The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser. — London, England, 1824-03-02 00:00:00

II win this case they were violated k bat what, he begged leave to k, would be the consequence if the court* marked oat by the on. Member opposite had been pursued ?? if the Lord Chancellor Bled a Member of the House before him, and had inquired sou if he used certain expressions, which had been imputed to tu--if this were the conduct of the Chancellor, would not the on. Member deem it to be a subject of parhantentary censure? d would not he require an explanation on the subject, as it iin. i c d a breach of the privileges of that House ? It would be most el to deny the Lord Cnateellor , ur any other individual, an portunity of defending hitnseit Land his conduct upon this ()c --oon amounted merely to a defebeet against a charge which had premed in all the nem:papas, sod had been circulated to the re. motest corner of the empire. lle would therefore, under the in fluence of this feeling, vote against the inotimi ; and if it were carried, he coldd not help thinking that the House would be in flicting the deepest wound upon its dignity and privilege. Mr. SCAR LE'PT said it would not, ire his opinion be a breach of the privilege of the House, nor could it be consider ed as such, if the Chancellor had infomied anv Meitilser of the House that a par ticular statement could not be the tact, as it was ineonsietent with the practice of the !louse. Mc. W. WILLIAMS said he was not one of those persons who wished the House to adhere closely and strictly . to their psi. vileges; but lithe% was CVO' an individual question in which their privileges ought to he maintained, it was the present. An im portant charge had been made against an individual tilling no less a stamp than that of Lord High Chancellor of England. The charge was, that he had committed a breach of the privileges of the House; evil he would think it his duty to agree with dist mo tion, and mom to the pmpasition that I• 11 attack had been made upon their privileges. if the Lord Chancellor did not send to and communicate to the House, by the mouth of a feier.d, who was also 4 Member of the House, that he had no intention of assailing any privilege whatever. This was the only wai in which, as he con ceived, the case could be got INC; consistently with the support of their privileges and independence. A Member of Parliament dud risen in his seat, and declazed that a grave charge hail been made against a 51ember for what he uttered in that House. If, there fore, any inquiry was to be plaited, under a charge of this de scription, it ought not certainly be denied in this instance, because the person accused was the Lord High Chancellor. He could not retrain from expressing . his surprise st the argument used by lion. Illenthen at the opposite side—that the proceeding called for was not Constitutional. This he denied; and foe his part, he would pot consider himself as acting in behalf of the Constitution of the House or of the country, if be were wanting in respect to the pri vileges of the House, and did not support them when attacked; and if ever there was a time when the support of these privileges was called for, and when it was must desirable and satisfactory that the character of the House should be upheld and maintained, it was when a Member rose in his place, and made a complaint of the Lord Chancellor : and he would most certainly assent to the vote of the lion. Member, if upon their next meeting, and previous to the hearing of evidence, he (the Lord Chancellor) did not pursue that line of conduct which, so consistently with the honour of the country, and his own, he was bound to pursue—if he did not de. dare to the House by a member of it, that he did nut mean to make any attack either upon the independence or the privileges of the House—that he had acted under the influence of mistaken feelings. By this means alone he thought thecharacter of the House would be supported ; and its privileges would be compromised if this were not done. lie would support the motion, and if the House did not support it, it would be tantamount to the abandon. nient and desertion of the whole of their privileges. He there. fore thought that the motion should not be. at present discussed, to give the Cord Chancellor an oppmtcnityof staring the mistaken feelings ender which he acted, and of admitting that his words in the Court of Chancery were uttered under wrong impressions, and of lamenting they should be offensive to the honour of any Ho. nonrable Member. Mr. A BEM 'ROM BY felt himself bound to return his sincere thanks to the Hon. Members at the opposite side of the House, for the frank and candid manner in which they concurred with the Hon. Members around him, that he had not, in the motion sub mitted by him, given utterance to any expression which could be deemed worthy of animadversion. It was agreed upon all hands, that the account which had appeared in the newspaper did not con tain a correct and true repr:sentation of his' sentiments. He was also grateful for the support which he had received against the manner in which he had been exhibited in another quarter. Mem.) As to the mode of proceeding which he adopted en the subject, he thought it the wisest and most prudent he could pursue. He was well aware there were other modes to which he was corn- 1 petent. Be might have taken that which, though not regular, was not without precedent in the House. Ile might have considered the question as affecting himself alone ; but he could not look upon the question in that point of view: he could not separate it from the consideration of the privileges of the entire House. He had stated the question as fairly and as impartially as he could, when it was considered that he was making a statement in which he was personally concerned. Ile had been influenced by his sense of duty alone ; and he would readily and most freely admit, that be sides his sense of what he felt was due to that House, he was also influenced by a sense of what he owed to his profession ; nor did he in any respect act for himself alone, he was not led away by his own sense of the ease ; he sought the assistance and advice of those in whose experience he collided, and those persona had pointed out to him the onurse which he followed. He neither had or would deliver any opinion upon the subjcet; but would leave the matter entirely to the judgment of the House. The question being loudly ,ailed fur, the House divided, when the numbers were— For the original motion, 102; against it, 151 ; majority, 49. SUPPLY. The House having resolved itself into a Committee of Supply, upon the quotion that the suns of 40,0081. be granted for the con. ittudion and repairs of public buildings for the year 1824, 31r. BANKS couldinot refrain from asking, whether certain repairs, which took place in the neighbourhood, were included in the grants ? and If the repairs were finished, how much money was to be still expended on them ? He would be inclined to give his opposition to the vote, until he ascertained what limit old what period were to be put to the system of destruction which whit at present carried on, and in his opinion carried much too far, against the vemnahle and ancient building, in the neighbourhood or that liaise. Of this he was certain, that if the House was aware last year of the use to which the money would be applied, they would not have granted it. Ile was most sorry to have reason to under. stand that the system of destruction was to reach the Painted Chamber t for this he was most sorry ; this room was not less ad. mirable for its beauty than for its antiquity; it was erected in the reign of Edward the 'Third ; it was unnecessary to destroy it; its preservation was a most easy matter ; all that was required was, to give the floor the necessary degree of elevation. He also wished to be informed what the expense was of constructing that strange and anomalous chamber, which was said to be for the purpose of making the House of Lords more accessible to his Ma jesty. ,This structure was a most serious inconvenience to both Houses, as - It obstructed the approach of the carriages, lie had another ob jection to this editice ; it was built In front and view of objects which could not be looked upon without disgust. He also would take the liberty of inspecting the accounts of the buildings now in progress; and he would make a strict inquiry into their expenses, as he considered them exclusively of the sort to be degrading to the national taste. (Hear.) He was aware the courts of justice constituted a distinct item ; and when they came before the House he would inquire it their state. But in the meantime hs wished to know what had been done for the money which had been laid out. Mr. BENNET, in addition to the subject of the discussion int. media* before the House, wished to be informed of the name of the architect under whose direction these buildings had been erected. He wished to know this for the sake of the public, that be might be avoided, and how they would get again into a scrape by the ponstruction of such buildings. He also wished to know who those persons were who granted the money, as he would be most anxious to avoid them, if he possibly could. (Laughing.) He wished to know the name of the architect, and also the Gam. mince of taste. ..... -..—.-. Mr. HERMES said the account of the money which wa.• ex. pended, and of that which was intended to lie expended, should be submitted to the House. Mr. BENNET insisted upon knowing the name of the ar. chitect. WeCHANCELLOR of Ihe EXCHEQUER said, he was not surprised that these considerations should attract the intention of the Home: and for his part, he was ready and willing to admit that there should be an alteration in the mode in which to, of this nature was carried on. With regard to the question put to him by the Honourable Member for Shrewsbury, the name of the architect employed was .Senne. The invariant alteration he sought for referred to the Board of Works; it was, * his opinion, a mat ter much to be desired that in works of this description there should be a real essential responsibility attached to some person, as there was to himself in that House. (Hear.) This responsibility did not exited present in the Board of Works. In his opinion it should be vested in the Treasury. This was not the case at pre sent. Ile, and those with whom he acted, bad not at present that responsibility ; they had no controul whatever. The Board of Works ought to be satisfied with, and ought to be confined to the keeping' oipablic works in repair; and the responsibility should 'he lodged is the Treasury, the only public office in which he thought it could be properly vested. He would in a short time, in his place, endeavour to frame some resolution on the subject, and submit it to the House. His object would be to have son.e Honourable Members in the House, who wotild, with himself, 1 have the entire responsibility. Mr. TENNISON begged to return his grateful acknowledge- rsents to the Right lion. Gentleman, not only for his opinion of the manner in which the money ought to be appropriated, but for the responsibility which he wished to take upon himself; this was a matter of the greatest importance to the feelings of the public, who took a lively interest in the preservation of her ancient build- I inga, particularly those of Westminster Hall: these were sacred in their estimation ; it was there the Kings of England had lived and died; it was there the Parliaments of the country had been holden from the remotest periods; and he would sincerely lament and de plore the destruction of these buildings. He wished to know what new edifice would be given to the public in place of the Painted Clamber; the one which was at present close to it was totally in. congruous; it would in truth be difficult to match it; it was of the pure Gothic style of architecture , and was incomparably the finest room in London ; with this Go; hie style was mingled something which was called the Grecian, in defiance of, and in direct option tion to all the roles of architecture of which he had read. `Pith respect to the Courts, he thought the style most appropriate to the arts of this country was the Saxon and the Gothic ; the Grecian style was entirely inappropriate; it was not known or Introduced into this country until the period of Henry VIII. Ile repeated his opinion that the Gothic style of building should be persevered in, and not the bungling mode which was lately introduced, and which was highly improper. 3lr. 111 1 311; called the attention of the Right Hon. Gentleman to the state of the Reconl-office at the back of .Ibingdon-street. If it was right that the reco:ds should be kept, it was egaally clear they should be taken care of, and .hey should, Le kept so as to be of freer and easy access. He, as a inember of a Committee of the House, had gone some tune since to inspect these records, and though the building had the advar.tage of being lire-pmof, it was otherwise so badly constructed, that he and his friends were obliged. 'to enter by single files ; and it would require the delay of some weeks to see the records for which he sought. The walls of this building were seven feet thick, and contained more brick and snot'- , tar thais would be necessary for all the buildings which were at pre sent under repair. He trusted the House would consider what the plan of this building should be, and suggut a remedy for the pre , sent inconvenience. Mr. CROKER coincided with the other Honourable Members in the opinion that the matter before the House was highly import. ant, in respect not only to the amount of the money which was granted, but as to the manner in which it was appropriated. It was highly Important that this money should not be expended, as it was well observed, to the disgrace of the national taste. He agreed perfectly with the Right Honourable gentleman that the responsibility necessary upon the subject would be most proncrly vested in the Treasury. Ile was glad to be able to say, that, front the adoption of his plan, he felt confident, not only in the restor ation of good taste by the adoption of what was in itself good, but by the rejection of that which was had, snd which tended to our disgrare: and he would indulge himself in the freedom of mak ing one remark, which he made with the more readiness front what he had heard tall from the Right Honourable the Chancellor of the Exchequer, that Government would abstain from the destruction of that most ancient and venerable building, the Painted Chamber. Five hundred years bad elapsed since this Chamber was dignified with the appellation of l'crillissit r. It was even then illustrious, as being the moat splendid effort of the arts of that day ; it was considered to be the oldest work in which were blended and united the arts of agriculture and painting. lie should therefore witness its destruc tion with regret and sorrow ; it had been celebrated for the space of MO years, and its state of preservation was truly surprising; its co lour. were still fresh ; its gilding was still astonishingly vivid. and its walls were as sound and unimpaired as if they were built yesterday. He was sure the destruction of this chamber would be a source of the greatest pain to the public. He would venture to assert, that if the sums granted for purposes of this description were expel:el.:4 with judgment and taste, the public would not re pine • they would get red of that niggardliness with which they had been falsely accused, and which they had never spewed excel)! in the case of Works which reflect d disgrace upon themselves and the taste of thc country. He did expect, and he felt he had aright to expect from the Right Honourable Gentleman, that he would not tolerate the destruction of the Painted Chamber unless some raison better than any as yet alleged were advanced. Mr. HUM E asked, if the expenses fir the repair of St. James's Palace were included in the sum of 40,0001. at present before the House. Mr. HERRIES answered in the negative. Sir J. MACKINTOSH thought the highest respect and vene ration should be paid to the royal buildings, especially of West minster. He sincerely hoped the system of destruction would no be carried too far with respect to them. Those venerable and an-t cie:,t buildings should be held in the highest reverence and regard in which the spirit and principles of • free Conetitution were tirat inculcated. These buildings should be considered as the spot of all others in which the rights and existence of that assembly origi nated, and the destruction of them would not give a very exalted proof of the value we set upon our ancestors. It would not be a convincing proof that we possessed those moral feelings which taught us that veneration which was due to the memory of our an cestors, and that gratitude which was due for the benefits they con ferred upon us. The Painted Chamber continued for three hundred years to be the scene of the conferences between the two branches of the Legislature; no other building would have lasted for one-third of the time, and he sincerely trusted that no rude and profane hand would he ever raised for its destruction. With respect to the Courts of Justice, lie would, when it was ne cessary, say a few words of them, more especially of that part which had the impudence to chew its face immediately at the western front of the Abbey: this piece of architecture was styled Grecian, because, he presumed, it was not so (laugh); it was denominated irecian, because it was not English, because it was not national. lie was sorry this ornament was not removed to the north side of the Hall; that it was not removed from the western side, now completely deformed by the addition of what was called Grecian, but which was not Grecian, or, if there was anything of Greece about it, it should be called (if such a style existed) the Btotian and Barbarous I Mr. fIUME said he wished that a palace was built for the King of this country worthy of them and of the country. There was not a petty Sovereign on the Continent aho had not a move splendid residence. Pciides, it would be a Saving; there was more money granted every year for repairs than would be sufficient for the pur pose; by these annual grants the money was frittered away. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER agreed with the ' Honourable Member, that there was no palace in London ade quate to the wealth and dignity of the country. He would not agree with the honourable Member, that the character of St. James's had been injured by the mode of repair it had undergone; on the contrary, the character of the building had been preserved. The repairs were advantageous to the pilblie, as the pubic had a right to have free access to the royal palaces. Though the aces were not commensurate with the dignity of the country, e did not deem it advisable, a few years since, to come forward with a vote of a million or a million and a half, which would be eonsidered as entailing agreat and unnecessary expense upon the country. As to the repairs of St. James's, they were rendered ne cessary by the lire which took place there a few years since, and the impropriety was in leaving the palace salmi! wnrepaired. The repairs took place principally in the part where the lire happened, and were of course intended for the comfort and convenience Of hose who resided in that part of the palace. Colonel DAVIES said, the King's Palaces in London looked more like alms-houses than royal residences. Sir T. Mt RIND said that there were many pr4aces in existence ; though he agreed with the lion. ;Wernher for Worcester (Colonel Davies) that not'one of thou was worthy the reception of the /110. narch of such a country as England--Kew and % indoor, and that singular specimen of architecture the knew not how to term it) the Pavilion at Brighton : ' 3100,04*1. was granted for Windsor. We might build for his Maiesty, in some more appropriate situation, and at a much leas expense, a palace worthy of his reception and of the nation who conferred it. Mr. BRIGHT objected to the erection of palaces during the continuance of en oppressive taxation. Sir M.W. Ridley and Mr. James rose at the Mlle moment. Mr. JAMES agreed with his lion. Friend (the Member for Brie tol) that at least the war taxes should be reduced before Ministers contemplated the building of palaces. Sir M. W. RIDLEY differed altogether with his Honourable Friend the economical Member for Bridal. It was not the dispo sition of the English people to allow their Sovereign to he more inalequately lodged than his subjects; and however it might Nerve the purposes of a vain popularity to profess such sentiments as the Honourable Member for Bristol had adopted on that night, he might rest satisfied that the people of England were not uninte rested in the residence of their Sovereign. Lord MILTON was not precisely initiated into this new course . of policy which the Ministers hid on this night adopted. 'l'hey seemed to vie with each other in extravagance, which while he condemned, he could not avoid expressing &hope, that, in the rage for the d.nnolition of palaces, which seemed commensurate with the expensive disposition of klinisters, the Palace of Hampton Court would nut he sacntieed; it was the scene where William the Third lived, and its memory was enshrined in the hearts of Eng lishmen. An How. n, whose name we could not learn, observed, that though there were three palaces under repair, not one of them was fit foe the reception of the Monarch. Sir C. LONG protested against being considered responsible for any of thole improvements, which were attributed to what was termed the Committee of Taste. The Board of Works bad no ecatroul over these matters beyond the selection of drawings sub mitted to their inspiration. Sir J. NEWPORT hoped that the wont would be stopped until the expenses were ascertained. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER explained. The vote war agreed to. The sum of 10,0001. for the College of Edinburgh was granted. It was then proposed that the sum of 13,8381. should be granted for the works ofPortpatrick. Sir ISAAC COFFIN protested against this useless expense, and the equally pernicioma exhaustion of the public money upon a pitiful place called Donaghadet. The tides were most ibiticult to be guarded against. Mr. PEEL justified the proposed grant. Mr. Rennie, who was the artist employed originally in that work, tad most accurately ' estimated the effect of the tides. Sir I. COFFIN reprobated it as a job, simile to that of Dun i! fairy. SU JOHN NEWPORT Lid, that with respect to Ilowth he would assert, that there was no job mixed up with that trans action. _ . AIL GOULBURN reminded the Gallant Admiral that the packets much more often made Howth than Dueteary. Sir ISAAC COFFlN—Because they are ordered to go there. — (A laugh.) It was next proposed, that for the completion of the Caledonian Canal a sum of 113,0001. should be granted. Sir N. W. RIDLEY asked for what purposes the money was intended The CHANCELLOR. of the EXCHEQUER replied, for the purpose of sinking the canal to the depth of twenty feet throughout. Sir J. S3l ITH did not object to the grant, but he wished for some assurance that this would be the lam sum required. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCH EQC Eli replied—That the Commiesioners were of opinion that the sum now proposed would be sufficient. Sir J. SMITH—I understand that the Right Hon. Gent. Mir.- self Is *Commissioner. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER—If I am, it is merely a Commissioner ar 40till. I am not acquainted with the circumstances of this canal. Mr. HUME observed, that the Canal had already cost 93,0001. and in all probability its expense will exceed a million. Was there any prospect of its ever paying ? 31e.11ERRI ES hoped there was much a prospect. At present, from its insufficient depth, there could be but little traffic on this canal. Alr. WARD considered it a very useless undertaking. Mr. WILSON moved that the vote should be suspended until an account could be taken of the probable expense of completing this undertaking. Mr. W. SMITH opposed the amendment. The plan as originally adopted was good ; no doubt considerable expenses bad occurred nut contemplated by its projectors, but still it was a most noble undertaking. IIeCIIANCELLOR of the EXCIiEQUER saki that stopping the vote would have the effect of Waiving back the work lot a ' year. The amendment was, at the suggestion of the CHANCELLOR of thT YAW 11E4 V ER, withdrawn. Mt. HUME was exceclingly desirous that the Canal should be disposed of to some cunipany. In ouch an age of speculation, go. vernment would not long want a dedrable offer. The CHANCEIAAM of the EXCHEQUER would assure the Honourable Member for Atlerdeen, that he would be most willing ; to receives tender from him•on that subject (a laugh.) The sum of 30,01.101. was then proposal for building and repair. in g Westminster Hall. Mr. HA INKS race to object, not to the amount, but to the . outrages that had lately been perpetrated upon this ancient edifice, and he was exceedingly glad that his Right Honourable Friend (iir C. bong), had exculpated the Board of Taste from any par ticipation in this abominable undertaking. The OUNCE:IA.OR of the EXCHEQUER regretted as muciasasiiontMraltit,kriend these Outrairs upon tote; with whom they originated he could not determine. Ills that visit to the Elan certainly surprised him; the foundations trete already laid, and all he could now promise was, that no such uructure should disgrace the opposite silly. Mr. IVILLIA3IS proposed that this objectionabb structure should he razed, and nut one mone of it left on another. Mr. LENETT trusted Whitehall MO nut speedily to undergo improvement. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said that he was certainly -- n ------------ such r question. He (the Chancellor of the Exchequer) distinctly stated, that any alterations for Which Parliament might allow hint a grant wonld be made under the directions of a Committee. He did not believe there was the ilightestproject of the kind alluded to by the lion. Member. Mr. 'WILMA 3IS ' , mussed that the motion should he postponed I to a future night, when there would be more time to inquire into the subject. llle. BERNAL knew that there was considerable anxiety among the legal Gentlemen, several of whom were in the House, to have the building finished • and if it were to be pulled down, and then built up again, it would cause considerable delay and inconvenience to them and to the public business. Mr. W thought that the subject hail nothing to do with the Courts of Law ; they were in a totally different part of the building ; and it was not his wish that they should be touched. But in his of • 'on it was better that the public should suffer a tem porary inconvenience than that a building disgraceful to the country should be suffered to remain for posterity to wonder at. The SOLICITOR-GENERAL said, that his approbation of the building was not very great, but the question was, whether or not we should delay the public business of the country by taking it down to build a better one. 3lr. BARING made some remarks, which were almost inaudible in the gallery ; we understood him to ask some questions relative to the plan of the new post-office. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said lie be lieved he could answersatisfactorily on this subject (respecting the Post-otlice.) It had been agreed on by the Committee that designs should be given in for the purpose of choosing one from the number; yet of all those which were laid before them, not one would exactly dn, because so few were acquainted with all the departments necessary for the object. The Committee then di rected their own architect to send one in, and transmitted it to the Treasury. lie (the Chancellor of the Exchequer) did not think it exactly the thing required, and conceived that it would not an s•rer. The one then given in by 111 r. sniirke was chosen. It ap peared to be a design which united to utility sufficient grandeur and ornament, without being festooned or any thing of that kind. (hi the outside were porticos, and the windows were very large. In short it was such a desq,m as appeared; to him to unite taste and use, with as much ornament as was allowable, front (what should ' be always recollected) the nature of the place in which it was to be built. . . Mr. WILLIAMS misted that. at least, some alteration would he made in the building; for certainly it was required. Agreed to.. (to theresolution being put, that the sum of 40,0001. should be granted to pa j for alterations, and additions to the British Musvam, Mr. BEAUMONT alluded to the magnificent donation whieb had been presented by Sir George Cockburn. It should be known that the collection of paintings so given contained a . great many most admirable specimens. The gift would have been a noble one if it had been bequeathed by Sir George Coilrburn at his death ; but it was much more so, his having given it while living. The Clf 4 NCELLOR a the EXCHEQUER said that no one was more entities than himself to follow the Ron. Member (Mr. Beaumont) in- his compliment to Sir G. Cockburn. He (the Lord Chancellor) had from delicacy refrained front mentioning the cir cumstance on a former night. He was convinced there was not a man in the kingdom who did not agree with him in praising the spirited individual, who, during his lifetime, had presented, the country with so magnificent a gift. Sir T. BARING thought that a better place should be pro. vided for receiving the pictures presented by Sir G. Cockburn than the British Maseum. Ile thought Somerset House would be: much more eligible, The CIiANCELIAIR of the EXCHEQUER obserbed, that if such were the case, all the other collections must accompany them. When he recollected the intimate connection there was between the sister arts—painting and sculpture.—he thought it more than desirable that they should be together. It was his opinion that Somerset-house would not be found to answer, because of its situa tion, which was near the water, and might be destructive to the pictures ; it would not be well to rut even the risk of It. Then it would be necessary to find other plates for the public offices, be , muse the side facing the water is the only ono which could at all, 'Bawer. Ile would observe, with regard to the dcnation of Sir G. , Cockburn, that it was given specifically to the British M seam, and it must. therefore; remain there. Sir T. BARING supposed thee the pictures of Sir G. Cock burn were not gi /en to the British Museum, but to the coun try; and he was sure that these could not he any objection on the part of the giver to have them placed in a better house. He (Sir T. Raring) would suggest Whitehall. Considering the in. crease and improvement in the art of painting in this country, ' every advantage should be provided for its encouragement. Sir C. LONG thought that Somerset House woad be a very unfit place, because of its exposure to 'the smoke of the gas . ; which, he could state from good authority, was extremely prejuth.- Mel to paintings. Mr. W. SMITH thought that Somerset-house was the last place which should enter into people's heeds, because it was not limp enough to contain much, and was divided into so many dif ferent apartments. lie thought the beat plan would be to finish the eastern wing of this building, and place the pictures there. It had been nearly thirty years unfinished, and to persons going down the river, it presented a wretched appearance; there was so much beauty to be aeon on one side, and so much deformity on the other. It was his most earnest wish that this should be done. Mr. CHOKER observed, that every one in the House must be aware that the most famous collection of paintings which had ever been in England had been kept in Whitehall, which was very near the water. lie was quite sure •that means might be used to pre serve the pictures from damp. In the finishing of the eastern wing attention might be paid to the Royal Academy, which was at present very much confined for room • obliged to place their paint ings up three floors, and inconvenien c ed in every way. There was also much injustice complained of in the arrangement of the plc. tures. The artistsfrequently complained that good places were un fairly given to some and bad to others. He trusted that some atten tion would be paid to this, and that • the rooms at present occupied for this exhibition of the Royal Academy might be given to them for a Library.—Agreed to. 41,0001. for the Ilarbour of George IV., at Kingston.— Agreed to. 14.4671. for the harbour at Donagliadee--Agreed to. 26,0001. for the Penitentiary at Millbank. Mr, GORDON wiabed to know why this sum was applied for to a greater extent than last year. Mr. PEEL said, that it was in consequence of the removal of several of the inmates from the Penitentiary, and that It was an Act, on the necessity of which•there could, be but one opinion. Common humanity dictated it for the preservation of the health of those who had been confined there. Prisoners were not sent to the Penitentiary without the strictest Inquiry having been first made. He (Mr. reel) intended moving for ,a Committee on this subject, but he would withhold it because he saw the Honourable Mensber iorShrewsbury, who had promised to move on the same subject, was not in hia,place. Mr. GORI)ON trusted that this vete would be postponed, become no arrangemeet had been made respecting the Pent tenthly. Mt. PEEL observed, that It was true, but that provision must be made teethe prisoners. It was not for the Penitentiary but fur its inmates that the Howie was called upon to vote. - Mr. HU3IE said, that last year the vote we.: only for 10.0001. ; that now they were called upon to grant a considerable sup more. He knew no reason for this. Sir M. W. RMLEY wished to know from the Home Seczetary Ulm bad any. objection to lay before the HOW the proceedings of cite Committee which had been appointed to inquire into the state of health of the inmates of the Penitentiary. It had been stated , that the diseases were of long standing in the Penitentiary, but no report had ever been laid before the House. He was sure that when it was, the House would think the Penitentiary would better, be applied to some other purpose than the one et first intended. He did not, however, wish to press the matter. Mr. PEEL—Of course auch a document will be laid before the Conimittee, when appointed.—Agreed to. The following resolutions were then agreed to :- 25,60111. to make up the deficiency of the Fee Fund of his Ma jesty's Treasury. 11,0051. for the deficiency in the department of the Home Se- cretary. 20,4381. for the deficiency in the department of the Foreign Sc- cretary. 14,5001. for the deficiency in the department of the Colonial Se- cretary. 13,4221. for the deficiency in the Fee Fund of the Privy 08,0001. for the contingent expenses and messengerss' bill in the Treasury department. 9,7371. for the contingent expenses and messengers' bills in the Secretary of State's department. 38,43114. for the contingent expenses and messengers' las in the Foreign Secretary's office. 7,341111. for the contingent expenses and messengers' bills in the Colonial Secretary's Office. 2,91141. for the contingent expenses and messenger; bills in the department of the Privy Council. 3,11631. for salaries to officers in the Exchequer. 8.11461. to clerks in the Insolvent Debtors' Court. 11,91;61, to defray the expenses of the Houses of Lords and Commons. 21,6191. to the officers of the Ilouses 61 . Lords and Commons. 4,1011 for the office of the Lord Chamberlain, and his Majes ty's Household. 6,0001. to the of the Leith Revenue. Pahl Into the Exchequer, in the years ended the 3th January, 1823, and Sth January, 1824, 3,0 AL for the Vaccine Establishment. 4,8721. for the salaries at the Alien Office. 4,0721. for the Superannuation list and Retired Allowances. for Corsican sod Dutch emigrants, St. Domingo suf ferers, and French led ethers having special claims. Colonel DAVIES wondered how the Horse, year after year, could let this vote pass without inquiry into it. 1f the French sufferers had sacrificed to the Booth ms, set the Bourbons reward than. So long es• that family were exiles, they could not offer assistance to these persons ; hut now they were in a situation to reward them without the assistance of this country, lie should move that the vote be Xed..red to 10,70:3. The CIIANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said, that the emigrants were now stippOrted bl the French Government ; but die people mentioned in tins vote d . 'eyed from those who were support ed by the French Government. They had rendered essential ser vice to the British Obiernment in the conduct of the war, and there fore had a claim upon It. ' Col. D.l VIES observed, that this country had shed its blood and expended its treasure in re-instating the House. of Bourbon, and therefore it was bound to take care of those who assisted this Govern ment in that contest. Many of the persons who now received pen sions from this . ..lovernment were serving under the French Govern. ment. . The ('HANCELL)R of the EXCHEQUER mural the gal. lent Officer that no officer serving under thd French Government menived any part of this grant the applicants for which were obliged to prove that they received no other pension, had no mesas of support, and no employment. Cu!. DAVIES said, there were officers serving in the French guards who were receiving pensions fr o m this country. 11r..1RM'THNI)T stated. that the list was under considers- don; but he would assure the Honourable 11limber that the indi viduals who enjoyed the grant had done good service to this country. Mr. HUME thought if there was money to spare, it could be applied better than 1•y giving it to these foreigners. Sir F. LIMIHANNES' wished the House would consider the widows and orphans of British sailors, rather than the claims of these foreigners. The House ought to look at home before it squandered the money of the public on these aliens. The House then divided on Colonel Davis's motion, when there appeared—For the motion, 21—Against it, 49—Majority against the diminution of the grant, 28. 3,8631. to defray the expenses of Criminal Lunatics at the Lu natic Asylum at Bethlem. Mr. 111.731 E wished to know what had been done respecting a lunatic named slackvinruy,and, if to was still detained in custody, by what authority he was so kept? Mr. Secretary PEEL observed that the Hos. fiant. was no doubt swan: that the person in question was one of die inaividuals who had been acquitted by a Jury on the ground of Insanity ; but he was lett at the disposal of the Crown in consequence of the charge made against: him. It was not intended to keep Alackvinroy as a prisoner when he was restored to health, but it was necessary to as certain that fully precious to his liberation. The first report he read of 3lackvinmy being well was on the 25th December last. tin the 25th March 1823, the report was, that he was sane sin= the last report, but subject to every symptom of insanity should excitement take plate. On the 24th June it was. reported that he was sane and would so continue until exposed to excitement. On the 99th September he received the saute re port, and on di , . 25th December he ass reported sane; but he thought it was proper, for the public safety, and for that of the in dividual, that he should remain some time longer in confinement. His crime, to be sure, was not one ;wended with witilence ; it was for forgery, and he should be disposed, as soon as he Mated be could do so consistently with his duty, to recommend thoperstm alluded to to the Crown for liberation. _ . _ 6,311 E for Protestant Din7e - n - tii - ii - 4iinisters and French Refuge* Mr. HUME asked how long this grant was to be continued ? Mr. BERRIES said that it was a yen ancient grant, and bad been most serviceable in various instances. Mr. II i tl E wished to know if the consequences of the Edict of Nantes, in which it had its ori;„in, were to last to all eternity ? 17,0001. for printing Acts of Parliament sent to acting Justices in Great Britain. 7,8331. for printing Acts of Parliament sent to Sheriffs and Perks of the Peace in Great Britain. 4,042 L 12s. 10d. for printing Records. 114 W. for printing Solemnization of Marriage Act. 13.433 L for defraying the deficiency of printing Bills and other Papers in 1823. 3,5001. for printing 750 copies of the 70th vol. of the Journals of the House. . _ 3,5001. for printing 750 copies of the 78th voL of the Journals of , the House. Mr. HUME thought the charge enormous. Mr. HERRIES, in reply, said that the charge for that volume corresponded with the others, and had been carefully audited at the Treasury in the presence of experienced printers ; but he would undertake that every attention should be paid to that charge. Mr. HUME was quite convinced,that if another individual were employed, the charge would be one-half what it now was. 3,1001. for printing the votes of the two Houses of Parlianr.ent. 96,3101. for stationery, printing, and binding, including the ex ' penbmi of the stationery office. • 1,7001. for law charges." 07,5:111. for defraying the expenses of convicts at home. 1,1711. for salaries to professors of Oxford and Cambridge, for reading lectures. 30,001. for foreign and other secret services. 6,000 L for defraying the expense of rosecutions relating to. the . coin of the kingdom. 10,0001. for Making the gold coinage. 100,0010. for toss on the Irish silver tokens. Mr. HUME thought at that late hour (past 12) it would be de-, sizable to_pos th one . the further consideration of these estimates. The*CHAIRMAV tl:en left the Chair, reported progress, and' asked leave to sit 'On 0 Wednesday: The othei Orders of the Der were then disposed cf, and the !louse adjourned at Half-past Twelve. • NOTICES OF MOTIONS THIS DAY. Mr. Hobhoute,—lteaolntiorts t--- u rposed reduction of . regnrings Taxation, and mode of repealing the % % ow Tax. 1 Sir Robert Heroe,—Bill to prevent the necessity of renewal of t official appointments on the demise of the Crown. PARLIAMENTARY PAPERS. WINDOW AND HOUSE TAX. A Return of the Amount of •the Tax on Windows and on :Louses, for the years ending on the sth of January, 1123, and on the 4th of January, 1824 ; distinguishing tho HOLM from dui Window Tax; Year I Year Ended the Mb Jo• Ended the ttth Ja nuary, 1823. I nuary, 1824. on Window Duty . Have Duty - Z. S. .i. 2,387,493 9 4 1,172,999 13 0 i. s. 1,891,211 II 0 1,27/1,1712 4 • a TAXES. An Account of Duty received fur Taxes under t)e Management of the Cornmiisioners of Taxes in England and Scotland, in the Year endtt}Sth January, Int, together with the Charges of Col lection ; diparating one Country from the oth. r. ZNOLAND. I SCOTLAND. TOTAL. of Taxes un der the Ma nagement of the Commis sioners of Taxes • - £ s. 6.1 I a. d. £ 4. a. 429,111 8 4 1 6,b04,589 15 6 ,175,420 6 9; Charges of Collection 301,820 11 6i! i! 31,219 1S 2 I 333,070 6 8} PRICES OF BRITISH Bank Stock 239 404 3 per Cent. Reduced. 944 4 4 3 per Cent. Cons. 931 4 1 34 per Cent. 4 per Cent. 102: 3 24 New 4 per Cents. 107 874 Long Annuities, 23 4 4 3-16 Imperial 3 per Cents. Bank for Account 241 Cons. for Act. 94 94 34 India Stock 280 79 ;TOMS YESTERDAY. India Bonds, 09 73 72 pr. India for Accciunt, South Sea Stock, 104 South Sea Old Annuities South Sea New Annuities Ex. [Us. 1,0001. 39 40 3 7 Pr. piuo, 501)1. 40 41 pr. • Ditto, Small, 41 37 Pr• Indorsed ditto Lottery Tickets, 19L 19a. PRiCES OF FOhIEI(.N Austrian Scrip, 114 12 114 d 1 pr Ditto for Ac. 12 114 124 124 pr.. Ditto paid is full Chilian Bonds, 824 4 24 Ditto for Acct. Colombiatt Bonds., fiBi 8 4 . 74 Do. for Account. 1 4 8 4 74 Danish Bonds, 9414 Ditto Marks Banco, 93 44 Mex. Scrip, 84 983 9 84 11l pr. Do. for Ac. 9.1 41 84 94 9 hir. Neapolitan Bonds, 87 8 Ditto for Account 87 Portuguese Bonds 91 Ditto scrip, 44 4 A pm. Prussian Bonds, 974 84 Ditto for Account Ditto Ponds (11112) 9d4 ! Russian Bonds, 944 4 t 3 ex. div. STOCKS 11 ESTERDAY. Russian for Acct. 944 413} 4 Russian Inscription Exchange m. ruble Ditto Metallic Stock Spanish COML. 24.1 Ditto for Account 24 I/itto 170 at 255 Bonds, Ditto la Bonds 211 D 0.5 perCts.llo:.l) 19} 961 Ditto for Acct. Angie Mex. Mines 6 K. United Ditto 11 pr. Fr. Renter, 101 f. 50c. Do- Script Pi _Pm Ditto for the Acct. 1s A pm. Do. Es. 25f. 50e. 45c. "Tetk Scrip. 3 1 a 3 i 5 I Peruvian baip Tin! Aamr.—k is said, that Major-General Lord Fred. )lentinck, M.P. from the Grenadier Guards, will be ap pointed Colonel of one of the three regiments of foot, that are shortly to be raised.—lt is stated that Major-General Sir James Lyon, K.C.B. and G.C.H. will he appointed Colonel of another of the said Regiments. It is also un derstood that Major-General Conran will be appointed Co lonel of another of the said Regiments. lINCS THEATRE. This Evening, TUESDAY, March 271;11 be performed IL FANATIC° PER LA MUSICA. Principal Peefornans—Madame Catalani, Signor Curioni, nom Caradmi, Signora Besichi, Signora Oraziani, Signor Frau. etathi. and Signor De EteLmi, Between tbe Acts, the Ballet Divertiavernent Petuvien, L'ADORATION AU SOLIEL. To conclude with _ _I.A NINE pu VILLAGE. The Free List Will positi•.ely be suspended on aU occasions of Madame Cata/ani's perforniAree, and no orders admitted. Applications for Doses and Single Soboerivtions for the Sea• son to be made to Mr. Seguin, Opera Office, In, Quadrant, Regeot-etreet. 11 . The Opera will begin on Tuesdays at I,alf:past seven, il4 on Saturdays at seven o'clock prei•ely. NEW THEATRI? ROYAL, DRURY-LANE; RE SPECIAL DESIRE. This Ever's& TUESDAY, March 2. will be nit. MERRY WIVES OF WlNDSOr rign44 . Fenton, Mr. Drahant t Sir John Falstaff, Mr. Doe. ton; Mrs. Fort, Miss Stephens; Mrs. Page, Miss Collin. To conclude with THE CATARACT OF THE GANGES. . To-morrow there will be no Performance. THEATRE ROYAL, COVENT-GARDEN'. This Evening, TUESDAY, March 2 . , wiil be performed MAID MARIAN. Richard the First. 31r. T. P. Cooke; Friar Michael. Mi. C. linable. Lady Matilda Fitzwater. 31isa M. The. • Atter which, THE POACHERS. there win be no Performance. Vie nrittsl3 rtoo. The BRIT I sit Poles commenccd publi.hjeg yeste;Jay mothirA at half-pact five o'clock. LONDON, TUESDAY, Maincit 2, 1824. The great majority of the next Chamber of Deputiee in France, like that of 1815, will in all probability be Royali:t. Beery effort of influence, corruption, and me nace, has been put in action, by the present Ministry, tee secure tire return of such a (71181111va., and Villele and 'his party are likely M be successful. Of one hundred and twelve deputies already returned, 103 are Royalist, and of the returns, nine only as vet contained the names of de tided Liberals, including Generel Foy; who has been re turned for three separate arrondissements. The *ell-know:l bankers who stand so high among the liberal party, Messrs. Lafftte and 1k Lassert, have lost their election; but Cu simir Perrier, Benjamin Cens.ant (so formidable in the trie bane) and Foy, hare been elected, vnel will had the Con stitutional party. The venereble 4.a Fayette has lost his election at Meaux, in despite of Ills high character and hie early service, to the cause of liberty in that country ; but the rejected patriot is about to revisit Ameriat, for whose freedom more than forty years since he fought with Ro chambeau and Kosciusko, in arms; and his reception there will more than compensate his present rejection from the French Chamber. hut the Lieetone as yet ; through event department of France, have leen carried by injestice and corruption. The C'onstieeien'ed of Saturday, shackled at: the pleas of that country is, yet conteine several striking instances of the unwor thy meens resorted to against the Liberal candidates. tight electors of Limoges have.eigued a document inserted in that paper, complaining thit they, without any just cause, were : s truck off the list of electors of the twelfth arrondissement, arid prevented from voting, thottedt their names remained ieseribml up td the ealth of February, the day on which the roll was pub lished. The rejected electors of Limogea protest we I;ia the arbitrary proceeding by which they were pre. from voting. They state that in all cases every ranch; man who proves his having paid three !lunched fraoce direct taxes, that be is thirty years of rge, end in the eta joyment of all civil rights, and rc,iding .thp menti has a right 'to incribe his mune on the roll of electors. They assert that they were thus qualified, and their names notwithstanding were arbitrarily erased from the electoral list. This is only one flagrant instance, out of the nutiiyl of the same sort, that have marked the iresent election through France. The Corittitritionizei &intuit* thA ape of another flagrant abuse of the sair,e sort, in the peepo4 , of U. Bompierre, a wine merchant, in the "Rue Breton ' Villiers," and whose trade hi the place he serried ie suppressed by the arbitrary interference of a Government agent, under the most unauthorised protenees, Ikety e. be was about to give his vote for a Liberal Deputy. • There i 4 in end to every :ling like the Charter and juatiee' it France. It is ridiculous to tali: of the idle nameof i Con- etitutional Monarchy, if acts of gross and arbitrary Nut lice such as this can be exercised without redress. At Meaux, for the department. of Seine and Marne, the Mar . quis La Fayette - lost his election by only twenty-three votes ; he had 161 in his favour, and M. Pinteville Cernon, President of the College, opposed to tun 184. General Foy wasehosen for St. Quentin alsoeby the Electorsl Col lege of Vervins, and in the four sections of 'Paris:flit:rob tained 813 'votes, while the Royalist candidate ) Lebrun ) opposed to him, had but 706. The General of comnse wilt take his sett area Deputy for Paris, and new. electione will take place for St. Quentin and Veiling, where Liberal Deputies will probably be elected. M. Lefitte lost e his return by a majority only of six: this enlightened area didate had 698 voices in his favour,. and AL, Sanglpt Baguenet got. Corbiere, the ?dinister. of the Interior, bas been chosen' for the arrondissement of Isle sod Vilaine. According to this cakulation, the exertions of `lik' s . de Villele and his associates are likely to he crowned with success ; and of the eeir Deputies returned from, the de 7 pirtments, the great niejority will probably be Royalist. Thus the proposition for compensation to the emi grants, and all other measures the present .11inistry army wish to carry, will find large majorities to support Ahem . We have heard nothing" as yet of the intrepid Manuel, whose arbitrary and unjust 'expulsion created during the last Session so strong a ferment through France. Will La Vendee elect this dauntless Deputy again? And it elected, will the French Ministry (a second time) hazard his expulsion? (Ad Louis, the best of his family, is now sinking fast to his grave; buf the succession of his brother, of nephew, is likely at present to be undisturbed. The fact is, a vast majority in France support the present order of things, merely from a love of tranquillity. The nation in general if sick of foreign wars: trade and manu factures are both growing ender peace. The Bourbons are thought to be pacific, and it forms their best bold, in the support of the French nation, to whom the preservation of peace is just as essential as to , this country. The languor that has hung as yet around the 'pr. sent Session was lass night completely dispelled in the Lower House. Mr. Abercromby, early in the evening, brought most important charge, involving even a breach of privi lege against no less a personage dim the Lord Chancellor, for language said to have been used by that high person age in Linooln's Inn flail, on last Saturday, when, firm the Chancery Bench, he was reported to have charged tl.e Honourable Member for Calne with direct falsehood. A Most animated discussion succeeded for several hours, at the close of which Mr. Abereromby's motion fur calling the short-band writer, Mr. Farquharson, who reported whet the Chancellor said, before the House, was ne gatived on a division, but not by a very large majo rity. Ministers, of course, threw the broad shield of protection round their colleague, as fully as pois:.ble, and Mr. Abercromby lost his motion, not by argti ment but by numbers. There can be no question, if . the Chancellor made use of the language imputed to him on Saturday, that it was every tiny most itujustifiable. All freedom of debate must cease if allusions of this sort can be made, and with impunity. If the Chanerllei wished to refute or deny any of the charges made against him during the Ice debate in the Lower House, he bad other means and opportunities of thing so.' The subject might have been introduced by any of his friends in the House of Lords; and Lord Eldon could then quit die woolsack, to offer any Explanation of his judicial conduct he pleased. But the judgment seat of the high Omit where he presides was the last place from whence coarre aspersions of this description should have issued. The . hasty ebullitiona of temper should there at least be restrainad. A lengthened possession of almost un -1 controlled power, political and legal, for more than I twenty years, set ma to have persuaded Lord Eldon . that he may now say or do almost any thing he thinks tit: .1 lint high as his elevation is, there is a power yet above ' him, to which even lie must bend; he cannot grossly wound A 1; f 1. d I / I~ +;