The National Register.
London, England, 1816-02-19 00:00:00

THE NATIONAL REGISTER.

Henkel) must be allowed to say the Bank were a prudent Cor-
porative., and capable of taking care of their own interest ;
and that the public stood Mat ill need of the Right Hon. Gen-
tleman's guardianship than the Bank did. He could not but
think the flank bad &isms a hard bargain with the public in
demanding •1 per cent. fur the advance of six millions wore to
the public ; and thinking so, he should, on a future day, move,
that, iustead•of 4 percent. the Bank should only have 3 per
cent. juiciest for this sum. The lion.Gentleition also strongly
recominended that something shuttle' be taken from the thud of
Unclaimed Dividends, for the service of the preseut year.
By taking, ;IS on a former occasion, 500,0001. from this fund, a
saving of atl,oool. a year would be made to the public.
Sir J. Ness Pone contended, the only doubt was, not whether
the Bank had done too much, but whether they had not done
too little. for the public. It the div ideuils had been paid at
the Treasury, then the public would have had the benefit of
the unclaimed di% Wends. Now with respect to the Loma made
by the Bank at -I per caul. they ought to have advanced the
Luau without interest; for they had been enabled to lend it iu
consequence of the restriction on the cash payineuts. The
Right Hun. Baronet contended it was idle to talk of pros-
peril,- when commerce was drooping. The Public knew it,
and theiCi;JlV in the preseut distressed state of the rummy it
was abominable to keep tip large establishments. It' Ministers
would not step in, and relieve those distresses, by retrench-
ment and economy. other means must be taken. The state of
Ireland was dreadful, beyond description; the people of that
country were borne down to the wound.
Mr. GRENFELI. contended that Parliament was not pre-
cluded from enquiry into the affairs of the Bank of England.
He agreed with the Right Hon. Gentleman, that in making the
Loau with the Bank, the Public were benefited to the amount
of 60,0041. being a saving of one per cent. Atter deducting
the sum of 2'0,091. a further saving from 575.0001. there
would rentain a sum of 36:3,0001. profit for the insignificant
transacting of the public balances. These balances at the pre-
sent moment were from 11 to 12 millions, yet the Right Hon.
Gentleman talked of a decrease. He (Mr. G.) at the last
meeting of the Bank Proprietors, had put the question to the
Governor of the Bank, who denied that be expected any de-
ereaae. The atnount of the unclaimed dividends was between
7 and 500,0001. which the public was entitled to. tie coin-
cided in opinion with the Right Hon. Baronet, that the Loan
should be made to the Government free of interest.
Mr. MANNING observed, that it was impossible the Governor
of the Bank could state what the amount might or might not
be in future years. 'the placing those balances in the hands
of the Bank was the act of the Legislature, for the purpose of
protecting theme and the House Mast recollect, that for the
last two or three year. some of the public balances were not
in such safe keeping. The agreement for the Loan was for
two years, at 4 per cent.; and though the Hon. Member (Mr.
Sankt') had talked of a reduction oi interest, lie much doubt-
ed whether, if such a proposition was made, it would be ac-
ceded to by the Dircetors.
Mr. TIERNEY could not help contrasting the language of the
Right Hon. Gentleman with that of the Hon. Bank Director,
who had said, a bargain had been made with the Government,
which the Batik would keep them to, or the Loan must be con-
tracted for elsewhere. He hoped that this intimation would
be a lesson for him in future, not to place Isis expectation too
much on the Batik, who seemed to wish to get all they could
from him, and give him nothing in return.
Mr. Tnorarsote considered. that the money advanced by way
of Loan from the Bank was, in fact, the twouey of the public.
It reminded hint of the story of the nobleman's steward in
Yorkshire, a cunning fellow, who, being applied to for some
cash, advanced his asismer Stool. at a high rata of interest ;
which money was, in feet, the nobleman's own.
After some further observations from Mr. Forbes, Mr. Gren-
fell, and Mr. Manning, leave was given to bring in the Bill.
LAW OFFICERS IN SCOTLAN O.
Sir R. HERON wished to know whether the Law Officers in
Scotland gad received lately any addition to their salaries.
Mr. Vauserran2.—" I do not consider mysellcompeUed to
giv► answer to the qeestion."—(lfear, hear.)
Mr. 'faraway (with mach warmth).—Did the Right Hon.
Gentleman mean to say that fair questions were not to be put
upon any thing relating to the public service ; and were his side
of the House to be driven to the necessity of making motions.
to obtain that information which it was requisite the country
should know? If the uccestomed candour was to be departed
from—(hear, liter)—he should, if Ministers persisted iu their
determination, recur to the ancient practice, and submit a mo-
tion every day, w►en necessary.—(Hear, Agar.)
Lord CASTLEREAGH observed, that the Right Hon. Gentle-
man wished to put thir questions, and got into a violent—he
would not say violent—but into an anintutrd tone of voice, if he
did not get an answer. Win this candour?—(Near, hear.)—
Surely the Right Hon. Gentleman had no reason to complain
that so much warmth was in his camp, when be, as the leader,
did not obaeree better discipline !—(Hear, hear.)—Really his.
Right Hon. Friend (Mr. Vinsitiart) had been deluded into an
explanation upon subjects which ought to have come before
the House in the regular parliamentary course, and thou his
Right Hon. Friend would have had the opportunity of informing
the House why the additions had been made to the salaries.
The Noble Lord did hope, for the future, that the Right Hon.
Gentleman would rent in his steal a little, arid recollect that the
session would be long enough for every purpose which he and
his friends might require for correct and regular information.—
Hear, hear.)
The Sesaxea.observing there was no question before the
House, Mr. Tteiteze said he would soon make one. He then
moved for an Account of the diminution or increase of the sa-
laries of the Law Officers in Scotland since January, 1815; also '
what diminution or increase in the salaries of the Commissioners
of Excise and Customs in that kingdom since that period.—
Ordered.—The Right Hon Gentleman also gave notice, that he
should, in the coarse of a week, if no information was given,
move for a Committee to enquire whether any and what re-
ductions had taken place in the office of third Secretary of State.
In a Committee of Ways and Means, a Resolution was moved
by Mr. VA NSITTART, and agreed to, for the issue of six millions
of Exchequer Bills at two years date, for paying the advance of
' that sum by the Bank of England.
PRIVATELY STEALING.
Sir S. Romittr.v moved for leave to bring in a Bill to repeal I
the Act of William, called the Privately Stealing Act, which
subjects the *tender stealing to the value of ss. to a capital
punishment. Tbe.lien. and Learned Gentleman observed,
that he had brought this subject before the House thrice; and
it had received the sanction of this branch, but failed in the
lather. The Act, as it at present stood, was inconsistent with
the spirit, character, and humanity of the present.times. In
fact, it had never been acted upon during the last 30 or 40
veers. He then referred to the variety of punishments which
had taken place on the subject of the criminal laws; regretted
that in certain cases, for instance, shopkeepers should be at li-
berty to determine how an offender should be indicted, whether
capitally we In 1812, he observed, that 83 prisoners were

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