106 made therefore ; to the sheriffs there is answer made ; to the knights it is agreed that they shall be chosen by the common conseut of every county. It. ll.—Ttie petition was, p. 165, that a parliament may be yearly holden, in convenient place, to redress delays in snits, and to end such cases as the juilees doubt of. To which the kina's answer was, it shall be as it bath been used : and in 2 Ric. 11. the reason fur opening the parliament was stated to he, secondly, for that it was enacted that a parliament stoma! yearly be livid. This law remained lin a space of 262 years, till 16 Car. I. when that klag having discontinued parlianiente for 12 years, the nation found a necessity of having a cautionary parlia ment every third year t' secure their annual parliaments fur the two year- immediately foregoing. This is said to be the tine reason of the act for a triennial parliament, A. D. 1640. The first enactineat of this statute was, that the laws for a parliament, to be holden at least once a year, shall hereafter be duly kept and observed. Scohel. Collat. 16111 Carl. e. 1. This Act was afterwards repealed by 16 Car. 11. c. 1. whit It in its preamble denounces the Act of Car. L as in derogation of his Majesty's jll4 light% and prerogative inherent to the Imperial Crown of this realm, for the calling and assembling of Parliament, and may he an occasion of manila,' inkehiels and inconveniences ' and much eudanger the peace and surely of his Majesty, and all his liege people of this realm. And after having enacted, in s. 2, the repeal, it proceeds, a. 3, to declare the law to be, that because by the ancient laws and statutes of this realm (made 4 Ed. lit. c. 11, and 36 Ed. 111. C. 10), " parliaments are to be held very often;" that here. after the sitting and holding of parliaments shall not be intermitted or discontinued above three years at the most, but that within three years from the deteraiination of that parliament, and so from time to time within three years after the determination of any other parliament : or if there be occasion inure often, the King and his successors should issue writs fur calling, assembling, and holding another parliament, to the end there may be a frequent calling, !ex. once in three years at the least. Thus the parliamentary law continued until 1691, 6 W. and ta 2, when the la-t , talute was re-enacted. but in s. 3, it was further declared, that no parliament whatsoever that sautild at any time hereafter be called, should have any coa tinuance longer th to tin three years only at the farthest, from the day of meetine specified in the munitions'; and that that parliament should ' cease on Ist Nuv. 106, unless sooner dissolved. There was a dissolution and anew parliament begun on 22d of Nov 1695, at Westminster; and by an act in 1696, c. 2a, for regulativas elections, the qualification of voters is, freehold lands or heridaincots of the yearly value of 40s. The period of parliaments having thus crept on, continued 21 years npon the last statute when, in 1715, 1 (leo. 1. it was further extended, c. 3H, to it term of seven years and no longer, not only fur that, bat for all future parliaments, nuicss sooner dissolved. It is stated in the preamble, that it had been found by experience that the triennial act hail proved very grievous and burdensome, by occasioning much greater and more continued e spences in order to elections, and more violent and lastiog heats and animosities amongst the subjects of the realm, than were ever known before that clause was enacted; and that the provision, if it should continue ' might probably at that juncture, when a restless and Popishfite'ion wei e designing and endeavouring totenew the rebellion within the kingdom, and an invasion from abroad, be destructive to the peace and security of the government. This bill originated with the Duke of Devonshire in the house of Lords, and was much opposed by Earls of Notting ham, Abingdon, and Pinilet, on the grounds that frequent pailia cents were required by the fundamental constitaitioll of the kingdom, ascertained in the practice of wally ages ; alt that the members of the lower In Rise were chosen by the body of the nation. In a certain term of years, at the expira tion of which they conk' be no longer representatives R f the people; who, by the parliament's aroma., mg its own auilim rity, would be deprived of the illy remedy which they had against those who, through ignorance or corruption, betrayed the trust reposed in them: and that a long parliament would yield a greater temptation, as well as a better opportunity, to a vicious iteeistry, to corrupt the members, than they could possibly have when the parliaments were short and fralness' ; 2 :Smut. 330. The bill passed in the tipsier house by a majority of 35—Thor being 96 in the affiimative, and 61 in the negative, and 30 lords entered a strong protest against it. In eonsequetice of this proceeiline, various petitions were presented to the House of Commons from ihtleresit parts of the country, declaring that the people looked upon it as an attempt to overturn the constitution—but it passed by 264 against 121.—Hiss. Mag. ch. xxxviii. From these testimonies it appears, that annual parliaments, and some times two parliaments within the year, were the custom of the realm ; hut that the legislature afterwards thought fit to extend their duration to three years; and the same high authority, in later tittles, further extended them to seven years: but it does not any where appear that unisersal mithriree was ever the light of the people, for a qualification and free hargeeses, a rent of 40s. gave this privilege to the few VllO held solllrlenore of that value, over those who held not any properly to qualify them for more than labour. A. H. NATIONAL REGISTER._ FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE. Pants, MARCII ^3 .—The Duchess of Angouleme will go to-morrow to St. Germain-en-Lap:. Her Royal Highness will be present at the benediction of the flags of the National Guard, and will attach the cravats. At Ajaccio, in Corsica, six brigands have suffered the punishment of death for their crimes, with a degree of obdurate ferocity, which may equal any thing in the annals of human turpitude. Three of them were bor thers, of the age of from 20 to 30 years. When asked, a few hours bellire their execution, if they would eat something—" We will give you," (said the jailer) what ever you tlesire."—" Ail, well then," replied they, gi et: us the heart of naming tine of their cue mks To the nil:111)er of phenomena which have distinguish ed the prc•:ent season in all parts of Europe, several new and extraordioary particulars are constantly adding On the 2d of Febi nary there was remarked, at Odensec, in Denmark, in the south-west, a sort of a shower of fire, which fell with great rapidity, and seemed to in c i as it approached nearer to the earth. a storm ot• rain, hail and thunder, burst sudd,:nly over Rome; the lightening struck on the cha- TIT teau of St. Alige, and much damage was done. On the 1 8 th, about three in the afternoon, there was beard at Agen, in France, a loud explosion, similar to one that occurred at the same place, on the sth of Septem b,:r, 18 14, when several aerolites, or air-stones fell. The explosion appeared to come from the southern part of the heavens, and immediately a light breeze which was blowing from the north was calmed, and during more than two minutes afterwards a succession of detonations, more or less strong iva.s heard. The last occurrence which is noticed is still more re markable. It happened at Alcocer, in Spain, on the '2oth. The weather was rainy. At three o'clock in the afternoon there was some lightening, followed with thunder; about half past six there arose all of a sudden a most tempestuous wind ; torrents of rain and hail stones fell ; the whole Heavens becalm illuminated with lightening', with the exception of' a black cloud which increased by little and little to a great bulk ; at seven a detonation was heard of suelk appAlline loudneis, that the people in the streets fell in terror to the ground, and a suffocatinm smell of sulphur ensued, no ways calculated to revive their shattered nerves ; a second detonation, not so loud, followed, and the black cloud then bursting open, an immense globe of fire issued from it, and de scending rapidly on a Convent of Franciscans, destroyed the iron cross which surmounted it, set tire to the tim ber work, and dividing itself into two volumes of flame enveloped the whole ofone side of the Church, and mak ing an opening of more than six feet in the walls burst into the interior. This extraordinary explosion was succeeded by a thick shower of hail, soon after which the atmosphere became quite tranquilized and serene ; and the inhabi tants, recovering from their surprize, exerted them selves to extinguish the fire in the Convent, in which, however, they did not succeed till the greater part of it wail damaged or destroyed. The following is an article, dated Elbertield, March 12 :—" There have passed through our town within the last fortnight two prisoners of war, returning from Russia. They have stated that there are still in the re mote provinces of Russia many prisoners, who only want the necessary means to return to their country. One of these soldiers was a Frenchman, the other a native of this town. He had dwelt in a russian town named Gewerstlenensky-Gorod, which seemed to be situated towards the south, but a very great distance from Mos cow. In the month of Mardi, 1816, the time of his departure, there were about SOO prisoners, all Ger mans. The Frenchman had resided, up to July, 18 6, in a place named Malouka, which he stated was situ ated in Siberia. On the 18th of July he had set out for it with a column of 700 prisoners, 23 Officers, and niru medical men, under the conduct of a Captain ; but only :300 arrived on the frontier of Prussia, the rest hav ing perished on the way. About the end of January, they arrived at Berlin: the Frenchman set out from that with 41 Hessians fin. Cassel.—He assures us, that when the colnmn passed the town of Caloga, there were in it 720 other prisoners of war engaged at work on a canal which they were digging near that town, and which they said was to be united with the Black Sea. At Moscow he had seen 1 100 other prisoners, French, Germans, and Neapolitans. According to what he had heard, there were -1000 foreign soldiers at this moment on the march for Germany. The Authorities of Eberfehl have prepared a proces verbal of the assertions of those two soldiers."—Le Monileur. Friday, two Dutch mails were received. Some of the letters by them from Rotterdam mention, that American vessels are still frequently arriving in Dutch ports from China, with cargoes of tea. The Captains are said to exult much in the misunderstanding which has lately manifested itself between the British and Chinese at Canton, and which the American Consul there does not fail to increase by every means in his power. One of the American Captains recently ar rived at Rotterdam, boasted one day at table, that a ' short time only would elapse before the. British would have to purchase their teas from the Americans. The lust American ship Lurived in Holland from Canton, brings down the accounts from thence to thelBth of December, and even at that date the Embassy hal not made its appearance. Captain Maxwell was at Canton about the middle of December, anxiously waiting the arrival of Lord Amherst and Sir George Staunton, in the hope of obtaining the liberation of the unfortunate Chinese Who were thrown into prison and iahununly treated fn. no other offence, as it is alleged, than showing the British the direct road to the Palace. Voluminous accounts have arrived this week of the operations of the contending parties on the Spanish Main. They describe a variety of contests batween the Independents and Royalists, which appear to have ended in favour of the former, and if faith can be placed in the statements given, the al irs of the Inde pendents in the Caraceas are going on prosperously.— Ferdinand and his Ministers have, it is believed, been !tying to induce the Allied Powers to assist him in slbduing his rebellims American subjects, anti it is trongly rummired that our Gwernment is again en t'eavouriug to mediate IxAsNeen them: but such media- APRIL t. tion can do no good, when, as is well known, one par ty asks that the other has determined n•it to grant. By a Mail from Jamaica we arc sorry to learn, that the Western Ocean swarms with armed ye-ads, which intercept an-I plunder the ships of all nations indiscri minately. They call themselves " Independents:" their conduct is that of Pirates ; and we hope their career will be stopped precisely in the way in which in times past the seas were cleared of their predecessors. By the Jamaica Mail of Wednesday, the following intelligence was received from that part of South Ame rica which is in the occupation of the Independents.— They do not boast of any brilliant exploits of recent oc currence : " BARCELOSA, FEB. 6.—Sir G. McGregor is RS ar dent in our lay!: cause as ever, and his present absence from the Army of Venezula is solely owing to severe ill-health, and a desire to try a voyage or two at sea, which I am rejoiced to find is fast restoring him to health. Ile has wirelmgad 0...1 manned fin. the Repub. he, a large ship, mounting QO guns, of which Ili! com. mand, with adequate allowances, has been given to a judicious and a distincuished North Caledonian of the name of McGregor, who will afford every sort of favour and encouragement to the brave heroes who may choose to join him in our great and glorious cause. It will also be useful to state, that our Chiefs and Government have resolved to admit British, Scotch, and Irish to naturali zation, and to employ them in our Armies and Navy, under all the advantages and privileges of American born Citizens of the Republic, and to such as have al ready serve.] as Officers liar some time, additional rank will be allo,Yed in both Army and Navy. Where par ticular serviees prove singu'ar talent or extraordlnary ardour and zeal, higher rank and command will be be stowed upon them.' IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. HOUSE OF LORDS. MONDAY, IdARCIT 31. The Speaker of the 11 , nise of 0411ln - ins attended, with several members, and heard the Royal A—ent given by com mission to the Seditious Met tings and the Naval Officers Half-pay Bills. The. Cochineal and Indigo Bills were pooled. The !louse then, on the motion of toe Earl of Liverpool, adjourned till Wednesday fortnight. HOUSE 01' COIOIONS. MONDAY, MARCH 31 . The Spe•iker,attenili4;;;e;rlallnenilieri, went up to the House of Lords, an 1 hearil lie Royal ASSellt given to at es ral hills, for which re the Lords. The Rye and Rock Salt 11 lk ‘it re read a first time. Mr. M. A. TAY; VR ' an td•Tre•• to the icet e , st, re rine,iiina his 5c.)... 11 sl to Aire nr4p. , rm. t'efra,ing th I ii• progress for the better poring of • • eets in the metropolis. *i he Hai. 6eaticman trusted, that when the extent Jou importa... e .•• the /,1 N Ie LIPIOI. tic ~ tile .1 •lis.• MO' i..n. Mr. RAIIIURNT ill the aosem.e of his Right Hon Friend ('Jr. Vansittart), WA- prerarril to say, that the application was a ',roper uue. The st• p taken by the Right Hon. Gen tleman in bringing in the bill, was a proper one for the pub. lic benefit. The SPEAKER could not let the %object pass without loser observations. The question WAS one of importance, att regarded the present disgrareful state of the pavement.. A bill in its progres., even thongli it was of a private would create tunny fees; but this bill, %Well might affect the in:crest of private individual., must be delayed, .n order to giro notice to those parties MU-re-tett ; tOr the Hon. Gentle• MAW had nut gis ell ;my notice ; and those interested ought to be informed of the hill, so that they might jtulse for them vets e.. The address was then agreed to. . Mr. M. A. TAYLOR then moved the second reading of the bill, which was accordingly read and referred to the coast• deration of a (iris ate committee. Mr. PosisoNnv, in the absence of Mr. Grattan, gave notice that he would, about the 20th of April, bring forward the subject of the Catholic claims. Mr. BuoidGuast presented a petition from Mr. Brooks. a pawnbroker, w High-street, Blooinsbitiy, complaiiiing of the caiirliiet Of the Bank of Fakland, iti having seised him and charged hint with feloo, for lie , ing in his possession a (urged Haul note, which he refused to delit er up whin before the 111:112,..trate; and in Clllll% wiener of whir h, at the slesite of a person eane.l.l Westwood, he was co,nmiucJ 11 r further e %annum ion, and detained iu custody - 21 hours, w Mr. Westwood consulted the Batik upon the course he shook! Immo, Mr. Brooks had applied to the Batik to proceed a..ainst him by indictment, but they had nut dune so. The . petition was laid on the table. Mr. VANAI TART moved that the House at its rising shoal adjoin. till Monday tortiik ht. Mr. PosisoNin observed, that this day the House hail heard the Royal Assent given to the last of those coterie .I:eit , llreA 1411101 1.;61,1 brought in, in lien of relies i the ng dtett•rsses ot• the peipie. PariaTiment, w h.t h 11:111 Fat ICI' It° mutuh•, had 11011 r lane inane than pa•s 1.1101 111 P 'sures. the (la •tress WAS rt•umveil, or lit Ira•t solicited, the lici:•e could not hope that the 1% ais would he le: sena d. The l'..in• 'outlet. of M•tnautt awl Es penalatnee had not Bette naarli to relive the dist:less ; the call upon them ought to be (Wick' tiley should nut have suliered 'he distress to continue; •It least sosnuthang shoull 11.1Ve In cis alone to clic% e them. If measures or that kind had hecia resorted to, 4 long alljnion . mein might have been had ; anal indeed the health or the !speaker %%mild have b rn )1 great indnuentent. C.111'4 NI h 6, 1101%1/11101 1141ilog the olaseiValiall Sof 111 1 Right Hots. t len, leman , trusted 1114' Ministers were ili*pori to attend to the dl•:resxes of the people ; hut if the It igLI Ilientleman esp. I they would be able 111 111. 1 1 ' .•. , 110011. to removal 1•I• the causes, he would he hey 41 , 11,11 11 ,1 1'1.1.4X 11 11141 . 011111,1,.4111.. 11111 W. , s line ttilC. t 11. pc that when tin I Imise again met, ►ome p.... 1 word A ortought torwriti ter the relict of the people he alivuld