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invent t'banks to the Noble Lcrd orposite to bim, hat provoked it. He had listened with iii•eat *atertion to the arguments so ably stated by I bis Noble Friend who 11 . 1;(1 just sat down, and he cles - red to be understood as coinciding perfealy in every ra.e of them. He had received corsilerable informa •-in upon the subjea from his Noble Friend, and with that information co-operating with his own lnowledge, he had no doubt but the conduit of the Directors of the Bank had been uniformly correct. \Vtth regard to the institution of the Bank of Ire land, as a measure of his own, he ranst be per mitted to say he was highly gratified in hearing front his Noble Friend, that it had fully an swered the object he had in view, and had roved a source of general benefit to the mercan de and political interests of Ireland ; but there was one point in his Noble Friend's speech, which he must take the liberty of setting him right in. His 7'.'ohle Friend had admitted that the paper of the 13 .nk of Ireland had undergone a depreciation. This was not conealy the fait. The notes of the Rank of Ireland, literally considered, had under gone no depreciation in Ireland ; it had indeed un dergone a depreciation in respect to payments made out of Ireland, which could only he made in gold. His Lordship quoted Lord King's words, " That the Dire, tors bad been guilty of a gross abuse of the discretionary powers with which they were entnist ed." This was a severe imputation, but fortunately for the Dire tors, it was immediately proved, by the arguments of his Noble Friend, that it was wholly undeserved. He said he would add one more ob servation, and that was his wish, that the proprie tors of the private banks in Ireland were put under some regulation. Ile remembered to have heard in that t louse from a venerable and respcaable Yeer, now absent from indisposition (Lord Liverpool), that he thought it would be a salutary measure, if the country bankers in this country (where the spi rit of adventure, and sometimes of fraudulent in tention, induced men of no property to set up banks, merely to prev upon the credulous), were obliged, by Aft of Parliament, to render once a year to sonic oilice or officer, appointed Om the purpose, in each county or province in which private banks were in stituted, an authentic account of the security of their bank, and of their being . able to answer the full amount of all their notes in circulation. His Lordship said, when he heard this from the Noble Farl, he thought it a wise and judicious suggestion ; and he had not the smallest doubt but it would prove aa extremely beneficial measure both to Lng land and Ireland. His Lordship finally pronounced the Bill before the House a necessary and useful Lot..? LIMERICK rose merely to notice an oh servatien which had fallen from his Noble Friend, who had just :,at down, vie. relative to the depre ciation of the notes of the Bank of Ireland. He said he had merely intended to allude to the pay ments made from Ireland to other countries, in which the exchange of the notes of Ireland for gold required a discount to be paid upon them. Lord KING maintained, that so long as a pre mium was paid for guineas, in exchange for notes of the Bank of Ireland, he was warranted in as serting, that the notes of the Bank of Ireland had undergone a degree of depreciation. The Marquis of SLIGO rose to do justice to the Diredors of the Bank of Ireland, whose conduct had been hitherto unimpeached. His Lordship said that, stric.'ily speaking, the paper of the Bank of Ireland had undergone uo depreciation ; yet, in one sense. paradoxical ks it might appear, they might be said to have suffered a depreciation, viz, in the exchange of them for g(3.1, when payments were to be made from Ireland to other countries. His Lordship added a few other observations at once pertinent to the subje(a, and patriotic as a native and laniholder of I: viand. The Bi:i, upon the question being put, was read a second time, and ordered to be committed to a Commiace of the whole House on Thursday. tiT DFATORS' BILL Lord RAWDON (1:4r1 of Moira) said, he had 'some observations to offer rcspeeting this Bill; but S C. saw their Lordships had been sufficiently long detained, he would defer making them till the next stage of the Rill ; when any other NoWe Lord, who wished to give an opinion upon it, might have an opportunity of delivering his sentiments resped ing it. He would Theretbre move, that it be read a ecnnd time. roe Bill was read accordingly, and committed for Friday.—Adjourned at seven o'clock. HOUSE OF COMMONS. TUESDAY, MAY S. A STesiage from the lords announced their assent to the Bill for the continuance of certain Ash Parliament, for securing the Revenues of Ireland from fraud , to the 2 : ah - November, lwr3 ; also, to the Sugir and Coffoe Exportation Bill, the Inn keepers' Allowance Bill, and several Private Bilk NOTTINGIIAM RILL. Mr. HAWKINS BROWNE moved the order of the day for the third reading of the Nottingham Bill. Mr. FOX said, that aticr what had been already said upon this question, be should not now tr.)uble the House, but that he considered it one of those measures calculated for the future undermining of t'.c laws of this country, by throwing an additional p .wcr into the hands oldie Executive. After wh.at ras.ed in debate, he should not expea to hear • .rd lenity again made use of; for it was no • y enforce a measure injurious to the cha r..:,-rs those concerned. But did the magistrates .t . Nottingham sue f•'r lenity They say we challenge you to try to ; we know we are inns cent, and that the laws of the country will protea us from punishment. l'he resolution rtatcs that no one cant deny that shameful slots had taken place; it also states that no exertions had been made to sup press them ; 'but it leaves us in doubt whether the magimates were in fault or not. Was it then too rouch for them to asl," Are we innocent or guilty ?' The preamble implies no guilt ; the resolution is similar; he must therefore argue that they are in nocent. He wished to know whether the Bill was formed tinder the supposition of guilt or innocence, If not guilty, there was no occasion /sr parliamentary interference.; and if the proposition imputes guilt, die literi were -sefficient for their punishinulf. If the magistrates in the execution of thew duty could not suppress such riots, the proper remedy would be to enlarge their powers, by adding to Their .num hers. =analog to the constitution of that 'body 4 but by ust me:r's, by the 'addition of others awean elthive magistracy had alone existed. It n. strong •featrire of the Constitution, that the magistracy of this scountry is divided between the appoiirtmnot of the Crown and the right of elec- ' tion. the county magistrates were appointed by the Crown, and in towns the magistracy was gene rally ele&ive. It was said, that the inhabitants of Nottingham were not interested in this subje& He ' would ask, H Ise men no interest in electing their own magistrates, by whom they were to be govern ed ? If be had a right conception, or if he thought it necessary to refer to the ancients, he was of opi nion that the ancient civil wars, and most of the modern too, arose from men being tenacious of their right. He would not enter into any compari son of the merits of the Crown, or the elective ma gistrates ; but it was not paying any compliment to his constituents to say, that the city of Westmin ster, which he had the honour to represent, and where the magistrates were appointed by the Crown, was not remarkable for the superiority of its police to the neighbour city of London, where the magi strates are eleSiive. But vou say the elective ma gistrates have not been able to do their duty. if Nottingham is said to he riotous, other places he contended were equally so, particularly Coventry, , which was much more so, and yet the remedy adopted there was for enlarging the powers of the magistracy. He wished w know whether those exaggerated statements he had heard appeared in the minutes of the Committee ; he had heard of statements taken from a pamphlet, and also of statements derived from private information, the seance of which he vats acquainted with ; but he would ask, Had they found in any one instance that the inadirity of the magistrates of Notting ham was proved ? Did any thing appear equal to the proceedings at Birmingham, in 1797? and yet the L rislature did not interfere. If the magistrates of Nottingham are guilty, let them be tried. But it was a new principle in the pradice or theory cf law, that if elcdive magistrates were guil ty, those who had the right of eleStion, should be injured. He strongly objeded to the jesuitism of the proposition, not to impute guilt, and yet to punish by rendering men objeds of contempt. He had another objection to the Bill, fur it went to forward the in terests of Mr. Coke and his friends. He mentioned that Gentleman's name with respel, and entertained the highest opinion of him ; but notwithstanding the many excellent qualities which distinguished him, he could not avoid being connected by political opinions with a particular party in that town. And does any one suppose a justice will be appointed wi der this Bill who seas not a partizan cf the party of Mr. Coke? Another point touched upon, was the power of granting licences to public-houses; but was there any accusation against the magistrates for haring abuses this power ?—Not one. On the contrary, in the last 50 years the public-houses had diminished, which proved the proper execution of their duty. But this Bill goes to annihilate the corporation, though the magistrates had been ap plauded for their general good condut by the judges; one judge, indeed, had witnessed a tumult there, but a threat to the sheriff was sufficient to quell it. Mr. Coke introduced a Bill some years ago, for the purpose of transferring causes from the city to the county, but there was but one instance where it was thought necessary to at under it. It was therefore clear that the magistrates of Notting ham were able to fulfil their municipal duties. It is stated that the Bill is not founded on the late riots, but they arc to be punished for former suffer ings. We sac to them, You shall be punished be cause you suffered yourself to be ducked some years ago, and because your mills and houses were burnt. , He had a pamphlet in his hand from which he read an extract, stating, that some time ago, ten consta bles were turned out office for being loyal. Now the loyalty of those people consisted in this—that when any good news arnved from the Continent, they went and seized any persons whom they con sidered as Jacobins or Dissenters, and ducked them. Another passage he read, which alluded to the pro ceedings of this House, which says, .‘ How great must be their delinquency when the Legislature have been °biss-el to inflid so exemplary a punishment." Now we have not imputed any delinquency ; if there is delinquency let time be legal punishment ; if not, let there be a remedy by extending their powers. He obje'ed to it as a precedent, which, if followed up, would not leave a Corporation existing in the country. Riots had prevailed in almost every part of the country, and if, which God forbid, the riots which disgraced the capital should ever again hap pen, it would he a ground fur disfranchising even the City of London. if this Bill passed, he trusted it would be re-considerad at some future time, that the magistrates of Nottingham may have an op portunity of recovering their rights. Mr. BOND apologized for offeriuss himself to the House for a few minutes. He contended, that the clause proposed by the Hon. Gentleman yesterday, embraced the priuciple of the Bill, except that it did not go to so great an extent. The great objet of his Bill was to prevent riots, the objet of the lion. Gentleman's Bill would be to remedy them. The aiging magistrates of this country were deserving of the highest eulogium ; but he would point out the absurdity of calling in strange magistrates to quell a riot in a toss n where their persons were not known, or their authority recognized. And by whatever name, whether an invasion of-right, or any other term by which the Hon. Gentleman shoals! distinguish the Bill, he would not be deterred by any harshness of language from persevering in a measure which his judgment'approved. The Hon. Gentleman said, he hoped tohcar no more of 'lenity, but he still contended it was a merciful measure, and the Learned Serjeant (Lens) who appeared at the Bar as Counsel against the Bill, acknowledged it to be so, and no person could haven higher opinion of that Learned Gentleman than he had. Mr. GREY said the Hon. Gentleman, instead of combating the strong, powerful, and unanswer able arguments of his Hon. Friend (Mr. Fox) takes a position of strong assertions, founded on the ope ration of his own judgment. If the Hon. Gentle man had any thing to' objed to the amendment, which was negatived, he should have done it when the amendment was proposed. It was not cus tomary to refer to arguments of Counsel ; and it was too late to come after two or three debates had intervened, to state particular words which might have escaped Gentlemens' .aricritories. But he could not recoiled the Learned Serjeant having ad mitted the lenity cfltbe 'measure; indeed, it Ness ttu- I possible: he could have done so, .as he was employed Ito oppose the measure. if she Honourable Gas- ` - ---.•••••••••••II tient:lli was an old Member, he would not Cons; der proposing an amendment, as approsiug of the principle of the Bill. His I lonourable Friend had combated the principle ,of the tlm.ingli all'. its stages, and is amendment was for the purpose of rendering it as little injurious as possible. If the Hon. Gentleman had been longer a Member of, the House,* he would have percaivect many instances, particularly in cases of taxation, where Members most averse to it moved amendments. He stated this as instruftion to the Hon. Gentleman, to pre vent his being betrayed into a like supposition in fu ture. He said any remark of his, after the able ar guments of his Hon. Friend, would but injure the cause. The Hon. Gentleman had not answered any one of those arguments. He concluded by declar ing his decided opinion, that it was a measure of harshness the most unprecedented. The NITORNEY- GENERAL defended his Hon. Friend (Mr. Bond) and said, that betbre the Hon. Gentleman dealt out instructions to new Members, he should be corral himself; for that it was customary to refer to the pleadings of Counsel. He said, for his part, he thought it impossible to agree to the resolution without imputing criminality to those concmned. Fe thought they were guilty of great miscandua. He did not think the instance alluded to, respeding the judge, sufficient to establish the fio of the good government of the town ; and he thought it would appear odd if a judge WAS to say to a sheriff---" Incked, Mr. Sheriff, you preserve good order h,r,i." He supposedthe applause of the judges was given in that way. He strenuously supported the Bill. Mr. GREY explained. Mr. FOX said his amendment went to soften the Bill ;if a land-tax of 4s. in the pound was proposed, he should move an amendment Mr 2s. though hos tile to the Bill. He did not say the judges ap plauded the magistrates of Nottingham for being without riot, but for their general good government. Mr. FRANKLAND supported the Bill. Lord G. CAVENDISH was against the Bill. Mr. G. ROSE was for it. He said it appeared in evidence before the Committee, that a person was seen to shake an halter in the face of one of the Candidates, and threaten him with death, and then sit down with the magistrates in the booth. Mr. HAWKINS BROWNE said, when he in troduced the Bill he thought it a strong measure sanctioned by necessity. A system of terror was introduced, and French practices proceeding from French principles. The Committee did not consider lenity but justice to be their duty. Mr. SHAW LEFEV RE rose to remark, that the Hon. Gentleman under him had mentioned the county magistrates as influenced by the Crown. He said, no body of men were more deserving of gratitude and praise than the county magistrates, who discharged a duty very often laborious without any benetit but the good of their country. Mr. FOX said he meant no refiedion on the ge neral conduEl of magistrates appointed by the Crown ; on the contrary, he considered it an advan tage to have so many of them thus appointed, and he held it to be a vital principle of the Constitution, to have that mixed and blended disposition of the different parts of the Government of the country. He again repeated that he meant no reflection what ever. Stringers were ord: . :red to withdraw.—On a divi sion the numbers were— For it 164 Against it - 29 Mak ity —135 The Bill was then read a third time, passed, and ordered to the Lords. CLERGY RESIDENCE. On the motion of Sir WILLIAM SCOTT, the House resolved itself into a Committee on this Bill, Mr. P. Carew in the Chair. On the reading of the clause for a limitation to the Clergy in respecß to farming, Sir AV. GEARY moved for the clause to he omitted, thinkiog that the Clergy should have th same accommodation in pursuits of industry with other Gentlemen, consulting their respeElability and accommodation Mr. BASTARD expressed himself forcibly to the came eifea. Sir R. BUXTON was against their employing themselves in farming beyond the glebe, whichmay be necessary for their sustenance and the hospitality of their mansions ; they could find., in his other means which would more encrease their re- speCtability. Mr. KEENE was against Clergymen holding large farms for lucrative objeEts, which would rather diminish than increase their respeCiability. The ATTORNEY-GENERAL and Mr. D. RYDER also supported the clause. Sir W. SCOTT said, his objeCt in framing this Bill was to relieve the Clergy from the disabilities and penalties to which they were liable from a fer nier statute. As the law now stood, if a Clergyman had nor a sufficient glebe .of free lands he was not enabled to support his household, and lie wished them, like other Gentlemen, whoa living in the country, to have some land about them ; for it was no secret that in some parts of the country the poor had not frequently any means tif procuring even a drop of milk but from the charity and benevolence of the resident Clergy. That did not intetfere with their spiritual duties, mid it was •well known that the agriculture of the country was much improved by the care and industry of clerical Gentlemen ; but he never meant to put them in the situation of commercial Clergy. Mr. WILBERFORCE allowed that the Bishops were the best judges, hut to enable them to do jus tice, they ought to hear the objeCtions of the parish ioners, as well as the statement of the reaors.— They should 'investigate the whole of the case, to decide in open court, and in the presence of persons .conversant with the laws. Th.! CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said, that the objet of the clause was to give pub licity to the . licences for Clergy taking additional lands for-the purposes of agriculture. From many instances .that had occurred, these was no danger of the clerical charaCter sinking into that of the farmer. This Bill would not charge the bishops with any power, which had not been uwested in them by the original constitution of the.church. He was in fa vows of the licences being enrolled, but he would oh's& to any enquiries which may prove vexatious. Mr. WILBER.FORC.E and Mr. RYDER ex plained. Mr. BRAGGE spoke strenuously in favour of the clause, as amended, so far as that az y pa rishioner may make himself a part,. F ~~i"'1 Mr. 'WYNDHAM said, he El not sce the ne etisity of any alteration in the clause, which he considered, in overy poi,; of view, as perfeCtly 311- 'exceptionable. It would enable the Bishops to dis charge their duty Nvith less trouble than they could do, under any farther controul or disabilities. H e thought the business might be trusted to their dis cretion. Sir W. DOLBEN thought that Clergymen should he allowed farms in order to have .some subsistence for their wives and families after their decease, as the parochial Clergy generally live up to the extent of their income, and leave their wives and families afterwards unprovided for. Sir W. GEARY explained, but said that he would not urge the House to a division on the clause. After a desultory conversation, and a variety or explanations from Members who had spoken before, the clause was at length agreed to. Some other clauses were then agreeed to, and the Chairman directed to report progress, after which the Committee was ordered to sit again on 'Finn-slay next. The House then adjourned at half past nine o'clock. BY COMMAND OF *THEIR MAJESTIES. THEATRE-ROYAL, DRURr-LANE.. TO-MORROW EVENING will be perforated a New Comedy calld THE MARRIAGE PROMISE. To which w.ll b e : 1( 1,1,41, A HOUSE TO BE SOLD. Thy ICth Night of the New Comedy will he on Saturday. The CRITIQUE upon the Exhibition at Somcsstv-llotissr, and several other interesting Articles, are excluMxt this dog by the length (Attie Parliamentary Report. THE BRITISH PRESS. LONDON, WEDNESDAY, MAY 4. Last night we received Paris papers to the 30tIL last, inchuive ; but they do not contain any intelli gence of importance: of course they take no notices dirthly or indirectly of the present discussions be tween this country and France.—ln the sitting Cl the Legislative Body of the 29th, Citizen CHAniPI ow stated, there was every reason to believe that the end of the Session was near at hand, and proposed that they should proceed to the nomination of the Grand Officer of the Grand Council of the Admi nistration of the Legion of on, - )r. A general Committee was appointed for t eking the subjedt into consideration. The French Funds are rat'ier I( wez. The fite per cents were, on the 29th last, at T. 3 fr. A Dutch Mail also arr;ved •yesterday with letters and papers of the 30th, but they are destitute of in teresting intelligenc "1.1 a official account of the surrender of the Cape to the Dutch, produced a rise in the Dutch fund-. The same uncertainty, howe ver, upon the subject of peace or war which is fek here prevails in ilJllund. The French are assem bling an army near Nimeguen, for the purpose, it is suppOsed, of attacking Hanover in the event of a war with England. A Lisbon Mail also arrived yesterday, brought to Falmouth by the Katz George packet in twelve days. Portugal appears to be tremblingly alive to the result of the negcciation between England and France. She feels that not merely her trade, but her political exiA,T.ce as a nation, depends upon it. The notice given by the Minist©r in the House of Comnims on Monday, of a communication on Mon day next, v.-as generally considered yesterday in the city as a pacific symptom ; the circumstances which governed his construction we do not know. From the mere abstraa words certainly nothing could be in ferred as to the nature of the communication. This impression made the Funds brisk for a time, but they fell back again in the course of the day. In some of the upper circles and publi.: offices a more confi dent hope of the continuance of peace was enter tainel than at any time since the commencement of the dispute ; while in others it was as confidently reported, that Lord Warr worru had left Paris on his return to London. '1 his latter rumour was the cause assigned for the unfavourable change in the market. A Messenger arrived last night from his Lordship with dispatches, which will probably put an end to all this doubt and uncertainty. It was generally supposed, that the 'Minister hoped to re ceive the final answer of the French Government this day or to-morrow. It is probable that it mar have come a day sooner than he expelled it. Yesterday, the dispatches for China, by the Al fra, were finally closed at the East-India House, and delivered to the Purser. '1 he Grand Council of Berne assembled for the .first time in that city upon the 18th April. Most of the Members appeared in black, and wore swords. Four of them resigned, and others were appointel in their places. Rear-Admiral STORY, and Captains \flit; DR -Ca patt.atz and Va.et BtAAM ) of the Dutch navy, have been called upon by public advertisement, to appear before the High Military Tribunal of the Re. _ 'thlic, 3d pui -.., at the Hague - , on the _ May. It is said that France has demanded of the Court of Vienca to prohibit the exportation of grain to Malta, in case of a war with England. Orders have been issued from the Admiralty for a return of the number of ships of war that can be got ready far sea, in the course of the present month, -independent of those that are now getting ready. In that department the pieparations for wat are carrying on with more vigour than ever. 11MM1NE....... Y.- __~'~