The Statesman.
London, England, 1824-02-12 00:00:00

TIIE S rATESAUN

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people of Ragland, (and many good thinking people
there were in England, out of that House), that these
sports ought to be prohibited. He had letters innumerable
from every part of the kingdom. There was not a part of
the kingdom that he hail not a written correspondence with,
and hr knew not a town that was not toady to petition
Parliament in favour of the Bills he was moving for leave
to bring in. He saw no inconsistency in prohibiting only
those kind of gross atrocious cruelties. which corrupted
the morals of the people. All the world went with him
with regard to hull baiting ; no man could now bait a bull
but was subject to the penalty of the law for cruelty to cat-
tle. The Mary-le-bonne Act already had prohibited, with
respect to that part of London, these sports, aril he wished
its extend the same benefit to all other parts of the In •tro
pas. Everyone's stomach would be nauseated at the
sight of a bull after it had been baited. He saw one with
the upper lip torn off, and a great part of the tongue hang-
ing by shreds. Before Gentlemen decided so flippantly
a Bill of this kind ought not to be brought in, they ought
to attend one of these sports. There was a congregation
of the greatest vagabonds In the world. The police officers
said they were the worst characters who went there. By
such acts the character of every Englishman must be degra-
ded. He assured the Gentlemen who heard him they were
not supported by the public voice of this country; and if
the population of London were to be polled, there would be
a thousand to one in favour of bringing in the Bill.
Mr. LOCKHAR'r suggested to the Hon. lientlem in,
that by virtue of his Bill to prevent Crnelty to Animals,
bear-baiting, as well as bull-basting, was prohibited.
Ale. MARTIN slid that on that suggestion he should
withdraw his motion.
LEGACY DUTIES.
Mr. IitYNIE moved fur an account of the Revenne re-
ceived for Stamp-duties on Legacies, Probet^s of 1V ills,
&c. for the year ending the litir February, Ib2l, distin-
guishing the amount received for England, Wales, Scot-
land, end Ireland. From a return he moved for last year
it appeared that no less than two millions in the shape of
Legacy ditty hid been received from the subject ; conse-
quently, it aas an impolitic Act, which ought to be remov-
ed as early as possible. Another circumstance worthy the
attention of the house was, that this very tax had beer,
from s.aspe circumstance or other—he believed from neglect
in the Management of the office—rendered extremely vexa-
tiOusdothe pnblic. Within the last few months, rates !rid
beeninn& of duties on probstes of wills of from forty to
fifty years standing. He knew a Gentleman. the fourth
Individual to whom the property descended, who bad been
obliged to pay a sum of bOl. lf, from carelessness of the
Individuals at the bead of the office, any errors should take
place, Government ought to be answerable ; and if private
individuals were debarred, by the Statute of Limitations,
from 'lnking a claim good, unless within seven years, the
public had no right to prosecute after that period. There
was no excuse fur the officer of the department, because
every probate of a sill must be reported from Doctors'
Commons within a fortnight of the period it is made there.
Here another inconvenienceoccurred. A Gentleman stated
vesterda to bimy (Mr. H ) he was administrator of a consi-
derable estate, and he wished to pay the duty to the Lega-
cy Office before he returned to the country. Ile found,
however, on applying there, they had not got the report
from Doctors' Commons ; and be was obliged to wait in
town five, or six weeks, or comeop from the country again.
These individuals were paid amply; and the lapse of time
which took place was so heavy a grievance on the public,
that it ought not to be endured. A memorial of Mr. Camp-
bell showed the facility with whithie sleight be done. The
return would show the number of probates and administra-
tions in each year since the passing of the Act, and also
the number in each year that remained unsettled. lie was
quite satisfied witls the anxiety the Chancellor of the Ex-
chequer had shown to afford relief in these cases ; and he
was sure great benefits would accrue totbS public front
having these documents before them.

The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said, he
had not any objection to the motion. With relied to the
grievances to which parties had been exposedTa conse-
(pence of the debts which bad accrued a great malty years
ago not having been collected, he was prepared. to admit
there was a strong case of hardship, and the'factitad been,
Rot so much that parties intentionally evillest-payment,
but that under the imperfect provisions of the law, they
had not that sort of notice which every public hotly who
collected taxes was bound to give. In the sear 1812, the
gentlemen to whom the lion. Member alluded, ltuggested
an alteration in the mode of collecting these taxes, and the
result had been a more convenient and expeditious mode
of collecting them, and every person had fair and imme-
diate notice of what he was to pay. But when this new
system was first adopted, the course taken in the office
was wrong, because they began by calling on the p wipe
whose debts under the Act had accrued the year preced-
ing the new regulations. This had been attended with
considerable inconvenience. In many eases the executors
could not find the legatees, on whom they would be en-
titled to come. The Treasury had taken steps which
would hierealtur renture any cause of complaiut of that
nature. _ _

Mr. WAR RE said, that by the present machinery a con-
,siderable ruinher of days elapsed before the notice came,
41111 it the whole could be tr:lns.,ctcol in a shorter Fpuo of
time, great ineonvenience would be saved.
Mr. RUNE said, that a plan of the kind not 4 adopted
had more than once been laid before the late taucellor
of the Exchequer, who rejected it.
The Si'EAKER put the question that there btlaid be-
fore the House a Return of the number of Adishn trotions,
Probates of Wills, Inventories of Effects, reported to the
Legacy (hike in Great Britain in each year, since the
Geo. ill. cap.9B ; also stating the number of accounts
for each of the years now settled, distinguishing tie nuan•
hers which cannot be settled, and an account of *version-
ary Bequests. A similar Return for Ireland for:the same
period. Also a Return of the aggregate expecte of Re-
turns to the Legacy Office in each year since itibas been
modelled under the new system of Mr. Litalephell.
Agreed to.
Mr. Ot:ATTAN moved for copies of the pAreedings
01 the inquest on the body of a person natnedf: Michael
:ll.Vauehan, who met his death in a pabli.s.lsouee during
a riot. There were contradictory evidence as to tlte cause
of Lis death, and he moved it because hr- thilttglliridrit
he beneficial for the sale of justice in Ireland.
Mr. GOULBURN-asked the Miles. Gentleamsa whether
he considered it advisable the evidence should be)brought
before the Ilense, thereby enablieg the parties ,to shape
their case accordingly. No doubt inquiries woositgbe iiraue
by the Government into the subject.
Mr. GRATTAN withdrew his motion.
On the motion of the CHANCELLOR of the EXCIIE•
QUER, the House went into a Committee of Sepply.
Thirty-three thousand ponods were voted to pay off and
discharge Exchequer hills.
Mr. HUME asked whether this was to renew the Bills?

The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said' the
vote did not refer to the stun necessary foriuterest.
Mr. HUME wished to know what the hills were?
Mr. HERRIEB said it was to charge the Etchequer
bills, issued this year in supply of those issued lastotear. •
Three hundred and sixty-eight thousand pounds were
voted to enable his Majesty to pay of and discharge Ex-
cheituer bills, issued between sth January, (523, and sth
January, 1824, pursuant to certain Acts for carrying ou
public works.
Also one hundred and fifty thousand pounds for intercat.
on Exchequer bills just referred to.
Amain of 200 000 i. was voted to his Majesty to discharge
a like amount of Supply granted for the serlice of interest
calcrlatrd ?
Mr. HERRlES'said the bills bad beenit suedat a cer-
tain fixed rate of interest.

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Tile SPEAKER resumed the Chair, and the Report of
the Committee was brought up.
Mr. GOULBURN moved for a return of the number of
Beres of land belonging to the Church in Ireland, distin-
guishing such as formed part of the.glehe land, and such
as were uncultivated. Also to bring to a hill to enforce the
residence of the Clergy in Ireland. Ile also moved for
a new writ for the county of Westmeath.
'I he House adjourned at ten minutes before seven.