The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1808-05-25 00:00:00

ASSESSED TAXES" BILL.

The commitment of this Bill .was appointed for
to-morrow.

INDICTMENT BILL.

Upon the oriierOfil;ll3:;l,7;ing rend for the
House going iuto a Committee alum the Indict-
ment Bill. _ •

Lord Eesetwe rose, and in a 'speech of impres-
sive argument and great eloquence, opposed their
going unto a 'Committee upon this Bill. He
thought it the mod proper tune to offer his senti-
ments, when he might have am opportunity of ap-
plying his ollectious to the whole of the Bill, and
might observe generally upon its scope and ten-
dency. Since the second reading, he hod pos-
dewed time to reconsider the principle of it, and
calmly to reflectupou the impremitias which bad at
ti:at been made upon his mind with respect to its
tendency, and he felt more strongly then ever in-
clined to resist it as an innovation upon the laws of
our aneesfats; and as dangerous to our liberties.—
Ile considered the constittition, as handed down to
-as fto,n antiqmaity. so sacred, that he never could
sanction len alteration iu our laws. without its being
clearly mad, out that such alteration a as abso-
lutely necessary. The framers and advocates of
tins Bit had not hitherto pointed oat the tiecessity
of such an atteratiou, and until they did chew it
necessary, he mast t.ondensu in severe terms any
cnange which might be detrimental to our fiber-
ti-s. The people of this country bail beim ex-
tremely ready to bear wan all the taxes and heavy
burdens, winch had been imposed upon them, and
they most probable, iu this conjuncture of Ohara,
would be under the necessity of undergoing still
greater difficuitiea. and suffering still more severe
privations. In such times, we ought to be careful
how we entrenched upon their liberties, or deprived
them of t .ose laws which had hitherto attracted
their respect and admiration. They were satistied
with thiste laws as they now stood, and why make
any alteration, if not necessary? The alteration
affected those laws, which had existed in the most
ancient times ; and thus they had continued. with.
nut change and with satisfaction to the people of
England, down to the year isoe. when they
were to suffer an iufringeutent„ without any reason
beina assigned for so great a change. Ile ccrtnitily
would contend. as he ail done before, that there
could not exist a greater distinction than between
un information filed by the Attoruey-tieneral, amid
a presentment by. the grand jury. lit the latter in-
stance, a man could not he charged but before the
jury, whim were not only sworn, hut were men lia-
ble to he exposed to the *sine charges theme-1%1.N
the moment they had elude the pleseistment. This
would certainly hare its due weight upon their
minds, and incline them to avoid all oppressinn ;
but there was no evidence admissible, except it
was viva ram and they were to hear all the evi-
dence of the accused. In respect to inform item by
the Attorney-Gen. so match extended by the present
Bill, upon an affelasit made, without any further
examination before such Attorney-Getwral, the
party was liable to be iinpri-oned, and according to
this bill, in constructive eases. of small offeuce,
might suffer great punishrocia. He would admit,
that the mode of proceeding by information was
very secMent, bat if we considered all the alterations
which had been made, down to the present times,
the legislature, whenever it del iiiterfere, had in-
terfered for the purpose. not of extending, but of
limiting, that poser, and correcting its Mutates. In
respect to the extension of power generally in that
bill, we west not to misguide our jumignietit, by
thanking of the purity and integrity of those eimmi
iiiied the offices mem ttttt ed. He honoured and ve-
ricratett our Jude; they had pessesleil, from time
time of their being rendered independctit, that
pit, at character, winch formed a part of our happi-
ness as a nation ; and no man could, froin his per-
sonal acquaintance, admire that character inure
than he did. But it would be arcing to atrzifit cen-
cernitaa offices from the persons who titled them.
highly esteemed flis Nlajesty's present
Attorney-General, he had the highest opinion
of his alright conduct, lint testes might alter;
e had a night to consul, r the rase pro.
pertly' ly ; the king he deceived 11,y tho,.•
who ailiised him. and a worthless ittor:.-r-tiv-
zieral be appointed, and thea what would be the
result of such power being indw.d in his hands
It was far from his wi.li to sread a,iy alarm
umotizat the kmblic, and niake them di:pleased
with One admimstration of justice; but at time same
time lie wit. so fully COIIVIII4A of the: kid muse
114.1C40.s which mtVit ensue from time passing. of

this Mil, that he eoulo net give his assent tia.gbing
into a Committee. Ile.pressiml upon their Lord-
ships' consideration the effects produced by Lord
Alvanley's Bill, in respect to the Revenue Laws.
In Cornwall, and remote places on the coast, per-
sons had been imprisoned for constructive breaches
of the peace, and been detained for some months,
without having any opportunity to evince their
innocence; and to such a degree was this op-
pression felt, that it was necessary to pass another
statute, in the 37th of His present Majesty, to re-
lieve unfortunate men from its unjust operation.
, He trusted that the laws of this country would be,
as they always had been, open to the poor as well
as to the rich ; but if this Bill passed into a law,
the poor man might be greatly oppressed. The
Noble and Learned Lord concluded a very ani-
mated and eloquent speech, to which it is impos-
sible for us to do justice, by giving his decided op-
position to any further proceeding upon a Bill, for
which there was no necessity, and which altered
the law of the land, and infringed the liberties of
the subject. . . . . .

Earl tiresitore said, he had waited a little
while, that some Noble and Learned Lord, or
any other, might have an opportunity of speeking,
hut he was astonished at their silence. They per-
haps thought it more prudent to remain silent,
when they could give no reason if they spoke. If
the Noble and Leiraed Lord (Eldon) thought
what was assigned in the preamble a sufficient rea-
eon, he would produce his own expressions, not in
that House, while iu debate, but in IM Act of Par-
liament of his own framing, which would give the
lie to the reason mentioned in the preamble of this
blasted Bill brought up from the House of Com-
mons. That limier ought to be reprobated for
sending such a Dill; it was as contemptible in its
formation as it was wicked in principle. His
Lordship commented upon the similarity of
title of this Bill, and of the •26th of the pre-
sent Kings which was produced from the infamous
Bill of Pepper Arden. This act of the etith had
not rout' ed many years, when the Noble and
Learned Lord thought proper to introduce another
Bill, which also passed into a statute, and in the
preamble of that statute it was expressed, that
great grievances to the subject and a loss of justice
had been occasioned by the former one. ?we the
present Bill said that great convenience and bene-
fit had resulted from the former as well as the lat-
, ter. He considered it as an snfringmeut of the
liberty of the subject, and one which deserved the
utmost reprobation. He was surprised at the in-
difference sheren by that House upon such an im-
portant change being made in the fundamental
laws of this realm. When he looked round the
House, and sew, on all sides, the benches de-
serted upon such an important occasion, he could
not avoid making one observation, that if any bu-
siness had been transacted there, which might
exeite some curiosity. about the father of a child ;
or if it occasioned the rescuer of a beautiful young
Lady, their Lordships benches would have beeu
as full as they could be crammed. Hr did expect
some answer would have been given to the strong
arguments of his .Noble awl Learned Friend, (Er-
skine). but he supposed they were unanswerable. .
Upon the motion belie; at made by the LOAD
CRANCELLOIr

Lord tiotiiiatio rose, and expremed the utmost
astouishinent that no answer should be given to
what had been stated by 161 Noble Frirads.
It was unparalleled in the history of this coital-
try, that so great a change should be made in
the law of the Lind, Ylsrd without any necessity
or reason but those stated in the preamble. His
Loidship here, with great eloquence, urged, as lie
had done oil a former occasion, the danger of al-
tering our laws, generally, for the purpose of ols-
taing the convenience of extraordinary laws made
for the Revenue. There were objections made by
him and his Noble Friends which had not been
answered, and in such no important change of those
lows which laud been handed Joan to us from
our ancestors, and which attracted the admiration
of mankind, it was requisite, he thought, that
some neee.isity for such a change ought to be
shown by those who deteuded it. On his part, lie
con,idered it his duty to give a niost decided op-
positiou to such au innovation. Ile saw no IleCt!*•
sity for the measure ; owl lie thoulit there would he
considerable difficulty- in convincing liiin there
could be necessity for this dangerous alteratioir. If
the Bill did not alter the law, but enacted what
was already enacted, it was absurd ; anal if the
alteration was made, he should never avielit to it,
unless lie was persuaded there was sufficient neces-
sity for that alteration.
A diyisiou took place on the Lord Chancellor's
motion—