The Sun.
London, England, 1826-03-18 00:00:00

least been contemporaneous with it. Let their Lordships look
at the stateof Scotland before thatsystem had begun to act; it was
barbarous and confused in the extreme; whilst now, to use the
colloquial but just expression of a Noble Friend near hint, the
Scotch were the best conditioned people in Europe. He did not
mean to say at the sante time that the Noble Earl (Liverpool)
could convince hint of the benefit which would result from the
extension of the measure, he should give his vote againet it : bet
he thought that that Noble Earl was gratuitously increasing his
difficulties at this period of commercial distress, by proposing
a measure which was totally uncalled for. It would have been
more dignified on his part not to persevere when he saw the
sentiments of the whole people of Scotland, whether tight or
wrong, so decidedly pronounced upon the subject. Ile regretted
that it should have been thought necessary to appoint a Com-
mittee, for thoug►h it would not, of course, inquire into the so-
lidity of individual banks, the motives -of its appointment
might be misunderstood, and might lime injurious effects in
Scotland at a moment when suspicion was so keenly alive to all
the circumstances.of banking establishments.

Viscount MELVILLE thought that his Noble Friend had
misunderstood the question. It was not whether 'the Coin.;
mitten should be appointed, but whether the CoMmittee being
appointed, it would not be proper to refer to it the materials
necessary for carrying on the Inquiry. The Committee would
then report upon the evidence which it examined, and any future
measure would be founded on that. Report. As far as regarded
the inquiry itself, the Noble Earl was mistaken, it' he thought
that it was objected .to by those whom it was most likely to
affect. Instead of objecting to, they rather courted inquiry ;
and his Majesty's Ministers would have been blamed, bad
they adopted another course than that now before their
Lordships.
The Earl of LIMERICK agreed with the Noble Earl
(Aberdeen) that the experiment ought to have been tried in
this country, before it was extended to either Scotland or Ire-
land. Why should a remedy be applied when there was no
call for it ? What was there in Ireland that called for such a
measure? The agitation produced by the introduction of the
question had already tumbled the markets in that country 60
per cent. Slerchants did not come to market, and no one
would purchase before they knew what was to become of their
currency. The proportion of small notes was far greater in
Ireland than in England, and if they were swept away by a
rash measure, the certain result would be ruin,

The Earl of LAUDERDALE had heard the Noble Earl
opposite say that the origin and nature of the measure lay in
the wish to restore confidence. Ile was at a loss to see how it
could restore confidence in England, for he believed that its
very discussion had injured it. But how could It restore con&
deece in Scotland, where it had never been lost, neither the
Noble Earl nor any other man living could tell. No men of
character would wish to embark their capital' without a likeli-
hood of deriving a fair return from it. What would be the
consequence of the new system P It would induce bankets to
conduct the business in the English mode, and to pay no tote-
rest on the money deposited in their hands. Ile therefore un-
derstood perfectly well why bankers might be friendly to the
measure; but it was the people who had grown prosperous
under the present system—it was the people who would suffer.
He had seen the Gentlemen who bad brought the various peti-
tions against the measure. They were anxious to answer the
questions, not to support a particular doetritie, but fairly and
frankly to satisfy the House and the public of what would be
best for the coturay at large. And he had no doubt, that after
hearing them, the Noble Earl (Liverpool) would not only feel
disposed to remodel his measure, but that before the end cif
the Committee, he would be more inclined to transfer the
system long established in Scotland to England, than to ex-
tend his new fangled banking regulations from England to
Scotland.
- Earl GROSVENOR was understood to say, that it would
have been better, had his Majesty's Ministers come down with
a measure at once, instead of proposing the appointment of a
Committee.
The Earl of LIVERPOOL said, that they had thought it
more consistent with their dignity, on a question on which a
variety of opinions prevailed, to afford the means of a fair and
full investigation, than to conic forward with a measure of their
own. As to what a Noble Earl (Limerick) had said about Ire,
land, he had been surprised at his argument. If It were true,
that Scotland had not suffered in her banking system, the game
could not be said of I rebind. She had suffered more than any
other ; and it would he too much to say, that she would he iiiiite
safe, because a new system of hacks had beets established in
that country within the last threa.years, a system, which he
believed to he good, but of the efficacy of which there was
not yet sufficient time to jug e. As to the Committee, the
subject was not to be decidet by the (roam)' whether the
state of the banking establishments in scotland and Ireland
were such as it might to be. It would be considered with re-
ference not only to the feelings of the people, btu also to the
commercial interests of Scotland. Within the last ten years
Scotland had suffered as much and even more in commercial
distress than England. Another question should be, whether
under the present state of things and the commercial relations
of this country, it was possible to support one system in one
part of the United Kingdom, and a different one in another ?
the Noble Eatrl (landerdale) might say, have your system,
but let us keep our own; do not force yours upon. us. But
could they in Scotland do without us ? Could they do without
coming on the Bank of England ? Could they relieve their own
distresses themselves without calling on our Government fir an
issue of Exchequer hills, or on the Bank of England fir ad.
%tutees, If they could do all that ; if they had no expecta-
tions whatever from -this country, and did not Want the aid of
a single sovereign, then indeed they might remain as they
were. But it' this were not the case—if in times of commer-
ciul distress they came to England for relief, then England and
Scotland and England and Ireland were so far connected toge-
ther, that when a new system was established in England, it
was hut fair to inquire whether it ought not to be extended to
the others: He should not go farther at present into the ques-
tion. The Committee being appointed, it would be indecorous
to do so. ' Let his Noble Friend (Lauderdale) come down to
the Committee; let him convince its Al embers, and afterwards
the House, that Scotland could manage her own affairs., sup-
port her own 'establishment, relieve her own distresses, and want
nothing from England, and the necessity of a change would be
superseded.
The Earl of LAUDERDALE said, that had it not been
for the new mode in which the Noble Earl chose to adruinis-
ter relief to the people of the country, Scotland would have
no occlusion- to apply: for adVances to the Bank of Eng.
of w
hpm
were
whateveregis
land. As to an issue of Exchequer Rillii, he would con-
tend that the Scotch people had as great a right, in times of
dietress, to at.ply for it to the Government as the people of
England. The argument of the Noble Earl, therefore, was
wholly founded on his own practice, and not on the regular
course of things.
The Earl of 1,151 FR ICK explained.
The Duke of ATHOL believed that if a measure like that
proposed had been introduced some years ago, there would be a
great difference in the amount of taxes paid by Scotland, from
Want of means to pay them.
Viscount CLIFDEN wished for protection against country
bankers. In hull nine bankers had failed in the country parts
of Ireland, anti one in Dublin. it was a ease of' great import-
ance to prevent those conntry banks from again springing up.
The lass did not fall on the nth, not even on their agents, hut
solely on the people. CoUld that be otherwise, when a bank hi
Northamptonshire had broken for 120,0001. and had assets only
Scarcelyto titc amounti,ndt
hOef;ltle,.oo,llo)pl.earlieae hade
iarelttioirartisorno!atninde
tpi
lootri
en pound r.idot:is:
ready been a condemnation, if not an execution, in the country
.
on the charge of forging them.
The Earl of C.A ER NA RAON conceived that his Majesty's
r:l,l4l4lnitlwies4aessx4aer, el
ull:PllontuglE hastybo eg
I Filt:11
111 inistera acted its a most extraordinary manner, flaying tie.
whatever,sy4,r ,ngthalsot
going; into
cid& without any inn wiry
h
the Commitue
allv:r:'l::tmit'llliaig:etrirt:tiliitenirtracy:l7pailser:Ugneell(rit:dtt:lllitilir;ieegsvilghianietdiltithilii7PiYoe:: toul tic:tit! i t o f pub l i c agitation, w i , i ,s I i
it tended to augment instead of aremaging. Why should they
not have a Committee of the:whole House instead of a Select
Committee, the s. ~, jati
01 ft ivigAlspi,nain."tri lie was wniZifySt-aYai tsol rtillit:sl slnad'reas kae,tt')ie'ti‘t'esivdi wouldai' not have tai
play when:indonitted to the NI 'dame of that tiny, who.,
their elm might be, were SO pager about 1
gord that they would
endeavour to extract tdossems of bullion even from the Calede-
than from a Select Committee.
Lard ELLENBORt ilia; II should also have
Dellleti:ttleee.ofiltehewow"fidldft:;:oic:seprtitillenimiueltieevelgool,ahto.rpowinreevfaerenr,reottplheulait
the rtqUit of the Lbuuta of the nteaent one would be the atm-