The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1822-09-30 00:00:00

PARLIAMENTARY PAPER.

The Report of the Select Committee of the
House of Commons appointed to inquire into the
m inner in which the Printing and Statiourry ■►e
supplied to the Dowses of Lads and Commons,
and to the Public Departments in the United K log.
dom, has been ',rioted. This Committee was sp.
pointed in the last Session, in consequence of
charges of abuse. and frauds, chiefly lathered by
• men named HENRY CONSTANTINE JENNINGs,
witting tort Mr. WILLIAM READY, the keeper
of the Board-room of the Lords of the Treii-ltrY,
had been in the habit of selling ►tationery, the pro-
perty of the KING, from the Stationer*. Office,
to a very large amount, In Sir ROBERT WILSON,
Mr. PETER MOORS, Mr. Huw►, and several others.
The Committee state, that the evidence of Mr.
Huse distinctly negattses she fact of Sir ROBERT
WILSON mud Mr. P. Moose having been so sup.
plied; that it appears from the evidence of Mr.
Hums, that be was induced to allow Jenninos
to send him the paper purchased from READY, for
the purpose of establishing unequivocally the exist-
ence of the fraud, and that it appears with the same
view it had been intended that some of the paper
should have been sent to Sir ROBERT WILSON and
Mr. PETER MOORE, to be held in deposit by them,
and that it was sent by Mr. Jsmilios to Mr.
Hume's house, addressed to them, but was never
deliveteil to them, sod they apprise to have been
entirely ignorant of the whole matter. The cha-
racters of these Honourable Gentlemen having
been thus cleated from all imputarinio, the Commit-
tee proceed to notice some irregularities in the con-
duct of READY, in appropriating to his own use
more paper than he was entitled to, outlet the
dais of perquisiom, for which he WO berg, for,
pended from his Aire, snot some other impro-
prieties in the Stationery Office, which they recom-
mend should be avoided in future. 'fl►e R-port
then concludes as follows
Allegations, similar to those preferred sesinsi Mr. Ha►t-
aell, haring also Ares preferred wisest Mr. Thoroweeod
and Mr. Climes, who have contracts with the Stationery-
olnee 6.r prigelieig, your Committee proceeded to isresiigate
them charges; sad they have the satisfaction to report, that
no
part of the maiden of these two persons seems liable to

A deposit of paper appears to be intrusted In the charge
of each; but it is iucon■idrrabk, end probably not mom thae
necessary to answer the current demands upou them. They
seem to have bees oft.. is the habit of using their own
paper for the public service, mad sot to have authorised their
servants to employ Ike Government paper for their private
use, except to replace paper of their own SY previously kit
to the public.
Herbs' the pimeeediags of your Committee. Mr. Jennings,
the person alresdy mimed, thought At to address a kik, to
the Boa►d of Treasury ; in which, amidst • great deal of
wild and extravagant matter, and rimy vague sod aeisitel-
ligible imitiest ions, be smelted his belief to their Lordships,
that • Menthe► of this Committee (meaning, as he after-
wards stated in ',siderite, Mr. Thomas enerirmay) had sold
the place of Cashier of the Stationery-office, held by him •
number of years ago, and the value of which appear, to
have bees at that lime 300/. per shrve, to Mr. Church, the
peasant Cashier, for the sum of 1,8001.
The Board of Treason transmitted this letter to the Com-
mittee, who called upon Mr. Jennings to explain and mike
good his charge. He wee not enabled to give any Mime like
• prechie explasatio■ upon the sialtjvct, hut named to the
Committee Ave witnesses (Mr. Church bring one), whom
your Committee immediately proceeded ►e examise tont+ti
hog this matter, so derply affecting the hammer of • Member
of this Hussar; and the resell of this Minsky will hest ap-
pear from the following ns•simoss resolution of the Com.
mutter; in sopp•rt of which t►ey beg leave to refer t• the
evidence in the Appendix :—s Resolved, That this Com-
mittee haviag examined Messrs. Parson, Heel, Gelber*,
King, and Church, of the Stationery•offiee, the eel, permits
named by Mr. Jetsam(' to ibem to be examined, relative
to the statement emu:anted in Mr. Jennings letter to the
lords of the Tremury, that Mr. Coerlenay had sold the Wier
of Ca•ltier of the Stationery office to Mr. Choreic are osmosis
tnomly of .pinion, that the said charge is totally un-
founded."

Your Committee regret that so much of their time should
have been unavoidably bares up by these different beads of
ioqisiry, but they treat that the resell will riot prove useless
to the public. The tramtartions dctailed in the evidence, and
on which they have romniented, have teoduil to convinre
them that the katioisery office ought to be re-modelled, aid
placed ender • more efficient seperieteedence.
It appears that three permits, high in the office, nasnely,gir
M. gloater, Mr Dickens, and Mr. Parson, have horroord
money from e•elencrurs ender the &portieres. Your Com-
mittee are persuaded that it cannot be accessary for them to
potion out. that ouch a practice deserves the severest aniseed-
version; and that when a public officer places hinted( en-
der preeisiary obligation to • Cootractor, shoe he °fled
to elteck and control, if he does sot disqualify himself from
an upright discharge of his public duty, he at lama Pipes,'
himself to imputstioes, from which she Seiefiele of the Pub'
he ought at all times to be free.
The Committee submit, that these t lions afford •
strong ground is support of the recommendstion shove gives.
Tutor Committee would tberefoee recorernend to the Tres-
eery to revise the Establishment, and to place it upon a dif-
ferent and more efficient footing. It is only necessary upon
this. head further so add, that whatever nreanrement it may
be thought expedient to adopt, it is tier derided opinion of
' your Committee, that the interest of the public will be best
iresesolted by counselor the enured system of supplying the
various public offices by general tont rrrrr , rather 'has by
nog Si the old system of allowing each office to provide
its 0555 statioorry sod it Rpm/Wog Ih‘l Woe of the public

tour Committee, *idioms being prepared In pre an obi.
aims 'Toss Ike subject, would suggest she propels-1y
sinking shether it might not be desirable to hate paper ma,
widartared for the use of the Public Oilers, wish a peculiar?
mark try which st might always be kaows, sod which would
resole, freed or embezzlement mere bszardous ; sad the♦
would also reewmtkend, wish a view so river's'''. Mal she
ensassion and inferior work done for she Public °Aires (pant-
ruiner She different Guards of Revenue) alnonkl he executed
upon peps► of inferior quality, mid of a low prsce.

The Committee Lore to regret, that the time they have
been obliged to devote to the investigation of the different'
irliarces I g►t before them, should have rendered it immis-
sihle for them so to arringe aid methodize Om Wormier°,
they ►ave received Nuns the subject of the pitman fur the
two Houses of Parliament, as to he enabled to mate a distinct
and satisfactory Report upon that breech of t►e subject, re-
ferred to them. They hare, however, collected a considerab'e
moss ofetreiester, otal and documentary; sad they strongly
re...armored tail a Committee shurild be appointed in the
course of il-e next Session to tXMlllint and dirst this en-
deice, and to institute some further inquiries fur the more
complete elucidation of a subject rooneeted with au impor-
tant brooch of the public expenditure.

Although your Commiltre are compelled le postpone this
part of the nastier referred to them, yet they think it doe to
Mr. Flainard, Mr. Strain's, Mr. Nichols, and to the other in-
dividuals employi.d in Parliamentary priming, to state, that
nothing leading in any degree to cosateassice imputations
against the cha of these persons, has appeared is the
coups, of the inquiries of your Commitlee.
July SO, Its 22.