The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1819-07-09 00:00:00

sum she now paid, in tile way most satisfactory to
herself.—(Hear./
The' Bail of LlhestxTute was convinced, from
every thing he had heard, that the Gentlemen of
Ireland were desirous of putiisig down illicit distil-
lation, hut were unable to succeed. There were
seriont difficulties in their way : one of them, not
the least, was the preference which was generally
given to unlicensed spirits. The people were pre-
judiced against what we. culled parliament whiskey,
because, from the excise regtiletions, it was required
to be run off so quickly as to he extremely injurititts
to health. He thought the establishment °Nissan, li-
cruised stilts would tend. ur its consequence,. II? re.
'move tint prejudice, soil to promote the ehertions of
the proprietorr. It was also to be recollected that a
perfect stranger, over whom a gentleman coold
base no control, might come by stealth and com-
mence illicit distillation on his estate. With re.
.pest to the introduction of legal spirits since the
'passing of the Townland Fining Act, into districts
where it was said not to have been used before, lie
should observe, that every publican, before revels,-
ing his license, was called on to snake oath that he
cupid sell no spirits hot that permitted by lea—
sed therefore such a fact could not have taken
place without • generel violation of their oaths
by such persons. The injury apprehended by
large distillers from the new measure. would ope-
rate more in imagination than reality. It was
a recommendatims of that Measure, that the agri-
culture of the country would he improved by it.
At present, even the large distilleries could nut be
supplied with • sufficient quantity of barley of
home growth ; hut the erection of small stills would
greatly encourage the cultivution of that grain.
The Earl of Dowouotniotte, in reply. observed,
that lie 'sad no doubt the atrocious circumstances
related by the Noble Lord opposite (Lord Aber-
deen) hod occurred just as lie had stated them.
But slid not the Noble Lord know that if they were
excise .`ricers, who so far outstepped the limits of
their 'sowers as to eanction such lawless proceed-
ings, there wet an appeal to the Board of Excise—
or, if they were military officers, to their superiors
isl command—and that if either the Board of Excise
or the Commanding Officer should act remistly
in punishing such excesses, an application might
be made from either to the Lord Lieutenant.
Was it possible to be euppoised that any part o'
Ireland was in such a degraded conditioie that
any body of men might tire on whom they pleased
Without redrew, to be obtained? He could not
stiffer a law to be put out of existence merely because
it was badly executed. But he hoped his country
was slot reduced to such a state, that soldiers or
revenue officers might act according to the dictate's
of their own will. without any fear of the come-
quencea ; therefore lie could not suffer such state-
ments to be made use of as arguments against the
law. Ile did not see why the King's property,
or the property of the State, should not be as
touch protected as that of any private indi-
vidual. Much had been said of informers : an
informer was certainly a bad name, and he be-
' belted the applying it was penal in our
but God forbid the appellation should attach
to a person who gave information fur the public
good against a breach of law ! He hoped there were
many persons who would not hesitate to do so in
Ireland. That Gentlemen of large properties
should be unable to suppress illicit distillation on
their own estates, was a thing he could never con-
ceive. He was acquainted with several cases in
which their efforts had been perfectly successful,
and where large estates would have been over-
;
run with smugglers, had not the proprietors
resolutely set their faces against it. During
the debate to-night, not a word of evidence had
bees) adduced in favour of the repeal of the
law, while a great, deal had been given against it.—
He tlikereli thanked the Noble Lord in the blue
ribhand for the strong support he had given to
that view of the question he (Lord Donoughmore)
had kid before the House, though he was sorry
the Noble Lord had not come to the same cone.
elusion with him. The Noble Lord disagreed with
all the arguments used by the advocates of the oppo-
site side of the question. but agreed with them in his
conclusion ; he approved of his (Lord Donough-
more's) arguments. but arrived at a contrary con-
clusion. Its the hurry of his speaking, he had for-
got to bring forward • single argument for repeal-
ing the law. One thing that fell from the Noble
Lord lie had indeed been extremely sorry to hear.
He admitted that the police attested to had been
found useful and efficient. But the new police was
to be used for different purposes—its ditch' were
yet unknown ; and besides, it would confer a great
retiree of patronage on the Government of Ireland.
The place of a gentleman at the head of an arn.y
of linty constables, with a salary, including a house,
of 1,0001. a year, was a very pretty thing.--
(Lonsluer.)—But what he wished to enforce on
the House was, that though the voice of the people
of Ireland, if it could be heard, was, as he
felt persuaded, adverse to the repeal of the
existing Act; yet they were told by the Noble
Lord, that they would be saddled with the cost of
putting the new Bill iii operation. and that if it fail-
ed. they must take the consequence.. MIA pay up the
deficiency in some way or other. The Noble Lord
resolved to oblige the proviuce of Ulster with a Bill,
mid iu case is war not successful. to saddle all
Ireland with the penalties. He slid slot thiuk that
the three other paste of Ireland should be loaded
with taxes, to give the gentlemeu of the north of
Ireland an opportunity to raise their rents. He was
very sorry the Noble Lord had beets forted to bring
in the 8011. He observed. that he had expressed a
proper contrition, mid spoke of the Act. lie was about
to deprive of existence almost with tears its his eyes.—
Iwitgh.)—But it was riot Ireland alone which
was to feel the pressure of the new Bill, for one-
half of the expense of the police was to be defrayed
by the district where it should be employed, and
the other half was to be charged on the consolidated
fund—that was, to enable the Gentlemen of Ulster
to enlarge their incenses, the whole people of Eng-
land were to be compelled to pay the half of a new
tax. Thre never wet, in Isis opinion. a more unfair
or unequal experiment in legialetisni.
The Earl of Assupssx explained.
The ausendment was thou negatived without a
diviriou, and the original creation carried. The
Bill parsed through the Committee without any
amendments. and the Report was brought up mud
%reed to.
.i The House then adjourned at Half--past