The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser. — London, England, 1803-05-06 00:00:00

77 I , I R I ~~ illr .4 ' • !II III.1.4 = 11 G:7•7 1. . • . • • s • IMPERIAL PdlahlbiENT. HOUSE OF LORI)S. vistrasnhv, MAY 5. The Bishop of Down, the Earl of Balcarras, and the Earl of Glasgow, took the oaths and their Mr. Erskine was heard on, behalf of the Re spondent in the appeal of tlarpherson v. Ramsay 1 lannay. after which the further hearing was ad ponied till to-morrow. All the Bilk on the Table read a stage each. !KIM! 11AS.K . REsrittcriom The I louse having resolved itself into a Commit tee On this Bill, lord KING rose to move his promised clause to oblige the Bank of Ireland at the end of six months to pay their bills when presented for pay ment, in Bank of England Notes. ...Mit Lordship entered into another discussion of tbe dice) of a de predation of the Irish Bank Notes. and said it had been laid down by the ablest writer on the wealth of nations, Dr. Adam Smith, that when the paper of the established Bank of any country coutinuod tong in a state of depreciation, it was an infallible indication that the affairs of that Bank were in a state of arrangement, most especially when accom panied with the rate of exchange continuing against it. Now the state of exchange had been uniformly against Ireland ever since the year tt3oo. Hi'. Lord ship entered into a discrimination between the real exchange of any country and its nominal exchange ; and put, as an hypothetical case, that if S p ain low ere I the value of its coin, so as to make the currency thicli in coining cost only !)rtl. pass for Wu 1. that was merely a nominal excirange and not a real one. Nis Lordship treated of the whole subjeil that his anose went to, at considerable length, and contend ed, that if the depreciation of the Irish Bank Notes, which undeniably existed at present, could be re moved, then, instead of Ireland being obliged to send gold to England, she might send good bills of exchange, as she used to make her payments pre vious to the depreciation taking place. The Martinis of SLIGO said, from the pains the Noble Lord had taken to enter into the subjea of the Notes of the Bank of Ireland, and the effea the large issue of them had on it, be had felt it to' be his duty to make himself as well master of it as he could ; and he was persuaded that the Noble Lord's proposed clause would operate most inju riously, instead of answering any good purpose. The Marquis explained himself at some length, and stated a variety of arguments in support of his opi nion, concluding with declaring that he should op pose the clause, and esthet bar these Ole We have, " Than Hy to others that weknow not Sal." The tart of LIMERICK rose to clear himself from a sort of imputation that the Marquis of Sligo tad apparently thrown out upon him in a part cf his speech, when treating of the effeas produced by the absentees of Ireland, as if he had imputed blame to close Noble Lords and Gentry. He deuied that he Lad made any refleCtion on them. His I ordship objefted to the Clause. Lord KING, and the Marquis SLIGO, spoke again in erplanation. The clause, on the question being put, was re je.ited. Lord KING moved another clause, by way of proviso, to compel the Direnors of the Bank of Ireland to lay a monthly return of the issue of their notes before both Houses of Parliament, which he considered as the most effeCtital check upon an in ordinate issue and circulation of the notes of the Ball of Ireland. The Earl of LIMERICK said, he must oppose the clause, because the obvious inference that would he drawn from it would be that the. Direetors of the Bank of inland had been conviaed of some fradu lent abuse of the trusts vested in them ; besides, such a clause w a s wholly unnecessary, as the Noble Lord, who was Stlillot . inly diligent in the discharge of his parliamentary duty, might, while Parliament was sitting, call for such returns as often as he plc: . Load KING supported his proviso, and said, he would pursue the plan sugge ay.!, both with regard to the is,ue of the notes of the Bank of England, and the Bank of Ireland. .1 he proviso was rejected, and the Bill gone through and reported, without amtaidnients. Adjourued. HOUSE OF COMMONS. us esn v, MAY 5. Mr. LOWTHER brought up the Report of the Committee appointed to enqaire into the merits of a petition from Robinson, Esq. coniplaining l i ref an undac tOr the Borough of Taunton, stating that the sitting Members, ‘V m. Moreland and Jidln Hammet, Lsqrs. were duly eleeted, and that the oet;t;:on was not frieoloir. or vexatious. Lord LEVIS° \ COWER lsrought up the till for repairing Cerirty Bridges. Read a first time, and ordered to be read a second time on Tuesday next, and to he printed. SCOrCH SCIIOOL M‘sTEits• RILL. The LORD ADVOCATE of SCOTLAND moved the Order of the Day for the I louse resolv ing itsel: into a Committee of the whole House, on the motion for kitee to bring in :t Bill for ame liorating the condition of the parochial School /natters of Scotland. The I louse resolved itself into a Committee of the whole House, Mr. W. I)undas in the Chair. The LORD A DV OCATE of SCOTLAND, en. terei into a history of the p:uish-sehools of Scotland, from their establishment in the year iti tti. He said, notwithstanding the difference of the times, The salary was the same now that it was then. He ascribed to the establishment of those schools all 'that intelligence which was so observable in that part of the United Kingdom. and which so much at trafted the attention of strangers who visited it ; to it alw was to Ise ascribed the good morals, the social °Met, the L,Yalty, the paucity of crimes, the prorr attendance on divine w o rship, an d t h e en _ creasing wealth of that part of the comary. The paucity of crimes was so remarkable, that there were more convicis transported in one Quarter Ses sions from Manchester, than from ail Scotland in the course of the year. tie also observed. that the ere;:itt;ons in Scotland, on an average slid not amount to more than six in the year. Ile therefote thought an establishment produCtive, ut such h ood, drserving the .greatest encouragement,. and the Innti. t orion wail sink into disrepute, and ',ramie a Mit - juacad 0f a benefit, In 1u tat, tie minimum .• . • of tivc salary was MO Scotch mars - , equal to 51., and maximum double that sum. One third' of the parish-schools were now vacant, as persons could not he found to devote their time for such a salary; and in consequence of this, the situation had not been tilted of late years, and there was nn pro vision made fir old age. He would propose the minimum to he 300 and the maximum 40() marks; and even in tl.is ease the maximum would not be more than the hire of a day labourer. What was an adequate salary in one part would not be so in another. He would therefore wish to procure a mode of increasing the salary in some instances ; the best mode for dining this, would he to calculate the average price of oatmeal for the last twenty-five years, and fir the minimum at the purchase of a clialdron and a half of oatmeal, which would be establishinr a new minimum adequate to the wants of the school-masters. Certain parishes were of an extent, fe: . which one school was not sufficient ; this he meant to remedy. He therefore moved, "That the Chairman be direacel to move for leave to brine , in a Bill for ameliorating the condition of the school"- masters, and better government of the parish-schools of Scotland." Mr. DENT said, he had no objeCtion to the mo tion of the Finn. Gentleman, but he tlionght the allusion to Manchester world as well have bcerr omitted. And the Hon. Gentleman did not state how many of those convias came from Scotland. The Chairman brought up the report, and leave was given to bring in a Bill accordingly. General GASCOIGNE moved that theme be laid before the House an account of the quantity of cof fee charged with the duty of Excise, imported pre vious to the last seven years.—Agreed to. Also an account of the prosecutions for frauds in the colleCtion of the said duties, gad the expense at tending the same. Mr. VANSITTART said, there could be no objeCtion to the account respeCting the coffee, but respeCling the motion for producing an account of the prosecutions, he imagined it would be difficult and tedious to colleast them, if not impraCticable ; he therefore wished the Hon. Gentleman would with draw his motion, fin- the impose of amending it. Mr. ROSE thought the Hon. Gentleman should narrow his motion to the proceedings in the Courts of King's Bench and Exchequer, otherwise he thought the produftion of the accounts impossible. Mr. WILLIAM DUNI)AS thought, when any Gentleman made a motion of this nature, he ought to state his grounds for doing so, for what public purpose, or whether for mere curiosity. General GASCOIGN E said it was in conse quence of an intimation from merchants that he made his motion. It was connected with a very important commercial arrangement, and the whole of the West India Agents required the production of the accounts. Mr. DUNDAS said, he had no ohie6tions duce h: heard the reason; he barely asked tbe question on parliamentary pounds, as it was not to be supposed such motions, without stating guaunds, should be complied with as a matter of course. Mr. VANSITTA RT explained. Dodor LAURENCE said, he rose to speak a few words respecting the parliamentary grounds stated by the Honourable Gentleman opposite to him, he contended it was the right of any Member to move for accounts without previous notice or ex planation. The Learned Gentleman then entered at some length on the nature of the word curiosity, which he repeated several times, and which he ob served was very improperly applied by the Honour ably Gentleman to a question which related to a great commercial interest. The ATTORNEY-GENERAL said, he did not rise to observe when short speeches or long speeches were necessary ; but he vindicated his Right Hon. Friend from the observations made by the Learned Gentleman. His l ion. Friend wished for information, and the moment he got it he ex pressed himself satisfied, and had no obje.lion to the motion ; for his part he conceived the produc tion ct the accounts respeding prosecutions useless. Dolor LAURENCE explained. The question was then amended, and proposed as That there be laid before the House, an account of the prosecution in the Court of Ex chequer, fur the last sewn year:, for frauds commit• ted in the collection of the Duties of Excise, on coffee imported, and the expence attending the same." And also An account of the Duties of Excise on the home consumption of coffee for the last seV.l7 years ;" which were agreed to. Mr. WHITE brought up the Report of the names of the Select Committee, chosen by ballot, to enquire into the merits of a petition, complaining of an un due eletion for Kirkcudbright, who were sworn in as follows : J F Karin, F. 1,1. Sir J. St. Clair Erskine, Bart. . Sir). L. Kim:, nart Mimi, Esq. Rigid Ito;!. C Brogr, F. For; EN. Sit J. C. L'ord Visco.nit Cle;neuts, Dttneen, M Archal.tll, I:. Sir R. W. V.iog!iati, Sat. Hun. T. G. Non-semen. Johns. NulitlNt L f. J. loaldAnc:or, and the Lord Advocate of Scotland. MAYITir OF GREAT GRIMSBY. Mr. CA LCRAFT moved the Order of the Day for caning John Simpson, late Mayor cf . Great Grimsby, to the liar, to be reprimanded and dis charged. Mr. ROSE was certain the motion made by the lion. Gentleman was founded in compassion. Bat for his part he should oppose the motion, for thotodi the prisoner appeared to be an ;, , ,•noraat man, yet Ile had the assistance of Counsel, and aEled in dire& con tradiEtionto the adviceof that Counsel. Fliscoudata in admittingto thelreedomorthe Borough certain inipro perpersons, and other a,tt sof a sim larnature,required a greater punishment than that of being a few days in custody of the Serjeant at Arms, where he lived better than be could at home. If they sutfered him to go unpunished, what remedy could they have in future against returning officers ?There was another instance happened sii:ce the Revolution similar to this, in the same Bormgh, though not so had as this, and the Attorney-General w.is ordered to prosecute. !here ought to be a mark set on this man to deter others. Mr. BLACK BURNE said, the prisoner .had stated himself to be a pour man, not worth more than 2001. with a wife and aye children. Now he undefstood that he lately purchased a piece of land, and was building a house on it, which will cost more than what he says he is worth. Those children also turn out to be 3z own up persons not burtheasome to him. Mr. CALCRAFT was coufidendy iitfamed that i 3 C.'.110 I. teat the outside of his property. He was obliged by the terms of his lease to build a house or he would lose his purchase. Ile was confident the House bad already sufficiently punished him by eleven days confinement e the stigma on his charaeler, and his expence. Mr. SHAW LF.FF.VRE agreed that the objeet •of punishment was to deter others, but he thought individual punishment also necessary ; anal the dig nity of the House requires a longer confinement. Mr. BURDON was surprised when lie saw so ignorant a person appear at the Bar as Mayor of Greet Grimsby. He was inclined to inflia a slight ptmishment ; he, however, thought Nesegate would be the most proper place to confine him in. Mr. ROSE said, in the case alluded to by him, the Attorney-General was ordered to prowcute. Mr. ORMSBY said, though he acted as a parti- ran his ignorance was so very great that it certainly offered some excuse for hint, and besides, the report did not charge him with corruption. Mr. BURTON thought the question was simply this, whether the House would encourage or fin bid such conduct? The I unishment which the prisoner received amounted to absolute impunity. Ignorant as the prisoner was, he must have known good from evil, and moreover, he had the assistance of Connsel. &t he thought proper to aCI in fa vour of his party. The fees would amount to a great part of his property as stated, hut that was a nomi nal punishment as those he favoured would pay them ; the only proper punishment would be per sonal imprisonment. He therefore moved that the prisoner be committed to Newgate. Mr. Sergeant BEST spoke for his discharge, and Colonel PORTER against it. The question for calling him to the Bar was put and negatived. The question for his commitment to Newgate was then put and carried, and the Speaker ordered to issue his warrant accordingly. Mr. LEE moved, that the report of the Com naittee to which the Irish Courts of Law Bill was referred should be read. The report having been read, he then moved, that the House should, on to-morrow, resolve itself into a Committee of tRe whole House to consider of the compensation to be made to certain officers of the Court of Exchequer in Ireland, and that the report be referred to said Committee.—Agreed to. He then moved, that the House should, on Wed nesday next, resolve itself into a Committee of the whole House on the Bill for regulating the superior Coons of Law in Ireland_—Ordered accordingly. Mr. GREGOR moved, that there be laid before the House an account of the sums paid as boun ties on the importation of Corn, Meal. and Rice, fieim the sth January, 1802, to the sth January, 1603, distinguishing each quarter. Mr. TIERNEY observed, that accounts to that area were already on the Table, up to the sth of January. After a few observations from Mr. Vansittart and Dr. Laurence, the motion was amended, and the accounts from the 10th November, 1802, to sth January, 1803, were ordered accordingly. Mr. GREGOR then moved for an account of the arrears of the additional Assessed Taxes, and the arrears of the Ship Duties of 1798, which were due on the sth April, 1803. After a few observations from Mr. Vansittart, stating the diffieulty of getting the accounts, the motion was agreed to. The SECRETARY at WAR moved, that the report of the Militia-men's Family Provision Bill be received to-mierrow.—Agreed to. Mr. VANSITTART moved the Committee% of Supply, and Ways and Means, for to-morrow. — Agreed to. A Message from the Lords announced their hav ing passed a Bill for the relief of soldiers and sailors in cases therein mentioned. The Bill was read a first time, and ordered to be read a second time, and to be printed. A person from the East India House brought up the Report of the Produce of the Company's Quick Stock.—Ordered to be printed. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER moved the Order of the Day for the call of the House should stand over for Thursday next, and that the names of absent Members on the Ballot that day, should be set apart and reported.--Agreed to. CLERGY REsIDENCE BILL. On the motion of Sir W. SCOTT the House resolved itself into a Commit:ee of the whole House on the Clergy Residence Bill. Several resolutions were put and agreed to. On the clause for extending the term allowed for non-residence to three months, The ATTORNEY-GENAAL ohjeaßed to the ; he said it was highly objectionable with re gard to the charaller and proposed objet of the Bill, which professes to prevent non-restdenee, and yet this clause on the contrary. encourages relaxa tion, by extending the time allowed for non-resi dence to three times the extent already allowed by the law; and giving, moreover, a discretionary power of continuing it to the iiiihops. He would rather be desirous to keep the law as it stood with regard to the period allowed for non-residence. He thought that three weeks unaccountable non re,idence, or three months to bc cuuated at several periods in one year would be better, and that rea son should be assigned when it extended to three months. He therefore moved to insert, instead of the words" three months together," the words" three weekstogether;" znal also three months to be counted at different times. . _ Mr. GltEGOtt was against the Amendment. Mr. ROSE would wisdi to make it eight weeks at a time, or three months in the year. Mr. WILBEILFURCE said, the ohjea of the Bill was to make Clergymen reside among their parisiii oners ; he thercfcre thought three months too much. Lord PORTCIIESTLR said, the former laws were never applied, until the present time, when a certain description of men brought it forward. The objea of the Bill was to make the Clergy reside for the „, ,, reater part of the year on their benefices ; and study Curates could do the duty in their absence. Some regard should be had to the consideration that persons in the church were, for the most part, of the first families and most extensive connection, who would require this indulgence, and a denial of which may alter the whole state of the Church of England. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER agreed with what fell from the Noble Lord in the beinning of his speech. It is true, the Al of 1-I'enry VIII. was never called into aaion until a cetta.in description rum can forward with no laudable intent... But the situation of the Clergy then, was very different from what k is now. Their habits of life generally confined them to particelar spots, and their internal residence was then pecu )tarly necessary, as the preservation of the peace was almost exclusively in their hands. No person, he said, contended that the parishes were to be left without persons to perform the spiritual duties of the several places „-but we must take care not to impose a galling and opprobrious restridion which would prevent persons of liberal education from entering into holy orders ; he did not confine this to the description alluded to by the Noble Lord, but to the whole body of the Clergy of England. Notwithstanding the facility with which travelling accommodation is obtained in this country, yet the expellee of visiting distant relatives, which it is presumed most people would wish to do, would be very great if so short a time was allowed. The Right Hon. Gentleman here passed an high panegyric on the Clergy of England, which he described as a most valuable description of men, distinguished for their loyalty, their piety, morality, attachment to the Constitution, and every good quality that entitled them to the liberli consideration of Parliament ; and he would ask, in what branch of the public service an indulgence si milar to that now proposed was denied He wat therefore against the aatendn,rut. Mr. sPENCER STAN HOPE, wished to know whether three lunar or calendar months was meant. .lr. ISUItTON rinsed a high encomium ea thr Hon. and Learned Gentleman who introduce,l the PAL to whom he said the country W:IS much *Li:. debted. In answer to. the Hon. Gentleman apps. site, he would say three lunar was certainly meant, as it was always so interpreted in all statutes. He wished to have the residence of the Clergy distill. guished from a state of imprisonment, that would disgust them. He was against tire Amendment. Mr. ROSE explained. Sir WILLIAM SCOTT supported the original clause at considerable length, recapitulating most of the arguments which he urged on a former night, The original clause was then put, when a division wok place and the numbers were, For it 53 Against it 17 Majority —l6l While strangers were excluded, another division took place on a motion proposed by Sir William Scott, but the tendency of which we could not learn, when the numbers were. For the original clause SO Against it • Majority —s Srangers were then excluded for upwards of two hours, during which the usual irregular conversation which takes place in Committees, and in which Mr. Wilberforce, and several other Members took part ; after which the Chairman was instruded to report progress, and ask leave that the Committee should sit again to-morrow, which was agreed to. The House adjourned at half past eleven o'clock till to-morrow. THEATRE-ROYAL, DRURY- I. ANE. TO-MORROW EVENING will be pertormed a New Comedy THE MARRIAGE PROMISE. At the End of the Play, A .ORRICE D kNCE„ In which will be iatrotirced a PAS SEUL, by Muter Erse. To which be added, LODOISKA. THEATRE-ROT 11,, COVENT-GARDEN. THIS EVENIIN(.: wilt be pre -witted a NVI etomedy called N JOH BULL; Or. AN ENGLISIIMAN'4 FIRE: SIDE. To which will be addetl, THE FARMER. To-morrow, the New Comedy, with The Irish Widow. _ _ THE BRITISH PRESS. LONDON, FRIDAY, MAY 6. The credulity of that part of the public imme diately connected with the Stock Exchange is almost proverbial. The money market, which, judging from cold and abstraCi principles, it might be sup posed, could be operated upon only by solid and real agency, is become the sport of every whim. fraud, and caprice, and instead of the caution and sedateness of avarice, has evinced of late the levity and thoughtlessness of childish curiosity and inex perience.—From the first moment of the present ne. gociations, we have seen nothing but dupery upon the Stock Exchange. No rumour has been too vague or slight not to have some effeCt. No lie, however gross, has been without its proselytes and supporters. The climax of credulity was, however, yesterday crowned with a fabrication which left all its competitors panting far behind, and blurred the grace and blush of truth and modesty.--Between nine and ten o'clock, and exactly at the critical moment when, if the hoax took, the most prompt de• tection must come too late for counteraCtion, the Loan MAYOR received the following Letter; " Lord llAwicsisus: presents Compliments to the Loitn MAYOR, has the honour to acquaint his Lordship that tax Negociation between this and the French Republic is brouo ;, to an amicable aouclusion. " Dagnisig.-Strcet, May sth, 1603, Eight ?Clock." 'I he letter was apparently sealed with Lord HAWKS. SU St 'S seal, and was brought by a person whu spoke with a foreign accent, and was dressed in a coarse, drab,- travelling coat, with his hair in disor der about his eyes and cheeks. He had all the ap pearance of a man just off a journey, and displayed all the symptoms of anxiety and dispatch, which the bearer of such important intelligence might be supposed to show in his general manner and condua. He delivered the letter in at the side door of the Mansion-house to a servant of the name of Ping, who happened to be there accidentally. He instantly dis tppeared, after desiring the servant to delivta the letter to the LORD M 4 YOR without -1 .s.P