The Statesman. — London, England, 1810-05-25 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. TIOUSE OF LORDS, MAY lir. The Royal Assent was give, by Cominiton to the Doke of Brunswick's Annuity 1, 'the J.lvebereiCi• Bills Fundimg Bill, the Irish Stage coaches Bill, the ribal:ltiterentirseSill, the West !Middlesex Water Works Bill..the ForfarshieeSta tute Labour Bill, the Forfar hire . Hoak Bill *wrist local . and Private Bills, in all 37. The Commiwioners were, the Lord Chancellor, Earl Bat-, hnrst, and Lord Walsinghani. • The Linen Dirt Bill was reaps , third time anttassed. The Serves or-General's Bill, the I;ailieszlemen BM, and the Hawkers' and Peill:srs' Bill. passed through Committers and were reported. 'l'he Einliezzleusent Bill was ordered, on the motion of the. Marqujs of Lansdowne,. to. im 'read a third ..lisugiay. The Duke of VONTRDSE presented a Petition from the County of Stirllue, against the (irain %Distillation-Prohibition Bill, witkli was ordered is be referred to the Chrn.Cem7 mince. Counsel were ordered to be heard to-morrow on behalf al the Peti•ioners against the London Docks Bill, an -the third reading. : The (Mil of Vitriol Bill, the Irish Warehousing dill, some local and private Bills, were brought up by Mr. Imshirigton, Mr. II”tg, Sir M. %V. RidlohydttUnther Members of the Wine of Commons, nud—rmut a tint tiote.—Adjourned till to-stornity (this day.) . . HOUSE OF COMMONS, MAT *l. "I • The S.PE AKER.Mtended at the !louse of Peerv,and heard the lioyal Assent Seelared 1w Commission to the Hoke of Bnuiswtek's Annuity Bill, the Exihequer Annuity Bill, the Malt liiterehange Bill, the Irish Endowed School Bill, and several Private (Bile: , - . • Mr. Ll.l$lllN FUN fp-might up . the Report from the Caw; mittee on Irish Supplies. Leave elven to bring in Bilk. • L.srd HENNIKER presented his Bill to amend the Act of the ith of James 1. relative to the provision for Bastard Children. Read the first time, and ordered for the second reading 4111 Monday next: The Tnelve Loan Bill, the Scotch Revenue Mrs ecre.Superannuntion Bill, and the I-le of Man Customs Com solid:ikon Bill, were read the third lime, passed, and tottered to the Lords. Mr. .Iti BARTON moved for an Account, sowing the amount of Sums issued in the last year from the Civil List Revenue, in consetptence of Votes of this House, and not yet made good.,—Orderel. The isle of Man Smuggling Bill, the Scotch Lowland Dis tWery Bill, and the Warehoused Goods Moving Bill, were read the second time. and committed f u r to-morrow. The Exchequer Rills Bill, and the Tension putt' Bill, were committed, and ordered to be reported to-morrow. Mr. WHARTON prtrented a Rill to permit, under cer tain regulations, the Export of Machinery to the Brazils ; and a Bill to permit /* Judge-Advocate to send letters po w free. Rod the first time, and ordered fur the second reading to-morrow. Mr. MELLISH obtained Irate to bring in a Bill to take down the Tower and Church of Si. Mai's, `Sitadweil, and rebuild theta. Sir J. SINCLAIR'S Public Ili;,bway Bill was, in cense qUeusee of several objectionable clauses and inaccuracies, sag. gested by Mr. Whitbread, referred to a new Committee. Mr. ROSE presented a Bill for imposing new Duties on certain species of Wood imported into this rountry, and in favour of the growth of the British Colonies; also a Bill to encourage the Fisheries. Read the firat time, and ordered for the second rending to-natrr.sw•. Mr. ROSE gave notice of a Motion on Monday, for a Bill to regulate the Woollen Manufacture. VOTE OF CREDIT. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER delivered to the Ijouse the. usual Message from his Majesty, towards the close of every Session, re. commending a :Vote of Credit fur eventoal, exi.' geuries of the year. Referred to, tio toititittee of Supply to-Morrow. • . • ••*• . . • • The CIiANCELLOR of the EXCltEgatit gave notice of a. motion on .taanorrviir to the Scott*, Clergy. . - .r. • ••, ~ • -Mr. WIIA.RT.ON presented a.Bill for permit . ting the importation of Sugars, .and .nth er pro, - duce, from Guadeloupe, on paying Oki usuel,ttu.. tics upon produce .not the gro.wth,of the 8004 colonies. The Bill was read the first time s anaordered for the 6econd reading to-morrow. Mr. LUSH I NGTON larcnight up the Report of the Coltunittee of Ways and Means. Leave given. to bring io 4 . . A Message was receited . from the Lords, n signi.. fying their Lordships' agreement to the Foreign; Linen Export Bill: The Assessed Taxes Regulation Bill was read the second thee, and committed for Wt.iluasdaY ucst. 11r. FOSTER repeated his notice that he would bripg on the Irish Budget to.u►orrow ; and al,so &owe Resolutions for Grants for the Building of Gh urches.in Ireland. Sir,J. NEWPORT.hoped the Right Hon. Gen. ticaan would not bring on a business of so much importance, anti ow, likely to excite considerable discussion, upon a d.►y already, appointed for one so important as the adjourned debate on the . Catholic Petition. Air. POSTER answered, that so long ago as ten days he had appointed to.morrow for bringing on the Budget, and it was a business of great na tional importance, which could not admit of delay. The House resolved into a Committee on the Howth Harbour Bill. After a few observations from Sir J. Newport, Mr. Foster, and Mr. Croker, the Bill passed through the Committee, and the Report was Or. tiered to be received to.morrow.. Lord PORCH EST ER moved for and obtained leave to bring in a Bill fur the better preservation of black Game in England. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER brought ui► a Bill for regulating the Office of Re. Ais ter of the Admiralty and Prize Courts. acid first One, anti ordeeed to. be read • second time -Lo.morrow. SIR 'GEORGE 811811.. . • 2 , Sir J. NEWPORT; pertinent to ionic, brought . • forward his motion relative to the 'Compens'ation given to Sir George Ade,. tit' whom' 'the place of Receiver General of 'taxes in - Ireland hitt bet'us granted in reversion in the year 1802, Sir Ireney Cavendish being at that time in possession of . the office. The [tight lion. Gentleman entered into, a variety of details 'to show the - compensation was higher than necessary, and concluded with moving, g' That it was the Opinion of that Hattie, that the Grani..of Compensation to the Receiver General in Ireitin4 was iu itself reprehensible l . and a dere. lirtion of duty in the Irish Government." Mr. W. POLE spoke at emsiderible length in jostifteation of . the Irish 'Government, tespriCting the transaction alluded to, and' eon tended Cam. peosation was not mare than Sir didt . ge ghee' Was justly entitleitto." lie also vindicated . the shitre his brothel (Lord Wellington) had in the transiic. tion, front the 'Charges, made by the Rightlion. Baron!t, Mr. C.4IIC.AP,SII4W. exphined the !manner in* which the balatiresluf Henry . *Cavendish had been discha4ed. . - • , . Mr. W. POtE felt it kis. duty, in justice 'to Sir Henry Cavendish, to state, that his balances, had been paid off with the geeatest.pussible punt. tuality. • . Mr. FOSTER and Mr. CHOKER. bore'egnal testimimy.to the celerity with which the balances of Sir Henry Cavendish had been paid in. - Mr. W. SiMiTH thought. it a monstrous posi :tioit to maintain, that any one had a legal right to make use of the public money for their private gai". • BANKVil i quoted an observation of Lord . Kenyon to the same effect. He really thought that in.that House there was generally too great a 'solicitude for the interest of individuals, and too great a disregard fur the interest of the public. He thought that it was too much the custom of Government on both sides of the water to cons'. der 'offices more as things created for the benefit of the individual who held them, than for the good of .the public. He thought no man ;mad a right to claim ,compensation merely for abstaining from abuses. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER. thought tic Hun. Gentleman had spoken too harshly of persona who followed the custom of Itheir predecessors in office. If any great severity or rigour. was to be used with respect to Receivers of public money, they should at least have fair notice of it, and their characters ought nut to be branded for acting in a manner that they conceived legal, and according to the custom of their pretle. cessurs in office. He attacked with great warmth the opinion delivered by the Hon. Gentleman, that Government considered offices more with respect to mho individual who was to get them, than. the in. terest of the country. He thought this the severest attack belted over heard in that House against men in office, and it came with peculiar severity from an authority so respectable as the Hon. Gentleman. For his part, he disclaimed any such idea of offs. cee, and mould confess himself unworthy of con. _tinning a moment in office, if he did . entertain such an idea. . • Mr. BA NKES, in explanation; said, that. he spoku of Government in general, and did- not Mean either to allude to the Right Hon. Gentle. man, nor .tdahe Chief Governor of Ireland, the Duke of Richmond, whom he most highly re. spected. Mr. H. THORNTON thought, that by the strict law, no compensation was due. Mr. FOSTER said, that when he came into of. ace, it was a few days before the death of Sir 11. Carentlisk, and he found there was a balance of no less than 330,0001 in his hands. This balance he, of course, felt it his duty immediately to call fur. Sir George Shee, who was afterwards ap., pointed to the place, was no political friend of hid, and he could have no reason to propose the 'compensation except a sense of duty. The 'fact was, thatindependent of time use of public money, there was, by old custom, a per centage given to ,the Receiver.Gencral, for the sums he received. froni the Collectors. It was for this per centage, that he advised the compensation, which was 13001. ayear ; whereas the per centage produced A long conversation then took place, in which G. Johnstone, 4,1 r. W. Fitzgerald, the Soli. Ator.Gaieral, Mr. Marryatt, Mr. Long, and Der: Wilberforce took a share. Sir jOIIN NEWPORT, in liirraply, utterly denied that there was any old custom even about • the pet:cunt - age. : As Ow place had been abolished in 17D2; . .b7statiitc, on its revival it must be con. sidered sift . new oiliCe. • .Ths. louse then divided— . . For the Motion, - • 48 Against it ' • 99 Majority - 51. • COMMITTEE OF SUPPLY._ On the tileSilol[ fur bringing up the Report, Mt-. TIERNEY rose, and hoped he would have the indulgence of the House in stating his opioion upon a subject that he knew was generally eon littered dry and uninteresting. The question was, nothing more or legs than whether : an entire new, scheme of Finance was to .be adopted, withent any previous resolutions of the House approving of such a plan. He was aware that he now atom! upon very unpopular grounds. It might he said of him, is was said in some paper of the Opposi;.. tiun, that they were extremely angry at the' new plan of the Clianeelltst of the' Etehequer, at not giving them fresh taxes to eavii.at. Notwlthstand. ing that he felt that he -Stood 'plan grouad Whet unpopular, he would freely. state his opinion, Allot the Chancellor of . the • Eichequir ought either to have pursued the old syatcm and laid taxes to. meet. the loan'ef She - year, Arlie ought tp have shown to the ['Ouse sufficient reason fur, departing film. the old system. The loan .of the year.watteight.o4l., lioni, and it would be recollected that 8,300,004 of Exchequer Bills had been funded. According to the old system of the Sinking Fund, the one per cent. to be raised ou account of these sixteen millions, would have gi len an annual interest of near 200,0001. ' In the w hole, there was an annual charge of 970,0001. thro wn upon the ConsolidatettFund, and there was no tax whatever imposed to assist • the Consolidated Fund . , by s teason' of the burthen so thrown on it. Thi* Right 'Hon. Gentleman (the Chancellor of iheEzeltequer) defended this, on 'the ground -that:stamp 'duties; which he had calculated it , 110.,tiOr. 'had aettrallr Produced , 1,19440061.. He, thin:fore' bottomed his present plait, on'tiis Wing Made aye sky of near Amen hundred thousand ptiafids, former estimate.. Ile 'really hoped ' before ' Min, that th e Hotta& would. perceive tlott. Ala important 6nancial,question air had • eiee - eilipiged their moss actions attention. It had 'hitherto been a received PelneetPle • in dilute; that nothing was 'more desir. able than that so large s suds should be raised . within .the year as that the income and expencas should tally as mtich as possible: - Now shat was the kegtilar income of this country? •°. There were first the three millions' annually, generally de. scribed as the Land and Atilt Tax ;'< then. there were the IVar Taxes; Oud lastly the. Surplus of thi Consolidated Fund. AVhoever then broke' in upon this surplus, wai'breakitig *upon the'per:. manent income of the country.. To this system all other 'Ministers had been friendly. Mr. Pitt - : WATESMAX.' p *ever broke in upon this sal; plus; ank *hen Mr. Addington bad, oecasion.for tit increase Of revenue pr three' million's, he deliberately 'thought it need., any to lay on 'taxes, which gave' a surplut of 1,800,0001. The late Administration bad felt so much the necessity of adhering to this principle, thalthey ventured to 'incur the unpopularity of raising the Property Tax tread} parr Wit. to 10 per cent. A very sufficient reason not to charge a loan upon the surplus of the Consolidated Fund was, that there was nothing so uncertain as what this surpins would be. This fund was established by Mr. Pitt, in the year 1786, and it certainly did him infinite credit. The establishment of the Consolidated Fund at once chewed the public cre ditor the security which he had for his money. After establishing this Consolidated Fund, the po licy of Mr. Fitt was always to cherish, increase, and foster it. Mr. Pitt never in any exigency laid his hands upon this Consolidated Fund. If the fend had grown so great that the policy of Mr. Pitt might now safely be departed from, he would wish to know what surpkis there ought to be, in the opinion of the House, before all the old ideas ,on this subject should be departed from. Ile must own, for his own part, he was not over san guine. It had been said that the operations of war by no means deranged our finances; if that were the case, ho must then suppose that peace would not much alter our financial situation, and that if there was to be a peace signed to-morrow, he could not suppose that the lucerne of the trade's would receive a great increase. - There was no 'Gentleman that would deny that there were' some duties, which much be diminished considers. bly on the return of peace. He would mention the duties on wine, sugar, teas, and many Whit articles, which it was well known were collected much better in time of war, and when the seas were covered with our cruisers, than they could, possibly be in times of peace. In this apparent increase of the produce of the Consolidated Fund for the"present year,, it must be recollected, that there were great arrears which .had been received. Ho felt that he would not perforMohis duty: to his country, if he did not call upon the House, with all the power that lie•possessed, not to touch the Consolidated Fund. In the-yew 1808 there hid been many advantages. In the first ,peace, there wore Short Annuities which Tell hi to theimnunt of 375,0001. In the next place there was await ditional sum obtained from the. Bank for Araniaet. ing the public business.. Independent of that, little care appeared to have been taken "of the Consolidated Fund foe the last five years". The. Consolidated-Fund appeared to have bettered very little for any thing which had been done in the last five years. Independent of the accideetel increase which •he had mentioned in the year 18054, the produce of the fund fur the last 5 years was as follows : For 5 years charge incurred - - 5,7:19,000 • , Produce of Taxes 6,439,000 Balance -4706,000 New, In that favourable year of 1805-6, there was a deficiency of surplus to the amount of 314,0001. He mould go further, and state that the total surplus of the taxes voted in the last seven years amounted to 1,287,0001. Now,. if from that surillus there was deducted 970,0001. which would be necessary to cover the interest of the loan, the Funded Exchequer Bills, and the 1 per cent. for Sinking Fund, there would no more iemain from the produce of the last seven years than 300,0001. lie considered it a direct infrac. doe of good faith to lay their hands upon the Consolidated Fund, which was the only security to the public creditor. If they - did lay their hands upon this fund, the security of the public credi tor must be depieciated; lle would say, that in the plan of the present year, the Ministers had nut dealt fairly by the Sinking Feud—[hear! hear ! from the Ministeriql Benches.] Ile should have no . difficulty in explaining, in what he 'thought they had acted unfairly. The principle of the 'Sinking Fund was, • that 1 per cent. addl. 'Aiunal should be raised, in aid of the Sinking Fund, that was, to extinguish the debt. Now, 'horn 'lid the Charicellor of the Exchequer provide tot this Sinking Fund ? He thought he was pro viding for it by taking from what was there be. fore. He really did not wish to create any alarm oil the subject of Finance, nor did ho believe that it was possible to raise any alarm ; but at the same time ho thought that he had a right, as a MeMber of Parliament, to ask of Ministerii what were the principles upon which they were proceeding ? As for going on-from year to year, that might be done until the whole surplus of the Consolidated Fund :was swallowed up. In the observations that hid been made on Lord Henry Petty's plan of Finance, it had been .said truly, Aid t.B.toe regular income that the country could tie proved to possess as disposable to its necessary establishments, was the annual three millions voted as land and,malt tax; and five millions, as surplus of theXonsulidated Fund. The argument then was, that no peace establishment could be calcu lated-at less than fifteen millions; and that we had, only a revenue of eight millions to meet it. Ile. could not conceive any thing which would have a' mere. natural, tendency to alarm the public credi. tee than the measure proposed. It appeared to hint , that sonseihing also ought to 4 said about the' Unfunded Debt, which was now very conshlyra blo, amounting to about thirty millions. He had' heard it said, however, that the Chancellor of the Exchequerkariat laid pp taxes that were produe., ti'v,e beyond expeetation t should be - allor4d tq ' take the, benefit of his own labour. Now, In order to pkwirtstin. the ford of :WS argameot,' was 4ecesylry to consider whether It was the fact. In the yesl., 1808, .se,ror‘l things fell' in Whicti were nut, to be calculated owai'uften recurring. ? — . There. were .the Sliyrt Aonsitle), to the minim' amount of.' 407,0001. the . Hank Duties 76,0001. and the,infrease of .the Mimed Taxes and Stamp Dunes'. The Chenceltrir 'of the Exche quer 'had, with 'weak ileittarity, taken to him ! self the 'credit of the **hole .increase upon' the Stare p Duties, the 'amcnikt of 1,200,0001.. whereas he could not fairlygive hiMaelf credit for more-than from thd . sth of January Ito,. to We Mh ' of January, 1810, whiliti woultileave bill } $ 017 ) 00,01. Nov it (ruin that sum were deducted •.. _ • the lbco ;per annum, chaeged on those duties te)(803,.a . the whole sum of 970,0001. for the preseutyear,., there *odd be an absolute defici. ency trf. ithotitno;oool. If tbe. Right Hono ur . ibletien s *lmmo had chosen at once to take s ome of the Wl:razes, as had been done before, he perhaps, Auld lave Made . no objection. He was not a' person that would object to strong measures o f Finance in'the pfesent circumstances; but all that he diel.claim, and which he thought he had a right to.elaint, was, that . Ministers would act on some plain intelligible system. If the Chancellor of the Eicheqtter had condrscended to give reasons for departing from ail the old rules and principlei of finance, these reasons might have been satisfac... tory to him. But as he had given no such reasons; he must say that his plan fur the year app e a re d t d him to be altogether unjustifiable. • It was noi enough to say, " I cats put my hand in the bat and get money ;" it was necessary to shew to the House by argument, that nothing was taken but what he was strictly justifiable in taking. If the Chancellor of the Exchequer was jus: fiable in laying his hands this y ear open the Consolidat ed Fund, what was to • pre.; vent him next year—what was •to prevent him, as long as there was any surplus remaining? If this principle was pursued from year to year, the public creditor would have a muck worse se. curity fur leis money ; and it :night happen that on the return of peace, the country would have no other income but the annual three millions for land and malt tax. The course which the Chancel. lor of the Exchequer had pursued for the present year, was actually without precedent ; and he had 'adduced nu argument to convince the House that they ought to depart from all former precedents. IVhen it was claimed for. the-,Right liouour a bl e , • Gentleman that , hes•thad done so tench fur the. .finances, *be must utterly 'deny it Every thing had been done for him by his . predecessors. They, at the risk of Oftpopeilarity, had , given him a b out four millions . atid it half by the iiterease.of the Pro... petty Tax,, frnin of to 10 per ceet . • Mr. ROSE am - item:eel, that an increased re venue might be attributed to the improvement of the stamp duties in 1808, and maintained that it *as no infringement on the principle of the Con.' splidated Fund to take and afiply the -eicess er • the taxes. Itlwas.the object to make that fund . :adequate td the charges' upon it, a n d, le ave any eitesii to be apprinsrlaied at the discretion of the Minister: Hu Preferred applying that excess as 'at pie :tit, to laying .netv burt hens u aoll they pee- • ple. The' first editilderation was the national safety, 'WI no• tetthrteltineet ought certainly to be made which was ineettsistent With that. The.' present retrenchment *AO; linweVer; not of ilett • nature ; nor was ling eLtaoriginated by Mr. Pitt, in the least broke in wpm., Mr.VIERISIET and:Mr. 11.03 E mutually cx. plainest. s . Mr. iIViIKISSON entered into a very detail, ed stateritent of the system. IVe ought, in his'. opinion, always to take care,. that what we take_ from the debt should be equal to what wC . add to' R. This was a 'principle never to be lust sight of.. He fully agreed its the assertion, that the safety of the country depeseled on the retrenchment of one establishment. The Itinourable Gentleman thee entered into a complicated %taunt:lit of our fitian. cial difficulties . since 1797, acid hoped, in cede. tiding its opPoSition to the Report, he should nut, again %object himself to the imputation of mini a gloom over the country.' ThotIIANCELLOII. of the EXCIIMIUER replied at great length to the argoments urged by Mr. Tierney and his ion. Friend (Mr. Iluskissun) and said, that notwithstanding all he had heard from both of them, he was convinced the present plan was the best that could be devised ; and he could prove that Mr. Pitt, and all those who had . preceded him (Mr. Perceval) had never been in the' situation in which he then stood. Ile allowed that retrenchment in our expellees was highly desi. noble, and ought to take place as soon as possible; but when Gentlemen talked of retrenchment, they - must, mean hi' those grand sources of expence, the navy and army; and while the war continued in the state it now did, it was impossible to conceive that any material tetrenchinent could take place. Ile denied the gloomy inferences drawn by his lion. Friend, that we were at the end of taxation, and particularly •that our trade, commerce, manu factures, or agriculture, were depressed by the weight of taxation. lle insisted, that Mr. Pitt had always acted on the principle, that when the Con. solidnted Fund was in a flourishing state, it was allowable to resort to the expedient of loans. , '('his principle had been actt'd upon by his noble predecessor (Lord IL Petty),' and be was more rand more conviueed it was the best that could 118 adapted. • Mr. Iftiskissan, Mr. Rose, and Mr. Tierney, severally explaiued. The latter Gentleman said he was . ready to allow the charge of the deficiency of the year to be placed to the account of the Assessed Taxes, but not on the Consolidated Fund. The qiiestiou being loudly called fur ; a division. ; took piece :---Ayes 117—Noes 53. Adjourned at half-past Two. .„ . . - MARRIED., • On Thursday, nt Lewishain, by the lion. and Rev. thi. Dean of Wiudsor, John, sun of William Allen, Esq. Of Clidird's Inn.-to Mary, eldest daughter of Isaue Waiver, , F#_q : of the Paeogou, Blackheath. Irelitetdas• al St.* George's. Bloomsbury, the . Rev. Gen. 'Nowell Watkins, of Froyle, Hants, to Mary, the youngest daughter of Thomas ASIOII v Esq. of Iledford-place, Russell square. • On Tueiday last, at . Croydon, William. Taylor.*Esti. (.l . Citeshuat,4lerts, to bliss idaizy Anu Wcstenuau, of Cros don, Surry t ". • , .. .. . . - DIED. On Sunday last. the 20th inst. Marv, youti4est thiughterof the late Richard Alitpletoft, Esq. of Canterbury. Of a de , line. ion Victim-I.day I..st, in the 2 .(16 ;s ear of his age. Fitaistsen tienrge Skitters . , I•.t+ late Commander of his , Alksje,ty'ssloop, Tens...ado. `LONDON r-,Prifite4l.auri Plinti)becl :tv I). v tub, at Or Stays idAX 0 rva's =Bir FlOgi'hireel•• ; . immOMMEII - 9-"`' l RTHS. Yesterday morning, the 24th inst. of twins. the Lndy of Lieut.-Colonel Montague Wynyard, Coldstream Regiment or loot Guards. Oa Friday, the 18th inst. the Lady of the Right Hon., Lord Viscount Tumour, of a sun mid her, at the house of her Ladyship's mother, Mrs. Hey'.., Upper Sunbury bodge.