The Statesman. — London, England, 1820-05-05 00:00:00

THE Si AT F.SM AN. Se"tlund, praying fur Municioal Reformation, lie should ab.•ain t..,.:it taering any observations in sup port of his tnu•iun, taking it fur granted that the Mouse concurred in the propriety of the course be was adopting. he Report of the last Parliament was be fore the House, and be had only to refer to the in. , rinlYtisti it contained, in order to prove the insportnnee of the measure. If it happened that any lion. tient., either front reading the Report, or from any other cause, should otter any opposition to the motion, he loon trusted he should lie beard in reply, with the views as far as he was able, to reutove the objections. Be could assure the House, te..t the question hail ex cited, and continued to excite, the greatest anxiety throughout that part of the country.—Though the list of the Committee which he had to propose was nut exactly what he wished, as one name hail been objected to by his Naj••sty's Ministers, yet hr a•as de termined to make no opposition to the alteration. The Noble Lord concluded with moving, that the Petitions presented from tba Royal Burghs of Scotland, in the years IE4In-19.20, praying for Borough Reformation, be referred to the consideration of a Select Connu:ttee, to examine the same, and report thereon. Lord BINNING begged to hear his testimony to the very liberal spirit in which the Noble Lord opt the suggestion• of his Majesty's Government, a• to the constitution of the Committee. The motion Ira% then carried, and the Select Com mittee appointed. It was ordered, that the Reports of 1793 and 1819 be referred to the said Committee. The Sheriffs of the City of London presented a Pe tition from the Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and Commons of the Chy of Loudon, in Common Council assembled, prAying for a continuation of the powers granted by the 31st of the late King, fur the purpose of improving the western part of the City, by the erection of a Post-office, Lc. On the motion for referring the Petition to a Com mittee, Mr. Srrj. ONSLOW ros.•, not to oppose the nip fiats, but to enter his solemn protest against any ex tension .of the tax on coals.—(llear, hear!)—lt was contrary to every principle of taxation, that a general impost shotild hr laid for a local pur l ose ; and that such a duty as that in question should he levied on a necessary• of life, affecting the whole of the metropolis, ss well as the counties of Surrey, Kent, Hertford, Iturkinghainshire, Mr. N. CALVERT also took the earliest opportu nity of protesting against any such pr ceeding. Mr. R. 601IIK/N reminded the House, that he had u•tiforntly endeavoured to call the attention of the House to this subject. The fart was, that 230,000/. hdi been expended at the new Post-uffice, without a ;angle brick having been laid ! When the Ileums for which he had yesterday .ed should he laid on the table, this would be wade apparent. The original estimate for the building was Ylitt,lloll/. Mr. H. SUMNEIt wished that seine explanation should be made of the object in view, as well as of the mode in which the money alread vraised bad been app!ied. he SPEAKER ohs. rved, that as the Petiti was a private Petition, no step could be taken without an inquiry• Isy a Committee. Alderman WOOD said, it would he useless for I•im to take np the time of the House at that nesneent by any observations on the subject. Hr most deny, however, that the erection of a new Post-office was a local benefit to the Cite of London. It was a public l•enrfit. So far from the Tax on Coals being advatt tageotis.to the City of London, as long as it continued the City world have to i ay 12,000/. a year. 'fhe Petition wan then referred to a ('ottanittee. •IRON o The EXCHIQI SR 174 PCOTLAND. The LORD ADVOCATE, adverting to the conver adion which had taken place a few evenings ago, in the House, on the subject of the appointment of a Court!' Baron of the Exchequer in Scotland, observed, that when the vacancy in question occurred, he had been required, in the discharge of his official duty, to make a report, on the recommendation of the Co 11111 l is stoners, on the Courts of J ustice in Scotland, to abstain trout filling up any surf' vacancy that might occur after that recommendation. In order the better to enable himself to execute this task, lie hail submitted the sitb ject to the consideration of the highest law authorities in Scotland, namely, tb. Lord President of the Court of Session, the Intl Justice Clerk, the Lord Chief Com missiouer of the Jury Court, and the Lord Chief Baron of the Exchequer. Those high authorities were una nimous in their ti t anic:on of the expellienj of tilling e p the vacancy. He was solicitous that the House tAtould be put in possession of this Report, not because it stated the opinion of the humble individuall who ad dressed th •us, but bCrilllir it comprehended the opinion of the highest legal authorities in Scotland on the sub ject. He would therefore move that an humble Ad dress be presented to his Majesty, praying that he would be graciously pleased to order that there be laid before the House a Copy of the R-port made by the Lord Advocate of Scotland on the reesinusiendas lion contained in the Sixth Report of the Commis- Metiers of the t ourts of Justice in Scotland, regard lig the discontinuance of one of the Barons of the Court of Exchequer in Scut and. Mr. ABERCROMBIE rose, not to oppose the mo t:on, but to express his extreme regret that, when a ateport had been made by Commi-sioneas appointed by that House, expressing the opinion of those Com suissioners, that the other in question should, in the event of a vacancy, not be filled up, his Majesty should nevertheless have been avivised to fill it up. He was very happy that the Learned Lord had moved for the production of this pap r, as it was an admission on the part of the Learned Lord (which he trested the public would bear in mind), that what related to that Court was a fit matter fur Parliamentary investigation. •He was unequivocally of opinion, that into the nature of the Court of Exchequer in Scotland it behoved that House to institute a diligent inquiry—an inquiry founded un the large and extended principle of sepa rating trim olhrial duties branches of business that were not properly compatible with those ditties. It was most essential to public justice that the ditties of a Judge should never assume a political character , (Hear, hear!) —On these grounds, and mainly on the admission which the motion implied, of its heinx the duty of Parliament to investigate the subject, hr gave his cord!al must to it. Lord HINNINU said, that t'se Honourable and Laara•d Gentleman spoke as if his Learned Frieud had himself originated the inquiry. It was not in. His Learned Friend Will only Ministerial. The Secretary of State haying required a Report from his Learned Friend ou the rerunimenilation of the Commissioners, he had done his duty lay appealing on thesubject to the highest Law Authorities of Scotland. Mr. AHKHI'KII3IHIR. in explanation, observed, that it was substantially the same thing. !Prom what ever source the inquiry l.rurreded, it was evident that the act of Um-eminent was in hostility to the opinion of the Commissioners. He begged, however, to be dastisially un lerstood, that nothing could be more fo reign to his intention than to intimate any Hunt that WAS nut entirely respectful to the Learned Lord. Sir .1. NEWPORT supported the necessity of an in- quire into the constitution of the Court of It:chequer in Seutlatol. It was evident that the information which was to be afforded on the finlike, was absolutely tarred fr.am I eovernment, by the observations made lay his Noble Friend. After a few words from Mr. HUSKISSON, the mo tion was agr.-ed to. Msatotxue Act.-11r. PHILLIMORE, after a ',- statement of the grounds on which he had in the last Session of Parliament introduced a similar measure, obtained leave to bring in a Bill to amend the Mar riage Art. Glue* LTA,. Drxtes.—Mr. lIUMR, before he pri eeeded to the motion of which he had given notice, wished to correct a mistake that had occurred with re ference to one ofhis statements yesterday evening. He had said that in the seventh class of the Civil List in 1 , 315 there was to he found an expenditure whi. h he hail characterised us useless, namely, the sum of 1,372/. payable to the Master of th • HawLs, not the Master of the Horse, as hail been err -ously stated. He now came to the question of the revenue derived from Gibraltar. lie had on a former occasion submitted to the House a in lion o t the subject, which motion he hail withdrawn, because it had been declared by the Right Honourable Gentleman opposite, that the House ' had no right to interfere will the revenue &rived from Gibraltar, and that it never had so interfered. At that time he was not so well prepared to meet the Right Honourable Gentleman. Ilut hr was now able to inform him and the llonse, that the reveuue de rived from Gibraltar hail been detailed and laid be fore the House in the years 1791, 1795, 1796, and , 1797. In a note :attached to the returns made of the items of the surplus of the Gibraltar revenue, it was stated that an account of its appropri.ition would be laid before Parliament. That account, however, had never made its appearance. It was not only ma terial to obtain this, but it was t material seriously to consider the principle on which the revenue In question had been raised. Fur his part he had always been led t.i believe that his Majesty hail no right to levy taxes upon any part of his subjects without the sanction of Parliament. Let the House also consider-1 the amount of those taxes appropriated to the Civil List. That am 'tint, from 1760 t • 1 e2il, wa5.124,216L bring 2,070/. per annum. "The whole amount of the taxes levied on Gibraltar during the last 60 years was„, however (as we understood the Hon. Gentleman), 1540.000/. The Howie ought surely to consider I ow, fur his Majesty had a right to levy, fur his own pur poses, any tax on a colony. He was prepared to contend that no such right existed, and that all taxation on the subject, nut sanctioned by that House, was a breach of its privileges. Ile logged the House to attend to one cir cumstance. 1 he Mt. lion. Gent. opposite refused to as sign any reasons for the appropriation of the sums IS question to the Civil List, hut said that it was the Im memorial usage. The fact did not bear out the Right lion. Gentleman in that assertion. Let the House re fer to the original charter granted in the reign of Queen Anne, soon after the capture of Gibraltar itt 1704. In 1705, the Queen in Council declared, for the encouragement of settlers and traffic .ers in the gar rison, that no duties should be laid on ships, goods; warehouses, ike. 'I his declaration had the elfesf of attracting a considerable number of settlors to thegar. Hum. The returns which lie wished to obtain would show what the amount of the duties levied was, not withstanding that declaration, in 1760. In 1794 the amount assessed was 4,11001. The House would he sitrprise , l to learn that it had since increased to 50,00111. o the revenue derived front certain small, portions of land, dec. that had devolved to the Crown, the Crown was fairly entitled ; but the imposition of local taxes to so heavy an )) uot was disgraceful and unwarrantable. Ile proceeded to another most serious part of the subject. When Gibraltar came into our possession the inhabitants were chirtly, if not entirely, Catholics ; and our Government being anxious to remove them by degrees, and to substitute Protestants, gave to the latter su perior advantages in order to induce them to settle. The Catholics were subjected to a variety of restric tions, which continued until his Royal Highness the Duke of Kent became Goveinor. With that liberality which-always distiuguished his Ro al Highness, wh . Celt tha the Catholics ought not to remain under a* bar of that nature, he represented to Government its impropriety and its incompatibility with the peace and quiet of the garrison. In consequence, Mr. Windham, in 1907, wrote a letter to his Royal Highness, autho rizing (:is we understood the Right Hun. tient) the abolition of these restrictions. Ltat what would the House say, when he informed them that Ministers, by a late Order in Council, had laid a tax on every Ca tholie and Jewish inhabitant of the garrison. The will of such individual was declared to he invalid with out the sanction of the licvernor ; and a capitation tax of ten dollars a-year was imposed upon him--•-a I tax existing no where but in Turkey, and worthy of !Turkey! Rut what he thought would surprise die' House, was, that exclusively of all that he had men tioned, duties to the amount of many thousand pounds on almost every other article imported into Gibraltar. On ships touching there, a duty was levied. On a ship of three masts, 12 dollars ; on one of two masts, Y clUl tars; on smaller vessels, 4i dollars. This was in di. rect contradiction to the original l•harter. During the (year that he (Mr. Hume) wag at Gibraltar, 5,000 yes: 'acts touched at that port. If they merely anchored they were subject to the duty. There were other tattoo levied by the Governor, Gen. Don, in the most arbitrary manner, and without even the authority of Ministers. Ite a list in his possession, it appeared that there was one (lie would not say improper in its object) imposed in IBls, of 911.3-year on every re'ail wine and spirit shop. He knew he should be telt; by the Right Hon. Gent. that this was confirmed two years Orme rd • by An order in Council The establishment (tithe place Lad also been most uune cessarily increased. He really believed it was increased just in proportion as Ministers found it convenient to extend their patronage. He would give the House some idea of the amount of the inc rrrrr , in order to show the kiiiii of economy observed. During the war there was one Town-Major in Gibraltar; since the peace there bad' been two. During the war there were two Barrack masters ; since the peace there ha I been three. [hiring the war there was one Pratigite•Metier ; since the peace there had been two. Instead of paving and keeping the ,garrison in repair, out of the ditties levied in it, large sums (which the Honourable Gentleman specified) had been at various times voted in the different estimates fur those purposes, while the money was all remitted to the Privy Purse. Now really this appeared to him to be a question demanding serious consideration. If any part if the hereditary revenue was given up by the Act of the first of his late Majesty, that at Gibraltar must have hens fief II up too. it was not, hot , simply the 1124,1:410/. that had been applied to the Privy Parse, het the extravagant establishment—contrary to every prin ciple of economy—which had been kept up. to %bids the attention of Parliament ought to be directed. To him the system appeared to be most illegal snit uncon stitutional, and one which ought to be abolished. Not any part of the duties raised were applied to pur poses advantageous to the establishment.—There were in Gibraltar two Synagngees, two Roman Catholic Cha pels. and one Methodist Chapel ; but there was not one Churns of the Established Religion of this country, nor was there one school conducted upon the principles of that persuasion. Ile would go farther—there was not on the Rock any erahlislinient Irma which any Protest ant could receive that religions consolation which he required. lie would not further detain the House at' present. lie had three motions to make— 'nie first was, " for a lletnrn of all the taxes and duties' levied in Uibraltar in the ) ear% ISENtand ISIS." Them: two periods would be sufficient to show to the Mouse the nature and increase of the revenue of that country. Ills next motion was - for the production of an account of die number and Wore of the various offices end eatiddlalt- meats at Gibraltar, a ith the amount of the salaries end mew laments received by the difterent functionaries in 1911 and i I. ISIS." This would show to the House low far the wino of economy, which was now considered the order of the day, mos attended to. Ills third motion was, •• for is return of the amount of the reiretioes of Gibraltar from 170 U to IWO. distinguishing each puke; sod also au account of the garrison sod other ex , together with the revenues transmitted to this =4." " On the first question being pnt, the CHANCELLOR Of the EXCHEQUER said, that he did not rise to op port the motion: indeed, he had not, with the exception of a slight alteration, any objection to produce the whole of the accoutits moved fur. Ile could not, how ever, help complaining of the uncanilid manner in which the lion. Member had charged both the Governor ofd Gibraltar and his Majesty's Council, in the coarse of , his speech, with extrav rr and extortion. He did 1 , tot mean to object to the fi rst or woad resolutions 1' let to the third, be would, if it were not altered, pro pose an amendment, which was, that the whole account for the tissue mentioned should be produced, without 4iecifyiag ,the items from year to year. He wished at the rune time to observe, that there was not any foreign pe i la whit h similar duties to those complained of were shit at .cted. The Right Hon. Member wade some ob servations relative to certain sums remitted from Gibral tar. sad received by his late Majesty, hut we were un "We to catch the precise import of what he said. ' Sir JAS. MACKINTOSH said, it was not his inten tion to delay the Mouse by entering uursecessarily into I as inquiry as to the mode in which these taxes had been bid on. lie felt, however, that di- mode of their impo- sition did not show a due regard to the rights of the in habitants. Notwithstanding this opinion, be was ready to give credit to his Majesty's Ministers for the laudable anxiety manifested by them, when a representation was made of certain severe Orders in Council to relieve the iohabitants from the pressure of those orders. Nut he *told nut agree with the Right Hon. the Chancellor of the Exchequer as to the doetrines laid down by him on &elan- of nations, and which, coming from suck high authority, were ealcislated to make a strong impression. He could nut see how the law of nations vested in the Sovereign of this country, conquering a colony, the powers previously iseil in such colony by an abso hsse Monarch. lie felt it necessary to say, that the *me anti the country were highly indebted to leis Hon. Mend (Mr. Hume) for his persevering exertions in in flaking into matters which lay beyond the ordinary ob servation of Members generally. He would, however. recommend to that Him. Member to accept of the offer of the Chancellor of the Exchequer on his third resolu tion, reserving to himself the right of moving for any more detailed accounts when be should deem it necessary so to do. He admitted that the offer of the Chancellor Of the Exchequer would bring the accounts incomplete. ly before the I loose, but they would he sufficient fur the question just shout to he inquired into—the amount iii. the Crown Revenues. With this view lie thought the suggestion of the Right Hoc. Member ought to be acceded to, but without prejudice to any future inquiry. Mr. HOULGURN said he did not then wish to enter at length in answer to the lion. Member (Mr. Home), as another opportunity of doing so would present itself. There was one point, however, to which he wished to 'peak. The lion. Member had stated that he had re sided at Gibraltar. He also had resided there, and he could assure the House, whether it was from Isis greater desire to attend divine service, Or from what other motive, he would not say, hut he hail every Sunday attended she Established Church, and he had seen the troops regu -latipaisead-italas. .Aad he could call to the rewoUeo• tine of the lion. Mensher, the existence of such an esta blishment, by reminding him of the many monnmeuts erected in and about it, to several of our naval and mili tary heroes. There were other statements of the Hon. Member which he was equally ready to show were in correct, when the proper period arrived—at presest, be taut feel it necessary to go further. An lion. Member (Colonel DALRYMPLE, we be lieve), said he had resided two years in Gibraltar, and had, during that time, regularly attended a church of the established religion. He also bad witnessed the re gular attendance of the troops. The first and second Resolutions were then pat and carried. Mr. HUME, in moving the third Resolution, observed that he had made the alteration reemmendod to hint hy ( striking out the words " from year to year, " althotigh this defeated the great object which be had I. view in making the motion—namely, that of 'hewing the pro- =sive increase of revenue and expenditure which bad made. He could assure the Hones that he was ready to meet die lion. Members omoMte eu the subject of the ammonia he had made; aiW be pledged himself to prove that these statements were correct. He denied at the same time the charge of want of candour imputed to him. He had never used the words charged 'Oast him by the other aide of the House. If any expreseioa inadvertently used by him gave offence in nay qua ter, he begged to wore the Howe that he had no seek tention—bie only object was to lay before Pediments the true staff of the revenue arising from Gibraltar. The liesnlntioa was then put as amended, and carried. It was ordired, ea the moths of Mr. H. CLIVE, that .an bumble Address be presented to his Majesty, praying that there 404 d before the lies}itan tAtensint of the present state of the Established 1/Inrch of Ireland. The Insolvent fielitors' Aet lk-elatatoryll was t+.l3 a second time, and orleted to be • ommitted tu•oturtut6 A.ljoarne I. MAI &RC au e. I D•ohlin I IVaterford 0 Urerniey and Jersey U Gottenbasrgh liainburglk 11.14. ARO. eLI. olhol ........... I I Flanders . ............ 0 Frame 0 Lisbon 0 0 Melt* PRICK OF MTOCRS TNI Bank Stock 2 , 46) 2 per cent. Red. C 9 ASI • per Ct. Vona. 09E11 le par cent. 7714 4 per Canl%. SOO 6 per CI. Navy Waif Long Ann. 17 13-12 IS Imp.3perCent..Ann. 074 n.iir AT ONR O'CLOCK. India Klock MI Ditto Ronds 444.445. pm. Old .%nullities Fs. Rills. 4.1. is. is. 4.. pm. I)itto fora. is. Is. dis. Omnium for Ar. 1111% 70 0011 Lott. Tickets 123 IN. et, §DtatcOmatt. TSB ORITIIN STATUJIAN" l‘CONIPOR•1 ill WWI " ?Re •TATISISA%... LONDON : FRIDAT graxvia, MILT 3, Is2o. Parliament has sow been sitting a fortnight, bat it is only this day that its important lahours mil be eowidered as commencing. light skirmishes atone have hitherto occupied its attention, without revealing the respective strrnzth of Parties. The (moist now Igrows more serious : a grand battle is to be Cuaght this night, and its results will show the country what she has to expect from the honesty and patriut.kes, or the subserviency of those, to whom she has coat i' miffed the care and protection of her dearest interests sad liberties. The moment is one of awful suspense sad anxiety. Not because the si clement of the Civil List is a question which ran mate: Tally affect the ree -1 dition of the people er the welf-re of the State, bat became the sentiments expressed, and the votes given on this occasion, will determine the real character of the new Parliament. Hitherto, a hater's- suspicito.s may be entertained, that char. cter is unknown. " Orme ignotrne," said an ancient Briesk late: recording to TACIVITS, " pro twaveylle fee. - We regret, that, in this instance, we cannot entirely agree with the sentiment expressed by oar gallant and patriotic forefather. The ignorance in whirl: we are condemned to remain for one day longer of the ' nature of the choice made by the nation at the lets elections, is not attended with any hope that it will prove either very magnificent or beneliciaL Too many breaches have been made In our constitutional institu tions, to milder it possible to prevent corruption trent rushing in as a flood even into the sanctuary of our Legis lature. Bat though the temple may not be nnpoluted, it may also contain more principle and virtue than anal. These, indeed, may flvid but a limited field for utter.; yet it will be a consoling reflection to have palpabie proofs that they are in existence, andthat they watch to curb, if they cannot totally arrest, the audacity at those who try to level the fa'sric of our liberties with the ground. All parties, we are aware, have boasted of increased strength : but the generality of the bout proves that it is unfounded. For where none can gain save by taking away from the other, it is evident that all cannot have acquired, and that some must have lost. It is the exact proportioi between the gain and the loss, which this night's die , ussion will reveal : and it is that which forms its chief importance. For even supposing 31r. LEOUGRAM'S efforts to suc ceed, and that a filo thousamtis may be cut off from the Civil List (the Whigs will take good care that it be not reduced below ape: mark), the effect will not extend to the dimilution of a single tax, and will therefore never be felt by the country. It is not by such motions that the real evils of the times can be cured. They only serve to d vert the nalional mid from the true object which it ought to pursue. They break " a butterfly upon the wheA, butt they *sin the giant (grievance ti exist, and accumulate in all its cru,hing magnitude, till remedies are sought, whittle even tho sufferers must abhor. Bat they gratify peo• social ambition and vanity. They procure at a cheap rate, the name and tenon a of patriotism, and who, best one or two, in our days, would toil Mo bard, Or 'stri ke too much, to display its reality ? Perhaps at no period of -nor history -were wet minced to that state of political degradation at whirb we are now arrived. With a debt which, noterithstasd• ing every escrtion, is annually increasing; with a re velidt, in despite of the utmost efforts of taxatism tt• tally unequal to the demands upon it; with oar trales both external anti domestic, in the most appalling slats of depression, and a great portion of our usansioduten in consequence inactire, while their workman ere al• most starving under every privation which badman suffering ran endure; with our agricaltnriats, able lowly oinking under the oppressive weight of haft tithes, and rent, and rot:Mere.% by thaw medium exact on from his income, totally unable to compete with the foreigner ( even in tivir mkt narkes—where is the man, whose breast Is saimited with one °Pm & the genuine mew pettier; who can rantes irlmt larte g ti , ae dreadful but irevitable restOt this Oa" s without a feeling approaching to &PO ? We ass arrived at that point when Inuatios ins Wl° pushed to as extreme beyond which experiele k n . proved It to be totally unproductive, sat whew its V• most proalnee is unequal loth, expenditure sf gait** and the interest of our National Debt, aisuildhating tbi progression of the Sinking Fund, sad 111111011161( at' misery an aanaal increase of that debt Is Oa smite of several millions—at a point wlak4 NOM is " I only incapable of making a demean/ado el one ability to repel foreign &screwiest. bog 1 • 4444 age Our protection from i nsu lt to the u l na hadvelly, ..-......•-.... I t