The Sun.
London, England, 1818-05-27 00:00:00

MR. BUTT.

Sir G. I-MATEIC*OTE ore.ented a Petition from R. G.
Butt, a prisoner iii the King's Bench Prison, eoMplain-
ing of the sofrbrings he bad undergone froth the wilful and
corrupt perjury of an individual, T. 1-Tarri,l..E,q., and•pray-
ing the benefit of the Habeas Corpus to allow him to obtain
justice.
On the qu,stion for the Petition' lying on the table.
Mr. S. BOURNE opposed it', on the ground that the appli-
cation.should hnve been made to a Court of Law; and if it
could not there be granted, it could not by the House.
'Sir M. W. RIDLEY and Mr,. M. -A. TAYLOR opposed the
Motion, 7s chotaining' a grosi libel on a most upright 2nd
Honourable Gentleman, by accusing him of wilful and cor-
rupt perjnrv.
The Petition was then rejected.
LOAN VII.OM THE BANK.

Mr. JOHN SMITH begged to ask a feiv questions of the
Right [lon. Gentleman opposite, which were very interesting
to the public in general, at,a period when every-report was
resorted to to injure the public credit, by depreciating the
prices of the Funds. He would therefore ask thi! Right
Honourable Gentleman whether it was intruded, as report-
ed, to raise any money by Loan, or in any other manner,
in the current year; and whether there was any negoeia-
tint, on foot. for continuing the Loan from the Bank of
three millions, instead of paying it off? • The third question
trac very material, becausie•the public were N ery Much mis-
fed by a notion, that if the six millions were paid b\ Govern-
ment td tl4 Bank, that the amount of Bank notes would be
so much lessened, arid the circulating. medium in that pro-
portion decreased ?
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER. expressed his
astonishment that. any report of further money to be raised,
by Irian or otherwise, this year, should he in circulation. In-
deed the amount funded lately was.so.cMisitierable as to ren-
der it almost impossible that Clovernment would have any. Ile-

cessity to resort either to funding or a loan at-any period dur-
ing the next year. But, in hi- situation, he should not wish
'to say more on this part of the question. As to the three
millions, a negociation was on foot, and nearly concluded
Kith the Batik, to pay a moderate interest, by continuing
that sum as a loan on Exchequer Bilk. In reply to the
List question, he had to say, that Government had arranged
with the Bank to make their payments of the six millions at
various periods most convenient to bOth parties. No pay-
ments of this nature would confine or lessen the amount of
Bank Notes iti circulation. The Bank Directors have the en-
tii e control over the amount of paper which they may deem
it proper to put in circulation. 'rimy would no doubt act li-
berally in this respect, and accommodate their issues to the
wants of the country.

Mr. TIEII.NEY observed that it was evident that the Bank
"never could possibly pay in Specie ; and, b--supposed this. wa*
the intention, ' the Government did nut repay the six mil-
lions which had been advanced by the Bank; and with regard
to the three' millions, it was equally evident, that if an
immediate arrangement were not -made with the Batik,
an interest of four per cent, would be payable on that

sum.

The CHANCELLOR of the FCCTIEOUETI. replied, that
by a pro4ressively gradual p;4ment the six millions would,
in due time; be repaid to the Banks and as he had already
slated, there was an arrangement at this moment in pro-
. Kress between the Government and the Bank for taking the
three millions on a continued Loan, and a low rate of In-
terest.

DROIT OF ADNIMALTY.

. •
Sir .L MACkINTOSH said, he rose to give notice of a-mo-
tion for Monday, founded on what he bad' no doubt must be
the general opinion, that due respect,had not been shown to
the I-louse of Commons. As- long since as the 10th of Fe-
bruary, the
_House had voted an Address to the Prince Re-
gent, requesting that be would be pleased to order informa-
tion to be communicated concerning the Droits of Aaimiralty.
Yet ready. tour mouths had passed without any compliance
by his Majesty's servants with the order of their Sovereign.
It seas, therefore, his intention, if the accounts were not pre-
sented forthwith. to' more that. an humble Address he pre-
sented to tke !'since Regent, apprising him of the neglect
with_ which his commands had been treated.

The aIANCELL(M. of the' EXCHEQUER explainedt that
the delay half 1111avoidiibly arisen from the'neeessity of having
eumniunications with several persons. But 'he hoped they
prPsented in time to.save the lion. and Learned
Gentleman the trouble of-waking his motion:

LAND TAX ASSESSNiENTS.
Mr. tiIIOUGHANI %visited to. learn frimi the Tlicht Hon.
Gen] lern,u,opposite, whether anyurders had been issued from
11K Treavtry to the fliNtriet S irvevorc, respecting a•se,,s,
'twit% uf the LaMd Tax? He parr;cuhirly wished to knot
what :tinhorn Thai/ been given, fur a. certain Circular Letta
whirl. had been sent tr,tnt a 'tiorvevor to an Asc. gcov in a dis-
tant district alluded to the Cuunty of Westruurlantq,

'which had been published in the newspapers? It was a di-
rection from this Officer-not to proceed in the Land Tax As-
sessments till further' ders. A§'the law stood, the Bill on
this subject having been lately thrown ont, these officer§ take
on themselves, hi contemPt of -the privileges of the House,
and the rights •of Electors, to adopt a measure for disfrati.:
chising voters at the eve of a- general -election; and.if the
mdttcr were not satithsctorilv accounted fur, he :-.hould call
foe the attendance of those officers at the bar. But he should
take a shorter MAC than moviiig for the production of that
letter by the persons who received it ; for if he weredrivett to
this Necessity; it was clear, that before his object could be
attained, the Parliament would he prorogued, and perhaps
dissolved.

The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said, if any such
order had been given, there could he no doubt it most have
been a general one.
Mr. BROUGHAM was surprised that the Right Hon. Gen •
tleman should stand up in his place and express any doubt
whether he had issued such an order or nut. It was an outer
that was probably:signed' by three Lords of the Treasury.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCH IiQUER replied that he
did riot believe the Lords of the Treasury had signed any such
order.

Mr. LUSHINGTON added that he (lid not believe any
such order had been issued from the 'Freasury.
Mr. BROUGHAM then said he shOuld move, " That there
he forthwith laid before the House an account of any order
issued from the Lords.of the,Treasury to District-Surveyors,
within the last three mouths, regarding the Assessment of the
Land Tax,"
, Mr. P. MOORE observed, that nothing could he more ma-
terial in the event (la General Election than to see the vote
inft he Land Tax.• If the Land nix Vote-book Were not forth-
coming; it. put it •intrt lire power of the, Returning Officer to
return whatever Candidate he pleased. He hoped the House
wOuldlOoli at this question with tine serious attention which
belonged to it., •
Mr. \VYNNE suggested that the, order in question might
have proceeded trom tine 'Fax Office, and that tine motion
would be more complete fry the addition of the Wards, " or
.thin'Counnissioni-rs of Taxes."••
Mr. BROUGHAM said, he should avail himself of the stig-
gcstion -of his HOnouratdc Friend; and this wonlds.show ,on
whom the blame rested. It was-remarkable that they had de-
layed, this operation till the last moment, that the
.misehief
mig'it he Without remedy. But next week he' sh,nuld take
some step to secure to voters the pourer of exercising their
elective-franchise. lithe country ware placed in such a pre-
dicament, Parliament must surely have a remedy int its own
hanus.

- PROTECTION OF WITNESSES.

Mr. B. BATHURST, after a few observations on the ne-
cessity of the House protecting its witnesses, short-hand
writers, and clerhs.,,froni being examined on suhjects preju-
dicial to them,elves, moved the following Resolutions :
" That all witnesses examined "before this House, or, any of
its Committees, be entitled to the protection of the House,
in respect to any tiring that way be sail by them in their evi-
dence."—Also, That no Clerk or Officer of this House, or
Sliort-hand Writer, do give evidence elsewhere, in respect to
the et•ulence be have 14'iven at the Bar• 6f this HOnse
or in its Conio,ittees, without special leave Of the House." •
After a Icw Words front Mr.. WYNNE, in.approlation of
the Resolntions, and expressive of the thanks of. the flonse
to the Right Honourable Gentleman for 'bringing the im-
portant. subject before it, the Resolutions were agreed to,
Ite,n. dia. - . •