The Sun.
London, England, 1819-02-04 00:00:00

Illunitv.

Mr. CUTLIVEN did not rise to oppose the Bill. He could
not, loneever. help oliserring, that such an alteration in
what wa% ,00sidered as pact of the criminal law of the coun-
try, would have come with more propriety from the Members
of his Majesty's Government than from the individual whose
BI I xv-,c 'Sow presented. There were many cruel hardsbips
aaperianced from the existenct, of the Game Laws as they now

stood on the Statute Book. There was one case of an indi.
vidnal having 53hjected himself to a fine of a thousand
pounds, for, comparatively speaking, a very trifling and
ienial transgression. It was understood thatthe unfortunate
Gentleman alluded to, was a Clergyman, whore larie family
and small income could very ill snstain such a pecuniary pe-
nalty & and the law in this instance was so rigidly worded,
that Gov,nment could not &Ilford any relief by remitting the
lbw- He hoped, that when the Bill now before them went
into a Committee, it would be recommended upon the re-
port. that the.Houss would in its wisdom order the appoint-
ment of a ficneral Committee, fur the revision and farther
amendment of the Game Laws, and further repeal of many
Acts now felt most oppressive. Such a Committee, em-
powered to consider the various operations of the Game Laws,
would render the greatest service to the country.
Mr. MADDOX, after some general observations, moved
that the Bill he read a Srst time. It was read a second time,
,and ordered to be committed.

narrioN IN TAVOUR OF THE BANK RESTRIC-
TION BILL.

Mr. HART DAVIS -stated, he mow held in his hand a
Petition, with signatures of the greatest respectability. from
the Merchants and Manufacturers of the City of Bristol,
praying, that the House would not permit too speedy a re-
stimptinn of cash payments by the Bank of England, as such
a measure might be highly detrimental to the trade and com-
merce of the country. It was the opinion of the Petitioners
that no particular period could be fixed for the return of the
Bank to payments in specie.
Mr. ELLIS, not having spoken last night on the subject
of the Restriction Act, wished to say a few words ; and the
Petition now, under consideration afforded him the opportu-
nity. He certainly was of opinion, that the Committee pro-
posed by his Right Hon. Friend (Mr. Tierney) was more
eligible than that proposed by the Chancellor of the Exche-
quer. Whatever might he the result of the inquiry, he could
with much pleasure assure the House, that, so far as he was
able to form a judgment, the list which be had that morning
seen presented several names from whose high character the
eruntry mieht expect the most satisfactory account of the
real state of :affairs betwe'en the Bank and the Public. He
eras happy that Gentlemen agreed to repair to the Cmurnittee
tree front all party-prejudices, in order to make a fair and full
inveitigatinn of the subject. It was evident, as had been
went ioned last night over and over again, that the continu-
ance of the Bank Restriction Act operated as a reason for
the exchanges being against us ; and the same causes must
always produce that effect of which they had now complain-
ed. He hoped and trusted, that the Committee would be
wholly free from the trick and device which had been for se-
veral years practised by the Right Hon. the Chancellor of the
Exchequer. He condemned the mode of raising large sums
)'v Exchequer Bills. It was not only injurious to the public,
but served a; owe great rause for the coutineance of the
Bank Restriction.

Mr. PROTHE:IIOE declared, that he bad not rrceired any
eommunication from his Constituents of the nature now offer-
ed by the !lon. Gentleman (Mr. Davis).
)Ir. LAMBTON thought that arch • petition had not ori-
enate 1 at any public meeting in Bristol.

Mr. CALCHAFT c.tuld not are.. with his lion. /timid
(Mr. Ellis) on his culogium of such a Committee. It would
have been better entitled to his panegyric had the Committee
been composed in the manner proposed by his Right Hon.
Friend ,'Mr. Tierney). The list now alluded to appeared as a
cross deviation from that candour so warmly recommended
from the opposite side of the House. It was as 14 to 7!—
Such a Committee could not therefore be said to be formed
on principles of fairness or impartiality. But it was like PI;
similu Committees of the Members of the present Adminis-
tration. He remembered ail instance when out of a I.st of
no less than 90 names were by the recommendation of
Etc Treasury.

Mr. ELLIS explained, by assuring the Hon. Gentleman
that he hail entirely misconceived hi He had not praised
the list of the Committee. All that he had said was, that he
was glad to find that Gentlemen had promised to repair to
ench a Committee free from all party anittirosities, in order to
investigate the subject, and arrive at the truth ; and that hr
saw in the IM some names of the first respectability and
from whom the country' ;night entertain the best hopes.
Mr. TIERNEY took that opportunity, hi allusion to the
to earnestly recommend the/omission of a

single slaw, in order to introduce that e►f his Hon. and
Learned Friend (Mr. Brougham), whose time and talents
would be valuable to such a Conm►ittee. He was convinced,
that were his Learned Friend chosen as a Member for such a
Committee, he would be indefatigable in his search of truth.
If the Right Hon. the Chancellor of the Exchequer were
to favou► him (Mr. T.) with his consent, it would at once
prove that l►e was resolved to meet the Cointnitteeon those
principles of candour and fair dealing whietilkso:?aruestly
recommended.

Mr. LAWSON acknowledged, that he bad seenthe list now
mentioned ; and to prove that he did not entirely agree to
such a list, he thought that several more Members from the
' Opposition side of the House might be added, by withdraw-
ing an equal number of names. He professed his indepen-
dence, and said that no man should dictate to him the line of
conduct which he should follow. In the full exercise, there-
fore, of his Parliamentary privilege, as boasted of last night
by an Hun. Member, a Bank Director, he would earnestly re-
commend the withdrawing of one name, in order to make
room for a Noble Friend of his (Lord Lascelles), who pos-
sessed virtues and abilities admirably adapted for such an in-
quiry. In that list be saw the name of a Learned Gentleman
belonging to Doctors' Commons (Sir John Nichol.) What
service such a Gentleman could be of to the Committee of
Finance, he could not comprehend. His Noble Friend, con-
versant with the subject, and well accu►tomed to the rules of
Parliament, would be much more preferable. Such a Com-
mittee did not want the assistance of a Learned Civilian from

Doctors' Commons—unless it were necessary to institute an
action for Criminal Conversation with a certain Old Lady of
Threadneedle-street.—(Loud Laughter.)
Mr. H. DAVIS returned to the subject of the Petition
against the resumption of Cash Payments by the Bank of
England. He again wished for leave to bring it up.
Mr. TIERNEY was informed, that the Petition had origi-
nated with a Club, some members of which thought it would
be an excellent opportunity of expressing their sentiments
on what they conceived the•state of public afniirs. From that
Club, at which an Alderman sometimes presided, it had beer►
handed round from place to place for the purpose of obtain-
ing signatures. It had not been signed by any. Banker; but,
to give it some additional respeiqability, a banker's Clerk,—
whether with the knowledge of his employer or not he could
nut say,—had signed in such a manner as to make it he be-
lieved that it was sanctioned by the firm of that house !
Mr. H. DAVIS declared, that this information was perfect-
ly new to him. It was the first time he bad heard such a
statement; but, be that as it may, he knew that no Petition
bad ever been presented to the House containing names of
greater respectability.
The Petition was then received, read, and ordered to be
printed.