The Sun.
London, England, 1801-03-31 00:00:00

SCARCITY.

The Earl of WARWICK rose to make a Motion
.on the Subject of the existing Scarcity. His Lord-
ship said, he still adhered to the opinion which he
had formerly stated to that House, that the present
Scarcity arose not :1-OLn real but from artificial
causes. He adverted to tho number of Ships, and
other Craft, loaded with Grain, in the River
Thames, as well as the number of Warehouses fiile
with the saine commodity on both sides the Rig Cr.
His Lordship proceeded to enter into minute eticu_
lations as to the average produce of Acres of Wheat,
compared with the price at whiCh he theiight it
could be sold. He stated the distresses of the Poor
Labourer, unable to buy food for himself atid
and the necessity there was, either for a Rcdudtion of
the Price of Grain, or for an Increase of the Price
of Labour. After animadverting on the sentiments
expressed by Mr. Alima Sm TH, and other Writers,
his Lordshiv rn'Perted to the opinion he had former-
ly expressed in favour of a Maximum, and as 'a pre-
paratory and necessary measure, wished the extent
or. the Population of the Coantry might be ascer-,
tained, and at the same lime, the Quantity of Grain,
the produce of last year's growth. His Lordship
concluded with a Motion to this effeet, that the
Magistrates in the different Counties, Cities, and
Corporations, through-out Great Britain, be direct-
ed to require a Statement, upon oath, to be de-
livered to theM by Corn Dealers, and. Corn Growers,
of the Quantity of Wheat, &c. either sold or raised
by them, bince•the loth of April last, distinguish-
ing the average Prices, and the Quantity still on
i nand.

The Earl of MORTON said, that not only in
his capacity as a Member of Parliament, but also as
a Magistrate, he, must *Et" to the Noble Earl's
Motion, upon the groUnd of the impratlicability of
obtaining the Account which was the professed ob.
jed of the Motion. Nothing short of a positive
Att 01 Parliament could aimpel Co►n_dealers, &c.
to a compliance with such a requisition ; nor, if
they were so obliged, would it remedy the , evil
complained of. --

Mg Duke of IkONT ROSE also opposed the Mo-
tion, as being of an injurious tendency, as well as
impracticable to be complied with, It 'ended to
make the lower orders dissatifted wit% their con-
dition, and instead of bring, resived to. the dis-
pensations of Providence, to attempt a remedy by
force against those whom they were led to imagine
caused an artificial Scarcity. The quantity of
Ships loaded wit:i grain in he Port of Lond,m was
no proof of a superabundance of that article in the
Country. He had heard much clamour raised on
that account, but without foundation. In times of
Sciiseity, ?,11,1, whither
Corn was brought from such Counties as might
have good crops, and purchased on behalf of the
inhabitants of' other Counties, where the Crops
had failed ; and supposing in two neigbouring
counties, ;ts Somerset and Devon, that there was a
..leficieney of Corn in the one, and an abundance in
the other, instead oftheir buying and selling imme-
diately with each other, the Sellers and Purchasers
would both resort to the London market. This
alone accounted for the unusual quantity in the
River, but was no proof against an existing Scarcity
in the Country at large. His Grace stated the mi-
nute investigation of the Committee, and if the No-
ble Lord (WARw c it) had any ideas or information
to state on the subject, he thought it would be much
better for him to do so in the first instance, than to
touch on topics upon loose or partial information
which had a tendency to irritate and inflame.

Lord HOR ART in like manner, argued on the
impraaicability of complying with the Noble
Lord's Motion ; and went over the same ground
with the Noble Duke. His Lordship vindicated
the labours of the Committee, and expre:ised his
surprise at an insinuation of the Noble Earl, as if it
was like trying the Country by a Jury composed
of prejudiced arid interested persons.
The Earl of IfitIRIVICK rose to explain. He
said he by no means. meant to east any refleaion up-
on the Committee, or to insinuate that they were
prejudiced ; but what he alluded to was the c•:-
deuce brought before that Committee, and which he
still thought was oir, red by persons Ivhose prejudi-
ces and interests tended to mislead the Committee
and the Country,
The Duke of BEDFORD also objeaed to the
Motion, and controverted the Noble Earl's ealcula_
tions and statements as to the average quantity of
Corn and Grain, and the price at which it could he
afforded to be sold. The Motion might do ham,
but could produce no real benefit or remedy. For
his own part he believed there was an existing
Scarcity, and that, till next Autumn, little or no
redation could be expeaed in the price. He com-
plimented the Noble. Earl on the goodness of his
intentions, but .objeaed to the Motion now pro.
posed.

The Earl of D ARNLEY also objeaed to the
Motion.

The Earl of WARWICK said, tli3O nothing he
had heard, had made him alter his opinion on the
subjed, and although he might stand alone, et
he rested in the consciou,ness of having done his
duty as an individual Member of Parliament.
The Motion was then put, and negatived without
a division.

The Irikh !'Taster of the Rolls Bill, and several
other Bills passed through the Committee.
At a Quarter before Nine o'Clock the House ad.
jourried.

•
.110 USE bF commoNsi
14014 DAY; MAItCH 30; •
A Message from the Lords stated, that.. their
Lordships had agreed to TAyLor.'s Divorce Bill:
. Mr. M.`A;TAYLOR rose to avail himself of
this opportunity of calling the attention of the
House to certain rumours which he had heard, and
which he thoUght of importance to examine into,
because they went materially to affeet persons who
might hold property which might come to them in
consequence of. a Divorce. -He understood that
there were persons of opinion, that a marriage by
a person after having been. divorced, was not a
legal marriage. He did not mean at present to
enter at length into the discussion; but he should
contend that it was undoubtedly in the power of
Pari'ament to dissolve a marriage, and that any of
the parties marrying afterwards, would be legally
married.

Mr. TAYLOR was proceeding to state his senti-
ments upon this subjed, and was stating his .opi_ '
nion upon the nature of the Marriage Contract,
when he was called to Order by Lord TEMP LE and
by Mr. WM. Du o AS.
Mr. TAYLOR conceived he was in Order, and
said, he merely rosy to call the attention of the
House to this important subijcd in a future stage of
this Bill.

Lord DE BLAQUIERE rose, and was pro-
ceeding to shew that Mr. TAY LOR had been out of
Order in the observations which he had made, when
he was interrupted by
T/:e SPEAKER, who stated, that though not
conlinon, yet every Member has a right, on the
question tbr the first reading of a Bill, to state his
reasons either for supporting or opposing it, and that
except the Noble Lord intended to do one of these
thing, he himself was deviating from Order:.

Mr. WILBERFORCE made a few observations
on the nature and dissoli,bility of the Marriage
Contraa, with reference .to what had fallen from
Mr. M. A. TAYLOR, in which he' expressed his
opinion that; in one sense, Marriage is a civil con-
trast, and that every Government has a right to
appoint certain ceremonies, without which it cannot
be valid ; but that it is a religious obligation which
every Christian must consider binding upon him for
life.

Lord DE BLAQUIERE again rose, and was
again reverting to the subjed of Order, when the
SPEAKER again interfered.
The Bill was read a first time, and ordered to be
read a second time.

Mr. 1-101110 USE said, that if it would be
agreeable to the House) 11aa would name the T3th of
April, as the day on which he would bring forward
the Motion of which he had already given notice,
respeeting the Treaty concluezd between this Coun-
try and the Emperor Fon. 1. of Russia.
NICHOLLS gave notice, that he would
take an early opportunity after the holidays, to call
the attention of the House to the Bank of England.

Mr. M. A. TAYLOR rose to call the attention
of_ the House to a subject of which he had given
notice, the propriety of exempting Curates who
keep one horse, from paying the Duty on Horses.—
It is perleftly well known, that a great number of
Curates officiate at two different Churches on the
same Sunday, and as these Churches are often at the
distam.e uf-from tiro to mei miles from each other,
he is obliged to keep a horse in order to be enabled
to do his duty. The Motion which he meant to
make was, that the House should resolve itself into
a Committee, to consider the Act of the 38th of
the King, and then in that Committee, he meant
to move, That Curates, whose income does not
exceed tool. and who keep only one horse, shall
be exempted from paying the duty imposed by that
Act. Ile could not extend his Motion according to
the rules of the House, to exempting them from the
new duty imposed this year, because there is no
clause in the Act allowing the whole or any part of
it to be repealed this Session. His , Motion must
therefore be confined to exempting them from paying
the 11. 4s. imposed by what is commonly called the
Consolidation Aa. This 'll. 4.5. and the los.
additional duty imposed this year, form a sum-which
Curates in ordinary have no adequate fund for pay_
ing.—Many of them have not above 401. a.year ;
in Wales, many not above 301. and even the best
Curacies, which require the performance of service
at three, or even four different Churches, seldom
exceed soh or 601. a-year. For the security of the
Revenue, however, IP! should wish that a provision
should be made that there should be no exemption
unless the Commissioners for the collection of the
Tax should be convinced that the horse was kept
really and hona fide foi the purpose of enabling the
Curate to do his duty. He wished much, and he
was sure that the Right Hon. Gentleman the CHAN..
C E LLOR of the -Exc H EQU ER concurred with him in
opinion, that the Parochial Clergy could be obliged
themselves to do their duty. In that case, there'
wouldle no occasion for the Motion which he wish-
ed to make. He concluded with moving, " That
the House resolve itself into a CoMmittee icevon-
sider so much of the ACI of the.3Bth of the King, as
imposes a duty of il. 45. on petsons keeping one
horse."

Me CHANCELLOR *film EXCIIEQI,ThR
he thought the Motion of the Hon. 'Gentleman might
he much better worded, and at the same time an-
swer the purpose which he had in view. At pre-
sent, in his opinion, much too great a latitude is
left in the Motion. He therefore propose] to "The
Hon. Gentleman to substitute for his Motion, the
following : "That the House resolve itself into • a
Committee, to consider of the expediency or ex-
empting Curates keeping one horse, from the Duties
imposed by that Ad."
This Amendment to the Motion was acceded to.

The nizANCELLOR of the EXC'HE'QUER said, that
it was all cimes most disagreeable to him to find it
his duty ►o oppose any measure which had for its
objetti extending relief to any class whose situation
seemed to require it. But he felt himwlf called upon
to be cautiovs of san'tioning any measures which
went to let loose the sources of the public revenue,
and more particularly of doing so on suggestions of
hardship felt by any particularslass of men. He
,did not wish however to carry this principle into