Star.
London, England, 1815-04-07 00:00:00

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P4RLI4MENTARr PROCEED.INGS.

HOUSE OF LORDS, APRIL IL
The F.arl of Moo:creases!. was two
in,took h
ofis se
ta
t ate
s
este of the Irish Representative Peers, n the room tkart of Westmeath.
The Order for the farther consideration of Leigh's Divorce
Bill being read, a short discussion ensued, and the agents of the
parties were examined at the bar, principally by Lord Nlo NT Foal.
onthe part of the House, and touching the ability of Nlrs. Leigh
to provide counsel, to be heard in support of her petition, etc. at
the bar. It wag stated by one of the agents, that the Lady was
the
furnished by Mr. Leigh with monies since January 1813, to
amount of upwards of ta7oo.
The LORD CHANCELLOR subsequently took a brief view
of some of the circumstances of the case, and stated his
that nutwitisstandirg what they had beard of the gums furnished
to the Lady, yet it may remain a question for consideration,
how far the present pecuniary circumstances of the Lady wou!d
enable her to provide what was necesoary tut her defence agaiust

the Bill ? •
Alter a few words from Lord Al° NT IORT the consideration
of the case was ord..red to be resumed on Tuesday nett.
The Marquis WELLESLEY acquainted the Hope, that on
Thursday nest he should bring for,vard his motion fur the pro-
&mo of paprs relwave to the Treary with ti.-a, and
!lune.' that theire Lordships be summoned for ear d Aany.er Ordered.
the bleaching Powder Hill liaised through a Committee of
the whole House, and was reported.
Earl S PAN' 10 PE said he had a long Petition to present to
their Lortishiiss, on the part in Mr. Win. I.lMirsori, Wr;rer to
the S guet, at pre-eta waned in the Canongate Prison at Edin-
burgh, e.implaming of a variety of grievances. He would move.
to have the Petiaoti lie on the table, and afterwards submit a
prop o. ion fur taking it into consideration on Tuesday next.—
Ou that day, as it was a principle with him always to do in the
case of other, that which be would like to be done with respect
to himself, he shou:d propose on that day, that a copy of the Pe-
tition be trans ttttt Led to the Court of Sessioo, in order that that
Court should transmit to the House for its consideration the
various documents in that Petition mentioned.
The Petition was then read short and ordered to lie on the
table, and their Lordships were, on the motion of the Noble

ILarl, sunimonrd fur uebaay next.
The sugar Duties bill, and the Sugar Export Regulation Bin,
wtre st.sail $ third time and palmed.

PRESENT STATE OF AFFAIRS.
MESSAGE FROM THE PRINCE REGENT.
The &id of LIVERPOOL presented a Message
front.his Roy.il Highness as follows

" GLORGC P. R.
" His Royal Highness the Prince Regent, acting In the name
and on the behalf of his Majesty, thinks it right to inform the
House of Lords, that the events which have recently occurred in
Franco, in direct contravention of the engagements concluded
with the All Powers at Paris in the course of the last year,
and which threaten consequences highly dangerous to the trans
quality and iit,!epeudenco of Europe, have induced his Royal
Highness to give directions for the augment:atonal his blajtsty's

forces by se:. Nnit.
" The Prince Retent likewise thinks it iocumbent on him to
inform the House, that be has lost no time iu raiding into cant-
munication: with his l‘lajesty's Allies, for the purpose ul forming
such a concert with them as may most effectually provide fur
the gei.erzil and permanent security of Europe. Aud his Royal
Highness cesithiently tel es on the support of the of Lads,
and their concurrerce all such nicasit:•es as may be siecesszry
to ealible Lls Royal Liszt:nes* w carry such important obkcts

into rift.ct."
The Message being read in the usual way--,
The Earl of LivEkrocn. moved—That the
Prince Regent's Message he taix into consideration
to-morrow, and tho Lords suninioned theteupon.
Ear; GREY said, that perliaos n 'souk} not be too
much to Ask the Noble- Lord to state what I).l'lh:tikes.
engagements were referred to in his Roy:a highness's
tilessage
The Earl of LIVERPOOL s:10, he had not the
/east difficulty in stating, that what was in contetn.
plation 'were all the engagentertts contracted with the
Allies at the time, but particularly the Treaty el
Paris, signed on the Stith of May last, and also the
Treaty of Fontainebleau.
After a few words in an under tone of voice across
rte table between these Noble Lords—
Eail GREY observed, that before the House'
could he consistently called upon to decide respecting
Certain important topics connected with the Message,
it should have documents before it to enable its Mem-
bers to see the notate and extent of the engagements
'eters-cc' to. With respect to the passing events in
France also, before they were called upon to pro.
%%ounce whether or-not they were in contravention to
these engagements themselves, they should have in,
formation formally and authoritatively communi-
cated to them. Having stated this preliminary opi-
nion, he would state a few words more immediately
concerning the statements in the Message. On these
points he could say, that no man more sincerely la-
mented than he -slid, the necessity that induced the
communication, or teel more strongly the dangers to
which the country was exposed, in consequence of the
etkirts uow passing in France. Those events, he ad-'
witted, placed the country in a situation that re-
quired measures of precaution, and he thought far-
ther, that the two branches of measures to which the
Message more particularly referred, were such as
Merited approbation, and especially that which went
to augment the naval and military force of the coun-
try. As to the proposition of these measures, under
all the circumstances of the country, no moo, he
thought, could doubt the propriety. With respect to
the (anther statement of the Message, that which re-
ferred to the permanent security of Europe, it cer-
tain') was a most important and necessary object,
and to be effectuated only by the means stated. But
on that point, undoubtedly, differences of opinion
may prevail. For his own part, he thought the mea-
sures referred to in that part of the Msssage may be
adopted, on the ground of their proceeding on a de-1
feusive princ'ple, and with a view to the preservation,,
if such could be dune consistently with the good
faith due to our Allies, and the general interests of
the cianitry and those of Europe. With such being
the inclination of his opinion, he was not inclined to
press any opi osiiion to these principles to the consi-
deration of their Lordships, leaving the question of
policy, and the conduct of that policy, with those
who possessed the measures, until the time when,
being in possession of the necessary information, they
could fully discuss the subject, and properly decide
upon it. With respect to the immediate considera-
tion of the Address A1114:11 was to be moved, in con-1
sequence of the Message, if it were proposed that
the answer should be of such a nature as by no means
to pledge the House to an opinion that it would be
right to enter into an immediate war, a point, upon
which, in the abseoce of necessary information, it
would be impossible to call for such an opinion. He
wits not inclined to offer any opposition to it.
Hu
wish was, that the House should not be called 'rpm)
to corni44 itself by apy prepatign declorsaiuts

that part of the subject; and he thought also that
unnecessarily to provoke discussion upon the point
might tend materially to endanger the interests of the
country. Again, to call for any decision upon t
in-
he
momentous question of Peace or War, would be
jurious in another point of view, and on which also
material differences of opinion prevailed ; they had
no satisfactory or authentic information as yet, as to
the real it:testi:ll state of France itself, and they knew
not in point of fact, how far the present Ruler of
France was in possession of the effectual authority
of the State, though he was certainly in possession
of the capital. It certainly, therefore, could not be
for the country, or of those great objects contem-
plated in the Message, to go unnecessarily into any
premature disciissien of the question of peace or war.
Under all these considerations he was induced to
hope, that in the Address care would be taken to
leave that important question open to future consi-
deration, or at least was not to pledge the House to
either opinion Were it so framed, he would not be
inclined to offer any opposition. But it contrary to
such a just expectation, they should be called upon
to decide a different line of policy, or to opinions
which might commit the House to a decision that
open hostilities ought to he immediately undertaken,
he should then deem it his duty to oppose such a line'
of proceeding; but he could not avoid taking that
early opportunity of expressing his hope, that the
Address would be such as to enable bias to suspend
any opposition to its adoption.
Earl STANHOPE thought the question upon
which their Lordships would have to decide, one of
the greatest importance, as involving, to a certain
extent at least, the momentous decision of peace or
war—war, which found every thing before it like the
garden of Eden, and left every thing after it like a
desolate wilderness. The question was rendered more
important when the recent Declaration of the Allied
Powers was considered ; and in that view it was his
intention to move for a Copy of the Declaration,
signed by the Ministers of the Allied Powers at
Vienna, and dated the 13th of Match, to be laid
upon the table of that House. It was proper the
contents of such a paper should be authoritatively
known to their Lordships. The principles upon
which that document was founded, were such as to
render it incumbent on the Noble Lord and others,
to say in what sense they understood its tenor, for,
according to the usual meaning of the English lan-
guage, it was most • horrible. In another point of
view, it went to inculcate, that the French nation, or
any other Government so circumstanced, ehould be
attacked. What, lie asked, authorised the teigning
family to sit upon the throne, but the tight conferred
upon them by the Parliament of the country ? that
same authority which had dismissed King James 11.
The same might be said with respect to the present
King of Spain, who owed his throne to the choice
of the Cortes, which was the Parliament of that
country : but in case of his expulsion, Englidi troops
might be sent into Sp tin to sapporc Ferdinand against
the Cartes and the people of that country, as well,
his Lordship seemed to think, as into France, under
its present circumstances; And on this paint he thought
there ought to ba a dear understaietilig whether the
i•iedge called for Isom the House s:eatid proceed on
the principle laid down by his Noble •Ftieod,
ur
whether it should be a pledge to go farther. II it
weie to he in stipoort oh tile instrument he had 'ela-
ted to, he %mild ...aelier die in the most horrid state
in online, than agree to such a proposition. The
Noble Earl then repeated his intention to move for
tile production of the document lie had adverted to.
, The Marquis of LANSDOWNE adverted to the
rumoured existeace of a stipulation, either in the
Treaty of Paris, or in some other, by which this
Country was said to be engaged to give its support
to the then Government of France ; and seemed to
rams' his disbelief in such an allegation.
•
Ihe Earl of LIVERPOOL bad no objection to
' answer, that any rumour of that kind was wholly
unfounded.
Earl STANHOPE enquired across the table whe-
ther the Ncble Earl had any objection tu the motion,
which he had stated his intention to bring fin-ward,
old which his Lordship again stated, but more fully
than above.
The Earl of LIVERPOOL seemed to have no
objection en the production, but disapproved of the
expression " forthwith."
Earl STANHOPE then said, if it did not come
on bethre to-morrow, it would not be of much use.
After a short question from Earl GREY as to the
nature of the proposed Address,
The Earl of LIVERPOOL observed, he should
have, when the subject was tegularly under discus-
sion, to state distinctly the objects of the Prince Re.
gent's Government, with respect to the line of con-1
duct to which they had advised his Royal Highness.,
One of those certainly was the fulfilment of the en-
gagements entered into by the Treaty of Paris, and
this would be implied by the Address, but it would
contain no words committing the House farther than
an approbation of the measures of arming, and of
the steps taken by this Country, in concert with its
Allies, towards the general security of Europe. In-
deed, he had no objection to transmit a copy of the
Address to Noble Lords opposite, if they desired it.
Lord GRENVILLE expressed his decided appro-
bation of the two measures referred to in the Mes-
sage ; and in the present most arduous and difficult
situation in which this country was placed, he thought
no man could doubt the necessity of adopting vigo-
rous measures—(Tar, hear).—Whatever levee of
success may be apected, they must be founded on a
co operation or connection with the Powers of Eu-
rope ; than thit, he thought nothing could be more
clear, and this truth he should like to see expressed
in the Address. At the same time, he desired to be
distinctly understood to express no opinion at all as
tp the dreadful and difficult alternative that may be
endured by the Country, when it would be necessary
to consider more particularly what course of policy
we should pursue. •
The question was then put, and the Lords were
ordered to be summoned to the consideration of his
Royal Highness's Message to morrow.—Adjourned.
HOUSE OF COMMONS.
Several Petition. were presented $n favour of the Scotch Jury
Bill, which were read, and ordered to lie on the table.
The False Measures Bill wer.t through a Committee, the re-
Port id which was ordered to be received roonorrew.
een. MOltitihON presented an Account of au total expense
of the hpildiag and fl tine up pf the new Mint, einiusive of the
lippar.aus of coining. °ratio: to He Ori tile table.
Mt. DAVlts, prevented an Account of Monies Japed by the
rs:earuFeF of the Navy, pursuant to an Act iif the 11141 of tht

Kings relative to the discovery of the Longitude. Ordered to
Re un the table.
Mr. HUSKI:;SON brought in Bills for dissffortulng and en-
closing vat of the Forests of Ezmota and Breckuock; read a first
and ordered to be read a second time.
The: Report of the Poor Returns Bill was re-committed, and
ordered to be taken into further cottsidtratton tomorrow.
Mr. ROBINSON gave notke, that un Monday he would
Inure that the House should resolve itself into a Committee on
the Acts relating to the Slave Trade, when he intended to in-
troduce certain Kt...elution', ultich would have for their object
the better care and protection tit the Negroes in our Cultsulal
possessions.

ASSIZE OF bUSAD.
Mr. MELLISH presented a Petition on behalf of certain
Bakers, concerned ia the measure, that they might have till
the loth of May, to bring in the lill relative to the Assize of
Breal, lu favour of which the House had been petitioned, as
they Wefe &taloa, before they roomier' further, to be made
acquainted with the result of the enquiries of the Cuetuuittee
up stairs.
Alter a few words from Mr. F. I.cwts and Mr. ROBINSON,
leave was given to the Petitioners to bring in the BiU at the time

tixtvd in the Petition.
IPstiAGE Fit') TIIE PRINCE ItE(.I:I4T,
Lord CASTI.hREAGIi appeared at the Liar with a Mes ;ape
hoot the Prince Rtgent, which was Brought up and read. (St.e
the Repott of the Loa's).
On the motion of Lord CASTLEREAGH. the PR IKCE Re-
oeNT's 'most gracious Ales Age wa.. ordered to be taken nucleon-

t.dcratiou to-morrow.
PUNISIINIENT OF TILE PILLORY.
Mr. M. A. TAYLOR, in bringing forward the
motion of which he had given notice, for leave to
bring in a Bill to abolish the punishment of the Pil-
lory, spoke at some length in condemnation of that
practice, which, he contended, was one which did no
good to the offenders nor to the spectators. For
every crime, the punishment ought to be apportioned
by the Court before which it was tried ; but in cases
where the pillory was resorted to, a power to increase
ur diminish the punishment was given to the crowd
assembled on the occasion, who were not the fittest
judges to decide on such a question. This he in-
stanced in the cases of Dr. Sacheverell and Daniel
I. Eaton, and in that of four men who had been con-
victed of a conspiracy to swear away the life of a man
who was actually executed for a robbery which he
had never committed. Dr. Sacheverell had been at-
tended by his livery servant, who held an umbrella
over him while he stood in the pillory. Mr. Eaton
had been cheered by the populace, and a cock was
placed on the pillory, to crow while he underwent his
sentence. The punishment of the four men he had
mentioned had been very different. He, for one,
was of opinion that the crime which they had com-
mitted was one for which they would have deserved
to be put to death, had the law inflicted that punish-
ment for the offence of which they were convicted.
But though this was his feeling, he was nevertheless
of opinion that they ought only to have been punished
according to the sentence which the law pi onounced
on their case. They, however, were put in the pil-
lory in different situations, and were treated with
such severity by the populace, that three of them
narrowly escaped with their lives, and the fourth ex-
pired in the pillory. However enormous their el-
fence, they ought not to have Sllffailti a punishment
' which violated the law. Still farther to drew tire in-1
equality and injustice of punishment by the pillory,
he adverted to an instance iu which two men were
placed iu the pillory at the same time, one of whom
iiad been convicted of a detestable crime ; the person
wit° had committed the smaller offence was mistaken
for the other, and suffered very severely, while the
greater offender escaped 61niust unhurt. The punish-
ment, be insisted, was unequal, as, to a mail its the
higher walks in life, it was were than death—it
drove him frrm society, and would not suffer him to
return to respectability ; while to a more liaiden2d
offender it could not be an object of much terror,
and it could not affect his family or his prospects it
the same degree. To chew the severity with which
legal punishments pressed upon persons in the higher
walks of life, he adverted to the case of Dr. Dodd,
who had been justly sentenced to die for f,rgery4
crime with respect to which the law could permit no
variation in the sentence. Before he received won.
trace of death, Dr. Dodd addressed the Court, and
set forth the circumstances of his former hie. He
stated, that many who had been among his hearers
had become better men from hearing him in the pulpit;
that he had been thus the means of rescuing others
from vice, and he added these words—" Condescend
to reflect, my Lord, if these considerations aggravate
my offence, how much they must embitter my pu-
nishment"—He strongly objected to a mode of pu-
nishment which might couple the adMirable author
of Junius with a common shoptitter. He concluded
by moving for Leave to bring in a Bill to abolish the
punishment of the Pillory.
Leave was given to bring in this Bill. . .
THE PRINCE REOENT'S SIEsSAOE.

Mr. WHITBREAD said, if he had been present
when the Noble Lcrd brought down the Message of
the Prince Regent (which had been brought down at
an unusually early hour) he should have objected to
the day which be had named, and which the House
had agreed to, for taking it into consideration. On
a question so important, the object of the Message
had net been very distinctly stated ; and as they had
not yet been informed of the means by which it was
to be obtained, he should have thought Monday
_
would have been a better day for the consiAerat.on
of the subject; and he would have moved as an
amendment, that Monday should be substituted fors
Friday, had he been in the House ; as to him it ap-
peared a longer period than that now afforded them
to prepare fur the debate was necess..ry. There were
some preliminary questions which ought to be an-
swered ; and first, he wished to know, as it had been
admitted there were secret understandings when the
Treaty of Paris was concluded, it oleic were oilyse-
cret articles ? Was there any ti tali in the 'mitten,
or half-otficial statement, which h:,.; appeared in the
public prints, that a secret article had been produced
at Vienna, which pledged the Allies to support the
Bourbons on the throne of France.? He wished this
question to be answered ; and 1:e wished to ask if the
Noble Lord would not now thuak it his duty iu lay
before them, and if he did not, whether the House
would not think it theirs to call, for the papers rela-
tive to the negociations at Chatillon ? These ought
to be given, that it might be seen what terms had
formerly been offered to Bonaparte. He wished the
Noble Lord and the House to consider if Monday
would not be the fitter day for tal;ing the subject into
consideration ?
Lord CASTLEREAGH, with respt•ct to the first
' point milled upon by the Hon. Gentleman, that
.the Message had beenbrought down at an unusually
early our, amebended it had not been brough