The National Register.
London, England, 1819-03-22 00:00:00

TILE NATIONAL REGISTER

WEDNESDAY MARCH 17.
AGRICULTURAL HORSES —Mr. ANSON presented a Peti-
tion front Lynn-Regis, against the Duty on Agricultural Horses
' The Hon. Metnbei asked what werz the intentions of the Chan-
cellor of die Eacitequer upon this subject ; but the answer was
given in so low a voice as to be inaudible.
WCSTMINSTEIL ELECTION.—Sir FRANCIS BURDETT pre-
sentd a Petition signed by Mesas. Ackermann. George Barber,
Rayner, and %Vila, manplainiarg of an undue Return for the
City of Westminster.
The Petition was read ; it stated tla qualiflattions of voters,
the limits of the City of Westminster, and the names of the
Candidates at die last Election (Hobliouse, 1.4.-cab, and Cart-
wright). George Lamb was rentrinsl as duty sleeted. The Pe-
tition went on to state, that the said George A.arub, by himself,
friends, or agents, gave to certain persons, who claimed to have
votes, divers presents, consistin,; of meat, drink, t 1 Le. contrary
to the 7th of William ; and that, by so acting contrary to and
in detiootee of the Inv • the return of the said George Lamb was
procured. It also set forth, that certain Peers, by themselves
tar others, canvassed for Mr. 1-aratb, wing threats to tradesmen
and others, and thereby detaining votes. It further alleged, that
on the part of Mr. Lamb, the Saturday and Sunday preceding the
end of tire poll, several hundred persons were hired to obstruct all
those Electors who went to vote foe any other person than NI r. Lamb;
and that such persons not only obstructed the Electors, but, at the
end of the poll, were guilty of various severe riots and assaults.
(Laughter, surd cries of hear, hear, 111/111 the Opposat.on Benches,
partreularly front Lord Sefton and Mr. Brougham.) The Peti-
tion, in conclusion, statdd, that the Iligh Bailiff had refused the
votes of many Electors who were entitled to vote; and that Mr.
George Lamb had by that means been untitirly returned; and
tire Petitioners therefore prayed to be heard by themselves or
Counsel against such rettua.
The Petition was ordered to be taken into consideration May
6, that being the first open day. A Committee to try the merits
of t;:e Petition wiU be bailout:a for on that day, provided the
requisite tecugnizances are in the mean time entered into.
GOVERN SIEN'C STORES.Mr. AIdtTIIISD WOOD moved for
an account of Stores sold by Mr. Samuels, for the Board of Ord-
nance, between Jan. tats, and March Itstn.
Mr. Want" said, no blame was attachable to the Ordnance
Department, indeed none was imputed; the motion arts evidently
made with commercial views.

Mr. P. GRENIELL supported the motion. a; the prices ought
not to be known, because in this instance sale by fair competition
had not been pursued. Some of the articles, it had been said,
acre of a prti.Oable nature; what did the House think were the
"perishable" articles? Why. Di ass fast! (A laugh.) lle
inov.al as an aniuldnient. that the pnees at which the articles
were wild should not be stated.

The CHANCEL Loa of the EXCIIEQL'ER mill, the amendment
inaprortsl the motion. and 'cutlet' to remove we objection against
it.

Mr. BASING said, the mode of sale was objectionable; if it
were not open and by public competition, Government Boards
were always exposed to suspicion.
Mr. 11K01.61/AM observed, that as discmsion could not end
here, it %sould be better to withdraw the amendment, and let the
original proceed.
After ohNtrrations front Mr. D. Gilbert and Mr. Ilurst, the
ameminient was withdrawn, and the original motion Wiib agreed
to.

Mr. WARD moved, as connected with this transaction, for a
copy of the Memorial of the Gunpowder Merchants to the
Treasury. tice.—Ordered.
The remaining orders being disposed of, the House adjourned.

THURSDAY, MARCH 18.

SALT DUTIE7..-111t. CA LC RAFT rose, pursuant to notice,
d move for Returns of Salt delivered duty free in England,
uring 1818. distinguishing the purposes fur which it had been
used: which, after some observations front Mr. M'allace, Mr.
Cut wen, and Mr. Davenport, was agreed to.
TheCtiament.fon of the ExciiiEcauxn moved, BLit the
Consolidated Fund Bill be committed, on which considerable
conversation took place.
Mr. TIER XXY wished that the whole subject should be re-
ferred to a Committee; and, as a preliminary step, he raved,
as an amendment, that the Bill be committed on Monday. As
all the papers were printed, he thought the enquiry might be
prmecuted within that period.
The House divided on tire Amendment ; Ayes SO, Noes 164.
The Bill was of course afterwards committed.
ADICIRA T LORDS.—.iir M. W. RII/LEY moved an Ad-
dress to the l'rince Regent, praying his Royal Highness, in
furtherance of the promised measures of economy, to reduce the
number ut the Lords of the Admiralty.
This produced an extended discussion on the subject, in which
Sir J. Loftin, Mr. Graham, Lard J. Riese'', Mr. T. L. N'elles
ley, &c. took part. At hail-pa-it ten the House divided on the
minion. The numbers were, Ayes 154, Noes 243—Majority
agaiti,t the Address Bt.

1 :lc reinannlig eiders being then disposzi of, the House
adjottrnLtl.

rIUDAY, MARCH i 9.

MOCK AtCTIONS —A Vetitteu was presented from Bath.
preying the adoption of 601111: measure to suppress Alock Auc-
tions.

Mr. Alderman WAIT/IMAN asked. whether it was the ihten.
thin of Government to bring in a Bill to pat down those great
evil,, duck Auctions. time communiaition on the subject would
tend to vet the minds of %suit numbers of traders at rest.
Mr. LUSIIIVOTON replit.id, that if a Bid were introduced,
without the objections contained in the nietuare of last year, it
would receive me suppott of Government.
Petition ordered to lie on die table.

COAL DETY.—PeONORS Vitrepmerited from Oswestry
apd Newport. Salop, against any alteration of the Coal Duties.
lewd FOLKESTONE Mid, that there was such a ferment in
many parts of the country on this subject. that he thought a more
definite communication regarding the intentions of Government
was very desirable. (Hear!)
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER was of opinion, that
he could not be more definite than he had already been. His
cyinion was, that it would neither be beneficial nor expedient to
mak: any alteration in the Coal Duties at the present time.
Petitions onletul to lie on the table.
WI NUAOU ESTABLISHM ENT.—Lord CASTLEREAGH moved
that the Report of the Windsor Establishment be taken into fur-
ther consideral ion.

Lord FoLitsroxE complained of the Clause, granting 10.0001.
a-year to the Duke of York, as Cm‘tos, maintaining that the
extra exprnce of post-parses, if there were any, was hardly
worth mentioning.; it certainly was disgraceful to those who con-
drscenshil to use it in support of the Grant. He also thought
the Duke of York was not the proper person for lustos ; that
duty ought to have been rested in one of the Princesses, or some
one constantly residing at Windsor. He disapproved of this
Climse altogether.
_

The question having been put, without any one of the Ministers
rising
.. .. .. .. -- . - - -

LYTTLETON said, as his Noble Friend had been so
little attended to, he could hardly expect to attract the conAtlera-
don of the Gentlemen o;posite; but lie nevertlolent could not
io.:e the opportunity of expresting his (Tinian that there was
somethi4 pecullariy smulalutis in the retptirins of this GraLt.

~ ♦~~

AfiNClt 22.

As the case now stood, it scented that the Duke of York wanted
I the salary and the salary only; but if his Royal Highness were
embarrassed, it would be better that such fact should be at once
rested than to apply fur money in so indirect a manlier. If the
Duke's debts were burtleneame, why should not that Net be
mentioned t at the same time I:e ex,ressed his belief, that no
very lung link weal elapse before some application would be
made to Parliament respecting the hake's dint. If such an
application were made, after this Grant, with how bad a greet
would tic Duke of York come before the House. He trusted the
(louse wietld mgative so ungracious a Giant.
Mr. Paterittatoc rose amidst some cheering and latigliter, as
none on the Ministerial side appeared disposal to speak. Ile,
expressed strongly against the motion, and said he
should have been b ttcr pleased hail the Ministers come down
with a coinnumitiation, stating, that the Duke of York desires!
the
,grunt to be withdrawn.
Nu person getting up on the Ministerial side, there became
calls of question; and strangers were then ordered to withdraw.
The House divided on the question to return the words .111akitig
the Grant." Toe numbers were—Ayes 136, Noes 97. Mirjoily
59 in favour of the Grant.
The remaining Portions of the Report were then agreed ta,
and the Bill ordered to he engrossed.
t; A LAw 8.-.. Mr. BRAND moved the second reading of the
Bill for the Amendment of the Game I.aws ; upon which Sir
John Shelley moved, that it be read this day six months. Tilie
amendment was lost, and the original motion produced a teat
animated debate, in the course of which,
Mr. COKE said, he bad always looked upon those laws as most
odious ones. (Hear.) He was en old Member of that Illottae,
and he remembered, about 30 years ago, that a Rill was intro-
duced. which gave to keepers and others a right to take up per-
sons thand walking about the grounds of their employers;
which Bill was afterwards withdrawn, on a prosecution having
been commenced, by virtue of its enactments, against an indi
victual, who took the opinion of the three most distinguished
lawyers of their time upon the subject: they gave it as their
opinion, that game was, legally, private property ; upon which
the act, as he had bethre stated, was withdrawn. Those lawyers
%sere Lord Kenyon, Mr. Dunning, and Mr. Lee. (Hear, hear,
hear.) He should hope that the framers of this Bill, in bring-
ing it in, had not merely the preservation of Game in view,
but the wish of their country! (Hear, bum) A: to the mere
preservation of game, lie thought an attention to farming, agrj-
cilium. or any other useful amusement or rt.tional pursuit,
infinitely more laudable. He war of opinion, that every man had
an inherent right to that which was out his property; nor could he
think that he was sent there to legislate on one man's property
to the detriment of another. (hear.) It appeared to hint, that a
nein with a single acre of land. had just as clear and natural a
right to that which was on it, as he himself had to what was on
his own. Why, then, sl:ould not he have also an equal power to
destroy what was on his possessions, as the wealthy owner of pre-
serves had to destroy what was on his? (hear.) lie bed hearth a
great deal said by the gentlemen who owned preserves• about their
interest and amusement; but tar hituself, lie was not sent there
to consider merely his own amusement and interest (cheering);
if be he should most likely have gone to the other aide of the
house ; he might have found his interest possibly in sitting there,
(continued cheers.) He had to look to Other, to more im, ~ortant
interests—to protect those whom he represented, from the opera.
tion of laws which were arbitrary, cruel, and tyrannical; lass
which were not to be endured. (hear.) It was only on the close
of the last shooting season. iu Norfolk, that a poor old adman,
in crossing a gentleman's plantation, was cruelly shot, most des-
perately mangled. (hear.) Her screams at length brought the
keeper up to her;
had
all the consolation he offered was to tell
her, that she had only got a little r• leaded !" whereas had
she gone further up the plantation, she would have been err-
taiplv shot through the body and killed. Application was then
made to the magistrate; and who did the magistrate prove to be ?
Why, the owner of the soil ? The house would ask, what relief
did he extend to her ? He gave her an order on the parish for the
weekly payment of one shilling ! He would again ask, was this
to be endured ? (hear.)
After Mr. BRAND'S reply, the House divided, Ayes 110--
Noes 83.—Majority 27.
On the motion that 79,0001. (moon!. being for snuff-boxes to
Foreign Ministers) be grant.d to supply Civil Contingencies.
Mr. C. Hutchinson moved a Resolution, that such expellee WAS
extravagant and culpable; but, Lord Castlereagh having ex-
plained the custom, it was negatived.
The further progress of the 'Friel by Battle Bill was resisted by
Sir F. Burdett ; he had no objection to abolish Trial by Battle,
but lie wished to preserve the Right of Appeal.
This business, and the Orders being disposed of, the House
adjourned.

Washington, Feb. G.—Desperate Dwel.—We re.
gret to have to state the melancholy result of an un-
fortunate meeting which took place between General
Armistead T. Mason, of London, Co. Va. and John
M. M`Cai-ty, of Fairfax, Co Va. They repaired,
we are informed, to the neighliourhood of Bladens-
burgh, surly this morning, armed with muskets con-
taining three balls each, and fought at the distance
of six pees. At the first fire General Mason re.
ceived the contents of his antagonist's piece in his
body, which put an immediate period to his exist-
ence : Mr. M'Carty received at the same time a
wound in the arm.—Gencrul Mason's remains were
conveyed to George Town, and lodged at Sir John
P. Mason's. We have heard no further particulars;
when they are known they will be published. The
deceased (General A. T. Moon) was u Senator in
the 14th Congress, from Virginia, a valuable mem-
ber of society, and highly respected by all who
knew him. He has left a wife and child to deplore
his untimely end. We believe this melancholy ca-
tastrophe grew out of a former well-known political
dispute with Mr. M'Carty.
A substitute fbr walking has been already seen in
this country. It has, however, Inen entirely sur-
passed by an Jtulian, who bus made a sort of
Pegasus of the hobby horse, if we may believe the
foreign papers, one of which says :—" A Mr. M-
ania, at a.ilan, has invented a new travelling ma-
chine, which is said to be far superior to that of
Baron Drais', and with which the traveller may go
backwards or Crwards. In the front of this vehicle,
one of the Milan papers say, there is a winged
horse, ly the a ings of which the carriage is put in

MARCH 2A,

STATE OF PRISONS.

Mr. J. J. Gurney. the brother of the philanthropic Mn.
Fry. and the author of a recent pork upon t llbOVe 'object.
addre-scrl the following Letter to the Ma‘istr ate& of the
County and Cit. of Non% icb.

REIITriCTrD
I shim d be warning both in jiestice to myself and
in respect towards yor, were l to take no wilier of
sour address to the public, contained in the Norfolk ..hro-
nicle and Norwich Mercury of lost week. 1 will, there-
fore, now trouble you with u few observations.
1 beg leave, in the Brat place, distinctly to assure you, that
when 1 wrote the pa graph is; my little work on prisons, re-
specting the Jail at Norwich, 1 bad not the most remote in-
tention of casting uny rettesion on the Mrrtbtrates of this
Lily. In a country like England, where public opinion, hap-
pily for us, is so much the regulator of public condor t. 1 du
endeed deem it to he iif great importance, that the real state
of the prisons should lie openly and generally known.
W heist 1 base en leavoured to m ike It known, 1 have been
particularly careful, in every part of my wort.. avoid im-
puting blame to the MiListracs ; bemuse 1 art persuaded
that very few p niuns have until pact. liven aware, how
wally evil, may' be avoided, and how 1111.1 e la go,el may he ef-
fectid, by a correct arid enlightened sssteiu of prison disci-
pline • by that system which is now so genera 3" &wormed,
but a Inch (moray was little adverted to and title nab's-
IRMO.

. ......
In the particular paragraph to which }nu and of
which you nave been pleased to rite so very in detmate an
ettinct, my only objrt•t w:111 to Mill/PIA all important argu-
ment by utlJuvinz; a particular fart. This may easily b.• per-
ceived by any tine a Ito a ill do me the favour so peruse the
pa-suge. It is as follow II :—" Amongst the male pri-
soners, brusit-ion king, slio--mak tit • tread-is heel, ea rpm,-
tertur, and other handicraft (rad s, may easily be iatroduced„
allele these is no opportunity for conducting a regular Ina-
iz,ctury. In the I. my Jail of Norwich the Imioling ram&
no ,uch opportunity, and Its long been a scene of total
add corrupting idleness. About three stimuli. ;Igo, it nos
übsc•rved that one sir the five pr.soners then in the Jail had
let act•u-nnm•d to make shuns. Ile readily undertook to
tei,rli hu, com,taaions. Toils and leather were pu twitted. A
ahoy salo dealer undertook to famish work The wheel
a a- easily set a-going : and this sink of idleurxs soon av•mned
the pleasin6 aspect of comparathe happiness and constant
industry."

Permit me, Gentlemen, to enquire of you, whether it wag
quite fair towards nis, and (if your rep:nation can really be
affected by any words of mine) whether it war quite prudent
sip your• wen ace and, to throw before the public the espies-
slims which yOU deem " seve, e," and wholly to ttttt it the no-
tice of another clause ,n the same belliClK e, w loch could not
fail In pi-mince a totally opposite unprer•inn.—Ce
when 1 wrote that scn►core, I had no intention eithei to
Id 11110 111 to ;pale : but •hould any of my rend. 9 s fed rt dis-
it to censure ymuu, b •caug., under your ati-ptcest, the
Jul: wa, a sink of ; smirch such a di-position must
be instantly removed by the c mstileratimi, that nark's- the
Lone totspices it had " imitated the pleasing awed of conapa-
ratios happiarvg and conNtun! industry."
It is evident, therefore, that this paragraph was not cat %S-
-lated (as assuredly it was not intended) to disparage your
magisterial character. And now having endeav9ured to
prove that l have brought 1111 charge against yuti, you must
allow ate to say a few words in answer to the cliari;es which
you nave thought proper to prefer against me.
no alit IhUte to me—if 1 rightly understand your lan-
guyge—a teats! of cuud•rur and a want of truth. As I, mull,
beli••ve that you intended no personal incivility, 1 shall make
ao comment upon the "severity" of these charges; limit
shall proceed at once to establish my very cooscieutious plea
of " Nut Guilty."

. -
With re.prt•t to my " want of candor," you have inform.
ed the public, that previously too the p Wishing of mt hook.
(cositait.ing the pasmge supposed to he so oflrnsive) I visited
the Jail in company w ith Alderman John Brno toe to td
Itackhani, and that on this occasion, 1 e.rpresved m.i satisfo,
ton at the present an probable future state of the Jail. This
ft:tit:meat is not perfectly correct. Io is true that I vis led
the Jail in company a ith douse gentlemen, that I was grate-
foil to them for the•.r pulitene-•, :old that I was pleased to
obse•rte the of the wo tidy A dennan, to pronoot-, bt
imprny mesas iu the louililing, a better classification of the
: hat, that I e••er espreso:d the elishte•t approloa.
toot o this prison, is itt (7 igi,at slit•, I lie.: leave most dis-
tinctly to &my After I hail devoted towel, attention to the
subject, and had fo 'lied the opinions, a hich are stated at
Lugo in my 1 1., it was quite impossililo. that I could feel
otislio•ti tt ith touch a Jail ; a Jail o hod, /ins ben proved to he
tosecure ; io which the priov.rs are heavily fetterrod; which
adonis no. oppool funky of inspection; in which Ifs- petty
doled' mod desper ite offender, the untried and convicted pri-
....noir, ;Lie herded together wit Mott any distinction; iu ii hich
dolly, instil very lowly the illiterate ainangst
were not isistructed, and none of them were employed.
It most, indeed, be confc•scil, that our jail was at Ilial
lime wanting in almost all the principal requisites of a
wool poison. IVitliont inspection, einssificattan. bistro. lion.
e'old imp/ ninvint, a pr sou cannot produce reform ; hut on
ton, e.e. ir,s.), a ill ever be found the prolific ►ource of set loth
depl irahle evil.
but 1•• pHocreil to your yet heavier charge—you state it
as our (pinion that the expressions, to v• Melt you Object,
in lily areomat of the Norwich Jail, are •• isoluundede' in
mdse r war.l., that they have "oo f.uodation. IN what
bask charge is grotitstleil,l NM wholly at a loss to dis-
rover. 1' ou '2 I'l ft'Cily will aware that for many years
the erimilials in this Jail wet e totally destitute 4.1 employ-
uicat. 11.11;itmtily as yon have ti•ilcd the Jail, you moist
Ictvr he•. n aequa rated with floc fret, I too, iloroongli the•
kiadtoess r Shia have fieq•.ruily impecto d
your l.li•an; and I have %ilia...soil within its mall the
listless sawn, the gaup• at marble., the loud lath, the stole
and impotent. conversation, hot the coil lay swint of its
Ilinfof lone. though guilty inmates. null iatto!y I hose
wryer Noo, I oho eve, That A 1114141 1.0111.
eiders' absrnec of o or• it," So be ”I".
rat tams; at any rate they roo•1.a111M:f. It
is Mills: palolo., thi n Imo, that the Nom. Jail has .ii
•c. n•• of tonal idoenrs•;•' awl it the% I. be any limb
iu do' t.o .•.I lia ..t• ic.fiqodiy for in the owl dos•oon of
daily 4 ..04 It is ..t...toiy i:'•li•pn ail.•, Coat loj JioN
La. •• a 0., it co. sc. o.r ul I. f.oi en, ••
‘1 tilt c!:ioo ihr 'lOOl,lll, •. Ili id I-
t."-s," I hate lia.o Lic:c ).1111.