The Sun.
London, England, 1828-07-26 00:00:00

Y 9J.

involved, how many anxieties were bound up' in
them, he had trembled to assume the responsibility
of postponing them till another Session. On the
whole, he had come down to the llonse with a re-
luctant intention to bring the question forward.
Since he had errercd the House, however, he had
conversed with various Members, and the effect was
that he had come—but still, he must confess, reluc-
tantly—to a different determination. Not that he
did not still think that the feelings or the con-
venience (however highly to be regarded) of in-
dividual Members must give way to the claims
of persons dem•mding of the Honse justice or
redress; but if he should persist in pressing the dis-
cussion in the present state of the House and the
Session, and where no practical result could follow,
he feared that the consequence would only be to injure
the interests which it was his desire and his duty to
serve. He had finally resolved on taking a middle
course—that of having the petitions brought up and
laid on the table, opening them as briefly as possible
—and of then reserving all farther discussion and
proceedings till another Session. The object of
three of the four petitions might be stated in little
more than a single sentence. The petitioners were
British subjects claiming compensation for losses,
losses inflicted by the confiscatory decrees of the
French Republic; but had by unavoidable accidents
been too late in lodging their claims, under the trea-
ties with France, and could therefore only be en-
tered on a supplemental list. As soon, however, as
it appeared that a considerable surplus remained out
of the Fund granted by France,-they had (in virtue
of a pledge to that effect given by Lord Castlereagh
in 1819) demanded to be let in on that surplus.
They were admitted accordingly, and their claims
had been adjudicated by the Commissioners with
various fortune; some having been rejected in lobo;
others having been admitted, but for sums immensely
below the amount claimed. Under these circumstances
the petitioners contended that they were equitably en-
titled to a benefit which all the original claimants
had been allowed, namely, the right of an appeal
from the Commissioners to the Privy Council.
Having said this, Ile would enter no farther into the
cases; nor would he even move that the petitions
should be printed; for the matter of them involved
• complaints against the proceedings of the Commis-
sioners, and, though it was highly fitting that all
ju-
dicial proceedings should be subject to the inspec-
tion and supervision of public opinion, yet there were
manifest objections to putting on the Journals
printed accusations of such proceedings, when
there was no present opportunity of bringing
those accusations to the test. In the step he was
taking, he might, perhaps, be allowed to prefer a
request, both to the House and to his Majesty's
Government. Of the House he would request that
no disadvantageous impression might be entertained
either as to the merits or the importance of the
claim., in consequence of the delay. On the part
of the Government, he presumed to hope, as an
act, not of favour but of equitable justice, that they
would undertake that no irrevocable step should be
taken, nor any irreversible decision adopted, to the
prejudice of the petitioners, until the matter could
be re-agitated in Parliament. Ile concluded by
moving that the petitions be'brought up.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER
concurred entirely in the propriety of the course
which his lion. 'Friend had adopted. He should
forbear, as his Hon. Friend had done, from
entering into the merits of the question, which
would arise on the petitions. He would merely
say that it involved many considerations besides those
to which his Hon. Friend had adverted. He could
assure his Hon. Friend, that the petitioners should
suffer no prejudice to arty claims they might ulti-
mately he found to have, from the delay which his
Hon. Friend proposed in the consideration of.
the petitions. In the ensuing Szssion, if it should
be expedient, they could be brought under the notice
of the House, and the discussion would be as open
as if it had been proceeded with on the present ,
occasion.

The petitions were then brought up and read.
One of the petitions was from Mr. Robert Cowie,
on behalf of certain Merchants of London; another
from Mrs. Frances Samuel, widow; and a third
from Mr. Nodes Dickinson, on behalf of certain
British subjects, inhabitants of the Colony of St.
Martin.—Ordered to lie on the table.

Mr. ROBERT GRANT then presented a fourth
petition, which was from some London Merchants,
praying for the difference between Three and Five
per Cent. Interest on the amount of certain Claims
which had been allowed by the Commissioners. He
said he would present this under the same reserva-
tions which he had made in respect to the former
petitions.—Ordered to lie on the table.

Sir JAMES GRAHAM, in presenting some
similar petitions, acquiesced entirely ►n the propriety
of the course which his Hon. Friend (Mr. R.
Grant) had adopted. lie would in the same man-
ner abstain from offering any observations on the
petitions which he held in his hand; especially as he
was perfectly satisfied with the assurance of the
Chancellor of the Exchequer, that the parties
should not be prejudiced by the postponement of the
discussion. The Hon. Baronet then presented three
petitions from agents for claimants residing in the
Mauritius and lonian Islands, which were ordered
to lie on the table.

Mr. R. GRANT gave notice, that next Session
he would move au Address to the Crown on these
Petitions.

The House then adjourned at Half-past Six
o'clock to Monday next.

FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE.

FRENCH PAPERS.
(From the Gazette dc France, dated July 21.)
FRANKFORT, JULY 12.—1 t is affirmed that the
Prince of Besse Romberg, who is at the head-
quarters of the Russian army, is entrusted with a
particular negociation, the result of which may lead
to great modifications in the policy which Austria
has observed ever since the beginning of the war in
the East. This negociation is presumed to be con-
nected with the resolution which the Cabinet of
Vienna has taken to assemble a numerous army in
the environs of Pesti], besides the forces already as-
sembled on the frontiers. It is said that the nego-
tiations between the Cabinets of Vienna, Turin, and
Naples, are nearly concluded. It is still firmly be-
lieved that it is proposed to establish a federative
system in Italy, under the protectorate of Austria.
PARIS, JULY 23.—Yesterday afternoon his Ma-
jesty_ gave a private audience at St. Cloud to Lord
Stuart, Ambassador from England to the Court
of France. It is affirmed that Lord Stuart has.re-
ceived from Madrid a courier, with the news that
a slight insurrection has broken out in a town of
Catalonia, in favour of the Infant Don Carlos. We
hope that the regular mail to-morrow will bring
some explanation of this fact.
N
e spoke yesterday of the probability of an expe-
dition to be sent by the French Government to the
Morea. r e are now certain that it will take place,
and will be composed of 17,000 men, infaNtry and
cavalry, who will set out in a very short time. It
is not yet known to whom the command will be
1 given. A Morning Journal (the Courtier .Yrancais)
which for some time pact has been accustomed to
the confidence of the Ministry, contains the following
paragraph :
" It appears that for some days past an expedition
to the Morea has been under consideration ; it would
consist, as we hear, of 9 or 10,000 of the troops that
have been assembled for several months in the South,
and of :3,000 men who are expected to arrive shortly
from Cadix. It has even been said that the Mi-
nistry had been considering of the General who shall
command this corps, and that they hesitated between
several names, among which are mentioned those of
Generals liaison, Clause!, and even Loverdo."
The object of this expedition would be to concur
effectually in the execution of the Treaty of the Gth
of July, by obliging Ibrahim Paella at length to put
an end to his ravages, and to evacuate the Morea.
SMYRNA, JUNE 18.—On the 9th a Turkish cor-
vette and brig sailed from Mytiline, for the Darda-
nelles, and were attacked by the Hellas frigate, corn-