The Statesman. — 1823-06-24 (London, England)

TUESDAY EVENING, JUNE 24, 1823.  PARLIAMENTARY COMMENTARY.  Mr. Huskisson has very kindly consented that the ship-owners shall be heard on Monday next, against the bill for the destruction of our maritime superiority, called by Ministers the " reciprocity of Duties Bill." Mr. Hume enquired whether Prussia would take off the higher duties imposed on British vessels, if the present bill passed into a law ! We have arrived at a strange point of save/greeteess, indeed, when it could be necessary to ask such a question. The British enquiring what Pres Ma will do, u a recompense for the destruction of the British Navy, by British Legislators ! A State that has not a single vessel of war—that was never known in the records of a naval nation, dictates to Britain that she shall  tommit an act of suicide upon her navy ! in order that she may purchase the privilege of entering a Prussian Port some hrthings cheaper! Good hearts can scarcely hold from a breach of good manners, to see such a nest of barterer' in the national temple! Bat, this is not all our degradation. Prussia not only persists in her present rate of duties, unless we destroy our maritime code ; tot Mr. Huskisson, without a blush upon his cheek, and without being silenced by the spontaneous indignation of the assembled Senate, wanted us that the Prussian Minister accompanied his declaration of a readiness to meet us upon equal ternu, (kind soul!) with " a denunciation that if we did not ." act upon this principle, the Prussian Court would " impose upon English vessels extra duties upon a still " higher scale l" We are literally amazed at this into. knee! There was a time when the man who could stoop to be the herald of such insulting language to a British Senate, could not have remained Minister for a second after he had degraded himself, and insulted the country so far! But " every ass may kick the lion now!" His teeth are drawn, his claws are pared ; his joints are stiff with age, and be is ready to barter his ancient honors, in the hope of preserving a little longer, an existence worthless to others, and burthedsome to himself! . Still to threaten a *tarn-out lion with the vengeance of a mouse, which the move of his paw would annihilate, is a gratuitous accumulation of insult. We are in some fear that the ship•dwners have not placed their opposition to this fatal measure upon the firm and national ground they ought to stand upon. We perceive that they require compensation, if their national advantages are to be taken away—but they Should remember the.t they hold their advantages in trust for the  lECURITT of the BRITISH NAVY: What compemutiost _ _ _ _ _  can the nation receive for the admission of a principle whica will operate upon it like the dry rot upon buildings, and moulder it into dust, while it appenile) maintain its orighial aspect, until the day of 641 comes, and it is found to be bat the shadow of its  former self. Wind are odr sea-ports about. May we mot parody the lines of Shakspeare, and ask—" What is become of Bristol; where is Hull ? Are Liverpool,  "and Glasgow then no more ?" In war, the Navy is the protector of commerce. In peace odr merchants should protect the principles of our national Davy, that they may find protection when' they need it. When British Commerce ceases to be carried on by British seamen, in  British Shipr, the British Navy exists no longer; and though commerce may gain something in a pecuniary  Cew, it will lose all, by losing the security, without which the largest possessions are worthless, and nominal owners become mere tenants upon contingencies.  . Two curious granti were made last night by the House of Commons—one of 50001. for the propagation  of the gospel in the colonies, where the Ministeraadmit L'hristianity must not be taught, lest the slaves should discover they have a right to liberty— and another of 15,0001.f0r promoting emigration from the South of Ireland to the Cape of Good Hope and the Canadas ! The cost of removing a family to either of those dun tries, would be sufficient to enable them to live comfortably where they are, under a good system ; and any attempt to assist Ireland, by taking away an in. significant portion of her population, while the great mass, if left under the barrow of oppression, is quite ridi= culoas, as affecting the great question.. The grant is called an experiment ; but in that sense it is contemptible in amount. It will not remove 500 people, under Government auspices; for every step taken by a Governbent Agent costs as much as a day's journey to those who expend their own money. All these matters are mere jobs. They certainly benefit those who have the advantage of them ; but the benefit is bought at too dear rate, and is paid for by those who receive none of it. The Church of Ireland ought to End the fund for the removal of those whom it helps to starve at home. We should suppose the present Chancellor of the Ex. chequer has a taint of Hibernianism in his blood, from his conduct on the lottery question. Some time ago, be told as that he meant only to have one lottery more; and last night he came down to propose it ; but instead of one lottery, he moved for one of 60,000 tickets, and said it was to be divided into three Lotteries of 20,000 tickets each, the usual number of tickets in one lottery. This is making as much as possible of the dead ass. Lord Nugent has obtained leave to divide his proposed bill for the relief of the English Catholics into two bills —the one conferring upon them the elective franchise, which the Ministers are disposed to let pass ; and the ether admitting them to the Magistracy, which will be opposed. Mr. Bankes, Mr. Wetherell, and others, how• ever, oppose both objects ; and success of either measure Is yet doubtful.