The Sun. — London, England, 1822-06-04 00:00:00

treae.( none) —They were told that this was, exactly the • plan'as 'was recommended to theiti to tectog by Honour e:,',a.leLen'nere on the other side of the House, at e emu:once• ✓ of the Sessions. All that he coulksay upon:that head .-.;:ts . ,"tbat he k-ew that this plan would in no way at the end of • 'yels. have diminished the Sinking Ftind, the recom lcr.lations t7t•.ey received from the other *side mere all in sub tare to make an open attack upon that Fund. The only re ttrablance it could be considered to bear to those considera tions was, that in the early years certain loans would be raised. Rat these would affect the market, and not the Sinking Fund. It shoald be borne in mind by Hon. Gentlemen opposite, in their spczulaione on this subject, that there were two five millions. There was one besides the Sinking Fund, and, therefore, for the fature, all their calculations, and all their jokes, must be ri.etle upon the actual existence of ten millions available, instead of Ave:only. For the reasons he had stated he must vote against the amenament ; and he contended that the plan of his Right lionaFriend would realize all the expectations he had founded upon it. Mr. CALCRAFT said he really could not understand the Noble Lord's two five millions. He did not however rise to taunt the Chancellor Of the Exchequer for the complexion laul shape hi 3 plan at present bore, which he thought no gene rous mind could do. Especially' ought Hon. Gentlemen on his side of the;House to do so, since it was plain that in all he had done he was crawling in a steady but sure progression to 'wbatabey had pointed out at the beginning of the Session.— 'nil would be found to be the end of the Noble Lord's two five millions, and therefore they ought to be the better pleased proportion as they saw the Chancellor of the Exchequer 'swerving from his original course. It was not altogether fair to lay the-failure of the annuity scheme to the Chancellor of the Ilketiequer. The - fact was, that it was the Noble Lord himself olio announced it with .so much. confidebce to -the House, that bne could doubt that he had. the contractors all ready at bark ; and the Chancellor of the Exchequer was only to bight forward to announce the failure. The Noble Lord said, it was not the same as the recommendation from that 'see of the House, and thatno infringement of the Sinking Fund was involved in this plan. For his own part he must say that he saw no difference betwixt applying 2,200,0001. to the re elentption of what it was wished to get rid of, and bringinginta operation the Sinking Fund. •In the morning they were to create a stock, .and in the evening, or : perhaps the same -hour, to redeem it. Whatever effect it might have on the Sinking Viola, he was satisfied of the effect it, would have in the way of - diminishing. the burthen .of taxation. The Right Honour. able Gentleman would not believe.at the opening of the Ses sion that the people would be happier and in better con beinglible to eat and drink and wear their shoes at a cheaper -rate. :He would find, however, to his disappoint ment, that they would be much happier. He must support the it incrultnent of his Hon. Friend the Member for Montrose. 'Si; F. BLAKE abservedahat the Chancellor wanted to per. saade them that after-subtrading two from five, five would still rernain.-4/1 laugh:)--Hrcould not understand why the Chan cellor of the Exchequer - should prefer his own complex machi nery to that of the Hon. Member for Montrose. By the former 7,260,0001. would be lost to the nation, .and by the latter only :,00,0001. The House-then divided - For the Amendment - 54 Against it - 81 3fajority for the original Resolution —27 Upon the Resolutions being read a second time, Mr. HUME proposed as an Amendment, that the Commis sioners of the Sinking Fund should be authorised and required to advance to his Majesty's Treasury, out of the monies under their controul, the-yeatly sum necessary to make up the amount required for the payment of the _naval and military pensions, when added to 2,800,0001. for the first fifteen years ; and that for the following thirty years the Lords of his Majesty's Trea altry be ordered to issue from thetxchequer the sums as stated ti -the tables of the annuities to the. Commissioners of the iinking'Fund. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said, that all woo had heard the Hon. Member's motion must premise that It was substantially the- same as that upon which the House had just come to a decision. He did not therefore think it ne cessary no Make any observations upon it. • The question was then put and negatived without a division. 911 tl4e Resolution for.enabling the Trustees to sell any pot.- : s ot of the annuities being read a second time, GRENFELL said, lie thought that was the proper titte for him to propose his amendment. .The lion. Gentle• mar: then moved that, the following amendment be added to a:2 _Resolution :—" That it shall be 'lawful for the Commis. aiOriterefor the Redemption of the National Debt, if they think it expedient, to apply the monies-under their controul to put. ehane part or the whole of any portion of the annuities as the Truatees may find it expedient to sell, or to purchase any other annuities.created by . order of Parliament." He hoped. that, whenever any portion. of the annuities might be for sale, the Clitsmissioners would be disposed to purchase. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER'did not mean cti-pose this Amendment, but begged to state, that in agree= izg to it, it was to be understood that the CoMmissioners were to be loft entirely to their own discretion. -The Resolution was then agreed to, So amended; SALT TAX. 0r . .. the Resolution for the repeal of 13s. of the 15s. duty upon erety.hushel of salt being read a second time, : . . Sir JegEBRIGHT said he hoped the internal proposed to elapse before the remission of this portion of the tax would be aleidged, as the market during that period would be glutted, whilst the ordinary activity of enterprise would, be checked in anticipating the arrival of the period when the duty - wasto be taken off. ' CURWEN thought it would be better 'to ••take offthi whole of the tax. Agriculture would then be benefited, the fisheries would thrive, and it would be taken as a boon to the whole people. But from the partial relief proposed, none of these objects would be accomplished. The Hon.. Gentleman concluded. by moving as an amendment, that the whole of the tax upjti salt be repealed from and after the ;sth October, 1822. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said that.the mouse had resolved on a particular plan ,to be enabled to re move a Certain pOrtion of taxation, and if they altered any ke e l of that plan they must break down the whole system....a If _dila amendment were adopted, they must either : rescind the resolutions they had come to relative to the remission of certain taxes in order to make room for it, or .what, in his opinion, was infinitely worse, they must refer to the sinking Fund--(Cheers from the Opposition benches.)—lf the arguments "which were urged in support of such a step pos. aeteed any weight at all, his case was stronger by.those argu ments ; for if a man contended his plan involved any infringe ment upon the Sinking Fund, it became them to adhere with creator pertinacity to what remained.—(Hear, hear !)--If they went further than he proposed in the remission of taxation, they tritest necessarily intrude upon that Fund. The House was -pledged to maintain the Sinking Fund inviolate, and it could not adOpt 'any measure having a cant:Teri tendency. With respect to the particular' proposition before,• them, he believed that the remission of 13s. out of 15s. would give the consumer as mush benefit as - though the whole I6s. were taken ofil' There would be so littld remaining that for all • practical purposes it nrnula,be imperceptible. The reduction in the price of salt from 17a.. or lßs. to 4s e or Js, would operate so beneficially that the remaining impost bringing in a revenue of 300,0001. a year, -would not tie felt as a burden, whilst, by the amendment of the Hon. Member, that sum would be lost. to •the public. He rnuet observe also that the proposition. of the Honourable ember came by surprise, as it would • have been more appro- Friatetei have made it on the Bill for the. repeal of the tax, than on theediscussion on the original arrangement. If the ZI-lenntrable Member persisted in is motion,- he would have his.decideeloppositidn. The relief to the . publie' would be sub '. atant;elly the some, as far as the constinier was concerned, as • frOm a total remission of the tax. • The chrtY.on the article.of alt. ;would then be less than it was at present in France and 'in 'the Netherlands. The House •could not agree to adopt the amendment, whilst it continued firm in a determination to pre serve the publicneredit. „.. . Ne t , BROUGHAM congratulated :the House on the new wAiich bad .broken in upon the Chancellor of the Exche quer since toci:commencemeut of the Session. .He then toad not see 1114 : any _relief would be given by a remission of taxa tion. He went further than the Noble. Marquis opposite, who chid the people, for, an ignorant impatience for a relaxation of taxation. The Noble Marquis dissented—then he supposed he lied_ dreamed, that the Noble• Marquis had used - s u c h words, al though ,a woe passing strange that with such particular coliocu tion, such -a sentence should be so generally attributed as it was, and without foundation. However, the Chancellor of the ,'Exchequer went one step further than one, who should say that the ,people were clamorous from an ignorant impatience for a relaxation .of taxation. That Right Honourable Gen tleman, if he had not dreamed in that too, said-not only that this removal of taxation would do no good, but that it would do harm. This .was a specimen of the practice of all nostrum dealers, wino went from one step to another,. each outdoing the . last, till they Arrived, at absolute absurdity: Thus they saw. advertisements for different kinds of supetlative paints---from ilodorous e painn they went to.arotnatic paint, and so on. So the Chaneellon.of, tbeExcheqner, from declaringthat remission of taxes would an no good, went on to say that it might do possible • Now, however, lie' admitted that the.' same measure egould .confer . great : benefit on. the people. The Hon. and faearned Gentlema,n,went on to contend, that.the retaining the 9.5. duty on salt, wes for the purpose of leaving a large propor tion of potronage t 9 the. Crown. For the collection of the sum of '50,0091. of the salt tax in England, the expence.was 35,0001., and for • the cereetion of. 100,0001. only, in Scotland, it was' $1,0001., beiog, °e.t.a all proportion, which should,have been AS one to fifteen. e.This would be the disproportionate patronage attached to the remaining 25., and therefore on. constitutional grounds it would be unjust to leave that portion of the tax. Besides, the retention of it would serve to perpetuate the Ex cise laws rclativcio this branch Of the revenue—the Most exe,- erable and oppressive in our whole jurisprudence. It was for the House to consider: whether it was Worth while to keeptfP all this machinery fOi-300,0001. a year of revenue. The Maiquis of LONDONDERRY said, that from the representations orfhe Hon. and Learned Gentleman, it would be supposed that hii RiFht lion. Friend had' preached the delight of laying on taxes. But he - put it to the House whe ther he had argued the queition otherwise than as likely to afford relief to the country. It was the proposition to break faith with the public., anddoan act of dishonour, that, he con tended, would be followed, as all dishonourable acts were, by'increisteld suffering - .'' With regard to the cost of collection for the remaining portiOn•of, the Salt Tax,, the whole amount of it would be 7,0001., or at most 10,0001., instead of 35,0001. and the patronage of this, 'of which the Honourable and Learned. Gentleman talked so much as belonging to Govern ment, was administered by the Commissioners of Excise.— (Hear !)--Those Officers of the longest standing and most fit for the situation were appointed to the Collectorships. The House needed not, perhaps, to be told why the lion. and Learned Gentleman was always upon this subject so much opposed to them. He had been bmten in every part of the discus sions so much, that he could not let pass an opportunity of repose to endeavour to give force to his insinuations. He was always trying to appropriate to himself all the merit of his Right Hon. Friend's measures. He could never lose sight of those beautiful, though, in his opinion, disfigured sketcheS with which he favoured them at the commencement of The pre.; sent Scssion.—(A laugh.)—He was trying to-night, as he always had, how to induce Parliament to degrade itself. Lethim'but once get the edge of.his wedge in, and -he. would. go on.; and . unless the House were disposed to retread Its steps, and give their cohfidente to the Hon. and Learned - Gentleman," they , would not listen to him on the present occasion. He Warned them that he would not stop here, but go straight on to the Sinking Fund. But he thought he knew the House of Com mons of England' too well - to expect that after the declarations they had made ther would . allow themselves to be misled.— (Hear, hear !) • .. - • Mr. DAVENPORT opposed the Amendment. Mr. RICARDO said, that as the Chancellor of the Exche quer thought the 'annuity plan was an infringement on the Sinking Fund, he should recommend him to prolong the tern to fifty or sixty years, and then see if there would not be ehough of money to remit the remainder of the Salt Tax. ' , • Mr. R. DOUGLAS thought the proper time for proposing an amendment like the present, would be after they had been in a Committee upon the Bill for the repeal of the tax, when it would' have undergobe all the modifications - intended - by the Chancellor of the Exchequer. General GASCOYNE thought that neither the House nor the Right Hon. Gentleman were aware of the extent of produc tion from the two shillingS a bushel on salt. He did not think the present a proper time for the proposition before the House. He was of ,opinion that at least it might be well to try the ef fect of reducing the tae to two, shillings the bushel. It would not be long before Parliament would have an opportunity of considering the subject again, and in the mean time he thought as much was done as the country had a right to expect. Mr. BENETT (Wilts) supported the amendment. He dis approved of a tax on Salt altogether, and objected to retaining any part of it to serve as a nucleus from which it might be any time increased. Mr. CA LCRAFT, though he had said he should propose nothing further on the subject of the Salt Tax, had not pledged himself not to support any motions that might originate in an other quarter. It had been stated the Chancellor of the Ex. chequer had gone further than he (Mr. Calcraft) had proposed to go. This was true, but he (Mr. Calcraft) had looked to the ultimate extinction of the tax, and doing so had thought it neces sary to frame the proposition he first brought forward in such a way as was likely to make it palatable }to the House. He was surprised that the gallant General (Gascoyne) should not support the amendment, as he had always been of opinion that the pro position which he (Mr. Calcraft) submitted to the House did not go far enough. If the fisheries were left as at present, it would be necessary that additional officers should be appointed to protect the revenue. When it was stated that the tax would produce more than had been calculated, the Gallant General mustmean to tax the fisheries.—(" No," from Gen. Gascoyne,) If he did not mean this, the tax could not be expected to produce more than had been calculated, for it had been assumed that the produce might increase 50 per cent. ; and how largely must the consumption increase to bear out such a calculation. He however calculated with confidence on the improving state of the revenue, and it was not to be doubted that the repeal of the Salt Tax would increase the other excise duties. - It could not be supposed that the poor would hoard what they gained by the repeal of this impost, more beer would be drunk, and generally more excisable articles would be consumed. He had no doubt that the Noble Marquis looked at the whole country with a view of carving it into taxes.- But it was for 'Parliament to guard against this, and he for one, with this feeling, was anxious at once to get, rid of the whole of the Salt Tax, and should therefore vote for the amendment of his Hon. Friend. The House then divided, when the numbers were— For the Motion - . - - 111 For the Amendment - 67 Majority against the total repeal of the Salt Tax —44 When strangers were re-admitted a short conversation took place on the Duty on Salt imported to Ireland, and the resolu tion on that subject was ordered to be re-committed on Wed nesday. The other Resolutions of the Report were agreed to, and Bills ordered accordingly. _ CORN lIIIPWRTATION BELL. The Marquis of LONDONDERRY moved the Order of the Day for the House resolving itself into a Committee on the Corn Importation Bill: The - NOble Marquis took this occasion to remark, that if any Member wished to move that . an instruc tion should be given to the Committee to limit the operation of the Bill, this was the time for proposing such instruction. - Mr. CURWHN considered - that this measure, instead of proving .a benefi4 would be Mostinurious to the agribultural interest, and therefore, with a view of d getting rid of it at once, he should oppose the Speaker's leaving the Chair. At all events, he thought .tt:Wciuhl' be desirhble that the ineasure should stand over 'for a. time:, - ; iriorder that the subject 'might receive fuller consideration. The presentSyseem of averages lie thought very objectionable.. They were itot , taken on the whole supply but merely on the prices of English'corn. Now when Ireland con tributed, as it had been accustomed to do, a 16th or 17th part of the supply, not to include her portion-in taking the Average,. was most unfair. The duty proposed by the Noble Lord on corn imported was in his opinion inadequate to the protection of the agriculture of this country. He (Mr. Curwen) .consi dered sixty-five shillings to be a fair remunerating price for the corn-grower; but the present resolutions, which went to allow thecountry to be inundated with foreign corn. whew-the price was but, five shillings above that which he mentioned, he thought highly objectionable. He believed the country felt as he did, anti. would much rather that the law should remain as it now was than .that, this Bill should pass, which the Noble- Lord brought forward AS a boon, but which would prove an injury to thoSe if was intended to proteet. He was - for cheilit corn, but he did not wish its price to be so ruinottsly . low as throw a large botlyof men out of employment.. If the corn rose toe high, it;wai an injury to-the manufacturer, and no he... nefit to the dgrienlinialclass. - If it fell foo - loiy, "it was iuinousto the farmer anti injurious to the manufaettirer, isthe latter then lost, the . eustqu 914he-corn.growets. He -therefore con-. tended that the interest's of the corn-growers; and the manufac-. turers were "Plie-and ( the - same. - Sortie - Gentle eh tisScrted that : 'the absence o that. protection. which had been ealled for would only have the effect of throwing. ,the , poor lards out of ctiltivation: " But he would say that,i t was not tie poor lands alone tharWionid" be throWnput cultivatinn, in. the case supposed. If the •present 'measure pastied,- he' wAs torivinced that it would give, ,a severe blow to' the agricilture , of the country, and lead, to, •the, ,inost ruinous 'consequences he should 'therefore,' tin! the present occasion; like the sense of the•lamise on the qattifou that the SpeakerViotild ieaVe the chair... - • `.; ) . Mr.,'WESTERN supported the motion of his 'lnn.. Friend, and declared the rniasure now tinder . eonSilleiition, instead of inspiring hope,arid confidence, was , deprecated - and condemned from one end- of • the country tothe other...-It would be most - unwise to, press such a measure at this moment, whiqh could only operate-prospectively. The price 'of corn Would not rise so as to open the ports.' , The .Bill might-do - 06d, or 'it might do harm :, but,..as they had not sufficient dam: to. justify them in coming - to the concrusion that it would do good, if ought not to pass into a law. - : • Mr. BE NETT (Wiltshire) stated this Bill-to be viewed by his constituents with abhorrence, and it was:their prayer that the old' law should continue, rather than that this measure should pass. - • Mr. D. BROWN said,"he should Note .for , going into the Committee, but in the Committee it was his intention to endea-, your to persuade the Ildtise to alter the duties peptised by,the Noble Marquis. • •• • • • • Mr..CANNING wAshed, , to move an instruction to the Com ,mittee; Throtigh.inativertence on ids part, he had omitted to :move it at the propertinie,'hut his Noble ' Friend 'would per ' ..haps flat object to. wrehtlitawv his motion for - the present, to af ford him an ,qpnrtunity .9f, proposing ; that. instruction which he was anxious, in enp . formitk wish the wishes of his Constitu ents, toconvey to the -Coininittee;' in the event of the House resolving itself. into. the CAnnmittee. -That Which he should sug gest was not, new, bur_ no relution. havipg been come, to on the sublet, 'what he 'wished' to supply .had become necessary, it grew4)tit of It jest aPprehenSion on the part 'of the Agricul v tura Interest off the consequences .of a great influx of corn, when the ports should open. One way of getting rid of the, possibility of sustaining great injury - from such . influx was, to - afford facilities' for'the exportation of that wheat Which was in . • • , ;warehouie When the ports were not The instru&iOr I which he should, move, would proposelhat • this.should be :lone by permitting corn, now in warehouse, to be ground; sub-; 'ject to such 'restrictions as the House might consider suit ,, able. It was suggested, first :—That for every quarter of •wheat taken out of warehouse, as large a quantity of flour, or if the House pleased, a somewhat larger quantity of flour, should be forthcoming than Was ordinarily produced from a quarter of wheat. It was then proposed that six weeks should be allowed for exporting it; and if the parties failed, that it should then go hack to the warehouse under bond, pro per care being taken that it should not be suffered to come into the niarkerforliorne consumption. Security on this head the agriculturist had unquestionably a right to demand, but on this subject he would not now enlarge. He had a clause prepared, which was drawn out at some length, to submit to the Commit tee. This he should not produce at present, unless the in •structions were opposed ; but in the Committee, if permitted to do so, he should say something more in explanation of its .object. He moved, " That it be an instruction to the Com miteee to make provision for taking out 'wheat now in ware house, for the purpose of being ground with a view to exporta tion." After a few words from General GASCOYNE, Mr..CANNING, in explanation, stated his motion to be hypothetic; and voting for that would not pledge any one to vote for or against the Bill in Coto. The Marquis of LONDONDERRY consented to withdraw : his motion, that the instruction should be moved, to the prin ciple of •which he apprehended no objection could be urged, it being understood that the clause to be introduced would be open for discussion in the 'Committee. When they came to the question that: the Speaker should leave the chair, he hoped it would not be thought necessary to travel over the whole subject again. lie wished how to state, that he did not pro pose the present Bill as tlfe. best Corn Laws which the wisdom of Parliament could devise ; but as one that would supply an efficient check to an evil which had been heretofore severely felt. The Honourable Member for Essex, with a degree of :intrepidity which he did not exactly understand, had asserted that the ports would not open. He did not know how he could venture this, but he was sure that Hon. Gentleman would not deny, that if such a circumstance should occur, it would lead to the most ruinous ainsaritences. With respect to the corn ' plaints made to this measure, he would say, that if they were to stand still till one should be devised to which no objection could be urged, they might wait till doomsday. lie only pro posed this as an improvement on the existing law, and never was there a time when - the:experiment could be made with less risk. 'Withdrawing his motion that the instruction of the Right lion. Gentleman might be moved, he hoped the details of this grinding clause would riot be gone into on the question that the House should resolve itself into the Committee. . Sir T. LETHBRIDGE stated it to be his intention to op pose the clause which the Right Hon. Gentleman had an nounced it to be his intention to move, as he was convinced that nothing would tend so much to facilitate the consumption of foreign corn in the shape of flour, when the ports were closed, as such an enactment. The prices of agricultural produce con tinued from week to week to decline, and it was therefore ne cessary to afford the landed interest efficient protection. He could state that he had a hundred petitions in his possession to present to the other House against this Bill passing into a law. Mr. RICARDO agreed that the clause which was to be moved ought not to be adopted 'unless security could be given that the corn ground into flour should not enter witlithe home consumption ' • but if security on, this head could be given, nothing would be more unjust to the parties concerned than to prevent the grinding of flour with - a view to its being exported. He thought the Noble Lord's Bill would be an improvement on the present law. Mr. WESTERN would acquiesce. in the clause to be pro posed by the Right lion. (}entleman (the Member for Liver pool), if security - could be given, that; the corn reduced to flour should pot be brought into home-consumption; and he was dis posed to think:that such security might be given. • Sir J. NEWPORT would support the clause, as he conceiv ed that to encourage the export of foreign corn would benefit the agricultural interest of this country. After a few words from Mr. Dt wis BRowNE and 31r. BENETT, the House divided, when the numbers were— • For the Motion . . . 146 Aga; st it . . . . 39 Majority . . . —lO7 On our return to the Gallery, Mt. D. BROWNE was on his legs, asking whether a Committee on the Bill had power to in crease the rate of duties? The SPEAKER said a Committee had power to lower, not to raise, the duties. - The question being put, " That the House resolve itself into a Committee to consider the Corn-Importation Bill," Mr. D. BROWN- moved, that the House go into further consideration of the-question to-morrow.' The Marquis of LONDONDERRY opposed the Amend ment, which was moved for the purpose of increasing the duties. The Noble Marquis said he should deprecate carrying it highez act the. present moment. There would be found a disposition in the country to concur in the scale of duties , as they were projected. As the law stood, corn would come•-into the market without regulation, but he had no doubt the scale of duties would regulate the supply, and prevent the market being inundated. After a few observations from Mr. D. BROW'S and Mr. BENETT (of Wiltshire), the amendment was negatived without a division. On the question for the SPEAKER leaving the Chair, Mr. CuItWEN pressed for the sense of the House, and a division ensued— For the SPEAKER leaving the'Chair Against it 149 - • - - 41 Majority The House consequently went into . a Committee on the Bill, and Mr. WHITMORE' 'moved that the amount of the import duty be. sixty-four instead of seventy shillings. Sir JOHN NEWPORT and Mr. D. GILBERT opposed the Amendment. Mr. WODE HOUSE con tended . That the Agriculturist could not be protected by- seventy shillings,, and therefore moved to insert 75 instead of 70s. _ After some discussion,. in which Marquis of LONDON*. DERRY, Mr. RICARDO, and, Mr. CALVERT took part, the Committee divided on Mr. WobEyouses amendment.. Ayes - 42 Noes . - . 87 - . . Majority : - - -45 Mr. BANKES then moved to make the duties payable at the time of importation, instead of paying after corn is ware housed for home consumption. This was opposed by Mr. F. Robinson, Mr. Marryatt, and the 31arquis of Londonderry, and after_ some discussion the Committee divided, Ayes . - . . 33 Noes - . - - 70 Majority . - -37 The whole of the clauses having been agreed to, Mr. CAlt- NINO brought up a clause to warehouse corn for the purpose of being ground into flour, upon giving precautionary bonds. Sir E. KNATCHBULL expressed a hope that the Right Hon. Gentleman would allow the clause to he added to the Bill for the purpose of being printed, and discussed upon the third reading. . ~ -11 K, Marquis of LONDONDERRY did not object to that proposition, and the elktisewas added to the Bill. Vie House then resumed, and the Report was, ordered to be received this day. . : I . . . . The other Orders of the' Day Were then disposed of ; and at HALF-PAST TWO O'CLOCK . the House adjourned. • • Yesterday being Trinity Monday,'the Cor poration of Trinity Mine held their Anniversary 'Meeting, and proceeded in baigekto their Hall at Deptford, where the - Right Hon. the Earl of LIVERPOOL was unanimously re elected Master for. the 'ensuing year ; and after attending Divine Service at the Chn.rch of St. Nicholas, where an excel lent Sermon was preached by the Very Reverend the Dean of PETERBOROUGH, they.returned.to dinner at the City of Lon don Tavern, where were present many of the Nobility, Admi rals, and persons of distinction. THE MUSEUM VI. (a new weekly journal. . . devoted to LITERATURE, the FINE ARTS, SCIENCE, AN TIQUITIES, the DRAMA, &c.) published Ist June, (price Bd. or free by post, Is.) contains: 1.. Letters from Paris.-1 The Literary Botanist.-3. The Superficialist.-4. Mr. Strahan's Donation to the Literary 'Fund.—u. Observations on Cata lani's Singing.-6. Fine Arts : the Exhibition, the British In stitution, and. Society of Arts.-7. The Drama : Kean's Car dinal Wolsey, Macready's Othello, and Oratorios.-8. Reviews of the Fortunes of Nigel—Bracebridge Hall—Milman's Bel shazzar—Mason's Poetical Essays.—With Varieties, Facetim, Places of Amusement now open, Announcements of Books Publishing, &c. &c.—Published by John - Miller, 69, Fleet street, every Saturday morning ; and Sold also by all Book sellers, Newarnen, Postmasters, &c. • , SCARCITY OF SPECIE:—The high price of spe cie' is accounted for - by' h fact disclosed in the South American documents just presented to CongreSs, that the coinage of the Mexican mint, which in 1810 amounted to more than 20,000,000, would not exceed more than 4,000,000 in 1821. The deficit in eleven years' being estimated at 70,000,000 of dollars.—(American Paper.) PRISON; DISCIPLINE. MEETING OF THE SOCIETY FOR THE IMPROVE MENT OF PRISON DISCIPLINE. Yesterday the Anniversary Meeting of this Society was held at the Freemasons' Tavern. . The great hall was a: an early hour filled by a respectable assemblage : the majority of which, amounting to nearly 1000, was composed of elegantly dressed females : a large proportion were of the Society of Friends. His Royal Highness the Duke of GLOUCESTER took the Chair. The Secretary read the report of the last year's proceedings of the Committee, which commenced by congratulating the So ciety on the public interest which the subject of prison disci pline now excited, and that whatever difference existed as to the expediency of particular plans, the subject of prison govern ment daily became more fully recognised, and justly appre ciated. It had, however, been contended, as the end of punish ment was to deter, that if the reformatory measures which the Society recommended were even morally efficacious on the cri minal, they would be injurious to the community at large by weakening the terrors of imprisonment, and rendering gaols de sirable habitations. The Committee would not in a report enter into any lengthened refutation of those opinions at that op-' portunity ' • but they declared they had been greatly misun derstood when it was supposed that they desired to- intro duce " comfort" into gaols. They had ever contended that cor rective discipline ought to be the leading feature in prison ma nagement; that the punishment of the offender must be the first step, as well for his own interests as for an example to others, and that he must,be made to feel that personal suf fering, as far as was consistent with humanity and the charac ter of his offence, would inevitably attend the violation of the laws. But they were fully convinced that the . prevention of crime could never be effected by the influence of fear'alone ; and, in proof of this fact, they appealed to: the History of every Christian and civilized country, and in no instance would it be seen that unmixed severity of punishment had effect ed the suppression of crime. The system recommended by the Society did not, as had been asserted,. operate to divest punishment of its terrors, but it went to provide classifica tion to such an extent as to prevent that corrupt association which was one of the strongest propensities of the 'vicious.— The system steadily enforced hard labour, useful employment e religious instruction, spare diet, occasional solitary confine ment, and habitual restraint. The Report contended, that this system did not possess such powerful attractions as to render the residence in a gaol the object of desire to the guilty ; and the evidence of facts proved that these plans were held in per fect abhorrence by criminals of every description. The Report proceeded to detail the alterations that had been effected in many gaols, and the very extensive introduction of the ." disci= pline mills" which had invariably confirmed the advantages of that species of prison -labour, which, they felt persuaded, would in future be regarded as indispensable in every house of cor rection. The Report then adverted to the Bill before Parlia ment for amending the prison laws, and spoke of the general tenor and spirit of the measure as being in the highest degree excellent, but said that the want of space and the imperfect construction of a great number of goals would prevent it being in every instance fully carried into execution. For a measure so beneficial, however, the Committee felt that the grateful thanks of the country were due to His Majesty's Go. vernment, and they considered that its enactment would reflect honour on the Legislature, the Magistracy, and the people of Eng land. A kindred spirit of benevolence has been excited on the Continent ; and at Paris, Geneva, Berne, Turin, and St. Peters burg, and several towns In Russia, Ladies' Associations had been formed in imitation of those in England, and with great success. In Ireland the progress of prison improvement, the introduction of education and labour in the gaols, had been extensive, and productive of the best . effects. Gaol fees had been abolished there. -In Spain general and important alterations had been made, and the Cortes had enacted that no prisoners should be confined in any subterranean apartments not visited by the light of day, and that no chains should on any occasion be used ;. and the. dark dreary and unventilated dungeons of the Inquisition, with their chains and tortures, had been destroyed and abolished. The Report concluded some voluminous details by an appeal to the public for support in their undertakings, and though their own country Would have their first exertions, yet that they would but ill dis charge their duty as men and as christians, were they to confine them to their own shores, and not endeavour to extend the principles of justice and humanity to every nation which the hand of Providence might enable them to reach. Mr. BOOTLE WinunAHaat moved that the Report should be received and printed. Mr. F. BUXTON' seconded the motion, and entered into a review of the state of prison discipline ten years ago, which he described as a system which was calculated, by a speedy and most effectual process, to make good men bad, and bad men worse, and which turned out every inmate of a gaol a more confirmed and skilful enemy of society than when he went into it. If the object had been not to increase but to diminish crime, there never could have been a more preposterous system established to accom plish that object than that under which the prisons were governed at that period. The merciful object of above twenty Acts of Parliament was to reform the prisoner, and to prevent the repetition of crime. What was the cause of the crime? Evil company, it might be answered, and to effect a reform in the morals of the criminal, the way adopted was to place him in the midst of worse company than possibly could have been collected together on the outside of the prison. Another cause of crime was idleness; and to cure such a delinquent, he was sentenced to nine or twelve months idleness amongst men still more idle and corrupt than himself. Was it not next to impossible that a prisone so placed should not get more matured in iniquity, and"'increased in guilt, every hour that he was surrounded by such idle and corrupting asso ciates, for in no situation was the spirit of proselytism more fierce than in a gaol ? The Hon. Gentleman concluded by taking a review of the progress that had been made by the Society, which he congratulated, that their measures would be spread abroad, and that with their principles they were likely to be put in practice throughout the civilized world. The Report, which' had been received with much applause, was agreed to unanimously. Lord SUFFIELD rose to move a resolution to the effect, that the meeting denied that the system advocated by this Society was one which tended to strip the gaol of its terrors ; and they as serted, that example proved that a well-regulated gaol. had no attractions for the thief. His Lordship commenced by com plaining ofthe calumnies and misrepresentations which had been heaped upon the measures of the Society, and he proceeded to contend that their system of discipline was the best for obtaining that great end—the prevention of crime. They admitted that punishment was requisite for that purpose ; but their great rule, which should never be forgotten,was, that the punishment should be just enough w prevent a repetition of the offence, and no further : all beyond that was unjustifiable. It was one great object of the Society to take away all unwholesome circumstances or regulations from gaols ; for what good could be obtained by the infliction of the typhus fever or any other disease, on criminals, by placing them under such circumstances as would have such a tendency? Those who had objected that the Society would give the inmates of gaols every comfort, excepting Tur key carpets, had objected in ignorance, and continued their op position in obstinacy. The Society wished, by a plan of unre lenting discipline, to deprive the prisoners of the comforts of idleness by giving them hard work, and would deprive the de bauched and depraved of the comforts of depraved habits and associations, by classification, and giving them active employ ment. His Lordship entered into a long and able defence of the Society, from an attack made upon its principles in The Edinburgh Review, which denied their criterion of the system, the return of the number of prisoners, to be a true criterion, and asserted, that though their system tended to reform the individual, it failed in the great object of deterring others.. He denied that the system did fail in this object; but said that from the small number of prisons in which the systeM had' been introduced for any length of time, it was not possible yet to offer any return in evidence ; and at present the Society had to rely principally upon, the return of the number of re commitments, which we understood his Lordship to say were the year before last at Brixton (as one instance) 190, and that. during the presents ear they were only 80. The system set up by the Reviewer, in opposition to the reformatory system Of the Society, was one quite horrible. It was to deprive jails of all happiness, and to make jails places which could only be re garded with affright. His Lordship denied that cruelty could in any way operate beneficially upon prisoners. The Hon. GREY BENNET seconded the motion in a long speech, in which he instanced the Bristolgaol as one formed upon the system that went to make prisons objects of horror. In this gaol, which had long existed ID the disgrace of that town, the prisoners were placed in tiers over each other, with three or four beds one over the other, and the keeper had informed him, that when lie opened the trap door to let s up the prisoners from beneath, the stench which arose from the confined wretches was such as could not for some minutes be borne. The prison itself was under water, the cold in the subterranean apartments' was extreme, and the general state of the prison such as to place the prisoners in hourly and momentary torture. Was not the infliction of the flirt and pain of such a system enough to deter the prisoners from returning ? • Yet what was the fact ? The returns of prisoners. was 40 per cent. Let the advocates of such a system turn to the examples of the prisons conducted under the improved refermatory discipline, and they would see that the returns were only upon an. average three, four, and six per cent.—The Resolution was carried unanimously. After some further speeches from Mr. Coke of Norfolk, Lord Nugent, Mr. Wilberforce, the Earl of Blesinton, Lord Cal thorpe, Mr. Randolph of the American Congress, Mr. Hoare, and Dr.' Lushington, a series of Resolutions were adopted; and, after thanks had been voted to the Royal Cnairman, the meet. ing separated. FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE. AUGSBURGII, MAY Allgemainc Zei sung contains to-day the following article, dated Odessa,. May .7 :-- " Letters from Constantinople of the 20th of April state that , after a Declaration of the Reis Effendi, which seemed irreto:: - able, and according to which nothing could change the determi nation of the Ottoman. Cabinet, Lord Strangford made neWrei tnonstrances, and obtained at length from the Reis Effendi . verbal promise that the Sublime Porte would issue ordero o , the evacuation of the Principalities. " Reports from the frontiers, dated the sth r state that, point of fact, the Asiatic troops had commenced their retrtt.; but as it is the third time that a similar promise has been made► several persons still doubt the reality of the evacuation. uWe know now, with certainty, that the Ottoman Declari tion of the 20th Feb. had been sent back to Constantinople with propositions more and more conciliatory ; thus, in the first oc^ !counts that arrive from St. Petersburgh, there will be nothil; l as to war with the Turks." ST.TETEasnuaGn, 111.ty 10..—The Conventino relative to the-Conveyance of the mails now COo icluded here between Russia and Prussia concerns ;the. future -corninuniCation: by post between _Ole two States and all other ,Cntmtries.. It is termi nated to the entire satisfaction of the Govern - Ithents And subjects of both 'Powers, 'and by the great .saying of time promises considerable ;ad vantages to merchants and others. According to; the convention, 'the ' Prussian Government has :established, 'besides the old mails from Berlin to Memel and back, two others in a direct line for the Russian correspondence, by which means letteri' from . Russia, 'by Way of Prussia and Ber lin, to Hambuigh, Denmark, Holland, Switzer - . land, England, - - - France, and Spain, will be dig .patched from • Berlin three days . earlier than .hitherto.. Letters. from Russia for the Germs° States beyond . Berlin will even be received from Berlin four dayS earlier. This new regulation of the posts takes place on- the-Ist of June. The negociation of this convention, which was snail ficult, and has yet been so happily terminated , was intrusted by Russia to the Privy Counsellor Von Bulgakow, Director of the Post-office at St' Petersburgh, and by Prussia to the Postmaster - General Von Goldbeck, who has been here,'" Commissioners. The two Governments have re ciprocally given the most flattering marks of fa' your to the persons who have so satisfacwil concluded this convention. BERLIN, MAY 25.—T0-day the marriage her Royal Highness the Princess Alexandrin e with his _Royal - Ifighness.the hereditary, Grand. Duke of Mecklenburg Schwerin, will be vile" brated with the--"greatest magnificence in the. Royal. Chapel. A very long programme . has bee °. published of the fetes that will take place on th is '. happy occasion,. Which will be equally tliStio' guished by refined 'taste and splendour. Exchange on London, May 28, not noted, on account of t ll6 , holiday. Business was doneUn London at 36. 11. money' Paris, 23. 2-16. ditto: Amsterdam, two months, 195. g• dit A t i .% PETERSSURGH MAY 10.—EXCIIANGE•--1 , 0!", - . : 9. 9-16.; Amsterdam, liamburgh, 8. 11-16. ; 100. • HANOVER, MAY 23.—1 t seems that the cc a ',.: mittee which was to go t o L on d on t o ca rry t" - , result of the discussions - relative to the intere a ` organization of various branches of the adrnial s ' tration, will not at present set out for Engitin d. FRANKFORT, MAY (R.--A convention het - we ll the city of Frankfort and the Prince of Tour and Taxis is now published, by which no poSt# offices, except those of the Prince o f Tour sad Taxis, are to be allowed in the city of Frankfort and its territory. The Prince is to pay to the city an annual sum of 10,000 florins for this-ex clusive privilege. SPAIN. AIADRID, MAY_ 22..—1 t is of that th e band of Misas has implored the Government ° P grant them an amnesty, upon their deffvering up their arms. The news from Andalusia is very sAtisfacto r l; A convoy of six sail -arrived at Cadiz on t h i 14th from the llavannah, lad e n w ith c oloilla merchandize, and, from three to four °f piastres, which'ha:ve been forwarded tviihe sury at Madrid. It is said that our Government has conclud es a treaty with Portugal, by which the latter en" gages to furnish Spain with a corps of D:)/uv men in case of need. HOSTILITIES BETWEEN SPAIN AND ALGIE Rf. Translation of an Official Communication made to the n j a at - Council of Port Mahon, by Don Jose .Julian,o7,/nula-froill of the Spanish frigate Perola, arrived at that °port Algiers : • nn " The Dey of Algiers having rejected, on the 26th of tiorl month, the friendly propositions of our Monarch for /41 4 , 1 certain pecuniary differences between the two Governmer l ere acquaint you with the same, that you may, if you thitik give notice to the merchants of this island, in order that On may provide against the hostile attempts that may be 11 13 `;`,,, at their shipping by the Algerines, although - the latter ha• tiri g present no great disposable force for such cruises. Tru s ,,, it that you will also take the most effectual means to 10 3 ' known in the island of Majorca, I remain &c. 0 " remain, JULIA • " On board the Perola, April 6, 1822." • • PETERII EA.D HERRING FISIIING STATIO!" e Although Peterhead has been for many years til o r principal rendezvous on the north-east coa s t t ; 0 Scotland for Dutch fishermen, and they [1 3 ,1 been very successful in fishing off this headia" 1 / 1 it was only of late that any attempt has bee made' o catch.herrings by the local fishermen' a But experience having now established bei °fi a doubt the great abundance and superior q u a ; r of the herrings which annually visit, this P a he of the coast, and the advantages which can 7 4 derived from the great capacity of the. and south harbours (which have been late ly all improved on a large scale), affording, at :a , times, ready access and excellent accoow l° tion ; together with the facility with whic h w lae bourers can always be procured, on re s asalT., l , terms, to carry on every branch of the . Md l : business ;. and also suitable vessels for cOnv e L in a t .the fish to market; it . ,is matter of surprise to Peterhead has not been much more rgs9 rted as a fishing station ; and we believe the Oul tl re sous local advantages only require td'be rii°to generally known, to induce those wlWwi,6ll to prosecute the fishing business with econgn l 9 , ol „ form establishments there, where every ice°..,l modation can be obtained.—(Edinburgh Courar"l June ,i.) . , ;.$: , •