The Statesman. — London, England, 1822-07-17 00:00:00

t^J NJ 1 CURRINCT. .~ E~l ,k• J I.4IPBRUL PARLIAMENT. ROUSE OF LORDS. Toessar,.Juim 16. ••••1.11=0.• A Lord ERSKINE pre sen t e d a petitios`frola certain in ho of London and Wrandoeter Jet &veer of the 111-treatment of Cattle Preveation 111 on the brisk. The Foes of Courts' sin was read a third time and passed. The London-bridge Waterworks Bill and the Scotch Spirits Drawback Bill were read a second time. meatuses ACT. Mr. WESTERN and others returned the Marriage Bill from the Commons, with a menage announcing that the temninoof bad agreed to the amendments made by their Lordships therein. CRUELTE TO antwat.s. Lord ERSKINF: moved the second reading of the lil treatment of Cattle Prevention Bill. His Lordship, who spoke is so low a tone as to he scarcely audible below the Bar, was understood to refer to the Bill which he had introduced into that house some years ago, sod which bad been rejected by the Commons, and to say that the chief objection to it lay in its preamble, an ob jertion which did not now exist. The principle of the ; rearm measure had already beets sanctioned by the Le gi.liture, when it lately passed a Bill prohibittog Bull baiti tug entirely. He explained that by ill-treatment was meant wanton cruelty, or cruelty for its own sake, and stated that he did not recollect one ease o# ill-treatment of saimals in which the owner was getity. Those cases gene:ally occurred with those who had the carwof cat tle. The Noble Lon, then stated, that baring once seen a was ill-treating a horse in a sand pit, be had in terfered, when the individual said, " May I not do what I please with my own." As he (Lord E.) was retiring. however, he beard dm fellow say " I've cheated the Lawyer," meani ng th a t b e bad passed him self for the owner of a bores which did not belong to him. On hearing this, he (Lord E.) bad returned, given him a good caning, and afterwards re ceived the thanks of his master for so doing. The LORD CHANCELLOR was soderstood to say, that although he did not a prove altogether of the mea- Pire, be should balm DO objection to allowing the Bill to go into a Committee. Aber a few words from the Earl of LAUDERDALE, the Bill was read a second ti me , a nd or d ere d to b e commit ted to-morrow. The Order of the Day for the third reading of the Smolt Notes Bill having been read, The Ear! of CA RNA RYON said, that he did not rise to oppose the Bill. If passing it would throw a greater number of small notes into circulation, and would render that circulation, as extensive as it was white agriculture flourished, lie should think that the result would be highly beneficial. Hut nun Country Bankers stood to a different situation fruits what they did then. Their notes were now subject to a gold standardmily, and they were, Sr shortly would be, exposed to siren, and to the necessity of paying in ' , geld to any amount. As it was impossible that on any sudden emergency they should procure selcient gold to meet each a ruin, h would also be impossible for them to extend the circulation of their notes to an amount cal culated to benefit the public, as long as they slionld be exposed to that danger. The Noble Earl then referred to a published speech of Mr. Ifuskisson, in which it was stated that there were two modes of effecting a diminu tion of value: the one, what there was a large number of notes, carried up, however, by the buoyancy of the market, and the other when a real depreciation existed. If the present Bill did any good, it must be by producing the former of these modes, which be did not believe could be done with the actual price of geld. Paper had eeeln become the standard of yaks, awl was more va luable thee gold. Yet ati: be thought that this Bill might throw into cirenlatioli as much paper as could pos. • circulate seder Mr. Peel's Bill, he should be ready to give it his support. Bat this was not enough to satisfy bias or the country. This was in fact the only measure of relief which it was p&fessed to give to the Agricul tural interest now sinking tinder the pressure of extreme distress. lie knew he should be told that this distress was not occasioned by the change in the currency, but by superabundance of produce : but lie contended that no suweratiunclance of produce existed. The Bank of F.ng laud and the Chancellor of the Exchequer seemed in feet to have the seasons at their disposal. When their • twee, were abundant, there were no fertilizing rains, no propitious weather to produce abundant harvests. Bet - when those issues were contracted, then all became ferti lity and superabundance! For thirty years be had voted in favour of every thing which could tend to increase agricultural produce, but now he was to be told that an abundant harvest was a calamity ! He bad heard farm ers complain of excessive drought or rains r'hich im paired their crepe, bat n f the fine weather which tilled their garners. Bat the Bank of England and the Chancellor of the Exchequer, though he did not mean to say that they were conjurors, exercised a magical in. Outfit... They gave life as they pleased to the most su perabundant produce, and that produce seemed to be vegetable vampire from which the country was to shrink with terror after it had been created. According to this new view of things Agriculture ought to wait with pa tience, till by the blessing of Heaven scarcity and famine bad returned. The country had in its Liturgy a com plete code of agriculture. There were prayers for every kind of weather, to favour the production of abundant harvests, but there was none yet for scarcity and famine, • deficiency which, under the influence of their new doc trine, his Majesty's Ministers, would no doubt take care should be supplied. The Noble Earl then referred to various documents, such as the priceenrrent, and accounts of the number of cattle sold in Smithfield fur several years, to show that the small increase which hail taken place in the consumption and which was sufheiehtly ac counted for by the aogmentatioo in oar population, could not have occasioned the existing depreciation in prices. He contended that the fluctuation in she currency had been the cause of the variation in the value of agricult ural produce, and that there was no such thing as a war or a peace rice for that produce. In order to prove this asset.. tion lie read from the Greenwich contracts the prices charged in years of war and peace for various articles since 1741, and 'hewed that they had uniformly been higher in the years errata than in those of n ar. Even the American war, which was one of the greatest pres sure and difficulty in which England haul then engaged, had produced confect whatever on agri cn 110 ral produce. The Chelsea Cootracts, and the Returns of the Wind sor Market since the peace of Utrecht would prove the cor reetness Of that fact. He then compared the price of wheat since 1814, with the various financial operations which had been announced or executed during the same , period, and sbewed that whenever the issues of the Bank had been extensive, prices bad fallen. He maintained that the distresses and calamities under which Ireland was suffering, might in a great measure he traced to l the same causes. He did not mean to allude to the failure of of the potatoe crop, which lie knew could have as mosnexion with the depression of the markets in Ref lood ; but previous to that calamity many parts of Ire land bad been in a state of distress and revolt, which had compelled their Lordships to suspend the Habeas Corpus in that country, and to pass the Insurrection Act, which amounted to the establishment of Martial Law. The necessity for these measures was occasioned by the existence ad a combination who refused to pay tithe. and taxes, sod that refusal arose from the diffi culty. if tot the utter impossibility of paying them.— But wham proceeded that impossibility.? From the TIII want of a cirenlation sufficiently extensive to make time payments. It was under that point of view, that he wished his Majesty's Ministers should direct their et• tention to Ireland. If lie bad ahewn that the preeent distresses of agriculture did not arise from the super abundant bounty of Heaven, bat that they diminished or ine rrrrr recording to the extension or contraction of the circulating medium, he trusted lie bad thrown 00 the Noble Lords opposite the yaw probasidi that they did not proceed from that cause. :t remained fur their Lordships to consider, whether they would, or notiap ply a remedy to those distresses which were destroying agricultural property; for all the Pills lately brought in could not he seriously considered as yielding any re. lief. To seek it from a reduction of the taxes, could only produce it to a small amount. The only effectual relief would be to remove the causes which had created that distress ; and if, as he contended, those causes were the return to cash payments, and the establishment of no other standard than gold alone, would their Lord ships go on with that measure, and leave the land pro. prietors to the fate which threatened them? or would they divide the loss and gain between the different in (Crests of the country, and adopt the standard to ex,rt• , ing circumstances, and not to those which existed thirty years ago? He complained t h at the Committee of 1818 and 1819 had confined their inquiry to the question whe ther the Bank could resume Cash Payrneats, and had lately I forgotten to consider whether the country could bear - theta. He had heard it said that the spier:hoists bad no right to complain; that other interests ba - I Warred during the war, and that it was now corpa,to theirgutern to be distressed. Bat would that he a fair and jest sys tem of Government which would oppress the di&rent interests of the country alternately? The whole pro duce of the land was not now equal to its cultivation, and tenants refused to hold free of rents large tracts which some years ago were highly cultivated. He be. lieved that at this moment a great portion of the landed property of the country was under executions, and that men of thousands a year some time since, had not now one shilling of revenue left. Most of the yeomanry had mortgaged their estates and dill not now possess the means of paying the interests Of the mortgage. If the resumption of Cash Payments were carried into efr.ct to its full extent, the result•wenld be equal to confis cating an immense portion of landed property. Let their Lordship. reflect on the millions of capital widish had been sunk anti vested in improvements of the lands of the country. They must be considered as rained to England. Capital employed in trade, might be moved to other States, as the Interests of its owner reqhired . but capital vested in agriculture, could never be taken away from the country. But it was said, that injustice would bedone to the public creditor if this measure were ed, because having borrowed from him in a de preciated currency, he had been promised to be repaid in one of greater value. But hail better t-rms been ob tained from him when loans haul been raised, in conse quence of the prospect and pledge thus holden out to him? He did not believe that the public had bettered one shilling on that account. There was a class of cre ditors, who had lent their money before the year 1797, that was to say, therefore, the restrictions on Cash Pay ments had passed ; and as they had given gold, they might he entitled to be paid in gold, but how many of; them still remained in the capacity of public creditors And why, if the pledge respecting the resumption of Cash Payments were to he kept, had that relative to the keeping of the original Sinking Fund 'wen tbandoned ? Had it been kept up, it would now hate amonuted to 17 millions. It was true that 17 or 18 millions of taxes bad been reduced since the termination of the war, but he contended that the public creditors won't: be in abet ter situation if those taers load not been repelled, anti a Sinking Fond of 17 millions had been maintained. For by the change in the currency, the burthens d the coon try bad been increased to the yearly amount i of one thou sand ounces ef gold, or about four millions averting ; so that the reduction of taxes which had taken place during the present Session, left their real pressure on the pub lic the same as if it had not been effected. Haul, on the contrary, a standard adapted to existing circumstances been established, the Sinking Fund might have been re• taiord, and five or six millions of taxes might have been remitted to the public. And how was the situation of the Public Creditors whose property had been um justly reduced in 1797 by the diminution of the interest, to be improved by a return to metallic payments ? Moat of them had taken that property out of the Fnnds and in vested it in land. Now, therefore, the Legislature came upon them with an after blow! They had suffered in the interests of their funded property in 1797, and they were to suffer at present in the produce and value of their lands! Instead of being a measure of justice towards them, the resumption of Cash Payments would therefore be one of injustice and oppression. The Earl of LIVERPOOL said the present Bill had not been proposed as a measure which would work any considerable relief to the agricultural interest, though it was thought it would be advantageous as far as it went. The Noble Earl had made his speech a vehicle fur a long and (he admitted) an able statement of the various measures affecting our currency, and particularly that which led to the resumption of Cash Paym-mts; butt lie hal said nothing to convince him (Lord Liverpool) that the last measure was the sole cause of the agricul tural distress. He did not mean to say that that melt. sure bad bad no influence whatever in prodneing that distress; but lie contended that the influence was not in the degree which bad been ascribed to it. Other persons were disposed to say that the distress in question was to be referred entirety to over-production. lie thought himself, however, that the distress was occasioned by a ' variety of causes combined. In particular he thought much was to be allowed for the most extraordinary events , of the last war—a war which had led to the employ of so many large armies, and had turned Europe itself into a military camp. When they took into consideration all the circumstances of that war they would, lie was con fider', pronounce it to be one more eventful than that of any other period of history except the irruption of the barbarians who had overthrown the Roman Empire. He adverted to this, only because the Noble Earl bad at tempted to draw a comparison between the last war and those ‘if earlier date. But the Noble Earl mistook him if lie iinacined that lie (the Earl of Liverpool) treated over-production as a matter of complaint. He had simply stated that the last war forced the poorer lands into cultivation in consequence of the high price which was then obtained for agricultural produce. This had noteriouNly been the case during that war, and had, caused a riso of rents great.br also than that of any former period. Indeed, with respect to rents, he rather believed that former wars had occasioned a fall rather than a rise of them. Mach of this rise was caused by the extensive operations and the enormous expenses of the war.—(hear.) Another consideration with reference to the cause of the agricultural distress, arose out of the importations of corn from Ireland. These bad been so extensive, that they actually filled op the chasm occasioned by the shutting of the ports since the year 1818; and in point of amount, could not be believ ed, be taken at less than seven millions and an half. Indeed, when the Corn Bill was upon their Lordships' table he bad said Bruits principal effect would be in the supply of corn from Ireland, rather than from other parts of Europe. There was yet another cause not to be entirely overlooked, arising from the circonistance of Government ceasing to be a purchaser in the market. The demand of Government during the war was very great. Some idea might be formed, when lie stated in the way of example, that its purchase of oxen consisted of not less, on an average, than 30,000 head annually, sod that the expenditure of the Victualling Office was STATESMAN. <•.., as mach es two million a year. The whinkawiag of so large . a deluged must necessarily have a material effect on prices. It ntost lower them; and they could be re stored only be a tauten to the same seals of pablie ex penditure. ff we were now to be an improvident as to 'embroil ourselves in a contest, be had no doubt that the renewed demand of G wont would cause a rise in the price of agrieultrusi produce. Hat this surely was not a mode to be recommended for the relief of the agri cultural dim rots. It would be • desperste remedy; and, after all, a mare postposemeet *fib* evil day. hot the Noble E a rl contended, that the IGII bad • tendency In re' race the measure of 1819. He (lard approved of that measure, as esti of justice and wand policy, The Noble Earl wished, asks called it, to alter the standard, hat things might to be sailed by their right names. It would be neither more nor less theist partial bankruptry, by lowering the interest paid to the national creditor. U. trusted the House would not defraud the creditors of the public% by tolayisg tricks with the currency. The lose* contracted daring the war had been contracted upon an understanding, that when we arrived at a time of peace, they should be repaid according to the ancient legal standard. This was known to the landholders, anti they bail now no right to complain. Bat the depreci ation spoken of bad not continued during the whole of the war; and how therefore could Bey distinction be drawn with regard tomtit bane as were contracted in a depreciate earring'', and each tt wen not? The Noble Earl, however, unneeded that we had Dot pre- served the Sinking Feed, and that in that respect we bad violated the public faith. But t h e preservation of this tuna bee never keens part of the contract on any loan. The reservation of pee per coat. had been merely an understanding, bat the payment of the dividend was an essential part of the contract itself. Ile contended that we were bound by every principle of justice to preserve •the Intelsat staodard, and that any other coarse would be a attikinF off of a part of the National Debt; and for this he maintained there was neither nor necessity. He admitted that it was but • melancholy consolation to say to a suffering class of the cousinuaity, " You must new saffer in your tare ;" but was it not a fact to demonstrat i on that the public hardens fell, dor . . . he war, sot on the original fundiwilders alone, but on annuitants and mortgagees of every description? The case was now reversed, and the agricultural interest was beginning to suffer. He did not undervalue that into , rest. He would be disposed to bold the scales equally I with respect to all classes: nay, if he were inclined to ''throw a hair him either scale, it would be in favour of the agricultural interest. This Ise had done in the case of the Corn Bill, which was a measure he disapproved j of, upon general principles. But he looked at the coon ' try altogether without regard lousy puked': interest; and he was entitled open such a view, to say that the wealth of the cosetry had not diminished though it was altered is its situation. The increased alsoent of the revenue and of the increased coassmption of exciseable articles were, be should always contend, fair points of re ference to form an opinion on thissubject; and at these he could lens with satisfaction and repeat that the solid weath of the country bad not diminished. He was per suaded that thief; would right themselves, though be admitted that this must be preceded by much distress,' and much political evil. Bet this distress and this evil could not be avoided without tampering with the cur rency; and as the different changes which had already taken place on that subject, were described as evils, he thought it would be more advisable (sow that we had re turned to the ancient legal standard) to change no more; especially as such a change would affect onr honour and shake our credit in the opinion of every European, and indeed of every civilised nation. Lord CALTHORPE expressed Lis conviction that it would become the duty of Parlianient, and at some fu ture period, to revise the last measure ferreting the currency. The kArl of CARNARVON explained. he sever could assent to the proposition of the Noble Lord oppo site (the Earl of Liverpool), that it had been understood at the time of contracting for loans that the resumption of Cash Payment was to have the effect as at present frit, of altering the value of the currency. The Bill was then read a third time, and passed.—M journed. HOUSE OF OF COMIIOI6S.-TUISDAY, JULY 16. At four o'clock the 3 counted the Members, and bat thirty-eight being present, the House was ad. jouroed. PUBLIC DRFAULTERS. A return has been made to an Oyler of the House of Commons of all the defaulers iu the Government Offices since the Ist of January, 1810, with the amounts now doe to the Public by each defaulter re spectively. The List occupies 63 folio pnes. The following is a list of some of the most important that have occored in Ireland : In the Tax Oioe, there is a list of 72 def./ahem in various sums, from 40/. to 3001. In the Irish Stamp Department there are numerous defaulters. The following are fur the largest sums : Edward Power, 4,277; Eliaabeth Fleming, 3,4 LSI. ; James Henning, 2,063/ ; John Butler, 4,188/. ; Flor ence M'Carthy, 2,9931.; Edward Pardon, 2,7181.; Robt. Coghill, 35,443/.; James Christian, 3,499/.; J . Prentice, 2,1131. ; Charles Oliver, 2,827/. ; Stsn!ey Lees Giifard, 2968/. ; T. Rorke, 2094 ; Richard Day, 2,0201. The total amount due by defaulters in this Office is 51,716. In the Irish General Post-Office the defaulters are very numerous, but they are not for large sums; the highest is Thomas Rorke, of Galway, f ur 77141. I n the Irish Military Accounts the principal defaulter' is Colonel William 1311111/110, General Recruiting Agent, who Is a defaulter to the amount of 180,000/. of which 107,000/. is in the 3i per Cents. and 70,0001. 3 per Cent. Consols. Sir Frederick FalLiner, the Colonel of a Regiment which he rallied. also stands debited in a suns of 2,6221 and John Hogan, Paymas ter of the Royal Pencibles, in 2,1911. uh;ch is, how ever, a disputed claim. Marcus Denims''', is a de faulter for 3,7301.; Peter Paul illaguirce, agent to se veral Regiments, stands as a defaulter fur ♦ationr sums, amounting in the whole to u p wards of 40,000/ William Shaw, Paymaster of the 97.6 Foot, a defaul ter in 9,3751. Richard Dominick O'Connor, 2,975/. Christopher Clarke, 8,412, Henry Beaumont, 11,191/. M . Taylor and Finlay, armyagents, nearly 6,0001. and Charles Linder& Daniel, 2,999/. ~~~ An alteration is to take place in the uniform of th. Guards, and all other infantry Regiments. The white breeches and gaiters hitherto worn, are to be exchanged for grey its. Officers to wear the same, only with a gold or silver stripe down the sid.a, which is to be considered the full dress of the Regiment, and to be worn on all occasions, except Levees or Droning rooms. The Callllo to which several of the Newspapers have attributed poor EIIIIIT'S severe indisposition is erre. loots, his disorder irises from a complete g I de bility, awl which, it is mach feared by the faculty, will •ermioate upon the lungs. f~ ~~ ~ • i t DEFEAT uF TUb; ARITINfg:a ut41(1,3 j;, MADRID. (►U*Tnaft PAIIIT:CL"LARS The positiou of the Pardo Om old palace on the other side of the i►lat.sanates, and not the lie walk, as stated in some of the daily papers) which the four imitations of the guards bad fled, war too isolated fee the realisation of any plan for,i,e4 i f the servile parry. sea these battalions were Aer.itl ei pirated tutus the other two which still remained the Palace, under eeriest of guarding the penes t.t the King. All negotiations. fur a surrender havir ; prove/ fruitless, the lane battatione of renolt;d gua r .;,, pressed, probably by the want of Novi4ime, whelp they wee cut off the moment they shut mien np in the P.d.o, farmed the project of /matt. ing the city on the morning of the 7th, at an earl hour, conceiving that the militia a&f arme•l lett:Sc. ants. who hall hems on ditty for several !lay. & A nights successively, might easily be surprieed era overcome. With this view they left their poiltion the night, aid advanced to the sq•csre of the Const7 , :. tion, where they foiled four crimp:anis of militia, m a detachment of cavalri, supported by two pieces artillery. The guards entered the avenues le-ding to the mean at day-light, railing out "Long live the absol•re King," anti immediately commenced a brisk fire et their antagonists. By the time they bad dischar.rei their pieces four limn, they had reached the lies Lc copied by the Militia, wires two grenadier compasiti of the latter, and a company of Chaseenrs, cosomasM red by Brigadier-General ?Mares, attacked them frost several of the streets leading into the vinare, eat considerable loss was experienced on Loth sides. At six iu the morning, General Murillo (Wend a piece of artillery to be placed in the main street, .1 prevent the retreat of the guards in that directism Is the mean time the militia continued to fire upon lien from the Len Condos, which compelled the mutineers to retreat by the adjacent streets en the et?... puaite side. The guards ret din two direction.. part towards the Palace, so doubt to join their toe. emirs posted there, and the misers towards the more of St. Domingo; both being successively charged Itq the ►egiment of the Prince, crying out " Loeg hit Liberty." I The King's stables, where the guards bad ediert•i and posted themselves, were next attached by General Montt!, the instant be could brio„ up the militia, awl forced with fixed bayonets. Repulsed on all *We!, the mutineers withdrew towards the Palace, where they were received, among oth.zr persons of reek, be the Doke del Wanted° and the Marquess de las Ana. dila.). They then offered to enter into negociatioar, rod dispatched one of their own party to the artillery ground to signify their wishes. Notwithstanding this offer, they sabsequeotly attacked some of the militia posted near the house of Los Consejo', but they were repolaed in a most •igorous manner. Without wait ing for the capitulation to be carried formally into If feet, the few remaining mutineers effected their re , treat from the Palace by the gate of La Vega, towards Alamos, whither they were pursued by a party , of ca valry, accompanied by Generals Morino and Wage On the Bth, all the remainiag mattneers surreisirred, sad the Bishop, as we stated yesterday, performed A solemn mass In honour of tka triumph pined, i■ pre• sense of the militia. PRICE OF STOCKS, AT C Beni Stack ...... 11pr Ct. Red .. per Ct; Coss 111 per Coat. Nei Cents New Fours 9B 71 81 6 perUest.l7V7 Long. 4 an 601 Imp. pr Ct . 76/ Irish 6 ma Cwt. ARR. 111A1 DUE. I INK O'CLOCK, THIS DAY. India litoot. . Ditto Beads n. 614.33. pa. South Sea Steak ' Saadi Son OW Ana . Ss.BillWOW . .. i Is s po. --AWOL do to pa. es. es. ow. Con. kor Asa' W': j Lela. liakals 911. 14 1 lanblin - - 0 O Waterford - 1 O O. de Jersey - I O Lisbon - - 0 O Gottenburg - 0 eke *tateontan. " THG RRITI U STATUS/O." INCoRPORATISD WITS "TSB ITAT W lILY." LOA DON: WEDNICSDAT tYIntNO, JULY 17, 1822. STOCK EXCHANGE, TWELTE O'CLOCK. The Fonds remain steady this morning, but u the Jew party are very riser to make op their accOonb it is supposed they are great Bears in Steck. Comets at present are 802 ; Reduced SO and HI I. j fig August. I Li. DCL • Reiland . I o Umbra' • I Frames - - 0 I Flanders - O America - - 0 ON IC O'CLOCK. FOREIGN ■AnELI. The above market is very Leavy, with little hesioest doing. A report prevails that Zra and t►e whale Cc • lambian Mission ►as been recalled. Other AC• cuuots state that he is going to retire, owing to a hi state of health. Money is so plentiful at ream that scarcely 2 per cent. ran be obtained for it. It is thought that the affairs of Spain have frightened most of the monied men, who at present keep their capita's unem:sloyrd, which they will not ►isk in foreign sec's. rities. Old, £llOlOl5ll, 81I—New, 611—Ntoney for time, 01; rlanish, RR—Chin, i9,l—New Rotas, 831i—New SO-014.1,1ki—Nnapoiitan, 714,1-01 d COIUMI Liao, 101/ New, 832. ROYAL EXCHANGE, ONE O'CLOCK It is alleged that two columns of Preach troop have entered Spain, bat no credit is given to ar report. • Paris papers, which have &frivol to the 15th inst., enable us w mike the following interesting additiom to the statements already published of the recent portant events at Madrid :—.The ectraordioary cootie litho brought the intelligence of the del . /eel the & Spanish tie ads, states th,t at the time of Li% ,li• picture (three o'clock, r. if f on the rich instant) trace quillity, as we yesterday inform fd oar readers, ws , completely re•established ; and the kiwi's kliaister • restored to fiemlum, were rfligt4 is preparing otA ,~