The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1819-04-06 00:00:00

PARISH CLERKS.

...-
A Petition was presented hum s place in Kent, against
the Parish Clerks 11111.-I:cad, awl told nu the table.

DARLINGTON AND STOCKTON RAILWAY.
Petitions were presented by Mr. l'ourcee and other
Meitner ra against the Darlington and Slut ktois Railway Bill,
from different individual, in the county I.f Durham, being
occupiers of land thiough sli.ch the proposed Railway is
intended to pus, which were read and laid 0.111 the table.
Petitions in favour of the Bill were pot unlit% from Rich-
mond, Think, Nortballatuo, Darlington, Term, Gnisbro,
Middlthani, %Tensity, Spennithorne, Beane, Coeditr',
Kialleatham, Wiltug, Laciel.by, Lazenby, Eton, Non
manhy, °mushy, Martini, Staintim, High Leven, Bar-
wick, Kirktravingtue, litektins, Appli lots upon.Wiske, West
ituuneun, Mast Magneys, Euterpen, Hutto's, Ittedby,
tusium Leven, Sumer, High Worsen, low Worsen, Kildale,
Great A) too, Little Aylou, Newton, Kirby, Ingleby Green-
horn, Itatitesby, Deightua, Brumptess, North Killington,
South Kilvinglon, Thoriitunde Street, Thurailitirough, Lemke,
Brawith, Ossuutherley, Si Iton, Burrowity, Kim) ton, Swainhy,
%Thorium, logleby, Putts., Carlton, Faceby, Smeatuss, Miii.
dleton, Trost, South Costae, Croft, Lutignew ion, Middleton.
usie-Row, Newabain, Aislaby, and E:agleseliff, by Mr. Hart
Davis, Mr. Gurney, Mr Y. Ituxtuu, Mr. Limbion, and other
Members—a bich bating been read and laid 011 the table,
Mr. LASIBTOX moved the order of the day fur the second
reading of the Bill.
The tittellitOU having been mit,
Mr. POY/LETT mid, the object of the Bill was to iocrease
the facility of conveying coals faint Millington to Stockton,
a very praiseworthy one, if proper means only were used
to attain it. But while the persons almost solely benefited
by it would be the inhabitants of these two towns, it went
to impose a great rapruse, mid manifest( d a cruel disregard
to the interests of many indsvoluals in the intermediate
space. Mesides, a Committee had brew of opinion that the
Staiang (kilns had nut hers adhered to in this insestice.—
The Iluu. Member then mowed as an amendment, that the
Bill be read a secuml lime this day via mouths.
Mr. Al A. TAYLOR hoped, as the object of the Bill was a
must 111.11141 MM out, the cheapening the price of fuel, as arts.
cle of the say fiat nectrally to the pour, the House would
not consent to th►ow it out merely un a point of order.
Mr. PowLeirr argued that a disable infriugemeut of the
Mewling Ostlers bad taken place.
A Member, with whose same we were unacquainted, said,
it was wireaeouable to expect a Bill to pas., to winch not
sint:le individual elarusigh the whole line the railway was
to 1A.., coald be produced sr giving his assent.
M.. I.seitiog defended the 'Bill as likely to produce a

Brett annual saving on the rrice aerials to the people of tkg
neighbourhood.
Mr. H. SWUM& defended the conduct of the Commit-
tee on the Petition, of which be was a M•nlifter.
Icon' LAscgt.tits coald not divest himself of
a feeling f
hoe
r
private interests in cases of this nature. particularly as
was told, the ruin of one or more bonito.* would he Hoe of
the effects of the Bill. lie should, therefore, wish to hp
formed (and on the answer would principally &prod how he
gave his vote), whether in the Committee, if the Bill went
so far, consideration wont(' he paid to the private tottered.
concerned—ire meant not only the occupiers of land along
the line of the railway, but also the workers of mines is
the neighboorhorol
Mr. Lastarrox was not able to give any thing but a gene-
ral aenswer.ad He understood due cunipensatinn was intended
to b me fur every injury that might he sustained by indi-

vidnals.
After some further cnnversation between Lord LasCOLLES,
Mr. I.4lltaTost, and Mr. PoWLETT. the Grillers. %II cleared
fora division on the Amen Intent, sten there appeared
Fur the Amendment
93
Against it

Muiwity mg/limit the Second Rending.... 13
Lord atve presented R Petition (we lielieve) from Wen.
lock, aping* the Insolvent Debtors Act; and another Peti-
tion, from the same place, against the Equalization of taw
Duty on Cuale—Ordered to lie on the table.
BREAD.
Mr llotatt SUMNER gave notice, after the receas,he
would submit to the House a prnpli-ttion for regulating
the making of Bread within len mites of the 31etrupulie.
---.....

AGRICULTURAL. PETITION.
Mr. H SUMNIPII presented a Petition from certain Ores-
piers of Land in Surrey, submitting to the House their situ-
ation, and or:lying for relief. The Hon. Gentleman said,
the farmers growing corn in this country could sea, wider
the present circumstances, stand in competition wish
foreizners. Their aitoitiun called fur inquiry—lie Aid not
are why the Otiose shouts' be deterred from the consideration
of the crest . If they went to be d.terrerl front es recol-
lection of its. disturbances which took place about three
years ago. on the discnssion of the Cilia Bill, he could not
agree wills those who might entertain Iliss-e apprehensions
on the propriety of Parliament not entering on stir aubjert.
Ile believed that the agricultural class were great
and entitled to redress. Their interests were involved with
the vital interests of she emniry—for lie the trade of the
country high or luw, if the agricultural interest, should
fall, every other must be Involvs,; in its ruins.
Lord A. IlastoTon said, lie did not °Val to the exten-
sion of relief to the sgrienlioral class, hut he did not think
that the revival of she Coro Bill was the proper remedy.
Petition ordered to lie no the table.
CATHOLICS OF IRELAND.
Lord WIC FITZGERALD pi imettivl a Petition from militia
Runian Catholics in the county of Kildare, praying for the
repeal of she Penal Laws now affecting the Catholics of Ire-
land.—Ordered to lie on the table.
HON. W. WYNDHAM QUIN.
Mr. Eu.ts withdrew his motion for an Address to the
Priory Regent, praying to deprive the Hon Wyndham Quin
of the situation of Castor I °Nkomo' of she County of Lime-
rick. The nun. Gentleman said, that en considering the
nas•re of the resolutions that had already passed the House,
and on consulting with persons of more experience than
he had, they all concurred in thinking, that from the mild-
items of those resolutions they did not think 1114 there was
sufficient grotto& fur any further inquiry. Ile would only
add, that in what he bad .lone he was actuated by a sense of
public duty as a Member of Parliament --(I/enr, hear)
The notice of the motion was then discharged.
FEMALE CONVICTS.
Mr. BFNSWTT gave notice, that be would, on Wednesday
next, move that an Address be presented to she Primer Re-
gent, praying that he would stop the sailing of the vessel
now bound to Butauy Itay wills Female Convicts.
RESnIPTION OF CASII PAYNIENTS.
Mr. Pt:Er. brought up the Report of the Com-
mittee appointed to inquire into the Slate of the
Bank of England with reference to the Resump-
tion of Cash Payments. The Report states, that
the Committee hoped, on an early day,to present a
Report to the House, in which they expected to fix
a period for the removal of the Restrictio- is on the
Bank ; but that they were of ooinion, that if the
Bank of England continued to make partial pay-
ments in gold, it would dell the final resumption
of cash payments : they thi iefore suggested that a
Billl should. he pasted to restrain the Bank from
paying its cash Bank notes outsiarirling previous to
January 1817, and also the piyinent lit cash of
dividends under the stun Of five pounds.
51r. PEEL sot I, the 8,1 l lie was about to move
for leave to bring in was founded on the recommen-
dation of the Committee. mid that vet-minuend:l-
-lion, he considered, rcl a vrd him from troubling
the House with many observations. Ile considered
it would be premature to ewer our the sohject.
Report was the ground-work of the Bill lie was
shout to propose. The olP,ct of that Bill %Vila to re-
strain the Bank fractional payment. tinder 41. on the
dividends. There was toucher I.l`iieti At two
distilict periods the Book tiorlertook to snake cash
payments of holes of n reit:ins description. They
gave notice to that 'fleet in 1816, ;11111 ins the year
1817 the Bank gave notice that ary would 'pay in
cash all notes issued previous to the Ist of Jainiuty,
1817. lit consequence of these notices a very
heavy drain of the Batik treasure took place.—
Front air account presented lola eels January,
1816, and January of the present sear, it ap-
peared that within that period a sumlif four mil-
lions live I !red thousand pounds, and an ad-
ditiolial drain from January up to the present
period of seven hundred suild pounds, took
place ; so 641 lilt treasure drained from the Batik
in conseipience of these notices, amount in the en-
tire to 3,200,0001. That was- a very considerable
issue, and the issue of that treasure produced no
good effect ; :turf, in his opinion, wail a simulta-
neous reduction took place in the atnoult of Bank
notes, the gold would always be carried to places
where it would be of more value than it was in this
country. lle saw, he said, the Report of the
Minister of Finance in France; for the 16 months
previous to the tst of January of the present year,
there were 1-.25 lutlitoiti of foamed coined in France,
from authority, it was ascertained that three-
fourths of that sum was derived from the coin of
this country ; 123 millions of francs amounted to
about five millions sterling. and three-fourths of
that sum came from the issues of the Bank of Eng-
land. The Bill be was shout to propose was in-
truded to restrain the Bank from isauii g coin dur-
ing the present Session of Parliament. The Coin-
ruttier, under these circumstances, felt it their duty
to present a Report to the House, that a legislative
measure might be founded upon it. The reason
of the Bill was short. It was evident that whets
the period arrived for the final removal of the
restrictions on the Bank, a considerable quan-
tity of bullion would be necessary for the Batik
to have in their coffers. Of this fact the Com-
mittee could have but our opinion, and it was
evident that if some legislative measure was not
adopted to restrain the Bank, the quantity of bul-
lion would be diminished, without any advantage to

the comotre. The no; he was about M move for
leave to britig in. waa, in fact, calculated to facili-
tate earth payment.. The Committee entertain a
confident expectation that they will he able so sub-
mit a plan for the removal of the Bank Itestric-
hon. ln that expectationlie hoped they were well
Colluded .; he hoped also that the advantage diet
womb, result from the possession of an invarialsla
wand ord, might not be purchast d with that incon-
venience and em<arrasament to the commercial
world as sonic peregns had anticipated. The Right
Ilion. Geidlenum. in coed sisior% .1'641, that it was
deennel ali.olistely necessary that the Bill /should
be carried through the !louse with ell possible ee-
peditlon. and that, therefore. he would move that it
should he carried through all the stages to the
course of the night. Ile concluded by sisoieing for
brave to bring iti the Bill. .
Mr. BROU4IIIAM said, he confessed he was some-
what entliarraaseii from the manner in which the
Right lion. I hisitleitiati, as Chairman of the Com-
mittee, hail introduced this subject ; in that ern.
berraesinetit he was sure the I-louse had partici-
pated. This was not is proceeding instituted on
the elillfillVllCC of the responsible advisers of the
Crown, nor did it rest on rhe cosifidelice of the
Committee; but it came before than on the par-
tial statement of something able!' the Right Hun.
GVllletnallarriVell a karowleilge of from what passed
in the Committee; nod ote-this statement, without
any disclasoire made, withooot tiny facts to guide
them, the llouae was called upon to pass a Bill
without notice. without discussion, and. indeed,
without the possibility of discussi(m. This mode
of procreating was without precedent, and could
not be defended upon principle. Fanterly, when
a legislative measure was Hiloptrd ott this sub-
ject, the noose proceeded not oily in a differ-
rot, but in tin opposite manner. In 1797, the
responsible Moustera of the Crown, actin., on
todorinaliooi which they relied on, procured an
Order in Council, Had they thou came down to
the Rouse, and culled upon them not on a sud-
den to pass a 11.11 without notice and without dis-
cussion, hut, in the usual course of legislative
proceedings, they proposed a Bill to puss the (louse
according to the usual aid established rules. It
was true Out on that occasion the [louse had not
all the facts before them ; but the !loom rested on
the Report of the Committee. Ile objected to the
measure, because it rested not on the responsibi-
lity of Ministers. In 1797, Mr. Pitt came before
Parliament, after the Order in Council had been
*towed, anti the proceeding% of that day received at
least a foil discussion; the Bill brought in was con-
sidered in all its stages. There weie two grounds,
he said, on which the present measure was sought
to be defended. One ground w•.. its immediate
necessity—the other, that the peseta was a proceed-
log subservient to an ulterior measure, namely, the
resumption of cash pilyinenta. %Volt regard to the
necessity of the measure. if it rested solely on that
ground, lie would feel it his duty to oppose it in all
its stages. IVliatever its necessity might be. why
should the established rules of the House be viol-
toted ? What was it but ii politic violation of the
proceedings of the !louse ? As to the Bank, titre.,
outs nothing to compel that Corporation to give
notice of paying their notes to January, 1,07 -it
was optional with then, in do so. They gave that
ttotice, anti should be hound by it. What is likely
to result from this invidious proposition ? It is said
to be subservient to another measure; but why
hurry it with such timidity through the House ?
' Why prevent a fair inquiry into its merits ? It is
said to be a measure of immediate necessity. but
surely three or four day% during which it would go
under discussion, would not effect the object in
view, whilst it woold give an opportunity to the
(louse of considering that object. Surely it was
not no such is pretext that the St:milieus Orders of
the House should lie violated. The Right lion.
Gentleman, by entering into a statement, embar-
rassed the Houle in no little degree. If he had
not removed the vell'which concealed the proveed-
togs of the Committee, but had simply satisfied
Inineelf with Piling that the MC:I%IM was necessary
for certain purpose., and, if not passed imme-
diately, it were as well not to pass it at all ; but he
entered into a statement of the tonotint the Batik
had paid away in consemience of that notice, which
it was optional with them to give or to withhold.
Ile stated that they had aimedy paid away five mil-
hoop; but surely the sum that do y might be sup-
posed to pay for the next three or four days was nut
a consideration clutch should induce the !louse to
violate its established rules. Flom what was be-
fore the !louse, they could not think so ; lie did
mitt mean to ray but an answer could he giien to
his objection, but until that answer was given, lie
could not entertain the motion. It might he that
the delay of three or four days would be utteurled
with inconvenience ; it war possible. lie:haps, to
justify so extraordinary a measure, but until he
beard satisfactory reasons stated he would resit it.
The King's Ministers haul offormation on the sub-
ject. In 1797, when the Order in Council was
matted, the Minister of that day had hit itifortna-
tiou from the Bank. to the present instance, She-
Ministers have their information from being Mem-
bers of the Committee. The difference. in Ins opi-
nion, ass but little ; whether Mr. Pitt, as Chan-
cellor of the Exchequer, had his information from
the Batik, or whether the Noble Lord and the
Right Hon. Gentleman had their iuformation
as Alembers of the Committee. They had the facts
within their reach, they are the advisers of the
Crown, and they could not recommend on any fair
principle hurrying the Bill through that Moose.—
Wily, he inked, was the principle acted tin by NI%
Pitt, in 1797, nut acted ou now? —if the necessity was
so immediate and so prusaiiig us had been stated. •
even if the Bill were mitred through all its stages
this night, still an Order in Council. which might
have appeared in the hest Gazette. would have
anticipated the present measure. and the Mi-
nisters of the Crowe might then go down to the
House, se Mr. Pitt did in 1797, and the eish-
ject, instead of being hurried through the House,
might then usiderges, as it ought to undergo. a full
and fair inquiry. Having said so touch. lie liar'
now only to add, that if this were a measure winch
he could see vitally necessary, much as he would la-
ment that itecestay. IHIII 1111101 is hr would blame
the imprudence of obit., Batik, he yet wont, not go
so far as to say, that he would have beret ',moored
to oppose a tireasuit of imperative 5101 immediate
neceestiy.
Lord ch.ll/LESEAOIII said he egrerJ with the

.

Honourable Gentleman who had just sat down, that
if the credit of the Bank was concerned, the pro-
posed mode of proceeding might not be the best.
But it was satisfectory to the House to be enabled
to discuss the subject without involving tke affairs of
the Brink. Happily for the country the credit of that
Corporation stood so high, that whatever consequence
this measure, or any other on the subject, might
be to the public, Bank could not be affected.
It had been a-kid, why, on the present occasion,
the precedent of 1797 had not been followed ? But
the House could not but see how totally opposite
the cases were. It was true, indeed, the Parlia-
ment was tlseu sitting as it is now. The Govern.
went of that day. raw immense drains on the Bank;
the country was then at war, and the means
of carrying on that war, and of course the
defence of the country, rested on the ability of the
Bank. Hence the necessity of the Order in Coun.
cil. But the present was a very dissimilar case.
They had before then the Report of the Cninow„
tee, expressing a strong hope that they would be able
shortly to state when the Bank might be able to
resume cash payments. Under these circumstances,
he thought it would be highly improper for the
Ministers of the Crown, by en Order in Council, to
step in between the deliberations of Parliament.
The Huniturable Gentleman had complained of
the rapidity with which the measure was brought
forward—hut solely the House would see the neces.
oily of pressing the measure; they had to guide
them the augers:immolate Committee; and indeed
the Honourable Gentleman understood the question
too well not to know that the drain on the Bank at
present could only delay the time when cash pay.
moats could he filially resumed, without bertownig
any benefit on the country. The Bitok was induced
to give the notice of paying their old notes in cad%
from the then state of the exchange, and a reliance
that it would continue so. In that view the Bank
was deceived ; but the House could not hilt are
in the fact of giving this notice a dispo-ition 1., it
Bank to resume cash payments, even partially, fir
the time, and a well-founded hope that they *wild
be able to do so finally at no distant day. Fit
Right Hon. Friend had confined his statement
to the mere issue of sovereigns ; but independent
of there, large moues of guineas and hall guineas
were issued ;—there was, in fact, trolled by the
Bank, in sovereigns, guineas, and half guineas, a
sum of not less than tone millions sterling; ani
great as the treasures of the Bank were, it war
clear that such a large drain mu-t have a el.
feet on them. As to the tiece•slty of pressic.,s,
the Bill, he would further abet rise, that the
quarterly dividends were to be paid to-inners...
or next day, and the fractional payinems to he
paid in gold, amount to from three to four hun-
dred thousand pound*: and if their proceedings
were not rapid, it would only hold out notice to the
creditors to elemaild payments in gold. lie was
convinced that the delay, even of a few days, would
render the measure worse than nugatory.
Mr. Trees EY said lie considered the present a
very important motion. What is it, lie wool I
the (louse were called on to do ? In 1797 the A. t
was passed to restrain the Bank from Celli tiny-
MentG-4 clause was introduced in that Bill, that
the Bank, giving five days' notice, might retinae
cash payments at any time it thought fit; and that
clause was repeated in every Bill that had beets sub-
sequently passed, In 1817 the Bank of togland,
pursuant to this clause, gave notice that they vroulil
pay in cash all notes anterior to the Ist of Jaiiii.ry,
1817. Now he begged the House to mark the situa-
tion of individuals who collected these Brink notes ;
tint for the 'impose of sending them its mi the
Bank, but to be able to say. " I possess that fair
which if l want gold I can get gold ;" but those in.
divoluals were now to be duped and disappointed.
But persons who wished to have gold, whether
wisely or not, in the receipt of their dividends,
could not now indulge their propensities, and this
merely to save the Bank from the expense they
must incite iii securing the means of giving a metal-
lic currency to the country. He confessed ins sur.
prise that the Right Hon. Gentleman should have
introduced the Bill in the mintier lie had done,
and expressed a desire to hurry it through all its
stages in the course of one night. When did this
sudden alarm respecting the coffers of the Bank
meet the ears of the Committee ? He rather
imagined it came so late as Saturday last, and that
the Committee had not received the suggestion
until twelve o'clock this day. It was at this late
period that so much dismay prevailed on flits sub.
ject, and that it was deemed necessary to adopt this
hurried measure. and for the purpose, as the Bight
Hon. Gentleman said, of assisting in giving t fleet
to the preparatory steps for the resumption of cash
payments. Ile spoke with great disadvantage oil
this subject, from the secresy imposed upon him ss
a member of the Committee. The Right
Gentleman had said that the Bank had, since
January last, whets the accounts before the Com-
mittee were made up, paid in specie a sum of
700,000!. Could the Right Hon. Gentleman fol-
low up this declaration, by statilig what the condi-
tion of the Bank was with respect to their paper
issues, as compared with their bullion purchases?—
(Hear.)—lf the Batik Directors were to be be.
lieved, they hated all mini:nye Acts—they only
lived in misery until they could obtain permission
to resume cash payment. The Governors of the
Batik had made no application to the Chairman of
the Committee on the subject—there bad been, so
fair as was publicly known. no inter-communica-
tion respecting the proposed Bill. lie wanted :0
know what real steps the Bank had taken towards
the resumption of cash payments—had they re-
duced their paper issues ? because that was really
the only way in which they could seriously
manifest a disposition to resume cash payascitts•
The Batik west reduce their issues, or else square
the issue of their notes with the purchase, pro tank),
of so much bullion. It might be said, perliiv,
that if the Bank were to go on making part iwy.
mental in specie, according to the present practice
they would be in fact paying at the rate of 4/. I'.
for bullion, and giving it out at 31. 17.. 141.,
th
present Mint price. so that they would lose 3-. Per
ounce on their metallic payments. The Bank
would certainly lose a little by continuing their Im)-
inelits at tlhe rate, but who else had a better riOit
to lose ? Their practice hitherto was most stilted.
lie could not cell it by any other name. Tilt?
were with one hand Weaning gold, and with the other
issuing paper ; this effect of vilitch was, to put that
gold out of the country. They ought distaste