The National Register.
London, England, 1821-05-13 00:00:00

vero,►r, MAY 11.

On the motion of Los sl hi. II Viscount Gleraw-
le)'s divot ce bill n 4s lead a Can d huts• and passed.
di r. Littleton, G nun the Commons, brought tip the Dub-
lin gviliZht ihcoi potation bill.
Air. Al. A. T.AYI-Olt biunglit up the steain imeitie bill.
Mr. Brugacit tae CLich,i lel police bill, the 11 rowan-
'ter imp? ovens...tit bill, and Iwo private hilis.
Sir 11. l'stoien the Conway bridge bill; also a message,
stating that the Cutuntoim had agreed to the autendineuts
in the Dolyhead toad bill.
tir. Ilya; !nought up toe \lile•eud ;is light bill.
Svser,ll other lulls a to pi ivato 151..1 local description
Wen: 41.5/ ikCtit L'd, and lead the liset time.

THE NATIONAL REGISTER

The East of Sit AP' rEslaiitY read the report of a corn•
mit tee of privileues, by v, Melt it appeared that John Earl
of Portal lingtori hail made good right to vote at the
election of 'dish repre3entative peers.
The Smith London gas and coke bill went through a
committee.
The bonse adjourned to Monday.

1101ISE OF COMMONS.
MONDAY, MAY 7.

The speaker took the chair at half past three o'clock.
Mr. Quarine, the deputy fisher of the black rod, soon
afterwards summoned the lonse to attend in the House of
Pec7s, to hear the royal assent given, by commission, to
.1 public bill; and ou his return tly! speaker informed the
limise that the royal assent had !wan given to the Bank
lash PaYlnelllS bill.
Mr. BEN 1.-;ON presented a petition fromWandsworth,
4 fzitiltst the Neoitigton s, leer Vestry bill. 'Die petition
a :0 unanimously orm••reed to; Ow petitioners desired to
"I'Pa,e l , as ir
wouliiuseout of the hands of their
lell
P4rishea* • As controul o.er the vtiblic purse.
PetttP ,land ordei i' d to be printed.
Mr. f' .iee, .• :11 presenletf• similar petition from the
1. ,silllific
..;.
,etuipaay.
Ile. lin, :-.,1i presented a petition from merchants of
I.midon re ' to a trori. I measure regulating the
FOI.t India duties. Th•• 1 .i. member spoke of the
difficulties teas would be 111 ii f. , .y of discriminating he •
tweet; the different qualifi.,s of the sugars in quest,on ;
and of the inipossibility there was to impose teglildtiolls
HMI reotrictions that would not he vexations instead of
WIC fill. . .

Petition read—it was against any alteration of the
existing doilies.
Coen. (lASUOYNE presented a similar petition from
merchants and ship-owners of Li .erpool—but as the bill
was not before the house, ha sh•ould not go into any ob-
servations on the subject, as it would be anticipating that
discussion which would more properly arise on a future
occasion.—Petition real, and unto:led to lie on the table.
SirJ.NEWPOIff presented a petition from Waterford
against the Corn A.erages'
Mr. HARE presented a pcition from agriculturists,
&P. of the county of Cook, complaining of agricultural
distress, oXfc.
Mr. C. H. HUTCHINSON observed on the patience
which had characterised the proYellitry of Irelaitol moiler
the severe sufferings that had befallen agricultoo.e. The
Act of Union, the petitioners contended, had been se-
riously violated; lie tneaut the sixth aiticle of it ; and
they also complained of the consequences falling on then)
by being dew iced of their parkametot. lie should not
change his opinion, whatever might be decision of any
court of law, so lung as the skin article of the Act of
Union remained; and lie thought it was too late for the
Chancellor of the Exchequer on the exei-e board of Eng-
land, to attempt to prove that the importation of Irish
spirits was prejudicial to the constitution of Britotos.
Mr. D. BIM SYNE coot purred in what had fallen from
the hon. member who last spoke.
Mr. W. Si`4llll would not occupy the time of the house
further now, than to remark, that both the hon. tiorembem
110 last addressed the house were wrinig.—Pelition read
and ordered to lie on the table.

Sir k. WILSON presented a petition complaining of
the oaten/nye tie of machinery. There was a general
opinion that smell machinery had contributed to the dß-
tresses of the working classes.
Mr. W. SMITH said, that it was painful to make ally
observation that appeared to be unfriendly to the interests
of the working classes—bit he conk not imagine any
greater absurdity than that t which this petition pro-
ceeded. lie felt as Hutch as any gent iemaii could do for
the distresses of the people—but if the house were
to interfere, where could they stop till society
nhuoild be reduced to it. early state? The loom, and even
the plough, were machines for the shortening of labour,
and were they to be rejected from nse? but let the house
do what it might, the use of machinery could not be driven
from society.—(Hear.)
Petition read, and ordered to lie on the table.
Mr. 6. BLNNETT gave notice, that to-morrow he
should call the attention of the house to a breach of pi i-
vdege committed by a paper calling itself John Bull.—
(Hear, hear.)
Mr. M. A. TAYLOR moved that the Steam Engines'
bill be committed. . .

Mr. LITTLET6N said, it the bill proceeded, he should
move to add a clause to t* the machines used in
mines, smelting, Ka..
Mr. J. 5.‘11 lki hoped that the proposed amendment
would he resisted. _ _

Mr. CALVERT expressed his approbation of the bill.
He had a steam engine, sod when he heard of the appa-
ratus for consuming smoke, he adopted it. It wes com-
pletely successful. He declined the statement contained
in a printed paper, which had been handed to members,
that the apparatus at Messrs. Barclays and Cu. had
failed, was telse—it was successful, and what was mote,
there was a great saving of fuel.
Mr. 1). GILBERT (inserted, that in large uninhabited
districts in Cornwall these were many of these engines;
and where there could he no inconvenience from the
smoke, what occasion would time be for the bill to ex-
tend to them? ad the alteration of the engines would
not only be expensive, hut, in many eases, tuitions; for
every protector wool(' have his own plan ut making the
required alteration*.
Mr. F. BUXTON opposed the bill. lie had tried the
experiment in two instances, and in boils it had failed.—
After the evidence appeared, he had paid lunch attention
to the circumstance, and lie had stated the result. The
troth was, these experiments were very deceitful. He
concluded with moving, that, instead ot• now, it be this
day six months proceeded with.
Col. WOOD thought it would be hard to legislate MI
partial experiments; if it >bould not appeal' that the
scheme was universally practicable, was it right to pass
this bill?

Mr. AItREIILV said, this bill appeared to be neither
more nor less than to compel the proprietors of sieain-
engin, s to set to work and Irk fanciful experiments. Ile
hoped the bill would be withdrawn for roe present $ tit. y
cught to proceed on some scientific evidence, not on the
stnu•roeot of any hon. member.
Mr CURWEN Yuippo, ted the bill. So convinced was
he of the practicability nail utility of the apparatus, lie had
ordered it to bc• applied to upwards of v 0 engines.
Mr. M. A. TAY Wit declared the Hill to be very ge-
nerally misunderstood. 'I be lave declare) those steam
engines to be nuiiiaucts, itic smoki; of which jujus td the

health or comforts of others. He introduced nu new law
the bill °My provided for its most easy administration.—
It would give the court the power to reimburse the pro.
ACCIMIKS. It would only tyke place where juries had
found the engines to be nuisances; if there were nut
such verdict., then there would not be vexations costs.—
As to the limiting the bill to the metropolis, and to within
a few miles of great towns, why were persons iii villages
to be smoked out? All had siippotted it. The members
from the direction of Cornwall had hailed him as the
saviour of the lower orders and the working classes; but
now, in consegnence of some communications, he was
deemed a most extraordinary and indiscreet animal.
Mr. PHILLIPS said, that by supporting this bill, they
would be giving rise to so many invidnous prosecutions.—
He could not see what harm could result from allowing
this bill to stand over till next year, especially the law
on the subject was decisive. It seemed to be thought
that some new discovery had been made, butt the truth
was, that in 178.3, Mr. Watt obtained a patent for type.
rains to enable engines to consume their own smoke.
The !Rawlins of LONDONDERRY sugge.ted a post-
ponement, as the bill was now being discussed as a pliilo.
sophical ipestion.
Mr. M. A. 'VA YLOR said, he was ready to take the
diseiss.ion on the third reading.
Mr. C A LVERT asked the hon. member fur AI eymontli,
whether he had employed Mr. Parkes, or some person
desiions of counteracting the measures of Mr. P. ?
Mr. F. BUXTON replied, that he was not aware that
the house was to legislate that no other engineer but Mr
Parkes %tumid be employed. He most oppose the bill.
Mr. CA LVEICI said, it Mr. B. would allow him to
send Mr. Parke.'s men, he would undertake that Mr. B.•s
machinery should no longer send forth annoying amoke.

Alderm-an WOOD wished the bill not to extend to ilia
machines belonging to millet. He, however, deemed it
sight to bear testimony to the success of Mr. Parkes's as
well as Mr. Brenton's plans.
The house then divided. For the amendment 90—
Against it hill was them committed.
Russirto—The Marquis of LONDONDERRY availed
himself of the opportunity to stale, that he could now
assert positively what lie bail before urged arr.:Harems-
lively, that the Russian army hail stopped, and that it had
been put in motion at the request of Austria. It bad not
paired the frontiers.
St;ept.v.—Navy EsTistatas.—On Sir G. WARREN-
DERN motion that the honse go into a committee of supply
on the remaiiiiag navy estimates.
Mr. HUME. moved as an amendment, that they be re-
ferred to a committee of iitq.iiry, as they purported to be
to complete" ducks, &e. for the .6 completion" of
which 11101It'y had been voted in former estimates.
After an r mended conveisation, the house divided—
For it 97—Against it, te..f.
The lionse then went into the committee, when Sir G.
Warreittlei's resolutions, fur grants of pensions to war-
rant and other officers, Arc. were agreed to.
The resolutions for granting 10:r,9721. for pensions to
certain naval officer., at the request of Mr. Hume, was
for the present passed over.
The next vote proposed to the committee was for
IM9I,SSti. fur building new ships, and fur wear and tear
in the )arils.
Sir J. YORK objected to this vote; lie thought, as less
work was 'tow dune in the dock yards than formerly, the
vote should be reduced in proportion.
Sir B. M RUIN defended the giant.
Mr. HUME opposed the giant as excessive. More
money had been expended on the navy since the peace
than was necessary. Since ISE, time house had voted for
the repairs of the navy nu less than 17,702,0991. a sum
sufficient to create a navy for any state.
The uligival resolution was ultimately agreed to.
Several oilier resolutions were agreed to —The house
adjourned.
TUESDAY, M4T S.
Russian Aasty.—Mr. C. 11. HUTCHINSON gave
notice, that on Friday next, sin the 11106011 that the house go
into a committee oh supply, lie should call the titteution of
the house to the at:dement of the Marquis of Londonderry.
relative to the proceedings of the RUS•ii.IU troops; that he
should then submit a distinct propoeit km to the house ou the
Europe., and that he should persevere la having it placed ou
the journal..
Scorer, JuaT COURT.—Sir G. %V Atilt LIX DER presented
a petition from the commissioners of !Bumf, ice against the
Scotch Jury Bid.
Sir It. FERGUSON said, orders had been sent to petition
against this bill, and us usual, such orders had been com-
plied with.
Sir G. CLERK denied that any orders had been sent fur
(lie getting up of petitions against this bill, but the remark
was similar to what the hue. general was iu the habit of
making,.
Sir F. BURDETT entered the house, and took his seat on
the steps between the opposition and the loser benches.
BREACH OF PRI li I LEG E.— r. 11. G. BEN N ETT rose,
purauaolto notice, and said he should be anis orthy of Ina
SCAI ill that house, if he abstaiiird from noticing what had
appeared respecting hint personally OS a member, in a Asper
called John Bull. On Friday last, it would be recollected,
he deemed it right to make int explati ition of what had
been erroneously reported of him on a former eVe ttttt A ; aid
HIM I hat explanation was given in The Courier of Saturday.
That explanation aus given substantially correct ; and he
then mad it. It was mespectin.; a hat he had stetted regard-
mß Lord President 01 Scotland. John Ball copied that
ee planation, and said the truth of it was, that the Lord
President had a soil, Alr.Alackerzir, who VMS a spirited young
Man, and N ho put limseli in the Edinburgh mail, to forward
Mr. B. a challenge. That was d •, when through Sir R.
Ferguson, the general voui lire ot the party, an apology *as
made, and hence the explanation. This attributed to him
having uttered a fielebehoud, and having made an explana-
tion to save himself. Of the paper he should say nothing,
:et those aho pair bed it detead it. (Hear !) Ile was
not against the fair criticieour of the press, they were useful
to keep up a spirit of liberty, and a high bruise of honour ;
hut against the malignant spirit of such a power ne a member
of that house, be {kernel' it right to guard I self, and he
therefore Ares rated the paper to the house.
The paragraph having been read,
Mr. O. BLN NLI T moved, that it setts a false and
scandalous libel on the house, and, as such, a breach of
privilege.
Mr. Al AC KEN Z I E said,lie should not do justice to his own
feelings if he Aid nut bay that the pal a;ra p to was altogether
unaiirranted. It was take and it was malicious in the ex-
treme. (Dual.) There was no apology—none was called for
—the words himl never been uttered. n the paragraph
was piloted, .Mr. IL iii tautly cxprersed his di:approbation

*

I

of it, and his willingness to explain what lie had really
uttered ; but as to the note in the courier, neither he nor his
friends knew any thing of it till the publication. Oil the
contrary he aas pained to see it.
The Nisi quis of LUN DON DERRY said, there could he
no doubt of the libelltite, character of flie article? it was
iniploper to attribute unjust motives to him. members.
alootioin agreed to—and afterwards Cu. printer (Weaver)
was .in to :awed tile bar Of the 11011,e toi-manner.
SIit).TIOUS AIELTINSIS.—Mr. LEN N RIO rose, pur-
suant to notice, to call the attention of the honer to the
60th Geo. 111. respecting seodieus ineetiolgs mod libels.
Ile thought, if lie could sliew that the constitution had
been infringed upon, and that unnecessary restraints had
been imposed, lie should have established a ground for his
motion. It aas the undoubted right of the subject, ac-
cording to the constitution, to meet and agree to petitions
respecting their glievarires ; and this right had been
violently suspended. The measures, however, were
passed during a period of considerable alarm, and when
there was in operation an extensive system of espionage;
they rere supported because the alarms of some led them
to desire to sacrifice a part to suppoi t the remainder of
the constitution ; but when the causes of alarm had sub-
sided, lie maintained that the act suspending such portion
of the people's liberties ought no longer to exit. Ac-
cording to the existing law, petitions could not approach
that house no they were wont to do; and the measure had
been attended with all those inconveniences that hail
been foretold, as was proved by the various refusals of
slid ill. to call county meetings ; refusals that proved
their submission to the government. lie was not afraid
of the freedom of the press or the freedom of speech; and
sure he was that no great state could exist long without
them. By those acts, the repeal of which lie now de-
sired, such freedom had been suspended for the third
time; but they were even severer than previous avowedly
temporary measures. The alleged cocoas on which the
alarms were founded had been disproved. Mr. Hunt's
trial proved none of them; there was no proof of the
'noble marquis's (Londonderry) statements, about cart-
loads of stones, of fields of slaughter, and magistrates
stoned to death. If the evidence on which the bilis acre
founded proved to be false, if on that false evidence the
people load been convicted, what was so proper as to re-
verse that attainder? The measures which he sought ,)
have repealed had produced something like apathy —but
was nut such tranquillity more alarming than the storm?
(Hear, hear.) Therefore lie proposed to repeal the sedi-
tious meetings act, as well as that regarding libels. 'that
act regarded what had nut been defined, and what had
been pronounced to be 'indefinable. It admitted a severe
and cruel punishment—perpetual banishment for a second
offence. The lion. baronet who had just lets prison fora
supposed offence—un a verdict that had been obtained by
finesse—might, if lie again addressed himself warmly to
his constituents, be placed in jeopardy; and if a second
verdict were obtained, arcing what spirit had actuated
some of the judges, lie should tremble for the fate of the
hon. baronet. (Cheers.) From what lie had seen, from
the interrnption which one individual had experienced
while conducting his defence, be 'mist infer that it was
thought a jury was too potent a protection of the people ;
and as to the discretion of law officers, what Lad been
done in the case of the Queen skewed what they were
capable of doing when they had the power. He, there-
fore, in the name of his constituents, and of the people,
called on die house to restore to the people their unfet-
tered lights. Some might think he had indiscreetly
brought tea ward his motion—but so convinced was lie of
its plopriety, that he should persevere. He concluded
with moving for leave to bring in a bill to repeal the 60th
Geo. 111. respecting sedition. meetings.
Mr. Sergeant ONSLOW censured the remarks that had
again been applied to a learned judge, an individual who
possessed a tender and an holdout able mind. If (bete
were charges against that excellent-minded judge, why
were they not regularly preferred, so that tloere might be
regular answers ?
After sonic remarks from Mr. Denman, Mr. Hutchio.
son, ese, the house divided. 'rite numbers were—Fur the
motion 4S—Against it 6).
Mr. LUNN ARD then made his second motion for heave
to bring hi a bill to repeal the new act respecting libels t
and the house shortly afterwards divided on it, when the
rimuhers appeared to he—For the motion 56—Against it
firS—Majoi i ty
These divisitnis were received with considerable cheer-
ing by the oppo- it ion.
Mr. SCAR LETT then brought forward his motion on
the subject of the poor laws.
Mr. RICARDO supported the motion, and urged the
necessity of some provision being adopted out this subject.
Mr. M. A. TAYLOR also urged the necessity of suite
alteration in the pi:lsent system of poor leas. lie Inv ti-
colarly 'tiged the necessity of some amendment in the set-
tlement laws,
Atter some further conversation, leave was given to
bring in the bill.
Mr. SCA KLETT brought Its the bill, which was read a
first tam..
Mr. SCARLFITT said, his object in this measure was
not to oppress the poor, but to rouse a spirit of isalustry
and Milo penitence in them. by destroying the opinion
which has rooted in the minds of all, that the duty of re-
lieving the poor, nailer all circumstances, was imperative.
o The second reading of the bill was ordered for the
filth, and ordered to be printed.
AMMO or StCli.T.—Lord %%M. RENTING/I moved
for a number of papers relative to Sicily, amongst which
were copies of instructions gis en to Sir William A'Court,
our ambassador, relative to the occupations of Sicily by
the British army, and the pledge of the Neapolitan go.
vernment relative to the security of persons and propel ty.
--The motion was agreed la,
Mr, J. SMITH then moved for leave to bring in a bill
to amend the bankriipt laws. The hon, member entered
IMO • statement of the nature of thin nu-aside he intended
to propose to the house, which was simile.. to the locums.
of lest session, unit had for its object to protect thu 1111t.ufs
IIIII:Ite mut punish lire traudulent bankrupt.
The motion aas agreed to, the bid brought in, read a
first, and ordered lo lit' read a second time on Friday.
'l' lie report of the committee of supply was brought up,
and (lie several resolutimis were agreed to.
The other utdcts sere then disposed uf, and the house
adjourned.