Star.
London, England, 1818-05-15 00:00:00

4 \

repetition—but there was am fact, mentioned in the
Returns which had been laid before the House since
his former motion. In the twelve years before the
suspension of cash payments, there was one capital
execution for forgery. An execution for forgery was
then one of the ratest punishments ; in many years
there was not an instance of it. In the last seven
years, 101 persons suffered dEath for that crime—
(hear, hear),—that crime, for which in twelve years
only one person had suffered, There was another
comparison, equally striking and horrible: for this
crime, for which,-in all the kingdom and in twelve
years, only one person had suffered, forty-four had
suffered in London and Middlesex in the last seven
years. Executions for forgery now stood at the head
of the list of capital punishments : they were far
more numerous than executions for murder—than
executions for burglary ; they were double all the
executions for robbery of all sorts, and much greater
than executions for all other offences taken together'
—(hear). He implored the House to pause before
they determined that they would not take any steps,
if not to remove this evil (and he feared without the
resumption of cash payments it could not be entirely
removed), at least to mitigate it. How would they
answer to their constituents—how would they an-
swer to their consciences, that they had left that to
be performed by others, which they owed to the peo-
ple of England at once to perform themselves ? (hear)
If the facts he had stated were not enough to force
the imperative claims of this growing. evil upon their
attention, the returns of prosecutions in the late years
—in 1816, 1817, and three months of 1818—would
exhibit an increase almost so great as to bid defiance
to belief. In the three months of this year the num-
ber was so great, that if the whole year was equally
fertile in crime, it would exhibit three times the num-
ber of the last year, yet the last year was worse than
any which had preceded it. A circumstance which
he must allude to was the expensiveness of these pro-
secutions. In this, as in other reflections, he meant
to state nothing invidious towards any persons con-
nected with the Bank of England ; he meant to shew
the system which the stoppage of cash payments had
imposed upon the House. In the last year, which
was the greatest, the expense was 30,0001. In the
three months of the present year it was nearly 20,000/.'
The general average for the prosecution of each in-
dividual was 265/. This struck him as a most mon-
strous expense—as not only monstrous brit alarming
—(hear). Jt was to be remembered, that if six per-
sons were included in the same indictment, the ex-
pense was not necessarily greater than for one. He
was not very conversant with the expenses of prose-
cutions, but he believed that if he said the average was
ten times greater than that of ordinary criminal prose-
cutions, he should not be wide of the mark. In some
years the average had been 342/. 3401. 263/.; but the
general average was' 65/. on each person prosecuted.
lle mentioned these enorthous and suspicious expen-
ses, nut as a charge against the Bank, but as an ad-1
ditional n ason why the House should investigate the
subject by a Cominittee of its own, and trust to no
other authority—(hear, hear).—ln former years the
forgeries had been chiefly confined to small notes ;
by the last returns it appeared that a proportion of
forgeries for larger notes had now occurred; a me-
lancholy proof that the skill and boldness of the cri-
minals in the forgery of small notes, had tempted
them to try their fortune on large notes. If these
attempts became more frequent, though the piper
currency should be brought back to its sound state,
it would for some time retain a taint by the forgeries
of the larger notes. He could now venture to say,
that the severity of punishment had no effect in di-
minishing or suppressing the crime. Though he
might have asserted this from his general observation,
and from the facts connected with this subject, he
was still more strongly fortified in it, by the decla-
ration
of a most respectable Judge, at the last As-
sizes for Lancaster—he meant the Lord Chief Baron.
That Magistrate had stated, that the previous pu-
nishments had produced no effect (for the crimes of
thope on whom he had passed sentence of death had
been all committed since the executions at the last
Assizes), and that therefore (unless some other means
could be devised) it only remained for him to exe-
cute the law in its severity. As a Judge this was
the only course which remained for him ; but by the
parenthesis which he had ins2rted he had recommcit
dcd to the Legislature to deliver him fromthe neces-
sity of cruel and inefficaci3us punishments. It was
no wonder that in the county where the executions
had been so I-lel:lent as to draw forth these observa-
tions from the Bench, that the attention of the inha-
bitants should be attracted to it. A few days ago a
Petition had been presented from Liverpool by the
Right IL:flour:Lb', Gentleman (Mr. Canning), which
deserved to be read, as well for the liberality of its
principles as•for the precision of its language. The
petitioners stated that they viewed with feelings of
alarm the increase of prosecutions for forgery toy
which the number of capital punishments was in-
creased, the country degraded in the eyes of other
nations, and the great pi inciples of humanity endan-
gered. They said that without presuming to inquire
whether the Bank, in times past, had done all that
as in its power to do, yet the nation was not con-
vinced that this was the case; and though a Com-
mittee of the Directors had been continually consi-
dering the subject, yet as nothing had resulted from
that inquiry, they were not the less anxious to have
the subject inquired into by the great Council of the
Nation. They also stated, that if the forgeries con-
tinued to increase as they had dose, the people of
the County of Lancaster would he compelled, from
a regard to the security of mercantile transactions,
to resort to the circulation of Country Bank Notes.
The town of Liverpool, it was to be recollected, was
the second commercial town in the empire. The pe-
tition was signed by persons of all parties, and would
be of itself of the highest moment ; but when it was
considered that the petition was from the County of
Lancaster, where they had the greatest experience of
the circulation of Bank of England Notes—and
where the most inveterate prejudices existed against
Country Bank Notes, since the failures of 1793—the
opinion of that respectable body of petitioners came
with every circumstance which could give it weight.
The petitioners had rather expose themselves to the
chance of insolvency, than to the greater evils of
forgery. When the state of that great and populous
county was such, how could the House of Commons,
with a reg ard to its character, refuse immediate inquiry.
A melancholy document had been prepared at the
Home Office—a Summary of the State o Crimes

n•

~..

in the last Twelve Years ; which no enlightened
friend of his country could behold without sorrow.
No fall in commerce, no defeats in war, no deficiency,
in revenue could produce such an effect upon those
who estimated the real strength of the country.—
The capital executions in the years from 1805 to
1811, were about 390; in the years from 1811 to
1818, about 580 ; which numbers, as he was re-
minded by an Hon. Friend (Mr. Bennet) whose atten-
tion had been so constantly and honourably directed
to this subject, were in the proportion of one to eight
to the whole number of crimes. He was aware that
the number of crimes was not in itself a criterion of,
the morality of a nation. Many nations full of acti-
vity and wealth, abounding in temptations, and in
the qualities which when misdirected were produc-
tive of criminality, would afford a longer list of
offences than the records of a lethargic people, who
had no virtues, though they had not many crimes.
Yet when in the same nation the crimes increased, it
must be taken as an evidence of a change of morals
for the worse. This was not the time to enter into
the discussion, but if he were casually called on to
name them, he should not allude to the causes to
which it had often been attributed. It appeared to
him to depend most on what might be called the
economical condition of the people, than on what
were called moral causes—on the ebbs and flows of
demand and supply—on the fluctuation of wages and
prices—evils inseparably connected with an incon-
vertible paper money. Variations such as these were
enough to make the ignorant think they were the
sport of some malignant demon, against whom their
most strenuous efforts were often fruitless ; and from
this probably they derived a desperate and gambling'
character. By the vicissitudes of 'a long war—by
the return of peace—by that worst of scourges, an
inconvertible paper money, • which no nation had
been able to bear up against but this—had this been
effected ? He should not dwell on the number
of deaths, though it had been fallaciously compared
with other things to which there was no resemblance
—to deaths in the course of nature or in battle.—
'l.)eath, in the course of nature, was not a reasonable
cause of apprehension. Death in the performance of
duty, or in obedience to the commands of honour,
might be enviable: but a life of guilt, followed by a
death of disgrace—an instruction in corruption, and
a bequest of ignominy to his children—this was the,
fate of the forger; this, and not the loss of life alone,
was afflicting to the friend of his country. He should
say nothing of the loss to the Public by the Bank
Notes, though an Honourable Baronet (sir James
Graham) had stated, that in the North of England
one half of the Notes were forged. By this system,
the smaller tradesmen were the greatest sufferers,
because they were the most liable to imposition; yet
but too many of them were reconciled to submit tol
forgery and fraud, rather than engage in litigation,
or expose themselves to suspicion and the danger of
farther loss. A lesson indeed of a very impressive
nature had recently been taught to persons of this
description. A tradesman who had a 51. Note, which
was pronounced a forgery at the Bank, took proceed-
ings in The Marshalsea Court against the parent of
the girl from whom he thought he received it. In
this, however, he was mistaken; but this mistake
arose from the resemblance of the girl to Emma
Connor, of whom the House had already heard, and'
who was known to have been active in circulating
forged Notes in the tradesman's neighbourhood.—
The consequence of the mistake was, that the trades-
man incurred costs to the amount of 2JI. so*that he
WAS altogether a loser, through this forgery and ef-
fort to vindicate himself, to the anent of SOL The
public, being so liable to suffer through the existing
system, while the Bank was perfectly secure, he called
upon that House to inquire whether any, and what
remedy could be devised for such an evil. He trus-
ted that the common sense of the House and the
country would not again be insulted by the pretence
that it would not be becoming to interfere with the
conduct of the Bank—on the ground, forsooth! that
it formed a company of private traders, who were
entitled to manage their affairs according to their
own judgment, without any legislative controul; for
this Bank was notoriously a public Company, of
whose conduct that House was not only entitled, but
on this occasion speci:lly bound to take cognizance. If,
however, the Bank were merely private traders, and
that their conduct was productive of such consequences
to the country as those he had stated, it was the duty
of that House, as the guardians of public justice and
morality, to take notice of such conduct, and endea-
vour to provide some remedy for the mischief which
it occasioned. But the fact was, that from the con-
nection subsisting between the Bank and the Govern-'
ment, the Mint might as well be regarded as a pri-
vate Company as the Bank of England. Any evil,
then, resulting from the system of the Bank, was ob-
viously a proper subject foe the consideration of that
House, and the conduct of the Bank itself rendered
the interposition of the House the more necessary in
this instance, for it was remarkable, that within the 21
Pears which had elapsed since the Restriction on Cash
ayments was enacted, the Bank had not taken a
single step to save the Public from the evils of For-
gery, while they had adbpted abundant measures to
save themselves—(hear, hear!) The liability of the
public, indeed, to suffer from forgery and fraud was
quite as much at present as it was in 1797. Had not
then the public a right to expect that some inquiry
would be instituted by that House, in order to ascer-
tain whether their liability to sutler was the conse-
quence of the supineness of the Bank of England, or
whether any remedy' could be devised to put an end
to altogether, or to diminish, that liability?—(Hear.)
Such an inquiry was, he maintained, the imperative
duty of the House of Commons, and the People re-
quired and expected from it the performance of that
duty. If upon inquiry the evil which he had describ-
ed was found irremediable, that discovery would
serve to guide the judgment of the House in deter-
I mining upon the policy of continuing that system of
restraining cash payments, which gave birth to such
an accumulation of evil. The Bank itself, indeed,
should consider that an inquiry ought to be institut-
ed, in consequence of the strong prejudice prevailing
against it, and that nothing could serve to remove
that prejudice, but a vigorous, thorough, and efficient
inquiry. It was, however, not only with a view to
'guide the judgment of the House as to the policy of
Icontinuing the restriction of cash payments, or to
vindicate the character of the Bank, that the inquiry
Ihe proposed was necessary but in order to diminish
crime, to stop the effusion of blood, and to spare

the feel's* of the Public from that horrible
c--
am occasioned. It was iadt.lll
which the present sY
'j
mainly with a view to pet an end to these events, 4
well as to promote the interests of morality, that I,t pressed for this inquiry. He. del not mean to attr7.
any thing snore exceptionable to the ljr:
src chi
of the Bank, than the failings whit. corn:no:ls
longed to mankind, when lir observed, ill= Ter
were rather too much attacked to r,ad...r- ;.c.
tom to encourage protects of improy..r,,„,t,
were, he feared, too apt to --camittim:.
miss such projects by some COMpen.lio.us ten
old maxim, which might be learned t 0.0... r
mothers ; therefore, lie apfrelunoted that a
encouragement had not been holdout r
of skill and talent to devise an impoo..,t
fabricating Bank Notes. That encouraesnit
he hoped and calculated, be the ciirea-quec,
appointment of the Committee. Ile v..n
gratin as to promise himself that the itailtaltirt
be able to discover the means of prevean-
altogether ; but he was encoura.mi
means might he found consist...rah:A-
evil. In America, which. had here
of public felicity, and which, he h.,
become the model of legislative weir
a circulation of no less than twenty mil,
Notes. That was, indeed, notoriololy
nation in the world in paper curency a.
commercial wealth ; yet forgery was not a
offence in any of the American S.ates. The An...
can Bankers were not encouraged to
supineness or indifference, as to the multiplicat--
forgeries, by the terror of the gibbet ; they the: .
took care to exercise ingenuity in fabricat;.44
notes; and hence forgery Vas extremely Tarr
He repeated the statement, that he meant ta •
out the prospect of totally preventing fr. .
he felt that it was incumbent upon the .
all that was within its power to seduce the evil : .1
this he must deem practicable from what he tila
beard ; for lie was informed by very competent r..
thorny, that any boy, who was sir touialis under te
instruction of an artist, could easily solarise to for.,
a Bank of England Note—not, however, s. _
pow upon the Bank itself ; for those viccerred
managing that Establishment, took good car- -
vide against that, but so as to imps: up‘oi
of the people whom it was peculiarly ti:
that House to protect. It was the duty of
also, to seek the protection of the people from r.
forgeries, especially as their circulation r•ar -
sive, and it ill became the Dim::
effort whatever towards preventing forgery, met:,
from the belief that complete success was u,
able. According to his sorpressioa, which he
Was also the impression of the House, this t
was worthy of inquiry, if the result tvere only:
one life, or to reduce in auy de-gree that h:
which so much afflicted the country under the
system. He could not, indeed, imai.:ize 4..
object more deserving the attention of the
—According to some Gentlemen, the extert.
crime of forgery was not so much to be
other crimes had increased of late to such a
But it should be recollected, that it •X2S the proprr.y
of crimes to act and re-act upon each sthor ; acid it
was particularly the characteristic of forgery to spread
its toils, not merely for those who were habituated
to other descriptions of criminality, but to thous!
were not capable of any other crime—for the eat
a boldness and strength necessary for other crime ,
while forgery held out a trap fur the timid and t. t
weak, for the old and the young—( Hear, hear...—
It seemed, indeed, from the toleration cf the prer.
system, as if the Legislature opened a school f
guilt, to train up those for a particular crime .::3
were incapable of any other description of crini..
m.ey
—(hear, hear.)—The Learned Gentleman, War
peculiarly eloquent and impressive exhortation to the
House to iitstitute the inquiry, and for the satisfactin
of the public mind, as well as for the vindication el
its own character, to reject the idea of delegating.rs
inquisitorial powers to any other than a Coe:frame
of its own body, concluded with moving for the ap-
pointment of a Committee to inquire into the me ars
of more effectually preventing the Forgery tat t..e
Notes of the Bank of England, and to repcn its opt•
nion thereon to the House.

7: •~

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The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said
he was perfectly ready to acknowledge that the sub-
ject was one of the utmost importance ; but bethought
the Hon. and Learned Gentleman had by no means
taken the course most likely to lead to a satisfactory
result. It appeared to him that an investiljation
this kind required a degree of patient inquiry, en-
mination, and attention, which test' Members of that
House were likely to give at this advanced petiodui
the Session'; it was therefote his intention not to ne-
gative the motion, but to propose, as an Amend-
ment, an Address to the Throne, praying the ap
pointment of a Commission to inquire into this im-
portant subject, with a view to obtain from their it
vestigations a more complete Report than it v...s
possible'to expect from the labours of the Hoot,—
By this mode a result satisfactory to the House a=d
beneficial to the public, was likely to be obtaimd.
The necessity of a very considerable expense aae..d-
ing such an inquiry he thought must sthle every
Gentleman. He must confess, that having paid some
.
attention to the subject himself, the more he inquired
into it, the more difficulties he found there ;Tete ti
encounter. Many plans had been submitted to him;
but on referring them to others mire competent t 9
examine them, lie had always had objections points!
out which he could not discover. Bat althougn he
did not despair of some improvement being made in
the Notes, yet he must caution the House against ex-
pecting to find a radical remedy. Byre such a Con-
mission
there would be the best chance of übtaitien
a full inquiry. But before submitting his propor-
tion, he could not refrain from making some obse:-
vations on the statement of the I and Learned
Gentleman, which contained a most untiamded ex-
aggeration of the nature and extent of the eviL That
it was great and called for remedy he did not dem',
for the insecurity of property would alone afford an
irresistible argument for every inquiry. But with
respect to the increase in the number of indictments
this year, he could not avoid opposing to the Ho-
nourable and Learned Gentleman's arguments the
deductions which he had formed. From his state-
ment one would be led to conclude, that'until th
suspension of Bank payments, forgeries were almost
wholly unknown, and that they had increased to a
Lost alarming extent in a short period, of ttme.

irk des! that this statenient could be shewn to
Pr' en
rated. The Honourable and Learned Gen-
re .
talked of the course of blood caused
loan had
the suspension of the Bank payments. That
e'eee of bleed however was of much earlier date ;
„:0, in the middle of the last century the number
eperems executed for forgeries was as great as at
„„les,' In the years 1750, 1751, and 1752, the
rf,..esest; number of executions for this crime was 18
~ therefore the average number of the last three
ye vas smaller. He however was not able to dis-
:eish between the number of forgeries of Bank
•••e • In the years
• d er species of paper.
e 1812, 1813, the number of persons convicted
r.,sesries throughout the whole kingdom was 110.
e:enst three years it was 88, being twenty-two
in the former three. Now this was the more
when we compared the number of per-
?ofoffences, and whiteh
• mewed for all sorts
eee..
d ie the first-mentioned years, to 17,087.
.••e lest three years it amounted to 11,0(X) more,
1 the crime et forgery the proportion leid di-
pie il•e restoration of cash payments
est,
sss'l not prevent coining, which increased before
•
511 s •pelIN ;ter • and even now it was proved that the
•• r
cleass, of the crime of coining kept full pace with
c e crimes, which the increase of forgeries did not
spear to les
done. This proved the fallacy of,
es.e part of
,ees liseyarable and Learned Gentle-
r;-;an', areurreat, thet cue cause of the increase of
erirres Iva, the suspension of cash payments. The
crinie of coining !Ltd :Irreasei in a greater degree
,'.1:!0 that of f.,:gery; and from this he drew the in-
:•Srence that it was not from a want of due caution
pat of the Directors of the Bank that we were
etOittte :hese crimes that all must lament. He
-se set-did t:tsse crimes must bs chiefly attributed to
set:ion combined with indolence. In the annals
c*t.:ireier tines v.-e found more crimes of violence,
iss; of forgery and fraud.. But the extent of the
is rendered it necessary to provide every remedy
rU':re eursedsys against it:. It was therefore not
sess :toy eli:ectien to the Hon. and Learned Gen-
-;,,;, motion, that he should propose an amend-
re es het in order to obtain a better result for the
With this view he should move. " That an
isinhle Address be presented to the Prince Regent,
ee,'ing that ha be graciously pleased to appoint a
ander the Great Seal, to consider the
bet means of preventing Forgeries of Notes of the
Bask of England and other Banks, promissory notes,
Li; of exchange, and other negotiable securities?"
Sir C. MORDAUNT could not help preferring the
motion of the Honourable and Learned Gentleman
is that of the Right Hon. Gentleman, because he
twoglit it would be more satisfactory that this
te'ect should be investigated by a Committee of
t:.s'llouse. The Right Hon. Gentleman might not
le fully aware of the alarm that it had occasioned ;
id he thought the House could not give it that pa-
tee attention which it required. But on what sub-
eeie the patience and attention of the House •
tees called for? Perhaps the Committee might not
of persons of sufficient ability to suggest
s ?rations ia the ne,tes, but he was sure they would
want advice. As the Liverpool Petition had been
i.,..sred to, he would beg leave tis refer to that from
Constituents (Birmingham) on the same subject,
slash sheaved that, if the system was permitted to go
it would bring discredit and ruin on trade.—He
his earnest support to the original motion.
?Ts. IIf.NN E. congratulate' the Right Honour-
Geatlemat in having suffered prudence to step
ei and prevent him from coming to battle to night
se opposing the motion. So far from the crime of
t7ery being on the decline, it had arisen to a most
a seining degree within the last year, and was still
genie on. Indeed, as had been shewn by his Ho-
reerable and Learned Friend, the increase in the
tie: three months of this year was almost inere-
e'hie—the indictments being nearly equal to those
5. toe whole of the three years alluded to--(hear).—
From the very paper alluded to by the Right Ho-
mutable Gentleman, it would be found that m 1811,
forty-three persons were indicted for forgeries on the
Bank, or uttering such Notes • in 181 n -sixty e-e •
Ls 1813, ninetveive ; in 1814,7 sixty-three; in- Isl 6,
6;
serenty five ; in 1817, one hundred and sixty-two;
and ie the first three months of this }tear, one hun-
dred and five. He would say, that the number of
crirsitrals was so excessive that Government dared
rot gut the sentence of the law in execution on those
vho were convicted. But the Bank had assumed to

itself the right of dispensing with the law, by orm_
tag capital part of the charge against whom
pleawd, and bringing them up to plead guilty
1t.,1%,.? !mailer offence. So it appeared that no less
2.i) person; had pleaded guilty in three years
havin7 for,ed Bank Notes. In the middle of the
o.ntury those persons would not have been suf-
f-ied t) plead guihy, but wonld all have been exe-
-1:t1 it convicted. Therefore the Right Honourable
(.?• xleman's principle teas erroneous. Was it right
it the Bank should decide on who was to suffer ca-
-1.1 punishment ? At tlle last Sessions for London,
tv•7l•Je persons went sc:aenced to fourteen years'
tra.:,,p,rtation ; and two, one of whom was an un-
forz.!aate woman, had ben se'ected to suffer death,
i3y whom were they selected? Not by the Judges.
The So!icitor of the Baak held up the list of priso-
%; a:f.l said those num!)ered so and so, are the
psu:ls allowed to be teed for the capital offence.
v.:O allowed them .J He ma 2e no charge against
; hF believtd he was a very respectable
p.,.:•71, who only did as he was directed. But who
..ay that the next Solicitor to the Bank might
c•-;-Aly revect.oJle, or that he might not take
from prisoners t:3 al:ow them to C.ead to
sinalicr offence, and thus save their lives.—
Bon. Gentleman then alided to the well-known
ci),.crvation made in answer to the application for the
l.;e c:. Dr. Dodd, and contended that On this principle
t 2uo and odd l '''SCP!S lately convicted ought to
cie been exec:.:ted ! As to the unfortunate woman
t: Kink were appealed to, but their consciences were
alll Government declined interfering. lie
to kno".- 7 n 7-hat principle the•3e two persons
,eleced out of ..h.e that might ascer-
..-.l,cer or not we had equal laws for all per-
va.:a all time,. Ile noticed several cases in which
bad be: n pc rrli,.ted to plead gui:ty, and
to .0.-!•7 one person ha.l been so I:1-
W:: 11.1k1 seduced t!e two boys to clime,
ti,cr,e res•er.tly been brought I:cfore the pub •
: a per,,ai who had ban coenected
; !lad 'ueeu itn

plicated in such transactions whose brotlier bad been
transported for the same offence ; and whose father
had been engaged in making false keys ? Why, he
wished to know, had this man been spared, while a
boy of eighteen years of age had been pursued to con-
viction, who now lay in the condemned cell, and

who, unless more mercy were shewn to him than had
been extended to the unhappy female who lately
sufrered, must shortly be executed--(hear, her:y.4—
LN then compared the executions which had taken
place since the year 1811 up to the present time, with
the number of convictions procured within the same

period. In the year 1811 These had amowited to one
in fire; in 1812 they were one in three; in 1813,
. _ _

one in five; in 1814, one in ten; in 1815, one in
seven ; in 1816, one in seven ; and in the last year,
one in nine. In the present year the executions were
more numerous in proportion to the convictions, but
while the law was thus irregularly carried into exe-
cution property was felt to be less secure than it
would be where a milder punishment was awarded,
with the certainty of the sentence pronounced being
carried into effect. From the experience of those who
had been in the habit of attending criminals sen-
tenced to die, from twelve to twenty years, he had

•
heard, that chose who suffered for forgery were, in
many cases, far from feeling that they had commit•
ted a great moral offence against the law of Gov.
Their conduct was frequently marked by resentment

_ .
i •
ag..iinst their prosecutors and ndignation at the selec•
tion mule which doomed them to death. It was
thus that the few hours which intervened, and they
were but few, between the order for their execution

and their being led out to die, were passed, and when
they came on the scaffold, what were the feelings ex-
cited among the crowd? They were any thing but
what ought to be excited by such a spectacle. The cul-
prits were objects of compassion, and the a election of
them for punishment a subject of general indignation.
—The frequency of prosecutions tended greatly to
harden the public mind; This he illustrated by an
anecdote of a poor boy, who was recently turned out
of Newgate, destitute and pennyless, and in such a
state that he might be said to have no friend but the
jailer—no home but a prison, was a few days after-
wards detected picking pockets in sight of the scaf-
fold, on which an execution was about to take place
When brought into the prison, he was asked by the
Ordinary, how he could make up his mind to com-

mit a robbery at the moment when the unhappy cm
Kits were about to be launched into eternity ? The
boy answered, that was just the moment for him, as
when all eyes were fixed on the victims, the pockets
were left unguarded. Such was the effect of execu-
tions. Ile heartily supported the motion of his Ho-
nourable and Learned Friend.
Mr. S. THORNTON did not deny that some in-,
quiry might be desirable. He vindicated the Bank
Directors ; and said, they were never desirous of
calling for the severe execution of the law, and the
selections which had been referred to had been made
upon due consideration of all the circumstances of
the several cases. In every instance they were glad
when mercy could be extended to the parties con-
victed, that life should be spared.
Mr. HUSKISSON said, if he had any doubt of
the inexpediency of appointing a Committee, that
doubt would have been removed by the speech of
the Honourable Gentleman who had spoken last but
one. He admitted that which was complained of
was a great evil, but- could not think an inquiry like
that which the Honourable Gentleman (Mr. Bennet)
seemed to desire, into the whole criminal law of the
land—into the conduct of the Judges, and into the
motives by which those had been actuated who had
taken upon themselves to recommend to the Crown
to spew mercy in some cases, and to let the law take
its course in others, ought at this mement to be con-
fided to a Committee of that House. The Honour-
able and Learned Gentleman, in the atle and elo-
quent speech which he had made in bringing this
subject forward, had not seemed to wish that any
such vindictive inquiry should take place. Ile only
desired, as every man must do, that some inquiry
of a remedial nature should be instituted, to check
the growth and arrest the progress of this alarming
evil. If this motion for a Committee were carried,
ho believed all that would be done in the present
Session would be this:—having ascertained the
magnitude of the evil, they would recommend an
Address to the Crown, to take such measures as
should appear best calculated to put a stop to it,
and that through the Committee they would cir-
cuitously arrive at that Commission whii.ll might
be obtained at once by carrying the Amendment.—
It was with this impression on his mind, that he was
disposed to support the amendment, and not from
any other arising out of the view he took of the pre-
sent state of circulation of the country. He was sur-
prised to hear the Honourable Gentleman speak as
if those who suffered for forgery were ia their own
minds almost satisfied that the offence for which they
laid down their lives was in itself meritorious. Was
there any great difference between the forging of
Bank Notes, which passed from hand to hand, and
the forging of will or other documents to defraud the
honest members of the community, that should make
the man who suffered for the former crime, an object
of peculiar interest ? Were a Committee to be ap-
pointed to inculcate such notions, it would be as well
at once put an end to all money transactions, and
return to that state of society in which all commerce
must be carried on by means of barter, which would
have the effect of forcing men to commit what the Hon.
Gentleman would consider real crimes, as they would
have no means of living but by preying on each other.
He was decidedly ia favour of the Amendment.
Sir SAMUEL ROMILLY said, a very great in-
ducement was held out for him to vote for this mo-
tion, not only because he thought a Committee
proper, hut because he had found a Commission re-
commended by those who, till now, had been dispo-
sed to do nothing at all in the business, but who at
length. since the subject had been brought forward,
were willing to take it out of the hands of his Ho-
nourable and Learned Friend, by means of a Royal
Commission. Ilis Honourable Friend, the Member
for Shrewsbury, he thought had been unfairly treated
by the Right honourable Gentleman. He did not
consider that he (Mr. Bennett) wished the Committee
to be converted to any purpose at all inconsistent
with the motion of his Honourable and Learned
Friend. Ile maintained, the increase of foreigners
was so grt at, that it would be found impossible now
to carry the laws into effect against those convicted
of that crime iu the manner they haul been carried

into eifeit in times_ past, as, if this were attempted,
the carnage which must ensue would make such an
impression that Juries would no lcinger.cmivirti All
the evils which his Honourable )•fiend had described

he was satisfied grew out of the present system. He
did not say that forgery was a small offence, far
from it; but the general feeling was, that it was not
a crime that ought to be punished by death. He
could see no reason why that House should not do
its duty by undertaking the inquiry called for by his
Honourable and Learned Friend. Their constituents

required it, and he hoped the motion would be carried.
Mr. HUSKISSON, in explanation, said he had not
asserted forgery ought to be punished with death.—
On this subject he was not called upon to give an
opinion, but if he were to do so, he thought ►t would
go rather the other way.
General GASCOYISE remarked it was agreed 'on
all hands, so far as the debate had then proceeded,
that some inquiry was necessary ; and that confidence
which had so long been reposed in the Bank Direc-
tors should be reposed in them no longer. He thought
the most constitutional war of conducting the in-
quiry would be by means-of a Committee. Ile should
therefore, vote for the motion, but if that should be lost,
wishing for inquiry at all events, he should then vote
for the amendment of the Chancellor of the Exchequer.
Mr. MANNING said, he must express to the House
the great surprise and pain with which he,had heard
the speech of the Honourable Member 'for Shrews-
bury. He had asked why the Solicitor of the Bank
of England selected one case for mercy, and another
for prosecution? Now, the fact was, that he selected
no case whatever. The Bank Solicitor had no au-

thority of that kind ; he acted underlhe direction of
his employers ; and as to the Directors, they judged
of every case with the utmost solicitude. They were
governed in their proceedings not by a regard for
their own interest and safety, but for the protection
of the public. The expenses were paid out of the
funds of the Corporation, and for the express purpose
of saving harmless those who had been imposed upon
by forged Notes, and who were unable to bear the
expenses. It was not the practice of the Bank to in-
terfere after judgment: but in the case of the wo-
man (Harriet Skelton) who lately suffered death, he
believed it would be found that it was totally im-
possible, from the whole course of her life, for the
Executive Government to have selected a more pro-
per object for punishment—(hear, hear.) In the
course of the last few years, the crime o£forgery on
the Bank had increased to a most alarming degree.

The several offenders in England, in 1811, amounted
to 5373: in 1817, they had increased to 13,933. He
could assure the House that the Bank would be happy
to concur in such measures as might be deemed most
practicable for preventing the forgery of their notes ;
but it would be perfectly idle to adopt any project
that might be submitted to them from day to day,
and which might be copied by their own Engraver
in the course of three days. lie had witnessed their
patient attention to the subject, and he would add,
that they would spare no expense whatever to adopt
such a plan as might be found most effectual for
checking the evil. The reason why they detained the
notes, after the word " forged" had been stamped
upon them, was, that in cases in which they had gone
out again, that word had been erased by a chymical
process. At the same time, the Bank alWays gave an
urdertaking to produce the notes in any part of Eng-
land that might be required, for the purposes of justice.
Sir A. PIGGOTT contended, that though there
was confessedly a great increase of forgenes in the
years 1816 and 1817, there was also a corresponding
increase of offences of every kind, from many causes,
in the country. If the House of Commons, by their
Committee, or the Crown by its Commission, could
prevent their continuance, the country would owe
them great obligations. No persons, he was con-
vinced, would feel the value of the service more
than the Directors of the Bank of England. But,
from the difference of opinion that prevailed, he must
ask what course ought the Bank to adopt ? Either
they must prosecute for forgeries or they mast not.
If, as he believed, it would be allowed that forgery
was an offence—then it must be prosecuted—and if
prosecuted, from the frequency of the commission,
a selection either for punishment or pardon must be
made, unless it were the opinion of lion. Gentlemen
that the Bank should hang, hang, hang. It was but
justice to the Bank and to the meritorious indivi-
duals who 'acted as their Solicitors to state, that no
prosecutions were ever commenced without the fullest
deliberation of a Committee, appointed for that pain-
ful purpose. The Directors never authorised a prose-
cution without a probability of theguilt of the accused.
If Hon. Gentlenien thought that it ought not to con-
stitute a capital offence—if they thought so, why not
at once move for the repeal of the law?—(hear, hear.)
Why did they mispend their time and discuss the
conduct of the Bank Directors, when, according 'to
their own shewing, the evil was in the law ?
Mr. WILLIAM SMITH thought difficulties ex-
isted at every side of the question. He was ready .to
give the Directors of the 13ank credit for their best
intentions. Still he thought that there was one cor-
rective that they might have afforded, merely to give
the public the knowledge of the criterion by which
the Bank Clerks were able to distinguish the genuine
Notes of the Bank. In the Scotch Banks there were
no complaints of forgeries being practised on them.
He allowed that a comparative limited circulation of
Notes in that country might make forgery less com-
mon, but still there was a further cause, the difficulty
of imitating their plate. Ile should vote for the ap-
pointment of a Co:nmittce, as he was convinced, even
trom the length which part of the House semwd ia-
clined to go, that such a measure was nece,sary.
Mr. CANNING stated that his great motive for
preferring the Amendment of his Right lion. Friend,
the Chancellor of the Exchequer, was, that it was the
most effectual mode to secure a remedy for a con-
fessed evil. He had every re:iance on all the intelli-
gence, and assiduity that a Committee of ilia:
House would display, but he nevertheless thought
that in the advanced period of the Session a Com-
mission from the Crown would best afford a practi-
cal result. Supposing that the Bank had not taken
the pains which the importance of the subject re-
quired, or on the other hand, that they had been oc-
cupied, as the Honourable Director had stated, for
many years in the endeavour to find some remedy, in
either case it was not likely that they could now come
' to an immediate determination of the point. Until
I some mode could be devised by shish every holy
could be let into the knowledge of the improvemeht:

wititout being able to avail tie tit that
ledge in the forger/ of tweet, the plan sug
in Honourable Gentleman (Mr, W. Smith)
never be acted on% The Sectrity, after all, till
in the more elaborate execution of the print. by
means it would be rendered less liable to Forgery
They must rely upcn the same principle to
their Notes against being copied, though opt,
'in a less sublime degree, by which the piettr
Raphael and the Eneid of Virgil were raised
imitation—the excellence of the originals them.
I Though they could not expect to arrive at perfec,
in the manufacture of Notes, he hoped that
great length of time they would effect a considerat
though not a decisive improvements In this,
all the debates that had taken place upon the subs
,he had to complain of great exaggeration.
was evil enough, he could admit, to call for
terferance of Parliament, but it had not been
out that Forgery bad iuereased in any thing "
extent at which it had been stated. That
years there was a great increase of crime was .
lancholy truth ; but that Forgery had increased
a greater proportion than other crimes, coulo
be maintained with success—(hear, hear.)--='
(erred to the Papers which were laid on the
from the Office of the Secretary of State
Home Department, in order td" chew thaL
crimes had inclea•ed in a still greater proporti,
The exaggerated statements which had gone •
could answer no good purpose ; and he though,
importance that the country should be broul
hold an opinion more consistent with the fact,
was another subject upon which misrepresent
had also taken place. Those who discharge,
delicate office of advising the Crown in the
of its most glorious prerogative, that of mere.
alluded to in a manner that could not be just
It was improper to call that a selection for
meat, which was, on the contrary, a select
mercy. If it were to be represented, that those
were left to the operation of the law, while
wete relieved from it, were injured by that act
if such a feeling were to prevail generally,
cise of that must delightful prerogative, instead
being a glory , and a happiness, would beeps.-
anxiety and a curse. He trusted that those
advised the extension of mercy in particular
would never be called upon in that House .
the motives by which their advice was directed.
less the honourable Gentleman was prepared •
that in every case, and without exception,
should be executed, a selection must be made
punish, but to save. It was admitted upon al
that the increase of Forgery was considerable
admitted that no preventive had been yet der
was admitted that the House should interfere,
the simple question Ntas as to the most effectual
of conducting that interference. He did or
to sav that at the bezianing of the Session he
,
feel the same objection to the motion of the "
able Gentleman which he did at present but
advanced period, instead of pursuing a course
might lead to temporary clamour or meffectv
they should apply themselves to that which
likely to produce conclusive and practical ac.
Sir JAMES MACKINTOSH rose to repi
was glad to perceive that on both sides of th,
the necessity of some measure of inquiry
to. It was admitted, cyan by those who
the motion, that the evil was of such magni
to call for some interference, and that the el
therto male by that Bank to put a stop to
gress of forgery were not so successful as
further investigation unnecessary. The on:
to be made was between the two modes of
proposed. He had always heat d his Honow
Learned liiend (Sir Arthur Piggott) with th,
deference and attention upon tl4 as upon e,
subject. He wished however, that in the
his speech he had not endeavoured to cony,
a personal question, that he had argued .
extent of the evil and the mode .orremed
without entering into any defence of the Bat
charge was brought against them. Defence
unnecessary. It could not however be cc
indeed it was unavoidable that they shout
distrust and aversion in the public mint!
selection which was pursued in conviction for
It was said that he had exaggerated the inc
forgeries, and a comparative statement of cii
produced to countenance the assertion. Th,
bility of this statement rested on the numb
cutions for forgery, not upon the number k
tions, and much less of prosecutions. H,
confine his view of the case to the number
Lions alone: he called the attention of the
the prosecutions instituted on the ground
for twenty-one years previous to the Bar
tion, and for twenty-one years subsequent
the former period there were only six pr,
while in the latter the number amounte,
hundred and sixty--(Hear, hear.) Durin
teen years immediately preceding the Rest
prosecutions were but four. In the followit
years they were four hundred and four (o
It was said that in the C3t ly periods of the
of cash payments the progress of forgery
How then account far its great and rapt
immediately after ? It might he said th
Lions for forgery were not a good criterit
by. For the purpose of shewing this, ref(
had to three or four years of the middle
century. The reference was useless and
to the present purpose, because, at such a
time, it could not be now made out, whi
prosecutions took place for forgeries upon'
upon private individuals. lie founded
upon the vast increase of convictions \
place w within tho 21 years; but to emte to th,
The light lion. Gentleman (the Chance.'
Exchequer) said that the necessary secree
investi;:;ation as that proposed would not
teat with the mode of proceeding in Cot
that I foes?. How was this to be re«meil
thewopipllonslgiti:•-ismerx.pereasnsit:dingh)ytose
agree
,httcoi tji
it the proposal of it was J. ten
menceiaent of the next Session He
why a Committee of the House r+l Comm,
net be entrusted with any secrets necessar,
menicated in such an inquiry as that prop,
could nut believe that the House of Cot
served so severe a censure as to say, 51
one of the Gentlemne who composed
to be entrusted with secrets reler6ni_r,

e -:
. t
•• ' •
e
ink irsienTis
crbi
.. •
ii ) could ;, .1
1, itust Be
by which . '
Forgery.--
e to secure .•
. Optratint , •
pictures of
i. 11 Il
used above i
Itemselvest I 44
perfection ,
that at nd ( 1
. . i•
T.
..
esiderablea 14/ il
this, as in ' I
the subject, , t 1
.
I ' ii• on. There
for the in- i
been made
Ing like the . I ,
Chit of latt
was a me-
.ncreased in , .
, could not ..
..)--z-He re-
; the Table
fate for the T'
.
that other ' A '
t (
roportiono--;.
{one abroad .
hought it of
.t brought to I
charged
11
: facto There
! •
presentation •' . \I
arged the I • '
J '4 '
1 the exercise . f,.
mercy, were
e justified.-- . .
• I
1 for punish- .
:election for . Ti
at those who • .:!
while others
I 1
!tat act, and I'
ly, the env- i
e, instead of i ' '
I become an • ,
rose who had
liar instances
)use to state , . .
iirected. Pro
.
pared to say, • .
on, the la*
made, not to , t
on all }lanai,
Table ;it was ,'k ;
et devised ;it • 4
erfere, Sd that ,
rectual mode
lid not mean 1, .
on he should 1 t
'the Honour-
; i but at this 1 .
. ,
course which
ffectual hope,
rich was mot
al ac's tuta:.,et
o reply. lie
. • l'i' y'
of the House
7 wiu agted. t. tp )
who oppofed i • !
magnitude as .
he efforts hi- 1, (
p to the p: .3- ti
as to render . .
.•
I
e only choir e
les of inoniey . 4 •
3nouraLle and - i . 1
" 1
th the greatest
on every other
, .
the course of 5 P
convert it•into ~1 i'
ued upon the t I •
. remedying it .
he Bank.. No
Fence then was CIL ', , I
be concealed,
should - create t
•
mind by that 4 I I
1, tiol
on for forgery.
the increase of 1
t of crimes was
6 The plausi-
lumber of exe- 1. ;
tber of convie-
. He did not . 3 t •,1
mbar of mat- i ?
F the House to ' II
and of forgery ( f T
Bank Restnc- i •
pent to it. In . . 4
ix prosecutions, li. -
n
utted to eight
luring the four- t 4
il
Restriction, the 'A
lowing fourteen i
4 •
ur (hear, hear!) • , 1
f the suspension
-gory was slow.
rapid increase
d that prosecu-
iterion to judge
~ reference was '.4 :ft ..
ddle of the last
Ind inapplicabTe I
ch a distance of I
l'"
:, whether these
pon the Rank or . ~ t '1
dad his met:ou ,
~ .. 1 i
• •
cis which to 4 1,1;
to the que;t:nn.
lancellor of the
rrecy of such an
i not be contit- ,1 ...
I Committees of
t.
'I
()Relied with the
Ilon. Centleman ..
the Committee, $
until the Con.- . '
,1, f
e s..w no reason . l 1
.
'ommons sleuth! ! r
.ssary to be com- ,:' . ,
t proposed. Pe 'T
f Commons de- i
~• ( • 1,
.y, that twenty- ' ;
~ed it were !...t
Iv to ihi ,„,,,, •
, .
• ' ' , .
fit:

ject. He eoujd not weigh the value of the objec-
tion offered by the Right Hon. Gentleman (Mr.)
Canninei upon the ground of time, because he did
not keow when Government might judge it conve-
nient for their own purposes, to advise-a dissolution
of Parliament---(Hear, hear.) - But paltry election
views were not to be put in competition with a ques-
tion of die highest importance to the public. No po-j
lineal arrangement, no interested views of party,
should outweigh the paramount duty of investigating
a subject in which the lives of human beings were
concerned—(hear, hear.) In the event of a Commis-
siau being appointed, their Report would not be heard',
before January next. Vas it fit to allow such an in-
terval
to pass by without any attempt to remedy
ss great an evil ? It was said before —e Wretches
hang, that jurymen may dine."—He saw no reason
for delay in the appointment of a Committee.—
.The only objection to it was such as Ministers alone
could create by an early dissolution of Parliament.
Ali th.e. was necessary might, be done in one month.
Even if more time were required, that could be no
reason for delegating the functions of the House to a
Royal Commission.—The Members of that House
were the most proper persons to enter into the inquiry.
It was objected that it was unusual to refer matters
of science to a Committee. Was there not a Com-
mittee some time back upon Weights and Measures,
a ver,' complicated question which required no small
knowledge of the mathematics? Was there not also
a Committee upon the Elgin marbles? The former
Cuinmittee, though nothing decisive was done in
consequence of their Report, still brought a very
valuable body of information together. An investi-
gation by Commission would not, he was convinced.,
. remove the distrust and jealousy of the public. They
really believed that there was a compact between the
Burk and the Government—(hear, hear)—The ap-
poirunient of a Commission would then appear to
them nothing more than the selection of individuals
to try their own friends. The public could expect
nothing from such a Commission but subserviency
and collusion—(hear).—The Report of a Committee
would produce quite a contrary impression. Such
Reports were of the highest value; they conveyed
at all times most useful and important information ;
they kept up the character of the House, and tended
snore than any thing else to support the respect of
-Parliament. They were now called upon to desert
their functions, and to delegate them to a Commis-
sion chosen by the Crown, of which it was their duty
to be Jealous. If they did not maintain towards the
Ciown a proud but respectful attitude, and towards
the people one of protection and support, they would
injure their own character, they would fall in the
confidence of the country, and alienate from them-
selves that respect which it was desirable by all
means to increase. For these reasons, he would pre-
fer. a Committee to a Commission. The Directors of
the Bank, and some of their friends, seemed-indif-
ferent which was appointed. He could not, these-
lure, agree to the amendment.—The House divided,
For the Amendment - • 10d
Agsinst it 62
Majority in favour of the Commission —45
On the Address being put by the CHANCELLOR
of the EXCHFAMER, Lord COMPTON moved, as an
A tnlndment, to strike out the words----" and other
Banks, and of other engraved negotiable securities."
The t:HANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER
maintained the expediency of the additional power
to be dins given to the Commission.
Mr. J. SMUCH give the proposal, to extend the
power of the Commission to inquire into the paper
of private Bankers his most decided opposition.
Lord CASTLEREAGH said, that the object was
to inquire how Bank notes in general could be so
constructed as to prevent their liability to forgery,
and that it would be invidious to confine the inquiry
to the notes of' the Bank of England.
Mr:TIERNEY remarked, that the Right Honour-
able Gentleman, by this propreition, wished to soften
tie inconvenience of the inquiry to the Bank Direc-
tnrs, by telling them that he thought others as bad
as themselves-4A laugh.) The whole of the debate
of the evening had arisen on the general notoriety
that an excessive proportion of the Notes of the Bank
of England. and of the Bank of England only, were
forgeries. To adopt the proposition of the Right
hoisourable Gentleman, would be to commit a gross
injustice, for it would se to proclaim to the whole
country; that the Notes of Country Bankers stood on
the same footing as the Notes of the Bank of Eng-
land, which was not true. With such powers, the
inquiry would do more harm than good. But per-
haps the Right Honourable Gentleman might resort
to his old expedient, and say that this proposition of
his was a mistake—(A laugh.)
Mr. LYTTLETON observed, that there were few
cases in which he conceived that it was justifiable to
move an adjournment ; but that if any one ever exis-
ted, it was the present, when a motion was suddenly
made affecting the interests and character of a nu-
merous body of people. With a view therefore to
give further time for the consideration of so impor-
tant a question, he would move, That the House
do notv adjourn."
The SPEAKER was about to put the question of
adjournment, when
Mr. LYI'TELTON begged leave to withdraw it
until the House should have expresse,i their sense of
his Noble Friend's amendment to the Right Hon.
Gentleman's moth-in.
Mr. PROTHEROE opposer! the Iti eht Hon. Gen-
tleman's proposition. lie had rcv;rlt2rd a com-
plaint among commercial men of any injury they
bad sustained from the engraved r.egotiable securities
of the Country Banks. He objected- to this extension
of the Commission, because it would render their
coiect indefinite, and, he apprehended, their labours
interminable.
Mr. GIPPS remonstrated against the inquisitorial
rower which the contested clause in the motion would
Live the Commission.
The CHANCELLOR of theE XCH EQU ER replied
that the Commissiohirouldhave no compulsory power
with reference either to the Bank of England or to,
the Country Banks, but were merely to endeavour to
discover the means of remedying the evil which was '
so generally prevalent.
Mr. W. SMITH put it to the Ileese, whether the
waole tenour of what had been said since the diva-,
eon, &LI not shew that the particular proposition in'
crestion, although certainly the worth t-i.i.ted in the
Address moved by'the Right Hois. (tenth:man, as an

LONDON.

FRIDAY, MAY 15, 1818.
THE FUNDS.

PRICE OF STOCKS THIS DAY AT vortmvir o'ctocK :
Reduced 78f 79—Coucols 79t—for Acc. 791,f
Si per Cents. 891.1-1. per Cent. 96fi
Navy Aims. 1071 108—India Bonds 98 100 pr.
Exch. Bills 18 pr —omr.ium f 1 prem.

Last night, in the House of Commons, Sir JANS
MAcKistosti brought forward his Motion for a
Committee to inquire into the best means for preven-
ting the Forgery of Bank Notes, which produced an
animated and interesting debate. Sir J.thsrs begged
the House to look at the result drawn from the docu-
ments before them. The number of prosecutions for
Bank forgeries in the years 1816, 1817, and three
months of 1818, presented an increase of crime which
would defy belief if it did not rest oa the most au-
thentic evidence.. In the year 1817 the expense or
prosecutions cost the Bank Thirty Thousand Pownd::,
and in three months only of the present year no less
than Twenty Thousand Pounds; and the general ave-
rage for prosecuting each individual was 2651.
The CHANCBLLOR of the EXCHZQUER moved as an
amendment, that it should be referred to a Royal
Commission to inquire into the best means of pre-
venting the forgery of the Notes of the Bank of Eng-
land, private Banks, and other regociable securities;
and this amendment was carried by a majority cf
87-against 75.
Many objections were then offered to the words of
the Address for the Royal Commission proprred ,
the CIIANCLLLOR of the Excliwausa, on account of,

its embracing private Banks and otter negociabl
securities. The motion, however, was carried by a
majority of 12.
An adjournment was then moved by Mr. I.wrstx-
too, who strongly opposed extending the inquiry
beyond the Notes of the Bank of England, and do.
dared his intention to persist in motions of adjourn-
ment, till he should compel the CRANCILLOR of the
Exclizooza to abandon his Amendment. The ques-
tion now came -o be entirely between the Cuaticet.-
Loa of the Exentotota and Mr. LYTTLETON as to
which should give way ; when the former at length
said, the question was rot worth contesting, and
agreed to confine the inquiry of the Commission to
Bank of England Notes only. But now arose a new
difficulty. The motion of Address had been carried,
and in print of form it could not be altered. The
SPIAKER pointed out the means to get over the dif-
ficulty—namely, by the House negativing its former
vote, 2nd then•voting a new Address, without the'
words objected to. This was accordirgly done, and
the powers of the Commissioners are only to extend
to the Notes of the Bank of England.
We may certainly congratulate the public on the
resolution that has been come to, to inquire into the
means of lessening, if not preventing, the frequency
of Forgeries. We pretend not to ju Ige whether a
Committee, or a Royal Commission, is 6410 calcu-
lated to answer the desired end; for, no matter by
whom the investigation is carried on, it must lead to
results beneficial to the public. Artists competent to
give evidence on a question of this kind will be exa-
mined, and upon their evidence chiefly will rest the
result. It may be difficult entirely to put an end to
the crime ; but we have no hesitation in asserting, that
its frequency might have bean greatly lessened by
means that were offered to the Bank in the year 1797.
Some people connected with the Bank have stated
that every contrivance offered to the Bank has been
copied by their own engravers in three days. This
is not true. And we state, what will be confit med
by the investigation, that Mr. TlLLoett's specimen
has not yet been copied.

But were it even true that with much tire and la-
bour and expense, a copy of it had been produced,
which could deceive stupid people, it would not fol•
low, even in that case, that it should be rejected
for the security to the public would be in the ratio of

its difficulty contrasted with the facility with which
the prescnt Bank Notes may be and are daily forged
—and that so effectually, that none but the Bank In-
spectors can detect them.

In the House of Lords, last night, Lord Aucx-
LAND withdrew the Chimney Sweepers' Regulation
Bill until next Session, despairing, perhaps, to be
able to get it passed in the form he wishes during
the present Session.

Mails both from Hamburgh and Holland arrived
to-day, but bring no intelligence of the leaq interest
or importance.

The Paris Papers of Monday arrived this morning.
The following Notices are of more than usual inteeest:

" MANMEIM, MAY 4.

" Baron D'AusTerrem, the Russian Minister to
the Germanic Diet, has received important dispatches
from 'Warsaw, in consequence of which he h 's sent an
Agent to Aix-la-Chapelle, to provide a Hotel there
for the Emperor ALEXANDM We are assured that
the Emperor, after his return from Bessarabia and
the Crimca, will remain but a short time at Moscow
before repairing to the Borders of the Rhine.
" The King of Pausstn sets out in a few days for
Moscow, and will probably repair to Aix-la-Cha-
pelle at the same time with the Emperor.
" It appears now certain, that a Congress of the
Sovereigns is to take place forthwith at Aix-la-Cha-
pelle, which will be not only occupied with the sub-
ject of the evacuation of }trance by the Allied Army,
but also with the geaeral interests of Europe, and
those of Germany is particular.
" We are positively assured, moreover, chat ihe
Duke of RICHELIEU and Lord Cnwitunmacit will
attend the Allied Sovereigns during their stay at Mt-
la-Chapelle.
" The re-establishment of torture in the Kingdom
of Hanover has produced a very unpleasant impres-
sion-there. Some disagreeabte scenes are said to have
taken place, which have obliged the Duke of CAH•
BRIDGE to return immediately from Cancel to Hano-
ver. It is probable, however, that there may be some
exaggeration in this news.
" The Liberty of the Press has been established at
Frankfort, the Journals alone are excepted ; these
still remaining subject to the Censure."

Extract of a letter dated St. Thomas's, March 28, 1818, to
s Merchant is Laacsater:--" Owing to the advance of the Pa-
triots towers:, the Caraccas, we have this day had intelligence
of General Mouti.o having completely defeated them. He had
suct.t.xied in forming a junction with the rest of his troops,
previous to the battle. He will, no doubt, immeduaely ad-
vance against Aria/lora."

The Duke of *num:most had a long audience cf
the PRINCE REGENT yesterday, at Carlton House.
The Duchess of GLOUCESTER had a grand and nu-
mercus party last ni:3lt.
A brilliant rout, the first of a series, was given hr
a rew constellation in the hemisphere of fashion, the
Lady of Lord DUEYERIN, on Wednesday nigh!, at
her beautiful mansion, in Cavendih.square. A inoly
the visitants were his Royal Diglmess the Duke of
CLA ENCE and the Misses Frrect.s azsc

Am IRISH Puzzis.—Why is Ira like a potatce
Because it shoots from the qt.;

PRUSSIA.

—_--s
Wo bare betas favoured wide a perusal of i pr:
letter from Berlin of the Stb instant, from
following is an extract :

" The attention of die Public is very mock
ted by the English Loan, and the couseleences
which it will be attended in respect to ear
Upon the whole, it is dlought rather advateg,
although the prospect of repaying it should, it
country like your,, make a people a little le%
guine in their expectations of irsaring property.
Government will of course dit(Large it as sore:
possible; and from its well kr.own pjerruality
money affairs, great dependence ma) Le 1:4r,,,y upor
" The Prince and Princess of !eft
for their residence on the lst ins. Ant.

a The Congress, ac the approaching rr.etieg
Sovereigns •is to be called, is to sneer 2: Ai: •:,
•Chapelie. The famous M. Gest., aud,, t:
Considerations on the French Revolution,' is
to attend in the capacity of one of the Councillor:.
the Ccurt of Vienna."

NAVAL LVTELLIGEYCC.

FALMOUTH, MAY it.
Wind S.W. light breezes, and fine weat►er,.._Pnt
John and William. Davis, from Bristol for Minibus* to
a leak.—Sailed the Grace packet, with a mail for Jamaica
PLYMOUTH, MAY 3.
Wind S.W. —Arrived the Cyrus. Fuzz, from laed.a
Ceylon, Wad remains windbound.

PORTBMUUTH, MAY 14.
Wind S.W.—Arrived the M.dgrave Ckg Blanc f:
don for &mph _ _ _

DEAL. M la lc

Arrived and sailed for the River the !Lawn!, Notts,
Thmsetara; Alezainler, himar, from Jamie.; and Cwt.
BALLIMIIIICUT. from ALtigna.—ratue thwu tn.a. I'M:.
reinah,s in the IJowns, the Marla, Wu.t.tant, for Stu. so,L,
Wales.

LIVERPOOL, MAY IL
Arrived the Triton, liata.oxi, Irons Bc,,ton, sat tock cf
April in company with thr Columbia acd for I r„,._
pool; the Nancy and the M..ry were to sail daike. tht its
Ashton, Baowx, fur Calcutta.
YARMOUTH, MAT 14.
The Lord Wellington, Onsrox, from Rostock to 1..ce1,
with wheat, Ste. struck on the C.4.rscu ram 4 yesterday, Mt sa
been supplied with two men, and will ertgeed u sass u
wind permits.

GRAVESEND, MAT 14.

Arrived the Jemims. Mob», fr,s7tl Combat'; Ogee Ne.
son, from Jamaica ; Governor Hamer, Wilma, from Dar.
rare ; Freedom, Stewart, from Sland ; TeSock Castle, Slam
frost Jamaica; Pllgir.t. Presser, from St.Vmeesn's;
sea, Adamson, from China ; shim, P. 0.7, from Berko r.
Ceres, —..., and Janes, Cray, front Jantica ; kose, Ilurro4b,
fru= ....—.; the Lively, %yes, from HA ingest Waroosrtai,
Tyson, from Tobago; Globe, Diythe, from Jammu; Wows.
Alamo. from lkmer-ra ; and theWashiegtoa, Forstaam. fv.a
Sew York.—SiUcd the Hooter, Grant, Lr Quebec ; Frac 1,
Trundle, for Barbtdoes ; Deans Stun, Gahm, fer I latre; to
Clarks, Aruse, for Rouen ; Stanton, Clamber, f t lean;
the Stag, Wiley, and the Amelia, Condom, for Ibmieugh

Monday two of the men shut up, as former!r rr.".
tioned, in the Quarrelton Colliery, near Mason,
were found alive and well, after having been II ays
confined. They subsisted on the lot ad which was
left in the wallets of the rollers whn escaped. A
hone was along with them, but they fortunarem ) id
no occasion to kill him. Their light lasted ad. two
hours after the breaking in of the water. The inea
saved were in a different part of the work;np front
the remaining five, whose fate is not yet ascertained.
though every possible exertion is making to reacb
quarter where they are ; but from the quarti7 rf
choke damp in that directiou, apprehensicus a:c ea
tertained for their safety.
. .

Wednesday evening as One of the Greer vetch cite
going into the town from London, davits, at a tolet- r•
rate, being heavily laden with passengers both inside v = t-,
when driving past the College, by some means the coed :A
overturned, and the whale of the outside passenger• were r•♦
cipitaLed into the road, when a padres:li of the ram,. et Let
happened to be undermost, and received ro much in!ary tin Se
vondted near half a gallon of blood: he wo rut igte senesce
which was passing at the time sad convey. d house to We.h
where be died shortly afterwards In great agony. Li, vt
passengers were injured.
Est loft Artow.—There are now two :mg! slept X
Limerick, receiving passengers for St.l.,ho's arat St.
Andrew's in America. One of the revels has crm•
pieced her number, and the other near:y so. Leif :es
these, respectable farmers' families trout the Queelis
Cour tv and the County of Tappers: r, together with
forty-five families from the iierght..rirlood of But*
risckshane, have passed through Limericl to etr.ba.-c
at Cork for Quebec, where, on producing the cer-
tificate of good conduct, from their parish Cirri;
they are put into possession of SO acres of grott-1.
which they will enjoy for cultivation.
NEWMARKET SECOND SPRING MEETING,
TkuRSDAY, MAY 14.
Fifty Pounds for 3-yr-olds carrying Gat. lib. Mr-olds. t
5-yr.olds, att. lib. 6-yr-olels and aged, 6.t. loth. T.M.M.
Mr. Wyndham's bay colt, by Teddy the Grinder, ."...”-rleuld I
Mr. hleale's bay colt, brother to Raphael,
Duke of Grafton's cbtosnut filly TrNtrille„ rwld
Tess started—The Judge placed but two—TEA (des Lys**.
Wyndhanis cok-3 to I slot brother to Illephael—:. t. I .CS
Tredrille. _

-----
Mr. Neale's Canvas, 7st. !lb. beat Mr. Slu.k..qcore's 30•ctl,
ea. T.Y.C. 30p.-3 to 1 asst CAM% as.
The Jockey Club Plate of 50its. to be run for tr A its
property of Members of the Jockey • • -ll'.
5- -olds, Rst. 51b. 6-yr-olds, tit. 91b. and are,., • ..S. r •
J.:oft Jersey's bay horse Cannon S. - - • I
-

Nlr. Watscu's blown ce4: attirvillC.

.
Mr. Wyndbanis grey horse S".-.iat, 5-yrs-eld
Mr. A* ilaon's boy net Partingtm, 4-e r• •,.t!
4 to 1 apt Cannon Etll-..-7 to 4 apt } itaOrtilk

CORN-EXCHANGE, MARK-L. NF, AIV /5.
The Wheat Tratie was exceedingly licAvi
morning, and what few sales weir mil: were t
lower prices, in consequence of incrcascil arrival'
from abroad, and the reduction of ss. per sack
Flour, which was agreed upon at the close of Wei
nesday's Market.—Barley is also dull sale, and r."l'
lower.—Beans are full is. per quarter thea;4l.
Oats support Monday's prices.

SMITIIFIF.LD MARKET, MAY IS.
To sink the offal—per stow: of sibs.
Beef ..... ...46 4d to 34 04 I
Veal Si 4d to fa td
rluttoo..4s 4d to 6s Od Pork
Lamb - 7s. Od. to as. Od.
rteasts 620-I'alves 1160--febeep arid iambs 6,74e-41p:40
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