The Sun. — London, England, 1821-02-09 00:00:00

when.compared with the home_titsle. "They de scribed the state. of things for several years past to have been such as to impoverish them grea tly, till, at length, the town Of . : 13irmitIgharn was re- duced to a ,most deplorable_ State. : The Manu 7 .facturers were-employed but three or four days in a week, and many of them were obliged to .seek support from parochial relief. Certain per, sons had taken u,pbtt themselves to inquire into the sale of those articles.consumed by the lower cl asses, and whether. it- was necessary to give the wo rkmen-credit, The result of the inquiry had proved, that there ,was a most alarming diminu tion in the consumption of almost all the arti cles o f . which they- were formerly the purchas e rs ! ri le Petitioners prayed for the adoption of such . mea sures as might afford relief. As this Petition i ll )a (I been framed so:long _ago, he had thought it r 'glit to inquire- what was now the state of things 'II that town. From the information, he had re "ived, he believed that some branches of com merce had been improved, but, the staple mann facture of the town—the hardware, had declined since last august to- the extent of from 20 to 25 Per cent., and the capitalists .still continued to diminish their capital in trade, and to discharge their workmen. The Poor-rates were about the same as last year ; but the price of corn consi dered, they were in effect much higher. The distress of the petitioners extended to the iron- worker in , Staffordshire. As to the cause, he would: not:venture an opinion. lie would only *say, that he believed to be of a general, rather than of a local nature. At present he should do more 'than lay the .P!!tition on the table,:as sur,ut. the Houge that the subject .was one of most vital:lmportance,- and one that demanded 1114nediatei attention,.. and the best exertions of 41:Ili/Asters, to remove. it. -Mr. LAWLEY spoke, to the diminished con sumption o f th e necessaries of life among the Poorer classes, and pre,ssed the Petition on the consideration of the House. An Hon. Member meant shortly to bring this subject before them. Ile was glad of it, and was sure that they would give it their best attention. LITTLETON said an inquiry of the charac ter described in the Petition, had been set on I; ` 3 9 t anlimg. his constituents in the south-west parts.of LanCashire, who were engaged in la ben rs similar to that of the Petitioners, and the 'result had, been the same as at Birmingham. Though it was not broadly stated in the Petition, it was: the opinion of the Petitioners that much of their distress grew out of .the measures adopt ed by Parliament, in_ order to return to a metal lic currency. Ife . did. not wish that 'measure t O be diSturbed which Parliament had • deli berately adopted. Ile hoped that confidence , Nru uld..:revive, and that. th e B an k s wou ld aga i n "(1 enabled• to afford the industrious classes that aid which they.' had formerly afforded. If the _sufferings o f th ose situated like' the Peti ttc'ners appeared to be peculiarly great, he hop td S ome means of assisting them might be de ' i18 " 1 •. , .It appeared:that,the Petitioners suffered greatly, as there had existed in.their town a re system of manufacturing paper to obtain t't ca rt ' The Petitioners stated the grounds of ( 1„ -ir distresk to arise not from the diminution of 111 and for .their manufactUres on the cessation of car ;if they took the last five years-into their 4P -tion, they might have come to such a coa ti -s ` ° ' ; but as they ,Oul y took the last two years, t hey conceived the termination of the war could -H ave nothing to do with it. This was their 'Pinion, as the t ear o f . comparative year 1818 had been to them a tpro:T H erit v. e, however, v "ught the t erm i nation of the war, when it was ;:' ll idered that the Petitionera had manufactur lii, n ut only swords and muskets, but all the fur .lr.`,l,l_re of . ivar,--stirrups, &c., and when it ts reniembered how largely. we used to sup- PIY fo' • thou for powers with similar 'articles, he Thldgut that the cessation of: War must have i i i4t e a great difference WtbePetitioners, and rn atio n 'allY years must. elapse before the de "which was formerly thus created, could fllt•d.up by - our foreign trade..lle re 44:11111..bered• accompanying a- deputation to Lord tb at .' rav e 0 11 one occasion, w h en it was s t a t e d. such was the demand.they had then to meet ti , su rll the extent of their works, that they were 1)001:1,1,1(1..bit - of turning . out a musket a minute, Isaatit r " s orts' 43 ' itta kin a g nd night. Though grateful for the to extend our. Foreign Trade, the iniveiriacturers considered this a subject of minor This 4 a ltce, and the correctness of their idea on . . 'Lad i i ";,'Ject was borne out by inquiries which he ag o , an opportunity .of making. some years and r,ite. adverted - to the Agricultural distress ; t o gi,.` lna t rked that it was galling for the farmer oaid, f w 0 bushels of Wheat now for what he 1111 /, f orm or i purchase for one, and this to bene wlaoi undholder, who profited to the extent to POl. ler • I • ar s were iniured. t might not be po t 'That r tiot ouse, but was.. of opinion, that Il eo 4l ioa al "11 incotne, but on 'property, and on the 4t nry bl , would (properly explained,) if the Parti "uld Qs. iii. hear it: be agreeable to nearly all Pre parin g . was surprised that Ministers, when. A t ove r t, ' s Peech from the Throne, -should as felt f ,, ° I"fl the agricultural distress which lie a l t .. one end of the country to the other. i nl ' i ruer ce h in 'Provementin some branches of our ‘. l es e were r e look e d at with alarm, and suspected t ilattt, ho „,- a r from justifying an opinion that "the fo r the thi! count r y - Was materially changed cot ton "tte r . it .1 trad e , appeared that workmen in the f oal , 'lad not full WI - tires. If the trade ;_•) Ir °ll - 1d ' Y ar rived could it be doubted that they was sc . deinanded More pay. This, hoWever, po t S O • dr fro m b ' 1) I " 6 f them vas the case that a considerable o ort i 1 . ) 'ern Was still maintained out of the if ' t Were resol.l. 4 , e,:i i aCo mmittec Were ;ranted, and 11 ''t (3 to give the agricultural classes 4hd i f protection to which they were entitled, a „,, • t r • mu - wo ve , I Qd e I - meal. WOK. place in our foreiT,n , le Cu r , did not belie ve t ha t these wo u ld satisr.edthe ev i ls he hailnow to depl ore ', b ut h e was that the lrors country w ou ld go on from bad ~ to . e without a general revision. of our system. e`fioerceo:itery I . lad le-ss revenue' since the war than I) wished to - know what was the amount :of , r, lenue now arisin g from Ngriculture and `•-lhninerce. bthis.icountr; was goina. in ‘ ,l $ nat Was conidered• the - zenith of prespe7ity,„ she had to meet an e3tPanditnre of 80 millions ; but then'she had what Might be called a ri , Veimmi of four hundred millions.. - Now we had taxes to the amothit of fifty three hundred millions Taking this View of the subject it Would be seen that our situation was much inferior to what it had been, and . svheat, which was at the former peried alluded to 10s. was now only 6s..per bushel. This in part arose from the measures adopted with respedtto the 'Bank, but he agreed that on no account ought Parlia ment to renew the Restriction Act. This he ad :Mated would be,only pitting off the evil day, and the same ruin must be ultiMately endured. But when he looked at the: deereaSed' Value of land and the increased value of money, he thought he had a right to call. upon Ministers to endeavour to relieie the country from part of the interest of the national debt. llewas to break faith with the public creditor ; bmit the barthens under which the country laboured, could not be borne. He called on the Noble Lord, in look ing" at these subjects, not to regulate his conduct by a view to any partial interests, but to do that which would be beneficial to the country generally. The taxes and poors' rates, were now so high; that when the Government had got their propor tion of the taxes, and the Poor had got their quota, time landed proprietors might as well sur render their estates at once, for nothing would remain for them. What, then, was to be done, if the whole property 'of the Country iiaif'only sufficient to pay time taxes, the poor, and the tithes, He should wish to know what the Noble Lord took the real property of the Couritry at now ? Mr. Pitt bad been accustomed to take it at _2.8,000,0001. He would ask if the Noble Lord . • could now take it :at 'more than 20 : 000,0001: ? At that time the annual charge of the poor's rates was between. two and three million. This was out of -28,000,0001. Now the property, of the country was reduced to 20,000,0001. the poors' rates exceeded 8,000,000/.lf the statements he-had made were incorrect, he should be glad to hear the Noble Lord prove them fallacious. If the in terest of the public funds had risen to twice. the amount of the real property of the Country, ought the latter to bear all the burthen of the poor —ought the former alone to escape taxation ? When a -new property tax was talked of, he could only say he wished the country could bear one. _ But he-was convinced that it could not.— He would ask what landlord got his rents ? His tenants had claimed a reduction of 25 per cent. or had tendered back the leases.: If some cient measures were not adopted the whole of the farmers would give up their leaSes. This pros 7 pect ought. to alarm the Noble Lord, and make him disposed to inquire into time' existing distress, and the means by which it might be removed. Mr. LITTLETON had not said that the'sountry could bear a Property Tax, but he thought some system ought to be adopted to get at that mon ster the funding system. , . Mr. CuawEN resumed his argument. He had wished to see the Noble Lord removed from office, but he called on him to look fairly at the state of the country, and doing this he should have his m o st h ea rty s u pp or t, At such a time when the most vigorous exertions were demanded to save the nation, all party considerations ought to be forgotten. As an agriculturist claimed nothing for that particular class to which he be longed—he sought no partial benefit, but he de sired to see such measures -adopted as would tend to the general prosperity-, and be likely to place the country in the situation '‘vhich it had. occu 7 pied before she rushed into the late war. Mr. W. PEEL believed the allegations in the Petition were- unfortunately true. The trade of Birmingham was in a very deplorable state. He was satisfied the workmen cuuld not be main tained without. parochial relief. The inquiry called for, if it could not relieve, as he thought it would afford satisfaction to a numerous class, was in his opinion advisable,. . Mr. ROBINsoN thought it was natural for the Hon. Member, interested as he was in the sub jects to which he had called the House, should go into them at some length. He hoped the House would pardon him when he declined en tering on topics of such serious importance at that time. The measure which the petitioners supposed would restore them to time trade which they formerly enjoyed, when he considered that it went to overturn an Act of Parliament made two years ago on a most important subject, lie thought the House ought to pause before they entertained . the prayer :of the Petition. To the system then adopted he.had been less favourable at first ; he was, ill fact a complete convert to the arguments used in support of time, measure, and now he was not prepared- to believe that there could be any reason or safety in abrogating it. One proposition was of fearful importance that had been suggested as a remedy for our present difficulties. The idea had got abroad (and he knew it was very palatable to many classes in the country) that a legislative measure ought to pass to reduce : the interest of the national debt. It might apparently give,some relief to the agri cultu,ral classes, but it would not be unmixed. good. They might talk of the necessity of touch ing the great fundholders, : but. what was to be come of the small ones—what was to become of the hundreds and thousands of small ones, who had their all bound up in the honour-and good faith of the country. He. could not bear to hear such a plan mentioned.- without earnestly calling on the House not .to be hurried away to that for a temporary advantage, which would carry in its train incalculable and irreparable mischief. Such plans the Government were bound to oppose, and it was a little hard to impute to them reluctance to relieve, because. they were not prepared to undo what Parliament had so recently done,. or to endeavour to afford relief by a violation of pub lie faith. If any motion on these subjects Were hroug,ht forward, he would give it his most re- . , spectful and anxious attention ; and if a plan were suggested, which promised to relieve with out doing injury, no man would be more ready to give it his most cordial support. . Mr. BARING was surprised that the Right Hon. Gentleman- had sat down without express ing more of his feeling.on the specific subject be fore,. the - ,11005e., In what he had said with re - s pq to 'Ole interest :of the .)4 ational . Debt ; Ile a , reed with the IZight lion. Gentletrian 5 and if there were' 'one subject on which every !latest and honourable man in the country were•united 'it was that,. for that country could have bo ho nesty and no honour, which, after passing through a war like the last, by borrowing Money of some of its subjects, should, in peace refuse to make goOd : its engagements. He was sure the expected be nefits calculated upon from such an expedient. would not be realised, and in a country like this . one description of property could not be touched without endangering every- other. The 11on. Gentleman would find,if the mortgage which the public creditors had on the property of the coon- try were disregarded, that his own title deeds would soon be worth nothing. Mr. CURWEN wished to keep good faith with the public creditor, if.that were.possible.. It was on the assumed impossibility of doing so that his argument was founded. Mr. 13.trUNG resumed. Undoubtedly it had been proposed by man y G ent l emen t o pay off the Public Debt by means of a sacrifice of pro perty on all sides ; and such a doctrine had even been 'supported by high authority in that House. lie himself had always considered it impractica ble. The sacrifice-of general property must be, at all times, and in.all countries, attended with much 'danger. When his lion. Friend spoke of imposSibility as the reason. why such a plan should not be adopted he would. say, that he never con- 1 sidered it impossibto pay clebts. : tts_ long as the party owing theml4ssessed: a farthing of pro perty. The Petition brought the House to' the consideration of the general concerns and state of the country ; for although it presented •a correct representation of the 'State of Birmingham, it was also a true picture of the Whole nation. There was no interest in deeper distress than the agricultural interest ; and that was certainly a most - important consideration for the House, and, most particularly for Country Gentlemen. For that reason he had been surprised to see the Right lion. Gent. at tile 'head of the Board of Trade, sit down without adverting to so interest ing a topic. it was a serious thing, that the sixth year of peace should find the nation in such a state, that a Speech from the Throne represented no one of its interests to be in a state of pro sperity. He was not to be -considered as a party man upon this subject ; and he hoped that all would come to it, without any of those differ ences of opinion which arose from party motives. Nothing was so urgent and important as a strict examination into the causes of our present 'state ; a state, he was convinced, not resulting from .the cessation of War, for the Petitioners themselves proved it. They stated that the year 1818 'was a year of comparative prosperity ; and that since that year their distress had been accumulating. They also said, that their local distress originated in the, 'great depression of the American market. Articles of manufacture which atone period ‘fetched 'ten dollars in that market, we're now only worth three and three quarters. ' Every article was thus depreciated in value, and .when it was- considered that in the whole of that extensive Continent there was scarcely a button' or a door latch used, but which was of Birmingham manufacture; it was evident that any defalcation in the means of that nation must affect in a peculiar degree, this particular town. A- similar defalcation of means existed in our home market; and must be traced to some general cause. Whatever might he the intentions of . the petitioners, and whatever might be the views whichilon. Gents. entertained with regard to the measures that ought to he pursued, he was convinced that they ought first, to endeavour to obtain a correct view of the case. fle had no hesitation in owning it to be his opi- Ilion, that he could find the cause of a very con siderable portiOn of our difficulties in the altera-I tioni in the currency which had taken place. lie meant.not only the establishing of a, paper' cur rency, but the important measure of changing the standard, and fixing it upon gold. The paper currency during the war created . a lavish expen diture, and brought on a debt - which had been •increasing immensely even" by a return to peace. The produce of the soil did not sell, at this mo ment, for much less than what it did at a period antecedent to the existence of the present dis tress. lle was aware that calculating on the no mhial pound it was so, but in real value, the 60.5. now produced by the quarter of corn was equal to the 80s. for which it would sell for merly. And if a quantity of iron, or any other. commodity, were taken in exchange for the corn, it would produce 'quite as much now as then. But unfortunately many great landholders and proprietors were overwhelmed with deht,by means of mortgages andinterests. Theseindividuals had purchased tinder illusive . appearances. and afterwards found their specula tions fail. They had in fact been deceived by the Government, by . the trifling system which had been pursued in regard, to the currency. Natty, had lost all, their capital and were, now in prison : for debt. As this system had operated upon - the landholders, so had it operated upon the whole country. The Petitiimers stated that amongst them there was a diminution of consumption; yet there, appeared to be an increased consumption of exciseable articles; and this they were at a loss to reconcile. To him it was perfectly 'reconcile able. The fundholder alone had a fixed income; and from the very depression existing amongst other classes, was enabled to consume and em ploy a larger portion of exciseable articles. For example, where lie formerly kept one horse, when oats were fifty shillings a quarter, now tit►at they were twenty-five, he was enabled to keep two. It was said that the Excise Revenue had in creased six millions. That was not the fact, be cause new taxes had been laid on to that-amount, and it _was acknowledged that their produce had been one' million and a half. But look to Ire land., There the liked incomes were very. few, and the consequence that the Excise Reve nues, instead . of hie, easing, had deCreased; The drone Of soCiety.liad enjoy ed" all the adVantages, while every thilig CormeCted with the 'industry • Of the country suffered -. under depression. " It was mainly necessary that the llone-sliould direct its attention to the state in which we w ere, and first of all to consider maturely the- - state of our ex. penditure look - to , -h a . tjt forniN•t,) . ; waSl.and to what it hail nose grown, owing b.:, the changes in our currency and AO the, amplitnde . of ouemeatis ; arid to endiiavour to bring itjiliiiitift to the'tulue'el coin, in the proportion of from eighty- to - sixty: It had been said by ati Hon. Friend of his (Mr. Western) ; that since the year •nitiety , two, the expenditure of the Country had inereastd three fold. - Ile Was convinced fiteV - Ouglit tP Mediately - to retrenchment; and, if-zthey not get it back to what it. was, they should re ,duce it as far as they could, anielie.had . no doubt but a considerable portion •of our would also . be reduced. The prel:erit Agricultural distress arose in sorrie . degree frOm the resistances rt hich were made tu the altered state of things, Rents Must be red iced. Gentlemen had 'taken it into their 'heads that thins *would improve from year to year, and under that impresSion kept up their rents ; forgetting, as he had before stated, that corn in exchange for other commodi ties was Worth nearly the s:tme - as it alwayS had been. He thought it 'a most desirable- object to give as much facility as possible to time currency of the realm. • He wished for a Committee,—not to sit up stairs, but a Com mittee of the whole House, to take -into consi deration this momentous subject. He should propose that the pound note be, made payable .by. ,a pound sterling in either of the precious 'petals. - What made him most anxious to do this was, beeause there was a degree of uncertainty pt.evailinein the publiCinind Which was highly injurious. The Countr:Banks were at an entire loss what to do, as' hail been instanced in the case .of the Bank of Ireland, the other day. It had then been stated that Bank-notes'were three percent. above par. The 116 use would excuse his having occupied so much of its time ; but he could not let the Petition pass without deliver ing his sentiments upon time cause of that distress for which it prayed relief. Mr. WEsTEnx was of opinion, that much good would result from an inquiry, on the part of the House, upon this most important question. The Petitioners stated, that the year ISIS was-one of comparative prosperity. This was also the case with agriculture. In 1817 it had revived, and the following year was one of comparative pros perity. This proved the union of the two inte rests ;• and proved that whilst the one flourished, the other prospered. And it was his most per fect conviction, that agriculture took the lead in, both cases, as well in depression as in pro's , perity. In 1811, agriculture became reduced, and trade and manufactures followed, and shared • in its distress. In 1818, agriculture recovered, and the carne principle acted in producing the same result. The manufacturing. poor were not able at the present moment to procure the same quantity of-bread as they were in 1818, when it was from 25 to 30 per cent, higher. The reduc tion of rents would have no effect - Lyon the ge neral state of the country. It would be undoubt , edly of advantage to• tenants;-' hut it was a ques tion between them and• the landlords alone. It could tend to no purpose such - as stated by his H.Friend,nal ely, the payment of the. Public debt. Mr. Recta no rose for the purpose of making a few observations upon that part of his Hon. Friend's (Mr. Baring) speech, where he endea voured to account for -the origin of the present distress. Upon that subject there was much di vision-of opinion. Some attributed it to.exces siVe taxation, some to a transition from war to peace, and some to time changes which had taken place in the . currency. His Hon. Friend had dwelt upon the last cause asdieing one of great importance ; and he had endeavoured •to shew that the price of corn, in comparison with other produce, was not lower than it had formerly been. He had stated that with a qw.trter of corn, the same quantity of any other commodity, in proportion, might be obtained. He (Mr. Ricardo) was. not of that opinion. He believed that the fall in the price of corn was peculiar, and exceeded that 'of any other produce. He called upon his lion. Friend to look at the price of bullion, now that corn was•fallen twenty-five per cent., that was, as lie had said, from 80s. to 605.-; •and to com pare it with the price of bullion and ,corn when the 'present standard - of • currency was adopted. It was ii4ossible that the alteration of the cur rency could ,have caused so much excess. The fall of other commodities had been great. 'Wine, as he had - been informed, was twenty-live per cent'. 'lower, and cotton the same ;- and if they rooked into other otmuntries they would see them in'-similar situations. The Hon. -Member pro- . ceeded to show the necessity of a., fixed cur- rency . , and contended against the propriety of trusting any body Of Merchants, hoivever honour able, with the means of causing - those fluctuations Which. 'must pl-ove of great inconvenience-: to the Country. He attributed the distress of the agricultural interests to the very laws which had been appointed to prntect 'tient. If there were no Cord Laws, if the priceiof our corn remain ed the same as that grown . ..upon'the Continent, then there" would" be a - rettiedyi for any super- - abundane iii consequence of two.or three plen tiftil seasons. it would, only bo r to reduce the price-three or four shillinksper quarter, and take it into the foreign market. It was his con scientious belief that taxes invariably tended to raise the price of the commodity upon which they 'were - laid, and consequently fell'upon the' consumer. Ills particular objection to the plan of his Honourable-Friend (MrAaring) was, that it was not foUnded upon the true prinCi ples which Ought to regulate commerce, since the , enactment by which 4;Old was made the standard of currency, it was easy to account for the _variation of-that metal with regard .to silver. The Bank had been induced to bliy up - gold.. to meet the dernanu to which - they . were- liable: That demand had not been made, as. far As 'he understOod ; but large purchases had been made and that had raised the plisse. Tr f the - Bank 'Were to change that quantity of :.gold into silver, AO latter metal' would be raised in the sanie:propor don. But . the expenditure, was -the. _true sodece to•.which : thelionseshOuld go fat relief.. - . .Occu, piers of land had,lieepperSuaded that their inte , rests were the same as the holders, - arid . had petiL dolled the HouSe ; and , - obtaired law§.-whieli had beete injurious to tlie.Onn.d to, the ea • other. Mr, J. PEARSL sakta few words, wiiieh were chiefly inandible in the Caller'', ite was 'Wee- , 'stood - t - oZniltend that' thd effed - of "forei4n toting was to turn the exchangel - against this Country, AidermatglETC:ith 'Stild 2, oo the.distres9 .complained of ti'as not Confint4l : lOthis. country, but extended : to all others, and - partieularly to that of. America, Where 'tli lion. MeMber's Ricardo) opinions had been pushed farther than iti tiny other. HO, considered the alter ation in the currency w }licit took plar4e in. 1819 was calculatedincrease .that distress untie than any thing else, • it Was enveloped in a• technicalitY ; .or jargon ha might call tt , iyhiCh ,was not understood by 9.loths oe the. natfon.— He believed that a reduction in the expenditure, and in the taxation, would b e th e only means or 'affording,felic4, The only remedy they had ,was 'patience. That alone and rigid economy would bring back thie. country to a State of prosperity 4 Ile wt persuaded that, gradual retrenchment in public expenses would do much. He* did not mean to say that the Great Officers of State were overpaid, but the salaries of Public Officers, dui-- •ing a considerable time past, had been augment ed. Looking at the whole subject, it was neces sary that the cause of distress should be well un derstood: Gentlemen would do much good by taking a gegeral view of the causes . which had produced distress . H a Ile expressed . hope that the 'Wernher fOr Portarling-ton would i b ring. enr ward his plan, because he was cenyincedit would mitigate part of the distress. The Hou_Nt-;rn ber's Speech in 1819 would have dote much good. Ml'. BARING apologised for addressina th e . House after so much had been said .on OW sub ject : but differing in opinion froth ,the Member for Portalington, with respect to the difference between the value of the pound sterling and the pound note, he wished to offer a few observe. tions: His Hon. Friend stated, that there was a deficiency of from four to five per cent. ;, he (Mr. Baring, contended, that the deficiency was c‘.ll - more. He estimated the difference between the pound sterling and the pound 'Paper to be near one-fourth. He did not think, any thati'could look at gold and paper without seeing there was a depreciation in the value of the out standard pound of at 'least one-third. If Gen. tlemen looked back to ancient habits of persons, ' that deficiency would be seen. In the receipt of wages, which had been long habitual, the depre ciation would he clearly explained, His lion. Friend had 'stated, that the difficulties would occur in case of a double tender of, gold and silver. It did not appear that inconvenience was felt in various parts of Europe where a double tender was Common. In Spain, Genoa, Italy. and France, a dOuble tender was the usual mode ,of payment. He did not see that this country way bound to adhere only to gold, merely to please mathematicians, who measured every thing with the greatest nicety. It appeared •to him „the Bank might pay in 'gold and silver, as in l' mince. It would be an advantage to a Banker who. ran low to have the opportunity of laying his hands upon silver in the market. Mr. RICARDO said, there was no criterion by which ' is Hon. Friend could ascertain the difference between the ig-)id pound and the pound paper ' to be so great .A. 4 he' had stated. Mr. A1'111'001) stated the fact, that dityintz a period .of two years and a half the Bank had issued five millions Ind a half of sovereigns, notwithstanding which not one remainod'in the country. . . Mr. lit said, not loss than .4,000,000' of sover9igns lodged in the Bank of Paris. , The Petition was then rec e i ve d, l a id on t h e ta bl e , and °ace ed to bc. printed. • • The , CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER '.obtained lea 7e to bring in atßill to alter and certain form of pleading in the Exchequer. . .• •., • The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQT:EI: also gave notice that the . dronped Orders would be taken up to-morrow. Mr.BENNETT gave'notiee that he should bring on-hissnio tion respecting' the refusal of High Sheriffs to convene County Meetings to-morrow. ' • 'The Lengitudeßill was committed.—Report to-morrow. The other Orders of the. Day were disposed - of, .and., the House adjourned. COMMON COUNCIL. . - - Yesterday a Commou Council was hea .at Guildhall, which was very fully attepded:-. The Irish Society was appointed for the year ensuing the Lord Mayor was elected Governor, and Mr. Deputy Lucas Deputy Governor thereof. _ • On a-Report fronithe Committee of General Piripos.s for A donation of 1051,-,to the City of London Auxiliary Bible Society, a discussion ensued,• and an Amendment was moved for Skto scribing 2101. In'lieu • which w,ts lost on a division liyA rity of six, the numbers being_ For the Report - - 70 Commoners, 2 Tellers-72 For the Amendment 6 Ald. 511 Commoners, 2 'yellers-1;6 A Petition from Mr. Dodd, as presented to Parliament, lative to London Bridge, was delivered into Court by the.. R emembrancer; and referred to the Bridge-house Committee. The consideration of the Report relative to the Orphans' Duty on Coals was adjourned to the next Court, then Att bs • considered the first thing after petitions. The court then proceeded to elect six (lentlemen :to fill. up the present vacancies of Attorneys'of the Sheriffs' Vorirt : when the following,partiw having the majority.of votes, Nere.didy, appointed, viz.—Mr. James Davies, Mr. ('hides Reeves, -MT,- fohn Pullen, jun., Mr. Thbmas Ilalv.uod, Mr. Sohn Matti Mr. IL • The Court agreed to - petition Parliament for power to raise a slim of Money to repair Blackfriars Bridge. • • A Bill for altering the present Law relativeloN'Orareemeti was read and.ordereci .to be printed. - • . _ There is' at' present a Judge iti't.V.Sco'ich.. CoUit of Session', to whi)se gown ha's . ben onlj two.appointtnents, save his own,- since:The yyA - t.. 1689, when it MIS-held by LordFaUNT A 1 N Upon his death - Lord Mturo - .N , ‘VaS Op.poittted to . it 4th June, 1724 ; .and, upon his death; LOrsl.: MoNuonno, 0n.12.th February, .1767 ;':and the death of theiatteri Lord', BAl.:Utircx7gx)t . (V, gown' 21st . june, 179'9. On Tues(ly se"huigbt" the 'Friehtily\SOciety..,ig Highlanclers of Scot_land held' theii.7auting hall, ari_ the Calton Bridge Edinburi4i:;' when about 60 or 70 of the.Menibe-rs-aPpeared itE the full Highland garb, and •sperit,the-evening in y ch : u church is about:"lii..e the A g l r l e a a n t d t m l e tr n m e o w n butit at Sculebates, near Hull; it is to lie-in theCothici style of architecture, built of white sbrkli., buttrsses and'Vitmacles, and- - s"oo4rtie are to be- appro - priMed , in it "for the Of pOor. 71 ' Alderman Bainats - Met "with art Aft:pleasabf accident lag . week -at children's nurse's was ineandoilily 7 arilyin:J., flue: from one bed-room - to ?another, agpark: Out into Alie bed fringe,.. w tho', bed in frames; the nurse trio] out for-help, the" Alderman 'ran up -stairs ;'and'; tssithed a couple of 'men Seronts,:succeededin Preverif z " ing the tire -going -furthr.;: - hUt ve;rely burning one. Of ~.. ~~ ..