The Sun. — London, England, 1812-03-03 00:00:00

demned the Bin. He was decidedly averse to any at tending to take array the lift of a fellow-crea ture--t proceeding which could only he justified by the strongest and clearest necessity. In this view, it was incumbent on Ministers to seew 'hit every exertion had been made under theexisting laws, be fore they recurred te Parliament for measures of ex treme severity. And he was apprehensive the pre tent Bat, instead of facilitating detection, would greatly increase the eifficulty of it. Earl of WESTMORELAND. supporti-d the Bill, and vindicated the conduct of Government in acting, -with - every precticable vigilance and exertion to re store tranquility and order, ere they recurred to Par liament for the present measure. His Lordship lob. lowed the line of argument adopted by his Noble Friend, who spoke last but one, as to the gentled principle .upon which the measure proceeded ; and be was convinced the law under the Bill would be administered with a discriminaeng lenity, and fully aced upon only when the necessity of toe case required it. The measure, therefore, had hiscordiel . support. •Lord GRENVILLE spoke at considerable length against the Bill, and enforced many of his former arguments. The leading principle of Ministers should be- not to provide in what manner, the corns mission of crimes should be punished, but how that commission should be prevented. lii considering this, they should recur to the system, governing and commercial, which they had adopted for. the last five years; they should consider what .were the inevit able effects of a depreciated 'paper circulation, the issue of which they confided, not to a commercial, but to a banking body, who were not bound to consult any thing but their own interests. He entered iota some 'detail upon what he con ceived to be the injurious effeats of such a system of currency, which in the end would lead to a Maximum, and which at present operated equally eu the injury of the working and the em ploying, manufacturer, especially in the case of those maeufattures destined for foreign consumption.- 1-he deprecated any enlargement of the Penal Code, the complexion of which . was already too sangui nary, and beyond that of any countreein Europe. Al the same time, he was aware, that, with respect to a nterctful and upright adaiinistiation of justice, this country far transcended every other. It was not the frequency of the offence, but the enormity of the crime that called for extreme punisement.— How that principle could apply to the occasion in question, the House a ould judge. On viewing the tletailed provisions of the B 11, and the application of the capital punishment, the . measure, he con tended, was severe in the extreme; and if this last degree tif punishment could not bn.r. justified by the necessity of the case, it could riot stand upon any other grounds. The page of the Statute book, he repeated, was already too much etained by sangui nary provisions, and this would add to thuSe blots upon the character of the country's humanity.— Want) his Nole'e Friends, he believed, the measure 'week! have an effect directly contrary to that pro po::ed, and so deeming of it, he would certainly vote for any moCon tending to delay the Proccechng of tire night. The Earle)! LIVERPOOL coeceived teat the Noble Baron had misuncerstood the nature of the argu ment of his Noble,. Friend. It was never intended to deny that the manufacturers had experienced dis tres. All that hi 4 Noble Frieme had said was, t hat the Orders in Council were not the cause of the present state of things, and the whole of his argu ment went to slice., that since the existence of the Orders, trade had been more prosperous than at any an,tecedent period. There is no difference of opi nion that the great increase of commerce some years back .would have the effect of creating a glut which %A•ould not be immediately felt, but there could be na doubt that in subsequent ,years trade must in con sequence experience distress: In 1 606, 7,8, and 9, in which years there were considerable speculations Carried on, the tiade not being a natural one, pro duced subsequently bid effects, which never was the case when fairly carried on. The Noble Baron was mistaken in•supposieg the distress arose from the present state of things; it had existed in all times, both in peace and in war, according to circumstances. The Noble Secretary denied that the distress was to be imputed lo the depreciation of the paper cur rency. With respect to the causes which led to the scenes now under censideration, they were asssign able to the spirit of opposition, which net only in . this district but in many others, the manufacturers leave to the introduction of machinery, which they imagine lightens labour.• The various Statutes now on t he book were evidence to that point. Hewas anxious that it should not go forth that his Noble Friend had said, that there war; not any . apparent distress. All that he had denied was, that the causes assigned were not rite true causes. Tire objections which had been urged to making the offence of conspir ing punishable with death, were fitter for discussion in the Committee—the general principle of the B II had not been objected to. The iaaeble Secretary then quoted a pass le from Dr. Pelee', to strew, that in framing these laws, the intent was nor'to pettish the offeeder for his guilt ; but by affixing the pe nalty of death to prevent the crime, which if not puni4tect would be most detrimental to the State.— an the cases respecting hore-stealing, •sheep•steal inge and Inghway-cobbery, the single offence was never punished with death.; that punishment was only inflicted when the cases were aggravated, and that discretion se ould 'be best left in the breast of the Judge. It might be asked, was it right to give that descretion ? T. that he would answer, that the Legislature bad often so' decided, and expe ristrice had shown that not one case out of one hun dred was punished with death under the circum stances he had referred to. It was the principle of the law ; whether right or wrong he would not now discuss, but that principle he had no wish to - break; it was a principle of flinch virtue and of little vice— a principle white!) would not, he was convinced, lead to a sanguinary execution of the law. He would therefbre rather— " Bear the evils which he could ascertain, Than fly to others he knew not." 'lle Earl of 110S5LYN opposed the Bill, on the grounds stated by the former 'Noble Lord. The question was then put, and negatived. The House then went into Committee on the Bill, in which Lord Grentilie proposed to amend the Clause, intli6ting the pdnishment of death for inirly ion of crime, by omitting the word " Person, After some observations from the Lord Chan cellor and Lard-Holland, this amendment was ne-i g •tived. The rrtnaining Clauses were, after some dis cussion, agreed to, and the - report ordered to be received to-morrow.--Adjourned at Ten o'Clock. ROUSE OF COMMONS. MONDAY, MARCH 2. The Vauxhall Bridge Bill was read a second time, and oidcred be committed. General MATHEw, atter a few observations on the neeessiti of Catholic Emancipation, and on the bi gwry,,intolerance, &c. of Ministers, presented a Pe tition from the inhabitants of Tipperary, praying re lief for the Catholics. The Petition was read, and ordered to lie on the table. Mr. WHAtiToN brought in the Qqalificition In demnity Bill, which wai read a first, and ordered to be read a second time to-morrow. Sir S. .ROMILLY brought in a Bill to repeal an Adi Of the 39th of Elizabeth, punishing Soldiers and Sailors for begging, as for felony. Read a first and ordered to be read a second time on Thurs day. Accounts of the Annual Receipts and Disburse ments of the West India Dock Company were pre sented and ordered to lie on the table. A Messag4 fro:n the Lords informed the House, that their Lordships had given leave to Lord Gren 7; ville to attend the Committee on American Claims. It also announced their assent to certain Bills (for which *ee Lords). .The motion for information respe&ing the Con vias sent from the Huiks io set ve in the Army and Navy, was postponed till Thursday. Sir J. NEWPORT postponed the Committee of the whole HOuse on the Irish Population Bill to Mon day, April 13th. MR. WALSH. On the motion of Mr. BANKES, the Older of the House for the attendance of Mr. Walsh this day was read. The SPEAKER direeted a Messenger to be called in to prove that the Order of the House bad been served on Mr. Walsh. Mr. Skelton (a Messenger) was theft examined. He stated the Order to have been served by him on. Mr. Walsh, on Friday, at two o'clock. SPEAKER—On whom-did you serve the. Order of the Mouse ?—A. On Mr. Walsh. SPEAKER—On Mr. Walsh himself ?—A. On Mr. Wal,ll himself. The SPEAKER said the Serjeant was informed a medical gentleman was then in waiting to prove that Mr. Walsh was incapable of attending in his place from indisposition. `Vas it the pleasure of the House that he - should be called in ? The House assented. Mr. CORNWELL REYNOLDS was then called in, and examined. In answer to the questions put to him, be stated himself to De aaquainted with Mr. Walsh. He had been called upon to attend him on Saturday last. He had been in the habit of attend ing Mr. Walsh some years ago, but not latterly, till be was called upon to atteud hint on Saturday last. He bad last seen Mr. Walsh about " two hours ago." He (Mr. Walsh) was incapable of attending, front the state of his inind; rattier than from bodily in clispoiition. He thoualit there was reason to hotx that Mr. Walsh would be able to attend within a little time. At present he laboured under mental derangement. SO= few years ago, he had seen Mr. Walsh, at which time be appeared to be men tally deranged. According to his judgment, it was probable that in about a fortnight Mr. Walsh would be able to attend in his vlice, sound in body and mind. He - could not positively say whether or not the apprehension arising flout an order to attend that House would again reduce him to that state in which he was at pr-!sent. Mr. Walsh harb been very much gra-led by the apprehensions raised by the order to attend in his plate, which had been served on him. When speaking on the subject, he (Mr. Walsh) was so much agitated, that he could only speak in an incoherent manner, as was fre quently unable to give utterance to when I.e wished to say. He (the witness) had not been called on to attend Mr. Walsh previous to the trial, nor had he seen him about that time. He had not seen Mr. Walsh since the trial, till Saturday last, %viten he at tended him in consequenett of a letter which he had received. That letter, lie believed; wa• still in his possession, and he had no objection to produce it, if it was the wish of the House. The Winless was here ordei - ed to withdraw, but told not to leave the House. The SPEAK ER had now to inform the House, that be bad received farther letter from Mr. Walsh, in which tlen.Gentleman, though he inti mated that he should not attend in his place, ex pressed a wish that the proceedings befote the House, in his case, might not be .delayed on that account ; but at the same time stated it to be his hope t hat the evidence of his Medical. Attendant Would remove evz.ry objection to his former letters to him (the Speaker), being tead to the House. Mr. BAN &Es thought it would not .br regular to put on their Journals that palliation or defence which it was obviously the wish of Mr. .Walsh to get inserted, through their being read by t he' SpeA er. He was not a little enabarraised how to . , ad It appeared that till Saturday last he had cal:ed in no medical attendance. 0o Friday last he had been served with an order of the House to woe,' inThis place on Monday. He had previously been order edto attend nn Thursday, but it WAS not 'till Satur day, after hearing that it would not be regular to read the letters he had sent to the Speaker, as no incapacity to attend from bodily indisposition was there set forth, that be called in a medical gentle man. Till then, it should appear that it never en tered his mind to make jodisposition a plea for non attendance. It appeared he was only anxious to get his letters read, that they might be placed upon .the Journds, and therefore to their being read, he should for one ot - Jjett. To do so would, he thought, under such citturnstances be inconsistent with the order they had made, and with the regular, course of their proceedings. It remained for then to con sider what should be done. He was ready to pro ceed with the motion of which he had given notice, if it met with the approbation of the House : but it it was thought there would beany hardship in de ciding on the case of a man •.v Ito was absent, arid who might yet come down to the House, and reply , to the charge made against him; if that was' defer red for the present, he would be the last man h the House to oppose its being postponed. He, how ever, could not but suppose, from the cornmunica , Lions which he had made to the Sreaker i thdt Mr. Walsh bad no intention of appearing to the charge. Whatever might be urged in defence, or rather in palliation of what he had done, the fad of his hav ing committed the offence with which he was charged, was admitted under his own hand, and therefore could not be shaken. This being the state of the case, he did not know that it would be im proper to proceed. He wished to pause, to hear the sentiments of some other MeMber, and to hate time to consider what step it might be necessary to take. He did not wish to do any thing that might make the case of Mr. Walsh a case of hard,hip, but as he thOught the infamous condo6t of one Member, in some sor:, threw a di•grat e on the whole body, it appealed necessary to lose as little time as might .be in proceeding against a person in the situation of Mr. Walsh. On 'this ground he had taken up the subject, and on this it was.his determination to pursue it. He wished to hear the sentiments of others, but for himself he thought the letters of Mr. W.11,h ought not to be put on tie Journals, and that it was desirable to avoid delay in the case of a Member against whom so serious a charge was to be made. The CHANCELLOR Ofithe EXCHEQUER. was of opi nion, that from the representation which had been made before them of the state of Mr. Walsh, _what ever they might suppose to be his intention, whe ther they supposed he would or would not appear, a case was made out-which ought to stop their pro ceedings for the present. From the evidence given .before them by the Gentleman they had examined at their, b.ir, it appeared that in a fillnight Mr. W. might attend in his place. He thought that the House was placed in that sileation that t hey could not proceed immediately. When a Member • was ordered to attend in h's.place, and was'unahle to do so from ill health, they ought not to decide on his case till he was able to come down to the H ou s e . This he suggested, not to favour the individual, but for the sake of the general principle. He thought they must feel, that whatever might be the senti ments of that House, with respect to the offence of Mr. Walsh, whatever reason they might 'have to think that he would not attend, or that attending his defence could not be satisfaaory, still it was then dui) , to guard themselves and their posterity against a Member's being called on to attend when un3tAo to do so, and condemned in his absence, without proper opportunity being afforded to hint Of meeting the charge to be preferred against him. Under ail the circumstances of the case, it might probably be best to move the adjournment of the subject over the time which had been mentioned, as tbat in which it was probable Mr. Wal,h would be able to attend in his place. He did not intend making a motion to that etrei9 ; but the, ,Honourable Gen tleman had wish, d to hear the sentiments of some one on the subject, and lie' had _therefore thought proper to offer his. M. BANK ES, adopting the sr.ggestion of the Right Hon, Gentleman, then moved to adjonrn the consideration of the case of Mr. Walsh to Tuesday fortnight. Mr. W. WyNtqn concurred with the Right Ho nourable Gentleman in what he had advanced with respett to the necessity of giving the person against wituin a charge was to be made, a pauper oppor , tunity of meeting it. • Sir F. BURDETT made some observations on the conduct of an Hun:int-able Member, whose case had been before the lionse, (Mr. Mansell Phillips it was understood) and against whom proceedings were stopped, in consequence of some atrange went having been made, the conditions of which he (Sit F.) understood the Hon. Member had not Mr. LQcxtlittur said, that when he saw the Ho• nourahle Member alluded to on the suhjed, kid promised to appear and to plead, which was all that the Petitioa desired. He had appealed, • and hid ideided, and having done so, he (Mr. L.) had not thought it his business to look to the conduct' of that lion. Gentleman any farther. • The quest:on was then put and carrietl, and Mr. Walsh stands ordered to attend on luesday fortnight. The Irish Small Still Bill went through a Com mi;tee, the terort of which was received, ordered to be printed, and taken into farther consideration on Thursday se'nnight. . Mr. LUSHINGTON brought up the Report of the Irish Court-houses Bill, which was agreed to, and the bill ordered for a third reading to-otorrow. The Nottingham Watch and Ward Bill was read a third time and passed. The Marine Orlicers' Regulation Bill was brought in, read a first time, an'd'ordered to be read a second time to- mom row. l'he Mutiny Bill was read a second time, and ordered to he contmited on Thursday next. Mr. WHITBREAD gave notice, that he would move for the poitponetnent of the Wootton-Basset Elediiin Petition to-morrow. The House then went into a Committee on the Loci! Militi3 long tikci:ssio.) ensued on thr- postponed clause, after winch the Ilonse rcliurned, 311 d the repo; w•rs received, ;:nd ordered io be taken 'into further con sideration on Thursday. The Bill, as amended, Was ordered to he printed. IRISH OFF ICERS, Sir J. NnwPoar wished to know whether it was intended to propose to exempt the °dicers of the in Great Britain from the Income :I'3x ? Mr. Secretary RYDER replied that it undoubtedly w•'s the intention of Government to mike such a proposition, and that the delay had been occasioned by some dittioalty es to the mode. ' Mr. B istard told the Chanc,llor of the Exchequer each said a few words; but in so low a tone of voice that we were utiable to c , lleet their import.- SANDHU r COLLEGE. The Eitimates of the Military College at Sand hurst ,having beeoleferred to the Committee of bop ply, the House resolved imp the Committee. Mr. WiIARTON moved a Resoliition, " That there be granted to his Majesty a sum not exceed ing 125,0eci1. fur the completion of the Royal Military Col lege at Sandhurst." BANKES and Mr, SHAW LEFEVER did not oppose -the_ motion, but remonstrated against the great expe•nce, namely 302,0001. into w!lich the gonse had been drawn for this object, and stranu- Ously recommended a s:: - !ct attention to economy in the completion of it. The CHANCELLOR of tht EXCHEQUER contended, that the expence had not been greater than what was necessary to put an institution so desirable on a permanent footing. General flortt explained' the nature of the mili tary education received, and particularised a number of officers brought up at Sandhurst who had distin guished themselves on the Staff, - and otherwiSe, iii our armies abroad. After a few words from Mr. WHARTON, the Re solution w.as agreed to, and the House having been resumed, 'the Report was ordered to be received to, morrow. The other Orelers of the Day were then di.posed of, and the Howe adjourned. MAI LS. ARR IV ZD-1 Dublin. Du t Malta, 2 Guernsey, 2 (et se'', Brazils, 2 Waterford. PRICE OF tiFOCK'. THIS DAY Al TWKLVICO'CLOCK. CODSD!S. - - 60111 Red. Atm. -6: Li ;, THE SUN. SOLENI QUIS DICIRE FALSUNI .ktinEAT? L () N 1) 0 A, TUESDAY, MARCH 3, ISI2. The mystery in which the affairs of the North hate been so long enveloped, seems to be on tire point of being cleared up. From the accounts brohght by the Anholt Mails which arrived yeSter day, it appears, that BUONAPARTE is determined to force the Northern Powers to make their eleetion, without any further delay, btt ..t.een war and unconditional submission. The seizure of S we dish Pomerania has, if we m.ly believe these letters, been followed up by a - similar at of aggression :against the tcrri:ories of the KING of PRUSSIA, who, it is S.lid, with some eliffi.7 co-17.y eic...ped from Berlin towards the north- eastern frontiers of his dominions. We have been. so frequently deceived by the accounts which have reached us from the North of Europe, that v e are disposed . to receive any incelligence from that quarter with considerable suspicion.. The State. ments, however, contained in the letters to which we are alluding, are - highly probab:e. If BUONA. PARTE is really determined upon a war with Russ a, Prussia must, if possible, first be secured: We trust, however, that the latter Power has derived sorn3 advantage from the fatal campaign in t 806, and that s h e will even now, reduced as she is, make a a more formidable resistance than she did upon that occasion. From Sweden the news still (xi. tinneg to be favourable. The Government of that country' appears to be anxious 1.0 Ter:3;24) upon at cable with Great Britain, and it iy positiceiy sta•ed, that ca Minister from that country will very sliorly arrive here. Regular sets of Monireurs to the 2.611 i ult. inclu sive have been received ; they are perfetily silent respeEting the affairs of the Peninsula. NAPLES, FEB. 12.—We have not for some timer spoken of the affairs of Sicily ; we were fatigued with having always to repeat the same things, viz of trials, inquisitions, and court-martials ; of tire mistrust and' alarm diffused among the inhabitants ; of extraordinary and complicated movements of troops; of fresh British land and sea forces being assembled in the neighbourhood of Palermo; of the Sicilian Court bring reduced to troublefor its dear, est members ; of long conferences between L••id BENTINCK and King FERDINAND; all these circum t stances have more than Once, been inserted in our Journal, and were naturally regarded as sure pre sages of the catastrophe Which Brit i,h policy, and their loyal friendship for King FERDINAND were preparing in Sicily. Now the English projeas, altliOngh they h ave not been carried into full execution, may be con sidered as nearly accomplished ; if FERDINAND still possesses a title and a name, in point of fact he no longer reigns. The Messina Journalist will say, it is true that FERDINAND'S deposition is but temporary, and even spontaneous, the reins of Government be'ng in tie hands of his son : he will say that Fs anitlANi) being obliged, in consequence of hii health, to re side in the country, did not adopt that resolution, but after the consultations of his Physicians ; but whoever is acquainted with recent events in Sicily, or has read the act by v:hiCh FERDINAND abandons to his son the shadow of the power which remain ed to him, will be. convinced it is a true abdication. This will be confirmed._ by the following extract, which we have faithfully transcribed, from the Sici-. lian Journals. Mete follows the Act of Abdication which has already appeared in the English Papers) ; after which the Editor of the Monitor of the Two Sicilies thus proceeds : " if the reading of this document wi 1 not suffice todo away all kind of doubt respecting the real mo tives which Obliged PERDINAND to adopt such a re solution, at least all uncertainty will disappear I.vl ea the use wh ch FERDINAND'S Vicar, or rather Lord BENTINCk, made of his power, morn6nt., he was tloathed vi ith it,- is considered.. Jn