Star.
London, England, 1819-03-09 00:00:00

I
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sequent upon it must go, fora very considerable time.
He opposed the motion, but disclaimed all intention
of withholding any requisite information. '
Mr. W. WILLIAMS supported the motion, and,
contended that as the facts that had been state:ll,er*
denied, the papers ought to be given, to vindicate thel
characters of those charged to-have been implicated
in that which had been complained Of. ,
Mr. HARVEY replied. He denied that he had
v.-ished to throw any censure on the Attorney-Gene-1
ral, or any other individual engaged in Excise prose-
cations. The Attorney-General had said,that not one
in a hundred cases'ended in favour of the defendants
in Excise. prosecutions ; now he (Mr. Harvey) .could
skew, in a few houts, twenty acquittals during last
year, and therefore there must have been the enor-
mous number of 2000 prosecutions--(Cheers.)—The
Attorney-General had said that Magistrates had net
the avower of seizing ships. He would not have the
presumption tneontend with the Learned Gentleman
on the subject of Acts of Parliament but while an
Aet of Parliament existed empowering Magistrates
to seize ships of a certain burthen, he must say that
they had the power. The Learned Gentleman had
said, that the cases were brought into. the Exchequer
for publicity yet, they had since been told, that
such was their tender regard to the defrauders whom
they had prosecuted, that their names must not be
knowa—(Hear, hear.)—.The experftes were enOrthous,
and quite unnecessary, for one half of the cases were
compromised. When the proof was clear and corn,
plete, why employ five Counsel ?—(near, hear.)—
Compromises, too, were generally entered into solely
in order to avoid the certain ruin to a man's credit
that attended his prosectition in the Exchequer.
The House then divided—For the Motion 54
Against it 72—Majority 18.
BROGDEN brought up the Report of the Peor Laws ,
Amendment Bill, which war agreed to, and the Bill ordered to
be read a third time on Thursday.
The Report of the Committee of Supply was brought up and
agreed to.
Lord PALMERSTON obtained leave to bring in the Mutiny '
B:11. He afterwards brought it in, and it was read a first time,
and ordered to be read a mond time this day.
The Aliens and Denizens Bill was reported, and ordered to
be v....ad a third time this day.
The other Orders of the Day wen' then disp&ed of, and the
Douse adjourned at Ozz o'Czocit mu Mosmon.

TIIF EVENING

LONDON.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 10, 1819.
TUE FUNDS.
PRICE OF STOCKS THIS DAY AT ONE O'CLCCK
Bank Stock shut—Bank Long Alms: shut.
S per Ct. Red. shut—Cons. 74411
Cons. for Acc.7li; 75 711-31 per Cent. shut. .
4 ;,et: Cent, shut-5 per Cent. Navy 105 M
Imperial Anns. 73k—India Bonds 32.34 prem.
ElChequer Bills (2d.) 2 4 dis.—Commercial 30 dis.

Another instance of Election bribery was last
night brought before the House of Commons. by the
Committee appointed to try the Barnstaple Election.
Sir MaNassot Masscv Gertz, the sitting Member,'
and ch• convicted briber and corruptor, was removed
froni his seat ; declared incapable of 'sitting in the
present Parliament ; and the Motion for a new Writ
delayed, till the minutes of evidence taken before
the Committee could be laid on the table. It is un-
necessary to style, that this last proceeding is prepa-
ratory to some measure or proposition, having re-
ference to those who have taken bribes. If Parlia-
ment means to maintain that portion of dignity
and respectability which adheres to it from the
purity of election, lie that purity more or less
extensive, it must proceed with vigour in all those
cases where discovery has attended improper me-
thOds of getting into the House. Mr. BRAND truly
observed, that the fury of the Radical Reformers
was the most effectual bar in the way of all
Reform whatever ; and it may also be added, that
it is the fury of the Ultra•Non-Reformers, the
fury of those who cling to every species of abuse,
which alone keeps the outrageous Reformers in ex-
istence. Is. is astonishing how these two bodies
of men, to use a familiar phrase, play. into each'
other's hands, and keep each other alive; while be-
tween those who would perpetuate abuses, and those
who would- overthrow every thing, the possession
of that real practical good . which might be ob-
tained, is interminably deferred. Pentlyr. and Barn-
staple are not now first known to be corrupt Bo-
roughs: they, with others, have long been by-words.
Can any thing be more natural or proper, than to
remove the Elective Franchise from them, now
that they have been detected in their iniquity ?
It is said, however, that as all the Electors have not
been convicted of corruption, it wordd be wrong that
the innocent should suffer with the guilty. But if it
would be unjust to deprive a corrupt Borough and
all its members of tiro elective franchise, is it just to
tviimsuld tl4l. privilege from. large Cities and power-
ful Communities 0 We have always been taught to
believe; in questions of political economy involving
the prosperity of the general public, that the good
of the few should yield to that of the many; but here,
this wholesome principle is inverted, and public.good
' sacrificed to the interest of a few individuals,
lfowever, it must be observed, that the whole argu.
pont of punishing the innocent, only applies to the
supposition that the power of returning Members
should be entirely taken away from the BoroUghs in
question, and transferred to mew populous places;
and, even in that case, the uncorrupted few.might
retain their votes in the new Boroughs. We know'
no principle in the British Constitution which con-
, *hes a mans vote to his,place of residenee. But the
commonway has been in similar cases, to let in fresh
voters to the corrupted places: and can any one have