The Statesman. — London, England, 1818-03-13 00:00:00

PRICE OP STOCKS THII Bask Stock S per CeoL Ked. [Odin llusds 9394 p S per Cent. Cou Aoh -- Stork ConsoL for Acc. 78111 Long Ann. 4 per Cent. Exchequer Bab 10 lb p ~. itiereaord. Thretirnrst ter five years previously to the as *ere 8,600.0001 h.; for five years after the ties, including 1817, 10,710,0001 b. The linos. Would guard against Welting their feelings at the uproot of a laver aense of public duly. He there fore moved that a Colombia, be appointed to . elqairr. • Mr. BROUGHAM rose in consequence of en ob. ervation whit+ relieved on his Noble Friend— ('(fries of No, no! from Lord Castlereagh)—it vial not necessary then to vindicate his Friend, bet Me n °old give his reasons for persisting in taking the- Omits of the Howie on this subject. He did so on this ground—that two enotirles i tty two Committees, had alreadyiaken place, one for six weeks, the other for a 'longer period, end no benefit resulted from them. Gentlemen do the other side were exceedingly fileta of refe , rlng to Committees Petitions which re quired no examination; but they obsOntitly refused any reference, when 'gemination, and. enquiry were' 0 rite necesaary. When they on his sidle proposed a ' Cetatitittlreort h eel ject on which they Wishettfor in. Fikroirrtien,the reply wis, " Met enquire; you know sioddogi aid you shell learn nothing, -upon the sub. .141E1 " When they knew every thing, and proposed r reposl, the teaser wet, 64 Committee," 66 En. *art." fie would him the Huse to joists., whe. .fher, — when all the matter was before the Huge, a ' &tesible, could be intended hot to frustrate the older% of the motion. flit opinion at to the Tax wits the same as it had been six years ago, when it I was imposed. The Noble Lord had left nothing to he said in support of the motion ; but be could add to the strong urgurnentt adduced by him, • that it was also the interest of the consomers• to have this , Tax *peeled. On this ground . he should give his vole skainst the Tax. Thii, if possible, was a stilt more ifillfrakiblegroond than the interest, of the Petition ers: It was a Tax on a necessary of life. Such a Tax- alas a solecism-;- it was an arithmetical blonder.' Titans who employed labour paid it, and Government, firettestoet employer of labour, paid the most of it. 41114ecelinrs of the Kichequer were not fond of con fretting, but they were always eager to extend the 011itis of taxation. lie was, therefore afraid that .66 Right Hon. Gentleman would lay his long hand tali the only article which had hitherto escaped tu mble. The olf.dreseed leather had never been taxed, OW on that account it langaished in neglect and de. pressinn. The Chancellor of the Exchequer could viol, therefore, fail to apply his reviving touch to it, in 'order to raise it into importance and prosperity. Lord COMPTON spoke in favour of the motion, ilnd <fettled that the Tat was productive. r. Colonel WOOD said, whether it was productive lariat, Would be best ascertained in a Committee.— Hawn one of those who thought the Legislator. be gan'.? the %smog end, in abating the Property Tax from themselves,end leaving other laves that directly pressed upon the lower orders. Comparing • the se verbies of both, he would prefer a relief from the Sall Duties, and the continuation of the Leather 'let. General GASCOIGNE recollected the impedi ments the former had to contend with. To agree now to the amendment would only lead to delay, and ultimately to preclude relilf. If. should there fore vote for the Noble Lord's (Althorpe) motion. Mr. C. CALVERT entered into • comparison of the returns of the' produce of the tat for the four bast years, in order to show that it bad considerably fallen off. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER observed, that he bad estimated the produce on the avenge of the last four years, for the p•rpose of ex cluding the year 1813, in the coarse of which con eiderable variations had been experienced. • Mr. NI ARILYAT supported the original motion. in the place which be represented (Sandwich) this was almost the only branch of manufacturing indus try that was carried on. It was divided into two parishes, in one of which, owing to the advantage of a stream of water, the trade was exclusively exer cised. Such was the present.state of its depression, that the Poor Rates had increased to 10s. in the pound; whilst in the adjoiniug parish they did not exceed l'ls. Mr. LUSHINGTON contended that the depres. Awn complained of was ascribable alone to the al. 141100 of the war demand. He could assure the Noble lord that the persons engagged in two branches of the trade were averse to the repeal of the last Statute. A considerable advantage was at pre. lent obtained by the amount of the Drawback, which detailed the edditionei Doty, ea exportation. It appeared to Hint that every circumstance and consi deration urged in the course of the debate showed the propriety of going into the Committee. General GASCOIGNE explained. Mr. BENSON attempted again to address the Howie, bat was interrupted by cries of ' 6 :poke, •spcike!" For Lord Althnrpe's &lotion - 94 For the Aateadaiest - - - Majority 10 The Motion for leave to bring in a Bill to repeal the late Tea was accordingly carried. POOR IA WS. Mr. STURGES BOURNE rose to move for lease to bring in a Bill on the subject of the Poor Lows; and he should briefly state his views elms this subject to the Hone, as they had been formed in the Com. minee. A p rincipal object was, to regulate the for. amino of Vestries, and to give to persons an authority in their several parishes, according to the rate of their assessments. The Committee felt that the sub ject must be divided, end it would be necessary to *ring in a second Bill, to authorise the appointment of Select Vestries, not subjected to local regulations, whose busittebs it should be to determine on the ad. mission and settlement of paupers. The decisions of -this.Selecl Vestry would not beset aside on an appeal to a single Magistrate, as Has the Cue at present ; but t a o Magistrates should he required to hear an sp. peal•of this nature. 'Another point was, the creation of,a vermanent (Newer, to ho should act under the I • .opletely _ swot, of Elizabeth, by providing work . • per children, and to secure to them some par.' lion of edteation, and the advantages of good ma flagmen,. Large sums were at the present time paid to parents for the support of children, which were, perhsrs, very improperly applied, and the children, in many instances no doubt, left in idleness. The 1 1 neat poiet,would he, to provide the means of em ployment to such claimants on the parish fonds as were able l work. This was proposed to be effect ed, in some measure, by the purchase of tracts of , land, OR which such periods might Isboor ; and lbe overseers should also have the poser of • meting . grants of small portions of land, to worthy end in. dustrious individuals. In the nest piste, it was pro posed that the owtsers of houses, below a certain resit, should be rated to the poor, instead of the oc cupiers. This subject had been opened to the House in a Petition from Birmingham last Session ; and it was the prevailing opinion, that this system might be adopted, if it was made to operate generally. By the Bill which he had 4o introdecei it was proposed far ther, that its those cases where individuals have been reduced to pauperism by their own estravagauce, the money advanced to them by the parish should be on lease, to he repaid by instalments, for which some security should he.takete, and the terms strictly en forced, according to the merits of the case.' It was evident, he thought, that a good moral effect would be produced by this arrangement.—[ !/ear, hear!]-- The neat part of the Bill related to those persons who became chargeable to the parish on account of their having some wounds, or the loss of limbs in the public I service, which itscapaciteted them from leboar., It was well known that these persons were seldom much better for the pensions they received from Govern ment ; and to prevent the evil arising from their squandering their money as soon as they got it, the Bill proposed, that they should receive weekly pay. ments from the Overseers, on their pensions, who should be authorized to receive the pensions of such persons in return, at the stated periods of payment. There was some objection to the mode of removing paupers to distant parishes by the present system. As the law now stood, this was done upon commit ment, and it was proposed to give the Overseers the power, with the aid of the Magistrates, of doing this without going through the unpleasant process stow existing. To obviate the difficulty which ferupteatly arose from a parish having no housefor the reception of paupers, it war proposed, that authority should he given for the erection of houses of this description, in the ueighbooring parishes, without infringing on the right of Setalemeet. Such were the principal (Mores of the improvements in the Poor Low% the Committee had thee/pit proper to recommend ; and it would be seen that they rather formed a more accurate and effectual plan of the present laws, than embodied any of those principles which bad been so much discussed, but without the Howse being disposed to make any es pe.iment upon them. He concluded with moving, that leave be given to bring in a Bill to regulate Parish Vestries. After a few words from Mr. NICHOLAS CALVERT, respecting the payment of wages to the Labouring Your, Mr. S. BOURNE begged to observe, that this was a point which deserved the most serious attention.— The evil of the present mode of paying the wages of the Labouring Poor called for an immediste redress. Men were hired at so low a rate, that they became chargeable to the parish for nearly the whole of their support, end those who derived no benefit from their labour were obliged to contribute in nearly as large an amount as those by whom they were employed.— In one parish in 'Suffolk (we understood him to say the parish of Botesdale) the price of labour was re. (limed to sixpence a ilay—[llear, hear!]—so that the honest and industrious labourer was driven to re. sort to that relief which, if properly paid, it would be his pride to svnid.—(llear, hear!)—This evil originated from the worst of motives, and pressed most heavily on the rest of the parishioners. General HOPE rose to ask a question respecting the clause which regulated the payment of pensions, when Lord casT ..EREAGII said, that the most satis factory way w ,old be to have the Rill printed. Till that was don , itte subject could not be discussed with any advantage. Mr. CA IsCRA Pr agreed with the suggestion of the Noble Lord. Ile was glad to find that the fruits of the Committee were coming forth; and from what he had heard of the intended Bills, be had great hopes that some very beneficial change would be effected in the present system. Mr. S. BOURNE then moved, that leave be given to bring in a Bill to amend the Laws for the Relief of the Poor. _ __ Loa v e was given, and the Hon. Member 4n d others were ordered to prepare and bring in the Bills. 1 4 1DEMNITY BILL The AT'I'ORNEY•GENERAL moved the com mitment of the indemnity Rill. Sir W. BURROUGHS gave notice, that he should move an amendment on bringing op the Report, for the purpose of preventing Indemnity being eatended to Magistrates or others who may have seised the papers of persons whose only offence was being pre sent in temultuous assemblies. Lord CAiTLEREAGII said, if no amendment was made in the Committee, there could be no re port of mg. Sir WM'. BURROUGHS observed, that he was not aware, of this circumstance, and that several Gentlemen had left the Roust on au understanding that an amendment might be proposed on bringing op t he Report. The SPEAKER stated, that if no amendment was made in the Committee, it could not be moved till the third reading. Sir WM. BURROUGIIS said, be enderatoot!, from - the argument of the Solicitor-Generaf, tbit Amendment which be meant In propose would not he objected to. From that orpiment, he understood that it never was iu the contemplation of his Majesty's "'- Ay tet Anse who had merelftor baying been ssemblies. 'Ella, said, he had al- siditintos libels. An lion. Ifrom a Newspaper, that sing published blasphemous and seditious libels, and he had observed that the Act would extend in. demnity to such cawei. Ilielionoarable Baronet had 'misunderstood Mm, if be thought be went farther than this. • After some observations from Sir WM. BUR, ROUGHS, the House went into the Committee. Sir JOHN NEWPORT stated, that it was his intention, on the third reading, to offer a clause, pro 'Tiding that nothing in the Act should extend indem nity to any persons, against whom en action was brought for acting with rigour or severity in appre hending or detaining persons. He understood the Bill was not meant to extend to such cases, hot as it was wordect ft might be so construed. As be under stood the Attorney.Generel to say, that it was not in the contemplation of Ministers to extend the Bill to any such cases of severity, he should offer this clause, and he gave this notice of his intention, that .no Gentleman might he taken by surprise. It was his intention also to offer another claw, to provide that ;optima should be made tram the public 'mime of each damages as might be awarded 'by Juries to aggrieved perilous, en the principle that if the Public was benefited by the Act of indemnity, the Public ought to pay the price, and that it should not be thrown on the individual. The Bill went through the Committee without re ceiving any Amendments, and the Report was ordered to be received to-morrow. BOARD OF LONGITUDE RILL. Mr. CROK Ea moved the second reading of the Board of Longitude Bill. At present preparations were making for a voyage of discovery to the northern regions. The expedition would tail before Parliament met again ; and it was desirable., there fore, that the Bill should pass that House before the Holidays, that before its sailing the persons con cerned might know with more certainty what re. ward they bud to expect. It was his intention, therefore, to propose the commitment on Monday nest. Sir C. MONCK said, the Bill ought ip Ps ire been sooner introdeced, to give the House time for more maturely considering it. Mr. CROKEIL said, he did not moan to hurry the Bill through the noose—there would be two days between each stage. After some observaiions from Mr. SM YTII, the Bill was read a second time, and ordered to be eon• Wiled en Monday neat.—Adjourned. --,.Nr THI MINORITY AGAIWIT Tin 11106VIIITT •ILL (IN WERNISSDAY 11111111. Abercroashv, Lin. J. Hamilton. Lord A. Itanesheatoos, J. Altinwp, Vl4. Heron, Sir Rt. Halley. Sir M. W. Antorry, Sir J. • Hesonrd. Hon. W. Rubric.. W. T. Itaillie, James E. Howarth. H. Rundle. Sir S. Raker, John • Hughes, W. L. Rewsktmeire, ROIL Birch, Jew. Beerohy, E. Sharpe, It. Brand, Hon. T. , Hurst. IV. Shelley, Sir J. Brougham. H. . 1., 1111 l sche,Robt.jun. Smith. MM. Bartlett, Sir V. Lomblon. John G. Smith, W. Burrell Ilea. P. D. Lloyd. Sir E. Smyth, J. H. Borrough., Sir W. Macdonald. J. Symonds, T. P. Byrkg. Geo. hladocks. W. A. Stanley, Vis. Calctaft. J. Markham. Admiral Tavistesek. Marquis Calvert, Charles Mart n, J. Tiertwy, Rt. Hon. G. Campbell, Hon. J. Houck. Sir C. Walpole, Hon. G. Career. John Marina. S. IL Waldegrave. natl. Onnenamea, Vise. Niels, vit. Sir I'. W. Ferguson, Sir R. C. Neville, Hoek. It. Wane, J. A. Fitzroy. Lord J. Newport, Sir John Webb. Edward Fitzgerald, Lord W. Ord, Wok. Wilkins. Walter Goi-r. Sir W. Piggott. Sir A. Weald. Alderman Gasket', Ben. Pym. F. Webster, Sir G. Tict.Lias—James Harebell and Hos. F. S. Douglas. PAIRED OFF. Caveadith, Hon. H. Mirth). U. Plunber. W. Faz4ketley, Nic. North, D. Ruiss.den. J. C. Womb, J. Newman, R. W. Rummell, It. G. Lrfrvre, C. S. DAY AT ON K O'CLOCK 5 prr cot,Na7t.losll THE STATESMAN. LONDON: IMIDAY, mAacu 13, 1818. Some farther observations were made last night in the Committee on the Indemnity 8011. The pro. piety of moving clauses to exclude from its opera. sloe persons who bad seised the papers.of its adverted to; but though' this were complied with to the extent required, sad a better understand ing established on_the subject of what the ATTONNEII• GINIZNAL styles libels, than can be gathered from his explanation of the exemptions, the most material as. eeption that is called for appears not to have been noticed, namely, the express exclusion of Oliver from the Indemnity. Not only should the Bill con tain nothing tending to indemnify or discharge persons guilty of any undue severity towards individuals ar rested for the offences charged against them, and not attempted to be proved, which severities the Bill is ex. pressly intended to cover, but it ought distinctly to state, that • acts done against the public peace, by whatever persons, ought not to receive oblivion or justification by the seal of the measure which had the public safety and tranquillity in view. This would be but fairly expressing the object which all legisla • tire measures should, and propose to, have. But this is a degree of candour, which we may save our selves the trouble of recommending, for it would be raja to expect it from the employers of Oliver, and his baud of hired instigatori to tumult and sedition. --Mr. CANNING'S superlative nonsense about men deserving the name of traitors, be cause they witnessed treason, which his Admitoi arnica have refused to punish ) and his dull and ill. , w e . . • • ..• i I . , II limed jokes on miseries, a% the mention of which orea the iron heirt of the impdsoningfSecJetary wo o o r pretekded to be melted, will be hat poor answer In the national claims for jostiee that ;nay yet be retitle against those who hate so long held the Constit al i n‘ and the liberties of the People of this Country id captivity The repel of the Imam Tax, and the re v i s i on - t — he present Laws for i6itat - nigereent . of the Poo Rates, were made subjects of discussion last They are of considerable importance; one, i n . deed, the subject of the Poor Laws, is of aka and general interest to the Country. It was introduced to the notice •f the Roue b y Mr. S. 110IIHNB, the Chairman of the Commit: t ee . It Will be observed, that the Bills for 'hide leave was last night given, are intended not to repeal the present system, but to restore it td its original fotsa—not to originate a new prin. ciple, but to revive the spirit of the old. The Act of ELIZABETH, which requires the overseers of the parish to 'steed the hand of public charity to those whom age or sickness had rendered incapable of mt. lien, and to provide work for others whom eircsm. stances had deprived, of employment, will form the 'basis of the proposed measures. We fear it will re. quire something more than mere enactments to supply the defects thus proposed to be remedied. One of the proposed means which had also been recommend. ed in the Report of the Committee, is the appoint. ment of a permanent overseer, who, from long con. tinuance in office, might he supposed best enabled t• estimate the merits of the respective claimants far parochial assistance. We suspect, however, that this Mill still less tend to correct the esisting evil.— These and many other points will, no doubt, be more closely faareitsed by the House of Commons, in Cow. :aittees, when the entire system shall be developed and reduced to regularity in the Bills about to be in. t roduced. The other topic alluded to, the pressure of the ad. ditiOnal Duty on Leather, has been sensibly feltby the labouring and agricultural classes of the country, and the Petitions presented against the high duties amply teary this fact ; for it was stated by Mr. MA. DoCiii, the Member for Boston, in presenting a Petition funnihose concerned in the Leather Trade at that place, that such was the effect of the addl. tional tax on the trade, that one-seventh of the toe. yards had of late been thrown out of employ, sod consequently that bankruptcies had increased in proportion. But the wants or the wishes of the People, it seems, are nothing in comparison with the alleged necessity of maintaining a military force, to flatter the vanity or soothe the alarms of Ministers. Lord ALTHORIPeII motion, last night, fur a Bill to Repeal this pert of she Taw, as was to be espected, met with the opposition of the CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER. But with no leis surprise than pleasure we state, that ootwithstsod ing this opposition, the Noble Lord was successful on.' division, and obtained leave to bring in his Bill by a majority of 10; there being for the Bill 94-- against it 84. Farther Paris Papers have arrived. They say fin. thing farther respecting the false alarm at the Duke of WELLINGTON'S hotel. On Sunday his Grace gave a grand dinner to the French and Foreign Com. t mmissioners of Liquidation. It is stated, that be sides Lord CASTLEREAGH, the Duke de Ricustasu will also be present at the Congress of Sovereigns.— The Congress, it is still said, will be held at Das. 'Motif. The Emperors of Russia and Aurrnt.s, and the King of PRUSSIA, after meeting at Vienna, were ezpected to proceed together to Frankfort, where residences were preparing for them. After remaining some tieve there, they go on to Dusseldorff. It is said, that, amongst other things, there trill be a questias before the Congress respecting Conventions on the subject 4 European Commerce. This is a subject that has been too much overlooked among these stipulating Potentates, but we Gould wish that the guardiauship of the commercial interests of Great Britain we'e confided to any other hands than those of Lord CASTLEREAGH. Other objects are also to be discosted, whidfi were not (ally arranged at the Coo. gress of Vienna. From Berlin it is stated, that the- Tariff of Cus toms' Duties has been agreed upon by the Coencil of State, and that they will fall heavily upon foreign merchandise, particularly on English goods. The Ps Sian Government is said t• be negociating a Loan •pots more advantageous terms than those lately published. NOl'llol'o6s accidents were caused on Saturday at Paris, by a tremendous hurricane. Several persous passing were blown down open the quays, and even horses were slopped in their coarse; a hackney coachman was killed on his boo, in the Roe de Use, by the fall of a chimney ; tiles and slates fell in showers. The lead on the roof of the Bank of Fiance, the roof of the Palais Bourbon, and those of several public edifices ; were very considerably da maged. Several tobliolets, stationed near the Pout Louis XVI. were blown over. . The *cornetts from Munich state, that subterranean detonations had been heard there, similar to thew which, at Mexico, preceded shocks of earthquakes. In consequence of these detonations, horses were found in their stabler covered with sweet. It is @Med ) that trenches hfd been dog in order to en des tour to discuses the cause sad origin of these sub tervineon noises. On the 2.ltb and 25th alt. mend thinks of earth. ~askes *ere felt at Var. . , tk , . . 4 • , . . ... r i l i IE S VAI'ESM.AII. - 1, , •-,- -.-- - .1. - si on complained ulr. If It • wait wrong, that was an catrool of,tbeirlel r ess end off& bewefit world Ministers to extend en indemt additional reason for appointing a Committee. The rolsiettlirowithitiar genie l as the cadet would be seised the papers a persons I trade must hare been depressed by the nithdrawitie ;Me tWaritect nu tidal, d Wight the impose. potent al 'lnmoltenas assembl •of the Government consumption during the war, and mews in the internal management of parish affairs, The SOLICITOR-GENE still more by the transition which had been so severely anICISIIIIiMIy be lOVACINI fat frogs egpidbilieL"Tbe tielitertnerrty One learating felt, ;IRV toes *kick we mere now getting relief.— Committee expected that • such good' erog,f4 sreatalt ere accused of pebli4king seri Us trade, like every other, wys .. now showing a from this provision of the hill he heti to lotto- and Learned Cent. had stated trndincy to • Wave. no bilpttrti vtf hides wove dere. The -best object to be aecoetpliefted Wes,' the papers of a person were ei stow, to here been diminished, but the exports were to enforce more completely the provisiesis of the his having published btaspbein ittemsod. ThrestOrrts - for - five veers previously to statute of Elisabeth, by providing work for pan• and he had observed that the