Star.
London, England, 1824-06-16 00:00:00

HOUSE OF COMMONS.

The Smarms took the Chair at Four o'Clock.
Mr. WODEHOUSE presented a Petition from the Merchants
and others of Norwich, praying for the repeal of the Duties on
Coals carried coastwise.—Ordered to lie on the table.
Mr. BROGDEN brought up the Report of the Superannuation
Fund Bill, which, after a few words from Mr. Mores: in opposi-
tion to the Bill, and from Mr. BUXTON in support of it, was read,
and the Bill was ordered to be read a third time to-morrow.
The LORD-ADVOCATE brought up the Reports of the At-
tainders Reversal Bills. The Bills were read a third time and passed.

GOVERNMENT CLAIMS.
Sir JAMES MACKINTOSH presented a Petition
from Robert Bell, which might be said to be addressed
to the lenity of the Secretary at War through that House.
In 1798, the Petitioner became surety for a person
named Workman, appointed Paymaster to the Wallace
Fencibles, and in 1800, they were disbanded. The ac-
counts were handed to the proper authorities, and till

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falai at kocilreAks ago, nothing witthaikagtottrdeik
ciency. Batik* this delay, thtpafly might have been'
discovered.: He was long itfur. anis • about London.
There certainly was no statute of limitations applicable
to the public accounts, but here was proof that the
Government regulationi as to these matters- might be
productive of great hardship. He admitted that the
claim was legal, but still, under all the hardships of the
case, he trusted that the House would evince those feel-
, ings which would induce the Noble Secretary at War
' to abstain from enforcing the claims.—Petition read.
Lord PALMERSTON thought that this case was not
one of the hardship described by the Honourable Mern-
ber.—But for the voluntary sureties of the Petitioner
and another, Workman never would have been en-
trusted with the public money. In 1808, it was found
that there was a debt due from the Paymaster;
that was announced to the agent, and the addresses
of the sureties were required. In consequence of the ac-
cumulation of business, the account was neglected ; and
soon after he came into office, this was one of the arrears
which he deemed it right to promote towards adjudica-
tion. The account was gone over again, and upwards of
10001. deducted from it. There was a balance of 1601.
and the Petitioner was called on for his moiety. The
Petitioner had been most liberally dealt with, and by
the revision of the accounts, he had been benefitted ; and
so far from injustice, as notice had been given in 1818,
perhaps the more just course would be to require interest
for the public money which had been so long kept back.
Mr. HUME said, that the conduct in this case was
most harsh. If the Government chose to neglect the
accounts till the leading parties were dead, they ought
to lose their claims. This was one of the results of the
Noblo Lord's inquisitorial office of arrears, which was
ipping up accounts of twenty or thirty years standing,
and wht.n all the parties, or chief patties, were dead.
I iat oilice cost the country 12,0001. or 15,0001. a year;
hut it was such an office of oppression that it ought
horn this moment to cease. Such long standing ac-
counts were oporessively enforced when they were en-
forced against sureties. It was inflicting on them an in-
tax.—Petition ordered to lie on the table.