The Sun. — London, England, 1824-03-05 00:00:00

PA RI. I AMEN T. HOUSE OF LORDS, MARCH 4.. COLONIAL SLAVERY. Lord KING presented a petition from a place, the name of which we believe was Knesworth -praying for the abolition of slavery in the West India Islands. Earl GROSVENOR presented a petition on the same sub ject, which he stated was signed by a great number of respect able persons in Bury St. Edmund's, who prayed that their Bordships would be pleased to consider of the means of pro ducing a gradual abolition of slavery. In the mean time they prayed for the amelioration of the condition of the unfortunate oegroes in the colonies. They also prayed that any measures which might be adopted should be accompanied with a due con sideration of the interests of those persons who possessed estates in the colonies ; in a word, that while justice was done to the slaves, that those who might thereby suffer loss should he in demnified. It seemed to be an understanding, that that part of the question which concerned the conduct of the persons who composed the Houses of Assembly in the Colonies should not be brOught forward ; that their. proceedings, *whether right or wrong--and as to that he did not then mean to give an opinion —had better not be discussed. He should therefore at present abstain from entering on that part of the subject, but could not so without some explanation. If he admitted the propriety of sometimes acceding to such an understanding, he must at the same time state that this principle of reservation was one which ought to be looked upon with great jealousy. Any en deavour to smother or withhold the truth had seldom any other motive than a false delicacy. As a 'general principle, every thing like secrecy in public affairs was to lie avoided. Let their Lordships consider how far this system might be carried. A Noble Friend of his had given a notice respecting the state of Ireland, which involved the restoration of the whole of the civil rights of the Catholic population. How were their Lord ships to come to a right decision if any circumstance respect ing the state of the country was kept in the dark ? He trusted, therefore, that when the question came on, the whole facts would be brought before the House. There was another ques tion which might soon be expected to come before the House, to which he could not help alluding—namely, the intended grant of 500,000/. for building churches. He could not at the present moment 'pretend to say whether such an application of the public money was proper or not. It might' be right—it might be wrong; but that was the first question to be settled, and it could mot be determined while any secrecy was preserved with respect to the state of the titablished Church. It was • the duty of Parliament, before this measure' should be sane.' tinned, to inquire into the, revenues of the establishment; and to see whether or not it' was able to build churches with out burdening the public. These illustrations were sufficient to . prove the advantage of publicity, and , that nothing was so Injurious to the public interests as the suppression of facts, and secrecy. Returning to the Subject of the petition, the Noble Earl observed, that lie concurred with those who were of opinion, that unless slavery were aboliShed in the colonies, there would never be an end of the Slave Trade. Btit let England once say that there shall be no slavery in her co lonies, and from that moment the horrible traffic would be put down—of the atrocities to which that trade gave birth, and the misery which its unhappy victims endured, nothing • more would be heard ; for slavery, and all its dreadful conse quences both to the slave and master, would cease throughout the world. Nothing, certainly, could be more advantageous to the planters themselves than such a change, for property in the colonies would be benefited by it to a degree not easily an ticipated by these'who had not paid attention to the subject.— Ile. could, however, assure their Lordshipi, that there were persons who had tried the experiment of free labour, and that it had answered to their perfect satisfaction. The instructions which his Majesty's Ministers had sent out to the colonies, - with a view to the gradual improvement of the condition ,of the negroes, and fin a l a b o li t i on , were mo d erate an d judicious. He wished, however, to have it understood, that his silence upon this question would depend upon his opinion, according to the information he should receive, of the sincerity of Minister! in, the disposition they had manifested by their instructions. The Noble Earl concluded by reading some passages of the petition, and moving that it do lie on the table. Earl BATHURST would not enter into the questions on which the Noble Earl had touched in presenting this petition, but he wished to take this opportunity of informing the Hciiise, that on to-morrow se'nnight he 'would - lay on the table, by his 3lnjesty's command, certain papers relating to the state of negro slavery in the colonies. He would avail himself of that occasion to give an explanation of the measures which his Ma jesty's Ministers had thought proper to adopt for the moral and religions improvement of the negroes, in pursuance of the re solution of the House of Commons. The motion for laying the petition on the table was then agreed to. SOUTH AMERICA. The Earl of LIVERPOOL rose to lay on the table, by his Majesty's commands, certain communications which had passed between his Majesty's GOvernment and the Governments of France and Spain, relating to the provinces of South America. The subject had been adverted to in his Majesty's speech at the openin g of the Session, but the correspondence could not then with propriety be made public. As, however, the causes which prevented the papers from being . made public now no longer ex;sted, there could be no objection to their being laid before their Lordships. The usual means would be taken to hare the papers printed for the use of the House as speedily as possible. It might be expected, therefore, that they would be in the hands of their Lordships in the course of to-morrow. The Marquis of LANSDOWN wished to know whether it was the intention- of the Noble Earl to found any motion on the subject of -these papers, or to recommend to the House any pro ceeding respecting th em . The Earl of LIVERPOOL did not intend to make any mo tion or propose to their Lordships any proceeding connected with these papers. They were laid on the table solely for the information of the House, and to ena ble their Lordships to form their own judgment on the subject. The Marquis of LANSDOWN reminded their Lordships, that soon after the commencement of the Session, he bad inti mated his intention of bringing forward a motion on the state of the late Spanish Colonies. He was not aware that the papers now laid on the table could contain any thing which ought to rnake him alter his intention ; but having always been desirous of allowing his Majesty's Ministers to explain their system of policy with respect to those states, and not wishing to embarrass any way the question, he should wait until he had read the papers, before he adopted any final determination respecting his notice. CLERK OF PARLIAMENT. The Earl of LIVERPOOL-hadso,;;--tveago given notice of his intention to move for a Committee to take into considera tion the office of Clerk of Parliament. It was then his wish to postpone this proceeding until two Noble Lords, who had al ways paid particular attention to the official business of Parlia ment, should be both in town. He understood, however, that the attendance of one of these Noble Lords could not be ob tained until an advanced period of the session ; but as the other Noble Lord, whose assistance he wished to obtain, was present, he did not think it proper to delay carrying his intention into effect any longer. lie therefore now gave notice, that he would on Monday next move their Lordships to appoint a Com mittee to consider the state of the office of Clerk of Parliament. IRISH LINEN. The Marquis of LANSDOWN wished to advert to a subject which had been touched on during the last sitting of the House —namely, the means of ameliorating the state of the South of Ireland. In a conversation which took place on the proposal of ' his Majesty's Government for withdrawing the bounty on Irish linen, he understood it to have been stated by the Noble Earl opposite ' that the reason why the bounty was to be imme diately taken from the coarse Irish linen was, that no exporta tion of that article had taken p/ace from Ireland. Now, when the Noble Earl made this statement, he could not be aware of the real state of the case. The fact, he could with confidence, state, was, that during the two last years there had been an in creasing exportation of coarse linens from the north of Ire land ; and he was persuaded that the encouragement of this ma nufacture might greatly assist in removing that state of poverty with which the country was afflicted. It might be rendered a valuable stimulus to the industry of the distressed population. He believed that all who bestowed any attention on the im provement of that part of the United Kingdom, looked forward to the establishment of linen manufactures in the south of Ire land as a great means of amelioration. He was nb advocate for bounties, though he must acknowledge that he considered them far less mischievous to trade than prohibitions and restric tions ; but though he admitted the evil which also was attach ed to bounties, he must observe that there was a great difference between enacting them, and suddenly repealing them, after they had for a certain time existed. He therefore hoped that the ' Noble Earl would consider the effect of rashly discouraging, or even of appearing to discourage for the mere appearance of discouragement might be attended with evil—a rising manu facture which had just begun to be profitable, and probably to find a demand in the markets of South America. It should also be recollected, that this manufacture was peculiarly calcu lated to give to the poor population of the south of Ireland that epecies of employment in which they could with the greatest facility beengaged, while it was at the scone time that kind of enterprise ill which the landowners could with the greatest safety embark their property. He should conclude with moving for an account of the quantity of 'coarse linen exported from Ire land during the years 1822 and 1823. The return, he was assured, would justify the statement lie had made. The Earl of LIVERPOOL; said, when he stated that no coarse linens were exported from Ireland, he had been induced to make that observation from knowing that the bounty on it had never been drawn. At least, such was the information he had received, and he believed it to be correct. He would, however, state for the satisfaction of the Noble Marquis ; and the House, that, as the bounty on fine linen was not to be sud denly withdrawn, so it 'was intended to adopt the saran principle with respect to the bounty on course linen, and to reduce, , , it gradually. Thus the evil - apprehended from the abolition of the bounty on these two manufactures would be guarded against as far as possible. With regard to the encouragement which the Noble Marquis looked forward to for this manufacture, le trusted - it would be realized. He was confident that if the country continued to enjoy the blessings of peace, that the dif fusion of capital would have the most beneficial effect on all branches of industry in Ireland. • The motion was agreed to.—Adjourned. HOUSE OF COMMONS. NEGRO SLAVERY. Mr. CARTRIGH; pres e nted a petition from the jown of Rushton; Mr. I,EOn-KEcic, a petition from Dorrington ; Sir Wm. GUISE, a petition from Gloucestershire; Mr. WILKINS, a petition from Radnorshire; Mr. PowLETT, two petitions from Durham ; Mr. W. SMITH, a petition from Essex, and another from Norfolk ; Colonel TRENCH, a petition from Cam bridge; Mr. GREY BENNET, a petition from Salop ; and Mr. DENMAN, a petition from Nottingham,,praying an abolition, at the earliest possible moment, of Negro Slavery in the West India Islands. EXCISE LICENCES. Mr. JE RV OISE presented apetition from the victuallers of Southampton ; Lord STANLEY, a petition from Lancashire ; Mr. Dtwisoli, a petition from Kingston-upon-Themes; and 111 r. 'WESTERN, a . petition from Essex ; praying the repeal of the Duty upon. Excise Licences. ISLE OF MAN. Mr. CURWEN renewed his dropped order concerning the office of Attorney-General of the Isle of Man.. CANDLE-TAX.' DRUAIMOND presented a petition against this tax, from Dundee. COAL-DUTY. Sir E. KNATCIIBULL presented a petition from Kent; Sir Wm. BowLEy, a petition from Suffolk ; and Mr.. HEATH COTE, a petition from Boston, praying a repeal of the Duty on Coals. HIBERNIAN MINING SOCIETY. Mr. RICE brought up the Report of the Committee upon this question. • In answer to what had fallen from an Hon. Member (Sir H. Parnell, we believe) on a former evening, he begged to say that it was quite - impossible the Society could proceed, unless they received th e p r i v il ege an d secur ities of a joint stock company. - . LAND.TAX REDEMPTION.. Mr. MABERLY gave notice of a motion on this subject for Wednesday, the 17th inst. SCOTCH SALMON FISHERY. Mr. HUME presented a petition from Montrose, opposing the bill now pending upon this subject in the House ; and praying inquiry and regulation into the salmon-fisheries through out Great Britain. SINKING FUND. ..11r. HUME intended, at an early day, to bring the ex pediency of continuing the Sinking Fund, before the House ; and moved,• therefore, for an account of the annual reven ue and expenditure of reat Britain from the year 1786 to the year 1824 ; shewing the actual surplus or deficiency occurring in each year. COMBINATION LAWS. Mr. WM. SMITH presented a petition from 50 artisans of different trades at Norwich, praying the repeal of these laws, as arbitrary and oppressive. The petitioners expressed their satisfaction at finding that a committee was appointed upon the subject; and expressed their readiness, if called upon, to give evidence before it. WOOL TRADE. Mr. STUART Vi r OliTCEl 3 *ltesenied four petitions from merchants and wool-dealers of Leeds, against the exportation of long wool to foreign countries, and asked if it was possible for England, with her present corn laWs, to run the race of a free trade against the continent. In common justice and rea son, if the principle of free trade was to be acted upon, the first example we had of it ought to be a free trade in grain. SILK TRADE. 1 Mr. ELLICE presented a petition, pretty nearly to the same effect as the last which had been laid before the House, from the Operative Weavers (riband weavers) of Coventry. In consequence of the intention' intimated by the Chancellor of the Exchequer to admit the importation of French silks, a vast number of workmen in Coventry had already been thrown out of employ ; and the whole trade, in fact, of the town was suspended until the final decision of the Right Hon. Gentleman was known. The petitioners de clared that they had no objection to a free trade; but for them to maintain it, with the corn laws as they now existed, was quite impossible. The Corn Laws amounted at present vir tually to a prohibition. The great cost in riband-making was the cost of the labour, which was cheaper by one half in France than in this country. He could assure the House, that at the very moment while the master weavers of. Coventry were pre paring the present petition, they had received a message from the magistrates, stating, that in consequence of the high price of all provisions, the workmen refused to go on any longer upon the existing rates of wages. Mr. ROBERTSON said that the petitioners mistook the view of the. Chancellor of the Exchequer, who had intended not to assist them with respect to the home trade so much as to enable them to compete, up to a certain point, in the foreign markets. Mr. PETER MOORE bore witness to the truth of the alle gation in the petition. Mr. DUGDALE presented four petitions from parishes in Warickshire, against the importation of Foreign Silk. He said, that workmen already were being thrown out of employ every day ; and matters would speedily be worse, if the Chancellor of the Exchequer did not come to a determination. Sir JOHN WROrfESLEY presented a petition from William Henshaw, silk throwster, of Newcastle-under-Lyme, praying that the importation of Foreign Silks 'night not pass into a law. BURIAL OF ROMAN CATHOLICS IN IRELAND. Sir JOHN NEWPORT had intended to bring forward a motion upon this very important subject, but was glad to find Ministers taking measures to accomplish the end which he had in view. He postponed his right for the present, in hopes that the course pursued. by Government would be satisfactory to the people . of Ireland generally, and likly to contribute to the tran quillity of the country. Mr. PLITNKETT acknowledged the candour of the Right Hon. Baronet in deferring his motion before the House. The question was, doubtless, one of great importance ; and it had occupied much of the attention of Government on both sides of the water. He trusted that the bill which he should ask leave to-morrow, or at latest on Monday, to bring in, would meet the view s f u ll y o f t h e R i ght H on. Baronet . Al present, he could only state properly, that the repeal of the Act of William 111. was complied with.--. 4 Hear !) SOUTH AMERICA. Mr. CANNING brought up copies of our communications with France and Spain with respect to the Spanish American colonies. It would probably be recollected, the Right Hon. Secretary said, that, in the debate upon the King's Speech, he had stated, that some time would elap se b e f ore h e should be able to communicate precise information with respect to the Spanish 'American colonies. The papers now upon the table contained that information : according to custom, they had been printed ; and copies would be distributed in the course of the evening. WEST INDIA COLONIES. • Mr. ,CANNING, while he was upon his legs, gave notice, that to-morrow se'nnight he should lay before the House, by his Majesty's command, the papers connected with that part of the Royal Address which related to the state of the West India Colonies. In laying those papers upon the table, he should take the opportunity of stating the course which had been pursued, and was intended to be pursued, in reference to the Resolutions of the House last year. • FRENCH INDEMNITY MONEY.. Col. DAVIES, in rising to bring forward his motion upon this subject adverted to the fact of its having already been be fore the House in the hands of the Hon. Member for Knares borough. His Hon. Friend, though he had not been successful,had obtained one object—he had induced the Chancellor of the Exche quer to admit that the money in question was undoubtedly to be considered as droits of the Crown, for the distribution of which the Ministers of the Crown were responsible. Upon this he differed, however, from the Right Hon. Gent. If the money belonged to the Crown, then it could only be matter of grace and favour for the Crown to account to Parliament. But if the Ministers of the Crown took possession of it in their character of stewards of the people, the money could only be appropriated by vote of Parliament. He would have moved in this business last session but for the lateness of the returns for which he had waited. He wished to have particular information on the sum of 9,900/. paid to the Chevalier Canova, for the removal of works of art. Considering that the dismantling of the Louvre had caused the greatest and most inveterate hatred of the French people, who looked upon the works deposited there as the fairly-won spoil of more than 100 battles, it was particularly deserving of attention. The second article upon which he pressed for information was, the sum of 1,169,000/. paid over and above the money admitted to have been received as indemnity for the sup.. port of the English army of occupation ; because it had been as sumed, until the returns were laid before the House, that the French people were to have borne the whole charge of main taining that army. He moved for particular accounts with re spect to this and some other items. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER believed that there existed no difference of opinion as to the application of the French Indemnities sufficiently great to induce Ministers to refuse the information now required by the motion. On the contrary, he for one felt great pleasure in giving the papers, which he trusted would give the House the most ample_ sa tisfaction. The Austrian Loan Bill was read a third time and passed. DEMISE OF THE CROWN. Sir R. HERON rose to ask leave to bring in a Bill to pre vent the renewal of official appointments on the demise of the Crown. It might be proper for him to account for the delay. which had occured since the time (1 early two years ago) at which he had given his first notice of a motion on this subject. At that time there were so many subjects of pressing and im mediate expediency, that he thought it best tg give way, there being no fit opportunity to call the attention of the Legislature to it. In the course of last Session the temporary indisposition of the King prevented him. It occurred to him, that such a moment would be the most unfit in point of delicacy, and that ceremony and respect which were at all times clue from the Parliament to the Crown. Although the subject was of great importance, it was not of so copious a nature as to jus tify him in occupying a very large portion of the time of the House ; so that if the House would give their attention to hins, he would not detain it for any length of time. It was well known that formerly the occupation of every office, and the exi s t ence o f P ar li a ment itself, terminated with the life of the King. It was found that great inconvenience arose from this sudden suspension of all the legislative and executive functionaries, and a Bill was brought in to prevent that effect with respect to the Parliament. Various Acts were passed from time to time, which partially and by degrees removed the inconvenience of the renewal with respect to some of the superior offices. At length it occurred to the enlightened mind of the late Mr. Ponsonhy, that it would be far better to put an end to the whole system of renewals, and discontinue the,raising of a highly disproportionate tax upon a certain class of persons who were not particularly qualified to bear, to be put into the pockets of another class of persons, without the slightest regard to the character, merits, or other con s id erat i on o f the parties. The only change which he contemplated was, the rendering perpetual this measure of Mr. Ponso n b y ' s . hich had only been adopted for a particular occasion. He could conceive no grounds of opposition but such as ought to hare pre vented the objectors from allowing that measure to pass.— What reason, to take an example, was there that enormous fees should be received by the Chancellors of the two kingdoms on the demise of the Crown, for the renewal of commissions under the Great Seal ? It was the worst policy to pay efficient offices badly. But the proper course, if badly paid, would be to enlarge the salaries, and not leave them to so fortuitous, accidental, and contingent a mode of remuneration, which might sometimes occur frequently in a short space of time, and sometimes would not occur once in a very large space of time. It was not proposed to put any obstacle in the way of the most unrestrained exercise of the prerogative. On the ac cession, it was customary at present for the chief officers of state to tender the surrender of their employments, which they received back again from the hands of the new King. The alteration with respect to the commissions in the Army and Navy would not produce the slightest inconvenience. With respect to Magistrates, nothing could be more inconvenient than the sud den suspension of their powers throughout the whole of the country. If it were to be objected that the bill of Mr. Ponson by was only for a particular occasion, his answer would be, that Ministers could not then have speculated on the succession. —The King was in good bodily health, as appeared from the bulletins of the time, although from Session to Session his mental imbecility was admitted. With respect to the right of individuals to the property of those fees, they were chiefly paid to officers dependent on'the will of the Crown. Besides, in the case of the Chancellor, what an ungracious thing would it be to refuse this bill, after having passed that of 1817—to take away the fees from one grown grey in business, to give them to an upstart, probably without merit, who might succeed him. He concluded by moving for leave to bring in a bill. Mr. CANNING was so far from thinking it right to pass this Bill on account of the passing of the Bill of 1817, that on the contrary he thought this Bill utterly inconsistent with the constitutional principles which regarded the Crown as the fountain of grace and favour ; and which, in consequence,_ while they left those subjects to the Crown, took away all those exercises of the prerogative which were harsh and ungra cious. This bill, on the contrary, went to restrain the milder and more gracious exercises of the Kingly office, leaving it, in cane erta view acce,nsion, surrounded by a Ministry which would be fastened on the Sovereign by his predecessor. As to the bill of 1817, it regarded a state of circumstances which might rather be considered a transition of the powers of Sovereignty than an accession to them. The Regent was in possession of full powers, he had chosen 143 Minister s , there could b e no neces sity for their removal On his acces sion, which did not in the least add to his quantum of power. The act which prolonged the existence of the Parliament to six months after the demise of the Crown was rin violation of the old principle, because the ti C ie ro s e: n er:i a se B o f would totally alter the Constitution, and abridge the power of preserved wholly, whereas this bill f might be doat , he the Crown power ot i h n e admitted, with respect to the expense of itsgrace and favour. Something stamps in thi renewa l o f Commissions (Mr. Hume said " and fees") and fees--he was willing to take in that suggestion. But he was afraid that by, going into the subject he must also con sider the other question of compensation to those to whom the fees were due. that n o man in the House would say that there ought to be stamps, Do alterati on of the fees and especially Mr. HUME said in renewing the arm?' and navy commissions. As to high offices of State, Gentlemen would not object to so light an _ 1 expence. move for a C omm i ttee o f I nqu i ry . H e Mr. BROUGHAM Pro Posed to the Hon. Baronet to with draw his Bill, and, thought that the object of th e Bi ll, wh i ch was only to get rid of fees and other expence s, had been mistaken and over-rated by the Right Hon. Gentleman. As to individual rights, most of the offices to which the tees In, payable were held during the pleasure of the Crnvili: 'n, others, which were patent places, there were vested rights, wnich must be inquired into. His ill i i Hon. and Learned Flienl (Alr. Abercromby) held a place at the time in f o f passingfees on th lOl7, which would have produced 3,0001. the of z of the Crown ; but he did not think fit to object to the Bill because of its general spirit. The first object was to acqui re . Precise knowledge, which would be best obtained in a Commi ttee, Mr. TIERNEY did not understand how the Right Hon. Foreign Secretary could object t o this Bill, having supported Part of the fees which, with the the Bill, were payable to offices t he Crow n _ stamps, that o f 1 formed e The dt he object of h u n el d d e r a t th t h e e g p re l a ea t s s u e r al. eof such as fees for commissions Some were paid to the holders of patent places, as the clerks of the rrITY Seal ; but in cases of vested rights, it would be easy to apportion compensation. Mr. CANNING thought that the Hon. Baronet must feel very indignant at his friends for narrowing down his measure to this meagre, trifling, paltry consid era t ion o f fees and ex , pence after having turned bis mind— for which he (Mr. Can_ ning) honoured him—to the great : Po.nts o f constitutional and prerogative right, with a view to amend and refine them to the utmost. It was against the inference of the Hon. Friends of the Baronet, that the word " fee" did not once occur in Mr. Ponsonby's Bill. Mr. BROUGHAM was of opinion that the Right Hon Gentlemen opposite would not have opposed this Bill, had it been of that broad and constitutional cast which was ascribed to it ; but that they did oppose it because of the petty paltry in significant objects to which alone it referred. Mr. CANTING again explained. Mr. DENMAN thought there was as much ground for passing this Bill upon constitutional reasons, as there had been for the Bill which continued.the Judges for life, to make them independent of the Crown. Mr. PEEL said, it was odd that his mind was led to the opposite inference, by the mention made by the Honourable and Learned Member, of the bill which, for their greater in tegrity, made the Judges independent of the Crown, that be ing the avowed object of the bill. Surely it was not very con stitutional or safe to make the army and navy as independent of the Crown as the Judges. Sir R. HERON, in reply, said that the irony of the Right lion. Foreign Secretary did not apply to him. He had not projected alterations in the constitution—he had not even con cocted the bill ; it was, word for word, Mr. Ponsonby's bill, excepting those passages which went to make it perpetual, and one literal error which the bill of 1817 contained. Sir R. HERON, after a few words, then withdrew his motion. Mr. WALLACE moved that the Select Committee on Foreign Trade be re-appointed, which was carried. POYAIS EMIGRATION. Mr. HUME wished to avail himself of the present oppor tunity to put a question to the Right Ilon. Gentleman opposite. The evils which had resulted from the emigration to Poyais were well known to the House. He understood that an office called the " Poyais Emigration-office" was now opened in London, for the purpose of receiving money from persons who were disposed to emigrate, and that a number of individuals had been prevailed upon by the representations held out to them, and were collecting their all for the purpose of proceeding to settle in New Zealand. It was of the utmost importance to these persons and to the public in general, to know what foundation existed foe the promises which were held out to them. He therefore requested the Right Hon. Gentleman to inform him whether these proceedings were sanctioned by his Majesty's Government, or whether there was any probability of their success ? Mr. W. HORTON said, the office to which the Hon. Gen tleman alluded was altogether without the sanction of the Go. vernment, and the people could not be too cautious in lis. tening to the representations which were made to them, and in relying upon the promises of projectors., The dropped orders of yesterday were then proceeded with. On the motion of the CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER, that the House resolve itself into a Committee of Supply, Mr. .LESTER, alluding to a panegyric on the Salt Bill, which had' been pronounced on a former evening by the Hon. Member for Taunton, took this opportunity of express ing an opinion totally different. He recommended the repeal of that tax, on the ground that it bore hardly upon the poorer classes of the people, to whom it was of the last importance as a necessary of life. - Mr. BARING explained, that he had not penegyrized the. Salt Tax, but had suggested the repeal of some other duty which was more burdensome. Sir I. COFFIN recommended the total repeal of this tax as a relief to which the poor were justly entitled. VICTUALLERS' LICENCES. Mr. HEATHCOTE asked whether it was the intention of the Chancellor of the Exchequer to propose any reduction of the increased duty on the excise licences granted to victuallers and innkeepers, imposed by the Acts of the 55th and 56th years of the late sing. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said,'he had the subject under consideration, but he w as now at lib erty t o pledge himself to any specific measure with respect to it. Mr. S. RICE recommended the reduction of these duties, without which, he said, he was sure the Chancellor of the Ex chequer would never be able to carry into effect his benevolent intentions towards Ireland. At present their only effect was increasing the number of illicit dealers in spirits, who furnished the readiest market to the illicit distillers. Sir J. NEWPORT attributed to the operation of these duties the great number of unlicensed public-houses in Ireland, in which the illegal meetings in the disturbed districts were uni versally planned, and, which were preferred to th u licensed houses, because spirits w ere re t a il e d in them at a cheaper rate. After a few words from Mr. C. HUTCHINsoN, the Com mittee was postponed until to-morrow. IRISH CLERGY RESIDENCE. Mr. GOULBURN moved that the blanks in this Bill be filled up, and that the Bill be committed for to-morrow.— Ordered. On the motion of the CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER, the Committee of Ways and Means was fixed for to-morrow. COUNTY COURTS BILL, On the motion of Lord ALTHORP, that this Bill be read a second time, The ATTORNEY-GENERAL had no objection to this motion, but lie rose to propose that some indemnity should be provided for the Prothonotaries of the Court of Common Pleas. Those officers held their places by patent, and had paid large sums for the purchase of them • and he submitted, that upon the principle which the Ho us e hail recognized in other cases, they were entitled to be recompensed for any loss they might sustain by the Pill now in progress. If the Court of Common Pleas were to be abolished altogether, there could be no doubt that the House would feel it necessary to provide for these offi cers, and as their emoluments were now to be materially dimi nished, he thought they had a proportionate claim. There were officers of the Court of King's Bench who were equally entitled, but these would probably be brought before the House by some other person. Mr. HUME hoped, that if the Noble Lord bad adopted the Hon. and Learned Gentleman's suggestion, he would also insert a clause to prevent all such offices from being sold in future. Dr. LUSHINGTON thought the House might, with great propriety, institute an inquiry into this subject. Nothing could be more detrimental to the administration of justice than that such offices should be sold, by which practice they might fall into hands of persons who were not capable to perform their duties. One of the offices in the Court of Exchequer was at this moment held by a lady of 1 quality. It was not necessary to go further, although he could easily do so, to prove the absurdity of this practice.—(The Attorney- General said across the table, that this office was heredi tary.)—So much the worse, because, as in the present instance, when the male heir was dead, it seemed this office was limited rw in tail female. Nothing could be more prepo s t erous . Owing to the difference of fees, too, between the Co ur t s o f C ommon Pleas and Exchequer, and the K i ng's Bench, parties could not resort to the former Courts upon th e Sa me terms as to the latter : the consequence of which was , that the latter w a s l oa d e d with business, while the others were comparatively desert e d. This difficulty todi h s! felt in subject p h ro a p d o b si e n e g n s often measurein hism I n o d he , andtion tsliee was, how , how Pose of the claims of the existin g agents. The ATTORNEY GENERAL explained. After a few words from Mr. B ERNAL, t h e SOLICITOR GENERAL, and Sir E. KNATEHEUL L , Lord ALTHORP said the question of compensation pre sented many and very great difficulties. He admitted that where parties were in the possession of vested rights, they were entitled to be indemnified for any damage whi c h those rights might sustain ; but this principle he did not understand to apply to the case of a diminution of fees. -He-ap'prehended that if this principle were once admitted, the House would have to go much further than was perhaps at present contem plated. Reserving what he had to say upon this subject to a future stage of the business, he should now only press the se cond reading of the Bill, and afterwards move that it be com mitted for to-morrow se'nnight. The Bill was then read a second time, and committed for to morrow se'nnight. The Revenue Inquiry Bill was then read athird time, and passed. . Mr. GOULBURN gave notice, that he should to-morrow move for leave to bring in a bill to correct certain mistakes in an Act passed in the last session, for the better Administration of Justice in Ireland.—The House then adjourned at a Quarter past Seven. MENDICITY SOCIETY. Yesterday tile Sixth Annual Meeting of the Mendicity Society was held in the Great Hall of the Free- masons' Tavern. It was expected that his Royal Highness the Duke of YORE would have taken the Chair; but a note was read from his Secretary, stating that public business prevented his attend ance. _ .T. WETLAND, Esq., the Vice-President, took the Chair; and in allusion to the thin attendance of the Meeting, ob served, that it might be accounted for from the recent Meeting of the Society on an extraordinary occasion well known to the public, respecting some statements in a public paper. He was sure that it arose from no falling off of the supporters of the So ciety in consequence of the statements that had been published against it, for the constancy of attendance from the most dis tinguished characters and general aid was felt to be as great as ever. —(A pplause.) Several letters of apology from Noblemen for non-attendance was then read. Mr. Bomixx read the Report of the proceedings of the Com mittee during the last year. It stated that the condition of the streets had been greatly improved by the effects of the Society, but increased exertions were still necessary. The Magistrates had often sent to make inquiries at the Office for information in particular cases; and the system of recording cases adopted by the Society had been found of great utility. That confirmed beggars still continued to infest the streets could not be fairly charged as the fault either of the Police or the Society, but to the conduct of those inconsiderate individuals who still gave alms to beggars, instead of purchasing and distributing the tickets of the Society. The number of cases- investigated during the last year amounted to 1492. Of these 167 were persons whose settlements were in tondon ' • 609 were persons belonging to the country ; and 424 were Irish. The report concluded by stating, that the recent investigation had increas ed the numbers of the subscribers, as it had manifested the ex cellence of its plan to persons who before were ignorant of it. The Hon. CHAS. SHORE moved that the Report should be received. With respect to the charges recently brought against the Society, he said their, investigation had been so far from in jurious, that it was to be apprehended the effect would be to raise too high or favourable our opinion of its merits. BASIL MONTAGU, Esq. seconded the motion for printing the Report. The Report contained many statements that had beencirculated in the Public Papers, which statements charity called upon them to presume were made from the best motives. But the aspersions contained in them had been fully and trium phantly refuted. He now called upon the author of these as persions, if he were present, to come forward, and he would be fairly heard, and fully answered. The effect of those arrows shot in the dark.he would read to the Society.—( The Learned Gentleman then read a letter from Lord Carrington, stating, that in consequence of the investigation which had been re cently made he was induced to forward a donation of 201. to the Society.)—This communication was received with loud applause. The Report was unanimously agreed to. Lord CALTHORPE, Mr. W. WILLIAMS, M.P. General BROWNE, Mr. JACKS, Mr. WILBERFORCE, M.P. Mr. Pow- NAL L and other Gentlemen, moved the several Resolutions, and bore testimony in the strongest terms to the excellent ob jects and beneficial effects of the Society, and to the unwearied activity and uniformly admirable conduct of Mr. Bodkin, the Honorary Secretary. That Gentleman, in returning thanks, stated, that the late attack on his character would be the sub ject of legal investigation. The meeting separated with 'an apparently unanimous im pression of esteem for the Institution, and contempt for the calumnies which have been so thoroughly refuted. MURDER AND PIRACY. [From the Glasgow Courier, March 2.] We have been favoured. by a Mercantile.ifouse in Glasgow, with the following extract of•a letter, dated Madeira, Jan. 28. The English Papers have been filled lately with details ' o ± . murders, bUt a circumstance has just'taken place . here, far sur passing their' irii horror and atrocity. An American schoonei' the Napoleon, Captain John Hall, having received the a mount of her freight in cash, about 1,000 dollars, sailed from this on Friday last, the 23d inst. for the. Cape Verde Islands, having eight people on board, viz. the Captain. Mate, Cook, three sea men, and two Portuguese lads, one of them as steward to the vessel, the .other a passenger. " The same night the three seamen murdered the Captain , the Mate, Cook, and Steward. After throwing their bodies overboard, they called up the remaining Portuguese lad who was asleep below, and having told him boastingly what had happen ed, ordered him to go and cook. them some ham and eggs, on which they regaled themselves, drinking copiously of wine and spirits from the cabin. Instead of running away with the ves sel they now stood back for the Island, they then put out the long boat, but it being leaky and not well sec ure d, ow i n g t o their drunkenness it brok e adrift - and was lost. As they neared the coast they cut a hole in the side of the vessel to sink her, in- tending to have escaped in the jolly boat, which still remained , and give out that the schooner foundered, with those on board that were missing. The poor Portuguese lad (whose family , by-the bye, live next door to me) was meantime in an agony of terror, as lie understood, that to carry their plan into execution, it was fully their intention to sacrifice him before leaving the vessel; he had the address, however, to conceal his fears, and even pretended to join in their merriment and drinking:, but kept himself from getting intoxicated by pouring the liquor down his bosom instead of swallowing it. Becoming at last exhausted from drunkenness and fatigue, they went bel ow to rest, desiring the boy to t a k e c h arge of the helm, he allowed them to remain below undisturbed for some time,. when finding' ' they were fast asleep, he courageously cut away the jolly boat from the stern, jumped into it with only one oar , an d was for tunately a good way off from the vessel before they discovered his flight. They had no boat left to follow him, the vessel. was water logged, and as if P rov id ence h a d given them up, it fell a dead calm, so that even if they could have stopt the leak and pumped out the water, there was no chance of their getting away. " The poor lad was so frightened that when he reached the shore, he could hardly make his story intelligible. Armed boati were immediately sent off; and the vessel taken pos session of, without the least resistance on the part of the three desperadoes, who still continued.very drunk. They asserted at first, that the Captain and those missing had left the vessel in the long-boat, but finding this story avail them no thing, they soon confessed the whole affair. One is a Swede, a native of Stockholm, another is an American, and the third, lam sorry. to h ear , i s an E ng li s h men. Poor Captain Hall was a slender young man, about four and twenty, and as he was going to be married on his return to America, had purchased a qr. cask of old Madeira to regale his friends on the occasion, which only served to regale his blood-thirsty assassins." PARLIAMENTARY PROCEEDINGS. HOCSE OF COMMONS. Jovis, 4 0 die Martii, 1824. ROADS-Glossop and Marple Bridge, Whiteparish, &c. Sto; kenchurch, Rugeley, and Whitchnrch—Bills read a firo time. Carmarthen, Langport, and Dunchurch—Bills or dered:to he brought in. Birstall and Holme Lane End, and Cheltenham—Petitions for Bills reported, Reports to' lie on the table. Buxton and Stockport—Petition of Inhabitants. of Stockport, against, to lie on the table ; Petition of Land; owners, &c. on the line of road leading to Manchester and Stockport, against, referred to the Committee on the Bill. TAY FisrtEßlEs—Petitions of Merchants, &c. of Edinluirght and Montrose, against, to lie on the table. LEITH. TRINITY HOUSE 1 Bills read a fi rst RAlLWAY — Monkland and Kirkintillo c h f time. IxaLosußra—.Camerton (Cumberland)—Bill read a second time, and committed. SUSPENSION BRIDGE—St. Katherine's —Petition for Bill re ported, Report to lie on the table. Gas LlGHTs—Rantslate—Bill ordered t o b roug h t i n. Man chester—Petitions o Churchwardens and Sidesmen of seve ral townships in Manchester, against, referred to the Cop.!,' miktee on the Bill. Hereford--Bill read a first time. Impackv E mENTs—Walsall,and li uline) LANCASTER JUDGES LODGINGS I • LlGHTlNG—Camberwell VESTRY—Sou thwark (St. John's) BRlDGE—Burrow Bills ordered to be brought in. CO lIIPAN Y—lllining (Ireland) No. 2. J CANAL—Bristol and Tauntonßill ordered to be brought in. Hertford Union—Bill read a second time, and committed. P üßLlcAxs—Petitions of Licensed Innkeepers and Victuallers of Northallerton, Alton, Chorley, Essex, and Kingston . ..upon- Thames, for the repeal of the increased Duties on Li cences ; to lie on the table. COAL DUTlES—Petitions against the Duties on Coals, from Hawkhurst, Hadleigh, and Boston—to lie on the table. CANDLE DUTIE s—Petition of Candlemakers in Dundee, fur the repeal thereof; to lie on the table, and to be printed. StLx—Petitions against the importation of manufactured Silk, from Samuel Henshall, of Newcastle, Staffordshire; and Rib bon Weavers of Bedworth, Nuneaton, Chilvers Coton, Bul kington, and Coventry ; to lie on the table. WOOL—Petitions of Merchants, &c. of Leeds, Winaill Idle and Lccleshill, Otley, and Haworth, against alte ration of the Laws to prevent the exportation of British Wool ; to lie on the table. FOREIGN TRADE—Select Committee appointed, "to consider. of the means of maintaining and improving the Foreign Trade of the Country, and to report their opinion and ob servations thereupon, from time to time, to th e H o u se Mr. Wallace, M r . hancellor of the Exchequer, Mr. Bar ing, Mr. Huskisson, Lord Viscount Althorp, Mr. Glad stone, Mr. Irving, Mr. R. Ellis, Mr. C. Grant, Sir G. Clerk, Sir J. Newport, Mr. T. Wilson, Mr. Plummer, Sir H. Par nell, Mr. Sturges Bourne, Sir M. Ridley, Mr. Ellice, Mr- Rumbold, Lord Viscount Sandon, Mr. Birch, Mr. Lamb , Mr. Astell, Mr. Robertson, Mr. T. Courtenay, Mr. Cray Grant, Mr. Money, Mr. Spring Rice, Mr. F. Lewis, E a rl of Brecknock, Si r G. Hill, Mr. G re y B enne t, M r . Trench, and Mr. John Sinith :—power to send for persons, papers, and records ; five to be the quorum. ORDERS OF THE DAY .FOR THIS DAY.; 1. Judges in Wales Bill—Second Reading. 2. Gaol Act Amendment Bill—Second Reading. 3. Weights and Measures Bill—Committee. • 4. Supply—Report. 5. Uxury Laws Repeal-Bill—Committee. • 6. Ways and Means—Third Resolution, 16th February, (Fo reign Spirits and Sweets)—Further consideration of Re port. 7. 'Ways and Means—Second Resolution, Feb. 16, (Tax on Pensions, &c.)—Further Consideration 'of Report. 8. Annual Indemnity Bill—Third Reading. 9. SUpply—Committee. 10. M arine Mutiny, Bill—Committee. 11. Clergy Residence (Ireland) Bill—Committee. 12. Ways and Means—Committee. 13. Mutiny Bill—Committee. 14. Church Rates (Ireland) Bill—Third Reading. 15. South American Postage Bill—Report. NOTICES OF MOTIONS FOR THIS DAY. 1. Mr. Herries—Miscellaneous Estimates. (I n C omm ittee o f Supply). 2. Mr. Attorney-General—Bill respecting Insolvent Debtors. 3. Mr. Goulburn—Bill to amend the Court of Chancery Ac t (Ireland) of last Session. 4. Mr. Grattan—Correspondence between individuals in Ire land and some Members of Government, respecting Print.. ing in 1822-23 :—Also, Account of Pensions and Allow' antes to retiring or dismissed Officerr, ending Jan. 1824. NOTICES GIVEN - YESTERDAY. Monday, March 8. Mr. Curwen—Copy of Memorial concerning the absence of the Attorney-General from the Isle of Mann ; also, COPY of Patent of his appointment. Friday, March 12. Mr. Secretary Canning—Papers and Statement relating t° the West Indies. Wednesday, March 17. Mr. Maberley—Land Tax Redemption Acts. Tuesday, March 30. Lord Archibald. Hamilton—To refer Reports of Commis sioners of Inquiry on Fees of Courts of Justice in Scot land to a Committee of the whole Heuse. PRIVATE BILLS—SECOND READINGS for Tuis DAr• Alton Inclosure—Newton Abbot, Huddersfield and Halifax, - and Cerne Abbas Roads—and Hull Poor.