The National Register.
London, England, 1813-02-14 00:00:00

THE NATIONAL REGISTER.

101

Mr. Sslti it and Mr. M. TA YLOR also opposed the Bill.
Serjeant 131ST spoke in its favour.
Mr. CA NNI NG said, all the legal abilities of the country had been
employed in the eomposi,ion of an officer, whose attributes were to
render him ridienhats even in the eyes of hip own brethren. The new
officer proposed to he created, was to be ordained to act according as
the Lord Chancellor sh .uld think fit—if that was freedom, what was
servitude ?—Was it the free exercise of legal right, to be laid chained
hand and foot on the tribunal of judgment. He confessed himself an-
able to cope with legal men and-Chancery arguments, bat he conceived
that the Bill created a magistrate wholly unfit to be introduced into
the jurisprudence of the conntry.
Sir S. Rost ILY strenuously opposed the Bill, contending, that if it
were passed it would effect a complete change in the character of
future Lords Chancellor; and that the country would never again see such
men as Somers, Camden, Hardwicke, &c. He denied that the business.
strictly so called, of o.e Court of Chaiicerv, had increased since. the .
year 1750. The cumber of suits had not increased. Undoubtedly causes
were now heard at much more considerable length than formerly ; and
he lamented that a kind of invitation was held out for hearings and re-
hearings, equally injurious to the clients of that Court, and to the pub-
lic at large. To the Bill before the House, offering as it did the
grossest indignity to the individual who might he appointed to fill the
situation designated in it, be could never consent ; and he was suits
that the a eneral sense of the profession was with him.
Mr. WETHERAI.t. supported the Bill at considerable length.
The SOLICITOR-GENERAL, in a speech of great animation and
ability, replied to the various arguments that had been addressed
against the Bill, admitting, however, that it might be susceptible of
emendation in the Committee.
Mr. PONSON3'i opposed the Bill.
A division ensued—fur the Amendment, 122 ;—Against it 201—
Majority, 79.
The Bill was then read a second time, and ordered to be committed
on Monday.—Adjourned at three o'clock.

FRIL)?.y' FEE. 12.
Several papers we:e presented from the Bank of England, which
were ordered to lie on the table.
All account of the present state of the national debt was presented,
and ordered to lie on the table.
The further consideration of tall haftskury Petition was put off
till Monday, in consequence
)tf' rhe indiniosition of Sir Godfrey
Webster.
•
Leave was given to bring in a Bill to empower the *Proprietors of
the West Middlesex Water-works to raise a further sum of-money to
enable them to prosecute their labours.
Several Petitions were presented against the Roman Catholic Claim!,
the Leather Tax, and *the East India Company's Charter, which
were ordered to lie on the table.
Mr. IJIL>Y A DaINGTON gave notice, that he would on Monday
move for leave to bring in a Bill to anwnd the laws relative to the
Local Militia of England and Scotland.

SINECURE OFFICES.
Mr. B A NK.ZS rose to move for leave to bring in a Bill to abolish Si.
nccure Offices and Places in Reversion. Ha stated, that he had made
it one of the most prominent features of the Bill that remuneration
should he made to those persons who sewed the country, which
would testify the liberality of Parliament, and that such remunera•
tion should proceed from Parliament immediately. Ile said that he
would, in one of the advanced stages of the Bill, enumerate the be-
nefits which would result from the acquiescence of the House in the
measure, and expressed a hope that his sentiments would meet with
their approbation.
Lord C A STLEREAGH said, that he would not oppose the present
motion of his Honourable Friend, but as he looked upon the Bill
which was intended to be brought in as containing principles of an
unconstitutional tendency, he should take an opportunity of delivering
his opinion against it in due time.
Leave was given to bring in the Bill.
LOCAL TOKENS.
The C A NCELLOR of the ExemF.Qtr ER, "ViOUS to his moving that
the House should go into a Committee upon the Local Token Bill,
said, that he thought it necessary to give the sanction of government to
the circulation el Local Tokens until the sth of July, after which
time lie supposed, there would be, no necessity for allowing that cur-
rency. He assured the House that in the measure brought before
them, Ireland was considered most attentively with respect to the
state of her currency.
Sir JOHN. NEWPORT trusted that the many crying evils which that
country had to complain of in regard to the scarcity of silver, would
he remedied. In the South of Ireland the state of the peasatir was in-
considerably hard, as he was obliged to take a kind of paper security
in payment for his labour. He most earnestly requested that the Go-
vernment would take into c ,iisideration a case of such terrible priva.
tion and difficulty. and send to Ireland as much silver as could he
aflcorded. The people of that country were not only sufferers from tl.t.s•-•