The Sun.
London, England, 1830-07-03 00:00:00

later period. The re:,l circumstances were what 1,),,
had already stated—he bad -no wish to conceal one
of them—the ease did not require it, and if it did, he
would not attempt concealment, for lie knew it tittist hi
in vain to do an. The aUgara of 1898 were not received
until some time in the following year, namely, Watt
July, 1829, and that being the period to which the ac-
counts were made up, it was found that the revenue would
amount to 7,2001., and that sum was at once directed to

be appropriated in the manner stated in the account.
That surplus remained in the Bank of Englatid, an was
there retained to be appropriated to making payment•
+Alai would f4ll due before the sugars then on hand mild
be brought to sale, and the proceeds of that year's sale had

not yet been realised. The Hon. Baronet himself' would
be able to are, by the returns to which he had referred,
that the produce of these sales had not yet been received,
and that the amount of them had been given as part of the
eatimited receipts up to' the 9th of July, but that the
balance had not in reality been paid into the Bank of Eng-
land, and was not yet available for the purposes of paying
the expenses of the eeelesiastiCal establishment to which ii
Would afterwards be applicable. But so far was it from
the intention of Government not to apply the surplus to
the payment of the salaries of the Bishops in the Wee!
Indies, that the only Treasury minute which had given
the sanction for the collection of those duties, directed
their appropriation to that purpose when obtained;
and after the sth of July, when that surplus would
be available, it would be appropriated, not in payment 01
these siderite directly, but in the first instance would he
paid into the Consolidated Fund, to be then appropriated
'according to the statute. This was the plain and simple,
statement of the case. In the first year 7,2007. had been
the amount of the surplus_that had been kept till the
subsequent receipts could be brought into the account,
when, the whole would be appropriated to relieve the Con
solidated Fund from those charges to which it was now
liable for the payment of these salaries. He colds" not
bring himself to believe that the House would think this
a proceeding which, either in matter or manner, was one
that deserved the 'severe censure that the Hon. 13 tweet
had cast upon those who were parties to the transaction.
As far as he (the Chancellor of the Exchequer) was con-
cerned—much as lie valued the lion. Baronet's favourable
opinion, and that of the House on all subjects, be was
sore than ever anxious to possess it en this subject • and
he should most strongly feel arty suspicion that he had
done any-thing that deserved the imputation of having
made a pledge which he had not afterwards fulfilled.
The satisfaction of a man's own mind was the best reward
he could secure to himself ; and be must declare, that, on
this occasion, be did not feel he had done any thing to
forfeit that satisfaction.--(blear, bear.)
Mr.• HUME said that the House were much indebted
to the Hon. Baronet for following up this question as he
had done, till he had brought it to this issue.—(Hear.)
Mr. HUSKISSON observed, that in his opinion, the
question to Sir Charles Wetherell as to the right of the
Crown to pass there sugars without the payment of duty
was most unnecessary and absurd, for there could be no
doubt whatever as to that privilege. The only question
was as to the discretion of exercising it. He complained
of the observations made with regard to the Treasury
Minute, and he could assure the House, that had that Mi-
nute been of the nature described, he would, as one of the
responsible advisers of the Crown, have protested against
it. lie'hati known that the fund was encumbered—the
charge upon it was permanent; and the fund itself was
fluctuating—such 4 fund, with such a charge, was fre-
quently eneumbered—this had been so on a former neer-
don, and in 1787, Mr. Pitt had done something to oh-
viate the inconvenience felt in that year, for lie came
down to the House with a statement that whereas that
fund was charged with a' sum of 9,000/. payable to the
Duke of Gloucester, and was incapable of discharging that
claim, he moved that the claim should be transferred to
the Consolidated Fund, and it was done accordingly.
This question of exemption had Often been mooted, and
as often set eside—not on the ground that the right itself
was doubtful, but that there were doubts as to the pro-
priety of exercising ir. The Consolidates' Fund was now
worse, by a sum of 50,0001., than it would have been if
this eystem hail not been pursued. In the two last years
the receipts on these duties had been 128,0001., the
charges within the same time were 84,0001:, but the dif-
ference did not appear accounted for in any return made to
Parliament; and when the Hon. Baronet saw the amount
of these receipts and these charges it was Endure' for hint
or any one else to say, that that account, the opinion of
the Attorney-General, and time declarations of Minietets
themselves, all tended to show that that fund was not ap-
propriated as it ought to have been. Still there was room
to show that the fund had been appropriated consistently
with the provisions of the Statute of the late King. Some
explanation ought to be given to show bow the rued hail
been appropriated to the payment of these charges—whe-
ther the receipts of each year had been applied to that year,
or whether the
-gross receipt had been applied at the end of
1 two or More years in payment of the first dementla on the
fund. Hu thought that after the Atha of July the Douse
I ought to be informed wind had been the surplus for the
lest three years. Nobody supposed that there was any de-
, sire to conceal these matters from the House, but et lb the
nature of the subject required that this information should
be most explicitly given. After the repeated declarations
bf the Government that the system of dealing with a public
fund should not continue, he thought they were bound to
ask for a Legislative enactment to prevent it in future. It
was not now a misapplication of the public money ; but at
a future time, and with a different Ministry, that misBP-
plieation might be made, and the country might be made
to suffer for the present neglect of Pat liameut.
Sir it. PEEL said, that the question appeared to him
perfectly chit.. lf; however, any Hon. Member doubted
as to the appropriation of this fuud, let hills move for the
account, and he (Sir It, Peel) would second the motion.
IThere bad been nu misappropriation of the money, but it
was right that Parliament should have the returns, and he
promised they should be- furnished. His Right Hon.
Friend had said, that within the two last years the re-
ceipts had been 128,0001. That would be their amount,
but in fact it had not yet been received; for that a long
credit had been given, and the moneY, was not at presort
paid. From the auto thus stated, 01,0149/. ought to be
deducted. So far as the question of appropriation of this
fund WAS concerned, there was no great ground fur cen-
sure. The charges on this fund were regulated by law and
by the sale of sugars, the produce of which went to the
Consolidated Fund.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said,
that the accounts now before the House represented the
Icharges of the ecclesiastical establislurient as paid out of the
Consolidated Fund, but the prOduce of the sales of the
sugars went to provide for those charges.
PEEL continued—With respect to the other
'question—whether it was right or not to import the pro.
duce of the Crown lands in these colonies without the
payment of duty 2—he had some right to complain of the
manner in which it had been treated. It was at least ft
fortnight since the Chancellor of the Exchequer had called
on him with the Bill, which had been prepared to fulfil
the promise of making a legislative enactment to restore
the fund arising tram the payment of these duties to their
original destination. The circumstance's that had occurred
in the interval Might surely account fur some little delay ;
and when he read to the House the list of those matter.-
which he should abandon, and those which he should con-
tinue in the previa state of the Session, the sole reason
why he did not name this Bill was, that it had been ecci•
dentally omitted from his list. The 11+.n. Baronet must do
him the jUstice to say that they had had a communication
together on Monday, the 4th of June, when, on being
Asked what the Government intended to do, he said that he,
intended to bring in a Bill to compel the payment of these
duties to the fund to which they were at first appropriated.
Alter this declaration he did not expect to have been met
by a hostile motion of this tort; and he thought the lion.
,baronet should have ascertained from him, by a private
communication, whether the Government had abandoned
their intention, before he brought forward such a motion.
Had that been done, he would have assured the lion.
Baronet that the Government had no intention to leave
their rumble unredeemed ; but a Minister was in&ed placed
in
.au unpleasant situation, if, after a private comtnunica-•
tion, with an understanding, that it had been fully satis.
factory. there should still be a public hostile proceeding.
It would be infinitely better to withhold all private com-
munication, than that, after it had taken place, such a
motion as the present Jambi still be persevered in. lie did
think that its this instance the lion. Baronet had been
wanting in his general courtesy, and he appealed to the
House whether, alter this explanation, it wee pusaihle to way
that the Government still deserved censure for their conduct?
Mr. HUSKISSON, iu justice to the Right nom Ba-
ronet, felt bound to observe, that he Millibar had been misled
by the appearance of time fund being appropriated in A veer
different manner from that provided for by the Act of
Parliament.
Sir J. GRAHAM wished to stead well in the opinion
of the Right lion. Baronet,
alstillommotreainnytohnaet
tohfontlitiet
House ; and be should much regret
believe he had failed its any degree In that courtesy which
was so necessary to the proper conduct of all lusinese.lkl:
was indeed unfortunate if he had not been ablem to ma
the Right lion. Gentleman understand that it was by th,
new facts which had c Erne to his knowledge singe tie
communication leetweeu them, that he had been led to
consider the whole eireumetances as changed, and fi.
bring forward the present motion. This alteration had