Star.
London, England, 1801-06-10 00:00:00

AUCTION DUTY DILL♦

The Houfe having refolved itfelf into a Com-
mittee on the Außion Duty Bill, Mr. VAN S rival-
faid, that in confequence of the great importation
of rice and other articles of provaion, which were
fold by auftion, the amount of the duty was much
greater than formerly, hut (till not fo great as the
advantage that might arife from its difcontinuance.
He therefore moved, g, That all Corn and other
Articles of Provilion imported, than be exempted
from the AuCtion Duty, on the Sift fale ;" which
was agrsd to, and the report ordered to be re-
ceivedto-morrow.

NON-RESIDINCE OF THE CLERGY.

Mr. Dicitl;son, Jun. moved, that an Aft of
the ata Henry VIII. chap. 13th, fo far as it re-
lates to the Refidence of the Clergy, be read ;
which being done, he proceeded to make a few
obfervations, and concluded with moving, that
the Houfe do now refolve itfelf into a Committee,
to confider fo much of the Paid as as relates to the
Refidence of the Clergy, and their taking of farms.
Mr. GRIGORY fecondedthe motion, and contend-
ed, that by the late profectitions, under this Aa,
for Non-re lidence, the greateft perfonal hardfhips
have been incurred by many deferving individuals,
of which he gave two or three inftances, that the
as has, in filch cafes, been enforced folely for the
purpofes of extortion. The defels of the ad ex-
tended, in his opinion, much farther than .to the
fubjed of Non-refidence. According to the pro-
vifions of the ad, no Clergyman can buy or fell
cattle for the purpafes of profit. This is, in faa,
prohibiting the Clergy from farming their own
glebes, or endeavouringto make up the deficiency
of their frequently very feanty incomes, by taking
(mall farms. He was molt decidedly of opinion,
that Come alterations fhould be made in the law as
it now flands.

- Sir Rosser Bus rott expretlkd his regret that
the hardthips complained of by the Hon. Gentle-
man who fpokc laft fbould have refulted from the
law as to the Non-refidence of the Clergy • but
particular harcithips, in his opinion, could not
form a fufficient ground for an alteration of the
law. As to the fecond part of the propoted mea-
lure, he really could not give it his approbation :
for he thought it altogether incontinent with the
Clerical eharaeter, that the Clergy Mould be deal-
ers for their own profit in corn or cattle. A Cler-
gyman's name lately appeared in the lift of bank-
rupts in the Gazette. He did not with that fuch
a thing fhould occur again. Any alteration of the
prefent law would meet with his difapprobation.
Sir W. SCOTT thought that every thing which
could tend to enforce the refidence of the Clergy,
ought to meet with the tountcnance of the Houfe,
but he knew weU that great individual hardlhips
have been fuftained from the prefent law upon that
fubje&, and that law has been made the ground of
the groffeft exto...ion and injuftice. He therefor;
though be withed to enforce refidence as much as
poffible, could not help thinking that fome regu-
lations ought to be made, which would put an end
to the evil complained of, if they could be adopt-
ed without limiting the reftraints upon Non-refi-
dence. As to the fecond part of the propofed mea-
lure, he could conceive no evil confequence which
would refult from allowing the Clergy to farm the
glebes allowed them by the Legiflature, and to
turn them to the belt account that they can. He
knew that the clamour throughout the country
againft Non-refidence has been very great, (per-
haps in many cafes it is well founded) but he was
convinced that it is not authorifed to the extent to
which it has been carried. Some of the Clergy
may have negleeted their duty, and by not refid-
ing among thole whole fpirituakconcerns they have
engaged to fliperintend, juiny laid themfelves open
to ccnfure and punithment,. but he was convinced
that the great body of them are men of principle
and honour, and that it would be found on in-
quiry, that the clamour which has been railed
againft them is in a rent degree union. He con-
cluded with exprefling his approbation of the mo-
tion. The motion was then put and agreed to.
T,lte Houfe having refolved itfelf into the Com-
mittee,_

Mr..Dictsesoa moved, " That the Chairman
be direfted to move. the Houfe for leave to bring
in a Bill to protei and relieve, under certain re-
s Rriaions and regulations., fpiritual perfons, from
vexatious profeentions by common Informers, un-
der an Aa of the tit Henry VIII. chap is, for
their Non-refidence, and their taking of farms."
The CRANCILLOR of the Eicattwxa faid, he
was happy that the Honourable Mover of this
matter cad relinquithed all intention of moving
the Repeal of the Aft of Henry VIIL becaufe
though he might approve of his general objea, he
could not have given his vote in Support clench a
motion. He war alto happy that he pow found it
in hit power to ag.,ee to the Motion now made,
isecaufe it goes only to` remedy fpecific inconveni-
ences retaking from the general law, the principle
of which he mull ever approve, and not to alter
:hat Law. He agreed with his Right Hon. and
Learned Friend (iiirl.47. &ore), that this Al
itas been applied of late for the pur,soks of mot-
tiun, and ?crannies' ; bat y-t th low appeared

to him in its principle, as tenaini to promotea
moft i octant objet, the, Refidence of the
Clergy. e hoped that there would be no diffe-
rence of opinion as to the fecond part of the pro.
poled Bill. That the Clergy fhould be obliged to
confine themfelves as much as poffible to the exer-
elle of their facred and important funflions, could
not be doubted. But confidering that the Incomes
of many of them are extremely inadequate to the i
fupport of their families, in the dignified and n-
dependent fituation of life which they ought to
hold, he could fee no impropriety in their being
incomes,
by to endeavour to increafe thofe
by farming fmall farms, either in place of or along
with the Glebes allowed them by the Legiflature.
He was far from wishing that they fhould be al-
lowed to engage in fucli an extent in fecular em-
ployments, as to divert them from paying their
principal attention to their facred duties, but he
believed it would be allowed that no fecular em-
ployment is lets inconfillent with the clerical cha-
rafter and duties than agricultural purfuits, pro-
vided they are limited to a certain extent. There
could be no doubt that it will be difficult to limit
precifely to what extent the Clergy may be allow-
ed to employ themfelves in filch purfuits, but that
would form a fuhieet of fubfequent confideration,
when the Bill fhould be before the Houfe. He
was happy that the Hon. Mover of the Bill does
not mean to leave it folely to the difcretion of the
Bifhops or Archbifhops in what cafes refidence may
be difpenfed with ; but that he means to fpecify In
the Bill which lie propofes to introduce, as much
as poffible thefe cafes. No doubt a difcretionary
power mull be lodged by this Bill fomewhere to
judge of cafes which may be unforefeen or which
cannot be fpecified. Though he thus approved
of this meafure, he hoped that a will be only
temporary, and that a well digefted and more ge-
neral fyflem of regulation will fpeedily be brought
before the Legiflature from fome quarter or other.
That fuch a fyflem Mould be brought forward this
Seflion, he could not expeft, but he was anxious
that it may be as little delayed as poffible. When
it is brought forward it will naturally be founded
on the confideration that many cafes do, as things
at prefent Rand, exill in which it would be impro-
per to enforce refidence, becaufe there are many
livings in the Church, which if refidence were en-
forced, would not grind to the incumbent an in-
come much exceeding that of a day-labourer, and
which are totally inadequate for fupporting him
in the refpeiftability of nation, in which, for the
purpofes of ufefulttefs in his office, he ought to be
fupported. When fuch a general fyftem, therefore,
is brought forward,he hoped it would alto be taken
into confideration, if the great refources of the
Country can be better applied than to increafe the
incomes of certain livings in the Church, fo that
the holders of them may be enabled to refide
in their parifhes, and at the fame time maintain
the rank in life which is neceffary to their ufeful.
nets. The fmallnefa of livings is an encourage-
ment to pluralities, pluralities neceffarily produce
non-refidence, and non-refidence is the great evil
complained of. He begged pardon of the Houk
for taking up fo much of its time in adverting to
fubjefts not immediately before it, but neceffarily
*riling out of the queftion under confideration.
He expreffed his approbation of the propcf:d zap.
litre, confidering it as a temporary one.
Mr: WHITIRIAD role to make a few obferva-
tions on what had jun fallen from the Chancellor
of the Exchequer. He conceived that there could
be no doubt that it is the general with of the coun-
try, that the refidence of the Clergy fhould be en-
forced as generally as poffible, but that it is at
the fame time defirable to protefithe Clergy from
vexatious profccutions. The nature of the mea-
lure now propofed mull naturally lead every
mind, and has led the Right Honourable Gen-
tleman, into a field much wider than that to
which it of Id-elf extends ; and he agreed with the
Right Honourable Gentleman, that it may be
proper, as loon as poffible, to dire& thetattention
of the Legiflature to the Revenues of the Church,
to the mode of their collation, and to their diftri-
bution. The mode of their collation neceffarily
obliges many of the Clergy to become what the
Honourable Baronet behind him (Sir Robert Bux-
ton) expreffed himfelf fo much afraid of their be-
coming—Dealers and Jobbers in Corn, &c. He
believed that no perfon will deny that this mode
of collation, or in other words, the prefent ()i-
-tem of Tythes, is moll pernicious to the Agricul-
ture of the Country, but it is not lets fo to its mo-
rality, for furely nothing can be more deftruftive
of the morality of the Country than the diffentions
and difputes which the colleftion of Tythes fre-
quently occafions between the People and thofe
who are appointed to fuptrintend and direft their
fpiritual concerns—When, therefore, any gene-
ral fyftem of regulation is brought forward, which
he hoped will be done loon, by the Right Honour-
able Gentleman or Come of his Friends, he hoped
that this flibjeft will be particularly' attended to.
He perfeftly agreed with the Right Honourable
Gentleman as to the neceffity of doing fomething
to remedy the evils ariling from the (=lines of
many of the Livings in the Church, as no doubt
this forms the great fource of pluralities and non.
refidence ; but he fliould indeed be lorry, if re.
cootie fhould be had to the public purfe to reme-
dy this evil, convinced as he was that the reve-
nues of the Church collatively, if properly difiri-
buted, are perfeftly adequate for the fufficient
payment of all its Officers.
The CHANCELLOR of the Excampaa laid, he,
would feel as much fatisfaCtion as the Honoura-
ble Gentleman if the objeft could be accomplifbed
without expence to the Public, but he doubted
much if this could be effefted. He knew the pub-
lic rejudice on the fubjeft, but he alto knew that
in many cafes it was a very falfe prejudice. For
inflance, it is thought that the incomes of the
Dignitaries of the Church are exorbitant, whereas
he could flats from his own knowledge, that the
incomes of feverat of the Bifhops do not amount
to more than what would be thought adequate
for an officiating Parifh Friel
Mi. WHITMAN Paid a few words in expla-
nation.
Sir JOHN PARNILL had no °Nations to the mo-
tion, but referred to himfelf the liberty of oppof-

.....,, „
;lig the Bill in the proper &vv. BeAtiateeded,
that the principle of the exifling law. is good; it
ought not to be annulled becaufe particular hard.
fhips may refult from it.
Dr. LAWRINCS approved of the propofed mea.
Cure as being fpecific in its nature, but expreffed
his difapprobatien of the fpeculative plan of future
general alteration of the law which had been
brought forward.
Mr. Dicesasom.jun. fupported the motion, and
infifted upon the injuftice of almuft all the adions
which have of late been brought under the Aft of
Henry VIII.
The SP►essa begged to fay a few words on
this moil important queftion. Many fubjefts were
evidently connefted with it, which, in his opinion,
this was not the time to difcufs. The law, as it
now stands, was framed in very different circum.
(lances than thofe which now exift, and for very
different 'purpores from thole to which it is now
made fubfervient. A revion of ;it, therefore, in
order to adapt it more to prefent circomftances
and purpofes, cannot but be expedient. Befides in
the A 44 itfelf, of Henry VIII. there is a power veil-
ed in the Crown, to difpenfe with the law,' which
(hews, that even the framers of it had in their con-
templation, circumflances in which the execution
of it would be improper. Some alteration of the
law,.aud fome new regulations may therefore be
in prefent circumftances necelary, though the ge.
eteral principle ought Uhltto be adhered to. He
was by no means clear, that thefe (hould go to the
extent propofed by fome Gentlemen, but the mca-
fure now propcifed was unconnefted with thefe fpe.
culativc plans, He, therefore, approved the mo-
tion now before the Houfe. As to allowing the
Clergy to hold farms to a certain extent he con.
ceived it to be proper, but if carried beyond that
extent, to be very dangerous. He would only far.
cher ()Verve, that the prohibition on this fubjea,
contained in the law, was originally intended
folely as a reftriaion on the great religious houfes
exifting when the law was framed, which made im.
menfe profits from agricultural purfuiti. The mo-
tion was then put, and agreed to.
The Report was' brought up, received, and
agreed to by the Houfe, and leave was given to
bring in a Bill purfuant to it.

RANKERS DOTES FORGERY SILL.
Sir W. ELFORD moved the further confederation
of the Report on the Bill for the better prevention
of the Forgery of Country Bank Notes.
Mr. Deer rofe, and opfed the motion, with
an intention to move that the Bill be further con.
fidered this day three months. He had many ob.
jations againft the encouraged the increafe
of paper circulation in the country, from which a
variety of evils was known to arife : but his prin-
cipal objedion was, that it went to put the coun-
try bank notes on the fame footing with the Bank
of England notes, by thus giving them a kind of
Legilktive Tanition. The period of the Sefton
was now nearly at. a dote, anel the meafure pro.
pored was one which required a minute and ma.
ture inveftigation : he muff therefore perlift in his
, Amendment, That the Bill be poilponed till this
day three months.
Sir Rosser BuXTON fbconded this Amendment,
and on fimilar grounds. He thought that the Lw
againft forgery, as it now flood, was fufficient.—
Since the influx of paper, and the great increafe
of C ountry Banks, the value of money was leTen-
ed, and the price of every article of provifion was
increafed.
Sir W. ELFORD defended the Bill. Its °hie&
was. to prated private propery, and alto the pub.
lie from having forced upon them forged notes, as
well as for the better prevention of the crime of
forgery, and alto for the mitigation of the puniih.
ment of forgery, in certain Winne-es,
Mr. /her explained.

Coloiatitaains argued in favour of the Bill.—
Its tendency was to Pave innocent perfons, who
may have taken in payment forged country bask
notes.

Mr. Tg relit v objefted to the Briton the gmund
of its being a hat& increafe of the Penal Laws,
without a caufe being fuiSciently made out to jai-
tify fuch a meafure. As the Legiflaturehad made
the Bank of England Notes part of the circulating
Medium of the Country, the Houfe was bosind to
proteel that fort of property ; but no fach claim
could be made on behalf of the Country Bank
Notes. In a variety of Towns fmall thopkeeperr,
and perfons of little or no Froperty,hadembarked
in the Banking trade ;* fuch men eouldfearcely be
called fair traders, nor were they entitled to the
legal proteaion of their Notes.
Mr. BURDOW argued in favour of the Bill. It
no more could be Paid to give a Legiflative
tion to the Country Bank Notes, than applying
Ramps to them could be Paid to do fo. Such Notts,
in the Northern parts of the Country, were articles
of prime necetlity.
On the queßion that the word row nand part of
the Motion, the Houie divided, Ayes 40--Noes
ti—Majority so,
The report was then brought up and agreed to,
and the Bill ordered to be read a third time.

VICE ADMIRALTY COURTS RILL.
The Houfe went into a Committee on the Bill
for granting certain contingent annuities to the
Judges of the Viee.Adntiralty courts of Jamaica,
Martinique, and Halifax in Nova Scotia.
Sr W. SCOTT, after Rating the talents and re-
fWtability of thole who would be appointed from
the Englith Bar, to 611 fuch Courts, meptionedi
that the Contingent Annuity, after altual fervicc,
propofed to be allowed in any one cafe, should eut
exceed the Sum of wool.
Mr. Ti IVRY ward to guard againfl every is'
provident expenditure of the Public Money t ht
was afraid the prefent meafure was calculated to
increafe the influence of Miitifters, as, for ;wee
he knew to the contrary, the perfons fo to be
appointed by Minifters might be recalled in fis
or (even months time, and receive this annuity.
The Camictcsoa of the ExcitscLusa cordcifol
that the Hon. Gentleman's obfervation was a tea-
' fonable one. As it was of importance that the k-
id:bon Should be made of perfous of come mei-
ence at.the Bar, as well as general refpdtabilitr,'
the provifion ought to be made adequate; at_
_.the
Cane time he thought it not mueaforsable to DM"