Star.
London, England, 1824-03-19 00:00:00

'IMPRESSMENT.

Mr. HUME presented a Petition from an individual,
named Butler, respecting the present practice of Im-
pressment. The Petitioner had been for many years a
Master in the Navy ; and had therefore considerable ex-
perience on the subject.. One of the principal difficul-
ties attending the manning of the Navy was, he con-
ceived, the unlimited length of service. The nest was
the irregular state of discipline on board the ships; in
some of which the number of lashes varied for the same
offence. The third difficulty was in the disgust felt by
seamen at being commanded by Midshipmen boys.
This, however, he believed had now been altered. The
fourth difficulty he felt was, the low rate of pay. He
(Mr. Hume) thought the remarks of the Petitioner were
well worth attention, particularly as this was a fa-
vourable time for giving them consideration.
Mr. SYKES spoke in favour of the Petition, and thanked the
Honourable Member for Aberdeen for having introduced the sub-
ject to the House.
Sir It. WILSON spoke to the respectability of the Petitioner.—
The Petition was ordered to be printed.

SILK TRAM
Mr. BARING presented a Petition from the London
Committee of the Silk Trade against the proposed alter-
ations of the Duties .on Silk. They were still of opinion
that the alterations of the duties would be the ruin of
their trade ; and with that destruction the ruin of very
many thousands of journeymen. They therefore prayed
to be heard by Counsel at the Bar, and that to refuse
them to be so heard would be gross injustice. Their
case had not yet been fnlly and fairly stated to the
House, and to refuse them being heard by Counselwould
be acting with more levity than the House evinced re-
garding a common Turnpike Bill—(Hear). The House
might say they would not hear the Petitioners at all, but
it would be an ungracious as well as an unjust decision.
Mr. ELLICE did not oppose the prayer of the Peti-
tion; he thought the subject could not be too often dis-
cussed; but the Trade of Coventry was satisfied with
the Chancellor of the Exchequer's arrangements.
Sir J. MACK INTOSH said, he could not entertain the
opinion that the Government had been too hasty in pro-
moting free principles of trade ; he approved of the
changes which had been slowly promoted. He could
not approve of the desire to promote free principles, and
resist the instance of effecting such change when it was,
proffered. He was pleased with the change, and he
thought that they could not too soon carry it into effect.
He trusted that the Government would act ie,olutely,
and would not Yield—(Hear, hear).
Mr. TIERNEY said he spas obliged to say a few
words. His Honourable and Learned Friend (Sir J.
Mackintosh) would promote free trade and shut out
free discussion (Hear). Nobody was to say any
thing against what the Ministers thoughtthe best mode
of carrying their plans. ' He thought the country was
greatly indebted to the Member for Taunton (Mr. 80.
ring) fur the course he had pursued ; he, however; had
come to the House to support the Bill ; but in what si-
tuation did lie find himself? He thought the Chancel-
lor of the Exchequer had come to terms with the trade,
and now it was discovered that such was not the fact—
(Hear, hear). lie was a friend to the principles of free
trade—at the same time he felt himself bound to hear,
from those who were to be affected by the proceeding,
what they had to say against it. It was said that the
prohibitions were to be removed in two years and ahalf
—he did not believe that such would be the case. As,
to their resolves, last Session two or three thousand per-
sons bowed them into the lobby ; but the House would
not listen to them. They went to the Lords, and found

a more conciliatory spirit ; and the ►heasure was not a
tythe part of the interest of this. One word, however,
would not have been heard from him, if he thought
the prohibitions were likely to be removed ; but he
trusted that the Hothe would allow the Petitioners to
be heard by their Counsel.

-'Y •
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER was
grateful for any compliments paid to his plans, hut he
could not receive them at- the expense of the Noble
Lord (Bexley) who preceded him in his office. He
had frequently been complimented on this point, a...!
placed in an embarrassing situation, for he assured tire
H..use there was not a sounder friend of the principles
of free trade than that Noble Lord. Such was the fact/
As to the present case, he feared if we were to wait till
all parties were agreed, that we should have to wait
till Domesday—(A laugh). But he could not agree that
they ought not to he heard by Counsel, if they strewed
that there were points w hich they wished to press. He
had heard varrim of all sides on this subject; and it
would be to deceive the trade, to say that he thought
anything they could urge m as likely to affect his opinion.
He thought that the employment of Counsel would be
a useless expense—but that would be for the consideras
tion of the parties. If the Member for Taunton (Mr.
Baring) moved that Counsel be heard, he should not
bpposc such motion, considering that they had a right
so to be heard—( /fear, hear).
Mr. WHITMORE was of opinion that Government
had adopted the best course they possibly could with re-
spect to the difficult question which they had to deal with.
Mr. HUME hoped that the Government would per-
severe in carrying the measures which they had pro-
posed into effect. He was sorry to understand that a
very feverish state of feelit had prevailed in the City
during the whole of this day, in consequence of a ru-
mour that one of the Lords of the Treasury had, in an
interview which had taken place between him and some
persons connected.with the silk trade, intimated that the
measures which had been proposed by the Right Hon.
Gentleman opp.osite would undergo some change.
Mr. HUSKISSON said it was not the intention of his
Majesty's Ministers to make any changes in their plans.
Lord A. HAMILTON trusted that the arrangement
about drawbacks would be further considered.
Mr. BARING said, that the Petition proceeded from
the Committee of the Trade, who had had a public
.meeting on the subject. The proposed system, to be
good for anything, ought to be perfect and consistent
in all its parts. The proposed -system was not such.
They might say what they pleased about free trade—
lint while the loaf in another country was half the price

of what it was in this, their efforts, if carried into effect,
would be ruinous to thousands—(Hear.) The free trade
must be extended to food alto: the Corn Bill was still
to be continued. The trade in silk had been bribed by
the drawbaLks. 11e was glad that the House had been
rescued from the disgrace of refuting to hear the trade
in London through their Counsel.
The Petition was then read, and Counsel was ordered
to be heard when the Bilf would be in Committee, to-day.

SPAIN.
Lord JOHN RUSSELL rose to bring forward his
Motion relative to the evacuation of Spain by the French
troops. The Noble Lord said that Ms object in the pre-
sent Motion was not to bring any charge against Minis-
ters for the line of policy they had pursued since the
cotnmenceme.nt of the last Session with respect to Spain.
It was his opinion, however, that if they had acted dif-
ferently at the time the Congress of Verona was held,
' the war Might have been prevented. What he wished
to discuss at present was not the late war, which was
now merely matter of history,- but the policy his Ma-
jesty's Ministers meant to pursue with respect to the oc-
cupation of Spain by French troops. In the former war
with France the great object was to prevent that coun,
try from occupying the Peninsula. Now that French'
troops were in possession of Badajoz, St. Sebastiarri-Ca-
diz, and all those places which had been won by British
valour, and at the expense of British blood, he could
not believe that the question was not one of great inte-
rest to the Crown, to the Parliament, and to the people
of this country. The consequence of their successes.
against the Ruler of France was the peace of-181+, not
perfected till 1818, and resting on principles quitemew
to this country. The principles—on which she formerly
acted he could not better describe than in the words
of Addison--

" "Tis Britain's care to watch o'er Europe's fate,
And hold in balance each contending State;
To threaten bold pre.uniptuous Kings with war,
And answer her afflicted neighbour's prayer!"
The effect of acting on these principles for a time
was, that nations were encouraged to make some of-.,
forts towards the attainment of freedom. But 1s the
struggle the best men disappeared; and not having
met with any encouragement from England, instead
of heaping blessings on her, those who hoped for her
encouragement and were disappoinled, only prayed that
some great calamity might overtake her. The union
of the great Powers of Europe, in one assembly, pro-
duced two important consequences. The first was, that
such a union was peculiarly liable • to abuse, and the
second that abuses would be much more difficult of
correction. In 1820, the Allied Monarchs issued a De-
claration, which was declared by Lord Londonderry to
be contrary tq the fundamental laws of this country.--
In the very first circular that proceeded from them, al-
lusion was made to Spain. A year and a half back,
Ministers had no idea of any intention to attack that
country; but while the British Government was thus
asleep at its post, the Allies were pursuing their course
steadily: When the French troops entered Spain, it was
for the express purpose of introducing a less democra-
tical form of .government, but still a government con-
sistent with the principles of freedom and the wishes of
the people. With respect to those who conducted the
Spanish revolutio9, there were only two ways in which
they could be successful—either by conciliating all,in-
terests, as happened in the revolution of 1688, or by
acting as the Jacobins of France did in their late revo-
lution. The consequence was, that when the French
entered Madrid, they found two great parties ready to
join them ; the one consisting of those who were op-
posed to the Liberals in favour of a modification of the
Constitution, and the other of those who were in favour
of a restoration of the absolute Monarchy—those who
!fad robbed on the highways, and those who were afraid
that the Constitutional Government would in time de-
prive there of those means of suprrt which they had
hitherto derived from the bounty of others—the rabble,
who were fed by the Monks. And what had been the
conduct of the French sublequently to their obtaining the
entire possession of the country ? Had they given the
people a free Constitution ? Had they given them those
improved institutions which they had promised, and
which they said could only properly emanate from the
hands of the Kiag ? Not one of those things had they
done. The language of the Duke d'Aligouleme, in the.
Proclamation which he Iddli:ssed to the people of Spain

on entering that country, 'Wks, ihattey " aia nht-tuw-
tend either to itnpose laws, or Oa occupfthe country;
they desired only the deliverance of Spain; and when
they should have obtained that, they should return to
their country happy in having preserved a generous
people from the disasters which a revolution engene
dered, and which experience enabled them too well to
comprehend." Such were the professions of the Doe
d'Angou!eme, in the name of the French Government,
before he set foot in Spline For the sake of the peace
and happiness of that country—for the sake of the in.
dependence of other nations.-.it would have been better
if the Duke d'Angouleme had not been sent to Spain
at all ; hut for the sake of his own character and that
of the French Government, as well as for that of the
restored Government of Spain, and for the sake of
those who had been induced to throw themselves under
his protection, he should not have been left so -weakfit
supported as to be unable to tetvent the violation of all
the pledges he had given, and the hopes he had held oet.
The situation of Spain was now much worse than bekee
the ancient despotism was destroyed, because thesemen
might keep their opinions unknown, and might cultia
vate the sciences and liberal arts in quiet, and without
molestation; but during the short reign of the Conti.
tution the opinions and pursuits of all became known,
and those whose sentiments were not conformable to the
spirit of absolute monarchy, and who were more en-
lightened in their views than the supporters of des.
potism, became exposed to insatiable vengeance and re=
lentless persecution, from the besotted ignorance and in-
tolerant bigotry of the latter on the resteration of the
old order of things. The-NotSle Lord then proceeded
to argue that the political situation of Spain was at all
times an important object of consideration in the policy
of this country, and that the knowledge of that ciictrm-
stance had orerated with France and the Holy Alliance,
who, in their determination to restore the ancient des-
potism. in 'the government of 'that count)', were Ie•
tuated in no slight degree by their desire to keep down
the influence of this country in continental pi litics. It
was well known that the Holy Allies were extremely
jealous of everything connected with freedom of opinion.
& strong instance of that jealousy was exhihited in the
' application to the Authorities of Switzerland for thee*.
pulsion.from their territory of certain persons who had
sought • refuge there, and were provided with regular
.passports—a circumstance unknown in the history of
.the public law. of Europe. If they interfered ir. that
way with Switzerland, what prevented them from a si.
milar interference with this country but a fear of the
power of public opinion ? That fear WAS not confined
to the opinions expressed on the liberal side of that
House; not, for instance, to the doctrines and- opinions
of the Honourable Memlier for Westminster, but it ex-
tended also to the other side of that House; for the Ho.
nourable Member for Yorkshire (Mr. Stuart Wortley),
and the Right Hon. Secretary for the Home Department
(Mr. Peel), ere considered by them as dangerous as
the most violent of their opponents on the popular side.
One of the grounds of war alleged by France against the
Constitutional Government was, that it had attacked
the French Government through the English newspapers.
If that were so, it afforded a much stronger groundlor
a war against England, for allowing ssich attacks to be
made. It was obvious to him that it was the intention
of the Holy Alliance to extend their' policy, to the Con-
tinent of South America. They would not send thither
an armed force, as they had done to Spain, because they
knew that that would place them at once in opposition
to the United States of America and to Great Britain ;
but they sent their emissaries and agents to foment dis-
putes and disagreements, in hopes that, when' worn
out with internal dissensions, those States may be in-
duced to cheose for their form of Government .ttiat
species of Monarchy which they are desirous of seein;
universally established: The Right Honourable Gen-
tleman (Mr: Canning) had said on a former occasion,
that while any attempt was carrying on by Spain 'to
reduce the Provinces of South America to their former
subjection to the Mother Country, it would not be
honourable for this country to interfere in the contest.
He (Lord John Russell) undoubtelly would not deny
the right of Spain to persevere in such a contest, nor
would he advocate the interference of this country white
Spain should have the means of prolongieg it sui jun:.
But he could not assent to the right of Spain being
made the pretext for an attempt to concise.- those pro-
vinces for the purpose of establishing t' ere some prin-
ciple of Monarchy which the Holy Allies might have
chosen to have set up as a model of the Government to
be adopted by them. And he would contend that this
country had a right to say to F. ante, that as long as
her troops held possession of Spain, any attempt to
subdue the South American provinces by the 4astssit
forces would be regarded by this country in the same
light as an attempt by the troops of France herself; for
it mutt be obvious that in any such attempt, while
Spain was in the occupation of French troops, the use
of her name and the cover of her right could be nothing
more than a false pretence to conceal thedeigns and
attempts of France and her Allies ; designs alike hostile
to the interests of this country, to the general cause of
freedom in Europe, and to the independence of civi-
lised nations, and of the world at-large; desipss which
.had for their object the complete subjugation of the
people to their despotic principles of Government, aid
the degradation of the human species to that level which
should limit them to the exercise of those faculties
which they possessed in coin men with the brute crea-
tion. He conchgled by moving—
" That an bumble Address be presented to his liejoety, praying
thatbe will be graciously pleased to'direct that there be laid betel's
this House copies, or extracts, of any communications which may
' have been bad with the Government of France respecting the eva-
cuation of Spain by the French troops."
Sir R. WILSON begged to make a few observations
on this very important subject—a subject not only em-
bracing our foreign policy, but one atlect og directly
the interests of ten millions of people, and, collaterally,
of millions of the Portuguese, whosefate. and fortunes
would be influenced by cur decisions. He agreed with'
much of what, fell from the Noble Lord, and he hoed
they would be al.Sle to extract such opinions from Ml'
nisters as would be useful to Spain and to hutpanity.-•
Every one must agree With the Noble Lord as to the
barbarity of the unprovoked aggression upon Spain, an
aggressicrn which even success (generally covering the
delinquency of such attempts) only added to the enor•
mity of the attack. The military occupation of Spain,
combined with the influence of Russia, was highly
dangerous to the honour and security of this country.
It was a public scandal which ought no longer to be
permitted. He had heard that the Gcvernment of this
country agreed to be the arbitrators-of the differences
between Spain and South America, and that London
was to be the seat of. a sort of Congress ,for the pew
ties of South America and Spain, in order to come to
some final settlement of the questions between thorn."
But such a conduct would be at direct variance wit% our

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