The National Register.
London, England, 1822-03-31 00:00:00

fail to give the Fulu vet his best comideration. Rend and
referred 1.1 the agricultural committee.
SEDITION AND BIALSPII NM T.—Mr. IiEN I) post-
poded, till 'Thursday, the Ittill April, his mot uu fur Lave
t. Mint in hill, to repeal the act regarding srdi LIUII6 meet-
ings and hlasohernous
Cou Y \MUMS'S moved for an ac-
count of the rental and parish rates in the several paris'acs

to 1l oldlem X.
The tmotion isnc carried.
CAPT. F. ROMEO.—ITALY.
Lord J.itUSSELL pecAettteti a petition from Captain

Francis Romeo, a Neapolitan Autbject, who ay.ain nit.
pl.:idled that ponce to ask for jmtice at their liamk, for
s,rvicea that he hal been enabled to render 19 the British

forees Sicily he had before Rittiriewheil that
tint hitherto in vain.lli: loribiliip then stated the parti-
culars of Capt. Itioncii•s services. Ile ha I ix•en employed
be British officers, who gave eertifieates in his favour, to
11.. frat the schemes of thrQueees of Sicily and the French

fees to destroy the British ; and iu consequenee
of his success in that service. lie was exposed to the en-
mity of the Neapolitan government. The officers, and
G: petals Alaitland, Campbell, and Lord W. Itentinek
Rave certificates in Capt. It.'s favour, which al.° stated,
bat they believed his services to the British were the,
cause of the persecutions to which lie hail been exposed.
The government had promised him a passport, and that
was afterwards refused. His lordship might he allowed
to say something of the events that hail recenly occurred
in Italy. In 1.413, it was known that the greatest efforts
sere made to unitise Europe against the Emperor of
Fiaitre, and none greater than those that were made, and
successfully too, in Italy. rho Italians had the enjoy-
ments of literature and science under the Emperor—but
their hatred of despotism aroused them against the French
power. The Italians were promised free institutions, lint
they were delivered over to the Austrians without any
guarantee for the security of Italy. Since they had been
so transferred, the Austrians hail exerted every rtfort to
cheek the progress of civilization and ty in Italy.
The schools for !flatletl instruction had been abolished ;
the free institutions had been destroyed, and the severest
persecutions hail followed those who had espoused the
cause of liberal institutions. At Turin, for instance, per-
sons had been condemned to the galleys for life, for an 1,
offence that would not a little surprise the house—it was
fur being .• suspected of having a propensity towards a
constitutioral got eminent." ( Hear, hear.) Similar pro-
ceedings took place amongst the Genoese; indeed, many
of the best, lie ablest, anti the most generous individuals
amongst the Italians, had been compelled to leave their
homes, and were wandering over Europe with little hope
of being enabled to return to their native soil. His lord-
obits considered that these calamities were mainly owing
to the detieient negociation of a noble lord opposite (the
Marquis of Londonderry.)
W said he hardly knew what the real ob-
ject of the rouble lord could be, since the introduction of
the petition hail been 'nixed tip with oilier matters. Lie
was not against the receipt of the petition, but he th'o'ught
the services of the petitioner had already been rewarded.
Besides, Capt. Romeo had not been the chief, he had only
been the secondary agent in the services now set forth as
so nteritot ions.

Sir J. :MACINTOSH denied that Capt. Romeo was to
be viewed as having been a secondary agent—the British
officers, 'Maitland and Bentitack, under their own hands'
declared that it was " chiefly" ow•itte to this gentleman
that the machinations of pretended friends were defeated.
Feitr Bt iiish officer,. said this much, and was the evidence
of Neapolitan ministers, who had plotted against the Bri-
tish army, to be pm against that of our offieers ?
Mr. GOULBURN considered that Capt. Romeo had
reeei,ed what, on a comparison made with payments to
others, was a atifficient remoneration. The government
had not wily to consider Capt. R.'s case—they had to
exat ii iii e what were the several ranks of the different
applicants. It bail been truly stated, that Capt. Romeo
was tint a suburilittate agent ; and as such was the Cate,
the government tool to recollect a hat bad been given to
officers who had held superior stations. lie observed,
that as Capt. It. was at the time in the pay of the British
army, he was bound to perffirm his best cervices; but
those services having been pectin:illy meritorious, they
received special reward. That reward was given after a
cetlain rate; it was settled according to the rank of the
parties. When his annuity of 101. was purchased fur
;;aOl. it was stated, he admitted, that Capt. Romeo might
have a passport; but lie applied for a British passpott.
That could taut be given—it was nut u.lllll to give Ili .tisli
pa,sporta to persons similarly circumstanced. He thought
that the petition did not merit further consideration.
Lord LONDONDERRY said, as to Captain Romeo,
according to Sir William A'Court, our ambassador at Na-
ples, their was no truth its the statements about the
terings and persecutions having resulted from Capt.
services to our army. The remuneration claimed was
extruordimuily large, and it was atrinige that it should
have been so long delayed. lie load IA en rewarded ac-
cording to the scale of office; but he was not deemed
worthy of a particular passport.
After some fin titer observations, the petition was or-
shied to he printed.
Sir B. MARTIN, adveiting to the qualities of coal tar,
and to its use for ship timber, called oat au hon. member
to state the result of experiments that he had witnessed
en Satin day.
Mr. HUME said, that the experiments were of the
most satisfactory nalote ; that the timber so seasoned did
nut ignite so quickly as had been represented; that a
pistol had been tired over it, and a candle held to collie
timber, witlioot producing ignition ; and that the opinions
that had been held via the subject had been completely
diapioved.
Mr. WAR.D brought forward the Ordnance Estimates;
the amount of them was 1,2.14,0001. The witietions, as

conspured with preceding estimates, amounted to
7z,00n1. He concluded with inuring r grant fur the Stf.
ice of the Ordnance.
Mr. HUNIE entered into au examituttion of the esti-

mates, as compared %lilt those of 1792 and 1817 ; and he
biablitained, that su far f there being any real realm-
thins, the estimates of the present year were 1,0001. more
than those of 11117. Those of 1.017 were 1;23:1,0 ;
those fur the present year were 1,211,C0M. and yet the
lion. member and the sinus isters talked of the reductions
they had made! He was, however, willing to admit, that
a, compared with the tart year, much had been done.—
he lion. measlier coliclaided by pi opoing, as an amend-
:n(4.i, that Ilia ertunate should be irdoeeti 10,1•001.
Alt. WARD opposed the auteutitheat, ea au ea billety

_

THE NATIONAL REGISTER

proposition made upon guess, and without any fonndation
to go on. The estimates had been formed od the lowest
scale, consistent with the geod of the public service.
Col. IMVI ES contended that a reduction might take
Place On several parts of the estimates—he particularly
adverted to the salary ef the clerk to the hoard, who,
eonsidPring the tnagniticent home which had bee,, as-
signed to Isint,liad nit It ss than 2,u001. a year. The salary
of the secretary to the Laster Genetol was also too high ;
it WAS 1,5001. a year. The finance committee, in their
report, had recommended it should be reduced to 8001.
Mr. HUME contended that the satiny of the Master
General ought to be reduced, and he moved a redaction
of Icl, ( 01. oil the higher and proposed that in-
stead 4'35,J:i11. for salaries and allutiances to the Hoard,
the sum %Wald he 15,8131.
Sir R. EEIWIJSON objected to the medical staff, and
especially to the salary of the I)irector Gotteral.
Mr. R. \YARD defended the appointment.

The amendment may ultimately neg.itived, and the ori-
ginal resolution agreed to
Severn' oilier resolutions wet e agreed to, and the report
was ordered to be received to-morrow.
_ _ .

....
'Duo remaining orders were disposed of, and the house
adjourned.

TUIVDIY, M tRCII

There being only 21 net;ibers pre4t.u.t at four o'clock,
the Speaker declared the House to stand adjourned till
to morrow.

. _
WEDNESI)%Y, MARC?! 27.
The Halifax Gas Light Bill was read a third time and
pas.cd, after a new clause, proposed by Mr. Sykes, had
been m•gatived without a division.
Sir F. nuaDErr said, that lie wished to postpone the
motion of which he hail given notice for this day, for an
address to the King to remit the remaining portion of fir.
Hunt's sentence. lie shatild bring it forward on the first
open day. There was a good deal of bulky evidence
which he at first desired to read, and he theiefore post-
poned the motion.
The Speaker and Sir F. Burdett looked ihrongh the
order book for some time without hulling an open day
and it was then declared that the motion was postponed
for the present. He afterwards said he should bring it
forward oil Tisesilav next.
Mr. N. cALvEirr presented a report from persons
attending Hertford market, praying the home to wills-
. draw their confidence in ministers. The petioners had
not heretofore interfered in politics. retitioll ordered to

lie on the table.
Mr. LEN rtl ARD said, he should bring forward his mo-
tion fur a repeal of seditious meetings additional act, on
the Btli of May.
Sir R. WILSON said, petsons still continued to he fol-
lowed with penalties for roasted grain ; and he wished he
could get some distinct answer on the subject. A per,on,
who had been convicted with Major Cartwright, and sen-
tenced to nine month imprisonment, and that perinn.
after expecting that an excise proseen!ion fur selling
roasted grain, had been abandoned, was detained Oil a
MA. penalty. If it were enforced, he toast remain in
prison all his lite.
Mr. LUSHINGTON stated that the treasury were still
engaged in examining, the act in question. The excise
board attached great importance to it.
Mr. ABERCROMBIE hoped that the house would en-
rolee inquiry into this " fraudulent" act.
Sir J. Al ACKINTOiIi gave notice, that on the lot of
May lie should bring forward a motion on the subject of
the Crlllllllal lii is B._ . .

Mr. SN'IiES presented a Report from Richmond, York-
shire, signed by upwards MX) porno's, complaining of
agi ienli ural ilistreAs.—petition urtlered to lie ou the table.
Mr.... WO It I:LEY wished to ask an hon. secretary, as
the subject wa, calculated to taint, relief to agriculture,
by piwiloting the consumption of barley, whether !Mite
%%unlit he any objection to allow Englibli distillers, like the
Lich distillers, to bond spit its?
Mr. LUSHNGTON replied, as we under.tood him,
that it would be better to suggest such regulatiou to tile

committee.
Mr. Al ABEL:LEV moved for a series of papers relative
to the quarantine expense, the expellee of Irish packets,
arc —Ordered. He hoped they would be ptesented forth-
with; if they were not so produced, he should move to
have the offending officers called before the house.

Dr. LUSIIINGTON presented a petition from John
Barkley, aged 1? years, who had been slinpnrin to Car-
lite. He Will now Silirering under the sentence of the
law, a sentence which he submitted to the house was un-
justly obtained, fur he was tried by a jury who hod
prejudged his case. The petitioner was tried by the jolly
that had tried another shopinatt fur the like offence. They
had found the book a libel, and how could they come to
the jory-box with a pure and unbiased mind ? All that
was left to them to do on the trial was to find whether
Bat klcy bad, or had not, sold the book they had already
pronormeed the book a libel. This, the learned member
maintained, was n viol•rtion of the first pr.nciplea of Lise ;
objections were made at the time by the prisoner's COllll.
sel, but the Ccnitriou Se; geant os er-i tiled them. 'Ube
Nieman had bitterly and most properly complained of
that der isi (((( of the judge, and he condemned that conduct
in the judge. It was nut upright and impartial. To
skew its effect, he said the counsel persuaded the jury of
their previous verdict, of the argnments he had then urged
to them, and of the necessity of bring consistent with
themselves. Thus the prisoner had to compete with ar-
guments he had 'lever heard; be was to be tiled by men
who had already pronounced au opinion in his case. Lord
Coke held that snch a jury might fairly be objected to;
indeed it was contrary to the that principles of justice.
The jury on the second case—they had before decided on
the lame libel—deliberated 3 minute•; and then they
recommended the prisoner to mercy. tie was sentenced
to six months' imprisonment ; the other had beet' sem.
tenced to two years' imp' imminent, sureties fur lifer 411'1
io prison condemned to bard labour. r. hard labour'
formed no part of the original sentence, but it was said
that hard 'About followed, of course, 4 411 1111 l itaiient to the
liaise of correction ; and yes hard labour, he tranlcrstood,
had been interlined in the original sentence. He then
strongly cuteleumed the Conatitution4l Association—their
conduct had been fatally active—They had brought into
general diasentination duct' ines and books which it was
meant to auppless; dory had (like Sergeant Shepherd
prosecution of Mr. Hone) given consequence to that
which might otherwise have remained obscurity, and
tended to produce a dame throughout the enuntry ; their
labours had been most pernicious, rand they had now
atter ted the trial by Jury.
Tlit petition wa, hi ou,;ht up.