The Sun. — London, England, 1823-03-25 00:00:00

Atuationa offended against the spirit. !!f the MI Queen Anne; arid' it was his intentiorltafter the liplidays, to bring this subject be fore the House. ' Sir J. YORKE; consistently .With the voteswhich he had given respecting the Post-masters-general, and the Lords Of the Admiralty, should vote on the present - occasion for the abo lition of the four ' Volonial Agents, by consenting , to strike off from the vote noel under consideration , the surn.proposed .by: the lion. Gentleman. • Mr. HUSKISSON !hewed that the Colonial Agents were paid out of the lociifreventies of the Colonies with which they were connected. If the object of the Honourable Gentleman were to change the system, he-would not accomplish it by car rying his 'present motion, and he thought it would be ahard ship on the Colonies not to allow them to appoint their own agenta.to watch over their interests in this country. He denied that any of them were paid out of the Army Extraordinaries. To the remarks of the Honourable Gentleman respecting,the incompatibility of the situations which he held, he deemed it unnecessary to reply till some proof- should be offered of his having neglected.those who had named him their agent, or of his having failed his public duty. lf he were aware of ani conflicting duties - growing out of those situations, he would be the last man whnwould submit to retain them. Mr. CREEvEY and Mr. Husaissow severally explained. Mr. T. WILSON thought the Colonial Agents ought to be from Colonial Funds, distinctly set apart for that purpose, so that the expense of them should not in any way fall upon the people of this country. , Sir R. WlLSON',.adverting'to the question respecting Prize Money, thought. the House ought to .be ipforined, when the account would he wholly settled. ' ' Mr. ARBUTHNOT believed he could'ventitie to say, the whole had been paid by Government, :and had been soma time in the hands of the agents. • 'ln answer to a question by Mr. II u 31 Mr. HUSKISSON stated a charge to have been Made in the present year in consequence of some misunderstanding,be tween the Government and the East India Company, who thought themselves 'eraitledsto the payment of 106,000/. for a quantity of cinnamon deliveredlait year, which Ministers con., sidered had been previously paid for. Mr. WIGRAM defended the claim set up by the East'lndia Company. , Mr. II USKISSON • explained. Mr. HUME maintained that the only way he had of atom': plishing the object which he had in vieviwas by pressing - the Amendment which he had submitted tnthe House. . The House then divided, when the-numbers were— , • For the Resolution . - 74 Against it . - 43 • Majority .. . Upon the vote for-the Charge of Convicts, Mr. HUME, in, rising to put a question relative to the con . ' tracts for clothing; alluded to the previous discussion, and said that he always wished, to be held responsible for whatever charges and statements he made. With regard to the case of, Sir Peregrine Maitland and Mr. Gourley, .he . entreated the House to wait until the papers were before them, and then he was confident that, the statements of that Gentleman would be proved. He complained that the Hon. Member opposite had made free to say that he made allegations against mdividuall which he could not afterwards support by evidence. What he had said of Sir T. Maitland was, that he was tyrannical and -op pressive in his Government of the 'lonian Islands. These allegations he considered to have been proved by the docu ments which he produced and laid on the table of the House. That officer ought not to have been allowed to remain in com mand where he had disgraced the name of an Englishman, and rendered it hated and detested. The Hon.. Member ought to allow, that he had not charged these transactions upon Sir T. Maitland within the last four. months. 'He admitted. that since that period there had been a change of' policy in the Governor. Rut he would say and repeat, that the documents which he formerly laid before the House, proved him to be a scourge and a tyrant to the Islanders, and shewed that he had committed acts of iniquity anti injustice which Were a dishonour to this country. ' •' Mr. DAWSON made an inaudible observation upon ,the subject of the question put by Mr. Hume ,relative to the vote befbre the House, , Mr. WILMOT said; he understood, that during his absence the Hon. Member for Aberdeen had revived the subject of the charges against Sir Peregrine Maitland. The Hon. Member bad been specifically told, that irhe would take any part of the petition of Mr. Gourley, and bring forward a di. rect measure upon it, he would be met in time fullest and most distinct manner. What the Honourable Member desired more he could not understand.--(Hear, hear!)—With regard to those reiterated, vague and general attacks upon the chant. ter and conduct of Sir J r. Maitland,, he protested against them, and he 'hoped the House would support him in doing so.— (Checro—The lion. Member said that' therehad been a change of policy in Sir T. Maitland's Administration within the last four months ; and, in reply to that, he challenged the Hon. Member to shew any act 'of the Government during those four months, which differed • from the acts of the previous eight, According to the lion. Member the people of the Islands were only kept down by the sword. He would just make one statemeni to the House ' and then leave it to decide upon the truth of that assertion. Corfu was at present garri soned by eight hundred men, whereas, when ein possession of the French, and in time of war, it ,contained twelve thousand troops. These soldiers, too, were all stationed in the works, and there were none quartered upon the Country.— Would the Honourable Member say that it was possible for the whole population, if they were really discontented, to be' put down by such a proportion of force. in Cephalonia the number of men cabable of bearing 'arms was /5,000 ; and the English troops stationed there 500. In Santa . Meura there were 15,000 inhabitants of that descripfion, and 350 English. In Ithaca and the other islands there was the samealispraportion: - It was impossible, therefore, that the lion. Member could maintain Ins proposition without giving a very bad (Minion of the islanders sylione he 'Meant to advocate and support.—. But the Hon. Member would say, ,the population had been. disarmed; and allowing that to be the case, the - Numera tive numbers of the English were so few that they could not, put down the inhabitants by physical force. Ile would also refer the House to the accounts of the late elections. He. did not know whether it was in one of the Honourable Member's speeches, but it had been stated either there, or in those re marks by which the lion. Member's • speeches were preceded and succeeded elsewhere, that the inhabitants were so disgust. ed with the adMinistration of the Government, as to take no iatereat whatever in the elections, and in the privileges and rights which they-possessed. - In Corfu the title to vote consisted in the, posiession of property amounting in English money to about 701. or 801. a yeat Out of 520 electors thus qualified, 462 voted at the last election; and this not secretly, but viva vow, and hi public. .In Cephalonia there were 530 electors, and 337 of them voted ; in Zente 340, and 291 voted ; in Santa Illaura 173 voted out ,Of 341 ; in Ithaca, 127 out of 138 ; and in the smaller islands,all voted who had the right. Now he would ask the HouSe Whether there could be any greater proof of the confidence they plaCed' in the English Government. and of the value which they attached to their prieileges. Yet the lion. Member had said, that the people took no intereet whatever in public affairs, and, never came forward to enjoy these political advantages.' Another Proof of the goodness of the Government was to be found in the.fact, that Corti!, without fresh taxation, and notwithstanding the failure of.the vintage and olive-crops, had encreased its revenue one-seventh within the last .year.— Throughout the Government of Sir T. Maitland, justice was better preserved, and the civil government was better carried on in all its departments, than they ever hadbeen at any. previous time. lrof "which regard to the- acts of tyranny owhich the Hon. Member spoke, -be should always be ready to maintain that the banishment of those persons who signed the petition was fUlly justified. But they had now been recalled, and not one native of the island was at this moment under banishment. — Sir 'l'. Maitland had only used the - necessary force and firm. nes* which the edmieistration of the new Government required, and his exertions hed entitled bim to the highest praise. In - fact the most undeniable proof of this was to. be found in the prosperous ceseditioli of the cowatry which he governed ; but-if the Hon. Member for Aberdeen, was not satisfied with that proof, and wished to meet hinvupon chater ground, he was per fectly to grant whatever papers lie might demand that were necessary for such a purpose. ,Mr. BL:NNET said, that the comparison of the Hon. Se cretary between • the present forth in Corfu and that of the French was inadmissible. The 11.2,000 French troops were an army formed there by Buonaparte in time of . war, to hold the islanda against'expected attack: ' With regard to the elle• gations made by his }ion. Friend (Mr. flume) he .always found them supported by facts; and he believed that the change and the improvements in the condition of the people of the lonian Islands were owing to his statements and the discussions in that I louse. He-never heard the conduct of. Sir T. Maitland vindi cated any where else., Out of doors, if they asked thirty people following, they all,agreed, that whatever might be his motive, be had contrived to render the name of the English, formerly so popular, bated and detested. Mr. Secretary PEEL expressed his surprise, at hearing the Hon. Member for Aberdeen complain of sweeping and general condemnationS. When the Hon. Member attacked individuals and establishment* hi that way himself, he .must expect some warmth from those whose duty lt, was to defend them. Ile could not conceive a Situation ,more delicate than that of an officer in the discharge of eminent& and painful duties to be lia ble to such. attacks and charges as .the Hon. Member thought property make. lie considered i his lion. Friend . to be 11 1 1 . 1t . e had in fife warmth 'hefted expreased at the charges a ich had been vaguely brdlight for a / a ril against Sir 1 1 .• What were those. charges ? Why such as, if true, must cause the dismissal of that gallant officer. What was the language in which they had beert made? lie lied been called a scourge and a tyrani, - arid a "disgrace - to. 'the British mattie..—(Hear," hear !) Was this language, and were these charges which ought to be made against an officer at a.distance front the country, in the discharge of his duties, at a time too and..in a manner that precludedanydeeision upon their truth or falsehood?—(Cheers.) . —He was extremely happy in having this, opportunity of bear ing testimony to the merits of Sir T. Maitland. That officer was Governor of Ceylon when helMr. Peel) held the office for two years which his Hon. FrienV(Mr.Wilmott) now filled so worthily.; and he never saw any man actuated by a greater de. sire of honouring and raising the British name.—(Hear, hear, heari)—He was not surprised-when , his Hon. Friend had found . the charges, lately preferred against one Governor of the name :of Maitland, to be unfounded, that he should anticipate a simi lar result to those made against another. , Lord A. HAMILTON thought the accusations of his Hon. Friend (Mr. Hume) were to be taken rather as against the Go- vernment than against the individual. The Government who employed Sir T. Maitland, and justified his proceedings, of course adopted his acts.— (Cheers and laughter from Mr. Wynn.)—He defied the Right Hon.. President of the Board of Control, who showed so muchievity, to deny the justice of the accusation founded uppn the case of M. Martinengo, who had been condemned to ten years''' imprisonment, on a charge so vague tfiat it was perfectly unintelligible. He defied the united talents of' the Ministry to make out' an adequate justification upon this particular case, and . he. only referred to it as one among others. It was a most atrocious case, and it had been placed upon record. lie did not conceive that his Hon. Friend ,intended to make any personal charge.against Sir T. Maitland. Mr. PEEL did not see how the word " tyrant" and " scourge" cookl be applied to any man otherwise than personally.—(HLar!) .Mr. IV YNN remarked upon the total want of connexion be tween the subject now under discussion,. and the real question' before the House, 'which regarded convicts pnly, and had no thing to do with the lonian Wands. The proceeding of the. lion.. Gentleman (Mr. Hume) had been as unfair and illiberal as possible ; and it was the more so, because`it was impossible that the House should come to any decision irpon the matter in dispute.—(Hear!)—He did not deny the existence of the case o Martinengo, but he did deny that it reflected any discredit ' upon Sir r. Maitland:' The charge was clearly personal ; but aupposing it were made against the Government, it had a right to require that it should be specific, and something more than verbal: if it were verbal, a verbal refutation would be sufli. crent,•and would receive quite as much credit in the country as the assertions of the other side. If the lion. Gentleman would move for documents; they would not be refused ; but before the defence was entered upon, some evidence to support the charges 'ought to be adduced. Colonel DAVIES considered the attack upon his Hon. Friend (Mr. Hume) quite unwarranted, and accused the Un. der Secretary for the Colonies of first irrelevantly bringing for. ward In debate the lonian Islands. _ _ Mr. WILD! 0 T and Colonel DAVTE9 explained. Mr. II UME, on the vote for the Vaccine Establishment, took occasion again to refer to the lonian Islands, thanking the Right Hon. Secretary of State (Mr. Peel) for the lesson he had given. him, but which, unluckily, was, like others of the same kind, completely thrown away. There was no man from whom he (Mr. - Hume) could, or wished to learn less than from the Right Hon. Gentleman. The conduct of Sir T. Maitland had been brought before the House on three several occasions, and he (Mr. Flume) felt entitled to say, that he had completely 'supported them by unquestionable documents. He would not retract a single word that he had uttered regarding that officer. —Within the last 3or 4 months there had been a complete change of system in the lonian Islands, and he attributed it to the wholesome discussions in Parliament. With regard to the vote for the Vaccine Establishment, he had only to say that he thought 8 physicians wholly needless for the purpose of making a board ; though he did not wish to deprive the institution of any assistance or skill that might be necessary. Mr. DAWSON contended that the board was required, and adverted to the services the establishment had. rendered to the community. In Ceylon 90,000 persons had been vaccinated last year, 20,000 in the Presidency of Fort-William, and 22,000 in the Presidency of Bombay. Mr. WILMOT denied that there had been any change of policy in the lonian Islands within the last three or four monais. The inhabitants had been practically convinced of the advan tages of British protection, and the reason for banishing ob noxious individuals no longer existed. Sir I. COFFIN protested against the application of oppro brious epi theta to Officers who were absent upon the service of their country. Mr. HUAIE insisted that the Documents before the House bore him out, and more than bore him out, in every thing he had uttered. Sir A. HOPE got up to explain, for the satisfaction of the Hon. Member for A berdeen, the charge of 10001. on the item of coals and candles for the Lieut.-Governor of Edinburgh Castle. The allowance per annum to that Officer, in lieu of .coals and candles, wax founded upon a grant of the House of Commons, and the reason why the sum of several years wasnow taken in a single amount was this—he (Sir A. Hope) had for some time been Lieutenant-governor of the Military College, during which h perioil the post orLieutenant-governor of Edinburgh Castle had been filled by another officer ; on his return to that station (resigning the 'Military College), he bad claimed on the part of his immediate predecessor, for sums which . that gentleman had neglected toreceive. On the grant of 16,000/. for relief to foreign officers, having served under the English Government, Mr. H U3IE begged to ask whether care was taken that no officer should receive allowance who had entered into the service of any other state ? Mr. WILMOT said, that officers receiving half-pay were compelled to certify that they were not in the service of any fo reign state, or their allowance ceased, PE NETENT IA R Y. Sir JOHN NEWPORT understood that it was a rule at the Milbank prison, that no one could be an officer of that esta blishment who was not a member of the Church of England.— The prisoners were compelled.to attend divine service according to the' forms of the church of England unless under special ex emption by the Governor; and thoie who were so exempted were locked up in their cells ring the hours in which service was performing. These regulations he (Sir J. Newport) thought savoured lamentably of intolerence. Mr. 110LFORD thought that there was no intolerant spirit in the arrangement at all. It was thought fit that the officers of the prison should set an example to the prisoners, in attend ance upon divine service ; and that they could not do, un less they were members of. the English Church. As for the convicts,. where, except locked up, would the Hon. Baronet have them ? Except during the hours appointed for exercise or duty, there were, in the prison in question, as in all other pri sons, as matter o fi course kept locked up. MESSAGE FROM THE LORDS. A Message from the Lords announced that their Lordships bad agreed to the National Debt Reduction Bill and the Mar. riage Act Amendment Bill. BEER TRADE BILL. ;The Report of the Beer Trade Bill being brought. up, Mr. IIOLME SUMNER expressed Ins doubt that abuses might be practised under the provisions of the Bill. A brewer making the new description of beer might keep..a house in which persons could drink it, and so in fact Maintain a public house without holding a license. The.CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said that no man keeping a pliblic-house would be allowed to brew the new beer on his_premises., There was a clause in the act, providing that a publican who wished to brew the newbeer must not brew within a certain distance of the house which heused as a public house. Mr. IL sumNErt, said a few words, but we could, not dis. tinctly catch the Hon. Member's objection. Mr. Alderman WOOD's chief objection Was, that this' mea sure, which was to give the poor roan . a cheap beverage, still left him'charged with a heavy beer.duty, which the rich man did not pay. Mr. Sheriff THOMPSON was itr favour of the Bill. • Alderman. C. SMITH made an observation which did not reach the gallery. Mr. BLNETT did not know how it was proposed to ascer tain the strength of the new beer, and doubted whether the limiting:brewers to a specific quantity of malt might not en courage the use of drugs.. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER did not think the plan free from objection;_ but its principle was so obviously good that he strongly should recommend the tiling it. The progress of the act might be watched, and he should be most anxious to observe, and from time to time to amend it. Mr. GRATTAN wished to extend the,plan to Ireland, where a good beer, sold at a reasonable price, might, probably, in some measure, supersede the use of spirits. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER observed that there was no beer duty in Ireland. Mr. (IRATTAN looked to the effect of having a beer sold without the necessity of selling it under a public-house license. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER thought the sale of beer without a license in Ireland worth consideration, but thought that it would be better to effect the object (if it were `.effectecl) bY.a separate measure. Mr. MT. WILLIAMS-suggested the advantage of having:an ad valorem duty upon beer 'generally. He thought, such a measure would be infinitely morq beneficial than the Bill now proposed. • Mr. F. LEWIS said, that.the late Chancellor of the Exche quer had once contemplated the impsisition of an ad valorem duty upon beer. He (Mr. L.) had looked with 'considerable attention at the plan, and he thought it quite practicable, as well as likely to be beneficial. He knew that the brewers were inclined to throw difficulty in the way of every such prOject, 'Mt he was convinced that the revenue might be as well collected' under a system of ad valorem duty as under the existing arrangement. fie be lieved that a great part of the present beer monopoly, and it was the heaiiest monopoly with Which the country was afflicted, arose out of that fixed uniformity of quality and price in the article, which put a stop almost to the possibility of competition. The present regulations for collecting the duty on beer were as old as the day of Charles IL, and he (Mr. Lewis) thought there was abundant room in them for alteration and improve- • meat. Mr. F. BUXTON repeated his former objections to the re solutions. He considered it right and proper, if the Chancellor of the Exchequer chose it, to call into existence a new race of brewers ; but it never could be just to require the old brewers to pay duty at the rate of 35s..the quarter on malt, while those of the new creation were only to pay at the rate of 255. on the same qbantity. After a few words from Alderman WOOD and Mr. C. &mini, the House assented to-the other Resolutions. MERCHANT VESSELS' APPRENTICESHIP BILL. On the motion for reading the report of the 3lerchant Vessels' Apprenticeship Bill, Mr. RICARDO objected to the principle of the Bill, as in. terfering with the freedom of commercial - regulations, and im. posing useless and impolitic restraints on the owners of mer. chant vessels. It was opposed to every sound principle, and would not, he was satisfied, have the effect of adding one more efficient seaman to the navy. Mr. HUSKISSON agreed, that whenever any measure was proposed interfering between employers and the individuals em ployed, some strong necessity or political expediency ought to be shewn for it. It had been the uniform policy of Parliament to maintain the maritime greatness and strength of this country by measures which necessarily operated as restrictions upon in dividual convenience. On this principle the Navigation Laws and Register Acts were founded. The Hon. Member for Portarlington (11 - r. Ricardo) was not, perhaps, aware that there were two descriptions of apprentices. There was one class in the nature of parish apprentices, whose service was compulsory ; another class, who went to sea voluntarily, to acquire the science and seamanship which would enable them to follow the profes sion. As the laW pow stood, apprentices were liable to be im pressed at the age of 18, but the present measure would protect both these classes of apprentices up to the age of 21, The Bill would not only afford this protection to masters of merchant vessels, but would - be highly beneficial to the naval interests of the country, by affording the best means of education to a race of skilful pilots and seamen. Mr. SYKES complained of the haste with which this mea• sure had been cameo through the House. He trusted that no more restrictions would be imposed on the shipping interests of the country. Sir G. COCKBURNE said, that the principal merchants and ship-owners had been consulted as to the expediency of this measure, and that 411 expressed the highest satisfaction at it, and considered it as a boon extended to the interest i with which they were connected. By the protection afforded under this Bill, apprentices in merchant vessels might now for the first time become second and first mates, without being liable to impressment. Mr. NARRYATT bore testimony to the general ability of the seamen educated in the merchants' service. The Hon. Member for Portarlington (Mr. Ricardo) objected to the rnea. sure as a restriction upon the freedom of trade, but it did not seem to occur to that Honourable Member, that this and many other restrictions might be sound and salutary. Buonaparte had once said, that if he had a throne of adamant, he believed the political economists would grind it to powder ; and he (Mr. 31arryatt) must say that the political economists in this country were ready to grind the navy and shipping interests to powder, rather then abandon their favourite theories. He concurred with the Gallant Admiral (Sir G. Cockburne) that the present measure had met with the unanimous approbation of the ship. owners. Removed as an amendment, 46 That all the words in the Bill be omitted after the word repealed." Mr. BERNAL, although he agreed in the principle of leav ing to Merchants the option of taking apprentices or not, yet recommended his Hon. Friend ( Mr. Ricardo) not to press his' Amendment, AS it would deprive the Merchant service of the protection afforded by this measure with regard to the liability to impressment. Mr. GLADSTONE supported the Bill. He concurred in the statement, that it had received the unqualified approbation of the Ship-owners. • Sir ISAAC COFFIN approved of the Bill, notonly because it afforded additional protection to the Merchant service, but be cause it was calculated to maintain the naval strength of the country. Mr. BRIGHT supported the Bill, which he contended had been framed upon the principle of our old laws. He could at once refer to the Act'd 2d and 3(.1 Queen Anne, which com pelled the masters of merchant vessels to take apprentices for the sea service. He should heartily give his vote in favour of the Bill. Mr. HUME, in answer to his Hon. Friend who lied just fiat down, could not but observe, that the existence of 'bad laws in former times was no argument in favour of adopting diem now. In the reign of one of the Edwards there was an Act passed to regulate the stuffing of feather 'beds ; but what would be thought if it were proposed to revive this Act, and compel the Unholsterers of the present day to obey it ? (A laugh.)—We had had excellent seamen without the aid of so coerciye a law as the one now proposed; and he thought this would not be productive of any benefit. He fully con curred in opinion with his lion. Friend the Member for Poe tarlington. lie even thought the effects of the .Bill would be mischievous ; for it would, in his opinion, encourage appren tices, and drive the seamen to foreign employ. After some further observations against the practice of encouraging the increase of seamen by compulsory measures, the Honourable Member concluded by stating that he should support the amend. ment of his Hon. }fiend, and trusted lie would divide the House upon it. On a division which then took place there appeared— For the Amendment . 6 . . Against j i o t rity . WAREHOUSING BILL. On the motion of Mr. WALLACE, the Report of this B was brought up, and the House went into a Committee on the recommittal of it. Mr. GRATTAN observed, that that part of the Bill which related to the Linen Trade would be ill viewed in Ireland. He wished to know whether it was intended to make any alteration in that part of the Bill. Mr. WA L LACE said, that this was a most important branch of trade, and one which he looked forward with anxiety to see fully brought under the consideration of the House. He did not wish to pledge himself to any opinion on the subject, fur ther than that he thought those who advocated the transit duty which had been placed on Irish linen, were bound to chew the propriety of placing such a duty, in his opinion, contrary to the general principles on which such things were determined in general. Sir G. HILL thought it exceedingly unfair to the linen trade of Ireland, that in the Bill of last year they should be ex empted, and this year again included, without any sort of notice to the persons interested, in it. The transit duty might be repealed in 1625, but no notice had been given either for him or those concerned in it, to take such a step now. Mr. WALLACE apprehended, that there would be ample time to collect all the Members connected with the part of the kingdom concerned in ibis trade, between this and the 21st of April, when he proposed the third reading should take place. The questioil might then undergo full discussion, and according to the opinion of Parliament the duty would then be continued Or diacoritinued. Mr. SPRING RICE thought this was a subject demo:titling the most serious attention of Parliament, inasmuch as the linen trade had been progressively diminishing for some time It ought to be treated with reference to the tranquillity of Ire land. Mr, Secretary PEEL reminded the House that this question was one which ought to be viewed in a different light from any other question in the Bill, and was to be determined upon par ticular merits of its own. The linen trade of Ireland was con nected with history,. and Honourable Members would recollect the circumstance of a Sovereign of this kingdom ordering that every thing should be done that could be done to discourage the woollen trade of Ireland, in order to encourage it in Eng. land ; and, in return, every encouragement was to be given to the linen trade of th e sister- country. Thus it was, in his opinion, that this part of the question was to be determined, not with reference to the gener al principle of what was best for the general commer c ial government of the empire, but upon distinct considerations peculiar to itself ; and he begged leave to give notice, that on the discussion of the Bill, on the 21st April, he should endeavour to impress this view on the House. After a few words from Col. BARRY and Mr. BENNET, Mr. WALLACE _introduced a clause into the Bill to pro vide against foreign watches being warehoused under the pro. visions of the Bill, with the fraudulent English mark upon them. He observed that the watchmakers had told him that They did not fear the competition of the French watches in the open market; but this practice was detrimental to their trade and reputation. Mr. WA LLACE also proposed a clause to prevent any wine being bottled in the docks of this country in any bottles but those of the country.. The Right Hon. Gentleman also stated, that the Chancellor of the Exchequer had agreed to withdraw a certain drawback duty relative to wine bottles, which would have the effect of facilitating the: wine commerce. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER confirmed the statement of his Right Honi Friend. He had readily ac ceded to thesuggestion, and he believed. the revenue would suf. fer little or nothing by the loss of it. The Clause was then added to the Dill. The House resumed, -79 and having received the Report, theßill was ordered to be read I a third time on the 21st MONUMENT TO EARL ST. VINCENT. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUFR gave notice that he should, on Wednesday next, move an Address to his Majesty for the erection of a monument to the momory of the late Earl St. Vincent. Mr. W. WILLIAMS obtained leave to bring in a Bill to prevent occasional Freeholders from voting for Boroughs in England and Wales. PARISH APPRENTICES. Mr. CRIPPS moved for leave to brin in a Bill to enable County Magistrates to order a grant of 20 1. to Parish Appren tices. They were allowed only 101., which was not enough in most cases. ._The Bill also proposed to give power to Magi'. trates to enforce the restoration of Apprentice Fees upon mis behaviour of the Master. At present Magistrates had onlY power to order the recovery hut by action at law. Sir JOHN BOUGHEY gave notice that he should Move for leave to bring in a Bill on a subject closely connected with this, and which the House might perhaps think ought to be em bodied in the Bill of his Hon. Friend.—Leave granted.. IRISH EX-OFFICIO PROSECUTIONS: Colonel BARRY rose pursuant to notice to move for the pro duction of certain papers connected with the late trials for con spiracy in Ireland. Those papers were intimately connected with a discussion which would come before that House on the 15th of next month, and it was necessary to strict and im partial justice that every document and every paper that could throw any light upon that discussion should be fairly be fore the House. The first paper of which he should move the production, was a copy of the information upon which certain ipersons were sent to Newgate for a conspiracy to kill and murder the Lord Lieutenant.—(Hear !)—He had no wish, however, by so doing to anticipate discussion ; his wish, on the contrary, w s o e , v e r to h tietail the was to go u a n v d oi s d o i f t . 11 i s H p e res t e h n o t u n g l h o t tn necessary, do i h ng o should have occasion to allude to transactions which would necessarily become the subject of future inquiry. - On the 14th of December last, the transactions to which he alluded had arisen. On the 15th, certain persons were brought before the Police Magistrate, charged with having engaged in a riot, and committed to Newgate upon a charge.of. riot ,only (if he mistated any thing the Right Hon. and Learned Gentleman below him (Mr. Plunkett) would correct him); upon no charge but that of having been engaged in a riot were the two Hand wiches committed to the gaol of Newgate, and kept there for nine days. On the 23d of December, however, a detainer was lodged against them, charging them with a conspiracy to kill anti murder the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland. The charge, therefore, was not hastilybrought forward, but after due con sideration, and by the advice of the Law Officers of the Crown in Ireland. On the same day a gendeman, (hetould not say in. deed whether he was or was not a gentleman, but) a person of the name of Forbes, was taken up and committed on the same charge of conspiracy. When the Right Hon. Gentleman came forward as prosecutor, lie did not deem it advisable to proceed on the capital charge, because he thought, and he thought justly, that Government should lean to the side of lenity rather than severity. Bail was then tendered and accepted to a very considerable amount. Before the Right Hon. Gentleman had thought proper to enter a noll proscqui, he (Col. Barry) had deemed it fitting upon public grounds to abstain from any dis cussion of this question. But now that the Right lion. Gentle man had taken this step, he conceived that no public inconveni ence could arise, unless, as had been"stated by some, it might become a subject of inconvenience to the Magistrates, who would be subject to prosecution for having made out the committals. But lie.(Colonel Barry) would contend, that if those committals had been made.out upon-fair and even principles of justice, the Magistrates had nothing to fear. lie had always heard it laid down, that if a Magistrate were-not actuated by malice he was not liable to damages. This question, however, became import ant from the manner in which it was treated. A simple not magnified into a conspiracy gave an impulse to all the addresses which had been presented to the Lord Lieutenant. The cir cumstance of persons having been arrested for so atrocious an offence, and capitally indicted for it, excited abhorrence through out the country, and caused a great deal of odium to be cast on a body of men totally undeserving of it. At first there had been no doubt in the mind of any man that the commit tals had been dictated by justice ; but now that they had been tried, there was as little doubt that they were innocent, and that there were not sufficient grounds for their committal. He did not defend the act of violence and outrage which had actually been committed, on the contrary, he thought it deserv ing of condign punishment (Hear !) but he denied any con spiracy to commit such an act as the assassination of the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland. He deprecated any wish to provoke a premature discussion of the question which would come before the House on the 15th of April, because be should consider such discussion injurious to the Government of Ireland, who would shortly be put upon their trial. It was on parliamentary The and on those I,Prounds alone, that he made his motion. The gallant Colonel then moved, " That there be laid before the House copies of informations on which commitments of persons to the jail of Newgate (Dublin) f or a cons pi racy to murder the Lord Lieutenant, were founded." Mr. PLUNKETT could assure the House that, as far as he was personally concerned, it was his anxious desire that every document or paper which could in the remotest degree elucidate the transactions alluded to should be laid before the House. But whatever might be his private or individual feelings, he could never submit to the discussion of any question which would be subversive of the due course of law. He was bound In courtesy to the Right Hon. Gentleman to believe that, in bringing forward his motion, he was actuated by no other mo ' tive than a love of justice, and an anxiety to maintain the prin ciples of the constitution. He could not attribute to the Right Hon. Gentleman any indirect object, any wish to serve an occa. sion or to promote the interests of any particular class of per sona. He was sure the Right Hon. Gentleman, in bringing for ward this motion, had nothing more in view than the ro ere abstract political question. He was certain he had no wish to embar rass the humble individual who now claimed their indulgence, or to impede the operations of the government of Ireland. He did not quarrel, therefore, with the Right Hon. Gentleman's motives; he merely complained of the effects that would flow from the premature agitation of the question. The Right Hon. Gentleman could not be ignorant that the Hon. Member for Armagh had moved for the production of documents relative to the committal of those persons who had been lately tried in Dublin. It was the intention of that Gentleman to submit the conduct of the Irish Government and its law officers to the judgment of that House. 'When that Gentleman brought the subject forward, he (M r . Pl un k e tt) wou ld h ave i t i n hi s power to defend himself—(Cries of hear, hear !)—Had he, the uncon stitutional Attorney-General, put those persons twice on th e i r trial for the same o ff ence, it might have formed some excuse for the Right Hon. Gent., who seemed willing to adopt that mode of proceeding towards him. But he trusted the House would excuse him if, under all the circumstances, he reserved his defence, and that of the Irish Government, until the proper pe. riod had arrived, when he shoud not omit to lay before the House a true, and he trusted, a satisfactory exposiuon of his cond uct . He would, however, as the Right Lion. Gentleman had brought the subject forward, state -the facts which led to the apprehen sion and committal of the persons who had been lately tried in Dublin ; he should do so without exaggeration, and he could assure the Ilouse, without the slightest expectation on his part that he should be obliged to make this statement. On the 14th December last, the Lord Lieutenant went to the thea tre. Some days before he did so, information was received that Eublic declarations had been made of an intention to ins u lt hi s xcellency. This information was communicated to the Lord Lieutenant previously to Dec. 14, and measures were resort ed to, to preserve the peace and protect his Excellency's person. This night arrived, and preilous to the. Lord Lieutenant's ap pearance in the house a considerable tumult had taken place. —On his entering the theatre, great approbation was expressed by the unpacked part of the house, a nd loud hisses and groans were uttered by those who were sent there. and were paid for that purpose. And printed hand-bills were also dropped from the gallery into the pit, headen with the words, " No Popery," and containing the grossest and most offen s i ve expressions against the Lord Lieutenant and Government of Ireland. It was observed that signals were made between a party in the pit, and a party placed there on the left hand side of the upper gallery, who were armed with bludgeons, and who used expres sions most insulting to the Lord Lieutenant and the Roman Ca tholics, uttering loud cries of " Down with the Popish Govern ment." Matters continued in this state till after the play, when 1 " God save the King," was ca ll e d f or . I t was necessary here to state, that in the box where the Lord Lieutenant sat, he was not exposed to any missile that might be thrown from the upper gallery ; but when " God save the King" was called for, his Excellency stood up, and came forward to the front of the box, by which he became exposed, to be struck by any thing that might be thrown from that part of the upper gallery where the persons armed with bludeons were stationed. Immediately on the Lord Lieutenant's coming to the front of the box, a glass bottle was thrown from the upper gallery, over the pit, which struck the drop-scene of the theatre not far from his Excellency's box. He saw some gentlemen smile—he had heard that some thought it a good joke that a bottle had been thrown at the head of the King's representative in Ireland. Three persons had sworn to the fact that they saw the bottle thrown, and aimed at the Lord Lieutenant. Ile thought he heard laughter, and he had no objection to let persons w h o cou ld sneer on suc h a sub ject enjoy " their peals of devilish laughter."—(Hear, hear !) But the House would jutle; e whether it was a jcu d'esprit to fling a bottle at the head of the King's Representative, because he had been guilty of-introducin g t h e anoma l y into Ir eland: of go verning the people by equal laws.—(Hear, hear l)—After the bottle had been flung, tined the party in the upper gallery, who had been active in the riot, and who held a watchman's rattle in his hand, with which he-made a great noise during the night, broke it In two pieces, and threw the larger piece in the dim. tion of the Lord Lieutenant. It was a heavy piece of wood, ,it 'l it the cushion of the box next to the Lord Lieutenant's, w hich it cut, and rebounded on the stage. All these facts were prove d i on the trial. Many of the r i o t er s sounded whistles, a nd # many peaceable persons who expressed their dissatisfaction were A beaten with bludgeons by the rioters. It was proved an the . trial that Handwitchithrew, the bottle, that G raham threwthe .f. rattle, and Forbes was particularly a ctive in encour a g in g the '-, rioters. He stood at the corner of the lattice on the left band i side of the upper gallery. s and was seen to communicate by signals with the rioters after the bottle was thrown. The person who threw the bottle was apprehended the night the riot took place, and nothing more than he- ad now stated appeared on that night. When lie (Mr. P.) was first consultett, his impression was that the offence was a misdemeanour. Ite.t the facts were investigated for several days, during whice the Solicitor-General and himself paid the subject the greatest attention. During that inquiry it appeared that street, where he was met by others of the on the Forbes, who had been apprehended and released night of the riot, went after his release to a tavern in asked street, of himself and of throwing the bottle, and spoke of himself as having a connection with the riot that involved his life: , he said he knew he was liable to go to Botany Bay, tai he bad no objection, as he would establish an orange lee ge t there ; he had but one life to lose, and he was willing to lose 1 re in the cause in which they had embarked ; he expro,ed his get that they had missed the Lord Lieutenant, and his helle that they would be more successful another time. All this was stated on the oaths of two respectable witnesdes whose cil,.; meters he never heard impeached. lOW he (• new and i . I I . Solicitor- General heard this testimony, it gave a new character to the offence that had' been committed. It plainlY aPP ear s a t that it was a conspiracy not to insult the Lord Lieutenant, , _. , to attack his person ; and under that impression he advised he r the parties should be committed on the capital charge But House would observe that that created no obligation to II: Pasty. Ile talkeg. cute capitally. The Hon. Gentleman seemed to diiak that when Government committed on a capital charge, they wo e so s e ct to prosecute on it: but he was mistaken ; they wer e it s is r n heol s liberty to prosecute for a minor offence. Ile ()Ir. ,u. capital! still thought there was evidence to go to a jell on " ' lo ve charge; but he does not now think there was evidence r_ Pi n oa that it was the object of the conspirators tomoister tou Ili , Lieutenant ; and he would, if on the jury , say the bain , e f °etlif uath.--(Hear!)--But he was convinced EVeonspinicy t i s t ets , ferent nature was entered into, not to murder the leor s tia;', o ,, tenant, but to compel him to change the measures °` ;pie vernment---(Hear !)— toput down the plan of governing, _,,,03, the conspirators considered a dangerous anomaly in the r a , de. people by the impartial administration of the same Isws 7 0 ' 1 ,,, ment of Ireland.- (Hear, hear !)—After his Alkiesti th e e ie dared his gracious intention of healing the wounds ot t thogis fortunate country, which he had honoureeth 3 IiSI Wi l i most gratefully received, and during whilie had gre . oss expressed his desire that no party toasts should be gir.et!t o si e . the Lord Lieutenant, who was acting in the spirit of S, _ ing jesty's instructions , had made known his intention ess_T,'o,, to the theatre, the party who were opposed to the my sures of his government concerted their means of attach I ow , tions were raised in the Orange Lodges tu considered it a good opportunity 'of rendering the " 3 "is l sli , li tenant's government unpopular; of impres,ing the t fre w, goyernment with the opinion that he was unpopular in .. 1 wri p, -and force him to quit the country. For this pusetie'dote. It was part of the plan that a number of the Orang e r st e biee" go to the pit and seize on the part of it near the to t h e w tenant's box, and communicate with the others who 1 4 '.!4 t hestre selves in the upper gallery. Three perSOnS W ent to r uitte d 60 in the morning anti bought as many pit tickets• aii AI also irCt to the upper gallery. Forbes was one of those ; the party to the other onpra in the evening, and sent cril o tS:,,r o s et the er g upp gallery, three by three, armed with b , ,a,,7 04 elf infuriated by whiskey. It was not possible thSt e l licg the bans could expect to effect their purpose of rolli! ) , et t o sla,' Lord ;Lieutenant to quit the theatre without etails s olo person. Could they expect that the Citizens of Dublint Oil submit to see the King's Representative so tr es its e l eit, l e ' the object , he conceived, was against the 0 06 ' si s V the injury that might arise to the Lord Lieutenan ss l Os no 'lie was but consequential ; and therefore he had li gi not '''' A be of indictment that were not capital. But hem , s hoilis c , , ed any duty when he advised that the consPi°_o n ot a' , i ; would o i :1 a i d then Lieutenant , committed on the capital charge, as his made up on the evidence whether the ttact h a d r f Ong ' }lack s slo w a 1{ • nbtral , ° ~,1 the dressing of Kin ks ed against the Lord Lieuten ' life. e. '' '°- ant e , ~.4 acie t ,„,1 beent; be cdromeseidt:edhe bhyo l p l a : d i p ll co i r a ve t i n dsh ' i s t wrnsotat?tbltlu:,braetiginhevtesiataip!eiro;h:easttabettios,lc7o._ t t . '': i t , s , tuo i C4ll h e o p -, prerogative, e mightg ati Ir k e n , o y w e tthh that t h i a t d was some i lo n: i t e H s, a l l ; s n : g ::::, to: what he was ready to declare on his agi t A z`t,", t he Pr' s ,,ii; prosecute te the conspirators in that se as behnt'oen's shou ld but though he could not blame the Hon. `.." - , 0 tbst he llon. severely accused by the Hon. gen t ` to iniii °- Ile on a capital charge without afterwards prosec u- ociation t .. t know that ten en , an a jlOO l3 elusively Catholic or twelve ribbon M , yet th e se th e eacailedvihow;:::ern3g,.,..:o . , , and not afterwards hand or st invs, The able Gentleman did i • ' n- 1 11 ' a not wrin els s , s e la ho s gas, nor call an the House toynterfere m thee. be t , in. ouse might now ask him (Mr. Plunkett) nY i n e sai- ins ,, resist the motion, his answer was, because it w i r n s proili t i r i t li formations were given in reliance on ' ecrecY '' 301itic. ' it them before the public would be unjust and ! ny e ~ l itted ,_ respect to Magistrates too by whom persons wereotiolaenere. would be unfair, as they might be prosecuted or ! si toss h 4 disclosed; and no man would venture to come for; befo o li P ot informations if he knew they would be made I r an O r ia. , was called on as a witness. The lion. Oen tititt i o nal l', o e aware that in his zeal he had endangered c°llen he hs ci n ' e r. ciples, but his first attempt must be excused, w as othee practice he would be ' • He would have i the ' . more adroit. . b j ect 0 t iro. portunity of defending his conduct on the sit jo y to he , officio informations which he had thought -it hi 11... 0 ., wh e et i . er zed on, and he would be in the judgment of t he o l i y a ,_4ll PI h e e ,had_., abused die power vested in him by Ns ulce r !) 3 0, Dr acted from malignity or party feeling • --, 1 to the l e se Dr. LUSHINGTON declared he had listents siet i o o, ia , ed Gentleman withbut without en".": ri tes an u o t great respect,. to j i a gist • in WAS not aware that information was given , of id e nce, , i , c h a seal of secresy, and he would have little ci rst ead i)„' : p ip testimony that required to be so protected. iote ei o,: y ed. conduct being constitutional, it would lead t° „ a e jj be °tea"' and, by which the rights of the people wss is lion , ,el3* m tl, despight of the high authority of the PI . Tidal, L e t e t it tuallr he must deny it was the law of FaiO n stts oens,,stitu' w e protects when the Habil?: Corpus Act el d t be es to il . as a departure from the established princiPiesfua opp° r l if the o upp. He should vote for the motion to have a vent, „ot so t fudging of the conduct of the Irish G twerill the stetTsht Information was refused he was bound to take 00 t ho st of the Ilon. Gentleman Imade he the .motion c 00 1 ? wlo t the Learned Gentleman could hardly ask ,.. pg it as s in Il se- England to decide on his etatement, w hich , tas t rhe Or es be did not prove a case for a capital comniitinent- scold il n i t t 0 men intended to murder the Lord Lieutenant, i I ther,l,o , content with a bottle and a piece of a tattle; 0 0 , s ° 1 0 0 \ is ioos conspiracyno t Lieutenant, Gentleman s fo s insult he 21 thing as a pistol. It appeared by the l", t , con c ' dot man's statement that he had - tl ee differe , n est 0 come to tau p ot, 4 se , on the evidence • firs e 0 , it w ' ; -rst, that it was a niisdem ~ ,s , t sen as . a conspiracy to murder the Lord LieuteninaTv'ent, 111,Itien, that it was a conspiracy to change his gays o f iutWoo to the Learned Gentleman, with all the me as s t the, ilotiosy changed his opinions, it was too Much t.,," inept Wit !i ., come to a conclusion on theconduct Of goY e 'Y - '. Aw es information. under 'sot ""': Mr. Secretary PEEL said, the question i whC _ di p.? was confined to narrow limits—Theesti°° was coin . ' ass q uest: f p o lice 0 fain in • formation on which the Magistrates° isc el. s s tlie. persons on a charge of mustier should be lot to d w.,, 0. quite clear that the question had be ~,6 0, 00 0 0, , motion respecting the filing of ex oP i° ,,n give o ° t eal; which the Honourable Member for Arniegli s t 's, of t i ;socew The House was already in possession of the et be pd ortiet and it was not necessary the information ahn.tr icy an I t o ill Ile believed the parties committed for coOsP l . ' an ds ° l `soo 9. might bring an action against. the Magistates,,o ac, old House of Commons be the means of pror noting w Thi to ;; ea s' The production of the documents s not neco• (4 be ' h old the house was n i t lOU. G ish hit it to decide any specific question. , it s e ten, 0 4 to., venient to parties to be put on their trials if ow_ 0 t• Irv" hagiell be disclosed. It was not necessary for the peal" n , 'f this question shouldundergo further invesugat ° „ f or , 4 in ...4. , Hon ' . Secretary opposed the motion. _ se lei s ow , Mr. ABERCROMBY admitted that tile 'Ti t t his I ' o l Di row compass. The Right Hon. Gentleman 53 bed loin taw tion was not connected wi the question to ro ot vs ii . the Member for Armagh. lie differed in 1113 .,,,. t eairig i S i ;c r ea 1 1 Right Hon. Gentleman. The whole of the P , 7 be proe o e pa the individuals must bear on the questions, ~,p ra t _ t oe the Member for Armagh. A case had certain lied 1 7 4 on toe s e! for the production of papers, yet they v/f re is sortne P e v ie. ° short. The House had granted part of the t he 1-10'li pticoll by refusing information in this insta u f,S c s to parlaystlt' letie itself in a difficult situation. lo ° it was l o noS. all the information should be allowed- Right I sic lira'e but a constitutional cpiestion. His r o rprod uc u c tio o 1 ? Friend had said, it would be inconvenien . 6 , To see ~,,oftri_q, deuce. He might ask whether, in ease of " I ,, s t s islit ';',.itlit l s - „'„, seeding, the evidence would not have been y a i t be sorci eti , SS If it would have been called for, W,° ° This 11110 }, tee l from the Grand Inquest of the countryls.„, to tax 00 0 appeared essential, because it was neel7-I,ise. all i he e so rs je ceeding from beginning to the end. :Thee The e presecute the inquiry fairly and honestly. , st i o n, dth o' v • Sir JOHN NEWPORT oppose