The Sun.
London, England, 1824-02-20 00:00:00

LEGACY DUTIES.

Mr. DUGDALE presented a petition from Birmingham,
relating to the Legacy Duties.—Laid on the table.
SLAVERY.

. - -
A Petition was presented from King's Lynn, praying the
Abolition of Slavery.—Laid on the table.

WINE.

Mr. T. WILSON presented a Petition from Thomas James
Wadd, Wine-merchant of the City of London, praying a re-
duction of the Duty on Wines. He stated that the Duties had
been increased to the diminution of Revenue, and that it was
well worth the attention of the Chancellor of the Exchequer,
whether a reduction of the Duty would not increase the com-
forts of the people without injuring the Revenue.
Mr HUME said, he hoped the Chancellor of the Exchequer
would include some measures of this nature in his state-
ment on the 23d ; if not, he trusted that the Honourable
Member who presented the Petition, would bring the subject
before the House as soon after as convenient.—The Petition was
laid on the table.

COM LIINA TION LA WS.—(PRINTE RS.)
Mr. HLT.IIE presented a Petition from the journeymen
Printers, of the City of London, against the combination
Laws.—Referred to the Committee.
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TRIAL OF FELON'S.
Mr. G. L%AlB•.withdrew his Notice relative to a bill for
enabling persons accused of Felony, to be defended by Coun-
cil, and renewed it for Wednesday, the 3d of March.
COAL DUTIES.
Sir C. COLE presented .a Petition from certain Coal Pro-
prietors in the County of Glamorgan, praying fora repeal of
the duties on Coals.
Sir T. LETHBRIDGE said, he thought the Chancellor of
the Exchequer would do better to turn his attention to the re-
peal of the taxes in preference to this. Many large Capitalists
had embarked their property in Coal Mines on the faith of this
being a perpetual tax, and it could not be repealed without in-
flicting a large measure of injustice upon that body.—The Pe-
tition was ordered to be printed.
Similar Petitions were presented from St. Colornb, Brizham,
Tonbridge Wells, Eddington, and Launceston.—Ordered to be
printed.
LICENCES.

Petitions were presented from the Lic,enced Victuallers of
Worksop and Nottingham, praying a reduction of the Excise
Duties upon Licences,_,and other articles.—Ordered to be
printed.
DISTILLERIES.

Mr. CI:RIVEN moved fora series of complicated returns,
relating to the Spirits Distilled in Scotland and Ireland, from
the years 1815 downwards,
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said the re-
turns were so numerous and so complex that he could not un-
derstand their extent. The Hon. Member had better with-
draw them until they could be inspected, in order to ascertain
their nature, and how far It maybe practicable to make them up.
Mr. CURWEN withdrew his motion accordingly.
BANK OF ENGLAND.
Mr. GRENFELL said, that since the notice he had given to
the Molise last week, he had abandoned the intention of moving
for the account relating to the issue of Bank Notes. He was
not then aware that any objection would be made by 'the Bank
to such a return. An Honourable Friend of his had since
told him, that he understood the Bank Directors had very. con-
siderable objections to such a measure. The reason assigned
was this. It was said the House might as well call for the ac-
counts of a Merchant, or of a Company of private Bankers.
Be did not at all agree in this view; on the contrary, when he
looked at the trust and confidence plaeed in that body, and
when he considered all the great privileges they enjoyed, he
could by no means hold them to stand in the same situation in
reference to the public as a private Banking Company. But
as the accounts for which he had intended to move would
have brought the issues of the Bank down to the present
time,. It perhaps would not be convenient to press for them,
and he should therefore confine himself to the annual ac-
counts, to the production of which, on the part of the Bank,
he understood there was no objection. The first related to
the deposits of public money paid to the Bank of England,
and the next to the charge for the management of the debt.—
The balances in the hands of the Bank had formerly amounted
to from, ten to twelve millions a year, but now they were re-
duced to four millions, the profit from which he believed to be
infinitely above what the services of the Bank justly deserved.
The amount paid to the Bank last year, for the management
of the public debt, was upwards of 250,0001. ' He was ready to
admit that no service could be better performed to the country
than this was by the Bank ; but from every information he
could acquire upon the subject, that service would be auffi-
'ciently well paid, if instead of nearly 260,0001. the Bank re-
ceived 160,0001. He knew that legal opinions had been taken,
which were unfavourable to the right of changing the condi-
tions before the Bank Charter expired. But when a legal man
gave an opinion of that nature, a great deal depended upon the
manner in which the case was stated to him ; and if he (Mr.
Grenfell) had the putting of the case, he should have no doubt
of the opinion being different. The Hon. Member concluded,
by moving for a return of the aggregate amount of all deposits
of public money paid into the hands of the Bank, with details
of the different heads under which they were deposited, for the
year 1823, with an account of all sums received for the manage-
ment of the Public Debt.

The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said, he was
glad the Hon. Member had not maintained his intention of
calling for the account of the issues of notes, because he thought
it would be a hard case if, as a matter of course, the Bank were
to be called upon to expose its affairs in such a manner. He
did not mean to as that no case would justify such a request
on the part of the House, but as the case now stood between
the Bank and the public, when there were no longer restric-
tions on their cash payments, he did not think it right to
be done as a matter of course. He had no objection to the
present motions, and it was not necessary for him to trouble
the House at any length upon them. The Hon. Gentleman
had stated very accurately that the balances in the hands of
the Bank had been reduced, and the difference applied bene-
ficially to the public service. It. was fit and proper for Par-
liament to make such an arrangement, and the Bank readily
acquiesced in it. With regard to the charges for the manage-
ment of the debt, he did not know whether a practical vote of
the House to diminish them could be come to. He differed
with the Hon. Member, and confessed he thought the opinions
of the Law-Officers founded upon most solid and substantial
grounds. He therefore thought the House would not be justi-
fied at present in calling upon the Bank forcibly to consent to
such a measure, whether they would or not. A compromise
had been made upon the last regulation, and as long as the
charter lasted, he thought that compromise ought to be re-
spected. Considering the services which the Bank had upon
several occasions rendered to the country, they ought not to be
looking out for every point of law which could 'be strained to
its lye.] udice.

expressed his wish to see the Government out of
the trammels of the Bank, and said he hoped the Chancellor of