The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser. — London, England, 1819-03-03 00:00:00

o n a pulienlar Part of the comnitinity, the produce of whirl' wa s applied to the benefit of the country, grmerally? So 1. GRAHAM said, it woo. nut intended to lay this burs den on cool* sold at the pit's mouth. The object was, to relieve coals carried ettilahriPt from the existing duty, hot set to impute it on coals at the pit's mouth. lie never v idil support such a measure. tic LITTLF.TON wished to know if Gentlemen did not ' Ara to impose the duty on coals at the pies month, wh b st „„ t he meaning of the term equalisation, which was e fiend in all the Petitions .—(flear, Asnr.)—Wbether they resat to impose • duty nu coals at the pit's 'north or not, he bell red they would not he able to alter the present rya. leis , This he was convioced of, whether he looked to the spirit which was every whets risiint against the alteration. 4 ., in the impracticability of the thing itself. So far back as the year 17P5, Mr. Pitt made a similar plan of equalisation, pot of his Midget. But, in a few darn, he was *Mixed to ,ve it up; for be tumid, that, Ville manofactitrers were ex /mord (rum the tax, as in jualice they ought to he, the Wm 4,6cations would be so numerous as to create treat confusions mat inconvenience, The Hon. Member fur Southwark (Sir R. Itdson) inquired, whether he eloull 1w suitor , to recoils. wend a partial tax? That was a quo whirl, it was ant necessary for him to answer. Oi this he was sure, that as alteration of the nature intended euu!d nut he made in the existing laws, without producing a most mjurtaus revel• sum in trade. He begged also to remind the Himourahle Member for Southwark, that though lii• eimatiturats paid a considerable duty on coal., they derived many advantages CASs litter situation which individuals in the Muggy parts of the kirigiloin did not posersa. Almost all the workers of coals it/ that tool of the country which kr represented were les• sees, and they hail recently experienced considerable hardAiips. Two honest and upright individuals hail been obliged to throw ap their knees, and the [milord. were compelled to keep nn workme the mines at a great expense The P.1.1e. Wit.] also were so extravareutly high in that pert of the *sloops, that the utmost ditficnlty was foetid in their mile, Had it not been for a Noble Peer, whose nun,. fr mo tives of delicsey, he would not alenti tttt , the state of the poor would have been deplorable indeed. That horissite dividual had **milked a great portion of his income, for she purpose of keepiag the pour employed—amt the priori. lat Wl' 1111184 assisted exhibited so instance of r and ( isolator, they could not exhibit, fur it was not within their resell!. which was scarcely to be witnessed iit any other part England. Sir R. Miami conceived it to he a great hortlvhip, that the 11011( of the Borough of Southwark mud Of the City of I.liplou .liquid pay 9.. MI. duty per cliddilown in their coals, •hike the pour iu Qtr country did not pay one farthing. Alderman INSITUASSI A aid, there w.• at present on pro position brfore the House for laying a tax generally on having attended several Mssetiosts in the City of Loudon. assembled fur the purpose of considering the n pi let)! of carrying into effect an egnalisali 11l of the duty on goals, h.• a biked briefly to state his mentiencitis on the sub ject At none of those Meetings did be perceive a wish or feeling to heap slit burden, in the shape of a tax, on their fellow subjects in the• eiiutrs. Those who met in consult us the subject wished to be relieved from this ditty altoge ther He was ,tot himself af, lend to taxation, soul he felt ..• _ its meaner. pretty severely ; but lie had no desire, in getting ' of it, th..t other persons should hear the burden for him. TI to protect themselves float a very serious Vire. late. 'lli* Citizen'. of London paid 94 10th. per elhaldron nn tea's-orrahlud to which was the expense uf freightage, Ore profit t . the merchant, and other ineid. nial charges, all whicti ulti rn]tely fell on the poor coorom. r, ae well as on the ri ch tint; th refire.. it was that the City o•f London prayed for an sitetation. Now, if the tax were tort wholly given up, it was hut fair that it 'Mould be egoallzed. It was not fair for Gentlemen who procured coals, without any duty what. rv.r, and manufacturers who had iron, lime. and rust, ready to their hands, to complain that they would be griev. ..usly oppressed if ass equalization took Mare. The mem.- factureip in London were obliged to war rap 'mail's, a va riety of heavy t allegros. not one of which affected the ma souracturer or the country. The fact was, that i■ London the poor could not hey coals fur their necessary eua ►umptiuu. Sirbscrii.timis were entered iatir every win ter, ciao, iir purchase costs In be given away to the pour gratis, or to let them have that necessary of life at a very cheap rate. The mansfarturera in the reentry should 'cruller", when they uppoied an alteration in the dots on foals, that the Citieens of Loudon, who mitTered so much front the esisting tax, were very eatestrive customers for their commodities. Wunkl those individuals who owned coal-mines, and who had a .ply of the coal trade, feel xrll pleas. .I if the City of Lonrho, were allowed to proem, coals elsewhere? He had bre told that there were coals in the soil of Blackirealli—( Hear, and o iawsk)—and in Va -1 parts of Sussex. It mattered nut whether the state ment were true or nut; lint, be would ask, whether the coal would he pleased, if their mistioners i.nil t erouri,l to • re Overarch vet tram sources gleam, twins ? Ou nue soyall stream, Ilse W'moolle, in the viciuity of London, there vs .• a Koestler ruttr in of manufactures tamed on, than on ant rolo r titer of the same sisc in his Majesty's dnnnuions. 'I he pro perty employed in that district was considerably lessened in • iu consequence of the duty on coals—and, he !obeyed, precisely the Came iihikertiatioll would apply to all the Mat casein, its in and near !minion. Now he could Pee 110 R 1 teasels fur protecting the country matinfacturer, at the same time that nor molt emouragi sneut was caw/WWI.) lout who carried on business In town. Colonel WOOD hoped that the a:itators Of this question make up their minds with rc.peet to what they eCally w antra, tofore they came to Pa. lisincirt. If he 'chits , wi th cabin.' the H able Alderman, who hail just sat 4.'11, the elf 17...1,11 of 'mod,u wished for a total repeal ul' the W.I. If this w. re the ease, those who opposed the alteration, toed cot troohle themselves further shoot the mother, the Ho nourable Alderman and the Chancellor of the Exchequer could *Mlle it between them—(Hear, hear.)—lf, however, the Honourable Alderman dish nut succeed iu his object, he hoped lw would not attempt to throw the burden from his owls ithustlilele, suit plat.: it mi the barks of others.—l Hear, hear )—Miesi the gutsiest' came to he debated. it would be found that the City of lanithor had not a shadow of horn hoe the coropla arts that were 'mole. The Citizens of Loto:oi. 1.a.1 the advantage or the cheapness of manage t mood Wi'lt not affecteil by those inifavoureble cirenuto swots which operalt d in the troisitry. The duty on sea horny cost was equal throughout the kingdom. It sea., he heliesed, 63. per chaldi On . 'Fiore Oldham's hail been laid on to the toot of London, to form a fond fur the building of titty churches. What, be would ask, had the people of Wales to du with this? Why should they pay a tax on that account?—!Near, hear.)—There was Is. 3d. added for the elephnae . Frevd-2s per clialdron :or toothier charge—and MI. per elialdrues fur the Duke 6.f Richmond's 'ex. But lie till the ('orporatiou of Lonrho', how they could have • ...'s theism There was a large •lone on the river Thanica, liia Staines. Now, if they would remove that stone a Ist ' '.• dom n the river, as far, fur instauce, at Illaekfriar..beigNe, h. amid mistier Mr it that eoals would be sold iu London ct melon'. a rate as they were now procured in the country. Hem►, hear.) Mc toucan said,* treat degree of anxiety prevailed in different parts of the country In bring coals to Loudon at a chimp rot., but an Act of Parliament was immediately 'Pr hed to, which frustrated their intention. If the Como. rums ...moved the stork to which the gallant Ofiker had a , l , ollee, the City of Loudon would have coals nearly duly toe. l '' , l.vrvitt.volt said, the speech of the pliant Officer .1 " 1 ". 1 %%out') was calculated to put the House in such I I ua•..ur, that they wookl perhaps feel little inclosed ,** the question nut, under discassiou in a serious • 1 •' It appeared to hire, however, t•t be a very serious .IMO noted. He conceived, if these was a period when ten. 1•111.011 and cruel to lay any burden ou the population districts, that period was the present. Rqualiza- MI a Cray hue lung word• It had also the appearance I I Hui ass equalisation of tiara would not be re• • .;%. , 1 soh any degree 14 pleasure, at this period of English by the great mass,,( the inhabitants of this country. I• so n Id • e• 11,0 'opinion, be hence, if taxes were to be laid o•a.gufutore,, that a fall proporl inn of Owns should be / WM by the city of Lo •iluis rather than by any other part rosiiiry. Ile did not mean to say that this lax dui ast bear uo the City—hot lie agreed with those who th unliti that it would he better to remove it altogether than to visit the labuttrin; poor with a portion, of of it. He womiel.liewever, ask whetter NUmistcrs mama to make ibis • 'question of theies'•—( Mar, hsar.)— As lons as it was left between the eouurl, snit the City of Landon. rem as was the ialluenee of the City, he felt iso fear for the molt—for, he was sure, they would not he able at this time of day, to impose • tax* on the manufactnres of the country. 13-11, if Ministers had take,' st up, Hole certainly was some zrestentl fur apprebeasitsio. As the Chan cellor of the Exchequer was not in his place, he begged to put lois question to the Hun. Secretary of the Treasury. Mr. lAMIIIINGTON said, that as far as his ksioowledge ex tended, Wonders bad nut the least intention to make say alteration in the ditty on coals.—!ffewe.) Sir C.:Holm/may would not be performing his duty In wards his Constituents, if he did not protest against any al• teration in the Coal Tax. The evil which this eqmslization, as it was called, *mild prodnce, could not be contemplated without &Aura of alarm—(Hear.)—He gave every credit to the Honourable Alderman, to the gallant (Hirer, and those who acted with them, for the p 'city of their inten tions; but he trusted they sever would be stile to induce Ministers totake op • question which would be most juju rooms to the country. for M. W Rtot.►• felt it with a great Coal dusiret in the North, to state to the Holum the opinion which ',lterated there, with reference to this sob. yet. He would not eater into a disrusaism on the merits of the question, but would merely slat• the nature of the coin ntionicall he had received (as we understood,) from TN rw. castle on Tyne) this day. The individuals connected with the trad►. felt, as far as their own Interests were con evened, that the equalization of the coal duty was very int le.rtant ; lint they acre of opinion, that if each a plan were adopted, it world throw nil their neighbours, and ou cite ma satif‘rtairers of all Cogitate], instated near enal-mtnes, a must onzino atoll n o wt oppressive harden. He had received notice, that,in the course of a few days, a Petition from the great hotly of the Coal Trade on the river Tyue, against such a rneasnre, would he transmittal to hint. He had heen attacked by a public writer, ii i this City, on account of his conduct at a tweeting held on Ibis subject. That writer assert►d, that lie had refused to lay the tax on the coal at the pit's-month, because he was the proprietor of a glass-house in the North. This was a matter of very little import:owe to the House; but having been unjustly attacked, he deemed it necessary to repel the art ii.nlloll. The fact war, he had a small frac_ . al share ill a elms-house, so trifling, that if the tax art re laid on at the pit's month, it would make scarcely any dif ference to him. He was hostile to the plan, ant from any private forting, but because his public duty dictated to hint the impropriety of sanctioning a measure which he believed would have very injurious effects. Mr. Cravrvis said, that, (wen in the coal counties, at a distance of twenty-live miles from die pit's.mosith, the con some/ p. 4141 as much fur his coals as the inhabitant of Lon don. If this equaliza ' took place, it would act as a most unjust and heavy impost Mr. CANNING took Site liberty of suggestinz to the House, whether the revival of this discussion, en every Petition that was presented, by which the regular course of business was intermitted, could he considered the best mode of bringing the questi"a to a rational conclusion ? Was it not more likely to dolost the (louse. and prevent them from enter taining the subject cordially, when it came before them in ■ regular stripe ? As there ass no olejecti to laying the Petition sun the table, be trusted the discussion would end here. Mr. RetC4FTT wished to correct a very idle and ninon, idea which was entertained in the City of London, namely, that coals were to he found in the neighbourhood of Illack lb/alit-4 /byre, kerse)--aitil that a monopoly was granted to the cue-owners in the North, which was still inure absurd if ' possible. Snell stories put him in mind of an unfortunate Gentleman, who imagined be had di►covered a coal-mine, near Oxford, and who, in consequence, formed a rail-way, stud almost excavated a canal—but after an immense ex pense, he was (Joked to give up the speculation, as a mere chierwra. After a few word* front Mr. L. Wett.vst,ty, Colonel ELLISON, and a Gentleman abuse name we could not Irian, against the eqnalizatian— Mr. LITTLVTOIf obearverl,that the way by which his Right Hon. Friend (Mr. Canning) could tone effectually put an end to this question, was, by exertiog his tallaence with the Chincellor of the Exchequer, and getting him to come down to the House with an open sad manly declaration, that Government had not only 1140 intentions of resorting to such a measure--hat were so deeply impressed with the evils it would create, that they would oppose any attempt at an , qualivition of the coal tax.—(Hen, /mord The Petition was then laid on the table. Mr. Lasuretre 'rammed a Petition from certain Inhabit nts of Durham, against the equalization of the tax on Coale. —Laid on the table. IRISH GRAND JURY LAW. lore JOc►LYV presentee N Petitinu from the County of Louth, against the Irish Grand July Lars.—Lid oa the table. WINDOW TAi. _ Mr. SIIAW gave notice, as we understood, that he would, to-marrow, more for a copy of any Memorial presented to the high liovcsomrat on the subject of the Vrusituir Tax. BANK COMMITTEE. Mr. AI.FSA7II3I:II liAotsm •nd Mr. J. SMITIt °hulloed leave to attend the ironomitire mppuiNrd by the House or Lids to Inquire into the again or the Batik INSOLVENT DEBTORS.' ACT. Aldermen THORP presented a Petition, signed be 150 respterable inhabitants of the Vard of Aldgatr, against the Itto.lv•itt Dehtueb' Act.—Laid on the table. Alderman 1 . 11 / 1 1TIIMala pre/Wilted • Petition, of the same detcripition, (mum the merchant,, manafaciure rs, and shop. keepers of the horn of Wrexham, Denbighshire. The Pe. titi 111 l ers, he observed, would not oppose any measure cairn laird ut relieve the unfortunate creditur--but they could not view, without apprebenaion, the provisions of the ex. 1111 biting Insolvent Act, which cn.,bled oue man to deride ou claims to a vast amount, without the intervention of that great bulwark of our liberties, the Trial by Jury. The Peti tion had been placed in hes hands not out of any disrespect to the Hon.Geollenease who represented Ike county, nue from any unpleasant feeling towards individuals who represeolled place+, in its vivinitv—of those Gentlemen the Petitioners en. tee tattled the highest opinion, as they slated in their letters. They had Molested it to biro from motives highly gratifying to his feelings. It was, in fact, a personal compliment paid to him from flee place of his nativity. He M;111 glad to find townamen had not lost sight of those rigida awl Privi leges Cif burl. their ancestors had so gloriously seem:gird. The Petutiou was laid On the table, rod ordered to be pi tided. R CVIsIION OF TII E CRIMINAL CODE. i. 0141 EUSTON presented ie Petition, argued by 204 moat respectable inhabilants of the town of Rory St. Edmunds, praying fur a revision of the Criminal Cook. A similar Petition was presented Gum the inhabitants of Chipping Norton. Lord J. RUSSELL presented a Petition of the same mature from the limough of Tavistock. Mr. ILGuanaT presented a Petition from euerral respect able inhabitants of the City of Norwich, praying for a re. vision of the Penal Code, as far as it respected the punish ment of forgery. Sir W. Great presented a Petition praying for a revision of the Penal Code, generally, front Gloucester. Mr. F. BUXTON presented two Petitions on the same sub ject--the one from Chippiug-Camden, the other from Bishop Stort ford. Sir J. NEWPORT presented two Petitions—out from the inhabitants of the town and neighbonrhoorl of Clonmel, the °Ober from the inhabitants of the towel of Cahir, praying fur a revisinu of the Crinkinal Code. Mr. WI C• 411111 presented two Petitions, osse from the in habitants of Bucking and Braintree, the other from the in habitants of Chelmsford. hut% of them numerously and re. apretahly signed, praying that the severity of the Criminal Coop, with respect to the punishment of death, might be mitigated. Mr. LACETONI presented a similar Petition from the ia. habitants of Durham. These Menem* were respectively laid on the table. 1.1 M ERICK ELLCIION. Sir T. RARING bronght op the evidence on the Linterie k Election Pt lotion 1.11 the table. AGRICULTDRA I. PETITION. Mr. L. Wv.Lt,La% Kraceited a Petition from certain oar r$ MI Off .pic.r I,f land, in die Comity of Milli, prrt• jig fur protecting donee on the impocialiou of 'Hoick% mi• %liar. those raised from the soil of the United Kingdom AV Laid the table . WINDSOR ESTABLISHMENT. Sir A. Holt[ in q uired when it was intended that the Bill, relative to the Royal Establishment at %Vindxur, rhuold gib ihrfilllth a Committee! Lord ratinnitanOß anawereill that it would be read a second tone no Thursday, and committed on Mundby next. Sir A. Hoer thee gave notice, that he would move in the Committer, on Monday, that Pill Equerries be attached to his Majesty's Establishment, instead of four. DEFAULTERS. The names of the Defaulters on the ballot, on the 19th of February, were called over, and excuses made fur several of them. •••••••• LOTTERIE9. Mr. I.IfTTFLTON cave notice, that ht *wild, on Wearies. day, the 24th Instant, oubant certain resulutious to the Houle on the suhket of Lutterica. BANK DISCOUNTS. • • Mr. GLADSTONU said, that, either in conse quence of reports circulated, with respect to the opinion of the Committee appointed to investigate the ieffairs of the Batik, or from other causer, ori ginating elsewhere, it was rumoured, that the Rink had considerably narrowed the scale of their •rlts counts. This report had excited very great altirm, particularly iii that part of the country (Liverpool) with which he was immediately connected. At a period I ke the present, when the pressure oil all classes of the community was so great, a sudden stoppage of the customary accomusinlation would be attended with the worst effect. He considered it necessary to inquire of the Honourable Member (4r. Manning) whether those reports rested on ally substantigl foundation ? Mr. MANNING—" I have no hesitation in answer ing the questuni put to one by the Hun. Member. lie inquires, whether the Bank have, in constr. qss- lice Of any particular circumstances, lessened their discounts to the country? Ido not hesitate to answer that no change has taken place in their discounts, in consequence of the appointment tit• the Committee. 11l the course of the last right or ten days, since this alarm was excited, ao tar from any diminution having taken place in their mercan tile discounts, there has heen an increase of those discounts, to about the extent of eight per cent. — ( Hear, hear.)—There is not the ►lightest intention, as far as my knowledge goes, of any act about to he done by the Bank, that can have the effect of starving the circulation of the country. They will wait for the Report of the Committee, and it will then be their duty to bow to the direction of the Legislature.— (Near, hear. )—But 1 repeat, there is not the slightest intention, on the part of the Bank, to adopt the course to which the Honourable Member alludes. 1 understand an order was made by the House, last night, for a re turn of the number of Bank notes in circulatioin That order had not been received at the Batik, whets I left it at two o'clock. But I can state the amount of notes in circulation is now about 25,000,000 L—being 00,000/. more than it was, in the corresponding period of December, when the last return was made to the House."—(Hear.) CATHOLIC QUESTION. Sir J. NEWPORT said, he bad to call the parti• color attention of the House to the Petition which he now held in his band. During a period of 16 years, he had never received a commission to ley a document before the House more oulisfoctory than that which he was this day about to introduce to their notice. He was empowered, on the part of the great body of Protestant inhabitants of the city which lie had the honour to represent, to state their ardent wish. that die penal restrictions and disabilities which affected the interests of their Roman Catholic brethren, should be wholly re moved. The meeting, at which this Petition was agreed to, was called on the requisition of fifty of the principal Protestant inhabitants of the city, and was attended by between two and 300 l'inttstant Gentlemen. At this meeting the ex pression of feeling was unanimous—it was nut dis turbed by one disseutient voice—and lie had further to say, that the Petition received the signatures affixed to it, without the solicitation of any indivi deal whatsoever.—( Hear, hear.)—lt was the free and spontaneous prayer of the Protestants of Waterford, that iliosu laws, which, in turbulent and dangerous un►es. were imposed on the Roman Catholics, should be removed, as the necessity fur them no longer existed. It was not ills intention to enter into the causes in which those laws originated—but lie would say, in the emphatic language of the Petitioners, " that, look ing impartially at the baneful consequences of the penal laws which at present affect his Majesty's objects, professing the Catholic religion, which are iitimical to the georral interests of the moire, and opposed to the liessee and Isarinduy of social iruciely, it behoved the (louse to take them into cousideratiou, anti immediately to remove dis abilities so degrading aril oppressive."—( Hear, hear.)—There were the sentiment■ of the great body of the Protestants of Waterford—mitt, if they felt that those laws were "degrading and op pressive," what must be the sensations of the Ra man Catholic% against whose welfare they ope rated ?—(ileur, hear.)—lle presented this Petition with heartfelt pleasure, since it proved that feel ings of kindness and conciliation were taking place of those of u less ennoble (ttainder. He looked upon it as an earnest of what might he expected from the growth of those liberal opinions, which, when properly cultivated, must produce the most pleas ing and beneficial effect. Air. R. S. Csits.w (we understood) bore testi mony to the spositsiteous mumwr in which the sig natures were suffixed to the Petition. Public opt ition on this subject had undergone a considerable change in 'rebind. Many individuals who formerly opposed the Catholic Claims, stow agreed w the propriety of supporting them. The Petition was then read and laid on the table. MR. GRADY. Sir lt. WILSON moved the Order of the Day for bringing Mr. Thomas Grady to the bar, in or der to his being discharged oust of custody. Mr. Grady accordingly appeared at the bar, in the custody of the Serjeant-at-Arniv, when The SPEAKER addresser! him as follows Tho mas Grady, you have been guilty of * writing and snubs% a letter, the contents of which are a high breach of the privileges of tilts House. For that offence you were committed to his Majesty's •gaol of Newgate. Your Printout, praying for relief, from further confinement, has been received—and the term.; in which that NO iud is coloveita tie deep regret you express for having offended this Howe, and the. poletuu assurance you give, that it wise farthest horns tour iotention to tree- P 44 s on ita privileees, o.elirve me from 01 deity, whirh;r•onsiolerilog the rrook mood station yon hold in society, would have been :1 most painful one, that of enlarging ono t loe nature:lnd character of your offence. I will cooly adol, that this /louse, at sill times deter mined to viii.fic.ite it, own honour and privileges, ors the hoo‘t senorita for prootectitog the rights and iortvoleges of his Mjesty's subjects. is most anxious on all occasion% to sueasoire its punishment by the orcrasity of the case. That isecesaity is, in this ilostance,'satisfied ; and I eon commanded to tic. (point you, chit you are discharged on the pay ment of your hers."—lllear, hear.) Mr. Grady then withdrew. On the resoiioii of i,nril CAIYILHINAGH, seconded by Mr. TIER:i Wt. " The address of Mr. SPEAILLII. in reprinutioduig Thos. Grady," mai ordered to be entered on the Journal". CONIMITTER ON UP' STATE or PRISONS. Mr. W. WY N N he understood the Noble Lord ill have stated, on the preceding evening, that it would be proper for the Coommitore, for the ap pointment of which he had moved, to divide it-elf into a number of 'Suh•Coinonitters. As he (Mr. Wynn) apprwhrooded that it was totally impossible fur the Committee to do this, without the special leave anordirectolill of the /louse—an authority that had soot hero granted for the last ISO years— he wished to know whether the Noble Lord meant to move the House to grant the Committee such an authority f • Lord CASTLEPEAGH did not mean to call oil the House to make such an order, which lie did tint deem necessary. It was nut possible for twenty one Gentlemen to employ themselves on the same subject, at the same moment, and it was merely intruded that different partieei should attend t" par ticular branches—end the whole mess of informa tion could afterwards be formed into one Report. M. W. WYNN contended, that this pro ceeding was wholly unprecedented. Ix 1640, the (louse granted a power of this kind to a Commit tee, which ii afterwards revoked. Between 1661 and 1667, five nistoinces occurred, where the House delegated the seine degree of power, on special ap plication—but since 1667, no instance was to he f I. He gave notice, as he considered that the proceeding intimated by the Noble Lord would form a mist dangerous precedent—a precedent cal enlisted to extend the authority of Committees to a most inconvenieitt txteut —that he would fix o day for taking the sense of the House on it. He con ceived that the Speaker ought to give his opinion on this important question. The SPEAKER said, he had no doubt, that when any subject of i-quiry was delegated by that House to as Committee, it was delegated, not in parts, but fully and entirely to each individual appointed on that Committee.—(Hear, hear.) AMENDMENT OF THE CRIMINAL LAW. Sir J. MACKINTOSH said, lie rose, pursuant to notice, to bring under the consideration of the Weise. a motion 66 for the appointment of a Select Committee, to inquire into, consider, and report to the House their opinion, on so much of the Criminal Law as related to capital punish ments in cases of felony." In wording his motion. he begged to slate that he followed a resolution, which was entered nn the Journals of the House, in the year 1770, at which time an authority similar to that which he had in view, was intrusted to a Committee of that House. if he understood the observations of the Noble Lord, on the preceding evening, lie admitted that a state of things existed, which called for Par lt,mentary inquiry—that the state of crime was such as demanded inve s tigation its some way or other—and that the hest mode of effecting that in vestigation was by a Select Committee. So far they were agreed. He understood the Noble Lord also distinctly to hive stated, that the inquiry ought to be as extensive as possible—as extensive as that which he (Sir James) meant to propose. The only question, then, was, whether the Committee moved for by the Noble Lord, or that to he proposed by him, would be the most convenient instrument for conductiog this investigation ? He was completely relieved, by the concessions of the Noble Lord, from proving that a case calling for emptily existed—that a Committee was the most conve nient mode of proceeding—or that the investigation ought to lie as extrusive as possible. To the No ble Lord's mode of inquiry, there were two material objections ; tire, that it was physically impossible to carry his views into effect, in any reasonable time, a fact winch they had heard, on the preceding even ing. f the highest authority in the House— and next, that his plan for subdividing the Com nottee, was a gross violation of the rules of Par liament. What he (Sir J. Mackintosh) proposed was in unison with the established usage of Parlia ment—shut the House should itself form the Com mittee, that a particular subject should be referred to it, amid that it should not possess the uncoiled tutional power of subdividing itself at pleasure. But lie might take anothe'r objection to the Noble Lord's proceeding. which was this, that his motion went to exclude capital punish ments from the consideration of the Committee. The motion was for the eppointment of a Com mittee, to consider the state of gaols, and the reformation as well as punishment of offenders. Now it was perfectly clear that of those whose re formation was contemplated. individuals, who were sentenced to capital p ttttt shments, could not form a part. It would be molistrous, he conceived, when the state of plisomms was specifically mentioned in the motion, is the consideration of the Criminal Code was to skulk into the Committee under an equivocal expression. Ills motion, he would couteild, dill nut impugn the administration of the law, or the conduct of Magistrates, more than that of the Noble Lord. He pursued the course follo.ved it' limner Parliaments, and ad hered iii what, on like ocensions„ they had adopted. In 1730 the fir.t C•minntittee of mills kind was ap pointed. in ciiiistiummee of the sterna excited by the great increase us m•I me. It was appointed to cuts eider the state of tier law with resin-et to felonies. and it was directed to po;nt out the defects the system, and to state what laws might be advantage ously rensaled. Vs maid the Noble Lord say that the resolot 1111 l of the 41.mse of Commune. in 175 4 4 **'* rash attack out ihe laws, and on those •len adminis tered them ? Was that inquiry intrusted to turn of up mote, or did it osigiuite with persons of mit- Limon habits? He would state by wr, m i t w o conducted. for two Sessions. Aroorigst it. ii,f em . hers were Mr. Pelham, then Chancellor of the E x _ chrquer ; Mr. Putt, afterwards Lord Chatham ; Gr. ovate, our of the Lords of the Treasury; Mr. Lyttlelon, and Mr. Charles Townshend, 'ward* Chancellor of the Exchequer ; Mr. Lloyd, an emi nent I.wyer ; and Mr. Dudley nyder. Attorney, General, sod afterwards Chief .lushes of Et.glentf. These great statesmen could not surely hr hacked on as speculators. They clime to revere' rteolsi 11011a, amongst which was one petiole; out the expe diency of exchangints the punishment of death tor other convenient and"aderhste puisishmeitts. They were also the first to state the great evil of the PoreN Laws, and to lay down that just principle, thitt sw eetly and crime advanced its this country In 1.11110 lines, and with equal steps. They also sere.-.I ro a ' resolution, that the growth of crimes alight, in a great degree, he ascribed to the want of the menus of education amongst the children of the poor. Thee originated two Bills--one of them tdilo;atety pa*.e , l —but the second, for restraining cart!al PhittOt merits, was lost in the House of Peels, eth;eisi., it was not opposed by Lord Harrlssirke, iir *Hy or the great sages of the law. In 1770, another Committee, similar to that which lie was About to move for, was appointed. Amongst its Mem bers were Sir George &vile. Mr. Fox, and Mr. Seijeant Glynn. Recorder of Loudon. -- Though that Committee took up but a oiogre branch of the subject, they were Occupied fur more than two years in the investigation. They producei a Bill, repealing the capital parts of eight or ten criminal statutes. It passed this House, ermine contradicen!e, but was defeated in the House of Peers, although neither Lord Camden nor Lord Mansfield opposed it. It was thrown out by other., whom names, if mentioned, would now br little kiio‘%n. These were precedents worthy the adoption of the House, instead of fraying recouiee to a pro ceeding, in manifest violation of the role* of Par. liament. The course pursued by the Noble Lord wits essentially defective in this paint, ilist, though he had ended that a case for inquiry existed, he did not intimate what pint he meow to propose is older to tweet the evil—he did nut inform the House what parts of the law requited the investigatiou of a Committee. Neither had the Noble Lord declar ed, whether there was any likelihood that u remedy could he devised for that state or things ale( II he had called " The golden age of vice. ' Hear, hear, and laughter. —lie (Sir Jones) aottild du, what it was the bountlen duty of the Noble Lord to hare done. lie weulil prove, that there were points connected with the Criminal Law, the reform of which, it night red-totality be hoped, would produce great moral benefit.— As inferences and conjectures had been made re specting his object, which had never entered Iwo Ins contemplation, he should next beg leove to slate what his object was not. It was not 111, object to propose a mica Criminal Code, itisoeatl of Oast now established by the laws of England, 4 Cod , so ad mirable in its general principles, and so aril isti,. ! ,• it to the habits of the English people. To supptoe that he meant to raise a new system on the ruins of that, was too ridiculous and extravagant to dcset ve serious confutation—(Hear, hear)-Iwlll.er was it his object to abolish the punishment of death. He considered the legal provision of that extreme penalty to be nothing more than the recogitith extension, and establishment, by society, of that natural right possessed by every individual to de stroy an aggressor, who sims at his own destitic j Lion. He thought it necessary to say so much, les t any one might impute to him intentions the most remote from those he really entertaitieil. Neither was it his object to take away judici.l discretion. He did not propose to remove the prerogative •t' pardoning, but, on the contrary, to restore ilt it highest privilege to the Crown, of which it had been deprived by the practice of modern times -- (I leer)-- What his object was, lie should very bite-fly t xpl It was to realize, as near as might be, those pio jected improvements %Inch had been pointed out at various times by a number of practical land Itarned men—it was to telllelly the extraoriltaiery anomaly in our system of Criminal Law, that it was not all, iu fact, what it was in theory—to betty; the letter . little nearer to the practice—to effect that execution should be applied to the majority, and remission to the minority of conviction-. lit all other systems of law, remission tawns.d the exception, and execution the rule ; lie thouolit then there was reason to complain, when in ontf., remission was the rule, and iitflictioit et' ounislimei the exception. He desired to bring al t !omit sit alteration as would render the execution of the law steady and regular, as would cause men's hop-a and fears to operate steeddy ; hut he was most cats. tious to avoid any chunges, but such wily es the experience of able men had proved to he wise una safe. Though Ins general object had been su:11 as he described; there was a distinct one in his view. which he wished the House seriously to coesider. There was one particular punishment where t' feelings of the people were at variance with I lie 1 tw. That was a circumstance greatly to he kitiewea, because in any country the laws and ferli-gs t; e population could not be long at varionce a potiot material injury to both. ( Hear.)-1 Its u.Jtct was to bring these two together where lb v had long been kept asunder—to eve r t (lie t. tlt. g* of the people on the side of taw—to p reseei h : and excite all men to become its vigilant guardia.te anti strict executors—and to beget that a.:aelittieht to, unit coofidence in, the laws, which to tilt' 1111.... t arduous and trying tones remarkably d.stie guished the people of Etigititid.-- (Hear k— it was not his nocittion to follow the Neblc Lard through the course of his ilfglllllViils, On it 11111tb ion connected with the present, the preo-dii.g .si g ht; but lie should advert to one or two ',mile in it. He agreed with the Nutite Lori, that tt was consola tory to reflect that there bad Incitase of Isle years to crinire of a it• ep and istaliguent dye. and that though titielices agatin.t propetty had (spited, there was no advottce of atroci,ais criuleo. sods as to indicate a decline in the ho ruche (lowa. stool" of the uauuu ; even die former t fleet he was iiiclitied to imitate rather to the iialuesice of wind than a decay of moral principles. He oho agreed with the Noble Lord, that some of the causes 41 the merestae of crime weir temporary ; but even is that, he teased there was a difference of opinion bar tween them. He thought some of those cons:edema i t n he tiwt Noblel l igh t h L t o b i d y t f l o se rm No ed bi t e L he d am or e w e e pi re t: l ioss ot sasousi"till ,':I/WErrf.0) -• ~;~ Y'