The National Register.
London, England, 1818-02-01 00:00:00

HOUSE OF COMMONS.

TUESDAY, JAT. 27.
At a gamier before three, the Speaker came to the House,
and at three o'clock went np to the Home of Lords, accom-
panied by several members, on receiving the it-nal commit-
sdcation from the Black Roil. On return the Speaker stated
that the House had hearth the Speech from the throne, deli-
s ered by the Lord Chancellor, as one of the Lords Commis-
cioners. He then observed, that he had, according to the pro-
s isions of the act. issned writs for the representation of Gla-
morgan, and for New Romney, lately held by Mr. Hall and
Sir J. 'T. Duckworth.
The Clandestine Outlawry Bill was then read a first and
FteoEli times.
Lord COCILRAKE rose, and desired to know from those who
ro•ld el% e any information, whether it was in Cae view oldie
Admiralty or the Government, to propose the application of
any sum from the Omits of Admiralty towards the relief of
the distressed seamen.
Mr. W. DUNDAS, as we understood him, said, that he had
no particular communication to make on that subject.
Lord CoCHRA e then said, that he should certainly make
motion on this matter at an early day, unless something was
previously done by the Admiralty.
General Toloesernm gave notice of a motion on the 7th
of February, tbr the repeal of parts ofcertain acts of Charles
11. in which the Roman Catholic religion is called idolatry.
Mr. P. °RENTAL!. Cave notice of a motion (we tn,lieve for
Tuesday next) for sundry account* respecting the affairs of
the Batik of England, specifying the number of notes issued
and other particulars, He gave the notice in time from cour-
tesy to the Bank.
Mr. STURGES BOURNE moved for certain returns of mo-
ney advanced to the poor in 1748. 1749, and 1750, Ordered.
KING'S. SPEECH.
The SPEAKER then stated, hi the usual way, that the
House had been in the House of Lords, and had heard the
speech of the Prince Regent in the name of the King, fr he
Lords Commissioners, of which, having obtained a copy, he
would read it to the House, which he accordingly did. (For
the speech, see our report of the Lords.)
Mr. WooLtrumic rose to move the Address. He recapi-
tulated the leading point* of• the Speech, and dwelt particu-
larly on the necessity of attending to that recommen.latiJu
iu
it respecting the increase 4.f places of Public Worship.
Mr. W ksuan QeIN seconded the motion.
The Speaker having read the Address, which was an
echo of the Speech,
Lard ALTHOR PE rose, and said, that lie agreed in every
Kier' of the Address. But there vas oily subject to vi hick he
tell Wawa bound to call the attention of the House. lie

THE NATIONAL REGISTER.

alluded to the late three successive trials. It was a topic of
great delicacy, because the professed cause of those proseen-
tions, the parodies on sacred subjects, no man could justify.
He strongly disapproved of those parodies, yet he, in com-
mon with the bulk of the nation, rejoiced that as individual
without any support hail triumphed over the estraordi nary
severity of his prosecutors. He could not say that he admit-
ed Mr. Hone's character, because he did not like the youmdies
he hall compose 'l and published ; but his able defence of him
self convinced him, as it has convinced three jnrics, that he
had been guilty nt• no legal offence. The Hon. and learned
Gentleman (the Attorney General) should not have ptosecul• j
ed at all in such a case. The regular mode of going with a
charge before a Grand Jury ought to have been adopted in
this instance. But it was unquestionably the right of the I
Gentleman to prosecute es officio, if he was so disposed. Itin
why was the prosecution continued after a jury had pro.
nonneed a verdict of acquittal? A jury was the only com-
petent tribunal to say what was or was not a libel. The judge'
had given his own opinion, in opposition to the jury, the ouly
rompetent authority. The opinion of the judge was not desir-
ed at all on such a question. lie did not mean to say any
thing disrespected to the honourable gentleman opposite, but
lie was, by his official character, disqualified to say what was
libel and what was not. Vet lie, after a jury had found that
the subject of prosecution was not libel, proceeded to a se-
cond and a third trial. As the trials ended, no evil was done;
but if it had turned out otherwise, if a conviction 114 d been
obtained on the thud trial, it was manifest from the nature
of the proceedings that the punishment world have been as
great as if a conviction had been old:ailed for the whole. The
evil of prosecutions of this sort was great indeed, but it was
nut to be compared with the evil of destroying the confidence
of the country in the trial of jury. He had said this, because
the present was the only opportunity of adverting to the
subject. In every part of the Addrese he willingly acqui-
esced.

Sir SAMUEL ROMILLY began by giving his entire approba-
tion to the Address. lie deplored the less which the nation
inis sustained in the death of the presumptive heir, lie then
adverted to the outrage which had been connuitted upon the
meditation, by the suspension of the Habeas Corpus Act,
and censured in severe terms, the conduct of Ministers, who,
he said, had magnified petty acts of outrage produced by the
distress of the times, into plots for the subversion of the go.
vestment. He blamed the spy system which the ministry had
adopted, and to it, attributed much of the mischiet sclnch h id
accrued. lie equally condemned the prosecutions e inch lied
been instituted against Hone, at the same time bestowing the
severest censure upon the publications for which those pro-
secutions had been carried on. fie thneteht they had better
have been left to perish, than to acquire a fresh consequence
by the interference of the Attorney fiewral. Heel:included
by a most severe review of the roteleet of Ministers, and
avowed his intention to oppose any bill which might he offer-
ed to indemnity them for the part they had acted iu spurting
with the liherties of the people.
'rhe SOLICITOR cLACit s L SOrprNSMI IGh.ST his Learn`
ed and Hun. Friend making held et swig ptoeeedin_s as the
trials at Derby had developed. Never was evidence mere
clear, and never was Royal clemency greater. He felt car.
prised at the language held relative to the trial of Honc,
his Learned and lion. Friend could not tPtil terms sufficiently
strong to convey his detestation of such productions as that
man had been tried for publishing, and yet be blamed the pro.
secutiott. And why ? because. it gave hie.liliels a wider cir-
culation—the conclusion to which such an argument would
lead, would be, that the more atrocious the libel the greater
would be its chance of impunity.
Lord FOLKSTON u censured the conduct of Ministers in the
late prosecution, as calculated to destroy the dignity of our
Courts tildes:ice and biing odium upon Juries.
LORD CISTLERRACiII declared, that desirous. as lie was of
meeting the objections and animadversions which had beep
brought forward, not only with regard to the address i 111 l ne-
diately under consideration, but as respected the conduct of
Ministers during the recess of Parliament, yet as he was
aware (tithe numerous opportunities that would soon present
themselves for discussing them separately and in detail, he
should reserve himself fur those uveasiens, when lie trusted
that a satisfactory explanation wonld be furnished. 'Obser-
vatione had been made, against which lie must immediately
protest, end particularly against the statement which repre•
witted the trials at Derby, to have arisen out of the proceed-
ings of a spy employed its Government. He now undertook
most fully to dispruve such iris assertion whenever the proper
time of in vestigat• shred!' nosiest. He could not mince; ve
lc lint part of the conduct of administration Inel induced the
Him. and Learned Gentleman to conclude that his Majesty's
Ministers bad it in contemplation to propose new measures
restrictive of the liberty ut the snistect. He was toot consci-
ous that they had manifested ans. disposition of such a nature
tend he was happy to assure the House, that be should, on
an catty day, be prepared to communicate information with
regard to all that had been pussing iii the country since the
last session. He believed sincerely. that this information
would satisfy, not only the lime Members opposite, but
wuuld satisfy the those and the public, that the measures
adopted during the last session hull been founded not merely
tin prudential considerations; but on a strict necessity, and
that it was to them that we were indebted fur the internal
tranquillity which lied been restored. The euergy of Parli-
ameut had not only provided the Suspension Act, bust had
ensured Its speedy termination. His Majesty's Ministers,
who had been placed in a situation al great difficulty, would
not shrink from the most rigid scrutiny into their conduct,
and would be found, he confidently hoped, to have faithfully
discharged the trust confided to them to have administer-
ed justice duly tempered with mercy, and to have contended
successtnlly against the danger with which the country hail
been threatened. The greatest of those dangers lie belies-
ed had passed by ; but he would not fell Parliament lotto a
belief that ;:edict security was restored. It gave hie),
however, sincere satisfaction to congratulate the House on
the unpieeedented rapidity with which the country had
passed from a state of depression to one of progressive
prosperity, which there was every reason to believe would
continue.
Mr. BROUGHAM thought the speech of the Noble Lord
sufficiently proved that the topics, to which so much obser-
vation hadbern directed, might be disen -stet without endae.
the unettimity of the vote to which the li..itse was
InvitCli upon the present question. it ;gave him the utmost
saesfaittion to It ern, that the fullest itiforseatiou %mod soon
be laid before them, and lie presumed ia.thealuls jtioper and
authentic mode, by appoin: lag a Committee wish smitority to
examine witnesses, and call for ivory species utevidence that
belengtel to the course of parliameotat s investigation.
Lord Coen RANE cuntiasted the opted' delivercd by the
Lords Cmultes.oners, with that of the American Preside tit.
and thought his Mica) '3 Ng islets would have better abated

for their offenees in the employment of sp.cs against the lives
and liberties of the people, he assuring Parliament that they
were building hospitals ami alins•houses, for the stark tug
poor, than in seeking to obtain eredit by the erection of new
churches. The question was then put and carried unanimous •
Iy.—Adjuurned.

WFDNESDAY.
SLAVE TRADE ABOLITION.
Lord CASTLEREA%II brought up the treaty Kith Sol!: con-
cerning the abolition of the slave..tratle ; and inovi.d that it
should be taken into consideration 011 Mont sc'nuight.
Agreed to.

AiSIZES.
Mr. M. A. TAYLOR gave notice of his intention to make a
motion for holding of assizes twice in the year in thu northern

comities.

Mr. CURVVEN, seeing • Noble Lord in his place, could
not tofrain front espressing.his surprise that the circu
mstance
of the Poor Laws were not noticed in the King's speech. He
wished to know whether any measure was intended by Go-
vernment on this important subject. There was n., point on
which more benefit could be conferred on the country. He

hoped the Noble Lord would brinc forward some beneficial
proposition on this business; for, without the support of ad-
ministration, Ise should despair of any thing that he himself
should propose.
Lord CASILEREAGE observed, that Parliament hail already
taken tip sh,s subject with much zeal, and that Goveinmeat
was truly desirous to give it every possible atteutioo. It aas
. .

not, how-ever, intended to makj it a iloverovolent question.
He had reason to believe that a friend of his would on Mon-

rill nest propose the revival of the Committee.
Lord CASTLEREAGH moved the appointment of the several

Committees'. according to the 'halal practice t that for rels-

glop, to sit every 'fuesclity ; that for grievances. every Thurs-
day ; that for Courts of Justice. every Saturday.
'The motions for these Committees were agreed to; after
which, the Committee on Privileges were appointed and 01—
.

dared to sit on Mondays. aod 'Fridays. and to
report on the matters coming before them.

ADDRESS TO THE PRINCE REGENT.
Mr. Wonewouss brought up the Report of the Committee
appointed to prepare the Address,which was read.
Lord MILTON said, that he did not wish to take up the time
of the house ; but that he felt sincere and unfeigned satisfac-
tion at that part of the spePell which related to the iticrea‘e
. .

of the number of choirboy. Nobody who lived el. en fora

short time ia the metropolis, eunid have failed to observe the
deficiency its the her of the places of parochial worship.
If it was thought exeedictit to call on the piarlic purse to sup.
ply the deficiency, he sh t Id think it rizlit that some inquiry
should be mule into the affairs ut for Church Establishment,
it order to see what modes of relict' therein could be made
available for so desirable an object. If nothing could be
done in that way, he should readily and cheerfully consent to
some addition to the public burdens for such a purpose. But
in the building of these new churches, he was of opinion that
great atteution ought to be paid to the accommodation of the
lower orders of society, who were slightly attended to in
many parochial churches.
Mr. CLURA EN slid, that however, acceptable it might he
to many to spoils of great improvements in the situation of the
country, and however convenient such a statement might be
to (love lit, yet such a statement was made emjustly, if
it was intended to support one present Establishments. It
was his duty to say this ; and to add, that it was necessary to
probe our affairs to the very bottom, iii order to discover the
best means of relieving us from our existiug and pressing
, difficulties.

file report on the address was aitroed to.
ADDRESSES OF CONDOLENCE.

Lord CAITLEREA4II.—The Noble Lord commenced by oh-
serving, that he row to make a motion, which, he trusted,
vs onto meet with the unanimous conchal rence of the House.
The want of precedent on such a subject, he hoped, would
be no obstacle to a measure which he b.sd no doubt accorded
toile with the feelings of all present. The event which now
called for their cundolence was of the must tragical descrip-
tion. The unexpected anal steddeu death of a another and
her child in such affecting eircumstasiees, even in private
life, was a subject of deep and pasinful interest to every
feeline mind ; how much, then, must these feelings be aggra-
vated by the consideration of the high station and prospects
of the illustrious individual whose lamented death now cam'
for our condolence I Her recent Milt-4w to the man of her
choice was brought about antler theniost anspieionsand happy
circumstances, and formed a painful contrast to her sudden
and untimely end. it was painful anal unnecessary to threat
now upon a subject upon which all had but one feeling_
Under the impression, therefore, of such fejlings, so strong
and so sincere, it was surely their duty to give them expres-
sion, though they should have no precedent to guide them in
doing so. 'flue only precedent of which they eonld avail
themselves for their direction in this case, was the mode its
which they haat presented their emagrettil inlets to her Ma-
jesty on the marriage of the illustrious pair. He proposed,
therefore, that they should follow nia Baia precedent in con-
veying their condolence to Her Majesty. He said they had
no precedent for any address of condolence beyond the
throne : but the same principle which had guided them thus
far, would also warrant them in addressiogthat illustrious in-
dividual whose tate had been so untimely conameted wills
that of our beloved Princess. The bright prospects held ORE
and the expectations formed, from the happy union of Prince
Leopold and the Princess Charlotte were such as rarely oc-
cur. The rare virtues and exemplary habits which they ex.
!tasked, were such as to reflect dignity upon their eshalted
situation : and the sorrow excited by the fatal overthrow of
'hopes so confidently and so justly entertained, was min! more
general in this country than in every foreign state. He there-
fore proposed that a Message of Condolence be sent to her
!Majesty, stet that the same course be adopted as formerly is
preseutiug their congratulations.
Mr. CA LCRAFT felt it very painful to digs. nt from this mea-
sure; but such was Iris feelin4 upon the subject, that he felt
he abeam be wanting in ditty to himself and IV the public
dad be not gate his negative to this motion. He waited use no
harsh words, nor would he enter into any explanation on the
subject; but he felt something within him which compelled
him to express his tree ked dissent—(Hear, luCar, from the
Opposition Benches.)
Mr. M. A. Tay Lou expressed his strong dissent to the n:o-
-thin.
The motion was then put. There was a general cry- of
" Aye" from the 'treasury tante of the house, and as genet-Al a
ory of " No" from the other side.
The SPEAKER... 4 flue% the " Ayes" have it.
It W4ll then agreed twat Culoncl Uzseenev'should present
the Message to her Majesty.
Lord CASTLEREAOIL then moved a similar Message to his
, Serrate Highness Prince Leopold.
(For the rakaittder el the /roamer-Oat y, see the *Leh Peg—)

- ' • " -7:

wage Al
III"--

tiii PLL'S ULTRA LOTTERY. •
PIDDI NCI and C. No. 1, CORNIIII.L, and 296,
11 o Ltlontr. ea:multi-A slip the pleasing opportunity affind.xt them by
t •-- irandette of Viz S:herneof the New- Lottery which ounntncm
t 4th of NIMICII, to pint out to their Friends some PROOFS of
it% excellence.
rhi, Lottery of only 16.000 Tickets. contains ONF HE
DRED Capital Prizes. which is more than there were in the 'ftVU
Lotterier of ,2 1.(Po Tickets each. for by adding both Sehows
together it will be found there were only 74 Capitals to the whole
n. .00 Tickets.—l'erhalis it any be imagined the Prizes then con-
s ted of larger Sums of Stoney. quite the reverse. for there was thm '
r.o Prize so high a, .E 30,,): It% .Money, whereas there are no w T !I R E E of
twat Amount.—Now let any one calmly elimate the %lift:fence be
t awn lon Cepitv.li in 114,000 Ti.kets, and only ;a Capitals in 40,000
Tickets, and it mu..t be then admitted this is ftirly entitled to the
N.ene of the Ne Yttrs C it a LOT T I:ltt.for that Lottery must
be THE BEST which diffuses the greatest Number of Benefits
among the Community.
Tit'acts and Shares arc on Sale by Prnehm a and Co. whose Offices
Lave been invariably conspicuous the Good Fortnne at this Sevon of
*le Year. and it MIA he recollected the Grand Prize of t!.).non
s.cINEAS. in February last, was Sold in 16 Shares at their Offices
No. 1, Cornhill, and 296, Holborn.