The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser. — London, England, 1826-04-26 00:00:00

Setypeett. calico-dyer—Jame( Daniell, Lime-street, provision -merchant— William Webb. Great Distal-lane, packing case-maker--Jubn ilrent hley the eider and John flrenchly the younger, Milton, Kent, distillers—Wil liam Mo. , tem, Puke-street, Aldirate, woollen-draper-William Lea, Char lotte-odreet. Pits. or-square, broker and appraiser —Thomas Wood, New Church-court, Strand, printer. SCOTS SPQUESTRATIONS. ......., ARCHIBALD Resurrsow, Denny, Garner, at the Saracen's Head, April 2A and Yq 12, et 12. Josl)7ll4inaisa. Paisley, hatter, at the Tcratine Inn, Paisley, April 17.1 and May 12, at 2. _ LAwitaNCa Ss sax, Leith, ship-owner, at the Sub./4e hotel . Leith. Aprll . ffir and May 12. at 2. 3/116311A1l GRACIA, Vatufrtes, draper, at Mrs. Betlrd'a Coffee-houNe, Olunfrtett, May SI sad Jane 6, at 12. INTION M'COrtswer, Ayr, clothmterehart, at the Office of Mr. Parr Cowan. Ayr, May 14, at 12. Herat ORAT, OIRTVA r . maanfltetortv, at the Office of Mr...l , lMea Bev, Margew, Mayl6 and Jamb, at 1. .„ Vut can, Made', thread-manufeeturer. at Roes'. Inn, Forfar. May 10, at 12, and at the Chambers at Mr. Alta Kerr, Dundee, May 31, at 12. - lueNDhunt, New Ctunnnek, merchant, at the Dumeslea Anne ihn, Old Cassaddcalay 1 and I. at 1. T 1101144 stipue, Edlnbunrh, eammlialon.arnt, at the Waterloo Notel, Nallsbeelfh. Nay J and 311, at 1. RONIC am env avany,E dinburgh, oine.merchant, at Ambrose', 'tavern, lidlaburgb. May 1 and 24, at 2. PARLIAMENTARY INTELLIGENCR. HOUSE OF LORDS. TUESDAY. Arta. 21. Mr. Dundas, and other Member* of the House of Commons, brought up the Disembodied Militia Bill, the Public ll'orks Bill. a Stamp Duty Bill, and several ptivate Bills, which were all read a Mrst time. Crafer, from the Treasury, presented an Account of the quantity and value of certain artirlee of esnart from Ireland. SCOTCH AT rAINDERs. _........ The Earl or LIVERP OO L brought M s^parate Rills. to reverse the attainder, n( the peerages. Bich°. Ogilvie, t 'arnwath. Dune. und Anglin. The Bills were read • lint time, and ordered to be rad a second time on Thursday. CORN LAWS. _ _ _ _ The Berl of II petition (mm farmers end occupiers of lend In the awn* of finetingdos, against Any alterenowin the Corn Lawn. KLAVERY. The Earl or SHAFTbiliiio }if presented a petition from •Folkstone. preying for the abolition of slavery. The Duke of MONTitt presented a similar petition from the Students of the University of Glasgow. The Duke of BEAUFORT presented • similar petition from Gloucester. Esti ROSY ENO R presented • similar petition from FlintsMre. CURRENCY OF SCOTLAND. The East of LAUDERDALE presented petitions from several parishes in Forfarishlra, against any alteration in the present system of bruiting ht Scotland. His Lordship, in -preseming • similar petition front the town of Banff, observed that, having heart of • Petition of a contrary tendencybeing prevented in the other House of Parliament. ha wrote to a friend to inciters into the particulars respecting it, and he oseertained fmm a respettahle source that the • prim= was never heard of by the people of Panff until it had been presented in the House of Commons. 'limy of the names signed to that petition were those of persons not it:liebimots of that tawn. but the petition which his Lordship was then about to present was ingn.d by nine.tenths of the inhabitants of fianfr. The 31:1411-. of 111"NT1.Y ovetten•ett -..-hin!ar petitions fmm vevevid oar sb s in Aberdeenshire, and also from several pari,hca in Banffshire. CURRENCY OF IREIAND. The Earl of LI mEre TUX presented a petition from the Grand Jury of the county of Galway against Cie extension of the Sinsll Notes Bill to Ireland. ROMAN CATHOLIC PETITION. The Earl of CA RNARVON pre.e , ,tel a p 'titian from the Roman Cathniies of the county of Wexfnml, praying for a repeal raf the Penal Laws. The Noble Esrl th*erred, that the Union be tween this country and Ireland would never be complete until the Penal Laws were repealed. JOINT-STOCK COMPANIM IN SCOTLAND. Lord MELVILLE rose for the purpose of withdrawing a Bill which he had brought before their ',wishing, to enable Joint -Stock Companies in Soothed to sue and be sued in the names of thtir re. speetive officer'. His. Lordship's object was to bring in a Bill more applicable to the principle of one which had lately passed their Lordshime House, as now altered by the other House of Parliament. His lordship then moved for leave to witbdraw the first Sill. which was granted: and he then gave notice of his inter_ lion to bring in the other Bill to-morrow, the provisions of which are rot to extend to Bunking C'ompanint. The Earl of . L.III)ERDALE pots he could not form any opinion as to the shape in which the Bill would come up from the other House of Parliament, but he thought it singular that the same charity which was extended to other joint-stock companies should not be dealt out to bunking esti blishnients. It was as ne cessary that banks should be conduct'sl by men of robity as any other establishments. His Lordship coo i not, therefore. see the justice of not making the Bill appli"a:da to all joint-stock com panies. Lord MELVILLE said his object was to place joint-stock comranies in Scotland on the same footing with thine of England and Ireland t but his Lordship did not t.tean, by bin Bill, to inter fere with banking establishments, which would be the *abject of a separate enactment. 'lke Bill which he intended to bring in would leave them as they were, and they could suffer no inconvenience by it. • • The Earl of ROSSIXN had no objec•ion to the M. On the contrary, he thought it abwilutely necem.ary. He belirecd the ob. jection of the Noble Earl was not to the extent of the Bill, but to the principle of It. ALIEN ACT. The Earl of DARNLEY said that it was a molter of notoriety that a Minister of the Crown had declared in another place that there was no intention, on the part of his Majesty's Ministers, to renew the Alien Act; and it would be a matter of satisfaction to their Lordships to hear a similar declaration from the Noble Earl at the head of the Treasury. His Lordship congratulated the Howe on the early termination of an Act so disgraceful and so useless as the Alien Act. The Earl of LIVERPOOL begged to remind the Noble Earl, that it was not usual for Government to make any announcement respecting a Bill which was about to expire, except when some other measure connected with it was intended to be proposed to Parliament. It was true that a flight lion. Friend of his had. no bringing in a Bill for registering foreigners, informed the House of Commons that there was no imention, on the part of his Majesty's Ministers, of applying to Parliaments to renew the Alien Act. LOCAL PAYMENTS HILL. The Marquis ofLANSDOWN moved their Lordships to re sult. into a committee upon the Bill to enforce the payment of notes wherever they might be issued. The Earl of LIVERPOOL said, that as far as he was informed upon the subject, he agreed entirely with the principle of the Bill which had been brought to by the Noble Marquis ; because he thought it desirable that banks should pay their notes, not only where they were issued, but at all their branches ; but he had heard of so many objections made to the Dill, and as his Lordship be lieved there were were some difficulties in the way of attaining the de sired object, that the would submit to the consideration of the Noble Alarquis, whether it would he right to legislate upon the subject whilst the Committee had measures before them upon which no report had u yet been mute. His Lordship did not look forward with any sanguine hope to aiming in one Session to a final or satis tenors conelosion respecting those important measures. It would therctote, in his opinion, b • better to reserve the whole subject for another Session. The Bill which had passed their Lotdabips was undergoing considerable alterations in the other }lmmo( Paella. anent. where it was then under discussion. Within a short period there was strong proof in Ireland of the advantagea arising out ul the establishment of Joint-stock Banking Companies. In that country there was scarcely a bank but those of the Bank of Ireland and Joint-stock Banks and their branches, all of which _ _ were farmed under Acts of Parli:..nent ; and in this country a gnat many bankers had expressed their willingness to be formed into Joint.stock Companies. Hi. Lordship did not think it prudent to go farther until the Bill which was before the other /louse of Parliament should he passed ; antrifter'the punting of that measure, there would be a good opportunity, during the recess of making an experiment, and of ascertaining ha efficacy. His Lordship hoped he would cot be misunderstood as objecting to the principle of the bill which was then before their Lordships. and if the Noble ltlarquis wouhl consent to its postponement, he hoped nn such opinion would go abroad. His objec: was to give the subject full considersticn, and not to come to any conclusion withoutatufficient information and deliberation ; and bin honlship aka wished to say that he had no reason to alter the opinion which hr had already declared on the subject. The Earl of LAUDER PA LE said, that although the Noble • Earl had not discovered any reason fur sliming his opinion, there certainly appeared no reasons as yet to confirm that opinion with impel to Ireland. The fact was. the; the Bank of Ireland had Issued its notes payable in Dublin only, but the Provincial Bank could rat issue notes in Dublin, nor within twenty miles of it, as they were precluded from such a privilege by the charter of the Bank of Ireland, and that bank had acted so cautiously as to make its notes payable in Dublin only. The Provincial Bank had to iny their notes at their branches. The Provincial flanks had, whenever they got the Bank of Ireland notes. to send them up to Dublin fur payment: but whenever the Bank of Ireland got the notes of the Pmvincial Bank, she insisted upon gold. That bank was therefore subject to great inconvenience, and it would not be right to throw any fresh difliptlty in their way now, that they were only commencing their operations. At present the Provincial . Bank and its branches were obliged to furnish gold to the Bank of Ireland, and care should be taken not to give the Bank of Ireland any additional advantage. They had already the power of estate. hefting At anches in Athlone or Belfast, or in the most remote parts of Ireland, and could throw great difficulties in the way of any other banks. The Earl of LIMERICK could hot avoid saying • few words upon a subject of so much importance to Ireland. and he felt him. s-lf bound to express his satistattion at what had hider from the Noble Earl at the head of the Treasury. Not being on the Com. mitt', to inquire into the Currency. lie could not give any opinion on the subject.bat he hoped there was no intention of passing the bill for the suppression of small notes until next Session. He was glad that he had taken an early opportunity of calling their bordello's' attention to that Bill, as far as it was likely to affect Ireland. Ile was the tiro to raise his voice against it, and he was now rejoiced to ptiCtiVll that there was not the same determina tion to persevere in it during the present Session of Parliament; and he trusted that by the next tinsion of Parliament the mischievous tendency of the measure would be RCM and that it would be put down altogether. He could not omit expreening his gratitude to the people of Scot. land for the part which they had taken In opposing those measures. A Noble Lord had said thnt the Scotch wished to form a cordon nanitaire, to protect their. front any interference with their banking system ; end he hoped there would be another cordon unitaire, to protect the Irish banks from the hardships which they were suffering from the system of the Book of Ireland. That most astute Corporation had cautiously framed their notes in such a way as to make them payable in Dublin only, rid they made use of the Provincisl Batik as a cat's.paw. in priicuring gold for them. lie hoped some Bill would be brought in this Sen. Rion to prevent Koch a hardship. It was a notorious tact, that the Bank of Ireland notes had sold at a disc islet in the remote parts of Ireland, whilst a premium of eightpence in the pound was given for the oaten of the Provincial Bank, because gold could be had for the Provincial Bank notes, whilst those of the Bank of Ireland should he sent to Dublin to obtain payment. The Marquis of LANSDOWN said it was not his intention to refer to the subject of small notes, which wan then before the Cunt. mittee of their lennlnhips. nor did he wish to give any opinion on the a object; but lie would imitate the Noble Earl opposite. and reserve his opinion for a future occasion. It was his intention to make some verbal alterations in the Bill, to meet the objections which had been made; but, ender all the circumstances, he would not persevere in pressing the quest int) at that state of the Session, particularly uhe hoped, by postponing it. to obtain the powerful aid of the Noble Earl. As it was intended to return to a sound circulation, it would be a necessary preparation to such a course to enforce the payment of notes wherever they might be Issued. Without such a measure, the country would have a vicious circula tion, and It would be necessary to adopt.it in England u well an in Scotland and in Ireland. Without it there could be no return to a metallic currency. Small notes could not be extinguished whilst banks were allowed to issue notes where they were not payable in gold. He wished to remind their Lordships of the state in which Ireland would be left, unless such a Bill as that which he had in. troduced should be passed. The Bank of Ireland would continue its practice of making Its notes payable in Dublin only, and in their own defence the other buks would follow its example. ,The Bank of Ireland never established branches until forced to it by tEecompeti. lion of the Provincial Bank,end unless parliament interfered tltellank of Ireland would be iaii in possession of its monopoly. That bank might narrow its circulation and put the whole country at its mercy; and.under those eireurastancesorould env person say thattheProvin. cial Bank would not be justified in altering the loyal of their circu lation. They might establish branches at Kinsale or Donegal. and tnake their notes payable there or at • y other remote part of the country. His Lordship could not blame that bank for adapting such a course, when they were driven to it. They might, under the present law, make their notes payable at Worcester or any other Part of England. except within the limits prescribed by the charter of the Bank of England. It was • great object to prepare Ireland for a more salutary system. The ptesent was a state of things which ought not to continue. The whole banking system should he put on a footing to ensure a facility of convening notes loco gold. The state of banking business was rendered quite anoms. loos by the present state of the law. There would be one law for Scotland and another foss England. He did not think it would be practicable to come to a satisfactory conclusion respecting Scotland during the present Session of Parliament, but if the present law continued, the Scotch Banks would inundate the North of England with their notes ; they would indulge this country with the bents. fits of s Scotch circulation. A great mass of notes, payable only at Edinhurgh, would spread over the north of this country, which would completely prevent the operation of the intended plan to establish a metallic currency. lie was quite sure the Noble Earl would take all those circumstances into his consideration, and, as there was no probability of his attaining the object which be had in view this Session, he would consent to defer his Bill until next Session,and he therefore moved that the Bill be committed that day three months. The Earl of ROSSLYN could not see any great danger of Scotch notes overflowing this country, sednat the wish and interest of the people. Previously to the year 1717, small notes constituted the entire circulation of Scotland, and there was no inconveni. enee felt by this country from them. There was no probability of this country being overrun with Scotch paper. His Lordship could not see how it was to take place. The Earl of LIVERPOOL said, if there were a general paper circulation in England, no,harm could arise from admitting a simi lar currency in other parts of the empire ; but it'it were abolished in this country, and at the same time maintained in Scotland, the con. sequence would be, a constaut influx of paper money from that country into this. The suppression of small notes in Englant!, it was tree, would not be effected for three years: but after that pe riod it was evident that danger might arise. With respect to Ire land, without saying a word about what might be the conclusions of the Committee, it appeared to hint that the Noble Lord had jumped to his conclusions ; he had advanced too rapidly in his ar gument. He did not think that the Bank of Ireland should be obliged to ply only at the head-quarter, while the Provincial Bank was obliged to pay everywhere t if no exception could be made in favour of the branches of the Provincial Bank in Ireland, it was because they had no head-quarters there. It was extremely ludi crous, that while the Banks of England and of Ireland were fight. ing the same battle, the one to prevent the establishment of banks issuing notes within 50 Irish miles of itself, and the other to hinder them within what was considered an equivalent distance, 6.i Eng lish miles, the Provincial Bank of Ireland had its head-quarters in London. The effect of making all country notes in Ireland payable at the place of issue, would be to depreciate the notes of the Bank of Ireland : the law ought to .he equal everywhere. The question was full of difficulties, and under all the circumstances he thought the wisest course to adopt would be, to postpone it for the preaent. The Earl of LAUDERDALE understood the Noble Lord (Lord Liverpool) to be of opinion that it might be advisable to pass an Act to prevent the intrusion of Scotch notes; but it ap peared to him that such a thing would be much more effectually done by the people, if it was for their interest, than by any Inter ference of the Legislature. If bank-notes were at a discount, they would not easily find their way into England. He would relate an anecdote to their Lordships, which would illustrate his reasoning. A man, who wanted some horses for purposes which he believed the Noble Lord on the Il'oolssck would recognize by the mime of "black jobs," came from Scotland to Newcastle, provided with small notes, to make his purchases, but found that they would not be taken unless he endorsed them himself. It was not likely, then, that the Scotch notes would ever mix with the circulation of Eng land. The LORD CHANCELLOR begged leave to disclaim any acquaintance with black jobs. Ile begged also to remind their Lordships that the point under considetation was one of great difficulty : the question in fact was, how to prevent no:es which were of a Scotch nature from travelling south. The Earl of LIMERICK explained. After a few words from the Earl of CARNARYON, the motion was agreed to. The East India Juries' Bill was read a third time, alter a few observations from the Marquis of LA NSDOWN, in which he ex pressed his cordial assent to the measure. The Bill to regulate the amendment of Writs of Mandamus in Ireland was also read a third time. 14-renal Bills then passed through Committees, and the House adjourned at Seven o'clock. HOUSE OF COMMONS, TUEIDAY, Arm 25. lIIRSIINGBAM AND LIVERPOOL CANAL BILL. Lord CLIVE brought up the Report of the Committee on the Bill, and moved that it should be then taken into consideration. Mr. CALCRAFT objected to taking the Report into considera tion, and took several further objection% upon points of order. After a snort conversation, in which Lord Clive, .Me. Calcraft. Mr. Littleton, and the Speaker took a part, the consideration of the Report was deferred until to.roorro (this day). Mr. CALCRAFT presented a petition from Mary Johnson against the said Bill, which.. — After a few words from Lord CLIP E, was ordered to lie on the table. Mr. CALCRAFT then moved that the 311 notes of Evidence taken before the Committee be laid before the Hnuae.—Agreed to. NEW CORN EXCIIANOE. ..... Mr. BLACKBURN brought up the Report on the New Corn Exchange Bill —The Bill was then read a third time and poised. WESTMINSTER GAM. BILLS. Mr. HOBIIOUSE brought up the Report of the Westminster Gaol Bill, which was read a third time and pained. NEW LONDON.BRIDGL Mr. A Iderniou;*6ls6l:n;;libinitliiieponOttbe New Lon don-bridge SCOTCH BANKING SYSTEM. Sir JAMES MACKENZIE presented petitinnot from the pa. rishes of Fern and Roach!), against any alteration in the banktug system of STtl!nd. _ _ Mr. DOW NIE presented ■ similar petition from a parish in the county of Perth. ABOLITION OF SLAVERY. Sir ROBERT SHAW presented a petition from the Protestant Dissenters of the denomination of Baptists of the city of Dublin, praying for the abolition of Negro Slavery in the West Indies. SimiSar petitions were presented by Mr. Banites, from Stour bridge ; by Mr. Ilyng, from certain Dissenters of Clapham, in Surrey ; by Lord Folkestone. rnm Folkestone, and from Walton. ST. °LAVE'S TITHES: Mr. CA IfCRA FY;aid7inii he held . ; p etition in his hand from the churchwarden, and inhabitant, of the parish of St. Olave, pray. Me the interference of the House towards the adjustment of ear. tain claims for tither of the Rector upon the pariah. The Hon. Member, apparently from the effects of a cold, was rather inau dible. We understood •.im to say that he was anxious that no measures should be taken on the subject of dispute between the Rector and parishioners of St. Olave before next Session, when he trusted, after the example of St. Andrew's Holborn, an adjustment might be aceomplirhed. The parishioners were willing to give the incumbent in futurity •1,21K11 per annum, while the claim set up was for LAW per year. The present Rector had, he believed. consented to accept the sum of 1,2410/. The germ difference was between what was now allowed the incumbent, and what would be granted to the future incumbent of the parish. The parishioners offered 1.2001. a-year, which they thought would be the full value of the tithes, and an adequate remuneration for the performance of the duties of the parish. The duties were performed by a Curate for 1001. a year. The Rector let nut his house for offices, and the attendance required was very slender. As lie hoped that an ad- I jurtment would take place between the parties interested, he would merely move that the petition be brought up. Mr. Alderman BRIDGES complained of the hardships to which the parishioners were exposed in consequence of the dispute which prevailed. He never knew a parallel case. Mr. Alderman WOOD said it was quite time that •tha House THE BRITISH PRESS. should know the condition of those persons who were under the operation of the 2s. 9d. Act, as it was called. In the parish of St. Olave, 1200 A were allowed to the Rector for performing the twee'. stay religious dun 17,000 inhabitants ; that was unquestion ably an adequate rneration for the performance of such duties, ti hen it was considered that they were unformed by a Cura:e far 100/. a year. Ile thought the sum offered by the parishioners a full and adequate remuneration. Mr. fi LIM expressed deep regret that the petitioners were , obliged to come again and again before the House, ;11 consequence of the resistance which was made to au amicable adjustment of the tithes in question. lie regretted the Right !lon. the Secretary for the Home Department, who was a staunch friend of the church. was not then in hfs place: he should be glad to know if that Right Hon. Gentlemen would consider the quarrels, which appeared in the pub. lie papers, and which existed in that parish, did honour or cre dit to the church. An adjustment had been concluded between the parishioners and their rector ; but the Bisimpol London dis. agreed from that arrangement, and thus interposed in a manner , very unworthy his character instead of being a peacemaker. as might be expected from his station, he was rather a firebrand, rid promoter of distort:. (Cries of " Order.") It was unjust, in his opinion, that by an Act of Henry to which that House had given its sanction, the parishioners of St. Olave should be so highly charged fat tithes, when other parishes were charged fid. less in the pound. When an arrangement had taken place in the parish, to the satisfaction of the parishioners igtd the rector, he thought it very hard that an Impediment should he thrown in the way of that adjnsunent by the intrierence of the Bishop. Mr. C. W. 1V YNN said, he felt himself called upon to defend the Right Reverend Prelate, upon whom so violent an attack had been tpade. It was the duty of the Bishop of London to interfere, to protect the interests of the future incumbent of the parish. The present rector could have oo interest in the affitirs of his successor ; the Bishop; therefore, very properly interfered, without, however, having any personal Interest lit the subject. The law of tithes was various: in sonic parishes they were collected by a modus. There could 1:1;• no injustice done in the present instance, because those persons bought the property subject to the payment of those tithes, and were no more entitled to beexempted from them than they were from the payment of the rent of the tenements they held in the parish L ____ _ _ Mr. DENMAN said tbat In the parish in question the rector said he was willing to accept 12/. 10s. a year; but the Bishop of London negatited the arrangement. If tho Bishop of London did not think that sufficient tits the future in. cumbent of the parish, he certainly had a right to dissent. In the parish of which Mr. Beresford was rector, instead of t , s. 9:1. In the pound, not mare dun IL in the pound was paid. This addl. tional demand on the parishioners of St. Olave was the more vex. atious. because the duties were light, and performed at the charge of 1001. pertnnum ; and another just cause of complaint, in his opinion, was, that those payments had only been demanded within a few years. Mr. W. WYNN said, in reply to some observation of Mr. Den. man which we did not catch, that the expression he alluded to was " firebrand." On the motion that the petition be printed, Sir. CA LCRAPT said, he thought that. above all things,indivi dual allusions should be avoided. The Bishop of London had done all becould to bring those disputes to an amicable conclusion. The difficulty in which he Nets placed was, that he did not think that the future rector sh♦uid receive less than 1.8201. It was the duty of the Bishop to protect and guard those interests of the fu ture incumbent, as it was that of a parent to defend those of his children. Ile thought the Bishop of London had acted kindly in the whole matter. Be hoped those parties would be brought to • fair ndjustment. Ile deprecAted very sincerely the present din meted state of the parish. The parishioners were driven from their parish church in consequence of it, which was in his opinion a state of things which, if not stopped by an amicable arrangement, would call for the interference of the House. Mr. PEEL said he felt astonished that the Hon. Member for Montrose should have so grossly violated the privileges of Par liament as he had done, by the attack he had made upon the Bishop of London, who was universally respected for his talents and vir tue. ; he deprecated such violent language, which was very die creditable, and against decency and every propriety ; he should have protested more strongly against the use of such language, but that the character of the Rev. Prelate to whom it was applied stood so high as not to require it. The Bishop of London could have no inducement but the performance of whet he considered ne cessary to interfere in the case; he merely did his duty, and it was very unfair and illiberal, that for doing his duty he should be branded with such opprobrious epithets as had been applied to him by the Hon. Member for Montrose. He (Mr. Peel) knew it was the anxious wish of the Bishop of London that an adjustment should take place ; he wished that peace and harmony should be restored to the parish, and did not despair but that an adjustment would be effected, which no one should prevent by throwing out unmerited aspersions on such a character. _ 31r. HUME said the parishoners would willingly pay Dr. Owen 1,200/. a ,ear. When he came to examine the statements of the petition, he did not know how to interpret those statements without attaching blame to the interference which had been exercised. The petition. ra stated that they should have come to an adjustment of those claims but for the interpositioo of the Bishop. They, more over stated that those tithes were equal to the entire assessed taxes of the parish ; and, in his opinion, such conduct did not allow heirg spoken of in very qualitied terms. lie knew nothing of the Bishop of London, but, front what he had heard of him, Le be. hewed Mm to be an amiable man in private life ; he believed him to be a man of high character. Ile might have expressed himself too strongly, but, from the representations mode to him by several of the house-holders and am heart-burnings which extended through the parish, it was a subject upon which he felt very strongly ; he thought it was the duty of any Bishop to consult the wishes of the parish ; he was sorry to have made Any personal allusion to the Right Reverend Prelate._ (pmers.) BRAND JURY ASSESSMENTS. ...... Mr. SPRING RICE presented a petition from the County Tyrone, against Grand Jury Assessments in Ireland.—Ordered to be printed. Mr. SPRING RICE presented a similar petition from Mr. Richard Bell. GREENWICH HOSPITAL. Mr. WODLIIOUSh moved for Returns of the Contract Prices of Proviaione, bread, meat, sour, and coals ; also for the Contract Price of Labour performed by carpenters, bricklayers and plumber'', during the years 1774, 1792, 18412, 1810, 1819, and every succeeding year. CATHOLIC CLAIMS. Sir F. HURDETYsiiiti iiieteelinWl;;:itertained of the sound policy and wisdom of attending to the claims of the Catholics of Ireland, induced him to present the petition which he held in his hand from the Catholics of Ireland. upon the subject of the claims he had adverted to. As he had co intention to bring forward a premature discussion of the question, he did not think it allowable to enter into the merits of the case, further titan to state generally that those claims could never be set at rest until the question of Catholic right was conceded. The people of Ireland, from their high character and loyal conduct, were entitled to the fullest con. sideration, and it was an anomaly strange and unaccountable, that a people, who had been represented by a Minister of the Crown in another place, as being as honest, industrious, and intelligent as any on the face of the globe, should be pronounced by the same lips as unfit to be admitted within the pale of the Constitution. The claims of Ireland on the justice of this country had greatly increased since the Union, and there had oc curred nothing to diminish these claims. There could not, in his opinion, exist the least apprehension in the most timid mind, of any danger in conceding the claims of the Catholics. There were other subjects which afrected the interests of Ireland- and to which the people of that country did not look with indifference. But it seemed to ha agreed that no other question should be brought for. ward until the question of the Catholic claims was put out of the way. Was it not, he would ask, extraordinary and unjust that six millions of subjects of this country should not be entitled to the privileges of the constitution, and should be as aliens in their own country ? The irritation of that country could never be appeased— no satisfaction could be experienced until those claims were con ceded. It was quite clear that the people of Ireland would never be contented without the full enjoyment of the rights of citizens. They could not be satisfied; in his opinion they ought not to be satisfied. Until Oat House attended to the prayer of their petition, and raised them to an equal participation of equal rights. they salad continue to bring their claims before that House; if they relaxed in their efforts, they would be unwor. thy to enjoy them, and such supineness would argue that they did not estimate as highly as they should do the valuable privileges which emanated from the British Constitution. He hoped the period was not far distant when he should ace them in possession of those pri. 'doges. He could urge many topics in favour of the claims of the petitioners; but as it was nut intended to bring forward a discus sion, he would merely move that the petition be brought up. Mt. BROUGH Adl addressed a few sentences to the attention of the House, which, however, were in a very low tone of voice. He concurred in every observation which had fallen front the lion. Ida. Tone, whose exertions would assist the cause he advocated. He was sure the interests of the Catholics could not be in better hands than in those of the Hon. Baronet. The petition was then read, and on the motion that it be printed, •Mr. BANKES said, as the Hcn. Baronet had declined going into the question at the present time, he (Mr. Bankes) should also ab stain ; but the Hon. Baronet had taken this opportunity of telling the House that his opinions on this great question were unaltered ; and therefore it became the duty of those whose sentiments were in oppoi.ition to the Hon. Baronet's, to make a similar declaration. So far as regarded himself, he must assert that the view he took of the question was the same us that he hid always taken ; and this being the case, lie thought he and Members generally owed it not only to themselves, but to their constituents also, before whom they were so soon to be called (Order, order), to let their opinions he known. The people of England, when they came to choose their Representatives, would then select those whose sentiments on this subject were in accordance with their own. lie observed one ex pression in the petition, to which he wished to call the attention of the House; it wan, that the petitioners' religion was unaltered. This he believed; but it was contradictory to statements which had been made, asserting that there had of late years been much change in this respect. The lion. Baronet said the claims of the petitioners were grounde' on principles of sound policy and reasonable justice; bur he (Mr. Bankes) contended that it wax against reason or policy for Protestants (who the more sincere they were, the more they must be opposed to any encroachment on what they believed the only true church) to commit the guardianship of theme rights to the Rn. man Catholics. It was his sincere opinion, however, that this church, if the Catholics were admitted into this and the other house of Parliament, would not continue two Sessions in the same state. His opinions were confirmed by the acts and speeches of the ratholics themselves. Mr. W. SMITH said he did nos expect lo hear such a confession from any opposed to Catholic emancipation, as that which had just fallen from the lion. Gentleman, ri.inely, that the church would nor stand for two SessiJns after the admission of Irish Members. (neer.) 'f he petition • as then ordered to he printed. Mr. BROUGHAM soil he had to present to the House a pe tition from the mime quarter, praying a repeal of the Act passed denote the last session, which made it illegal for the Catholic As encia:ion to hold its usual meetings. The petitioners stated that they viewed this Act as a new obstacle in the way of emancipation. In presenting this petition, it was unnecessary for hint to say, he aimed with the sentiments it colonised. Ile had given his oppo. sition to the Act ; and for the repeal of it he should be found a staunch advocate. The petition was then read, and ord-red to be printed. ABOLITION OF SLAVERY. Mr. HIJME said he had to present a petition to the House from a gentleman named Augustus Harding Beaumont. who is a native of Jamaica, but who is now resident in London. Though this was the pendent of an individual, it was of some importance. It prayed for a pledge of compensation to precede measures for ultimately abolishing slavery. The petitioner stated that he is entitled to the reversion of a coueiderable number of slaves in Jamaica, and at pre. Pent is in possession of property in that island ; but lie feared that the latter, as well as the property in reversion, would be Inst by the measures contemplated being carried into effect. In his (Mr. Ilume's) opinion, every man's property was only so by the law of the land ; and every Peer was as much protected by the law, and no more, than the individual who was in the Wen Indies. The petitioner slated, that in IVA the inhabitants of Jamaica petitioned the Legislative Assembly to restrict the alive trade; but the Go. vernor refused to listen to the proposition., because he said he would not put an end to a trade which was so beneficial to England. This traffic was established in the reign of Queen Elizabeth, who formerly had a share in it. Iles successor' encouraged it by every possible means; and Dint William the Third (by Lord homers, his Minister) declared that rite Sieve Trade was " highly beneficial to the nation." Numetutie Acts of Parliament, front the reign of King William till within a few years of the Slave Trade Abolition Laws, are to be found in the Statute Book of the British Parliament, encouraging and tintering this tragic; and when, in 1760, South Carolina (then a British Colony) passed a law, prohibitory of further importations of shoes into that dependency, Great Britain indignantly rejected the Act, and declared that the Slave Trade was berehoal and neceseary to the mother country t the Go. vernoe, who sanctioned the prohibitory Act, Was reprimanded ; and a circular was sent to all other Obvcrnors, warning them against a similar offence, which, however, was repeated in 1764, and Jamaica stood forward as the advocate of the black men ; for, in Jamaica, a Bill was twice read in the Legis lative Assembly, for the purpose of limiting the importation of slave!, when the measure was frustrated by Great Britain, through the Govemor of Jamaica, who sent for its Assembly, and told them that, consistently with his instructions, he could not give hisassent ; therefore the Bill was dropped, and the Slave Trade continued.— Again in 1774, the Jamaica Assembly actually passed two Bills to restrict the Slave Trade ; but Grcut Britain again resisted. Bristol and Liverprol, which are now clamorous for the abolition of slavery itself, then found it suited their interest to petition for the con tinuation of the importation of our African black brethreu, and the matter being referred to the Board of Trade, that Board re. ported for the eoutinuation of the Slave Trade •, thereupon the Colonies, by the Agent of Jamaica, remonstrated and pleaded against the report, on ell the grounds of justice and humanity ; but Great Britain. by the mouth of the Earl of Dartmouth, then President of the Board of Trade, answered by the following de , claration :—" We cannot allow the Colonies to check or dis. courage, in any degree, a traffic so beneficial to the nation."— It was therefore evident this sort of property had become a matter of right under the sanction of England; hut if some limestone were taken by which it might be secured, the Colonic', instead of being contumacious, would gladly forward the amelioration, or even emancipation, of the slaves. He (Mr. Hume) observed that this feeling existed in a report of the proceedings of the Legislative Assembly, which he read. He contended the evils could not be put a stop to, without the concurrence of those who were proprietors of slaves ; and he hoped that an endeavour would be made to carry these individuals along with them in the efforts which might be made. This, however, could not be expected, unless they were assured there would be no encroachments made on their property. Now, when the opinion of this country was changed, and the nation, coniinced of the erroneous views taken of the con. dition of the blacks, he hoped that they would not remedy one error by the adoption of another. He claimed from their justice, that in their sympathy for the blacks they would not lose sight of the rights of the whites. No one deplored more than himself the existence of that foul spot which tarnished the humanity of the coun try; but in the anxiety to blot it out, as a stigma on the national character, be did not think it advisable or just to trespass on the property of Individuals. The petition stated that Jamaica and the Colonies were not represented ; and the petitioner, therefore. deemed it due to himself to state to the House the opinions which he enter tained on the subject, and which he could not otherwise have an opportunity of expressing with effect. The petitioner also hoped that the House would not fell to profess, or promise, to correspond with the reasons assigned for their consideration, in regard to the interests of those persons who apprehended such grievous injury to ensue to their acknowledged property. In that just expectation, he (Mr. flume) fully concurred, and lie trusted that the House, in extending their beneficence to the elates, would not force the plan. tern to suffer the loss accruing from the change. Individuals dr. commenced in a similar manner with the petitioner, aliauld not be arbitrarily deprived of their property without any equivalent; for without such an equitable compensation, great difficulties must occur in perfecting the MeOures intended for the advantage of the slaves. The petitioner stated, that unless the proprietors of pro peety which would he affected by the contemplated alteration in the slave system, got some assurance to that effect, they must foil in danger, not only of a deprivation of their property, but also of their lives. That uncertainty was the cause of the opposition which manifested itself in England to it, for he knew it was the anxious wish of Government to suppress the evils endured by the operation of the slave system. Ile (Mr. Hume) had been more panicular in detailing the nature of the petition, as it was his intention, at an earlier period of the session, to have introduced a propositioa to the liouse, the object of which wits to provide compensation for the parties whose interests were likely to be injured by the proposed amelioration in the condition of the slaves. From that intention, however, he had been dissuaded, in consequence of the subject having been taken up by his Majesty's Ministers. On the petition beingg brought p; Mr. Secretary . CANNlNG observed, that he did not mean to oppose the petition ; still less did lie purpose to follow the Honour able Member (Mr. Hume) through all the details which he had submitted to the House. That course should not be the one for his adoption even if all the topics adverted to by the Honourable Mem: ber were correct. Ile had considered the subject attentively, but he did not think that the present time was proper for an expression of opinions on the matter, as discussion would only tend to exasperate passions which it would be much more desirable to allay. That objection would not apply to the time which the Honourable and Learned Member for Winchelsea (Mr. Brougham) had appointed for his motion on the question. For the 11th of May he should therefore reserve himself. It would be unnecessary until that pe riod arrived, to state what measures hi. 113'p:sty's Government had taken into consideration. Then the whole of the question could be viewed together, and that he conceived a much better mode of treat ing it than to traceed to incidental discussions on detached parts, as would be the case if the House should enter into its bearings on the presentation of petitions. Such a course could only excite unnecessary and unpleasant debates on particular points, without any good result. At the time to which he had already idverted, there would be an ample opportunity of discussing the question, and considering it in reference to all the interests which it involved. The petition was then read, and ordered to lie on thitabie: Ile3IE presented a petition front Henry Heeling, of Cul. cutta, regarding the extension of the Insolvent Debtors' Act to COURTS OF JUSTICE—WEST INDIES. _ . . . —.— Lout NUGENT addressed - the House on the subject of the better Administration of Justice in the West Indies, on which subject he had given notice of a motion. It had been his intention to intro duce a hill to that effect, as he wished that persons who distributed justice in the Colonies should be independent of salaries paid by the Colonial Assemblies. He thought it would be a great improve ment in the system if they were paid from this country. In con. fortuity with that opinion, he bad provided is she intended bill that they should be interdicted from receiving any tees or emolu ments in the annual votes of the Colonial Assemblies, as the mem. hers who composed such assemblies were persona whose interests must frequently come in contact with the rights of slaves and with the concerns of the free men, whereby the Officers presiding over the Courts of Justice were liable to be influenced to the detriment ol . the latter description of people. Another object which his bill contemplated was the abo.ition of the higher Officers of Justice in the smaller islands, so that only three Chief Justices should be appointed for the entire of the Colonies. These personages were to be stationed at Jamaica, Barbadoes, and Antigua, but it was pro. posed that they should go circuit for the benefit of the other Islands. The Bill provided that the salaries to those Chief Jus tices should be such, as that they should not be rende:ed sub. sentient to any assembly. No suspicion could then attach to the administrstion of justice, and every one might expect iinpartiality ; for men of talents and of rank would be induced to accept the situ ations. Persons of that kind were wanted there, to give that ample confidence which was requisite in the administration of justice, a dependence on his integ rity to execute the laws without bias, and a reliance on Ilia knowledge, to prevent him from mistaking his duty. Thus, a class of persons would be obtained, who would be capable of knowing the difference of the laws which prevailed in the Co lonies, of which, at the present period, some were imperfectly known, while others were unintelligible--some were printed and others written: The Bill also provided to cut off the Judges from tuch property as would na.urally identify their interests with these of the residents of the Colonies. They were to be debarred from the possession of slaves or lands in the places where they inhabited. On this point he could plead high authority ; for, at the beginning of every war, it was deemed right, that those who presided in the Prize Courts should not be interested in the captures. Such wu the opinion of Lord Stowed, that Learned aril eminent Judge, who said, that Judges in those Courts were disqualified from giving judgment In cases of letters of marque, who possessed any property therein. If. then, it was right to snake th ese pr ov i s i o n s in matters of property, where public opinion was against injustice, It was more particularly necessary that the check should operate in places where life was concerr4d. and where the public opinion, instead of being e check, had a tendency favourable to an opposite practice. Another matter which he intended to introduce was, the right of appeal from subordinate jurisdictions. He was gl a d t o see th a t reformation was spreading, as there was nothing he had more at heart. The subject was one of great importance, not only to the slaves, but also to the planters, who would not find themselves benefited by the rred (a,t astty ot s had t hey eecd n inmi a ge l t a lt y d tt m earhxe i a n ipvlv i rel s enot t ot r a ,e:d t i : t a hßctoet :he y mpon i a rec ers otc r t ee wwo A obi e r nterhe b e e n i tr r tii uoihrnige[mibi eyntuisti::: : ::, dr jnan forward ftietoeißsnnwegwtc hrthl ,isa l°C :t3bh, a j n iu j i ndt h l ct by t h e had received information from : I rat front nrui C ntmg o el lendinga g 4 l a tnh o pite d.s i eu a ria l d S o„stwde r t reet r iid e jec o,nrtdidgi.kusa, Secret ary otsoeifsrir ( xite e.tt:Sybrhe: forward i.irdettr.l7.sceenk Attorney. t • neneogie d i tec i dm ' oa r fEre 11 1, e li 0 n ;1 sr w et o or a f nn r n t ) h e , et a m ' ta l'a t a n i ta t d w e ni r ' s od , th e nd templated. Ile understood, when Government was in full I us t ject wouW be taken up and pr by Government. He • he a • desirous that the Government undertake the matter. a s' was anxious to leave it in their hands. If. therefore, he del misunderslond the statement of the Colonial Secretary h e is ou , d Withdraw the motion rif which he had given notice. Mr. WILMOT HORTON said, that two Reports h a d i,, ca laid on th e table. and when the third should be reeeived, the intention of Government to effect the objects which the No: Lord's motion intended to accomplish. Measures for ti tat puep o ,,, were contemplated. The motion was therefore withdrawn. DEFENCE BY COUNSEL IN FELONIES. Mr. G. LAMB adverted to the debate which had taken plac e og I former occasion, on the subject of his motion for that night Hi did not think that the argunients used at that time were sufficientl strong, OT the number who voted so great, as to prevent the re r newel of the diacut.ion. He might be asked why he allowed g es : Ginn to pass after Sesaion, without In-int.:trig the merits nf the gu m tion forward ? To that he would only answer, that he knew the awkwardness of telling a twice.tuld tale. and he did not like to is. troduce, immediately after its rejection, a matter of to technics( nature. lie had in the interval considered the bearing' of the gum s . tion more maturely, and ei•cry thing that had since occurred to hi reflection, only tended to confirm the opinion which he had for s . General on the occasion when the Bill was originally intmdeced, it d. was to be expected teat the Honourable and Learned Gentlemen w wo ar u t i l ' a t prev ent ult r e c m o b il y t r. h d , e o cc i of misdemeanor. The A ttorney.General had not done so, and he sent ( tr 3 od i r c ( o l w l measure. ttatwhat b) was r a u r s t o the i h t e e a f Bill n o o e for eeir encouraged thatut in th th t e co th n e xii p ti r i i i v i i n ef i c o of p memopnlsoyaingrraiCgedunscel,rwraelsofnoir:. by a Charts itself had been made to include it in its provioions. It was C c ou ro n w se n l w i o n , p th ri e va l t i e in, a th ee c us p et ra l. ct b i u c t e no t t o w haellroewthe the the Crown had undertaken the office of public prosecutor of private criminals, the practice wh ch hate operated in its public capacity, transferred itself to the new occupation, and was in fact an tenors. tion on the old rule. lie could adduce Blackstme and Whitelnek in support of his position, and he was supported by the Honourable Member for Knatesborough (Sir J. Mackintosh), a hose absence he regretted at the lament moment. He had quoted the proceedings of Judge Jefferies. There were also the canments of Sir John Hall on Holinolied, concerning the ease of Lord John Russell. Slr Michael Foster had been quoted on the former discusaion, and his treatise on criminal I tee had been referred to trium. phan•ly. as being in opposition to his (Mr. G. Lamb's) state ment ; but Sir Michael Foster's explanation of the difficulty only amounted to the assertion, that the object of the Judge was to 'expound what was doubtful. Sir Michael's statement was oracu larly indefinite; and vet he was called the Magna Charm of the law on that occasion. But formerly the dispute arose not merely in reference to counsel pleading in defence, but also as to their right of crone-examination of witnesses. In the fourteenth year of the reign of George the Second, when Sir Michael Foster was Re. corder of Bristol, a case was brought before him, In which a man W the name of Goodyer was under trial. and wished to cross.esatitine the witness by counsel. Sir Michael Foster however, refused, although the application was grounded on the deafness of the accused, and the practice was admitted et the Old Batley and at the Guildhall. He could not therefore be ad. duced as any very convincing authority in the cane under discus. sion. lie (31r. G. Lamb) was glad to perceive that the wisdom of our ancestors was gradually losing that cabalistic property which their words at one period were supposed to pones*. People bad taken on this subject the opinion of Lard Bacon, who recommend. ed to the young barrister to use it as ••• a light to open the eyes, but not as a guide to lead by the nose." Ile was not to be dissuaded from pursuing the object of his Bill by the general assertions relied on, when the tnattetlwas agitated before, that the law was the per. fection of femme. It was kicky for him that a Bill was on the tah:e to disprove that argument. That Bill, which conferred on the Right Hon. Gentleman (Mr. Peel) who proposed it infinite credit, was a convincing proof that there were some accidental incorrect. nests in the law which required amendment. Ile was glad Mkt the Crown. Lawyers approved of the provisions of that Bill, as it would form a very fitting prelude to the one which he intended to submit to the consideration of the House. It had been very fairly observed ass strange inconsistency, that a person should be allowed, in matters affecting property, a privilege which was denied to them when life was in danger. Another way of meetirg the position for which he contended, consisted in the assertion that the Judge was Counsel for the prisoner; but the Judge was more properly said to br the Counsel for public justice. He knew that there wit a very general wish on this subject, that the accused should have the bene fit of Counsel foe his defence. A gentleman of the Grand Jury of Exeter had written to Baron Ostrow, a clever letter, in which he justly observed, that though the Judge were to be considered as the prisoner's Counsel, yet he had not sufficient preparation to make himself master of tile points necessary for the defence. When the question was discussed on the former occasion, it was objected to making the Judge the prisoner's Counsel, that if he made a de fence fur him, he was bound, in his public character, to make a reply to what he had before stated in favour of the accused, and thus countenance an awkward anomaly, being in the one view in favour of, and in the other against, the accused. As to the effect produced in the conduct of Judges, he would ask whether, since the ahem. tion made in the Treason Act, Judges were not considerably W. proved ? He was aware that the independence of the Judges was a matter of great importance; but still he would deduce the improve. meat front the change in the Treason Act. He would ask, would it be inferred that the Judge was to act against himself for the prisoner ? In the case of Air. Cowper, who was afterwards a Judge, and when arraigned pleaded for himeolf, what was the effect ? Why the Judge who tried him was offended at his clew:. ness, and endeavoured to refute what he had advanced in his vindi. cation. Thus it was bad for a person tb be either ignorant or in telligent. In a burglar case which he saw reported in :he news papers, the accused asked if it occurred in the dark, and the Judge in charging the Jury said it was bad to see a person of the pn soner's description so conversant with the law. A laugh.) Such an observation was only fit to bring into their rectllec:ion the saying of Jack Cauy, " I will hang the fellow, if it were only for pleading so cleverly for his life." (A laugh) He would only ask whether imputations of' this kind could be brought against the Judges of late times, since the amendments he had adverted to were introduced Amongst the advantages of the proposed measure, it would Ws courage the production of perjured eibir, which was s good that should not be meanly estimated. He did not find fault with the manner in which justice was administered under the present law, but it was very generally admitted that the verdict of a Jury at the prevent day did not carry satisfaction to the breasts of the country. It often happened that a doubt arose in the Secretary of State's Office ; and under such circumstances the case was not carried to the extremity of execution. He would not allude to cases where the criminals suffered the penalty of the law, and the public were not satisfied of their guilt ; but he might allude to the persons charged with Lord Cowprea robbery, who had been convicted, and were reprieved at the foot of the gallows. There was no imputation of perjury in that case, which showed the state of the law, even when the proceedings were not tainted by that foul ingredient. Some time since he saw in the papers the case of Catherine Ferns, who was convicted of burglary, and afterwards proved innocent and pardoned. It was dilhcolt to collect the opinions of esistirg Judges. on the proposition he was about to submit to the House, but he had some reason to think they were not opposed to the alteration he proposed. Speaking more guardedly, he was sure Judges must feel deeply when a case for the prosecution closed, and they had to acquaint the prisoner that a Counsel could cot be allowed to address the Jury in his behalf. It was true that Juuges sometimes endeavoured to atop the Counsel for the prose ictuwtioonulidn b his b e e t t t a e t r em t f statement. T e his no is h criminal cases ; but he (M r . Lamb) admitted that there were many cases resting on circ u m s t ant i a l ev id ence , in which the Jury a had led Counsel s some ie fo p r e 7e n p to believetio tha n of t • would consider the ere wildly, if the material facte were nor pointed out to them by the Co unse l f or t h e p r isoner. But what he contended for was, that wh ere th ere was a Counsel to speak for the roetscu prosecution, there should also be a Counsel to speak for the pri soner. With great deference for Judges, he thought it was leaving too much in their power to let them have to state all the facts for the prisoner to the Jury. There should be Counsel in all cases to speak for both parties. Why, he asked, was there Counsel allowed to prisoners in cases of misdemeanor, whilst it was denied to then) in felony, which subjected the convict to the highest penalncs? What was the reason that on the trial of a Peer for felony, be fore the High Court of P a rli amen t, w h en t h e accuse d was not all o wed Counsel to speak in hie behalf, the Counsel for the prosecution m igh t . reply if evidence load b een adduced in the prisoner's behalf ? This had actually happened in the c ave o f L or d F errars . It did not happen in the later ease of Lard Byron, because no evidence was produced iu that case for the accu se d : b ut i n t h e l ast case o f the Duchess cf . Kingston, Solicitor-Gener a l W e dd er b urne c l a imed the right et reply, and this cl a i m was admitted. Hale said that the King may aid) a prosecution for treason and try the felony. li e . quoted this authority, thou g h lie comm. • tered that "the wisdom of our ancestors" was not so much in vague now in that House as it used to be. Whil s t we a b o li s h e d a b sur d l aws , h owe ver, ive should preserve the spirit of those which were equitable and just. Afe years ago the House had abolished the trial by battle, no c i".V had resulted f rom t h e re p ea l o f t hi s a b sur d l aw , b ut h e beliv d tit had been productive of great service. By the existing law, wn?f,, liberty and life were in a s muc h p er il as in the lists, we dem!' the helpless and the imbecile the advantage of an advocate.tn of his propositi on wou ld i ncrease or diminish the number of M whom they m i g h t fi n d sa f ety. li e k new not w h et h er t he adoption •ictions, but he w as sure t h ose w hi c h too k place would be more satisfactory, and more dependent on truth. The Hon. Gent. con cluded by moving for leave to bring in the Bill. The ATTORNEY-GENERAL said, that after the full in quiry which the mea s ur e un d erwent on a f ormer occasion, whcrihe similar motion was m a d e the lion. Gentleman, he h oped would he excused it "h e confined himself to the leading object ions . which presented them se l ves to hi s m i n d. I n a q uestion like th is , 't if he differed in the v i ew ta k en b y t h e H on . G ent . (Mr. Lamb), connected with crimin a l j ust i ce , there could be but one object; and was because, after th e b est consideration, he believed that the pro posed alteration would n o t b e p ro d uct i ve o f advantage, but of inconvenience. He had never considered the question upon the basis of authority, but as a practical question, and iti r a exPeri ence . and inquiries, from every source to which he bad access, Wong", peak in cr prof! view ip9ie kJ ou al un 'be Owl in km fr es o o n ti J. 1 'I 11