The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1820-05-05 00:00:00

SCOTCH BURGHS.

Lord A. HAWILTott rose. pursuant to notice, to
rrurw his motion for a Committee on Scotch
Burghs. The Committee could not be composed
tit the same Meinben as the Parliament lied before
referred the business to, tunny of those persons
being no longer Members. There could be no
doubt of the necessity fur inquitiug into this sub-
ject ; it had been admitted by former Committees
tool by the House itself. Ile rook( not eater into
particulars or general arguments. as he did not then
wish to provoke discussion. He rather preferred
assuming the admitted understanding which prevail-
ed antosig all parties touching this question. if thete
were any wloo, net having been Members of the
former Pio liameot tole then minds unsatisfied oft
the sulioct, be twgvr4l to tiler then, to the former
proceeiling• of the 111.ntor, mid the labours of its
Committee.. gather 'Lau risk a dismission by going
over the gsoutid• *tiro. The subject was tabooed
to be of the highest importance, and it had el-
s lied 11. e most anxious interest in that part of the
4043E11,y to which it peculiarly related. In the for-
'nation of this Committer, I.e bad first taken care
to communicate with his Majesty's Ministers, as
I.e was unwilling to oubject himself to ally dime!).
I.l.iiitinent Oti torcuunt ut a single name contained
14.1141 list, Ile would humbly sower.
. . _ . _

Tbid the Petitions received from the Royal Burgles of
feeseitand ii the )ears 1811, 1819. mid 1820, be 'rimed tea
■ tftlret Committee, to rasseiue cud rrpuil thereues to the
Iluese."

Luid Buntline testified II) the fairness of the
Maisie Lord in selecting lin Committee.
The iimstroo seas agreed to, as wee oleo"' motion
foe referring the 'term!' of the Committees cm the

JURY COVRT (SCOTLAD.)
The LOAD ADVOCATE, by way of answer to what
had taken place on a previous night, respecting the
appointment of a Baron in one of the court. of
Scotland, wished to have a paper produced which
would chew the disposition of Government upon
the subject better than any thing hr could say. It
had been usual to fill up the appointment after
consulting the heads of all the legal departments
iii Scotland. Milli duty had been intrusted to his
execution, and he had accordingly taken the opi-
nions of the Lord Justice Clerk, the Lord
Chief Baron, the President of the Jury Court, and
the Committee ■ppoiuted to inqiiire into the fees
and emoluments of Scotch Courts. It would he
seen by the Report when it should be brought on
the table, that the proper authorities had been
consulted. Ile moved an humble address to his
Majesty, praying him to cause to be laid before
the House the Report of the law authorities before
mentioned, respecting the discontinuance of the
office iu question.
Mr. ABERCROIIDT lamented that with such a
Report before them, Ministers should have per-
►iated its the appoitituseut. In this affair he thought
that his Mojesty could not have been well advised.
But as the Noble Lord bad moved fur the produc-
tion of the impel», the House bad reason to hope
that it was done as a preliminary measure of in•
quiry into the whole ►ystem of the Exchequer
Court. The greatest advantages might be expected
from separating the judicial departments Guns the
affairs and interests of other bu►iness. No duty of
a political character ought to be mingled with the
duties of a Judge. It was our of the must urgent
dirties of Parliament to inquire into the straits of
the Court of Exchequer in Scotland.
Lord Btlextmes defended the conduct of the
Lord Advocate in moving for the paper.
Mr. AuaacitonlY eXplained.
Sir J. Newrowr said the paper was not offered
until the office had been filled up.
Mr. Flummox said, that die 'charge which had
made the production of the paper necessary was
only made uu the second day of this Parliament.
MARRIAGE ACT.
_ _

Dr. PuttAtuotti .................... to biing
in • Bill for the alteration of the Marriage Act. His
chief objects were to give parents rind goardtins
power to void the marriage* of minors. to limit the
power of annulling marriages by the parties them-
selves to six months after they had attained their
majorities, and to put marriages by banns on the
same footing of legal responsibility as those by
liceu.•e.—The motion was agreed to.
REVENUES OF GIBRALTAR.
Mr. Dome was anxious so explato a misonder-
stout:ling winch had gone forth un a statement of
his of yesterday. Ile had stated that one item in
the charges of the Civil List was. 1,370. for the
Master ofilie Hawks. which had been represented
us Master of the Horse. Adverting to the object
of his motion. the revenues of Gibraltar, one
reason fur withdrswiug it had been offered to him
by the Chancellor of the Exchequer. that the
house had no right to interfere, and nem interfered
with dust revenue. Ile was not reparei with► suf.
ficieut information at the that to reply to such a
statement; but now he had to state that scrotum
of that revenue had been laid before the House,
for the years 1794, 5,6, 7, severally distinguished.
All he asked was a gross account of that revenue
dining the period tasted Hi the accounts before
the House. There was a rode in the account. by
the side of this item which stated. that the accounts
of that revenue and its appropriation were already
before the Douse. There were ear loch accumitsi
however. and lie hoped Ministers would woke good
the deficiency in the accounts which they alleged to
be before the House. But the question of most
serious consideration was, the prniciple ou which
tlese revenues had been collected. Ile thought
the King could have uo right to levy taxes thus
on any particular protiuce or pert of the British
dominions. The Hon. Gentleman then entered
iato rouse arithmetical statements couceruiog the

•
. • . ,
reveaue and surplus remitted freha Gil,tsiltft. Cal-
culating from moons laid before the Home. be in-
(erred that the whole amount of the taxes levied its
Gibraltar in the last airy yeses amenented to ltiglit
hundred and sixty atomised Pomade. But the
moonlit was not the material consideration ; it was
' for lo &Me whether any officer or his
Mtijesty had a right to impose saxes withu.t the
authority of Parliament. He said he had net,
,and
be contended' that whoever did so was guihy of
misdemeanor, or whatever •ffeuce it Might beast law.
The Chaneellor of the Exchequer hail said Oil
runner night, that he kn.', no *min" why sat•h
sums sl td he levied in Gibraltar to the way they
were, but immemorial singe. But even that ground
did not support hum, for he held in his haul the
original charter grauted to the place by Queen
Anne. in 1704. The Hon. Gewttelww" the" read
■ts extract from that document by which the (lore's
io Council ordered, that for the encouraging of set-
lets, and the segmentation of trade, no duty or im-
position whatever should be exacted front shills
trading or touching at the port ; and that the goods
and chattels of the inhabitants, and what are
usually called imports, should also enjoy an immu-
nity from taxation. This hail attracted a great
Humber or rattlers to the piece, and he was ►nrry
public faith bad not been kept with them. The
accounts which he wished to obtain would shew the
amount of taxation in the year 17614 2""4"e"-
wards. its 1739 he believed it was but four thou-
wind pounds; hut tl►e (louse would probably he
eurprized to hear; that at present, as lie was iufnrn►-
rd, it was not less then fifty thousand pounds.
At the former pet loft none of those taxes were in
existence, which huil sluice beets imposed, of a
most heavy and galling nature, and unworthy of
any country professing liberal principles. At the
time that Popery was the bug-hear here, nine-
truths of the population of Gibraltar having bee►
Roman Catholics. sod it being held an object to
remove as numy as possible of them, disabilities
were imposed am persons of that persuasiou, and
exclusive privileges confetred on those of the Pro-
'lntent faith. These distinctions, so impolitic in
all governments, continued till the ministry of the
Duke of -Bedford, but the General ellen sent out
had instructions to soften the rigour of the exclu-
sive laws. flowerer they virtually cootiisued in
existence till the arrival of his Royal flightless the
Duke of Kent, who feeling solisosed that the
Romeo Catholics of Gibraltar should be put as it
were under the ban of British law, procured their
repeal. But what would the House say to his Ma-
jesty's Ministers, when they were informed that lat.
terly a ospitstion tax of ten dollars a.year had been
imposed on all Roman Catholics and Jews, to
commence from January, 1818, ■nd that note
withstanding the charter, duties had beet' levied
to the amount of several thousands
Ilene the Honourable Gentleman described the
duties levied off the different classes of ships touch-
ing the harbour,asad computed that the aggregate of
them 'amounted to about 7,5001. uunually. Ile
contended that this was a proceeding iu siolatiou
of the faith of the country. He objected iii the
first place to the right of the Crown to impose these
duties without th►e concurrence of Parliament, but
still more to the imposition of them by the Go-
vrroor
without the ►auction of Ministers. Ile had
it► his band a list of taxes laid un by Gen. Don,
part of which had been confirmed sod part not. It
comprised a tax of 911. 10.. for a license to every
retail wine and spirit shop, to be paid annually.
This law passed in 1816. He should be told by
the Chancellor of the Exchequer that it was re-
pealed, and he allowed that to 1818 the charge
was reduced to 401. or so/. But lie protested
against the right of Cotentin/id in any shape.
General Don also taxed eons. lighters, fishing-
boats, billiard-tables, and a variety of other er-
tide.. Ile even sanctioned the sale of Spanish
lottery tickets, for which he understood the persists
licensed paid him a considerable sum. How did
this Governor acquire authority to tax British sub-
jects without cinema of Pailiament. and to put
money into his own pocket besides ? lie had every
reason to believe that the Government wished in ex-
tend their patronage there by the increase of offices.
During the war there was but one Tow!, Major, stow
there were two. lie the former period there was
but este b k minter, now three; WIC head and
two ass►stants There was one pratique-master in
time of war; in peace three. Fur repairs of the
barrack and ordinary depart►nent there masa charge
nn this country, in the year 1818, of above 9,0001.
Now he could nut but look upon this as extraordi-
nary, while an overplus of the revenues of Gibraltar
was going into the privy purse. fie had reviews to
believe that at the commencement of the late reign
there were no taxes payable, end that all the
reVenne *se derived from the crown lands. Butt he
considered that that had been virtually given up by
the Ist Geo. and that in the management of
this reve►►ue the Ministers had acted illegally, or at
least uuconstitutionally. To shew what anxiety
had been manifested to improve the morals of the
Piotestant inhabitants, and to bestow on them the
consolations of religion, he might mention the fact.
that while there were two Synagogues iu exi.tesicr.
a Roa►ish Chapel, slid a Methodist meeting-house,
there was not one place of worship belo,igilig to the
church of England; nor school for the
education of Protestants.—(Hear, hear.)—The
revenue too was collected ■t a great expense,
for the collector appointed by Government red
sided at ttttt and exercised his dory by
deputy. lie should not detain the House longer.
—( Cries of " Hear. hear, hear," from the Minis-
terial Benches.)—He should mention a few facts
essore.—(Cries of .► Hear, hear, Afar," from the
Opposition side.)—Mr. Huu►e then stated, among
other tam., that at the eutclur►on of she war, the
inilituay secretary hail been struck al the emu.
blishinent, but immediately reeppointral as trans-
!slur of languages and inspector of the revenue at
the seine baler,. Ile then 'unwed for—

1. A rehire of all lases levied in the Garrison and Terri-
tory of Gibcaltar ; and also of all charges far port-disties,
wharfage'', blediterrameas posses, &c. front the scars IMO
to tie year 1120.
2. A return of the amber and ostate of Officers em.
ployed wader be Government of the sante place, with the
salaries annexed to each, and these ensulnesents over and
above their salaries, Midst the mote period.
3. A ttillra of the total racoon of reverse trollerted is
the Garrises and Territory ol Gibraltar, is eatb year, fro*
Itllo to the year loto.
queotiou bocci. g been pot or the otcoltd lON
Lost.

• fhe Cilettcst.t.Ctit of the EscStaten eimpfetige

'ea that Ile Hon. GAilloansn hai 'Aorta his Mo.°
jesty'a Mioistrirs sod theiChvoneor `with the grossest
acts of extortion and violence, bet ho hoped that
the Howe would suspood their °Pinion as to the
justice of these charges till a more fit opportunity
should arise for examining them. With regard to
-4he right of the Crolvit to make laws for Gibralta►.
lie took it to be one of the cl t principles of the
law of nations, that when by conquest the legisla.
sive right over any di-petidency was transferred to
this country, the King in Council could justly and
conet►tutionally legislate for it. To the second
unttiou (the first in the order in which they are
above stated), he saw on objection though there
was no pl.tee wl►e►e some duties of that nature
were not paid. With regard to the third, he
should not oppose it of the Honourable Gentle.
mall would Consent to take the aggregate amount,
instead of requiring it for each year. The House
was aware. by the paper on the table, that 114,0004
was the stim received by his late Majesty out of the
revenues of Gibraltar. The total amount received
during the last twi.try years was about 71,0001.
Sir J. MACKINTOSII could uot agree to the state-
ment of the law of nations made by the Right lion.
Geutletn•n (Ile. Vin oo ioo *et), or in the soundness of
the•prn►ciple by which the right of legislating for ■
conquered country vested necessarily in the King ;
even ►f the fact were an, it could not be in come.
queuce of the law of tuitions, for that Duly regu-
lated the relation• between two countries, and
could not determine a question of British hisv.—
Mear, hear.l—The case of Campbell and Hall
had made it extremely doubtful in whom the right
of legislating for a conquered country resided—
whether in the King in Council or the King in Par.
lisineot. He should either advise his Hon. Friend
to content himself for the present with what had
been offered l►y the Chancellor of the Exchequer.
Mr. Goya-auto said, that in the course of the
last reign, every disposition hail been shrwis by Go-
vernment to improve the condition and increase the
comforts of the people of Gibraltar. With regard
to what had fallen from the Honourable Gentleman
on the 'object of a Protestime church, he' (Mr.
Goulhurii) bad also resided at Gibraltar for about
two years, and during the whole of that period, had
gone regularly to church, where the whole of the
troops iii garrison were always mustered.—(Heaar•.)
Another Member, with whore name we were un-
acquainted, said that he had attended divine service
at the satiate place for two years, and never had heard
uuy complaint of the want of room.—(Hen►.f
The first two motions were then put ■ud carried
in the affirmative.

Mr. Huux then said, that he had made the al-
terations in the third motion desired by the Chau.
tcellor of the Exchequer. He was perfectly ready
to support every charge he had actually made; but
it was uticandid of the Right Hutt. Gentleman to
put the words " extortion and violence" into his
mouth, when he had never made use of them.
Whirs, lie spoke of • Protestant church, he meant one
in the town for the use of the inhabitants, and to vas
derstand his language otherwise was but quibbling.
The lion. Geutlemon said, that lois object had
been entirely of • public nature, and that if he had
used any expremious which might be calculated to
give offence to individuals, it was not his intention
to do 60, inid he wu extremely sorry for it. He
concluded by moving for the return as modified by
the Chancellor of the Exchequer.
The motion was caused its the affirmative.
Mr. LUSHINGTON laid on the table returns of
copper imported and exported, and • report of the
present state of the Established Church in Ireland.
The Insolvent Debtors' Regulation Bill was
read a second time. committed, and ordered to be
reported tU-1110110w.
Adjourned at ten minutes past seven o'clock.