been sent out for their emancipation; reminding them that the most prompt measures would be resorted to to put down the spirit of insubordination; and at the same time that the governors should recommend it to the colonial legislatures to carry into ellect every measure that may tend to the moral and religious improvement, as well as the comfort of the slaves.-Mr. Barham spoke with warmth in favour of the amendment.-Mr. Brougham said that the planters had, with sinister views, instilled into the minds of the slaves, that they were to be immediately freed--when the cannon was charged and fired, it had recoiled on themselves. On the recommendation of Messrs. Ponsonby and Canning, and Lord, Castle reagh, Mr. Wilberforce agreed to withdraw bis motion, and that Mr. Pallmer's address should be substituted, after which it was agreed that the papers should be produced. THURSDAY, June 20.—On the third read. ing of the Exchequer Consolidation Bill, the clause enabling the Vice Treasurer to sit In parliament was opposed, but carried on a division by 149 to 111. Mr. Huskisson stated that it had been agreed to purchase the house and demesnes of Clermont, for the Princess Charlotte and Prince Leopold, for 60,000l. The valua tion of the farms, farin-houses, and park, including 350 acres of land, was 36,0004; the mansion, 19,0001,; and the furniture, 6,000, making altogether 60.000. The mansion, which was in good repair, could not be built now for less than 91,000!: a Bill for ratifying the purchase was then brought in and read a first time. Mr. Brougham brought up the Report of the Committee appointed to inquire into the eduration of the poor of the metropolis 120,000 children were without the means of education, though the amount of the public and private charities for this purpose, inclading the Charter-house, Christ's Hospital, the Westminster and St. Paul's schools, amounted to 70,000. There were scarcely any instances of abuse in the above esta blishments. One flagrant case had been transmitted to him from the country, where 1,500, which was left for the endowment of a school, was managed by the lord, of the manor, who appointed his own brother schoolmaster with a large salary, while he again shifted the duties to a deputy-school master, in the person of a joiner, with the small income of 40!, a year, and left this ignorant person to educate the children. It appeared that 18,000/, educated, upon the old plan, only 3,000 children; whereas, apon the new plan, it was sufficient to educate 30.000 children. If children were only edimated, instead of being hoarded, clothed, and lodged, the benefit of education might be extended to all the poor requiring it but many charitable establishments were under the direction of trustees," who were clothiers, butchers, bakers, &c. and these Europ. Mag, Vol. LXX. July, 1816. 1 were interested in the contracts. The hon. gentleman recommended that next Session a parliamentary commission should be appointed, which should progress through the country, and have power to examine persons upon oath, &c.; and in order to ensure despath, the members of the commission should be paid for their labours.- Lord Castlereagh, Mr. Canning, and Mr. Wilberforce, paid Mr. Brougham many compliments, and the Report was ordered to lie upon the table. FRIDAY, June 21. Mr. Lushington brought in a Bill to repeal duties on ale, cider, perry, &c. and impose new duties on the publican in proportion to the rent of his house.-The Chancellor of the Exchequer said, that this Bill would afford relief to the lower order of country victuallers; so that ont of 36,000 who took out licences, 26,000 would be considerably relieved. He would prefer, however, its lying over till next Session, when some plan might be adopted on a more general scale to arrange the fates of licences in proportion to rents and profits.-Sir J. Graham and Mr. Cal. craft wished the Bill not to be deferred: it was then read a first time. SATURDAY, June 22.-The Chancellor of the Exchequer, in the absence of all the members of the Irish government, moved the second reading of the Irish Townland Fines Bill.—Mr. Horner rose and said, he was extremely sorry that, upon the secund reading of a Bill so deeply affecting the administration of justice and the public. morals in Ireland, there was not one gentleman, connected with the government of Ireland, who condescended to attend the House this day to explain the objects and detail the reasons upon which so extraordinary a measure as this was recommended to the adoption of the House at this late period of the Session. From the evidence which had appeared before the Select Committee upon the subject of illicit distillation in Ireland, it ap peared that the greatest oppression and injustice had been experienced by the people of that country, by the system of fining Ire land, in order to pay the penalties incurred by illicit distillers. The Report of that Committee was scarcely in the hands of memhers, and yet there was a Bill founded upon that Report, which, in point of principle, was unprecedented, scarcely, even in the worst part of the history of Ireland. The object of the Bill was to subject the innocent to the punishment due to the guilty, by making the innocent inhabitants of town lands amenable to a law which ought to be confined to the punishment of those actively engaged in illicit distillation. This was a mode of enforcing penalties which was a refinement upon injustice and oppression. If the object of government was really to inspire the people of that country with reverence and obedience to the laws, this was not a measure calculated for that purpose: on the contrary, it tended to aggravate, even in a stronger degree than had ever been known, the distresses of that oppressed and much injured country. There was not time to enter into the details of the Bill, but there was one thing which he could not help noticing, namely, that the persons accused were deprived of the right of traversing the facts laid to their charge.-The Chancellor of the Exchequer said, that whatever objections there might be to the details of the Bill, they might be remedied in the Committee. But certainly a majority of the Trish'representatives had concurred in thinking that this measure was expedient and necessary. Mr. Chichester would not oppose the Bill in its present stage, because although it was very objectionable both in point of principle and detail, yet there was not time at this period of the Session to propose a measure more likely to procure general approbation. He should reserve himself, however; to move some alterations in the Committee, though the principle of it was ab horrent to every notion of natural justice. -Mr. W. Smith opposed the Bill, because he thought that, in principle, it was more injurious to the morals of Ireland thau even the consequences of illicit distillation. The Bill was then read a second time, and ordered to be committed on Monday. MONDAY, June 24.- The third reading of the Coronor's Bill was carried by 40 to 3.The Coronor's Bill, after two divisions, passed through the Committee. TUESDAY, June 25.-The third reading of the Coronor's Bill was carried by 40 to 30 voices. Sir John Coxe Hippesley laid before the House the report of the committee appointed to inquire into the measures adopted by different states, in order to regulate the connection between the Sce of Rome and their Catholic subjects. Mr. Canning said, that the freeing the Catholics from legal disabilities could only be valuable so far as it was founded on the firm conviction and cordial assent of all parties. He was anxions that this question should be now finally settled, not on the romantic notion that, with it, every feeling of animosity would at the same time be settled; but because he believed that the question was one, without the settlement of which no other evil could be radically cured; it was not only an evil in itself, but it was made the pretext for many more, and it aggravated them all; and the settlement of the question must be the introduction to, and accomplishment of, every measure leading to the perfect tranquilization of Ireland. (Hear, hear.) The documents appended to the report would shew, that the conditions which had been proposed in this country fell far short of what every other country, whether Catbolic or Protestant, thought it necessary to adopt for its afety. It had happened to him to be a few weeks ago in a part of Europe, stated in many publications which he had read, to contain the seeds of bitter persecution of the Protestants, on the part of the Catholies. He found no marks of the existence of any such persecution; but he had found what was so little known in this country, that Protestants were not only tolerated, but in every respect on an equal footing with their Catholic fellow-subjects, and even seemed to have more than their proportion of honours and employment. He alluded to the department of the Gironde, which contained a population of 514,000, of whom the Protestants amounted to 30,000, or oneseventeenth of the whole. Of the seven members of the Chamber of Deputies returned by the department, one was a Protestant. Of the five councillors of the prefect, one also was a Protestant. Of 24 members of the Municipal Adininistrations, five were Protestants. In another council at Bordeaux, seven were Protestants. In a procession which took place while he was at Bordeaux, the Archbishop of Bordeaux was fir-t in order, and he was immediately followed by a Protestant clergyman, The banker to whom he had been recommended, had received a patent of noblesse from the present government; and of four other patents bestowed in the department since the accession of the government in question, three were to Protestants, and none to Catholics. All this existed without creating any convulsion, or subjecting the Protes tants to any inhuman persecutions. It might indeed he said, that these acts shewed the spirit of the government rather than that of the people; but, however, as many of the elections were by corporations, they could not have happened if any angry religious feelings had existed. He was more and more convinced of the necessity of emanci pation; and with the conditions which it might be thought advisable to annex to the boon, the final settlement of the question ought not to be delayed. To this final settlement the report of the honourable baronet could not fail greatly to contribute.-Sir Henry Parnell wished to communicate to the House some information received by him from the Catholic Prelates of Ireland. They had proposed, of their own accord, that, instead of the present mode of nominating Bishops, they should in future be elected by the Dean and Chapter. This mode would assimilate the discipline of the Catholic church of Ireland to that of several other Catholic States. In making this proposal, the clergy had receded from their resolutions of 1808, in which they declared the inexpediency of any change whatever.Mr. Horner congratulated the Catholics on the sentiments delivered by Mr. Canning. He considered that gentleman would not have joined the administration without an understanding favourable to the great question of Catholic Emancipation. In regard to the persecution in France, no one had said that the Protestants were persecuted in the department of the Gironde, but in the department of the Gard. Neither had it been said that the persecution was carried on by the French government, but by the lower orders of the Catholics, and the government had not done its duty by taking those measures which would have put a stop to it. ABUSES OF IMPRISONMENT. Mr. Bennet complained that very little bad been done to remedy the abuses which existed in the King's Bench prison. It would hardly be believed, that the marshal had derived 8001. a year from a per centage on the beer drank in the prison, in defiance of Act of Parliament; and 25001, a year from the rules: that was to say, this sum of money was taken from the pockets of debtors, to the injury of their creditors, for the benefit of the Marshal. He could not imagine that these abuses could continue, unless the marhal was supported by some person of high authority. The paper which he had moved for respecting the Petworth House of Cor. rection, would shew that the abuse of the system of solitary confinement had exceeded any thing which could have been imagined. For the crime of vagrancy a person had been subject to this terrible punishment for 13 months, one for seven months, and seve tal for four months. As to the wretched woman whose case be had before mentioned, be had no doubt her insanity had been produced by the solitary confinement, as she was now declared to be not insane. Among the cases mentioned in the return was, that of a man who had been kept in solitary confinement three months for destroying a pheasant's egg. After a few words from Sir F. Burdett, Mr. II. Addington, and Sir C. Burrell, Mr. Huskisson warmly praised the humanity of Mr. Serjeant and the other magistrates, whose conduct was alluded to, and the motion for papers was agreed to. The Chancellor of the exchequer said, in answer to Gen. Thornton, that it was intended to propose to Parliament next Session, 10 grant a specific sum for erecting a number of churches on a moderate plan. The Saving Banks Bill was read a third time by 28 to 8. The Attorney-General brought in a bill to regulate the practice of surgery throughout the United Kingdom : it was read a first time, ordered to be printed, and then he over till next session. WEDNESDAY, June 27.-The Madhouses' Bill was read a third time, and a clause, exexpling bouses where only one individual was confisted from the visitation of commissioners, was withdrawn. The Chancellor of the Exchequer in reply to a direct question from Mr. Ponsonby, said, that as provision had been made for the wants of the present year, he thought, if Bo unforseen circumstances occurred, parGament would not be assembled till after Christmas. from the cloth-workers of Frome, Somersetshire, complaining that, by the introduction of machinery, they were thrown out of employ. MONDAY, July 1.-Mr. Bennet brought up the Report of the Committee on the Police of the metropolis, which he trusted would occupy the attention of the House next Session. One of the branches of the police which was deserving of particular attention, was the manner in which the licences were granted to public-houses; for though the magistrates in general were men remark able for uprightness, yet in the district of Whitechapel it appeared that there was an improper connection between some of the magistrates and the brewers. As to the increase of crimes in the metropolis, it cer tainly appeared that the numbers of com mitments in 1813 to the different prisons was 9000, and in 1815 they were 10,500. It was worthy of remark, that 800 persons were committed to Clerkenwell prison in one year for assaults. In the prisons, it was to be regretted, that there was no classifica. tion of the different offenders. From the evidence, on the whole, it appeared that there was an amelioration in the general state of manners and morals of the lower orders of late years, though there was now 20,000 persons in the extremest state of want. On Mr. Holmes moving that the Lords' amendment to the Gas Light Bill should be taken into consideration, Mr. Cartwright said he disliked the Bill, and moved that it be considered that day three months.-The Housé divided, but there not being forty members present, an adjournment took place. TUESDAY, July 2.-Mr. Cawthorne and Lord Cochrane both spoke against the Gas Light Bill, and the latter moved that it be read that day three months, but the motion not being seconded, the amendments were agreed to. On the motion of Lord Castlereagh, Committee was appointed to wait on the Duke of Wellington, to congratulate his grace on the results that had followed the Battle of Waterloo, and on his return to England. The Speaker and several members then went up to the House of Lords, and the Prince Regent being seated upon the throne, the Speaker (Mr. Abbott) delivered the following address : Sir Samuel Romilly presented a petition, there seen the tranquillity of Europe re -established upon a basis of legitimate government, by the same presiding councils which planned the bold, provident, and comprehensive measures, commenced in the negociations at Chaumont, matured in the Congress at Vienna, and completed by the Peace of Paris. We have also seen the wise and generous policy of the Allied Powers in disclaiming all projects of dismembering the great and ancient monarchy of France; have been contented to adopt such precautionary measures as might effectually protect the world from a renewal of its former sufferings. And we have rejoiced more especially that this important charge has been confided, by common consent, to the same victorious commander, whose triumphs have so mainly contributed to the glory of their country, and the general happiness of mankind. In our domestic concerns, the great and sudden transition from a state of extended warfare to our present situation, has necessarily produced many serious evils and difficulties, to which we have not failed to apply our most anxious attention. To the distresses of the Agricultural Interests we have rendered such immediate relief as could be devised, hoping also that they may daily decrease, and trusting much to the healing influence of time. For the benefit of commerce, and the general convenience of all ranks of his Majesty's subjects, a new coinage has been provided; and in various ways, by positive enactments or preparatory inquiries, we have devoted much of our labours to the general improvement of the condition of the people, their relief, and their instruction. In settling our financial arrangements, the expenditure of the services of our civil and military establishments had been considered with reference to the pecuniary resources of the year; and amongst the most important of our measures, as affecting the joint interests of Great Britain and Ireland, is the law which we have passed for consolidating the revenues of both portions of the United Kingdom. But, Sir, in the midst of all our various and important concerns, domestic and foreign, there are none in which the nation ever takes a deeper interest than those which regard the splendour and dignity of the throne which reigns over us. Impressed with these sentiments, we have endeavoured, by a new arrangement of the Civil List, to separate those revenues which are specially assigned to the support of the royal state, placing them henceforth beyond the reach of any contingent charges, which more properly belong to other and different branches of the public service. And in the same spirit of loyal and affectionate attachment we have bailed, with heartfelt satisfaction, the auspicious marriage by which the paternal choice of your Royal Highness has gratified the universal wishes of the nation, and has adopted in the family of our Sovereign an illustrious Prince, whose high qualities have already endeared him to the people amongst whom he has fixed the future destinies of his life. These, Sir, are the objects to which our thoughts and labours have been chiefly directed; and for completing the grants which it is our special duty and privilege to provide, we now present to your Royal Highness a Bill, entitled, An Act for granting to his Majesty a certain Sum out of the Consolidated Fund of Great Britain, and for applying certain monies therein mentioned for the Service of the year 1816, and farther appropriating the Supplies granted in the Session of Parliament;' to which Bill, with all humility, we intreat his Majesty's Royal Assent,” The Royal Assent was given to the Appropriation Bill, the Bankrupt Amendment Bill, the Pillory Abolition Bill, the Regent's Canal Bill, the Gas Light Bill, Dyott's Divorce Bill, and a few other Bills. delivered the following Speech from the His Royal Highness the Prince Regent Throne ; "My Lords and Gentlemen, "I cannot close this Session of Parlia ment without again expressing my deep regret at the continuance of his Majesty's lamented indisposition. The cordial interest which you have manifested in the happy event of the marriage of my daughter the Princess Charlotte with the Prince of Saxe Cobourg, and the liberal provision which you have made for their establishment, afford an additional proof of your affectionate attachment to his Majesty's person and fami ly, and demand my warmest acknowledg ments.-1 have the pleasure to acquaint you, that I have given the Royal Consent to a Marriage between his Majesty's daughter the Princess Mary and the Duke of Glouces ter; and I am persuaded that this event will be highly gratifying to all his Majesty's subjects.-The assurances which I have receiv ed of the pacific and friendly disposition of the Powers engaged in the late war, and of their resolution to execute inviolably the terms of the treaties which I announced to you at the opening of the Session, promise the continuance of that peace so essential to the interests of all the nations of the world. "Gentlemen of the House of CommonsI thank you for the Supplies which you have granted for the service of the year; and I am sensible of the beneficial effects which may be expected to result from the salutary system of making provision for them in a way calculated to uphold public credit. The arrangements which you have adopted for discharging the incumbrances of the Civil List, and for rendering its future income adequate to its expenditure, by relieving it from a part of the charge to which it was subject, are in the highest degree gratifying and satisfactory to me; and you may be as sured that nothing shall be wanting on my part to}give_full effect to those arrange ments. The provision you have made for consolidating the Revenues of Great Britain and Ireland, will, I doubt not, be productive of the happiest consequences in cementing and advancing the interests of the United Kingdom; and must afford an additional proof of the constant disposition of Parliament to relieve the difficulties and promote the welfare of Ireland. "My Lords and Gentlemen, "The measures to which I have been under the necessity of resorting, for the suppression of those tumults and disorders which had unfortunately occurred in some parts of the kingdom, have been productive of the most salutary effects.. I deeply lament the continuance of that pressure and distress which the circumstances of the country, at the close of so long a war, have unavoidably entailed on many classes of his Majesty's subjects. I feel fully persuaded, however, that after the many severe trials which they have undergone in the course of the arduous contest in which we have been engaged, and the ultimate success which has attended their glorious and persevering exertions, I may rely with perfect confidence on their public spirit and fortitude in sustaining those difficulties which will, I trust, be found to have arisen from causes of a temporary nature, and which cannot fail to be materially relieved by the progressive improvement of public credit, and by the reduction which has already taken place in the burthens of the people." Then the Lord Chancellor, by the Prince Regent's command, said: "My Lords and Gentlemen, "It is the will and pleasure of his Royal Highness the Prince Regent, acting in the name and on behalf of his Majesty, that this Parliament be prorogued to Saturday the 24th day of August next." His Royal Highness then retired with the same state as on his entrance. The commoBS withdrew from the Bar, and the Lords retired from the House. INTELLIGENCE FROM THE LONDON GAZETTE. TUESDAY, JUNE 4, 1816, WHITEHALL, JUNE 4. THE HE Prince Regent has been pleased, in the name and on the behalf of his Ma. jesty, to constitute and appoint the Right Hon. George Canning, Viscount Castlereagh, the Right Hon. Earl Bathurst, the Right Hon. Viscount Sidmouth, the Earl of Liverpool, the Right Hon. N. Vansittart, Baron Teignmouth, Viscount Lowther, the Right Hon. J. Sullivan, Lord Apsley, Lord Binning, and the Right Hon. W. S. Bourne, to be his Majesty's Commissioners for the Affairs of India. TUESDAY, JUNE 11. At a Court at Carlton-House the 8th of June 1816, present his Royal Highness the Prince Regent in Council. This day the Right Hon. Edward Thornton was, by command of his Royal Highness the Prince Regent, in the name and on the behalf of his Majesty, sworn of his Majes. ty's Most Honourable Privy Council, and took his place at the Board accordingly. CROWN-OFFICE, JUNE 11. Members returned to serve in Parliament. Borough of Newport.-Hudson Guerney, Esq. of the City of Norwich, and of Gloucester-place, in the county of Middlesex, in the room of Barrington Pope Blachford, Esq. deceased. Borough of Midshall, otherwise Mitchel,Right Hon. Thomas Hamilton, commonly called Lord Bioning. |