Star.
London, England, 1823-04-29 00:00:00

the mciltice.'

to be one of
:y of the Hon
grossly practised
Avenue officer, sus-
pended, after, due inquiry, by tle Board of Tax!!!
and, upon file-fullest investigation, the Tteisury, is
the year 1819, confirmed the sentence, by dismissing
officer: 'Mr. Lushingtori read theJetter to. the
Board of Taxes, which proved that it was not, as
stated by Mr. Hume, upon anonymous information
that this punishment had been inflicted, but upon the
proof ciffraud committed by this officer in making a
false return of the number .of windows with which he
was-legally ctrarge:ible with ditty. An officer capa-
ble of such an act for his own benefit, was held to be
an unfit protector of the revenue; and the Board of
Taxes and the Lords of the Treasury, being also
highly dissatisfied with him upon other grounds,
would have been justly chargeable with a gross de-
reliction of their duty, jf they had screened this indi-
vidual from the ordinary consequences of such mis-
conduct—dismissal from the service. Mr. Lushing-
ton submitted to the House that their time and-pa-
tience were much abused by the Hon. Member for
Montrose, when it was occupied by him with cases
like this ; supported only by crude opinions, formed
merely upon the ex-parte statments of the individual
justly dismissed. Mr.Lushington desired to assure the
/Ton. Member (Mr. Hume) that he should be at all
times prepared to meet him upon this case, in the
House or in a Committee ; and if he did not then go
more fully into it, it was not from any doubt of the
entire propriety of Mr. White's removal from office,
but from unwillingness to trouble the House upon a
matter of such comparative insignificance, whets they
were anxiously waiting for a discussion of such mar
nitude. The animadversions made by Mr. Hume
upon the services of Mr. Lowndes, Mr. Lushington
considered to be wholly unmerited. Mr. Lushington
was satisfied that the House would concur with the
Government in thinking the retiring allowance which
had been granted a fair remuneration to Mr.Lowndes,
and a fit inciternent to others to imitate ability and
integrity, which had distinguished a long life spent
by Mr. Lowndes in the most zealous exertions for
the benefit of the revenue.

Mr. HUME denied that the affair had been loves-
' ti gated ;-the sole offence was, that he had blocked the
windOws up with wood instead of brick. The whole
proceeding was a species of revenge executed on this
individual, who had rendered himself liable to the ill
will of those in higher departments of office, from hiv-
ing detected abases and peculation' in their conduct.
Mr. BENNET supported the. petition.
Mr. LUSHINGTON said, he•wished to open the
eyes of the Hon. Member opposite, if possible. The
fact was, that independent of the fraud practised, the
Board had great reason to be dissatisfied with his,
conduct in other respects. Mr. White was removed
in 1817 from the Uxbridge division to Kensington;
out of consideration to him and his family, because it
had a More liberal allowance and larger salary, and
allowed him to carry on his trade. Various repre-.
sentations were afterwards made to the Board of the
vexatious prose-dings of this officer, and of the
amount of his groundless surcharges, as excessive and
generally oppressive.
Mr. H'U-ME said, it was now clear that calumny
had been 'at work, since the Right Men?*
had now mentioned other causes of complaint otit
speeilled before. No one bad. committed himself
more completely than the Right Hon. Gentleman,
by thepublie testimony which he had given to this.
Gentlemans character. He (Mr. Home) denied' the
truth of all the facts alleged against him, which he
denominated a scandalous persecution against the
individual, and pledged himself to prove it.
Mr. T. WILSON' thought the Petitioner had been
rather hardly' used in dismissing him, whose sole of-
fence seemed to consist in opining these sic windows
two months within the' time within which he was so
entitled to do by law.
The Petition was ordered to be printed.
Mr. HUME was abollt to mOve for Pmpers on this
subject, when
Mr. CANNING said, he certainly could not' per-
mit thii ifintian for papers without giving. a previous
notice, as it might lead to a debate. -
Mr. HUMS said, he should of coarse, then, move
for them tomorrow. •

Mr. LUSHIRGTON stored the Non. Member
he should feel confident. in being• able to refute the
allegations of the Petitioner upon -the prOthtttion of
those Papas:

aSo
1 Sr W. DE C PlG;trfljTcond•4
ritteirinft of tee. cwteotisi
f.
tiiiiikan7iTistimices in wbieit thooedulit]
Member for Montrose had Tr gross
; upon. . This seas the case of . -tevenue