certain limitations, for the furtherance of public works of utility, the encouragement of the fisheries, and the employment of the poor, for a time to be limited, securities being given for the advances.

Mr. Ponsonby thought the Right Hon. Gentleman had made a material omission in the exposition of his measure, by not particularizing the mode for the re-payment of the advances. It might have escaped his memory to state more precisely the nature of the securities, and the time to be given.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer observed, that those arrangements might be matter for future consideration: but he had no difficulty in saying, that his view was, that the advances should be repayable in 1820 by instalments, to be settled by the Commissioners according to the circumstances of the cases. In advances made for the promotion of useful public works, there might probably be a farther extent of time allowed. He should propose a clause to meet such cases, giving an extension of three years more. his intention that the rate of the Exchequer Bills should be as it now is. As to public works, the Commissioners could not be called upon, except when they were of public utility, and when security was given by individuals. That security was most likely to be found among the proprietors of such works or undertakings.

It was

It was objected by several Members, that there was no want of capital, but of a market for manufactured goods, and that the Right Hon. Gentleman, in proposing the measure, assumed that the distress was merely temporary.-To which Mr. Vansillart replied, that he thought the distress of a temporary nature; if it were not so, no measure of this kind could remedy the evil.

The resolution was then agreed to.

April 29.

Mr. Tierney, at the close of an introductory speech, in which there was much pleasantry, moved the appointment of a Committee to inquire into the duties of the third Secretary of State for War and Colonies, and to report their opinion whether that office was any longer necessary, and whether it might be transferred to any other department, and with what diminution of charge.

The motion was, af er an uninteresting discussion, negatived, by 190 to 87.

Sir Matthew Ridley said, after the opi. nion given last night by Mr. Bragge Bathurst, the House would be astonished to hear that a licence for a Society instituted to discuss questions of natural philosophy, had been refused by the City Magistrates, on the principle that it was necessary previously to deliver a list of the names of

its members, and to give in a list of the questions to be submitted to their discus→ sion. He had also heard that a bench of Country Magistrates had resisted the application of a Mineralogical Society, on the presumption that the investigation of such subjects led to blasphemy. (A laugh, and cries of Hear.)

Mr. Alderman Atkins said, that the Magistrates in question were guided, though mistaken, by the purest views. The words Philosophical and Political ought to be more strictly defined.

April 30.

Mr. Manners Sutton obtained leave to bring in a Bill, which, he said, had been drawn up under the inspection of the Bench of Bishops, to consolidate and amend the Laws relating to spiritual persons holding a farm, and enforcing the residence of spiritual persons on their benefices, and supporting and maintaining stipendiary Curates in England; also giving a Bishop the power to appoint a Curate, in a case in which the beneficed Clergyman resided, but in the Bishop's opinion did not properly perform his duty.

Lord Lascelles brought in a Bill to render the proprietors of lead-mines rateable to the poor-rates, according to the profits derived.

Mr. Bennet brought up a report from the Committee on the Police of the Metropolis; and stated, that the attention of the Committee had been particularly directed to the mode of licensing public-houses. The present Laws on that subject they found to be a mere dead letter; the recog nizances, when forfeited, being never escheated,

After some business of minor importance, Mr. Bennet complained, in the name of the Police Committee (of which he was Chairman) of a breach of privilege, arising out of certain animadversions contained in a pamphlet lately written by the Rev. Thos. Thirlwall, in defence of the conduct of Mr. Merceron and the Licensing Magistrates of the Tower Division. Several passages were read by the Hon. Member, the inuendoes contained in which went (in the opinion of the Committee) to assimilate their proceedings to those of Ciomwell, the French Revolution, the Inquisi

tjob,

tion, and the Star Chamber! It appeared that the Author had been summoned before the Committee, in order to afford him an opportunity of explaining away the offensive meaning of the passages in question, but his answers were unsatisfactory, and his manner and tone correspondent with them. The Committee therefore thought it necessary to bring the matter before the House.

A conversation of some length took place, in the course of which Mr. Lockhart objected to the course pursued by the Committee in calling Mr. Thirlwall before them, to answer for what be had published.

The Speaker, however, did not conceive that the Committee had gone further than they were justified by the nature of the case; and the Rev. Gentleman was accordingly ordered to appear at the bar of the House on Wednesday next.

May 5.

The second reading of the London Tithes Bill was strongly opposed by Dr. Phillimore and Sir W. Scott, who conceived that the decree upon the Act of Henry VIII, had made a final conclusion upon the subject of Tithes for London.

Messrs. Butterworth, Smith, and Gordon, strongly opposed the claim for 2s. 9d.; as it would not merely create great conten. tions and heart-burnings, but would more than quadruple the value of many livings. The City Members, Sir W. Curtis, Alderman Atkins, and Sir James Shaw, voted for the Bill.

On a division the Bill, was thrown out, by 146 to 21.

Mr. Davies Gilbert, in a Committee of the whole House, moved, after some preliminary observations on the first report of the Finance Committee, for leave to bring in a Bill to abolish the Chief Justiceships in Eyre. Some discussion ensued, and leave was given to bring in that and other Bills according to the resolutions. On the title of one of the Bills being read, the object of which is to grant compensation for offices abolished, a long conversation ensued, in which Mr. Brougham and Lord Milton having stated their design to oppose it, charges of inconsistency were advanced and retorted, in which those Hon. Members, Mr. Canning, and Mr. W. Smith, were interested.

quainting him that it was the Prince Regent's pleasure, that during his residence at the Court of Portugal he should keep within his ordinary allowances, namely, 5,2004. a year, and that he had directed Mr. Casamajor to lose no time in removing the mission from the house of the Marquis de Pombal; and that he could not anticipate any public grounds for continuing the expenditure of his Majesty's servants at Lisbon, at the scale on which it had been conducted during the continuance of the war in the Peninsula.-2. That on the 26th of August 1814, under the pretence of congratulating the Prince of Brazil on his return to Europe, the Right. Hon. G. Canning was appointed Ambassador to Lisbon, with a salary of 82001, with 60007. allowances, 15004 outfit, and 31801. plate money, making 18,880/-. 3. That this appointment was inconsistent with the dispatch of Lord Castlereagh to Mr. Sydenham, was uncalled for by any political circumstances, and was an unwarrantable abuse of the public money.

Lord Castlereagh then followed in reply; in which, at considerable length, be contended that the Mission to Portugal was absolutely necessary, with a view to a coalition of the combined powers of Europe, in the then circumstances of the world. Upon the score of economy, he insisted. that every thing had been done to attain the desired object at the least possible expence. The result of the mission had crowned with success the hopes of his Majesty's Government; and he had ouly to say, that the object obtained was one which mainly contributed to the happy termination of those conflicts which restored peace and harmony to the most civilized part of the globe.

Sir F. Burdett was of opinion, that the Noble Lord had completely failed in his defence of the Mission. The case that had been stated by the Hon. Gentleman near him was quite incontrovertible, as it was founded upon undeniable facts. The return of the Regent of Portugal was a mere pretence to enable the Right Hon. Gentleman to go to Portugal, which suited bis convenience.

Sir J. Beresford stated, that he had been told by the Prince Regent of Portugal, in Sept. 1814, that he wished to go along with him to Europe. The same declaration had been subsequently repeated, and he had been told to wait at Rio Janeiro. He had been asked as to the time of the passage, and it had not been till the following April that he got his final answer. He should not have stopped five days had he not expected the Prince would have sailed with him..

Mr. Canning observed, that after a year of menace and three months of prepara tion, the sole object of the motion was, to

dis

disqualify him from serving the publick with honour to himself or advantage to the country. That, however, would be but a small result after so much preparation. He should plead to the indictment, and trusted that the same indulgence would be granted to him that was usual in the case of the greatest criminal, not to bring forward fresh charges after the pleadings had been cleared. The charge against the Government was, that they pretended to believe what they knew to be false, and had corruptly offered an office which had been as corruptly accepted. The charges were two in number — first, that Ministers had no belief in the return of the Prince Regent to Europe; and the second, that the Mission had been one of unexampled prodigality. To both charges he should plead, though the latter was unquestionably the minor in point of crimi nality. If Ministers had no belief in the return of the Prince to Europe, there was a solid ground for impeachment. He had received a private letter from Lord Liverpool on the 26th of August 1814, in which it was confidently stated, that the Prince Regent of Portugal was about to return to Portugal. This at the same time was, his own conviction, and he declared in the presence of God, that the expected return of that Prince to his European dominions was the contingency on which his accept ance of office could be grounded. Was it, he would ask, likely that this letter was also a contrivance ? Was it probable that either of two men who had been intimately acquainted for more than 20 years, would play such a trick on the other, as this letter would amount to if it were not founded in truth? But this was afterwards confirmed by the letter of Lord Strangford. Take the whole of the matter into a Court of Justice, and what would be the inference from the facts which were stated? But learning, and also knowing, that it was the wish of the Prince to re-visit Europe, and being convinced that it was for the interest of the Portuguese Monarchy, that it was for the good of Europe, that he should return, he did not entertain the slightest doubt that he would come home as speedily as possible. He had, it was true, heard reports of a contradictory kind. But the evidence of Lord Strangford, who believed that the Prince would return, was in his mind conclusive. He would next come to the question of the expence of the Embassy, but he should first observe, that if it could be proved to be unnecessary, a single sixpence should not be expended on it. (Hear, hear!)-The Hon. Baronet had said, that there was no man who had not his price. He would not agree to this. There were many things which had no certain price, but which depended on their relative circumstances.

Would any man who had known the expences of Sir Charles Stewart two years before, as Ambassador to Lisbon, say that he (Mr. Canning) was anxious to have a great price, when it would appear that his expences were on so reducell a scale? He did not mention this invidiously, but he thought it necessary to say it in defence of himself. He fortunately had by him a copy of a letter which he wrote to Lord Liverpool shortly after his appointment,” In this he said, "I have been looking at the account of Stewart's expences while be was here. They are frightful! They might do very well for a person in a high plitical situation, but they will not do for me. For God's sake limit me to what sum you please, but so that no responsibility attaches to me." This was, perhaps, a proof that he sought not great price as the reward of his services. (Hear, hear!) In the year between the 5th of April 1812, and the 5th of April 1813, the expences of Sir C. Stewart were in extraordinaries 26,8007. in addition to his salary of 5,2001. making together the sum of 32,0004.; between the 5th of April 1813, and the 5th of April 1814, they amounted in all to 31,206. This would appear from the Report of the Committee on the Civil List. But this period was not the standard by which the Hon. Gentleman on the opposite side had chosen to judge of his expences. No, the short interval of six months which elapsed between the retiring of Sir C. Stewart and his appointment; this little isthmus between two seas of expence, was the ground on which they had thought fit to make their staud. (Hear, hear, hear!) And here he could not but observe, that the Hon. Member who had moved for returns of the expences incurred on those occasions, had not acted with that candour which might have been expected. He kept back the mention of some parts of them, and only used those which were most likely to be subservient to his purpose.— (Loud and repeated cheers.)

For the two last years of Sir Charles Stewart's residence in Portugal, the extraordinaries of his Mission were 28,000l. in each year. At the time of his appointment he determined to limit himself as much as possible by rules of economy, and to restrict his expenditure to 6000% a year. The principle he adopted was the usual allowance, and a determination not to draw for extraordinaries, but to the amount of the allowed salary of 80004 This salary of 80001. was subject to a reduction of 16 per cent. in England, and 12 in Portugal, amounting to 251. per cent.. more than one-fourth of the whole sum. The sum of extraordinaries received by him was only equal to these reductions, and not one farthing more, so help him God-Hear, hear!)-He strictly limited

binself

himself to the salary of 80001. for the first quarter, drawing only 2000. The last quarter's salary was returned to the treasury (hear!) because he did not consider himself entitled to receive it; and this returu was made without any wish, without even the least hope, that it could ever possibly come to the knowledge of any person-(hear!)-except the individual to whom it was returned. Upon finding that the motives for his Mission no longer existed, he tendered the surrender of it. It was not immediately accepted. He could not say what it was that rendered his Noble Friend (Lord Castlereagh) reluctant to receive that tender. He was required to continue in Lisbon during the war which then unfortunately broke out; but, immediately after the battle of Waterloo, bis noble friend did write to him, saying that circumstances then would admit of his be ing relieved from the burthen of his situation. On the 11th of August he resigned; and finding himself then without a substitute, he wrote to Lord Bathurst, pointing out a person whom he looked upon as fit to be appointed Chargé des Affaires, and that person was in consequence nominated. He was not able to find the letter to Lord Bathurst. It was the only document connected with the subject that was not before the House. Was he then pertinacious in his adherence to his situation? Did he discover in any part of this transaction the motives that were attributed to him? Did it bear the appearance of a gross and disgraceful robbery? (Hear, hear!) He had answered the charges against him so far as they regarded his Mission; but he would not leave unnoticed any part of the attack. It was said that his Noble Friend (Castlereagh) and himself had exhibited instances of reconciliation that were unprecedented in the annals of dispute (Hear, hear! from the Opposition.) He may with truth assert, that whatever may be the opinions which were circulated ei

ther from malice or from party, however they may have clashed in almost a solitary instance, no two neighbours had ever lived so long convenient to each other, without differing more essentially than they had done. But was that House the place in which private difference or reconciliation was to be forced into notice?— (Hear, hear, hear!)-The Right Hon. Gentleman closed, amidst loud and repeated cheers, one of the most eloquent and convincing speeches ever delivered in Parliament, of which our limits permit us only to give a very faint idea.

Mr. Brougham characterized the business, as the Hon. Baronet had done before him, as a profitable pecuniary party job; and he hoped the motion of his Hon. Friend would meet with the support which it deserved, and which he expected.

Lord Milton had listened with the greatest attention to the arguments of the Hon. Gentleman who had commenced the debate, to those of the Hon. Baronet, and to those of his Hon. and Learned Friend: but he candidly confessed, that from the facts which had been laid down, he bad drawn his own conclusions. He could not conscientiously concur in the censure which had been passed upon the Right Hon. Gentleman by many on his side of the House. But it should not at the same time be imagined, that he was to be classed amongst those gentlemen who considered the Right Hon. Gentleman free from ail blame. After the most mature deliberation which he had had time to give it, he thought that the question which had been moved, was not one which the House ought

to entertain.

Mr. Tierney said, he should vote for the motion of his Hon. Friend, because he conceived the measure to be an unnecessary expenditure of the public money.

The House then divided: for the previ ous question, 270; against it, 96; majority, 174.

OCCURRENCES.

tous epidemic distempers are not the consequence of the present mi-ery.

These accounts make thenion of a lately detected conspiracy; the alledged object of which was, to assassinate Monsieur and both his sons, at a review of the Royal Guard. The plot seems to have been confined to a very few conspirators, all of whom were members of the Royal Guard, and who are now handed over to a competent tribunal, to ascertain their guilt, and award the necessary punish

ment.

The wife of Regnault D'Angely has been apprehended at Paris, and a man named Olville, said to be a cousin of Buonaparte

-some plot among the adherents of the Ex-Emperor, is implied by these arrests.

The French Government has repaid the sum of 20,000l. advanced to it by Great Britain last year, for granting relief to such of the suffering Clergy and Laity of France as had claims upon his Most Christian Majesty.

The Moniteur announces, that Louis XVIII. has ordered the standards of the ancient company of horse-grenadiers of his guard, to be deposited in the hands of the family of La Roche Jacquelin. His Majesty has given permission to that family to make these ensigns the supporters of their arms, and to unite them by the following device-" Vendée, Bourdeaux, Vendée;" as a perpetual memorial of the faithful and devoted services which the house of La Roche Jacquelin has rendered to the Crown.

Some hopes are held out, of greater facilities being about to be afforded to the commercial intercourse between this country and France.

The Moniteur lately contained, under the head of Calais, a long and interesting account of the shipwreck of a French vessel, L'Orient, of 72 tons, and seven men, at that place, during a violent storm on the 16th; on which occasion, the English officers and crew of the Royal Sovereign yacht, com. manded by Commodore Owen, distinguished themselves by a degree of generous and daring enterprise which has excited the admiration of our French neighbours. The storm raged with such fury, that none of the seamen of the place would venture out to the rescue of the unfortunate crew :-abandoned by their own countrymen, it was to the noble courage of British tars, that any of them owed their preservation. A boat wellmanned pushed off from the Royal Sove reign, under the command of Lieut. Chas. Moore, and, by the most extraordinary exertions, succeeded in saving two of the crew. The gallant commander of the boat narrowly escaped losing his own life in the attempt, having been thrown by an overwhelming wave into the sea, but most fortunately was picked up again by his men.

An affray lately took place at the Lisle Theatre, when Talma was performing there. The audience wished to crown him with laurel; but some Vendean officers of the garrison, considering it meant more to honour Talma for his well-known Buonapartean principles, than his abilities as an actor, violently opposed the design, and cleared the Theatre. The officers have been since repritnanded by theGovernment.

The celebrated Baron Geramb, wellknown in London in 1812, after a noviciate of fifteen months, made his solemn vows as a Monk of La Trappe, on April 13.

printed at Brussels, states, that the Government had just discovered a corre-> spondence between Napoleon and some of bis partisans in Europe. The plan was: ingenious and new. Madame Bertrand had received a present of a beautiful muslin dress, magnificently embroidered,' which came from a city in the South of France. The flowers and various figures which composed the embroidery were so many hieroglyphics, each having its particular signification. The indiscretion of a young man who had been the bearer of it, and who lately returned to England, caused the key of this species of cypher to fall into the hands of the English Mi nister.

In Holland and the Netherlands, the French designations of weights and mea. sures have been abolished, and the names in use before the Revolution have been again introduced.

SPAIN and PORTUGAL.

A plot has been detected among the Spanish military for gaining possession of the important fortress of Barcelona. The conspirators, relying on their supposed success in seducing some officers of the regiment of Tarragona in garrisou at the abovementioned fortress, sent an emissary to one of the gates, and attempted to gain over the Commandant of the post By his orders, however, the messenger was seized; and on him were found pro clamations, in the name of General Lacy, exciting the people to insurrection. The General and 17 officers, his accomplices, were consequently put in arrest, and he has received sentence of death. A petition sigued by a great number of respectable characters has been presented at Court, with a view to save the life of Gen. Lacy.

An article from Madrid states, that Spain has been inundated with caricatures and other prints, tending to bring the King and Royal Family into contempt: a censorship has therefore been established over the art of engraving, on the same terms with that which watches over the press.

An article in the Dutch papers, dated Madrid, states that a new plan of finance has been delivered by the Minister of that department, Senor Garagi, to the King, which had already been discussed in the Council of State, and was expected to make a deep sensation; having for its basis, the principle, that, in future, not only the nobility of every rank, but the whole body of ecclesiastics themselves, are to be subject to all sorts of taxes and imposts.

NETHERLANDS.

that,