Star.
London, England, 1819-02-27 00:00:00

DUTY ON COALS.

Sir C. MORGAN presented a Petition from cer-
tain Inhabitants of the County of Monmouth, pray-
ing that no alteration might take place in the present
Duties on Coals.

Mr. NEVI MAN observed, that 'nothing could be'
more unjust than the present system, and he hoped
his Majesty's Ministers would see the subject in the,
same light.
Sir C. MORGAN said that the proposition which
I:ad been made on the subject of the Coal Duties, if,
ca-ried into effect, would cause the greatest distress
ar.d ruin in those districts in which Coals were indis-

pensihle to manufacturers.
Mr. EDWARDS perfectly agreed with, the Ho-
r.ourable Baronet. To tax Coals at the mine would
be an incalculable injury to the iron works ; and
• wh,..a the magnitude of those works was considered,
thc importance of the question would be evident,.
There was not a man who wore hob nails in his shoes
who would not suffer by such an imposition. Being
perfectly convinced of the impolicy of any change,
he did hope that Parliament would leave the law
respecting the,Dutics on Coals untouched.
Sir ISAAC COFFIN observed, that the poor in
the counties which would be most materially affected
by any change in. the Duties on COals were already
in such it State that they could scarcely buy shoes to
their feet or salt to their porridge. The fat eaters of
venison in the Metropolis ought to 'be ashamed of
.themselves for wishing to benefit by a farther pres-
sure on those who were already enduring so much.
Mr. E. J. LITTLE'TON wished to learn, whether
it was in contemplation to bring forward any mea-
sure for imposing a general Duty on Coals. Some
proceeding, with this view, had been expected, and
had excited a great ferment• in the county which he
represented (Staffordshire). He was determined to
give such a measure all the opposition in his power.
Mrs BENNET bore testimony to the prevalence
of a similar alarm in the county with which he was
connected (Shropshire), and signified his intention to
resist any prorpsition for imposing a general Duty.
• Mr. CALCHAFT observed, that he did not be-
lieve an equalization of Duties would have the effect
of turning any description of persons out of employ-
ment; but, on the contrary, that it would lead to an
increased consumption of coals. It was certainly de-
sirable that there should not be a premium on coals
in one part of the country, and a tax upon them in
another, which was the care at present. He was a
little surprised at the feeling manifested by the very
loyal Counties, as they had been called, of Stafford-
shire and Shropshire, and should certainly support
any measure which might effect a more equal disti
hut i on of the burden.
Mr. STUART WORTLEY said, he was inimical
to the- equaiizAtion sytem on this priticiple—that
those who recommended it, instead of' praying to be
relieved from the Tax themselves, wished it to be
eatznded to others. - '
Mr. PROTHEROE observed, that this was evi-
dently a case in which parties were contending for
their separate interests, and it was for the House to
decide between them. It had an anomalous appear-
anon, that one half of the country should be exempt
from the application of a tax to which the other was
sui.irct. The inhabitants of Staffordshire had' no
reason for discontent or alarm in their present cir-
cumstances ; and he was happy. to inform the Ho-
nourable Member 'for that County, that the iron
trade was now flourishing there with unprecedented
success. He should avoid the difficulty touched on
by the Honourable Member who spoke last, by op-
posing any Tax whatever on Coals, being satisfied
, that this was one of -those impolitic measures which
defeated its own end, and that the impulse which its
repeal would give to Manufactures would more than
compensate a temporary reduction of the revenue.
HOLME SUMNER concurred in the opi-
nions which had been just expressed. The whole
• Duty on Coals amounted' to 1,200,0001. of which
sum, 63,1,0001, was paid by Middlesex and Surrey,
awl the residue by four other Counties. The rest of
the Country was exempted from the payment of any
Duty on this necessary article. Its pressure on the
loixer orders was grievous. Honourable Members
from different parts of the country might state their
hopes and sentiments as to this question coming on;
but he pledged himself that it should be brought
under the consideration of the House. The Counties
be ha .alteady mentioned, were subject, in addition
to this exclusive Duty, to all that advance of price
rich the prevalence of easterly winds seldom roiled

to produce. A Duty of Sixpence per Chaldron
throughout the Country would produce a Retinue
equal to the present. If the Members for the City of.
London should not introduce the s;bject. he should
think himself guilty of a dereliction of duty if he 'did
not bring it under the consideration of Parliament.
Lord -GRANVILLE SOMERSET remonstrated
against any alteration in the duties.
Mr. N. CALVERT contended that the existing
Tax was partial and unjust.
Lord, CASTLEREAGH observed, that the present
was scarcely a fair opportunity for discussing the

subject.
Mr. LITTLETON admitted the truth of the No-
ble Lord's remark, but added, that whenever the Ho-
nourable Member for Surrey chose to bring forward
the motion of which he had given notice, whether for
the appointment of a Committee on the subject or in
'any other shape, he would give it his most decided
opposition.—The Petition was then ordered to be
printed.
Lord GRANVILLE SOMERSET presented simi-
lar Petitions from the Iron-workers of Monmouth-
shire, Glamorganshire, and Brecknockshire.--Or-
dered to be printed.
• PENRYN

Mr. ATKYNS WRIGHT, Chairman of the Com-
mittee appointed to try the merits of a Petition com-
plaining of an undue return for the BOrough of
Penryn, appeared at the Bar with a Special Report,,
representing that Henry Swann, Esq. was not duly
elected, that the Petition was not frivolous or yen-'
tious ; that it had appeared to the Committee that
Henry Swann, Esq. had been guilty of bribery, and
was therefore incapacitated to serve in Parliament;
that evidence had been produced sufficient to convict
three persons of using corrupt influence, and eight
others of receiving bribes.
The Report being laid upon the table,
Mr. A. WRIGHT moved, that the Speaker should
issue his Warrant to the Clerk of the Crown to make
out a new Writ for the Borough of Penryn, in the
room of Henry Swann, Esq.
Sir C. BURRELL regretted that he felt it his duty
to oppose the motion for issuing a Writ for an Elec-
tion for this Borough. But it appeared to him that
the case was one which required that the minutes of
the evidence, and proceedings of the Committee,
ought to be laid before the House. He understood that
lists had been given in on each side, containing each
the names of above one hundred individuals who had
been guilty of bribery. It also appeared by the Re-
port, that three persons, employed as agents at the
last Election, had been guilty of corrupt practices.
On the whole, therefore, he thought it impossible for
the House to form a just opinion on this case, until
it was in possession a" the minutes of the Committee,
and that this should be done before the new Writ
was issued, or any other proceeding adopted. He
concluded by moving as an amendment, " That the
Speaker do not issue his Warrant for the said Writ,
until the House have proceeded to take the Report
into further cossideration."
Mr. HOLDSWORTH said he believed it was not
usual for the House to suspend the issuing of the
Writ without some great cause appeared to justify so
strong a measure. ' The notice which had been men-
tioned was- not that so many voters had been bribed
on each side, but that such party had been guilty of
bribery, with the view of making any further votes
availing to either party. He should therefore vote
for the issuing of the Writ.
Mr. HARVEY said, that the lists of voters guilty
of bribery had been issued by each party, with the
view of disqualifying any further votes on behalf of
either party.
Mr'. CAREW said it was true that the bribery had
been so notorious that notices were issued by each
party, stating that votes given to the other would be
thrown away. It also appeared that the three agents
who had been found guilty of corrupt practices were
contractors for the 6orough. Under these circum-
stances, he thought it but fair that the House should
pause before issuing the the ‘Vrit.
A MEURER said he had been one of the Committee,
and he would venture to say, that a more fair Com-
mittee had never been appointed. However, he
thought It necessary that he should now state, that
though he was bound by the opinion of the majority
of that Committee, that there was rot sufficient
ground for recommending the disfranchisement of
the Borough, yet it was his opinion that it should
have been recommended. In all such cases he thought,
that where any thing like a sufficient case could be
made out, the House would act most wisely by with-
drawing the elective franchise from those who grossly
abused it. He was not one of those who called them-
selves Reformers, but who meant something much
more than Reform ; yet he was not ashamed to own
himself a moderate Reformer—(Hear, kar). And
he always thought that the House would preserve the
best kind of Reform, in all cases of this kind, by
marking those Boroughf which shamefully bartered
their elective rights, and transfer them to such great
towns as Manchester and Leeds, which sent no Mem-
ber to Parliament—or to so large a county as York,

which sent only two—(Hear, hear).
Sir JOHN NEWPORT said, that when it was be-
fore the House that notorious bribery bad been corn•
mitted, he should have thought that ground enough
to induce the House to refrain at once from comply-,
ins with aznotion for issuing a new Writ for the same,
place, until it had inquired more minutely into the
circumstances of the case; for though the House had
delegated its power to the Committee, when that
Committee reported that they had found that many
of the Burgesses had been bribed, that was quite
sufficient, prilerkfacie, to have the whole case laid be-
fore the House ; .and he was sure that the House, by
acting thusovould best attend to the interests.of the
public.
Mr: A. WRIGHT felt himself called
that the Committee
been made out

or many but
the names given

to point out
Lord CA

would be found
such as must '

case ; but if
should hold

don, it was

complete as I
should nbt be

however, there