The Statesman.
London, England, 1815-04-20 00:00:00

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IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

MOUSE OF LORDS, Aran. 19.
The trisb ewe at Odell v. Crewe heard. In the Senteh ease
Davlshias sp. Rahersaa amielisers, Mr. Lew+ and Mr. Adage
kowd firjl, airawb. The Switch etre Boogies a. Sheriff,
reintstrt Iwo w.
Mt. Beistaail whets from the Cnowanas broaright op the
Orre.lnailt lade Fishery sin, which was rend a Mt thole.
The Irish Sager lesparsatiwa Bill was 011114041C1i and re-
ported.
The LORD CHANOIILLOR were entire that he shrnslif
saner the cansidermion of tispauseshiests is the Scotch Jury
Bill to.nwirrew, thstead of Moodily, as motioned in his former
ant Ice. —A dj nevoid.

Mlh scaffold! "

stitution : but appreciating highly as he did all the
claims which the Bank of England had on pablie
consideration, he could not forget that it owed its
existence to iegislative provisions,and that it existed
now by the periodical renewal of its charter, not for
its own individual advantage, but for the benefit and
accommodation of the community. He could not
forget that during the last eight years the Bank had
divided between 7 and 8 millions in addition to their
ordinary dividend of 7 per cent. It was under these
circqmstances, and because he considered the balance
of profit to preponderate so much on the side of the;
Bank, and so much to he due not only in liberaillt,'
but in justice, to the country, an opinion with which
the Bank, on a large view of its own permanent in-
terests, he thought ought to concur, that he had felt
it his duty to bring the question under the considera.
lion of the House.—[Dear, hear!]—The Honour-
able Member concluded, by moving for a string of
papers illustrative of the average aggregate balances
of public money deposited with the Bank, from the
year 1807 to the year 1815.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER
conceived, that the lion. Gent. had made his Mo. ;
tion on this subject much earlier than he needed to
have done. There would be time enough, previ-
ous to the expiration of the Act, for the House to
enter into the consideration which the Hon. Gent.
had proposed. Not three months ago, the Bank
had advanced 3,000,0001. to Government, upon the
faith that no alteration should be made in the ba-
lances left in their hands ; and the Hoes* could not,
with any propriety, or justice, open a bargain which
they had so lately approved. The Hon. Gent. had
thrown a false colouring on the balances—they arose
from a great variety of transactions ; and as to that
part which related to the Consolidated Fund, the
House could not interfere with it, without violating
the faith of public credit. Very considerable sums
were lodged in the Bank to answer the purposes of
Government, and the profit made by the Bank was
not the point for consideration. Those balances
arose under several Arts of Parliament, over which
the House hail no controul. The lion. Gent. had
referred to another advance made by the Bank, to
the amount of three millions, in the year 1808; but
as the period was afterwards extended without any
interest, the public had been gainers in that trans-
action. It might be material to consider whether it
would not be possible in future to reduce the balances
in the hands of the Bank, but the House would
bare sufficient opportunity to investigate that point
before the next Session of Parliament. Consider-
ing, therefore, that the Motion of the Hon, Gent.
was premature, be should beg leave to move the pre-
vious isiti.fion.

~_
wasetelibieit, Lit .in possession of the Rank, and I Mr. BANKES said, that the aecouftts oogilte be
yet the/ ceentry was engaged to pay interest upon laid before the noose, before any flesh hatpin wet
that propor4on of these balances which had been op. made with the Bank, and he could see norbjection
piled to the public exigencies, or in other words why the necessary isiformation should not be given at
open its ewes inoney.—[llear, hear I)—The present the present time. It was a matter of great consider.
sifuetioe'eit the Bank in this respect, assuming the ation, as the Hon. Gent. who Made the Motion had
public balances to beat their former amount in 1807, stated, whether the public had received full tempers.
the, that Government had drawn for 3,000,0001. ' sation for the benefit. derived by the Bank. TI e
and had, thnrefors, left 8,000,0001. still deposited . Hon. Member had distinctly quoted the Acts of Par.
in the itsikra of the Bank. The interest upon this Bement referred to by the Right Ifon. Gent. ; but if
sum, it remained with the Bank, could be the Right Hon. Gent. conceived that he hail bound
considered le no other light than as a consideration the public by particular transactions, he, for ones
'for the trouble of conducting the business of the would hold him bound to fulfil those engagements.
,irate. * was, therefore, for the House to consider The Papers, however, should be ptodoced in felt
'arittitlier.,. at a period like the present, so pregnant time, in order that the House might see, when we
;mills • Macias 'difficulties, it was expedient, or became free agentsagain, whether some more 'cone.
wliethOt it was fit or becoming in itself, to pay at so mical mode could be devised. It mast be desirable
iirteridtaist a rate, for an operation so simple and air. for the ceentry to call upon the Bank for any re•
ciaieeribed as ha had already described the assistance sources which that opulent Corporation could for-
lends by the Bork to consist in.--[Neer, hear!] nish ; and it was the duty of the House to cousider
`..14 , 4111011, Or. Pitt adopted an arrange. the interests of both, as connected together. It
,Mat b" hich'ibe Bank Streit to receive 4501. open 'might biportsible to salt what each would want : and
every Million of public money deposited in their the [louse, assuardlatisettfreptiblie,•4l9ooendle
behde, which arrangement lasted till 1808, when take care that due economy was obseivt4ll. - Mr. '
the commission was reduced to 3001. per million.— Perceval's bargain with the Bank was not so berm:.
He lees fully apprised of the extension of buildings, finial to the public as they were entitled to expect,
and Ih increased number of clerks rendered neces- and a much better arrangement might balm been
t
miry by the public business entrusted to their ma- i made. He trusted, however, whenever .the day
migeteent : bet when he us these services so over. came for considering.the subject, it would be inv.*. .
paid, when he recollected that the Bank of America' tigated in an impartial manner; but he saw no Nit;
paid the public dividends without any charge to the' son for postponing the enquiry.
State whatever, he must consider it to be the duty of 1 Tile CHANCELLOR of the EXCEIRQUER
the House to come to some Resolution upon the sub. ! wished distinctly to explain, that we were not at li-
ject. With, respect to the profits arising from the , berty, under the present system, to withdraw public
restriction upon them, he agreed with an Honour. balances from the Bank. He was willing to adopt
able Friend of his, the public had no claim what. any regulation, in order, by every means, to lessen
ever ; but when be admitted this, he must at the same , the amount of issues of every department of the
lhne?y, that the increase of circulating paper pro- public service; but the Motion wholly referred to the
by the restriction, amounting to fourteen or Consylidated Fund, over which the House had no
r millions, and yielding an annual profit of , controul.
' r 8013,,q001. ought to enter into the consideration i Mr. PONS'ONBY was not sure whether he had
gps, to Its to dispose the Bank to act towards the , perfectly understood the Right lion. Gent. Did t,
count in the highest spirit of liberality. He-trusted object to the production of the accounts in the
I thee th introduction of the present question would' sent tiebsion, or only oppose their production on
k
r not be imputed to any hostility towards the Right day? If he meant the latter, he (Mr. P.) se,'
Hotiourahle the Chancellor of the Exchequer, who, objection to his taking the day most agreeable tetk
;he conccived, must, even if he should oppose the t self. He agreed that, under the present systolic
[ motion, feel gratified that it had been brought before would not be just to alter the accounts WhiCit*i
the House. Ile was perfectly aware of some of the ' ordered to be kept at the Bank of England.; ear
objections which might be urged to it, as to its being lion. Friend who had made the Motioni had nr
premature, and of its being a breach of faith with ! sire of interfering with the Bank in the advar
the Bunk, pledged in contracting for the loan, as it wired to theM by Act of Parliament. The '
/ was called, without interest. Neither would his ; lion. Gent. had said, that the accounts were very
Itootle. be ascribed, he hoped, to any wish unfriend. $ luminous, and that it would occupy a great lengti
ly to the respectable Gentlemen who filled the office ; time to consider how to make arrangements ads
of Directors, for %hose commercial knowledge, in.; tageous to the public; but for those very reatioaa, .
tegrity, and general character, he entertained the I was necessary that the consideration of the subject
akost kneslgnal esteem and respect. No different:4l ihbuld not be delayed. The Right Hon. Gent
.of opi*o urn a pablie question could aired his,: not stated that any public inconvenience, or any ,
personal sentiments teWenti Wiele;ll4 In the general-1 etrovinsietice to the Bank, would arise from imme.
wealth and prosperity of the Bank, he took, he need 1 diate investigation. The Aot of Partlivnent woitill
hardly say, a lively interest. He was satisfied that expire on the sth of April next ; and he (Mr.
the country had in very difficult situations derived, I left it to the House to consider, how they would
and he bad little do-übt would long continue to de. I saver to the country for refusing to institute enqi
rive, the most important advantages from that in. , as early as possible.

Mr. TI ERNEY asked, what possible objection
there could be to immediate enquiry ? The more
cuments the House had before them, the better
ment they would be enabled to form upon the ,
, ject. The only person who could be supposed
have any desire to defer the investigation was the'
vernor of the Bank ; bat no reasons had been urged
Iby him for delaying the enquiry.
Mr. MARRYAT agreed with the Hon. M.
that the consideration of this important subject ought
not to be deferred. He had frequently discovered r
considerable difference between Gentlemen in
individual characters and in their corporate
ties. In the former, they were frank, liberal,
generous ; in the latter, unaccommodating, illibet
and overbearing.—[4 laugh.]—The Bank of
United States acted with greater liberality ;
conducted the whole business, and paid the dividends
without making any charge for labour. The ad,
Cage which the Bank of England derived from the.
lances left in their hands, were very considerable
and as the whole object of the Motion was to Itc
what their profits were; he saw no reasons for delay
; If the enquiry should be defeered till next Session,
the Act of Parliament might aspire before the Hour
could examine into the subject with that impartial;
• which their duty required.
The House then divided on the previous question,
Ayes • 9
Non • 734
Majority • —l9
Some of the motions were agreed to, and others
withdrawn, with notice that they would be brought
forward on a future day.
Mr. BARIIAM brought in the Slave Trade Bill,
which was ready a first time, and ordered to be read
a second time on Monday next.
' Sir JAMES MACKINTOiII gave notice that hi
should, on the first open day, move for some further
papers respecting Genoa. He wished to knew whe.
ther the papers already ordered would be delivered
by Friday?
Lord CASTLEREAGH said, that he had no ob.
jection to tfie new papers being granted which he had
understood that it was the intention of Hole. Gent. to
move for.
, Sir J. MACKINTOSH then moved for a ropy or
extract of the representations made by his Lordship
to the Duke of Campochiaro : as also a copy of the
Addresses from the it:habitants of Genoa to Lord W.
Bentinck, with respect to their wish to return to their
ancient Government, and the Answers thereto; as
also a copy of the instructions to Lord \V. Bestiluck
on this subject.—Granted.
Sir J. MACKINTOSII thin gave notice of his mo.
tion respecting Genoa for Thum's/ li'eufsigltt.

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