The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1824-05-14 00:00:00

SEPARATISTS.

Lord ALTUORP presented x petition from an individual,
named John Oved, of Kildare, praying that the Separatists might
be freed flan the necessity of taking oaths. The Noble Lord Said,
that the Separatists were, with the exception of dress perhaps, in
every sense like the Quakers. He knew DO reason why equal pri.
surges should not be given them.
Mtn a few words hum Mr. T. ELLIS, in support of the peti.
tion, it was laid on the table.
COUNTY COURTS BILL.

Lord ALT H 01Yprei;entedapetitionfiromthe inhabitants of
Burnley, in the county of Lancaster, in favour of the County
Courts on the table, and ordered to be printed.
Mr. CURTEIS moved Mr a return of the quantities of corn
which were warehoused, and afterwards sold and re.suld, for six
weeks previous to the 13th of May.
Sir T. LETHBRIDGE. in seconding the motion, considered it
etc tit the greatest advantage to the corn- growers of this country.
'llse practice of such improper sales as had taken place should be
put an end to. The restrictive system under which the corn grower
bow laboared was quite enough, without adding to it such unfair
sates. Whether the motion were acceded to or not, the discussion
ut it woulddogoed... . . . .

Mr. Ill'SKI;SON wished the motion postponed, in order to
afford him time to ascertain the details which it called for. In
place of extending this inquiry to Liverpool and another place, it
might he found necessary to extend it to other marksta. Many of
the sales of Corn, he believed, were made to influence the average,
and not fur actual sale. He asked for the bills of parcels of sales;
be inspected the boat', and found them conformable to the law.
Purchases and mks were made not its the spirit of the Act, but it
would be difficult to deterw4ne what was a bona fide bale. He be.
lieved that many of them were colourable, but they still had all
the formality of a sale. All dealers had a right to admire their
own interest; and he had taken the advice of legal men and prac-
tical dealers to provide a remedy for such abuses, but he could find
now. While the quarterly average continued and foreign corn was
eatcluded, 110011.741tei1 would be practised in violation of the spirit of
the law. An unfair state of the market was produced by the sta.
tent of average% which placed grower and tonsunwr in greattUfli-
ct.lties ; and he hoped the system would be found to be one 'equip.
a, gan alteration. Ile was glad to find a petition had come lately
from a corn county. praying for an alterarkn of that system, and
he trusted that a similar feeling would prevail here. 'While how.
ever the law continued, he would do all he could to have the rec.!
tic..s undo, it as little deceptive as could be expected. Uncertainty
must follow the existing system; but as to the motion, he must,
ammo repumt s wish fur its postponement.
Alt. PEEL connoted in the recommendation of his Right /fa.
Fri.od for • postponement.
r. CURTEIA consented to the postponement, and the motion
was acconlingly withdrawn.
Mr. CUIII'ELS ',rearmed a petition from the famters of laves
against the Bonded Wheat Bill.--Ordered to be primed.
Mr. J. 1V1L1.1.4.311:4 n.oved, that the Chancery Comminalow
Reyort shinny heyrnted..—thderett. -

Apr. V. FirIdERALD presented a petition from 'certain per-
sons is the county ot Carlow, calling theoisclveSk•• Separatists,
praying to be relieved, un consisentiJus scruples, front the hetes.
airy of taking an oath.
After a few worth from Muter ELLIS (11uhtini, io Yiebut of
the petitions:l, the petition was ordered to be printed.
IRISH GRAND MAULS

Mr. S. RICE. moved for revere] returns relative to Grand Joey
Presentment. in Iri.l.l.4..—Uedexcd. _ _

Mr. h. WORTLEY prese;teal a ;,eti,ion from .1:"In Hardy,
Esq., for compensation in cnnseluenor of the County Couns Rill.
Onlured to be printed. Also trim the butchers of Bra:!turd,
against the Hides and Skins Ridl ; and from the tanners of 'Write.
lick: in favour of the Same Rill.
CLERKS IN Millar ()ITICES.

Ale. S. WORTLEY, in presenting a pttitlon fnim the Clerks
of Public Offices. said, that, by a late Art of Parliament, they
were ter.dered liable to a reduction of tire per cent., they being the
only class of persons liable to such a tax. l'hey did nut complain
of subscribing to the Superannuation Fund, but they had reason to
complain of the tax upon their salaries. Their case was a hard
one, and deserving the careful attention or the Government. Alen
who had spent their lives in the civil service of their country ought
to b.- provided for, and he hoped the feeling of the House would in-
duct- the Gover-rient to attend to the mayerof the petitioners. The
he.ula of the f _rent departments knew well the services of the
clerks in offer.; and titer the letter of Lor,l Sitimouth, resisting
with boldness and manliness the proposed tax on clerks in office,
he Al,. %Iturtley ) could not help thinking that their simation was
one demanding the attention of the Governntimt. On the ground of,
policy their cbiga wats tutitled tu tespect, sad th:ir itTV Jail to

reward. Ilse superenhuatios regulations denranded revision;
foe they operated-unjustly to many deserving individuals. Retire.
meat allowances should not be narrow, when the services performed
were so valuable, as in the ease of the present petitioners. Bodily
health should not be made the ground of compensation, nor the
want of it merely the cane of allowance; length of service should
always be entitled to it. Pon himself he would take every oppor-
tunity of pressing the prayer of this class of persons, on the favour-
able consideration of his /tight Honourable -Friends, the iilenabers
of his Alojesty'sGovemmeot.
31r. CALCRA FT said, that he objected, in the first instance, to
placing this tax on a meritorious and ill-paid claws of personw, and '
he continued of the same opinion. He hoped the Chancellor of,
the Exchequer would attend to the prayer of the petitioners ; for
sure be was that no class of persons were more deserving of the
favour of those Gentlemen opposite, who were au well aware of their
valuable services.
Mr. CANNING said, he thought the tax on public clerks was
anarke,sinfair, and unjust, and he continued to be of the same opi-
nion, particularly as the tax was exclusive. lie objected to it as he
would to a tax upon officers or any other class of persons. On the
instant he would not say what course the Government intended
taking as to this petition.
The e lIANCELLOR of the EXCIIEQITER said, he always
thought it objectionable to call for a tax on this clam of persons, tor
they should be liberally considered ; but at the same time the
4louse should rdisider the peculiar circumstances under which the
tax was introduced. Formerly the chief clerks were paid by fees—
that was now altered. Sinecureoffices were gradually extinguished,
and those matters lessened the means of providing retired allowances.
The extension of these allowances was censured by more than one I
Report, and perhaps in Mine cases with a degree of justice, and
this led to the Act of 1810, which was never intended to give
the clerks a right to a .retired allowance, but which was still I
construed into that meaning by many of thaw. Abuses took
place, and some restriction became necessary • that restriction
VMS that was now complained of. Every individual should
not be allowed to retire at his own free pleasure on an allow.
once ; nor did he think it was any unqualified hardship in those
individuals to contribute to a fund for subsequent relief. Every
seaman so contributed, in return for which he claimed a pension ;
and in his turn he had it. lie (the Chancellor of the Exchequer)
did not feel that the petitioners were
.peculiarly entitled to relief,
nor did he think the measure us objectionable as it was stated to be
by the Hon. Memberfor Yorkshire, who introduced this petition.
Mr. F. BUXTON said that after the fullest investigation of the
subject, he found that no class of persons were more entitled to con-
aideration than the clerks in public offices. They were neither
treated with lenity nor justice. Men, who were ten, twenty, and
even forty years in the service, and men who entered into the
public service with the full understanding that after such periods
of service they were to have a liberal compensation, should
not be treated as they bad been. In 1818, the whole sub.
„lect came before the Treasury, and their Lordships stated that the
just claims of individuals would be attended to. The present holders
of offices were not so be meddled with, and yet in HUI a it:durum
took place, amounting at least to 21 per cent., and in some others
considerably more. In 1= came the Superannuation Act, which
was highly objectionable in every point of view. On public grounds
he supported this petition, and he hoped
.the consideration of his
3lsjesty's Government would be drawn to it.
Mr. PEEL bore his testimony to the valuable services of the
clerks of the public offices. ll'ith respect to this measure he was
peculiarly situated; for, whatever his opinions were, he could not
claim an exemption from his own office: whereas it was agreed on
by all the other heads of departments to include theirs. It should
be recollected that the noasure was forced on Parliament. The
other intermits of the country were stated to have suffered, and it
was thought that Chief Officers of S.Ote, called by some one the
clerks of public offices, having been overpaid, that they should
contribute to the exigencies of the State. Be would however give
the petition every possible consideration.
Mr. GRENFELL said that the services of all the lower officers
in public offices were badly paid ; it was always his opinion, sad
he was every day the more convinced of it.
3lr. W. TA 1 IAIR warmly supported the prayer of the pcti.
, stoners.

Mr. H. SUMNER thought thu the unsparing reuenehments
called for by the Haute were in this, as in many other eases, un-
justly exercised. The petitioners had his mast hearty appro.
bation.

111 r. HUME said the Honourable Gentlemen Vas quite free of
blame for making any retrenchment, as he never venni for any-
(Hear, .bear.) The feet was, that under the old sersommisa
system great abuses existed, and the object subemprendy was to
put estop to them. The lower classes of clerks he admitted to
be ill paid, for their labour was nut fur a week or a month, but
actually for life. The clerks contributed. it was true, but the 11th
clause gave all such contributions to his friends or executors, in the
event of his dying before he became entitled to a pension. The
superannuation system was in itself, as it formerly existed, the
sauce of great abuses; but it was certainly no wish of his, that in
providing a remedy respectable and deserving individuals should
be made to safer. He would mention to the House that which in
bis opinion was a much greater glievance; he alluded to the man-
tier in which extra clerks were treated- after a service of tea es
fifteen years. They were almost invariably, atter that rerwiess re.
moved to humble and wane paid sitamiess, and their setakel
ins the time they filledthe situation of extra clerks were not
allowed. Ile remembered that on a former occasion, when he cam-
hlained of this practice, the Secretary for the Admiralty enured
im, that In the case of two officers it had recently been departed
from, and that • practice which he had the candour to admit was
not to be justified would no longer be continued, either at the
Admiralty or in the Victualling Office. Ile agreed most fully
with that part of the petition, in which the petitioners complained
that they had no control over this fund; and as he had formerly
rated, hr thought that one or two individUals should be selected
from each of the public offices fur its allotment and distribution.
Mr. HUSK ISsON so entirely concurred with what had fallen
from his Honourable Friends around hint, that he should not have
said one word on this subject had it nut been for the statement
suede by the Honourable Member fur Aberdeen, which seemed to
call for some reply or explanation. The fund had arisen from the
rat increase that had recently taken place In the Superannuation
'Fund, and perhaps the distribution of that fund was somewhat too
carelessly prodigal; it was undoubtedly in some cases very lax.
A number of offices existed then at the Treasury, to which pub-
lic officers were consigned, when no longer capable of performing
I any other duty. These situations Parliament thought it right to
abolish • end then how did the aged and incompetent officer—the
tried and faithful servant of the public, stand? The duty was
either inefficiently performed, or the unpleasant necessity of dis-
missing the deserving servant devolved on the head of the offices.
Thus it stood--in a most painful situation were both patties placed.
The number, then, of wore-out servants were, in the wisdom of
Parliament, dismissed from their situations; and upon an average
of twenty-nine years' service, they received pensions of ninety-four
pounds a year. (Hear.) Did that imply extravagance ? The
amount at first was thus necessarily large, but this grew out of
circumstances which every day would diminish. The age and in-
firmities of the superannuated would gradually lessen the expense.
In the meantime he would only say, that to hut, who was in COO.
stain communication with them, lust had In:quint opportunities of
. .

observing the zeal and fidelity 'lib which the Petitioners discharged
their clouts, it could not but be gratifying to see that their ezoec-
tenons were favourably received by Parliament; though he 'was
convinced, that whatever might be the decision of the House, the
conduct and general lineation of the petitioners would remain
unclutriged.
Sir F. 03131 A NNE Y •upported the petition; but his observa-
tions were not heard in the gallery.
air T. ACIi.IND said, that be should abstain from expressing
soy other wish upon this petition, than that, as it had received
such favourable attention from all parts of the House, the Hob
Member foe Yorkshire would submit some more enlarged view of
it to their speedy consideration. (flew.)
Sir F. BARING was not forgetful of the regret with which the
Right lionourableGentleman first prefaced these reductions, which
gave rise to this petition. lie trusted that as the necessity out of
which the reduction grew was reduced, if not altogether abolished,
the Right Honourable Gentliman scold nut be averse to the
wishes of the petitioners. For himself he felt that the faithful ser-
vants of the public should be well paid, and the rewards of the
afne-
wrists annihilated.

31r. T. IVILSON stated his concurrence in the prayer or the
petitioners. He was films& one of thure who voted with the Hight
Honourable Hentkmun ; it will a tine of dilates., when the reduc.
ciun took plate, and ccrtaiiily they were nut applicable to the pre.
lent. pc °d'

- -
SYKES ism anxious to oppose this career of extravagance,
falsely called liberality. There acre now on the papers two nio.
lions relative to the increasing of the startles of public officers.
When this system of increasing must end he could not conjecture.
3lr. 3.131 r-s observed, that he should a illingly rota far an in-
crease in the salaries of public officers, when the war taxes Were re-
&Wt.&

--'illeOeddien vas laid on the table.
31r. S. %V OR TLEI', in moving that it should be printed, ob-
served, that without pledging hitobelf to bring forward this question
at any particular the:, he Arnold, and he thought avetxlily, submit
Ito the /louse a motion on this petition. (11 tar, hear.) Irina the
very encouraging manner with which the 'louse received it, be
thought he should be deficient in courttsy to them as well as re-
' gardkus of the interssta of the petitioners, mild he not bring ti.is
subject, in a more enlarged and more debateable form, under the
oonsidcri.tion of the House.

......
The petition was ordered to be printed.
31. 111.1XTON presented a petition, similar in its nature, but
from the pose in the House we could not ascertain from what
Place-
EXPORTATION OF SUGAiI.
' Mr. WOLRITIIE VVIIIT3IIOItE ruse to submit to the
House his motion on the drawback paid on the exportation of
sugar; and he thought it desirable in the don instance to explain
' the nature of his motion. Ili* object was to propose to the House
to grant a Select totunnttoe, ter the ;milepost of inquiring into the
origin and consequences a there drawbacks. In order that the
House might dually ecmprehend the nature of the question, it was
necessary to inform them how the question stood. The %Vest In-
dian interest possessed a monopoly in the sugar-market against all
other countries„ with du exception of the sugar in the Ern lisdiss.
From the impartation of sugars into this country—hem the excess
or sugars brought over, and above what was consumed here, it be.
came necessary to export a very consideraLle quartity of it ; and
upon this sugar so exported, a bounty was granted. The sugar,
upon importation into this country, paid a duty; when the price
was under 375. the duty was 275.; when above 475. the duty paid
amounted to 30s. That sugar paid the respective duties he had
u.entioned, proportioned to its value, when in bond. Upon
its expurtation a drawback was paid upon the last quality of
rimed sugar which he had me ' , not of 275. but of Ws. So
that here was a bounty of W. per cwt. Rut it wit now
necessary for him to cal e attention of the !louse to that
pan of the subject which was rather intricate in its nature.
inarther it was owing to colitizion or accident he c 0.414 no: oaths.