Star.
London, England, 1818-03-07 00:00:00

PARLIAMENTARY PROCEEDINGS.

HOUSE OF LORDS, MARCH 6.
Counsel were bearajo part, respecting the Scots muse Of
Aittn r. Craigdallte."—To proceed again on Monday.
Three private or local Bills were brought up from the CM.
mons by Mr. DATZSPOIIa and others, and read the first tin/.
The Marquis of Cuotummatar, as Lord Steward, delivered
the answer of his Royal Highness the Prince Regent Jo the re-
cent Address of their Lordships, importing that directions should
be given accordingly.
The Annual Indemnity Bill was read the third time and passed.
The Earl of ROSSLY N.' presented a Petition from the Inha-
bitants of Grincomb, in the West Riding of Yorkshire, com-
plaining of the hardships they 'ort perienced from the operation of
the present system of the they
Laws, especially from the un-
equal mode of rating, praying that the lead mines may be rated;
and that the Petition be referred to the consideration of their
Lordships' Committee on the Poor's Laws.—The Petition being
read, was, ill the first instance, ordered to be laid on the table.

LEE'S DIVORCE BILL.

On the question for the second reading of this Bill, Counsel
and evidence were heard: from the statements made it appeared
that Mr. Philip Lee, jun. was married in September, 1800, to
Catherine Dean, spinster; that they cohabited together as man
and wife until August 1802, having two children, both of whom
are since dead; that at that period he went to settle as a mer-
chant at Havre de Grace, whither his wife soon after repaired,
but upon the rupture of the then peace by France, he was seized
by order of the French Government, and detained as prisoner in
various parts of that country, his wife accompanying him until
the summer of 1804, when he was put in irons from Verdun to
Bische, on the Rhine, and Mrs. Lee was constrained to return
to Eigland.—Mr. Lee was detained a close prisoner until 1814,
when he obtained his liberty, and in May returned to England.
In that intend, and in the course of the year 1811, he received
information of Mrs. Lee's having formed an adulterous con-
resion with Mr. Samuel Bovrring, of Walworth, in Surrey, with
whom she openly lived, and had two children. In consequence,
the Petitioner, Mr. Lee, brought his action in the Court of
King's Bench in the Easter Term 1814, where judgment was suf-
fered to go by default, and damages were afterwards assessed to
Mr. Lee, in the sum of SOO/. which was paid by the defendant.
The Consistorial Court of London subsequently pronounced a
judgment a memos et Moro, in favour of Mr. Lee.
These necessary facts being satisfactorily proved in evidence,
the Bill was forthwith read the second time, and committed for
Monday.
Some private business being disposed of, their Lordships ad-
journed until Monday.
PROTEST

*NUZZO ox TM JOURNALS Or THE 1101111 Of WILDS, *RADOM

Dissairriaser,
B:cause it is manifest that there has been no widely spread
traitorous conspiracy, nor even any extensive disaffection to the
Government, since the Secret Committee, whose report is the
sole foundation of this proceeding, do themselves express their
satisfaction in delivering their decided opinion, " that not only
the country in general, bat in those districts where the designs of
the disaffected were the most actively and unremittingly em-
ployed, the great body of the people had remained untainted
even during periods of the greatest internal difficulty and dis-
tress ;" staring /tether infects," that the insurgents were not for-
tuidable by their numbers, though actuated by an atrocious
spirit, and that though the language used by many persons en-
gaged in this enterprise, and particularly by their leaders, left no
room to doubt that their objects were the overthrow of the esta-
blished Government, yet that such objects were estmeagient when
compared with the inadequate means which they possessed ; and
t not finding their confederates had arrived, as expected, to
their support, and that in the villages through which they passed
a strong indisposition being manifested against their cause and
projrct, some of them had thrown away their pikes before the asi-
l. wry and that on the first skew of force had dispersed—
Their leaders attempting in vain to rally them."
td—Because In such a state of things so consolingly described
by the Committee, and so almost ludicrously destructive of every
idea of an armed rebellion, or dangerous ineureettion, more es.
pecially against a Government supported by such an untanned
people, and such an immense military force, we cannot but
think hat a different and less alataii:-.g coarse atti,ht in wise
policy to have been pursued, and that tranquillity might ii.‘ve
been equally restored by a vigorous execution of the ordinary laws
and th.: exertions of a vigilant 31agistracy„ without a...y suspen-
sion of the public freedom, since it is the prompt selection and
speedy execution of a Jim palpate offenders, rather than delayed
proceedings against numbers upon doubtful testimony, that in-
vest the Courts of Justice with a salutarT terror and forte.
Sd—Because the depamure from this just and judicious mode
of oceeding, gave an indiscriminate importance to the accused,
whilst it exposed the admiuistratima of the Government to a
dangeroUs disrespect.
!di—Because even ...hen the Act of Habeas Corpus is sus-
pended, none on that account ought to be apprehended upon
questionable suspicion, or, to use the language of the Report,
upon " such expectations of evidence as Ministers have unavoid-
ably relinquished," but upon such grounds only as would be just
warrants for arrests and trials in ordinary times, the only legal
effect of the Suspension being that it suspends the deliverance of
the accused ; we think, therefore, that a general Indenlisity for
suck nunseron: and long imprisonments, ought not even to have
lnien proposed to Parliament, until an opess and impartial Laves-
tlgation had taken place.
sth—Because. from the mistaken principle of this Bill, mali-
cious and meritorious illegality are equally protected,.on the false
and unfounded assumption that informations ought to be indis-
criminately and perpetually secret, but even if we could agree that
whilst traitorous conspiracies are actually in force, and extraor-
dinary powers in action for their suppression, secrecy could in all li
cases be justified, yet we never could consent to its continuance
after order was restored ; the laws being then sufficient to pro.
tect good subjects for having honestly discharged their duties,
and because holding out such general prospects of Indemnity is
a dangerous encouragement to mercenary Informers, who make
an infamous traffic in the lives and liberties of mankind, deceiv-
ing and disgracing the Government, whilst they betray the in.
nocent whom they accuse.
6th—Because it is not the occasional resort to such secret and
impure sources of evidence in cases of obvious necessity, but the
systematic encouragerommt y•ii, which we conceive is sanctioned
by this Bill that we protest against and condemn, since the suc-
cessful prosecutions of the worst traitors and libellers can bring
no security to the Government of this country, unless the con-
duct of its Ministers and of its Parliament, by a faithful adhe-
rence to the tree principles of the Constitution, shall constantly
expose the malignity of their treasons and the falsehood of their
libellous complaims. (Signed).

KING, ERSKINE, AUCKLAND,
GRONVENOR, VASSAL HOLLAND, CA/LiIAKVON,
LANSDOWN, LAUDERDALE, ROSSLYN, SIJNTIORD.

lIOUSE OF COMMONS.

Mr. DEA LTRY presented Accounts of all Fees, Taxes, and
other dues, paid upon a pardon under the Great SeaL—Laid on
the table:
Petitions for the repeal of the Leather Tax were presented
from the Tanners of Tevistock and Inverness.—Ordered to lie
• on the table.
Mr. D. GILBERT presented a further Report from the Fs-
nance Committee.—lteceived, and ordered to be printed.
Lord PALMERSTON presented a Petition from the Uni-
versity of Cambridge against the Tithe Bill now before the
14-use, praying that It may oot pass into a Law.—Laid on
the table.
A new Writ was ordered to be issued for the election of a
Member for the City of Winchester, in the room of achard
Meyler, Esq. deceased.
General THORNTON, for an tbinreirable Friend of his,
put off to Monday the motion respecting an indemnification for
the High Bailiff of Westminster.
The Aqua Vim License Bin was read a second time.
The Assessed Taxes Bill went through a Committee.---Roport
to-morrow.
The Husbandry Horses Bill was read a second time, and or-
dered to be committed on Monday neat.
Mr. BENNET presented a petition from the Debtors con-
fined in Whitecross-street prison.—fieferred to the Committee

....
on the City Prigoor.
Sir J. NEWPORT moved for a Return of an 011 ices in the
Department of the Customs in Ireland ordered by Act of Par-
Simms( to be abolished, and of those held under Grants.—
Ordered.
Sir C. POOLE presented a petition from Plymouth, agaings
the Dutids on Cubas and Cwt.—Laid on the Table.

Sir T. ACKI.AND presented a similar petition from Ply
mouth Dock.—Laid on the table, and ordered to be printed.
Mr. EGERTON presented a petition from the Proprietors
of Salt Works at Chester, against the Repeal of the Silt Duties.
Laid on the table, and ordered to be printed.