Star.
London, England, 1815-06-02 00:00:00

HABEAS CORPUS.

Mr. Serjeant ONSLOW moved for the appoint-
mut of a Select Committee, to inquire into the law
of Haws Coriuu ad lathfaciendum. He did this be-
le:Mt a Bill of his, to regulate the law on this subject,
bad been ord. red by the other House to be read a se.
ernid titne that they six months, although it had pissed
the Commons almost scitheueoppositton. The Com.'
maitre was necessary, to know whethir any :mien&
meut in this pert of the law ought to be adilited or
not. He in,tanced the case of a man named Hoff.
man, who was Commander of a Hanoverian ship,
which was captured by a privateer under Spanish co.
lours, commanded by a man named Valanstein..—
Hotiman was confined by Valanstein, and his life put
in danger. Application was made to the Court of
Common Pleas, bgt it was five weeks before it was
possible, from the defect of the law, to bring up Hoff-
man. It •might be said, that an action for false im-
prisonment, to recover damages, might .be brought
in such a case as this; but ng damages *could be a
sufficient reparation for depriving a man so long of
his liberty.
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL would not op.
post this motion, 'if it only went to enquiry into this
anilect. but he contended there was a remedy for
all cases like those complained of ; although, in wine
bounces, the remedy might not bethought sufficient.
coald'not give his consent • to such a Bill As that
:iyhtch his Learned Friend had before brought. into '
the Howie ; but he would give every assistance in his
puvr,r to ii,e proposed.enqiney.
W. WYNNE. said, he. thodg! t that a mere
sasoicion of violence • being done to the liberty of the
subject Was ient to trate the audition and en-
gu:-/ fl-that- House. B,ippOse b ruin impressed b)
Clio rship, who 'had a spite tow Ards him ,
lxe rilt•Vt) for &writ' of kiabeas Corpns, and the

Captain refuses to make any return to the writ, and
...ids with the man to the East Indies. Paring), on
his return to this country, .the man who had done
hint this injury could not be found, if even redress
could be- procured from him for so grievous an
injury.—The Committee Was then appointed.
BATHING IN TIIK THAMES.
Mr. W. WYNNE objected to n clause in the Act
for preventing depredations on the River Thames,
and preventing bathing in the river. The clause went
to prevent indecent bathing in the Thames, from tile
entrance of the East India Docks, to Battersea-bridge.'
This was said to be intended to prevent indecent ex-
posure of naked persons ; but there was a punishment
at common law for such an offence. But were they
to prevent the Westminster boys and labourers from
bathing, for their health ? In other countries there
. were schools for swimming: He then moved for
leave to bring in a Bill to repeal that part of the
Thames Police Act which prevented bathing in the
River Thames.
Mr. H. ADDINGTON stated that various repre-1
sentations had been made to his office of the existence
at this nuisance: The clause was introduced to give
the Thames Police a discretionary power to punish
those acts of bathing, which might be judged to
amount to a nuisance. The Magistrates had con-
•
fined these to parts of the river where they had placed
cautionary notices against indecent bathing in such
places, He would submit to the opinion of the
House, although he retained his former opinion re-
specting this clause. -
Mr.W.WY NNE said, the notices were so getterali
that they certainly extended from Blackwell to Bat-
tersea-bridge.
Sir J. NEWPORT objected to the discretionary
power granted to the Magistrates, which allowed
them to construe a certain act into a nuisance or not,
as they pleased.
Mr. HARVEY contended that there had been
great nuisances committed by bathers in the Theme-
s was then given to bring in the Bill.
The Downpatrick Election Bill was read a first
and second time, and ordered for a third reading.
Mr. GORDON moved for a Copy of a Procla-
mation issued by General Ainslie, while Governor of
Dominica.
Sir R. HERON said, this business had been kept
hanging over General Ainslie for a long time. He
wished to know when it was really to be brought
forward ? •
Mr. GORDON said, he was ready to bring it for-
ward to-morrow, if he had the Proclamation.
Sir R. HERON promised to give the Hon. Gen-
tleman the Proclamation he wished for • and with
that understanding the notice was allowed to stand
for to-morrow.
Mr. V. FITZGERALD obtained leave to bring
in Bills for securing the Excise Duties on stained
paper, hides and skins, malt, and spirit licenses.
In answer to a question from Mr. FINLAY, Mr.
-V. FITT:GINALD said, it was not his intention to pro.
pose the repeal of the bounties on Irish Printed
Cottons, as the sum paid in that way was under
£lOOO a year.

ENTRAPPING SLAVES.
Mr. HORNER said, the; the House would recol-
lect, that during the progress of the itegociations at
Ghent between this country and America, he put a
question to a Right Hon. Gentleman opposite, as
to the truth talsehood.of an assertion made by
the American Government, that during the war a
Proclamation was issued by one of our Commander,
tempting away the slaves 'belonging to the United
States. under a promise of freedom ; and that they
were afterwards sold in our Colonies. This was a
most.grievous,charge ! At the time, however, when
he first put thii question, it was thought better to
say nothing on the subject, as negociattous between
the two countries were then pending. But now he was
anxious for the sake of the character of the country,
and of the gallant Officer alluded to, to know whether
there was any the least foundation for this charge.
Mr. GOULBOU RN was not then able to state
any thing absolutely decisive on this subject. The
charge was so very serious, that he and his colleagues.
addie.sed a Note to the American Commissioners,
trusting that they would. communicate to them the
evidenCe on which it was founded, in order that our.;
Officers might be brought to punishment if the charge I
was found to be tr ue. The American Plenipoten-
tiaries did not think themselves justifiable in furnish-
ing them with the document respecting the charge,
which they were possessed of, in a public form ; but
they did give them to him as a private individual. Thu
whole of it rested on the affidavit of an individual of
the State of Virginia, who deposed, that being a pri.
soar at Bahama he saw a slave sold out of an Eng.
lish ship, the name of which he (Mr. Goulboume)
did not now recollect: and which had then arrived
from the coast of America. The affidavit also stated,
that the deponent understood this to be a common
practice. As he named the person to whom the slave
Was sold, the Noble Lord at the head of the ColOnial
Department directed him to enquire whether there
was any such person at Bahama, and whether be
had any slave? No answer bad yet been received,
but he expected that a satisfactory one would arrive'
before the close of this Session, which he would imme-
diately communicate to the louse.
Mr. HORNER said, as far as this information
went, it was satisfactory; and it gave him sincere
pleasure to hear that there wasito little likelihood of
bringing home a charge so heinous against the cha-
racter of a gallant officer. or that of this country.

NEW POET-OFECR.

On the motion that tie Report of the Committee
on the New Post.olfice should be received.
Mr. A. WRIGHT was convinced in his own mind
that there was some necessity for a new Post-olfice,-
but considering that the bpsmess was conducting
upon the whole with very great celerity, and that' the
money both of the pubau; and the Government was
sufficiently employed, he could not consent to the
measure.
Mr. W. SMITH made some objections to the mea-
sure. He considered that the removal of the Post-
office to St. Martin's•lst-Grand would be an obstruc-
tion to the projected improvement in the streets, by
making a free passage from Blackfriass-bridge tcs the
,forth road through Fleet-market. Besides, here
was Someriet.place unfinished, for the completion of
which he would rather see avotwoo employed, than
for the building of a new Poet-office, for that would
Afford situati,,us for numerous Wives, which ware at
i'reloost w diierest_parts ot-tha *t, at•Wesciniaster. •
Mr. IS ititCLAY wa, surprised at the mode of

R :s

mishit a fund for the building of the new Pita-office.
Why could they not raise it from the public funds at
once ? He wished the House not to concur with such
an expensive undettaking at present, now that we
wets entering upon such a war, and wee compelled
to furnish such enormous supplies.
Mr. Alderman ATKINS conceived, from the
evidence that had been given, that a Post-office was
indispensibly necessary—it was impossible to build
one without expense. and as little money as possible
would be laid out upon it.
Mr. BANKES thought there was no real necessity
for building the new Post-Office this year. In com-
mon with every Member, he had admired the celerity
with which the business of the Post Office was con-
ducted, and if the officers did incur any inconveni-
ence, it was only for an hriur or an hour and a halt I
each day. Every thing in the new building style
' was carried to an excess. A basement storey of Port-
land stone, and an lonic portico, were to adorn the
Transport Office, which, perhaps, some gentlemen
might happen to know, as situated in Cannon-row,
fronting the Thames.—The same expensive plans
were pursuing with regard to the new Custom-house
and the new Mint. He trusted that no expenditure
on public buildings would hereafter he suffered that
was not controuled by a Board of Works. He should
therefore move, as -an amendment, that, instead of
being now received, the Report should be postponed
to this day three months.
Mr. GORDON objected to the removal of the
Post-office at all, to the offices being built at present,
and to the underhand way in which the business re-
specting the new Post-office had been conducted.
Mr. PROTHEROE said he should vote for the
measure.
Mr. LOCKHA RT was opinion, that we ought
not to undertake any new buildings that were not in-
dispensably necessary to us. With respect to the
Fluent measure, in particular, be wished time to be
given, in order that the City of London might thew
their libetality by contributing towards the building
in question, out of their proper funds.--Withoot
thus trenching on the Orphans' Fund, he believed
the City to posses wealth which bid been bequeathed
to them for superstitious purposes, to whict► it had
'long since become quite impossible to apply it.—
There was, in particular, a certain sum bequeathed
for the express purpose of buying off Christians
made captive by the 'Algerines, though he believed
not one such Christina bad been ransomed for the
last hundred years.—(4 hell.)—lt was from such
sources as these that the City might reasonably be
expected to contribute to an object in which the City
was itself so much interested, and which it was de-

signed to embellish.
Strangers were here ordered to withdraw, expect
ing a division. This did not now take place.—Re-
entering the Gallery, Mr. H. Susan= was on his
legs. The Honourable Member said, that no tair
and satisfactory examination had been allowed, and
therefore there could be no just decision on the part
of the House. If, however, the Post-Office wds to
be removed at all, he should say that, consulting all
interests, the site of Somerset House was the pro-
perest to be fixed upon. No argument had been c.-
tablished on the health of the Other, when the ques-
tion was put respecting it. Why were the home
districts to be liable to an aggravated I•tc.il tax, merely
because the persons woo lived the nearest to it en-
joyed the satisfaction of contempliting the beauties
of the new Office ? Would the Right Honourable
Gentleman pretend to support so flimsy an argument
As this ? Vie had voted five millions to our Allies,
which he conceived to be proper, it war WAS to be
wagel with effect; but, at the same time, it might
be proper to reflect how far the sums we were lavish-
ing oti public buildings and new streets, without any
necessity, might have assisted us in carrying on the
war. There was to be £500,000 for a certain new
street ; for the new Post-Office, et 500,000 ; for a
Penitentiary ee250,000 ; the like sum for a New
Mint; and i 8.30.000 for the new Transport• Office ;
not to mention the new Custom House. Such were
the immense sums thus about to be voted and ex-
pended on all sides, while at the same time the na-
tion was engaging in an extensive war.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER
said, if he could be convinced that the present Post
Office could be rendered fit for public purposes In-1
stead of another, he should be the first co withdraw
his support of the Bill. As to the scite he felt prin-
cipally for the convenience of those Gentlemen who
were engaged in foreign correspondence ; while at
the same time, the Public in general might be bene-
fitted by a more central spot. He understood that
40 or £.50,000 might annually be added to the busi-
ness of the Post Office, which could not at present be
done. The building was to be conducted at the joint
expense of the Government and the City of London,
with, he must say, great liberality on their part.—
'Every stage of the delay bad a tendency to increase
the expense, by enhancing the demands for indemni-
ties. The persons who resided in and about the
Metropolis derived great gratification from the im-
proveinent of the leading avenues, and could not be,
unwilling to contribute their proPorlion towards
them. If such improvements were desirable, and he
was called upon to propose a Tax for accomplishing
them, be knew of no one less objectionable than six-
pence a chaldron on 'coals ; since he remembered
that a more considerable duty had lately been taken
off, yet nobody bad perceived the remission of it.—
He did not think any reasons had been assigned for
postponing the measure, when compared with those
which were offered in its favour. It first had-been
decided that another Office ought to be built ; and
then, that the present plan was the more eligible one.
It was 'calculated to improve the City ot London,
who were as willing so contribute to It from their
funds, as to participate in the advantages it held oat.
Mr. ROSE observed, that he certainly did not
give his vote from his own private examination of the
details before the House, but from deference to the
long end patient labours of the Committee, and glio
from his finding it impossible to carry on the business
of the Post Office where it stood now.
Mr..BROWNE supported the Bill, from a con-
viction that it would be bad poly to delay the build.
ing of an Office which already produced one million
and a half yearly, sad which was calculated to pro.
duce still more. He defedded the conduct of both
..he Committees; since he never knew a subject that
was more diligently discussed in any Committee, so
much so as 'veil to conediate•the blensuir,for Tann-
toe, who bad cooed entirely to oppose the measure.

...There being loud calls for the cieestion. the Moil*
now divided. when the numbers were—Ayes, lb--
Noes. 56—Majority for the &cresol°.
The Report was then clacked be be recommitted
on Monday next.
GRANT FOR THE FOFF-OFFICR.

On the motion of the CHANQSI.4.OII of the EXCUX-
(WWI. the Rouse now went into a Committee for the
purpose of grirat:ing a sum towards the erection of a
New Post-
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER
said, after the long and able arguments which had
' been advanced, he should decline troubling the
House. He would simply tonne, therefore, that it
was the opinion of the Committee, that the sum of
£240,000 should be advanced, from time to time,
oat of the revenues of the Post-Office, towards put..
chasing the ground, and clearing the avenues for the
New Office about to be built.
Mr. GORDON was astonished at the magnitude
of the sum, when he considered it only as preparatory
to other groins.
Mr. H. SUMNER thought that £205,000 was to
have been supplied from the Orphans' Fund, for the
purpose of clearing the ground. He hoped the !tight
Hon. Gentleman would yet consider all the different
plans which had been submitted to him, And give
an opportunity for deciding for the most eligible one.
The building ought not to receive a final order lug
execution till those plans had been examined by the
Treasury Board, and submitted fur the sanction of
the House.
Mr. BANKES defended the prqposod plan.
Mr. Gordon, Mr. Wr.atesley, Mr. liatterwnrth,
Mr. P. Carew, Mr. Sumner, and Mr. Gt.:well;
shortly spoke, alter which the first R_.s.)lution tot
ei40,(00 from the Revenues of the P.st-ofiice, to-
wards the purchasing of ground and clearing tae
avenues, was put and agreed to.
It was then proposed, that compensation should
be made from the funds of the Post• Office, to several
parishes, inr the rates which they would lose by
having several houses taken down for the new site at
the intended building.
After a few .words against this clause from Mr. H.
SUMNER* Mr. MARTIN. and Mr. CALCRAFT, and in
support of it by the CHANCLI.LOROf the EXCHEQUER
and Mr. LUSHINGTON. the House divided.—Fur the
Clause, 55—Against it, 21—Majority $4.
The other clauses were then agreed to. Report on
Monday.