The National Register.
London, England, 1816-03-11 00:00:00

THE NATIONAL REGISTER

hint; his e‘pok. front tins jttmse, and ;lie being d, prived of
the Order of the pressed so heavily on recollec-
tion, that they completely overpowi,red Noble Lurd
tens here motels nfreetedl --He should, her observed, merely propose
to lay the Charges ugainst Lord Ellen;iorongh on the table: as-
suring the House, that he should be aide to prove, that he nei-
ther directly or indirectly had any share in the Conspiracy.
Indeed u proceedinz was now going on, which he hoped would
establish his innocence. He proposed to lay the Charges
which he held in his hand on the table ; reserving to hiaiscit
future.day fur submitting a Motion on them.
The SPLArtrit.-11 the Noble Lord has articles of charge
against uny person, lie will deliver those charges in at the
table. It is his right so to do, and is not the subject of a
motion.

The Noble Lord then brought up the Charges, and delivered
them into the Clerk's hand. The Clerk v. as proceeding to
read ; but the Noble Lord observed it wool i save the time of
}louse if they were not read at present, but merely laid on the
table.
The SPEAXER.—The House will not do its duty unless it
hears every word of the Noble Lord's Cbarg'•s. The Clerk
will proceed to read them.

Lord COCI4II.iNE.---In"the ease of Sir Elijah Impey the
Charges were niere•lv laid on the table without being read.
The Sri:A House will not proceed one step in the
business, nor for an instant listen to the subject, without first
bearing the contents of these Charges.—k near, hear.)
The Clerl. then read the charges, which were of touch length,
and consisted of t 3,

Substantially charging Lord Ellenhorough with proceeding at mid-
night with his trial. against the reprasentation of his Counsel (Mr. ..S•n,
jeant Beim), who stated his incapacity Co process!, at that late hour, with
justice to his clients, having been engaged for to hours; hawing fepart
of the evidence that night, and adjourning the Court for an vaincial
reason; hastening on the defence for the same reason; that in so doing
he had been gaily of impartiality, injustice, and oppression.
The a 1 charge inculpated lihn with confounding the cases of thg de.
residents. This charge entered into a comprehensive akw of t..v stock
transactions between the parties, to chew that Lord Cochenne, on the
morning of the conspiracy, wan not a stockholder to any aurount, suf.
&lent to make him a party in the funds.
The 5d charge wa4, that there was no evidence to trace by whom the
draft found on De Herenger, nas given.
The ath charge was for as,umin,g that the note found on De Berenger
came front Lord Cochrane, and evading evidence to aecownfor that note.
The sth charge was for injuriously :biting to the Jury, that Lord
Cochrane, in using the name of De lierenger, was influenced by an
opinion that he had quitted the kingdom.
The Gut charge was for unduly and unwarrantably insinuating to
the Jury, that I.onl Cochrane 's obtaining leave of absence, in February,
tal4, was for the purpose of drawing their attention from other matters.

The 7th charge was far misrepresenting the confession voluntarily
made by Lonl Cochrane, of his being in company with Mr. C. John.
stone, and others implicatol in the wnspirsey. on the morning of the
ist of February.

The Rth charge was for unwarrantably controverting the statement.
on teal', made by Lord Cochrane, that the name on the note of the Ist
of l'Lbritary was written so near the bottom, that he could nut read it.

The 9th charge was for unwarrantably stating to the Jury, that the
statement made on oath by Lord Coelinsne, as to his returning the note
o:th. lit of February, was unworthy of credit.

The loth chargo was for unwarrantably treating Lord Cochrane's
declaration un oath, th.lt he had received a letter from his brother, Major
Cochrane, apprising him of the dangerous state of his health.

The 11th charge was, for unjustly representing the evidence, on the
part Of Lord Cochrane, respecting his itpplication that De Berenger
:should go out as an officer on hoard the Tonnant.

The Ntit charge tcas tot injuriously passing over Lonl Coehrane's
iftidavit respectin,g his refusing to take De Berenger to America ‘vith.
out the leave of the Admiralty; and his afterwards recollecting that he
had seen certificates of De Iserenger's services signed by Lord Tar-
mouth, and others in office; and also misrepresenting the evidence of
the Hon. A. Murray, as to the way Lord Cochrane became acquainted
with de Berenger.

The 13th charge was forpassing over the solemn declaration of Lord
Cochrane on oath that he had not seen Dc Derenger in a green coat,
star, and epaulets, &c.
The SPEAKER Wished to know what the course was which
the Noble Lord wished to pursue with regard to these charges?
Lord Coclilt ANL proposed that they should he 'whited, in
order that every au•mber might limn his opinion on them,
which it would be impossible to do after once hearing them
read. He then moved that the charges should be printed.
General MaTnew seconded the motion.

The motion was then agreed to, Nem. con.
The SPEAKER then wished to know if the Noble Lord
%could appoint ally day for taking these charges into consider-
ation.

Lord COCHRANE said, that when the Charges should be
printed, and in the hands of Members, lie would appoint sonic
day for discussing them.—Adjourned at one o'clock.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 6.

Petitions were presented from the county of Gloucester,
Marshfield in Gloucester, haycock in Wilts, Plymouth, Wigton,
Marlborough, Bedford, Peterborough, Aston Abbott, and va-
rUms other places against the property tax.
The Shop-lifting Bill went through a Committee; in which
Sir S. 'tonally stated, that provision was made for traaVortir4
persons found guilty of stealing privately in a shop under the
value of . . . . . .

•
Sir W. GEAR% presented a Petition from Chatham against
the property tax.
Sir G. CLERK presented a Petition from the tenantry of
Mid-Lothian against the property tax. The Hon. Gentleman
aibuith d the distresses of the farmers of that and every
oilier part of Scotland: notwithstanding which, he considered
it as a good mettiatri,, and should vote for its continuance..
Mr. LAMI:Ti,N presented a Petition from the city of Dur-
ham; as did Sir It. Ferguson from the Burgh of Dysart.
Lard SLGEST presented a Petition front the inhabitants of
Aylesbury, representing the tax on property as unconstitution-
al—the I:ceping up a standing arts• us dangerous to the liber-
ties of the' country, and praying for the repeal of the tax. The
Noble Lord stated, that the petitioners were men who would
Puffer ally privations, if twelfth!: but they felt now, that they
were taxed for the support of a profuse military establishment,
to keep tip a military taste, .ind a system altogether dangerous
to the principles of the Conatitialim,
Sir G. IL: tTIII are presented a Petition from the inhabitants
of several distriets in the county ef Rutland, on the same
subject.
Sir N. NOEL thought the tax, proper!) modified. ought not
to be risen op. The great grievattce was, the mallet r of col-
lecting the tax ; and he retaimmeirticil that GocCrlllllClit should
oot be too rig'•rous iu collecting it.
Mr. VANSITTAUI noticed the objections taken to the re-
newal of the tax, which he contended, woe formed mum nar-
row and contracted views oi* the subject. The tax was iatto-
duced upon the idea, origivally, of raising within the y car

softie:eta fur the purposes of war, and as a niea a of relief to
the public in time of pence. li. this memo; the mobile were
relieved front a barflies' of between nine and ten
Kase here and twelve millions.] ul, it might be tWelve
millions; he %%4:4 not exactly prepared to state the preeise sans,
but they were relieved somewhere to that amount by the opt•
rations of this tax. Whim he considered 1101 n large a portion
was drawl' from the emin'ry to support the expenditure In
time of war (upwards of 170 millions), he was far from think.
in; our situation, as some gentlemen imalt.nrit, hopeless or
desperate. What was our present situation i Wr. had a larger
matins of the Consolidated Fund than in 1:91, when *e
measures firat hewn to operate. It was then caleillated at one
milion only; there was now an increase of 2,1010,0001.; and
ilie real situation of the country was improsed by 10 millions.
This was sufficient to destroy the assumption that we were in
astute of decay.
Lord MILTON had authority, in reference to the Comntis-
sioners under the tax, to say, that Solute or them would not,
in time of peace, collect the tax ; of course the Gov crtauent
mast have to pay the Commissioners.
Mr. MAR n v.vrr had listened to the various discussions, and
was satisfied that the property tax ought not to be continiii
.t.
The intermediate. space of time, as it was called, wan e fire
in which it could not be borne, the public felt so much pressure
in miler respects. He thought the tax ought to be kept as a
line of demarcation between war and peace. The clamour of
the country, as the Noble Lord 11411 stated it, with nut so, but.
cries of distress—( Bow, hear.)
Mr. CAI:TWItICIIT admitted the tax ought to be a war one;
but it was necessary to have a limited one in time of peace,
in order to wind tip the expellees. The country %cupid find
relief from the plan of the modideations adopted by the Right
lion. Gentleman.

Mr. Tito:trews; was of opinion, and that opinion was
sanctioned by persons of competent skill; that the mimeo re-
frlired alight be raised wifhout affecting the fotitl,, ami the
interest for two years might be easily repaid. The Hon. Gent.
maintained that the distresses of the country were so.great,
that he had applications (in consequence of having sent out,
thitaigh the means of the Under Secretary of State, a poor
woman and her two children to Botany Bay, to her husband.
who was transported thither) to send many of the poor farmers
of Holderness out; the poor woman had given, in u letter to g
friend, such a flourishing description of the place. The far-
tners of Holderuess could get no work, no money , nor could
poor-rates he collected to give them telicf—lf Ministers
would take off the horse and property tax. much relief would
he afforded to the agricultural interest, which was every where
suffering alike.
Mr. LONG WELLE9LEY entered his protest against the tax,
after mature deliberation, conceiving it to be most injurious
to the agrienitnmi and trading interests. In doing this, he
was aware he was setting up his opinion against Ministers, for
whom, and especially for one (Mr. Pole), be must entertain
sentiments of respect and affection. But that Right Hon.
Gentleman would despise him if he did not publicly state his
sentiments.
The House then went into a Committee of Supply, and re-
sumed the adjourned debate on the Army Estimates.
Mr. S. Wonmov cousidered our force iu the Colonies as
too large. With respect to the force proposed to lw kept up
in England, he considered that the state of Ireland required a.
larger force to be kept up in this cottony than we should
otherwise require, as it was uncertain how suddenly an ad.'.
(lit' I force might be called fur; and, therefore, it was
highly necessary a force should be kept up in this country,
ready in case of emergency.—Upon the whole, however,
was of opinion, a reduction of 1000 in the wards, and lOW i■
the household troops, might safely be made: this would leave
211,000 for England, a number, in his opinion, by no means too
large. He considered that a further number of SOW might be
taken from the other parts of the proposed establislinwnt,
making in the whole, a reduction of 10,000 men; as large a
reduction as could, iu his opinion, with safety to the public
service, be made. If Ministers should fail to convince him
that his opinions were erroneous, he would move a rcductio•
in the different points be had stated.
Lord CASTLEREAGH said, the Government came to this
question with every disposition to economy ; and he felt some
satisfaction that the dinerences of opinion between Member.
and the Government were not so great as at first sight appeared.
He wished himself to be pledged to no greater reductiou of
force for the neat year than 22,000 men.
The House then divided on Mr. S. Wortley's Amendment,
for a reductiou of 10,000 men: For the Moduli, 130—Agonise
it 202—Majority in favour of Ministers 72.
The consideration of the other Resolutions was then deferred.
and the House adjourned at Three o'clock.

THURSDAY, MARCH 7.
The House was occupied a considerable length of time In re.
ceiving Petitions from various places against the Property Tax.
On the 'notion of Mr. M. A. Taylor, a Committee of twenty-
one Gentlemen was appointed to enquire into the present state-
of the Pavement of the Metropolis.
THE STATE OF AGRICULTURE.
Mr. WESTERN moved for the appointment of a Committee of
the w:iole House to enquire into the present distressed state of
Agriculture. Since lie had given notice of his motion, iie had
received communications from all parts of the country Imola the
subject, from persons well informed. The result ot all these
communications had satisfied his mind, that the distress was un-
paralleled. The first uccouut related to the situation of the
tigrictiltural interest iu Norfolk, which. to he sure, Kay not a
fair average of the distress felt in other comities. The number
of writs issued from the Sheriff's Office in ISIS, was 410. Is
1813 the number had increased to 607 ; the executions on goods
had increased in the M1111:* period from 96 to 174. In IVorces-
tershire, in the former year, the writs were 640; iu 1815, 8112.
The number of parishes under process front the Exchequer for
arrears of taxes, was 146. In Suffolk, the writs had increased
from -150 to .807. In Sussex, a Commissioner, from whom he
kid received the informntion, stated, that in one of the bun-.
dreds w hick coidaim d :12 parishes, .26 of those parishes were
tinder process fur arrears ; and in another hundred, out of 20
parishes, 15 had experienced a similar fate. In the Isle of Ely,
takine ie two years of 1812 and compared to those of
r .
Isll and 1815, the executions in the two former Years were
seven, in the two latter they had increased to 60.—the arrears
due in 1812 were 6751.; in 1815, 18,5521.; and the amount of . • • -4, .•
the debts of the farmers ut that period 72,:i0u1. of which "
the creditors up to this moment had not received any divi
there wet e 110 W 11l tarots to be disposed of. He shueld go 1:
•
farther as to the extent of the calamities. 'the question .400
how had they arisen? It was clear that, up to the year 1 . yti
tile agriculture of the country ass in a thriving state; Sit
quent to a hush, distress haul ensued; and ,sucti wits its exteisies,;(-'.."
that the country could not bear the burthen of taxation, n •
heavy and immense pressure alike poor's rates, which wu S✓:_ ,C t
yoml belief, The pressure of tithes was Aso motiscr source of

grievance; mot, in proportion to the capital of a farmer, the
tithes mint be more oppressive. He wished to trace the dis-
til as to its source; whether it arose from the amount of the
Nut:onal Debt, from the quantity- of paper in circulation, or
depression in the price of the produce of the land. He was of
opmitin it OW!!e from a combination of all those circtonstanees,
and it was necessary to trace the origin of the combination to
get at the a ffect.—The primary cause was a surplus-produce,
oceasioneii by our own growth. A very small surplus, or a de-
ficit below the demand, would have the effect of altering the
price. The eirenlatiog medium had a great effect, from its
great extension, of forcing up the price of grain ; consequently,
front the lately ❑pparent decline in the circulation of that me-
dium, grain had felt its effects. The country, maw ithstatoling
persons entertained a different opinion, grew enough to
support its own population ; and if capital were employed
outheiently, the laud would produce one-half inure than it
at present does; and if that part of the country yet tinculti-
v ited was put in a proper state, it would, in his opinion, pro-
since triple inure than sinficient to supply the population, with-
•ut the aid of a foreign supply. hi this respect the circulating
medium was of great advantage; it convened the dormant ca-
pital of the farmer into immediate activity. It would, when
his harvests were brought into his yards, make his :,,tun►l. worth
•t corn instantly productive, and putt him in a stale of making
greater improvements and more advantage of his laud. The
effect of it had been to produce a glut in the market, and a
surplus. On the fall of the price in Isla, the first effect was to
produce alarm; the rejection of the Corn Hill in 1813 and
Isl 4 still further increased the alarm, and added to the depres-
hare. The farmer could not obtain relief, and he was forced
Into the market for money, but without effect. The object to
which the House must direct their attention, was to find a
market for the surplus of the land. Suppose no etiOrt to relieve
the agricultural interest was made by the Legislature, the
price must eventually rise in consequence of the diminution of
produce : the sources from whence that produce was drawn
were in a rapid state of destruction.— (Hear,Atar.)—The price
would rise in consepience of the scarcity; it might be some
time first; but it must rise. The earnings of industry were
diminished in proportion to the price of the articles; so that
the people were starving in the midst of plenty, and sinking into
a gradual state of impoverishment. The country might rejoice
greatly at having what was called cheap bread ; but the people
would not get so much wheat—they could not command it—
the sources of wealth, strength, and power, were rapidly de-
eaying—the productive industry of the country was suspended
—their moral feelings distressed. In such a state of things,
they would lose their independence—their labour wits their in-
dependence and their property, and was Nil as valuable to a
labourer as the estate of his employer.—(hear, hear.)--While
he gave his labour to his employ er, he stood in an independent
state; but now, deprived of the exercise of that labour, he
wandered about begging for employment, but could not get it.
--(Hear, Aear.)—All his moral feelings were in consequence in-
jured; and until Agriculture was become again promperons so
be must remain. He thought that the Government ought to
provide a policy which should protect the independence of our
agriculture against foreign importations, and lead us to depend
on ourselves for sustenance. Having recapitulated utmost of
the topics which he had noticed before, and stated that the
land did not produce to the farmer more than one half of its
former revenue, consequently that the public revenue must be
injured in proportion, he concluded with reading' the Resolu-
tions which embraced the leading points of his speech. They
were to the following purport:—

1. That it was the opinion of Parliament that the agricultural part of
the country laboured under the most unexampled distress.-2. That
however various were the cruses from which it originatal, the demand
for theprodu.al of the land was not now such as to enable the cultivator
to sell its produce at a price sufficient to indemnify hint for his expences.
—3. That the consumption of barley, and consequently the demand for
it, were reduced by thetax on malt, and that this duty ought to beabated
w repealed. That relief ought to be granted to the holders of agri-
cultural produce, by advancing money to them on security of that pro-
duce, and collecting into public granaries, in a year of surplus, abun-
dance against the return of scarcity.—S. That it wasexpedient to repeal so
much of the Corn Act of last year as related to the warehousing of foreign
grain.-6. That it was expedient to encourage the exportation down for
some time by a bounty.-7. That it Mai expedient to encourage the
growth of our own soil, by imposing duties on the importation of seeds,
and other articles of agricultural produce, from abroad.--a. That the
fo tithes and poor-rates werelt with increasing severity in the present ,!
general distress; and that is was expedient to consider of some mode of 1
easing their pressure.
The Hon. Gentleman moved for a Committee of the whole
Nome on the distressed state of agriculture.
Mr. F. Lewis seconded the motion. The conntry was over-
whelmed in distress, and they looked to this House for a palli-
ative. In his opinion, nothing but a very great reduction of
taxation, and a long peace could save the hind owners of this
country. 'fitere were many parishes in the kingdom at this
moment which were little better than barren wastes. The only
Way of restoring the credit of the farmer would be, to reduce
the taxes, and particularly the malt tax, which hail done much
indeed to injure the occupier of land ; it had, by its operation
already, since its imposition' reduced the growth of barley two
thirds. Another and very heavy oppression on the laud was
the poors' rates ; this called lousily for the interference of Par-
liament. He would not now say what regulations ought ulti-
mately to be adopted on this subject; but two points lie cer-
tainly should recommend ; first, that relief should be given
with discrimination; aud, secondly, that it should be given only
to a certain extent.

Lord CARTLER 4GH said, that the Hon. Mover had met the
question fairly, and had submitted certain practical remedies,
to which he should concur in gising the most patient attention.
The matter of his speech was not only to be highly approsed
•f, but the tone and moderation to be exceedingly admired ;
and he was free to confess, that he had never hearth a speech in
Parliament more likely to conciliate all parties to the consi-
deration of so important a measure.
Mr. WasTcnt then moved, that the whole House should re-
solve itself into a Committee on Tuesday st'unight, to con-
sider the state of Agriculture cf the United Kingdom.—This
abotiou was agreed to, and the House adjourned.
FRIDAV, Msticii 8.

There are to he Calls of the House on Friday next, and on
Wednesday, the Pith inst.
Nuoxrous pc;ii ions were presented against the Income Tax.
Sir CHAR LE.; MON UAL NT said he rose to present a pelitio,
from the Freeholders. Gentry, Clergy, ex. of the county of
Narairi., which e‘piesseil their surprise at the avowal on the
pmt of At:nesters to attempt the renewal of the Property-tax
in time of tie we, when according to the promises lucid forth to
the cianitty, , it was to cease. They also prayed for the aholi-
-6011 ufrinecnres ; and that the salaries of the Public
Witaril 1:;1(1 been Increased when the neees•aiilN of life well
enoranoiedy high. be reduced now that the prices had
so much Niro. Toe petitioners also objected to the otos mow,
military c.tablishment proposed to be Isept up, as dangerous,
u 4 requiring an expenditure much bey and the steam of the

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