The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser. — London, England, 1824-03-16 00:00:00

had DO objection to take the avetage of malt, not for one year! alone, but foe the three years (1791, 2,3) preceding the war, when t h e population consisted of about eight millions, and he would show there was during these years a greater quantity of malt than there was in the year, 1821, 22, with a population of nearly eleven millions. There was a similar decrease in the consumption of tea and other ankles, on which high duties were laid ; but the decrease was principally on malt. Ile would opiate the mo. thin before the House, convinced that it would have no effect either in increasing the consumption, benefiting the revenue, or adding to the ainiforta id the por. :tin HEN ISON did not know how any Member of the Howie t oad acquire a more lasting or more real reputation than by %hew ing how a large sum would he saved to the country, and how the pWITOUId drink their beverage at &cheaper rate. The sum of 293.1e101. was to be saved by the motion : was not this a sufficient cause to let hr nation go to &Committee 2 IVith respect to the argument that beer waa not used by the rich and the opulent, it was true it was not used in Lortlon by them ; it was at their country houses, the scenes of their hospitality, and where it was assumed that the grandee hail his liquor at a bundled or a hundred and thirty per cent. cheaper than the poor man. When this was raid, Was it not a sufficient reason to have it go to a Committee, anti inquired into ? 11'nuld it riot show the House was ready to hear the complaints of all, and mete out equal justice to all ? There would be also a moral conse quence frotn this measure: it would drive the lower classes from Hair habits of dram-drinking, and carry them bark to their old and wholesome beverage. Ile would vote for the motion. Mr. Clt I PPS thought there was no law evaded more repeatedly and successfully than those imposing restrictions on malt. There were various repositories in the country for malt, which escaped Ike vigilance of the Excise officers. He did not think t e present laws oppressive. No complaints were made against the n, therefore it was fair to infer they were satisfactory. He thought the present nation would be attended with danger, and ir.and not increase the revenue. Ile would therefore oppose the biotion. Mr. MONCK would oppose the motion. The tax on beer was an old one ; it was as old as the E ,cise itself. This tax was made part of the hereditary revenue in the reign of Charles the Second. The landlords of that day would nut 'Weer it to be laid upon malt, at that would is truth be a description of land tax. As to the in equality complained of, it was necessary, under the present coin. pficated system of taxation, that we should be taxed with apparent inequality, that equality might be nod ; and if the operation of the poseit system was fairly considered, It would be found that the landaller had his full and fair sha-e of the burden. Ile paid the land.rata, the pour -rates, and the highway rates, besides the tax for the conveyance of vagrants; and it •• as highly necessary that Anne boon should be ;riven them to place them upon an equa lity with the rest of the community. If the principle of inequa. lay were to be acted upon, he might call fur the repeal of the le kocy tax, which was admitted to be unequal, because it was cott oned merely to personal property, and did not affect lands. The rea son of the exception was, it was supposed, the landholder paid enough and there was no other mode of reaching the property of the ca pitalist and the fundholder. As to the malt duty being a peculiar object in this metnipolia, it was equally so in the small towns : there WAS not a housewife in the country that did not brew ; he binned brewed ; but if the high duties were taken off, he was con fident the private brewing would be discontinued, on account of the superior skill poasened by the public brewer. As to the argument respecting Ireland, there was no analogy between that country and England. In Ireland the gentlemen drank wine, and the common temple dark whiskey. The landholderof Ireland was the most fa voured of all classes—he paid no poor.rates. If he thought :he trans fer of the duties woold be attended with benefit, lie would support it. Captain %I A RER IX did not think the arguments of his rela tive were in the least weakened by what had fallen from the Hon. Member for Reading, or trout any other Ilor. Member; lie would therefore support the motion. Lord ALM( /RP had listened with attention to all the speeches that bad Ir:en made on the subject, and it appeared to him that all parties had forgotten that in matters of taxation two and two did not make four. .1 larger increase to the revenue, it was fair to arct was calculated upon by the taking off the 2s. a bushel. It ea. raid by Wine lion. Members that a tea should be laid on the article wheel was in common Use ; upon this principle, the tax would be removed from silk and laid on snap, which was used by all. He would oppose the motion of his friend, as, in his opinion, it only gave an increase of taxation without an increase of revenue. Mr. C. SMITH opposed the motion. Mr. MAIO:KIN complained that all the arguments of the Malabo* who opposed him, bad no reference whatever to the ques tion t the inequality of the duty was not denied--it was admitted on all sides—it was wanted to as notorious: the Right Honour able lientlentao had admitted this, and yet he had refused him a Committee. The Right Honourable Gentleman had argued upon an abstract question, and not upon the one submitted by him to the House, saving of 21 4 34001. a year, which he maintained might be made in the collection of the revenue, was denied by the Chancellor of the Exchequer; but he (Mr. Maberly) had this statement from the eta iuments of the Commissioners; and there fore, when the Chanvellar denied it, he denied his own accounts. When the Right Honourable Gentleman denied his documents, the House ought to support hint in niaintaining them. The Right Honourable Gentleman agreed with him in the abstract, but he differed partially from him as to the tax falling principally upon the poor; it would not be denied that it fell chiefly upon those who bought beer by retail, and, therefore, the ta\ was harsh, oppressive, and unjust. The Honourable Member for Reading hail indeed said the law was old, and that it was • kind of land-tax. Upon s hom, he walled to know, did this land-tax fall ? On the poor, who had no more a right to pay it than the Members who sat in that Hotta. As to its affecting the agriculturists by the increase of the growth of barley, that class always argued this question as if they were to par the tax : they did not pay a sixpence of it 1 it all fell upon the consumer. Ile would bring forward his motion annually, though it were to be lost as it was last year. Respecting the frauds of the trade, it should be recollected they were practised in the mixing of the liquor, and not in the making of the malt. According to the Reports of the old Committee.., the frauds were practised in the malting, but now they were nearly at an viii ; and in his opinion laws ahoOld be so matte as to prevent fraud &love their. Ile himself brewed at home; but if the duties on malt wire laid on fairly, the public, he thought, would not brew; it would be left to the public brewer, because he had more skill. Like every 31enther who submittal a motion to the House, he must yield to the majority; but lie was not convinced by the arguments which he had heard. The House then tlividetl— A yis 26 I Not s 120 I 31njori'l against the motion 104. ABOLITION OF VIA/GOING. On oar return to the gallery—Mr If M E was on his leis. On former stage of the Mutiny Bill, he had endeavoured to impress npm the House the propriety of abolishing Hugging in the army. Ile did not hope now. nor was it his intention or. offer any thing stronger on the present occasion to induce the House to accord to his propositions. One fact, however, he was desirous of adding, which had came to le n knowledge since this *object was last under consPeration. Ile had met an officer who had served in the Win nnburg army. From this officer he learned, that during the reign of the late king, corporeal punishments were frequent, and the discipline of the soldiery by no means improved by their fre quency. l'nder the present King, however, corporeal punishments were discountenanced—they seldom exceeded Inn strokes of the cane (the specie% of punishment there infliceeel)and the good effectsof dime uountrnnncing it were to be found i 3 the improved discipline and condition of the soldiery. In the former -eign the soldiers were Owed week after week for the repetition of the same offerer, for which they had been previously punished, and they became Mei moldy odious and indiffzreat. At present the practice of rditary confinement was resorted to, and averdnl wi.h the nowt beneficial consequences. Punishments were fewer, confinement for eight or ten dins was of rare oceurence, and wns oily imposed fir greater o &rem. There were three sta.. , aof this punishment proporiionate to the offence, the first was bir 'three days, the second fur six, and the third for eight or ten days. Simple • confinement was the punisFment in cases of ordinary, and confinement in irons, that in cares of more aggravated delinquency. A soldier who was twice rondesuned fir the same offence, was transferred to what was called the condemned battalion. There were two battaliors i IV irteiiiburg who bore this denomination. The first was composed of these who had b:en cond. tined, and ol whom hm.es of reformation were entcrtined. The other battalion consisted of those convicted of greater offence', or found inure incorrigible. There were various ()diet' regulations adopted with a view of avoiding the infliction and the disgrace of cor purest punishment on the soldiers. Such were the advantages found to n soh from such it system dust even the officers, who at first wits adverse to the change, now changed their opinions, ned approved of it. There was an inducement in our army, held out to dime who entered it, that they might arrive at the highest Ina ton in it. How could a Nikkei, rising from such a rank, recover front the disgrace of corporeal punishment, should it have been his misfortune to have had it inflicted upon him ? Although the hope of rising in the army was very . vague and uncertain, yet a' man aho had entered into the army stipulated for service for eight or ten years. Ile might be permitted to return to his family with out having the stigma of corporeal punishment for a trivial offence. Ist. which he may have fallen in an unguarded mauler t. At a tone that we were anxious to erase every species of cruelty and brutality from our civil code, why not also endeavour to erase also front our military regulatioes such a cruelty as he now called upon the House to abolish. at'hilst we were engaged in legisla b, n on all the minutiae that related to the treatment of cattle— Whilst we evinced such feeling for the brute creation, we should n• t be deaf to our own filiow-subjects, or unmindful of what was due 1.1 their condition. (Cheer.). lie really thought the effect of corporeal punislimenta 1111 the officers was objectionable, for the o iservance of such punishments, day after day, could not contri %toe to cultivate or primwee humane principles in their minds. It been said that the imerference of this House was an interference wth the authority end especial prerogative of the King. Ile ed mined the King as the head of the army, but also contended for the right of this House to interfere in all Bills which came before them, and to suggest such alterations as tl.cy thought most available for the pewee-nun of the army. In order to render his 1111'i011 less 111/Violl. 10 former objections which had been urged, coolined the operation of the amendment he intended to pro pose to the ['lilted Kingdom. The Hon. nlember concluded by moving that the following clause he added to the Bill: " And be it further enacted, that it shall not be lawful to in flict cur/vocal punishment by flogging, on any private soldier, cor poral, or nonomminiasioned offi-er in the army or militia, within the United Kingdom, anything herein continued to the contrary notwithstanding." Jac was not in attendance when the present Bill W a..1 1 1.C11,(11 in the Committee, or he should have °Riotd a few sentiments upon it, which he now begged leave to trespass on the attention of the Howie. For his own part, when entrusted with the command of a regiment, he had endeavoured to do away with lho mode of punishment. Wear, hear.) There were many other officers fa- whom he could hear a similar reatiniony ; and there was a gem - rails-prevailing disposition in the minds of commanding ofheers, that it should be seldom resorted to. In the introduction of the present clause, therefore. he thought there was no slight re. section east upoa the character of the of of the British artrlY, to whom the Hon. Member (111 r. Hume) might have given credit, for a desire to recommend the abolition of this punishment, if they did nut believe its abolition to be inconsistent with the safety and I good discipline of the 'my. ( Hear.) There was no monopoly of humanity in this House, and he could assure the Hon. Member that there was no clam of men whose sentiments would be found I more responsive to humane feelings than the officers of the British army. It was to be regretted that this cruel mod* of punishment was obliged to be sometimes resorted to (for a cruelty he would admit it was). yet the nature and eirermsuinces of the military would not permit that it should be altogether done away with. If this punishment should in no instance take place, why should it be tolerated and sanctioned in our public schools? Again, flog. ing was introduced into our penal code, and, severe as tile punishment "right be, every person must see the impolicy of expunging it from it. If therefore it was pen:nine(' and lowed in in these instances, he would contend that it was equally necessary, if it was not sometimes more so, for the preserva tion of good discipline in the army. 11'ith the permission of the Ilouse he would mentions curious Met illustrative of his view on the intpolicy of discontinuing this species of punishment. About ten years ago he commailded a regiment which was a thousand strong ; a spirit of irregularity and disorder arose amongst set real of the men ; hre (Sir 11. Vivian) was at a loss to account for this sudden insubodination, and directed the adjutant to inquire into the cause of it. The adjutant accordingly reported to hum that it was created in consequence of a rumour that prevailed amongst these men " that Sir Francis Burdett had succeeded in doing away with corporeal punishment." (Cries of hear, hear, bear.) There we-e muny eases in which some rigorous punishment must be inflicted, or discipline could not be maintained. In the case of recruits, which were often found to be very un governable, it uperated as a salutary a nd mos t n e ce s sary re straint. These recruits were frequently of the wildest description. Ile did not speak thus invidiously of them, for it was to the bold character of its soldiery that the British arms mired that supsTiority which it possessed over the enemies with whom it had been called upon to cope. 1)n the contrary, he admired • soldier for this quality, fur he had often obscrvetl the man who was first to break ground in ' the hour drill; the first also to break the enemy's line in the homed batde. (Cheers.) In toast instances the offence for which the aid. die,, were detected was drunkenness. Did he me in to say that for every trivial oliince or irregularity of this kind that n moldier should be flogged ? By no mean.—He would be :he last man to countenance a frequent and indiscriminate recourse to this mode of punishment. It should be reserved for greater offeilem, hut still lie was at opinion that such discretionary power should not he vested in the hands of the commanding officer. He would ask the advo. cates of solitary confinement, in the event of fifty or sixty break. ing out of barracks, how could they be punished by solitary coo tthement ? And even though there were accommodation to permit of solitary confinement, it should be remembered, that whilst delin quents were in confinement, good and well-conducted men would in the meanwhile be pot upon double and increased duty. (Hear.) A comparison had been drawn between the French and English army, in a point where no comparison really existed. The confine ment in barracks, as adopted in France, had been mentioned, but if barracks were devoted to that purpose in this country, gentlemen opposite would soon raise a cry against the invasion of the priviledge of the subject. The Honourable Member for West. minimr hail adverted to the conduct of the English army, at Corunna, under that gallant commander, Sir John Moore. Their conduct on that occasion was not caused by want of discip line or irregularity in the troops. The army was exhausted by marches, by fatigue, and unremitting toil, and it some excesses were committed they were in some degree excusable, fuse " bun. ger would break through a stone wall." But how strongly con- I treated was the conduct of the French in their retreat to the Pyre. nen, through Spain, with that of the English army, who were every where praised for the moderation that marked their progress—. for the protection they extended. The French anny retrea:esi gradually through ()rtes, Tarbes, and Toulouse, where we lost sight of them. Everywhere they were hailed as the liberators of I the people, and even a French writer, in an account of that war, had said, that the "conduct of the English army on that occasion was worth ten thousand men." (Cheers.) At present he would admit, where regiments were at • reduced standard, and in a time of place, flogging might almost be dispensed with ; but when, as in time of war, battalions were twelve or fourteen hundred strung, and when regiments were marching through an enemy's country, or in various WWI' situations, it the power of inflicting severe punishment were taken out of the hands of the comnianding officer, it would he most destructive to the disci pline of the army. In such instances, he would ask, how was it possible to have recourse to solitary confinement? Wear.) Ile would mention a case that occurred within his own experience, to shew the necessity of rigorous and severe punishment that was sometimes necemary. '1 wo men applied to him on one occasion to be admitted into a regiment which lie had the honour of command. log. They enlisted as recruits, and pretended that they had never been in any regiment before. They had received the bounty, to which in war time they were entitled. About a fortnight, how ever, after joining his regiment, they absconded, and it turned out that they were soldiers of another regiment, who were on furlough, and who had joined him fur the purpose of receiving the bounty. With such men as these what was to be dime ? If the dread of' some severe penalty did not await them there would be no restraint or corrective to their misconduct. :Italy important improvements might certainly be introduced, as to the con-' sequences of misconduct of soldiers. In several hummers soldiers were transferred from regiments at hew to the Colonies, where they got promoted almost immediately, aNd wrote home to their friends that they were much happier and more comfortable than in England. Such person s s h ou ld not be promoted until sifter three years probation. Ile would even go gofer with the Ilon.Meni. ber for Aberdeen as to place limitations to the offences for which Hugging was inflicted. such a proposition lie would be ready'! to attend, but, for the reasons he had stated, he would oppose the clause which the Honourable AI ember now endeavoured to in troduce. (Cheers.) hint. FERGUSON said, that he was sure his Honourable Friend (Sir H. Vivian) had endeavoured to avoid the infliction of this mode of punishment, at the abolition of which his Honourable Friend (Mr. Hume) now aimed. Ile (Sir R. Ferguson) would take credit to himself for having imitated his example when he had the honour of a command of a regiment. The present time of peace was, in his opinion, extremely favourable to the experiment pm. posed by his Honourable Friend, and he was induced to support tt, find, because it was confined to the United Kingdom, and as the bill passed the House annually, if the experiment failed the error might easily be corrected next Session. As the object was a hit inane one, and the opportunity so well timed and seasonable, he I would therefore support the clause. I Lord PALM EIieSTON had already stated his objections to this clause. It was now pmposed to confine its operation to the United Kingdom ; but not extend it abroad. Now he thought the Hun. letiiher, in consistency, shauld have first aimed at its abolition , abroad, where the practice ass more liable to abuse than in Eng. land, where there was a more immediate and operative check to prevent the punishment front being inflicted improperly. The }louse then divided.—.l)es, aj; Noes, lii—.Majority against the clause, lid. Al r. 111.'31E, on our return to the gallery, was moving the Committee to the adoption of the following clause:— " And be it further enacted, That from and after the passing of this Act no officer be required or allowed to make any declaration upon his word of honour as an officer and a gentleman, which, even with knowledge of his superior officer, the circumstances of ibe service compel him on many occasions to violate; anything herein contained to the contrary notwithstanding." It was well known that several officers paid inure than their re gulated price for their Collllllll‘llloll6, end it was most derogatory I to the character of an officer to be compelled to make a declaration which was notoriously at variance with truth. It degraded the chalk ter of the profession, and must lower an officer in his own Sir If. lIA sak!, the subject to which the lionourab'm Member reterred was under the consideration of Government. The regulation which had been alluded to would admit of sonic qualiti c.iticn or change, to obviate the objections of the Honourable The locust should recollect, however, that no commis sion was sold or disposed of beyond the established price, without the officer in successitin to a vicaLcy having the privilege of purchasing at the regulated price. Colonel DAVIES said, that it was desirable that the practice should be done away with. For his own part. he had never been called upon to make such a declaration ; but it was most unneces sary and untnir to impose upon an officer the degradation of telling a deliberate falselossl, and one that they who exacted it knew to he Kt). Lord I'4II.3IERSTON felt great difficulty in the present quostion. It had been said that the ilutir.y Bill was a mass of unintelligible clauses; and if the claose now proposed were agreed to, it would add another to the pre-existing ones, the he codtessed lie did not see the exact tendency and effect of the Honourable 31ember's proposition. As to the sale of commissions, it had been established, by repeated arguments in that House, that it was expedient sales should take place. Assuming that point, it was to be considered how sales did take place: now, there was only one case in which the supposed abuse could take place: it was that in which officers subscribed to induce an officer to retire, a larger sum than by the regulated standard he would receive. Exchanges front one regiment into another, ap plications for leave to sell, and retire on half.pay, were all regulated by the Duke of York, with the knowledge only of the party apply ing. In this respect, therefore, no jobbing could take plsee. Ile would oppose the introduction of the clause at present, but, jointly with his lion. Friend, assure the House that me regulation winch had been alluded to was under the consideration of fioe c co m „a4 and would, he had no doubt, be modified, to the general siltiati:. tion. lolonel DANVKINS and the Hon. 0. BENNET supported the CIAUSe. :sir 11. I'IVI.IN said that the declaration was one most humi liating to a gentleman to he of liged to make. He concurred in the expression of reprobation which had been pronounced upon it : but u the matter was under the consideration of Government, he anticipated a unistitctory molt, and would therctore oppose the clause at present. Mr. 111'31t: would not press the point to a division, as he had been assured by the Noble laird that the regulation which he (Mr. Hume) sought to amend would be amentied, agreeable to his suggestion, l'he other clauses of the Bill were then read, and the Bill passed through the l;unintittt-e. ANNI'AI. DUTIES. Mr. BROGJ)EN !wrought up the Report of the Committee on the Annual Duties MIL IRISH ESTIMATES. Mr. (:01'1.11I'll bcggetl ti; the next estimate, 24,0001. fur the Charter Schools of Ireland. This sum was 4,0001. more titan he had proposed last year. The cause of this ihcrease was created by the too greht number of children admitted into the Foandling Hospital under filmier regulAtions. 11 itherto children were admitted to the Foundling Hospital without ary payment. Now however it was neeloeary that Ave pounds should be deposited for Mr. HERRIE6 said there were two kinds of waste silk, one Every child placed them. Before this enactment a greater num- that was imported is that state, and another that was the product b ee were sent out to nurse from the Foundling Hospital than could of the manufacture. On the former a drawback was allowed on afterwards be taken in for the purpose of being educated there. It importation. On that, therefore, no second drawback would of was therefore found necessary to transfer the surplus number of course be allowed ; DO! on the second kind was it intended to make children who could not be accommodate:l on the establishment of any allowance, on account of the difficulty (as we understood the the Foundling Hospital to the charter schools. This caused an in. Honourable Gentleman) of determining in what cases it would creased demand of money for the support of these aerosols for the be clue. present yew. This demand would not continue, but diminish u After sone observations from Sir H. PARNELL, the Bill was the ehiklren were educated ; for the obligation of paying five read a second time, and ordered to be committed. pounds on the entrance of a child into the Foundling Hospital, and I LEGACY DUTY. the other regulations introduced by Government, would in future i Mr. HUME gave notice of his intention this day to move for a prevent the number on the catahlitilsolcut from exceeding its proper copy of the Treasury Minute respecting the arrears of the Legacy proscribed limitation. ' Duty. Mr. HUME said, that instead of granting an additional sum, I The other Orders of the day were then dispreed of, and to. he should propene to reduce it 3,0101. because there had been a H ouse adjourned at Mir. PAST TWELVE. direct prollike given that a reduction s hould he made, instead of i which, the (louse was called upon fur a larger grant. lie should, therefore, move as an amendment, that the sum of 11,0OOL be the grant for the present you. Sir J. NEIVPDET wished to have the subject laid before a Commitote, in order to ascertain in what state things existed ; and that the /louse might not be led astray by assertions on one side, and replies on the other. The Committee would be able to decide how the bounty granted by Parliament ought to be laid out. Ile would contend, that until the 'louse was nettle aware how the facts actually were, they could not be justified in giving the public bounty without knowing f o r what. He had a great objection to the charter schools, and it was that a considerable portion of the money granted was not applied to the purposes of instruction. If the plan wore perfect limey more children could be educated than now were; but a great sum was expended on officers, which ought to be laid out on the objects for n hick it was voted. Ile thought the Home was not called on to allow the grant until the House knew the purpose for which it was demanded. Ile should therciiire move to postpone the first four grants. Mr. (10ULBURN observed, that the Right Hon. Baronet opposite had stated, that because it was necessary to bring the subject before a committee,he should move to postpone the gear t. It was applied fr, for a most useful purpose, and it would rot be advisable that the House should now withdraw the vote; nor, he thought, could the Right Honourable Baronet propose it at the present mononit, when it would be the means of sending so many without resources upon the world, because there could be no arrangement to make provision for those who were now in the Charter School The question was simply this u would or would not the Home continue the grant to the Charter School, and extend it to the Foundling Marta/ ? With respect to the former, he would observe, that it was to be considered Its a charity rather that as a place tor education. An Honourable Member had alluded to a period when peculation', had been diacoverol in the Charter School; but these times were past, and he (31r.Goitlburn) thought it unfair to allude to diem The reports now on she table of the House were of the most satisfactory nature. The charity was to Ireland of the utmost importance. It instructed the poor, enabled them to become trade-amen or servants; and rendered them tit patterns to others, aced useful members of society. Sir 31. RIDLEY contended for tile postponement of the motion, until the one before the House, reletive to the education of the Irish, came under their consideration. He argued that no ill etfocts could arise from such postonenient. Mr. C. GRANT dissented front the opinion of his Right Hon. Friend who oppopod the motion. Each of the institutions alluded to were of great service to Ireland. With respect to the Charter School, lie erred with hi Right Hotsourable Friend (Sir. lioul burn ) in believing it to be a noble exception to the rule. and that it wait a well etwiducted eatablishnient ; but he hoped that some ex ertions would be used, because they were necessary. to prevent the Foundling Hospital from becoming what the Charter School had been. Lord A LTHORP thought the argument of his Right lion. Friend Mr. Goulburn) had weight, as far as related to the pod 'tenement of the motion, which might produce ill effects ; but he wished it to go before a Commliter, in order that next year the House might know what they were doing. Mr. BUTTERWORTH monde a few observations, which were inaudible in the gallery. Sir J. NEWPORT said that his only object was to hare stair inquiry insole into the state of the charities, in order that the pub lic might know how their money was applied. If this were not done, the House might be aware on a future day that they had acted with p. ecipitaney. Mr. GOULIICHN again explained the grounds on which be should oppose the postponement. Mr. S. RICE observed that a promise had been given that a variety of papers should be ready on the subject, which papers should be laid on the table now. It was a singular circumstance, that Or the first time these ten years, an Irish Minister had come forward and defended the principles on which the Charter School was established. He (Mr. Rice) had heard innumerable objections age! against then? and yet the Minister applied for an augmenta tion of the grant. (In this account alone it was necessary to in quire into the subject ; and how could it be done so properly as before a Committer ? There was nothing unusual in the proceed ing; it was done in and a full report bad been laid before the House. He (Mr. Ric.) objected to the connection of the (loner School wit:i the Foundling linepitel; became, if it was deemed necessary to procure from the one tenants for the other, instead of lessening the numbers of its Modems, a eoseddemble addition must be made to them. He objected to the Cbarter6chool, as strongly as the lt'ght lion. Gent (Mr. Goulburn i supportel it. He would have nu school which should be exclusively Protestant : if schools must be formed on exclusive principles, they ought to be of thole who are of the greater number, and of the poorer classes. Ile was quite sure that the Foundling Hospital only added to the wicked -114W5 and misery of Ireland. To other countries the observation equally applied; in France, since the foundation of a Foundling Hospital, the number of exposed children, which ware formerly one out of ten, had become one out of three. Sir J. NEWPORT observed, that the papers on the subject, rhoved for again anti again, had not been brought fee ward, and had not been issued from the Secretary's office until February last. hlr. ISOULBUR N explained, but in so low a tone that he was inaudible in the gallery. Mr. HUME said, that Government had been pledged to reduce this grant, and had committed a positive breach of good faith ; he therefine called upon the House to support him in his mo:ion. Sir G. HILL supported the grant. Strangers were then ordered to withdraw, and the Committee divided. For the Amendment 35 I Against it 7-11 Majority 3tl. The original resolution was then agreed to. 'F!tc mat vote was for 4,4201.. for defraying the expenses of the Society fur I)iscountenancing Vice in Ireland. After a few words from Sir J. NEWPORT, Mr. GourettaX i and Colonel Day IES lit 7 3lE objected to the grant as an unnecessary waste of public money. The funds of the Soci e ty were adopted to the dia. tributien of Prayer-books and Bibles. The Catholics would rot receive theta, and the Protestants who stood in need of such assist ance were too few in number to require them. What then became of the books said to be distributed ? Until the necessity of this glint W::% more clearly shown he would object Wit. Mr. lit/I'I.IIU N said the llon. Gentleman was mistaken as to the mode of alum Muting these religious books. They were given only to those who partly subscribed for them. Mr. S. !MI: said this vote hail been augmelted since the Union, 1 . 11313091. to its present amount. As all the votes would not be gone through this night, be suggested that time should be al lowed tiff an investigation of its necessity. Mr. G:/l'ldll'HN explained. The vote had been reduced one halt since last sear. The resoluttmi was then postponed. The next vote proposed was for the Society for the Education of the Poor in !rebind. Sir J SEWN HIT said the necessity of this vote originated in the negligent... of the clergy of Ireland. If they attended to the performauce of their duty, this vote midget be spared. Sir GEORGE II I 1.1. maintained that the grant was necessary. The Right Honourable Baronet's assertion was calculated to injure the established church. NOTICES OF AII►TIIINS DAV). Dr. Lushington—Conaideration of the Cri 11l Mal Law, with a view of amending certain parts thereof. Mr. seeeetary Canning—Papers and Statement relating to the West Indies: 11114 i Hill to declare Slave Trading to be Piracy. 31r. Plunket_Mill respecting Burials in Ireland. Mr. Atiorney-Oencral--Compensation to certain Officers of Courts of Justice, fur their losses in consequence of the County Courts' MIL ORDERS OF THE DAY. Recovery of Penalties Bill—Further Considertion of Report. time Laws Amendment Bill—Committee. Insolvent Debtor.' Bill—Committe. County Courts' Bill—Further PRICES OF BRITISH Bank Stock 3 per Cent. Reduced, 3 pee Cent. Goes. I% 31 per Cent. 4 per Cent New 4 pa Cent. 1116; 71 ri 7 Long A amides, imperial 3 per Cents. Rank tor Account Cons. for Act. Ric I 4 3j India Stock eiticEs or FOKEIIIN Austrian Scrip, l l j $ $ 1121 Ditto for Account 11$ 2$ pr. Ditto paid in full, Chilian lids. 81 001$ 80$ lj 8011 Ditto for Ace. 81$ 14 Colombian Honda, 10i 73 Do. for Acct. 68 7$ 8 Danish Honda, Ditto Marks Banco, Greek Scrip. 1$ I j Mexican Scrip, 704 7 6 gilm Do. for Ac. 7$ 6$ $ $ pr. Neapolitan lids 88$ Ditto for .Iccount Portuguese Honda 90$ $ Ditto scrip 34 $ 4 pr. Prussian Bonds, 07 j 8 Ditto Bonds (1822) 9:ls Ditto for Account 96 Peruvian Scrip. leration of Report. MOCKS YESTERDAY. India Bonds, n 77 pr. India tor Account, al 3 South Sea stock. 104 South Sea Old Annuities South Sea NON Annuities Ex. Hills, 1,411101. 48 toe Ditto, MOL 48 49 pr. Diem, Small, Indorsed ditto KINCi'S THEATRE. The Evening. TUESDAY, ] larch be performed IL HARBIERE 111 SIVIt.LIA. Between the Aete. the Divertimement Chevalerentue. entitled lIONNEUR AL`X DAMES. End 01 the Opera, new Ballet, entitled LE SINGE D'OSSIAN, nii /pl w icaLl r ons let U. .and sl ra tig n l; . s , t i As.c lr i l t p a tlui is for the Season to be NEW TIIEA7'RE ROYAL, DRURY-LANE. This Evening. TUESDAY, March In, will be performed THE MERRY WIVES or WINDSOR. Fenton. Mr. Brabant: sir John Falstaff*, Mr. Dowtaa. Mrs. Fssd. bliss Stephens: Mn.. liege. Madame Vestris. To conclude with the Melo-Drew* of TE To-neorrow, A Grand Musical Mr. Ltut• lid& N under the direction of THEATRE ROYAL, COVENT-GARDEN. lo Evening, TUESDAY. Mereb la, will be performed NATIVE LAND. Principal Characters h) attZe;rs. Farren. Cooper. awl Faw cett I Misses Patuu. Lora. and M. Tree. THE MILLER'S MAID. Tt.llll.froW there will he no Performance. TO-MORROW MORNING, AT NINE °TIME, TWO or TUE Tw ENT% Tiouesmin POUND PRIZES RILL BE CIDER IN THE FIRST FIVE MINUTES. The BAITISR PRESS commenced publishing yesterday morning at Five o'cbelt. LONDON. TUESDAY, Shawn 16, Mt. The papers and letters from Paris of Saturday's date came to hand last night. Some time since it was reported that the Allied Powers meditated the holding of a Congress to deliberate on the South American question. The Eloik of Sunday, however, plainly denies that any such Con gress will be held. This Journal observes, that the report of such meeting of the Allied Powers had been spread in London, and affects to treat the subject as if the European Powers had never contemplated a Congress to settle the affairs of South America. But the contrary is well known to be the fact; and therefore we must attribute the aban donment of their resolution to the decided tone which the British Government has manifested on the South American question. The funds rose yesterday when it was learnt in the City that the Eloile had contradicted the rumour of thy European Congress. The Moniker contains a letter from Italy, stating that the House of Bourbon has suffered another loss by the death of her Majesty Maria Louisa Josephine, Duchess of Lucca (formeey Queen of Etruria). She was born on the Gth of July, 1752. From Madrid we learn that Ferdinand has granted the titre of Infant of Spain to the Infant Don Sebastian of Portugal. .• [From the Mentiteur of Saturday, March 13.1 The official part contains four Royal Ordinances. The first authorises an anonymous society, funned at Dauarat, between the pmprietors of the glass manufactory at that place. The second authorities a society formed at .bras, for mutual insurance against injury by hail storms. The third authorities M. Sarteris and Co. to make some additions to the articles of the society for the emis sion of shares for the canals of the Ardennes, &c. The fourth authorises the Southern Society of mutual insurance against tire, for the departments of Cintal, &c. [NON-OFFICIAL PANT.] PARIS, 31ancit 12. The obsequies of the Princess Louisa of Conde will take place in the chapel of the Temple, on Saturday next, at half-put nine in the morning. The Archbishop of Paris will officiate. The niortal remains of her Serene Highness will be deposited in the church of the chapel of die reniple. A convention has just been concluded between the French and Spanish Post-offices. The King has conferred the Cross of the Legion of Honour on M. 31argst, Director-General of the Spanish Posts, as a proof of his Majesty's satisfaction at the pains he has taken in concluding the arringements, which will be useful to both countries. Sir -BOHN NI:WP(IRT denied that he had made any assertion with a view to injure the established church ; he was as incapable of doing so vs the Right Hon. Baronet himself. Let the Right lionourable Baronet refer to the documents furnished by the clergy themselves. It was clear they hail forgotten the obligations they had entered into. Ile knew not what right any Member of that 1101114' hod to impute motives to another, void of all principle at.d discordant with his ditty. Sir G. 1111,1. explained. 11r. 111' HIE vindicated his Right Honourable Friend (Sir J. Newport) from the attack made upon him. His Right Hon. Friend spoke generally of the Clergy of Ireland, who, on their in. duction, took its oath to keep a school, which they afterwards neg- I, sr-d. Ile 131 r. II.) would not hesitate to assert, that one-half of the Irish clergy were forsworn. Uttar, hear.) Ile spoke facts: whether they were to the benefit or prejudice of the Irish church, he left the House to ' bulge. (A laugh.) In his opinion the clergy were themselv es too greatest enemies to the church. I Mr. - I"I'ERW4 MTII spoke highly of the Society, which, from his knowledge of it, was an excellent and useful institution. The vote los, then yostponed. The following sinus were then agree:! to Ill s 9(1111. for the !louse of Industry and Asylum for Orphan Chil dren. 4.91t11. for the Richmond Lunatic Aavium. 7..;!at1. for the II ihernian Society for Soldiers Children. Liaarl for the Ilibernian Marive Sot,ety. 1,11781. for the Female Orphan (louse. for the Westmorland Lock Hospital. 2,9101. Site the Lying-In Ilcapit..l. 1.11.111. tbr Dr. Steevena's Hospital. for the lever doss total and !louse of Recovery. heats!!. for the I I ospital of Incurables. lin the vote of it !ern. fur the Roman Catholic Seminary, Lord A 1.1111 Sit I' observed, that in order to place the Maynonth College on a respectable footing, it would be necessary to MSC the fees of entrance and annual payments of the students. Mr. CHOK ER concurred with the noble lord in his opinion. Sir. J. N H:11•PI1 RT made a few observations on the same side. 31r. (MI '1.111•11N said he should shortly submit a proposition The Jamaica Courant of the 21st January contains the to Parliament on the subject. After a few words front 3lr. hitlTCtttSsON and Mr. Alosren, lengthened details of the trial of nine wretched negroes, at the resolution was agreed to. Bull Bay, in that island, on the 19th of last January, for mr. 'ME said, that, looking at the hour (twelve o'clock), he should move that the chairman report progress. a deliberate conspiracy to revolt and murder the white in- The motion was agreed to. habitants. Their t r i a l appears to have been a calm and an The !louse resumed. 31r. BROGDEN reported :progress', and obtained leave to alt impartial one. Eight of the sable conspirators were con again on Wednesday next. victed, on what seems to us indisputable evidence, and SILK TRADE. On the order of the day being read for the second reading of the three of the eight were sentenced to be executed, and five Silk Trade Bill, Ito be transported. It appeared from the evidence that these Mr. lir TT E It WORTH asked, whether it was intended to allow any drawback fur waste silk. infatuated and guilty beings were in conituunication with .11. Fuegeot who was entrusted by the 31inister of Finance, and the Due de ILudesisville, with the requisite powm to negoxiate this affair and complete the organization of the military posts in the Peninsula, has executed his mission with the greatest real and re. gaol to the King's service. lle has returned to Paris. [From the Eloile of Sunday.] PARIS, MARCH 13. A report has been spread at London that a European Con. ves, was to assemble, which would discuss the affairs of South ~nuvica: and this news, which seems to have caused sonic sen. salon, is however quite without foundation, as well as that of the illness of the Emperor Alexander. which was spread at the same time, and to which a Paris journal attempted, even yesterday evening, to give credit. The King of Spain has conferred the cross of Charles 111. on 31. Furgeot, who negociattsl the convention relative to the Ports in Spam. The King of Prussia, and his family, arc expected at Aix-la. Chapelle at the beginning of the season, FUNDS.—PARIS, 31ARC/I 13.--5 per Cents. (Joni, du 22 Mari.) opened at 99 f.'s° c. ; closed at 99 1.83 e.; Bank Stock, 1.777 1. 7311 c. ; Neapolitan 5 per Cents., in ducats IN, in francs 94 1. 63 e. ; Humes eV Espagne opened at 23 ; highest 24i ; closed at 24. Exchange on London :—One Month, 25 f. 33c.; Three Months, 23 f. 44) c. a brigand from St. bomingo of the name of Baptiste, and that the mulatto Lecesne, who had been a short time bets sent off the island through the decision of the Ge, emy. had secretly supplied them with arms. Of the three miserable victims doomed to death, one only, Henry Oliver, it appears, was to be executed ; Kerr and Montignac, through the clemency of the Government, had their awful sentence exchanged for transportation. The grossest superstition was mingled with the wildest infatuation in the plans and conduct of these wretched negroes. The Obeali man, the curse of the African race in the West Indies, was busy at their meet ings : under his directions their skins were rubbed with bush, which he picked to render them in-capable of being held by their white toasters or pursuers. They also mixed their blood with runt and powder, and drank the horrid miktur.i. They were to ri , e the night after Christmas to , rush iu and murder the overseer and book-keeper on Bal. earras plantation, and then commence a general massacre up as far as Cedar valley, Their dreadful signal for ins discriminate murder was to be four candles on a board, or torch, and shewn from the tops of the barbique walls, as a general signal to the surrounding negroes to commence the work of massacre. They mustered frequently, and, until cutlasses were ground for them, they drilled with wooden swords. They met in military array every t!htturday, and had fifes, drums, and martial music. They were leagued by oaths swallowed with the horrible potion mixed up with their blood. They drank round my of the common basin the bloody beverage, and sw o r e " t o stand to the battle." On the night when the appalling work of murder and conflagration was to commence, the watchman of the plantation was to give them notice when their victims had retirod to rest, and the overseer and book-keeper were to have been the first mura dered. They had mock muskets of plaintain stocks, until they could be provide d by Lecesne and M'Farlane with guns and cutlasses; and they went through the regular exercise as the preparation for general massacre. But the observation of the negro witness, Charles Mack, disclosed the dreadful conspiracy before it broke out, and averted the shocking results. The villain Lecesne appears to have been deep in the conspiracy, and to have supplied them largely' with arms. Fount:. n guns were brought them at one time from Kingston, through this mulatto's agency ; and it was then arranged that the night after Christmas they w.-re to kill Mr. Lerman, overseer of the plantations, then murder and burn all up and down the river. Lecesne's advice to these unhappy men, was like that of the hoary Renault, " to spill blood enough, and spare neither age nor sex." The brigand Baptiste, from St. Domingo, was also busy instigating them to revolt and murder. lie had come as a fell emissary lately among them, anti said Jamaica was a bed country, because the negroes could not do as they lik d. This ruffian unfortunately escaped, and returned to 3t, Domingo. Misrepresentation, it is clear, was busy with its agents among the negroes generally : they imbibed the belief, that great concessions had been trade them in this country, and that three days in the week were given them as free from labour. It is clear that the proceedings in Par liament, last session, from the studious misrepresentations that followed on them, produced most alarming consequences in the 'West Indies, and in any measures now adopted for the gradual amelioration of the African race, too much caution cannot be observed: it is due equally to the European proprietors and residents in these tine colonies, and to the negroes themselves, to whom sudden emancipation would Ibe the greatest curse that could be inflicted on them. Mr, Canning makes his promised statement to-night on this most important question, and will bring in a Bill to make the foreign traffic in slaves piracy. We are sure that any measures proposed by the leading Minister in the Lower House, will be marked by the same wisdom and modera tion that have lately distinguished his foreign policy on the subject of South America. Millions of property are com mitted in the result, and the question involves the very existence of our West India Colonies, with the safety of thousands who are now resident there. No subject, in fact, of deeper interest has occupied the attention of the Legislature for many years. It will be discussed, we trust, with calmness and impartiality, and the final de. cision be one beneficial to the Colonies, and equally just to the white inhabitants and the negro population through out these islands. The liberal policy displayed by his Majesty's preset.. Ministers, and the anxiety they have manifested to remove all interruption to the freedom of commerce, deserves to be hailed as a new era in our political system. But there is, at the same time, room fer great deliberation as Va.the portentous results that may attend the engrafting on a sudden the spirit of this liberal policy upon a veteran sys tem, which has been nursed in selfishness, and grown out of the worst principles of monopoly. It requires that a Minister should proceed with great caution in following up the suggestions even of wisdom, because, though sound and salutary in the abstract, they may, under all the Cir cumstance!, and with a view to their practical operation over the whole range of trade and commerce, be pregnant with perplexity and ruin to thousands. Ererything con nected with the very name of . freedom sounds well. Free dom of trade we all feel to be desirable; and we are there fore inclined, without inquiry, to give praise ►o every measure which has this fur its object. But in doing this we proceed a little too fast : the whole trade and commerce of the country have been for centuries carried on under course of regulations and restrictions, which have at length accumulated into an inesense body of statute law; and all, or the far greater part, of this mass of statutory provi sions has been introduaxl, not to further the generat interests of commerce, but to promote the exclusive profit of merchants and manufacturers in the concerns to which they respectively relate,. In this state of things, to give a partial operation to the principle of free trade, is merely disturbing the equilibrium of injus tice, without removing the general pressure arising out of the evil policy which you affect to remedy ; it is only shifting the weight from ono part of the body, while you leave the rest still more galled by the burthen. By bad laws, and under an oppressive and erroneous system of commercial finance, manufacturers have been so long permitted to enrich themselves at the expense of their workmen, and the Treasury coffers been filled by taxes imposed without any regard to those enlightened prin ciples of trade from which we ought never to have de parted, that to return in part to those principles, and to introduce them into particular branches, whether of foreign trade, or of domestic industry, may be productive of much well-grounded complaint. The high rate a which most articles of manufacture are taxed, present very formidable obstacles to the establishment of that freedom of foreign commerce, which can only be effected by the repealing, or greatly reducing, the duties on commodities imported. If, for example, the duties were taken or French brandies, it would no doubt be one step taken its the new road of freedom, and would unquestionably non - tribute towards increasing our trade with France, inas much as many of our merchants would be able to dispose of the products of our national industry in exchange for French brandy, with much greater facility, and mac- Lottery Tickets, 21L Ile. auCKS YESTERDAY. Russian Ms. 1011 1 44 4 litutsian fur Acct. 94,1 Russian Inscription Exchange per ruble Ditto Metallic Stock (Raring) Ditto (Si'lines) Spanish Cons. 181 111 281 20 19 4 4 1 Ditto tot Acct. 181 1 204 1 120 Ditto 170 & 2M Dthi. Diu° 04 do. 214 Do. 4 per Cts. (1023) l i l j 16 1:11 17 Ditto tOr Acet. Anglo 3lex. Misses United Ditto Ytetieh Runes, Do. Ex. Do. Scrip, 121 1 13 ex. div. Ditto tio Acct. 121 1 pr. ex, div. MAILS. Aaatv2D—l Lisbon, I Flanders, and I French. OtrE-2 Gottenhurgh S Harnburgh, acid I llolland. Ehe Mush roso. lc , i lir es lea bet t