The Sun.
London, England, 1819-02-19 00:00:00

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the I lan. ember' in skte',l int 'the neces,itv of referring 30
in.iny import:ant stil,jeuts to ~itf,rent Committees, :es one alone
wovld i c unahic to early On so extensive an inquiry. The
Noble Lord sal i, that lie could not find Committees, but he
Ticroey) would procure hint ten in ten minutes. One
Committee would no more he able to get to the end of the
business this year, than the I louse In get, to Botany Bay. If
the investigation were car.ritql on as the Noble Lord proposed,
it would lead to touch information with respect to the mea-
sitrent,lit of prison rooms, but not to the causes and the laths
tar and by which prisoners were locked up in them
Mr. BATII;IitsT contended, that the inquiry proposed by
the Noble Lord would extend to every object which the Hon.
(gentlemen opposite thought necessary.
Mr. BUXTON said, although he had given his utmost at-
tention to the subject. of prison discipline, yet be found the
subject wholly beyond the range of his powers. He was of
opinion, that it would be quite impossible for one Committee
to extend its labours to all the subjects which it was proposed
to refer to that now intended.
Mr. MARRYAT said, he had been surprised to find that
Vie mortality was less in the convict ship's on their voyages,
than in the hulks, or the Penitentiary at Milbank. This fact
he theught sufficient to acquit Government from any charge
of inhumanity.
Mr. WYNNE said it seemed to be admitted On all hands,
that the subject was a proper one for Parliamentary inquiry,
and the only question was as to the mode. For his own part,
lie agreed with his Holt. Friend (Mr. Wilberforce), that this
subject was far too large to he mixed up with any other. He
should be willing to rest the whole issue on the question,
whether it was possible for any one Cceumittee to inquiet
into all the subjects proposed, in any reasonable time. One
Committee could not do it in two Sessions. For this reason,
he was satisfied to rote for the original 'motion. But he could
not help expressing his surprise that the question had been
debated as if the Whale subject of the inquiry was the state of
the convicts.
Mr. C. FORBES rose amidst tostatries of Question, ques-
tion! He remarked on the ditficulteof the situation in which
Governor Macquarrie was placed.—(Hear, hear !)—He spoke
very highly of the character of that Officer, and was sure
that the more his conduct was inquired into,the more correct
would it prove to have been.
Mr. BENNET rose to reply. He shortly noticed the va-
rious arguments which had been used against him. In colt-
elusion he observed, that the Right Hon. Gentleman had
said he would not credit his statements unless hr came down
to the House and confirmed them by evidence. That Right
flonourahle Gentleman had also been pleased to pay hint
litany compliments. He only considered these compliments
as proof of the enmity of that Right Hon. Gentleman. Cer-
tainly be had suck feelings as could net allow him to amuse
the House on such subjects in the strain which the Right
Hon. Gentleman had used on such occasions—he could not jest
on the misfortunes of his fellow•creatures. If he, like all those
now around that Right lion. Gentleman, had been the ob-
ject of his abuse—if, like the Noble Lord on his right, and
the-Right Hon. Gentleman on his left, he suffered his bit-
terest sarcasms, then there would be sonic chance of coning
together.—(Cries of Order, Order!)
Mr. CANNING—I did not say that I would not credit the
statements of the Hon. Gentleman, hut that I would nut act
upon them. I say so still.—(Elear, hear, hear !)
Mr. BENNET said, be should still entertain his own opi-
nion, and he thought he had a right to express it, so long As
be confined himself within the rules of that devortnn to be
observed in the House.

The House then divided—
For the Motion 43
Fur the previous que►tion
Majority against Mr. Bennet's motion-20
The other Orders of the May were then disposed of, and
the House adjourned at HALF-PAST TWELVE O'CLOCK.