The Sun. — London, England, 1824-03-27 00:00:00

P ARM NME NT, HOUSE OF LORDS, MARC'S eG. NEW BILLS. Ca rain BASTARD and others brought from the Commons the Shk Duties Bill, the Postage Bill, and the Male Convicts which were'read a first time, The Penaltis Recovery Rill was read a third time and -tagged• The Marriage Act Amendment Bill, which had been re /deed to a Select Committee, was reported, the Amendments n.gr2ed to, and the Bill ordered to be engrossed. 111 r. VILLIERS presented the Annual Report of the Corn- Taintli . oneril of the Holyhead Road and Ilarbour.—Laid on the SLAVE TRADE. Mr. Secretary Cmsartlza, and a great number of Members, "bvought the Slave Trade Piracy Bill from the Commons. On the motion of Earl BATHURST, tha Bill was read a ant time.—Adjourned till Monday. HOUSE OF COMMONS. • MISCELLANEOUS. Mr. BYNG presented a petition from the Inhabitants of the Pdrishaf St. Katherine's against the proposed Suspension Bridge.—Ordered to lie on the table. Petitions were presented from Thomas Brown and other catermen, praying to be heard against the said Bill.—Ordered 21 lie on the table. A Petition was presented from Northumberland, praying i'at the repeal of the L)uty on Wool.—Ordered to lie on the A Petition was presented from certain individuals, against the Bill regulating th e D u ty on Hid es an d Skins.—Oldered to lic on the table. Nr. DAVENPORT presented a Petition from the Congre gation of Dissenters of West. Chapel, at Dallen, in Niirthum nerland, against the continuance of Negro Slavery.—Ordered to lie on the table. Ir. VII ITBRE.I D presented a Petition from the Licensed Victuallers of the parish of St. George. in the County of Mid dlesex, praying the repeal of the Excise License Duty.—Or dered to lie on the table. Mr. £I.7ItIVEN presented a petition from the parish of •Chrixtchurch,. in Northumberland, • against Negro filavery.— Ordered to lie on the table. Mr. SYKES presented a petition from the inhabitants of the town of Crome, in Lincolnshire, against the continuance of Negro Slavery.—Ordered to lie on the table. Mr. CRT PPS presented a petition on the same subjecefrorn Lanark.—Ordered to lie on the table. HOW - 1017SE presented a petition from the Licensed ':Victunilers in the united parishes. of St. Marntret and St. _John, Westminster, praying the repeal of the excise Licence Duties. To these. petitioners a sort of pledge had been given in the peat /815, ivhieh.led them to expect they would cease after 1819. He therefore considered their case entitled to par- Iteular attention. The petition was - ordered to he printed. The Honourable Gentleman then presented a similar pe tition from the Outer Liberty of IVestrninster.—Ordered to be printed. HOUSE AND WINDOW DUTIES. Mr. HOBHOUSE presented a petition from certain inhahi tants of the Parish of St. Paul's, Covent Garden, praying the repeal of the House and Window Duties. He saw in this pe, tition a proof of that claim, which, on bringing forward his late motion, he had stated to exist, in consequence of no re duction of the direct taxes having been.proposed by Ministers. He doubted not petitions'. On this subject would soon be for warded from all parts of the country. These petitioners had the same idea of the bad _effects- of the Sinking Fund that he had, and they also complained of the misgovernment of Ireland. They conceived it unfair,. in point of principle, that 4,000,0001. should annually be drawn from this country on account of Ireland, and this they contended was not done to relieve the poorer classes, or to support the moral dignity of the people (he was afraid what followed would.not he pleasant to some of the Hon. Gentlemen. near him), but to.satisty the claims of an idle and a dissipated Gentry.. He was of opinion with these petitioners that many of the Gentry lived on what ought to go to the relief of the people. He hoped the grounds for this charge would be inquired into. • The petition was ordered to be printed. • Sir G. ROBINSON presented a petition from the Mayor, Aldermen, Magistrates, and Inhabitants of the town of North ampton, against Negro Slavery,, calling on the House to carry into effect the .Resolutions come to in the last Session of Parlia ment.—Ordered to lie on the table. Mr. STANLEY presented a petition on the same subject, in doing which he corrected a misrepresentation which had gone forth on a subject of a fernier petition by him Presented. That • petition was stated to.have been against the Combination Laws; .but, instead of being so, it was against altering the present laws relating to. the-Exportation of Alachinery.—Ordered to lie on the table. Sir W. WILKINS presenteda petition in favour of the dis continuance of Negro Slavery:—Ordered to he on the table. Mr. Bit'NG presented petitions from the Lieenscd Victual lerA of the parish of Si. Giles's in the Fields ; St. Andrew, Hol born ; St. George the 31kutyr ; and St Ann, Limehouse, pray ing the repeal of the Excise License Plity.—Ordered to lie on thi. table- _ _ •IJr. P.MOORE presented petitions from Coventry, Stock p3rt, Manchester, Nottingham, and other places, against the Combination Laws.—Ordered to be referred to the Committee on the Laws respecting Artisans. The Hon. Gentleman cave notice,. that on Wednesd a y next h e wou ld move f or l eav e to bring in a Bill on the subject of the Combination Laws. Mr. CURTIES presented a petition from the Licensed Vic tualle.rs of Brighton, praying the repeal of the Excise License Duty.—Ordered to lie on the table. gir J. MACK' NTOSH presented a petition from William hl`Cormack, of the County of Essex, in the district of Upper Canada, praying the House to take the Tobacco Duties into their consideration.—Ordered to lie on the table. Sir. Alderman WOOD presented petitions from the Water men of St. Katherine's and of St. Botolph's against the pro posed new Docks ; from certain Iron Founders against the Combination Laws; and from certain Inhabitants of the Ward of Bridge, praying the repeal of the Window Tax. The Peti tions were severally ordered to lie on the table. Colonel DAVIES presented a petition from certain Boot and Shoemakers of Worcester, against the Combination Laws. Referred to the Committee on the Laws relating to Artisans. MUNDAY presented a petition from the Inhabitants of Duffield, in Derbyshire, against Negro Slayery.—Ordered to lie on the table. _ Lord BELGItAVE preSented a petition from the Tanners and Curriers of the City of Chester, against the Bides and Skins Duty Bill.—Ordered to lie on the table. The Noble Lord also presented a petition from the inhabi tants of Chester, praying that the Duty on Beer may be trans.. fernd to Malt; and one from the Licensed Victuallers of Ches ter, p ra yi ng the repeal of the. Excise LicenSe Duties.—Ordered to lie on the table. • Lord MILTON presented a petition from Dornbury Castle, in the North Riding of- the County of York, against Negro slavery —one from. Wakefield, praying that more effectual means may be taken to protect animals from wanton cruelty,_ and to abolish dog fighting and bear baiting—one from the Me chanics of Bradford against the Combination Laws--and- one rcrinerously signed from the Inhabitants of Doncasterond its neighbourhood, praying the Repeal of the Window Tax.—The petitions were ordered to be printed. Sir T. D. ACLAND presented a petition from Devonport, in the county of Devon, against Negro Slavery ; one from the parish of Tiverton, in the county of Devon on the same sub ject ; and one signed by more than 2,309 Merchants and Ma nufacturers connected - with the woollen trade, praying that English long wool.; may not be'exported,, as were this permit tl.; other nations woirld'be . able to rival us in certain branches of commerce, which at present .they had not the means of do ing—The petitions were ordered to be printed. Air. CUR WEN 'presented - a petition froth certain Farmers in Westmorland, praying the repeal. of the Duty on Sheep Dogs.—Ordered to lie on the to hi 'WOOLEN TRADE. Mr. S. 'WORTLEY _prented a petition froni certain irli. viduals connected with the woollen trade at Hallifax, in the county of York. The Hon. Gentleman took occasion to-say, it would afford him great satisfaction if Ministera reconsidered the resolution to which they bad conic on this subject, and especially if they ranis° far as to continue the prohibition of the exportation of long wool. Lord MILTON believed the alarm which be knew to have prevailed on this subject to be wholly unfounded. Favoured as our manufacturers were by various circumstances above all others, he thought•they need nOtlear the competition of any of hens. If, hvwever, - an adeantage could be secured to the tEn,glish manufacturer, consistently with those principle?. of free. trade which were now proclaimed, he should not object to its being given to them, though he did not think it at all ne cesaary. The alarm on , this subject was not universal in the C Amity of York. In some parts they dczlared that they had no fear of the exportation of wool, or at least of the repeal of the prohibition, for he believed and hoped that the expor tation, even when the prohibition ceased, would never take place. lihe alarm which had prevailed ha thought had been natural and justifiable, as those by whom it was felt bad been taught by the Legislature to consider those laws, which it was now proposed to repeal, reiceseary for the protection of the Bri tish commerce. Mr. Secretary CANNING thought it right to say th ere was pile Order of the Day which it would be desirable to take with. out loss of time, If the third reading of the Slave Trade Pira cy Bill were longer deferred, it would occasion a great loss of time before it could come into efficient operation. He wished to be allowed to move the third reading immediately.. The petition was ordered to lie on the table. SLAVE PIRACY BILL: 'llr. Secretary CANNING having moved the Order of the Day for the third reading of the Slave Trade Bill, stated that he had received a letter from the lion. Member : for Bramber, on whose account theAhird readiitg had been twice postponed, but was still unable to attend. The letter expressed the joy which be felt at the carrying of this measure, as he felt it to be the greatest effort to ameliorate the _ condition of the slaves which had been made since the abolition of the Slave Trade. Having stated the views and the objects of Government when he opened the subjeCt on a former night, he would not now de tain the House but to move that the Bill should now be read a -third time. Sir'.J. MACKINTOSH said, in the absence of those who might properly be expected to speak more ably on the subject than he could, he would offer a tear observations on the mea sure now before the House. The passing of it he viewed as most satisfactory, not me re ly for the good which it was likely to effect abroad, b u t f or th e encou r a g ement which it held out to those who undertook the laborious and thankless task of endeavouring to reform erroneous opinions at home. He thought it was hardly possible for a greater revolution in opi nion to take place on any subject within the life of one man than he had lived to witness on this. In the opening of his life he had been accustomed to hear the Slave Trade spoken of as a legitimate and humane branch of commerce. Now he saw it take its proper place among those crimes which were pu nished capitally. He remembered when the Slave Trade was referred - to as one of the greatest sources of our na tional wealth when gallant Admirals used to defend it as' that to which the country owed its strength—and when it was advocated by the Press, and even in the Pulpit, as a humane cffbrt on the part of the trader, to snatch the Negro from his African wilds, to transport him to an Ame rican Par a di se . H e remem bered one gallant Captain, who so much envied the N egr o e s of their happ in e ss t hat he wished he himself had been born one of them, that he might en j oy t h e privilege and b ene fit o f becoming a slave. Then th e accom. plishment of the termination of the Slave Trade Was regarded as a measure whi c h c ould only be aim ed at - by a band of poli ticaland a s et of religious fanatics. A s m a ll b o dy incendiari es , of virtuous men had, by _perseverance, procured th e a b o liti on of that detested traffic. But after all, the crime of man-steal ing Was not placed among those flagitious alfences with which it ought to have been associated. He must remind the House that it was hiS Hon. Friend, the Member for Wincbelsea, who had first placed it on its present footing. The diversified talent which enabled that Learned Gentleman to grapple with so many suhiects, and that unwearied activity which enabled him to find leisure for every pursuit, had enabled him on many-oc casions greatly to distinguish himself, but nothing that he had' accomplished did him more honour than the exertions which he had made on this subject, which he considered to he per :vted by the Bill now before the House. Nothing could augur better for the cause than the circumstance of the two English nations on both sides of the Atlantic having taken the lead as they had done in this husiness. Their example, he trusted, would shame o th er nat i ons into giving up that traffic to which they had hi t h erto so obstinately adhered. If England had been the first to abolish the trade, America had been the first to declare it piracy, and he rejoiced that neither could claim the whole honour of effieting so much for the destruction of the Slave Trade. The North American natives, inheriting on the sea the skill and courage of their parents, were jealous of their Maritime character; but even in this respect they had something of their pride in the cause of humanity. lie was informed of what he did not know before, that the other House was waiting to receive the Bill, he would therefore say no more. The ATTORNEY-GENER AI. moved an additional clause ' providing that the Bill should not be altered, amended, or repealed in the course of the present Session, which was agreed to. The Bill was then read a third time and passed. COMPENSATION TO OFFICERS OF COURTS OF JUSTICE. The ATTORNEY GENERAL moved that the House should resolve itself into a Committee, to consider of the com pensation proper to be granted to certain Officers in the Courts of Justice, whose situations or emoluments would be taken ' away by the County Courts Bill. The House having resolved itself into the Committee, The ATTORNEY-GENERAL called the attention of the House to the claims of the parties entitled to compensation. The Bill introduced -.by the Noble Lord promised to confer great benefits on - the country, but these ought not to be realized at the expense of individuals. Now, whether it might be considered proper or not, it was a fact that the Citief_Jr.stiee of the Court of King's Bench profited by the sale c . d the 9!" flees to which he should call their attention. He believed this to have been - aken into considerat ion at different periods when the salaries of the other Judges were increased, and held it to be the cause of the salary of the Chief Justice remaining the same ate it had always been. The Clerk of the Court of King's Bench was a very important Officer, anti the emoluments of the situation amounted, he believed, t 07,0001. per annum. Shortly after the late Lord Chief Justice of the King's Bench was pro moted to that situation the Clerk of the Court died. The ap pointment was with him. He was offered 80,000/. for the situa tion, but did - not accept it. The appointment he bestowed on his son, and this, be believed, was nearly the whole of his patrimony. He put it to the House if it would not be unjust to pass a Bill which would deprive that individual of those; benefits which his father had legally and properly intended to secure to him. There were three Prothouotaries of the Court. These officers were coeval with the existence of the Court itself. Their situations had always been sold by the Chief Justice, and the price, he believed, to be 10,0001. It was their business to find clerks and officers, who regularly and person ally attended the Court. Now though on the first view it might appear injurious that offices of this description should be sold, he could state, from his own experience, that no offices could have their duties discharged with more fidelity, punctuality, and diligence. For the officers he had mentioned he claimed compensation, as also for the Secondaries of the Court, who were appointed by the Prothonotories. For the Master of the King's Side in the Court of Exchequer, and for the two senior •Attornies, he claimed compensation. From one of these he had received a letter, which, if he could regu larly read it to the House, would, he was persuaded, induce every one to agree to the claims. The writer was far advanced in years, audit' the Bill - of the Noble Lord passed, it would nearly extinguish the whole of his emoluments. For the Pro thonotorics of the Courts of Assize in Wales he claimed corn ilensation. He claimed for those who had purchased their offices—who had a vested right and interest in them—who were assessed to the land tax, and who had to maintain extensive establishments connected with the Courts. He claimed on the ground, that the Bill of the Noble Lord, taking away from the practice of the Courts of King's Bench and Cemnion Pleas, would diminish the emoluments of officers who had purchased their situations with a view to the fees which would arise from the whole business of those Courts. From the best information he could obtain, one individual would lose one thousand five hundred pounds by the passing of this Bill. The country, as it would profit by the measure, was bound, pro tanto, to compensate those who suffered by the change. This he shewed to be perfectly conformable to the recommendation of the Yinance Committee of 1798, which partly founded itself on a former report m a d e i n th e ( y ear 1740, which had been signed by Lord Hardwick among otners. All property depended upon law, freehold property as well as any other. The question now then was what had been the usual course. The principle for whi c h he contended had been recognized from the time of King William. At that pe riod writs of Capias piofide were discontinued, but the fee was still paid though the writ never issued. In 1803, when an al teration was made. in the. practice of the Exchequer Court of Ireland, the officers who suffered by the change were indem nified. The words of the preamble then read, might serve for the present occasion. They were •these—" Whereas, by the operation of an Act of Parliament The lawful fees and emo luments of the officers on the law side of the King's Exchequer may be diminished, and whereas justice and reason, in conside ration of such diminution, require that full compensation shall be made to the said officers in the said Court ; therefore be it enacted, &c. &c. that compensation be granted, &c." He would ask if this were not perfectly . consonant with the prin ciple for which he now contended. When the Southwark Court of Requests, in which debts amounting to 2/., had - for- - merly been recovered, was enabled to take cognizance of debts amounting to 5/., the four Counsel of the Palace-yard received 501. as compensation for the diminution of their prac tice and emoluments. In the same way, when the granting of Crown leases was transferred to the Board of Works, com pensation had been made to the Officer (Lord W. Bentinck) who suffered front the change. The Honourable Gentleman recapitulated the arguments and facts which he had urged.— He understood that the writ of subpoena in the Court of Ex chequer would be entirely. superseded by the Bill, so as to re duce the income of one gentleman from seven or eight hundred a year to two hundred, and he was seventy-five years of age.— He thought that where such injury was done, the House was bound to grant. compensation. He should therefore move a Resolution, which he thought could not but receive the support of the Noble Lord. The Hon. and Learned Gentleman moved a Resolution, declaring the opinion of the Committee, that his Majesty should be entitled to grant an annual sum out of the Consolidated Fund, by way of compensation, for any defi ciency of lawful fees and emoluments that may arise out of the Act, to various_Officere of the Court of Exchequer, King's Bench, and Common Pleas. ,Lord'ALTHORP said, lie had heard nothing in the speech of the lion. and Learned Gentleman which convinced him that compensation was required in the present case. He did not admit the application of the precedents which had been quoted, and he coiltl not consent to bring an expence upon the public, and to set such a precedent as would be hereafter built upon the case. Notwithstanding that it might endanger the fate of the Bill, he should oppose the resolutions of the Hon. and Learned Gentleman ; he should therefore move an amendment expressing his sentiments, but should not himself divide the Committeeupon it. The Noble Lord then moved an amendment, expressing the opinion of the House, that there was no precedent in which compensation has been granted to Officers in Westmin .ster Hall, upon the establishment of a. Court for the recovery of Small Debts ; and that to establish such a precedent was in expedient, because it would impose upon the House the neces sity of laying fresh burthens upon the people whenever any improvements were made in the administration of justice. Mr. 31. A. TAYLOR said that he was anxious for the re form which the Bill would unquestionably introduce in the administration of justice, but that lie conld not think of invad ing the freehold fights of persons, holding patent offices with out granting compensation. In doing justice to the public, he would not consent to do an injustice to individuals.—( Hear !) —lie would limit the granting of compensation to offices which were strictly freehold. There was an office in the Court of Durham which was also entitled to relief, because the Bill would entirely destroy the business which created its emolu= ments. It was his intention to move an amendment to include that office. Mr. LITTLETON suPPorted the original resolution, and argued that the principle of granting compensation to the holders of such offices could neve r be Justly disallowed. The House should recollect that the l a t e Lord Chief Justice of the Court of Kin g ' s Bench placed so st rong a re li ance on th e assur ance of Commi s sions and Committ ees , th at suc h p a t ent o ffi ces should be held sacred, a s to leave scarcely any other property to his son for the support of those honours and distinctions which he had so j us tly acquired. should be adopted by the House, whi c h t oo k awa y the fees of If any measure, therefore the Chief Clerk, let them look at th e s i tua ti on i n w hi c h Lord Ellenborough would be placed, He objected to the s ystem which allowed patent offices as gladly see any Hon. Member bring f orwar d a m easure for their abolition. much as any man, and would Mr. FOSTER contended; that the compensation granted to persons who had vested interest in the Offices in the Courts of Law in Ireland, found a precedent, after which it was impos sible to refuse it in the 'present case. Sir G. ROSE spoke in favour of the principle of compensa tion, and mentioned the case of an office which a high legal opinion had declared to be a pateat one, where the profits would be reduced one-fourth by the operation of this Bill. The House could not in justice consent to such an interference with such a description of property. Mr. R. SMITH thought this was an instance in which it was still more imperative upon the House to grant compensa tion than where an office was abolished altogether. In the lat ter case, the individuals might turn their talents and their in dustry to other pursuits; but here they would be stuck in their offices while their emoluments were taken away. Mr. BA N KES said, that the Hon. Member for Staffordshire did not seem to be aware of the difficulty of removing the System which existed with regard to such offices as these. At . different times in his life he had endeavoured to introduce mea sures upon the su bj ect , b u t never could succeed, owing to the opposition which he encountered from the heads of the diffe rent Courts. He thought they should be premature in voting compensation until they knew what losses might arise to the parties in consequence of the Bill. He therefore thought it would be better to reserve the question of compensation until the Act began to operate, and then an application could be made to Parliament to identify the parties for the actual loss sustained.—(Hear, hear I) The SOLICITOR-GENERAL admitted the force of the last observation of the Right Hon. Gentleman who had just then sat down. But he considered that they were now rather discussing the question of whether compensation should be granted, than that of the extent to which it should be carried. —He agreed with the Noble Lord, that they ought not to be stopped in any necessary reform by considerations of this na ture. That House should be the asylum of Reform where abuse existed, but it should also be a sanctuary for the pro tectio:s of property. The whole of the offices named as entitled to compensation were held by patent, and ought to be held as sacred as any other description of property. He should sup port the resolution of his Hon. and Learned Friend, but did not consider that it bound him in any respect as to the amount or extent of compensation to be hereafter granted. Mr. ABERCROMBV supported the amendment, and con tended, that if the principle of compensation were admitted in the case of these officers, it could not in justice be denied to toseb7=e;;;ra=2ft7zomnnewastrirwe.oullilesutilh'eoruginhtthtehire prac tice the observation of the Hon. Member prin ciple at all times objectionable, but as to granting compensa tion perfectly unanswerable. forc a o t r the present nwtatsiiirine, his opinion g Mr. S YKES said, he th oug h t the measure one likely to pro duce the neatest advantages to the coun t ry ; yet , that if it were to be clogged with this- expence of compensation, he doubted whether it was expedient to pass it. The Hon. and Learned Gentleman had estimated the amount at 5,0001 a year; but it was quite evident that they knew not where it would stop, for his lion. Friend, the Member for Durham had started up with another claim from an officer in a local juris diction,, which the Bon. and Learned Gentleman had not taken into his account. N" it was well known that these local and special jurisdictions abounded in many parts of the country, and therefore such claims would have no limit. net consider himself pledged, in voting for the n the SMlTH Resolution, aid to any thing further than granting com pensation where there Was a Just and satisfactory claim made out. The ATTORNEVs ( "LNERA I. wished to explain his in tention upon this point- This was a resolution upon which he intended to frame a clauseto be proposed in a Committee on the Bill, and without which no such clause could be proposed. He pledged himself to frame such a clause as should meet the for certain speculative l osses, but for computing the annual in come approbation arising o tof the pa Committee—not r tin for giving a sum of money officers, and for allowing compensa tion to that amount. Mr. - HUME wished to know whether the compensation was to be extended to person s haying purchased the profits arising from certain offices. If the did not allow such claims, he considered that they were claims at all. _ not doing equal justice to admit any Lord MILTON said that the course proposed to be adopted looked like a bargain between the House and the holders of certain offices, to allow the passing of a measure which was for the advantage of the public. He did not think this a fit course to take. It was quite clear that if allowedt f i o l r ey th impediments to stop them, they could never proceed to any reform of this nature without encountering them la every step. For the" reasons he should support the Amend e nus e s such ICommons Amend ment of his Noble Friend. pensations were to extend --- Icir.ABERCROM BY Wished to ask how long these corn , because if they were not to .be continued beyond the lives of- the present holders, then the Chief Justice would suffer a correspondent loss in the sale or patronages of the offices. The ATTi)RNEY-GEN'ERAL stated his intention to pro pose compensation during the lives of persons holding ;the offices, and after that, that no compensation should be allowed. It had been stated on the other side that further claims might be urged, and that justice demanded a consideration of them all.— He had considered them all, and having taken tha most urgent cases where direct loss would arise, he had come to the House on their behalf to pray for compensation. After a few words from . Sir J. 'ThEvrrowr, a MEKBEn, whose name we could not learn; and Sir F. OMMANNEY, the amendment was put, and negatived without a division. Upon the original Resolution being put, Mr. M. A. TAYLOR moved an amendment for including the office of the ." County Clerk of the County Palatine of the County of Durham." - Several ineffectual attempts, on the part of the Hon. Member to make the Chairman understand the proper recurrence of the word " county" occasioned great laughter in the House. Mr. SYKES observed that the name of the Gentleman hold.. in - the office was Paris—perhaps it was the " County" Paris. A laugh.) ord ALTHORP said, that if there were any claim to com pensation, this Gentleman was certainly entitled to it, as the Bill would certainly destroy the fees of his office. The Amendment was then put and carried. - Sir F. OMMANNEY moved a further amendment, for in cluding the office of Receiver or . Treasurer of his Majesty's Court of King's Bench. The ATTORNEYLGENERAL said the only objection he could have to the amendment was, that he did not know there was such an office in e x i s t ence . Perhaps the Hon. Member could acquaint them with its - duties, and the name of the Gen tleman holding it. - ' Sir F. OAINIANEY said he might have made a - mistake in the office, but the name of the Gentleman was Edge. He was convinced the Attorney-Gener a l knew whom he meant. After a few words from Mr. N. Calvert, Sir F. Omtnaney, .Sir F. Blake, and Mr. F. Palmer, the motion of Sir F. Omma ney was negatived without a division, and the original Resolu tion was agreed to. The House then resumed, and the Report was ordered to be received on Monday. SMALL, DEBTS BILL. . . On the motion of Lord ALTIIORP the House resolved into a Committee on the County Courts Bill. The house being in a Committee, _ Lord A I;THORP said that, on consideration, he thought that the appointment of Barristers to act under this Bill should he in the Crown, and not the Lord Lieutenant of the County; and he moved an amendment of the necessary clause ac cordingly. M. SYKES thought the appointment ought to be in the Judges of Assize or the Sheriff. Mr. Secretary PEEL, on the other hand, thought the ap pointment should be placed in a responsible quarter. He thought the whole country might be divided into Circuits, and the appOintment being thus on a more limited scale, would be more likely to ensure persons of sufficient ability to perform the duties Lord ALTHORP said, he thought it might bemore advise able to have an appointment .for each county, as originally pro posed. After a few words from the Attorney-General, Mr. R. Smith, Mr. Secretayy Peel, Mr. a Bennet, Lord Eastnor, and Mr. Sykes, 111 r. FIOBHOUSE said, that, however he might object to the giving additional patronage to the Crown, he still thought it better to suppact the present Bill. As to any danger of the patronage affecting the independence of the Bar, he was sorry to say that he did not think that independence could be placed in any danger. But he would rather give the patronage to the Lord Lieutenant than to the Crown in the first instance. Mr. BERNAL objected to the appointment of any persons but practising Barristers. Mr. Secretary PEEL suggested that the matter should stand over for further consideration. Lord ALTHORP assented to this, and the clause was post. poned. On the next clause, respecting the business at the Quarter _ _ _ --- 14i.hSTCOURT objected to-the loading of the Magistrates at Sessions with any additional business. After a few words from Mr. WYNN, Mr. R. Surer', Mr. CRIFPS, MT. WILSON, MT. WELLS, Lord ALTHORP, and Mr. Secretary PEEL, the clause was agreed to. On the Clause giving power to the Courts to hold Pleas of Trover and Detinue The ATTORNEY-GENERAL, objected to this Clause, as these actions often included very important questions. Mr. R. SMITH supported the clause. Mr. HOBHOUSE complained that the laying of the venues in distant counties where the defendants resided, would mate rially inconvenience the citizens of Westminstex.—He should move an amendment in the clause to remedy this. After a few words from Mr. LOCKHART and other Members, the clause was agred to. On the suggestion of the ATTORNEY-GENERAL, the Chair man reported progress, and obtained leave to sit again on Monday. The second reading of the Aliens' Bill was postponed to Tuesday. CUSTOMS ACTS. The House went into a Committee on the Customs Acts. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said his ob ject was to make a new proposition with respect to the repeal of the duties on imported wool. All wool imported was sub ject to a duty of 6d. in the pound. It was intended some time ago to repeal the whole of that duty on the sth of July;' he should, however, adopt another proposition which had been submitted to the House, namely, that for reducing the duty gradually. It was therefore proposed, that on the 10th of Sep tember the duty should be reduced three-pence, and on the 10th of December two-pence, leaving only a duty of one penny upon foreign wool. The exported long wool of British growth would be charged with a duty of two-pence per pound, and be further subject to an ad valorem duty on the raw material of 16 per cent. The Right Hon. Gentleman accordingly moved a resolution embracing his proposition. Mr. CALCRAFT said - he understood the resolution which the Right Hon. Gentleman had moved, would be the founda tion of a Bill, and he therefore reserved what he had to say until the proper time for discussion. Mr. BRIGHT considered any debate on the subject at that late hour improper. Many Members who took interest in the wool question had left the House. If, however, any debate was to ensue, his hope was, that the question might be consi dered on the broad principle which had been recognized with respect to the silk trade. 3lr. WESTERN thought some measure of restriction ought to be imposed on the importation of foreign wool. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER was desirous to recommend the course stated, because he did not wish to fetter th e t ra d e w i t h res t r i c tions. If it should b e f oun d t h at t h e duty of 2d. on l ong wool for exportation amounted to a prohi bition, it would certa i n ly be necessary to apply to th e H ouse to take it off. H e originally pro posed one penny, b ut h e expressed a hope that the Committee would see there was no ground for complaint of his chang e of opinion. Mr. 3. WO.RTLEIr protested against any temporary mea sure. All the Petitions laid on their table called for protection, and if that were afforded, their constituents would be ready to compete with the world. 'He wished a longer time had been allowed before the duties were taken off. After some further conversation between Mr. Ctipps, Mr. Resolution was agreed to. _, W. Smith, Mr. Calcraft, .111 r. Western, and Mr. Wortley, the The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER then moved to correct an error in the Act of last year respecting the amount of duty on bar-iron imported to Ireland. Instead of one penny per ton, it should have been 1/. The correction was accordingly made. Other resolutions altering the Customs' Acts were then moved and agreed to. Sir N. W. RIDLEY took the opportunity of asking what measure was to be adopted with respect to the Coal Duties. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said, the question stood undecided. A resolution respecting Coals had been agreed to, which would be introduced in the Bill for altera tion of Customs' Duties. He was not prepared to say more on the subject on that occasion. The House then resumed, and the report was ordered to be received on Monday. The other Orders of the Day were then disposed of, and the House adjourned at Oxz o'CLocic to Monday. lIAILETBURY COLLEGE. The question respecting the propriety of re quiring that young men destined for employment in our Asiatic Settlements should pass through two years at this College, will soon be decided by competent authority, and therefore it would not become us to add to what we have already said upon the subject. Mr. DOUGLAS KINNAIRD is an advocate for the negative, chiefly lest the Students, by infringing on the rules of the Col lege, should expose themselves to the disgrace and ruin of preclusion from the service.—lt may, however, be asked whether young men are so likely to acquire regular moral ha bits without the pale of the College, as in a place where the restraints are calculated for the formation of a character peculiarly fitted for the intended destination ? But we shall at present content ourselves with the insertion of Mr. KIN NARD's Circular on the subject, not doubting that the result of the future discussion will be satisfactory to the public. TO THE PROPRIETORS OF EAST INDIA STOCK. Pall Mall East, 2, March 2.5 th 1824. LADIES AND GENTLEMEN—IIiiving been instrumental in procuring for you an opportunity of expressing your opinion upon the important question to be submitted to the ballot on the 31st instant, I take leave to remind you of the claim it has upon your attention and upon your attendance that day. It will be for you then to declare, whether you are of opi nion that Great Britain afferds not the means of giving such an accomplished European education, together with a competent knowledge of Eastern Languages, as shall enable a young man, under 19 years, to pass whatever examination may be esta blished, without compelling him to pass the two last years of his life at the Hayleybury College. It will be for you to give your opinion, whether such an education will not be far more likely to be attained at that very Institution, after it shall have been freed from the con staritly-impending risk of ruin for life being the consequence of boyish 'indiscretion. It is for you to decide, whether you wish to see the present College converted from an instrument of terror and alarm, into an object of confidence and affectionate regard—to make it, what it was alone meant to be, a facility instead of an impedi ment, in the way of procuring for your service, Candidates with the highest possible mental and moral qualifintions. You are asked, by supporting the Proposition, to give en couragement to Education wherever it le to be found, and more esp2ciall9 to this College and its Professors, by securing for it and for them the benefit of free Competition, and an Appeal to a Comparison with Education attained elsewhere, the only security for its well-being and improvement, and the only just Appeal for a decision on its Merits and its Claims to Public Approval. I have the honour to be, Ladies and Gentlemen, Your very obedient servant, (Signed) DOUGLAS KINNAIRD. PARLIAMENTARY PROCEEDINGS. ROCSIL OF COMMONS. Veneris, 26° die Martii, 1824. ROADS—lPuemantle Hall, Greenwich, Blandford and Poole,. Durham and Tyne Bridge (Petition for additional provision referred to a Committee), Camden Town Petition of Trus tees of Kentish Town Road, against, to lie on the table), Comniercir.l, Harwell, Halifax and Sheffield, Trent Bridge, and Littleboreugh—Bill read a second time, and committed. Sandon ami_Bullock Smithy, and Span Smithy and Talk — Bills read a third time, and passed. City—Petition of the Trustees of the New North Road, against, to lie on the table. Redbrook and St. Arvan's—Billreported, to be ingrossed. nitiwAYs—Wedmore } Bills read a third PLYMOUTTS EMBANKMENT time, and passed . SLAVE TnADE P-- .'TRACY (Clause added) _ IM PROVEMENT — PIymouth—Bill read a third time, an d passed. Evesham—Bill read a second time, and committed. COMPANY—OiI Gas—Petition for leave to present a Petition for Bill reported,. Report to lie on the table. INCLOSUR ES.--Ulce.by (Lincoln), Long Crendon (Bucks), and Sut- Bills read a second time, . ton Coldfield (Warwick) KELSO Two PENN IES S COTS ' and committed. COAL TRADE_Sunderland GAS Lr G HT — Greenwich—Petition . for Bill reported, Report to lie on the t a bl e . L ee d s Oil -- Bil l read a second time, and, committed. SUSPENSION BRIDGE—St. Katherine's— Petitions from Wil ; Liam and Robert Fitzroy Bell, and Inhabitants Leaseholders of St. Katherine's, against, to lie on the table. DOCKS—St. Katherine's—Four Petitions against, to lie on the table. South London.,-Bill ordered to be brought in. NAVIGATION-M edway—Report on Petition for additional provision read, and Instruction to Gentlemen appoin:ed bring in the Bill to make provision accordingly. DRAINAGE OF BOGS (Ireland)—Petition for Bill reported , Report to lie on the table.' HIDES AND SKINS REGULATION BlLL—Petitions of Taro'. ners, &c. of Chester, and Shrewsbury, against, to lie en the table. Woos.—Petition from Northumberland, against the Lava' prohibiting the exportation of British Wool ; and from De von, Cornwall, and Somerset, against the exportation of BO' tish Wool ; to lie on the table, P un LICAN s—Petitions of Licensed Innkeepers and Victual of St. George, .Aliddlesex ; St. Margaret and St. John, West" minster •' City and Liberti es o f W estm i nster ; St. Giles-in the-Fielcls and St. George, Bl ooms b ury ; S t. Andrew, llol born, St. George the Martyr, and Liberty of the Rolls ; St. Anne, Limehouse ; Chester; and Brighthelmsteme ; for the repeal of the increased Duties on Licences; to lie on table. Woot.i.rx BAGS—Petition from Westmorland, against On' verting Foreign Rags into Cloth, to li e on t h e ta bl e . HOUSE AXD INDOW DUTlES—Petitions from Doncaster , and St. Paul, Covent-garden, for the repeal thereof, to lie on the table. WINDOW Tax—Petition from Bridge Ward, for the repeal thereof, to lie on the table. COMBINATION or lironxmr.m LAWS— Several Petitions against. TOBACCO DUTlES—Petition of Wm. M'Cormick, of Colches ter, Upper Canada. Esq., for the reduction of the Duties - 0 3 importation of Tobacco into Great Britain and Ireland ; to lie on the table. 11.1ir AXD BEER DUTlES—Petition from Chester, for an equalization of the Duties on Ale and Beer; to lie on the table. YARN--Petition of Manufacturers and Weavers in Perth, *- Wive to the Laws regarding hand-spun Yarn, to be printed- MESSAGI ntox THE Loins—That they have agreed $0 Recovery of Penalties Bill, and Hull Poor Bill, without amendment. That they have passed a Bill, intituled, " An Act for enabling the Trustees under the Will of Henry Backe Thorn hill, Esq. deceased, to sell the manor of I'leoslcy, in the County of Derby, with divers Estates within the parish en 4 manor of Pleasley, and for applying the monies to arise from the sale thereof in the purchase of other estates in the County of Derby, to be settled to the subsisting uses of the said Will." ESTATE—Thornhill's--Bills read a first time. NOTICES of MOTIONS, and ORDERS of the DAY -, which now stand in the ORDER-BOOK for the Ensuing Monday, March 29. ORDERS OF THE DAT. 1. County Gaols Bill—Further consideration of Report. 2. Burials in Ireland—Second Reading. 3. Courts of Juitice (Compensation to Officers for losses consequence of County Courts Bill)--Report thereupon* 4. County Courts Bill—Committee. 5. Customs Acts—Report thereupon. 6. Judges in Wales Bill—Further consideration of Report. • 7. Insolvent Debtors Bill—Committee. 8. Constables Act Amendment (Ireland) Bill—Committee. 9. Clergy Residence (Ireland) Bill—Further consideration of Report. 10. Tithe Composition (Ireland) Bill—Second Reading. 11. Board of Works (Ireland) Bill—Committee. 12. Rum Duties Acts—Committee thereupon. 13. Supply—Committee. 14. Ways and Means—Committee. 15. Cattle 111-treatment Bill—Report. 16. Union Duties Bill—Report. 17. Plymouth Victualling Office Bill—Second Reading. 18. Beer Duties Bill—Committee thereupon. 19. Law Stamp Duties Act—Committee thereupon. 20. Four per Cents. (Ireland) Bill—Second Reading. NOTICES OF MOTIONS. 1. Mr. Kennedy—Select Committee, to inquire into the Jeswe s relating to the Salmon Fi s h ery i n S co tl an d, an d t h e U n itee- Kingdom. 2. Mr. Bankes..—British Museum Estimates. (In Committee of Supply.) 3. Mr. Goulburn—lrish Miscellaneous Estimates. (In Coln' mittee of Supply.) 4. Mr. Lusbington—Army Extraordinaries ; Conarniesmelet Miscellaneous Services. (In Committee of Supply?. 5. Mr. Goulburn—Bill to prevent the Stealing of Records in reland. Tuesday, March 30. NOTICES OF MOTIONS. 1. 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 House. 2. Lord Vi scoun t Althorpe-13111 to abolish Settlement by Bird ing and Service. 3. Mr. Ellis (of Dublin)—To explain and amend Act 36 (ice 3, for better ascertaining the amount, and securing pal ment of Bills of Costs of Proctors in Prerogative and Ad' miralty Courts. 4. Mr. Gipps—Motion for the better employment of Agricul tural Labourers in the Winter season. 6. Mr. Thomas Courtenav—To refer Poor Rate Returns for the year ending lath March 1823 to a Select Committee. ORDERS OF THE DAY. 1. Bristol and Tauton Canal Bill—Second Reading. 2. Aliens Bill—Second Reading. 3. Usury Laws Repeal Bill—Committee. 4. Gams Laws Amendment Bill—Committee. b. Barrack Department Property Bill—Committee. Frednesdrty, lifrtrch 31. • kOTICES OF MOTIONS. 1. Mr. Maberley—Land Tax Redemption Acts. 2. Mr. Peter Moore—Bill to repeal Cornbinatidit Thursday, April 1. I. Mr. Cursven—Copy of Memorial conePrring the a l,serce of the Attorney-General from the Isle of Mann; ario, CQPY of Patent of his appointment. 2. Sir John Newport,Bill to establish a Modus fcr the Tithe of Flax grown in Ireland, in like manner as it is now established by Law in, Great Britain. 3. Mr. Kennedy—Bill to regulate the relief granted to the Poor in Scotland. _ _ Friday, Arri/ 2. ORDERS OF 'THE DAY. 1. Poor Laws Amendment Bill—Second Reading. 2. Juries (Scotland) Bill—Further consideration of liepert. 3. Qualification of Jurors Bill—Committee. NOTICE OF MOTION. • Lord Viscount Palmerston—Militia Estimatee. (In GotTi mittee of Supply.) THE 13ANK.—At the half-yearly Court of the Bank Proprietors, it will be recollected that Mr. Gur:lllY pro posed, as an amendment, that the half-year's Dividend shall ite five, instead of four per cent. as originally proposed by the Court of Directors. Upon this amendment a ballot was de manded, which took place yesterday, and at_the close the num:. hers were announced as follow : For the original Motion for a Dividend of 4 per cent. 800 For the Amendment of a Dividend of 5 per cent. - Majority for the original Motion - 170 The Dividend, of four per cent. was of course de fared to Is carried.