Star.
London, England, 1824-04-07 00:00:00

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far for the relief attelemdstil'of Scotch and Irish Vagrants during
. the last year.
Mt. C. PELHAM pNtponed to Thursday, the 22d of May, his
Motion of Resolutions, shewinl the utility of Parliament being oc-
casionally holden IR ticker capitals of the United Kingdom, which
pod fur tp-n3i
ar. H OA merited a Petition from the Licensed
'Victuatlers of the Town of Gravesend, praying fur the repeal of the
Duty on Excise Licenses.—Ordered te be printed.
• . Mr. HONEY WOOD presented Petitions from the inhabitants
of Dartford and Tonbridge, praying fur the Abolition of Negro
Slavery.
Sir C. HULSE presented similar Petitions front the Borough of
West Loot and the Parish of Callan, in the County of Cornwall.
Lord A. 11A NlluroN presented a similar Petition from 27,000
of the Inhabitants.of Glasgow.
• General GASCOY NE observed that this was the only Petition
on the subject which considered the justice of the case as well as ita•
humanity, and recommended the indemnification of the Planters itt
the Colonies for any loss they might sustain by the emancipation of
their slaves.
Lord A. HAMILTON then presented a similar Petition front
New Lanark.
Mr. ILSMITH presented a similar Petition from Fenny Strat ford.
Lord W. BENTINCK presented a similar Petition from Mans-
field.—These Petitions were severally ordered to he printed.
Mr. PHILLIPS wished to know front the Right Honourable
Gentleman (the Chancellor of the Exchequer) whether any pro-
gress had been made towards the equalisation of the duties paid upon
goods imported in foreign and British ships? A duty of Ave per
cent. was paid, for example, upon certain goods imported in foreign
bottoms,which were exempt ft om the duty if brought in British ships.
lie understood some arrangement had taken place with reference to
this subject between the British and Prussian Government, which
he was surprised not to have seen noticed in the Orders in Council.
The CII A NCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said, that the
subject to which the Honourable Member alluded had certainly
been a matter of discussion between the Government of this country
and that of his Prussian Majesty, and certain arrangements had in
consequence been entered into, but it had not been thought advise-
alV•e to isspe any Orders in Council respecting those arrangements.
A Message front the Lords announced that their Lordships had
passed the Silk Duties' Bill without any amendment.
'Die ATTORNEY- GEN ER A L gave notice that he would, on
Thursday next, britfg in a Bill founded upon the Resolutions of the
Committee for giving compensation for the loss of offices under the
County Courts' Act.
CHURCH LIVINGS IN IRELAND.
Mr. BUTTERWORTH presented a Petition from
the Rev. John Hamilton, of Rosaea, complaining of
the mode in which the Bishop of Kill:doe had bestowed
the appointments to vacant benefices in his diocese, in
favour of his own relations, to the prejudice of the diocese.
. Mr. GOULBURN defended the Bishop from the
charge imputed to him by the Petitioner. There had
only occurred five vacancies during the time he had
presided over the diocese, two of which he had filled up
certainly by appointing some relations of his own, but
they were persons fully qualified,and every way.eligihle
for the appointments; the other three had been given to
Curates, two of whom he (Mr. Goulburu) happened to
have a personal knowledge of, from having been co-
temporary with them at College, and he could speak
with confidence of their eminent qualifications. The
Petitioner had not always entertained the same opinion
of the Bishop's conduct as he had stated in his Petitioa, or
at least he had not always spoken of it in the same terms,
for he had in his possession a letter of his, in which he
cOmmended the Bishop for his attention to the interests
of the Curates in his diocese.
. Mr. C. 14. HUTCHINSON said, the situation of the
Curates in Ireland, who were in general extreuaely ill
paid, required particular consideration, and he hoped
the Right Honourable Gentleman would bestow some
portion of attention cn the subject.
Sir J. NEWPORT said, the whole system of Church
patronage in Ireland stood yreatly is need of amelio-
ration; but he despaired of any improvement so long
as pluralities were :dlowed to exist.
On the motion for the Petition being printed,
Mr. GOULBURN put it to the Gentlemen opposite,
whether it was desirable ty. allow the of a Pe-
tition which spoke in such terms as were made use of in
this instance of the conduct of a distinguished Prelate
of the Established Church of Ireland ?
Mr. CALCRAFI' said, he' could not answer the op-
peal of the Right Honourable Gentleman, not having
beard the Petition lead. He had, however, gathered
its purport in some measure from what had fallen from
the Right. lion. Gentleman, and he must say, that it did
appear to him that the subject to which the Petition re-
lated, was one that claimed the gravest consideration.
After a few words from Mr. GOULDURN and Mr.
IturrErtwoattl, the Petition was ordered to Le printed.
SALT DUTIES. _

Mr. WODEHOUSE moved for returns of the total
number of Excise Prosecutions carried on within the
last six years, for the recovery of penalties for the non-
payment of the Salt Duties; with the amount of pe-
nalties actually recovered; distinguishing the respective
amounts for Scotland and Ireland.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said,
that the lion. Member for Norfolk had put a question
to him relative to the course which the Government
were likely to adopt with reference to the restriction of
the Salt Duties. Although he did not feel himself bound
to give a positive answer to this question, he felt no
hesitation in saying, that upon the expiration of the
present duties, in January next, every effort will be made
to reduce their amount in future. For himself he could
only say, that he felt every disposition to do so ; but as
the subject of taxation properly belonged to the House,
and not to him, ha did not feel himself bound to say
more upon the subject at that moment.
Mr. CALCIt API' rose, not to object to the production
of the Returns moved for by the lion. Gentleman, but
to express his surprise at tire declaration of the Chan-
cellor of the Exchequer, that the salt duties, which it
was confidently expected would expire on the Ist of
January next, were to continue after that peliod. He
c,,uld nor, he repeated, help expressing his surprise at
tilis bleach of Pat liamentary faith—(Year)—and at the
tone in which the Right lion. Gentleman spoke on the
subject. It the Right Hon. Gentleman did not fill his
present situation at the time this promise was made to
the public, he was however a Minister and a Member
of that flouse, and as such a party to that promise. What
reliance he (Mr. Calcraft) asked could in future be placed
o r the i4mth of Parliament, if a measure of this odious
n au: e were to be continued after a solemn understand-
" in; that it should be repealed ? He was glad, how.
‘;11:1, that tbis opportunity had been arforded him of
expres.sing his sentiments upon the subject, in the face,
not only of _Parliament, but of the country at large.—
He owned he felt great hesitation in believing that the
Right Hon. Gentleman opposite (the Chancellor of the
Exchequer), all whose previous acts had ben milked
by so much consideration, would lend bitnself to such
a breach of faith. If an increase of taxation were
wanted, he thought the continuance of this tax the:most
invidious roodenf effecting it; and he could not think,
if once the principle were admitted, that Governmeot
krrould stop at 2s. a bushel as at present, but raise it,
whenever necessity required, to I ss. a bushel, as before.
Mr. GORDQN thought. the Salt Tax a gm eat gm iev-
Ste= to the agricultural interests; bursas. theme were
Wiser tales still snore oppressive, he bad no objection,

if some of these were reiaatled, that. the salt Julie•
should be ca.:tinned some time longer, and with this
sitilderstancling he should support the proposition of the
ltight Hon. Gentleman.
Sir J. WROTTESLEY, Mr. W. &turn, Mr. H. GURNEY,
Sir M. ItioLEy, and Lbrd MILTON, *seterally
pressed their objection to the continuance of the duties.
Mr. HUME wished to put a question to the Hon.
Gentleman opposite (Mr. Hurries) relative to the state
of the Excise Laws. He (Mr. flame) had last Session
presented several Petitions complaining of the grievances
which attached to those laws, and he had received a
promise lion: the Hon. Gentleman that means would be
taken in the preseat Sessiou to bring in an Act to sim-
plify and consolidate them into one statute. He (Mr.
Ilume) now wished to know what had been done to.
wards carrying that object into effect?
Mr. HERII.IES said, the Honourable Member had
misunderstood what he had stated upon a farmer occa-
sion with reference to the consolidation of the existing
Excise Laws. He (Mr. Herries) bad certainly expressed
his acquiescence in the objections made by the Honour-
able Member to certain parts of these laws, and he had
' expressed a hope that means might be taken to simplify
them ; but the Honourable Member had mistaken what
he (Mr. Herries) had said, if be supposed he meant to
consolidate them into one Statute. They were too vo-
liminous for that purpose; and the only thing he (Mr.
Ilerries) could hope to do would be to simplify and con-
solidate particular parts. With this view a Gentleman
laid been employed to prepare a Statute, and no unne-
cessaty delay would be suffered to take place. But as
the work was of a very laborious nature, sometime must
naturally elapse before it could be got ready.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said,
that he was not insensible to the objections which had
so often been urged against the existing Excisa Laws.
Among those was that alluded to by the Honourable
Gentleman, that the only punishment to which smug-
gle:s wereliable was a fine; which, if they u eie unable
or unwilling to pay, the necessary consequence was im-
prisonment. The Honourable Gentleman had truly ob-
served, that it was the usual course of the Treasury, in
cases of this nature, to order the liberation of the pri-
soner : he (the Chancellor of the Exchequer) thought,
however, that some change in the laws, in this respect,
was advisable, and that some other mode of punishment
might be equally efficacious. He could not, however,
pledge himself to any measure upon the subject, al-
though fully aware ct the inconvenience complained of
by the Honourable Member.
After a few words from Colonel DAVIES and Mr.
CatcaarT, the Return was ordered;

ASSISTANCE OF COUNSEL TO PERSONS PROSECUTED