Star.
London, England, 1828-05-21 00:00:00

FRENCH PAPERS.

- !'ROM THE THE GAZETTE DE FRANCE, MAT 19.
CORFU, AMU. 15.
The reinforcements brought by the squadron of S rph-
tury'have been landed at Dragomestre. Some theek
vessels are expected in tie Port of Tieeesa, which are
to commence in the Gulf of Arta the operations for the
invasion of Epirus. A circumstance favourable to the
Greeks has lately harmed in that country. The Bey
and the Agas of Datvino, and other places in Albania.
had not obeyed the orders of Redschid Pacha, who had
commanded them to repair to Janina. In consequence
of this, ReJschid sent his son and 500 men to D.lvino
to punish the Albanian Chief,. But the lacier made
themselves masters of the forts of Jamoa-Q.►arantana,
and also entrenched themselves in the citadel of Purto
Palermo. •

The most active among them was Sey Bey, the
,on
of Mustapha Pacha. These Chiefs are, therefore, in
open revolt against the Porte ; and are become the more
dangerous, because the Christian inhabitants of the
country have joined them. Their example inailhave
an influence very rejurious to the Porte in the rest of
Albania.. Gazette de Florence.

NEM THE MESSAGER DES CHAMBERS, MAY 18.
SECOND EDITION.

The Journals have given this morning, u received by
telegraphic dispatches, news from Lisbon of. the 3d of
May. We have letters of the same date, which may
'throw some light on the events of the eafital.
LISBON, MAT 5.
I know from good authority that Don Miguel was,
inclined to accept the crown, if it had been offered tol
him by a preponderating majority, and by the most in-
fluential part of the people. Being deceived in his ex-1
pectations, the Infante perceived that it was nece.sary to
temporize, but in his Decree In reply to the Address
of the Municipality, he expressed, in a manner by no
Means equivocal, bus satisfaction at the popular move-
ments organised in his favour. The latter part of
the Decree indicates measures which ate entirely con-
sonant to what had just passed. The firm cond,act which
the Foreign Ministers continue to observe has.ms.de a
!cleat impression on the mind of his Royal Highness,
who hoped that their Excellencies, in giving an account
to their Ccurts of the late event,, would infer from them
the necessity of suffering the Portuguese nation to crown
the Prince whom it had chosen, as if any thing moie
than a sound judgment was ss anted to see that the
masses which acted on the 25th were guided by an in-
&vice from which the respectable inhabitants had
kept' free.

The chief intrigue's are now so sensible that their
plan has failed, that they would willingly endeavour to
prepare a second more decisive; but enormous sums
would be required, and the penury of our finances b
notorious.

It is affirmed that the Foreign Ambassadors, not
satisfied with blaming the events which are now hap
pening in Portugal, have addressed energetic notes to
the Infante, to induce him to abandon the crooked path
into which he has entered; if his Royal Highness con-
•tinues deaf to their wise remonstrance'', it is expected
that their Excellencies will leave Portugal.
The obstinacy of the Infante, and his ambition, which
his followers take care to keep, by concealing from him
tile dangers of his situation, gives reason to fear a very
deplorable result; meantime the authorities continue to
take efficacious measures for the pie•ervation of tran-
quillity in the capital. The juices dos baitro (corns is.
saries of the quarters) have ordered the keefiers of coffee
houses and taverns, and all public tstabfislanents, t'.
forbid their customers to indulge in any di cession on
political subjects. M. Joseph Bernard de Fatia, Ma.
gistrate at •Coimbra, and M. Pinto Coelho, formed)
Civil Corregidor of the City, have jest been appointed
Stib-Intendants of Police.

'lnt Nona Dust also prirkiiitt4l Pe:itioo from Northumberr,
land against any Alteration of tl: ft Girls Lima: ,
in raov Mulattos.
The Marquis of DOWNS!! 1 lOC pre.efiteti a Pl.tltion from a
considerable number of Nohletrit4l; Gentlemen, Landowners,'
Merchant., and others in the Kitigdoeti of Ireland, describing the
distresaed stair of the population of mit country, and praying that;
some niea-ure might be iidoeted to encourage and facilitate the:
employment of the people. The Petitioners respectfully suggested
the appointment via Commission, to devise some system for drain-
ing and cultivating the wave laml4, which rsiited to the extent of
many mildotis of acres, and for more fully developing the other vast
natural resources of the country.

&OMAN CATHOLICS.
Earl GREY, after apologising to their Lordships for having
yesterday offered to them a Petition aildtes+esi t•) the other house,
of Parßeale:it, said that he now held the right Petition io hi: hand,
which, after the indulgence their Lordships had extended to him
on that occasion, he would now present without any farther obser-
vation. The Petition, Which was from the Noblemen, Gentle Men,
and others professing the Roman Catholic religion in Great Britain,
and prayed for relief trims all civil disabilities, was then read at
length, and ordered to lie upon the table.
Lord KING presented a similar Petition from the Roman Ca-
tholic Inhabitant, of Donoughmore, in Ireland.
The Earl of WA FTESBURY presented a grtat number of
Petitions, against any further Concessions to the Roman Catholics,
front diffetent Parishes io the County of Cavan.
Earl GUOSVENOR, after several observations, presented, a
Petition frqm thr Roman Catholics of Holly well, in the County
of Chester, for the repeal of the civil (liabilities under which they
labour:

The above Petitions were severally ordered to lie upon the table.
On the motion of Lord Wmaascurrt, the Report of the Night
Poaching Bill was received, and the third reading ordered for
to-morrow.

SURREY COAL METERS BILL.
The Earl of SHAFTESBURY moved the third reading of
this Bill.

The Duke of WELLINGTON said, chit he had
made inquiries opoa thebubject, and hr had been led to
conclude that it was desirable that the present Bill
should pass; but he begged to propose a clause, limit-
ing its operation to one year him theist of July next.
He proposed this ct.use with a view to prevent-the Bill
rom stanuing in the way of our luture improvement
which might be suggested. •
. Lord KINLi was glad to hear the proposal of the
Noble Duke, as he was desirous that an opportunity
should he afforded for a full discussion of the subject in
the next Session of Parliament. The present system was
only calculated to throw th- public off their guard, for
if inquiries were made into the actual practice, it would
be found so slovenly as to be a mere delusion: He had'
heard of one of the principal Meters for Middlesex
being in the King's Bench •Ptiton. from the month of
November to March. On the espirAtion of this Bill in
July of next year,. he should recommend that for the
futute it should be left to the option of the buyer, whe-
ther he would not avoid the expense of metage by trust-
ing to the good faith of the "eller.
Lord WHARNCLIFFE said, that as he was con-
nected with the coal trade in the north, and belonged
to a class of men who were frequently described as over.
grown monopolists, he was anxious for a fall investiga-
tion of the subject. He was particularly anxious to
asceitain if some means could not be found of getting
rid of the enormous expense which attended the deli-
very of coals in this toit. 11

The Amendment was thee► agreed to, and the Bill read a third
time and passed.

MKT)/ 111711ANCHIlitliENT BILL.
The House went into a Committee to. hear Counsel against the
Disfranchkement Bill.

Mr.. Ha sallow stated, that after anxiously considering the respon-
sibility which he was under—though his clients were desirous to
clear themselves from the imputations which had been cast upon
them, yet, as he was persuaded no evidence had been. given which
could by possibility induce their Lortlships,to sanction the Bill, he
had come to a determination to close the case without' calling any
witnesses; and rely with confidence on the judgment of their Lord-
ships.
The• Earl of CA RN A R VON moved, that the further consider-
ation of the Dill should be postponed till after the holidays.
The House adjourned at Tsv aster MINUTIA. isroas
HOUSE OF COMMONS.

Mr. Carrels, from the Treasury, presented an Account respect-
ing the Land Tax, Customs, and Excise.
Mr. E. 13.0 LI V Epresented a Petition from certain Inhabitants of
Hereford, praying fur the Abolition of Slavery in the West Indies.
Lord STANLEY presented a similar Petition from certain In-
habitants ot Manchester and Salford.

..._ ...-.
Lord HOT H A M presented a similar Petition from certain In.
hahiti
..nts of Leominster.

The Petitions were ordered to be printed.
Mr. LYTTLETON presented a Petition from the Malnters pi
Watham against the Malt Tax.

Mr. Alderman WOOD presented a Petition from the Woollen
Manufacturers of Warminster. relative to the Acts of Parliament
affecting their trade. •

Ain; a few words from Lord Summer, the Petition was ordered
to be printed.
Nit. W. -SMITH presented a Petition from the Unanimous
Friendly Society, held at Preston, against the Friendly Societies'
. .

Lord WILLIAM PO W LEI'T presented a Petition front
Sunderland and Bishop Wearnsoutlt against the Small Notes Re-
striction Bill.

Mr. PEN DA !W ES presented Similar Petitions from Redruth
and the parish of Cimbornt.

On the notion of LA" WK. Powixrr, a Return was ordered of
the quantity of bead and Lead Ore imported into irelaud during
the year ending January, 1828.

A DMI RA LTY COURT-IRELAND.
Sir JOHN NEW I'OILT said, lie rose for the purpose of pro-
pedal,' an humble Address to the King, piaying that his Majesty
would be graci-usly pleased to direct the Commissioners of Judi.
cial Inquiry in Ireland to inquire into the Irish Admiralty Court;
the nature and talent of its duties; how those duties were per.
formed; and the• amount of tees and other ezpinws iniuired
therein ; the ',remit..., given foi monies lodged in Court I if any of
its proceedings *Lir eitnisaule in .sinother Court ; the corn-
parative expense at which such proceedings cook' be (ahem.
1 After a few words (rum Mr. W. Lau* and Ur. esoust
•

. Dr. pIIILIAMQrtE suggested doe propriety of intorporariag'
the Irish ana Hoggish Admiralty Courts.
The lirlotimiwss then put and tarried.
A blessa,ge front the Lords announced that their Lordships had
agreed to several lens without Amendment. •
IMAM LAWS.
Mr. P. THOMSON said, he was await, that the
subject to which he was about to regiest the attendees
of tie Hesse had been so frequently discussed, that he
could not hope to advat ce any thing new respectiog it.
ed be should have been content simply to makethe
eireeibition with which he should conclude,. but he tc-.
nienibered that no discussion upon it had taken plaCe
during the pae.ent Parliament. and therefore he felt it
riecessaty to investigate the different arguments which
had heel', or might he used in opposition to his views
lest om 'not doing so he might lose some of that sup-
port which he certainly thought he was entitled to re-
ceive; and as he Might he accused of presumption in
taking upon himself to bring und-r discussion so im-
portant a subject, he would briefly state the reasons
%hid) had inouced him to do so. The House would re-
member, that in the year 1818. at the instance of an
honourable and Learned Gentleman (Mr. Sergeant
Ottilew), whose labours upon the subject had entitled
him to t gra:itude of his cornerye a Committee was
appoinred to eerier into the effects of the Usury Laws.
Out t a enry-une privets examined before the
Committee; iighteets 'were of opinion that the. Usury
Laws were not only inoperative, but injurious. Of the
'other three; taiocarne to conclusions in direct contra-
diction to the evidence; and the other one, Mr. Gurney,
`who me his testimony against the repeal of the laws,
had since changed, his opinioteend had authorised hies
(Mr. P. Thomson) to state, that if he were now exa-
mined at the bar of the House, his evidence would be
of a very diffeleit nature. The Report of the Cern-
miitee was decisive as to the mischievous nature of those'
laws. 'the observation of the Earl of Liverpool was
also of m deter! importance. In 1826 the Neblg bird,
in his place in the H use of Lords, stated that ehe was
aware that many obstacles existed in the way of abro.
gating those laws ; but his opinion was, Vat at no very
distant day their Lot dships must give their attention to,
the subject. It was certainly.one of great difficulty,
but he considered that the present state of the laws
couldbe defended on no sound principles." Who, tt•en,
could. say that laws which were made three or four hun-
dred years ago were applicable to the present state of
society ? One of the greatest argurv.ents against the
repeal of those laws was, that they prevented
.prodie
gality, but this he did not consider to be the case: they
only prevented the prodigal from raising mqtiey in such
a way as to have. the advantage of dealing with persons
who competed in the open market. They made, him
pay for secrecy and illegality. The case of. Toward
and Gibbs was a very.ntemorable one. It was notorious
that they were in the habit of 'making 20,0001, or
25,0001. a year by lending to prodigals, And that a num.
her of persons had been ruined by them, He. should
next pass to another class of eases, to exemplify the
injurious application of thiee laws. He would suppose
the case of a man. who. endying, bequeathed to lel
;three sons 10,0001. each—to the first the amount aft
houses ; co the second a similsr emouneen lteda., tn 4
to the third a like sum in tunnel. The first mighseegeley
ask and receive any amount of interest. in the slispe..of
rent" for his houses, that he pleased; the mood might
do the same for his lauds ; but the third, if be took in
the shape of intete t tor his money, one traction beyond
.5001. per annum (or 5 per.cente he was liable. not
merely to the loss of his whale capital, but three times
its amount, which he must pay or end his life in gaol.
The difficulty of raising money by landholders had teen
extensively felt—in the time of war patriculaily, inso-
much that Mr. Phipps ('no bad authority) stated in his
evidence, that during the war the term " mortgage"
became obsolete. On the same subject, the evidence of
Mr. Preston was at variance with his opinion ; his con.
elusion was, that the lees ought not to be repealed,
while his evidence ••ent to show that landholders net
being able to raise money in the usual way, at the legal
. rate of interest, were necessitated to do so by way pi
annuity at 10, 15, nay 20 per cent. per annum. Thus,
in borrowing money, it became necessary to evade the
laws, and every evasion was expensive. The Hon.
Member then went on to show that the imposition of
restrictions upon the traffic in money had the effect of
raising the rate of interest, and cited a case which oce
cur red in Li*onia, where the legal and the market rates
of interest had been the same, six per cent. The legal
rate was, howevet, reduced to five per cent. tee come.
vence of which was, to raise the mat ic,t price of mono;
to seven per cent. In this country case after case flight
be cited of men being ruined by paying indirectly. More
than the legal interest, one of which occurred in' IBltl
to a Geneernan'asho was'possessed of propertyivorth
16,0001.. 'On hich he wanted to borrow 8,0004; but
Could not obtain a :loan at five per cent. He Was,
consequently, obligee to raise it by granting an anituity
of 76b1. per' annum, nearly ten per cent: white the cost
or preparation eaf the deed, :mounted to MI: andthe
party lending the money alleging a I. sa of 1.2021. by
selling oueof the funds re accommodate the lea-rower,
the latter had to pay that sum else, which, with the
50e1. costs, amounted t0,.1.71 61. which were deduced
(torn thepriticipal sum net Or so that the poor man
granted an unnafty of 746 f, tot the lo n of 6 2961.
The Hon. Member Wished next to refer to a class of
subjects with which helmet's /11,0141 conversant, namely,
commercial transactloffsee.and cited the case of the ma.
nufaciltrets viho, during that ponied. of distress called
the panic, cattle up to town from Manchester, and ap-
plied to Lord Liverpool to advagtee them, upon deposits
of their goods, a sum of money in Exchequer bills, their
bank. rs having reused to advaece them a single far-
thing. The natural effect of the laws was, to drivel:eels
who could rot obnain accommodation at the rate et ine
terest, to expensive refpedients, which unifet rely termie
nated in ruin. In Hamburgh and in Holland, where
no restriction of the same nature existed,what happened
at the same period (the years 1825-261? It was true
that the panic mended to those places for a short tin e,
arid had the effect in the first instance of raising the
interest of money to 1') per cent. but it 1.11 almost im-
mrdeitely to 8 per cent. next to 6 per cent. and in three
weeks to the previously usual rate of 4 ner cent. the
conseq'netrce of the trade in money being open. The
injuries he bad teteried to were nrt. however, rate truly
'mischiefs as applicable to the Commercial world, is so
uneehned were those lews,that no man could tell ale their
or not he was inttingseg Item, whether er nor he was
'within their pale. In nagociaLl. g p•. :,'hips' his te Rs
eitikingly proved. A Gentleman, whose name hem beta
commuteated to him, wished to pat his sou intee