The Statesman.
London, England, 1823-04-11 00:00:00

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WESTMINSTER MEETING YESTERDAY AT WILM9S ROOMS.
In consequence of there not having been cient no-
tice given to the citizens of Westminster of their, meet-
ing to take into consideration the laws as they it pre-
sent stand respecting Debtor and Creditor, the meeting
was not at first so numerously at as was ei-
pated.
Shortly before two o'clock, John Cam HobhOU , sq.
M.P., accompanied by Sir Francis Burdett, Bart. cater-
ed the great room.
On the motion of Mr. FRANCIS (the framer of the Pe-
tition) John C. Hobbouse, Esq. was called to the Chair.
The CHAIRMAN said it was now four rears ago since
the Insolvent Acts were passed, since which returns hail
been moved for by several Members of the House of Coot-
MOM. Petition on petition had been presented from
various parts of the country, complaining of the evil ten-
dency of the Insolvent Law as it now stood, and stating
that those Acts pressed beyond all conception on the
merchants and traders of Great Britain. On looking to
the returns made to the House of Commons, it appeared
that only a sum of 60,0001. bad been received from the
estates of insolvent Debtors; which in the whole amount
of debts, was scarcely a penny in the pound. This show-
ed the necessity of considerable amendments in the law
as it now stood, and he was happy to inform the Meet-
ing that his Majesty's Solicitor-General was preparing a
bill to remedy the defects and evils complained of.—
(Hear, hear.) Every person concerned in trade, must be
considered as acting in a double capacity, namely, that
of debtor and creditor. Imprisonment for debt, he
thought, should be done away with altogether, as it tend-
ed to corrupt the morals of the people. The individual
who runs into debt, knowing that he was unable to pay,
acted criminally, and ought to be punished ; but then lie
submitted, it ought to be left to the verdict of a Jury.
He did not wish to dictate—he bad looked to the subject
himself carefully and patiently, and he should be happy
to hear such observations as the Gentlemen present might
have to make on so important a subject. Resolutions
and Petitions had been prepared for the signatures of
merchants and bankers residing in the city of Westmin-
ster,
M which would now be read to the Meeting.
Mr. LONG read the following Resolutions:—
" I. That the Insolvent Acts were intended to be avail-
able only to unfottunate debtors, hut have been converted
into Instruments for the advantages of the most fraudulent
portion of society.
" '. That many fraudulent debtors escape, in consequence
of their creditors being unacquainted with legal technicali-
ties, or too indigent to employ professional ads isers to op-
pose their discharge.
" 3. 'that fraudulent debtors frequently invite arrests by
irritating their creditors, or by collusive engagements with
pretended creditors; their effects being previously assigned
to friends, or converted into cash, to evade the penal clauses
of those Acts.
" 4. That numerous evils arise from the practice ofthe
Attorneys of the Insolvent Court, and tneir agents, who are
found upon the services of the prisoners, and who frequently
instruct them how to frame their schedules and balance
sheets, so as to leave their assets under 2t9. or to insert a
sum too trifling to be of the slightest benefit to the creditor;
ahough he same prisoners,whice under errest,are
seltrved tot live In greater profusion and luxury than (
when at
large.
" 6. That this Meeting is of opinion that no good has
been derived from lithe imprisonment of Debtors, as'at pre-
sent carried into effect ; but on the contrary that many who
had gone into gaol merely unfortunate, came out completely
void of principle.
" 6. That experience has fully proved that the Insolvent
Laws, end the administration of them are defective; and
ought therefore to be ameuded.
" 7. That this Meeting deprecates the practice which
visits with punishment those who are sufferers from tosses to
whom every person in business is liable—punishments only
due to fraudulent and criminal Debtors.
"EL That Petitions be presented to both Houses of Par-
liament, praying the Amendment of the insolvent Laws. 11
" 9. That the Committee do prepare the said Petitions:
Il
with power to add to their number."
The Petition was then read.
Mr. SLOPER wished to know if the Resolutions were 11
to be printed and embodied with the Petition ?
Sir FRANCIS BURDETT said lie did not see the neces-
sity
of printing the Resolutions, as it would create un-
necessary expense. The Petition was the ground-work
of the proceeding, and a new one might be framed if it
were found necessary. The citizens of Westminster
would thereby have an opportunity of jullging for
ohs
em-1
selves, and might suggest to the Committee such Mi
vations Irons time to nine previous to their next Meeting
as might tend to benefit themselves and their brother
ciizens.
The Petition was ordered to be printed and circulated,
and expenses to be paid by the Committee.
A Committee was appointed to carry the proceedings
into elect.
After some further conversation, the CHAIRMAN d
dared the business of the day to be concluded, wh e.en •
Mr. FORBES proposed, that the Thanks of the Meeting
be given to John Cam llobliouse, Esq. for his impartial
conduct in the Chair, which was seconded by Mr. Luxe,
and carried unanimously.
CHAIRMAN returned Thanks, and said, he should
be happy to farther the object in view.

The Meeting then edjournel' till Thursday tl
instant, at 12 for one o'clock recively.

-----------iiIAILS.
ARR. RUC ARR. Dt. Z.
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o.... Lisbon ........ 1 o.... Flanders . . ... —0
0....00ttenburg,,,,0 . .„ _O. • ..meta A
PRICE OF STOOKS THIS DAY; AT •ONIS O'CLOCK.
Bank Stock sou India Stock 4391 9
3 per Ct.Oltd. .. ~. . , • ..7411 Ditto Bonds 30s. 31s —spot.
3 n•Ct.Cos t n 74/ 76/1 Ex.Bill.2d. 2
—s Ils IGs pwl
}per Cent. SOH 1009/. j
4 per Cents. . 9gll SOOI. —s 17s—spot.
Small —s—s —spn?
New Fur c .. OS 941 931 1
Long Ann-1.416-10 19 1-16 I LotteryTtekets ... 25/. HP.
Imp. 3 per Ct . 7l 7bl I Con.tortect... .7411 7411
.

Zite Abtate%ntan.

FRIDAY EVENINO, APRIL 11, 1823.

PARLIAMENTARY COMMENTARY.
The two Houses met last night. In the Loans nothing
took place of any consequence.—lN THE COMMONS, Mr.
PLUNKETT be asked, when he intended to bring forward
the Catholic question, answered, on the 17th instate. So
that, we really are, it seems, to have another grand boat
at this work! It has been going on now for just twent2,-
two years ; and, if the interest of the debt could continue
to be paid in full to all eternity, to all eternity this thing
would be going on. Is it not clear to every man, who is
not an idiot, that there could be no real change in favour
of the Catholics, as long as the domination of the Church
continues ? The man that does not see this must be a
poor blind thing, indeed. And, who does not see, that
this domination is bound up with that of the Boroughs?
—And who is so nonsense sreickes as to suppose
that the Boroughs will give way as long as the
paper thing .can be kept going? Look, therefore,
to the Debt, Catholics, and to nothing else ; unless, in-
deed, you like to be doped.--There was, last night, a
" Sir Josue BOUGRET," who he is Goo only knows, who
got leave to bring in a bill to extend the power of Jas-
lice: as to matters between masters and servants, mate.:
and apprentices, and others. if we were in Parliament,
this is the sort of work that we should look after. The r
Register has recently given some very pretty instances of
tbe extension of the power of Justices. In short, the
Government is very fast becoming a Government of
Justices. If we go on at this rate mach longer the
Judges and Juries will have very little to do. What this
I, Bill really is, we cannot say ; but h is described to bete
Ilextend the power of Justices ; that is to say, to extend the
power of men, who are Judges in certaiu cases, who
have already very great powers, and who hold their offi-
ces at the absolute pleasure of the Crown and its Minis-
, tees. We will endeavour to get at a sight of this Bill.
land to see whether it have a tendency to " soften the Cri-
s' mind Code." Sir JAMES MACKINTOSH has, we be-
lieve, obtained a certain degree of softening in behalf of
the poor witches; bat these Justices of the Peace Laws
Sr JAMES does not appear to have yet found time to
meddle with. Sir Jouse NEWPORT made a motion fur
taking away *little matter from The Church Revenue! of
Ireland, under the name of First Fruits. He lost his emo-
tion, however, and every such motion will be lost as long
as the interest of the Debt shall be paid in full : that is
the paint: all depends upon that. It is right to go on
exposing; but this Nation will see nothing effectual done
for its relief as long as the Interest of the Debt shed
be paid in full. The Bourbon War came up last
night; that is to say, Colonel Davies asked Mr. Caw-
wtsme, whether it was his intention to accompany the pa-
pers on Monday next, with any statement justifying the
conduct of the Ministers ; because, said the Colonel, if t
you intend to make any such statement, you ought to
give us time to read the papers before you make it. Mr.
CANNING said, that it was his inrention to make a state-
ment; but not to propose any measure or vote to the
House; and that, therefore, it was not necessary to give
any time. This seems to have been but a very unsatis-
factory sort of answer. if the King communicate the
mere, there must be thanks to the King fre the com-
munication; and that is a vac, at any ra'e. Bat, the
question is, what can Colonel DAVIES and his friends
do? What fault have they to find of the Minis-
ters? The Ministers say they are not going to
to war; and the only fault any body can find of them is,
that they do not go to war. The Morning Chronicle of
to-day exclaims, " England, degraded England, after an
" expenditure of five hundred millions. dares not defend
" her own freedom, when attacked in the person of her
" friends. The constancy, power and wealth of Eng-
" land places LOUIS the fat and ungrateful on his
" Throne." The Chronicle goes on, in this way, to
a great length ;• but what avail these exclamatious?
They do not stop the march of the French. What avail
the exclamations, unless the Chronicle be prepared to
say, that we ought to go to war ? And the Chronicle is
prepared to say and does say, that we ought not 0
think of going to war ; and so mast the Whigs sat.
too. They dare not talk of going to war. They may
stand and cry, as the Jews do in Gibraltar, whes
the Soldiers knock the Orange baskets off their
heads ; but that is all they can do. While they have
Batton and Old Sarum they cannot go to war; awl the
more the matter is discussed, the clearer this will bets
the eyes of time people.—This day brings us the Doh
that the French crossed the Bidassao on the 7th instaeL
Now, this was not chit on the part of the Duke d'As-
noulaims, who must have known that we prophesid,
early in November, that the French would enter Spain
early ila the month of March, perhaps his Royal Iligle
ness thought that we meant Old Style! However, ve
confess that, for once, we were out in our calculations: the
army was not ready so soon as we expected by seves days.
We are aware how great a triumph this mast be to the
Stock-Jobbing Press, generally, and especia!ly to AO
Brodie and Bott Smith. Nevertheless, we do mit wish to
disguise it. We were seven days out in our calcolatioes
and we confess it, Here we arc, then! Here is this
Breit" Empire," as they call it, down by time side of the
'Plumes, Here stands the GATTON and OLD SARCA
" Empire", and sees a French Army march to take pet.
session of a country, o drive the French army smatot
which, added a hundred and fifty millions Oslo: