The Sun. — London, England, 1824-03-31 00:00:00

.a'gard to the 'Freemasons they declared that their Society was a charitable one, and •tbat the pledge for the soundness of their . ptinciples was., that his Majesty George the Fourth was their Patron, and the Duke of Sussex an eminent Officer amongst Ihem. In England they were allowed to meet, but if the same arties crossed the water to Ireland, they would at once be come an illegal assembly. Air. A BERCROMBY congratulated the House on the change of sentiments in the .Hon. Member who had just sat -dow No individual could have been more strongly admo nished than that *Hon. Member was last year, that'll he' brought forward- a. particular motion, he would I.,*reatly• increase the ; , trength cf the Orange party. He did not wish to see a body of men prosecuted for their opinions; but he did hope that his 11.!jesty's Government in Ireland would not lend their coun tenance and authority to those Oran,, ,, e Societies and Proces cions. Such countenance ought to be withdrawn as the en toorage,ne, rt of tumult and murder. Mr. MONCK said he should be scTry . to see 'the Masonic Societies suppressed in Ireland, for he looked upon them as creating a brotherly feeling amongst the members,.. acd as . Mich calculated to unite the Orangemen and Catholics of the ..inlay. The petition was then read and ordered to be printed. SLAVERY, . _ _ Petitions, praying for the gradual abolition of Slavery in the West Indian colonies, ware • presented by Sir W. INGLEBT from the towns . of Ainton and Pickering, in the county . of Lincoln •, by Sir T. BRIDGE fro:n the town of %Wells . ; ,tvy Mr. CttIIIVEN from Workington, in the county Of Cumber by Mr. W. SMITII from the towns of Dereliani, Stoke. ;tory, pownharn, Barton, and Marham, in the county of Nor ; by Mr. ABE RC ROMBY from Dowilton, in the county of Wilts ; by Mr. LtuTTEitwoirrn from Penzance, in Cornwall; and by Lord MILTON fr om th e t own o f llulif4x, fir the county Ad York. Sir J. WROTTESLEY presmted a petition against the 'Combination Laws from the Working Mechanics of Wolver. kiampton.—Referred to he Committee. on Artisans. liar F. BLAKE presented a petition from the town of Ber wick-upon-Tweed, and Mr. Alderman Woon apetition from the Ward of Farringdon Without, praying for .the reeal of the Window Tax. MA. Alderman WOOD presented a petition from the Li sensed Victuallers of Mile-end; and another ME itnrn a peti tion from those of Dartford, praying for sonic alteration in the lirensing duties. ' ALIEN ACT. • Mr. BIRCH snide that he had to petition to present from the Mayor and Corporation of NOttingliarna 'against the 'glen act. re was happy to say that there was one corporation at least in the country which had thetefurage to - oppose this unjust, arbi trary, and unconstitutiona - Melisure. The petitioners condenin- . .sd this act, because it enabled the Allied Sovereigns;fius' s ed as loco- were by their recent Succeeses,toptirsue their victims with .aendietive . malice even • into-this country, the last asylum for .eeersectited freemen. Mae Alderman WOOD assured the Hon. Member that the. ' Corporation of Nottingham was not the only corporation that ; bad courage enough to oppose this act.- In a few days he ex .. peeled that the. Corporation of London would present at the bar .of the House, a petition as hostile to - the • principles of this act, ,as that which had just been presented by the lion. Member himself.—The petition- was ordered to be printed. Mr.. A B ERCROMBY presented - a petition from Calne, • in "Nvonr of the County. Court Bill. Mr. SYKES asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether .he could inform him of the expence to which the machinery of Ibis bill would patthe country ? The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER replied in the negative. . - SCOTCH LAW 'COURTS. • • Lord A. lIA MILTON, in bringing forward the motion of which he had given notice, relative to the Reports of the Com missioners of Inquiry into Scotch Courts of Law, said, 'he had to complain that so little notice had been taken of those Reports. lie had waited for ten years in vain, and now he came • fativarcl to move for a Committee to sit upon their contents. His object now was to know whether it was • the intention of his Majesty's Government to originate any measures upon the Reports; and he did think it was too Much that so little use should be made of what had cost the - public 49,0001. All that hitherto had been done was the abolition of . •the Commissary Courts, although - the first recommendation of , the Commissioners was the adoption of a plan to save 20,0001. in law expenees between the public and the suitors. This surely _ was worth attending to, but the change effected had not more . •than one-fourth of that amount. Ile knew that they had no right to expect every recommendation to be attended . t 9- but the House would see how far they had been adopted when be stated what had been done. In the Court of Sessions, .for instance, ten offices had been pointed out for abolition— three only had. been abolished. It was proposed to save six thousand pounds in that Court--3001. had been saved. The next were the Commissary Courts, from 'which it was recent. . mended to abolish five offices, although only one had been done ...away with. A mode had. also been suggested of saving .1,0001., , but 4001. only had been saved: - In the . Court of Chancery, -five officers were recommended to be abolished, but he had •eyt-c to learn that any reduction had "been effected. There • .was a charge in one year of 6171. for drink money, which he certainly :hought was a description of fees that ought to be. abolished. The next was the kxcbequer Court.. In this two , sdheers had not been appointed to fill up vacancies; but he contended that they ought to be abolished by some legal enact meat. In the Court of Exchequer, a reduction. of expence to • the amount of 5,009/. had been recommended, but the recom mendation had not been carrietiinto effect. He read extracts , et'roin the reports of the Commissioners, and complained that the enormous abases to which they, pointed had not been . •rrietlied. He next noticed the Sheriff's Court and the Lord Lyon's Goart, in both of which reductions hod been return , emended, which had not been.effected. :The next Report to . which he would call the attention .of the Learned Lord was his; ninth Report. What might be the intention, he knew oiat, but he was not aware that any of its recommendations re win; to prosecutions by the Excise, had as-yet been complied Adverting, to the defects of the Small Debts Juris '- .dictiene Court, he announced it to be his intention to bring in a Mill to remedy these. At present in that Court, the sum of 5/.. . could be recovered before the Justices, and no more. The Commissioners wished the sum recoverable to be Increased ; it -.lad not ,been proposed to the House, but this it would be the object of his Bill to effect. The eleventh Report was the last to which he should call the attention of the House. It related to the Borough Courts. Many things connected with these were • objected to iu that Report, but no Bill had been brought in to remedy the evil. - These facts stated—though he admitted that a new Baron of the Exchequer and a King's Deputy Remain beaocer not having been appointed, evinced some intention to het - feet a thane—yet he hoped, under all the circumstances, the Bouac wood consent to go into the Committee for which he was about to move. 'lie, however, begged-to say that if a ...better mode could be suggested by. the Learned -Lord for Übtaining the object in view than that of referring the Rea porta to a Committee of the whole House, he should •not object teha different course of proeeeding than that which had occurred to him as the most rwoper. The Noble Lord con 'eluded by movins•—le That the. Twelve Reports presented to the House by the Commissioners of Inquiry on Fees of Courts of Justice in Stotiand be referred to a Committee of: tile whole : .house." • The LORD ADVOCATE of SCOTLAND proposed to reply to the Noble Lord as shortly as the nature of the case .weetild per: lit. Ile had been astonished at the course taken by tte Noble Lord, in proposing that the Twelve Reports should he referred to a Committee of the whole House.. _lie cotiltPun derstand a motion for referring theril to a Select Committee, bigt he had been at a loss why it should he proposed that they should go into a Committee of the whole liduse e upon them. The. result however had been what he might have expected, and the, edefohle Lord . had merely applied himself to sliew, that there had , been great neglect on the part of the officer who held the shoo title which he (the Lord Advocate) had now the `honour-to fill. The Noble .Lord had always been most-attentive to those who , head that 'situation.---(A laugh.). -He 'Was - 'd mined "that :they should not -slumber , on their Toitss(llene hear f) a senti every successive Lord Advocate had in him been made by him ethe subject - of complaint. He begged to deny-, en his 'own part, any disinclination to carry into fall effect the resolutions set forth in the reports - of the . Corornisslooerit, which he regard ed.as most. valuable •for the historical accennt which they gave ef the Courts, and the information which they had collected. When the Commission issued, - it was• intended that the Com missioners should inquire into . the establiahrnehts of nine Courts of Jsestice. To tidal ostruction , however, there had been added, "and all Civil and Criminal CoUrts in Scotland." Under this the Conirnissioners had extended their inquiries to two Couits which were not. Courts of Justice, the Lord Lyon's Cherh and: the ;pint of Chancery, both of which had been remarked upon by the 'Noble Lord- The Lord- Lyoh in Scotland - west' the seine as Garter King at Arms in England. It was his nrovince to grant arms to these -who were . 'entitled to' obtain' them • but .it had beaus represented that this : officer had taken upon liimself part : , of the prerogative of the King, and had - granted supporters to those who had no fair claim to 'any such 'distinction, in consi deration of a fee being paid to hirer. This being complained of; ha (the Lord Advocate) bad tvconineended that an' injunction should be sent down to restrain the . Lord Lyon; 'and proposed • that if this failed to prove effectual, that recourse should be - had to legal proceedings against the party. Such had been the complaint of the •Commissioners, ardstien the course pursued in consequence of that complaint. With respect to the Court of Chancery, the Learned Lord rer.iarked, that in point of fact there hever had been A Court of . fliancery in Scotland ; but Cnancery of Mcotland consisted merely ; of' a Deputy and .-orie . er two Clerks to ise.ne writs and record certain pro_. ,feedings. Ile' Co ea IS - siors &es „had rompl-sissitel :that to these- Officers an undue allowance had been granted, and recom mended that those Offices, when the existing interest terminated, should be regulated. This recommendation had not been fol lowed out, because . provision for it had already been made by the 57th George HI. cap. 54, and consequently nothing further' could be necessary. -Leaving those which were not Courts of .Justice, he now. proceeded to notice what had. been said of the other Courts. When he (the Loyd AdvoCate) came into office, he found the wholeof these reports on the table. He imme diately attempted to carry the recommendations which -they contained into effect. He had brought - in a Bill to embody ' some of them which had not' been opposed by the Noble Lord, , and which the Commissioners, to whom it was first submitted had approved, such. as it afterwards. passed. Thus, one of , the Courts was regulated by the Act of Parliament. The Court of Exchequer - it had not been necessary to deal with in the same way, as an Act of the 6th Queen Anne, cap. 20, pro hibited officers in that. Court from taking higher fees than were sanctioned by the Barons, and enabled them to punish such an offence by fin or deprivation of office.- Effect had been given to every one of the recommendations of th e Commis s ioners on the. subject of this Court under that Act of Parliament. With respect to the Court ofJusticiary, a like power was given by another Act. of Parliament, to which effect had been given-; efor some of the reductions Suggested; as lee had found on calculation, that the sum of three thousand pounds would be necessary to meet the compensation which Justice _required them to give, lie had judged it right to pause. He need not remind the' House how the Commissary Court had been regulated, nor of the opposition which the' Bill introduced for that purpose had ,ex perienced ; and he meat call the attention of the Muse to the situation in which he was placed. When he did not come forward with Bills to effect changes of importance, he was charged with neglecting his duty; and whets he did do so, he was opposed by the Noble Lord aaavery The Bill which •be had last year introduced was to carry into effect the recom tout eti mendons cf the Commi ss i o n e rs to abolish heavy fees_ t o the Courts in possessio n o f res pectable Judges—and to aboli s h 23 patent places which were in the gift of the Crown. • In some cases great credit h a d been clainted for dbing away one patent place, -but never befbre (so far .as he was informed). had a measure been proposed which at one s-weep put an end to 23.__ The bill, notwithstanding, was much opposed, and the House even divided on the third reading. ' He was, however, happy to know that - it was reedited as a boon in Scotland, and had given theeitmoSt satiSfaietion.. He had introduced a bill to, reform thehSlieriff's.enurt when a new Commission for Inquiry came-, ' down. He was then asked not to go forward with his bill till the .Commissioners had - reported, and 'he had in conse quence given up the Measure after it had'been carried to a third . reading. That these Courts were not very, mach to lie com plained of, might be inferred from the small member of appeals to •the Court of -Session, which - were but as one to 117. He had been prevented from interfering with the Borough Courts by. reasons similar to those which had induced him not to press l the Bill for regulating the Sh er iff' s C ourts. With iespect to the Courts or Justi ces , th ey at present transacted but a "small portion of the civil business of the country. Sums not exceeding five pounds might be recovered in them. The Commiss:onets recommended that the sum to be recovered in them shohld be Increased, and the Noble Lord complained that this .was. not done. The subject was one on which great differences prevailed. Some wished that the sums to be re covered in them should - he _extended to 101. or 151. Others wished that but a small sum should - be recoverable in them, and many wished tnem not to be altered. The question appeared to him .entitled -to serious consideration. Where too great facilities were afforded for the recovery of debts, it encou raged the imprudent giving of credit, and the fact it. miebt not be improper to state,. th a t ou t o f 212 persons confined in. Edinburgh for debt, 132 were confined for sums not exceeding N. That the Justices might be useful there if decisions were made final, he- pointed out that there was a material difference.' between these Justices acting as they did witho u t a J ury , two of them being a quorum, and the Magistrates acting at the Quarter Sessions in England. The Bill on this subject, which the Noble Lord had said he would bring in, lie (the Lord i Advocate) should oppose, and recommend • that . the subject of it sheuld be refhrred to a Sel e ct Coilernitt ee . It would, I perhaps, surprise a part of -the House that the Justice of Peace was generally so far - superseded by th e J u dg e or I the Sheriff, that at a Court of Sessions, the Justice was hardly known. Any measure introduced relative to the Justices, ought not • to be confined to their connection with the civil law, but ought to extend to the criminal law. Ile thought it-would he desirable to consider of, giving the Justices of Scotl a nd th e same powers as were confid e d to Justices of Peace in Ping land. lie did not see why tile Gentlemen of Scotland should not be trusted - with such. powers. They were not. at pre sent -so experienced in such matters as the country Gen tlemen of England, but the requisite knowledge lie was confident might bs soon acquired. He, therefore, tiou_*sl - ..t. much benefit would result. from effecting ati alteration like that which he contemplated, as it would in many c ases save individuals from many months of unnecessary confinement, while the exercise of such powers would raise the charac tcr and add to the importance of the country Gentlemen in Scotland. This- opinion he -had long entertaiped, and every thing that lead transpired served but to strengthen and con firm it. At present the country Gentlemen of &otland were not in the habit of coming forward to appease - any disturbance that might break out. Thus in 1820, when some, disorders occurred at GlasgoW, the Gentry of . the .neighbourhood, with the Noble Lord opposite, left every thing to the Sheriff, and quitted that part of, the country. What he wished was, that the Sheriff should be taught to look up to them on such occa sions for that support and assistance which might be derived 'from their presence and influence. The Learned Lord con cluded by : briefly recapitulating the main points of his speech, and left it for the House to decide whether after the explana tion he had offered, the motion of the Noble Lord was necese sary.—(Hear, hear !) Mr. ABERCROMBY hailed with satisfaction the impor tant reform announced by the Noble Lord. lie, for one, would most cordially co-operate with •him in attempting to effect it; and.he,- for one, returned his sincere thanks for the proposi tion intended to be brought forward. The House were much mistaken if they supposed the duties perforined by the Magis trates of England were attended - to by the Justices of Scot land. They were more commonly thrown on the Sheriff's- Deputy, and the Gentry were altogether excluded froth the administration of the county. He was extremely anxious to se Grand Juries introduced into Scotland, and the re form proposed to be - effected by the Learneel Lord, was, in . his opinion, the fittest - preparation for such an improve ment. He wished, as the Learned Lord did, that the clues= Lion as to the Courts of Justices should be referred to a Committee ; and he hoped he would also refer it - to the sauce Committee, to consider of the introduction. of Grand Juries. tlf the Learned Lord declined doing so, he, (Mr.' A.), should - move an amendment to his motion, in order to bring that question before the Committee. The Learned Lord - had not accounted for all the instances in which she Commissioners' recommendations had been omitted to be attended to, and he should therefore vote for the motion of his Noble Friend. Lord BINNING had never heard a more satisfactory answer given to a charge than the Hon. Lord had supplied. He thought he had- suggested the.best course of proceedin g with respect to the Justice Courts, and believed the change which he contem n • plated would prove of - great importance to the 'Gentlemen of Scotland. He hoped his Learned Friend would pe not abandon his plan for any prejudice s w hi c h he mighthave rsevere ' and to encounter. lie also hoped that it would tint be attempted to measures which it would be difficult if not impossible' to carry Into effect. -lie recommended - it to the Learned Gentleman to reconsider . the subject- Grand .Turies into Scotland, before he prop ose d t h e i ntro d uct i o n of Mr.HUME thought his Ncble Friend had not been answered. The Learned Lord said,. when he came into office, he had found the reports on the table a dead l e t ter . H e had then endes -voitred to:give them effect- Now, it was true that the Learned --Lord bad done more than all his predecessors, but was not their failing to act on them; year after year, a charge against the Administration of the Country ? Where was the Secretary of State for the Home Department all the time - _that nothing Was done to remedy. - or prevent this neglect ? With re- Spect to the motion before the House, he could not. agree that any of the statements of his Noble Friend had been an- were& . Those receinmendations of the Commissioners had not been attended to which Illinisters ought to have made . it th.ii business to carry into effect. The Learned Lord how. ever went off in high style, gave the go-by to the question, and instead .of answering the Noble Lord, took upon himself' to in form them what it was intended to do. He approved of what was intended, but considered that this was no answer to the pre sent motion, which he hoped his Noble Friend would press to a div,ision. „ Mr. KENNEDY wished to know if the Learned Lord hoped to be enabled to . liiin i g forward the measure which he had an nounced in the course of the present Session ? The ; LORD ADVOCATE said that he was desirous tee knowthe feeling.of his native country was.upon the sub ject before he proceeded to act, and therefore .could not give a precise answer - . A BERCROIKBY had expected, after what - the Noble Lord said,. that the Committee was to.be moved for that very night. ” He could' not suppose that the Noble Lord bed been speaking. of something which had merely passed through his mind, and that was to go back again to Scotland, and there to be produced find knew when. He must say, that the ,vallie of what the Noble Lord had previously said, was much diminished by the explanation. : • Mr. COURTENAY had shared in the satisfaction given by his Noble and Learned Friend's declaration to the House ; and be - coujined 'Jim not to be turned aside from those correct view:: which he knew him :to entertain upon the subject. He hap pened to know that there was a difference of opintin ' upon the qUestion - ip• Seotland, but' he had no doubt that his Noble Friend would be conferring a lasting benefit upon his native country by the change.-(Hear I) Sir R. FERGUSSON wished to know how the .Noble and Learned Lord was to collect the opinion of his native country upon such - a subject. - • • - Mr:If:DOUGLAS thought his 'Noble and Learned Friend .had bee . n - misunderttood. He had only stated that his own in rivdual opinion wa:s, in favour of the - measure, but naturally •wished to consult the feelings of others, and therefore coUld not say whether he shoild- have , tbrre to prepare himself in. the present Session, or be obliged to wait till the next. The' LORD ADVOCATE said, that he thought those who knew him would not do him the injustice to suppose that he had said one thing and meant another. lie did think, there fore, that he was hardly pressed when these question - with re gard to time were put to him. His impression at present was; that be should go on this Session ; but under the circumstances he could not pledge himself to that course.—(Hear, bear !) Lord A. H A M IbTO_Ne. in reply, s a id; t h at any f urt h er de lay was only trifling with the country after the reports had been before them for the laSt ten years. He could not rest upon ambiguous promises of the Noble Lord, and should therefore give the House an opportunity o f ex p ress i ng i ts opi nion upon the motion. The Noble Lord had very unwarrant ably accused him of running away at the time the riots were expected at Glasgow. This was a part of the system which had exposed him to every species of abuse. A Paper under the protection of the Noble Lord and other official Gentlemen • had been filled with gross slanders and abominable falsehoods respecting his character. The assertion that he ran away was totally unfounded, and the Nobl e L or d oug h t to have known it. The fact was, that he wanted to leave Scotland at the time, but remained on account of the reports that a rising was ex pected. After some time he went to Edinburgh to enquire at the official sources whether there was any truth in the reports. He first went to the Lord Advocate, whom he found absent, not hunting radicals, but huntin g for political votes at the ap proaching election. He next applied to the Solicitor General, but found that he was also employed in the same Manner. fie then went to the Commander-in-Uhief's office, and there found that they had heard of the reports, but only laughed at them._ Upon these facts, he wished t o k now how the Noble Lord could bring such an accusation against him as that of running away. .—(A laugh.) • After some further remarks from the Noble Lord the House divided, when there apPe4red : -...-• For the Motion 7 r 76 Against - - 124 - • - Majority_ LAW OF SETTLEMENT. On the opening of the Gallery, we found Lord ALTHORP addressing the Hottse upon a Motion for abolishing settlement by hiring and service. The Noble Lord stated that the present practice created much litigation; and frequent perjury at the Quarter-Sessions. Another ground upon which he considered it injurious to the labouring classes was, that it interfered with the freedom of labour, by inducing masters•not to hire labourers out of their own parish if they could possibly avoid it. He knew it would be objected to the Bill that it increased tile difficulty of acquiring settlements. But the present syStem was so imperfect, that its thought no increased evil could arise from the proposed alteration. The Noble Lord moved for leave to bring in a Bill to abolish settle ments by hiring and service. Colonel WOOD said he should look at the Bill as an isolated measure with considerable distrust, because it went to increase the difliclulty of acquiring settlements, while his desire had been to facilitate that object as much as possible. - Ile should not 'oppose. the Bill, but in the Committee lie should move a clause to enable persons to gain a settlement by the payment of a certain air - milt of Poor Rates. With permission of the House he would take that opportunity to state why he did not again bring forward his Bill of last year. At the recommen dation of his Right Hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the HOrne Department, the Bill was printed and sent into the prim- Opal manufacturing towns. The opposition which it hail ex perienced in those quarters precluded his bringing it-forward with a hope of passing it into a law at present. lie trusted, hoWe'rer, that . the Agricultural districts wo u ld see t h e i r own interests so as to take the matter up, and not allow their popu lation to be employed in labour by the manufacturers, and then thrown back upon them for support. . Air. CRIPPS anti Mr. LocKmin T made a few observations, and leave was then given .to bring in the Bill. Alr. ELLIS (of Dublin) obtained leave to bring in a Bill to explain and amend the Act ofGeo. 111., for better ascertain ing the' amount and securing payment of bills of costs of Proc tors in Prerogative and Admiralty Courts. AGRICULTURAL LABOURERS. Mr. GIPPS moved for leave to bring in a Hill for the better em iupina of Ax*~~ i‘rr. t rAR , rer : in the wi nter season. watcluT, leave was given to bring In the Bill. POOR RATES. . IVIr. T. COURITNAY moved that a Select Committee be appointcd to considerthe returns of - all sums of money levied for the support orthe•Poor in Englind - and Ireland for the year ending 25th March, 1823, and to report thereupon to the ilouse.—A Committ ee was f or th w ith appointed. SALMON. FISHERIES. Mr. KENNEDY role-to-move for the appointment of a Com mittee to inquire into the laws relating to the Salmon Fisheries in Scotland. He regretted that the subject had not been brought for Ward by a Member of the Government, but he had every confidence that he . should receive their support. The Hon. Member p rocee d e d to state that these interests were so important as to have attracted the early attention of the Scotch Par liament, and g ave an historical account of the Acts relating thereto. -Those laws were nOw in a most defective state, and if it was the pleasure of the House that a Committe should he ap pointed, it would he their business to examine into all the sub ordinate details. lie thought it expedient, upon public con siderations, th a t that House should undertake an inquiry into regulated so important a property. H e d tli d e n bo o d t y ex o p f e l c a t w th s a w t llicil a Committee could come to any conclusion this Session, but but they might report their proceedings to the House and be r evived in the following year, to found any mea sure that might be deemed necessar y. He moved that Select Cominittee be appointed to consider the state of the Salmon Fisheries of the United Kingdom, and of the Laws affecting the same ; and to report the minutes of evidence, with their observations thereon from time to time to the House. Mr. C. GRANT said, he should have thought it better if the motion had been deferred-to another Session. The subject was of much more importance than it It first appeared, involv ing many ancient p r i va t e r i g ht s o f t h e mos t sacre d na as ture. i l t ' dh etl i te thought it possible to inquire, consistently with the character of those rights, into the laws which regulated and protected them. All he desired was to prevent alarm on the part of those whose private property was affected. He was sure that any interference with such property was not the intention of the Legislature, and be was quite sure that there was no such intention on the part of the Hon. Mover. Mi.. KENNEDY explained briefly, and a Committee was then appointed. • Mr. ARBUTHNOT moved for leave to bring in a Bill for certain purposes connected with the land revenue. Mr. G. BENNET adverted to a church which was building in the New Street, and complained of the bad style of architec ture. He wished to know the architect. The names of several persons bad been mentioned, and he was desirous of putting the saddle on the right horse.--(A laugh.)—He would willingly pay, not for the erection, but pulling down of the building.__ The Hon. Member objected to the general style of building conspicuous in the new churches built under the late Act. Mr. ARBUTHNOT did not wish to name the Architect.-- (Cry of. " Name, name !")—The name of the Gentle man was Nash ; and looking to the works of that artist, he might say, if the Church in question did not do him credit, others would. USKISSON .said he had not seen the Church al luded to. The motion was then agreed to, and leave given to bring in the Bill. ALLIEN..BILL. On the motion of Mr. Secretary PEEL, the second reading of the Allien Bill was postponed. to Friday. The Report of the Customs Acts wee received, and the Reso lutions agreed to. _ LAW STAMPS. The House went into a Committee on the Stamp Duties Bill. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER proposed to give up all the duties on law proceedings. • Mr. HUME asked if the repeal would apply to duties upon Attornies' Licences in Scotland. • The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER could not con sider the duties on Attornies' Licences a tax on Law Proceed ings and be could not con s ent t o p ress th e r ed u ction further. lir. \V. SMITH expressed a hope that the Right Hon. Gentleman would consider what fee in Courts of Justice could be reduced. The Bill then passed through the Committee, and the Report was ordered to be received to-morrow. GAME LAWS. Mr. S. WORTLEY fixed the Committee on the Game haws for Thursday. USUR Y LAWS. . • Mr. Sergeant ONSLOW postponed the Committee on the Usury Laws to Thursday se!nnitrht. . The Irish Burial Bill went tErough a Committee.—Report to-morrow. The Report of the Committee on the Compensation to Law.; Officers, in consequence of the County Courts' Bill, was brought up and read ; after a few words from Sir F. Ommax- NEY and Lord A t.TFORP, it was agxeed to. The Insolvent Debtors' Bill went through a Committee. — Report on Thursday. The other Orders of the Day, were disposed of, and the Muse Adjourned at a QUARTER. PAST TWELVE O'C.LOC:IS. PARIS PAPERS. CHAMBER OF DEPUTIES. BITTISG sumer! 27. (In THE SUN of yesterday we gave, from the Etoile, the commencement of the proceedings of the day.) M. B. Cowsranr, after some preliminary observations, proceeded to say :—All that 114. Dudon has stated as to the consequences of the Ordonnance of the 4th of June, 1314, is perfectly just. If I did not descend from a fugitive on account of religion, all the employments filled by me under the Go vernments anterior to the Restoration would be of no effect for the possession of political rights. The possession of a status before the Restoration is null but the posSession of a status consecrated since the Restoration by my inscription on the lists, and admission to the Chamber., can a status so sanctioned be taken from me But the. solution of this question is not even necessary, and I accept all that has been said respecting the Ordonnance of 1814. M. Dudon has recognised that the descendants of the fugi tive Religionists were not affected by this Ordonnance. Am I then a descendant from them ? end am I entitled in this quality to the plenitude of the rights of a Frenchman ? Why, Gentlemen, is there this difference between the fugi tives on account of religion, and the - other persons born out of France ? It is because the Ordonnance was published at a time when departments which had been u n it e d to France were se parated from it, and when the inhabitants of those depart ments followed the fate of their territory ; but the fugitive religionists returning to their ancient country, and bringing to it their fortune, remained within that country. They were not foreigners who were admitted, but children who were called back to the great family, and all the Legislations have recognized that difference. The Restoration has consecrated this principle. The case of General Massena has been cited. He was of Nice. When Nice was sepaes.ed from France, he would have,followed the fate of his old country, if he had not obtained letters of natti I ralization. General Dumont, now a Peer of France, was a Swim: officer, but descending from fugitives on account of re ligion, he was made Peer of Frence without letters Of matte, ralization. The 22c1 Article of the Law of the 15th of DeceMber 1720 is conceived in these terms:-- " All persons who, born in foreign countries, descend, what ever the degree, from a Frenchman or Frenchwoman, expa triated on account of religion, are declared natives of France, and shall enjoy the rights attached to their quality, if they re turn to France,' there fix their domicile, and take the civic oath." My father claimed the benefit of this law the 9th November, • 1791. The following is an extract from the, deliberations of the Muni c ip a l C ounc il o f t h e C ommune of Dole, dated thet day : " Juste-Louis-Constant Rebecque, of Aire, in A rtols, hav ing entered the Council, said, that he presented himself, to claim in his favour the benefit of the law of the Ist article of the 2d title of the French Constitution (it is, as you shall be shown, the repeal of the law of the 15th December, 1790), granted to those whose ancestors expatriated themselves on ac count of religion, demanding to take the civic oath to acquire the quality of active citizen ; ,on which Rebecque having jus tified his origin, there was given to hint the act of hi s presenta tion and demand, and he instantaneously took the said oath."_ Signed in the Register—" Terrier; and Brunet, Notary." Be so .good as remark, Gentlemen, these words, " having justified his origin," and remark also, that it is not to a vil lage before a few ignorant men who might he deceived, that my father passed, in order to justify furtively his origin. I blush, Gentlemen, to be forced to justify in his coffin, a man whom eighty-six years of beneficence and virtue s oug ht to have secured from such a suspicion, and I reproach my self with being the innocent cause of the insult offered to his memory ; but I am forced to do so. My father proyed his origin before the Moire de Dole, M. Terrier de Mon triel, afterwards Minister of Louis 16th, and celebrated for his Proclamation against the crimes of June 20th. Is it possible, Gentlemen, that such a Magistrate would have lent himself to any thing disgraceful, or that he could have con founded experiation on account of religion with the crime of high treason ? He lives yet ; I believe he is at Paris, and I appeal to him. It is q u ite false that my fath er rema i ne d on l y a short time in France, and then returned to Geneva. I have ' the certificates to chew he lived six years in France, and I affirm that he spent the rest of his days at Brevaus, near Dole, where be had acquired a property. To prove this, I produce an extract of his death.- Here then are two facts proved—the re-establishment of my father in his rights as a citizen of France, and his continued residence in France for 22 years after that period. The Petition 1 presented to the Council of Five Hundred was not to obtain the rights of citizenship, but for a very different purpose. There was a law which declared every man who had lived seven years, out of France, without it was in the service of the State, a foreigner. It was on this account that I presented that Petition, which was not neglected, as is. alleged, but the consideration of it was adjourned, and the Di rectory, recognising their error, afterwards bestowed employ ments on • one which no one but a Frenchman could enjoy,__ What I said of a project of a Republic has' een misrepresented to mean that mesancestor was banished France for wishing to form a Republic, and this is made another source of accusation against me. But there is not one word of truth in this accusa -1 tion. I spoke of a vague project which was common at that time to many persons, and I ask what connection there is be tween such a matter and being galley of a crime which would have cost him his life ? The law of 1790 is not confined to those who were banished by the edict of Nantes, but it em braces persons banished at every epoch, and every Frenchman or Frenchwoman banished on account of religion. Accordingly the present Government demanded my papers, and o n see i n,g them placed, on the list of elisibles, without making any diffi dulty. The question now revived was decided in the person of my father 23 years ago, and can the Chamber rejudge what has been so long decided ? I have enjoyed these rights continuously for 30 years, and under the decision of several different Go vernments, and I now place myself in the hands of the Cham ber. You know all the merits of the case--decide as your jus tice may direct."—M. B. Constant was heard with profound silence, and after lie had done, M. Dudon again spoke, and re newed his accusations, bringing forward some fresh matter.— General Foy replied to M. Dudon, and finally it was decided that the examination of the quality of M. Benjamin Constant should be decided after the definitive organisation of the Chamber. • • THE GREEK CAUSE. Accounts have been received from Missolonghi, by a merchant in the city, and dispatches by the Greek Deputies. The following are extracts :-- MISSOLONGIII, FEB. 18--27.—We. are making great ad vances in the discipline of 'our men , here.—We have made a very fine arsenal of the Seraglio. The artillery are all being drilled, and are gathering together a large quantity of stores for the siege of Patras. Our press is flourishing greatly ; when the good work commenced, it was thought inapplicable to such a rude state of society, but now all are interested in it, and the Greeks write for it 'on every side. Such is the rage for this means of expressing opinion, that the English of Missolonglii insist upon our publishing an English paper for England and America. The Executive Body is at Cranadi. The dispatches from that place are dated the 29th of January. 'The Govern ment has sent here an intelligent Greek gentleman, named Far inachadi; to manage one of the presses, and has lent itself most cordially to the establishment of the newspaper. aregoing_ to establish a Frank „newspaper iina t ediately-, to which Lord tyroa has offered to contribute largely; both in money and matter. All things considered, the cause of Greece is going on admirably well. It may have been checked by tyranny, but it cannot be thwarted. Extract of a later from the Greek Minister of State, George Conduriottis " The Government, which he;Wiiill conviction of the virtu oils and philanthropic character of the British nation, looks to wards it with every confidence, believing that it can have no interested views in the independence of Greece, but on the con trary, look to the sympathy and protection of that nation, for the establishment of its freedom, and the restoration of the Muses to their venerable and sacred temples; whilst genera tions to come of grateful Greeks will not cease to address their homage of thankfulness. If for a moment disorders and tlis sensions have troubled the progress of our Revolution, they can only be considered as a necessary consequence of the struggle in which we have been engaged. • Little by little these dissensions have been dissipated, and soon they will exist no longer." . . CORPORATION BUSINESS. Yesterday the LORD MAYOR held a Court of Aldermen, for the general dispatch of public business. Mr. Joseph Yellowley and Mr. Deputy Hanson attending, were sworn into the Office of coal meters, in trust; and Mr. John Saunders and Mr. Benjamin Blakesley were sworn into the office of corn -meters, in trust for this city. The Inquest of the ward of Coleman-street attended, and made a presentment of sundry non-freemen, which was re ferred to the Chamberlain, As usual. Salaries and bills were ordered for payment. Sundry persons were sworn, and others allowed to be sworn, brokers of this city; and coal-undertakers were licensed. PARLIAMENTARY PROCEEDINGS• HOUSE OF COMMONS. • Martz's, 30 0 (lie Marta, 1824. Tr , ..AlLWAYS—Redriall, and Tees Scl Weardale ESTATE—Th=IIM's ASSAY Orrter —Birmingham IMPROVEMENT—Paddinp,ton T u:NN EL—Thatnes • CANALS—Bristol st a o n l d a ri nd hre T a i n u f n i ton nh — ab P it c a t n it a io n n f s T of an C n o and of Inhabitants of Wellington, Milverton, Halber,ol, TO B n Ufreultn, Culmstock, Holcombe Rogas, Burliscombe, Same' ford Peverell, Taunton, Wiveliscombe, and Proprieto Kennet and Avon Canal, in favour, to lie on theetable ; r re ' , tition of Mary Gray and the Rev. nobert Gray, ageim t ? r , e , ferred to the Committee on the Bill ; Bill read a second 1.1 0, and committed. - Counter's Bridge—Petition of W. How' . t _ IL Lyon, and S. ,G. Poole, against, referred to the Conlon . tee on the Bill. Ped- BlllDGES—Southwark —Petition for leaVe to resent a.-- tion for Bill reported, and leave given ; Petition for Bill r"'" ferred to a Committee. Cflunctr—Roundhay—Bill read a third time, and passe d ' t EQUITABLE LOAN INSTITUTION—Petition for leas'' present a Petition for a Bill reported, and leave given. an d GAS LrouTs—Dublin Oil—Petitions of the Hibernian 3 Dublin Gas Light Company, against, referred to - the C , c ti er = " mittee on' the Bill. Manchester—Petitien of W. W 43 ' ; 1 , t n n ie n :v ag at ai or n : st o f Solicitor, complaining of aspersions on his character in evi dence dence before the Committee, offered and withdrawn t Alr be " That the Committee on the Manchester Oil Gas B 1" revived, and that they do sit and proceed to-morrow," P u ' and negatived. Roans—Broadway and Mickleton—Bill read a third -ti.!l';e: and passed. Durham and Ty ne B r id ge— P et i t i on f o r 2,1 n, i. tional provision repo r ted, R eport to li e on t h e table,. C." mercial—Petition of Rector, &a. of St. George, Middlesex' against, referred to the Committee on the Bill. Docx—St. Katherine's—Petitions of Merchants, ,tc. ens g e t in the Wine and Spirit Trade, and of Merchants, to ct - Cheap_Ward, in favour; and of the London Dock Comrr,l' and Owners and Occupie rs o f P rem i ses i n S t. M ary... R ot "' . hithe, against, to lie on the table. 3ITLE-ni , rn Om) TowN RATES—BiII withdrawn, and sr/. other ordered to be brought in. FLEET MARKET REMOVAL—Petition of Messrs. Shes rl ' against, referred to the Committee on the -Bill. . .BRISTOL TowN DUES—Petition of Inhabitants, against; lie on the table. COUNTY' COURTS BlLL—Petitions from Whithaven, u ' uti Caine, in favour, to lie on the table. FREEMASONS—Petition of Freemasons of Ireland, compis n :e ing of Act of last Session, which prohibits the meetings certain Societies ; to lie on the table. P un LICA Ks—Petitions of Licensetflnnkeepers and Victusill of WelLs (Som erse t), Mile-end Old and New Town, s n , Dartford, for the repeal of the increased Duties on Licence s ' to lie on the table. COMBINATION OF WORKMEN LAWS—Petition of WOINuI , Mechanics of Wolverhampton, against, to lie on the table. d AssEssEn TAXES—Petitions from Berwi c k- u p on -Tweed an Ward of Farrin g d o n Wi t h out , f or t h e repea l t h er e o f ; to y on the table. NOTARIES PUBLlC—Petition for repeal of the DUties on L i ' cences, from Stirling ; to lie on the table. SETTLEMENT or TIIE Poon—Bill to abolish Settlement by Hiring and Service, ordered to be brought i n . PROCTORS' COSTS; (J anADMIRALTY COURT—Act [36 3 ' c. 39] read ; Bill to amend ordered to be brought in. AGRICULTURAL LABOURERS—BM for better emp.o, ',anen .t in Winter, ordered to be brought in. - ITASLEBOROUGH WALK INCLOsUEE—BiII read a'fleat to be read a second time on 4th' May, and to be printed. LAND REVENUE, SALE OF S TOCK —BiII "to e n a ble t u '' es Commissioners of his Maje s ty' s T reasur y t o se ll out c ertain Bank Annuities now standing i n th e i r names , an d to aPPg 3 the produce thereof in p a rt p a y ment o f a L o a n o f X300,t/ due to the Royal Exchange Assurance Company, and to fs:. cilitate the sales of fee-farm rents, and of small portions o ,', the Land Revenue of the Crown, and for other purposes"' read a first time ; to be read a second time on Wednesas! next, and to be printed,' MAO RJAGE ACT AMENDMENT—BiII react a first &BP.) W 2 be read a second time on Tbursday, and to be printed. COURTS. or JUSTIdE (Compensation to Officers for losses Ia consequence of County Courts Bill)—The following Ret: lution reported and agreed to, and Instruction to Committ" on County Courts Bill to make pro Vision accordingly ;-- " That his Majesty he enabled to grant an annual sum of the Consolidat e d F un d o f t h e United Kingdom of Great DV' tain and Ireland, by stay of compensation, to be paid to d; tfrt, h-e Seniort Courthe present Attorney;of Common Pro th and o no p ta sl r eer i a e oa s nin d Se a Er co l o ti g a ; present Chief Cl er k on t h e Pl ea S id e of the Court of /One; Bench in England, th e Cl er k o f t h e Rules, and the Clerk 0 ' landdrPapers a ; e s o a l f e n d the F i preventls a a e Master, e d s Court; oe the Plea Side of the COurt of Exchequer in England ; and th e present Prothonotaries of the Co ur t s 'of Great Sessions u I Wales ; and the C oun ty Cl er k o f th e C ounty P a l at i ne o f Par' ham, for any deficiency in their lawful fees and emolument that may arise in conseq ue n ce o f an y A c t t h at may b e pass in the present Session, fo r th e more easy an d speedy roc yea of Small Debts in Engl a nd and Wales. Bills read a eccondlirne, and committed. CUSTOMS DUTIES—The following Resolutions reported al c n i agreed to ; Instruction to Gentl emen a pp o i nte d to bring . ~"'; Customs Duties Bill (on Resolutions of 2th March) to age provision accordingly : " 1. That upon the exportation of Slates which hare bed brought coastwise from any port or place in Great Britain o r , Ireland, there shall be all owe d a D raw b ac k o f t h e whole ° f the Coast Duties which shall have been paid on such Slated. "5. That upon the arrival of any British ship, having 441 . „ board, in actual use, any foreign-made Sails or Cordage,,..'" Anchors, or any British-made Sailcloth or Cordage, on tui exportation of whi c h a B ounty h a d b een pa id , the same slad' not be liable to any Duty, nor to the repayment of any Bounty' nor to any Forfeiture, on clue proof being made that the sane were purchased to replace similar articles lost or rendered sic' less by accident or stress of weather. " 3. That any allowance now payable on British- or goods on re - exportat i on from one Country to the other, being„ goods of a s or t th e lik e o f which May be exported free of Pat/ into Ireland from Great Britain, or into Great Britain froln land, respectively, shall cease and determine. " 4. That the Duty of hi. per ton on Iron in bars and to - Wrought, the produce or manufacture of any British Colonf , Plantation, or Territory in the East Indies, and imported fill Ireland, s h a ll cease an d d e t erm i ne, an d t h at in lieu thece° there shall be charged a Duty of 1/. " 5. That the Duties on the Importation and Exportation the Goods, Wares, and Merchandize hereinafter mentioned fi ; and also, the Prohibitions on th e Exportation •of Wool, shom' cease and determine, and that the following Duties shall be paid in lieu thereof ; that is to say, On Importation. . Ambergris, the produce of Briti s h Fi s hi ng , th e oz . £0 2 0 the produce of Foreign Fishing, the oz. -0 6 , Oil, viz. of Cassia, the oz. _ _ 1 ° of Cinnamon, the oz. - - - - 0 1 ° Skins, viz. Seal Skins taken in any Foreign Fishery, by persons not being British subjects, the skin - • 03 „ 6 Hare Skins, the 100 skins - - 0 1 , Terra Japonica, the cwt. - - - p 3 Wool, viz. Coney Wool, the lb. - - - 0 0_ - Hares' Wool, the lb. - - 0 'Sheep or Lamb's Wool, from and after the 10th day of September, 1824, the lb.. - 0 0 3 - - from and after the 10:11 day of Decein - ber, 1824, the lb. - - - 0 1 Skins, viz. On r.aper:ation. Coney Skins, the 100 skins - „° Hare Skins, the 100 skins - - 0 'I, Wool, viz. - Coney Wool, the lb. - _ 00 3 -- Hares' Wool, the lb. - - 0 U 3 Sheep or Lamb's Wool, from and after the 10th day of December,lB24, the lb.. . , ,0 0 Woollen Yarn, and all other articles of Wool, the exportation of which is now.prohibited, from • and after the 10th day of December, 1824, for every 1001. of the true and real value thereof - - 16 0 ° " 6. That it is expedient to amend the. Acts for gun ti 4 Duties of Customs." NOTICES OF MOTIONS FOR THIS DAY. I. Mr. Peter Moore—Bill to repeal Combination Laws. 2. Mr. Goulburn—Bill to amend County Treasurers Act (Ii land) of last Session. ORDERS OF THE DAY FOR THIS DAT?, I. Supply—Committee. 2. Ways and Means—Committee. . . Law Stamp Duties Act—Report thereitpon. • 4. Burials in Ireland—Report. 5. Board of Works (Ireland) Bill—Third Reading. NOTICES GIVEN YESTERDAY. Thursday, April 1. Mr. flume—Correspondence relating to Slate Quarries Wales—Return Legacy Duty under .£loo—Expence currea on the Breakwater, Plymbuth.