The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1818-06-02 00:00:00

Wally interfered.te obtain his release from that im-
prisonment in which he had been placed by the
error of a British officer.
Sir JAM'S MACKINTOSH had no desire on the
present occasion to revive any animosities or warmth
of debate, or to cast any reflection either on the
dead or the living, as connected with the treatment
of M. de Coreija. The Noble Lord had hutted at
the previous political conduct of this Gentleman,
but had almost at the same time discounected it
from the present question. The real paint was,
bad not the individual suffered • great grievance
through the means of an officer of this country, and
was he not entitled to the puma relief he prayed ?
The nature of this gentleman's arrest was such, that
the Government of the country felt thesmetre:s
bound in honour and duty to demand his release ;
be was accordingly released, and ultimately found
refuge in this country. He now feels it necessary
to go abroad for his health, and on application to
the Spanish Ambassador for a passport, as a sub.
sect of his Catholic Majesty, he es told, not that
be is diseutitled t• it for Isis conduct to his own So-
vereign, be that whit it may, but because Englmid
bad felt it necessary to make great efforts us his
favour on a former occasion—that was 'saying, in
plain terms, " You shall nut have a passport—you
shall be divested of your national character as a
Spaniard, which entitles you to claim our, because
England has endeavoured to stone to you for the
wrongs which the error of one of her officers canted."
The unfortunate Gentleman was therefore to be-
come the subject of no state—to be an eternal
exile, and to forfeit the privilege of a Spaniard, if,
indeed, any privilege belonged to one— Heard—
merely because England had •ttenipted to du hint
justice, for the wrongs and sufferings which he hail
suffered at the hands of one of her officers. Such
conduct on the part of the Spanish Government,
was unfriendly towards an ally, and not calculated
to uphold amicable relations, and the individual
who suffered by it, had ■ good right to elaissi re-
dress from the Government which placed him in
his preserit predicament.
Lord CASTLEREAGH replied, that the English

Government had, by procuring the release of the
individual, done all in their power to atone fur the
situation in which he was placed by the error of
the British officer. The individual might, if he
pleased, quit this country ; he had free egress.
The only utility of a Spanish passport would be to
secure to him the protection of his Catholic Ma-
jesty's subjects. Now that rested solely between
the individual and his Sovereign, and was a matter
in which this Government, after what had passed,
could not be called upon to interfare.—llletir.)

Sir J. Mactitserosit observed, the refusal of the
passport was not on the general exercise of the So-
ttish Ambassador's discretion, but as he had be-
fore stated, because the British Government hail
thought it right to claim his discharge from the
Government of Spain.
Lord CUTLER). Aell said, the British Govern.
nient had obtained his liberty, and while 'under
their protection, situated as he stood, hr wise en-
titled to a freedom front arrest ; that lie had; but
what more could he fairly be 'milled to ?
Mr. BROU.GIIaII begged to take this occasion of
s•kiug the Noble Lord whit use bad beets wade of
the tufluence of England iii the cases of timer gal.
'rat and unhappy persons who fought the battles
of the greatful Ferdinand, and were once requited
by the occupancy of the loathsome thuigeons nearly
opposite Gibraltar ? Had any, and what remon-
strances been made rehouse to their cases, and with
what success was the interpolation of England re-
ctived, in behalf of the victims of the Itlirrsl and
enlightened policy of the grateful Ferdinand 1—
(i-ice, hear.)
Lord CAsTLEILEAGII replied, that the inferrer.
ence had been carried on, on the part of this country,
far as it was possible to go, and even beyond
what prudence might have suggested fur the
individuals themselves, who were the object' of

the iiderposition. So far as external intrilerence
could go curry effort bad hewn made, whether it
had been thwarted by misdirected internal rffurts
litre he would not way, but be really thought it
would become Gentlemen to 'route before they
nismiested such au unceasing desire to male them.
—(//ear.)
Air. BaoUGHAM said, it was no (Mat of lii. if

any language he was compelled to use in that
House towards foreign Princes, had become the
bitterest sarcasm.—(llear.)
Mr. Beringer said, the Noble Lord may have
lesson to complain of any language which was not
palatable to the foreign Potentates with whom lie
hail associated; but if this uucourtly language lied
not been used in that House, he was cuilviticeil hits
Alajesty's Ministers would have never thought of
makiug any application in behalf of any of these
persecuted Hear.)
The SPEAKER said, he understood the Petition
hid reference to pecuniary redrew—now, in p t
of form. the consent of the Crown 1111111 i Iw given
before the House could receive the unpin- .
The Petition did not in direct terms State
hut the words could imply nothilig else. This was
the first instance in which words had been carri .1
so far towards bearing this construction, oithunt an
express avowal of it, and the House would shrink
how far it would be proper to draw a line under
such circumstances.
Lord MOIPETH. in moving that the Pet,tiiiii he
brought up, would leave it to the House to judge
on the prim of form. The Petition dish not, cr r-
tainly, state the object of the Petitioner to be fur
iiecutiisry redress.
The Petition was then brought up and reml. It
ain't' the otagiiiil arrest of Don Diego de Curt+,
at Gibraltar, where he had fled f the persecu-
tom of the Spanish Government, who had sentenced
Imn to ten years imprisonment—it also detwiiheti
surrender by the British Officer commanding at
Gibraltar, and his ultimate release on the applica-
tion of the British Government. The pre)er war
for tint Government to enable him to subsist heir.
boil he was enabled to obtain a passport from the
Ambassador of his legitimate Sovereign.
On the qaestion that the Petittou du lie on the
The CHANCELLOR of the ExcusQuEß objected
to its being received, on the ground that the prayer
directly implied pecuniary relief, which could out
be given without the tutored of the Crown.
Lord Coeilitaxe was not astonished at what the
light Hon. Gentleman had just said ; be knew
"tq well it was impossible fur any body in

position toit4 likijesiv's Government or tliair
to I.ll)talas rOrest, It had lung been clear, (list the
ungrateful K ..g of Bpaiu hod the power of peeve-
.euting at home those who had preserved for hint his
Crown, and it was now evident he could rotor]
them over for further persecution to his Majesty's
Miiiisters. The Petittoner chinned relief for she
sufferiogs he liiosl endured through the unjustifiable
interlereitee of a British officer, and now, through
so inaccuracy in the wording of his Petition, 1w way
to be shut out front redress. It Wit clear that a
man who Red from despotistit could find no friend
iii soy of Ins Majesty's *Motets. This Parliameist
was, very happily for tine public, on the eve of be-
ing dissolved, moil he sincerely hoped that the next
would refuse to react a standing order of this kind,
which would give the Crown it-priwer to refuse re-
dress to a soli..ring intlividsial.—(Hear.)
Lord Mokruns then consented to withdraw the
Petition, which the House permitted.

LAND TAX ASSESSMENT.
, Mr. BROU4HAIII called the attention of the
House to a case of privilege. • He now held in his
hand a piper,
.which left 110 &Mist of the correct-
ness of the for Mer statement, relative to the trot-
tiering that had beenadoirteil in the laud tax assess•
melds for the county of Westouurlinid.—(Heur.)—
It was the actual assessment made an the 2.34 of
May, and signed and sealed by two respectable
Comeisisaioners.--/ Hear.i—lt was stow clear that
they had delayed from early in April to the <23LI of
May, to require the necessary assessments to be
made. and even then they fixed so late a (lay
for the returns us the 27th June. —( Thar. j
By this postponement, no voter, whose assessment
was found deficient, could cure it by his statutable
remedy of the rrileMption of the land tax, its suf-
ficient rime to make his vote available. The gen-
tlemen whose signatures were to the paper he held
in his hand were, Mr. Christopher Wilson and Mr.
John Hudson; the one a respectable gesitleinan of
and the other (also a respectable man) the
Vicar of that place. He had the best authority fur
believing that Mr. Wilson was Chairman of a
Committee fur managing the electioneering busi-
ness of the present Members, who would benefit by
the delay, and Mr. 'Nihon was a member of the
Committee. He did not intend to make any mo-
tion against this subject, as these gentlemen
were very respectable, but lie should feel it
necessary to du so, if they persevered in their
present course, which would have the effect
or disfranchising a great number of persons who
were undoubtedly qualified to vote. He acquitted
Government front haviirg any part in this contrivance,
which he was willing to attribute to the electioneer-
nag zeal of individuals. Its general effect would be
weak, and in fact it was likely to do as much harm
as good. He hoped lie would have no further ne-
cessity of calling the attention of the House to this
subject.
Lord LoWTXsa said, it was extraordinary that,
just about the beginning of April, several persons
should have voluntarily pressed forward to get
assessed for the land tart..-(lleas, /sear.)—The
Cu tttttt issiontos met to make the assessments; but,
from the number of claimants and necessary in-
crease of business, some adjournments took place.
New returns and massy alterations and abstruse
calculations were required, bet iss uts instance had
the arsesaments been made with mu much activity as
ten this occasion.—(Hear.)--The Noble Lord com-
plained of the attacks made in his absence by the
flow and Learned Gentleman on Mr. Johirsoo and
other persons locally connected with this subject,
and could not see what connection there was be-
tween Earl 'Cliairet's name and the cireutuatauce
with which it had been coupled.

Mr. BROUGHAM said, he had not cast the smallest
censure oil Johnson, who was pursuing his vocation
as an electioneering agent, which he described hint-
!Of to he. Him observations merely applied to the
itulecent appearance of the tax officers in this husi•
nes•—tu the indecorous of an electioneering agent
corresponding with the Board of Taxes in such a
wanner.

The CHANCELk.OII of the EXCHEQUER said, the
Bliard had only given the answer which any outs
was entitled to expect from them.

Mr. ‘Viirx x could see no 'sorrily in the applict
tioll of voters to ale swerved, there Ws. U special
clause in Ilse Act to enabler freeholder to qualify,
and ►t was the bounden duty of the Commissioners
to give every• facility on this occasion, and if they
interposed by delay they were h►ghly criminal, mid
liable to be punished. He knew nothing of the
present case, but the crow of the delay was worth
consideration, though he did nut see that soy blau►e
attached to the Tax Office.

Sir JAMES GRAHAM defended the Commissioners,
and said. the lispruatients had been wade out in
NVestworeland quit ker than its any other part of
the country.
Mr. WA LDEGRAVE strongly censored the delay
in the assessment, as it went to disfranchise those
who, if it bad hero earlier taken, could nut be ex-
cluded by a clerical error irons revertiug to a re-
deuiption of the land tax.