Star.
London, England, 1818-02-02 00:00:00

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PARLIAMENTARY PROCEEDINGS.
' HOUSE OF LORDS, JANUARY 31.
The Royal Assent was notified by Commission to the Habeas
Corpus Suspension Repeal Bill.
The Commissioners were, the Loan CHANCEIIOII4 the Mail of
SearvLaeiT, and Lord Viscount Mn.vitts.—Adjeurned.
HOUSE OF COMMONS.
The House was summoned to the House of Peers, to hear the
Royal Assent given by Commission to the Bill for repeating the
Habeas Corpus Suspension Act.
The SPEAKER, on his return, acquainted the House that the
Royal Assent had been given to the slid Act.
The SPEAKER also acquainted the House, that, in pursu-
ance of the Act of the 42d George 111. respecting contested
Elealoris, he had received from Thomas Boucher, Esq. a list of
Barristers of six years standing at the Irish Bar, competent to
act as Commissioners or Chairmen, under the provisions of the
said Act.—Ordered to be deposited in the Office of the Clerk of
the House.
Mr. ARBUTHNOT moved, that there should be laid before
the House an Account of all Exchequer Bills issued under the
57th Geo. 111. c. 2, entitled " An Act for raising twenty-four
millions for the service of his Majesty for the year 1817," out-
sanding and unprovided for.—Ordered.
A similar Account, respecting Nine Millions of Exchequer
Bills issued at a later period of the same year, was also ordered.
The Accounts were immediately brought up, and laid on the table.
The Irish Grand Jury Presentment Suspension Bill went
through a Comnsittee, was reported, and ordered to be read a
third time on Monday.
CON VICTO UNDER SENTENCE OT DEATH IN NEWGATE.
Mr. BENNET moved that there should be laid
before the House a Return of the number of Persons,
male and female, now under Sentence of Death in
Nesvgate; distinguishing their ages, the dates of their
sentences, and the crimes of which they were Con-
victed. He was induced to make this motion in con-
sequence of there being at this moment iixty-fiie or
sixty-six persons under sentence of death in the gaol
in question ; and from his having understood from
his lklajesty's Ministers during the last Session, that
an arrangement would be made for reporting the
persons convicted in one Session before the other
commenced. The situation of the unhappy persons
to whom he alluded was truly miserable, and their
treatment more than inhuman. They were confined
together in cells nine feet five inches long by seven
feet wide, and in these places they were shut up six-
teen hours out of the four-and-twenty: they were all
mixed together indiscriminately, the young with the
old, and thus the young had the opportunity of learn-
ing nothing but the trade of preying on their fellow-
creatures. He could not help thinking the House had
a right to expect that his Majesty's Ministers would
have attended to their pledge. If there was not room
sufficient in the gaol for the accommodation of its
inmates, application should be made to Parliament
on the subject. He did not want to interfere with
ivhat might be considered the province of the City of
London ; but if they did not think proper to bring the
matter forward, he 'should feel it his duty to do so.
He desired it to be distinctly understood as not mean-
ing, by his present observations, to cast the least re-
flection on Mr. Brown, the present gaoler of New-
gate, who, he verily believed, had done more for the
amelioration of the situation of his prisoners than
had been done since the time of Mr. Howard.
On the question being put from the Chair,
Alderman ATKINS said, it was extremely to be
regretted that the condemned cells in the gaol of
Newgate were only calculated for the reception of
forty persons. It never was anticipated that there
would be occasion for more accommodation. With
regard to making Reports of one Session before the
other commenced, he begged to state, that this was
impossible. The interests of the unhappy criminals
frequently required that time should be taken to de-
liberate on their cases, and to make inquiries as to
their characters, often in distant parts of the country.
The Reports were made as often as it was expedient.
Mr. BENNET, in answer to the last. observation

mittee was peculiarly necessary, and would in all
probability sit. often and Mn enough, since his Ma.
heity's Ministers had thought it proper not to advise
is Royal Highness to say one single word on the
subject of economy and retrenchment in the Speech
from the Throne, which it was intended to refer to
such Committee. From this be inferred, and he
feared too truly, that it was not intended by his Ma-
jesty's Ministers this Session even to preserve those
appearances of attention to economy which they found
it necessary to preserve in the last year, but that they
meant rather to screw up the taxes to the expenditure,
than to adapt the expenditure to the abilities of the
country. That this remark, which he lamented to be
obliged to make, became now peculiarly important
in consequence f the increasing probability that Mi-
nisters would shortly send the Members of the House
to meet their _ constituents by a speedy dissolution,

of the Honourable Gentleman, stated, that the Re-
corder had been ready for some time with his last
Report; that the delay took place on the part of his
Majesty's Government. The delay, therefore, did
not rest with the Recorder.
The motion was then put and carried.
PENSIONS TO INSPECTORS OF TAXES.
Mr. BENNET moved, first, for an Account of all

Pensions or retired Allowances granted to Inspectors
of Taxes, or Clerks in Tax Offices, distinguishing
such Officers, the one from the other;. and for an
Account of all Exchequer Bills issued between the Ist
of January, 1817, and the Ist of January, 1818, spe-
cifying the Acts of Parliament under which they were
issue the dates of their issue, their amount, the terms
on which the issues were made, and how applied.
At the suggestion of the CHANCELLOR of the Ex-
CHEQUER, the Honourable Gentleman withdrew his
motion, and desired that they might stand as notices
for Tuesday.—House resumed—Report on Monday.
BANE TOKENS.
Mr. CURWEN begged to know whether any steps
had been taken, to secure those persons from loss
who might chance to have Bank of England Tokens,
which had been of so much use so the public, in
their possession after the period appointed by the
Bank for their recall ; and whether they' would not
be received in payment by the Receivers of Taxes ?
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said
that the question of the Honourable Gentleman was
not easy to answer. The receivers of ' Taxes would
no doubt receive the Bank Tokens as long as the,
Bink world receive them, but he was not prepared
to say they would do more. He understood there
had been some communication from the Bank of
England on the subject to the Country Bankers,
with a view to facilitate the exchange of tokens for

occasioned solely by a desire to hive a new Parlia-
ment, that would be snore inclined to add to the pre-
sent weight of taxation than an old Parliament could
be expected to be. He trusted, however, that the
peAple of this country would be aware of this pur-
pose, and laying aside all attention to other political
distinctions, would strictly inquire of every candidate
whether he meant to give his support to measures of
economy that might lower the expenditure to the in-
come, or to rase the income to the expenditure, by
adding to the taxes already so burthensome and even
insupportable ?
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER
thought, after the pledge he had given to bring the
state of the finances of the country before the House
in a substantial shape, that he might have spared his
observations. The House would, no doubt, be as
much alive to economy, and pay as great a regard to
the public interests at the, present season as at acy
former period.
Mr. BROUGHAM could not agree with the Right
Hon. Gentleman that his Honourable Frend's ober•
vations were uncalled for. It was true that they were
to have a Committee of Finance, but when they re-
collected how much they had benefited from that
Committee before, he was not disposed to place much
reliance upon its exertions (hear). In the Speech
which had been delivered from the Throne, as his
Honourable Friend had justly stated, there was •
allusion whatever to retrenchment or economy. All
they had to do, therefore, was to avail themselves of
the experience of last year, when economy and re-
trenchment were recommended by his Majesty ; and
comparing that with the present year, where there
was no such recommendation, form a conclusion as
to what their expectations might fairly be (hoar). He
trusted that the Howe and the country would keep a
watchful eye upon those Gentlemen (his Majesty's
Ministers), and that they would, by a strenuous ef-
fort, during the few weeks which yet remained to
them, endeavour to reduce the intolerable hurdle=
under which the people groaned.
The House then resolved into the Committee.
The Estimates for the current year were laid before
the Committee; and, on the motion of the CHANCEL-
-1.011 of the EXCHEQUi, it was resolved—" That a
supply be granted to his Majesty."

INCOMII TAX.

Mr. BROUGHAM wished-to know from the Right
Honourable Gentleman, if the promise made two
years ago, that all documents relating to that odious
impost, the Income Tax, which the exertions of the
House had got rid of, and which he hoped never to
see restored, had been destroyed as far as possible?
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER re-
plied, that all the documents alluded to by the Ho-
nourable Gentleman had been destroyed.

OP THE HABEAS CORPUS ACT.

Mr. BENNET presented a Petition from Mr. Ben-
bow, a person who was apprehended under the Sus-
pension of the Habeas Corpus Act, and confined for
eight months in Coldbath-fields Prison, praying for
such redress as the House in its wisdom could grant
him. The Honourable Gentleman stated the sub-
stance of the Petition, observing, that the Petitioner
was one of those persons who had been dragged,
without guilt, and rit into prison by his Majesty's
11. misters. He said, without guilt—because he took
it for granted, from the experience they had of those
Gentlemen's mercy, that if they imagined he were
guilty, he would have been brought to trial.—
When this person was examined before Lord Sid-
mouth, that Noble Lord had promised that he should
have a fair trial ; that he should have Counsel as-
signed him, and be furnished with a copy of the in-
dictment against him, and a list of witnesses. This
pledge had, however, never been redeemed ; and
be, along with others—.a thing unprecedented, he
believed, in an English Court of Justice—were now
found entreating to be tried for high treason, the
crime with which they were charged. While in pri-
son the letters of his wife were suppressed, and, in
fact, every species of oppression was heaped upon
him. His poverty was such, that he was under the
necessity of asking for clothes of his gaoler, who in-
sulted him by offering him the clothes apportioned
to felons. The petitioner was one of those who had
refused to enter into recognizance on the Ist of Ja-
nuary, and who was discharged on the 20th of the
same month without recqgnintnre. If it were just
to call for his recognizance on the Ist, it was equally
just to make the same demand on the 20th. The
demand, however, was not made, and hence he in-
ferred an admission of its injustice.
The petition was then brought up, read, and or-
dered to lie on the table.—Adjourned.

other money. BOROUGH or CRIMARIDOIL--011 Tuesday last Mr.
Mr. CUR WEN said, that so as means were taken WISITTRID, a Barrister of Lincola's lan, obtained in
to secure the public from loss, he was satisfied. the Court of King's Bench, a Rule to shew cause why
SUPPLY. a Mandamus should not issue to the Mayor of Cani-
ne CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER ,bridge, to admit him to the freedom of that borough
moved the Order of the Day for the House resolving as the only surviving son of a freeman, his brothem
into a Committee of Sapply. He desired it might having died before they attained the age of 21 years
be understood that the object ha had now in view The question turns upon the construction of the words
was merely to adopt the usual form of taking into filly: note maxima:. For eighty years past they have
consideration that part of his Majesty's Speech which I been construed in the Corporation to mean eldest son,
referred to the Supplies for the year. It was always I and the custom has been to admit the eldest son de
customary to refer this subject to a Committee of! facki to the freedom, Sir John Mortlock, however,
Supply the day succeeding that on which the Speech who is a distinguished Latin scholar, contends that
itself had been taken into consideration. He had I the English of filler rata maxima is " first bong
adopted the earliest opportunity of pursuing this son," and not eldest son, resists Mr, Whittred's claim
course. If it were intended to enter into any discus- on that ground. It appeared by the statement of
sion it would, perhaps be fitter to defer the question Mr. Tomato, who was Counsel for Mr. Whittred,
till Monday. On the question being put, that the present Town Clerk of Cambridge and his
Mr. SHARP said, he had not risen for the purpose predecessor, both of whom were admitted to their
of opposing the motion, or even raising a discussion freedom, were precisely iu the same situation as Mr.
• for it was plain enough that such a Com- Whittred.

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