1821.] SEER. Select Poetry. I know the pride of Saxon war- Yet, Alric, would'st thou know the doom STRANGER. Speak what thou wilt-unmov'd I'll hear, Seer. He bless'd thy sword, but not thy shield!!- STRANGER. Hah! yon Norman form Rides proudly through the whirlwind's storm. Fierce of demeanour, strong of breast, This sword shall dint thine armour's gleam. And sweet Religion's mildest grace. Seer. Behold the rest, ay, scan yon race Speak not of after-ages here; This heart was cheer'd by Birtha's smile; 261 She was my joy of life, I bound So fate bath been-so be it still, Seeks then lord Alric but to know Cease, Warlock, I can hear no more. Lo morning's beam grows bright and clear, That Raven in its charmed breast Bears a sprite that knows no rest— (When Odin's darts, in darkness hurl'd, Scatter'd lightnings through the world, Then beneath the withering spell, Harold son of Eric fell)Till Lady, unlikely thing I trow, Print three kisses on his browHerald of ruin, death, and flight, Where will the carrier of Odin alight? What Syrian Maid in her date-cover'd bower, Lists to the lay of a gay Troubadour ? Yet a brighter flower in greener bower Heir of his name and his Saxon tower; Was changed for lovelier woman's zone; In her gloomy Hall by the woodland wild; A train of menials only wait To guard her towers, to tend her state, Unletter'd hinds and rude. Unseen the tear-drop dims her eye, Edith in her saddest mood Has climb'd the bartizan stair; No sound comes from the stream or wood, The summer clouds are motionless, Seems like a lily rooted there In lost forgotten loneliness. A gentle breath comes from the vale, He flutters round her bower, [March, And now, caressing and caress'd, leads TRANSLATION OF PSALM CXXXVII. Stern Desolation holds its awful reign, [ 263 ] HISTORICAL CHRONICLE. PROCEEDINGS HOUSE OF LORDS, Feb. 20. The Queen's Annuity Bill was read a second time; Lord Darnley giving up his intended motion for an Address to his Majesty to dismiss his Ministers; because he found that those with whom he acted were not likely to support him in such a motion at the present time. In the Commons the same day, a warm discussion took place on the question for printing a Petition presented by Mr. Denman, from Nottingham, complaining of the conduct of Ministers generally, and particularly as regarded the non-enquiry into the unfortunate transactions of the 16th of August, at Manchester. The Petition was couched in strong language, and Mr. Wynn opposed its being printed, on the ground that several passages in it reflected on the Courts of Justice of the country, and on the House-of Commons. On a division the question for printing the Petition was negatived, the numbers being-for printing it 68, against it 134. -Mr. Creevey moved, that the conduct of the High Sheriff of Chester, at the late Meeting of that County, should be referred to a Select Committee. The motion, after some discussion, was negatived, upon a division by 122 to 65.—Mr. Goulburn obtained leave to bring in a Bill to abolish the African Company; and to vest the possession of their forts in his Majesty. HOUSE OF LORDS, Feb. 21. On the motion of the Marquis of Lansdown, the Committee on Foreign Trade was renewed. Lord Liverpool repeated the opinion he had given on the first day of the Session, that the agricultural distress arose from a super-abundance of production; and, while he admitted that this country had risen in spite of, rather than by means of, the many restrictive duties on Foreign Trade, he contended, that it would destroy speculation and mercantile adventure, to be constantly tampering with and altering them.-Lord Lansdown thought there should be some alteration in these duties.-Lord Ellenborough wished for an equalization of them. -Lords Erskine, Grey, King, and Darnley, attributed all our distresses, of whatever kind, to the war, the profusion of Ministers, and the depreciated state of the paper currency; for which the only remedy was, instant and complete retrench ment. IN PARLIAMENT. The Queen's Annuity Bill went through a Committee, and was reported sub silentio. In the Commons the same day, Sir James Mackintosh brought forward his motion, for papers connected with the Circular of Lord Castlereagh to British Residents at Foreign Courts. The motion was the same as that brought forward by Lord Grey on a former evening in the House of Peers; and the Hon. and Learned Mover adopted the same line of argument as that taken by the Noble Earl on his motion.-Lord Castlereagh replied to Sir J. Mackintosh. After some discussion, the House divided-for the motion 125, against it 194. HOUSE OF LORDS, Feb. 22. out comment. HOUSE OF COMMONS, Feb. 23. A warm and animated debate took place upon a Petition from Davison, fined by Mr. Justice Best, who presided at his trial, for contempt of Court, whilst making his defence. The Petition complained of the conduct of the Learned Judge, and asked redress of the House. The Petition was supported by Mr. Hobhouse and Mr. Creevey; the latter of whom accused Mr. Justice Best of being an intemperate and political Judge. These assertions called down upon him the severe comments of Mr. Serjeant Onslow and the The conduct of the Solicitor General. Learned Judge was defended by the Solicitor and Allorney General, Mr. Lockhart, and Mr. Scarlett.-After some observations from Lord Castlereagh, Mr. J. P. Grant, Mr. Long, Mr. Huskisson, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, and Mr. R. Martin, the House divided, and decided against receiving the Petition by a majority of 64 to 37.-Mr. Hume afterwards moved for a number of papers relative to the expenditure in the Ionian Isles; on which a warm discussion arose on the subject of Sir T. Maitland's conduct. The papers were ultimately granted. Feb. 26. Petitions were presented from various quarters for measures to relieve the distressed state of Agriculture.—Mr. F. Robinson addressed the House on the expediency of repealing the provisions of various Acts of Parliament relative to the mode of taking the average prices of corn, and 264 Proceedings in the present Session of Parliament. [March, and introducing new regulations on that subject; as at present, towns in the twelve maritime districts were appointed, in which the average was taken separately on all the corn of every description sold, that gave the average of the town; then the average of the several towns in the district were added together, and divided by the number of towns in the district, and from thence the average of the district was taken. Next the twelve averages of the different districts were taken, and divided, to give the average of the kingdom. The Right Hon. Member concluded by moving the repeal of the 32d, 33d, 44th, and 45th of the late King, and for leave to bring in a new Bill in lieu thereof. After some observations from Mr. Calcraft, Mr. Baring, Mr. Irving, Mr. H. Sumner, Mr. F. Lewis, Mr. Curwen, and others, the motion was agreed to. Feb. 27. A discussion of some length took place on a Petition introduced by Mr. Marryat from the Merchants, Shipowners, &c. of the Port of London, against renewing the Charter of the West India Dock Company. The Petition, which was signed by 6000 persons, complained of the heavy dues imposed by the Company it was supported by Mr. F. Lewis and Mr. Baring, who said, that though the Company had confined their dividends, as restricted by their Charter, to 10 per cent. ; yet they had accumulated a fund of 500,0001. Mr. Gordon had heard, that this 500,000. had been offered to Government, for the renewal of the Charter; but Mr. Robinson, the President of the Board of Trade, said, he had never heard of such an offer; and in reply to an observation, that the Petitioners could obtain no promise from Government that they would not renew the Charter, the Hon. Gentleman observed, that it had two years still to run; and as the Company had not yet applied for its renewal, Government delayed giving any assurance till they had heard both sides. Mr. Long said, the Docks had, in his opinion, fully answered their purpose; and, after Mr. Irvine and Alderman Heygate had said a few words on the subject, the Petition was ordered to be laid on the table, and to be printed. Feb. 28. Lord Nugent presented the usual annual Petition from the Catholics of England, and in the course of his observations stated a curious circumstance; all the Baronies whose Representatives signed Magna Charta, are extinct, with the exception of four. The Representatives of these four Baronies are among the Peers who signed the Petition presented to the House of Commons from the English Catholics.-Mr. Plunkett afterwards presented the Petition of the Ca tholics of Ireland; and moved, that a Committee of the whole House should enquire into the propriety of repealing the laws which prevent Catholics from holding offices in the State. This motion was opposed by Mr. Peel, who was answered by Sir J. Mackintosh.-Lord Bury and Mr. Dennis Brown spoke in favour of the motion, as did Mr. C. Grant and Lord Castlereagh.-The claims of the Ca. tholics were opposed by Mr. Dawson and Mr. Bankes. The motion was carried, on a division of 227 to 221. March 1. The Chancellor of the Er chequer gave notice of his intention, at an early day, to submit a proposition to the House for enabling the Bank to resume cash-payments at an early period more effectually than could be done under the existing regulations. Mr. M. Fitzgerald called the attention of the House to the present state of Education among the lower classes of the people of Ireland; and to the abuse of the funds applicable to that purpose, which, be contended, if properly applied, were equal to all the purposes of spreading education in that country; and declared his intention of calling the attention of Parliament fully to the subject in the course of next Session. HOUSE OF LORDS, March 2. The Marquis of Lansdown moved an Address to his Majesty, that he would be pleased to cause some steps to be taken, to prevent or repair the evils to be apprehended to the peace of Europe, by the advance of the Austrians on Naples. The motion was, however, negatived, on a division of 84 to 37. In the Commons the same day, Mr. Plunkett proposed his Resolutions in a Committee of the whole House, relative to the claims of the Catholics -Mr. Peel, Sir George Hill, and Mr. Montague, declared their decided opposition to the measure. The Resolutions were agreed to as a matter of course, pro forma; and the Right Hon. Member obtained leave to bring in a Bill, founded upon them. The House went into a Committee on the Grampound Disfranchisement Bill. After much desultory conversation, an amendment of Lord Millon's, for making Leeds a scot-and-lot Borough, was negatived, on a division, by 182 to 66. The amendment of Mr. S. Wortley, limiting the right of voting to the occupants of the value of 201. instead of 101. was carried by a majority of 148 to 94. The Bill underwent various other amendments, and the Report was ordered to be received on Monday, when it was recommitted, 1821.] Proceedings in the present Session of Parliament. committed, the report received, and ordered to be taken into further consideration on Friday, and to be printed. HOUSE OF COMMONS, March 6. Numerous Petitions were presented from all parts of the Country, complaining of the existing agricultural distress; and Mr. Curwen, as one mode of relief, gave notice of a motion for the repeal of the Agricultural Horse Tax.-Sir R. Wil son, adverting to the Letter published in the Papers, purporting to be the declaration of our Minister, Mr. A'Court, to the Neapolitan Authorities, as to the conditions on which our squadron in the Bay of Naples was to observe a strict neutrality, namely, that they would do so as long as the Neapolitans respected the King and Royal Family, put a question to Lord Castlereagh, whether such was indeed the foundation on which our neutrality rested.—The Noble Lord, however, declined to answer the question, but intimated that the gallant General, if be thought proper, might move for the document which he had alluded. Maberly brought forward a motion on the public expenditure; and going through all the items of expenditure for 1820, and comparing them with those of 1792, contended that a saving of at least 3,000,000%. might be made in our expenditure.—Mr. Vansittart replied to Mr. Maberly, and moved the previous question.-After some observations on the part of Mr. Calcraft, Mr. Huskisson, Mr. Ricardo, Mr. Lush ington, and others, Mr. Maberly's motion was negatived by a division of 83 to jog. Mr. March 7. Mr. Plunkett brought in his Bill for the Emancipation of the Catholics; when the first reading passed sub silentio, and the second was fixed for Friday, the 16th instant.-Mr. Hobhouse presented a Petition from several inhabitants of Westminster, complaining of the power lately assumed by the Judges, of fining for contempt; which, after considerable discussion, was withdrawn, in consequence of the impropriety of several expressions contained therein.-Mr. Gooch moved for a Committee to enquire into the causes of the Agricultural Distress, and to report thereupon to the House. The motion was seconded by Sir E. Knatchbull, and acceded to on the part of Mr. Robinson. A lengthened discussion followed, and ultimately the motion was agreed to. March 12. The House went into a Committee of Supply, and Lord Palmerston moved that 81,000l. be voted for the land service of Great Britain during the current year. Col. Davies moved an amendment, that the Chairman should report progress, and ask leave to sit again; with a view that GENT. MAG. March, 1821. 265 he, Col. Davies, might move for a Committee of Investigation and Inquiry into the Estimates. Mr. Macdonald subsequently stated, that he should move that the number of men should be reduced by 10,000; and Mr. Bennet expressed his intention to support the amendment. After a long discussion the Committee divided on an amendment proposed by Col. Davies, that the Chairman should quit the Chair and report progress-for the motion 95, against it 216.-The Committee bad afterwards a great number of divisions on motions of adjournment, and that the Chairman should report progress, in all of which Ministers had large majorities. March 14. Mr. R. Smith moved for copies of all communications which have taken place between our Government and the Government of Austria relative to the Austrian Loan.-Lord Castlereagh did not oppose the motion, and the papers were ordered. The House went into a Committee of Supply, and the discussion on the Army Estimates was resumed; when Mr. Macdonald proposed, as an amendment, a reduction of 10,000 men in the military force of the country. Upon this proposition a long discussion ensued, and ultimately a division took place; when the motion was rejected by a majority of 96, the numbers being, for the reduction 115, against it 211.-A second division took place, on a motion of Mr. Dawson for reducing the number of men 5000; but this was also negatived by 195 to 130. The original Resolution for granting 81,458 men was then agreed to; and the Report was ordered to be received the following day. March 16.-CATHOLIC QUESTION. Mr. Plunket moved the second reading of the Catholic Bill; previous to which, however, a number of petitions, from various bodies of Protestant Clergy and others, were presented against the Bill, and one from certain, Catholic Clergy, and other individuals, of the county of Stafford, against the Bill now pending, for regulating the intercourse between the Roman Catholic Clergy and the See of Rome. The presenting of this Petition gave rise to a lengthened discussion, which was commenced by Sir Thomas Lethbridge, who contended, that the allegations contained in it were such as fully proved the fallacy of the present measure, which the Petitioners already prayed the House to reject. He was convinced the Bills now before the House, instead of conciliating the Catholic Body, would but tend to irritate them. The Hon. Baronet also declared his opinion, that the measure would be productive of general dissatisfaction among the Members of the Estab lished |