The Sun. — London, England, 1827-04-11 00:00:00

that every assistance vvas given by Mr. Barber Beaumont, which is corroborated by the evidence of Mr. Johnston, in p age 639. He would refer the House to two letters from Mr. Barber Beaumont, in page 173, soliciting inquiry into the transactions of the office- He would also deny the charge against the Directors of making out new books, a s stated in the evidence. Mr. WALLACE—It was so stated by the informer. Mr. HOBHOUSE continued—Mr. Sykes suspected some frauds, some tampering with certain persons, and also suspected Mr. Barber Beaumont of throwing impediments in the way o f inquiry. This was too bad, and most un justifiable in every point of view, that a great commercial establishment should be found guilty on the information of a person who would not tell his name, and could give no other reason than this, that "he suspects, he thinks it probable." These suspicions would tend to ruin the cha racter of any private individual, as well as a large public establishment. It was most surprising that the Commis sioners should allow these suspicions to remain as evi dence. Mr. Barber Beaumont is accused, like the un just Steward in the Scriptures, of taking up his pen and writing 4,0001., instead of 3,000/. However, on inquiry it was found that the whole difference against this gentleman was 611, from 1819 to 1825. The Com missioners asked, whether it was by his, Mr. Beaumont's success in carrying on the establishment, that he, Mr. Barber Beaumont, remained in office. This gentleman replied yea, and further stated, that the establishment was most anxious that inquiry should take place as to the charge of throwing dust in the eyes of the public. There was another charge, that of collusion with Mr. Sedg wick, late Chairman of the Board of Stamps, to increase the number of policies, in order to prevent the Commis sioners from making out the frauds. In page 672 there was the amount of the deficiency in the returns of three quarters, making 758/ ; but these were not the successive quarters of the same year, but there was one quarter taken from 1815, another from 1821, and another from 1822. He should like to know how the Commissioners could ex cuse themselves for such a proceeding. He supposed they would say, that they, the Commissioners, had some sus picion of these frauds. But it appeared to him most ex traordinary, that these disjointed quarters should be sin gled out as a specimen of the disorderly state of the Re turns. What he complained of was this, that in the in vestigation by the Chmmissioners of the charges of fraud, amounting to 2,000/. a-year, an accusation should be brought against the Fire-office of making out a new set of books, and also a char;.7e of collusion with the Chairman of the Board of Stamps, in order to prevent the examina tion taking place, when this charge was not supported by evidence. They begged of the Commissioners to give the parties a direct acquittal, or an immediate trial, to make out their innocence. In reply to this, they heard from the Right Hon. Gentleman, as a satisfaction and justice to them, that an Exchequer process would be insti tuted against them for offences against the Revenue. —This surely was most soothing to them.— After two years, these charges hanging over these gentlemen, which were enough to destroy any establish ment in Europe ; and after demanding the means of pro secuting the informers for perjury, when no prosecution was instituted by Government against them, yet now, when this petition is about to be presented, they are told that an Exchequer process was taken out against them. The Right Hon. Gent. may say that the Court of Exchequer was the proper place for inquiry into those matters, and not mix up Parliament with such proceedings. But he would ask the Right, Hon. Gent. if the Report will not prejudice the petitioners in a Court of Law. He would also ask, whether this Exchequer process will give the op portunity of disposing of the charge of fraud of 2000/. a-year, or the charge of making out a new set of hooks ? The petitioners complain that the Exchequer process will not do what substantial justice in this case demanded. The prayer with which the petitioners conclude is, that this Hcuse would be pleased to make the inquiry, as the best mode to prevent the recurrence of these grievances in future. _ _ Mr. SIBTHORPE implored the House to grant the inquiry. There never was a more unfair attack made on any establishment; it was like a secret assassination. Mr. WALLACE would be wanting in his duty if be did not offer sante observation in reply to those imputa tions cast on himself and his colleagues by the Hon. Gen tleman. With respect to the Petition he did not com plain, but to the grounds on which it was brought, and the allegatiens put forth by the lion. Gentleman. Before he went into the details of these transactions he would say a few words which do not immediately belong to this in quiry. Endeavours had been made to make the acts of this commission considered as the acts of a secret inquisi 4 tioo. He was sure this would not have the least effect on aroy of those who were acquainted with the man- Tier Al - There was no marl on the commission, whose integrity could be so far influenced as to induce him to act contrar y to the strict line of his dut y . He should not withdraw himself from any part of the responsibility. He was too well satisfied of the results of the recommendations of the commission, if carried into effect, to be at all desirous to withdraw himself from any share be bad in the conduct of the commission. :is to the applications for minutes, there bad been two a pplications for minutes, in order that pro-. , eecutions might be carried on aguinst some of the wit nesses ; and he. in common with the refit of the Commis sioners, declined to produce the minutes. The first applica at:on was by letter, desiring a communication of the minutes, and t hreatening, if they were not produced, to subpoena the members of the Commission, and make them state the con tents in evidence. The subpoenas were actually served, but it was aftere-ards discovered that the indictment could not be framed without some preliminary information? and then came the second application, which was for a part of the minutes. The same r eseemis which induced the Com missioners to refuse to comninnicate the whole, induced them to refuse to communicate a part of the minutes. They conceived, that having had a duty to perform for the Crown and for the two Houses of Parliament, and having performed that duty, the minutes, which had been taken in the performance of that duty, did not belong to them, nor could be made use of by them for any purpose, with snit the previous consent of those, for whose benefit they weee taken and to whom they belonged. Minutes taken for any particular purpose, were the property of the per sona for tashom they were taken, and could not he disclosed without their consent. In the case of minutes taken in the Court of Excheener, the same sort of application hail been made and repeatedly refused. The Attorney-General, in such cases. always exercised a discretion on the part of the Crown. It was the same with respect to all evidence taken before the Houses of Parliament. Neither the House of Lords or Commons allowed any communication of mi nutes without their especial permission. In 1819, in con sequence of one of the shorthand-writers of the House hay ing been subpoenaed to produce on a trial minutes taken before a Select Committee, a resolution was brought for ward by Mr. Bragge Bathurst, and agreed to by the House, Aat no communication of minutes should ever be made without the express permission of the House. If such a commisnication were allowed, commissions might be ap pointed, Lett no testimony would ever , be obtained, and the inquisitorial power of the House would become a mere name. The next charge was the abuse of the discretionary power of inquiry int: , the conduct ,t 4 individuals. One of the Managing Directors had given a description of the sort of inquiry in something like the following terms If our books and papers are to be ransacked, our clerks hur ried away to a secret tribunal, and subjected to an exami nation amidst a formidable array of Commissioners, law yers, and stertband-writers, the boasted freedom of our Constitution, will become a mere name." This was far from being a true description. A person was sent by the Commissioners to the County Fire-office, and not only the Managing Directors , did not object, but they stated to the individual that the meaenre was a highly proper measure to' be taken if there was any suspicion. The Commissioners keel only exercised the power given to every Committee of the T!ouse---of sending for persons, papers, and records; and when a witness attempted to conceal or prevaricate, they desired the clause in the Act of Parliament, applicable to prevarication, to be read. The commission was consti tuted for the exprese purpose of making a full and accurate investigation into the collection of the Public Revenue.— They were bound, as a mai!er of right, to inquire into the collection of the Revenue arising from stamps. They had thought it necessary that the inquiry should extend to the collection of the Revenue in England, Scotland, and Ire hnd. The revenue derived from stamps was not less than 7,000,000/. They had made a Report, and, in conse quence of that Report it was found necessary to reconstruct both the superintending powers in &otland and England. One of the duties of the collectors of !damp.; was to super intend the collection of duties on insurances. in certain cases the duties were remitted, upon an affidavit being made by the party applying for their remission. It was ashvious that inch a system might lead t o much & sad, unless strict examinations were made at the Stamp Office. 'These atlidavite were made partly `ay Mr. Beafimont, and partly by the Clelef Clerk. With respect to Mr. B. it appeared that although for four or five years I , e said he bad alit - lined the accounts , yet after that time he bed sesame ever looteed at the a ccounts ; and notwithstanding that , h e was the per whot . _!1 occas i onally ma d e affidavits of their accuracy. The Aght Hon. Gentleman d e f en d e d the course pursued by , Mrs Sykes, who, he said, had instituted the inquiry with - 1 11 sPerfeet approbation of the Commissioners. It did so liaP n ee n et'nwever, that out of five cases of c harge, two were zi s emetly provsdi s end it was in this state that she affair had been brought regularly before the Commissioners, who were bound, on the statement laid before them, to take im mediate cognizance of its allegations. It was suggested that a communication might have been sent to the Insur ance Office, and an explanation demanded, inasmuch as the whole appeared to have originated in mistake. Now it would have been Mr. Sykes's course to have done so, provided he thought that the cause of inquiry originated in mistake. He did not think so ; he had an opinion that it originated in fraud, and he acted accordingly. The charges were brought, and the defence was, that the ground of charge either proceeded from mistake, or that it was a contrivance of one of the clerks of the office. With re spect to its being a mistake, the thing was quite impossi ble ; the nature of the transaction rendered such a suppo sition out of the question. As to the other pretence that it was a contrivance to injure the office, Mr. Beaumont made a statement calculated to throw discredit on one of the witnesses, and endeavoured, by the production of letters, to confirm his account of this person. But one thing was very curious, however—namely, that the person so charged had no interest . in getting up the fraud. Was it to he sup posed that he would have entered into this complicated scheme of destruction against his employers, and yet, that when he should have accomplished his purpose, that he should have made no earthly purpose of the instrument 50 contrived ; for he gave no information—he made no discovery—and it would not have been detected, but for the inquiries of the Commissioners ? Was it possible that this person could have predicted the inquiry, and that he would have made no possible use of the train of mischief he had laid, until the existence of a Commission which it was impossible he could have foreseen ? Thus, then, the only effect that had accrued out of this elaborate act of re venge, on the part of this clerk, was to put so many pounds into the pockets of the Company, without the slightest ad vantage to himself. They had proof of the hand-writing of Shepherd, the clerk. But it was the evidence of all the witnesses, that Mr. Beaumont was the direct influential person in the Company—that nothing took place without his knowledge—and that he generally superintended its affairs. Again, although it was said:that one clerk had received his instructions from his predecessors, yet it was proved that in this case the two clerks, who were speci fied, never saw each other. He did not mean to make any charge against any individual, but he was firmly of opinion, that the office was the responsikle party.— He must beg to refer to one other statement of the Honourable Gentleman—he had stated, that this was a question of only a few shillings, whereas he referred to an affidavit, which alluded to an amount of 756/., all the items of which, he contended, were a direct fraud. He had only to say, that the entries now under consideration were fraudulent, and that the claims made on the Stamp office, in consequence, were illegal, improper, and un founded. He did not mean to say that Mr. Beaumont had put the money in his pocket--perhaps he had no other end in view than making the accounts square. The Right Hon. Gentleman next alluded to claims upon cancelled policies for 2,176/., of which 1,6261. was made at two dif ferent times. This mode of charging he denounced as strongly tinctured with suspicion ; because as, by the course of the office, all policies not used within the year ought to be cancelled within that period, there could be no honest pretence for claiming twice upon them. This he consi dered a material fact in this case. Mr. HOBHOUSE asked whether the Right Hon. Gen tleman was stating this fact upon the authority of the printed evidence? Mr. WALLACE--No. What I have now stated Wag disclosed at a subsequent examination—(Cries of " order.") Mr. HOIIHOUSE—Then it is not part of the com plaint as occurring subsequently. Mr. WALLACE presumed that he was at liberty to state the whole case to the House, in defence of the Com missioners.—(" Order.") Mr. HUME rose to order. The SPEAKER thought it a question of relevancy to the rnattor in debate, not of order. Sir R. WILSON said they were meant as an appeal to the liberality of the Right Hon. Gentleman. Mr. WALLACE was willing to give up the line of ob servation, if it was considered unfair.—(Hear.) He him self did not, however, think so. His object was to show to what an unlimited extent the practice of reviving policies which had been once cancelled (if they had not been dead before the money could be got upon them) might have been carried. A great deal had been said of the high cha racter of those connected with the County Fire Office. He had nothing to say against them, individually, and what be was now stating was upon the authority of the Commis 3ionera' Report. But he was not aware whence this esta blishment could derive any sanction which would make it inassailable to the inquiries of Parliament. The Commis sion would have been a mockery, if it had not made the complaint, if it did not report them. The Commission had made its report, but it was in other hands to say, whether the malversations detected should be punished or not. This was not the first time he had felt that the task in which he was engaged was an invidious one. Insinua tions the most monstrous and absurd had been thrown out, as if a whole Government could, to a man, he guilty of a conspiracy (for such was the charge) to oppress an infirm old man, and, forsooth, to persecute an individual who had been unmeritedly made the object of attack.— (Hear.)—Was it likely that any set of public men could be so blind to public opinion, to say nothing else, as to engage in such a scheme? But Mr. Sedgwick was to turn accuser in his turn. What case bad he made out for him self ? Even if his statement was clear and conclusive, as he (Mr. W.) contended it was confused and unsatisfactory, still it would not remove a particle of the charges made against the Board, of which he was the head. The Commis sioners were charged with collusion ; he (Mr. W.) flung back the charge upon the individual, and those implicated with him. He charged them with collusion from almost tl.e beginning. It was the duty of Mr. Sedgwick, as a public officer, to have communicated the discovery of mal practices, when it came to his own knowledge in other quarters. Had he done so ? The fact, he (Mr. NV.) would mention which he thought conclusive. A number which had been missing, was seen in Mr. Beaumont's hands, and identified by one of the clerks, and from all the evidence taken on the subject, it would appear, that the information respecting it could not have been furnished from the books of the Stamp Office. He hoped, therefore, he had said enough to show, that the Commissioners were warranted in the report which they had made. Sir ROBERT WILSON complained of the Right Hon. Gentleman's introducing matter into his defence which was not in evidence. He contended that the report so much relied upon was built upon the most exceptionable evidence. One of these witnesses was a clerk in the employment of Mr. Beaumont, who had been discharged for bigamy, and was afterwards accused of forgery. Mr. Beaumont bad great reason to complain of the manner in which the Com missioners had conducted the inquiry. In justice to him and the Insurance Office, they ought either to have brought the matter to a prosecution, or given up the names of the accusers, that they might he punished for their calumnies. He now understood that it was only last night determined upon to sue out Exchequer processes against the Fire Office, but this would not give the accused party an opportunity of vindicating themselves. The ATTORNEY-GENERAL said, it was very true proceedings had been taken in the Exchequer, and were now in a great state of forwardness against these parties, to compel them to come to an account with the Crown for their deficiencies. He was unwilling to usa harsh words, hut fraud had certainly been practised by some parties. If it fell to his lot to open the case for the Crown in the Court of Exchequer, he should carefully abstain from the use of intemperate or offensive expressions, but colifine him self to the money claim. They could rebut the charge of fraud in each claim in the Exchequer.—(Hear.) Mr. CURWEN adverted to the hardship of keeping these charges suspended over the beads of the County Fire office for two years, without either putting its accusers to the proof, or giving the Fire-office gentlemen an oppor tunity of vindicating themselves. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said, that the Commissioners had a moot ardent duty to discharge, which they had done without shrinking. It was their duty to report the information which came before them, even though it must implicate the individual who had pre sented this petition. There was enough shown to exhibit a prima facie case, at least of a debt due to the Govern ment ; and his Right Hon. Friend had placed the matter in a train for trial. He would not, therefore, prejudice the case by further observations. Mr. HUME said, that this was a complaint preferred by these Commissioners against this Company, for having practised systematic fraud for many years. It appeared to him that in the whole course of this inquiry, the Commis sioners had been led away by some extraordinary power, which he would that undertake to describe. The Commis sioners had accused Mr. Sfiiigwick of having connived at these practices, although it was proved he had no connec tion with the offices until many years after the period. He thought Mr. is - cdgwick was a very ill-used man, and was sacrificed to some party piiiae or feeling. Mr. WALLACE explained. Colons DAVIES defended the conduct of the Commis sioners, and said he considered the removal of Mr. Sedg wick perfectly justifiable ; but it was too much when Gen tlemen opposite bad discharged their duty faithfully, that the only return they should meet with from his (the Op position) side of the Houts was ? indiscrimito,te celuure.-- (Loud cries of disapprobation from Mr. ilobhouse and other Members on the Opposition benches.) Sir FRANCIS BURDETT expressed his astonishment at the language of the Hon. Officer, that the Cpmnais sioners had been visited with undeserved censure. He agreed that Fire Offices were not to be considered more sacred than other public companies, but they were not lees sacred, nor were they less entitled to justice; and he could not believe that the House would allow such an important case to remain uninvestigated. The petitioners complained of a denial of justice. He condemned those secret pro ceedings. The SOLICITOR-GENERAL said the only point to which the House ought to confine itself was, whether the Commissioners had so grossly misconducted themselves as to bring forward these charges against evidence; and readily admitting, as he did, the respectability of this in surance-office, he must say, however, that the evidence, though it may appear of a more or less serious character, according to the different habits and constitution of men's minds, bore out the Commissioners in their report. Mr. HOBHOUSE, in reply, said he could not avoid paying a tribute to the excellent speech of the Solicitor- General. From such lawyers there was not much to fear, and if he were on the Commission, the report, he had no doubt, would he drawn up in a different spirit. But the lion. and Learned Gentleman did not touch upon the real grievance—that a charge was made which the individual had no means of rebutting. His Hon. Friend, the Gallant Colonel, stated it was the practice of this side of the House to oppose every thing that came from Government. Now if there was any thing with which he had to charge him self snore than another, it was giving too hasty an approba tion to propositions from that side ; and, as said in the Eton Grammar, " I am now weary of this wedlock." The evidence, in his opinion, did not bear out the report ; and the House, taking all the circumstances into consideration, would only think that he and his colleagues had done their duty in bringing forward this petition and occupying the attention of the House so lows. Colonel DAVIES explained. The petition was brought up, laid on tha table, and on the motion that it be printed, Mr. WALLACE objected. Mr. lIOBHOUSE did not expect this motion to be op posed, or he should have been a little more vigorous to meet it. Air. WALLACE said it was a matter of indifference to him whether it was printed or not ; and he should there fore withdraw his objection. Ordered to be printed. Mr. H. GRAtT AN obtained leave to bring in a Bill to amend the laws regarding the setting fire to or demolishing Roman Catholic altars or places for Roman Catholic wor ship in Ireland. ARREST FOR DEBT. Mr. HUME rose to move for leave to bring in a Bill, which divided itself into two heads ; but as he understood it was not to be opposed, he would not detain the House longer than in shortly stating what these heads were. In ancient times there was no such thing as arrest for debt— it was against the rights declared in Magna Charts, and even Lord Coke declared it to be illegal. But now it was the practice to arrest for debt, and consign persons to prison on the most frivolous pretences. In the reign of William 111. an Act was passed, protecting from arrest in Wales, unless the debt amounted to 201. ; and, taking the relative value of money at the two periods, that would now be equal to 50/, or 601. That, he thought, would now be a reasonable sum to limit 0:- right of arrest. But lie objected to arrest altogether ;•A; meene process. The in jury resulting from this general right was an great, that in the reign of Geo. I, it was enacted that no person could be arrested for any sum under 101.: and another Act was since passed, raising it to 151., which expired in 1823, but which, be was glad to hear from the Learned Gentleman opposite, was to be renewed. The advantge of raising the sum still higher was apparent from the Returns on the table. There were now 800 persons in prison for debts under 20/. ; and from the day the Act expired, the prisons were crowded. Whatever might be the fate of his Bill, the renewal of that Act would do great good. His object was not to abolish the Law of Arrest, but to assimilate it to the Law of Debtor and Creditor in Scotland. There were few persons imprisoned for debt in Scotland. The whole number did not exceed 217 or 218, and he was assured by a most respectable solicitor in Edinburgh, and who had great business, that during the 22 years he had practised, he never committed one to prison. A Com mittee to inquire into the penalties levied in Scotland and elsewhere would be most useful, with the view of coming to a practical result. Let the creditor have the power of attaching the property as in Scotland, or, which is the same thing, of extending the practice of the Corporation of London to the whole country. A debt may be recovered part of the country. If after an attachment the debt was not satisfied, judgment would follow, and then imprison ment. The other part of the Bill regarded bonds, bills, and promissory notes. If any of these were dishonoured, it was now necessary to bring an action at law to recover the amount, in which case four or five months elapsed be fore the party could obtain his money. The expence in every contested suit was not less than 401. or 451., and if undefended 101. or 1 b/. at least, all of which would be saved by the mode he proposed to stthstitute, In Scotland there was a clause in every bond, giving a warrant of attor uey to recover the money, if not paid when due. A notice of five or six days was given to the debtor, and if the money was not then paid, judgment was entered up, and execution immediately followed. Bills and promissory notes also were considered as debts confessed, and, after a few days' notice, judgment was entered as on a verdict. Thus the whole expence of a suit was saved. Another inconve nience in the practice was, that the Sheriff, in twenty-four hours after the warrant was put in his hands, may enter a man's premises and sell his goods, from which, in many cases, ruin followed. In Scotland this could not b e done without giving fifteen days' notice.-- He submitted, in favour of applying to England the sys tem so successfully adopted in Scotland, that in Scotland credit was in a much better state. The machinery for its application in England was already prepared ; it could he adopted with very little trouble ; and debts could then be recovered with cheapness, with one-fourth of the present expence. As he had mentioned lately, there were in pri son 1,822 persons ; of them 1,141 were committed on mesne process, many of which were of the most frivolous and vexatious character. Those arrests could be chiefly avoided by the measure which ho proposed. Here, how ever, was a part—and only a small part--of the reform in the law of arrest that was required. The laws regarding Debtor and Creditor much wanted amendment. He par ticularly would prevent persons from keeping property from their creditors in defiance of them : if they would not voluntarily give it up, they should be forced to do so. He condemned the regulations called Prison Rules—the prac tice ought to be abolished with the abolition of arrests on mesne process. By the adoption of this Bill credit would be improved, and much misery prevented. He concluded with moving for leave to bring in a Bill for the better pre vention of frivolous and vexatious arrests for debt upon mesne process, and for facilitating the recovery of debts accruing on deeds, bonds, bills of exchange, and promis sory notes. Mr. WARBURTON seconded the motion. The ATTORNEY-GENERAL should not oppose the bringing in of the Bill, as it would be requisite that there should be a more full exposition of the objects of the Bill than had now taken place; but even then he thought it would be difficult to make the proposed alteration palatable in this country. Mr. HUME had been ready to go into full details, but thought he was pursuing the course most acceptable to the House—mentioning the subject now generally, and re serving more minute details till the Bill should be before the House. Motion agreed to ; leave given. Mr. LEADER MABERLY obtained leave to bring in a Bill to prevent the application of Corporate funds to Election purposes, after remarks from Mr. S. Rick and Mr. WYNN, who viewed the measure as one of a general character, and not meant to apply to a particular place, though it could not be denied that it arose out of circumstances connected with the last Northampton election. POST OFFICE REGULATIONS. The Report of the Committee on the Postage Duties Bill having been presented, Mr. 'TERRIES observed that one object of the Bill was to facilitate communication with the Colonies. Regula tions would be introduced, in accordance with the resolu tions of a former evening, which resolutions were to the following effect :- 1. That there shall be pay - aisle on the con►eyance of printed votes and proceedings in Parliament, to any of his Majesty's Colonies and Possess,ils, a packet postage, after the rate of one penny halfpenny for every ounce weight thereof. 2. That there shall be payable on the conveyance of Colonial Legislative proceedings, from any o f his Majesty's Colonies, to the United Kingdom, a packet postage after the rate of one penny halfpenny for every ounce weight thereof. 3. That there shall be payable a duty of three pence on every newspaper printed and published in any of his Ma jesty's Colonies brought into the United Kingdom by his Majesty's packets, or by ships other than packets, and sent to the Post Office of the port or place at which the letters brought by such ships are landed. 4. That there shall be payable a packet postage of one shilling for every pamphlet, magazine, or periodical publi cation not exceeding six ounces in weight, sent from the port of Falmouth to any of his Majesty's Colonies, and a further sum of three pence per ounce for any weight there of exceeding six ounces. To carry these various alterations into effect, he had had communications with the heads of the requisite depart ments, and he had ascertained the practicability of them. There was one amendment of considerable importance, or rather convenience, to which, agreeably to his promise, he had paid attention—that respecting the time for putting papers into the post after the day of publication, so as to have the benefit of these regulations. The time (we under stood the Hon. Member to say) for putting papers into the post was to be extended to seven days after the day of pub lication. Another amendment regarded invoices. Here tofore, except the invoice formed part of the sheet of paper on which the advice might be written, there was a charge of double postage. This was found to be a serious burden on merchants. It was now proposed that ad vices accompanied by invoices, should not be charged extra postage.—(Hear, hear.)--This was of importance to mer chants ; but it was obtained by a sacrifice of revenue. It was calculated, of between 40,0001. and 50,000/. a-year. —Another object of the proposed regulations would be, all equalization of the postage rates of Ireland to those of England —an object exceedingly- to be desired, but which would cause a loss to the revenue of about 80,0001. The sacrifice was con siderable but the regulation was deemed of advantageous ten dency. By another regulation respecting Irish letters, there would he some advantage resulting to the revenue; the internal postage-rates would be continued the same in the English currency that they had been in the Irish cur rency. This advantage would be about eight per cent., perhaps 10,0001. However, by the two regulations to which he had averted (that respecting invoices, and the equalization of English and Irish rates of postage), the re venue, it was calculated, would lose at least sixty or seventy thousand pounds a year. The rate of transmitting the legislative or colonial proceedings was mentioned in the resolutions ; the papers were to he distributed from the Vote-•office. This would get rid of any unpleasant confu sion. Sometimes the legislative or newspaper packages from the colonies were charged as merchandise, and at other times as postage. Now, if brought in a private ship, such ship was to have the twopenny ratage, and the Post-office the other penny rate for delivery. The newspaper to the colonies might be forwarded by pri vate ships—the Post-office would have no objection to such conveyance. As to Looks, &c. though there was no objection to their being forwarded by means of the packet, they could not be passed by the snail. Some times there were no fewer than 80,000 newspapers to be examined of an evening —sometimes the number was even 90,000, averaging about 60,000 every day, taken to gether. These should be transmitted rapidly—the exami nation took place every day, and it was found that about eight in every 100 newspapers were made the medium of a correspondence which should be carried on by letter, and which was a great fraud on the Post Office. He was as sured that in one town a regular system of correspondence was thus carried on with London. This showed the ne cessity of examining the newspapers to prevent this fraud. By- the present measure, all letters and parcels above six ounces could be sent with a ship to her destination, and it would be no longer necessary to put the letters into the office at the next post town to the ship. It was also under contemplation to put the postage of letters to Ireland on the same footing with the postage of letters carried the same distance in England. Mr. P. THONIPSON said a few words, which were not distinctly heard in the gallery. Mr. S. RICE expressed Isis approbation of the plan cf making letters to Ireland pay the same postage that those carried the same distance in England paid. To perfect the system, however, both the Irish and English Offices should be consolidated. Mr. HERMES said that it would, be necessary to wait the result of the inquiry of the Commission which was now engaged on that and other matters. This matter was not iu the hands of the Treasury. • Mr. HUME said that the net revenue of the Post office was about 2,200,000/. That could now be increased by proper regulations. It was not right that letters carried only fifteen or twenty miles should pay as much as if carried ' sixty or seventy miles, and yet that was the fact in some cases. He recommended that the postage should be fixed on more duly in proportion to the distance. It would also be worthy of attention to have a proper office at the Post office for parcels and pamphlets to be sent abroad. He also recommended that newspapers, whether they consisted of one or more sheets, be sent on the same single charge. It was his own opinion that newspapers going to the Colo nies should he free from any charge, and should he sent as they were to Ireland or Scotland. The whole revenue derived from this trifling chargo was only fit:W.—a paltry sum, not worth retaining. Another point o❑ which he wished to remark was the injustice of making an additional charge on a letter sent to an officer in ally of the out-ports, as Portsmouth. If he was removed from that station and the letter sent after him, the charge was increased. Now these letters should follow the officer free from any addi tional charge. Mr. HEII. RIES was not aware that persons were so charged when letters were sent after them, certainly it was but fair that when letters were sent after an officer removed to another station, no additional charge should be made.-- (Hear, hear.)—The principle was right, and he would attend to the suggestion. Some of the suggestions of the Hon. Member would depend on the inquiry now pending. With respect to newspapers, a supplement with a paper was considered only as a single paper. As to packets, parcels, &c. they could as well be booked as now by the stage-coaches, and coach -masters would take care to de liver them. This was better than the establishment of a public office. Mr. HUME thought one public office would be much better, as all the parcels could be sent together at the same expence that a single parcel could. Another paint to which he forgot to call attention was the late delivery of letters in London. Tie did not get his letters yesterday morning till twelve o'clock, though they are despatched from the post-office at nine. They should have been de livered at ten o'clock at farthest. If . a person paid a gui nea a year his letters were delivered at ten regularly, and that proved the possibility of the early delivery generally. This was a matter requiring attention. He also thought that we ought to have more frequent posts to the Continent. Now we had only two a week to Holland. There should be three at all events. Mr. Alderman WOOD concurred in the suggestions of his Hon. Friend. He believed, however, that the Monday delivery of letters in the west-end of the town could not but be always late. If the expence of letters was to be reduced, he thought the revenue would not suffer by that reduction, as people would write oftener if the expense was less. H e approved of a public office for pamphlets and parcels. After a desultory conversation, in which Mr. Alderman Wood, Mr. C. Thompson, Sir Charles Forbes, and Mr. Herries, took a part, the House resumed, and the report was ordered to be received to-tuorroxv—(this day.) On the motion of Mr. SHADWELL, the Writ of Right Bill was read a third time and passed. The Alehouse Licencing Bill was read a second time, and went through a Committee of the whole House. The House having resumed, the Report was brought up, and ordered to be considered on Friday, the 4th May. The Bill, in its amended form, was ordered to be printed. Tke remaining Orders of the Day were then disposed of, and the House adjourned at Half-past Eleven o'clock. PARLIAMENTARY PROCEEDINGS. HOUSE OF COMMONS. NOTICES OF MOTIONS FOR TIIIS DAY. 1. Mr. Bright—Copies of all Orders in Council, or of the Trea sury, or of the Trinity House, regulating Trade, or affect ing the Duties levied thereon, since Ist January, 1622. 2. Mr. Bright—That the Petition of the Ship-owners of the City of London to the Privy Council, dated 4th August, IR!; together with the Report, dated December 4th 1823, made by a Committee of Ship-owners in support of that Petition ; together with the Answer to the same, be laid before the House. 3. Mr. Hume—Copy of the Minutes of Evidence of a Committee respecting Free Blacks at Trinidad. ORDERS OF THE DAY FOR Tills DAy, 1. General Turnpike Act Amendment Bill—Committee. 2. Supply—Committee. 3. Corn Duties Bill—Third reading. 4. Distresses (Ireland) Bill—Further consideration of Report. 5. Ways and Means—Committee. 8. Postage Duties Bill—Report. NOTICE GIVEN YESTERDAY. Thursday, June 7. di Lord John Ruseell—Repeal of the Corporation and Test Acts. Po,' Parliamentary Papers the quantity of home made spirits that pail duty in the year ending sth Ja nuar y last, was, when reduced to wine gallons, the same gallon as former years, f or England, 8,560,626 gallons ; Scot land, 5,073,4.51 gallons; Ireland, 8,207,07'7 gallons; which is an increase in England of 4,365,989 g allons over the former year, and may be accounted for by the reduction that took place in the duty on them at sth January, 1326 ; while, on the other hand, it is a decrease in Scotland of 2 , 0 56,368 gallons, an d i n Ireland 3,567,990 gallons, together 51,243,353 gallons under the former year. In both these countries the duty was increased at sth January, 1926. On rum there was an increase 0f2,651,794 gallons for the year ending sth January last over the former year : on it a reduction of duty took . place at sth J4nuitry, 1226; equal to three-tifthe iu the mile gallon. LONDON, WEDNESDAY EVENING, APRIL 11, 1817. We feel the highest gratification in being able to announce to our Readers, that his MAJESTY has graciously signified to Mr. CANNING his Royal Commands to form an Administration. During the whole of the anxious interval which has elapsed since the illness of Lord LIVER POOL, we have expressed our confident expecta tion that the splendid talents of Mr. CANNING could not be dispensed with in directing the affairs of his country, and we cannot but con gratulate the Nation at large on his MAJESTY'S choice of his Minister, and the Right Honoura ble Gentleman himself on the proud station to which he has been thus called by his Sovereign. We understand that two or three of the Mem bers of the present Cabinet are expected to ten der their resignations in consequenee of this ar rangement—but, for obvious reasons, we forbear to do more than mention such a rumour. Lisbon Papers to the 28th ult. were received last night. If we were to judge by the contents of these Papers of the present state of Portugal, we should conclude that it was in the enjoy ment of the most profound tranquillity. Not a word is said of military movements, rebellion, or the foreign force which occupies the kingdom ; but the Lisbon Papers have never contained any information of the actual condition of the country. The state of England might almost as well be gathered from the columns of the London Gazette as that of Portugal can be ascertained from those of the Journals ;published in its capital. The official part of the Gazette, of the 26th March, contains the convention between this country and the EMPEROR of Brazil for the abolition of the Slave Trade. The War Office had given notice, that difficul ties having arisen respecting subjects of his Catholic Majesty taken for soldiers, from their not pre senting sufficient proof of their being such, the Spanish Ambassador, at Lisbon, had proposed, to avoid the continual applications of these per sons, that all the military officers should oblige those, who being taken for soldiers, desire to prove themselves subjects of his Catholic Ma jesty, to present certificates to that effect, deli vered by the Spanish Legation. In consequence the Princess Regent had ordered the Lieutenant- General, now Military Governor of Estremadura, to issue the necessary directions to this effect.— The same orders had been sent to the Generals, of the Provinces. We subjoin the p ro j ec t of Law relative to the Estimates, which was read in the Chamber of Deputies on the 26th : Senhores,—The Committee of Finance having examined with the most serious attention all the documents pre _ pt and expenditure of th e S tate f , .,r t s h en e t a e m d o t u o nt th o i f s C th h e am re b c e:r i by his Excellency the Minist er o f Finance, in the Sitti ng of the 15 th February, containin 7 IS2 of 1826, and pthreeseetntt }'ear, was sensible of the diffi cu l ty of of the probable receipt and per formingexpendi- ture the delicate and arduous task which the Chamber was pleased to confide to it, a nd would have despaired of ac complishing it, had it not received the mo s t zea l ous co-ope ration fr o m his Excellency the Minister o f Fi n ance, and had he not recollected that the subject was the most im portant and decisive for the interests of th e State. These motives, and still more the hope of obtaining the indulg ence of this Chamber, allowed the Committee to have to day the honour of presenting its opinion on this important subject, and to ca ll its attention to the state of our public administration. The report then proceeds at great length to show the difficulties it kas experienced in earning to a just estimate of the public revenue, and the Committee then proposes the estimates for each o f the departments. Front the whole of this ♦err long e xpose, it appears the estimated revenue of 1827 is-- 8,5 31,563,485 reis Expenditure, 10,438,844,646 Deficit 1,907,281,161 The real deficit, in consequence of deductions that must be made from it, is not so large, being, in fact, only 1, 1 37,601,256 rein ; and it is possible that' even this sum may be reduced ; but as these calculations are liable t• error, and the Government must by no means be exposed to want means to carry on the business of the State, the Chamber had already authorised the Government to con tract a loan of 4,000,000 rein. The Committee, there fore, proposes a project of law in three articles; first and second forming the expenditure and receipt, at the Milos above-mentioned ; and third, that the deficit shall be made up by the balance of last year and by the loan. The debate on the estimates commenced, and was to be continued in the next Sitting. We received last night the Paris Journals of Sunday and the Etoile dated Monday morning formerly a member of are nearly fill e d w ith th e p r oc ee di ng s in stituted against M. K E RATHY, Of the Chamber of Deputies, and M. PA 1-I"ET , the Editor of the C94ricr Francais, for libels against M. VILLELE, contained in two articles published in that paper against the Law on the Press. The King's Advocate concluded the prosecution by proposing that M. KERATHY should be imprisoned six months and fined 500 francs, and M. PAUCHET to be imprisoned seven months and fined 1000 francs. After M. KERATHY had defended himself in an able speech the further proceedings were adjourned to the 21st, when M. PAUCHIT'S defence will be heard. We subjoin a few extracts from the Eloile, which classes under Lies of the Day nearly all the rumours mentioned in the other papers : (From the Etoile, dated Monday, April 9.) " LIES OF THE DAY. " PARIS, APRIL B.—The Quotidienne.—The Eteile has published that the Duke de Villa Hermosa is exiled to a province of Spain.. " The same.—An express from Madrid was received yesterday at the office of the Minister for Foreign Affairs. It is affirmed that the courier was the bearer of important despatches, the contents of which might very well prove unwelcome to certain persons. " The Debats.—A report has been current, that M. de Montlivault was going to take the place of the Minister of the Interior. " The Courier Francais.—The British Ministry is definitively organized : we believe we may announce that Mr. Canning unites the functions of Chancellor of the Ex chequer with those of First Lord of the Treasury. " The Constitutionnel.—M. Garel, of Paris desires the suppression of the ordinance of the police concerning per sons who let out carriages on hire in the capitaL The Chamber proceeded to the order of the day.f " The Augsburgh Gazette containsthe following letter , dated Vienna, March 30 := " ' The funeral of Beethoven took place yesterday, ana was attended by an immense crowd of persons, who deeplY deplore his loss. M. Grellparger Castelli, and the persons attached to the theatres, followed to the Church and the burying -ground, and after them was an endless file of car riages. The public are deeply affected by the death o f this great composer, and they are not a little surprised at learn ing that M. Moscheles, who, however, has himself had 0 0- casion to know the support which the numerous amateurs in this city afford to distinguished talents, should have taken the liberty to make a subscription in London for the benefit of the deceased. This news has excited universal discontent : Beethoven had no need of such support, and nobody had a right thus to anticipate a Government, the protector of all the arts, and a people who are rensarkably attached to them•. A single word would have sufficed to make thousands of persons fly to the assistant* of the great composer. Besides, people esteemed him too much to con ceive such a thought; and they knew, besides, that h e re ceived pensions from the Archduke Rudolph, and manY families in the highest ranks of the nobility. Real artists, in Austria, certainly have no need, considering the sense, which animates our Government and nation in favour 0 1 all that is noble and good, to implore the vaunted generosity of the English nation, of which C. M. Von Weber lately made a trial.' " This thought was certainly more foreign to the mind of Beethoven than of any other person." cc * The Etoile, far from announcing- what the Quoti dienne ascribes to it, positively contradicted this assertion in its number of the 3d of April."—Note of Etoile. t On the contrary, the Chamber, on the motion of lq• Casimir Perrier, referred the petition to the Minister of the Interior.—Note of Etoile. 44f Many promises lavished in England on C. M. 1 /°' Weber were not realized. The higher classes had en couraged him to give a grand concert, the expense o f wlaieb was immense, and which cost him much trouble. The concert room ( Salle ) was hardly half full. When Weber saw this !minty audience, he nearly fainted, and said sor rowfully to one of his frinds, You see how Weber is ap preciated at London." Three weeks afterwards he was n° more." Mr. BRIGHT is to move to-night that a Pe' tition of the Ship-owners of the City of London to the Privy Council, dated 4th August, 1825, be laid before the House. That the Shipping interests of this country are not so flourishing as could be wished, there is no denying, but, 3t t h e same time, we cannot help being of opinions that when the subject comes before Parliament , after the holidays, it will be discovered that matters are not so bad as the sufferers are inclined to fancy them, and at all events that the liberal policy of his MAJESTY'S Government will be vindicated from the aspersions cast on it by deluded or interested persons. Does it re quire knowledge of commerce or of maw time law, or in short of anything but common sense to see, that during the war, Great Britain having crushed the maritime power of BUONA' PARTE, or rather of the Continent of Europe, t A gtwtpa ' llo e omoiirsr: N tle l d i dn,s r g;3 e ibitll a tthuie l ltax m ni ayie t ottosfh t _h b e taht s te o l el irresistible r c he a p r r wb s lee o fpateri persuaded e suu t i tr,:adedenedt arguments con' othhlele; nations to employ our merchantmen only, in trans' f loi r dn o mnt not the te b e cessationos u th b e m r i quarters tteodf itloos tboilyfi, t ti t ic it ie e , • P N o a li t c i y o . ns of Eu ro p e , w h o were no l onger a f ra id of our c ru i sers and pr i vateers, an d soon foun d means to d e f ea t our se lfi s h an d monopo li z ing ARISTIDES objected to the p ro posal of THEMISTOCLES for aggrandizing Athens , piety wlto,the and rendering her Navy paramount by it destruction of the Grecian fleet. w e f e ar that there are too many persons among 11 5 e S T Ot their ; country at anY cost, men incapable of " overleaping the barriers of geography " in their notions of eternal justice, would hold nor can we say that our Government have withto agTgriaiEndmisi proved any claims to possessing the high standard of ARISTIDES. They h ave s h own no roman tic notions of justice, but have only yielded to the necessity of the case ; and every person who env barked money in shipping (with all the risk' slipiilmeoewullvahtt turns speculations), r r e aofttle i n i r l d s e s p o a ul rlplaeob years n t f h ro e m n o i i e g r i ; l and p c c charges ona before firt gi tsee 2 s them as the causes of his di s tress.— - Instead of go i ng a b out t h e b ush, let us a dvise them to throw off the mask, and at once peti tion Parliament to go to war with the world. The underwriters at Lloyd's and several of the Insurance Co • mpanies, where very large sums are insured on species &c. per his Majesty's ship Tweed, Capt. Hunn, from V e ro Cray, continue in a state of most an xious suspense, and considerable fears seem to be entertained for her safety.-' Early in the day of yesterday a small amount was insured upon her at 10 guineas per cent. but late in the day (after four o'clock) a considerable sum (7,0001.) was ta k en a t one of the offices at the same rate. A Vessel front Hon duras has arrived in the Clyde, loaded with mahoganYt which is said to have left that place on the 14th February, and is considered to make the Tweed look much worse than she did yesterday. The Allgetneine Zeitung to the sth inst. been received this morning ; it gives a detailed statement of the extent and population o f the Empire,lt ussian m illions of il w hi c h conta i ns near l y sixty sprea d over it s vast tent in sixty three qu ar t ers o f t h e g l o b e . If .e rdarge g) dominion be rtainll the symbol of greatnes s, ce no Monarch in the universe can rival th , Autocrat of all the Russian ; but if, on tho other hand, freedom, civilization, and thg 40' i PRICES OF STOCKS THIS Rank Stock 203% 3 3 per Cent.:Red B2 3 per Cent. Cons. fN per Cent. Ditto Red. 8 9% 4 per Cent. New 98% Ditto, 1826 Cril4'4l4 Bank Long Ann. India Stock Ditto Bonds :69 70 pin. PRICES OF FOREIGN FUNDS Austrian Bonds, 5 percent. Brazilian Bonds Buenos Ayres Bonds. Chilian Bonds, 6 per ct. Colombian Bonds Ditto, 1824. 4ON 1 Danish, 3 per cent. 60;; Greek Bonds Ditto, 11126 — Guatimala — Mexican Bonds — Do. 1R25 7l Nl,( DAY AT ONE O'CLOCK. South Sea Stock Old Annuities New Ditto Ex. Bills, £l,OOO 2d. 46 47 pm. Ditto 5OO 2d. 1.9 47 pm. Ditto Small Ditto Commercial —pm. Bank for Account India for Account Cons. for Account...S3 34 % THIS DAY AT ON/ o'cLocs. Neapolitan, 1824 Peruvian Bonds Portuguese Bonds Prussian, 5 par ceut. Ditto, New Russian, New, 5 p. c. Spanisk, 1821 12% 1823 French Rentes, sp. c. —t Exchange —f. , 3 per cent —K Exchange —t.l--c. DAY AT ONE O'CLOCK:. Paid. Per Share. XSO . 20 £1 lit 400 Arrived. Due. O Guernsey&Jersey 0 O Hamburgh O Holland 0 O Jamaica 0 O Leeward Islands 1 Lisbon 0 0 Malta I Waterford 0 PRICES OF SLIARES THIS Anglo Mexican Mining C 0.... Columbian Mining Company.. Potosi La Paz and Peruvian A Real del Monte Mining C 0.... MA: Arrived. Due. O America 0 O Brazil 0 0 Buenos Ayres 0 Donaghadec 0 1 Dublin O Flanders 0 O France O Gottenburgh NGE YJESTIMPAY. Leghorn 47 Genoa 2f; 10 Venice Malta Naples 37 Palermo per oz. 114 Lisbon 49% Oporto 46 Rio Janeiro 39 Bahia 43 Buenos Ayres Dublin, 21 days' sight., 1 3 ,4 Cork nuttiox, PEA OZ X B. d, Portugal Gold, coin... 0 0 0 Foreign Gold, in bars 3 17 New Doubloons ....... 3 13 3 New Dollars 0 4 si Silver, bars, standard 0 0 0 HIGII WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE TO-MORROW• Morning ...23 minutes after 2. Evening .• • 4tt minutes after 2. s 4 , 4frfrrtZiljt-;<""vii *MI4 COURIE OF IZXCIIA Amsterdam C.F. 12 5 Ditto, at sight l2 Rotterdam 2U. 12 6 Antwerp l2 6 Hamburgli 2% U. 37 6 Altona 214 U. 37 7 Paris, 3 days' sight Ditto 2 U. 25 80 Bordeaux 25 80 Berlin Frankfort on Maine, Ex. M. 154 Petersburgh, rble... 3 Us. 914 Vienna, effective 11. 2 M. 10 14 Trieste do. Madrid 33% Cadiz 33.% Bilboa Barcelona 3 3 1/ Seville 33% Gibraltar 45