563 which would thus remain at the diposal of government, at a period when no continental connection seemed at all likely to be formed. In the year 1805, when there was an expectation of rousing the whole of Europe, and when many of the ordinary contingencies were left unprovid ed for, the whole vo e of credit unappropriated was 3,500,000l. Here without any reason whatever, and at so la e a period of the year, 2,900,000l. was desired to be left at the diposal of ministers.

After some further conversation, however, the vote was agreed to.

On the motion for granting to his majesty 500,000l. for Ireland,

Sir John Newport objected in strong terms to the grant. The sum proposed by him to have been voted was 200,000l. What circumstance, he asked, could possibly render ne cessary an additional sum of 300,0001. ?

After some further conversation, this grant was also agreed to.

The other resolutions were then agreed to; the House resumed, and the report was ordered to be recived on Monday.

A message was delivered from the lords, announcing that their lordships had agreed to the Irish insurrection bill, and the bill for constituting the Irish chancellor of the Exchequer an English lord of the treasury.

The committee on the Irish arms prevention bill was postponed to Monday.

The other orders were then disposed of, and the House adjourned at half after one o'clock.

The royal assent was given by commission to the Irish insurrection bill, the exchequer bills' bill, his majesty's property bill, the militia pay bill, the militia subalterns' bill, the militia adjutants' bill, the Irish militia bill, the compassionate list bill, the naval stores importation bill, the Curaçoa free port bill, the annual indeninity bill, and a great number of other bills, in all 78.

The commissioners were the lord Chancellor, the duke of Montrose and lord Walsingham.

The

The malt regulation bill, the British museum bill, and several other bills were read a third time and passed. The other bills on the table were forwarded in their re spective stages. Adjourned till Monday.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.

SATURDAY, AUGUST 1.

The Speaker, on the requisition of the Usher of the Black rod, went to the House of Peers, attended by the members present; and on his return informed the House, that he had heard the royal assent given to a number of public and private bills, 78 in all.

In a committee on the Malta trade, it was resolved, on the motion of Mr. Rose, that the same bounty be allowed on white linens imported into Malta as into Gibraltar. The report to be received on Monday.

The committee on the Malta trade bill was postponed till Monday.

On the motion of Mr. Huskisson, it was ordered that the House, do, on Monday, resolve into a committee of ways and means.

Mr. Huskisson gave notice that it was then his intention to move for an issue of Exchequer bills suflicient to cover the vote credit of Friday.

The colonial imports, spirit drawback, suspension, post office (Hamburgh letters), and calico bills were read a third time and passed. 1

Mr. Hobhouse brought up the report of the committce of supply, which was agreed to.

The silk duties and Swedish herrings bills were read a second time, and ordered to be committed for Monday.

The German linens bill went through a committee, the report was agreed to, and the bill ordered to be read a third time on Monday.

On the motion of Mr. Long the report of the Irish militia transfer bill was ordered to be taken into further consideration on Monday.

The Irish militia completion bill went through a committee, and afer undergoing several amendments and regeiving a number of new clauses, was ordered to be repor ed on Monday.

Mr. Buller presented an account of the number of effec

tive strength of sea fencibles in the service of Great Britain and Ireland. Ordered to lie on the table.

On the motion of Mr. Foster it was ordered, that the House do on Monday resolve into a committee on the acts relative to salt in Ireland.

Mr. Hobhouse brought up a list of the names of the members of the House nominated on the East India judicature list. Among others, were the names of Mr. Simeon, Mr. Wilberforce, Mr. Hawkins Browne, Mr. Babbington, Mr. J. Smith, Sir C. Price, Sir R. Peele, Mr. Shaw Lefevre, Mr. H. Lascelles, Mr. Dillon, Mr. Cripps, -&c. &c. Adjourned.

The House went into a committee on the Swedish herring bill, and the report was ordered to be received the next day.

The Malta linen bill was read a second time and committed for the next day.

Sir J. Sinclair presented a petition from certain persons concerned in the Caithness herring fishery, against the Swedish herring bill. Ordered to lie on the table.

The House went into a committee on the silk duty bill, and the report was ordered to be received the next day. The West India auction bill was read a second time and committed for the next day.

The Secretary at War presented certain returns relative to the army, as moved by Mr. Cochrane Johnstone. Ordered to lie on the table and be printed.

The Malta trade bill was committed for the next day. The royal military canal bill went through a committee, and the report was ordered to be received the next day.

A message from the lords acquainted the House, that their lordships had agreed to the Sierra Leone company bill, and some private bils, without any amendments.

Mr. Hobhouse brought up the report of the smuggling prevention bill, which was agreed to, and the bill ordered to be read a third time on Wednesday next.

Mr. Barham changed his notice from Friday next to the next day.

Mr. Creevey, pursuant to notice, moved that there be laid before the House an estimate in British currency of the probable amount of the revenue and charge of India for the years 1806 and 1807. He said that the object of his motion was to remedy the confusion that must arise from the custom of giving in Indian accounts, according

to different estimates; some had been given in according to the currency of rupees, others of pagados, &c. He shewed in detail how this affected the ultimate result of the accounts, and he hoped no opposition would be given to the estimate now called for. The motion, after a few words from Mr. Dundas, was then agreed to.

PUBLICANS.

Mr. Sheridan presented a petition from several persons retailers of beer and spirits, and brewers of the city of Westminster, praying the interposition of the House on their behalf, with respect to the power exercised by magistrates, as to the granting or withdrawing their licenses. The petition was ordered to lie on the table.

Mr. Sheridan then observed, that the petition which had been just read, was signed by nearly 1000 persons, who complained of the inconvenience they suffered from the manner in which their licences were liable to be withheld or withdrawn, at the discretion of the magistrates. In consequence of the very important discussion that was to come on, he should not trespass upon the time of the House. He should content himself in that instance by reading a part of the petition, which contained all the arguments in support of the proposition he was to make. As the law stood, no licence could be withdrawn but at a full meeting of magistrates, but the law did not specify what number was to be considered a full meeting, and it left to the magistrates a discretion of granting or withholding the licence according as they should think fit. From the exercise of this discretion, the publican often experienced grievous inconvenience and oppression. The petition stated, that the limited interference of the court of King's Bench did not afford the means of adequate redress, It often happened, that from misrepresentation the licence was taken from an honest and industrious individual, who embarked his whole property in his business, and was by such an act deprived of his means of support. They could prove all this at the bar; and, when his bill should come to the second reading, he should state such cases of cruel and grinding oppression, as would excite the surprise of gentlemen. With regard to the provisions of the bill, he thought it necessary then to say, that they would not dis minish the controul of the magistrates over licences, but were merely to prevent an industrious man's having his property,

property, his bread, and means of subsistence, from being taken from him by a secret meeting of magistrates, and to direct that such an exercise of the power of the magistrates should be an act of the open court. And here without meaning any reflection on the paid magistrates, he must make a distinction between them and those very respectable country gentlemen, who gave up their time and services in discharging the duties of magistrates without any remuneration whatever. He did not think it necessary for him then to add any thing to what he had said, because in the progress of the measure, he would have an opportunity of explaining more fully all the cirumstances of the case, and concluded by moving for leave to bring in a bill to amend the act of the 32d of Geo. III. so far as the same relates to the granting and regulating licences, &c.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer did not mean to object to the motion of the honourable gentleman, but certainly thought that it would have been more regular if he had stated the grounds upon which he brought forward his measure in this instance, rather than reserve them for the second reading. If the right honourable gentleman could prove at the bar of that House, such cases of cruel and grinding oppression as he had stated, the court of King's Bench was the most proper place to seek redress.. He wished to know whether the right honourable gentleman meant his bill to be general, or to be confined to Westminster (Mr. Sheridan observed across the table, that he should state that presently). At any rate he could not see any reason why the right hon. gentleman should have made the distinction between those magistrates who presided over the police of this city and other magistrates.

It

Mr. Sheridan replied, that if the honourable gentleman had attended to him, he would have heard him read from the petition, that the limited interference of the King's Bench did not afford an effectual mode of redress. might be very easy to prove the fact of the injury done to the individual, though it would be very difficult to prove the malice, as was required to be done in the court of King's Bench. As to the extent of the operation of the measure, he had not yet made up his mind upon the subject, but he was disposed to think, that it should be confined to the counties of Middlesex and Surrey, as was the case with some of the former acts. The right honourable

gentleman