The Sun.
London, England, 1821-03-27 00:00:00

grocer, yet represented the sentiments of inatik thousands of
his fellow-citizens. The Petitioner stated, 'that within a few
days, he 'received no lesic than three and ;twenty one pound
forged notesthe notes lie-held in hii-hand; and he would say
that it. was quite impossible for any person, save the bankers
themselves, and those employed by them, to distinguish these
forged notes froth genuine notes. The-Petitioner stated, that
in the course of one day he received no less than ten forged
notes.—(llear, hear !)—Such indeed, was the perfection of the
forged notes, that even the Inspectors at the Bank were not
able on the first inspection to- pronounce whether they were
forged or not. The Petitioner went on to say, that he saw from
Returns which had been laid before Parliament, that there
were convicted of crimes connected with fergery—ln 1818, 165.
perso:is ; in 1819, 160 persons ; in 1820, to the dreadful num-
her of 275 persons.—.Taus making a difference of persons
bettzeen the years 1818, 19, and the year -1820. Of the num-
ber convicted for the three years he had stated, two only were
convicted of forgery ; 688 were convicted of uttering forged
notes.. It further appeared that the average loss sustained by
the public in consequence of the prevalence tpf forgery;, exceed-
ed 30,0001. a year, the greater part of.which loss was sustained
by shopkeepers.—The- Petitioner hoped that the Parliament
would interfere, and would compel the Bank to pay their notes
in the current coin of the realm. The Petitioner stated that he
was aware that the. Bank made• some engagements to that
effect ; but he was aware'also that it had made similar engage-
ments before, and had violated them. It was, therefore, pro-
bable that they would do so again. The Hon. Gentleman, in
conclusion, said, that.the Legislature, by every obligation, was
called upon to inteerere in so dreadful a case—a case which in-
Volved the lives and-properties of their fellow-subjecti.
Mr. G. BENNET expressed a hope that the Chancellor of
the Exchequer would bring before 'the House the ?tirte of the
country as regarded Forges Notes. If that were fully, done,
the House would-see What was the dreadful increase of crime,
and the loss of human life since that fatal measure which, in
the year 1797, gave the-Bank power to refuse payment of their
Notes.—(Hear, hear !)
Mr. CLTRWEN wished to know what progress had been
made by the Commissioners in producing a Bank Note of a de-
cription which would render imitation difficult, if not impos-
sible ?
Sir WM. CONGREVE said, that upon this subject the re-
sponsibility of the Commissioners had; in his opinion, ceased ;
since the publication of their Second Report, it rested with the
Bank and the Artists employed by them to complete the new
Note.- But it seemed to him that the Bank was not anxious
to produee any new Note, unless they could devise such a Note
aS would he quite efficient for the object in view. He felt him-
.self bound to add, that in effecting that object the Bank had be-
haved with the utmost liberality, the apparatus was of the
-most
Magnificent description ; and though it must be admitted; that
the result was not such as to give the satisfaction that was anti-
cipated, there certainly was no want of exertion on the part of
the Commissioners. Whether the Note which would be pro-
duced would satisfy the public, was more than he could say;
but this he would say, that a Note cotild be made Which would
give a greater degree of security, by being more difficult to coun-
terfeit than the present coin of the Realm.
Mr. BARING complained, that Parliament had neglected
its duty upon this subject ; lie could not but lament, when the
subject had been brought under their inquiry, that they had
not appointed a Committee £f the House, instead of a Com-
mission, which had already sat for two years, and the result of
whose inquiries was so very unsatisfactory and so very ineffi-
cient. That Commission, it now appeared, gave up the sub-
jeCt to the management of the Bank. When he considered the
length of time with which the Bank had been occupied with
this subject to no possible purpose, he confessed he had no
great confidence in their efforts ; he could not see any thing to
hope from the fact of the Commissioners having given up. this
important matter •to the Eank. He was quite confident
opinion which was held by men of science, that it was,prac-
ticable to produce a Note which would obviate that dreadful
evil which was so forcibly complained of. When he considered
the time that had been already lost with respect to this snbject,
the number of individuals who had every year; fallen the victims
of the Law—the great loss which was sustained by the public—
the crimes and misery which were spread about the country in
consequence of the prevalence of forgery, he could not but sin-
cerely deplore that Parliament had so Tong neglected its duty by
not instituting an inquiry on the subject. 1-le could not help
observing, that the country had been in some degree deluded
by the frequent representations which had been made in that
House on the part of Government that something satisfactory
would have been done within a very short period. He hoped
that the House would not separate the present Session without
taking some measure upon the subject, unless, in the mean
time, something satisfactory should be done by the Bank.
Mr. PEARSE made a few observations, but in so low a tone
as to have been almost inaudible in the Gallery. We could only
collect from the Honourable Gentleman that it was the inten-
tion of the Bank, on the Ist of May, to commence paying their
notes and sovereigns ; but that should, the accommodation of
the country require it, the Bank would still continue tos issue I
small notes.

Sir. W. CONGREVE explained. He denied that he had
asserted that,the Commissioners had giiren the subject referred
to them entirely up to. the Bank ' • on the contrary, they were
still employed, andin the course of one month they expected to
develope a plan for the prevention of forgery with respect to
co~intry banks.

Mr. DA VIES G 11/BERT said, that the labours of the Com-
mittee had been unwearied, for the purpose of promoting the
object of their appointment. He agreed that Bank ,paper might
be •made a better security than the coin ; and he eonceh ed,
that Honourable Gentlemen who wished to see the Bank paper
put dOwn were very much mistaken in their views._ lig thought
highway robberies had decreased since the substitution of paper
for coin.

Mr. J. SMITH said, that in some places in the' country,
nine tenths of the crne-pound notes were forged. He- was given
to understand, from one of the Directors of the Bank of Eng.:
land, that it was the intention of the Bank to pay off their notes.
He hoped they would carry that intention into effect ; such a
step would have the effect of doing away that frightfa evil
which had been so forcibly described.
6ir M. 11". RIDLEY said that the forgeries on country banks
wert so very few, that any plan to prevent them would be
scarcely worth the trouble of adopting.
After a short conversation between Mr. GRENFELT. and
Mr. PEArtsE,_the Petition was brought up and ordered to be
printed.

REV. RICHARD HAYES.
Mr. CAREW said, that he had that day received a letter
from this person, requesting him to state that he had never been
reprimanded for preaching a seditious sermon. The Catholic
&Shop of Wexford had informed him (Mr. Carew), that he was
obliged to reprimand Mr. Hayes, for preaching a sermon which
he 'conceived to have been of a seditious tendency... He would
leave the House to judge between the denial of Mr. Hayes, and
the assertion of his Bishop--(Hear, hear !) -
TIMBER TRADE,
Sir M. W. RIDLEY presented a Petition from Newcastle-
upon=Tyne, and from North Shields, against the Timber
Datit s.

Sir WILLIAM CONGREVE presented a Petition from
the Inhabitants of Plymouth, praying for a revision of the
Penal Code. The Hon. Member presented another Petition
from certain Ship Owners, praying that an alteration might-be
made in the present Duties affecting Foreign Timber.
The Petitions were referred to the Committee on the Timber
Trade.

THE CATHOLIC QUESTION.
Lord GEORGE THYNNE presented a Petition from the
Mayor and Corporation of Bath, against the 'Catholic Bill,
which was ordered to be printed._ -

M'ADA 11r. •
Mr. CURWEN said he had to call the attention of the
House to a motion to which lie could anticipate no' objection—
' it was to ascertain in fact, whether the public money was to be
disposed_ of with the sanction of that I-louse—his motion was
for-an 'account of the sums of money paid to Mrs WAdain ; 'by
what authority they were paid, and out of what fund.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said, that he
had no object-kin to the motion. The claim of Mr. M'Adam
had been referred by the Treasury to the Postmaster-General,
who reported that Mr. M'Adam had made great improvements
in the public roads, and that his exertions deserved. remunera-
tion. Mr. M'Adam-was paid from the grants left by Parliament
at the disposal of Government.—The motion was agreed to.
MALT DUTY REPEAL BILL.
Mr. WESTERN brought in this Bfil, and a similar one for
Ireland, which were read a first time, and ordered to be read a
second time on the lid of April, and to be ininted.
• TAX ON FOREIGN WOOL.
Lord MILTON gave notice, that he would move for the
Repeal of this Tax on the 10th of April.
FOREIGN ENLISTMENT BILL.
Mr. lIOBHOOSE postponed his motion for the Repeal of
the Foreign Enlistment Bill. to Thursday se'nnight.