The Sun.
London, England, 1837-08-10 00:00:00

MALTESE CLAIMS.

The following is a translation, from the Italian, of a sum-
mary of the principal grievances of the Maltese, and or their
remedies, presented to his late Majesty's Commissioners of
Inquiry, John Austin and George Cornewall Lewis, Esqrs.,
sitting. at Malta, on the 15th November, 1836, by :01117
Members of the Maltese General Committee on behalf of
that body, in consequence of a memorandum given by tite
Commissioners to Mr. Mitrovich on the 3d of the said
month, as per document marked (A) hereto annexed, which
Committee, on the occasion of the arrival in that island of
the said Commission (19th October, 1836) was freely elected
by the people of the two islands, Malta snd Gozo, as per
document marked (B) also annexed, for the purpose of ex-
amining and supporting the claims and the interests of the
Maltese nation on that important occasion, agreeably to the
Maltese Petition laid on the table of the House of Com-
mons on the 7th June last year, viz.:—

GRIEVANCES COMPLAINED OF BY THE MALTESE.
1. The Suspension of the National Council.
2. The suppression of the Representative Magistracies.
3. The union of three Powers in the same person, viz.,
Legislative, Judicial, and Executive.
4. Confusion in the Laws.
5. Defects in the Judicial System.
6. The want of a free Press.*
7. The maladministration and abuse of power in the
various departments.
8. The extravagance of salaries in some offices.
9. The exclusion of the natives from the principal offices.
10. Pensions incompatible with the resources of the
Island.
11. Pious Institutions and Foundations.
12. Public Instruction.
13. Restrictions on Trade.
14. The Monopoly of Grain. t
15. The dependence of the Sanita.
16. A burthensome and misproportioned system of
Duties.

17. Damages sustained by the Maltese through the ca-
pitulation of 1800.
18. Misery !
REMEDIES PROPOSED BY THE MALTESE.

1. Its re-establishment, or its formation according to
actual circumstances.
2. The formation of Municipal Bodies (Corpi Commu-
nail.) _ _ _

3.. The separation of these powers, and the assimilation
as much as possible to the form of Government of Great
Britain.

4. and 5. The necessity of new codes has been acknow-
ledged, and the compilation of some has already been or-
dered, as well as the publication of others ; but there are
reasons to believe that, on account of various defects, they
will be found inadequate to the present wants, and with
regard to those already published may be named princi-
pally the want of the extension attic Jury—modelled on
that of England.
6. (Now under discussion !)
7. A better organization, adapted to actual circum•
stances.
8. Reduction, and a more just partition.
9. Admission of the natives to the same.
10. A reduction in the heavy pensions and a more equi-
table distribution.
11., That the. will of the founders be accomplished.
12. The diffusion of elementary instruction and a liberal
system in the scientific branches.

13. A free port and facilities to all the mercantile
branches.
14. A free trade of grain, and a duty on the same, fixed.
15. An independent board of health.
16. The diminution and a more equitable distribution of
duties—and their independence of the executive branch.
17. Their indemnification.
18. Encouragement to commerce, to agriculture, and to
industry in general, and the promotion of all possible means
of affording subsistence to the poor.
N B.—The Malte,e,liorrever, consider the principal and

. .
the most lamentable grievance of all to be the want of their
popular council ; and they are waiting with anxiety the
fulfilment of the promises heretofore made to them by his
Majesty's representatives ; therefore, they look forward, as

. .
the-first and the most efficacious remedies, to the re-csta-
blishment of the said Council (or Legislative Assembly,--
to putting the concession of a free press into execution,—
and to the extension of Trial by Jury,—modelled on that
of Great Britain.
Other grievances will, as opportunity offers, be stated
anti detailed.

DOCUMENT (A).

Memorandum for Mr. Mitrovich ‘(tielivered to him by his
late Ma;cNtv's Commissioners of Inquiry).

1. The time at which the Committee is prepared to
bring forward the subject of the !ibcrty of the press.
2. A list. of the grievances complained of by the Com-
mittee. and.of the remedies which they prOpose.
3. His Majesty's Commissioners are willing that any
reasonable number of persons, to be appointed by the Com-
mittee, shall be present during the proceedings of the Com-
missioners.

4. A list of persons, by whom the Committee has been
appointed, giving their mimes, professions, or calling, so far
as the same can be ascertained.

DOCUMENT (B.)
The members composin the Maltese General Com-
mittee, according to specific lists delivered to his late Ma-
jesty's Commissioners of Inquiry, on the 29th of November,
1836, were 97 ; the number of whom was afterwards aug-
mented to 100, by the annexation of other corporations—
elected by the free suffrages of the people to the number
,712, out of a population of about 120,000 souls, viz. :
Electors.l Electors.
53iNotahilo (City) and its
La*yers

Nobles

Notarics
Solicitors, &c 35 Zeitun „
Clergy

Merchants, &e ll2
Physicians, Surgeons, and
Apothecaries
Traders in Manufactures
( Drappieri)
Masters of Vessels B4
Brokers
Carpenters 223

Asiciack „ .. 97
Nasciaro „
Musti. f,
Zabbar „
Curmi ~
Siggicui „
Birchircara ~
Crendi --• 152

91 ••

Tailors
Gold and Silversmiths, and

Tarxien „ ......
Gudia

f t

Jewellers _
70!Dingli ~
Smiths, &c 7l' Micabiba „
Shopkeepers
Bakers & Dealers in Bread 68 Luca Of
Professors of the Fine Arts :3 I Attard
Booksellers, Printers, &c. 19 Lia ( Casals)
Shoemakers
Valletta. independently of Safi
the Corporations and Chircop C If
illiterate men l9l Misida, Pieta, &c. (coun-
Floriani ( Suburb) 346 try places)
Cospicua (City) ...... ... 900 Island of Gozo
Sen,rlea „
ViztOriosa „

11,712

London, July 22, 1887.
." The subject of the press was investigated by the Commis-
sioners of Inquiry in the month of November last ; but, not-
withstanding his late Majesty's gracious concession, which
should have been put into execution forthwith, it has not yet
been established in the Istmd.

The monopoly of grain has been abolished, the Govern-
ment Minute dated Malta, April 7th, 1837, states thus :
" His Excellency the Governor, was pleased to notify, on
the 10th of January last, that no further purchases of wheat
would be made on Government account, for the purpose of
maintaining a reserved stock of grain.
" In thus departing from the system which had been pur-
sued fro:111h opening of the corn trade in 1822, and in leaving
the entire supply of grain to the private trader, his Excellency
has deemed it expedient to remove all obstacles to the im-
portation of grain, which are not indispensable for securing
the interests of the public revenue.
" That no additional duties will be collected on grain im-
ported in foreign vessels ; and that the duties now payable on
grain imported under the British flag, will be payable on all
grain imported into the island, and released for consumption.