House Of Commons, Friday,...
The Times, 1824-03-27T00:00:00

Alr. .UYNCG presented a petition from certain wharfingers of Lon- dron, =,nst the St. Catherine's suspension bridge.bill; and a simi- 'rpetition from the inhabitants of St. Catherine's. A.r, CHARU1:S CALVERT presented two petitions from Yerr respectabloindividuals, named Agnew and Brown, against the silk bill which the petitionerx thought would in its operation prove hirhly injurious to the property of their wards. lr. GREY BENNET presented a petition Rgainst the hide and skins bil, from Shrewsbury. Sir JAMIES GRAHAMI presented a petition fron some land- owners and occupiers in Northumberland, praying that the exporta- tiort of British wool might be permitted. The following petitions were then presented :-By- hfr. DA- YrExPO iT, from the countv of Chester, against negro Aaverir; bt C1oonel ST. PAUL, from W\rooller, to the same effect; by W . S. C. W1HITNIXAD, from the licensed victualrs of the par ish of St- George, Southwark, against the excise licences' act rby Mr CUR- wE2r, frmKAright Kirl4,Cumberlinid, praying for the abolition niKro slavery I byJIr.SykE S, from the town of Crole, Llacole shire, tlt the a4me cttect 1 and by an hon. mem Or,non from Lausrk, rhi- otthe iamne nnture. Mr. lO1HOJUSE prsenmed petitions from the licensed victual- lers of the unite4 parnshes of St. M%argaret and St. Joln, West- miester, and from the licensed victuahers residing within the city' and liberties of Westminster, against the excise licer-,' act. The hon. gentleman then' presented a lti ion from the parish of St. Paul, Covent-garden, for t Dveal of the duties on houseO and windows. Petitionmt .Were ?aily, he observed, arrivin oth this .ub,jeet frorn WIu -arts of the country. Tue peitiOners COt- plartdm that while this tax was rrtintaiAled and levied on tlhe people of England, the enpriIolis sumi of 4,000,0001. was drawl yearly on icount of Treland, from our public revenue; and that, in- stead of tbsp money being applied to the eduction and suppOrt of the aur ad miserable classes of that counrtry, it was prinipsLhy am. plied to gratify the'rapacidy of her idle and dissolute gentl.- Lord COZ4PTON presented a petition from NorthamPttONf against negro SlaveY; and similar petitions weie presentecd by DIr. STAXLEY, fromn XValton (in Cheshire); by Sir FItAvCIR BLAKE, from Berwick-upon Tweed; and by Abr.rILxIsS, from Peimbreke- shire and Radnor. Mr. STANLEY atated, that a petition, which be bad presented on a fortner day from Preston, "against" the combination hlws, was entered in the printed votes as " in favour" of those laws. Mr. BYNG brought up some petitions from several places in the county of iliddlesex, 2gainst the excise licences' act. Mr. PETER MOORE presented petitions against the combi?na- (SEE SUPPLEMEzNAVT.) tints UOidtiAtIs fromu Coventr.y, -Manchester, & c. ; and he gave -notice, that 07l'Wedresday ne'xt he would mnove for leave to bring in a bill for t4 ieTpe3of 'the comibinationi acta. MI: CUTEfS fiserited a petition fromi the liceisedl vietuallers 0"tt.$b1M, '-ganst the- excise licences;- -Sir :jA IE ACfiNTOSH besiutupaeiio onW lW~Crnic inhe cuntyof ssex inthe diittipt of Upper Canada, Setingfotkte filre of hetobcc-crop in that Part of the em- Pir, ad- he mposiblit oftobccobeing ever-raised there with an~egre o scces, nles he utis-on that article should be tt~e1ei or~morifie-a easue wichthe petitioner therefore re- Cdnlnd~ tothe onsdertionof hebouse. 'MIr. C, W...WYNN liresented a petition from the Magistrates 0f th4%i1r5bfAl4 orntgome2',-prayingto btexceptea from the oPers,- tiOn-o-f-time pendinggalI. MI . '1Alderman WO D Presented two petitions fo wat terei .~the neiglakqnerhood of St. Catherine's and the Tower, againsth propose.A bridge of suspension over the Thames. Petitiont against the combination lawvs were presented fromn the j)ourneymenl ironfounders of the metropolis, 'by Air.-Alderman WOoD ;'from tbe journeymen boot and shemnakers of Wiorcester, bY Colonel DAviEs ; anda froni the mechanics and artisans of Brad- ford1 b IDY~.orfld1IL snOe.. PetiltAns inat negro slavery were presented from 'a town the weddnot hear, by Mlr. M UNDY, from topse in the North- Riding of York, by L,Ord MIILT Ox; from -the town ef Devonport. from L atherley, and Cireditonm, by $ir T. ACLAND. Lord BELGRAVE Presented a petition from thbe tanners andI erriers of Chester, againsit the hides and-skins' bill; also a pe- titlOionfrmi the inhbabitants of Chester,. Praying thxat the duty on beer mniglitbe laid on malt alone; also a -petition from the licensed vic- tutilers of C)t-ster against the excise licence duty. Alderm-an WOZ)D presented a Petition fromn the wa7d of B-ridge, for arepeat of the window tax. Lord AlILTOIN presented a petition from several inhabit- -Ants of Wakefield, which pravedt for the abolition- by law of bull-baiting a-id dog-flghtinig. The noble lord observed, that thiough hie gave the parties fromn whom -this petition emanated great credit falr their humane initen tion, still he could not concur in their praver. Trhe noble lord algo presentedL a petition from. the inhabitants of the town and neighibourhood of Doncaster, praying for the repeal of the assessed4tsaxe4. in this prayer he cordially concurred, and hit coulld nDt 4hAtexpress his regret that the repeal of those taxes had no(t formned parr of the plan of ministers. Mr. CURWVEN presented a petition from the owiners of sheep- tarks in Westmorland, praying for a repeal of.jthe duty on shep- *Sir -T. ACI4AIND presented a petition from thec woollefn manu- facturers of Devonshire against the exportation of loon wool. Nj1.5 VORTLE'V presented a similar petition from the mer- toc-s and manufacturers of Halifax. The honourdble member ea4 seeda hop-c that Government would so relax with respect to this rheasur, as to enable the-English-minaufacturer tGconmpete with-the foreign manufacturers in this article. Lord lIILTON supported the praver of the petition. ie would give to the mianufacturers thie protection 'they desired, nior that he ,Considered a compliance with their prayer necessary to themnselves, but that it would be satisfactory to thiem. lie did not think that longwoolwoul he xpored, ut h wasnotsurr*dat the prayer of te ptitobir; i wa natralforthemto endsuchl a petition, forthelegalairemesurs fr alon priodha senuch as to mis- SLAV TRAE PIACY BILL. Mlr. CANNING here obs5erved, that without any Irish to inter. ruPt the discussion of this petition, he woulti beg to presst an order ef the day, for a third reading of a bill whiich it was inmportant should go up to the othier house that evening, Thec right hionourable gentleman then movied the third readling of tht slave trade piracy bill. lHe would not take up more of the time of the "louse on the subject, than to express, on thec part of the hon. mnem- ber for Bratmber (Mlr. Wilberforce), who was prevented by illness from attending in his p-lace, his great satisfaction in thiis mneasure, and in.the progress wrhich was daily made ir carrying init oeffect the abolittion of the trade. On the question that the bill be read a third time- Sir J. MACINTOSH could not let the present opportunity pass without congratulatiag the houise and the friend-sof the abolition ge- merally, on the success which liedl attended a imeasure which he had sieen so long opposed. Looking back at the difficulties with which Its friends had to encouinter, he could niot at onie time have thought it POsidhlithatthey should have been overcowie in sticha comiparatively shbort timQe. In the early part of his life, he had seen thie measure combate, in amid out of that house, as one which it would berotdan,gerous and most unjust to pass. He had seen the slave! trade defenided as a legitimate trade and he now lived to find it where it oughit to be placed--amongst the num- ber of capital crime., Ife hiad lheard merchants advocating it as a soutrce of national wealtb, and gallant admirals defend. ingit as a siource of naval strength ; he hiadl lieard- it supported arnd justified as a tradle which rescued the negro from the cruelty ot' his Africani enemies, and conferred a blessing on hiim by transporting him fromn that inhospitable shore to the paradise o01 our West indija islands. (Hear.) One gallant officer, in. deed, had gone so far on the subject, anid thought tke situation ol the enslaved African so enviable, 'as to have expressed a r-egret thai he himnself had not been born a negro- (Hear,end a laugh.) He Teemai. bered to have heard it stared, that the questionl of abolition was- sup. ported only by a set of political incendiariesaLndl religious enthusiasts but a Set Of virtuous men hy perseverance had triumphied overal thesec obstacles, and now th trader in slaves was jaistly held up to the execr-ation of the civilized worldt. The crimec of mnan-stealing, whiChJ~,I 11- oA ..-1QwUL punishmenit in any European code, was -vw jnAtly clawsed amongst those wrilt-'1i -.n to, be visited with the severest Punishments ; and it was to the credit of his honoarable and learned f'riend, the member for Winchel- sea (Mr. B-rots'gham), that hie was the first Man by whose exertions that mirie hadl bean so classed ; and though the versa. tile mind of his honourable andI learned friend h,Ad fitted him fos almiost everyv kind of public business, andl hisi genius hiad qualified hlim to undertake those of the mnost arduous kind, yet lie believed there waLs no act of'his public life which wosild reflect greater credit on hiis memory thart this. Et1 was also a souLrce of great satisfac. tion to hnim to perceive, that by the treaty about to be finally con. eluded between the- two British nations at both aides of the Atlatntic, they would eniter inito such arrangem-ents as wouldl br ISkely to shame mankind out of this horrid traffic. It was satisfac. tor roercivetha wiletheAmeicaa ere emulating the mari. timegloy ofther acestrs,and ot essjealous of their nsational honor, heyhadyieded n to iporantpoints to the cause ol [Thehonurale nd larnd gntlmaawas proceeding, when some embe intmate to im tat te oter liouse wvere 'waiting to havethe bill sient up to thlem.) He then observed, that in conse. quenc of what had bean, comniunicated to Ihim, he would not delay the house longer. The bill was then reail a third tir,,e, and after the addition of a clause mnoved by the Attorney-General, to the efFect that it might be repealed, altered, or amiended, in the course of the present aces. anon, it was gassed and sent uP to the Lords. COMPENSATION TO OFFICERS IN COURTS OF JUSTICE. On the motion of the ATTORNEY-GEN ERAL, thle litouge re- solved itself into a committee, to consider of the expediency of granting compensation to certain officers of the courts of justice in Westminster, end of Great Session in NVales, whose, salaries or emoluments ware likely to be dimirnisl,ed by~ the county courts bill. The learned gentleman observed, that such a mleasure was neces. sasryin consequence of the bill which had been introduced by A~ noble lord (Althorp.) He hiad no intention of throwing 3any obstaele in tie waY Of that bill;- but if apblic beneift were foi Ibe derived from it, it would be, admitted thtu. lit ouKht not to he at the expense of Private individuals. Fo h ais time ofPariamnt,varousacts had been Passed to Prevent the nabl of public office., in England. By an act of Henry VI., there -Were several offices exeepted from the operationn of thiose acts, and which of course were thereby made saleable by law. These Were certain offices in the gift of the Chief Justices of the Courts of Ring's B3ofich antDLgmion Pleas: since that time several offices in the gift Of those judIges were rexularly sold. Amiongst these, one -w- that oif Chief Clerk of the King's Benchi. In a report of the Commissioners of Courts of jus.tice, published in 1818, this office 'was considered as onie which might be legally sold, and which had, :from time to time, been so disposed of by the Chief Justice of the Court of King's Bench. He woluld not theii enter into the question, blow 'far it wat wise or politic that the emoluiments of aniy of our judges should be derived froin the sale of Offices in their Caurt-s. It was sufficient for hIm' at present, that the prctie t xrepect to isomne offices lhad been fully recognizedi by law; and lie he- lioved that the cause why the salaries of the Chiet' Justices had not been increased in Piroportion to those of other publ'c functionaries was, that they were supposed to derive considerable emoluments fro"i the sale of those Offices. WVith respec to the offiee of chief c:,srk of tie-Couirt oF King's Bench, he would Observe, that it pro- duc,7'l an income offromn71,0001. to fi,0001a-vcar. Sono afler thelate chief justica of thec K-ing a, Bench had licen raised to tho Chiief jua- ticesbip,tht, officeof Cidef-Clerk becamovacant,and wasof course vest.. ad ;n him. Hie was offered 890001o. fbr it at the rinie, but he declined accepting the oifer, and sett'led the office for life on his son (the reseait Lord Bllenborough) ; atid he (thie Attorney..Genieral) be- li-evedt that the prinCipal part of that noile lord's Patrimnony con- sisted in.the emnoluiiients of the office. It would not be denied that theret pblic servicea of the late Chief Justice had rendered him WenhtY' ofp the] qnoluments which had accrued from his high office, asgit wrould also he admnittedt, that it would be isojust to deprivec his s~i of any of the emoluments of the office without givinghiin full com- penmeation. There wereotheroffices which werealso Fold.These-were the prothotiotaries of the courts, somne of which wrere sold for lo,0001. ; amidc they were obliged to find aind pay the clerks of ull descriptions uinder them. It might be objected, that it was improper to haLve r,ucb Imnportant trti5tm sold; but he would say, wvithout going into the' girter.-l question, from his ownj knowiledge, that the dutie-s of those .of~e eedischarged with the utiluost fidelity. There were also th scodries Of time courts, wvho pbrcbhr?ed their places, ant ihad afr7eehold right in them ; for all these, a.4 fa-r as they miright be affectetl by the bill, he would deniantd co nation.-' The s,ffigpes fo)r whom lie claimed compenatio were -those who had pur- cbsaed'tltiroffices,and had freehods in themn;.andlhe claimned com- pensatiozibor titose- officers simply on this groand-that the bill of the noblejord, by exempting froot the jurisdiction of the Vourt of Ying'r Bench, and the Courts of Great Se.sion in Wales, ditiinished their-income one-fourth. In consequence of soue inquiries which be had teade, he learnt that the noble lord who held the office of Chief Clerkof the Coturt of King's Bench (Lord Ellenborobjgh) 'would lose 1,6001. a year if the bill were passed in its nresent forum. lie calculAted that the amount of compensation which he proposed to give to aft the officers whose interests, would be injured by' tbe bill would not amount to more tuin 6,0001L or ;,0001- a year. it had been said en a former night, that he was contend- ing for a principle which had been condemined by a commit- tee of that bouse. He denied that. lip would prove that the 'trincipla had always been recognized by- every conumittee to ws'ho,m the subject had been referred In 1798, the Committec of Finance had declared, that it would be the duty of Parliament to grant compensation to any officers whose interests would suffer by any eforns that were-introduced into courts of JuSICe. In support of that opinlot,theCoitniittee of Finance-quoted frarni a report made so long back as 1740, by Lord Hardwicle and other cnntnissioners,' 'winch resommended, that the feesreceived in courts ofjustice should siot be abolished, unless compensation were made to the officers who eeiysd rhem,for the injury which they fwould sustain thereby. All proert densld.uporn law anti cuistOit, and so did the Property in pruertyo. dhadbeen the uniform practice.o TaEPrliament.to allow csmpensation -to officeris who stood ini similjar ciircumstances to those who -would be ste materiallv injured.y thie preent bill. lie could pro-duce a striking exasuple.of thisain lhe reigt of WMiiM III SirMe time previous to that period, a-process, caflIdcapuio-lrOil, w in force.Thisproeess,bein consideredverygriev,w ll1hdth 5thl of Wiliam-; but Parliament granted opuaint h ie who had derived fees from the issuing of thewi.Taas hn bad beeni done in 1803, when the object of Pcirlianicaet was to get rid of a form of subpemanwhich issued from. the Court of B-Eache~- quer in Ireland. A short rime back, it was, proposed to enact tbtthe Court of Requests, which had previously had junri& dictioni over debts, amounting onlyr to 21., should tlIericeforth have Jurisilction over debts to the amount -of 41 I. It was., how- ever, found that this could not be done withotit diminishing the isieooesof.fbeur counsel who had purchased from an officer under the. Crown situations in the'Marshalsea Court-which hiad jusrisdictborn for ten miles round London; and it was therefore provided, that.those counsel shouldI reciv compensation out of the increassd fees whic would be recveed in the C2ourt of Pequests, and on the newr regula- tion. Under theserse circumrstances,l heshuld feel it his duty, to move a resolution which wou ld be in consonance.-with what-he had t!iowrn to be the uniform practice of the legislature. The lealned gentle- man conceluded with, moving the followin)g resolution :-" That it is thie opinion of this committee, that his Mfajesty should be- entitled to grant an annual sum out of thte conso- lidated fund- by way of compensation to the present Chief Clerk of the Court of' King's, Benchi in England, and also- to the pi esentKeeper of the Papers, and Secretary of the same Court; to the p resent seniior Attomney andi Secretary, &c. of the Court. of Excheq.ter in Eniland, *and to J;se p-esent Prothuniotaries i' the Courts of Great Session in Wales, for anN less which they imay sustain in consequence of any bill that nlay be passed this. ses- sion., for regulating the jurisdliction of country courts." Loard A bT ilORP opposed the resolution. He was of opinion that.members of that houise would be deterred from proposing any refbrMs in courts olfijustice, if it Wag to be understood that on every occasion the country would.be saddled with a large e%pense by way of'comenstin t th oficrs Cthsecourts for depriving theni of unnecesary ees, e prposed as n mindmrent, "1That it ia the opiionof hiscomitte tat o peceent exists of compensations havig btn grnte to ersos ho~ngsituiations in. the courts of Westninterhal,-ontheestblihmet of courts for the recoDvery of smal debs; ad tht toestalishsuc apreciidente.would be inex- pedient., becauee it would impose -po Parliament the necessity of p lacing furthier burdens on the country,whenes'eraay attempt should be made to initroduce a reform into the jurisprudence of the country. b1r. Al. A. TAYLOR supported the resolution proposed by the Attorney-General. He thoughit the fees received by officers in courts of justice oughbt to be considere4l as freehold propertyr. Sir G. ROSE also supported the original reroliption. At the satme tinic he approved of' the bill which had been introduced by tCie noble lord CAlthorp); aind- thought that hs was entitled to the thanks of the country for the time anti laboux which he bad devoted -to the subJect. Mr. LITTLiETON thought that the committee were bound in justice to agree to the reslution which had been propoised by his learnedI friend. The late Lord Ellenborougb. upon the faith-that Parliamient would never abolish the fees of oflicers in the courts of law without granting them compensation, had left his son very little prprybesides that wvhich he derived- from his clerkship in the Cour ofKing's. Bench.- Alr. LESLIE F'ORSTER supported the amendmenlt. fUr. ROBERT S511TH said, that if the office was abolished, the individual would have a claim : had he not a claim now, wb en half his emoluiments were struck off by this arrangement ? lie was t'herefore for the compensation. Mr. BAiNKES concurred in the general principle of conipensation for officers who were affected by arrangements which new policy dic- ,tatea; but it shiouldI not be upon en extravagant scale, of which, in the Irish courts, there were manifest examples at the time of the Union. Before heiol. ratcmenaini the pre. ent instance, hie miust see the extent to which the alteration would affect thie offi- cers. Let them wait for 12 months, and see the result. -The SOLICITrOR-GENERAL deniedI that they were antici. pating the ultimate effect, hut merely considering the preliminary arrangement for carrying the new ineasure into operation, whichi he .thought would be most salutary in the administration of public jus- tice. It should be recollected, that these offices, although 1patent, were filled by competent persons executing essenitial dutics. He askedI whethier they wouhli not give comnpensation in all caes where officers of such a class were placed for the public conventienre in a new situation ;and he enutmerated several officers of a similar na, ture, whio ivere always deemned entitled to compensation under simi- lar circumistances. Mr. ABERCROMlBY couldl not accede to the prnciple of compesatio as lid don in ime resenit rase. He thiought 'the ha norigt toaboishtheoffce, or reduce the officers' fee, wthut ivng n euialet:but the amount should be eguate ona iffren prncilefrom that here laid down, or lseit oud lt i a er inonvnint precedent, which oughit to e wllconidredbefreit asadopted. He knew many cases of hiardship inflicted by act of Palament, which were with- out a rem-edy: for instance, diverting a road from an old village, which he could testify hadl often reduced whiole families to misery. -lHe objectwd to establishing, as was now proposed, a compensation by anticipation. Mr. SYKES'said, that if the measure were clogged with this prin- ciple of compensation, it hadl better be abandoned; for under such circumstances it would lose its character with the public. Hie thoutght the claimn quite unreasonable. The ATTORNEY-GENERAL said, that he meant to con-~ struct a clause in the committee on ttie hill, which would, lie was convinced, obviate all the objjections ; but he could not framne such a clause, unless his present resolution was agreced to. (Hear.)' It was merely, to pave the way to such an ar-rangement that he pro- posed these resolutions. The losses of the parties were not inci- dental, but the bill enacted a positive prohiibition to the issuing our a large number of writs, from whiceh the parties previously derived profit. MrT. 1HUM1E said, that if the principle of compensation for losses sustained by, (liminution of office-fees were adniitted, where were they to draw the line ? Instead of acting justly in the principle of Compensation here laid down, they were acting partially, and thlere- fore Unjustly. He w'ished this resolution Postponled until next year, when tielys would see the effiect ef th;e bill. It would be very de- sirable to' interdict the future sale of ofrices, which mnighit ultimately, under any system of alteration, require comnpensation. The ATI'ORNEY.GENE'RAL said, that he meant not to pro. rose suich an alteration as would restrict the emoluments of the chsief'justices. Air. HUMlE'said, that they ouight to be paid by direct salaries in a sufficient m-anner, and niot by thie sale of offices. Lord MILTON could not assent to the Principle of purcisasing the right to effe~ct a great public improvemnent in thle adymnigtratiou ofjustice. L,et the grievance first be redressed, and the inquiry iito individual incidental injuries follow. If they compensated one of the individuials to he affected by the bill, they ought to extend the remuneration to all, that it mighit not look, like attending to the pow- erfuil, and overlooking the weak who hiad no parliamentary interest. Mlr. ABElRCROMBY asked for wh.t length of time this com- pensastion was to be carrietd on ? The ATTORNEY-GENERAL replied, thiat hiis intention was to confline the remuneration to the existing lives, and not to extend it beyond those persons. He would stop m the present case where Mr. Ponisonby did, in his bill prohibiting the sale of offices of Mtas- ters in Chancery in Ireland.- Sir JOHN NfiaWPORT explained the mianner in which Mr. Ponsonby's bill op erated in Ireland. The CL1AIRDe AN then read the original resolution and thle amendment; anid the amendment was negatived withiout a divisioni. Mtr. Al. A. TAYLOR then movedl, th at after the word "W iales there be ins6irted thie followihig words-.:- and the county clerk of the county palatine of Durham." Lord ALTrHORP observed, tlsat if any offic-er had a claim to compensation, it was the officer to whom his honi. and learned friend liad just calledi the attention of the house. The amendmont was then agreed to. Sir F. 0O1M HANEY moved that there be inserted in the Clause the wordts "1 and rime Receiver and Treasurer of Iiis lMdajesty's Court of King's Bench." The ATTORNEY-GENERAL was not aware of the existence of any such officer. (A laugh.) Perhaps the hon. gentleman would he so good as to furnish him srith the name of' the gentleman who filledi it. Thle namec might, perhaps, call to hiis recoollection the office to which the hon. gent. was alluding. Sir F. O1MMANEY wras not sure that he was correct as to the name of' the office; but th6 gentlem-an who filled it was Air. Edge. Some discussion took place upon this clause: at the close of it, Sir 1~. OMMANEY dec-larecd hi, intention. of dividing the commit- tee ifl)on is. Stra'gers w6re withsdra*ing, when Sir F. BLAK'E said, thlat as comnpensation was the order of the evening, the hon. gentlUeman ought to mnake compensation to the house for the loss of time which hie had occasioned. (Laughter.)- Sir P. OMIMANEY contendled, that no time ought to be consi- dered as lest whiceh was occupied in performing an act of justice. Al'ter a few words from Sir P. BL.Ast, in explanation.- Sir P. OMM1ANEY withdrew his amendmenit, saying, that he did not wish to absorb the time of the Committee unnecessarilk, The house then resumed: -e tt erceived on Alonday. On the motion oif Lord AsT,'Rssots, the house resolved itself into, a committee uan this hill. Lord ALTiORP then stated, that instead of allowing"the clretos rot uloratn to appoint the assessorss in ieach countv, he wished to vest the appointment of them in the Crown. He should therefore move an amendment to the efrect in the first Clause. 'The amendment that the words curfosf r'Dorulicin he struck out of, the clause was thetn agreed to without discussion. On the qluestion that " the Crown" be subsititatedI in its stead, Avir. S YKES rose,, anld suggested that it would be better 'to vest the appointment eithier in the Judge of assize, or the isheriff of hie Colinty.- 11r.. PEEL 'objeected to vesting the appointment In the sheif becusetie shieriff's office wasof fleetingdluration; apdin theJudges of. MAze, because it woulld mRke the bzT dependent upon them, and would tbowa ininisterialic.ponsibilityupon them to which they ought not to be subjected. Ile thought that the appointment ought to be vested in a person of responsibility, who, for his own sake, would see that the individuals selected for these offices were qualified to perform the dduties of them. Instead of having: 76-assessois with salaries of 6001. a year each, he suggested that'it would be better to have only seven or eight, with ecient salaries, who should divide the country batween them, and- make a circuit four times a year through the edifferent towns placed within their jurisdictioi.- Lord ALT!HORP was of opinion,- that tlhe suggestion of the right hon. secretary would be f'eund impracticable if it were attempted to be carried into effect. The ATTORNEY-GENERAL mraintained a contrary opinioii. MY. R. SMITH suggested that it be as well to postpone for a day or two the consideration of this proposition. - Mlr. G. BENNET wa-,favourably inclined to the pro. sition of the right honourablesecretary. He thought that it would be de. structive of the independence of the bar to divide 70 places of 5001. a-year each among its members. Lord EASTNORg did-not see any reason wby these places should be filled by barristers exelnsivelv. There were many gentlemen residing in the country, whose education'fully qudified thm to perform any duties which the offices might require. .Mtlr. HOBHOUSE bkaa stated to the .ctohfl,ee which fiined this bill, his stiong objection td p acihg dte patronage of 70 new places in the hands of, tse Crown- . He Ilt, hovever, the cou':i- try- was so .much damisified by .the i/8Dt'of thxis bills that it *ould be betterfor iv,tohive tl.be4ilwlhi idl the.injuty it ii4t dp tThein tegdrit of the bar, ihanto ramsun anY .longee-vjhout lr ought that the, inte pf ..t e bar stood ht:Jl .t, Jtte present,sonent, he...migbt .object to the. bilX;' bult 0oolking at thingsJ as they actuaUy existed, Lie considered that ther'utjng ofr:5,0001, to be distributed anpng the members ofr it, oioVld not materially aaect it. d?o his ow t para n he did not think that there was iny interity at -.the bar-at ieast, be had never haid . the kiod Trbdunc to see i{t;. IHe Iwokedupon the plan of dt,he noble lord&to be much less.etrimental thanthatsuggested b,y the righthonm teretary.: If'the.salaties of these assesso# were raased.to.1,600. a-yeAt, ihey would be riode an object.of ambition to dependenit barristers,,who set.u,' t,heirpbilities to sWe... IneeaS, it appeared toQh5it that the Crownwoud iosse a more teTective patrohage in thbs appointment. to twelve or .fvrteen places vith large.slaries,. than it would PO5$'i in the apjointinene to .seventypla,es with re slsries. t heiquestionsavhich eanse before the courtmnsstT after all, be decied by the jury. ' ssessor had only to lay down the laae, vhid. wasKno diflcultmiatter in such common cases; aud,iJnd6a .he thsuigbt twelve hornest mea had. just as good an opportunWty of 9fpdg'ng of it, as the asessor had. Considering all the circumstances, begould.-sce no reison why the noble lord should depart from his original uitention4that of plCing the nbmination in the bands oF tbe 'eutos rcdturnt, .. . 3r.. BER4NA observed, it was necessary that those assistant barristers, or assessors, sboula Iiava a competent portion of legal knowledg,e. It was not uD',,requently tbe ease, that actions for 101. comprised points of as R uch legal nicety as were mRooted, when the iuit was for a rmuch larger sum. * Mr. -PEE3Lsuggested that She'Orown ought to be invested with the power of consolidating twQ or thlre of the snmaller counties leavnng the large Ones to be each furnished with al assessot, Mr. H. G. BS1IN33T entirely objected. to the interference. of the Crown. : The clause was then, by consent of the committee, postponed. On the clauce being read, conifining the amount of. the sum to be sued for to 101., Mr. LOCKHART contended, that the proposed sum was too littlc and suggested the propriety of extending it to 201. The ATTORNEY-GENERAL observed, that aS the bill was merely an experiment, and one which rade a great change in the existing law, it would be advisable to commence with 101. After a few words from Lord ALTRORV, this clause Was also postponed. On the clause being read, by which the assessors are empowered toappoint- clerks oftlhe court, AIr. PORTAIAN suggested the propriety of caUing on the clerk to find full and sufficient security. Lord ALjTHORP observed, that as the sums which would pro- bably be paid into those courts were not likelv to be great, moderate security would be sufficient. The clause was then agreed to; and a conversation of somelength took place between the ATTORNEY-GENXERAtL, Lr. R. SsITsr, and Lord ALT0rowSP, upon the clause for atitnging the qualification of jurors hIr. HOBHOUSE objected, on behalf of his constituents, to the clause which went to contract the period assigned in the statute of hr.titation. The ATTORNEY-GENERAL said, that In his opinion, the bill as then framed would by no means answer the purpose intend- ed-that of creating Courts of surnmary jurisdiction for small debts. In thd first place, it precluded reference, by which the Coutrts of Westminster-Hall contrived to get rid of the mrost perplexing cases of disputed accounts. The process was to be by plainr, instead of the declaration used in tbe higher Cgurts, which was to be answered by aplea; ana both plea and plaint were to beprotessionallydrawn;,the suit was tobe prepared by solicitors, of course of verv low rank and practicc and conducted by counsel. Each case wo'uld therefore be open t6 all the artifices by which causes were perplexed and length- ened in the superior courts, and this by the very lowest practitioners. The bill would be utterly useless in the end, uIless the noblb lord consented to the introduction, of a clausS to ptevent solicitots and counsel from interfering with the process, and to substitute in their place a power given to the assessMrs to cross-examine witnesses, and then commit the question to the jury. Lord A LTHORP did not know how he eould meet the views of the right honourable and learned gentleman, because, as it appeared to him, if parties could not appear by solicitors, they must be re- quired to appear in person. If this were to be the rule, there would be danger of unprincipled plaintifi, suing gentlemen wrongfully, with the certainty that they would not think it worth while to ap- pear merely for the sakc of the tines. However, if the right hon. gentlemau could frame a clause to meet this as well as his own view of the subject, he (LJord Althorp) w.ould be very glad of it. Colonel TRENCHI mentioned a case of two solicitors in one of the coumties, who had contrived to swell the number of suits since 1815, from an average of 82 per annum, at which it stood be. fore, to upwards of 400, preying upon their own clients in case of defeat or loss of costs; and out of 1,?00 or 1,400 cases, they had not pressed more than 15 to finaljudgmaent. The further discussion was then postponed; the house resumed the chairman reported progress; and obtained leave to sit agaih on Monday next. The second reading of the alien bill was fixed for Tuesday next. On the motion of the CHANCELLO tof the ExcHEQItEr, the house then resolved itselfinto a commtxittee on the customs' acts DUTIES ON WrOOL. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said, that at this period of the niglht, he should not detain the house for any length of time; but as it was extremely desirable that the precise nature of the propostition he had to make with respect to these duties should be before the bsuse, and as he could not make that proposition but in a committee, he would avail himself of the present opportunity. After. wards, when a bill should have been foounded upon the resolution he had to propass, it would be competent to gentlemen to discuss the subject. \VtThat he had then to prepose was this,-_-that instead of repealing the existing duties on wool immediately, or on the 5th of July next, as he had originally intended, the reduction should take place by degrees. He had submitted the preposition to some of those persons who were most interested in the mneasure, and thev consi- dered that it would be the most convenient means of effecting the object he had in view. He should move, therefore, that the duty of sixpence in the pound should be reduced to one penny in the pound, but in the following manner:-that it should be reduced on thc 10th of September next from sixpencc tor hreepence; and on the lOth of December next from threepence to one penny. He should also move, that on the latter day the present prohibition on the exporta- tion of raw wool should be entirely removed, as well as that itpon certain articles of wool, whichi were so loosely manufactured isat they could bc easily converted again into wool, and ultimately into cloth. By *ray of protection, however, to the trade in these articles, lie proposed to place a duty of 2d. ln the pound on the exportation of raw wool, which was morethan hehadoriginalUy intended; and upon those articles whichl were loosdy or partially manfactured a duty of 16 per ceut. upon the amount ofrtheir value, which would, upon the average, be about the same as 2d. in the pound upthe he raw ar- ticle. As he did not intend to takeoff' the duties instantaneously, he thought it would beunnecessary to returti any part of the present duties to the holders of wool, because they would have a fair oppor- tunity of getting rid of their surplus. ,The right hon; gent. con- cluded bv moving resolutions to the effect contained in his speech. Mr. BkIGHT objected to the discussion of this subject in the present'state of the house. AMr. CA LCRAFT said a few words to the same effect. He Was one of those who did not consider it was exuedient to concede the exportation of long wool. If, however, thie' right Ioj. gentleman thought it was necessary that his resolution should now be carried, lie (Mr. Caleraft) would hot press his opposition, because other op. portunritis would occur for his expressing his *pinion. MIr.- WESTERN spoke in so low a tone that we could catch but little of what he saidl. WIe understood ltini to express an dpinion that the duty proposed on the exportation of long wool was too high because it would operate as.a prohibition. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER replied, that if he could have acted entirely as he had wished, he should not have im- posed so high a duty: but it was thoughtthat when a system of laws which had been long cherished with what he confessed he thouglit a mistaken veneration, was about to be abrogated, someting was due to the interests of those who thought they would be affected by the proposed measure. He therefore thought that it would not be in- consisterit with the policy ot the Government to concede somc- thing to *the nations of those persons; arid for this reason it was, that he had acquiesced in the duty of twopence instead of the almost nominal duty of one penny. He flattered himself that he had succeeded in allaying the apprehensions whieb had been entertained on this score, although he was not convinced that there was any reason for them. He believed that if the long wool wvere exported without any restriction, no ill effects would result, because that wool would always be cheaper here than any where else; and if the duty were taken off foreign wool, it would more than compensate our thanbfacturers for the seeming disadvantage, and prevent the fbreign uanufacturers from avail. ing themselves of it to any extent. fle knew it ivassaid there could be no greatbenehit attending this experiment. If, however, itslaould aear, wen tho measure came to be put in practice, that the duty dld really amouintto a prohibition, it would be necessary to apply to the house to remedy that inconvenience. At all events, it was wise in the first instance, to put on a duty even higher than lie could have wished it to be, in order to prevent any of the ill conse- quences which might attend the opening the trade. The plan would then operate not at once, but gradually; and, he trusted, could afford no one a iust ground of complaint lMIr. NVEST. RN said a few words. Mr. WORTLEY objected strongly, thatthat description of wool which was the peculiar growth of this country should belexported in snuch a way as would enable tlte foreign manufactuters to compete with us 6uccessfully. All the petitions Ile had pre- sented to the house looked at this subject in the same way. Witli respect to the duty which was to be imposed, he must take leave to tell bis rigbt hon. friend that he did not look uwn it either as a prohibition or as a temporary measure. T,'he manufacturers of wool, his constituents, claimedas aright that their trade should be protected to that extent as far as it was connected witb the article which was the exclasive produce of England. - All that they 'sought wasa protection equal .to the disadvantage they wsveheikelv; to sustain by the exportation of. that article;r they saitd- (live us this, and we are quite wiliDFn to enter into competition with all the rest of the world.' He tin- devstc&d. it was not to be expected that much raw wool would goI out of the country, but that a great deal manufictured into yarn would. 13efore hesatdown, he. would say to his right honourable friend, that the manufaeturers were vety anxious to have a litte more time for the jpurpose of look,ing about them; hc hbope4 his right honourgble iend would 6ive them six montbs longer than, lie had proposed, and not c*rry his resolutiot ntaeffict until thedth of July, 1825. Air. CRIPPi regrctted tJle discussion of this. qiestion at this time of night. In tie county of Glocester long wool happenedto be the growth, but not the .manufacture of lse.gounty: but he beliSvtd that the whole produce of. thecountry was not snore than wa-s necessary for th'e employmnent of the artisans engaged- ta work it.ap; and this hbe took to be the strongestorgunient against the cape- dlec f prit its espottatibn. . - Wlr.v. SMlTHI regretted the present state of the discussion. Enough had been said to tale up the time of the house, ana to saarm these persons who were interested in it, among whom were many of his constituents. In the piesent siate of the hoiie (to' whkl' jb could. only advert); in the. middle -of the night, wben members had gone home, nothing of this'sort being expected, he thought tOo much had beert said upon the subject. As it had b*en intro- pdeed.for the sake e ex position,- and notfor the purpose of being de- b'ated, he thought is.wuld have been. betterx if nothing at all had beeis said upo6n it. AIr. CALORAFT thought tbat instead of creating- alarm, the present discussion wguld have the effect of calling the public atten. ton to this very interestingsubject. It would let the publie kInow that the propabed measure nad passed its first and preliminary stage this nmght,. and would excite and elicit the public opinion withl re- rcspect to'it. Ue had thought, frorn the petitions presented by the hon. member for Yorkshire, that his constituents were averse to the measure; but it seemed, from the honourable member's speech, that he supportel it. He wished to know di5tinctly from the right hon. gentleman, ajso,wbether it was intended that the proposed mea- sure should be p,enanent or net. The CHANUELLOR of the EXCrIEQUER wished to be clearly ur,derstood. If the exportation upon the terms proposed should be found to be so dogged with the duty, as to render the per- mission inoperative, then it ought not to be contirnued. He proposed the duty gf Wd.. for the. protection of interests which might be prejudiced, and which ought to be attended to. He did not, how- ever, propose to limit or to lower that duty, unless, bv the test of practie, ittshould be proved inconvenient to continue it. Afr. tALCItAFT thanked the xight hon. gentleman for his can- dour; and after ashort conversation. in which Mr. BRIGHT, Ar. WEVTE EOi, and Air.. S. WOStTLEY took part, the resolution was carried. The CHANCEU;LORof the EXCI1PQUER then proposed cer- tain resolations for the purpose of correctng soIe cleral errors is the acts passed last sessa'n for assimilating the customs duties of ire- land to those of E:ngland. Sir* . RII~EY COALS. Sir M. IV. RIDLEY begged to avail himself of this opportunity to ask the right hon; gentleman what it was proposed to do with re. spect to the duty on coals. At'a very late hour about three weeks ago, certain resolutions bad been carried, to which he (Sir Al. Mw. Ridley) must have been a fool or a madman if he had acceded; but which he was preivented from opposing, owing to the hour at whioh they were brought forward. The supply in the port of Lon- don was to a great degree stopped, and the suspense which was oc- casioned highly-inconvenient. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said the resolu. tions alluded to bad been moyed in his absence bv his right hon. friend.Air. Huashisson): when thev came before the house in the form of a bill, it would be competent for the hon: bart. to propose any alteration he might think fit. Owing to the indisposition *o his right hon. friend, he wfas not prepared to say any thing further on the subject at present. The resolutiosr were then agreed to; the house resumed, and the report was ordered so be brought up on Wednesday next. The other orders of the day w-ere then disposed of, and the house adjourned at ONE O'tLOC}.ocs oe f n h o HOUSE OF COAIAIONS. FRIDAY MARtCH 20.