Still Science mourns thee, and the grateful Muse With furrowed brow and cheek serenely fair, on, EVENING THOUGHTS. THE busy hours of noon are fled, [July, And fast recedes the fount of day, Well pleas'd to watch the gradual change, The star of eve with gentle beam, Speeds the faint foot, and nerves the withered hand, Till, as her dazzling gleam prevails, And the mild Charity which, day by day, In peace and power he holds his onward path, And calms the passions he hath ceased to feel. The faint stars vanish from my sight: Her wonted majesty resume. And hark! how from yon moss-grown tower, And warns me to redeem the time:" That boon divine, if us'd aright Sure pledge of an eternal state, Where shall your temples, where your worship be, When early morning gilds the skies, Gods of the air, and Rulers of the sea? In the glad dawning of a kinder light, Beautiful land! farewell!-when toil and strife, And scatters wide the mists of night, To bless the Giver of all light; O'er all the dew-bespangled ground: Those rays of wisdom from above, In the great work of saving love. That Time itself shall be no more, MASON CHAMBERLIN. 1823.] [ 69 ] HISTORICAL CHRONICLE. PROCEEDINGS IN PARLIAMENT. HOUSE OF COMMONS, June 20. After a debate of considerable length in a Committee of Supply, a resolution, proposed by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, was agreed to, granting the sum of 40,000l. towards erecting an additional building at the British Museum, for the reception of the late King's Library. A division took place on an amendment, suggested by Mr. Croker, to leave out the words "British Museum,' but the original motion was carried by a division of 54 to 30.-A vote was also agreed to, granting a further sum of 2000l. to Captain Manby, for his services in saving the lives of shipwrecked seamen. June 23. The House went into a COMMITTEE OF SUPPLY, in which several items of expenditure were granted.--On the grant for stationery and printing being proposed, Mr. Hume took occasion to revert to the inquiry set on foot last year at his instance; and attempted to vindicate the integrity of Mr. Constantine Jennings, who supplied the Hon. Member for Aberdeen with information and stolen paper.-Lord Palmerston and Mr. Bankes spoke unfavourably of Mr. Jennings; and Mr. Ricardo confessed, that in the Committee of Inquiry his manners were indecorous in the extreme.-Mr. Hume next opposed the grant of 5,000l. for propagating the Scriptures in North America. The grant was, however, carried by a majority of 49 to 28.-Mr. Wilmot Horton then moved a grant of 15,000l. to encourage emigration to Canada from the South of Ireland. motion gave rise to a discussion of some length, in which Sir John Newport objected to the sum proposed as inadequate.—Mr. Abercromby hinted that it might lead to unreasonable and injurious expectations; and Mr. D. Browne suggested that the money might be better laid out in the encouragement of manufactures, more particularly the linen. Mr. Peel explained, in reply, to Sir J. Newport's suggestion, that the present grant was merely an experiment; and Mr. Ricardo answered Mr. Browne by observing upon the folly of meddling with commerce by legislative enactments, and upon the injustice of taxing one part of the Empire to provide capital for another. The grant was agreed to, as were also some other grants. This Lord Nugent moved the order of the day for the Committee on the ENGLISH CATHOLIC RELIEF BILL. He explained that he had made some alterations in the measure, the effect of which would be to put the English Catholics on the same footing with the English Protestant Dissenters.-Mr. Peel rose before the Bill should go into a Committee, to oppose it in its present form. While its object had been to place the English Catholics in the same condition as the Irish Catholics, it had had his support; but as the Noble Mover now proposed to abrogate the oath of supremacy in this country, which is still imposed upon Catholics in Ireland, he must resist the measure. The omission of any mention of Scotland was also an objection.-Messrs. Bankes and Wetherell opposed the measure in principle and detail.-Messrs. Brougham and Canning suggested that it would be advantageous to those whose interests were involved to divide the Bill; and Lord Nugent acceding, the Bill was divided, one part conferring the elective franchise, the other bestowing more extensive privileges. June 24. Mr. Goulburn moved the second reading of the IRISH INSURRECTION ACT.Sir Henry Parnell moved, as an Amendment, that the state of Ireland should be referred to a Select Committee of twenty-one persons. The Hon. Baronet, in a long and temperate speech, detailed the causes which, in his judgment, operated to interrupt the peace and prosperity of the sister kingdom; and pointed out the inefficacy of the Insurrection Act. Catholic Emancipation was the remedy upon which he seemed disposed to place the most reliance.-Mr. Grattan seconded the motion. Mr. Goulburn acknowledged the good temper in which the Amendment had been brought forward, but resisted it on the double ground, that at this late period of the Session no inquiry could be effectually prosecuted, and that the subject was of too great magnitude for any Committee less than the whole House; and even if the Session could be prolonged, he contended that the detaining the Irish Members in this country would be highly pernicious. Mr. Goulburn, however, stated that he should, at a proper time, offer no opposition to any motion for an inquiry into the affairs of Ireland, to be undertaken on an extensive scale.-Colonel Davies, Mr. John Smith, Mr. Robertson, and Mr. C. Hutchinson, supported the Amendment; which was opposed by Messrs. Bankes, R. Martin, D. ·Browne, S. Rice, and Sir J. Newport. The last two gentlemen perfectly concurred in Sir H. Parnell's complaints of the misgovernment of Ireland; but agreed with Mr. Goulburn, that the period of the session was too late to institute an inquiry.-Mr. Peel resisted the Amendment. He recalled the attention of the House to the original Motion which was for a temporary measure, admitted on all sides to be indispensably ne cessary 70 Proceedings in the late Session of Parliament. cessary for the salvation of Ireland. By the Amendment this saving measure would be lost; but by the original Motion no bar would be presented against inquiry.-Mr. W. Smith supported the Amendment.—Mr. Denman, though alone, opposed the Insurrection Act in principle. On a division, the numbers were for the Amendment, 89For the original Motion, 88.-Majority, 49. 1 June 25. Mr. Hume brought forward a motion for the ABOLITION OF THE VICEREGAL OFFICE IN IRELAND. The Hon. Gentleman supported his proposition by a long list of Catholic grievances, and several financial arguments. He concluded by moving for a Commission of Inquiry to examine into the propriety of suppressing the ViceRegal Government.-Mr. Goulburn opposed the motion. A resident Government (he said) was necessary for the administration of the prerogative of mercy alone, in a country in which 400 or 500 capital convictions annually occurred. The mere official business of Ireland, too, he said, would pour an increase upon the Home Office such as no Minister could support. He denied the accuracy of most of Mr. Hume's statements, in proof of the monopoly of office by the Protestants, and asked how, admitting that such a monopoly existed, would it he remedied by removing the seat of patronage to England? That the Protestants did possess a share of office in Ireland greater than would fall to them upon a numerical distribution, he admitted, but explained that it was impossible to avoid this, while the Protestants continue the only educated classes. -Mr. Peel opposed the Motion, and argued against the impolicy of withdrawing a resident Government from Ireland at the very moment in which the disorders in that kingdom demanded the most constant and vigilant superintendence.-Mr. Canning remonstrated against a proposition, which would go to add new causes of irritation to those unhappily existing, and still further impoverish a country already groaning under distress, and which he said was more likely than any other measure to separate the last link between the Islands. The motion was negatived without a division. HOUSE OF COMMONS, July 2. The Chancellor of the Exchequer brought under the consideration of the House the BUDGET. The Right Hon. Gentleman observed, that at the early part of the Session he had explained fully his views, and he had since been enabled to carry them into execution. It would be satisfactory for the House to know, that there was a more than corresponding excess in the Ways and Means. The total amount of Supplies for army, navy, ordnance, and miscellaneous services, was 16,976,748l. These were to be met by the following items :-The an [July, nual duties upon sugar, &c. were taken at 3,000,000l.; the lottery at 200,000l. There was then a sum of 126,873l. repaid by the Exchequer Bill Loan Commissioners, in conformity with the Act of Parliament, under which the same had been issued, to be included in the Ways and Means of this year. There was also 4,800,000l. for naval and military pensions, and 90,000l. from the East India Company for half-pay allowances. The next item was 459,047). being the surplus of Ways and Means, granted in former years. There was next, a surplus of 8,700,000l. on the Consolidated Fund. lu March, the estimated income of the Consolidated Fund was 46,750,000l. The charge upon it, the sum of 38,050,000l. leaving a surplus of 8,700,000l. The way in which the charge was created, he stated to be as follows For the expense of the funded debt, 28,000,000l.; for other charges thrown on the Consolidated Fund, on account of the Civil List, and pensions which were not annually voted, 2,050,000l.; half-pay annuities,2,800,000l.; Sinking Fund, 5,200,000l.; total, 38,050,000l. which being deducted from the sum he had stated as the income of the fund, namely, 46,750,000l. left the surplus of 8,700,000l. The estimate was upon the probable receipts, after deducting the amount of taxes repealed. The result of all was, that the total amount of Ways and Means for this year was 17,385,9207; deducting the Supplies, 16,976,743l.; a surplus remained of 409,177. Of this 244,150l. was to be applied to the reduction of unfunded debt, but the total surplus of the Ways and Means was, as he had just stated, 409,1777. The Right Hon. Gentleman then noticed the state of the Revenue at the present moment. The Customs up to the 28th of June, had produced 4,026,661.; to this was to be added for bills and cash in hand, 79,191. With respect to the Excise, he was happy to say, that appearances were not less satisfactory, the receipts exceeded the total of those received in the whole year in 1822. The receipts for the present year, up to the 1st of July, were 10,571,0811.; the estimated payments to be received between the 1st and 5th July, he would take at 658,000l.; making a total of 11,229,0817.; leaving a deficiency of 896,055l. But the House would recollect that, since January last, a considerable reduction of taxation had taken place, which more than accounted for the falling off. Yet there was but a deficiency of revenue on the whole to the amount of 896,0551. shewing an actual increase upon the other items of 155,820l. In the Stamp Duties he anticipated no deficiency. In the Post Office there might be a slight falling off, but nothing of consequence. In the Assessed Taxes, there was the prospect of a satisfactory result at the end of the year. Ministers 1823.] Proceedings in the late Session of Parliament. Ministers were enabled, by the habits they had adopted, to realize a clear surplus revenue over expenditure. The Revenue was improving, notwithstanding so large a reduction of taxation had taken place; and at the same time they were effecting a gradual and progressive reduction of the debt, which had been reduced within the last six months to 794,130,8121. from 796,530,1441. which was its amount in January last. With respect to the unfunded debt on the 5th of January, 1823, it amounted to 36,281,150.; on the 30th of June, to 35,498,450l. giving a decrease of 782,700l. Adding this to the sum reduced on the funded debt, it would be seen that there was a clear diminution of debt effected in the last half year, amounting to no less than 3,000,000l. The Right Hon. Gentleman then stated the amount of taxes taken off as follows:-husbandry horses, 480,000l.; malt, 1,400,000l.; salt, 1,295,000l.; hides, 300,000l.; assessed taxes, 2,300,000l.; ditto Ireland, about 100,000l.; tonnage duty, 160,000l.; windows, Ireland, 180,000l.; spirits, Ireland, 380,000l.; ditto, Scotland, 340,000l. giving a total of 6,935,000l.-The several items to which he had referred, being added together, it would seem that the country had been virtually relieved from taxation in the last two years, to the amount of seven millions and a half. He then alluded to the state of Ireland, which no man could look at without feeling great affliction at those causes which operated to produce her misfortunes. With respect to those taxes which still remained, he knew Hon. Gentlemen wished many of them to be removed. Many of them pressed severely on the consumers, and the repeal of some was thought highly desirable, as connected with the necessity of preventing smuggling. Mr. Maberly congratulated the House on the clear and luminous statement they had heard. He thought the Right Hon. Gentleman had rather understated than exaggerated the resources of the country. Mr. Hume also said that he had heard the statements of the Right Hon. Gentleman with great satisfaction, but that they did not come entirely to what he wished. He hoped the Hon. Gentleman would go on in the course he had begun, and take off three or four millions more of taxes next year. HOUSE OF LORDS, July 7. The IRISH INSURRECTION ACT was committed, by a majority of 36 to 5. The five dissentient Peers were the Duke of Leinster, Earls Fitzwilliam and Darnley, Lord Holland, and Lord Ellenborough, each of whom spoke shortly against the measure. Lord Calthorpe, in defending the proposed Act, attributed all the calamities of Ireland to the dark bigotry of the Roman Catholic Religion in that kingdom. 71 July 8. The IRISH TITHE BILL was read a second time. Lord Liverpool moved the second reading, in a speech of some length, in which he argued that tithes formed the most suitable and least inconvenient provision for the National Church; but confessed, that from the unnatural distribution of property in Ireland, which deranged the common relations of society, their collection in that kingdom might be productive of embarrassment.-The Marquis of Lansdowne objected to some of the provisions of the new Bill: he more particularly complained of the re-imposition of the tithe of agistment.-The Earl of Carnarvon thought the measure quite inadequate to its professed purpose.-The Earl of Harrowly and the Lord Chancellor defended the Bill. The latter declared that all his objections to it had been removed by the omission of the compulsory clause ; and took occasion to contradict the common assertion that "tithes are a tax." They are no more a tax, he said, than rent; the Clergyman or Impropriator having as clear a property in the tenth of the produce as the tenant had in the other nine parts. July 9. The Marquis of Lansdowne moved the second reading of the ENGLISH CATHOLICS' RELIEF BILL.-Lord Redesdale opposed the measure. He deplored, as a great calamity, the extension of the elective franchise to the Irish Catholics in 1793, and warned the House against imitating so dangerous and mischievous an error. The Earl of Westmoreland supported the Bill.-The Bishop of Norwich defended the proposed Bill; exulted in the enlightened character of the age, and compared the opposition of the present day to Catholic Emancipation to the resistance offered by the Pagan Priesthood to the introduction of Christianity. The Bishop of St. David's opposed the Bill, as extending power and privileges to persons who paid to the British Crown an imperfect and divided allegiance.-The Lord Chancellor declared that he would oppose the Bill upon principle at any time; but in the present case he also objected to it, on account of the late period of the Session at which it was introduced. His Lordship said, that he would take that opportunity of correcting a great error which prevailed to some extent, namely, that the Clergy alone objected to conferring power upon Catholics; he knew the contrary to be the fact, and that a jealousy of the Roman Catholic Religion was now as strong, and as generally diffused, as ever it had been at any period of our history.-Lord Harrowly defended the Bill. He observed, that the mistake of the Irish Legislature, in 1793, consisted in not fixing a higher rate of qualification than 40s. The English Catholics, he maintained, were as loyal, and as worthy of confidence, as any class 72 Proceedings in Parliament.-Foreign News. class of the King's subjects.-The Earl of Liverpool declared himself friendly to the placing the English Catholics upon the same footing as the Irish. He concurred with Lord Harrowby in thinking that a great mistake had been committed by the Irish Legislature in not raising the freeholder's qualifications.-The House divided, when the numbers were- -Contents, 73; Non-contents, 80. July 14. The IRISH TITHES COMPOSITION BILL was committed; and the Bill ordered for a third reading the following day. The IRISH CHURCH RATES BILL was read the third time, and passed without a division. PROROGATION OF PARLIAMENT, July 19. "My Lords, and Gentlemen, "We are commanded by his Majesty, in releasing you from your attendance in Parliament, to express to you his Majesty's acknowledgments for the zeal and assiduity wherewith you have applied yourselves to the several objects which his Majesty recommended to your attention, at the opening of the Session. His Majesty entertains a confident expectation that the provisions of internal regulation, which you have adopted with respect to Ireland, will, when carried into effect, tend to remove some of the evils which have so long afflicted that part of the United Kingdom. We are com [July, manded to assure you, that you may depend upon the firm, but temperate exercise, of those powers which you have entrusted to his Majesty, for the suppression of violence and outrage in that country, and for the protection of the lives and properties of his Majesty's loyal subjects. It is with the greatest satisfaction that his Majesty is enabled to contemplate the flourishing condition of all branches of our commerce and manufactures, and the greatest abatement of those difficulties which the Agricultural Interest has so long and so severely suffered. "Gentlemen of the House of Commons, "We have it in command from his Majesty to thank you for the supplies which you have granted for the service of the year, and to assure you that he has received the sincerest pleasure from the relief which you have been enabled to afford his people, by a large reduction of Taxes. "My Lords, and Gentlemen, "His Majesty has commanded us to inform you that he continues to receive from all Foreign Powers the strongest assurances of their friendly disposition towards this Country. Deeply as his Majesty still regrets the failure of his earnest endeavours to prevent the interruption of the peace of Europe, it affords him the greatest consolation that the principles upon which he has acted, and the policy which he has determined to pursue, have been marked with your warm and cordial concurrence, as consonant with the interests, and satisfactory to the feelings, of his people." Parliament was then prorogued to Thursday the 30th of September. SPAIN. FOREIGN NEWS. were In our Supplementary Number, we have noticed the arrival of the King and Cortes at Cadiz. From subsequent intelligence, it appears that the greatest excesses committed at Seville after the departure of the King. Among the property destroyed and plundered by the mob, were the archives of the Cortes, and the luggage belonging to the Queen. It is stated, that a multitude of vagabonds, including a large proportion of Gipsies and Monks, began to plunder the boats on the river. This rabble increased in the evening, and many individuals were insulted and robbed, and some killed. During the night, the tumult augmented, and various houses were pillaged; in the mean time the Giralda was magnificently illuminated. On the morning of the 13th, the robberies and assassinations were renewed, and continued until a party of the Queen's Regiment and the Artillery, which had been left for a garrison, marched to Triana, and dispersed the mob with some fusilades; six of them were killed. The plunderers were led on with cries of "Viva Fernando," "Viva la Religion,” “Viva la Inquisition."-A letter from Seville, after noticing an affair between the troops of Lopez Banos and the factious on the 16th, states that a number of boxes of powder had been deposited in the house formerly occupied by the Inquisition, under the care of an officer and a party of soldiers. It was reported among the mob, that the casks were filled with money, and they forced their way in. A spark, it is stated, from a cigar, caused the explosion of the powder. A great number of the mob were buried in the ruins. About 80 were dug out on the 16th, and among the dead were several Friars. The Cortes assembled at Cadiz on the 18th. One hundred and ten Members were present, and that number being sufficient to deliberate, the sitting was opened. The Cortes commenced by declaring that the Regency, which had been temporarily ap pointed |