Star.
London, England, 1808-05-24 00:00:00

SLR !LOME POPHAM.

1-11P-.KISSON requested that the inot!on respecting the
gallant Gaiter, appointed for to-morrow, might be postponed one
nay, as sir 11. l'ophain had written to say he could not possibly
attet.d to-morrow. To this Mr. PONSONBY consented, in the
a.oa_.:cc of Mr. Lushington.
Mr. ROSE moved for leave to bring in a Binh, prevent British
sLipi captured by the enemy from being afterwards registered at
kritish ports. Leave given.
1 arc kepert of the irish Militia Service Bill was taken into fur-
ther consi,:eraiion, and the Bill ordered to be engrossed.
Ihe 4t.Lnip 12 my ill was read a second time, and committed
kr to-morrow.

be House went into a Committee of Supply.
The CHANC.CLI.OR of the EXCIi Ete DER moved the fol,
lowi is sums, viz.
kor Amy Extrdordinaries, from the 25th Dee. 18C6,
to die like date 1807, not tr.ade good
Ditto for 1808, for England
Ditto for fur Ireland

£147,179
2,850,000
500,t 00
1,000

}or repairing Henry If H.'s Chapel
Agreed to, and ordered to be reported to-rnorrnw.
he Land? Tat Commissioners Bill was deferred to this day
sent:lett.
Sir lANIES MONTGOMERY presented a Eill to repeal the
penalties on shooting Bares in Scotland. Read a first time, and
isrdertil Wr a squad reading to•.nurruw.

Mr. ICHARTON brought up the Report on the Copper Im-
port Duty &IL o:de-rcd to be recommitted to-morrow.

oisro,LE a tE.s.
Lord BINNING mewed that the House Aould go
into a Committee on the Report of the West India
Committee.
Mr. COKE could not let slip any opportunity of
opposing a measure so mischievous as he considered
the present to be. The object of the Committee had
been to point out a mode of relief for the West India
Planters, but now the ground was shifted, and the
Sugar Distillation was recommended as necessary in
the actual rtate of the country. He reflected with
the highest pleasure upon the speech of the Irish
Clrancellor of the Exchequer upon this subject—a
more solid, a more constitutional speech could not
have been delivered ; he thanked him for it, and was
convinced he deserved the thanks of his country.—
The ground on which the English Chancellor of the
Exchequer argued the case for the substitution was,
that the price of corn was high, and that there were
apprehensions of a scarcity. Both these propositions
he denied. The present price of cons was no more
than a remuneration to the farmer considering the
f‘ailure of the beans. There was no scarcity, nor any
ground of apprehension of a scarcity, and why was
such a proposition held out,. and a needless alarm
created ? If the landed interest were. left to them-
selves, they would be able to supply the country, and
save the money expended fur foreign corn. It had
been well observed, that till the interference of Go-
vernment with the corn laws, we had always been an
'exporting country, but when that interference took
place, we began to import. It was the duty of the
Chancellor of the Exchequer therefore to give every
encouragement to the landed interest, instead of sup-
porting a proposition injurious to them. The Hon.
Member then referred to several parts of the evidence
in the Report, to slew that, in the opinion of several of
the most competent witnesses examined by the Corn-
rirttTe.., the measure was not expedient with a view to
the relief of the West India planters, or on account of
any real grounds for the apprehension of a scarcity.
Mr. Chalmers, Chief Clerk to the Lords of the Com-
mittee of Privy Council for the consideration of trade
and colonial matters, being asked, " whether exclu-
sive of any consideration of the situation of the West
India planters, he saw any reason why Parliament
should interfere to manage our resources for grain ?"
replied, " that he did not see any reason why Parlia-
ment should interpose, as this might cause an alarm,
and so produce the evil supposed." Mr. C. Scott said,
that " if the distilleries were restrained from the use
of barley, after the next crop, and that crop should
prove abundant, there would be a very material fall
in the price." The Honourable Member stated, that
he had letters from Norfolk, represmting that there
was every appearance of an abundant crop of barley.
If this should be injured by the rain, thgre would be a
great deal of black barley, which could be used in no
way but in the distilleries. Mr. Kent, land-surveyor,
being asked whether he thought barley necessary to
the mode of cropping in Norfolk ? said, " that he con-
sidered the cultivation of barley as almost necessary
to the existence of Norfolk." Norfolk, the Honour-
able Member remit ked, might be considered as the
granary of England for barley, and could not be in-
jured without material injury to the whole kingdom.
Mr. Kent being asked, whether any substitutes for
barley could be found to answer the purpose equally
well ? answered, Certainly not ; for oats would be the
most obvious substitute—and them I consider to be
one of the most exhausting of all crops, they rob the
ass seed, and ultimately injure the wheat crops.—
Thee Honourable Member observed, that a vast num-
ber of cattle were fed on the grains in the distilleries,
and sent to the London market a source of supply
which would be lost in the event of the substitution.—
There was another most important point which was
brought forward in the evidence of Mr. Overman,
which was, that in the event of a considerable depres-
sion in the price of Barley, a great part of the land in
Norfolk must be left uncultivated, and fall back to its
pristine state. Mr Elwin's evidence also went to
chew, that in the event of a fall in the price of barley,
a smaller number of labourers would be employed by
the farmer, and a portion of his lands before allotted
to grain must be left in grass. The Hon. Member
next adverted to the great quantities of wheat and
barley brought from Norfolk to the London market,
and the great injury that would arise not only to that
county but to the whole kingdom, from any discour-
agement to the agriculture of Norfolk. He concluded
by opposing the motion for the Speaker leaving the
Chair. He thought it best to oppose the measure in
this stage ; for if it went into a Committee, almost the
whole Session might be occupied in discussion and
hearing Counsel on the various petitions.
Mr. ROSE expressed his conviction that no person
who read the Report of the Committee could doubt of
its propriety. In consequence of the stagnation in
the sugar market, many estates in Jamaica were
abandoned. A revenue from eight to nine millions
was in danger of being lost to this country—and if
soch should be the case, what must be the consequent
effect on our navigation, amountingito about a fourth
of the whole navigation of the kingdom, and on our
manufactures, to the extent of one-third of the
whole ? He had stated, when the Committee first
met, that if Gentlemen of the landed intefest viewed
the subject in a narrow point of view, it could hardly
be carried. He hoped, however, that they would
regard it in a different light, and that looking at the
subject with a liberal principle, they would give way
to a small extent. What he then proposed was, that
the distillation from grain should stop when grain
reached a certain price, and that it should be again
renewed when sugar got above another stipulated
price. If it was meant to give any relief on this sub-
ject, his opinion had always been that the present was
better than any other time. We were an importing
country. We were in the use of importing annually
700,000 quarters of grain. He did not talk of a
scarcity, or of any danger on that score—( Hear !
hear !)—But he asked v:by, at a period when there
were no means of importing this 700,000 quarters,
the 400,000 quarters employed in the distillery should
not go in diminution of this deficiency ?
Sir W. W. WYNNE declared his readiness to af-
ford any relief to the West India interest that they
could fairly claim, provided it was not at the expense
of the landed interest. The measure now proposed
, he did not think would affor4.l them that relief. The
I season for distillation was at an end, and not a single
quarter more of barley would be wetted ;mil Octo-
ber pest,- He would therefore oppose the measure,

'on account of the mischievous speculations which
a of
givingwasl relief
ikaitntoprtohdeuce.
West Thereindia were many a
ters, without trenching upon the landed interest. He
ways
pin
thought a gr.eat part of their stock might be taken off,
by lowering the duty upon coarse sugar and molasses,
and employing it iu the fteding of cattle.
Mr. BA RI-lAM began a very long and able speech,
with observing, that the question before the House
was to be cOnsitiered in three points of view. It was
first to be considered as a question purely domestic,
without any reference whatever to the West India
Colonies. It was next to be viewed as a question
purely colonial, which would lead to an enquiry, whe-
ther the Colonies were worthy of relief, and whether
the mode proposed was sufficient ; and lastly, it was
to be considered in a more general point of view, as
affecting the interests of all parts of the empire. As
to the first, he would admit that it was extremely
dangerous to enter into discussions respecting the
quantity of corn on hand ; but the evidence to that
part of the report had not been brought by the advo-
cates for the West India interests. They did not en-
deavour to shew that the crop was deficient. False
alarm might be dangerous, but false security might
be fatal. If the question were argued without pas-
sion, the interests of both parties might be reconciled.
It was admitted, that we imported to a great amount
(about .800,000 quarters) from the Continent ; and
that we now were cut off from that source. Would
not that person who should find a substitute for these
800,000 quarters, and that without in the smallest
degree affecting the landed, which he would call the
permanent interest of the country, be entitled to the
thanks of the public ? The crops of barley, in gene-
ral, were not more than equal to the usual con-
sumption. Now, all the pers6ns who had been exa-
mined before the Committee, some of them great
theorists, and writers upon agriculture, agreed, that
the crop of barley for the last year, was deficient one
third,or,according to some, one-fourth. He would take
it at one-fourth. Now, one of two things must follow
from this, that, the consumption must either be re-
duced, or that the deficient), must be supplied by im-
portation. If this were granted to him, from whence
he would ask, could the importation be made with so
little detriment to the landed interest, and so much
advantage to a class of persons contributing so largely
to the public income as from the West Indies? It
was not adviseable that the prices of corn should be
either too high or too low. The very low prices were
invariably found to produce exorbitant prices at sub-
sequent periods. He would agree that the landed in-
terest should have a remunerating price ; but though
he was an old and successful farmer, he could never
ascertain in what this remunerating price was to be. It
varied in different parts of the kingdom, but where
barley farms were to be let, he invariably found that the
landlord required double the rentwhich he last received.
I'his,he supposed, was what was called a remunerating
price; and to such remuneration, particularly as he was
so little remunerated from the Vsrest Indies, he had no
objection. This was the landlord's idea of reniuneration;
he would next shew the House what was the farmer's.
First, as it was just, he should be expected to be able
to make enough to pay his rent. Next, he expected
such prices as should secure him against short crops.
In addition to this, he calculated upon gaining as
much as should enable him to live comfortably and
genteel, in a manner much superior to his ancestors
or to the ancestors of his landlord ; and lastly, that
he should be able to lay by a provision for his family.
This was the farmer's idea of remuneration. 'Was it
not evident from all this that the price of land was
too high, and that the profits of farmers were too
high ? While the landlords and farmers were rioting
in wealth, the West-India Proprietors were in a state
of the greatest distress. One third of the plantations
were actually under foreclosure. The supplies of
clothing, provisions, &c. for the negroes must be
stopped,- and the existence of the colonies conse-
quently endangered. Was not this a crisis worthy
the interference of Parliament ? But Gentlemen
say, you may have any other remedy but this. Un-
fortunately there was no other at hand, or they might
well believe the West-India interests would not press
for this particular measure. He could suggest many,
but there was not time for them. The distresses
of the West-India interests would admit of no delay.
—They must be instantly relieved, or some great con-
vulsion would ensue. They had the strongest claims
upon the gratitude of the country: they contributed
to its wealth—to its revenue ; they consumed its ma-
nufactures, they supported its navigation, and what
did they ask in return ? Why, a market for their
produce. This was the compact between the Colo-
nies andahe Mother Couatry, and that was denied to
them. The annual importation of sugar was about
290,000 hogsheads, of which 200,000 might be con-
sumed in Great Britain and Ireland. There was
therefore a surplus of 90,000 hogsheads, for which, ,
by the acts of the Government, there was no vent.
Instead of facilitating its exportation, they forced the
sugar of all the world into England. This, in the
course of the last year, amounted to no less than
60,000 hogsheads. Was it to be expected that the
West India proprietors could bear tip against these
ac cumulated disadvantages ? He regretted that this
should ever have been considered as a party question. I
The Right Hon. Gentlemen on the opposite side di
the question might be in a minority on this occasion ;
but the friends with whom he in general acted, and
from whom the principal opposition to the measure
came, would be much mistaken if they thought they ,
would remove the Minister by carrying the question I
against him. The party who stepped over so nimbly
on-a former night, would step back as briskly.. when'
the question was decided. The party-queotion, there-
fore,
would not turn the Chancellor of the Exchequer
out, and would leave the opponents of the Bill ex-
actly where they were. It was clear, from the nature ,
of the division, on the last night the subject was un-
der consideration, that Government did not view it
as a party matter. He was sorry to find, from a
circumstance which took place last night, that it was
so considered by his side of the House—by those with
whom it had been his pride and boast to have acted.
The House was aware that on public questions letters
were sometimes written to Members of Parliament.—
These were couched in various degrees of solicitation.
Sometimes they astumA the shape of simple invita-
tions to Attend ; at others, they were expressed with
all the vehemence of petitionary zeal. On these oc-
casions, they were written in the superlative. He
would now state the 'fact. On his return home, he
found a letter on his table, which, with permission, he

would read to the Hott.:e. It was dated, Mouday mon,.
ing. " I received it," said the Hon. Member "at
eleven on Sunday night"—(a bud laygA.)—He stated
, that he was most earnestly and pressingly requested
to attend in his place, as the measure fur ;;upping the
distillation from corn would be opposed, and an earls-
&vision was expected to take place. Such practice
was mu t unwarrantable, and he could not have sup.
posed, if he had not been acquainted with the 1,1::„1
in which the letter was written,
,that it would lA%
been resorted to on a ques:ion of such great a:td g.
neral interest.

Mr. DUNDAS concurred in Ow general
laid down by his Right lion. hticnd Cbancell(r
of the Exchequer for Ireland,) as to the propriety cf
not interfering with the corn laws, an interference
which could not be productive of any beneficial con.
sequence. But, at the same time, he mo,r. allow that
there were extreme cases, in which it would be neces.
sary to resort to such interference: The question there.
foie was, whether the present circumstances of this
' country were such as to constitute a case of that ch..
scription ? The late crops of barley and oats had ham
short, but nor the crop of wheat. Though there we;.
no danger of scarcity at present, rt they ought to
look to the future, and in the event of a short crop
this season, they would not be justified in not leaving
Ito the Executive Government the power of giving to
the public consumption that amount of corn which
was consumed in the distilleries. He did nut agree
either with those who supported this as a colonial
measure, or with those who defended it on the score
I of existing or apprehended scarcity, hat with a view
! to the great national interests which it was calculated

to promote.
Mr. PONSONBY declared that lie never had taken
up the present as a party question, end 11.4 no coin.
munication upon the subject with those with whom
he was accustomed to act out of the House of Com-
mons. He repeated what he had said on a former
evening, that the Resolutions were a virtual and ef.
fective violation of the articles of the Irish Union.—
The Right Hon. Gentleman (Mr. Rose), indeed,
seemed to hold this argument extremely cheap, %Alen
he said that these articles ought not to be violated
merely upon ground ;o1 convenience. But Mr.Pcnsoa-
by contended that a sacred and solemn compact cug!it
not to be violated in any circumstances, nor iii.d:r
any pretence whatever. He opposed the measure as
, a direct interference with the agricultural system of
1 the country, which never ought to be done but in
cases of extreme urgency. This interference would
ibe attended with much mischief. The farmer hal
three markets for his commodities ; the first arising
out of the demand of the people for food ; the :ecend
was the brewery, and the third the distillery ; and if
he was cut off from one of these markets, he would
be induced in consequence to grow less corn. V+ ith
i resp:ct to Ireland, the measure was peculiarly un-
I just, because one of the principal advantages which
accrued to Ireland from the Union was having the
British markets open to her agricultural produce. It
I was as unwise, too, as it was unjust, because with a
view to a possible scarcity, it was extremely impor-
itant to avoid discouraging agricultural improvement
in Ireland, from which we could derive supplies with
much greater certainty than from any other country.
Mr. HIBBERT said, that he had heard nothing
against the substance of the measure, as all the objec- 1
tions pointed merely to some circumstances attending
its introduction, or the manner in which it was sup-
ported. In 1807, an inquiry was instituted how far
it might be expedient to introduce the use of sugar and
molasses_ into the distilleries, expressly for the pur-
pose of relieving the planters. The Committee to
which that inquiry was entrusted, immediately came
to a resolution that there was no ground for the mea-
sure upon the apprehension of a scarcity of corn ;
and that it was not one which they could recommend.
This resolution was adopted by a Committee,in witch
there was a greater proportion of West India planters
than there was in the Committee which had been ap-
pointed in the present Sessions. The object for which
the last Committee was appointed was a very different
one ; their commission was to inquire how far it might
be proper to confine the distilleries to the use of sugar
and molasses. In conducting such an inquiry, which
required great knowledge of calculation, and consi-
derable information respecting the present state of the
Colonies, he put it to the House whether it would
have been proper to leave it to any twenty-cne Gen-.
tlemen of landed property, wbo could have been
named. He did not assert that there was an actual
scarcity existing, but he affirmed, that some symp-
toms of a deficiency of corn were already apparent,
and if there was a deficiency, there was no way in
which it could be better supplied than by the intro-
duction of a substitute for the corn at present under
the distilleries. The Honourable Gentleman next
sheaved the tendency which the measure would have
to relieve the planters, while it was liable to fewer ob-
jections than any other mode of relief which could be
suggested. He should therefore vote fOr the Speaker's
leaving the Chair.
The SOLICITOR-GENERAL of SCOTLAND
admitted that it would he a most foolish policy to
relieve one set of men at the expence of another class
of the community. When he considered, however,
the facts stated in the Report upon the table, and
what he knew of the state of the crop, particularly in
Scotland, he thought it would be a measure of pru-
dence to stop the distillation from grain, not merely
from the beginning of July, as had been proposed by
the Noble Lord, but if possible from the beginning of
June. This opinion he had formed some months ago,
altogether independent of the present situation of the
West-India' Planters.: He should therefore betray the
duty he owed to tie country, if he did not vote for
the present measure.
Sir H. MILDhIrAY professed to feel as deeply as
any man for the present distress of the West India
Planters, and to be most anxious that some relief
should be accorded to them. But this relief might
be much better given by a deduction of the present
duties on sugar, by a relaxation of the Navigation
Act, or by advancing them a sum of money, as bad
been done in one instance before. He hoped, how-
ever, that in order to relieve the West India Planters,
the House would not consent to derange the whole of
the existing agricultural system of the country. The
landed interest, he said, already bore their full pro-
portion of the public burthens. The poors races, the
militia, &c. rested exclusively upon the land. The
price of barley, he contended, had risen in conse-
quence of the discussion of the measure, because ever
since it was projected, the Distillers hail been buying

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lip au the barley they could find at any price, for the
• of increasing their stock of spirits. He there-
rrped That the measure would be dropped.
mt. WESTERN reprobated the measure as one
Wkly to be productive of greater mischief than any
that could be brought forward. It kept the public
elfisgs during its discussion in a state of perpetual
_nn• Ha scarcity really existed, Ministers bad
toe umut. s of collecting the best information on the
sabiect, and ought to have applied the remedy,by
phg t
es uponreir own responsibility.
7in95, whcen the
h Distilleries sere stopped, wheat was
st os. a quarter, and barley at Vs. but wheat after-
ards rose to 108 s. and barley to 495. and in 1 SO2,
ice! the suspension was taken off, wheat was at 755.
;d bailey at 445. a price considerably higher than
they were at present, when it was proposed to renew
tie suspension. He believed that there was now in
the country a supply of corn amply sufficient to meet
the demand. This he inferred from the actual mar-
•
ketprlC es which had been of late remarkably steady.
But if there were any apprehensions of a scarcity, we
aught to be extending our breweries and distilleries,
is order to encourage the growth of corn, instead of 1,
relii,"biting those which now existed from using corn. I
Neither the fanner nor the landlord wished to have
un-avagant prices, all they wished was a free and un-
orkted trade. This as all the encouragement
itey asked or desired, and about four years ago he
nabrought in a bill to discourage the importation
;coign cern, which met with the support of Mr.
Fitt, and the approbation of the House ; and he con-
gratulated himself on having introduced that Bill,',
because he was convinced that, in consequence of the
Act, we were now better prepared to meet the diffi- '
aties of our situation than we should otherwise have
1016 With respect to the enemy, h.! asserted, that
it would be extremely unwise, by a measure of this
see, to hold out to him the hopes of being able to in.
ige this country by cutting off our foreign supplies.
Wst at the same time that he stated these objections
the measure, he should be most happy if some pro.
r mode of relief could be devised fur the West India
Venters.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER
red with those who deprecated the frequent inter.
efece of thc Legislature in the affairs of Agriculture.
He did not think that any serious grounds existed for
ipprehending a scarcity ; but from the information
which he had been able to obtain, he was of opinion
at there was a deficient supply, and upon this
round he cor,ctived that it would he wise to antici.
ate, by a measure of precaution, the inconvenience
which might possible be felt at a future period from
Lis defio:ercy. On no firmer occasion, either in
1757, in 179.5, in lboo, the three occasions on
silich distillation from grain was prohibited, had it
been done by preclamation, but in all these instances
k bad been erected by an Act of Parliament. IP
sideel a scarcity should be fel: n hen Parliament was
tint sitting, a Minister would be unworthy of his situa-
tion, who would not adopt such a measure upon his
in responsibility; but sehen Parliament Is as sitting,
it was certainly incumbent upon him to recur to the
Ir;islatine for advice. He ss as much surprised to
iod that vane Gentlemen who had in the course of
thls Session arplied to him under the apprehestsions
et' as linpcuaing scarcity to interfere in this very way,
i'hould now be the most strenuous opposers of the
;resent measure. (Tne Right Hon. Gentleman al-
:nied, we believe, to Mr. W. Smith).
Mr. IS HITBR EA I/ reniii,ded the House, that
tx Hight Ihah. Gent:tin:in who had just sat down,
a.l tuttiom the begi:ining to the end of Hs speech,
3./A one acrd of granting relief to the NVest India
ousters. He had now raised the platters entirely out
.tsiglit, and recommended the measure on the ground
a scarcity, which every cite knew did not exist,
•.• city which his M.C.estv's Chancellor of the Ex-
pier fur Ireland denied to exist in that country,
• Which WAS denied to exist in Scotland by the Pre-
eat of the Bard of Ckmtroul. But the Right Hon.
(onleman's conduct now was analogous to what it
been when he came into power.—Then he set tip
.xy about Pl.es:y; and now he wished (or if he did
.:wish it, tie effect of his speech now was) to set up
more daligetous cry about Scarcity. it was evi-
Jetaalso, that upon this, as upon many other subjects,
thee was a great difference of opinion among his
Nileity's Ministers. He observed, that Government
had contributed very much to increase the distress
oft West India planters, h) fjgdishly taking pen,
wiun of the Da,:ish Islands. He would willingly
Le consented to go into a Committee to consider of
laze means cf granting relief to the West India
Pesters, but he could not give the smallest counter
t•iltr to the present measure.
Mr. WM. SMITH strongly protested against the
'loption of this measure, which was calculated to be
Thlterially prejudicial to the landed interest of the
,o•antry, whil,r. at the same time it was in its very
Ware inadequate to :lie. end proposed, that of afford.
any like substantial relief to the West-India
1: ;units and Traders.
Mr. WILBERFORCE declared that he thought I
I'M Was reason to congratulate the I louse on the
;40lect which it Olen had of affording even a wan-
Vrary relief to oast West-India Planters, and endea.
'Aired to convince :he I louse that there was some-1
IL'nglPie a conn,A;tion with party is the opposition to
tbe questi,,n.
Lord BINNING said a few words in reply ; and
N'LEOII spoke amidst such a general cry of,
‘.44‘,./524• iz ^ •
erlt:on ! that it was impossible to collect
L'PurPort of his speech.
A division then took place, and the numbers were,
ts 16S; Noes 1'27 —Majority :Mi.
"len strangers were re-admitted, atter the Division, we
44 The House ill • CUlllMittet, Ms( iissirg the propriety
"Ito an Adjournment un the question, as recommended by
"41 adton, Mr. Whitbread mr. Smith, and Mr.
"4* Tiwpropusiiian was for owns time resisted lay the Chan.
4'r of the Exchequer; he at lehltth, huwcwer, declared that
44114 'accede to the proposition or an adjournment, provided
alts th, linuse would aatuit ot such a proc:xding, under
"*erttunstanees of the case.
IteSPEAtalt then acquainted the Committee; that there
Lae mode which was perfectly regular, it the. House thought
adopt it. That was, to agree to the whole of the Res.,-
pr. forme, with au understanding teat the two hest Reio.•
: 1,2! (theist upon which there appeared to be the greatest dit.
ef opinion) should be recommitted on aurae other cur.ve-
..l! day.
!ter a few words from Sir GEORGE HILL, the sunestion
4 SPeAk,:r WAS adUlArd, and the debate we believe) was taxed
1211,, the amino or Mr. SHERID AN, the adjourned debate on
"made Question seas ordered to stand Car Vieth; sday.
the utiki. Orders were then disposed ot, and tin House ad-
.4'tUdat twp inlos•

LONDON.

TUESDAY, MAY 2t.

PRICE 01. STOCKS THIS I/AY All ONE O'CLOCK.
Co/pots, for money, G73--fur May 6311—for July GS!.
Reduced 67,1 1---Excheq. Bills, 4s. Gs. prem.
PRICE OF STOCKS YESTERDAY.
imp. 3 per Cent. 66
India Stuck 17n
India Bonds, Ss. 4s. pre.
Exclie. Dills 6s. to ss. pre.
I English Tickets, lul. 10s.
Cons. for ace. GI

Bank Stock
per COIL Red. 671
3 per Cent. Cons.
4 per Cent. 84;4
per Cent. 9911
•..dun. 1 ol

His Majesty's ship SUPERB, Capt. JACKXON, arrived
at Portsmouth yesterday evening, from the Mediter-
ranean. Mr. ADAIR, the late Ambassador from this
country to the Court of Vienna, has come home in
the Surnen, with his suite. The SurEon was one of
the ships that went with Sir RICHARD STRACIIAN in
pursuit of the Rochefort squadron. On the 24th
ult. Lord COLLINGWOOD was cruizing off
The Rochefort and Toulon Squadrons were still in
Toulon, and the Carthagena Squadron was at Port
Mahon. Sir J. STUART had arrived in Palermo to
take the command of the Troops in Sicily. Mr.
ADAIR and suite Caine home in the SUPERB.
By this ship we have received lettersfrom Gibraltar
to the 10th inst. inclusive. They are chiefly occupied
with details of the insurrection which took place at Ma-
drid on the 2d inst. of which we yesterday gave such
particulars as have been published in the Afoniteur.

" GIBRAIXAR, MAY 10,
" Accounts received from Spain this day, confirm
the intelligence before received, that an insurrection
had taken place at Madrid on the 2d of this month,
which, after much bloodshed, was with difficulty
quelled by the joint efforts of the Regent Dos As-
rosio and the Grand Duke of BERG.

4, The particulars we have not been able to learn
correctly, from the confused and in some respects
contradictory accounts that have reached us. We
have only been able to ascertain that the ferment
arose from an apprehension entertained by the people,
that their new King would not be restored to them,
but be detained by the French Emperor. Assurances
calcuLted to quiet these fears were given to the
people both by the Regent and the French comman-
der; but the precise terms they made we of we can-
not ascertain from the accounts that have reached us,
—Some of these state that promises were given that
FERDINAND should speedily return—others that the
assurances embraced generally the safety of the whole
Royal Family.

All the letters agree in stating that the indigna-
tion of the Spaniards at the invasion of their country
by the French, is general throughout the kingdom,
and that it will be difficult to repress the popular
indignation from bursting out in acts which, in the
present circumstances, can only bring destruction
upon the people. In every quarter regrets arc ex-
pressed at the ports of Spain not having been opened
to the British, on the first breaking out of the Revo-
lt:6)n. Some accounts state, that the Regent has
stated to the Grand Duke of Bram, that on the •first
symptom of had faith on the part of the French, the
sea-ports and arsenals will be immediately ma into
the possession of the British ; but this is not credited."

Some more Dutch Papers to the 21st inst. arrived
late last night, but they add little to the detail; which
we yesterday laid before our Readers. From an anti.
ck from Toledo, it may be inferred that QUARLES will
never reign again. It is usual with NAPoi.FaiN to give
tl:e first hints of projects which few can credit, but'
which are generally realised at no very distant period.
When NAPOLEON has settled matters to his liking hi •
the South, he will, as he hinted some time ago, shew
himself in the North of Europe.
• A Danish Paper, The Dagen, contains the following
article :

" The new-created Navy of Denmark begins to gain a name,
and it shall soon, with hold youthful strength, frowhingly face
its insulters :—the squadron consists of the Louisa Augusta ship
of the lit.e, four frigates (late Indiamen), two other armed ships,
three brigs, and three large flat gun-boats. The Louisa Augusta,
Adjutant-Gen. Krieger, who is appointed commander-in-chief of
our flotilla, has gone out of part, and taken g station in the roads.
All the merchant vessels in this harbour (Copenhagen) have been
put in requisition, and numbered ; and those (ruin No, 101 to 240
have been directed to apply for a complement of men, in order to
lit them for sea, and employ them against the enemy."

. Advices have been received by Government of- a
very bold and successful attack having been made by
the Rammo, Captain Ustam, upon a Spanish con-
voy, near Cape Trafalgar, most of which he either
captured or destroyed.
The Offieers of the Paixem's own Royal Battalion
of Plymouth Volunteers, presented to Lieutenant-
Colonel HAWKER, on the 2.lst instant, a valuable
vase, with the following inscription, viz.
" This Vase is presented by the Officers of the
PRINCE of WALM'S own Royal Battalion of Plymouth
Volunteers, to JoliJ► HAWKER, Esq. Lieutenant-Co.
lonel Commandant of that corps, as a public and
honourable proof of the high respect and esteem they
entertain for him as their Commanding Officer."
Lord STRANGFORD, our Ambassador to the Bra-
zilian Government, who was on board the last fleet,
has, through some unludky accident, been left behind.
He went from Torbay to Plymouth by land ; and,
during his absence, the wind became fair, and the
Commodore did not, it seems, chuse to wait.
Great exertions are making at Sandgate to finish
the Martell() Towers, in order to render them fit for
the inspection of his Royal Highness the Ctaamalandir
its Chief, when he visits that Place on his usual tour,
I Sandgate begins to feel the vivifying effects of le-
i turning summer and gives indications of a gay and
cheerful season. A small regiment of Militia is or.
Idered to remain at Folkstone to caoperite with the
Martell° 'Powers, in the defence of thg ;east,

ANNIVERSART ef S:ir FRANCIS BURDETT:
.ELECTIO.V.

Yesterday upwards of 400 in ;I:e Electors of West-
minster met, and alined :it the Crown and Anchor
Tavern, in the Strand, in celebration of the election
of their representative, Sir Francis Burdett.
_ _

Sir FR A Nits Iluitinrr-r arrived about five oecb)ck,
and took the Chair amidst the applauses and huzz.,,
of the crowded assembly.

A most extelknt Diinwr was served up upon the
occasion. A B.tnd of Music attended 1 several ea.
ceilent Songs were sling; and throughout the euter-
tainment the following appropriate Toast, were given
with suitable honours and applause
The King.
The Birth-day of our I iherti:s.
The Triumph of Westminster.
Purity of Lit:cairn, and may thr Fivctor, throughout Englaed
take a lesion from Nyestininstertichwii.

Westminstter pride, and Engto:d's hope.
The Conurattee who conducted the Plectiun.
The Llbertv of the Prem. •
The prorrem of public opinion.
A full, fair, and free Repreaent.l!lon of the People in the Com-
mon.: House of Parliament.

The Life-Boat of England, which no storm can sink, no waves
can swallow—a People free, Parli.unetht independent, and the
Nation armed.

" Sir Francis Burdett': healds" was proposed by Mr.
Ailasts, and was drank witk three times three, with
the greatest enthusiasm.
Sir Fl,Akos Beam:re then rose, and addressed the
meeting in nearly the fUllowing words
Gentlemen I-1 find considerable difficulty in ex-
pressing to you the sense I entertain of the honour
done me on this and on many other occasions, but my
difficulty is increased when l endeavour to express
the honour done to yourselves by your electing of me
as your Representative. Gentlemen, if any thing
can give to my mind any strong grounds of hope in
the present melancholy state of our country, it would
be the noble, the generous, and independent conduct
of the Electors of Wextminster—(Load applause.;
Gentlemen, to you I cannot make any suitable ac.
knowledgment for the honour you have done me,
except I pledge myself once more to yon, that
I am still guided by the same principles which re-
commended me to rur notice, and Yo far as I
fulfil that pledge, I consider myself entitled to your
than ks—( Loud up/disuses.) Gentlemen, I am well
aware that any little weight which the public may
hare derived through my election is yours, and mu
mine ; and it is not at all impossible that the voice of
the Electors of Westminster may be • ultimately at-
tended to—(.lpplauses). To speak that voice; and
to plead your cause, has been the chief object, as it
has been the chief duty, of my life. Gentlemen, I
have no fears in expressing myself boldly, when I
express your feelings, because they are grounded on
those public principles which you have so nobly
vouched for and stood by. Gentlemen, I confess to
you that my views of the state of the country are me-
lancholy indeed ; for whether 1 look to our external
or internal relations, I sec no rational hope of check-
ing these internal corruptions, which are the real
sources of our external danger, or of putting the
country into that state in which it may have a force
adequate to meet that danger. Gentlemen, the pub-
lic have been of late amused and led away II petty
reforms having been held out to them, and this is the
only extent of the views of our present reformers.—
Gentlenien, I allude to a reform in the R epresentaticn
of the People in the House of Commons—(load ap-
plaum).--It appears childish to suppose that in a
Parliament, out of which a great majority is returned
by 130 Peers and powerful individuals, the People
can have any redress ; and yet, Gentlemen, it is toj
dint House of Commons that Ministers, as if in
mockery, chuse to appeal, as appealing to what they
call the sense of the People. I have no hesitation in
saying, Gentlemen, that a reform in Parliament is as
essential to the defence of the Country, as arms and
men. Gentlemen, you have had Commissions after
Commissions appointed to enquire into the abuses of
the Government, but no public plunderer has been as
yet brought to justice. Nothing has resulted from the
labours of these Commissions of Inquiry, except a su-
peraddition of die expellee attending them to your bur-
dens. There are a set of persons who feed upon the
bowels of the country, who have been compared to
leeches, but I am sorry to say that the comparison does
not hold good with respect to them : Leeches, when
they are satiated, will drop ofF, but the more these per-
sons get, the more greedily do they suck; and the People
have no hopes that they will ever fall off. You have
been frequently told, Gentlemen, that a time of war is
not the proper time for remedying abuses.; but this
reminds me of the Captain of a ship, who, when thei
enemy hove in sight, and he was advised by his offi-,
cers to clear for action, exclaimed, " Leave all things
as they arc, and when we come out of the action, I
shall settle every thing to your satisfaction !" Now,
what we reformers propose, is to clear the ship for'
action; and we are engaged in a contest against the.
most formidable enemy that any country ever saw. •
Gentlemen, once more I repeat to you, that the true
way to defend any country, is to make it worth defend-
ing. These sentiments of mine have been often mis-
represented ; but I say again, make the People feel
those liberties for which you call upon them to fight.
It is not in times like these, that the hollow sentiments
of placemen can pro dnce that energy which is neces-
sary to save this land from foreign subjugation : the
People must have arms and reform. -We have seen
that fist armed People have frequently done wonders
among foreign nations, and we have also seen fureign
nations who preferred subjugation to a foreign enemy
to their own Constitution, because it was rendered
not worth fighting for. Gentlemen, it is time that
the People of England should think of saving them-
selves, when their Ministers cannot save them : but
I confess it is not a few persons of this land that can
produce any great measure; and unless this feeling
is extended unanimously and eonsentaneously through-I
out the land, no beneficial effects can result tuEng-!
land—(Laud apt/au m). Gentlemen, we have fi e-
quently been told of domestic enemies, and I will tell
you an infallible method of discovering those enemies.
Gentlemen, when men go about to plunder, they ge-
nerally plunder their enemies, and not their friends ;
but our pl are not of that description : they
plunder us:ll:lC:they tell us they ate our friends !
Gentlemen, it has been. said in the House of Com-
mons, that ins times of difficulty and danger, we
ought not to ask who is the Minister, but where is the
enemy ? But to this 1 would add another question,
where is the Sunder, for there is the enemy !—(Loud