The Sun. — London, England, 1821-03-07 00:00:00

r atnoUpting to half a million . . After striking.oir those five Millions. from the one, and deducting the half million from the - other sum, there would remain upwards of 14 millions, or double the sum total of expenditure of the last year, compared with the .Year 1792. But that difference could be.easily accounted - for. The very successes:of our army in the late war had helped to create the necessity for that difference ' •1- ife had 19 additional colonies 'to defend, :besides, the establishments in the year 1792 hav ing been confessedly on so low a scale, that they, were insufficient for the national honour and security.— e (Hear!)—He never heard this come troverted, and so convinced was, he of the fact, that he was one-of those who would never un dertake to manage the public affairs on such a scale orexpence, with respect to both our inter nal dominion and external , possessions, as that acted upon, in ,the year before mentioned. .The additional charges on the expellee of defending' nineteen new colonies had not ,been. accounted for . by the Hen. Member, tholigh they greatly, 'helped to produce that differetiee in the expences of the two contrasted periods, - on which he bad laid so much - sfreS's.. But all this would come' before the_ view of the House in a few days, when the /..rmy.Estimates passed under its in spection. The Hon. MeMber mistook the time We el he ought to have brought forward this question._ His time for proposing a reduction of taxes, should properly have beenafter receiving the Report of the Committee . of Supply, touch lug the whole expenditure. BUt the Hon. Gen tleman had begun at the wrong end.—(A laugh'.) —He had :assumed, without proof, the capabi litY of redUCtioii, and then argued as if the dimi illation of expence had been,a demonstrated pro position, :Whether or not the charge of manage ment could be lessened would be seen shortly, `diets the annual votes came under the consi deration of the House ; but at .all events the charges included under the general head. of I\i'ational GoVerninent, which, consisted in mi litary and naval pensions, were not too liberal. hey were worthily applied; andlad been dearly earned. The national himour and, the national gratitude were 'pledged upon , :thein- e -they had arisen as much out of the war as the national tlebt itself. They were the 'grateful return made bY a .generous people, forthe mernorable achieve- Meats of such days as those of Trafalgar and Waterloo. They were the price which we paid for the deliverance, of Europe, and the protection .° 1 the character and honour of the British Em- Pirt'•—(Hear, hear !)-- e lie Was not one of those who would grumble at the payment, for never Was there expence incurred for a nobler equiva !ent• Another point which the Hon. Gentleman load insisted upon was, that the reduction in Price of many of the necessaries of life ought to have occasioned a corresponding depression- of our expenditure ; but -he forgot that thesafiXed allowances Could not be altered: so asito increase , Or diminish w ith the rise and-fall of the prices of Provisions ; and the articles, the prices of .which might at all affect the expenditure, could not, in a time of peace, form more than a very small part of ths3 national expence. . The Honooral-!te iMenibt , r had not confined his view tt ) ..Li r .e comparative state of the Finances of 1792 411 ;!. 1820. lie had entered into the. considera tion of another Estimate, namely, that of 1817, 5 7' 1. in that view contended for the - practicability 0 t great saying in the present year. would-be e " What saving was practicable when the-Esti l:44's for the . present year w, ere laid on the table. (th e Chancellor of the was satis fied that those Estimates would be found to corn- Prise a reduction considerably exceeding one eompared 'with the expellees of last year. !)----Whether that saving reedited °r not the Report-of _the Committee of 1817, he '"is convinced that -some of. Friends Dear him could give distinct and decisive reasons for every article ,of expence in their several de- Partments, when those papers, - came before the liouse. :But certainly . the aggregate of saving \you'd amount tnniuch more than a million, and i f in any instance an excess bad occurred, it would be . accbnuted for. -It appeared to him that the Hon. Member had taken an erroneous l'iew of the Property-Tax: He had: stated, the i°corne. on which that Tax was assessed-at 150 but . bpthe Returns made to ,that House, it appeared to have been assessed on an income c'xceeding 200 millions, besides there was a great Part of the 'income of the country.which did not dome within the vier- -of that. Tax. The whole of the Property. Tax as charged. clear of the theorne arising from labour, was a considerable Part of the national income. On the state- a nent of the 'Honourable Gentleman himself, "r income bore as large a . proportion to-our ex -iPenditure as ever. 'The Ironourable Member al °wed that the country ought not to be relieved 1 any breath of faith with the.publie creditor. I ) th a t sentiment he (the Chancellor of the Ex , 4 9uer) perfectly coincided. Ile was perfectly irvinced that the best relief for the distresses of 10 country was to be sought obt . in measures '"-dculeted to violate the public faith and to di tile public credit, but in' measures by which the public faith : should be assured - and the Public credit tnaintabied. With reference to the Proposition of the Ilonou'rable"Geotleman, viz. to diminish the House and Window Tax, it vas not inapposite to observe, that a very small pro portion 'of that particular Tax Was 'paid by the aterieulturists.- A very consiAerable2 number of them did not pay the tax at- all. It was a tax; however, - most , important to the - Revenue, the Produce beink no less than ,600,0001. So awere. indeed', was- tbe Hon. Gentleman' self of its hurrortanee, that he proposed to take only- part of it; Undotibtedly that would afford considerable -relief to many. per Sons ; but that relief woUld.not be at_ all in proportion to theimblic injury.- As to the dirninution of the exp ee e e o f collecting, the fact was, that. the - collection of - half • the sum would not cost much less than the 'collection of - the whole. — Of all the taxes this wits -the Most, ecOnoinically collected. A larger portion of it came to the public treasury than of any ether: 'lt ought likewise to be *considered that a considerable proportion oett was paid • by the higher classs, selling as a sort of compensation for the Property Tax. It iras,a g reat rent;,: Money Tax, and if it were taken otf there would hardly be any great ready money Tax. Many of the observations made by the Hon. Gentleman on the cha - rge of collecting the revenue were fallaciotp. At the same time he (the Chancellor of the Exchequer) did not.d.env that some redo:A.lon might bemade in the ekpe7nce of colleetion. in fact; various reductioris Were In progress, aril the subject was, as the Hon. Gentleman allowed, in the hands of a Committee of Gentlemen of exemplary and diligenCe. The lion. Gen tleman had talked .of the advantages that would result. to the country from having an administra tion that would conduct the public affairs econo mically. He could assure the Hon. Gentleman that he and his colleagues ,were most anxious to conduct the public affairs with as much economy as possible. When another Administration was found capable of conducting the affairs of the coun try. with more. economy, and iu whom Parliament would be disposed to confide, they were quite prepared to relinquish their seats ; but until then it was, ;a their opinion, of little public ad vantage to repeat declarations of the necessitv of public economy. Undoubtedly there would never be wanting political ,charlatansliear, and a laugh)—who would undertake to manage the affairs of the State at the smallest possible exPerice: No doubt, if the' Hon. Gentleman were to manage thern on the terms which he had described, -there would be others----'some Hunts or CarlileS—who would propose to manage the country still more economically' than the Whigs. However, there would be future occasions, when the Estimates would be before the House, and when the Iron. Gentleman tnight, with more ad vantage, propose any reduction of taxes that he might think ad cisable. On this subject, however, he (the Chaucellar of the Exchequer) thought him self entitled to congratulate the House on the view which the HMI. Gentleman himself had taken of the state of our Finances. Hitherto, nothing had been talked of but the deficiencies . of out Revenue.; now, it seemed, that the Reve nue, with some economy, would so , greatly exceed the Expenditure, as to allow of a considerable reduction of Taxes. lie (the Chancellor of the Exchequer) had often been ,accused of painting too flattering a picture of the state of, the coun ' tiy. lie did not, however, go so far as the lion. Gentleman. He did not think that, even if the Sxpenditure were reduced in conformity to the Hon. Gentleman's proposition, such an amount of Taxes could be taken off as the lion. Gentle man wisligd fur. In our present situation, it would require more than the experience of one year to determine that fact.—For his part, lie thought that the maintenance of public credit Would be a much more efnctual mode of reliev big the general distress ; and thus thinking, lie should move the previous question on • the Hon. Gentleman's proposition. _ Mr. CALCRAFT observed,. that he must cer tainly admit the Rt. Hon. Member had enlivened the debate with some observations of rather a pleasant nature, amongst "others he was pleased to say, that as soon. as some persons could be found•to till their places to the public advantage so soon were they ready to retire. When that period: - "arrived, when they should think persons could be found .to fill their offices:to greater advan tage, he feared he should not be alive to witness it. He had also talked of political Charlatans. He (Mr. Calcraft) could not conceive .why the, Itt. Hon. Gentleman should entertain sllO timents of. the Whigs.; fur he remembered when the Rt. Hon. Gentleman filled a sinali situation, under the Whigs with great ability, and he would not doubt that the , Rt. Hon. Gentleman at that period would have said, that there 'would be-al ways political Charlatans ready to accept of office ' , meaning, no doubt, the Tories ; and as soon as Gentlemen - can be, found to fill our Offices with • advantage to the public, We (the Whigs) are ready to resign them.—(Hear, hear ! was not his intention to - follow the Right Gentleman through the eourse of his jokes,. but before he came to the consideration of the ques tion,. he had a duty to perform, and that was to return his thanks to his Hon. Friend for intro ducing his. motion, with an ability, , a clearness, and a perspicuity, such as he never - heard sur passed in that House.—,-(Hear, hear !)—lt re quired no -ordinary share of labour to collect all the materials which he introduced ; it could not be thine without sifting, over that volume which is annually put into their hands, but which few of them examine. It appears, from his state ment, that in the year 1702 the amonnt-of the civiland military expenditure of this country was seven millions;, in the year 1820 it was twenty-six millions. This then was the point, and to this they should address themselves, and not to the burdens of the public creditor. The Right Hon. Gentleman commenced by complain ing of the motion of his Honourable Friend - he . Was . sarprised 'that he could make such a statement on such a notice Pe (Mr. Cal craft) did not think that any Honoura ble Member was bound to shape his motion in such a way as to please any Chancellor of the Exchequer. He next alluded to the year 1702, and said that the Estimates of that year were so low, that they did not aWord a ground of corn- . parison. But that year has always beenconsider ed the basis of expenditure, and Mr. Pitt and his colleagues were of opinion, that the Estimates of that year should regulate the expenditure, and that every shilling over and above that should he .fully accounted fOr. The Right Hon- Gentleman next alluded•to Army Pensions. On-that.ground he fully concurred with him. }le would discharge these pensions with as much fidelity as he would. the claims of the national creditor. But, says the Right Hon. gentleman, the Hon. Meiriber has , chOOt the wrongtime,and the wr6ngmode ; he has begun at' the wrong end; He would be glad to know.what was the Right Hon. GentleMan'S Opinion of mode and - tithe, and what .was hiS right and 'what his wrong - end ?—(Hear!)—" Oh !" • says the Right - Hon. Gentleman.; " you must • wait until the estimates are produced, *and 'then you will, find there is -a'reductiou of a.rnilliott." Why, what is the plain state of the case ? Our establishment is incruased two millionS, and then the Right 'lion. Gentiernm, in his special grace and favour, conents to ivcruce ono of them.— (Hear . , heae, hear.)—This sari nmething like the reduction in our Military establishment, of Which we have helrd so much in the speech from the Throne. The military establishment is raised in the time of peace, and then we ,arn"-eotigrattl late& on the reduCtion of our Military establish ment, as a proof of the. security and tranquillity of this happy country, againit the workings ofaltese political Charlatans, while the GOe( rument re mains in the sacred and immaculate hessids of the Right lion. 'Gentleman opposite:—(Hear, —The Right lion. G entleman stated, that he could enumerate - various taxes that would be more beneficial, if . repealed but he has_ not thought proper to state'. any of them. He (Mr. GO could point out some of pe culiar hardship, and not the least'io, he - meant the Salt Tax, which was certainly one of the most vexatious and intolerable taxes that ever was imposed. - If you buys 1001. wortleof you pay 30001. taxes before you can sell it. The proposition was self-evident. The Res port that, was presented by _ the; Committee of 1817, if he mistook not, came from the Treasury ; and yet the - Right Honourable Gentleman seemed so • frightened with the creature of his own imagination, that he could not even consent, to a discusSion. But the only way, in his opinion, for any man who.wished to carry a motion through that House, was .not to consult either time, the mode, or the right or wrong-end of the Right Hon. Gentleman oppo site. For, say the Noble Lord and his Col leagues—Oh ! they may talk of agricultural Committees, and twenty-one of them-may go up stairs and deliberate en the affair; but until they come down to this House t.sith some proposition to repeal the taxes, they may as well ,ga.into the country, and make one common cause of misery, with their tenantry.—(Hear, hear!)-- e -The Right Hon. Gentleman has offered no arguments, but Still he has his majority, and a majority is alWays right. lie was only surprised that they should waste their time on his side•otthe House, for no matter how justified their labours, or .how great theiir exertions, they must bow to the majority.— (Hear, hear !) Mr. Husetssoet .could not think that the Hon. Member who just sat down had added very con siderably to the mirth of the discussion, by the axis-interpretation of the sentiments of Right lion. Friend. With respect to the present question, he could 'not conceive that a compari son could be instituted with any degree of pro priety between . the year 1792 e1:ni1..1820. 11l 1792, it was nine,years ,after a peace ; the array was in a floueishing condition ; the navy in the same state ; and besides since then, the pay of the army, navy, and ordnance, is considerably increased. must also, in looking at ceueStion, compare the numberS, and that would be best dime when the estimates were brought before the consideration of the lionse,-- lie did not complain of the motion, except inas much as it was caleulated to create false impres sions, and certainly the best mode of proceeding for all practical' purposes .into consider the estie ;mates. The proposition coming front a Gentle- Man so well acquainted with the finance of the country, appeared to him the most extraordinary ; at the same time, fie mast give him credit for his . des ee pination to keep faith watts the national taondh,!.4ltre, was sure it would .be to .the house it was, a satisfaction. to him t o s t a t e , that the Estimates of- the present year, for the Army, ;Commissariat, Barracks, &c. are reduced to a. sum under that of 1 - 817. He hoped the - OraNtnce Estimates (.taking .credit for only an averege fele of .old stores) would be brought within-1,100,0004 ;_ so that it would ap pear all the great establishments will not exceed the Estimates of the year 1817. With respect to the establishment at .Chelsea, he hoped that had crow arrived at the maximum and we might hope now for reductions in that,head of expence. The Miscellaneous Serviees were a head of expellee which were the ledet• susceptible of accurate esti mate. Last year, for . example, 100,000/. had been paid to . the subjects 'of Portugal, for certain slave 'ships captured by the British: •that was a head of expense that could not have : been contemplated in 1817 ; but he hoped and believed that head of expellee would not this year exceed 1,700,000/: Upon the whole, he believed he had shewn that upon the three great-establishments of the:coon: try the expence would' not exceed above twit') or • three hundred thousand poUnds; the Estimates of 1817. On the subject of taxation, it was soMe'.• thing whimsical that' the Hon. • Member, appa rently without any reason for the selectioe,shoeld have fixed on 'the Witulaw and House Tax for repeal. The Honourable Member who spoke last had argued • in favour of taking mei the taxes on malt and agricultural - horses, in ad dition to the other taxes, which would, instead of two millions, give them between sin and seven millions- If the lienottrable Member, thoughts that practicable,. the sooner he should make an intelligible proposition to. the. ,House the bet e ter ; and he was certain thatshisjienourable charge of the reYetute and the administratien to Friends would have great pl easure in resi g nin g t he those who could fulfil the conditions held out. — lie was of opinion that :the House would act most unwisely in adopting any measure which . .would have a tendency to impair the public credit ; and he would put it to the Honour able Gentleman (Mi. Moberly), whether a sinking fund of between two and.three millions was such as we ought. to be satisfied , with, -and whether it would not be right to endeaeour to - vigorate it by every -exertion of economy.— (Cheers from the-OppositioTl.)—He understood the Cheers of the Iron. Gentlemen, and when the Estimates should be discussed, it wouldbe for these Gentlemen to slew that more could have been done, and he (lid not desire, them even to respect the Estimates of 1817. He thought that ally premature attempts to relieve ourselves from _taxation, would only place us in a situation of -embarrassment and difficulty. lie should there previous question, as moved by fore support the his Right lion. Friend.. Mr. Rteattno conceived the Right Hon. ,Gen tleman had misunderstood the object of the Hon. Mover. If he had. himself . rightly understood him, his proposition wasito reduce taxation, .not by taking front the Sinking Fund e but by econo hl jte if, - hoWeter, haA propmeA to , lake 'two triillic s from the Sinkifig Fued, hie, Would have met teith no. oppositiore from for; he looked upon it altogether as a delusion. Lf- the. rea:na%t • df it were pre-, served, it: could -oeor ho that. hie Majesty's Tilinisters migta lay. Their hantls:upon it for the . purposes of ueneeessary eeneuditurti. lie..eti& not think the. Chancellor of the Eecheqerr tveeld he well pleased 'with the ilefeece of the itight liou, -Gentleman (Mr. Flusk:eson) of that night,; to hear him it would be infeeined the expanses of last :year were provided for aljnost entirely by loans: lie was pleased to lea? the Right Houourable Ge:fflemati express his jealousy, of diminishing the Consolidated Fund ; - he for . got that was what had - Lem), doing for a course of years, yet' had great horror of doing what was mere Matter of account. He . con teived that the Hon. Mover had given rather too favourable a view .of the receipts and expendi ture of the present yedr.. The Sinking Fund would, he feared, fall far below the sum he had estimated. He founded his opinion on a calcu lation which e if there was any error in, the Right lion. Gentleman opposite would set him right.— There was a reduction of twenty-five millions last year from the national debt ; that was com posed of a diminutio.n of eight millions of the unfunded debt ; and seventeen millions of the Sinking Fund. Against that 25 ; , 000,0001. there should be placed the increase to the debt by the loan, and the 7,000,0001. of Exchequer B:Ils funded, making together 21,000,0001. of stock, to which add 400,0001. for deficiency of the Con solidated. Fund, and the ' total would make 24,400,0001., which being deducted from 25,000,000!. would leave 600,0001. of debt less than. in 1820, and that-he' conceived to be the real amount of die Sinking . . Mr. 115911INGTON said, if the proposition of the' Hon. Mover were to_ take effect; that Sinking Fund "which the Bon-Member for Portarlington characterized as a delusion, would become-still more worthy of being - so denominated. There was certainly no one tax which could have been selected as being so little Calculated to afford relief to Agriculture as the Horse Tax, since the farmer was specially exempted from that duty. Had that side of the House been awa re of (he course which the Hon.. Mover was abOut to take, lie had no doubt that many of his State ments could have been controverted. One instance he could point: out, in which he was in error. The charges of management were in the year 1792, 61. ss. per cent. and in the last year 51:195. per cent. He thought it must be very satisfactory for the House to hear that such a re duction had taken place, notwithstanding the change in paying the Customhouse establish ment. In 1792 great part was paid by fees, whilst now the officers were paid regular salaries ie lien, which had caused an increase in that branch. The Honourable Member then went through the detail of the expenses of collection and management of the Excise, the Stamp and other duties, in verification of his statement ; and considered that after such an exposition, to talk of a saving of two per cent. in that - branch was a mere fallacy. For those reasons be should vote for the previous question. Mr. Eete Ce was glad to hear of the reduction that was to be made in the expenditure, but wished to know what good reason could be given for it not having been doue last year. As two great branches of the expenditure had been brought within the sum Tecomthended by the . Finance Committee, he was inclined to go the, .whole leegthevhich they had advised. The lion. Gentlemen opposite professed their readines . s to concur in any measure for a practical retrench ment: A motion was now on the order-book . fo;• reducing the' otperaces of the Receivers-Ge neral of Cannties ; would the Hon. Gentlemen opposite give their suppoit to that motion?— ( Eearl)---Thatevas a practical retrenchment, but he - knew that they always had refused to give . their sanction to any measure of that .eort. He agreed wiih the lion. Member for Portarlington, that it would be wise to have: recourse to the tiinking Fund ; with their table loaded with PeL. titions: complaining of agricultural distress, he thought they ought to endeavour to reduce tax ation, and thoegh he respected the public faith and valued - the public credit as much - as any man, he did not see any reason there was for going be yOud the necessity. lie could see no utility iu keepiug up that complicated account of the Sinking Funch Why not rub off that part which had !seen paid, and simplify the thing so that ever' one might undeestand. it ? If lie had seen any disposition -on the other side of the House last .night to repeal a tax Which pressed exclu sively on agriculture, he 'should have given some cretlit . to the argument :now brought forward, that' the'repeal of these taxes would be.no relief to the farMee. : The CitANCELLOR of the ,EXCileclueß and Mr. t,t.rcE mutually. explained. Mr. MA amt,Y, junior, :supported the Resolu-- tionS, bot rather than any disagreement should take place, he shotild readily agree to substitute any other tax for those named in the Resolutiens. "Mr. Yonte-Ssterwsaide be was rather inclined to view with doubt any reduction of the taxation at the presenttirneebut if a reduction could be made, he' was.inforntedeupon the best authority, that a redaction of the - tax on salt would be that which would be :the least•injurious to the revenue, and Of-the greatest advantage to agrieulture. From the caleulatiOne made, it appeared if that tax' were repealed a, great increase,might be looked for in other: branches of the revenue. Agreeing in the main With" his Hon. Friend, he should cer tainly vote for his two first Resolutions. -Mr. AN'tettoe ,considered that the subject stood differently, from What it did when the Hot), Gentleman -first introduced it ; since then they had ,the atfthoeitez of the night Honourable Gen tleman.(Mr. lineleisson) that the reductions had actually heen Made, and the question therefore before:the House was now merely whetherehaving. made a reduction of the expenditure, it would be most for. the interest of the country to add, to the Consolidated Fund or reduce the taxation ?: and on an extended consideretion.of thequestion he' should give the preference, to the former. MAUERLY replied, he attri . buted the error into Which he La,..! fallen with respect to did charges o(J:ran - tiger:writ to a - mistake in' The printed accoil its laid on the tabie, from whit* he Lad talten'thern. • • Mr. Ittcanno, Mr. -LusrtiNGTON aad Mr. MA 1g Ly soverally The House then divided aqd, the nlater9 were FurtileMair,tt Against it • , hlajority against the 11 , 1u1 itlil ... . • On ottr re-Adtni.,lrin,, a uti!J vercition.. tool; iilaee, wllich Sir Jotin Newport. thr (.11-aiicrli.or of . tlie ExchiAiter, aitd Sit' Geing"'Hillolo,4t Put. resp e ct: iig the expeiii:e,ut the .ttillea tion o' the revenue in Ireland. Sir 6E011(3'6. 11 ILL who ittrii.that there Iratt freer' A rafting off w the amount of the taxes iu Ireland, and tint sam.e;ma ciiittely for,the collection betng necessarily . 1...4a up, of cour,.e the charge for collecting - was greater iu propollauo to tht! amount them formerly. Alr. CHARLES CifiANT contended that e'very possiirle ex , ettien had been made to red ice the a xpenec of easteciirte, liT eunAiderahle reddeliim to every depittt,rent. Iu th e depart= meat of .!•tatups, the C:uthmissioners had omen reduced trim! fire to three; in the Cu , toms, from sercn to five ;. Excise, from seven to six. Loud MOUNT CH.IItLES suuested th a t t h e 6„ of s , To d t stills should he pet milted in Leland, which would toirch.in crease the :evenue. Mr. JOHN SMITH said, no answer had been eeven to it: question put li) his Right Holt. ,Friend, the Nl,roht-r IVaterfold, whethef the expenee of colieving the assesed taxes in Ireland did not amount to .27 per tent ?—(l.lrar t hear. hear 1 .) —This he thought was . a [natter which I - quire!! sortie explanation. The second Resolution was then put, and negatieed mith• out a division; and the remaining resoluti.nis . weir Irit.h• drawn. N.kPI.Es •Sir R. WILSON are notice that on' Thor6day. next h e should move for the production of a letter, dated the id tr upf February last, rukliessedby_the British Minister at Nitailes to the Duke de Gallo. • _ _ CASII PAYMENTs, The CHANCELLOR of•the EXCHECIVER mm.o, that on Th tirsilay neat the Pouqeshoold resolve itself ititos , Con, miner to consider the Act for.regttlatiN., , the issue of btilliott by time flank of f.ogland. With :t view to the briogitttr. Bill to empower the 114111: of England to pay its notes in'gold' at an earlier period than that which is fixed by the ; and also that it be referral to the said COMlllitite to COLlSiltr the present state of the silver currency. Mr. HOBHOITSE be'ztredleare to sagest to the Honourable Gzlitirrnan'the propmiety of deterring . , ti) another day; the ant. Xletotter fin tilkirheiark b ar i E4 given notice of to inution.for that day nlitcl4 wool,' bring att,. i f er di wir i,i on the question of our present relations with the kingdom of Naples, and it b,ing extremely inconvenient-to tro into two. discussions of such imptirtanee on the saate evening. The ijIANCEI.I.OR of the EXCHEQC'Ett said, it wroth he very inconvenient to defer the: nuition of which he Trod eivcir notice to any later period ; runt there at no probabi lity of any objection to it in its first stage.—Ordered. Mr. C. GRANT moved for leave to brine in a Bill to'reen. late the time of holilint: General Sessions of the Pence in Ire. latol t also for a Bill to amend the Lunatic Asylum tin Ird:incl.—Leave:jeep. • The other orders of the Day were they disposed of, and tlse louse adjourned at ELLVEN O'CLOCU. • . From the LONDON GAZETTE of Marc-7 6. lrhilehall. :Unruh 5, 1920. Yecterdar morninz, suou after nue n'cluch, died, nt the age )1 11 weeks, her Highness Elizabeth, only dato:loser of hig Etoyiil Highness the Duke of Clarionce. to :tie great grief of Ills Majesty and of all the Royal Family. BANKRUPTCY ENLARGED.. W. Iteitl, jun, Newcastle place, CliTlienwcll•cluse, watch maker, from March 10 to Apt it 28. • BAN R, Mason, Barfristone, Kent, miller. to sttrr,ender March 13, in, April 17, at the Guildhall. Canterbury. Solicitors, Messrs. faulinoon and flail, King's arncb-stalk, Tc , mpk. It. Aubrey. jun. Manchester. merchant, March 19, 9.0. April 17, at the Star Inn, Manchester. , Solicitoras•.M"S". Will Clarlie, and Watson, Warnford.court. Aubrey, 'Manchester, merchant, March 19,20, AprA 17, at the Star Inn Manchester. SOlicitura, Messrs. Clarke, and Watson, Warnfot d-court. T. Gibbons, jun., Wells, Norfolk, merchant, March 13.14, at the Red Lion lon, April 17, at the Crown Inn, Faliefiliatn. ulicitors, Messrs. Flexney and Mot,. Beellord-tuw. .1. Troughton, C. A. Nets coral), and .1. Trott:daun t Cytt:ei , try, bankers,- March 111, a 7, April 17, at the Craven Arms lintel, Cot entry. Solicitor, :11r. l'earman. Coven? ry. = - - II Gibbons, Hinton,' dealer, March 10, '2O, April 17. at Guildhall., Solicitor, Mr. Jones, Tetnpletchatutsers, Fleet sit eet. FOR THE SUN. POPERY. M. EDITOH—May I solicit a place in your . paper for an observation on PLUNK LT.-f3 sth Resolution, which is, "'ThaCit appears to' " this Committee that scruples "are entertained " 4 his • Majesty's Roman Catholic subjects, " with respect to taking ihe said - oath, merely on. " account of the wordspiritual, and that to re " move the said scruples it would be expedient " to declare the sense in which the said *Wo`rd is " used, acco'rding to the injunction issued .-by " Queen ELIZABETH in the Ist and sth of h•vr . :: . . " reign, and which, as explained in the article " orthe Church of England imparts, merely- that " the Rings of thii Realm should- govern all es-• " tatcs and - degrees committed-to their charge by . " Gon, whether they be Ecclesiastical or- I'm.; • " poral . , and restrain -With the civil word t 1 • stubborn and evil doei."—But he forets to . add ' the clause that immediately follows—, . " The Bishop of Rome hai no jurisdictio n ' • this Realm:" - Now, while these last Ivor& remain' in We" 37th - Article, will it remoye the scruples of , the-Roman cath; tics as to taking the oath, to . have it explained by the said 37th Article'? .. St cy ning , March d , Is3i. A PROTESTANT. FLOATING HOSPITAL. FOR, SICK AND DISTRESSED SEAMEN.—W e are authorised to Mate, ::that at the- - Meeting at the City of LondOn Tavern, al Thursday the Sth instant,the Chair will be taken at twelve, for half-past twelve o'clock, preeisek , instead of one o'clock, as before annoupced. • CITY BusiNEss.----esterday the LORD Mxro a • held'a - Court of Aldermen, for the dispatch\of general business. • Sir MAT - r - nrw 81.0x.114, Kilt. • and Aidernian of the Ward of Bridge ; tendered — . his , resignation the Court, which was — accepted. and the Loitri MAYoit *as - requeS.ted to' issue 'his pretepf.for a Wardmote to be`:held. for;the.elec- tionnEanother in his. room, .. - The Court appoint ed the higl4 . ttev.Vather in Gird•Lord - Bishop of • PLTERBOROUGH, and the Rev. WILLIAM BAlt , now, 'L L. D. F. A.S. Prebendary 'of the Col legiate Chureh of South Well- and Vicar of Fair's field in •the:county •of 'Nottingham', to preach Serrnnns 'On Monday' and- Tneadaty in • Easter• Week next, at Christ Church in Newgate-street. -~;~--- HOWARD ANT); GILDS, 13ANKRIIPT . S.—A Idieot.l ing• of the creditors in this ca's . e Aras -held yest, , r; - day at Cuildball.:—The pressure' of the crow' was not so great as usual, The 'Commissionei . i . • received `some proofs of debti, and adjourned. No other proceed:n; of material interest T tiok place.