The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1826-03-01 00:00:00

Wort/ 111. matte under 11. were prohibited Tenn circulation, and
by the 17th of Deo. 111. it was deemed advisable to extend the
prohibkien to all Mee under SI. This prohibition was obliged to
be eassoded to bills of exchange under Si.. for otherwise bankers
noon bight be drawn at long dates in the shape of bills of ex-
chukka, end on the law might by evaded. Still as bills of exchange
be *moll sums might be ecmvenlent to the public, they were allowed
it drawn accoeding to a prescribed form, and not for a longer
period than twenty•one days. If this was not the curs the
iroaterry night be inundated With a small paper currency at long
slates, which would totally beet defeated the object of that Act.
It was therefoie deemed necesom not to depart from the principles
which had been adopted, as a Sorter; proceeding was calculated
to eodaraget the provisions of the of 17 Geo. 111. He was of
on opini that the explanation which had just given would prove
satisliectory lo the Honourable Mein ' bppootte. A little rellec-
ior
tion on the causes and operation of the itaq to which he had referred
wvuld effectually convince that llonoutaletlentlernan of the ne-
Lewitt of an adherence to the original inteletion of the framers of
that Aer.
Blr. JOHN SMITH conceived that the prigteple which dictated
the infliction of the 21111. penalty, was perfecdy erred in its &PO'
Cll/011 to those persons wise voluntarily transgressed the spirit of
that legislative enactment. But he was apprehfoslve that many
nit's would, through utter ignorance, coannit an innocent violation
of its provisions, and he thought it would he ton severe to visit
persone of this description with the infliction of a fine on an offence
from- which they were virtually free.
The ATTORNEV-GENERAI. said it was considered right
so extistgoish that pan of the Act which furnished a mode of sum-
mary proem. With respect to the danger which the Honourable
Member (Mr. J. Smith) apprehended as likely to result to persons
whose igrwirance might be supposed to constitute their innocence
and to exeuve the penalty, he was happy to assure that Hon.
bentlemen that the Commissioners always respected such a claim
on their lenity, and when it appeared, on examination, that the
pieties had inadvertently offended, the penalty imposed was in
every instance merely nominal. The greatest care was taken that
the practice should not deviate from the spirit of the principle,
which was meant to extend to those only who were really de-
linquents.
On the question that the amendments be engrossed,
Blr. DENMAN said that he did not expect to have any other
opportunity of adverting to this measure than the present; he
would therefore take occasion to express his surprise that the Bill
had been drawn up in a manner so clumsy and incorrect as to re-
quire the introduction of the amendments which had been deemed
necessary by the Right flonolrable Gentleman opposite. It war
so be apprehended. from these symptoms of oversight and omission.
that the Bill would not be found very eifective in its operation. It
wits, in fact, an interference with that principle of free antic which
had been adopted with so much credit to themselves by the Right
Honourable lientlemen opposite; it was interposing between man
and man, and depriving persons of those modes of intercourse which
they might consider most conducive to the attainment of the objects
at their negotiation. One thing connected with the new measure
struck him as particularly objectionable—he alluded to the clause
which excepted the Bank of England from that limitation of its
issues which had been applied to the country bankers. That ex-
sinipt;on he conceived to be founded on an extremely erroneous
pi inciple, as it had a manifest tendency to facilitate the Commit-
'lnn of forgery. The forgeries of Bank of England notes were
alwrya more numerous, from the greater difficulty of detection.
There did not exist such a difficulty in respect to country hank
matt.., on account of those circumstances of locality which enabled
cer-ons to whom they were presented in payment mere readily to
disiinguieli the real from the fictitious signatures. He indulged a
It me that his Honourable and harmed Friend (the Attorney-tie-
a •rsi) would be instructed by the Right Honourable Gentleman
trmosite to bring a Bill into that House, for the purpose of miti.
ga tog the punishment of forgery, and to prevent the recurrence of
those numerous and revolting instances of execution which it was
Lovable to contemplate.
Mr. HUME adverted to the dangers which threatened the
country, from the exemption which it was intended that the Bank
of England should enjoy from any check to its issues until next
October. The convertibility of paper into gold would be lost by
the adoption of this exception. As sonic sort of remedy, he should
take the earliest opportunity of proposing a clause that the Bank of
England, as well as the country hankers, should be obliged to
make regular returns at certain periods so that by the publicity
the country might be able to form an idea of the circulation. 'f he
Bill, in Represent shape, was a complete suspension of the cur-
rency.
.-. . -- . .

Tire ATTORNEY-GENERAL had no objection to the pub-
lic:ty sought to be obtained by the Honourable Gentleman, and
via* willing to accede to any pmposition which could effect it. At
present, however, he was not aware of any proper mode of pro-
'timing the idea suggested.
Mr. IrENIA 7N disclaimed all feeling of particular interest in
the am 'sures to which he had adverted.

The amendments were then otclared to be engrossed, and the
amended Bill to be printed.
The South American Treaties Bill was read a third time end
passed.
The other orders of the dad were then disposed of, and the House
a ljourned at a quarter before eleven o'clock.