The Sun.
London, England, 1822-05-04 00:00:00

WINDOW TAX.

Mr. R. SHAW postponed his notice of motion for a repeal
of the Window Tax to, Thursday the 23(.1 inst.
Mr. BLACKBURN presented a Petition•from the Director
of the chamber of coinmerce and Manufactures at Manches-
ter, Complaining of an' Act passed last SesSion, regulating the
Monopoly of the. East India Company.—Ordered to bq printed:
Mr. GLADSTONE presented' a Petition from the Ship
Owners of Greenock in Scotland, complaining of the exorbitant
light-house and other duties to which they are
,subject.—Or-
dered to beprinted.
Sir F. OSBORN presented a Petition signed by two
sand persons of the County of 6mbridge, 'complaining of
Agricultural Distress.
Mr. JAMES liore testimony to the respectability of the Pe-
titioners.—Ordered to be printed.
COURT OF CHANCERY. •

Mr. HOBHOUSE presented a Petition from a person of
the name of Julius Adolphus Schroeder, complaining of the
practice sanctioned by the Court of Chancery, of refusing a
Bill to be filed in that Court, unless signed by Counsel. The
lion. Member for Durham intended to move for the reform of
certain abuses in the Court of Chancery, and he hoped he
_
would include this.

After a few words from Mr. BERNAL which were not.dis.
tinctly audible in the gallery, the Petition was read and or
dered to be printed'.

ALIEN BILL.

Mi. DAWSON, at tiie;i7ige;iioii<Tf Mr. C. H. Hutchinson,
postponed the motion for leave to bring in the Alien Bill from
Itlonday the 20th, to Tuesday the 21st, in consequence of
a motion relative to Scotch Representation, standing for the
former day.
• SCOTCH BURGHS.
Lord A."IIAMILTON presented a Petition from the Bur-
gesses of the Corporation of the Royal Burgh of Perth against
the Bills in Parliament, for the redress of certain abuses in
Royal Burghs. The Noble. Lord took this occasion to repeat
the complaints he.had so frequently made of the way in which.
Scotch business was transacted in that House. He believed
.the Learned Lord opposite,. (the Lord Advocate) had got five
Scotch Bills standing for the same day. It was impossible
they could all paskthrough their respective stage. in the course
of one sitting. He entreated him to afford the Representatives
of Scotland a fair opportunity of discussing questions, inti.
irately Connected with the interests of their Constituents.
The LORD ADVOCATE repelled the accusation made
against him by .the' Noble Lord opposite, in his absence of his
general non-attendance the other night. He begged to inform
the Noble Lord that there was but one day dunng the whole
of the present Session that he had not been in the House, and
if the Noble Lord bad looked round the House, instead of con-
fining his view to the Treasury Bench, he would have seen
MM. He had always been ready to, answer questions on the
presentingof the Bills and other stages of them, but he de-
nied the right of the NOble Lord or any other person to
charge him with neglect of duty, because he- did not sit there
three hours a day in the early part, of the evening to answer
questions, because the Noble Lord could not have the ordin-
ary courtesy to inforth hind when-fie'wts goink to present a pe-

tition.-,--( Hear ! )--.Withregard, she'.differen t Bills the Nobl
Lord would have an opportonltrot making his objections, and
he should be prepared to answet.,hini when they came fairly
before the House.
After a few words in explanation from ,Lord A. llADfrr.'r
the LORD ADVOCATE, and,,Mr' J, P. GRAN-., the Petition
was read, and ordered to be printed.
Lord A. HAMILTON prcagnced Another Petition. of a
similar nature from the nine incorporatektratles of Dundee.
Lord BINNING defended the. Lord President Hope from
a charge which had been pleferred agaimt him, and, main-
tained that he had only done that
.whien was his bounden
duty to do.
Mr. lIUME said if he possessed the legal knowledge of his
Hon. and Learned Friend for Winchelsea, he would bring the
whole of the Scotch Judges to 'the- liar, of that House, and
prove that not mote than three out
,of the twepty-one had been
chosen from men of that experience which' fitted them for the
situations to which they were appointed. • -
The LOUD ADVOCATE and Cr.A.III:E vindicated
the Bench of Scotland, and after a few words, from Mr. J. P.
GRANT, Mr. MABERLEY, 111 r. H. DRISAIIIOND, and Mr.
BENNET, the Petition was ordered to be printed.
AGRICULTURAL QUES'rION.
Mr. BROUGHAM thought it ucold be for 'the. conve-
nience of the House that they should then determine whether
or not dile Agricultural Question could be discussed that sight.
The Noble Marquis was aware that the Chancellor of the Ex,
chequer had announced an intention of bringing up the Report
of the Committee on the new mode of paying the 5,000,0001.
chargeable for Naval and Military Pensions. They were not
yet near that, as a number of Petitions were yet to be pre-
sented, and when it came on it Would probably occupy the
House some time. As they might not be able to get to it till a
late period of the night, he would suggest to the Noble Mar-
quis the expediency of putting it cnill,lllonday.
The Marquis of LONDONDERRY was reluctant to post-
-pone the Agricultural Question, but he would rather that it
go off till Monday, than have it brought on at a late period. of
the night. If he yielded to the suggestion of the Le:Anted
Gentleman, he hoped it would be understood that no other
question should interfere with it on Monday.
Mr. .BROUGHAM thought no. Gentleman who wished well
to the Agricultural Interest would wish the subject td be
postponed beyond Monday. He took this for granted, and
he therefore took it for granted that that question wouldbe re-
garded as peremptorily figul for the first thing on Monday.
The Marquis of LONDONDERRY begged further to re-
mark, that.on each, series of, resolutions, the whole question
could be discussed,,but he-wished the queoion as to the ware-
housing of corn tole first disposed of. He desired to _see that
brought to a point one way pr_the other, and therefore he hoped
that:it would not be made the vehicle of a discussion of all the
resolutions, but that they should, in the first instance, confine
themselves to one practical measure, then to he submitted to
the'consideration of the House.

' fir. COKE objected to part of the plan now suggested, which
relaxed to the grinding of wareholsed torn.
After a few words from Lord F. OSBORNE and Air. Ro-
BINSON, the order of the day for- receiving the Report of
the Committee on .Agricultural Distress, was postpqned till
Monday.
OFFICE OF POST MASTER-GENERAL. .

The Marquis of LOIN.DOSDERRY appeared at the bar,
and delivered the following annunciation from his Majesty to
the address voted last night by the House, respecting the office
of joint Postmaster-General
" The King having been attended with the Address of the
House of Commons or -yesterday, acquaints the House that he
will give ,directions that the salary..ot- one of tho Postmasters-
-General shall forthwith be discontinued.
" His Majesty only postpones the -.abolition of the ..office or
one of the PostmaSters-Oeneral,.. until be shall have had the
opportunity of considering what permanent arrangement may
be advisable forthe conduct of the business of that department."
AGRICULTURAL, DISTRESS. . •

Mr. WESTERN presented a Petition from cettan Owners
of Land in the County of Kent, complaining of 4gieuhural
Distress, and praying for relief. Ordered to be printesl.
Nir. COKE presented two Petitions on the sanie;%subject,
from two different. Hundreds in Norfolk. They .loth prayed
for reduction of Taxation and 'Reform in Parliam9nt.—Or.
dered to ,be, printed. . • .
Sir E. HARVEY presented .a.Petition from the • , hof
Bradley, i4Essex, complaining of Agricultural Distiess, and
praying for relief. - . . . .
Mr. WESTERN supported the, prayer of the Petition.
After a few words from Mr. N. CALVERT, Mr. RICARDO,
Mr. Pititirs, and Sir W. D,E,cItESTIO N 17, the Petition was
ordered to be printed. - • - •
Mr. J. P. GRANT moved for certain accounts,. showing
the sum that had been expended on the Sinking Puful from
the year 1793 to the year -1821 ; also the sum 'of:stock pur-
chased therewith by the ComUtissioners of the National Debt ;
also the total amount of the unredeemed 3 and 4 per:Cents. &c.
—Ordered.
NAVAL AND MI LI TA Ry. PENSIONS •

The CHANCELLOR of the. EXCHEQUER moved that
the Order of the Day b.... then rzad-for taking into • cimsitlera-
tion the Report on the payment of the Naval and Military
Pensions.

Mr. BERNAL said, that thoughhe had not been present
when the Right Hon. Gentleman had proposed bis•plan for the
payment of these pensions, he had read with misiderable
attention what had then taken place. Now he wished to be
informedly the Right Hon. Gentleman, as the annuity which
was in future, to be paid for these pe,nsions must be considered
somewhat in the nature of a loan, what security, could be of-
fered for the full performance of any contract which. Might be
made upon the .subject ? He had no doubt that the Chan-
cellor of the Exchequer thought that he should be able to find
somebody ready to pay the advances in question,: yet what
security could .he give to the country that the contractor would
continue to pay those advances during so long a, period as
forty-five years ? Could the Right Hon. Gentleman find any
person who would deposit_ such a sum with the Government
as would be 'a gage of his ability to complete his .contract ?
Before the contract was completed, it might be found so
oppressive by the Contractors as to force them tb. come to
that House and ask for leave to abandon it.. Ile therefore
wished to receive a little explanation upon that point.. Again,
in the contingency of a war, a number of half-pay officers
would be called into full pay, and that full pay woOd. fall upon
a different charge. 'Now he wished to know---44 Member in
the rear of Mr. Bernal here whispered something into his ear,
which caused him to turn round and enter into conversation
with that Member. ,After a, pause of a few seeonds„Mr. Bernal
continued.] He should reserve that objection and any other
which he might have to this measure to another stage of the dis-
cussion upon it.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER 'reminded
the Hon. Member that the House' was now only called upon
to agree to the reading of the Order of the Day,' and that
therefore it would be a waste of the time of the House for him to
notice any arguments which were then offered to it. When the
measure itself came under discussion, he should be happy to
give every information regarding it that was in his power. In-
deed many Of the details of the measure could not be under-
stood until they were regularly brought. before the notice of
the House. In reply to the Hon. Gehtleman's question, what
security could be given for the performance of a contract which
was extended over so many years, he would simpirktate that
there could be no difficulty about the security •provided to
Government, when a man had to . make an adVance'of a ver->
large sum which was not to be repaid him till after the lapse eL
many years.
The Order of the Day was then read.
Mr. BROGDEN brought up the Report of the Committee
op the Resolutions for the payment of the Naval and
_ l.lilitar;
Pensions.

On the question that the Resolutions be agreed to,
General GASCOYNE said that he thought the scheme cr.;.cr •
plicated, but had no objection to the principle.
The four first Resolutions were agreed to. When :he Speaker
piit the question on the fifth, r
Mr. HUME rose and obserycd, that the four ii:st P..eSoiu-
tions had really nothing to do with the qUestion, and to the
fifth he should move an amendment. The object:of it was to
burden posterity and to relieve ourselves L-a direct violatiOn
the principle of the Sinking Fund ; but, besides other objec-
tions, the operation was so complex that 4 was almost uninttl-
ligible, and the perplexity spread over a:period of tic) less d!r..n
45 years. The project was so novel; and the amOunt so ?urge,that it would be found very difficult to find contractors : for
sixteen years they would not receive a single, shilling, and
would be paying many millions in advance. lt:W44car,
that. the public must be losers by the transactioBo private
parties entered into the speculation.with Goveriiniea; ot;.:: if
the loan (for it was nothibg else) were taken by the Comm -..
.sinners of the Sinking Fund, the public would gain, and the