The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1822-02-21 00:00:00

the 'Otiose/ Wetly of the *eh& E 4 srosshi not
WINN sll embalmed is the &puts.
elletZgiglient bi as
aloalf shit roeifsag the spiels*
of the Mao • et the harsh of Aberdeen.
he
which tattaiseeraltla. That %rile bed
deabtradbesot, aftst Wriest from year to
11111119disil r thaisseatiliaassuol meet-
*is *MOM et athi,4 MmoomiaMeas to 6.0004
wide la point of Sat the AA tetwlßbhi43o.oool.
James Harvey. asellt in•hig
examination bore* the Coo dheillees *MI* eked
" Whether he thought tiug soowterweldbilitY attached
to them for the cooosakment ell eat lees than
13110,C100/. of debt ?" answered *4 That the kooks
shelved the real stole of their sillistrs.—Hid I'e
burgesses accent to the books ? No.—Would they
be allowed to see the books if they asked it ?
No.—Did the Report to the General Meet-
iti 1909, of debts amounting to 6,800/. par.
port so be the Petite debt of dye burgh ? The
Malmitest exhibited that as the whole amount of
the illebia.—.What wee the real amount of debts at
that time ? Between 130.0001. and.140,000/._Why
was that concealment made? We thooght it was
just*. well to continue what had been done year
after year, as soy thing else ; sad es the statement
was never meant to tell the truth, we thought it as
well to conceal 110,1300/. as any other Dom."—
Thetis questions sod answers were pert of the testi.
sway of one of the Magistrates before the Com-
mittee. The Magistrates of the burgh, who had
bees a party to that fraud, whether struck with shame
at their own conduct, or from whit other mistiest
h. knee not, come to Nut following resolutioo,
which showed far mere skonglyttlian any thing
he could say, the'lreessity of • thorough
chasige of the self.ekatture system. They stated
tbat. is justice to `.',themselves; they desired
to place as record their sentiments in reference
to some of the missies relating to the ember•
rummest of the affairs of she burgh. The mode
hf election, by the sookstaiton of their own mimes-
sons they Ismlted items as radically defiretim and
impniper,_and es wholly esle•lirted to foster and
-eoeostessie a system of sent* and concealment,
leder which the best Inimetioneal enagistrate would
Mid it impossible to ',quire • pole& acquaintance
with the affairs erase burgh ; mid they were of otta-
nioa. therefore; that the system ought to he changed.
All the charnels', inotituttorts of Aberdeen were in.
eluded is the' general cebfusioo, and suffered
greatly is essimeqemme of the bontruptcy brought
ow by seek nnamanagetnent. And was it possible
by memos of a Bill to &table the burgess', to go to
law with the Magistrates to correct such en evil ?
The Report of 1819 classed the allegations of the
Petitioners under eight distinct heads, which had
been invariably voted true by the Committees of
1793, 1819, and 1921. If • remedy were not to
b.-applied to these evib. agreeohly to the opinion of
the Repots, he would ask the Learned Lord what
he meant to do with the Reports ? He hoped he
should be understood in his observations optat the
exiMance of gross and coriupt practice'', ss eon.
demising the system and not the individuals. The
emultict of the Magistrate*, end their declaration
which be bed read, were as contrary one to the
other, os any two things could be, and yet both
wore ties sets of the same persons. The principal
grelausees alleged by the Petitioners were the
1911111110 A self-election ; the want of control in the
Muiover the expenditure of the fends by the
rls ; the mismanagement of the uharitable
and other fonds of the buses ; the alienation
of the burgh lands end other properly. and
the imposition of beat taxes without due au-
thority. In 1793 the amount of extra ex-
actions in half the royal burghs for the preceding
eight years amouated to 12,3361. That was money
illegally raised from the burgesses, and which did
not find its way into the treasury either of the burgh
or the county, but had been dissipated, it did not
appear how. In ten years the money illegally ex-
acted amounted to ten times the amount paid to
the Government. In 1793 the Committee, in re-
porting on the alienation of the properly of
burgh., stated that it had not been able to di..
cover how such alienation had bren effected. The
same was the case in 1819 and 1821. But even with
these Reports in his hands he almost despaired
of effecting any thing towards a redress of the
evils which they sobstsntiated. It was only in
the last sitting of that House that he had made
a motion which was admitted on all sides to be just
and proper; but because it did out proceed front
Ministers they opposed it. end it was consequently
rejected. This was therefore the last eppeal he
hod to make to the House on this question. He
was convinced that lit could make out a case
that celled for redress to the satisfaction of any
body of men in the country acting as jurors ;
but whether he could make it out so as to gain
the vote of that House was quite another thing,
and one of which he entertained much doubt. if
say man wished to establish • complete and ef-
fective scheme of corrupt administration, be would
recommend him to adopt what he would find laid
down in these Reports 86 the existing administra-
tiou of the Scotch burghs, and he would defy hu-
man ingenuity to devise any more certain system.—
The Report of 1182 h steted 'hut seats in Council
sad offices in the burgh of Cupsr sere regu-
larly bought and sold.. It an happened that in
another burgh o person Was appointed to the office
of Tows Clerk, who was incompetent and act sally
unable to perform the duties. Another person waa
therefore conjoined with him who was able to do
the duty. The latter dying. the ditties devolved on
the incompetent perms. in such a case it was
natural to suppose that the party would be re-
moved. and Ins place supplied by one better qua-
lified. But such was the nature of a Scotch burgh,
that he maintained an action, end judgment was
given that he could not be removed. It was even
declared that if the Magistrates eluted an idiot to
the office he could not be removed. The Report of
1820 also stated it to be necessary that the Magis-
tours and other officers should reside in the burgh,
but they did not so reside. It had appeared before the
Committee that one permit was a member of the
council of four different burghs at the some time.
He asked the Learned Lord if he admitted the evil,
to be ouch as they were described ? If he did, he
would again ask him, how his Bill, by allowing
the burgesses to go to law with the Magistrates,could
correct them ? [ l'he Lord Advocate.acrom the table,
said. "that was not his Bill."] He begged pardon of
the Learned Lord for having understood him to adolpt
the Rill of the former Lord Advocate. He would

Vie salt wbethet the Homo could been that
the mess of evidence and reports ess the abject
should be itestirely *Mem aide mod not need at
all. mid trust entirely to the MN which the Learned
Lord might have in contemplation t He contended
that it was the duty of the House in Committer.
to omasider the notate of the geievmsees comphtined
•f, the opinions in the Repent, and the proper
mode of correcting them. The Committee of last
year said, if it conceived that ihere was auy
necessity for forfeiting as a 'easily a total change
of the system, they would cut hesitate to re-
commend it. N.), he contended that it was se.
cemary ; but the Committee were of opinion
that such an alteration would be couleur,' to
the Articles of Union. By the Articles of
Union the heritable jorisdietioce were to remain
as they were at that period, and yet every one
knew that no far bark Its the reign of George IL
they were abolished. The Committee also objected
to any interference with the " chartered rights" of
the burghs. But Pre they, he would ask. chartered
rights ? He would admit that the rights of the
burghs once were an; bet they had been altered
over and over again, mid that illegally. They bed
been altered by the contention of the burghs; they
had elm been altered by the Crown. But did he
ask for any alteration of their chartered rights?
No: all he wanted was, the removal of the abuse,
which had arisen out of the illegal changes in
those rights ; abuses which bad become part of
the local law, and which the Judges of Scotland
had declared their inability to rectify, by reason of
their having been established upwards of forty years.
Before he sat down he would sey a few words on
the remedy for the evils he had been descanting on,
and though that was not preperly the business of
that night, yet he had no M.111016°81 is saying, though
he diseleimed any sweeping reform, that he looked
for no remedy in which the principle of self-election
was out abolished. He would make the trades
elect • large somber of the Council-ea large
number of the Council to go out, hot to to
eligible to be re-elected. He merely threw this
out not with any intention of debating it, but
merely to obviate the objection that might be urged
against hilts, if he had declared the grievaseeresida.
out at the same time being prepared mil% tiny
remedy. He apolemised for treemeniug en• oe
the lime of the House, but he ',Wired iiii
Members that he had omitted tea times its as
be hod expressed. The Noble Loud by
teal.
attiring. that the Homo fie reside, itself las a
Comeltittee of the whole Home, to take into Me=
eideratioa the Petitions relative', the Royal Burl%
of Scotland.
The Lout Anwocees said, he had expected the
Noble Lord wool/ have been prepared with mew
speeifac remedy, er that he would have waited till
he had seen the Bill of which he (the Loyd Advo-
cate) had. gives notice. He did not intend now to
explain its astute, though the Noble Laid might
hove known it by looktog to the lest year's Report.
Though he did eise ore moms to go at any Werth
into his intended .measure, he heist, hesiestiett in
declaring, that iu its effects it would not touch Puy
of the Article* of the Union, which soy feria-
boo, suet as the Noble Lord reeommendesi most
assuredly *mild. His plan !mild not cement in
any alteraiion of the constitotien of the royal
burgh. of Scotland, and for the reason that, however
disguised it might be, it vets," attempt to remit)
the represPntititiii so far at ferried the rtiyal
hur_ghs of Scotland,— (Hee!, hear.)—Thatinteln re
miehior 'night not be right, but all events let it
be brought forward openly and directly, and not
under the pretence of rectifying abuses in the 'um•
nagement of corporation funds, and thus profess-
edly looking to one object, effrct another. That
this was the object was clear from this, that there
were in Scotland other burgle, besides royal burghs,
there were burghs of barony and burghs of rega-
lity ; but as these burghs had nothing to do with
returning Representatives to Pathament, they
were not looked at, notwithstanding that in Ha.
milton and Poislry inverrigetion was as much re-
quired as in any of the royal burghs. The Hon.
Member for Aberdeen was perfectly well acquaint-
ed with the mode of election in Scotland—with the
exception of Edinburgh, all were aimilarly cir.
commenced. At the election of the IrliMourrible
Member for Aberdeen, there were five iudieidnals
present, two of whom voted for an lion. Friend
of his (the Lord Advocate's), and two for she Hon.
Member, mid he himself gave the costing vote by
which he was retorted.—(Hear )—He would not
detain the House by going through the proceed-
ings of the different Committees, it certainly sp•
peered that much usiamassagement had occurred in
money matters, but there was no instance of cor-
ruption; more of the public money might have
been expended that. was wise, but the House would
pardon him for sling. that of the wisdom of
the expenditure no judgment could be formed from
a mere comparison of figures. The objects of ex•
pense might be most proper, and such as would •
ultimately be of the greatest benefit, and he would
iiistar.ce the case of Aberdecu. There the fends
had brew expended iu improving the imrbour, a
measure calculated to increase the 'prosperity of the
town instead of rendering it bankrupt. It had,
indeed, already improved, though the funds were
managed by the same set of inewstrate..—(.l Hear,
hear," from NI r. Hume.)—He believed he was quite
correct in stating that the same magistrates were
re-elected, and that the minis of
.the town were
again rendered prosperous. The Committees in
1820 and 1821 went oil this rule : %%tit any of the
different grievances complained of were supported
by evidence, in Site or vie instances they considered
it as proved, and that it would be a waste of time to
look to other towns. The Noble Lord had attribut.
ed the whole mismanagement to the mode of elec-
tion, hut the Committee attributed it to the 100
of those checks on the corporations which for-
merly existed. In ancient hates the Court of the
King's Chamberlain, and afterwards the Court uf
Exchequer, had the potscr of inquiry and control
over thew ; but at the Union, when a new Court of
Exchequer was constituted, it became a question
whether it had all the powers of the old Court, or
only such as were conferred on it by the statute of
Anne, and it was then decided that they had no
antpohriegswiti,:ted.rdeb,beutiitsfilowrnhaielatd:7t
ityhtleedeqdriiiovt.suethfiortonfriofhatl:
theet Actb
invalidity n 0 r
recently ps i i
Lord Chief Baron, who delivered
as his opinion that they now had all the pewee, of
1 the old Court of Exchequer; therefore he had lit.

---

tie doubt bat the Cori of Exehequev might in
quire into the Asses of the foods; her se
litigation • dense would be introduced into
Bill giving the power to the Court of Hectoliter
lie objected to the alteration ia coaritatiose of.
the royal burghs propoard by the Noble Lord, be.
cause it would Pot hove the effect of joreii4el;,,
abuse. Changes had taken place in arse a rite
bombs, rid were they bettor .motaged thisnosoir,.p
'ln- die town of Stirling, where selfMleetlia'l,,,,,
completely broken thretighe there exited Joe r
Misch ground of complaint as in the ovnt
Therefore some further remedy ought to be /led,
The measure which in 0 few 41019 he moose to
pre, they (so his aide) contended would Isar lie
elect, mood he would my, that at levet it might tie
be tried before the Howse consented to si y
fir of the enoistitation of the burghs, itimi
Articles of Union. He was clearly .r • •
that the House might alter the Aitieles of U •
with either Scotland or Ireland; hot it onto
not to be done without the moat premium oi
and where • Committee of that Holier lied derided
that soother mestere would be eftctuol.lie relight
it peculiarly iUSprOper. The Carried ~,nrd vim-
, chided by hoping that the H•tom would Mot 'aim.
dpced to towel) the chartered rights of Seedmid"
any of the grounds which had been shooed, sod
pressed his intention of voting against the indigo
of the Noble Lord.
Mr. Hues mid, he rose to express his opiaise ea
the sebject, ms well es to correct some of die
imminent' of the Leered Lord. He shoed test
there was no corruption; but had not the Flows
Mei instance of Invevary ? doubtless others es.
laird. The Hon. Member proceeded to roue
the conduct of the Com.ilittet of lot year, for m&
permitting what in trete" end practice was always
done; the Noble Lord was not allowed to drew au
the Report. The Noble Lord wits i.. Scotland (s,
the porpnee of exercising hi. elective freachito, said
though the Session wis not expected to Wriest.
in less then six weeks, the Report could net tut
64 long. It was, ha. understood. grog*.
lion of the Noble Lord (Bruning) and the Lanni
Lord Advocate. He (Mr. Home) "OW ems
ture to say that there were no other Imo
Members of shot Howe would have Hoard the
Noble Lord as the lifeeetwrs of the Cramithe
hod done. When in that Committee there're
was pot for resoling the Report, paragraph by pos.
roffehtelt. he (.Mr. Hoare) bed mole an sorriest,
to give the Noble Lord osicimewthnit, of frmif
' the Report. He pot it as any non in the Rims
to gay whether 11094 was not e fair proosseies;
bet me the division there appeared, Aye., teem;
say. •Now it was on the Report ef this
Collimitro flirt the Learned Lord wished the
Home to rely; but se far from the Sort leek.
lug to that Report, 'let them look to -SU See
presiding Reports, and they woad iliss• dot the
allegations of all the Petitions were rod, The
same, and all conceived in proyine some modifies.
fir •f the system of selfselectisto. He dm*
his Noble Friend was quite right in The mama
which he was warn, It he might be roosted
that the Committee load no intention is set as
thus. Petitions. The Report of Cormitmeshoold
be ciensidesed by the House es the opining of s set
of Geritlemen who erevp,gll of one red. turd
been said that this cue .4, ration for refunp—ho
(Mr. Hume) thought thet.it, wee a mess of ketone
the Borgesees into a share of the oepreseetattos,
and he thought they ought to hove it.e-tliest.)—
lie wished the Learned Lord would consider sad
grant something ; give them but a beginentg, sad
sure he was that they would mike props,—
(Hear, heir.)—eHe asked for a little. became he
would not be represented es taking • leap, sod hes
cause it would decide the question whether there
was ever to be a commencement of refers, or
whether his Majesty's Ministers would risk the
peace of the country by an absolute refne. fle
contended that, though not gazetted, the town of
Aberdeen was smuttily insolvent; he did not
blatue the individuals hot the system; muter
that system it was impossible the mongers
could be honest men. Such was the purport of the
minute of the Council of Aberdeen when they re•
signed ten yeses ago; yet the Ministers reinstated
them. reinstated the very men who had got the
burgh in debt several hundred thoneatid pounds—
but be it observed the management of the fuotle
was still in the hands of trustees. " But," mid the
Learned Lord, '6 this expenditure is fee great ie.
provetnents; look at the harbour of Aberdeen"
But the Learned Lord forgot that the harbour ass
under a separate trust. If this expenditere bed
been for real improvements, he (Mr. Hume) could
almost have forgiven it; but all that had been done
was to run out • quay, which every der was tie'
bling down, and in the opinion of many naval re
would one day or other totally destroy the harbour.
These were the sort of improvements for which sll
the charitable fonds had been squendereol, and as
immense debt incurred. He would admit, that if
the whole of the lands belonging to the city were
sold, there would be means sufficient to pity the
debt.— (Neer, hear.)—But was that any room ithr
these self-eluted persons should have sqiiendereil
whet the Kings of Scotland had eoduwed the
burgh" with for ever I' He dui not wonder that leo
Majesty's Ministers supported the Marriott's et
Aberdeen, for they had followed their example of
eztraeaganee ; indeed, the inbahitents of Abel:Jew
had rather the advantage, for if the whole fee simile
of England were sold, he did not believe it would
liquidate the debt which the Ministers had incurred.
So that here was an exemplifiestir of the out
adage, " Birds of a feather flock together." 1.1'6'
Magistrates of Aberdeen would receive good eel"
port from his Majesty's Ministers; but he r‘•
hotted the House so restore to the bergeirer theist
rights of which they were onestosed till the year 1669.
One of the grievances in the Petition of Right to
William end Mary's reign was, that the abdicated
Sovereign hid subverted the rights of the royal leurel".
The Baillie in Scotland was a judicial officer, be-
sides having the management of the funds, end !I
was essential 11191 they should possess the retib•
dente and respect of the people. The want of diet
feeling caused the present Magistracy to be Fr::
garded in Scotland as it distinct set of persona ft
the people of Scotland had any iefluence 'detec-
tions, he would not say that all, bet eertainlyti
great number of the Members from theme weed
be oo his side of the House. The Honourable lise
roost (Sir G. Clerk. we believe) would pot hsi'g
if the elective frauchiee were on a wider basis to the