The Sun.
London, England, 1828-06-05 00:00:00

TO THE EDITOR OP THE SUN.

St has been maintained, and with justice, that the
measure now in progress, of withdrawing the One Pound
Notes from circulation, will occasion so material a reduc-
tion in the amount of the circulating medium as to canto
considerable derangement. Such, in fact, we have already
experienced on the return to cash payments, by what is
called Mr. Peel's Bill, when the National Debt, incurred
doting a depreciated paper currency, was at once raised
in tirtnal aineunt at least ta per cent:, anti a general de-
rangement, at the same time, occasioned by a currency in-
aeb,quate to the commercial concerns of the country.
That it was highly politic to return to a bullion cur-
rency few can doubt ; but I am one of those who thought
that it would have been no breach of faith to any party to
have allowed the Oeinea, which was then worth 27 or 28
shillings of the paper currency, to have retained its ac-
quired value, and to have had a renv coinage of silver
corresponding.
But that is passed; and we are now on the point of still
farther contracting the currency, and, of course, still farther
increasing the virtual amount of the debt by the consequent
reduction of prices.
It ie evident that Mr. Pitt's object in the Bank Restric-
tion Act was to increase the nominal income of the nation,
so that he might collect therefrom a greater Revenue,
which Revenue, though it might not go much farther fur
home purposes at high prices than the less sum did at low
Frices, could yet, by means of the bullion released from
circulation, be made available for foreign pupates at its
rriginal value. Ile pampered us into a state of monetary
obesity in order (to use a vulgar phrase) that the nation
might hear the sweating which it was his purpose tosinflict.
What took place while we were in this State ? Was not the
debt doubled, and stipends, both civil and military, con-
siderably increased by the lavish expenditure of the war?
Are we, then, now that the currency is about to be res-
tored to its old footing, bound to pay in bullion the inte-
rest of a principal founded on depreciated paper at a time
when, by law, bullion was, in fact, out of the currency ;
and are we under obligations to continue, at the same rate,
salaries which had been either conferred or raised during
the Bank Restriction Act ? To say that we are is an im-
position on the public.
Let us take a view of the consequences. Suppose
the currency to be reduced thirty per cent. in
amount since Mr. Peel's Bill, by the effectual return to
cash payments now about to take place, and that a sum of
30 millions is still to be collected for the interest of the
National Debt, must not that sum, by engrossing a greater
proportion i4f the circulating medium than it did before,
leave so much less for the commerce of the country, and
must not, therefore, prices (exclusive of that portion which
is made up of duty) be reduced not only in proportion to
the contraction of the circulating medium, but also in the
degree which the interest of the Debt bears to the reduced
income of the nation ?
Now our Legislature has, in a mistaken regard for them-
selves, taken care that the Landed Interests shall not, as
they suppose, suffer materially by the contraction of the
circulating medium, by fixing corn at something like a
monopoly price. On whom, then, are the low prices to
fall? The answer is obvious—on trade immediately, but
ultimately on all.
Having thus stated the difficulties of our present situa-
tion,
tion, I will leave it to wiser beads to suggest the remedy ;
but, at the same time, Imust add, that it will never do to
allow the power of coining money to any one who may
clioose'to set up a Bank.
I am, Sir, your obedient servant,
Lymington, May3o, 1828. FAIR- PLAY.

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF LORDS, JUNE 4.

The Aire and Calder Navigation Bill was read a second
time, and ordered to lie committed on Friday next. •
. .

Lord KENYON presented petitions from Sydenham,
in Kent, and from Bolton-le-Moors, against any further
concession to the Catholics.
The Earl of HAREWOOD presented a petition from
an individual, praying to be heard by Counsel against cer-
tain dances in the Aire and Calder Navigation Bill.
The County Lunatic Asylums Bill went through a Com-
mittee, when some verbal alterations were agreed to.
Adjourned.
HOUSE OF COMMONS, JUNE 4.

Mr. SYKES presented a petition from the town of
Kingston-upon-Hull, praying that Apprentices and Porters
might not be liable to the duties as Clerks and
.Shopmea.
Sir J. POLLEN presented a petition from Andover,
against the One Pound Note Act. '
On the motion of Mr. G. DAWSON, the
.Exciseable
Liquors Bill was read a third time and passed.
Mr. LITTLETON gave notice, that en Friday next he
would move for have to bring in a Bill for the Suppression
of Bull-baiting.;.
Sir 11. INGLIS presented a petition from certain
persons, praying for the Abolition of Negro Slavery.
Mr. G. BANKES presented a petition from certain
wool-growers of Dorsetshire, against the importation of
Foreign Wool.

These petitions were ordered to be printed.
The same Hon. Member then laid upon the table Returns
ordered by the House respecting persons (natives) serving
on Juries in India. _ _ .

The House resolved itself into a Committee on the Irish
Stamp Duties' Act.
Mr. DAWSON moved as a Resolution, that it eves the
opinion of the Committee that leave slyuld be given to
bring in a Bill for the better regulation of the Duties on
Sea and Life Insurances, and on Gold and Silver Plate,
and on the Licences of Pawnbroker s to sell the same.

Sir J. WROTTESLEY presented- a petition from the
farmers and labouters of Wolverhampton, relative to the
Malt Ace. _ _ _

Mr. DICK presented a 'petition from the inhabitants of
the Borough of Maldon, against any further concessions to
the Cathelies.

SUPPLY.

Mr. A. GRANT brought up the Report of the Com-
mittee of Supply. •
On the Motion that the first Resolution of the Commit-
tee be agreed to,
Mr. HUME said, that the House was called upon by
that,resolution to agree to an increase of 40,0001. in the
Civil List. This was alleged to be for the purpose of pay-
ingsthe 'Mexican, Buenos Ayres, and others of our South
American Ministers. He thought, however, that those
embassies were upon too extravagant a scale.
Mr. G. DAWSON said, that since the discussion the
other night, the Chancellor of the Exchequer had made
a most rigid enquiry as to the expenee of these De-
partments, and he could assure the Hon. Member, that
the utmost attention should be paid to reducingthis branch
of the expenditure within the narrowest limits possible.
Mr. HUME said, he observed a charge of upwards of
SOU for legal expenses incurred in defending some offi-
cers in BarbedOes. He wished to he informed upon what
ground those officers had been defended at the public
expencei

• Mr. DAWSON said that actions had been brought
against an officer for something lie hail done in the execu-
tion of his duty. The Law Officers of the Crawn thought
he had acted properly, and therefore they undertook his
defenest, for it would be hard to leave him to defend him-
self fbr what he had done in the execution of his public duty.
After a few words from Mr. SYKES, the Resolution
was agreed to.
The other Resolutions of the Committee were then
agreed to without opposition.
Mr. HUME msved fur a return of the amount of stiieip
duties collected in India, in the years 1823, 1824-, 11;25,
and 1826, and a copy of the memorial from the London
Merchants to the Court of Directors, in February last, re-
specting the stain' -tax, and of the answer of the Court to
the same. The Hon. Gentleman said, that his ob-
ject in procuring those returns was to show the man-
ner in Nvhich the natives of India were oppresed
by law proceedings. Indeed they were as badly
off, as if they were in the Court of Chancery in England.
He also wished to call the attention of the House to the
enormous expense of collecting the stamp duties in India:
• 'lle expense of collection exceeded four per cent. ; and it
appeared from items which bad been laid n the

table, that What! 1.1,0,000/. had been levied, 61',0001.
was expended in the Collection. When these returns were
laid on the table, it Wai his (Mr. Hume's) intention
to submit a motion to affOrd some relief to the people of
India.

Lord ASHLEY did not concur in the accuracy of the
calculations put forward by the Hon. Member for Abee-
(leen,,but he believed there was no objection on the part of
his GoVernment to the returns which had hem
moved for.

The returns were then orderer.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE, INDIA.

Mr. WYNN moved finr leave to bring in two one
fo4: thc improvement of the Administration of Criminal
Justice in the East IfdicB...

Mr. FERGUSSON complained of the present state of
the Criminal taw in India, where in one Presidency, an
offence which was capital and punished with deciih, was
punishable in another Presidency as a misdemeanour. The
present Bill he considered well calculated to do away with
this anomaly, and to remedy the other evils connected with
the Administration of Criminal Justice in that country.

Sir E. 11. EAST said be approved of the improvements
which would be effected by this Bill, improvements which
his exp'eritnc6 in India justified him in stating to be abso-
lutely necessary.—Leave was then given to bring in the
Bill.