The National Register.
London, England, 1808-04-11 00:00:00

APRIL 11.

when and how they were disposed of; but having been made
acquainted uith the implication that would have attended a
clau-e of that description, he yielded to the reasoning which he
heard on the subject, and had given up the intention of submit-
ting that amentbnent. It appeared to him then, that the first
amendment proposed by his lion. Friend, combined with the
secoml, hich declared the Bill to have merely a suspending
operation, would present it to the Lords in a form and sub-
stance dilkrent front what it possessed before. Ile was free to
code's that the proposed amendments rendered the Bill more
acceptable to him, than if it had peen enacted in the shape that
tir-t proposed. But still he must say, that he had not in
at degree changed the opinion which he had all along ex-
pre—ed n it h regard to the supposed intrinsic utility- of the mea-
sure. lle doubted, hots ever. its tendency to produce economy
in the public expenditure, for to hint it appeared that the ex-
roation o hick He's ersions might excite m ould be found rather
a cheap mode of rewarding public services—( a laugh. )—Upon
tier o hole, it certainly was his wish that the Bill should re-
eels e the sanction of the Legislature in its amended shape, since
a large portion of the Public, and many (tithe Members of that
House, attached so much consequence to the measure ; and he
sn.sst st agreed to withdraw those suventiments of which
he had gi‘en notioe, and acceded to those proposed by Isis llou.

Friend.
Stn./. porn' contended, that of all other things Reversion I
stood most in the way of economical reform. Ile enumerated a ,
variety of those reversions in Ireland, which bad been pointed
out by the Fthance Committee of that country. Ile instanced, ,
in particular, that of Surveyor of the Port of Dublin, the
emoluments of n hich were above 2000!. per annum, -and w hich
had been granted for three lives. lie said it would be endless
to go through all the variety of offices connected w ith the re-
venue in Ireland, which had been reversion sinecures, and be-
sides stood in the way of the public benefit. Of these there
were the Comptroller of Duties in the Port of Cork, where
the principal had 1000!. and the deputy, who alone did the ditty,
had 300'. per annum.—There was also the office of Taster of
Wines .-4 a laugh )—not king ago re-established, in which there
was nut even the semblance of duty to discharge, which brought
in IWO/. annually, and this he would not scruple to say, had
been given to the lion. J. Beresford, and in reversion to two of
his sons. The Right Hon. Member enumerated other local offices
of a intilttr description, and added, that it would be enough to
Say to tin. other House, Non have had all these abuses presented
to no in the Report of a Committee, to show the expediency of
preventing the Grant of Reversions. But if the Law Depart-
ment of Ireland were looked into, the grants would be found
still more enormous ; and instead of one or tvv o thousand, some
wound he found to rise to eight or nine thousand pounds a year.
There had also been various compensations of the most shameful
kind granted for the loss of offices by the Cnion ; and it was
well known that the Board of Compensation had sat three
weeks consideriog- Iv hat compensation should be given to the
King's Rat-catcher. (J laugh. ) The Hon. Gentleman then
Winded to tho-c weans of influence and corruption by which he
said the I
1 01 1 was brought about, and related an anecdote of a
certain Noble Lord, whom he w as sorry not to see in his place,
having urged a friend to accept an office only for a year, in
order that he might be entitled to some compensation on the loss
of it. The If iglu lion. Member pledged himself that he was
prepared to firing all these things to and establish theta in
the Committee, if the House should think fit.
A conversation then ensued, between Mr. A. timit h, Mr.
Bankes, Mr. Martin, and Mr. Dundas, on several clauses of the
Bill, w !itch amendments were introduced. The Bill
went through the Committee, and the Report war ordered to be
:cceived to-morrow.
Mr. 11 hitbread, after a few observations on the limited time
of the Bill, gave notice, that he should move an A mmulment to,
In" W that the BILL should be suspended during Ninety-nine

I ears.
Mr. W. Smith brought up the Lunatics Bill, which was read
tm ice, committed, the Report receiveil, and the Bill ordered to
be taken into farther consideration on the 10th of May, and
rioted.- Ndjoucued.

FRIDAY, APRIL S. •• •
Mr. Speaker acquainted the House tJtat. he ,had received a
letter from Admiral Stirling. acknoWledging the receipt of the
Speaker's letter, with the Thanks of the House for the capture
of Monte V ideo. _

Ibe Mow was informed hy n Meicsage from the Lords, that
their Lordships had agreodito the Bari: I;xport Prohibition Bill.