The National Register.
London, England, 1809-04-30 00:00:00

HOUSE OF COMMONS.

Mbnday, April 21.
Daniel Butler (the Sheriffs Officer) was brought to the Bar,
and after receiving a severe reprimand from the Speaker, was
ordered to be diveltarged on paying his fees.

OFFICE AND PLACE REVERSION RILL.
Lord Porchester prefaced his motion for preventing the dispo-
sal of places and offices in reversion, with remarking, that two
Bills had passed that house in the two last sessions a Parliament,
of a nature precisely similar to that which he had now the ho-
nour to bring forward, and both of which were carried with
unanimity through that House, but were rejected in the House
of Peers. If his Majesty's Ministers were disposed to evade
the Bill, his Lordship said, he hoped they would do it in a fair
and open manner, and not clandestinely and indirectly. lie
hoped they would giveafriendly advice to their Noble Friends
in the other House to rc•pect the privileges of the Commons,
and that they would advise those Princes, whom, w hen they had
letters to send to the House of Commons, they could advise with,
not to obstruct the wishes of the people. llis Lordship
commented 1:pon various abuses which sprung out of the grant-
ing of places in reversion, and contended, that the Bill could ho
no diminution of the prerogative of the Crown, as Parliament
would never he backward in marking its sense of eminent ser-
vices, and that it only went to restrain the ('rown from being
lOU lavish of its bounty. From the -folly of Princes an awfnl
history might be drawn, and the weakneis of • Ministers would
furnish a title 'page to every chapter. If Ministers., either
openly? or clandestinely opposed time Bilis, they would perhaps
hereafter have is say, the breath of Princes have hloWn our

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is are only making strong openly or clandestinely opposed the Bills, they %you'd perhaps
departure of the Court hereafter have to say, the breath of Princes have' blob n our
spirits out, and strewed repentant ashes on -our heads: Tire
-quarters of the Duke of I Noble Lord concluded with. moving for lease to bring in a Bill
prohibiting the 'muting of oily otlicfs or places in reversion-,
,nssians on the Cairo:la', or of. :Lay offices or ptices fur, joint live:, in -uvviv4irAtip.

• APRIL 30.

The. Chancellor of the Exchcquer.did not conceive the BM-
proposed by the Noble Lerd was of that 'importance or magni-
tide his Lordship seemed to attqat to it. He did not mean, how •
ever, to give any opposition to the Bill, but Concluded that it
would he expedient to re•wrve its introduction for the commence-
ment of the lieu Session of Parliament, at which time the pre-
leat.Aet,respecting reversionary situations would be near its ex-
piration, and there would be an abundance of time to discuss the
merits of the Bill now proposed.
Mr. Tierney thought it most extraordinary that tire Bill at-
tempted to be introduced, and which met %% ith the warm sup-
port of Ministers last Session, should now be treated with con-
tempt. Such conduct he deemed highly suspicious, and from the
backwardness of the Right lion. Gentlemen on the Treasury
Bench to express their sentiments, it would appear as if they
wished to get rid of the measure altogether, and by their silence
pass a tacit dkapprobation.
Mr. Whitbread supported the expediency of the immediate
discussion of the Bill, and averted that the abolition of the re-
versionary places would be attended with a very considerable
saving. If his sentiments were adhered to, on the former Bill
being rejected to by the Lords, it should have been sent hack
to that Houie without alteration. It was rejected by their
Lorth,hips on the ground of its trespassieg on the privileges of
royalty ; and, if he was informed correctly, the Chancellor
said he would advise the Xing to grant a reversionary place
itninediately, in order to convince the House of Commons of
the presumption of their measures.
Mr. Canning said, that although the balance of his sentiments
preponderated against the bill, what bad fallen from Mr. W hit-
bread, with respect to the Lord Chancellor, be begged leave to
say, he had never beard of such an expression being used by his
Lordship, nor did he believe his Lordship had ever expressed
himself to that effect.

The quel,tion was then put and the House divided,
For the original motion 106—Against it IVI. Majority 15.

LOCAL MILITIA' BILL.

The Order of the Day for the third reading of the Loral Mi-
litia Bill having been read, Mr. (tiles renewed his objections to
the mode of ballot proposed by the measure.
Several new clauses were then brought up, and added to the*
bill by way of riders.
The Bill was then read the third time, and passed.
The House resolved itself into a Committee of Supply, in
which the follow-in.-sums were voted to his Majesty :
For repairing road: in Englnbd - . L. 5569 0 0
Fur roads, bridges; fto.. in the Highlands of Scot-
land
For the inland navigation - •
For printing jonr:r.ls of the House, &c.
To «m. Nlellisb, t,41. for an equal sum expended
- by him in rendering aisistance to•the inhalsi tants
of the settlement in Davis' strait
For relief given to thu iohabitatits of the Faro
• islands - .
- -
•For furnishing offices with stationary
For better securing public roads leading to the me-
trOpolis
For stores,
For the maintenance of British soldiers on the toast •
of Africa - • 22,000

lo,ono 0 0.)
20,000. 0 0
1011 0