The Sun.
London, England, 1830-05-28 00:00:00

SIR WALTER SCOTT'S WORKS.

Published by It. CADELL and Cu., Edinburgh ; an
SIMPKIN and MARSHALL, London.

1. WAVERLEY. NOVELS—New Edi-
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containing the HEART of MID-LOTHIAN, and Bios-
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All the. early Volumes have been again reprinted, and
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11. The POETICAL - WORKS of Sir WALTER
SCOTT, Bart., in Eleven Volumes octavo. This Edi-
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to it Two Essays on BALLAD POETRY, now first pub-
lished. Also, New Introductions to the LAY, MAR-
MION, LADY of the LAKE, ROKEIIY, and LORD
of the ISLES. The DRAMAS, just published, form
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Price 6/, - •
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in Eleven Vol,. ISino. beginning with the LAY of the
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IV. VOLUME ELEVENTH of the POETICAL
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VII. TALES of a GRANDFATHER. Third Series.
Being a Continuation of Stories froM the History of Scot-
' land, from the Union of the Kingdoms to the year 1746.
3 'vols. 10s. 6d. _ _ .

V , Also, the Same W,rk,.First Surlei, and Second Series,
Six Vols. 11. 113. 6d.

HONE'S EDITION OF STRUTT'S SPORTS.
In Ten, Monthly Parts, with One Hundred and Forty
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¶HE MOST POPULAR DIVER.
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, .
POST-OFFICE FRAUD.—The Report of the
Commissioners of Inquiry, just printed by order of the
House of Commons, has brought to light a remarkable and I +
singularly extensive system of frauds practised eight '
years ago in the Scotch Post-office; awl the wonder is
that by some chance the systematic peculation could hare
been kept au secret so long. It appears that fogy-one
clerks and letter-carriers in the Post-office of Edinburgh
confederated to defraud the Government, and that they
succeeded—that the system of the offiee permitted them,
for at least twelve years unchecked, to carry on their sys-
tem of theft, to the amount of about tweiity pounds daily
The discovery, it now appears, was made in 1822, when
a particular postage was detected. The thief, having been ,
seized, and imprisoned alone, became alarmed, had some
compunctions visttings, and gave information respecting
others that was of the great2st importance, and led to
the comph to knowledge of the frauds that had been
and were then in progress of being practised. The de-
predators were separated and Sworn ; but—little know-
ing what the one who had bees seizA with re-
morse had divulged—they aggravated their daring
acts of positive and regular theft by the Most deter-
mined perjury. Ultimately thirty-five out of the fortys
one confessed their crimes. Such a scene of profligate
rubbery, it is described, can scarcely find a parallel in the
history of persons removed by the comfoitable situations
and salaries which they possessed from the pressure or
prospect of want. According to the report, not one of
these desperate, wholesale, and official delinquents was
brought to justice. They were—it is positively asserted
—merely dismissed their situations; a -punishinent, no
dOubt, quite severe enough, so far as their families.aod
connections were concerned. To adopt the language now
extended to the transaction, the affair was "hushed up ;"
nay, so completely smother I d, that eight years elapsed be-
fore the particulars transpired; and then, in WReport of
the Commisioners of Inquiry (to publish whose Report
and the . names of the parties might nevertheless subject
the daring publishers to the kindly notice of the Attorney-
General, or the profitable distinction of actions at law),-
the fraud is detailed, but the extent of it is unknown ;
but, from what is known, Vle lowest possible conjecture
thousand pounds ! 'After
• fixes the sum fraudulently obtained by such official indi-
vidualsthissmay require further .parti-
uep:tv,artd,s
those
ssee vwehnoty
. culars, perhaps, it may be requisite to add only-vide the
tataetm
Report.

HOUSE OF LORDS—OAST NIGHT.)
The Duke Of BUCCLETIGH presented petitions from
Dumfriei and, other places in Scotland, egAinst the increa,e-
-1 duty onTlitish Corn spirits.
Sir ALEXANDER GRANT,
,and other .Members of the
Commons, browbt up several private and ore public Bill.
Earl FITZIVILLIAM presented a petition from ain't:7y,
in Yorl6;liire, apinsi negro slavery.
The Marquis of BUIE presented a petition from the
wcollen-rnmor,icturers of Stroud, in Gloucestershire, pray.

ing a free trad,t in India and China.
Earl GREY, when presenting a petition from Bit ming•
ham, against a dance in the Birmingham Free Gtammar
School Bill (the object of the clause being, as was under-
stood, to exclUde persons frsith becoming Given:or.; of the
institution who were not mcm;ers of the Church of Eng-
_ _. .

land), Said that the clause was of a highly obj,'ctionalde
nature. Thepetitiouers prayed to be heard by Counsel
against this clause, a thing so rea.on:,ble that be appre-
hended the House would accede to it, if the clause ques-
tion Nvere nt4 tVithdrawn, which 1?e hoped would he the ca-c.
After a few Observations front the. Bishop of

FIELD and COVENTRY, which were, inaudible below

the bar,
The Earl of ELDON sui,re,ted that the clause should

e witb:'ra:'n.

31:e LORD CHANCELLOR exresFed a willingrncs
to iradop4 the suggest on of the Noble and Learned 1:44g>.11
Lord HOLLAND was satisfied to find that the clause
_ _

would not be pressed ; considering it very objectionable iii

point of principle as well as practict!. •
Lord•CAL'TIIORPE observed, When it was discovered

that the Bill containeLl spell a clause as the ene in question,

a meeting of the inhabitants" was 'called on Monday laq,
which was most numerously attended, at witiCh the pcti-
tion was agreed urn, It was, signed by ti,ooo person°, I
many of whom were: the most respectable and influential in
that town. An attempt was.made at the meeting to zrale
the subject a political question, be this was resisted. He.
bore his testimony to the good understanding which pre-
vailed between the members of flu: Church of England and
Dissenters rtelitlno- in -Birmingham.
The petition was then laid on the table.
The Marquis of LANSDOWNB presented a. petition
from Rugby, in Warwickshire, against the punishment-of
death in all matters relating to forgery. .
At Six o'clock the order of the day having been read
for the second reading of the Bill' to etiab!e his Majes.y
to appoint certain persons to affix his Royal signature to
instruments-requiring it, .•
The Lord CHANCELLOR rose and prepthed its se-
Cowl reading. •
The Earl of WINCHILSEA then rose. Itirtd not been
his intention, when he first entered the Hotise, to- trespass
on their Lordships' attention for one moment. But in
Consequence of the strong opinion -he entertained of the
importance of the Bill now lying on their Lord-
ships' table, and of the consequences that might -hereafter
result froth it—consequenCes which ought perhaps be pre-
judicial to the hest interests of tits country—he had

thougll it' right to trespass on theirLordships' time for the
purpose of making a few observation.. 'lllo,t deeply d,d he
participate in the' general heartfelt anxiety to relieve his
Sovereign from those iticenVeniences under which he was
nnw labouring. Most sincerely did he hope the necessity
for this proceeding would speedily terminate, and that
his Majesty would be' able, under the blessings of Divine
Providence, to resume those functions of the Crown
which the House was now about to' delegate to other.
persons. He could a--,sure their Lordshipi that
no privae feelings could have induced him to
trespass one moment on their Lordships' time. He
felt the importance of the subject most deeply. He looked
upon the Bill in two poin's of view. Firt, as giv-
ing relief to our afflicted Sovereign—and, secondly,
as establishing a precedent in future cases for the
Howe to • act on in else - it shott'd ever be

placed in the painful situation in which it now stood. If
he could look on this Bill in the first point of view only,
he would not Lifer a single remark to their ',lord-
ships. There was not a single individual .in ex-
istence that would support a inesiure having such
an obk.ct more readily than himself. But in the second
point of view he felt it his duty to enter more deeply into
this measure. With respect to the general enactments of
the Bill -he entertained no objection whatever, and be
should give them hit utmost Support. But he most sincerely
regretted that this Bill was not accompanied by some evi-
dence from the medical attendants of the SoVereign, stating
the nature of his malady. Ha:thought that evidence of that

kind should be pruduc•rd to their Lordships. Papers should
have been laid upon their Lordships' tatle, explaining the
nature of his Majesty's sufferings, and also stating teat
they were not of that character which would inn-

p air the full vigour of his Majesty's mind. • He only
asked their Lordships to consider what might be the
eff!ct of this measure in other times, and under 'cir-
cumstances of a different character ? Ministers -Of futUre
times might make such a measure subservient to their own
purposes, and highly prejudicial to the country. If
such were to be the case would it not be deeply regretted
that such a measure had been carried into effect with-
out the slightest inquiry? He thought evidence of the
nature he bad referred to ought to be laid on their
Lordships' table before they proceeded further with
the measure. In saying what he had, he begged it to be
distinctly understood that he had no private• feel-
ing or interest in vicitr. No man had a greater
veneration for his Sovereign than be had, and
he trusted the time was not far distant when the measure
now proposed would he altogether useless.—( Hear. )
The Duke of WELLINGTON—My Lorde, I cannot
suffer the observations made by the Noble Earl whO
has just addressed your Lordships, to pass in silence,
the more particularly after some of the ablest—the most
experienced, and the most learned in the medical profes-
sion, have stated to the public the nature of the disorder
with which his McjestY is affected, and in which state-
ments there is not the most distant hint of the additional
misfortune to which the' Noble Earl has thought proper to
allude. Your Lordships are aware that. his Majesty
under the Royal • sign manual has desired your Lord-
ships to take into their serious consideration the in-
d isposi t iGn under which hiS Majesty has labonred,
and- has also desired your Lordships to consider of the
best means of giving hiinTelief, so as to enable him to carry
on the public service whilst labouring under an affliction
which has not the most remote connection with what,
the Noble Earl has thought fit to allude co.—(Hear.
Your Lordships aitito know that the Minister who took his
Maje-ty's pleasure upon that occasion, and who` submitted
his INLjesty's signature to that message—(l le:tve it to the
Noble Earl to say whether such is not the case)—is
Bible to your Lordships.—(Hear, hear, hear. )—Und,r these
circumstances I certainly am astonished, my Lords,
that the Noble Earl' should have alluded to any such
affliction as.' that too plainly insinuated in the ob-
servations 'of the Noble Earl. His Majesty has
asked your Lordships to enable. him to carry
on the public basiness, and his 'Majesty's Government, in
obedience to his Majesty's commands, have brought for-
ward a measure, guarded in such a way as to render
abuse almost impossible. Then the Noble E al comes forward
cud says that it - is possible the power may be abused in
it may be abused by his
physicians be guilty
Ministers,—ha tanisd,
his Majesty's
rds,
oAa another
theitelas ;
etrys,mrzoslseest dereliction o: their duty.—(llear.)
,
finder these circumstances I certainly do feel warmly, and
I should not do my duty if I did not express my feelings.
(Cheers.)
The Earl of WINCHILSEA said, the Noble Duke
had completely misunderstood his observations, for,
from what he had said 'no one could suppoie that
he ever for a moment entertained the opinion
theat of
Noble Duke. All he meant to
tt
attendants' had not put the House and the public attributed
simply
pct's
cbstsritos d tto
) r him
Itvba lstyis, that his Majesty's medical
nature his Majesty's disorder,
and that it was positively establishing a dangerous
oyeedent to put so great a power into the hands
of! Ministers Ministers without the evidence of physicians to war-
rant it.
The Marquis of LANSDOWNE, after having listened
with great attention to tie observations of the Noble Earl,
said that he Ilid not understand the Noble 'Earl to make the
allusion attributed to him by the Noble Duke. What he
understood the Noble Earl to state was, that it would be
desirable that that House should take the means of informing
it elf as to the facts upon which they were now eabed-
upon to grant this power; and he (the Noble Mar-
quis) confessed that if he thought the vote were to re-
main in force until after the commencement of next session,

Ministers withosat taking the best ev
necessity of such a. measure ; : but as he utitiA.stood it
was the intention. of the Noble Lord on ti: Wocisack
to propose, in the Committee -. upon this :.Bpi e
a clause to-enable that, ifouSe to re-consider me.asttre
some period before the termination of the ;:re•cut ScFsinu
of Parliament he was prepared to agree to the ineasur,,
to that limited extent upon e responsibility- (Z Ichta's
Ministers. Hewas. also ready to add that he saw n, •
for imputing to his .Majckty's Ministt7rs tie havi:. •
more 'than the necessity of the case requited.

• The B:11 was then read a second time. • •
Oti the motion of the. LOUD CHANCELLOit, their L;r,!
ships then resf)lired -thenTselves into a 'Cittmiqee.
' ''

The Duke- of NEWCASTLE wished to Icricry wheth,
his AlAjz:.sty was in such a state as, to be ecabted to
answers to his Ministers without great:inctirwciii: oct

The LORD CfLANCELLOIC(who w as on its letr.,
proposing a verbal amendment t une of the eimses)
" My IsroWe Friend near me (the DA,: of
was hi his 'Majesty's presence yesterday f
time, and hi's Majesty carried on a conversation with -him
Eatl GREY thought that .the person who eiffixed the
~ignature ought to be a person of responsiiiiiity, au I wi-itai
to know whether it was intend to amend the clause where
he was alluded to?

lore

The LORD CHANCELLOR ieatF* the chti,ei it w
`read_ irPrltt!'"ol.ordt

to any warrant, commission, or Other Y:titirg or instru
ment, without a metnor,lndurn in writing, previously en-
dorsel thereon, describing the nature and oje.t- of such
Ivarrint, &c. signed by the Let;l.olancor, the First
Lord Commissioner of his Majesty's Treasury, the Presid. t:t
of the Council, the Keeper of the Privy and his Ma-
jesty's three principal Secretaries of State, or any three or
more of them." Tlda the Noble and Learned Lord con,
sideteti- sufficient security.

alrl GREY still thought it ought to be prßons of re.
sponsibility : as the clause stood :I:domestic _might he ap-

pointed.

The LORD CHANCELLOTI then prou'td an amend-
ment, which lie said ha been t•n7gested by a Noble Etrl
(Lord Grey), to which no objection esisted, to the con-
cluding words
.of the tllird clatts in the Bill. Af er the
words " in his I‘,lajthoy's presence, and b‘..• his 111ajestv's
command," the words "by wen] of rnouth'""we: proposed
to be added.

The amendment was then agree.! to.
Earl GREY hairing suggested aWalteration in one of
the clauses, to the effect, that the documents should he se-
parately explained to his Majesty.
The LORD CHANCELLOR said that his Maje 4
would Lava abundant mean; of obtaining information es t,;
the niture and contents of the instruments.
The Earl of MALMESBURY said that were he in his
M:ijesty's situation Lt. would rather attempt the signature
with his own hand than go through the process now pro-
posed. He agreed that this amendmentought to be with-
drawn, and that the Bill should be of sh,rter duration.

Earl GREY observed a 4 the Bill Was of sheet du-
ration, and the House vrLt,ll have an oppottunity of re-
vising it, he would not press his amendment.
The LORD CHANCELLOR then said he had to pro
pose a new clause. In a clause jast read it had been pro-
vided that the memorandum indorsed on the insti utnent,
to which the signature.was affixed, should be' signed by
three of the Officers of State, whose names had b en men-
tioned. This would be extremely inconvenient, as far as
related to the military commissions, on account of their
great numbers. If the mmoraadum was to be signed by
three Ministers of state, it tv,uld consume tun;cessaiil.,
a great portion of .time. It was propo-ali, as tar as re-
lated to military comtuissioas, that the Ctpowantire-in;
Chief should be substituted, and that tti signature to the

memorandum on the back of the commis7:ion shoolii

sufficient.

The clause having been read to the effect stAle4l,
The LORD CHANCELLOR s aid, that in order to ren-
der the clause less objectionable, it was proper to state,
that before the military commissions were sigred a list was
sent to his Majesty for approval, which had his Ma-
jesty's sign manual at top and bottom. That list so trans-
mitted would be signed (as we understood) by.three Privy
Councillor,.

The Earl of ELDON observed, Oat the sign maimil
must be on each sheet.

The LORD CHANCELLOR said, that the stamp was
substituted for the sign manual, and would hove precisely
the same effect. As to the duration of the Act, he pro-
posed this alteration—that the Act should be co•exttnsive
with the durivion of the pt esent Session of Parliament; so
that in case his Majesty's illness should list till the termi-
nation of the Session, recourse might be again had tl Par-
liament; if, happily, his Majesty's illness should cease,
then, of course, app'ication need nit be made.
It was put and agreed to, that the Act should continue
in force till the end of the present S.,!ssinn of Parliament.

At twenty minutes after seven the Bill was re!urned en-
grossed, when, on the mction of Lord MELVILLE, it was
real a third time, and pased.
A message was then sent to the Commons w:th the Bill
by two Judges (Park and Gaselee).
The House then resumed, aad further evidence was
heard in the case of the East Retford Bill.—Adjourned.

HOUSE. OF COMMONS—(LAST NIGHT.)
Mr. HART DAVIS presented a petition from Bristol
against the Irish Steam Navigation Bill.
MONCK presented a petition from a person
named Taylor against the Beer Bill. • • - •