The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1824-04-02 00:00:00

ASSESSED TAXES.

Mr. LAICLEY preien;;;lapetitiOtifru; the hnunehoblers of
Nuneaton, praying fur a repeal of the the window-tax.—Laid on
th• table.
LICENCE DITTIES.

We. C. PM:ET presented a petition from the licensed victuallers
of Caermartlien. against the licence duties.
blr. presented a ' 'lee petition from the licensed
viruallcrs of the parish of ht. )lary, Islington.
Laid oil the able.

COAL DUTIES.
Mr. T. COURTENAY presented a petition from the borough
of l'otnees, against the duties on coal carried coastwise.
Sir T. ACLAND presented a s milar petition from Ilfra-
combe, and others from lliddd'ord, Ltarrington, Oakhampton, and
Topsham.
Ordered to lie on the table, and to be printed.
Mr. M. A. TA ir LOR presented a petition from persona in the
coal trade in London, against the duties on coal carried coastwise
from the west.
!Aid on the table.

Mr. T. COURTENAV presented a petition from the inhabi-
tants of 'fumes*, against the exportation of long wool.—Laid on
t* table.
Mr. IBA RTYN resented a petition from the inhabitants of the
Parish of St.Janies's. against cruelty to domestic and oth"r animals.
I'ne Honourable Gentleman said, he presented the petition, which
was most respectably and numerously signed, in the absence of his
Milne Friend the Marquis of Chandos. He would take this op-
piirtuntty of stating, that the present Bill differed from all those
he had before the honour of introducing to the House. It sought,
to niske that a misdemeanour, via. houghing and maiming animals,
which was under a statute of the 9th Geo. 111. a felony._--Ordereti
to lie on the table, and to be printed.
Sir I'. LET!! BRIDGE moved for returns of the number of
weasels and their tonnage, that had come into and cleared out of,
the different lions in Great Britain, Ireland, and the Isle of Man.
—Ordered.
COMBINATION LAWS.
Mr. P. MOORE presented a petition from the journeymen boot
and shoe makers of the city of Bath, praying for a repeal of the
Combination Laws; also a similar petition from Rochdale in
Lancashire; and another from an individual of the name of Pet-
nom, of Coveutry—Referred to the Committee of Anisans.
Mr. ii. RICE presented a petition from the General Association',
for the Encouragement of Agriculture in Tipperary, praying for
an amelioration of the state of the Irish peasantry.—Laid on the
table.

Mr. S. RICE, presented a petition from the householders of St.
Mary's parish, Dubltn, against local taxation.—Laid on the table.
NEGRO SLAVERY.

Lord F. OSBOHNifprescut;d;petition from the inhabitants
of ialboutne, against negro slavery, and another from Lincoln
and its vicinity—Laid on the table.

Sr 11. 11111 brought up the report on the Irish 4 per Cents.
oh.ch wow ordered to be read a third time to-morrow.
ATTORNEY-OENEKALSH IP OF THE ISLE OF MAN.

Mr. ('l lIWEN said he wished to disclaim any of those feelings
t 0,,, It existed in the Isle of Man ; his only object was to procure
sq oil justice to all parties, and prevent the great and unnecessary
rem:llse which is at present incurred there. In his opinions he was
isst-ne out mat assisted by the opinion of a late Attorney-General,
who it'd declared that the place in the Island should not be held
hy any one who was not a member of the English bar. It was well
knovn that the Lieutenant-Governor of the Island presides as the
.itientiellor in the liancery Court ; and no one could be more unfit
than a military man for such a purpose. It was not, therefore, to
be wondered at if the inhabitants looked with jealousy on his deci.
coos. The station ought to be held by a person intimately at-
quaintesl with the English law. In 'aniline cases it was still more
Lecessary ; all such cases were decided by the Attorney-General,
who has a Jury of six, who hears the evidence, nod who forms his
opinions. And it was alseolutely necessary that this individual
ehould be in no way connected with the island. Ile trusted it
would appear to the House that a portion of the insular revenue of
111 an should be applied for the purpose of procuring a resident At-
torney-flenend, who would bee respectable man, and discharge the
high duties of his ufhice in • satisfactory manner, and who would
rather meddle nor inn:dere with the feelings or the animosities of
the inhabitants. lie would move for an humble address to his
Majesty, praying that a copy of the memorial submitted by the
House of Keys, complaining of the want of a resident Attomey-Ge-
noel, be laid before the House.
Mr PEEL was surprised at the course pursued by the Hon.
Member. lie had asked for information grounded upon paper;
before be Lie, whether those papers would be' granted to him. l'his
course of proceeding did not add much, he thought, to the value
of the Host. Member's opinion upon the subject. He did not think
his view of the matter was correct • and he therefore thought it ne-
cessary to say a few words upon the subject. The question which
at present occupied the attention of the 'louse, was, what would be
the best arrangement for administering justice in the Isle of Man,
as it referred, or could be applied to the office of Attorney-General
'tithe island. There was no difference whatever between himself
and the Hon. Mover of the question ; no difference of opinion as to
the advantage of having an English barrister appointed to this
udder, who was versed in the principles and practice of law as
learnd in the Courts of this country. tle was aware of the advan.
tags of an individual taking to the discharge of the duties of the ;
office in a local Court those liberal and enlightened principles of
jursprudence which were to be only learned in the Courts of tbs
i:Juntry. no far they perfectly agreed. There was no difference
of opinion whatever between them ; hut, upon the next argument ,
of the lion. 3lember they should ditkr. The Hon. Mover had
been very libend of the revenues of the Island, and had purposed
I a aura of money out of these revenues for the support of a
nsulent Attorney-General. Ile would maintain that the present
arrangement was better in every respect, both as it referred to the
adittimstnation of justice, and its it was a saving of expense. The
situation was held since the year 1116, by Mr. Clarke, who was
also recorder of Liverpool. It was unnecessary for him to state
that there cottiti,not be a gentleman more competent, from character'
and extensive practice at the bar, to the discharge of his high
duties. The mode in which he performed his duties gave amis.;
fiction to all, and yet this gentleman perfumed all these duties fur a
salary of Sell per annum,
Here 51r. t:CRR'EN remarked the salary was 5001. a-year.
31r. Pe El. said, IMIL a-year was deducted during his absence
front the island, when it was necessary fur hint to attend to his bu-
ttress as Recorder of Liverpool. Notwithstanding the high cha.
racier of 3lr. Clarke, if he made a sinecure of his office, he would
admit that no good was done, and it would be much better to have
an interior officer to do the duty, than a man of a superior descrip-
tion who did not perform it. lint no such charge could be made
slalom Mr. Claike; for, from the stipulation into which he had
entered, he held himself telly at all fifties to repair to the island,
and in the last twelve months he had made no is,.. than three jour-
Dem there. He went there upon a late occasion, to conduct a pro-1
sezution upon a case of rare occurrence in the island, that of mur-
der. He (Mr. Peel) was anxious that the case should be conducted
by the Attorney-fteneral in person. He requested--or, more pro-
perly speaking, imposed commands upon Mr. Clarke, to repair to
the island ; the trial took place, and the result was, the execution of
the accused. Ile had gone a second time, in consequence of a com-
plaint made by a 'suitor in one of the Courts of the conduct of the
Judge of the Court. The complaint was made to himaelf (Mr.
Peel) of the corruption of the Judge. Ile knew the Hon. Mover
of the question satd--establish a new tribunal for the trial of such
Wrote's. Ile, tor his part. would do no such thing. He bad no
wish to institute any new tribunal to try the future corruption of
Jtdges. The .Ittorney.lieneral was directed to investigate the
charge, and he was sorry to say the complaint was well-founded;
and there were such evident proofs of impropriety end
co rdon upon the part of the Ju , that he would not be doing
bin duty it he did not advise his Majesty to remove hi and put

another in his place. In the appointments which he made to
places in the island, he was not influenced by political feelings
he selected the man whom he conceived to be the best adapted to
the situation. The son of an honourable person had filled a situ-
ation, and was chosen, not at the recommendation or by the interest
of the mover, but he was sel,posed to be the best man for the situ-
ation. Ile would once more remind the House, that Mr. Clarke
performed the dutiesof Attorney-General for 41101. a year, and had
gone to the island three times in one year; and he would ask if
justice could be administered upon more-economical terms ? It
would not be possible to procure a gentleman of Mr. Clarke's
eminence to perform the functions of the place for such a salary.
The truth of the natter was, salary was not an object to Mr.
Clarke—money was to him a subordinate consideration ; his private
fortune enabled him to make the sacrifice. Why, therefore,
should not the island have the advantages of this circumstance ?
Why should it pay a thousand pounds a year to an officer,
who would not, perhaps, be as eligible as the Recorder of Liver-
pool ? For his part, he felt the most perfect confidence in the gen-
tleman, an.l received the best advantages from hie assistance, not
later than this very day. lie had called upon him for information
respecting the economy of the Isle of Man, and he would rely
with the most perfect confidence upon the information he would
receive respecting the objects of his local inquiry. As to the ar-
gument
that the officer was not to receive a revenue as he was not
resident, he would refer to the case of Scotland. In that country
the Sheriff's of the counties were paid a large salary, and yet their
residence was dispensed with. They were allowed to perform the
duties of their office by deputy, whilst they themselves derived a
knowledge of their profession by practice in the Courts of Edin-
burgh ; and it was deemed better for these officers to attend the
Courts than to reside in the counties. There was, he thought, a
strong analogy between these cases, and as the residence of officers
was dispensed with in one ease, so it might be in the other. It
I would not be consistent with justice to remove Mr. Clarke, and
if the salary was to be incremed, why should lie be removed ?
Why echo old he not keep the situation ? It would not be just to
disturb the present officer, who was highly competent to perform
the functions of the office, who was an excellent Criminal Judge,
and who tried perhaps more criminals titan any other Judge, and
performed the duties of Attorney-General for RNA. a year.
Mr. 1111111 E was sure no reflection was meant upon Mr. Clarke
lie would remind the House that 2001. a year were added, in the
year IBM, to procure a resident Attorney-General, and the contract
was not fulfilled. There was also a Court of Chancery in the island,
for which there was no Judge, and the Attorney-General should, in
his opinion, reside and act as assessor. lie thought it necessary to
make this statement.

Mr. PEEL said he saw the business in the same point of view
with Lord t;.dmouth. Now he would ask, was the constant reel.
dence of the Recorder of Liverpool possible in the Isle of Man ?
By the puent by which the place was held, residence he knew was
required ' but the residence of Mr. Clarke's predecessor was also
required. That Gentleman sat on the opposite side of the House.
lie held the situation tor twenty years, and never attended at all.
As to the statement rayeeting the Court of Chancery in the island,
he admitted he did not know as much of the regulations of the
island as be ought, but he could not think that the public prose-
cutor was tit to be the Judge of such a Court.
General GASCOVNE was impressed with the idea that, if re-
sidence was required of Mr. Clarke, a great iocrease of salary
should be given : hoe could he be expected to give ups better sa-
lary as Recorder, and die emoluments arising from the full practice
at the Chancery bar ? This was not likely, nor could it be es-
pecial. lie thought it would be better to negative the motion
altogether.
Mr. Ii USK ISSON would not delay the House by many observa-
tions, but lie must irmark, that the high legal character and attain.
' ments of Mr. Clarke were not at all the subjects of discussion, nor
were they under consideration at present. In his opinion it would
be more conducive to the administration of justice to send occa-
sionally an English Barrister to the island, than to have one resident
there. In all the small dependencies upon this country, the coin.
munities were divided into parties acting against each other, and
the danger would be, that the resident officer would connect him-
self with one or the other of these two parties, and thus he would
not discharge the duties of his office with advantage to the public.
This would be a growing drawback upon his talents and attain-
ments, whatever they may be, if the situation were vacant. lie
would support the general proposition, and prefer the occasional
'ending of a Banister to his constant residence. As to the Court
of Chancery, he did nut think the Attorney-General should be the
Judge, where the King's privileges might come in question. lie
thought the present arrangement was more conducive to the admi-
nistration of justice. Mr. Clarke was ready at all times to fulfil his
duties, more from an honourable sense of a contract made with the
Crown than with a view to any emolument. Ile resided in Lan-
cashire, and was called four times a year to Liverpool, and the
public should have the advantage of his talents and character. lie
would feel happy if the duties of the office were always to be filled
and discharged with as much ability as they were at present by
Mr. Clarke.

C UIL VF. N would nut have troubled the House with this
motion it were acquainted with the sentiments of the Right Hoe.
Secretary. It should not be forgotten that the salary was increased
by regular deed for the purpose of securing residence. As to any
claims which might be made in the Court of Chancery, this was a
mistake ; it was in the Court of Exchequer these claims were de-
cided. The three visits paid by the Attorney-General to the island
did not detain him a fortnight alt gather. lie by no TOMS thought
three or four hundred a-year too great a reward for his talents.
The motion was agreed to.
BREAKWATER AT PLYMOUTH.

Mr. 111.1hiE .................. the expenses Orlin establish-
ment, the number of inen, and the amount of salaries paid to them,
at the Breakwater, Plymouth. The reason of his anxiety was, he
had heard that the same establishment was kept up now as when
there was an expenditure of 100,0001. The expenditure was small
this year, and it would be considerably less next year.
Sir O. CLERK tes'itied to the great utility of this splendid un-
dertaking. It was now nearly completed, and, strange to say, the
money expended would be •200,0001. less than the estimate.
Sir I. COFFIN said, as an old officer he was justified in saying,
that there never was such a public work. Many experienced offi-
cers were of opinion is would not answer, but they were mistaken,
and it wits now as smooth as a mill-pond. It MSS a complete road-
stead for Plymouth, and if the expense were one-half as great again
be would not grudge it.
Agreed to