The Sun.
London, England, 1812-04-17 00:00:00

FRAUDS IN THE LICENSE TRADE.

Mr. W. HERBERT rose, tor the purpose of calling
the attention of the House to the frauds and perju-
ries- in the License Trade. He expressed hls sur-
prise that his Right' Hon. Friend, a't the head of the
High Court of Admiralty, had not felt it his ittiN-
pensable duty to attend such a disrm.sion. This
surprise was increased by the following circum-
stance. He (Mr. H.) having submitted to the
Right Hon. the Chancellor-of the Exchequer, a list
of the-Papers for which he was desirous to move,
in order to ascertain the probability of any- objettion
to' them, ,was told by the Right Hon. Gentlem
that before he could consent to ;heir prodoOion, he
must consult the Judge of ,t he High Court of Admi-
ralty. Having so consulted his Right Hon. Friend,
the Chancellor of the Exchequer told him, that he
should feel it his duty to resist the produelion of any
documents whatever on the subject. He did con
ceive, therefore, that after such advice had been
given by his Right Hon. Friend to the Right Hon.
Gentleman, lus Right Hon. Friend was more than
ever called upon to appear in place, and to ex-
plain his reasons for that advice. The reason as.'
signed by, the Chancellor of the Exchequer was most
extraordinary, namely, that it would be extremely
inconvenient to grant the Papers, which he. (Mr.
H.) required ; because, it those Papers were grant-
ed, it would be necessary for 'Government on their
part to move for the production of Papers relative to
what was called the neuturalizing system. When
the House considered the nature of this neutralizing
system, he was persuaded that they,would agree
with him, that a more extraordinary reason for op-

posing his motion could not have been advanced.
The neutralizing system was an attempt on the part
of neutrals to cover and disguise the property of the
enemy. Against this attempt, all the vigilance of
the Officers of the Crown had been exerted. How
then could this case be,considered as parallel With
those frauds in the License Trade, which had been
connived at, and 'even promoted and encburaged by
the Admiralty COurt ?
The Honourable and Learned Gentleman con-
cluded with moving a Resolution to the teklowing
effect
" That this House observes with great regret, the system
of "fraud and perjury recognised and protected by the High
Court of Admiralty, as justifiable sad necessary under pre
sent circumstanCes roe tne,suioport of British Commerce.—
That the abuse to which it is liable, and the depraved ex-
ample which it holds up to the nation' have dangerous
tendency to.the subversion of the fundainental principles
formerly acted upon, and to introduce a disregard of truth
into those Courts where truth alone ought to be spoken,
while it aimed at .a monopoly of commerce to the exclu-
sion of neutrals from the enjoyment of their rights, and to
the subversion of the most sacred principles,or the law of
Nations."
Mr. ROSE shortly replied to the leading• points
in the speech of the Honourable and Learned
Gentleman.
Mr. PONSONBT moved an Amendment.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER • opposed
it at some length.
Mr. H. THoRNTON explained.
Mr. BROUGHAM. spoke in favour of the Amend-
ment. •
Mr. MARRYATT and Sir J. NICHOLL opposed the
motion.
Mr. A. BARING Mr. THOMPSON, Mr WHIT-
BREAD, and Sir J. NEv PORT supported it.
Mr. 'Ross and Mr. MAitaYATT explainod, and
Mr. HERBERT replied.
The Amendment to the on motion %vas car

tied, but upon the question bring put upon the ()ri•
plat motion as auirncled, it was negatived without
a division._

On the" motion of Mr. WIIITBREAD; Cop;es of
Licensts grantcd for the exportation of crrtain goodi
and manutaaures under 51. per pan, was ordered to
be, laid before the'House.

The Home having resolved into a Committee on
the Irish Tobacco

. Sip-JOHN Nawrotur renewed hiS obje&9ions to
two of the clauses, ,the one fixing a price under
w Welt Tobacco should -not be sold; and the other
for rendering void all bills, notes, or other securi,
ties, which should be given for the purchase of To.
bacco, at a less price than that prescribed in the
other clause.. He contended that nor Mug could be
more injurious to trade than to attempt to fit,
either a minimum or a maximum on the price oe,
goods ; and he' said, it once the principle was laid
doWn, it would be impossible to foresee where it
would step. It would be said to be a very great
hardship upon a merchant who wanted to raise money
to support his credit, to be prohibited from selling
his .own commodities even at a lower price than.thei

Mr: W. VOLE admitted, that as a general prin-
ciple, nothing could be more objeBlonable than
that of fixing a minimum; but he contended that,
in the present Case,, and under the peculiar circum-
stances attending this trade in Ireland, the provision
in question was necessary. The whole of the wes-
tern coast of -Ireland was full of harbours and bays,
int() which vessels from America, with smuggled
Tobacco could easily run in ; it was therefirre ne-
cessary to adopt every possible measure for the pro.
tectiori of the Revenue and the • fair trader. This
provision which the Hon. Batonet objected to, could
only operate upon tho,e persons in Ireland who took
out Licenses to sell Tobacco, and so far were they
from objecting to it, that they highly approVed of
it,.as the most effectual means to proted them from
the Smuggler. This Clause was not now introduced
for the first time by him ; it had been inserted in
every Tobacco Bill since the' thirly first of the
King, and if any grievance had been. .felt, most
undonbtedly the Merchants would have com-
plained. With respea to the clause for render-
•ing void bills and negotiable securities, he was of
opinion, upon consideration, that that part of the
elapse shoo;d be omitted, and therefore he should
propose an Aineridiiient to that effeEt.
A conversation ensued between Mr. Horner, Mr.
Shaw, Mr. Baring, and the Chancellor of the Es.-
chequer, after which Mr. Pole's Amendment was
agreed-to, ond the Committee then divided upon
Sir John Newport's motion for leaving out the
dame—

Ayes

Noes

The other orders of the day were then disposed
Of, and the House adi3nrned. '

PRESERVATION OF CLOVERS.—The untin:lified
success of an experiment made by a distinguished
agliculturr: :cot:len:an in the East patt.of the courity
of Dxset, has at length supplied this desideigitis

in- hu,,barldry. The -outline of the method, is to".
plough' the yowsg clovers up, ht the commencement_
of the severity of winter, and to replace them on
the surface early in the spring, by running ;:he fur-
row back, aid .A part;cokr aco,,ont of ;
this curious bat simple process is, wilt that i
_bet al
of communication t eculiat to his Lordship, prepar-
ing to be laid before the Committee of the Counl
•
Agricultural BDard.
The Devonshire, breed of oxen are now the fa-
vourites with ,our agriculturists : their docility its
harness, 'and their aptitude to become fat, being
found superior to any other stock.
The 'plant called Dog's Tongue, which grows it)
abundance in every field (the cynogliannze o/Jicinale
of`Linnaeus), has been found to possess a very va-
luablr If gathered at the period when the
sap is in its full vigour; bruised with a haminer•
and laid it) a house, granary, or any place frequented
by rats and mice, those destructive vermin
,shiff.
their quarters. The success of this method is equally
speedy and infallible.