The Sun.
London, England, 1817-07-04 00:00:00

LATE CONSPIBATORS AT THE OLD BA/LEY.

Lord Mots rroa-r ros.e to ask a question of the
Nnhle Secretary of Stare, respecting three men
of the name!: nt Brock, Pelham, and Power, who
had conspired to seduce three nntottunate Irish-
men into the commission of a capital 'offence, in
counterfeiting the coin, but who had themselves
idtooately been capitally convicted of this offence,
and sentenced to death. It had been reported
that these men had had the Royal clemency ex-
tended to them, that they had received a free par-
don, am! been set at liberty. He wished to know,
if this were the case, whether this extension of
mercy arose front any doubts as to the cor-
rectness of the evidence, from any favourable
circumstances that had since come to light,
or from any doubts as to the legality of the
conviction ? He was the more desirous to
have an answer upon this subject, the crime of
which these men had been convicted being of the
most atrocious nature that it Was possible to con-
ceive, and considerable agitation having arisen in
the public mind in consequence of the report of
tack having been. pardurta. Should their escape
_have been owing to any doulits of the Judges as
to the legality of their convic ion, be trusted that
some Legislative pio,iSions would be enacted, in
order that so atrocious a crime might in future re-
ceive the punishment it so jnstly merited. lie
field no intention in the case alluded to of imputing
any blame, his object merely being that some sit-
tisfactoty answer should be given upon a stub-
ject in which ths' public felt so deep au interest,
Lord Viscount Stnstotrrit was satisfied that the
motives cif the Noble Lord in asking the question
stern highly laudable. The Noble Lord was mis-
taken in supposing that Brock, Pelham, and Power
lid been patdoned. The fact was, that they
ivere still under sentence of death in ISL..tvgate.—
Tliair cases had been reported to the Prince Re-
gent in Council when, from circumstances, the
execution of their sentences had been respired.—
Ile was not at liberty to state the reasons for the
respite ; the could merely say, that they referred
to the last supposition of, the Noble Lord. lie
perfectly..agreed with the Noble Lord, Ow :it the
existing laws tvere not suffiztent to meet a case
like that of which these men had been convicted,
that provisions ought to be introduced to extend
to such eases in tutnre. The fact, he repeated,
wai, with regard to these men, that they 'remain-
ed under sentence of death, but that the execu-
tion of the sentence' had been respired.

OFFICES ABOLITION, &c. BILLS.—COMPENSATION
BILL.

The Earl •of LIVERPOOL having moved the
third reading of one of the Office Abolition Bills,
The Marquis of LAsisnowNs was desirous of
stating shortly the grounds on which he gave a
qualified support to these Bills. He agreed in the
propriety of abolishing those offices, which, un-
connected With the actual business of the state, or
the splendour of the Monarchy, had ceased to have
any duties to perform, and had become useless ;
but these offices having become the means, in the
bands of the Crown, of rewarding public services,
be also agreed that some fund ought to be created
in lieu of them, to enable the Crown properly to
vard such services. What he objected to was,
that t'wo words in the former Bills upon this sub-
ject were left out, which made a most mateyial
difference with regard to the interests of persons
now ho. :iog offices which were to he abolished.
in the former Bills, after existing interests, the
words " legally vested" were inserted, which in
the present Bills were lett out. Thus Parliament
were now, for the first time, to declare, that per-
sans now holding offices, although they had no
vested interest in them, and notwithstanding these
offices were declared to be useless, should receive
all the emoluments which they had hitherto de-
tived from theie useless offices. it was true, that
t his only appli'ed to one or two offices ; but the
principle was still the same, and, in his opinion,
objectioahle. He shciuld- therefore move
an Amendincirt, to insert, after the words existing
interests. the words '' legally vested."
The Rid ot LIVERPOOL observed, that there

was noPlfice in England to which. the objection
.th'e itobl Marqui3 applicd=there was only
tille lii SCotland ; but there were 7.-,orne in Ireland,
There 'va! n't Titstion iti the case its to the com-
petency of Parliament ; hut there might, in some
CASeB, be grotnnis , of expediency, taking offices
out of n general railer as, for instance, an office
given .to `tire ivith. the understanding
that he was to enjoy it for a certain time; and the

principle ' . ,
set up by ille7:4olik. that
was no precedent with regard to the consideration
of the interests of 'persons holding offices -.other
thalcieVt't .ere detfothivated vested intetestS,was
errontis*US, 'as, In Mr.. Bin ke's Bill, compensation
glYe'b to pe'rsoni 'holding offices who had no
vestett interest._
The Eqi I of 'LAUDERDALE contended that• the
argument of the Noble Earl (Liverpool) amounted
to nothing whateVer against the principle set up
by his Noble Friend, nor could there be any rea-
son, except a corrupt One, that persons holding
offices during' ideasnre should still retain offices
which were declared to We useless. With regard to
these !measures themselves, he considered them its
any thing; but ',leisure's of ecouonty. The amount
of the income of the 'laces proposed to be tabu.
listed was 57,0001. per annum, whilst the amount
of the pensions tinder the tompeusaiion Bill at
the end of twelve years would be 42,0001. per
annum. But would any one believe, that at the
end of twelve years there would be dif-
ferente of 15,0001. per annum remaining to be
paid to the holders of these offices ? On the
contrary, there was every probability that twice
that sum would be then remaining to be P‘id to
the holders of such offices, in addition to the
amount of pensions ; and thus, instead of a gain;
there would be a positive loss to the public by the
present measures.
The Marquis of LANspowlste observed,that many
of the Clerks in the Public Departments had been
lately dismissed, very properly with a view to
economy, but without any compensation, and
would •it be considered justice that these men,
without means, should be dismissed without com-
peosation, whilst richer mil should Continue
to derive emoluments froM offices declared to be
useless ?
The-Earl of Lzvermooe said this did not at all
apply, as in all cases of dismissal of the Clerks,
where they were on the establishment, they had a
compensation.
The Bill having been read a third time,
The Lord) CHANCELLOR put the Amendment,
previously observing, that, if adopted, it would
make no difference in the legal meaning of the
The Earl Of LAUDERDALE wishing for an ex-
planation upon this point,
The LORD CHANCELLOR observed, that offices
held during pleasure were, outil that pleasure
was withdrawn, legally vested in the individuals
holding tliem.
After• Some further conversation, the Amend-
ment utoved by the Marquis of Lansdowne was ne-
gatived, and the several Abolition and Regulation
Bills were passed.
On the third reading of the Compensation Bill, ,
The Alarquis of LANSDQWNE wished for some
further explanation as to the pension-8, whether if a
person was eotit led to a pension under this Bill, and
having previously a pension, the latter would not
merge in the consolidated fund, and therehy'leave
a power to the Crown to grant a new pension on
the Pension List, and thus an additional hinden
be thrown npon the Public ?
The Karl of Livearooe said, the previous pen-
sion would, in that case, merge iu the Consoli-
dated Flid, but he was not exactly a ware w he-
t her the words of the Bill were sufficiently explicit
to prevent the granting of a new pension. If they "
were tint, he w-oold take care that wsnols to that
effect should be inserted in another Bill.
The Marquis of LANSDOwNR expressed himself
satisfied, and the Bill was read a third time and
passed.

TH A T ICA 1, REGISTE R.
Perbemed Liss! Nigh!.
Covrn-GmtnEs.--The Apostate: Principal Performers, Mc.
I'Qting- and Miss d'Scill; After which, The Gentle-Shei;.;,
•
New THEATRE ROYAL, ViNOtISHOPEKA-HOUSR.—Artgxerxell
Arbaces, Mr. Horn; Mandane, Miss M. H. Buggins.
elt-
t: which, My Uncle, and Don Juam.

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HIGH IVATER xr LONDON BRIDGE "10-11101tROW.
Nloraing, Q 2 minutes after 6. I Evening, 47 minutes alter ti.