The Express.
London, England, 1849-03-30 00:00:00

CONDITION OF IRELAND.

Mr. iii;n7i;tre;te. 1110•4, " That
the how do resolve isto a osaisitta to wander of the an-
Silks of leshad...d tho nagessity of sheapas the polio
1 that hr ban MOM yuggesd awards that country, and
*delude, in sagigles a shill pto the root of the evils of
which obi He sad his Algot was to elicit, if
posebb, tbo .!..thong Ma with Maw* to Ireland,
7orbitanlll4.olllsted. at by
alairto be stag dint:skies is the way le such a pion ;
wili ad a bap sad comprehensive agonise. it add
wags fail to be biennial to Ireland, So lad ohs inked
fags the hes. amber for Bails to. isbaowss of
She post • which be bad hold owl to Itelond
whir any his make w spisialtittel bardnis.
Inked era as it were la the .plidial "werlat, reedy to
Woolf to say prty that wadi gederteke
he lathe sad to halal the pandas by which
the lei ban so keg deluded. Re had sin hoped to law
king tho pareasst 4/1 the .scow
aisl
Isdrad. aim views he bid shad
the sa
nastair for to. Wat Rifts toss be *gold pun
swim is bis mouse sad had Ibenby Woad Ida 1. with.
dna s gostios ot his on a setae* of amideroblo
He woo sow dipsold this way. at ao Waif allswas
Oa lea Ember kw De to poised vethkie mon P-
Wag to asap balw—o goestign w it INN nest
tLaildes the bare amid sang to ism detasegoollis
lirrisa Beaks. gesold Wad* Is
thies=blosiedshols to AM 1114 kr kw
of laws dished to draw boa.
II ohs% Shasta*, the boo. amber ar As West Wag
hold Ma to bis Oodp to Freak be would sot sow gawk
his nod..—No oge rides, tie =ties woo poised eggs.

aivirres TAINT.
31r. 11SY1SoLm rase to move kr " • seket sesoilltie to
lavas We sod Asyut iota the eireemolowes seemealed
WO the hew of the at. Peter's Ankh liselgarlloV
Cliftwerese, DsZasmejuiste ray swift se
may alight the of the Wen *way sessiwed."
At Ms *Se of kit NW* a seleet asooklee bad sat for Was
days s Om ef Irish whip basks, and they stated
in skate meet that IWO* inquiry mos desirable. The tevi-
dm* taken Were that eamaittes kW bees primed and
Was
now lassos pa ha) property. The obstasio, there-
fore, whisk pressatod Ma *ma br hobs the 'abject
ender the considostlea at the hews lest sera" wasely,
the tier of 'realms a wale Yung* the
saunasis Mors. law Lowhileatirely twoneeddiams
=IS: house the ems .eleaer'elf the Ceilleustrseenunisavirge bask.
11161.146.1 bask was established in the year 1818, and lip
*Or year 1881 it axtobited ell the external sign of later-
W 1 rompedty. The sw..ate 'arum of its deposits was at
we dies 280_ it was seldom sada 200,00 W. In
IM year nil, the tbea whew abscoaded, sad it was soon
Owed tketb• was -.41* of inalmetaties- As sessant of
Ossi wee teamed to the eirmakiasers for the re-
*Oka of the salleasi lobe r Laradam They deputed a
spatinsen_ wham woe bad dais beams uotoriew, set
.ly in mama but to befoul also. to *vestige*
the affabs the swings beak, and to report to
thew Oa saisoliing he found
these was a seryessOB,llBBl. ths walkheel* of the bank in dethats
boa of the ownhefesin to the *bodes of the seismal
fabt. Ho alas hand that then was a farther surplus Y the
;boob of the Incises to the amostet27,l72l. 12s. 6d., Wide
gime a surplus of mere than 81.2101. over sad above thella.
Unties of the beak. He *and tint SANK bad been reused
by eh. which wee not seesawed for. This Wig
the Mats st he bided that the 8,60 W. in the basis
of the esseoloissees shoal be made available for the pay-
ment ota was of Not doisieney ef COWL 8e ..waded
4,0001. aghast the tads et the Mak, sad Iss dielesd that
lb. OW OINK abseld F
pirde AYR mist the sr Ibe leads.
embe bMu (Ito Reynolds) he add dedu
abs bask was memorable to the t ot 8.0001., tibia
wowed that *kW a surplus rej, snore than 11.0001., ha
mewl pureed, sad did lot give as answer that wee astir-
factory balling or to say ohm k Der of the sounsittree.
The undies of the balk, ycikis }odd* of their affairs,
ere dolmas of wiadiageop the cove r& but Mr. Tldd
Pratt said "No, keepethe beak own ; you are an good
credit, and done feekhe swat of this seemeyon your.
surplus pae6le fle all Ike Instate **sip but
• so

Many Savings Bea; he laid that the depritOr who- came-
before him belonged to edam of persons far whom these fa.
dingoes wen never intended, that the money was livered
ht many c me to avoid the permute of rent, and by persons
who lived on charity and were La the actual receipt of in-door
ind out-door relief, and that the inquiry was rendered most
=oensequence of the utter disregard of truth, the
and wbornation of perjury displayed by the claim-
err. Bach was the sweeping and wholesale allegation
=net the inhabitant' of a county who were remarkable for
geed order and their Weeny, the beat proof of which
was that they bad lodged no lees than eO,OOOl. in the easier
basks of Tribe and Killarney. Well, a trial took place at
Mt eases. In Kerry in oonnelion with thie affair. Mr.
Print was one of the witnesses, and won ld the Muse
that this gentleman, who accused the inhabitant,
st a whole county of falsehood and imbrnaiion of perjury,
mbeitted on croes-exam;nation during the trial that be die
Or cumin, a single witness on oath ? (Hear, bear.) What
oiled what was subornation of perjury, he was West.
Ilier• were 2,700,0001. in the Irish Savings Banks in 11144,
Inkroging to 100,000 individuals. Were the to be at the
meseer of a
perfect
barrister, who could thus ealtunaiate
them wilt impunity ? He tried his band at alma-
, . the uffeetreet depositors also. Bat when he (Mr.
isi4nforreed the hour that the wrier due to awl
• 1 &Iverson of that bank wee ante 274, Wee hones •
obis to Judge what elms the &polite% be-
=l to, and Mild estimate the wide-spread warn
wk
its Wore must have reasiened. (Hear.) He had
witnessed the most distressing sense is Dublin dories
tho last eighteen months in eonesquesee of it. (Hear.) The
mu of Ireland were accord of • want of self %U.
saes. Hers was an instance, however, of practical self
Adieus on their part. The poor people invested their
Zmiunder the firm belief that the government was tre-
e for its security. (Hear.) They found that to ha
• lamentable mistake on their pen. When were they he
look for redress ? Then was so hope from the truster,
even if they were perfectly solvent, because the aft of 1844
ealievid them from all liability whatarne. He therefore
earned to the Chancellor of the Exchequer. It might be
sited what claim had the depositors on the public exchequer?
Be had at ken proved that the coon ssinioners for the
'eduction of the national debt were aware of the insolvency
M the hank. Now 14,0001. was due to the depositors
1844, and 37,0001. became doe race that t ceanri rw: in the year 1839 that the Cuffe-street savinjes
pet into diMealties. Preen the evidence of Mr. Metro,
is appeared that a correspondence was carried on between
him, as the accredited officer of the oommiesioner, and the
trustees, with regard to the inspection of the acomate. The
hes. member than referred to the evidence, from which it
appeared that the trustees declined the application' of the
timeshare?, to be allowed to inspect the books, and that
. Ar. Tidd Pratt, having been consulted, he gave
I as his Gigolos that the canimienters. bad no
power of compulsion. Mr. Hip's= (continued the
Me amber) wrote to the trustees in 1839 that the bank
ten in • state of insolvency ; and though Mr. Tidd Pratt
la be had no doubt that isiveetigetka word wipe away
tie adirimip. Me asemeide preamsd by Mr. Highant In
sEMt dowel a dedlelanw of 2d,0001. If the Commis.
~, Sr redaction elate National Debt did act wink
0 took place, they gramly neglected their dry. They
pooled the power of isanieg to the Bank of Ireland an
order set to receive serinere deposits, and of advertising
that mar in the rags papers ; but that power was
ace remind by them, neither did they free the
thurses to comply with the act of podium's.
by peeling up at the back, a verbatim copy of the
@maul account, in order that the unfortunate dive-
ince Eakin know that there was something wrens. This
suer= is this cue were 1,664 in number. On Wend, W
the peelementary return of mires banks in Ireland le WIC
he hurl that in the city of Dublin alone the number of dr.
politico exceeded 20,000. Taking the whole country it ap.
sitsaba: there was in that year a sum of 2,749,0171. be.
to 91,243 depositors. Henwoe evidence of Irlit
! (Hew, bear.) He doubted whether if a re.
tun were now made, it would not be found that the art 1
of what had occurred at Coffe-street' at Killarney,
and at Tralee, had been to reduce the deposits to
half the amount. There was no protection fu
the depositors except in the integrity of the managers and
truss's. The quietism under consideratica was one of
pivot% importance to the empire. The total number of
depositors in England, Scotland, Wales, and Ireland was in
1844, 1, 012,047, while the amount invested at that period
was 34276,8381. Such ma the importance of the %tweets
involved in the proper misogynous of savings Merit He
implored the house to great him • select committee %%-
quire into the fats of this ease. He might be asked if ite
meat to saddle the pablie mnryy with the payment
of this 60,0001. If a moral Wbility were proved. be
should not hesitate to do so. The public treasury
was said to be st a low ebb ; but he could not doubt that if
=Miens were requisite for the honour of the coaatry they
would be provided. It wee incumbent on those who held
the helm of the state during thee" 14 years to support the
motion for invettigetion. The Conamisaionen for the He-
&union of the National Debt had a surplus of 300,0001., the
amount of the roil!' which they had made es the deposi-
tories of the savings banks, and he thought that that sum,
cc a portion ell, ought to lbe made available. He asked for
the emineittes, see only es an act of justice, but as an sot of
messy and
oath—
app to those 1,664 persons who won
threatened le. (Cheers)
I Hr. EA.PIER asessied the motion.
Mr. H. HERBERT moved as an amendment to add the
ores of the wimp beaks at Trull. Killarney, and Auch-
terrier. The her. member mid die addition of the last
mentionsi hank time owing to a oommuniestion which he
red ham agouties's& in Scotland. He thought
irbif es a t=e2 2 with regard% savhip banks should an-
' g inquiry. Is 'April, laid year, it was au-
to the soustampaiiin of the country, that there was
a Seirioney in the Tried wings bomb to the 1111111M1 el
WSW In that tan the %Nary did sot attempt to By this
Olniney, and he had sines be. sisteseed to transpeilnlisa.
•dr aniterwards it was stated that the soloary
savings bank had gone off to Ante-
loa. Rawls, claims to the amount of 36,0001.
_ _

Mr. PAGAN Mensaid Kr. Herbert's amendensat. He
slay regretted thst eligiisitioa loess limbed to a
nmessainse el hemey, smithea some IMMO gespodisse bad
net both made der semenegatlag the ealishosats analmilna
who bad hems so smelly rob The agsmiton in those
banks lad a meal, if they did not a legal, claim on
the gemenoist for rehabersemeat their lessee.
The HHANCHILLOS of the BICHEQIJER maid lima
pfte dace these were ,w a
bean the home, ono
for ths aggelalosatztplo ,the other for the re-
balommement tel the . Bat what the hos. member
flie Cleirk Ira warted was esompauly and fully refuted
ant Ambit by the other bra. member wbo had spokes ;
andinonadateitits geveramesatiabZuso.pay the Monaca*
la the That proposition
lams* as pert of the optima sr sf the amendment. Nor
did hew how the great* a semodnee would in
any way provosts the object sough" fad *steed
by the hoe. gtheabor far Herk. He *III sWNW, to
the modes before the house, sad show why asenseines might
sot to be opiate& la the fast place, it wadi be a peat
expos" endb mild be prisetive of se adeanhom what
every Me was swim& at SOW of the stmesamnts whisk be
had lamed he. boo. Reuben the lave el the ewe.
He MI net am to
_that it wag a peat mad • very
imPalood _edisr the peorseneent would or
-weld ast buosellagesoll *elf the resp ond-
babies and lishililiso 100
w%penimp tanks ; bat ha
same observe that the segr elate of the /am
se to savage' basks, was land Melte.
081 U
41.1
4811,=1"Soddelle feendel by a
remake • kWh** imposts landides,
appinesg theta ;awn aims gad Imams I sad the fiat
tognosetirm by whisk the g0.6111M1114 WI the plebe* tes ase
the more sunset word, bosoms gessessed with say many
beak, mace when the roads eollested together were treasmitted
to the cowuniedosike is. thii redustion of the asthma debt,
for the parposee of immestment. But it would be seta at
ono. that t" had nothing I. do with the
appointment of say et the: cabers of wisp banks.
la the eve el Tease Savings Bask the ire:gees were ap-
pointed by the d pee Yore, mod the Irma of chalking the
trimmer rested with them, but this they •aiever exercised.
Bet the government had no control is the meter.
He was willing to admit that tie present state of the
saying banks was very diflegrat hose . what It had
sally beea easteseplated. AR ammeat of
instead of 1,500,0Q(R. &pod* sertahsly ere advisable kw the. hones to. legislate apse On sub-
ject. That wam a very pay, sad smokes pm-
sion ; indeed. it lied ham" &dr spin the sinslimation
of the peunsesp,
_gmed hs *said,* ems Man day, be
prepared to bp a MI es the tails resposeas wimp beaks.
Dui hon. gentleseas ay& . IMO to ho led may br the hope
that yeah a ogausitten am was mired for would, in say way,
amain the deputing In the pragent slate of again. The lia-
bility sf the goesemenest to mar pod the defaketions and
loans esseans& by the tremors" of magings banks bad
neva bees ~Sod. Is Issiand, whenever the hu-
mor el a monlaga beak shmartsd, or bemuse insolent,
co von the mess, end sea the peenemesse, who invariably
vase !aged sod made pod Ihe firiOsiway, reia.bursiag
the whole agoomat ef tie lees. I. ea& *asses a trust
atosmtgedao ism shan.7,oool. is his dare et wdefalcatire:
__by the absoonding of the tressater of a savings
beak: With respect to the partithlu inhumes of &Mica-
dos sow beinght nadir the covaideration of the house, they
were the Am in revert to which any applitatir n bad been
made to the government Or reimbursement of looms owe-
dosed by the conduct of the caws of savings banks.
The posrament had never yet been considered liable to
maim gambdefalcations in mavinp' banks, and whatever
might be the future determiaatisa of she House of Commons
upon this *portant saipet, it waskardly fair to bring rach a

MA;

diecoadili*
ea*

Jim 41/12111 of Omitmoda weld, with
spew*, sublegi.-..1f, indeed,- the..
Ay to haw; isyr the tuts of the savisp
own jean, auk he admitted the eau
!ileum west ; bdt -as a dui-ion might be
the=caster Term, in the Cuffs-
to wait until it was
aof Commoos interfered in.thentatter.
sainted that if the trustees refused to
government ought to do it. (Near,
government do it ? (" Near, bear,"
we. not so good • lawyer, perhaps,
gentleman, bur, certainly, if the how.
was of opinion that it wu within the
government, ha mud tell him that lawyers
that 'idle. Some time since • case had bees
advisers of the crown, I c Tithing whether
the reduction of the nationsl debt had
g and what proceedings to clue a ter.
answer to that case, the following
reed :
A the tootadeetoorre Ibr the rede of the
power to adopt amp pretesting' ~eat* te
rthe heehht ittlettle•—(ailiod) FALEDLSICU FTTIMOT
LLT, Joan Tree TT.
lie thought that that was a pretty complete answer to any
ebarge agaiaet the government for not closing the banks.
(Rear, tow.) Now, fa one of the Killarney eases,
the
allima.isnoma amid that either a fraud or a
Ulna tallutadtted. But that again was a
eke b
glib the asamissioners far the reducion of
the naked data bad no power to interfere, for there set
no duty ~our imposed upon the ounimissioners by the
apt of pa/I=W es to the number of depositors. If the
Rouse of 0111111110101 wanted to knew bow many depositors
there were I. a certain saii bask, a return was sent for
to the trustees • bat it formed op pest whatever of the duty
of the ounadisioners. The Ms. gentleman averred that
. .

the government was bound ea-esmionsate then=
because the ninon bad not required say
from them. That certainly was a new dentition,
that because these trustees had failed in the pp!
Torment* of their duties, the government should be NM
responsible for any and every deficieuey that might gibe.
Such a case might be held before an Irish jury ; but_ men
this side of the water it would assuredly With
regarded as
somewhat strange. (I. Hear"and a laugh.) With these views.
and for these reasons, he could not consent to the seasesit- ,
tee. The inquiry, if then wen to be an inquiry, ennht le
be apes the spot; but a select committee at An
borne could prove of no avail. Its appointment meal
cause gnat expense to the pries interested, and eseld
lead to nothing but disappointment. (Hear, boa.)
Mr. J. O'CONNELL observed that the poor depositors
in the beaks had depended upon the faith of the govern-
meat, and now, after haying invested their hardearned
savings, they were allowed io iiiilefrauded. (A laugh.) The
right lion. sestina= laughed ; but be contended that if
these poor persona wen mLtelun in the belief that whet
they did was upon the faith of the goverment, they seed
to have been undoes:Ted. There was a lageserve
in the hands of the commissioners for the redeldia r the
national debt ; and he was of opinion that that nun should
be applied to supply these deficiencies ; at-the same time, he
regretted that the right hon. gentleman had net thought
proper to condemn the conduct of Mr. Tidd Pratt (Hest) '
Mr. GROGAN said that the peanut misery sad district
invariably followed the failing of these beaks, and he re-
greeted that the government had cot intahred to close
them when it was first known diet they were insolvent, for
then all those persons who hada:nee deposited would at nest
have been sand. In one ease in Dublin it was known to Mr.
Tidd Pratt so far back as 1831 that the beak was insolvent ;
yet that bank was allowed to carry on until 1847. when it
felled. (Hear, hoar.) He altogether differed from the right
bon. gentleman with regard to the power of the government
to close these banks. The right hon. gentleman deeded that
they had each power; but he (Mr:drogue) conteedleil that
the set was dear up point. He found that the dith
section oldie 9th s IV., e. 92, provide" that is ems
the trustees any savings bank should neglect or refuse is
obey say order given by the commissioners, or their ofilen,
it should and night be lawful for the said commissioners to
does the accounts of such bank. (Hear, hear.) He asserted
then, that it °was within the power of the government to
have closed the whole of them. (Hear, hear, and
"No, no" hem the Cbanoellor of the Ernhequer.)
He expressed his disappointment at the decision of the right
hon. gentleman. The discussion which had taken place to-
night might lead to embarrassing consequences to the go-
vernment, if the depositors should call for the money.

Mr. MORRIS referred to tie Carmarthen saying banks,
and was understood to advocate the claims of the depositors
for assistenee.

11.1r.COWiN agreed with the hon. member for Dublin
that it would be desirable for the house to restore con-
fidence to these invaluable institutions, the savings banks.
It was absolutely necessary to institute an investi-
gation, es as to adopt a better course of legislation.
He thought that the legislation upon the subject
had been moat unfortunate. Reference had been made to
the fiud and wearying rate of interest provided by act of
parliament for depositors in savings banks. A greater absur-
dity could not possibly be imagined. How had this
rate ? Some four or five yaws ego, when money was not
worth more than 2 es 21 per cent., the Chancellor of the Re-
chequer was paying 6e.
_per cont., and the commissioners
invested the money at or about par. A reverse cams—money
rose to 4 and 4a Fir amt. ; and the depositon looked for is-
vestments that would yield a larger amount of interest.
Something like a run was made en the banks, and the loss to
the nation was not lass than 6 or 6 millions.

Mr. KEOGH said, that until the hon. member for Car-
marthen roes to address the house, he was under the impres-
sion that it was ire 'Ms for any body of depositors in
English sag. vibanks n lac from the failure of those beaks,
as the trustees mime forward and paid every sizpemee. It
now turned out that is Wales depositors might lose without
being paid by English trustees. He did not expect that a
case of such eryieg injustice as the passant would have been
met in the manner in which it had bemenntet by her Majesty's
government. He had heard but two answers to the claim
made by the hon. member for Dublin. The first objection
was that this committee would be an interferovie with pro-
ceeding, pending la the courts of Dublin. The hon. mem-
bsr for the Univenity of Dublin was oottrual for the trustees
of the savings betake, who were the pinions affected by the
proceedings of the court. If the trustees were sufficiently
sure of the propriety of their own conduct why should the
government, if they had rot been guilty of wilful default,
vitriol frost the tribunal of the committee ? The next ob-
jection made to the granting of the select committee was that
there was no legal liability on the part of her Majesty's go-
vestment. Who asserted that there woe any legal liability ?
He did notablientand the hon. member for Dublin to assert it.
If there was legal liability, the depositors would have been
advised how they could have enforced that liability, but he
understood the hon. member for the university to say, that
he took the higher ground of moral responsibility, and if her
Majesty. government was morally responsible, they could
not shrink from their engagement. He tam now to the
question which lad been rather evaded by the right hoe.
gentleman ; he said that the officer who appropriated the
mousy of the depositors was an °Meer of the trus-
tee.. That was no usher to the Me on the
part of the depositors. The eau wee, that the
legislature priteidied that her Majesty's government,
or then isoms of the national debt, should take cer-
tain steps es tends oceseleas for the protection of the depo-
sitors of these banks, and if they did not take those steps, so
far they neglected heir duty, and moral responsibility at-
tacked. The very fact of laying the cue hire eminent
ZUlt oiled whether they could close the bank, ma-
th. proposition that the government of that day
knew the beak to be in such a state that it was absolutely
nesemary it should be closed. They toek the advise of the
lawmfbesve of the RM, they asked if goverment lad the
power of closing the beak. and no other opinion mold have
been given than that the goverment power to dose the
bank. No lawyer could have given any other opinion than
that the government bad the power of closing the accounts
of the bank. Thies Metres were hound to furnish accounts
at particular periods of the year, end there was an express
claws in the act requiring, if thse accounts were not far.
eland, if an maul return was net made punaht
to the 9th GOO. IV. that the name of the ening.
bank should . published fa the Gasatte. He ten-
able* that a caw he inquiry had been distinctly
made est. It wee sight • and jut that the minds of
parties imald be en the subject, and dedd have-
the mediation of an immiry before the as to
their lem sad &Mom. The emmittee who Id the
taus lest idea riparbel that they had not time Meendnet
their laveatigatisa is a peeper ennelndint_sid it would be
absolutely steemery that the Inquiry Mil be reinstituted
in the next Hutu of gadiament. I. somplianos with the
declaration of the eammallese, he, in eenjeasnisn with his
hon. friend, threw the fitimeitent an the many ref the parlia-
ment of England, and asked the. to gams to an ir airy
whether or not the depositors were M ektsfi rem o.
Mr. WI:ILEUM said that se__the meei of the hot.ked been principally adikoresi to the conduct of
rettlies amiessit in 1844, wheals INN Chaisoslier of the Ex-
chequer, be traded the house would indulge him while
he stated what was the mese then pursued by the
government, and what were the motives by whith the go-
vernment were actuated, and he busted that when the
hiss had hoard the fads comedy stated, they wild not
00•11 to the eoncluion that then was anything
in the endue of the government at that time
which rendered them liabla m the demands now made.
It was natural that the hoe. member for Dublin 'should
speak warmly on the subjectof the distress of thoae who had
suffered by the failure of this beak; but the house was
not to be canted sway by mounte of dustier exegrerated
no doubt, which on account of the failure of the
beak, to take on itself. the responsibility which was never
intended be east on the government, and which could not
be cast, to the extent which was defined, without imixising on
every clam, rich and poor, an extent of burden which it would
not be just to Impose. The malt of this debate would
almost land to show that it was extremely dangerous for
government to deal in anything that was benevoleat. The
savings banks were instituted by parliament on motives of
the purest benevolence. The interference of parliament wee
propeeed by Mr. Bose for this distinct object. The societies
had previously existed—they had contributed in large neigh-
bourhoods to the comfort of the people around them ; but
parties had been obliged to trust their funds is quarters
which were subject to variation and lome sad it .was to
pro'ect them against that variation and foes that parlia-
ment then interfered, and said, we will make goverment
the bankers of these institutions, and we will make them
bold the money, and pay interest on the money deposited with
them. Beyond that, it never was the intention of that or
any subsequent act of parliament, that the liability of the
government should go. %Luau pow to the case of the
articular beak which had bee, *ought forward by the hon.
member for the city of Dublio, and ha wished to oats to
the house precisely the facts of the case in 1844, which the

. -
hon. gentleman behind his (Mr. Keogh), following the
hoe. memberfor Dahlia, had thought was so conetured by the
11carmut se to give • claim for the payment of the sum.
dmi.trines of the bark did not arise in 1844 ; they 'arose
is 1831, sad from the Inspection of the accounts wash
thbit'took place, it wee obviate that the trustees had it in
their pewee to avoid looses to the depositors, if they had
followed the advlco given by the arbiter called to under the
provisions of the get, and conduced their operations iu the
mods three poiated out; for the different* between the
interest they paid to the depositors. and the interest they
atesived from the government, would have made up the
whole defining of the fund ; and the goverment was
ander the impression they would pursue the course
which common honesty pointed out. But in 1944, when be
was Chaatellor of the Exchequer, the case of this bank was
sgain brought before the government; and It was emotive.
Md with iwnsastaoese which relied a doubt in his mind
*ether there we. not • quarrel between two rival banks,
Tithe were contending for the ;remit amount of deposits.
He was prepared to admit that that suspicion was an errant.
one 011, ; but it wee made to appear to him that this bank
had not followed the advice had dem ho 1831, and, by the
inspection of the accounts of the bank, be saw that they
had at the moment, ample funds 'toot, 18e. Bd. in
the pound to every depositor. Hie get immediately
was that the bank should be closed, sad money should
be so distributed, as that, alt eegk the loss could not be
altogetheravoided, the parties la the book should escape
with the lees of Is. Bd. ia the posed, instead of losing the
whole of their money.. The bank was unwilling to take
advice ; he applied to the law officers of the crown to know
whether he had the power of authoritatively closing the
bath, that he might effect the object of saving the deposeors.
The opinion of the law officers was that he had no power to
compel the trustees to close the books. That, however, did
not cause him to despair. Having seen in the calendarthat
the Archbishop of Dublin was one of the vice-presidents, he
applied to that functionary, but yes told by him that he bad
not been previously aware that he had soy connexktn with
the bank, and that he bad no influence whatever with the
trustees. For these tram the proposed arrangement
failed, but no blame whatever could be attached to the go-
vernment. As to closing the accounts of • bank, it was not
ss trifling a matter as the hoe. and learned member for
Athlone seemed to suppose, and besides would not have
answered the purpose, as the accounts could not have been
famished for some time.

)Jr. KEOGH explained that what be had said was, that
if the bank had not tarnished its account, as directed by the
set, the coentimionera were banad to noLiee the oinisit in
the Gazette.

Mr. GOVLBURN did not concur with the hon. and
learned member in his reading of the act. Unless it had
been intended to destroy the bank altogether, it would net
have been justifiable to give such a notice. 8o much for the
conduct of the government in 1844. He had felt that he
could not act, and the trustees refaced to adopt his mom-
=sedation, although repeatedly warned as to the conse-
quences of refusal. The hon. member for Edinburgh
wished for a committee to inquire into the subject of savings
banks generally, but that would hardly serve the cue of hard-
ship whies bad been brought under the nod= of the house ;
and, oaths other hand, to appoint a committee to inquire into
every case on which an award had been made by Mr.
Pratt would be preposterous and unnecessary, seeing that the
committee of last year had had full time to investigate.
As the question was before • court of law he concurred with
the Chancellor of the Exchequer in thinking it better
postpone parliameatary inquiry until that tribunal had given
its decision. The hon. and learned member for Athlone
alleged that such proceedings should be no bar. He (Mr.
Goulburn) thought otherwise ; parliamentary inquiry could
only serve the trustees, who might he glad =have the claims
of depositors sifted before a parliamentary committee before
they came to be argued in • court of law. Legal liability
was nowhere oonteuded for, but the house should pause
before it adopted a course which might give a tinge of moral
liability, es they might depend upon it such a
=lane would exercise great Witten= over many parties.
It would be a bad precedent to make what government
bad in the first instance done, from motives of benevolence,
• permanent principle of compulsory action, He thought
the committee had better be postponed, and that when ap-
pointed its inquiry should be confined to such curs as had
not been previously made subjects of investigation.
Mr. KEOGH begged permission, in justice to himself, to
road, without observation, thissection on which he relied as
against the government. The bon. and learned member
read the section, which was substantially to the effect, that
if proper statemen.s of accounts should not be prepared by
the bask trustee*, and transmitted within attetua,time spu-
dded, to the commissioners, the latter were mitherieed sad
required to give public notification of the omission in the
London Gasetle,.and also in the newspapers of the county in
which the bank was situated. (Hear, hear.)
Me. H. GRATTAN said that living among the poor
people who had been depositors in the bank, he could
ti tatty as to the amount of misery they were suffering. If
the goverment should be successful in resisting this motion,
fog. might expect its speedy reintroduction in another

Mr. REYNOLDS said that the able arguments of the
hon. members who hal supported his motion, precluded the
necessity of any reply on his part.
The house divided on the question that the additional
words be added.

Far the amendment
Against it
Majority against the government 7
The announcement was loudly cheered. On the gallery
being re-opened, a call was made for a division on the motion
u ameamd, but an hon. member rasing to speak to the
question,
Mr. F. O'CONNOR e .11ed attention to the presence of
strangers (the reporters), who were instantly ordered to
withdraw, the debate leing carried on for some time with
closed doors. A division was ultimately taken on the motion,
as amended, which was also carried against the government,
the numbers being,
For the motion
Against ft 4B-3
. _

Thiiresult was greeted with load and prolonged cheers.
LIFE POLICIES OF ASSURANCE BILL.
Oa the motion of Mr. FAOAN, the following members
were nominated on the elect committee on this bill : Mr.
W. Fagan, Mr. Attorney. General, Mr. Mickinnon, Mr. R.
Palmer, Mr. Revilers, Mr. M. Gibson, Mr. Wood, Sir H.
Willoughby, Sir B. N. Buxton, Mr. N►pier, Mr. Coles, Sir
W. Verner, Mr. Spooner, Mr. O'Flaherty, and Mr. Mul-
tiage ; five to be the quorani.
All the remaining motiors on the paper were postponed
RE after Brater,"and the house adjourned at half-part ten.

THE-EXPRESS, F 'IDAY MEM O. MA
. . 4
Imo '• .011311ae 'llintillUne= -14 quistkits in dimes*
'err it'agtwLtal She Our 180: cage, 4 req ta. cal
nc if op irest secossols hlre *be , eWs of Ise
With the eet el7plarlietdthe allaniuinwn bsi.r• • tioef=s= of
t.illeflositiesUrdivelienail deist from the yob 1813 to imp edialtle(e, enter upe
In dm resllll33-thip n ade a profit of 4 4781 which • points of law were likely
th the fanalir surplus use num a total of 38091 to their tusks for two or mon
• The amounts which they trarpreftte .14.1631ei1mi
ler
I.._lwoold sernfo. tt.differ.thi
eleflaisort 2,6711. Teo mounts for ism As Imp early la the
a &deltas, which in the yaw it was d
no Ins than 32,9031. Thin etatement rested vs She that knoell.4oferslME66l64
Shanty, that of Mr. Hyena, of the National Debt Ofilce, The hoe. gentleman saw
I ho wee examined before the committee. Now, the various dose the honk, the gm
behaellen of the Exchequer, with their essieroate, funs hear.) Eat could the go
331 to 1847 luclusive, must have been cognisant of the feet, tam Mr. Napier.) Ile I
• the Cuffemtreet 'snap beak was insolvent, sod unable no the hon. and :earned g
• pa 10s. is the pound. (Hem, hear.) And yet they and le•rowi loatioma w
• red the servants end the artisan. of Dablin power of the gournmei
• lodge their savings in this beak during aU that period. differed upon that print.
Hur, bear.) After the most diligent mquuy that could submitted' a the legal ad,
amide it was found that 80,0001. wee now due to 1,664 tre oonualsidosers for the
denims, belonging to this =fortunate else, of the iolubi- the power Malkin any
his of Dublin. There was only 831. to the credit of the liin laTiOr beak- In a
ank to meet this large sum. But this Mr. Tidd Pratt had °Pinion b_ed boon Tras... J.LW
enunciated. his fellomeountrymen. Is reporting to the are °"taZil
Lords f the Treasury on the state of the Treks and BB- BI"'"'" 6.44 Pa power
. . . elms the beak la emotion.-