106 3mpertat 'Varttaintnt. HOUSE. OF LORDS. MONDAY, *NW. 1. Lord JAR. MURRAY was introduced as Baron Glcnlion, and took his seat. His Lordship was introduced by Lords Limerick and Kinnoul. Doyle's Divorce Bill was read the second time, and the Com mittee postponed till after the holidayi. Earl DIG BY presented three petnions from Agriculturists in the county of Dorset, complaining of distress, &c.—Laid on the table. The Marquis of LANSDOWNE moved that the Secretary to the Board of Excise be caned to the bar. That person ac • cordingly appealed. The Marquis of LANSDOWNE—Do you remember on the 111th of last month receiving an order of this House, from the 111.sengcr of the Treasury A. On the 12th of last month, in the morning, an order front the !louse was received by me. Q. What did you do with the order?—lt was not directed to me. It was for the Board. They opened it. The witness withdrew. The Marquis of LA NSDOW NE then moved, that Lord George Seymour, Chairman of the Board of Exe;se, be called to the bar. The motion was agreed to, and the noble Lord appeared. Examined by the Marquis of LANSDOWNE. Q. Does your Lordship remember to have received on the 12th of la-it month, a communication from the Treasury, which was laid before the board ?—A. I did, on the 12th. Q. Did the Board, in consequence of that communication, direct any steps to be taken ?—A. It was directed to be reported to different persons whom it concerned—to different branches of the excise, country correspondents ' and the different offices. Q. Did it appear to you, that there was any thing in the order which required delay in making the return ?—A. It was necessary to discover and point nut older; sent to different individuals. Q. Will yam. Lordsl4 state why the delay too:: place ?—lt arose from this: Oaers were given tinder spixial circumstances, to various individuals, and we wished to get answers, which had not been received, before we gave any general answer to this !louse. . . . Q. This we are to consider the cause why the returns could not be made without delay ? —A. I considered it n. eessary to obtain answers to all die ca•cs under consideration betUre we made our return. Every came stood on its own Lorton), and I did not think a sweeping answer sufficient. Q. MI your Lordship consider that any discretion was to be exercised by the Board, in returieng an answer to the order of the Hoare?—A. I certainly did understand it so—a sweeping return would not have been sufficient. Q. Dues your Lordship recollect to have received on the 24th of List month front the 'I reasury the Order of the House, that a return to the former order be made forthwith ?—1 do. Q. State what steps were taken in consequence?—A. No steps were taken to nui4thc return. A further report writ, ordered. Q. Did your Lordship receive a letter from the officer of the Treasury, accom:anying the last order, and requesting to be in formed of the nature of the delay 'r —A. Yes. Q. Did you answer it ?—A. No—l certainly take blame to myself for not giving the answer. Lord Seymour then withdrew. The slarquis of LANSDOWNE. then moved that the noble be rolled again to the bar, and informed that the House Himld expect in future their orders to be punctually attended to. The motion was agreed to, and Lord Seymour rest•ppeared al thi bar. The LORD CHANCELLOR then said—•' Lord George Seymour, I am commanded by this House to infoom you, that the House expect in future their orders to be minuet:My obeyed, and at present they dismiss you from any further attendance here." Lord Se, 'oar then withdrew. The Marquis of LA NSDOW NE then moved, that there be laid before that House a copy of all convictions obtained under prosecutions instituted by the Board of Excise, for selling roasted corn and other substances sodded breakfast powder. Also the opinions of the Crown Officers upon the powers given by the Act of went to seize the same. After a few remarks front Lord Liverpool, the motion was agreed to. Lord ERSK I E presented a petition from the occupi e rs of land in the County of Suffolk, complaining of agricultural dis tress.—Laid on die table. laird Gil EY presented a petition against the Durham lighting and paving bill. The Irish Five per Cents. Bill was read a second time. The Dublin Fever (hospital Bill was also read a second time. The Receivers of Stolen Securities' Bill was read a second time. —Adjourned. TrESDAY, APRIL 2. On the motion of the Bishop of EXETER, the report of the committee upon the education of the poor was ordered to be pi lilted. The report of the commissioners appointed to regulate church br'cfs was laid on the table by the Bisdop of Exeter. The Irish Five per Cents. Bill was read the third time and passed. The Receivers of Stolen Securities' Bill, and the Dublin Fever Ilospi:al Bill, went through committees. Adjourned. WEDNESDAY, APRIL 3. The focal itsvnt was given to the Irish five per cents. bill— the Admiralty Quonitn bill—the Altilt Duties Repeal bill—and the Attorneys and Solicitors' Regulation bill. The Commissioners were the Lord Chancellor, Lord Melville, and Lord Shaftesbury. Mr. Drogden and other members from the Commons broti;,tht up the Innkeepers' Rates bill, which was read the first time. Lord RED ESDA I .F. presented a ,e-ition front the Chevalier %ITU - it , . praying for amendment in the bankrupt laws. Tile petitioner prayed especially that no Commission should issue unless the debt of the petitioning creditor amounts to lOW. The petition was read and laid on the tattle. On the motion of the Earl of LAUDERDALE, a message was suit to the Commons, requesting a copy of the report of the Committee on Agriculture. - - Lord ERSKINE presented two petitions from owners and occupiers of lard in the townie, of Kent and Gloucester, coin. p!aining of agricultural distress. The noble Lord observed, that it few clays ago, when lie p rebemed a similar petition, it was said no steps could be taken for the relief of the dists &zed agricul turists, until the result of the labours of the Agricultural Com- hoittee was known. He had then the report of that Committee in his poelitt, and could state to the House what the result was. ' They had a kr a lust time a statement of one of the causes o f agricultural distress. They were told it arose from an unlimited importation of foreign corn, which had injured the domestic grower, and whenever the price of corn was below the price allowed by law, government were recommended to take corn in pledge, advancing not more than two-think of the value. The rtetaiiint nth:6on of the Committee. so far front being a remedy, we., in the noble Lord's opinion, an aggravation of the evil. The agriculturists called upon that [loose tut relief, and they is do nothing for them, but the Lords certainly had the power to reject any bill which did not propose a proper remedy. 't hey had heard a great deal about brin,;ing the country back to its former state with respect to grain, but he for one should be sorry to sec it brutz,4ltt buck again to the state which produced the most btaetit to growers of corn. lle sincerely hop e d th at house would Itject any bill which did Out provide a remedy fur the evil. The LORD dHA,NCEI.I.OR said a noble friend, not then in the House, had moved to brin g ; the report of hit Committe of ~., -- ~:.~. 1 THE RATIONAL REGISTER the House of Commons to their table, and until it came up he considered all observations upon it irregularly introduced. The petitions were then read and laid on the table. The Receivers of Stolen Securities bill, and the Dublin Fever Ilmpitd bill, were read the third time and pas.ed. On the motion of the Earl of Shaftesbury the House adjourned to Thursday the 18th inst. HOUSE OF CO\IMONS. mounts', *PIM. I. The Glasgow Gas Light bill was read a third time, and passed. Mr. WHITBREAI) present-d a petition from Ux bridge. complaining of the present modu of recovering small debts. The Liverpool St Luke New Church bill was read a second time. Sir A. CAMPBELL presented a petition from mer chants in Glasgow, complaining of the stale of the West India trade. Mr. 11. DAVIS presented a petition from merchants in Bristol, complaiiiii:g of the depressed state of West India produce, and praying the house, as means of relief, to adopt means for opening the trade with America.—Read, and ordered to be printed. SALT TRADE. Gen. G.ISCOVNE presented a petition from persons in Liverpool engaged in the trade of exporting salt. He pressed the subject on the house as one of great import rillee, and the petitioners hoped that the decision of the house, in the early part of the %eRSiOII, WOUlli not be con sidered decisive. It was a most obnoxious tax, and he trusted that it would again be investigated by the house. Mr. CALCRA FT said, that his course on this subject would be—he should not loose any resolution pledging the house to take tip the subject at a future period—it won hl lie, if he made any propositions stow, to repeat what lie hail before suggested. He was not aware that lie should adopt any proceeding on the subject this session ; but if nothing were done sill the next session, it' agrical tore obtained no relief, he should think that they ought then to get rid of ilie tax altogether. (Hear, hear.) Sir T. LETHBRIDGE was glad to hear what had fallen from the lion. member who last spoke, but at the same time hoped that government would prevent the ne cessity of again bringing the subject connected wills the salt tax before the house. Its repeal %email be must valu able—it would be really useful to the country. Mr. P. OR EN FELL said, the first tax that they ought to repeal was the salt tax ; and let them remember that the repeal of the tax would enable them to destroy all the machinery that was requisite to collect it. Sir I. COFFIN expressed a hope that they would cost tissue to fire, broadside after broadside, at his ,Majesty's mittisters till the repeal of this most odious tax was ob tained. It was a tax that tended to convert God's bless ing into a curse, and lie trusted he should be excused, if lie thesis ed to see its end. Petition read, and ordered to be printed. Lord A. HA NI( LTUN moved for copies of any instrne lions firm the Edinburgh excise, respecting the imposition of malt ditties on the brewers of Glesgow, &v.—Ordered. Mr. SYKES presented a petition from Hull, complain ing of agricultural distress.—Read, and ordered to be printed. Mr. S. WORTLEY, in presenting a petition from the agricultitrinos of Linlithgow, attr Slotted a good deal of she listless to the cosithict of the Bark ; to their taut having discounted at lower interest. Mr. MANNING eximressed his astonishment at the charge pis-ferret' against the Bank. He did not believe that any distress hail resulted from the conduct of the Bank, though various persons had thought proper to at tack them for not lowering the rate of interest. As to the sate of interest, that was a gin:slims for the decision of the two houses of parliament; and 3%10 the charge against the Bank, they hail lent their capital, fifteen millions, at three per cent. interest. The efforts to lower the rate of interest was most injudicious, for it had the effect to drive our mousey into the foreign funds. There had, however, been no want of m mey, , though he thought the agricultu ral distress resulted from superabundance ; but he thought it would be better to leave matters find their own level. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER, without revelling to what had been said on this petition, beg= g ed to state that a clause had for some time been under the consi skit-ration 01 the crown law tolicers, to repeal the ad valarene dirty out the transfer of mortgages, to permit WO transfers to take place on common stamps. Mr. W ESTERN declared that all agricultural property waster the brink of ruin. lie added, thud if site farmers of Essex were called on to set their accounts, he believed that two t birds of them would be found to be iiisolvent.— Wits there any thing like this in histary ?—was there any instance where so in portant a class had been so speedily 'cultured to distress? It would convulse the whole frame of satiety, if allowed to go on; it would drag down, ere long, the nubility and gentry from their high situations.— For years past the tenants haul paid their rents out of their capital the landlords huh in fact existed on the tenants' means previously acquired. Ile twbeved that all these evils had resulted from tire changes that had been effected in the currency ; but fur that change the formers ot this mom , nt would b sin a state of prosperity. He further stated that time tenantry of Essex had abstained f petittuoing that House on she subject of their distresses, in utter despair of that Howse being aide to allied them any relief. Ile trussed that the state of the currency would be ogitated after the holi days. The measure tat 1797 was a breach of f a ith wil l, thee puhlic creditors; anti he said it was now us great a bri ri c h of faith. by chariging the currencs, to call on the public deli tors to pity what they had never bonus% ed tar midertakell 10 pay.—(Hear. hear !) Sir E. 11 Alt V EY concurred ts ith much of what had fallen fount his hon. collea,:eue; he had not received one petition or applicators' on the subject. Petition read and ordered to be printed. EXTRA POST.—M r. S. WORTLEY presented a petition from Mr. Burge's, ul L'ouloo, pray Mg for some remuneration fur his losses in t edeavouring to establish an exit a ;rust. — To-morrow he sleruld cull the relent of the House 011 the subject. 'rise CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said, that such encouragement had hero given so Mr. Burgess by Par ham. tit, that he set rued entitled to suite remuneration. Petition valid and endured to lie on the table. Mr. 60OCH presented the report of the committee on agricultare.—There were cries of Read, read ! Lord LONDONDERRY said she it p i r,st was short, and it %%mild he printed in 4S hours; perhaps ti wouiii be biller to a bit for an accurate report. If it arse read tip re might Se ern/La:tart IsUlltnA ou the itihji ct. lit. hoped there %said ~.. • • —.Oda he no discussion till Nome play was named; be proposed to rail the atientlllll of the Ilouse to the subject on the 22d inst. to discuss the report its a committee of the whole house. Report ordered to be taken into coissiderAinn in n coin. snittee of the W hole house, on Monday, the 22d inst. on the en Ilion of Lord Londonderry. Mr. ROBINSON afterwards, when the house wag in a committee on the col %el acts, brouzlet forward res o l u ti ons for opening the WeA India tra de, and fur regulating that Wide with America. Mr. %Vilberfurce, Ilr. %V. Smith, &c. expressed their rip. probation of the plan, sithinittirg that it would be ealrul lied In relieve the colonies; and hoped that rare would be taken to guatil against the illegal importation of slaves. Resolutions agreed to, and bills ordered to be brought in tic ci ii dltlgly. 'flee House then went into a committee of Ripply, in which Mr. Arbuthnot broil/lit forward the miscellaneous estimates, the several items of which were agreed to without typo. cition. On the resolution for granting 40,0001 s fur se cret seitice money, Mr. HUME wished to know from the noble Mirquis nt wh..l porpioes Isi• secret sts vice iiimicy wus ?—( A latigh.)—(;clitlemeis might laugh, ton, its Isis opinion, i 1 cow 11 be ni.lied to no good purpoor, fur, it well applied, their' could be no occasion for russet:lllll(.la. Lord LON DON I)LBRY said, the hon. meother's propo sition was certunily an Irish one ; considering, that this was money appropriated to secret services. The bon. gent. should also recollect that this head of service was considered as necessary by Mr. Burke; and that the money 5505 received and expended under the sanction of on oath. lie haul no objection to stare, however, that 26,0011. of this sum wai applied to deunindi arising out of the war. Mr. flume nind Mr. I lOW Se still objected to the vote. Mr. ARL'(ITIISOI defended the grant as nccessury for suppoi l ieg the iolliwnce of the country. Mr. 11011110 USE said we were then fighting the cause of this country sit Itureigti coot Is with silver Riede—he con. sidercti the grant a, euormous, and iyjuu jOll9 to I h, best int-r -csts of the country. As to Mr. Rorke's, opinion, there was no a doctrine which could be named for w hieh the nui hot ity of that individual might hot be cited iu some part or other of his works. The question was then put. and the rallery elenred for ii divition, hut no division took place, told the resiilittiiiii ss us agreed to. On the resolution for granting 78,000!. for government mcssenger,... Mr. 111:ti NET moved to reduce the vote to 68,0001. The House divided—For the original resolution, 67—For the tont ntlinent 19— Mujority agniust ilue anittidatent 4S. Several other items were disposed of, and the House re sumed, and the report was ordered to he received to-morrow. Lord LONDON DERRY thengave wife. that he is toad on Wednesday loose that the !louse, at its rising un that day, should adjourn to that day fortnight. The oilier orders were disposed of, and the House ad. journed at one o'clock. TIESDtY, APRIL 2. Sir IL PARNELL pi esetited the report of the Holy head roads' commit tee.—Orthired to be printed. Sir F. lIIIIMETT presented three petitions, praying the house to procure for Mr. Ilunit a fl . llll*.Aioll Or the re in:lining poi tom of his SCoitetice. He would avail himself of this °ppm tiiiiity to state, tii.it Mr. 11. had not been relieved from !hose petty and vexatious interferences that had been reported upon the cu tttttt ittee. A letter from Mr. If. stated thus much. The want of ventilation had been spoken of particularly by the commissioners, and it W4i extract, dimity that notwithstanding all that had been said by the commissioners, as well as by hon. members in that house, nothing hail been done on the most important p o i n t, li e was glad that lie had nut brought forward this subject so promptly as he had at first felt disposed to do, for the more that had come to light, the greater reason there was to feel strongly how revere was the treatment of Mr. Hunt. lie had thought that ministers would inter fere; he still had ail ong hopes WI that subject ; hot should not mioisters feel it their duty to advise the Crown to remit Mr. Hlllll's sentence, be would bring fitrwatl a motion on the 34th bo. for an address to the Crown to adopt such mode of proceeding. (Hear, hear.) Petitions read, and ordered to he printed. They wete from Warwick, Bath, and sonic place• in Wiltshire. Sir IL WILSON presented a 'petition 11'0111 Horton : in Lancashire, also with such prayer, as well as enforcing the necessity of reform. Mr. P. NIOORE presented s similar petition from Cu ventry.—Oidcrell to be pointed. Mr. HOBHOUSE moved for returns connected with the Insolvent Debtors' Court, to Whew the amount of the Commissioners' salaries, the fees of the court, the insol vent debtors discharged, &c.—Ordervil. Alderman NVOODpresented the City of London peti tion, agreed to at a Common Hall, complaining of distress, and praying for reform. Ile lamented that the worthy baronet had not undertaken to present the petition, as it would come with effect when presented from IlieTreasniy bench. (Sir \V. Curtis was sitting there.) That worthy member knew something of the distresses that were expe rienced in the trade canted on in the city, particularly in the wholesale trade with different parts of the country; but lie might have complained of some parts of it, for it called for reform, and the bun. member was no great re former. (Hear, and a laugh.) The 'Petitioners did not often approach that berme, but, convinced of its neces sity, they never lost sight of the question of reform. The petition was then read at length. Sir Mr. CURTIS observed, that whatever might be his respect for the livery, lie could not concur in the Nriiti wide' of the petition. The house, however. would not consider that a petition agreed to by 3 or 410 persons, spoke the sentiments of 11,000 good nod honourable melt. The meeting was legally called he admitted, and if the thousands dud nut attend, he was aware it was their own fault; but the fact must nevet theless be stated, that the peti'ion 11 as agreed to by so few of the livery. Mr. 'l'. WlL'•Olvi could not consider this as the petition of the 14,000 livery—of the Lord Mayor, Ablernieti, and Livery—it was the petition of 3or 403 posting. 11e was sew there free and unshackled; lie was ante that it was meant 11141 he should not be trammelled ; and therefore, when lie was desired to stitypirt economy, retretteltinent, and idiom, lie felt assured that lie was expected to sup port them only as far as lie deemed them expedient and sa , Alderman BRIDGES also said that lee did not consider the petition as that of the livery ; it was wily the petition of the 3 or 4 , 0 persons present. Alders: l3 ' l . 111 0 MSON obsei wed, that as the aldermen and lively wett nut pis:suit at the int.ting, when they _ _