The Sun.
London, England, 1823-04-19 00:00:00

THE LATE KING'S LIBRARY.

Sir C. LONG brought up the report of the Committee app-
pointed to, consider the appropriation of this library. On the
question that it beprinted,
Mr. J. C. HOBHOUSE said, he wished now to give notice,
that at a future stage of this measure, it was his intention to
state why he considered that the proposed appropriation of the
Lihrary would not be found to be most convenient.
Sir C. LONG said, the Committee had recommended the
giving the books to the British Museum, as the most appro.
priate way of disposing of it. The further stage of the business
would be the best for stating the Hon. Gentleman's intention.
The report was ordered to be printed.
NAVAL AND MILITARY PENSIONS' BILL.

The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER moved the
third reading of this Bill.
Mr. GRENTELL opposed it as a very bad bargain for the
country.
Mr. MANNING defended the conduct of the Bank.

Mr. PEARSE followed on the seine side.
Sir JOHN NEWPORT contended that this bargain with
the Bank was a direct violation of the statute of William and
Mary, which prevented the Bank from becoming a dialer and
jobber in public securities.
The. CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER repeated his
former arguments in defence of the bargain which he had made
with the Bank, and contended, that. if it had been made with
the Commissioners of the Sinking Fund, it could not have been
made on more advantageous terins. He likewise maintained,
that there was no difference of operation between the Bank's
dealing in Exchequer. Bills, as a now did, and its dealing in
funded stock to the extent which this measure authorized.
Mr. HUME wished to be informed, why this bargain with
the Bank had been made in a hole and corner, secretly, and
without any public competition. The Right Hon. Gentleman's
predecessor in office had given the public a pledge, that any
bargain which he made for the sale of these annuities should
always be made publicly, and be opened to the widest competi-
tion why had the Right Hon. Gentleman abandoned that
pledge ? 'The price, at which the bargain had been completed,
was in his opinion detrimental to the public; and he thought
that, except in the House of Commons, no 133 reasonable beings
could be found to sanction it. He theretbre called upon the
House to reject the measure now before it, and by so doing to
break off the secret contraband trade which at present existed
between the Chancellor of the Exchequer and the Bank. In
conclusion he moved that this Bill be read a third time this day
six months.

Mr. MABERLY shortly seconded the amendment.
Sir J. YORKE said, that as he did not understand more
than the four first rules of arithmetic, he would not pretend to
compete with the great arithtnaticians whom he saw around
him, or compute the profit or loss which was likely to accrue
from this bargain. What appeared strange to him was this—why
the bargain had ever been made at all.—(Hear o—The reason
of his rising at present was to ask the Right Hon. Gentleman
below him a question, and that question was this—as the dead
charge was to extend itself over 40 years, did he intend that at
the end of that period,every spectre of it should be defunct?—
(Hear ! and a laugh 4) and if he did, what was to be done with
those persons who were daily and hourly coming upon the half-
pay 1; st P.-4A laugh.)—He could understand the policy of the
plan, if at the end of the 40 years every man on half-pay was
to he 49 dead as Julius Cesar.—(hear, hear! and a 1augh.)....-
But that was not likely to be the case; there was a constant
sup! ly for the half-pay list. His -Hon. Friend below him (Sir
G. I:ackburtf, we believe) could inform the House, it' he chose,
thrtz scarcely a day passed without some officer coming on the
ha;.'-pay from the 200 Admirals, 800 Captains, and 3,000 Lieu-
ted arts who had rank in the British Navy.

:;Ir. RICARDO did not blame the Directors of the Bank of
Eland for making as advantageous a bargain as possible for
their constituents the proprietors. It WM, however, extremely
ii) :provident on the part of Government acting for the country.
I thought that there was also a constitutional objection to
t':e contract founded on the nature of the charter of the Bank,
:Ind the manner in which the capital was made available to the
public. It seemed to him highly impolitic that the Bank of
t;ngland should be allowed to snake specplations in the funds;
they might much more safely deal in commodities, such as rum,
Sugar, or coffee, than in public securities, which of late years
had been such a source of gambling. At all events, it was
clear that Ministers ought to have delayed the..conclusion of the
bargain Until they hadlaid the papers regarding the late nego-
tiations upon the table : had they so waited, the bargain might
have been more favourable to the public. He wished to know
whether the Bank was also to be allow to charge for the ma-
nagement of this transaction as well as the management of the
public debt.
Mr. HUSKISSON answered, that the Bank was to be al.
lowed nothing beyond the terms of the contract which
were before the House. Ile then proceeded to contend that the
bargain was advantageous for the public.
Mr. RICARDO explained.
Mr. H. GURNEY opposed the third reading.
Sir F. BLAKE also gave it his decided resistance.
Mr. MONCK suggested that the contract was in violation of
the Statute 5 Williatn 111., c. 30, which prohibited the Bank
from lending money on Crown Lands ar public securities. In
his opinion, as it walla matter in which they were peculiarly in-
terested, the Directors and Proprietors of the Bank who were
Members, ought not in delicacy to vote.
The House then divided—
_

For the Third Reading . 140
Against it - - 91
Majority -
Lord MILTON presented
,a petition, as was understood,
from the Archdeaconry of Cleveland, in favour ,of the Rbman
Catholic claims. Also a petition from certain Clergy of the
Diocese of York in favour of the same uestion.
FOREIGN AFFAIRS.
Mr. MACDONALD gave notice, that on Monday se'nnight
(the earliest open day) he should bring forward a motion upon
the papers lately produced by the Right Hon. Secretary for
Foreign Affairs. 'The motion would probably take the form of
an Address to the Crown. lie hoped that Right lion. Gentle.
men, teeing the propriety of expediting the 'day of such a dis.
cussion as much as possible, would take care rmt to propose any
thing for Monday se'nnight which should take the House out
of his hand. If he was not misinformed, Mr. Macdonald
added,. the Rouse of Lords was in possession, or was likely
immediately to be, of some information beyond that upon 1

which his motion was to be founded ; and he wished to
know whether the Right Honourable Foreign Secretary would
add that information by way of supplement to the papers before
the House, or whether be (Mr. Macdonald) should move for
them in form.

Mr. CANNING said that he himself would undertake to
move for the papers in question.
AGRICULTURE.
Mr. COKE presented a petition from the Land Owners in
the vicinity of Norwich, praying for IN reduction in the duties
on Malts

, -
Mr. Alderman Wpon and Mr. WODEHOUSE supported
the petition.
IRISH TITHES.
General HART presented a petition from the County of
Donegal, agreed to at a meeting convened by the Sheriff, in
favour of the bill for the Commutation of Tithes.
Lord MOUNTCHARLEs differed from the petitioners in
the view they took of that bill.
• CRIMINAL LAW.
Mr. BROUGHAM, on the part of his Honourable Friend
the Member for Lincoln (Mr. J. Williams), gave notice of a
motion for the 2d of May to extend that law which made a
Quaker's affirmation receiveable in a Court of Justice from civil
to criminal cases.