Star.
London, England, 1819-02-03 00:00:00

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Committee. The Right Hon. Gentleman opposite
(Mr. Canning) had complained of his severity towards
his Right Hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Ex-
chequer. He was not at all se:r,illle that he had
been severe ; but if he had, he coutd defied-himself
by the example of the Right Hon. Gentleman, who
had himself given him-Ale was sorry to be obliged
to resort to a vulgar Word—a.genteel_dressing !—(.l
laugh.)--The Right Hon. Gentleman then entered
into a history of the two motions, and defended the
words in which his own was expressed. He suspec-
ted all the way through, that the object of the Com-
mittee which the Right Hon. Gentleman proposed,
was not to bring out the thing that he wanted. What
he wanted was to oblige them to make a distinct an-
swer, of which every. man could judge for *himself.
The Right' Hon. Gentleman wished them to state,
that the foreign loans constituted a reason to justify
the restriction ; but he (Mr. Tierney) could not con-
ceive it possible that such a return could be made.
Siii•pose they returned that the exchanges were
against us, then they must shew the operation of ex-
changes ; but if it were referred to them to report
genLi.ally all opinions on the subject, he was afraid
that tl:e lloue would get no specific paints on which
they could come to a conclusion—(Herzr, hear.)--
The return of the Committee might mean any chit's.;
which he should take to mean nothing at all. As
to directing the attention of the House specifically
to points, he did not believe that they would get it
from that Committee. A great deal had been said
as to the nomination of the Committee; but not-
withstanding all that had been urged in favour of
a ballot, and the compliments that had been paid to
the Honourable Member for Bramber, he (Mr. Tier-
ney) for one would not be satisfied with: the nomina-
tion of the Committee by the Chancellor of the Ex-
chequer, surrounded As he was, by day and night, by
Jew Brokers and adventurers--(A laugh). He there-
fore called upon all who were anxious for practical
inquiry to support the motion which he had made—
(Hear, hear.)—The Right Honourable Gentleman had
referred to former opinions on this subject ; but those
opinions were given during a period of war. It was
now a period of peace, when every body but the
Chancellor of the Exchequer could tell what would
happen. If, after all that had passed since the termi-
nation of hostilities, and particularly after all the
o ne.otiations at Aix-la-Chapelle, he could not come.
to a conclusion, he would never be able to say
when the Bank Restriction would be withdrawn.--
His (Mr. Tierney's) object was to bring the question
to some distinct issueeand to have it soon. For this
purpose, what could he do better than, when he
heard that the Restriction was to be renewed, to give
notice of an inquiry ? If the Bank Directors would
only have the goodness to answer for themselves as
Members of Parliament, then the House would see
whether this system ought to form a part of the per-
manent measures of the country; but hitherto they
had always set themselves in array against those who
opposed the Restriction, and had always given their
negative against them. He saw no possible objection
to the resumption of cash payments by the Bank,
provided they would reduce their issues, gradually
and gently, between this and next July. He knew
that the resumption of such payments could not
commence until there had been some sort of jar
with the public; but he was convinced that none
of those fatal effects would result from it, which
it had been so much the fashion to anticipate.-.-
,
Te what point It might be asked, would he wish to seduce the
circulation ? He could not exactly tell—but he would say, that
it should be reduced to the real wants of the country. That
was the point for the House to consider; it was the only ghee
rion by which their judgment could be governed. They must
not keep up the circulation out of compliment to any body. To
say that he was to take into consideration any other criterion,
was what he could never consent to do. •Gentlemen must make
up their minds to some inconvenience. For his own part, he
did not think that the inconvenience would be so great as was
expected -but if the Bank were to increase their issues till such
time as the Restriction expired, the resumption of Cash-payments
could not be brought about without some difficulty. His hope
was, that a different course would be.pursued. If we had an
Administration which possessed sufficient manliness to Taco the
difficulties of the csunuy, to sift its finances, and to probe this
subject to the bottom, it might be found that the Restriction of
Cash-payments, which was originally imposed on the ground
of necessity alone, ought not to be continued; but the present
Administration could come to no decision on the question. So
Government could introduce a change of affairs without some
inconvenience; but in this case the inconvenience could only
be felt in proportion to a man's extravagance, and this would
be an evil which he had brought upon himself—(Hear, hear.)
In a former Session of Parliament, the thane bad heard a great
deal of a poor race of men called s)wriceont, who were held up
as pests of society, and likely to overturn the whole system of
Government, and Gov knows what. Now, what was the fact?
Those gentlemen wished that every person should have an equal
portion of laud—just as the mercantile gentlemen wished that
every man should have an equal portion of funded property.—
For his own part, the only difference that be saw between the
Spencean and the Monied Visionary was this—the forme bad
a great taste for a;ricultural enterprise, without having a spot
of land ; while the latter was a great speculator in commercial
bargains, without a farthing of capital—(A lough.) He would
now merely add, that he had considered this very important
subject with all the attention and ability of which he was mas.
ter, and the result of his opinion was, that.the House could not
discharge its duty to the country with more satisfaction than by
adopting his proposition, in the terms which he had submitted
to it.—The Right Honourable Gentleman sat down amid loud
cheers; and the House thee divided on the original Motion—
Ayes ..... - ..... .......158 I Noes. _ 273
Majority for Niinisters... ....... --.109.
The Amendment was then carried without a division.
Some discussion took place aft- strangers were withdrawn
i ,
and it was decided that the Coma tee was to be secret, and to
be formed by ballet.—Adjourns at half past 'Twelve.
MR. HUNT'S PETITION.
The following is a Copy of Mr. HUNT', Petition,
presented to the House last night, by Mr. Ha nvey :
" TO BEM HOWOORARLE TER COMMONS Or THE UNITED KINGDOM or
GREAT sanrant AND IRELAND, In maximum. ASSEMBLED.
" The Petition of HOMY Ilexr, of Middleton Cottage, in the
County of Southampton, Esquire,
" Ilrnme Snswern—That your Petitioner having been a
Candidate at the last Election for the City of Westminster, felt
it his duty to lay before your Honourable House a short state.
meat of some of else facts relating to the conduct of the High
Bailiff of the said City, seeing it was the object of the said
-High Bailiff to get another Bill to pass your Honourable House,
to protect him 1., the continuance of such conduct.
" lint as your Petitioner perceives that it is still the intention
of some of the friends of this measure to press it upon the con-
sideration of your Honourable House, without any inquiry what-
soever i be begs therefore most earnestly to call the attention of
your Hoorotrabk House to some other facts which occurred
during the late Election, which were net only is direct vitiation
of the privileges of your I lonourable notme, but if in
will prove the total subvenitet of the Freedom of • 'on. ,
" Your Petitioner cannot but lament that an Honourable
Member, the Meese of the present Dill new pending in pour
Honourable House, should have only answered the important
facts contained in the said Petirion . ted ;by vague and
groundless charges against your 1 etitiaseretotally unconnected
, with the 'writs of the present Mil , year Petitioner feels that it i
mould he indecorous in dim to n.:ke am other reply to those i
heavy charges, than by imploring your le House to

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