The National Register.
London, England, 1809-03-26 00:00:00

THE NATIONAL REGISTER.

Wednesday, Narch 22.

IR1)II FLAX SEED.

Mr. FOSTrR moved the order of the day for the second read-
ing of the Bill for granting 20,000 t. out of the Irish Consoli-
dated Fund for the Encouragement of the Saving of Flax Seed In
Ireland.
The Cn vicELLoa of the • EXCURQUE4 said, that in sup-
porting the Bill he had .no other view,than to render this country
*wit-0y independent of others, for the supply of fo essential an
article as flax-seed. At present, indeed there was no actual
want of it, but he ti;ought it prudent for the country to guard
against all possible accidents; for _although America might net
at present he deemed hostile to this country, there was ao pos-
sibility of deterniinin.g• whether she might not become so, and it
became us to guard against all pos:sible contingents. If that
were the cape, how ever, still the growers of flax in Ireland
~ould not be expected to forego t!teir own interests in permitting
their tiax to attain the proper state of maturity, when it could
yield recd fit for heitig sown 11;,E. succeeding year, unless some
reward was held out to then sufficient to counterbalance their
private interest. because they had so many temptations to cut it
at an earlier period.
Mr. PA B.N ELL said th;- measure was liable to all the objec-
tions which applied ti; bounties in general. It was false policy
to eneouratT,i; ittly article by bounties, or any other reward.—
The proper way to encourage them, was to leave them entirely
p IbrinEelve3, and permit the capitalists to employ their stock
in any manner they should think proper.
Mr. Ga ATTA N supported the Bill. He could nqt with con-
fidence look to America for flax seed, which was indispensable
to us, and where were we to look for it hut to Ireland? The
growth, therefore, in that country, ought to be encouraged by
adequate bounties, without which it could not be raised. It
was a measure of sal cation, and we ought to adopt it, and keep
independent of other countries,
Sir JOHN NEwpo tut did not think the propriety of the mea•
sure depended upon our relationi with America, and he would
agree to it yen if our Orders in Council were annulled, and the
embargo fallen off tomorrow. He highly disapproved of look-
ing to foreign countries for the supply of so necessary an article,
nod if thg present bill were not acceded to, he trusted the Chan-
cellor of the Exchequer wonid even extend the principle on
'which it proceeded ; he should have hi, support.
The Bill was then read a second time. • .

A Bill was brought in and read a lira titpe, declaring enemies'
Tes3el,, captured and narried into Malta;• to be ♦awful prizes,
4nd liabite to condemnation there.

LAY Y ESTIMATES.

The douse then went into a Committee of Supply, and Mr.
WARD moved the usual Navy Estimates as follow c . •.
1,40 S .4SII. 13s. id. for the Ordinaries of the Navy, including
*he half-pay of the (dicers 9.f the .Nayy and Marines.
2,120,0C10/. for building:sand re-building ships of war, and for
the ordinary allowance of wear andicar. •
SAW 000!. fur hiring transports.
314,000/.• to defray the expence of Marines at home and
?broad. •
• 50,0•10!. to defray the expence of prisopers of war at home
• and abroad. . . •
506.000!_ to defray the expenses of sick and wounded seamen,
itt h (»Ile and abroad.
1-',OOl. to form a Compassionate List for the Officers of the
Say., and Marines,
foe IZt-port wit,. then 9rdered to be referred to the Committee
pf AV a art! Nien ns.
Tar Expirin.4- Laws Bill was read a second time. The
()titer Orders of the pay were then disposed of; and the house
fidjourned.

MARCH Q.

given, and 'professed his profound respect and submission to
whatever might be the decision of the House. If it was the,
pleasure of the House, the Speaker added, he would read the
letter.

Sir M. W. Rim. Est spoke shortly in extenuation of the eon.
duct of General Clavering. That Gentleman allowed that hid
evidence was chargeable with contradiction, hut it had arisen
from a misconception of the questions that Tie
put to him, anti
not from any wish to deceive the House. begged the House
to recollect, that even the Honourable Member who brought
forward the charges agaipst the Oldie of York, had been obliged
to explain his testimony, and had'forgotteh when he had seen
Mrs. Clarke, though ho had semi her only twenty-four hours be.
fore.

Mr. MiNAueatTrN thought that the appeal which had been
made to the rank and education of General Clavering, t for
nothing at all ; and in fact rather bore against hint, as something
very difierent was to he expected froin him, and prevarication
ought to be more severely visit.d upon such •a man lima
upon one of inferior rank in 'life. Ile w:s..S personally
unacquainted with Genmil• Cla'ering; but he believed, if
his Constituents (Antrim) were asked about blip, they could say
something of hira. Mrs. Clarke, so far as she could, had been a
benefactress to the GenerAli and coming to undermine her evil
dence, he had wilfully contradicted himself. What would the
public say, if they saw Sandon hurried from that Baeto Nevv.
gate, and General Clavering permitted to gounPunished for the
same ()fence ?

Mr. WIIITUREAD professed lie felt considerable surprize
at hearin; the Honourable Baronet. Make 'an uncalled
for attack on his Hon. Friend (Mr. Wardle), who had come
forward in the course of the examination to explain a slight mis.
take which he had fallen into from want of recollection. • But
there was thi3 material distinction • between the two cases, that
his lion. Friend had no motive 'whatever for concealment., and
immediately rectified the mistake; while Gen. (layering had
motive, for he professedly came forward to overturn and con•
found the evidence of the principal witness. If the lion. Baro-
net had any charge against the evidence of his Hon. Friend, he
called upon him to make it manfully. If the letters of Gene-
rat Clavering to Mrs. Clarke bad never appeared, his testimony
would have gone a great way to overturn lter evidence; and yet
it was to be observed, that General Clavering never came for 4
ward to correct his testimony till after these letters appeared,
and then he felt it nece3sary to oTer an explanation, which in.
volved him farther. The Honourabt Baronet seemed to
think that the country at last would do justrte to the honour of
General Claverin ; on the contrary, he believed that as long as
people were able to read his evidence, they would come to the
same decision Which he trusted the House would'tome to that
night. As to General clavering's family and connections, he
certainly must feel for their
yery painful siteation. But had not
Capt. sandon also a wife, a family, and connections? If Gem
Clavering is excused, who knows but such an example of im-
punity may cost at a future timesome one his life? If the Ifouse
did not deal out impartial justice in thiS case, it would give at:-
ditional currency to a. disticb which was too of( in the mouths
of the lower orders _

"if rich men were, like us, to swing,
It would make land cheaper, so many would string.".

Mr. PERCI VA L. for his part, could not s?e from what part
of the evidence General Clavering could be :Wall defended. ,He
came to that Bar, tuisrepresentingthat. which led him there, as
if it was entirely of his own motive and desire, •and never inti.
mated that he had had the least communication with any other
person on tht► subject ; and yet when to caine to explain, he
told the4iouse, that he was not a voluntary - witness, but ha 4
been brought forward by Al r. L►►wteu. But above all he first told;
us that he never had a+►y communication with Mrs. Clarke on
the subject of her suppo,:ed ingilence, nay, he stated that be
came forward expressly to do away her evidence as to the pat•


I li. came torward expressly to (!o away her evidence as to the pat-,
Thnr:oliv, March 24.
ticulars,. though he at last confeased that he had offered her
Mr. Alderman 'cog HE obtained leave to kring in a Bill for 10010 t. for her influence,' and this fact niteit have been all the
eve ing a Sunday Toll on all noises and Carrir;ges passing Black- ime in his knowledge, and 'impressed upon his mind.
}
riarssbridge. The question being called for from all parts of the Honse.
Mr. WI LBER FO R c}: brought in the Bill for Levvinr, a Toll Strangers were then ordered to withdrew; hitt the motion wng
on Sundays~ on all horses and tarringes passing Westminster-. carried without a t!ivision, and the Serjeat at Arms was order-
pridges w'h'ich was read a first time,. and ordered for a second ed to take General Clavering into custody.—Adjourned,
readir4. ~, , . . , . , • . . .
, .. (iC,7;ErT. Ci...tirj-ING. FridaNt March 24.
, .
the .4. p. CAICEIt arlfilaitlied the Howie; tbm he hail received a p The SPEAKER acquainted the Ilouse that his Ma;esty's Assent
etter,..4.oo} General ('layering. in 1.'1.663 he deditred his inuo-'i had been given by Commission to the Bill for Granting Anntiillea
ituct of any Isilf4l integtion to ci:cetv.:: In t 6: evideucc lie had .t for the Redemption of I,4chequer bill`; to the 4111 fot tc&ulailac
. ~•.. •,, ;.,•.6 ; • ... r• . . • .
. .'
.._ _• -
....
• . •
-,.

MARCH 26.

the Royal Marines while on Shore; the Jamaica Free Port Bill,
and several private Bills.

GENERAL CLAVERING.

The Sergeant at Arms having reported that he had taken Gen.
Clavering into custody,
Mr.WYNm moved, that General Clavering, having grossly
prevaricated in his evidence given before a Committee of the
whole House, and being now in the custody of the Sergeant
at Arms, be committed to the custody of the Keeper of his Ma-
jesty's Priam' of Newgate. Agreed to.

MILITIA.

Lord CASTI.EREA au moved the Order of the Day for the se-
cond reading of the Militia Completion Bill.
Lord ARCHIBALD HAMILTON objected to the general prin-
ciple of the measure, which he contended was ruinous to the
constitutional defence of the nation, and concluded with moving
that the Bill be read a second time this day three months.
Mr. GILES, Col. DUCKETT, Mr. LOCKHA RT, and Mr. BAs-
TA RI), said a few words, when the house .divided,—for the
Amendment,—Ayes g6—Noes 45—Majority 19.
The bill was then read a second time, and ordered to be com-
mitted on Monday.- Adjourned.

TUESDAY'S LOXDON GAZETTE.

Whitehall, March 21.

The King has been pleased to order a Letter to be directed to
the Chapter of the Cathedral Church of Hereford, recommend-
ing unto them the Rev. George Gretton, Doctor in Divinity, to
be chosen into the place of Dean of the said Cathedral Church
of the same, being void by the death of the Rev. William Leigh,
iato Dean thereof,

Crown•Ofce, March 21, 1809.
Members returned to serve in the present Parliament.

Borough of King's Lynn—The Hon. Horatio Walpole, com-
monly called Lord Walpole, in the room of Lord Walpole, now
Earl of Orford, a Peer of the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland.
Borough of Dungannon—Claud Scott, Esq. in the room of the
Right Hon. Claud Hamilton, commonly called Lord Claud Ha-
►nilton, deceased.
City of Peterborough—The Hon. Francii. Russell, commonly
willed Marquis of Tavistock, in the room of French Laurence,
Esq. deceased.