The Statesman.
London, England, 1823-02-28 00:00:00

and a consequent reduction of prices took plate. One
eouvequence of that ass, that a great part of the poor
lind was laid dawn as nnfit for cultivation, unless at an
enormous expense, and any reduction of the duty et pre-
Items would oily have the eff et of bringing back that
evil—(hear, lie tr.) He could only profess, that as far
• s lay in his power, lie would give every advantage that
wea formerly granted, of extending the time of payment
of duty, or any other reasonable assistance. Not so far,
lion ,as to contribute in any way to stimulate the
growth of hops in places where, from the admission of
the parties themselves, the article could not be cultivated
to a profit without much higher prices—(hear, bear.).
Sir E. KNATCHBULL expressed his apprehension
that, from the declarations of the Chancellor of the Ex-
chequer, the hop planters had little to expect. He was
ready to admit, very candidly, that the evils had their
sources in a great measure in over production. But there
was at present a greater pressure arisiog from an exces-
iive population, which was superinduced by the increased
quantity of land under cultivation, and the difficulty of
tingling employment for them in another way. He had
Only to appeal to the liberality and justice of the Right
Gentleman for a further consideration of the situa-
tion of the petitioners.
Mr. CUILTEIS explained, and the petition was laid
op the table.
ROLCS' COURT.
Mr. WILLIAMS called the attention of the House to
the mode in which the business of the Rolls' Court was
managed. The duties were performed by deputy for
some time past, by a Baron of the Exchequer, assisted by
two Masters in Chancery ; end be (Mr. W.) observed a
notice which was likely to give still fug:titer inconvenience
to the euitors by which it appeared that the Credit was to
he c'osed fir three weeks, from the 28th of March to the
'l5-11 of April.
Mr. PEEL said that the circumstances alluded to had
not escaped his notice. The absence of the Master of
the Rolle wes bawled by indisposition alone ; and with
the hope that it would be merely temporary, no steps
had been taken.
Phu 'AT I'o EYX EN ERAL moved the second read-
ingot the Sorrortes' License Bill, which was ordered to
be reads third tune on Monday.
MR. Romantic).
Lord it. HAMILTON rose, pursuant to notice, to move
for the production of the correspondence in the case of
Mr*. Bowri tag. Ile commented by observing that it was
quite unnecessary to detain the House by many prelimi-
nary übaervetiot.s, other than that a great injustice Lad
hero &me in a foreign land ; but when the House recol-
lected that that injustice was committed on the person of
an Englishman under the protection of this country—un-
der the Protection of a passport, he was convinced it
would afford its best attention to the case.—(hear.) He
did not stiti.d theee with any intention of arraigning the
cenduct, of the British Government, or bringing any
charge against it; bu: he %watt! ray that a gross oppres-
sion and injustice had been practised upon an En-
gleh starker; and though the Government might
Late dune somethieg in his favour, be was not re-
pair-a to admit that they had done all that might
have been exrected• from it—(Hear, hear, bear.) he
course he inteuded to take was, to state the particular act
el opt ressiou of which Mr. Bowing complained, the suf-
ferings it hick hr endured in consequence, the means be
took .o procure redress, and hat extent of redress he
did procure, anti then be o
would conclude by asking the
house to concur a ith him in demanding that the several
doeitmente of the cur be laid before it, whicludocuments
be widied to have understood a ere at the Ace of the
Secretary of State. Mr. Bowritl having occasion, on
constuertial business only, to visit France, afteca reel-
deuce in Paris for a abort time, applied for a pasiport to
return. Some opposition was, on the demand for a pan-
port, off, red, and an explanation gone into which was
hut north repeating, but the passport was finally granted,
a rid Mr. Boating proceeding to Calais in a French pub-
carriage. At Caittis his baggage was sent in as usual
fur exa:nination, and he could not leave that place, from
same trilliug mown, oa the evening of his eeriest. On
the next day be a as informed that be must submit his pa-
pis for inspection, and he was then brought before the
Mayor Lica informed that be should be detained as a pri-
weer. The first vesLion which Mr. Bowring, or any
o her Englishin in under such circumstances nould ask,
would mc itrelly he, of what am I accused? He did ask
neat gees ion, hut the only answer he could procure was,
tint a trite raphic dui:etch had been received from Paris,
oriferinx the authorities, "to detain Bowring, and exa-
ni'ne ltie rapers." It might here be said, that whatever
ti.at Gentleman had suffered was in conformity with the
French laws. That, though substantially true, was es-
seritially tittle. there he begged to impress on the minds
of the Bon. 6en.lernsn oppoaite, that when Mr. Bowring
is as released, it was on the declaration of the French
Government that his crime did not warrant imprison-
meat. There was on the face of the circumstances a
gg 055 injustice committed in charging him with an of-
f Lee which could not justify an imprisonment. Mr.
Bowling was thus arrested, his papers were examined,
arid after two days 'another order came, in cansequence
of which he was conveyed to Boulogne. Here amain it'
might be asked, would it not be reasonable when a per. I
sin was arrested, his papers taken from him, and when
lie was removed frow one prison to another, that the accu-
sation against him should be made known, but he was
still kept in tote' ignorance of its nature. He was not
I ug in confinement at Boulogne, when another tele-
graphic despatch was received to "confine Bowring au
secret—allow him to communicate with no person.* lie
(hard A. /I.) hoped that the house would consider what the
feelings of an Eueltshroan must be who was confined in
utter solitude.deprited of the society and advantage of his
friends; and what vies worse than all; deprived of legal
saistance, and of the advice of a professional man ?
How dreadful was it to he thus left, without the means
of taking proper measures to avert the accusation;
equally aboinleahle with the charge, was the subsequent
conduct of the Government, contrary to good sense and
to common justice, to allow an individual to languish
under confinement, and to deprive him of the advantage
of professional advice. He wished to know if such
oppre otion was really the law of France, or if an indivi-
dual, a strenver, supposed to be ignerent of the lan.
wage, could be so treated ? Could any man, un ler si-
milar circumstances, in this country,or cuuki even a na-
tive of this country, undertake to defend himself, or an-
swer interrogatories without legal advice. However,
Mr. Bowring was detained in solitary confinement—
nominally solitary, but even the advantage of solitude
was not allowed, when persecution could be put in
force. In the place lie was confined there were several
'other culprits of the lowest class in the extreinest sense
of the word, and lie was neither saved from their inten-
sion, or the access at all hours of the bearer of tile in.
teriogatories. If confinement was necessary at all,
was it not incumbent on them to have found some other
place? and was it not most unjustifiable to visit an indi-
vidual with such excess of severity in a case which, by
their own admission, did not warrant imprisonment at
all. He would only wish any individual in that house
would put himself in the place of Mr. Bowring, in a fo-
reign landeein solitary confinement, and tlieu he collie
safely call upon him for bis sympathy and compassion.—
About the seventeenth day—and here be requested par-
ticular attention from the house, as he understood that
the papers he was moving fur, would be refused—about
mile 17tliday, when Mr. Bowring could not get an accu-
sation in writing, he applied to the English Ambassador,
to Sir Charles Stewart. When the application reached
the tared the French Government, i a Minister of Jos
tice, or rather of injustice, devised some other charge to
warrant an imprlsoement. From all he could collect,