The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1826-05-19 00:00:00

WEST INDIES.

144. HUM F: having MitiesortieoiCserv-- titan in reference to a
motion, of which notice had been given for that night by an Ho.
pourable Member (Mr. LushMgton), presented a petition from
George Charles Rapier, of Grenada, complaining of the uncertainty
of the expenses. and also the enormity of the charges, which at.
tended the emancipation of slaves. 'flies?, in some instances,
tormented to 911., and the petitioner prayed that some general rule
ahoold be adopted for the regulation of the expenses, in order to
relieve the slaves from the hardships which, under the present un.
batted system. were endured.
LUSHINUTON said he had received a copy of • petition
from the tree men of colour in Jamaica, hot in consequence of the
prevalence of the easterly winds, he had not gotten the esjiinal.
The number of tree men of colour in Jamaica was 3.1,000, and he
was sorry that he had not received the petition which was expres.
sive of their sentiments. lie understood that there wan a great ex.
citemem of feeling among them, and as he did not desire unneces.
wily so inc.,,,ase that excitement at the present period of the Sec.
'fon, he thori7,lit it the more prudent course not to proceed with the
motion of which he had given notice to the House, as a discussion
sniseit tend to eitaaperate the C,innies, and could not be followed
by soy immedit.t2 practical benefit. Should he, however, occupy
a seat in that House in the neat Session of Parliament. he would
certainly bring forward a measure on the subject. He therefore
' begged leave to withdraw his motion, particularly as there was an
aiditionalreason for so doing, inconvquence of the necessity of not
throwing any obstacle in the way of tile important motion which
Lad been hied for that Sight by the Honourable and Learned Mem.
• bet (the Attorney-General) opposite.
The notice was then withdrawn.
Mr. W. HORTON proposed some suggestion (which we could
' not distinctly hear) for the consideration of the advocates of the free
men of colour. We believe it was a recommendation of moderation.
After a new words from Mr. Hew WAL L, the petition was ordered
so be read.
Mr. HUM F: presented a petition from Thomas Martin, a Cap.
tarn on half.pay iii the East Indiaaervlce, on the Bengal Establish..
mein. He (Mr. Hume) confessed that he was not aware of any
mode in which the House could redress the petitioner, but he thought
tba case was one which, on the principles of analogy, was entitled
to relief. It was a rule in military compensation to allow a pension
41001. for the deprivations of one eye, and 21511. for the deprivation
or both. The = ernesplained that he only received 3154
a-yew at present NW, which would have been the al.
loareaarifitimidini=olllled to remain at Bengal, in the East
of his petition was to lie put into pos.
monism of the dreamer
After tow eterarairileare Om a Member, whose name we could
sot learn, the was eedlseed to be read and printed.
On the toelfes filf. wiLmor HORTON, the Emigration
Committee obtained Ines to sit, notwithstanding the adjournment
01 tile Howe. •

e 'I

BARON DE BODE.--FRENCII INDEMNIFICATION.
Mr. LITTLETON said he had a petitiou to present from the
Baron de Bode, respecting the sequestration of some property
belonging to him in France. The petitioner was a natural born
subject of the King of England, and now resided in this country.
It appenred from the petition, that at the breaking out of the
French Revolution, he had been possessed of considerable estates
and rights in the department of the bower Rhine, and had then
entered the Russian service, where he was so distinguished as to
have been honoured with eight order.. In the treaty of peace of
1814, indemnification was provided for British subjects. in the
great book of puldie debts in France, in the name of Corn.
missioners of Deposit, appointed by his present Majesty, then
Prince Regent. The names of all claimants were obliged to be
entered in registers within a prescribed period. An Act of Par-
liament of the :79th Geo. 111. made the rejection of the claims by
the Commissioners, or an appeal to the Privy Council, final, and
a full discharge to the French Government In respect to the claim.
ant's name i,t the registers. No new evidence was allowed in the
appeal to the Privy Council. The residue of the sum appropri.
aced for the indemnification of the French Government was to be
at the disposal of the Commissioners of his Majesty's Treasury.
The pnitioner's name was inserted in the registers for 5 11.11i2f.,
vrtife'll was afterwards reduced by some modifications to 445,440 f.
this title was twofold—in virtue of a cession from his father, and
secondly, of a vested remainder by the nature of the tenure. The
tether superintended the property for petitioner until 1793. when
petitioner and family were compelled to leave the country. A
large monied property belonglag to petitioner's mother, was ex.
'tended on the French estates. Petitioner had produced evidence in
support of his claim before the Commissioner., and was procuring
further proof, most of which was actually obtained at the time, and
only waiting for legalization in the public offices of France. This
evidence was of the greatest importance in establishing the claim,
and would have been forthcoming in four days. But the Commis-
sioners
would not defer theaward, which they accordingly signed on
the 2fith April. 1822, rejecting the claim. An appeal was after-
wards made to his Majesty in Council, and heard on the 23d
June, 1823 ; but on that occasion petitioner was precluded by
the Act front bringing forward the additional cridenc,•, and
the vested right in remainder was through some inadvertence not
pressed. Their hardships therefore confirmed the award. Peti-
tioner then petitioned his Majesty in Counca, praying a re-hearing
on those two points, or a reference to the Commissioners of the
case, with the aeditinnal evidence. After hearing Counsel. their
Lordships concluded that the Act of Parliament did not allow either
course. They ended the judgment with commiseration for the state
of the Baron. The Hon. Member said, that the petitioner did not
apply for any money which was to be given from this country ; for
what he asked was already in the possession of the Treasury, where
it had been deposited as aicompensation for petitioner's claim and
losses. It was therefore improper that the British nation should
retain a large sum which had been given for compensation to a man
who had been left in the lowest Mate of destitution, in consequent*
of the refusal of his claim. He (Mr. Littleton) did not know what
relief the /louse could afford, except by Act of Parliament ; but he
would suggest to the Right Hon. the Chancellor of the Exchequer
to consider the severity of the case, and to offer some terms of corn.
promise.
Mr. Secretary CANNING said, he did not wish to op-
pose the receiving of the petition, but he thought it
strange that a petition of that kind, affecting the official
proceedings in France, should be brought before the Howse.—
An Act of Parliament had been passed, which regulated the
mode in which claimants for indemnification of losses should
proceed, and it appeared .eat the petitioner's case had gone
through all the prescribed process. It had been submitted to the
Commissioners, and an appeal to the Privy Council was subse-
miently made. On these occasions the decisions were given, after
the points in favour of the claim had been argued as solemnly as
In any Court of Justice in the kingdom. If the House were to
have all the business thus transacted brought there and argued
over again, there would not be time left for the public proceedings
affecting the interests of the country to be considered.
31r. HUME observed that the petition Instanced two cases of
great hardship—in the limitation of the time for giving the original
evidence, so that the award did not wait for the four days; and in
the preclusion of the additional evidence when the appeal was pre-
ferred.
Mr. CANNING said that the Commissioners who made the
award had decided after the most solemn discussion of the cir.
I commences, and the award had been confirmed after a similar con.
sideration by the Privy Connell. Both decisions were in accord.
ance with an Act of Parliament; and if the provisions of statutes
were not to be regarded, it would be useless to make such enact.
'rents. It was not his ( Mr. Canning's) duty to be aware of the addi.
tional points which might have been urged. On the contrary, it
became him not to notice them ; but if that consideration of the
subject was thought to afford sufficient ground for the renewed
ajitation of the business in that House, he knew twenty cases of a
similar nature.
After some observations from Mr. BARING, Mr. P. Moons,
and Mr. TR r MAINE, in support of the petition, which, as they
coneeived, exhibited a case of great hardship,
Mr. LITTLETON insisted on the grievances of the petitioner,
and said, if the Treasury neglected the matter, he would take care
to urge it at a future period.
The petition was then ordered to be laid en the table.
GRANT FOR RELIEF OF LOCAL DISTRESS.

Lord MILTON addressed the House In so low a tone that we
could not distinctly hear his observations. We understood him to
say that he had some time ago Inquired of his Majesty's Ministers
whether it was intended that there should be any allowance made
of the public money to the relief of the local distresses of the
country. He was then referred for an answer to the time when
the motion of which the Hon. Member for Coventry (Mr. P. Moore)
had given notice would come before the House. As there was 'tome
reason to apprehend that the motion, which stood for to-morrow,
would not come on, he begged leave to repeat the quettion, and
hoped that he should receive some more explicit answer than
before.
Mr. Secretary CANNING, in reply, referred the Noble Lord
to what had fallen from him on a previous occasion. A motion
was now pending in reference to the subject of the Noble Lord's
Inquiry. and when abet was brought on, he (Mr. Canning) was
prepared to enter folly into the subject. For the Noble Lord's
satisfaction, he had no hesitation in saying, that If any thing arose
to put off the motion to which he had *Hutted, he should neverthe-
less be ready to afford the Noble Lord the desired information ;
but whilst such a motion was pending, he would rather not enter
upon the subject.
Mr. PETER MOORE said he would endeavour to bring on
the motion referral to by•the Right lion. Secretary, and would
make it as short as ever any motion was made in that House.
E.:VOLISH ROMAN CATHOLICS.
Lord NUGENT, in rising to present a petition from the Roman
C of England, praying the removal of those political dis-
abilities which affected them, made a few observations in support
of the prayer of the petitioners. He said that the petitioners re-
ferred to history for their character; they brought their case before
the House in the most respectful manner; and, in their own words,
relied " upon the wisdom and justice of Parliament," whilst they
solicited the total repeal of the laws which now affected them. lie
concurred with the lion. Member for Westminster (Sir Francis
Burdett), to whom the Roman Catholics both of England and
Ireland owed so much, that the interest of the petitioners would be
best consulted by not pressing a discussion at present. He had
therefore only to conclude with hoping, that, when the discussion
came on, the House would do its duty on this great question as it
had before done.

After a few words from Mr. NV. SMITH, the petition was read,
and ordered to be printed.
SEAMEN'S HOSPITAL.

Mr. CALVERT moved for returns of the money received by
the Nierehints and Corporation of the Seamen's Hospital.--
Ordered.

PRICES OF FOREIGN CORN.
Mr. E._WODEFIOUSE moved that an Address be laid before
his Majesty, praying that Cie fullest information should be laid
before Parliament relative to the communications received from
his Majesty's Consuls abroad on the subject of the prices of foreign
sorb and grsin.
Mr. Secretary CANNING said, that if the lion. Gentleman
suggested any mode by which the object he had in view could be
better effected, than by the present arrangements, his Majesty's
Government would most willingly accede to it.
Mr. WOOD thought the motion should include an inquiry into
the cost of raising corn.
IMPORTATION OF CORN BIM..
Mr. HERR lES suggested that the Orders of the Day should be
disposed of, before the motion of his lion. and Learned Friend
(the Attorney General), in order that no deity should arise in
their progress through the Upper House. He should therefore
move the Order of the Day for the third reading of the Importation
of Corn Bill.

The Bill was then read a third time, and passed.
NVAREHOUSED CORN BILL.
Mr. HERRIES moved the Order of the Day for the third read.
ing of the Warehoused Corn Bill.
The Bill was road a third time. and passed without observation.
WESTMINSTER. IMPROVE.3IENT DILL.

Mr. HERMES moved the Order of the Dry for the House
resolving itself into a Committee on the Westminster Improvement
Bill.

The Speaker having left the Chair, the Bill passed through the
Committee, the !louse resumed, and the report was ordered to be
received to-morrow.

COURT OF CHANCERY.
The ATTORNE Y.GCNERA I. said he rose, in pursuance to a
notice which he had given on a former night, to move for leave to
bring in a Bill to carry into effect the measures recommended by the
Commissioners appointed to inquire into the proceedings of the
Court of Chancery. The House was aware that after the various
allusions which had been made to this subject, both inside the walls
of that House and outside, it became necessary for him to enter at
some length into the consideration of the manner in which the
Commissioners had performed their duty, as wcll as into the nature
of the measures reeommended by them for the adoption of Fat-
' 'lament. In stating the nature of the measures recommended, he
feared he should be led into a Ind tiplleity of dry and uninteresting
details ; but when the Muse recollected that these details related
to the reform of the highest judicial establishment in the kingdom
—when they recollected that the question involved so much of the
property of the kingdom and its best interests—he hoped, however
dry ana uninviting the subject might be, the House would bear
with him. (Hear. helm) tie had heard many observations in
and out of Parliament on the constitution of the Commission. In.
deed he had heanf it asserted in that House that nothing good could
arise from the labours of such Commissioners. It had also been
sail by an lion. Gentleman, that it was quite ridiculous to expect
any good results from a Commission an constituted. The inquiry
was long; it involved much technicality and matters of great WI.