The National Register.
London, England, 1812-06-28 00:00:00

THE NATIONAL REGISTER.

be little doubt as to the part which they ought and would adopt, b
he was unwilling to anticipate such a result, and therefore should say
nothing on it. He hoped that the differences with America would be
immediately settled. and that some attempt would be speedily made
towards a peace with Frame.
The Order fora Call of the House on Thursday next was then
d ischarged.
Mr. PARNELL moved that the House should, early in the next
Session of Parliament, take into consideration the Tythe Laws of
Ireland.
A discussion followed, in which Mr. W. Pole, Sir John Newport,
Lord Castlereagh, Mr. Barham, Mr. M. Fitzgerald, Mr. J. Smith,
Mr. Tighe and Mr. Wilberforce participated, after which the House
divided, For the Motion, 36—Against it, 39—Majority, 3.—Adj.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 24.
The House being in a Committee of Supply, voted 11.5831. for
completing tfie New Hospital for the Reception of Lunatics in St.
George's Fields; 78,3841. for the arrears of per centage, due to Mr.
Palmer • and various other sums for miscellaneous serviLee.
Mr. M. F iiiGER At D obtained leave to bring in a Bill for regulating
the tithes of potatoes in Ireland.
In a Committee of Supply, 50001. was granted to Mr. Crompton,
as remuneration for his invention of an article of machinery used
in the manufacture of cotton, called " mule spinning." The inven-
tion was stated to be so excellent, that the great increase of the Cotton
Manufacture was entirely owing to it.
The Riot Bill was reported ; and the Publicans' Pewter Pot Bill
went through a Committee.
The House having resolved itself into a Committee of Ways and
Means, Mr. V A 'is :TART moved a Resolution for granting towards
the supply of the present year, the sum of 5,000,0001. to he raised by
xchequer Bills, which, after a few ob.ervations from Mr. Tierney,
was ag I cal to —Attj o ied

THURSDAY, JUNE 25.
The Loan, the Unlawful Oaths, and the Riots Bills were read a
third tone, passed, and ordered to the Lords.
Mr. Ross obtained leave to bring in a Bill to ascertain the Expenses
of the Maintenance of the Poor in England.
Mr. VANSITTART gave notice, that he would to-morrow, in the
Committee of Ways and Means, propose a duty on Stone Ware.
On the question tied the Assessed Taxes Bill be committed, Mr.
WESTERN objected to the tax on horses employed In husbandry, and
to the principle of such taxation. It was a departure limn the true
object of taxation—a fine on luxury ; and went to tax the implements
ot trade. They might as well tax the plough.
Sir MARK Wool) supported the Bill.
It was then committed, and the report ordered to be received to-
inerrOW.
Sir SAMUEL ROMILLY called the attention of the House to the pee
tition ofThomas Houlden, a prisoner fin- debt in the gaol of Lincoln.
This petition, which was read by 11:e clerk, stated, that the petitioner,
I homas Houlden, was brought before a Magistrate, Doctor Caley
Illmgworth, who, on a complaint preferred by the gaoler, ordered the
petitioner to be removed from the apartment in the prison which he
had hitherto occupied, and to be confined, though but a prisoner for
debt, in one of the cells appropriated to common felons ;—and it fur-
ther appeared, that the petitioner was lett to remain closely confined
in this cell for eleven days and nights succ.-ssively ;—that during that
period he was denied t), use ot pen, in 4, and paper, and that no friend
whatever was permitted to have access to hint. Sir S. Romilly said,
that the cause ot this severity arose from the desire of the petitioner to
provide his own bed, instead of having one at an exorbitant price from
the gaoler, &c. and that this confinement in a cell for eleven days and
nights, would not have even then been put a stop to, had it cot been
far the conduct of the gaoler being under investigation in that House
on 1 petition from Mr. Finnerty. But he could nut help asking, what
was the authority under which the Magistrate meant to shelter such
an act of oppression I—lle knew of none ;—the common law, he was
conhilent, gave noee ; but it had been coetende I for, he understood,
that all this authority was derivable to the Magistrate under the ope-
ration of the ;Jlet of the King; he had read the Act attentively, and
had found in it no such authority ;—it did give certain powers in the
control of Houses of Correction to the Magistracy, but such prisons
as the Castle of Lincoln, County Gaols, were, he contended, the pri-
sons of the Sheiill's, and not of the Magistracy. The Learned Counsel
thought that these circumstances did lay grounds fur suspecting both
extremely cc r. opt motives in the gaola r, and most criminal connivance
io the Magistrate, and on these grounds he moved, that " a Select
Committee be appointed to inquire what has been, and what now is,
the treatment ot Prisoners confined in Lincoln Castle, and the conduct
of the Magistrates thereupon."
Mr. CHAPLIN, Lord CASTLEREAGH, and Col. ELLISON, spoke in
defence of the Magistrates of the County of Lincoln ; the latter Gen-
- tleman was of opinion, the observations.ot Sir Samuel Rontilly were
calculated fa produce evil consequences, by bringing the Magistracy of
the country into contempt.
Sir F. Buaoiere made a-few remarks on the state of gaols tkr mgh•
out the kingdom, and deprecated the present mode of solitary teoihne-
mom, a mode of punishing which had been grossly abused. It had

391

t 1.71

come recommended under the name of Howard, a man who bad de.
voted his whole life to the happiness of his fellow-creatures, but as
generally enforced, It was not the species of punishment which that
Gentleman recommended ; and, hutted, one more liable to aim ;e it
was impossible to devise. lie hoped, that the old salutary system
of the country would be reverted to, being convinced, that nothing
but the admission of friends and relatives to the prisoner could prot.ct
him from the wanton oppression of the gaoler. In solitary egifirie-
went the most afflicting torture might be inflicted, which it might be
impossible for the prisoner even to express.
Mr. WILBERFORCE said, that Mr. Howard had often observed, that
solitary confinement had, in some instances, produced good etli-cis ;
but then it ought not to be left at the pleasure of the gaoler, but sob-
jeered to proper regulations.
Sir SAMUEL ROMILLY replied to the various arguments against the
motion, and urged the necessity of appointing the proposed Commit-
tee. Adverting to the subject of solitary confinement, he said, he had
attended Quarter Sessions, and he certainly never knew sentences of
solitary confinement passed by a Judge of Assize, in the same man. • •
ner as they had been passed by those tribunals.
Sir T. PLOMER and Mr. H. SUMNER vindicated' the. cowttry Mae'
gistrates from the charge of Sir S. Romilly, and atter sothe flintier
debate, it was agreed, that a Cotnmittee should be appoitafttl,, and the %,cs. •
_Z..
same was nominated accordingly. •i•
Mr. LUSIIINGTON brought up the Report of the Committeeeci(
Supply. On the resolution for granting 78.0001. to Mr. Palmer, ash
remuneration for past services, being read, it was objected to by Mr. ..,;:141;A
Bankes, the Solicitor-General, and Mr. long; while Mr. W. Smith, is
Sir F. Burden, and Mr. Whitbread, supported the resulati-n.—The
House then divided,—ales, ; noes, 11.—Majority in favour of Mr.
Palmer, J7.—Adjournzd.

FR:DAY, JUNE 26.
EXCHEQUER BILLS.
In a Committeeon the Exchequer Bill Act, the CHANCELLOR of
the ExcnEQUift naval a resolution, that the Chairman should be
instructed to r•lt leave to bring in a Bill for allowing subscribers to
Exchequer Bills of the last year six amt.:tits longer to wake good their
payments.—Agrecd
ASSESSED TAXES.

Upon the bringing up the Report of the Assessed Taxes Bill,
Mr. BROUGHAM objected to the imposition of the increased Taxes
upon Horses, Servaias, and Leather. Ile stated that the tax upon
leather would be severely felt by the lower order of people, as the ar-
ticles upon which the greatest stress was laid were of that heavy qua-
lity used by the labouring men. The injustice of such a tax was ob-
vious. This tax was also a tax on husbandry, for a set of harness
which onlv lasted five years cost '2Ol. and the raw material was only
valued at GI. It was a heavy tax on farmers. who were not taxed in
proportion to other classes of people. It was inauspicious, and in
every respect as bad as the poll tax.
Lord A catioaP objected to it on two grounds ; first, thegreat pres•
sure on the lower order of the people ; and, secondly, the great con.
sumptioo of the article of leather by Government. He stated the
rise on poor men's shoes to be from a shilling to eighteen-pence per
pair. It was at a time when bread was dear, and aumbers of labour.
ers and manufacturer-, were out of employment. He proposed, as an
amendment, that the report should be brought up this day six months.
General TA R L ETON said it was not becoming an Officer to oppos
taxes, but it was his duty to state, that it would materially atltlct this
army. There was scarcely any part of a dragoon's dress, except itte
jacket anti shirt, that did not consist of leather, and therefore it %you'll
press on Government.
The resohnioas were agreed to, after some observations front the
CHANCELLOR of tilt EXCHEQUER and others.
BREACH OF PaROLF..
Mr. N. CALVERT moved that the paper lately presented from
the Transport Board should be printed, and took that opportunity
of calling the attention oldie House to the great encrcase iu the num-
ber of French Officers who had broken their parole. Ile could n t
help alluding also to the extraordinary millibar of aliens at reseal ie
the couutry . He ifid not mean to infringe the rights of hospitality,
he would have us still continue to atfcrd refuge to those wit() wear
driven by nusfigtune to seek our protection, but such as had come
among us since the peace of Amiens, oui,ht, he thought, to be illllllClo
diatcly sent away. He should even prefer something like the sysratta
of positive non-intercourse adopted by the Government of japan te
the indiscriminate admission of all strangers. •
Lord CASTLEREAGH expressed his thanks to the Hon.. Gentleman
for calling the attention of Parliament to this subject. Me looseness
ofanorals displayed by French Officers of late, had grown• to a pita!,
unknown in former wars. The frequent breaches of parole were
unexampled. It was grateful to exercise not only the rights of hos.
!Malay, but of general benignity towards those -.4.6!t0 were placed is
our power by the fate of war ; hut if things went on in their present
state, and bleaches of parole continued to b so frequent, the Britisla
Government must impose additional restraints upon those who tH
not acknowledge the restraiot of honour. Goveroment ha l ev•..
disposition to cousi ter this subject, and to five egret and
the police, in order to prevent the eyilsl 031 tha i. 444
of aliens.