The Sun.
London, England, 1818-02-28 00:00:00

INDEMNITY BILL.

The Order for summoning their Lordships on
'The-subject of this Bill being read,
The Doke of MoNtraosa rose, in' pursuance of
Ids notice, and observed, that it appeared to hint
to be proper to offer a few observations to their
Lordships res'pecting the measure he was about to
feettomend.to their Lordships' adoption. As to
the 'occasion for its being brought forward, he
would trnoble their Lotdships to recollect in what
situation the country stood at the commencement
of the last Session of Pariiatnent, and also its
Situation for some time piecediug that period. A
great deal of what he was about to refer to were
well-1(116+1.n and recorded-facts, Their Lordship;
most remember rite state in which the counties of
Nottingham and Leicester bad long been. Ilbuses
were destroyed, fetones broken, and murders fre-
quently committed. These excesses were don-
' germ's and alantriog in the extreme. It appeared.
farther, that these crimes and excesses were, ac-
"l'ding to the dying confessions of several-of the
malefactors, the result of a deliberately organized
system ; that prices or rewards were -granted for
the commitsion of various descriptions of crime
a certain price had been set on the life of an
.ordinary individual; so much also for the_ de-
struction of a horse, and another fixed sum for the
."destruction of a frame. Not content with these,
They went higher, and set a proportionate price
upon the murder of a Judge, or for lying in
to fire upon one. From these tnirt id I Ow,-
rages, a more general and extensive system sprung
up, and their designs were communicated to each
other, no longer by weans of written corre-
spondence, but Lv word at mouth and other means,
which could only be known to rheinselves. Meet-
-ings were then called in vatiturs parts of the
county; treasonable doctrines were promulgated,-
and acts of traitorous outrage -resolved up In,—
The trade, commerce, and manufactures of most of
those districts were nearly annihilated, and multi-
tudes deprived of support, which tended to vender
them the fitter objects for designing traitor's to
work upon. This dangerous spirit of action was
ere long communicated to the Metropolis, and they
all well knew bow his loyal flightless the Prince
Regent, in the exercise of his must important func-
tion, was insultd, and eveu his person violently
attacked Their Lordships thought proper to in-
stitute au inquiry into those circumstances and
events, and the result was, that a temporary sus-
pension of` the Habeas Corpus Act was (teethed ne-
cessary, so far as related to the commission of, or
to the suspicion of, Iligh•Treasoo. This was a
most tvise and salutary measure ; it operated chiefly
in the way of prevention, aud.was well calcolatedfor
the protection of those persons.. who were
most likely to become the, deluded victims of
the mituirod leaders in sebemes of traitorous : in-
surrection. ;t was afterwards deemed advisable
, to continue the measure of Sospension-; but this
system of precatetiooary conduct would in a man-
ner be incomplete, unless billowed up ley a dlea-
isdie such as that now proposed,. which was ren•
tiered necessary by circumstances, end' may be re-
garded as a 'species of corollary flowing from
_it.
The procceedings which took place subsequent to
those he had alluded to, were of a more general,
and still more alarming tcodency. Seditious clubs
were established, and numerous meetings called,
at some of which it was resolved. to petition the
Throne, but far from the usual way, and in a
manner to prepare for attempting to enforce a
compliance with their claims. What occurred in
the Metropolis, in which repeated meetings were
called, and the most dangerous doctrines broach-
ed, their Lordships were no strangers to;
but those wise and precautionary -measures
adopted by Parliament andthe Executive Govern-
Mem were happily such as to frustrate and render
-abortive those machinations. The coadoct of
the Executive Government throughout, and those
who acted wider it, was declared, by their Lord-
ships' Committee to have. been. called for, and
amply justified by the circumstances that oc-
curred ; and they in their turn were fully entitled
vs the protecting measore now called for ; ,and
without a legislative interposition of the kind' it
could not rationally-be expected that such dam-
. gees in future could be put down (as in the case
before them) by measures merely cautionary and
;preventive. -Froa• his view.of the whale case he
telt perfectly satisfied the gleam e now proposed
was not only justifiable hut necessary, and should
detain the House 00 longer, but move that the
Indemnity Bill he now read the second
The ;Marquis of LANSD'OwNE sa'i'l, he rose not
so much for the purpose of optiositig the motion
of-the Noble Duke, as to take sonic vi-ew of the
nature and very questionable et-tent of the Bill-in
quest ion, and with reference to its legal conse-
quences, which went to affect not only the per-
&atoll rights, butt the, properties of British sub-
. jeer. wlks with n‘o small surprise he heard the
measure -cheiracterised as a necessavy'consequenee
of the Susocusion of the Habeas Corpus Act last

.
propo-sition, 1;e tel :sot
maintainable.

A short explanation took place between his
Grace of Montrose and the Noble Marquis, prin-
tipally with reference to the real import of tire
former Peet's expression " corollary," as used by
hini, and which he explained to tall short of that
absolutely and decisive constitictioo.Which the
lattee,seetted t. 9 wit gpqp
The Marquis of LANsi)oWNe proceeded.—fie
would not controvert the- statements sanctioned
by the Committees, that the risings, stich as they
were in the Midland Counties,
.anti the South of
Scotlamt, and its the Metropoiis, had for :heir
object the overturning by violence the laws and
constitution of the rptilltril contend, that the
fair question was, whet4er those were of that
tirt-
ture and extent as to render such an unconvito-
doltish measnre necessary. In London they only
at rested under the Act two persons, both Speu-
cean philosophers; and as to the character
of the insurrection in the cottony:parts, the
leaders were never able to bring more -than
from fifty to one !doodled persons to act
in any one point, though their ascribed range
was through a population of 800,000 persons.
Front his view of all the circumstances he choir; ht
it would have been more wise if Parliament had -
consigned the detention' of -those supposed leaders
to potter receptacles than those of his Majesty's..
pistols, in placese where Dr. Monroe would feel
no necessity of applying for a Rill of. Intlemnit
frit- what be 14 done. Much-stress was• laitl on.
the expectation entertained in the' provinces of
co-operation ft ow Lotidon ; but he believed that
much of this expectation was entertained from tln
assurances given to those persons by the Dele••
gate from Lomrit, Oliver, who, there was great
_reason to suppose, had much exceeded the instruc-
tions given to him. With respect to,Derhyshire,
what occurred in that platter principally. stewed
the strength of the offenders was snoh, that it was
found easier to-ittbdne than to pursue them ; and it
tended additionally to skew, that no necessity'ex-
isted for the suspension of that great bulwark of
personal liberty ; but that the ordinary course of
law would Ls amply sofficient for the rest iii %vino of
the public peace. Directing .o.e view tior,h-
wards, it would merely appear as if the left wing
of the insurgent force hal tak ett to -the commis-
sion of burglaries; anti with respect to die neigh-
bonrhood of Iludderslield, the men brought to
trial would have been convicted, were it not
for the prevarication of an old woman, the
principal sufferer ! And- with relation to Scot-
land, the facts 'shoved that thv operatiou of the
ordinary course of- lasi' was amply sofficient to
put down what had occurred. Glancing more
in detail at a great part of the c;retonstances
which had taken place, the Noble Mat cluis
expressed his conviction that all that had elicited
Was nor sufficient to call for such ass invasion of
the Constitutions -and the setting aside the vene-
rable evablished law of the country—that tower
of strength, which the wisdom and r:rtne of their
ancestors bad erected for the security-of the inva-
luable Constitution of England, -and' which he
lamented.to think the measure now under consi-
deration would fOrm a more serioui inroaq.:npoo,
as being of a more permanent eltar act et and effect.
In various former Suspensions Of the habeas
Corons Act there was no instance Vxrept that of
ii 3-01) of seal) a measure being' carried to the ex-
tent of that now 'proposed,. The operations and
effect of the measure, the Noble Marquis argued,
would be of a most injurious:as well as of a most
unconstitutional nature, with respect to numerous
whose cases he must think called for
serious inquiry, and who certainly should have
some chanty' left open to diem for preferring or
attetnpiing to sobstantiate their complaints ;
.the
most eligible mode of doing which, a mode more
than once adloptcd; especially in the hstarflVilliarn
and Mary, he thought would- he to refer the Petis
Lions to a Select Committee. Pursuing this line
of argument farther, he declared his opinion, that
the characters, descriptions, or even sni,posed
worthlessness of malty iodividuals, shoold not he
a reason against their so doing, and advised their
Lordships to pause ere they wear to the full ex-'
tent of adopting the measure as now proposed,
withont further inquiry into all the merits of the
case which gave rise to it ; and to afford a regular
opportnoity for so doing, he would
.move as an
Amendnaeor, that instead of " stow," the Bill be
read a second time that day fortnight.
The Earl of LIV-PAINIOL observed, that the prin-
cipal stress of the Noble Marquis's objections
dearly lying against certain provisions of the Bill,
their discussion was applicable to the committee,
not to The 'present Stage, in which the principle
-of the measure, merely, was to be discussed. In
the, next'stage, it would be open to arty Noble
Lord to suggest what alteration he might deem
proper. The question of tha principle was now
only before them, Which, front tt view of the ge-
neral' nature of the proposition, was, whether a
Bill of Indemnity did not properly grow out of the
circumstances of the case, the proceedings. of the
last. Session, and of the Report now upon the ta-
ble. His Noble-Friend was greatly mistaken, it
supposed' to have said, that a Bill of this nature
MIS a corollary, or a consequence, of a Bill of In-
den-miry.; but he regarded the measure. as appear-
ing of the same description, as corollary; and
whien he thought would appear from a fair aod
impartial view of the whole case. At the time
the situation of the country was known, and
avowedly one .of extreme danger, Parliament,
taking the circomstances. • into consideration,
found it necessary to vest in theaEx ecutive Go-
vernment a power .of'titking up and detaining
persons, with:out bringing them to trial, Ott suspi-
cion of treasonable niacin-es. Again, alter some
interval, Parliament' inquired ; and-the result Was,
a decision that the powers so eivensWere neces-
sat yto be farther continued. On the first day of
the. present Ssssion, his Maiesty"s Government
thinking the state of the country to hell() longer
such as to require the• Suspension, they proposed
'its immediate repeal. Its following 110 that mea-
sure, they did not propose the present-its the way
of corollary ; hut they. were-;anxious that farther
itiquiry shotild-be made as to the condoct of Go-
vernment under the Suspension, and a Secret
Oontoittee was appointed to inquire accorlingly.-
Ou the result of Such i4quiry, it was free for the
Llonse- to exercise its• discretion, and on the
that the potters
r.
belief, of the Committee,.

.
so- Vrsleo were n.at abesed by his Majesty's Ga.
verninew , but that, on the contrary, they %%ere
fully
.justified by the circumstances ; and on
that ground.the•present -measure was proposed.
With regard 'to the question, whether the es-
tent of the danger Was sufficient to call for
the extraordinary oo‘ver granted, the sense of
Parliament general}'' had decided. In the oflir-
mative. The question Was wit to be derided
as to the individual opinion Of Pity Noble Lord.
Every thing bat had %recoiled 'confirmed the nes
cessiiy of it: 1146 of the drculieoees on tYhieb
the-system of triertsureS were founded, to6k place,
he-believed, while the Noble Marlatis was absent
frotn't he country; but he believed no one would
Say that a considerable degree Of danger did uot
the tithe.. With respect to the state of
the rcetropolisoliete May have been only two per-
sons taken under the particular. 210116111 y ; bat it
was well known that several' were brought to trial
for 1 heir criminalcondnet; and he undertook to
say, that from the moment the Suspension -Act
passed, it had the inlutary preventive operation of
(H.:heartening numbers, and of paraiSsiog their
effors in their traitorous. career. The effect
of the measure was not to be judged of from the
number of its Victims, but fron: its -effects in the
more humane way of deterring. anti Preventing.--:
The ground Upon which they stood in proposing
the present Act, was not only the foil Hiification
of their conduct and of Parliament, but pro,pee-
tively, and. with reference to its effect, with respect
to tutute possible instances Of the same kind. lie
never contended that in all cases of traitorous con-
spiracy, a noTension of the Habeas Corpus Act
was necessary ; the extent and nature of the caaes
was always to be considered: In the case of CO.
Pespard, one rarely exceeded in atrocity and ma-:
Itguity, it was not des nted-necessary to suspend
the Art, because it was son insidated case, nut exe
tended sor ramified into different conspiracies, or
into other ;daces. the present instance it -Was
extended through various parts of the coontry,
arad for all the characters of a general inSurrec-
prevailing too in the most lu parts
of the country, and I.eith respect -to these,
he •'initst again contend the measure pros -
duced tl e most salutary effscts in preventing
the further delusion, of unfortunate ntonbets
whom the. temporary distresses .of the times
might hare rendered the More facile objects
'or those traitorous agitators to practice upon,
The verdicts of Jories in many cases, though they
might not have attached upon Abe accused indi-
viduals, yet, combined with What elicited upon
trials, proved the actnal existence of ,dangerous
conspiracies. What hail actually appeared preyed
the existence.-of an extensive and regularly or-
ganiaed conspiracy, and for objects upon which
no rational . doubt could be entertained. The
whole formed a case, which, in the deliberate and
wise decision of Parliament, called for the vesting
of Government with these extraordinary rowers ;
as the ordinary 'course of laws were held by it to
be inadequate
_to the suppression of so dangetons
a and extensive conspiracy. A ricer of theactoal
state of the Metropolis from early is NoVember,
rrntli nesrly July, was '1.4 powerful corroboration
of the conclusiim which Parliament had formed..
react to a certain individUal, on whose
conduct Mitch. stress, at different times., bad been
laid, partisotarlse with references the- occur-
rences in You shire, he would observe, that they
knew nothing of that - person until the month of
April ; whet eats the conspiracy, in Ali' its parts
and b?anches, had existed for weeks, nay tnonths,
before tha t _period : and with relation to Scotland,
the objection Was easiiy refuted—the ordinary
operation of the -laws, which were very different
trout the/se of England, were there found suffi-
cient for the purpose; the suspeut ion was there-
fore unnecessary, to be extended to that part of
the island. As to the idea that no persons of pro-
perty or considerable influence were implicated in
these transactions, butt that they were confined to
indiriduals oino property, he believed, when the
dreadful transactions which took place in London
in the year. 1780 (and of 'which a Noble aod
Learned Lord opposite had reason to know some-
thing), ti Bich all proceeded from persons of- no
property, or a low description, were reconrcted,
not much stress could be laid upon that argument.
They had the sad experience also of what oc-
curred in France at the early periods of the revo-
lution, in-%vhich those who had nothing were cm-
balked against those who.h4d every things anti in
some degree of what took place in Ireland, to
decide their judgments as to such an objection ;
and they had wisely decided not to let it mili-
tate against the atloptioti of a policy, which
was' no less guided by the principles of laistice
and humanity than it was directed to the secu-
rity of the Laws, Constitution, and Property of
the Country. On these great and' saving princi-
ples, the extraordinary powers Were entrusted by
. Parliament to the Executive Government,
upon the fullest examination had decided that the
Government had exercised them with jrstice, mode-
ration, and in a way fully called for and justified
by all the circumstances of the case. Com-
. mittte, it was falsely alleged, was composed solely
•of the friends of Government. The fact was no-
: torionsly otherwise. His Majesty's Ministers were
anxious that their conduct should. be fully nisi:lir-
ed into by individual 'Peers, and ;.lembers of both
inarties ; and their deliberate decision teas What he
had stated. 'No apprehension had ozoecessarily
taken place ; they were all on the: very eve of
differenst insurrections, and thseconsequences were
most salutary. All they asked for nOW vrovs, that
on 'a fair view of the whole case, (not resting the
metlsure on any particular precedent>, that was
extended in thti way of pi otectioo,„ to- the persons
so acting,' and as circumstances avowedly war-
' ranted. It was not individually wanted for them-
selves,. but- on those obvious grounds and prinvis
pies upon which measures of the kind generally
proceeded.
Lord Lsrasnowts.s. said' a few words-in explana-
tion. Ile wished foe an adjournment, on the
ground that the psovisisms of the Bill of Indent-
oitybad hot been long etiough before the House
to be sufficiently known. •

Lord- ERSKINE, agreed that it became necessary, towards
the close of the last Session, to inquire into the risings thnt
had taken place. But the qnestion was, whether a- Bill, for
whieli he could: see no reason, should be read a:second time
oc be left to stand over for a.fortnig.ht ?. It ap-.

, .
Pea-..ti,1 preposterous ti.l that those Who born sin
justly detained, and were not guilty, were to he shut. tP4
againSt all the remedies whiA the laws of England afforded
thou:. inusi enter his protest ugaiast Snell an idea. The
'
Nol;te Lord iaassed calo4l;ius on the character of:iLe.
Noble ViSeount, tut said, that if .it was his own brother he
woald not bon-sent to such ti Bid of Indemnity, wit-boat P:11
exaniination of the,e't•iilence that tniglpt now be fairly laid ht-
fore the House. -lie- then argued that many ;persons had
•be.2n iUtprisone.l, who, if they hail been brought to
must have !mun aritti ttel, bnt Whonow Could nut vindicate
their charaepers. Whirr the question was, whether these

powers entrtiited to Ministers hail been abused, it was no
longer neeessary to lie steret almi*e ail, nothing /ought to
he. done that ai"eted the charaet of Parliament. In such
eases dun_
iii the last Sais4ion there were CertaiWy
• risings, and if the torneeedings hid been dir-ircnt, there woad 4
I>,-en ru.nty and Indeptinoleut eyries would
dime their duly. Bat t foongb. in proper eases, there woctl4
hare been C•vrilicts, tb'erc Would bare been an enthusiasm in
behalf of thOse who woldil have been found innocent: IV. lit
ARA the factious case, Itnio, -that we were toll cos to be re,-
silt-04.1'ns example' Bt•port said that the great boollr,
of the petiple renialiced Untainted. "What more was to be
wished for in any country in -.. the world ? There was no
Simi-
larity between' the state of the public mind now and at
former- periods after tlte, French Revolution. The linSur-
reciions of last year were of small consideration and insig-
nificant in thwmselies, and there were other Acts in forcer
to quell them, *nitwit haviii; retourse to the Suspension
of the Habeas Crirpus Act. He Would say the responsi..
filthy of the Noble Viscount was doubled by shattiitg out
the possibility of a defence, though he by no means Ineapt
to- say that he could toot grape a good ono. He'sras not
at all satisfied by what he had heard from the Noble Unke,
and if the Bill were thus rapidly hurried, the I-lutte wonlot-
lay-down a precedent of the most dangerous consegticrice for
rpo v nets that nkfit'in future he conntotted by the worst and
wieliedest a,f wen. Fur. if a Minister was never to bare hi 7
seiiroduct investigated lint a Jury called by liinipAl, would
produce a danger to the Constitution moo, - g"roi r•t
that had ever been eXpeeienecd. That the petitions of ',the
rit-ople had nut met with proper eonsideratloti was, in his
the wain, if not the site caul-e of all the discnittrin
That te; whose &filet justice was the ad:,
miratino of all the world, should pursue the eoursw, of. 41-
Itiwing the Ministers of the Crown to shild thentsel'Ves
der such a BM, whether they were innacetet or guilty, iwould
.excite.. astonishment all user the world. he :Nubile L9rti
concluded with declaring his opinion Ihat -all Petitions that
had been laid un the Tattles of hut'[, flurries, or' "'urea vet
come, Wo-uld be a dead letter, "it the motion of his Noilk,i-
Vriend were not acceded ru...

The LORD CIIANCELLOR observed, that when the goes-
Von Tor the .Suspension of the Habeas Corpus Act was de;
bated, it was hardly possible to suppose that there would nest
Ikea 13i11 of Indemnity It was alma' a century and a halt
ag‘;, in the reign Of Omit's- 11. that our ancient rights aunt
liberties Were secured by this Act ; ain he wooht say, that
the history of the country, since the Act of Charles li ,
had proved, that in order to secure our liberties, it was
necessary that that very Act should be occasionally sus.;
pended. knew that the g'reat hotly of the people
were sound but would the Noble Lord say, that the
people were not sound in the time of sing William? and yt
tt
the Act was suspender} three times in that reign. if the
Notate Lord; would take the trouble to look at the. Acts of In-
demnity of that reign, he would find theycontained the san
words. Those Acts admitted that there had been a violation
of the law in Sitspendiag the Habeas Corpus Act, but they,
justified it on the eligencies of the Junctures; and though lit
etividnals might complakt of hardships which those exigencies
rendered unavoidable, yet good subjects were not to be ptt
tts the trooble and expences of lawsuits who hail only dor c
then-duty to their country. Those riglits atol libertits vele
secured by that of 14-trliatnent... Sinnibar circumstances ut-,
curved in the year 1715 and 1748, and in the whole hi.z.
toty of the chuotry three w‘ 11:eStithli-Stierl proofs, that whet e
tLe public satety and necessity repined it, Bills:of Inden,.
oity might be granted; for Satus ettpre;snit le.a .'
"itiuthiis 1,41 oc,tiered that or, old not instify it in this
in
stance. The Suspension Act that e ries) in 1795 teas hit
liv a Bill of Indiminity till Ins. But nui a senile;
person had; tholicht proper to bring any ',Tit, till, iii iStl(l, ail
those Who had '.:en silent came forward with their conld,
-plaints, nod Parliament thought propel to indemnity the
; inisters. It hut been acknofiled4ed that this was a Par.;
fiddly...wary procteculin,z, and w' were now uniter the sai:!es
circumstances. lie conhl therefore see no reason for 1)0,1 -
ponins; the second Parti•ament had passed 111.2
Suspension Act under great and serious considerations, wi't
the lkports of two Seceet Conceptives, and nolsiu
Who teeullectcdt Ole contents of those Reports could believe
that there were not strong gronnds foe giviug streh power',
to the Ministers of the Crown. The Noble :and Le,,rocil
Lord then proceeded to justify the proevediito in the forma-,
tiott of the last :Secret Coma-Inoue, argiiiiii; that there was toy
way so satisfactory to the feelings of Munster,' as to forra it
t:y ballot. When Noble lords argued that there had beers
only little riots in tsfpiutields, and insignificant disturhatrers
in other parts, they seemed entirely to forget what had beet
prevented by the linspensiint of the Habeas Corpus Act, wit,t
which it might base happsord that some o: those persot,s
of high rank alight net have been present at this time to
debate the question. before then.;; for, as was well huowti,..
ail open enemy was fiat so.diiagerous as those who pianist
their designs in secret. That :man tmist have a stout Beare.
who would say, that in November, IFSIai, he d'd nut see itx
London cause for very seriwis alarm. As to the second
meeting in Spa-fields, although
.he was tint inclii-ed to say
that those peisons were guilty of treason, yet he would
say, that those, Ministers who hail not th,ught .proper
to submit the ease to the il,cision of a Jury, would have
I,ieen guilty of a great dereliction of their &illy, as. the'
would if those in Derby and Nottingham hall, 'well. left:
at ge. Ipersottil stick as wanted Reforux
in ParliamentVe?re those
No; it was nothing less th it they aimed
at than the destruction of all the constituted authorities oe
the realm, and their oliect was to march With arms in their
hands to the ex.ecution of their purpose. Then to, ;that wits
the pi esent state of the country owing ? Those. who bad
&waled a true opinion, knew that its tranquillity Vviii• Moil! the
result of the Suspension, of the I Linea. Corpus Act than of
any other proceeding, anti the operation 01 it bad been
merciful; and preventive of mischief. After farther arguing:.
iu bi- ball of the second reading of the Bill, and skewing why
the iiitortirition received by Government otught not to be ex—
posed, the Noble Lord. concluded with contending, that the
proccedimgs were in exact conformity to those of Charles 1I-
- and Max this country would not have been the great awl,
powerful nation that it is, if it had not had the good SeltSC,
utt dilrefellt oCCaSltilts, to make a. tempocary sacrifice of its li-
berties roc the general welfare.

Lard HOLLAND svAid be wtoutd not confine himself to
the suestinnr Whether the second reading of the UHL should
take place that night, tot would state the. nature, Cha-
rricter, objects-, athti ruotiNes of it, which he could not do,
without feeling indignation aa►d abhorrence of the prin—
ciple on which it was founded- The precedbnts ernoteil

bir th.e Noble Lords- were at complete variance with ottst
another. Tbe argn'inents of the Noble Lord who spoke
last had tended rather to cntaugle than. to elucidate teav
subject. The Noble Dukc who brought in, the Nil bat%
thought proper to -give it a title beforehaml; and call it a
Bill of Indemnity. This reminded him of 'au argument of
Tristram Shandy, on the propriety of christenings-. a •child
before jt was burn. If no men had been arrested except ott
information upon- oath, it tern; clear that no Bill of Indem-
nity was necessary. fur MMetters, for if they had not- ex-
ceeded the powers •given them by the SuspenSion thc
Habeas Corpus Act, they incurred. no penalty. To say
that the Bill was. fur 'the purpose of preventing. terns from
disclosing evnlenee, had no Meaning. • But it was ,trot' for
• the Secretary of State for tbr Home Department that the
13111 had been bromtht •forward, it was for the protection,
of Mr. Oliver, artil those men who were to be secured from
:he conseytences of the !avv ; fur that wretch. in particular.
who. was to he secured by thy shield of power, and in whose
behalf all law was to• be trampled driven. The Noble Loot
theta went at considerable length into anexasnination of tht.,
precedents (looted by the Lore t Chancellor, eontendimr.that
they were mostly periods,of civil war, and consequently the
•Mittistets thought themselves entilled.to haw recourse tole
measure which he was far froiu approvit4.

ViscOunt SiDMOUTH deuluredthat be had' no wish to. Mk"
for any indemnity, on his own account, for he knew that her
had conscientiously performed his duty; while, in the situ,-
Con in which he /1:mod, it was.nOt for him to take apart in..t.ts

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HOUSE OP COMMONS.

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devinte. There ivar, n'r; situation in which 11e could he 'laced.
atfeetin4 his liberty or security ia any waN;,that could ;mco.
him to hi triy Coilß,leilee that had bcen renowd in him
The Not,le Lard bad Certainly the greatest nmnber of or-
.
epithets towards Mr. Oliver that he had ever hear
;Applied to any I:nlividnal. 11e denied that ()liver was to li'
protected by this Bill. No steps had been tatren on the evi-
dence of that man under the Habeas Corpus Suspension Act;
it was therefore inrpossible for him to come within the scope
of the present measure. The Noble Lord who bad last
spoken had been pleased to draw a most degrading picture of
those to wintse cave tit,' internal tranquillity of the country
was entrusted. The House, however, would remember that
the Magistrates performed the duties entrusted to them, and
instead of deserving to he treated ,xith such severity,they were
entitled Lithe respect and cratitude of their count rynien•Wit h
respect to what the Noble Lord hall said on the subject of
spies and informers, what had fallen front hint was justi-
"table if he could believe the statements which had gone
abroad. In the course he had taken this night he was per-
. fectly consistent with himself, for he believed it might be said
of the Noble Lord that he had never yet supported any law
that Ministers considered necessary to preserve internal
`tranquillity. He disdained 'to encourage a system of
Topionrig-e, as much as the Noble Lord could do, but if he
had opportunities of possessing himself of information which
he thought important to the safety of the country, was he to
accept it, or to reject it because it was furnished by informers
'Could the Noble Lord say that if lie were in office, be
'Would avail himself of no intelligence that might he so prh-
. cured ? He cOnld only say, that for himself, be certainly wished
that every circumstance conripcted with the late proceed
i7g3 could be fully explained. As to the complaints of the
l'etsons who had Gaon confined, which had been adverted tto
44 the Noble Lord, he could most solemnly declare, that
qf the number of persons who had been detained, there
Wits not a single case which excited in his mind any feel-
ings of self-reproach or of compunction. He had done
nothing under the late Act, btit what under similar
circumstances he should feel himself hound to do again. With
4,gpvet to the treatment of the individuals Who bad been taken

RIP, he had to say that the statements which bad been wade
'were notonly gross Di's statements, but wt.re ahsointely false,

atntl
utterly at variance with the acknowledgments formerly
made by the came persons themselves. The chief purpose for
which he had risen was, to state that Oliver could not be
Protected by this Rill,, and he defied any one to chew that an
irAproper use bad been 'node of that measure, or that the

Power given to Ministers had been exerted in any way re-
-I,llLN:frit to honourable Lelings, or inconsistent with the
true principles of the Constitution.
Lord Hn1.1..-iND explained.
' Earl GROSVENOR spoke shortly in faronr of the amend-
; and was followed on the SF.nie side by Ent Carnarvon.
The question was then put—" That the word now ' stand
Part of the question?"
Contents, sti; Proxies, 44; 100—Non-contents, 15;
Proxies,)s 33-Ilajoity for the second reading, 67.
-Adjourned at Eleven o'Clueli,

PETITION OF TIIF. LIVERY OF LONDON.

• • Air. Alderman WOOO presented a Petition from
.the Lord-Mayor, Aidet men, and Livery ot Lon-
d"', Praying that a strict inquiry ;night he insti-
!:„, ,
`"(11"1" the conduct of his Majesty's Ministers,
respect to the Suspension of the Ilaheas
k-utpus Act, and that such ingOiry might be made
by a Committee, composed of per.ons who had.
ntithcr places nor pensions tinder Government.
hey also prayed, that tio Bill of Indemnity to
rk•linivers, on account of their proceedings during
-the Suspension of the Habeas Corpus Act, might
to allowed to pass.
The lion. Alderman said, he thought it his duty
1" state, that the Ilall at which this petition.was
atzreed to was one of the most numerous and must
tespeet ably attended at which he had ever been
-present ; and that very few hands were held up
against it.—On the question that the petition be
lead,

Sir W. CURTIS rose and said—'' MI that I
have to say', Sir, is„ that I attended the Hall at
AvlliCh this Petition was agreed to, and that I dim-
apptove or every word in that Petition„".
• The Petition wag then read, and ordered to lie
on the table and to he ptinted.

MOCK AUCTIONS.
Sh I'e eriffs of the City of London presented- a Petition
•jriuni the Lord Mavur„-kldermen, and Common Council lif
-_' Loudon; Mock Auctions.—Read, a.,(1 ()r-
-oiled to he on the table.
111 r. Aider,,h,,, ATKINS made some observations on the
tunnerons frauds committed by means of stock auctions, sod
1";e$:ecl the necessity of a Bill being passed for the purpose
W. Putting an end to them. He hoped that his Majesty's Mi-
Zisterg would support a Bill for this purpose, and that it
ould not he lost as it had heett in the lank
`Ir•LUSHINUI.ON was not aware that Ministers intended
°itupose any Measure upon the subject.
ti r• BINGTnN presented a Petition front the Attornies
,4ticester, praying, that uneducated and iinqualitiei
sl Per-
4ris'aight not be allowed to practice as
CUliVeyanCeri.—
'4U, and ordered to he on the table.

(;AME.
j'e
re„ Bill to prevent the sale of Game was brought in, and
„ first time.
tend '.,RENFELL wished to know what course it vv,.5 in-
to pursue with respect to this Bill, as several lion.
4b."t,ettlen were interested in it who must be wvtYidAbly
sent for some days. He therefore buriedthe Billo would
tiot
lbe hurried through the House.
shni. be aIRIoGEOGEwed for the conaNKES ssidid,
eration of that he wisthe hed
Billthat falHle time
. was
-hare that many Members interested in it must he absent
tied engaged for some time by the Assizes or Counts- bvo,i-,
~ and he thereto' e. would fix the second reading- 'for the
1°1•11 of April.
• The Bill was then ordered to be read 'a second time on the
.10th of April.

THE LEATITER TAX..
Lord ALTHORPE said that he wished that there should he.
'laid before the House an account of the produce of the
Leather Tax for the year previims to that in which the addi-
„lion had been imposed.
Mr. LUSHINGTON suggested that it would he desirable to
'3l9ve for a return of the produce of the Tax for the five years
l 'receding the tune when the additional duty was laid on, and
since that time. •
Lord ALTHORPE wished that the Return should inchde
Via Drawbacks in each yeas-.
On the motion of Mr. LUSHINGTON, there was then or-
I:dered to be laid before the House au Account of the Annual
rodue, of the Duty on Leather, for the five years previous
Ili) that in wlOch the additional 'fax was laid on, and also of
Produce of that. Duty since that time, together with au './(01111t 'of the Drawbacks in that year. '
General GASCOIGNE wished to )(now whether the
th"ule Lord meant to propose any motion to the House Oil
d e subject of the Leather Tax before the Easter Hob-
o ays
.1%.n4,d ALTHORPE was not vet able to state whether he
ltfu'dd have such a case BS would en-ablle him tosuionit to the
t;9use a lbotiou for the repeal of the additional Tax. If he
1,1 make out a sufficient case, he ...mid lose no limo in
Ingilig forward such :1 motion.
74,:rbe iceport of the Offices' Indemnity Bill was brought up
agreed tu, and the Lill ordered to be read a third time on
•

NEW WRIT FOR SOUTHAMPTON.
Sit IT. W. RIDLEY wished to know whether it was the in-

tension ',f any 1-inn...llcciber Ml:Aber tide to'T-fl, male
to move for a. new Writ for.t he borough of Soutl:anipton, 1.1
he room of 111. Rose-?> 7-: •
Mr• SWAGES- AiOURNE ,sAixi that a new Irrit. would
,are been moved for, but, that Mr. Row had Wot..yet been
.worn into hi. ottico„.rior,trtd die done ahy act iic cti•geharging
:le duties of it, :iltiaotso he had accepted the ci'.flice. ;:
Mr. BROI.I,OIIANI N'aid he took it, that Me. Rose,, not be-
nt in, and not-haring done :Iny act i» 'exectkiti.,,:, the
nil its of his office, was rely wide ut the question Which the
;louse sh.inht consider. •••••

Mr. S. BOURNE said he had loo?;ed into the cases upon
the suLject, and he found that a seat in the House;was,not
considered as vacated till the to 'accepting au, office
-ander the Crown was.sworn its.—(Cries of More,; quier.")
It was perfectly indifferent to the Member in question whe-
ther the writ was snored for now, or after he: had taken the
oaths of his office.
.. •
Sir M. W. RIDLEy observed, that in the present case the
Minh: of the embee in questions was in the patent. There
was a recent case, in which the new, writ had been moved for
immediately on the tare heing ac?.eptcd.• He thereforv.
funned, That the Spealstr do issue Ins warrant to.ttle (led;
of the Crown to make out a new wilt for Southampton, in
the room iii (4eo. Henry, Rose, Esq. who since his election
nasaccepted the ()Vice of Cirri; of Pan liniment'

The motion was agreed to without opposition.

OF THE SECRET COMMITTEE.
Me. 13. BATHURST brought tip the Report of
the Secret committee appointed to examine the
Ser.led Pipers presented to the House by Com-
mand of his Royal Highness the Prince Regent.
The Report, which was then ordered to be read
by the Clet:k, was in substance as follows :—That
the Com;Hitter proceeded to the examination of
the Papers referred to them by the House. That
their first object in the eXan:inaiion of those 14a-
pers Was to obtain such inforimition'as would en-
oble them to form a correct opinion as to the in-
ternal stare of the country during the period that
elapsed between the last Report of the former
Committee, and the present time. ThHt it ap-
peared that the insurrection which broke out in
Derbyshire, on the 9th of June, was the latest

open attempt Inade by ti,e conspirators to carry
into effect by absolute force • their desperate de-
signs. That the proceedings adopted to thwart
that attempt bad happily been so effectual, that
the projects of. the insurgents had been thereby
entirely disconcerted, the confidence of their ad-
herents shaken, and their further designs defeated
or delayeri. That the suppression of this itturrec-
lion, the apprehension of many of the leaders of
the conspiracy, who were afterwards brought to
trial for High Treason, and rite detention of many
of the tuitators lintlrr (lie Act of the last Session,
had frustrated all further attempts at open vio-
lence. still that it appelred, from the language
which was continued to be held among the dis-
affected, that they considered flick revoltrionary
projects as being only prevented for the time, and
as being not the less certain of success, uoiwith-
standing their being delayed. That at the trials
eeliie;: took place at Derby in October of the per-
sons concerned in the insurrection, 23 were con-
victed of High 'treason, or pleaded Guilty ; awl
:ogainst the other twelve the La's- Officers of the
Crown declined bringing forward any evidence.
That the result of these trials had the effect of

striking terror into the minds of the disaffected,
while the lenity manifested towards the greater
propottion of the et ininals was gratefully
felt by tie unfortunate individuals them-
selves. That subsequently to these trials, the
spitit of disaffection had been gradually subsiding.
That in i!ke.coorse of the autumn the decline in the
price of provisions, and the inclease of wages,
with the growing demand for labfYllr, had, by re-
moving the distresses and privations of the lower
ordcrs,contribu. ed very flinch to preserve them from
the artifices of the agitator., by removing the dissa-
tisfaction which ex isted d tiring the Leriml ofdistress,
while-the lower orders were deprived of the usual
means of earning their subsistence. That the
Committee saw fresh cause to be- convinced of the
statement in the first Report oldie Committees of
last •} ear, which represented the general good dis-

position of the people at large ; and that they
most in paiticular bear testimony to the exem-
plary cost duct of the inhabitants of those parts of
the country where the insur►ection had broken
out, and throne)) which the lnsureents had di-
rected their course. That the Committee had no
doubt thAt the extent and resources of the con-
spirators were magnified by their leathers, whose
obvious policy it was to propagate such a delu-
sion ; but that it was impossible to calculate to
what extent they might have spread, as numerous
opportunities would have occurred of seducing
persons into the support of their canoe, who might
not be at all aware of the atrocity-of their .de-
signs. That the Committee were therefore of opi-
nion that it was the duty of Government and of
the Magistracy, not only to provide the means of
resisting the projects of those per"--,►ns when they
should break out into .open violence, but also to
attack the danger in its origin, by putting an end
to the efforts of those who were employed in de-
luchng the people into a participation in their ne-
farious tle►igns. That the effect produced by the
measures which had been adopted for this pnr-
pose had been very succe!sful ; and that the Con►-
mittee hoped that the bad spirit-which had been
su industriously diffuse r. would gradually pass
a way, and that so►ue even of those who had been
.engaged in deluding the people would awake to a
sense of the criminality of their conduct. But
ti►:it the Committee would deceive the Ilonse if

they did not state that the most vigilant exertions
of the ;Magistrates would he ►►ece•sary to check
the efforts of those who were still engaged in pol-
luting the minds of the lower orders; and that
the aid' of all persons ought to he exte►rd-
eel to counteract the effect of those licen-

tions- pubJications which were still poured
forth with a profusion altogether unexam-
pled. 't hat in adverting to the state of the me-
tropolis, the Committee was sorry to be obliged
to state 'hat a small number of infatuated indivi-
duals continued still active in their endeavours to
excite insurrection and to overturn the Govern-
ment and Constitution of time Country, with the
design of substituting in its place some re‘olu-
tiouary form of Governmen:. That they had
however the satisfaction to observe, that the ef-
forts of these individuals had not of late been at:
tended with much success, and the member of
their proselytes had not increased. That the ces-
sation of that -distress minder which the lower or-
ders had so severely suffered, and the employment
of a great proportion of those who had been ex-
posed to the greatest privations, had prevented in
a great degree the efforts of those persons-frow

being.successW. That,fhe'Co,mmittee had much
satisfaction in ,stating, Caat ,n6.person of any rank
or infl.nenee.ia the commi,unity -countenanced the
designs tif:flicse men. ~'`rhat eager as,thoseindi-
vidnals w.ere, itt. alte pne:6nit of their designs, and
capable as,,t4feir. declat:tikion
,S:tetved them of. per-
petrating the.gteatest itit-oeities, still the Commit-
tee saw no reason to think; that the vigilance •of
the Police and .of.the. Govonment would not ,be
sufficient to repfe`sfs taei.r efforts:by means colthe
existing laws. Tha't,. the ,attention of the Com-:
mittee had been next directed 'to. the proceedings,
against those persons detained under the.autho-
ri,tv of the Sospen‘ion Act... That they had
amined the charges on which every :pae.of those.
persons had been committed, 'and they (mind that,
they bad in e‘ety instance been,,substantiated:
Upon oath., That it was the opinion of the Coin-
mittee that, the powers entrus ed to Govecnineci
by the Act alluded to, had in every case been exer-
cised,with ise discretion ; and that if they had:
not been pot iii
,force to such au extent, the safe-
ty of the country was likely to be very seriously
endangered, and the projects of the disaffected to
have been realised.,...That it appeared, that of 37
pecsous detained under wairanis,ou suspicion of. ,
treason, one had been discharged on. the 4111:
of July ;\ another a few day l after;;
_lO on the
12th of November ; '22, at varions times previous
to the commencement of, the present year ; 3 on
the 20th of 'January ; and
,one .diet) in prison.'
That the Committee
.had no reason. to doubt that

. ,
the detention of those
.persons Wits governed by
the same sound discretion which I,i ad been exer-
cised in their apprehension. That ,npon the whole,
they were of opinion, that Orovernment had,t,in
the execution of the powers vested in them, acted
with thctionost,,lenity and knodei'al
On the motion that the Report do lie on the
table, •

Mr. TIERNEY wished to know whether the Com-
ltdd availed Itself at the power of examin-
ing persons. lie also wibhed to know what cant se
the Noble Lori meant to pursue with respect to
the Report, and whether it was intended to fix a
day (or taking it into consideration ?
Lord CASTLKREAGH said, that with respect to
the first question of th 6 Right Hon. Gentleman,

it was s very unusual one to be put, as it respect-
ed the proceedings of the Secret Committee; and,
therefore, he should make no reply to it. With
respect to the second question, it Was not his in-
tention to fix any day for taking the Report into
consideration, nor having to propose to the House
any measure founded upon it. -
On thv question that the Report be printed,
Mr. TIERNEY said, he was very much puzzled to
know why this Report should he printed. it was
not to he taken into consideration; why then
have it printed ? The truth was, it was all a
jutnhie of nonset►se.—.All that had been foretold

long ago would be the contents of this Report,
was now found to be embodied in it. Who was
the author of
.this valuable document he dill not
know. It only contained the old history of the
Derby trials ; and its, whole dritt was to give a
thorough ‘vhiteLwashing to his Majesty's Minis.
teas. His oNit opinion's\ were not in the smallest
degree shaken by any thing in this Report.—
Wa. he to he satisfied with the 'conduct of Minis-
ters, because it was now to be said in print that
the powers which had been conferred upon them
were %yell exercised ? Who made this Report ?
It was made by Ministers and the Member» of the
former Committees. And how could they have
made a different Report from that which had been
just read, seeing they were the very persons inte-
rested ? Was it to he expected they would say
any flung agaiost themselves ) The son) of all
they said was this—that there had been all ilisurteC-
lion in Derbyshire, and that there was no saying
what might have happened it certain measures
loin not been :ulopted. And yet by arresting those
upon Sunday, who it was acertained were to rise
on the Monday, the whole insurrection might
probably have been prevented. lilt it they bad
heen arrested then, there wont(' have been no in-
surrection—and if there had been no insurrection,
there would have been no Report that was the
whole secret. No 111311 could hear this Report
with a grave face. But time most extraordinary
thing of the whole was that it did not lead to any
measure whatsoever. The truth was, that it did
lead to a measure which the Noble Lord did not
dare to avow, namely, the Bill of Indemnity. For
his own part, be did not believe one word of the
Report. It was only the evidence of one party in
its own favour when the other party was not al-
lowed to be heard. papers contained in the
Bag brought to the House related to the state of
the Country. Those papers were referred to a
Committee. The most natural question of every
member of that Committee when it met would ,

be, " What am I here for ?" The answer to this
would be, that .he was there for the purpose of
making out that the former Committees were.
right. Did the Noble Lord then think that any
man would believe such a Report so framed ? The
table was covered with petitions praying that au
inquiry might be made into the conduct of Minis.

lets. No inquiry at all was made. To call the
pr..ceedings of this Committee an inquiry was a
farce. The result of those proceedings was this
foolish. Report, which after all was not to he
taken into consideration why then was it pro-
duced ? The Noble Lord dare not say it was for

the purpose of Itaviiig• a. Bill of Indemnity. With-
oot that there could be no purpose in appointing
a Committee ; it would have been a proceeding, to

use a common phrase. without tread or tail.

The

truth was tlu Minisrers kit that there was a case

prima facie against themselves, and they dared not
face the House for a Bill of Indemnity without
'producing some voucher 5 and this Report was
the voucher ‘t hich they produced.
Lord CASTLEREAGH said, that the Right Hon.
Gentleman seethed to wish to do that now which

he «•as sure the House was not disposed to ik—
oamely, to go into a discussion' of the Repo.• on
the reading of it by the Clerk. The Right lion.
Gentleman-asked if any measure was intended to
be loondei on the Report. To this question be
hall already made a reply ; but if
,the Right lion.
Gentleman was not satisfied, it was perfectly open
to suhmit to the House a►ny motion tounded
upon the Report. But the Right Hon. Gentle-
nom took occasion to endeavour to create a, feeling
in the House that the Report was quite illusory.
In such an attempt the Right Hun. Gentleman had

I/ already failed to produce an ciFcct npon :the !louse
• or the •Conatry ; and he ‘vonld. ventore io pro-
• phecy., that the R.i4h.t. Hon. Clentletnau would not
• now suceeedju deluding the Country so ,flar as to
make it he that dang-er had c,cr ex-
isted., .As .:to the Report, did ~ot
mean to name any day for takit!g it into consider-
' ation, It was probable that c,n Ern, early day there
might be Occasion to enter Into a disoussion upon
the subject. ~As, to the insinuation of the Rig. I.lt
Gentleman, :that the opinion of the Com-
, mittee was .theopinion of Minist;!rs,.the Rigitt
Gentleman kuew too. well how the Committiles of
both Houses had been constitutes!, to think there
was any just ,grottud for such an insinuation.--.
hear, hear !)--,lt was a sufficient grontol
for appointing this Committee, that the House anti
the country should. know what had been the ex-
tent of tire danger—above all,, that the moral part
of the country arid the Magistracy noil ht be made
aware of the growing evil, which it would require
their utmost talents to suppress. His Majesty's
Ministers,, when the danggr was threatening, met
it with vigorous measures ; and when the wore
imminent danger subsided, they submitted their
conduct to illvemigation._ Notwithstanding the
disconntenance of this investigation by the Right
Hoo. Gentleman, its result 'was, that the.Com-
mitteethonght that the conduct of Govimment
lottLbeenientent,. moderate, and wise ; and suck
he was sure woold be the opinion of the House
and the coontry.—(llear, bear l)
Mr., littouGoiw. could not but think that the
Noble Lord., who knew so accurately what would
be the feeliugs of the Howie and of the Country,
might have thrown iiimsdf upon the House and
the Conntry without seekhug the protection of
Secret. Committee. It seemed that this Report
was not to he considered by the House, but to be
printed, that the Country might know what its si-
tuation was. • he objection- to the Committee
was, that it was composed in such a way, that it
could hot be expected to produce any other Re-
port than such as had now been laid before the
House. The Noble Lord refused to tell whether
persons had been examined before the Committee,
but other Members of a Secret Committee had not

felt their lips so strongly sealed as to the proceed-
ings of the Committee when it served the purposes
of the debate to make any statement relative to
it. The Committee was composed entirely
of persons who had places or sonic connec-
tion with Government, except, to keep up
the delusion, four Members frons Lis side uf
the House, though it was known that with one ex-
ception they would not attend. That one who
had attended was an lion. Friend of his (Mr.
Wynne, we presume), and the friendship between
them was such as could not be shaken by his say-
ing, that it there was a man on that side of this
Muse prejudiced in favotir of the course-pursued
by Ministers, it was his Hon. Friend, for.he had
been one of those who, he was grieved to say, had
given the most effectual support to the me•ssure4
of last Session. Great as were the talents of Isis
Linn. Friend, his autbotity on this subject' u
even greater than was due merely to his Wen's, fur
it was the authority of an mhnit,sion, and not of an
argument ; therefore it was that he considered

the naming his Hon. Ftlend to he one of the.
Committee was most in,idions. The Committee
was a Committee of Government and its &the>
rents to white-wash Government and its mea-
sures. It was a Committee selected. trout the.
Cotnn►ittees of la St year, and appointed to
approve of the acts of those Committees
On the whole, he would rather that this
Report should be printed, that the country might
sce the result was such as to juvity all that had
been said relative to the Committee.

Me. B. BATUURST said, that the arg-nment (If
the Hon. and Learned Gentleman reldtive to the

composition of the Committee was not borne out:
by facts. It was not true that onfy one of the
Member's from the other side of the House had

at t euded that Committee. As to the necessity of the
Committee' being secret, the answer to what was
said about having the Committee an open one was
plain, as the case required secrecy '[lie persons
who gave their evidence were induced to do so
under a promise of secrecy ; and there was only
the option between obtaining tire evidence and

breakin! that promise.
Sir. W. BURROUGHS hoped it Would be stated
whether any persons had been examined before

he Committee. if no ans‘ver was jven to this

question, he woult! move that the Committee he
Instrtlcted to report whether or not they had exa.

mined any witnesses.

Lord FOLKESTONE said, he had examined the
precedents respecting Bills of Indernt.ity, acid lie
would cVlenge the Noble Lord-opposite to pro-

duce any instance of any Bill similar to that now
proposed, except in the Case of 18O1.'
The Report wits then ordt red to be printed.
Mr. littooonam observed, that it was strange
there was no•mention of the Spencean plan in

this Report. Was it that this great plan had died
away ; or was it that it was alluded to in that
pats of the Report which related to the designs of
some persons in London ?

Sir W. BUIIIIOUGFIS moved that the Committee
should be instructed to report whether they had
examined any witnesses.

The SP FAKER said the motion could not be en-
tertained, as the Committee, basin;; made its iZe-
port, now ceased to exist. The lion. Gent!email
might move for the appointment of a new Coin-
mittee.

The motion was of course abludoned.
in the [Iloilo!) of Lurch CASTLEREAGH ,it was
ordered, that the Sealed I),,pets, laid before the
House and examined by the Committee, should ha

returned under seal to the Secretary of State for
the Home Department.

Mr. TIERNEY gave notice, that on Wednesday next ha
should move for a Return of the Number of Out-stauding'
Bank Notes.

Di r. W. SMITH presented a Petition from the City of Nor-
wielt, praying' a Reform
_in the Admioi,trio jun of doshce
that City; and he afterwards moved that it should he refer-
red to the Cottniittee apppinted to inquire lac, the state of
. • • ..• ..• •

tile in tlic fur

Mr. BENNI'A' present 4 ;v•Petition from the Borough
Taristock, cut plainingof t lie Taxation on Goals carried c”ast-
wise. lie
_afterwards presented Petitions from s;:muel •
Cock, Dickson, and atitithe'r person whose name we
could not hear, all confined under the Suspension Act,. aglinst
the till of Indemnity, and three Petitiulis trues Nuitingliatu

fur Patliaulvtitukillfortu.
ARMY ESTIMATES.
PALMEitSTON, ')u moving the Order of
the Day for the Cominittee of Supply, to which

the Artnv E4fimates were to he referred, said,
t!,it as tie rinatice iCcport, to xvlsich tuauy M(.111-
; • iitiOlt to rt-fri, tvas not generally deli-
vuted yrt. lie was tvilling, if it was the de,ire
e, to postpone the Army Estimates till
INlont-I.y.,•blit lie could ti,,t thum (drill a later
d.,y, as it was necessary to pass the A.ltititty Bill
before the Eisler teces.s.

I,orrl FOLKETONE tool: thit opirortortity of oltierving,
tfi.t al'himgit the Geritiair porsttato to Act of P3rlia.
mew. tiad ceased to he in the British service from the coil of
sire iiirrotto, after the conclotiort peace, .yet there were the
tri Net of ormly German Cell, cal ()Ilicers still in the :Irrity
LHt., lle rch,11,61 to home the rc,isoil of this.

Lord r.umEnsToN said, he could only answer generally,
that ct the expiration. of the Act by, which the German Legion
..nziployeti in the British service, all Officers attached to
it I,ld 1 t't 11711eli (;ermany. 13nt,there had been r.ri-
-1 Office!, iu that who wet e cntitinited in their rank ;
buint,ne were continued ulio were not natural born snbjects.
A ,b,i;1.1 Ita•! ariseil whether some of thew were aliens, and
AviCed hy the 1..,1,V Officers of the Crown.
Mr. GRENI'EI.L, with tiw have of the House, entered
int ..ome• statement- relative t, Certain Accounts laid lie-
tea the House, relative to the state of the circulation. He
lioglat it neccs,any that the lou,should observe that since
.!nlv last, till the pi e•ent time, flue a.notint Of :lank notes in
circulation exoeet!cd I,r scveril millions the utuoi,t ;amount in
circulation at any former time. This fact, and the'grkit in-
crease of the iss, es of the country hanks, accounted for the
high price of and the unfavourable state Of ex-
change. The bal.,•,ces in the hands of the hauls still
Innount eft, to sir millions, and it would he for the Committee
to consider the best arrangement that could be made on that
subject, -
;Mr.•MANNING stated that those balances Bail been ma-
terially reduce and that tile coniblerations granted by the
Ilan% to the ruhlic mt ftl'ir account were exec,isively large.
Aitnio,4s.t the re,t, tltrc c Lad been granted without
any inti.reut. As to the issue of Rank Notes, he assured the
(,entieman that the ltank had notiesire to intreace their
to ahy dettrce. it. in July, the issue of
I\ol-,u d ciwsicicrabie, it. was occasioned
the poymi-tit of Coe riinlelids .nl,l other circumstances.-
11-le rertoved the introduction of such a sitbject, without any
previous into any itticstio'n a Lich might happen to lie
b. fore the Pons,.
sit .1 NEIVI'Oict contended that his Iron. Friend was not
flit of order, as the gnestion was for going into a Committee
of As to the issue Of Barth-notes, what had paused
dariuLt- :he last six months showed it to have been too coast-.
(!et Able, been accompanied with an enereased price
of I he precious metals.
After a f,w words front the CHANCELLOR of the l',l-
- i and NIr.GIIIA,NFELL. the motion was agreed to,
acid the Committee postponed to Monday next.