Star.
London, England, 1818-05-27 00:00:00

..
. I._

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-----"'"'."'""'n' I kr. MANNING said the information was given
-----__ vor•
••
him to think that the Bank had made no serious! in the papers on the table. The Ballt had paid 14
)aratinn nor resuming payment
in cath on dc-I
of such notes; they found it totally impossible Oa de-
ad. •He,lvsos,there ore of opinion that they could tect them altogether.
; &lir Isa•Mlng foil Bill, wnsidering the situation LOAN PROM THE RANK.
which Govern•rent had placed the Bank. Mr. JOHN SMITH begged to ask a few quesnons
Lord KING c.,uld not consent to have the re- of the Right Honourable Gentleman opposite, which
mption of cash payments by the Bank of England were very interesting to the public in general, at a
depead on the operation of foreign Courts ; neither period when every report was resorted to to injure
Id he consent to allow this influence of foreign the public credit, by depreciating the prices of the
- to exist, on the bare assertion of the First funds. He would therefore ask the Right Hon.
of the Treasury, and Chancellor of the &else- Gentleman, whether it was intended, as reported, to
The Noble Lord followed in the same course raise any money by loan, or in any other manner, in
argument as thsit adopted by Lord Lauderdale ; the current year ; and whether there was any nego-
-.ve notice that heavould move a clause in the ciaticn on foot for continuing the Loan from the
mittee to restrain the Bank from making any Bank of three millions, instead of paying it off?
idend of profits whenever the price of gold was The third question was very material, because the
we the Mint price. 'public were very much misled by a notion, that if
'Lord LIVERPOOL would not detain the Reese the six millions were paid by Government to the
r going again at length into the arguments on this Dank, that the amount of Bank Notes would be so
ill. In reply to the question of a Noble Baron much lessened, and the circulating medium in that
wille), who had asked whether this continuation proportion decreased ?
• Restrictions was indulgence to the Bank, The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER ex.
ted at their solicitation ? he had no hesitation in pressed his astonishment that any report of further
••, it was not an indulgence which the Dank money to be raised, by loan or otherwise, this year,
solicited ; on the contrary, as far as the interests should be in circulation. Indeed, the amount funded
Bank were concerned, they were ready to re- lately was so considerable as to render it almost im- I
cash payments. The Noble Baron had spoken possible that Government would have any necessity
the Bank as if that Body were forcing on the to resort either to funding or a loan at any period
'lc, against its will, a depreciated currency.— during the next year. But, in his situation, he should
he (Lord Liverpool) believed he was as well in- not wish to say more on this part of the question. As
formed as the Non- le Baron was, of the opinion of to the three millions, a negociation was on foot, and
• people at large on this subject ; and he did be- nearly concluded with the Bank, to pay a moderate.,
e, that a majority of the people preferred the interest, by continuing that sum as a loan on Excite-
depreciated currency, and did not wish a termination quer Bills. In reply to the last question, he had to
restriction. In that he differed with them ; for say, that Government had arranged with the Bank
Iviously desired to see the resumption of cash to make their payments of the six millions at various
/milts, because he considered the present system periods most convenient to both parties. No pay-
productive of false wealth ; and, therefore, he ments of this nature would confine or lessen the
mid look on it, if taken as a permanent system, as amount of Bank Notes in circulation. The Bank
extremely injurious. Directors have the entire controul over the amount
fter a few words from Lord GRENVILLE and the of paper which they may deem it proper to put in
.r 1 of LivenPoot., the House went into Committee. circulation. They would no doubt act liberally in
Lord LAUDERDALE moved a Clause, limiting this respect, and accommodate their issues to the
• duration of the Bill to six weeks after the meeting wants of the country.
the next -Session of Parliament. Mr. TIERNEY observed, that it was evident that
Upon this amendment a division took place—Con- the Bank never could possibly pay in specie; and he
9—Nun-contents 22—Majority against the supposed this was the intention, if the Government
Amendment 13. did not repay the six millions which had been ad-
Strangers were not again admitted; but during van ed by the Bank ; and with regard to the three
• exclusion the several other Amendments were millions, it was equally evident, that if an immediate
and negatived without a division. The Bill went arrangement were not made with the Bank, an inte-
Tough a Committee, the Report was received, and rest of 4 per cent. would be payable on that sum.
' Bill ordered to be read a tl ird time to-morrow. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER re-
Ajourned at Twelve o'Clock. plied, that by a progressively gradual payment the
HOUSE OF COMMONS. six millions would, in due time, be repaid to the
:. LAMB presented a Petition from cerLin Proprietors of Bank ; and as he had already stated, there was an
.rury-lane Theatre, praying that the Bill now before the House arrangement at this moment in progress between the
should not paw into a law. Government and the Bank for taking the three mil-
Petitiosis were also presented from Sheffield, and other places, lions on a continued loan, at a low rate of interest.
vying that the passing of the Poor Settlement Bill should be
postponed for the present. DROITS OF ADMIRALTY.
Mr. CALCRAFT brought in a Bill to repeal the present Sir JAMES MACKINTOSH said, he rose to give
Duties on Rock Salt, and to impose lower duties in lieu thereof
• notice of a motion for Monday, founded on what he
'lead a first, an/ ordered to be read a stood time to-morrow.
.:curitics Bill went through a Committee.—
had no doubt mast be the general opinion, that due
The Negotiable S
Report received, and the Bill ordered to be read a third lima respect had not been shewn to the House of Corn-
'o
-morrow. mons. As long since as the 10th of February, the
The London Coals, the Irish Excise License. the Madder House had voted an Address to the Prince Ret(ent,
Duties, the Irish Treasury Bills, the Passengers Vessels, and
Bills, were passed. requesting that he would be pleased to order infor-
.lfis,le from the Lords announced that their le.rdMips mation to be communicated concerning the Droits of
agreed to the New Churches Building Bill (w.th tome Admiralty. Yet nearly four months had passed
amendment.), and some oilier Bills. without any compliance by his Majesty's servants
Mr. COURTEN A Y moved for lease to bring in a Bill for •,
with the order of their Sovereign. It was then fore his
• establishment of Parochial Benefit Societies; and also fora
'for the further Encouragement and Protection of Friendly intention, if tie accounts were not presented forthwith.
Societies.—Leave given. to move that an humble Address be presented to the
The Clandestine Marriage Bill was reported. Prince Regmt, apprising him of the neglect with
The Scotch Churches and Liana& Forest Bills weft CO.m
wh •
' leh his commands had been treated.
misted.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER ex-

BRADBURY'S PATENT.

Mr. P. MOORE moved the second reading of
Bradbury's Patent Bill.
Mr. MANNING was fearful this invention of Mr.
Bradbury's would not be productive of any advan-
-to the public. Mr. Bradbury was an engraver,
had invented a plate for notes and bills, which,
was said .by those who supported his claim, could
be imitated. Now he had seen persons who had
mined Mr. Bradbury's invention, and who were
Jpinion they could produce such an imitation of
as should deceive a casual observer, n two or
tree days.
Mr. P. MOORE was surprised at the statement of
Hon. Director, who now wished to throw cold
water on this invention for the protection of the pub-
lic had taken much pains to investigate the in-
:ion of Mr. Bradbury, and was persuaded it would,
adopted, at least materially increase the difficulty
forgery.
FORGERIES OF SANK-NOTES.
Sir JAMES MACKINTOSH said, he had received
:out many parts of the kingdom a great number of
communications for preventing forgeries of Bank
tes. He wished to suggest to. the Right Honour-
.de Gentleman opposite, that it would be very ex-
pedient to proceed to the nomination of the Commis-
sioners as suon as possible, and to make their appoint-
ment generally known, in order that individuals
,ight know where to address them. This would
:nd to satisfy the great anxiety of the public.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER an-
swered, that steps had already been taken for the ap-
,intment of Commissioners, and he had no doubt
fery opportunity would be taken of complying with
e Learned Gentleman's suggestion.
Sir M. \V. RIDLEY reprehended a particular griev-
ance on the public with respect to those forgeries.
'he case on which the Grand Jury determined went

plained that the delay had unavoidably arisen from
the necessity of having communications with several
persons. But he hoped they might be presented in
time to save the Hon. and Learned Gentleman the
trouble of making his motion.
LAND TAX ASSESSMENTP.
Mr. BROUGHAM wished to learn from the Right
Hon. Gentleman opposite, whether any orders had
been issued from the Treasury, to the District Sur-
veyors, respecting the assessments of the Land-tax ?
He particularly wished to know what authority had
been given for a certain Circular Letter which had
been sent from a Surveyor to an Assessu` in a dis-
tant district (he alluded to the County of Westmor-
land), and which had been published in the News-
papers? It was a direction from this officer not to
proceed in the Laaci-tax Assessments till further or-
ders. As the law stood, the Bill on this subject hav-
ing been lately thrown out, these officers take on
themselves, in co::tempt of the privileges of the House,
a4cl the rights of Electors, to adopt a measure for
disfranchising voters at the eve of a general election ;
and if the matter were not satisfactorily accounted
for, he should call for the attendance of those officers
at the bar. But he should take a shorter mode than
moving for the production of that letter by the per-
sons who received it; for if he were driven to this ne-
cessity, it was clear, that before his object could be
attained, the Parliament would he prorogued, and
perhaps dissolved.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said,
if any such order had been given, there could be no
doubt it must have been a general one.
Mr. BROUGHAM was surprised that the Right
Hon. Gentleman should stand up in his place and ex-
press any doubt whether he had issued such an order
or not. It was an order that was probably signed by
three Lords of the Treasury.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER re-
plied that he did not believe the Lords of the Trea-
sury had signed any such order.
Mr. LUSHINCiTON added that he did not believe
any such order had been issued from the Treasury.
Mr. BROUGHAIvI then said he should move—
" That there be forthwith laid before the House an
Account of any Order issued from the Lords of the
Treasury to District Surveyors, within the last three
months, regarding the Assessment of the Land Tax."
Mr. P. MOORE observed,, that nothing could be
more material in the event of a General Election
than to see the vote of the Land Tax. If the Land
Tax Vote-book were not forthcoming, it put it into the
power of the Returning Officer to return whatever
Candidate he pleased. He hoped the House would
look at this question with the serious attention which
belonged to it.
Mr. WYNNE suggested that the order in question
might have proceeded from the Tax Office, and that

Imply at present on a Clerk of the Bank saying that
note is forged. On being asked how he knew this,
, answer was, that he could give no opinion, as he
was sworn to secrecy. Thus, on no other grounds
-ere so many of our fellow-creatures brought into a
:uation of life or death. The Commissioners ottOt
have some power of inquiring into this part of the
bject. He wished also to know what was to be the
Amber of the Commissioners, and the amount of
their salaries ?

The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUUR said,
the number would be from five to seven; as to the
salaries, although he could not say specifically what
hey would be, he was sure the House would be of
)inion that such Gentlemen could not be expected
give their time and labour without remuneration.
Mr. BENNET wished to know whether it were
.ot a fact which had been asserted, that the Bank
iad frequently paid 1/. notes which had turned out
be forged ?

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