Star.
London, England, 1819-03-24 00:00:00

MOUSE OF COMMONS.

The House were employed till half-put four o'clock in bal-
loting for a Committee to try the merits of the Hedon Election.
Mr. RARING brought up two Reports from the Committee
appointed to try the merits of the Election for the City of Wor-
cester. The-first declared the present Members to have been
duly elected, and that the Petition had not appeared vexatious.
The second stated that the Petitioners against the return of
Lord Viscount Dueness: for the said City, had not appeared
•themseives, nor by their Counsels or Agents.
The Reports were received, and on Mr. F. Lawn's motion,
the second was ordered to be taken into further consideration
next Thursday.
Petitions against any alteration in the Coal Duty were pre-
sented from Falmouth and the County of Carmarthen, and or-
dered to lie on the table.
Petitions, praying for an alteration or the repeal of the Duty
upon Coals, were presented from Weymouth, from the Manu-
facturers of the City of London, and from Camberwell and
Lymehouse.—Laid on the table, and ordered to be printed.
Sir WILLIAM LEMON presented a Petition from Fal-
mouth, azaiost the renewal of the Insolvent Debtors' Act.—
Referred to the Committee on that subject.
Mr. ,)lASTERTON URE presented a similar Petition from
Weymouth.—Referred to the Committee.
Mr. BROUGHAM presented a Petition from the Borough
of Lewes, praying that the Insolvent Debtors Act be renewed
with modifications—Referred to the Committee.
Mr. TIERNEY presented s Petition from Knaresboroneh,
against the Insolvent Debtors' Act—Referred to Committee.
Mr. BYNG presented a Petition from Lymehouse, praying
that the Insolvent Debtors' Act be renewed With great altera-
tions.—Referred to the Committee.
Mr. MABERLY gave notice, that this day se'nnight he
should move for Copies of any Correspondence which may have
taken place between the Chancellor of the Exchequer and the
Bank of England, relatively to Balances of Public Money.
The Bankrupt Laws' Amendment Bill was read a first time,
and ordered for a second reading on the 2d of April nerd, and
to be printed.
Mr. I.1"1"ILETON moved for an Account of the Number
of Prosecutions which had taken place during the last three
years under the Lottery Act, with the amount of the sums paid
to informers and public oificers.—Agreed to. He then postponed
his motion on the subject to the 6th of next April.
On the motion of the CHANCELLOR of the EXCHE-
QUER, the Order of the Day for calling over the Defaulters'
names, was dischanged, and a fresh order made for t04110170V1.
Mr. LEE appeared at the Bar and stated, that the following
Members had been chosen by ballot to try the merits of the
Hedon Election:
Robert Ward, Esq. E. Ellis, Esq. the Han. G. V. Paulet,
Lord Howard, Watson Taylor, Esq. A. C. Grant, Esq.
Wildman, Esq. lion. Wellesley Pole, Lord George Beresford,
Hon. E. I'hipps, William HA Esq. Henry Brourrham, Esq.
Lord Viscount Jocelyn, C. W. Taylor, Esq. and William Conte
tenay, Esq.

SCOTCH BURGHS,
Mr. MAXWELL presented a Petition from the
Burgesses of Paisley, praying for a Reform in the
Constitution of their Borough.—Laid on the table.
Mr. MAULS presented a Petition from the Bo-
rough of Dundee, which was ordered to lie on the
table, after a few observations from Lord A. HAISIL•
TON, the LORD ADVOCATE of SCOTLAND, and Mr.
Humc.
Mr. BROUGHAM trusted, that, after seeing so
many Petitions on the table, the Noble and Learned
Lord oppo4ite would not renew the assertion which
he made last year,
_that the People of Scotland did
not wish for the reformation of their Burghs.
The LORD ADVOCATE had never denied that'
the persons who wished to share in the election of
Members to Parliament, were eager for an alteration
in the constitution of Scotch .argbs, but he still

GOVERNOR MACQUARRY.
Mr. BROUGHAM said that he held the petition
of two individuals of the name of Blake and Wil-

Hams, complaining of the conduct of General Mac-
quarry, Governor of New South Wales. He consi-
dered it his duty to present all Petitions that were
couched in respectful language • but in this instance
he had made an inquiry into ihe character of the
Petitioners, and had been informed that they were
respectable men, and not likely to misstate any fact.
With respect to any complaints against the distin-
guished individual at the head of the Colony, he
thought the fault ought to be imputed more to the
system than the man. The population of New South
Wales had now increased to twenty thousand, one
half of which were free settlers, and the annual in-
crease of births was nearly equal to the number of
convicts sent over every year. But when Governor
Macquarry had gone to that Colony, the population
was almost entirely composed of convicts, who of
course required a very different system of Govern-
ment. It would, therefore, be proper to deal leni-
ently by him, if it should be found that he had in
anywise overstepped the bounds prescribed to his au-
thority. The question would be, how far he had
overstepped those bounds? The present petition
charged him with having arbitrarily administered
the law, particularly in levying taxes to the amount
of L:24,000 a year, without any warrant under his
Majesty's Commission. The principal duty which he
was charged with having laid, was one of 10s. per
gallon on the importation of spirits. It was also as-
serted, that the sum so raised was irregularly ap-
plied, and that the accounts were improperly au-
dited. That besides, the Governor was in the habit
of granting exceptions to his connexions and the per-
sons of his household, who were consequently not
affected by the said impost. He was said to have es-
tablished a turnpike and 4 turnpike duty, for which
similar exceptions were also granted. He was also
accused of having punished as offences acts which
never were so considered by the law of this country.
The petitioner, Blake, complained, that for walling
across a piece of ground which the Governor had in-
, closed, he, who was a free settler, and two other per.
' sons who had been felons, had been seized, and with-
out trial, or the examination of witnesses upon oath,
had received twenty-five lashes on their bare backs.
He stated, that he had laid his complaint two years
since before the House, and had renewed it last year
without effect. The other petitioner, Williams, was
a printer and a free settler, who had removed from
the Cape to New South Wales, with the consent, he
asserted, of Lord Bathurst. He had been employed
by the printer of the Government of that Colony,'
Mr. Howe ; but having signed one of the former pe-
titions, complaining of the Governor's conduct to-
wards Blake, he had been discharged, in consequence
of a positive order to that effect from General Mac-
quarry to Mr. Howe, in which his having given his
signature was the only offence mentioned. His land
had consequently been taken away from him, and
the usual allowance had been refused. Although he
(Mr. Brougham) was disposed to make the greatest
allowances, in consideration of the change which had
taken place in the character of the population of New
South Wales, he thought that every thing shewed
the necessity of bending the attention of the House
towards the government of that Colony. It nas al-
(ready a considerable, and would soon become one of
our most important settlements, and this was the pro-
pitious moment for adopting a system which would
prevent things in future from taking a wrong course.
He contended that the New South Wales settlers had
no other means of obtaining redress, when aggrieved,
but through an application to that House, and that
the Governor had no right to prevent or punish such
an application. His only motion at present should
be, that the Petition be brought up.--Agreed to,
The Petition having been brought up and read,
Mr. MONEY was well acquainted with General.
Macquarry, and admitted the fairness of the obser-
vations with which the Honourable and Learned
Gentleman had prefaced his Motion. But if the
charges contained in the Petition were true, General
Macquarry must have completely altered his cha-
racter as a man—a character which had obtained the
respect of all his friends, and of all who knew him.
Nay, he must have altered his character as a Gover-
nor ; for when he had gone to •New South Wales,
the commencement of his government had been
marked by the most benevolent endeavours to ame.
liorate the condition of the persons committed to his
charge. He had found the Colony in a state of agi-
tation and insubordination, which had overthrown
the former Government. All social bonds were dis-
solved ; the people lived in a state of concubinage,
and the most solemn duties of religion were totally
disregarded. His first efforts had been to restore re-
gular habits, and revive the solemnization of mar-
riage. In such a population, it was easy to conceive
that such attempts would create ill will towards him.
Hence many charges might be preferred against him.
But let him enjoy the same privilege as every other
British subject, of being considered innocent until
proved guilty. Let his long and meritorious services
have their fair weight, and let it not be forgotten,
that whereas felons who had been pardoned by due
authority, or had been found entitled to freedom by
their good conduct, were still considered incapable
of holding any ofiit. es, and kept in an immutable de-
ffadation. Governor Macquarry had rescued them
from that gate, and re-opened public employments to
Merit. Ile most cordially agrpedi that after the

charges that had been made on this and on a former
night, with the interest they must all take in the pro-
sperity of the Colony, they were called upon to de-
termine that the Most complete and efficient investi-
gation ought to take place without delay.
Mr. MANNING thought they ought to pause be-
fore they gave credence to statements so materially
affecting the diameter of an officer who was so many
thousands of miles distant, and incapable of defend-
ing himself. Governor Macquarry, he could state
fi om his knowledge of him, was a person of very high
honour and reputation. He had served his country
in Bombay, he believed, for eighteen years before he
obtained the present appointment; and he had been
on the Staff in the London District under the Earl of

Harrington. He was extremely anxious that the
House should suspend their opinion, as a Comatissio%
had been appointed to go out to inquire into the me-
rits of the case on the spot.
General HART had known Governor Macquarry
upwards of thisty7ears, as& tient* it his chary •to
stand forwarcron this occasion to declare tilvt he had

never known a man of more unexceptionable charac-

ter. He could not believe him caplble of any op-
pressive or dishonourable action.
Mr. FORBES entreated that the most efficient steps
might be taken to inquire into eh the circumstances
of the case, without loss of time. Governor Mac-
quarry had been one day accused by the settlers in
New South Wales of treating the convicts with un-
due lenity, and on the next he was charged by the
convicts with oppressing them with uncalled for se-
verity. Now to him it appeared more than probable
from these complaints, urged as they were from op-
posite parties, that Governor Macquarry had offended
all, by the strict impartiality with which he had per-
formed his duty. In imposing restrictions on the
importation of spirits into New South Wales, it had
been obviously his object to preserve the colony from
a,great evil which must have fallen on it had a dif-
ferent system been acted upon. His conduct is this
instance, there was every reason to believe, had been

most upright. He (Mr. F.) knew that in one in-
stance a ship had been sent from India with spirits,
which ship was not permitted to enter the port, and.
had been compelled to return with her cargo. This
vessel had been fitted out by officers who had long
been in habits of friendship with Gcverncr Mac-
quarry, and his conduct therefore on this occasion
attested his impartiality, which would not permit
any relaxation in favour of those he might be most
disposed to serve. In another instance, he wished to
place Governor Macquarry's conduct in a proper
light. When the present Chief Justice went out; one
of the first regulations that he made was, that no
person who had gone from England a convict, should
act as a Solicitor in the Court over which he was to
preside.
-s•

It happened that some gentlemen who had
♦ unfortunate as Le so fiunt -Englantras con-
victs, but who from their good conduct were much
esteemed in the colony, were at that time practising
as Solicitors. The regulation of the Chief Justice
went not only to throw them out of their occupation,
but to give a monopoly of their business to ene indi-
vidual who had gone out with him. But did the
Governor permit this regulation to continue in force?
No, he had very properly exercised the authority
vested in him, to annul it, and he was happy to Le
able to add, that he understood his conduct in this
instance had met with the approbation of the Govern-
ment at home. Governor Macquarry, if he (Mr.
Forbes) were not misinformed, had long since desired
to be recalled, and he hoped he would soon be here
to defend himself. The inquiry into his conduct would
he doubted not, redound to his credit.
Mr. WILBERFORCE had had the honour to be
acquainted with General. Macquarry before he went
to New South Wales, and his conduct had ever given
him the idea of a gallant soldier, alive to the best
feelings of humanity. He, however, could not so far
forget the principles of the British Constitution, un-
der which he had been educated, and the lessons
which all history afforded, not to feel that absolute
power was the most dangerous and corrupting thing.
that could be confided to any one, and with- all re-
spect for Governor Macquarry, be would say that he
must be almost more than human if it had no effect
on his character. In illustration of the injurious ten-
dency of absolute power, he detailed the proceedings
in a certain libel case which had come to his know-
ledge. Recurring to the question before the House,
he agreed that after what had transpired inquiry was
absolutely necessary. He understood that a Com-
mission was now about to go out. Though in for-
mer cases when several Commissioners were sent out,
some inconveniences Lad arisen from their differences
lof opinion, he thought more than one necessary in
the present instance, for the individual now about to
proceed to New South Wales must be gifted with
more-than mortal discernment, e 5 report satisfactorily
on the whole case. A move difficult task could hardly
be imposed on any one Shad would tall on this Gen-
tleman. More Commissioners ought to be appointed,
as if this were not d,ele, the decease of this Gentle-
man might maki a new commission necessary, at a
time when the reformation desired might be looked
for. He then noticed the imperfect accommodation
for females in the Colony. It was understood that
150 more were to F.,0 out ; but ought this to be %lit-
tered, when they were aware that t:le misery to which
they must be exposed would be such, that it had been
said it would he mercy to hang :hem up rather
than to send them out under situ circumstances?—
An inquiry instituted here, which need not, he should
think, occupy'more than one week, would be likely
to put the persun about to proceed to New South
Wales, in possession of facts of greatimportance, as
there were several persons in the thetroPolis who
could afford him some valuable information. Not
presuming to judge of the conduct, MO still less of
the motives, of the Gentleman whose name had been
called in question, lie would still say, the Settles s in
New South Wales, who had gone out' expecting to
enjoy something like the spiriteaf the British
tution, were entitled to the protection' of

capc.
tritish Contti-
of dm Ho sti,