The Sun. — London, England, 1823-04-25 00:00:00

1 of Dublin, expressed_ his-wish that the inquiry should be. con ducted with the strictest impartiality. - He felt himself perfectly incompetent to conduei. it, as he was unacquainted with even the names of the witnesses connected with the statement of the Attorney-General 'fOr Ireland. He trusted, therefore, that that Right Hon. Gentleman would furnish him, or retheithe House, with a list of the'witnesses. upon whose testimony he relied in support of his statement, and that those who had spoken in favour of the Sheriff would do the same. His own duty he considered as perf orme d, bv having given an opportunity-for the qttestion at i ss u e to 'be'decided ; but he ' hail no means of deciding it himself. As it would not be fair, perhaps, to call upon the 'Sheriff for his defen c e i n the first instance, he should I propose the enlargement of the present order, which, for that purp;ise he inlayed should he now read. ' Mr. PLUNKI'II'T Said, he had to repeat that in the course of the statement he had made which led to the inqttiry now un der consideratiqn, he was eneaking in his own defence, 0191101 that statement undoubtedly. inculpated the Sheriff of Dublin.— He admitted that it was perfectly natural his statement should bring the Sheriff forward to call for inquiry into his conduct, and he was aware that neither the Hon. Baronet nor the Houtte could proceed without a list of witnesses. He. was perfectly ready to give their odors.--[The Right Hon. Gen tleman here produced the Est, which was handed to Sir Francis Burdett.]—He begged to observe, •with regard to one of the witnesses a person named Noble (who had been stated to have made an affidavit that the Sheriff was related to one of the traversers), that the affidavit was given to him with others, and referr e d to by him as an affidavit, but he 'tad since found that there was no jurat to it. That person could, however, be produCed. While upon his legs he would probably; be allowed, for the purpose of explanation, to allude to an ' observation made on a former evening by the lion. Member for Cavan. That lion. Member had stated that he had been informed by bins (Mr. P.) that he should not prosecute the Sheriff unless lie were ordered to do so by the House. He was quite sure that the Honoitrable Member misunderstood, and had no de sire intentionally to misrepresent' him. The circumstance re ferred to by the Hon. Member arose, not out of the debate, but out of a conversation behind the Speaker's Chair, in which he (Mr. P.) said he believed he should be ordered by' the House to prosecute the Sheriff; but he certainly had had no inten. tion to s ay t h at he would not prosecute without such an order; Col. BARRY said, he had not any intention to misrepresent the Ri g h t lion. Gentleman. As to the course now proposed by the Hon. Baronet, he thought it would be preposterotWto call upon the Sheriff to state matter crirninating or tending to crimi nate himself: Th e Sh er i ff h a d had no official notice of _ the charges brought against him, though, of course, from the publication of the debates, he might be able to form a tolerably correct idea of them. Th ouht to be .put into a specific Shniv. The m ere li st of witnesses would give no information as to the charges. s lr• •PLUNKETT. had only to say upon the point just touched by the lion. Member, that it was not he that had ori ginated the inquiry. Mr. SCARLETT did not consider that any charge had been lirought aga i nst the Sheriff —the House had merely decided that inquiry. was necessary, in consequence of the statement of the Right Bon. Gentleman. Air. PLUNNETT begged to ask the Honourable !Member twe believe Colonel Barry), who it was that had instructed him to sly the individuals composing the Grand Jury were the same as those who had served on former occasions ? The statement was correct in words, but most incorrect in substance. The fact Was, that there were two Grand Juries : one was returned for Purposes not connected with the Criminal Law, but engaged Principally in the disposal of public money. The other Grand fury wa s f or the purpose of administering the Criminal Law; and on this Grand Jury there was not on an average of several Terms more than one and a half who had been on the previoUs Grand Juries. Col. BARRY rose to order, when— Mr. PLUNKprr . course w the House int . said, he was perfectly aware that his , as not strictly regular ; but his object was to put Possession of an important fact. There were 14 heir names, as if they Persons on their list, who answer 4 regularly 'in the order of caston s • • were on a muster roll. On former oc ot had often been necessary to tine persons for Min attendance. Lord MILTON Aid not see the necessity time. The 'louse might proceed inpart to morrow. _ - of enlarging the The Order was then read, and Sir Or BURDETT moved that it be discharged Mr. IRROCJOIIAM a ed that the House could not pro ceed o n t h e i n quiry to-morrow with any advantage. The Slieriff was °III Y a ,PurtY in the inquiry, and not a witness. Now he gm? . lung even a party, Hp ot those who held that the House had the power of enact except in extrem e cases. He thought so because the HOuse but he thought it should not be exer ws aware of the .difficulty they must feel at the thought of pu nishing a man oti evidence drawn froM himself: Here the Houle ,%,rotdidnbtain evidence without examining the party. No injury fore, 1 result to either party by th. delay. Ile thought, there !, e, that the best way would be to fix a day, and summon the witnesses o . appear on that day. • i, 4 He O rder was t h en d i scharged ant i i t was ordered that the "clotry should be proceeded in to-morrow se'nnight. titer F. BURDEVr moved for the attendan ce of several wit. ‘sses (wh ona he named) on that day. For the productions of u 'ePancls of Juries summoned by the Sheriffs of Dublin in the ( torso of the year 1022 ; and f or t he atten d ance of the Clerk of t he Cro wn on the day in question.—Ordered. - Sir P, BURDETT presented a petition f rom s e vera l T owns in Lancashire, praying for Parliamentary Reform.—Ordered to he printed:- ' . . I • ENGLISH CATHOLICS. Lord NUGENT (after a few words front the CUANCEILOIL ca the EXCLIUQUER? postponed, until the 12th of ,May,•his Motion M faVottr of t ie English Catholics. Ford ' PARLIAMEN'PARY REFORM. . • „ ..ord JOIIN RUSSELL presented a Petition from ths „t•reeliolders of Huntingdonshire, praying for a Reform in Par. 'lament. . ,!40,rd EBRIN6TON said, a Petition, in substance nearly es r te il etabl e fee to the present, had been agreed to at a numerous and Meeting of the County of .Devon. . Lord Petition wes ordered to lie on the table, and to be printed. t i nt d JOHN RUSSELL then rose and said, it became his attention renew the 'motion he had made last year,_ and call the table of of the House to the Petitions which lay upon the ti ons calling upon the House for Reform. Numerous Peti he __') this description were before the House, and there would i n others if many of those who concurred with the Petitioners reiltolotr opinion of' the necessity of Reform did not consider the Petitiotling of the - Rouse as perfectly useless. Among those ,_. nit was one from the county of York, the like of which believed l e gneij had Dever before been laid upon that table. It was dente a nd 1 11 °W r es id ent freeholders, each statinje his resi thou t , 07 18 - ProPertY i and among those Petitions too, oi . p§,...,_ r as nor yet laid upon the table, was that of the City country. i t , t i l u e Lunt" gh,•eontaining some of the most intelligent persons tmcountet in pleading the He was fully aware of the difficulty he had to cult), ti t I 0 eesened by the reflection. cause of those petitioners ; a diffi who were to be the clearer he made judges of the cause itself ; and that the out h' would be the Is case of accusation, the more certain too, that _ sentence against Wm He thought ft singular 'OO, although the Cabinet was: divided upon many ar ia staatsitt questions, it was perfectl lent eman op ,1 1 , I brought the united upon this. Since he hail mentery RefoPtm. S ubject before the House, the Right lion. osite, who was the great opposer of all Palle t called uponle t I had been highly advanced, and had been \ 'tent fibre under- ° undertake what was called the management of The Right Honourable Secretary was there.the . • the syst em of p n nee ca*ltY of coming to closer quarters with 1.. Peerage to. —rru P t unl : to 'decide upon the giving the 1 , ..* in one, o fli ce , . r , -- Proportion to th South., and to distribute other rewards ..., 'them. Ile fain e number of seatsossessed b the objects of' would h av 1 the High t Hon. Secre. - tary would have 0 loped that e be e • • would have been c n disgusted at such • employment, and, . , People repreaentedontent to obtain the support of an intelligent .to the subj ect i by an honest Parliament. Ile now ,came tstelf ,PropositiOn not ' h He presumed he might advance, as it Constitutio al t° be lieni, that that House, which was tile guarded 4 (I " - --an of the Public Purse, should be as well . in _. as possible against any of. its members becoming the !seenio _plices.of those whom it was their duty to check. To ne w phsli this the •excludin f re were two principal means :—One was, by e msr , : g, f rom that House those who held o ff ice under the 01)1 ,4 . _ the other was, by giving, the people, from time to time, oth e ,,, m , n a tt to re-elect their Representatives, or to choose „ itutin , n ntt this was the way expressly pointed out by the Can celled for Ile did not mean to contend that the Constitution . taaj ,„ ,„ 6 a representation of public opinion, as it might flue- O f; `_!,i.r rn day to day. He meant ; he asked for, a fair mode an a fair tune for i th Re tut' f th Peo 1 ng idea e presen Ives o e p e. Le altogether a s ni , 3o .. ,disclaimed the u which had been avowed, that v, 4 r l tY ofthe house o f Co Commons should be formed by the ' a wn and Mothe House of Lords. In suppojt of his own opi on this sub' k Alen subject, he could quote that of a person formerly 1 . 00 „, , er of that House, who, to a solid judgment, united the ~,, %Inflexible integrity. He meant Sir John Lowther, tico_ti first Lord Lonsdale. The Noble Lord then proceeded p ar T i e tt ej l the different objections which had been urged against littl e entary Reform. It had been said that places of hit to h ad long returned Members to P ar li ament . ktion t his he answered, that i t was not until the Revo the sectohat the mischief was felt. In the time of Charles Anne nd, the. House represented the people. He might • man ti .„, , Y instances in the present day, of direct nomina. aae n d.overbearin g influence; but they were well known, t hereto 13(l rt leidally to the Members of that House. lip should tTure confine himself to general results; for the Right leun, tabl e Secretary had said on a former occasion that 'ae "tailwere admitted He found th t out f th , An einoe,„„ who • , " sat in that House for England, no less that 290, a large majority, were sent by 17,000 electors. So that, in the outset, he shoved that a majority of the English Members was sent by persons not greater in number than those who had signed the Yorkshire Petition for Reform.—(Hear, hear !) He thought this fact alone - was conchisive to call for inquiry.' Then -it was objected that the practice, as it. now. stood, had been the same at all times of our historY ; and particularly during the reign of Elizabeth. His answer was, that such a practice might suit the people of those times, but were not suitable to thepeople of the present. • They were now suffi „ciently informed to desire that a stop might be put to these cor ruptions. It was said also, that if the Parliament was corrupt, the people were more corrupt than the Parliament. Thisbe did 'not believer - and if the House would bear in remembrance the acts of profligacy which were exposed in the case of the Borough of - Grampound, and compare them with the way in which the elective franchise of that place would he exercised in York shire, to which it had been transferred, the assertion would be completely refuted. Indeed he thought it .would be found .so by reference to the general manner in which county elections were tarried on. It was objected also that those who advoca ted Reform ought either to restore the Constitution _altogether to its original state, or form it anew. He contended that he was not in this dilemma, for he did not see the necessity of pulling down a house, or restoring it exactly to its original state, merely because he wanted to repair it. The . next ,ob-, jection to Reform was, that however the House Might be con stituted, it fully performed its duty; and that it virtually, though not actually, represented the people. In answer to this he begged to observe; that he had examined the published Lists of the several Majorities and Minorities in that House upon important questions : he had taken 45 of those who were re tureed for small places, and an equal number of those who were returned for large ones, and he found that of the latter 15 voted for Ministers, and 80 against them ; and of the former, 33 for them, and 12 against them. He thought it was impossi ble to get over this circumstance, for it clearly shewed that the smaller number of persons went directly against the larger. He would now state one\ or two instances of subserviency to the Crown, in opposition to the dieters of the minds of the Mem bers themselves: He 'would take the votes on the Catholic 9uestion in the year 1812. The Catholic Claims were brought forward in April, in that. year, by Mr. Grattan. They were opposed by Mr. Perceval, then Prime Minister, and the Votes were 300 against the claims, and 215 for them. In the next montitith. Perceval fell by the hand of an assassin and an Administration was formed, about half of which was in fa vour, and half against those claims. They were brought for. ward only two months aftewards• by the Right Honourable Gentleman opposite (llr. Plunkett), and the numbef, were, in favour of the Claims, 235 ; against them 108.—How w as it possible for all those Members to have received instrtic.- tions on the subject, in two months, sufficient to warrant such a change of opinions as was indicated by these numbers ? Upon another occasion, in the year 1811, the House came to a Resolution, that the currency had not undergone any change ; set they were, at that tune, permitting Ministers to receive increased salaries expressly on the ground that the currency had changed. Another objection to Reform con sisted of an assertion, that when that House differed in opinion from the people, it was better informed than the people.. If this were the fact, it would be discovered afterwards by the ex perience of the .people themselves. But the real fact was, that that House had often been compelled to retrace it steps by the complaints Originating in the better judgment of the people. This was proved by the reduction of the large mili tary force granted by the House in 1810, at the desire of the Government ; and which the people afterwards proved was not necessary ; and in a late instance of the reduction of the two additional Lords of the Admiralty. These instances served to shaw that the House of Commons was not better able to judge of public atlitirs than the people themselves. The courso• which he should propose for the grievance which he hat/ shewn, would be that which he had suggested last year, that one hundred Members should be taken from the smaller Boroughs, and added to the Counties. He thought, how.' ever, that compensation should be allowed to • the pro prietors 'of those Boroughs; and he would support any pro. posal for such a measure, having . that for its object. This was Mr. Pitt's plan, and his own - opinion was, that a million would be wisely expended for such a purpose. The last ob. jection lie would notice, which was , urged against Parliamen. • tary Reform, was in the assumption that public opinion was a suflicient counterpoise to corruption. He thought, however, with a Noble Friend of his, that the House, instead of being a representation of the People, and a check upon the Crown, was a representation of the Crown, and a check upon the people. But if the facts assumed were correct, was this the boasted Constitution which was said to be the admiration of surround ing nations ? Was it enough to say that profligate men were Counterpoised by an enlightened people ? He had no •do u b t that public opinion operated to correct many faults ; hut the more it was proved 'that public opinion had ac9uired Import ance, the more did it follow that the public institutions should conform to that opinion. In this view of the question, he had last year brought forward a variety of facts to show the in. creased intelligence of the people ; and he was then answered That this proved the excellence of the Government. He could not assent to this conclusion. He had the opinion of a person who united wisdom and virtue to a degree which he lied never known before, (he meant Professor Mayfair), who held that the public institutions of a country should conform to the state of intbrmation of its people; and who was 'decidedly of opinion that the want of this conformity 'had done much towards bringing about the French Revolution. It' was true the people were e.nlighteued ; but they would notbe saris fled with the power of exp ress i ng t h e i r opinion in Newspapers, and of criticising a Government they could not controul. In fact, the question was not whether Reform should take aice, but whether. it should take place now or to-morrow ; whether it should proceed from the councils of wise men, or be brought about by public storms. The stream of public opinion was. irresistible, and a public submis s ion t o it would 'increase the splendour and insure the security of the Governin:-nt.... The Noble Lord concluded by moving a Itesolution—" That the present state of the Representatioftiiiiiiires the most serious at tention of thiti House.' Lord NORMANBY rose to second the motion: It was unnecessary, he said, to trouble the Howie with many . observe- Lions. His sentiments on this important subject Were knOwn, for it was not long since he seconded a similar motion. It might be thought that he should have waited till he heard some argu- ' ments against it, but he could hope for little more than the usual stock of declamation. Those who opposed Reform could not now avail themselves of the hacknied topics drawn from the French Revolution, or from the dangerous principles of Radi cals. As little could it be said, that the advocates Of the inea.: sure asked for the people what the people themselves did not ask, for their table was crowded with petitions praying for Re. form. He fully concurred in the praises bestowed on the frame of the Constitution ; and if he thought all the evils complained of were those merely of theory, he should not say a word on the subject. There could be no more beautiful theory than that of the balance of interests. But what . was the fact ? Wag it not notorious that there were many questions in which that House, as guardian of the public purse, when called upon to vote, spoke not the sentiments of the people, but the wishes of the Government, in opposition to the sentiments of those who in reality represented a majority of the people. It was in vain for the opponents of the motion to flatter them selves that the decision of that night would be final. The wish for Reform was not confined to the great county of York. Simi lar sentiments prevailed through all parts of England ; and if an Hon. Friend of his had been in the House at an earlier pe riod to present a petition, it would appear that the great and enlightened city of Edinburgh was not content with its present mockery of a representative. One word with respect to what was now passing abroad. It was undeniable that there existed a conspiracy against the liberties of this country.-(Hear ! ) They should show the despots of Earope that there existed at least on country, whose institutions were owing to the .efforts of the people, and where the voice of the people was omnipo. tent to correct them. They should exhibit to them the undivisible front of a united Parliament and a united people..-(Hear !) Sir E. EAST, in opposing the motion . ' quoted the preamble of the Bill of Rights, to chew that it was then declared that the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and the House of Commons, lawfully, freely, and fully represented the people, and that as little alteration had taken place in the state of representation since that law was passed, there was no reason why the House of Commons should now agree to any measure which would contradict that preamble. If, said the lion. and Learned Ba ronet, any abuses did exist, were they not immediately removed, as was proved in the case of the disfranchisement of the Borough of Grampound for curruption ? If the influence of the Crown was too great, various laws were already in existence to abridge it, without the necessity of enacting any more. Mr. RICARDO observed that this question never had been brought forward, to his knowledge, without the old argument against it being brought into play, of the wisdom of our ances tors. Now he was 'of opinion that the present generation pos sessed all the wisdom of our ancestors and a great deal more. —(Hear !)—The question of the Reform divided itself into three parts. The first was the extension of suffrage; the second, the mode of election; and the third, the age of electors. The first topic he thought the least important; but on the second, he considered the whole of the question to hang. It was obvious that if the few elected the majority of that House, the in terests of the many must be sacrificed. lie was sorry, how ever, that ft was not in his power • to coincide with the views of the Noble Lord as to the transfer of the elective franchise of boroughs to counties. The Noble Lord thought that would effect the object he had In view of purifying the repre. sentation ; but he (Ztlr. Ricardo) could not agree with him in thinking so. As long as the Aristocracy had , any influence in the elections, there could not be a free House of Commons.— It could not be expected that the people should be able to withstand the temptation of yielding to such influence. The only way in which he thought it p oss ibl e to have a free elevation, was by having the suffrages given by ballot. By such a mode, and such only did he think it likely the House of Commons would ever fairly represent the people. The next point was, the frequenc y of elections ; and he thought it neces .sary that they should he very frequent. There was another point on which he t!fsagreed with the Noble Lord. He meant that part of his argument in which he seemed to treat the elec tive franchise as a vested interest. He (Mr. Ricardo) could ' not view it in any other light than as a trust, in which there wars no property. The people had a right to be well governed, and if that could be accomplished by a change in the mode of exercising the elective franchise, they could claim that that change be. made. The Right, Hon. Secretary opposite had often observed that if the House of Commons were freely chosen by the people, it' would becothe too strong for the House of Lords and the Crown. If a reformed House of G l om. moos found the other branches of the Legislature useful to good Government, they would not dismiss them. He must avow in the face of the House, that any plan of Reform not having the vote'. by ballot for its basis, he should oppose. The Righs Hon. Gentleman opposite thought that a House of Commons, chpsen as it was at present, was a sufficient check on the power of the Crown. If it were chosen by the Clergy, it would be a check upon the Crown, as far as that body had separate interests from 'the Crown ; -but the question was, whether it would be a check for the people ? In all other re spects it was a farce and mockery. ,The Government of the country he considered was a compromise betwixt the Aristo- Craey and the Crown. It was said, the House was under the control of public opinion ; that was no doubt a powerful check ; but was it a convenient mode of control The Right Hon ourable Secretary asked triumphantly when they had a better Representation ? He answered that they never had a better. (Hear, hear 4--But he asked was that a reason that they never should have ?—(Hear !)—The people had now acquired so much more information thin they ever before possessed, that they were on that ground alone entitled to a better representa tion than they ever had before. It was not fair to represent a change in the representative system as likely 'to lead to re publicanism: The people of this Country were attached to their institutions and to their rights, and were easily satisfied. Constituted as file House was at present, a Minister, though . inclined to be honest, could not be so. He would not keep his place for a week if he did'hot fall into the mal-practices of his predecessors in office. Mr. R. ;iIARTIN assured the House that all the efforts used to seduce the confidence of the people of Ireland from that House had failed. The great argument 'in favour of Reform was, that that House did not sympathise with the people. He thought, however, that the House sympathised too much with the people—it always folloWed the popular sentiment. He should suggest to the Noble Lord to try his plan of Reform up on -a morel imited scale, from the success of which they might he disposed to extend it still further. If, for instance, he was to bring in a Bill to apply to two or three of the Boroughs on his side of the House, such as Knaresborough, Tavistock, and Winchelsea, h e assure d biro he should have his most cordial co-operation.—( Hear 1 and a laugh.) Sir JUAN NEWPORT Confessed that he once entertained different opinions on this subject from those he now professed., Ile certainly was glad to find there was a change in the :senti ments of the Pon. Meinber who had just sat down, well re membering that that Hon. Member once voted for one of the largest schemes of Reform ever proposed —one which went to obliterate from the representation one-third of the Empire. Having been a Member of that House for twenty years, he had changed his opinion as to the efficacy of it. He had there i seen changes in men's opinions and conduct not attributable in any way, to reason. lie had seen that it was one man's con duct in that House,'that could influence the c o n d uct o f a ll t h e rest of it, or neary so, and that in scarcely any case had the sense of the country any such influence . —(Criesot " Question !') Sir THO3IAS LETHBRIDGE assured the House that he had not changed his opinion upon this important subject with out full deliberation. lie rose to state that it was his inten tion to, vote for the motion of the Noble Lord.—(clear!)—lt was his opinion that thiS motion, by the enlargement of county representation, would bring into the'llouse a different class of persona, whom he especially wished to see in, it. This wits a feeling which was daily , rowing stronger in the co u nt r y.-- (Hear, hear !)—He wished to see a moderate and practical Re. form take place, which the adoption of the Noble Lord's mo tion would ensure them. ,By that House taking up the sub ject of reform seriously it would meet with the attention of persons of the highest talents and Character, and be taken out of the hands of individuals in the country who could not fail to create mischief, and use it as a firebrand. Sir FRANCIS BLARE rose amid cries of question. Ho said it could not be disputed that the question of Reform was gaining ground every year. Lie begged to ask the Honourable Member (Sir E. 11. East) who had requested' the preamble to the . Bill of Rights to be read for the information of the House, What Was the opinion of William 111. himself, re specting the purity of the House of Commons on his being requested by the Earl of Sunderland to dismiss his Dutch Guards ? That Monarch replied, if he had as many places to dispose of as .there were Members In the house, he should not be required to discharge them.. The observation of Sir Robert Walp,ole, in a more recent period, had become pro verbial, he had asserted " that every man had his price." But But to descend to a still later time, it would be in the re collection of 'the Honourable Members of that House, that the late Marquis of Londondery had observed, " that place. selling had become as notorious as the sun at noon-day.— (" No,- no I" and laughter.)—The „Honourable Member said he was informed that he was wrong ; the expression, he was now told, proceeded from the predecessor of the pre sent Speaker.—(‘A laugh.)—The Minister of the day had such influence over the Muse, that if h e (Si r F. Blake) were asked what language to apply to them he would recur to the time of Richard for an expression.--(Great laughter.)—The phrase he would address to them wa5..... " Jockey of Norfolk, be not so bold, For Dickon, thy master, is bought and sold." (Continued laughter.)—With respect to the present House, as he could not say any thing favourable of' it, and as he was not permitted to speak in its dispraise, he would leave it to posterity to form- their own opinions upon it. Ile begged the House would restore the people their birth-right, without suffering the period, however long it had been denied them, from preventing that restoration. And as there was no period without kingly and ecclesiastical right being asserted, " Nulltun tempos occurritregi ant ecelesite."- Let the Members by their votes this night, add two words in,addition, "aut populo." The Gallery was then cleared for it division, when the num bers were-1- For the motion . 169 Against it - . 21.10 Majority against the tr.otion LAND TAX. On the motion of Mr. HUMI, certain Returns were order. ed to be laid before the House, relative to the sums paid into the Exchequer under the Land Tax Redemption Act. A Return was also ordered of the number 'of suits com. menced in'the Scotch Court of . Exchequer, stating the names, and those which were compromised, with the amount paid in each case. IRISH TITHES. Mr. GOULBURN postponed a Motion, which stood for to-morrow, for the second-reading of the Irish Composition of Tithes Bill to Monday sennight. He begged to state that if the inquiry to commence at the liar of the House would allow him, he would bring on this motion an Friday se'nnight. DIYIONPF COUNTIES. The Counties Division Bill was rea athi - rdtime and passed. The other Orders of the Day were then disposed of, and the louse adjourned at ITALY-riolT ELEVEN. MEItCAN'III.P.: SHIPPING. DEAL, APRIL 24.—Wind N.N.E.—The sloop Lively, Smith, of Sunderland, after delivering her cargo (coals), b ea t upon the beach this morning, the wind blowing strong from the N.E., and has become a total wreck. Put back the Jane, Wylie, for St. Lucia ; 6 r. at.—Came down fr om t h e Ri ver and sailed, the Ebenexar, for St. John's, and Utbistel, for Gibraltar. - _ - 011714 MOUTH, APRIL 24.—Wind N.N.E.—Sailed his Majesty's ship Briton for Plymouth, .South America; St. Vincent ; and o Aj c s ea x n , , n i ll:on nin , g f t o o r n, Q N u e e w be s c ou ; I tib an m g , , ai C es i . ark Pit.vstouTti, APRIL 23.—Wind S.S.W.—Arrived his Majesty's ship Bathurst, from New South Wales; Trinculo, from Portsmouth, with loss of topmasts ; Latona Amy, from Demerara. Off the Sound the Sesastris, with L ady Cochrane on board, from Valparaiso. • FALMOUTH, APRIL 23.—Wind S.E. to S.W.—Arrived the Trial and Ilebe, from London. Sailed his Illajesty's ship Clinker, with a mail for the Islands. Arrived oft' the port the Stark, Summers, from Charlstone, 37 days; "Imam, , Hall from Baltimore, 20 days, both for llamburgh. CORN EXCHANGE, A ran. 25. The supply of most kinds of Corn to this day's market is tolerably good, and of Oats is very large ; Wheat still keeps gradually advancing ; Barley is also rather clearer ; Peas and Beans remain as on Monday ; although the quantity of Oats is considerable. yet the demand being very large they obtained rather more money than Monday. This morning, a little after ten o'clock, a fire broke forth in the kitchen of Mr. Bnoivw, tailor and gaiter. maker, Strand, which, for a time threatened serious mischief, but with the aid of some engines and a supply o f water i t wa s soon extinguished, without doing much damage. _PARLIAMENTARY PROCEEDINOS. HOUSE OF COMMONS: Jovis, 24 die Aprilis, 1823. FrotEarrs--Pirtsea and Emsworth—Petitions from Ports mouth, Portsea, and Gosport, against; Bill reported, to .be ingrossed. Tay—Petition from Dundee, against, referred to the Committee on the Bill ; Bill read a second time, and committed. PoLicF.Greenwicn , 1 Bills read a second time, & corn- DILAINAGE—Deeping Fen ) initted. 1). - cLostrnEs—Ahtliorpe , (Northampton).Bill -read a second time, and committed. Cherry Burton (York)—Bill report. ed, to be ingrossed. , Egton-with.Newland (Lancaster)--Bills • read a third time, and passed. ' • Cozen or REctutsts—Southwark—Four Petitions, against, to lie On the table ; Bill to be read a second time on May 2. RoAns—Tenbury, Cockermouth, &c. - Darlaston, Wigtown, and Garstang and Lancaster-Bills reported ; to •be in grossed. Haworth and Kighley, Wadsley and Langset, Nl"ibsey Bank Foot, and Oakhampton—Committees revived. Bolton and Blackburn, Worthing, and ll'. hop's Waltham—. Bills read - a third time, and passed. Petition from Cole ridge and Stanborough, against. Kettering, &c.—Petition of Justices of the Peace. and others of Newport Pagnell, against, referred to the Committee on the Bill. Castleton— Petition of Inhabitants of' Rochdale, in favour of. • Alfreton —Petition 'of John Wright of Isenton, - against, referred. HARBOURS--Holyhead and Howth—Petitions of Trustees of St. Alban's and South Mins, and Whestone Roads, against. Stranraer—Five Petitions, against. • TAY FERRIES ACT AME NDME NT } Bins read a first time. Ju arts (Scotland) PiEns—;Scarborough—Bill reported, to be ingrossed. GAs LIGHT--Ratcliffe—Petitions of Joseph Vicars, and Com missioners for paving St. John, Wapping„ against ; referred. Stamford—Bill read a second time, and cominitted._ IMPROVEMENTS—Bermondsey —Petitions of Inhabitants of St. Mary Magdalen, .Berinondsey, and St. Nicholas, Dept. ford, and Commisioners of Pavement, against, referred to the Committee on the Bill. . • SPIRIT LICENCES (Irelaml)Petition of Hotel-keepers of Cork, for a reduction of the Duty thereon ; to be printed. Cbar. Es•7-Petitions from City of London, Woodbrige, and Penryn ' against the Duties on Coal s ca rri e d coastw i se . REFORM or Pint lASlENT—Petitions from Counties of Suf folk, Norfolk, and Huntingdon ' • City of Oxford-; Hundreds of Launditeli, North Greenhoe Brothercross, North Erging. ham, and Ilumbleyard ; and 'from Selkirk, Rochdale, and Manchester, in favour thereof. GAME LAWS—Petition of Magistrates of in favour of an alteration. SHERIFF or DunLlN—Committee •of Inquiry into his con. duct deferred from Friday to Friday 211 May :—Order for the attendance of Mr. Sheriff Thorpe on Friday read, and discharged r—To attend on Friday 2d May. • Ordered,--That Barrett Wadden„ i Crown Inn, Redcross street, Liverpool; Robert Fletcher, nn. Dublin ; Benjamin Smith, Dublin ; Daniel Smith, woollen-draper, 'Dublin ; John Atkinson, Dublin; Geo. Atkinson; Dublin • Scbieski Kildalk, Sackville.street, Dublin ; 'Richard Milliken, hook. seller, Dublin ; \t'at. Graham, Dublin; Henry Noble, Glen cullen ; John M`Connel, silk-manufacturer ; Henry Cooper, Sheriff; Henry Arther, Solicitor of Sheriff's Office ; Gabriel Whistler, Sub-Sheriff; Mansfield, °oldie, Clerks in the Sheriff's Office ; 13. Richy, Clerk of the Crown ; Geo. Farley, Attorney , ; James Troy, silk-mercer, Bridge-street ; Philip B. Ryan, Excise-officer; Christopher Moran, painter; George Harris, sajeant 7th Hussars ; , Wynne Faucett, Peter street ; Stephen 'fill, Poole, and Nolan Elrington otherwise Llrington Nolan,' Saunders' Newspaper Offic e , do attend this house on Friday , 9d May. - • Ordered l That the Pannels for the Dublin Commission ,Grand Juries for the year 1022, and for the Commission Grand • Jury of January '1023, be laitibefore this House, and that the Clerk of the Crown do attend thcrewith,on Friday 2d May. GAME—BiII to legalize the sale thereof ordered. CAPITAL CRIMES=-Bill to allow persons charged therewith to make their defence by Counsel ordered: Orin. CowrixoEmeir.s.—Return ordered of the name 'and age of the person appointed to succeed Mr. G. Thibinson as Collector of the Customs at Sunderland, and the date of Iris appointment. COMPOSITION or Titling (Ireland) BlLL—Committee de. ferred till Friday 2d May. COMMUTATION or TITHES—Second reading of the Bill deferred till Friday, 'May 1 • CilUncn RATES ( Ireland) 'BlLL—Committee deferred till to-morrow tthis day). Diviatow a or Co UN T lEs-Ifill read a third time, and passed. ORDERS of the DAY for THIS DAY. 1. Joint Tenancy. (Ireland). Bill—Further consideration of Report. , •• , 2. Slave Trade Consolidation Bill—Se&ind Reading.' 1 Masters-and Apprentices Bill—Second Reading. • 4. Great Sessions in Wales Bill—Second Reading. 5. Registry of Vessels Bill—Second Reading. 6. Weights and Measures Bill—Third Reading. 7. Grand Jury PresentmetitS (Ireland) , U. County Treasurers ( Ireland) BM—Further consideration of Report. 9. Sttpply—Committee. 10. Ii ays and Means—Conunittee. • 11. Apprenticeships Bill—Committee. 12. Sheriff Courts (Scotland) Bill —Committee. 13. Commissary Courts (Scotland) Bill—Committee 14. Union Duties Bill—Further consideration of Report. 15. Supply—. Reports. 19. Union and Intercourse (Ireland) Acts—CoMMittee there. upon. • . 17. Church Rates (Ireland) Bill—Committee. 18. Militia Reduction (Ireland) Bill—Committee: 19. Beer Duties Bill—Further consideration of Report. NOTICES .G IVEN '• YESTERDAY. Tuesday, April 29. Mr. Kennedy—Select Committee on the Roads leading from Glasgow to Portpatrick. • Thursday, May 8. Lord Nugent—Bill to . place the Roman Catholics of Great Britain in the same situation as those of Ireland. Deferred from May 2. Tuesday, May 27. Mr. Kennard--Bill to alter and amend the Laws respecting the burial of persons who have been adjudged/do de se. PRIVATE BILLS—SECOND READINGS for rIIIS DAY. 1. Casleton and Rochdale Road 12. Woolwich Gas Light. SAINT MARK—Holiday at the Bank, Exchequer, East India and South Sea Houses. PRICE or, FOREIGN STOCKS Ix LONDON, APRIL 25, AT ONE O'CLOCK. French Five per Cents. 1)0. {Six per Cents. 00. Russian Five per Cents. (Metallic) 00. Ditto New 76. Neapolitan I . Fiv e per Cent. Bonds, 71a. Scrip, 00. , Austrian Five pereents. (Metallic) 00, Five per Cent. Bonds, 41. Spanish New Ditto, 33a. I Scrip, 00 disc. - • . I Five per Cent. Bonds, 82b. Prilsglan - . Ditto New, 82. Danish Five per Cent. Bonds, 86. Chili 68. Colombian Six per Cent. Bonds, 6.5 i. Peruvian ' New Loan, 00. Bank Shares All Ss. American Six per Cent. 90-98. Five per Cent". 03a-97. Three per Pent. 70. HIGH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE TO-MORROW. Aiming, 44 minutes after 2. I Evening, 2 minutes after 3. THE SUN. SOLEM QUIS DICERE FALSUM AUDEAT LONDON, FRIDAY, APRIL 25, 1823. THE KING. Carlton Palace, Two o'Clock.—His MAJESTY, we most fervently rejoice to state, was so much better this morning, that it was deemed unneces sary to issue a Bulletin.--His MJESTY'S reco very continues rapidly progressive to the present hour. We have received the Paris Papers of Tuesday. The Monitsur gives a more particular kceouut of the contents► of the Telegraphic Dispatch from Bayonne, respecting the action at Logrono, the substance of which we communicated yesterday. It appears that the town was not carried without strong opposition on the part of the Spaniards. There is every reason to suppose that the entry 9f the French troops into Catalonia will meet with immediate and the most determined oppo sition. The inhabitants of - Figueras have sent their wives and families into the interior, and all the men capable of serving have taken up arms. The Gosernor of the Fort of Figueras is resolved on defending it to the last extremity.. 4 At Puycerda the Commandant assembled the garrison, read to them the Proclamation of QUESADA, and gave full liberty to such as wished to join the French party to leave that fortren, but all remained faithful to their colours, and answered with cries of Live the Constitution, or Death ! It was reported from l'ar;ous quarters that the Army of the Faith had evacuated the fortress of Murviedro, after their defeat near Valencia. Fauxcii Ft/MM.—APRIL 22. Five per Cents. . Lowest ll3 t 15 c. Closed at B4f. 35 c. Bank Stock 1520 1. c. Neapolitan Stock 7li 1. Exchange on London—One Month 25 f. 65 c. Three Months «5 1. 43 c. We have received Bayonne Papers to the istit instant. The following are extracts :----- "' PROCLAMATION of GENERA], QUE:SA7)A, AD- DRESSED to the IVIUNICIP.ALITY of RILBOA. " The French army, commanded by his Royal Highness the Duke of Angoulerne, has entered Spain, preceded by that of our Sovereign, to re-establish peace and order; in a few days this - city will be occupied. I request you,. Gentlemen, and I charge you to take , care that no useless-resistance be mad e , the sole result of Which would be the ruin of this beautiful and wealthy city. Neither the French nor we come to exorcist , vengeance, or to pursue any persons for political opiniens ; we come only to contribute to the union of all Spanitirds, by restoring to liberty our • captive King. Let every one, therefore, remain tranquil at' home, . with confidence and certainty that he will not be molested. Let care be taken to adopt proper measures that there may be no want of provisions and other things necessary for both armies. The French army pays ready money for every thing that it uses, and observes the strictest discipline. Let the Municipality which existed before the year 1820 be restored, and above all let the Stone of the Constitution be removed. I doubt not, Gentlemen, that you will answer me without delay. I promise you to ptit my self immediately at the head of my army, to prevent it from committing the smallest excess. " Ilead-qua'rterset Montdragon, April 10." BAYONNE, APRIL 17.—1 t appears from the proclamation of General Quesadn, that the plat► of excluding the Spanish troops from the van..' guard has been relaxed with respect to him. This General has_ hitherto conducted himself well in 'all the places that he has entered. Inthorin, nothing opposes the progress of the united armies ; on the contrary, every thing facilitates it. They are yet, however, in the countries which formerly enjoyed peculiar privileges, and are the least in cline(' to the constitution of any in Spain. " The great difficulty will be to supply the troops with provisions as they advance; hitherto they have drawn ample resources from our fron tiers, but the Alffictilty and the expet►ce will greatly increase as they proceed, - end it is to be apprehended that .Spain is not able to furnish the necessary supplies. It. has been states) as certain, that the first corps. was going to march in the direction of Pam.. peluna, in order to join the third, and endeavour to repulse the Spanish troops, which are uniting between Tafaillat and Tudela, and which are corn.. posed of the corps of. Ballasteros, the Pastor, and all the. Patriots who have voluntarily quitted the country at present occupied by the French and the Army of the Faith ; but this movement has not been affected, for an - officer who left Vittoria yes terday morning says, that the Vanguard of the first corps had taken up its positions the some day on the Ebro. Those whose hopes of: Success are sanguine will have it, that Part►pelunn. is ready to be delivered up to our troops, and that in a few days the town and even the citadel will be evacuated, without firing a shot and without capitulation." 'fetch 4filly 'rape g uilty ; ed - up m ore red iu Hon. n and their ying a as Lr; -the n the s, alui House Ship aid on don of imc cg: of per' yeart iber o: to the of cor• ~ t 1 P ub% s suited raj the hnev i which 1 ‘ 96. subiec e en. LI 11110 e, pot, crus ted gi Ye SIO;IS pportea that charr t i : 1 11 1 : 1101 d in t he lis cour t peace , m should t he tass• civics a* intY of ot ;d , ber $3 O by : e‘i ' are aS Ron A pt! )10a the tha ect ° t he en f"' to ; 11 " is Irv's I tl fil l A 6i•r, e r tit P'e - It , j , %tic fy of Nett,- thoc• t ion tho c • t ion P e n ti t y of c —, , c , c tec , c es1" 1 1)1 - ► 4 606 fii .get fr ° , ho 'illeonc11;;;* °. c) Moo ° • ~ ioYint; the 0 1 - erg 'co a I°l°i' pocila' let 1) theo . 1.00.. girj . ;ich 'tier° S he r '.fr the [FROM A COILItESPONDENT.] STOCK EXCHANGE, Half-past Twelve o'Clock.---- The Stock Exchange is open, although this is a holiday at the Bank. Consols opened at 771 - t h with a good Market.; but are now 77i to 77Z, and heavy. The decline is owing to the arrival of two Expresses from Paris, immediately after which the Ifehrew Party were observed to sell largely. Various rumours are afloat ; but the news brought by the Expresses has not yet transpired. It is said that the French Funds are quoted 831. 65c. a decline of 1 per cent.— that the Russians are collecting numerous trans. ports in Holland,--and that MINA has made a. threatening demonstration with his whole army. on the French frontier. It is certain that at Amsterdam all the Foreign Funds have lowered. 2 per cent _ Spanish Bonds opened at 34, 34i. They are now 33-1. In consequence of the great length of the im portant Debates in both Houses of Parliament, our own observations are necessarily excluded. In' the House of Lords Ministers obtained in favour of their foreign policy a majority of 14'2 to 48.—1 n the Commons, the motion of Lord. Jour; RUSSELL for Parliamentary normal was negatived by a majority of 9.80 to 109. Yesterday the Duke of YORK . visited his J'ESTY.—The Duchess of CLARENt visited the Princess SOPMA yesterday. We have authority •to state that a Grand Musical Festival will take place in York Minster on Tuesday, the (23d of September, next, and three following days.