Star.
London, England, 1814-04-01 00:00:00

FEL6 IN COURTS OF JUSTICE.

Sir JOHN NEWPORT said he was about to move
for a return of the rates of fees demanded and recei-
ved in the superior Courts of Justice in the United
Kingdom for the last twenty years. He said it had
been observed in that House, that the fees demanded
in Courts of Justice were not controulable by Parlia-
ment ; but if they were not, he would wish to know
how the subject could be reached ? He knew that in
some cases the fees had been materially raised; but
he would not assert that such bad been the case in all
the Courts. It must be the wish of the House, and
the interest of the Public, that the doors of justice
should ever remain wide open ; but if the fees to Of-
ficers of the Courts were to be exacted according to
their own will and pleasure, the doors may be effec-
tually shut. He should, however, reserve what he
had farther to say on the subject, till he had heard on
what ground such a motion could be resisted. As
to the Judges, he was sure they would feel their credit
and character too far interested, not to afford every
elucidation of the topic. The Hon. Gentleman then
made his motion.

The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER
said, it the Right Hon. Gentleman had stated any
specific instances, the House would know how to set
about the enquiry ; but so far from this, he had not
even stated whether the cause of complaint lay in
England or Ireland; As to the Judges, it was known
that they were perfectly independent ; and although
they were the receivers of the fees, they were not per-
sonally interested in the receipt of them. It was im-
possible to surmise any thing wrong, on their parts;
for they had not only to administer justice with im-
partiality, but also to look to popularity. On the
whole, as he could see no good reason for the motion,
he should move as an Amendment, that the House
proceed to the other Orders of the Day ; at the same
time, he certainly should not object to any rational
motion on the subject.
Sir J. NEWPORT repeated his observations, and
added, that as to the specific information, it was in
vain to expect that Attornies would come forward to
complain of abuses in their own Courts. But so con-
vinced was he of the propriety of the House inter-
fering on the present occasions that he should press
it to a division.
It appearing that this being a day on which Notices
have precedence of Orders, the question tor a divi-
sion could not he put.
Mr. BATHURST contended that the Hon. Gen-
tleman had not given reasons to believe that there
was the slightest suspicion against the Officers of the
Superior Courts, and yet the integrity of the whole
Jurisprudence of the country was to be called in
question, without knowing upon what foundation.—
He ridiculed the idea that the practithners in the
Courts would be afraid to tell how and when tin,
fees were raised, and insisted, that if tie lion. Gen-
tleman had made any enquiry on the subject, lie could
not have been in the dark about it half an hour.
Mr. W. WYNNE contended for the right of en-
quirn but had no idea of attributing any thing im-
proper to the Judges of the land. Bt‘t if they cam
order fees to be raised at their pleasure, this was
raising the price of justice. The confidence placed
in the Judges v<as no excuse to him for not looking
into this subject. The fees ought to be regular, and
should, as a matter of course, be laid before Parlia-
ment the same as other accounts.
Mr. ROSE suggested, that if the Ron. Mover
were to alter his motion, so as to call 'for returns,
chewing who arty fees had tteen raised within the
last 20 years, it would give all possible 'satisfaction.
Sir J. NEWPORT replied, that he could hatie no

possible objection to this form. The motions of the
Chancellor of the Exchequer and Sir J. were then
withdrawn, and the Hon. Baronet framed another,
according to the cuggestion of Mr. Rose. On the
question being pnt,
Mr. STEPHEN made some severe remarks on the
disrespectful manner in which the Judges had been
spoken of. It had been said, that it was having a
blind confidence in the Judges, not to order any Pa.
pers that may be whiled for ; but he would say, that
blind suspicion was worse than blind confidence.—.
['he Judges ought not to be put to the tiouble of
making out such accounts ; their time was too rah;
able to Ge occupied with any thing extraneous to their
profession. it ought not to be adopted as api inciple,
that any Member is to have a return of this kind,
without stating proper grounds for it. There were
none so far above a shadow of suspicion as the tada
Of this land.

Mr. BARING said a few words in favour of the
motion. tie contended, that throughout the debate.
the Judges had been alluded to with all possible del.-
cacy. lint it was impossible nut to be suspicion;,
when it was known that the offices in the Courts were
mostly granted to the relatives of the Judges.
Mr. PONSONBY oL•erved the present were extra-
ordinary times, as hardly a day passed which did not
introduce some perfectly novel proceeding in that
House. They were now told they ought not to et,
quire into the amount of sums raised from the people
of this country ; it would be to insult the Judges, fl
seeming to attach suspicion to them. Formerly they
were told it was the first duty of that House to en-
quire what sums were raised in any way from the
people. They had an undoubted right to enquire
into any increased expence thrown on the public._
If it should be proved that an increase had taken
place in the fees paid in the several Courts, that in.
crease might appear to be justifiable and necessary .
but of this the House could not judge till they had
called for information on the subject, and an answer
had been given. But the Learned Gentleman (Mr.
Stephen) had said it would consume so much of the
Judges' valuable time to make the returns called for,
that, on that account, the proposition ought not to
be entertained. Hew much of their time would it
consume if no increase in their fees had taken place
' How long would it take them to return a nil" to the
application made ? The House had never been more
jealous of any infringement of their authority than of
any attempt to raise money from the people withou:
their direct interference. In refusing to allow the
enquiry to be made which the Right Hon. Baronet
had recommended, the Chancellor of the Exchequer
had done what no Minister had done before, and he
ought to feel much obliged to his Right Lion. Friend
(Mr. Rose) for extricating him from the awful situa.
tion in which he had placed himself.
Mr. BATHURST agreed with the last Speaker
that his Right Hon. Friend (Mr. Rose) deserved
thanks, but contended these ought to come from the
Right Hon. Baronet (Sir J. Newport), and not from
the Chancellor of the Exchequer. When the Right
Hon Gentleman spoke of the little trouble the Judges
would have in returning ‘' nil," lie was talking of the
proposition of his Right Hon. Friend (Mr. Rose),
and not of that of the Right Hon. Baronet (Sir J.
Newport). The vagueness of the motion made by
the Right Nor,. Baronet would,' had it not been st,-
perseded by the proposition of the Right Honourahl-
Gentleman near him, have caused all the trouble and
loss of time which his Learned 'Friend (Mr. Stephen)
had contended they ought to guard against. lie
admitted that what the Right Hon. Gentleman (Mr.
Ponsonby) had said, of something perfectly cove!
being introduced every thy, was well founded.
Mr. PLUNKETT thought the conduct cf the
Chancellor of the Exchequer and his colleagues f.r.
gularly inconsistent. He had first understood ;Lem
to object to the motion, because it seemed to go some.
what in reprehension of the conduct of the Jdt ge'.
without any regular charge having been preferred
The proposition now before them seemed to him lia.
ble to the same objection, yet they were rilheg to
support it. Here was a double novelty : first t!,er
opposed the motion of the Right Hon. Barena, and
then, 011 a sudden, changed their minds, and adopted
one which was open to all the objections urged against
that first submitted to them. He wished the pr•
posed inquiry to be gone into, as in some of the Crurs
in Ireland the fees had been so greatly increased, that
their amount was almost a denial of justice.
After a few further observations from Mr. Salves.
Mr. STEPtIgN, and Sir J. Newroar, the motion ‘ev
agreed to.
Sir J. NEWPORT moved, that there should be
laid before the House returns of all sums issued
way of compensation out of the Consolidated re11%4
of Ireland to any officer or officers of the Corr; C.
Exchequer, for duties not performed by them, toge.
ther with the name or names of any officer or dicer:
who had declined to accept of soch compensation.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER
tp.orropreoseturt
sto
famtheendgrtoh
amnotd i
no ne
t,
as omaosu tnot mr
eackeei
vietdc a;
compensation by each officer.
Sir J. NEWPORT assented to the alteration; and
with this addition the motion was carried.
CLERGY PENALTIES' BILL.

On the second reading of this Bill, P
Lord FOLKESTONE took this opprtunity r.
entering his protest against it. The objections turd
to other ex post facto laws, applied with pecdia; fora
to this Bill. If the provisions of the former Act
meant any thing, Mr. Wright was entitled to the
penalties for which he sued. The Noble Lord 05•
served further, that he did not see that the Clerr
were' entitled to the indulgence proposed to br tN•
tended to them. If there was one character which
he detested more than another, is was that of all
former; but if an Act of the Legislature eilcour:irj
.persons to come forward to discover that uh;cli i'.,t-
liament declared to be an offence, now when
son came to give such information, it WAS not for
them to set their faces against him, and deprive him
of that which the former Act gave him by HI4 ex 1.04
facto law. He should be son y that the partio rro-
secuted should be ruined, but they ought not to be
saved at the eicpence of Mr. Wright.
Mr. WETH ERA LL defended the Bill, and
tended that the parties prosecuted 4d nut coaimiti.,xl
the offence contemplated by the Legislature when the I
Bill was framed, and asserted it had never been le-
tended to save them from ruin, at the e :pence of ?!
Wright, as it was meant to give him all his c( s
Me. wE6I'ERN was in favour of the 13,,1 being
read a second time, but at the same time lie felt t,,vre

id
►)
le

*as great weight in what had fallen from the istoble " '
Lord. He much regretted the situation in which the
Clergy stood. He had in his hand a general report
from one diocese, of the cases in which Mr. Wright
had instituted proceedings. Of 49 persons it ap-
peared there were three against whom Mr. Wright
must have proceeded by mistake. F sere were 2l
who having two preferments, had constantly resided
on one of them. Four who having no houses in their
own parish, had resided in parishes adjoining their
own ; four who resided in their own houses ; six, who
from their Clerical avocations were necessarily absent.
In short, at 49 e:ises, six only appeared at all culpable.
Mr. C KEFVEY lamented the situations of the
Clergy. Re thought them most abominably used,
hni hr felt it his duty to vote against the Bill, as the
informer had the law on his side.
Mr. BATHURST defended the Bill at great
length. That breaches of the law had been com-
mitted was not denied, but he niaintaieed the quality
of the offence was not that against which the Legisla-
ture had most to provide. A Bid indemnifying a per-
-5,1) from penalties incurred by the omission ofa matter
cf form, had just passed without opposition. From
the language held by the Noble Lord, it should seem
he would allow of nothing of this sort. He would not
admit a breach of the law could in any way be qua-
hied by Circumstances; his language would be
" Fiat justtia mar cosium."
For his part, it appeared to him the present was a
case in which Legislative interference was imperiously
demanded. • It was, however, not intended to save
the Clergy at the expense of Mr., Wright. He would
be allowed his costs; and where the law was broken,'
so as to involve a moral offence, he would he enabled
to proceed for those penalties which in such cases the
Legislature had intended should be paid. All that
vai desired by the present Bill was to secure those
from suit) who had up miseiously offended against the
letter of the law without violating its spirit.
The Nil was read a secondtime, and committed
for tit-reorrpve.—Adjourned.

171 E BOURB9NS.

Z?UCH OY THE MAYOII. OF 113URDEAUX TO DistRSIIAL

ISCRESFOILI).

a-

FRJNWI PAPERS.

MONTARGIS, MARCH 23.

Upon Auxerre-,
PARIS, MARCII 23.

" it.—Tte generous nation which has given such sig-
ial proofs of its magnanimity in 'itssisting, with unshaken con-
stancy, i s oppressed Allier, presents self the day at the gates of
the city of liourdeaux. as the Ally Of our august oovereign Louis
XVIII. . .•
" We approach you, General, for thiliurpose of eipres'ing, in
the Battle of all our aullow-cititens, the sentiments by which they
are animated.
" You are about to witness the testiMonies which will burst
'forth in evety gum ter, of our love for our King. These testieso.
Sirs will also be mixed with the feeltings of gratitude.
" May no obstacle henceforth pr eat Itself to the union of our
countries! May your vessels freelf enter our ports. and ours be
received in yofire as friends ! Thus shall we mutually 'oily the
benefits of commercial intercourse. Ale alliance of England and
Fiance secures the peace and happiness of the world."

SPEECH 01 Tax ABCHBISHOP OF BOURDEAUX TO THE
DUKE WADIGOULEME.
" Sit—Aiiicted for a long series of ivais faith Calamities of
all kinds, we have mourned over bur misery; and while our
prayers were raised for a period to them, we were incessantly
tee
agitated hopes and fears, which alternately prevailed.
ti painful emotions are at length hUsbed to peace, by
the pteseuie otf ydur Rossi Miontstss. We shall be happy !'
In the name of my Clergy and the People of my Diocese I pre-
sume to entreat your ttotAi. I-holiness to convey to his Ma-
PLITT the unfeigned assurance, that in his dominions he Will not
find selieets more faithful or *ore devoted."
11L1SCH 01. THIS MAYON" tHS.EOYAL HIGHNESS Vu
WEE I*.? ANGOULEM E.

4g Stk—iinw glorious is Jilt day for the City of Boukileaux,
Which wtkomes to its bosom the nephew and the son-in-law of
Louts XVI. and Or well -beloved King, Louis XV I 11. 1 France
then it atOut to renew her happiness. she could enjoy it only
under the paternal government of the descendant of HENRY IV
of the Monatth whose superior wisdom has been equally evinced
in prosperity as amid mistortitners
" What better assurance can we posstts of our futurt hap-
piness than the pretence of a Prince so celebrated for his :affa-
bility, his prudence, and his firmness.
" Shew yourself; Sir, in the midst of the faithful subjects of
our city, and give to them.the example of your virtues.—iteieive
the most decided marks a our love, our devotion, and our pro-
found respect."

The enemy who have quitted Sens, Villeneuve,
Joigny, and the 'neighbourhood, were to the number
of near 12,000 men, under General G inlay and Prince
Maurice Lichtenstein. General Alix has advanced

.- -
Letters frost Provins say, that Prince Schwartzen-
berg has had a fall friim his horse, which has obliged
Lieu to quit the comniaud, which he has given tip to
General tlilnchi.

PARIS, MARCH 24.
They still Continue to fortify the avenues to the'
capital : the works of Saint Denis and Aubervillers
are terminated. Pug, Montmaitre, and all the
heights, will soon-be in a respectable state of defence.
The national guard exereiseevery day ; they are well
armed and equipped. Thex, do duty with extreme
regularity. The grenadiers and light companies are
over complete; they ought to consist at only Iv ,
men, anti many of them have 250. For this month
rast immense quantities of pikes have been making
to arm the inhabitants of the environs of Paris.. A
superb manufactory of arms ha 3 been established.—
The master of this fine establishment has invented
new methods, which have been approved by the Etat-
Major of the artillery ; frsom the Ist of April he will
manufacture 1000 muskets daily.
It results from a report made to the Etat.MaJor of
Paris, that since the departure of his Majesty 32,826
it,issian and Prussian prisoners have arrived in this
• apital. Besides these, a great number have passed
•;./ Orleans, Corbeil, &c. Those taken at Rheims are
not yet arrived.
ever since last Sunday large bodies of troops, as
well cavalry as infantry, are Eonstantly departing
from Paris and the environs of that city. Several
regiments of national guards, of the departments,
which were cantoned in the communes near Paris,
matched away on the 20th inst.: among them are
those of Britany. All these troops are composed of
old Soldiers : they-go to the grand army.

,
TOULOU3E, MARCH 19.
Numerous troops arrive in this town. The inhabi.
tants are eager to receive them well ; and many young
sued enlist as volunteers, to go and fight the enemy.

LYONS, MARCH 13.
About 500 prisonerh take& by the army of Lyons,

letween ‘iillafranea an 4 Macon, arrived }sere ykstet-
day; preceded by two Austiian cannons which .were
also taken by our troops. •
MARCLI 2J.—The LW() list divislons of the Moly
of Catlipla are just arrived, and will enable the
Duke oft astigiione to attack the enemy with vigour.
The Lyonnese are ailtniated by the hest spirit, and
are resolved to second to the utmost the operations
or the Duke of Castiglione.

1.11.1.Ei MARCH 2!.

Yesterday all out city was in motion : at five in

the afternoon the enemy had the impudence to shew
themselves wtio about 500 men, and a single piece
of cannon. Their retreat was very precipitate rwe
took or killed a great number of men. Our town is
not to be approached even if they should appear in
great force : the inundations, the pallisades, the ram-
parts covered with cannon of large calibre, would
hinder them from making attempts which could only
turn to their shame.