The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser. — London, England, 1818-03-04 00:00:00

a a duty incumbent on him to oppose inch an indemnity in formed the NOble Lord (C as tl er eagh), that though the practice was, he knew, ussusoal, he should, nevertheless, oppose the first readiug of the Bill, end take the sense of the House upon it. Mr. MANXINO presented a Petition from the London Docks Commuty, praying for leave to bring in a Bill to amend the Acts us being rela tive thereto; winch was read, and leave given ac. eurdisigly. Mr. Cusvicx presented a Petition from Cum berland, monism the prevent Dimmer of payment of tithes by modus.—Read, and ordered to be printed. Mr. Geee FELL deferred Isis Ron. Friend's (Sir J. Mackiiiio,lo,) atonal, for a Return of the Ex. 'lease of Hank Prosecutinus for Forgeries. until this day se'imight, in the absence of that Hun. Member. BANK TOKENS. On the motion of Mr. LOSIIIINOToIf, the Ralik Tokens Repeal Bill was read ■ first time, and or dered to be read a second time on Thursday next. Mr. Hot.tell SUNNIER presented a Petition from John Whitmore, Potter, mid Thomas Mead, Fivers. Ma..istrates for the county of Surrey, eom phsining that they had been unjustly attacked, as having miscunducted themselves in their duty as Licein.iiig Magistrates of public-linueer. The dt positions of a witness examined on the Police Com• twitter, had formed the ground-work of that un warrantable and calumnious atomic. The Peti time,* prayed they might be permitted to refute the calumny. Mr. Mestere admitted the Report had been drown up by himself, but denied that any reference had beets intended to their characters in the framing of that Report. As it was his intention to move for a revival of that Committee, these parties might, if they thought they could defend themselves 'spinet the alleged deposition of that wanes'', sp licer there, and do it most conveniently. He had, however, his own opinion on the subject. Lord LASCELLUS knew of a similar attempt to inipeach the Licensing Magistrates, by a publican mimed Fraiscis, who had stated before the Commit tee that his license had been takes. away for inci duty to some officers of Colonel Clitheroc's regi ment of militia ; whereas it could have been proved, to the satisfaction of the Commitee, that he lost his license front its being ascertained Ise hail harboured :I peewit who had committed a robbery, mid who actually through his means emitted. Mr. Bee siert did not doubt, that, in so huge and voluminous a Report as that of the Police Committee, some inaccuracies might appear. Mr. SUMNER was happy to boar all attempts to inculpate these worthy Gentlemen had been dis avowed by the framer of the Report. He moved, that the Petition lie on the table. Mr. Serjeant Ossi.ow and Mr. S. THORNTON bare testimony to the general good conduct of these Magistrates. The Petition was laid on the table. MR. HONE'S PARODIES. Mr. Br. NNETT presented a Petition from Jonathan Slickly Bel lord, a small bookseller, of Warrington, in Laixeshire, who had been arrested and taken to prima at night in a cart, by constable', who, on being required to shew their warrant, had iii sultiegly produced • pair of handcuff., and dragged !inn to the common gaol, where lie was im.lioed in a room without even straw In he on. On be mg examined, it appeared that iolormuf had heels given against him for selling one of Mr. Hone's Parodies to an agent, as he believed, of Go vernment. On his second examination it was pro posed he should obtain his liberation on plot:tiring two sureties in SOL ruch, himself iii tool. to effect which bring impossible, he was committed to the House of Correction at Preston, where lie was eon ' lined with persons convicted of felooy, and outlet. sentence of transportation, without any one of the decent allowances granted to persons in his sitna ti,,,,, not even a bed. After being here six weeks in close confinement, he was brought up to 011116.* kirk Assizes, where the agent for the Crown remise. id the proceedings by certiorari to the King's Bench ; but after four weeks longer imp risonment. he r.a4 enlarged on hit own recognizance. During his enntineinent his property in books in his shop was rifled, soil amongst others the following books taken away : The History of America. The whole AMIN of Slum, Lutes Serious Cull, The Evangeli cal .11.40:ine. and souse members of Cobbett. NOM of the Parodies were found in his possession. r , .. i ire greater part of these books never yet had been returned to him. Ile petitioned, therefore, the House not to grant any indemnity to the Metnbers vi Adnimistratiou, or deprive him of the privilege of ohne' g, in a Court of Law, that redress to which he was constitutionally entitled, cooing to the injuries end sufferings he had sustained. The Hon. Gentleman presented a similar Peti tion from Samuel Binning. These Petitions' were ordered to lie on the table. Alr. BENNETT bezged to ask the Right lion. .11 , 1 learned Gentleman opposite, whether it way i.:, ititritiloll to bring these two unfortunate persona t., trial, on the recognizance§ into winch they hail entered? After three acquittals of the principal petre l in these tninsactiona (Mr. Flour). lie nom go,ed the Right Hon. and Learned Gentleti.an mould slot think or revisits , prosecutions against soliorclitaite persona us. the C ounty of Lancaster. The ATToRNET-GENERAII. apprehended there must be some mistake in this matter, for titiles4 1 the parties under rt.rognizances received notice of 11.4, they were eol humid to appear. Their ri vir eizances had been removed into the Court of hing's Bench, where, when called noon, they must ni.Pear; hut unless notice to that effect was given %;tliiii a certain number of days before their up utarance was required, they steed not attend. Mr. BENNETT said, net this was no answer to I. questioo. The night Hon. and Learned (;en ' (lean was certainly ant hound to give one unless L e I lased ; but he vrinsid again bey to asks whit. t1) `;. if the Attorney-General did nut mean to pro :r...te these parties, lie war nut bound to discharge lona recognizance, The ATTORNIT•GENERAL had no difficulty in 1 as.weling the questiop. Whether or ow he aliwild r.:PI it his duty to bring to trial live persona who bad topieii and circalated the Parodies of lie. Mow', nos ri question quite distinct from the consideritt.o.. 1 ‘'l . t e v er di c t in fa vour o f t h at i n di v idual. It di. 1 - fallo w , t h at b ecause l ie was acq uitted, the. . . '.. . . .'. , . • _ 3 . - • others shoul:1 al s o be Iluiverl to escape. --,lfeer.) and only objected to the Panties , handle *WI it Whether he should prosecute such parties or not, was sought to wake • them.—(Rear .) t _ was, however, unother . m a tte r , and must depend on Lord Ceti% thought the doctrine a the the ultimo'r view which he should take on the sub- Hon. and Learned - dentin who hail jutlit opoken ject with r e ference to each individual rase. but lie open to much animadversion, particularly isait would not discharge his duty if he for one moment tame front a professional Gentleman.--(heat.)— admitted the principle, thin, .because the pratecu- There never could be u doctrine maintained more lions against a 'tingle Unlimited failed, therefore fate! to the laws, and to the fair and impartial ad other% fur the some species of offence, elmold he ministration of justice, or its purity and tranquillity, discontinued. As a general proposition, the one than that a Jury, on their oaths, hound to decide on was not a necessary consequence of the other.— the particular ease before them, should be allowed He had too greet a reverence fur the decision 'l6 travel out or the record, and erect themselves of Juries, to allow his mind lightly to question into • sort of political tribunal to adjudge, by cord their decisions. He neve r t ta l dams so—lie never 'Hinson, different matters and different persons.— should do so—(Hear, hear, hear)—bet it hail This was contrary to the spirit and principle of come within his knowledge that one Jury had jurisprudence, and he trusted the House, or coun convicted • party for the mine elites's of offence try, would never tolerate that their judicial titbit that another had been acquitted upon; and that nals should be elected into places for politicul die. each a conviction had been obtained with the una- quisitions. It was in vain to defend these offensive Milton, satisfaction of all pr e se n t on the occasion. publications, on the ground that other Parodies It was soot fur him to speak lightly of the Juries I had been previously suffered to pass with impunity. which acquitted Mr. Hone, bat the question be. He was at the same time ready to admit, that Fore theist was one which easily resolved itself into whenever the Scriptures were 00 parodied, the act an opinion of individual feeling. The libel, in was highly reprehensible. no matter in what way fact, alight easily be discussed as a mutter of 11.11`• I the Parody was intended to be applied. Offences tinder reasanisig, and considered with all the of this kind, however, were open to different views. circumstances as applicable to the individual on He knew not to what Parodies the Hon. and trial. Now it was proved by Mr. HOOP, and I Learned Gentleman alluded, but there was a great Ise believed truly proved, that tee moment he difference between the effeet of publications cireu-• was informed of the objectionable motile of I lined eta cheap rate, and couched in language cal the Parodies, and their bad effects, lie stietaist. i ciliated to diffuse poison throughout the country. le, so tar as he was concerned, suppressed and those which were eitcillettt at a dearer rate lii. their sale; this might have weighed cenoiderebly a higher circle of society, and, in fact, isiteodid . on the onside of the Jury ; but did it follow that I but fur literary classes. His object, however, was 1 others, who at time very tissue were busily occupied not to defend by comparison such publications, he' ia vending the mimes through the country, should I merely rose to protest against the doctrine so also be suffered to escape ? indeed this avidity, in Istosully laid down by the Hou. and Learued Gene defiance of law, in circulate these publications was tleinati. that • Jury, solemnly tryiqg a particular such, that mime of the parties 410%1411y disputed the fact, should be allowed to travel out of the record, copyright of them among each other.—(hear.)— and neutralise that fact, beceule other patties had Under such circumstances he did not hesitate to previously acted with impunity. to this manner state to the Hume awl the country, that he shnuld the Jury might be said more to try the Attorney• tat discharge hen duty, if because one individual General fur Isis prosecution, titan the Defendant had been acquitted, he should therefore abstain from who was really committed to their inquiry. inueecuting others who had been (at least as he Mr. BROIIGHAM explained that the Noble Lehi thought) guilty of • high offence. This he mated had combated that which had never been laid dawn as a general proposition ; and he, of course, iti the es a doctrine by hint. Whet he had said was this, discharge of his duty, would be regulated according the Jury were so placed that they were celled on to to his view of the stature and extent of the crimi• I single out one matt for conviction on a pettietilnr many in each particular ease. One of the Pen. offeenat, comlaitted with impunity, nay, with en timers stated, that had he nut been removed by couragement, by others for a course of years. To certiorari into the Court of King's Bausch, he make such a distiuctioss to amt political liens might have bee„ tried in due course at Orsuskirk , would have bee n a ny thi n g b u t th a t eve d-hadde t i in his own neighbourhood. Now the reason of this justice they were sworn to administer.—(Hter.) removal was, that he (the. Attorney-General) did I Lord CASTLEREAGH repeated that the Hon. tind nut like to brisig those who appeared to be but I Learned Gentleman had, in hie ettplanation, re-laid subordinate agents to trial, until the case of Mr. down his original doctrine of political equity for Hone, the prime mover, wax disposed of. He the consideration of a Jury.-..(Hear.) would again repeat, that his acquittal did not ne- Mr. WlLaetteoacs condemned these public.. cessnisly abrogate the prosecutions spinet others times in the most unqualified rummer, and thought for the publicetion of three Parodies.—(Rear.) I the Law Officers of the Crown were called on to Mr. LY I-rewrote would embrace this uppoittiotity take cognizance of them. The Hon. Gentleman of condemning the detestable Parodies alluded to, then alluded to the former prosecution, of Patine and their immoral tendency, and declaiiug that lie I for blasphemous publications, and he well remelt]. thought the authors of them tit objects for proseeu- tiered that before the prosecutions commenced, a tion.--( Hear, hear.)—He also fully agreed with I consideration arose whether they were likely to hate the Right Hon. and Learned Gentleman, that he. the effect of iiscressing the circulation of the its cause one acquittal had taken place, however con. bellows matter: it was found they would not. He ecientiously given, it did not therefore follow that did not know whether any such considerations had the same success should attend other provecutions preceded the informstioas against Mr. Hone. If his for • similar (dream. He, at the same time, felt opinion lied been taken on the subject, the prose. that particular circumstances were to be considered cutions against that person should hate been limit. on such 0CC461011., anti though mind law may die- I toted quite free and distinct from any ',oinked al tate the conviction of the p nr iy, yet that it *mild [(talon, and in the simple and naked offeitee thet he well to refrain from pressing the point too far. hail beau committal. The Attorney-General lest the attempt to heal the grieratice would loggia- would have departed from his imperious deify rate the evil. On the verdict of the Juries who had lie overlooked the publications alluded to, tried Mr. Hone, all be would say was this, that or allowed himself to be diverted from calling they might have been indisposed to bring its a dif- I down upon them the arm of the taw. The goes. tereut verdict front that which they had done, on- f tan was not on the comparison between throe der the Peculiar circumstances of the country, I and soy preceding libels, or the impunity that raisarting, as it winiectosarily did at she time, on- l might have attended theta ; but whether or no der as uncomilittstioual law, and also wider the I their tendency was irrational , and immoral. Hit iwculiar circuinstauces attending the prosecution. be true, as laid down by Sir Matthew lisle, a great How tar these Petitions might to be attended to, and enlightened Judge, that the Christian religion on the eve of an bide ty Bill, it was for the I formed ii a part and percel df the Commou Law of Home to contider. I England," why thesi it followed that any publics _ Mr. ituoutat A /4 quite Ogreed, that, notwitlistand. Mg the three verdicts obtained by Mr. Hone, there publications slionld be regarded MS very reprehen. *elite, if not di-wilting. He also agreed that each case must be token me its own particular character, rad theta finale i•rwiecutiess, be its result whist it may, could cast no reirospeciive imputation on the verdict given ui Mr. Hope ' s Mir. Had he been en that Jury, lie would have coricarred in the verdict they pronomiced—a verdict mainly grounded en the impunity with which similar productions had heretofore parsed. The Janes were fully justified in their renlict, and they bad eio choice., though he thought it probable they ;Uglily disapproved of the publication* in gerstiesi. They no doubt felt that the prebecutiows were political, not ; and that hod they coutaMed ten times we lunch bias. plemy (if that were poweible) on the side of Mims. tern, instead of being in ridicule of them, m. Jury would have been empaiwielled to try the author or publisher.—f Heisr./--The Jury, tlworfore, felt it their duty to sever the ptea of religion from the Pro4ecutor's complaint, and to reject the attempt - - lion tending to call into ridicule or discredit that religion. was in contravention of the law, and alight to be treated accordingly.—../Heur.j.—He hoped that enough had been doste to discountenance any future publications of this kind. The Law Officers of the Crown had certainly done their duty. though it was at the rinse time to be regretted that the pro secretions had not been instituted. so as to appear quite free from any political allnsion.—(Hear.) Lord COCHAAN s hoped that hit Majesty's Minis ters would ruminate well nu the prayer of these Petitions, and reconcile, if they coekl. their con• sciences with their acts. The true motive of ?dr. Hone'i acquittal had not. he thought, been stated. Ile was tried for a religions offence. when his act was merely a political one. He earnestly hoped that these Petitions would be hated with attention, and duly considered by the House. If their *lle. gatimir were true, the Petitioners ought to be re ds d —ir false, they ought to be exposed and poinislwd. The r on these Petitions herr ceased. ROYAL RVRGRS IN SCOTLAND. to iii.ike it a mere cloak for politir.i poaecutrmi.— lr i (tleur.)—The Jury knew full well the there had been Parodies published, eiretshited, and npplaud- Lord ARCHIBALD HAMILTON presented a Peti.. Lion from the Corporation of the town of Ayr, in Scotland, preying for a Reform in the Royal Burghs.—The Petition was laid on the table. He begged, at the sante time, to ask the Noble Lord opposite, whether his lklejsty's Government meant to take the subject into their cousidenttiou ? Lord CASTLIIRRACH replied, that he nuderstood his Hon. and Learned Friend, the Lord Advocate of Scotland, wits engaged in prepanng a Bill for the consideration of the House on this subject. He did not know the nature of the Bill, but 1w would certainly inquire into the subject. eel, out of thr Lit:my alone, hot of n large tool tegral portion of the sacred Scriptures thenowlves, to serve the cause of a part♦ in the pay of Govern ment—he particularly alluded to the ['aro;lies pub 'lobed at the time the Noble Lord (Castlereagh) wool the bulk or his Collengues were getting into office. 'These Parodies were tit that time eiretilist. oot ne dozens, but in ten* or ; xnd in Cot from the author% being pro*rculed, they were taken under the fircial proteCtiun of Guyer ;; 11l ton. They were safe, because the puhlicirtions were directed against political adverwiries.--( Hear, hear.)—Thr Jury felt that it would be imposfahle to do religion a greater (!isservice than to woke it a handle for political purposes; and tl►at 111,i11 would do the worst injur►• to the sacred cause of truth, who could (teal out general justice with a partial hand, aittect►ug it tor political grounds atrzainst an an tagonist, when lie would applaud the act if played off to ►apport the iiiirrest of a iiirticuliit the hl►eller may inoliKti the act were dour to sttl►latrt the Miiiisters of the flay ; hot if to upimme thrift, then the nature of the olience changed soar*, anal it became all at of an immoral cl►aractrr. fir ►rtwtwd 1111 1111111114 dietimorobatiun publ mai _on* the itim:l-yrs, REFORM IN PARLIAMENT. Sir S. ROMILLY rose to present a Petition, sign ed by twenty indivirtals, resident at Bristol, pray ing for a Reform to Parliament. The Petitioners were of course aware, that he dissented from the extent of their proposition, and could only mean, that he should communicate the prayer of their application to the [louse. He would avail himself of this opportunity to state, ilia with reference to this mode of presenting Petitions not signed by more than twenty person, a great mistake had arisen, as there was Ito hiw limiting the number of signatures, but there was for preventing more than twenty iversons them. Indeed one %load hare thought the Peti- Qom., themielvec must ha►e been .mare of ti., for they sunlit have observed that l'arliaineut was in the mislaid tintetice of receiving Petitions with thousoodo of signatures; and the very number. so for front being a sourer of objection, was Urged ;IS on argument: in that, suteport.—(hear.) - I'he amt. tiriliastiost of the l'etituiv, and reduction of the signatures to the:a to a small given smother, arose entirely nut of a mistake as to the terms of a µarti cular law. • The laid on the table, and ordered to be printed. Lord COCHRANE had several hundred Petitions to present to the House nn the srobject of Podia- Mental., Reform, a few of which he would now bring up. He had four from St. Niargarei'+, West minster, 100 from Leeds, fire from Briptol, se veral from Newcastle-m -Tyne, Ashton-under- Litre, and n number of other places. The Noble Loh, prestnted a Petition from IVtatmitister, from Bristol, and front Leeds.—They were ordered to be printed. TITHE CONT:tilitr.E. Mt. JONES wished to know whether any steps were intended to he token by Ins Majesty's doverst mint, on the Report of the Titlx Laws of last Seision ? Lord CASTLEREson Was not sit the instant pre pared to give an explicit answer 10 this question. ARBITRARY IMPRISON Al Lord COCHRANE rase to present Pettliona from Robert Toms, a ‘VellVtr at Olasgaw, John Buchatimaii, and William Inane, complaining of the enmities tiny endured by a lung and arbi trary imprisonment. 811t1 praying fur a consider*. lion of their respective cases, and that tin Bill of 'adenosine should be gavesi to Alinisters. The Noble Lt . srd said it was tio answer to cases fraught with so much flagrant injustice, to say that the gaoler denied the cruelties imputed to him. Let a Committee inquire into the fact, hear both sides, awl then ►lute the result. Mr. FINLAY said, he could not see how these persons could complain of the Suspension of the Habeas Corpus Act, as none of them were arrested under it. As to their complaints of ill treatment, all he would say was, that a person who bed sees oil , rise Prisoners in gaol, assured him that they • made no complaints, nor could have any to make. On the subject of their ihhoeetioe, some of them dared mit so roundly assert it in the place where they were known. Lord COCHRAN E gold, that one of the Petitioners had appealed to J. P. Grant, Esq. M.l'. to whom he said he was indebted fur the preservatiow of his life, if that Honourable Gentleman were present he might possibly be able to ambit to the ease of the individual.—The Petitions ware laid on the table, be printed. POOR'S RATES. Sir S. Roxtr.r.Y presented r Petition from Henry Schulks, complaining of the exemptions of ems parochial places from rates in !tarts of the county of Somerset.—This Petition was referred to the Committee on the Poor's Laws. LORDS' JOURNALS. On the motiton of r. F. DoVal.A., a Committee was appointed to search the Lords' Journals fur in. formation on the sulsjact of sealed papas. com mitted so their Lordships for inquiry. FEES ON PATENTS. On the motion of the mite Hun. Gentleman, ac. counts were ulso ordered of all fees. taxes. Awl other digs, paid on patents under the Great Seal. COPYRIGHT. Sir gtiERTON BeetfOES would not detain the House long in moving ter leave to bring iii it Bill to amend the Copyright Act, of the 54th Geo. c. 156, as lie understood no objection would be made to the course he was about to pursue. He would, therefore, only detain the House while lie said that the grievances under this Act appeared so great rod so severe, nut only as affecting authors and publishers, but the best interests of literature itself, that he saw no remedy but its repeal, and he Could anticipate no fair objection to it. He con cluded by moving for leave to bring iu a Bill to seseuti the Copyright Act. Lord A. HAMILTON hoped that his inlenCe ee the present occasion would not be colustrised into any assent to the proposed measure; on the con trary, his sentiments in opposition to it remained fixed as before. Mr. Past. begged also to make a similar reserva tion of his opposition until the proper stage of discussion—the second reading. Lord PALMERSTON had to put in the same claim for his opposition in due time to the measure. MegA.) Mr. Feasts would also, in a future stage, opr pose the Bill.—(A laugh.) Leave was then given to bring in the Bill. CROWN LIVINGS. %fro BABI NGTON mo•ed— That an humble Address be presented to the Prince Rest*, praldwg that hit Royal Highness would be gracious ly pleated to have laid before Ik House a list of all Recto= Picarageti, Drmantives, and Perpetnal Curacies, in the Rift or the Crown, now vacant, specifying the time during which each has been vacant, and the counties in which situalcir.—Ordered. And after a conversation between Mr. Bahing• ton, Mr. Brougham, Mr. Cimrwemo, Mr. B. Bathurst, Mr. W. Wynn, and Mr. Jones, Mr. BABINGTON also moved a similar Address, to obtain a hat of the stripe, lowing fallen to time Crown by lapse, now vacant, time period of vgc.rmicy, and counties where situated.-01 tiered. Sir C 14411.1.10 NiWICK moved— That an humble Address be presented to the Prince Re gent, praying that his Royal Highness would be graciously !dratted ist direct to be laid before the House, a Copy of the political Conntittititisi of the lonian Wanda, ratified by his Royal Nighties, in pursuance of the Treaty of Paris of No vember, 1815 ...Ordered. Mr. WiLßEuvoites hoped that Dr. Philhmore would pompom his motion that stood !Ur to night, regarding the Spauirh Claimants, as an Hon. and Learned Member, who wag deiorour to take a part in the diacur.iou. was absent from Dr. Put Lutioue expressed his acquiescence on account of the very tuffi:ient reamin (dere(' by the Host. Meinhrr o hut lie wished the postpone. latent would lie to as early a they ik4 1111”.1 Mr. W. IL lATTELTON helped the Learned Member would proceed with his minims. Mr. Wii.iiEturuttr:F. had ventured to say %lint he 111) only frosts au tli.it dune well actiscriterd 4,14 ‘uttj,ct, might be peewit at d:e cticus. The motion Wd, then lioitponed till Tuvmhy ilex,. Ale. Gout:Buns moved for leave to in a BM to indemnify errlalsi pefS1111! for re. 114114 tkr tltc West Indies in foreign —Leave givro. The American Tiude Bill was read to ...cam, time, and ordered to I cummittcd ou Aluttilii) next. ARMY ESTIII AT CS. On the Order of the Day that Mr. atiuriiNof have leave to make the Repo t of the Coin.iitt ;Le Supply, Mr. LYTTtA.Tow said he ha:l intention to Op. pose the Resolutions, but he rose to call the atten tion of the House to one or two points that he had urged last Session. The first related to a practi , e long established, of exacting from offict r-, on the receipt of their pay, an oath din they did not hold any other office of (-minion-tent in the gift of the Crown. He bad ventured to state, last S....shot, tie would now state again, that the half-pay of an officer wits by way of remuneration, Gra quently a very inadequate one for 1.34 services ; that there was nothing 111 the nature of it of Ms qualification for any other office; and that if the Noble Lord persevered in imposing this harsh con. ditiou, he was bound to make out to the House sotne very cogent motive for it. The reasocs bcfoie alleged were, that there was something in the holding of other situations which 'night degrade a man from the tank lie should maintain 1111 a British officer ; or that by the habits of another kind of life, he would be detached from military views, and that it (night be difficult to command his service with the promptness requisite on Ha emergency. Both these reasons were inadequate, and gratuitously assumed. The first sestet-1y called for an answer ; with respect to the second, it was easy to remark, that if Government had the &sere.: tiou of bestowing an office or not, whenever they saw a likelihood of the gift detaching the object from his proper and military visas, they might Withhold it. fie had conversed with several dillinguished mils. hey characters on this subject; it wee their Uniform's opinion that they could see 110 good reason for the regulation. One in particular, whose m a ne, if mentioned, would probably dim sonic respect, said that lie had meditated very closely on this head, and was obliged to conclude that Government utast have some very strong official reason for the provision. It was galling and severe. It should he borne iii mind, that many of those brave men who had fought the baties of their country were now so. limited in their means, that even a trifling addition to their incomes was a matter of great importance to them. The abolition of this reg..- Wiwi, rind allowing half-pay officers to fill civil employments, would be no addition to the bur den' of the country; it would inertly cause a slight change in the holders of offices, or eligibility to hold, und %%mild be a mean of rewarding many a brave and gallant officer. Another point to which he wished to advert was the withdrawing of pensions in certain cases from the widows of officers. tie understood there was a circular billet now pared to be seat to the officers, directing the case s in which this withdrawal was to take place since die 45th of last Dec. He must call this regulation in the highest degree oppressive. The a hole charge of pensions was something above 90,0001. a year; by this regulation a saving of 20 or 30,000/. might be made. He would oppose unnecessary expense as much as any man but when the country would see these paltry savings mode at the expense of those who had the strongest claims on its gratitude, and the enormous sums lavished on those nearer in favutir—fut instance, the Comillissary-General, it could not forbear making invidious contrast!, in which lie thought it justified. He hoped the House would compel an alteration iu the regulation to winch 1:e hid Alluded. Lord PaLuintaTON said, that the half-pay of an officer was bestowed both as a means of support in the interim, and oho as a retaining fee for his services when become necessary. The power of soddedg providing good officers depends on the chance they have of being restored to full pay ; ur the stimulus to this was diminished, in proportion is diminished the likelihood of procuring valuable service; rendering them eligible to any other eiu• ployment in the interim between service, would ob viously cool the ardour of their military desires, and render them less available. The regulation was a general one—officers receiving retired allowances, are obliged to make the same affidavit—and it was not new ; it had existed many yews. The reguls lion respecting widows' pensiont, had been adapt e d in pursuance of ■ tecomMendation of the Finance Committee of last year. Sir C. MoNCK understood that the expense of providing for the protection of the lonian Islands, was to be settled by a convention between Deputies from them acid from this country, he was desirous to learn what were the agreements come to fur this purpose Mr. Gow.suam replied, that the Hon. Member would see in the Copy of the Constitutioir of there Weirdo, which he had moved for, that they bail agreed to maintain garrisons to the summit of 15,000 men at their own expense.—[The Hon. Member made son►c further explanation inaudible to us.] Mr. LYTTELTON, in reply to Lord Palmerston. said, that the analogy between the regulation ie ppecting the holding of offices by ball-pay officers, and those in other parts of the service, war tio valid allotment in favour of the former, Tile SPEAIiEIt their procveded to put the Iles°. lutionr. Sir IVIII. fit:ROM:OHS opposed the first Re s ‘d o .. tiosi, respecting the number of guess to be wanted to his Majesty lin the service of the year. Ile coin pared the slumber with that voted for the year 1792, a time of great danger, when the French Revolution bail made a great progress, and the poison of French principles was widely diffused, and %hewed the cum ber proposed for this, the third year of peace, was r!toie than double what it was then. The ex pense for land forces only was nearly triple of what it W**ili 1792. The net revenue of lust year w:l4 but 51 indiums, the expenditure was 65 ; PO that there was a deficiency of income compared with expeuiliture. of 14 millions. He would allow, however, that the Sinking Fund had been going on with its operations. The redaction this yesr for Great Britain, Jersey, and Guernsey, was hot q 79 nit lie coin lulled by mot ing, us en amcoulnicut. - ______ t. 4 oitAillio •• I"