The Sun.
London, England, 1839-07-09 00:00:00

COLLECTION OF RATES.

Captain PECIIELL wished some explanation to be
given us to the intentions of Government respecting the
Bill now before the House with regard to the collection
of rates. His constituents were apprehensive that it would
interfere with their Local Acts.

Lord JOHN RUSSELL said (we believe) that there
would be certain alterations made in the Bill, which how.
ever was very necessary to settle the authority under which
a great number of pudic officers were to discharge their duty.
Lord DARLINGTON hoped that if, as was alleged,
the Bill would interfere with the independent power of pa-
rishes to manage their own rates, this point would be re-
considered.

Lord J. RUSSELL intimated that it would.
Mr. HERRIES suggested that as the Bill affected an
important branch of taxation, it should have been com-
menced by resolutions in a Committee of the whole House.
Lord J. RUSSELL said the point had not occurred
to him ;he would consider it. At the same time it struck
him that as the Bill should not affect the liability to rates,
but only the mode of levying them, it did not come under
the rate alluded to.
Mr. HERRIES said the Bill altered the modo of
assessment.
Mr. DARBY remarked that it would give the power to
raise money on an illegal rate.
MILITARY AND NAVAL COMMISSION.
Lord G. LENNOX desired to know when the Military
and Naval Commission were expected to make their Re-
port-4 Hear, hear)—and also whether it was intended to
appoint upon it another Marine Officer, seeing that the
only one who had been originally upon it had unhappily died
since the Committee had first assembled—now about 16
months.
Lord J. RUSSELL, not being a member of the Corn,
mission, could give no answer.
IRISH CLERGY.

In answer to a question from Mr. SHAW,
Lord MORP ET H said the distribution of the Irish
Clergy Loan, which had been unavoidably for a short time
suspended, would in a day or two, he believed, be again in
progress.
Mr. O'CONNELL gave notice that tomorrow he
should ask the Noble Lord the Secretary of State for
Foreign Affairs, a question respecting the affairs of Mexico.
Lor MAHON had also intended asking a similar ques-
tion had he seen the Noble Lord in his place.
THE CORONATION.
Mr. HUNIE said that in the month of May, 183 S, he
had moved for an estimate of the probable expense of the
then approaching Coronation, and a return had been made
in answer thereto, that it was impossible to prepare an
estimate. It appeared from returns that had been now

EVENING EDITION.

laid on the table, that the expenses of the Coronation
amounted to 6
9,42 1 / . He therefore moved that a return
be laid before the House of the manner in which this sum
had been expended, distinguishing the amount paid to each
()nicer of the Household • also all other payments. He
hoped it was not necessary to ask if this was the whole ex-
pense of the Coronation.
BILLS OF NATURALIZATION.
Captain PEC HEL L said that he had moved on the 3th
of February for a return of the expenses of taking out let-
ters patent for naturalization ; those returns had 'wen laid
on the table, and it appeared that the expense to each
person amounted to 1051. The expense attending a patent,
including seven names, was 381/. This he considered exces-
sive—the fees on each patent to the Attorney and Solicitor-
General were extravagant. He hoped the answer of the
Noble Lord would satisfy the many aliens who were wait-
ing in hopes of naturalization, that some diminution would

take place in these expenses.
Lord J. RUSSELL did not think, as far as be had
hitherto considered the subject, that it would be in his

power to gram any relief.
Captain PEC HELL said that the stamp duties amounted
to 4.1. V. and 201. on each sheet ; he thought some diminu-

tion might I.y. made under that head.

PRINTING THE BIBLE (SCOTLAND).
Lord JOHN RUSSELL, in moving the Order of the
Day fur the House resolving itself into a Committee of
Supply, said that the Right Hon. Baronet, the Member
for Pembroke, had, some short time since, asked him a
question respecting the renewal of the patent for the
printing of the Bible in Scotland, in answer to which he
had stated that it was the intention of the Government to

form a Board, having authority to print and propagate
the Bible in Scotland. He had nothing to alter
respecting the statement he had then made—he be-
lieved he had on that occasion stated that the
Lord Advocate and the Solicitor-General were to be
members of the Board. He had, however, now to add to
his former proposal that it was the intention of the Go-
vernment to give power to certain parties, on making ali°
piication to the Lord Advocate for the time being to print
copies of the Bible, on their subscribing a declaration that
they proposed undertaking to edit an edition of the Bible,
or of the d)ld or New Testament, and binding themselves
to print it according to the authorised version, transmitting
a copy to the Lord Advocate, and the proof sheets to
the secretary of the Board. Persons to whom this pri-
vilege was proposed to be granted were Bishops
of the Episcopalian Church, or clergymen authorised by
them—clergymen of the Presbyterian Church recommended
by their Presbyteries—or clergymen of the Baptist or In-
dependent persuasions recommended by the clergy of their
respective persuasions. These persons would have per-
mission on entering into recognizances.
Sir JAMES GRAHAM had been obliged to the
Noble Lord for his answer on the former occasion,
which had been very satisfactory to the Church of Scot-
land. He was sorry that any alteration had bee*
postponed to this late period ; as the patent expired on.tbe
17th of this month, there would be only nine days for them
to make objections. It appeared to him that the plan was
objectionable, inasmuch as the mischief might be don
before the recognizances could be estreated. A Wu'
rious edition might be sent forth, and the only
remedy would be to estreat the recognizances which
would be no remedy at all to the public.—( Hear, be.iar"
Lord JOHN RUSSELL said that the Right ll°.
nourable Baronet had somewhat misunderstood the na-
ture of the alteration that was to be made ; it was not t°
depend merely upon recognisances, but was to be Weill;
plished chiefly through the Lord Advocate. With respect
to what the Right Hon. Gentleman had stated relative
what had taken place a short time before the expiration °:
the patent, he had paid attention to that cireurnstane_ce
and it so happened, with respect to the other affairs of the
Church of Scotland, that some of the leading parties lo
that Church were in town. He had received from the
Committee of the General Assembly remarks, as the
former plan, stating their satisfaction with respect
to it, and it was his firm expectation that theY,
would express a like satisfaction with the presell
notwithstanding what had been stated by the Right lite
nourable Baronet. The proposed plan did not alter tP
constitution of the Board.
Sir J. GRAHAM wished to know whether the decision
upon an api,lication was to rest with the Lord Advocate
alone, or would that Board take part in it. a
Lord J. RUSSELL said that the parties would have
right to print without application to the Board, provided
they bad the sanction of the Lord Advocate.
Sir J. GRAHAM wished to know whether the Noble
Lord would have any objection to lay on the table of Ill°
Ilouse a copy of the instrument appointing the Board.
Lord JOHN RUSSELL said he should have I/°
objection as soon as the papers were completed to lay 00'1
on the table.
The Bank of Ireland Regulation Bill was brought in b 9,1
Lord Morpeth, read a first and ordered to be read a second
time to-morrow.

BANK OF ENGLAND.
Mr. HUME, upon the motion for reading the Order of
the Day for the House going into a Commit° f
of Supply, rose to bring forward the motion °,
which he had given notice relative to the Bank 01
England. The lion. Member said that for some time
past he had been anxious to bring the question of the
proceedings of the Bank of England before the House'
The motion of which he had given notice, was to the
_
following effect :—For a Select Committee, to inquire;
into the pecuniary transactions of the Bank of England
since the resumption of cash payments ; and particularly
to ascertain bow far these transactions produced the
alarming crisis of the manufacturing, commercial, and
financial affairs of the country in 1825-6, and in 1536-7 ;
and, also, to inquire whether, as the Bank of England ig
at present constituted, there ever can be stability in the cur-
rency, or confidence in the commercial transactions of the
country." He( Mr. 11. )regretted that the House had not con-
curred in opinion with him on a former occasion, when be
had submitted to them the propriety of instituting an
inquiry into this, subject. It would be recollected, that,
on the 20th of August, 1832, he submitted a motion
to the House to inquire into the general alteration that
had taken place in the banking system in the country;
the House negatived that proposition, and in the followi!16
year he moved a general inquiry into the state of Joint
.
t
Stock Banks, and the cause of the alteration in
circulation up to 1833. The object of the pnreasnet
hn,
motion was not to limit the inquiry to Joint Stock 1&_
firmlybut to b
eexltieenvdedi,t
atrootsheethßoawnkholoef
cEaunsgeloatfidth,,efriormregwuhlaormittybi,n:
the circulation that had taken place. If the the House should
be or opinion that the state of the currency was not satisfac-
tory, if they should be of opinion, from the experience they
had from the resumption of cash payments since 1819, that
it had caused one continued scene of ups and downs, then
he thought they would concur in the neccsity of the motion.
It might be alleged that the period of the Session was too
late to proceed with such an inquiry now. The House
was, he believed, little aware of the changes that had taken
piece in their monetary system, and it ought not to
separate until it had devised means to remedy that evil.
Toe question would not occupy a long time, because
he had no documents to refer to but the papers, and
returns of the Bank of England itself. The House ought;
therefore, before it separated, to meet the difficulty boldly
anii fearlessly. Ile had no intention to attack the Bank
England further than as the interests of the pub"
and the commerce of the world was to a certain extent
involved. Ile did not mean to attach to the Directors Of
the Bank of England any criminal conduct or in-
tentional neglect ; on the contrary, he knew that Marl
of them were most anxious to maintain the begs,
and soundest principles of commercial policy; but he should
:
be able to show that they had deviated from the rules andri
regulations by which they ought to have been guarded, and
he felt he would not be discharging his duty if he did not
point them out to the House. Ile had no concern with
any Joint Stock Bank, but he would remind his lion. Fri`-41d
at the time the inquiry into these establishments was pro-
posed, that he had told hint it would end in nothime, further
partthanbc a
of
feh
scaottemtd he. e
or
feHtmeh iegwrnha,tsbbueet
npttrhi ore:
ifys
general o
ofpnpi ios
spmerdai
nn
ca
tigopel emt
hewnootsecoldn
vrtnt:obot
wished, by changing, to debase the currency. His opt'
Mon, after due consideration, was, that it would be batter
for the country if they had altogether a metallic currency
rather than a currency partly paper and partlys
gold. —( Hear, hear.) It' his (Mr. Hume's) advice had
been taken, all the misfortunes that had befallen the
commercial world since 1819 would have been avoided.
That House ought to provide for the protection of public
property ; but he would say that while the Bank had the
power to alter the currency as it pleased, no man's pro-
perty was safe, be his experience or his economy what
it might. lie held that no individual or body of
dividuals ought to have the power of altering the standard
of value with respect to the circulation ; that was peculiarly a
prerogative of the Crown, but it was done continually by
the Bank. Before proceeding with his details he would
state that every allegation he made and every figure lie
used would be taken from official documents. Of late years
the intentions of the Crown and of Parliament had been en-
tirely frustrated--had never been carried into effect. It was
his intention to prove that from the year 1819, or within a
year after the resumption of czsli payments, the rules laid
down by the Committee which considered that subject
had been entirely set aside—that they were violated
so early as 1822. Again in 1823, in which year they
placed the currency in a worse situation than it was,
the resumption of cash payments—that sad commercial
crisis—the never-to-be-forgotten crisis of 1825, was entirely
brought about by a departure from those rules. Again
the calamities of 1535 and 1836 were traceable to the
satna cause, and the conduct of the Bank had produced the
difficulties under which this country was TIQW labouring.
Ile should be glad to hear his Hon. Friend, the Chairmen
of the Bank, show that he was in error, but if the House
granted him a Committee he would pledge himself that,
in three or four sittings of that Committee, he would
substantiate the four points he had made. That being the
principle on which he asked for the inquiry, he would show
how far the Bank had, from its earliest commencement
of cash payments, violated the recommendations of that
House. Sir Robert Peel's Committee recommended that
the repayment of a considerable amount of Government
Securities held by the Bank should be made before the
Bank should resume cash payments. The amount of Se-
curities held by the Bank for Government were 22,500,0001.
The private securities were 10,000,00 W. The cash payments
were to have taken place on Ist May 1821, and two menthe
previous to that time the Bank reduced their public secu-
rities to 16,000,0001., and their private securities to
4,000,000/. There was a further reduction made to
11,000,000/. of public securities, and 3,500,000/. private
securities. All that proceeded in accordance with the
recommendation of the Committee, and was in perfec
Betweendrl
almB
el9n t anda
dlBbe22el,l
ethaerrrieefdorien,totheeffect.
goodrrhe re-
commendationefiiirictulil.aonoan deposits in 1819 were 31,500,0001
and in 1822 they had declined to 23,000,000/. In Augus.t,
1819, the Three per Cent. Consols were 71, and in
1822 they rose to 80. In the following year the Govern-
ment brought in a plan to reduce the Four per Cents. t°
three and a half, to which great opposition was made,
because it was held that the state of the market did
not fairly warrant it, and doubts existed as to whether
the Government could carry it into effect or not, but they
did with time exception of 6,000,000/. He now came to
the deviation from principle, because if they had continad
themselves to commercial discount and matters connected