The National Register.
London, England, 1817-03-17 00:00:00

Oa flat

Our iling,ComStitution anti /I abi.

MONDAY, MARCH 17, lBl7.

Witness the prompt and vigorous measures reported to
at Manchester, where we understand great numbers
have within these few days been arrested. Some of the
public prints make the number arrested to exceed two
hundred :—.of this we may be asstred, that if the spirit
of insubordination and disaffectioa is actively employed
to subdue and mislead the ignorant and unwarry, a
counteracting spirit of loyalty, 4nl a determination to
resist the acts of wicked and deskning men are not less
powerfully on the watch to expose the fallacy of their
objects, to detect and unmask their real views, and to
bring to punishment those wht desperately persist in
carrying them into execution. An alarm has been sound.
ed throughout the country : andwe entertain a just and
well grounded hope, that ever► good eitisea will be
found at his post, not slumbering in torpid security, for
" England expects that every Inu will do his duty,"
but anxious in these times of peril to come forward and
lend an helping hand to the support and maintenance
of that venerable fabric the Coniltution, which was
built up by the wisdom of our ancestors, has stood the
test of ages, and ought to be transmitted in undimi.
nished repair as the best and most valuable.leg,acy we
can bequeath to our latest posterity.

LVPER PAkf,IAMENT.
, Abuts OF LORDS..

MONDAY, MA$ 10.
Lard HOLLAND gave notice, that It was his Intention, on
Thursday next, or some other day. to move for copies of the
Instructions to the (inventor of St. Helena, with respect to
the personal custody of Buonapartc, and of all communications
between Buonaparte and the tiovevuor of St. Helena. lie
would not now state the parliamentary grounds which he
thought he could lay before the House, in order to make it
agree to the motion he was to submit to it an this subject;
but he would say, that the motion was not intended to revive.
the difference of opinion that had esisted as to the extraor-
dinary confinement of that extraordinary person. It was,
however, right, that the reports in cites/lotion, as to the treat-
ment of lluonapate, should, if unfounded, be contradicted;
or that, if true, they should he enquired into, and remedied by
Parliament.

PRICE 90.

dismay? On the contrary, one might see by the faces of all
in the streets, that dismay and despondency had altogether
ceased and public credit restored. Tf the Noble Earl's re-
solutions were adopted, it would be almost impossible fur
Parliament to legislate to the effect Uw Noble Earl wished.
He contended that the six great offices.) of the Ext.toquer
were not sinecures; for they wore places of great pecuniary
trust, and for which the holders are obliged to give very large
securities. The office he held himself was not a sinecure,
but one of considerable duties. He slid not mean to say,
that many of these offices ought not to he altered or abolish-
ed ; but that would be a subject of great difficulty, even to
persons more competent to judge of them than the Noble
Earl. By a recent regulation, no colonial office could be
held by any but persons resident in the respective colonies.
As to the office of Third Secretary of State, he would under-
take to state that the present business of the country could
not be transacted without a Third Secretary. Ruing satis-
fied that ne practical good could result from the resolutions
of the Noble Earl, be would oppose the motion.
Lord Sr. Joust differed totally with the Noble Earl oppo-
site (Liverpool) as to the necessity of the recent measures of
Government.

The Earl of IateIDIRDALE said, be was inclined to give
direct negative to the resolutions, although lie agreed with
many of the arguments of the Noble Earl (Grosvenor). Thera
never was a time when public men enjoyed less of the public
money than at present. It was highly necessary that the
fact should be known because nothing was beard of at toe
public meetings at which the petitions were agreed to, but
of" the devouring ainecurists," and of" the loaves and fishes,"
which all parties were looking so eagerly after. In the
House of Commons there were now but 61 who held plaices
under Government for England and Scotland; and in 1716,
they amounted to 1121 and in 1739, at the House
of the
Excise Laws, there were 192 placemen in the House of Com.
mots. Nevertheless, the influence of the Crown had eno;m.
trimly increased, not in Parliament, but in the country gene.
rally. The great cease of our distress arose from the im-
mense load of debt, which lied materially altered the value of
currency in the last two years. He concluded by opposing
the resolutions.

Lord lllou.arim was surprised the Noble Earl did not
state to the House, when he proposed the Suspension of the
Habeas Corpus Act, that the caret of it would be to raise
the Funds to 70, Hut it' it had had that effect, he trembled
for the liberties of the country; for if the suxpension of this
valuable privilege for three months bad produced this won.
derful effect, perhaps it might be discovered, that the total
abrogation of that great law would have the effect of raising
the Funds to par.
'rite Home then divided.—For the Resolutions, s—Against
them, 4.l—Majority, 40.—Adjourned.

WEDNEWAY, MARCH 114
The Coffee Dnty, the Barrack Department, the Passengers
by Ships Itrgelation„and the Climatic Cut iiiii is%ioncra
were read a third Ma: , and passed.--Adjourneti.

THURSDAY, MA RUH 13.

Lord GROSVENOR prm,ented a petition from some place In
Glonee.ter•hire, praying fur a repeal of the corn laws, an
income tax in place of the assessed taxes and taxes on con.
sumption, and for Parliamentary reform. His Lordship
presented a petition from Southwark, praying fur retrench.
ment hod reform.

At'ter a short conversation they were both laid on the table.
Adjourned.
rumAy, MARCH 11.
The Treason Bill, and Army and Navy Seduction Bill, were
returned from the Commons with the amendments agreed to.

IRISH DISTILLERIES.
Earl DARNLRY presented a petition from Belfast in Ire-
land, stating the distressed state of parts of that conntry, the
scarcity of grain, and praying the stoppage of the distilleries.
It he shonld submit any motion on the subject, it would pro-
bably ha to call for the iniorination upon u hieb the Ministers
had acted.
__

The Earl ofLtyrtneont. would be ready, ahem the subject
Came regularly before them, to explain the reasons which
had actuated the conduct of Ministers • but he Iffilit now beg
lease distinctly to deny the respousibility which the IS, oble
Earl seemed to imagine attached to the Crovernment, iu rela•
tion to this subject. The corn trade ought to be free, if pos-
sible : that could not well be in the pre,cnt circumstances of
the country anti if it could not be eutinly free, it ought to
be regulated by w isciasse. If the subject were to he brought
font ord, Ito Nboold be ready to state time reasous why Mitus•
ter, had nom interfered on this oceasiou.

After a fcre word,: from Earl Doraley, file petition Mitt
laid on Ili, taLle,—Adjourneit,

DOUSE OF COMMONS.

moxpiv, siAncii LP,

A new Wrtt was orstered for Colche*ter in the room of R.
Thornton. El. who has ;Accepted the Chiltern lintiolreds.
A Petition was prevented tium Claetnatittan, and anotlwt
from Belfast, by Ciencral Mitchell, pr:.) hoe fur the immt-thate
etoppg:e of divt4letlon rima grain; in consequence of the
grout m'arcilly of grain.
Mr. Ile:v:1E1r moved for the revival of the Police Comniit.
tee, with the addition of too names. The Committee o,ot
then revived; and various Prtitionv front the Ltvetnictl Vic.
Mailers wore referred to

•l itew Writ was 01:1Crl'il cur thu room of
Sir J. Abercrombie, de
A petition wa. rue,ested from Preston, In buscmshil
priyiugfor annual

C %Li-RAFT said, he held in his hand a petition front
Charles 1.:111,, of Southa% en' in the Isle of Purbeck, got, 4
gesicio:iv, that the sun and servant of the petitioner na
taken not of sloop ol Poole, under pretence uf
and carticd oil !MIN ship, and afterwards shifted IA

oiliers, where they were treated with great ligour, and put in
o as.
Mr. VANSITTART said he would make empiiiy into the cir-
cumstances of the ease.
lwtrd Stanky presented a petition from Manchester, com-
plaining of the tax on windows as affecting warehouses, and
Air. VAN•ITTART said he expected to have presented a Bill
to settle the ditkrences on this subject before now.

Slr. BEN N LIT presented a petition from cer:ain inhabitants
of Nev South Wahm, complaining of the oppcesivc cundoct
of the Governor, and praying that taxes might nut be levied
on them without the consent of Parliament.
Sir R. I'►tna.sPK presented petitions from &c.
praying for Parliamentary Reform, and stated that nine-
tenths of llie people of Scotland were in lovour of Reform.

.
Mr. llinaNn presented a similar petition, and bore testi-
mony to the statement+ of the petitioners.
Sir C. 110 SCK wished to know if it was true that intelligence
had beea t (wive(' of di,titrbances having broken ont at CUffil,
and that Gen. Alaitland had been shot at.

Lord CASTLEREAGH said, Goven 111 l ent had received no
much intelligence.
The tiollie then went into a Committee of Supply.
Lord I' SLMERSTONE said, it was not now his intention to
go into detail on the Army E►timates, but to take such a sum as
svott:d carry hint over till the 11th of June, and to enable him
to propose a short Mutiny Act up to that time, lie would
now state, however, a general outline of the reduction,. which
it was proposed to make during the present year. La& year
the Estimate for the Army was 2,163,0001. and the mothers
396,003 mcn. In the present year, the [Minim, including
officers and non-commissioned officers, was to be 141,000.
In addition to which there would he a reduction made in the
force on the continent of 4,800, which womod make the whole
refluct" of rank and file only, amount to 30,960 men, fur
which numb: r, up to the 2lth of June, he should now propose
to take a vote, and leave discussion as more convenient, till
after Easter.

Mr. CAPCHAFT would not now oppose the vote proposed
by the Noble Lord. lie should certainly oppoce such an
eno...oons force being kept op ; dally when it was consi-
der .1, that in 17%e Ih+•rc \vete no mole than 12,000, and in
add. .on t, ourre,,ehtr force, we had now 17,090 yeomanry.
Mt. s'ett Will a. i Mr. Wit ?es t. hoped that sonic further re-
daction is • lace.

Lord 'Jun- :.1:11i1.11 proposed a resolution for grant-
ing 121,u351.1p to the lith June 237,6001. tor pay of :tie
same; 438,100%1.m paying (Attie forces in Ireland; 531,0001.
toward.i t.eym he arrears of Intel; and 16,7001. for the same
pnrposes :and ; and After eulogizing the yeomanry corps
throu•:h a it laud, far their services on several recent oc-
casinn•, ois Lordship s.sid, he should propose all allowance to
ChM,' of 31. per luau.
Str J. C. HIPPISLEy bore his testimony to the services of
the yeo•ua.try,...pecially iu Somersetshire and espres.ed his
regret ta.at the Noble Viscount had not proposed IL to each
nun, it.steail of AI.

Lord CisrLe.tie4C it felt extreme pleasure at the testimony
which had seen paid by the lion. Baronet to the Vdontecr
Yeomanry, to which he was anxious to add his; and to say,
that it wit.. (ane to the important set vices of these corps that
his Majesty's Ministers had been able to offer the reduced
Estimates which they had done ; but he thought the allow-
ance of 31. per man nits quite .iiflicient.
The *lllll of 35,7001. was thou voted far the Volunteer
Corps of Eneland, 1.5.811)i for Ireland, 21,50U1. for Chelsea
Hospital, h,3001. fat Kalmaiiihaiii, and $2,7001.. for the pen-
sioners at JIB°.

Mr. VANSITTART then proposPd a vote of 1,000.0001. to be
pat t, the arms, as a part Cl the sum a‘‘igned to them, to be
eventually I aid by the Gaverninent of France, to the troops
engaged on& r the coirruae.d of the Duke of Wellington, at
the 'rapture of Paris, and the battle of Waterloo. lie aku pro-
po.ed a vote of 12,152,0001. Ex-hequer Bills, to answer the
same sum in Exchequer Bills outstanding.
Mr. PONSONHY wished to know what would he the arnouNt
of the Unfunded Debt after this Vote should base been agreed
to.

VANSITTART Said, the same as at present, 60,000,0001.
This debt, however, was so far from being depreciated, that
Exchequer Bills were seuzlit after so eagerly, that Govern-
ment had been able to make a reduction in the interest, which
would save the country annually 600,0001.
The Vote was then adopted. As was a further sum of
1,900,0001. for paying off interest ou Exchequer Bins.
Several other sums were also voted for the same purposes.
Ott the Report of the Seditious Meetings Bill, Mr. GURNEY
objected to the clause, which gave a power to the Magistrates
to take persons into custody who did not disperse on an order
given by the Magistrates, and that persons so refusing to dis-
perse, should be considered as guilty of a capital offence.
The ATTORNEY GENERAL contended, that the clause was
necessary, as without it the Act would be migatoiy. The
same provision was in the Riot Act, but had never been put
in fuee.

Sir J. MM I NTOSH could not ngrec to put a clause into an
Act with an idea it never should be acted upon. He wished
the clause to be altered from felony, without benefit of clergy,
to transportation tor 14 years.
he Sol ityroa GF.sERAL thought it would make the law
operate as he wished all criminal laws should act, namely, as
a law of pi evention

Mr. Itanci.as believed the reason why the clause of the
Riot Act had never been acted upon was, that it was so severe
that none dared to pet it in force. Ile hoped his Hon.
Friend would move the amendment to substitute transporta-
tion fur dead'.

Mr. MACKINTOSH moved au amendmert to omit the capital
punishment, and substitute transportation.
The ATTORNEY GENERAL said, this clause could have no
effect, unless persons a ere originally assembled for an illegal
purpose.
The Committee then divided--Fm• the original clause 70—
For the antendinent of Sir J. Mackintosh 26—Majority 11.
Sir J. MACKINTOSH efts rwards mused, as aamc•:dment,
that the word " Government" should be expunged from the
dame, for otherwise it would be giving a dangerous power
to Magistrates.
Tit,. SOLICITOR GENERAL Opposed the amendment, as the
word Government had always been used as a legal phrase in
all indictments liar high treason.
Mr. It sruu.NST /111111, 110 man could think the words "
tuntiit as by law vstahliAted," nicaut the M ini,lca s of the
day.

Atter %orike ttirtlit r conversation, the amendment was nega-
tived without a di% ision.

Sir S. ltoraitt.y proposed, that the clan•c for apprehending
persons for offences metaled in this Bill be omitted altoge-
ther. • He thought it would be much better to prevent meet-
evirely, rather than to miller the people to meet on the
terms imposed by this Bill; fora Magistrate might take a
n:311 into custody NI an CNlnt;SqUa wbivL be Might think