Star.
London, England, 1824-03-24 00:00:00

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fLaughter).—tle intended to move that the Bill be read
a first time this day six months. The Right Hon. Gent.
(Mr. Canning) would much oblige the House by giving
his opinion, at least he would much oblige him.
Mr. Secretary CANNING—" Sir, the Hon. Gentle-
111112n has such a winning way—(A laugh), that although
I was certainly very much disposed not to offer myscll
to the House on this occasion, yet I cannot refuse his
solicitation"—(A laugh, and hear). But even were he
(Mr. Canning) otherwise disposed, he felt bound to rise
in order to say, that under the present circumstances of
the country the continuance of the measure, with thOse
modifications which had been introduced into it by
striking out certain parts of the Bill, was necessary.—
lie should postpone stating his seasons for coming to
that conclusion until n future stage of the Bill ; but
whether the posers conferred by it were to he vested
in the Executive or the Legislature; whether they
Were to be regulated by the directions of the Crown,
or by Statute, it was a monstrous. absurdity to say,
that a Government should not have the power to
regulate the residence of foreigners within the realm.
Whether the power were to be vested in the Crown or
the Legislature, was one question; but he should resist
the attempt to lay down as a rule, that any community
could exist without the exercise of such right. The next
question then was as to the policy of exercising that right.
He WaS free to say, that in the general course of affairs
cases might arise in which the continuance of that mea-
sure might not be necessary ; but he did think that for
sonic time past circumstances had existed, and which
had not yet passed away, on account of which, in his.
_ mind, the Bill ought not entirely to be dispensed with.
Strangers were then ordered to withdraw, and the
House divided; when there were-
- For the first readiur 129
Agatbst it - - 69-60
On the re-admission of strangers to the gallery, it
was found that the Bill had been read a first time, and
ordered to bc read a second time on Friday next.
SLAVE TRADE PIRACY

Mr. Secretary CANNING said, that an Honourable Friend of
bis,4lot then in his place had expressed a desire to yeah on the
third reading of the Slave Trade Piracy Bill; therefore, be (Mr.
Canning) wished that the house would permit the postponement
of the third reading until to-morrow, when it might come on at an
early hour—say half-past four o'clock.—Thi third reading of the
Bill was accordingly fixed for to-morrow.
On the Motion of Lord A LTHOItP, the Committee on the
Comm), Courts Bill was fixed for Friday next.
TUE NEW COURTS OF LAW.

Mr. BANKES rose to move for a Committee on this
subject. lie said that there would, no doubt, be a great
many objectors to his motion for a Committee ; but as
he -merely asked for a Committee of Inquiry into the
subject of the new Courts, he hoped that his opponents
would not suffuse that the object of his motion was at
once for the pulling down those biiildings. He was ready
to allow that • much liberality of expense had been be-
stowed upon the approaches to the two .Houses of Par-
liament. The decorations on the north side of West-
minster 1141 were very tastefully done. The fault of
the buildings for the new Courts was their obscuring
the most beautiful front of the Hall. As a matter of

taste, it was a subject worthy of inquiry. Ile could not
conceive how such a pile of building should ever have
been sanctioned by the-Treasury. The Committee would
he bound to find a place near the Hall for the Court of
king's .Bench, and this place he thought might be found
on the left side of the Hall towards the river, and near
the Soreaker's house, where the Exchequer Office was at
present. The new buildings were only in wall, and
might be stopped without incurring any great expense.
The time of the Committee would be p incipally devoted
to the discovery of-an adequate situation for another!
edifice, and for inquiring into the character of the pre-
sent one. The Honourable Member then moved, that
the estimates of the expense incurred, and that likely to
be incurred, for the new Courts, should be referred to a
Select Committee.
Mr: AGAR, ELLIS seconded the Motion, at the same
time expressing his respect for the architect who built
the new Courts.
- - The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said,
that his was a novel situation, as he had generally to
move for greater expenses, and he was now called upon
to oppose them, when suggested by his lionothable
Friend. He objected to pulling down a pile of build-
ings nearly, completed, and the completion of which
had been so much pressed for, on the ground of the con-
verrience of Courts of Justice. 'He thought that the
architect (Mr. Soane) had been rather harshly used by
his Honourable Friend. The architect had very little
latitude allowed him in drawing up the plans fet these
new Courts. As far as taste was concerned, it might
. .

be desirable to get rid of all the buildings which obscured
the facade of the Hall ; also to pull down St. Marga-
ret's Church. The building of new Courts had been
strongly urged by several Members, and he (the Chan-
cellor of the Eschequei) had been censuted by the
Solicitor-General and the Learned Member for Win-

chehea (Mr. Brougham), for not having had them com-
pleted at an earlier r. eri9d. It was very hard upon the
persons (Colonel Stevenson and Mr. Soane) to whom
• the•superintendence of these woi ks had been left, to call
•down upon them the censure of the House. This was
particularly severe upon Mr. Soane, whose professional
character and emoluments were thus put in hazard.
He was not disposed to acquiesce in die Motion, because
,it would occasi•-in a great deal of delay. The House
ought not to be indi.terent to those considerations re-
specting the administration of justice, which originally
led to the selection of this very spot for the new Courts.
Nor did -he wish to see a building, nearly completed,
torn down for reasons so unsatisfactory as those which
bad been urged by the honourable Member.
3lr. 11. GURNEY made a few observations.
hit. W. DAN KES said that be did not mean to throw any impu-
tation-on the architect, whom he knew to be a man of taste and
Liberality—(hear)—still he could not defend the present emanatioo
from his hands. As be (Mr. liankes) had lived-a great deal abroad,
foreigners were in the habit of asking him to shew them about the
town. Ile ba&always done so, but when they came to these
buildings, he felt ashamed to give the architect's name. Be shoUld
support the motion.
Sir J. MACK 1 NTOSII rose to vindicate his _ Learned Friends
from the attacks of the Chancellor of the Exchequer. They had
pressed for the building of the new Courts, but not for the identical
Courts now under conaider.aion. The expleiration of the Right
lion. Gentleman as to the restraints plated oil Cob Stevenson and
Soane, left him at greater liberty to give his vote, as be might
do so without implicating the taste of those Gentlemen. The mo•
Lion seemed to be a lionafitk ore for a Committee of Inquiry, and
cot a disguised one to bet the opinion of the Howe. Ile should
vote for it. . .
Dix. W. WILLI A hIS said that all the Courts might be built on
the sameside of the Hall, and the objectionable excrescence removed.
Lord G. CA.VENDWI was in favour of the Committee, al-
though be did nitmean to Make any imputation on the skald
architect.
blr. HUME said that, following the example set by this motion,
a C • tee of Taste Of that House ought to be appointed, in order
tat all plasts of buildings for the future might be submitted to them.
The buildings flow to be -commenced at the front of the Treasury
ought to be looked do before any plan was entered upon or any ex.
COW incurred. But the Naha ought to be cautivus how they