The Statesman.
London, England, 1821-03-30 00:00:00

•
IMPERIAL PAR LIAM ENT.
—..,....--
HOUSE OF LORDS.—Tnuesavr. MAacti 19

The Earl of SHAFTESIII:RY presented a Report
from the Committee of Privileges, stating, that the
claims of the Earls of Glengal and Arran to vote for
the Election of Irish Representative Peers had been
allowed by that Committee.
Mr. BROODEN and other Members, brought up the
Beer Duties Bill, and several Private Bills from the
Commons.—Read a first time.
The Commercial Intercourse, and the Gramponnd
witnesses' Indemnity Bill were read a third time, pass-
ed, and sent to the Commons.
The Irish Attorneys' Fees Regulation Bill went
through a Committee. and the Report was received.
The Bishop of CHESTER presented a Petition
from Ulverton, in the County of Lancaster, against
the Catholic Claims. —Laid on the table.—Adjonened.

MOUSE OF COMMONS.

Mr. WESTERN presented a Petition from certain
MiUholdera, in the neighbourhood of the Metropolis,
praying that a small duty may be laid upon Foreign
Flour.—Ordered to be printed.
Mr. WODEIIOrSE presented a similar Petition
from the County of Nurfolk.—Ordered to be printed.
Mr. BR ItitlT presented a Petition from certain Mer-
chants and others in the City of Bristol, concerned in
Foreign Trade, praying that no alteration might be
made in the mode of striking the Averages on the
price of Corn.
After a few words from Mr. 11. DAVIS, the Petition
wan ordered to be printed.
Mr. CURWEN postponed his motion relative to
the llnshandry House Tax, to Thursday, the sth of
Sir 11. W. WILSON presen etl a Petition from St.
Luke's, Chelsea, against the Metropolitan Turnpike
Bill.

The Iri•lt Clerks' Prius Bill was read a third
time and passed.
Mr. 11013110I'SE presented a Petition from 2700
persons, emplaced as Law Clerks in the City of West-
tuinster, complaining of great injury front the Litho-
eraphic Press. Ile felt it his 'boy to prevent the Pe-
tition, although he could not support its prayer. lie
knew not in what manner the Legi%latitre could inter-
fere so as to afford the Petitioners auk• relief.—Ordered
to lie on the table.

General O.ISCOVNE presented a Petition from Li-
verpool against the Bill for alterinz the inude of strik-
ing Qie corn averages. Ile was tsf opinion that if his
Right Honourable Friend the President of the Board
of Trade persisted in this measure, the manufacturing
interests would he materially injured by it.
Mr. 111111L'Il conettrred in the ►ih.crcatlona of his
Honourable and ti,►ll.sut Friend. Phis w•as no time
f.•r making 411 m-rations in the Corn Laws : for time
distress of the ror mechanics and artizans was such,
that however ► heap bread might he, they could not
afford to but• a sufficient quantity to eat.
Mr. CURB' EN acreed with his Bow Friend as to

the extent of distr. sr existing a • the manufactu-
rers; but the reason of that, and their not being able
to procure sufficient bread was, that bread was too
cheap. He suppnrted the measure of the Illght Ho-
nourable Gentleman, because he wrs s .re it ttould af-

ford some relief.
Mr. SYKES contended that it was unfair to make
any alterations in the system of averages, when an
immense quantity of firrign corn was now on haul,
which had been imported under the existing laws,
and would rotiseouently be affected lor any alterations.
Mr. WF:STEIt supported the ki•etations.
Mr. CALCHAFT expressed his intention of op-
posing the Hill upon its second reading. Ile would
have supported it if it had may gone to detect and
prevent fraud. The last Corn Laws were passed upon
the faith that the averages should continue to be
taken as they had been previously to that time.
Mr. BRIGHT took the same view of the question
as the Hun. Member who spoke last.
Mr. CURWEN and Mr. Itniottiv explained.
After a short conversation between General GAS-
coy,: r, Mr. We:s relax, Mr. Betairr, and Mr. lIKYNILI,
Mr. BARING complained of the manner in which
the Bill had been brought in, and said that the Right
Hon. Gentleman who introduced it, either had not
kept his word with the House, or else he was entirely
uninforuied upon the subject. Ile stated to the
House that it would only have the effect of detecting
and preventing fraud, whereas it would evidently go
to lower the averages, and to give an advantage to
the agriculturist.
Mr. LUSHINGTON said, that when the Hon.
Member accused his Right lion. Friend of not keep- !
ing his word with the House, he should, at least,
have dune so in his presence. IVith respect to that
Dom Member's monopoly of knowledge, when he ac-
cused his Right liet. Friend of being uninform-d
spun this subject, he thought he was in that also pre-
mature. When his Right Hon. Friend brought the
question regularly before the House, lie had no doubt
but that lie would convince the House that the Bib
would have no other effect than that of preventing
frauds, as he had originally stated.
Lord A. HAMILTON suggested that the second
reading of the Hill should he postponed to a more dis-
tant period then that at present fixed.
Mr. T. WIL*4ON said, that he should only support
the Bill as far as it operated to prevent fraud.
Mr. MISHINGTON and Mr. HARING ecolained.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQCBR said a
few words in an inaudible voice.
Mr. OLAOSIONE said, that the Bill would have
the effect of raising the averages rather than of lower-
ing them as some Houourable Members seemed to an-
ticipate.
The Petition was then ordered to he printed.
A Message was then brought down from the Loris,
requesting that Cie Right Hun. Jo7in Fostei,
obtain permission to give evideneeiefore a Committee
of Privileges, upon the claim of Wiiiiasse Charles
Lord Viteuutit Clar.onotitou v..ite fur the repreaehtative

Petri in Ireteed. Mr. Brogden was ordered to go up
witiva.mesaage. conveying the permission requested.
Mr. PHILLIPS presented a petition from certain
Merchants of London, Westminster, and Southwark,
embarked in the Foreign Timber Trade, praying for
an equalisation of the Duties upon Timber.—Ordered
to be printed.
Mr. DARING presented a Petition from the inha-
bitants of Taunton, praying for a revision of the Cri-
minal Code.

Mr. WARRE supported the prayer of; the petition.
Altera few words from Mr. O. BENNETT, the pe-
tition was ordered to be printed.
Mr. BARING presented a Petition from the Malt-
sters, Brewers, and Victuallers qf the same place,
complaining of its Excise Reparations. He hoped
that the suhject would receive the attention of the Ho-

nourable Gentleman opposite.
Mr. Li:SHINOTON assented.
Mr. (;HOER gave notice, that on Tuesday next he
shotold submit to the Hoese a question of privilege, re-
lative to the Oath taken by Members of the House be-
fore the Lord Steward.

Sir 11. W. RIDLEY wished to ask the Right Hon.
the Chancellor of the Exchequer uhether it was his
intention to propose a renewal of the Assessed Tax

Compensation Act?

The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER, as we
understood Isla', said that a Bill to that effect eras ia

preparation.
Mr. HUME moved for copies of all Correwomlenee
which had taken place relative to a Contract for the
purchase and building of a New Stamp Office at Ellin-
burgb.—Onlered.
Sir 11.PARN ELL obtained leave to brine in a Bill
for the regulation of the Expences of Returning 01-
ken in Ireland.

Mr. G. BENNETT moved for copies of all ('orres•
pouttencr between Lord Bathurst and the Colonies, re•
lative to their Military defence.—Orderell.

NAPOLEON BONAPARTE.
Mr. HUME ruse to submit a ►notion to the House,
relative to the expenses in which this country had been
involved by the aletent: on of Honapare in the Island
of St. Helena. lie did not mean to enter upon the
question ►rhether lie was to be kept there or Dot, but
if he was to be kept there, he wished to ascertain
whether the House would consent to Isis being so
kept at his own exclusive expense. He thought that
I►e toitlit be sufficiently guarded for on.• tenth of the
expense now applied to that purpose, and in that, he
contended the other powers (meld to join. Perhaps
the House was not aware of the amount of the pre-
sent expense. He had in his possession an estimate'
for_ the year lrilS, and although he could not vouch
for its being exactly correct, yet he thought it would
he heed to be very nearly so ; and he was not
aware that nny redurtlons hail been made in the es-
tahlishu►ent since that period. The Honourable
Nfember then stared the following items of expense.
as being according to the estimate which he held in
his hand : _ _

For the Staff aft4.ooo
Military end Cisil Estabfishmeal .
Incidents and Contingencies. 37.000
Expense of Vessels for Provisioning the Island. 3,4, or 3,0110
Nasal Establishment
Nialsing in the whole an Expense of 415,000/. Ile
thought the country might not, at six or seven
sears after the termination of the war, to be paying
single handed all these expense.. His object was to
hate the returns before the House, and then be hoped
it wools!, after effecting all the reductions practica-
ble, make others share is the payment of what re-
mained. The lion. Nlember then moved d string of
Resolutions. calling fur papers which embraced the
different sconces of expense to which he had *lidded
in his statement.
The CHANCELLOR of the ENCHEQI'ER did not
moan to object to the motion, and whets the house had
the papers before them they would see if the reten-
tion of Bonaparte could be attained by anv more eco-
nomical plait, Front the nature of the returns, there
would be some difficulty as to time in their being
made. lint the utmost dispatch should he used to
effect their production. lie was aware that the ea-
pences to which the lion. Member referred were very
considerable. bnt he did not think theta so great as
the Estimate which he hail stated.
Mr. 11l CIE observed, that the necessity fur delay
could only apply to the last year, whereas his motian
extended to the last live veers. He could not think
that Government would be without regular :if-counts
of what had been expended in the different years pre-
ceding the last.
Sir R. WILSON said, that as this was the first op-
portiseity which presented itself since he had been in
that Rouse, for alluding to the subject of Bonaparte's
contitientent, he wished to avail himself of it forenter-
trig his most solemn protest against that Act. Hun.
liertlenten might laugh, but he was speaking the sen-
timents of every generous man in Europe. His deten-
tion was contrary to every feeling of generosity and
humanity, if they considered how he was separated
front his family, and even front his child. It was the
more ungenerous when we considered that he put
himself voluntarily under our protection. lie (Sir K.
Wilson) hail it from an individual who made him the
offer of taking him to America, that he refused, be-
nose he preferred throwing himself upon the good
faith of England. If he had not done this he might
have escaped, fur the vessel in which he was offered
to he conveyed afterwards arrived safe in America.
The conduct which had been subsequently pntsued
towards him was a national dishonour. And if ever
France should regain her freedom, although she would
never receive him as her Sovereign, yet be was con-
vinced that she would not suffer him to be detained in
his present situation.
Mr. CHOKER denied that this country, with re-
spect•to the detention of Napoleon, was guilty of the
slightest broach. of faith. It was a well known fact,
that the night before Napoleon surrendered himself he
held a Council* War,.or rather a Council of Safety,:
in which the question was discussed, whether Napo-.
lents had any possible chance of escape ? It was de-.
titled ti:at he had nut. Napoleon, ss:io wi h

caution and with clearness, saw no means of safety
but in surrendering himself to a British Officer ; he
surrendered himself with reluctance.—The British

Officers received his person under no other engage-
ment than that they would detain him, and that they
would wait for the directions of the King's Govern-
ment. Should the House on a.y other occasion,
think fit to !to more fully into the subject, lie (Mr.
Croker) would pledge himself to chew that Napoleon
was fsirly hutted into the toils, and that in the while

transaction the honour of this country and of its Offi-
cers was above all reproach.—(Hear.)
Mr. HUME said, that whatever might be said of
the policy of detaining Napoleon, there could be no

second opinion as to the harsh and severe treatment
which that great man met with from the hands of some
individuals placed at St. Helena. The Hon. Member
said, that charges against those indisiduals would Le
brought forward at no remote day.
Mr. GOULBURN said that he would meet those
charges, and would be able to satisfy the He& that
they were not founded in truth.

Sir R. WILSON said, that the continct of those in-
dividuals towards Napoleon was vexatious, harsh, anti
even cruel. Mirk. vaying the highest marks of rr-
sprct to the generosity of the English nation—after
throwing himself upon their protection, as Mithri-
dates threw himself upon the Romans, he was con-
fined a close prisoner, deprived of his wife anal chilli,
and cut off from all currespondence With his nearest
relations.

Mr. 6017LBURN bczged to remand the Gai:;tit
General that Napoleon himself declared that hr came

not as Mithridates. but as Themistocles.-0
/Ir. C. HI'ICHINSON said, he shouid be ashamed
of himself if he suffered any occasion to pass ....o.ont
recording his opinion of an act whirl, lie considered
a disgrace to the country, and a riolittion of all hu-
manity. Ile at present would not enter into the psi.
licy of the original detention of Napoleon. but he

was satisfied there was now no dancer in e‘iiite:lei.

upon ►shish it could be justified. Yet we continued
to be the Enolers of the Allied Powers, whose

Ile% were avowed Itv artiutti. There WAS tiute
indeed, when the \u► Lt.r3 opito‘ite might jostle

have called upon the English Parliament to support
him against the attempts of lawless ambition : lint now
there was not the slightest excuse to jnstify the seve-
rity of the proceeding in question. Now, in 'eel. the
scene haul altogether changed, and outwithstandirg
the conduct of Ministers, they dared not to avow as
approval of the aggression of Austria against Naples.
Ile would boldly affirm. that the Courts of Anstr;a,
Russia, and Prussia, had avowed the tyrannical pr;;1-
ciples upon which they intended to govern mankind.
That principle was nut oul more degrading, bat was
welt more insolthig than any principle which lir.tl
ever bees adopted by Napoleon. The pledge by
which the Continental Sovereigns had obtained t..e
support of Europe against the ambition of
was that which held out a preservation of Eliconet•l
liberty ; and he (Mr. Hutchinson) directly th,,t,:e I
them with having vi.ulated that pledge. The How ,• •
able Member proceeded to a review of recent coltl-
nental events, and observed, that without the senp ,rt
of those subjects who were now denied cotistitittion..l
freedom, the Sovereigns of Austria and Prnssia
not have succeeded in putting down Napoleon. The
Hun. Member apoloAized for having delayed the at-
tention of the House from the question itnmediatv.y
before it, and concluded by declaring, that as there
was now no appearance of justice in motioning the
detention of Napoleon, he saw no reason for continiting
that detention, at an expense of half a million annu-
ally. while the people were already ground nearly t
dust by excessive taxation.
The motion was then putt, and agreed to.
Mr. HUME said that he understood the object nf
his next motion could not be accomplished without
some difficulty, as he understood from the Chancellor
of the Exchequer, that the Accounts between Govern-
ment Ind the East India Company, haul not been set-
tled for some ye us. Yet large payments were al-
lowed by the Government to the country, and al-
thotuk they might be exceedingly proper, he thouelet
it but right that they should be submitted to the con-
sideration of the House. lie understood that there
were several disputed matters of account, particularly •
a sum of 960,0110/. fur the expense of the expolitiol
into Expist, which aunt had never been allowed by the
Ouvcritiont, although it w.m still claimed by the Com-
pany. He wished that both parties would concede a
little, so that the accounts might be brought to a set-
dement, ant he understood that the undisputed debt
alone amounted to upwards of two millions. He
thought that all the expenses relating to the deten-
tion of Napoleon, should annually be laid before the
House. He concluded by moving, that there he laid
before the House an Account of the debt due from Go-
vernment to the East India Company, on the Ist of
May, 1820, distinguishing the old from the new debt.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHRQURIt said
there could be nu objec.ion to prodnce. the Account.
The Hon. Member was certainly correct in stating
that there were many disputed coins, particularly the
0811,000/. for the expense of the expedition to Rgrpt.
The allowance of this sum had in fact been negatived
by the House. There were several other sums whicis
could not be allowed, and which, with the foram
sum, materially affected the balance.
The motion was then put and agreed to.
CATHOLIC PM kNCIPITION RILL

The Repo-t of the Bill fur remaring ftornin
Catholic Disabilities was branght up by Mr. B. Smith.
On the motion that it be read,
Sir T. LEI HBRIDOR said, he shoild
his opposition to the Bill to the third reading, w
he hoped it would be seriously discussed. He Ares in•
formed•th.it the Bill was disagreeable to theXatholir,
of Ireland, and he could not see he* they could he
contented with that part whi.-11 had fumed the second
separate Rill. He took oceirirm, to explain.. that ift
allindiag to the Noble Member
,5,1 Areshory
Pigment) the other nicht, he 110 meatit nqthinT Nt
*tonally uffenr"

.

, • -
art in whirls the question was discussed, whether Napo-. illuding Mthe Noble Memlier iir Atlesbury (I..)ri
ri.l, tents Isel any possible chaoce of escape ?
It was do- Nstrent) the other nicht, he 11.0 mount nothing. ;iv
,tve cittetl v:st be h,...1 not. N.ipAcon, n:,O jiir.{ 16 Is sonally offensive to thr Noble i,.,r(1 or leis fa litiy. it
e