The Sun.
London, England, 1812-02-04 00:00:00

CORN DISTILLERY PROHIBITION BILL.

On the question- for going into a Committee on
this

A conversation took pl ice between the Earls
LAUDERDALE and •BATHURST, and Lord GREN-
VILLE, • but of which our very restricted limits con-
tine us to • brief sketch.

Earl LMYDERDAL vindicated himself from any
dereliction of principle in his not opposing the pro-
gress 'of the Bill in quest log. He retained those by
which he was actuated when he joined in the sue-
cessi ul resistance to a similar measure last Session of
Parliament. -He pointedly denied, however, that
the condnll of those with whom he had the honour
to ad, iiducing that proceeding, had, in the least
degree, contributed to bring the country into the
state, that was alleged in. these respeds. What
may be the real state of the corn harvest, he had
not equal, opportunities with the Noble Lords oppo-
site, of ascertaining ; but he must express his opi-
nion, that the condua of his Majesty's Ministers on
the occasion was blamable. They should, on as-.
certaiuing the prosped of scarcity, have come to
one of two determinations, either to call Parliament
together, and let the Legislature, the proper apt!
constitutional organ, apply the remedy ; or leave
proceeded to suspend the distillation front grain, on
their own responsibility, and to have trusted to Par-
liament for an Act of Ineeinuity. He retained all
his convictions respelling the superior policy of en-
couraging the agriculture of the country, and, ex-
cept in eases of evident znd undeniable necessity,
permitting the free distillation of corn, as such,
would eventually contribute to preclude real scarci-
ties. He, however, under the circumstances, and
with a view to the state in which the country in
some respe&s was placed, rather leaned ,to that side,
which would-afford the least ground of immediate
complaint ; and though he deemed that stale to be,
in'no small degree, attributable to Ministers, lie
would not oppose the Bill.
Earl BATHURST ably defended the condua of his
Majesty's Government on the occasion alluded to
by the Noble Earl. He adverted to the difficulty
of ascertaining, at aught of an early period, what
the real state of a coming harvest would be ; but
when the idea of approaching scarcity seemed to be
strongly impressed on the public mind, -and peti-
tions were presented to Government in consequence,
they determined on the most regular and constitu-
tional course of applying to Parliament for its inter-
ference at the earliest practicable opportunity, as he
held the other alternative mentioned by the Noble
Earl, of suspending the operation of the laws, to be
an unconstitutional expedient, and justifiable only
in cases of extreme necessity.

• Lord GREOVILLE, though he agreed generally
with his Noble Friend,,jvas far from being ready to
go the length of recdmmendiug, as an alternatir e of
the Executive Power, suspending, on its o►sn au7
thority, the law of the land. Willi his Noble Friend
over the way, (Earl B.) he agreed, that such an
expedient was highly nticon,titutional, "and justifia-
ble only in cases of extreme_necessi►y. indeed, he
regretted that the frequency of such a practice some
time since, had, to a certain extent; so accustomed
the people to it, that in the present instance, they
came forward, even in the- very metropolis, and pe-
titioned the Executive Gr.vernment fur a suspen-
sion of the existing laws. In, a case like the present,
Minister had only one course to follow, viz.—to
cause Parliament to be assembled, and take the
sense of the LegislAtice upon the subjea. Parlia-
ment had, by an Act of some years back, became
liable to an assembling at fourteen days notice, and
that Aet was framed under the contemplation of
future cases of urgency. The circumstances of the
country, eitnerin a domestic or an external view,
called for disciliou and promptitude OtA the-patt of

The Insolvent Debtors' B;11 was committed, and
ordered to he repotted to-morrow.

Lord FOLKSTONE Qostponed till Frilly, his mo-
tion respecting the Ecclesiastical Court,
Mr. CREEVBY also' postponed, till Tuesday the
11th inst. his motion respecting the Four and Half
per Cent. Fund.

EAST INDIA COMPANY.

Mr. WALLACE gave notice, that he should, to-
morrow, move for a Bill to alter the mode of paying
back certain silms borrowed by the East India Com-
pany., and also for the re-appointment of the East
ihtla CoinfwiteC4 •
EMBEZZLEMENT OF NAVAL STORES.

M. CHOKER rose and moved, that the various.
Ads relating to the grnbezzlementot Naval Stores,
be entered as read. They were accordingly read
pro forma.

The Hon. Gentleman then moved for leave to
bring in a, Bill to extend those Aas w Ireland. At
present, he observed, there was no Ad in that king-
dom to prevent the embezzlement, and he moved,
in consequence of a flagrant case which. had lately
come to the knowledge of Government.---Leave was
given. _ _