The National Register.
London, England, 1812-03-08 00:00:00

150

eating the Irish Catholics, which was fixed for the 13th of April, he
should move for a Call of the House on the 12th, the day preceding.—
(Hear, hear, hear ! )
Mr. BaNKEs gave notice, that he should, on Tuesday next, move
for leave to bring in a Bill to prevent Offices front being granted in
Reversion for a limited period.—( Hear, hear ! )
LORD STEWARD'S OFFICE.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCH EQU ER moved for leave to bring in
a Bill to render valid and effectual, certain Oaths which had been
administered to certain Members of that House (Messrs. Cavendish
and Dundas) by the Deputies of the Lord Steward, during the vacancy
of the Office of Lord Steward. The CHANCELLOR of the Exe too ER
then observed on the necessity of the Bill. .1 he Office of Lord
Steward (recently filled by I ord Aylesford) had been vacant for some
time, and subsequent to that vacancy two Members euf that House had
taken the customary oaths before the Deputies. The necessity of the
. Bill was evident, from the fact of the Members not having had the
oaths administered to them legally.
After some few observations from several Members, the Bill was
brought n, read a first and second time, and afterwards went through
a Committee of the whole House; it was then read a third time, and
ordered to the Lords
i:Our Readers will observe, that this Indemnification Bill was brought
in and carried through its several stages in one day—a mode of pro-
cecdinie, that is very uncommon, and only resorted to in cases of great
ernergencvl
Mr. Wviiia e, inmediately after the passing of the above Indemni-
fication Act, gave notice, that he &iould move for have, on Tuesday
next, to bin' io a Lill to abolish the custom of adminkterine Oaths to
Members of that House by the Lord Steward or his 15eputits.—
Bear, hear ! )

MUTINY BILL.
The House then went into Committee on the Mutiny Bill.
Mr. W.ATBILE.ID said that he wished to call the att..ntion of the
Committee to a circumstaece that prevailed very gener.llly, of sending
soldiers to school, in order to render them fit to become non-comtnis-
sioned officers. The legality of the order upon that subject had never
been di.puted until it was exercised upon individuals in the regiment to
which he belonged. In conformity to the principle that had been
adopted in several regiments, he had ordered one of the soldiers in his
to go to school. The man refused, and was advis.d by a brother sol-
dier to adhere to his refusal. He (Mr. W.) in consequence of such dis•
obedience upon the part of the soldier, ordered him to be imprisoned;
the consequence of which was, that the Officer who had put in force
the order, was prosecuted, and a verdict given against him, the Judges
having declared it their opinion that the order was illegal, and that the
soldier so imprisoned had it in his power, and would be justified in
commencing a prosecution for false imprisonment, so that a prosecution
actually hung at this moment over his (Mr. W's) head. his Royal
highness the Duke of York had thoLght it necessary that the soldiers
should po,sess the means of becoming less illiterate than they usually
were, but he wished to know whether it had been determined that
they should become so spontaneously or upon compulsion.
The CHANCELLOR of the ExenLV es said, that the order issued by
the Commander in Chief s:as not compulsory. It was only intended
to ,take th..t general,
.which had been adopted with seccess by several
iegitnents.
A • conversation took place in the Committee upon the subject of
flwrc'ging soldiers, and Mr. Brougham having been given to understand
by Lord Palmerstone, that the only provision in the Bill respecting that
mode of punishment, was•the more general extension of the Act of last
ession, leaving the punishment of the soldiers at the discretion of the
Commanding °filer, stated that he would enter his protest against so
pcUous and inlurious a practice. The resolutions were then agreed to,
and the Report ordered to he received on Monday.
WAYS AND MEANS.

On the Motion of the CHANCELLOR of the Excn QUER it was resol-
ved, that, in addition to the sum of 5031,7001. subscribed in Exchequer
Bids, to be funded in FLbruary last, the sum of 6,7e9,C251. to be raised
by Navy 3 pet- C.,pt. Annuities, at the rate of 1251. for every 1001. con-
}ributed; 1081. in 5 per Cent. Stocks ta-he adOed to the Stock created
by the sub,cription, and to bcar interest from the 3th January, 1312.
• iteport ordered to be rectiyed on Monday.
'Fite Legal QuAys 1 iil wai brought in, read a first time, andorder eel
eo be read a second tirne on Monday.—Adjourned.