The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser. — London, England, 1806-04-15 00:00:00

IAIPERVII. I' -IR I.I.IMENT. HOUSE OF LORl) , —M.psu•t, Aram 14. Their I,ndshins na-t mi. dry, pursuant to their a.ljaarnment, preiriow: to the Easter Recess. routine hit,inrs.i was disposed of, and Cie Bills on the t lorwarded in their respritive t.Age.s.; among whi.-1 1 . the Irish Militia Service Bill went thron 4 li a Committee of the whole House, Lord WalMigham in the Chair, and was reported ssithnut amendment. The Ordei of the Day, for the further conside ratian of the ppeal Cause from Chancery; the Countess of Lincoln, r. the Duke of Newcastle, being read, a discu.sion of considerable length tot k place ori the subieft. __._ ... Lend ELLENBOROITH-T, Lord ELDON, and the LORD CH A NCELLOR, delivered their sem i mente - respeaively, rite two tomer Peers, at con etierable lengzn. Lord ELLEN BO ROUGH concluded his speech, by moving a proposition, tending to affirm the de cree of the Court of Cliancely, with certain excep tions, respefting which the Court was dotard to proceed, ece. The discussinn was terminated in consequence of a suyTestion of the Lord Chancellor; in come. qtteree of which, the Agents for the parties were called to the Bar, and questioned respet"ting the age et his Grace, the Respondent. The Agent informed their Lnrdships, he had at tained his majority, his Grace having been 21 i years of age. the 3041 of last January, Lord RI .LEN BOROUGH inquired of the wit sees, whether he were sufficiently certain of that fall, to be able to swear to it, if called upon ? At ' The Agent replied, he would not undertake to swear to Vie circumstance, though he had no doubt i 'whatever upon his own mind respeaing it. After some farther inquiry, it was agreed by their Lordships, on the Motion of the Lord Chancellor, ~ that the farther consideration of the case be ad- Jaunted rill Thursday, its order to afford time far 1 the prodniion o? die Parochial Registers, to ascer tain the age of his Grace the Duke of Newcastle. On the Motion of Lord AUCKLAND, who ob served, that on that stage of the Bill, it was under -1 , stood an opposition was intended the Bill for in. . demnifying the Governors of the British West India Islands, and for regulating the future intercourse between these Islands, and the United States of America, was ordered to be read a second time, on Thursday nett. '1 he healing of the Scotch Appeal Cause, M'Nabb e Morton, tae of considerable importance, and on which the new Lord Advocate, and Solicitor- Ceneral of Scotland are retained, was fixed for the , Sd of May. Let d Holland presented a Petition from certain Debtors, confined in the Gaol of Newcastle-upon. Tyne. praying Relief, which was ordered to lie on the table. Lord GRENVILLE said, that in pursuance of the notice he had given before the Recess, ho should now move, and with refe to what he had then said, teithout farther troubling their Lordships, " that a Committee be Appointed to search the Jeer pals e'er precedents respraing the praetice of the House on former cases of impeachment, and - to consider of the best mode of proceeding, with respell to the else of Henry Viscount Melville, &c. sod to report the same to the House." This, on the question being put, was ordered ac cordingly. Several private and return Bills were brought up . frost the Commons, by Mr. Baldwin and other gen tlemen. Dr. Duigenan brought up the Irish First Fruits Bills and Mr. Baldwin, the Irish Treasury Bills Bill, and the British Fishery Bill; which, with the other Bills presented, being severally read a first time, their Lordships adjourned till to-morrow. HOUSE OF OF COMMONS. The Scarborough Harbour Bill was read a second time, and ordered to be committed to a Committee above stairs. Sir II Milbanke breught up a Petition from cer tain inhabitants of Bishops Wearmouth, and Sun derland, against the said Bill, which was ordered to he referred to the Committee on the Bill. He then brought up a Petition from the Prisoners confined for Debt in the gaol of Durham, praying relief.—Ordered to lie on the Table. Sir M Ridley brought up a Petition from the Prisoners oinfined for Debt in the gaol of the town of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, praying relief.—Ordered to lie on the Table. Mr. Calcraft brought up an Account of the sums remaining in the Exchtquer on the Ist of January I NOS, being part of Ordnance Grants for 1804. O'dered to lie on the Table. A new Writ was ordered to be issued for the Bo rough of Helstnne, in Cornwall, in the room of D. Geddy, Esq. who has accepted the office of Steward of the Chiltern Hundreds. elanott tn.' A RCOT's CREDITORS. Mr. HO iIIiOUSE moved the Order of the Day for taltifie into further consideration the Report of the Committee on the Petition of the private Cre ditors of the Nalsoh of ATCot, which being read— He lam sued that an Hon. Gentleman, (Mr. Fran. els.) %via, was biotay conversant in East India 4fAir.4, C , 1..1 hoc ;Lk day be in his place, on *comma? (as tie eni'et stood, and which he very much regriereili i t a larnly misfortune—as that lion. Gentleman had endeavoured to rouse the attention of the ll,m'e to the importance of the subject before he moved for leave to bring in a Bill to re gulate these matters, he thought it his duty to state to the House toe rise and progress of these debts, and the eatute of the hill he intended to submit to the 1 consideration of the House, if he should o b ta i n suc h leave. Ile then began with the act of 1 71;4_44 0! the hire', c. 25. for establishing a Court of Judi- Catill P i'l India, and went through a regular histnry of ;h. oiveral treaties which had been made since shut time ketween the said Nabob and his successors, and Mr. Dave-on, Goyern•ir of Madras. hlarquis Cornwallis, and Lail POW:S, by whieit he shewed .". that the Neo, of the C.onatic had engaged to pay epwards of nine lacks of rupees annually to the East blood Company, as a militiny subsidy. wl:ich Lad, from tame to time, fallen into such arrow. as to amount At prevetat to upwards of shay note lacks, wak': i t EnglA. rail is more than tv.7a millions. The coonity of ne Caenatic had lr-en- mortgaged '1 the E Indi Courpinv us a security for the payon-nt el' this hinny ; that nitnv person. in India , f• '11" C' , "rSe that time become private cre ditor, a, the Nsbnl, of Are ,t, to a very consider able -am mot ; who.. i 0 ctontecoenre of the temittst ies of he Carnatoc being assigned to the Company, had dem iockd the amnunt of their several debt. from the Company, and an a,zreement WAS made between the Company an I the said Coeditors, that those claims should he referred to certain Commis sioners to inquire into, aid settle the same. Mr. Hobhnu,e was one of those Commissioners ; but on entering into the execution of the trust re posed in them, it had been found, that the powers granted to them were not sufh:ient to answer the purposes which were intended by the parties, and it became, therefore, necessary those power. should be extended. The nature of the bill lie should move for leave to bring in, was for the purpose of regulating the mode of recovering the debts of the private creditors of the Nabob of Arcot, by the ap pointment of Commiscioneri--not with such powers as ate given to Parliamentary Commissioners for Naval Affairs, &c. for no compulsory measures were to be allowed, hut such an extension of power as might be deemed necessary. He concluded by moving— *. That leave be given to bring in a Bill to enable the Commiimuners, acting in the execution of the at - ..enient made between the Fast India Company, and the Private Cie• ditors of the Nabob of the Carnatir, the better to carry the same int.. effect:' Mr. W. KEENE said, that in looking over the list of those private creditors, he saw the names of many persons meting in the highest civil offices in India, and which appeared to hint at present to de serve a cautious inquiry. There were many persons in the list, whom justice and humanity would un doubtedly call on the House to assist. He would not objelt to the Bill being brought in, nor trouble the House with any further observations at present, but would reserve them to some future stage of the Bill when brought in. The question was then put, and leave given to bring in the Bill. TRIALS FOR OFFENCES BEYOND SEA. Mr. JERVIS rose to make the Motion of which he had given notice previous to the recess. It was unnecessary, he said, to take up the time of the House, further than to state, that by the statute of Henry the Bth, the jurisslidion of the Court of Ad miralty extended to almost all parts of the world with respell to ads of piracy, and also by a subse quent statute of King William ; but, that in cases of murder, it had always been the custom to send persons accused, home for ti hal. It was, therefore, thought necessary to alter the law in this case, and to empower His Majesty to issue commissions to certain persons in our settlements and colonies abroad, to try persor.s accused of having committed murder, within their respedive jut isdidims, without seeding them home. He therefore moved— " That lease be girea to bring in a Rill for the more speedy trial olottencet committed in distant parts beyond the seas.•— Granted. RESIDENT CURATES. Mr. PERCIVAL said, he rose, in consequence of the notice he had given, to move for leave to bring in a Bill, for the maintenance of Resident Curates. He believed it would be unnecessary to trouble the House with any observations, as the Bill he had to propose was the same as that which had passed that House last Session, but which had been thrown out in the other House. on account of some inaccuracies. He observed a Noble Lord (Porchest er), on the other side of the House, who had strenu ously opposed the former Bill, in its different stages; but he hoped, it he continued is the same opinion reveling it, he would postpone any opposition to it, to some future stage of the Bill, rather than bring it forward now. He then moved— "That leave be given to bring in a Rill for making mere ef feClual revision for the M.:intenarree of Stipendiary Curates, and for their Residence en their Cures." Lord PORCHESTER said, the principle of the Bill was to give the Bishops a power to take from Clergymen a fifth part of their income, if it did not amount to more than 2501. a year. He thought the Bill a great novelty in legislation ; there was no appeal, and to that principle, on a state of taxation on property, he could not consent. The House was in a different situation to what it was last Session. They had, almost immediately, previous to the re cess, appointed a Committee to enquire into the re ports of the Bishops respelling Residence; and to give leave to bring in this Bill, would look as if they meant to recall the powers of their Committee, before they could well have entered on their func tions. He should, therefore, object to the Bill being brought in. Mr. PERCIVAL said, there had been no reason stated, to induce the House to refuse to ad mit the Bill, and he hoped, therefore, his motion would be agreed to. If the Noble Lord had wait ed till the Bill was brought in, he would have found that there is an appeal to the Archbishop. As to the objedion to the fifth, that is only mentioned as a ntazimum, in the case of very great benefices. There were some as high as 2,0001. a year. and surely it could not be wi►hed or desired, that such a wealthy clergyman, who was non-resident, should exped the resident Curate to do his duty for 751. a year, which was the utmost he could have at present. it was true the House had appointed a Committee to in. quire into the reports of the Bishops on the subjed ill Residence ; but, if they had paused before they let the Bill pass, till such time as the Committee should make their report, they would nut at all in terfere with their funnums. Lord PORCI-TESTER, in explanation, said, no case had been produced, to shew that the ifou,e should adopt this novel proceeding. Mr. Secretary FOX said, he did not rise to op pose the bringing in this Bill, but to observe. that, in hi, opinion, the allowance to the Curate ought not to be proportioned to the wealth of the rectory, or living, but to the ditty be would have to perform. and the relative situation in which, in other tespals, he stood in the parish. The question ss as then pot, and leave granted to bring in the Bill. Sir J. NEWPORT moved— " For kayo to tem, i t a thll, to .egolate the packing of Hutterlo a..tl, for sale of Grantrd. Mr. PA UL gave notice, that he would, on Fri day. lay Isidore the Ibuve the grcunds of his charge against %/at qois Wellesley, 5 Halve to las coo t:boll to the Nabob of Hyde-Ovid'; and also, of that for diaabedience of the orders of the Company in the experidit ore of the public money, contrary to ad of parliament; which last, the Diteaort them selves most have brought forward, if he had not ; and he hoped, therefore, they would then be pre sent to support him. Admiral MAR KHAM said, that an Hon. Gen tleman opposite (Mr. Jeffery), had, previous ira the Re( ess, accused him of intention to delay, in moving for papers in vindic won of the charaaer of Earl St. Vincent, against the charge with which he was threatened. He assured the House, however. he had not moved for a single paper which was not necessary. There were some, however, that had been ordered, which were not yet produced, and in which he thought the Navy Board had beenre miss. He mentioned four papers, and moved, "that the orders for their produOion be read ;" which be ing done, be moved, that the said papers be re turned forthwith." Mr. JEFFERY thought he ha f already great reason to complain of d.lay in the produaion of these papers, which had been moved for upwards of three months since. As to 1) mmaday Book, he was gl id to find that the Hon. Admiral had given it up, AS it would he almost Doomsday before it would be produced, for the accounts that should be contained in it, were more than seven years in arrears, and it would take at least twelve months to supply the statements in which it was deficient. There was now, however, no time for much more delay, as he was determined shortly to bring on those charges against Earl St. Vincent, with which he had been prepared these nine months past. Admiral MARKHAM disclaimed any wish to cause the slightest delay, and observed, that in stead of moving fur any additional papers, he now only wished to accelerate the prodation of some of those which he moved for about three months ago. IVhy they had not before this time been laid upon the Table, he was unable to account for. Lord HOWICK (late Mr. Grey) said, he never knew a more unfounded charge than that of a dis position to delay, now made against the gallant Admiral. He knew not why the papers in question, and moved for last Session, had not been produced; but when the subjea came to be examined, the House would have an opportunity of appreciating the motives of the delay. If it were true, as stated, that the Doomsday Book was in arrears, he had not yet an opportunity of knowing why it was so; but that circumstance was not certainly imputable to the lion. Admiral. He did not wish. he said, to ask any thing as a matter of favour from the Hon. Gentleman (Mr. Jeff, ry), but as he was convinced that the public had a great interest in the chataaer of Earl St. Vincent, and knew of no possible benefit that could result from the proposed discussion, he would submit it to the discretion of the Hon. Goat denials himself, whether he would precipitate hit Motion, before there was time for the due consider ation of the papers ? Mr. JEFFEttY declared, upon his honour, that he knew nothing of the reasons for delaying the papers ; and though he pledged himself to insti tute the proposed inquiry, he should not objeft to defer it for a few days ; but could not agree to delay it for any length of time. The Motion WAS then agreed to. General GASCOIGNE moved for an Address to Ills Majesty, praying for the produFtion of copies of the Capitulations of the Colonies of De merara, Essequibo, Barbie', and Surinam, to His Majesty's arms ; which was agreed to. IRISH AFFAIRS. Sir JOHN NEWPORT moved the order of the day for taking into consideration the report of the Committee on the repeal of the Bill imposing a house duty of Ss. in Ireland. He said, that betore he moved the concurrence of the House in the reso lution, he wished to observe, that up to the year 1793, there had been a duty of two shillings hearth money on houses in Ireland, but that in 1795. the bill for coatinuing that duty, stated in the preamble, that many of the cottag,ers were too poor to pay that duty, for which reason, an exemption was granted to the poorest order of the people. In the last year, that tax was commuted to a duty of 3s. upon all dwelling houses, with an exemption to those, the rent of which was under 50s. annually. By that ad, the colledtor was constituted, in many instances, a judge of the value of the houses, and, if he thought proper to demand the payment, the person entitled to exemption would be at as much expence in asserting his right, as would be equiva lent to the tax itself, which was procludive of much discontent and dissatisfaftioa amongst the people. These were the grounds on which he was induced to move for the repeal. Mr. FOSTER said, that though he felt it his duty to propose the tax in question, under the financial eircumstances of Ireland, he considered it as one which ought to be repealed, if it could be done with propriety. That propriety, however, he had now reason to doubt, when he considered, that in the pre- sent year,* loan of three millions had been contraeted for Ireland ; and therefore thought that more asesohers from that country ought to be present, be fore the House repealed a tax, the produce of which was estimated at 20,0001. a year. This house-tax of Ss. on Ireland, was only a part of the system of window duties here, which in no case WAS under 6s. annually. He said that he did not mean to oppose the motion, but state his opinions rather as a friend thin an adversary. Sir J. NEWPORT replied, that if this tax really produced 20,0001. a year, yet es it was productive of great discontents, exclusively of the arrears of payment, he should think it his duty to move for its repeal. It was his intention soon to submit a scale of taxes, which he thought would fall more lightly on the poor of Ireland, and be much more untxcep. tionable than this, which gave rise to consilierable animosities. Mr. LEE wkhed to know the extent of the pro duce of thii tAx ? Sir J. NEWPORT said, it w.ts impossible fur him to suite the full extent of the amount; •s t owing to the CAWS before alluded to, one thud part of it had not been colle,fted. He believed the receipts hitherto h.til not been more than G or 7,0001. hut had they hcen 50,0001. he still should think it expedient to repeal it.—After come further conversation, the Resolution was agreed to, a-id a D'll 0r;:er:...1. to be brouz .t in u;:en it. 'I he . T,qin 11;11 was rca -I tS;tJ tim>an I p :s:t j Sir .1 N EWpoirr fu!th:r c •n., . 1e: a ri., n o f ,he Rep )rt of the C.)rn tt4tre ou the If Rank Nnt«eurtency... Mr. FOSTER said, he had no intention of np pnsi:lg the motion, hut to observe, that AS ti•fe (11 , jeft of it was to enable the Lords of the Tleasio‘ in Ireland t,) compound with r:te leank in tie ,7 ;ILI) ditties no its notes, he thought it h a d hei•er lir si r . (erred till after the opening of the Irish body:et. and more especi.rl'y so, as it was a wel -Looa%, r j a , that the great issues of the bank not e s of t:,at Loh.c try, were the means of tieprecia: , n4 the pap,' rency, and keeping the baldric.: of exchange so ve , y much against Ireland. Sir .1. NEWPOR I' replied, that the obje& measure avowedly was, to allow the Contreisst.,e. ers of the Treasury to compound with the Kt a for the Stamp Duties; but what the toinwi u . „ that composition should be. would be open tor d's. cussion when tile bill should be brought in; but .T most be evident, that an extraordinary issue hank-rotes must be suffered, so long as the sasp ix . ;ion of payment in specie was continued. He served, that the issue of silver from this cOttittry c.u,tiriued, until that article WAS at the rate .1.5.7,1„ per ounce, and there was a loss of 4t0,0001. curled upon it: but should the price fall, he was convinced, that it would be the disposition of His Majesty's Ministers to renew the same a :comtno. dation. The Resolution was then agreed to, after a few explanatory observations, and a Bill ordered to be brought in upon it. The House resolved itself into a Committee of Supply, Mr. Hawthorn in the Chair; to which the Barrack Estimates were referred, when a number of sesms wire voted for military purposes ; ammo which were— . 229,2 2 -0. Itr the Pay of Officers, 669,010 ftt Al! , twAnees 1$4.01)01. Ittr reduced Lacets; and 165"C1. for the Charge', Of Elgrcteks in Great Britain. A number of other items were also voted, which, from the low tone of voice in which they were stated by the Chairman, were perfe.fly inaudible in the gallery.—Ordered to he reported to-morrow. Mr. JEFFERY moved for au account of the number cf line of battle ships and frigates in or dinary, on the Ist of OEtober, 1801, chewing t4:e nature of the repairs which they required. Ordered. The second reading of th e Irish population bill was postponed to the Ist of August next. The Land Fax Commissioner.' Sill was read a first time. and ordered to be read a second time this day fortnight. A person from the L7ndon Flour Company pre sented the Annual Accounts. Ancther from the Exchequer, an account of 0 - e sums remaining in it on the Ist of January :80h, being part of the grants of the year 1804; and a third from the Pay Office, of the sums in that office on the Ist of January 180.5, being part of the grants or 1804, and the balance temaining in the hands of the pay -masters, distinguishing suds quarter. All of which were ordered to lie on the sable, and to be printed ; as was also an accounq from the India Board, 01 the list of pensions, the covenants entered into on behalf of the Company, Ste. An account was ordered to be presented c f ele net produceerif the permanent and war taxes 44 the years 18(15-6, and the charges outstanding on , them ; and also of the charges on the consolidated hind. for the three years ending on the sth of April, distinguishing each quarter. The Commitiee on the Tea Duty Bill was deferred to Thursday neat, and that on the Tobacco Duty Bill, to Wednesday. Mr. VAN 81TTART gave notice, that in the Committee of Supply on Wednesday next, he should move fur a small addiecnal Duty on East India Sugars. The Iron Duty Bill was ordered to be read a se cond time to-morrow se'nnight, and to be printed. Admiral Duckworth's Annuity Bill went through a Committee.—Report to-morrow. Mr. VANSITFAR Is gave notice, that on Wed nesday next, he should, in the Committee of Sup ply, move to vote the miscellaneous services, and the vapences of the African Society.—Adjourned. - THE BRITISH PRESS. LON DON, TUESDAY, Aram 15. • • •• 4 We stated, yesterday, that at a meeting on Friday .2 last, of the Committee of the St. Saviour's Vulun teer Corps of Infantry, consisting of the Olicerc and several Privates, summoned by their COMMAI.J• ant, Major Ports, it was agreed that the Corp should be disbanded, and that a letter WAS sent to die Lord Lieutenant of the County of Surrey, to ap prise him of such determination. This proceeding. which was avowedly adopted in consequeace of Mr . WINDH AYES new Military Plan, has excited mud interest ; but, we trust, for t h e ho nour o f the Vo- j lunteer System, will not induce many to follow the exantple. The Lieutenant-Commandant of t ve Loyal Southwark Regiment of Volunteers, %tali 4 Sharp Shooters attached, lost not a nicirmnt (^ stem the spirit which the precipitate condull of the Committee of the St. Saviour's was calculated or excite, and published on Saturday t h e following 6-- cular letter to the Members of that ecia:)• Carps : T. the Lit ) al Southwark iteginvnt of Vo unteorr, Slurp Shooters art,chet. Ca/4 flg•dtb--1. feel .t my di.ty„ au yrur Conmsodbeg o.scrr, t.. rauttnn you (todividually) against any int:nes-ion unfavoursol• to the Volunteer system, whetl.er originating in the proposal new arrangements, as su,:ge•teri by We S,creter at Wsr, or that of any Corps prematurely disband ng 114" A 4 4 b kV, your attachment to the honour reputatinn the regiment, tuibid it ; and I trust the e...nbArtice COy I ` 4 '. (La pieced in put F veld Officers will not bo slmnin.sh thrt you will be prepare.% if n,ce.sary, to amiergo t'es:V