Star.
London, England, 1814-11-25 00:00:00

the grounds of national justice and the security of our
maritime rights, the spirit and good sense of. the
country were eascrly exerted to support it. BUt if
in the progress of the wer the ground bad been
changed, it instead of justice and security, we were
aiming at aggrandisement and extension 'of territory,
the tensequences might be deplorable indeed.. •He
could not help remarking on a certain passage in the
Prince ftegetses speech, which did not appear to he
justified by the events which had bad taken place.
Some advantages, it Was tree, appeared to have been
gained by the British forces in the beginning, 'but
they were grievously counterpoised by succeeding
disasters, disasters of which no notice whatever hid
been taken in the Speech. His Grace deplored the
effects of the war, as operating to the extreme injury
of our trade and manufactures. His Grace read
part of a letter which he had received from Birming-
ham, confirming that statement, and concluded with
an earnest desire that every effort might be tried to
bring about an equitable and honourable peace, add-
ing, that rather than pursue the war, for any other
objects than those on which it had commenced, and
thereby bringing down on the country incalculable
probable calamities, he would be willing to make
some sacrifices. _ _ .

The Earl of LIVERPOOL observed, that after
what had already occurred in that House, it would
not at present be necessary to take up much of their
Lordships' time. In reply to what. had fallen from
the Noble Duke, relative to the, Prince Regent's
Speech, he should apprise the Noble Duke, that at
the opening of Parliament, there had not been any
official statements of the events allaidq`d to.by the-No-
ble Duke, particularly that tII the Lake Champlin.
Dispatches, however, had recently been received by
his l'iltje,ty's Gmernment, both from our Naval and
Milital y Commander% which would of course be pub-
lished iu the next Gazelle.
THE NAVAL ADMINISTRATION.

Lord DONOUGHMORE, after some prefatory

observations moved for Copies of the Addresses pre-
sented to the Prince Regent from Glasgow, Gree-
nock, London, &c. respecting the depredations of
American privateers. He briefly stated, that the ob.
• jest of his motion was to shcw, that a strong sensa-
tion had heen excited amongst the merchants of this
country by lie success of the American privateers.
Lord MELVILLE declared his readiness, when it
should he necessary, to prove all that he had asserted
on a former evening. The staerings of the merchants
of this country were such as arose necessarily from
the war, and as they were casual, could not be pre-
vented by any exertions. There never bad been a war
withwit such consequences.
After some t bservations from Lord DARNLEY the
motion was agreed to.
Lord DONOUGHMORE then moved for a state:,
ment of the force under Sir Alexander Cochrane.—
He had heard that the Leander, which was watching
the American frigate the Constitution, was to badly
provided with stores, that there was no ground to
hope for success in any engagement which might
take place.
Lord MELVILLE considered the latter statement
of the Noble Lord as extremely improbable, and not
at all entitled to credit. He opposed. the motion, as
tending to disclose the strength of the country.
The Motion was negatived.
Lord DONOUGHMORE rose, to notice a state-
ment m isle last Session In another place, to which he
should be happy to give his assent ; but he regretted
that, in order to justify his own conduct, it was ne-
cessary for him to controvert that statement.
The LORD CHANCELLOR here called the
Noble Lord to order, on the ground, that it was
against the established customs of Parliament to an-
swer in one House wh.tt had been stated in another.
Lord DONOUGHMORE resumed. He was wil-
ling to all iw that he had been wrong. He referred
to the statement as an authoritative account from an

official character, and not as from a Member of the

other House. It had been said, that shortly after the
passing of a Legislative enactment, a county in Ire-
land, which was before in a state of general disturb-
ance, had become altogether calm, and that the peo-
ple in general had united for the preservation of peace
and tranquillity. He was fearful that this statement
might deceive the public, without any intention of
that kind on the part of the Honourable Gentleman
who had made it. The authority for the statement
was merely the declaration of a Gentleman, certainly
of the highest respectability. When he questioned
that statement he did not mean to claim unlimited
ere t for h's nonassertion. After the time when

tranquillity was said to have been perfectly' restored,
circumstances had occurred which certainly did not
accord with that assertion. His Lordship then alluded
to the robbery ot Mr. Prendergast's house, and an
attack nia2e un a Mail in the county said to have
been reduced to complete tranquillity. He should
mention t• o other circumstances. On the 13th, at
a place in the county of Meath, only five miles from •
t!,e resideace of the Magistrate, arms of different
kinds were found in the possession of a' person,'
who was found again on the 14th to haVernino
offensive weapons in his house. These certainly
were not symptoms of the return ilf...trittitigigity,
and i.e supposed that they must have escaped the
attention ot the Honourable Gentleman • who had
made the statement to which be (Lord Donough-
more) had referred. The most absurd part of the
provision, the tranquilizing effects of which were
boastrd of, U.Sa the mission of persons to Ireland to-
tally ignorant of the state of the country. In Mid-
dlethird, the Magistrate was chosen on the recom-
mendation of the Police of Dublin, and the additio-
nal Constables consisted of disbanded serjeants of ca-
valry. Thece men were much better acquainted with
the topography of Arragon or Andalusia than of
Tipperary. In one instance, when a criminal work-
ing in a field had been pointed to them, their igno-
rance of the country had enabled him to escape. In
fact, no measure could have been adopted more likely
to insure the continuance of disturbances. The Peace
Preservation Act hud been considered much more le-
nient than the Insurrection Act. To this opinion he
tt uld not g ve his assent, for the latter secured a Jury
to the Acrtisrd. In the one, Government interfered
only whets applied twist the Magistrates, but on tht
other it 1.a3 a power of interfering without any such
recinisition'on their pan, and thus the country was
entirely deployed ot all share in repressing the distur-
bances,-.4nd a source was opened to Gevernmeut of
a taut extended pitrottage. He did not mean to

'express any apprehensions in the present instance, but 7:
it was the duty of the Legislature to provide against
future abuses, and for the future happiness of the peo-
ple, and not merely to Legislate for the present mo-
ment. By the Peace Preservation Act, the Lord Lieu-
tenant had the power to declare the whole oflreland itt
a state of disturbance; such a declaration would cause
the sending forth ofthe additional Magistrates, each
of v..horn received 4700 per ann. and had two assist-
ants who received each £l5O. The Magistrate had
besides a house, which he should rate at £2OO, and
thus the whole of the expense of each of these new
Magi.erates to the country was £l2OO pee annum.—
Thus 200 most luerative situations might be placed
at the disposal of Government, and £240,000 of the
public money expended, if the Lord Lieutenant and
Secretary of Ireland, and four or five Members 4f
the Council agreed to declare the whole country in a
state of disturbance. There was no necessity for
giving such absolute power. The Right Honourable
Gentleman must surely have deceived himself when
he considered Ireland in a state of tranquillity, and
the Peace Preservation Act as a lenient measure.—
He had also to complain of the manner in which the
principal county law officer was generally chosen in
Ireland. In this country the system had not been
considered proper. In Ireland this was a matter of
much more consequence, for the Sheriff had the no-
mination of the Grand Jury, and to many more
offices than here. He knew an instance which had
lately occurred, of partiality, wherein a gentleman of
the greatest property in the neighbourhood had been
passed over in the nomination of the Grand Jury.--
In fact, the active duties of the Sheriff were usually
performed by some Attorney, who, held the office of
Under Sheriff, and converted it to his profit. The
high situation of Sheriff was no honour, for without
any extravagance, it might be said, that it was actu-
ally put up to sale. As to the affairs of Ireland in
general, they appeared to him to be managed in• a
very confused manner, and not to receive from Mi-
nisters the serious consideration to which they were
entitled by their vast importence to the most vital
interests of this kingdom. Leland appeared to be
treated with an indifference which should exist only
in our feelings to a foreign Power, and not towards
one of the most valuable parts of the empire, whose'
prosperity added to t of the British dominions in
general, and whose adversity could not but be felt,'
by the whole kingdom, although its effects might bl
imperceptible to the, superficial observer. lie consi-
dered the different official situations in the admini-i
stration of affairs in that country as one which ought
not to be given to a young Gentleman, but to a per-
son of long practice in busii.ess, whose discretien had
been matured by time, and whose jteigreeet had
been strengtheaed by experience. The Noo.e Lord.,
then proceeded to notice, with much severity, the
Excise Laws of 'Leland. He knew them from expe-
rience, having held a situation which had given him'
every opportunity of obtaining information. The
resignation of Mr. Marsden he considered as a cir-
cumstance deeply to be rceretted. He coecluded
by moving for copies of notifications to Parliament
respecting the improved state of Ireland since the
Pi oclamation of the 24th of September, .declaring
the Barony of Middlethird in a state of insurrection.
The LORD CHANCELLOR considered the
Motion as totally inadmissible and contrary to the
orders of the House. The Noble Lord had said, that
communications had been made to Parliament ; but
the Noble Lord must have been well aware that no
such communication had been made in that House.'
It was, in fact, answering there what had been spoken
in the other House.
Lord SIDMOUTH considered the motion so en-
tirely inadmissible, that it was scarcely necessary for
him to make any remarks upon it.
Lord LIVERPOOL rose to propose to the Noble
Lord an alteration in his motion, so as to render it
less objectionable on account of its violation of esta-
blished order.

Lord DONOUGHMORE complied with this
suggestion, and proposed the motion in an amended
I form. He moved—" for the production of all papers
transmitted to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, and
by him to Government, respecting the state of parti-
cular counties, and of that country in general, as far
as it was connected with the operation and effects of
the Peace Preservai ion Act."
.• Lord SIDMOUTH observed, that the Noble Lord
who =trade the motion not only violated the Orders of
the House in the commencement of his remarks, but
,had done so throughout; for what be had said was
obviously in answer to a speech in another place.-
116 irregular had the Noble Lord been, that at first
;he hesitated whether it was necessary to controvert
Ilthe statements which had been made; but he could
most positively deny that statement, and should not
refer to newspapers for the means of refuting it, as
the Noble Lord had done, to substantiate his asser-
tions. Mr. Pcele, with respect to the state of Ireland,
and .of the county of Tipperary in particular, had
1, Woken comparatively, and ma positively, as had been
'represented. He had not said that the country was
tompletely tranquil, but that it was so in comparison
' with its former state, before the operation of the Act.
The instances noticed by the Noble Lord were iso-
lated circumstances, which did not warrant general
,:ronclusions. The proclamation declaring the barony
of Middlethird in a state of insurrection, was dated
the 4th, and not the 21,th of September, as the Noble
Lord had supposed. • It was singular that the enact-
ment, of which such decided disapprobation had now
been expressed, was that on which Parliament had
been unanimous ; while that of which the Noble
Lord's approbation had been declared had met with
much opposition. The Noble Lord bad been sur-
prized that what he considered the more lenient mea-
sure had not been res.,rted to. Parliament had con-
sidt red the. Peace Preservation Act as the more lenient
measure, because it nvertly provided for the effectual
enforcement of the laws, and did not make any alte-,
ration in them ; and after what had already been said
on the subject, and the ample discussion it had under-
gone, he did not think it necessary to answer the
Noble Lord's high praises of the Insurrection Act, in
preference to that which had recently been adopted.
The Peace Preservation Act had never been enforced
until Government had received application for its en-
forcement. In one instance only the Act had been
ied, and in that instance it had proved eminently
efficient and successful. With respect to what the
Noble Lord had remarked, regarding the Secretary
fur Ireland, he could conscientiously assure him that
tie knew no one more nmarkible tot p ;combination'

iof &finals, tampei, and Inkidtration. He *Peke of
bi. in hit ailleiatearicity, for he had not the pleasure
•of any intimate personalacquaintance with that Right
Honourable Gentleman. He stated, that he consi.
dered the motion as usel;ss, for he knew of no corn.
munications which could possibly be produced if it
were adopted ; and concluded by moving the adjourn-
ment of the House.

Lord DONOUGIIMORE, before the question
should be disposed of, felt it necessary to trouble their
Lordships with one or two obsetvations by way of
explanation. He had thought it his duty to correct
the misrepresentations of the statement which ap-
peared to have been made in another place. What
had fallen from the Noble Viscount' was perfectly sa-
tisfactory on that head. He wished it to go forth to
the public upon such official authority that the com-
plete restoration of the disturbed districts in Ireland
to tranquillity had not been effected by the Bill of last
Session, and that no alteration but that of compara-
tive improvement had been the result of its operation.
He.had said, what he was still prepared to reassert,
that other and more effectual measures for tranquil.
lising Ireland might have been resorted to. It was
his decided opinion that the Insurrection Bill would
have been much more effectual to that object than
that which was commonly called Mr. Peek's Bill for
the Preservation of the Peace. With respect to that
Gentleman, he could assure the Noble Viscount, that
any thing he had said was not meant to convey any
offensive meaning. Considering his time of life, and
the difficult as well as delicate duties of the station to
which he had been appointed, he might, he flattered
himself, without incivility, remark, that it would have
been better if some " old aoser," fully cr.nrersant
with the detailed complexity of the duties of the office
he held, had been placed in it. There was nothing
in which Noble Lords seemed to be so inexperienced
as the properties of the population of Ireland, and the
qualities of public officers particularly suited to guide
or control them. His objection 'o the Right Hon.
Gentleman arose from his youth, and he was sure
their Lordships would not think he had transgressed
the limits of decorum, when he expressed a wish that
some old Gentleman had been sent in his place, who
might temper, with his experience and moderation,
the inflammable spirit of his countrymen. He had,
however, already said, that he was s nisfied with the
correction, or, the authority of the Noble Viscount,
of the statement to which he had objected, and should
not then trespass farther upon their Lordships' time.
Their Lordships then adjourned.
HOUSE OF COMMONS.

Sufficient Members being present, the SPEAKER took the
Cba:r before four o'clock.

Mr..-.7trjtant ON.A.9W stated, that he held to his band a
Petition which he coneriveil to tie of much importance, but on
wicch he should make no comment at present. The Learned
Serjeant then brought up a Petition from certain Bakers of the
City of London, and within ten miles of it, praying for leave
to bring in a Bill to authorise an increased allowance fur the
Manufacture of Bread.—Petition received, and ordered to lie on
the '!'able.

Mr. BROGDEN moved tho third reading of the Promissory
Notes Bill, eontiauing the former Act till the Vith of March,
1816, which Bill was accordingly read, passed, and ordered to be
carried to the Up per House for their Lordships' c-'acurrenee.
The Bill to pr event Bribery and Corruption in the Borough
of lielston, was mead a first time, and ordered fur a second read-
ing on Wednesday.
A new Writ was ordered to be issued for the BOrough of
Mitc:/atn, vice Brereton, Esq.
On the motion of Mr..Baonass, the Wool lni;ortation Dill,
Neutral Ships Bill, Foreign ships Bill, and East India Goods Bill,
Were severally read a third time and passed.
Mr WHITBREAD moved the third reading of the False
Measures Bill, which was committed for to-morrow.

IMilMo.._