PROCEEDINGS OF PARLIAMENT. HOUSE OF LORDS. tion from Saltcoats, Ardrossan, &c. stating the distresses of the country, and praying April 16.-The House met in pursuance for parliamentary reform. of the vote of adjournment. LORD SIDMOUTH'S CIRCULAR LETTER. Earl GREY moved that a copy of Lord Sidmouth's letter to the Lords Lieutenant of counties, relative to the circulation of seditious pamphlets, be laid on the table. Ordered. The Irish Laws Execution Bill was read a third time and passed. April 21.-Lord SIDMOUTH laid on the table his circular letter to the Lords Lieutenant of counties of England and Wales, relative to the apprehension of persons selling seditious writings, moved for by Earl Grey. Lord HOLLAND observed, that this letter alone was not sufficient for bringing the whole case before their Lordships. When his Noble Friend moved for this letter, he had stated, that it was his intention to move also, on another occasion, for the opinion of the law-officers of the Crown referred to in that letter, and for the case laid before these officers. His Noble Friend, he understood, most undoubtedly meant to make that motion; and he was anxious that the Noble Secretary of State would now state whether he had any objection to the production of these papers. The letter of the Noble Lord had been, as there was reason to believe, already productive of some consequences which probably the Noble Secretary himself never intended. He did not mean to say that the Noble Secretary of State, or any of the persons concerned, were to blame; but it was a matter of great importance that the subject should be discussed; and that, in order to bring before the House the requisite information for that discussion, the case and opinion should be laid on the table. The person who had been molested was a Unitarian preacher, Mr Wright of Liver pool. Lord SIDMOUTH.-Their Lordships' order had been complied with, and the circular letter which he had thought it his duty to publish was now on the table. Certainly it was not his intention that persons should be disturbed in their religious worship; and of the case which the Noble Lord mentioned he had heard nothing, except what he had just heard from his Lordship; but it was a case that would probably have occurred, though no such circular letter had been published; and he did not see how it was particularly connected with that letter. He had no objection to produce the opinion; but he would oppose the production of the case, and would state his reasons when the motion should be made for its production. Adjourned. Earl GREY moved that Lord Sidmouth's circular letter, laid on the table on a former day, be printed; which was ordered. The Noble Earl then moved for the opinion of the law-officers of the Crown, referred to in the circular letter. Ordered. April 25.-The Earl of HOPETOUN was introduced by Lord Forbes and the Marquis of Huntley, and took the usual oaths and his seat, as Lord Niddry and Baron Hope toun. Lord DIGBY presented a petition from certain persons in Dorsetshire against the importation of foreign wool. Earl DARNLEY called the attention of the House to the construction which had been put by certain magistrates, in a late instance, on the Seditious Meetings Act, and said he should take the liberty to call their Lordships' attention to the matter on Monday. April 28.-Mr CHALMERS (solicitor) presented the report of a parliamentary commission respecting the state of the ferries between the city of Edinburgh, and the county of Fife. Laid on the table. Lord SIDMOUTH laid on the table the opinion of the law-officers of the Crown, referred to in his circular letter. Ordered to be printed. SEDITIOUS MEETINGS ACT. Earl DARNLEY, agreeably to his notice, brought the circumstance of the refusal of the city magistrates to grant a license to the Academical Society before the House, with the view of letting the country know, by the answer ministers might give, whether it was the object of the act to prevent all political discussion whatever. LORD SIDMOUTH had no objection to state, that according to his belief, neither the framers of the act, nor those who supported it, ever intended that the act in question should put an end to all political discussion whatever. Their Lordships might examine that act, and every clause of it, and see whether there was any clause which could by possibility bear such a construction as that which, according to the Noble Lord's statement, had been put upon it. (No particular business on the 29th and 30th.) HOUSE OF COMMONS. April 14-A considerable number of members attended at four o'clock, when, with their permission, Mr DYSON read to them a letter he had received from the April 24-Earl GREY presented a peti. Speaker, dated Kidbrook, April 13th. It expressed great concern, that he was not able, through ill health, to attend his duty in the House on the present day, and his deep regret at the postponement of the public business which his absence might occasion. Though at present it was hazardous for him to attend, yet he hoped he should experience the re-establishment of his health in the course of a week. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER observed, that a duty fell on him, which must be a painful con. sideration to all; but it was consolatory, that it gave an opportunity to the House of passing an unanimous vote, in consequence of the ill health of their estimable Speaker. His health had indeed been much sacrificed lately by his anxiety and late sittings in the chair; in which those who had most observed his conduct, would be most deeply impressed with a feeling of his integrity, attention, and ability. He concluded by proposing an adjournment to Thursday se'nnight. Unanimously agreed to. April 24-On the Speaker taking the chair, the members crowded round him, and offered their congratulations on his recovery. PETITION FOR RETRENCHMENT. The Hon. Mr BENNET, after moving that the Police Committee be instructed to report their proceedings to the House from time to time, presented a petition, signed by 5000 inhabitants of the town of Wolverhampton and neighbourhood, praying for a reduction of taxes, and other means of relief. They represented, that they were in a state of the greatest suffering and hardship, in a great measure to be attributed to taxation; and prayed for a diminution. Their sufferings would be believed to be great, when it was known that several individuals in that neighbourhood were stated to have perished by famine. Employment had completely failed them; and if no other remedy could be devised for their distress, the petitioners prayed that they might be furnished with the means of leaving the country, and retiring to a foreign land. The petition was read, and ordered to lie on the table. RELIEF OF THE POOR. The Hon. W. H. LYTTLETON presented a petition from the parish of Old Swinford, in the town of Stourbridge, complaining of the pressure of the poor rates, to which he wished particularly to call the attention of the House. The burdens of this parish were oppressive beyond the usual rate of imposition: the rate assessed on house-rent was 29s. in the pound-on the rent of land employed on farms, 32s. in the pound; and on several kinds of land the rate amounted to the almost incredible sum of 61s. per acre. The population of the parish amounted to 4381: Of these 1868 received parish aid. The whole of this burden was laid on 158 individuals, who were the only persons able to contribute. The parish was formerly exemplary for morals and good conduct, and had been reduced to this state by circumstances over which the sufferers had no control. The Hon. Gentleman begged to press the consideration of this subject on his Majesty's ministers. He would not move that the petition be referred to the Committee on the Poor Laws, but that it be laid on the table for their consi.deration. The petition was brought up and read. It stated that the support of the poor had already ruined many of the former contributors, and would ruin others, unless an immediate relief were obtained. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said, that the subject had occupied much of his attention, and on Monday next he meant to move that the House resolve itself into a Committee of the whole House, to take into consideration a proposition for enabling his Majesty to issue Exchequer Bills to a limited extent, for the purpose of supplying loans on proper securities, to give encouragement for the employment of the poor. These loans would be advanced to corporations, to parishes, or to associations of individuals. who might be desirous to employ, in any public work, the poor in their neighbourhood, upon their giving security to the commissioners at whose disposal, or under whose management, the issue of bills should be placed, that they would be repaid. Security might in parishes be given on the poorrate. Bills to the amount of between one and two millions would be sufficient to give the relief contemplated, and answer all the purposes of such a loan. He believed such a measure would not in any material degree affect the money market, which could afford all the issue without great deterioration. The Right Hon. Gentleman concluded by giving notice, by command of the Prince Regent, that he would on Monday move that the House resolve itself into a Committee of the whole House, to consider the propriety of issuing Exchequer Bills to a limited extent, to afford loans, upon security to be given, for the local and temporary relief of the poor, by encouraging works for the employ ment of their industry. The Hon. W. LAMBE said, there was one point of view in which the measure intended to be proposed deserved the most serious consideration; and that was, whether it was to be considered as a means of temporary relief, or a substitute for all those other measures which were rendered necessary for remedying the evils which had arisen out of the system under which we have been so long acting. In this sense, the proposed measure involved the consideration of a system which had been already productive of serious inconvenience, and threatened farther evils. He hoped, therefore, this plan of the Right Hon. Gentleman was not the only one. He did not deny the propriety of this step, but he would protest against any reliance on its sufficiency. The subject was now pressed upon us by necessity: we saw the calamity under which the country laboured; we should not rest satisfied with palliatives, but should go at once to the root of the evil, and endeavour permanently to counteract its malignity. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER replied, that one object of the plan which he had given notice of submitting to the House was, to advance money to associations of individuals, and another to make these advances to public bodies. It was not intended that they should be made to single individuals for any purpose connected with the measure in question. The first object would embrace the support and encouragement of public works under certain limitations; and upon full security for the repayment of the money, the persons furnishing that security to take a counter security upon the parochial funds. April 25.-Sir B. HOBHOUSE presented a petition from the West of England Agricultural Society, praying for the abolition of the present salt duties, as injurious to the manufacturing, agricultural, and commercial interests. Mr HARVEY presented a petition against the Saving Banks Bill now before Parliament, as injurious and unnecessary. Laid on the table. On the motion for the second reading of the bill to authorise the granting of leases of tithes, Mr F. LEWIS, after some observations on the different acts empowering justices of the peace to levy the small tithes, and those not exceeding £10 in amount by warrant of distress, expressed a wish that it should be an instruction to the Committee, to provide for amending such parts of the late act as referred to this branch of their authority, (the 53d of the king, c. 127) for the purpose of proposing a clause extending their power to the determination of complaints or the recovery of tithes to the amount of £20. The bill having been read a second time, this motion was put and carried. the poor. SALT DUTIES. sistence should be exempted from taxation as far as was possible, consistently with the political safety of the country. His only object at present was inquiry: he wished for a full exposition of the case; and with this view the Hon. Gentleman moved, that a Committee be appointed to take the laws relative to the trade in salt into their consideration, and to report their opinions from time to time to the House. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER did not think the proposition of the Hon. Gentleman could be at present entertained. The agitation of this question had occasioned already a deficiency in the receipt of the revenue of £80,000; and it was incumbent on the Hon. Gentleman to show either the possibility of finding a commutation, or of our dispensing with a revenue of £1,500,000. As a measure of relief, a bill was now under the consideration of the House, for allowing the use of rock-salt, duty free, for the purpose of curing fish; and he was not quite certain that some indulgence might not be given to salt used for cattle. The Right Hon. Gentleman then read an extract of a letter from the proprietors of several extensive salt-works, to the effect, that they were decidedly of opinion that the present motion would ultimately be injurious to their interests; and he concluded by saying, that the House would do well to postpone the consideration of this important matter until the bill in question had been fully discussed; and, upon these grounds, he felt it his duty to move the previous question. Mr CALCRAFT replied generally, upon which the House divided. For the motion 70; against it 79; majority 9. CATHOLIC EMANCIPATION. April 28.-Sir H. PARNELL presented a petition from the Irish Catholics for emancipation; in which the objection to the interference of the Pope in the appointment to vacant Sees is proposed to be obviated by a concordat, to be procured from his Holiness, that none but native-born subjects shall ever be raised to the prelacy, and that the election shall be exclusively in the hands of the native clergy. The Veto the Catholics still refuse. MR WM SMITH presented a petition from the English Catholics, praying that domestic nomination might be held a sufficient security to be taken from the Catholics, as the condition of admitting them into the privileges of the British Constitution. FREEDOM OF POLITICAL DISCUSSION. Mr CALCRAFT rose to make his promised motion on this subject. In the course of his speech the Hon. Gentleman pointed out the impolicy of continuing the present enormous duties, which amounted to no less than 3000 per cent. on a raw material of our own produce. Such a tax mixed itself with every thing connected with the price of labour and the subsistence of It fell with grievous weight on the prices of butter, bacon, fish, meat, and all the primary and indispensable arMr WILBERFORCE presented a petition ticles of food among the lower classes. In from a certain society, called the Academithis point of view its effects were as impoli- cal Society, instituted for the purpose of tic as they were unjust. The price of la literary, political, and philosophical disbour was not now regulated by the price of cussion, and the promotion of general food; a redundant population, and dimi- knowledge, complaining of the refusal of nished trade, had left it dependent entirely the magistrates to grant them a license, and on such competition for it as remained. It praying the House to afford them relief. was necessary, therefore, in the present circumstances, that the essential articles of sub Mr B. BATHURST professed himself ignorant of the motives of the magistrates on the present occasion. On the allegation of the petitioners, it appeared that the magistrates had refused the license, because they thought it was the intention of the legislature to prohibit all political discussion, and he must entirely disclaim any such intention on the part of the legislature; it might be within the discretion of the magistrate to determine whether or not a meeting were held for seditious or literary purposes, but it never could be the intention of the legislature to prohibit political discussion. The petition was laid on the table, and ordered to be printed. Mr BROUGHAM presented a petition from Birmingham, signed by upwards of 12,000 persons. It contained a statement, in humble and earnest, but touching language, of a degree of misery almost approaching despair. Laid on the table, and ordered to be printed. RELIEF OF THE POOR. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER brought forward his plan for the issue of Exchequer Bills for the relief of the suffering manufacturers and others. He moved two resolutions, which, after some discussion, were agreed to. The following is an abstract of the bill proposed. Exchequer Bills, not exceeding the amount of £1,500,000, may be issued in Great Britain (at 24d.), payable within three years. "In Ireland, Lord Lieutenant may direct the issue of £250,000 out of growing produce of consolidated fund there. "Commissioners for the execution of the act in Great Britain to be named in the bill; for Ireland to be appointed by the Lord Lieutenant. To be sworn, and to act without salaries. "Commissioners to examine parties coming before them on oath; and to class all applications, and to certify the sums required to the Treasury in Great Britain and to the Lord Lieutenant in Ireland, who are thereupon to direct the issue of Exchequer Bills or advance of money accordingly. "Persons receiving advances for the use of any corporation, or parish in Great Britain, shall give their personal security, by bond, to the king. 66 Mortgages of tolls, &c. shall also be taken, which shall have preference over all dividends and claims of proprietors; but not over claims of previous creditors without the consent of 4-5ths of them. "Money may be advanced in Ireland in aid of works managed by Commissioners appointed by the Lord Lieutenant on mortgage of the rates, &c. Trustees on roads may increase tolls to secure the payments to an amount not exceeding one-half of the original toll. "Advances to parishes in Great Britain. shall be made only on application of fourfifths in value, and a majority in number of the inhabitants, and shall not exceed the amount of the last half-year's poor-rates at Easter 1817; to be paid out of accruing rates within two years after Easter 1818; but such advance shall be made only when such last poor-rate was double the amount of the last three year's average. "Amount of Exchequer bills advanced to corporations, &c. in Great Britain, shall be paid with 5 per cent. interest, fifteen days before the Exchequer bills become due. "Sums advanced in Ireland shall be paid with 6 per cent. interest, by such instalments as the commissioners there shall direct, with consent of the Lord Lieutenant. Exchequer bills issued and not used, shall be cancelled. 66 "The Bank of England shall keep account with commissioners. "Exchequer bills charged on aids of 1820. "Commissioners to report to Parliament. "Vacancies in commissioners to be supplied in Great Britain by the survivors, &c. in Ireland by the Lord Lieutenant." In a Committee, a clause was added to the Saving Banks' Bill, directing the money to be vested in the hands of the commissioners for liquidating the national debt; the object of which was to prevent that fluctua tion to which the property of the subscribers to saving banks would be liable, were it invested directly in the public funds and negotiable. THIRD SECRETARY OF STATE. Mr TIERNEY made his promised mo tion on this subject, with the view, and in the hope, of saving £12,000 a-year to the country. The Right Hon. Gentleman, after stating the recent origin of this office, and the business belonging to it (chiefly colonial), which he thought could, as former. ly, be managed at the office of the Secretary for the Home Department, concluded by moving, "That a Committee be appointed to consider the nature of the business transacted by the Secretary of State for the Co, lonial Department; to ascertain whether the existence of that department was ne cessary; whether it could with convenience be transferred to any other; and what diminution of expense would thereby be effected." After a debate of some length, the House divided, when there appeared for the mo tion 87; against it 190; majority 103. LICENSES TO PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIE TIES. Sir M. W. RIDLEY, in rising to move for a copy of the petition of the Academical Society, in Chancery Lane, to the Quarter Sessions of London, for a license to hold their meetings according to the provisions of the late act, said that he had to inform the House of another instance of the unwarrantable and oppressive construction which had been given to the late act. The Philosophical Society, established in 1808, for the discussion of political and philosophical subjects, applied for a license at the Quarter Sessions of London, on the 14th of April. The magistrates required a list of the subjects it was to discuss, and a definition of what its title or constitution would allow it to introduce. The society refused to comply with this condition, and its meet ings were in consequence suspended. If the magistrates of London, who were accustomed to expound the law, and to hear it expounded, who were men of education and information, were thus ignorant of the true construction of the late act, what would be the consequence of having its provisions interpreted by other magistrates not so well informed, with a less vigilant public to watch them, and with fewer facilities of legal correction? (Hear, hear!) The extent to which the zeal or the ignorance of such men might carry them, might easily be conjectured; and the danger to the liberties of the people from their conduct might easily be admitted, when he mentioned, that in one part of the country a mineralogical society had been refused a license, because the magistrates were of opinion that the study of mineralogy had a blasphemous tendency. (Hear, hear! and a laugh.) The Hon. Baronet said, if Parliament did not interfere, all freedom of debate or discussion was at an end. (Hear!) The Hon. Baronet concluded by moving for a copy of the petition to the magistrates of London, by the Academical Society that meets in Chancery-lane, for a license on the 18th of April. Mr B. BATHURST had no objection to the motion; and with respect to the case of the Mineralogical Society, the construction of the act was so absurd, that any law, however easily understood, might be perverted to any purpose by persons who could so far transgress the common rules of interpreta tion, as had been done in this case. The April 30.-MR MANNERS SUTTON obtained leave to bring in a bill to amend and consolidate the acts with respect to spiritual persons holding farms, for enforcing the residence of spiritual persons on their benefices, and for the support and maintenance of stipendiary curates. He said that the bill would follow the course pointed out by the act of the 43d of the king, and conclude by re-enacting the provisions of the act of the 53d, with regard to the allowances to cu rates; and would allow the clergy to take a farm to the extent of twenty acres. bill would also provide for suspending all prosecutions, on account of non-residence, for six months after the expiration of the act of the 54th. The ecclesiastical year was made to begin on the 1st of January, and end on the 31st of December; and it was enacted, that all licenses for non-residence should in future be limited to two years, always ending on the 31st of December. With regard to the stipendiary clergy, the alterations consisted in little more than in what might be called a dislocation of the clauses in the former act. Lord EBRINGTON wished to know whether there was any clause enabling the bishop to appoint a curate, wherever he thought the duty was not adequately per formed by the incumbent. Mr MANNERS SUTTON said, there was a clause of that description. The bill was then brought in, read a first time, and ordered to be read a second time on Friday se'nnight. RELIEF BILL. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER brought in a bill to enable the Commissioners of the Treasury to issue £1,500,000 in Exchequer Bills, under certain limitations, for the furtherance of public works of utility, the encouragement of the fisheries, and the employment of the poor, for a limited time-securities being given for the repayment.-Read a first time, and ordered to be read a second time on this day se'nnight, and to be printed. The Clerk of the Peace Fees' Bill, and the Window Light Bill, were read a third time and passed. BRITISH CHRONICLE. APRIL. Cobbett's Address" to the Public." Liverpool, March 20, 1817.-My departure for America will surprise nobody but those who do not reflect. A full and explicit statement of my reasons will appear in a few days, probably on the 5th of April. In the meanwhile, I think it necessary for me to make known, that I have fully empowered a person of respecta bility to manage and settle all my affairs n England. I owe my countrymen most sincere regard, which I shall always entertain for them in a higher degree than towards any other people upon earth. I carry nothing from my country but my wife and my children, and, surely, they are my own at any rate. I shall always love England better than any other country :-I will never become a subject or citizen of any other |