Star.
London, England, 1819-02-09 00:00:00

SCOTCH BURGHS.

Lord ARCHIBALD HAMILTON presented a
Petition from the Electors of Kirkcudbright, one of
the Burghs of Scotland, praying to be restored to the
free exercise of their elective rights. The,Noble Lord
entered into a series of statements connected with
this subject. He reminded the House, that a. Bill to
remedy in part, only in part, the evils of which these
Petitioners complained, had been brought into the
last Parliament, and had in the end been withdrawn,
in a manner which he could not but regard as rather
extraordinary. He now wished to ask the Noble
Lord opposite, if he proposed to introduce another
Bill oo the subject in the course of the present Ses-
sion ? The Petition was then read. It prayed for
the repeal of two Acts of Parliament, which inter-
fered with their rights as Electors, and for such new
enactments as would supply an efLctual remedy to
the evils of which they complained.
The LORD ADVOCATE of SCOTLAND said,
the Bill which the Noble Lord described as having
been withdrawn in an extraordinary manner, had
been withdrawn because those intercsteJ in it had
requested that the Bill mi ht not-pass till the subject
had been brought under the consideration of a Con-
vention of the Royal Burghs, in July. In answer to the
question which had been put. he had to state, that it
was his intention to propose the introduction of a 13i11
similar to that which he had brought in during the
last Session of Parliament.
The Petition was ordered to lie on the table.

Lord ARCHIBALD HAMILTON rote to with-
draw a Notice that he had formerly given. He ex-
plained his motives for doing en. He had given a
Right lionourable Gentleman opposite a list of pa-
pers, for which he intended to move, relative to the
Scotch Burghs. From that Right Honourable Gen-
tleman he had understood, that three out of four that
he wished to obtain would be given ; but last night
he had been informed by that Right Honourable
Gentleman, that the production of uie Papers would
be opposed altogether. He was unwilling to, suffer
the case of the Scotch Burghs to come under discus..
sion on a motion which might be disposed of by tha
previous question ; and should therefore,-however re-
luctantly, witlidrau his Motion for the present. As'
the Learned Lori opposite had. made arrangements
for bringing forward a measure to remedy, in part,
the evils complained of by the Electors in die Scotch
Burghs, he would not tiring forward the subject to
which his Notice referred till that Learned Lord
could be in the He would not now positively
name a day for which his Motion would stand ; but
if the Learned Lord would say after What day he
could be it; the House, he would then fir. on the day
for bringing it on.
Mr. BATHURST said, when the Noble Lord had
first spoken to him on the subject of the Papers for
which he proposed to move, and inquired of him if'
the Motion would be opposed, he (Mr. Bathurst) had
replied, that it was a great deal too much for an in-
dividual like him to take upon himself to decide onl
that question. On Friday, he had told him that only
one part of his Motion would be objected to ; but,
subsequently, understanding the Motion to be diffe-
rent from what he had supposed, he had thought it!
right to let the Noble Lord know last night, that it
would meet with opposition, which before he had
'given him to understand it would not be likely to'
encounter.

The LORD ADVOCATE of SCOTLAND was
the last man in that House to desire that the Noble
Lord should, for his personal convenience, postpone
his Motion for a single day : but the Noble Lord must
be aware that a person in his situation had duties to
perform, which might call him away, that were of
some importance to the Public. After the Session
rose (on the 12th of March), he should be happy to
'give his attendance to the Motion of the Noble Lord,
as soon as it might suit his convenience to bring it on.
Lord A. HAMILTON then postponed his Motion
to the 14th of Mara.

Sir JOHN NEWPORT gave notice of a Motion
on Tuesday on certain Scotch Laws declared to have
fallen into disuetude, and to be no longer binding
on the subject.
-Mr. KENNEDY said, a Commission had been
appointed, in Ibls, to inquire into the fees, profits,
and emoluments of the Officers of the Courts of Law
in Scotland. They had made four Reports in former
Sessions. He wished to know if Ministers intended
'binding any Bill on the Reports of the Commis-
sioners. He also wished to ask if the Learned Lord
opposite could tell him when the Commissioners
would terminate their labours ?

The LORD ADVOCATE believed a Report from
the Judges had been made within the last sir months,
which Report had been laid before the Prince Re-
gent, and was under consideration. He could not say
Iwhen the Commissioners would close their labours.
Mr, KENNEDY said he was not satisfied with the
answer he had received.
Lord CASTLEREAGH remarked, it was not SOX-
prising if the Members of the Government in that
House were not able to give, satisfactory answers
every question, of which they.had no previous in&
formation, the saoMeat it was asked.