The Sun. — London, England, 1823-03-27 00:00:00

;'prosecutions were•not only inexpedient, but that they would be productive of the greatest possible harm. The 'Ranted .Judge, therefore, with very great propriety, interrupted her, and told her that such a line of defence could not be allowed ; and at last she was prevented from persisting in it. And this, he contended, was nut only consistent with the law of the land, :but was absolutely necessary to the preservation of the audio., ray and dignity of the Court. It was next complained of that a new trial had been refused her, upon application being made to the Court. That refusal was made upon the same grounds, and was therefore justifiable for the same reasons. 'she applied : fora new trial because she had not been allowed to make axes.: tarn defence; and after due consideration the Judges decided that such a defence was not allowable. The Hon. Member had, • also found fault with the law of the question upon such goes. tions. The most preposterous and dang ero us doctrine had been advanced by the Honourable Member upon this sub. ject. He stated, that if the Jury had known the severity of the sentence which awaited the prisoner, they would not have found her guilty. Thus a Jury, in deciding on their oaths upon the . guilt orinnocence of a partyiwere to be actuated by a consideration of what punishment was likely to follow.-- (Hear, hear !)--This was a doctrine which if acted upon would be subversive of all law and justice. Ile had always held it to be the duty of a Jury to decide upon the evidence and facts of theease without reference to any extraneous subjects whatever. If the ;talon before the !louse contained any expressions of con. trition, he could understand how the prisoner, staked . the House fur a mitigation of the .stsuence incurred ,hyber offence. diut oleo then it world be for the House to consider hew it *would . interfere with the decisions and the judgments of the , Courts , of Law. It' there were any charges against the Judges of the Courts, let them be arraigned; and he must say that it would have been a more manly course in the Hon. Member if he had brought distinct charges forward, so that they could have been met in a manner which questions of so grave and high a nature deserved. In his own individual opinion, there had been nothing in the conduct of the J u d g e who presided at this. trial , which deserved censure. On the contrary, he should have considered it a 'dereliction of his duty; if he had not acted as he did. Looking at the whole subject, and seeing that this case was a part of the system that had .been planned for 'de stroying all that was venerable and respectable in the coun try he thought that no man could lay .is hand on his heart and say that the sentence passed upon the petitioner wactoo severe. Mr. ItICARDO was surprised to hear the Attorney-General require that the Petitioner should express contrition before any remission of her sentence could be asked for. They were to suppose that, in some measure at least, the doctrines she maintained were the effect of conviction and principle; and the proposal of the Honourable and Learned Gentleman -went to induce her to commit an act of the most abominable duplicity and hypocrisy. Ile had looked at the practice of the Courts of Law with great dissatisfaction,. as to theanan. ner in which it treated , religious subjects. , The .very .:first question that was asked a witness was, whether lie believed .in a future state ? and if he-said no, he was incapacitated from giving evidence, because he was an honest auan.— (Hear, hear ! and murmurs.)—The answer sheaved him to be an honest man, because he gave up his right rather than tell a he. He thought that the : prosecution of epinions like these only served to give them more notoriety, and more value in the eyes of the public. aim /Hon. -Member for .Devun. 'shire had taken a course of argument every likely to produce the same effect, in reading the passages .which he considered most obnoxious to public morals. iThe great difficulty in .these questions was, the impossibility of saying ,avhat bias. phemy was. , In one country it, was one thing, in another coon. .try it was another thing. Aa to the objections which the Attor.. ney.tieneral made to allowing a Jury 'to consider the pro. bable punishment of a party when they . were about to give a verdict, he maintained that to be a commas principle.— Why else, in cases .of felony, was the value of forty shillings reede a consideration for the Jury. It appeared to hint after the niost attentive consideration of the tubjecta that these pro secutions had not the effect of preventing thepublicationa in . question. Why were, they notaput down by argument and reason ? There were,different religions which might he hon estly entertained, and is was only the lneuisition . that foul re. misted to means of force for putting dawn raigions from their own. Mr. Secretary PEEL said that the lion. Wembermlio spoke last hail asked, why argument..and discussion were not Op. . posed to the doctrines which had been attacked by the power of the law. But the real question was, whether they should allow a system to go on which had for its object the under mining ,of Christianity,. and the subversion of all mural • and religious feelings, by .appealing to that class, who had neither the..means nor the.leisure to,investigate the..btr gement* that could su easily .be brought. against their se ducers. Tu protect that class against suclfdesigns by prosecu :ion arid punishment was. die law of the land. Ale thought his Honourable and Learned Friend fully justified in what he had said, as to the contrition of the primmer. She had ••• been sentenced to one year's imprisonment, and to.find secu : cities for her subsequent good behaviour; and it' she could not find diet security, aunty it was not too much to expecOthat she shuold substitute the security of' her own promise, by a confession cif her :offences,..and of contrition, for having earn mitted them. e'This aval.a .Iciud,of security, which might be . taken in lieu of that which• she , :couldnoOsupply. Olember for Aberdeen had been anxious ,to eurffine the house to a view of this case alone, and 'Wit had been. indeed a soli :4;0y case, the mercy of the Crown might have been extended to it. 13t0 it was notoriously a part of a detestable system fur propagating infidelity through the country. In' 1818, 11119, iB2O, and MI, the brother of this unfortunate woman , _ and his wife, had been successively convicted of the. mime •offences-in •:.carrying on. this shameful traffic. Did not thisoshew a 'con federacy between them for effecting their infanteus object, and was it possible, lie would ask,,under such circumstances, to • ew'sider this as a single case at' offence ? . The Hon. Member had stated that the sentence, of the petitioner left her no alter- I , ()tidy,: but that of perpetual imprisonment, because she was unalilato , pay her fines. But this was not the case. When she had suffered an imprisonment that might reasonably be , conaidered equal to the punishment of the line , _ then the Royal mercy might be extended to her. It' he should continue to hold • the situation he now held, when that time arrived be should kel it his duty to recommend such a course to the Crown. ;He saw no ground for the interference of the House. Sir F. 11URDl4ril complimented his lion. Frieridupon the propriety and ability with which he had brought forward this important subject, confining it within the wise and judicious .limita of its own immediate merits, :and treating it simply as, what he considered it to be ' aim act of gross individual op pression. Taking this view o f the subject, he neceasarily eon . aidered thiallon. Member for Devonshire to have introduced topics into the discussion,. which he thought it most desirable • should have been kept out. lie perfectly agreed .with the lion. Member tar Portarlington as to the dishonesty of the Government in all proceedings of this nature, mid, in the futility of attempts to put down opinion .by persecution And force. Did the Right Honourable Gentleinsu who spoke . lain forget that blasphemy, for, which; these oppressive and cruel sentences were inflicted, would , pultele any men too lay what it:was ? Did the:Right Honourable Gentleman forget that what was religion now, had been blasphemy beferre-?—. That thuFaunder of this religion himself was put to deathuport the same principles, .and. upon the 'same .pretexts that ;were advanced in support of ''these persecutions now. In old times, the most absurd superstitions had prevailed, and the most ab surd means had been resorted to,:to punish opinion ; but he never yet heard of contrition being demanded of the victim -staid now. Such a doctrine would have become the Grand Inquisitor. It would have been wort* his mouth, but it came with, a had grace frouealllinister of this country. With regard to the surprise felt by the Attorney-General, at .the supposition that Juries should look to the punishment of an ~offeace when they were. considering their-verdictt it bad been the great argument of Ale, greatest men -who had written or spoken upon the eubject. 'Sir Win.' Blackstone had :said in his Commentaries, end lie had often heard , it said by Sir-S'aiuuel . "timidly in that Hauge,. that the perjury of Juries was one of tie' crying evils arising uut of the severity of our Criminal Laws. 'The HOD. and Learned Attorney-General, with that acuteness :.which peculiarly belonged to him, had completely overlooked the mein parts of the ,question. -Be had not •said one word ,sport the subject of the preposterous amount of die fines imposed upon these persons. As to their being released upon expressing their contrition, even it' they had been wrong, and felt that they had been so, the proposal of -what was called ,extending the Royal mercy to them, after having suffered what any reasonable man would. consider an expiation of their offence, was enough to raise up all the natural feelings of hu manity against such an act of oppression, and to prevent them •froui declaring .what they felt. The Right Honourable .Secretary of State had said that these tines did not create the ,alternative of perpetual imprisonment. And the ground upon 'which he stated talus was, that when lie considered there had ben ffJfll. worth of imprisonment taken out of Itlary.Carlile's , body, be should advise the mercy of the Crown:to be extended to her. Was this a constitutional doctrine fit to he entertained, by 'the House of Gammons t The duration of imprisonment. -was thus to be dependent upon the will of a Minister, and the' quantity to be computed according to his idea of its value in, money. Besides, did the Right lion. Gentleman suppose that, • lie had taken his o ff ice for a l ease of his life ? The Hon. Ba ronet concluded his observations by arguing against the pro . priety of the transactions of the Constitutional Association. 317. PEEL explained. He had not said nor meant to say that contrition was a sine qua non : he expressly disclaimed any such notion. What alternative did the Hon. Baronet pro pose, if prisoners did not pay their fines ? Were they to re main in.coafinement, for life.---(M r. Ilobliouse and colter Ment he:a on: that side said.actost. that Court* ought not to pass such grieyously severe seutenceso—Suppuse thole:ay refused to pay, was he as a matter of course to be discharged ? If so, very few fines would be forthcoming at the end of the period of confine. ment. Sir F. 'BURDETT adied, that he u p&rstood the Right lion. Gentleman to say that Ihe house could not interpose against this monstrous fine, -without some expres.sion of con- trition. Mr. WILBERNRCV4 thoiligit that as far' as the labours) of the Society for the Suppression or vice ti!ul prevented the circulation of these odious doctrines, the country might con: gmtulate itself upon its labours. It ought not to be forgotten that this was the only free country"in the world where religion and morals were without some special tribunal for their pro tection. In Athens, Sparta, and Home, it was well known that they were taken under the especial safeguard of the-State, as ,the foundation of domestic happiness, and of social and public virtue. In ordinary cases of crime, the property or-the persons .otindividuals were concerned, and the individual aggrieved ap pealed to the laws of the land ; but in offences against public --morals and religion—the largest in amount and:the most .iiatal in consequences--no injury -was done to any particular party, and no one man liked to encounter the risk and odium.of being a public, prosecutor. lo•this :country, therefore, societies ,for such a purpose ought to be especially called into action, :and to deny- their necessity -wear todeny the wisdom of all -Abe-institu tions of antiquity. As itii .nature of the worke luthlished, the productions of ilume•or of -Mirabeau might be tole rated, because they might be considered just reasoning and fair argument, portending no danger to religion; for it was the very glory of the Christian rfaith : that it appealed to realion and common sense—to all the great principles of truth and tec titude, immortal in their nature, and infinite in their extent. The' Society for the Suppression of Vice ' had prosecuted ribaldry, obscenity, indecency, -and abominations of various kinds ; because, as Dr... Paley had said, " it was no infraction of religious libaty N to •restrain the circulation or ridicule' upon : ridicule upon religious subjects:" the effect of it was to make the lowewerders treat it with levity or contempt. Honor the so ciety. objected to fair discussion ' • and when the 1311 l impugning the 'Trinity was proposed, ho had not resisted it, because he thought that such was its object.. The very ground of the dissent of Protestants from Catholicism was, that reason ought to be -allowed fair play, and it would come out of the struggle free from all impurity. To define the nature of blasphemy was, perhaps, no easy utak ; but whenever men went to the very verge of the law—whenever they.attempted only just to keep with the utmost-hounds, and thus to avoid punishment, he was never very sorry,to see them render .themselves subject to the penalties of the law. The Hon. (lent., llustrated this point by , reference to a case occurring just after-the passing of Mr. Fox a Libel Hill. With regard to the merits of thesociety, other oc •casionts %would arise for discussing them, but at.present he would observe that it had instituted .32 prosecutions Against flagitious and detestable offenders, and had not failed -in a single instance. The Non. Member continued to defend the:conduct of the So ciety for the Suppressionvf.Viceoand the principles upon which it acted. Juries had supported, J udges had eulogized at— llen.. borough, Kenyon, Bayley, and Skinner : these were uot.light names, and every one of these authorities had testified in its fa your. /t was not surprising that men,who attacked the criminal laws of England—those lews which were the admiration-of the - world—it was not strange that the utenwho attackesl those l a w s should attack the-conduct of the society :.but, es.it appeared to bins (Mr. Wilberforce), upon those principles whielt thellon. .and Learned Gentlemen on the other side bad advocated, every thing that -was valuable -in •society depended. The particular instance' before the House was one of ,almost utiparalleled ob stinacy. The family to which -the petitioner belonged" had avowed their iletermmation to defy the 'law, and their eon. .viction that -it was too weak AO overpower them. 'What be.. came of . the duty of public Akers, if such audacity was to be tolerated.? He would not ,waste the time of the House by expatiating upon the motives of ,persons in.the situation of the petitioner. They talked of opinions and feelings—of braving the-stake and the gibbet : they well knew that they were ex. posed to none of these perils—they knew the mercy of the laws which they violated, and proceeded delliberately upon a calcu. dation of events, the risk which, they were to sun, and the .quantity of money which they-ware to put in their pockets. The Hun. Gentlemen coneludodby solemnly coujuring the House tole,cilutious in -their measures upon the present occasion.— (They could perform no grouter service to their constituents or to their country, than by . keeping the religion of the land, as ' well us its . laws, safe andinviolate.—(The Honourable Mem ber sat down amidst great cheering.) Mr. HUME, in moving that the /petition shall' he printed, said, that he believed that if all the -prisons in England were 'tilled, there were persons ready to come forwad in defence of that which they-conscientiously considered honest opinion. 'lie would mention to' him, since he had. quoted one Divine, the opinion of bardner, who add that '° vengeance belonged not to onto." So Mr. Justice Blackstone thought. Ile wished to refer to the charge of the Bishop . of London in 1115 ht, anti from that charge it-was evident that his Lordship dissented from-the opinion that such societies were useful. The Bishop said, he was persuaded that infidelity -was.a mean of promoting virtue, by exciting discussion and -awakening energies which -would Otherwise havellumbered. . lie moved that the petitionAbould 'be printed. Mr. W. WY NN said, that it•was not- for entertaining,' but for the indecent publication-of opinions, that these persomowere prosecuted. - Suppose a man. said, " 1 deny all religion---I hold, 'therefore, that the promiscuous intercourse of the sex is per fectly innocent--I recommend regicides, and think that: every .noun who kill* a King does an act of public service." Fl a publicationtibellous or not ? Or suppose, as occurred n o l on g time since, "it. man proclaimed that all property was an usurpa tion upon the natural rights (,roan ;:' -was the publication of such an opinion to be enduretlq ahis,watua subject upon width he-wished to--say much ; -het thnapeech of the Hon. Member far Bramber made further 4)lbesitation quiteunnecessary, Mr. lIIIAIE explained—Me: petition was then-ordered to be printed. FRANCE AND SPAIN. Mr. Secretary CANNING having announced on a Conner occasion that before the holidays, 'if no important changein the aspect of public affairs occurred in the interim, he would name the:precise day on which be expected the papers relatingto the 'late discussions-between France and Spain .would be aubniitted -to the consideration of the Bowie and on. which a statement d would be made explanatory of - ie' line of policy pursued by his Majesty's Government in reference to those discussions, now begged to name 31,iollay, the 14th of April (the only open 'day which he could find), for that purpose. Front the aeeidentul .eircittostanee of his being on his legs, he would now repeat the answer which he had given • yesterday to a question put to 'him by 'a Noble Lord. On looking into *the whole of the treaties-which could bear on our relations with France, he found that answer to be perfectly correct.— No obligations existed between this country and France other than those td be found , in the treaties concluded at the end of the war. which were open to the inspection of every one. In these there were two stipulations. One of them bound the Allies to resist the occupatum'of the - Throne of France by any member of the Buonaparte Farnfiy. This was not a positive, but a negative engagement, forined for-the purpose of excluding the fathily he had mentioned from the sovereignty of France. .The other stipulation wat this, that, in case of any revolutionary proceedings in France, the Allies should in bound forthwith to consult togetiteron•What was expedient to be done. Sir It. WILSON begged to ask the Jitight Ilon.,Gentleman 'in which treaty those stipulations were contained. Mr. Secretary CANNING said, the Ron. Gentleman would _find them inthe treaty of the 'sth Nuvetnber, 1815,zigned at Mr.. WARRE had no wish to say any thing that would axing on a debate onthe present occaston,.but he begged to ask, avhether the whole. of the engagements entered into by the coup. try . on this sittliect were to be found in the manes of 1815. He dewed to know whether any thing bad been done.at .A ix-la. Chapelle inlBlo, which at all. altered the situation in which this country had been left by the treaties of. 1815. He was aware .that papers were on the table relative to the proceedings at Aix. la-Chapelle, containing protocols and declarations of the prin. ciples on which the Allies.were resolved to act, confirmatory of the treaties of 1015. ,But what he wished to ask was, whether any dangled been done at Aix-la-Chapelle, beyond ontirm• ing the previously formed treaties. - - Mr. Secretary CANNING had no hesitation in •saying the whole of our engagements connected with this subject -were , contained in the treaties of Hilt,. What be had now stated WM • the same as what he had stated yesterday, but on taxing his recollection, as it was the duty of a man to do on such an oc casion, he had thought it right to make known to the House, that the answer which he had given in the first instance, was confirmed by enquiry , and reflection. EASTPR AD.TOI.7IIMIENT. Lord A. MILTON said, nothing had -yevbeen -said In the House of the adjournment for the Holidays. lie had heard that it was intended to move an adjournment till to-morrow fortnight. If this were intended, he should Oppose the motion. He thought it right to mention this in the presence of the Right Hon. Gentleman, ache was of 'opinion, so long an adjournment in the present.state of thingsought not tobe proposed. Mr. Secretary CANNINO, after what had fallen from 'the Noble Lord, thought he might now as well give notice, that to morrow he should move that the House, as it risesohall ad journ till that day fortnight. -------- COTTON MANUFACTURES. An Hon. ME hlllElt beggAl to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if it were his intention to bring forward any new measure for the regulation of the Cotton Manufac tories. If he did not, the Hon. Gentleman gave notice that he 3hould submit a proposition to the House on that.subject. Mr. Secretary PEEL had nothing at present on his mind which could induce a wish that the lion. Gentleman should de fer the motion of which he had given notice. SCOTCH C 03151 ISSA 11 Y COURTS. Lord A. HA 31ALTON moved for leave to bring in a Bill to abolish the inferior ColllMisury Courts of Scotland. The LORD ADVOCATE of SCOTLAND had pledged himself last Session to bring forward a ineasnre on this subject. , He was now prepared to redeem that pledge. He, however, had no objection to the motion of the Noble Lord, as he did nut care in what way the necessary change was effected. Leave was given to bring in the Bill. - - SCOTCH B U ltl S.—CROW N -WA RRA NTS. Lord A. HAM I I.TON, pursu;uit to the notice he had given, called the attention of the House to the case of the Royal Burgh of Inverness. An election of Magistrates had taken place in that Burgh in the year 11117. Three of the per sons elected were ineligible to sit as Counsellors. In come- quence of this legal proceedings were instituted, and the elec tion was set aside by legal process. As"soon as the election had been declared void, managers were appointed, as was the custom, and subsequently a Crowp Warrant was issued, by which the same persons were returned to the Magistracy who had previously been turned out. Ile did riot mean to say that under this warrant precisely the same individuals were nomi nated who had been improperly elected before, but the bulk of them were the same. 'Vie principle thus anted upon he thought most injurious, anti one that ought, not to be countenanced. What he complained of was, that no sooner did the inhabitants ,of the Burgh gain a legal triumph than the Crown warrant un did all that had been dune, and reinstated the parties objected to in der situations from which they had been removed. He .complained. of the hardship of the case that the Royal Burghs of Scotland, .when they gained legal redress, had to pay first their own law expemea, then those of their opponents, and after,thus paying for both sides, the Crown warrant came to make all they had done useless. He supported lds view of the subjeut by referring to the authorities of Mr. NVhite, Lord ,Kilcurron (a Judge) and Lord Arniston (a Judge also), and proved front them dint the practice of which he complained was illegal, or, .if not illegal, unconstitutional. He thought he had a right to ask why the Act of the 16th .George the Se cond, which had been framed to afford the Royal Burghs redress, when they were aggrieved, should thus be set aside ? To spew the conduct.of the 3lagistrates.of these Burghs, he would state one fact, which was not only known to himself and to the .Learned Laud, but which was even admitted by the Magistrates themselves. The Magistrates of Aberdeen, had been in the habit of meeting once a year to read over the public accounts, and they had had the audacity, year after year, to state the debts of the town as amounting to 6,000/., while their actual amount was 330,0001. (Hear, hear !)—}Le mentioned this to introduce a commentary which had been furnialual by the Magistrates themselves, on leaving office, after •the truth had been discovered. :They had stated, front feelings of repentance he hoped, that the evil which he had men tioned, grew out of the system of concealment which had been acted • upon, and no body of men could honestly administer the affairs of the Burgh so long as the present system conti. nued. He would now state a fact which had mccurred at t:din burgh. Some years ago a faulty election took place—a* pro cess was instituted to set the election aside, as at Invernesa— A fter three years of litigation, in which an expense of four or 5,0001. were incurred by ,the parties prosecuting. A similar expense was incurred .on account of the opposite parties ' • which the inhabitants of the Burgh had also to pay. It had been provided that a summary decision should be come to on such questions. But ,what was .the summary ,proceeding ? Why, after four.years of litigation an appeal was made to the House of Lords on a preliminary point, the principal subject not having yet been got at. it was in the midstaif these pro cetslinge that the case of Aberdeen occurred. The legal susses of the inhabitants of that place was punished by a Crown warrant, which , reinstated those who had been ousted by a legal process. The people of Edinbugh upon this said, `‘ If we succeed, we shall only get a Crown warrant to restore those who may be turned out ; and so, Ox alight be expect ed, they gave up the case in despair. A comp's:anise was , effected, and the 4 1 agistrates of Edi n burgh paid , 110 W. to thet parties .to forego other proceedings. If the .:11agistrates had, : been properly elected, by acting t h u s instead of bringing tbe case to a trial, they squandered the public money. But the f ac t was, they knew they were wrong, but having the power of putting their Magisterial hands into the public; purse they time disposed of the funds at their command. Wishing to bring dits.subject fully under the c onsideration of the Bouse, he moved an humble Address to his Majesty, praying,that lie would be graciously pleased to give directious that there should be laid before the limusest copy of any wartent issued by the Crown in the year ,111 , 22, authorising any person or persons to act as Magistrates in the Burgh of Inverness, ,in the room of those recently displaced by process of law. • The LOUD AnvocArrt: said, that in rising to object to. the motion of the . Noble Lord, 1w did not mean to oppose the• production army document, whieli, could furnish hint with in-, formation on the subject-which lie had brought under discussion, The Noble Lord seemed to object to the right of the Crown, to issue a wurraut, butlie (the Laird .Advocate) maintained, that the .Crown had theright to secede .to or refuse the petition of . the Magistrates for a new election, anti that the Crown, in, the exercise of that right, lout used .a sound and wise discreti* in -issuing .the • warrant. The ; Learned Lord,then adverted to the petition •of the two Youngs, and contended, that the Magistrates were perfectly justified by the law of Scotland, In-the course they had adopted towards theta individuals, in sup. port of which be read the opiniou of an eminent Scotch barns ter. Thievery warrant, said the Learned Lord, the legality of which the Noble Lord now questioned, was at this moment placed before a Court of Law in Scotland, and it would *be there ascertained, whether it was there or not, without the necessity. of making it a subject of discussion in that House. The right of the Privy Council to issue this warrant was not novel. The same power sits exercised by the Privy I.Council of Scotland, between the Alevolutioaand the Union. —ln the application to the Privy Council for issuing theseavarrants i there was no opposition but in two instances,, that of Perth, n 1746, and that of Aberdeen in 41317 ; in both of which it gas, lio.wever,renuirkable, that the applications were acceded to, thus clearly • showing, that the right was vested its the Privy Council of Scotland. Lord ARCHIBALD HAMII4TON.denied the fact. The LORD ADVOCATE said, that not expecting the Act ! would be denied, he had not etmie prepared with the documents which would authenticate it,bu the ni iglu appeal tothe Hon. Mem.; leer for Aberdeen for the accuracy of his statement. The practice then, on the whole, did not support the case of the Noble Lord.' The law ,:of Scotland, with some exceptions, 'gave the Masis , tratet the privilege of electing their successors, and the Kingwould, therefore, exercise a wrong discretion, if lie deprived. them of that right ; anti why should there beg deviation from this principle ni the present,case ? He did ,not expect to hear. the case tit Aberdeen mentioned on the present occasion, be . cause he was given to -understand that the foots of that case had , been disputed and contradicted. If any .other course were adapted than the practice which nowpreVailcd, the whole town' would he a.state , of constant commotion. Mr. G. - COMYN said he represented ..the Borough in goes don ; and lie thought it necessary to.bear taaaindaY to what had been stated by, the Lamed, Lord. Mr. HUMS maintained that the Learned Lord was mistaken ' as to the law and as to the tact.--(hear, hear, and laughter.).— lie was informed ,that the conduct of those Magistrates was .censured at the Couvention of Scotch Burghs.; and therefore tbe•Learned lord was erroneous .in his statement. (Here die lion. Member read :several .documents to show that what had :fallen from the Learned Lord wawitteorrect.) Mr. GORDON defended the Magistrates of Aberdeen from the charges made' against them, And declared that they had brought about a state of impruvement and prosperity in that town. Mr. Secretary PEELconceived it highly improper to throw out imputations against Magistrates, _whose conduct Mould not .be connected with the. q uestion immediately before the House. Mr. FORBES defended the conduct of the Magistrates, lle wished the Noble Lord and thellon. Member near him would find out some other hobby horse than that .9f eternally driving .at the Counties.and Boroughs of Scotland. Sir R. FERGUSSON supported the motion. Mr. W. SMITH supported the motion. Front the year 17,84, down to the present moment lie did not recollect a single instance in which the LordAdvocatedid not oppase the infusion .Of s.popular Principle into the elections in Scotland. Mr. FOItBES explained. Lord A. HAMILTON replied. contended that there could not be a more gross case than that of Aberdeen. The Corporation had become bankrupt to the amount of 130001. yet for years they hitti declared the debt to be only 6,0001. The gallery was then cleared for a division. .Ayes. - . Woes 49 -.v.-- Majority ..- • —,lB MONUMENT ?...co „EARL ST. VINCENT AND LORD D LOU of the Excitt4trylt on UNCAN. his legs, moving the Order of . On our re-admission to the gallery, we found the CUANCEL. the Day for the House to resolve itself into a .Committee for an Address to the Crown, .to erect a.Alonument to the memory of Earl SL Vincent andiJord Duncan. The House having gone into the Committee, the Right Ho .nourable Gentleman proceeded to observe, that Addresses .like the present had not been moved for of late years, in ,consequence .of the memorable events of the war, which 'left 'scarcely any thin to our naval heroes to accomplish. At the same time, he thought that the principle ought never to be lost sight of, for the country was bound to offer a marked tribute of respect to the memory of those brave men who signalized themselves in her service. The Right lion. Gentleman then entered into some details re s pecting the ex ploits of _Earl St. Vincent, and dwelt particularly on his Aex- vices in the Mediterranean in the year 1793, when Buonaparte had achieved such extraordinary deeds in Italy, from which he had totally routed the Austrian army. Ile next adverted to the signal victory which Earl St. Vincent, then Sir John Jervis, had gained over the Spanish fleet in 1797, when he had but fifteen sail of the line, while the enemy had twenty-seven. The Right Hon. Gentleman concluded his observations respecting Earl St. Vincent, by pronouncing a high eulok,rium on his merit as a naval officer and as a man. -He then referred to the achievements of Lord Duncan, as peculiarly brilliant—those in particular at the memorable battle of Camperdown, where nine sail of the line had surrendered tothe British Admiral, after a most obstinate resistance. Lord Duncan, on that day, re ceived the sword of the Dutch Admiral, who was one of the bravest men that ever went to sea. In conclusion the Right lion. Gentleman urged the important services which both Gal lant Officers had rendered to their country, as entitling their memories to the tribute now sought, Sir I. COFFIN bore testimony to the transcendent qualities of Earl .St. Vincent, whom he had known long arid intimately. Sir GEORGE COCKBURN spoke briefly to the same ef fect. The motion was put and .agreed to, rem. dis. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER then moved " an Address, praying his Majesty would be graciously pleased id give direction for a monument in the Cathedral Church of Saint Paul, to Adam Viscount Dungan, in testimony of his 'distinguished exertions in the service of the country, and as a memorial of his victory gained over the Dutch fleet in October, 1797." —Agreed to, nem. dia. The House then resumed, and the Xteport was ordeFell to be received this day. • ARMY .AND NAVY PENSIONS. On the motion of the CIIANCEIiLOR of the ..',XCHE-- QUEIt the Military and NaVal Pensions' Bill was read • a se cond time, and ordered to be committed on Thursday, the 10th of April. _ The House went into s Committee on the Acts respecting the Registration of Ships. IJUSKISSON stated, that it was his intention to bring in a Bill for the benefit of the Shipping Interest. His object was to consolidate the law respecting the Registration of Vessels, and to introduce new regulations which would save expence. The Right * lion. lientleman moved that the Chair man.be instructed to move for leave to bring in a Bill for the better Itegistrationof Vessel*. Dr. 14USIIINCITON approva of the Right lion. Gentle- Mates intended .measure, and only requested.tbat time might be given to consider this importantaubject. Sir U. COCKBURN took the opportunity of stating a fact, •for the information of the House. The Admiralty had receiv- .ed intelligence diet five piratetehad been taken in the \Vest In. and sent to Jamaica, where three had been sentenced to 'death. Two had been executed—one respited in consequence of good behaviour to a ,passenger—one pardunned, and one proved ,an alibi. Mr. IIU3IE asked if they were resent depredates ? Sir O. COCKBURN said they were part of the depredators spoken of in a late debate. Mr. II usktssow's motion was then carried. The House resumed, and the Cuasitatas of the Committee moved, according to his .instructions, for leave to bring in the Bill.—Leave was given. The other Orders of the Day were disposed of, and the licntse ,adjourned at o'Ct.ocir. nu GREEKS. The foliowing.extract from a letter lately re ceived from Trieste, is a comber confirmation of the cruelty and merciless conduct of the 'corks to the inhabitants of Scio : raom -, TO lIER lI*OrIiIVI -, IN LONDox. Dated Trieste, Jan. 31, 1823. " dear Drother,—Although I cannot -eye you an *Cr count of my sufferings, and what has bafalle.a.our countrymen, without much klistross of mind, I will endeavour way it in a law words. •" husband and myself were so unfortunate as not to be able to escape by flight front our country with the other part of our family, and we were taken by the Turks 043 d carried into the Castle; . they put us into- a very dark and.dismal room, and the next morning some of : hem came to the door, and desired my husband 44 go out ; but on perceiving they were about to kill hint, he returned, and threwitimself into.my arms, and ex. " This is my last hope—perhaps they will pity me on your account ;" but the cruel barbarians rushed into the room, tore bins away, and murdered him in my presence, without mercy. Oh.! can never forget that awful moment. I saw many others sacrificed, and many innocent children torn from their mothers by the inhuman Turks, it would seem merely for savage amusement : ; one taking the infants by one foot, and another by the other, and thus tearing them asunder as r. piece of cloth, in the presence of their mothers. You will judge of my feelings whilst thus circumstanced, confined in the Castle, and quite at a Goss to know what would be my fate : in this situation J remembered my father had been a friend to Malta, a 'Turk•; I inquired for him, and he came to me anti acknowledged that he was much indebted to my late father fur many things he had done for hint, and said he would assist me, being assured that 1 would repay him what he might give for my redemption : this he obtainedfor 800 piasters, about .251. *ceding, which sun► I afterwards obtained from my•late husband's partner, who wasst that time coneeal ed at Smyrna. A few days after, Mr. P., our cousin ; arrived from Constantinople, and took me to the Austrian Consulate ; but, Oh ! my God;! .whst : a dreadful sight it was to behold so Many dead bodies of both -sexes lying in the streets and highways. All,the houses being burnt or destroyed, I could hardly dis tinguish the streets in the city. My distress was gnattly creased from not‘knowing what had become of the rest of our family. - - " In a yessel that came from Smyrna to that place of slautth. ter and desolation I arrived here, .where I met our dear brodter Paul, who came from Constantinople through Odessa, with his wife and family, when I was inf o rmed. of the safety of our brother Demetrius, our sister, and their families, at Anemi a . So I gave a -thousand 4hanks to the merciful Clod who pre served as with our bop and girlstiOmMaSSaCte and slaughter." 110Ital.BLE ,CAT STROPHE. Friday, fEatraot Qf a Letter from Malta, dated Feb. 21.1 64 Alll accident tookplace here on Shrove Tues. day of the most fatal and appaling nature. It is the custom on that day to attract the poor boys away from the crowd and riot in the streets (it being the last day of the Carnival), by making a procession to one of the churches, and after wards distributing ,bread to them. Previous to their receiving the bread, they were all (in num ber about 700) put in the corridor of the.convent' —a room where., 1 believe, there were no win. dows—and there locked in. The cries of the poor creatures were shortly heard from inside calling for assistance, and to be let out, but the snots with the key was not to be found ; the alarm outside was tremendous, as the door could aot be opened : at length,a mats, who thought his ,son was inside, rushed forward and broke it open, when a dreadful scene presented itself, a great number of these ,poor boys. having been suffocated. The ,consternation in the .city on this being known was indescribable. The bodies were taken out, but there being so many, no one knew what to do with them. Twenty were taken to one doctor's shop, and a great number to the hospital, where I saw more than 95 bodies of young lads, from 10 to 14, lying breathless on the floor..—The expressions of the mob against the priests and friars were very violent, as it was attributed to them. The number of dead, by a proclarnotion from Govorument, who wish to hush the business, is stated to be about 100. At least 130 were killed, and the general number is stated to be 153. An investigation is to be made by Government inte,.the affair." 0 4 1 01 ,A. 110 ,11 4 , 11?-i'ri., , .i: _.___„__ 416. * t)* e. ' • : ti a .r. MASONIC NOTICES EMI NIXT WEEK. D. oiatty. March 31, I AEONWUDLOIYI \os. 91, 458 u , " 1 ' - M C OUN TRY. Nos. 227, 243, 'A Th'skLY, April 1, I• 011 Dog. N 7 0 1 5r i ..9, 122, 240, 28087 ' 381, 399. , ~o . C O UNTRY. Nos. 21, 87, 1 2 7 , 11 ' 7, ~,"0 1110, 1114; 1 3, 201, 385, 3117, 476, • 532, 544, 551, 55L 2, Lospos. Nos. 35, 75 5 , 124 1.) 7 9, 116, COUNTRY• Nos. 4, 9,,7 2°78, 2'29:339, 491, 05, so, 52b, 581, 5115, 06, 711) ,11 725. COUNTRY. Nos. DJ, 03 , - 140NRoN. N4040,51.13;,14:56.31,,42.3:421:8;7; 501, 599, 627 ' .- 4, LOXDOX• No. 210. ,sjl rak 40, COUNTRY. Nos. 538 1 30, . 5, LONDON. NO. 173. • COUNTRY. I). T"sdaY. April I, Co. S . No. 93. Wednesday, -2, CORK. Nos. 1, 41- -4, CORE. N 0.3. Thursday, SatunLty, Ills present MAJESTY had, many years 1 . LONDON DISTRICT . • heti ie his household a Lodge, called " The Prince ofWs ire's ijuj i , /l ' of which he himself and his Royal Brothall th e Pd. ,. e' d ° Yo at and .0 "I" 1 ` 43 El condescended to hold, Don° 4 ' ' chief oM Ki n gly 44 , —ces ; but this being incompatible pith s ; i ccetio s : niv, the Members of the Lodge, on his 3lsjestY petitioned for and obtained the consent of biOol al iii ii ::, the Duke of York to become their Master, 0° A11 ' .. : ie lio"''' the honour of this patronage, the further uns --$1 ft , , i t n of bein g installed into and performing the 496° v ., i i, j' .. Chair.i in person. The ceremony Or Ins ItoPti 14 i g hs6 l, s "'dation, postponed by his recent illness, took Ide ce ;,,,, Tbatchetl House Tavern, in St. James's -street, on 6s in' ti l l 141 t, on which occasion a splendid dinner wes o °l4 w. brethren of the Lodge. Ills Boys) Highness th e Puke ‘l ,,i lit monies in lige, estsblis ~. sex, as Grand Master of the Order, attende►l by ti en ti '" I'm• John Doyle, the Deputy Grand :►aster, stil by T 4i ii, , ,, ,Y o a vincial Grand Masters, and nearly all the wend (1 ",,,1 rev 'Masonic talent in the metropolis, performed the n '" fee o l Site attention to the illustrious Candidate, is " bre w e splendid scene most deeply interesting l' t . L ic s bode l f present. His Royal Highness the Duke of York be n 's boo 55 invested, proceeded to select his Official, sWe'ngivrlgioll'ilh* Person, and with such a degree of aireen u .4o ,l observed Sir Frederick Fowke, Bart Sit lie n " 1 1 131 10 ',,,g I ii e son, 31. P., Mr. Wallace, Mr. Curtis,' and Sir 11 ::,j," essei; Company then adjourned to the flab►!s, 11 ,: 1 1 1 .„ Che ices l ;; ;lir%b2 arranFed by Mr. Willis , and consisted !o!''' 00 0' r , es of the season, and the finest French Win's: u iptd t song already mentioned, several noble awl dill'or;tr,,e; Tr°,lls.,,w4re present, among whom we notire;e:!,lo, slrti,'ol:4 Naylor, &c . Alderman Atkins, Mr. 0 11 V,„,ia s ', 4 , ~.' 0 . 11, Harris, cove,... by Messrs. Jolly, Clali:et,noi o f thd .,,,i00 , ing, a ls o `" and Golding, who, in the sly the wnisz by a perfor m ed , a Glee, wr itt e n express't by Yr.*" t ot Member i,. o t t he _ bodge, and set ,tv ISt with,the.tiejefn o'clock. ty 1 she Ro y al Brothers r etina% ....... edrtaiinnnelment'mptil,r°l4l o:tse,:eTell. idcononlatiiinvimalis.te-1614 TAhefteenrt rixtu,i4mgmay ligocr,oll`u aN 0 e s e ) . t ,) 1 ii°D.S,,.. : It t ,- ' t . i . i, t 4, ° 0 ° s ‘ 4,4 . p. A , . ,C,,t:: t•oir . ii t . ,' 0 -0. -- i, co Alercurii 2.6' ) die Alartii, 1840,0111,1 Ur. SpEjict. , Reduction Bill, then a l As"3larriag' Bill, and „ King's pperty Bill, , e ~,. RoPeterborough Roads Bill. ~,r a tun t :;$ Apx—Market I.lo2btiroughrAlill read a o ' l 4 t or, r oi : P4ssed,„,:, 1140 bury anti Brailes.—Bill react a sea m , 1 P I nAßth _ B -. 0 . 4.7ft ed, 5.„.3. 5 h. in i elel a y:m d d Sussex — Bill urder.6l, I, I r, _l3resen‘t the Bill ,on or before friday, April 0 ...,,,er,.o.2:l4Apt.A—:ExtidstiseLinbiu.toirgirpdiceirr:edaina)ot:ziow Union , , 1 il,y 1 w. ass- of...Gocklignhwt andth►:gwuhelotusdnold(poCtiomoTei. , Ili titiiitle,: ! . 0 ' 1 k Ili 03 j' ;' re B. (7 . } .... : : ', . e , edite, li .:n i w agrehila f S ' e e ee l nt t. '"r taoce . di r l.,4 e , rdiliraton-iaet.nuy:ldl tut-ShrlicillettliCadit-ordwi:jelillefred):3.4agliciel;aslt'tl;cfcololoo.4cioal'ocirli P'os : i ll ed be hat Cfloue„ ~ __, ' and 11) Wner"Treti t°1134 u should Clergy ueri .4. , ... trhcr:iy A o T r l I si t C CLAIMS-.-Petitlall KO ; til the table , of A.rduleaconry di * St. Alban, •at 4J ' l ' tiU7l;ol:lBl.)34:7lxes.°llllAirislecs:P:—lSe°laTtetlilein. :I)lolwf3itiiiig4:l'ser r i l t ill ': ' It tieLes Q v i c i ets. o rt iT ahile.o ' r ce e lerin,..w.ctou-illoeitißnttrehiirelytf,Erotx7iolciulitneiseigeuipe°trillitt:l,reirctiot:.ll,,.l.c!)e_:::befis:::pihrceiro:lo,l, /0,11.1,,vc• 0.1. Forvil the said Act of the Ist Year G' t . t ' . e .__,.. _ re articles hereinafter enumerated. bill t'theirlslll, jit louei either B o r ie itaii i Unionor l o o rel f f atin°lrde.aortneisleiri::ctartiYivnti.l::::;ltivi:lticil,rolY,l::::roft i t i n 0 . 6 ' to say,__ tor Acts in force, shall cease t'n" 'noi 10 , ‘ I . 41 ' Apparel f .„ Cloud-- 'll'ro„ Copper are, Coaches and lithe wass, ' O l P'''‘ Tin Plt7it Flat Window Glass and Plate 0 0 1,1 .sr i t ,iri Spangles, mend oLzitthaciiirnist waGh,:iSthdekrl,l3Tralsnun2uhewfatcAtiumPresPn4rnaelaisdlle:lollatArSdrit.:,'Lr;,:i.:ifilli alill;)o:ll;.r'A.''' silver orit'telirreyti,ds,3l3dliteUryir 011,s,,iikfury,11;:$140,0000 Or o g kw ! ii 10 ni , I d tsogo oh thewaa 4 nec I:oanonwo t hoi iuriev materials, :00:nl delaioeroldd:rnand,rriyseadit ut. a ci Drapery h.uoti v ht oortf except t uo i tr.itznauisnor, October, of t t yost e.Nio rotires ossbau b kn b o tie di birokkdeio,yei,r n :: co:i • e n s t a la nonienbnasste a ana3ob n psi t c:.:nyil d ikrarar odi 1 it i li :at :i ll: iglisi e t l ie: ata u ns:nvs it ora: no cra srlido,:ci 0,8..4 i , ri, ~ ,a ito6e, , tp 44 , ,FL,,,,,,,tidii:::,:ii , : ~,,, ,;),05,,,.„ ei::: op. ! ... '''o e ll:l i en't th teo er rtiinnth'Ynimir. I tt es Tnn : °"'a ie t r th ein erS e e ft hball e; mentioned, 1 thpelaiinnh,erfigespured,tivtwoilyleasi:„.l-1-vierted 'IV eo art u 3i n c. Britain and Ireland respectivbefyin,gotithetiTrrirooin V4 l l ll l 11 01:0:1:11:4011 o,na n coedi d i:c 3 teu lor , e c o ns . ,,, :::: f ; ho t il : December 1823: fr° la Wi th , say,-._ 'Sr a °r is 11l AD of it al l 'illi (ir Upon all Manufactures of Silk only, l':, i oel , ,t, t ool 0 1 in the other, the Patio' other materials (except Silk Spekinfs• 4 " „pOn 'l' WO i Of state called Ori,Panzine or Thrown Silk); "„ o o ill '„dir cept flat Window Glass or Plate Glas); !lit t ot P uponlstprinted, da d y l o l f )a J per anuarYi s, which s 7 h l. all ies be . other uses, ' Pa ' , o f sallot Of • lilted or st ained 01 0 A Duty of 101. on every 100/. of the sio ue f io the ,r/ tides, which shall be so imported on or be oft 00 oi vo loo o wl ,f tides, Ist o f or be u day January 1824, And on a 01,0 December 1024: 31st a d y is a y r o j f an D u ec ar an Y thou l' Batt A Duty of 51. on every 1001. offoroll 10, articles, which shall be S i)importisi at aa):;n a 310 " ' o cli cember 1825 : ce11 4 4 . e T a n h d a A Duty of 21. 10s. on every 100/. oi tic ant7oll o f 4 articles, which%shall be so imported at illY l c sist 0 a it ) Ist d eember 1026 ; and tlisiti.stitilnetnlvPiede;:tsalinaelltii.°:tlaral:ltbh-I),l'3elet:llol.l:flirctilLetitti°lelLl:llr..ll:'sove:ltj'il°lll:°r°°l.rflo°sfiglit::4loo,ooilieesl!;:::: tdtheteltent,l:eit.:B2:i6eidlan,:dnected, ,_dipirofotto 100 L of such value tibial ba payable 0 , ,,, an 91; f i'd ‘ Al OP i r-- articles hereinafter ' mentioned, being tu` .