The Sun.
London, England, 1819-12-22 00:00:00

HOUSE OP COMMONS.

Mr. M.Arsettts gave notice, that he would to-
rnoitow move for papers, showing the total
amount of the Revenue of Great Britain, from the
sth January to the sth October, in the present
year ; also, for on account of the sums paid on
the new duties, and for a long series of fiaancial
documents which he enumerated.
Fie also gave notice, that immediately after the
recess he would move for leave to bring in a 13111
to continue the Duties on exported Linen, which
won'd expire in March, 1820.
Mr. LYTTLETON gave notice. that he would
to-morrow move for leave to bring in a Bill simi-
lar to that which lie had introijitced in the last
Session of Patliament, to prevent Unskilful per-
sons from acting as Conveyancers. He did not
propose to proceed with the Bill before the [Toli-
doys. He wished to be allowed to bring it in,
that it might be printed, and left open for the con-
sideration of Members during the recess.
Mr. LustiiNGTON presented certain Papers
ordered by the House, showing the amount of
the Funded and Unfunded Debt, and the Capital
created.—Ordered to lie on tl►e table.
COURT OF EXCHEQUER.

The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER rose,
pursuant to the no►ice that he had given on the
preceding day, to more for leave to bring in a
for the better securit►g of Monies end Effects
paid into the Court of Exchequer. The subject
had been abeady more than once before the
House, and being one of great importance, he
thought it would be desirable to bring in the
Bill now, that it might be read El first anti se-
cond time, printed, and then left open for con-
sideratiot► till alter the holidays, lie proposed
by this Bill to make an arrangement in the Court
of Exchequer similar to that which had given
such great satisfaction in the Court of Chancery.
The provisions of the Bill, when understood,
would, he thought, meet with the general ap-
probation of the House. it went to appoint an
Accountant-General and two Masters, who were
to take account of all monies and effects paid in
on account of suitors in the Court of Exchequer,
The details of the Bill, however, would best ex-
plain the particular provisions which were thought
thiirahle, and he should therefore confine himself
to moving for leave to bring in a Bill for the bet-
ter securing monies
,and effects belonging to
suitors in the Court of Exchequer, and for ap-
pointing an Accountant-General and two Masters
to the said Court.

CALCUAFT wished to know how the Offi-
cers to be appointed were intended to be paid,•
lie hoped they were not to look for their emolu-
ments from dividing the brokerage of the Court,
es was done in the Court of Chancery. -If the
Officets in dues'ion were necessary, they ought
to have proper salaries allowed them, and if the
brokerage of the Court could be done for less
than the usual charges, the suitors ought to have
the benefit of the dimittishedexpence.

The CnaNcELLoa of the EXCHEQUER said, as
the Bill stood at present, the Masters and the
Accountant were to be paid partly by salaries,
and partly by certain fees which were to he al-
lowed them. The salaries were to be paid out
of what was called the dead money of the Court,
and would thus cause no expellee to be thrown
on the public.
Mr. CALCRAFT had nothing to object to the
general plan of the measure. To him it appeared
a very proper one, and he was only surprised that
it had not been sooner resorted to. All be meant
to say was this, that some fixed salary ought to
be granted to she Accountant, and lie ought not
to be compelled to look for his remuneration as
the Accountant-General of the Court •of Chan-
cely did, by dividing profits with the Broker of
the Court. It would, ill, his opinion. be much
Letter to give them salaries at once, than to have
recourse to such an objectionable mode of paying
for their services.

GRAHAM was extremely anxious that the
Bill should be brought in, and that it should pass.
Leave was given to bring in the Bill.

The CHAticELLott of the ExcnEauga imme-
diately brought it in, and it was read a first and
ordered to he read a second time to-morrow;
FRIENDLY SOCIETIES AND SAVINGS BANKS.

BoorLe 'WILBRAHAM seeing a Right lion.
Fiiend of his its Lis glace, wished to ask him a

question, which, however odri and absurd it
seem, it was of considerable importance that he
should answer. That an answer should be given
was of great importance to the labouring, part of
the imputation in Lancashire, where a report had
been industrinuily circulated, that it was the in-
tention of Government to take the money belong-
ing fer the *Siiving Banks and the Friendly Socie.
ties, in order to apply it towards paying off the
National Debt.—(A laugh !)—Absurd as this
story was, it had been malignantly sent abroad, and
it had been unfortunately caught up by many per-
sons who were ignorant of the fact, that Govern-
ment had not the power if it had the inclination,
to apply the funds alluded to in any such manner.
The circulation of this calumny bad caused the
breaking tip of many Friendly Societies—liar) in-
duced others to draw their money out of the Sav-
ings Banks, and had, in short, produced conse-
quences that were seriously injurious, to that part
of the country of which he had more particularly
spoken. For himself it was unnetessary that
Ire should state that he vas quite aware that Go-
vernment could have no intention of attempting
any thing of the kind.. He knew whence the
story had proceeded—he kaew that it had been
• invented and circulated by intere.oed individuals
•to forward their own mischiesous views. The
tale, however, had seemed to receive a colouring
from the provision contained in an Act of the
last year regulating SaVings Batiks, which went
to authorize certain payments to be made to the
Counnisaioners for Redeeming the National .Debt.
He knew that this ought to be viewed with
suspicion, arid he had denied that Government
had any intension of toncl.ing the funds in ques-
tion, but his denial pa-ssed for nothing, and there-
fore he hoped the Chancellor of the Exchequer
teonld have no objection to answer the question
Which he thought it right to ask, namely, whe-
ther it seas the intention of Government to appro..:
prime the monies deposited in Savings Banks,
and those belonging to Friendly Societies, to pay
off th'e National Debt ? •
The CuraNceLeott of the EXcneciorta said, after
all the experience that they had had of the ex-
tent to which absurdity and misrepresentation
cold(' he carried, he had certainly not been pre-
pared to expect that it would be necessary for
Trim to answer a question like that which had just
been put to him by his Hon. Friend. He had
been asked if it was the intention of Government
to appropriate the monies deposited in Savings
Banks, and those belonging to Friendly Societies,
to pay off the National Debt ? He had Only to
reply, that the report was without the .smallest
foundation, either in fact or in probability. The
Hon. Gentleman knew well, that all the money
paid into the Savings Banks was kept distinct
from all other monies, and the Treasury had not
the power, if they had the will, to appropriate one
farthing of it to any purpose but that for which
it was intended, and understood by the subscri-
bers, that it should be applied for their benefit.
Mr. BR•UGHANI remarked, the Right Hon.
Gentleman might -have the consolation of know-
ing, that his Majesty's Government, it calumniat-
ed, were not calumniated alone. The Committee
on Education had had its motives misrepresented
in the same way ; and among other things, it
was said of them, that they wished to seize on
the funds of the several establishments, into the
abases of which they were directed ro inquire;
and it was further stated to be their object to turn
the two Universities into Charity Schools. He
hoped the Right Hon. Gentleman would not cal-
culate on putting down the wilful mis-statement
which had been made, by what lie had said, as
the calumny to which be had alluded, though re-
futed five hundred times, had still been sent
abroad again as industriously as when it was first I
invented. •

The CUANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER (11(1 hope
that what he had said would hive the effect tl►i+t
he wished, as his statement, when it went forth,
would be coopled with tl►e well known fact, that
in no case had any society experienced the least
difficulty in withdrawing the money which belong•
ed to it, whenever its members had thought pro-
per to do so.
Mr. CALCRAFT thought, it might be consoling to
those who had been alarmed by the Report,
which was the subject of the question just put to
the Right Honourable Gentleman, to know there
was no ground for their apprehension, as in the
present year there tvonld be nothing paid to dimi-
nish the National Debt, either trots► that or from
any other quarter. The proposed Sinking Fund
of Five Millions was a Sinking Fond in the
clouds.—(A laugh, and cries of " Order, order.")
—He must contend that if a conversation like the
present was allowed to go on, when no question
was before the house, lie had as good a right to
express his sentiments as another. The Gentle-
men in Lincashire, who hind been afraid the Na-
tional Debt was about to be paid off with their
money, might be informed that, up to the com-
mencement of the present year, we were said to
have a Sinking Fond of Fifteen Milli Ons. That
then it was determined to have a .clear Sinking
Fund of only Five Millions. That, he feared,
would now he found to fall very short, and no-
thing wool(' be applied this year to the reduction
of the debt.

The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER,. pro-
tracted as this conversation had been, was desir-
ous of offering one woid more.. He -was sure that
it would be consoling for the Hon• Gentleman to
know that, in this instance, he had fallen into a
mistake, and that, so far as he (the Chancellor of
the Exchequer) was able to form a judgment troth
the present state of the revenue, he could not
perceive that any material deviation from the plan
laid down in the last Session of Parliament would
be necessary.—(Hear, hear, hear!)

CALCIZAFT understood that the Chancellor
cf the Exchequer meant to say, that the state of
the Revenue was such, that there would he a sum
applicable to the reduction of the National Debt,
equal, or nearly equal, to that which it was pro-
posed should be the furore amon•rt of the Sinking
Fund. If this were the ease, he was very glad
of it.

Sir W. DE CRESPIGNY, adverting to a plan sng-
gested on a former night by an lion. Member, for
reducing the National Debt by a contribution
from the property of the country, stated this
scheme to have had a most injurious effect, as it
had induced the partueis in some of the commer-

cial t“( 9 Res shcir riinficy troth the
roncerni in w hich they were engaged, to endea-
vour to save 01,in:elves from the 6peratiou of
such a measure.