Star.
London, England, 1823-02-18 00:00:00

Doctor said, that in llseyeter 15(1,4 he had not the!thercrote, was not Abk to the Noble Lord by
same opportunity of examining Lord Portsmouth that . giving an conseLt of the kind required.
.he'hail had recently; bUt he would tfienlottreszid of I Lord. ELLENBOROUGH •said, the House had
his Lordship that he was as iniapiable of committing already refused to admit the detestable principle of
:prime as he was incapable of reasoning. nullity of marriage after solemnization.
The Court adjourned at Four o'Clock. The Earl of WESTMORLAND did not rise to
prolong the debate, bht to express his satisfaction
lon finding all their Lordships disposed to legislate
prospectively.
Tile LORD CHANCELLOR laid, it would be in
'the recollection of the House, that he opposed the
retrospective clauses. He did so upon a belief that
some cases might occur to prove the principle should
not be universal. With respect to attendance in the
Committee, all he could say was, that so far as other
duties would allow, he should do his duty, but the
Committee must not think it disrespectful if he made
some suggestions without personal attendance.
The motion was then agreed to, and a Committee
nominated. The following Noble Lords were selected :
The Archbishop of Canterbury I The Marquis of Lausdown
The Lord Chancellor Lord Ellchborough
Lord &merit Lord Itedesdale
4.nrd Colchester I The Earl of Shaftesbury
The Earl of Liverpool I The Larl of Itosebery,
Lord ELLENBOROUGH then moved, that the
Marriage Act Amendment Bill be read a second time
this day toitingbt.

PARLIAMENTARY PROCEEDINGS.

ROUSE OF LORDS, FEBRVART 11.

Lord REDESDALF: presented a Petition from Althorn,
praying for the establishment of a Court for the recovery of
!snail Debts.

The Marquis of LANSDOWN presented a Petition from
the Manufacturers, Tradetmen, and other Inhabitants, of Shep-
• son.@Malkt, praying for a repeal of the insolvent Debtor;' Act.
.The Noble Marquis said be begged leave to be under4ood sts
.tot consenting to the prayer of the Petition for repealing the
Act, becau.e he had always considered the princip'e of eesaw
tatanna on which it was founded most salutary. At the same
time he was ready to admit great frauds had been introduced
by the me:wire, and the practice of defrauding tradesmen should
-be prevented. This might, however, be done without the re-
peal of the Bill.
Earl DA RNL F.Y alluded to the measures to be introduced
for the relief of Ireland, and expressed a desire to know who,
ther they were to originate in that House?
The Earl of LI VER POO I. said, he had no intention to in-
• troduce the measures to which the Noble Earl alluded in that
! house. The subject temsr originate elsewhere.
The Marquis of LA NSDOWN presented a Petition from
the Burgesses and other Inhabitants of Chester against the In-
,erolvent Debtors' Act.

AVETRIAN T.AAM.

Lord SUFFIELD presented a Petition from the Nobility,
Clergy, and Gentry of the Ilundred of Harpington, in the county
-ef Norfolk, complaining of Agricultural Distress, praying for
• Reform, and disclaiming all participation in the proceedings at
• the Norfolk Nlecting. The Noble Earl said, the Petition waa
simed by two hundred of the most respectable inhabitints of the.
kitindred. They disclaimed all participation in the -County
Ileeting, and expressed their opinion on the.causes of distress
-and remedies. They prayed to be relieved from the Malt- Tax,
anel were particularly moderate in their views. The Noble Lord
was of opinion with the Petitioners that Reform must take place,
and ve hen opportunity offered, he should endeavour to make the
Right Reverend !knell converts, by proving that Reform was
&sit able on nor -I and religious gruunds.--The Petition was
read and laid -,11 the table.

The Marquis of LA NSDOWN said, it was weil
known, that among rriary large sums lavished cn fo-
reign Governments, one large payment was due, and
ought, in honour and justice, to be repaid to this
country. The'Noble Marquis alluded to the .4-astrian
Loan. In consequence of proceedings in Parliament
on that subject, assurances had been given that the
subject would be a matter of negociatiun at the Con-
gress of Verona. Ilis object was, to ask the Noble
Earl whether he was able to state the result of that
negociation, and whether there was any prospect of
repayment of the same? It would be a satisfaction
to the country to know the fact.
The Earl of LIVERPOOL--« It is not.my inten-
tion to enter into the question, how far sums of money
advanced by this country to foreign Powers have or
have not been lavishly vtpended. Transactions of
that sort must stand on their own ground : but I must
say, to the advance of a large part of those sums Eu-
rope owes the rescue of liberty from the greatest
tyranny known in the world."—(lkar)—On the sub-
ject to which the Noble Marquis alluded, a NobleVriend
had stated, that discussion was going on between
this Government and the Government of Vienna with
a view to the settlement of that question. It was not
his intention then to enter into the nature of the cir-
cumstances, but the Noble Earl had no difficulty in
saying, that an agreement for payment of the debt
to. this country had been entered into by the Govern-
ment of Vienna; and his hope was, soon to be able
to state to the Housethe precise grounds on which
the arrangement was made.
Lord ELLEN-BOROUGH could not bring his
mind to believe, that the advance of sums from Eng-
land to foreign Powers had promoted public liberty.
His opinion was, it had led to the most detestable
tyranny every known=( Hair, Hear)—for, s hatever
was the character of the former sufferings of the
Continent, there.was something approaching to con-
solation (if such things were susceptible of. any) in the
mode of their infliction—there was at least some
greatness of character in the genius and gigantic re-
sources which imposed that tyranny : but what was
the conilition of-Europe at 'pre-ent? -Nations were,
exposed to the subjection of those whom they despised
(Hear}—they were consigned to the interference and
controul of those whose tyranny must, on that ac-
count, be infinitely more galling and detestable than
that with which at other periods it had been their lot
to struggle. There never had, however, been, since
the -Revolution, a period at which the Government
and People Of England were more unanimous as to the
line of policy it would be their duty to take.—(Hedz.)
The 4loUse then'adjout !red.
IFIDX/SE OF COMMON&

laird SU F1:1 EL D also presented a similar Petition from the
Ildusired of Greenhough, in the county of 4)rfolk. The Pe-
tition, however, did oot c •ntain a prayer far its:loran—Read,
acs laid on the table.

Mr.ScAssrr. took the oaths and his seat.

Mr. BAG WELL presented a Petition from the County of
Tipperary, complaining of the oppressive operation of Tithes.
Mr. lIART DAVIS presented two Petitions front Aler-
chants,.Bankers, and others of Bristol, complaining of the ope-
ration of the Insolvent Debtors' Act upon the morals of the
country. The Petition prayed fur a speedy revision of this Act,
in which the Hon. Member heartily concurred.
Sir T. LETHBRIDGE was of opinion that this Act effected
to the greatest degree the demoralization of the nation. Ile
Would soon bring forward a motion for the repeal of it.
Mr. BRIGHT joined in the sentiments of the preceding
speakers, and the prayer of the Petition before the House. The
multiplication of oaths which had lately crept into the system of
legislation, and was conspicuous in this Act, had only produced
the effect of creating a total disregard of their solemn nature.--
So far from multiplying, it would he wisdom. to expunge as
many as possible from the practice of the law.—The Petition
was then ordered to be printed.
Mr. HART DA VIS presented a Petition from the same
place, praying for a remission of Taxes.
Mr. BRIG lIT observed, that no tax was mere oppressive
than the Volidow Tax, and he hoped that would be considered
in the approaching reductioh.—Or.kered to be printed.
Mr. It TM' It IGII T presented a Petition from Oundle,.
against the hisolvent Debtors' Act.—Ordered to be printed.
Mr. IV EBBE presented a similar Petition from the Baukets,
Merchants, &c. of the City of Gloucester.
'.l r. B. COOPER supported the Petition, and gave it as his
opinion, that the evil so much complained of might be reme-
died by addition.' clauses to the Act.—Ordered to be printed.
Mr. MANSFIELD presented a Petition front the Preben-
dary, Surrogate, and others of St. Margaret's Parish, Leicester,
against the Niarriage Act.—Ordered to be printed.
Alt WIEN FELL gave notice that' he would to-morrow
move for a It. turn of the sums paid to the Bank, for the ma.
nagement of the Accompts relative tope National Debt.-
Mr. 111UOCGlL presented a Petition from a Mr. Flans-
gars, of the County of Sligo, complaitring+if the nun-residence of
the Clergy, and other causes of discontent, of Ecclesiastical'
origin.—Laid on the table.
Mr. RICE presented a Petition from Carmarthen, praying
that every economical reductiou May be made in the public ex-
pehditare, tending to the relief of the agricultural classes.
Mr. HUME took that occasion to observe, that as the Peti-
tion presented by the Ilan. Member recommended economy in
the public service, it neigh: be as will for him so state what
were hi, illt4:lltiONS as th the motions that might be tirade for the
reduction of divers taxes is the course of the Session. He ble
bested they had never had the honour of. his vote in any one in-
stance for the reduction of a tax. It was right the constituents'
of the /lon. Member should know of what avail their Petition
for economy was likely to be. If the People wished their prayers
to be attended to, they shoat! confider who were the Merntieni
sent to represent them.
_ _

Mr. it feh: said, he should continue to give titivate according
to the merits of the measures soluniterd to the liinise—(Heii*
At the same time he thought no Member -ought to heealied upon :
to plzdge himself to vote in a particular way throitshout the
whole of the Session. lie ,corer before knew of such a methint
of extracting information of that nature. He believed it was ,
irret,ular to ask any Altnibeif if he meant to glee op the tato- I
cited( his discretion--(Hear).
The Petition was riraiVand oittered to tic
Sheriffl of 'thi:City of LoOdvo hurikt 'bveu