The Sun.
London, England, 1818-03-19 00:00:00

PARLIAMENTARY REFORNI.

Mr. BIRCH presented petitions from Liverpool, Harring-
ton, and Bridget Square, in Nottingham, in favour of Parlia-
mentary Reform.—Urdered to lie on the Table.
Lord PALMERSTON brought in a Bill to regulate the rate
of subsistence to innkeepers, for the quartering of soldiers.
It was read a first time, and the second reading fixed for
to-morrow.

Mr. ABERCROMBY, in the absence of his Right Honour-
able Friend (Sir J. Newport) d to correct an error in
which, from the fault of others, his Right Honourable Friend
had fallen, and on which he had founded a notice of motion to
that House. That notice referred to the production of the
two last Reports of the Commissioners appointed to report as
to the fees in the Courts of Justice in England. It was ascer-
tained that those Commissioners, appointed by the rote of
Parliament, -had made these Reports, but whether arising
Irons the fault of the proper Officer of the Crown, the Reports
viere not laid before the House.

Mr. GOULBURN was glad to hear the apology due to the
injury which these Commissioners 'sustain ed in consequence of
such notice.

Mr. ABERCROMBY denied. that any apology was either
doe or made. He had a right to presume that these Reports
were wilfully withheld from the knowledge of the House.
Mr. DOUGLAS moved for leave to bring in a Bill for the
better protection of Saving Rinks in Scotland.
- After a few words fro, General THORNTON and Sir R.
FERGUSSON, who staled that the Bill had his fullest sup-
port, and was highly creditable to the Rev. Gentleman, who,
he believed, had framed it, leave was granted.
On the motion of Mr. TEED, it was ordered that there be
laid before the House the annual return ft tim the year 1791',
to the present period, of the Storekeeper's General Establish-
ment, with the amount of salaries, and the return of the de-
pots at \illict they were stationed.
The Longitude, and Northern Passage Discovery Bill was
read a third time mid passed.
Lord LASCELLES, adverting to the petitions that be had
p.resented from Leeds anti Halifax, complaining of the rigo-
rous assessment of Shops to the Assessed Taxes, was anxious
to know from the Right Honourable the Chancellor of the
Exchequer. before the recess, whether any amelioration on
that subject was in contemplation ?
The CHANCELLOR-of the EXCHEQUER Said, that there
existed a great difficulty in separating the charges on houses,
from the shops attached to theni.
Jr. TIERNF.Y observed, that if any amelioration was in-
tended it could nut remain in better hands.; but he at the
same time wished to know whether any thing definite was
meant, as in the event of no sock determination a Noble
Friend of his (Lord Milton), then absent, Would submit a pro-
position to that House?
The CHANCF.LLOR of the EXCHEQUER was under-
stood t 9 say, that he had no intention of making any pro-
position.
Lord LASCELLES believed that no ameliorati.tn could
take place without an alteration in the Act of Pouliament.

Latid Tax Asses,merit Bill was read a seeo:),l time.—
Ordei ed, to be read a t hird time on the lath of April next.

SPANISII

Dr. Prtit.LimoitE sl►onlcl 110 t trespass long i►ium
tl►e House making the moti,m of which he had
given notice. Hooontable Meinbi•rs must be
aware, that by a recent Treaty, 400,0001. had been
given to Spain in compensation for all the losses
sustained by Spa►►ish subjects engaged i►► the Slave
'Lade, and whose vessels had been detained and
condemned. These claimants were divided into
three classes : those whose ships and cargoes .had
been condemned in the Colonies, and whose ap-
peals bad been wade too late to be -attended to

. . .
those whose appeals were in a state of prog,res-
sjon ; *oil lastly,. those who were in- possession
of Decrees of the Court, en tiering the stitueiou
of their property, Or of i;s value . !I s mosioo
hail no teterence whatever to ihe first ri second
classes. It, toilY regal-led the third, and'i,iellia-
raeterand eredit. of Britisn Tribunals, whose faith
was pledged to the rsstoration of their Property.
It appeareil from the scheditle, that there were
four cases in ‘,ll;ch sentences of restitution had
passed: two in Jannary,- 1817, the third its
May, and the fo"tieth at the beginning of hist
December. The Treaty with Spain had beers
cuncl sled last year on the 22d of Septem ier, and
ratified November 27. A sentence of restitution
was a Dec:ree of the Tribunal of the Law of Na-
tions, Witting persons iii possession of their pro-
perty, or of the amount of its value. It was not
for him to tell the House howimportant it was
that the sentences ot our tribunal's should he kept
inviolate. The law on which they were founded
did not rest on speculative notions of right and
wrong. It hail attained the fixedness of a muni-
cipal law, established by all the tribunals in Eu-
rope. Amongst these*none held so high a rank
as our own, and should their decisions be suffer-
ed to become mere nullities ? It was to avert the
mere possibility of any imputation being cast on
the non-inviolability of those decisions, that bii
motion was'intended. As the case now stood.
the persons in poSseSSion at those sentences held
little more than waste paper in their hands. They
had only retained a nominal restitution. Front,
the tiatore' of their property, it was impossible
that it should he restored, but they should have
its full value. That was settled by an Act passed
in 1815, in consequence of which restitution was
to be made, not in the slaves themselves, but in
their value, and they were to be paid by the Trea-
surer of the Navy, on producing the sentence of
the Court. Three of the cases whiilt he ha'd
mentioned, had taken place antecedently to the
Act, and could not therefore be benefi ed by its
provisions. In the last, which was that of the
Rosa, the sentence of the Court had been ;item.
partied by a memorandum ; but on applying to
the Treasurer of the Navy, lie had demurred giv-
ing an answer, though the same week 48,000/.
had be'en paid to two French claimants under si-
milar cir.cainistances. The character of the country
was involved in those transactions, and it woidd
have become his Majesty's Governutent, when
entering into a treaty with Sinai!, to have made
provision that the sentences of the British Court
of Admiralty should oat be vilified and nullifier).
His motion shOuld be, to address his Royal High-
ness generally, to provide that the claimants irs
question be indemnified. He was sincerely anxi-
ous that the Slave T. stle should he totally abe.•
fished, and whatever inconveniences lie had no-
ticed in the last Treaty with Spain, he was per-
fectly satisfied that they were more than counter-
balanced by the advantages gained. It was most
important to have extorted from Spain an ac-
knowledgment of the infamy of the Slave Trade,
to have placed the part of Africa to the north of
the line Within the pale of the Civilized world,
and to have obtained the right n! mutual search.
He concluded by moving, That an humble
Ad-
dress be presented to his Royal Highness the
Prince Regent, representing that it'appears to this
House that several Spanish sithkcis have obtainer)
sentences of restitution of vessels kngaved in the
African Slave Trade, detainid by his Majesty's
cruisers and brought to adjudication ; that they
have commenced and prosecuted those suits at.
considerable ex pence, its consequence of the int-
plieit confidence .vhich they reposed in the justice
of the British 'Tribunals, and on the faith of an
Act passed in the 55:1; year of his Majesty, and
are therefore entitled to a .cOmpensation---and
that being most anxious to maintain the charac-
ter and credit of British Tribunals., this House
entreats his Royal Highness to take of
measures to provide that the 'Spanish subjects, in
possession of sentences of restitution, may receive
the full amount of the property restored.
Lord CASTLEREAGH hoped that lie should be
able to satisfy the Hon. and Learned Gentleman
and the House itself, tnat nothing had been done
contrary to equity and justice in the arrangement
which had taken place with Spain. The Hon.
Gentleman would not dispute that it was compe-
tent for the Sovereign of a nation to compoonct
for the interests of his subjects. If such power
did not reside in the Sovereiv,u of a country, what
confusion,and even what warfare, might not ensue ?
Individuals would then carry on negociations
which might involve a whole people into a con-
test. All waiters on the Laws of Nations main-
tained the existence, of such a power, and he would
mention two cases in which it had been exercised
by this country, and with the approbation and
thanks of Parliainent. The first he should
state was the treaty signed at Vienna in 1815,
by wltich 300,000/. were paid to Portugal, its
satisfaction of all the claims of its subjects, 'un-
der the same circumstances as the present, and
when there many cases in adjudication.—
The other ryas subsequent to the American war.
By the Treaty concluded with America in 1783,
the Courts of the United States were thrown open
to British subjects, for the rtcovei y of the pro-
perty condemned during the contest. In several
cases they had obtained satisfaction, but it was
denied in so many others, that it was found ne-
cessary for the British Government to cutter into
a new arrangetneut with that of America: Two
modes had been tried. By the first the Govern-
ment of the Ijiiited States took upon itself to
examine the cases, and to give cOmpeosation.--.
But this proved so little effective, that, in 1801,
lie British Government had been obliged to ac-
cept a sum of money from the United States in
toll satisfaction for all the claims of
.British sub-
jects its existence since 1783. Thus it had hem
found prudent for the Crown to accept of 600,0001.
for claims estimated at between six 4,0 l seven toil.
lions sterling. These cases proved brat the whole
antlintity of compounding for the interests of its
subjects rested with tht• Crown, am! the wily
glics;i4.!l) was, whether his Majesty's Covet nment
min made it proper arrangement with the fling 4,f
Spain, so far as the interests of this Counts,
were concerned? '[he 110 , and Learned Getole•
man had said, that it was for the hollow of Eng.
land to see the lodgments of 'ivy. Iril,toods Cart let)
into effect. But there was a great ditiereice Le.•
tweeu the cotnatort courts Olaw ot ate cvOttX•ry and

the tribunal which administered the international
; because from the moment that a contract
covering all claims was entered into with Spain,
it became part of the law of nations. It was
therefore no impeachnient of Btitish justice to
have transferred its judgments to Spain. These
judgments, _except in one case, were not against
the public, but only affected the carols. And
tbe -persons who had obtained them thought so
little of a remedy from the captors, that the judg-
ments were at such a discount that they might be.
purchased for a few shillings in the pound. Nay,
before the recent Treaty, the Agent for the
Spnish Claimants had coMplained that a com-
pensation had been given to those of Portugal
(by the 300,0001. paid to its Government)
tvbilst Spanish subjects were left to endea-
vour to rxociire relict by expensive suits at law.
As to the cases in different stages of -proceeding,
they consisted of 21. Out of that number the Act
of 1815 had no application whatever to sixteen.
for it had no retrospective effect. Out of the five
that remained, four were in progress of examina-
tion, and no judgment whatever had been given.
The fifth, which was the only one in whichjudg-
ment had been obtained, stood on totally different
grounds. It was that of the Rosa, which had not
beer, captured at sea, but had been thrown by,
stress of weather on our shores, taken posses.ion
of by a British Officer, and condemned in the Court
of Admit alty. As the law had rather been strained
in that case, and there was no imputation against
the vessel, her value had been ordered to be re-
stored. Out of the sixteen first cases, only five
judgments had been obtained, and that against the
captors, and not against the State. The case
against the public had therefore entirely disap-
peared. The Hon. and Learned Gentleman could
not pretend that there was any ambiguity in
the Treaty to prevent the parties from going
to Madrid with the judgments from this country
in their hands, and claiming compensation.--
There was no doubt of that. The King of Spain
was to take upon himself to compensate.his sub-
jects for the losses which they might have sustain-
ed up to the signature of the Treaty.; Could any
thing be plainer ? There was another considera-
tion which rendered it wise to refer the clakun9ts
to Spain for a compensation. Many Americans
and subjects of other nations had carried on, their
depredations in disguise under the Spartish flag,
and attempted to claim satisfaction as Spaniards.
lint the Spanish Government would be able to
cleat' the point. He hoped that the Honourable
Gentleman's mind was now relieved from the ap-
prehension that any imputation of injustice could
be thrown on the character of the Country, and
that, persuaded that nothing had been done but
what policy and wisdom required, . the House
would concur with hire in giving a negative to the
motion.

Lord A. HAMILTON did not think that the Noble,
Lord had contradicted the fact that some injus-
tice and injury had fallen somewhere. The Noble_
Lord bad mentioned the arrangement with the
Uniied States, but he believed that no adjudica-
tin') bad then taken place, and that. the English
claimant's were not yet reconciled to the propriety
or such an arrangement. The Noble Lord also
said that tie claimants might apply to Spain tor a
compensation but it appeared from the Corm-
sponden'ee ou rile table, that those very claimants
were excluded nom inakin4 such application.
Load CASTLF.LIBAGH stated, in explanation," that
lio
.parties whatever were excluded trout the bene-
fitsot tire Treaty concluded with Spain.
WyNxe contended, that when claimants
had clearly made out their demands in our Courts,
we were bound to see that they should receive
the whole of tbeM. Suppose a set of Russian
merchants hail claims upon this country, the
Emperor,. on this principle, might negociate and
undertake to receive a smaller sum, and give a
receipt. The Hon. Gentkman alluded to tile case
of the American claimants, *hose conduct he
thought was politic, in taking compensation to be
distributed amongst them, rather than prosecuting
their claims. But it was not to- the credit of this
Country to imitate such a system. There were
only four cases, and all that was wished was, that
'the claimants should receive the whole that had I
been decreed to them.

Mr. littouGnam said, if the contract between
the parties was one which this country paid
400,0001, for the abolition of the Slave Trade, it
veould have been insufficient if a promise had been
given to pay ; but as, without the right of search,
the Slave Trade could not be abolished, the right
to pay tor it was a valuable consideration. The
Spanish Government received one-half of this
money iu consideration of the losses sustained by
its subjects. It our Government had made no
stipulation with the Spanish GOvernment, he ap-
prehended that the acts of the State would hear ;
for, if our Government had not interfered at
all, it might be competent to the Spanish Go-
vernment to bar those claims. The wrong com-
plained of was, he thought, what the Spanish
Government would do to its own subjects.—
Ile was informed that these persons bad actually
obtained advances on the faith of those verdicts,
from 'merchants in this country. The captor
might have captured at great risk ; he might have
proved his case to the satisfaction of the Courts
abroad as well as here, and yet the Crown might
ste.p in, and turn, by a single line, the captor out
of doors, by an appeal against him to the Su-
preme Authority of his own State. He !toped the
words of- the Noble Lord to-night would have
their Wiei,ght in the proper quarter, as he was sa-
tisfied with his declarEtion ; and he hoped the
great measure of abolishing the horrid slavery
woald be Carried forward till, before long, we.
should see it finally abolished.
Laid -CASTI.PREAGH was happy to say, that the
King of the Netherlands had signified his assent to
the general.principles, and that a treaty was now
in forwardness founded on those principles that
bad been recognized. -
Mr. WretteaForte.:E argued that, if the case were
fully investigated, it would be impossible to esta-
blish that sort of distinction that bad been at-
tempted. The persons in question ought not to
be paid by the Treaty, and not here. The Mon.
Gentleman went over the different arguments that
bad been adduced, and expressed hi, opinion that
them L.ad stareoly bee Moire Spanish ship that was
the property of other countries, and it teas well
known that until it was necessary to appear, that

1 the Spaniards appear unconcerned in this very
trade. The Honourable Gentleman then. in
, adverting to the vessel that had ?occasioned
the dispute, took a view of the state of the
r Slave Trade in the rivers Senegal and Gambia
since the peace of 1814. Before that time
the French Settlements having been cape nred,
there was almost an entire cessation of the Slave
Trade ; and the natives were collected together, and
soon learnt how much more advantageouS would he
for them thecultivationof the arts of peace and
industry ; mad the natives soon saw themselves
established in comfortable little villages along the
coast, while their plantations of tob,icco, and
tranquil demeanor, sheaved that they lived 41th-
oat tear. But what had been the consequence of
this trifiic reviving since the peace ? The whole
of these villages bad become one scene of con-
tinued desolation, and all the villages were
destroyed.
.But the exertions .of his NOble
Friend in this and other instances. had been so
truly honourable, that he was sure lie would not
ii;elax while any thing remained to be done
The Slave Trade had been renewed by instigating
Moors to cross the .river Gambia and seize the
negroes; but the Noble Lord had exerted him-
self with the French Government, and they had
shewn themselves alive to humanity, by actually
renuiving one Governor, and lie trusted the con-
duct of the other would be inquired into; for he
could not but rely on the honour and feeling of
the bead of the 'French 'Government, who haV-
ing suffered so severely himself, must naturally
feel for the sufferings of others, and ‘-be filled
with the deepeSi horrOr at the atrocities O.f the
Slave Trade. Alluding to America, the Hon
Gentleman expressed his hope, that as that Go-
vernment was avowedly friendly. to the liberties
of mankind, it would not pinch longer disgrace
itself by this traffic, which might be annihilated
if they Were to make a law for rendering the car-
rying on of the Slave *Trade piracy.; He con=.
eluded with repeating, that While we have .such a
pledge front Spain to the traffic; as that of
,agreeing to the-right of search. 'there was no rea-
son to doubt the reality of such profesSions.
Mr. MONey rose to' make some observations
on a couv.tientary he had observed in a Morning
Paper, on what he had said in that Hotrie on a
preceding evening on that subject.
The SPEAKER stated, that it was incumbent on'
,the lion. Gentleman to address himself to the
question before the House.
_ _

- Mr. MoNEY returned to the subject, when
Mr. BANKES rose to order, and stated the Course
in which the Hon. Gentleman could bring the sub-
ject to which he had alluded betore the Honse.

Mr. MONEY said, lie should now content him-
self with saying, that he considered the money
given to Spain under, this Treaty expended for one
of the most. just andnoble'purposes. It reflected
the highest honour on the country; and he believ-
ed, that if for such a purpose the people were to be
called on for their contributions, the penny of the
poor would be blended with the pound of the
rich. The Hon. Cie,iileman then proceeded to
deliversome strictures on some of the clauses in
the treaty with Portugal.
Dr. PkiILLIMORE, in reply, went over his forther
arguments, particularly maintaining, that the deci-
sions of Courts of Justice ought to be held invio-
late, and that the character of our Tribunals would.
be compromised_if their decisions were to be dis-

•
regarded.' He denied that the precedents of the
Noble Lord were to the purpose, and he seriously
urged him to press it on the Spanish Government
that these claims should be first considered.

The question was then put, and negatived with
out a division.

On the motion of the Chancellor of the Exchequer, a Copy
of the Letter to the Board of Taxes, of December last, fur
returns of the deficiencies of defaulters who are Collectors,
was aa•reed to.

Mr. WYNNE moved for a Copy of the Ryport of the Corn
rnissioners for suoerintersding the unrolling of the liercula.
ileum Manuseripts.—Ag,reeil to.

Sir S. ROMILLY presented a petition from a person of
the name of Moxoti, of Kingston-upon-Hull, stating that he
had prosecuted a landholder fora just debt of 1,0001., to avoid
paying which he had thrown himself into the King's Bench,
where he lived in luxury on the produce of his estates, had
obtained the Rules, and went about to the watering places,
and had errn been at one place to efIIiVASS it. for the honour

of a return to that Hot He. The petition prayed for some al-
teration in the Law respecting Debtors who had property.—
Read, and ordered to lie on the table.

The Report •f the' Committee on the Petitions against Mod;
Auctions was brought up. It stated the expediency of, a Bill
to prevent frauds by such sales, which was ordered to be
brought in.

SAVING B ANKS.
The Report of the Saving. Banks' Bill, after a hrief con-
versation between General Thornton, the Chancellor of the
Exchequer, and Alderman Atkins, was ordered to be further
considered on Monday, the 13th of April.

CONSOLIDATION OF CUSTONIS.
Mr. BROGDEN br'ougl►t up the Report of the
Customs Consolidation Acts.

The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said, he
should give -a short outline of the plan. The im-
mediate object was to consolidate into one Act
the several duties imposed since the year 1809,
when the last Consolidation took place, and which
had now become extremely complex from the re-
peated Acts of Parliament which had been passed
upon the subject. The 'import duties in every
case would he the same as they now stood, only
deducting such fractional parts as might appear
in the aggregate amount of the present duties.—
The House would remember, that at the time of
the Union with Ireland, the duties were to re-
main upon their •former footing till the year 1821,
when they would necessarily undergo some revi-
sion, but till then, the port ditties, as regarding
that part of the United Kingdom, must continue
unchanged. The warehouse duty would be the
same, as far as regarded goods imported with in-
creased facility upon the exportation., There
would be some alteration in the duty of goods
charged ad valorem. At present, manufactured
goods were at 60 per cent. and unmanufactured
goods at about 31 per cent. ; the former would be
reduced to 50 per cent, and the. latter to 20 per
cent,, it having been thought advisable to put the
duties at a fixed rate ; indeed the whole intention
was to Simplify the thing. East India produce
would be assimilated to articles of the same de-
scription imported from other parts of the British
dominions, and in the article of thrown silk it was
proposed to make a material alteration, by allow-
ing it to be imported
,from India. He was ena-
bled to congratulate the House upon tie great
improventent in the commerce With ;India' since-
th.e intercourse had been thrown open. ..'ffiepri-
vate trade had far exceeded the most sauguine

hopes that had been held out, and from the ad-
vantages already derived, it was desirable to give
every fair encouragement to that trade.

Atter some remarks from Mr. Alderman Atkins,
Mr. Forbes, and Mr. Butterworth, and a short
reply from the Chancellor of the Exchequer, a
Bill was ordered to be brought in.
- The Committee upon the Coroners' Election
Bill was postponed till to-morrow se'nnight.
Mr. D. GILBERT brought up a Report from the
Finance Committee.—Ordered to lie upon the ta-
ble, and to be printed.
The other Orders of the Day were disposed of,
and the House adjourned.