Star.
London, England, 1813-03-30 00:00:00

'ART PROCEEDINGS.

HOUSE OF LORDS, MARCH 29. - •
,
Mr. &FUTON, from the East India Company, ptlippted-
Papers. •
Mr. Nsirrox she delivered Papers • fron the Landon Flour
• Company, which were laid on the table.
Mr. Login N °Tors, and several Members from the Commons,
brought up the two Exchequer Bills' VD, the Irish Sugar Draw-
back Bill, the Canada Rum Bill, and several other Bills.
The Duke of NORFOLK took occasion to observe, on the

_ .
first reading of the Five Millions Exchequer Bills' Bill, that he
was apprehensive It would Ititrench on the plan of the Sinking
Fund—a measure he had generally approved, but which he con-
ceived would be interrupted by the operation of this Bill.
Lord LIVERPOOL intimated, that the Noble Duke's appre-
hension on that subject was not will founded. He could prove,
at the proper time, that the Sinking Fund would not be at all

affectedbythe'Bill.
Lord SHEFFIELD moved for some Papers relating to East
India.Shipping.—Ordereii.
Lord REDESDALE presented a Petition from the BM India
Company, praying for a renewal of their Charter, and to be
beard by their Counsel.
The Duke of NORFOLK presented a Petition from Sheffield
against the East India Monopoly.
Lord MOUNT EDGECUMBE presented fourteen or fifteen
Petitions from Cornwall, against the Roman Catholic Claims.
CURATES' BILL.
The House went into a Committee, pursuant to the order of
the day, on the Curates Bill, when a long discussion ensued, in •
which the Archbishop of CAN TLRBURT, the Bishops °ILI NOOK,.
GLOUCtSTIM, and Not/nett% Lord HARROWIST, Lord KINTON,
Lord ELLZNSOIIOOOII, Lord GRINVILLZ, and Lord
ZIDIa-
DALI, were the speakers.
The Bishop of LONDON, on the clause for fixing the. Sala-.
ries of Curates, and making the asixistees 75, moved an amend-
ment to give them any sum not exceeding eeoo per annum,
which the Bishops in their discretion might think fit.
Lord Livetteoot, Lord ILtaaowav, Lord RADNOR, and
Lord Gaesivitte opposed the Amendment.
The LORD CHANCELLOR contended, that it was necessary
to increase the Salaries of Curates, end deprecated, in severe
terms, the treffic carried on in Church Benefices.
The House divided on the Amendment. The numbers were,
Cements, 35—Non Contents, 17—Majority, 2. The ,Amend-
pent was of course negatived.
The remaining clauses were then agreed to, with verbal
amendments. The Bill went through the Committee, and was
Ordered to be reported. Adjourned.
HOUSE OF COMMONS.
'The two Bills relative to Exchequer Bills were severally read
is third time.
A Petition was presented from certain Electors of the Borough
of Weymouth, complaining of abuses in the exercise of the elec-
tive franchise.
Al,. a Petition from the same persons praying that they might
be heard by their Counsel at the Bar of the House, and that the
Plouse would prbv!de by Bill against the abuses complained of.
The Admiralty Registrar's Bill was postponed to this day.
se'nnight.
lhe Irish Sugar Distillation Bill was read a second time, and
• order:d to he committed on Friday.
A Petition was pre-ented front the Commissioners of Wide
Streets in Dublin, praying the usual grants.
• Mr. FREEMANTLE, after reminding the House that he had
objected to certain charges in the Army' stimates, moved for a
summary Account of all Public Works and Buildings that have
been carried, or are now cacrying on in Ireland, under the di-
rection of the Barrack Department, specifying the times, places,
espences, &c. and the names of the Surveyors employed from
the sth January, 1809, to the Ist lan. 1813.—Ordered.
Mr. FREEMANTLE then moved, That List of all Barracks
and other buildings ozcuried for The public service, Fpecifying
the uses tq which they are severally applied, and the numbers
they are calculated to contain.
Mr. FEELE-said, he bad already promised that these docu•
menu should be presented, but that some time was necessary
for their arrangement, for the purpose of being produced.—
Ordered.

SINECURE BILL.
Mr. D. GIDDY having brought up the Report of
the Sinecure Bill,
Mr. TIERNEY said, that he-wished to call the
attention of the House for a moment to a Notice
which he was about to give, It was his intention to
have offered a different motions but as the discussion
*upon It would probably be protracted to a consider-
able, and perhaps inconvenient length, in respect to
the new Financial Bill,, he would now give notice,
" That on 1 hursday next he should move the appointment of
a Committee, to report how far the Sinking Fund, under the
!6th, s9.d, al.d 421 of the King, was disposable, as to any part of
It, by his Majesty's Ministers."
Mr. HOLFORD then rose, and expressed his in-
tention to oppose the Report before the House. He
said, the tendency of Sinecure Places was not, as re-
presented, to extend the influence of the Crown; they
would even, in some instances, proditce the contrary
effect. It was well known that Sinecures were more
properly at the disposal of the Ministers for the time
being, than of the Crown. Then, supposing that
Ministry to go out, the appointment to Sinecure
Places, so •far from increasing the influence of Go-
vernment, would give strength to• opposition, Co
whom the gratitude of the persons appointed is AT-
rurally due. It was hard, he said, that the children
of tolinisters, being left unprovided for by the opera-
tion of this Bill, if passed into a law, should have
cause to regret that their parents had -pot 'devoted
their lives to other, pursuits than the. service of their
country. It was more expedient, as well as consti-
tutional, to have recourse to the provision by Sine-
cures, than, apply for grants to this House. When
valuable puLlic services were performed of naval and
military merit, the House might fairly judge; trut of
civil services they could not impartially judge. Even
the family of Mr. Percevai, whose excellenronalititti
and important services were admitted by all parties;
was not provided for merely for hil curll services;'
but rather on account of the peculiar tircurnstances
that distinguished his lamented anckuntimely end.—
The aboition of many offices was propoied•bt this ,
Sill, for which no provision was made. He 'would •
instance the, First Commissioner and Secretary' for I
India Affairs. ' If public applause could .be gained
toy this Sill, it was only bytontinually bringing for-
ward
such measures as the :present, otherwise the "
popularity of its author could not
,be perminent.—
Be (Mr. Holford) bad not often trespassed ort. the
attention of the House; but, lOoking up* this as an ,
Unworthy saer.fice tra popularity, he felt it his duty to
come fotward for the purpose of resisting it. He
would therefore move—" That instead of 'the word
64 now," be substituted." this day six months." •
Mr. B4NKES said, that if the Hon. Member who •
last sprite had, more rt inutely cons:dere& the objects
f thit Bill,. he would have found that it was inten-
ded by it to place every provision for public service
-within its operation ii, the Koper hands—a responsi- •
sle Ministry- not at the discretion of 'Parliament,
The Bill did not give, as objected to it; a claim to ,
:el,N,ry person who had screed a certain time; but, on
the contrary, left a discretion in the Crown to be di-
•tectid 6y the public interest. It was not fair tia ex-
ect a sypern br ideal perfect:it ti.; all that was in the
contemplation of the framers of this Bill seas to, tlace
Offices ion it More fair and .proper basis. It
urged, that the 'effect of tlsis Bill would be to ex-
-