The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1833-05-14 00:00:00

THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD

Eniptrial Vailiament.

HOUSE OF LORDS•

THURSDAY, MAY 9.
The Duke ofCLEVELAND presented petitions from the church-
wardens and inhabitants of Great Wrington in the county of
Somerset, for the better observance of the Sabbath, and against
the beer-shops ; and from the Protestant Dissenters of South
Shields, praying for relief from parochial rates, and the removal
of other grievances by which they were affected.
The Duke of RlciimoNn presented petitions from the city of
Chichester and from Steyniug, for the abolition of colonial
slavery.
Lord SUFFIELD presented petitions to the same effect fromso
Wesleyan congregations in Lancashire, Yorkshire, and Not-
tingham, and trom the inhabitants of 5U towns in various parts
of Great Britain.
The Duke of GonnoN presented a petition from the surgeons
and medical practitioners of A berdeeu, praying for a revision of
the apothecaries' act.
Lord WY NFORD presented a petition from the shopkeepers
and inhabitants of the hundred of Blackheath, against the 19th
section of the local jurisdiction bill, which took away all the
powers hitherto exercised by courts of request.
Earl DELAWARE presented a petition from the minister,
churchwardens, and inhabitants of Bradfield, Sussex, for the
better observance of the Sabbath; also a petition from the own-
ers and occupiers of land in the agricultural parishes in the
coonty of Cambridge for such an alteration in the agricultural
labourers' employment bill as would make it applicable to every
parish.
Lord HOWA RD DE WALDEN presented petitions for the aboli-
tion of colonial slavery' from Saffron Walden, Newthorpe, and
two other places in Essex.
Lord AUCKLAND moved the order of the day for going into
committee on the cotton wool duty repeal bill.
Lord EL LENBOROUGH took that opportunity of referring the
house to what had taken place when the duty had been increased
by the measure of 1831. It had then been also proposed to in-
crease the duty upon India cotton, but the project had been
abandoned, and the consequence had been, not only a great
increase in the imports of that article,- but also an improvement
in its quality. He had then thought the increase of duty on raw
cotton was most impolitic, and he rejoiced it was to bb reduced,
and at the same time he would suggest to the government the
propriety of reducing the small duty still remaining on India
cotton, by which the manufactures of this country would be
greatly benefitted.
The Earl of RIPON was the last person to object to the en-
couragement of every export from England. He, however, was
of opinion, that as the duties now imposed on East India cotton,
indigo, lac, and almost all India productions were reduced to a
mere nominal amount, further reductions would produce no
effect whatever.
Lord ELLENBOROUGH observed, that there was another duty,
which had been imposed in 18.31, which had produced nothing,
or less than nothing, to the revenue; he alluded to the wine
duties, which had caused a loss of £5,000 to the revenue, as
compared with previous years. He should, therefore, suggest
the propriety of repealing the wine duties also.
The Marquis of LANSDOWNE said that the wine duties had
not yet had a fair trial. He supported the policy of the
Government in increasing the duties ou raw cotton in 1831, as
it had enabled them to take off the duties on printed calicoes,
by which not only the manufacturing districts, particularly in
the north of England, had been benefited, but the prosperity
of the revenue had been increased.
Lord ACKLAND, with reference to the wine duties, observed,
the returns of the imports of the last three months manifested
that, though there was a deficiency in the revenue arising from
the duty on light wines, that originating in the import of strong
win's had increased.
The bill then went through the committee, and was reported
without any amendments.
On the motion for the second reading of the Tiles' Duties
Repeal Bill.
Earl DELAWARE inquired if the bill repealed the duty on
draining tiles, which, by mistake, had been omitted in a former
bill.
Lord AUCKLAND said that the present bill repealed the excise
duties upon every description of tiles manufactured in Great
B ri Lai n.
The bill was then read a second time, and ordered to be com-
n.itted to-morrow (this day.)-:--Adjourned.
FRIDAY.

Earl GREY laid upon the table the papers relating to Algiers
which had been moved for by a noble lord (Aberdeen) whom he
did not then see in his place. He begged to say that if any fur-
ther discussion arose upon this subject, he should use his discre-
tion as to the production of any other documents. As he did
not doubt the noble lord (Aberdeen) would, if present, do so, he
would move that the papers be printed.—Ordered.
The Earl of Wick Low moved for returns of all agreements
entered into between the owners and occupiers of land, and the
incumbents of parishes, in Ireland, for the composition of tithes,
and registered in each diocess, under the 2d and 3d William IV.,
c. 119 ; also for returns of the number of applications for grants,
and the commissions issued for the promotion of great public
works in Ireland, under the act passed for that object in the
session of 1831.
The Marquis of LANSDOWNE was happy to state that the an-
ticipations he had entertained on the passing of the measure for
promoting public works in Ireland had been completely answer-
ed. Numerous applications had been made, and considerable
improvements had been carried into effect, under the provisions
of the act alluded to by the noble earl.
The Earl of Wick Low was aware of the anxiety with which
the bill had been pressed forward by the noble marquis, though
it was thought by those sitting on his (the Earl of Wicklow's)
side of the house that nothing would be lost by delay. Ile was
anxious, therefore, to ascertain from the returns he had moved
for whether any good had resulted from the measure.
The motion was then agreed to.
A message from the House of Commons, by Mr. Bernal and
other members, brought up the savings' bank enmities bill, the
dramatic authors' bill, and two private hills.

STAFFORD BRIBERY BILL.
The Earl of RADNOR moved the second reading of the Staf-
fird Bribery Bill.
Lord LYNDHURST thought from the evidence, which he had
in part heard before the select committee,_ and which he had
since fully read, it was manifest that bribery to an immense
extent had been carried on in the borough of Stafford, not only
en the last, but on many former elections, and he was sorry to
add, that it appeared also that the candidates both on the last
and on former occasions had been deeply implicated in the
transactions. lie therefore conceived it was absolutely neces-
sary that some effective measure should be adopted to prevent
a recurrence of similar transactions. This bill entirely differed
from similar bills for the same object—namely, that of indem-
nifying persons examined as witnesses. The object of the pre-
sent bill was entirely different, for it went to indemnify all per-
dims. candidates or others, from the consequences of the bribery
of which they had been guilty, the title of former bills being an
act to indemnify witnesses who should be examined to prove
bribery in the particular borough, while the title of the present
was a bill to indemnify all persons guilty of bribery at the Staf-
ford election, without any restriction or limitation. The enact-
ing.clause also corresponded with the title of the bill, yet it was
curious enough that though this general indemnification was
given, the second clause went to indemnify. all persons who
should be examined as witnesses. 'phis reminded him of the
story told by Mr. Wyndham in the other house of the Oxford
scholar, who had a large hole in his door for his cat, and a small
one for his kitten. did not think this was the result of ac-
cident. but had been done designedly; for he had compared
the bill with the acts passed with reference to Peuryn and Bans-
staple, and had found that the phraseology corresponded, so
that it was manifest the drawer of the present bill must have
had those billstbefore him. '1 his manifested the necessity for
their lordships to look narrowly at all bills, even though profess-
ing a virtuous and laudable object.
The Earl of Ransioa denied that he, as the mover of the bill
in this house, was answerable for the phraseology in which it
was couched, or the manner in which it was framed, though he
believed it was in accordance with all former precedents. The
enactments of the bill were precisely in accordance with the
title, and it was nut fair to compare it, as the noble and learned
lord did, with former bills, which merely went to indemnify
witnesses. This bill was essentially different from all those
bills, with the exception of the bill in the case of Lord Melviile's
trial; and all those bills, except that, had origivated iu the
Commons.
The bill was then read a second time, and ordered to be
ceunnitted to a committee of the whole house on Monday.
The London and Greenwich Railway Bill was read a second
time.—Aclj:Jurnecl to Monday.

HOUSE OF COMIYIONS.

WEDNESDAY, MAY 8.

GENERAL REGISTRY BILL.

Mr. W. BROUGHAM rose to move for leave to re-introduce
th_, bill for the general registration of deeds, which was origin-
ally brought forward by the Soffeitor-General. The hon. and
learned gentleman entered into a technical description of the
embarrassments and inconveniences attendant on the establish-
ir:3lt, of a title unlzr the present system, in consequence of the

Wilful or accidental suppression of deeds, and contended that a
general registration of deeds afforded the only means of sur-
mounting them. The chief objectiOns that had been made to
the bill emanated from country solicitors, many of whom had
given utterance to the most unblushing misrepresentations res-
pecting its tendency and object, as, for example, that it would
compel every landholder to transmit his title-deed or convey-
ance to London, to be there patent to the rude scrutiny of the
curious. Now, the bill would be wholly prospective in its oper-
ation, and no deed registered would be permitted to bo seen till
the claimant had established, to the satisfaction of the register-
ing officer, a bona fide claim.
Mr. STRICKLAND looked upon the present as one of the many
law patronage jobs, of which that great job, the law commis-
sion (which had already cost the public £28,000.) was the pro-
lific parent. The hon. member was greatly in error if he sup-
posed that the opposition to his proposed bill was confined to
the country solicitors : it extended to the country gentlemen of
all shades and distinctions, to merchants, farmers, and tradeS-
men. Would the house sanction such a costly job in the present
state of the countrv,—a job which would cost some £5(X1,000?
The SoLicrroit:GENEßA L.—Only £20,000.
Mr. STRICKLAND.—OnIy £20,000? Why, he understood
that one side of Lincoln's-mnras to be purchased as a site for
the building.
The SOLICITOR-GENERAL contended that the bill would lead
to a great practical benefit, without adding to the expense of
the parties interested in registrations.
Leave was then given to bring in the bill.
LORD DONGLASS'S PENSION.
Mr. HumE, pursuant to notice, rose "to call in question the
right of his late Majesty to grant a pension to Lord Dunglass."
His main object was to bring strikingly before the house and
the public those instances of unmerited pensions and costly sine-
cures by which this country had been so long abused and im- ,
poverished. In 1792 a sinecure office was given to Lord Home,
which, though only £276 10s. per annum, cost the public
£36,360,he having received it for 22 years. The son of that
Lord home enjoyed another sinecure, the exposure of which
was an object of the present motion. The chief business
of the Barons of the Exchequer in Scotland was the dis-
bursement and management of the hereditary revenues of
the Crown in that country. On looking into the items
of that disbursement, he found Lord Dunglass was set down
£3OO a-year as the " Chamberlain of Ettrick Forest."—
He contended that the house ought to put an end to this useless
mode of applying the public money to offices which were with-
out any substantial duties_ to perform. As he understood that
the government had no objection'to accede to this motion, lie
would conclude by moving that an humble address be pre-
sented to his Majesty, praying that the law officers of the Crown
be directed to inquire into the validity of the right of Lord Dun-
glass to hold the office of Chamberlain of Ettrick Forest, under
the appointment of Geo. IV, after the demise of that sovereign,
in order to have it decided by the courts of law in Scotland.
The LORD ADVOCATE said that his own opinion was, that this
grant was illegal; but he thought that it would be indecorous in
the house to adjudicate upon it, and to deprive the noble lord of
it in his absence, and without hearing what he might have to
urge in support of it. He was therefore of opinion that the best
plan which the house could follow would be the adoption of the
motion of the hon. member for Middlesex. It was certainly a
curious thing to give Lord Dunglass £3OO a year for the collec-
tion of quit rents which did not amount to more than £230 a
year. (Hear, hear.) It was unfortunate for the noble lord that
this appointment of £3OO a year had not been a pension upon
the Scotch pension-list; for in that case he might have conti-
nued to hold out, inasmuch as the
.pensions on that list, which
he thought expired with the sovereign, had been continued by
the liberality of Parliament.
After a few words from Mr. Hume the motion was agreed to.

ENCLOSURES.

Mr. PRIME moved, pursuant to his notice, that on the com-
mittal of every enclosure bill it he an instruction to the com-
mittee to insert a clause providing for the allotment of a certain
portion of land, to be let in small portions to labourers, and the
rent thereof appropriated in aid of the poor-rates.
Mr. Hum did not rise to oppose the motion, but he thought
that on one of such importance the resolution ought to be printed,
and full time allowed for its consideration. He would therefore
propose that the debate on this question be adjourned to that
day week.
Mr. PRYbIE assented to the amendment, but he did not think
that a reference to a committee up stairs was necessary.
The motion for adjourning the debate on the subject to that
day week was then agreed to.

EAST INDIA JUDGES.

Mr. HumE said that he would pbstpone that part of his mo-
tion which related to the appointment of Chief Justice of the
Island of Ceylon, in consequence of the absence of the Colonial
Secretary; but he would move for a return of the number of
India judges now receiving retired allowances,—distinguishing
the length of service of each, the amount received, and the
sources from which it was paid. He thought that such judges
might, without any additional pease to time country, be ,Made
a permanent court to decideWn appeals from India, which
would be a great saving of time and expense to the parties con-
cerned in such appeals.'
The motion was agreed to.
POLICE-OFFICE (LONDON) BILL.
On the motion of Mr. G. Lamb, the house went into a corn-
,wittee for the further consideration of the report of this bill.
/ The several clauses, with some amendments, were gone
through.
Mr. PEASE proptsed a clause, to the effect to give magistrates
the power of punishing persons who kept places for bear-bait-
ing, dog-fighting, and other cruel sports of that kind, which
tended so much to demoralize those who assisted at them, and
also to punish those who were present at such sports.
Mr. HILL opposed the clause.' He did not see how it could
be fairly agreed to, unless the house was prepared to put down
coursing, pigeon-shooting, angling, &c. rhe house would not
surely proceed on the puritanical principle to
-

" Compound for sins they are inclined to,
By damning those they have no mind to."
Mr. RoTcu supported the clause, because he believed that
the practices which it was framed to put au, end to were the
means of drawing together a vast number of disreputable per-
sons, who, at those meetings, perfected their plans of spoliation
and plunder.
The SOLICITOR-GENERAL conceived the clause to be uncalled
for. If local mischiefs were expected from the prevalence of
the system to which the hon. member was opposed, why not ex-
tend the clause to York, Liverpool, Bristol, and other great
towns ?
After a few observations from Mr:Potter, Sir T. Fremantle,
Mr. Hardy, and Mr. Pease, the committee divided,. when there
appeared—
For the clause 42
Against it l6

Majority against the clause 4
The house then resumed, and the report was ordered to be re.
ceived to-morrow.

LAW AMENDMENT BILL.

The S6LICITOR-GINEIAL moved the second reading of the
privy council bill, in doing which he explained the object of the
bill was to remedy the defects inherent in the present constitu-
tion of the privy council, in its appellate capacity, and to remo-
del it. _ _ _

The bill was then read a second time, and ordered to be coin•
witted on Wednesday next.

PRIVY COUNCIL BILL.

On the motion of the Solicitor-General, the house went into a
committee ou the law amendment bill. _

Mr. JEuvis moved the omission of the proviso in the clause
which gave a dispensing power to the judges, on which amend-
ment the committee divided.
The committee then divided, and the numbers were :
For the amendment l3
Against it

Majority l6
The clause was then agreed to, as were all the others, with the
exception of three, which were struck out, on the suggestion of
Mr. Jervis, but it is impossible, from the tune in which the con-
versation was carried on, to particularize.
The house resumed, and the report was ordered to.be brought
up on Friday.

TILE SECRETARY FOR IRELAND.

Colonel PERCEVAL gave notice, that he would to-morrow put
a question to the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with a view of
ascertaining whether the olfice' of Chief Secretary for Ireland
had been, or was likely to be, filled up.
On the motion of Mr. Spring 'Rice, the Savings' Banks An-
nuities Bill was read a third time and passed.
On the motion of ,Mr. L. Bulwer the Dramatic Authors' Bill
was read a third time and passed.
The orders of the day were then disposed of, and the house
adjourned at two o'clock.
THURSDAY.

This being the day appointed for taking the ballot upon the
Tiverton election, the Members assembled at four o'clock, and,
there being only 71 present, the house adjourned.
FRIDAY.

The gallery was not opened until half-past 4, in consequence
of the ballot for a committee on the Tiverton election.
➢lr. O'CosN ELL gave notice that he should move a call of
the house on Tuesday next.
Mr. Imams' presented a petition from the ship-owners and

merchants of South Shields, complaining of the embargo laid
upon coals sent to the Dutch ports, and stating, that if the prac-
tice were continued much longer it would have the effect of sti-
lling the commerce of South Shields.
Mr. .T. YOUNG took the opportunity of stating that he was
intrusted with a similar petition from Newcastle. The petition-
ers complairied of the unjust nature and injurious tendency of
the embargo on Dutch vessels.

SECRETARY FOR IRELAND.

Colonel PERCEI aL wished to know from the noble lord (Al-
thorp) whether a secretary was yet appointed, or likely soon to
be appointed, for Ireland. He was of opinion that no time
ought to be lost in making the appointment, if it were not al-
ready done. Besides the temporary want of an Irish secretary,
it had an injurious effect another way. On the occasion of the
appointment of the committee on the state of agriculture, only
three Irish members were chosen to form a parts€ it. He was
justified in thinking that such would not have been the case
had an Irish Secretary been appointed. He thought, therefore,
the office should be filled up as quickly as possible.
Lord ALTHORP said that the office in question had not yet
beep filled up, and that considerable difficulty had been expe-
rienced in providing a successor to the late secretary. 'I he
noble lord added that the appointment would be made as soon
as possible.
Wr. WHITMORE intimated that he would bring the question
of the corn laws before the house on Friday next.
Lord ASHLEY wished to know when it was the intention of
ministers to lay the papers he had asked for relative to the con-
dition of children working in factories before the house?
Mr. LAMB replied that they would be laid on the table as soon
as possible.
Mr. LENNARD inquired of the noble lord (Althorp) whether
he would object fo allow the drawback on the stock of soap
now in hand?
Lord ALTHORP replied that he would object to the proposi-
tion.

DUTCH EMBARGO.

On the order of the day being read for the house resolving
itself into a committee of supply.
Mr. Alderman THONIPSON rose to call the attention of the
house to the state of our political relations with the King of
the Netherlands. The hon. alderman commenced by describ-
ing the injurious effect which, he contended, the orders in
council of November and December last had produced on the
commercial interest of this country. In promulgating those
orders in council he insisted the government had deviated
from the good policy adopted by our forefathers in preserving
friendly relations with Holland. Far from this, our navy had
for the last six months been employed in capturing the Dutch
merchantmen on the high seas, while the ships of that nation
which were in our harbours at the time of the promulgation of
the orders in council were still detained there. It had been at
first pretended that these measures were exercised for the pur-
pose of compelling the King of Holland to surrender Antwerp
into the hands of the King of the Belgians; but although this
event had taken place five months ago, the same system was
still pursued, and for what reason no one concerned was able
to say. For his part he had no hesitation in saying, and he
spoke from the information of those deeply concerned in the
trade with Holland, that no sound reason could be assigned for
its continuance. Whatever the cause of its continuance might
be, he hoped government would at least explain it to the coun-
try. It was a most unparalleled state of things: an embargo
had been placed on the trade between this country and Holland
for the last six months, and yet there appeared to be no pro-
gress towards a settlement of the question for which it was
imposed. It had been contended that the measure in question
was necessary to secure the peace of Europe. If, however,
the King of Holland had acted upon a similar principle, seized
our ships in his harbours, which, at the time of the imposition
of the embargo, where double the number the Dutch vessels
in our harbours, there would then have been, in his (Mr. Alder-
man Thompson's) humble judgement, a most imminent chance
of war. The King of Holland, however, adopted a different
line of policy. He not only allowed the English ships which
were in his ports to depart, but in case even of British vessels
being cast upon his coasts, he permitted them to be repaired in
his harbours, and afterwards to put to sea again. But in order
to come to a just estimate of the loss which the British ship-
owners had sustained in consequence of the imposition of the
embargo, it was necessary to know the amount of tonnage
employed in the trade with Holland. Some idea of the dissa-
tisfaction which prevailed on the subject might be gatheredfrom
the petition which had that night been presented by the hon.
member for South
,Shields. He himself had a petition on the
same subject to present from the shipowners of Sunderland,
another had been promised by the hon. member for Newcastle,
and they were all aware of the petition which had emanated
from the great and important meeting in the city of London ou
this .subject. Well, it appeared that the number of English
vessels cleared from the port of Sunderland for Holland last
year was 321, their tonnage 5861 tons. The number of foreign
vessels cleared from the same port during the same period
was 78. But what was the case at the present moment?
Why, 340 ships were lying in that port totally unemployed, and,
he regretted to say, with scarce any prospect of employment.
During the same period 1200 ships entered the port of Rotter-
dam. The aggregate tonnage of the vessels belonging to the
United Kingdom engaged in the trade with Holland betore the
sth January, 1832, (he had no access to the accounts for the last
year, for they were not yet laid on the table of the house)—tha
average tonnage for that period was 179,488 tons. The amount
of British manufactures exported during the same period was
£4,631,000. The effect, therefore, of the measures adopted by
government was to throw all this capital out of employment.
The evil results to the commercial interests of the country were
likewise increased by the state of our present relations with Por-
tugal. Deprived as we already were of a very important branch
of trade, he did think that government, instead of shutting up,
ought to have opened every outlet for our commercial activity
and enterprise. But the number of ships deprived of employ-
ment in consequence of the measures adopted towards those
countries now amounted to 2000, and the tonnage to 22,000 tons.
The shipowners, consequently, throughout the kingdom, were
labouring under the most severe deprivation. He observed from
the accounts which he had examined, that the trade of London
evinced a great falling off, and he had no doubt but that the same
causes were operating on trade. generally.' The statements he
had submitted showed, in some degree, the extent of the injury
inflicted on British commerce by the embargo on Dutch vessels;
but had a similar injury, he would ask, resulted to the commer-
cial interests of the Hollanders themselves? On the contrary,
it would be found that the shipowners of Holland had contrived
to nullify, in a great Measure, the object for which the order in
council was adopted, and had, in consequence, suffered little or
no detriment to their trade. By means of transferring their
cargoes to the vessels of neutral powers, they were no* carrying
on a trade, and a most profitableone, with this country. By pur-
suing this course they besides' effected a saving on the freight of
from 20 to 30 per cent., which was no mean advantage. When
they looked to the consequences which the promulgation of the
orders in council had had on our foreign trade, they would, he
fancied, see but little cause for congratulation. When they
looked, for instance, to South America and the United States,
they would find that the British ships in 'those countries could
uo longer obtain any shipments from foreign merchants, in
consequence of the impression which was entertained of the
state of relations between England and Holland; They rea-
sonably enough said—" No, we will riot trust our merchandise
with you. The embargo is a measure preliminary to a state of
war, and we will rather embark our goods in neutral bottoms
than run the risk of losing them by embarking them in yours."
He had no hesitation in saying, that if the embargo were to be
kept up for a few months longer, our merchant vessels from
foreign countries would be completely empty. One imme-
diate consequence which had been severely felt was the rise
in the rate of freight and insurance for British vessels. Our
merchants had to pay at the present moment 100 per cent.
more for these charges than. foreigners were called upon to
pay, and all this from the apprehension of approaching war,
which the continuance of the embargo on Dutch vessels had
produced. The same causes had also affected our eastern
trade. A Dutch East Indiaman had been detained at Trincol
malee, and considerable alarm had naturally been spread among
the merchants engaged in the India trade. The value of the cargo
of this vessel had been stated at from £350;000 to £400,000, but
a great part of it virtually belonged to British capitalists, and
two-thirds of the property were insured here. It was evident
from what he had stated, that British commercial' interests
were suffering in every quarter of the globe. The worthy
alderman then moved, as an amendment, for an account of all
vessels detained in consequence -of the order in council of the
6th of November last, specifying their names, tonnage, and
cargoes, and distinguishing such as had obtained the exemption
made by the order in council of the 3d of December, and also
for a copy of a report of the Privy Council ou the subject of
these exemptions.
Mr. G. YOUNG expressed his entire concurrence in the
general course of policy adopted towards Holland. But though
e concurred m the principle, lie could not say as much for the
means, and he had strong objections in particular to the impo-
sition of.the embargo on Dutch vessels. He thought with the
honourable alderman who had just addressed the house, that
that measure, instead of crippling Dutch commerce, lied fallen
with the greatest severity on British commerce, and certainly
ought never to have been resorted to. There was no denying
the fact, that Dutch commerce was not impeded, for it was
shown that the merchants. of Holland carried on their trade in
neutral bottoms: He was convinced that the longer the em-
L bargo was continued the greater would be the pressure on the