The Statesman.
London, England, 1821-06-28 00:00:00

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de sure be bad mentioned, he then inquired of Mr
Vansittart if he was to be considered as bound by
'Alt hr ItAd said, and the answer be received ribs,

that he was not bound to procure the ground for two
hundred pounds. Adverting to what had been said of
the allowances to Scotch Bankers fir transmitting the
revenue, he traced the circumstances under which the
-asbding arrangement had been formed, and gave it as
his opinion that they did not profit by it. He ex-
pressed himself disposed to support the Government, as
they bad overthrown, one of the greatest tyrants the
world had known, but lie complained of the unhand-
soine attacks sometimes made upon Scotland, and con-
cluded lamenting the taste which bad obtained in the
present times for assailing individual character.
Lord A. HAMILTON disclaimed all intention of
imputing to the Honourable Baronet, or to the Chan-
cellor of the Exchequer any corrupt motives for what
they. had dotie. He. however, should vote for the
motion if his Honourable Friend pressed it to a divi-
sion. He wished to know why the Honourable Baro-
net had caused Mr. Lorimer to propose to the Board,
or, doing so, why did he not come forward and fairly
state the situation in which be stood. The Hon.
Baronet had offered to be security for Mr. Lorimer,
aid had recommended the scite of the New Stamp
Ogre. as more convenient, and as that which might
be obtained on more favourable terms than any other.
On two of these points he (Lord A. Hamilton) differed
from the Honourable Baronet. He would ask why
there was no contract—why there was no estimate—
and why had no security been obtained up to this
moment?—Wiry had the business been wholly arranged
by Sir J. Majoribanks, Lord Melville, and the Lord
Advocate? Why was the King's surveyor not cut-
ptoyed ? The circumstances were suspicious, and the
Treasury certainly had been guilty of great neglect.
It was a thing nut a little remarkable that the Board
of Stamps wrote to the Treasury that there was reason
to fear that persona of influence in Edinburgh would
al() all in their power to defeat the objects of the
Board. It was dear, he thought, that political influ-
ence had been used in the progress of this matter.
It had been done in the same spirit of opposition to
the general and universal opinions and sentiments of
those on the spot best able to judge, as the houses
Ltely erected on the bridge, which connected the old
mid new twins of Edinburgh. If ever there was a
national undertaking begun, continued and finished
in oppwition to the wishes and prejudices of the
whole of those interested in it, it was the defacing 4
the City of Edinburgh by the building of those
I. ,uses. He believed too that it had its urigio in a
fraud upon that House, the Act empowering the
n.casere, having been smuggled into a Bill in the
shape of a clause, which uu one had any knowledge
or notice of whatever. He could not feel a doubt
that the Board of Stamps matter was in all its parts
a job. In what he had stated on the subject, be did
nut wish to be considered as having wade a charge
in any way personal. He could not acquit the lion.
Baronet opposite of improper interference, but be did
not say his motives were improper. In the same
teanner, with regard to the Right Honourable lien-
tleniau, he bad uuly to say, that he thought had
he seen the whole of the correspondence of the
Boma of Stamps, be would have acted differently
from what he did.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said,
Ilse question appeared to hint to be, whether the Trea- '
to.ry ought, iu the execution of a work for which
they were responsible, submit their own opinions to
illot.e of a subordinate Board. The Board of Stamp
st as certainly not independent of the Treasury, and in
his own opinioq it ought not. There ought to be one
superintending supreme Board, responsible to a cer-
Lin extent for the proceedings of the others, and
therefore chargeable with a rigid scrutiny into them.
With respect to the choice he bad made in the present
iestance, of a spot fur building the office in question,
In should not enter very largely into the subject, after
the adequate explanation given by the Hon. Baronet
behind hint. He could, however, state, that he had
decided as he had done with greater pleasure, as he
understood that the plan be had approved of, would
be subservient to the beauty of one of the first cities,
in that particular, in the world. Three plans had
been suggested for the Stamp Office. One was to
appropriate Sir W. Cunningham's house to that pur-
pose ; another was to purchase Dmithreck's Hotel ;
and the third was to build it where it at present was.
He believed that he would be hurtle out by those who
acre aeqnainted with Edinburgh, that each of these,
a far a. regarded locality, was equal to the other.—
The houses themselves, however, were not of coarse
so well adapted to the purpose as the New Stamp ()dice
which hid been built. With respect to the compara-
tive ecoaotey, Dumbreck's Hotel was to Cost 9,9110/.
including the charge of fitting it up. The estimate
of building the New Stamp Office was 9,10 U/. which
therefore would be a saving to the public expense.—
The piece of ground which had since been attached to
it behind, to ensure light and air to the Office; by pre-
venting building upon that ground, brought the este-
blishment. to nee, ly the same expense as Dombreck's
Hotel. The lion. Baronet had certainly cffered in a
private conversation with hint to procure that piece of
ground at 2001. which it afterwards appeared was
worth 10001. But he did not think that it would
be becoming on his part to have taken advantage of a
laity expression, let tall, perhaps, by accident in pri-
vate, eribich, as a man of honour, in a private trans-
:tulip; he would have been disgraced fur doing.—
In-allneion to what the Honourable Member (Mr.
Hume) bad said, relative to the transfer of money, he
had to observe that as the only difference between the
att. of.tbe Hon. lientlenian opposite (Mr. Moberly)
and the Bank of Scotland was a period of five days in
the date of his Bills, he had thought it but fair to
give,the preference to the latter, which bad for so long
a period done the business with pnnctuality and pro-
priety.
Mr. MARERLY explained the transaction al-
luded to by the Chancellor of the Exchequer. and
the Hon. Baronet (Sir J. Majoribank), in which
he was involved. '1 he Scotch transmittances were
geseeally made at sixty and forty days date. He
however bad offered to blovernment to do the same at
twenty dayi date. The ChaneellSof the Exchequer
then accepted the offer of other parties at thirty-five
days date, thereby making a loss to the public of fif-
teen days interest upon throe millions of money. Hr
bad net asked' the Chalmetter of the Exchequer for
any tenor. hat merely for fair competition. and as to
the amber id doing liminess with the Scotch Bankers,