Star.
London, England, 1822-07-19 00:00:00

recommended where each had a share in every part
of the materials, this use of them, in eontert, could
not be considered a loan. He would strongly re-
commend it to Country Gentlemen to give brewing
utensils to the poor. They could not give their bounty
a better direction. There were directiOns published
for brewing, which would enable all classes to brew
for themselves. These were to be had in a three-
penny or sixpenny pamphlet, in Mr. Cobbett's Ser-
mon on the subject of brewing, or against drunken.
ness, where the directions given were so plain that he
who runs may read. Though he consented to with-
draw this Bill for the present, he was confident that
ultimately it would pass, and confident he was that
it would prove a most important boon, contributing
alike to the wealth, health, and morals of the people.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER ad-
dressed a few observations to the House, in eiplana-
lion of the course which Government had taken with
reference to the subject in debate. An. inquiry had
been going on for several years, under the authority
of the Treasury, in order to discover whether means
could not be found for supplying the labouring pub-
lic with beer of superior quality, subject to a duty,
regulated according to its comparative strength.—
Without stating•what had been the result of the in-
quiry, he should say that there was every reason to
believe so much of the plan would be carried into
effect as would enable the labourer to get superior
beer, subject to an intermediate duty. With respect
to the merits of the present licensing system, he de-
sired at this time to give no opinion. So far as re-
lated to the sale of beer in public-houses, he thought
the present law fit to be retained ; but with respect'
to the sale of beer in other houses, he thought this
-.night be allowed, without materially affecting the
great property vested in public-houses. A..heavy
duty fell on the public brewer, which, as the Hon. and
1 Learned Gentleman had said, did not attach to the
private brewer. He, however, thought the want of
skill on the part of the latter, and the absence of
those advantages growing out of the employment of
a large capital gave him no great superiority over
the public brewer. But be that as it might, the ad-1
vantages which had been mentioned were secured by
law to those who brewed for themselves, and with that
law he had no disposition to interfere.
Mr. Alderman BRIDGES spoke against the plan
for legalising the sale of beer from private houses.
The Bill was then withdrawn.
HALF-PAY OFFICERS.
Mr. F. BUXTON wished to ask of an Hon. Officer
whom he saw in his place, what arrangement had
been made with respect to Half-pay Officers who were
insane, as to their pay and allowances?
Sir G. COCKBURN said, in consequence of the
subject being brought under the consideration of the
Chancellor of the Exchequer in the early part of the
present Session, the Government had directed their
attention to it and had come to a decision, that any
Officer suffering under that affliction from service,
should be placed on the same footing as one who had
lost a limb. It was to be understood that, if such
indisposition should be in consequence of a natural
defect, or of imprudent conduct, the same indulgence
was not to be allowed. If the individual were kept
by the Government, half of his pay would be stopped;
but if he were maintained by his friends, they would
receive the whole of his half-pay.
Mr. BUXTON inquired if it would not be proper
that all claims of this description should be forth-
with made, in order that they might be speedily
decided upon ?
Sir G. COCKBURN said, it would certainly be
proper that this should be done. He begged to add,
tie pension granted in the case supposed was only
to continue while the individual remained ill. In the
event of perfect recovery it would cease.
CANADA TRADE AND GOVERNMENT.
Mr. WILMOT having moved the Order of the

should pass subsilentio. He was sorry to stand even thus
lone between his Hon. Friend and the impatience of
the Howe, to answes him, for which he had furnished
am, le materials.
Mr lIUSKISSON confessed that he was fully im-
pre •ed by the weight of the argument which the
Hon. Gentleman who had just sat down set out with,
ith resi.ect to the lateness of the Session. He did
not thi.-k the 18th of July the proper day for such a
11.:1 :nd as one friendly to the principle of
the Bill, he really would beg leave to recommend to
the I lon. and Learned Gentleman to withdraw his
Bil, for the present, least by meeting with a negative
it should come prejudiced to discussion at a future
peti,i. But with regard to the arguments of the
Hon. Grotieman who had just sat down, he seemed
to argue that it had always been the policy of the
law to countenance a monopoly of the article. He,
however. had always considered licenses and such
like, to instance the assize of bread, were instituted
alone tor the benefit, and with a view to the com-
forts of the consumer—( Hear. hear).—And as to
vested tights, and the ant'o,.4v of the Hon. Member
with the case of the robiic c.stahtor, it had nothing
to do si ith the precut question. They stood upon
differ:.tit grounds ahogeihert for, according to the
Nlember's thou y of vested rights, it would be
an invasion of wate-men's ri;lsts to build a bridge
o:er the Rivet, or to work a steam vessel—(Hear,
heap).-11c neatly thought the lion. Gentleman had
a little ex.ilgerated when he talked of 50,000 indi-
viduals being twined. They were there to legislate
for the public good, which the notions of the Hon.
Member about vested rights would go entirely to
chcc k. Still less could he countenance the word con-
fiscation a:)plied by the Hon. Member to this
The restraint with res ect to the sale of beer was
is en for the purposes of morality ; but it had been
L,.::v test to altm,;ethe. a different purpose, approach.
in; to something like monopoly. But that never
mstny a title being set up to such a monopoly.
1;v t .lisadpearance of drunkenness, which any one
wip Ai lived as long as he had, could not fail to
have ob -erved, a Iv eat prolongation of life had ac-
crued to the humbler classes of people, with a great
impro‘en,ent in their comforts. It was necessary,
therefore, to look with caution at any change in the
system shish brought abo'it such advantages. He
io(•ir ecommeaded the Hon. and Learned Gentle-
man not to press his 13i11 in its present crude state;'
but to w ithdraw it and endeavour to ascertain, during
the recess, whether or not this Bill would improve,
the Revenue, and to what extent. He wished he
would also estimate the extent of its operation upon'
tie habits of the people, and also upon the property
at present concerned in the trade.
Mr. Alderman WOOD apologised to the House
for troubling them upon this subject, as out of the
41.000 persons who would be affected by this Bill,
4,000 were his constituents. He wi-hed his Him.
Friend would spew what benefit was to he derived
from this mea-ure. The evils of it had been suffi-
ciently pointed out, for it certainly would be the
cause of ruin to a great number. To illustrate the
feeling of the trade at the proposition of his Hon.
and Learned FL iend, he only put it to his own feel-
ings how he would feel, were it proposed to admit
the inferior practitioners in the law to the practice of
the Court s?— (A laugh).—He was sure the lion. and
Learned Gentleman would not like that. lie knew
that Solicitors had been allowed to practise as Conn-,
s:•1 in Cornwall, and that gave great offence to the
Gentlemen of the Long Robe. Ruin, he knew,
would be brought upon many respectable widows
and others, were this influx into the tiade permitted.
Ile hoped, therefore, the House would let the pre-
sent system go on, from which every possible benefit
was derived. He should not move that the Bill
be read that day three months, because he believed
it was the intention of his Hon. Friend to withdraw

the Bill for the present Session. Day for taking into further consideration the Report
o
Mr. BROUGHAM said ke had felt himself bound, on the Canada Trade and Government, begged to
vith reference to some previous measures, to push state to the House the provisions of the Bill which
the Bill on to its present stage in this Session, or he he should now have the honour to introduce. The
certainly should not have selected so late a period of Bill might be described under three heads. In the
it. Ile was not, therefore, insensible to the weight of first place, it went to make an alteration in the Act
the arguments for postponing it. The mass of in-
of the 31st George the Third, for the Government of
terest that it had created had made him desire to
Canada. It then was intended to act as an auxiliary'
hear the arguments against it, and now he was satis- to the measures introduced in the present Session by
fled. Like the Hon. Alderman who itad just sat
his Right Hon. Friend the President of the Board, of,
down, he found the brewers standing up as Counsel
Trade. And thirdly, it went to make an arrange-1
pull- ment with recpect to the appropriation of the duties '
for the publicans, and no doubt if they had a
can in the House he would stand up for his lords and levied in Canada ; and, in furtherance of this object,
masters, the brewers. The disguise was easily seen it proposed to consolidate the Legislatures of Upper
through—these Gentlemen meant themselves, when and Lower Canada. On the last of these he proposed
they talked of others. In withdrawing the Bill, he to speak first, as the differences which had arisen be-
tween the two Colonies on the subject of the duties
begged to suggest to the Chancellor of the Exchequer
t
the propriety of considering during the recess, theobe divided between them had placed them in a very
placing of a middle duty between that of 2s. and 10s. anomalous situation, which loudly called for some
One at 4a. or .ss. would enable brewers to furnish an rea.edial measure. He proceeded to describe the
situation of these province) from the conquest ofl
article of small beer considerably better than that
which seemed to meet with general reprobation.— Canada. They were governed by a Governor and
Indeed, the small beer was diminishing so fast in Executive Council. The Criminal Law of England
quality that it was absolutely in danger of becoming had been introduced in the first instance, but the old
invisible—(A laugh.)—The people had the remedy Civil Law of the Colony had been retained. Some
in their own hands, and if the brewers were deter-
Ordinances, however, were enacted, which were at
mined to give up no part of their monopoly, he
variance with that system, and the anomalous cha-
doubted not they would use it. The Magistrates ratter of the laws thus combined, made it necessary,
might diminish the evil by licensing more houses— in the year 1774, to restore the Civil Code, such as
(Hear, hear).—From that cheer be suspected that
it had originally been, and to abrogate the Ordi-
those interested in this question, and who were wise mantes, but at the same time the introduction of a
in their generation, were of opinion that in this way Representative Body at a future period was contem-
no material change could be effected, as if a few
plated. Under this system the Government was car-'
_ fled on to 1791, when the Act of the 31st of the late
more houses were -licensed, it would be an easy mat
ter for them to get the feasts of those houses into King respecting Canada was passed. It was at that
their possession. The evil, however, might be reme-
period that the province, which had till then been
died by private brewing ; but few were aware how
called Canada, was divided into two parts, in conse-
easy, and at how cheap a rate, they might provide quence of refugees and American loyalists coming
themselves with a wholesome beverage. -he private
at that tune in great numbers to that part of
,h
brewers saved 30s. on the malt duty, the retail pro-
theis division was objected to by Mr. Fox, who was province which was now called Upper Canada.
fit ; the duty on the publican's license, which alone This
then in the Opposition; and the wounds on which
gave amorally to the revenue no less than 600,0001.
and besides all these advantages, a more wholesome the Government of that day defended the Act for
be, e, age would lie obtatue.! than could now be pur-giving the Canadas their present Constitution were
chased. The expense of brewing utensils did not these, that there were many persons residing in Upper
exceed Irons 31. to 41. Ii a poor man could not pur- Canada who were English, and it was extremely
chase them, let him join with his neighbours. They i unjust that the population of that part of the colony
who had English feelings, should be under a code
must, however, take care of the Coort of Exchequer !
as they went on. They must not sell any portion of; of laws that was foreign to their feelings and habits.
the bees they bt ea ed, but several joining to brew, .—from 1791 the two provinces had their respective
and biewing in one of their houses, each under the judicial and legislative establishments. The only
present law might take away his share. They might access to the sea enjoyed by the inhabitants of Upper
blew in one anothei's houses in rotation. 'They must Canada, was through the port of Quebec. The con-
riot lend tlnar apparatus, but in the partnership he sequence wasj they were considered entitled to a