Star.
London, England, 1815-04-05 00:00:00

CORN LAWS.

Mr. FRANKLANI) LEWIS rose in pursuance!
of a notice lie had given previous to the recess, to
move the appointment of a Committee to examine
the laws relative to the Assize of Bread. He ob-
serves', that while the Corn Bill was pending in Par-
liament, it had been asserted that the immediate con-
sequence of the me tune would he raising the price
of the quartern loaf to Is. 4.1. This had been dis-
proved most satisfactorily ; but die assertion was still
repeated,' until it became so tiresome that na Mem-
ber would take the trouble of contradicting it. But
on a point of spch importance, no misunderstanding
should be suffered to exist. It had also been affirmed,
that the laws regulating the assize of bread were at.
tended with mole mischief than advantage ; but it
could not he esteemed prudent to repeal laws of such
long standing without the intervention of a Corn.
miuee to examine diem. The assize laws were in
force since the reign of King John, and this circum-
stance alone would justify inquiry. Indeed, the be-
nefits resulting from the appointment of a Committee
were is numerous, that he could not apprehend any
opposition. The Honourable Gentleman remarked,
that in those places where the assize was not resorted
to (for`it was quite oFtional with Magistrates to use
it or not) the price of. bread was much lower than
where the, opposite custom prevailed. In. Birming-
ham, for instance, where wheat was 655. the quarter,
the quartern loaf was B;J.--(Hear, hear) --Tl,e
bread certainly was not of as fine a quality as that
used in London, but it was good, and of that kind
called " standard wheaten bread." By the general
assize law of the kingdom, it is established, that
when-wheat is 80s. the loaf shoat be at Is. precis:ly,
and by that the assize of bread is regulated by the
market price of &seat; but in London the statute
of 1707 (which was introduced in consequence of a
petition from the Bakers of the City, and carried
drilough Parliament as a private Bill) the assize of
bread was regulated by the market-price of Intr.
Many Committees had formerly sat on this subject,
and their labours had so constantly terminated un-
successfully, that he should not feel much disappoint-
ment if the present should meet with a similar tate.
He would, however, conclude by niaviag—
“ That a :Select Committee be appointed to inquire Into the
state of the-Laws regulating the manufacture and anise of Ilrea.J;
to consider whether it may be expedient to continue the same,
and to report their observations and opinions to the House."
Mr. ROSE acknowledged that great advantages
must arse from an inquiry into those laws ; but he
feared that a misunierstanding prevailed relative to
the consequences of the present mode of taking the
assize of bread. Ile firmly believed, that it was
much more favourable to estimate the price of bread
from that of flour, than bons the mm ket price of
wheat, and denied his having ever admitted to the
City Members, that the guartern loaf would be 16d.
if wheat were 833.

The motion was then put and =tied.
PROCEWINUS At CONCiltlia.

Mr. WHITBREAD—" Sir, previous to the re-
cess an Address had been voted to his Royal High-
ness the Prince Regent, for the production of certain
papers relative to the proceedings of Congress. I
am not aware that they have as yet been laid on the
table. I would likewise desire to know, whether I
had understood the Right Honourable Gentleman,
yesterday, when he promised that certain communi-
cations, relating to the present wonderful events,
would be made to the House on to-morrow or
Thursday ?"
The Chancellor of the Exchequer not being then
present. no answer was made; but baying almost
immediately afterwards rebumed his seat, Mr. WHIT-
JIHAD rose, and repeated the former question.

in the Address are now rea3y, and wonld, yestal ty,
have been laid on the tabk, it my N4ild
(Lord Castlereagh) had come dos in time. The
communication to which the liot,ourable Gentleman
alludeyr-vtill be made to the Howe most probably
on Wednesday or Thursday."
I.ord Casll.-reagh having at that moment entered
the House, Mr. WHITBREAD again repeated his for-
mer observations.

Lord CASTLEREAGH said, that he had left
the House, merely for the purpose of procuring some
paperi which he intenaci to lay before the !louse;
and the others should he brought up on Wednesday
or Thur,day. A Massa.:, .fiorn the Prince Regent,
communicating tL•e recent events, would be sent to
the House on Thursday, which ally be taken into
their consideration on FiidAy ; anJ in consAuence he
was desirous to defer the American Question, from
Thursday to Tuesday nest. •
Mr. WHITBREAD asked whether any alter.
tion had taken place in the intentions of Ministers,
with regard to the communication to be made to Par.
liatnent ?

Lord CASTLEREAGH said that he was not
aware of any.

Mr. WHITBREAD observed, that as the papers
kid on the table were those required in the Addresses,
it would be easy, by a reference in Olaf, to see whe-
ther the request had been complied with.

COPVIIOLbr•

Mr. M. A. TAYLOR rose, in pursuance of a
former notice, to move for leave to bring in a Dill
for removing certain difficulties in the disposition of
copyhold and customary estates by will. He at the
same time remarked, that this Bill did not tend in
the least degree to lessen the fee of t!h. superi,r
Lord, hut merely to comply Irmo effectually with
the will of the testator. The motion wits put and
agreed to.

INSOLVENT DEBTORS' ACT.
Mr. Serjeant BEST postponed his motion relative
to the repeal of the above Act, till the I I th inst.
Sir SAMUEL RONIILLY presented a Petition
from certain Debtors confined in thP gaol of Lincoln
in I,Avonr of the above Act.—Ordered to be laid on
the table.

ROSE moved for a Commiree to inquire into
the oNrition of the laws rehting to the gauging of
is the port of Landon.—Ordered.

rscAPE BONAPART:!.

Mr. FREEMAN I'LE asked, whether any and
what measures had been taken to prevent the escape
of Bonaparte from the Island of Elba ?

Lord 'CASTLEREAGH replied (as far as could
be collected from the low tone in which the Noble
Lord spoke), th:tt cruizers had been with that view
stationed off the Island of Elba.

In so-ne time afterwards— .
Mr. C.W. WYNNE observed, that he understood
our naval officers in the Mediterranean stated, that if
they ever saw Bonaparte at sea, they had no autho.
rity to interfere *ith or interrupt his progress, and
therefore he wished to know whether that statement
w.ts virrect ?

. L ird CASTLEREAGH said, that he did not
mean to argue the question.
Mr. WYNNE added, that he did not ask the
Noble Lord to argue, but to answer his question.
No answer was made.
FINANCES. &C. OP IRELAND.

Mr. W. V. FITZo ERALD moved—" That a
Committee be appointed to incpiire into the state of
the Finances and public Expenditure, together with
the amount of the Funded and Unfunded Debt of
Ireland, during the last four years."
Sir JOHN NEWPORT' complained of the manner
in which the question was brought forward. The
ohje:t appeared to be the anticipation of a motion he
had intended to submit to the House on the follow-
ing day, on the subject of the finances of Ireland.—
He asserted that the documents now to be laid-before
the Committee were insuffieient for the proposed
object of their investigation. There were several
reports of Parliamentary Commissions relative to the
revenue of Ireland, which he had thought it his duty
to bring before the House. The revenue of Ireland
was in a state of bahkruptcy ; not able, by neatly a
million,. to defray the interest of the National Debt.
The remedy now proposed was, in his opinion, in.
adequate to redress the evil ; and he would therefore
protest against the adoption of the measure. He
supposed that this Committee was appointed, like
many former, to sleep over their lthours, producing
no ultimate adv imago.
Mr. W. V. FITZGERALD said that he was far
from bring actuated by such motives as were imput.
ed to him by the Right lion. Barona. He was well
aware of the great diffizulti..s now existing in the
revenue of Ireland, hot they did not originate during
the administration of those who now managed the
affairs of that kingdom. Ile was convinced that the
persons whom he should appoint on the Committee
would do their duty ta their country.
Sir JOHN NEWPORT denied that any thing he
had spoken could, by any interpretation, be construed
into an assertion that they would riot do their duty.
It was not the persons appointed, but the measure
adopted, of which he complained. But of those per.
sons there were many who had often declared it im.
possible for them to attend the duties of such a
commission. Such persons should be struck out,
and others named, by which the Committee would
be rendered more efficient. •

The motion way thei, agreed to.
r)tiEl(iN !MATIONS.

Lnrd CASTLE it EAGiI Appeared at the bar of
the 1-I,iuse, wit!; the t lluwuag resent Treaties, viz.
one between Great Britain and Sweden; another
between Great Britain and L) '.1111.111k , and a third
between Great Britain and Ad.tva, aad
P 1315114 • together with his L •rdiatip's circular kite,
to the Mini,ters of those Poweri, on the subject of

are there ne le with regard to the insuuctions given
to our Ministers at Vienna ?"
Lord CASTLEREAGH-.-44 If the Right Hon.
Geollemtn had teen present at an earlier part of the
ev:enug. he vreul,i have lewd toe answer a question
askei by an limo. Member, and which involved the
one new proposed. I then stated, that on Thursday
next I should make every necessary communication
to the House relative to those events which have re-
cently t,Cetil rel."
Mr. W. WYNNE—: I rise merely for the par-
r) r ~f :lig into the truth of an assertion I
h :ve fairly heard. It has been stated, that although
clikiteys were stationed off Elba, no instruc-
ti 11.1t1 bees given to prevent any enterprize of
lii;:t.tii.irw—and that if he had set sail in sight of
the.e. they had no authority to arrest his passage,
or prevent his landing on the coast of France."-No
:tn;srrr ware made, and the papers were-ordered to lie
CM the t.11)10.
Irish Excise Tobacco BiU, and the Irish Cat-
call. Tobieco.Bill, were both read a second time,
nod c-sninitted Ii r Friday next.
Tile Highland Road Bill was read a secon3 time,
and ordered to be committed on this day fortsiget.
Mt. 11.AMME1 SLEY moved, that there be laid
b. t,re the House, an. account of all sums of ra:,ney,
ativaticed by, Great Britain to Foreign. States, by
vr.ty ci loan, subsidy, or in any other manner, from
the bei;iteii..g "oi the year 1793, to the termination of
the year 18:1, distinguishing the periods at which
Uhl had been paid, and by whom they had been
cu.; ved.
..`i CfIAIstELLOR of the EXCHEQUER
.4.iid, that in the annual accounts of National Expen.
&ere, such sums had been regularly entered. But
that, it the House desired to hare them all in one ge-
ni:ral account, to enable them to form a more accu-
rate opinion on the exertions of the country, he had
no objzction to the motion.
Mr. HAMMERSLEY replied, that such was his
wish—and the motion was accordingly agreed to.
Mr. ARBUTHNOT moved, that a new Writ be
made out for the election of a Member for the Bo-
roubh of East Grinstead, in the room of James King,
Esq. who had accepted the Chiltern Hundreds.—
Ordered.—Adjonrned.