The Sun.
London, England, 1823-02-25 00:00:00

?A,RL,IAMENT•

HOUSE OF LORDS, FEB. 2.1.
The-House tnet at ten o'clock in the morning,
anti proceeded in Appeals.
The Indemnity Bill was brought up from the House of Corn.
mons by Mr. Brogden and other-Members.
Petitions against the Insolvent Debtors' Acts were presented
by the Earl Somers from Hereford, and by the Earl of Darnley
from Beasley, which, together with.othere, were ordered to lie
upon the table as were' also some petitions respecting Pecu-
liars and the New Marriage Act, and a petition complaining of
Agricultural Distress, presented by the Earl of Shaftesbury,
front the county of Carmarthen. •
AGRICULTURAL DISTRESS.
The Earl SOMERS presented the Petition complaining of
Agricultural Distress, &c. agreed to at the Hereford 'County
Meeting on the 17th ult., at which Meeting his Lordship pre.
sided, he hating agreed to summon It pursuant Si) requisi.
tion, after the High Sheriff had declined to call it. His Lord-
, ship detailed the circumstances which took place at the Meet.,
ing, and which were stated at the time in our report of it. Ile
.fought it right to enter into this debate, because he hail re.
fused to sign the petition, and because he Objected to some of
the allegations contained it. The Agricultural Distress was
undoubtedly very great, and though it might be said that after
a time that distress would be alleviated, and though it was
title that great landholders might withstand the pressure, still
it could not but excite the most melancholy feelings in men who
were enabled to bear up against it, to see their neighbours con.
tintially falling one after another around thetn, Ile certainly
did nut mean to advocate any measure that could affect public
credit, far from it ; public credit was to a nation, what private
credit was to an individual ; but let it be recollected how much,
during the war; public credit was supported by the landholders;
,who cheerfully sustained the burdens imposed upon themee
burdens which were the more heavy, inasmuch as in addition
to the taxes they paid in common with other classes, there were
• various local rates which bore exclusively upon them. It was
impossible they could continue to sustain those burdens under
the change of circumstances which had occurred without widely
extended ruin. In addition to the depreciation of prices arising
from the transition from war to peace, they had to encounter all
lite baneful effects arising to them out of what was called Mr.
Peel's Bill. He did not mean to say that we ought not ulti.
innately to return to a metallic currency; hut het; objected to
the penod, as being a peculiarly unfortunate one at which that
Bill began. to operate. It certainly greatly added to the dis.
tress. lie knew many instances in which estates had been
mortgaged, under then existing circumstances as to their value,
for the purpose of providing portions for younger children ;
and the effect now was, under the change of circumstances that
had taken place, that the younger children took all the pro.
fits of the estate,. and nothing was left for the eldest sons,
to whom it was intended by their parents the estates should
devolve. His idea was, not that any measure should be
adopted affecting public credit, but that the burdens now
falling exclusively upon the landholders should be equally
borne by the other classes of society. A man might have
two hundred thousand pounds in the Funds, and might
pay very little Assessed Taxes or Poor Rates, whilst he, who
had that capital invested In land, not only paid taxes and rates
himself, but . all his tenants occupying portions of his land,
paid also taxes and rates for every part of it. This he consider-
ed an unfair proportionment of the burdens of the State, and
one which at the present moment not only pressed most heavily
. upon the' Landlords, but threatened extensive ruin. Ile was
convinced that the original intention of the 43d Elizabeth was,
that personal property; as well as land and houses, should be
•..assessed to the Poore Rake (his Lordship quoted an opinion of
the late Lord Kenyon to this effect). Ile was aware that there
was considerable difficulty in assessing personal property to the
Poor's Rate; but under the circumstances of distress in which
the landed interest were placed, he thought this difficulty ought
to be encountered.
The Earl of DARNLEY repeated his opinion, that the
. Agricultural Distress had reached its worst point, and that no
-relief could be afforded except by means of a considerable re-
duction of taxation. lie observed by the votes of the House of
'COMinoilll upon the Table that a reduction of taxation had
been proposed, of which, so far as it went, he of course approv-
. ed ; but he thought that relief might be afforded to a greater
extent, and that it would be sufficient for all the purposes of
public credit, to have a Sinking Fund of 2,0011,0001. instead of
' 4,00,0001.
The Petition was read and ordered to lie upon the Table.
I%?ARRIAUES.
The Archbishop of CANTERBURV moved that the Corn.
roittee on the Law regarding Marriages, should have permis.
filen to report front time to time. .
This having been agreed to,
His ()nee presented a report from the Commitee, recom.
',mending that in the .mean time, until an ultimate decision
could be come to, a short Bill should be passed, repealing all
chitties of the-new Marriage Act of last Sessions, rdating to
the solemnization of Marriages.
The Report having been *weed to,
Hie Orace presented a Bill for the purpose mentioned in the
Report, stating that it was thought advisable to introduce this
• maxima, with the view of allaying a very unpleasant excitement
of the public mind upon tine subject, and of preventing that
immorality which might arise from impediments being thrown
the way of marriage. The Committee would, with the least
possible delay, come to a determination upon the whole sub.
„met, but its consideration would unavoidably take up some
time.

' herd ELLENTIOROUGII was anxious that there should
-be no misunderstanding with regard .to the object of the Bill
.presented by the Most Reverend Prelate. The effect of it
would be that the old law regarding marriages would be re-
stored, with the exceptions that the marriages could not be an-
nulled, and that the Surrogates, whose power.of granting.the
.licenses was taken away by the Act of last Session, would .4411
not have theyower of granting such licenses. In all. other re-
spects the old law, with regard to the 'solettinization of mar-
maes, would be restored. • .
The Bill was read a first time, and ordered for a second read-
;u2" g to-morrow.
the Marriage Legalization Bill was read a second Aime, and
.connuitted for to-morrow. - • .
FOREIGN

The Marquis of LANSDOWN said that he rose, according
.to the intention he had expressed on a former night, for the
purpose of putting some questions to the Noble _Earl at The
' head of his Majesty's Government relating to Foreign Affairs.
He was sure the House would feel that it could not be his wish
.to provoke any premature discoSsion which might by possibi-
' iity interfere with ariy neiociations that might be now going on
with vieki/,fer thei4eservation of p. ace. His -object V/34, to
ascertain -whether the same ground of hope that was stated
.On a previous night 'as a reason for not entering into par.
'ticul;tre still existed; and he was the more anxious to ah-
.-stain.from 44 general discussion, if that should he the case, in
consequence of the fVrturrate concurrence of opinion manifested
by both Hooks of, Parliament at the comnienceMent of the
Session, When ho con Sid, re Li that three weeks had now
'elapsed since the meeting of Parliament, and that, many opper-
'itinitirer had since occurred of receiving communications from
'the Spanish, government, and still more from the government
of Prance; wbicli, by the threat denounced against Spain, had
:struck at the independence of nations, he was anxious to put it
eluestion, the answer to which would be anxiously looked for
by all persona—namely, whether that hope, whatever the vsaue
of it might he, of preserving the., peace-of Western Europe,
still,eotiated. in'the minds of his Majesty's Minieters, or whether
any expectation at all wacentertained by the King's Govern-
ment that, peace Gould be preserved'? It would depend upon
the answer which ire received whether he would put another
question or not arising out of the same topic to which he had
*Nay alluded.
The Earl of LIVERPOOL said, that on the first day when
this subject was introduced, he took .the'liberty, i.n.anewer to the
the state of our foreign Noble, Marquis, of' 'explaining
rela-
tions,' as far as he conceived to be consistent with his public
duty. He had then stated that the door was not absolutely close,d
.against the prospect of peace, and had deprecated any further
discussion as calculated to interfere with the exertions which
Ilia Majesty's Governmentiniighlmake towards the accomplish.
.meet of go 'desirable an ()Wed. Whatever difference of opinion
Might exist upon any other-point, there was but one as ,to the
propriety of titaintainlog" a geneial'peace: He, therefore, now
again deprecated any furtherdiscuseion.till..it was evident that
peace could not be pregeilia. He had do difficulty in stating
at the same time that epeeist circumstances had arisen since the
.period before alludOtt to, and some of them recently, whith

Made him more aaverse than before to any discussion of the
differences, bettvevi France and Spain. lie would not shrink
at a future day feint) explaining the grounds upon which his
Majeity's Government had proceeded bitt us they all looked
with anxiety to the preservation of what the Noble Marquis
had called the peace of Western Europe, he was sure their
Lordships would be induced to refrain from further obsetva.
don, and especially when he stated that the forbearance which
Parliament had already shewn, had afforded material advan-
tages to his Majesty's Government in its negotiations with these
foreign Powers.

The, Marquis of LANSDQWN said, that it was impossible
to be dissatisfied with what had fallen from the Noble Earl, al.
ways bearing in mind that Ministers were acting on their own
responsibility. The observation, that the forbearance adopted •
by Fatliament, had afforded advantage to the negociations of.
the Government, must have the effect of closing his mouth as
to the state in which those negociations at present stood ; but
there was one question which he felt himself justified in putting
to the Noble Earl, and to which he did not anticipate any ob-
jection. It was, whether, in the course of the negociations
which preceded the recent difference between the Courts of
France and Spaini, any engagement had been entered into as
to any part which this country might take in the result of
a contest ? In short, whether this country was still unshac-
kled as to the side which she might take supposing a war to be
inevitable?

The Earl of LIVERPOOL said it would be impossible to
give a detailed answer to that-question, without entering into a
review of the whole policy adopted by the Government for a
considerable period, but this much be would say generally,that
Government had entered into no engagement whatever, nor
would they feel themselves justified in doing so, which could
prevent them from taking any course that might be necessary
to the honour and character of the nation.,

Lord ELLENBOROUOII said he did not rise for the pur-
pose of gutting any question, after the explanation of the Noble
Earl, but he would not entertain any sanguine views with re-
spect to the preservation of peace between France and Spain
since the Speech of the. King of France. The Noble Earl had
stated that the same desire of peace between France and Spain
which was felt by his Majesty's Ministers, was also felt by the
Noble Lord who generally opposed them. In that opinion he
fully agreed, and be could say for himself, hat he looked with

the utmost anxiety to the prevention of any war in the present
state of public feeling. But if the mediation of England was
conducted upon the principle of inducing Spain to give up any
part of her Constitutional privileges, we were as guilty of in.

justice as the Allied Powers themselves; and the Ministers, if
they had so committed themselves, would incur a heavy re.
sposibility at some future period.—Adjourned.

HOUSE OF COMMONS, FEB. 24.

INSOLVENT DEBTORS' ACT.

Mr. WOlitlibilSE presented a petition against the Insol-
vent Debtors' Act from the Mayor and Corporation of the 1).o.
rough of Mariborough.—Ordered to be printed.
Mr. MONDAY presented similar. petitions from Chester-
field and Amhboume.

Sir A. PELHAM presented a similar petition from Gains•
borough.—Ordered to be printed.

LEATHER TAX.
Sir JOHN NEWPORT presented a petition from the
Tanners of the City of Waterford, praying for the real of
H
the remainder of the Leather Tax. The onourable Baronet
strongly recommended the adoption of this suggestion to the
House.
Mr. .f,'ALCRAFT gave notice of his intention to move,
that the tax alluded to in the Petition should be repealed,
in lieu of the reduetiokof the duty on carriages proposed by
the Chancellor of the bitchequer ; and also for the repeal of
the Tallow Duty, in place of the proposed reduction on riding
horses.
Mr. CuItTEIS and Mr. CultwEle expressed their opinion,
that the removal of the Leather Duty would be beneficial to
the Agricultural Interest.
The Petition was read, and ordered to be printed.
Mr, CURTEIS presented a Petition from Bexley, Sussex,
against the Hop Tax. Ordered to be printed.
Mr. GOULBURN brought up a Return of the Circular sent
to the Cdlonels of Militia in Ireland.--Laid on the table.
Mr. GOADON presented a Petition from Aberdeen, com.
plaining of Agricultural Distress.—Ortiered to be 'printed.
REMISSION OF TAXES IN SCOTLAND.
Mr. CHARLES GRAM', seeing the Chancellor of the.
Exchequer in his place, took that opportunity of asking him
whether it was intended to give the same relief in the shape
of taking off taxes to Scotland, as the Right Honourable
Gentleman had proposed in his late .speech to administer to
Ireland ?
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER was happy
in the opportunity thus affbrded him of apologizing to the
Right Right fronoura,ble Gentleman and his countrymen for
having omitted to advert to the important topic to which the
Right Hon. Gentleman hxd just called his attention, In the
statement he had had the honour to submit to the House on a
former evening. Had he (unfilled on that occasion the inten-
tions with which he comtneaced, he would not now have to
make this communication. Tn answer to the Right. Hon.
Gentleman's question, •he had to say that it was his intention
to propose to the House to extend the same relief to Scotland
as he had proposed for Ireland.
Mr. CALCRAFT, seeing the Chancellor of the Exchequer
in his place, renewed the notice he had given, above mention.
ed, which it Was his intention to move at the proper period.
Mr. CURWEN wished to know whether the Chancellor of
► the Exchequer would object to except from Window Tax alto.
gether that else* of houses rated at N. with six windows.

The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER confessed it
Aid not enter into any part of his intentions to change the view
'he had originally taken on this subject. This was to take off
50 per cent. on Window Tax in general, receiving no specific
duty but that on the lower order of shop windows.
Mr. 110BHOUSE. in consequence of what had fallen from
the Right lion., Gentleman, gave notice,
of
lit. should ad-
here to the motion for the total abolition of this duty, which he
had already intimated to the House.
Mr..Ht.DIE, at the request of an Hon. Member, postponed
his motion which stood for.tbis evenini to Wednesday next.