The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1826-02-04 00:00:00

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had been adopted reapecting the trial of the slaves accused of in-
surrection in Jamaica.
The CHANCF.I.I.OR of the ENCITEQIJEft suggested the
propriety of appointing another day. as be had already timed the
2lst inst. for the important questions concerning the banking
artem, and the currency of the country.
Mr. DEN3IAN was willing to necommodate, and with this
view, as also not to delay the witnesses, he would select Monday
aennight.

RECOVERY OF SMALL DEBTS.
The ATTIMNEY-GENERA I. gave notice of a motion which
hod for its object a wore summary movery of debts under the
amount of 131.

BANK OF ENGLAND.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER moved for copies
of the correspondence which occurred between the First Lord ot the
Treasury and the Chancellor of the Exchequer and the Directors of
the Bank of England, in reference to the exclusive privileges en.
joycd by that Corporation.—Ordered.

• - •
EXPENDITURE.
Mr. HERR I ES moved thet a Return of the Income and E:pen•
diture of England and Ireland during the preceding year be laid
before the Ilouvc.—Ordered. •
•

CORN LAWii. •
Mr. W. WHITMORE wished to offer s few observations nn
what fell from the oppositeside of the Cootie on the laatnight. Prom
many topics which had been introduced he did not mean to dissent. It
waa a sin of omission which excited his remarks at present. No
allusion had been made, either in the Speech from the Throne or
by his Majesty's Ministers, to a subject of paramount importance,
which, during the last Meeting of Parliament, they had pledged
themselves to bring forward. lie regretted exceedingly that his
Majesty's Minister* had altered their determination in this respect,
for he was fully convinced that no measure was more calculated than
the one in contemplation to rivet the attention of Parliament. Ile
did not, however, mean to assert that his Majesty's Ministers
had giren this pledge without any intention of redemption. On
the contrary, he entertained no doubt, under the circumstances of
the case, the charge of duplicity cotild not be imputed. They had
evinced on many occasions a very laudable anxiety to promote the
interests, and to relieve the distil:4sta of the community. For
what they had thus done he gave them credit. lint he asked them
how could the Corn Laws hz omitted in the system which they
were recently punning ? Ministers must be aware that this sub-
ject should form the groundwork of any measure which respected
freedom of trade. Under the conception, therefore, that they were
nut insincere in the promise, ignorant of the efficacy of the proposed
measure, or disinclined to relieve the community, he must suppose
that some potent cause exists to account foe the omission. The
question is decidedly of primary Importance. but some secret in.
fluence operates to control their feeling. He regretted that the
question was left in his hands, but so fully convinced was he that
the system of free trade could not be carried on iwithout the intro.
duction of this subject to the notice of Parliament, that he felt
himself warranted and compelled by the refusal of Ministers, to
agitate the proceeding. The Government might he restrained by
respect to conflicting interests, but such a plea had no validity in
the direction of his conduct. Ile heard with satisfaction that
Ministers were not to he deterred from pursuing the policy which
they recommended to Parliament to the fast Session. Though the
opposed interests to which he had alluded might prevent them
Rom starting the question, he did not look for any resistance on
their part if the question was proposed front another quarter. He
did not mean to detail the specific nature of his measure, but he
was anxious to point out to the House, and to those suffering under
the Infliction of the Corn Laws, that they might look forward to
the change. It was impossible to avoid seeing with concern that
which, if deranged Itself, deranges every thing between man and
man. He agreed with the suggestion advanced last night, that
silver as well as gold should be a atrun'ard metal. Many objections
would be made, but there was a plan which in his mind would be
sufficient to obviate them. lie would trouble the House with no
further observation, but he gave notice that he would ow a future
day make a motion on the subject.

INDIAN AFFAIRS.
Sir C. FORBES agreed with what had been stated concerning
the origin and progress of the Burmese war. He did not wish to
interfere with the policy of that war in the commencement, but
whatever occasion might then hove existed for its origin, was coun-
teracted at present by a necessity for its immediate termination.
His 31ajesty's Speech held out hopes to this effect, but it appeared
to hint that now, at the expiration of two years, there was no greater
prospect of such an event titan at the beginning. It was a war of
extermination, of which he could see no end. The British ttuops
might reach the capital of the Burmese without effecting this con-
summation. All succeeding intelligence from India confirmed his
&arson this subject. it was stated in the Speech from the Throne
last Sessions that the Native Powers were friendly to this country.
He would have felt gratified at a repetition of this assurance in the
Speech of the present Session. But a hostile disposition had been
evinced in more than one quarter. Tke Honourable Gentleman
then proceeded to recommend the removal of the British troops from
the Burmese territory. lithe original aggression was unjust, such
a course was necessary. but in any case it was desirable to finish a
war of useless expenditure of blood and treasure. Ile regretted
that the expectations of all the people of sense in this country had
not been gratified by the real of Lord Amherst. He should
also enter his protest against the measures which had been adopted
towards the East India silk. Was it not sufficient that the cotton
and silk of that country were excluded ?
Mr. CURWEN, after a few observations concerning India, the
purport of which could not be collected in the gallery, expressed his
conviction that it was incorrect to ascribe all the existing disttess to
the operation of the Corn Laws. lie did not, however, think that
this was the moment for agitating the question.
The Right Hon. C. W. WYNN felt that the conduct pursued
in India was the result of sound discretion. The question which
had been introduced, however, appeared in the nature of an epi-
code. He expected that the lion. Gentleman would have given
him an opportunity of speaking on the topic, and he therefore passed
it over. The Honourable Gentleman denied last year the neces-
sity and justice of the Burmese war, but the decl,tration of Lord
Amherst proved that the war had been provoked. From that do-
cument it was clear that the Burmese had exercised every species
of aggreasiou to excite hostilities, until at last it was impossible, in
regard to honour or safety, to allow them to proceed with impu-
nity. They had by various encroachments extended the line of
their atrocities so far that it was no difficult matter for them to at-
tack the British capital in that country. But the Hon. Gentleman
has stated that the British troops exhibited no bravery. Whenever
they appeared, however, the enemy fled before them. In the last
campaign at Rangoon were not the Burmese repulsed? Did they
not retreat because they were beaten, and could make no stand ?
He did not like to express a sanguine opinion on a subject, where
the operations connected with it are so remote; hut he was satisfies!
in his own mind that the Burmese war would be brought to an
honourable conclusion. The lion. Gentleman had designated it as
"'a war from which neither honour nor profit could be derived."—
Profit! If by this term prize-money was meant, perhaps there
would not. But was it not profitable to repress insolence and to
maintain the dignity of the British name? The Right Hon. Gent.
then denied that there had been any unfriendlydisposition manifested
by the Native Powers. When the family of Berampoor differed,
the British Government refused to interfere at the suggestion of Sir
David Ochterloney. The refusal was grounded on the absence of
offence, and as the dowager widow was favourable to the successful
party. If Sir David Ochterloney's intention had been executed
what clamours would hare been raised ! The Government would
have been charged with wantonly attacking one of the strongest
(outcast. in India. Another objection was founded on the impoliey
of carrying the war into the enemy's country ; but front the extent
of terrnoty an offensive war was more easily conducted than a de.
fensive one. By this mode the British troops had obtained posses-
sion of Armen and other conatderable places, anti the natives have
expressed the highest gratification at their deliverance from the
shackles of the Burmese. The Right Hon. Gentleman then pro-
ceeded to detail the operations of the four divisions of the British
army, and stated that they had expnrienced uniform success. They
had, indeed, been seriously afflicted by sickness, hut the last ac.
counts represented the return of the troops to health and activity.
The Right Hon. Gentleman would conclude with impressing the
necessity which existed for a demonstration of vigour on the part of
the British to repel insult. Situated as the Government is there,
however it may regret, it cannot decline war.
Mr. C. 11. HUTCHINSON rose to defend his friends who had
spoken on the subject of the war in India from the attack of the
Right lion. Gentleman of the Treasury Bench. Those friends had
never Intended to cast any impt.tation upon the army generally ;
their observations applied only to the conduct nt those alto lied in.
•tituted the war, and to the difficulties to which that conduct bad
led. The Right lion. Gentleman, the Secretary of the Board of
Control, had charged his Hon. Friend (Mr. Hume) with having
introduced episodes into his speech • he hoped he would go on
without fear of being put down by the Treasury Bench, in a line
of conduct which had proved so honourable to himself and useful
to the country. The Speech from the Throne had one great omis-
pion, though he could not but say it was highly creditable gener-
ally, from its noticing in the first paragraph the pecuniary distresses
of the country, and the determination of his Majesty's Government
to meet them ; wal he (Mr. Hutchinson) could not but give his
Majesty's Ministers great credit for the anxiety they had evinced
in meeting them; indeed. if they did nut do so, the Ilouses of Per-
'lament would. Ile could not but highly approve of the commer-
cial regulations which had been of late adopted ; he fully concurred
also In the happiness expressed for the continuance of peace among
all nations, but what he had wished to have heard was, and that
was the omission of which he complained, that Ministers, in the
twice of Ireland in that Speech. did not say they would promote
such measures as would do good to that country, although certainly
its prosperity was noticed as matter of amgrattilation. It was
stated by his Majesty's Ministers, that the improved state of in.
&tatty in Ireland was owing to the tranquillity it enjoyed. lie
(Mr. Mitchinson) believed such to be the case, but he wished to
know what assurance the House ball of its continuaece, for until

the great questions that respected that country had been entertained
by Parliament, the prosperity of that country rested on no stable
foundation. Seven millions of persons would not be satisfied until
their grievances were redressed ; and when he looked to the mili-
tary possession of Spain by Frazee, and remembered the combina-
tion of the forces of those countries in the time of Napoleon against
England, he could not but look with extreme anxiety to the situa-
tion of those seven millions of ,tubjects, and feared this country
could not be considered inn state of security until the measures that
respected their happiness had been carried in both Houses of Par.
liament. The situation of Bavaria, and the conduct of the Sove-
reign of that State, was a bright example of liberal policy. lie
(Mr. Hutchinson) had seen the address of the King of • France,
wbo intimated therein his intention of relieving his people
from nineteen millions of taxation; Iris Majesty also said, in
the same address, that he had recognised the independence of
St. Domingo, ter that it was necessary that the wounu which had