The National Register.
London, England, 1822-07-01 00:00:00

Tr ESDAY, JOIE 25.

The report of the Westminster Improvements Bill was pre-
set-del and agreed tn.
Mr. \V I I.NIOT presented nceounts of New South Wales
Crants.—Ordered to be printed.
Mr. WROTTESLEY obtained leave to bring in a Bill to
prevent persons conveying washings and other substances,
arising from the process of gas making, into any river or other
waters. The bill was brought in and read a first time, and
ordered to be read a second time on Monday.
The House went into a committee on the register office
(Scotland) Act, 5,i, Geo. 111. c. 70, and 57 Ceo. 111. c. 64, in
which Mr. Hondas moved resolulimos, that it was expedivet to
bring in a bill to regulate the Lord Register Fees, &c.—Agreed
to.—lteport to-morrow.
Mr. IIYNG presented a petition. prn)ing for leave to bring
in a bill respecting the Highgate charily school. —Referred to
a committee.

The report of the Welsh Coals' Dill was presented and
agreed to.
Thu Scotch Distillation Bill wan read a third time and
IMIRSC(I.
SA I.T TAIL—Mr. CURW EN asked whether there would be
any objection to produce a copy of the report of the Board of
Excise, respecting the continuation of the 2s. duty on salt !
Ile understood that the Hoard was decidedly hostile to the con-
tinuation of Judi duty.
Mr. LUSIIINGTON replied, that be had never heard of any
report.
Mr. s'URWEN then moved, that there be laid before the
House copies of any communication with the Board of Excise
respecting the continuation of the Se. tint,. Motion agreed to.
STAMP OPT' r. IA:31 1 I NGION moved tut the Stamp
Duties' Bill be re-committed pro) forma. He had some amend-
ments to propose, which he wished to be printed before the bill
was further considered.

Mr. CURWEN said he was glad to bear that there were to
be some amendments ; he hoped they would diminish the ob-
jections to the bill.
Mr. MONCK spoke of the hardship. on account of alledged
doubt, of increasing the progressive duty on deed stamps from
I/. to I /..sa. Why not I t the public has,: the benefit of the
doubts ? Why increase the duty t
Mr. 1101tHOCEE enquired whether the ease of the benefit
socirlies hail been considered They were in much con.ter-
within, as this hill exposed those societies to the stamp 'hiller,

Mr. 141.311INGTOig was under►tood to state that the clause
respecting the 1/. 56. duty was to he omitted. As to the benefit
societies, they were not to be placed in a worse situation than
they were in before.
Mr. CALA:RAFT said, if inch • hill were to be pressed now,
instead of being brought forward at the beginning of a session,
it woild become the House to watch the bill ions' uartowly.

Hill re-committed—Amendments proposed and agreed In--
Rill ordered to be re-printed—Report ordered to be re-con-
sidered !him day se'nniAlit.
CRIMINAL JUsTICE.—Mr.IIOBIIOI'SE presented apetitinu
on account of an individual named Sy ilney Smith, who hail been
east for death for the robbery of Mr. )liddletott, of the Strand
—a robbery which it was ,trterwat.ln foot he Lad never coot
rotted. Ile no:, mainly t, and on the et idnnee of one
Coluneu, an diicur's follower, who Lad giveu yrilleuLe in 17

203 i

different cases in the course of one Old Bailey &ossifies.—
After representations, the sentence was changed ; how
Why, he was transported for life. Since that period four per-
sons had given evidence favonrahle to Smith, and the actual
robbers had since been convicted.
Mr. Secretary PEEL said that his predecessor and be had
attentively examined all the evidence of the ruse, and that all
bad been done that could be done.
Mr. G. BENNET implored the right inn. gentleman to re-
view the case. It was capable of proof that individuals swore
at the Old Bailey for one another; that previously to the abo-
lition of the rewards there was regularly an officer's name on
the back of the bill, who swore to the ennfesaion of guilt ; that
since such abolition the ollieers had not so appeared ; and dint
there still were individuals who made it a commercial specu-
lation, for the sake of the county reward, to swear away the
lives and liberties of those who could be charged with criminal
offences.

Mr. Secretary PEEL said, that the sentence hail been car-
ried into effect, because it was considered that the individual
was guilty as an acressary.-110 objected to the esiabli.lting
a precedent which would warrant his bein4 called on to re in-
vestigate every ease that had been settled at the Old Bailey.
Mr. HOBIIOUSI,! observed, that he would retitled that
right hun. gentleman of certain facts had he not a prima furls
objection to investigate these eases.
The Petition was read. It was from the two brothers of the
prisoner, praying the House to enquire into the case.
Mr. Secretary PEEL, in answer to a question put by Mr.
W. Smith, said, he had received information that the Act fbr
regulating the hours of employment of Children in Manufac •
Writ,' had been grossly abused. it was now late is the Ses-
sion, otherwise he should mote for •Committee on the subject ;
lie should call the attention of the Howie to the subject newt
Session.--r Hear.)
Mr. W. SMITH moved for • Eopy of the Regulation of tb•
Conrl of Exchequer respecting Extents in Aid. Ordered.
Mr. WODEHOUSE said, by the late Act, the Mnister's li-
cence, costing 41. 2s. covered all expences regarding their
several building ; now they were requiired to have a iicence for
every building. That was a great hardship, if such a regula
tied were In he enforced.

-.......................---.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said the case
should Le investigated.
• PUBLIC PRESS, SCOTLAND.—Mr. ABERCROMBY rose iv)
bring forward his motion respecting the Public Press of Scot-
land. When a great public wrong had been committed. the
people of Scotland had a right to expect redress. He charged
the Lord Advocate, and those connected with him, with having
abused their high situations, in basing lent themselves to the
public press of Scotland in a most unjustifiable manner. They
had entered into a system to attack, through the public press.
the characters, moral feelings. and professional reputations of
their opponents. if lie succeeded in establishing those facts—if
he showed that they had so violated their duties, he thought no
censure could lie severe enough. (Hear.) lie had delayed his
motion, expecting that the trial of Murray Burthwiek, the
printer, would have been brought forward. The Heuse
knew that individual ; they knew the sufferings belted endured
(Hear) ; hut of no trial Lad they heard—none bad taken place.
He should first mention the es.tracrrdinary powers enjoyed by
the Lord Adroeate of Scotland ; and then he should advert In
the sufferings and severities to which Murray Borthwick had
been exposed. (Hear, hear, hear.) in the person of the
Lord Advocate were combined the powers of the long-papired
I'rivy Council. He possessed unknown and undefined powers
—powers that were of a moat dangerous .endency in a free
Slate. If ell those powers of the Privy Council were enforced
there was too outrage that might not he committed—but be
would leave disputed ground. The Lord Advocate was, it
might be ctonsidered, the sole prolveautor ; and he had the
power to bring to trial without the intervention of a Grand
Jury. He covull keep the prisoner in custody 140 days. with-
out being compelled to bring the party to trial ; the individual
must then be discharged or brought in trial, at the option of
the Lord Advocate. The private imlivldoal prosecuted ander
the greatest disadvantage, so that a few took place. The
Learned Lord had all the authority, appointing Advocates-De-
pute, la. The object of his motion was to call the attention
of the House to the Lord Advocate, the Solicitor•Genernl, the
. .

Advocates Depute, 4‘e. With such pew. rs. they had a right
to expect that the Learned Lord and hls Cullen°, s should not
mingle themselves with what were likely to come before them
in their judicial capacity. Ile did not charge the Learned
Lord with °Welters of omission, hot of commissinn. Ile had
lent the aaaction of his office, and he had given his money to
promote by means of the piddle press a system of private libel
and calumny. 'I hat was the subject of his charge on the pre-
sent occasion. Ile then entered into the details of the facts.
and the history of the Walton* Sentinel, which had grown out
of the Clydesdale Journal. A paper was thus started, said to
he to defeat those works that were calculated to unsettle turn's
minds ; and its recommendation amongst others was signed by
the Learned Lord in Novensher, 1520. Previously to that
period, libels had been published in such papers, accusing in-
dividuals of the most traitorous motives ; and was that a paper
which the learned lord ought to countenance by his signmere ;
(Hear, hear! )—He had mad several of the libels that had
appeared before such') period. The system was persevered in.
The results were visible in thy calamities that had befelen Mr.
Stuart, and the death of Sir A. Boxswell.—Haying fully de-
Wit .1 the partiesslars of the Lord Advocate's support of the
Press, and strongly commented on the consequences of such
a system, which in two instances had cost excellent indivi-
duals their lives, he said the cnn.lnct of the Lord Advocate, in
the brat instance, milled for inquiry. He concluded with aloe-
ina for a committee.
The LORD ADVOCATE lamented that so much delay had
taken place. If the case which load been represented could be
made out, be was unworthy of Iris situation ; therefore delay
should hare been avoided. The loon. and learned gentleman
then proceeded at considerable length to defend the powers
possessed by. the Lord Advocate, and the manner in which be
had exercised those powers. If the individurl named in the
notice had been injured, he had his sedreas in the Superior
Courts. As to the publications in question, lie was hound to
say, that his Majesty's Government was wholly ignorant of thou
part lie had taken. If censure was due, lie only had to answer,
if he deserved censure, the Commons of England would deal it
Ant to him ; and should they thereby remove ldm from the
office which he now held, many men in Scotland would he
found more able tl an he was to perform the duties, though es
one, he would say, would perform them more conscientiously.
Let the decision of the House be what it would, he should
bow to it with tinfrinest respect. The learned lord basin
concluded, bowed to the Howie, and retired.
• Mr. PEEL defended the conduct of the Ic d Lord Advo-
cate, and called on the !louse to slit est their minds of preju-
dice, and deride only on the merits of the case before them.
He deni. d that the learned lord had lent Isis money, l,w ts-
Luta, to iIPS ii.11.11.11,!P, to circulate private calumny and libel ;
eut.einnut;,,n see page