The National Register.
London, England, 1813-04-11 00:00:00

.011 IL 11.

aasse •
sineling out certain offices which were of no use, and bringing them
under discussion. The advantages of thia mode of procce!ing he,
should hew by reference to the present case. Any reasonable man
laokiog at the name of Lord C. Somerset,-and the '2OOOl. a year
A'aillSt it, and seeing that he was a General Officer, would say,-
- Oil! hs has been at the battle.of Salamanca or Barrosa, or some
other place, where he has distinguished himself, and for this they
have given him this :!0001. a year." But he (Mr. Creevey) would
aav that Lord C. Somerset had never been abroad, that Le was
Commander of the Sussex District to defend the Coast against the
enemy. 46 Well, and I suppose he is paid nothing for that." "Uu
tees, (he should say) he has 51. a day, with a large sum whenever
wishes to take an excursion to secure the coast against the
em;eitiv ; fifteen or sixteen horses far cheice wed pursuit if the enemy
aunt,' ninth Ile has 0001. thr perfbrintrig the duties of an office he
alLITer and 3iniol a Year for defending !'he coast of Sussex,'
while he is constantly in this house." How eau this be, it would 1w
inked. The reason was, that Lord C. Somerset was one of a power-
(:l fimilv who happen to think with the Crow», and the Crown
thottelit there was uo better way of gratifying this family than, to
confer on one of its Members the office in question. Any leason-
ab!e moan would think that an office kept up for such purpose might
to he atiolisheil. He thought the best way to reduce the list of
sitiveurem %%mild be to rid it of Parliamentary men. From the alum-
&owe of a certain class of officers who sat in that House, they now
voted millions in estimates with more indifference than that with
which thousands were formerly disposed of. Mr. Creevey concluded
by moving his Resolution, that Lord C. Somerset receives 'i6ool. per
aminuin as Joint Pay-master of the Forces, that the Select Committee
on Sinecure Offices have stated in their Report that this Office
might with propriety be abolished, and that this House do agree •
with so nrieli of the said :report as relates to the said Mire.
Mr. C. LONG opposed the motion, as it would diminish the salary
while the responsibility anti tlotics had been increased. The 011ie.
had already been reformed acco.ding to the ideas of Mr. Burke. and
the Committee of Finance of 1737-8 had stated it as one which
ought not to be abolished.
Mr. WILSON Supported the resolution.
Canenavr said, that he would vote against the resolution.
Ile was convinced that no office was better tilled than that of Pay-
master to the Forces. Bat though he meant to vote against the
resolution, he was not a ft knd to sinecure offices.
Mr. licsaissoa opposed the motion.
Mr. WirtrilltEin was ready to give the .Right Hononrahle Gen-
Ileman ',Mr. L'mg) full credit thr the rethrms which he had brought
about in the Office; but he could wit still allow that the office of his
noble colluaeue was necessary. It did not appear that tat N oh!e
Lord (Lord Charles Sort:Reset) was in the habit of consulting the
Right thee Gentleman (Mr. Long)—though the Right Hon. Gen-
tleman was in the habit of comumnieating with him. The office of
the Noble Lord then appeared to be a liefcet sinecure. Was it not
then pretty obvious that the Hattie nt COMIIIOIIS 011421 a to intertile
here, for the purpose of preventing the increase! of Parliamentary
ieilitenee, and not with any view of intelleriog with the finictions
of any other branch ()Hite Legislature.
Mr. CREEVEY was satisfied that some good must tasnl: from the
discussions that had taken place on this subject, but consented to
withdraw his motion.
On the question being put by the SPEAKER, kave was given to
withdraw it.
Mr. LOCKUART then moved, that the House, during the present
scion, should inquire contenting the Bankrupt Laws, and the
in:inner in which they were akhniaistu
The motion was carried without a division.
Sir JOHN NEWPORT brought forward a motion on the subject
of a suspension of an Act of Parliament by the Board of Treasury'.
Ily the Act of 51 Geo. 111. certain duties were appointed to
be
levied by the Collectors of the Customs of the thriied Kingdom,
on all vessels passing certain lighthouses on the toast of Ireland.
The duties Jo appointed to be levied were too high, and stated that
circumstance at the time. Rut however hieh the dutie, while the
Act of Parliament impoailig them was unrepealed, they ought to
I:,:ve been levied. The hoard of Treaairy, however,durieg the sit; Mg
of Parliament thought proper, by an ()Mee to their officers, datc:d
the vd of April, ltittl, to suspend their eellection. The 'tight
Hon. Baronet concluded by wovine Roselotions expressive of the
Nit,latiou of the law by the Board id Treasucv, amid of the imperfect
eeeelitien of it by the e;ollecturs throngliont 'Great Britain. Atter
some tlieassiollS. the resolutions were negatived.
Mr. FrriaiEHALD obthilled leave to bring in a Bill for relieving
fivln lfte payaient of Stamp Duty the pensions of the Widows, ;tut)
Lohtits of °Meet's resideol in Irciand.—Adjoorned.