The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser. — London, England, 1819-05-01 00:00:00

■ ■ F to be understood as not emieurring in ifs praye►. Ile presented a Petition to the same effect from the borough of New Sarum, and accompanied the pre. remotion by a repetition of his dissent. These Petitious sere laid on the table. Mr. HEATIICOTE presented a similar Petition from Portses.—Laid on the table. Mr. Vag presented a Petition to the same effect from Wallingford. Mr. ASTEI.I. presented one from Bridgewater. The Earl of ItscrivE presented one front the comity of Cavan. Lord !HILTON pretetited one from the Arch'lva co,' and Clergy of the West Riding of the county of York. These Petitions were laid on the table. Colonel BA G W ELL Tome to present * Petition fro:* the Catholics of the county of Tipperary, praying( for a repeal of the Petits! Laws affecting permons of that persuasion. This Petition Was en titled to the serious considerat of the /louse, f-om its moderation, its !emperance, and its firm. 11 , •1. Ile thought it was impossible for env person eiwit to cAtriction on this subject, to read tins Peti tion without being convinced of the expediency justice of admitting Catholica within the lode of the Constitution. lie *as folly convinced that Ito evil could arise from the admission of 11w R 4,111.111 (!atlmlit.4 to the privileges %loch thvy claimed. At the Uslion Iwtween Great Britain and Ireland, it *HA hilly understood and expreted that this (pies con woula have been settled, and that the consoli elation of the empire wou!il have, lir nu h a onomeiit, li-en effectively secured. The Petitioners welt: giateful for, and admitted the wisdom of the oacintent which threw military atul naval plonm tnnu open to Ronaiiit Catholics, an,l humbly sii ce•te.i that it was of least equally *Willi the geniis. nod spud of the British Constitution to 0 1 ,11 rte prtiviirgr% to the trivii Classes of leis Mliesly'. so h- Jed*. Kmosiiog that the srcututy of this weal empire mainly lep, oiled 111 granting the con cessioses her is inch tile Petitioner: prieved, lie esrnrstly entreated the talent ttttt of the !louse to the prayer of their Petition. The Ilnn, Mentbrr resented a similar Petition from the lithithitinits of the town of Newport, in the county of Tipperary.—These Petitions were hula on the bible. . _ Lord F. SOMERSET presented a Petition from the Protestant e'er_ .ii 11 ti...hemish, against the Catholic 1121aini..— bold MI the tlhlr. Mr. PUINKEIT pr.+rated a Petition from the ROMS.. Catholic lillpshitailis of the piniblieb of St. Arnie. St. Andrew, nod St. Martin, in the city or Dublin, praying to be admitted to a full partici -I.atiois in those civil rights which were enjoyed by their Protestant fellow.subjr cis. Ile begged leave, very slimily. to advert to the manner in which the 'Petitiourni called the attrition' oI the !louse In this important subject. They stated, 'lst they wished to live on terms of charity and beeirvolence with their Protestant hrethreie—but that the first mid principal of those haws against which they pelt tioli.d, had a direct teudency to create and coo t a spirit of • • snot' and insult towards them, and consequently to prevent that combination of interest amongst all classes of his Majesty's sub _ieetr, which must. in evert emergency. afford the most secure derelict of the . Throne and of the Con stitutmor. The Petition was signed by 1,50 t) perr sow, inhabitants of those parishes--ased be would tile leave to me, that. in no part of the British empire -could there be found 1,500 individuals 444 an loyal—more determined to act on the princi ples he haul stated—or more zealous in their desire to support the British Constitution, with all its ex jog establishments.—(Heue. hear.)—He also held its his hand a Petition from the county of Fenno might, signed by 3,000 Roman Catholics and OD other, of the saute nature, front the Roman Catholic inlialbitants of Monaghan. He had not had tame to examine the last-mentioned Petition minutely, but be believed the signatures appeuded to at were roost numerous and respectable. The Petitions were brought up and laid on the table. That from the parishes of St. Arnie's, St. Andrew's. slid St. Marlin's, Dublin, was ordered to he printed. 4I r. Naos:Lt. presented a l'etition from certain Protestard bilialritants of the county of Monaghan, in lovour of the Roman Catholic Claims. The lion. Member observed, that it was sigued by 70 respectable individuals. far above the rank of - dle-men, and, therefore, lea liable than many of those who had signed Petitions of a different de scription, to be biassed by the influence of Govern ment. The Petition, lie might be allowed to ob serve, came from what was emphatically called, u " Protestant County"—b'it those by whom it was signed, merged, in a truly Christian feeling, all idea of religious distioction. The Petition was then brought up. Sir G. HILL wished to know, after what the lion. Member had said about the county of Monaghan, whether he knew who the 70 persons were by whom the Petition was signed ? Mr. Wm: (we understood) said, he had received a tkildrotioo, signed by 3,000 Protestants of the county of Monaghan, stating that a Petition of this sort was iiitelided to be presented —but that, born the signatures afratel to 'I, no Gentleman nn first !loose would undertake the task of laying it before Parliament.--( Cries of I. Order!" and laughter.)—He could assure the House that he rrceived this declaration from the most respectable Protestants in the county. Mr. PARNLI.I.--" I have only to say, thut the • Petition I have just presented is signed, amongst others, by four individuals belonging to one of the moat respectable cl in Ireland. It is signed try four Ministers of the Presbyteries' rel gion—and. I believe, I will be borne out by the Noble Lord (Casilereagli;. when 1 state, that there are not in . Ire land persons of a wore respectable character. It is by 70 per:rous, tinhunglit by Government, which is rather a rare occurrence in any t county in Ireland.-6/ lung/./—Those by whom the Peti tion is supported held, in all probability, at one period of their lives, the principles of Orangemen. J do nit mean to use the expression in an offensive sense; fur I was myself brought up to consider the Billowing to the Catholic% a full participation in the besielits of the Constitution, as fraught with ruin to the couNtry. I have changed my sentiments—and, I believe, almost all of those above names are sign ed to this Prtotion are converts to reason, contrary to early prejudice and present interest. I don't 'sire a pm Jur 15,000 Protestants aligning a Pell.. lion, if a particular infloctoce is exerted to make them to do so. Ido out say that ouch is the ease, but, in some insistices. I cannot avoid suspecting the motive. If a Prtition be ttttt eroosly signed, by the aid of interest and prejudice, it dors slot, in my mind, produce so strong a feeling or conviction, as u Petition signed by ,t► torn of independent spirit. lii point of reason, the latter far outweighs the former, however short it n►ay fall of it with re spect to numbers. Public meeting', I know. can not be convened, except under the sanction of Go. vernment.—(fro ! No !)—You will soirctly find a I high Sheriff willing to call a comity Ineetiug, ex cept with the concurrence of Government. I know the difficulty, for 1 experienced it myself." An lion. Member, under the gallery, said, meet ings might he called by the Magistrates, without any intervention of the liieb Sheriff. Mr. LESLIE—" I humbly move, that this Peti tion he not received, until I bring forwa►.l my de claration."—( Lorsghter.j The Petition was then laid on the table, and or dered to be tainted. Mr. CANNING ruse to present a Petition. he was sorry to say, against the Catholic Claims, piped try near tell thousand inhabitant. of the town of Li verpool. The Petitioners commpri•ed smite of the most respectable inhabitants of that town ; and, amongst them were many of those whose friendship be hall the happiness to enjoy. 'Flue Petition con tained a summary of till the arguments against ad mitting the Roman Catholics to any further parti cipation io political power. Those erg ttttt riots were stated in a manner most impressive—in a manner winch placed the opinioios of the Petitioners in tile most advantageous light before the House. They &elated that ►t was not passible to grant any fur. thae privileges to the Roman Catholics, without t miaow rung the frame of that Constitution, which Ihey rtvereol, Hood they called on the Rouse nut tII eXtrilli them beyond the point at which they at present stood. It was !caterly necessary for loon to owe, that lir did not concur in the view the Pe titioners had taken sin this subject—( I lear.)— There was, between himself and his constituents, truce he first became kcquweted wit li them, a perfect understanding, as to the opinion he entertained on Ibis pm tictilar question.--(Hear. hrar.)— As their represeeitanve It W 1 1 ,4 his duty to present this Peti tion—but, on a subject respecting the great consti tutiosoul policy of the empire, he always had, and he always would, as long as he had the honour to hold a ►eat iii the Legislature, act from his own de liberate judrn►eut on the question.—(l/ear. hear.) General IiASCOY IS F. said, that though only a day and a half wrrr allowed for 'procuring signatures to this Petition, yet, in that time, no less than 10,700 mimes were obtained. lle must, at the same time, observe, that a Petition hail already been presented, purportii.g to be :rout Liverpool, of a different ten dency, but lie knew not by whom it was signed.— lie had been acquainted, fur 23 years, with the town of Liver, I ; and lie was persuaded, that two-thirds or three-fourths of the inhabitants pro fessed those sentiments—sentiments opposed to any further coocessiun to the Catholics—which lie had invariably supported in that Douse.—Laid on the table. The CHANCELLOR Of the EXCHEQUER oreient erl a Petition from Harwich against the Catholic Claina.—Laid on the table. 51r. W. 'l'. lionsturs presented a Petition of the Tike nature Iron tit. Albans.—Laid on the table. Lord EBRINGTON prevented it Petition in favour of the Catholic front Ovwestry, al we col lected.—Laid on the table. Sir 11. PARNELL presented a Petition from the Roman Catholic Inhabitants of a district in the County of Kildare, graying fur a repeal of the Penal Laws.—Laid on the table. Lord SEFTON ineSColeti a Petition from certain lob:Animas of the Town and Neighbourhood of Liverpool, iii favour of the Catholic Claims. The Noble Lord observed, that the Petition way signed by 3,000 persons, not merely Itoinaii Ciiihotics, but of all religious persuasions, who were *lotions that their Catholic brethren should participate in the full enjoyment of civil imintmitiev.—Laid on the table. ftlr. C. 11. IluTcittuscitr presented a Petition from the Roman Catholic Inhabitants of a Parish in the County of Londonderry, praying for the repeal of the Penal Laws, by which they were up pressed. The Petitioners stated, that the pros perity of Ireland had increased, in proportion as the severity of the Penal Code had been relaxed. —Laid on the table, and ordered to be printed. Mr. M. FITZGERALD presented a Petition from the Roman Catholic Inhabitant. of Killarney. &c. praying for a repeal of the Penal Laws.—Laid on the table. A Petition of the same deseriptioa ws• presented from the Towns of lislcool and Neweartle.—Lind ou the table. SCOTCH BURGHS. Lord A. 11amir.voN presented a Petition from Glasgow, praying for aii alteration in the system of the Scotch Burghs.—Laid on the table. Gen. FERGUSON had some Petitions to preseuton the saute subject, and was glad to see the Learned Lord Advocate in his plaice, while lie stitycl the few observations he had to make on this subject. Two of the Petitions *lnch he had to present originated iii consequence of the rash declaration of the Learn ed Lord, that the Petitions on this subject did not emanate from respectable bodies, competent to take a full slew of the subject. The Minions which he had now to present were the best answer to that declaration ; they were conclusive against the very bold and unfounded assertions of the Learned Lord. One of the Petitions was from the. Town mud Council of Burnt Island. L, tinned Lord must admit lust this was a good Petition—the others were from Kirksulden, and the Burgesses of Dysart. These Petitions were laid on the table, and ordered to be printed. PETITIONS AGAINST TOWNLAND FINES. Sir Jesus STIEWART presented a Petition from the lishabitinits in the vicinity of Strabane., in Ire land, aFainst the system of townland lines in Ire land. She effect of this law, the Don. Baronet declared, was the iudiseriminate opprn aeon of iu 'toeent person., end the tiding the gaols in Ireland with persons who could not, from their situation in life, hod the enormous bail required of them. Many of these iwrsons, after suffering long impri souments, were discharged. The Isw as affecting townland fines was a barbarous one, and unworthy of a civilized country.—(Hear. hear.) Petition was laid oil the table. General HART rose to present a Petition from Mosel M'Coorollough, an inhabitant of Donegal, c plsining of extreme cruelty on the part of an Excitor officer, acting under the townland fine sys tem. The Petitioner's father was taken into cue. Cody by an Excise officer, named Patrick Fiatlry, for 3111 Hiked infraction of the Excuse laws. Ile complained to the officer that he was very ill of a dropsy, and incapable of going to a distant orlooli. with the dispatch required of him. The Excise man offered, if he gave 101. to let him 7,0 upon his own recognizance ; but the poor mail was witch to raise that sum, and was forced to go on goaded ht• a military force, awl thorough' a circuitous road, to the gaol of Donegal. Ile co►nplaiord of having been beaten, and otherwise ill-treated on the way. tin his arrival at the prison, he became weak and exhausted, and told his sou he could not s'►rvive what he had suffered. The man's prediction was verified, fur he died while his son was in the act of Inioging to him a Priest, to ruleniouiter the last consolatory office, of reliion. which a periinii of his persuasion is motions to rt ceive from his own Minis.er. The Grand Jure represented this circumstance to the hoard of Excise, but uo auswer had been give', to 01.4 applicati tttt . Lord MOUNTCHARLES said, that as Foreman of the Growl Jury alluded tu, lie could verify the tact that evidence n► support of the allegations in the Petition, was tendered to that Leidy. It was the commoto report that the poor man hod been murdered by an Eloise officer, and it became the duty of the Jury, as the Grand Inquest of the county, to take cognizance of the matter. The son of the deceased had depoo.eol to the same effect I,efoirr the Grand Jury, as lie hail flo‘% set f►tth in his Petition. The Jury the discharge of what they felt to be their duty, transmitted the olepot,i bons to time Excise Hoard, front which. as was stated, no answer had been received. The neglect of *lowering a communication of such a kind, could be looked upon in 110 other light than as a delay of justice-01w, hear)—utiA where so serious •u imputation was cast, he thought it be came the I ..ouse to take cu t iozmice of it, a n d to Zook with serious atteutioi► to the allegations its this Petition. The Petition was then laid on the table, ■nd or dered to he punted. Mr. WILLIAM STEWART presented a Petition from several freeholders in the county of Tyrone, compliiiiiisig of the heavy grievances they endured under the townland fine system. The lion. Member presented • similar Petition from William Sharpe, who complained of his tin. prisonment and sufferings under a charge, fur shed► lie was acquitted when brought before a Jun•. AGRICI`LTUR.4I, PETITION. The Marquis of TAVISTUCK presented a Petition signed by a number of landholders in the county of Bedford, praying that the attention of the Legisla ture should be directed to the stated their produce. The Noble. Lord observed, that he differed from the Petitioners in their view of the subject, and ap proved of the policy which postponed u cousidera tion of this kind, which was so likely to create an irritable feeling throughout the country. The Petition was laid on the talde. WOOLLEN TRADE. Lord MILTON pr . e.esited a l'ettinit from the woollen manufacturers of the county of York, re lating to thr ditty on the importation of foreign rape seed. He begged to stare, that if it were not the tutetition of 1 ;o‘erontrot in repeal this ditty, he should take au early opportoulty of calling the at trition of the 1-loos to the subject. Sir CHARLES BURRELL made a few remarks on the diminution attempted in sonic ►nstauces to be %brawn between the agriculturists and the inassufau torero. Lord LASCIILLES said, that this duty, which he was wiry to hear there was 110 imentiost of repeal ing, affected boil) the agriculturist and the Maim file/Orel'. foe the former could nut cultivate his Lind with the rape dust, which he would otherwi►e Use 11 the ditty were repealed. CURWEN said. it was his intention to move for the repeal of this duty. ilia woollen manufac turers never stood more 111 need of such a measure than at present. Lard MILTON said, when the subject was brought before the House, he would endeavour to get this tnut injoirinus duty repealed. By means of it, they were imposing burdens ori one of the most important ports of the raw us iterial of their woollen maitufaeture. 'rlw duty was laid tin, oil gitially, to benefit the whale-fishery—but whale oil was found inapplicable to the purpose; and the oils imported 1 the southern parts of Europe were tun dear to be employed in the manufacture. Laid uu the table and ordered to be printed. BOROUGH, OF CAM ELFOR D. Lord Aftl.TON presented a Petition from Charles Pitt, of Adam-street, Adelphi, complainitig of guess partiality uis the part of the returning officer for the Borough of Camelford, at the Itud general election. Petitioner stated, that the returning oilier had rejected a propetly qualifittl person, regularly nominated by him, and duly seconded, as a candidate to represent the ►aid Borough—mid that when hr (she Petitioner) was about to nflrr himself as a candidate to represent the said Bo roughs the returning officer refused to admit hia The Spatial:a said, the House insist be aware, that, under the Act of Parliament, the Petitioner conitilaming of an llie return, must tither declare hiropelf to be a voter, a ',tram claiming a right to vote, or a candidate. The Petitioner, io lbw instance, stated, that he was pre.riit at Ilse election, and, when about to offer himself as a can didate, the returning officer refused to allow hint. These words certainly brought the Petition within the tutu ll ll g of an Election Petition"—since, when he offered himself, the Petit 1111 l re became in fact a candidate. But he observed that the words which made the present in Election Petit 11111 l were interlined, and written in a different hand, and with different ink, from the rest of the Petition. Mr. W. Dames observed, it did not appear from the Petition, that the Petitioner had a right to vote. Ile might have been a mere stranger. The Sexiiitft repeated the stateturiii, which lie had before wade, with ►espect to the lusty. The question was, as this particular part, which rcu tiered the prescnt au F.lection Petition, was written iu N (lifl;.rent haw', and in different ink, whether it could, con•i•tently with the forms of the llionse, he received ? There was sufficient titne to present another netition, if it were sec Mr. Tlvamer said, it would he acting ton strictly to reject is petition. Itec,ni.e an individual added something to it, which, nd the Ent instance, Ile. hail forgotten. Slr J, GRAHAM said a few words against leceiving the Petition, as we understood. Lord MILTON a.lld, he was nt first at a loss to decide whether the Petition was or was nor on Election Petition. Cut, when he found it stated that the Petitioner hail offered himself as a candi date, and was prevented from coming forward by the conduct of the retioroing officer, his doubts were removed. Ile conceived it would he narrow ing extremely the grounds on which Election Pe titions were to be received, if, on u technical point of this sort, it was deemed proper to reject them. Mr. CANNING apprehended, when a trifling omission occurred in the first draft of a Petition, which the Petitioner afterwards thought it better to supply, that no ohretion woold be made to the in terlineidion. Hilt this Petition was peculiarly cir cuttistaticeil—for the interhiteation was the whole matter which made it what it was. if they took away the matter interlined, it was not an Election Pe tition--if they admitted that matter, it was till Elec tion Petition. Nose it was too much to suppose that the whole gilt anti stiboance of the:Application which the Petitioner inteiriled to make to the ll , nnie should have escaped his notice until after the Peti tion was fairly drawn out—and that then it occurred to him that this little circumstance might as well he inserted. There being time to present a cortect Primo If, on comitkiation, the individual might think pi oprr to do so, lie conceived it would be more wise to uphold the general orders of the House, and to decline receiving it in Its present state. Mr. TIERMEY this Petition belrietted t o a sep irate class of Petitions—and was widtly distin guishable from others. It emne under a specific Act of Parliament. All Petitions complaining of an undue election and return were lan! on the table, a ithout the formality of putting the question. Now, a certain tune, fourteen days, was allowed for that purpose—and it would be extremely hard, if a Petition, cent from the country or, the 13th day. was rejected on account of an interlineation. and the individual presenting it was deprived of an op portunity of procuring redress. The SPEAKER said, the law certainly provided that Election Petitions should be received without putting the question—but the law did not restrain their presentation to the period of fourteen days after the return—that was done by an order of the House ; and it was in the power of the !loose— n power they frequently exercised—to extend The time tinder particular circumstances. If. to guard the purity of the Petition itself, it was rejected on account of interlineation. the House was always ready to afford au opportunity of redress. by en larging the time within which Petitions were usually presented. . _ _ After a few words from Mr. TIERNEY—from Lord —MILTON, who stated that he did know the Petitioner, whom he hint causally met in the lobby—and (row Mr. CRC/NEU—the Petition was withdrawn. POOR'S SETTLEMENT BILL. Lord DEF.nnuttst nre.ented lotion from the Mayor ntitl Aldermen of Worcester, optint the above 8111. Sir 1.. PA LK presented a Petition of the same nature, from Ashbortioi. Mr. 131 ROI presented it Petition from certain Churchwardens and Overseers of the Poor in dif ferent Parishes of Nottingham, to the same effect. Mr. KINN ERSLEY pteseuted a similar Petition from Neweastle-under-Lyre. Lord SEFTON piesenteil a Petition of a similar nature, from the mighbourhood of Liverpool. LICENSING SYSTEM. The Ilon. G. LAMS presented a Petition from G. Leelre, 1-inillurd of the Gerrit Man public-11mm% St. John's-street, r plaiiiing of oppression, under the present splem of licensing publie-houses.-I.sicl on the titbit. MEMBERS' QUALIFICATION BILL. Mr. MILDVAY pmenterd • Petition arainst the above Bill, from the tows of Winchester —Laid us the table. GRAMPOUND ELECTION. Lnrd I. Russet.t. gave notice that 1w would, on Tuesday, the I Itla of May, move fur a return of the convictions at Gram pound. NAVY. Lord CLI presented the Third Report tif the Committee of I:mince, uu the subject of the Nary.—Ortlrreti to be printed. S 1 ESSAGF. mom THE LORDS. A Measage from the Loofa retreated that Nathaniel Siiryil, Esq. a Alember of this Hoube, might he allowed tit Rive evidence before the Lord.' Secret Committee on the aff.tirt of the Flank of England—atid alai) that this Holm would be pleased to furnish their Lord%hip% with a copy of the Report of the Conisniitee appointed to consider the Peti tion of W. A Woolf, formerly of Madras, die„ The SPEANCIL informed the mesociagers lint au answer would be returned by meme niter, of th, it urn. SCOTCH BURGHS. Mr Hume presented a Petition (ruin the Burgh of Inver be.-sir, complaining of the mincemeat y, absurd, a n d unjust aymein of self election that prevailed in the !knife,. Ihirghs, and calling fur the intri position of that Huuse.—Lled un the table. IRISH WINDOW TAX. Mr. C. H. HUTCHINSON present's! a Potation from the Town of Youghall againht the Winslow Tex. Mr. M. FIT7.G►RALtt prrsented a Ptittnta of the same nil lure from the County of Kerry. DEFAULTEN. Oo the motion of Lard CAtITLIMEA•II, Member-1i ab,ent from twiner ballots were orde►ed to attend the ballot Ull Tuesday uest. SCOTCH BENEFICE BILL. The LORD ADVOCATE of SCOTLAND rose to !nit off the ►econd reading of the above Bill. The Bill was founded on an unanimous vote of the Assembly of the Church of Scotland. Since it had been brought forward, however, he hart learned that some Gentlemen who were porrimoniully connected with the question, wished that further time ►hould be given for its consideration ; mod, es he wished to consult their convenience, he was desirous of post poning the second reading until neat Session. Mr. PLuxicErr said, he did not suppose the Learned Lord meant to create a ditference between the law of Scotland and that of England—hut certainty the present Bill would have that effect. The Bill, he under►tood, was introduced in order to re move grievances tbet were rotatory to the interests of religion. Now the l■w of this country authorised the practice which the present Bill went to put. an end to ; and, if the practice were contrary to CI: . interests of religion, they, occiapiert as they wer e in legislating fur the whole empire, ought to es. tend to every part r,f it, the law which was intend. eel to remove this evil from a particular portion of it. By the law of this country there might be sale of adrotcson, during a vacancy. Great mu. a►rprehension had gone abroad on this 'objec t , There was so error its the Repo►J, of Sir lune' turrouglia on this point. He originally stated 4 particular case, in which, lie said, it was decided by the Court of King's Bench in England, that there could not legally he a ride of advowson dur. lug a vacancy. But the reverse was a f terward , ►hewn to be the fact. The ingenious annotator on Blackstone bad fallen into ale same error, by treat. ;rig the report of Sir James Burroughs as a correct 0111'. Aftt.r few word• from the Lotto ADVO'ATE of SCOTLAND KIM Mr. PLUNKFTT, the second read. j ug was ttosclaysux months. HOLYHEAD ROAD BILL. OR the mown, or Sir 11. Panay:Lt. the Report •hove Bill was received, and the Bill videred to be read o. third time on Tuesday w xi. PARIcH CLERKS BILL Sir E pre , ented a P. twou from Drptf., almost the above uo the tahle. IRIS!! Clll.l FINEi. Sir G. iitt.t. presented l'iiition4 from the tie■ of Doiniegol, Londonderry, a „) idiso from the Spirit.deolerl of the city of derry, proving thrt no ulteration ibould b. ee! l in the Still Fiile. Bill. General HART sn vril, ‘. Thit the House :imul resolve !Nell into* Coinniittee of tht whole to Nice into consideration the effects of the Towniands Fines Bi 11." Mr. DatVsoa rose to second the motion. Und. r any circumstances, lie would feel it most disaves. able to encounter a difkrence of opinion. But, the present instance, it was peculiarly so, 4! o'„ 11.• had not only to expect opposition from th e Government of Ireland, hut he was COMl:Plied to differ in opinion frrrn his Right the late Secretary fir Ireland, who upheld tlie policy of the existing system. The law itself writ O' so odious a nuture, that, if he made use of caw.- pions harsh and iinfrielidly, in speaking of it. he hope.l no construction of a personal kind woull br placed on them—but that they would he considered as forced from him by the peculiarity of the NA. jest, which a sense of public duty, and that tally, had impelled him to bring before the House. Flo object was to get rid of the law, and not to refit et nu the character or motives of those who introduwdii. Neither did he mean to cast any censure orrthe Excise Board of Ireland, who were merely tht•m. 'lister% appointed to carry into execution the eiaa c t. ment of the Legislature, which, he believed, tint did, with as much lenity and forbearance as or ilole. The lion. Gentleman, in a very feeling and inlet. getic manner, pointed out the difference which pas veiled between the system acted on io this cowatry, and that adopted in Ireland. Here a Commattee was sitting to expunge from the statute book .those laws, which, instead of checking, encour aged crime; hut, with respect to Ireland, it was sup. posed that the ordinary criminal code was not tuffs dent, and fresh enactments, of a severely 1,111-11 nature, were resorted to. In this country, there was a constant remission of punishments, winch was said to increase offences; but in Ireland pu nishment was inflicted with the greatest severisy— the cent were blended with the guilty—siid both were, by this mode, converted into enemies of justice. He hoped that the appeal of this slight souk/ not be boat on the House; but that the lionsioe spirit of the Legislature would shed its benign vas titmice over a distant ;out of this empire, where the voice of complaint, though hitherto exerted in vain, was not less loud and piercing on that ac count. As the provisions of this Bill were little known in this country, he begged leave shortly to state them. By the law, a floe of 251. was inflict ed on every townland on which a private still, or certain parts of it, were found, for the first tiinc for the second, 40/..—mod, tor the third, 601. Matoy of the snicks used in illicit distillation, it was hest , proper to observe, were perfectly portable, and might be taken upon a man ' . back from one 'dare to another. Of this description welt the head mold worm rif the still. It was requisite for the information of Engfisa Gentlemen he should describe the event of a !incu bi:id. A towoland, in general, was about the fourth part of an English parish, but in mountainous districts, where illicit distillation use pnocip illy carried on, it was much more extensive ; it might be taken on an average at about 1,000 acres. 'the priuciple of the law, was to levy the tine imposed for shy part of an illicit still discovered within those thousand acres off every individual resid log therein, till the amount seas raised. The law rodeavouied to compel tf ae innocent to form against the guilty, and ie. default theeeeii 10 involve tooorrot and guilty iis the same ruilisli euent.-1 I lenr, hear.)—But if the principle wo 011111 114 his hail described, still more rigorous and cruel was Ps execution. / t was unprecedented ia the advantages it offorded the 'prosecutor, usually the Excise officer, ill nasrr erity against the accused. Tue general princitJes of the Criminal Law in England required all imaginable exactness unit accuracy to he tol•ed in the form of 11 1.11 d. meads cud informatious ; and if, its this twin try, the prosecutor conossitted an error ua &- scribing the offence s or the (Wi n dow . , the emir was fatal if the hial had commenced, and 11. e dc fendaut wrist free for ever. But let Gentleium mark the diffiretice—if the Excise officer was guilty of such a nil-take in Ireland, and the defendant wished to take advantage of it, it was merely !a:sl imming the evil 'toy, as this Act empowered las adveraary to load haul with the trouble and cost of a second trod, *col a new defence—if/earl- 11 v Excise office', or infringer, might sue the accused Individual twice, find of he succeeded in establisti. tog the charge ma the second attempt, authorised him to recover lies reward of the Moor:rot, as well . as she guilty.— (Ilene. )--Another principle o f linelf*ll law was " de minims non carat le.r :" but the Art of Is 14 proceeded 011 a perfectly d tierent ground, making the while inhabitatits of a townlawl stiffer for the most trifling and 'Motile discovery of any fling connected with illegal distillation within it. This extraordinary Act, moreover, in detianer of the most plain lIMIXIIIIII oh 1111111181 t winy snd el , llltllnll sense, made the prosecutor's evidence alone a suf f icient ground for the verdict of a Jury; l~_