The National Register.
London, England, 1816-05-05 00:00:00

THE' NATIONAL REGISTER.

•
objection that could or uttered against a revision of the IRMO
laws)—but now, when the mai ket was in a tlouri.hiig stale.
was the prorer time for •remedv ing any defect in the woollen
laws. instead of waiting until the trade Was depressed. •
After a few observations from NI r.• Thornton, laird Lascelles,
Lord Milton, and Mr. Calcraft, the Report wills its Appendix
were ord!..ed to lie on the table, and to be printed.
sir M. Itini.Ev desired to be informt (I, respecting the ac-
cnracy of a statement that• came to his knowledge—mutely,
whether several officers vonnecttal with the Ito itisli army now
stationed in I•'rOIR7I., had wit received very extended leave of
absence, inconsistent wits their professional duty. In one
instance, lie understood that some gentlemen were permitted
to go to College to prosecute their studies; whilst another, a
Major, was actually now engaged iu the attar of Europe, in
company with a young Nobleman.
Lord PALMERSTON said, that the power of giving leave of
absence was nut connected vs ith his departmenti.consequent-
ly he could not answer directly to the proposed questiou.
Perhaps, however, when the Hon. Baronet spoke of some gen-
tlemen being permitted to prosecute their stwiiea at College—
he meant the Military College.
Sir M. !Wary replied, that he distinctly understood that
some had gone to the University of Oxford, and others to CAM-
bridge,
Mt. PEEL observed, that the discussion on a former evening,
relative to the office of the Clerk of the Pleas of the Exchequer
in Ireland, having apprised the House of the object of the
:measure he intended to introduce for regulating it, it was un-
necessary for him to enter into a detailed statement respecting
it. It was x matter of notoriety, that the office had become
vacant bydhe death of the Ead of Buckinghamshire; and that
the House had previously resolved, on such an event, to make
that office a subject of inquiry. When the Earl of Bucking-
hamshire died, ninny questions bad been put in that House re-
lative to the intentions of the Irish Government respecting
the office ; .and lie (Mr. Peel) had distinctly stated, that lie
would immediately carry into effect the a ishes of the House.
Since that time the Chief Baron of the Court of Exchequer in
Ireland had arrogated the power of Dominating to the office;
the principal and deputies were sworn in, in the Court of Ex-
chequer, and were now actually in office. He did not mean
to interfere-in the question by legislative measures, but should
leave it to be tried by the proper tribunal, the courts of law.
As, however, great dehas' must arise in determining the ques-
tion, as the emoluments of the offices were vi Ey great, and the le-
gality of the fees extremely-doubtful, it became a question,
how the profits should in the interim be disposed of. If
the Crown were to appoint a person to the office, as that per-
son could be named for the sole purpose of trying the right,
he ought to receive none- of the fees. There might, however,
be no necessity for such an appointment ; as proceedings had
been instituted against the Chief' Baron's appointment, to
decide the right as soon as possible. His object then was, to
impound the fees of the offices, and to compel the persona to
account for them every quarter; leaving to• the i rish Govern-
ment a discretionary power of making any compensaf they
might think proper to those who fulfil the duties of the offices.
He was aware that a question might arise as to the propriety of
ioterfering with a vested right—( Cries of No, No! )-- but us
the legality of the fees was very questionable, he dial not think
that such an objection could be made in the present Metallic..
The Right Hon. Gentleman concluded by moving for lease to
bring in a Bill for securing the profits of the office of Clerk of
the Pleas of the Exchequer in leeland, while the right of the
possession was litigataal ; which, after some discussion, was
granted.—tedjourned.