The Sun.
London, England, 1818-06-01 00:00:00

CONVICTS.

On the motion of Mr. BENNET, a return was
ordered to be laid upon the table of all persons
transported for seven years to New South Wales,
from February 1816, to February ISIS, distin-
guishing sex and classes according to age.

- The Slave Trade Laws' Attien(llllcm Bill was
read a second time. The Bill was committed, the
Itepo::,t brought up, and the Bill ordered to be
read a third time on Monday.
The Irish Dissenting Clergymen's Howes' Bill
was withdrawn by Mr. PAID ELL, on the sugges-
tion of Mr. l'EgL.
FINES FOR ILLICIT DISTILLATION.

General 1-IAuT rose to Move for leave to bring
in a Bill to repeal the 54th of the King; and all
former Acts, atithoriing the imposition of fines
upon tov:n lands, and other districts in Ireland,
for illicit distillation. Ile was induced to bring
this subject before the House at the earnest re-
quest of the Grand Jury of the County of Don-
neir,4i, who had declared, that the system of jut-
posing fines on town lands, as a punishment for
illicit distillation, was most oppressive, striking at
the root of their prosperity, and inefficient to the
prevention of the crime against which it was di-
rected. Ile ma-intained that the confiscation of
the implements of property of the offender was
more just, and inure likely to put a stop to the
illicit trade, than temporary fines upon districts,
by which the innocent were generally the greatest
sufferers.

Sir G. HILL considered that the subject was
of too much importance to he 'alien up at so late
a period of_ th!... Session,, and to go into the dis-
cussion now could have no other effect than to
unsettle and agitate the county of Donnegal, in
a manner which might lead to dangerous conse-
quences in the midst of those prejudices and
passions which were likely to be let loose at the
approaching General Election. lie then pro-
ceeded to notice the investigation: which had been
made by the Committees of that House into the
Excise Laws of Ireland, and defended the present
system as necessary, from the circumstances of
that country.
Lord Comp Tow, as an English Member of Par-
liament, could ❑ot be supposed to understand this
question, and he thought it impossible that such
an examination could be made before the proroga-
tion as would justify hint, and those circumstanc-
ed like himself, in voting either way upon the
question ; he therefore trusted the gallant Gene-
ral would withdraw his motion. . .

Mr. CHICHESTER shortly supported the motion.
Mr. PEEL hoped the House would protioUnce an
opinion upon the question, which would show the
country at large in What liTht ityiewed a Proceed;,
ing which was brought on at tlpe t;.vc vi a proroga-
tion, and supported by the grossest misrepteseo-

tation. If the gallant General was to carry this
motion, he would have to repeal 'mime'. than
29 Acts of. Parliament, which he thought a suffi-
cient argument against him, in the circumstances
•of the House. But he should have been glad if
the motion had been brOught on sooner in the
session, that he might have unposed it on prin••
ciple, instead of on the ground that it could not
now undergo the discussion necessary to its de-
%.elopement. He then adverted to a pamphlet
•which had been published, containing state-
roetits, which, it trite, ought to bring condign pu-
nishment, not (oily on the Commissionets, butt
Am the whole executive of Ireland. Some of these
rattiCIIICIOS, as he showed to the House, were tin-
true, and it was impos,,ible that accounts of this
kind could be received with any degree of confi-
dence. He remarked that the county of hog-•
negal was the only one which had petitioned
against the imposition of fines on Town Lands ;
the rest of Ireland had submitted to the system,
which had been attended with all the anticipated
success. Illicit distillation had been very much
reduced, and the revenue upon legal spirits had in
some places risen to six times its former amount.
The fines imposed in the last year for Doti-
negal were more numerous than in all Ire
land beside : and it was indispensable to the pro-
tection of the revenue, and the morals of the
people, that the system should be persevered
—lt was well known, that among the people a
great antipathy existed against excise-officers ;
and one man had absolutely imported a number
of roan traps, avowedly for the purpose of catch-
log excisemen, if they came on his grounds to
search for illicit spirits. Even the gallant Gene-
ral himself seemed to join in the general hostility
to Parliament whiskey, as ae legal spirit was_cal-
led, by hint, in conimon with others ; for, on be-
ing asked, when examined before the Committee,
whether the Irish people preferred it to illicit
spirits, he replied, no : and to another question
he answered, that he should not give his bay-
mlkers Parliament witiskey if he could get any
other. The Hon. Member concluded with oh-
serting, that they were bond to continue the
system, from the eminently good effects it had
already piodttced.
Sir NtcuoLas COLT/MIST, Mr. V. FITZ-
GERALD, and Mr. Sup.w,-of Dublin, opposed the
motion.—Mr. PARNELL and 'Mr. KNox supported
it.—The question was then put, and the motion
negatived without a ,ivision.