The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1819-05-20 00:00:00

URCH BRIEFS.

11r. Hall, Gnu. the A:laurel. awl Fire.Offire, prevenicil
11,1,....t of the *umber of Dm f 4 i.oned for 5ei..... ing
ciriariail;e• r. —The net torus wwir ordered to he printed
ira..s; FILE BARBOUR BILL.
on lit met,ua nT
fir ROBLIIT VAIIIGIIAN, the Dundee
Wulsour Bill was readilre t!'ini time, mud titian!.
C(IA L BCI3 ES.
The Lott) ReGtlar-att of 'Scotland p, willed R Petition
f, oat th. Freehohltit of Dotnbvetunshirt; azairhit any threa-
t son ... the Curl Duties.—Lnid en the IVie.
UN LICRNSED vitAcTiTioNEtts TIIL LAW.
slr. LYTTILLTosi presenle.l a Petit ttttt fruat tevertl bull.
colors and AStUI awn of the City of Westmiuster mynas. per-
alfils witetouing in the(- prefeatiuu atihout lieetuna.—laid
on the table.
31 F.NAI STRAIT RBI ()Gt.
sir Jolts Nru ruin' presentwl a Petition front the City of
~, favour ul the 31enat Strait's Bildge.—Ordered
to be priuted.
IRIMINAL LAW.
Mr. Dow 'trim FLL pt r*elalral a relit (runt Tewkesbury
fa a rrti,„,,, of the Celsilisol lAws.—Ordered to Ix referred
iu the Conintii lee on Inc Crinlinal Laws.
01()it's RATES %I PPLI('ATION BILL.
Mr. A hgerstran •VuOlit risol, lie twin .a Petit ttttt hit hand
/nom a 11141 h lint of Pulsout prof. •sinx the J.Nish Itelig 1111 l
eho e.,,oplsn,rtlof the etreet *lnch the Hill Is lure the
floosie would have upon perwn,s of their persun•iu... The
rw. ow wily ruotnhalrd to the support of Ilwir own pow,
but weir also arty I,IMrtI supporter.. of lime poser of other
it-lig:m.si. II) Ili, Ail stow 'rehire the Rouse, the &testi
Ira to M of os demi; tel of le the children of /LI% is

at their limner, who tould Ind, wording to their tenets, Ira
educated in the work-house, would he taken away. He oh-
jetted to the alteration sn far as it affected persons of the
Jewish persuasion, and would, at the proper time, submit a-
clause to that effect.
The Petitio• was laid on the table, end ordered to be
priuted.
Timms ASSESSMENTS.
Mr. Alderman Woon rose, to timer that the order of last
night, for an sit from the Tax.Orfice of tile real value
of all property in the City of London, be oliechargerl. After
what bed passed last Meld, the Hun. Baronet who made
the motion most be sensible that nu such •ccinint was now
tree y. The only effect it 'could have would be to im-
pose upon the public • large C11111'110! (sir printing.
Sir JAMES GilArlAlf amid he cmild have nu objection to
the motion being withdrawn.—The order *as accorsltngly
discharged.
LOTT ER I .F.S.
Wtt.lviro*CF presented a Petition from 13ury St.
Eilmuuds, against the system of roister( money by State Lot-
teries. The Hon. Member observed, that this Petition
urged, in • eery short, very pithy, snit very impressive man-
ore, the nhjrctiwrs c ainst those Lotter ICI.
The Priiiil/11 *as laid on the table, and ordered to he
printed.
CASE OP GENERAL Boy D.
Mr. WlLetenronts Lieu gave Notice, that on this day
furturght he would bring forward a motion respecting the
late proceedings in the ease of General Boyd. Irs the in-
terim he had reason to Ii Irma that papers elucidatory of
the facts would be laid before the Honer.
ROYAL BURGHS.
The Hon. Member presented • Petition from the Royal
Burgh of Aristretber, against the Royal burgh Account Bill.

FACH EQV ER FINES.
Me D. W HARVEY gave notlce of a motion for tomor-
row, m the euttiert of the amount of Exchequer lima m-
ei seed and cumprumi•ed within the hod year.

M EATH HOSPITAL.
On the moti )))) of Mr /toilette SHAW. the Meath Huspiial
13111 waa reed the third time mid passed.

EXCISE INFORMERS.
Lord llExits' HOWARD rose to present a Peti-
tion from else iiillitbitants of the town of Arundel,
against the system observed by the Board of Ex-
cise respecting the prosecutions they instituted on
the oaths of informers. The Noble Lord stated,
the Petitioners warmly complained of the manner
iii which those prosecutions were instituted and con-
ducted ; they stated, that so glaring had the con-
thict of informer* been, that the Board of Excise
was itself obliged to twit round upon those inform-
who were punished, some of them by hanging,
transporting, and confiniug. He trusted the House
would see the necessity of attending to the prayer of
the Petition, And reforming a system so pregnant
with abuse.---/ Hear.)
Mr. W A VEER BURRELL strongly recommended
the Petition to the attention of the House. The
greatest grievances were apparent in the county of
Sussex, horn the system pursued by the Excise
Board. Four of these informers were convicted
last year the crime of perjury. He was as
anxious as any man to prevent smuggling, but he
• might that in the mode of punishing the offence
sonic attention ought to be paid to the morals of
the people. The Him. Member then quoted the
case of Mr. (feisty, a Gentleman residing within
four miles of Worthing ; be was charged on the
oaths of some ruffians of having smuggled some
spirits into his premises at a time when he offered
the Clem est evidence of his being absent from home
at the tune the crime was alleged to have been
c ((((( united. Yet the evidence of those ruffians
Was taken, though eventually Mr. Hetity vucceeded
in convictiog than of gross and wilful perjury.
The CHANCELLOR of the ExcitEouga said,
that whatever grounds of complaint had arisen in
Mr. !fealty's case had been removed, so far us the
Iliend of Excise could remove them, on the dis-
covery of the imposition which had been practised
upon them. But he could not see how this Peti-
t uuld be acted upon by the House. It was
true that the Petitin.. contained a general coin-
platitit, but it stated no fact in its support, no
name. no dates, nothing, in fact, in the way of
specific complaint that was tangible, or could be
mode the matter of inquiry by the Board.
Mr. BEN mur r said, that so far from there being
mo in this Petition to justify inquiry, he
thuught there was every thing, for the Petition re-
ferred to a transaction which had occurred in a
Court of Justice. where the perjury mid profligacy
of the Excise informers was openly exposed and
pt a . un lied The question was, whether those acts
complained of had been done or not? Information
had been given by two persons of smuggling to the
Customs ; um inquiry. their information was found
to be false, and the persons, instead of being dis-
charged, were taketi into the employ of the Board
of I.:xcise. Infurination had been laid against Mr.
Oliver, a very respectable gentleman of the county
of Sussex, that lie was engaged in smuggling on a
particular day in a certain vessel. Ou inquiry, it
sikirared that the vessel was in duck at the time.
Tfie informers then Changed their ground, and
minted another day ; when, mum fresh inquiry, it
appeared that on this Second day so name((, the
vessel was lying under seizure at the Custom-
House. The miscreants who had so perjured
themselves, instead of being eunished, were re-
leased by the Excise. In Mr. Herity's case,
the Board preferred the evidence of similar wretches
to the unque.itionable testuncipy adduced in coil.
to it lay the Cruitletsitin himself. One of
the !iilnimers against Mr. Ilenty au. at the time in
Iflorsentotiger.lasie oil a charge of murder, and
saiothar for theft. The perjury of others was at
leumth proved iii a Court of Law, but they
would have escaped 'on small bail were it not that
charges of felony were brought against them—they
were of course delaincil, and afterwards transported.
The Judge repeatedly admonished the %%illness,
Todd, at Mr. Ilentj's trial, in consequence of the
evidently perjured minister in which he was giving
los testimony. The ruffian swore lie had at the
'time taken a note of the particulars of the ',Urged
transactuois—and on pencil being put into his hand
for the purpose of proving, lie did out know how to
write,
,it was clearly 'hewn that the miscreant was
incapable of tracing a single letter iis the alphabet.
it was upon such testimony as this that the Solici-
tor of the Excise acted—upon testimony to which
no Police Magistrate in the country would for one
ait listen. It was for the Board of ,fxcise, it
would appear, to set the example of acting upon
the evidence of perjurers, vagrunts, Mid every sort
of miscreant. 'Ellis was the first time that a Minis.
ter of Hit Crown had retained to object to a Poi.
two being received, the main facts of ohith lie knew
to be Hoe. Li one of the cases, where the Board
were obliged to repay the Minty they bud done the
party prosecuted, and pay all the coats, the multi>,
had to pay 14 or 1,300 t. because, forsooth, the So-

•
licitor of the Excise thought propel to lend Ilk ear
to the falshoods ►,f these informers. Since the time
of the Court of Stair Cluouber such a jurisdiction
NS this had never existed. IVotild Ilse Home
believe, that in Mr. Ilentt•'s ease. the form
of the charge was so vague, that it Was in►possible
to know what day, between the months of January
and April, it was alleged to have hem romrr►ittrd.
It was a posunve tact, that the terror of these prose-
cutions in the instigation of such perjured informers
was so great, that thirteen men, who were now
known to he innocent of the crime of whirls they
stood charged, pleaded guilty, rather than be
brought to a distance from their homes, andsthen
tried where they knew they had no chance of escape.
He trusted the time would speedily arrive when the
whole system of those Excise prosecutions, and the
practise of the Courts respecting them, would be
inquired iutob with a review to their effectual
alteratims.

The ORS xcELLott of the EXCHEQUER explained,
that his objection to the Petition was not because
he would oppose any inquiry, but because he could
nut see how any inquiry could be satisfactorily made
unless specific Cilbr II Were stated.
Mr. I.usmlxoTors &feuded the conduct of
the Board of Excise, who hail in (Mr. flersty's case
paid the «hole costs Ow gentleulaii had been put
to, when they funnel they hail been imposed upon.
Ile really thought that a Petition complaining spe-
c.fically of no oppression, which Wil4 spell to ex•
islanution or inquiry on the facts of the case, ought
not to four. the ground of any proceeding before Par-
liament. lie assured his Flom Friend (Mr. W.
Burrell), that if any specific case of grievance
could be satisfactorily pointed out, it should be in-
stantly remedied, or if any specific remedy were
deviped, which without scrsenina the guilty would
shield the innocent, it would be immediately at.
tended to by the Bourd of Excise.
Mr. D. W. I-lA*3,LT suggested the propriety of
withdrawing the Petition, in the event of there being
no abjection to lay before Parliament copies of the
whole of the proceedings in the Case of Mr. Heuty.
There would he then documents before the House
which would he explanatory of the subject.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER repeated,
that his only objection to the Petition was, that
when it called for inquiry, it set forth no specific
facts upon which that iiiiptiry could he grounded.
Lord HENRY HOWARD replied, that the Peti-
tioners had contented themselves with brositly stat-
ing the existence of a grievance which it was thought
no man could be found to dispute. if particular
facts were necessary to support inquiry, many could
be found to bear nut the abhorrence which the Pe-
tioners had nettle present practice.

Mr. I.I.7MINGTON explained.
Mr. CURWEN said, there was a great deal of
oppression in the execution of the Excise Laws.
Ile did not complain of the employment of infor-
mers, bi-catise it wan perhaps necessary; hut when
their accusations were discovered to be groundless,
and individuals put to great trouble and expense,
lie thought they should be given up.
Mr. WALLAce. complaimed of the reflections
160%11 Oil the character or the Solicitor of Exciike
on a hornier night by the Member who had spoken
last. Hr said that thousands of compromises had
been made, whereas, on the production of a paper
ordered; it turned out they were but fourteen.

Mr. CURIVEN had no hesitation in saying that the
paper referred to had completely satisfied him. lie
bad been misinformed, and had he seen it pre-
viously, he would not have said what he did.
The Petition was then withdrawn.
REVENUE PAYMENTS.

A Message from the Lords aonoissiced that their
Lordships had agreed to the Revenue Paytueuts

CA 3IELFOR D.

Lord Itltt-Torr arid, he held in his howl a Pc.
tiduu from Charles Pitt, Esq. who had prevented a
Petition to the House, complaining of an undue
return fur the Borough of Caine!ford. The Peti-
tioner stated that he had arranged with the clerks
for the production of the sureties to enter into re-
cognizance. yesterday, but they had ►ubsequently
discovered that that was a day beyond what was al-
lowed by the Act of Parliament, and when he came
down yesterday with his sureties, that was 'fated to
him. Such were the allegations of the Petitioner
whether they were true or fake, he did not know,
but it undoubtedly appeared to him, that if he
could satisfactorily make out that the not enter-
Pig Into recognizancev within the time required by
the law dill nut arise from any wilful neglect of his
own, that the House was bound to grant him relief,
peiliaps by extending the time fur so doing. He
bad only to add, that the Petitioner offered to prove
the facts he had set forth at the b it of the House.