Star.
London, England, 1822-07-27 00:00:00

...-f

77.?
•

•
i the Repeal of she Irish Auesapd Toes. ,The Petition was Ar-
: dered to be print&
Mr. 13IiN NI:A' called the attention of the Rome to abs sums
voted•at ditlefent period's for repairing 'dse King's Bench Pri-
son. Ile chewed from a clause is an /set of the Ofld George 11.
that certain advantages were provided• fur the Marshal of the
King's Bench, and certain duties impostd upon bim. The ad-
vantages the Marshal had enjoyed, but it appeared to bum that
he had not fulfilled all the duties intended to attach to his situa-
tion. Ile enumerated the votes come to within the last few-
years for grants for repairs in the King's Bench 'Prison, and
moved that there should be hid before the now an Aceouht
of the manner la which the Grants of 1821 and 182.5 had been
expended, so far as the same could be made out.—The motiou
was agreed to.
A message from the Lords announced their Lordships Con-
currence with"the Thames Lastage Bill, and other Kills.

SUPERANNUATION ACT AMENDMENT BILL

Tie CH A NCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER moted
that the Report of the So perminuation Act Amend-
ment Bill should be received.

Mr. CALCRAFT rose to state his objections to
the measure. He, however, begged to say, it the
Right Hon. Gentleman would make the contribu-
tions to the fund optional on those now in office, and
only compulsory on those who might hereafter come
into office, he would give up his opposition. If this
were not done, be should proceed to state why he
thought the measure one of great, and of unjust se-
verity.' His principal objection to it was, that it im-
posed a tax on individuals to which they had not ex-
pected they should he liable, at the time when they
accepted .offices. If it were a general tax, they must
submit; but it was a partial tax, and consequently it
was one of which tl ey had a right to complain.—
Many of those on,,v, horn it would press had already
taken the precaution of insuring their lives, • and it
was bard on them that they should now be called on
to pay an additional five per cent. It was admitted
that their services were great, and that their salaries
'were not-too high; yet they were told, that such was
the state of the country, that it was expedient to make
this deduction from their incomes. He would ask if
any law could be more harsh, more oppressive, more
vexatious, or more unjust? If those who hereafter
came into office were required to submit to such re-
gulation;, he should have no objection. In this case
it would be fair, as they would know from the first
that such were tl:e conditions on which they were to
hold their situations. In another point of view this
measure was objectionable. If any of the Gentlemen
whom it affected should be at any time dismissed for
alleged misconduct, they then, like the poor postman
whose petition had been presented that day, lost all
interest in that fund to which they had been contri-
butors. Such being the case, the pal ties must either
be considered to have a vested right in their offices,.
or when removed, it must be expected that injustice
would be imputed. On this subject he thought eve' y
one would think with him, however the majority err
the House Might judge it right to vote with the right
Honourable Gentleinan. His ide•ts were supported
by those of a Noble Lord whom he had seen filling
the Chair of that House, and in the situation of Chan-
c.sllor of the Exchequer. The Noble Lord he alluded
to had long been Secretary of State, and he lied sel-
dom diffeted in opinion from the Right Hon. Gentl-
eman opposite. It would be singular, indeed, if they
should be found at variance immediately. He then
read extra acts from letters written by Lord Sidmouth
and Mr. Hobhouse on the subject, which expressed
opin.oas decidedly hostile to the plan. To depart
from the pladof 1307, he contended, was a breach
of public faith ; and what security could the• Stock-
holder have after this, but that which arose from a
consciousness that he belonged to a more powerful
body of men, and that what affected him would af-
fect every description of property in the country
Lord Sidmouth had declared that he could not re-
corm rresnd the plan to. his Majesty, and that lie could
not concur with the Lords of the Treasury in the opi-
nion teat it ou„ht to be submitted to Parliament.,
Unluckily for time Clerks, Lord Sidmouth was just at
that time about to resign, or his opinion would have
been more attended to. He had stated, that he con-
sidered the measure to be, o in principle, both
improvident and impolitic, and in its immediate ap-
plication unjust." It might be thought necessary to
pass the Bill, but the assertions of Lord Sidmouth
were well founded. If, however, it were so altered
now as not to affect those who were in office before
the Ist of January, 1822, he would give up his oppo-
sition to the Bill; but if this were not done he would
persevere, notwithstanding the numerous attendance
on the other side, brought down by a very strong
circular, reqneaing them to be peseta at the debate
on the Superannuation .Act Amendment Bill; and 11
impressing on them the importance of not quitting
their seats till the business was disposed of. A letter
to that effect he knew had been written. He thought
those who attended on it were likely to have a happy
night of it, for he felt satisfied that however they
might vote, their opinions were with him. He was
much inclined to think that this was the case with all,
not exce, ting the Chancellor of the Exchequer hiM-
Self—(4 laugh).—He really thought the saving to be
made by this Bill might be.effected byless objection-
able means. Tee whole amount might be saved on
the transactions between Government and the Bank.
He should wait to see what the Right Hon. Gentle-
man was disposeel to do before he moved for any
thing. If he would agree to have the few worths in-
troduced which he wished to supply, he would then
move to alter time preamble. If he failed in this, be
should be reduced to the necessity—a necessity which
he wished to avoid—of opposing the Bill altogether.
Mr. CANNING must also oppose the Bill, which
he considered as unjust in its principle. He was
most ready to admit that public economy should be
attended to ; but he could not consent to consult it
at the expense of one class of the community, with-
out taking anything from the other classes. He
thought also, that in the details of the Bill, theme was
a breach of faith to a tern tale class of persons, namely,
to those persons who took office after the passing of
the Bill of 1810. He would suppose a case; that of
a young man at College of good family but of small
fortune, with a certainty on one hand of a student-
ship or a -fellowship, which in advanced life would
have provided him with a certain support; but, on
the other hand, seeing an opening to enter into the
service of the Public, with also a certainty of provi-
sion for old age; not a provision depend lg on the
patronage of the Gown, or the Minister of the Crown,
but on the sanction of Parliament, the Act of 1810.
See him giving up his fellowthip or his studentship,
and.see him mitering into the public service any time
since 1810, depending on the sanction of an act of
the Legislature fur support in old age; and now, in

AtaU,

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deprived of that swot%
,laisp!ospeete
act of the Legiflature superseding that
a vis` of sailing to the Public one
'sand pounds n-year--(Hear, hear).—
, if the Bill passed, all thew parsons
• by it ought to have a right of action
blic. As to constituting this Superan-