to be a very aggra. morals, and the purity of domestic life, to be in..vated one. Ile could not vote for it, however, if forested in the conduct of that House in cases like there was any statement of the connection being in the present. The lion. and Learned Gentleman !cestuous, as he did not consider it to be so. If it bad, he did not know whether ludiCrously or not, ; was declared incestuous, it would exceedingly hurt alluded to the prohibitions of the canon law, and the feelings of many very respectable people, who the illegality of a man intermarrying with his grand. were now married to the sisters of their former wife. mother ' • but his Hon. Friend would not deny that The Committee then divided, the evil existing in the world must be increased to an For the Clause - indefinite *:test, if it was allowed to increase its the Agaitart it - - same proportion as the trust and hospitalities of con- Majority sanguinity should establish an intercourse without Mr. TAYLOR could not avoid bowing to the de. suspicion or reserve. It had been well said, admit cision of so large a majority, although he had felt it such a principle, and it will behove you to take care ihis duty to urge those arguments which pressed upon of your nurseries. his Hon. Friend had described his mind. He now came before the Committee in it as a common case: he solemnly declared, that its another capacity, and must intreat them to consider his own experience he had not met with one equally whether, if Lady Roseberry should have still virtue atrocious. To him it appeared that it would have i enouch left' (as he hoped site had) to quit the con. been more natural and excusable in Sir 11. Mildmay,' sect on with Sir 11. alildmay, it would he Halo. that to have poisoned the mind and debauched the body i rise should be reduced to the miserable pittance of of his own sister, born of the same womb, and train. 3001. a year, which would be totally insufficient to ed by the same hand, than to have planned, con. support her is the sphere of life to which she had ducted, and consummated the ruin of Lord Rose. been always accustomed. .-/t would be insufficient berry's family, under all the circumstances by which for her existence in any kind of comfort, even that ruin was accomplished and attended. Let the although she were always to live as an exile its a fo. House 'oppose for a moment that Lord Roseberry reign laud. He concluded by moving as an amend. had entertained some apprehensions, and expressed ment to the Clause, that an additional 2001. per to his Honourable Friend, or any other person, a annum should be allowed for her maintenance. wish that Sir H. Mildmay would not repeat his visits. Mr. PRESTON supported the amendment, as What would, what must have been the observation Lady Roseberry had lust the benefit of the jointure of his Honourable Friend ? Would he not have of 15001. a year which bad been settled upon her at said, Good God ! how can you receive such an ap. ithe marrias.m. prehension into your mind; was he not the husband I Mr. LOCK HART wished that the Hon. Gentle. of your wife's sister, recently deceased; is it strange t man could inform the Committee what was the for. that he should find a willing audience, that they tune which the Lady brought ? - 111 • c2t) - 91 should find .1 mutual consolation for their common Mr. TAYLOR. said that he was not acquainted loss in retracing those lies and affections which had bound them to so near a relative? • Was not this the man, he would ask, ti whom the doors of a confiding friend would naturally fly open ? Was it a common vise for a man so situated to destroy the happiness of an a Ifectionate husband, and deprive children of mother, bearing a resemblance to his own deceased and whom he was by the same act plunging infamy and dishonour? The House, he trusted, imot proclaim to the people of England, that ..ast uo longer trost to the habits of society, to .gs of Mankind, to the principles of morals, lividuals whom they are the last to suspect sat ~ .v their quiet for ever. By the law as it stow • nt, it•the intermarriage of these par ties a • ••ed, all that .the omission of this (*Luse c.. •uld be to legitimatize the future otSprirte t iodice of the offspring born be fore marry ihted, indeed; if such a mar rhige wes tik. , take place, even if not probi hired. 'rhos* t. no triumphed over female chastity towel) hecetre, in too many instances, tired and clis catsted with their victims. Frail and- treacherous was the hope that rested on the faith( and fidelity of an. a4alterer. Claims in law or in public justice, lady Roweberry had none; what she had. on • the justice of Sir H. hlildmay he should not pretend to describe : WI what he wished to impress on the Hoene was, tires ahr,ouricy and sanctity of social sand domestie lialosselso imnielliately involved' us • this - •Oatsiou ; with either of the parties, but he understood that her fortune was 60001., which in the 3 per cents. gave 10,0001. stock. Mr. BATHURST could not agree with the Hon. Gent. (Mr. Taylor) that the fund for prodscing the moral effect which he had anticipated, should be taken out of the fortune of Lord Roseberry. This would be leaving no discretion at all to the husband to improve her circumstances, if she reformed her • conduct, hut would be directly carving out of his I fortune that which ought to be left entirely to his I generosity. The interest of the fortune which the Ilady brought was now to be given up to her; and he ' saw no reason to compel the husband now to provide out of his fortune for her future morality. Ile thought that the House had no right to dictate to him n bat he should give to Lady itcheberry, in• case of her repentance and reformation. This should be left entirely to his own feelings. The argument of the Hon. Gent. would go to this extent, that if any wo man was elevated above her rank in life by a mar riage, she immediately became entitled to be sup ported ont of the fortunes of her husband in that rank, however she might forsake her &dotage wife., If the interest of Lady Roseberry's fortune, 3001. a', year, .wns stated to he quite incompetent to her sup port, he could not see upon what principle the House could undertake to carve out of the fortune of Lord Roseherry ouch an income lei her as• would satisfy the Hon. Gent. Mr. PRESTON' made some further observations in favour of the Amendment. . Mr. Seijeant BEST could tiot .concOve how it could becontended that a lady tilito had condpited herself as Lady Itoseberry had done, was as fully entitled to the jointure settled on her at the marriage as if she had lived with her husband in the perform ' ante of her duties. lle..costld - not see what claim the lady possessed upon any principle of justice, ' upon the Noble Lord. If she had any claim on him, it was merely on his humanity; and from the cha racter of the Noble Lord, he had no .doubt but that whatever claims of that sort she might have, would be atteutled to as much as they deserved. It was not for that [louse to regulate the feelings or the bounty of the Noble Lord. Lord A. HAMILTON spoke shortly In favour of the Amendment. Mr. ABERCROMBIE thought that when Lord Roseherry came to that House to demand a favour, it was for them to consider on what terms it should be granted. It was, then, competent for the House to judge whether 30u1. per annum was a sufficient pro vision for her. As to the opinion expressed by an Hon. and Learned Gent. (Serjeant Best) as to what Lord Roseberry's feelings would probably induce him to do, this would have great weight with him-if he conceived it as coming from any person authorised by his Lordship to make mini statement ; but as a mere opinion expressed in debate, it should not pre vent him from voting for what be thought would be a proper provision for her. The Committee then divided upon the Amend.. ment— For it, AgalMt it C 9 16 Majority - 53 T;IF. lIIJOGET. The Order of the Day being read •in the usual form, The CHANCELLOR of the' EXCHEQUER rose.—ln proposing to the House the means of sup ply for carrying on t h e war in which we hadem.. balked, on the most .*.x:etisive scale, it wat unne cessary to say, that no one could be more deeply impressed with a c , oisideration of the fatal necessity of calling upon the country to support so !arge an ex. penditure. A very short period had elapsed since the House were engaged in reducing our expences to a peace establishment; but, unfortunately_ for . the repose and happiness of Europe, which had suffered so much from the domination of France, the *ex had scarcely become cold on the Treaty of Paris, when the renewal of the war was considered indis pensably necessary b y all the confederated Powers. The Declaration of the 13th of March, was issued from the Congress, before the possibility of any communication with this country; it was the 1111. suggested policy of all' the Allied Sovereigns, that na peace could he preserved .with France while her former Ruler was suffered to remain at the head of her Government. His Administration was consi dered as a Government that must either destroy the indepentlence and safety of Europe, or be itself overpowered by the united efforts of the Allies. In the short interval of peace, this country had been enabled to make some reduction in her expences, but considerable arrears of the former. war remained en discharged. The expences of the last campaign, had not been wholly defrayed, and the war with Ame rica had scarcely closed, when this new situation of affairs arose. Under these circumstances, with a large arrear of former expeuditure, and having also to provide for the means of carrying on a new war, it was not to be wondered at, that the sum which the exigencies of the State required for the present year greatly exceeded all former periods. He could not, however, but congratulate the House on the extent of the resources, and the fortitude of the public spirit of the country ; for, large as our ex. pences would unavoidably be, he felt convinced that oar means were able to meet them, and that the peo ple would cheerfully submit to much larger burthens, in order to secure the repose of the world. Con. tiding in these sentiments, he should proceed to give such exploiter to the House as would enable them to judge of the real situation of our finances. It was unnecessary to enter into a long detail of former statements, and, therefore, it became him only to read what Parliament had resolved to do, for the purpose of meeting the expenditure already incurred. In some instances, however, it would remain for him to point out the necessity of additional expenditure, and the tesout cps by which this country would be en abled to rno.t it. The Right Hon. Gentleman then made the following statement of the Supplies : 1811. - AC , 15,786,5094: \iv • y • )1,1F#7,453 'lumped, 3,716,1115 • 1 Army . , 1.1.876.759 1 Extranrdinaries (1311) 11,98'1,136 .o (3,671,05 . hub Barracks (1915) 12,000,0 st . . 99.000 I Commissariat . 10:19,961 (Storekeeper-Gene:lo . 91,600 -- —31.915,756 :3,915,658 Ordnance . * 1,1:0,643 Foreign Payments, including fills of Credit . to.no.cyjo . 3,0311,0011 Vote of Credit . 6,010,09 a All,OOO Ditto for Ireland . 5 1 .11.000 Army Prize Money . 1 1 4•2,.1-17 2,500,033 kliscellaneous . 3,00.5,000 84268,9'26 111rPARATF CitANCE?t. 1,90(1,000 Interest on Fschequer Bills 4 2.000.0011 1 0 91.101.1 Sinking Fund on Ditto Vit),ooo 121,000 Debentures on Lovalty Loan 90,000 Vote of Credit Bills 1811. ) 6,001401111 and reduction of Exche- 6,000,000- quer Hills ---- 8,960,003 _ . 89,728,9426 Deduct high Proportion of? 9,571,814 Joint Chair -8,107,094 Ditto Civil !jai and -Cow l Im M mo ated fund 9.760.814 £79,968.112 In making this statement, the Right Hon. Gent. in terspersed a variety of observations on the diff.rent . items. The total amount of the expences of the Bar rack Department was '250,0001., but the difference arose from a saving to the public by the sale of s.ores ; and when the account %as finally arranged, It would probably be less than now stated. The Subsidies to be granted to the Allies amounted to five millions ; but provision *as td.o to he made for the expenve of maintaining it certain number of troops on the Con tinent, pursuant to the Treaty of Chaumont, and t.' complete the Subsidies of last year. The total umi ak amount of those services was three millions, which, with one million to be granted' to Sweden, as R perisation for surrendering the island of Gudalnupe to France, left four millions for treaties, independent of the five millions now given to the Allies. LI ad. dition, however, to these supplies, he should have to submit w the House a service of peculiar, though not quite a novel nature; he meant a compensation to the army under the Duke of Wellington, for th e capture of stores. The sum was undoubtedly larg e in its amount, but it had accumulated during srveu years of war, 800,0001. would be wanted for this service, as well as a sum of 142,0001. for stores at the capture of the island of Java. No part of the Ito)nl Artillery had been employed on that occasion, and therefore this sum could not be carried ove r t o account in the usual way ; bat lie considered it le strictly coming within the ordinary service, though the Ordnance had not thought proper to recognizo it without the express direction of the (louse. HP ( id not, however, at present intend to propose those votes. The result of his statement, therefore, a p. peered to be, that the joint charge of England and Ireland amounted to 81,368,9261. and the separate charges to 8,360,0001. making an aggregate of 89,728,9201. 'f he deductions for the Irlsh.propor. lion of the joint charge was 9,572,8111. and for the Civil List and Consolidated Fund, IBB,OCPI. lea v i ng a total for Great &Rain of 79,968,1121. The Right lion. Gent. then proceeded to mg* the following statement of the 1814. ..AYS AND MEANS. 3,000,000 Annual Deities di3, 0 031101 Surplus Consolidated Fund 9.i0 ti rys 20,530,000 War Tate. 22,003,000 708,515 It l rl se , t , n t l y Ul, Stores 1100 L08,5:0 3,000,00.) Vote of Credit - 6,001,04 Ist Loon, 4?s00,00.1 Elf o lt e ene i rpi v i e ls pe rv i td and 03,135,000 2d Loan, 18,500,000 Loan • - n 41111,000 £79,1593,500 In submitting this statement to the Rouse, the Tight lion. Gent. had no hesitation in saying, that if be thought an equal expenditure would be incurred in futore years, he should consider' it. proper to make an appeal to the public spirit sod magnanimity of the ' people; but as the extraordinary expences of the present year were - not at all likely to continue, he had deemed it more wise to resort to those Means which had been adopted on former occasions • sad he trusted,..notwithstending the !argentits of the de. mand,. that we should not have reason to caret the exertions we were making.. • Tile loan which had bees contracted for on that day, for the service of the pre. sent year t ..ameunted to, t 7,000,0001. fOr aglind, and 9,000,0...;01. for Ireland, making a tool of 36,000,0001.; end the terms on which it had been negociated 'were as follow : For every 1001. is snooty, the Contractors got— &root. F. s I. 3 per Cent. Reduced, at 54# 71 0 3 JO 4 per Cents. 614 6t9 9 44 9 per Ceut. Cons..ls b 4 23 111 23 101 45 13 7j 4'. s. it. it O 4 0 10i INTEREST.-130 at 9 per Cei.t 3 18 0 10 at 4 per I eat. 0 'S 44 at 9 p..r Cent. 1 6 If 5 12 44 esrlasivenf the die. • These terms were the best which the Government had been able to make, and he had no N. sitation in declaring, that while it was perfectly satisfactory to. them, it was, under all the circumstances, reason. ably fair to the Subscribers. Four different calcu. lations bad been made, and the parties agreed in similar offers. 'the Right Hon. Gentleman then . took a comparative view of the taxes during the last and the present year, and stated the progress of the revenue since any considerable addition had been made to the public barthens. On the sth of April, 1813, the total produce of the taxes was sixty millio; ; but on the sth of April last, there was an increav of five and a half millions, though the period of 1813 had been less productive. In 1794, the Loan ass negociated at four and a half guineas, and notwith. standing we had added, since 1813, about 187 mil. • lions to the public debt, it was now concluded on ! the most fair and honourable terms. In regard to the charge to be incurred by the public, Parliament had already made provision for about one half, and he intended to submit to the House to provide for the remainder out of the money in the hands of the I Commissioners for the reduction of the National Debt. The amount of that fund was now about 70 i millions. We understood the Bight Honourable Gentleman next to state, that the excess of the sup. plies for this year, above what might be looked far. ward to as necessary in future years, was not lest than 21 millions. In the first place, there were 12 millions of Army Extraordinaries, previously in. curved, to be provided for ; there were also two i millions of Navy Debt, besides an amount of ad. vances made to foreign Powers, together with a Coms missariat debt of about two and a half millions. — He had the sati,faction of stating, however, that the purchasers of these Commissariat Bills had liberally consented to the postponement of the period of repayment ff:r some time to come, which would be of considerah:e advantage to the country, and which I was a proof that mercantile man would sactifire on occasions like the present a considerable portion of their personal ad; a otage to the service of the country. Ille had no doeb' from the better arrangements which were now made for the Commissariat sorvice in the present war, the expences of that department could be considewhly diminished, nod that the country would derive great advantages from its superior or. eanization. lle had also the satisfaction of stating, ; that notwithstanding the preastoe of our foreign expenditure, nod payments to foreign Powers, the state of our foreign exchanges had rather improved , than declined. Asa proof of this he hod to mention, that the price of gold, which two months ago rose to ' 51. 7s. per oz. had now fallen to 51. 4s. and silver from 6s. Bd. to 6s. sd. per oz. This was a satisfac. tory proof of the improve.nents of our foreign ex. changes, notwithstanding the pressure which our large foreign expenditure must necessarily occasion. —There was also to he paid this year, a sum of 912,3271. under the head of army Prize.money, for the stores captured by the army on various occasions. Besides which, there was a sum of 500,0001. to make good deficiencies its the Civil List. The whole would form a sum of about 21 millions, required this year to pay for past expenditure. The whole, then, of the supplies of the year necessary to be provided for, Di!Tonnt Russ r I ditiot of ab foroi bPen Right Inlia of ' vn th ettP Pa►l to II the He Con and try for •Ccitta Zvi The "Sr,y eteg gi the I riot' ~._