The National Register.
London, England, 1821-05-28 00:00:00

lei

3mperfal Varliamtut.
HOAR OF LORDS.
MONDAY, MAY V.
GRAMPOUND DISFRANCHISEMENT BILL.
The Earl of LAUDERDALE rose, on the order for going
. into a committee on this bid, and observed, that he did not nicaa
to oppose it in that stage, if it could be ;mode applicable to the
jusose of the case.
Time LORD CHANCELLOR intimated, that lie could never
ngree to the bill, unless it came out of the committee in a very
differed t shape.
The house then went into the committee.
The Earl of LIVERPOOL objected to the words in the pre-
amble, which went to disfranchise all the voters of the borough
of Grampound, and proposed an amendment.
The LORD CHANCELLOR observed, that according to his
notion of corporation law, and the right of corporators to return
members to Parliament, this bill even wish the amendment,
could not pass. He could not bring himself to think a consi-
derable number of voters for the borough of Grampound were to
be disfranchised for no crime. His proposition was to insert, after
the words objected to by the noble earl in the preamble, the fol-
lowing:—••
Frani henceforth the burgesses of Grampound not
convicted of bribery shall be the only persons entitled to vote for
the election of burgesses to be retnrnal to serve in the high court
of parliament." That amendment, he said, would leave the
house at liberty to insert other names in lieu of those found guilty
of bribery.
The Earl of CARNARVON thought the arrangement would
defeat the object of the bill, and change die character in tour.
The LORD CHANCELLOR explained in support of his
proposition.
Lord ERSKINE most strenuously supported the Bill upon
the principle it assumed.
The Marquis of LANSDOWN was ready to adopt any
amendment which might carry into &Isa the intention of the
Bill, which was to disfranchise persons guilty of bribery and cor-
rupt practices.
The Earl of LIVERPOOL, to meet the wishes of the Com
mince, withdrew his amendment for the purpose of moving
anodic' leaving out the words :n the subsequent part of the clause.
The motion then stood, to leave out these words; " The Borough
of Grampound in Cornwall, shall cease to elect burgesses to
elect members to sit in the high court of parliament.
Viscount SIDMOUTH objected to the continuance of the
above words, on the ground persons who had been guilty of no
'crime were to be disfranchised. The innocent and guilty were
to be disfranchised eta muse.
The Earl of HARROWBY supported the bill, and said he
slinuld vote for the entire object of it.
The Earl of WESTMORLAND opposed it.
♦ long discussion then occurred, during which the bill under-
went various amendments, and was reported to the House.—
Adjourned.
ECESDAY, MAY 22.
The house met in a committee of privileges, on the
claim to the Strathmore peerage, and after Mr. Wetherell
Lad been heard for the young claimant, further proceed-
ings were postponed.
'file GIIAMPoUND DISFRANCHISEMENT RILL.—The
report of the Graumpound disfranchisement bill, after
some conversation, was received, the amendments agreed
to, and the bill ordered to be read a third time ou Thurs-
day.
TIMBER Dorms Bibb.—Earl BATHURST rose on the
order of the day for going into a committee on the timber
duties bill, and detailed to the house, from the report of
the committee on foreign trade, the object of the bill,
which was to afford protection to the North American
timber trade, the Canada Ille(C11111113 hissing some claim
upon the government, in consequence of the encourage-
ment held out to them during the blockade of the Bahia,
under the system of Btionaparte. The noble earl con-
cluded by moving the committal of the bill.
The Earl of LAUDERDALE addressed the hone. at
considerable length, in answer to the noble earl, and op-
posed the bill in all its details. lie strongly deprecated
the policy which gave advantage to the American timber
trade. Nothing but the desire to keep the rotten ships in
the transport service afloat, could have induced his Ma-
jesty's governineut to sanction the measure. It was well
known that the American timber was not equal to the
Baltic. The quality was inferior, inasmuch as it was sub.
ject to the dry rot. In the committee on foreign trade,
he put this question to one of the witnesses—Suppose a
house was built in London, of Norway timber of the best
finality, and you valued it at 6,0001. what value would
you put on a house of the same denomination built of
American timber?-The answer was, " I would -not re-
commend any person who employed me to purchase such
a house at any rate." The noble earl considered the ad-
vantage given to the American timber trade no better than
a colonial job. It was an arrangement which gave a
bounty of 11. a ton, over and above the rate of transport
and freight. He did not wish to go into all the calcula-
tions, because it was generally known that the bill would
be most injurious to Use Baltic trade. With respect to
the bounties on Baltic timber, he dept reeled the advan-
tage given to Russia over Norway and Sweden. Time bill
gave a precedent to a new exclusion never before revue-
it.red in time commercial code. It was this—they laid
their duties in a way that 11. Os. was imposed less on deals
than upon block timber. That arrangement was injurious
to the interests of the csiuntry, inasmuch as the lliitish
111 W mills were neglected. 'rue policy hail hitherto been
t o encourage the saw mills, but that policy was 110 lunge'
considered. Time merchants and manufacturers of this
ternary could never benefit by a system of policy which
si se liberal to foreigners and injitriutts to England. Under
all the circimistancee, his objection to the bill was so
strong, that he inured it b: committed this day six
men
Lit d ELLEN BOROUGH said, if this bill was thrown
out, lie trusted something would be done to arm:thee this
tairot taut subject. He could not admit the bill was a
....arias job, but it appeared that a great naval force was
to arc kept by a tax on one description of persons, namely,
the purcaaseis uf timber. That tax was cei taints unjust.
It would be better policy to peas a bill making time public
at large contribute lo tie support of the Canada shipping.
He considered the hill lambing less than a measure estab-
la slung a bounty to iiltroduee the dry rot into buildings
a,i.t houses. He cuticurrial in the view taken by his
uubte friend. He ►hould henceforth never expect to do
any good in a conuutoce upon fureign trade. 'lime report
himself and other noble hods had given was satisfactory
o all bat his Majesty's ministers. He could not vote los
time elnynilment, because he believed the bill et/litigated
F ono gond pre.skione.
Lord KING opposed the hill.
'lite Earle!' LIN ER POJI, eupported it.
To, ihnoomisni Nas ury.rtived, and the Lill passed
the aught the committee.

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