The National Register.
London, England, 1822-06-24 00:00:00

PIUCE

Bank Stork 211
3 per Crut. Red. 80.1
t per Cent.Cun.4ol*
3i per Ceut. Ut
4 per (-rut. tli
New Finns, 94
Louy, Auu. 20i

THE NATIONAL REGISTER.

Lon Don :
MONDAY, JUNE 24.

The Bill by which the Catholic Peers would have
been restored to their birthright, by having their
seats in the House of Lords, was on Friday night
thrown out of that House, on its second reading, by a
majority of 44—the numbers being in favour of the
bill, 90—against it, 132. We had hoped that the
narrow spirit of intolerance had subsided—ne had
supposed that the advantages of the enlargement or
idea, which have so amazingly benefitted the middle
and lower classes of society, within the last century,
had extended to the higher classes also—we had be-
lieved that at the present tittle the childish fear that
the introduction of half a dozen Catholic Peers into
the House of Lords would endanger the Protestant-
ism of our Constitution would never have been
na-
turalized or promulgated in the Upper House—we
were confident that after the measure had been
carried in the House of Commons (where, without
meaning to derogate from the talent of the Lords,
the ability may be fairly considered in about the
proportion of twenty to one of that found in the
Peers) the Lords would have seen the propriety
and modesty of giving up their opinions ; but, we
regret to say, our hopes, our suppositions, our belief,
and our confidence, were all disappointed the Ca-
tholics were represented by the sapient Lords as
hardly human—as men who would sacrifice all the
finer feelings of our nature to the bigotry of their
religion—as savages who wonld sacrifice their own
offspring rather than one of their ceremonies. The
Duke of Portland introduced the second reading in
1a speech which does credit to his feelings and his


good sense —he was opposed by the late Speaker of
the House of Commons (Lord Colchester) who is said
to have returned from the Continent on purpose
—the Lord Chancellor of course whined and
whimpered on the subject, and in proof of his dot-
age asked, whether it were intended to make the
Catholic Religion dominant—a question, for asking
which a child of ten years old ought to have been
whipped. However, the opposition to the measure
of justice was successful, and the Bill was ,lirown
out—let not the Catholics yet despair. In the very
course of nature, Lord Eldon must retire soon—let
them remember that he was born in 1750—and
rest assured that when he shall cease to sit in the
House, a great share of the influence exerted
against their claims will be nullified. The en-
largement of mind is making rapid progress, and if
they do not receive what they ought to have this
year, they may the next.
The long-talked of measure of the Bank of Eng-
land discounting at 4 per Cent. has at last been car-
tied into effect, under, it is said, a threat from Go-
vernment, that their charter should not be renewed
unless they diJ so.—This has been done just before
the holders of the 5 per Cent. Navy Stock, who
dissented from the transfer into the 4 per Cent. new
Stock, arc to be paid off—the effect has been to drive
the funds up, and thereby add to the evil of the
robbery committed upon them—this was no doubt
intended by the Chancellor of the Exchequer with
the view to punish them, for endeavouring to
prevent being cheated of their property, by one of
the most disgraceful chicanes, that ever indelibly
degraded a financier.

Letters from Paris received yesterday, continue
to mention the marching of troops for the Cordon
Sanitaire. It is stated, that the assembling of
this large body of troops on the Spanish frontiers
is to prevent the revolutionary principle of the Spa-
niards from infusing itself into the south of France.

REDUCTION OF DISCOUNT.—The folio% ing is the
form of the official notification fro:n the Bank:—
,• " Bank of EN;lantl, 2014 June, 1822.
Resolved, That all the bills and notes approved of in the
plaid manner, and not having more than 95 days to pin, be
discounted at the rate of 4 per Cent. per annum, on and after
the 11st of Jane, 1821."

AFFAIR OF THE SWALLOW .-•A letter from Gib-
raltar of the SOth ult. states, that Mr. Douglas, the
British Consul at Tangi‘.ir, in consequence of in-
structions from Lord Bathurst, has applied to the
Emperor of Morocco, to demand satisfaction for the
afiltir of the Swallow, Lut that the Emperor had
evaded the demand by declaring that the rebellion
which then existed in a great part of his dominions
rendered inquiry impossible. It will be recollected,
that the Stvallow, a merchant vessel, sailed from
Gibraltar fur Oran on the .21st of June, 1321, and
being becalmed near Melilla, was taken possession of
by three Moorish arineJ boats, on August the Ist,
and broken up. The master and two of the crew
were made prisoners.
-

The Amon Manby, IRON steam-boat, arrived at
Paris, from London, on the 1 idi inst. with a cargo
of clover seed and cast iron. The voyage from
London to Rouen was perfimmed in 55 hours. She
left the latter place on Thursday morning, and
would have reached Paris on Saturday evening, if
she had not taken the ground near St. Audeley's,
in consequence of a rope breaking, and being hin-
dered fit= proceeding by the crowds which came on
board at different places to view her. This voyage
will be for ever =morale in the history of navi-
gation, it being the first attempt to traverse the
ocean in a vessel composed of any material but wood.
The enterprise has proved decidedly successful
• Thus we have a direct communication open between
two great capitals of Europe, and which is perform-
ed in a shorter time than is taken by the stoutest
merchantman to sail to Rouen only. Not the
slightest accident occurred during the voyage, nor
could the people on Imard discover any difference in
the movement of the vessel from that of the strongest
vessel that navigates the seas.
Ott Friday last, the Winckster, a 0-gun ship,
was launched at Woolwich. Lady Cockburn, sup-
parted on the arms of Sir James, and Mr. Cunning-
brim, the Chief Commissioner, was conducted to the
stern of the ship, supported by a numbrr of ladies
and gentlemen, where her Ladyship performed the
office of christening.
It is reported that a in of Mr. Plunkett has just
received a place worth I,ooi. a year in Ireland.