The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1819-03-11 00:00:00

INSOLVENT DEBTORS.

The smite M. oilier presented n Petition from the
Wind of ---, in the City of London, praying a
modification of the losolvent Debtors' let. The
Petitioners, he moil, complained of tie Lordships to
which tory were exposed under the eitisting Act.
They dill not, however, desire s Iota! repeal of it,
but merely that the House should adopt such mea-
sures as might stein to it fitting to reinedy Ilw de-
ficit. He coincided enti►ely in otiiuion with them,
for lie thought that without some such Act, the
',Ailing part of the community would be dreadfully
iopired iiiderd.

Mr. BROUGHAM wished to take that opportunity
of eisreectiog a miste.te of an Hon. Baronet (Sir
J. Graham), last night, conveying a reflection on
Mr. Clarkson, the Clerk of the insolvent Debtors'
Court. He, indeed, had not understood him to
say, that Mr. Clarkson was the provisional assigore
of the Court (though it had been so represented),
but merely to say that there was a provisional as.
VIWIEV, and that no dividend was received by the cre-
ditors. The Attorney-General afterwards had stated
that a provisional as had been appointed, a
Mr. Chtrce, but that the office was metely a wnt-
nal one, ari.iisg from the necessity of haviiig some
person to take care of the insolvents' effects, before
they were conveyed to • the assignees appointed by
the err slitors. It was very desirable there should
be some 'lmmo of that description—the only pro-
perty mimosa] to hint was what tittblig effects
'night be in the hands of the insolvent at the time
of the iiisolvelicy, the money ier his pocket, and
su-
forth. But neither Mr. Clarkson nor his soar dill
act or could act in that capacity. Fifteen tl -
amid pounds had been already received by that
per-on, which was not by any means the whole
amount of the proceeds of insolvents' grope ty.—
Besides that, sty thousand pounds had al-
ready been conveyed to the regular assignees, those
assigner, chosen by the creditors themselves, viol
was vested in their hands,. Besides, that was nut
nearly the whole ot the proceeds hitherto, because
the whole could out vat be got io; large estates,
aosouittiog perllllo iii value to filly or sixty timo-
rus(' pounds, mounting Still sealed, frgatt Ihe
ficulty of thaws:nig slid tonsil% them into cash; so
that ►f Ile should state the whole pr,cerds at dote
or four times the lamer sum he ►hould not pro-
probably overrate it. A secured sic* he had then
no f.%lllig was to correct the mistatement, that
fifteen thousand pounds had hewn the only psoperly
yet recovered. As to the dispusitiosi of the pro-
perly, it was the fault of the coeditors theurskl%es
if it were nut well administered ; because it had
beret already seated, that the effects i 111111111111111 l
passed from the receiver into the hoods or insig,-
ores ; the eitisuintinent was left to thruiselt es. Of
the fifteen thousand p 111 l rids paid to the provisional
reoagisee, Dlr. Cherce, he had paid over mite thous.
swat, mod six remained in his baud*. He thought
tibia explanation was due to the character of the
officers, fit thy Comb—/Hear.)
Sir J. t;aAnAlt had not meant to name soy
particular person as the provisional as.igiite, hut lie
had stated, a hal he uutlt•rsfuod from the Petitioneia,
that the creditors were unable to procure vii wow-
mesa of the insolvents' effects to pewit's of their
I,‘Vis choosing, hut that they were vested georrally
taw the clerks 4,r the Court. But he hoped a foil
wild ample investigation would soon she made, by
which it would be discovered if oily abuse. pre-
vailed in the arliniiiistratiuti of that law. It was his
belief there did.

Mr. ASsittsusitiX ventured with the utmost env-
firlreire•to say. that if the instiller so which properly
was dilated of under the Act in question, were
compared with the disposition of the property of
nookrupts, the result would be greatly its favour of
the toriner, both with reference to cheapness sad
pspi ehifoo. fie was wily istoni•lied that the Act
10,01 out diminished the number of biuktuptcies.—
iiidefif that effect at first, but when it was
iii-covered dist it gave no wearily in the insolvent
vraprrts 141 be acquired to future, people re-
luineel the bankruptcy system. All a most
sio-
rrrr and killous friend of the measure, lie would
1...7 it'd its existencc tin the comparison.
1111)Kvr hioreord to be as well sequinned
...I'll the efbcts of tier Act us soy (ientletuais in
11011*r. having alsrmird every tottiog hrfel un-
der it in the county col Sussex (we believe us Chair-

Man.) An sMenslment had been some lime since
imule iii the Act. empowering the Chairman to re-
mand the insolvent me proof of fraud. There had
been bpi our instance in Sussex of a remand under
that provision.—lifeoe, hear.)—The entire 1111111.
ber of oppositions by the creditor had heel' tir:llY
right; aria of these but three prevented the h
le
charge of the insolvent.—(lieur.)—Such were the
consequences of the law in the Court with which
he was acquainted, and lie thought it his briiimlen
duty to state them to the House. He deprecated
the raising • general discussion on every Petition,
tending, as it did, to prejudge the question, and
excite a prejudice against the law, as well as lite
unfortunate creditor.
Sir 3. SVORIGHT said Mimi a Petition to present '
from the Gomel Jury or Hertfordshire, adopted at
the last Assizes, complaining of the duties
impoted upon fuel, mud praying relief. 'They did
no presume to point out to the House the natureure '
of the remedy to be applied, but left it ti its wisdom
to adopt such measures as might seem amt.—Read
and laid on the table.
ROYAL BURGHS.
Mr. Huns ',emoted a Petition from the Guildry
and Inhabitants of Brechin, praying fora reforma-
tion in the municipal gover,airtit of the Royal
Burghs of Scotland. The I loi.oursble Member
stated, that he beliered it expressed the feelings of
the whole of the inhabitants—that they had no
came of complaint against their present Magistrates,
but against the system generally.
Rend and laid on the table.
A Petition was presented from Shrewsbury against
the renewal of the Insolvent Debtor.' Act.
Mr. BROUGHAM said, drat the Petition was
sighed by very few persons, and was far different
in its tone from the modest and rational one which
had a little before been lead (from Hertford-
shire). It left nothing :o the wisdom of Pao
moot, but demanded an absolute repeal, without
any modification. Ile could not help regretting
that the few Petitioners had not looked better into
so important a subject, before expressing so decided
an opinion on it.
• Mr. Befoul-r said, that the Petition had been
signed by only the members of some trades.
Read and laid on the table.
POOR LAWS.
Mr. Mews,' preserved a Petition from the pa-
rish of St. Gales-in-the-Fields, praying an *herr-
, nen iii the Poor Laws, so far as regarded the bind-
; ing out of boys thrown on the parish.—Read and
laid ou the table.
REGULATION OF MAD-HOUSES.
Mr. Wonsi rose to call the atteution of the
House to a subject which had already been more
than ones under the consideration of Parliament.
He meant the regulation of mad-houses. Four
times had the House sanctioned the measure which
lie now niewist to submit. Several years had now
'elapsed since the disclosure of miseries took place,
'which had arisen from the want of proper attention
on the part of the Legislature to the state of mad-
houses in ge lona throughout the kingdom. The
reports of the sufferings and miseries to which,
he alluded, could have hardly failed to impress
nismi the Legislature the necessity of some ebonite
with a view to tittle redress. Fur the want of •
lower corrective being administered before now,
this House hail not to answer ; for they had re-
peatedly framed Bills, which, from objections else-
where, had ',ever passed into a law. In no one in-
stance had objections been started against t he remedy
which these Bills were to have administered—in sun
one instance had the existence of the grievance fur
which the remedy was intended, been controverted
or &stied. When such monstrous abuses were dis-
covered, it was the duty of Parliament to apply a
tensely, and to persist to the recommendation and
adoption of such measures as they judged appli-
caisle to the case. He did not mean to say that all
the abuses originally disclosed were now in existence;
Ile believed exposure had led to the redress of
many of them, but still he believed enough had
continued to justify the interposition of the Legis-
lature. The licensing of their., houses was not yet
complete. It was a fact that one particular house,
in which VII unfortunate accident had happened,
was not licensed as regularly required in the register
of the College of Physicians. Ile dial not mean to
propose oily material alteration in the last Bill,
V Well hail received the sanction of this House.
lie would propose the oppointssient of a Board
of Inspectors, which ors to be subdivided by a
regulation mown;; themselves, fur the purpose
of visiting mid inspecting all the mad-houses
throughout the countoy at rtiKrent mid uncertain
penults, in outer to laetrile a recorrence of the
abuses ohich have been hitherto kite's's, to prevail.
Ile also meant to told a pettedly for the reception of
ic.y lunatic yyithi.ut • regular certificate from a
physician of his disease, mid also a registry of the
teat mime of the lunatic, and the name and rela-
tionship of the party cointuitting hint. A smother
of abuses had been committed try persons commit-
I the lunatic under a false statue, viol thereby
sbutiiitg out any certain clue to the discovery of his
situation. He was ready, in the progress of the
MV11111)11., to give up any part of the detail which
did nut trench on the principle of the Bill. He
would, fur instance, consent to leave out the Bawd
of Inspectors in each comity, which, was to be ap-
pointed by the Quarter Sessions. With respect to
the provision of the further Bill, which proposed
that even in cases where the care of • single lunatic
*as confined to a particular custody, the name of
the lunatic should be registered in a private book,
10 be k. pt for that purpose in the Secretary of
titan's °See, referable to only by permission, and
on the skewing of a very special stecessity, he was
aware that many objectionv had bees' started.
It was said to be a wanton iisterfereuce in, cud
disclosure of, domestic misfortune. lie could not
concur in this objection, for he knew that by
the existing law, to oily case, the state of the
individual may be publicly discussed by ap-
plication to the Lord Chaiwellor, as guardian of
all lunatics, on a writ of Habeas Corpus. But let
at be recollected, that as the law now stood, such
hineticstray be confided to private core without
any certificate from a physician, or without any of
those precautionary steps which would prevent the
repetition of gross abuse. Even in one of the best
houses in England (he meant Mr. Bakewell's, of
Siaffewrlshire), many new arratigenwids were found
necessary to guard against the occurrence of any
otiose. Ile could out consent In give Up the
try-at the Secretary of State's Office in such cases as

1/4-4-s

he alluded to, end of course to be parch-11 nitl, the
greatest pos►ible delicacy, and only laid open to
ass stiqulrer in any particular iiistaiice where
special urces►ity were mode out. Ile concluded by
moving for leave to bring in • Bill to repeal the
Acts of the I4th and 55th of the King, relating to
Mad-Reuses, end for making other provisions and
regulations in lieu the►eof.
Leave was given, and a Committee appointed to
bring it in.
SILVER COINAGE.
Mr. J. MARTIN wished to ask the Right Hon.
Gentleman opposite, whether any arrangement was
iii progress for the purpose of keeping up the tircu.
lat 1111 l of silver coinage for the public ?
Mr. IV ELLESLEY l'oLs repl►ed, that he had the
satisfaction to inform the Hon. (Gentleman that an
arrangement had been made between the Mint end
the Bank, by which the latter was to he furnished
with 30,0001., probably 35,0001. of silver every
week, or more if necessary, to suit the exigencies
of the public. The Governor of the Bank thought
this sum would he sufficient, but if a greater were
necessary there would be no objection to furnish it.
Mr. J. MARTIN—" Whed Is the arrangement to
take effect ?"

Mr. IVELLIMET POLE—" It will take place
either at the end of tine or at the beginning of the
nest week."

EXCHEQUER BALANCES.
Mr. ImsusnuTots moved the second reading of
the Marine Mutiny Bill.
Mr. GRENFELL—" I wish to avail myself of this
oppertunity to ask the Hon. Gentleman opposite a
question, respecting the Bill which the Chancellor
of the Exchequer and the Attorney-General were
the other night ordered to prepare and bring in;
and I much regret that the Right I-lon. Gentleman
(the Chancellor of the Exchequer) is not present, to
answer the question which I am about to put, in
his absence, to the Hon. Gentleman opposite. I
desire to take this early opportunity of stating, that
the greatest delusion has prevailed respecting the
Chancellor of the Exchequer's statement ou the
subject of the Exchequer Balances"--
Mr. BARING rose io under, and submitted, that
as there was no question before the House to justify
the course which his Hon. Friend was about to
take, it was not regular for him to enter into a con-
troversy respecting the Government and the Bank,
and particularly on an occasion like the present,
when the Chancellor of the Exchequer was absent.
—(Hear.)
Mr. GRIINTELL disclaimed wanting to provoke
any controversy respecting the affairs of the Batik
ou the present occasion—he merely meant to cor-
rect an error, and he thought himself in order, as
there was a question before the House.—(" Chair!
Chair !")
The SPEAEER—" No doubt there is a question
before the House on which it is orderly to speak,
but it is only orderly to speak to that particular
q uesi i mi.(Meer.)
Mr. GRENFEI.I. then sat down; but on the next
question, which was the postponement of the Com-
mittee of Supply, he rose and said—" I inertly
wish to state, that I am sure every person who
heard the Chancellor of the Exchequer the other
night, or who read his statements through the
medium in which they are conveyed to the pub-
lic, must have conceived that there would he an
available amount to the public of six millions
of public balances now in the hands of the
Nalik. I appeal to the House, whether, this was
not the plain meaning of the statement made by
the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the id Febru-
ary, on Friday, and on Monday last ; whether in
point of fact, we did not all understand that six mil.
hoes of public balances, in the hands of the Bank,
were not to be made available for the public ser-
vices ? That was, I confess. my impression of what
the Right Hon. Gentleman said, and I flattered
myself that, in the event of his realizing what he
promised, I should never have had to say one word
more relating to a subject upon which I have so
often troubled the House. I call on all olio hear
me to say whether I am right or not iii my inter.
pretation of the Right Hon. Gentleman's words.—
( Heor hear.).-1 now state in reply to them, and
I state it on any credit I can venture to lay claim
to upon this subject, that so far from six millions
being made available to the public by the Chan-
cellor of the Exchequer's intended plan, I say there
is no probability of producing more than three mil-
lions. I state that this will be the whole saving
out of the one head of account to which the Right
Honourable Gentleman's Bill will apply. It is
singular that it is to apply only to one head of ac-
count out of the 56 heads of balances, and not less
whimsical that the particular head is nut described
es a balance at all in the accounts laid on the table,
hut as • a deposit of E.xchequer bills in the hands
of the Bunk.' I have been for the last four years
endeavouring to call the atteinimi of Government
to the necessity of rendering the public balances
available, and I now find that I ara at the seine
distance as 1 was et the beginning from accomplish.
ing my object. I shall move so-morrow for the pro.
duction of certain papers and calculations fur the
purpose of elucidating this subject, amid when the
Right Honourable Gentleman's Bill is brought in,
I shall state my sentiments more at large upou the
question."—(!tear, hear.)
Mr. lusitisintore complained of the want of
courtesy in the course pursued by the Hon. Gen•
tlemen, in the absence of his Right Hon. Friend.
All he should at present say was, that there was no
delusion whatever in the statement or plan of his
Right Hon. Friend. He had stated that his plan
would render available viz millions of public
balances--3,2.00,0001. or 3,900,0001. to be applied
to meet the arrears on the Consolidated Fund, and
the residue of 2,700,000/. to go in part liquidation
of the 3,000,000/. Bank loan.
Mr. TIERNLY said that the proposed effect of
this arrangement was denied by his Hon. Friend,
end he himself believed, that instead of 6,000,000/.
being made available, the amount would sloe ex-
ceed three or four millions. _ _

Mr. LusniNGTon said, that be was confident
his Hight Hon. Fiiend would verify the statement
he bad already made to the House ; for his own
part lie placed the utmost reliance upuii it.
Mr. MASERLY said, that, as he understood, this
available 6,000,000/. was to be applied as follows :
—3,.400,0001. or 3,300,0001. to go to the arrears on
the Consolidated Fund ; and g,700,000/. to the
liquidation in part of the 3,000,0001. Bank loan.
which as given without interest, so long u the

Bank load the advantage of thee balance*. Still
there would remain an arrear of 300,0001. to he
made up out of the Ways and Means to clear off
the loan.

Mr. Husk MON said, that when the balances
were withdrawn from the Bank, the loan must be
!raid. If not out of this dv ,ilahir rum% it elitist
mat of the Way* nod 3leaok. The ettret would
Ire the same In citirer care. Ile complained of the
departure from the usual coolies). which hod 'men
marafrried in the mode of introducing this conver-
smion, and also of the harsh tern.. 1111,111..11 to the
conduct of his Right Hon. Frieral. T,l charge
him with practisiog delusion was to do him great
injustice.
Mr. GRENPELL disclaimed imputing to the
Right Hou. Gentleman any iiitriitional delusion.
He merely meant to Dimly the term as referable to
the effect of the Right Hun. Gentleman's state-
meld. lf, in the result, it should appear that
millions would be mode available, he (Mr. Gren.
fell) should be perfectly satisfied, and acknow-
ledge his error.
Mr. LusuiNGTOP had not the least doubt that
were his Right Hon. Friend present. he would
satisfactorily prove the correctness of his original
statement.

Mr. MeLt.tsif complained of the want of cour-
tesy in introducing the subject in the absence of
the person chiefly competent to give the necessary
explanation.
Mr. BEN NETT said there *Bs a great distinction
to be taken between the two individuals. The
Chancellor of the Exchequer was bound by his
official situation to attend in his place. but his
lion. Friend may or may not attend his duty here
as he pleased.—( /fear.)
Mr. VESET FITZGERALD thought it unfair that,
in the absence of as constant, sedulous, and patient
au attendant as any Hon. Member of that House,
an opportunity should be taken of introducing this
topic. Considerable mischief might arise from the
Publicity which would be in this manner given to
ex-parte statements. He certainly understood his
Right Hon. Friend to have meant to make availa-
ble the current balances during the quarter, which
he had no power of doing as the law now stood.
The conversation then dropped, and Mr. (NEN-
FELL withdrew.
The Committee of Supply was postponed until
Friday.
Shortly after Mr. LUSIIINGTON brought in the
Bill for rendering available the Exchequer ba-
lances. He took the opportunity of explaining,
that the object of the Bill was to render the grow.
ing produce of the public balances during the guar..
ters available, instead of letting them accrue on
the Consolidated Fund. In the present quarter
6,000,0001. would not certainly be available, be-
cause there were 3.300,000/. to meet the a on
the Consolidated Fund, and i,700,000/. to repay
the Bank loan. In future the growing produce of
the balances will be made available according to the
exigency of the public services.
CONVICTS UNDER SENTENCE OF MATH.

Mr. BENNETT wished to know when any proba-
ble report would be made relative to the cases of
the persons under sentence of death? There were
now fifty-four such persons in Nergate—they were
confined in fifteen cells, three in each, and the re-
mainder stowed where they could. It was most
desirable that es little delay at possible should take
place in the decision upon the cases of these unfor-
tunate persons.
Mr. CLIVE replied, that the Itecordei's report
was not yet made out. It took up some time to
arrange it. He was satisfied that as little delay as
possible would be suffered to elapse on this °cc*.
*ion.