Star.
London, England, 1821-02-17 00:00:00

LONGITUDE BILL.

On the third reading of the Longitude Bill,
The Earl ut DARNLEY complained of the very trifling re=
ward which had been given to those employed in exploring the
North West Passage. To nse a vulgar phrase—it was penny
wise andpoodfoolish.

Lord 'AELVILL E replied, that the sum granted was exactly
that which thi Act of Parliament had authorised, and that it was
distributed in the same proportions as were specified by the Act.
The Bill then passed.—Adjourned to Monday.
110USF. OF COMMONS.

The House was occupied until half-past four o'clock this day,
in balloting for a Cmiroittee to examine into the merits of a Peti-
tion complaining of an undue Election for the Borough of Truro.
Mr. ELIAS wished to put a qaestion to the Vice-President
of the Board of Trade, respecting the Timber Trade, namely,
whether it WI.S intended to make any alteration in the present
system, previous to the Illiort of the Committee? Ni'hether
it was likely dr.. Report would be shortly made; or whether it
was intended to make a short Report, recommending any tem-
porary measure?
Mr. WA LI. ACE said, he had been misunderstood the other
evening: he was supposed to have said, the present regulations
were to coutinue till July. Ile had not said so positively; he
bad only stated, that if the Committee could not come speedily
to a decision, so as to give certaikty to the next ships which
would sail, then, to leave them in'tertainty, he intimated, that
the present system should be extended to July ; but that decla- '
ration was not a positive one, as, if the Committee could de-1
Bide in time, some measure might immediately be adopted.
Mr. MA ItRYAT presented a Petition front certain Mer-
chants trading to North America, praying that no alteration
might be made in the Timber l)uties.—Laid on the table, and
ordered to be printed.
_ _

Lord A. HAMILTON moved for a Select Committee, to
whom might be referred the Petitions presented from the Scot-
tish Burghs in the years 1818, 1819, and 1820. The motion
was agreed to, and the Committee named.
Sir G. WA ititENDER laid on the table the Navy Esti-
mates for the present year, and said he wished them to be
printed, and in the hands of Members as soon as possible, as he
Intended moving for the Supply on Monday the 26th.
Mr. WARD laid on the table the Estimates fur the Ordnance
Department for the current year.
On the motion of Mr. WARD that the Estimates be printed,
kir. HUME observed, that the printing of the Estimates
then could be of no service; and he hoped the Hoy. Gentle-
man would postpone his motion for the printing of them, until
they should know the result of the motion which stood for that
night on the Ordnance Estimates.
Mr. WARD consented.

A new Writ was ordered to be issues for a Member to serve
in Parliament for the Borough of Wigton, in the room of the
I ion. James Stewart, who had accepted of the office of Steward
of the Chiltern I Inndreds.

AIL It. 31 ART N gave notice that be would, on 'Monday
next, move for leave to bring in a Bill to enable persons charged
with felony to employ Counsel.
Mr. CU RWEN presented a Petition from the Inhabitants of
Scatsdale, complaining of the distress of the Agriculturiits, and
of trade.—Laid on the table.

A1113E5111 NOT brought up- certain Returns relative to
the Cornmksariat of Ireland and the Victualling Office.--
Ordered to he on the table.

- I
Mr. 11. 'MISS gave notice of a motion for Monday week,
relative to the Court of Chancery.
%Ir. CIIETWYND moved for returns of the number of
Fines imposed in the Court of King's Bench during the Luc
three .years.—Ordered..

Thi name of the Members absent at the late ballot were
ordered to be reported on Monday next.
The Orders of the Day for Committees of Supply and Ways
and 'Alexis, were postponed to Monday.

PETITION OF THOMAS RHODE3.—RIOT AT STAMFORD.
Mr. 13EN NETT presented a Petition from a person turned
ithodes. The lion. Member said, that the Petition was from
a young titan who had been taken up by the Magistrates of &am.
for carryiug I.bilough the streets the effigy of Majocchi.
. Ltd had been taken up on the 15th of January, and being
and withput, friends, could not find sufficient bail. The
311belittetIC til.tt he was committed to prison, there to re..
ttitt until the ensuing Assizes fur Lincoln, in .Birth neat;

though he might`furee been brough up to take his trial, before
the Makstrates, on the 2.3 d of aianueey.. the jail of Stamford.
fl 2 which lie waidenfirsed, was llttolosabie: The Hon. Member
proceeded to describe- tholiieteked stage of the cells in the pri-
son, and said that Vse confinement, there' had taken such an ef-
' feet on 'the health of theperson whose Petition he held in his
hand4tisat spedt in-successivollies the betterpart of the day
on which he signed that Petition. His object in laying it before
the House was, that those who persecuted the young lad might
be induced to desist ; and also of urging the Magistrates to put
the jail in such a state as it ought to be, and present a recurrence
of these colifplalats.—Laid on the table and ordered to be printed.

NEWINGTON SELECT VESTRY BILL.
Mr. HOLME SUMNER moved the second read-
ring of the. Newington Select Vestry Bill.
Mr. DENISON said, he was very sorry to impede
the progress of any business before the Mouse, but lie
conce►ved he would not have done right, if he al-1
ltowed the second reading of that Bill without op-
posing it. The objections he had to make then were
not so much to the principle of the Bill, for another
opportunity would occur for that purpose, but to the
manner in which the Bill had been introduced into
the House. There was no public meeting of the pa-
rishioners convened, with a view to consider the pro-
priety of applying for that Bill. The whole proceed-
ing had been got up in secret, and by a few indivi-
duals; and, in fact, the majority of the parishioners
were hostile to it, and would, if they had got sufficient
and regular notice, have given it every opposition in
their power. He should therefore move, by way of
amendment; that the Bill be read a second time that
day fortnight.
Sir ROBERT WILSON said, that he did not un-
derstand it to have bees the intention of the Hon.
Meaiber opposite to move the second reading of the
Bill that day. He expected that he might have con-
tinued it in the House. for some time, in order that
the inhabitants of the Parish might have due notice,
and he hoped that he would not now urge it farther,
on account of the irregularity of the notice.
Mr. HOLME SUMNER said, he regretted ex-
ceedingly to be opposed to his Honourable Colleague,
but he could assure him he was totally misinformed,
if he was led to understand that the Parish had not
notice. That he could contradict, as he knew the
notice had been affixed to the Church door. As to
what the Hon. and Gallant General observed with
respect to the irregularity of the notice, he admitted
that it was not strictly conformable to the orders of
ithe House ; but in season and in effect it was, he
contended, a sufficient notice. If the notice bad been
on the Church door three. Sundays in October, it
would have been a good and sufficient notice; but it
had been put up two Sundays in September, and the
first Sunday in October; and is it to be contended
that it was in reason. not a good notice, because 'the
three Sundays were not in the month of October
For those reasons, he did not see any grounds for sus-
pending the second reading of the Bill. His Hon.
Colleague and the Hon. and Gallant General would
have ample time and opportunity for opposing the
Bill in its future stages.
Sir R. WILSON repeated his former objections,
and said, he understood from the Hon. Gentleman
opposite, that the Bill would not proceed on account
of the irregularity of the notice.
Mr. H. SUMNER replied with some warmth, that
he did not tell him (Sir R. Wilson) that the Bill was
not to proceed.
Mr. DENISON repeated his former observations,
and again begged the House to suspend the Bill until
that day fortnight. .
Mr. C. CALVERT said, that he was decidedly
hostile to the principle of the Bill. In the Parish of
Newington, there were no less than 50,000 inhabi.
tants of various religious persuasions, and the Bill in
question went to exclude from the offices of Overseers
and Churchwardens, all that who did not strictly
profess the tenets of the Protestant established Church
of England. The Bill also professed to have for its
object the preventing of tumultuous Meetings; but
he denied that there had been any tumultuous Meet-
ings, and would prove it to the House by reading to
them the numbers that usually attended the Vestry.
Meetings. The Honourable Member then read from
a paper the numbers 41, 50, 36, &e. So that, he ob-
served, 50 was the greatest number he found to have
attended at these Meetings. He could not, therefore,
conceive how they could be deemed tumultuous. The
Bill went to provide that nineteen individuals would
make a Select. Vestry, to which the inhabitants were
decidedly hostile, but the Parish was to have a Select
Vestry stuffed down its throat, whether or not.

Mr. W. WYNN made some observations on the ir-
regularity of the notice given to the Parish.
The SPEAKER went into an explanation of the
Resolutions and Orders of the House, with respect to
the various forms necessary to be adopted prepara-
tory to the introduction of a private Bill before the
Hocise, and thought that they had not been duly ob-
served with regard to the Bill before them. He,
therefore, should be obliged to call the attention of''
the House to it, unless the party bringing in the Bill
should consent to postpone it.
After a few remarks from the SPEAKER, Mr. SUM-
NER, and Mr. DENISON,
Mr. SUMNER consented to let the amendment
stand in place of his motion.
Sir ROBERT WILSON immediately rose to pre-
sent a Petition from the Parishioners of St. Mary,
Newington, against the Bill.—Laid on the table.
SCOTCH JURY BILL:

Mr. KENNEDY brought in the Scotch Jury Bill,
and moved that it be read a first time.

The LORD ADVOCATE said, that he did not
rise ro object to the first reading of this Bill, for he
should at all times be ready to give his utmost atten-
tion to any subject connected with the administration
of justice in the Scottish Courts. The Hon. Mem-
ber had not communicated with him before he sub-
mitted his Bill to Parliament ; if he had, he (the
Lord Advocate) should have told him of his intention
to bring in a Bill founded upon the Report of the
Commissioners who had inquired into the state of the
Courts of Scotland, and of his readiness to consider
how far the Hon. Member's object could be embo-
died in that Bill. He was far from wishing to insti-
tute an invidious comparison between the practice of
the Courts in his own country and that of the Eng-
lish Courts; but he hoped he might be excused for
stating some of the advantages which, in criminal
trials, a prisoner enjoyed in Scotland. In the first
place he was entitled to a copy of the indictment fif-
I teen clear days before his trial; and it must be drawn
up with the utmost care, specifying the charge pre-
cisely, us to time, place, and substance—(Hear)-
1 and the prosecutor was strictly prohibited from going

beyond that specification. The'accused was also *ea- I
titled to a list of the names and designationkof all
the witnesses who mtere to 'ori the trialainst
trim--(Hear,--(Hear,hear)—as weraesarthe names oflwthe ,
jurors by whom he was to be tried. When the trial
came on, no witnesses could be re-examined; and,
what was perhaps the greatest advantage of all,
Counsel was, from first tolast, allowed to the defend-
ant.
These, he submitted, were no common advan-
tages to the accused; and he contended that it was
hardly possible to devise a system better calculated
to secure an impartial trial. The only innovation of
which he WAS aware, was the introduction of the Eng-
lish law of treason, which had been made applicable
to Scotland at the time of the Union ; and he ad-
mitted ,that the proceedings under that law were not
so favourable to the accused as those under the law
of Scotland. Of this it had very lately been his
misfortune to witness a melancholy example. In the
course of the last summer, no fewer than ninety-eight
persons had been indicted for treason, and the same
indictment had been served on fifty of them, al-
though the offences charged- against them had been
committed in different Counties, and under different
circumstances. In that point the law of Scotland
had certainly been altered, and he contended that it
had been altered to the prejudice of tie Constitution.
Mr. KENNEDY was not surprised that the Learn-
ed Lord should have felt a wish to make these ob-

nervations on the present occasion; but, at the .ame
time, he conceived that he himself was fully vindi-
cated in not having postponed his motion on account
of the Learned Lord's absence the other evening.
The Learned Lord had complained that many of his
countrymen took pleasure in stating the defects of
the establishments in Scotland, but he (Mr. Kennedy)
was actuated by a very different motive; the love
he cherished for the establishments of his country
prompted the desire in his mind of remedying their
defects, and therefore he felt himself warranted to
say that he did not deserve the imputation of the
Learned Lord—(Cheers). In introducing a measure
which he conceived to be of some importance, he bad
thought it his duty to advert to the circumstances
which the subject embraced ; and in the discharge of
that duty, he certainly did not consider himself bound
by the opinions of the Learned Lord, as to the topics
to which he ought to allude. The Learned Lord had
said, it was not enough to shew the existenee of theo-
retical defects, and that some practical defect should
have been pointed out to warrant the introduction of
such a measure as the present; but he (Mr. Ken-
nedy) was of opinion, that if he exhibited anything
faulty in theory, which might lead to injurious im-
putations on the conduct of the Learned judges who
presided over the Criminal Court of Scotland, he did
better than if he were to take any indelicate notice
of the practice into which these Learned persons were
led by such a defective theory. He meant to pro-
pose that the Bill should be printed, and read a se-
cond time a week hence, proforma, with an under-
standing between the Learned Lord and himself, that
it should stand over till April, subject to any fttture
postponement that might be necessary. .
Mr. M. A. TAYLOR was not disposed to agree
with the view which the Learned Lord had taken of
the Criminal Courts in Scotland. He adverted to
the sentence passed on Mr. Muir, in 1794,' and, on
the authority of the ablest Lawyers of the day, he
professed himself prepared to contend with the
Learned Lord, that the Court, in passing that sen-
tence, had exceeded its power.
The LORD ADVOCATE explained, and stated
his readiness, whenever occasion should offer, to de-
monstrate the legality of that judgment. The ques-
tion had recently undergone a solemn discussion in
the Supreme Court of Scotland, and the legality of
the sentence had been established by its decision.
Mr. J. P. GRANT could not sit in silence, and
.hear it said that a solemn decision of the Supreme
Court of Scotland had approved of that judgment,
when he knew that the ablest Judge on that Bench
had expressed a different opinion; and .he was pre-
pared to assert that there was no Lawyer of eminence
in Scotland who did not entertain at least the gravest
doubts on.the subject—(Near, hear).
. The Bill was then read a first time, and appointed
to be read a second time on Thursday next. It was
ordered to be printed.

IRISH UNION DUTISL
Mr. CURWEN presmited a Petition from certain
inhabitants of Kendal, praying that the Act of last
Session •for continuing the Irish Protecting Duties
might be reconsidered. The Honourable Member
observed, that in supporting the prayer of the Peti-
tion, if it could be shewn that the Protecting Duties
were advantageous to Ireland, he would be the last
man who would wish to see them removed. But the
contrary was his opinion, and he was fully persuaded
that not only were those duties not advantageous, but
most prejudicial to the trade of Ireland. He hoped,
therefore, that the Right Honourable Gentleman op-
posite (the Chancellor of the Exchequer) would not
oppose a Committee to consider the effect which they.
produced on the trade of both countries. It was quite
clear that they could never have been intended as a
source of Revenue. He conceived that nothing could
be more impolitic than to continue restrictions which
were onerous to our own trade, and injurious to that
of the Sister Country.
Sir HENRY PAIMELL wished to make some
observations on the subject before the House. An
Act by been passed relative to .what was called the
Union Duties, and when he (Sir Henry Parnell) de-
sired to have the Act revised, the Right Honourable
Gentleman (the Chancellor of the Exchequer).referred
him to what he termed the settlement of the question,
in the last Session. The fact was, that in the course
of one short month, the Right Honourable Gentle-
man had got an Act passed through Parliament con-
taining the Protecting Duties, without any limitation
whatever. If the Bill had been delayed, as he (Sir
Henry Parnell) had wished, he had no doubt but se-
veral Petitions would have been presented against it,
and one had been put into his hands from the town
of Manchester. A duty of ten per cent. was imposed
upon manufactures sent from this country to Ireland,
a measure which he thought most injurious to the in-
terests of trade. As_to what were reckoned Protect-
ing Duties, they arose out of one of the greatest mis-
takes the Irish Parliament had ever committed. An
idea had bcen vainly entertained that manufactures
would be established in Ireland, so as to compete with
those of England, and hence the Protecting Duties.
Now what was the result? It was this, that those
!very Protecting Duties had the effect of shutting

Irish manufactures out of the English mariet
Though the Duties had existed for forty ye.,k
they produced no advantage whatever to -
Ireland, but, on the contrary, did it a very pm,
jury. He hoped that in fume there wok
more restrictions on the trade of the
than between one county and another.
Mr. C. HUTCHINSON argued ap—'
ciple of the Petition, as injurious to
Ireland. The removal of the protectii
have the effect of throwing a great ,
sons out of employment in that distress
Mr. LITTLETON supported the
Petition. Nothing could be more imi
impose duties which were literally
manufactures of Ireland, rather than
them. The measure was of service
try, but injured both. A fair except
haps, be made in favour of manuf;
existed in Ireland before the Union ; '
be said when the duties were made to
nufactures which never did exist in Ire)
lustrate the point, it was eilough for '
two sorts of manufactures, pottery
which were included among those
the protecting duties, though they had
established in Ireland.

Lord A LTHORP expressed his hol
sure would be reconsidered.
Sir JOHN NEWPORT would not(
for a Committee, if he thought that
likely to result from it ; but he could _
while duties were suffered to exist which
consider in no other light than as a
trade of Ireland. The case of pottery
cited by the Hon. Member who had
the House, was an apt illustration of t
were no potteries in Ireland, and yr
hardware were to have duties to pi
branches of. Irish trade. The same
with respect to coals, which, it was well
reasonably supplied from England.
opinion was; that a measure which affr
to Ireland, and did a great injury to '
to be done away as soon as possible.
move from the people of both countries
of in itation, now that they were
ther by the Union.

Mr. PEEL said, that the duties wes
to Ireland, but Only a tax, and that ti
individuals. It would be a great mix
that Ireland was benefited by them,
tions between the two countries should
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCT
that Petitions had come from Ireland,
the manufacturer might not be takes
and he thought the interests of KR
consulted. by a gradual extinction of ,
question. lie admitted that the remos
backs and countervailing duties, would
provesnent, and the subject had nc
notice of Government. But many
were concerned.
Mr. M. FITZGERALD exp.
at the manner in which the subject s.
both sides of the House, and concluded
vations in support of the Petition by saying,
the subject were attentively and impart*
dered, many vexatious regulations mig
Mr. SHAW agreed witifthe Right
cellor of the Exchequer, that the
duties ought to be gradual, considering
which the question of abolishing them
among the commercial men in Ireland.
Sir H. PARNELL and Mr. C. IL
ally explained.
The Petition.was read, and ordered
COURT OF SESSIONS ACTS.
The Report of the Committee on
read. On the question that it be now ,
Mr. CREEVEY asked if this Report
consequence of the Report of the Sec
The LORD ADVOCATE said it
Mr. CREEVEY thought that some
ought to have been afforded to the H,
ject, as salaries of a considerable am !
given under the Bill which was to '
this Report.
Mr. KENNEDY asked if the salaries
as had been recommended by the Commr
The LORD ADVOCATE said therr
variations, which, when they came rev
the House, he hoped he should be able
The 'Report was then brought up,
given to bring in the Bill.
!RIM JUDGES' SALARY B 1
The House went into a Committee
The Resolutions woe agreed to, and
dered to be brought up on Monday.
ARMY ESTIMATES.
Lord PALMERSTON brought ul
of the Charge.of the Land Forces. IL
gave notice, that he should bring forward
Estimates, in the Committee of Suppls•
night. BRITISH MUSEUM.
Mr. LENNARD was of opinion that
cilities were not afforded to the Public
to the British Museum. Ii large sale
to the Officers, then a proportionate v,
be demanded on their part. It was
mission was given to the Reading-room
order from a Trustee or an. Officer I
It that was the case, the rule should
Hon. Member then moved for an .
number of applications and admissions
minerals not formerly shewn, the coir
drawings, and the Reading-room, fc
years, and also for an account of thi
money paid to the Officers of the Mut
Mr. LONG said, that it was the obj,
tees to afford every facility to view the
no less than 50,000 persons had been'.
mitted, There were two classes of persons
the Museum—one from mere curiosity,
'consisted of literary men, who wished
to valuable parts of the collection, on '
literary pursuits. With respect to till
caution was necessary, on account of
articles to which admission was sougl
had been sustained from indiscrimi
given to the public collections at Paris
Trustees' and 10 Officers, who we)
' afford every facility to view the Museu
Mr. GURNEY stated, that the Ps
facility afforded to them inyewiog the
he Could speak flon3 evict le:.

':6led.ellijciiBa(oifitell°i:stvetneharefrel:i°FatttYv:heletYourd -Y:ctrad'ottnt/(114b.
-anuetd another.
g against the Dt;„
r,.iiiesonhrnhliiastsitd,bhteaoronttohaeapptipsoittetiv.yeitionorr..4....',..
trerogxduatrclieleisaecyt,nptrtiesutiniin,folegsailenlmticrnadtirnuatcbenttiio:theesrmenti:ucaiNtt,e4eti
vh
.ed the prays
; u
more ifflbPoti‘itic therm
a tax u
ervice to neithrr Oki
nd
sottery
posehahemni
manufactures
.Ist in Ireland? T
those that came
they had nevertb*
aid
existt
which
hp
lit that -any good ~;
e could anticipate no;
in as a tax upon th
pottery and harder*
ho had last edit*
Lion of the fact 1,,
and yet pottery.*
s to protect them, 4
to same was the ca
t was well knou i; let
ngland. His deeiki
hich afforded no*
ury to Englandosi
)ssible. He would n,.
a countries every cot:
•ere incorporated togs,
'ties were no protraiot
i that tier the benefftei
eat mistake to sup
them, and all digit.
s should be abolished
to EXCHEqUE/ '
Ireland, praying*
be taken by surrit;
of all would be4nt
ction of the duties
the removal of dim. .;
:ies, would be as in. I
had not escaped tle
many local jails* I
:pressed his sa *-, .• -1
,übject was treod I
concluded some •
tion by saying, tbet
Ind impartially •. • I
ions rnightbe
Right Hon. the Cha• 1
t the reduction of the
insidering the agitaSot
.ing them had created t
a Ireland.
C. HUTCUINSON ILI: I
a
ordered to be priut
INS ACTS.
itee on these Acts vs
be now brought up,
is Report was moan '1
he Scotch Commissis? t
said it was.
hat some informal il
) the House on these.
.ble amount were mie ri
vas to be founded a I
e salaries were the sae s
the Commissioners? q
said there was eel
came regularly We a
d be able to justify.
;ht up, and leads ea
•
:ART BILL.
mmittee on this*. d
to, and the Report* if
onday. a
ATES.
a,ricgneghs.tfoHurpuis,atLordh E
rde
tideipstimiiet
f Supply, this day
;Eusi. bi
inion that snicks!.
e Public, in
rge salaries were slit
.1
ttt
)d[i (3tifii nnwcgaeat-re
rs 0 vigilanceosoafmi said
the t%., b
mt
ht 0 °in
0.
aktt's
should be altered. 'be
for an account of r"
dmissions to view
the coins, prints .1
Dom, for the last
nt of the extra sums.'
the Museum.
yot ea
aih,i ev
,pobe
been"
the
c.n3tsaionuwinsithuaelouoisd..
La
curiosity, and the ",
o wished for :Idolise,
t 0
ion, on accountof r tl
rt to this latter CPI ;
)unt of the valueofk
f; 410
'as sought. —re +t ,
discriminat; adm4_4o" as
at Paris. There wto
o
who were anxious to
se Museum.
the Publicruh,aedutnelf
sting the , I
ri JCS c