Star.
London, England, 1817-03-08 00:00:00

former Act, making it temporary, which amendment'
was Agre. d to.
Lord HOLLAND thought that some more distinct
words should be introduced than those of " mutinous
assembly." By the law, as it stood, there were no
accessories in treason, all the pasties being principals,
and there surely ought to be some more distinct tee m
used thin " mutinous assembly," before persons were
seijected to the i pa.nr'_U_d penalties of treason, for
- what was in great degree indefinite.
The 8.11 was then passed, and sent back to the
Commons for their concurrence in the Amendment.
• • DISTnEsS IS IRELAND.
The Earl of DARNLEY thought it necessary
again to cell the attention of Ministers to the die-
- tressed state of the people in many parts of Ireland,
in consequence of the scarcity Rod dearness ot provi-
sions. Unless some remedy was very speedily ap-
plied, the most serious consequences were to be ap-
prehended. Riots it was known had already taken
place in some quarters, in consequence of the distress
of. the people, and the tact was, that unless some re-
medy was promptly applied, there would be absolute
want in some districts, where the existing scarcity
WAS aggravated by the difficulty of transporting pro-
visions. He was not aware of the infotmat on owe.
which Ministers had acted, in Tel to suspend the
distillation in Ireland, but lie should feel it his duty
on an early day to move for that information. The),
it seemed, were of opinion that the distillation had I.
gone on so for during the present season that what
remained Of grain would be of no consequence to the ,
eneral sup?ly of food, or last tit for human food.
Ile, howeser, believed, that the practice was different
in Ireland with regard to the malting the Carley stored
by the distillers, Iron that resorted to here. And sl
he could at all rely upon h:s information, though the
distillery bad consomed a great deal, still he had rea-
son to believe that one child of the oat: intended for
that purpose were st:11 available for human vote-
nonce. The calculation was, that the wooed con
sumption of spirits in Ireland was 4,3 io,uolt t tiros.
A. barrel or oars used to pr, dome • ight g aliens, hut,
he believed, owing to the is fetior quality of the oat,
this season, a barrel would nut produce more than sir
gllons; this would give 750,000 barrels, oneolsir
of which would be 250,0(0 barrels. • It this quantity
Were intmt•d.ately made available for human suste
nance, he was satisfied it avoid have a most benefi
641 effect upon the people of Ireland, by immediately
-tending to relieve them from that dreadful pressure
under which they were ni w bungling, and in
many quarters w th the appieheneiou betote them of
actual want.
The Earl of LIVERPOOL said, that this subject
,ad occupied and s as now occupying the most rood.
ous attention ot his Majesty's Ministers, who were oh
course aware of its great importance. There was
no doubt that rids had 'arisen in Ireland as in this
country, owing to the difficulties that pressed upon
the people, but Cleo- Was tins feature in the former,
which certainly increased the interest caused by the
'tuation of the people, that those riots merely arose
rom distress, and were not connected with any sys.
;made projects against the Government, as in this
:pantry. With regard to Distillation he was deci-
dedly of opinion, and ha had conversed with several
Gentlemen conversant with the situation of Ireland,
who agreed in that opinion, that the suspension of ,
the distillation would do no good, it would only tend
to increase illicit distillation, and not in the smallest
degree add to the food of the people. The distress
,eft in some parts of more from the difficul-
ties that existed in transporting provisions tram where
there was plenty to where there was a scarcity.—
this circumstance greatly increased the difficulty of
applying a remedy. Therewas certainly no deticiency
of supply in the United Kingdom, taking it as a
whole; and, there was no doubt that the present high
prices would draw into our ports whatever further
:apply was wanted. There was therefore no general
measure wanted. The difficulties in Ireland west
altogether local; and the best proof of this was, that
no apprehensions of scarcity were entertained in the
principal sea-ports of Ireland. Linder these circum-
stances, the greatest caution was necessarils requited,
because interfering with such a subject frequently did
more harm than good. No exertion, however, should
be wanting on the part of Ministers toremedy the evil.
The Earl of DARNLEY contended that Ministers
were deeply responsible for not having early in the
season suspended distillation. With regard to the
seaports of Ireland, he denied that there were no ap-
prehensions of scarcity entertained there, and quoted
a Petition agreed to at a Meeting at Belfast to prove
that great fears upon this head operated there. His
Lordship again pressed the necessity of adopting some
measure very speedily for the relief of the people of
Irelando—s—Adjourned till Monday.
• HOUSE OF COMMONS.
Mr. LOCKHART moved for Accounts of the aggregate
lumber of Persons discharged under the Insolvent Debtors'
Act, up to theist of March, 1817; and alro of the ow, gate
amount of their Debts, of the sums paid by them, and the uutu •
her of • those remanded.—• Ordered.
Mr. CALVERT presented i Petition from the Parish of St.
John, Horsleydown, dbmplaiuing of Parochial 'faces. Read,
and ordered to be on the I able.
Mr. MENNE I.l' gave notice, that on Monday nest be should
move tbAt a Committee be aipOinted to inquire auto die state of
the Police. lite should also present a Petition ae that day, from
some of the Inhabitants of New South Wales, complaining of
the conduct of the Governor.
Mr. HALF DAVIS moved far Accounts of the Each. Li-
censee issued during the last three years, distinguishing each
year. Ordered. •
WEIGHTS AND MEASURES.
'Sir G. CLERK, seeing the Right Honourable
Gentleman (the Chancellor of the Exchequer) in
his place, wished to put a question respecting a sub-
ject of some importance, the general equalisation of
Weights and Measures. It was known to the House
t ,at. the Bill which he had brought in to effect that
purpose Lut Session, had been throwo out in another
plisce. It was also intimated, that previousto adopt-
ing any measure, a Commission should be appointed,
composed of the best informed individtuls, to hes
quite into every bearing of the subject. He now
wished to know whether may slept had been takers to
appoint that Commileirms or WHOMr the imeatica
still semained to be carried into effete; •
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER
was enabledirs ieform the Honoprabie Baronet, that
a mesieure, terse' * progress for the purpose to which
•
he had Aided: A Commission bad been issued,
andethe was for the present, under the superin-
tei.sinnce et the Awl Society. . .
Ltd CGICHRANE gave aotlee, that he should

•hom

take an early opportunity of submitting certain Re-
solutions to the House, :hewing the jtigtice and ne-
cessity of equalizing the Interest of the Funded Debt
with the depreciated value of Land and 1 rades.

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