The Sun.
London, England, 1813-05-21 00:00:00

`C It LTV E Y.

Acquiescing most patiently in the judgment pro-
flounced by the Court of King's Bench .upon this
Gentleman, ;for a Libel upon Mr. KILKP.TIII6K4,
and entirely disinclined frOin. impugning leniency
. in the adniinistration of the law, we may be per-
mitted to say, that.* is better fora na'u to he a
Member of Parliament than a Printer, if he wishes
to indulge himself in a little newspaper
Upon this subject we cannot do better than
present our Readers with an, extraet from the
SATIRIST MONTHLY MAGAZINE, of the present
month.
It is sufficiently obvious (says the writer in
this work). " that it is impossible, to close the
doors of Parliament so perfectly against the en-
trance of- wicked individuals---that an occasional
scoundrel may not gain admittance. Such charac-
ters we have seen in the garb of Senalors ; and, in
spite of expulsion and self...cleansing,, it must be
that even this high and important body may frOm
time to time have a, corrupted and 'noxious weat-
her festering and gatigrening 'amid its sounder
parts,
" It will, we believe, he allowed on all hands,
that many things are said ill Parliament which
ought not-to be said, and Which are-only suffered
because the limitation of speech among the legis-
lators of the land Would be- a greater evil than
the senseless.; invidious, or vile observations
which 'sometimes come froM pernicious indivi-
duals, inflamed by party rancour, or stimulated
by personal animosity. We tolerate the abuse.
because there- ;s 'danger in the rett:eily., and be-
canse'there is notninch risk that 'the, sense of the
.House will allow the offence, to grow to a very
high pitch.
‘..‘ Bat %viten we come to publication, the 'mat-
ter'is widely altered, and it would indeed be an
extra-ordinary right thatl could protect a man,
Merely because he wits returned to Parliament,
not only in tittering his slanders (where even mis-
takes anti exaggerations' must be permitted, be-
cause- untimely cheek's would shackle discussion
and destroy the freedom of debate so necessary
to the general weal), but alsn in printing his this-
representations, and. sending theM forth to poison
the minds of men; rush into the circle of private
life, extinguish the happiness of families, and.ruin
the peace 'and prosperity of individuals.
,Whoever publishes parliamentary proceed-
logs, does so at his own risk. The bare publi-
cation of what is said within the walls .of the Se-
nate is a breach cif privilege,. and punishable by
imprisonment ; and it would be a singular fact,
if the commission of a breach of the privileges of
Parliament could be sticcessfolly arged in defence
of an act, which, under any other circumstances,
wordd be liable to punishment as contrary to
Yet this. is the defence set up by the experienced
Itrim,4llam for Mr. Creevey.
44 Was it to be endared (said 'Mr. Brougham, as reported la
the 21.Tornh9rehroisicie), that any portion of the public prints,
under the influence and in the actual pay, suppose of the Go-
"vernment of the country, was wilfully to misrepresent the
'speech or any'Member of Parliament, the Sehstance of which
Was likely to be oliensive or injurious to the tiovernment---
was it to be esidurect that Such it Member, meaning only, ns i*
proved in the present ruse, to.correct such misrepresenta-
tion, was not to.pablish such corection iu bier ova defence,
a ithollt illenrring the risk,of a (Moor u frau!? It was indeed
c,sential to the liberties of all Members ut Parliament, to have
iti;b vital question riabtly understood, to have it proclaimed
flout the highest anti-rarities in the State, whether it be the
law of the land, or the law of Parliament, that any reporter
may print, As the speech of a •Member of Parliament, that
which he did NOT speak, and that Members of Parliament
alone are to he iaterdietell by the terrors of tine and impri.-
sonment from publisbii% what thclatn say ?"'

‘,‘.tiow there appears to be one'very simple an-
swer to this fiery farrago, namely, that if any
Member of Parliament is injnriously reported ha
ithsnstet...
mand reported
set.
his • •
right, as t~ ell hs ... hunt ary tistiee
tipOn the offender,- by • 1
)avlng _um Cit letl to the
Bar of the House. The notoriety ao.i ofeeldita
nature of this course seems referable to to motto
11°I. so likely to acquire tittivertint 110)11011y, attd
eneumbertuf %kith the delcvt, of being, contrary to
the usages of Parliament awl the Laws cat the
other Land ; where:li tie i> ,onsistent withboth."

ititbre--•-A Reran of the (:astOltiet of the dif-
ferent nettiments at the Brit'isb Army, distin•
guishitig each Regiment, and Cae'alry from 'ln-
fantry, from the 25th DeeeMber, 1811, to 25th
peeettiber, 1812, sPecifyiUg the tikitv. ofthe_ attrst
returns, has just beeni)rinted., by order or the
House pounnons ; the subjoined are the gene.
.ral results •
- ' Dcatin - 14,752
D6etiorge4 - 8,J41
Desertioris -
Taken prisoners, or missing 2,531

Total

,1G,687

IMPSRI AL PAR LI AM ENT.

'HOUSE OF LORDS

THURSDAY, /141 Y 20.
'rhe -Loan CHANCIALOR attended a short time
before fouro'clock, and after prayers were read,
their Lordships proceeded to forward the 'Bills
upon the-tahle.----Among these, the Scots Credi-
tors Bill passed through a Committee of the
whole House, and was reported without any
amendment.
The American. Prize Goods, and the Swedish
Mims Bills, were read a second time, and com-
mitted for io-morrow.
Alct.vmte, from the East India House,
pretu a Copy of certain. Minutes of the Court
of pire,CtorS, relative to Tracts on the Propaga-
gation of Christian.K.nowledge in India, in .pur-
suance of a recent Order oftheir Lordsh'ps.

Ordered to lie on the table.
The Edinburgh Jail, and the East Smithfic.dd
Improvement Bills, were read' a third time, and
passed.
The Earl of HARDWIC!.4.B presented Petitions
from certain parts of the Isle of Ely, and other
Ilaces in pambridgeshire, in favour of the farther
ntroduction cat Christian Knowledge into India,
which were ordered to lie oin idle table.
Adjourned.

HOUSE OF COMMONS:
• ..
Tlttir,sm?,, MAY 20.
Mr. PINLAY presented a Petition from the CPt-
ton Spinners of Paisley; against the Prohibition
of the Importation of Cotton. ,'
Ordered to lie.on the table.
Mr. StlA.w,af (Dublin) brought in a 13111 provid
ing fur the Recovery of Small Debts in that City,
which was read a first, and ordered to be read a
seam tinie. '' ' • , ,
On he motion of Mr. A. Rosmsort, was or-
(kiwi to be laid before the, House, ,a Copy of a
k
Letter from Mr. C. Butler, to the Directors of the
East Ikulia Company, dated 19th May', and detail=
ing the Condthat of the I)engal Oovernment re,-
speating the Temple of Juggernaut. ,
Mr. F. TIOBIWN brought in a 13111 giving
.power to the Privy Council to permit the Minor.
tation of Provisions for a limited time to Neil-
foundiand and, the West Indies. It was read
a first, and ordered for a second reading to-
marrow.
Mr. LUSHINGTPN brought up the Report on
the Scots Mail Coach and ~ Road Acts. The Re-
solutions were agreed to, and a Bill ordered ac-
cordingly.

MR. CRERVEY.
Mr. Car,EvEli thought it his duty to give the
earliest possible infottnation to the House, that
be PA been thfs (lay compelled by the Court of
King's Bench to pay a fine of 1001. to the King,
or to have been sent,to the King's Bench Prison,
for an alleged libel by him on a tax-inspector of
L verpool, of the name of Kirkpatrick, and con-
tained in a speech delivered by him in that House,
of which speech he had sent, as he believed, a
correct statement in a newspaper. As he consi-
dered the matter to which he had alluded to be
most import:int to the privileges of the House, he
bad drawn up a Petition and Remonstrance a-
gainst the Judges, which it had been his inten-
tir,r► to proent this night, but finrli►ig it enril►l not
be wtitten out to a form fit,for lying on their ta-
ble, had deemed it his duty to make this early
communication on the subject., and to state that
he would present the Petition and Remonaranee
to-morrow, with the view of bringing the whole
matter before Parliament. .
The Life Annuity MB went through a-,Com-
ty ; t ce. Report to-morrow.
Ou the motiou of Sir JOHN NEW FORT, who
WiThrd to bring the conduct of the Commissioners
of the Legacy Ditty in Ireland under the consi-
deration of the House, and complained of having
'been nnstble to get the Committee above stairs to
attend to hear his complaints on this subject, the
IteeoOutS presented to the ITt►use tehniVe thereto
were ordered to be printed.

MR, PALM:ER.IS cLAIMS.,
On, the motion of Colonel P.sem,re,.the Resitw
lution of the 7th Juoe last, reletive to Mr. Pal-
mer's per centage was read. lie then moved that
the Sftnie should he referred to a Committee of the
whole, ilouse to-morrow..
The SPB4lloilt asked, being It grant of public
money, if the subject wall- recommended by the
Crown ? •
•
CiL of the EXCHEQUER said, lie
had very considerable difficulty on this subjeet.
Ile was of opinion that the churn was unfounded,
bitt as the House/had formerlydehated and come
to disetissions upon the plestion, he did not think
it,right to withhold from the tionoUrahle Gen.;
tleinan an opportunity of bringing forward hisi
moti(el.
, .
`r!)c motion was then put and. agreed to ; and
cer!lin aceteints were ordered to. be referred to
the Committee.
Iu a Committee of the whole House, the CHAbfr:
Ct,l.T..eiU OF the Exout/Alma moved for ResOlu-
Cons to put the importation of sugars from Ma-
riegaiaute, st, Martires,,&e. on the saute 10,Aillg.
segars from 'Martieique,' &c. which were
rtgreed to; and the Report ordered to be received
to-toorrow,
Irish Loan Bill, and Irish Customs Bill
'
were severally read-a second time, and cent:ll,4AM
for to -morrow.
Mr. WI/1115A4AD rose to move. for sin account of
sums applied
,in End of the Civil List, from Isl I
to the present year ; but was refused on account
of no notice been given. lie then stated that he
thought matter most. important, mid when
Chaneellorof .the Exchequer should UJOVC to
.refer these Accounts (as' he - understood it
.to be
intrntiun to do). to a Committee up stairs,
• *here .'E.ltey.,tolgist be bat sielit.of, he gave notice
tbat'be h't,otild-movea; au /Intendment, that they
~,111:04114.be referred to it Committee of the whole
I..e.touriee - •
tr. ';
SeV.
ti 1::64 tf: la 11 C! Veil, 010 O. dC.r of the
nese. rteolving itself into a. COM'
.inittee tut .tlie trish,Vtalt Delay .an Obiserved
fle.it to eoiteilio.te' the oviil.;:;ei.-3, 'of
lowered the .I.)uty from 3.5. " lax' 'e

-LoNPoN 'Pr.+
4it Ole SUN 014

Sir 3..t4tvv.vos cpposa the Speaker's leAv'ing•
the Chair,
..on:ihe ground that the Tfmwould be
improdutive and injurious to the moral habits of
the people of Ireland,. by inducing‘them to drink
spirits instead of malt lirpmr. He contended that
this tax, instead of increasing, Ivould. dititinish the_
revenue, at least if be was to judge by experience,
for. the former duties, on Malt had been quite un-.
productive; ;
Mr. SHAW and CieliCi*M.lllAttrilAir opposed the
,
tax on t ground.
Mr. Mr,st. .VITZGERALD, in reply, maintained
that the apprehensions entertained by the Right
lion. Part. were unfounded, and that so far were
the former 'antieS on malt from having diminished
the.consmnption-cif that article that it had increas-
ed in aremaykahle degree. When the Right Hon.
l',,tronet was Chancellor Of the Exchequer fur Ire I'
land; he laid an additional duty 'upon Malt, that
was. iti 1806. In'the preceding year the number
of barrels
_of malt 9.wie in Ireland was 70,5,114
barreli, and the number of gallons of spirits three
million't seven hundred and fifty-six thousand. Al.
.lowing 6 galls. of spirits to 1 gall.of malt, it would
appearthat the consumption of malt for the distillers
was about 620,000 barrels, leaving-for, the blew-.
ers.onlY 83,000 barrels. Such was then the state,
of the consumptiOn of Malt in the years before
the Right Hon. Ihronet : laid. on the first ditty
upon that article.. Another ditty was lahron in
1810, and heavotiki now stateto the House the
state of the consumption in 1811, which was the
last year that the distillers were at full wink.
The number of barrels of Malt madvin' that year
was 683,4-16, and the quantity of spirits distilleil,
6,501,000. gallons. The. Malt used in the distil-
lery, taken at one fourth, amounted to 270,000
barrels,leaving for the consumption of the brew-
413,000:barrelS, which was 328,000 barrels
more than was aged in 1805; .which was the year
before the first duty was laid on. With these
'strong filets before the House, he did not think
that many.Gentlemeti wOuld:participate in the
appycheniions expressed by the Hight Hon.
Hart. that the proposed diminished duty WOuld
lower the consumption of Malt in the breweries:
His Hon. Friend (Mr. Shale) had contended that
this tax ,yoald induce persons to 'drink -whiskey
instead of bevy, and had adverted to the petitions
of the .Brewers about two years ago, in which
they complained of great distress. He did not
think it, could fairly he contended that this tax
would encourage the use of spirits instead of beer;'
for since the time alluded to hyliis Hon. Friend,'
the duty upon spirits had actually been doubled,
while this additional duty upon Malt would only
increase the pricg, of beer half a farthing a quart.
The Hon General. (Matthew) had expressed, an
apprehension that this dury would injure the Irish
export trade in beer ; but that apprehension wis
as unfounded as:the others, for there was a draw
back of the ditty allowed on. exportation. He
.concluded with announcing jiffs intention of mov-
ing for a Committee, composed generalli of ull
Members for Ireland, to take into consideration
the ,iffect of the repeal of the Act for imposing
fines upon districts where illicit distillation was de-
tected.
The !lon. D. iitacrWris saw no other remedy
for illicit distilleries ; hut the renewal of that law
whicli' would luoreprov'edelleewali if euntiatied in
force. .

Mr. ntrtrcir,, on the contrary, deprecated the
-renewal thdt us must oppiess'Ne, the
Ct Linty CitV4ll haviug at oneAinie 35,001. penal-
ties 0, pay.
PF,Ett rose, . Merely to stnte his opinion,
that the present small duty would not in factraise
the price of beer. ist) he consumer; for year
when the prier of Corn IVO doubled,. and that-of
hops trebled, the. increase. of the 'price ,of .Deer
was very small, and -tiot'aliove a fifth.or'asixth ;
it was therefore not likely that this 'sown duty
would make any difference in the price,lo partien-
hirly os corn was so clinch cheaper.
Ilte I:louse then divided—
For going. into the Ginonitt.pe,
Againmt it `AI
nijority

The House then resolved Itself into a Com-
mittee on the Bill ;
Sir J. NEwrout :laid, that if the duty was to he
laid on, he had rather that it should be tivd than
three shillings.
111r.,FrrznERALD said he should persist in the
smaller duty. n,
The Bill then went through the Committee,. and
the report was ordered to he received Wks day,','