The Sun.
London, England, 1845-06-06 00:00:00

MERCHANT SEAMEN'S BILL.

Mr. CURTEIS wished to know whether the Merchant
Seamen's Bill might be postponed to another day ?
Sir R. PEEL said that the Bill had been referred to a Se-
lect Committee, and the second reading would not take place
to-night.

LIEUTENANT COLLINS.,

Mr. ESCOTT asked whether the dismissal of Lieutenant
' Collins had met with the approbation of the Government, and
. whether they had inquired into the matter, and whether It
was not competent for the Board of Control to interfere?
Lord JOCELYN said that the Board of Control had ap-
proved of the sentence of the East India Company with re-
gard to the dismissal of Lieutenant Hollis, and they had no
power to interfere in the matter.
BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE.
In answer to a question from Mr. GIBSON,
Sir R. PEEL replied that permission had been given for
the Bill for the regulation of Lunatic Asylums to be brought
forward to-night.
Lord JOHN RUSSELL wished to ask the Secretary of
State whether the third reading of the Irish Education Bill
would be proceeded with on Monday next ?
Sir J. GRAHAM said it could not be entertained on Mon-
day next, as the House was going into a Committee of Supply,
but on Friday it was most probable the Bid would be read.
Sir V. BLAKE said he would withdraw the motion of which
he had given notice on Monday night.
Lord WORSLEY inquired when the second reading of
the Commons Inclosure Bill would take place?
Lord LINCOLN replied that he would fix the second read-
ing to be proceeded with on Thursday week.
Lord CLEMENTS wished to know whether the inquiry
of the Commissioners appointed to investigate the state of
. , populous towns was intended to extend to Ireland.
Sir R. PEEL stated that the report of the Commissioners
would enable the Government to take such salutary measures
• as would he applicable to the condition of all populous towns
both in England and Ireland.
COUNTY RATES BILL.
Sir J. Y. BULLER postponed the second reading of this
Bill until Wednesday next.
SMOKE PROHIBITION BILL.
Mr. MACKINNON postponed his motion for going into
• Committee on this Bill until Wednesday next.
SCOTCH BANKING.
071-the order of the day being read for the House going
into Committee on this Bill,
Mr. P. M. STEWART said he thought he should lie
guilty of a dereliction of duty if he did not express his decided
. disapprobation of the Bill which had been Introduced by her
Majesty's Government with respect to the banking establish-
ments of Scotland. He regretted that the Right Hon. Ba-
ronet, in endeavouring to better the condition of banking es-
tablishments of this country, should have touched those of
Scotland, which were acknowledged to be the most perfect that
existed ; and this then being the case, and being supported by
the opinions of those most competent to judge, he thought it
was the duty of every one connected with Scotland to express
-their disapprobation of the Bill before the House. The Scot-
tish system of banking had been held up by many eminent
writers—Hume among the number—as a model for the adop-
tion of other countries. After the 1/. and 21. notes had been
abolished in England a motion for an inquiry into the Scottish
banking system was made, and was resisted by all the most
distinguished Scotch authorities in both Houses of Parliament
at that period. Since then the system had not retrograded,
but, on the contrary, had been greatly improved. The reports
of the Committees of Commons and Lords, subsequently ap-
pointed to inquire into the subject, were to the effect, that no
good could come from any interference with the monetary, eh
f airs of Scotland. The Right Honourable Baronet ( Sir James
Graham) in 1825 and 1826, in speaking of the currency of
Scotland, said that if they had not interfered with the currency
of 1793, the disasters which occurred durine those years might
have been in a great measure averted. "He could not then
conceive, when the banking system of that country was placed
on a proper footing, why the Government desired to interfere
with it, and he spoke the feelings of the people of Scotland
!Alen he said that they considered the measure a wanton inter-
ference with their currency. Scotland respectfully, but firmly,
deprecated any change, unless better grounds were set out than
any
which had yet been given. At one meeting the only sup-
porter of the change was a retired goldsmith, who must have
tad a instural affection for themetalth t made h. L h
ter)—and he moved a vote fthunquaelified confidenceun—
ienegthe
Right Hon. Baronet. At anoomeekting, however, some-
thing more than a retiredgoldsmith part against the Bill
—it was a retired Speaker of that House,
the Right Hen. Gentleman now in
theeneirther p;
in predecessor of
e fact, in the
words of an old poet—
". From Maidenkirk to John o'Groat,
We all prefer the one pound note."
How was the system applicable to Scotland, and what was
the result of the experiment? He could foresee one intentioten beon
the part of the Government, that their ultimate aim was the
suppression of all local banks of issue, and the establishment of
one national bank of issue. In 1840, a year of much depression
in regard to monetary affairs, the circulation of the banks of
Scotland was much higher than in 1838. Three banks in
Glasgow,_ the Clydesdale, the City of Glasgow and Edinburgh,
and the Glasgow Bank, had lately paid up a capital of 3,000,000/.
whereas the Bill would restrict their circulation to 300,0001.
They bad branches in many of the towns of Scotland, and the
trade of that country was in such a state that those banks
would require the whole of that capital. They must recollect
that the provident banks were of me
larger to the poor
banks limited their
~ than to the rich man, as when th
. L. circulation for provident purposes, thesaller banksh .established
I i f:' rio,Sootland fur similar purposes commenced toefirsciosstulaen.d
He
t
--, ' 'idniiited that the definition of the circulation
.. ..--"`;-=';F forth-in the ilifi was perfectly correct. The B.ill, as. he had
AV, ...„--- said, was uncalled for, and aimed at an ad libttum influence
..,,- :1;r;-;• over the banking system of Scotland.—( Hear.) The
" ‘;'.:42,",- . Hon. Gentleman then referred to a passage in a pamphlet
Co .... written by Sir James Graham, advocating not only a free
r
__._. trade in corn, but in money, and opposing the interference of
',-.--- e Government with the simulating
(
tkiemedium. He (Mr. P.

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