The Statesman.
London, England, 1823-04-12 00:00:00

*ion, he might object to it on the ground of informality,
but be would decline taking advantage of it. Tbp petition
contained a statement which was calculated to impress
!the House, that. he in the discharge of his duty had im-
'poke! corruption to the Grand Jury, 'in the discharge
of their duty. Perhaps, without going into any furthe;
explanation, he might be warranted in resting his justifi-
cation upon the statement of the petition, because that
!p3rt of his statement recited in the petition, which they
said accused them of corruption, was by no means eaten'
'tatted to convey such an impression. He would state is
the House the fact. The Grand Jury brought in a return
of" no bill," upon the several hills of indictment for cowl
epiracy, but oo the bills for riot, they found a Jrue bill
against two npon one count, and " no bill" upon the rest.
He was in Court when the return was brought in, and
he then declared his intention of filing an ea-officio is.
formation. This declaration, it appeared, made an impres-
sion upon the Grand Jury, that he acted hastily,and from I
resentment, and was not gelded by the circumstances
growing out of the facts. Now he felt it doe as well to
the House as so his ova character, to state that
the billi of indictment bad been for one day
under the consideration of the Grand Jury, and they bad
separated without coming to any decision. On the even-
ing of that day he received notice of it, and was ap-
prised that the witnesses who were examined had, from
what they observed, expressed an opinion that no bills
would be found. He was informed of other facts also,
which he would not now state, but which he received in
common with the Solicitor-General. and another gentle-
man of the Bar, who was in the habit of giving the as-
sistance of his advice to the Irish Government, all of
which induced them to come to the &termination, both
with respect to the mode of impannelling the Jury and
with, respect to its conduct, it was their duty to hie ao
cx-qftcio informaion. Thus, so far from acting hastily
or from resentment, he came to this determination after'
due deliberation and conjointly with two other gentle-11
men of the liar. It was attempted to excite a feeling,
that lie gave way to party feeling, ant considered religion
rather than the merit or demerit of the case; but those
who knew his character would never believe that be
would descend from the &hies of his office, and violate
the most sacred obligations to become the instrument of
a party. But it was right to state that the Solicitor-6ene-
ral, who concurred with him in the course he pursued,
was directly opposed to that which was imputed to him.
and on the Catholic question their opinions were quite at
variance, though, in the due execution of the laws, and
the equal and impartial administration of justice, they
were perfectly agreed. When, then, he went into Court and
found that the inforniation which he had received was
correct, and that the bills had been ignored, he admitted
that h e expressed himself in nearly the same terms coot:tined
in the petition, and be appealed to the House if in that state-
ment there was any thing to show that he had imputed
corruption to the Grand Jury. He said, that " they had
acted on their eath, and the rest was between their Goo
and their conscience, that hr was actingon his oath, and
In his conduct he would act fearlessly!' This contained
no such imputation as that charged against him. Four slays
after they came into Court, and said be (Mr. Plunkett) in-
sinuated corrupt motives against them, and that be did not
send them an apology ; bet when he felt the charge against
him of casting such an imputation was unfounded, he did i
not conceive that any apology. was necessary. In fairness,
they should have stated what the Judge said on that occa-
sion. He said, that 0 they had understood that the Attor-
ney-General had thrown any imputation upon them, he must
have been grossly misrepresented. Indeed, to show new
he abstained from making any charge upon the Grand Jury.
be would read an exirset he made that morning from what
he had said afterwards on addressing the Petty Jury :
" Though impressed with the conviction that public justice
has not been effected, yet I do not feel myself warranted In
throwing any imputation upon the conduct of the Sheriff or
the Grand Jury. I have no right to advert to the conduct of
either, because they are not on their trial, and it would be
grossly unjust to make a charge, when they had no opportu-
nity to refute it : but the time may come when they would
have the opportunity, and it it does, I will not be found
wanting in my duty. Rut in the present proceeding I dis-
claim
throwing any imputation either upon the Sheriff or
the Grand Jury. If the Government had ordered the statue
of King William to be dressed, the Roman Catholics, dis-
appointed In their attempt to pull it down, had afterwards
Bung a bottle at tfie Lord Lieutenant in the theatre, and that
notwithstanding the Grand Jury had ignored the hills, I, be-
fore GOD, declare that 1 would in that case feel it equally
my duty, as on the present occasion, to file an
ea-
officio information." Now, he would ask the House, If,
after such a statement, he deserved any censure for throw-
ing any imputation upon the Grand Jury ? In exercising
his discretion as to filing the ex-ojficio information, he was
now free to confess, that the conduct of the Grand
Jury was a considerable, though not the only ingre-
dient. Though he had no hesitation in confessing this
now, yet he did not think that lie would have been war-
ranted in saying so before, because he would have been
accusing them without giving them an opportunity of
defending themselves; but the case was now altered,
he was no longer the accuser, a charge was made against
himself, and in his own defence it was necessary to re-
vert to their conduct. And now, in exercising that dis-
cretion, lie was at liberty to state the grounds of his
conduct, and lie had no hesitation in stating, that in fil-
ing the ex•officio information, the conduct of the Grand
Jury along with the facts communicated to him in re-
ference to it, were the great motives uhich idlitenced
him to adopt that course; but what these facts were he
would nut now state, unless the question came before
the House in a shape in which they could be verified. He
must say that he was not fairly dealt with, in the manner
which the Grand Jury took before they sent the petition.
In the petition they endeavoured to cast obloquy upon
him; and, instead of putting. it into the possession of
some Member who was acquainted with the facts of the
case, they put it into the hands of an lion. and Learned
Gentleman, who knew nothing of the subject, but who
treated it with that candour which marked his conduct
on every occasion. Any man who beard the petition
read, must see that it was intended merely as a make-
weight to the charge which was to be brought against
him and the Irish Government on Tuesday. He wished
now to be understood as making no charge against the
Grand Jury ; but repelling a charge, when he (Mr.
Pluiiket,) said that their conduct influenced him in tiling
the ex-Q./fie/0 information. Before lie sat down there
was another fact which lie wished to et ate, and which
had been carefully suppressed in the petition, with re-
spect to the finding of the bills. As to the bills of in-
dictment for conspiracy, they were ignored. Separate
bills for a riot were then preferred, containing two
counts, the first for a riot and assault upon the Lord
Lieutenant, up it any part of which they might have ig
noted or found true hills; and the second count for All
assaiilt only, upon which they found a true till against two.
lint the secon I count differed from the tiro in this, that
the first was framed as if the riot were committed case
I multi. aliia ; and the second charged them, tbit they,
Iswith others, twenty-nine in noniber, were guilty of a
riot, and upon this- last count they found a true bill
against two persons. Now If they bad found a true bill
against two persons on the first cjuht, charging them of
a riot, cum muftis Ail, it inlaid be an effectual priceed-
lite., but by finding In the second epint, agattist two per•
suns only, it because a nullity.

The petition was ordered to be printed.,
On the Order of the Day for going into a Committee
on the Naval and Military Pension Bill being read,
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said
that this !Unified been so often aitscinsetl, it was not ne-
cessary for him now to revert to it. He would merely say
a few word upon the particular arrangement which had'
been made to carry that measure into effect. The Act of
last year provided that the trustees should not make an
agreement for a longer period than one year, and it
therefore now became necessary for Parliament to sanction
the present arrangement with the Bank, which was to
last for five years and a half. The basis of the agreement
was this. It was agreed to take tie price of Lone An-
nuities on the last closing day, and make Ibis the basis
of the contract. On that-day a long annuity of 11• for
only six years and three:quarters, was worth IS/. 17s. 9d.;
so it was calculated that the person who pirchased such
an annuity would Attain an interest of 41. 2s. 6J.: and
this was the groundwork of the ware:rent with the
Bank. A sum of 13,01#9,419/. wta to be advanced by the
Baltic; but as this was to be paid by instalments, and not
at once, it was the same as if the Bank hid really ad-
vanced only 11,810,530/. It appelied to the trustees, that
if they could now °brain favourable terms, it would be
prudent to extend the term beyond one veer, because, if,
at the expiration of the year, they wire to sell to any
Other Corporation,they might nut obtain sw'll good terms,
by which a greater loss would be sustained by the public
than the expense of the present arrangement. The trrs-
tees, in asking Parliament to sanction the pre•ent plea-.
sure, thought they were only doing that which wo aid be
advantageous to the interests of the colliery.
Mr. GREN FELL said that he shout I move for the re-
jection of this arrangement with the Bank, and take the
sense of the House upon the amendment he want to pro-
pose, " that the House should resolve itself into a Com-
mittee on this Bill that day six months." Ile would, how-
ever,first submit a few observations. Ile was not Iwo-
pared to quarrel with the terms made with the Bank, but
the Chancellor did not show the necessity of making
terms with this or any other body. Ile (Mr. Grentel )
contended that, even after the expiration of one year, ac-
cording to the arrangement of the Chancellor, the tees-
tees would make more advantageous terms than by roe-
tinning the agreement for a longer period. He would cot
quarrel with the Bank, because they did no more than ar-
cede to the terms of the Chancellor of the Excliever.—
He objected to the measure altogether, and this he did
upon the ground, that when he supported the measure of
last year, he supported it with the impression that it would
be the means ofobtaining a redudtion of taxation to the
amount of two millions; but whatever difference of opi-
nion existed as to the wisdom or folly of that Bill. there
was one principle to which the Chancellor of the Exche-
quer must agree, and that was, that tin carrying it into
execution, he should have recourse only to those war,s
which would be most advantageous to the coantry. Ile
objected altogether, as well to the terms of thi: loan, as
the parties with wham the loan was made, • It was in
the recollection of the House, that, when this Bill was
under consideration last year, he proposed a clause, of the
propriety of adopting which his experience since did but
more strongly convince him. The object of that clause
was to assimilate the Bill to the nwasure introduced by
Mr. Fox in 1796, on the principle of making the Com-
inissiosers of thelfinking Fund, the contractors for the
loan.—(Hear.) The only question was whether a certain
sum was to be raised by the sale of Wee per cent. stock,
or by long annuities, with greater advantage to the pub-
lic. That the former mode was productive of the greater
beuefit, there could not be a doubt. Better at once let
the Sinking Fund trustees purchase up the securities awl
advance the money from that fund. The Bank, it was
clear, would never engage in the-affair but upon a specti-
, lotion of profit, and considerable profit too. But why
could not that profit be saved to the public, as it certain-
ly would, if the trustees of the Sinking Fund became
the contractors, they being the servants of the public ?
One great objection then, which lie had to this scheme
was, that it wilfully extorted a profit from the public
which it gave to the Bank.—(Hear) Upon another.
ground:too, bethought it open to most serious objection.
By the sth and 6th of William and Mary, the Bank were
positively interdicted from becoming jobbers in the pub-
lic funds, on the well-grounded apprehension, that the
capital possessed by so wealthy a Corporation would ac-
quire for them a dangerous and undue influence in the
money market. But this scheme flew in the fare of the
Charter; and indeed it was the first time since 1694, that
such an innovation bad been attempted—at least with-
out some urgent necessity being pleaded in its juctifica-
lion. By this Bill, the -Bank of England were not only
empowered to contract loans, but absolutely to buy and
sell stock in the market, by which the whole of the pro•
Visions which were thought so necessary at their first in-
stitution were completely diapeused with. For all these
reasons he should oppose the House going into a Com-
mittee upon this Bill. The lion. Member concluded by
moving, as an amendment, that the Speaker do leave the
Chair this day six months.
Mr. ItOBgRTSON seconded the amendment.
Mr. HALDIMAND deprecated the facilities held out
to the Bank of dealing in the Funds, as likely to be of
the utmost prejudice to the steadiness of the money mar-
ket. He supported the amendment.
Sir FRANCIS BLAKE objected to the measure, be-
cause it directly militated against the Right lion. Gm -
1
tleman's own principle of a Sinking Fund. The House
had been told repeatedly, that a Sir:lcing rand was pro
(laced from the excess of Revenue over Expenditure .
but this Sinking Fund was to arise solely out of' the le
eerdemain tricks of lending wii., one hand and borter.v-
lug with the other. He was aware, that so unnatural a
Sinking Fund was not the creature of the present Chan-
cellor of the Exchequer, but of his predecessor; bee,
however, when the Right lion. Gentleman thought pro-
per to father the production, be was bound to smell by
it with all its infirmities.—(A laugh) Ile (Sir F.) uas
at a loss to see how a scheme of this sort could be railed
a Sinking Funds differing as it didein all material prints,
from all other Sinking Funds whatever. Whatever
name it might go by, it was not difficult to see that i
was not a Sinking Fund, fur it was-
-----" a monster of each frightful mien
That tuba hated, needs but to be seen."
He (Sir F.) was opposed to any Sinking Fund on any
sinall'srale. I t Was ridiculous 'weigh, be thought. to at-
tempt to pay off a debt of 800,000,000/. by 5,004,040/. a-
year. At the same time he admitted, that the pul he ere-
iiitors were entitled to have their claims discharged. But
this was not the way to erect that obct. It was not by
such cock-a-hoop schema that the debt was to be paid on:
—(A laugh) The pre sent, however, was like ltohson's
choice of 'Ministers ; they were obliged to go ern is itts it.
In an economical point of %view, lie thought it w: s ni t
prudent to pay off the debt too soon, fur if it were all il 1,
' k barged to•moirow, he had no doubt hut th it before an-
`other neck, Ministers would contrive, to bring new an-
b irrassinents upon 'Lc eour.try.
Mr. HUME wished to know front the Right lion. ('.e .
demon, whit extent of benefit the public were to der ie
'froth all this traitsietien at lie end of the five years—its
whet !icier situation would they be then than they wens