The Statesman.
London, England, 1818-03-04 00:00:00

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PRICE. OF STOCK* THIA DAY AT ONE O'CLOCK
Hank Stock 2974 'lllt4 5 per Cent. Navy 105 W
3 per teat Ite4. Itll4 Lodi& Roads 95 97 p
3 per Cent. Casapel4 /dal ---,Stock
Canal. for Ace. itlif - Long Ann. that
4 per Ceat. Mt& Ezdtetaer Bills 13 19 p

THE STATESMAN.

LONDON:

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WEDNESDAY. MAIM 4, 1818.
_ A variety of interesting ',objets were diseased in
both Rouses of Parliament lest night. Is the Hoese
of Lords the Indemnity 11411 went through the Com•
and wakerdered to be Lead a third time to.
'sorrow. 'eVelltl Ameidiensla were Pro Paled, bet
'Wising bet verbal alteratione, trod soak as were of
fittle cooseqUettee, were permitted to beliede by the
• Oteestic Supporters of the Bill. The preposition
of Ministers, that the retrospective operation of this
defensive mestere should extend as. far back as to
Ike Ist of January, 1817, was oPposed.by the Earl
of LAUDERDALE, oho conceived that the operation
of the Bill of Indemnity should be limited to the
period of theSe.pensioe of the Habeas Cepa. Act,
and therefore moved; diet the 4th of Mitch should
be sahßikuted. The Earl of Livisairbist, however,
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ctomproinised thomatter, by consenting that the Bill
phouhl hare effect. no further that -to ;die day of the
gypping of Parliament, when the outrogs was offered
to his Royal highness the PRINCE Resist (bytthe
*potatoe boyish) the Park).-4 he Bill, thirefire, with
these trilling inceptions, stands in character:the isms
Si it-did previous' to the Comoisittee. _ •
• l'n'the House of Commies thane's Rites, the
Army' &timid's, the seandeletri Sieliiities of vermin
sycophant. Magistrate io the isontry, acting soder
Lord SIDMOVTIA'S wiscbievios Circular, against
harmless • *venders of Parediet, the conduct of
the Juties who acquitted Mn Hone, the AT.
foexzw.Genititaa's Wendell •-regarding persons
held to recognisance for the wee offence against
the politiel religion of Ministers—Petitions for Re.
form in Parliament, et numerous u ever, and from
persons who have suffered arbitrary imprisonment
(ma in Scotland, though the Sepension of the Ila.
bras Corpus Act did not• extend to that part of the
Rinizeitim), came into the multifarious review.—
These all

, "In odd confusion Ministers diomWd,
And filled each pause that Camencscit hod made."
On the Report- of the Army Estimates• being
brought op, Sir WILLIAM Boastouous, after a speech
replete with well-roundest arguments, showing the
extravagrnce and inutility to the country, under a
state of perfect tranquillity, of the Military Este-
blishments intended to be kept ep, moved a redoc-
tion of 10,000 in the number of men proposed for
the service of the year. Mr. CURVIEN, Mr. CAL.
enarr, Mr. BROUGITAM, also spoke strongly In fa.
+Our of reduction. Lords CArrimmtau and PAL-
itirasToat nothing but the old worn-out argu-
ments to urge for the War Establishments in time of
peace, namely, " the number of turbulent spirits
in the ctivrtitry." The number of complaints and
ketitions is meant, but turbulence and disaffection
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pg. Moro terrifying terms. It is curious that no method
Is ever thought so proper to allay this turbulent dis-
position of the People as that of having recourse to
the displry of muskets, swords, and bayonets...-
. Ala 4, what troubles do environ
The State that basso touch rota iron. '
The population may have increased, and an increase
of wants have been the natural consequence of such
augmentation of our numbers,- the indigestible reme-
dy of Ministers may else be the best specific for-such
.complaints,—bet it will not so forcibly strike a sets.
sible or s hungry man, that the continuance of such
soperflones borthens le the best means of alleviating
public distress, and providing foodlor the increased
number of labourers. On a division of the
(loose, the Amendment for reduction wits re-
jected by', a majority of 51 to 5:17.--=-Such
in all was the number of Members in the House,
notwithstanding the importance of the' subjects dis-
cussed. The majority of Ministers was therefore not
a very triumphant one. 'Both sides of -the -Heise
seemed in consider this a good argument for Perlis-
entootry Reform. The country will think with them
en this occasion. But it is seldom the " Howler-
'able House" argot., from Its own Benches in favour
of this subject. it is now thefashion to avoid arguing
this point at all. Rot never to lose an opportu.
city of introducing Annual Parliaments and the
speculations of the Spencesns intoall questions, as if
they were necessarily connected, to show how mock
all parties in the House abhor such systems of Re-
form. Instead 'of such gratuitous and wholesale
condemnation, we own we could desire to see some-
thing like the discrimination of argument applied to
these subjects ; and if the speculators for, Reform
must be predestined to have their theories 'Owed, it
is but fair that something like reason should be as-
signed for such a fiat. It has been said, with a sort
of triumph, that although a. Representative Govern-
ment appears beautiful in theory, it could not be re-
duced to practice. This is assertion without proof.
Every theory founded in nature is pradieabi e ; and
every age and country have a right to legislate for
-themselves.

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, Ministers talk of discontents still existing in the
country; bet they do not attempt to account for
diem. If there be discontent io tbe Opt tar mind, it