The Sun. — London, England, 1824-05-14 00:00:00

sehich none were interested but those who contributed. But he Forgot that the contributions were forced, and not voluntary. Mr. 'l'. WILSON said, that although he supported the mea sure in time of distress, he was now ready to give it every con s'Aleration, with a view to granting whatever relief was prac ticable. Mr. SYKES and Mr. JAMESmade some observations, which .were inaudible in the gallery. Mr. S. WORTLEY said that without pledging himself to any particular time, or to any particular course, he should certainly bring the matter before the House after the favour able manner in which the petition had been received.—The Petition was ordered to be printed. SUGAR DRAWBACKS. Mr. W. WHITMORE rose, is pursuance to notice, to call the attention of the House to the Drawbacks or bounties on .-Sugar. Before going into the question he would state the stature of his motion. He intended to move for the appoint talent of a Select Committee to inquire into these bounties.—. It was necessary for hint to remind them, that there was in existence a complete monopoly as respected the Sugar pro duced is the West Indian Colonies. He must also call to their recollection, that the produce of those Colonies had been, for some years, greater than the consumption of this country, but this surplus was constanly diminishing. The bounties allowed were 30s. upon Sugars of the value of 475. per hundred weight and upwards, and 275. upon All of a lower value. He described the effect of the bounties to be to advance the price of sugar at home, and diminish it to the con sumers abroad. He had taken great pains to inform himself on this subject, and believed that he had arrived at the truth, but did not wish the House to adopt his opinion. AU he de sired was, that they should grant him a Committee to inquire into the merits of the case. He calculated, taking the quan tities of sugar consumed in England in 1823, 3,130,000 cwt. into consideration, and all other circumstances, that the total charge thrown on the country by these bounties, had amounted in that year to 1,107,000/. When other bounties were given up, he had yet to learn what was the justice or the policy of keeping up these, at least in the shape of bounties. But when :t was stated, and as there was but too much reason to believe correctly stated, that the West India interest was depressed, he had no objection to a like sum continuing to be advanced by the country, in connection with West Indian affairs, if directed to a propel-object. -He thought it right, while on this subject, to in quire whether-the distress complained of was permanent or tem porary in its character, and whether it would be likely is pass away if things were left to themselves--whether palliatives were proper to meet the evil, or whether the whole question ought to be considered. He was afraid the evil might be re garded as permanent in its character, and in support of this opinion he referred to Bryan Edwards, to Reports of the Co lonial Assemblies at different periods, and to other authorities. He spewed that the planters had generally been represented as being in embarrassed circumstances, that many estates had been thrown up, and that property amounting to no less than 22,463,7661. had been lodged in the Provost's Office in the course of twenty years. Every thing proved that distress was the rule, and prosperity the exception ; such being . the case in any other part of the globe would cause the place in which it was - witnessed to be depopulated. This would have happened to the West Indies but for the supplies of capital furnished front time to time by this country. It was desirable to look at the cause which made distress the rule and prosperity the excep tions. These were collaterally the absence of the Proprietors, the -mortgagees on estates, the consignments made to mort gagees, and -the system oiplacing the management of West India estates in inc . hands of overseers ; but that which he viewed as more than all- the.rest the cause of the evil was the present system of slave labour in the West Indies. He pro ceeded to argue that it -was proved by ' experience that slave labour was of all descriptions of labour the most costly. Before going into this subject he would chew that compulsory labour in this country was the least productive. In proof of this, he appealed to Gentlemen connected with Agriculture, as to the oomparison to be made between the quantity of work done by the job and .by the day, and also between the quantity per forMed in a given time by mete labouring for themselves and by others employed by the Parish Overseers. In the first case the man was found to put forth all his strength; in the second, the quantity done was much smaller; and in the last case, still less was performed. Front comparing the situation of (litre fent States in America, he drew an argument against slave labour, and chewed that in some instances the land was one third, in others one-half more valuable where free labour was employed, than where the cultivation was performed by slaves. Another instance -which had been alluded to in that House be fore, was, in his mind, conclusive. The lion. Josiah Sleet, a West India Proprietor, finding his affairs embarrassed, went over to liarhadoes to superintend his estates himself. His estates consisted of 1,050 acres, on which there 288 slaves._ The deaths in the preceding year had been fifty-seven,the births but fifteen. Ile changed the system of management; had the negroes who offended tried by negroes, and in various respects :reproved their condition The result was most gratifying in all respects. It was found within a given period that the births were 41, the deaths but 41, of which ten were superannuated. and the annual produce of the estate was more than trebled.— That free labour was more beneficial than slavery he proceeded - to skew front reference to the flourishing state of Sierra Leone. There the progress of commerce and of civilization was such as bad scarcely been paralleled in any part of the world. He I:ad accounts of the produce of the duties there from 1812 to 1823. lie would not go through the whole, but begged to read some of them to the House. In 1812 their amount was - . - - .£1,992 181:; 1,328 1820 6,153 1821 6.314 In 1822 they were only 4,764 but in 1823 they were 8,9391. This, too, he should remark, was their produce in three quarters of the year. Should the remaining quarter there prove equally favourable. the total aatount in that year would double the produce of 1822. What be had stated proved that commerce flourished there, and at the same time internal works were actively going on, churches and public buildings were rapidly rising, and a profitable trade was carried on with the interior of Africa. The natives came down even from the Niger, brisging gold and ebony, and other productions, to exchange for the manufacturers of Europe. Ile next read to the House a series of returns of the commerce of ifayti. The number of ships employed in 1822 was 1035. Thel amount of this tonns.e 121,474. Their cargaes amounted to' . 13.017,290 dollars, and the duties paid on the imports amounted • to 1,477,178 dollars. He specified the amount of the externs af coffee, sugar, cotton, mahogany, logwood, and cocoa,', ar.l stated the total amount to be 9,202,397 dollars, and the duty on the exports was no less than 1,365,40.2. A Noble Lord on a late occasion had referred to Hayti as furnishing a proof that slave labour was necessary in the West Indies, and it had been stated that the situation of St. Domingo was such that it could not he cultivated, and dint its inhabitants were obliged' even to import sugar. He had, however, said enough to chew 'that there was no want of industry theme, and that Hayti was fart advancing to a state of prosperity and wealth. What • he could wish for with respect to the bounties to which he had called the attention of the• House was, that the stint now ex rentled on them should be applied towards the emancipation of slaves. Ile could recommend that the slaves should have one day granted to them in each week to labour for them selves in order to raise a fund for their emancipation. This • . he thought would be desirable; but at present he had no wish to go into that subject, and proposed to limit the proceedings of the Committee for which he called to the operation of those bounties, with respect to which he had stated in the outset hel wisised inquiry to be made. The Hon. Gentleman concluded the duty at 30e. Nothing, it appeared to him, could be so unparliamentary or so unnecessary as to go into an inquiry on the admitted and ascertained ameunt of the drawbacks. Though he objected in principle to the system of bounties on exporta tion, it was desirable that the law in this instance should not be immediately altered to aggravate that distress which was already admitted to be great. The subject to which his Hon. Friend had principally applied himself, this was no fit time to debate, and when brought forward by itself, he should still be little disposed to entertain it, however philosophic, statesman.; like, philanthropic and humane it might be, from the strong opinion which the House had expressed on the mupolicy of frequently renewing these discussions. The Honourable Gen tleman was anxious to get these bounties repealed, that he might obtain a fund applicable to slave emancipation. lie had stated the amount of them to be somewhere about 1,100,000/., but he (Mr. Huskisson) did nut consider their amount to exceed 150,0001., or from that to 200,0001. He, however, objected to couple a question of this sort with any other. Let it be de cided whether the measure called for was to be passed as a fiscal measure—as a measure to improve the revenue, or as one of humanity to buy the slaves from their masters. This pies. tion, howts er , was not then before the House. With respect to the successful experiment made by Mr. Steel, a variety of cir cumstances might have favoured it, and it was not safe to infer from that what he had done on his own estate could be done by legislative authority in all the West India Colonies without risk of great convulsions. The lion. Gentleman had then di rected the attention of the Ilouse to the colony of Sierra Leone, but here again he contended, it was not, he supposed, that that could be done by a ll th e s l a v e s in the Indies, which had' been done with the few cargoes taken to Sierra Leone, though he was one of those who a pp rove d o f the e xperiment w hich had been made there, and was unwilling to bear the object with which that colony had been found cried down. Having no practical measure now to propose, and it being free to the Hon. Gentleman to brin g fo rw ard what motion he might think proper in the next Session of Parliament he saw nn grounds for granting the Committee now called for. The Honourable Gentleman must be aware that changes had occurred within the last twenty years. It was necessary for this country more or less to shape her c ommercial system according to the new state of the world, the new interestscreated , and the new circumstances in which Europe might be placed. This, ' however, was not to be hastily done, and perhaps Ministers themselves could not state which eventually they might feel themselves called upon to do. At all events, however, it would be desirable to avoid discussions, which could not be entertained without considerable danger. In the present in stance he thought his Hon. Friend had laid no ground for his motion. Mr. WHITMORE replied. Ile admitted that his informs- Lion might be erroneous in some respects, but defended his general view of the subject. The question was then put and negatived. SA LT DUTY. Mr. WOODHOUSE rose to call the attention of the House to the consideration of the expediency of retaining the pre sent duty on Salt, for the purpose of obtaining the means of remitting the Window Tax. Some persons considered Par liament pledged to the total repeal of the Salt Duty. He hoped, for his own part, that he was not remarkable for laxity of principle, but he held it to be the duty of Parliament to con sider at all times and under all circumstances what could be done for the benefit of the country. Ile proceeded to urge the reasons which had occurred to him in favour of retaining the Salt Duty. It was impossible for the leading personages in the Government to give their attention to all the details of every measure. These must conic more especially under the notice of oneindividual. He had been referred to Mr. Carr, the Solicitor to the Excise.—(Hear,hear ! )—liebegged to say, he did not stand there to advocate any Excise laws or regulations, but such laws and regulations ' whatever they might be, ought to be reviewed at least with patience, and not with passion. Mr. Carr had been examined some years ago before a Committee of that House, with a view to amend the Criminal Law of the eeuntry, and had then given it as his opinion that low duties were desirable, as in that case low penalties would be sufficient, while if high duties were maintained, high penal ties Would be necessary', and the evil effects of high duties were seen in the prevalence of smuggling. He would ask if it could be thought that any man of gentlemanly pretensions would lay down such a principle as Mr. Carr (who was a Gentleman of no paltry endowments) had done, if he did not mean to abide by it ? lie had tried him by the test thus supplied, and, so far as he could judge, Mr. Carr could neTCY fbrfeit that pledge which be considered him to have given.— The alleged absurdity of the Salt Laws was more than coun terbalanced by the acknowledged benefit of the consolidation of the Board of Excise. The next point for consideration was the expence of collection, which was about five per cent., the ex pence being 15,000/. and the amount collected being 300,0001. a year. The Excise prosecutions would engage attention for the purpose of ascertaining the consequence of the reduction of the duty, and the little Hangar which would be encountered by let. ting it remain as it at present stood. The number of these pro secutions had materially lessened, so that to render the present ' amount of penalties scarcely worthy of . consideration.— [The Hon. Member here went into some det ails for the purpose of proving his last proposition.l—The smuggling in salt, he be lieved, had been entirely done away in consequence of the re. duccd duty, so that there could he no apprehension on that point. Indeed he believed he could prove this fact, if neces sary, by a Deputation of .Smugglers. In one case, in a northern county, he understood that a smuggler in a very considerable way, who employed 21 men, had discharged them all, in con sequence of the present low rate of duty having rendered the trade of smuggling not worth following. Ile was aware that much objection would. be made to his proposal by Honourable Members connected with time fisheries; but he could only ask of those Honourable Gentlemen to look at the question with reference to the general interests of the whole country, and not to those of a particular interest. lie expected also some oppo sition from those who looked upon salt as necessary for agri , cultural purposes. Upon this part of the !subject the Ilon. Member for Cumberland (Mr. (lumen) could give them the most information; but he (Mr. W.) must observe, that he un derstood the Hon. Member who had considerable estates in England, as well as the Isle of 3lan. used salt chiefly, if not entirely, for the benefit of his English estates, although the tax did not prevail in the Isle of Man. He believed he should meet the determined opposition of most of the Members for the Western Counties ; but he trusted that he should be supported on the principle which he had always attended to in the course of his own Parliamentary life; to look at the interests of time many, and not those of the few. The Hon. M ember then noticed the - effect which the tax 'had upon Chemical Establishments. On this subject the evidence of Mr. Parker .(given before a Committee of that House) would, he trusted, be opposite to that of the Hon. Member for Bothnia (Mr. Gilbert) who he hoped would look at the question in a general view, and not confine himself to pilchards.--(A laugh.)---lt was said that the total repeal of the Duty would cw,i , e an increase in tha de mand for salt in the proportion of fourteen to one. Now, if any Member who understood the subject would get up in his place, and say he believed this assertion, he (Mr. W.) would at once withdraw his 'notion. Ile believed that many advan tages would be obtained by a retention of the tax, and a trans fer of the proposed reduction to the duty on windows. This would •relieve the stuah rate rouses from all survey, and might ' work considerable relief when the window duty was considered together with the house duty. .One objection to his proposi tion, for which he was prepared, was, that a kind of pledge had been given for the repeal of the salt tax.—(Hear, hear !)- -He could not see the effect of such an objection, because if it were good for Anything, it would go to bind all Honourable . . _ . . . . ... .., . . . by moving—" For the appointment of a Select Committee to Members to one opinion, though they might Afterwards be con . inquire into the operation of the bounties:paid on the exporta- vinced it was wrong. He did riot think the present duty was tion of Sugar." objectionable. It was for those who thought . it was to prove Mr. HUSKISSON said, so large a portion of the Speech of that it really was so. He again hoped Ilon. members would his „Honourable Friend applied to the general question of the look at the question with a view to the general good, and with- Slave Trade, and so small a portion of it to the motion of out regard to particular interests. lie concluded by moving a which he had given notice, that he thought his Honourable Resolution, " That the Salt Tax should be continued, in order Friend himself must be conscious, as the House must also to enable his Majesty's Government to relieve the country by feel that it would have been more properly addressed to a partial reduction of the Window Tax, in the ensuing Session _ A h e m. when the great question to which it related was under' of Parliament" • consideration. As the Honourable Gentleman had no prat- Mr. CARTWRIGHT seconded the Motion. tical measure to propose in the present Session, he thought . AIr••DATENPcinTs Alr. D. GILBERT, the CIiANCELLOU that qustion wou ld be better left in the hands of the Execu- of the EXCHEQUER, and several other Members, rose, we be tive Government, and that the understanding come to with lieve, to oppose the motion ; ; but the call of the House was very disturb e d. respect to, it ought not to b e lt was impossible general for .not to agree with the observations of his Hon. Friend on free The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER, who apolo and on compulsory labour in the abstract; . but on this subject gised for his wish to obtain the assent of the other Hon. Mem bethought it better not • • would not enlarge, as lie . , considering hers to his having precedence, as he wished to state his opinions the situation in which the 'West India question had been left, on this motion in the first instance, and without any reserve. ed to debate it and as the House could not be prepar . , the Ho.. The House : would recollect, that very early in the Session he nourable Gentleman hating said nothing in hisi) notice which had stated, that if a general feeling should appear to prevail could lead them to that it would now be brought before in Parliament in favour al retaining this Tax, and repealing them. His lion. Friend had argued that it was this rule of another in its stead, he thought it would be very desirable the rule, taste labour in the West Indies which made distress le, to act upon that feeling, and Government would not have and prosperity the exception. He had gone into what His- the least objection to do so. But he must state that at the . been advanced on this subject by Bryan Edwards in his present, Government, as far as they went, were now pledged were to follow to tory and other matter, through which, if he . the repeat —(Clieers from the Opposition.)—By that pledge him, and over the prosperity and the distress experienced in they most anti would abide, unless there should be a very ave to strong the We s t Indies during the last forty years, lie shottld.h feeling.displayed throughout the house in favour of enter upon a very wide field indeed. Assuming, h owever, the tax. H e 'h a d seen no symptom o f any suc h feeling; • and the premises of his Honourable Friend, as distress Was ad- lie believed his Hon. .Friend must hi mse lf be aware that no alitted to exist in the West Indies, he was not prepared at. such feelimr, , really eztisted. He was well aware that the sub present- to, deal out a measure which would have the imine- jec_t . was attended w i t h many difficulties ; and, as far as his own diate effect-of _aggravating th e ev il s o f w hi c h th e y complain- individual opi n i on went, he thought that the tax ought either to ed. The Right Honour a ble Gentleman proceeded to show be raised, so as to Imake it an object of co n s ideration in point that the' Hon. Gentleman's inform a tion with respect to the of revenue, or to be so lowered as to do away with the neces-, amount of the drawb ac k allow e d i n certa i n cases , was not cox.- city of what were call e d exemptions.--( Hear!)--These exemp ted. The present law was enacted in 1606, when a Noble tions caused most of the evils which were complained of. The .31arquis, now in the other House, was Chancellor of the Ex- i sole question was, whether his Hor. Friend had shewn any Chequer, who h ad, found a duty fluctu a ti ng w i t h t h e p r i ce in- ' advantage which would attend the r e taining; of the tax, and ,:convenient, and it was in cor:setinence of this th4t the draw-1 would also outweigh that advantage which the Ilouse had al back, when the price of Suga r was 175 ., way ready d.!clared would attend the rtpetel of it.--(hear, im rI) calculated on His Hon. Friend, in the course of his speech, had so often al luded to the opposition which he expected to meet, that it was clear he (lid not expect the g-eneral opinion of the House to be in his favour. lie had thought it right to take the first oppor tunity of stating the view which Government took of the ques tion__( Loud cheers)--and he now trusted his Hon. Friend would withdraw his motion.. Several lion. Members again rose to speak ;. but the call for Mr. WODEHOUSE was almost universal, and those Hon. Mem bers accordingly gave way to him. Mr. WOODHOUSE said he felt himself at a loss what course he ought to pursue. Ile. thought he should be rude If he did not give Hon. Members an opportunity of replying to him.—(Cries of " No, no.") After a few words from Mr. CAnTWltleinT, the motion was withdrawn, amid the loud cheers off. e House. SALARIES OF PUMA!: OFFICERS. Mr. R. MA WEIN rose to bring forward his promised mo tion respecting the increase of the salaries of Judges and other Public Officers. It was generally admitted that the great Offi cer* of State were underpaid ; but then it was said that there were many who were willing to undertake the duties of the offices at the same salaries. He did not think this was a sound argument against the increase of their salaries, and thus to con tinuing to press Hon. Gentlemen upon the expenditure of their private fortunes. Ile therefore moved—" That the House should resolve itself into a Committee to consider the expedi ency of augmenting the salaries of the public Officers of State to a scale which shall be consistent with the dignified discharge of their ditties, and the liberal character of the nation." The SPEAKER having inquired who seconded the motion, and no seconder appearing— Mr. Secretary PEEL said, that of course he did not rise to second the motion, so far as it might ba understood to refer to the salaries of th e Secretaries of State.—(A laugh.)--Indeed he did not riae.to second the motion at all, but merely to inform the House that a very important subject, which was included in the motion was a lready under the serious consideration of Government; He alluded to the salaries of the Jrlges.— (Hear, hear, hear !)—Their salaries were not adequate ; and, such as they _ were, some of them were derived from the sale of the offices belonging to their Courts, and others from the different pleadings and ,other proceedings which took place - in tlee Courts themselves. ;Ile believed there would be but,. one opinion on the propriety of the Judges being so remune rated, that their salaries abotild 'neither be precarious, nor derived in the emallest'degree from the proceedings in their own Courts.—(Hear, hear, hear !)-IS'ith regard to the amount of the salaries, though there might possibly he some differ ence 'of opinion on this point, he believed the House would agree that the amount should be such as to induce the ablest men of the liar to relinquish their lucrative practice and aspire to the honourable situations on the Bench.—( Hear, hear !)—lle repeated that the subject was under the consideration of the Government, and that lie should probably soon be enabled to bring it under that of the House in a proper form. Mr. H 013110 USE said he should certainly oppose any mo tion of the nature alluded to by the Right lion. Secretary, unless it should be connected with a measure to prevent the advancement of a Judge already on the Bench.—(Hear, hear ! from the Opposition.)—He had no wish to allude to any parti cular case which had called for his determination on this sub ject. It was not indeed his wish to make any personal obser vations, but as the _Right 'Non. Secretary had appeared to cal relate almost upon an 'unanimity of opinion, and as there were many Hon. Members who agreed with him (Mr. H.) on this subject—(ll ear 1 from the Opposition)—he had thought it right to give the Right Hun. Secretary fair warning, that he might nut rely entirely upon that supposed unanimity of opinion. Mr. LESTER trusted that the proposal for the increase of the salaries would be accompanied by a proposal for a third Assize. Mr. It. MARTIN said • the motion would have been second ed by several Members had they not gone away.----A laugh.) Sir JOHN VIROTTESLEV was about to speak, when he was called to order by 31r. BANICES, there being no question before the House; and, after a few words from the Sl'IL AY EU on the point of order, the motion fell to the ground for want of a seconder. COUNTY comas. On the motion of Lord A LTHORP, the House went into a Committee on the County Courts On the compensation clause— Lord Aunt' ORT observed that this was highly objection able. No less than 35 persons bad now claimed this compensa tion, to an amount which would expose the country to an enor mous charge. sonic of the offices, it was urged, were pur chased ; but every man who purchased an office, purchased it with the knowledge that it might be affected in value by Parliament. The noun then divided, when there appeared-- For the Clause - - 55 Against it - 49 Majority After some conversation the other clauses were agreed to, end the ihil passed through the Committee. The House having resumed, the Itsport was ordered to ha received to-morrow. The other l)rdera of the Day were disposed of, and the House adjourned at ALr-PAST TWELVE. Lord Charles Townsbend's name was omitted in the Mi nority on Lord Althorpe's Motion. FRENCH PAPERS. (Fran: the Moniteur (f Tuesday, May 11. ) T Official Part contains three Ordinances of hip Mhjesty. The first contains some concessions to the ninuufacturers of copper wire, pure, gift, or silvered, w ho had petitioned for the privilege of having in their manufactories the ;equislte machines for drawing the copper into wire : their petition is granted lii part, they being allowed by this Ordinance to have machines of their own for drawing certain sorts of wire on conditions specified in the Ordinance, hut the manufacturers of other kinds must still continue to take the bars of silver or silver gilt to the Royal Esta- Whitt-nen ts to he drawn. The Second Ordinance relates to a Society of Insurance against Hail, which is permitted to begin its operations as soon as it has a fund of 3,300,000 francs ; by a preceding- Ordinance it was to be six millions, but that was on the sup position that it would extend over 20 depart ments, whereas it at present only embraces 11 departments. The third Ordinance approves the statutes of the Society, founded at Paris,in 1802, for the envouraLfement of the national industry. The Non-Otficial Part contains the debates in the Chamber of Peers on the Bth, and of the Deputies on the 10th May. _ . PARIS, MAY 11.—Froich Fi'Ve per Cents. opened at 101 f. 10c - .; closed at 104 f. 25c.—Bank Stock, 1935.—Neapolitan Five per Cents. in francs, 101 f. 90c. ; in ducats, 96f.—Itente d'Esp., I7#.—Royal Spanish Loan, 1323, 65y.—Exchange on London, one month, 25f. 20c. ; three ditto, 25f. sc.—( Court .41(the 'diva, May 84 - ThitiTINGOO* ELEFrioN.—The .election of a Representative in Parliament for the borough of Huntingdon, in the room. of Lord AXCILAM, who has succeeded to the Peerage, commenced on Thursday morning; the candidates were JAsits -STArairr, Esq and Mr. SAMUEL WELLS. Bands of music, engaged by the respective parties, were at an early hour playing willow' airs before the Fountain Inn, where Mr.. Stuart's; party put up, and before Mr. "Wells's residence. They afterwards paraded the streets with appropriate banners, the patty of Mr., Stuart displaying green colours with mottos of " Stuart for' ever, no Radicals !" " Church and King !" " Peace and Prosperity !" I: c c. ; and those of Mr. Wells' with blue ensigns, and flags with inscriptions of " Freedom of Elec tion 1" " Lois . Taxes!" " Independence of the Poor !" &c.— The Mayor and Aldermen commenced business at ten in the morning. -speeches were made by the Mayor, Sir R. Sir J. Arundel, S tu art, Esq., Mr. W. H a tfi e ld, Bickerton, 3 Mr. Wolls, and othergentlemen, which lasted a considerable time. Upon a show of hands being called for. great tumult took place, but the Mayor decided that the show of hands was in favour of Mr. Stuart. Mr. Wells then demanded a poll, and said that if Englislunen had been , his advocates, the demand would have come front the other side. On his application, after some dis cussion, an adjournment -of an hour took place . ; after which the Tolling commenced, and continued till five o'clock, when the numbers were declared to be ,For Mr. Stuart - - 56 Mr. W e ll s - - 12 The oath against b r ib qry was a dministered t o every b urge s s previous to his voting.—Th e oll, it is expected, will be finished Ccnnbrid ge Ch ron i c le.) nt the.course of this d ay (Fri d ay.)—( The House of Commons has extended the time for .receiving Petitions for Private Bills to the "24th instant. COLUMBIAN LOAN-1824. The following Documents, relative to this Loan, have been forwarded to the Columbian Government. They fully substantiate all that has bee►l said i►l TILE Sus as to the manner in which the transaction was conducted. The Petition of FRANCTI IlAter, A wrzul ilatf.Y . , and Isaac Lynx COLDSKID ' of the City of London, Gentle men, to the CONGRE SS of Corxmuta. Your petitioners, relying on the justice and integrity of the representatives of the Columbian nation, venture to approach your Honourable House with a statement of some circumstances connected with the negociation of the Loan recently contracted in England for the Republic of Columbia, which, tbr the honour of your nation, demand an immediate and minute inquiry. Your petitioners were competitors for that loan, on behalf of themselves and some of the principal merchants and bankers in the City of London ; anti, bearing in mind the unfor tunate disputes which had Occurred in carrying into effect the former loan contracted by N. Zca, they endeavoured to impress on Messrs. Montayo and A rrubla (the agents for the present loan) the policy of obviating every suspicion of any undue and unfair advantage to may of the parties ; and with that view suggested to the said agents the propriety of their receiving all the tenders front the several parties, at one and the same time, and of opening them immediately in the presence of all the parties interested therein : similar to the plan univer sally adopted by the English Government on such occasions,— Messrs. Montayo and Arrubla, however, insisted on treating privately with each Competitor, and thereby weakened that confidence which ought to exist between the contracting parties, in such financial operations. Th e resu lt has been, as your petitioners are informed and be lieve, and as will more fully appear in the annexed affidavit to which your petitioners beg leave to refer your Honourable House, that the contract was arranged and agreed to, prior to the time proposed by the agents for the receipt of the respective tenders : contrary to the good faith which ought always to be preserved on such occasions. Your petitioners are also informed and believe, that the terms originally proposed by the Colombian agents, as stated in the annexed affidavit, have been since altered, aad rendered more favourable to the actual contractors, without any equi valent advantage• to the Government of Colombia : and in particular that the first dividend is agreed to be paid in July next, instead of October, as originally proposed : and that the payments of the instalments have been rendered more favourable to the present contractors. All which is to the mani fest injury of your petitioners, who were thereby deprived of the opportunity of a fair competition for the loan, on a basis so different from the one originally proposed, anti derogatory to the honour and character of the ColimMian nation. Your petitioners, however, relying on the good faith of the Columbian Government, and being assured that they would not sanction any measures adopted by their agitate, that may tend to commit or to compromise the honour of the nation, humbly request that an inquiry may be made into all the circumstances connected with the negociations relative to the said loan ; and particularly into the mode in which the contract has been car ried into effect, as well as to the price which has been actually given for the same. And if it shall appear that any undue and unfair partiality has been shown by the Columbian agents, or that the rights and interests of your Petitioners have been sacrificed by them, that such redress may be granted as your Honourable House may think fit. And your Petitioners, as in duty bound, will ever pray. (Signed) FRANCIS 11A I.Y. A RT If UR BA I IN. London, April 22, 1824. ISAAC L. GOLDSMID. AFFIDAVIT. LONDON TO WlT.—Francis A:Hy, Arthur Nally, Isaac Lyon Goldsmid, and David Cohen, all of the City of London, Gentlemen, do severally make oath and say as follows :—And first, the deponents F. Bally, A. 'laity, and I. L. Goldsmid, fir themselves do severally depose and say, that in the month of February last they (the deponents) understood that the Go. vernruent of Colombia was about to send Commissions to Eng. land for the purpose of negociating a loan for the service of Colombia; and in consequence thereof they, these deponents, the said F. Bally, A. Bally, and I. L. Goldsmid, formed an intention of bidding for the said loan, and proceeded in the usual manner on such occasions ; and as they had previously done oa former occasions when intending to bid for English loans; that is to say, by receiving letters of application from various merchants and persons of large property who , were de sirous of being admitted as subscribers to the said loan : and they further depose and say, that they did in fact receive such appli caions to a much larger amount titan the sum required by the Columbian Government. And the deponents, F. Baily, I. L. Goldsmid, and D. Cohen, for themselves do severally depose and say, that they the said deponents F. Baily and I. L. Uoldsmiti, in company with the deponent David Cohen, who is a person conversant•with the English and Spanish languages, did, on the 9th day of the pre sent month of April, have an interview with Messrs. Montayo and Arrubla, the two Commissioners appointed by the Colum bian Government for negociating the said loan ; and that at that interview the said Commissioners stated the following terms as the basis of the loan about to be contracted ; that is to say, That the amount of the loan was to be Four millions seven hundred and fifty thousand pounds sterling, to be ad vanced in the following manner, on bonds bearing an interest of six pounds per cent. per annum :—namely, twenty-five pounds per cent. to be paid down as a deposit within two or three days ; another twenty-five pounds per cent. at the end of three months; and the remaining fifty pounds per cent. in five monthly instalments of ten pounds per cent. each : That a com mission of one pound per cent, on the amount of the loan was to be allowed to the contractors ; and that a commission of two per cent on the amount of the dividends was also to be allowed to the contractors, from time to time, fur their trouble in trans acting the business of the loan. And the said'''''''''' ' F. Baily, L L. Goldsmid, and D. Cohen, dc severally further depose and say, that the said Com missioners stated distinctly to these deponents that the above terms were the same as those which had been offered to the other parties who had proposed to bid for the said loan. And the said deponents, F. Baily, I. L. Goldsmid, and D. Cohen, do severally further depose and say, th a t a t the said interview they the said F. Bally and 1. L. Goldsmid did (in order to satisfy the said Commissioners of the respectability of the subscribers to the list of the said F. Baily, A. Bally, and I. L. Goldsmid) offer to shew the said list to the said Commis sioners, or to give them any other satisfactory reference and assurance which they might require for the due performance of the proposed contract ; but that the said Commissioners express ed themselves perfectly satisfied with the responsibility of the said F. Bally, A. Bally„ and I. L. Goldsmid, without any other guarantee. And the said deponents, F. Baily, I. L. Goldsmid, and D. Cohen, do severally further depose and say, that at the said in terview they the said F. Baily and I. L. Goldsmid requested that the said deposit of twenty-five pounds per cent. should be divided into two sums, and that only fifteen pounds per cent. (part of the same) should be paid down within two or three dui, and that the remaining sum of ten pounds per cent. should be paid within on e wee k from the date of the contract : but that the said Commissioners objected thereto, although the said F. Baily and I. L. Goldsmid declared to them that they would rive a better price for the loan if such an arrangement was made. ..... And the said F. Bailey, I. L. Goldsmid, and D. Cohen, do severally further depose and say, that at the said interview they the said F. Bailey and I. L. Goldsmid requested of the said Commissioners that all the tenders which might be made for the said loan by the various competitors should be opened in the presence of all the parties assembled for that purpose, in order that it might be publicly known who was the highest bidder: but that die said Commissioners objected thereto; and even stated that they would pot declare or announce the price offered by the highest bidder, and moreover, that the separate biddings must be delivered ;to them before five o'clock in the afternoon of the then following day, as they were desirous of sending off to their Government, by the post of that evening, the result of their negotiations. And the said deponents F. Baily and I. L. Goldsmid do severally further depose and say, that on the said following day, that is to say on Saturday, the 10th of the present month of April, about a quarter of an hour before five of the clock in the afternoon, they tendered their bidding for the said loan by delivering into the hands of 111, Montayo, one .of the said Com missioners, the letter hereunt o annexe d marked A ; and that the said Commissioner received the same as their bidding, and after having .read the said letter he stated that he would - send an answer thereto by eight of the clock of the same evening, agreeably to the address of the said I. L. Goldsmid as indorsed on the said letter. _ _ And the said deponents, F. Bally, I. L. Goldsmid, and D. Cohen, do severally further depose anti say, that at this last mentioned interview, the deponent David Cohen declared, in the presence and hearing of the said Commissioner, that 111 r. L. A. Uuldschmidt of this city had just announced to him the said D. Cohen, that he the said L. A. Goldschmidt had contract ed for the said loan. And the said deponents, F. Bally, I. L. Goldsmid, and D. Cohen, do severally further depose and say, that they distinctly and repeatedly appealed to the said Com missioner as to the truth of the said assertion ; and the said F. Baily and I. L. Goldsmid do severally depose and say, that they would not have tendered their said bidding, if the said Commissioner had not denied the truth of the above-mentioned assertion. And the said deponents F. Bally, A. Bally, and I. L. Gold smid,,do severally further depose and say, that at or about half an hour after nine of the clock in the evening of the said 10th day of April instant, the letter hereunto annexed, marked (addressed to the said F. Baily, A. Baley, and I. L. Goldsmid. front the said Commissioners), was delivered agreeably to the address before mentioned ; and that in the said letter, marked 11, was returned the above-mentioned letter, marked A, -shich had been previously delivered into the hands of M. Montaya as the bidding of the said F. Baily, A. Bally, and 1. L. Uold smid, as aforesaid. _ . And the said deponents, F. Baily, A. Baily, and I. L. Gold smid, do severally further depose and say, that the said letter marked A contained a bidding of eighty-eight pounds sterling for every one hundred pounds bond to be issued by the Colum bian Government ; but that if the first dividend thereon bad been stipulated to be paid in July next as now arranged, in stead of October as originally proposed, they these deponents would have given one pound ten shillings per cent. more for the said loan ; and if in addition thereto the instalments of the loan had been arranged so that they should have been payable_, in the manner now proposed by the present contractors, they would have given another one pound per cent. additional for the said loan. (Signed) FRANCIS BAILY. A RTII UR. BA I LI% ISAAC L. GOLDSMIU; DAVID COHEN. Sworn by all the Deponents et the Mansion-house, London, the 2.3 d d.:y of April, 1824, before me, R. WM:LIMAN', Mayor. The letter marked A contained only a bidding for the loan, in the usual manner, at the price mentioned in the affidavit. The letter marked B was a short note, in the Spanish lan guage, stating that the above.nientioned bidding was not accepted. PLRLIAMIaITARY PROCEEDINCii. MOtall UT COMMON!. Jovis, 13° die Maii, 18'24. Roans.—Langoort--retition of Owners of Estates in Weston Zoyland, tliddlezoy, and Othery, against, referred to the Committee ou the Bill. Burrow Bridge—Petition front Othery, against, referred to the Committee on the Bill. Commercial—Petition of Trustees of Poplar Paving, against, . referred to the Committee on the Bill. Finchley—Petition of Highgate Archway Company, against, to lig on the tabk- Glasgow and Portpatrick—Petition of l'rovost, &c. Glasgow, referred to the Committee on the Bill. Great Torrington, and Glasgow Street—Bills read a 1d time, and passed.—Chel tenham—Bill reported, to be ingrossed. GAS T—llereford P.trisrc—Gray's Inn Lane Bills read a third time, LAW STAMPS REPEAL PASSAGE VESSZLS REGULATION and pass.A. COAL TlZ•DlC—Newcastle Doc —Sou th London—Petition ot ? Colnin iss ion ers for Paving the East Division of Southwark, against, referred to the Com mittee on the Bill. Cost raw r—Australian, and Plicenix Gas Light--Bills report ed, to be ingrossed. London and Westminster Oil Gas— Petition of Inhabitants of .Modbury, in farour, to lie on the table. CANAL—Glamorganshire—Petition of the Marquis of Bute, against, referred to the Committee on the Bill. Lancaster-- Bill reported, Report to lie ou the table. LOCAL Talcsnow—Dublin—Petition from St. George's Pa rish, against, referred to the Committee on the Bill. T v2r); T L—Thanies—Petitiom of Trinity Wherrymen, against, referred to the Committee on the Bill. EQVITABLE LOAN SOCIETY-1)uMI:11 SMALL Dials—Dublin FOUR PER CEI. , (TII REPAY/1101T I_ Bills read a 2d time, SAYING BANKS and committed. HULL DOCK LANDS CONSOLIDATiD FUSD Gnowlso Coors (Ireland) WATERWORKS.—Cheltenham— Petition of Non. C. Fitsr9ll against, referred to the Committee on the Bill. INGLosomEs —West Drayton (Middlesex), and Sturmiuster (Dorset) Bills reported, to be ingrossed. AssEssEp TAXEs—Petition from Oxford, for the repeal thereof; to lia on the table. NIDZI AND SKINS BlLL—Petitions from Butchers of Brad ford, in favour; and of Tanners, &c. of Ashton-under- Line, Faversham, New Sarum, and Wakefield, against, re ferred to the Committee on the Bill. BEER DuTtEs BlLL—Eight Petitions from Brewers, to lie on the table. WAREHOUSED WHEAT BlLL—Three Petitions, against, ro lie on the table. SwrzaAxus.Ttax FUND—Three Petitions from Clerks is Public Offices. to Do on this table, LINEN - BouNxxxs—Petition from Tullycorbitt, for c ad." nuance of, to lie on the table. COMBINATION OF WOILEMEN LAWS—Petition from Man chaster, against, referred to the Select Co mm it tee on Ar tisans and Machinery ; aid from Witney and lloghtlale, to lie on the table. DISTILLERY LAWS—Petition from R. B. Allardyce, Esq.for a free intercourse in h o m e - ma d e S p i r i ts t h roug h out the United Xingdom, to lie on the table. MESSAGE FROM TILE LORDS—That they bays agreed to Faversham Hoed Bill, and Ashford Paving Bill, without amendment. TITRY PIKE TAU ST s—Address for "Copies of the several Ac counts transmitted to the Clerks of the Peace of the different Counties of England and Wales, from the Clerks of the Trustees of the several Turnpike Trusts in each County, aa cording to the previsions of 3 Geo. IV. c. 126, s. 78, stating: the time at which such Accounts respectively were received by such Clerks of the Peace, and the names of the T r usts (if any) which have neglected to transmit the same." EAST INDIA COMPANY'S AGREEMENT —Bill " for enabling the Commissioners. acting in execution of an Agreement made between the East India Company and the private Cre ditors of his late Highness Ameer Sing, formerly Ita)ab of Tanjore deceased, the better to carry the same into effect,-- read a 'Tanjore, time. ASSESSED TAXES COMPOSITION-13i11 read a first time, to be read a second time this day. ORDERS OF THE DAY FOR THIS DAY. 1. Bankrupt Laws Amendment Bill—Further consideration of Report. 2. County Gaols Bill—Further consideration of Report. 3. Pauper Lunatics Bill—Committee. 4. Assize of Bread Bill—Committee. 5. Slave Trade Laws Consolidation Bill—Third Reading. 6. Wool Importation and Exportation Bill—Committee. 7. Game Laws Amendment Ml—Further consideration of Report. 1 Law Merchant Amendment Bill—Second Reading. 9. Newfoundland Fisheries Bill—Second Reading. 10. Fisheries Bill—Committee. 11. Beer Duties Bill—Further Consideration of Report. 12. Tithe Composition (Ireland) Bill—Further consideration of Report. 13. Clergy Residence (Ireland) Bill—Further consideratioa et • Report. 14. Customs (Coals and Linens) Bill—Report. Is. Roman Catholic Marriages Bill—Second Reading. 16. Exchequer Court Fees Investment Bill—Second Reading. 17. Juries (Scotland) Bill—Further consideration of Iteport. 18. County Courts Bill—Report. 19. Warehoused Wheat Bill—Second Reading 20. Plymouth Victualling Office Bill—Third Reading. 21. County Courts Bill (Compensation to Town Clerk of Cam bridge)—Report thereupon. 22.. Leather, &c. Duties (Irelands—Report thereupon. 23. Four per Cents. Repayment Bill—Committee. 24. Saving Banks Bill—Second Reading. 25. Hull Dock Lands Bill—Committee. 26. Consolidated Fund Bill—Committee. 27. Growing Crops (Ireland) Bill—Committee. 28. Customs and Excise Acts—Committee thereupon. 29. Assessed Taxes Bill—Second Reading. NOTICES OF MOTIONS FOR THIS DAY. 1. Dr. Lushington—To offer Clause on Third Rending of Sliac Trade Laws Consolidation Bill, to make the trading ill Slaves Piracy. 2. Mr. Scarlett—Bill to extend the Jurisdiction of the County Courts of County Palatine of Lancaster, and to improve the same. 3. Mr. 'Wilmot Iforton—Bill to grant certain powers and au diorities to a Company, for the purpose of cultivating lands in New South Wales. NOTICES GIVEN YESTERDAY. Tuesday, May M. 1. Mr. Secretary Peel—Bill to consolidate and simplify the Laws for the Transportation of Offenders. 2. Mr. Secretary Peel—To continue Act for appointing Com missioners to inquire concerning Charities (in England) for the Education of the Poor. Thursday, 3fay2o. Mr. Martin (of Galway)—Bill to amend Act 26 Geo. 3, for regulating houses and other places kept for the purpose of slaughtering horses. 10... tile; ~_ po t 011 i ritti 14 4: Am The tai r , 1141 day iftiF an sin, Ch Q:!{ ee l Rol