The Sun.
London, England, 1830-06-12 00:00:00

CONSOLIDATED FUND.

Sir J. GRAHAM said, that votes out of the
Consolidated Fund were in their progress through
the House; but no explanation had been given on
the subject by the Chancellor of the Exchequer.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER
said that it was a mere matter of routine,; the time
for debate was when the estimates were brought on,
and the sum voted from the Consolidated Fund was
only for the purpose of carrying on the current ex
pences.

SUPPLY—CONSULSHIPS.
The Order of the Day for further consideration oi
Supply was then read, and the House went into
Committee.
Lord F. L. GOWER moved that 5,000/. be
granted for the public works in Ireland for the year
1830.—Agreed to.
Mr. DAWSON then moved that the sum of
87,9701. be granted for defraying the expences and
paying the salaries of our Consuls on foreign sta-
tions. He had the pleasure to acquaint the House
that this estimate was on a very considerably re-
duced scale compared with any which had gone be-
fore it for some years past. This reduction was
owing to a variety of causes; in some instances it
was occasioned by vacancies, occurring through
death, which had not been filled up, the superan-
nuation allowance of Mr. Burke having ceased alto-
gether, and the scale of salaries being generally re-
duced. The present system, which was called the
new system of foreign Consulates, was that of
1825, and was adopted by the House from the re-
commendation of the Right Hon. Member for Liver-
pool, in consequence, it was believed, of the severe
animadversion Just then made by the Hon. Member
for Aberdeen upon the paltry mode in which these
foreign Consuls were then paid. That Hon. Mem-
ber then stated in his place, that there was scarcely
any sum too great, or which the public would not
rather pay, than that the system should go on of
paying these Consuls out of the fees which they
charged upon the execution of certain dudes con-
nected with their official and public station.—
(Hear.)—lf there were then any change meditated
against Government for its introducing this new or-
der of things, the blame ought, in fairness, to be
shared by those who started the proposition and
supported the measure which followed—of allotting
separate and fixed salaries to each of our foreign
Consuls. It would, however, now be his duty to
ullude to the alterations which had been determined
on by the Noble Lord at the head of the
Foreign Office, and the reductions consequently de-
termined on in the salaries of these public servants.
The estimates stood thus—the Consul-General at
Rio Janeiro, who hitherto received 2,5001. a year,
was to receive now but 1,5001. a year—(Hear)—of
Pernambuco, who received 1,2001., now 1,000/. a
year; of Ostend, formerly receiving 600/., now 4004
a year; of Bogota, formerly receiving 2,0001., now
8001. a year; of Havannah, formerly receiving 5001.,
now 3001.; of Linea, formerly receiving 2,500/.,
now 1,600/. a year. The Consulates of Madeira
and Palermo had both fallen vacant by death, and
reduced the estimate by 1,2001. a year each. After
this statement he thought the House would think
there was little ground afforded to the charge, which
had been made with some acrimony and sarcasm,
against the present Government, of being any thing
but an economical Government. Such a charge
had been made by the Hon. Baronet the Member
for the county of Cumberland, who bad a motion
on this subject to submit shortly to the House;
and he thought, after the statement he had just
made, the pretext for these insinuations was totally
at un end. The refutation which lie had been hap-
pily able to give to that charge was founded on
statements drawn from official papers, and a compa-
rison of the expence of the scale of remuneration to
the country formerly, with its future cost unelet
these retrenchments. Such statements, founded on
public documents, and contrasted figures, could not
easily be overthrown by the ingenuity or eloquence
of that Hon. Member. After explaining the cir-
cumstances under which Mr. Schenley and Mr. Nu-
gent were allowed to receive their full salary,
whilst absent from their duty on leave, and that it
was the usual practice to allow such officers, when
at home from ill health, to draw their full salarie,,
he concluded by stating that, in future, it was in-
tended to subject these officers to a stricter account
during absence from their duty, with a view to
greater retrenchment in this department. In al

itch cases of absence the salary was to be divided
thus : one half to be drawn by the officer himiklf
whilst in retirement ; a moiety of the other half to
be devoted to the payment of those who performed
hii duty pending their principal's absence; the
other moiety to be placed to the account of the
public, The Hon. Member then moved his resold-
tion, that the sum of 87,9701. b• granted for the
payment of the allowances and salaries of Consuls.-
General abroad, and the discharge of retired allow-
ances in that department.
Sir J. GRAHAM said, he laboured under-some
inconvenience in bringing the motion, of which he
had given notice, before the House, from the cir-
cumstance of the Hon. Secretary of the Treasury

having now announced a very different state of ex-
pence as being about to be adopted by his Majesty's
Government with respect to our foreign Consulates•
This change of intention on the part of the Govern-
ment—it had been, in fact, inferred by the Hon•
Member—was attributable to the sarcastic allusions

thrown out by himself, on a former occasion; but
he might, with far greater propriety, have traced
them to 'opinions which were gaining ground dallY
out of doors on that subject, and the formidable re°
collection of the recorded sense of the House on $

lute occasion.--(Hear.)—After making every allow
ante for the reduction now adopted, and which he
could not but consider as-quite an afterthought of
Ministers, arising out of a 'regent transaction within
those walls, he must say that he still thought the
reduction was inadequate, and it was his intention
to move, this evening, that a still greater reduction
of these salaries should take place forthwith. 't he
proposition for putting these servants of the public
on fixed salaries, instead of allowing them to take
fees and perquisites of office, had been attempted to
be fixed on an Hon. Friend of his; by a
quotation
from the Hon. Member's speech, which savoured so
much of ungarded liberality of the public money, to
appear to be a genuine transcript of that great ad-
vocate of economy and retrenchment.—(Hear, and
laughing.)—That Hon. Member was not' now in his
place—but he should not be surprised to hear him
disavow that recommendation, at least to the ex-
tent insinuated. But it was clear to the most or-
dinary observer, that, this was.a case which called
for the immediate attention of Parliament, as being
one of a great and grave character, aid involving n
question of expence to the public which, was alto'
gether indefensible. It was certain, from the re
corded speech of Mr. Canning—from which the
Hon. Baronet read an extract—that Mr. C. consi-
dered the change of system as to the mode of recur
neratitig our foreign Consuls, but he disclaimed it
as a measure likely to be produCtive of great inconve-
nience, and adopted without his approbation. As s°
opinion had gone forth to the world that this systere
had originated with Mr. Canning, he thought it but
justice to the memory of that Statesman to she/
that on the contrary he had questioned theipolicy of
the system, and expressed the strongest doubts
whether it would operate, upon the whole, as an
advantage to the public. He (Sir J. Graham) we'
one of those himself who thought that the public,
had suffered great injustice from the substitution 0.1
salaries for fees even in the Customs. But, whet'
ever difference might exist as to thepolicy of adopt'
ing the principle in the Customs, he thought there
could be none in the instance of Consuls abroad'
There was this obvious distinction between the two
cases—that the Custom-house officer was employed
in collecting the revenue for the benefit of the pub'
lie, and therefore had a claim to be paid by the
public; but the Commis employed abroad were 5°
employed for the benefit of the merchant, and there
fore should be paid by the merchant. For this rev
sun he thought that the adoption of fees would have,
been a better mode of paying foreign Consuls,•ao
especially as there was no way so calculated to er''
force the performance of a disagreeable duty:"
(Hear, hear.) If the Consul was paid by fees.V
would find it his interest to remain at his station, I:
do every thing in his power to promote the inter°
of the merchants, and in every way to discharge t,"
duties of his office fully and effectively. On the
public i'ee
other
purse,hand,
le
payt
him
the
receive Consul
his
a s t at e
full
salary d aum
whe
til
fromt; ra
he was at his post or not, and he would be deprivf
of the strongest inducement to act up so oflicob.
engagements. And this was actually the effect. He
was not talking of theories now; he was appealing
to facts, and the House would see in a short while
how the facts stood with regard to those Consular
appointments. He would begin with the case of Mr'
t
Rickets, who was Consul at Rome. Mr. Rickets
out in 1825, and during the first year he received
3,8551. In 1826 he received, including salary, house'
rent, mad a few other items, 3,7631. In 18271
being on the voyage home, he received 2,812'
During the years 1828 and 1829 he remained 0
home, receiving his full salary; so that for five years
of service, two of which were spent at home, 116
received 13,6001. of the public money. His Right
Hon. Friend (Mr. Dawson) had complained of hit°
for taking notice of any transactions previous to
1827, as the present Ministers were not in °Me'
until then; but his Right Hon: Friend, and mid
of those who sat near him •on the Treasury bend'
were in office during the Administration of DV'
Canning, and were in office on their own account
during 1828 and 1829, which were the years
which Mr. Rickets had received hit full salary °'
home, and which constituted the most serious perli
of the charge. The next case to which he shoal
call their attention was that of Mr. Nugent, Wl°:
went out to Chili in 1825. He received, &nil
the first year, 3,050/. The second year he receive'
the same amount, having remained, as he now of°'
derstood, the whole or that year at his post. '/e)
1827 lie received 2,500/. In June, 1828, he r
turned to England, receiving, during half that year]
his full salary for doing nothing; and the whole °
1829, during the golden reign of the Earl of Aberti
deer, the conscientious economist, he still receive,,,
his full salary. He therefore charged the Not
Earl with a waste of the public money in thee.
cases; ; for, up to a few days ago, when, for the fir
't
and for reasons which they might possible
suspect, it was intimated that, in future, per3oo
absent from their stations in England should receiver
but half their salaries. The next case was that
Mr. Mackenzie, the Consul at Hayti. He receive':
2,715/. the first year. The regular salary Or
1,5001.; but there was, amongst other extraorV,
nary charges, a most extraordinary charge of 1,50:
for travels in the interior. This gentleman returne!
to England in 1828, still on full pay, having o',
ceived in a.l 8,124/., though he had remained bo
little more than one year at his post. He shoal
next allude to Mr. Schenley, who was Vice-Cons°,
at Guatemala, to which place lie went out in 1822
with a salary of 7771. a year. He remained out (hail
the whole of 1826, but in 1827 he returned home, at
continuing to receive his full salary while in Engine'
up to 1829, the golden year of the Earl of Aberdee',
again, who, in his regard for economy and pub°
purity, continued to allow the full salaries to 010.
who were at home. In 1829 he allowed 5001. #
an outfit to the Consul of Hayti, he having remaioe,
in England, for a reason which was well understoo
in that House—the reason assigned being urg'il‘
private business.—(A laugh.) This gentleman W'
received altogether 4,8591. liut this was not tb
whole of the charge connected with the Consulsim
at Hayti. There was also a charge for two Vice;
Consuls. Mr. Fisher, who received a salary
37.5/. as Vice-Consul, was also detained in Engia°,l
—(A laugh)—so that there was a spare Consul e°,
a spare Vice-Consul in England, while Mr. Thoreiri
son, the man who really did the business, was at °
post, receiving a salary of 5001. a year.—(Hear.)
And here it might be necessary that he shoo
glance a little ut the real economy of the Earl
Aberdeen and the present Ministry. The caul',
which was eating into the vitals of this country °I
the Superannuation List. This was seen thr6
by the Committee of Finance, who directed °
attention of Parliament to the subject. If there directed
attention
any one subject which that Committee had u
more than another, it was this very subject of
perannuations.—(Hear, hear.)—They had in
cated over and over again that no allowance she
be made to any person under fifteen years' serve
•