The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1826-05-06 00:00:00

(BANK CHARTER BILL

The Earl of LIVERPOOL moved that the amendments made
by the House of Commons to that Bill should be considered. Ilia
Lordship did not intend to enter at any length into a IN-
C:P*100 of those amendments, which, though extensive in their
number, were principally of a verbal nature. There wan, however,
one which woe very essential, and which was suggested in the other
House of Parliament by persons who had great experience in
banking, anti were the most competept judges of those regulations
by which banks should be directed. The clause to which he al-
luded was that which allowed to banks established under that Act
the.appointment of agents in London to pay their notes. As far as
he could form an opinion, that clause would 1.1.111.1Ve some obstacles
which otherwise would greatly impede the winking of the Bill.
There was another amendinent, which obliged hanks to glee ■
rrusm of the names and number of their partners, to which his
Istedship did not anticipate any cbjection. It was satisfactory to
perceive that, since the lint introduction of the measure, the Bank
baa recognised the principle of establishing branches; and also that
some of the most respectable bankers in England had determined
upon forming themselves into joint-stock companies. There
remained but one private bank in the south of Ireland, and one or
two in Belfast. He saw no reason why the system of joint-stock
banking companies should not become as general in this part of the
United Kingdom as in Ireland.

The Marquis of LA NSDOWN did not rise for the purpose of
oupuslng the amendments, as they might be necessary to give
eifiert to the Bill ; and his Lordship approved particularly of that
clatise which allowed the appointment, of agents in Landon for
tioi purpose of paying the retell 91 companies established in the
omntry. He thou,tht the joint-stock banking companies, together
with the branches of the 11.1.1 c of England, would establish a
vs.toleviin.e circulation throughout the country. His Lordship
wilted to ask the Noble Earl at the head of the Treasury, what
was the amount of the advances made, under the guarantee of Go-
•ernmetit. by the Bank of England to trailers and manufacturers;
and also the extent of the applications which had been made to the
Bank ? He was aware that the question was one of considerable
importance, arid he would not therefore press it upon the Noble
Lard, if there was any objection to his 'lowering it.
The Earl of LIVERPOOL said that he could not give the
Noble Marquis an exact account of the sum advanced, but he was
authorized by the Bank of England to may that midi advances did
nut amount to 400.000/. The exact sum might be something be.
tween 370.000/. and 400,01101.; and he could not confine himself to
the answer, but must acknowledge the great liberality of the Bank
on that occasion. The deputations from the principal towns had been
met by the Bank with a candour and liberality that reflected great
et edit upon its Direemra.

The Earl of LAUDERDALE thought it would be of great
'Deviance if hanks established in Ireland were allowed to appoint
ateote in Dublin for the purpose of paying their notes and u such
a nnv.lege was granted to banks in England, be saw no reason
wt." the hanks in Ireland should not have the same advantage.
The subject was one of considerable importance, and he suggeetcd
to their J,"rdships the propriety of taking it into consideration.

CHARTERED SCHOOLS IN IRELAND.

The Bishop of FERNS moved that certain letters relating to the
Chartered Schools in Ireland should be read; which being done pro
Pixels by the Clerk, his Lordship said that it became Ids duty to
diked the character of those who managed the Cosner's.% Schools
in Irehod. Iron-. the aspersions thrown upon them by the Report
of the Commissioners of Education in Ireland. His Lordship then
entered into a long exculpatory address, to the course of which he
slated that, of the only three indictments which had been preferred
twaiest masters of Chartered Schools, two of them had been imme.
44ateJ, acquitted, without the Jury eves turning round in the box,

and the other was abandoned. Ilia Lordship said, that the Report I
of the Committee conveyed s very grave charge against the Corn.
mittee foefeonthieting Chartered Schools in Ireland known by the
name sof the Committee of Fifteen from its number, and which was
not borne out by the evidence contained in that Report. The Tem-
poral Government in Ireland had required that the Curate (Watch
parish should be called on to attend the schookand a book was kept
for the purpose of his entering any observations therein which ap-
peared worthy of novice: an attested copy of that book wns sent to
the Committee of Fifteen every half-year, as well as the Report of
the local Committee of the neighbourhood, specially appointed to
imp's', the progress of education. On a late occasion, he had seen
926 petitions for admission to those tichools, out of which number
662 were orphans, and the proportion of Catholics formed one.
fourth of the whole; and from the year 1732, when the Chartered
Schools were established, up to the present time, there had been
between twelve and thirteen. thousand children apprenticed. His
Lordship concluded by observing that his object, on the present
occasion, had been to weaken the effect of the Report of the C.oin-
missionersof Education Inquiry in Ireland, by showing that the Re.
port was hastily drawn up, and that if it had been more maturely
considered and compared with the evidence, it would hare been
essentially different.

Lord KING said, that he must beg leave to offer a few ob-
servations on what had fallen from the Right Rev. Prelate. One
part of his observations had been directed to show that the rules
which were made for the regulation of chartered schools had been
complied with. It appeared that, according to one of those
ruler., made on the 23d Slay, 1796, the catechist was to visit cacti
school once in every weak. It appeared, however, that that system
had fallen into dusreputen though he found the regulation main-
tained in January,lllol, when it appeared that a quarterly gratuity
of 21. Ills, was to be allowed for the weekly report so to be made.
According to the Report of the Commissioners which he held in
his hand, it appeared that in some instances an occasional fetter,
agreeable to that regulation, had been received, but in other that
one only had been received in nine months, and from others none
at all; so much for the catechists ! The RiAlit Rev. Prelate had
found great fault with the Report at large, and said that it was not
in accordance with the evidence; but he (Lord King) must be per-
mitted to say, that the Report reflected the highest credit on those
who had framed it. The Right Rev, Prelate had no doubt
a great portion of his time in Ireland, and therefore, per-
grossed ,
lie was not aware that it was not now the fashion in Eng-
land—and in using that phrase, he did it on the authority of a
Noble Lord of that House—it was not now the fashion to justify
the misuse of the public money and an extravagant expenditure.
It appeared that 1.600,0001. had been expended on those schools;
1,000,0001. of which had been voted by Parliament, and the
remaining 600,0001. had been obtained from other sources ; and
the number of persons apprenticed out appeared to be somewhat
about 7,900. Ile thought there was the most disgraceful neglect
on the part of the Committee of IBIS, and he begged leave to say
that there was a great deal of difference between the clergy of Eng-
land and those of Iretund. The clergy of Ireland were placed, as
it were, in a missionary country, and they were bound by the duty
of an oath to perform many duties which did not attach to that of
the Church of England. The oath administered by the Bishop
on the ordination or presenting to a living was, that the curate
' or incumbent should endeavour to learn and instruct his parish-
ioners in the English language, and to form a school for that pur-
pose, taking such a stipend for the same as appeared to be neces-
sary. It the tithes belonged to the clergy, it was their duty to in.
sliute an inquiry, and see that the school was properly kept up.
Some paltry eubterfnee had been assigned as to the sum of forty
shillings being insufficient for the purpose ; if that was so, and
they could not get them at that price, they ought to raise the sa-
laries, as they had raised the tithes, and not call upon Parliament
for further assistance. His (Lord King's) complaint was not so
much against the subalterns of the Irish church as against the
spiritual staff of that country, in reference to these establishments,
because it was their duty to ace that they were properly managed.
Of the whole number of schools, ten only had proper schoolhouses,
three had very indifferent ones, and twenty-one were totally with.
out, whilst the amount of subscriptions of the Irish church
amosmted only to the sum of six hundred pounds. The Report
stated great neglect on the part of the entral and local Committees;
that they had connived at great and crying abuses and malpractices
in the chartered schools. In that of Sligo, the children were sub.
jested to positive slave labour—they were worked. not taught ; and
yet it was said the Catechist had there done his duty ; but to show
how that duty was done, it was necessary to refer to the Report.
The Catechist was to make a return of the ages of the children,
and It would be found, on reference to those returns, that almost ex-
traordinary peculiarity existed as to these children. According to
the returns, it appeared that one boy was 14 veers old for three
years, then he became 16, and at last went back to IS. Another
was 16 for four years. Another was 16, then 15, then IN, and
then only IS, and that wits all, because the master might have the
benefit of their services. Vet it wan said the Catechist had done his
duty. He (Lord King) did not know whether he was the same
person, described under the name of the Rev, Villiam Artnetrong,
who spoke to the discipline and healthy appearance of the children,
an they moved to church in a manner which was grateful to every
good Christian. He (Lord King) considered such a representation
as mere cant ; more particularly it' he was the same man who per-
mitted such falsehoods to be stated as he had read. Then, in some
of the schools, great ignorance existed ; some of the children did
not know who St. Paul was, while others had never heard of such
place as Europe; and yet the Catechists did their duty. In Strad.
bully, as in other places, cruelty had been inflicted on the children,
and yet the usher had been whitewashed. Indeed, he (Lord
King) recollected very few instances of cruelty being punished ;
there was, however, one about twenty years ago, ;bat he remem-
bered, that of General Wall, who was hanged. But captains
of ships and slave-owners were never found guilty ; neither
were ushers at schools found guilty ; and yet he was din.
posed to give about as much credit to the one as to the other.
' There was another rise which marked the character of the com-
mittee of inenagenient, which was, that the master against whom a
charge was brought was remunerated before trial. That individual,
it appeared, stated, that a air. Leslie Foster had made charges
against him three or four times; and that was the way lie spoke of
that gentleman, well knowing that the Board would protect him ;
and they did, for they appointed him to a better situation before
the day of trial. The Board rewarded their officers without know.
ing what they were about, and took upon themselves to direct
without knowing any thing of the character of the ease. Sir J.
Fitzpatrick. Ale Howard, and Mellisney, agreed in their evidence,
that the object of the chartered schools was to take the children
from their Catholic parents. They were elected to the schools, and
the Irish clergy did not do their duty in supporting those friendless
children, whether orphans or not ; they had no natural guardians,
but the resident clergy, who ought to be their protectors. Is a
great number of instances he must say that the Irish clergy lived
in habitual neglect of their duty, in defiance of the laws, and in
contempt of their oath. After such information as the Report
afforded lie doubted much whether they could be enabled to per-
suade Parliament to give them any more public money. They
found the officers of the Society combining with the officers of the
Charity—the one lending the other money, the object of which
was ably to cloak abuses. In ogre Instance the wife of one of the
parties was a contractor for the clothing, and there were very
many other abuses which existed, as it was proves!, with the know-
ledve of the committee, but which had not been communicated by
them. bin by a stranger. Under all these circumstances he was
not eiposed to grant one shilling more of the public money for the
chartered schools in Ireland.

Tie Bishop of IN and FERNS explained.

The Marquis of LANSDOWN said that he wished to offer a
few words but did not mean to go at large into the subject of the
ChartereeSehools. With respect to the papers, he must, in justice
to the Committee of Eduettion in Ireland, say that the accusation
against them by the Right Rev. Prelate, that they had led the
public to entertain the opinion that the Chartered Schools were im-
properly managed by the Catechists not having done their dote,
was completely negatived ; for the documents moved for by the
Right Rev. Prelate fully proved the truth of the poaition they were
intended to refute, The exculpatory documents before their Lord-
ships proved that Inv many months together not one toter had been
received from the Catechists of those schools, and the Right Rev.
Prelate could not say but that they had been very generally ne-
glected, The lams that had been sent front time to time were on
indifferent Rehire's, and did not enter into the state of the schools.
If he had read those letters only which came in exculpation, he
should have formed the very worst opinion of those schools. In
'lie very first page of those exculpatory documents, moved for by the
Hight Rev. Prelate, he (hoed Lansdown) thund that a person had
been recommended to a situation who was a reputed thief, and upon
a remonstrance bring wade, it was said at the school, though Nine
acts of the sort had been committed, that they had not arrived at
such a height as to bring disgrace upon the individual. In another
instance the instructress of a school said she could not e irry on the
school because she had not been furnished with any books. In
another instance a person was called upon to recommend two girls,
and out of 74, the number of which the school consisted, only tour
were pronounced to be eligible; one was deficient in teeth, another
had sure eyes, and the two remaining ones were pronounced to be
so deficient in talent and education, as to be wholly unfit for the '
situations fur which they were required. In another place there
was a statement that one school was without knives and forks, and
another without linen. All the letters went to stow the most ex-
traordinary state of ignorance of those to whom the power of ins es-
tigation was entrusted, and their Lordships would not find in the ex-
culpatory documents one single document that did nut throw addl.
tional disgrace on the management of the Chartered Schools in
Ireland. Certain he was that they could only bring down disgrace
on the systera, and he hoped that the result of the inquiry would be
such as to insure a more useful application of the funds for the
education of the people. Ile was bound to state that the Com-
mittee of Education bad discharged their duty most accurately and
honourably, and he was bound to say, that if those letters now
before their Lordships had passed through the hands of that Com-
mittee, they would have enabled them to leave made even a stronger
Report than that upon their Lordships' table.

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The Earl of DARNLEY and Lord CLIFDEN bore testimony
to the conduct of the Committee of Education Inquire.
The Bishop of BATH and WELLS said, that he did not
doubt hut that great fault haul Ix en justly loured with the manner
in which the Chartered Schools had been conducted in Ireland ; at
the same lime be doubted if similar circumstances might not he
found in other places. But he trusted that good would come from
the Report, and that the Clergy in general and the Patrons would
devote their time more earefu.'y to the object before their Lord.
ships. At the same iinie it was Ids most anxious hope that nothing
that had been said that night would prevent the work of education
going on in Ireland, fut there was no place where religious educa-
tion was more wanting.

The difrerent Bilk on the table were then advanced one stage,
and their Lordahifis adjourned at a quarter to eight until Monday.

HOUSE OF COMMONS, FRIDAY, MAY &
At • gustier to foor o'clock the Speaker was summoned to the
House of Lords. whew the Royal assent given by Commission to
several Bills; for which see Lords' report.
BIRSIINGHA3I AND LIVERPOOL RAILWAY.
Mr. LAWLEY presented a petition from the owners of land
in the Intended line of the Liverpool and Birmingham railway,
praying that the Bill might sot pass into a law. Ile took that op-
portunity of stating that he believed it would be better to withdraw
the Bill, until the prejudices which at present existed against it
were removed. Under this impression, he would move that it be
read a second time that day three months ; which was agreed to.
PRISIM LAWS' BILL (IRELAND.)
Sir J. NEWPORT presented a petition from Waterford, pray-
ing • clause In the Prison Laws' Bill might not be suffered to
peas, which elmres reload to the attendance of physicians at those
prisons.
Mr. ELLISON presented a petition from the shipowners of
Newcastle-upon-Tyne, praying that a protecting duty might be
placed upon foreign shipping ; and that such other measures should
be taken to protect the Interests of the petitioners as should seem
proper to the House.
Lord STANLEY presented a petition from the inhabitants of
Llewellyn, praying that the duty might be taken off coals and
culm.—Ordered to be printed.
Sir T. ACLAND presented a petition from the Inhabitants of
South Melton, playing for the abolition of slavery in the Colonies.
MACHINERY.

Mr. HUME said, that he held in his hand a petition from the
machine.makers of Alsochester, and their workmen, which he
deemed one of the utmost importance. The petitioners stated that
great numbers of the men employed in the manufacture of ma..
elsinery were actually starving, and yet that their employers had
orders enough from abroad to employ them all, if the prohibitory
laws upon the exportation of machinery were removed. Foreigners,
Wits were engaging Bose workmen by hundreds, had actually
stated that they would not take them away if they could get the
machinery. Titus the country was depriving itself of great advan-
tages, for the sake of continuing a mistaken line of policy. He
was aware that great prejudices existed on the part of the manufac-
turer, of the country, and that they would be disposed to imagine
that Government, by shesbrogatfon of the laws prohibiting the ex-
portation of machinery, were encouraging foreigners to enter into
competition with the manufacturers of this country ; but neverthe.
less those laws were incompatible with the system of free trade, and
°welt to be repealed. It had been his intention, in the early part
of the Session, to have submitted a motion to the House for the
repeal of that lisaN width was the only remaining one upon the sta-
tute-book opposed to free trade; but, on consulting the Pre-
sident of the Board of Trade upon the subject, he found that
the Right Honourable Gentleman was afraid, in the present
state of the manufacturing interests, to meddle with the ques-
tion. Ile regretted that he had been guided by his advice, for
he felt that no class of artisans were of more importance to the
country than machine-makers. He also regretted deeply the recent
proceedings at Blackburn which were calculated only to do mis-
chief to those who supposed that they were rendering themselves a
benefit by those outrageous proceedings. He did not think the
power-looms were by any means an injury to the manufacuttiring
classes, because various artisans were employed in their construe.
tion ; he hoped those deluded men, who had committed such out-
rages for the destruction of those machines, would learn the 'nix.
chief and folly of such conduct. He would yield in wishes for the
prosperity and happiness of the operative manufacturers to no man,
but he could not approve or countenance conduct which must be
most injurious to thaw persons, and add to the calamity which
already existed. He hoped Ministers would, even at that late period
of the session, devise some measure for the relief of those persons,
which could only be done by attending to the prayer of the petition,
and removing those restrictions apinat the exportation of ms.
chinery. If those restrictions were removed, he thought, front all
he had heard, the effect would be that our artisans would not be in.
doted to go abroad as they had done, and carry to foreign nations
the knowledge which they possessed in the construction of those
machines. These persons had often been induced to quit this coun-
try and to go to Francs Machinery should, in his opinion, be
placed on the same footing as other articles of manufacture. lie
could not, for his part, discover any good reason for their being
excepted. This line of policy was injurious to the country, and
served only to shackle our own energies; and, in his opinion, the
prayer of the petition was entitled to the attention of the House.
Mr. P. GRENFELL said lie regretted the petition had been
brought forward in the absence of Ministers, because he was con-
vinced their opinions on the subject of the petition coincided with
his own and that of his lion. Friend. There were at present 150
men employed in the manufacture of those machines, who were se-
riously injured by those restrictions; but the most decided proof of
the Impoltcy of continuing those laws was tile fact that they did
not prevent the exportation of machinery ; for if it was not smug-
gled out of the country, they contrived to smuggle the artisans.
They were seduced, as it was called, to go abroad. The conse-
quence of those restrictions would be to induce foreigners to get
mto the fabrication of those machines. There could be no doubt
but France would soon establish manufactures for the purpo-e, to
the serious injury of our own. So long ago as the conclusion of
the American war, Government prevented the exportation of copper
bolts and nails. France, in consequence, established manufactures
for those articles at Rouen, which was injurious to similar establish-
ments in this country.
The petition was then ordered to be printed.
Mr. 1111:3IE said he had a similar petition from the operative
machine-manufacturers of Manchester. The petitioners complained
that, in consequence of those restrictive laws, they were unable to
find employment and were in a state of starvation, and prayed the
House for a repeal of laws so injurious to their intereats.—Ordered
to be printed.
ABOLITION OF SLAVERY.

Sir WARRENDER presented a petition from Jedburugh,
praying for the abolition of Negro Slavery.
LORD NORBURY.

Mr. SCA KLETT said he btd 1;;(i some meiime in his possession a
petition front a gentleman of the Irish Bar (D. O'Connell, Esq.),
complaining of the inefficiency of the Right Hon. Lord Norbury
(Lor( Chief Justice of the Common Pleas, in Ireland) to perform the
duties of his office. He had omitted to present the petition until the
present period, in the expectation that some circumstance might arise
to preclude the necessity of its presentation; even then he felt con.
siderable reluctance, end would have felt more satisfaction had
it been in the hands of some Member for Ireland, who would
have been better acquainted with the circumstances adverted to in
the petition. The petitioner stated that the inefficiency of the
Noble Lord proceeded from the infirmities of age; that he was
afflicted a ith deafness and a lethargic stupor, which rendered him
unable to attend to the evidence produced in Court; and he instanced
a case of murder, which was tried at the AMISCS for the county of
Westmeath, during which his Lordship fell asleep, and the
Counsel reenwimeaded the Jury to take full notes of the
evidence, that it might he laid before his Lordship when he
awoke. The petitioner added, that he considered the Noble
Lord incompe:cnt to pay that attention to the evidence which
is necessary. for a fair administration of justice. It was a
matter of notoriety, that such was the infirm ststd of the Noble
Lord, that the petitioner states that lie would refer to any of the
Noble Lord's colleagues, or to any gentleman practising at the
Irish Bar, to corroborate the allegations contained in his petition.
He (the petitioner) was influenced by feelings of a public nature to
send forward the petition ; his private sentiments were not in uni-
son with its tendency. Mr. Searlett said, as he-was unacquainted
with the entire circumstances of the petition. he would not found
any motion upon it. The Noble Gard had arrived at a great age,
and Time, who was a great innovator, might have deprived him of
the exercise of those faculties which alone could mnhe him an effi-
cient Judge, and the loss of which might induce him to resign his
office, should such a resignation he considered necessary.
Mr. GOULBURN said he did not think it necessary to say
much on the subject, as the lion and Learned Gentleman did not
intend to found a motion upon it. It was scarcely necessary to call
the attention of the House to the position in.which the petition
placed the Noble lewd; and it was likewise to.be considered that
it was signed but by one individual, who, howevereespectable, was
not to be eonsiciered to repro • I the general feeling. He could not
pretend to point out the precise age at which a man was rendered
incompetent for the discharge of judicial duties, but he would
assert that there now were Judges exercising their judicial avoers-
tions with advantage to the country, who were as advanced in years
as the Noble Lord. He had had frequent opportunity of convers-
ing with his Lordship, and he never discovered anything in the
'observations of .his Noble Friend which could warrant en opinion
that he was inadequate to the performance of his duties. lie had
not the honour to be I practitioner at the Irish Bat, but lie could
give some idea of the opinion entertained of the Lord Chief Justice
of the Common.Pleae, by the authority referred to in the petition,
confirmatory of the allegations of the petition. At the last Session
a case was trietLbefore the Noble Lord, at which, he diffited in
opinion on a point of law from the other three Judges who sat
with him; that .point was afterwards submitted to the twelve
Judges, and they decided in favour of the view which the Lord
Chief Justice had taken of It. lie;thought that fact, in the ab-
sence of any proof in support of the statements of the petition,
quite sufficient to satisfy the House that the Noble Lord was com-
petent to the exercise of his judicial duties. Parliament might.
perhaps, think proper to interfere, and to enact a law which should
' define the age at which a Judge would be incompetent to perform
the duties of his office.
The petition 'was then read, when
MeNORTH addressed the House— but the lion. Member at first
spoke in so lop a tone of voice that we found it very difficult to
catch his observations—as well as we could collect them, he paid,
if the questitin was put to him, as an Irish lawyer and an Irish
gentleman, whether the Noble Lord WRY cnmpetent to discharge
the duties of his office, he would say, that having advanced to the.
age of US, it could nut be thought invidious' to impute to him a
want of sufficient energy to perform such important duties. Ile
thought that at that age he would have consulted better his own
case, and the wishes of his friends, had lie retired from the toil of
judicial duties for himself, he hsd practised for teeny years in the
Court in which the Noble Lord presided, front Whom lie had in-
variably received the Utmost courtesy and attention ; lie had wit.
nessed the talent and acutenesa with which he • hail ilischerged the
important duties of his high office. When, from the intinnides inse-
prrable Rom old age, lie should retire from that office, lie could as-
sure the House he would leave behind him the grateful remem-
brance of the coiirtesy and kindness, which those who knew him
always experienced, long alter time recollection of his infirmities
were buried in oblivion.

The petition wasticriordered to Ile on the table.
IRIS!! NEWS PAPERS.
fIUME presented a petition Irian the proprietor of
the Dobbs Weekly Rerisfer. complaining of a partial and un.
fair distribution of Oovernment advertisements ; lie stated that he
wax ready to prove at the Bar of the !louse that what he (Mr.

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