The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1826-05-13 00:00:00

HOUSE OF COAMON aiDAY, MAY 12.

CORN LAWS.
Sir E. KNA TUMULI. presented a petition from a pariah la
the county of Kant. against any alteration in the Corn Laws.
IRISH BUTTER TRADE.
. . .

Lord STA Nbgiepreiet7e;dapTititiooiiii; the butter dealers of
Doi ton -k- M oot, to Lancashire, prztri that Do alteratioo might
take place to the butter widest Ir

SCOTCH BANKING BILL.

On the Report of the Scotch Banking RIII being brought up,
Mr. J. P. GRANT laid that the clause allowing banking COM.
panics in Scotland to sue and be sued in the name or one of their
officers. would be inefficient in consequence of the difference which
prevailed between the law of Scotland and that of this country.
He had allowed the Bill to arrive at its present stage without ex-
pressing his dissent to it ; bat he thought the present a proper mo-
ment to state his objections to the Bill passing into a law. The
effect of tilt present Bin would be, to give bankers a privilege
which was not conceded to any other persons engaged in commerce.
Be would thr•efore give his opposition to the Bill.
The LORD AIII'OCATE could see no objection to the Bill.
There was in his opinion no Inconvenicloe to be apprehended from
giving the banking companies in questicn a power to sue and be
sued by one of their officers.
After a few words front Mr. P. 3100 RE, the Bill was ordered
so be r, ad a third time on Thursday next.
ALE-HOL'SES LICENSING BILL.

Mr. ESTCOURT brought up the Report on the Ale-hotuks
Licensing Bill.
fdr. 111.731 E said, in the absence of the Honourable Member
for Abingdon (Mr. 3laberly), he lilt it incumbent upon him to
call the attention of the House to the present licensing system.
The notice wktch was usually given of the meeting of Magistrates
was not sufficiently public, and persons who through illness, or any
other cause, were prevented from attending on the day appointed to
give licenses, were, in consequence of that non-attimdaice, de-
prived of their licenses for the ensuing year. To remedy that In-
convenience, his Hon. Friend (Mr. :Beverly) proposed an ad-
jettrnment dry, %hick was to be bud fifteen days after the origi-
hal sittlag day, and that no house should be licensed on the ad.
journment day which had not been previously granted a license.
Ms thought there could not be made any reasonable objection to the
introduction of the proposed clause, which would remedy a great
Inconvenience. . _

Mr. ESTWURT said, if the Honourable Member for Abing.
don had had an opportunity of becoming as well acquainted with
the circumstances of grar.ting licenses a' he had, he would not, he
thought, suppose there was any necessity fpr the proposed clause.
The object of that clarse was, to establish a licensing.day, the
effect of which would he, that persona who were apprehensive of
rot obtaining a license, would absent themselves from the first day
of Session, when Magistrates were present who knew they were
persons who had misecodocted themselves, and were unworthy of
having their licenses rerewed. The cases were very few in which
suffered any inconvenience or injury Irmo not attending the
Cetday of Session. lie had an objection to the introduction of
clauses into the Bill. If one Honourable :limber introduced
one clause, and another Honourable Member another clause, the
effect would be that the Bill would be completely tli,,jointed. The
Bill as it then stood had been acted upon for three years; its opera.
don was known, and he hoped the Honourable Member (Sir.
Hume) would not press the clause. The object of the Bill was to
continue the law as at present, for one year longer.
Sir T. BARING said he would support the clause. Serious
injustice had been done already to persons, by licenses being re.
fused them. .

........
Mr. Alderman WOOD would support the clause, because he
thought it calculated to prevent cruelty and injustice. The Chan.
cello, of the Exchequer himself had a case brought before him of
a person, who, in consequence of a license being refused him, had
been in danger of losing his property, to the amount of 10001.
A case of great hardship occurred at Loughborough, In which
a person had been deprived of his license, because an individual
bad stated to the Magistrates that he had kept his house open on a
Sunday. The Magistrates were subsequently informed that they
were deceived. Had that Individual an opportunity of being heard
before the Magistrates, the error could not have taken place.
Evidence was never h•'ard in the country; but in London, where a
contrary plan was pumted, persons in very few instances lost their
Imre yea.

Mr. HUME said, he would submit to the House whether the
reasons urged aglinst the till were satisfactory. The clause did
Tot interfere with the principle of the Bill, and he crusted the
House would agree to it.
Mr, EsTFOURT opposed the introduction of the clause.
Mr. IIABERIN cod, if an adjournment-day was not per.
mitted, in case a license was not signed on the original day of see-
the applicant for a license bad no remedy. As the Hon.
Member ( lir. Estcoun) was so pertinacious against the clause, he
would divide the flaii.e on it. It was an arbitrary law, which
could deprive a man of his property without appeal ; for if an in.
dividual was deprived or his license, he was, in fact, deprived of
his property. Ile implored the House to support the clause.
Mr. MONCK male a few 4bserrat ions in support of the clause.
The II thirty was thin eleara. for a division, when there appeared
For the clause being read a second time - 23
Against It - . 40
—l2

Majority
On our re-admiasion into the Gallery,
Mr. 111J3IE was saying he had been requested by a person
named Richard Walker. to present a petition to the House, pray-
ing the House to take Ilia case into consideration. This individual
was a mariner, and having fancied himst IF aggrieved, had presented
h moth daily at the doors of the Right Hon. Secretary for Foreign
Affairs. He had latterly attended at 114 (Mr. Home's) door, anti
requested him to present this petition to the House. He com-
plained in his petitios, that his ship and cargo had been seized at
Lisbon by some I'ortugncse; and that he had in vain applied to
the Foreign Secretary for redress. Ile (Mr. Hume) did not like to
refuse to present a petition when requested to do so, and he had,
therefore, looked into the documents referring to the case. lie found
that It had been attended to by the Right Hon. Gentleman, and
that the loss was a consequence of the petitioner's own intliscretiot..
Under these circumstances. he did not feel himself called upon to
do more than move that the petition be laid on the table.
Ordered to be laid on the table.
CATHOLIC EMANCIPATION.
Mr. HUME said he had to present a petition from the inhabi-
tante of Preston, Lancashire, praying for a removal of those disa-
bilities impesed on the Roman Catholics of Ireland, and that they
might be admitted to a full participation in civil and religious
rights.
Ordered to be printed.
COLLEGE OF SURGEONS.
. 31r. 9. WORTLEY presented a petition from the Members of
the Royal College of Surgeons, comolyining of certain regulations
imposed by the Directors of the College, which were calculated to
check the advancement of chirutgi,Al science. The petitioners
also totted brat in 1799 the corn of fiftden thousand pounds was
given by Government for the purchase of a Museum, the property
of the late Dr. Hunter, which was intended for the general use of
the Members of the College. They complained that they were not
allowed to visit the museum in such a manner as would enable
them to dente any profit therefrom, and the objects for which it
was purchased were, therefore, frustrated. The petitioners also
complained that they we-c excluded f.orn the library of the college,
tbnugh they had en undoubted rght to be admitted.
On the motion that the petition be brought up, '
Mr. LIU3IE said that he was glad to see the complaints of the

petitioners in such good hands. They were certainly suffering from .
abuses which ought to be looked into, and he hoped the 11 nnourable
Member would, in the course of next Session, cause some inquiry
to be male.
Mr. IV. SMITH said he could bear testimony to the excellent
order in which the Museum is kept.
After • few observations from Mr. Raton and Mr. P. Mooat,
The petition W. 13 read, and ordered to be printed.
Mr. M. FITZGERALD said, acing the Ilant,urahle Secretary
for the Colonial Department in his place, he woubl ask bitn if he
was aware of charges which had appeared in a certain publication,
and which had appeared more than once. alleging that it was the
intention of the Committee now sitting for the encouragement of
emigration. to transport by compulsory means the poor youth of
Ireland P In his (milder*, a more ur warrantable charge had ne-
ver been made. Ile knew many of the individuals constituting
that Committee, and had acted with them; and he believed
them to be a body of men inemable of such acts of oppression.
So far from any compulsion having been used, the case was
the very reverse of this ; for it was intended not to allow any
persons such aid as would enable them to emigrate, excepting
at that express solicitation. He called on the Honourable Mem-
ber them that he might have an opportunity, as Chairman of
the Committee. of denying the charge.
Mr. W. HORTON said he was not aware of the charges until,
to his utter surprise, they had been communicated to him. They
must have proceeded from the worst motives. and unless replied to,
I might be productive of the most consequences. Individuals were
not allowed to emigrate, unless the request was made in the moat
urgent manner. Vrhen the evidence ot the Committee should be
laid before the House, it would be so satisfactory as to destroy any
effect those gross tnierepreemitatione might have had.
IMPORTATION OF CORN.—OO3ISIITTEE.
On the motion of the CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER, '
the House resolved itself into a Committee on the Importation of
Corn Bill.
On Me resolution being moved, empowering his Majesty. by
Otder In Council, to admit foreign corn to be warehous:d to an
amount not exceeding 500.000 quarters,
Cob WOOD said Gentlemen had urged him not to persist in
making arty amendment in this Bill. (Hear.) If he waived
his Intention, he mutt be allowed to state, that his opinion respect-
ing it was unchanged. (Hear, hear.) He still thought the im.
portation of foreign corn ought not to be permitted under 61a. He
did not wish to limit the quantity of coot that might be imported ;
Minister, might make the amount 500.000 quarters, or more. If.
however, it was the general wish of Honourable Members that he
should abstain front proposing any amendment, he would most
willingly accede to that wish. (Hear, bear.) He would rot
trouble the House with any further observations. He did not de.
sire to make a speech, and he would stand still, therefore, or go on,
just as in the discretion of the House might scent most advisable.
Mr. CA LA3I AFT then made a few observations, but in a very
low tone. We understood the Honourable Gentleman to say, he
advised the Honourable 3lember who last spoke to stand etill. It
would be better that Ministers had the whole responsibility of the
present measures, and there would then, In all probability, be an
after occasion, in which they could come forward with additional
power.
Sir H. PARNELL thought it better to make no further oppo-
sition at this time,
Colonel WOOD said, as it seemed to be the general wish of the
House that he should not proceed, he certainly would not. (Hear.
hear.) In reference to his own opinion, he must again state that
it was unchanged. It was not he who shrunk from the question.
Lord MILTON was happy to find his Honourable Friend decline
moving his amendment, which would doubtless have excited a
long and useless discussion. He, however, thought the mode of
proceeding rather singular. Those opposed to the measures ab-
stained from pressing their opposition, because they thought
they should fight their battle better by not moving their amend-
ment titan by moving it. (Hear.) Whether this would be the
case he could not say ; but let the amendment be moved or not,
he thought it necessary to guard himself from being included
amongst those who thought 655. a fair import price. After a re.
mission of 27.000,0007. of taxes, all must acknowledge that 85s.
Was a far greater price now than llOs. was in 1815. If the with.
holding opposition was any generosity on the part of the agricul.
tural interest, he had no objection to it; but if it was with a view
to getting better terms—if it was only meant as a reserve for some
future and more auspicious occasion—he begged to reject the boon.
lie was happy to observe that there was no import price to be
tacked to this Bill ; and that the duty was not to exceed that fixed
by Art 3, Ciao. IV. lie approved of this, because they would, b,
all probability, be taken as the foundation of any after Bill, and
they might be fixed too high.
Mr. CALA:RAFT was sorry his Noble Friend should throw out
his taunting observations on the representatives of a particular in-
terest in that House. With every disposition to forbear, they
could hardly sometimes be borne patiently. They had no desire to
tight a better battle, nor did they for themselves wart better terms.
He was not a stickler for high prices, but, on the contrary, one who
thought 6.5 a. or 70s. the bighest price that corn ought to be allowed
to attain. He repeated, that the landed gentlemen of England did
not deserve the taunts of his Noble Friend. He was for a free
trade in corn, with a protecting duty. lie said, with a protecting
ditty ; for we were in that sophisticated state (hear, hear)—thena-
tutal consequence of having to pay sixty millions of taxes—that we
could not have free trade on the same terms as in other countries
where they are not taxed so highly. Ile did entreat his Noble
Friend to spare his reflections : they cut deeply into the feelings of
a class of persons whom he knew his Noble Friend would be the
last designedly to wound.
Lord MILTON said, he disclaimed any intention of offending
any Honourable Members ; but he must say there was no class of
men who had • right to hold themselves so high as to be above
observations on their conduct. The whole argument as tar as he
had understood it, in favour of the corn laws, was grounded on
their being for the benefit of the landed interest. When he first
spoke on. this question, on the motion of the Hon. Illember for
Bridgnorth (Mr. T. Whitmore), be thought our consumption
ought to be confined to our own produce. Ile had since then
changed his opinion ; for he now thought we ought to enact an
import price. But his Honourable Friends contended for a venni.
oerating price; and, by a remunerating price, they meant that which
would seem ample rents to the landholder, and profit to the
farmer. (Cries of o No, no !" answered by cries of " Yes. yes !")
If they did not mean :his, what did they mean ? lie had a high
respect for the landed interest, but he must repeat, he had a right
to observe on their conduct. _ __ _
_...

11r COI.LLT f said a few word, which were inaudible.

Lnrd MlLTONexplained.

The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said he hid
hoped that there would not have been any lengthened discussion at
this stage of the business. Ile trusted that the present course,
which looked very like an angry discassion of the Corn Laws,
would not be pursued.
31r. CA I,CH AFT said, his Noble Friend had observed that there
was no class so high as to be entitled to an exemption from having
its conduct observed upon. He (3lr. Caterer° would say, there
was no clay so low as not to defend itself when attacked. The
Nolbe Lord had referred to a remunerating price. lie could tell the
Hoble Lord what was the remuneration to which the farmer
looked ; he was satisfied with three per cent. on his purchase.
money, and five per cent. on the capital he expended on his land.
It must be admitted that this was a lower remunerating price than
could content most other classes of the community.
Mr. %V. L. MADER LY said the original cause of the evils
which were apprehended to ensue to the agricultural interest, might
be traced to the enactment of such laws as forced the poor land of
the country into a cultivation, which was injurious to the interests
of the community, as it necessarily tended to a fiuctua, ion of prices.
It was impossible, under the circumstances which such a caurse
was calculated to produce, to tell what could be estimated as a fair
average remunerating price, the extremes of the good and the bad
were so distant.

Mr. J. AI AnERI,v hoped that the President of the Board of
Trade would give some satisfactory pledge that it was the intention
of Government to bring on the consideration of the Corn Lows in
the next Session of Parliament. The public were very anxioua to
be relieved from the state of suspense in which they were at present
unpleasantly held by an ignorance of what the real intentions of the
Government content plated.

Colonel WOOD wished to observe, that when he entered the
House he persevered in the intention which he had intimated of
introducing an amendment, to the effect of making 655. the price
in the proposed measure of importation. He hail not had any
communication on the subject with friends who might be sop.
posed to have influenced him to decline proceeding with the amend.
ment ; but as he perceived the sense of the House disinclined, he
did not what to critic:: any pertinacity of opposition to such a feel-
ing. if the contrary untiment operated on the House, he was then
willing and prepared to proceed with his amendment, a copy of
which he had in his pocket, and a suitable speech also ready, as
well as he could make it. (A laugh.)
Mr. BRIGHT made a few observations which we could not hear.
B*r W. INOILBY said, that as he was eoanected with a county
(Lincoln) largely interested in any measures concerning corn, he
thought it right to state, thst a sense of the interests of his consti-
tuents required that 20s. should be adopted as the protecting duty.
After a few words from Mr. PORTMAN, the Bill passed
through the Committee without any amendment.
The House then resumed, and the report was ordered to be
brought up on Wednesday next.
WAREHOUSED CORN.
On the Order of the Day that the Speaker leave the cha!r, in
order that the House should go Into a Committee on the Ware.
li.iitsed Corn Bill,

.lr. BEN ETT mu for the purpose of moving sa an amend.
merit, that instructions be given to the Committee to raise the duty
from 12s. to I7s. The lion. Alember proceeded to make some ob.
serrations, which were not diatinculy heard In the gallery. As we
could collect their import, he opposed the propoul of reducing the
diry, the effect of which would he to deprive the public purse of
76,0001., which sum would he of no service, even of a temporary
nature, to the community, as it would sorely be intercepted by the
pockets of speculators. It would therefore be unnecessarily taking
away from the national funds that amount of money in a manner
totally useless. It would not or ly he without utility, but would be
also detrimental in fostering a spirit of gambling among the sputa.
lotus. which it would be much TOM desirable to repress than to
c-mirage.

I he amendment having been put,
Mr. BUSK ISSON stud that the reason wily the introduction of
the Sr. difference WAN miginally contemplated wee. for the purpose
of restraining exces.ive importation during the first months after
the passing of the Bill. The nec-arity of stuck a precaution would
be evident, by the vary fact that the Act also limited the quantity
to a certain amount, that the Co•tt Laws should not be compromia.
ed. That limitation, however, if ti contingency for calling the
Oct into operation did not occur, would hare occasioned a very in.
evhsttnieot glut, as it was supposed that vast MOM would be