The Sun.
London, England, 1821-02-03 00:00:00

LIBELLOUS ADD 11 ESS.

Sir J. NEWPORT moved, that the publication
in The Gazette, to which he had called the at-
tention of the" House on the, preceding night,
should beread.—The publication in question was
then read.

Sir J. NEWPORT moved, " That the paper en-
titled a Dutiful and LoyaL Address from the
Peshytery of Langham contained passages which
were a manifest breach of the privileges.of that
House." •

The Motion being agreed to, the Right Hon.
Baronet next moved that the following insertion
should be made on the Journals t—" That a com-
munication having been officially made that the
insertion of the aforesaid Address in The London
Gazette, containing the reprehensible expressions
which took place through inadvertency, the House
does not feel called upon to take any further no-
tice of the same."—The Motion was agreed to.
Mr. HUME inquired if there would be any ob-
jection to insert the Resolutions of the House in
The Gazette to counteract the impression made
by the appearance of the Address.

The CI; INCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said, the
publication of the Resolutions in the Gazette
would be an anomaly, and he thought it might
be inconvenient to break through the usages of
the House.

RANK OF IRELAND.'
On a Motion that the House should go- into a
Committee -of Supply,
Mr. G RENFELL said, he • had ascertained the
report that the Bank of Ireland had refused to
receive the legal coin of the-Rearm to be a fact..
What their reason for doing so could be, he was
at a loss to conjecture. He could easily conceive-
that a private Bank might be disposed to oppose
itself to a return of metallic currency. It was
strange that the Bank of Ireland should act such
a part. If it were done with a view of opposing
a return to cash payments, he thought the Go-
vernment ought to interfere..
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER had cer-
tainly no information to give the House on the
subject. He had received no accounts from: Ire-
land, and had not seen his Right. Hon. Friend
the Chief Secretary for Ireland that day. The
Hon Gentleman must be aware, that neither the
Bank of Ireland, nor any other Bank, could re-
fuse the legal cola of the realm, by whomsoever
it might be tendered.

Sir J. NEWPORT remarked, it wasknown that
they could not refuse the legal coin when tender-
ed for a debt due to the Bank of Ireland. What
he understood was, that the Irish Bank refused
to receive deposits in the legal coin of the realm.
Since the Exchequers and Treasuries of Ireland
were consolidated, he thought the Chancellor of
the Exchequer, being also Chancellor of the Ex-
chequer for 'lreland, ought to be as well ac-
quainted with the affairs of that Country as with
those of this, and ought to have no occasion to
refer to the Chief Secretary for Ireland, who had
nothing to do with the subject.
The CuANcELLart of the EXCHEQUER did
not consider it to be any part of his duty to in-
quire into the private conduct of 'the Bank of
Ireland or the Bank of lilnglind. Those Banks
were answerable for what they did to the coun-
try, but not to the Government, and he was not
responsible for the conduct of either.

Sir H. PARNELL thought, when the connection
between the Government and the Bank of Eng-
land was considered, the doctrine,_ that Minis-
ters had nothing to do with the conduct of the
Bank, could not be admitted. The Bank- of
Ireland had recently taken a mistaken view of
the subject, and had refused to make issues to
carry on the ordinary concerns of this country,
when this seemed extremely desirable from the
peculiar situation of affairs. The conduct of the
Irish Bank did not appear to have been suitable
to the circumstances of the country, and he there-
fore tloinght the whole subject ought to come
under the consideration of the House. He
thought it would be much better if the monopoly
now enjoyed were taken away ; that in Ireland,
as in Scotland, theymight-hitTethe benefit of
competition that would be in that case excited.
amongst several large bodies of Bankers.
Mr. IRVINE said, the report that the. Bank of
Ireland had refused the current coin of the realm
as deposit had excited his surprise, and, he had
made inquiries, as to the fact, and had found it.
true'. The present situation of Ireland was, that
there was no circulation but that supplied by the.
Bank of Ireland. It might be impolitic for them.
to issue gold, which might eventually displace
their notes, so that it was no advantage to them
' to receive gold for deposits. Mare enlarged
views should, however, have prevailed with a
great establishment over the calculation of
vate advantage. He had heard also, that the'
Bank of Ireland discountenanced those who im,
ported gold. From what he knew of the re-
spectability of Gentlemen in the direction of the
Bank of Ireland, he was convinced they must
have acted from mistaken views. The Hon.
Gentleman then called the attention of the Chan-
cellor of the Exchequer to the Act for issuing
Exchequer Bias for the alleviation of distress,
which was so constructed that not one person
had been able to take advantage of it in Ireland,
though many had applied to the Commissioners.
Mr. BARlNG.thought this was one of the Sub-
jects over which it was the duty of Govermrent
to.watch. If the Bank of England ceased .to
transact the public business, could the country be

allowed to, remain without the operation of a'
Bank. Ministers had greater reason to look after
the Bank of Ireland than they had to look to the
Bank, of England. It was the duty of Govern-
ment to know if they used tl;eir charter as they
ought by carrying on, tho:business as they
ought to do, which certainly thea. did not, iF they
refused the curint coin of the realm. fle Confes-
sed that he was at a loss to guess why they
should do so, as after all they could sustain no
loss', but in printing and paper, and he should
have thought it for their interest, to issue their
notes for bullion. If it should appear that the.
Bank of Ireland set its face against a return to
metallic payments, the Government were duly
bound to interfere. Ile wished the system of
obliging tbe Bank to pay large sums in bullion
were made perpetual. This would in some mea-
sure alleviate the pressure on the country, and he
therefore hoped the system suggested by an Hon.
Friend of his (Mr. Ricardo) would be 'perpetu-
ated, as it had been found now, fOr several years;
to • prevent the depreciation of paper. He was
anxious to see what could be ellected to 'guard
against the forging Bank-notes. If the crime
could be rendered more difficult, (to prevent it
altogether was impossible,) the evil hitherto com-
plained of would be materially diminished. lle
hoped some Gentleman would move for a Com-
mittee to inquire what had been the conduct of
the Bank.

The CHANCELLOR of the ExcurocEn explain.:
ed, and repeated what he had before stated. He
had, at first, doubted the truth of the report time
the Bank of Ireland declined issuing their notes
for the legal coin of the realm, as it appeared to
be greatly for their advantage to avail themselves
of all such applications preparatory to the re-
sumption of cash payments. Of what it was that
led them to adopt a contrary opinion, he was
quite uninformed..

Mr. RacAntno said, it would afford him great
pleasure to see the system which he had recom-
mended made permanent. If thiS measure were
too long delayed, the Bank, to resume cash pay-
ments in 1823, would have to purchase much
more bullion than would otherwise be wanted.
He proceeded to show how the prices-of-gold and
silver operated on our present circulating me-
dium, and thence inferred the necessity of making
the system which Parliament had adopted per-
manent without delay.
The question for going into the Committee of
Supply was then agreed to.. -

The CHANCELLO-R of the EXCHEQUER moved
that accounts of Exchequer Biils outstanding
should be referred to, the said Committee.

Mr. BARING said. he. wished to see what they
had to hope from the question now pending re-
specting the Bank paper. He hardly' saw how
they could cOme to, a resolution on the subject
to which he had before called the .attention of
the House till they had some information as• to
what could be done to prevent a continuance of
forgeries to the extent witnessed in late' years_At present they were left in suspense as to the
period A which they might get the information
required. He witnessed the anxiety of the Gen-
tlemen to prevent this crime, for too many years
to doubt their zeal in the cause, and he hoped
that some information would be afforded` early in.
the present Session. Should this hope be disap-
pointed, long before the close of the Session he
should endeavour to submit some proposition to
the'llouSe,. applicable to the state of our curren-
cy.—The question Was then put and carried.