Star.
London, England, 1826-03-17 00:00:00

PARLIAMENTARY PROCEEDINGS.

HOUSE OF LORDS, .M„saee 16.
Lord KENTON presented a Petition from Haverford-West,
praying for the Abolition of Slavery.
The Bishop of CHESTER—SimiIar Petitibns from Exeter and
Epping.
Earl GROSVENOR presented .Petitions on the.same subject
from Rochdale and Blachburne.

The Marquis of HUNTLEY presented a Petition (tom Aber.
deco, praying that no alteration be made in the Banking System of
Scotland. The Noble Marquis presented Petitioai,• baying the
same object, front Inverness and Bamff.
Ent DARNLEY presented a Petition from the Parish of St.
Leonard, Shoreditch, in Vestry assembled, praying for the Aboli-
tion of Slavery.
Viscount MELVILLE presented a Petition from the-Tlagis-
trates and Town Council of Pittenweens against any alteration in
the Banking System, and one from Intswary, against Slavery.
The Earl of SHAFTESBURY, one from Whatlingtou against
Slavery.

Alm; a Petition from the Owner., and Occupiers of Land at
Burford, in the County of Oxford, against any alteration of the
Corn Laws.—The above were read and laid on the table.

vaunt- iaws. •
The• Marquis of LANSDOWN' said, he held in his
hand a Petition from the Chamber of Commerce of the
town of Manchester. The Petition was connected with
the subject of the commercial distress, which it was the
object of a !-ill on their Lordships' table to correct.
The Petitioners called the attention of their Lordships
to the state of the Usury Laws, whichein their opinion,
had greatly aggravated the distress which had pre-
vailed in the commercial world. Their Lordships
could scarcely be aware of the extent t.f privation and
loss of capital, which had arisen from the restrictions
upon interest of money, within the last six. months.'
That which the law had fixed as the fettled rate of in.
terest had operated in the most unfavourable way. It
had been the ruin of many necessitous individuals: The
Noble Marquis did not speak so much of the effect of
the Usury Laws, on the landed interest, bui he drew
the attention, of the House to the' effect those laws
had upon all classes. If distress came upon an indivi-
dual, the law said he should not find relief, because no
lender of money could take more than the settled rate
of interest. What was it but saying that, from the
moment a man had recourse to borrowing money, the
wisdom of the law cut him off from that resource. The
man in distress could not get money by legal means. It
was like telling a man he should not insure his life for
less than ten years, or in other terms, that a man in
health might insure, but when in a bad state of health, if he should
wish to insure his life for the benefit of bis family, the laW' could
step in and prevent him. Capital to this country must ever depend I
en the quantity of supply to be obtained on demand. The advance
of money must depend on many eircumstaneer, both political and
commercial, which produced variation in the barometer to which
commerce was subject. The law might as well attempt to fix the
mercury in the instrument to which the Noble Marquis allu4ed, as
fix the interest which particular events might fix to money. lie'
therefore should entreat their Lordships to attend to what had
been passing in the country in the course of the last six months,
and consider seriously whether they should not give effect to the
wishes of the
_Petitioners. The Petition having been read,
The Earl of LIVERPOOL said he thought it right
to state that he communicated some time ago with a
Deputation from the body which presented the Petition,
and these Gentlemen declared, in a Meeting at which the Noble
Earl was present, that they should ant have thought of malting an
application for the Repeal of the Usury Jaws, had it not been for
the late state of public distress. At no very distant period their
Lordships would most probably give the subject due attention.—
The Earl himself was perfectly satisfied that the existing state of the
law could not remain upon any sound principle.—The Petition was
laid on the table.

The Mutiny Bills, and the Bank Advances Bill, were read the
second time.
A Message from the Commons brought op several Private Bills,
which nitre read the first time.

PROMISSORY HOPIS SILL.

Earl GROATENOR rose on the Order for the third
reading of this Bill, and observed that he was anxious
to remedy what he considered a great defici:ncy in the
measure. The Noble Earl added, that he hal been
desirous, in common with- the Members of both Houses
of Parliament, to support his Majesty's Ministers in
the late crisis; and had the measure then upon the table
been that which it was at first intended to be, he should
have offered no objection ; but he complained that it
did not afford sufficient protection to the lower classes,
who had no means of compelling the country bankth
to pay gold for their one and two pound. notes.—
The Noble Earl wished to propose a clause, to remedy
that deficiency. He admitted that he was not sanguine
enough to suppose that he should succeed; but still the
satisfaction would remain of having done hit duty in'
protesting against the measure. He knew it might be
said that the owners of these country notes might pay
in limk of England small notes; but when Parliament
said the country bank notes should only run three years
longer, they were bound also to say the parties holding
them should have payment not in Bank of England
notes, but coin. The further they went from London the stronger
became the objection tossmall nem of every deveriptlon. The
Noble Earl concluded by moving to add a clause to the following
effect :—" And be it further•enacted, if any person shall apply for
the'

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payment of such Dotes in cash, and the pastita issuing same
shall refuse to pay such sum or sums, for which such notes or drafts
are presented, and the money be due foe the space of ten days; it
shall be lawful for one or more magiurates of the town /replace, to
award such sumx as may be claimed by the panics, and enforce
payment of the same by distress."
The Earl of LIVERPOOL obje:ted to the cliuse
proposed by the NAle Earl, because it would make an
alteration in the general law, which had nothing to
with the present measure. Whether such an alteration
might be wise or not, he would not now undertake to
discuss. The Noble Earl seemed not to understand
the reason why. the Bank of England were allowed to issue small
notes for eight months longer. it was to, prevent any difficulty
which might arise from country bankers calling in their notes im-
mediately, hod reducing the currency of the coantry too suddenly.
Eu the object of the Bill was not, as the Noble Lord appeared to
conceive, to suppress one and two pound notes at once, but to ex-
tinguish them gradually at-the expiration of three years.
Earl GROSVENOR, said that his may object was to prevent
the recurrence of a refusal on the pan of the country bankers to
pay in gold, by rendering geld payments imperative.
The Mud of LIVERPOOL said, that there had been only one
instance of a country back tarsals*, and that Only for a time, so
pay in gold, and that it was not likely to recur. That circum-
stances had been the cause of nearly three millions of gold being
drawn from the Bank to the country.
The clause was then- negatived without a division, and the. Bill
read i th:rd time and passed.
Mr. Matins and others from the Commons brtsught some
Private Bills, which were read a Ara *ow •
.The Scotch Juries, the Lunatic Asylum, and the le* Improve-
ments Bills went resp...ctively tthrongh.Carnunittees. sad west ra-
ported. A djo.a ned.
T fit 3i:

HOUSE OF COMMONS.
. Mr. BYNO prevented a Petition from an individual of the name
of Pope, praying that the Holborn Arcade Bill might not pass into
a law.—Ordered to be prime*
The Han. Manama also presented a similar I'etition from the
inhabitants of Lincoin'S Inn Fields.—Ordered to be printed.
1)r. PHILLI MORE presented two Petitions to the same effect
from two individuals of the names of Pope and Vincent, resident
Freeholders of Lincoln's Inn Fields.--Ordered to be printed.
Mr. M. D.IIiSON presented a Petition from a person named
Pitman, of Chelsea, praying for the appointment of Commissioners,
mid ffir sundry enactments for the improvements of the Friendly
Societies.—Laid on the table:

Mr. BROG DEN presented a Petition from an individual of
the name of Drown, against a clause in the indemnity Act.—Or-
dered to he printed.
Mr. ELLIS (of Dubtfn) presented a Petition front the inhabi-
tants of Dublin, against the prison discipline of that City.—Or-
dered to be printed.
Mr. TREJIAYNE presented a Petition from the Borough of
Plynuinth, against any alteration in the IlsWkete and Pedlars'
A r.—Laid on the table.
The Hon. biennia also- presented a Petition from Redruth, in
the County of Cornwall, praying for a reduetion in the duty on
Coals.--Ordered to by printed.
Sir JOHN NEWPORT moved for a return of all Schools (with
the names of Scholars educated in the saute Schools) established
in Ireland, wider the sanction of the Roman Catholic Clergy, since
the year 1524.--tOrdeged. I • •
111 r. CROK ER bid ton the table a Copy of a Letter addreised
to him by the Navy Board at Sheerness, relating to the works of
the Dock-yard at Sheeniess.—Ordcred to be printed.
CROKER obtained leave to bring in a BM to enable.
Justices of the Peace to take the exatainations of persons who had
committed offences .at sea, and (acting under the authority of the
Commissioners of the Ad;tiralty) to punish the same offences as
they might think fit.
A Petition was presented from the
town of Leominster, against the importation of Foreign Gloves.—
Ordered to be printed.
Mr. WARRE presented a Petition 'from the Clergy of London,
_

of the

against any cruelty towards animals. Ordered to be printed. .
Mr. BIRCH presented a Petition from the Manufacturers and
Artisans, engaged in the mannfactare *f Silk Hosiery, of the town
Of Nottingham, praying for a revision of the Coro Law s.—Or-
dere d to be printed,
The Hon.. Minim .also presented a Petition, from the same
body, against the importation of Foreign Silk.—Ordered to be
printed. -
Lord STANLEY presented two Petitions from Blackburn and
Rochdale against Slavery.—Ordered to be printed.
Similar Petitions were presented from Ascot, in the County of
Gloucester, by Mr. B. Comma ; from Farobain and its vicinity, by
Mr. Davis ; -from three principal towns in Scotland by Sir R.
Bast ; from the Magistrates and Town Council of the Noyal
Burgh of Pittenweem, in. the same kingdom, by the Loan ADRO
cave; from the Society of Friends of Cork, by Mr. C. litercubs.
sort; and from thelthabitaota of Perth, by Mr. Lutosav, which
were laid on the table; and ordered to be primed:
Mr. C. GRANT presented a Petition from the town *of Inver-
ness, praying that noatteradon might be made in the currency of
Scotland.—Ordered to be printed..
tgil• R. FAKQUI-I AR presented two Petitions to the same effect
from the Freeholders df Berwick, load from the Provost and Mails-
tratesof the Royal Burgh of Lanark.—Laid on the table.
Similar Petitions were presented from the Merchanti of the.,
Burgh of Kirkcaldy, by Sir R. Fitatausou • from Peterhead, frees
the County of Aberdemal from the Slade of Advftetes of the
same place, from the COMinhiloners of Supply of the tows of Beath*,
from the Artisans Olin same place, front the Ship owner. of the
tdwn and port of Macdulty and fron'two Parishes in the County
of Kineafdine, by .Captolo Goalies; from the Magistrates of the
County of Selkith, by Mr, Loossuar ; auillsoisto Parish in Per&
shire, by Mr.Tamiarisa.--Osiload to be.priated•
Mr. S. RICE preientigt a Petition from the Chamber of Com-
merce, in Dublin, againsi any alteration in the circulation of small
Notes in Ireland.—Laid on the table.

The Hen. Masses also presented a Petition from Maypole, in
the same County, against any alteration in the Banking System of
the Kingdom.—Ordered to be printed.
Lord A LTHORPE wished to act the Right Hon. Gentleman
opposite (Mr. Secretary Peel), if Ministers intended to bring for.
ward any thing relative to the County Courtsll before Raster,
which be (Lord A.) had introduced into the House
Mr. Secretary PEEL gave the Noble Lord great credit for hie
exertions on the subject, and was unwiWpg to take the credit of the
measure to himself by making it his own. He however proposed
to introduce a measure next Session, which be hoped would be
more generally applicalle than that of she Noble Lord's, the appli.
cation of which was confined to certain local districts. This he
(Mr. Peel) would do, if the Noble Lord placed his Bill in his
hands; but if be objected to that, be (Mr. Peel) would support the
Noble Lord's measure.

Sir W. W. W YNN did not think the Bill would be expedient to
be adopted in Wales. •
Lord ALTHORPE had no objection; on the contrary, he
would rather that the Ministry should take the Bill into their
own hands.

Sir. Secretary PEEL was not prepared to give an answer on the

subject.
A Message from the Lords announced their assent to the Pro-
missory Notes' Bill, and some private bills.
Lord A. HAMILTON rose, pursuant to notice, to
move for Copies of the Petitions to the Pi ivy Council,
on the Disfranchisement of the Butgh of Pittenweem—
of the References to the Law Officers of the Crown,
their Report, and a Copy of the Warrant from the Crown for a
new Election. The Noble Lord prefaced his motion by a few ob-
servations on the st.te of the Representation in Scotland ; and con-
ch/44hr moving for Copies of all Petitions pre.eoted to the Privy
Council from the Burgesses of the Borough of Pittenween since
the disfranchisement of that Borough ; also, Copies of any Letters
in the Law Offices of the Crown on that subject in 1124—together
with the Copies of any Report made thereon, and the Opinions of
Counsel' delivered with respect to the same subject.
The LORD ADVOCATE had no objection to the production
of the Papers as they might be supposed to affect himself, though
he thought the warrant for the disfranchisement did not come
within the jurisdiction of the House. He should, therefore, oppose
the production of the opinions and the official report upon it.
lie. A BERCROM BY supported the motion.

Mr. Sect et.iry I'EEL thought no case had. been made
out for inculpating his Right Hun. Fs iend e Learned
Lord, who WAS obliged officially to susscribe the ieport
on the case of this Burgh, He should oppose the production of the 1
report of the law officers of the crown, though he had no objection',
to the production of the warrant, and the petitions upon the war-
rant. These were documents of a public nattre, and might be pro-
duced if it were thought aileiseable for any public purpose, but the
former was a confidential and private communication from a Law
Officer of the Crown to his Alajesty's Government, and the pro-
duction -of such a confidential document be certainly felt it his'
bounden duty to oppose.
Mr. HU 31F, supported the motion, and implored the House to
upon the disinclination of the Learned Lord and the Bight
Hon. Gentleman to afford the information the Noble Mover new
sought, as a very dangerous precedent, and highly censurable.
Mr. Secretary PEEL, in explaining, appealed to his general
conduct whether he had ever shewn any disinclination td act upon
an equally liberal policy towardi Scotland, as he had hitherto been
anxious to display in the reforni of the laws peculiar to this country,

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recommended by himself from time to time since his secession to
his Majesty's CountiL
&r RONALD FERG.USQN believed, tir.it. amongst other
grouuds of objection to the system of poiici.pursued, in • Scotland,
the reasons for the various appointMents to Judicial iittatidta were
"Mont the most objection:o..le.
Mr. BARING *puke a frw words.
. _ . . . _ ..

-hie. Secretary YjiliL said that the abaratear and conduct of his
fobje Frientl, Lord &It:billet, had beset moot unjustly &sperm*
Mr. HU.IIE insisted the same predominating iuhrrest governed
the judicial appoinuneCts in Seintand. '
iZZlEUeliatahnly Meet heintradietiost of the Hon.
arrokies.
1.ut.141. 11}1.11:1TONIL•ctly rtplifd. goteld 'sot 1,!141 en-
If ail~
thrflitifAllf thtidte Lee o.llhers, on the Inject el

disfranchising a Borovgb, or their. Report, should' be ca ssidered
a confidential paper. As the production of these papers, however,
was objected to opal chit ground, he would withdriw that part of
his motion which related to them.
The Motion, thus alctred, was then put and carried without a

(mom . .
Mr. C. WYNN said, that as the law now stood no
person could be sent out in the Civil Service of the East
India Company, without having kept four terms in the
College. It was the Fact, that at the present ItlOnitig
there existed an absolute necessity for a larger number
of young men being sent than the College could supply
under the restta;nt of the present laws. This increase
of demand fot civil functionaries had been occasioned
by the great extension of our territory and the increased
number of estates which 'had become subsidiary to 'us.
In consequence of this great difficulties had arisen in
the due administration of jurice. Persons . had been
known to conceal ctimei rather than denounEe than, in
order to save themselves the inconvenience of under-
taking a journey perhaps of 100 or 150 miles to the
neatest seat of justice. H's intention, therefcire, was to
move for 1 acre to bring in a Bill to suspend for three
years the operation of the Act which imposed this limi-
tation upon the power of sending out writers to India.
He was anxious in doing this, to guard against the
supposition that he was influenced by. any .feeling of
disgust or disapprobation towards tile. College. He
believed that institution to have answered its purpose.
He would not at the same time deny, that if the pies.
tion for providing such an establishmeot had now been
an original que.tion, he would have preferred another
system of educalon. He thought the system of An.
grafting the peculiar acqui, ement, which the particular
service demanded, upon the general liberal educatjon
which our great public seminaries afforded,.upon the
whole better than that of lot ming any exclusive esta.
blishmOnt to prepare young men for a particular purspit.
He was convinced that the greatest advantages arose
from the youths, devoted to different professions, being
educated together, that generous emulation without
hostility which prevailed amongst them conduced to
that formaticin of character, to which the yteatness. of
the country might be in a considerable degree ascribed.
He would repeat, however, that'great advantages had
resulted from the institution of the East India CoUe,e.
Since he had held the office which he now unworthily
filled, a great and progressive improvement had taken
place in the Character of the Civil Servants of the. Com-
pany—an improvement principally to be' ascribed to
this institution, which he therefore thought had fairly
answered the purposes for which it was established.—
The present question, however, was, whether it was
not incapable of furni.hing the requisite number? Some
:of the students lailesi,to acquire the minimum of qua-
lification even In four terms. It might be thought that
the most proper coarse would be to increase the esta-
blishment, but this measure evidently could not produce
any intinediatit'resultS. fie thought it more eipedient,
therefore, to gttrit permtW to a certain numhar of
yoga g men to qualify themselves elsewhere. At 'the
esti of three years, the whole subject would again come
under discussion; and it Might thee, perhaps, be
thought advisable to blend the tuition of the Civil 'Ser-
vants of the Cempsny with the general studies of the youth of wary
other class. With re.pect to the other object which be had in
view, be need only explain that there was a clause which had been
so construed as to prevent the payment to the representatives of
eaters, civil or military, dying during their absence from India of
tote allowances due to then. The state of health of osiers in India
sometimes required them to go to the Cape, or elsewhere, to re-
" 'The operation of this clause had,been to induce them to re.
, Sinn whilst their restoration was yet imperfect, and in many such
instances their lives bad been sacrificed. He should conclude by
moving for leave tO bring in a Bill to suspend the Act of I/3 Oen. 3,
so far as it related to the appointment of writers to the Rut Indies,
and to remove doubts u to the legality of paying the allowances of
Officers, civil and military, dying, during their absence from India.

Mr. HUME approved of the Bill. He condennied
the institution of the College, which he thought bad
degraded rather than improved the service. He coptesded toe the
necessity of instructing Cadets in the language of Inaia, previous to
their leaving Englsnd. Writers could be best educated in ma ot`
the Public Schools or Universities.

Captain BRADSHAW said, that it was a great mis-
take to suppose that the instruction of Cadets was neg-
lected. The parents of that class of youth generally
sent out as Cadets wets not so wellable akthe parents
of Civilians to afford them extensive instruction. Many
of the former would not be able to avail themselves of the appoint-
ment at all if they were to be compelled to send their sons to the
Metropolis or elsewhere, for the purpose of acquiring the Eastern
languages. On their arrival in India, their first duty was to attain _
a competent knowledge of the language,and they were not intrusted
with a command till they had become fully competent in this fes,net.
This he cord assert upon his own knowledge.
Sir T. BARING concurred in the opinion of the last speaker. It
wrs, he believed, entirely unnecessary that Cadets should be
.eructed in England in the native languages of India. He thought
the College had done more harm than good.
Mr. C. GRAN f vindicated the policy which led to.
the establishment of the College. Adam Smith bid
said of the East India Company, that they freqt en'ly
forgot• their interest as Sovereigns in favour of their
interest as a commercial body.— In this instance tilde
policy hid been of an opposite nature; they bad tol-
gotten their inter. sr as n commercial body in 1tiv0nr.....1
their interest as Sovereigns of a great Empire: ibis
institution had met with violent opp,lsition ; those who
expected patronage disliked it because it *required :be
'alliance of qualifications with patronage. Others dis-
liked it from the dread of inn..vation, but it had with-
stood the hostility of the,e blended interests. He teal •
legged comparison for this College in respect to one:
cittd good government with any other public seminary
the country, and appealed with co. fid. nee to the
undoubted fact of an impiove.hent having been pro-
duced by it in the character of the British functi..narirs
in India. The substitution of an examination, merely
in lieu of a regulated course of study, war, in his opi-
n'on, although a plausible, still a very fallacious idea.
An examination could only extend to literary qualtfica.
Lions, and not to moral character. Whilst with respect
even to the former, by fixing the minimum of hdatis&
sibie acquirement, it would in fact establish a maximum, bead&
on
one would feel any interest in going beyond It The iwistilin
of East India patronage was one which required full and insiVle'
discussion, but this was not the monseat In which it could be ad-
irentagoonsiy undertaken. The first duty of England in the tot,
meet other Eastern Er' npire was to &Amt
ish It with good • n,_
'tines ; the second, and when he said the ezund, he weak lb tithe
rather than in importance, was to-pruvide that tope instintskrits
should 1w administered by velveteen am. 4
Dr. PHILLIMORE entirely greed with every
bad tidied tress his Right Hose Priessda "Ile thoughts triiiiiirtistt •
ettstatiess of. the argunteut oe the Hon.. Member .for direideifts
. .