Star.
London, England, 1818-04-21 00:00:00

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malts of the- present comb* banking system,
may be appreciated from the striking fact, that in
perhaps the mcst populous, opulent, and eommer-
tounty in Great Britaire namely Lancaster, there
not one siagle Country; Bank. All its trans-
aeons were canted on by the means of Bank of
Er.gland Papers There was nothing in the foreign
relations, or in the internal state of the country, that
render the continuance of the measure of re-
striction, prospectively speaking, necessary; and the
Bank was not only willing, but had made prepara-
for the resumption of cash payments, and was,
as it was concerned, in a state to do so. With
pect to the advances made by the Bank to Go-
Intent, he could assure the House that as f# as
might apply, they had not the imputed effect
the power of the Bank, and that the Govern-
were prepared to repay these advances as far,
Bank thought it expedient to receive them.'
had no means of knowing, nor had any con-
. as to the employment of the private funds of
Bank ; and he differed from the Noble Earl,
his inferences drawn from the state of the Ex-
,aequer, which depended upon causes widely dif-
ferent from 41hat he seemed to contemplate
''lpon the whole, from the immediately existing state
:things, he did not deem the present a favourable'
moment for the resumption of cash payments. With',
reference to the pending arrangements between
Prance and the Allies, and which may shortly be
4iusted, a more favourable opportutity may ere
- be rationally expected to arise, and when the
may be done with perfect safety. There could
no difference ofopinion as to the necessity of bring-
the subject of the paper currency under their
emisideration, and subjecting it to some regulations.
respect to the motion itself, which was for the
ipointment of a Committee of Inquiry, he really
•no good purpose it could answer. Parliament,
.ice the commencement of the Session, may be re-
garded as in a state of progressive inquiry into the
general subject. For his own part, he cordially td.-
forded to the Noble Earl every iuformation he called
• during the Session, and the whole was now before
House. He therefore sew no ground for specific
miry ; the prominent parts of the subject would
come up regularly before their Lordships in the.
'tape of distinct Bills, when a full opportunity for
•ussion would be afforded. Upon these grounds
felt it his duty to offer a negative to the noble
Earl's motion.
The Marquis of LANSDOWNE supported the rno -
ion, and referred to the state of the penal laws as to,
forgery—(llear, hear.)-.-That some laws were ne-1
-cssary for the security of the Bank paper, he was,
• prepared to deny ; still less was he prepared to
amit that the present were the most effectual for that
object ; and he conjured their Lordships to weigh
well th it awful increase, and even necessity of temp-
lation, which the present system generated—a temp-
ion which persons, in other respects wise arid var-
ious, had not been able to resist—a temptation
thich at every moment presented itself to the poor
tan a; the ready mode of relieving the wants of
msalf and perhaps of a starving family. That this
' ,eras referable to the paper system appeared from
.4.--that the prosecutions for forgery had increased
an uniform ratio since the Bank Restriction Act,
• in the very first year, the increase was one
hen-
ed. Nor was this all I the prosecutions for coin-
had, since the same Act, increased nearly in the
me ratio, being-in three years more than double
tat they were before. lie knew not to what causes
ascribe this.evil, except to the habits of immora-
y corsequent upon the temptations offered by the
iper system, and in some degree to the depreciation
the silver currency, which was also referable to
to same source. The county of Lancaster, which
been quoted by the Noble Earl with such tri-
aeiph on account of its resistance to the systeni
of
untry banks, might alio be quoted in illustration
the temptations to forgery arising out of the Bank
estriction Act ; for on account of the extensive
sesactions in that county, and its distance from the
,stropolis, which rendered the chance of detection
is probable, the number of forgeries had been im.
tense, and the loss to individuals had been copse-
lend), as great as the immorality was alarming. If
should be decided, that the Bank Restriction ought
$ be continued, he should think it his duty to
call
ire attention of their Lordships to the effect of the
continuance of the paper circulation on the morals of
lie people, and on the criminal law of the country ;
that if nothing else were done, at least some mea,
ires might be adopted which should reader the'
manufacture of Bank Notes more difficult, and con-
sequently diminish the temptation to a crime which
was visited by such heavy punishment. 'He was per-
fectly convinced that something might be done ; he
did not mean to say that he himselt was acquainted
with any scientific plan for that purpose ; but he had
reason to know that a remedy was practicable ; and
their Lordships must feel how desirable it was to re-
lieve the community from the dreadful opereation of
that criminal code from which Judges and Jury
now shrink with equal pain. He should therefore
think it necessary to bring the subject before their
Lordships at some seasonable opportunity—(heal.)
The Earl of HARROWBY contended, that no-
thing that had been urged in -support of the motion
-ould be sufficient to induce the House to believe (in
apposition to the clear and explicit statement made
by his Noble Friend), that it was the intention of Go-
vernment at any time to make the restriction of cash
payments the Bank a part of the permanent sys-
tem of the country. It might be convenient to'snp-1
port the measure for another year, while the ex-
changes continued in .their present state, though it
xni&ht be and would be highly inexpedient to take
any step that would prevent a return to the ancient
circulation. The Noble Marquis who bad just taken
his seat had adverted to the injury done to the morals
of the country, as well as to the melancholy loss of
human life, by the continuance cf the restriction: he
(Lord Ilarrowby) was ready to allow that no ex-
pense ought to Le spared by the Bank to prevent, by
ingenious expedients, the forging of their notes ; but
it should be recollected, that if the piosecutions for
imitating Bank of England notes had been more no-
merons of late years, prosecutions for forging the
current coin of the Realm had also increased. Though
this was in itself a melancholy contemplation, yet, in
the present state of things, it did not seem easily
avoidable ; for to diMinish the severity of the punish-
silent would multiply the lastailOeS of the commis-

sion of the crime. With regard to the continuance
of the Bank Restriction, there seemed to be some
slight discordance between one part of the speech of
the Noble Marquis and another : he bad admitted
that it was not possible to discontinue it, and yet he
spewed from the instance of foreign states, that it
ought to be discontinued. The question was not now
whether the restriction should or should not be taken
off at any future time, but. whether at the present
moment it was expedient to do so ; he (Lord Har-
rowlsr) was decidedly of opinion in the negative :
thcs* toyer was a time when the circulation of Bank
notes was more useful, and when the danger of re-
ducing them would be, so great : at all periods the
change must be difficult and delicate : but at present
the risk that would be incurred rendered it impossible.
Lord SIDMOUTH wished to state a few facts
with reference to one part of the speech of the Noble
Marquis (Lansdovrn); but, in the first place, he de-
sired that it should be clearly understood that he
gave his hearty concurrence to all that had been said
on one side of the House, and on the other, on the
necessity of giving every encouragement to ingenuity
to invent means of prtvent;eg the forging of Bank
notes. There was no object more desirable both in
a moral and in a political point of view. Considera-
ble mistakes prevailed on the subject of the munbers
of persons tried and executed for forging Bank notes.
By a return on the table it appeared that in 1806, no
person was executed : four were executed in 1807 :
twain 1808: two in 1809 s five in 1810: noise in
1811 seven is 11112: two in 1813: one in 1814: three
in 1815: four in 1816: five in 1817. Those who wee
executed for forging country notes were only seven.
In the 13 years previous to the Bank Restriction the
number of persons prosecuted for forging banknotes
was four, but for forging the current coin 808 per-
sons were tried. During the twenty-one years since
the passing of the Bank Restriction, the number of
persons prosecuted for coining (including dollars and
tokens) was 3,099, and for forging Bank-notes 998 ;
so that the prosecutions by the Bank did not amount
. to one-fourth of the number of persons prosecuted

for coining.
The Marquis of LANDSDOWNE asked if those
prosecutions included persons convicted of having
forged notes in their possession, as well as for fur-
-1 ging ? and the answer was in the affirmative.
Lord LAUDERDALE replied, insisting that all
that had been advanced shewed kill more decisively
that inquiry was necessary. Two years ago it was
solemnly promised by Ministers, that the Restriction
should not be renewed. They then asked for one
year more, and then for another, engaging that when
those periods had expired, cash payments should be
resumed. Now, however, the Restriction was for
the third time, to be continued..and all the reasons
that hid been now urged in its favour would equally
prevail on the sth of July, 181'44. His Lordship pres-
sed particularly the necessity of investigation or, the
subject of exchanges, and the effect of foreign loans,
contending that their operation had bees much ex-
aggerated.
The question was then put, and the motion was
negatived withont a /vision.
Lord LAUDERDALE moved for certain returns
regarding the National Debt, which were ordered.
Adjourned at half past ten.
BOUM?. OF COMMO.'•"B.
I Person from the Crows Mee presented an Account of the
' Nuns her of Pardons granted ander the Great Seal for the last

ten years.
Mr. Jonesoe, from the Office of the Secretary for Ireland. pre-
sented Returns of the Jail Keepers Fees and Emolument:.
sir. 11U1CMINS9:4 presented Accounts Of the Number of Sove-
reigns and Half Sovereigns coined during the last year; and
also of the Prices of Standard Gold during that period.
Mr. M. A. TAYLOR presented the Report of the Committee
on the Marylabonnc Petition-70rdered to as on the table.
Colonel GRANT presented a Petition from Elgin against the
Scotch Lunatic Asylum Bill.
Sir R. DRY DUES presented a tetition from the Inhabitants
of Gravesend, praying a repeal altogether of the Duties oa Salt.
—Ordered to lie on the table, and to be primed.
General THORNTON' gave notice, that on WednesdnEnext
he should move for-Accounts of the different Parliamentary
Grants to the British Museum., for the last twelve years, and the
application thereof.
Several Petitions were 'presented against the Liverstone
Road
Alderman WOOD, on presenting a Petition from the Ward
of Dishopsgate against the Select Vestries and Poor Laws Bills,
expressed his hope that the Blght Hon. *each man who had
brought in these Bills would except the City of London, as it
was utterly impossible that the Parishes could exist under such
regulations.—Ordered to lie on the table.
COULT II LTRST presented a Petition from the House-
holders of Cork against the Windovr Duty.—Ordete..l to lie on
the table.
Sir J. SIIAW presented a Pe't ton from the Parish of St.
Sepulchve, against the Select Vesaies and Poor Laws' Bills.—
Ordered to lie on the table.
Mr. GURNEY presented a Petition from a Mr. T. Fisher in
favour of the Copyright Bill before the I louse. The prayer of
the Petitioner was, to be ehabled to publish his own 'labours,
accompanied- by his .own Explanations, :sad to be allowed to
waive all benefit of the alleged protection of his Copyright, under
the Act of 1614, h-s works in thnr nature protecting theinselve..
Lord G. CAVE NDISH pre,ented a Petition from the Retail
Shopkeepers of Thetford, agaiast the Shop-window or Ware-
house Tgx.,--Ordered to lie on the table.
COMMITTEE OP WAYS AND MEANS.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER hav-
ing moved the Order of the Day for the House going
into a Committee of Ways and Means,
Mr. J. P. GRANT asked why no Returns had yet
been made of certaia Public Accounts already mos ed
for, and necessary to be perused before the House
could go fully into the subject of the Ways and
Means of the year.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER ob-
served, that these accounts bore no red: tiJn to the
statement he should make this evening.
Lord STANLEY wished to knew ft'om the Right
Ilonourable Gentleman opposite,' v.-heeler the conso-
lidated duty of 15s. per cent. to be payable on all
manufactured goods, was intended to exclude cotton
goods or not?
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER ob-
served, that exceptions would be introduced by which
. the exenaptions for cotton goods could be made, as
well as for other articles as night have been before
Mr. WILBRAHAM BOOTLE wished to suggest
whether it would not be better, before going into the
Committee, to postpone the consideration of the Poor
Laws Bill till another day ?
•
COTTON MANUTACTIIIIII.
Sir ROBERT PEEL was afraid that the consi-
deration of the Cotton Manutacturers Apprentices Bill
woad be put off till se late an hour, that it could
not receive due attention; het therefore, thought it
would be better to more to postpone the further pro-

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