The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1824-03-16 00:00:00

BEER IMITIES.

Earl GROSVENOR prevented a petition front the innkeepers
and publicans of Chace' ; praying for a repeal of the beer duties.
The l'oble !And presented a similar petition certain landholders
in the vicinity of Cheater ; both of which were laid on the table.

TITHE cOIIPOSITION BILL (IRELAND).
Viscount CLIFDEN presented apetition from two parishes in
the county of Kilkenny, pra►tng that the Tithe Composition Bill
ma, be repealed. The Noble Lott' obaerted, that this measure
had failed become the oranges were taken too high. The lowest
average was 485., the highest 41%., and the medium 38s. Anmher
objection to the Bill was, that the tithe question was to be tried in
the Bishops' Court. It was a most absurd enactment, as well as an
unjust one, far poor wretches to be dragged into a Court, the whole
constitution of which was hostile to their views and interests.
Peace never could continue in Ireland until the tithes were lowered,
for there were two churches lying on the loins of the people, ono of
which had the ilea, the other the money. The Noble Lord's pe-
tition t was withdrawn, in consequence of an informality in the
wording of it.
EAST INDIA HOUSE.

M. Farrell, free the i ;4; ioi;:e.pit;e;;;jl the annual amounts
of receipts and disbanannenta.,_

ERICA.

The Natoli'ls of LONEIDOWN, before their Lordship* pro-
ceeded to business, would ask the Noble Lord opposite, whether
any answer had been received from the Spanish Government to the
last despatch of Mr. Secretary ('inning, dated the 30th January ?
The Earl of LIVERPOOL replied, that no official answer had
yet been received.
The Marquis of LA NSDOWN then rose and said, that in put.
seance of the motion of which he hal ream notice, for the puma*
of proposing an Address to their Losddtipa, it was not m his power
to do more than give an imperfect sketch of the important objects
to which that Address referred. But if he felt oppressed, as natu-
rally he must do, at the magnitude of the subject that he had un-
dertaken., *ill there was nothing In it that ought to prevent him,
in his view of the question, from urging their Lordships to adopt
that straight-forward course of policy with regard to South America,
that was by circumstances so clearly pointed out ; and therefore it
was not that he was afraid of the subject failing him, but of his"
powers of doing justice to it. If he had any thing to offer in the
way of excuse to the House, it was rat for precipitation, but for
delay. Before he proceeded further, he would, with their Lord.
ships' petmisaion, account to them for that delay, which he could
do in various instances. The first rause of delay arose teem the
state of Old Spain herself, which rendered any proposal with regard
to the colonies which were formerly subjected to her a question of
some difficulty and delicacy ; but their Lordships would do him the
honour to recollect, that four years ago he ventured to submit pro-
positions respecting the foreign trade of the country, at a time of
great commercial distress. Ile then took the liberty of proposing
the opening of that trade, which he was now glad to find likely to
take place. He adverted then to Spanish South America at a plaice
which, in a mercantile point of view, was likely to afford relief, not
only to England, but to the rest of the world, which, as well as this
country, west struggling under the effects of that contest which had
destroyed Anon all the elements of trade. But in the state of the
Spaniels Monarchy at that than it would have been ungenerous in
the Government of this country, and, by panty of reasoning, tin-
lleti in any individual to hare proposed the recognition of the
intievieTSouth American colonies. He wart prepared, at the meet-
ing of Parliament this year, to have brought forward a proposition
on this subjret ; but he understood that his Majesty's Ministers
expected an answer from the Court of Madrid to the nimmunicotion
they had made to it under date of 30th January. Ile hoped that
he had satisfactorily accounted for the delay that had taken place
with regard to the important proposition that he should that night
have the honour of concluding with. Ile thought there was much
to applaud in the papers laid on their Lordship,' table. Generally
he was glad to pay his tribute of approbation to his Majesty's
vemmetrt for the course that those docurnems sheered thry had pur-
sued ; but finding in those papers expressions that he could not
exactly reconcile with a coarse of sound policy, and finding also in
them doubts as to the conduct to be pursued by this country, which
seemed to be founded on a desire to pay too great attention to the
views of other Powers, he hail been induced to call upon their
Lordships tovote an Addressors this most important sod interesting
subject ; because, although this country wan not abachled—and
it would be an impeachment on the understanding of Ministers
to suppose they could have allowed the country to have been fettered
on so straigitnforvrard • question—it gave him satisfaction that
the Ministers were not only free upon this subject, bat he hoped,
from the of policy they seemed inclined to patine, they would
lay claim to an independent mom of airtime on ell sobjeets that
were necessary, but more particularly oa this. Their Lordships
were callel upon to legislate respecting a greater extent of country,
and a more numerous population, than had ever before come under
their consideration. The extent of territory of these states was
from 37 degrees of north to 41 of south latitude, exceeding the
whole of the Russian empire. It was a territory calculated fur
every epeeist of production that would give comfort and enjoyment
to • pot ulation of 21 millions, amongst whom indeed there was a
difference of races, but still that did not prevent its being, as facts
strongly proved, a community possesaing the most perfect harmony,
and those properties which would diffuse present and future seeds
of greatness. Such was the country than their Lordshiial were
called upon to say that they would rocoguise as independent. They
were in the (brat plow to consider whether they peewee...led the right
to recognise the Independence of these colonies, for if they did not
he could assure their Lordships that he would be the last man to
ask them to take theater that he was then urging them to ; and,
secondly, they were to consider, if they had the nght whether they
would exercise it i' With regard to the question of right, it was
scarcely necessary to dilate upon it for an instant, for he knew of
no principle upon which that question could be tried, but the sim.
pleat*, as to whether the states were de facto independent ; and
the best proof that could be produced on that point wee, that Old
Spain had not been able again to subject them to her power, and if
they wise independent, they were in • state to enable them to
maintain conditioas of amity and commerce with other nations ;
and that brought hint to consider whether the independence of the
South American states was really solid and to be depended upon.
As to the probability whether (lid Spain could reconquer her lost
colonies, it was only necessary to; him to ask their Lordships to
look at the state of that great contest, in which the colonies were
determined to assert their independence, and not tog be conquered
by the ancient Government of Spain. At this moment, in Mexico,
with • population of seven millions, and extending from sea to sea,
there could not be found a single Sluttish soldier, excepting in a
detached past, where 400 men were stationed, and from the nature
of the place had been enabled to hold out. At Guatemala there
was not • Spanish soldier. After arteries of contests they had been
driven out, and every year circumstances more and note favour.
able had occurred fur the cause of independence ; and after a strug-
gle of fourteen years it had gained a prepondersnte. Not an at-
tempt had been made to attack the present order of affairs, and it
was worthy of remark. that although in Buenos Ayres there had
been three changes since time colonies bed cast off their depeadance
on the mother country, they had never wished to all in the inter.,
Terence of the old government, and had never attempted to treat
with it but on equal terms. In Chili there was not a Spanish
soldier excepting in an island on the coast. In Peru,
where there was a strong feeling fee the old government, there
were between six and seven thousand nten ; but it could
not be expected that such an armament could do much against
the active exertions of the patriotic and intrepid Bolivar, who
was recently arrived amongst the Peruvians, and whose dints
would be sustained and encouraged by the tiaßaltaa and zeal of the
glorious people tie was commanding. k'rone this state of the air-
Intent provinces, he would confidently ask if it could be within the
range of possibility that the South American colonies could return
under the subjection of' • power not only as Spain at present ors,
but as she must be for fifty years to come, with a population of ten
millions only, distracted by bigotry, fanaticism, and all the entan.
glements of ignorance and superstition; with an exhausted treasury,
a disorganised army, a dismantled navy, acountry in winch nothing
flourished but priesteraft ? No one surely could be so besotted as to
suppose for a single instant that Spain could hull her ancient colo-
nies in subjection so long as he hail been speaking on the subject.
The population of Brazil was tour millions, that of Portugal tons
millions ; and yet although the differeece he. weett the mother coon.
try and her colonies, as to population, was not vu great as between
Spain and South America, yet that colony had becoano independent
of Portugal, who had much more effective tonics to recover it than
Spain hao to regain her South A met Wan dependencies. Ile contended
that it was beyond the reach of probability that e'lein should be
enabled to conquer her colonies. It then become a question whe-
ther these States wove in a capacity, from other circumstances., to
maintain the relations of amity and commerce with this country :
and be must Isere beg to draw the attention of their Lordships to
the conduct of these countries, where peace had been established
after the civil dissensions had ceased. The French Altimisier, it was
true, had said that he had found those countries in a state of an..r.
clay, Rending larth false and dangerous doctrines, and that chime-
rind theories were afloat in them. 11 this were true, ell the eienicnts
of civil discord would have broken tut; and it the Govern tient
had not been bottomed on sound principles, their Lordships would
have seen far dip Brent results to those they could now so Wt.:AC-
toti:y contemplate. But he thanked God that in this ageaesettnox
unepariogly put forth, did not pass cutrent in the present age. The
Graoti sAernor, when spiel:mg tat the k'reueh charter, ni.gto
call it chimerical and der:owns, and with sonic degree of plaew-
bility, if it were considered the changes that lied taken place in it ;
and yet the French Minister was nut 0011.141 to pay attention to his
aseet.ions. Ile entreated their hardships not to be led away ry
such review' s and he would ask them, Was there any thing so tit-
sound or theoretical in these Governments to justify oily such riser.
pions as he had alluded to r Leek at Colombia as a.l inststate.
There were to be found two principles in teteration in its I Tot of
treyemment, that all their hordehq s would not only recognise,
but strongly recommend in every Gevernament, viz proper y lea!