The Sun. — London, England, 1824-05-28 00:00:00

.77-70 1 " - , trr- " _ .... 4 2 ..„,o'-' .•,-, `„,`'l,/ P , --,-.,-_. SOCIE *049 . • , • RSI:2; 6,/747t % r - ' e /t7fi l ft a..e/eY lA -- at.zi • . ; 7./ Obi"- NUMBER 9893. ANTI-SLAVERY SOCIETY. IT being the Opinion of many Members of this Society, that its Anniversary Meeting, advertised to be held in Freemasons' Hall on Saturday the 29th instant, had BETTER BE POSTPONED till after the Discussion in Parliament of the case of the Missionary SMITH, which s tood for this day; but has been unexpectedly deferred , the members and Friends of the Society are respectfully informed, that the intended Meeting WILL NOT TAKE PLACE on the 29th, as proposed, but on a future day, of which public notice will be given. AIR. OWEN to the EARL of LAUDERDALE, IN ANSWER TO SOME OBSERVATIONS OF HIS LORDSHIP LAST NIGHT IN THE HOUSE OF PEERS. MY LORD—I am indebted to you for the Speech which you made last night in the House of Peers, in reply to the Marquis of DowxsiunE, when he presented a Petition - from me, praying for the appointment of a Committee to examine a Plan which I have prepared, to remedy the evils which for centuries past have been suffered to afflict so many millions of our fellow-subjects in Ireland. W. L. HANBURY, Secretary. No. 18, Alderrnanbury; 27d4 May,-1824. ROYAL ACADEMY, SOMERSET PLACE. THE EXHIBITION of the ROYAL ACA DEMY is now °PENT,. Admiasion (from Eight o'Clock till Seven), is. Catalogue, is. • HENRY HOWARD, R.A. Sec. I am indebted to you, my Lord, because you have oppOsed the measures which I have pre pared to ameliorate the condition of our fellow men, both in Ireland, in this country, and in other countries, upon definite grounds. You express an opinion, that. the principles and plans which I recommend for the gradual improvement of society are such, that if they wero carried into practice, none of the present Governments of the world could remain as they now are. CHANGE OF SEASON. LADIES who require a Change in the Thick ness and Warmth of Under Garments suitable to the ,Season, can be supplied with some curious Articles in Petti coats, Under Waistcoats, Drawers, &c. &c.. in Cotton or thin Lambs Wool.—As these Articles are Patent, they cannot be Procured at any other Establishment in the World. MRS. ROBERTSHAW, 99 and 100, Oxford-street. Wash Leather Drawers for Riding. PROTECTOR LIFE ASSURANCE SO CIETY. Capital—THßEE MILLIONS STERLING. ISIEsIDENT—The Most Noble the Marquis of LANSDOWN. C E-P RESID EN TS. Right Honourable Lord R. Edward Somerset, M.P. Honourable James Abercromby,.M.P. Rear-Admiral Sir John Gore. Stephen ,R. Lushington, Esq. M.P. DIRECTORS. Charles Babbage, Esq. F.R.S. George Jackson. Esq. Robert Campbell, Esq. Major-General Sir Eslw. Fier tear -Admiral Sir Edward Co- rison, Bart M.P. drington, F.B.S.- Captain William L. Maberly, Il e o ry Thomas Colt brooke, M.P. Si~F.R.S. Mot* T. Nicholson,-Esq. Sir Alexander Crichton, M.D. Alexander L. Prevost, Esq. P.R.S. George Raikes, Esq. P roneis.Gore Currie, Esq. - George Ranking, Esq. T homas Curtis, E I sq. Peter M. Roget, M.D. F.R.S. Richard Hart Davis,Esq. M.P. James Scott, Esq. J ohn Harvey, Esq. I Major-General Sir Henry Nathaniel Hihbert, Esq. Torrens. AUDI - roux—George Hathorn, Esq. Lancelot Holland, Esq. Charles Saville Onley, Esq. M.P. - 134 xxens.—Messrs. Courts and Co. Strand, and Messrs. Cur . • ries, Raikes, and Co. Cornhill. AcruAnY—Charles Babbage, Esq. F.R.S. CuNSIILTINO PHYSICIAN—Sir Alex. Crichton. M.D. F.R S. PHYSICIAN—ti ter M. Roget, M.D. F.R.S. . COUNSEL—Robert Grant,. Esq. Souctrons—Messrs. Meyrick and Cox, Red Lion-square. The Opening of this Office for the commencement of busi ness is necessarily postponed from the 31st instant to the. 30 th June next. My Lord, I fully admit this conclusion, and it is for this very reason that I have thus far perse vered in bringing before the Legislature and the public, from time to time, those measures which I have advocated, and which, ere long, cannot fail to be generally adopted. Since these Governments were established in their present form, and upon their present prin ciples, the greatest improvements have taken place in the various sciences connected with po litical economy ; and the human mind has made the most rapid, and extensive strides in the knowledge of human nature and in general knowledge. It is not, then, that the devices of any indi viduals, however active or intelligent, will ren der a general improvement in governments neces sary.'or practicable ; their most strenuous efforts would little avail, if the late gigantic advances of the human mind did not, like other great ope rations of nature, make it imperative that im provements in one course should be followed by improvements in every other direction. Any attempts to stay or to retard this march of intellect, - or to prevent it from going forward in the natural course of events, you, my Lord, will be soon convinced must prove puny indeed. The well-being of those who govern society, as well as that of those who are governed, will speedily call loudly for improvements in govern ment, corresponding with the improvements in the arts and sciences . Permit me to ask you, my Lord, if you deem it possible, in the nature of things, that, after this little island, with a population under 16 millions, has acquired, in less than half a century, a new artificial power of producing wealth which ex ceeds twice the whole unassisted manual power of the world, millions of its subjects should yet continue to be allowed to remain in as low a state of ignorance and poverty as if no means existed to supply them with the first- necessa ries of life, or to furnish them with the first etc: ments of knowledge ? Would there be one par ticle, my Lord, of wisdom, or justice, or even of regard to their own self-interest, in those who direct the affairs of this great State, if they were to stand by and suffer such a system of misrule to go on from day to day, without applying some effective, practicable remedy ? I readily admit, my Lord, that Great Britain at this moment deservedly stands at the head of the civilized world. - Its real power is enormous, and, under a wise administration, it would be in exhaustible and irresistible : its present resources, if they were judiciously directed, are sufficient 'not only to place all its own subjects in a situa tion of complete and permanent pecuniary inde pendence, but they are abundant also to enable this Country to bestow a similar boon upon the population of every other country, into which our mechanical and chemical inventions and dis coveries can be introduced. FLUID EXTRACT OF SARSAPARILLA. IN this Preparation are concentrated ail the. • Medicinal Properties of the Sarsaparilla Rout, even to prr feet_ Saturation of the Nlenstruum with which it is pre- INtred.'.•To stmhTersons, therefore, wht‘, from Va Huns causes, would ex p er ience:great inconvenience, or with whom it would. be utt e rly impossible to prepare the Decoction; the Fluid Extract,' which possesses the advantages of portability, and of keeping in any climate, will be found a most desirable mode of employing this much-esteemed Medicine. The Diseases in which it has proved most beneficial ate those of the Skin, such as Scorbutic Affections; Erup tive Diseases, Secondary Symptoms, &e. arising front a dis eased State of the System at large. It may he taken either alone, or combined with Water, retriering it of the same strength as the Decoction. Prepared and Sold by Butlers, Chemists, No. 4, Chenpside, St. Paul's, and 220, Regent-street (nrar the Argyle Itoonis), London ; 20, Waterloo-place, Edinburgh; 34, Sneliville street, Dublin ; and lay the principal Medieine- Venders throughout the United Kingdoms, in Bottles, at 4s. 6d. and 711. - 6 d. Be careful to ask for " Butler's Fluid Extract of Sarsapa rilla." FOR ROTTERDAM. With a BAG of LETTERS from the POST-OFFICE. THE KING of the NETHERLANDS, Steam Packet, Captain JOHN SLATER, will proceed from off the Custom-house every Saturday Morning, at Eight ?'Clock, returning from Rotterdam every Wednesday Morn ing, with Passengers, Carriages, and Luggage. The Proprietors beg to announce to the Public they are a Second Ve.sel, which wilt be got ready with all possible dispatch to afford the accommodation of a con velooce twice in every week between London and Rot.. tordAm. For further particulars and to secure places, application tx,, , he mad e at the G e n era l P a cket Of fi ce, 859, Strand ; No. 3 6 , n*gent Circus, Piccadilly; or to N. W. Symonds, No. 37, Crotched Friars: But, my Lord, we have not only attained a period, when, by extended science, Judiciously directed, the population of this and of other countries may be with ease rendered independent with regard to considerations of wealth—we have also been permitted at the same period to ac quire the knowledge by which, with equal ease and certainty, the human character shall be formed to virtue, to intelligence, and to hap piness. - • These are not the rash as ser ti ons of youth or of inexperience, nor yet the speculations of one who is unacquainted with the world ; but they are put forth by a thorough-bred, money making, cool and deliberate man of business, who is now ready to be examined at the Bar of your Right lion. House, to prove the truth of the principles and the ease of the practice by which these new and hitherto unheard-of consequences shall be established throughout society. And, my Lord, if these things are as they bave been stated, who is there that has an in terest opposed to their adoption ? Whose interest is it to place an obstacle in the way of attaining so much good for our present suffering fellow. creatures, and such permanent benefit for the rising generations ? I do call to mind, my Lord, that some years ago I had, for a considerable period, almost daily communings with your Lordship respecting some of the practical arrangements which I had then formed in furtherance of some of the exten sive views.which I entertain ; and I do recollect that your Lordship was much enamoured with what you .were pleased to .call the beauty and order of the practical measures which I placed before you, and in these feelings you indulged FRIDAY, MAy 28, 1824. for some time, and also arnuseil me with hopes of your cordial aid and assistance, and I well knew how valuable the acutvness, the intelli gence and activity which you possess, would have been to such an infant cause as mine was at that period. I do recollect, too, that One day, when I was dilating to you, with great satisfaction. to myself, on the 1)mm:rolls advantages which the working classes would derive from the new combination of favourable and virtuous circum stances, which I had arranged for them, to replace the unfavourable and, vicious circum stances-by which they have till now been sur rounded, that, to my surprise and astonishment, you exclaimed, as though the idea had at that moment, for the first time, Hashed on your mind ; 64 I see most distinctly the independance and hap piness which you have prepared for the working classes, but what is to liecom - e- of us ?" mean• lug the aristocracy of this and other coun tries. And from that day "to this, I. could not succeed in inducing your Lordship again to enter upon the subject. If I had not been so unror tunate as 'to frighten your Lordship with the idea of the independence "and happiness„ to be given by this system to the working classes (ex clusively, as you then thou ht), I have- no doubt that I should soon have convinced, you of what is really the fact, that much as the condi dition of the lower orders would have been ameliorated, the improvement in the situation of the higher orders would be still more important. Instead of the almost universal dissatisfaction which they now necessarily experience, they would possess in security and abundance the highest enjoyments that human nature, with its present knowledge, can attain. But your Lordship said last night in your place in Parliament, that when you expressed an opinion to me, that the plan which I proposed would overturn all the existing Governments, my reply was," that your Lordship well under stood the consequences of the proposed improve ments," or words to that effect. It is not only in private, my Lord, that I have admitted the extensive consequences which would naturally follow from the adoption of the measures which I propose and recommend—l have also uniformly stated, in the most distinct manner, at every public meeting I have held, that this was the impression upon my own mind, and that I anticipated an elevation of the human character and condition solely through, these ex tensive changes. But I have as uniformly added, that they are changes to be effected, not by revo lution or violenccybut by prudent, steady ad vancement in knowledge and virtue ; not by the overturning of any government, but by the im proyement of all governments. I have also uni formly advocated the necessity that these great ameliorating circumstances should be introduced and directed by the existing governments. This sentiment I still entertain, and I am every day more convinced that it would be the highest wisdom in the present administration to take a much more decided lead in adopting the improve ments which the vast increase of science and must have exp ressed mysel f very inacu is stron gly forcing upon society.— A kn n ( d )wi t edge rately if I have conveyed to. your Lordship's mind any other impressions than these.' A most decided improvement all classes must at this Period take place. As well in the condition of m ay any of the European Governments, if they were so disposed, attempt to stay any of the other great operations of nature, as to retard this wisdom would lead to I mbealkieefiaciavlioculemonfge—and necessity, T o .produce this , chang e without violence, to Government, and most i r: ei i i d(r it efi-e jae lfor r sy all for the classes, I tendered my petition by the Noble Marquis, who feels a deep interest in the welfare of Ids suffering country ; and I trust, for the honour of Parliament, that the prayer of the petition will be granted, and that you, my Lord, will see cause to give it your effi cient support. My Lord, the plan in question is to employ and educate the Irish Peasantry at the least pos sible expeuce, consistently w ith th e e ffi c i ent at tainment of these important objects ; it is the only practical plan before the Public, which has been matured by extensive experience, or which promises the smallest chance of permanent benefit. It is my duty to offer it to Government in the first instance. Should it, however, be declined, I intend, knowing as I do its capabilities, to lose no time in presenting it to the Public, who will then ascertain its defects, and judge of its bene fits : and I feel not the least anxiety as to the result. I ought to apologize for the liberty which I have taken with your Lordships' name; but it has been called for by a great p u bli c d uty. I have the honour to be, Very respectfully, Your Lordship's obedient Servant, ROBERT OWEN. To the Right Hon: the Earl of Lauderdale. May 27, 1824. Letters f rom B er li n , dated the 11th instant, state that, from the Ist of the present month, the Post to the Russian capital would be dispatched three times a..Nveek, by way of Dantzic, Konigsberg, an d M eme l,' to Saint Petersburg!), where it would arrive on the eighth day, a short ness of time which, not long ago, would hare been deemed impossible. A courier extraor dinary, let him make all the haste he possibly ran, will find it difficult to pin 24 hours in going over the same ground. LITERARY NOTICE. Tat HOLY BIBLE; in which the Leading and more In teresting Chapters are distinguished for YOUTHFUL ME DITATION, and as a Course of FAMILY READING. To which is prefixed, THE PORTEUSIAN INDEX. T his is a new and well-printed Edition,, in Stereotype, of the sacred foundation of Christian filth, comprising the OLD and NEW TESTAMENT. t has the advantage of the common editions of the Sacred Volumes, in containing a reference to t he Holy Scriptures, with citations explaining the nature and object of Religion, and presenting, In those citations, rules for the regulation of life, and the conduct of man in all the situations in which human nature may be involved. These rules and exhortations bOing conveyed in the awful language of HOLY WRIT, are calculated to make a stronger impression upon the mind than the most powerful expression of the noblest Profan e writers. This Work is styled the Ptto ltiESlAN BIBLE, but not in any part of the Work itself. The name arose in consequence of the Scriptural Lectures delivered by the late Dr. vORTEDS, Bishop of London, by whom the se veral citations from HOLY WRIT were selected, and arranged under different heads, with intro ductory comments, and bv whom a comprehensive I ndex was formed, which is included in the pre lent Work. Upon the whole we can confidently recommend this Work to parents and guardians I" particular, and to the public at large, since this •E an age too much inclined to scepticism and in fidelity, as a religious Vade Mecum, which not wily renders the sacred text clear, but teaches l ankind their duties to society, and due reverence and submission to the will of the Divine Creator the Universe. We gave a brief notice on Wednesday last of a Meeting , which took place the day before at Freemasons' Hall, which was "tended by a numerous and most respectable ~ ompany, and some of whom, under the title of t he PORTEUSIAN BIBLE S OC IETY, are likely to s Pread the truths of the Gospel, and of course to Promote the happiness of man in his present pro bationary state of existence. was he ld treet. Lent, t ° °- openingt mit me t use of the: 0 , the se t t, the veil etaries of ad effected i es the? r ` ;60 istribut ,- t e nuu b° ad inc r.—, .1 dsurer, the w . tY, i n I'ld ~. 1.. ~k PARl,llrd ENT, HOUSE OF COMMONS, MAY 27. THE LATE MR. SMITH, THE MISSIONARY. Petitions were presented from Coventry, Salisbury. Stock port, Birmingham, Warwick, Stratford-upon-Avon, Taunton, Sheffield (signed by many thousands of inhabitants and tour Ministers of the Church of England), Tavistock, Seaport, Maidstone, Kingston-upon-Thames, Thames Ditton, Tooting, Gainsborough, Burton-upon-Humber, Walden, Whitehaven, - Workington, Bristol, Kettering, Bolton,. Blackburn, ,Castle Carey, Nottinglia.2.2, certain inhabitants of Sutton in Asiield, Braintree, Bocking, the neighbourhood of Ossuiston,. Graves end, Westbury, Warminster,. Trowbridge,. and other places, praying the House to make inquiry into the late proceedings in Demerara, relative to the Missionary John Smith.__Ordered to be printed. - Lord MILTON had several Petitions to present relative to the case of the late Missionary Smith. Though many Petitions had already been presented on this subject, he hoped many more would. be received before it came under the "consideration of the Honse. He then presented Petitions front Qttley, Ilioch ley, Burton, and two . other places, praying the House to take the late proceedings at Demerara into their consideration.— Ordered to ;be printed. Mr. WABRE presented a Petition .from the Brewers of Taunton, in the .County of Somerset,- against the Beer Bill.— Ordered to be printed. • A Petition was presented from Gillanglutm, in Dorsetshire, against Slavery in the . West Indies.—Ordered.to.be printed. BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE. The SPEAKER (having called over several names, and no answer being given) thought it right to apprize the House that the private business was now in such a state of forwardness that it might be calculated to terminate each day by half after four, and public business might therefore be expected to com mence from that time, except when public petitions intervened which might introduce discussions, the length of which no one could determine. Ile would also state to the House that with their permission 'he would adhere to that course which he had latterly adopted. When he called on a Gentleman whose name was on the paper who did not answer, it would be impos sible to get through the business if the same names were to be repeated four or five times. He wished it therefore to be under stood, that when the name of a Gentleman was called who did not answer, the party was not to be considered entitled to be called over again that day. Mr. DENISON presented a petttion from the Licensed Vic tuallers of Farnham, in Surrey, against the Beer Bill.—Or dered to lie on the table. _ _ Mr. GRENFELL presented a Petition from the Royal F.x change Company, praying to be heard by Counsel against the Marine Insurance Bill.—Ordered to be printed. Mr. F. BUXTON presented a Petition from the Operative Silk Weavers of London, against the Bill for repealing the Spitalfields'Acts..—Ordered to lie on the table. Sir J. NEWPORT presented a Petition from the Tanners of Waterford, against the proposed regulations of the Tanning Trade in Ireland: _ _ _ A Refit short-conversation between Mr. F. LEWIS and the Right llonourable Baronet, the Petition was ordered to be printed. Mr. .11L DAWSON presented a Petition from Clonmell, against' the continuance of Negro Slavery.—Ordered to be printed. Mr. BRIGHT presented a Petition from certain Master Butchers of the Town of Lewes, in Sussex, in favour of the Hides and Skins Bill.-Ordered to be printed. Sir M. WI RIDLEY presented a Petition from Newcastle upon-Tyne,in favour of the Marine Insurance Bill—Ordered to be printed: • Lord NUGENT presented a Petition from the Parish of Stoke -Mandeville, against the Leather Tax.--Ordered to be printed. The' Noble Lord presented a similar Petition on the same subject from-another place.—Ordered to be printed. 31A RINE INSURANCE BILL. Mr. MANN ING presented a petition from the Under writers at Lloyd's, against the Marine Insurance Bill.--Or dered to be printed. Mr. ELLICF. thought it right that the attention of the House should be called to the motion of the Hon. Gentleman (Mr. Manning) for allowing those interested in the Bill to be heard by Counsel ap;sinst it. A short conversation followed; in which Mr. MANNING, Mr. GRENIELL, and *Mr. Alderman THOMPSON participated, which terminated in its being resolved that Counsel should be heard on the second reading of the Bill. An non. Member, whose name we could not learn, put off for an lion. Friend the petition which was to have been brought forward relative to the Catholic Association, till Monday. Mr. S. RICE brought up the R e p or t o f th e C om mittee on propOsal for a new Survey of Ireland.—Ordered to be printed. Mr. fILTME presented a petition from the Tanners and Lea ther sellers of Stowmarket, - in suffolk, against the Hides and Skins Bill.—Ordered to be printed. CASE OF MR. BLUNT. Lord ALTHORP presented a petition from a Roman Ca tholic of the name of Blunt, of Featherhall, in the County of Stafford, complaining of treatment which he had experienced, and which he thought it a duty to society to make !mown.— He complained that another Gentleman, the Curate of a parish near London; had circulated among his tenants certain tracts containing the most scandalous imputations on the Roman Catholics, and ascribing to them tenets which they, upon oath, had solemnly declared were not theirs. These tracts, which it seemed were published under the sanction of a Society for Propagating Christian Knowledge, represented Roman Catho lics to treat all Protestants as heretics, and to consider oaths where they were concerned not binding, and, in fact, to aim at persecuting and destroying them. The petitioner lamented the necessity under which he fbund himself of complaining thus of any society. and especially of any Minister of religion, but con sidered it his duty to bring the subject before the Honse to which he thought they would do well to attend. Mr. Secretary PEEL knew nothing of the publication, or of tha individual mentioned in the petition ; but certainly any publication tending to excite religious animosities would meet with his disapprobation. He recollected some catechisms be. ing put forth by a Society twenty years ago, which contained objectionable propositions, but those, on being remonstrated against, were very properly withdrawn. If any society had resumed the circulation of the work thus called in, and if any Clergyman had assisted in such doings, it was impossible for the one or the other to meet with his approbation. Mr. PHILLIPS stated the petitioner to be a most estimable person ; and thought the conduct of a Society which, professing to propagate Christian knowledge, acted the unchristian-like part of endeavouring to excite hatred and distrust, ought to be exposed to the public, which would probably have the effect of withdrawing from it many of the subscriptions by which it was at present supported. Mr. CURWEN having been a Member of the Society in question, could not think It capable of acting the part ascribed to it, and thought the House ought to suspend their opinion on the subject till inquiry should have been made into the case. Sir J. NEWPORT spoke to the objectional character of the catechisms which had been formerly published and withdrawn. Sir P. BURDETT thought the conduct of the Society re ferred to the more blameable, as certain papers bad but re cently been sent to it from a Catholic Society, to spew the good feeling which they had towards Protestants. This friendly sort of overture was answered by the virulent abuse which was now the subject of complaint. The petition was ordered to be-printed. SIR WILLIAM LUMLEY. • Mr. W. HORTON thought it might save the time of the House, if he now stated to the Hon. Gentleman who desired to ask whether or not it was intended to recall Sir W. Lumley from the island of Bermuda to answer certain charges against him, that he could not now give the information, but before the holidays would give 'such an answer as would serve to de cide the Hon: Gentleman whether to bring on his motion or not. Mr. ELLICE could not complain of the course taken by his Hon. Friend, but at the same time he regretted that the sub ject had not been sooner brought forward. If this had been done, the Government would hardly have allowed Sir W. Lumley to return to Bermuda under charges which, if true , admitted of no qualification, which if untrue ought to be proved to be so. Feeling this, Ministers must be desirous of causing the subject to be fully investigated. The little delay now proposed would not be important, as he was con vinced in his own mind that Sir W. Lumley would and n I.)e ope: rei called. He would postpone his motion till Tuesday, then to receive the information he desired - . Ile should posi- •r no Jrl PRICE SEVtriTPENCt. tively consider it to be his duty to bring the subject before the House in the course of the present Session. Mr. W. HORTON said, as nu practical motion could be made by the Hon. Gentleman on Tuesday, it was useless to pledge him to gite an answer on that day. He would give the :nformation required betbre the holidays. Mr. ELIJCP.: asked if it would be so, that he should have time -to bring forward his motion in the course of the present Session ? . Ar. NORTON said, unquestionably. BUTTER TRADE OF IRELAND. Mr. T. WILSON moved for leave to bring in a Bill to re: gulate the Butter Trade of Ireland. C. HUTCHINSON did not oppose the bringing in of the bur did not concur in the measure. • Sir 11. PARNELL opposed the motion. Mr. lIUSKISSON said, the Bill, if-he Understood it, only went to enforce toi. regulation already in existence. The whole of the laws which were of . this nature mi g h t ca ll f or a r ev i s i o n in a future Session ; but While the law remained as it was, it was not improper to guard against its being unfairly evaded. Sir .J. NEWPORT was of opinion, that while the law ex- - isted. it ought to be fairly enforced. Mr. S. RicE and Mr. M. Frtzo ER A 1:1) thought the subject one which called for inquiry. Leave was given to bring in the Bill. COMBINATION LA WS. Mr. lIUME brought in a Bill to repeal the laws relating to combination of workmen.--Read a first, and ordered to be. read a second time on Monday. 1111.31 E took this opportunity of stating that the present Bill was .framed in conformity with the resolutions come to by the Committee. No difference of opinion existed on the prin ciple of the Bill. PETITION FROM CHICHESTER. Mr. HUME rose to p4sent a Petition relative to the conduct . . . of the Magistrates of Chichester. . . The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER spoke to order, and objected to a Petition being presented, after the regular business of the day had been entered upon. ,Mr. HUME explained, that this Petition had been delayed by various circumstances, and hoped to be allowed to prey ent it. He proceeded to state its contents, It came from an individual of the name of George Seymour, who complained that he had applied in vain to certain Magistrates of Chichester to obtain a licence for opening a free public.house in that city. He had been refused, as he believed, through the influence of certain Brewers who were connected with the Corporation, and were interested in keeping up the monopoly they at present enjoyed. Mr. C. BURRELL offered himself .to the attention of the House, having some knowledge of the facts. The Petitioner was anxious to have a licence to open a public-house at Chi chester. The Magistrates had refused, on account.of the great number already established in the city and without the wa115...-. Tke Petitioner had proved himself anxious to obtain one through the influence of the Duke of Richmond, if he could have obtained it, and had thus shewn that he was not unwilling to gain his object in what- he (sir C. Burrell) deemed an im- proper manner. Mr. H USK ISSON said it was clear that they only objected to licence a new house, because so many were already este. blished. Mr.-HUME, from the manner in which this Petition had been met, was quite satisfied that the facts set forth in it were true. He denied that excessive drinking was encouraged by the number of public-houses established in any place. For proof of this, he referred to parts of Scotland, where every second house was a public-house, but which were not remark• able ibr the intoxication of the inhabitants. MAGISTRATES' COAIII I TMENTS. Mr. HUME rose - and said, on a former occasion he had moved for a Iteturn of the number of persons committed to . gaol by the Magistrates of England, and in the present Trio.• tion which he was about introducing. to the House, he should move for the names of those Alagistrates. It was.well known that some Magistrates in the country were considered commit , tng Magistrates, from their being instrumental in sending many to prison. There were 152 individuals committed - by one Gentleman, .out of.. which number only 66, bills were found. Another Magistrate in the county of Surrey had cofu flatted 139 persons to take their. trial, but no more than 48 bills were found.--.[lt was here intimated across'the table by Mr. Secretary Peel, that the Honourable Member was incorrect ; the returns included the number of persons who were commit ted by summary process as well as those who were committed for trial.]--The Hon. Member then proceeded to remark on the mode of prison-tiiicipline, and complained of that practised—. The House, he thought, was not aware of the evils connected with prison-discipline. He had known instances of individuals who had been committed, and who were afterwards; acquitted, halo - ' so contaminated 'by a residence in j a il w ith so Many wretched characters, that when they were liberated they came out prepared for every vice. It was a melancholy pictured to hold up, but unfortunately it watt a faithful ,one. Many sup posed that crimes were decreasing in this country ; he bad himself entertained that opinion; but having recently :ob tained a document -from the office. of the Right Hon. Gentle man, the Under. Secretary of Sate, he was convinced that opinion was erroneous. From tire statement in question, it appeared on a comnarison of the two periods, each including seven years, that there was a considerable iacrease in crime.— The lion. 3lember here alluded to several instances in Which it appeared there had been a great disparity between the num ber of commitments for trial, and the number of bills foubd, This practice led to much mischief, as many persons came out of prison reac!y for the commission of crime, who, when they entered it, were either innocent altogether, or at least ',were far from legal guilt. - Out of 47,000 committed for trial in 'six years up to 1816, no less, than 27,090 had been acquitted as not prosecuted by trial. The general average of convictions was not more than thirty-nine in the hundred. Unless the Molise had the returns shewing. the. names of the committing Magi strates, it would be impossible to ascertain who were the per: that had thus sent their fellow-subjects to prison without a due examination of the evidence. In Scotland, he shorild'ob serve, the comparative number of convictions was 'much greater than those in England ; taking the convictions against the commitments. In conclusion, he moved for a return of the number.of persons committed in all the gaols in England and Wales, between the years 1822 and 1823, distinguishing the commitments for trial from those in execution, and shewing the names of the Committing Magistrates, and a return for the same period, shewing the numbers convicted anti acquitted ; distinguishing, in the acquittals, those which took place on trial from those which took place on account of the Bills being" I ignored by the Grand Juries, anti those which took place for want of evidence being offered for the prosecution before the ' Grand Juries. • .t • Mr. Secretary PEEL said, that when he first came dOwn for the House, he was not aware of the -terms of the motion about to be made by the Honourable Gentleman. Ile conceived that the Ilonourable Gentleman had merely intended to ask for a return more perfect than the last in detail, thouglitit shimld be the same in . principle. The Hon. Gentleman,..in support - of his present motion, had argued upon the commitments as they ap peared in the Returns from the Police Offices and ,from the Magistrates of the county of Middlesex ; but any such argu ment so founded must obviously be fallacious, as these Returns did not distinguish the commitments for trial from 11}0s9 in exe cution, in . cases wherein the Magistrate had a stirnw i t ry juris, dbisp Iv it p9 w ,r a ti s o i li m be po t s u s . i e b: diction. The. disproportion between the commitmellti apei con victions, as the Returns now stood, was undoubtedly errone. ous ; . but it appeared so in consequence .of the terns' the' motion formedy made by the Hon. IVleniber, which produced those Returns, and which did not call for a distinction between, the twbkinds of commitments. to draw any-conclusion on the . e l; th ge e f%;e toyeglrogeT. Vll:ecipal was iti ember moved for Ce fact. necessary to be known . n on rtarn re the former occasion the Hon. , generally he (Mr. commitments and convictions,. P.) .thought the Ron. ' Al ember had made out a prima acre case for the returns, and. turns, and mentioned did not therefore offt.a. and always should f':P '" siti" ' opposition to the motion. , the A tv presentast t any Y ed e He (Mr. ..because P.) was particularly in( d i sc h s ,ged the duties of the office without art Y.. ionsiders' tion o he had always drawn, Y ou draw, 'a. distinction between„ st ipendary magistrates' and those Gentleman who but that of public duty—( Hear, hear !) and the. remarks then nu th . a aa t tiir . oe t n h o. e_r y e made by the Hon. Member applied particularly Co the com mitments by Police Magistrates. He. (Mr. P.)' could not give his assent to the present motion.;„ bu`t liehad no objec tion to consent to a motion for amending the resent return,' or to give the Hon. Member every informaifo P n in 'his power in order to his getting a correct return. The Hon. Gentletnan hehold appe hoped aarneya theftoa ifair returns dinnlfi°t over which he (Mr,. P.) had the honour to preside to with ( h iv i%ei as irb.r e n g o tthlelt,Ehi disposition oaus sseentbeo i d n rt_ th ll e iirnn - i: oe ; in this assertion. He repeated that he would give the Hon. Member every information -he wished; bat he would.not.con that the left n to vete d in that ; an g in Idi ob- ian